Wanderlust & Pixie Dust

44.

44 and finding myself a bit bewildered these days. Recently discovered this image and became infatuated with it. Created a few cards that I have and will be adding to my Etsy Shop.

But back to being 44 and bewildered. Woke up one day and found myself 40. Suddenly it seemed as if society was telling me that I was over and done. Unless I was a celebrity or something. Told myself that I could care less about what society thought. But after awhile you find yourself wanting to scream every time you hear the term "cougar."

Yes being 20 something is well, something else. But I honestly would not want to be 20 again. Not to offend the very young, but the world does not revolve around 16 year olds. Well on second thought. Maybe it does and this is why I'm getting all fired up about the subject.

This blog has become an incredible journey and learning experience for me. I wouldn't trade it for the world. My sister and I have both been into antiques and vintage since our early teens. We use to take bus after to bus all the way to Melrose. Back in the day they use to have some wonderful vintage clothing stores. Later in the early 90's, I use to haunt the used clothing shops in Haight-Ashbury and Berkeley. I honestly have no idea what the scene is like now in these places. I use to trade my used and vintage clothes for even more vintage clothing and baubles from the 1920's. My husband at the time (as I've said before) was not in to any of this and in the Navy to boot, so I often meandered these nooks and crannies, happily, by my lonesome.

Just feeling a little frustrated I guess. Sometimes when I am about to post something, I can't help but think, well maybe I shouldn't put that. Someone might get offended. What if a future employer sees something they don't like? What if a potential customer in my Etsy shop is upset by a comment or quote on my blog?

I guess these are things that every blogger has to ponder. Some of us are content to keep a blog as a journal, chronicling our every day life. Sharing pictures of our own with friends and family. Other bloggers blog for one reason and one reason only, to promote a shop or website. Some use their blog entirely as a creative outlet. As a crafting blog. To share photography. To vent on politics. A little of everything maybe. All equally valid reasons for blogging. Not quite sure where I am going to go with all of this. Just growing a little weary of being so cautious all the time.

Hey, is this a midlife crisis!?

Guess I could really blame some of this on my husband. He brought home Air Guitar Nation
the other night. At first I laughed and found it difficult to take seriously. But by the end of the movie I had remembered all the feeling and passion that had made me such a fan of rock and heavy metal in my younger days. The incredible energy and sheer excitement of it all.

Twenty something standing in line at the post office: That 40 something standing next to you has
Motorhead on her mind.

If you hear me knocking, I dedicate this to you:

">Bowie*Heroes

Frances Benjamin Johnston

This photo of Frances Benjamin Johnston mesmerized me as a young girl. Who are those people on the fireplace? If only I could get a better look at that piece of pottery hanging from the wall.

Even now I can recall how fascinated I was by the fact that so much in this picture, flew in the face of everything I thought I knew about women in the Victorian age. How did she have the guts to be so scandalous? Exactly what possessed her to photograph herself in this manner? Was it spontaneous or did she plan these scene carefully as she lay awake at night?

My mind is spinning and now I'm wondering who I would consider to be her contemporary in the here and now.

I like to think that had I lived during the same time period that I would have been blazing my own unique path in life. Easy to say.

But would I have?

A Pile of Pretty Old Buttons Fills Me With Glee

Last weekend I got lucky. Stopped by a another church rummage sale and discovered this delightful pile. I absolutely adore vintage and antique buttons but can never find them. Even my husband knows exactly what I am on the hunt for. Together we we pick up every jar and tin full of buttons that we come across and 99% of the time they are overflowing with nothing special.

I felt like a goofy little kid again as I sat on my front steps and poured the plastic baggy out onto the bricks. They must have been meant just for me because this sale was jumping and there the bag sat. Right out in the middle and no one had swooped in on them. This is almost unheard of in this neighborhood. My home is on edge of a vintage 'hood and there is plenty of competition for the old stuff.

This is probably why I am so loath to use them to make jewelry. I can't get myself to use them because I never know when I am going to find any others!

I am also smack dab in the middle of trying to change the look of my blog a little bit. It's kinda screwy at the moment so please bear with me. Maybe all will be well by the time anyone sees it. Probably not. I can never seem to recall how I did something the last time and as you can see, I've never quite gotten the banner thing figured out. My banner is always off center. So are my badges. When I can even get them posted that is.

One more thing to share today. This little pain in the arse:

I was outside minding my own business taking photo's when I spotted this green caterpillar feasting on what was left of one of my delphiniums. Have mercy. If my plants are not getting devoured from below they're getting destroyed from above. It's just one never ending battle in my yard.

I had just been commenting to the husband about the unusual number of caterpillars I had been seeing crawling about. Butterflies are everywhere already. They make me smile and fight back tears at the same time. Butterflies remind me of my precious Marley who should be here chasing them and my sweetheart Casper who should be bemusedly watching him while he runs amok.

Since I originally posted this earlier today, I actually had some success with badges, finally!

Even More Itty Bitty Robin's Egg Blue

Ok, finally. The rest of my pictures from the Itty bitty Robin's Egg Blue Book. I tried to post at least one picture from each submission. At the bottom I'll list the names and/or blog address for everyone who contributed.

Here is a LINK to any earlier post I did about my the little page that I created for this book.

When viewing these photo's, please remember that the 2 main rules we had to stick two when creating our pages were first and foremost, that we had to use the color robin's egg blue. And second, that the pages had to be...oops. I've already forgotten what the exact measurements were. Small. I think the pages had to be like 2 1/2 inches x 3 1/2 inches. Something like that.

Contributors to this wonderful, beautiful little book:
gypsymermaidlife
Mahala Elliott
Jane Gherardi
Michel Murphy
firstbornwordpress
gracefilledmoments
Valarie Whicker
Jessie Ruiz
Bridget Wright Schneider
Lisa Kettell
natashaburns
thevintagedragonfly
rhondamum
Samantha Miranda
susiescottstudios
elizabethholcombe
raeshadrz
everyday-holiday
quiltingtiesthatbind
frommycherryheart
creativemuse
sweetremembrance
Jo Moran
explorationofcolor
Whimsy and Stars Studio
Hagit Rozanes
Funky Luke
Yvonne Stehle/Moline
Jana Myers

A whole bunch of thanks again to Mary ann Mckeating at Firstborn for putting this all together!

More Itty Bitty Robin's Egg Blue Book

I am sooo sorry. In my last post I had meant to come back the next day and post the rest of my pictures from this wonderful swap. I should have known better than to say that before the weekend. Below you will find more pictures but this is actually only about half of them. My hubby is going to leave work later than usual tomorrow. After he leaves I will be able to get back on this computer and play. I hope that you enjoy what I have been able to post so far!

Itty Bitty Robin's Egg Blue Book

I'm about to run out the door but wanted to share a few quick photo's from a swap that I participated in recently. I received a small priority mail box the other day and as usual immediately panicked (again). Oh-oh. Like I always do. What did I win now on Ebay? I don't remember bidding on anything last week. No need to panic. It turned out to be my copy of the Itty Bitty Robin's Egg Blue Book.

I will not have time till later today to post all of my photo's. There were a total of 30 ladies who participated in this and it came out incredible!

So I will be back later to tell you more about the book, to give credit to the wonderful pages above and to share a huge bunch more of pix!

Books Discovered This Morning

I tried soooo hard to be good today and NOT go to one yard sale. Or the flea market. Or an estate sale. I'm weak. On the way to breakfast, I opted to brake and take a quick run through a church rummage sale just around the corner.

Immediately to my left I spy several tables covered and buried in books. I glanced quickly and saw what appeared to be mostly 70's-80's covers and what looked to be a few from the 40's.

I went down on my knees to get a better look. I reached down and picked up this:
A truly wondrous book on the actress SARAH BERNHARDT.

And while I was looking for a great link to post on Ms. Bernhardt I discovered this incredible bit on actress who have portrayed Cleopatra throughout the years, on YOUTUBE. Thanks zieggeldgrrl for sharing this. You picked the perfect music to go with it.

I daresay that I have always thought that she had some of the most mesmerizing eyes. Like Ben Kingsley. I find his eyes to be very intriguing as well.

This handsome creature, a Mr. Leo Tellegen, is listed as her very last leading man.

As I know I've mentioned somewhere before, I do love old interior shots. How I wish I could see this photo in blooming color.

This photo was taking as she posed in her very own private train car.

And right after I discovered the book on Sarah Bernhardt I unearthed a book from the 1920's on the life and times of Cleopatra.

By this time I'm already figuring that I had better pay very close attention to the rest of the books because someone out there had similar interests. Hopefully many of the books had come from the same place right?

Then this caught my attention:

"All Passion Spent" by Vita Sackville-West. I've added a link about Vita off to the left of my blog under INTERESTING SITES TO CHECK OUT. I thought that I had posted a link for more information about Virginia Woolf but I guess not. I'll try to do that soon.

If I hadn't already been on my knees pawing through a dust covered cardboard box, my knees would have buckled.

And then, would you believe:

"Flush" A Biography by Virginia Woolf? Discoverd together even in death.

Another first edition?

By the time I got myself up from my hands and knees I found myself to be in the midst of a book lovers frenzy. There had to be at least 10 others digging about the tables and boxes and it was getting difficult to continue the hunt.

I also had completely forgotten my poor husband who hadn't slept in 24 hours. I'm so bad. And selfish. The poor thing was napping by the time I figured out where he had parked the car. I was so excited and rambling on like a babbling brook about my treasures that my hubby just busted out laughing in my face. But what a great unexpected treat!

Don't know about anyone else but each and every one of these books are just the thing to get me giddy. there are several others that I want to share but sorry! I want to curl up with one of em even more.

Actually book reading my have to wait as well. Hyacinth of Keeping up Appearances is on my telly and beckoning!

Off to Photograph the Roses!

After running a few errands this morning, my husband and I remembered that the rose garden about a mile from our home was supposed be going full force. We quickly stopped by the house, picked up our little peanut Abby and zoomed on over. Well maybe zoom isn't the correct word. Cruised is probably better. My dear husband drives like an old biddy. He is easily distracted by any number of things and well known for yapping, looky looing and drifting into the next lane. But I digress.

I only meant to take one or two pictures but I got carried away and even forgot that we had just come from breakfast and that I should have visited the ladies room before we picked up Abby from home.

Enjoy!

These beautiful roses were humungous! I was too vain to photograph the backside of my 45 year old hands. It is much too obvious that my poor hands spent several years in the Las Vegas sun without sunscreen. What a big dummy I was.

These beauties were some of my favorites. Love the color on these.

I attempted to take a picture of my pretty baby but of course she spun around and showed me her rear end wouldn't you know.

I'm not crazy about the color yellow but I felt guilty and had to take a picture of this one. I have to admit that it is indeed quite lovely.

Poor yellow roses, I'm so sorry that you are not my favorite color...

Here's my pretty little bunny!

Tried to Cut Up This Old Turkey Red Tablecloth

Trying to get myself out of my creative funk, I found myself going through my stash of textile odds and ends. I remember how excited I was when I discovered this beautiful old turkey red tablecloth at a local yard sale. I found it so incredibly ancient and beautiful that I wasn't even disappointed in how tragically worn out it was.
Finally! A piece so damaged that I won't mind salvaging it for parts! Naw. Can't do it.

It is no longer red and it is so very thin and full of holes but I just could not bring myself to do it.

Check out how tragic the fringe is.

But oh how beautiful! Such detail.

It's times like this that I wish I had one of those stucco McMansions with a vaulted ceilings. A house like this would have walls large enough to hang something like this as one would a tapestry. I live in an itty bitty falling down ranch. No room. So carefully I have folded it back up and tucked it away for now.

I then moved on to these little napkins. The first felt too "new" for what I had in mind.

I have two of these below and they're pretty thin and stained up but I couldn't get myself to chop em up either.

Y'know. I thought that I had added a post ( many moons ago) about some of my other turkey red items but I can't find it. I just had another birthday, am I losing it already? I'll look again later and if I still can't find it, I'll take some new pictures to share soon.

I've Lost My Mojo

I had read repeatedly how some have lost their crafting or creative "'mojo" at one time or another. That will never happen to me I always thought. Well it did and it is. In the last two weeks, each time I go in to my crafting room, I wind up sitting there like a dodo bird. (dodo |ˈdōdō|
noun ( pl. -dos or -does)
an extinct flightless bird with a stout body, stumpy wings, a large head, and a heavy hooked bill. It was found on Mauritius until the end of the 17th century. • Raphus cucullatus, family Raphidae. See also solitaire (sense 3).
• informal an old-fashioned and ineffective person or thing.
Duh. I eventually get up and go do something else. Usually cleaning although it probably doesn't look like it to the average bear.

I had to say this here in the hopes that by saying it aloud maybe my creative funk will go away.