IKEA on Thursday

beats a weekend there, always. My son had free reign to sprint up and down the aisles. Unfortunately that resulted in him running straight into a display coffee table. Poor kid.

I have been desperately looking for ladder back chairs for a set I am working on for the Niederhoffer family and their Maine house. I ended up getting two at IKEA to start with. They have that LL BEAN coastal look, so I think they'll be just great. Also they are unfinished which means they'll take my paint better.

(just a side note: this family is the coolest bunch of folk art collectors ever, so I am so proud to do these chairs for them. Living with them allowed me to know the freedom of folk art and painting what you feel and can do- the bolder and more honest and brave the better, what a lesson). For an experience that is more real than you'd ever believe, pick up Galt Niederhoffer's book, "A Taxonomy of Barnacles."

I guess sometimes it's hard to use salvaged everything.

Is it just mean or does going to IKEA make everyone want to have a big yard sale and get rid of half of your possessions and then go to the store and get all sorts of new stuff?

If we did that there wouldn't be much left of the contents of our house, since we have many many IKEA things- but I am itching to replace my living room rug, and my basement futon, for sure, and really make it funky.

I am beginning to brainstorm about the first "Maggie French Folk Art Spring Open House" for family and friends, so I want the house to be extra spiffy. You see, if I did that each spring, it would give me a goal every winter, and also be a celebration to end my painting all winter hybernation thing I have going on.

oh, it's too late.

bye.