The Favored Branch, dancing with its friend the "Lovely French Hotel Door" has officially said farewell to its Christmas Vintage bulbs and Wendy Addison Glittery Snowflakes...And in the same breath opens its fragile arms to Devilish Angels and Lovely Fish, amongst others...And yes, The Branch has decided to stay forever, for now...
I am slow and sad to say good-bye to Holiday ornaments. However, I decided that miniature Christmas balls in teal and pink can stay up all the time...Some silver and gold too...What do you think?
I wish you could see what I see when I open my little eyes in the morning...I see dots of light fluttering on the walls, sparkling from my lovely Branch...
And, the Devilish Ornaments Emerge...They've had a rough trip...from the little shop, into the carpet bag, and finally at their new home...To meet the mermaids, fish, stars, and oh so many others...
I am having quite a lot of fun with my little tree...Although my anxiety to get into the studio and work is starting to boil over...OH YES!! Must not forget my new little friends...Cinderella gave me the most wonderful Birthday gift!! Busy Bugs!! I love them... and they dance to one of the little tunes Cinderella remembers me playing on the piano...the theme to Love Story...You also get to see my disastrous dressing table and a couple pics of me and Mr. Lovee, who would like to remain anonymous...wink...
I LOVE these little guys...You should see them spin and dance...They are from a fabulous toy shop in Tucson called "Yikes!" ( which Cinderella used to be a part of) They have all sorts of wonderful unusual toy items there...You would love spending extended amounts of time in this little shop!!!
I spent 2 hours yesterday cleaning 60 or more years of soot off of my typewriter. I used a toothbrush, a vacuum brush... Everything I could think of... The numbers still stick...I have had it for 2 years and all of a sudden became obsessed with making it work...I hid my little hand inside of it.. and that little heart you see the hand holding...it is a traditional heart in my world...You see, Mr. Lovee paints a little rock shaped like a heart either red or fuchsia for every important occasion. My Birthday, etc. This one is the most recent acquisition. Funny enough, they started really big and are getting smaller and smaller...I think I have 6 to date...This one lives here, in my loftish space. At the townhouse I have a handful...You'll see them one day...
The cabinet the typewriter sits on is one that all the men in my life told me was trashed.. would never work...it has been washed, hammered, screwed, and scrubbed...I was handed a can of cherry varnish and sent off after Dino (exquisite delights about Dino to come very soon) made the final repair...Guess what? I took my little satin varnish I use on my paintings to it...And the weathered awful look of my cabinet went away...its natural color emerged. I love it!!! I used no cherry wood stain. Nothing, just water soluble simple varnish. One coat and I am in love!
My palm-of-the-hand size "Good-egg Bad-egg" tree (which I made myself) and I are sitting here...Thinking it really is time to go see if "Little Miss Tea Stained gown's" face is dry so that we can start with lips and eyes...Speaking of tea stained ("Inside the Black Apple" blogged about this a few days ago)...I would have to say that I am a pro at it. Ask if you need tips. I think next week I will do a little tea staining tutorial. For this gown, I hated it just off-white, so, I tea stained it after the fact, with a spray bottle tea concoction!! It was fantastic.. Easy! and I love the results....You? (it is great in person)
Forgot to puff up those wacky hand stitched insane sleeves for your viewing pleasure...Insane because of the way I sewed them into place for 3 hours...While already on the body. I was a little backwards with this one...Live and learn...
I almost forgot!! Have to make a little gift for Mr.Ireland. The Lightning Engineer himself. He is back from County Cork Ireland, causing havoc in the skies in his plane - and just called to remind me of the fine day he was born all those years ago, which is looming (I am horrid at B-days, all my lovelies know to remind me, I guess because my gifts are so thoughtful, more thoughtful than my memory??) How many years ago are we talking about??? maybe only 33?or 32? or 28? ps: He is going to kill me when he sees this picture. hehe. I made him ride this bull in "Old Tucson" during Halloween "Nightfall" and then I snapped a pic. Happy Birthday Doll!!
I am off to the studio...Ten steps and three stairs away...