Help [ME] Ronda

The thrill of the hunt

Last week with Lisa in town, we had to go junktiquing.  We hit up a few places stretched across Denver and the burbs.  It was so much fun to watch the master hunt for items.  She also knows what she wants and finds hidden gems in piles of stuff.  I also enjoy the digging, finding treasures to repurpose.  Like this pitcher above that i found in a little antique shop.  It was a stunning color and i adore the shape of it.  The ribbon top and the funky handle were irresistible.  It's either going into the guest bedroom as decor or in my studio to hold my paintbrushes.  I cannot decide which thought i like more.

I spotted this mason jar tucked into the corner of the same shop.  The shape of the jar is quite stunning so i was quite attracted to it.  But to find it filled with sewing goodies, it was a done deal.  Some of the items inside are just so so but other things like the buttons or the seam binding are awesome.  I'm not sure what i am going to do with the jar itself.  I have many ideas running around in my head including painting the inside with this technique Claudine Hellmuth shared on her blog. 

i collect vintage cameras.  i am a photo junkie so having these cameras from the past makes me really happy.  I especially love the brownie camera as it really introduce the concept of a snapshot.  You can see my drawing of the brownie on my Picture Perfect stencil.  it's the first one of the bunch.  So having this little guy sit next to the others makes me so very giddy. 

We were in a large antique mall, the kind with booths and lots of vendors.  Lisa & i were walking up & down the aisles.  I spotted these film canisters sitting on the counter of a booth.  I have a couple of vintage reels sitting on my shelves in the studio already and i thought a couple more would look good.  I picked them up but the sides were taped so i couldn't see inside.  However they were quite heavy and the tag said something about films.  I had to take the chance and wow i hit it big.  Both canisters are filled with film reels and i cannot wait to use them.  So many thoughts in my head but i have plenty of film to use on all the competing ideas. 

I love turning vintage finds into repurposed art.  These items are great for collage, altered items, art journals, mixed media pieces, and lots more.  Lisa, who's been collecting for years (i think she's just steps away from Hoarders ;), is putting together collage kits for sale.  Not only does she have great finds, Lisa is also including a free step by step PDF tutorial with each kit.  She only has a few left so you might want to snatch yours up.  I already ordered mine and i cannot wait to create with it.  You can read all the details HERE including the kit contents. 

Right Now

remembering to breathe.  learning to say yes to me.  taking a self portrait every now and then even if i don't like my body image right now.  realizing i'm the only one who can change it.  breathing again.  and changing the things i want to change.  it's always good to take note of my life right in the moment, right now.  Love this self portrait in this fabulous print courteous of Stephanie Wheeler (whom i just adore) and her etsy shop The Living Room Floor. 

Loving the big snow fall we got last weekend, 12 inches in 24 hours.  We didn't get much this winter so i was overjoyed with it.  it is mostly gone thanks to the Colorado sunshine.  Did you know we get more than 300 sunny days a year?  i love this state!

changing the hair color back to what it is naturally, sort of.  Honestly it's naturally salt & pepper now, well more salt than pepper.  I decided to ditch the red and go for dark dark chocolate brown.  haven't been this for years and totally digging it. 

all week long i have been cleaning my studio.  Well cleaning, organizing, and purging.  it feels so good to finally tackle this.  of course i picked the week i have a million & one things do but it was necessary.  i felt burdened not inspired by my room.  i am so very happy with my progress and the changes i have made.  i feel lighter & inspired.

in the cleaning, organizing, and purging, i came across some old photos like this one.  i am all of 16 in this photo which means Chrissi (right) is 15.  Can you tell it's the 80s?  HELLO hairspray and banana clip.  People always say we look like twins.  What do you think?  I am so happy to have this photo of the two of us.  it brought both tears of joy and sadness to my eyes.

and this photo, our engagement photo.  Andy was 24 and i was 22.  We look so young.  He flew me, literally, from Orlando to St. Augustine and then proposed to me in a restaurant on the beach.  I suspect he was going to propose for i felt the little box in his jacket pocket when he hugged me.  It was a magical night.

in said cleaning, organizing, purging, i actually put most of my layouts into albums.  I am about 2 albums short of completing the task.  i cannot believe i have left them on the floor for so long. the albums look so good sitting on my shelves.  now i just need to decorate the outside of the albums. 

i received a very special package in the mail from my beautiful talented friend Julie Fei-Fan Balzer.  You may have seen this canvas on Julie's blog echoing my words of Self Care, not Selfish.  I absolutely adored this piece from her.  Blessedly it showed up at my doorstep and i feel honored to own a Balzer original.  How can it get better you ask?  She turned it into an Art Journal with the most amazing pages ready for me to create.  I'm getting teary eyed just typing this because she knows me so well and knows my needs.  it's a beautiful friendship.

i even managed some creative time this week.  actually lots but this post is long enough and i will share some creations soon. 

in the meantime, what is your RIGHT NOW?

Random Thoughts

loving.  Andrew's been home since mid January and it looks like he might not be going back until the first week of April. eekkk!  We are ever so grateful for this big gift of time.

prioritizing.  Writing lists and then tackling them.  Making sure i am not over extending myself.  always looking for balance.

domesticating.  Spending time not just working in the house but doing things i enjoy like decorating and baking.  it makes me happy.

drooling.  I drive by this barn quite frequently.  it's one of the things i love about living in the burbs of Denver.  One minute city.  the next Farm.  Unfortunately this barn is on a piece of land being sold for a commercial zone.  they have taken down the other buildings but this beauty still stands.  My pie-in-the-sky dream would be to purchase it & the land and open up an art studio where i could teach, work, and have drop-in studio time. 

preparing.  it seems that the snow that was ever so elusive most of nov - jan, has decided that every other weekend in feb and march is a good time to dump loads of it.  i quite like it.  and in true denver fashion, it will be gone by mid week.

contemplating.  next projects, both work & domestic.  i have some ideas and looking forward to seeing them into action.  some include finishing up the dining room decor & painting a guest bedroom.  i have a special guest coming and i want it perfect for her.

wondering.  what's on your agenda for this weekend?

Things to Note

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CHA W 2013, part 1

Last week I journeyed to California for the winter Craft & Hobby Association tradeshow.  At the show I take on many roles in the industry.  At Maya Road, I help the amazing team set up the booth.  We build it from the carpet, to the walls, and everything in between.  Seeing the whole show come together is incredible. 

On the first day of the show (now my third day), I walk the show with Christine looking at new product helping with ideas for upcoming kits.  I love watching Christine put magic together in these kits.  A piece of paper from here, another from there, and then all the perfect embellishments.  After half a day, I gobbled down lunch and then head to Maya Road to let them relieve before heading to the Crafter's Workshop to demo my new stencils.  And this is just the first day of the show.  Days 2, 3, & 4 are similiar and now seem like a blur.  It's a lot of work each day but I totally love it.  Well most of it.  One part  i don't like is feeling exhausted at the end, feeling like i could sleep a week.  It's about making important connections and connecting with friends.

I did manage to take some professional classes to help me as an artist/business.  Even better was taking them with Nat. I am so happy i took them and learned some new things.  I am ready to put a few of the ideas into action.  It's about putting myself out there in different ways even it's a bit scary.  I love meeting new people and people i have met online in real life.  It was a great show for me and I feel energized & ready to put some plans into action.  Here's a few shots from some of the days.

Summer CHA

Summer CHA Trade show is around the corner which means i have been knee deep in deadlines.  The Craft & Hobby Association trade shows are something i love attending, especially the last few years.  The time leading up to the show admittedly gets chaotic.  I have worked for many manufactures during this time which can be overwhelming but the excitement of seeing new product quells the stress.  The time actually at CHA is such a blast for so many different reasons.  I get so excited seeing all my friends.  These are the people who get what i do for a living.  There's no explaining how this can be a job.  Dinner out with friends who mostly live in my computer.  Great talks that motivate & uplift me.  Seeing all the new products up close & personal, chatting with vendors you who know so well.  Days & Nights filled with an abundance of laughter.  Lisa, Christine, & I have a tradition of collecting random funny quotes from each CHA that still make us giggle. 

I will be leaving on Saturday to set up before the trade show opens.  I will be walking the floor with Christine, helping with Cocoa Daisy kits.  I will also be in a couple of other booths but details on that to come.  And i look forward to every minute of my time there.

Are you attending? I hope to see you there!

Salt & Pepper are here

Sorry i couldn't resist the title!  I am a girl who grew up in the 80s. Another vintage find (see typeset sorts or glass bottles) courteous of my mom & dad.  I asked them to find some small salt & pepper shakers and they came back with these beauties.  These are the perfect size for so many different projects.  The tallest is maybe 2.5 inches high.  I want to use them in some altered projects as well as to hold some German glass glitter. 

I already have a few sitting on my shelves with silver & black glitter thanks to my friend Kerry Lynn.  Don't they looks so pretty?

typesetting sorts

Remember this post with the vintage bottles?  These are another one of the awesome vintage finds my mom & dad brought home to me.  These Altoid tins are filled with metal sorts used in typesetting during the letterpress era.  In truth, these are my absolute favorite finds.  My dad knew he scored big not only on hunting down the perfect item for me but the price was a steal.  $6.  No not for each individual sort which honestly would be cheap but for both tins.  I have lots of ideas for using these typesetting sorts but i just need to find the right outlet.  I want to use them in some creative pieces as well.  Here are few detail shots so you can see just how cool these really are.

For the love of Vintage

Aren't these just so sweet?  Let me to tell you the story behind these beauties.  You see my parents were going on a road trip across the US to my niece's wedding.  It was a leisurely trip. I asked if they would be stopping at any flea markets or antique stores along the way knowing their love & appreciation for these kinds of places.  Of course they were.  I asked them if they could do some hunting for me and they immediately said yes.  Little did they know how large my list would be.  Actually i think they enjoyed the search almost as much as i enjoyed unpacking each of their finds.  These vintage little jars & bottles are one of the many awesome pieces they collected for me.  They range in size from about 4 inches tall and smaller.  I have lots of ideas for them in my artsy endeavors.  I have to admit that the ink well to the left just may be my favorite.  i can see a big quill sticking out of the ink or even dip pen.  But the others do have a special place in my heart.  My parents scored big time for me and i cannot wait to find the perfect project for these stellar pieces.

World Giveaway Winner

Sorry folks.  Been out & about in town with Jessi.  More photos to come.

In the meantime, random number generator winner is

Here are your random numbers:

3

Timestamp: 2011-02-15 04:22:06 UTC

so that means

Would love to win this! Thanks for the chance.

Posted by: conniemelancon | February 09, 2011 at 07:06 AM

Connie, email me with your address!!