What A Difference A Month Makes

It's time again for another opening at my "happy place"--Room With A Past in Walnut Creek where I am a consignor of many cool things. Here is my space just 30 days ago when it was all set up for the June opening:


Lots of festive red, whites and blues and anything you'd need for a summer picnic!

And here it is today all gussied up for the July opening which starts tonight!


Soft colors from the sea, wicker and shells. You can see more of the goodies we have to offer HERE . Hope you make it in!

A Recyclable City Of Art~Cardburg

Just when you think you've seen it all, someone comes up with something that you wish YOU'D thought of!

Welcome to Cardburg! Brought to you by the creative minds at the Cardboard Institute of Technology.



They've put together an exhibit at the Bedford Gallery in Walnut Creek, CA. It centers around racing remote controlled cars in a huge bowl-shaped track (also made of cardboard!), but the "garages" the cars are parked in, really take the show!

This one was over 14 feet tall! Can you see the car?

(click on the photos, then right click on "view image" to see them larger)


They used layer upon layer of cardboard and the packing materials you might get in a package to do all these amazing things!









These butterflies were on poly-line which was connected to the race track--every time the cars go around the track, the butterflies "fly"!



Here's the head of a 5 foot long fly



and the wings!






You can see just how large they are in this shot!



Trophies:




Vehicles:














And the raceway:










More sculptures:















The workshop:



And the city of Cardburg:














Can you imagine?!?

Lazy Days Daisy Chain

Remember the summer days of your youth? Sitting in the cool grass under the shade of a big tree sharing a picnic lunch? After a bit you'd notice the tiny daisies growing about the same height as the grass and start gathering them to link together in a chain to wear around your head!



Here's a grown-up version with a playful nod to those days! Grab your Divine Twine and get ready to re-live your daisy-chain memories! Use any color you desire--maybe you'd rather be rolling in green clovers or violets?



You'll need a wire-bending jig (mine is a Fiskars brand), twine in color of choice, and some tacky glue to start. Dip a 12" strand of twine in the glue and squeeze out the excess between your pinched fingers. Lay the twine in the jig, following the pattern, push down on the twine anywhere it crosses itself and let dry (takes about 1/2 hour). Remove from the jig and trim off any excess dried glue, or roll the now-stiff twine between your fingers to sort of squish it back onto the twine.



I glued small shank-back buttons to the centers, and then used jump rings to connect the daisies together. Tie a ribbon on each end daisy, and let your picnic in the grass begin!

Thinking (About What's) Inside The Box

What is this medium-sized, nondescript cardboard box, unearthed from all the other junk upon the scratched and burned surface (remember the soldering iron incident?) of my kitchen table? Let's untie the simply divine twine and find out!



Ooohhhh it's goodies! It's the goodies I won over at Kerstie Pederson's blog contest!!!! Yes, you're right--she IS the same gal that does all the easy, homemade treats & clever crafts, all while doing a bathroom remodel or two!



Look-- a mini birdhouse, frames, shakers of glitter, watch crystals, a glass specimen tube, a watch case, glue pen, tags, mini envelopes, bunch of flowers, a horseshoe, wood spools and a tea light! She even put in TWO of her Frozen Charlotte pieces!



And what's this? A box within a box??



Aaawwww, how sweet is that?



But wait, there's more! What's in the little envelope???



WOW! I am just amazed! Thanks so much Kerstie!