Gilmore Girls Junky & A shout out to my Etsy store customers.

So, My mom, granddaughter and myself, are smack dab in the middle of the 7 seasons of the Gilmore Girls. I never got into the show back when it was on t.v. for some reason....maybe it was the long winded dialogue or the fact it was just too happy/sappy...well that is no longer the case! We get all comfy on the couch with popcorn in lap and watch back-to-back episodes till I eyes are bloodshot and droopy. We can't wait to see what's happening in the next episode, yet don't want it to end...it will be a sad, sad day in the Harrison household when we finally get to the final season of the original, then on to the latest final, final episodes😭


I want to give a big THANK YOU to my latest Etsy store customers:
Katherine, she purchased a mink collar/scarf...




And Tayler who purchased a cute little white porcelain donkey...



Thank you ladies...you're the best!

Feeling the itch to get back into my art journaling.

I was on the art journaling kick a few months ago after running across a few blogs/websites on YouTube, these tutorials were so fascinating and these women so talented. Art journaling is one of the most enjoyable art forms around and can be very inexpensive or as elaborate as you want. All you need is a journal and a pencil or if you prefer, a journal and as many art mediums your pocketbook will allow. This type of art is considered mixed media, and what that means is you use whatever you have on hand and whatever technique your little heart desires...pencil, paint, colored pencils, spray dyes, stamps and inks, decoupage etc...all at once. There is no right or wrong way to art journaling, even the "mistakes" are beautiful. When you've finished with your mixed media art journal page and it has dried you just move on to the next blank page and let your imagination soar once again.

Art journaling/mixed media/drawing websites and tutorials       

• http://www.creationsceecee.com
• CeeCee's YouTube Channel: here
• Donna Downey Artist Gang YouTube: here
• http://jeanneoliver.ning.com

Better yet just go to YouTube and search for *Art Journaling* or *Mixed Media* and explore till your heart's content. Here is a page out of my Mixed Media Art Journal.

Or, if you want to follow some awesome tutorials on sketching/drawing check this amazing guy out.

• Mark Crilley's YouTube Channel: here

Here's a look at my first attempts at sketching realistic eyes & mouth.

               
    So give it a try, watch some tutorials and see what mediums these artists are using, buy one or two items at a time and if you are lucky enough to have a Micheals near you, use their coupon like I did on one item... I just got on the Michaels website and there is a 50% coupon off any one regular priced item thru Sat 10/29/2016...YooHoo!!

                                                            Enjoy!
                                                             Nan

Another Sale...and thoughts on the last week of youth softball!

Another sale yesterday in my Etsy shop...Yay! Thank you Valda, your purse is on it's way! 

This week is the last week for my Granddaughter's youth softball games,and I have to say, it has been the most fun and rewarding 3 months. This was her first time on any kind of sports team ever. I wasn't too sure about signing her up at first, she already does dance and I was concerned about it being too much for her, (and me), but in the end, even with a lot of protesting and crying, I did it...and she has grown to love it! We couldn't be more proud of her. I promised her if she would just go out there and give it all she had this season, if she didn't like it she wouldn't have to sign up next season...she said she can't wait till next season, this makes me so happy. She's actually sad it's ending this Friday...our last game. So, here's to the first and hopefully many, of youth softball and beyond.

 

Oh how I love vintage!

I'm not sure when it happened...this love of vintage that I have. Maybe when you hit a certain age you start to realize your time on earth is now somewhat calculable. No, I know I can't predict *when* I will leave this earth...but I know, with absolute certainy, I *won't* be here in 59 years...the year 2075 to be exact. Now, that fact has always been the case, it's just that you don't give turning, or not turning, the age of 112 much thought till you get older...in my case when I hit 50. That's about the time I started reflecting more and more on my childhood and all the little things in ours and my Grandparents home that I remember the most, like the wooden bowl my Grandma Waters used to make her scratch made biscuits, or my Mom's black iron skillet used to fry up the best fried chicken this side of KFC, or the metal ice-cream scooper at my Grandparents house that I loved to dip in a glass of hot water so it would glide easily through the frozen ice-cream goodness, or the owl canister set that adorned our kitchen counter for years, or my Grandma Barton's big enameled kitchen sink, and my Grandma Waters's white metal pantry cabinet that made that loud pop & screech when being opened and shut...Man I would love to have that cabinet in my home office/studio right now...it would be perfect to hold all my crafting and postage supplies. There are so very many more reminders of my childhood that I have this need to recapture and that is why I love thrift stores...and the hunt for these things, some I keep and some I will list in my vintage etsy shop, and some I'm still holding on to because I can't decide if I can get rid of them...like the six mid-century cocktail glasses with the blue french poodles on them...I love them, but you never know...they may eventually show up in my shop. So, I'm putting a link to my vintage Etsy shop pinterest board, and a link to my "Day's gone by' board and a link to my "Remembering Childhood" board and a link to my "Memories of Christmases Past" board for you to peruse through, maybe you too will catch the vintage bug. 

First Etsy sale since re-opening my Shop! Yayy!! And, why I'm a YouTube addict.

Nothing is more exciting than seeing that little number in "Your Shop" when I log onto my Etsy site. Thank you J.W. for making my day...and hope you enjoy your Holly Hobbie doll. And thank you to all the others for favoriting  my items in my shop...it means a lot! I'll be adding more items in the next few days...I have an awesome little vintage metal and lucite purse to come...just gotta get some good photo's first...hope you stop by my shop for a look see.

So, My name is Nan Harrison, and I'm a YouTube addict. I'm on it everyday for hours! No kidding!! See, I love to learn...a lot! YouTube is a gold mine for anything you've ever wanted to know, and probably some things you didn't...be careful!! just saying! There are so many people who are willing to share what they know with others...and I want to thank them. So next time you need answers or you want to watch tutorials on what ever, click on over to YouTube...I'm sure you'll find what you're looking for.

Getting serious about my Etsy business...nothing like hitting rock bottom to finally get motivated!!

I'm determined now more than ever to get serious about my Etsy business. I opened shop way back in '07...made a few sales but kinda backed off due to funds...gottta have it to make it...right? In those years I have accumulated quite a few thrifty finds to stock my shop again without having to hit the thrift stores for those yummy vintage goodies...but I did! Who can resist? not me! I love the hunt...it's like crack! Not that I've ever done crack..nor will I ever...but you get what I mean. Maybe I should say " It's like wine" I've done wine, and it was GOOD! Didn't spend much, but I did get a few cool things. Like those 3 1950's and early 1960's Whitman picture word puzzles for children...yeah those were cool. Or the dishware & glassware from my favorite designer, Georges Briard...my heart skips beats when I'm lucky enough to find his designs. So here's to me and my endeavors...may I work hard and succeed! Ok, now for that wine. Have a wonderful day ya'll! Hey, while you're here, have a look see at my shop...I would muchly appreciate it!

http://www.UniquelyNanVintage.etsy.com

Clowns in the woods & The corrupt workplace...a lesson learned.

So the latest, most freakish shenanigans going on here in my neck of the woods are "Clowns in the woods", yes you read that correctly, clowns are hiding in the woods here in my hometown of South Carolina, in the neighborhood I grew up in, where my parents still own their home, trying to lure children into the woods. Reports are a person dressed in clown attire even had the nerve to knock on one residents door in broad daylight! What in the world is this world coming to? Halloween just got a little scarier around these parts, that's for sure. I guess home owners are going to have to answer the door for trick or treaters with a bowl of candy in one hand and a firearm in the other! SMH!! I would strongly reconsider going as a clown in this good ole southern state of South Carolina come Halloween night...just sayin'!

As far as a lesson learned, let's just say I now know what it means to have witnessed and personally experienced the corrupt side of the corporate world. Grown a$$ people behaving like half raised spoiled brats! The lies, slander, back stabbing and two-faced crap was rampant in that little office and not just the employees and management there, but way on up in corporate management as well...unbelievable!! Can we say "K*A*R*M*A"? Yes I believe what goes around eventually comes around. So, I no longer work in that office I loved so much...oh well Que Sera, Sera! Channeling my inner Doris Day! I've wanted to work from home for years now...let's see if I can make that work...fingers crossed, wish me luck please and thank you! Y'all come back now..ya hear!

Vintage Airstream Makeover...Part 2?

So...the vintage Airstream makeover was a no go! Money got short and interruptions got long. Although we did get the floor repaired and carpet and vinyl removed, that's a start...right? It's still on my bucket list. I love my Airstream, that long silver bullet sitting in my backyard holds many wonderful memories....memories of hot summer days spent in Myrtle Beach Travel Park. This particular campground was the one we stayed in each summer when our two children were little, we loved it! Our camper was perfect for our little family of 4. The kids had the back bedroom with twin beds and my husband and I had the couch/fold down bed at the other end. The hum of the coldest air conditioner known to man lulled me to sleep each night while the hottest, most humid night air whirled around outside our semi-mirrored container. The kids are grown and moved away now, so when I go inside the camper and into the back bedroom and see the little cars and plastic lizards that were my son's, and the dolls and coloring books and crayons that were my daughter's...along with sea shells we've collected as well as beach sand still on the floor...my heart aches, it's as if we were just camping a few days ago...everything still where they left them years ago. So you see, I can't get rid of my Airstream...even at the urging of my husband. I'm a lover and collector of all things vintage...and this dull, musty 1977 Airstream was the first of my collection some twenty years ago...and I will hold on to her for as long as I can, and hopefully fix the old girl up as I had intended in the first place...BOHO style!!

Vintage Airstream Makeover!

I'm finally getting started on a long over due makeover of my vintage 1977 Airstream. I ripped up the carpet and linoleum and had to repair a piece of flooring just inside the door. I'm just going to sand and paint the plywood floors...then put throw rugs everywhere. Well, that's my plan anyway! I'm torn about what to do with the walls and woodgrain...I want to paint in some areas and decoupage in others...or just do white all over. I'm going with a Bohemian/Hippie feel with lots of color and textures, hanging accent lanterns, throw blankets and pillows..etc! The outside isn't in the best shape, the clear coat is peeling off so I will be searching for ways to get the shine back...I would love to have the outside airbrushed with trompe l'oeil art..but that's just a dream, as I'm sure that is very expensive. I'll just have to make do the best funds will allow me. I'm hoping to document the process here on my blog...hope you all follow along for the ride!

Here we are removing the rotted floor just inside the door...we decided instead of removing the entire sheet of plywood flooring and having to also remove the cabinets on the other side to do so...we would just cut out the 2 x 4 section and replace that...it was a bit of a challenge..but not as challenging as the alternative.

Yay for me!

I finally replaced my faulty keyboard...all by my self!! Now I can get back to business... It was such a pain having to use the online keyboard so I just didn't get to my blogging. So, here's to a new start..again!

Found this gem today!

I love it when people get real.,.,.,.,check her out!

My kleyboiard ios (*+##@!%$ up!

Soi,. OIf yoiu can read thois yoiu're awesoime ior boired! OI have noi iodea what ios goioing ion woith thois thoing.,.,.,OI have put ion a questoioin iion the Toishoiba suppiort foirum,. but noi repkly. Soi., untoikl OI get thois foixed OI guess OI woin't be doioing the NaBlkioPoiMOI thois mionth., Anyway., Thanlks foir readoing.,
                                                            Nan Harroisoin.,

It's noon and I'm still in my PJ's

I know I'm not alone...you too are still sitting at the kitchen table with your 2nd cup of coffee, still in you're pj's pecking away at your laptop. This is my favorite thing to do, it's my window to the outside world. I love the fact that you can push a button and find anything you want & a lot you DON'T! Yes, the house is a wreck, the grand kids are running up and down the hallway still on a Halloween candy high...but I wouldn't change a thing! And yes the pool is green and full of leaves, the garden needs cleaned up and put in a compost pile, the camper needs to be winterized before freezing temps burst the pipes, the chicken coop needs to be winterized as well so my girls don't get too cold at night and my kitchen re-do needs completing...oh well...maybe tomorrow! Oh, and I just committed to NaBloPoMo on BlogHer ( National Blog Posting Month)...a blog post a day for the month of November. Let's just see how this goes.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       I have posted the info. from Melissa Ford,   just click on the post below.                                                                                               ( I hope it's ok to do that!)
                                                                                   Thanks for looking, Nan H.

NaBloPoMo Is Here! Post Every Day in November, and Win a Pass to BlogHer PRO | BlogHer

NaBloPoMo Is Here! Post Every Day in November, and Win a Pass to BlogHer PRO | BlogHer

Halloween Fun!

What a fun night! Went to one of our local main street fall festivals for the first time...it was really nice. The kids went trick or treating on main street, played games and listened to music played by a DJ. Then woke up this morning to snow on the jack o lanterns!

I went as a kitty cat!

My daughter Magan & her fiance Steven with kids Jaedyn & Jaxen.

Woke up to snow on the jack o lanterns.

Picasa & Me!

Today I downloaded Picasa...and I have been on here for hours! But, I really like the ease of use...cause I ain't no techie! The only thing is, it didn't really have all the effects I am looking for. I want a really grainy, faded, antiqie look. I'm not sure yet the correct name for it, but I see it alot...and love it! Oh well, I will search around for more photo editing programs on the WWW! If anyone knows of a good, free program please leave a comment and let me know...

Thank you!

Shudder-Bug kinda day.

Today was such a beautiful fall day. I spent it with my aunt at her job at one of our local hospitals, the courtyard was just right outside her office and I had thought to bring my camera along....so glad I did! The sun was just starting to fade out of the shadows of the building and I had to rush out so I wouldn't miss the warm rays on the flowers and trees, oh, and the water fountain pools were beautiful. Before I knew it, I had snapped about 130 pictures. Now I'm no photographer by any means, but I do love to capture nature when I can. I hope to take a course soon. I see so many beautiful pictures on the blogs I frequent and I hope to learn how to be as good as them. So, here are a few of them...hope you like them...enjoy!

 

Snakes in the laundry room!

This is what was found on my washing machine today! After opening up our kitchen floor for some renovations this past April for a few days...we have had creepy crawlies, flying thingies, mice and now SNAKES!! My daughter went to grab something from the top of the washer and this is what she found. I googled it and I think it is a baby rat snake...probably here to rid me of my mice problem...so what do I get to rid me of my snake problem?

Rubber glove & flower pot makeover.

I can't take the credit for these cute little flower pots, they were the idea of my thrifty Mom. She cut the decorative band off of her rubber dish gloves and put them around those 4 inch plastic pots you buy your plants in at the garden centers. These cuffs were the perfect size for these 4 inch pots. I don't have the before pictures of the process so hopefully what I do have is self explanatory. Hope you enjoy!

Oh what a fun day @ The Farm Fresh Fair.

This post is a year late, but I just had to post these pics. from the https://www.facebook.com/raboncreekfarmfair  anyway...better late than never! I love what I do....and I love that people love what I do enough to purchase my items! A big thank you to all who did...here are a few pics from the sale.

2013 Farm Fresh booth.

Re-furbished thrift store tables, painted and embellished bottles and milk glass.

Roadside table turned pretty again.

Sweet Mom & Daughter! She purchased my re-furbished mid-century sewing chair for her daughter.

More goodies!

Roadside find...now a pretty little side table!

Super easy re-purp!!

Ok...so I can't throw anything away if I see even just a little bit of possibility...(What can I turn this into)? So when we had to purchase some pool chemicals the other day I ran across this weird looking little thing called The Angry Egg...have you seen them? It is this big yellow plastic egg with fizzing pool chems inside...you just toss the whole egg into the pool and it sinks to the bottom and fizzes a few minutes and when it is done it floats to the top and it's done. Only I could not make myself throw it away...I saw something in that angry yellow egg. Hmm, I know...a lamp...an angry yellow lamp. So I set out to find some lamp making supplies.  I found what I was looking for at Hobby Lobby for about 3 bucks..Woo-Hoo! So here are the super easy instructions and pics...not the best photography so please forgive.



Angry Egg bought at Wal-Mart for about $20.00...now I didn't buy this just to use as a lamp...that would be crazy! We really did need some chemicals for the pool and we had never seen this before so we gave it a try...worked pretty good too. I just could not throw it away afterwards so I had to come up with something right?



Super easy lamp kit bought at Hobby Lobby for about $3.00 complete with bulb!

Just drill a hole using something my Husband calls a hole-saw? I can't remember what size I used for this...just make sure it will be just big enough to get your bulb into the opening. The bottom of the egg doesn't come off...maybe it would if it was pried off but I didn't want to damage the egg.



Then just insert the bulb into the opening and the clips will keep everything in place.



Taa-Daa!! A super fast and easy, (and very cute) yellow egg lamp any kid would love on their bedside stand. The yellow egg casts such a warm glow into the room.



Here I was just playing around with the lamp...kinda looks like a giant egg in a giant egg cup...don't-cha think?



This is the front of the lamp...you can't see in this pic but the angry egg face is on the front.



And this is the back of the lamp.

You can do a lot more with this lamp...just use your imagination. If we buy another one I will try something different...like maybe using a string of Christmas lights...or maybe glue pretty little beads in the holes of the egg...the possibilities are endless here!