aliceandjay.com

We couldn't be more excited! Our new website is up. We still have a few glitches(like the antique embroidery above that my daughter listed online as, "Not Now" instead of " No cross No crown." We have laughed till we cried! She said she was puzzled as to why I would tell her this was a religious piece of stitchery when it was obviously for the tired housewife to hang above her bed.) to work out and lots and lots of products to put on, but it is there! Please check it out at aliceandjay.com and let us know what you think! We hope you find it simply splendiferous.

Happy Saturday

We stayed up late...we didn't finish everything I wanted to...

but we are pretty happy with our work for the week.

It always makes me nervous to change things around in the store. Wouldn't it be wonderful if there were a magic wand that let you know all the things that people wanted! We will see how the new look goes today!

before and after

So...I love to read Miss Mustard Seed and look at all of her pretty projects. They inspire me. Unfortunately, I don't think I have the touch that she does. She had her grain sack drying on a beautiful clothes line in a green meadow. Look at mine. These darn things are heavy as lead and this was the only thing that would hold the wet ones up!

Next.... Is my before and after. The only problem is that I forgot to take a before picture. Miss Mustard never does that! So, here is the almost before when I painted the dark wood table with

this great paint! I used the graphite first then followed it with the Paris Grey.

After a coat of wax, sanding, and a little more wax...I kind of like it(never mind the GARBAGE bag underneath it!)

We also got a few things put in the nice clean end building.

Clean floors and walls are so gratifying tho they fade fast around these dusty parts.

All in all, I am pretty darn happy with our progress today.

update

Tired, stinky,dirty, and smelly!

What in the heck were we thinking!

We have sweated worse than a prostitute in church!

Floor is painted and polyurethaned.

Online store is being filled and all of the glitches removed.

Everything is a mess.

2 more days to finish it all.

ps I would have taken a picture of the freshly painted floor but much to my dismay,

it kinda just looked like the old floor. pretty anti-climatic.

Maybe tomorrow we will do something that is photo worthy.

Hope your evening is delightful and filled with firefly displays and cool breezes.

let us remodel while it is 105 degrees

What do smart shopkeepers do when it is 105 degrees outside? They decide to remodel!

The end building has been emptied out and everything piled in our other building. Now, we have 3 days to clean, paint, and fill this back up before Saturday. Hmm, are we smart shopkeepers or stupid shopkeepers? I thought I would give you a before and hopefully we will have an after by Friday night.

In the meantime, we rearranged our mall booth in Thomasville yesterday. I think I may really love this mall booth concept-take your things, make them look pretty, then leave everything else to someone else and just pick up a check at the end of the month. Wonder why we didn't think of this before? PS Thomasville is a wonderful city and if you are ever in town you should check out all of the wonderful downtown shops. While you are there, be sure to catch lunch at either Jonah's or Liam's, I promise you will be happy.

Oops! I wonder how this picture got in here! Have you ever seen 2 little babies any cuter? I guess I better go get busy painting.

ain't life grand!

LIFE
Isn't it great.
Sometimes it gives you thorns and poop and things not lovely
Turn around and you have roses and kittens and all things lovely

Today, as I spent the better part of it with two little kittens perched upon my belly(thank Goodness for all of that extra cushion, I knew it would come in handy) I pondered(fortunately for you, my pond isn't too deep for pondering) the wonder of life and the wisdom from above. Isn't it funny how sometimes we get so busy looking at the roses that we forget about the thorns until we get stuck and bleed ;then in turn, when we have been stuck so much that we simply lay our head down, we suddenly see the roses. The last few months of my life have been way too filled with death and cancer and sickness and shows and deadlines... All I could feel was the sting of those thorns. Last week, I was graciously given a gift. A gift that I thought I didn't want. I truly believe that all things happen for a reason and when I saw that Mama cat and her two babies, I knew in my heart that I was somehow going to end up with them. I know how much time baby animals consume and I simply thought that I was too busy. Too busy being busy. Sometimes life doesn't give you a choice and you take what comes your way. Two baby kittens came my way and forced me to slow down and listen to the purr of pure bliss. I know it all probably all sounds silly but tonight, as I plan out my week, I plan it with a renewed spirit because I was forced to stop, lay down, rest, and look up at all of the wondrous roses blooming above my head. Life. Ain't it great!
(I warned you about my pond! It is a little muddy and has lots of lily pads cluttering it up. So, if none of this made any sense, just chalk it up to that blonde haired, South Georgia, self proclaimed Pippi Longstocking, Amelia Bedelia, clueless shopkeeper named Alice)
Have a wonderful evening and I hope you start the new week with a twinkle in your eye and sparkle in your heart.

a bowl full of sweetness

Harvey

and Stella have a favorite new spot. This little cereal bowl is the best bowl ever! Maybe next week I will blog about the store and the NEW online store OR maybe I will just blog about my new babies!