Vulnerability - My Scary Spot

June First changed my life as I knew it.  It was the day that husband informed me of his indiscretions (yes, plural).  Drop to your knees heartbreak kind of news.  A shot to the ego, heart, mind, and being.  I knew something was up but what he told me was not exactly what I expected. I'm not going to get into the details of the situation, as those are for us. I will say this, I immediately hired a lawyer (an AMAZING woman who leads with all her heart). I filed for divorce, surrounded myself with my tribe, hired a therapist, and read every blog about infidelity I could get my hands on.  Through the months, I had to break down barriers that I was comfortable with, my armor - so to speak. I had to face shame head on, and learn that forgiveness does not equate to erasing what happened, but it can lead to reconciliation. I'm writing as a part of my therapy and to give others hope.  My learning curve includes the following:

1)  Facing pain can help you grow; however, it hurts real bad at the time.

2)  That particular pain depletes, but can come back when  you least expect it.

3)  Other hearts break along with yours: children, parents, friends, family.

4)  Hiring a therapist that "keeps it real" can be a gut punch you least expect - but may include a life        lesson that you need.

5)  A strong trust tribe is imperative in order to release, keep in mind they may also provide feedback
     that may be hard to hear. Honesty is ALWAYS the best policy.

6)  Communication is key - everything must be laid out there in order for rebuilding to occur, this is
     something I struggle with but am working on.

7)  Both partners must contribute 100% in order for things to move forward - work in progress
     always and in all ways.

8)  A weekend marriage retreat does work if you both are in it to win it. Include some hikes, red              wine, and a kooky hippy therapist if you can.

9)  A marriage behind closed doors is not the one that the world sees.  It is best to refrain from
     judgment.

10)  My faith is growing in this process, I need to continue to turn toward it versus run away.

11)  I have not always been the best wife, but that is NOT an excuse for my partner's poor choices.            That being said, I need to work on being a better half and giving it all within my soul.  A daily            work.

12)  My man has to work on himself as well.  I will support that work and be open to his learning.

13)  Listening and comprehending all that is put in front of me with an open heart, learning to take it           in without trying to solve or resolve.

14)  Living without my best friend would be a heck of a lot harder than running head on to a painful          situation and growing from it.

15)  Some are going to judge me for staying, my skin needs to become thick and I need to speak the           truth of my heart.

16)  Truth can be spoken softly without those harsh edges of sarcasm (my hiding place).

17)  I have my man's back.

18)  I just finished an amazing book that taught me that "Happy Middles" are a way better way than              "Happily Ever Afters"  - In the middle we learn from past mistakes and always have that future            to grow in.

19)  Forgiveness is the path to letting go.

I believe there is so much more I have learned, but this is a great starting place.  My hope is that some of the lessons that have been learned will help another that is feeling some pain and shame.  Running toward those feelings help in re-birth.  Running away creates barriers and resentment that hardens the heart.

Flowers not weeds.   XoXo ~  Steph

Photo Credit - Jennie Davis Photography

Whose Your Martin???

It is always interesting when and where I might find inspiration for a piece.  This particular little table has humble beginnings but an incredibly meaningful end.  I did not even buy this table at the auction that I found a million gold nuggets.   It was going to the "no one will bid on it" pile and the auctioneer, knowing what I do for a living, said, "Steph, this is yours, you can find a way to make it fun."  I do like a challenge so I took it.  It was a laminate, I mean top to bottom laminate triangle table, quite hideous to be frank.  It has been sitting in my studio  (garage, but I always call it a studio, sounds more important) for quite sometime.  The other day my neighbor stopped by and noticed it, she casually suggested it looked like a guitar pick.  BINGO!  That was all I needed to run with. 

Guitar Pick = Great Guitar Song = Martin by Zac Brown Band.  The lyrics are as follows:

He was born in the woods
Torn from his home.
Well, he was naked,
And destined
To be out on his own.
And he waited in darkness,
Hoping someone might see,
From something so rough,
What a treasure he'd be.

Stronger than steel and wood.
Seen me through the bad and good.
And when I'm hanging by a string,
Every little thing
Is understood
Between Martin and me.

Well he's hollow in the middle
From the shape that he's in.
He's either filled up with music
Or locked in his shell again.
And it takes some fine tuning
To make him come around,
But he's a huge piece of me
And I'll never put him down.

Stronger than steel and wood.
Seen me through the bad and good.
And when I'm hanging by a string,
Every little thing
Is understood
Between Martin and me.

He is a good friend,
And he has his own voice.
And you get what you give;
Sometimes it's just noise.
But if you treat him well
He will last your life long.
And if you're honest and open
Well, he will write you a song.
(Write you a song, write you a song)

Stronger than steel and wood.
Seen me through the bad and good.
And when I'm hanging by a string,
Every little thing
Is understood
And when I'm hanging by a string,
Every little thing
Is understood
Between Martin and me.

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ZACHRY BROWN

 

Why this song when there are so many great songs about guitars... because it is my best friend's favorite song by Zach.   When I dissect the song, I find that it plays to my heart about who she is to me. Through the bad and good, and when I am hanging by a string, she understands. Miss Jenni is that Martin in my life.   We all have or long to have a Martin, a constant in our world.  They are that person that remains stronger than steel and wood when you are at your weakest, withholding judgment.  I tend to put on a very strong façade to the outside world but there are times when I cry tears just like the rest of you all, Martin is there to wipe them for me.  When I have a hollow interior, I may just need some words or noise to fill me up, Jen is that girl, captain cheerleader to my one man team.  I am not always overt in my emotion or gratitude, it does trickle out through my art at times.  This chintzy little table that was going file 13, I needed that neighbor to say guitar pick and boom .... a piece for my Martin.  I chose my favorite lyric to paint on top and I dedicate it to her.  Love ya girl!

 

A re-purpose artist's pre-sale thoughts

This is my nervous time... I have the trailer loaded down with double + stuff to sell. I am slowly going through my pre-sale "to do" checklist. My stomach is in knots. I wait for my Junk Hunk to get home from his day's work only to turn around and work for me -  trailer driver, unloader, cheerleader, a few of the hats he wears. It is a very emotional time. I told my kids "say a little prayer that all goes well this weekend at my sale." My son's response was, "do you just want to make a lot of money mom?"  My thought provoked response was something like this....  I am extraordinarily lucky to do what I love day in and day out; however people loving and purchasing my work is the validation that what I do is a job and not a hobby.  An artist's work is emotional, we may see a completed piece and think it is priceless, and have to wrap our heads around the fact that someone else may see it as worthless. Thick skin is imperative in this!!!! My goal is to add more shows to my resume, time becomes the battle! Oh, and having to round up transportation for each show.   So far, I have had great people that have "loaned" me trailers. Payment comes in all forms...a steak dinner, a bottle of Captain, or a Benjamin. I am going to take these next few days in and enjoy the ride, I love the heat and this is an outdoor show, I love people watching, and the eclectic shoppers have never let me down!! Fingers crossed my stock goes way down, I can contribute to my family's financial well being, and I come home to an empty garage and get to start with a fresh palette.

Out of Touch!

My apologies! I have been out of touch with my blog! I read so many and always find inspiration! It is time to get my blog on again!

Do you have a happy spot in your world?  Those spots come in many forms, mine just happens to be a filthy garage floor. What the???? Yes, a filthy garage floor. This makes more sense if you know that is the place that I get to let my creativity free flow.  It is where brush, hands, paint, canvas (furniture, rusty buckets, old doors, etc.) & soul come together! I put on my bibs and add flavor with some tunes. At times I am so involved with my creation, that I about come out of my skin if someone pops by. It is "my" time to let my brain either relax or solve the world's problems. To be present and help mold what one deemed as trash worthy into a piece I can sell at a show fills my cup up!

The point of my rant is to show you that the term "trash to treasure" is truly in the eye of the beholder.  A filthy garage is my treasure, my happy spot. Those spots vary for everyone and the rest of us need to withhold judgement. Many of those "spots" may seem perplexing to an outsider, but it is a cup filler for the one engaged. A 13.6 mile run could potentially remove the stressors of work, marriage, parenting, etc. for one, but create anxiety in another. Remember to open your mind, you may be lead to a path you never would have considered and it just may bring on a calm that dulls a storm.

hakuna matata

Junkstock ~ Summer 2013

Junkstock is the crème de la crème of Junk revival in the Omaha metro area.  It is the reward or light at the end of the tunnel for my hard work.  Junk has made a comeback and it shows by the amount of people that attend the festivities.  Last summer for its virgin tour, JS had about 6,000 people go through, we don't have final numbers but my best guess is well over 10,000 patrons.  Amazing turn out means bigger dollars for the bank account.  (In my case, it means a new pair of running shoes and some new clothes).  The event is something that is really indescribable, one has to actually set foot onto the barnyard to get the experience in full.  It is the quaintest of venues and the people are as eclectic as can be.  Vendors range from Antique Stores under canopies to Jewelry Designers to similar artisans like me.

When we arrived for set up, we had 2 full cars (one being a Yukon XL) and a trailer, FULL.  We left with 1/4 of a trailer.  We unload and set up, the art of display helps draw the customer in, so I find myself in a constant state of rearranging as items go.  I always have a couple of "pieces" that I am anxious to see that they are taken and loved on.  The 3 that I had in mind went.  Each left on a different day with a different loving family.  My first sale on Friday was a lovely lampshade that I handcrafted out of an old burlap sack.  The customer left it for pick up later in the day, I could have sold it 30 more times.  Wild!  I was not even sure it would go at all. 

Part of the fun, includes the fabulous food vendors and hillbilly music.  I had the BELT (Bacon, Egg, Lettuce, & Tomato) sandwich 2 of the days.  The wait was up to 40 minutes for one of these tasties, well worth it!  I partner with my neighbor for the sale, so we relieve one another for the food breaks, amongst other kinds of breaks if you know what I mean.

Arrival home, means unpacking what is left and renegotiating the game plan for the fall sale.  My wheels are already turning.  I can hardly wait!  See ya'll in the Fall!

Junkstock Bound

It is that time again...Junkstock Time.  What is this, you may ask?  Quite possibly heaven on earth for folks like me.  This is a venue where the old becomes new and loved again.  I am busy preparing my goodies....

Both large and small.  Most of my bigger pieces are done and behind me, now it is me sifting through the piles to find the little fillers.  Amazingly, the little gizmos and gadgets go as well as the big ones.  This season, I painted up more than 20 picture frames.  I love a frame collage as much as the next person.  Funny thing is... when someone wants to get rid of old frames, I tend to find them on my doorstep!

Today I completed one of my fav's!  OK, I have to admit that my fav's change with the direction of the wind.  This particular dresser is of the French Provincial kind, the most fun for me to get creative with when adding color.  I went with Old Ochre and Aubusson Blue by Annie Sloan.  I shabbied it up with a  little brown shoe polish and some walnut stain.  The end result is just fanciful.  It would be darling as a side table or an addition in a bedroom.  Love Love Love it!

The show is just a little over 2 weeks away.  I love the hubbub, live music, and most of all the people.  I am anxious to show what I have and see what the other artisans have as well.  Sometimes I have to come home and move stuff around, just so I can bring home new found treasure!!!!

Who Am I???

Now that I have been involved in this project, or job,  for a couple of years, I need to determine just who I am.  What do I mean by that??? Well..... when I am introduced to new people, the inevitable question is: "What do you do?" or "Where do you work?"  I am never quite sure what title to give myself or should I say allow myself to have.  I need to be comfortable saying, "I am an artist."

art·ist 

/ˈärtist/

Noun A person who produces paintings or drawings as a profession or hobby. A person who practices any of the various creative arts, such as a sculptor, novelist, poet, or filmmaker. When I look at this definition as provided by google, I fit the mold.  I just need to embrace it.  I get nervous saying that is what I am.  I cannot explain why... as I love my job more than anything else I have ever done.  I am taking a hobby and making it my life's work.  I feel like people will lump me into some sort of category or preconceived notion, or they won't see my work as art.  I realize art encompasses a lot, but does it encompass painted furniture?  How about taking old junque and finding new ways to look at it..... look at the little vintage suitcase table, a transformation that really has a delightful result.   I see art in this, but do others?  Art is subjective, peaceful, angry, happy, colorful, whimsical, catchy, joyful, humorous, different ~ Oh my goodness, I could go on and on with what art is and I can take those same descriptors and apply them to me... what does that mean?  It means that I AM AN ARTIST!

Chateau Gray Makes the Rain Go Away

I am in love with Annie Sloan's color Chateau Gray.  This is a new one for me to use and quite obviously I went gangbusters with it.  I painted a few items yesterday and sanded and stained them up today and I am loving the results.  Mind you, the color from the can is different than the photos you see here as I set my paint with dark walnut stain.  Quite frankly, straight out of the can the color looked a pale lavender.  Take a peek at some of these cast-off's refabulized:

I call the first grouping, the trifecta for obvious reasons.  The bottom photo is a handmade coffee table.  It is heavy duty and durable. 

Back in the Groove Thing

I have participated in JunkStock both times that it has been out there.  I am anxious to give it a go again.  This is a really unique art fair.  It encompasses a broad range of items from flea market finds to flips.  I fall into the later category with my junque.  I love to find old furniture and make it fun and whimsical with my own touch.

 I generally stick to the basics for my goodies because the intricate painted pieces take too much time, those I save for my customer commission work.  I cut off my customer requests on May 1st so I can busy myself preparing my inventory.  I have sporadic pieces that I do in between customer's work, but I am rolling now.  I finished several pieces today, crazy thing is I have already sold 4 of them just through my facebook posted photos.

 One of the biggest monstrosities that I tackled today was an old oak desk.  Huge & Heavy in all of it's glory.  I used Annie Sloan's Old Ochre to make the transformation.  I love the end result.  I sold it within 10 minutes of posting it's photo.  I am also thrilled with the look of a little side table I had fun with in Go BIG Red. 

 Today's high was 96 degrees.  I love the heat, so painting outside, catching rays, listening to tunes, and doing what I know, Thank the good Lord above for all I am blessed with.

I am Back!!!

I have been incredibly busy and have put the blog on the back burner.  If you follow my Facebook page, you will see just how busy I have been.  I continue to do commission work for customer's and fit in my own pieces in between.  One piece I have just finished is this desk with a United States map on the top.

Looks pretty simple right???? Not on your life.  I felt a lot of pressure to get it just so.  I can throw a USA outline on a piece of paper in no time, however once you start adding in outlines of each state,  it is a whole new being.  I took extra care to make sure Iowa was smaller than Texas but bigger than Rhode Island.  As a Nebraska raised girl, I have always been able to pick out that state and make it resemble what I grew up knowing.  Once you have to add the other states surrounding it, not as clear cut.  I am now a fan of Colorado and Wyoming... why?  They are simple in their outline.  I have had 2 additional customer requests for this type of piece.  Due to the time and effort, I have decided to call it "one of a kind.".  I may change my mind down the road, but since it is so fresh and I know I put 30+ hours into it, we will call it rare and unique, and keep it as one!!!!!  God Bless the USA!

Murals!!!!

 I have been a busy girl.  I was lucky enough to get to hang out with a little gal by the name of Carrington for a couple of days while I painted these wonderful murals.  The murals were great fun, but the joy of my job is the conversation that I get to have with customers as I go about my business. Carrington tops the list of my favorites.  She is 3 years old with the oldest soul you can imagine.  I soooo enjoyed her input and ideas about what needed to occur in and around the paintings.  Thanks for making my job the best ever!

Caldwell Vs. Sloan

Prior to buying CeCe Caldwell paint, I tried to find some comparisons and could not find too many.  I went ahead to make the purchase and I thought I would do my own little review.  I have used ASCP for all of my furniture except my latest piece.  It's not that Sloan made my unhappy, I just thought for color's sake, I would try Caldwell.  It is nice to have an additional palette to work with.  Sloan's paint has always rocked my world.  It goes on with ease, over any material: wood, metal, plastic, laminate, etc.  The second coat is goes on with a little more umph, due to the thickness of the paint.  It sands beautifully, and the smooth finish is perfection.  I love Annie Sloan, the negative, not as many vibrant colors to choose from and it is expensive for a small can of paint.

I was thrilled to see CeCe's color palette, so many bright colors to choose from.  Love the eco friendly packaging and it is a smidge (barely there) cheaper than Sloan.  It goes on thinner so each consecutive coat is easy to cover the first, that being said, it took me 4 coats vs. 2 that Annie's usually takes me.  I am not sold on CeCe's for this very reason, the first coat appeared almost transluscent which took me aback.  I was painting laminate, but have used Annie for laminate as well.  I am not counting Caldwell out just yet, it may have been the color I chose.  I have 2 more colors to give a go to see if there is any difference.  Fingers crossed, I would love to be a loyalist, but I have a pretty open mind, especially if we have comparable products with more colors to choose from!!!!

Junk Stock Rules

Sooooo, I had the opportunity to participate in the virgin Junkstock fesitivities.  What a kick.  Basically, it was an art fair for those of us that find "junk" as refreshing as a new pair of good jeans.  It was a 3 day ordeal that was crazy on day 1 ~ a double edged sword of sorts ~ I did so well moving my junque day 1 that I had to raid the cupboards per say for day 2.  What does that mean, I took goodies from my house to help stock up.  Of course I did not take my fav's but I did take some items that I have held near and dear.  The way I looked at it was that if I take this item to sell, I will need to replace it, OPPORTUNITY TO SHOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  All or most all of my items were replaced.  The beauty of junkstock's success..... looks to bring on another come fall.  

"Time Out" with Style

One of my friends asked me to make a "time out" chair for her grandson.  This was not her idea, rather her kids.  She says that her grandchildren are not worthy of a time out so they will never use the chair.  As  a   compromise, let's make the chair REALLY CUTE and it becomes a decoration.  Right???  She gave me a photo for some inspiration, I asked her about the colors of her living space, ta da ~ Refabulized.  Take a look at the adorable saying that the chair has painted on the seat.  I posted this photo on facebook, now I will be making more!!!  Hope these folks can spare a chair, I certainly don't have chairs lying around! 

Buffet Betterment

So this is my first huge piece for a customer and I feel pretty great about the result. The true test is whether or not she feels the same.  This was a typical blonde buffet.  We have all seen one at someone's house.  There remains the problem.  Who wants the buffet that someone out there has as well.  Here is where Second Helpings comes in and works magic.  With some tender loving care and a little imagination ~ Wa La!  Here she is in the before and after.  Three gorgeous warm colors which should suit the little hearth room to perfection.  REFABULIZED!!!!

From Swap to Stupendous!

Who doesn't like a little extra storage in their world. Unfortunatley, I can never have enough storage. In addition, with a little OCD running through my blood, I like storage to be labeled. I do this with my handy dandy label maker. For my latest venture, I found this little (ok, more medium sized) find on our local swap shop. I used my Annie Sloan to pretty it up and I must say she came with much charm. Love this!!!! Here is a quick before (ugh!) and after (awwwww!).

I am sooooo enjoying my new role with Second Helpings. I certainly miss my customer base, as they were the BEST. However, the flexibility and creativity that I surround myself with day in and day out trumps 13 N. Vine St. In addition, I am keeping busy. I am booked out for some time. I have a "time out" chair to look forward to, a few bedroom sets, yes, I said sets, not just a dresser, but the whole kitten kaboodle. I will continue to post photos, it is fun to see what can be done! Happy Day!

"Don't Hate Me Because I am Ugly"

So I was watching the Today show this morning and they were talking about this gal that wrote an article about herself. You may ask why would that be unusual? Her article centered around the fact that she is sooooooooo beautiful, other women hate her and don't want to be friends with her. I just found that very entertaining. I am not going to judge her beauty, as really it makes no difference to me one way or another, as for hating her, I rarely hate anyone and especially someone I don't even know. What I did gather, is that upon seeing her, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, check out the article here: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2124246/Samantha-Brick-downsides-looking-pretty-Why-women-hate-beautiful.html?ito=feeds-newsxml.

My point is this, it can go the other way, especially in my business. People look at things and think they are so ugly that they cannot possibly be loved or cherished. That is where I like to swoop in and re-fabulize it just so it can be beautiful. Remember that shelf that had the country chickens painted upon it???? Why does it need to go to the burn pile? It can be repainted, cut apart, embellished, etc. to become glorious again. Let's not jump to conclusions, let your creativity flow, or if that is not your strong suit, let mine flow for you. I will include a before and after, an ugly duckling to a swan, see what you think.

Second Helpings is Flourishing In Its New Form

Taking the road less traveled with Second Helpings is proving to be eventful. The old cliche rings true to form, "one door closes, another opens." In this case many doors have opened. I fully intended on "refabulizing" all those goodies I have bought off the swap sites and thrift stores. However, customers have monopolized my business, so the goodies sit. This is NOT a complaint, just a stated fact. I have had some incredible finds brought to me to re-purpose in new and crazy ways!!!!! It is so fun to dig and find some inspiration to give the process a kick start. Take a look at this table. A little flower on a piece of fabric made this table into this beauty!

I continue to list my re-creations on my FB page. These little posted photos have shown others what my capabilities are. One of my favorite pieces was this fun painting I did for Miss Katy. She gave me the freedom to create whatever I wanted with no direction. This made me a bit nervous, of course one could go in any direction with complete freedom ~ "Does she want a basketball, flowers, or God forbid a nude?" I mean free reign could propagate any shape or form. I went with my natural love for whimsical Flowers & Birds. Take a looksie at the final result!

Another customer is expecting this summer. She has a passion and love for Hawaii and has decided to decorate baby girl's room with this in mind. I had a couple of old school house chairs that she requested me paint. Some say "ta da" here you go, I say "aloha" here you go:

This is just the beginning. I have created a file with names of interested parties. Excited to pick up a buffet this week. Oh so much fun to think how I will redesign that baby to inspire a new look for the dining area. After that a "time out" chair. I will have to post that one for sure. I mean if you are going to set your little one in time out, you should definitely do it with style! Items are being posted to my etsy shop as I complete them. Continue to check in every so often to see what is new and fresh. Take a look at your own garage sale piles ~ "junque" is my treasure!!!! Click Here to shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/ShopSecondHelpings

One Door Closes ~ Another Opens

I am thrilled to announce that Second Helpings is heading in a new and exciting direction. My passion has always been to take what is going on creatively in this crazy mind and apply it. "Junking" is in my blood, I had 2 lovely Aunties that took me under their wings and showed me the fine art of finding hidden treasures in unexpected locations. I like to use everyday items and repurpose them in unusual ways. What may have been a coffee cup holder is now a jewelry display, only after a little paint, stain, and TLC. Unlimited possibilities exist with this new avenue. Junk piles are never ending. Take a good look around your home and decide what you want Second Helpings to help you recreate. I have starting an Etsy shop and fully intend on having a website within the year. Take a look at what is available right now: http://www.etsy.com/shop/ShopSecondHelpings. I also wanted to give you a sneak peek at one of my favorite pieces that I played with and found a delightful resolution. This particular dresser was found in a dumpster on a driveway. Yes, I pulled a redneck dumpster dive and for this, the little girl's cottage chic room thanks me.

Father's Day

June is the month that we pay tribute to our fathers, we all have one. The idea of a father exists at different levels for all of us. See my latest thoughts regarding my june promotions by following this link . One thing that my father taught me was to give back when I can, I want to encourage everyone to give a little. You might ask how? I am hoping that is exactly what you ask. We have a great opportunity to give a little during the upcoming Ragbrai festitivies, if you would like to volunteer big or small, come on in and I will set you up:).