Some new pet portraits for the fall show.
More to come in a few days-- we are really getting busy!
Do you think shabby chic, restoration junk, and pet portraits all belong in the same booth at a Junk Show? Leave a comment--let me know!
Tuesday, May 31, 2016
Bowser's in the Fall
Sometime back I mentioned that I would add some photos of the progress of Bowser's Emporium Unlimited. Now that school is out we are working on some pieces to add to the collection. Here are some photos I took last weekend. Nothing fancy--just some pieces I love.
More to come in a few days-- we are really getting busy!
Do you think shabby chic, restoration junk, and pet portraits all belong in the same booth at a Junk Show? Leave a comment--let me know!
More to come in a few days-- we are really getting busy!
Do you think shabby chic, restoration junk, and pet portraits all belong in the same booth at a Junk Show? Leave a comment--let me know!
Saturday, May 28, 2016
Lucky Dog
Bentley liked to ride in the truck-always did, even when he was a puppy and Casey was a little boy.
They had grown up together. Casey wasn't old enough to drive yet, but that didn't stop him and his best friend Bentley from going to the back of his uncle's farm and sitting in the old Chevy pickup anticipating when that day would come.The pickup was once shiny green, born around 1951 in a factory somewhere in Michigan. Nobody could remember back far enough to when the truck still ran and now it sat below the old pond bank, the color of rust. The windows still rolled up and down and the seats were still sit-able, if you didn't mind a little dirt and a spider or two. It didn't seem to matter much to Bentley whether the truck moved or not, Casey didn't feel the same. He couldn't wait for the day he would get his license and drive Bentley around with the windows down--all the way. Hanging his head out of the window was a sweet delight for Bentley when he got to ride shotgun in Casey's Aunt Diane's car. After some of these town trips Casey had to clean the dog slobbers off the side of the car--but he didn't mind too much. He didn't mind dog slobbers at all. It was always a wild ride in that old pickup that sat in the field. They went to Zanzibar (only because it was a cool name- they had no idea where it was or who lived there), they went to Alaska to see the bears--because Casey had studied about bears in school. They even went to Mars once, because as we all know if the vehicle you are navigating is running on imagination you can go ANYWHERE!
Those days are long gone now, when children and dogs sat in old abandon vehicles and dreamed of the life they would have--together.
PS When you have your best friend beside you, sitting in an old green pickup, life is pretty sweet.
Bentley liked to ride in the truck-always did, even when he was a puppy and Casey was a little boy.
They had grown up together. Casey wasn't old enough to drive yet, but that didn't stop him and his best friend Bentley from going to the back of his uncle's farm and sitting in the old Chevy pickup anticipating when that day would come.The pickup was once shiny green, born around 1951 in a factory somewhere in Michigan. Nobody could remember back far enough to when the truck still ran and now it sat below the old pond bank, the color of rust. The windows still rolled up and down and the seats were still sit-able, if you didn't mind a little dirt and a spider or two. It didn't seem to matter much to Bentley whether the truck moved or not, Casey didn't feel the same. He couldn't wait for the day he would get his license and drive Bentley around with the windows down--all the way. Hanging his head out of the window was a sweet delight for Bentley when he got to ride shotgun in Casey's Aunt Diane's car. After some of these town trips Casey had to clean the dog slobbers off the side of the car--but he didn't mind too much. He didn't mind dog slobbers at all. It was always a wild ride in that old pickup that sat in the field. They went to Zanzibar (only because it was a cool name- they had no idea where it was or who lived there), they went to Alaska to see the bears--because Casey had studied about bears in school. They even went to Mars once, because as we all know if the vehicle you are navigating is running on imagination you can go ANYWHERE!
Those days are long gone now, when children and dogs sat in old abandon vehicles and dreamed of the life they would have--together.
PS When you have your best friend beside you, sitting in an old green pickup, life is pretty sweet.
Above is a watercolor painted from the photograph you see here. Bentley is a beautiful Boxer that belongs to my friend Casey.
To commission a pet painting contact me--I would love to help you create a lasting memory.
And feel free to leave a comment if the spirit moves you!!
Sunday, May 8, 2016
10 Things to Know About Junking.
10 Things to think about, remember, or inspire you when you wrap your life around antiques, collectibles, and junk.
1. Fall in love because there is no substitute for good old fashion passion.
By "fall in love" I mean love what you see, love yourself for seeing it, and fall in love with the interaction you have with objects from the past.
2. Remember every object has a story-- or two. The older the object-- the more stories it is likely to have. I know most of the stories of some of the family pieces handed down to me by relatives. But I am sure I don't know them all. It is good to know the stories behind the tables, chairs, embroidered pillowcases, and cake stands that fill a collection but not entirely essential. For what I do not know I can invent! That is another entire blog post-- my invention of the personal narratives of objects.
3. Trust that someone else will love these things as much as you do.
4.Think carefully before you change something irrevocably.And after you think carefully--do it unashamedly!
5. Don't follow trends--make them.
6. Incorporate the elements of design and principles of Art in as many of your decisions as you can.
Again, this is probably another blog post.
7. Some people will love your stuff and others will not-- do not take it personally. Custom work is not always easy.
8. Know that in this world of plastic water bottles and planned obsolescence there is true value in being the care takers of handmade items.
9. Think about this--sometimes the best stuff is in the worst looking place. I am beginning to see a pattern here. I could take each one of theses topics and do a blogpost.
10. Whether you are "junking" for yourself, to decorate your home or workspace, or to sell in a small business--- know this-- acquiring things is a journey. You learn along the way. I have never known anyone to get terribly rich doing this but I know a lot of people who are terribly happy doing it!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)