Celebrate Weird Stuff!

Last Friday, I was reading a short story aloud to my 5th graders. It's by Patrick Carman (author of the Skeleton Creek series) and it's included in the Guys Read collection, volume 2 (Thriller stories). The story, called "Ghost Vision Glasses" is about a boy who loves weird stuff. He collects it, which is why he decides to spend $10 on some ghost-vision glasses that are advertised in the back of an old comic book. After we were done reading for the day, I talked to them a little and confessed that I am also a lover of weird stuff. This wasn't news to them, because they all see the 'creepy' dolls that I bring into the library.

I love weird stuff. My house is full of weird stuff. In the non-winter seasons, my yard is also full of weird stuff.  The weird is what makes us unique. I admit that I get self-conscious sometimes when someone who has never been to my house before comes over for the first time, but chances are, if I have invited that person over, it's because I trust them enough to let them into my weird little world. I'm very particular about whom I invite over because someone who doesn't appreciate the weird might mock the hand-made windchimes and dreamcatchers, or ask why none of my dishes match each other, or see the armless teddy-bear as garbage.

I made this bowl out of an old globe. I had already split the globe in half because I was thinking of making a light out of the top half, and then the little ceramic pedestal thingy was a roadside find and they just kind of went together. The inside of the bowl is decoupaged with old pages from a copy of Little Women (that the rabbit chewed up a few years ago). 

I found this old 45 record at the Goodwill outlet. The song title is Coffee and Tea, so it only seemed natural to put it in the pantry  next to the coffee and tea canisters.

And I just made this little placard. It was a wooden key holder- I removed all the little hooks, attached the picture of the Immaculate Heart. My son broke a dish a while back, and I saved the pieces in case I wanted to use them in a mosaic, so the piece make up the border. And then I still had a few magnetic poetry words leftover from a previous Goodwill find, so I used a couple to spell out "You are Good" in the center.

I made these wedding cake toppers for my friend who recently got engaged. The dino's are from Dollar Tree. I made the groom's top hat myself, and the bride wears a white lace veil and carries a bouquet in one paw, and a champagne flute in the other. I love having friends that love weird stuff.

Weird stuff makes me happy.