I Hit the Motherlode!

Elli and I set out for an Ikea outing yesterday when we happened upon a local estate sale.  I have almost no ability to resist garage/yard/estate sale signs, so we detoured.  Fortunately, my Mr. shares in my sickness, so the only reprimand I receive from these detours is for going without him.

Anyway, I found FABULOUS! I can not wait to post these treasures in our shop! Hats! Scarves!  Bohemian Beads! Polka dots! Ruby depression glass! Linen!

I'm beyond giddy. 

The Shop!

We did it! We've finally launched Entropy: The Shop. And just in time for the holidays! We even shipped our first order this week!

We're small right now, but are growing daily. Please stop by and check out the goods...

We're selling some of our fabulous vintage finds:

My funky bohemian designs:

And Klee's delectibles!

And, if you ever see something you want from one of my blog posts, please message me, I'll do my best to accommodate!

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Elliott's Owls

Thought I'd share a few of my recent cool finds...


I hate the dated ceiling fan hovering over my bed BUT it is nice in the summer time and this is a rental; SO, rather than replace it, I added some bling.  This was dual purpose because I also wanted some dangly treasures for Elliott to gaze at.

I love finding other uses for Christmas ornaments.

I know the name on the wall thing has been a bit over done in nurseries, and I did resist it, but how could I not display a name as cool as Elliott?  Besides, I found these bohemian letters at World Market...

The tipped "O" on the bottom stands for Ocean
(his middle name).  Not sure I like it tipped
I might have to straighten it.

Ok, I wanted birds to nestle in the branches on Elliott's wall but could never find what I was looking for.  Instead, I stumbled on these great owl gift cards.  The little owls were stuck on the cards with puffy tape so I just peeled them off and stuck them onto my wall.  The mommy owls hung on ribbon.  I liked the idea of dangling them from the branches.

I know owls are still birds; just not the
"birdies" from my original vision.

Elliott's wall.

It's nothing spectacular but it makes me happy...

and Elliott seems to like it.

Find of the Day

Pier 1 Imports $7.00!  They had a great collection of vintage-style wall hooks.  Very cool.

Evolution of Space

As you might recall, I recently pieced together a fabric sample wall art "head board" .  While I'm pleased with that phase of the project, the evolution of the space is still in process.  I'm not entirely content with the wall yet and the bed needs some dressing up. 


My duvet has been lying naked for a while because the bold red duvet cover (which was graciously given to me) made creating a combined master retreat/nursery difficult.  Whether you like it or not, baby boys get blue things; resistance may not be futile but it is frustrating none-the-less.  I want to make the space a place of peace for my adult self, while still embracing the coming baby dweller.


The other day, while searching my wallet for something important (which I can't remember), I found an old gift card to Bed Bath and Beyond.  Glee shot through me.  Free shopping - a girl's best friend.  I felt adequately armed with my new treasure AND the 20% off coupon which I'd received in the mail.  The search commenced.

I initially intended to keep the bed simple, maybe even white, so I gave that a go.  I liked the cloud effect, but the bed felt boring and disconnected from the space.


So, I took my 13-year-old daughter back with me to BB&B and we went a different route...

I actually loved this duvet cover.  It's colorful, bohemian and very soft.  BUT.  The yellow was a little too bright and the pattern a bit too contemporary for the vintage quilting in the room.  


I did like the eclectic quality though, so decided to pursue that further...

I'm feeling pretty good with this green and white number.  It's lacking in style on it's own, but with the butter bed skirt and deep turquoise pillows, it will work.  (The soft white blanket is actually intended as a barrier between the dogs and my bedding.  It works about 20% of the time, when they forget to dig themselves into my pillows.)

The empty frame on the wall is NOT a completed detail.  It is actually an old frame which used to house a painting of me as a little girl.  My grandparents had it commissioned many years ago.  When my grandmother went into an alzhiemer's care home, my grandfather gave me the painting. 


The frame is very in keeping with it's era (mid 70's).  It's gold and gaudy... and I kinda love it.  

My mother took this picture while I played in a park.
She made that outfit for me.

A while back the painting fell out of it, so I set the painting on a shelf and have been trying to decide how else to use the frame.  I don't mind it hanging over the bed, but not empty.  What to fill it with.....  hmmmm.  I'll get back to you on that. 




So this is the room as it stands now.  The leopard chair has to fit somewhere else in the house as I need that corner for my old rocking chair (given to me by my aunt when Kinsey was born).

Oliver standing at his post, protecting our home from the many squealing children running past my window.  He doesn't understand my lack of appreciation for his efforts.

** To see more evolution of my spaces, click on the page link, "Belmont Cottage" at the top of the blog**

More Tid Bits of Possibly Useless Information

On Sunday I decided to take myself out on the town.  I drove up to Walnut Creek which is only about 25 minutes away but an entirely different atmosphere.


 **When we first moved to the Bay area we lived in Poet's Corner on the boarder of Pleasant Hill and Walnut Creek.  I loved it.  After the first year, I reluctantly agreed to move to a newer townhome in Dublin.  It was nice to live in a more efficient home, but I really miss living among the trees and culture of Walnut Creek.**


Anyway, the town was buzzing, as I expected on a sunny weekend.  Parking was scarce so I had to park on the roof of a parking structure.  I appreciate that WC still offers free parking structures - a rarity these days.  I really didn't mind parking up there because I've been needing exercise.  I'm proud to say I used the stairs both down and back up!  The wheezing and moaning didn't seem to attract too much attention.

I was excited to browse one of my favorite chain stores, Urban Outfitters.  UO and Anthropologie are sister stores which is obvious by their merchandising.  They have done a fabulous job of creating a genre all their own.  I like to linger in both shops just to soak up the atmosphere, although I like the music and scents in Anthropologie a tad more.  


UO is the more economical/youthful of the two.  I like to dig through their sale racks for treasures.  On this visit, I went specifically to check out their home decor.  I love their quilts.  The prices are reasonable, but still too much for me, so I have to wait for clearance.  Of course, I LOVE the duvet covers at Anthropolgie, but they are WAY out of my budget right now, so not even looking...

I did make one awesome purchase.  I found a fun top!  This pregnancy, my wardrobe has required a lot of 'out of the box' thinking.  I have managed to spend a grand total of $13 on maternity clothes thus far (thanks to generous friends, freecycle, and garage sales).  BUT, it felt really good to buy something NEW.  UO is great for maternity finds since they offer a variety of longer-than-average tops and tunics.  And with style! 

I attempted to take a self portrait to show the "belly fit" of my new top, but had trouble capturing it (arm not long enough for obtuse belly).  Of course, I didn't think of taking the pic till after I had washed my face for bed, so... it is what it is.


While still feeling proud of myself for the stair climbing, I chose to go with the healthy thing and make a nutritious dinner of potatoes, pea shoots, green beans and watermelon.  Yes, pea shoots.  I've never cooked with them before but my sister-in-law gave me a big bag of them so I gave it a shot.  Stir-fried them with a bit of salt and YUM!  Outside of the tough to chew element, they have earned a place in my vegetable heart.


So, I washed the dishes, watched an uninspiring TV movie, and made a desperate attempt to ignore the siren call of the salted caramel ice cream in the freezer (with oreo cookie).  FUTILITY, I tell you!!  BUT, I did make it a smaller portion than usual.  I get points for that, right??  


Oh well, it's a new day, new opportunity to resist one of the few sources of joy in my life temptation.

OH!  Before I sign off, I'd love your input.  I'm considering a hair cut.  As I've mentioned, this pregnancy (and possibly a few cheap bottles of hair dye) has done a number on the health of my locks.  They are VERY dry and need a trim.  I haven't wanted to cut my hair, but am thinking I might have to.  SO, I found this pic of a possible style.  I know I'm no Sandra Bullock, but use your imagination.  What do you think?  I'd love any suggestions you have.  Need to take action soon.


Ok, so that's a little bit of nothing for ya.  Have a great day.  Peace Out!

Nesting (With Super Cool Wall Art Project!)

So, in the spirit of jewel box living, I'm currently in the process of creating a nest for Biscuit.  It's a bit of a challenge as I'm attempting to blend it with the master bedroom.  Because of this, I'm not really going for the zoo animal/all star/transportation motifs.  Of course, he is a baby, so I'd like to add some whimsy.


It wouldn't be jewel box living if space wasn't an issue as well (this is a tiny room) so that affects my plans dramatically.  It took some research, but I'm very pleased to present my first purchase toward this project...  A mini crib!

I'm so thrilled with it.  It is a fraction of the size of a standard crib but has passed all the same safety tests.  It has four mattress level settings so it can accommodate a baby well into two years.  And... it's cute!  They sell mini cribs in a lot of the big stores but I actually found mine on craigslist which saved me about $200.00.  


Bedding is the main draw back.  They don't sell much at the major retailers.  I have found a few web sites which I might be able to order from, but I think I'll just pull out the old sewing machine for this one.  It doesn't need all the frills that we've grown accustomed to.  I think a few cute sheets and blankets will be perfect.  I really like this fabric.  It's called Topsy Turvy Toile.

But I may just go with something really simple.  Maybe polka dots or stars...


Today, I started the decorating of the nest.  I really like simple wall appliques like this one.  You can find quite a selection on line and they aren't too terribly expensive.  Of course my budget is more limited than some so I came up with an alternative.


I call it the "Contact High".  I've included instructions for those of you who might want a project.


Supplies:  Contact paper (can be found at Target, Walmart, etc. for about $7.00/roll), a pencil, and scissors.  


Step One:  Roughly sketch your design on the back of the contact paper.  It might help you to have a picture of what you're attempting to sketch in front of you.  Keep in mind that it will be the mirror image when applied.


Step Two:  Cut out your design.  Keep the design simple so the cutting doesn't get too detailed.  


Step Three:  Apply to wall.  I find it easiest to take off a little of the paper backing at a time to prevent the contact paper from sticking to itself.  The great thing about this is that contact paper is easy to peel off and reposition if you aren't thrilled with your first application.  


You can choose to mix colors if you like.  I wanted to keep it clean and understated.  I also had an old roll of marbled contact paper under my sink.  I figured, free is good, so I went with it.


You don't have to cut out the whole design at once. You can break it into more manageable segments and apply them in pieces.  Just be sure to choose a contact paper that will conceal your grafting lines.  A marbled pattern is great for that.


So this is the nest wall...

I think it's a good start.  

Crispy French Toast and Artichokes... Scaring the Goblins Away

Today is one of those 'Couldn't we just skip it and move on to the next calendar day?' days.  


June 20... 


Father's Day - that I can handle, despite my own "daddy" issues.  My former Mr., we'll refer to him as 'D' from now on, has been a terrific father to my three, and I am forever grateful for that.


The one that stings; and by stings I mean gouges out my insides and runs them through the shredder; is that today is my wedding anniversary.  What truly was the happiest day of my life.   We were married for 11 years.  I'm not sure how you get over that, but I'm limping my way through it.  


So, I'm trying to "do" things.  Stuff that will scare the ugly goblins of depression away.  Nothing has been magic so far, but here is a list of some of my half-hearted efforts:

• Garage sales and Farmers Market.  Being broke, I have to keep my entertainment costs down.  Yesterday I spent 11 dollars and bought one outfit, 4 artichokes and a big bag of organic greens.  I also got to sample umpteen varieties of peaches, nectarines, cherries, plums, several varieties of Indian cuisine, and some kettle corn.  The people swarming about made me feel not-so-alone and the man playing his guitar was good for the soul.

• Left over French toast.  I made french toast for the kidlets on Friday morning and had some left, frozen.  The great thing about left over french toast is that it gets crispy on the outside when you toast it lightly.  YUM.  A few bites of that cinnamony goodness, along with some little blue pills and I'm almost functional!
• Starbucks.  We all know how efficiently Starbucks can provide a cup of happy.  After my toasty breakfast and market stomping, I still wasn't feeling it, so I pulled out the old Starbucks gift card from my wallet and administered a Grande Caramel Light Frappacino - WITH whip.  I'll admit, it gave me a pretty good temporary mood boost.
• Garden planning/digging/idea shopping...  I decided to stroll the isles of Lowe's for some patio garden inspiration.  I checked the discount rack, but nothing struck my fancy.  In the past I've found some great deals there.  I got the biggest boost from the sweet scent breezing off of the cluster of Star Jasmine.  I have decided that I will be adding several Jasmine plants to my garden.
• After some abusive texts and phone calls yesterday evening (I should clarify that these were not from D), my mood hit the shredder again.  After a desperate post on FB, I grabbed a pair of shears and took to my bangs.  This time I googled proper bang-snipping techniques so as to avoid the tragic results of previous attempts.  It felt good to see through my fringe again.  
• It has been about 8 months since I've touched a bottle of polish so I gave that a whirl.  Midnight Blue toes and Cherry Red finger tips.  It's amazing what pretty hands and feet do for one's self esteem. 
• Took a shower.  Simple, but so comforting.
• I blogged, scribbled, jotted... I don't have much of a support network near me, so that makes it difficult to find comfort in friends.  I know I need to develop that more.  This has been a challenge of mine since college.  Anyway, writing, especially writing for some type of social forum, helps to fill that void.  Gives me a sense of connection as well as a place for expression.

I'm SO open to other thoughts and ideas for fighting depression.  Most of the time this is beyond me.  I would love to hear from you, my cyber family.  What keeps you going when it gets really mucky?

Day Trip

Wednesday was doctor day again. About every six weeks I make the pilgrimage to Chico to meet with my Lyme doctors and evaluate the progress of my treatment.

I tend to drag my feet leading up to D-day, knowing that it will be long and exhausting. It's a three hour drive both ways. But, I like road trips. Always have. Provides an excuse to do nothing

but sit and watch the world go by. So I forced myself out the door and, after a necessary stop by Starbucks for a Venti-sized cup of motivation, I was off.

I listened to loud music on this trip. Had to change stations three times along the way in order to keep the groove going. There was a lot of angry chick music, which I found exhilarating. Even sang along. This is note-worthy because, over the past several years, I have not tolerated the sound of music well. Not just music, ANY noise. I find all of it agitating. It is just one of my many 'Princess and the Pea' idiosyncrasies courtesy of Lyme disease. So my recent ability to find pleasure in rocking out to Pink is a welcome milestone in my treatment.

On my first visit to Chico I discovered the best grilled veggie sandwich EVER at a Bakery called The Upper Crust. It was very upsetting when I stopped by the bakery on my last trip only to find that the grill was closed. Ended up eating a substandard replacement and vowed never to make that mistake again. So, on this trip, I made plans to leave early enough to allow plenty of sandwich time.

The problem with high expectations, of course, is the potential for not meeting them. The bakery was as I remembered it. Glass case full of delectables and a long line of locals. When the sandwich arrived, it was

beautiful, but, at first bite, my heart sank. Disappointment. It wasn't BAD, just not the best EVER like it was before. The bread still melted in my mouth but the peppers were too crunchy. I didn't even finish it.

Maybe certain pleasures are only meant to be experienced once. Sealed in the memory with all of the other spontaneous moments that we treasure and ponder now and again. Not sure if I'll return to The Upper Crust on my next visit. Guess I have six weeks to think about it.

With a bit of extra time on my hands, I decided to tool around downtown Chico. Being a university town, it's littered with trendy vintage shops and used bookstores.

Dreadlocks and bohemian apparel are definitely the mainstream. I love it. Although, I have to smirk at the notion that they actually seem to think they are rebelling against fashion. They ARE the fashion in Chico. They set the standard and all the new-comers clamor to fall in line.

But let's not get distracted by my tangents. The purpose for my day trip was to see the doctor. It's an appointment that could probably be done over the phone but they feel it is important that I sit in their depressing waiting room with all the other damaged mortals and then be transported to a quiet, sterile, cave to be left alone with my thoughts.

It's always unnerving when the silence is broken by the chatting hallway nurses, laughing about their recent outings or exchanging salon information. I usually try to keep myself occupied by reading a magazine or playing Scramble on my phone. This time I thought I would play with i-photography. I titled this pic of myself, "Reflections in A Doctor's Office."

The appointment was typical. Went over my improvements and current complaints. The night sweats have stopped, the sound sensitivity seems to be lessening, and I am much less aware of my foot pain. Doctor was encouraged and decided to add a new med to my list. This one is a hard-hitter and will probably knock me on my ass for a while but I only have to take it for 30 days. Doctor was a little concerned about the new growth pattern of my fingernails. They are turning up, away from the nail bed. He also thought my skin looked a little off. So, I'll be donating more blood this week just to make sure my thyroid is in check, etc.

With new scripts in hand, I was done and ready for the journey home. I had a pounding headache and was keenly aware that my Venti motivator from the morning had not done an adequate job, so I really felt a carmel frappuccino was necessary. Along with several Advil.

I took it slow on my drive home. I loved all the trees, farms, orchards, and hand-written signs advertising produce and flowers for sale.

On my way in, I had passed a cemetery along the 99. I didn't want to miss it on my way out. It wasn't a sad place. It was peaceful. It touched me. I don't want to be buried when I die, but there is something very comforting about a cemetery for those left behind. It's a place to visit. To feel like somehow you can still connect with that person that used to fill a tangible space in your life.

It was a long, exhausting, GOOD day...

Just for me.