Farmers markets do seem to be the place to go. I live in a rural area,and I am trying to keep local. This was my third weekend show. It was sunny and hot, Lots of traffic, but people just strolling, not buying. Still I got a lot of feed back on the items, and a good feel for what was popular. I sold only one empty container. but, the leaves were very popular, sold them all. I sold 'rocks' with indents, that were planted. Called them 'Blooming rocks' sold them all too. Also sold all my 'rocks' with words stamped 'love', 'hope',ect..Stayed away from stepping stones, didn't have any requests for them. Also sold one grot, and my volcano. It was a very good attention getter,quite a hit with the kids, they would make their parents come over to look. esp. when I had incence burning in it. So much fun. So with all the feedback I know where to put my attention in the making of new stuff. I want to concentrate on artistic things that are unique. Didn't make too much $, more than I expected though for such a small town. I think it is going to get better as the season gets going. I'll be there every weekend. At least I made my grocery money for the week. I have you people to thank for the help here.

Many garden statuary are imported so it's best to find out the names of local manufaturers and to ask if they hold factory sales. You just might find one near your area. My garden find for the day, is surprisingly from a card shop.. Carlton Cards is holding sales and I got my coloured glass windchimes for around $13. I plan to take it apart and not to utilize it as windchimes. (one windchime is enough) I like the look of the sun shining through glass but it's been quite expensive to find stained glass work for outdoor purposes. This way, I can hang the glass on branches around the yard and feel great about the splashes of colours. Right now I'm regretting not purchasing those really neat statues of plump pigeons to set in one or two corners of the garden. An element of surprise is always a necessary thing for me when designing.

What a delight to see your pictures. The girl's bedroom suite is just cute as can be...you have done a fabulous job there. Lucky chicks and bunnies...they are in a 5-star pet hotel...LOL. Love the green in your entry way, I have similar in my guest bungalow...that color adds great energy to a space. I collect jadite too and your hoosier cabinet looks nice painted like that. You have a wonderful decorating style and do a great job of blending vintage with kitsch. I agree...your place would make a great magazine spread. :-)

Leigh, Here are my thoughts. Of course, my opinions are subjective, and my life situation is different from yours. Gunfire incidents are definitely a big NO for me. There are other more affordable areas that have low violence and no gang problems. The house you passed on was in Oak Grove. It's an unincorporated area and often gets bundled together with Milwaukie, which is an incorporated city. DH knows that area better than me and his opinion is that it can be semi-rural in places. "Rednecky" as he says. The areas along SE McLoughlin Blvd have a reputation for higher crime rates. I've been watching the real estate market too. DH and I are contemplating a move again since our DS is graduating from HS soon. This time it's to downsize and reduce the home upkeep burden. Personally, I'd stay away from North/NE Portland. Yes, those areas seem to be on the cusp of gentrification and the real estate started appreciating in value. However, the fact that the city budgeted $96 million over the next 10 years to fight gentrification in those areas doesn't sound good to me at all. Portland tabs $96M to combat gentrification Apparently the money will go toward providing low-income housing in N and NE PDX. Looks like there's a lot of resistance from the inner-city activist groups toward more affluent newcomers which doesn't make for a good neighborhood climate. Poverty enclaves also tend to attract crime. A friend of mine lives in the Alberta St. area. She has 2 kids, one in preschool and the other in elementary school. They both attend a private Montessori school. She and her husband-to-be moved there before they got married and had the kids. Now they're shopping for a place in West Linn because of good schools and safer neighborhoods. She said they might keep their house in NE PDX as a rental since the area is quite popular with the hip crowd. DH and I are watching Milwaukie now. The city government seems to be investing in community improvement projects: http://www.milwaukieoregon.gov/communitydevelopment Apparently the goal is to make Milwaukie an urban "destination". They launched farmers' market downtown, have plans for higher density housing downtown and in nearby areas like high-rent townhomes and condos. They already built some rather upscale-looking townhouses next to the city library. So far, they don't appear to be concerned with fighting gentrification. There are plans to make some streets bike and pedestrian friendly (sidewalks, bike lanes, etc.) like SE Monroe St. which appeals to us. The area around SE Monroe appears to be pretty much middle to upper middle class with low crime. However, from what I know, Milwaukie schools aren't that great. There's a chance they'd improve if new people move in and the city manages to replace trailer parks and cheap apartment complexes with more upscale housing, but it's pretty much a gamble. Still, in my church in NW PDX a few young people in their 20's-30's bought houses in Milwaukie in 2015 because of the new MAX line and more affordable prices. Realtors told us that houses under $300K and without major issues sold in a week or less last summer. We had a few upper-middle class clients who lived in Milwaukie. They told us they sent kids to private high schools since Milwaukie HS was bad. Apparently the big source of problems was a high share of families from trailer parks and cheap apartments near SE 82nd St. Someone told us she had no problem getting a transfer for her kid out of North Clackamas school district which includes Milwaukie. Her kid went to schools in Riverdale district, a top-notch school district in Dunthorpe. She said there were a few more Milwaukie families who transferred to that district too.