IN YOUR FACE GET 'ER DONE

Practicing what I preach:

So, as some of you have seen before, I keep the 

garage pretty tidy.

However there were a few misc things

 and large pieces hanging around waiting for me

 to get off my duff and do 

something to them or with them.

sorry.. blurry

An old horn case, I already ripped out the guts.

Two sets of beautiful shutters that I have yet to display.

Three picture frames, some bath rods I purchased

 for a client I did not use

 and failed to return, and one of the West Elm

 felted ball wreaths I have yet to disassemble. 

Also remember the door from last week?

it's coming in too.

again blurry... no time to re-shoot ARGH!

Some wire racks I use for shows, but 

meanwhile I could use in the house.

Some bits of this and that.

Some nice old hooks from my Dad,

2 bobeches, ivory knobs, star and moon hooks,

bunny key rack and vintage drawer pulls.

So, another trick I use to push myself is, I haul junk

 into my kitchen where I stumble over it, and it forces

 me to make a decision. I plan to have this all in use

by the end of the week.  Another idea is to broadcast your intentions and your deadline to a very wide audience and 

embarrass yourself if you don't get it done. lol

Another sticking point, and we ALL have them...

is this table on my outside porch. A nice tea stained 

tablecloth and pretty ordinary looking basket of silk flowers.

Not horrible, but not much effort put into it.

This was here all last winter, and it is the view from

my kitchen window. Not so inspiring...

This table has to be covered because at least

ten years ago, I cut this plywood circle with

 the intention of doing a mosaic top...

and it never happened.

Meanwhile I covered with various tablecloths 

which were always dirty from

 the desert winds and fading from the sun.

So in my face, I BEGIN to get it done!

I  have already installed the two bronze bath rods 

on the porch and hung 2 pair of old 

tab top curtains I ran through Rit Dye

 about 2 hours ago. They look like regular rods

 because of their color and decorative ends.

Dug through some paint and have the brushes 

ready to do the plywood in the next hour.

Have ideas for both the black hooks 

the bunny key rack, and the old door.

The clock is ticking...

stay tuned and wish me luck.

Z

Told You So

Please excuse this small inside 

token of conversations 

I have had over the past few weeks.

Discussions of what is valued

by me and my friends.

Staying true to ourselves and maintaining

authentic lives in a sometimes difficult 

and misleading world, both the real one and in blog land.

Making sure my compass points true north.

I told you guys I would do it,

fly a banner 

that's not just "about the pretty."

Thank you my dear friends for always being there,

and letting my voice be heard in a safe and 

nurturing environment. 

Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art... 

It has no survival value; 

rather it is one of those things that give value to survival.
C. S. Lewis

GUEST HOST PART II

So I'm back with Parts 2 and 3

over at Donna's.

 If you are new to Everyday Elegance, 

be sure and scroll back to prior posts on Organizing.

Donna has completed an entire series on 

organizing with other guest hosts,

and there is a wealth of information 

 tucked into her blog, alongside all the 

beautiful photographs.

Be sure and visit Tinker House.

Please pop over for a visit and let her know

 you stopped in by leaving her a comment.

I was tickled to do this guest host, and I 

am glad I overcame my nervousness.

It is good to stretch out of our comfort zone. 

Now I want to do one on my blog, hmmm? 

who shall I ask?

In all her glory will return May 1.

I have learned that some have a misconception

 of what is allowable for a PG contribution,

and therefore believed they had nothing to contribute. 

It is obvious that I have made it seem as if 

"grand" notions are necessary. Not so, and I am 

sorry if it seemed that way.

Some will have big gestures, some may

 contain 2 lines of copy.

Information sharing is the key.

Although the rules still apply as to no self

promotion of your wares, shops or your

 recent thrifting adventure, the 

rest remains pretty broad and wide reaching.

You can link to sites about environmentalism,

like I just did about the Decorah Eagles

(yes I am still addicted) or maybe you have discovered some fabulous new organic product to share.

Perhaps you know of some pending legislation

 that we should know about?

It is about affecting the planet in positive ways.

As we get closer to MAY 1st I'll help with

 some guides in the right direction.

Meanwhile, commit to participating and 

join us May 1st.

Change the World.

thanks for being here...

you matter so much to me, I cannot put 

it into words.

The friendships I have made here, well,

I cherish them, and hope someday to meet 

you guys face to face. 

Z

GUEST HOST ON DONNA'S BLOG

Today I am a guest host on Donna's Blog Everyday Elegance.

Click on that link to visit Donna and read my posts.

I was thrilled to be asked, my very first time,

 and also I was very nervous, 

because I was going to discuss the nitty gritty stuff

 of organizing. We all know this is a difficulty

 for many and for some it is interfering 

with the enjoyment of their lives. No light topic here,

for sure, but I hope some of the ideas and philosophies 

I will put forth, today and tomorrow will help 

some of you in some way.

Please feel free to email me with any questions.

Suzan

Bunnies and Bears and oh EAGLES

...and a few roses ( maybe 30 packages?) YIKES!

Thanks to Beth I am now addicted to THIS

My studio table is covered in stuff, 

completed and in the process stuff, 

and I should not be stopping to watch Eagles.

But oh, just try to stop!

My computer is not in the same room,

so I am running up and down the stairs

 trying to get everything done and in

 a few hours I am helping a friend do some

 bulletin boards at her school for an event.

Some of the roses etc will be loaded into

 the shop but many are headed to a friend's

booth this weekend.

The timing is right for White Wednesday

and Bloggers Bodega.

Whew, I don't have time for anything else today,

I have Eagles to watch.

Now folks this is reality TV I can get behind.

To hell with Kim, Chloe, Snooky, Kate and 

the kagilllion others that offer up garbage compared

to this majesty and wonder.

Want to make the next generation care a bit 

more about the planet?

Loop this non stop at homes and school cafeterias. 

Consider this Project Genesis for April since we skipped.

...and yes it will return in May,

 so put your thinking caps on girlfriends.

Now I have to ponder moving the computer

upstairs to the studio. hmmmm? 

BITS AND PIECES - THIS AND THAT

This beauty came from my SIL Sarah.

(and yes, she sells them - they are beautiful - ask me)

We were together last week playing with

 other friends and they were all beading and I was, 

of course making more roses.

They are going to a local sale this weekend, 

but if interested in some more white ones, 

let me know, I have quite a few dozen.

About 1/4th of the way through this necklace

 I leaned over and said "keep me in mind while

 you are making it; it will be going home with me."

My postal lady thought perhaps it was my birthday week

 because several other treasures also came my way.

Erin made me these adorable doily baskets, see

how she made them HERE.

They were filled with chocolate... now, where did that chocolate go?

Connie sent me this sewn text garland which is 

perfect for me and a handmade journal with

 the cutest little Scotties and ruffled edge. 

I always seem to smash the small paper

 notebooks in my purse, so this will be my

 newest tool to stay organized. 

I am so grateful to you my friends.

Thank you for all the great comments

 and emails on my Just Sayin' Post.

Sorry I scared a couple of you,

 but I think we have the facts all squared away now.

It was a much grander issue than I thought,

 which was borne out by the numerous emails

 discussing it with me, while afraid to comment publicly.

I have said it again and again.

Play nice.

At the post office on Friday I observed a screaming fight between two patrons, one male about thirty,

 fuming about the wait in line ( he'd been there all of 4 minutes ) and an elderly woman who

 loudly said with a snarky tone 

"well then go ahead of me if you are in such a big hurry." 

Next thing they are shouting at each other in

 front of everyone including several children

 also in the lobby.

 It ended with him making a very crude comment

 about her weight and out he stormed.

Pause here please while I sigh, and shake my head in disgust.

If adults set this example for our youth is there any hope 

for kindness and courtesy in our futures?

Speaking of our futures, I'm almost done ( lol)

Project Genesis was absent this month.

Only two people inquired about it.

I would love to continue but it appeared

 to me that there was not much interest or else it 

is merely a time thing with so many other parties

 that help some of you promote your shows and shops,

and we all know how time is a balancing act here.

I also think that there was confusion as

 to what was permitted as material. 

It need not be elaborate,

 just informative and not self promoting.

So...I still feel it is an extremely important discussion

especially in light of what we have just witnessed

in Japan, and the current global conferences on glacier 

melting, but you need to tell me if you wish to continue.

I adore the decorating, the white, the antiques, the food,

as much as you all do but I try to be/do more than that. 

 I am a citizen of the world and for the world. 

My analytical shows a ginormous jump

 on PG days, even with only a handful participating,

so it has other value to you beyond
 just caring for the planet, it still promotes your blog.

Heifer International

one of my favorite charities, currently has 

corporations matching your donations

 so your money is doubled, sometimes tripled.

Once again, caring for the planet, and each other.

OK, I'm finished,

Go in peace.

Suzan

.

A DOOR

Yep, that would be my favorite door.

Why, you may ask am I showing you a door?

Chania's  photo challenge for this week was...DOOR

This baby has just the right shade of cream 

and crackle and chips and sadly,

 right this minute resides in the garage. HORRORS!

When I rearranged this area in the family room,  

it lost it's home and has as yet to find a new one.

When friends see it propped up unceremoniously in the garage I always hear,

"if you are going to get rid of that door..."

Sorry gals, this wooden gem is going to come 

back into the house one of these days...

along with the two sets of shutters 

you guys all covet also.

mean, evil Suzan lol

maybe in the newly altered bath hmmm?

JUST SAYIN'

Something Pretty

Something bugging me.

I and several of my friends have 

noticed another disturbing trend in blog land.

More and more bloggers are altering their post times,

throughout a day or several days so that their

post "pops" back up to the top of the blog roll,

over and over again.

Now, I get the need some folks have to be 

seen in order to sell or to promote themselves, I mean

we are founded on free enterprise but here is the 

"bug" in this kind of business. 

Many of us, myself included, rely on

 our blog roll updates to keep track of posts 

by our friends and our favorites. 

I know I can use reader, but mostly I refer to my roll,

A quick glance lets us know what is new, 

and we don't waste time checking 

through previously viewed blog posts, or miss one 

because the times posted have been altered on us.

Haven't you noticed comments to you like

 " I don't know how I missed this post of yours?"

THIS IS WHY THEY MISSED YOUR POST

Being able to trust post times 

 allows us all more time to actually 

visit friends via emails or comments, 

which is something all of us

 time deprived bloggers desire.

When bloggers re-post their times

 it throws the whole thing

out of whack. I have heard from at least

 10 other bloggers about this in the last 2 months,

concerning their own blog rolls,

and it is NO LONGER going unnoticed.

Free speech and free choices out here,

of course, but all of us need to/should play nice.

To me, this is the equivalent of people who

 go into stores ahead of a sale and hide what 

they want to buy when the sale starts, 

and then prance in the next morning

 when the sale is on and pull out their prize 

from a place where no one else would find it.

It just isn't nice, and people, please, we are adults; 

no longer in grade school.

Most of us were taught to play nice 

and follow the golden rule,

and I do not want to anger or embarrass

 anyone who IS doing it,

I am merely trying to say very politely, please stop.

My blog roll is for my personal use;

 for me to follow my friends and also hopefully, to 

introduce others equally to my favorite people.

Please stop cutting in line.

My 6th grade teacher Miss Weber

 taught me not to do that.

Just sayin'

Now, here is a puppy.

(cute overload)

z