Posts by Barbara Bussey
Christmas In September
I’m taking a mini vacation from cabinet painting, sine my son will soon be out at sea, on his Naval frigate, with a few hundred of his best buddies, for six months! So, Mr. Wonderful and I have flown down to San Diego for the weekend to celebrate the “holidays”, before he leaves. His wife,…
Read MoreThe Gift of Empathy
One of the characteristics I most admire today, is that of empathy. Especially since so many in our world are getting by with less. Do you know what I mean? “In your face” conspicuous consumption doesn’t sit real well with me at this time, considering our economic conditions. It’s not as though I feel like…
Read MoreMaking a Lavender Wreath (Plus a Little Family Stuff)
It was time for “Monday Night Football”, last night, so I headed to the craft store. I found these really sweet mini grapevine wreaths for $2.99 each, at Joanne’s. Since I buy lavender in bulk, from a farm here in California, I had plenty of it on hand. For me, lavender is one of the…
Read MoreHomemade Healthy Granola
Have you ever looked at the nutritional information on a bag of Quaker granola cereal? There is just about as much sugar in a bowl of their granola as there is in a chocolate sundae! Yet, I love granola, so I came up with a healthier version. There’s no sugar and no oil. Instead I…
Read MorePainting Shop Cabinets, Day 3
Can you get carpal tunnel syndrome from painting? Or is this simply old age? I’m sticking with carpal tunnel syndrome. Sounds much more exotic! The shop looks more like a chemistry lab than an antique shop. Hopefully this will pass. Over the weekend, I painted the doors and drawers of the cabinets with a new…
Read MorePuppy Love (New Staffordshire Doggies for the Shop)
I’ve been wanting a pair of porcelain Staffordshire terriers for some time. Here’s a little history I’ve found… Starting in the 1700’s, Stafford, England became known for its porcelain. The town was located close to the natural materials needed and by the late 1800’s, had become a world center for pottery. The dogs, made to…
Read MoreWeekend Plans (painting cabinets with chalk paint)
After friends and I converge at the Mes Amis Antique Fair in Old Roseville, Saturday morning, I will get back to painting my very long stretch of cabinets, at the shop. Just the drawers and doors are left to paint and wax (with chalk paint), but there are a lot of them! The wood laminate…
Read MoreAccepting “The Nester” Challenge (Dear Me)
Whenever I get the chance, I visit The Nesting Place This week, she wrote a beautiful post, entitled Dear Me. She invited us to write our own letters of advice, to our 16 year old selves, in honor of her sister’s new book debut. Her sister writes the blog, Chatting at the Sky, and I…
Read MoreHalloween Decor Inspiration
Greetings, dear lovelies! You may or may not be interested to know that I slept like a boulder last night, thank goodness…without ibuprofen p.m., even! Just because I am obsessing over working on the new shop, I have no thoughts or energy to create Halloween masterpieces, like some of you…so why even try?! While I…
Read MoreShopping for the Shop, Part 2
I’ve been suffering from some pretty annoying insomnia, these past days. It’s all about the new shop! I’m getting hooked on ibuprofen p.m.! I lay in bed at night, listening to the crickets sing outdoors in the night and think about nothing but the SHOP! Enough, already! I’m heading over there shortly, to talk to…
Read MoreQuick Fix! (Magazine Basket Make-Over)
Greetings!, I scoured the antique fair here in Sacramento, today! It’s a monthly event, under the freeway and I always try to go. The only disappointment about today, was that I missed the Karmelkorn concession! I found all sorts of treasures including this little magazine basket. I knew it had possibilities and that the teal…
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