I've moved!!!

I didn't relocate under a toad stool as this photo might suggest, although my husband wouldn't have minded moving all of my art supplies there. I just saw this singular 'shroom in the middle of our lawn and wanted to snap a picture. I will post with a picture of the room once I take one!!!

I've moved - Nope! not my blog, and not my house, but my art room!!! I moved one room to the right, to the brightest room in the house. I have been wanting to do this almost since we bought the house. When we moved in, I chose the smallest room for my studio, not realizing it was also the darkest, and really, way too small for all of my stuff.

I had to swap what was in my new room (mostly my husband's tools and ebay hobby), with my room -- which was a monumental task. I wanted to do it right, i.e., empty a room, spackle, paint, install new shelving and furniture, etc., but I am nowhere near ready for that, and I just got tired of waiting.

My husband and I have lost a number of friends and an elderly family member this summer, which always forces one to reevaluate one's life and goals. In my case, one of my reactions was to say - do it now!! You never know if there will be a tomorrow!!! Another great motivator was the fact that this is my last long weekend for awhile. So while my husband (for whom moving creates great anxiety) was at work on Friday, I summoned Herculean strength to swap two enormous oak armoires and all of our "stuff" from room to room. Max is utterly perplexed, and followed me back and forth about 200 times on Friday, not resting at all and not helping at all, I should add, but he's slowly getting used to it. The room is a bit bigger, and very bright, which will be particularly welcoming in the fall and winter.

Favorite things, Part II

Inspired by this blog, I've taken some pics of some of my favorite trinkets and chotchkas that sit around my art room. What draws us to these silly things, I wonder??

These are my naked baby twins with articulated arms and legs... I think I found these in a box of old stuff we bought at an auction. I'm not sure. I like how the eyes are not painted quite right and they look a little crazy.

This is my painted rooster. He's made of cast iron, and I like the weight of him in my hands even though he's very little. I also like his bright Pennsylvania Dutch style of folk painting. I don't remember exactly how he came into my possession.

This is my collection of little chairs, all purchased for me by a wonderful, sweet friend. I once taught a rubber stamping class where we used a stamp with the image of a chair, and I confessed that I loved chairs, and images of them...and my friend Nancee took the class and never forgot that little tidbit about me, so when she sees little chairs, she buys them for me, and surprises me when I least expect it.

I was absolutely doll-obsessed as a little girl: Newborn Baby Tenderlove; Timey Tell; Baby Alive; Chrissy and Velvet; Cabbage Patch Dolls, Barbie, Francie, Skipper, Ken (and their Malibu counterparts); Dawn, Angie and Gloria; Little Kiddles; Flatsies ... should I go on?? I owned all of these and I'm sure others that I'm forgetting, so these little dolls just hang out to remind me of all the dolls that were once a part of my life.

African carved stamps - these were a gift from a friend. I'm not even entirely sure they're made of wood (or coconut shell or something.) I have never used them, they're just a visual and tactile joy.

My porcelain schnauzer is a recent addition to my silly collection of favorites. My inlaws bought this for me on a recent trip. It really looks very much like my Max, and I love all things Max. -- And this little knickknack is the exception to my house rule of NO knickknacks. I truly hate clutter in the rest of my house.


True confession... if I were not an artist, I would be a professional organizer. I LOVE Mission Organization and Clean Sweep, and I love transforming messy spaces into neat, organized rooms!!! -- A ridiculous confession from a woman who covets the whimsical items above, but true!!!