I'm So Happy!!!!

"Goals are simply tools to focus your energies in positive directions,

these can be changed as your priorities change,

new one added and others dropped."

Do you create lists or goals for yourself? I'm a huge believer in this process. If you don't have anything you are working towards the incentive can be somewhat mundane. Goals make you do (or in my case create/write) with much more decisive intent. One of my goals for 2008 was to create something worthy of being a part of my "Best-est" ... "MOST FAVORITE" magazine! This being "Cloth, Paper, Scissors". This magazine and all the various artists that have inspired me through the years are without question an integral part of my creative process. They make you see everyday paper...stuff...things...in a much more stimulating way. This month is a goal reacher for me. I just received my copy of "Cloth, Paper, Scissors" and absolutely squealed with delight. My quirky story about a bingo parlor has made it to the hallowed pages of my creative bible. Hope you will make the purchase of such an incredible rag...and fill your brain with yummy artsy tidbits. My contribution was quite minimal...but, certainly a high point for me. I encourage everyone to create goals...they make you quite happy! Enjoy!

There Is No Place Like Home....

Just A Little Art Today!

Cope!

Remember these metal plates...I found them on a treasure hunt. One said, "Cope" and the other said, "Drag". I had no idea why anybody would create such metal tags...but, Betty, a blog reader did... and this is what she told me...."In foundry work, the terms 'Cope' and 'Drag' refer respectively to the upper and lower parts of a two-part casting flask, used in sand casting." There you have it! Thank you Betty! And now this metal plate refers to life....just "Cope". It all works out!

Ga-Zillion Mile Yard Sale! No. 3

"Of course life is bizarre, the more bizarre it gets

the more interesting it is. The only way to approach

it is to make yourself some popcorn and enjoy the show."

Just in case hunting, killing and stuffing a deer is not for you...

just purchase from a wide selection on this tree.

Either spelling is not required...or this was a ploy

for me to take a picture. Who got duped? Yes, this is an alien advertising the wares of this tent. Notice the teacup ride behind him...

The teacup ride...or playground spinner (as noted by the yellow paper plate) does have

a very eerie concrete boy with odd eyes sitting in it. Even I have no

idea what you would do with any of this....

Tables of cigarettes for fifty cents....and no one was buying. Hmmmm.

My how times have changed.

This is a lovely, large Green Stamps sign acting as a head board.

I suppose this is economically restful.

This booth was awesome. Great displays and the "S" summed up the

Ga-Zillion Mile Yardsale day beautifully....SMASHING!

For information regarding the Ga-Zillion Mile Yardsale go to:

www.127sale.com

Ga-Zillion Mile Yard Sale! No. 2

Yes!....this is a wooden man that reminds me of Jack Benny...and yes, he has no arms. Saw this and loved it....hopefully, it was played with to the point of armless-ness. I can see ol' Jack getting some prosthetic limbs and in my office he will hover. I'll keep you posted of any craft-urgeries performed in the near future. Loved the pattern for the heart shaped apron! I had to pick this up...for this is the only way my husband can see me wearing such a lovely household garment...and that is by holding it up to my front and letting him envision me wearing it. To be so "June Clever-esque" is not me...but, I love to appreciate it. The needle packets...the canning jar labels...and the photo of the ever chic woman of 1956 was outstanding!

Had to have this pile of plastic people. Usually all you find is cowboys and Indians..and always army men...but, this is a pile of people doing jobs from their native land. The Chinese carrying baskets...the dutch carrying buckets...all great colors...and it reminded me of the Olympics!

Here are my favorites....loved the strand of skeleton keys...and the dark rusted circles are little watchmaker tins. Each is filled with little teeny tiny watch parts....most too rusted to open...but, nothing that a little "Goo" can't fix with a little elbow grease. I always have an interest in anything Coke...got a bag of key chains! The "Twigg" badges are odd... the lady said they were her husbands military tags...why she wouldn't keep them... and a total stranger would pay ten cents each for them... is a mutual mystery.

The skate with wings says on the little tag attached to it "LOUISE 1939"....how sweet. Does anyone know what this skate means? But, the plastic "Brownie" pin brings back oodles of memories. I was a Brownie long enough to get this pin (of which I promptly discarded when I became a Girl Scout). I was only a Girl Scout long enough to sell cookies once. It was not what I thought it was cracked up to be. The whole Girl Scout mission was lost in me...I just wanted to sell cookies. My loss.

This hand and heart pin was perfect. I found it in a pile of mess...plucked it out and the dealer said, twenty five cents?...and I quickly gave him a quarter. You will see it again in the future...re purposing is in its future!

This little Red Cross Elf was itty bitty. Only about an inch in height. The dealer said it was quite unique...I just thought it was cute. What do you think?

This was a box of union buttons! Loved the colors. Once again I know very little about union traditions...but, I loved the buttons.

This is a miscellaneous box of trinket stuff one dealer had spread out across a table. Obviously, the former owner bowled...alot.....was a member of the Lion's Club....was a little musical....and played board games. Whew! I bet he was fun!! Love the Bakelite stick pin with rhinestones!

Well...this is the end of the small stuff...but, tomorrow comes the pictures from my point of view. Yard sales can create interesting vignettes....and tomorrow is my interpretation.

Ga-Zillion Mile Yard Sale! No. 1

"To invent you need a good imagination

and a pile of junk"

-Thomas Alva Edison

The "Ga-Zillion Mile Yard Sale" runs smack through my town and state! Yippee! Those who live in the area of Highway 27 are generally not that thrilled about its 'take-over' capabilities. The traffic...the out-of-towners...the loads of junk everywhere....but, to those who love to pilfer through the leftovers of others, it is like the Super Bowl of Junking! It truly is the only place you can shop for approximately eight hours on a fifty dollar bill, and have to tie your trunk down...drive with things in your lap and pray there is no need for sudden stops. This is some of my very first purchases...the game board, funky little pile of tins, the button box and the awesome hotel key. This key was from a former resort here in my area. To think we had to carry that key and fob around as opposed to our credit card version now. Whew!

This may have been my favorite find...the "Artstyle Chocolates" button box. It was only $5! Filled with old, beautiful buttons, notions, junk and thread. I LOVED IT!

I don't really know what these are. Obviously they were used in some form of print advertising. Each was made of a 16"x20" sheet of very thin aluminum. The cost of items and marketing techniques were priceless! Notice the one below (my personal favorite)...if you bought groceries at this particular store...you could register for a free dress...wow! Not to mention a 50 lb. bag of potatoes was only eighty-nine cents! I found about 10 different sheets and have no idea what to do with them...but, going with the quote above.

Of course, games are always a favorite. I found this old monopoly game with all the pieces...two versions of PIT and a box of musical flash cards!

My passion for words easily translates into letters. Any time I see a box of letters...I'm willing to physically wrestle for them. I loved these black acrylic letters...

and a box of letter stencils! You can never have too many letters! The Ga-Zillion Mile Yard Sale is absolutely....T -E - R - R - I - F - I - C! The next post will be all the little things I found....woo hoo!

S-C-O-R-E-!

Finally....Some Art!

Yes, today is the first day of school! Yea! My life...schedule...time...can now become more orderly and refined....like I like it! My daughter is not quite so thrilled to have put on a uniform today...but, I was thrilled to wash and iron as needed.

A little time last week was dedicated to art...(had a few art deadlines I needed to meet) and this was one of the end results. I'm really liking the fat canvas! It can hang, or sit on a flat surface ...quite versatile.

Stumbled across the simple, yet totally real poem below and had to include it with a puppy. ENJOY!

I attended the 'ga-zillion' mile yard sale!!!

Can't wait to share the pictures...

the stories...and THE PURCHASES!

Check back tomorrow!

Inspiration From Trash!

Trash Tribute No. 5

I am a huge fan of juvenile textbooks! I simply love the innocence of the illustrations...the colors...the font in number 72...the simplicity of the stories. I grab a book like this any time there is an opportunity. The book below, "Climbing Higher" is wonderful! I found it in the free bin at the entry of our local McCay's Used Book Store! Just sitting there waiting for me to put it in my bag. Yes, the edges are somewhat worn....and the remnants of an owner that was a doodler is evident throughout...don't care! Love it! I have a nice, fresh, new, clearly unused copy of the same book. Bought it about five years ago in an antique mall for $12.

Oddly, the same book...one worn...one new....one with a price tag...one that was free...both hold the same value in my house. Hmmm.

Love the illustrations!!!