Finishing Touches

We've been at the new house now for a little over a month.  We are 99.9999% done with putting everything away.  Normally, we would've been done after the first weekend.  It's been a little bit challenging this time with Brian working and being sick (yes, still), and just US living LIFE.  Biggest reason I think is because this is our own home now--our home for hopefully many years to come.  We've been really putting some thought into where we're going to put things, what we're going to get rid of (yes, some more), etc.  Where we end up putting things will remain there because we ain't movin' it again!

I have a nice collection of kokeshi dolls that I acquired from our first tour in Japan.  These poor guys haven't seen the light since 2004!  I displayed them in our home in Louisiana.  My neighbor made me these really cool individual shelves for them (you'll see one in a photo below).  I have about 12 of these mini-shelves.  They looked really cool all lined up--and... that's the last they've been out of their boxes.

We don't have enough walls in our new home to display them like I did back in Louisiana.  For this house, I'm selecting my ultimate faves and just sprinkle them here and here.  They'll be a nice reminder of our time in Japan.  Plus, they're just so adorable.  Can't help but to smile when you glance at them.

These are a pair of antique kokeshi dolls.  My friend Myrna got me into collecting them.  I have a nice box full of these little guys.  Don't they just make you giggle...

What would I do without Daddy-o?  He's the best at hanging pictures.  He should patent his system!  No, we don't trace each picture and pre-arrange them on the wall.  I can't even begin to describe his system.  All I know is, I lay out the pictures the way I want them.  Then he pulls out his measuring tape, pencil (a specific pencil, may I add), then he measures and marks away!  In less than 15 minutes, here's whatcha got!  He's the BEST!

This is the little shelf I was talking about.  This kokeshi doll was made by a living legend.  Don't quote me, but I was told when I was buying him, that Japan designates certain artists to be the best in their country and labels them "living legends".  Don't know he's still living though.  Either that, or I just got suckered into buying this cute little guy.  Their tactic worked!

This was Daddy-o's first at hanging pictures down a staircase.  Maybe that's why we've been putting this one off for so long.  He just came home the other day and said, "Okay, let's do it!"  After a little bit of research online on how to hang pictures down a staircase, we attacked and conquered!  Success!  They look great!

I worked at an art galley during our two of three tours in Japan.  When you learn about the artists and they're techniques, you can't help but to fall in love their work.  After three years, we built quite a collection.  But what do you do when you don't have enough walls to display your collection?  This is one of two walls in the house where we did a collage.  They're my absolute favorite way to display our favorites and Brian does a meticulous and fabulous job at hanging them!

...and that closes the chapter on hanging pictures in the house.  On to beadboards and backsplashes (typed with dread)...

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A year ago today, I was missing my friends and our Craft Days already and I hadn't even left Okinawa yet - - I will miss... (Part 3)