Showing posts with label The Natural State. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Natural State. Show all posts

Saturday, February 6, 2010

A tribute to the best craft ever


That baboon amazes me. I can't even tell you all the reasons why this is one of the most awesome objects I've ever beheld. And I've been to the Louvre, seen Mona Lisa. I've gone to the Met and the National Galleries in DC, and the Chicago Art Institute and the Victoria & Albert Musuem, not to mention a semester's worth of train travel across Italy to see every last Baroque wonder, but seriously, this baboon figure is one of the best things ever.

And I bought him for a quarter at the saddest antique store in the saddest town in the saddest quadrant of Arkansas, which I'm not about to call "one of the saddest states in the US" though I'm sure many people would take such liberties when ranking US states by, oh, educational systems, poverty levels, etc. However, I love the Natural State enough to give it its own label on this blog. Anyway, main street of Ashdown, Arkansas houses some truly sad offices and junk stores. And as I rummaged through the sadness, I found THIS and many of his friends (think giraffe, penguin, bunnies), each for a quarter. Obviously, some truly talented crafter of yesteryear took felt, sequins and a permanent cloth marker and had some fun.

I actually sold all of his friends at my October craft sale ... making a tidy little profit. I mean, you gotta admit, it's worth more than a quarter, if nothing more than for the sheer retro awesomeness of the colors and shapes.

Baboonie was used as my tree topper on the first ever Hilary live tree. I know I seem like the type that would have a holy angel or something, but really, once the thought of topping the tree with Sir Monkay came into my noggin, I couldn't resist!

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Trapped in an Ironic State of Crafting Affairs

Readers -- No pictures, I know.

I am trapped in an ironic state of crafting affairs. Perhaps you could have guessed that from the title of this post. Well, I'll be so kind as to elaborate on this sentiment for you in case it is enigmatic.
When you are of a crafting nature, people think of you when they have a craft project that they need to have done. And being excited about the prospect of helping others, I jump at the chance to take on crafting roles of all varieties. And then the procrastination sets in. And I start to long for the day when my crafting docket is empty and I can paint and doodle and draw and build my silly little designs all on my own whims.
So for now I'm trudging through these ridiculous crafts that I'm doing for others (they truly range from the sublime to the bizarre and one is an absolutely hideous mess on my bedroom floor that I suspect will be FILE 13'ed long after its due date). And well, I'll be honest when I admit that there's at least one project of my own initiative that I'm procrastinating on (bookshelves!).
I'm going to the Natural State this weekend, which does not imply that I'll be going nude, but instead that I'll be going to Nashville, Arkansas to see the Granny and Papaw. My mom and I call this Nashville, "Little N" because when you say you are Nashville bound, people envision you crooning country tunes with a guitar case and greyhound bus ticket to Grand Old Opry Fame. But alas, I'll leave my Hank Williams dreams in check as I go to Little N this weekend, but I'll be sure to pack some crafting supplies!
And hopefully I'll get some work done and have some new gems to share with you all.