Mugshots

It's a bit of a contradiction, my passion for art and objects that border on vile and twisted (could give two hoots about impressionists, bring on the bacon and hurst) when I can't sit through violent movies. I see the looks on peoples' faces when they come in the store and are greeted by the very lifelike looking human skeleton (I wonder if they'd like the baby doll parts up in my studio displayed in jars?) I guess it's that showman in me, like my father who can't wait to say something shocking when there are delicate ears around. I'm madly in love with my latest acquisition, a terrific collection of 1960's mugshots from New York City. I hand selected the creepiest, most typecast from a bunch of losers. I love the sweet sap who looks like he's just carefully walked the old lady across the street, right before he made off with her purse. Or the hardened wise guy who looks like he's got someone in the trunk. One guy is plain wrong-looking, the two halves of his face don't go together and you just know he's the demon seed. One guy has an alias "Trout", whatever that means. I framed them in floating frames so you can read the rap sheets on the back. I wish they told you what the crimes were, it's just a number and a fine, most are $10 or $15. Some deterrent that is. All I can say is not one of them looks innocent and I think a few of these tucked in amongst the family photos is just right for your mother to happen upon. Now that's what I call art.

New Year New Initiative

I know I'm not alone when I say 2009 was like a bad movie with no early exit. So I know you are as glad as I am that it's behind us. I have one last sweet holiday story for you and then I'll never bring up "that" year again. Bear with me as I repeat the 2009 mantra of "shop local". I know I risk sounding self-serving, but my own little holiday shopping experience may resonate with you. Having spent most of the holiday season working hard to make christmas gifts to sell, I had little time and desire to shop for my own friends and family. That and truly being forced to shop local because my car was in the shop leading up to the big day. My son had his heart set on buying his father Rick a fine pair of pruning sheers for his garden passion but of course it was out of season and too late to order anything on line. I walked over to my favorite local landscape equipment supplier, Billings. in downtown Royal Oak and happily caught the owner Rick Johnson. He use to be my neighbor across the tracks and has helped me out so many times over the last 12 years that I don't say it lightly when I say he is my hero. He didn't have any pruners but he knew exactly the right kind and simply dialed the phone to his buddy over at Four Seasons in nearby Berkley who did have them . It mattered not that Four Seasons was closed until spring, a buddy of Rick Johnsons was happy to help out one of his friends and made a special appointment to meet me at his store. My neighbor John took me over there and not only did Four Seasons sell me the Felco pruner made in Switzerland of stainless steel, he gave me a 15% discount because I'm Rick Johnson's friend afterall. After that pleasant and stress-free transaction (two days before Christmas Eve), John and I celebrated by heading across the street to the Nip and Tuck, a local landmark diner for breakfast. It's just about the cutest diner, painted cherry red with big picture windows so that you can see all the customers at the counter. The owners were all there and everybody was in for good tidings and their regular breaksfast. It was then that I said, "this is a perfect Christmas moment." I learned over eggs and bacon that the current owner is actually the daughter of the original owner who bought the Nip and Tuck with his winnings from the Hazel Park Raceway. Seems the proceeds were enough to retire from his factory job and live out the rest of his days at the griddle. The name Nip and Tuck just happens to be the name of the horse he had bet his future hopes on.

The only other thing I had to buy on this short notice were some interesting garden books. I had braved the lines at Borders and Barnes and Noble trying to find a book Rick would find interesting, but just couldn't take the crowds. I finally headed to Bookbeat where I should have started and walked in to find people I actually knew behind the counter. Not only is this about the most interesting and intelligent group of folks, the place is packed with books they have curated. I mean it, they have a stunning collection of special collector's books, obscure art books and other odds and ends that have been hand-selected, you just don't find this in the big stores. Gabby headed me right over to a book she had just read and loved plus the garden books the Detroit schools were buying for their urban garden project. I also found a weird calendar on the Munter Museum that my friend Lisa loved, had some great conversations, laughed and was done with shopping inside of two hours. Standing in line at some big national chain and then heading to some cookie cutter corporate food outlet is what I so despise about shopping this time of year. It's experiences like this that make life beautiful. I hope your year ahead is full of beautiful in-town moments.

What a Star

That someone wanted the giant star of Bethlehem (it's 5 feet tall) from an old 1950-60's civic display this holiday season does not surprise me. That she wanted it over-nighted today, across the country in time for the weekend, now that constitutes extraordinary. Even the UPS team looked shocked, never mind that the cost to ship was 4x the price...Hey there are salvage slaves and then there are salvage slaves. Clearly I am not alone and what a relief that is. So when all that soulless commercialism gets you down, and the sea of look alike objects is drowning you, know that the salvage slaves are out there, good times and bad, leaving no stones unturned to find that unique something that moves their hearts and compels them to go to extraordinary lengths to make that object their own. To those of you who have supported this salvage slave in this most extraordinary of years to continue to persist in this particular obssession on your behalf, my deepest heartfelt gratitude. May all your days be merry and bright...marisa

Top 10 Reasons To Shop The Heritage Co. This Thursday Night

You get 25% off your purchase from 5-9P**

House 365-the media sensation needs a roof (buy a shingle, help the homess)

Free drinks and snacks

Hand-made holiday gifts by local elves; nice, naughty and no place else

Loads of vintage ornaments, every kind of wreath we could think up

Make your own wreath with private studio stash of found treasures

New stuff in since you were there last..no kidding

Friendly, crafty, knowledgable staff

We are always closed when you come by

You missed last Thursday

**guest artist's work not included

Holiday Openhouse This Thursday

It's a roof-raising, salvage slaving, kinda holiday party. This time, bring your own tool belt. We are making wreaths (and will continue to on our late night thursdays), putting shingles on the roof of House 365 (http://www.tank425.com/) to raise money for the homeless and shopping for that one certain someone on the list for whom the mall holds no allure Bring your crafty friends or just support one. Royal Oak is promoting late night Thursdays as part of the shop local campaign so don't just stop at the yellow building on the tracks, park it (check out the new lot across main street, close is sweet!) and take a walk downtown. Every retailer is in on it and there's plenty of places to stop and take in a snack or social beverage. Hope to see you at the party!!

Salvage Inspired Wreaths at Inn Season Cafe

Get the magnifying glass out for this one, it's the poster from our wreath show at Inn Season Cafe, our favorite vegitarian restaurant down the street from the shop. We made so many wreaths from all that great detroit salvage we've been collecting, we are happy to have all that bare wall to hang some of them and they are so great together. No two are exactly alike. If you come by the shop, we will soon be sharing all our supplies for you to peruse and choose from should you want to make one yourself. We will be open late night thursdays up to (but not including) Christmas Eve and making wreaths on those nights so bring your crafty self and your crafty friends and family.

December 3rd is our Holiday Openhouse from 5-9pm. We are also hosting Clint Snider's travelling art project house 365 through Tank425 Gallery

On the set

OK can't save the lafayette building or it's beautiful crown of terracotta finials, but hey that telephone pole laying on the side of the road got a new life! Well a girl's gotta eat gang and now that I'm a prop house for movies, when they want weathered telephone poles, I'm gonna find them. Oh I could get all maudlin about the madness of spending gobs of money building temporary artifices to tell stories while the real ones fall apart but hey, this is the most fun I've had in the salvage business and this movie racket might be the salvation for this old city afterall. Today I got to take my 10 year-old Wyatt downtown to to see the big action on the set of "Vanishing on 7th Street" and there on the street scene is the old Heritage Co. Sign they rented, and a neon sign of ours too, sweet. All that equipment, cranes and trucks, fake sidewalks and lights, people running around talking into headsets all in an old Detroit parking lot. We loved it. I dropped my sign off to them yesterday with the help of my painter friend David King. It just so happened they were painting the store fronts just then and gee could they use a muralist. So I dropped off David too and today admired his quick work painting David Bowie and Joey Ramone on the "record store". Now I'm scrambling to get "props" ready for the new film on the scene "Crave". Oh it's fast and furious and these people work around the clock. As I write this, they are filming Vanishing and will be until midnight I guess. You gotta have stamina for that gig. I'm just happy to see all this weird stuff used, by people who think it's cool, pal around with fun creative types and show my 10 year old how vast and clever and cool the real world can be.