Real Life Collections:

While Cora and I were out looking through thrift stores recently.....I found what I thought was a perfect bargain! A Beatrix Potter plate for $1.98!! It's stamped with the year 1999.......


Now why does this matter?? Well, you see.....it was my Mom that started me on these 'collections'. When I was little she bought a few pieces and somehow over the years, I have managed to keep them intact:) OK, so they're a little dusty, but it's nothing that my lazy self couldn't clean.

I can't really pick out a favorite....

Cause I love all the pieces I have!

But I can say, it's a collection I don't ever think I'll part with!!

There's a lot of childhood memories here....... My favorite being tea-parties with my bears:)

So...Thanks for looking, Hope you enjoyed your visit!.....I have a few more Real Life collections to share with ya...so be on the look out for the next post!

Wanna see what I've been working on.....

First, if you haven't read about our vacation, you should! There's lots of pictures, and I tried not to talk too much!

So......
I made a slip cover for one of the chairs in Marshmallow Manor. Well, actually I made 2. The first one didn't work, so I had to make another one. And I'm quite proud of myself, I did the whole thing by hand....and Yes, I know I used tan colored tread to sew it up, but it was what I had. And it makes it look old.....At least I think it does. I just love this chair now!! And that's one of the pillows that Mercedes sent me a long time ago.....I've been saving it for something special....

And this was the perfect place:) Looks good in it's new home!!

I made a bookcase using some old drawers......

Just glued them together, painted them, and then sanded it. I'm thinking I need bottles of sand to fill it with. Had the bright idea that I'd love to collect some sand from my friends from around the world and display it. So, If anyone has any sand they want to send me, I'd be most delighted:) I still need to find bottles, so I'm in no hurry here:)

Then the other day, I rewarded myself after a doctor appt., and treated my self to some mini hardware! I just love how this dresser turned out. And the funny thing is, Is that my real life dresser looks just the same. **And, for the record, I used the Dremel, All by myself, to drill the holes for the knobs to go in, and I didn't screw it up, lol! Believe me, this is impressive! Hahaa

I love the age and character this dresser has now:)

Sorry, gotta share one more picture...just loved the shadows from the handles!

AND......

I've been painting everything red! Most of this stuff was plastic pieces that came with the Calico Corner sets. And a few were some of those cheap blue with white spots, metal pans. The jugs in the back was made with a big bead.....And the plates were just some random plastic ones. Everything got a coat of red paint, And I used nail stickers to decorate! I lucked out finding strawberries, huh!! Oh, I also went over all the edges of things with a gold paint marker...Just gives it that special little touch.

Here's a close up of the berries...they, too, have gold outlining them.... The color of everything is more true in the picture above...the flash tends to change things.....

Still have a hundred unfinished projects laying around.........LOL, Oh well, keeps me busy huh!!

Ok...Off to catch up on my blog reading, and I have a few trades to finish.......I haven't forgotten ladies, I'm just slooow.


Until Next Time.....

Any Day Now....

...I'll be an Auntie:)
Cora got to spend some time with the family after camp, and when I went to get her.....I got to see my Nephew's Nursery! Isn't it soooo cute! And my sister said she didn't want it to be all 'matchy, matchy'! LOL..... I just love the leaf over the crib! How smart!


And here's the belly! She wouldn't let me take a pic of her face, cause "she didn't have any makeup on"......Silly Girl....don't you know your days of doing your makeup and hair are over, lol! It's on to poopie diapers and 2am feedings now! And I can't wait!!

Life is good:)

Our Trip: Part 4~ Ghosts??

OK....So does someone want to explain why my camera did this?? Look in the lower right corner...

Here it is enlarged: See the almost rainbow? Mind you these pictures were taking about 2 hours before it started to rain.

Or what about this photo? Do you see that round blue spot in the bottom corner? Or see how the picture is tinted blue to the left of that yellow sign? What causes that??

Here's a close up of the bottom corner.... Weird huh??

And what about this picture.....Same area, different picture....and the same blue tint in the middle of the pic??

I'd love to believe it's some kind of ghost of something, but I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation, right??

Our Trip: Part 3

Before dropping Cora off at camp, We took a tour at the West Virginia Penitentiary.

Actually, we we're there about 2 hours before the first tour....My misjudgement on time.....However, it gave us an opportunity to walk around outside and get some pictures. This place is HUGE! When we first pulled around the corner, my jaw fell open, and immediately I was in love! The sheer size of it took my breath away.

Walking around, I was able to get a few shots of the outside. This is the front door, where guards came into work. **If anyone out there is reading this that knows more than I do, feel free to correct me at anytime if I'm wrong:)

I love the vines growing up the side. And when looking for history about this place, I saw some early pictures, and from the looks of things, almost all of the outside was covered in vines at one point.

A door to the stairs of the turret:

Looking closer, I wonder if someone painted the lock and handle blue too?? Love the texture on this door!

The gate where prisoners were brought in......

The wall around the penitentiary......

The bf wondered how hard it would of been to climb the wall, so he gave it a try..... And well...Yup! That's about as far as he got, lol.

An outside pic just showing its age.

Next is outside in the yard...

And on the other side of the yard, is the other side to where the prisoners were brought in.

And where they hung people.

Going back inside.....I fell in love with the colors and the texture of the walls in here! So much character!

If these walls could talk, huh??

Another door....this place closed down in 1995. And has sat ever since....

But I love the peeling paint, and rusty doors.....

And all that stone. FYI: Most of this place was originally built by the prisoners......Using rocks from the rock quarry.... in 1886

Loved this pic I got outside, in the yard again....probably one of my favorites..... It's that pink door, I love how much it stands out from the rest of the building!

While outside I happened to spot a bird's nest up under this area we were standing in. There was a lady on the tour with us, that told me she collected bird nests, and even tried to get her hubby to grab it for her. Cute, huh!!

Back inside we visited where the general population lived......the cream area at the bottom of the pic is where they took showers...

On the tour, they lock you up, and my dear Daughter was NOT impressed. The tour guide/ex-guard....played a trick on her, and acted like her door was broke, and she couldn't get out....The look on her face says it all.

And to make sure your daughter never comes back....lol, the last part of the tour is a room where you see 'Old Sparky'. Did you know that an inmate built this thing, and after doing so was put in protective custody, due to the fact that the other inmates wanted to kill him. Crazy, crazy world we live in.

Hope you enjoyed the pictures....... I might be back later with a few more. ??

And Hope this year I don't get any hate mail about where I choose to go on vacation. Please. I don't feel I should have to explain to anyone why I choose to see the buildings I do. I just like old buildings, OK. It's as close as I can get to seeing a castle. So with all that being said.... I have other posts to write, and more pictures to share.....

Until Next Time:)

Trip: Part 2

Before we left Luray.....We stopped at the Car and Caravan Museum....

*Thought a few of you would like this: Isn't it beautiful:)


Then there was the Chitty-Chitty Bang Bang car...or at least a car I thought looked like the Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang car. The car is actually a 1925 Royal Royce
.......And in the back is an old Paddy-Wagon.


Really wish my boys had been with me, They would of loved this place:)


Look at the leather! I just love the colors in it.....Yes, for those of you who are paying attention, I had a lot of color moments on this trip, haha.


And our last stop was the Garden Maze. Now it was Hot!! 105 degrees hot! So, needless to say, we kinda ran through the maze.....

At about the middle of the maze, you can lookout and see where you've been. As soon as the bf saw the fountain, he just had to get closer....

And well....Cora got as close as she could! LOL, It was soooo hot! I'd of put my head in it too, if I had had any sense!

After we left here....We headed for Moundsville West Virginia...............

Be back later with the rest of the story!

Guess What??

My Brother in Law fixed my computer! How awesome was that:)

So now that I've spent all day playing with my pictures, thought I'd take the time to show you a few:)

Recently we took Cora to summer camp, and on the way, managed to stop and see a few things. Our first stop was at Luray Caverns......

I know you can't really tell what much is......I took a lot of close up photos cause I was more interested in the texture and colors of things...

I LOVE all the surfaces.....

And the shift in colors....And the tones of colors.....

((Feel free to click on any of these images to make them bigger...there's so many layers in these photos!!))

The next image reminds me of polymer clay, You know when you make a "mokume gane" cane and take slices off of it....

I almost want to say these are called Draperies..... And again.....Another texture that stimulates the eye:)
** (You can't touch anything in the cavern, so it's all eye-candy in here)

Love the 'wet flowy' look here.....So many 'waterfalls'!

Took this photo for the colors.......Don't they remind you of marble, or wood or leather.....

And here's one looking down into one of those colorful rock thingies.....

Hope you enjoyed this inspiration..........

I'm ready to repaint the whole trailer because of it, Bah hahaha....