CREATIVE CHAOS

"The world is but a canvas to the imagination." Henry David Thoreau

 Hey, Y'all! Where do you create? Do you have a special place in your home that's just your space to plan, dream, and play? I've had several over the years--from reclaimed closets to dining room niches to a dedicated office/studio space--the where is never as important as just having SOMEWHERE to keep all my treasures corralled. 

Since I dabble in so many different mediums, shelves, jars, and boxes are mandatory. 

Packing up my creative treasures was one of the most difficult parts of our recent move. 

(You just never know when you may really 

NEED GLITTER!) 

However, unpacking my stuff has been like weeks of Christmas--not knowing which box holds what treasure. Each time I open one it makes me smile and say, "Oh, yeah! I missed that!" Then came the slight issue with WHERE to put all my little things?

My biggest challenge was needing lots and lots of shelves. Fortunately, being the JUNKER, I am, I found this shelf for under $30 (!) at an estate sale just after we moved to our new house. 

A coat of white paint transformed it to a lovely spot for lots of tiny bits, fun pieces, tons of magazines, gotta-have books, and sparkly stuff. 

One of my other favorite organizers is this awesome vintage pink rose (1940s?) shoe organizer. It now holds all kinds of letters and pictures next to my desk. 

Above my desk are a few of my favorite sayings and the fabulous Dreaming of Junking Calendar from Vintage Rescue Squad. 

Another of my favorite organizers is this beautiful little drawer box covered in the sweetest vintage floral wallpaper. I found it at Girls Gone Junkin's booth at First Monday Trade Days in Canton, TX. I should mention that's an important component of all my collected treasures--connections to other like-minded folks and passionate gypsies!

I'm the first to admit my creative space is not a tidy, minimalist place. It probably won't ever be featured in a magazine. 

However, it is a place where I enjoy making new Good Ju-Ju jewelry pieces, 

crafting Junkin' Journals,

 or working on my Flea Market Mystery series. 

Layers of sparkly, rusty, floral, and pretty are my creative playground motivating me to try new projects, keep the muses smiling, and fill my heart with JOY. 

Until next time,

Peace, love, and all 

the Good Stuff to y'all!

ONCE UPON A JUNKIN' TIME

Once upon a junkin' time, I was setting up Garden Cat at Funky Junk Sisters Junk Salvation in Hillsboro, OR. I was worried about getting everything to look beautiful and buyable when I noticed the very cool, lovely red head in the booth next to me. She would be(and probably was) the smart girl at the front of the class...notebook out and pencil ready for notes. She had it under control--her stuff was already unpacked and looking completely buyable!

She had a lot of interesting, eclectic vintage items...things I could paw through for a very long time. And best of all, she had (HAS) this magical smile that just says, "don't take it all so seriously! Have some fun!" And with her magical smile aimed at me, I smiled back. I relaxed and let the junkin' ju-ju work its way through my booth. It turned out to be a "game changer" of a show!

This story has a great happy ending/new
beginning...you see, this cool, lovely red head is hosting her own FABULOUS vintage market this weekend...only her third, yet already recognized as one of the best flea markets in the nation in FLEA MARKET STYLE

and  FLEA MARKET DECOR magazines.

You see this wonderful red head and great friend is Pam of One Gal's Trash and Plucky Maidens Junk Fest!!

Junkin' Sistas--Kristi of Checkered Past, Sue of Vintage Rescue Squad,
and Pam of One Gal's Trash and Plucky Maidens.

Havin' a little fun at Warrenton!

She is hosting the Plucky Maidens Junk Fest Spring EXTRAVAGANZA this Friday, April 27 from 5 -8 p.m. and Saturday, April 28 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Columbia Conference Center in Portland, OR.

And, oh yeah, I'll be there too...a lot more relaxed with my Garden Cat vintage treasures for special spring events like Mother's Day, graduation, a wedding, or a tea party!

I'll even have a few copies of First Monday Murder A Jimmie Rae Flea Market Mystery

on hand if you'd like a signed copy.

These other FABULOUS vendors will be there too:

Timeless Cool Junk

Vintage Market

Blue Ewe

Aunt Adeleine's

2nd Childhood

Vintage A-Go-Go

Adrienne & Rose

Molly Heltsley Designs

Into Vintage

Penumbra Design Studio

Homestead

Rachelle Ramirez

Jennii ReUnique

Rose Cottage

Hoity Toity Designs

Purple Pear

Magpie Ethel & Joie de Weave

Rusty Trellis

Mack & Momma

Pitula the Jeweler

Red Star Art

Flotsam & Jetsam

Stacey Darden

Beth Kloss

Purse Strings

Andy's Attic & Faded Rosie

Bird Song

My Shabby Passion

Jeanna Steacy

Voondi

Harris Farms

Monster Vintage

Joanne Crawford

Brush with the Past

Dorothy's Domain

Rutabaga Redesign

Terry Powers Recycled Art

Fun Junk

Camp Hollyhock

GJ Design

Pure & Applied

Frody O Dough Art, Inc.

I Spy Antiques

Chris Banauch

Molly Mo's & Roost REimagined

Vintage Trifles

The Butler Did It

Peonies & Possibilities

Ogles & Friends

Dolce Mia

Metro Retro

Lazy Jo Ranch

Karen Culp

L +W Estates Sales

Pierced Zebra

Donna Rentel

Little Apron Pocket

Pasteesh

Rustic & Refined

Eileen Coffey

Finds Old & New

Carla Starzec A.D.

Janet's Creations

Penelope's Hope Chest

Blissful Vintage

Just Chic

Peace, love, and feelin' quite PLUCKY and LUCKY to have met that lovely red haired lady named Pam!