Born Broken

Red Barbie Beautiful!

2011-11-15T12:45:00.000-08:00

Today, I am sharing a vintage doll case. I keep it in my art studio, but it doesn't actually have dolls, or art supplies in it. In fact, it is filled with letters and notes that date back to my junior high and high school days. They are fun (and funny!) to go back and read every once in a while.

The doll case dates to the fifties, and it originally belonged to my mother and her sister. Clearly - it is not actually Barbie brand. I don't know who made it, it is unmarked,and I can't find anything like it on the internet. Anyway, I have five vintage doll cases this is just one of them. I'll share the others on another day. In the meantime, speaking of dolls and rednesday - I also posted a separate entry on my art blog - http://chelisehery.blogspot.com - so be sure and check that out. Happy Rednesday everyone!

http://suelovescherries.blogspot.com/

The Land of ZNE...

2011-11-13T22:06:00.000-08:00

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal:

it is the courage to continue that counts.”

- Winston Churchill

This is a post that is about two years overdue. Better late than never, I suppose. The two questions I get in regard to ZNE, most often, are: What is ZNE? and, What happened to ZNE?

Well, here goes:

In March of 2005, I began selling my mixed media artwork on eBay. At the time, I noticed that there were not a lot of online mixed media specific art groups available, so I decided to start one of my own.

Originally an eBay specific group, I chose the name Variazione for the group. [Variazione is Itailian for 'variation.'] When the group asked for an acronym that would indicate affiliation, we came up with ZNE. Hence, ZNE, as the group was better known, was born.

The group grew quickly, with the founding membership soon topping 100. At that time, with a great deal of help from the founding members, I made the decision to open the group to the public, via a public website. By July of 2005, the public group was up and running.

Over the next several years, the group continued to grow. Members were provided with discussion boards, galleries, blogs, and cross promotion opportunities. In addition we had an incredible array of mini groups that were moderated by members, a design team, contests, activities and the group participated in charitable activities that varied from a scholarship for art school students to fundraising activities and member-to-member outreach and support. By 2008, group membership neared 2,000.

Without question, founding ZNE and being a part of such an incredible, talented and caring group of people was and is one of the most defining efforts of my life, and one of which I remain incredibly proud.

In 2008, we added to our roster a convention and art retreat - Convenzione ZNE. We held two conventions, one that year, and one the next in 2009. Both conventions were attended by talented and lovely people. We had extraordinary teachers and speakers at both events. The 2008 event even featured a movie screening. My greatest hope for the events was that the attendees would enjoy themselves, and I do believe that we accomplished that goal, and then some.

Unfortunately, the fall of 2008 marked the beginning of a very difficult time in my life personally, as well as business-wise (not only for me, but for many artists, and indeed the entire country, here in the United States).

It is not difficult to recall that fall, which is when the stock market fell in record amounts, the unemployment rate skyrocketed in this country, and those who were still employed were scared for jobs, in nearly every field of work.

I am not a finance wizard and I know little or nothing about finance predictors. I, like many people in America, was unprepared for what a major impact the new 'recession' would have on my wonderful small business - ZNE.

The previous Spring, on the heels of a well received first convention, I signed on for a second event to be held at the Alameda County Fairgrounds, effectively locking myself into expensive and complex contracts.

By early 2009, the paying portion of group membership was falling drastically. And, a large percentage of those members who had signed up to attend Convenzione 2009 were dropping out and either requesting refunds, or neglecting to pay the remaining portions of payment plans they had entered into. I blame absolutely no one for this. The vast majority of both our membership and our event attendees were independent artists with little or no other income stream.

At the time, I did everything I could to address the issue. I created a scholarship program for both members and for event attendees. Members requesting scholarships were allowed to name their own membership price, no questions asked. Event attendees were offered 'at cost' participation. However, the 'at cost' fee was calculated assuming that we would have at minimum, 200 attendees.

Convenzione 2009 ended up with more than 50, but less than 100 attendees. In the end, between the expenses of running ZNE and the expenses incurred during the convention, my family took a loss of over $20,000.

This was not money we had in savings. More simply, this was not money that we had, period.

The result was catastrophic in terms of its impact on my family (we ended up selling our home) and my reputation in the artistic community. (I incurred advertising debts, instructor fees, and many other expenses that took me months to pay (and in some cases, I am still in debt).

I received emails calling me a scam artist, people quit the group after publicly stating that all I cared about was money, and in at least one case, a lawsuit was threatened. Whereas I had been kindly nicknamed 'the ZNE Queen' by my fabulous group, by the fall of 2009, I had been decidely dethroned.

All of this would be one thing, and perhaps I could have pulled myself and our group up by the bootstraps, and forged on, but, due to ongoing health concerns, this simply was not possible for me. As many ZNE members are aware, I suffered from a terrible depression in early 2009. It has taken me close to two years of hard work and sole dedication to my health and family life to feel confident that my depression is being managed effectively.

The truth is, my reaction to my depression was one of fear and shame. In fact, these are common reactions felt by those dealing with mental illness, and I could write volumes about the stigmatization of mental illness, but, that's for another day. Complicating my fear was the fact that my own mother, who also suffered from depression, committed suicide in 2002. I have children and a husband and the thought that I may not be able to be there for them, only exacerbated my condition.

In the attempt to deal with my depression as proactively as possible, I was hospitalized several times. If you personally have not dealt with this type of health issue (or, been close to someone who has) then it may be difficult to understand the ups and downs caused by medication management alone. I tried a variety of different medications over extended periods of time in an effort to get my depression under control. Aside from some of the medications not working in terms of alleviating the depression, many of them caused prolongued memory lapses and/or periods of exhaustion.

I am not a terribly private person, but my willingness to share these issues with others, including group members - was met with mixed reactions. I will always be grateful for the incredible amount of support I received from members both near and far who wrote emails, sent letters, and/or visited or called while I was in the hospital. However, I received a great deal of backlash as well. Everything from people telling me that they thought I was making up my illness (?) as an excuse to get out of my responsibilities, to others who told me outright that they felt sorry for me or pitied me (not helpful at all). My forthright discussions on a separate blog dedicated to artists dealing with mental health issues resulted in a potential threat to my husband's custody of his daughter. (Not because I had done anything directly to her, but because someone felt that her being around a person dealing with mental illness was reason enough to challenge custody).

The result? I pulled back from everything except for my family. I worked professinally off and on to help alleviate some of our bills, but we still ended up having to sell the house. I concentrated on being there for my family to make our transition to a new place to live as painless as possible.

Many of my online friends either took my absence in their lives personally, or were otherwise frustrated by my behavior. I lost touch with many people. I take responsibility for being unavailable, forgetful, and unreliable.

For several months, ZNE floated along with little or no moderation from me. Eventually, when annual fees for domain names, websites and image hosting recurred, I let them slip by. My focus was and is on my health, and the happiness of my family.

Many people have continued to pay a membership fee in exchange for full permission to the use the term ZNE in their eBay and etsy listings. (ZNE received trademark status with the US Patent and Trademark Organization in 2005. The term continues to be a trademarked group name owned by me.) For those that chose to do this, thank you.

I have been doing better now, for quite a while. Through a combination of medication, counseling, and spiritual support, as well as the enduring love of my family and friends - I am ok. I really am.

To all of the wonderful ZNE members, both past and present - I remain ever hopeful that you will forgive the confusing manner in which the group closed down. More importantly, I thank you all for the contributions each of you made to an extraordinary group that I was proud to be affiliated with.

Officially, ZNE is on indefinite hiatus. In recent months, I have returned to where I started, which is creating art, driven by joy. For me, that is enough. I am not able to say that ZNE is gone forever, because the friendships that have endured and the incredible efforts and activity of the group will live within me, forever.

I hope you will accept the invitation to join me on the next steps in my journey, by following this blog for personal updates, my art blog (http://chelisehery.blogspot.com) to see what I've been playing with lately, and/or by liking my art-related facebook page - http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Chelise-Hery/136208713153774?notif_t=page_new_likes.

xoxo - Chel

PS - and always - enjoy creating!

Phew! That took a while!

2011-11-12T10:44:00.000-08:00

I know, I know, I dissapeared again. Life got exceedingly hectic after that last post. To sum, we had to put our house on the market, it sold, we had to find a new place, we did and moved, and then a summer of (wonderful) business ensued. I spent months in: Far Northern California, Michigan, Las Vegas, Dallas, Las Vegas again, Las Vegas a third time, oh and Monterrey too! Also, my kids started school somewhere in there, my step-daughter starting her junior year of high school, and my son began his freshman year. It was all great, but left me with little or no time for blogging.

I am finally home, the kids are settled, I am settled, and I anticipate having time to blog regularly again! WOO HOO!~

Not only that, I have actually had time to play with my art supplies again, and have been having an inordinate amount of fun! With the help of the fabulously fun and talented Happy Harris of Happy Loves Rosie fame, I have a brand new blog that is dedicated exclusively to my art.

Check it out, here:

http://www.chelisehery.blogspot.com

As with this blog, I LOVE my followers and visitors. If you follow the new blog, that blog will follow you too!

And! I have a new etsy shop that I am starting to fill up, as well. Visit, here:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/CheliseHery

Of course I will keep blogging here, talking about personal shtuff... Like cooking, home decor, and all my vintage goodies. I look forward to participating in lotsa blog parties too!

HAPPY SATURDAY EVERYONE!

Every Door

2011-03-16T22:23:00.000-07:00

Not knowing when the dawn will come I open every door.
- Emily Dickinson

Yesterday I found the most fabulous thing at a local antique shop. Actually I found a couple things, but this one I just had to share. Of all the things for me to swoon over, I never knew that it would be a door stop! This piece is made of solid wood. Although cast iron door stops are prolific and well known, apparently in the 1920s and 1930s, wooden figural doorstops were very popular as well.

The woman selling the doorstop didn't know much about it, other than the era, as stated above. I can tell you, I will not be using her to prop a door open. Lol! She is quite large, about 18" tall, and her wooden base is a bit hefty, as you can imagine.

She does not have any markings that I can find at all, and that, in addition to the chipped condition of the wood ~ makes her price, according to my research, just about right, if not a bit low. I paid $28 for her. But, could you have resisted ~ look at this face!

I hope your day is full is open doors leading to beautiful finds! I am joining a bunch of parties this week, check out the rest of the participants, or join in the fun yourself!

House of Grace Twice Owned Tuesday

http://creatingahouseofgrace.blogspot.com/2011/03/twice-owned-lovelies.html

Elements Interiors: Whassup Wednesdays

http://www.elements-interiors.net/2011/03/whassup-wednesday_16.html

Vintage Thingie Thursday

http://coloradolady.blogspot.com/

Jenny Matlock's Alphabe Thursday - since the letter is W, and my doorstop is made of Wood!

http://jennymatlock.blogspot.com/search/label/Alphabe-Thursday

Time Travel Thursday

http://thebrambleberrycottage.blogspot.com/

Vintage Plates and Pottery

2011-03-10T08:49:00.000-08:00

It is Vintage Thingie Thursday and Time Travel Thursday, and today I am going to share some of my vintage plates and pottery.

I have a small collection and it is very eclectic. In general, I'll pick up a piece if the pattern appeals to me, and it costs less than $10. And really, under $5 is preferable. I don't look for any particular pattern or maker, however, as you can see, florals really appeal to me. (Actually, that is not entirely true. I have a small collection of mixed vintage Bauer pottery and Fiestaware, but I'll save those for another post on another day.)

Yesterday I decided to stop by the local thrift shop to see if anything new had come in, and I found the beautiful plate above. It is a gorgeous lusterware. The plate is about 13" wide. And, it was a steal at $2.99! It was marked "Germany, Lena Jensen" so I figured it would be easy to get online and learn a little more about the piece.

Unfortunately, I can't find anything about this maker or this particular mark. Does anyone have any information about this mark? I'd love to know.

Here are a few more favorites of mine:

Two beautiful platters which are in my china hutch.

Calla lillies, suspended in time (and porcelain)!

The piece above is probably a little newer than the others. But, I love the gold rim, and the cherries, of course.

Here are three mismatched pieces that go well together on the bookshelf in the family room.

Finally, I thought I would share a tiny little ceramic lidded container that I adore. I especially like the gold handle.

Here's a picture of it, in the bookshelf. It sits alongside a vintage hat that I treasure, and a mixed media are piece that I created a couple years ago ("Marie Buttonette") using a vintage doll.

Happy Vintage Thingie Thursday, and Time Travel Thursday!

http://coloradolady.blogspot.com/

http://thebrambleberrycottage.blogspot.com/

Merry, Merry, Take a Cherry

2011-03-09T09:04:00.000-08:00

“When I sound the fairy call,
gather here in silent meeting,

Chin to knee on the orchard wall,
cooled with dew and cherries eating.

Merry, merry, take a cherry,
mine are sounder, mine are rounder,

Mine are sweeter for the eater,
when the dews fall, and you'll be fairies all.”

- Emily Dickinson

Today is Rednesday, so I figured I would share a favorite piece of art. My husband made this for me for valentines day, last year. Isn't he a sweetie? He found the cherry cloth at a fabric store, and he stretched it over a huge (4.5' x 3') box canvas. He got the letters and circle from a craft store and painted them red, himself. I ended up adding the roses with a gossamer trail, to soften the piece just a little, making it just perfect for my taste. He hung it above our family room fireplace. I love it, and everytime I see it, I am reminded that I am loved, too. It is a very simple piece of art, but its size makes it quite striking.

And, completely unrelated ~ but there is an awful lot of red in this video, the fabulous Barbe Saint John posted this video on her facebook account today, and I dare you to watch it without bursting out laughing at least once.

If you would like to find more red goodness, check out It's a Very Cherry World and check out all the participants, or blog about your own red love, and join in the fun!

Tuesday Mourning

2011-03-08T10:37:00.000-08:00

Tuesday Mourning

I am having so much fun with my Pinterest account. (Want to see what makes me happy? Check out my pins, here: http://pinterest.com/cheliseh/

So today, I did a search for Tuesday (what else) and here were all the wonderful pins that appeared: http://pinterest.com/search/?q=tuesday.

I love Pinterest because of the wonderful visual finds, and today ~ my Tuesday search brought up several images by this fabulous Southern California Artist, whose store is called Tuesday Mourning. My husband and I are in the process of moving, so I have to wait a bit before investing in some new art pieces, but when I am ready, i shall definitely return to Tuesday Mourning's etsy account, to select a special piece of my own.

Is she not fabulous? I hope YOU are having a fabulous Tuesday! See you tomorrow, when I hope to post something red and whimsical for Rednesday.

Three Little Kittens

2011-03-07T10:23:00.000-08:00

Three little kittens they lost their mittens, and they began to cry,
"Oh mother dear, we sadly fear that we have lost our mittens."
"What! Lost your mittens, you naughty kittens!
Then you shall have no pie."
"Meeow, meeow, meeow, now we shall have no pie."
The three little kittens they found their mittens,
And they began to cry,
"Oh mother dear, see here, see here
For we have found our mittens."
"Put on your mittens, you silly kittens
And you shall have some pie"
"Meeow, meeow, meeow,
Now let us have some pie."
The three little kittens put on their mittens
And soon ate up the pie,
"Oh mother dear, we greatly fear
That we have soiled our mittens."
"What! soiled you mittens, you naughty kittens!"
Then they began to cry, "Meeow, meeow, meeow"
Then they began to sigh.
The three little kittens they washed their mittens
And hung them out to dry,
"Oh mother dear, do you not hear
That we have washed our mittens."
"What! washed your mittens, you are good kittens."
But I smell a rat close by,
"Meeow, meeow, meeow" we smell a rat close by...

I didn't really have time today to do any fun art stuff, so I just edited and blingeed up this week's image from Collage Obsession. Here's the original image:

Hop on over to the Collage Obsession blog to learn more, and find more fun artwork - or participate yourself! http://collageobsessionchallenge.blogspot.com/ .

Happy Monday everyone!

The best things in life.

2011-03-04T20:47:00.000-08:00

“The best things in life are silly." - Scott Adams

Well, when Liz at Brambleberry Cottage invited me to join in the Funny Faux Pas Follies, I am not sure this is what she had in mind, but it was the very first thing that I thought of! Lol.

Last weekend we had my beautiful nephews Adin and Ellis over, and just look at how cute Ellis's smile is. I had to grab a quick shot with my phone. After taking the picture, I took a second look ~ and lo and behold ~ look what the camera caught Adin doing! I just couldn't stop laughing.

Happy Friday everyone. I hope you have a great weekend. For more silly stories, or to join in on the fun and share your own, hop over to Brambleberry Cottage this weekend. I bet you won't regret it!

http://thebrambleberrycottage.blogspot.com/

(Not so) Vintage Thingie Thursday!

2011-03-02T20:34:00.000-08:00

“The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing. If you can fake that, you've got it made" - Groucho Marks

It is Vintage Thingie Thursday, so I figured I would share a prized collection of miniature cream bottles, that (as you can see on the far left) I now use as casual glasses. They are perfect for lemonade, fruit punch, and root beer. They are very sweet, and remind me of a simpler time. The only thing is... they aren't (shhhhh!) really vintage. The Straus Family Creamery is a local dairy farm that produces the most delicious milk products, and they are sold in the gourmet section of our local supermarkets.

So, I figure since I am cheating on the "vintage" aspect of Very Vintage Thursday, I would share some more of my decidedly modern favorites. Namely, dinner on Wednesday night.

First off, menu planning and shopping itself has always been a chore. However, I was beyond thrilled when I found the website, "How Does She Do It", which simplifies the process beyond measure. First of all, it has a database of recipes that you can access by searching for a particular dish, or you can search by category ("chicken" or "dessert" or "pasta", etc.). You can also add your own favorite recipes. You can then populate your own weekly menu with the dishes you want to make. But the coolest aspect, as far as I am concerned, is that it then creates your weekly shopping list for you. So you go over the list, and if you already have some of the items, you can remove them from the list, and if you have other staples you want to add to the list - you go ahead and add them, and then voila - you take the list with you and you ensure that you have everything you need to cook for your family for the week. Woo hoo! Convenient, fun, and easy peasy. Check it out:

http://www.howdoesshedoit.com

Here's an example of what I cooked last night - it took about twenty minutes total, fed four with some left over for my husband's lunch today, and everyone liked it. Chicken and Broccoli with Rice. First, I chopped up a lb. of skinless chicken breast, brown it in a tablespoon of oil, and then set it aside:

Next, you take a can of cream of chicken soup, a cup and a half of water, and some pepper and paprika, and mix it all in the pan, over heat.

(Love the glass spice jar.) Archer Farms is a Target brand. The pewter Pepper shaker (I have the salt shaker as well) are from Crate and Barrel.

You let this mixture come to a boil.

Once it comes to a boil, you put the chicken back in, and add a cup and a half of minute rice, and a bag of frozen broccoli.

Cover the mixture, and let it simmer for five more minutes. This gives you time to set a really quick casual table:

And woo-hoo! Dinner is ready!

The dish already has your protein, starch, and vegetable. I put out a a platter of fresh grapes and orange slices, as a side dish.

And then, to complete the meal, one more modern convenience:

Yum! Happy Vintage Thingy Thursday! I know I cheated, but taking the time to sit down to a home cooked meal with your family is becoming less and less common, and for some - a thing of the past.

Personally, I think the family meal is a vital part of family connection, and modern conveniences such as the website and quick recipe I shared above help to make sure that I can focus on what it timeless and important, a happy, well fed, close family.

Thanks for stopping by! Here's a picture of me with my messy hair and apron on. It looks like I have been cooking all day long. Lol!

http://coloradolady.blogspot.com/

Chirp chirp! And cherries too.

2011-03-02T10:08:00.000-08:00

Today, for Rednesday, I am featuring a tiny but dearly loved Jennifer Murphy little bluebird, that sits on a shelf along with some of my favorite Gina Gabriell dolls, (and some pics of the hubby with his motorcycle). I had the pleasure of meeting Jennifer Murphy when she taught at Convenzione 2009. She was a doll, no pun intended! I love the colors in my little blue bird, I think the red strawberry really enhances the sweet blue.

Red is definitely one of my favorite decor colors - which you can also tell by the dolls, which were made by my wonderful friend Gina.

This little corner of my house really makes me happy, and I am glad to be able to share it with you, through Rednesday. Do you love red too? Share your favorite red goodness, via It's A Very Cherry World's Rednesday!

Keep Calm and Blog On

2011-02-24T13:05:00.000-08:00

It is Vintage Thingy Thursday and Time Travel Thursday - so I figured I would share a little today, about our "Keep Calm and Carry On" print, which can be seen int he upper right corner of the photo of our living room, above.

Nowadays, you can find this print and variations of the print all over the place. But the original story is an interesting one. It's even on Wikipedia now (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keep_Calm_and_Carry_On):

"Keep Calm and Carry On was a poster produced by the British government in 1939 during the beginning of World War II, intended to raise the morale of the British public under the threat of impending invasion. It was little known and never used. The poster was rediscovered in 2000 and has been re-issued by a number of private sector companies, and used as the decorative theme for a range of other products. There are only two known surviving examples of the poster outside of government archives." (For mor, click on the wikipedia link above.)

Our family particularly likes our Keep Calm print (which is a screen printed onto a canvas box frame) - not only for its bright color and soothing sentiment, but also because my mother-in-law is English, and a sweet trip to Britain is one of the first international trips my husband and I took together.

I also love the many recent variations of the Keep Calm poster. Some are very sweet:

Some suggest financial freedom:

Some are more likely to keep you calm than others:

And given a real emergency, this one is probably the most realistic:

Hope you all enjoyed this little jog down a vintage highway. Have a happy Thursday everyone!

http://coloradolady.blogspot.com/

http://thebrambleberrycottage.blogspot.com/

The sight of the stars...

2011-02-18T17:56:00.000-08:00

“For my part I know nothing with any certainty, but the sight of the stars makes me dream.”

- Vincent Van Gogh

Oh, I have been beside myself with misery the past two days, fighting a flu. I am just starting to feel better now. Phew! However, I found the greatest site, a beta site called Pinterest ~ that serves as the world's largest online inspiration board. The idea is that you collect images that inspire you, and create categories for images so that you can visit them at any time. Likewise, others can view, follow, or copy elements of your boards.

http://www.pinterest.com

So, while I have been stuck on the couch watching daytime t.v. ~ I've made it through by viewing and creating the most wonderful images, and my own boards. What boards have I created of my own? Everything from Places and Spaces I Love, to Polka Dots and Cherries! You can view all of my boards, here:

http://pinterest.com/cheliseh/

Because the site is in beta stage, you have to request an invite to join. I did so, and was invited within a few days. I am so glad. I am having a blast! Enjoy looking around, and re-check anytime you want. I have a feeling my boards will be updated regularly. When it comes to inspiration, it knows no bounds!

We Create the Dreams

2011-02-15T22:50:00.000-08:00

"We dance for laughter, we dance for tears, we dance for madness, we dance for fears, we dance for hopes, we dance for screams, we are the dancers, we create the dreams." - Albert Einstein

In just a few hours it will be Wednesday. Woo hoo! Jump for joy. Half way through the work week. Do a little dancing, and the next thing you know, it will be the weekend.

Speaking of dancing, several months ago I uploaded a playlist with a few of my favorite songs. You can check it out anytime you want by clicking on this image on my sidebar:

http://chelsmending.blogspot.com/p/listen-along-with-me.html

And speaking of jumping for joy, and fine music ~ I was delighted to blog-surf my way to the Birdie Blue blog:

http://birdiebluesky.blogspot.com/

Not only are the graphics delightful, but the music playlist (at the bottom of her blog) is to die for. Anyone who listens to Kate Bush, the Talking Heads and Jack Johnson - is a music friend of mine!

So listen to my playlist, Birdie Blue's, or create one of your own. And when you do, don't forget to dance. Remember, you are the dancer. You create your dreams...

Yummy Ruby Tuesday!

2011-02-15T08:47:00.000-08:00

Woo Hoo! It is Ruby Tuesday. I thought I would share this picture I took (and blinged up) of some fresh strawberries that I put out a couple days ago when I had family over.

http://workofthepoet.blogspot.com/

Here are more pictures from Saturday night. Ironically, I had my camera on the wrong setting, so all the pictures were fuzzy and red tinted. Poor picture taking, but apropos for Ruby Tuesday - lol!

Despite it's fuzzyness, I love this picture of my sisters in law. Both my brother's wife) Katrina (left, and my husband's sister Jennifer. That's me in the middle:

Here is a picture of my wonderful nephew Adin. We love having him over - he's so fabulous!

And some pictures of my brother Jesse with Adin's little brother, Ellis:

Here's a shot of my wonderful mother in law, Pam, and my father in law, John. Butter loves them too!

Here's a shot of my hubby Richard, and my step-daughter Abigail and Pam, my mother in law. Three beautiful generations in this shot.

And finally, above - my son RJ. I can never get a shot of him smiling. Sheesh! I have one other picture of him. He looks even more sullen:

Ah well. He's a teenage boy.

Happy Tuesday everyone! I hope you all are having a wonderful day.

Oh, the Instructive Kewpie!

2011-02-13T23:43:00.000-08:00

I thought I would participate in Making Monday Marvelous day on the C.R.A.F.T. blog, as well as Metamorphosis Monday at http://www.betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/. Given the Valentines theme, I thought I would share with you one of my great loves ~ Kewpie dolls! Last spring I created a Kewpie themed display shelf that I hung on the wall in my guest/craft room.

I'll share the process with you, in case you might want to create something similar to showcase a collection of your own.

STEP ONE:

First, I took a sturdy gift box, that was divided into sections. The kind of box that originally held a set of four vases. I don't have a before picture of the exact box that I used, but here are a couple pics off google that show the same kind of box:

If you don't already have a box like this, I would suggest you keep your eyes out for a similar box at garage sales or flea markets. You could even request a box like this on freecycle. I found mine, already empty, at a thrift store.

STEP TWO:

Decorate the box. I first used spray paint, but you could also cover the box in gift wrap, fabric, vintage papers such as maps or dictionary pages, or scrap book paper. I wanted my box to be pretty simple - so that the dolls themselves would be the main feature. I used a baby pink spraypaint to coat the box inside and out.

STEP THREE:

I also decided to add a couple of wooden finials to the bottom of the box. I picked up the finials at Lowes, but you could probably get them at any hardware store. They were unpainted pine, and only cost a couple of dollars each. The type of finial I used is shown in the picture below. Ignore the glue. I didn't use glue to attach the finials, I used screws and nuts.

STEP THREE:

Before attaching the finials, I painted them red, so that they would create a nice contrast with the pink box. Then, I attached them to the bottom of the box, again, using screws. Here are a couple pictures of the finials attached to the box:

STEP FOUR:

Next, I decoupaged the inside of the box with vintage ephemera. I used a vintage bingo card, a vintage receipt, a vintage card of buttons, and a vintage postcard. I also added some vintage Kewpie images, inside the box. Here is a shot of one of the four compartments in the box:

Here is a picture of the box when I was finished decoupaging all four of the inside compartments:

(Don't worry about the screws showing on the inside, they'll be hidden in the next step.)

STEP FIVE:

I used a hot glue gun, and attached four of my favorite vintage Kewpie dolls inside, one doll to each compartment. Finally, I attached a fifth doll to the top of the box, to balance out the finials on the bottom. I also attached a vintage dress bow to the front, hot gluing it to center of the box where the four corners met.

And then my box was ready to be hung on the wall! (I attached a wire hanger to the back, but you could use whatever method of handing the box that works for you.)

Voila!

I love my little handmade Kewpie Curio. I spent less than $10 total on the paint, finials, and box, and it took less than one afternoon to complete. You could use the same method to create your own themed curio, as it lends itself to pretty much any "mini" item collection.

A couple of last tips: Be sure that your box is sturdy, and test it by putting your items in it and holding it upright before you begin, to be sure that the weight of the items you place in it don't cause the cardboard to bow. Also, you don't want your box to be too deep, as it will cast shadows on the decoupage inside, which you want people to see, because it is a part of the fun. If you decide to use a darker theme, I suggest you still paint the inside compartments a lighter color, again, to invite natural light inside your wonderful new curio.

Happy Monday everyone, and have a lovely Valentines Day!

Where Love Abides

2011-02-12T00:00:00.001-08:00

Every house where love abides
And friendship is a guest,
Is surely home, and home sweet home
For there the heart can rest.
~Henry Van Dyke

We had such a good time with family last night. My brother and his kids and his wife, as well as my mother and father in law, and my sister in law and her boyfriend, all came over and had dinner with us. Colonel Sanders was kind enough to provide the chicken and biscuits, (making fried chicken for a dozen people was a little much for me) but I had fun making lemonade with lemons from our tree. I also made potato salad and a number of other side dishes. My sweet husband helped with cleaning and cooking too. It was a wonderful day. Tomorrow I'll share some pictures of family, but today - it is Display Day Sunday here at Born Broken, so I thought I would share a few vignettes from our house. Here are a few little corners of my home. Welcome!

ive

Our living room has a huge picture window, and I hung small crepe streamers in swags across the glass, to make the room feel a little more festive for our guests.

I've shared photos before of my prized candy vending machine, which is stationed against a wall dividing the space between our living room and dining nook.

Above, a nice close up of top of the momentos on top of the candy machine.

Above and below, another piece I love is this vintage steamer trunk, from the late 1800s. we use it to store extra linens. It is in the living room, beside our couches.

Above is a comfy slip covered "chair and a half", and on the right, the side table is created by placing a tray on top of a painted cardboard ice cream tub. I keep my crafty fabric inside the tub.

The pictures above and below are rather blurry, but they show a few of my favorite Gina Gabriell dolls, as well as a tiny Jennifer Murphy bird.

Above, a couple of vintage china serving platters, along side which is a vintage advertising fan. These are all on the sofa table against the back of the love seat in our family room.

Above and below, another blurry shot of teas, vintage tins, and favorite pieces of altered art. These is the collection that sits atop the buffet in the dining nook.

There is so much more, but i thought this was a fun start. In the coming days, I'll share more. Until then, thanks for stopping by. You're welcome anytime!

Do you have any collections or tiny corners full of fun displayed in your house? I'd love to see them! Feel free to leave me a comment with a link to your blog.

Happy Sunday everyone!

The Beautiful Land of Life

2011-02-12T00:00:00.000-08:00

Rejoice with your family in the beautiful land of life!
~Albert Einstein

We are having the family over today. I'll be making fried chicken and potato salad and corn on the cob. Apple pie too. You are all invited too! I'll take pics and share them tomorrow. That way you can join in on all the fun. Until then, another beautiful image from:

I'll post again soon!

Returning....

2011-02-11T08:56:00.000-08:00

"There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.”

- Nelson Mandela

Wow, 2010 escaped me, and we are already (practically) half way through 2011. How did this happen? I've missed blogging, and am looking forward to getting caught up, both here, and with all my fellow bloggers. Thanks everyone for being patient for another post. My schedule has freed up, and I am excited about blogging a bit more regularly. Woo hoo!

Up, up and away!

2010-07-08T11:15:00.000-07:00

Woo hoo! I am actually on the in-flight wireless connection right now. RJ and I are headed to Michigan to visit with lots of family, and maybe some friends too. The trip to the airport this morning was totally nutso (why does leaving for the airport always have to be like that?) but we are well on our way now!

I'll check in with pics from the trip soon. We'll be in the mitten state for two weeks!

Hope you all are having a great summer, too!

Good Fortune

2010-07-06T17:11:00.000-07:00

“A wise man turns chance into good fortune.”

-Thomas Fuller

I thought I'd share a couple more pictures from our weekend trip to San Francisco. These photos are my submissions for Ruby Tuesday and Rednesday.

To see more delicious red goodness - check out the blog links below:

http://suelovescherries.blogspot.com/search/label/Rednesday

http://workofthepoet.blogspot.com/

Band of Characters!

2010-07-04T19:01:00.000-07:00

The family. We were a strange little band of characters trudging through life sharing diseases and toothpaste, coveting one another's desserts, hiding shampoo, borrowing money, locking each other out of our rooms, inflicting pain and kissing to heal it in the same instant, loving, laughing, defending, and trying to figure out the common thread that bound us all together. ~Erma Bombeck

Life...

2010-07-02T11:41:00.000-07:00

Children are the anchors that hold a mother to life. -Sophocles

Alrighty, bear with me. Friday freebies is on hiatus for a few more weeks. Today, the family and I are leaving for a quick weekend away. We are just going to San Francisco to do the touristy thing. We are staying at a nice hotel, going to a show, going to a fancy lunch, etc. etc. We just want to be together. I am really looking forward to it.

Late next week, my son and I leave for Michigan to visit more family, for a couple of weeks.

Summer is upon us and if it were up to me I'd spend every moment with my wonderful kids and hubby. I love them all so much. The picture above is of me and my beautiful step daughter, Abigail. She looks just like her dad, except she is beautiful and he is a goofball. What can I say?

I hope you are all out there enjoying the sun and enjoying your families. This is the life, and it is what true wealth is all about. I hope you all feel as rich as me!

A bit bogged down!

2010-06-29T11:34:00.000-07:00

"Life sometimes gets so bogged down in the details, you forget you are living it. There is always another appointment to be met, another bill to pay, another symptom presenting, another uneventful day to be notched onto the wooden wall. We have synchronized our watches, studied our calendars, existed in minutes, and completely forgotten to step back and see what we've accomplished."

— Jodi Picoult (My Sister's Keeper)

Hey all!

So sorry for the lack of posts lately. I have been beyond bogged down with a lot of wonderful stuff, like Special Olympics activities such as their 2010 Summer Games in Davis, CA. As work has been gearing up, I shifted focus to those priorities, as well as spending quality time with my family.

I promise to get another freebie friday post up soon - and I look forward to participating in all the wonderful memes, such as vintage thingie thursday - soon!

Hope you all are having a wonderful summer - and that if you let yourself get bogged down, it is only in good stuff and not stressful.

Now, carry on bloggin' folk!

Happy Father's Day!

2010-06-20T10:53:00.000-07:00

"A truly rich man is one whose children run into his arms when his hands are empty." -- Unknown

Mildred was Green

2010-06-15T07:42:00.000-07:00

This is the image I started with:

The theme was fashion. Check out more wonderful variations on this theme, or join in the fun yourself - here:

Go Wild

2010-06-14T10:24:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday Everyone!

So today, Cherry Chick is hosting ME Monday - a new meme for those who love and collect all things Mary Engelbreit, and Free Pretty Things for You is hosting a Mouth Watering Monday meme.

So, in honor of these two new memes - both of which I find exciting and fun - I have decided to ~ Go Wild! ~ and inexplicably, post on both at the same time. Adding confusion to the odd bedfellows, is the fact that I am not really following the rules for eiher meme. Oh well, my heart is in the right place. Bear with me!

First, for ME Monday, I am supposed to take my own picture of a Mary Engelbreit item that I own. This week's theme is specifically the most unusual Mary Engelbreit item I own. Ok, well - aside from telling you I DO own many a ME item, for reasons having to do with my camera (or lack thereof) - instead I am going to show you a picture of an unusual ME item that I particularly covet. Here it is - I would love, love, l.ove to have this in my personal collection.

How adorable is that apron up there?? I just love it! And you can MAKE one just for yourself, if you want! This apron (or, more precisely - the book with the pattern) was featured on the Farm Chicks blog, which is where I first saw it. You can purchae the pattern for yourself, here.

Ok! So, imagine that you are wearing said apron, in the kitchen. Since the other theme today is recipes - let me state that I do know that we were supposed to take a picture of a recipe that we have already created. Well, I think I covered the camera issue above. (Promise, that will be resolved SOON!) In he meantime, forgive me for sharing one of my favorite recipes, along with a picture that I personally did not take.

I LOVE love this special french toast recipe. It is the perfect recipe for a special breakfast or brunch. I have served these on Christmas morning, as well as Easter morn. They always get rave reviews. And they are surprisingly easy to make. Enjoy!

Cheese-Stuffed French Toast with Strawberry Sauce

Ingredients

12 (1-ounce) diagonally cut slices French bread

1/4 cup sifted powdered sugar

1 (8-ounce) tub cream cheese

2 1/2 cups milk

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

6 large eggs

Cooking spray

Optional:

Strawberry Sauce

Candied Lemon Rind

(Note, you can also use jam or jelly of any flavor in place of the strawberry sauce. Whipped cream and/or fresh fruit are optional/additional garnishes).

Note # 2: Looking for a low cal version? Replace 4 of the six eggs with egg whites, and use low or non fat versions of the milk and cream cheese.

Preparation

Cut a horizontal slit through bottom crust of each slice of bread to form a pocket. Combine powdered sugar and cream cheese; stir well. Spread mixture evenly into pockets of bread. Place 6 bread slices in each of two large, shallow baking dishes; set aside.

Combine milk, sugar, vanilla extract, egg whites, and eggs in a bowl; beat well with a wire whisk. Pour milk mixture evenly over bread slices. Cover and chill 1 hour or until liquid is absorbed.
Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray, and place over medium heat until hot. Arrange half of bread slices in skillet, and cook 3 minutes. Turn bread over, and cook 3 minutes or until browned; remove from skillet. Repeat procedure with the remaining bread slices.

Serve with garnishes recommended above!

YUM!

(*I usually make this recipe from scratch now. In looking for a more precise recipe for you to use, I shared a variation of the recipe from MyRecipes.com. Photo from same source.)

So, I hope you enjoyed seeing the apron I covet, and I hope you make the yummy french toast for your family. I have yet to meet someone who does not LOVE this recipe!

To see more fun Mary Engelbreit collectibles, or to share your own - visit Cherry Chick's blog!

And to share your own yummy recipe, or find more recipes from others - check out Free Pretty Things for You!

Have a great Monday everyone!

Retro Wonderful

2010-06-12T00:21:00.000-07:00

Obviously, one look at this blog ~ and it goes without saying, I'm a kitten for vintage kitsch. I love it all. In my book, if it is retro, it is wonderful. I'm not a stickler for one era, though. Give me the twenties, the thirties, heavy on the fourties, and throw some other 'ies' in there, and we are good. I like shabby chic, victorian treats, and mid-century diner style thrown in for good measure.

Over the past year, my husband and I have been woking on re-decorating our home with 1. no money; 2. A lot of elbow grease; and 3. A fair amount of compromise. (The hubby is a fan of modern clean lines, cool colors, and bare minimalism. I... am not.) However, we seem to have finally (after nearly a decade of cohabitation!) started to find our happy middle ground. In the coming weeks, I'll start sharing those results with you.

In the meantime, since it is Studio Saturday here at Born Broken - I figured I would share a new favorite website. It offers endless inspiration for working with retro decor and playing with vintage goodies. Be sure and check out their blog too!

http://www.tpartyantiques.com/

http://www.tparty.typepad.com/

Here is a peek at some of their website goodies:

Be sure and check out the T-Party website and blog for even more vintage/retro fun! Happy Studio Saturday, all!

Do you have any houses, studios or decor that you adore? Leave me a comment and a link. I love to visit new places, and I'd love to feature reader favorites on upcoming Studio Saturday days.

Hannah Grey and The Wild Gypsy

2010-06-11T10:43:00.000-07:00

http://www.hannahgrey.com/shop/

http://wildgypsyart.blogspot.com/

Doesn't that sound like the name of some kind of fantastical tale? Hannah Grey and the Wild Gypsy? Actually, it is the combined names of two fantastical businesses. Long time ZNE members and old friends Shoshannah Jennings of Hannah Grey Curiosities and Drygoods, and Carolyn Sadowski of The Wild Gypsy are both offering some amazing freebies in their online stores today. Since it is Freebie Friday here at Born Broken - I thought I would share the info!

So, be sure and ~run, don't walk!~ over to Hannah Grey. This wonderful store full of art supplies and mixed media goodies is closing down its online division. What does this mean for you? A 35% discount on anything orders equalling $50 or more, LOTS of clearance items, and FREE shipping on orders over $100. Go quick! Things are being snapped up fast over there.

And speaking of run don't walk ~ check out The Wild Gypsy's blog, where she outlines how to receive a beautiful collage sheet download absolutely free - but only from 3:00 to 6:00 pm (eastern time, noon to 3 pacific) TODAY - Friday June 11, 2010.

And with that said - what do YOU have for us on Freebie Friday? We love tutorials, giveaways, and freebie images, gifts, and goodies. SHARE SHARE SHARE! Leave your freebie link below.

A Child's Goodnight

2010-06-09T23:58:00.000-07:00

Life's most soothing things are a child's goodnight and sweet music.... Thomas Edison

Last weekend, I found a dresser on Craigslist, that was offered for sale, for $35. I'd been looking for a white dresser for our guest room - and this one looked nice and roomy. When we went to go pick it up, it was fun to see that it had some vintage looking lines. The carved edges were very art-deco looking. I don't have great pictures of the dresser - but here they are, the ones from the ad:

The person selling us the dresser couldn't tell us much about the piece of furniture, but it was fun to find a paper label affixed to the inside of one of the drawers. It read:

Little Folk's Furniture; New London New Jersey.

Needless to say, I got to researching right away. What fun to find out that the Thomas Edison had a furniture business (really!) and that "Little Folk's" was the children's division! I was able to find the following history (here):

"You may be wondering why Thomas Alva Edison, the revered American inventor, was doing producing children’s furniture. It started out as an adjunct to Edison’s phonograph factory. In 1917 Thomas Alva Edison purchased Wisconsin Panel and Cabinet Company, a maker of opera seats. He converted the factory to the production of cabinets for his newly patented line of phonographs. The name of the factory was changed to Edison Wood Products and it continued to make phonograph cabinets until 1927. During the Depression, the consumer demand for phonographs slowed a lot because they were considered a luxury item at a time when most people were concerned about where their next meal was coming from. Edison didn’t want to add more people to the bread lines by laying off several hundred employees, so he decided that the company should make juvenile furniture under the trade name "Edison Little Folks Furniture".

It was really neat to look up other vintage pieces of Little Folk's furniture. Both of the decals above are from vintage Little Folk's cribs. You can see another art-deco style piece (part of another dresser) below:

And I also thought this display of vintage Edison furniture was delightful:

I have not been able to find a furniture catalogue online, so I don't know exactly how old my dresser is. In fact, Little Folk's was sold off to Simmons at some point (yes, the same as the Simmons as the mattress company) and they continued to manufacture under the Little Folks' name, until 2005. However, given the lines, and the specifics of the label on my piece, I suspect it is older rather than newer.

However old it may be, I had a wonderful time finding out more about the history of the furniture line, and finding the lovely vintage pieces and decals shown here. I hope you had as much fun seeing them, as I did!

Happy Vintage Thingie Thursday, and Time Travel Thursday!

http://coloradolady.blogspot.com/

http://thebrambleberrycottage.blogspot.com/

Sky Red...

2010-06-09T08:45:00.000-07:00

Artists can color the sky red because they know it's blue. - Jules Feiffer

I figured I'd put up a quick post today - featuring something red, since I've been admiring all the Rednesday entries all over the blogospher on Wednesdays. The l ovely blog 'It's a Very Cherry World' hosts this meme. I am posting an art piece I made a couple years ago. I call her Betty C. Rocker. (Anybody get the reference?)

Red is pretty much my favorite color, so I look forward to participating in future Rednesday's as well.

Have a great day everyone! And check out A Very Cherry World to see more redelicious entries!

http://suelovescherries.blogspot.com/

Simply because we exist...

2010-06-08T09:28:00.000-07:00

"If the prospect of living in a world where trying to respect the basic rights of those around you and valuing each other simply because we exist are such daunting, impossible tasks that only a super-hero born of royalty can address them... then what sort of world are we left with?"

-WONDER WOMAN #170

Some days, my heart breaks. Well, really - don't we all live with a bit of a broken heart - all of the time? The things that human beings are capable of doing - saddens and distresses me on a daily basis. We - all of us - always have the opportunity to act in love, to enable justice, and to promote compassion on a daily basis. Of course of course there are millions of us who do make a whole hearted human effort to make this world a better place. But on some days, the news of the world is a little much to take. (Click on the sentences below if you want to share some misery. Sigh.)

I am outraged about this.

I am overwhelmed and grief stricken on a daily basis ~ about news such as this.

And closer to home ~ I want to know why things like this still happen.

I don't have all the answers. The root causes of violence against women, war in the middle east (or war, in general) are equally disturbing and complex. So some days, when I am overwhelmed with the ugly side of our world - I think that only a superhero could manage to get us out of this mess.

SO ~ to that end, I share with you my pick me up for the day.

Some history of this favorite heroine of mine:

Wonder Woman is an Amazon (based on the Amazons of Greek mythology) and was created by William Moulton Marston as a "distinctly feminist role model whose mission was to bring the Amazon ideals of love, peace, and sexual equality to a world torn by the hatred of men.'"[2] Her powers include superhuman strength, flight, super-speed, super-stamina, and super-agility. She is highly proficient in hand-to-hand combat and in the art of tactical warfare. She also possesses an animal-like cunning and a natural rapport with animals, which has in the past been presented as an actual ability to communicate with the animal kingdom. She uses her Lasso of Truth (which forces those bound by it to tell the truth), a pair of indestructible bracelets, and an invisible airplane. (Source: Wikipedia)

Rock on Wonder Woman.

If you want to rock with her ~ check this out (and wait for it - it gets better about 1:30):

Eternity

2010-06-07T03:01:00.000-07:00

Today's Collage Obsession challenge was mirror... here was the original image:

Check out more wonderful variations on this theme, or join in the fun yourself - here:

Happy Monday everyone!

A More Fortunate Destiny

2010-06-06T12:25:00.000-07:00

It is perhaps a more fortunate destiny

to have a taste for collecting

shells than to be born a millionaire.

- Robert Louis Stevenson

Oh, collections, collections. Who among us does not love them? I myself collect everything from vintage hankies, to dolls and miniatures, to retro kitsch and knick knacks. But the collection in and of itself has never been enough. In fact, it is the display of such collections that draws me in. I love love love curio cabinets, aesthetically pleasing cupboards, a well laid table, or even just a wonderful old bowl or bottle of buttons, left out in plain view.

How about you? Sunday is a day of comfort, love, faith, and friends. What a lovely day to spend sharing some of our beloved collections and inviting our readers to join in our obsession?

I'll start:

I will probably post more about dolls on Sundays, than any other thing. Ha! I love miniatures of any kind, and always have. As a very young child, I thrilled in the fantasy that I could escape into a tiny world, and start anew - with a life crafted by very own liking.

Here is a recent dollhouse - I had a great deal of fun decorating and playing inside this house. Most (but not all) of the furniture / furnishings are vintage. The dolls are mini blythes. Another collection - as evidenced in an earlier post. I am sad to say that due to the economy's impact on our family, I had to let this dollhouse go last summer. But I'll always have this picture!

I think dollhouses are a wonderful way to play, and display your miniature collections at the same time. Don't you?

I would love to feature a few more fabulous ~collection/display~ posts I found around the blog world. Without further ado:

Speaking of miniatures, this is one of the most delicious doll houses I have ever seen! Wait until you step inside this door. Leave a comment and let them know that Born Broken sent you!

http://libertybiberty.blogspot.com/

Some people have incredible chintz and teacup collections.

http://www.marthasfavorites.com/

How about this collection ~ Got Milk? ; )

http://pinkrosesandteacups.blogspot.com/2010/06/vintage-thingies-thursday-got-milk.html

So, what do you say? Do you collect anything fun? How do you display your wares? I want to see! Share you links with me. : )

Have a great week everyone!

Noodlette

2010-06-04T11:29:00.000-07:00

Ok, ok. So, it is only macaroni and cheese. Still, somehow I found this addicting. Hi! Good luck and enjoy. In honor of freebie friday, I am happy to share:

http://www.kraftbrands.com/macandcheese/pages/default.aspx

Speaking of lovely freebies ~ it's that fabulous day again! Have fun everyone.

LEARN MORE ABOUT FREEBIE FRIDAY, HERE.

Do YOU have a freebie to share! I'd love it if you'd link up here at Freebie Friday - below!

Nothing Remains... except!

2010-06-03T08:06:00.000-07:00

A few years ago, I was going to pick m y nephew up from daycare, and as I drove through the neighborhood where his preschool was located, I saw the fabulous candy machine that you see above, on a street corner with the sign "free" taped to the front of it.

After picking up my nephew, I drove past the street corner again, but this time I stopped. I got out. I oohed. I aaahed. And I was sold! (Well, it was free, after all!) Don't you just love the actual 'candy' sign? It is one of my favorite parts of this vending machine.

Several years later, I have since gutted the inside (harder than you might have expected - it required a crowbar and a lot of elbow greese!) and cleaned it up. A part of my mini-blythe collection found its way into the candy slots, and we use inside to store dvds and vhs tapes. Significant additional restoration is needed. We have the gorgeous red bakelite-ish nobs that you pull to release your candy, that need to be reaffixed below the doll panel. Also, as you can see the bottom is very scratched up. I'd like to do something about the paintjob - either repaint it in its original colors - or - I can't help but flirt with the idea of red, or teal/turquoise. Hmmm...

In any case! When I was picking up the candy machine, the original owner (or, second owner I should say) came out of his house, and shared a little history. This candy machine was originally located at the San Ramon Auto Movie - which was a drive-in theatre located in Dublin California. The theatre operated from 1966 through the early 1980s. According to the Cinema Treasures website:

"The San Ramon Auto Movie was located off of Dublin Boulevard, adjacent to the 580/680 interchange. The drive-in was easily the most high-profile entertainment venue in the Tri-Valley area during the late '60's to the mid-70s. The land was owned by the Enea Brothers, who also owned drive-ins throuhout the Bay Area.

During the late '70s to early '80s, attendance lagged due to the construction of several multi-screen indoor theatres in Dublin and Pleasanton. Dublin incorporated as a city in 1982, and the drive-in sat in a high-profile traffic area. It closed in 1981 and was demolished in 1982, and was developed into a series of retail shopping centers, and most recently, car dealerships.

Nothing remains of this theatre, save for a few of the trees that lined the back of the screen and former driveway. Amador Valley Boulevard south of Dublin Boulevard was originally the entrance, which is now paved and riddled with stoplights."

Nothing remains? I beg to differ. Why, I have proof that a little something remains! ; )

Here's to hoping you all have a candilicious day, on this Vintage Thingie Thursday!

If you would like to see additional entries, or blog about some vintage goodness yourself - check out Colorado Lady's blog - here:

http://coloradolady.blogspot.com/

I am also linked up to:

http://thebrambleberrycottage.blogspot.com/2010/06/time-travel-thursday-1-back-to-future.html

http://bec4-beyondthepicketfence.blogspot.com/2010/06/under-100-linky-party.html

Happy Memorial Day

2010-05-31T03:30:00.000-07:00

Do noble things,
not dream them,
all day long;
And so make Life,
and Death,
and that For Ever,
One grand sweet song.

- Charles Kingsley

Fabulous Day!

2010-05-27T19:10:00.000-07:00

I found the most lovely blog today - isn't it sweet?

You can find the blog, and a wonderful vintage greeting car image collection (for you, for free!) here:

http://www.bittersweetandthelittlesoapcompany.blogspot.com/

Speaking of lovely freebies ~ it's that fabulous day again! Have fun everyone.

LEARN MORE ABOUT FREEBIE FRIDAY, HERE.

Do YOU have a freebie to share! I'd love it if you'd link up here at Freebie Friday - below!

The Apes of Devil's Island!

2010-05-27T00:39:00.000-07:00

I am excited to share my vintage thingy find, for today! A couple days ago - I was perusing Craigslist's 'free' section - and there was an ad for 'a few vintage argosy magazines, dated in the early 1920s.' Sight unseen, I hopped on that - and was lucky enough to be the first respondent.

What fun! It turns out I am now the proud owner of all of these:

Here's a little more about the magazine: Argosy was generally considered to be the first American pulp magazine. The first issue was published on December 2, 1882, and was eight pages, cost five cents, and included the first installments of serialized stories by Horatio Alger, Jr. and Edward S. Ellis. In 1920, All-Story Weekly was merged into The Argosy, resulting in a new title, Argosy All-Story Weekly. The final issue of the original magazine was published in November 1978.

The pages are yellowed and very brittle, still I am looking forward to delving into a few stories. Who can resist the very first pulp fiction? Besides - could you pass by a story title like this one:

I didn't think so.

If you would like to see additional entries, or blog about some vintage goodness yourself - check out Colorado Lady's blog - here:

http://coloradolady.blogspot.com/

Have a great Thursday everyone! Friday is almost here...

Our Weekend Trip to SF / WWW and Wordless Wednesday!

2010-05-26T00:18:00.000-07:00

http://deyoung.famsf.org/

And, before I am off for the day = Shhhhhhh! Check out this picture of me as I was about to enter the De Young:

I am taking a picture outside, of my reflection in the large mirrored wall of the Museum building.

Do you notice anything spooky?

Look closely. Is that a ghost...???

Look at the corner. Look again:

Um. Yeah. I don't know what to say.

But, have a great Wednesday!

Behold

2010-05-24T01:53:00.000-07:00

"...I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in..." - Revelation 3:20

The College Obsession theme this week is door.

Click on the banner above to visit Collage Obsession and see more obsessed artists.

Happy Monday!

All of life's riddles...

2010-05-22T08:40:00.000-07:00

You know what your problem is,

it's that you haven't seen enough movies -

all of life's riddles are answered in the movies.

Steve Martin

So it is Studio Saturday, and I figured I would digress a bit, although technically, I am on topic. I've been spending manty late nights getting my studio organized and able to house many of my art supplies, while serving as a comfortable guest room if needed at the same time. All of you mixed media hoarders out there know what a ridiculous task I've assigned myself. Still, I plug aaway. Meanwhile, keeping me great company is this laptop:

And, keeping the laptop company (thus making it even better company for me) - is this:

Ah, Netfllix live streaming movies. They are going to change the world, I tell you! So, I've been watching non stop movies. Some sad, some funny, some a bit disturbing, and some completely lovely. Here's a recap:

So there you have it. My favorite of those above, interestingly enough - was the documentary 'following sean' - but any adult child of hippies would be able to relate to why. So have YOU been to any good movies lately? Oh, well, I haven't actually been to them. They've come to me!

Have a great weekend everyone!

2010-05-21T09:11:00.000-07:00

In honor of Freebie Friday here at Born Broken, I looked around for some fun freebies, and stumbled across Zwani.com, which houses everything from free twitter backgrounds to graphics galore. Warning: most of their offerings are very shmaltzy myspace kinda stuff. But, thetre are some goodies in there, too.

Anyway, if you are up for all their blingy pre-teen crud - you might find some fun graphics.

Oh, and TGIF! Speaking of freebies... Join In!

LEARN MORE ABOUT FREEBIE FRIDAY, HERE.

Do YOU have a freebie to share! I'd love it if you'd link up here at Freebie Friday - below!

Destiny

2010-05-19T22:48:00.000-07:00

(artwork by Henry Ryland)

Destiny

by Robert Cameron Rogers

To one she gave a rose and said,

'see to it well it does not die'

To one a bunch of poppies red,

'Lo, guard them well," then bade good-bye.

The slow years came, the slow years went-

a stately rose tree upward grew-

to every summer flung its scent,

with every summer bloomed anew.

The slow years went, the slow years came -

Thickly before an empty shrine

The poppies stood like sprays of flame,

Like sunbeams shot through Chian wine.

He of the rose, his whole career

Was like the rose, fate's early dower -

Success pursued him year by year,

And year by year, came fame and power...

He of the poppies - no one wept.

His end, though last of all his line

For through his life, his soul had slept,

And dreamed before an empty shrine.

So, I have a fun story about 'destiny' of a sort. Several weeks ago, I found this absolutely lovely black and white drawing of a sweet young girl holding a rosary. The picture is a vintage limited edition reproduction of a piece created by the artist Henry Ryland. The artwork is dated 1867. I fell in love with this picture instantly, and couldn't wait to get it home and put it in the guest/room art studio. Here it is - on the wall:

I hadn't heard of Henry Ryland before. He was born in the mid 1800s in England, and studied art in Paris. When I looked him up, I was thrilled to find more of his artwork. However, try as I might - I couldn't find the exact image that I now owned. Alas. I particularly wanted to find a decent copy, so that I could post it here - knowing how awful my cell phone camera pictures turn out!

In any case, I gave up for a bit, content to enjoy the actual picture itself. Lucky me. Then, as if my stroke of vintage art luck hadn't been enough, I was beyond thrilled when I wandered into an antique store (here) this weekend, and found that one of the booths inside was closing down and the vendor was offering all of her wares at 70% (!) off! I found an absolutely lovely original watercolor and caligraphy print from the early 1900s - of a poem by Robert Cameron Rogers. Here is a picture of that lovely piece of artwork, also hanging in my art studio / guest room:

It's truly a wonderful piece, and as soon as I get a better camera - I will post a better picture. I wish I knew who created the artwork - but the only identifying mark is that of the poet (Robert Cameron Rogers).

Here is the poem inscribed on the artwork:

THE HOURS I spent with thee, dear heart,

Are as a string of pearls to me;

I count them over, every one apart,

My rosary.

Each hour a pearl, each pearl a prayer,

To still a heart in absence wrung;

I tell each bead unto the end—and there

A cross is hung.

Oh, memories that bless—and burn!

Oh, barren gain—and bitter loss!

I kiss each bead, and strive at last to learn

To kiss the cross,

Sweetheart,

To kiss the cross.

Not knowing anything about Robert Cameron Rogers, I thought I would give him a looky loo on the old internet, as well. Turns out he was an American poet, born in New York in the mid 1800s. He died in California at the age of 60 - from complications due to an apendectomy. So, yes, Mr. Rogers and Mr. Ryland were born around the same time - but they were entire continents apart from one another. Can you imagine my surprise, when - upon looking up the poetry of Mr. Rogers - I found that some of it had been put to music - and indeed My Rosary was one of those poems. Well, that was not the surprise - this was: Here is the image that popped up when I looked up the sheet music for My Rosary:

Notice anything familiar? Ha! What an odd coincidence, given that I had no idea who either the artist or the poet were, and that the sheet music does not mention the artist at all - however, clearly - it is the exact same image on my vintage poster. The only slight difference between the image on my poster, and the image on the sheet music is in the eyes. For whatever reason, the eyes on my poster are much softer - more... innocent looking. Whereas the eyes on this piece of sheet music seem to be a bit more open, more wide - giving her a startled look. Ah well, I like my version better - so it all works out.

Anyway - seeing as how it is Vintage Thingy Thursday - I figured I would share my new 'vintage thingys' story with you. I hope you found it as facsinating as I did!

If you would like to see additional entries, or blog about some vintage goodness yourself - check out Colorado Lady's blog - here:

http://coloradolady.blogspot.com/

Rose Garden Romantic

2010-05-19T00:01:00.000-07:00

Wow! What a lovely blog. I am excited to post another Wednesday Web Wonder ~ Rose Garden Romantic. One look at this blog, and it isn't difficult to see why it appeals to me. Vintage loveliness everywhere. Plus, check out the blog writers profile, and she explains: "I enjoy spending time with my family, collage art and wandering around in antique stores and flea markets. I love collecting bits and peices of the past- sheet music, buttons, postcards, books, transferware, dishes with roses, crochet lace, embroidered linens, and anything else that tickles my fancy from the Victorian Age through the 1940's..." You could practically switch us at birth - although, I must admit - my taste differs a bit in that it includes the 1950s, and (in case you haven't noticed) leans ever so slightly toward kitsch. Ha!

Still, as the pictures below will show - Rose Garden Romantic is full of gorgeous pieces that I would love to call my own, and short of owning them - I delighted that they are shared through the RGR blog!

Tweet tweet! I hope you all have a wonderful Wednesday - and be sure and stop by Rose Garden Romantic to see the rest of her gorgeous blog. Let 'em knnow that Born Broken sent you!

Do any of YOU have a Web Wonder of your own to share? Leave a comment/link for me here, and perhaps I'll feature your favorite (and give you a plug too!) on another Wednesday Web Wonder feature, in the not too far off future!

Cherry Lip; Cherry Cheeks

2010-05-18T15:28:00.000-07:00

Like a red cherry in color; ruddy;

blooming; as, a cherry lip; cherry cheeks...

[The definition of Cherry - BrainyQuote.com]

It is Ruby Tuesday today, and so I pulled up a picture of a little doll assemblage I created a couple of years ago, as a class demo. All in one fell swoop, it demonstrates my love for polka dots, vintage dolls, kitsch - and of course - the color red. I am happy to share it today, as my Ruby Tuesday contribution.

Check out the Work of the Poet blog for more Ruby Tuesday.

Hope everyone is having a great week!

White Linens...

2010-05-15T08:34:00.000-07:00

The bed has become a place of luxury to me!

I would not exchange it for all the thrones in the world.

- Napolean Bonaparte

It is Studio Saturday here at Born Broken. A day when I feature art studios, home decor, and the like. Today, as I was browsing the web for some cozy decor pictures - I began to notice something interesting. When talking about bed linens - it is helpful to match the color of your bedspread to the surroundings. (Or at least, it should be complimentary). Things get even more complicated when your linens have a pattern of some sort. Then, it s helpful to match the color and the pattern to the decor of the room. However - when it comes to the color white, it is universally apropriate in every style, matched to every color.

Here are some examples of different decor styles - having very little in common, other than the white bed linens. (Oh, and can you guess which one is my favorite, from below?):

I hope you enjoyed our little tiptoe through the white linens. Oh, and as for my favorite? Let's just say I don't mind small spaces, and gingham will win me over anytime.

Have a great weekend everyone! Happy Studio Saturday!

*All images in this post came from copyright free sources.

Stop and say hi!

2010-05-14T13:16:00.000-07:00

It's Freebie Friday here at Born Broken ~ and I figured I'd honor all of you who have been so kind as to leave a comment on this here blog. It is so lovely to know that people are stopping by and hopefully enjoying their stay for a moment or two.

In honor of all of you, I created a blingy-thingy to let the world know that I love comments. As you can see, I have a small version on my sidebar.

If any of YOU would like this silly comment box, let me know - leave a comment (!) and I'll share the code with you.

LEARN MORE ABOUT FREEBIE FRIDAY, HERE.

Do YOU have a freebie to share! I'd love it if you'd link up here at Freebie Friday - below!

Pray you, love, remember...

2010-05-13T13:34:00.000-07:00

Pray you, love, remember. And there is pansies, that's for thoughts.
-William Shakespeare

It is Vintage Thingie Thursday over at The Colorado Lady's blog. I decided to share a picture (sorry for the blur - taken again with my blackberry!) of a vintage fan that I have on my desk at work. I got the fan in a lot of three (equally beautiful) fans on eBay a couple years ago. At the time I thought I might resell them through The ZNE Store - but once I recieved them, I couldn't bear to part with them. These delicate paper fans were marketing premiums for the Hotel Statler in the early 1900s. Yep. This fan is over 100 years old. Hard to imagine.

The first Statler hotel was built in Buffalo, New York and offered 300 rooms and bathrooms (it was later expanded to 450 rooms and baths). The Buffalo hotel was very successful and led to a chain of hotels in other cities.

Rooms were originally available at what seemed a very cheap price, leading many other hoteliers to predict the failure of the Buffalo hotel. The opening night price was as low as $1.50 for a guest room, leading to the slogan "A Room and a Bath for a Dollar and a Half." The hotel had a line of credit available of $500,000, but was so successful from the beginning that Statler never touched the line of credit. The Hotels Statler Company, Inc., was sold to Conrad Hilton's (Hilton Hotels) in 1954 for $111,000,000 in what was then the world's largest real estate transaction. (Source: Wikipedia)

Have a great Thursday everyone! Jump on over to The Colorado Lady's blog to see more fun Vintage Thingy Thursday posts!

Sewn with Grace and Loveliness!

2010-05-12T09:10:00.000-07:00

What a joy it was to stumble upon the Sewn with Grace blog, a few days ago. Although I do have a sewing machine, any kind of craft that requires stitches is not my forte. I'd love to change that though, and a blog like the one above is definitely a motivator in that direction.

Of course, there is much more than just sewing that graces (pun intended - ha!) Sewn with Grace. Renee, the blog owner, also shares her incredible photos, lovely home decor, vintage treasures and other fun stuff, such as gardening, etc.

If you are looking for a lovely and inspirational blog read - I encourage you to stop by Sewn with Grace - my Wednesday Web Wonder for today.

Have a great week everyone!

A fascination with red...

2010-05-11T18:07:00.000-07:00

I doodled this piece about a year ago. I thought it would be fun to put up for Ruby Tuesday.

Check out the Work of the Poet blog for more Ruby Tuesday.

Happy Tuesday everyone!

Obsessed...

2010-05-10T00:28:00.000-07:00

It has been sooooo long since I have had some down time to play with art. However, this week's Collage Obsession Challenge motivated me to play with some altered art digi style. The theme was mother, and here was the original piece of art we were supposed to play with:

Could you tell from the altered art piece that the image above was the origin?

I hope you are all having a wonderful Monday. The fun has just begun!

The Sweetest Sound..

2010-05-09T00:03:00.000-07:00

The sweetest sounds to mortals given

Are heard in Mother, Home, and Heaven.

~William Goldsmith Brown

Happy Mother's Day, all!

O Happy Day!

2010-05-08T09:18:00.000-07:00

It's Studio Saturday over here at Born Broken. While blog hopping this week, I came across Happy Loves Rosie. I don't think it will be any mystery to those who know me - why I just love this aesthetic! Give me kitsch, polka dots, and lots of red. I a happy girl! Plus, my mother in law is British, so the British edge is nice too.

This blog is full of so many wonderful goodies, I wouldn't know where to start. However, since it is Studio Saturday, I'll start with the fantabulous home decor, featured throughout. Muted / natural colorscape lovers - beware!

Woo Hoo! I thin it would be near impossible to be in anything but a cheery mood when cooking in a kitchen full of such colorful cheer! To see more (and bigger and better) images - check out the Happy Loves Rosie blog!

Happy Studio Saturday everyone!

Happy Siete De Mayo!

2010-05-06T18:28:00.001-07:00

ONE DAY WHEN YOU LOOK FOR ME

By Victor De La Cruz

One day when you look for me

you won't find me

and in your heart

there'll be no one left to tell you

which path I took

and where I forgot you.

One day when you open your eyes

I won't be here

I'll have taken another path

and forgotten you.

You'll look north and south

to where the sun is born and where it hides

where the four roads meet

you'll look crazy, searching for my footprints.

Who knows what rains

and what winds

will have swept them away.

So, it is Freebie Friday here at Born Broken, and I also remembered that I wanted to do some kind of Cinco De Mayo post. I'm a little late, so instead I am posting for Siete De Mayo. I also included a poem by Victor De La Cruz. He is an Oaxacan poet from Juchitán, a hub of Isthmus Zapotec art and culture on the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. His books of poetry include First Voice, Two that Three Poems, and Isthmus Corridos. I absolutely loved the beauty of the translation above. I thought its' melancholy tone matched that sad little face on the girl above. I hope you enjoy it. Take a moment to enjoy both Latin American, Hispanic and indiginous cultures today.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT FREEBIE FRIDAY - CLICK HERE!

To create the image above, I used a freebie from the Art By Canace blog. Canace is a wonderful founding member of ZNE ~ and I thank another wonderful ZNE member, Stacey Merrill, for letting me know that Canace occasionally offers freebies on her blog. Take a look, and play, play, play!

Happy Friday everyone!

DO YOU HAVE A FREEBIE TO SHARE? SIGN UP BELOW, and JOIN IN THE FREEBIE FRIDAY PARTY!

Vintage Thingie Thursday

2010-05-06T08:44:00.000-07:00

Well, I found a Thursday meme that is certainly close to my heart! Vintage Thingie Thursday. (How fun!). Since I don't yet have a reliable camera, I decided to showcase a collage I made last year. The image above incorporates a vintage magazine page (the text background). The image at top is also vintage (the face). And the german scrap is all vintage reproduction. This fluttery girl is a bit silly - very whimsical. I hope you enjoy her!

If you would like to see additional entries, or blog about some vintage goodness yourself - check out Colorado Lady's blog - here:

http://coloradolady.blogspot.com/

Have a great Thursday, everyone!

Kick-ass Red

2010-05-03T23:52:00.000-07:00

Beauty, to me, is about being comfortable in your own skin. That, or a kick-ass red lipstick.

- Gwyneth Paltrow

It's another Ruby Tuesday. I figured I'd share my love of red, by giving you a peak into my old art studio. Hope you all have a cherrylicious cheery day! Check out the Work of the Poet blog to see more wonderful Ruby Tuesday Linky Love.

Cute stuff...

2010-05-03T00:01:00.000-07:00

First off, let me just say that my life is slowly losing meaning - given that I don't have an adequate CAMERA! So, I am taking pictures with my blackberry - and honestly - I might as well be talking about an actual piece of fruit here, given the blurry mush that it produces...

Ahem.

Anyway, all that aside, I've been peeking around today, looking for some cute stuff. After all, it is 'I made the world cuter' Monday! Please forgive me for the blur, and here's what I have to share today:

A tiny little piece of a collage that I created last year, while staying with my wonderful friend Jenna. I had just gotten out of the hospital ~ and she was so kind and supportive during that time. Honestly? I think that little angel was my version of Jen.

When (oh soon please!) I get an actual camera, I'll take a picutre of the whole collage. It is MUCH larger than this, and framed in a tissue fringe, which - with my grainy cell phone, looked like some bunched up socks (so I cropped it out - ha!).

Oh, I thought I would share this teensy little peek too - as I have mentioned here several times, I am putting together a new guest room / art studio - and here is a tiny peek at one of the shelves:

I just love all this fabulous cardboard suitcase / boxes you can get nowadays. Perfect for storing stickers, notecards, playing cards, or any manner of little goodie. Look forward to more pics of the whole room, when it is finished.

Ok, oh - and speaking of making the world a cuter place - yesterday I watched a movie with this actor in it. Sigh. Y u m m y !

Have a great monday, and a great week everyone!

All Gentleness...

2010-05-01T15:39:00.000-07:00

A profusion of pink roses bending ragged in the

rain speaks to me of all gentleness and its enduring.

Ok, so I admit - they aren't in the rain - but still, look at what an absolutely beautiful bouquet of flowers was hand delivered to me yesterday. My wonderful friend and artist, Lynne Wright, had lunch with me, and she brought me these lovelies from her garden. (Except for the sweetpeas, which she took from a special bouquet splurge that was supposed to be all for her! Generous woman.)

I put the bouquet up on the fireplace mantle, beside a vintage martini flass and a vintage bottle (ALSO a prior gift from Lyn!) filled with vintage buttons. I had such a wonderful lunch with her, and it was a nice reminder of how precious friends are.

Today is 'Studio Saturday' on this blog, so - in honor of Lyn's fabulous gift above, I thought I would go in search of a good flower arranging resource. OH MY! Imagine my delight when I found this gorgeous blog. Every post is fodder for floral inspiration. Such incredible eye candy. Enjoy!

SAIPUA

And, enjoy your weekend! Here in Northern California the weather is absolutely gorgeous. Get outside everyone!

Do you have any houses, studios or decore that you adore? Leave me a comment and a link. I love to visit new places, and I'd love to feature reader favorites on upcoming Studio Saturday days.

Holding Tight

2010-04-28T00:01:00.000-07:00

I love you Jenna Marlene Fischer!

I hold you always, in my hands and my heart.

Ok, so it's Wednesday, and that means it is time for another Wednesday Web Wonder. Yesterday, Kathryn Antyr - the heart and art behind True North Arts let me know about her Fabulous Friendship Festival:

And of course, I couldn't even begin to discuss my friends - without starting with Jenna. I am SO blessed to have had her in my life for 30 years (!). Last year Jenna coddled me (literally) through all of my petty health issues, while battling breast cancer herself. But that's just Jenna was there when my son was born. I managed to miss the birth of her daughter Heather, by minutes. Jenna was my maid of honor - I lost the address to the lovely house where she held her wedding and was late, late, late... (Can you imagine having a friend like me? Sheesh.) And yet, Jenna has never held a grudge, never held my personality against me, and always loved me - exemplifying the term 'unconditional'.

Jenna is beautiful, silly, brilliant, an incredible mother, loving wife, sister, and daughter, and an inspirational friend on every level.

Although, obviously, I could manage to be a better friend, and am inspired to be a better person - because of Jenna - I can tell you this, I couldn't love her any more than I already do. My heart overfloweth. (PS, happy birthday wonderful one!)

SO, back to our Wednesday Web Wonder:

Be sure and check out the fabulous True North Arts blog!

It is full of delicious art, wonderful projects, and endless inspiration. And YOU too can participate in their Fabulous Friendship Festival.

Do any of YOU have a Web Wonder of your own to share? Leave a comment/link for me here, and I'll feature your favorite (and give you a plug too!) on another Wednesday Web Wonder feature, in the not too far off future!

Catching Ruby Dreams

2010-04-26T18:06:00.000-07:00

Catch your dreams before they slip away...

The Rolling Stones - Ruby Tuesday

I found a Tuesday Meme that couldn't be more suited to moi! Ruby Tuesday features all the things we love that are red, red, red! Check out the Work of the Poet blog to see more wonderful Ruby Tuesday Linky Love.

Given that, I figured there's not time like the present to showcase a few RED things that I covet. Truth be told, nearly everything I love is crafted by hand. GO INDIE ARTISTS! However, if I am going to buy licensed items, I really like the store Plasticland.

Plasticland is an "Indie Fashion Boutique featuring Retro Clothing, Mod Clothes, Rockabilly Clothing, Retro Shoes, Handbags, Home Decor & More." Here are a few of my favorite RED items:

That purse is to die for. I just love it!

And I mean come on, clearly a girl who wears those shoes truly has places to go! People to see!

Needless to say, I approve of polka dotes, anywhere and everywhere. The site says the bowl is for popcorn. But why not salad? Why not chips, or steamed broccoli, or whatever? Yum, yum.

Finally, I absolutely adore the frame. Way too frilly, red, and cool. As in - wonderful!

Ok everyone, I hope YOUR Tuesday is full of ruby red deliciousness! Enjoy.

Love, Faith and Trust

2010-04-26T08:49:00.000-07:00

Dogs have given us their absolute all. We are the center of their universe. We are the focus of their love and faith and trust. They serve us in return for scraps. It is without a doubt the best deal man has ever made. ~Roger Caras

I was looking for a Monday Meme today, and I found the wonderful 'I Made the World Cuter Today' blog and Monday prompt.

Funny, but for my first post for this meme, I thought of my sweet Sophie - who travelled over the Rainbow Bridge last October. I miss her every day, and if ever there was a critter who made the world cuter, every day (!) - it was Sophie.

(Special thanks to the wonderful Miss Mossy for the last picture!)

Happy Monday everyone!

So Nice

2010-04-23T10:39:00.000-07:00

"It would be so nice if something made sense for a change."

- Alice (Alice in Wonderland)

I have a fun Friday Freebie for you today. The beautiful artwork above is by Tiffini Elektra X - also known as Tartx. She is an incredible mixed media and assemblage artist, and as you can see above -digital art is also among her expertise. Tiffini has a website here. She also has a blog that she kept up a few years ago - and, even before it was all the rage again - she was a big 'ol Alice in Wonderland fan - and she shares some wonderful tutorials, photoshop brushes and more - all for free - here. Among those brushes, you'll find some lovely Alilce in Wonderland art of your own. And of course, so much more.

Have fun with her wonderful free gifts for you all!

Do you know about a great freebie on the internet - or maybe you offer one yourself? Leave me a comment here, and I'd be happy to share it with others in an upcoming Friday Freebies post!

This Magical Artful Life

2010-04-21T22:14:00.000-07:00

WOW. Today I have another Wednesday Web Wonder post, and I am excited to share Lani Puppetmaker's blog with you. Extra thanks go to Deb over at Paper-n-Soul, for pointing me in the direction of Lani's blog. (Deb, by the way, has a beautiful blog as well!)

One of the things I really like about Lani's blog was the fact that it is multifacted. She shares her beautiful art, her art and digital art secrets (she even provides classes - and her blog readers get a special secret discount. And at the same time, she talks about her family, her day to day happenings, and also - things that inspire her, or make her pause to think. Her beautiful mixed media art was a joy to behold - and I loved reading her blog, and getting to know her a little better. Thanks Deb, for sharing her link with me - and thanks Lani - for sharing yourself through your blog!

If you aren't already intrigued with Lani's blog - check out her profile description:

"Here's my story... well, a tiny bit of it anyway. I was raised in Taiwan where I developed a fascination with Asian food, street theater, dragons & art, was educated in the US, and am now living in a fishing village in Nova Scotia, I tend to find life an amazing unfolding delight. I make puppets, jewelry, artists books and other sorts of folk or alternative arts. I share this magical, artful life with my husband, two cats, two dogs and any relative or friend that drops by. The welcome mat is always out. We will put on the kettle and have tea or coffee and watch the waves. (We've seen whales from the dining room window.) Just give us a shout." - Lani Puppetmaker

Hope everyone is having a wonderful middle of the week!

Do any of YOU have a Web Wonder of your own to share? Leave a comment/link for me here, and I'll feature your favorite (and give you a plut too!) on another Wednesday Web Wonder feature, in the not too far off future!

It's Studio Saturday!

2010-04-10T00:01:00.000-07:00

A house is made of walls and beams;
a home is built with love and dreams.

Oh, home sweet home. What does 'home' mean to you? For me, it conjures up a myriad of thoughts and emotions.

Many people have a warmth for their childhood home - but my childhood didn't include any one place that felt safe or constant. Still, to this day I have an incredible longing to find just that feeling... safety, solidity, warmth - all in a home. I want to feel that there is a place such as that for me to return to, every night. My launching pad. My start and end. And it is safe, and solid, and warm, and I am filled with all those things.

Of course, I do have a house. And I love my house. I love these walls, and the people and dogs and cats that roam within. I love the laughter and the music and even sometimes the yelling.

But I've learned something too. Perhaps of necessity. Or perhaps, just because it is true. Home is a place inside of me - its not the walls that surround me. Not here. Not when I was a child, not anywhere.

It sounds cliched. Well, it is a cliche. But its true. The warmest homes are not made that way because of their architecture, their structural integrity - their sleek lines or (on the other end) filligree and gingerbread. In fact, the only real homes that I have ever been in, and ever seen - are those whose outer walls reflect the warmth of the people who live inside, and not the other way around.

I hope you will join me here at Born Broken on Saturdays, when I will feature some of my favorite studios, houses, and just general decor. The internet is such a vast and fantasy environment - it amazes me just how much warmth I can find out there, and I am excited to share!

Today, I am just going to share a quick little shed that I totally covet. Did you read that? That's right. I said SHED. As in, for storage in your backyard.

How totally adorable is this:

I just love this tiny little shed. Ok, ok. It's maybe a little pink. I'd probably prefer it in a yellow, or aqua. But of course, pink will do in a pinch. : ) This particular shed is from a store in New York. Sadly they don't ship to California - but they do to many eastern states. (You can find the store, here.)

They have the one below too, which I also adore. The prices for these range from $1,500 - $3,500+ - depending on the size of the main (and only) room. I am not sure if that covers delivery - and/or if the house comes put together or not. It seems that would make a big difference. Ha!

I have always thought that playhouses are the greatest things. I always wanted one as a child, and still like the idea of having a sweet little bungalow, one day - as an art studio. A place to play. It would have to have electricity of course - so that I could make tea. Wouldn't you just love to come over - if I had a little play house studio? We could have a tea party - you and me!

Do you have any houses, studios or decore that you adore? Leave me a comment and a link. I love to visit new places, and I'd love to feature reader favorites on upcoming Studio Saturday days.

Dreaming of Freebies!

2010-04-09T00:03:00.000-07:00

TGIF everyone! I had fun playing around with some images and photoshop to create the graphic above. I particularly like the way that the balloons came out. I used cropped faces from a vintage greeting card, and then used them as the fill in a layer that contained some circles that I made into ovals. Then, I just used a white and red variagated color fill for the third ballon. They really look like balloons - don't they? I definitely need to brush up (ha! No pun intended) on my photoshop skills. It was fun to get a little practice in.

So, the little graphic above is a gift for you - dear reader. You can do whatever you want with it. It is all yours! You can reprint it on your own blog. You can just read it here, and visit it every once in a while. OR - you have my permission to regift! I won't be offended in the least. Just tell your favorite gift recipient that they have a little graphic giftie waiting for them here on this blog, and that they too can do whatever the want with it!

What better day than Friday - to introduce a freebie theme? It seems like friday freebies are a common thing around the internet. When it comes to offering up gifties - I'd love to hop on the freebie bandwagon! So welcome to my official Friday blog theme:

In addition to sharing little freebies of my own, every once in a while - I will endeavor to also share with you one or more of my own favorite freebie finds. So be sure and stop by and visit on Fridays. What a wonderful way to start off a weekend.

To kick off Freebie Friday, I am excited to share with you ShabbyBlogs.com. If you haven't already visited this site, now is the time to do so! The website is filled with completely gorgeous blog goodies - such as backgrounds, headers, buttons and blinkies. But wait - there's more! There is also a blog that has even more fun freebies - such as printable cupcake wrappers (!), image graphics, and more.

Happy Freebie Friday everyone! Click on the button below to visit a fabulous freebie site:

The R Word

2010-04-08T12:30:00.000-07:00

You know, I spent a lot of time looking for images or quotes that would illustrate the point. In the end, I don't think it could be any more straightforward than what you see above.

Think about it.

Soeren Palumbo Fremd, a teenager in Illinois has thought about it a lot. He shares his thoughts better than I ever could - here. Take a moment to watch it all the way through.

As many of you know, I work for the Special Olympics. I love what I do, and I love what the organization is doing. One of the things I love is that the job has given me a lot of pause to think about my preconceived notions about: self respect, dignity, developmental disabilities, and societally acceptable cruelty.

My thursday blog theme is THINK. I hope you will take a moment to think about this topic, today. I'd love it if you would share your thoughts.

xoxo - Chel

A Wednesday Web Wonder! Beyond the Vintage Path

2010-04-07T18:11:00.000-07:00

(Image above, courtesy TiffanyJane Marshall)

Over the next week or two, I'll be introducing a few weekly posting themes to my blog. On Wednesday, I'll feature a favorite website or blog - so that means it will be Wednesday Web Wonder day here on the Born Broken Blog!

In honor of today's theme, I finally spent some time and customized my very own header and background - instead of using a modified version of a header that was already created. (Not to say that there aren't some amazing free blog templates out there! What fun it was playing with those, until I got around to creating my own.) While I was perusing some of my favorite blogs for inspiration, I was thrilled to be able to spend some quality time on TiffanyJane Marshall's blog - Beyond the Vintage Path.

"The future is not a result of choices among alternative paths offered by the present, but a place that is created--created first in the mind and will, created next in activity. The future is not some place we are going to, but one we are creating."

I don't know who wrote the quote above, I found it on ThinkExist.com, and it was unatributed. However, I think it captures perfectly - my friend TiffanyJane and the incredible artwork and atmosphere that she creates and shares via her blog and websites. Click on the link below - to learn more about TiffanyJane:

Beyond the Vintage Path

I've known TiffanyJane for five years now, and she is a wonderful online friend. She is a founding member of ZNE and a beautiful spiritual and creative soul. I have my fingers crossed that one day I will be lucky enough to meet her in person. Perhaps at her house! Here is a tiny little vignette from her home - look how wonderful:

Anyway, sure enough - the skip to her blog and websites was all I needed for inspiration. I am thrilled to feature two of her digital art pieces floating on the sides of my blog background.

Thanks Tiff! As always - you are an inspiration!

Believe

2010-04-04T12:04:00.000-07:00

Believe

in yourself,

in love,

in trust,

in magic,

in angels,

in happy endings,

in God,

in promises,

in miracles,

in people,

in fairy tales,

in following your heart,

in peace,

in true happiness,

in never growing up,

in following your passions,

in making your dreams come true,

in helping people,

in making the world a better place,

in changing for the better

♥

(found on facebook)

Today, while blog hopping I happened upon Whimsical Notions. I do not know the blog author, but it is a lovely blog and it was fun to read through her recent posts. Well, except of course, the most recent post - where the author explains that she is going through a heartbreak that so many of us have been through. My heart goes out to this fellow blogger, as my life was never so upside down and upsetting as in the days and months surrounding my divorce. Of course, I am remarried now and can attest to the fact that life goes on - but knowing this doesn't lesson heartbreak in the moment.

I hope that like me, you might take a few moments out to pray for the author of Whimsical Notions, during the difficult itme she going through, and I equally hope that the knowledge that prayers are coming to her from far and wide - will bring her some comfort.

In any case, what brought about this blog post was the wonderful poem above, that I copied from the Whimsical Notions January 28, 2010 entry. It appears it was copied from a source on Facebook. I just thought that this was the most beautiful poem. Very simple, directly to the point.

Never give up. Always believe. Despite our misgivings, our great mistakes, our debt and even denial - all is made well, and worthwhile - if we don't give up. If we just believe.

What a beautiful Easter message - don't you think? And so, there too - I hope you will join me, in believing. There is an old saying - but it is a saying for a reason - it has more than a ring of truth to it:

Miracles Happen - To Those Who Believe.

Whether you are Christian or Jewish or Buddhist or other, does not the Easter message offer something for us all? Love is here, love remains. Love can not be sealed away or stopped or thwarted. Push it down and the result will be the same. Why not believe in the miracle?

Love Will Always Rise

Happy Easter All.

Wonderful Window...

2010-04-03T22:37:00.000-07:00

The story of Easter is the story of God's

wonderful window of divine surprise. ~Carl Knudsen

OH MY! Lookie what I found in my easter basket!

(& lookie - it has wonderful windows, too!)

Ok, so I admit it. I got my easter basket goodie a day early. But this one was going to be too big to hide. : )

Before I go, I'll share one more favorite quote about the holiday:

For I remember it is Easter morn,

And life and love and peace are all new born.

~Alice Freeman Palmer

Wishing you all, life, love and peace - this weekend, and always.

(PS ~ Thanks Jill for the follow!)

Happy Birthday Hans....

2010-04-02T08:52:00.000-07:00

“Every man's life is a fairy tale written by God's fingers”

-Hans Christian Andersen

Have a great weekend everyone!

The End is All That Matters

2010-03-19T23:33:00.000-07:00

“Chaos is a friend of mine.” - Bob Dylan

Today, RJ, his friend Nick, and I, all embarked on a trip to Tahoe. It was a gorgeous day, and everyone was in a good mood. What could go wrong? Well, here's a list of activities for the day:

General delays, etc. meant that we left a couple hours later than I had hoped;

When we went to go pick up a rental car (4-wheel drive, in case of snow) the agency had lost our reservation. This took (no lie) an hour for them to sort out;

Half way to Tahoe, to my horror - I realize that I don't have my credit/debit cards with me (long story - they were with my hubby, who didn't come along for the trip). I am also without cash. This means, we are half way to Tahoe with no way to buy any food, pay for activities, or even refill the gas tank! The boys were amazingly calm - but I was about a hair trigger away from hysterics;

(Nick and RJ, chillaxin' in the back seat;)

After a long frustrating conversation with my husband - we decide that Western Union is the only way to resolve this situation without one of us having to drive at least four hours (round trip) out of our respective ways;

However, Western Union will not let my husband transfer money online because of some weird glitch, so he has to physically go find a Western Union office;

When he gets to a Western Union in Pleasanton, they tell him that he has to use cash (instead of a credit or debit card) for the transfer - if he wants me to get cash on the other end;

Hubby now has to leave Western Union, go to the bank, and return to Western Union to (finally!) send me a cash transfer;

Meanwhile, I get back on the road - hooray! We see snow. We're getting close... (Of course, I also I forgot my camera - so I am using my phone and the pics are ridiculously blurry!)

Once we get to Tahoe, we stop at the first grocery store we see - and I go in to pick up the Western Union $$. After much hullabaloo - we realize that they can not give me the money, because I am still in California, but my husband transferred the money to Nevada;

Back to the car we go - racing for Stateline - so that we can get to a Nevada Western Union outlet before they close for the evening. (Or else we'll all be eating chewing gum for dinner);

With eight minutes to spare (8!!) I make it into a Safeway on the Nevada side of Stateline, and fill out a cash receipt form. When the customer service agent pulls up the cash transfer - she says:

"Oh, this is for too much. I can't actually give you cash for this transfer - its too much money. I can only give you a check."

I actually started laughing at this point. Maybe we can eat the check for dinner? Or perhaps I can burn it for fuel so that the car doesn't run out of gas. S I G H

Where am I going to cash a check, at 8 p.m., in Nevada? I don't even have my ATM card!!

FINALLY - the customer service agent realizes that she can cash part of the transfer amount, and give me a check for the remainder. This will work. This will give us enough for dinner, for a couple tanks of gas if necessary, and for a few more meals too. (Our hotel room is paid for, because I am working on Saturday, on this event.) So, after intending to leave at 9 a.m., we actually got on the road closer to 1 p.m., and didn't end up arriving at our hotel until after 8 p.m. Can you imagine?

PHEW! We made it!

And you know what? Amidst all that chaos - everything turned out ok. The boys were happy - they even got to swim after one of those gluttonous casino buffet dinners:

And, at the end of the day - I am finally able to put my jammies on, put my feet up and relax (see the picture at the very top of posting). While I am not sure I can say that chaos is my 'friend,' today I'd say we found a way to be cordial to one another. One day, soon enough - we'll all laugh about the trip to Tahoe where everything that could go wrong - did go wrong. Well, almost, anyway. In the end it all worked out. And the end, after all - is all that matters.

Have a great weekend everyone!

The Secret Life of Beads

2010-03-12T20:26:00.000-08:00

Laughter and tears are both responses to frustration and exhaustion . . . . I myself prefer to laugh, since there is less cleaning up to do afterward. - Kurt Vonegut, Jr.

I am cleaning out my art studio. I mean I am cleaning OUT my art studio. My entire living room is covered in boxes where I am sorting every kind of mixed media art goodie you could possibly think of - and more. So far the big boxes that I am giving away are sorted into these categories:

Magazines and books
Storage containers of all sizes
Ribbon
Metal Items
Fabric
Frames
Wooden items - small
Wooden items - big
Items to paint / alter
Charms and crystals
Toys
Stickers
Mini boxes
Bags
Glass items
Foreign text and ephemera
Postage stamps
Magnets and pins
Collage sheets
Collage images / ephemera - small
Collage images / backgrounds - large
ATC/Card making supplies and backgrounds
Larger collage and scrapbooking backgrounds
Vintage and art dolls
Misc.
And, as I shall pontificate on further down - beads!

A few days ago, I explained that my husband and I are planning to move into the room that was my art studio - since technically - it is the master bedroom. My son is going to be moving into our old bedroom - and his bedroom is turning into a guest and craft room. Phew.

So, we have all these great plans - but still - the process is just excruciating. For days I have been picking through every tiny bitty thing. (I mean -we are talking every little bead. I am not kidding. Every bead.) And here is what goes through my head:

Do I need this bead? I think I need this bead. Wait, no. I think I have ten thousand of these beads and I'll never use a single one... But.. but if I get rid of this bead - what if I can never find another one again!?

{Insert here a musical refrain: "Someone left the bead out in the rain! Aaaaand I'lllllll.. never have that recipe again...! }

And then from there I start thinking -

My how this bead reminds me of my childhood. Did my mother give me this bead? Maybe my son made this bead for me when he was in kindergarten? No wait - is this the bead I found on the ground the other day... ?

And so this is the process I go through whether it is a sticker, a bead, or a scrap of fabric. I have to work through this arduous emotional turmoil just to get to the point where I can finally put the item in the giveaway box.

But the stress doesn't end there. Oh no.

The whole thing becomes monumental. I can't even sleep - contemplating all of the loss.

I mean all the lost stickers, bits of ribbon, and beads in the world. Why, just think of how many bits and pieces I myself have carelessly swept up when not paying attention - and - gasp! - thrown away.

And so long as we are focusing on beads - they are sneaky little things aren't they? Falling off tables and rolling all around. Why, there are probably tons of beads that have escaped during art projects and found their way into all kinds of nooks and crannies in my house. Just think - they are lost for good! Oh what a terrible bead keeper I have been.

So, at night, when I lay down - I stare at the ceiling and think- 'there are probably some beads under my bed right at this very moment...' Suddenly I am the princess and the pea. Except I'm not - I'm the princess and the bead! I'm convinced I'll never sleep again - my bed feels so lumpy with all those beads that somehow found their way underneath my mattress.

And you know - I am not really that into beads. I don't even use beads that often.

Just imagine what it has been like when I've had to sort through my stashes of glitter!

Oh, I haven't the words.

So - I've been crying a bit. But laughing a lot too. And in truth, looking forward to getting my art supplies and this whole house sorted out. Sorted out - down to the very last bead.

Have a great weekend everyone. ~ Remember, don't sweat the small stuff. ~ (Do as I say, not as I do!)

PS - depending on how old you are, or - er uh - how much disco you allow your head to retain - you may or may not recognize the musical refrain (variation) in yellow, above. If you would like me to mail you (gratis) a package of artsy goodness - leave me a comment that gives the actual song title.

Say Anything

2010-03-11T08:49:00.000-08:00

GIRL at party:"Did you really come here with Lloyd Dobler? How did that happen?"

DIANE: "He made me laugh."

Ahhhh, Say Anything. It was on last night on the Encore Channel, and of course - I had to sit down and watch the whole thing. I love that movie. I mean I really love it. Why? Well, it is an iconic movie about teen love and teen angst. It's not like I am among a minority here. It's also my generation. The movie came out when I was nineteen years old. A time when the idea of an adorable and obsessed suitor was romantic. A time when I relished the thought that someone out there might be willing to do anything - to say anything - for my love.

Have you seen the movie recently? The casting was genius. Ione Skye is so beautiful. Whatever happened to Ione Skye? And I love that 'Frazier's' dad is so young in this movie. Did you notice that Frazier's ex-wife is in the movie too? (Lillith!) Where is Kelsey Grammar, I ask you? Oh, and we can not forget Lili Taylor. I adore Lili Taylor. She is too cute and quirky for words. And others that were just starting their career - playing bit parts. Jeremy Piven and Eric Stolz. Of course, we can't forget that Joan Cusack played - fittingly - the sister of John Cusack's character.

What else was there to love about this movie? It's perfect that Lloyd Dobler is a misfit. John Cusack encompasses the underdog leading man role perfectly. I think they did a good job humanizing the characters. I believed in them. That first scene when Lloyd and Diane are kissing in the back of the car. Lloyd is shaking. He's shaking! And when Diane's father goes to jail. There is no sugar coating. I love the lines: Lloyd - "How are you doing?" Diane's father - "How am I doing? I'm incarcerated!" Of course, in the end, it is the 'love conquers all' message that rises above. Doesn't everyone want to believe that? Didn't we all wish (at one time) that we could hold up a boom box blasting some apropros song, and win back the one who has just rejected us? Oh, if only it were that simple.

What happens as we get older? We become jaded. I hate that word, and I hate the fact that it actually applies to so many situations in life. But its true. As the years go by we start to recognize that many of our youthful romanticisms border on stalking. Ha! And this too - we have to let go of our original concept of 'love conquers all' - and grieve the notion. Hopefully, with time, a much more complex and wholistic concept of 'love conquering all' will replace the original one. But this more complex version is just that - complicated. Difficult to believe in during painful times. The truth so much more profound but no where near as romantic as our first version.

Ah well. Here again is why - still to this day - I love the movie Say Anything. It is sweet and happily nostalgic to revisit that time in life when I believed that something outside of myself might sweep me off my feet and save me - doing all the hard work of personal redemption, on my behalf. Oh - to be saved from having to do that work on my own.

In truth, I've learned the hard way, that the only true redemption comes when I am in there fighting the good fight, for myself. Learning to love myself without a Lloyd Dobler in tow, has been the hardest thing I've ever had to do. I am so completely full of deficits and mistakes. Still, there are those moments when I can feel sweet forgiving grace bubble up from deep within. As for those moments - if I were to say something - say anything - I would say this: Indeed. Love conquers all.

The Simplicity of Letters

2010-03-09T10:56:00.000-08:00

The art of art, the glory of expression and the sunshine of the light of letters, is simplicity. ~Walt Whitman

In between sorting through all my art supplies, I have been mucking around with my blog format. It's not quite right, but it is getting there.

Meanwhile, I don't have much news to share. I do want to mention how much I adore comments. I love them on facebook, I love the replies to my tweets, and I am honored to have had three wonderful internet friends comment on my first blog post, here!

Isn't it interesting how important a few well written words can be? Even one quick note can completely lift a person's day. Speaking of well written words - Walt Whitman (above) certainly knows how to make a point. In eighteen words he sums it up. Sometimes what you are trying to get across doesn't have to be encased in a lengthy soliloquy. In fact, sometimes the beauty of a message is made even more so by the very simplicity of the words themselves.

"Have some virtual Liquid Nails from me and glue, glue, glue girl!" - Laurie

"Love you sweetie!!" - SueAnn

"Hugs to you Chel!" - Sherra

I have one word to share with all of you:

And keep the comments coming, I love to hear from friends - old and new.

Here's to hoping that every word that comes your way today is good!