Ringing in the New Year!

I wish you love, health, happiness and laughter in the New Year! Oh, and wealth! Lots and lots and lots....of each!! Warmest bear hugs, Aleta

Let the merriment begin!

I finally found my Christmas spirit!! A little trip to see Santa Claus helped heaps.....

Warmest bear hugs, Aleta

It's beginning to look a little bit like Christmas!

It's taken me awhile but I'm getting there!! My Christmas tree, which is usually up by the second week of November, is finally up and decorated with all my glass ornaments. At some point yesterday I finally just started adding ornaments and stopped overthinking the whole thing. And you know what? It looks just as pretty this year as in years it's taken days to get everything just so. I'm taking a note of this! I still have all the rest of the decorating and rearrangement of furniture to do, but having the tree done is the biggest step. From here on out I can kind of putter about. Life is good!

Warmest bear hugs, Aleta

Some sweet things to come!

Here is an example of the sweet things to come from being housebound by injury and illness. In every idiotic thing to happen to me over these past weeks....a silver lining! These bears will be listing one at a time on my website....providing I can dust off the cobwebs that is. *wink*

Warmest bear hugs, Aleta

Macey, Bears, Halloween and things that go bump!

Our sweetest princess on the planet, Macey, is 6 months old already!! Can you believe it?!! She certainly keeps this Nana busy as she crawls, pulls herself up to furniture and is already sidestepping to get to what she wants. At the rate she's going, it's entirely possible that she'll be walking before Christmas. We all know how quickly a walk turns into a full on run. Yikes!!
Okay, so it's been a month since my last post. Besides the sweetest princess on the planet keeping me busy I have actually been working on bears. Don't fall out of your chair now! I know it's been forever and a few days since I've produced anything new. A little whimsy and a bit of traditional. There will be more coming as soon as I can sit longer than 20 minutes at at time. More on that in a minute.
Another fun thing that's kept me busy was planning a Halloween Party. We've never hosted/had one before. Oh, my, goodness.....what FUN!!! It was so much fun we're going to do it again next year!!!

That kind of catches you up to today....and the "more on that in a minute, and the things that go bump part of this post. I fell down stairs on Tuesday. Yup. Boom, bump, crash. Cracked my tail bone and bruised a few ribs but I'm on the mend. The lesson I learned: Always have a free hand to use the hand rail. Dummy me had her hands full, slipped and wheeeeeeee, down I went. There was also a SPLAT. Almost an entire cup of coffee all over the carpet, walls, hardwood. Ouch and oh, the mess!

Many people have told me it takes weeks if not a couple of months to recover from a tailbone injury. BAH! I don't have time for that. I'm already going stir crazy. There are only so many magazines to go through and television is BORING. I need to get back to work!!! Like my granddaughter, I'm a girl on the go!!

Warmest bear hugs, Aleta

The smallest of details....odd and quirky.

An Ouija board as a table top.
A 1920's party shaker tucked into a vase of roses.

Pillows with tongue in cheek quips.

A single printed luggage tag hung on a door knob.

Artwork (Danita) playfully displayed just around the corner from a glittery spooky house. It's the smallest of details in decorating that I enjoy. Odd and quirky to be sure but nothing to scare you out of your bloomers!!!

Oh, and the fabulously spooktacular critter in the chair? That was made by Art Rogers, Chatham Valley Bears.

Warmest bear hugs, Aleta

It's getting there!

Halloween decorating is coming along.....slowly. Another couple of days inside and then we move outside. I don't usually do a lot outside. Pretty much just pumpkins in pots. This year will be different however. I have some beautiful Smith and Hawken glass pumpkin lights I'm thinking of stringing....somewhere. Ha!

Anyway, this is a picture of the formal livingroom. Warm pumpkin, whites and bits of black. I decorate around much of what I already have. A bouquet of cream colored fabric roses comes to life with the addition of those orange lantern looking flower picks and some antique noise makers/shakers. And, of course, no Halloween party would be without festive hats!!

The entry hall....black and white with bits of orange. Miss Manny loves greeting guests. Hand that girl a Boo-tini!

The familyroom mantle. UGH! You can't see it, because I cropped it out of the photo, but this mantle is ginormous. It's 5 ft. 8 inches up in the air, 6 ft. wide and 24 inches deep. A decorating nightmare because the ceilings in that room soar. I'm always in search for really big pieces. The problem with that is getting them up there. Get me the ladder and heave ho!! ;o)

Decorating at my house is not complete without the bears. Here, a trio of natty tatty old bears await their Halloween garb. Yup. ......costumes strongly suggested.....

Warmest autumn bear hugs, Aleta

A costume for Miss Manny.

The picture on the costume bag looked fabulous. Got it home...tried it on...not so fabulous....gave it to Miss Manny. She loves it!! Good for her. One less naked manny in the house for Halloween. *wink*

Decorating for Halloween has begun in earnest at our home. I'm really into Halloween decor. Not the gorey stuff....eeewwww. I like artsy things, funky things and gothic things. I look year round for interesting things to add to my collection. Aren't these old Rx canisters kinda cool? Old books are fun to look for too. A month or so ago I found Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde as well as The Postman always Rings Twice...in an orange and black book binding no less.

Skulls, ginormous spiders and black glittered pumpkins are new additions this year. Oooooh....It's going to be a spooky good time!! Now, where am I going to put that 8 ft. bat this year? Hmmmmmm.

Warmest bear hugs, Aleta

Bunnies, Bears and a Monkey...Oh my!

I'm a couple hours early for a Pink Wednesday post....whoodiewhoo....it's still Tuesday!! I haven't done that in awhile. ;o)

Annnnyway....I'm back to designing. Well, sort of. I work while Miss Macey sleeps. She usually has a good two hour nap in the morning so I work like the dickens while she's in dream land.

I know she's being well tended while she sleeps. George watches over her and she has her absolute favorite, if we lose 'em we're all in BIG TROUBLE, bunnies. They're Bunnies by the Bay blanket bunnies. My sister got her the set....A Hare and a Spare. They come packaged in two sizes. I have the big one at my house and Brittany has the little one. The little one goes everywhere Macey goes. The big one stays at Nana's. It's the "safety net" bunny. The "at least we know Nana has the other one" bunny. Ya gotta cover all your bases!!

I took a little meandering path there for a minute didn't I? Ha! See, same me. Haven't changed a bit while I've been away. Oh wait. Yes, I have. That's for another post though. Onwards and upwards!!

Look at what I've been doing this past week and a half!! I'm designing bears again!! I drew up lots of new patterns this summer and now's the time to sew them up and see how they turn out. This first little batch is already undergoing a few changes. Here a tweek. There a tweek. Little notes and arrows scribbled all around.

I'm loving the smaller traditional style bear to the left. Oh, and the stick style bears are turning out better than I'd anticipated. At least, so far. I made two sizes out of this particular design and added paw pads to the larger size. Stitching the face will tell me if this design is a keeper or not. We'll see! I hope to have at least one bear finished by the end of the week. You'd better cross your fingers though. You know how topsy turvy things can get around here! Best laid plans and all that.....

Warmest Pink Wednesday bear hugs, Aleta

Blog Neglect

That's right. Blog neglect. I've been a bad, bad blogger. It's a time issue. I seem to have less and less time for the computer these days. It's also been one of the busiest summers we've had. Lots of family, friends and outside projects! Not as much time for sleuthing out great treasures and posting pictures.

And then there's little Miss Macey, our granddaughter! I've taken on full time daycare. :o) :o) :o) When she's awake I play with her! When she's asleep I work furiously in the studio!! I'm the luckiest Nana on the planet to be able to see Macey every day and watch her grow. It's truly a blessing.

I hope to be a better blogger now as I establish a routine. With little one's though, there are days when a routine is dashed out the window! Know this....I will try my best. There are soooo many wonderful things happening right around the corner.....

Warmest bear hugs, Aleta

Pink Wednesday and Weekend Finds!

Skipping in at the last minute to wish you a Happy Pink Wednesday! This photo was taken at Queen of Tarte's sale this past weekend. Perfect for a Pink Wednesday post!

Most of the pictures I took either had too much flash or not enough. Dang. I really need to read the instruction manual on my camera. Ho hum. Add it to the list. ;o) Anyway, the displays and merchandise were outstanding!! Cindy does it up with such panache!! Loved, loved, loved my visit! I missed all the actual goodies on sale. Dang again. However, Cindy has more events upcoming so make sure you check out her blog for a list of dates.

Here is the little stash of goodies I found over the weekend. There are two cotton velvet pincushions and an odd little doll leg pincushion. It was so odd, it called to me. I am a collector of the odd and unusual, shabby chippy and well loved. I also found a fabulous old sawdust stuffed French cow. One of my bears has already made dibbies on that little dear. Another bear has dibbies on the wonderful old toy spinning top. My bears get all the fun goodies!

Then there are the sweet little dresses and hats that smaller bears will wear soon. Oh, and I just couldn't pass up the Wonder Bubbles 29...Hey, where is the cents sign on this keyboard?!! Well, that would explain what's gone wrong with the world. We've all lost our good sense! *giggle*

And with that, pahdumdum..ching, I happily smile and wish you the happiest of Pink Wednesday's! Warmest bear hugs, Aleta

I wish I'd have taken more pictures.

Barn House pre-set up in the driveway. Yes, I am one of those people who feels the need to pre design these things. A couple of reasons for this. A: I have control issues (Ha!) and B: Things run a lot more smoothly when I have three guys packing and then unloading the truck for set-up if they have a picture to go by. Men are generally goal oriented so I hand them a picture, they get it done, and then I fill in all the blanks. Works like a dream! Especially when temperatures were well into the nineties. I was in and out by 1:30pm!! Whohoo!

So, here is what we looked like on the morning of the Barn House flea market. One of our fabulous customers called our look European Beach Cottage. Hey! I like that!! Warm white with touches of soft pink, aqua and taupe. My personal favs!!

It was a great flea market!! Lots of people. Brisk sales!! Sadly though, I didn't get around to take pictures of many other vendor booths or even close ups of my own. What is with me these days?!! The pictures I was able take were out of focus. I really need to take the time to play around more with this new camera of mine.

There are two markets I hope to attend this weekend as a buyer. One I've not been to since opening: Land of Tarte. The other is a group of Sellwood retailers/Antique dealers getting together in the Coco and Toulouse Go Shopping parking lot in Sellwood right around the corner from Stars Antique Malls. Both markets are Saturday, I believe. I'll try, not only to take my camera, but take some pictures as well!! Cross your fingers!! ;o)

Warmest bear hugs from the chickiedoodle who missed yet another Pink Wednesday.......Aleta

Happy Pink Wednesday!!

Macey, my favorite sweet bundle of pink, and my beautiful daughter, Brittany.

Barn House madness! This picture was taken as we were pulling things out of the garage to decide what to take and what needed work. Only a week and a half left to go until the Barn House Flea Market. I'm soooo not ready yet. I still have a big French style cabinet to paint!! Oh, and pricing...lots and lots of pricing. Oiy.

On a brighter note, this is how the back garden addition is coming along! Hardy perennials like daylilies, carpet roses and sedum have been planted and the Passion Flower vines are up and growing nicely. It will take a couple of years for everything to fill in. Waiting for it to happen is the hardest part!!

A couple of blooms to leave you with today. Sunsprite, my favorite rose. It's scent is absolutely delicious, blooms profusely through the summer and it's virtually disease free in my climate. Love it!!!

And finally, another bit of pink. A lovely pink dahlia! I've never dug up this dahlia and wintered it over in the garage. It's a dahlia that was planted the year of my daughter's wedding and the only one to reappear year after year. Obviously it likes where it's planted so I'm not touching it. Each year I'm reminded of such a gloriously happy time for our family with each bright pink, and yellow bloom, in my garden. Life is grand!!

The happiest of Pink Wednesday's to you!! Aleta

Weekend Art Classes with Lisa Kaus!

Gosh, I think when I last posted I was preparing for my sister's visit and a weekend full of art classes with Lisa Kaus! That was a couple of weeks ago!! Where does the time go? I used to be so faithful about blogging and my Pink Wednesday's. Once again, too much on my plate and a summer full of family and friends. Oh, and then there's preparing for Barn House! That's the next post! Or, perhaps the one after that. I have some catching up to do.....
These are my finished projects. Yes, I actually finished each project in each class. Don't fall out of your chair now. It was my sister's doing really. She challenged me to finish each day. Sometimes I need to be challenged....sometimes I just need a good swift kick in the behind! Ha!
I think the above piece is my favorite. I love the soft watercolor effect I achieved. I'm just not a bold color person. That is left for my sister, Michelle.
This is the culmination of our artful weekend with Lisa. Michelle's beautiful work is on the left....see....bold color. Mine....quiet color on the right. We are the same, only different. ;o)

Well then, I'm off to paint furniture for Barn House. Warm white is the color of the day!!

Warmest bear hugs on a stunningly beautiful (and oh boy is it gonna be a hot one!) day in Portland, Aleta

Talk a walk with me.

Here is some of the beauty that surrounds me in the garden right now. My new favorite plant, and the vine I decided to grow on the arbor, is Passiflora. It's the purple exotic looking flower. Isn't it marvelous?!!

I'm busy with art classes in Lisa Kaus's studio this weekend. My sister, Michelle, has come from Alaska to play too! We'll see what we can create. Er, rather we'll see what I can actually complete. I've been having a bit of trouble on that end of late. ;o)

Warmest bear hugs, Aleta

Pink Wednesday!

Happy Pink Wednesday! I know...you didn't think I was ever going to get back into the swing of things. Slowly but surely. I still have some catching up to do but I'm getting there!!

Oh, but look at what I found today!! A darling pink chippy child's chair for Macey's nursery here at home. It's just the sweetest little thing! I found it at Monticello while I was there fluffing up my little space. This chickiedoodle can't just fluff and run you know. I gotta browse too!! I must confess, this is the reason for my willy nilly scatterbrained and mostly missing posts. Sweet baby Macey. My most favorite pink thing on the planet!! She's starting to smile when she recognizes faces. My heart just melts when she smiles at me. Think I'd get a picture of that smile? No. Too busy beaming with pride that she recognizes her Nana. I'm such a mushball. (happy sigh)

Warmest Pink Wednesday bear hugs, Aleta

We have a little project!

I get these wild ideas. It happens when work slows down for the guys and I'm left to find things for them to do around here. We've got to keep everyone employed you know. I have a whole "honey-do" list but wild ideas are another thing altogether. Heehee!

The idea here was to take out the ginormous Japanese Maple and replace it with the French Arbor that Brittany and Jeremy were married under on the upper lawn almost three years ago. That in itself was quite the project! Not the married part, the Japanese Maple removal part. ;o) Needless to say, the maple couldn't be saved. I wanted it out and I wasn't waiting till next spring when it was still dormant. Crazy, I know. No one said I was the brightest bulb in the box. ;o)

We also cut out a four foot swath of grass out along the pool deck edge to add yet another planting bed.

Here is the stonework in progress....a lovely round shape to echo the shape of the arbor. My son, Justin, lay the stone while my son-in-law, Jeremy, worked on the puzzling the pieces together. Bill hauled the stone in stack by stack from the driveway to the back garden. What a team effort!! Goooooo team!!

The stone foundation is in and they're working on putting the arbor into place. There is leveling and more leveling before the top goes on.

A great days work!! It looks just as I'd imagined! And, they wired it for lights!! I love it when it works out like that. Now comes all the planting. That takes me awhile....

Warmest bear hugs, Aleta