Art with the Alpacas....yep!

Crazy right? Well if the alpacas were creating the art...maybe, but not so in this case. The LARK artists of Randolph County are hosting their second annual summer event at the High Meadow Alpaca farm in Asheboro. They have invited me to participate as a guest artist and I am so excited.

I hope you locals will be able to come out to the farm for a fun day of art, food and lots of fun! See you there.

Just my two cents,

Angie

Junk Baby has a New Sister

Assemblage Art Doll 

Meet Dream Baby....Junk Baby's new sister. Remember Junk Baby?

Junk Baby

She was my very first art doll...not that I have much experience yet with this fascinating art form...Dream Baby is only my second.

Unlike Junk Baby, Dream Baby is not a swinger...for some reason, my son is extremely creeped out by the swinging doll. Dream Baby is mounted on an old trophy base...in fact, her feminine shaped body is formed by using the trophy itself upside down.

To be honest, he is creeped out by this one as well. I don't get it! To me, she's as sweet as can be...but of course, I am partial...she's my Dream Baby.

Her little skirt is part of an oil lamp and a clock gear elevates her a bit and also connects her to a spool base. She has lots of special embellishments to give her the character that her name suggests.

Dream Baby will live in the shop with Junk Baby until they are adopted out to new families. How wonderful if they could both go together. 

This weekend they both will go with me to Art with the Alpacas show and sale in Asheboro. If you'd like to see us there you can find more information by clicking this link LARK ARTISTS

Just my two cents on a Monday afternoon...now off to put hay in the barn before it rains.

Shabby Tables for Your Porch or Sunroom

Shabby Coffee Table 

Back when I was cleaning out the container from the estate we first opened our store with I came across a set of tables, 2 ends and a coffee. They were typical mid century cherry finished veneer tables....quite plain and unappealing. They moved from the trailer to the barn and stayed there for over a year while I ignored them.

One chilly day in April I started moving things out of the barn to prepare for either my booth at the Emporium or for the spring sale here at the Ranch....and on a whim, I hauled out the tables and heaved them up the stairs to the studio. In a couple of afternoons I had transformed them into something I could live with.

As usual, I really want to live with them! I have that problem...I have a relationship with my stuff. I stole this phrase from my good friend that has an equally hard time parting with his good stuff.

Shabby white end table

Just for the blog, just for the day, I wanted to take them all out of the shop and put them on my front porch with the wicker....but, I was afraid.

The other shabby white end table....I really love how a lot of the inside cherry finish shows on this one

 So here they are, still in the shop...for you...as I intended in the first place...back on that chilly day in April.

Another view of the coffee table

If you want 'em. Come and get 'em! They are here for the pickin!

Have a great weekend ya'll. The shop will be open 12- 6 today and Friday, and 10-4 Saturday. Check our FB page for changes should something come up! 

Just my two cents,

Angie

My Love of Aqua

Aqua Mirror 

I am probably the last one to start painting my furniture with aqua blue but once I started I couldn't stop. Everything looked so good I wanted to keep going....First the old mirror in the photo above. It was already oxidized so I went with it and am thrilled with the effect. You will have to see it in person to really appreciate all the texture. I think I had been hesitant to use aqua for things in my shop because of the green walls which looks good with almost everything but aqua! Once I put the quilt up behind it there was NO problem with the pieces disappearing into the wall.

I wanted to unify the chest of drawers, the mirror and bed although they are three different styles. By painting them all the same color they can be used together if someone so chooses and it works wonderfully!

4 Drawer Aqua Chest of Drawers 

I decided on small glass knobs so as to not go too prissy or too masculine. I had envisioned something a little more ornate initially but this look is simple and perfect for the piece.

Jenny Lind Single Bed 

I left the original casters on the bed to retain the charm of the period...this is an oldie from the depression era.

All three together

The clean lines of the chest work for a boy or girl and although the pieces are different styles they compliment one another and lend themselves to lots of possibilities for putting together a kid's or even a guest room.  I think I always secretly hope things won't sell because I never do anything I wouldn't keep for myself! When the day comes for Erin to call for her childhood bedroom furniture for her children I could definitely use this in her room.

Assorted Aqua Frames

When it came time to paint some of the frames I had lying under my work table I intended to use a variety of colors...white, black, aqua and a pretty rose...but, somehow they all ended up aqua. The four smaller ones were sold on Saturday but I still have some of the 5 x 7's and 8 x 10's.

I have several more painted pieces in the shop I will show later on this week. I would use them on my porch but they can go anywhere really...can't wait to show you!

Just my two cents,

Angie

Thank You!

Thank you first of all to all that supported our first vendor marketplace this past weekend, whether you were a seller or buyer. Considering the fact that I am no show producer it went off without a hitch!

This was the view off the shop porch and just after the rush around noon Saturday. It was one of the only times I had to snap a picture.

I learned quite a few things about putting on a sale like this for the future...yes, another one is in the works already and I can't wait until October! If you would like information as a shopper or vendor please send your contact info to my email...see the address in the sidebar.

If you want to see some photos from the sale and a few things that are currently for sale you can join my facebook page. http://www.facebook.com/TheJunkRanch 

Just my two cents,  

Angie

Mark Your Calendars!

I'm so excited to announce our first occasional sale this year...and it's a vendor sale! More info to come as we draw near...but mark your calendars...spring is so busy!

It's About That Time...

Are you beginning to think about your gardens? With the spring-like weather we've had recently, I'm thinking more and more how much I'm looking forward to getting our vegetables planted and redesigning the kitchen herb garden outside our back door. I'm anxiously awaiting that April 15th date, not because it's "tax" day but, here in NC it's supposedly the last frost date. 

With this said, I'm also telling you that I want to take time to enjoy the things I love most. I've loved having a blog and it has truly served it's purpose since I started it a couple years ago with the intention of logging the process of starting a new business. It kept me accountable! Retiring a 20+ year old business and starting a new one took lots of encouragement from others and self discipline on my part. It was hard to let go and start fresh.

I really LOVED this logo!

Now, I have made peace with my past life as a floorcloth artist and designer and am embracing my new life in the world of handmade and vintage. It is as natural as breathing and life is good. 

October 2011...got to take some time off while Erin was home

This year I turn 52. I'd like to add to that number, but of course there's no guarantee. Within a month, we've taken quite a hard hit with deaths in our family. One, our nephew, only 28 and just this week my cousin's wife, 48. To  me those are low numbers.

Our sweet nephew 

I also spent Tuesday with my great aunt who is 94 and thinks her number is too high. 

We don't get to choose our number.

Until my number is called, I want to spend my precious time enjoying my family, our animals and farm, my gardens and my new business. I want to do fun creative things to my own home and cook and can vegetables and just be Susy homemaker a few hours a day at least. I can't enjoy real life if I'm constantly thinking about what to blog about, what to post to my facebook page or if I should or should not tweet. For me there are not enough hours in the day. It has been my experience that getting out and about has been most beneficial to my business anyway.

I will only be posting here with updates about sales or anything new of importance I want to share...but, nothing on a regular basis. Please do watch for me to pop up on your dashboard reading list. Thank you everyone so much for stopping in and for your support! 

If you are local, please come see me in my shop here at the ranch or visit my booth at the Thomasville Emporium.

Until next time,
Angie