2025: Day 66....."Weird Plants & Pots"

 I like weird plants and weird pots.

So if I can match weird with weird

in the house plant world, I like that.

Stacey found this frog at JoAnn's 

going-out-of-business sale and 

knew I'd like it. 

I put a bunch of 

RATTAIL CASSULA plants in it.

(Also known as Watch Chain,

Lizards Tail, Zipper Plant.)

Pretty weird, huh.

Looks like he's enjoying a big lunch.

Susie bought me this guy because

she knew my style also.

I've taken pieces of his 'hair' and prop them

in this box because I like making

more weirdness.

And I have this little baby weirdo growing to

take to a plant swap in spring because I 

know other plant people like weird too. 

It's always fun to start small and get to 

know a plant so I always take a 

Box of Babies to share.

2025: Day 65....."Jumbo Rollers & Jumbo Love"

One of my all time favorite photos

of my great little model Haley.

She was and still is.... always willing to indulge me. 

She is a natural beauty.... even now as

a big grownup girl.

Jumbo love.

 

2025: Day 64....."Graduation Gift Card Box for Class of 2025"

Grad Gift Card Box

Circa 2025

Here's something interesting.

I made a blog post in 2009  (here's a link if 

you want to see it) and this is how

many folks have looked at it:

All I can say is that 

I'm so grateful for ALL

 that have ordered one! 

But happy that not

everyone did because I don't think

our fingers would have survived

all the foamcore cutting. 

We'd be done in.

Hopefully you enjoyed looking

at our ideas and had fun 

creating one on your own.

But for those that don't want to

do the work themselves....then....

call or email us.

Our fingers are still working!

2025: Day 63....."Are you ready boots? Start walkin' "

'I'll walk right in. Set right down.

Daddy, let your mind roll on."

 Yeah....Like Nancy Sinatra said....

"And that's just what they'll do."

 

Mammogram Part 1,005.

Or so it seems.

Check out those babies.

Version 2025.

TCB.

Because that stuff's important.

Man....I wish I had that ring though.

2025: Day 62....."It's not an optical illusion"

Yes. It really is this oddly crooked.

It's a building in Corktown, MI.

It's also shaped like a triangle.

Here's the back of the building.

We've decided to always check the back.

It can be more interesting than the front.

What a surprise.

Apparently there was once a building

next door that they tore down.

But still. 

Why this shape?

I guess the answer is that this is 

all the space they had so they went with that.

Oddly creative, interesting and weird.

Go on a treasure hunt and see it for yourself.

Hashtag Detroit. Hashtag Corktown.

 

2025: Day 61....."polymer clay ooak doll collage named Tik Tok"

 I made this with person with 

Cernit polymer clay.

It's in a vintage 7" cigar box

with hanging wires on the back.

He evolved out of the clay.

 

Just popped out like he was

inside the clay and wanted out.

The other items showed up too.

Just in time.

2025: Day 60.... "A Pile of Guitars"

 

Look at this!

You have to look deep into this picture

to see what the heck is going on.

Can you tell what's even there?

It's a pile of GUITAR CENTERPIECES.

Red ones and silvery fire ones on 

mylar poufed decorative bases with

variegated glittered stars.

I love these and think they make

smashing centerpieces for a 

Rock Star Party

 or

    any music themed party.

I'm proud to ship these out because

I'm sure they are going to make

someone feel very happy & special 

and 

THAT'S

THE 

GOAL.

2025: Day 59....."No Ice is Safe Ice"

 This is February 2025 out MY window.

 Unsafe ice.

Someone on our lake posted 

this picture here below.

No. It's not safe. 

It has a crack. See it on the left.

It has moving water underneath 

that 13"...AND......someone else

noticed a key point.

Lakes are beautiful and dangerous both.

They need to be respected as such.

You can't drown ON ice.

But you sure can drown UNDER it.

2025: Day 58....."Stag Horn Fern Styles"

 If I lived in Florida....

I'd grow Stag Horn Ferns in every tree.

Just like this picture I took in Florida on a visit. 

A bouquet in a tree.

All living and growing.

These are my stag horn ferns here in Michigan.

One of them is growing in a tree.

A dead tree.

My version of the Florida version above.

Not as glorious as the Florida look.

Note the spray bottle to keep up

the humidity.

There is also a humidifier underneath it.

Maybe in the summer it will perk up.

The other one is in a pot & looking better.

It's in a southeast window.

It also has a spray bottle nearby.

Making an outdoor plant into an

indoor houseplant is a glorious challenge.

I'll never achieve this look below... of the

fern in a botanical garden....

nor would I want to.

It looks like an alien creature ready

to dissolve me in it's innards.

I can almost see a face in there.

2025: Day 57…..” Bonsai Tea Bags”

 

Sunday Funday was partially in the 

MATTHEI BOTANICAL GARDENS

in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

I was especially intrigued by this

Bonsai Tree and it's tea bag.

I had to learn more.

Here's a link to learn more if you're interested.

https://www.portlandbonsai.org/scotts-branch-tips/tag/tea+bags

I'll never stop being surprised 

to know what

I don't know.

2025: Day 56....."It's Fun to be One"

Stacey made some stuff.

Stacey made pennants.

Stacey made a sign for the entrance.

     Stacey made a sign for the high chair. 

Then she lost control of herself and

bought a pile of 1 year old specific

toys Mabel can't live without and

because it's fun to be a Grandma also.

That's how she rolls.

2025: Day 55....."Tux vs. Amp"

Foamcore amp boxes were and still are one of the 

more popular things we make but

these Tuxedo Centerpieces are closing in.

They seem to work with many different

sophisticated looks and not just

a Black Tie specific party.

More like a celebration outfit for

a classy birthday or wedding or a

high end corporate event or a Grand Ball.

Whatever the reason or season, 

we like doing them both.

And always.....always.....foamcore guitars.

Rinse and Repeat.

2025: DAY 54....."My Maidenhair Fern for the win"

This has been a testy plant for me to grow.

It's my second Maidenhair Fern.

I usually don't buy another one when

I have a fail because I feel bitter at the plant for

letting me down and 

 like my house is not right for it.

But I really like this plant and it's airy

and delicate leaves.

I gave it a second try.

I bought a small one. 

Look at it now.

it's beautiful.

It likes a lot of humidity 

so it lives in my bathroom that 

gets a daily dose of shower steam.

I guess that's the main key.

We went to a botanical garden and

saw many of these growing on the 

fish pond wall and also in pots directly

in a pond.

So the botanical garden also had some

testy looking ferns.

That made me feel better.

Apparently that's what these ferns do.

2025: Day 53....."Signs from a Germaphobe"

Probably THE BEST  & most helpful

public bathroom signs I've run across.

They should be everywhere.

I highly approve.

Everywhere I go I'm always

saying: "Don't touch that" or

    "Here...use this sanitizer" or

"Go wash your hands now".

I'm that person and you'll NEVER see

me touch an escalator hand rail with my hand. 

Eck.

Door handles? No. 

I pull my sleeve down over my hand.

I don't know if that works but I haven't

got covid.

I love those door foot pedals too.

Yet....alas....I do eat out at restaurants.

 I'm still alive. 

2025: Day 52....."Party Base Landscaping "

A base for a party centerpiece is 

an important element to the total look.

Kinda like the landscaping around a house.

For example:

What a difference!

That's why we keep some of our stuff  

in this cabinet that Stacey owns 

and brought back from England.

It's so fancy. 

It adds to the interior landscaping also.

 

2025: Day 51....."Boogie woogie woogie"

 

Ok....'ya made me smile.

Amazon made me frown when the

yearly bill came for Amazon Prime.

Not smilin' so much then on

how much they raise the price every year.

But...hey....they do make life easy.

And in this case....funny 'n fun.

Some smart marketing person likely said:

"Try & keep 'em smiling and maybe

they won't notice the bill. They'll just

hope their house is the trucks next stop".

2025: Day 49 & 50....."Life Interrupted"

I only made it 49 days in a row from

my good intentions to do one post a day

starting on January 1st.

Then fail. 

Life interrupted my good intentions. 

I know who and why.

Something took ALL the space in my head

and absorbed me totally.

I'm sure you've had it happen to you.

I might pause but I face things head on.

 I'm resilient.

I bounced.

Sleep is one of the keys to resilience.

 I purchased these awhile back.

They work.

Soft. Gentle. 

And they taste so damn good.

 

2025: Day 48....."Negative Four"

 It was -4 this morning.

I have memories of that swing with

it's floating canopy and a side table

with an afternoon drink and my iPad

with a good book.

Not today.

But we have some blue sky 

and a pinch of sun to fake us out.

Funky February.

2025: Day 47....."What can I do?"

Zekelman Holocaust Museum in Michigan.

Wall of messages.

For then and now.

2025: Day 46....."Fire that won't melt snow"

Fake fire that gives me a warm feeling.

It doesn't throw off a bit of heat.

Not even a tiny bit.

But I look at it and feel warmth.

That's why it's out there all winter and

not melting one bit of snow. 

I see the glow from my bedroom doorwall

 (that's what us folks in Michigan call it)

 and I LOVE it.

It turns on when the sun goes down.

It lasts a few hours.

Enough to give me a bonus 

warm feeling every day.

Small joys in a Michigan winter.

 

2025: Day 45....."Art By Others"

This paper mache sculpture is by

Lori Hlavs in Florida who came

to Michigan to an art show in the 90's.

I'm very selective on the 

"Art By Others" that I purchase 

but this I could not resist.

The live edge wood corner shelf she is

currently seated on is from another

artist who works in natural wood...another

weakness I have. I love pieces of wood.

I think I related to this figure & wood because I

am that funky creature who would like to dress

like that and also own every woodsy thing I could find.

I do own a jacket like this..with a pointy hat... so 

that tells you something.

If I allowed her to live outside (but I never would!)

this is the type house we both would like.

2025: Day 44....."Throwback to 2014 Valentine's Day"

 Throwback all the way to 2014.

Custom little Valentine's for

2 sisters to take to school.

Personalized and cute.

A fun endeavor.

2025: Day 43…..“Snowy Head”

 

Don’t ask how much fun 

it was cleaning off my car today, 

but at least it wasn’t on my head.

2025: Day 42....."Shift Changing Colors"

Rustoleum has come out with some 

Color Shift Spray Paint.

But Stacey has already created

this look with glitter on her

foamcore cutout letters and names

for party decorations.

The spray comes in several combinations.

Cars have had it for awhile and I've

seen this look at car shows.

But now it can advance into the

PARTY WORLD for us

and all the DIY folks out there.