NO MORE SECRETS

I have a new blogging friend at Old Glory Cottage. What a delight to visit her, she is my cup of tea! A couple of days ago she sent me a Kreative Blogger Award (heartful thank you!) and asked me to post 7 things friends may not know. I could come up with many stories but I thought I'd keep it simple. I'm sorry, I have not learned how to "link" yet to her blog from my blog. (I can't believe I'm talking blog talk!) Jacqueline loves Scottie Dogs, ever since I've love the artist Mary Engelbreit.

I love mushrooms, ever since I found one in the forest of Once Upon a Fairyland. I also love a plate of them for dinner with butter and garlic and homemade mushroom soup!

Ha...I was dancing...that is why the picture is blurred. I love cute flats! Especially my polka dot rain boots!

Baby shoes hold so much charm for me, I cannot resist the old ones. At a recent auction my friend Nico bid against me and SHE WON these baby shoes...I forgive her.

This baby frog was the very first visitor to our little creek in Gnomeland when it was built last May. I think he came to bless it. I love frogs, they are cute to me and I always pick one up if I can catch it.

My heart is connected to all the countries in Scandinavia. I'm awed by artist, authors and towns and customs. I have lived in Denmark for 6 months and 1 month in Finland. I have also been to Sweden but not Norway...YET. That is where MANY gnomes live. I was once engaged to a man from Denmark but I married an American instead.

And last...I personally feel the huge responsibility to tell the world about gnomes and share them. I love them. (sorry, this post did not turn out short and simple after all).

Until we meet again tomorrow...God bless you all.

SPIT SPOT CHORE MATES

Spit spot, clean the spot and then play all day! My mom taught me how to clean house. We lived in a long mobile home where my bedroom was on one end, and my parents at the far end. Mom and I would play Mary Poppins and we would have a race to the middle of the house to see who could get their chores done first. This was a routine every Saturday morning after cartoons. Then, the afternoon was spent playing Barbies or going to the Mt. Baker Theater for double feature Saturday. Casper is busy sweeping and apparently uses Pine Sol. This is a greeting card that my friend Nico made.

I love the charm of the 1950's where women cleaned house in high heels. Vintage greeting card, I could not resist.

Kewpie has wash days on Mondays and baking on Tuesdays, shopping on Wednesdays and mending on Thursdays...

This towel once hung in my kitchen but I passed it to my friend. She now has it on her old kitchen queen with vintage red finds.

Yes, this is my vintage apron. I just found it for $1.99. I used my aprons, I'm more of a baker, then a butcher or a candlestick maker. No matter if you bake in high heels, whirl a blender till the motor burns out or you sweep everything under a rug...a day of spit spot chore mates is a very good date.

THE HAPPY LITTLE SHOWCASE

I've been busy as a chipmunk pricing and cleaning and getting everything pretty for "The Happy Little Showcase" in the "Old Town Antique Mall" here in Bellingham. I'm thrilled to pass some treasures on to others...not all my treasures, but I can certainly share some childhood memories with others! Here are some snapshots of my show case.

As you can see, I mainly feature Liddle Kiddles, Paper Dolls finds, elves and gnomes...especially Seven Dwarf finds, Barbies and dolls from my childhood and books!

This is a side hobby for me that I totally enjoy, way down deep in my heart. If you especially love music, click on my playlist and turn up "Hello Dolly" and that'll really get you in the mood for a play day Monday!

RANDOM RAMBLINGS

Today is a hodge podge of fun...a bunch of none-sense, broken rules...go figure moments...laughing matters...livin' outside the lines. Big smile moments...I live for them! You have not lived until you've laid down on your belly in the grass and found out what lives down there. Real mushrooms and a real gnome at play in my back yard in September. He wouldn't tell me his name but he still lives back there! Snapped a picture in a thrift store while nobody was looking. Someone had donated a home crafted mushroom tree and there was a big sign on it...NOT FOR SALE! Who runs a thrift store with items not for sale? I could have kicked the guy in the toe...I wanted it!

The night before Halloween and all through the yard, all the creatures were stirring, no humans allowed!

The very first free pile I ever visited and took a toaster and a chandelier back home...located in Montana. There's a story to everything that's for sure!

What are two grown girls doing selling dolls? I owned a store called Consign America and this is my daughter and I setting up a booth in a doll show quite a few years back. Why? Just for the fun of it and it's what big girls need to do!

Happy Sunday...I'm gathering my goodies for my first give away "Queens in training" today! Stay tuned this week for sure!

A PIXIE PEEK!

Open the door and come on in! It's time to think...itsy bitsy teeny weeny pixie time! I have a fondness for pixies. Yes, they are all relative in my world of gnomes, fairies, elves, dwarves. They are a playful bunch for sure. I like them because they break rules and love to have fun. They are never insecure, they are bold and their whole mission is to play and delight. They embrace mischievousness as a good friend. In photo #1 we see one that has lost his ear, one who loves to paint flowers, one that calls a strawberry a home. A baby pixie that pretends his log is a horse and Mr. Paxton who actually owns the pixie fashion shop, well dressed and lazy. Photo #2 introduces you to the pixie Christmas twins Pandy and Mandy, Grinboy that loves to play the fiddle and Winston and his ladybug friend. Must mention Bo sitting on Mother Gooses goose in the background.

Salem is the neighborhood turtle keeper while Mincy has so much musical talent!

Who does not love Tinkerbell? She is so delighted I took her picture. She was a gift from my husband, created by famous artist Jim Shore.

The last photo is of Cindi the Pixie. She loves to dance and can be found hanging out with my poodles in my new bathroom!

OUTSIDE THE CRAYON BOX

Grab your umbrellas and watch your head...a storm passed through Washington last night with hail, rain, thunder and wind straight out of the Wizard of Oz. I do believe I saw Mrs. Gultch fly by on her bike! When the weather outside if frightful, I want to stay in and play "Outside the Crayon Box." I have been designing a coloring book for years and in 2010 I intend to finish this fun task. Please meet "Saucepot" the gnome, Jimbo the clown and Rabbity Andy. They are very simple drawings with a little one in mind.

This precious deer is one of the many jigsaw cutouts that I would like to work on for the back yard in Gnomeland 2010. They are patterns from Once Upon a Fairyland days.

In my mind, everyone needs at least one gnome stamp. This stamp can be found at Stampendous 2007 and it's called "Gnome in the Clover". I like to add him to the back of my pen pal letters...why...because he makes us smile...Life outside the crayon box! Happy Friday to all!

PUPPY-POODLE-TEA OR PERFUME?

I have a confession. I have been known to decorate and change the homestead as good honest therapy! Out with Shabby Chic in with my "soon to be pink" upstairs bathroom...were going "Puppy, Poodle, Tea and Perfume with a mermaid and teal blue fish or two...Here we go, ready or not...Two significant items in this first picture...the baby poodle was given to me by my mom at age 4 along with my very first poodle called "Danny Boy" after the old Irish song. The itty bitty perfume bottle was given to me by son Darrin at age 14 when he had his first girlfriend. He gave one to her and one to me. Of course these miniature dogs represent my very own Misha Mae, Sadie Mae and one day....I'm going to have a bulldog!

I have a strong attraction to dogs...especially poodles and Pomeranians. 1950's poodles with hats and bows...love em and check out the wee little rain bonnet cap...do you remember those? The little pink mini phone is heavy metal...PINK!

A toast to vintage grannies...my two tea bag ladies. The little tea cup has "June" painted in cursive inside...my moms name.

Please meet Pandy the Poodle...she is the mother of the bunch, born way back in the 50's still going strong in 2009!

When I read your blog comments, sometimes I just sit there and weep. The daily encouragement, the time you take to visit me, your heartfelt words...really make my day. I love you all.