life is just a chair of bowlies

If i was told i could just drop in on any one person from the "creative world" that i wanted to meet and say "want to have lunch today," it would be mary engelbreit. she was my first source of creative inspiration. my mom worked at a hospital that had the quaintest trinkets and knick knacks in its gift shop. mary engelbreit's collection was included and i think by the end of high school, i had acquired about every tin container, notebook, mini-book, calendar, and figurine that she created. i loved the bold colors, the excitement and positive outlook in all of her cute silly little quotes. one poster of hers that i adored had a useful quote that i have repeated many times in my life:

"when you are at the end of your rope, tie a knot and hold on!"

her creations explode with pleasant reminders to look on the bright side of life! her illustration of "life is just a chair of bowlies" can't help but cause a smile to cross your face. with my passion for engelbreit's creations and quotes, comes by obsession with chairs. perhaps they are linked? whatever the connection, if you come to my house wanting to have lunch today, you won't be at a loss for a chair! i have too many for the house and way more than i'll ever need, but, i just love 'em! and the more mismatched the better, just like the chairs around the kitchen table at monica's apartment shown in "friends" in all those episodes.

chairs, for one reason or another, seem to be a staple at any yard sale. maybe because every one else has too many as well but they have the smarts to let go of them and keep only what they need, unlike myself. if mary engelbreit should ever pop in over here, i can offer her the finest of yard sale chairs: the spray-painted blue ikea chairs (4 to choose from), or the aluminum krispy kreme restaurant chairs (also 4), or the 1940's wooden chair on the front porch which my great grandmother reportedly purchased from a yard sale ages ago ( only 1 to offer - the other 3 were distrubuted amongst my mother, aunt and sister-picture above).




...and with that chair obsession comes my love for throw pillows - you often can't find the chair at my house because of the pillows. i will justify it with i just want everyone to be comfortable! and java our dog will certainly agree!