My favorite Christmas gift...

A few months back my cousin Kim found a Red Eared Slider Turtle wandering around her neighborhood, which she adopted and has since decided it was a boring pet.  So she offered it to me as she knows we have a small pond with Japanese Goldfish and a resident bullfrog. I LOOVE animals! My yard has lots of critters!

As a small child my Dolly (paternal Grandmother) had a turtle in a big fishbowl on her kitchen counter.  My Aunt Janet had won the turtle at a Church Carnival when she was a kid.  The turtle was the size of a silver dollar when it came home.  Aunt Janet named him "winky" because she said the turtle "winked" at her.  He grew quite large and lived for many years in my Grandmother's Kitchen.  When I was 6, I had two tiny turtles.  I adored them, but sadly one day when we set them out to sun in the yard, some darn birds stole them and I found their empty shells in the yard.  We have found Box turtles over the years and my eldest had a water turtle that grew so large for his tank that we set him free at a local pond at a park. One of my favorite books as a child, which still is to this day, is named "The Aminal"  which in the end is about a little turtle.

Needless to say, my heart is fond of turtles, any critters for that matter.  I am a county girl at heart and long to live on a small farm somewhere.

So, despite the Wonderful gifts my Beau and children gave me, Winky, my new turtle is my Favorite Gift this year.  Thanks Kim, he seems to like his new home quite well!!

The aftermath.

No matter how much I plan, prepare and try to find my Zen each year as preparing for Christmas, I some how feel like I have run a marathon the day after.  This year, I seem to have reached the Nirvana of peace a little bit more. But in my typical fashion, by 11 am this morning, the decorations were down, boxed up and placed back up in the attic.  My house is cleaned up and order has been restored. 
I'd say, that my sanity has been restored too, but anyone who knows me...well... let's suffice it to say that sane might not be described as one of my prominent traits.

We do not live in the snow, but Mt Baldy and the Cucamonga Wilderness are basically in my back yard.  The pics are from a trip we took last winter up to play in the snow.  So pretty, thought I's share.

Peace & Love,
Lisa

Christmas tree of Life

A few months ago, I scored this vintage hoop skirt at my favorite antique haunt.  I KNEW it would come in handy, just for what, I did not know, but had to have it.

Little is conventional in my home and Life.  It just is what it is.  In my effort to go greener, I refuse to buy a cut down tree or a fake one to take up precious attic space for that matter. This year was no exception to push the design marker.  I collect dress forms. Having over 20 in all shapes and sizes through my house, why not use one of them as a tree? I have had all kinds of crazy trees over the years. Some with Glittered High heel shoes and faces carved into concrete trunks, yes...everything is animated in my world. I live in Wonderland.

This year s no exception.  I illuminated the hoop skirt and Chandelier head, then hung all of the precious ornaments my children, Nana and Mom have made me over the years.

 She is kind of symbolic, this tree of mine. She is my tree of life.  I am the base and my children are the fruit which decorate me.  The work of my Mom and Nana are what have nourished me.

My Mom thought this years tree idea was crazy, offering 3 different times to buy me a tree. Insisting that my kids wouldn't like it.  On the contrary, they loved it, their friends love it.

Who wrote the Christmas tree rules anyway?

My Mom walked in the other day, looked at the tree, chuckled and said...

"Okay, okay, you were right, that is really cute and clever."

Merry Christmas to all and may the Holiday bring you much love!

COOKIES!

Every year my Mom and I spend the day baking Christmas cookies that we pass out to Family and Friends. This year we wanted Nana to join us, but she is having Heart problems and had to be at the hospital for a special test. She is almost 11 years out of a triple bypass. We were bummed, but had to bake. Mom had to leave early to go get Nana. As she was leaving, Casey, my son Christian's long time friend came over to bake with me. Casey is like a daughter, no she is my daughter. She is a beautiful girl and has been kind of sad and lost I think.

I have this propensity to adopt kids. I don't mean really adopt them, but would if I could. Just bring them under my wing, give them someone to confide in and love them. Neighbor kids seeking shelter from arguing parents, children of alcoholics, absentee parents. There have been many a kid who has come into my home over the years and felt safe here. My son Christian's friends nicknamed me "Super Mom", not because I am super, but because none of them can lie to me and I have them "pegged" as soon as I meet them, knowing if they drink, smoke pot, etc. It unsettles them, but makes me laugh! I am just "tuned-in" to them is all.

I love being a Mom. My kids tell me, "Mom, you are everyone's Mom." and I am. Every time I help some kid be able to cross the street safely on his/her bike, stop to keep kids from bullying another kid, be a Girl Scout leader, etc, etc. I have told my kids that I am only doing for the absentee Mom, what I hope another would do for my kids in my absence.

Baking was wonderful, despite my Nana not being able to be there and we are still waiting to hear about her test results.

The white snowball cookie is my Paternal Grandmother's Recipe. She was "Dolly" to me, not "grandma" and she died of lung cancer when I was 17. I miss her still. I have baked that cookie for 28 years and am sure she baked it for at least 30 herself. It is the requested favorite and no they are NOT Russian teacakes...they are Pecan Balls. Like a delicate shortbread, no egg in that recipe. You see, my sons each have a favorite, that is requested each year. The trees are for my son Dylan, the Fudge for my eldest son Brandon and Christian/Em LOVE the Pecan balls. So everyone is happy and I manage to gain a few lbs with those darn things in the house...but what the heck. Tis the season, right?

Merry Christmas to all and don't forget the spread the LOVE, because that is really all that matters in Life!!!

My new Baby

Last week I was feeling VERY tired, overwhelmed and a little, no A LOT burnt out.
Having spent the past 2 months doing virtually 12 shows. I am wiped.
I needed to work, but felt like running around to antique stores and thrift haunts instead. Should have been Christmas shopping or decorating my house for the said holiday, but what the heck, I still have a a few weeks, Right???? I am hardly the big Broo-ha-ha Christmas person anyway. Like the meaning, could skip the commercialism.
Anyway.
At one of my FAVORITE haunts, I spied the piece of studio furniture that dreams are made of. Yes, I have DREAMED about a piece of furniture like this. An Antique Store counter with lots of drawers with built in sorters, a nice work area on top...OMG!!!



It had a SOLD sign on it. WAH!!!! I almost cried. How could I have missed a piece like this????



I know you all can relate. You see the most amazing item in an Antique Store with a sold or layaway sign on it. Or you are at the Flea Market and you see some infidel walking away with YOUR treasure. I KNOW you know what I mean!



As I have sold at this particular antique store, know all of the dealers and owners very well, I asked, "who bought this and How MUCH?"
I never found out how much, but did find out that mother/daughter dealer friends of mine bought it. Wahoo! I thought to myself. Might have a chance at getting it after all, as I was sure they were heading to Orange County to sell it at their shop there.




On the phone I hop to see if I can still nab this wonderful piece of the past.




I am in luck. They will sell it to me. I can put it on layaway for two months AND I get to take it home now. Seems there is a riot going on at the shop over this piece , so they want it to go away fast...not to mention that they know where I live...



After a bottle of Murphys Oil soap and elbow grease for 2 hrs it is cleaning up nicely.
Tomorrow it is time for Howards to spiff up the finish a bit more.

Check out the old racks for paper, twine and who knows what? This store counter has to be a hundred years old. The opposite side where the customers would stand there is a shelf and there once was sliding glass to keep the goodies away from small hands I am sure. I added some vintage sheet music to the bottom of one of the drawers at it needed it.




As I took the drawers out (many with cubbies for sorting) Pinch me, please. I hoped to find a snippet of the past....something. I found the piece of a bill or sale. A hand written receipt. All I can make out is "Br", 1/2 do", "Spin" and "Kilo". That's it. There is a red "25 at the bottom right indicating part of the numeral to identify the ticket order. I Long for more. I wish it could talk. If I find out more, I will post it.



Needless to say, my Studio is singing as is my heart. Just the rejuvenating I need right now.

Hugs,
Lisa

Remiss

Life has been hectic and I have been remiss at my responsibility and commitment to blogging. I have been so busy making things to sell and attending shows that I really have not had time. Thanksgiving was Fabulous. I had 20 family members at my home and it was really lovely. Then I got sick for a couple days and got crazy with herbal remedies but am all better now. Go Oregano Oil, garlic, lemon water and Organic Juice drinks. Yes, I smelled like a mediterranean salad, but it worked and took only two days to kick it out of my system.

Since I have been AWFUL at taking pictures of the lovely shows I have been attending, thought I'd share some recent pics from my garden. It is my haven, I have to be in it everyday and I have a view of it from both of my studios...not to mention the sound of water from the fountain and pond.

Sorry for not posting more, may you enjoy my garden, forgive me and feel a sense of peace during this very hectic time of year.

Hugs,
Lisa