No $$ does NOT = nothing...

Times are tough...and they have been universally for a few years now. Economy kind of tanked in 2008...if I remember correctly. Anyhow, no one has money for anything but essentials...like food, rent and self care items. It hasn't been a time of luxury for too many people. I know there are some that haven't felt the real brunt of the economic down turn...but a whole heck of a lot of people have. And we, in this household are included in that percentage of population. I don't really ever spend money on myself for treat sake. I will, once in a blue moon grant myself some retail therapy. But I keep it simple and very budget friendly. Oh...how I wish I actually had a budget. How many times have I thought about keeping track of incoming and outgoing monies. I believe that I have asked my brother twice for the spreadsheet that he uses for budgeting his household. I have a problem with money. When I have it...I spend it. I can't help it. I live in the now the moment...always have. I know that I eventually have to buckle down and start saving. And I have started a savings account. It just doesn't have much in it. ha ha. We have bills to pay maaaan!!! Blah, blah,blah, blah...I am spewing from my head...out of my finger and a wrist that is getting sore.

I am no artist...but I like to play with stuff that artists work with. Like making myself découpage wall pieces, vases and telephones. I can have stuff that I think is super cool and new to me like buying myself something from the store. Except I don't have to spend money or leave my home to get it. I remember when I was about 8 or 9 years old we were on the road in the States and stopped in some some artsy store in this outdoor mall...there was a small section of decoupaged pieces. I can see the lamp stand, telephone, suitcase, side table and other smaller items in my minds video memory bank. I was mezmerised. I couldn't stop touching the pieces...gently swiping my hand back and forth to feel all of the different layers of paper and glue. I love texture. I always try to have texture in the things I create for myself and my lovely friends and family. :o)

 This is my incomplete phone. It was my proto-type...I started this one and then got into a second one that I finished...and then traded for leg waxing and aesthetic work. Trades rock!! It was also a "lip" phone like this one...but you don't see any of the phone underneath except for the numbers and receiver parts. This one needs a lot of tiny little lips and mouths...maybe another word or two more. But I still use it. It is on my night stand. I have a cordless phone too in the bedroom...that way I can still see the call display. I do sometimes answer that phone unknowing of who is on the other end of the line. So far it has been good calls. ;o)

 My Rock 'N Roll mirror. These photos seem to be blurry...I feel too lazy to take new ones right at this moment. So excuse the poor photo quality...I am tired. ;op I made this mirror last spring. Clint liked it so much that he kept asking me to do a larger piece with Rock. I thought about it for a while...

 I did it last month! It is my homage to music. Everyone who I feel is anyone over the past 50-60 decades is in this piece. There are a lot of goodies missing...of course. But I found some awesome pics of some mighty fine musicians and legendary artists of rock. It is 96% done...a few spaces needs filling. ;o)

Teeny little wooden flower vase that I felt needed some sprucing up. It's so easy to do. You just need a lot of time and a whole whack of patience. A ton of cutting and then the glossing of each piece...it doesn't just go smooth on it's own. I add dried pressed flowers into some pieces too. That gives some more texture...for fingers that like to touch. ;o)

Today I was going to some new Gallery opening on the South side...Hen House Gallery and the Pier Gallery. And I HAD to stop in at Lily's Boutique at the Silva Bay hotel...awesome clothes!!! I felt like I needed something new but don't have the money to shop. So I made myself an earring with a feather from one of my fave roosters...a hen and a guinea hen. I think it turned out sweet! ;o) 

Anyways...my point to all of this deco madness is the fact that even on a small budget you can still have new and pretty things in your home that mimics that fabulous rush that you achieve with retail therapy.Being frugal now means that later on when you have more money you will have even more because you were savvy in the poorest days. Treat yourself from yourself. And make something for a friend too...that always makes the heart feel super wicked awesome! ;o)