Good creative flow Friday!

I think my Auntie She She is my good luck in the junking. I have had more good finds on the trips with her along. She gets a sense of what I am looking for an keeps an eye out but I think its more than that. She has good ju-ju around her and it surrounds me too. I had such awesome luck on our junking trip on Friday!

I have had a project brewing in my brain for some time. I want a girly chandelier to hang in my bedroom but the catch is I have to re-wire it to be a plug in not hard wired. I do not even have an over head fixture in my bedroom. I don't want to spend too much money on something like this but I want to learn about re-wiring and the bling of chandeliers. I really want it for the pretty impact - another way to make a rental more mine.

On impulse I veered in to ReStore (supports Habitat for Humanity) on our way to favorite junk shops and hit the first of many jackpot finds of the day. I fell for a 70's glass three tiered brass wonder. I am going to do some great blingy stuff to it and spray it and make it into two separate chandeliers. One will be copper for the main room. Stay tuned . . . . I also go three more interesting glass bricks I needed for some projects. Auntie She She really enjoyed poking around and was very enthusiastic about my project. She loved the things for projects you can buy there and wished there was one near her.

Next we hit another fun junk place called Really Good Stuff. It is chocked full of everything and dusty and smelly as all get out. I love going there. Auntie Sheesh loves that place too. We both found little things there but mainly had a fun time browsing around. Our next stop was a new boutique Goodwill on Hawthorne then lunch at another good find - the Waffle Window. If you live in the Portland area please check it out! It was sooo tasty! We want to go back soon. Our last stop before heading home was a junk heaven on Hawthorne and mid-thirty block. We really made a day of it. My creative energy is leaking out of my pores!

My fun day out ended with my son taking me out to dinner at Ling Garden. The family that owns it is so pleased Wil works next door to them so they can see him more often. They were happy to see us both in the restaurant and fussed over us but the best part was when Wil payed for our meal. They thought that was nice for Wil to take his mama out.

Gettin paid to dig through junk

Using a day of PTO today. My mom is home from the rehab and doing very well. My Auntie has been the happy house helper taking care of my dad while mom was gone for 3 weeks! She got to come home a day shy of 3 weeks post-op. My Auntie loves to go junking so that is what we will do. Note to self to take allergy meds . . . . .

Do as I say

I have been trying to do the same as I ask of Wil - no procrastinating. When I have a project or task I try follow through to the finish. I usually do but with the swinging hormones and all that brings and work schedule . . . . I will say the lack of room to do some projects here has slowed or stopped some of my projects. Winter puts a stop to spray painting and stripping too. By the time I gather, get to my parents, chat, set up with some stop time looking for what I need to get going a lot of time I had to work is gone. I need a outside area or work space where I can grab and go. Even sewing here is an adventure. I had to borrow a card table to use as my cutting table. I have a folding cardboard that is cutting board (has measurements and lines so you cut evenly) that goes over the surface so works okay. It would be better to use the long tables of the community room but that is not an option. The kids of the building would not follow the rules of the room and so the room is locked. The only time you can use it is during office hours - Monday through Friday 10-4. Not really helpful for me. I have gotten very inventive on work space but that means I have to factor in clean-up- put-away-time if I am working at home.

All in all I have been feeling good about little things I have gotten done the last couple weeks. Some small frames I had art to put into them - done. The privacy curtain for my bedroom doorway - rod bought, curtain sewed and hung - done. Re-arranging vanity top and cleaning jewels from high school - done! Hanging some junk store finds - buying the plate holder and attaching to the find, hanging it up - done.

I am planning on laying out and possibly cutting out my first purse. It is fairly clear to me what I am doing but once you cut there is no going back. I talked through some concerns yesterday with my mom. (She is still in rehab but springing out any day) After we talked about it all I asked her if this was a good first project for me to do on my own. She did not hesitate in saying yes. She said to take my time and stop when I feel I am not sure about what I am about to do. I can refer back to pattern. She also said you can read the pattern for so long but once you start some of the steps will make sense. I am pleased with her confidence in me and hope I live up to it. I think I will start with a walk about to clear my head, hit my fav junk stores and let Wil clear out (going to work)