Helen says goodbye to her old friend Phoebe

Hey, I found this really awesome Etsy listing at https://www.etsy.com/listing/208731819/phoebe-is-a-country-french-jewelry

you can find this madonna and many other interesting items at www.etsy.com/shop/studiopink

Through the looking glass

Sometimes it's not so much the collection that inspires. More times than not I am more inspired by the way the collection is displayed. I used this display at my latest dinner party. It was a big hit!

Shambala cottage makeover

The Shambala project is coming along. It has come a long way but still has miles to go before it's completion. The ceilings were covered in plywood. I feel like Nicole Curtis when I shout "why would anyone cover that up?"  The beautiful wood has been revealed after countless hours of pulling nails and removing insulation.

    The vintage chandelier found on Craigslist looks perfect in this space. Yep you heard it I shop on Craigslist.  It's amazing what you can find to fit a tight budget if you know where to look. I love antique stores and tag sales but some items are hard to find and antique stores can interfere with a tight budget.

The true north project

I walked through a narrow pathway of nic nacs and boxes of items never used. I was part of a few hundred people who showed up for a tag sale. The house was packed to the ceiling in merchandise with price tags and still in their original boxes. The house was part of a hoarder's Estate. This woman's life was consumed with shoppping.
      I felt sad as I fought my way thru fellow  junkers looking for a good deal. Nothing in this house had a soul or a story. The place felt abandoned and cold.
Just as I was convinced that I would find nothing that spoke to me I saw a little compass. It was nothing special but somehow I needed to take it with me. I felt compelled to make it come to life with purpose. 
    This little compass has become part of my true north project. This project is about finding passionate living and leaving your mark or legacy. More on that later.  I encrusted the compass with old chippy paint, birch bark and the words true north. There is a map inside and secret message. This compass joins my antique urn that holds special thoughts and wishes.  A jar of good spells just waiting to become reality.

 What does true north mean to you?

Possibilities

My toe slowly peeks it's way out of the softness of my toasty bed. The floor boards are cool to the touch. This crisp awakening guickly shapes my ward robe for a chaotic day of picking.
      The barn is simple and neatly packed.  The man who proudly claims it's eclectic contents is fair  and anxious to strike a bargain.
     My pick is swift. I know within seconds what I can't bare to leave behind. My heart beats faster,  images of a past life race by.  The moments are fleeting as the voice of possibilities speaks to me. This old door that once graced the milking room of a pristine dairy farm will marry well with the weathered skull of a proud steer that long ago freely grazed the ground beneath my feet.
       I am drawn to the the history and stories of my salvaged finds. The organic simplicity of the pair is perfect for my vision of a shabby chic porch. Layer upon layer of earthy patina with just the right pop of color will transform an urban deck into an eclectic oasis.
   I have several days of work to come before this perfect transformation is reality.
   Stay tuned...