sitting on top of the world

Now this would have come in handy for that Geography 101 class. Although in my version Sicily and Tasmania are now next door neighbors.

Yesterday I took a road trip up to Manitowac to deliver my donation to the Chairs for Charity event my friend Kim is organizing. I have always wanted to do one of those art auctions so it was perfect excuse to transform a less than stellar chair, have lunch with Kim, peruse her stash of cool stuff and do a little thrifting together. Oh- the two of us would be dangerous if we did that on a regular basis. We could have been in St. Vinnie's for hours if they didn't kick us out.

The chair came from the University of Wisconsin surplus. I loved the crisp lines of the legs and book racks and the slightly worn seat. When I found it, it had this big sticker on it. Instead of scraping it off, I kept it on and just decoupaged over it. A kind of inspired 'world peace chair' if you will. I used all these great National Geographic maps I picked up at a Chicago flea market with my friend Diana. The colors on their maps are the best....so saturated and detailed. As much as I enjoy using new materials, I just can't seem to get over my love of maps. Australia, Finland, France, Italy, and the US are all one big happy land mass on this piece. They are a great medium to use for decoupaging as they have a nice weight and with all the details, it is easy to overlap. Using a bone folder worked wonders in getting all those crisp edges too.

The auction is not until November, but the chairs will be on display all summer to generate some buzz. I think it turned out really cool and am anxious to see how much it raises. To donate one of your own..contact Kim at Persimmons.

giddy-up

This darling cowboy vinyl tablecloth is a perfect example of why I am doing the 30 in 8 project.

I bought it about 8 maybe 9 years ago because I loved the pattern, it was a steal and I knew one day I could use it to re-cover something fun. Well, saddle up cowboy because you now have a new canvas.
This sad little chair was snatched up a few months ago from my neighborhood curb. Whenever I start the restoration process, I often let the object inspire me. Does the design, materials, structure, time period lend itself to a certain style ? Sometimes I can see it instantly. On this one, the long metal strips on the back and the simple curved lines kept making me think barbed wire. Now, after some textured rusty copper paint paired with that re-upholstered seat, this little buckaroo is going to be a real show stopper.
And, just because I was so productive this week, I am giving an extra peek at what goes on behind the world of Green Cricket.

I guess it is all my years in the retail business, but as I am coming to the 1/2 way part of the challenge, I have started to notice a certain color palette emerging. Citron yellow, grape and this retro aqua are present in more than one of the projects. Not only are they current with what is going on in the house ware market, they will also provide a nice coordinated visual collection for the show.

dog days of summer

Whew another hot one here today... 98 degrees with the heat index and LOTS of humidity. Makes me wish we had a swimming pool. Many projects to work on in the cool (now dry) basement, so it could be worse...a lot worse.

Enjoy the day and check back tomorrow for another sneak peek of one of my 30 redo's.

Sunday floody Sunday

Ahhh the summer solstice, an 80 degree Sunday and Nathan and I have a water filled day of river kayaking planned. Well, water filled maybe but no kayaking this day. I woke early Sunday morning to find no water coming out of the bathroom faucet. Hmmm? After opening the basement door to check the water heater ,I think, in my still drowsy state...'why do I hear water running?' It seems that the water softener failed sometime in the night (thank goodness we were home) and water was pumping (about 3 inches) into our basement. After shutting off the water valve, the water was able to drain fairly quickly and while the plumber was replacing our softener...Nate and I started a huge purge.

Although a few of my projects were damaged, most of the other stuff was just waiting for us to make a decision on whether to keep, donate or pitch anyway. Most got pitched, a carload sent to Goodwill, a few were set aside for Craiglist and a couple got put on the curb for fellow salvagers to enjoy. Oh, and if you are putting something out on the curb to share, leaving a note (especially if it is mechanical) is a nice gesture. I put out a lamp (noting that it worked) and in 10 minutes it got snatched up. Just a nice touch I think.

Well, not exactly how we expected our Sunday to go, but we got a crap load of things organized, cleaned and purged. We might of added a little vodka to it later that day, but we certainly were able to make lemonade out of some soggy lemons.

Hope you had a great weekend, Father's Day and a wonderful start to SUMMER.

do you Sudoku ?

Sneak peek day for one of the 30 projects I am selling at the Atwood Summerfest street fair here in Madison July 25th. Things are coming along quite nicely. I have finished some and have the majority of the others in the prepping, priming stage. Providing a variety of items is a big focus of this exhibition. I want there to be something for everyone... price points too. So today's peek is a reflection of that.

What if a 60's Hawaiian themed tray morphed with a completed Sudoku book ?..... I should back up a bit.

On our first overseas flight together, I picked up a book for Nate at a gift shop in O'Hare. I had heard about this number game for a few months and although not a game person myself, I knew he would find it entertaining. Well, entertaining is an understatement....he jokes now it is more of an addiction. I can find him for hours and hours sitting on the couch, in bed, in the tub working on the same puzzle. It boggles my mind how he can focus on it for so long.

Anyway, when he walked downstairs one day with this book victoriously uplifted over his head, I knew the time had come and the book had been finished. Before he could get to the recycling bin, I snatched it out of his hands. I couldn't let all that work go unappreciated, so that bed tray became its new canvas. It still needs a few coats of sealer, but you get the idea.

He turned out so cute, I added a desk accessory...this clipboard. Both will be for sale at the fair as well as whatever I decide to give you a peek of next week.

from the inside out

It is mid June here in Wisconsin and that means that whenever possible, it is good to be outside. Each summer I tweak our backyard and porch with a few more additions and have found using interior items really adds a fun element. Case in point, this $ 3.00 hanging fixture I picked up at the Habitat ReStore.

Since the chain was already attached, I just unscrewed some bolts and removed the socket. Hung so that it gets plenty of light angles, it is like a mini chandelier.

Although pretty and unique, traditional garden art can be a little too theme-y and often over priced. Why not search your basement and garage for decorative items that can be re-used. Maybe your bathroom is no longer blue and those great mosaic votives you bought for it are gathering dust in a box. Tuck them amongst some potted plants for when the sun sets.

These thrift store turquoise Ball jars get double duty as sun catchers and as evening votive holders.I try to use things that can with stand the weather, but if by the end of the season, they don't hold up...at least they got one last great summer of use. A lot of times, metals will turn a beautiful rusty patina that even adds to the charm.

Old wine and beer bottles look cool lined against a window, especially accented with a string of Christmas lights. They even make outdoor paintings that are weatherproof.

AND, if you think you do not have any decorative skills to mix different styles, remind yourself of this.....If it makes you smile when you look at it, it is good design.

running in the NOW

This morning I felt something I never had before. Running without thinking I was running. Not mindlessly trotting along, but instead quite present and mindful...and for I think the first time, I think enjoyable!

In the past I have run for fitness. Training for a race or tri, losing a few lbs, but never for that blissful runners high I so often hear people talk about.

On my way out to a nearby mountain bike trail yesterday, I saw a sign for an upcoming 10K fundraiser. The Wolfman tri is not until September , but I really want to increase my running times to at least below the 10 min mile mark and when I saw that sign I thought. "I should train for that, and then my speed will be quicker for sure".

Now a hair over 5 miles is my longest race, but 10k is only 1.21 more than that. I bet I could still do that in a months training time. This morning was the deciding factor. I would set out on a 4 mile route and see how long I could go. No time in mind, just running the best I could until I decided to stop.

It was almost like Divine intervention. Once I decided to run, I just did. Like Forrest Gump, just one foot in front of the other. Being completely present to what I had decided to do.

I have been reading Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig, a book Nathan has been suggesting for me to pick up for years. It's core theme is... whatever you decide to do, do it the BEST you can. A simple philosophy, but I admit, am not always one to practice it. Today's run was the perfect example of this principle. I was not thinking about what I was going to do later that day, how hard I was breathing, why was I doing this, or any of those other distracting thoughts, I just ran in the moment. I ran that course faster than I ever had before and at a lower than average heartrate to boot. So, after today's stellar performance...I am signing up for the race and am looking forward to a whole new Zen way of training.

Whatever it is you are doing this weekend, running, gardening, just being with your family, try doing it as if (for just that moment) it was the only thing in the world....you will love the feeling.

Image courtesy of a fantastic site and blog I found by Ashley Kumlien. A fellow Wisconsinite, Ashley is running across the US in awareness and funding for Multiple Sclerosis treament and research. To learn more and to donate, visit here.

Priscilla- sneak peek

Hey Priscilla...why so glum? Could it be the fact all the other peacocks are a kaleidoscope of color, while you are so underdressed ? Not to worry Miss Thing, we can fix that with a little bit of paint and some glitter.

Viola- now you are ready for your close-up.

I was at a local junk store where they sell the stuff by the pound, (so you know it is the end of the road), when I saw this large painting of a quite sad looking peacock. Maybe it was the artists vision to make him with a lack of color, or maybe they just never finished, but either way, I knew I could do a little transformation that would make this ugly duckling into the bird of grandeur it should be.
I am using the original as a guide and adding in some 3 dimensional elements...

What girl doesn't love a fancy skirt? These are sequins I shucked off some clearance Christmas ornaments. I had no idea when I bought them that they would be used for a peacock painting makeover , but I knew they would come in handy for something flashy. You should see they way they sparkle in the light. When it is hanging on the wall, the skirt alone will have saved this painting from landfill death.

Not only is Miss Priscilla getting the makeover, but her abode is too. A few details still need to be added to the old mill, but it is already looking cozier.

Priscilla is going to be featured in my 30 in 8 show later this summer. After seeing the improvement in this painting with just a little bit of love, I am going to set my sights on even uglier canvases.

My sister and I have been know to play what we call the "tacky souvenir game" when we travel together. While perusing the gift shops of hotels or tourists traps, we try to find the gaudiest, tackiest item.....this sand candle sculpture would have been a first prize winner. I picked him up at a local thrift store and the clerk actually thanked me for buying him, They had been moving it around for weeks and no one seemed to see the hidden potential of it. We'll see if he can transform enough to make the show too.

Check back next week for another sneak peek of one of my 30 redo's in 8 weeks.

hit the road

Earlier this Spring, Fendi released the Abici Amante Donn, a fur trimmed bicycle that retails for $9,500. WHAT ! Ridiculous. I recently spotted this "muppet-esque" version on the streets of Chicago and thought it showed much more creativity and was animal friendly to boot.

Anyway- this week is BIKE TO WORK week here in Madison. Coffee and donuts on the paths, tune ups by local bike shops and even an address today by our Mayor Dave at the capital are all part of the festivities...yes he is biking to. Since the weather has warmed, I have biked at least once, maybe twice, a week to work at the coffee shop...even when I have to open at 5 :30 am. The sun is just rising and it is quite a beautiful, and bloodflowing, way to start the day

So dust off that cruiser and hit the road for your next destination. Your legs as well as your gas tank will love you for it.

puppets on parade

I am always scanning the local paper for new (usually free) things to do. Art notices, volunteer events, etc. Some of them are so-so, but others, like this one, are really cool.

This weekend, I helped make paper mache puppets for the upcoming Summer Solstice parade at Olbrich Park. The theme is Origin of the Species. 2009 marks the bicentenary of Charles Darwin’s birth and the 150th anniversary of the publication of his work ‘On the origin of Species

There were artists making the more traditional cardboard formed paper mache, but I helped on a clay version. This is the beginnings of what will be a 10 foot tall Charles Darwin. See the resemblance ?

Soft molding clay is placed over a form made of plastic bags stuffed with newsprint and cans. After the shape is desired, a sheet of plastic is applied and then the layers of paper are applied. When dried, the paper mask can be lifted off the clay form and painted or decorated. The clay can be re-used again and again to make other faces or forms .

Unlike the cardboard method, when using clay, you can really get more detail as seen below in this version of Mother Earth. The parade will sure to be a feast for the eyes and a welcome celebration for glorious summer.

For more info on the June 21 parade, how to help out and a great paper mache paste recipe from artist Laurie Rossbach check out their blog

green garlic pasta

We picked up our first share from our CSA farm this week. In it was radishes, short stubby carrots, lettuce mix, spinach, scallions and green garlic.

If not familiar with green garlic, it is available in spring and is a little more like green onions than bulb garlic. It has a mild garlic taste, but lacks the sharp spicy bite of raw garlic. Along with the share, our farm, Middlebury Hills send along a newsletter with storage suggestions as well as some recipes. With our inaugural box, we thought we would give an included recipe from Knoll Organic Farms a try.

PENNE with RICOTTA AND GREEN GARLIC SAUCE

I N G R E D I E N T S
1 1/2 cups fresh whole-milk ricotta

1/2 cup finely minced green garlic

2 tablespoons minced parsley

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1 pound dried penne or fusilli pasta

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus grated Parmesan for the table

I N S T R U C T I O N S
Combine the ricotta, green garlic and 1 tablespoon of the parsley in a large bowl; season with salt and pepper. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Just before pasta is done, remove 1/2 cup of the boiling water. Whisk enough of the hot water into the ricotta to make a smooth, creamy sauce. Drain the pasta and add to the sauce along with the butter. Toss well. Add 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese and toss again, adding a little more of the hot water if needed to thin the sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve on warm plates, topping each portion with some of the remaining parsley. Pass additional Parmesan at the table.

It was so fresh and creamy and ready in a snap. if you can't find green or spring garlic in your area, I think scallions or green onions would be a fine sub. Enjoy !

one more time

The next time you throw something in the trash or the recycling, think if that thing can serve another purpose. Even one more use of a disposable item can save tons and tons of trash.

I started a few years back with zip top freezer bags. I often freeze nuts to extend their life, and found each time we ran out, I threw out the bag. I few days/weeks when we replenished the stock, I would start a new bag. My solution was to not only curb my usage of the bags, but also to re-use the ones for the same items. So now when, when I finish the contents, I roll up the labeled bag and store in freezer door until I need it next. It eventually will need replacing, but the bags you will save will astound you. Re-using also makes you more conscious of "where will this go" after I toss it. An invention of convenience, using these bags in excess can reek havoc on our eco system. There are some that maybe can't get the mileage. The chicken you are storing in the freezer for example. Even after washing, it might not be the best to re-use, BUT you can certainly use that same bag for the marinade. One extra time is better than none.

When you start thinking, the possibilities are endless. Use the last of the bread for today's lunch box, why not use the bread bag as your wrap. Deli or take home containers are perfect for a picnic or storing another days leftovers, and all that junk mail.....before recycling, tear open and use the envelope for scratch paper then recycle it. Once you start it is eco-addicting.

Extending the life of an item by using it just one more time is a simple thing all of us can do to make the world a greener place. What are some of the things you have found to re-use ?

30 projects 8 weeks

I am a deadline kind of girl. It helps me stay focused and I have found it is really the best way to get my creative juices flowing.

Last week I hit a breaking point. Staring at the piles and piles of my potential projects was really starting to stress me out. The ideas were all there, it was the follow thru that needs a little jolt. So, instead of going with my first instinct of tossing it all out on MY curb, I thought of something a little more interesting. Restore 30 of my curbside castoffs into desirable and functional works of art in 8 weeks. Why 8 weeks ?...well ONE it is a do-able, yet challenging time frame, and TWO, 8 weeks from now is the Atwood Summerfest here in Madison, Sat July 25th. I am hosting a vendor booth and unveiling the entire collection at the fair. The timing couldn't be better. I am so excited to challenge my brain to come up with unique furniture, artwork, and various knick-knacs. I am going to do a decent amount of local publicity for this one too. I think the community will enjoy seeing how their trash has become inspired treasures.

Expect updates and sneak peaks thru out the 8 weeks, but in no means will my posts become a play by play of each project. That would stress me out even more. Besides, with all the fun summer things going on, you know I can't just limit myself to one topic.