Wednesday Stamper - Dogs

See other work at Wednesday Stamper.

The sound of rain...

It's been a long time since we've heard the sound of rain, even the light rain like was falling a little while ago. It didn't last long, but it was a nice sound (probably because we haven't heard it for so long), accompanied by a light breeze it was very comforting, very Oregon. A little too late to help the water deprived and heat stressed trees, but still nice. And the smell of the earth afterwards, smelling more like spring than late summer. Doubtful enough to green anything up, just a teaser, which is too bad. We could use a good soaking rain.

I haven't been doing much of anything this week besides running around, and if I admit it, buying things I have no business buying.

I found this chair earlier in the week for $4. There's a quarter sized area on the back where the caning is torn through, but hubby can fix that easily enough. The wood, the joints, and the rest of the caning are all tight and in excellent condition.


The question is...what the heck am I going to do with it? I don't need any more chairs. I thought about painting it and using it in the garden, and it can't stay out there year round because we only get two to three months of actual summer here. Our dining area isn't set up to accomodate more chairs, and the only time we need more is when we have company, which is rarely these days. Fix it up and sell it? Maybe.

I did sell a few things at a local vintage boutique this week. Of course with my earnings I turned around and purchased this Kodak film tank.



Certainly not interesting to a lot of people, but I collect vintage camera's and other photography tidbits. I've never seen a film tank in person before. The price could not be beat, and it's worth a lot more than what I bought it for. It will go on display with my camera's in the living room.

I spent the rest of the week gathering odds and ends at various places. Odds and ends that I don't need (buttons, old costume jewelry, etc.), but that I keep stashing away for future art projects. If I don't hurry up and start working on those future art projects the supplies are going to take over the studio, garage, house.....

I'm in the process of setting up my Etsy shop and though I've got a few things ahead to list, I need to sit and start seriously working on more.

I know I've said it before, but I spend way too much time looking at other people's work and not enough concentrating on my own. The only way this art thing is going to have a chance to work again (I did it years ago and quite successfully) is for me to jump in and try. The economy is a hinderance, but it's a chance I've got to take. I'll never know what opportunities lie out there waiting if I don't try. Right?

Friday Freebie

The last week of August....

And a hint of fall?

Even though we're only in the last week of August there's a definite chill in the air. Evenings are getting cooler, mornings are nippy, and many plants have already started to die back. It's been a strange year, and it seems that our growing season is getting shorter and shorter.

It took a lot of will power not to turn the heat on, that's how chilly it was yesterday morning! lol I think we're going to fill one of the fireplace propane tanks this weekend. It seems way too early, but we need something to take the early morning chill out of the air.

Saturday's garage sale didn't go quite as well as planned. We made some money but could have done so much better had there been more traffic. I guess most people are on vacation, trying to squeeze it in before school starts. My inlaws live on a fairly busy road and there were few cars the entire day. Kind of a let down.

We took quite a bit of what was remaining to Goodwill. They had been hit hard by people dumping off garage sale extras. They had no carts to load our stuff in and there was a huge pile inside the donation door. Floor to ceiling!

Sadly, I saw some of our stuff at the Goodwill Outlet only two days later. That's the last time I donate to the Goodwill near my inlaws house. The store nearer to us seems to keep things in the community, and they probably didn't have an over abundance of stuff dropped off.

I keep trying to tell myself that the goal was to clean out and get rid of stuff, and I need to put it out of my mind where it ends up after the fact. Still, it's hard when you see your things sitting at what's considered the 'last resort' store in a huge bin. Especially when it's in good or excellent condition.

I took some things to SCRAP as well, those that I could not see giving to Goodwill, including some large floral poster prints that were still in the wrappers. They were thrilled to get what we brought and I'm sure the prints didn't last long.

As for today, I had such high hopes for projects. My main goals had been to make strawberry-kiwi jam (our own strawberries), and salsa. I got the salsa made (after a trip to the produce farm in the next town for more green peppers), but the jam makings sit in the fridge waiting for low-sugar pectin which I was certain I had. A box is on it's way home with hubby so we'll finish the jam tonight.

I took back roads to and from the farm. On the way I passed this house and couldn't resist taking a picture, even though I did it kind of quickly. I didn't want people wondering what I was doing sitting in front of their house with a camera. lol

You'd never know it from the photo but this house is rural. I've never had much luck with petunia's, but this yard makes me want to try again.


And I finally got the charms for the Salvage Studio swap finished and mailed off yesterday! I wish I could be there in person to do the swapping, but I can't. It's nice that I can still take part via the mail.

I had a lot of fun making these. I'm actually thinking about selling some in my Etsy shop (yes, I've finally got it set up - not running, but set up - yay!).


Some time next week I should receive 24 charms in return. It will be interesting to see what other people have made.

Freebie

I picked this book up for a couple of bucks at a local junk shop. Inside the cover written in pencil is Miller - Second Grade B Class. The book was published in 1902.

In the preface it states...

The Rote Song Book is intended to cultivate a perception of tone relation, to arouse the aesthetic nature, and to develop the artistic sense of the child through song and verse.