farewell

"I had never before, nor have I since, been so happy to have no idea what I was doing with my life."

- Molly Wizenberg, A Homemade Life

I really loved this book as a whole, but the above quote grabbed me at first read (so much so that I underlined it and dog-eared the page) and I haven't stopped thinking about it since. Maybe the timing made it special with the closing of the business and my life in full upheaval and all. But whatever the reason, it means a lot to me. I really do love not knowing what's coming next for me. It's liberating, to say the very least.

Anyway, I just wanted to post a little something to let the local folks know what's going on tonight. This will be my very last Troy Night Out and my very last day at the shop. We'll be closed tomorrow while I remove the remainder of my things and turn the keys over to the new owner. So, it's time to clean house. I don't want to take the rest of my merchandise home with me, so we're marking it all down and EVERYTHING MUST GO!

Here's the scoop:

50% off baby apparel (onesies, shorts and bibs only...some hats included)
50% off select winter scarves and hats
50% off most jewelry
50% off all handbags
50% off select plush items and teddy bears

There are a few more deals there too, but my mind is slipping. Stop by and see if you can find a little something for yourself. And hey, Christmas is coming faster than you think. Time to buy gifts!!! Wine, dips and munchies will be served in the gallery.

I hope to see you there! So bittersweet!

P.S. There are two artists represented in the rear gallery TONIGHT ONLY! Their work is fantastic and the prices are superb. Come show them your support!

yard stuffs

just playin' around out back.

done, son.

Okay, so now I can talk about what's been going on here these days. I had to hold off until the paperwork was finalized, meetings happened, everyone was on the same page and the logistics were all figured out.

Sooooo, with that said, I'd like to announce here and now that The Paper Sparrow has been sold.

My original plan was to stick it out until my lease expired (March 31st of 2011), sell off the remaining merchandise and fixtures, and just close my doors completely. But then someone saw this post and gave me a call. The timing couldn't have been better, the deal was right on and we both want to see the business go on instead of shutting down. So folks, effective September 1st, the business will be in new hands. My official last day will be Friday, August 27th, which just so happens to be a Troy Night Out, and the following day the shop will be closed while I remove some of my personal belongings, have a little party for those folks who have helped out along the way and say goodbye to the other business owners down here. It's bittersweet, that's for sure, but I'm happy. It's time for me to move on and try something new, but I still plan to support the businesses and restaurants in Troy as often and as much as I possibly can.

So stop by sometime between now and Friday and say hello (or goodbye), and please continue to support this business. The new owner is sweet and has many big plans for the space. The name will change and she's planning a new look for the store. She's keeping many of the same consignors my customers have loved since I opened, but bringing in lots of new ones too. I like to think of it as a breath of fresh air in the space, and that means so much more to me than leaving this place vacant.

I'll miss my customers, my neighbors, and the new friends I've made since opening these doors two and a half years ago. Troy is an amazing place, one that I'd given up on years ago, but it has come a very long way. It's so nice to be a part of such a fantastic community with great people and a friendly, welcoming environment. I hope to always be a part of it.

Thanks to all of you for everything. Oh, and please check in at thepapersparrow.com from time to time because I'll keep it updated with a list of places where you can find the merchandise I make, plus an announcement of the new venture I'm considering jumping into. Stay tuned!!!

wishful thinking?

I'm not sure what the conditions are like in your neck of the woods, and perhaps this is just a matter of wishful thinking, but I'm noticing little hints of autumn popping up all over the place.

Leaves are changing (and falling!) here and there, the weather is cooling down and the air has that crisp, clean smell about it, sweaters and jackets are making their appearance in stores (eeeee! velvet blazers!), the moon is starting to get that golden glow, and, most importantly, my toad lilies are starting to bud and bloom!

I find this to be slightly alarming because, let's face it, it's still only August.

Signs of autumn only start to show up here in late September, so something is a bit off, but I'm enjoying it so much!

How will I celebrate this?

* A trip here for sure for lunch and shopping.

* A trip here with The Lo for pumpkins, apples and the like.

* Two words: Garlic. Festival.

* A day spent making a humongous batch of tomato jam (I make something similar but couldn't find the exact recipe online...my recipe coming soon!)

* Wearing these entirely too much, along with something very similar to this and this found at a thrift store for a fraction of the cost.

* Far too many nights taking shots of the moon.

* Long walks. More walks. And more walks just about anywhere.

* More soups and stews than we'll know what to do with. You're crazy not to make that stew, by the way.

* Baking, baking....oh, and baking.

Bring on the tights and pumpkins!!!

I'm more than ready.

I miss Oz

I used to be a huge fan of the show Oz. Ever watch it? Anyway, Dean Winters was my favorite actor on that show, and while I was bit weirded out when I noticed him doing Allstate commercials, this one takes the cake.

"I'm all, OMG!, Becky's not even hot!"

Great stuff.

Cinnamon Chicken

I haven't the slightest clue as to why I didn't know about this sooner, but after reading this post I realize that I MUST have this book. I'm adding it to my birthday wish list, along with these. Yeah.

uh oh...

I'm almost afraid to post this...

I've been dreading this drawing for the past few days. Not because of the roller derby thing. Not because of the margaritas. Shit, even the "Good Girls" tattoo wasn't freaking me out. But the one dare I was really hoping wouldn't pop up...uh...popped up.

So, my darling husband dared me to eat not one, but two Double Downs from KFC, and I'm nauseous just thinking about it. Stay tuned. Photos to come, and hopefully there will be no shots of me spewing chunks. I don't know. Mike has big plans for this one. We'll see.

Thanks for playing!...I think.

dare me

Do you know what today is???

It's my 3 year blog birthday!!! While I find it hard to believe that I've actually stayed committed to anything for three years, it's true! I've been a diligent blogger and a lax blogger at the same time, but I'm just proud of myself for sticking with this for so long. Posts are hard to come up with sometimes because, well, life can be pretty monotonous, and some days I'm just not feeling clever. So, after thinking long and hard for a way to celebrate this occasion, Mike and I put our heads together and came up with a plan.

Ready for this?

I want you to strap your thinking caps on and come up with a dare for me. This can't be anything illegal, obviously. I don't want to do something that will land my ass in jail. But let's have some fun with this. Send me on a mission, give me something to do. Want me to stand in a public place with a crazy sign? Build a spaceship? Film myself changing a poopy diaper? Be creative and clever. I plan to photo document this and post it here. You have four days to complete this mission. The winner's name will be drawn at random from a hat on Tuesday, August 17th, and I'll get to work on completing the task. Ready? Set? GO!

Who steals a basil plant anyway?

Poor Bianca did such a gorgeous job on her window boxes this year (fresh herbs! what could be better???) and someone keeps stealing her plants.

Who does something like this? Is this a random destructive act or was someone seriously in such desperate need for pesto that they'd resort to stealing?

From the looks of it, someone reached down to the base of the stem and yanked the plant right out of the box.

I'll never understand people.

why kids can sometimes rock

Me: "Hey, Lo, what's your mermaid's name?"

Lola: "Ummm....Sushi."

breathin'

Yes, yes, I'm alive. I'm busy, but I'm alive. Lots of HUGE things going down around here lately. Good things, but not things I can talk about quite yet. No, I'm not pregnant. More to come, I promise! Hang in there.

I'd also like to take a moment to wish one of my very favorite people in the world a very happy birthday! Keith, I adore you more than words can say. Have a great birthday, killer!

36 years young

So Kate had the brilliant idea to throw a Sesame Street themed birthday party (and preferably a "pre-Elmo" Sesame Street party since we're all super nostalgic children of the 70's) for Dave this year. We headed down to Peebles Island for a nice picnic lunch, some volleyball (found out the hard way that my volleyball "skills" have miraculously disappeared since high school) and an overall great time. Happy Birthday, Dave! I know the actual date is a few days away, but it's never too soon.
More photos here.

P.S. Thanks for the get well wishes yesterday. I'm feeling much better today.