St. Joe-Joe a Go-Go
September 4th, 2007
I told myself, “Self… not one more post about moving, selling my house or setting up my new house. None of it”. Of course, being the self that I am - I don’t listen. Ever. Okay, okay… this is actually crafty. Sort of.
I first heard about St. Joseph from Kathleen, how burring a St. Joseph statue upside-down in your front yard will help you sell your house. It worked for Kathleen, who passed her St. Joe on to Paula… and he worked his charm on Paula too (and you should see her adorable new house!). WOW. I’m so totally sold! Now, I am not a religious person… though I’m very spiritual. I don’t subscribe to any organized religion, but I do like aspects from all kinds of different religions. I guess I’m a Smorgisbordian. And if I ever had my own commune, we’d live in a little village like in the movie The Village, and we’d all dress in Little House on the Prairie dresses - but with big clunky Doc Martin boots, and bake bread & pies, and do crafts, and play quarters, and have TIVO…
So first order of business was to get my hands on a St. Joseph statue. Paula offered to pass her St. Joe on to me, but I didn’t want to jinx things for her by digging him up too early. Not easy to find a St. Joe on the OR or WA coast, lemme tell you! So I decided to make my own. I did a lot of research on the internet and just kind of winged it from a bucket-load of images I found. And not only did I find images, I read a lot of interesting stories of Joseph that warmed my heart.
And since I was at with St. Joe… I also said a prayer to St. Anthony. Oh yeah… St. Anthony has always come through for me! “Dear St. Anthony, something’s lost and must be found… please find us a buyer soon”. Well… Not that I’m not grateful, but I realized I had to be uber specific with St. Anthony - as the very next day our new neighbors were eyeing our travel trailer and we told them we’re selling it… and they bought it! So now my prayer to St. Anthony is more specific!
So back to St. Joseph. I read from various blogs/websites that St. Joseph needed to be buried upside down so that he is uncomfortable, thus working all the harder to get you that buyer. And when the sale of the house is complete, the St. Joseph should be displayed in a place of honor in your new home. So I made him, and that evening after dinner I had planned to bury him. Just before heading out, our realtor called to let us know a couple looked at our house and was so interested - they came back for a second look. This told me to bury St. Joe fast! Surely they would make an offer after St. Joe was tucked snugly into the ground. The following day - still no word. It was nagging at me the whole negative reinforcement aspect of putting St. Joe upside down, and had considered digging him up. I was at the old house on the hill watering the yard in deep thought about my little Joe-Joe upside down and suffocating in his baggie… when SWOOSH… I slipped and fell and landed on my bum - upside down and in the mud. Stuff me in a Zip-Loc and call me St. Joe!
As fast as I could hose myself off… up came St. Joseph from out of the ground. So now my little Joe-Joe is dug up and home with me and in a place of honor (my sewing room of course!). I may not get that sale as fast as I had hoped… but I believe the sale I will get will be worth the wait! And that second-look couple… the wifey wanted to buy it, the hubby said it was “too big” (to which I’m guessing their current abode must certainly be a cave).
If you want your own St. Joe a Go-Go… feel free to D/L my PDF pattern.
Edited in: I see I’m not the only one… check out Be*mused’s post about St. Joe! And CNN as well!
Posted in Quilty n Crafty, How I Live |
Farting around with needle & thread and then blogging about it.
There’s my Happy Zombie!!!! I have missed you, although I know you have been busy,busy, busy!
Your story is just too funny. I’m not Catholic, but some of my friends are. One of my friends buried her Joe, and her house sold the next day. One of my other friends calls me when she can’t find something. She’s an older lady, so I go step by step what she has done since she has been home. If that doesn’t work she prays to Anthony while turning around (I think) three times. She always finds what’s she missing! I don’t know if it’s me or Anthony, but either way she’s happy.
Glad you’re back!
By the way…I bought the green Hello Kitty sewing machine for my daughter. Now I have the blue one and the green one.
September 4th, 2007Oh my gosh, you crack me up. And your redwork is fantastic. Good luck with the sale. I’m off to show this to my co-worker. We’ve had many discussions about St.Joe and home sales.
Cheers!
September 4th, 2007L
As a denizen of deep earth, I have to kevetch about all the statues … have chipped my incisors on more than one whilst shopping for grubs. My alter ego says anything that works any time. She is coming to your neck of the woods and may have one in hand for you to bury. Sometimes the old Italian custom of lighting a candle and saying a prayer is most helpful.
hugs,
September 4th, 2007da mole
It has been a looooooooooooooooooooong summer without you! That sounds like the name of a song…I am sop glad that you are back!!!! Hell Yeah!!!! Yee Haw!!!!! I have missed you but knew that once you were back in order things would be normal again- now if Vicki from Turkeyfeathers would just come back, I’d be a very content cowgirl. I might have to make a Saint of my own- you have made him look so wonderful. I love the commune idea with prairie dresses and Docs- sign me up if it ever happens! I’d love to grow my own veggies and make pottery to sell to tourists…..
September 4th, 2007Welcome back Monica! Sounds like you’ve had a VERY holy journey… ;) Drop me a line if you want to chat! We all miss you and your humor - which personally makes me laugh out loud every time.
Quarters? HAH! How about fifty-centers?
September 4th, 2007It worked for me!
September 4th, 2007Our realtor actually gave us a St. Joe…I could never do the burial bit tho… Seems mean.Ours was plastic–yours is ever so much cooler, which I’m sure gives you extra points. St. Anthony IS awesome at finding stuff, have to admit it.
September 4th, 2007I’d love to be in your commune but no playin’ quarters for me.
I guess I don’t know what quarters is but I’m glad you’re back Love the St. Joseph, I had just read about that on Bemused the other day. Elizabeth had told me her story as well!
Good luck with the sale!
And super glad you’re back.
September 4th, 2007I would TOTALLY join your commune!! I used to live in Docs (before I moved to the Tropics) and I rock at crafts :D
September 4th, 2007At first I thought you said, “Burning a St Joe statue” in the yard. I thought, “Hm. That probably won’t go over very well.” So, I guess burying is better than burning! Also, I’d join your commune if we could wear sweatpants under the Little House dresses. Gotta be comfy. Esp playing quarters. :-)
September 4th, 2007Smorgisbordian - I love that word. :*) and I would totally join your commune too.
September 4th, 2007I’d like to preorder the house next to yours in our little commune. I baked whole wheat bread for the first time last week and it turned out awesome!! I’m so happy to see a new post from you. You really are missed terribly!!!
September 4th, 2007I, too, was a Smorgisbordian, but after taking the beliefnet.com quiz three times over 8 years, I *finally* believed them when they said I might be a Quaker. I’ve been absorbed with learning about Friends on the web and in Meeting for months now, and belief.net turned out to be right. Just saying.
Love your blog, and hope you don’t mind if I link to this post from mine–I love your creativity!
September 4th, 2007Your St. Joseph is so ~ well, heck, I’m speechless. He is just too cool. I want him! I’m making him! I have been so meaning to blog about this very same thing, but haven’t done it. I keep thinking that since he worked so very hard for me I really need to give him his due, ya know? Now you’ve shamed me into it, okay, hmmm….next week I might have a bit of time between dinner prep and watching those rascally raccoons. I totally forgot to dig up my St. Joseph when we left and I’ve been wondering how weird it would be to go on over to the old house and ask if I could dig a hole or two (I don’t know where EXACTLY he is…) in their front yard. Maybe under the cover of darkness would be better. Care to join me??
September 4th, 2007Oh and that Village thing. I’m sew there, but is it okay if we have double ovens?
Smorgasbordian - I like that. That would be me.
I had never heard the St Joseph theory before, but I will have to pass it on to a friend who is trying to sell their house.
September 5th, 2007Welcome back, my friend…blogland has shirley been missin’ you!
September 5th, 2007St Joe..will come thru!
Hey - I’ve missed you! You are such a crack up!
I hope St Joe helps you.
September 5th, 2007Tee hee, I’d love to join your commune too! Pies and quilts and crafts. I’m there!!! :) Good luck on selling that dang house. I know it’s been a pain in your butt. Hugs and kisses to the family! :)
September 5th, 2007Very cool. I’m glad you dug him up. Why torture a saint to get what you want? Seems a little cruel.
September 5th, 2007I’m sure he is pleased to be with his feet on the ground and sooner he will help you finding a new buyer for your house.
September 5th, 2007I love the story, am very sorry you fell, and certainly hope your house sells soon.
Thank you for the St. Joe a Go-Go pattern–it’s brilliant and I love redwork so this will be fun. Only thing is, I’m not selling my house for 3 years. What to do, what to do…maybe I’ll make it anyway.
Thanks again!
September 5th, 2007Sooo funny!!!! I told you about the alternative but I wish you all the luck and I will pray (to all the saints) that your house sells soon.
September 6th, 2007Oh! I hope he works FAST!
September 6th, 2007Those are some mad red work skillz! keepign my fingers crossed that the hosue sells soon!
September 7th, 2007P.s. How’s Mimi??
September 7th, 2007I buried a statue when I sold my parents doublewide and got an offer in two weeks. Didn’t close for six months re: waiting for insurance payment for their buyer ,because they lost house in CA wildfires in ‘03.
September 8th, 2007I have one buried in front of my house and it hasn’t helped. At first I said the enclosed prayer daily, but haven’t bothered lately. I haven’t had anyone even come look for a month and I did $11,000 worth of improvements AND lowered my price that much. Can’t go lower, if I do I can’t afford a different house. So I don’t think it helps, not with today’s problems.
You had me on the edge of my seat. Sheesh! I cannot wait until you find that buyer. Your St. Joseph is very stylish.
Is your bum alright now?
September 9th, 2007That was the cutest post ever. That’s so awesome. I love your Joeseph. :)
I’m so happy to see your writing again, yay!
September 10th, 2007Hmmm…cnn, today…live on the Daily Show tomorrow!!! Way to go my almost famous friend!
September 10th, 2007I meant to comment earlier about him and tell you that he is fab! Good luck (for the millionth time)on selling the house!
September 10th, 2007Saint Joe is the best guy!!! After a contract with a VERY high priced realator in California, I cancelled. I decided to use the, “Best Guy”, and FSBO (I know, I know, Dirty Word). St. Joe helped me to seal the deal within 2 days.
January 7th, 2008Best,
Pat
OK, now dh wants one for Christmas. We’re desperate to make our “once and for all” move but need to get this house on the market and sell for a good price. I’ll let you know how it goes!
Tania
December 3rd, 2009