Art and Flowers

I got started on that giant cake dome I posted about ealier and in the meantime, finished up some frames and switch plates. I love these red wooden cube gaming letters!


And there is always time for switch plates! The orange and turquoise color combo is one of my faves.

I got the silver brooch at Bon Bon a few weeks back.

And I gathered some Mother's Day bouquets from around the garden. I just love peonies and didn't expect them to continue blooming after they were cut but POW! They almost look as if they were made of paper.

We have enjoyed such a lovely Spring here in Kansas City. When my brother and his family move back next month, life will be nearly perfect!

New Adventures in Mosaic

I just found out that "Frank" the wonderful shop in Los Gatos, California from a few posts back, is going to carry my mosaics!!!! I am very excited!!!

So excited, in fact, that I've already boxed up my first shipment. That funky wooden piece above that I found last weekend at the River Market Antique Mall did not sit in the studio for long.

And I made another switch plate with the great prisms I got from Anna!

Got the aspirin tin last weekend, also, at a fun yard sale.

And I love using these old-school beaded earrings. They remind me of my Grandma Velma.

I'm already brewing the next batch o' mosaic goodness. More switch plates and another frame. I have a cake dome I think I'll do soon and of course, there is always a bird house to be made. Thanks, Jas, for my new laptop! Now I can post any time I want and not have to worry about hogging your machine.

Fabulous Finds

This weekend's shopping unearthed some interesting finds including the great hat box and shipping barrel top.

I love these great reverse painting frames and the shipman with his baby are so cute. The old clay crock came from a guy having a sale who was moving back home to California.

These old wooden swans I found on Craig's List leave me at a loss for description.


Birdbaths are from the same dude moving to California. I would so much rather have one of these than a shiny new one.


The iron birds were dark brown and I painted them gray.

Fabulous horn case with soft purple velvet. I have many new ventures on the horizon with my junk finds and my art. Details coming soon.

Front Yard Makeover

Some befores of my barren front yard.





And afters . . .

Welcome to Magpie Mansion

Magpie Mansion is finally complete.

This is a wildly colorful, topsy tervy, double-decker bird sanctuary wherein live the Magpies, the crazy bird family on the block, don't you know.

Complete with many buttons, beads, and gaudy hanging key rings.

I squeezed in a Victorian door hinge and the great flower candle holder. Super strong two part epoxy makes just about anything possible.

And one of my friends commissioned me to do a box for a friend.

This is a really cute, tiny box made for a couple of select treasures.

Lots of care and love went into it as I selected just the right dishes and beads.



And the switch plate features a pink shell. I thought it looked serene and could picture it in a bedroom, hence, the word "dream". I've already started the next birdhouse in the series, Sparrow and Son, We Buy Junk.

Favorite Haunts

I went to a baby shower this weekend that just happened to be across the street from the River Market Antique Mall. Yeah!!!

I couldn't shop for long, but managed to hit my faves.






I loved this unusual dress form.




I also hit a yard sale and found some treasures. The tree is very "Nightmare Before Christmas".

Sweet paper mache parrot.


The frame below and the cows above came from the same booth. The dealer was there and said the frame with the great patina had been in a fire.

The banged up pressed wooden piece will go into a picture frame.

And as I was driving Brendan someplace today, I passed another yard sale and stopped to pick up this great garden piece. It used to be part of a water feature. Isn't the blue fabulous?