Sunday, June 17, 2012

Wishing for an old tire planter!

5L75Ke5J53La3Ie3Nfc6d81c9c6e4df5e175a

I love these rubber planters, repurposed from old black 2 ply tires. Growing up we

never had one in our yard but I’ve always been intrigued with them. So whimsical

and clever! What a great thing to do with an old tire. I love this sort of thing.

Please tell me you know where I can get one! I’m determined. I spotted a lonely

tireplanter2551183591_89beeeed38

white one in the neighborhood. I have watched it for months and decided

20110902-1243452_262424650447736_895889_392607321_n546074_t160

it must be unimportant to the homeowners for it has never had anything but

rocks piled inside it. On numerous occasions, I’ve imagined what and where

I would do with it. Finally, last week I got up the nerve to write a sweet note

that said:

Hi! I live in the neighborhood and love the old tire planter in your front yard.

You may love it too but just in case you don’t. I’d love to buy it from you.

I would fill it with colorful flowers and it would make me smile! If you’re

interested please call me.

206602701625803708_J2WDIMX3_c

I put it in a cute envelope and dropped it into their mailbox, hoping to hear

something the next day… but I didn’t. Funny. I was certain they would

jump at my offer. Convinced it had been forgotten. Several days passed.

I began to feel silly and a little embarrassed wishing I had not been so bold.

Yet, I’m fixated on the idea of having one. And though I’d really like an old one

with old crackled paint, I’m considering buying an old tire and making one:)

Trust me. I’ve read all about it and it doesn’t sound easy but I’ve got to have

one! Nothing can deter me! Not even when I imagine my husband’s confused

facial expression or my Mother wrinkling up her nose and asking, Why in

tarnation would you want such an ugly thing?, am I discouraged! So?

Do you know where I can get one?

article-new-intro-modal_ehow_images_a04_vj_1l_ideas-outdoor-planters-800x800

Yesterday, while driving by the house where I left the note, I looked at the old

crackled white tire planter like I have a hundred times and couldn’t believe my

eyes! IT HAD FLOWERS IN IT!

Monday, June 11, 2012

Posey Pink

Acrylic on 18 x 24 stretched canvas.....$225

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Treasure Hunt!

I love to hunt for treasures! I always have. As a girl I was mesmerized by the wonderful antiques that filled my friend Debbi’s home. Her parents Gus and Helen, were avid collectors of beautiful old things. I loved spending the night with Debbi for many reasons, including Helen’s chocolate chip cookies but this home filled with antique Tiffany lamps, handmade quilts, Victorian wicker and much, much more grabbed me!

IMG_0767IMG_0754IMG_0755

$150 $5.99 $12.99

Fast forward a few years when as a student at the University of Houston, I discovered Juniper Junction! A huge warehouse full of English antiques, I loved moving about the dimly lit space admiring the old stained furniture and oddities. Particularly, smitten with the antique washstands with their marble tops and decorative tile backs. On one particular day I came to look around and realized that the last week of the month everything was ‘Half-priced’! Oh my! You should have seen my face when I ran across a washstand with grey marble and a back splash with beautiful peacock blue tiles with a $90 price tag and it dawned on me I could buy it for $45! Never mind that I lived on the 5th floor of the Moody Towers. Thus began a passion for treasure hunting and a simple philosophy. If you love it and can afford it, buy it! Don’t worry where it’s going because if you like it you’ll figure it out!

My biggest problem is I like a lot of things! Especially when they are cheap! That was the case a few days ago when I spent the day digging in an antique mall. I could qu ickly tell it was going to be one of those days and decided to take pic of my favorites with my iPhone. It really helps me to separate the good stuff from the must haves!

Here are what I like to call, "the finalists".

IMG_0757IMG_0758IMG_0759

$25.00 $5.99/$3.99 $6.99

IMG_0760IMG_0761IMG_0762

$2.99 $3.99 $14.99

IMG_0763IMG_0764IMG_0765

$ .50 $3.99 / $3.99 $ .50

IMG_0769IMG_0768

$ .50 $10

IMG_0766IMG_0770IMG_0771

$5.00 $2.50 / $ .50 $2.99

IMG_0773IMG_0774IMG_0778

$6.95 $9.00 $2.50 / $ 2.99

IMG_0777IMG_0772

$2.50 $1.99 / $2.50

IMG_0779IMG_0780

30 pcs. $5.00 $2.00

IMG_0781IMG_0782IMG_0783

$ .50 $1.99 $15.99

IMG_0784IMG_0785

$ 6.95 $7.99

IMG_0786IMG_0787

$4.00 / $6.00 / $ 7.00 3 for $9.99

IMG_0788IMG_0789IMG_0790

$8.99 $3.99 $12.99

IMG_0791IMG_0792IMG_0793

$8.99 $4.25 $6.95 each

IMG_0794IMG_0800

$9.99

IMG_0795IMG_0796IMG_0797

$2.99 $4.50 $3.00

IMG_0798IMG_0799IMG_0801

6 pcs. Redwing, $9.99 $ 5.00 Love the look!

_____________________________________________________________________

After I had thoroughly combed the store and found all the bargains, I looked at the pictures and gathered up my treasures and headed home!