True LOVE

I am the Girl in Flamingo Girl Studio but I sure couldn't do this without "The Big Man". Many years ago I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. My Dad had it, his Mother had it. It is a crappy thing to inherit but I have learned to work around it. A lot of that "work around it" happens with the help of my husband who lovingly gets called The Big Man. I have been crazy about him most of my life, he is a wonderful Father and husband and he is also pretty handy!!! He does all the things that require 'muscle" because the biggest issue I have because of the arthritis is hand strength.

 

(Doesn't The Big Man look like an old rock and roll guy???) 

Did you know that the average woman has a grip strength of 40-60 pounds? Well I am excited to tell you (with the help of a pretty amazing Physical Therapist) I am up to a whopping 15 pounds. Huge improvement from my worst but still kinda puts a crimp in my rehab "style" I need him to do a lot of my cutting and repairs. But I have found a tool that makes a lot of my projects go faster without his help.

This is not a commercial but I really think everyone should have the Black and Decker Mouse in their toolbox! .

It is such a help when I am working on bringing a unloved piece of furniture back to life (and use). It has a little catch bin thingy (that is a technical term) that holds most of the sanding mess. It gives my weak hands the horsepower I need to do what I want. AND it was also very reasonable.

I could not create/repair/rehab the things I do with out both the Big Man and The Mouse! Love them BOTH!

Reclaiming/Repurposing is NOT new!

Before Pinterest and repurposing  there was Mrs. DeMarco.  A very talented woman, A very creative woman. A very determined woman. A very suborn woman.

When I was in high school my very best friend (her daughter) and I came home to find one very happy Mrs. DeMarco and one VERY disgusting smelly divan/sofa/couch. She was ecstatic that she found this Victorian piece for a very nominal amount. If my memory serves me it was 10 or 15 dollars. Her daughter and I said not only would we get rid of the foul thing before MR.  DeMarco came in the door, we would give her double her money. She declined (what we thought was) a very generous offer. Because "after she removed the wet horsehair and refinished it, and reupholstered it we would not believe how lovely it would be". As she was about everything, she was right. It was fabulous.

She also had a talent for repurposing LONG before it was trendy. When she passed away, my friend asked me what I would like from her Mother's home. I picked two things. One was a cook book and the other is pictured below.

 

 

Do you know what this is???

 

It is a ceramic urinal from the 20's (I think) The first time I saw this in Mrs. Demarco's guest bath I was probably in my early 20's and thought it was quite the bold statement. She had a variety of things in it depending in the time of year. Flower arrangements, holiday décor, guest towels.  It always made me giggle. Now when I head into my bathroom and look at it, I smile and think fondly of a woman who was WAY ahead of her time. It also tells me when someone visits for the first time WHO has a sense of humor!