Walking Down Memory Lane...

Here I am Walking Down Memory Lane on Memory Lane Monday that Miss Donna began a few months ago. This photo hangs on my "Rogue's Gallery" wall. I don't exactly know why but I like this photo. Then again this photo makes sad and happy at the same time.
I am the older sister pulling the wagon. I am about seven years old. My sister in the back of the wagon is 4 years younger than me so she is about 3 here. My sister in the front of the wagon is 12 months and 12 days younger than her sister so that makes her about 2 in this photo. That is a bottle hanging from her mouth.
I never look at this photo without thinking and feeling WAIF. We look like such waifs that are orphaned with no one to take care of us. All our worldy goods are on our backs...clothes that are very much hand-me-downs and definitely do not have any fancy designer labels. Marie has her bottle...and she is not letting go of it. Joyce and I each have a balloon. I am not certain why I would have a balloon because I really dislike balloons. Not in general but just for me personally. I don't like how they pop at any unknown moment. I don't like blowing them up because it hurts my head. I really don't like how balloons make your hands smell! Something like rubber which I dislike also.
We three sisters each have the same haircut but I can remember mine got a permanent. Oh how I really hated those days. Some woman cutting your hair when all you wanted was the long hair you had before she started. Then she would pull it and wrap it way too tightly around some little rod contraption until your entire head looked like you could receive radio transmissions. Uh-Oh...now comes the smelly stuff that always made me think I would pass out after throwing up! My poor eyes would water so badly that it looked like I was crying. My mother would be right there telling me to sit still and behave. How rude!!! I was being poisoned and she was happy about it. :o) Then the big heavy dome of heat that would burn your entire head but you sat under it until the hairdresser lady was done looking at her magazine or talking (gossiping) or maybe cutting some one elses hair too short. Whew! I am done with that torture and now I look like a frizzed out poodle. Not the look I ever wanted or enjoyed. What was my mother thinking? She had very long beautiful smooth hair that she braided in one very long queque down her back. No perms or hair salons for her. Why me? YUCK!
Life was simpler back in the olden days. I can attest to that. It is not often, if ever, that you see kids playing with a wagon on a sidewalk.
I love old black and white photos. It leaves your mind open to creatively color the images. To imagine what time of year it might be and what color the leaves on the trees might look like. Did I match my clothing or wear whatever was in the "play" clothes stack. We wore a dress to school and then came home and changed into play clothes. Do kids even do this anymore? Is this old REX wagon red? I love red wagons. In fact Mr. C has a red wagon that he used for hauling batteries and tires when he was racing cars and I will not let him throw that rickety old wagon away. I think some sub-contractor even ran into it with his truck but I won't let it go. We use it around the property and it resides in the garden house. Nope, cannot throw it away while I can still enjoy the memories of red wagons and childhood with my sisters.
Life was simpler back in the fifties.
Thank you for letting me share some of my memories with you.
I hope you get out some of your old photos and enjoy going down memory lane this week...

Road Trip Continues...

Our destination was Scottsdale Arizona for the Barrett Jackson Auto Auctions. This is the mecca of collector cars. About 200 acres filled with giant white tents and hundreds of amazing cars and other collectible items. Mr. C had this as one of his top ten bucket list items so we had to see it in person. We have watched it on TV however you can multiply that by 100 and still not get the true dynamics until you experience it in person. Overload would be quite an understatement!

Just on Saturday over 160,000 people attended. This gorgeous 1956 De Soto convertible auctioned off at $340,000 plus commission fees of 10% paid by the buyer. Who would have thought an orphaned De Soto would bring such money?!! It was so beautiful in person and every detail was perfect.

Silly me thought I wanted a Smart Car when I was traveling in Europe and saw them everywhere. Now that I have sat in one I cannot imagine driving 70 mph on the freeway in traffic with merely my a$$ being the bumper. Yes it has heated seats because the engine is directly behind your seat so you could also bake dinner on your way home from the market. :o) Too cute but not for me.

I did take a side trip to do some shopping. No photos of this so as not to incriminate myself. I visited a bead store in Scottsdale. This is a beautiful store with fabulous finds. However for me it was super intimidating. I have never gone in a bead store where you must put your purse in a locker and then you have an attendant hovering over you every minute. Who can relax and shop in that environment. Needless to say I bought very little especially after I saw the prices! One short strand of copper curved caps was $175. Ouch!

Let's continue our drive up to Sedona Arizona. This is the sacred place of red rocks and lots of lore. It is truly beautiful. Mr. C and I used to stay in Sedona several times a year until we moved north. We had not been back in about 14 years and lots had changed. Growth, commercialism and generally a sad depleted economy has taken its toll. Oh the beauty is still here however the ambiance has changed.

We managed to visit our old haunts, galleries, restraurants and the scenic rocks. The photo below is the famous Eagle rock which presides over the chapel built in the hills.

This entire area is said to be very sacred.

Enough road trip for now.

How many of you have ever been to either Barrett Jackson or to Sedona? Each is unique and well worth the trip if you like the venues.

Now I am off to the studio to finish some Valentines which must get into the mail today. I am only sending to family this time since I was gone so much.

Happy Hearts to all...

Red, White & Blue...

I am so proud to be an American and live my life with freedom.

Thank you to all those that make this good life possible.

Today is all about celebrating our beloved red, white and blue country.

Happy, Safe and Sparkly Fourth of July.

Happy Creating...

Happy creating is my signature line however I let too many things each day get in the way of doing just that. So here is a choker I made before my Southern venture I have just returned from.

This choker is completely stitched by hand (the red tie ribbon is pre-stitched) and made with the finest materials. I pay careful attention to detail and quality which should make this something that will last for a really long time.

I am very pleased with the final look of this unique Roses on Red choker.

I have promised myself to get back to my focus and therefore have listed this in my etsy shop.

There are so few hours in each day and I intend to utilize them being creative and feeling the joy that comes from making beautiful things with my hands.

Did you notice the tiny "dew drop" Swarovski clear crystal on each rose? It is in the details. :o)

Happy creating...

Friday already???

Well, I can hardly believe this is Friday already. I remember Monday, then it was Wednesday and now suddenly it is Friday. My goodness the time is flying by this year. I know the old adage that as we age time passes more quickly but I have lots of younger...much younger...people feeling the same and commenting on how fast the days are flying by.

I just had to show the pictures of this little red shoe. It is a size 5 and my daughter wore this shoe when she was very young and adorable. She actually had two of them...a right and a left and she wore them as a pair. I however only have this one shoe left. My grandmother had the other shoe as a remembrance but through the years after Grandmother passed away the little red shoe got lost from its mate. To this very day I just love this little red shoe and of course my daughter, now grown, so very much. I keep this red shoe displayed in my dressing room and I smile every day when I look at it and remember the times she wore it. I still have a passion for shoes and especially red shoes.

Today is the official first day of Spring and our weather here in Northern California was absolutely perfect! Blue skies, sunshine and happy daffodils blooming everywhere. Our little stretch of highway along town has thousands of daffodils that are blooming and making drivers smile. However, we are well aware of the changing mood of Mother Nature and we are on alert for rain and snow by this Saturday night. Yes, it will smash the daffodils as it does every year but somehow they seem to bounce back and look happy no matter what.

I have enjoyed this week even as quick as it came and went. I hope each of you have had a wonderful week and will continue to have many more wonderful weeks ahead.