The $10 Rule

 My thrift store habit started in High School with vintage tuxedo shirts, in College it was wool coats and once I graduated and moved to Tucson, it became pottery.  While living in Seattle and Los Angeles the consumption continued although at a more careful pace, given the higher prices and space constraints of apartment living. Back in Tucson these 17 (yikes) years, I realized that I needed to find a way to limit my purchasing so I instated the $10 rule. I won't spend more than ten dollars for any single pottery item.  I have never been one to buy for a name imprinted on the bottom, so the rule is fairly easy to follow. However,with careful searching and patience it has yielded me some beauties. This week I am cleaning out cabinets and shelves and drawers and found some of them that I had forgotten. They make a pretty display for our weekend gatherings, and provide lots of color inspiration.

Summer Birds: Beds & Bags

In spite of a busy summer, I have been burning up my sewing machine in the production of functional, pretty tote bags and whimsical pillow shams. Vintage screen print fabric provided the inspiration; patience and visits from my sewing guru mother have yielded terrific results! These are but a few of the styles I've designed. They will be available for sale soon on my Etsy shop--please take a look!

Wood and Paint

Ultimately, every home improvement project in my home sets me into a mood of euphoria for a few days, with wild plans for appointing the space;  and the distinct possibility for an art project.  The last was our "Romeo and Juliet" table conceived by my daughter Beatrice and executed by me over the period of a month of sticky fingers and a gallon of Elmer's.. An aging copy of the bard's tale of star crossed lovers was just too deliciously yellowed to end up in the recycling bin and missing too many pages to be passed onto the next generation. Months later, I am still scraping discs of glue off of our studio floor.

In a similar fit of insanity--inspiration?--we put the finishing touches on our outdoor living room, just in time for a graduation party which was immediately followed by the classic Tucson summer: high heat and monsoon rains. Needless to say, we haven't spent much time out there but have big plans for the upcoming cooler months. (Soon, please!). I was at a loss for a piece of art to use in the space. Of course, it needed to cost nothing because we blew our budget on the furniture, fountain, and the grad party itself!  In a moment of inspiration, I commandeered some old bypass closet doors that came with our house. I dug around our shed, visited our woodworking neighbor's scrap pile, and hit the clearance sale at my favorite thrift shop (the Golden Goose in Oro Valley!). Most importantly, I called upon the spirit of Louise Nevelson to inspire me. I have admired her work for many years, but was especially moved by a piece at the Phoenix Art Museum on a visit there last spring. 
I am sure she had better resources than an old closet door, embroidery hoops and wine boxes, but I am pleased with my results.