The Curiosity Shop ( My Closet)

About 4 years ago as I was getting the house ready for our Christmas party, when something told me to clean my closet! Wayne said "Rena with all the stuff that needs to be done, you're cleaning your closet"?? Well yes I was, you know how you just have to do something, there's no stopping you! Fast forward to the party, and one of our best friends, now wait for it, asked if THEY COULD SEE MY CLOSET!! For real, now I have had many things happen in my life that was odd, but this question absolutely floored me! You want to see my closet, why yes you can, so her and the Mr. followed me to my closet, and when I opened the door she gasped "Rena this is like a Curiosity Shop, I love it"!! And we just ooo'd and ahh'd over all the fun things I have in there, She goes out to the party and is telling all the girls about my closet and is taking them back to see it!!! Wayne said "They're doing tours of your closet"! I said I know, can you believe it.
Honestly we broke out laughing. Now in my whole life I have never asked to see anyone's closet nor have I ever heard such a request from anyone before. But to this day, girls want to show my closet to the guest they bring to the party.  They say the Lord works in mysterious ways, and I am a firm believer! Cuz he surly told me to CLEAN!
You know how you always hear of people checking out medicine cabinets at other peoples homes, well I have a tiny table in my bathroom with one little drawer that I keep those hair sticks we used to put in the top of our French twists back in the early 60's, you know with pearls or rhinestones on the end, well a guest at the party said to me "I just love the way you have things displayed in your home, and I especially love the hair sticks in your table". That is when it hit me that people really do check out your stuff, so from that time forward I have always emptied the medicine cabinets of things I don't want strangers to see and I clean the drawers in my vanity. Maybe this is what started me thinking of my closet that faithful day.
I have a quirky way about me, I have to have everything set up in vignettes or like a little store front, I don't know where this comes from. But when I work I have to arrange my area like a small room, I like my desk to have a table ,wall, or credenza in back of it,  I'll pull out the two side drawers to my desk, thus making only one entrance into my work space. It's kinda like a fort.

Back to my Curiosity Shop, I have a collection of handbags from the 50's and I also have a collection of jewelry boxes too, and I like to incorporate these into my spaces. I like to have my faves on display, and I enjoy seeing them on a daily basis. Even when I put away my Christmas in the closet in my guest room, I arrange it in a way that when I open the door it's more like a Christmas Stoppe, even in July I can open the door and get my Christmas Fix! My personal closet is sooo small, 3.6 feet x 5.6 feet, but it is packed with some pretty cool items, I'm not a clothes horse, so I have very few things, I found a small dresser for $19.00 at Goodwill. and it is just the perfect fit on one side, while my few things hang on the other
In the picture you can see the right side of my closet and one of my jewel boxes, given to me when I was 19yrs old, My Moms High Heels in Mustard with a gold tip at the toe, a picture of  Me and my Sister-in-law, and in the little red frame the only picture I have of  My Dad and Wayne, taken the day of our Wedding 30 years ago.

This is the extent of my clothes on the left  side of my closet along with my shoes.

This is the top middle shelf showing some of my handbag collection. The one on the left is a Gold Lizard Pantera, the Green Lucite is a Patricia of Miami, the brown oval with a tortoise shell trim is a Bienen-Davis, the Gold Leather is by Murray Kruger and the Gold and Black Beaded bag is a Mary Frances of which is sitting on an oval Black suede. In the top picture you can see a picture of  Me and Mr. LaRose, shoe designer extraodinaire , I modeled shoes for him for 2 1/2 years at the age of 19. Don't you just love my Polynesian Ceramic Face from the 50's. And I just love the Green trendy Wire Girl with her flower handbag!

On the left side of my closet, another jewel box, a Girlfriend Doll, pottery made by my Daughter in middle school, her big graduation picture, an old picture of my Grandmom Vera with her broad White Collar and big White Pearls, my Mom is just a teen standing in back of her. Tiles stacked that I brought back from Greece and Croatia.

A Rare Picture of the Grandkids hugging each
other LOL, Royal Secret the perfume I have worn since I was 18, it was the signature fragrance of Germain Montiel (no longer) now I have to order online. I love my Valentino Jar with the Bakelite Lid. Another Black Patent Box Bag from the 50's.

My Black Hat at the top that I made for one of those Mystery Dinners, I was Mama Rosa, an Italian Widow and I made this hat for my character. Have you ever been to one of those dinners, so much Fun!
I hope you have enjoyed seeing my tiny Curiosity Shop, it is really a treat in person, hard to get the personality of it all to show in pictures, but I think you got the gist of it.

Happy New Year! 2013! Good Grief!

Can you believe we have made it to the year 2013?? Wowzer, I am totally amazed! Is it the way you pictured 2013 to be when you were young? I used to get Popular Mechanic Magazine, and one issue had a cover showing cars zooming through the sky on laser beams. The cars had clear dome ceilings, and inside you could see the people, with their seats turned toward the middle with a table in-between, playing cards!! You could see other cars zooming right along, programed for their own destinations! Just like the Jetson's! And this was their prediction for the 1980's, what the hell happened?? It's like we have advanced... but not.. Seems like the more we go forward, the more things stay the same! I mean basically things are the same as when I was little, the homes haven't changed that much, furniture and clothes are basically the same too. I mean we did get polyester, microwaves, computers, skinny TV's but we have to pay to see them! and the list goes on and on, but really my life kinda runs the same way as my Mom's. I do wish we would have kept the different styles of cars, now they all look the same, you have to look at the hood or trunk for the logo to see what it is! Oh man you used to know when a Corvette or XKE went flying by, and eyes would pop over a Cadillac, but now nothing..unless a tricked out car pulls up with Spinners on their tires, Ooo excitement..I'm thinking we really did have the best of times, I know we had the best of music! Right through the 90's, then now...not too many songs that you will remember, Nothing will be burned into our brains, Like Del Shannon singing "Runaway", or the Stones "Satisfaction" or Smoky Robinson "Ooo Baby Baby". How lucky we were! But now, we at least have Bruno Mars, Adele, and even Taylor Swift, trying to bring some songs to the front that we will remember..I often wonder what songs my Grandkids will request when they want to hear an "Oldie"! "Shake'n that Ass"? Eminem? poopoo!
Well the total wonder of the future is ahead of us, and I have a feeling 2013 just might be "The Year"! Wouldn't that be great! Everyone says "Make Everyday Count", well I say "Try and get as many good ones in there as you can"! Come on 2013, BRING IT ON!!

OMG The Full Monty...er Mantel!

My Mantel has became its own Country! I think this is the best yet! I don't mean to toot my own horn, but when you see this in person, it is Jaw Drop'n! One of my Friends called it "The Full Monty"! I love that! The colors of Red, Green and Gold will always stay, but each year I try and come up with a new design and I always add something new to it, weather it's a new ornament or Like this year the bow in the middle with the tall glass vase holding the fresh greens and berries.

I start by going to Lowes or Home Depot to get all their free Christmas tree trimmings, I mean I fill up the back of The Hearse (my beach car) with all I can haul. When I get home I spread out an old sheet and start going through the branches with the help of my big ol Black Cat Skooter. I put all the things that are what I call a "given" on the mantel, the lamps, reindeer and candles etc.Then I start adding all the greenery.

I wire together a big side arch that I attach to the mantel on a hidden nail on the back, this curves down all the way to the hearth.

I then start by adding the red lights and all the red berries and I start with the garlands. This year my change up was the tall glass vase filled with spiked seeds from our Sweet Gum Tree, added in the greenery and berries, and this gave me the height I wanted. for the center. (sorry this pic is a little blurry) You can see the Reindeer and the red mercury glass candle holders.

As you enlarge these pictures you can see all the garlands, ornaments, gold grapes, gold glitter tingting, gold glitter mesh ( that I cut into 2 foot pieces, and just tuck in each end to give the illusion of it running through the greenery), ribbons and cute Nordic Snowmen that I've added to the design. Hang a couple of ornaments on ribbons to balance it all out and Voila! My 2012 Christmas Mantel!!

The party is going on, and every one wants to be taking a picture at the Mantel or of the Mantel! It's a Hit!

Still Putting Up Christmas!

I have finally finished all my decorating for Christmas! Whew, I don't know, but for some reason, this year seems to have taken such a long time to get things done, Could Age have anything to do with it? I don't know! But all my friends have had the same problem, just trying to get into the swing of things.
I have the Kitchen Cabinets all decorated in Copper Glitter, which by the way has left me sparkly! Even after a shower I'm still covered in glitter!

I  have this section of my Kitchen a little more formal looking, it goes from Copper Glitter on the left, to Gold and White on the right, this is the end next to my Living Room. Don't you just love my Copper Angel!

The Chest in my Family Room next to the Fireplace has an Angel that was my Moms, you can also see the Christmas Pillow I made from a burlap print and just added all the trims and fringes and red sequins. The Christmas Stocking was sent to me from a friend that I made on the internet in one of my garden groups, she lives in England. I couldn't believe when I received such a sweet present from her, and it matches my pillow perfectly!

I have posted a rather unflattering view of my Dining Room, just so you could see the walls lined with the bags of Ornaments I will give out to all the Women at our Christmas Party, this year I will give out 42 bags, and each holds at least 3 to 4 ornaments. If I know the girl really well the ornaments will coordinate with her decor, and all my Jewish friends get White, Silver and Blue Ornaments.

This is "The 13th Annual Christmas Party" well known around our Beaches Community.
Looking forward to the Party, this really gets the Christmas Season kicked off!

Let the Holidays Begin! Fa la la la la

Things are really buzz'n! Everyone is busy getting up the decorations, and I am no different! Have our 13th Annual Christmas Party coming up, so I'm so busy getting the house ready, hopefully I will be finished with the inside by the weekend, and then we can turn or attention to the outside lights.

Started on the tree! I call it the Mother of All Trees! It is such a kick-ass sturdy tree, it has to be, to hold all the gazillion ornaments I put on every year! I have every ornament that was given to me or that I've made since I was 22 years old!

This tree is a very wide tree and to fit into this space I have to turn all the branches down, and really mash the ones in the back so I can smuch it up to the wall, I do this for walk around space. I start out with my lights and then the garland. This garland is over 30 years old, each year I take and roll it on a wrapping paper tube and this keeps is looking new.

I start by adding all my huge ornaments, they measure for 8 to 9 inches across, then I'm off to the races!

Skooter my Black Cat, sits and watches me the whole time, I will get the Angel on the top as soon as it is unpacked. I don't think there is one inch left on the tree to put even one more ornament!

I add my collection of Christmas Boxes to the tree, I don't put presents under the tree until it's about a week before, then I pack all these boxes away.

Finished up the window ledge in the dining room, now on the the kitchen!

I love this Della Robbia Paper Mache Santa that I found a few years ago at Goodwill!! He is perfect in my Kitchen. I am on to other rooms and will post those pictures later! Have fun decorating your Home for the Holidays! Merry Christmas!

 

Rena Designs Ornaments!

Thought I would  make a gift for the ladies that head up the committee for Ponte Vedra Players Womens Club, that is where I'll be doing my presentation. I chose to do Ornaments!
I started with 4" styrofoam balls, and using all my little bits and pieces I saved, I am a crafter and even if it's an inch long, I just have to save it, cuz ya never know!! The first ball I covered in the silk flowers I got by taking apart a lei, added a coordinating ribbon, White satin finish ornament, white shell, white pearls, fluffy pom, glitter leaves and branches. The second one I covered with the red netting from an onion bag, yep an onion bag! I keep it all! lol! Added burgundy leaves, pink satin balls, red mirror berries, pink berries, and glitter  branches. I think they will love them! I hope you'll try little fun projects like this, they're so easy, and a great way to get the creative juices flowing!

My Presentation in November!

I have been getting ready for my November presentation. These are so much fun , I give decorating ideas for the Holidays, do a tutorial on napkin folding and show all how to tie beautiful bows and store them correctly. A lot of my groups are Women's Clubs, Luncheon Groups etc. These are made up of all ages but so many are of the Mature persuasion. I try to encourage them to decorate for themselves, as so many have stopped because they don't have Kids or Family to visit. I stress the importance of doing it for their own happiness. I show them how to make a small vignette on a dining room table or to just put some favorite ornaments in a dish that they will pass everyday, it doesn't have to be a full tree, but just seeing a few of the things you used to decorate with can truly lift your heart. I also make two arrangements that they raffle off. This year I noticed in so many of the Holiday Decorating sites they were using more sleighs this year, and they have also shown pitchers as the containers for their arrangements, so I did the same. The Sleigh was a find at a Church Bazaar, and the Pitcher was from a friend years ago, the gift was well used and she would love the idea of my passing it on for someone else to love!

Since the pitcher had a more rustic look, I kept with a Forest Theme. I saw on Pinterest the decorated pine cone and decided to try it and I loved the way it turned out! Just a really fun way to use up all those ribbon pieces we tend to save for what I don't know! Cut ribbon about 2 1/2 inches long and glue ends together, take one of your loops and put a dab of glue on the end and insert in between the petals of the cone, start by using a slightly wider ribbon for the top row and then alternate your rows of coordinating ribbon the rest of the way. Put a little decoration on top, I used red glitter berries and made another loop of ribbon and glued in the middle for the hanger. I added this to the side of the arrangement and finished off with a wide red bow.

With the Sleigh, I stuck with the same theme of Forest. Using a big gnarly Poinsettia, Pine boughs covered in Snow, red ornaments and finished it off with Red and Green Plaid Ribbons, and I love the pieces of red glitter loops! For some reason my pictures are showing Fuchsia, but believe me thy are true Christmas Red!