Saturday, March 17, 2012

Tom Wins at Life, And Other Weekend Events

I love it when I really get a weekend off...two days in a row with nothing major on my schedule. Show and tell time!

Last Sunday, I went to a local seller on Craigslist's house and picked up this handmade oak stool/bench for ...ready? One dollar. I love the cut-out detail on the legs...almost Moroccan looking.

Today I picked up a seed starting terrarium thingy at Walmart and planted 36 dividers with 30 divisions devoted to Hollyhocks, and 6 for Morning Glories. I've never tried growing plants from seed before, so we'll see how they do. This window is south-facing so it gets oodles of light, and now all I can do is keep the tray moist and wait.


We also did a lot of yard work today. Originally I was hoping to get some work done today on a faerie door for the Dreaming Room. But the weather outside was just too perfect to resist...we ended up spending about 4 or 5 hours outside working on yard work, transplanting poppies from a neighbor's garden to ours, and weeding (me) and fertilizing the lawn and washing cars (Tom). All the neighbors we haven't had a chance to see all winter long were also out today, so there was quite a bit of socializing going on too. Tom and I are endlessly thankful to live in a neighborhood where everyone genuinely cares about each other.

But here's the best part. When we were all done with the yard work, we grabbed a bite to eat, and ran over to the local craft and antique mall I love to visit. Our favorite vendor had been on vacation, so we hadn't been by the place in two or three weeks. We were meandering around, visiting our favorite booths, when Tom got the random desire to walk down one of the aisles we never visit (since there's nothing there to interest us) He immediately ran to find me, and whispered "come here, come here!" to me. I rounded the corner of a display, and there she was...

My favorite artwork ever...the one I still wanted to eventually get for our house...and the header image I've used on my Pre-Raphaelite blog, The Beautiful Necessity, for over 4 years now...Waterhouse's blue Ophelia. A high quality canvas reproduction, huge and professionally framed. There she was, and I couldn't breathe. My heart fluttered as I checked the price tag...

...and promptly yanked the art off the wall, trembling. I actually started crying in the middle of the store.


Eighty nine dollars, folks. Yes, $89. The name of the company that did the canvas repro was on a sticker on the back, so when we got home we looked it up. This puppy (with framing) originally cost the person who bought it $235 plus shipping, so we'll make it $250.

And we got it for $89.

See the grin in the above picture? See the goofy jaw-agape look below? Imagine that, plus random squealing and hand clapping and outright giggles and you can imagine how I was reacting on the entire drive home.


Tom wins at life.

9 comments:

  1. Wow, what a find!! It looks absolutely gorgeous. Sounds like a perfect day all-around. :)

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  2. That's awesome! It looks great with your wrought iron, too! :D

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  3. Samantha, it was about as close to perfection as days come!! :D

    Shveta, I know right??? <3 <3

    RichLayers, thanks!! The sconces were already up there from another artwork, and they were *just* far enough apart :D

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  4. I tried planting poppies down here, for obvious reasons, but they just never seem to make it. I guess our dirt or something isn't quite right. Oh well, I'm all the Poppy we can handle around here, I guess. hahaha! I'm so glad Tom found that painting. Yes, most of us can find what we want on the Internet these days, but it's not the same as when you randomly come across something you've been wanting. It's a meant-to-be moment that you always remember. :)

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  5. Oh, and is that Corvin in yet again another picture? LOL! Forget Where's Waldo...Where's Corvin? ;)

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  6. I really think you need a replica of that gown someday!

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  7. Popsters, I hope mine do well! They do well in the soil of my neighbor's garden right across the street, but one never knows... And yes, that IS Corvin. I swear he likes to be in every single picture we take around here. I love him for it :D

    Traci, I definitely think you're right. It's been on my "to-do" list for years, but maybe this is a sign it's the time to finally make it happen! Now, to source some gryphon emblems...

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  8. Really, enjoying the events in weekends is really mind refreshing. Always I wish to have such time to spend. Nice clicks you have uploaded too. quintas de eventos

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