Easter decor -

decorated the office for Easter. i used some items from our personal collection. the rabbits belong to us. the basket i purchased at a goodwill for the office. filled it with plastic eggs that i filled with 'oops please excuse the late payment' cards that allows the receiver to have their late fee dismissed on their unit, candies, certificates for free locks, boxes and tape. i plan to give these to tenants who come to the office and pay their rent on time beginning the first of april. i also used a little basket for candies for customers and the little basket that is empty in the photos, i filled that with a sunny bouquet of daffodils i got at randalls grocery store 2 bunches for $6. on the stepdown of the counter, i used a big picnic basket i had and filled it with texas blue bonnets and dahlias. i think it turned out real nice and the customers seem to like it and it makes me feel good to have the place looking nice and homey.

cashmere passion ...

i have a thing for cashmere sweaters. i can't stop buying them at thrift stores and used clothing stores. i have stacks of them. i tend to buy the ones that are cream, grey, black and warm toned colors. i have v neck, crew neck, turtle neck, vests, cable knit and just plain comfy.
i remember my first cashmere sweater - listen to me, i talk about them like it should have been a memorable event. but i guess it was. i love the look of a sweater with a good fit. but, i hate the texture of most sweaters. they just plain itch. i can wear a cashmere sweater on a cool morning to brunch and feel wonderful. i have worn cashmere sweaters that are oversized and perfect for just laying on the couch and watching an epic old movie. there is nothing more enjoyable than a cool dark room, a Susan Hayward movie (Back Street), curled on the sofa, a down pillow, a bag of animal crackers, iced tea and wearing a cashmere sweater.
my first cashmere sweater - i bought with my mom at a church rummage sale. i was 15. the sweater was at least 20. i was drawn to it for the graphic diamond pattern - which is very much in style now - and when i picked it up, it was as if the heavens had opened up and sent down the lashes of angels to weave this heavenly creation. i was in love. i didn't even know what cashmere was and picture if you can a 15 year old country boy in a family of deer hunters conveying his excitement to his father. yeah. well, he loved me just the same.
so, i have a thing for cashmere sweaters.
i think i need to find a cabinet to put them in - preferably something with glass front doors.
p.s. old worn out sweaters also make great throw pillows.


the picture - that's a stash of this months sweaters. seriously.

part of the job -

today we have to cut locks on storage units of people who are behind in payments. i don't really enjoy this part and to his credit rod works with people every way he can and uses all the tools he has been given. so, if you ever find yourself behind in your storage payment - stay in touch with the manager. i know you may find managers who will not work with you - but working with you and letting you slide and not pay anything are two different things. always make sure you stay in touch with the manager of the storage facility where your stuff is stored. we are only cutting 4 locks today, but mostly locks are cut when phone numbers are disconnected, calls are not returned, mail to the address on record is returned and we, as managers of the facility, are basically avoided.
always let them know where you are, what you are doing and when you are going to pay. always. and never, ever put grannies quilt in storage. put excess clothes, extra furniture - but don't put sentimental things in storage. have them out in your home and enjoy them.

inspiration ..

i know inspiration comes in many forms. we all see something and it inspires us to create something based on that one item - that one piece - word - or movement.

as i was deleting and re-checking images i had taken with my phone camera, i ran across an image i had taken of a very interesting pottery vase.






maybe it is just me, but i have reason to believe that it could have been the inspiration for the dress miley cyrus recently wore to the oscars - what do you think?

the weekend

we had the storage auctions on friday and they went pretty well. i hardly had anyone trash the place, most of them picked up after themselves. that is always a blessing.

saturday morning we decided to hit a few shops around. didn't find much at the first place, but the second place we found some fun stuff.

a great wicker and wire plant or floral stand. i think it was used for weddings or funerals. and it came with a spare basket. we paid $9 for the lot.

two great indian pottery bowls - we paid $1 a piece.

a super looking striped wool blanket - $2. it has a few holes, but a wonderful softness.

a cute little hooked rug with bumble bees - $3. it's new but has a great look. i think it will look great in the spare / guest bedroom once we get settled. (gosh, i hope the new place has a guest/spare bedroom).

i have a thing for wood vessels - vases, bowls, trays and the like - i like the feel of real wood. found this interesting wood vase. marked on the bottom "c 99". rod said he thought it might be cactus. i don't know. i paid $2.

and a nice oblong and ornate silver plate tray on feet.$4

i didn't get any pics of the places we went shopping, but am going to try and do that.
we have been in houston since october and though we have seen and heard about carolyn thompsons antique center of texas - and we passed it a few times on the highway - we had never been there. we decided to stop in - well if you have never been, it is a treat for the eyes. i saw so much cool stuff but honestly for the most part it was much more 'michael jackson' than my tastes allow.


we have friends who have a store here in houston in the heights area - jur & becki van der oord. the name of their store in installations. we have known them for at least 20 years and have always loved their style. they used to also do the warrenton antique show and for years set up in the bar-w field right outside of town. they were like the first people in warrenton to have their own circus tent - they were right on the front row - if you went to warrenton you couldn't have missed them. cool people, cool stuff. and becki does some of the most incredible displays - very euro - very eye appealing - and you have got to see the things jur does with industrial parts and pieces - especially his tables. if you are in the area of their shop here in houston, stop and say hey. i took some pics, but they didn't turn out too well. they have the most lovable cats, who like to pose and purr.











you will love the upholstery work they do, which is in house - they use old grain sacks and upholster beautiful victorian or art deco furniture.

ok, out of everything i found this weekend what really excited me the most was the sweetest little sterling butterfly pin. she is marked 'sterling' and 'jez. laine'. it only measures about 1 3/4" long. don't know why i just think it is wonderful. i think it has to do with the fact you can see the handmade quality.