Sniff Sniff...

I'm so sorry for my absence here again lately, but allergy season has started in full force in my little mountain town.  This is not unusual for this time of year of course, but what is unusual is the severity of the allergies that have descended into our town.

I remember thinking that it's been a hot mess around here as everywhere I've gone lately, people are sniffing and sneezing and rubbing their eyes.  So, I'm not alone...and everyone who happens to be sniffing and sneezing and rubbing their eyes have all complained that this is one of the worst allergy seasons they can remember.

Myself included.

I've had to double up on the pills I take a couple of time, and it still didn't prevent me from getting some pretty severe flu-like symptoms this last week.  Although, I've talked to a few people who say when they get allergies, they actually feel like they have the flu (which is new to me)  So, I've been taking it a bit easy the last few days and trying to get over whatever it is that I have, be it flu or allergies.

Luckily we just got some more snow (yipes!) yesterday, so I think it's tamped down the pollen for a bit...I'll let you know.

Now We're Cookin'...

Just in case you're looking for new vintage goodies for your kitchen...we've got them at Snap Snap.

This is the beauty of having so much room and a creative partner such as my mother...who is also a vintage textile lover.  We have plenty of linens in stock and more coming in every day.

Including a much overlooked little basket of linens for 10 cents.  I'm unsure of why it is overlooked, as it's right at the front next to our front counter, but there you go.  Perhaps it's the startling low price?  But I can almost guarantee that of you dig around you can find a whole set of napkins or a few little towels, perfect for home projects you need single linens for or if you're just looking to replace throw away paper towels for meal times...

Let There Be Light...

As I've recently mentioned, there's a lot of redesign going on around Foolsewoode...A whole lot.  It's not that I don't love the things I've spent a lifetime collecting, but some of the things have had to go to other parts and rooms, and some things have had to completely go and find new homes all together.

And my bedside lamps are no exception.

Which was kind of a surprise to me.

I always enjoyed my bedside lamps, one my father designed and made, and one I received as a gift many years ago.  The one that my father made has been relocated to the new boudoir as it makes more of a dramatic statement in there, and the other one doesn't really gel with my decorating style anymore...and that's when I found these cutie little vintage teapot lamps at the thrift.

They practically jumped into my hands, and at $3 a piece I figured it was a small investment to make in a little bit of the new bedroom style.  The only unfortunate thing was the shades that came with them.  While I'm assuming they're original, they're not the prettiest shades I've ever seen.

So, I started researching shades and found that the ones I really like are more money than I want to spend on new shades.  I also thought the original ones were not only a bit awkward, but a bit big...and then I had an idea.

I am reupholstering a chair cushion a chair that I am putting in the bedroom, and maybe I could use the same fabric on the lampshades that I use on the chair cushion?

I suppose this is a good time to mention that the material is a vintage damask pattern I'm using from a dress that I made into a skirt which I was never that fond of after I made it, and I was just thinking of junking the skirt all together...but that damask pattern is just so darned cute!

(which is why I hung onto it so long in the first place)

So, Sunday I made a pattern for the lampshade and started cutting out fabric.  I then applied the fabric to the existing shade with some glue and *poof!  A whole new look for the lampshades...

Which makes the shades look just the right size and a whole lot cuter...plus?  I still have more than enough fabric left over to remake the chair cushion eventually.

And I think it's a perfect solution for my new little lamp cuties to update them just enough for the room redoux.

I am still considering finding some cute black trim to finish the tops and the bottom of the shades, but for now they're working just fine.

Vintage Cowgirl Inspiration...

And here's what had me gluing my fingers and other parts of my hands to everything in Kari and Jay's studio...Totally vintage inspired necklaces.

These were Kari's original design using vintage Cowgirl photos with burned edges that were then attached to the rusted buckle charms (this is where it becomes dangerous for the fingers...well, my fingers in particular as everyone else seems to have a whole lot more experience with glue in this area than myself) and embellished with charms and bling, and all attached to the copper and silver ball chain necklaces.

I just helped out with the design execution in the end.

And right now they are a Prescott Snap Snap exclusive (and a Cheyenne exclusive if you happen to be in that area) and were lovingly arranged in the shop by yours truly just today.

We also made one Eight Ball charmed necklace and one Mini Flask necklace as well.  We also made a full sized flask, but that's still at the studio as we're perfecting the exact design on that little beauty.

Stop by and see them when you get a chance, as I don't normally make jewelry (being that I'm still biting the glue off of myself) but had a wonderfully inspired and fun time doing these little beauties with Kari, because I love me some sweet old cowgirl illustrations.

Can I get a Ye-Haw?

Or a Yippie-I-O?

Working With Metal...

 

For the last two days, which are usually my days off...I have had the pleasure of working with some good friends at their Metal Fabricating Shop.

And by working I mean I've been introduced to metal cutting machines, shocking metal (which is a process of almost instant rusting large sheets of metal) getting to know the lay of the land, filling orders, packing boxes, making jewelry, being creative, and generally getting down and dirty.

Working with metal can be a dirty job...but only in the best of ways.

My friends Kari and Jay own Universal Iron Works here up in the Northland of Arizona and it is awesome!

They supply metal to a whole lot of people in the world, including Snap Snap.  They can do anything you want, which I kind of already knew...but after having the pleasure of stepping into their world for the last couple of days, I have a whole new appreciation for their entire operation.

This is a true Made in America company where everyone rolls up their sleeves and dives in...and while it is a lot of fun and a well oiled machine, I am finding myself a bit exhausted from running around...but in a great way for sure.

Everyone is super creative and highly skilled at what they do at the shop mixed up with the whole element of being laid back and having fun...truly enjoying all their work.

Plus?  There's about a million and one things to do, and that work changes from moment to moment...which means that there's never a dull minute of the day and there's something exciting going on around every corner.

Lucky for me, I've been invited to join in the operation and will be heading out at least one day a week to lend a hand wherever they need it...

Though I'm not sure I'll be welding.

Or branding...

I'll be leaving that to Jay and his helper thankyouverymuch...welding and branding is hot work and looks a little more firey and scary to me than I'm use to.  I mean, I hardly ever use fire in my line of work, what with clothes being so flammable and whatnot.

And as an added bonus, I get to help create new ideas (which is almost too easy, because we're working and throwing out new designs to each other all day) and also grab exciting metal goodies to put in Snap Snap...like a whole slew of new jewelry I helped design, or rather glue.  Which was kind of a hysterical mess at some point seeing as I started gluing my thumb to things and then to itself and at one point glued a pair of needle nose pliers to my person as well.

Sigh.

At least I'm good comic relief.

It's almost too enjoyable when I'm there to call it work...maybe it's just because it's a wonderful change of pace from what I do in my regular working day, which adds just the right amount of the inspiration I crave...

Red Hot Vintage Linens...

I absolutely adore monogrammed vintage linens...in fact, I love them so much I collect them.  Don't worry though, with all the purging and cleaning around here, I have a great project in the works at the moment to utilize them, so they will be seen (as I am using this as a new standard in which to keep things around here...I have to be able to see things and enjoy them) and not stuffed in drawers or closets...much.

Ahem.

My mother and I being total textile lovers means we also happen to have tons and tons of vintage linens at Snap Snap...and by tons and tons, I mean my mother has been madly pricing and has gone through no less than 100 tags today...which means, we have a whole lot of amazing embroidered, beautiful embroidered, and just plain linens.

They are also affordable prices and range anywhere from 10 cents (oh yes, that's right) to 10 dollars.

Come one come all...

But this particular one caught my eye, and I had to snatch it right up because it had me in stitches...mostly because it says "Hot Muffins" on it...

And mostly because it also seems to have this rather large burn hole in it...

Hot Muffins indeed...

Life in Redoux :: Being Seen...

As I was saying yesterday...I got rid of my armoire.  The big pine one that sat in the corner from the minute I moved into this house 8+ years ago, being moved of course, from my other home where I lived with it 3 years before that.

I loved it...I did.  I picked it out for my eX and I, and while it served me well...it was for our TV and our TV just outlived its lifespan in my house.  I have been toying with the idea of getting a new TV for quite some time now, so after a whole lot of asking around and researching, I settled on something new and with that came the problem of where and what to do with the new piece of electronica.

So...out with the old, ahem...which is pictured above (and believe me, I had to search for this picture of the armoire) and in with the new:

New console.  And yes, that's a rather large hole in my rug.  I wish I could figure out a way to hide it better, but I just can't...however, this is a 1920's hand tied silk Chinese rug that I bought at an estate sale for $25.  Without that hole I would have paid hundreds of dollars more.  That hole saved me a TON of money...so in a way?  I'm totally celebrating it.

After searching and falling in love with many other consoles, I had this one delivered from JC Pennys (for free and right to the house, and loads cheaper due to online coupons) where I assembled it right on the spot.  According to Dina, the same company that makes furniture for the Pottery Barn makes it for Pennys...so if it reminds you of them, that would be the reason.  I absolutely adore assembling most things, so this went together pretty fast.

The three little drawers that are in the center of the console are actually not drawers, but a door that opens to reveal three shelves!  This is a perfect place for Blu-Ray's and Wii's (in case you have such things) but not so much for your stereo system (which actually can fit quite well to the right of the whole shebang...and may move later or be replaced with something that can fit on one of those shelves behind the door)

Unloading a armoire that you've used to ummmm...stuff store throw things in and quickly shut the door organize your household paperwork and other electronic items in for many years is an adventure within itself.

I had a ton of DVD's (which are now stored in my coffee table) old taxes (which have been gone through and organized and stored in another location) and a ton of warranties and instruction manuals...which have been thrown away (if I no longer even own the actual appliance it was for...good grief) or stored (if I still actually did own the actual appliance it was for)

Phew.

Seriously.

And there were four extra little shelves, two on each side...that I now had the responsibility of filling up.  This (as you can imagine) was not a huge problem.

In said large armoire, I had quite a few things I'd been saving for myself.  The only problem was, I never could see these little things.  I have had them for years (in the case of the small wooden dolls, which were brought by my father to me, from parts all over the world when I was a small child...the rest I've just saved) and I have been storing them.  For what I don't know?

So, I decided that they needed to come out and be displayed and enjoyed.  I realized as I stood with my hands on my hips organizing everything, that I've spent my whole life collecting all sorts of lovely things and...well?  I can't see a lot of them.

These lovely things are packed away and hidden.

It all of a sudden started to dawn on me that this is a bit ridiculous...and then I realized that my whole house is full of things I've collected, and it may just be time for me to start going through things and saving only those that I truly love, and also actually have room to display and enjoy...all without cluttering the place up (like it has been)

I realize that I may just have my work cut out for me here.

So...out came the collectibles I wanted to keep (including one of the most rare Flinstone items ever made...that crazy plastic "rock" phone up there) and the others went to the new Snap Snap to be sold.

And you know what?

Getting rid of things wasn't even that painful.

It was wonderful to reorganize, dust, and display the things I've kept hidden all these years.

Really wonderful.

After the few days it took to totally unload, move out, rebuild, and situate the new TV I sat with my feet propped up enjoying my new HD picture and looking around my newly refreshed living room...my totally completed new paint job (that pesky corner that had been waiting to be painted and matched to the rest of the room, but was behind that armoire that I couldn't move by myself) and two totally new walls for the art I have had waiting for such a space to open up...I was just getting ready to toast myself to a job well done, and that is when I heard the whispering.

It was coming from the bedroom...and it was my old bedroom furniture.

Now it's ready to leave too...ready to find its new forever home away from Foolsewoode.  It's sitting at the ready already unloaded and waiting to be moved out.

Who knew?

It was at this point that I realized that I have been thrust into the middle of a total life redoux...

Now all I need is a truck and some muscle.

Life in Redoux :: It's all in The Details

Upheaval and change.

This seems to be the theme of my life as of late.  When it comes to change, it can either be the things you can't control, the things you can...or even the delusion that you think that you actually control anything at all.  In my case at any rate...you think I'd get it by now as they say the only constant is life is change, eh?

Sometime in the middle of moving and loss and letting go the letting go theme just waved its hand and started to gallop out of here...in droves.

The whole thing that started it off was the purchase of a new TV.  This is something that I have been wanting for a while now...which means I've been researching and asking friends and studying, and decided to make the leap during the week of Super Bowl (apparently this is one of the best times to purchase a new TV because of the sales)  I love my new TV, shamelessly.  SO much so, that I'm almost sad it's not smaller and I can take it with me wherever I go...

It also meant that I had to get rid of my Mexican pine armoire I used to house my old TV...so out it went.  And in came a whole new console.  Something a bit more Pottery Barnesqe, more me, more modern and sleek...and oddly enough, black.  I had along with my TV research, looked at new media stands and I was very attracted to the black ones for some reason.  I have no idea why...but I did end up ordering one and having it ship directly to my home (for free...thank you JC Pennys!  Dina also said that the same people who design for Pottery Barn often do have items at Pennys...in case you were wondering)

I assembled the new console and TV in one night (including painting the ONE last green wall corner in the living room that happened to be sort of hidden by the old armoire that has NOT matched my living room now for ohhh...5 years?  Ahem!) and hooked everything up and sat back to enjoy...and then looked at my coffee table.

Gah.

This thing.

I love this coffee table...it's old, it's Italian and what's not to love?  I purchased it from my mother years ago and covered its very distressed green paint with terracotta...didn't love it, but have decided to live with it.  The details are incredible, and it's a lovely size, and there are two doors that open and give me a ton of storage.

I was using this storage for blankets, but have now switched it to DVDs...moving an armoire you've stuffed things into for years does take away a large amount of storage...

But, it was calling out for its own redoux, which is exactly what happened.

Well now.  That's so much better.  Seriously better.  The kind of better that makes me smile every time I step into the room.

I also love the rich look of black paint with a little red underneath, and since I was already working with terracotta...I decided to try a little experiment of painting and then taking paint off.

I really love the way the table turned out...I have always enjoyed the details and lines of this piece and I think with the paint and rub technique, I've been able to coax them out a little more...

Which is good, because I've got some major big plans for this house, and needed to practice some new painting techniques.  New plans...change...All of a sudden.  Oh yes I do...

(Including the crazy blue blanket chest in the background of the picture of the coffee table...bah!)

Collecting Lemons...

Well.

Here we are on the very last day of February...and as I poke around in the recesses and the corners of my head, I see a whole lot of good intentions.  Currently they're not making eye contact with me, but slinking further into their own shadows or scuttling out of view.  It makes me wonder what happened here?

Then I look around at all the things that have happened since I was last in this space and nod my head knowingly...I have been a bit overwhelmed.

The first thing is, I moved my shop.  I moved Snap Snap within earshot of its 16 year Birthday to a newer and bigger location downtown...a couple of streets over.  A better part of the downtown neighborhood...location location location.  And, I've gone into business with my mother...but we've mostly talked about all of this haven't we?  If not...let me know what your questions are, and I'll try to answer them as best as I can.

And I had the greatest fantasies that I would blog each step so that I could document everything that was happening, and then during the middle of moving, organizing, and refluffing, my 97 year old grandmother got gravely ill and passed away.  Or passed on...however you want to put it.  I don't want to really put it at all myself, as I have been feeling a lot of sadness about this huge loss.  Of loosing someone I've known every day of my whole life thusfar.  In fact, there is a huge part of me that hasn't wanted to post anything here until I could dedicate a post to my grandmother, and then I could get back to my life.  I'm unsure if I can do that...just write it and get on with it.  Unfortunately, this has meant that every time I've turned on my computer, I've pushed away the blog, and pretended it didn't exist.  Which isn't what I really wanted at all.

So, in the spirit of taking a deep breath and pushing forward and knowing somewhere deep in my heart that it's OK to put certain things off...I have decided to take a deep breath.  And just write instead.  And when I need to, I will write about my grandmother.

Because, I miss writing.  I miss that part of my creative process.  And most of all,  I miss this space.  I miss you.  And so many things have been happening that I have wanted to share...even exciting things that have made me smile from time to time.

Like:  During the month of January, we celebrated my mother and Rozzilyn's Birthday...it was death and birth in one month...

And I had a whole lot of Meyer's lemons...

So, I made a Vegan Lemon Layer Cake.

From scratch.

Which I think is the very first cake I've ever made from scratch.  Isn't that incredible?  It is to me, because I love to cook and bake...and we're kind of baky people in our family.  So, it seems a little silly that I haven't ever done something like this.  And no...the irony was not at all lost on me that probably until the week my grandmother passed, she could have made a cake from scratch...using recipes that she's always had in her memory...and here I was, just starting out.

However, with the allergy problems we sometimes face in our family it can be challenging to bake anything and have it both turn out and taste semi-normal.  But, what really attracted me to this cake was the fact that it had a whole different middle icing layer...which I thought would introduce a whole other flavor into the cake overall.

Which is exactly what it did!

The cake was a hit...as my mother and I both love lemon anything (Rozzilyn wasn't too convinced...she's more of a chocolate girl herself)

I used Spelt flour for the body of the cake, and followed the recipe exactly...oh well except that I researched a vegan lemon curd concoction that I poured all over the top of the cake, to make it even more lemonish flavored.  And yes, while the cake was more time consuming than a mix, it was so lemony and moist it was well worth the extra effort!

Except for the zest.  Holy cow this whole endeavor called for a lot of zest and zesting Meyers is a bit hard...because they are super soft and get a lot softer while you're trying to grate them, and then they tend to smuch down and get very juicy and messy.

Perhaps I need a better zesting option?

Thank you for bearing with me during my long absence.  I still have a lot of good intentions, but I will be moving slowly back into blogging if that's OK with you?  (even YOU the commenter who left a comment for me to tell me what a humorous man I was and how I need to check out your site...thank you especially.  I needed the laugh)

I will more than likely continue to be picking lemons this life...and I guess it's up to me to figure out what to make with them.  But, I'll try to check in more often from now on...

Valentine's Window...

The first window I've really put together in the new space...and one that's been on my mind tucked way in the back for a little while now.  That's how my creative process is...things hide in there and pop out every once in a while.

(I just hope they do it at the right time.  So far, so good)

This window has a rather large gold Cupid (I've been saving forever oddly enough) blowing glittering red hearts out of his horn...and even though you can't see it (because it's darned hard to take a picture of the entire window...from the outside I have too much glare, and from the inside I need to make myself into a contortionist!) The floor is lined with fluffy red and white crinolines...which kind of makes it look like our lady there is standing in clouds.

See?!

For everyone who secretly (and not so secretly) rolled their eyes at my insane crinoline buying binge this year...I did find something to do with them.

And heavens, when you stop to think about it...the possibilities are really endless.

(mostly because I still have about 12 that aren't being used...because they were too colorful for this particular window.  Whee Anyway!!)

We have two large windows at the shop, so it should be both challenging and fun to dress them up.  There's nothing more fantastic than creating a vignette that makes people stop and look...and yesterday, I noticed that both of the windows have little finger, hand, and forehead marks all over them.

Which is usually indicative of people stopping to lean and peer against the glass trying to see inside...

What a wonderful compliment!

Heavy Metal...

One of the new things we're carrying at Snap Snap are the most incredible little charms made by my friend Kari's metal fabrication shop here in Prescott.  There are tons of different shapes and designs to choose from, including but not limited to (of course):  Hearts (with stars, hearts, and piece signs in them) winged hearts and guitars, Guitars (with stars, hearts, and piece signs in them) Stars (with...well, you get the picture) Cowgirls and Cowboys...Flaming Hearts, Flowers, Clovers, Butterflies, Dragonflies...etc.

They are all ready to go and perfect to wear as charms on a necklace...and Kari has loaded us up with piles of Ball Chain that is just ideal for you to create your own jewelry design.  And the ball chain is incredible!  It varies in sizes from very small to very big (pictures to come)

Or you could use these to make words for signs or names or just about anything else...little tags for gifts, or complete gifts in themselves for those creative people in your life.

Oh Wait.  Did I mention that we also have an entire metal alphabet as well?!

We do!

And there will be more to come...different fonts and different sizes, and we will be able to do most custom work to fit whatever creative indulgences you may have.

The little metal charms are completely affordable being only $2.50 each or 5 for $10.00...

So, come on down and check them out, they've already been flying out the door...

Especially the ones with the wings!

Now Open...

After about a week of moving, organizing, hanging...and moving large heaving things (like shelving, furniture, and all sorts of objects like that) we've officially opened the New Snap Snap on Cortez St Sunday January 2nd!

It is no where complete as far as we've had it pictured in our heads, in the land of imagination and creativity...which is a little surprising to me (I think sometimes I'm under the impression I can snap my fingers and everything will just magically come together in seconds.)  However, there's something you need to know about me.  I think the way I picture things in my head and the way they turn out in reality are very different.

And you know what?

That usually means that it turns out better and in ways I've never expected.

This is also such a large and open space the possibilities for how to arrange things is endless in my head and a bit overwhelming for me...thank heavens for my mother!  She has owned and worked in so many large spaces she comes up with the greatest ideas and awesome arrangements!  When I opened the other Snap Snap almost 16 years ago, the space could only really be laid out in a certain way and somewhere in my head I keep thinking that I walked in and everything magically looked like it did later when I was open.

*poof*

Instant store!

What I'm not remembering, is how many days I stood on top of a ladder painting...how I added and subtracted racks, displays, frames, mannequins.  And, as this space evolves, we'll be doing the same things...always rearranging always changing.

We are working on decorating and fluffing, as well as solving some pesky wall rack problems.  The walls in this old building are different than the walls in the other old building I was in, so they need to be addressed in a different way.  I don't have that knowledge, but I am working on meeting with people who do.

We still have to install dressing rooms.  I do have the three walls, and they just need to be secured to the space designated for them and painted...and there are two wall racks that need to go up, and when I left yesterday some extra shelves we aren't going to need at the moment were being taken to storage, so I am excited to get to the shop to see what space that opened up or a few floor racks to spread out into (because try as I might, I haven't been able to picture it in my head.)

Did I mention during the middle of all of this moving and arranging and setting up shop that we had a rather large snowstorm and crazy Prescott deep freeze?

Well we did.  Which relegated me to walking everywhere I needed to go for 3 days.  Anything else I needed was saved until I felt safe enough to dig my car out and attempt to drive down my street and not go down sideways.  Luckily it wasn't that bad...after the first day.

We also had a major medical scare in the family...so it has been quite a week indeed.

But a good one, and the new shop will all come together in time in surprising ways in which we haven't anticipated.  Sure we have things to iron out, but after both my mother and I running shops for so many years, I think we can both agree that this is to be expected when owning your own shop.  There's always something to be ironed out and something to work on and improve.

That's what makes it yours.

So, we'll see you downtown in our new location on 133 N. Cortez!