I Went HOME

I went home yesterday, it was a family gathering to celebrate my father's 72 birthday.

Happy Birthday POP!

 I was wandering around the yard looking at it from a different perspective. 

 This is where I grew up, this is what made me me.

  The house is over 100 years old with lots of character.

I have seen beautiful pictures of weathered wood, old barn barns. 

 I love the way they look. 

 No wonder, this was my playground.

My back yard.

This was the barn where we learned to take care of our animals, rabbits, horses and pigeons oh my.

 

This is where I learned what it meant to work HARD and be PROUD of your work!

 

These are the neighbors whom taught us what friendship meant. 

How to make ice cream and clean a chicken.

It was in here where I learned how to pound a nail, saw a piece of wood, build my own doll furniture.

 

 

These are the fields we chased after butterflies.

We learned to ride our bike on the gravel. 

Played hide and seek in the dark.

I think I was lucky! 

 I like the way I am me!

Black Iron Beauties

I was visiting my local Salvation Army several months ago, but she is just plain Sally to me, I visit her almost weekly!  I happen to be checking out the furniture section, as I always do and I found these lovely outdoor iron chairs. 

The plastic fabric was absolutely horrid. 

It was the scrolls that had me.

The chairs have been waiting in the garage for inspiration. 

A deadline of 3 weeks for the flea market made me kick it into high gear.  They did not require more than one coat of paint to make them shine.

The fabric choice had me stumped until I was in the basement looking through my fabric.  I found a Ralph Lauren duvet, normally I would not have cut such a large piece of fabric up, but it really was doing me no good hiding in a box in the basement. 

I love those roses.  If I have enough left over I may make some pillows.

Well, I think they turned out great.  I almost want to keep them!

  NO......I already have enough chairs.

Those scrolls are really pretty.

Today is a double feature, I am linking to Show and Tell Friday with Cindy at My Romantic Home.

and

 Furniture Feature Friday at Miss Mustard Seed's Creations.

YEAH it's Friday!!!

White Candles

 I worked on new tags and candles for the flea market yesterday. 

 I have been stuck on the music sheets, buttons, bows and roses.

 These are a few of my favorites for my favorite day.

Thank you Kathleen from Faded Charm for hosting WHITE WEDNESDAY!

The fun thing about when I make some projects to take to the flea market, if they don't sell, they will look great in my house.   

 

Don't forget to go and visit all the wonderful blogs that join White Wednesday, you won't be disappointed.

Tagged Out!

I had a little mishap over the weekend, it only required one stitch, but I had to keep my face out of the sun and pool.  What is a girl to do but be creative.  I got my create on.  For me that means a mess from one end of the house to the next.  I knew the house could not remain this clean for very long. 

I had some leftover tags from my old shop and I have been seeings some great enhanced tags, so I wanted to give it a try.

 Here are a few that I have finished so far. 

This tag is my favorite so far.  I love the picture, the little pink rose and buttons. 

Another variation on the details.

A different rose.

I loved using the black and white bits and pieces to embellish this tag.

I also made place cards, one side has either old sheet music or old book pages.  The other side is chalkboard so you can write names or whatever strikes your fancy.  My fancy was 5.

Same concept using the rose picture. 

I have been trying out the chalkboard paint on silver platters too.

  It is fun to use. 

Buttons, buttons, lots of buttons.

 I have been gluing buttons, I like to glue them to almost anything.

These are just a little something I plan to take to the flea market. 

What have you been doing to get your create on?

I am going to join French Cupboard for Altered Art Party.

Make sure you stop by, it is amazing what bloggers are doing these days.

Arbor House is Going to the FLEA MARKET

I had previously been contemplating opening a new shop with a new business partner.  At the last moment the ideal spot fell through, literally the building needed too much work. 

While one door closes another opens.  I mentioned to family and friends that I have been contemplating going back to work.  No sooner had I spoke the words, several job opportunities opened up that I am pursuing.  Now that all three of my children will be in school it will make it somewhat easier for me to work full time.  I do enjoy working and I am excited to be going back to a full time job.  Mr. M. has some reservations about how we will be able to juggle it all and I do know it will be hard work at the beginning trying to balance it all out, but I have confidence in myself and my family, we can do it! 

I have an abundance of furniture and accessories in my garage/shed/house from my last shop, so I decided to take it to the flea market.  Remember the last flea market where I found the chandelier and tins, that is the flea market I am going to sell the rest of my treasures.

I am going to work the Flea Market with my friend and potential business partner Patrice and my two sisters Tiera and Iesa, I am sure it will be a weekend full of laughter. We plan to decorate just as if it were a shop, very much like my home, with lots of white furniture, home decor and accessories.

I have also contemplated etsy and have it set up along with a blog if I should decide to pursue that venture, but for now I am hoping to make some money for work clothes and have a fun day.  Wish me luck.

An Artful Giveaway!

One of the first bloggers I noticed when I started blogging was Monica from The White Bench.  It was her photos that made me stop and notice her on other blog rolls.  The photos and Monica's style of writing are the reason I have her on my blog roll.  It is hard to describe beauty when the colors are perfect and it creates a mood that you love.  That is what Monica's pictures do for me. 

The pinks and whites in this picture are what I love.

The White Bench is having an amazing giveaway of TWO of her mounted prints of your choice from her photography etsy shop, to one winner.  Make sure you stop over to her blog and pick out your favorites, you don't want to miss out on a giveaway like this.

I am debating if I want to weed or swim, as much as I love my flowers I am leaning toward the swim.  Thank you for visiting me and I hope you have a wonderful weekend too.

MY Children and Flea Markets Do NOT Mix

Happy Friday. 

I thought I would share my flea market story with you.  Last weekend I went to one of my favorite flea markets at The Port of Entry in Getzville.  Not too big that it takes all day, not too expensive that you feel sad that you didn't find any treasures to take home.  Just RIGHT that not only do you find several treasures......they are priced just RIGHT.

I had planned to forgo this flea market because Mr. M. was out of town on business and it meant taking all THREE children with me.  Yeah, I was not excited about having to say NO a million times.....but......it.... is.... my..... favorite..... flea market.  Now I know where my little guy gets his whining from.  Anyway, with the promise of Tim Hortons Tim Bits (if you have never heard of Tim Hortons, they have the best coffee and donuts) I was able to bribe the kids to come with mom.  I think I also agreed to a trip to the pond and I think I vaguely remember I heard myself say yes to a toy.....but I am not to sure about that one.

I normally like to get there early, as in I am among the first on the field.  We arrived mid morning and I had already heard, "how long is this going to take, I have to go pee and can I look at the toys."  I was already wondering if I made the right decision. 

We continue on, I first visit my friend Nancy, whom once worked with me at my old shop.  Of course she has a wonderful quilt that has my summer colors of red, white and blue.

After chatting with her for as long as I could get the kids to stand still, off we went to look in the field.  I spotted a guy selling faux floral.  I found a few that I liked, for when the gardens are under a foot of snow.

I can see them wrapped in burlap or pretty tissue paper and a big silk bow.

We wandered around the flea market for about as long as I could take it.  It was in the upper 80's and I was out of Tim Bits.  The kids were starting to revolt on me.  OK, you may have one, only one toy.  I know, you are not supposed to give in...never.....ever....but.  In my defense, it was my FAVORITE flea market, my husband had been out of town for almost a week.  I was trying to preserve my sanity. 

We found the little guy a toy, that made him happy for a little while.  In the mean time I found these awesome ceiling tins.  I was standing at the booth trying to figure out what I could do with them.  There were three different kinds and of course the price got better the more you bought.  As much as I loved them, I did not want to buy too many for the project I had in mind.  Ok I guess I will just have to give up on that idea. 

We wandered around some more and I found this perfect petite brass chandelier.  It needed some wiring and all of the crystals were missing.  The guy offered a price, I said lower and YEAH he said yes.  I was dancing and my kids just look at MOM like she is the crazy one!

Isn't it awesome. 

 I am talking about the chandelier, not the tin behind it.

Who is CRAZY now. 

Say hello to my new bathroom chandelier. 

 Oh that rewiring that needed to be done, did it! 

The missing crystals, had a stash in the basement for just such an emergency.

Now I am sure you did not miss the tin peaking out from behind the chandelier. 

I could not stop thinking about it.  Well almost, because the little guy was in full blown tears, it seems his brother had picked out a toy that was better than his.  I had to get them out of there and fast. 

 So I did one more look at the ceiling tins, took measurements and said my goodbyes.

Now on the drive home we pass GRANDMA'S house, look she is home.  IDEA.  I quick drove home, did some measurements to see how many tins I would need for my project. 

Called grandma.  Of course she would watch the kids for a few minutes while I went BACK to the flea market to buy the tins if they still had them.

YEAH the tins were still there.  Now normally I would have just bought them all so I did not regret not following through on my inner buyer.  The other great thing about this flea market is that it is 7 minutes from my home.  I only had to buy 5 tins instead of the 10 I would have originally bought. 

Don't you just love the detail, not too ornate but just right. 

 I am not going to tell you where they are going, that I shall save for another day, oh and I think it will look great.

Thanks for listening to my story, sorry for the whining, mine not the kids.  You can join me with Cindy for Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home.

Tall Whites

I am going back into the gardens to show you my whites.

 It is WHITE WEDNESDAY with Kathleen at Faded Charm.

This white butterfly bush is almost 10 feet tall. 

 It is amazing to see and quite unbelievable if it weren't in my own yard.

I love seeing all the butterflies and humming birds around the flowers.

White Rose of Sharon.

My white roses are in bloom again.

  I love when roses bloom all summer long.

 

These are cone flowers that I planted last year, I think I do like them. 

 Maybe they should be spread throughout the rest of the gardens.

Even in this hot weather I have been able to keep my hanging baskets well watered . 

Well, maybe not as hot as California, but where I come from it is Hot.

Thank you for stopping by and I hope you enjoyed all the Whites in the garden.