check out Blake Island's Tillicum Village...google search images, too... that's a wonderful place to spend an entire day. you go over by boat and have an authentic Pacific Northwest Indian dinner, with tribal entertainment. they cook the salmon on planks, upright, around a fire.. it's awesome! you can walk around the island, to see the natural plants and along the shoreline. I think that's a 'must,'for someone so far away from Puget Sound. there's lots and lots of Indian history around here. and as mentioned...Goodwill in Tacoma is a favorite place to find a lot of fun things. they have it all set in huge bins..you get to paw through it.. it's a large warehouse and is right downtown Tacoma, to be able to visit other great places, like Chihuly's glass house and there's a place that used to be a train station, converted into individual specialty shops..art, food...too much to see in a day.... (I was born in Tacoma)....gotta love the place! July will also be the highlight of the season for garage sales... Becky .(*_*).

OMG I am really torn here. I understand exactly what Cheryl seamommy said and realize she wasn't criticizing the threads or the folk here at GWGJ only wanting more posts about Garden Junk that pertains to the find and re-purpose items from junk to garden treasures. I don't post much but I read all the time and I see her point about glass totems dominating the threads. Those are a great winter project to work on while many are snowbound and the gardens are dormant. Such with BBs and bottle bugs and those things we can do from a small area in the home. I've seen the albums. I know now that spring and summer are here we will be seeing again the "Real Junk" that Cheryl Seamommy is talking about. I remember the POTMs from when I just lurked behind CT and loved so many of the ideas and the fabulous interpretations of the Month's meaning. CT went bed bench crazy and made many of them. She gave them away as gifts and sold them as well but after her 30th bench I was ready to move on. LOL her old propane tank to table fire pits were exquisite but after many of those time to move on. We find something we like and work it to perfection and them get inspired to do something else. I think at one point I made so many concrete mosaic stepping stones the DH was going to get me medicated. LOL The projects will change again and someone will find a new "thing" for everyone to get excited about. I have and been accepted into a group of guys and gals who offer advice and encouragement for anyone in need. I always felt welcomed here, even with my infrequent posts. Now I see something that is so very unlike what I have known and come to expect from the great folk at GWGJ. I truly feel the photo of the doll with lips on the arse was quite rude and classless as a response. It was kind of shocking to me to see something like that from a member of this forum directed to another member only asking a question. Cheryl I feel like I should apologize to you for the rudeness of some of the posts. When you have the capability to post pics I'm sure you will. I feel deprived I don't have the ability to get great pics and post them yet. I couldn't afford a camera until recently. I just got a camera. I still have to learn to use. Time constraints make my days so full I may be a while in the learning process. I don't get to spend all day at the computer, between the job, the volunteer work, household, and yard and garden work I am a busy woman. I really hope not posting photos isn't keeping anyone from being part of the GWGJ. Just give it a little time and I'm sure you'll see different projects, some new and some come around again. LOL LIL

What a fabulous looking booth & beautiful stuff! And those birdhouses rock oak deer, nothing short of amazing! I am the next person in line to agree with the others when they say to mingle with your customers in a sort of chatty, neighborly manner. Sometimes some things need a little explanation in either the design or thought behind it & some things just almost sell themselves with just a bit more of a nudge from you the seller. You can bet that if you are selling something that is different & a good seller, someone next year will be copying your stuff & they'll be at the same show. I like to try to change things up from year to year, but still do some of the same things, just kickin' em up a notch, if you know what I mean. Some of the reasons that one booth might do better than another is if you can find your stuff cheaper & sell it cheaper, your gonna make more sales. That's why I love refurbishing junk & GS finds. You have next to nothing in it & can turn it around & make a good chunk of change off it if you can think of the right thing to make it into. One year, me & DH made some unique signs & was selling them for $20. No one bought a single one, but I had 3 men literally taking measurements & notes on how they were made. I never seen them being sold anywhere else, but I didn't sell them either, only to friends & personal acquaintances. i wish everyone that's doing craft shows this year all the best of luck - we're gonna need it!

Al, I think your heart is in the right place but believe me, people just like what they like, especially in their 80s. DH loves junk food and quickly loses his appetite when I fix "healthy" food I like. His closest friend always ate HEALTHY and used to tell DH that he would like healthy foods if he just would try them more. Well, a couple of years ago we buried him, he was the healthiest eater in his family and the youngest one to die. He always thought he would live the longest and surprisingly, he was the youngest to die in the family. For those in our family celebrating a birthday, we let them choose what kind of food they want or restaurant they want to go to and that's OK with us as it's their choice. DH hs increased the number of healthy foods he will eat but they still don't take first place. I've stopped trying to influence food choices for others, like DH, especially elders, because I think eating should be a stress-free experience. Good luck, I love lentil soup but its something I always eat alone and fix something else for DH for those meals. Hot biscuits are a favorite of his but it's something I prefer to bypass, unless they're Red Lobster cheese biscuits, LOL! Well, we never go there as fish is on his never-feed- me-this list.