Summer Fete 2012 {Tips part 1.}

This is our cast of characters for the evening. There will be 6 couples; lo and behold this fun old photo had the same number. I numbered them and will name them after our guests and use for props or at each place setting. { I'm hoping we can retake our group photo posing exactly the same way as above!!}

A busy mom's tips:
Do laundry everyday regardless of having a party or not. I do 2-3 loads a day and fold & put away.
I even stick a load in the wash before or after church, I don't fold and it greets me bright & early Monday morning!

Having piles of laundry the day of a party is no fun and it just feels better keeping it up.

*Realize that only a fraction of your ideas will come to fruition. Unless you have a small army on hand to cut, stamp and assemble it isn't going to happen. Be ok with it.....simple is more. If you do  a highly detailed event give yourself 3 months ahead or more if you have small children.

*Do the grocery shopping 2 days before this is important. I can tell you I have waited until the day of and it's not pretty.

*Check weather and always have a backup plan. Since no rain is in sight I went ahead and set up my areas. It's going to be hot, hot, hot so for Friday evening so we moved the dinner to 7:30.

Clear clutter a couple days before you clean your house, makes cleaning go smoother.

Make a list of things that you need to cut or gather from the garden.

Gather together all your tableware and put them in a basket to carry outside. Have another basket for supplies, etc you will need outside so your not running in & out of house a zillion billion times.

Gage where the sun will be at the time of meal and move table so it's in the shade. Makes for better pictures and keeps your guests comfortable. Get lighting hooked up a couple of days before so extension cords, light bulbs & candles are ready to go!

Weeding---some things you just don't have time for.  Remember you cannot do everything. {Well I can't anyway!}

Bases for concrete sink--hurry, hurry!

I will post on food, etc. soon.......I'm heading to pick up some things ahead of time!

Planning {styling & farm to table event}

Another sneak peek of a collaborative styling project I'm working on.......I'm loving playing a kind of "merchandising" stint! Some days I miss stacking, arranging & piling! Anyone else?

 {Party planning}

 Farm to table party that will happen at our brick farmhouse next week on June 29th. Think fresh, simple food & dining alfresco on our harvest table.........{my mother is letting me borrow white chairs, thank you-thank you} {maybe even a church pew or 2 for socializing by the evening campfire!}

I give a lot of credit to the amazing Alice Waters {Chez Panisse} for pioneering a lot of the farm to table movement. She is amazing and if you have a chance, the dining experience is worth every penny---I will never forget the simplicity & authenticity of her restaurant. {We ate there for lunch}

My 8 year stint in California furthered my love of good food that my mother started in her backyard large garden. She canned everything under the sun and then some. We couldn't go swimming until the peas were shelled and the beans snapped!

P.S. We are having a grown-ups party--no littles this time! Fun to do that every once in a while......gives couples a chance to have a date night........& that is just plain healthy!

Prepping for that party this weekend. I'm hot & sweaty already this morning from cleaning!  My dear husband is working on installing our vintage concrete factory sink in the garden! Will be so nice to have that in the garden to rinse vegies and little dirty feet & hands.........

Oh, Jill from Sew a Fine Seam is working on linen roman shades for our house. Goal is to have front of the house windows completely done before the party! Expect a tutorial and tips from Jill--we she learned a lot from the first one we she worked on this past Thursday at my house. Thanks Jill......

May your weekend be bountiful......

An Auction + Winners!

Auction Troy, Ohio

 First up:
Congratulations to Jill ,  Susan Baldwin & Sarah Beth for winning Jeanne Oliver's Creatively Made Class! Have fun learning, you will love having Jeanne teach you......

 I suppose I still have some auction how-to's to learn. There really is an art to bidding.....& I don't have it down pat in the least!

The friend I was with accidentally leaned on the doorbell while the furs were selling inside. Think of the old style ding- dong that chimed through the entire first floor and sends the maid flying to the front door. I missed the entire thing, but the retelling of the story was funny too! Classic! Makes for a fun story to tell her kids when they are older!

 This place was decorated in 1960's & 70's and then the lady of the house stopped decorating then. The house's interior design is now back in style. {if you are into the Midcentury looks}

 The auction company said they rarely come across auctions like this one. While they were staging for the auction $700,000 worth of jewelry was found in various places in the house, crazy.  The jewelry and other valuable items headed to auction houses in Chicago. They threw a way a couple of dumpsters full of stuff before the auction and there was tons of stuff still left for the auction.

 I didn't watch the furs sell although heard some interesting stories. The lady of the house had notes as to what went with what. Purses that would match certain outfits were noted. I have never seen so many purses. Below is a small sampling of them.......

 This would've made Apartment Therapy's blog and it's all original!

 The paint color was a yellow/green.

 Shucks, there was even a fancy party room---think 70's and you get the picture. It's ok, if I didn't snap  a pic of it!

 Some of my purchases, including a $20 chair.

 If I want to make another pillow? No problem I found another roll of the same chair fabric in this tent. The chair was c. 1973 on the tag, 1 year older than me. haha. There was boxes and boxes of fabric and entire rolls of fabric. I felt like I was in JcPenny, etc. museum.
{I don't know if I will keep the fabric on the chair?? }

 House down the street from the auction.....very Main Street America.

 We stopped in at the Lost Creek Show in beautiful Elizabeth Township outside of Troy.

 I didn't purchase anything just enjoyed the lovely surroundings......

 Deb's garden house for dining.......

 Expressions of the Home's tent, I enjoy her style. Diana has a brick & mortar shop in Troy!

 I picked up some patterns for Vivi and handed the fabric and details over to her Grandma to sew it up!

 The $15 dollar fountain I found at the auction....yes, it's missing a piece on the back where the water would pour out. We will find something at the concrete place to suffice.

 Finally! Finishing capping the stone wall.........We just need one more 16 x 16 stone for one of the end pillar thing-ys. We  Matt will need to go sort through a pile at our friend's house. Happy it's basically finished.

{Luke sold treats at the garage sale}

 Had a garage sale last weekend.  I was crazy, Matt was gone Monday -Thursday....what was I thinking? I was feeding Vivian her breakfast and people showed up at 8:30. I don't think I will have another garage sale for a looooong time. No early birds for this momma!

 Hanging out at the pond...... the kids had a happy Saturday afternoon.

 Wishing you a blessed week.....
xo

Creatively Made Class Giveaway {Jeanne Oliver}

A Giveaway for 3 spots for Jeanne Oliver's Creatively Made class!

This "online journey with art as your companion" will make your summer

blissful along with iced coffee of course........

If you would love to take a fantastic class & be refreshed learning some new things or to expand what you already know; Jeanne has a way to get you inspired with these online video classes.

You know there are some days all you seem to do is laundry, dishes and more laundry.

We hit the high spots, neglect our baseboards and often want to be learning new things & being a tad artistic. So, set aside your magic eraser and instead of wiping crayon off the walls pick up swell things like Stabilo pencils, old photos & many more fun supplies. You'll be visiting Dick Blick in a jiffy and forgeting the diaper aisle for a bit!  We want some of you to take a break from googling "Potty training in day"! Hooray!

{Oh, Jeanne also shows you tours of studios so you'll be encouraged to set

up a space of your own. We all love to peek into artist's creative spaces!}

::::W A T C H *V I D E O for details::::

1 entry: leave an artsy comment below for a chance to enter! 

+

2 entries: leave a snappy comment on our FB page or yours!

+

 3 entries: write about it on your blog log!
+
4 entries: fly to your branch and tweet it!
+
5 entries: head over to your bulletin board & PIN it!

do all 5 = 5 big ole' entries!
{Contest ends Friday June 16th at 12pm EST}
 

 Below is a description of the class {You will love Jeanne, she is a great teacher & funny to boot!}

Join me, Jeanne Oliver, for a four week online course rediscovering the beauty of your gifts. 

Follow this link to see a quick video about the course

In this four week journey art will be your companion to help you remember what you were made for all along.

Week One-Accepting the gifts you were given
Week Two- Perspective changes everything
Week Three-Growing your gifts
Week Four- Letting Go

Each week will include mixed media how-to videos, PDFs, templates, written explanations, themed videos, Q&A time, guest artists, assignments and inspiration.

We will cover mixed media, journal making, journal techniques, collage, leather and metal stamping, charcoal drawing, image transfers, santos dolls and much more.   All of the art techniques taught will go along with the course and will make the whole experience even more meaningful and fun!

Multiple Art How-To Videos

*Mixed Media collaging and techniques

*Creating Mixed Media Vintage Girls with Templates

* Leather and Metal Stamping

*Creating Your Own Mixed Media Collage with Templates

*Vintage Art Journals from old books

*Creating Your Own Dream Journal

*Journaling techniques

*Incorporating Old Photos into your art

*Incorporating Vintage Hardware into your art

*Creating your own Santos Doll (guest artist)

*“Painting” with Stabilo pencils

There will also be fun studio tours to encourage you to make space for yourself and your gifts.  You will be inspired by videos from many of the creative women in my life as they share bits of their heart and journey embracing the gifts that they have.

The class will begin June 18, 2012 and will run for four weeks.   The classroom (and all the videos) will be open until October 31, 2012.  This will give you plenty of time to watch all of the videos and complete your projects at your own pace.

I hope you will join me on this journey!

Expand your horizons! Sign up here

Springfield Extavaganza & More.......

Peonies, 2 years after planting they are becoming more established! Love them.....
Note: Where have I been? My life in pictures these last couple of weeks

Getting ready for the Folk show in May.....one rule I had was use supplies that were on hand. I even used a stamp from my CA shop days!

Stamens in a divided wood box

The vintage galvanized tin metal sheets--were recovered from my brother's "metal pile" last fall!

Green glassware; one of my favorites

Assorted vintage finds.......

Displaying things "mercantile style".........

Love the things Kathy finds......{findings @ summerhouse}

Stash made a presence.....

These chairs were stacked in a fun "teetering display"

Scene from the Folk magazine area.....

McMaster & Storm

Brushes and this & that..... McMaster & Storm

Judith of Bloomsbury Loft.....she is always so vivacious and a blast to talk shop with!

Bloomsbury Loft's assemblage of pillows.......

Love the office sign.....

This guy sold out of these chairs

Creative Displays.....

Fun displays at the Vintage Marketplace {Springfield Extravaganza}

This booth had 2 twin beds; matching already sold of course!

On a Monday we made our errand running more fun with a pit stop at Chipotle.....here I ran into Katie of Katie's Pencil Box! That was a fun surprise!

Relatives visiting from Kansas......my first cousin Sara! She is 16 years younger than me and her mom is 16 years older than me. We have a ball together--I keep thinking she should finish her Master's in Ohio.....hint!

The upstairs Butler's pantry at Coldwater Cafe in Tipp City. I couldn't resist snapping a photo as I loved this practical & pretty wee service kitchen!

We ate outside & pretended our vacation was a week long and not just a day long!

Tea please!

The food at Coldwater is fresh and homemade.......

Details I liked on this linen top.......{shopping Tipp City}

Awesome pine cabinet marked down to $285....

It has adjustable shelves and would be a great larder for your kitchen! {or storage for a bathroom!}

Old store crate.....loved it however, it was out of my budget.

Another lovely display from Kathy {findings @ summerhouse}