Commissioned works

It's pretty cool to create something and have someone tell you they love it. It's something else to have someone actually want to buy it! After debuting Lucy Lockets on Talk of Alabama, I sold a necklace and had another person interested in buying one of the jewelry holders. We talked a bit about the one she wanted.......it was a little too green. She wanted more blue. I immediately picked up the phone and called Garlan, owner of Southern Accents, and told him to see if the blue post was still in the mantel warehouse. He walked to the back and sent me a photo! It was still there. Yay! I had an idea to cut the post down and add a piece from an old chandelier to the top. Well, the pieces of chandelier just weren't going to happen. I found a couple and will probably work them into another piece.

For this one I used old brass hooks, a few jello molds and an old doorknob! I absolutely LOVE how they turned out! Oh, I ended up making 2....one for her friend! She wanted hers to be brown, but rustic. I found a wooden post that was perfect! I used my jigsaw to cut them to size. I think I wore out the blade! Chop saw is on the list once I move!! I was really excited to make these. I can't wait to make a few more to add to the Etsy shop!

Her design came from what her needs were. It worked perfectly. If you have a need. Let me know, maybe I can make something for you, too! I have a frame that I have to make for another friend. I need to get to Papa's Barn to work on that one! I will need that dangerous table saw!

Shop-a-haul-ic

Hi my name is Lucy and I'm a shop-o-holic. It used to be clothes (did I say used to be?). Now, it's home decor. (just now?) I do love it. I love finding things that I just can't live without. I also love to help others find things that they can't live without....or that they actually need. #whatever

For the last couple of years I have been working with Southern Accents. Yes, I do their facebook page and their Pinterest page. I also have a board dedicated to them on my own Pinterest page. I love to find unique items or unique ways to use items. Sometimes it's just placing it on a mantel. Most of the time, it's creating a new use!

They aren't quite the only place that I love to shop. I have a couple of other spots that I frequent. This week I'm going to Chattanooga. There is a salvage shop there, Architectural Salvage, that I love! They have lots of American and European architecture. I found this really cool green iron piece that I want. I have the perfect place for it at Hansel and Gretel's house. I just hope it will fit!!

I also love to go to Estate of Confusion to visit Greg. THIS is a treasure hunt!! I swear he has laundry bins full of old patterns from foundries. They are all different and I can find a million uses for them!!

foun·dry  (foundr)

n. pl. foun·dries

1. An establishment where metal is melted and poured into molds.

2.

a. The skill or operation of founding.

b. The castings made by founding.

remember these?

I love to go in there for hours and dig. My mom isn't a fan. She wants to see it finished and gets impatient when I just walk around aimlessly. She will have to go to lunch while I'm there Thursday!

I plan on coming home with a few things. I will take lots of photos and then maybe you and I can make a road trip!

Papa's Barn

I have a little workshop in the basement. There are cool pieces of trim down there, a jigsaw, a drill and a lot of little pieces of hardware!! I've struggled with getting down there and playing because the jigsaw can't cut everything I want it to cut!!
Tracy came in town for a few days and called me one morning to say she was at Papa's barn making stuff. I dropped everything and went over!! I just wanted to see what she was making and see what is in there to play with!

The discovery was so fun! There are coffee cans full of pulls and knobs. Drawers and cubbies full of nails, screws, bolts, and all kinds of fasteners! It's very organized. Do you need a band saw? table saw? chop saw? He has one! He also has sanders and a room to spray furniture! I might just move in! I didn't bring anything to play with. I had to scour the place and get a little creative. Susu made everyone frames last year for Christmas and used the glass from these 5x7 dollar store frames. So, the frames are just hanging up not being used. I grabbed 6 of them and started looking for screen to make a jewelry holder! Papa found some for me. He doesn't want us to use the table saw without him there. He cut a piece of trim for me and showed me how to use the band saw.
This was Wednesday. We went to Southern Accents on Thursday. Friday I got the call from Nicole about being on Talk of Alabama on Monday!! I went back to the barn Saturday morning. I made 2 jewelry holders and wanted to stay all day! I need to get back over there!
I can't believe I have waited this long to go over and play. Now that school has started, maybe I can make more time to go over and learn. The Hansel and Gretel house has a barn! It has electricity! I can't wait to move in!! 2 more weeks.......I've only been saying that since the middle of July.

Oh there's a video!

Ha! I finally found the video of the show yesterday. I still don't really know how it went....I have no sound on my computer for some reason? JOHN CONNOR???

I'm sure I sound like a good southern girl trying to make sense. I do remember saying that I find things on the road several times...really? I do, but, surely I find them other places, too!!! So, if you think there was something funny about this vid....lemme hear it! I need to work on my TV skills.

ABC 33/40 - Birmingham News, Weather, Sports

I have been commissioned to make 2 jewelry holders! I am heading to Southern Accents tomorrow to pick out some cool pieces! I know exactly what I'm looking for.....I hope they have it! By the way, have you seen those porcelain hot/cold knobs on their facebook page today? Oh My, I'm in love! I will have to pick up one or two of those....

I always need a deadline!

Most of you that know me, know that I have been "making" jewelry for a long time!! I was inspired a few years ago at the Craft and Hobby show, CHA, at the Making Memories booth. They were making jewelry! I was totally confused since it's a scrapbooking company. I didn't buy into it until I did the make-n-take and then, BOOM, I was hooked. I wanted it all! So, I bought a lot of it. Later that year, I went to market and found Art by Amy. This girl can rock out a necklace made of anything you can imagine! So, I started "collecting". As an artist, I am a collector, not a hoarder! #thankyouverymuch

So, Friday, I get a call from the adorable, Nicole Allshouse, she has a 4 minute spot to fill on Talk of Alabama. She asked if The Spotted Zebra wanted to come on. Natalie - I will probably be painting. Nicole - I do NOT do TV. So, I was given an opportunity and I took it! I started working on my "inventory". I had a LOT of necklaces already made up.

BREAKING NEWS: I have sold a necklace! Woo hoo...Abby Miller is my new favorite person ;)
I also have a girl looking at one of the jewelry holders! so awesome!

I have a deadline! I made progress on some things Friday night and went over to Papa's Barn Saturday morning to finish up some things with the nail gun and band saw.....oh, how I love those tools! Then, I took a break and theconnorfarmer and I went to Nashville. Hung out on Broadway trying to discover the latest country music singer! Sunday we stopped through Franklin and bought some fun things that I will have to share later! City Farmhouse rocks by the way!!

Sunday night got here and I still was procrastinating! Emma and I played around with the display ideas and I was up at 6am at Walmart for table cloths! I guess I pulled it off. The spot was easy. I haven't seen it, yet. Laura, the great cousin, said they got some really good shots of the jewels!

So, now I have an Etsy shop with some home decor and some Lucy Lockets! Y'all go check it out and let me know what you think! I am open to doing custom work, too!

Moving

 It's official (pretty much), we are moving. We got a contract on our house at the end of May and should be out of here in a couple of weeks. It is such a process! We've found a new house, I call it Hansel and Gretel's house. It's a cute cottage in the woods with tons of gingerbread trim. It just needs a little candy!

 

I'm sad to leave here. It was my dream house! I now know that I will probably have lots of dream houses in my lifetime! I fall in love very easily. Right now, there are about 3 different options on where we will settle for more than a year. I just wonder if we will ever settle for more than a few years at a time! We lived in this one for over seven. Lots of memories and lots of stuff have been accumulated! The stuff I'm trying to purge and the memories I'm trying to savor and lock away forever! 

 

We lived in this one for over seven. Lots of memories and lots of stuff have been accumulated! The stuff I'm trying to purge and the memories I'm trying to savor and lock away forever!