Vintage Beads and Lots of Laundry

I got in town Monday night at 12:45. Tuesday morning I guess. I then got the girlies to school and they were in wonderful moods. I had a lot to mail out, a couple sales and a couple trades. Then I stopped by Rutladers antiques and found some fun stuff. A couple bags of vintage beads that I turned into bracelets and earrings.

Pumpkin Hollow Gourd Farm

I am in Heaven! A whole day with my Husband talking about trees and then a Gourd FARM! Someone pinch me! I have never seen gourds this big in real life and all different varieties. I can't wait to get them home. The farm didn't have power still from the ice storm but they had us and some other customers. 3 women came from Mountain Home AR and they were all smiles too. We all went around and made piles and it is so funny to see how each of us picked our gourds. I shake and set them on wood to make sure they stand up. Others hold them up and feel all over, others dig through bins and piles. It was great. The three women were so impressed that my husband walked with me with a cart to put the gourds in. He then went to the truck and made coffee on his little travel cook stove. That impressed the gourd farmer.

Sunday Birds and Gourds

Saturday night we got far enough east in Arkansas that all the linemen that were restoring power had the hotels full. So we slept in a cafe parking lot in the truck under a huge light until the police came knocking at 3am. So back on the road we saw some amazing things. One was the sign that winter is over. All the birds were returning. Check out the picture of the snow geese. It was unreal. I will make one more post about today cause it is my favorite part so far!

Weekend in Arkansas

I am a couple days behind because I have been busy riding with John researching cities to call on in Arkansas. We just got to a hotel that has internet so I will post a couple pictures. You wouldn't believe the destruction down here. It is amazing. What is worse, you wouldn't believe the way people are topping their trees. I believe they just don't know better, not that they do it on purpose. First look at the picture of the set up to trim this tree. It is very lucky no one died in this one. Count the ladders! And check out the rope! This was Saturday on our way across the state. I heard there was a gourd farm in Piggott and their county was one of the worst damaged by ice storms so we headed that way.

Think about the Trash through the whole Process

You have got to watch the video on Yahoo's front page. It is a Good Morning America story about a man that kept his trash for a whole year in his basement. It is so amazing how such a simple message has been missed by America for years! America throws away more trash than any other country. The message in this is great. Think about what it is your buying and where it is going to end up as you buy it. Don't use plastic shopping bags, they don't decompose and it is simple not to use them. Don't use plastic bottles, it takes 100's of years for them to break down in a landfill and it is simple not to use them. And the part about the worms is even great! I can recycle my paper waist and still have bait for fishing!

So next time I can say that I grew the bait that caught the fish!

Wednesday was a Vintage Day

John headed back to Arkansas so me and the kids got around this morning. Two of the girls tried to sneak out with the wrong color leggings on under their uniforms and there was a fight for shotgun. So, normal morning. I then ran around and did banking stuff. Not enough deposits. Story of this winter. Oh, and I got a letter from the city that they have had many complaints about my dogs running the town. They are just making friends!

So today I finished a cat gourd, but mostly I listed vintage stuff today. I am trying out putting backgrounds behind my products to see the response. I like the results so far, but I am from the school of bright white backdrop.

Next week is valentines and the kids have a 5 day weekend. I was telling them how Arkansas had natural hot springs so I am going to try to get us all down there. I think they would love walking around Eureka Springs. The town I fell in love with gourds in. They loved when we went to Sante Fe, but John didn't so this time it will be me and the kids and he can work. Cross your fingers that I can pull off our little weekend adventure. Should be fun.

Three New Gourds

My goal was three new gourds painted today. I am very close. One is little, but I think it is so cute and fun. I also made a new frog prince and I am about to finish a new Cat Gourd Lamp. I cleaned today and had dinner ready and kids are doing well, so a pretty good day. I have been ignoring taxes, quickbooks and bills and I know I will feel better when I do it, but I can't look! John is going back to Arkansas and he will hopefully have lots of big news, maybe even life changing. I'll let you know. Here is my newest gourd. It is a little mushroom charm for a necklace or keychain or such. It reminds me of a fantasy book or game.

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