Make Someone Happy! Lend a Helping Hand

At Christmas time last year I had a woman contact me on Etsy.  She had a lot of items to sell and wanted to know how difficult it was to set up shop.  I gave her the entire rundown - the selling is very easy.  But then I realized - the only reason the back end of it - shipping - is easy for me - is because I have some space to have all those miscellaneous boxes and recycled materials to send things off with.  For someone in a smaller space - this would be very difficult and perhaps expensive.

Margaret contacted me again in June - perhaps I could buy outright/consign/sell her items for her.  I replied with an enthusiastic YES!  My time frame was not her time frame however.  Summers for me are usually reserved for re-finding my workroom. This summer (come hell or high water) was going to be dedicated to organizing my shop. I needed more shelves, and I needed to better organize all that I had listed in my Etsy shops.  These items are only the tip of the iceberg.
I told Margaret that I would be happy to help - but my thought was pricing and getting everything ready for October and the Town Wide Tag Sale in Purcellville.  She wanted things gone sooner than that.  Thinking, thinking...  I mentioned that she should go see Rebecca and Bill up at It's Bazaar in Purcellville.  They would probably buy some items outright - as well as consign things for her.

This is exactly what she did.  Why am I showing you my chairs?  Because she saw these in my space up at It's Bazaar and had a pair that she offered to me.  They were currently being shown on Craig's List.  I LOVED them, but I also had enough projects in the queue.

 My brain was still working in June - and I private messaged Miss Mustard Seed on Facebook.  I knew she would love them too.  She has a space at Lucketts and moves more furniture through her space in a month than I do.  The resounding answer was YES!!!  So I convoed Margaret back and told her to remove the listing from Craig's list, that MMS wanted them.
However - I was not prepared for the response!
She was over the moon that Marion might like them - let alone want them.  Well let me tell you - Now she is over the moon and back again - http://missmustardseed.com/2012/08/controlling-the-chaos/

And to top it off  - Margaret also told me she had some checks waiting for her up at It's Bazaar.
All of this came about because I took a few minutes to answer some questions.  In the process I made some one wildly happy.  That's just makes me smile :)

Love and Peace, Liz

A Day of Fun - The Pig Town Fling

It starts with a perfect day.  We have only gone for the past three years since we have known of its existence.  We lament for the years prior :(

 Add an amazing array of side dishes to the 16+? pork butts that are smoked all day long.

And in a huge selection of desserts - this would be peach berry cobbler, cherry pie, chocolate cake/peanut butter icing, peanut butter roll...

 Chocolate fudge cake, peanut butter roll, zucchini cake, brownie, and peach cake.  And NO - these were not all mine!

Add in a few hundred chairs and blankets

A home built stage and an audience

 A group of talented musicians

 Another group of talented musicians

 The youngest of the upcoming musicians 

The Grand Finale - because it was the 30th Annual Pig Town Fling - Paul (center stage with white ball cap) coerced, cajoled and connived to fill his stage with as many  musicians as he could.  It was so much fun and incredible to listen to.

Here's a sample just for you - enjoy.
The fruit salad is made (the last 2 years it was pickled eggs and beets), and I am ready!

I hope you have a great day, Liz

What day is it? and where am I?

Who are you ?
One of my defining characteristics is that I AM the last of the Baby Boomers - Literally.  My birthday is in the last half of the last month of the year 1959.  Officially. the. last. of. the. baby. boomers. really.
Another characteristic that defines me - I am part of the Sandwich Generation.  They have a child or children (and perhaps husband) at home, and an aging Mother.  Mine is 2 hours away.  All of whom need to be cared for.

 My daughter, Virginia, me and my Mom, Ginny

I am not 'into' being a busy person - but I am self-employed - and so every day I scramble - in a way - for the almighty dollar - to pay the utilities, gas, groceries, etc...
I am also a designer - an artist of sorts. I use my 'good eye' to 'cool hunt' and sell vintage, and my imagination to create unique handmade items that you may want in your home.  So in many ways I am always working.
We had a few quiet weeks after graduation.  Weeks where I was getting things done (like work) - because prior to this I was solely focused on my daughter's graduation.

We got the two front corners of the shop cleared out - so now I can get to the items that are listed when they sell - this is good!  I got a jump start on the selling module my friend and web master Haig is creating for me - awesome!

We got my space rearranged up at It's Bazaar.  Some pieces had sold, and it looked like a bomb went off!  It looks so much better than it has in recent past.
I'll be checking to see what it looks like today - to see what other attentions it may need.

OK - so - that was then, this is now.
My mother was short of breath at my daughter's graduation.  I figured that perhaps it was her congestive heart failure getting a little more severe.  Doctor's visits, tests, nothing conclusive.  I go and spend a few days with her - going to crafts, spending time together.  A week goes by, more tests - something very conclusive. Severe anemia. Immediate hospitalization. Blood transfusions. We visit again, at the hospital, play cards with her to try and get her mind off of the bone marrow biopsy, upper and lower GI exam.  We laugh and have fun - even though many times she doesn't realize whose turn it is or some of the rules of the game.
I come home for a few days - try and schedule her doctor's appointments.  My brother calls and says she has severe pain in her left leg.  Her doctor says to go to OSS Orthapedic and Spine Specialists for an Xray.  Apparently healthy bones have thousands of holes - hers only have hundreds.  Great -osteoporosis run rampant.  We still have no diagnosis from her time in the hospital.  Back up to Pennsylvania, for two appointments, a blood level check - no transfusion needed this time (this is good!), and a post hospital check up by her geriatrician.  Her doctor jokingly asks "Don't you know you're not supposed to have lice and fleas?"  Translation: one 'trouble' at a time is enough.
In between all of this - while I am up in PA - I am spending some down time with my friends Jennifer (see my post: Power of Three - http://bittersweetdesignstudio.blogspot.com/2011/09/power-of-three-day-one.html ) and Kerri.  They are true friends - great listeners, great advice givers, great new glasses picker outers (my eyes get exhausted using the computer now - because my prescription has changed), and best of all great at making me laugh.  And that is the best medicine.

 Jennifer and her Mom, Mary Lee

Kerri and her Mom, Carla 

So where is all of this going?  I'm not really sure, other than I know that many of us are now part of the Sandwich Generation.  So how do we live this new kind of life we have created for ourselves?  Our children aren't quite out of the nest - and our parents are living so much longer than their own parents did.  Some with quality of life - and some not.
This has gotten me thinking - as I drive back and forth - about the state of our society.  And if things have to change somehow. We now move away from home - so much further than in the past.  Before - we would have stayed in our own hometown, or maybe even on our own land, perhaps in the house we grew up in.  Mom and Dad would have gotten ill - and we would have been right there - not two hours away.  They might have been living with us, or really we would have moved in with them (on the farm anyway).  They would have helped us with our babies when we were young, and we would have made sure they were eating their meals when they got older.

In between, we would have worked together - in the house, on the land, in the factory, in the office, and in the store.
Now we have surgeries and medicines that keep us alive - but they aren't inclusive.  Genetics, healthy habits, unhealthy habits, genetic engineering and chemicals in regards to the foods we eat, all play a part in this uncertain future ahead.
One thing that I have figured out - learn.  Learn from your mistakes, learn from your parents mistakes. Let's try and make our aging 'go better' than our parents - for our children's sake. I am the last of the baby boomers.  The first have been retired for a few years I believe.  We are the next elderly.  Let us not be the next FRAIL elderly.  We have at our fingertips, knowledge that our parents did not.  Be proactive.  Let's use that knowledge.  And let's not forget to laugh.   

For now, love to all, Liz

Back to my Roots

I spent most of today photographing items to list both on eBay and Etsy.   In between loading and editing pics - my daughter was printing pics to use on her graduation thank yous.

My Kawaii Cuties earrings have been very popular so I have had to make more.

My daughter had some awesome espadrilles that she barely wore - and some jean shorts that she grew out of in 2 seconds.  These definitely had to get listed on eBay and soon!

 Never been worn espadrilles in an olive satin - decorated with silver stitching and gold beads - size 10.

Cute canvas espadrilles in kelly green - also size 10.

 About half a dozen pairs of shorts...  now all on a five day auction on eBay.  Bye bye!

A variety of items to list in my vintage as well as my handmade shops on Etsy.  This is an adorable brocade hand bag with a faux tortoiseshell frame/handles.

A cute vintage John Deere wagon and a hand made floral arrangement.

An awesome collection of vintage milk glass.  

And this is where I go back to my roots - the beginnings of Bittersweet Design Studio lay right here.   When I first started my business - I made wreaths and arrangements out of the wild flowers and vines that grew on my property.
That was 22 years ago.  I will have to say I haven't made a dried flower wreath in YEARS!  However - 2012 graduation 'interfered' with the harvesting of my lavender at the exact time - and so NO lavender wands this year.  But I did have some wonderful herbs and flowers that had flowered or set pods - and I was getting the 'urge' to do a little something with my bounty.  So while the computer was in use for printing and such - I wandered my almost acre and cut from my gardens.  I made these this evening.

So here we are!  From left to right - Yarrow and Roman Chamomile; Lavender and Larkspur; Oregano and Nigella.  The fresh herbs are wired on to Bittersweet vine frames.  All grown and harvested in my very own yard.  They will dry and stay lovely and fragrant like this for a few years.


That makes me happy!  Liz

Date with a porch swing

Yep - I kept my word.  I 'wore out' my porch swing yesterday - for about 4 hours.   I took care of all of my computer work and shipping in the morning - so was free to enjoy that lovely weather - a product of that cool front and all that rain came through the day before.

Reading {5th Avenue 5a.m. by Sam Wasson - all about Audrey Hepburn and the making of Breakfast at Tiffany's} and napping, in my comfy clothes no less!


That's all for now - I am too tired to write more. 
A dear customer of ours died Tuesday.  Bob had been working with him for 21 years. Along side him for many years and then 'for' him for a number more, when he wasn't able to help anymore. I spent most of today with his daughter - an amazing and strong woman.  I am privileged that she let me share today with her - but as many of you know - grief is an exhausting thing.  
Keep her in your thoughts, thanks.  Liz

And a good time was had by all

Graduation Day Loudoun Valley High School June 11, 2012

 I love the white caps against the green trees and the green caps against the light sky! 

 The honored - our graduate - Virginia!

The 'kids' canopy - some of Virginia's friends who joined us to celebrate
l to r - clockwise - Drew Hare, Nora Kavaldjian, Aislin Kavaldjian, Kristen English, Jon Coate, Stephanie Chepega, Anna Casserino.

 The 'adults' canopy - friends and family - close and extended gather to help us celebrate!

 More of Virginia's friends - Doug Bae, Bill Wine, Christy Haney - more names later...

Bill Shelton - Catoctin Creek Catering Company came in at 7:30 a.m. to set up and get grillin'!  NC barbecue, chicken, green beans, baked beans, potato salad, coleslaw.  My hard working husband Bob carrying one of the tables down to the back porch, while Bill unloads another. 

 Amazing and delicious food provided by our neighbor - grill master extraordinaire - Bill Shelton.

Good friends Ken and Patty Rea - because you can never have too many people who love you!!

Sweet 'sis' Jen had an in-service day - and had to come late - but she helped take it all down - tent carefully packed away and delivered, folding chairs loaded and back to the church.

To everyone that was here in their hearts - and to everyone that was able to join us in person to celebrate the raising of this lovely young woman -  because it took us all - a huge debt of thanks!! 

Because of all of you, she can be sent out into this world prepared for anything.  Best of luck and all of our good wishes!!

Almost Ready for Party Time

 Looks like we are getting ready for a celebration

 Front porch is ready!!

 This porch swing has my name on it - We have a big date Wednesday :)

 A relaxing place to chill...

 Throw in a touch of pure Americana

 And some great vintage galvanized watering cans

Cali giving the graduation girl an enthusiastic wake up call. Wake up!  Wake up!  Wake up!!!