YEAH!! Exciting news at Artichoke Alley!
We made our first truly web based sale and she doesn't live in Huntsville or even Alabama!! (We are cross country sales people!)
and
We are GOOGLE-able!!
I realize these are small things but pretty stinkin' exciting! Woo-Hoo!
Back to painting! Please hang in there. There will be BEFORE and AFTER pictures before soccer and PTA tonight!
Lisa
Furniture, like an artichoke, gets better as you peel back the layers. We specialize in finding the heart in every piece of furniture or treasure we come across. We like to call it refabbed...refurbished, refinished, re-fabulous!
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Skunk!
Around here there is quite a cast of characters that all add to the everyday chaos. This morning you saw a glimpse of Handsome Hubby and my sweet Sugar Bug. Now to meet the three dogs that think they rule the roost: Rosie (my boy's dog) - the sweet, peaceful, rule follower, Dixie (my girl's dog) - the wild child, who this story will really be about, and Rebel (my sister's dog) - the awkward teenager with big ears!
As I said this morning, it is BUSY here today. Very overcast and looking like rain, I set up shop on the kitchen island. I am working on some detail painting and that seemed like a great solution except for the mongrels that keep circling, looking for a handout. That's when I keep getting a whiff of......Dixie!
On our recent vacation we were in the pasture working on feeders when all of a sudden, out of nowhere came a blur of brown and white fur followed by an AWFUL stench! When we all realized what the smell was, skunk, and that the fur was attached to our wild child of a dog, Dixie, no one was really surprised. Oh, but believe me, no one was happy either especially since we had started packing for the 17 hour car ride home!
Against her will, she was bathed in tomato juice and the best smelling soap to be found on the ranch but, to no avail. We road home with the STINKING dog, literally!
Okay, not the first time we have made the trip with animals my husband would have preferred leaving at the ranch. There was the time we had the 12 baby (flying) chickens, the turtle in the box that kept escaping to eat the dog food, the two ducklings we were going to put on the pond but decided to give swimming lessons in the pool first, and a few more (stories for later as I have to get back to painting soon).
Anyway, we all made it home in one piece and like most things, after you get on the road, it just doesn't seem quite so bad! But, for some reason we just can't get rid of that awful smell. As I am diligently trying to get these projects done and the mongrels keep circling, all I keep thinking is, "Oh, Dixie!" But, how can you not love this face, stink or no stink!!
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| Rosie, Dixie, and Rebel.....who us?! |
As I said this morning, it is BUSY here today. Very overcast and looking like rain, I set up shop on the kitchen island. I am working on some detail painting and that seemed like a great solution except for the mongrels that keep circling, looking for a handout. That's when I keep getting a whiff of......Dixie!
On our recent vacation we were in the pasture working on feeders when all of a sudden, out of nowhere came a blur of brown and white fur followed by an AWFUL stench! When we all realized what the smell was, skunk, and that the fur was attached to our wild child of a dog, Dixie, no one was really surprised. Oh, but believe me, no one was happy either especially since we had started packing for the 17 hour car ride home!
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| Help me Mom! It got me! It got me! |
Okay, not the first time we have made the trip with animals my husband would have preferred leaving at the ranch. There was the time we had the 12 baby (flying) chickens, the turtle in the box that kept escaping to eat the dog food, the two ducklings we were going to put on the pond but decided to give swimming lessons in the pool first, and a few more (stories for later as I have to get back to painting soon).
Anyway, we all made it home in one piece and like most things, after you get on the road, it just doesn't seem quite so bad! But, for some reason we just can't get rid of that awful smell. As I am diligently trying to get these projects done and the mongrels keep circling, all I keep thinking is, "Oh, Dixie!" But, how can you not love this face, stink or no stink!!
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| So sweet! |
Back to work!
Lisa
Mini Posts
Today will be a day full of little mini posts! I am working furiously on several things at once and want to finish them ALL so I thought I might just do some mini-posts in between jobs
As most of you know, we just got back from a great week-long vacation to our ranch in Texas. While we were there we relaxed A LOT but, as always, we needed to get a few chores done as well. One of the things we always have to do is cut the grass and try to clean things up after having been gone. My Handsome Hubby and sweet Sugar Bug decided to get some work done early one morning before the Texas sun got too hot. Below is a picture of them heading out...be still my heart! I can't resist a handsome man taking his little girl to work with him! And don't you just love the coordinating camouflage?!
Now I must also get back to work too. Check in for more mini-posts today!
Lisa
As most of you know, we just got back from a great week-long vacation to our ranch in Texas. While we were there we relaxed A LOT but, as always, we needed to get a few chores done as well. One of the things we always have to do is cut the grass and try to clean things up after having been gone. My Handsome Hubby and sweet Sugar Bug decided to get some work done early one morning before the Texas sun got too hot. Below is a picture of them heading out...be still my heart! I can't resist a handsome man taking his little girl to work with him! And don't you just love the coordinating camouflage?!
Now I must also get back to work too. Check in for more mini-posts today!
Lisa
Monday, October 11, 2010
Good Morning Sunshine!
Good Morning Sunshine!!
Oh, how I missed watching the Texas sunrise this morning but, real life is back in full swing. With the kids and hubby out of the house, things are awfully quiet around here so I hope that means I will get A LOT done on projects today; a little quiet might make the work go faster!
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Last week I was waiting for the sun to peek up in the Texas sky! (Please do not notice the no makeup, just woke up look....we just keep it real around here!) |
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| Here she comes.... |
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| Aaawww! |
I also plan on completing Tracy's curio cabinet. It needs a couple more good coats of paint and the hardware must be reinvigorated. Brass, be gone!
And with that, I am off to work! Have a sunshiney day!
Lisa
Sunday, October 10, 2010
I'm Back!
Fall Break is almost over and we drove back home today. I think this was the most relaxing vacation I've had in a long time and I'm not quite ready for it to be over with.. We were able to see some special people, celebrate several birthdays, and just spend time as a family in our favorite place on earth. Does it get any better than that?!
It was hard not checking in and posting some of the pictures I was able to take throughout the week but honestly, being away from all the electronics is a big part of what I love about the ranch! Now that I'm back, I have a lot to share with you guys so....get ready!
I love this place! It just says so much about our home state! Food, shopping, state pride all served in one building with a tin roof!
Another thing I love about the ranch is the sun. We get plenty of sun in Alabama but, it just isn't quite the same. In Texas, we play in the sun, swim in the sun, and my kids and Handsome Hubby know that I can usually be found on the front porch around sunrise or somewhere facing west if it is getting close to sunset. This is just one of the wonderful views from our back porch this past week!
It was hard not checking in and posting some of the pictures I was able to take throughout the week but honestly, being away from all the electronics is a big part of what I love about the ranch! Now that I'm back, I have a lot to share with you guys so....get ready!
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| Ramage Farms |
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| Sunset from the back porch of the ranch house! |
In the car, we each talked about a few of our favorite things about the ranch....we may have to have a top 10 list later in the week when I am really having withdrawals! Do you have a favorite place that just makes you want to be there?
For now, I must go get everyone into bed and ready for real life to start back in the morning. I hope you each had a wonderful week and will be checking back to see what Artichoke Alley has going on around here now that vacation our break time is over....there is an entire garage full of "Artichokes" waiting for the layers to be peeled back in the the coming weeks! OH, and there is another auction this weekend!! YIKES!! I'd better get to work and make room for more. :)
Lisa
Sunday, October 3, 2010
3 am Post!
Good Morning! If you can call it that?! It's just past 3am and we are getting ready to hit the road.
This is the first chance I've had to update things....so sorry. Needless to say, things did not go as smoothly as I had wanted on Friday. As I was in my rush to get projects done and getting ready for our trip, I started my age old chore of laundry and went to work on furniture. Dutifully, I came in to change things over and as I opened the washer I realized I had turned the entire load pink! AAARGGH. Oh, trust me it gets worse! Some of the items int he load were the white football pants, undershirt, and jersey! My boy is pretty secure with himself but, he is still a little guy and pink is just NOT cool for boys! ESPECIALLY for their football uniform!! I went into immediate panic/crisis management. I have washed that stinking uniform thousand times this season; what the heck?!?! I tried everything I could think of but, in the end Handsome Hubby filled the wash with bleach and threw caution to the wind! RESULT: Dad's the Best! The uniform is back to sparkling white! The undershirt is Barbie pink and my boy got a quick speech about being confident enough to wear any color (He just didn't take his jersey and pads off after the game! :)
So, as promised, some late night pics. Better pics will follow when I get back home and back to work.
This is the first chance I've had to update things....so sorry. Needless to say, things did not go as smoothly as I had wanted on Friday. As I was in my rush to get projects done and getting ready for our trip, I started my age old chore of laundry and went to work on furniture. Dutifully, I came in to change things over and as I opened the washer I realized I had turned the entire load pink! AAARGGH. Oh, trust me it gets worse! Some of the items int he load were the white football pants, undershirt, and jersey! My boy is pretty secure with himself but, he is still a little guy and pink is just NOT cool for boys! ESPECIALLY for their football uniform!! I went into immediate panic/crisis management. I have washed that stinking uniform thousand times this season; what the heck?!?! I tried everything I could think of but, in the end Handsome Hubby filled the wash with bleach and threw caution to the wind! RESULT: Dad's the Best! The uniform is back to sparkling white! The undershirt is Barbie pink and my boy got a quick speech about being confident enough to wear any color (He just didn't take his jersey and pads off after the game! :)
So, as promised, some late night pics. Better pics will follow when I get back home and back to work.
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| Curio for a customer. |
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| Curio mid-facelift! It is starting to look like a whole new piece of furniture! |
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| Jewelry chest of drawers....still needs some finishing touches but looking much better! |
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| Getting more and more beautiful! |
Sorry to cut this short but the car will be backing out of the driveway without me if I don't get going! We are off for the week. As a side note, at my favorite place on earth we don't have internet or a telephone so, I will probably not be able to check in! There will be lots to talk about when we all get back though!
I hope everyone has a fabulous week!
Lisa
Friday, October 1, 2010
Finally Friday!
Today is the last day of school before Fall Break! YEAH!!! The girls here at Artichoke Alley are all planning a mass exodus and can't wait to spend time in our favorite places with our kiddos and husbands. It's really funny how much we are alike and yet, our location choices for relaxation and renewal could not be more different. Have you ever taken those little quizzes about whether you prefer the beach or the mountains, the city or the country, etc? Well, we have a city mouse, a country mouse, and a sandy sea horse in our midst! Vacation, here we come!
In the meantime, today is all about REALITY! All the chores that have to be done to get out of town are awaiting me and I have 4 projects that I've been working on for the last 3 days that WILL be completed before the day is through!
I've been to Lowe's already this morning and while driving home, singing "Boys of Fall" with Kenny Chesney, I realized....I.must be getting older because I went straight from dropping the kids at school looking like #####! I was just hoping that I could get my stuff without seeing or talking to anyone. For future reference, there's no one in Lowe's at 7:30am which makes it easy to get in and out however, there are no other customers distracting the 50 employees that are all chipper and want to offer their assistance either! Anyway, I got what I needed and I'm ready to get to work.
Have a great Friday. I WILL post before and after pictures today!
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| Wide open spaces, fresh air, and family! |
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| Sand castles, crabbin', and sunshine! |
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| The Magic Kingdom...no more explanation needed! |
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| And I'm off to work! |
Have a great Friday. I WILL post before and after pictures today!
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