Organizing....

One of the things I do the first few months of a new year is organize. My studio, office, packing room and general storage areas look like 19 drunk unruly monkeys have run thru the rooms with wild abandon. I know it was me that did all this destructive, havoc, mess and general untidiness but REALLY cant I blame this on someone else.

The problem is storage....there is just not enough in this house. We have a garage and a large tool shed but those are both filled to the max with my previous treasures. There are some that could say I was a hoarder... I "gasp" here as I do have a small fear that one day my dh (darling husband) will submit my collecting and gathering escapades to the either one of the other hoarding TV shows or even the show INTERVENTION .... I do "shudder" at this point with fear.

Today I am going to clean no, no not clean but organize the back porch. Cleaning means getting rid of stuff...organizing means to sort, label and move things around so the place looks like is has been cleaned ! Am I a smartie pants or what...although my husband calls it bi-annual box migration.

Actually it is quite fun to look into unmarked boxes....I have found unbelievable treasures that I totally forgot I purchased 10 or 12 years ago....my best find was a whole box of Victorian baby socks...they were just too cute...perfect for tiny Christmas stockings....Ok at this point being the end of February perhaps tiny Easter stockings on a pink tree...I could start a new trend here...hmmm will have to think about that a bit...I will probably need more of these however.

OK....next box is full of good junk....pens, bits of paper, price tags...useful GOOD junk so I sort and put these in the proper places. I am feeling liberated already !

Time for a coffee break......5 minutes...ok 10 minutes....30 minutes later..

I am now well rested and must finish this project ! I worked for more 2 hours....only had 5 things - boxes, baskets, & bins drop on my head...very light weight...no major blood spilled. I managed to clear a path...of course the boxes are now over 8 feet tall on both sides of this path. I will have to hold my breath as I squeeze thru the path to find treasures in the future but it looks organized. Good thing I am not claustrophobic.

I did find a large half empty plastic bin with papercups, plates and plastic silverware....hmmm, whats with that ? A perfectly good bin for storing treasures not paper products !!

I managed to throw a large gnarly box away...pretty sad shape..couldnt even duct tape it back together...although I did contemplate it. My husband will be so proud that it was tossed out.

It was physically exhilarating...especially as the storage area on the closed porch was 42 degrees.

Next project ...tackle the garage...this Spring !

Would love to hear your organizing stories...or even hoarding stories....lol...although we will call them massive collection and accumulation stories...

Yours in whimsey,

Karen

What time is it ?

It is chocolate donut tax time !!! The only way I can entice myself to do the dreaded taxes is to promise myself a chocolate donut. I started to layout all the paperwork, load up the tax program and realized there was NO CHOCOLATE DONUTS in the house. The closet chocolate donut place was the local gas station 3 blocks away.....yes, even gas station donuts are still technically considered DONUTS ! I threw on my coat, scarf and "chocolate buying" winter boots, grabbed my purse & examined it for cash and grabbed a large yellow envelope.

I went outside and saw my darling husband shoveling snow and shouted to him...I am going to the Post Office and waved the envelope to prove I was going to the gas station...oops Post Office...tee hee.

Three blocks later I was in front of the large case of delicious bakery...unfortunately it had been raided earlier in the day, the shelves were quite sad looking and were about 95% empty...BUT there was chocolate donuts on the bottom shelf calling my name and I just knew they were meant for ME.

I grabbed the largest one...and decided to take a second one in case my girlfriend Mrs. S stopped in. Of course she hasn't been to my home in 6 or 7 months but one never knows does one ? Of course one cant have a chocolate donut without a huge mocha coffee so I snagged one of those as well....and a large bag of Cheetos....just in case the tax preparation becomes too much for my brain cells. I have heard Cheetos aid in reproducing ones brain cells or is that fat cells...no, I truly think it is brain cells.

I waited a few minutes and arrived home with the donuts stashed inside my jacket...I had to hurray into the house before my husband smelled the enticing aroma of bakery & I had to share.

I laid the bag down and threw my coat over the treasure...he never knew what he was missing poor fellow.

So I proceeded with the taxes....yuck.....30 minutes later my husband left for work...he yelled goodbye and I ran into the kitchen as the door was closing...the tax prep was over and donut time was NOW. I was so tantilized by the first donut that I barely tasted it...so I proceeded to the second one for my girlfriend Mrs. S. I did feel a bit guilty about eating it so I wrote her an email stating -

I am eating a chocolate donut…I got two of them.... one for me and one for you… BUT since you are far far away I know you will want me to eat the second one. Karen

I didnt hear back from her...so I knew it was OK.

I managed to save the bag of Cheetos for later. Of course when my darling husband arrived home from work later that day he asked where the bag of Cheetos came from...I managed to mumble something about my awful day of tax prep and I may need a back rub.

The day ended quite nicely, thank you...tee hee hee.

Yours in a whimsey,

Karen

My Wee Valentine Web Show is finally DONE ...

I am very pleased to announce the opening of my


♥ Valentine Web Show ♥


It is finally ready for your perusal and public viewing

at

www.themadhattedbear.com

A few photos here as a tease...come and see some unique
pieces that I am proud to show you.


* SOLD *

Thank you !





Please let me know if you have any questions.....I dont bite much !

meer2@execpc.com

Yours in a whimsey,

Karen

Almost ready...

Just popping in to say I am close to finishing my update on the Valentines Web Show. I have included this photo below as a little tease.....I am adding new items to my creative inventory. I love learning new techniques ....I guess this means I am labeled a
Multi-medium Artist....lol and here I was hoping to be
nominated the
"Grand PooBa Queen of Crafts" !




* The DUDE among a bevy of Valentine Hearts *

"I'm called the dude because I show The fashions, and good form, you know"


Yours in a whimsey,

Karen

A true confession...

OK..my husband has left me......for a fish. Yes, dear readers I am one of those lucky wives whose husband is an ice fisherman. I actually did go ONE TIME with him on an ice fishing adventure. I froze my butt off and kept asking him where the potty was. Needless to say he has never asked me to go with him again, go figure.

Well since he is gone I am fervently creating my wee Valentine webshow...and I got a taste for chocolate. I knew he received a jumbo Hershey bar from his Godchild at Christmas and it was still hiding in his secret stash refrigerator drawer...huh, he thinks I dont look there, the rascal !

I figured since he got a nice mini vacation that the jumbo candy bar is MINE. I can always put a piece of cardboard in the wrapping and a few months from now tell him the chocolate is probably rancid and should be tossed.

Well, I dug out the candy bar and it looked enticing and started to call to me......it was DARK CHOCOLATE...my favorite. I carefully opened up the package and snapped off about 1/3 of it...grabbed a mug of hot coffee and simply enjoyed every morsel. Now it is 15 minutes later and I still do not feel guilty..ha ha..that bar was definitely meant for me.

Chocolate and no guilt ...can the day get any better !

Yours in a whimsey,

Karen

I love getting photos from readers...

My husband spent the entire day yesterday shoveling us out....we had a snow blower but it died. I did see a tear run down my husbands face but we decided to wait for the clearance sale on snow blowers of course once the snow melts away.....lol.

You can just see my house peeking around the corner..lol...

OK I am lying here...I just had to share this photo with you.

~~~

A wonderful customer of mine and I are both tired of snow...she also lives in the Midwest and frankly we have had enough. Here in my little town of Oconomowoc in southeast Wisconsin we got 15" yesterday...now I was born and raised in Northern Wisconsin
but come on...15" is a bit too much.

I was emailing back and forth with this fun lady the other day ...both of us commiserating about the snow when I received this wonderful email & photos
that I had to share with you -

She writes: I dressed up Doc last weekend for some funny photos.
His brother, Wyatt, is way too sophisticated to wear funny hats or to act silly,
so he stayed in the house until I was ready for the "real" portraits that we took later.

Doc, ended up looking like an old bag lady wearing a babushka. Which is fine except that the plan was to make him look like a skater boy, but because Collies have
such small skulls (I know there's a joke in there somewhere)
the hat wouldn't stay on unless I tied it under his chin.

I laughed myself silly, because he's a dog who's absolutely up for anything, and we had so much fun just being goofy in the snow. LOL

Honestly, it's like living with Cary Grant and Shemp Howard--they are so
very different. But maybe that's why they get along so well.


~~~~~

Yours in a whimsey,

Karen

Working hard.....

Yes, I am working hard and I am not talking about shoveling snow ! I hope to have my Wee Valentine Web show up and running in a few days. Meanwhile I did manage to load some fun charm bracelets on Etsy...they are designed with a slant towards Valentines Day but can be worn all year long. Here are 2 of my favorites -

* * Chocolate Memories * *

$ 58.00

Several years ago I had an opportunity to visit a chocolate store in Gent, Belgium.
The family run business actually made their chocolate in the back room.
Now, I love Hersey chocolate bars with almonds, kisses and snickers and
have never turned one down ...BUT I was converted to
the ambrosia of all chocolate after that trip. I actually bought 10 lbs of
chocolate back in my suitcase....lol.

When I returned of course I shared my booty with friends and family but a few just didnt get it. I do so regret giving most of it away. It was so divine...I still yearn for a piece now
and then and wish I had kept it all...lol.
Then I could be known as "MADAME Piggy Whimsey".
So I dedicate this bracelet to
my chocolate memories.

To commemorate this fabulous Belgium chocolate store I designed a second whimsical bracelet with images of vintage typewriter keys spelling out
C H O C O L A T E
across the chain. In between the letters are beads designed to look like
wrapped chocolate bon-bons, some heart charms, a small cup for hot chocolate,
a tiny box of chocolates, a cupid and & tiny 1940s celluloid rabbit charm....I have always
loved chocolate rabbits !

The chain is silver tone with a lobster claw clasp. The bracelet is 7.75" from very
end to other end. As with all my bracelets this bracelet can be made
shorter or longer just let me know...no problem.

* * Queen Of Hearts * *

SOLD

Thank you !

OK.....I try not to be partial to the pieces I create BUT I love this bracelet of secrets..lol. On the front side of the bracelet, vintage postcard images of ladies, cupids & tiny hearts are
featured on small & 1 large frame charm. Nestled between are vintage
charms of a celluloid lamb, a dutch couple, metal & red hearts,
a running bunny, key, crown, heart locket,
Victorian hand, pink buttons
& rhinestones.

The secret is revealed on the back of the bracelet..the small frame charms
now spell out
Q U E E N
in black letters on a red background. So much fun when wearing this piece
as the secret letters reveal themselves slightly when your hand is in motion ! Only you can reveal this mystery to the world.

The chain is silver tone with a lobster claw clasp. The bracelet is 7.75"
from very end to other end. As with all my bracelets this bracelet can be made shorter or longer just let me know...no problem.

Oh my...it is time to take down the Christmas decor...

Yes, it is Feb. 1 and I simply must take down my Christmas decorations & trees. For some folks there would be a gasp of horror. These people would be aghast that I waited so long to remove my Christmas treasures to the storage. These kind of people take down their holiday cheer the day AFTER Christmas...this is where I gasp ! My neighbor who shall go nameless actually has been seen throwing her tree out on Dec. 26...I may take pictures next year & post them just to prove it is true.

OK...I have to admit here...there was a time..a number of years ago I actually took my tree down on April 1st. It had been a live tree but OK it was definitely dead by then. I probably would have left it stay up longer but for my father in law. He stopped over on a March 31 and his eyes bugged out when he saw our 7' tree still standing in the living room. He thought he was so amusing as he would shake a branch or two then 3 and all the needles fell off the appendage. I was quite irritated with the gentleman as the tree was doing no harm to anyone..it was just a bit brown and I thought the color did show off the Christmas ornaments quite nicely. Well as he proceeded to shake all the branches the tree did start to look a wee bit bare....Charlie Brown would be so proud. So in my embarrassment I took the tree down the next day. Thirty some years later I am still finding dead needles in hidden places in my living room. My father in law has passed away since then and I do think of the stinker whenever I discover one of those nasty fossilized needles.

Yours in a whimsey,

Karen