Recent Etsy Items an chalkboard LOVE...

Recent Etsy additions to my store.

Chalkboard Clip Board

I just finished a bunch of these clipboard chalkboards yesterday in our 90 degree weather here. To say the least they dried quickly.

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I  LOVE these  little guys. I think they would be fun in a smaller space in a home. Or how cute to leave little messages at the entry way coming home in the evening or leaving in the morning nice way to start or finish your day.

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My chalkboard obsession began in my home with my pantry door. I searched high an low for different types of pantry doors on the market. An YUCK comes to mind. I wanted unique and fun.  So when we gutted our 180 yr farm house we tried to reuse a lot of the things that were in it...like this awesome door that use to be in one of the 5 bedrooms up stairs. You should have seen my hubs reaction when I suggested it. You know that look of

"Are you insane"?

U'all know what I'm talking about.

After I finished it, he loved it. He proudly shows people who visit. I just roll my eyes and chuckle to myself.

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As you can see I cram as much as I can on each panel.

Don't check my spelling for mistakes because half the time I am talking to someone as I write away on the panel.

So that is where my Chalkboard love began!

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After that I started making chalkboards out of vintage frames that I had sitting around the farm for-ever. I started to sell the frames off, then decided one day to just make a few of these lovelies for my house. People loved them and suggested I sell them.

I have smart people around me, they actually have been selling pretty well.





Isn't this a fun piece? The detail is amazing and I really hesitated on selling it because I love it. We believe it is from the 40's or 50's.

Hangers Hangers and more Hangers.

The top ones are 9" long in various woods.

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I have had customers send me pictures on how they use them. Latest ones sold were used for posters that another etsy sellar sells on etsy. She always makes mention about my store. That is real networking.

Another customer uses them in her studio, she is a photographer and does the same thing. I love the Etsy community.

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Gotta run friends!



Cheers,
Shel

Off Topic

I thought I would share with you where I write from and do my Etsy business. This is where I go to work everyday. I walk exactly 20 steps from my home to this sweet piece of paradise.
                                        I call my work place.

For my 50th Birthday my hubs built me a mini-me office that resembles our home. Yep he is quite the handy man. He knew I needed a place to do my writing, a get away from every sport that he watchs. A place called mine. It has air conditioning for those warm Wisconsin summers and heat in the cold winter months.

When we need to just chill during the day or in the evening this is where we sit. With a glass of wine or a nice cold Micro Brew. On our little porch. It is like a mini vacation.

We just  Breath in our surroundings.

This is my sweet Hosta garden. That I look at from my porch.

I have been collecting for over 30 years and it gives me

Such Peace.

Another Angle of the office.

Here is our house, I will be sharing more in the future but thought you could get the idea of how we designed and made my office a mini-me.

We calculated that the office cost us complete with material, wiring, air units and lights. Around $2000. And that may be on the high end.

We saved so much money doing it ourselves. I should actually give all the credit to Hubs, although I did what I could to help.

In the future I will be sharing pictures of the inside. Now? Not so much I am still trying to finish the inside to make it just right for good photos. Hang on they will be coming!

                                            Gotta Run!
                                       Have a great day!
                                                 Cheers,
                                                    Shel

California Food

Oh my gosh, we ate and ate along with drinking great micro brews and that great California wine all over Northern Calif. At my age and having the great world of menopause eating to much puts more weight on then I need. It just means coming home I have to work out double time.
                        Ughhh...but it was worth it! *grin*

                                      Red's Java House
                                          San Fransisco

1st stop Reds' Java House

It is right under the Bay Bridge, technically not but as you can see it is close.

Red's has been on the Travel Channel with Andrew B.

We sampled different beers and had appetizers.

Oh my word the line was long and it was around 2 in the afternoon there. Their sandwiches looked amazing.

But we held off because we were going to another place for dinner, but the snacks were awesome. A small go to place and reasonable right on the water.

Great way to start our V-Cay.

2nd Place

Fairfax Brewery

Fairfax

Another great spot was Fairfax Brewery in Fairfax.

1st If I would pick a place in Callie this would be my type of town.

 Youthful, friendly, active, animal town.

LOVED IT!!

FOOD:

One of the boys had their corn beef on rye...delish!

I had the Fresh dip....A++

Other son with the face had a pulled pork sandwich...wonderful!

He looked like a pit bull daring anyone to touch his goodies.

Hubby had his typical "I will not eat anything but a hamburger med with fries. No there was nothing special about that burger.

It is  brew house and the beers were beyond wonderful after a long day of hiking.

Another go to place if you visit there

Another great place

The Q BBQ Joint

in Fort Bragg

Wonderful place. Again we felt right at home. We all tried something different to share. None of us were dissapointed.

God love families we all picked at each others plates.

The ribs were crazy good. But the Brisket was out of this world. The chicken was mouth watering and moist with a touch of smoky BBQ. Their pulled pork was moist just the right amount of sauce.

Sides were off the charts, mac and cheese, beans, corn bread an more.

Their homemade sauces? No words to describe all the flavor that came from the different sauces at the table.

The smoky flavor came through perfectly ...my mouth is watering just writing this.

Not a fancy place but a very relaxing one. The staff were great so friendly and helpful. They had a small selection of beer but a wonderful variety.

Next time I want to try their Oysters and shrimp and salad and and and...so much to choose from.

Not a big place but very down to earth home like feel to it.

Sorry folks gotta make supper in our 96 degree weather in Wisconsin. Thank God for air conditioning in my office on days like this.

Cheers,

Shel

On Vacation for to long

June 17 2012

Ok there is no excuse for my absense except that I have been CRAZY busy with my stores and my music and book writing. I have been neglectful, to my blog and if no one reads it again I would understand (not really, but it sounds good).

We recently were on v-cay in California visiting two of our sons in Northern Calif and had a wonderful time. I will be sharing a bunch of pictures and stories in the next few blog posts.

We ate, hiked, ate, drank beer ( micro brew), horsebacked on the ocean, ate some more, golfed (boys not mom) we searched for starfish and seals and did some wine tasting and for the first time in my life I got car sick on the 101 going north. We stayed in drop dead awesome places with views out of a picture post card.

                                    Visted our 2 sons

Not these two sons

But these two sons!

I guess not much difference actually. LOL

It was my husbands birthday week an our 33rd wedding anniversary we had such a wonderful time.

~Family, yep that is what I am talking about~

Here's dad with two of our sons.

Hubby turned 55 this year. Yep, doesn't he look great?

I will be sharing more pics an stories in the next couple days of our trip.

But for now I will wave goodbye till my next post!

She's Back!

I'M Back!!!

Forgive my absences.....

And yes that is me waving HELLO to you.

                              I have been "On the road again" are you now humming that song in your head?
                                            

                                       These are pictures of our dead end road, Pretty isn't it?

                  I woke up the other day to a beautiful sunrise.
                  Here some extra pics from our field.
                  When I question how we are still here on our
                   50 acre farm I look at these and say where else would
                  I want to be?






                                          I have been on the road again (sorry) that song will now be in your head all
                                          day, forgive me. You know I sell on Etsy and I needed to replenish my shop
                                          Ok I just wanted to get out an shop and for me that is hitting all my local
                                            thrift, 2nd hand and antique haunts. I will be sharing some of my fave
                                           places with you in the next couple days. I vow I will be more diligent with
                                           my blog.
                                           Thanks for stopping by...Cheers Shel

2nd Collection Monkey Love

I know it's been a while but I am back with my second collection. My Monkeys. Yep Monkeys!! I am mad about them. We have a mix of new, handmade and Stieff. I started off with the little blonde one with a 50's shag look to him. He is sorta the center one with a large head behind him. He was made by my bbf Sandie years ago and today (shhhh don't tell the others) he is my favorite. Even over my Stieff's. I lost count as far as how many.

I love you

And you

and you

I love all of YOU!!

Thanks for checking us out and have a great weekend.
Cheers
Shel

Happy Hump Day!

1st I need to wish my son's G.F. a

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ASH!!

HUGS

I wanted to share today some of the things that I collect, starting with my silver items....

I bought these because they are the initials of my 3 sons. Love them they are about 8" tall. I found them at my local antique mall haunt!!!

I love this mixture of candle holders and bud vases. I added some peacock feathers to snazz it up a little.

I love love love these Bakelite billiard balls. I love numbers 3 & 5. I just popped 4 in there because I loved the purple. The watch in the corner was my mother's. I try to keep things around the house that remind me of her.

I have not considered myself a collector before, but I think I read somewhere that if you have more than 3 of something it is a collection. I will share more of  my collections in future posts.

Have a great hump day!
Cheers
Shel