Saturday Outing to The Plum Tree !

Come on! Get your hat and coat. It's a field trip!
This time we're heading to one of my favorite haunts,  
The Plum Tree!
Parking around back is GREAT, especially in McDonough!


Flashback:  Here's a shot of their front porch taken last Fall during the McDonough Scarecrow Contest.  The Plum Tree won first prize for their Green Acres display. Eva Gabor looks so at home on the front porch.

The Plum Tree is just a block from the McDonough square and about 10 minutes from my house.
Spring is almost here.

Okay, enough of that.
Stepping inside the door I am hit by this beauty!! Birdcage stuff is the BOMB these days.
Anything BIRD is good!

"HI!  What's new?! The shop looks great!"

But enough chit chat.  This table is calling my name. Pretty hot little rocker too. Hmmmmm.
I'll think about it. Lots more to see...

OOOOO! Check out these dough bowls. Beautiful colors.

So much to see. I hope this lady doesn't notice THAT TABLE!
I'll drape myself across it when she walks by.

 I'm always a sucker for retro treasures to help deck out the St. Marys cottage.

 Let's head down the hallway. There's more!

Lovely bird prints on canvas. These would make nice gifts for the girls.
Let's keep moving.
Joe's watching basketball at home and I still have to get to Michael's for the 40% off artist paints, pens and pencils.
It's a BUSY DAY! HAHAHA ha!

At the end of the hall, a sweet little bedroom full of great goodies and lots of locally handmade things like pillows, quilted items and aprons.  Don't forget to click the pics for a closer look.

HI! That's me taking a picture and waving at myself just as this man came walking in the room and looked at me like I was crazy. Check out that Buster Brown haircut I got last week. I whacked off my ponytail which required an emergency appointment at the beauty shop.  I wouldn't recommend doing this even in your most desperate hour! It's a really bad idea.

Here are the aprons I was talking about. Beautifully made by a local gal. Perfection.

See anything you'd like? Love that sweet tiny trophy displayed inside a lantern.
Victorian prints are always good.

We better make our way back toward the door. OHHH, here are some things Sandy Mastroni might like.
Nice little 50's, tin, plaid picnic basket.

Did I mention that Cindy will ship!!! 
Yes, if you see anything here you like (except furniture) she will SHIP IT TO YOU.
For info on that go here: http://plumtreeantiques.blogspot.com/

One last look at those sweet retro umbrellas.  Cindy and her crew are masters of display.
If it were raining I just might.......OH, I almost forgot!

That beautiful Oak Dropleaf Gate Leg Table!
$169.  Hmmm. Let's ponder this.  What do you think?
My old table nearly tipped over with the grandsons on Thanksgiving.  I sold a painting this week for almost exactly this amount...........
SO, YES!  It's perfect! I'll take it! I'll be back on Tuesday to pick it up!

Have a great week y'all.  Glad you could come along. If you live nearby or even if not (remember The Plum Tree will ship) here's the essential info:
The Plum Tree
58 Griffin Street
McDonough, GA 30253
(770) 954-1928
Open Tues-Sat 11AM to 6 PM
http://plumtreeantiques.blogspot.com/


LOve and all good things,
Ronnie
aka Joe's stove operator

Akh! I've Been Branded!

 

I'm tooting my own horn today.
That's right!  I'm making my own Biddy Brain brand stuff and having a lot of fun doing it.

"Good Baddog" now gives me that creepy look
from this sharp looking mouse pad.

I'm hooked! I'm ordering my own stuff !
I gave this mug to myself on Valentines Day. 

I tell myself I'm doing a great service to the American economy. Um hum. 

I also bought these from myself.  My very own Wiener National shoes.  I wore them to the beauty shop last week.
(I did a DIY by cutting off my own ponytail.)

The beautician said, "Where'd you get those crazy dog shoes?!" 

I said, "I DESIGNED THEM." 

She said, "Well, you might be able to make a livin' designin' shoes, but you sure won't make a livin' cuttin' hair." 

She straightened it out the best she could.  Ironically I now look like Buster Brown from Buster Brown SHOES!

But my shoes are so cool, I don't even have to comb my hair. Nobody ever looks up. 

They talk to the Shoes!

Check out the view as I walk away. I LOVE THESE! There's that Biddy Brain brand again. 

Would you say I'm on an ego trip? 

I'll be designing some Keds High TOPS tomorrow!  Now won't I look good in those?

Love, 

Ronnie

Gallery Visit!

 

I made a visit to the gallery on Friday to deliver The Flying Ford and thought you might want to tag along.  This is the lovely Courtney harassing Joseph with a pair of antlers I brought to her.

Joseph is a writer.  He comes to the gallery for inspiration and to visit with Courtney, Karen and whatever  artist may be around.  I took this picture as Joseph was lamenting about his love life. I raised the camera to shoot and Courtney adorned him with the horns! Perfect! Sorry, Joseph. I couldn't resist.

Notice that red sign in the background?

GALLERY

STORE

It's full of great stuff by local craftsmen and artists.  

You should stop in sometime.

Arts Clayton Gallery

136 S. Main Street

Jonesboro, GA 30236

Get Directions

phone: (770) 473-5457

Tues - Fri: 9 AM - 5 PM 

Sat 10 AM - 4 PM.

Closed Sun, Mon, holidays

Their website:
http://www.artsclayton.org/gallery/

  

The work of young artists fills the gallery this month. Here are some examples. 

It's the 13th District Congressional Student Art Competition.  On display in the gallery March 3 - March 26.  

Click the pics for a closer look.

        

 Pretty impressive don't you think!?

FYI: "Congress created the Congressional Art Competition in 1982 as a way to showcase the artistic talents of young people throughout the country. The top three winners of the local competition win thousands of dollars in scholarships to Savannah College of Art & Design (SCAD) and the Atlanta Art Institute. In addition to receiving a scholarship, the first place winner is invited to attend an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. and will have his or her artwork displayed for one year in the Cannon Tunnel leading to the U.S. Capitol".

More examples of the great student art

 

It's hard to focus with these two around! Here's Joseph practicing a pose for his next book jacket photo. Courtney is brushing up on her River Dance technique.  Of course, more student art in the background.

As for the Flying Ford...

It will be on display at the National Archives at Atlanta along with lots more local art, March 16 - May 15, 2010.  The theme,  1920's: The Golden Age

Come on out for a look see...

Exhibition displayed at National Archives, 5780 Jonesboro Road, Morrow, Georgia 30260.

Be inspired by the beginnings of "Modern America"!

 Shifting gears...

Whenever I visit the gallery I enjoy seeing what Richard has produced. These wooden angels are examples.  Don't go looking for him on the web. He's exclusive to the gallery. 

So you'll have to come get one! 

These are Richard's birds on branches.  Aren't they sweet? He carves each little bird.

Check out these crazy lamps by another local artist. Way to recycle! 

 

And this one.

 

I guess it's time to skate on out of here. It's a beautiful day outside and there is a lot to do! Have a really good week, you all.

Love and all good things, 

Ronnie

aka Joe's stove operator

Whew!

 

You CAN do it 
with a little help from 
your 
blogger friends!

Thanks, y'all. 

Finally I got this one done. Have a fun weekend.
I plan to!

XO,  Ronnie

F-O-R-D Found On Road Dead

I'm painting again. This time the gallery gave me a theme. 
How nice.
The 1920's.  
Okay! I'll paint a 1929 Ford. 

I had fun with Ben's car!  : D

Things were going well.  
Then for some hair brained reason I thought "it needs more". 
So, I added wings.

Okay. Now it has become a BEE CAR! 
We have a theme going. Let's throw some honeycomb on the radiator! 

Great! Now what?  Fill the cockpit with bees? One bee? Why? 
I've lost it.  
When will I ever learn that I can't wing it (ha).
If I don't plan things out in detail, on paper, I run into a truck (car) load of frustration.
It goes something like this....
I'm working happily...(add some whistling)
go-o-o-oing with the flo-o-o-ho-ho-ho...
la la la...
then BLAM, it all starts looking like crapula.   Maybe I'm not as right brained as I'd like to be.
Now I have a Bee Car with wings with an empty cockpit. Shall I add Felix the Cat as the driver (1920's)?  Betty Boop?   Poop.

I decide to get all symbolic on myself trying to make sense from what I've created.
So I add a four leafed clover.  Why? For good luck of course! Because I'm going to need it if I'm ever going to finish this project. 

How about Lucky Lindy, 1927, first solo trans Atlantic flight by Charles Lindbergh.  THIS makes no sense whatsoever!!
Should I paint over the dang clover?
Where's Felix when you need him?
Yours truly,
Ronnie
aka The Whiner

One More Family Face

Way back in history, about a year ago, I did a series of paintings that featured family faces.
http://biddybrain.blogspot.com/2009/01/third-victim-in-family-faces-series.html

This is the latest, perhaps last, of the Family Faces Series. This one's for Ben.
And that's Ben's face in the driver's seat!

He loves rhinos! He also loves Formula 1 auto racing. His favorite driver, Michael Schumacher, will be driving a Mercedes this race season, hence Ben is in a Mercedes with a rhino!

Ben also loves ice hockey! When I present this to Ben, I'll ask if he'd like a hockey stick sticking out of the backseat. I have a feeling I may be painting a bit more on Sunday. ; )

Every once in a blue moon I will become so entranced by another artist's style that I can't stand it until I give that style a try. Ben's painting is the result of discovering Ed van der Hoek, an artist from the Netherlands.
I fell head over heels for Ed's whimsical happy art.
Find out why! Enjoy Ed's art here >>>> http://www.edart.nl/new/


To view my initial sketch and beginnings of Ben's painting see my previous post... http://biddybrain.blogspot.com/2010/02/something-for-special-boy.html

Have a super duper weekend, bloggers!

LOve,
Ronnie

Something for a Special Boy

I'm hoping to have this finished today.

I'll post the finished product tomorrow!

Have an exceptional day,
Ronnie

Our 29th St. Valentine's Day together

Me and JOe
the young version.

Me and JOe
the old version!

Or is it the 30th? Time flies when you're having fun!
Here's wishing you a happy Valentine's Day.
Love and all good things,
Ronnie
aka JOe's stove operator

I Made Shoes with my ART

I know this is shameless self promotion, but I can't help myself. Making these was plan ole fun. You do it in parts. This is made from chunks of my painting called "Champion"

"Wiener National Faceoff " When you wear them the dachshunds face each other.

"Chicks Night Out" The original was a 30" x 40" canvas.

"Dad's Garden" A mandala I did for my dad. He loved gardening.

"Go Shoes!" From a painting I did for Auto racing friends.

"Just Bee" shoes.

And "Snake Boy Racer".

Now, who else has shoes like this?!
I wonder what they'd say on "What not to Wear"!??!
I don't care. I'm waiting patiently for my Wiener National shoes to arrive.
Actually, I CAN'T WAIT!!!
Get 'em while they're hot!  
http://www.zazzle.com/biddybrain*
Later,
Ronnie

Hamming it up in South Georgia

Ed Hose

I'm always looking for inspiration.
I've been slogging through artistic concrete lately.
That is, until I found Ed Hose. Gazing upon her amazing menu of art has my brain basting in creative juices!

Ed Hose is Fabuliscious!
I discovered her (yes, her) yesterday through Camille Ronay , owner of Georgia Made Georgia Grown.
I couldn't wait to share with you her crazy wild parties on paper.
She's promoting a show at Gallery 209 in Brunswick, Georgia.
Click the pic to get the full view and once there, click "press to play".
I've said enough. Enjoy the song!!!

Bacon Wrapped Double Happiness—The Song!
Composed by Ed Hose, Mike Dyche and Pilliard Dickle
Performed by Pilliard Dickle

Press to Play!

Go get 'em Ed!
Catch ya later fellow bloggers,
Ronnie