nutella

When you make several dozen of your famous chocolate chip cookies and mail them all to your kids....when you scooped out the last of the mint chocolate chip ice cream a week ago....when there are no bags of chocolate chips, because of the afore mentioned cookies..when you have searched both fridges and found cheeses and baked ham and veggies but NOTHING even remotely sweet...you grab a soup spoon and twist off the top of a perfectly smooth, brand new jar of nutella and aahhhh...
c'mon, like you've never done it! It's a nutella and spoon kind of evening.

BEFORE

This is the right side of the "before" this morning. I never did get the left, and there are five stuffed to the gills tables inside the garage. We are very happy, very tired and very glad it is OVER!

Preview Sale

HOLY COW! We are a third of the way toward my HOPEFUL, (not even my expected tally for the whole sale) just from the preview sale! We are so thankful to those of you who came out to support us this evening and we know many treasures found wonderful new homes. Hopefully we'll see the rest of you tomorrow bright and early. 5:30 is SO early........

Special thanks to Ann and her Mom, whose name has slipped my mind, it was a long day:-(, Stephanie, Carol, Heather, Lynn, Margaret and Sue. Thanks to Heather and Margaret for helping us price.

We'll be back at it at 7am tomorrow and I promise to post a "before" of the madness. Everyone who attended tonight went home with boxes and boxes and BOXES of stuff, and it still doesn't look like we made a dent!

I also lined up a couple more October clients after they realized what could be accomplished with their "stuff ". I'm thrilled and cannot wait to get started. As my niece reminded me tonight, it is odd that I get almost giddy with excitement to do something that most people despise doing almost more than anything else. Yeah well, maybe odd, but organized!

Happy Weekend everyone and Sarah, did you know it is going to be 73 on Wednesday? (hehe)

Should I mention the soft porn, I mean Romance novels? Ha! GOTCHA!

The SALE

The SALE ( capitals necessary): Well, you see that is where I have been the past three weeks (and why no White Wednesday) and where I hope a lot of you will be this Saturday.

This project is a labor of love and friendship. Anne, a feisty, redheaded Texas broad with a heart of gold loved and adored her only child, a daughter. Playing alone for most of her childhood, the little girl treasured her toys and dolls while Anne collected vintage treasures of her own. She saved every piece of schoolwork that her daughter brought home, every precious plastic pony she played with. She rescued broken pieces of furniture, and planned to repair them some day. Political buttons, and pop memorabilia were tucked away because they would be "worth money." Anne collected dolls and supervised her own doll hospital. Opening trunks of beheaded and maimed doll parts was a little weird and sad. Everything was to be saved, "I might need it some day"..."my daughter loved this so."

Anne was so beloved by her daughter that upon her passing everything was put into storage, too painful to deal with at the time. Many years later, sadness continues but the time has come to deal. With overwhelming, leaning towers of boxes and bins, we have waded through the memories and the memorabilia and decided what is to stay, what is to go. It is not as simple as deciding what Tupperware is past it's prime, or tossing unworn clothing, though we have done that too. It has been a combined generational purge from Great Grandma to Great Grandson. Saving what is precious and pricing what is profitable.

This process has dominoed into an epiphany for my client. "It stops here." Piggybacked onto the former purge is a clean sweep of the clients archives and storage of her own. As drawers began to de-clutter, and closets were swept clean, hearts were no longer burdened with what "we should deal with." We've dealt with most of it, (a bit remains) and the culmination is the SALE. I've been inspired to clear out some cobwebs in my domain and I have added some bits of my own.

Have these same or similar issues? I am currently booking fall dates, would love to assist, and I am working at economy driven rates.

Dear Friend

My dear friend Paula is going through a difficult patch this weekend. Please hold her and her family in your thoughts and prayers, even if you don't personally know her sweet and giving heart. Please send all those good thoughts out into the universe, and they will find their way.

Skeletons Explained

I have had several inquiries this morning about the skeleton's in yesterday's post. I thought it would be faster to just repeat this post from 10/4/08 to explain where they came from. I do miss polished. I loved contributing my ideas there, because Beth challenged me every month, and that is great for the energy and creative flow. SO many good things ended because of this drat economy.

10/4/08


Just walked to the mailbox and this was waiting for me. October's cover of polished features my Skeleton couple and I am thrilled! I guess all three Stoddards are having a good month. I am very grateful to Managing Editor Beth Schwartz and Contributing Photographer Jim Decker who make every shoot so much fun and offer encouragement and valuable advice.

White Wednesday rolls around AGAIN?

funny thing:

Most of my house is primitive white, yet I am beginning to have difficulty finding things for White Wednesday. Maybe that is not the issue, maybe it is that White Wednesday rolls around every three days. No really, that is what it feels like. It comes two days after the weekend, and my weekends are insane and go by in a blur and Fridays aren't much better. It seems like there is Wednesday, then Thursday, then its Monday again, and Tuesday night I try to take pics cause there is that $#@%^ Wednesday again! Now I love White Wednesday, and thank our creator Kathleen over at Faded Charm, but until it gets at least to late October....


or late November


and I can post pics like those, it may be slim pickin' around here.
Please stop by over there at White Wednesday to see all the great participants.
<--------------------------------------

A Wicked Sense of Humor

A quick look at three of the projects from the October 3rd Gathering. I'm saving the rest to surprise attendees, but they will be blog posted after Gathering Day. Deadline for registration is this Saturday. A limited amount of kits will be available for those who are unable to attend. Those must be ordered by 9/13 and purchased by 9/18. Cost is $45.00. Postage not included. Email if you are interested. All supplies are included when you attend a class, and the kits will contain the major materials, but since all students are able to share my tools and studio supplies, the kits will not contain those items.



Wool felt cone, appliqued, beaded, then topped with black
chenille rick rack


King Midnight- glittered, silver leafed and royal


Materials to make two pumpkins in choice of sizes and materials

Unfortunately this needs to be said; tiresome, but necessary:
All patterns, photos, and designs are the sole property of oldgreymare and may not be reproduced in any format without my permission.

NYU update

So many of you have kindly asked how the NYU experience is going and all is well. I knew darling daughter would have no problem, she thrives wherever she is planted. I must add a secret little hello to Vivian who stops by here occasionally. Hope all is going well for you dear and I also did GREEK and it was a wonderful experience. One of my "sisters" married my brother!

As for dearest son, he is just the busiest guy in the Northwest. He has exciting and inspiring plans that are all coming together in his newly formed company and I'm so proud of him, my buttons are busting. OK, they may be busting for other reasons, dang those pumpkin chocolate chip cookies that come out in the fall! And the pumpkin lattes at Starbucks. Killers! Anyway....dearest son is doing fabulous also.

Concerning the empty nest, I have been very busy with oldgreymare business and that seems to have done the trick for now.

Thank you for the inquiries, I appreciate the warmth and good wishes.

A reminder:

A Wicked Sense of Humor
October 3, 2009
11:00-5:00

$ 80.00

Each Gathering is a day long retreat where we create many projects. Some you will complete at this gathering, others you may finish at home.The number of projects varies with each event. A sit down meal with wine and dessert is included. All Materials for the projects are included.

Space for this Gathering is limited to eight students and on a first come, first serve basis. Payment will be required to secure your space and is non-refundable. Please register by September 12th.

oldgreymare reserves the right to cancel Gatherings if desired class size is not met. Full refunds will be given if this occurs.

Come join me as we share good food, great company and create wonderful folk art. It is a day of rejuvenation. It is a day away from the job, the family, and the chores. It is a day dedicated to you and your imagination and creativity. Reconnect with friends and make new ones.

* RELAX * LAUGH * CREATE * LEARN * SHARE *

To register please email
sstoddard3@cox.net

*Upon registration you will receive a tools list if needed.

Error no more! White Wednesday #7

I was just leaving for work and tried one more time and error repaired!

**oldgreymare business alert** Fabulous collectible garage sale tentatively scheduled for the 26th.
Watch upper left corner for announcement. Scads of holiday items!

Now, back to White Wednesday

My spice cabinet- originally on a boat


another of Mom's favorite prints


corbels


corbels and angels - a great pair



OK not white, but my nickname is Z
so, Z's whites!

ERROR!

ERROR ERROR

That is what it kept saying as I tried to upload photos for white Wednesday. Blogger must be down or they're doing an update right now. I have tried for over an hour this morning but now I have to get to a client's home and work my magic.

I will try again when I get home, but by then it will have to be an "almost" Wednesday, since by then it will be Thursday.

Everyone enjoy all the other posts over there under the White Wednesday link, and visit amazing whites and meet some lovely women.

What is junk and what is treasure?

To you locals who knew about the garage sale, another has come and gone. I have been working with a client, clearing out some long term storage issues and to speed things along, we had a very short notice garage sale today down in old Vegas and we did well! Much better than the client hoped for and we even surpassed my set goal. I always have a realistic goal and a shoot for the moon goal. Today we approached lunar orbit. Yee-ha!

We will be having another in about a month and this one will feature holiday collectibles similar to the last sale at my home. So, if you liked that one, you may not want to miss the next. If you wish to be alerted for these sales, please ask me via email to be notified.

Thanks to all who stopped by to shop and visit. We love ya!

There are still three spaces in the Gathering "A Wicked Sense of Humor". Registration is ending very soon. If you have questions concerning a Gathering, please contact me and I will be happy to explain how the Gatherings work, and also describe how the organizing and design side of oldgreymare operates.

Spring is the traditional time to get organized but seriously, isn't any time a good time to deal with all our "stuff?" If you combine an organizing sweep through your home with a garage sale you will have extra money for the Holidays fast approaching. (102 days...no way!) In honor of the holiday spirit I am offering reduced rates- please inquire.

Have a good long weekend everyone. As I reminded a friend today. Labor Day and Memorial Day are huge organ transplant days for a reason. Be careful, stay safe.

New York August 09

"boy did you get lucky!" That is what we heard all weekend as I moved my daughter into her dorm. She got the newly refurbished part of the dorm, an apartment style dorm. New appliances, carpet, paint. Brand new cafeteria, IN her dorm, no walking in the snow and rain to go eat.

We arrived fully prepared for a 4 hour nightmare just to get an elevator (we had been warned) and in less than 10 minutes from the time our driver dropped us at the curb, we had a huge cart for the eight bags and were heading up the elevator. 45 minutes later I had her unpacked and put away. We chose the right time and we were organized to the TTTTTT. When we returned to the lobby about 2 hours later there were now over fifty families lined up waiting hours to get an elevator and when we returned about 4 hours later the lines were still there and growing. Boy, did we get lucky.

Most of my four days were spent making trips to Kmart, Trader Joes and to a cute little place a block away that is a treasure trove of STUFF for college dorms. I pulled the plastic out of my wallet often. Even though we had prepared and packed amazingly well, there is always some last minute stuff, like a curtain for her closet- it has no doors, and a bathroom plunger, again, we were warned. She needed food, the cafeteria did not open until today. Winter boots were necessary, we found a great sale at Macy's and thanks to Aunt Susan's Graduation gift card, scored a great pair.

I did manage a quick trip here

Times Square in the rain

and here:Tinsel Trading- I have always wanted to see this


Hannah will see this out her window- it is her new world

It all passed in a blur of busy. I left her happy, excited and
already making friends. Slipping through my fingers.

We waited all summer for this trip to arrive and now it is done and suddenly the world is a different one. Colors and sounds are not the same. Walking on a different unfamiliar path.
Every time I feel I'm close to knowing...Think I need to sit down for a while. It's all good.


**sorry no white Wednesday post this week-jet lagged