Hello! ... some updates, some news, some shopping, and ...

Hello! I've been so busy and crazy doing a bazillion different things at once, I haven't had a chance to write since Saturday. However could I allow real life to interfere with my blogging life? I really must learn to get my priorities straight!
To start today, I want to give you some news about some fab giveaways! I've entered - and I'm not sure why I'm telling you to enter, as it will lower my chances of winning. But, hey!, a nice newsy sort of guy is just the way I am!
First, a lovely giveaway - and more! Click the image to visit Tales from an OC Cottage (which I just learned stands for Orange County - I always thought it meant Obsessive Compulsive). She's another sparkly glittery fan of all things vintage and shiny - like me! Click on image to sign up.
Next, look at this fabulous giveaway - an Alice-in-Wonderland-inspired bracelet, offered by Sherry at Got Art? Isn't this fab?! I love it ... I want to put in on one of my angel statues as a gypsy headdress. Anyway. Click the image to enter!
And, finally, but hardly least, Marilyn at Our Victorian Cottage has a giveaway of several little treasures - including some of her enchanting embroidered pieces! I won a pair of pillowcases from Marilyn last December, and I just love them. They're so beautiful! Nothing speaks of elegant living like hand embroidered pillowcases and scarves! Click the image to enter this precious giveaway!

Well, 2009 is over, which means I really must put away my 2009 Dogs of Wooster Square calendar. It is a calendar sold as a benefit for our local historical society, and the photographer always gets the most interesting and fun photos of the "winners" ... not your usual dog portraiture! LOL
Here is Dusty, appearing as this year's Mr. December. Unfortunately, now that he's a winner, he is ineligible to enter again this year. I don't think the Dogs of Wooster Square should have a term limit, do you?
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a post about Cabinets of Curiosities - a subject I find very intriguing. What a surprise to visit one of my favorite blogs, Trouvais (thanks to the heads up from Anita at Castles, Crowns and Cottages), and see photographs of her own Cabinet of Curiosities! Click on the image below to see more of her lovely treasures and artifacts.

mmmm. I just discovered this new candy bar - at least, it's new to me. I found it waiting in line at the pharmacy. There were three flavors. I bought all three. They were all wonderful. I love standing in line at both the pharmacy and the grocer. It's the only way I have of learning about new candy and what kind of trashy behavior the Hollywood celebrities have been up to. I often will buy an extra something-or-other so I don't have to go to the express lane and I have time to peruse the most gossipy of the tabloid mags!

Isn't this a fab birdcage? It's from the 1920's and made in France. It's all tole painted and looks to be in wonderful condition. I have this urge to put a ferret in it. I don't know why. But it would look kinda cool and I like ferrets...though I don't believe Dusty would put up with such a roommate for even a moment. I think he's probably have an 'off with its head' moment. Maybe I should just hang it as is - empty and pretty.

Wouldn't this 19th century French marble topped pastry table be perfect in a gardening room for potting?! Or, of course, in a far-more-posh-than-my kitchen for rolling pastry. Frankly, I don't have room in my kitchen for a table with a single use: rolling pastry. Of course, I also have no intention of spending $9,700 for a potting room table...so I'll just look at it here.

This 19th century carved and mirrored Italian buffet was originally built into a Genoa dining room wall. It has a unique gilded and painted finish - and I love the sconces on either side. It's a little large for my place ... but I would be perfectly happy to be buried in it someday! Of course, I would need some fairly sturdy pallbearers.
I always find and share the most beautiful French and Italian pieces - but it's nice once in a while to discover other countries that had their own fantastic (in all senses of the word!) creations. This pair of mid-18th century cut crystal chandeliers are Irish. This stately pair still have the original hurricane shades! Naturally, originally used with candles, somebody has kindly converted these beauties to electricity so that I only have need to have them wired into the dining room. So, so thoughtful of them.
This English (ca. 1800) Chinoiserie leather and gilt folding screen shows continuous painted panels of courtly ladies at various pursuits with pagodas, pavillions, and walled gardens within a border of birds and floral sprays.

This Venetian card and gilded double frame engraved mirror is circa 1730. Inspired by French Regénce design, the carved mouldings, creating double framing, contain etched period mirrors with stylized garlands. I would bet that I would always be a knockout when checking my tie in this marvel!

Is this amazing or what?! It's a Louis XV Oyster Walnut secretary with bronze pulls and wood escutcheons. Frankly, I've never heard of 'oyster walnut' before ... but, wow, it's just gorgeous.
Okay. Enough already with the tasteful elegant stuff. How about this fun and fanciful chandelier? I found this at an Etsy shop called Whimsical Collections. Check out her shop and see some of the other clever lamps she creates - including the designers' shopping bags Paris model! Very fun.

Did you watch the Oscars. We did our usual. Dressed in our finest, sipped champage and nibbled at canapés. Translated: wore our sweat pants, tee shirts, drank a gallon of Fanta Zero, and wiped out every cookie and potato chip in the house. I was pretty on target with most of my predictions. I had supporting actress wrong - but the rest of the "biggies" I had guessed. I wish I had entered a contest so I could have won something.

I found this delightful miniature theatre that is completely created from paper and is now housed at the Victoria and Albert Museum. Check out the floor - doesn't it look like wood?! Someday, I will create something as fantastical and perfect as this!I have such admiration for this chicken who thinks she is gonna hatch that puppy ... into what exactly, I'm not sure. But she does look determined, doesn't she?

Well, I feel as if I have guns pointed at me, forcing me to stop playing blog writer, grabbing my pick ax and shovel, and getting back to the art mines. I am beginning to have a problem visiting blogs. Over the course of time, I have met so many wonderful artists, kind and generous people, and funny, clever comics here in Bloglandia, it now takes me HOURS to visit all my favorite sites. Yesterday, my blog roll had 42 new posts! 42! It took so long to read them all, and respond to the ones I had something to comment on, I didn't even get chance to write. Anybody else have this problem? How do YOU deal with it? I can't miss my blogs - I'm afraid of missing out on some wonderful news, or art, or craft, or story, or photo. But, I really do have to pretend, once in awhile, that I have a real life!

And, finally, one last question: do you think these are drag queens, or just really homely women?

Now go make something beautiful!

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(¸.•´ (¸.•´♥ Tristan ♥