Shadow Box Project 2026

One of the project I'm working for when the boys come out to visit this summer is to make shadow box dioramas with photo backgrounds. We will be up in Tahoe and out in nature so I'm guessing there will be a lot of pinecone and rock collecting.

I've been picking up shadow boxes when I find them at the thrift store. A few weeks ago I was at my local Goodwill then a big shipment of shadow box frames were put out. I was a little too late as another woman loaded her cart up with all of them. Anyway I have this one and I thought I would make a nice gift for my daughter's best friend. She flew over to celebrate my daughter's birthday and go sightseeing like they did in college. I love this photo and I had the little dutch houses already in my collection. I now have to decide if I should do all three houses or just one. What do you think?

Citrus Peel Mushrooms Part 2

Started the painting part of my citrus peel mushroom project. Not too sure if I went a little over board with the white spots both in size and amount. 

I picked up a bag full of little benches at Savers to add to the display. 

Had to think of what I would use as a base as wood slices are just too $$$. Yes these are things that keep me up at night. I have a lot of driftwood for another project but then I remember the big wood pile on the side of my studio. Back when you could have an open fire pit, the guys stocked up. I'm sure it's been there for years. Once things dry up I'll sift through the rack.
 

Can't believe everything on YouTube

There was a YouTube posted by a young guy (that should have been my first red flag) who said by soaking these Japanese cookies in greek yogurt it will taste like cheesecake. They have been sold out at my local market for a while but I finally got them. Not sure if this guy knows what a real cheesecake should taste like but this wasn't it. The cookies themselves aren't that good either. 

Reminds me when I worked in a doctor's office. Patient came with severe eye irritation. She had just had a baby and her eye lashes had fallen out. Not sure if her pregnancy caused that or not. She saw a YouTube video about putting lavender oil on your eye lids to help your lashes to grow. I couldn't say anything but all I could think of is where did you think that oil was going to go when it warmed up?

New Arts Store in Town - Blick

I was so thrilled to learn that we finally got an art store in San Jose! I went to check it out as almost everyone else in the store was doing. Lots of smiling faces as we went down each aisle. One of my projects on my long list of projects is to do sun printing or cyanotype. I've gathered up all the supplies except the chemicals. Hopefully I get good enough that the boys can do some printing this summer. 

I also picked up some new lino cutting blades, which I've been procrastinating in buying. Have to support the store!

Life of a reseller 2026 - Oversize

$13.45

On my last trip to the Goodwill stores I picked up this oversized cloche jar. In the reselling world oversized or mini are the best. Unusual sizes sell really well. This one is 18" tall and hand blown. I was a little nervous that it would have a chip being so big. It was hard to inspected because it was big and heavy. I paid $13.45 which is a little more than I would normal do. It will take time to sell so as a reseller I have to decide if it's worth tying up my money. 
 

"The Korean Vegan" Cookbook by Joanne Lee Molinaro

They say don't go grocery shopping when your'e hungry. I've been following Joanne Lee Molinaro YouTube videos more for her legal talks than her vegan recipes, she's a trail lawyer. Her cookbook "The Korean Vegan" is still too new so way too expensive to buy now. Luckily for me the Cupertino library has 12 copies. I've been wanting to make miso soup with all the trimmings for a while now. I was thinking I should just stop in Trader Joe's and pick up some up. Then it just dawned on me that I live in Asian market central with the library right in the middle of all of them.  Why would I buy premade miso when I can get the real stuff. There are so many miso options now days that I couldn't decided which one to get. Finally I went with the one from my childhood. Plan to research what all those other fancy brands and why they cost so much more. There are also a dozen different types of tofu. That was a little easier as there is one company I won't buy and yes it's for political reasons. My one impulse buys on this trip was getting a mix box of mushrooms, something I would normally not get. I know it cost more to buy this way but cooking for one it just made more sense. Have to say my miso, mushroom and tofu soup turned out super good!

I'm not vegan and Korean food in my mind revolves around meat. The photos in the book are very moody and rustic, a style I really like. The recipes are simple enough especially if you live in an area with an Asian market on every corner. It's making me branch out on my spices as I learn more about them. One thing I like about my favorite cookbooks is the backstory to a recipe, the family connection and this cookbook delivers all that. 

 So with meat prices going through the roof, this vegan cookbook came just in time. :) 

Life of a Reseller 2026

I've been checking out the Goodwills more often now that the boys will be here for the summer. I'm looking for toys and crafts for them. With so many other grandmothers at HD it's had to get to the good stuff before it's snatched up. :)

Target dumps a lot of their unsold items to Goodwill. Since I'm boycotting Target (it's been over a year now) I found several craft kits that I think the boys will have fun with. What got me going down the rabbit hole was this moss kit. One of my crafting projects it make a mushroom diorama out of dried lemon peels. I need moss for the ground covering but it's so $$$ at Michaels. This kit which also has a shadow box frame (other project for the boys) and FIVE bags of moss for just $3.00! Hoping the other Goodwills have some of these. kits, I made the rounds. As I was leaving one Goodwill, a fresh cart came out. I saw the faint purple tinge on this vase. Clear glass is a hard sell unless it's vintage uranium glass. Still not a huge profit margin. I hoped I wasn't wrong in thinking it was uranium glass. The design was interesting enough to take the chance for $3.45.  Not sure you can see it in the picture but I did confirm what it was once I got into my car. Yes, I pack my UV flashlight. 

Happy Birthday!

The girls (my daughter and her best friend from collage) are off touring around Europe for her birthday. They did this about 20 years ago during their collage days. How time flies!
 

Dogs Everywhere!

Posey, (the chocolate lab) is babysitting her country cousins Annie and Lillie. They live out on 5 acres in the country so very use to running around a lot! 

Its too sweet that the black and white dog is named Annie. Makes me think of my Annie when I call her. Lillie is a mix breed but looks exactly like my Annie's best friend Bergie, who was a French bird dog. They were best friends and if it wasn't for Bergie's parents kindness I wouldn't have be able to keep Annie after my divorce. It's a sad but grateful walk down memory lane. 
 

Boycott Projects

 I'm supporting the "Ice Out" boycott today. With so many projects in the pipe line, it will be no problem being home all day. For the past month I've been drying limes, lemons and oranges. I had a little sticker shock on the spices, which because of the tariffs are super $$$. I couldn't decide how to package my simmer pot spices when I found out how $$$ bags at Michael's are.  As I was heading home I passed the dollar store so I stopped in just to see. The exact same party bags were only $1.25 compared to $7.99 at Michael's. I bagged up 40 simmer pot spices before I ran out of cloves. It's passed the holiday season so we'll have to see how well they do. 

I no longer shop at Target, shop on Amazon or Home Depot. I voted NO to keeping Zuckerberg on the board and not longer post on Facebook or whatever he calls it now. Deleted Spotify

Lovin' Spoonful - Do You Believe In Magic

I recently sold a crate full of albums from the 70's and 80". Came from an estate clean out. I don't even know how many were in the crate but it was a lot. Maybe 100? When I did a quick flip through to take a few pictures to post, this album popped up. My very favorite song is "do you believe in magic" by the Lovin' Spoonful. I remember hearing the song for the very first time on TV during slumber party. I think it was a sign I should at least keep this one. Since I don't have a record player I will at some point frame it. 

"New study shows the most popular female hobby 

is drinking coffee and doing nothing" 

This is a hobby I can get behind! :)

Picker's Luck Strikes Again!

For several months I've been collecting or should I say they find me, miniatures. Things really too small to have in my booth at Cottage Crafts. I was sad that the two random printers cabinet drawers I had sold. Fast forward to now a year later. I walked into the back room at CCB and I saw two drawers. To my surprise they had my vendor number! They had been moved to the backroom during a front window display change. Stored under the stairs so totally forgotten about. My daughter asked me months ago to find one for the boys growing rock collection. Buying them one the open market is $$$ because they are hard to find. I had originally priced them very low so that would sell fast, which is why I thought they had. Now I have one for the boys and one for me!