Lisa Souers Designs

Blessed. (my giveaway winner...)

"I have been so blessed by how many friends I have that truly love me and support me. This has been a tough year for me with many life-altering changes, and I am so touched by how many friends rose to the occasion to stand by me and encourage me and my girls. I'll never forget how that made me feel!!! And, it has made me want to be a better friend in return."

 

"Tammy"

 

(thank you for your post Tammy on my giveaway...it touched my heart...)

You are my Blessed Winner....)

 

Sometimes we never know how much kindness can change someones path in life...

 

 

Email me your information  Tammy so I can tuck your little Treasure House in the Mail...

lsouers1@aol.com

 

 

I love hearing how Blessed others feel, whether it be this time of year or throughout the year.

 

Your comments are priceless. 

Thank you for sharing a part of you with me.

Lisa

My Jolly Friend....

I have loved reading the blogs about all  the "Great Christmas Collections" out there....

I try to say " I don't collect much"...but we are junkers, many of us, so we can't help ourselves to "Collect".

 

After all...

If you have "More than 2 of Something".... It seems to become a Collection.

 

To me, it also become the "Thrill Of The Hunt"

 

It starts as Hitting an Estate Sale.... Looking for Treasures .

Or as many of you all do, Redesign, Redecorate Homes So Beautifully.

But we must keep "Some For Ourselves".

 

So "My Jolly Friend" is one I can't seem to pass up through out the Spring and Summer.  He calls me out.  "Take Me Home".   "I Have Friends There".  "I Know It".

He makes me smile.  I think because of what he stands for this time of year.

Giving for the sake of Giving.  Not expecting anything in return. Doing for others for the Joy of Doing.  He's always Smiling.  Doing what he does best.  Passing along the Christmas Spirit.

 

So every year.  Our Mantle overflows with My Jolly Friend.  I am particular.  He mostly gets brought home in the Fluffy, 1940's-1960's type,  the little candy dispenser types... But if he's quite charming and vintage, I can't quite pass him up either. 

There is one that "Didn't quite make the cut this year".  He kept making  it to the mantle out of "guilt" every year.  He was a "new one".  I think he was brought to the group as a "win at one of those gift exchanges one year"... guilt kept bringing him to the mantle.   This year, he didn't make the cut.  Felt guilty.  But he will find a new home as he finally was donated to the St Vinny's this year. 

 

Someone else will love this "Jolly Friend".

 

 

 

My Little "Elf" Addiction....

He's Very Little and Usually Plays in a Band.....

Sometimes He's A Bit Jealous Because He Doesn't Get The "Instrument Of His Choice"

At Night I Hear A Bit of a Ruckus When They Tumble Around Their Little Pinecones "Jocky-ing For Position" 

Just to Be Noticed

I Guess They Have To Work Pretty Hard At It Since It's Pretty Crowded....

But Most Of The Time They Are Quite Content and Joyful....

Yep....

It's My Little Elf Addiction. 

 

From My "House" To Yours....(a little giveaway)....

I Feel Very Blessed In My House.

I have a daughter that makes me laugh deep within my being.

She can make me laugh so hard with the little-est things

From imitating "Chewy Chewbacka"

To ending her texts to her dad with a

"Okie Dokie Dr. Jones"

A Great Aunt who blessed me with Patience (okay, some patience) , a "Dry Wit", a talent for the Arts and the Gift for Giving to Others "just because"...

 

Then I have a husband who works night and day to create a "Dream Kitchen" for me.

Even dead tired he keeps plugging along and digging out.

What that "Dream Kitchen " looks like?

Not this that is for sure!

I guess I am suppose to have a "Plan by Tuesday" when the Electrician shows up to rewire it...

My plan was gutting it. 

Now I need to have a "Dream Plan"....

But until then...

 

 
 
  
 

A Little Giveaway For You...

My Favorite "French House" Pendant I swore I wouldn't give up.

But it's the Giving Season and I feel very blessed and want to hear from you how blessed you all feel.

Leave me a comment by Dec 6th  on

"Why You Feel Blessed"

And accept this House of Mine as Your Very Own....

(winner will be randomly picked Dec 6th)

 

(and any orders on my website, retail or wholesale...free shipping until Christmas)

"fa la la la la, la la la la ."

Lisa

 

Rearranging Has Taken "New Heights"....

Day Three of "Rearranging The Kitchen"

The Neighbors Think We Are Crazy.

Our Daughter is searching for someone with a "Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner".

She sees the "Writing on the Walls".

 
  Or rather the "dead oven" in the middle of the Kitchen Floor.

She's figured it out I am not cooking this year.   Or cooking with a Roaster Oven, BBQ, and Microwave, .....or hooking up with someone who can cook better than that this year!

So not just the walls have come out with the fugley counters....

 

It has gone to New Heights.

We knew there was a false ceiling in our kitchen since the rest of the house has 10 ft ceilings....so of course that had to come out too.

 
Cool vintage wallpaper, mind you, it's on the "old ceiling".

The vintage chandeliers are additions when we moved in.  Thought it would add some "character to a kitchen that had none".

Now the kitchen is sitting on my back porch.

And our "new kitchen" in in my art studio" in the basement.

Hannah thinks it's pretty quaint....like a little hotel room.

 

 
We thought it would get her use to living in a dorm room at college some day!

So if she finds a "Thanksgiving Friend"  this will be Mr. Souers and my little quaint Thanksgiving dinner area for two.

It's not the surroundings that make a meal, it's the company you keep.

"Some People Just Rearrange The Furniture"....

"A Typical Day"

Set up for a Holiday Festival to sell Trinkets and Baubles....

 

I actually was quite happy even set up next to this "Charming Booth"

She did ask me though if I was selling "Cashews or just Regular Nuts in my booth"

See, my display is a vintage 1950's

"Double K Nut Display"

It got to the point I said, 

"Salty or Regular"

Some people didn't think it was that funny...especially when they saw my trinkets like these in their instead of their favorite nuts....

 

But while I was away...something bigger was happening...

In the Souers Household....one must be careful.

Our motto is:

"Why Just Rearrange The Furniture in a Room when You Can Do So Much More...."

When we get tired of a room....

We rip it out.

 

It started with hating our kitchen when we moved in 2 years ago.... and it got to the point where the fugley stove didn't work, the cabinets were just horrid, hated the floor, the wallpaper was removed but the walls just couldn't be painted,  just moved the laundry room down stairs and "just had it"....and crow bar in hand...

The top cupboards are already torn out.

Another layer of sheet rock.   We know we can rip this wall out and completely open up our kitchen...

Yep, there's the false wall we knew was there...

Just have to get through the plaster.  We know there is this cool brick chimney running through the kitchen, which we want to expose... (the top picture)

So. 

Why rearrange a room when you can rip it out and start all over.

But that can only happen when you have a Mr. Souers, a Crow Bar and the desire to live with a mess and a cool idea in your head of the kitchen you always wanted.

And it gives the neighbors one more reason to think we are "not quite normal" ripping out our kitchen at 10pm on a Saturday night.

 

To Be Continued.  
 
 
 

 
 

"Me And My Corn Bags"

We use to live in the Country.

I do miss it for many reasons.....

Two acres of our very own surrounded by 17 acres of orchard where our "plethora" of Maple Leaves could be just swept into the orchard with no worries that a huge gust of wind would come and take them to the neighbors yard.

Enter City Life.

I guess the previous owners of our home loved a "Good Strong Wind Storm" to sweep the leaves off the property.  Made for easier clean up I guess.

For me.... it kills me seeing our messy leaves gusting to the neighbors.... It's our mess, it's ours to clean up.

This year I got a "handle on it" thanks to "The City of Yakima" and

"Their Corn Bags"

Now

"My Corn Bags"

Free of Charge....Just have to come pick them up at the "City Pick Up Places" before the 9000 "Free Bags" are gone.  I got smart this year.  Got them early because they go fast.

My Friend Christy begged me for my free bags. 

She wasn't as fast as I was this year.

 

Here's the catch.

You must sign your life away for them....(not really, but it feels like it...but once I figured out the system from last year, it's the coolest), tell them "how many bags you think you will need this year compared to the amount you used last year...."

A bit difficult since they are made of 100% biodegradible corn starch, break open at the drop of a stick...they are truely "meant just for leaves", they have "your count" from last year and grill you as to how many you are taking this year.

See, the city not only gives you these great bags that are super for the environment to put your leaves in, they also come by on a certain week and pick them all up, and 
"count them"

It's a recycling grant project.  Year 2

So for Year 2

Me and My Corn Bags have done are part of the 

Leaf Recycling in Yakima again this year.

I didn't even care that this picture was fuzzy.

I filled all 30, didn't break a one this year and even had room in my 30 to sweep the street across the way to gather my runaway leaves.

So count them all "Mr City Leaf Pick-er Up-ers"....

I will be picking up my 30 again next year....on the first day they offer them....

And my leaves will be composted before you can see the first "Buttercups of Spring" and not stuck in those aweful Black Garbage bags again this year.
  
 
 
  
  

"Making It To 50"

"For Better Or For Worse"

"In Sickness And In Health"

"Till Death Do We Part..."

 

 

Happy "50th" Anniversary

Nov. 14, 2009

 

To

My Mom and Dad

 

 

 

"Treasure Houses"

Thanks for all the kind comments on my "Kaleidascope Series" on my website.  I have more I have been working on but haven't yet added yet.

Here's another one just added.....

 

My Treasure Houses below were actually  "second thought" to "Kaleidascope Series" I have been working on. 

I thought...if I can create Round Bezels, I can surely create Houses...

Not as easy, but oooh, I do love creating them.

 

The first two " Treasure Houses "went to the Allied Arts "Art of Giving Gallery Show" that begins today.

 

 

 
 
 

These two one of a kind Treasure Houses are on my website now.

I don't know about you, but I am not one who loves mass store shopping, more one of a kind Trinkets and Baubles for my true gift giving spirit this time of year.... or even "random acts of giving kindness"....

This "ART" House is all hand forged, patina-d and one of a kind.

NOW SOLD but more added this SUNDAY!

 

Tucked deep inside is a vintage watch case with the word "Art" and vintage German Glass glitter that moves freely about when worn.

 

A Little Metal Bezel with a vintage 1900's Number tucked below

 

French Script on the back.

All hung with a Rusty (sealed) chain.

Measures 1" x 3" long

Chain hangs 20" long.

 

 

"FRANCE" House

Vintage Watch Case

 

Vintage Rhinestone Embelleshment and Key

 

Enjoy

Lisa

 
 

 
 
 

"A Way In" to my Creative Mind....

 
When the holiday season starts peeking around the corner I start getting super excited to get even more creative......

Growing up with My Auntie Beth it was always about "making gifts" for those we loved for Christmas, so I think that's where I get that joyful feeling to making "different" trinkets for the holiday season.....

 

But before I show what I have been working on, I always get inspired by what I find on the side of the road. 

I am so grateful I have a conscience and didn't have a shovel. 

This would of so nicely fit inside the bed of my truck.

Okay, it "really would of stuck out all over the place because the hand is as BIG as my truck.."  I just wanted to believe it was meant to go home with me.

I about "ran out of gas coming home from a quick trip to Spokane this weekend....you know that feeling... "I have plenty of gas".  "I can make it to the next exit...where the Starbucks is"...  Not this time.  So I took an exit before my "regular Starbucks plus Gas Exit", one that I have never taken before that looked like it could be from the movie "Deliverence" and this sign greeted me.

 

I couldn't believe I had never seen it before.  But why would I?  I have my route.  If there isn't Coffee plus Gas, I don't exit.

 

The trucker thought I was a bit on the wacky side taking a picture.

 

Think how wacky he would of thought I was if I had been digging it up.

It still calls my name....

 

But on to a "way in"....to my creative mind....

 

 

"Kaleidascope Series"

 

 

 

I have listed 3 on my website but have been working on a few like these as well soon to be on there as well...

I have always been intrigued with kaleidascopes so I tucked deep in my art studio and worked on these little trinkets....all one of a kind little stories in them....

 

This little fella is going to the Allied Arts Gallery with about 8 other one of a kind pieces for an Art Show/Gallery Show.  I was honored to be asked to be a part of it... but the 
"House Collection" will be on my website next weekend. 

All one of a kind metal hand forged bezels.

 

So that's the "Way In" to my Creative Mind for now.....