Bring a nickel, tap your feet.

Beware!

Toe-tapping, finger-snapping, feel good music accompanies this post. 

As you may know by now, I create a personalized Studio 911 sock monkeys

for all the special little people in my life.

  Today is our grandson Mack's

1st Birthday!!!  Happy Birthday Mack!

In honor of this momentous occasion, I'd like to introduce you to

the monkey I made for Mack.

Meet Willy.

You've probably made the connection already, but my inspiration for this

monkey is the song, "Down on the Corner" by.....

only the greatest band of all time, none other than CCR!!!

Mack is a city boy and if my bean theory holds true.....oh, you don't

know my bean theory?

When you plant beans, you get beans.

So anywho, if my theory holds true, Mack is likely to be a

musical genius like his daddy and Grandpa Jason. :@

They were both lead vocalists of rock bands in their day, so I predict that

Mack will be the leader of his own garage band.

How do I know he's musically gifted?

Well, he isn't talking or singing yet, but he does have a nice babbling voice.

And he laughs hysterically when his mama sings.

  Singing in tune is NOT one of our family traits.

On to the sock monkey.

I'm not a huge fan of our local dollar stores, but they did come through for me last night.

I really wanted to finish Willy to get this post published today, but he needed a shirt to wear.

His surfer shirt, purchased at the Dollar Store is actually a low cut sock. 

 I cut the toe off,  pulled it over Willy's head, and cut arm openings for a grunge rocker look. 

 His hat is made from another sock that has been gathered at the top. 

Four buttons create his pretty blue eyes.

He likes to show off his six-pack abs.

Yes, he is wearing boxers under his low riding jeans.

His low riders have been stitched out of an old pair of my jeans.

  Bonus:  I now have a new pair of cut-offs.

His belt is an old watchband and he sports a peace sign charm from his belt loop.

View from behind.

Sock monkeys are lucky.  They've got a tail to keep those jeans

from falling down around their knees.

For bling, Willy wears one gold hoop earring. 

I'll never find the other one, so he might as well make use of it.

One of our city's claim to fame is that Bob Dylan attended our high school.

Willy would have fit right in with the attendees of Dylan Days held last weekend.

My personal shopper found the guitar on eBay.

Here he is practicing for those campfire sing-alongs when he

will be spending upcoming weekends in....

The P family's 1956 Terry Travel Trailer.  He's so excited!!!

His accessories include a cowbell, tambourine, and of course, a washboard

so everybody gets an instrument!

Down on the corner, out in the street,

Willy and the Poorboys are playin' ;

Bring a nickel; tap your feet.

Happy Birthday Mack!

See you at your party!

xxoo,

Grammy 911

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Funky junk Interiors Saturday Nite Special

Tea for Two

I wasn't even looking for new garden furniture, but when I came

across this set at a local shop, I just couldn't resist.

No, those aren't giant plants, the furniture is tot-size.

Ready for guests in my shade garden.

I'd like to say these pictures were taken in a nearby meadow, but it's actually our yard. 

After a week of heavy rain, the grass is lush and green.  And long.  Right now it's being mowed by our groundskeeper while I'm hard at work blogging.  Shhhhhhhh.   :@  

 As you can see, the set is a little rusty.  For now, I'm leaving it as is, but I may paint it

a fun color after looking at the chairs below from Anthropologie.

Hmmm, should I?

" Oh, yes."

I made funky polka dot chair pads to make sitting

more comfortable for little tushies.

This set was labeled as vintage, but I have my doubts.  I googled

children's wrought iron patio sets and found a very similar

set for $300.  Are they crazy?! 

(I bargained the dealer down to $34 for the three pieces.)

The teapot, cups and saucers are part of the set

I bought for $5 at Walmart.  I do have a darling vintage set,

but it would take me way too long to find them right now.

And I wanted to take pictures before it starts raining...again.

Now for the menu.

Google Images

I think this cake would be perfect for a little tea

party with our grandchildren!

And if it rains.....

I've got just the spot in the kitchen for two special guests.

The cookies are in the oven.

Have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend!

Vickie

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Morning Glory: Man vs. Beast

For some reason, this post from last year is one of my most viewed posts.
I may be jumping the gun, but since we've had an unseasonably warm spring,
I'm going to take a chance and plant my morning glories a bit earlier than usual.  Here's
 a tutorial so you can get yours in the ground this week, too.

Last year's blooms.

"A morning glory at my window satisfies me more

than the metaphysics of books."

-Walt Whitman

*June 2011

Memorial Day has come and gone and so has the threat of Jack Frost nipping our flowers and vegetables.  One of my favorite flowers to plant is the Morning Glory, even though we northerners have to wait until late summer or early fall until the flowers actually bloom.  They are such a pretty sight in the early morning hours and the perfect solution to camouflage ugly chain link fences. Today I will pass on a little trick taught to me by my mother to give your seeds a jump start.

1. Empty your seed packet onto several layers of wet paper towel.  Pay no attention to the packet directions that instruct you to "nick" the seeds.  Impossible.
2. Fold the wet paper towel over the seeds and seal in a ziplock bag for several days until they "sprout" just like those taters you've kept in your pantry a few weeks longer than you should.  Now they're ready to plant.
3. Whatever you do, do not fertilize!  If you do, you will grow humongous leaves and very few flowers.

These are the seeds, not mouse droppings.

Night, night.

Incubating.

Heavenly Blue is my favorite variety and here's a clever way to cover an unsightly utility box.
(Google Images)

July 2011

September 2011

I even added some of the seedlings to a hanging basket.

Mix in some Moonflower seeds for large evening blooms.

Lil' sprouts.

Once you've turned over the soil and planted your sprouts, there's just one thing to worry about.  SQUIRRELS!!  Yes, those cute little varmints love nothing better than freshly turned soil to bury their winter snacks.  Well, maybe they like my pots of flowers better.  They watch me leave for work in the morning ( I see their beady little eyes watching me) and signal their friends to let them know it's time to.....

Par- tay' !!!!

(Photo courtesy of Google Images)

Look out squirrels, this year I am ready to do battle.  I am armed and dangerous!  I've got me a....

Gen-u-ine bobbing head owl!

Not only does he add cottage charm to your garden, he is absolutely guaranteed to protect those seedlings.  You see, the owl ranks higher on the food chain than rabbits and squirrels, so Mr. Hooter, do your stuff! 

Whooooo goes there?

Happy planting!

Vickie

*Linked to:

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End of My Rope: "Stripper" Part 2

I'm happy to report that after the fiasco of stripping the alligatored

primer and paint off the craftsman cabinet below, the next coat of primer went on

smooth as silk.

I followed up with 3 coats of Benjamin Moore Waterborne Satin Impervo in white.

I love, love, love this paint.  It dries to a hard washable finish and won't yellow like

alkyd paints.  I used it on my kitchen cabinets and touch-ups are virtually invisible.

I kept the original hardware.

Do you remember the unsightly repair to the mullion?

I pulled it apart and removed the old glue.  Then I reglued the wood,

smoothed the surface with wood filler, and super-glued the mullion to the glass.

Good as new!

I left the interior as is for a reason.

Google Images.

If I had painted the interior white, the contents would stand out against the

light background as in the photo above.  One of the cabinets (did I mention there are 2?)

will be retrofitted for TV components, so I thought the dark interior would

camouflage those not-so-pretty necessities.  Julie and Jeremy can always

paint the interiors white in the future, if they like.

Photo from First Comes Love blog.

The cabinets will be placed under the windows that flank their fireplace.  This photo

is from a Christmas post of Julie's.  Did you notice the artwork ? 

Here's the vintage 1940's poster as I found it for $20.

For her Christmas birthday, I had it dry mounted on black matting

and framed in a honey colored wood frame with archival glass

to prevent any additional fading and preserve the piece.

By the way, the angel on the left was a 5th grade art project

 of mine and Jeremy just loves it.  :@

Here's the before and after.

Other repairs documented here.

So try to remember the next time you're in the middle of a seemingly

hopeless project.......

Google Images

Don't give up!

In the words of Minneapolis singer songwriter Mason Jennings, there's sure to be a tire swing baby

at the end of your rope! (Keepin it Real)

Thanks for stopping by!

Vickie

Just for fun......

Whis Which is your favorite?

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