Trying on Shoes

I don't know if you're like me, but when shoe shopping, I find that I drift towards the same kinds of shoes. For me it's not too fancy, not too flashy-- maybe fun, probably cute, but most of all practical.

I have shoes on my mind tonight because I was thinking of how different shoes make us feel. How shoes can change a person. Cinderella. Elle on Legally Blonde. Forest Gump.

Remember that song, "these boots were made for walking, and that's just what they'll do. One of these days, these boots are gonna walk all over you."? When I see modern feminists do the stand-up-for-my-rights-at-all-costs thing, it comes across like this song. No matter who's hurt, no matter how it feels to others, no matter whether it's clearly wrong, I'm gonna put on these boots and doggone it, I'll walk where I please.

Then I thought about John the Baptist's assessment of himself in relation to Christ-- "I'm not even worthy to untie his sandal straps." He recognized Christ's supremacy... and it made him aware of his own role as lower than a servant.

Even though the first attitude is deemed laudable in our culture (particularly for women!), in God's economy, servanthood, self-control, putting others first, submission, giving honor to others, thinking of how others should be treated... these things are esteemed. For men and women. I don't often esteem them, but I want to.

I guess this here is my little confession for the night: I want to learn more about servanthood. I may not ever be what I ought to be, but by the grace from the Father and the inner working of the Spirit, He can make me more like Jesus-- the ultimate servant.

A "SUCCESSFUL" DAY?
Today, we outwardly had a "successful" day. We made Christmas crafts, decorated the tree, and even had time to make and eat a really tasty cake. But too often, my attitude was cross and strained... and it poured over into what I saw reflected in the eyes and words of the kids throughout the day. I want to serve and love them as they ought to be loved.

I don't want to be the mom, the wife, or the woman who "stands up for my rights" first and foremost.... not that it's wrong to have rules or standards-- don't misread my words. But my attitude should be that of a servant. One who thinks of others' needs first.

Today I didn't do that. But by God's grace, tomorrow I get another shot. And with His help, I might just do better than I did today.

The Christmas List

Welcome to the Steampunk Home Christmas List, Edition 2009. There's a section of my personal selections, one chock full of Etsy finds, some things for the steampunklets in your life, and some Christmas things.

I tried to keep it relatively economical, so very few things here will be more than $100.

If your recommendation didn't make this list, I tried to add it to the Kaboodle list or bookmark the larger sites for a future post of their own.

My Favorites
This section is my personal gift list -- the things I really want for Christmas!

I can't afford an Eric Freitas clock, but this print of his Mechanical Clock Number 6 fascinates me. $20.











Think Geek's Molecular Gastronomy Kit. Not very Victorian, but these edible chemical experiments in the kitchen would be a lot of fun. $59.99










Dark Nostalgia I cannot wait to read this design book. $29.70 at Amazon.












Zeppelin Tin Toy, $10.98. My zeppelin obsessed steampunklet is *so* getting this. Tin Toy Arcade actually has 4 different zeppelin designs.










The Private House is the prettiest home book I've read all year -- full of antiques, natural materials, and simple yet elegant rooms. Nothing explicitly steampunk here, but if you like my taste you will probably like this book too. $37.50.






Etsy Finds

Behold the Machine Giclee Print by ettadiem, $110.










Bird Skull Drawer Pulls (he has bat skull pulls, too!). $16.












These Anatomical Soaps by the Steam Bath Factory would make a great hostess gift, assuming your hostess has a taste for the odd. $15










Reading Lamp by WardenClyffe Wares, $60.











Winona Cookie has a large selection on Etsy -- but I also like getting twelve different works with this calendar compedium of her collages she's made available on Zazzle, $24.50.









Steam Pipes Audio Speakers by Ikyaudio Studio. $275.







Red Pumpkin Studio's Journal/Sketchbook, $30










This small magnet by Libby Bulloff would make a great stocking stuffer. $4.







For the Steampunklets

World of Inventors: Alexander Graham Bell. Build your own intercom system! $21.95












World of Inventors: Thomas Edison. (sorry, no Tesla!) Build your own Kinetoscope model. $21.95











Just for Christmas

Holiday Cards by Mercantile Home, $6 for 5.













Clockwork Robin Christmas Print by by Hazel Fisher, $9.50.












Mad Hatter Copper Ornament, by Jewel Street. $32.












The cutest Cthulhu Santa, by Pirates Alibi. $25.













Disclaimer: Since someone seems to be worried that bloggers are making too much money flogging products (Ha! I don't think I've ever broken three figures), I need to let you know that no one is paying me for recommending any of these things, but that the Amazon links do provide a small referral fee.

Giving Thanks

Tomorrow as we travel over the river and through the woods to grandmother's house (not really), and as I prove once again that my eyes ARE bigger than my stomach I am going to take a moment and give thanks for all that I am blessed with. My family, my health, my home, good friends and food in my belly are all things that I take for granted many times. This holiday season especially, there are so many struggling with just the basics. I give thanks to GOD for blessing me and mine.

Here's hoping you all have a blessed and safe Thanksgiving. I am taking a break from WHITE WEDNESDAY this week but I'll be back next Wednesday with a Christmas installment. See you then...

Happy Thanksgiving!

Shelley

Porthole Tub

Leslie Clagett sent me this lovely:

Real holes!

From The Water Monopoly.

MESSY, MESSY HOUSE

Well this just isn’t like me but the past week has been such a turmoil I haven’t had any time to put things in their proper place….things are sitting everywhere from deliveries, making products (which I don’t do outside of the craft room) but I have been this week – hence the work tables in the family room and den.

I hate living in messes like this but if I put all the shipments away I will just have to bring them back out to mark prices and whatever else I have to do with them.

I feel so PIGGY! THIS IS JUST NOT ME! I need help…lol
So please don’t think this is how I live – normally it’s very picked up and company ready – tomorrow I clean and organize so I can start setting up my show….oh, you’ll see what I mean – look below! Very blurry though.

Actually I have been sewing here in the den so it is REALLY a mess.

Deliveries that came today still in dining room

Yep!!!! 2 RUGS on the floor….we brought the top one down from the closet a couple days ago and laid it here so it would flatten out - The ends want to curl and Doug has been programming the cash register so that has been sitting here …HAVE YOU EVER!!!!

 
And here’s another dropping point. Window painting waiting to go up on back of house.
Now you know my dirty little story!

Today we received 3 shipments of orders for the show and my house smells like a Primitive store.
One was from a friend of mine who is having some of her Prim products at the show and I hope they last for the show – there are so many things I see that I want….YOU SHOULD SEE HER PRIMS….AND THE PRICES ARE LOW!

Then I received an order from Pine Patch  Primitives.
I received the little candles I posted about in another post and dried sliced whole oranges rolled in cloves and packaged so cute! The aroma is intoxicating girls!!!

And another order was from Miss Maddie Maries Dips – new this year for us. We will have some of each made up for testing – I hope they sell.

Hopefully when we get the show set up next week I can get some real good photos of all the products and set-ups.

Now about Darren….he went up for surgery yesterday at 5 pm and came back down to his room at 10:45 – long haul for Doug and MaryAnn who was up there waiting. They had a bit of a time trying to get him comfortable. The surgery was from the back of the neck so he was on his stomach and then after surgery they had to turn him and that caused the pain. Last months surgery wasn’t painful he said but this one is deep because they had to cut all the muscles.

They scraped the bone and removed a bone growth and removed fragments from the last surgery…all of which was causing the nerve to be pinched and very little use of his arm. And put in a rod.

They knew this surgery would be needed but not so quickly – they normally don’t do the front and back at the same time for good reason!
But his muscles were atrophying quickly and this was needed too prevent permanent damage

Doug went up this morning and he was up by himself and walking around. Still very painful but he feels good. Dr. said he can come home tomorrow.
I told him there were many prayers out there for him and he said THANK YOU EVERYONE!

Finally I’m feeling my self again so hopefully I can  go see Darren when he gets back home.

Karen

GARLAND - MORE SURGERY

Doug decided to put live garland around the screen room yesterday and today he added lights - glad he did it really perked it up. Looks a bit shabby right now because we have to clip some long stragglers and clean up the screen room.

I wish the propane heater didn’t have to be in the center of the room but there would be no staying out there without it. We are able to use the room through Christmas by having it there….and the fact he puts plastic on the screens. I didn’t want windows that went up and down because it took away from the real open look.

Can’t wait to get it all decorated with our Christmas decor….it is going to be the entrance and exit for the show

 

  Darren found out today that there are bone fragments and some growth on the right side of his neck - opposite of where they operated - so he goes in again tomorrow afternoon to Milwaukee for more surgery.

This time it will be from the back side of the neck so it will be painful for him this time because instead of moving muscles, etc...they will have to cut through the muscles. The first surgery was not painful he said, just discomfort and only hurt if he sneezed.

This is what is causing him to have no function in the right arm...in 4 weeks there has been little or no results with therapy.

Please keep him in your prayers again/yet!

Unfortunately I can't go to be there because I have a bronchiole infection - it's a week old but still has me miserable. Doug will be able to be there along with MaryAnn so he'll be in good hands.

And as you probably already know - I'm still busy sewing for my home show next Friday/Saturday. Wish I had some fun pictures for you all to look at.

Take care and I’ll be back…..

Karen

WHITE WEDNESDAY

Once again, it's WHITE WEDNESDAY... Kathleen at FADED CHARM is the brainchild behind this once~a~week~white~fest and I love being a part of it. There's just one thing you see... I am tapped out. There I said it. I am scrounging for new WHITES around the land of Sweet Pea. I don't have the Christmas spirit yet so can't help you there. I have new and fabulous plans for the garden cottage but that is a ways off as I have three shows on the horizon~~in fact the first starts Friday (see sidebar). This is a good thing as it is forcing me to stretch my imagination a bit, but I admit I am struggling. I had two snotty~nosed toddlers sneezing in my face all day to boot so I am trying to kill the germs with merlot as I type.

Anyway, this week I am cheating. I am going to another source for the WHITE fix we all crave... None other than ELIZABETH HOUSE... As a shop owner, I used to pour over her early posts and I am positive she is one of the inspirations for my starting a blog of my own. I hope she doesn't mind that I am showing some random photos of hers~~I give all credit to her and her enormous talent behind the lens. It was a highlight of the Spring 2009 blogger party to meet her in person. If you are reading this Elizabeth~~love love your style...




A photo from the loo in her apartment...


Could you die over this photo from her shop?


Taken by Elizabeth while at a flea market.


Do you remember the craze she started with these paper walls in her shop?

Happy WHITE WEDNESDAY!!

Apotheke

Laurie commented that Dark Nostalgia featured a bar in New York called Apotheke -- she wants to move in. I don't blame her.


It's designed to look like a 19th century Austrian royal apothecary. Designer Christopher Tierney took inspiration from researching old European apothecaries, absinthe dens, and the Biedermeier design era.


The space is anchored by a 30-foot performance bar made from imported carrera marble. The hand-carved back bar is filled with hundreds of antique medicine bottles that were collected from around the world.


I love the wood floors, with tile inset corners.

I can't tell what the ceiling is made of, can you?


Tierney also fabricated wall sconces and a chandelier from chemistry glassware...

Chemistry graffitti -- how clever!

Wallpaper from vintage apothecary adverts.

Giveaway At The Brocantess

Just found out about this fab giveaway at the Brocantess! Click here to put your name in the hat! Don't miss this one!

Good Luck!

Shelley

WHAT A PLEASANT DAY!

The first thing we did this morning was head out to Home Depot to buy our roping for the fences and the screen room and some boughs to put around throughout our decorating.

We buy them there every year because the price is wonderful…30 ft. of fir for $9.99 and it’s put together beautifully.
So we ended up buying 9 of those beauties and also 2 of the Spruce/Fir roping for inside decorating and around the interior of the screen room where our check out is going to be.
Oh, and 4 bunches of Spruce and Fir boughs for here and there.

So Doug spent the entire day putting the roping and lights on 5 corner sections of picket fences…I just heard him come in the door…and it’s cold and windy out there today – glad it was him!

He asked me to come outside a minute ago to ‘approve’…lol and so I took my camera – NO GOOD PICTURES. Total blurr but I did get a fascinating one – not sure what was happening but I love the effect. I probably couldn’t do this again in my life. WHAT IN THE WORLD IS THIS?

I got to spend it indoors sewing and packing up orders and listening to wonderful Christmas music!
I love having the SOUNDS OF THE SEASON music channel on and the pictures change every 30 seconds or so and this year they are exceptionally pretty….here’s a few samples.

So every now and then when I would come up for air I would see a cute picture on the screen and also I forgot to mention – I grunged some price tags as well and added a bit of cinnamon so it smells like I’ve been baking all day long.

Right now I have scalloped potatoes in baking to have with our burger patties along with some peas. Not a very well put together dinner but it fills the void!

Oh the cutest thing I forgot to show you…my snowman I bought at SPINNING WHEEL on Monday. I did some wholesale shopping and had to get him.

He’s something like 30 inches tall and really heavily weighted in the bottom.
Spinning Wheel has gone back to making their own products again and I’m so loving everything. If you need American Made Wholesale check out their site.  http://www.spinningwheelonline.com/

Guess that’s about it for me today – thought I’d check in and let you all know I’m still here.

Darren had the dye put in his spine this morning and things are a tad closed off on the left side – he’ll know more after his dr. apt. on the 20th. I want to thank all of you for your prayers and e-mails and comments. He’s his normal cheerful self that’s getting very antsy to get on with his normal routine. The one thing that bothers him the most is not being able to pick up Aidan. Oh, and sneezing hurts like the dickens. So I guess I won’t be seeing him none too soon…I have been nursing a chest cold that has now traveled to my head.

Have a great evening everyone!

Karen