Auction Time!

I cannot stop putting old photos on just about everything in front of me, love these so much, I knew I'd put $100 each as the buy it nows, so have decided to take my chances with the old auction option...I'll start on Sunday, I think, I might not be able to until Monday though.

Heat Wave

Iowa is so blessed hot right now (in August, who knew?)--it is pretty much unbearable, especially when the weather forecast seems to be stuck at 98 degrees and sunny every day. It's getting kind of depressing, too hot to walk, sales in the dustbin, nothing to do but complain! Well, I'm still painting away, trying new things like dusting these Halloweeny things with cinnamon to get them all grubby and spooky looking, I do like the effect and the house smells like a cinnamon roll. I am also wasting way too much time on Pinterest, getting all sorts of Christmas ideas, we'll see what goes from idea to reality!

And Back to Fall

Just a few more fall things on the way to the store...

Crafter's ADD

I'm all swinging back and forth from Halloween spooky blacks to primmy Christmas reds and greens. I'm on this new idea binge for my Clarinda Christmas show that I think this year is going to be all about white and glitter--I'm gathering up all the white ironstone I can find and just bought the most wonderful papier mache angels and santas to paint--the glass glitter will be filling the air! I'm also starting to paint some small furniture pieces in white and will add lots of old tarnished tinsel into the mix, I can hardly wait until I get to put it all together. In the meantime, here are the ebay Christmas offerings...

Rediscovering the Brontes

I just finished reading Wuthering Heights--I've read Charlotte's Jane Eyre several times, but never got to Emily's masterpiece. What a surprise it was! I always thought it was the tale of star crossed lovers, wild and romantic, which in a way, I guess it is, but never did I imagine that Cathy and Heathcliff were absolute monsters--Heathcliff especially crazy and cruel. I am a book skimmer, I have to know how things are going to turn out and read ahead--this does not work at all in Wuthering Heights, every word is important, it is all interesting, and Lord, what was the real life of those Bronte girls? I found this wonderful blog about them that I am going to try to link to this page, they are fascinating writers. Reading this got me all curious about Anne, so I'm in the middle of Agnes Grey, a bit of a relief from the intensity of Wuthering Heights, but lots of cruelty going on in this one too. Tenant of Wildfell Hall is next, I know I read Villette, but I don't remember it so it is on the list as well. I am going to go look for the diaries, the blog has some entries that I just love, would really enjoy knowing more about the sisters.

Well, the ghost part of Wuthering Heights fits right into my work this week, here are some witchly things I have ready to list.

Clean House

Finally cleaned the Clarinda house for our China group reunion, which was wonderful, by the way. I had to get it photographed before the dust comes back!

Not Letting the Mean People Win

I got to start the day with a rather nasty email from one of the "don't paint that" crowd, followed by an email from ebay that I am violating policy by linking to this blog (they are supposed to tell me if I can keep the link or not later), all before the coffee is even brewed. Still, I've decided to count my blessings rather than my irritations, so here is the good stuff--


Last night, we took the girls to the Dubuque County Fair to see Bridgit Mendler. For those without teen and tween girls in their home, she is a Disney star from Good Luck Charlie, and she gave a really nice concert, good to see a happy concert with good music and good values. My husband's mom had dinner for us before the concert, very nice of her, as we had to run out before the dishes were done. His dad always saves all his newspapers and shipping boxes for me, so I have a carload of shipping supplies still to unload from the car.

This morning, as I'm on hold with ebay, the girls made breakfast and even got out the little espresso pot and made us iced lattes that we added chocolate peppermint syrup to, it was pretty darn good, and just another little reminder of how lucky I am that my children and I found each other from across the planet. Who would guess a poor girl from Iowa would end up travelling to China to meet the loves of her life? All in all, I think I have it pretty good! Here are the girls in "pretend Italy", our hotel in Florida when we went on vacation.