Gaga Order?

Last weekend, I had the pleasure of seeing my friend Cris, who was visiting from Maui. We had some coffee in Pasadena, and then walked down the street to shop at Zinnia. I've talked about Zinnia here before, but this day we weren't there for a class, although there was one going on. We were there only for the purpose of shopping! As if it were someone's birthday!

Of course, it probably was someone's birthday, so that's appropriate.


As you will see from these photos, Zinna is awash in color.
Every inch has something arty in it. Something colorful and arty. Original art pieces, and pieces to use in your art. Packets of fat quarters, containers with assorted fabric trims, felt pieces, roving, findings and fittings, ephemera, paints and media, vintage papers, scrapbooking papers, charms, cards, beads and buttons, magazines and books, galore.


If someone can't be inspired at Zinnia, they aren't awake!

That afternoon I had an appointment, but I heard that the authors of Mixed Media Dollhouses were going to be at Zinnia with samples of their houses, to sign books and talk to people. I purchased the book, and left it there to have it signed by the authors. Yesterday I picked it up, and have just begun to look through it. WHAT a pack of inspiration!! Don't even start looking at this book if you aren't prepared to make your own dollhouse from the floor up.

In other news, I've been the lucky recipient of some mail love. Don't you love mail love? Random Acts of Kindness? I was sitting at the house, eating ice cream (duh) and watching Dark Shadows (DUH), when whom should I hear approaching, but the postal professional. He hollered from beyond the front door 'More Mail Love For You!'

He's very sure of himself.

I picked up barking, snarling, yapping, princess angel Scout from the window sill and waited until the p.p. had moved a safe distance away (across the street and over four houses), and opened the door. LOOK, what I found in my postal receptical !!

A lovely, handcrafted card with punched-tin butterflies, made by Pam Harris of Gingerbread Snowflakes fame, and a beautful handcrafted broach made of raffia, plastic canvas petals and pretty buttons (buttons can do Almost Anything), made by Diane of Craftypod! And, made with two of my current favorite colors!

When people send goodies, it humbles me. (That's about all that does, as I'm arrogant by nature.)

And then, LOOK at this! My blogging friend Erin Perry of Altered By the Sea heard about how much I loved the mah-jongg cards she featured on her blog recently, so she just up and sent me some. Come ON, people! You're not going to get this kind of treatment from Lady Gaga! NO. Erin accompanied them with a Parisian-themed card, knowing that Paris is a destination in my near future. How thoughtful she is.

I'm a very lucky girl.

NOTE: I have no idea why some of the pictures I upload from the same program as all the others don't expand when you click on them. Drives me nuts. It's a Blogger thing, and it's dumb. I wish you could see the detail of Zinnia's goodies, but I guess you'll have to visit in PERSON, since PHOTOS on BLOGGER don't seem very IMPORTANT. It's only a VISUAL medium, Blogger Administration People!

(I'm fine with it, though.)

Next Up: Chris shares some images of her tulips, and Lady Gaga stops calling.