Sneak Peak - Great Majestic Sea Swap

I'm just finishing up my swap "swag" that I will be shipping to my swap partner located in Germany. This is the first swap that I participated in and nothing like a Majestic Sea theme to get me involved in these blog swaps.The Majestic Sea Swap was offered up by Gypsy Mermaid Life and outlined on her blog link: http://gypsymermaidlife.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2009-06-03T10%3A05%3A00-05%3A00&max-results=4

Here is a little sneak peak at some of the swag that will be on its way to Germany.

I hope my Majestic Sea Swap partner in Germany will enjoy the items as much as I had putting them together and I can't wait to see what arrives to my address from Germany!

Plant Lavender for luck and fall in love whenever you can.

This has been a crazy two weeks and doing mundane things like placing fresh, wind whipped sheets on the bed and sprinkling them with lavender powder has a way of setting things right in my world. The scent of fresh lavender is my favorite next to the scent of the sea and this time of the year is when lavender farms often bloom with spectacular color. Waves of purple as far as the eye can see, I want to fall into them,

lay down with the sun shining on my face,

and just rest in the arms of nature.

So in the words of Sally Owens, "Can love travel back in time and heal a broken heart? I'd like to think so. There are some things I know for certain. Always throw spilled salt over your left shoulder. Keep rosemary by your garden gate. Plant lavender for luck.

And fall in love whenever you can."

I'm melting...

I'm melting, oh what a world, what a world. AAAAHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhh!

A lovely afternoon at the YMCA pool, we come home at 5:00 pm and walk in to a house that feels like a blast furnace. You guessed it, our A/C went out sometime during the day and on the hottest day of the year in HOTlanta, we show an indoor temp of 94 degrees. In the words of the great Elphaba...I'm melting or more accurately, my honey, my canine and me were melting. So, it's Father's Day Sunday, the A/C is broke and we are wearing ice packs...no chance of anyone coming to do an emergency repair so we will have to wait until tomorrow. In the meantime, we will watch an "Ice Road Truckers" marathon in hopes of feeling cool , drink lots of ice water and sit around in as little as possible with cold, damp wash cloths on our heads. NICE! LMAO!!!

But when all is said and done, we have each other and the kiddie pool outside is looking inviting again. Here's to tomorrow and an AC repairman. Stay cool!

Floating my weekend away!

It has been a long week and all I want to do is grab my man and my sister and run to the YMCA outdoor pool, drop my floatie raft in the water, and float Saturday away. I've got my sunscreen, my picnic hamper, and a good summer read and I won't come home until my tootsies are as pruney as the feet in this pic.

Life is good folks, have a wonderful weekend--the Sea Witch.

There's treasure everywhere!

Bill Waterson's delightful characters, Calvin and Hobbes, know that treasure can be found in the most unlikely places. Their joy of discovery in the smallest of objects and in their everyday pleasures always brings a smile to my face. I'm afraid I am like one of their cartoon characters because I identify so much with their interesting worlds. Treasure is everywhere and you don't necessarily have to go out and find it. Often it will find you if you are willing to open your eyes to it.

One of my weekly joys is that I have the marvelous task of taking photos of the booths at Vintage Village for the VV website -- http://vintagevillageantiquesandmore.com/.

This provides me with the opportunity to look deeper inside an individual's booth for that web-perfect photo and this often leads me to "treasure(s)" found within. When I came across this delightful, framed photograph of a little girl in her "Indian dress up garb" I laughed out loud as it brought back many memories of me as a young girl, also dressed up like an Indian, as I played "Cowboys and Indian's" with neighborhood kids. Of course, we also played "cops and robbers" too. I'm sure those reading this who are generation electronics wouldn't understand the subtle and social nuiances of playing cops and robbers or cowboys and indians, but this was part of the social play structure that neighborhood kids played when I was growing up. Jumping from Brooklyn foxhole to Brooklyn foxhole (burned out, abandoned cars for those not from NY/NJ area), we either hid from or routed out bad guys/gals, we righted wrongs, and communities were safe to go on another day. Items that invoke joyful memories are true treasures and treasures are to be found everywhere within Vintage Village. So with these few snapshots, I hope to tempt you into seeking out childhood memories and other treasures within Vintage Village.

Wonderful Jadeite dishes with pretty flower pattern. Priced right too!

I love this Victorian print of a child and a mother or teacher exploring strange and foreign lands through a globe. Pretty oval frame.

Shabby garden/cottage green house, perfect place to showcase "your" special treasures.

Everyone knows Elvis is a star and he wants to come home with you.

Even monthly bills and junque mail look friendlier when they are delivered to and found in a shabby, PINK mailbox.

Copper clad toddler shoes. I love these vintage shoes for what they remember. Put spare change or q-tips in them or use them as little planters for babies breath or tiny tea roses.

Vintage fans are always in demand and this baby will keep you cool.

Adorable collection of watering cans are perfect for outdoor decorating.

Stop by Vintage Village, say hello to the hags, and seek out your own treasure.

The Jersey Boys, the Fox and theater etiquette!

For my 55th birthday, my baby sister purchased tickets to see "The Jersey Boys" at the fabulous Fox theater in Atlanta.

One of my favorite venues for live theater with fantastic acoustics, I couldn't wait to see this well received show telling the story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.

As a girl growing up in New Jersey, I was active in our local 4-H club where I was taught the sewing skills necessary for being a proper young lady. This included creating tea towels and cooking aprons which would prepare me as a future housewife. (yea I'm really dating myself now) In 1963, I was part of the "Eager Beavers" 4-H group of St. Joesph's School in Lincoln Park, NJ and we met, one Saturday, at the house of the mother of the DeVito brothers who came running through the house with the other Seasons, raided the fridge and sat outside on the picnic table harmonizing. As a little girl, I knew they were part of a "rock and roll band" but they just seemed like any other group of loud, noisy boys raiding the family fridge to me. So this show was going to be a nice stroll down memory lane for me. Their music is terrific and I understand that most of their songs would be sung and there would be lots of "jersey language."

We had good seats located in the orchestra right section (of course there are really no bad seats at the Fox). We were dolled up and dressed for a night on the town and enjoyed conversing with some of the Fox volunteers who willingly shared the history of the Fox Theater. We then found our seats and waited for the houselights to go down and the orchestra to begin.

This was going to be a packed house and it was fun people watching as folks found their seats. At a little after 8:00pm the houselights were dimmed, the orchestra began and the show's first neon sign dropped from the ceiling heralding the start of the show. The first song had begun and in troops four loud and obnoxious women with one very emasculated man in tow. They are laughing loudly, and talking above the show and standing in the aisles shaking their butts at each other. They refused to sit down and I whispered to the rotund woman standing in front of me to please sit down as the show had begun. She gave me a dirty look and proceeded to nest into her seat. Unfortunately, my sister had to deal with a nuttier woman who refused to stop singly loudly (and badly) and insisted upon waving her arms as high as she could reach. Several other "ssshhhhh's" from other audience members ensued but to no avail as these rude women continued to treat this lovely theater as their personal living room. Ten minutes into the first act, and luckily two of them left to drink at the bar, the hand waving woman was still in front of my sister loudly proclaiming that "Frankie was my man, that Frankie is my man and I'm all over him". My sister leaned in and also very quietly and politely asked her to please put her hands down as she is a distraction. She did quiet down for about 30 minutes but when her "booze bag" friends showed back up, she was loudly singing again. With the end of the first act and the house lights turned up, the ill-mannered and drunk woman in front of me turned to us and pokes her finger at everyone in our row demanding to know who told her sister to stop singing and waving her hands. Being Jersey girls, Sis and I looked at each other and we both raised our hands and said, "We did." "Ya gotta problem with that?" This woman started yelling at us and then threatened the folks in our row. So sis gets up, leaves the seats and meets with the Fox Theater manager. Long story short, three ushers escort sis back to our seats, they wave for me to follow them and we are escorted to center row, 11 seats from the stage...so close we can see the Jersey Boys sweat! It was fantastic. The other two ushers remained standing at our previous seating row and baby-sat the rude group until the show ended.

The Fox was more than happy to ensure that our theater experience was a good one and corrected the problem by escorting us to very expensive, front and center seats so we could enjoy the second act. I thank the Fox for their enforecment of proper theater etiquette. What sis and I will never understand is that this group of women were at least my age or older. We are all from a generation that was taught how to behave at live theater venues and not treat it as a personal living room. I was disappointed in their behavior as I had expected much better from women my age, but they had no respect for the other theater patrons and they made it all about them. Glad that the Fox would not tolerate this. It was a terrific show and I recommend it to everyone.

Altered Art, Vintage Village, and the Charm House

Very busy weekend with lots to share. First, this is a shout-out to all altered art artists and collectors. I have been crazy about altered art for years now and am delighted to see so many "everyday folks" who do not consider themselves artists" dive into this beautiful and often whimsical art form. If there was ever a "marriage" made for antiques and vintage collectors and altered art, our dealers and buyers have discovered it. Both today's collectors and artists embrace the re-purposed/re-cycled way of utilizing bits and pieces of utilitarian items and reflect that within this art form.

Vintage Village, http://vintagevillageantiquesandmore.com/, located in Snellville, GA is a shop not only filled with wonderful antiques, shabby-chippy items, and vintage pieces but a FANTASTIC resource for altered art projects. Authentic ulititarian items, antique papers, vintage jewelry pieces that cannot be found in your local hobby store reside and at prices you can't afford to pass up. Consider using the following which is presently at Vintage Village:

Ribbons sets on sweet hangtags. Double the altered art use.

Beads by the bag and sweet chintz lids.

Sparkly bags of jewelry findings...I purchased a few of these myself.

Romantic Victorian Postcards.

Unusual odds and ends for your best altered art.

Scrabble tiles have so many artsy uses.

Hundreds of yards of pretty ribbons are found at Vintage Village.

Vintage Village is also home to many altered art sellers but we are also delighted to have well known altered art artist,

Yvette Adams, of "The Charm House." http://thecharmhouse.blogspot.com/search/label/Yvette%20Adams

Below are some of her works for Father's Day.

Her booth in all of its splendor. You will always find something that captures your attention.

Lots of wonderful things for Father's Day gift giving.

Yvette is one of those marvelous souls with a gentle heart, which is the hallmark of her work, and has a passion for creating with found objects transformed into wonderful and affordable works of art. One Vintage Hag discovered her and brought her art work into Vintage Village for all of us to see and purchase. I hope you will visit the Vintage Village website to take a peek at what is housed within the yellow and white awning shop. There is a lot of talent inside and wonderful items to embellish your home.

I must swoon today.

To swoon, to fall into, to be devoured by passion.

Yes, I was visiting http://ullam.typepad.com/ullabenulla/, Ullabenulla, again. I find myself dropping in several times a day because she has such passion in her day. I like passionate people...they swoon.

We don't "swoon" enough in our lives and we should.

My hilarious granddaughter swooning into the pool.

It is childlike abandon, love and joy at its purest form and so today I will swoon by going to the movies with the man I love. I will swoon over Kota chasing the squirrels with coyote/doggy attitude. I will swoon and will snap pictures over the booths at Vintage Village and the Shack Out Back tomorrow. I will delight in the treasures that they offer, the eye candy they display, and perhaps come home with a purchase or two. To swoon, to fall into, to be devoured by what this rich and colorful life offers us.

I bid you to swoon. We must swoon daily in our lives, I will swoon.

I want to be a Renaissance Woman like Ullabenulla

Art is not a thing, it is a way. -- Elbert Hubbard 1859-1915

Blogs open doors to worlds you share only if you venture out. They are like taking the road less traveled. You start with a blog you know and then visit the blogs that inspire the blogger. This journey took me to Ullabenulla and upon entering I knew I was home. Eclectic, whimsical, joyful, artsy, with a gentle invite me to different worlds travelers eye...this is the blog of a renaissance woman...a woman for all seasons.

I have purloined a few of her blog pics to share with you. To tease you into visiting her blog and see why she makes my soul leap with joy.

Antique color wheel illustrations...how fabulous!

She leaves no sense untouched and you cannot help but be captured by the many worlds Ulla dances through. Everything around her inspires Ullabenulla and I find by visiting her blog she pushes me to find my own inspirations.

I could not resist the hand colored engraving of the mermaid and her seals.

A fiddle playing fox, what fun. I wonder if he knows Turkey in the Straw and does he play that to lure a turkey into his lair for a late supper.

You must visit her millinary and jewelry inspirations, her fashion, her food and Christmas. Do not miss her Christmas. I have already listed Ullabenulla in my "Where the Wild Women Are" selection of my favorite blogs as I must visit her each day for an inspirational fix.

Wild women - galpals...I love you all!

Do not pass Ullabenulla by, your world will be less colorful if you do so.

Bottle caps, Asian influence and chocolate brown.

Okay, okay! I'm knee deep in hundreds of wedding photos and am trying to put a few albums together by this weekend. Lots of thank you notes to write and send and the company I work for is in the middle of a migration and we are in complete upheaval and all I really want to do is play with antiques to price and display in my booth at Vintage Village. Instead and in answer to the many emails I have received regarding jewelry that I have made, I am posting some of those photos because this is the easiest of everything that I have on my plate right now. Besides, it's more fun to post pics of jewelry than pay bills on line, clean house or do the things I should be doing. (My wedding and reception was wonderful and being surrounded by family was such a blessing, especially since my two grown sons gave me away...once I get the photos together, I will post a few of those) But for now, here are some pics of jewelry that I created:

I love anything that has a summer flair to it and these bottle caps are too cute for school. Paired up with a kicky pump or sandal an natural stones and you have a winning summer combination.

This sweet silver heart gives a two fold message -- taken or available -- depending on your mood. Lovely, deep cranberry Italian glass beads paired with small matt seeds.

Golden Tiger's Eye and black cinnabar beads with brass toggle.

Heavy Denim Lapis and tiger's eye beads necklace, bracelet and earring set.

Heavy ceramic beads and gold finished spacers.

I pushed two themes this summer, "Asian Influence" and "chocolate brown". I love the marriage of the two for the organic elements and their simplicity and the earth tones of brown.

My one signature piece that I produce each season. Big, bold and not for the timid, this is a real showpiece. Heavy natural green turquoise stone in center.

Lovely wooden beads with tiger striping paired with abalone shell beads.

Pale pink natural pearls, Bali silver beads and Swarovski crystal beads with a hand blown bead in the center. Piece is offset with sterling silver flower clasp that is much to pretty to hide behind your neck so I placed in on the side so it would enhance the overall piece.

Faux cinnabar beads in bold Chinese Red and Black.

Pretty summer piece with mother of pearl petals and ceramic brown bead discs.

Lovely, heavy pineapple quartz (rough cut) stone beads accented with sterling Bali beads and a citron stone cross. Heavy, bold and smashing when worn with a black dress.

So, there you have it, a few of my pieces. If you must have one of them, please drop me a line. Shipping is always on the Sea Witch.