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Through the Secret Keyhole


Mad Tea Party ♥ 2009


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Delightful Blogs

Lovely Little Random Tid-bits...

Lovely little things surround us everyday.  Perhaps they are important things, yet easily slip our minds?

       Forgetmenot 9

With that, here are a few discombobulated tid-bits on my mind...

As you know, there is this lovely Mad Hatter, Mister Romantic Super Manny that inhabits our little nook in Wonderland (of course he can be rotten too, but that is not the point here ;). 

I wanted to tell you two lovely things regarding this gentleman...

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I forgot to tell you, eeeps!  He made the print sale in my shop during the party possible.  He gifted me a roll of my special canvas with the intentions that I could extend a fun sale during the Mad Tea Party. 

I am beyond delighted that I got the opportunity to print so many canvas sheets. It is so easy for me to forget how lovely the prints look.  So, it was a true reinvigorating art love gift to be able to print many out and enjoy them as I packaged.

  Forgetmenot 7

Everyone was carefully packaged and lovingly sent off to their new homes this week... 

But, before I veer, the second thing I wanted to tell you about curly head is, he is the reason an army of bun buns turned up on my doorstep for the party :)

  Mad Tea Party 51

I don't know where he found them, but he came home with many many rabbits, who were set at my doorstep, with a note about the bunny army and where they came from (invented of course), written by the madman himself...

  Forgetmenot 1

I thought that was super sweet and fun.

Speaking of flowers?  When he brings me flowers, or I cut flowers from my garden, I feel that that is the mere beginning of enjoying them. 

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I just love dry flowers.  In the early nineties I had an enormous collection of dried roses.  Then one day, I tossed them all out.

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Yet, I find myself loving dried flowers ever more, all over again...  I love how the colors darken, and how the dried flowers start to look like paper art.

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I am completely enamored with the whole process, from plump living flower, to cut flower, to dried specimen of beauty...

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I also love that dried flowers sometimes hold tender memories.  Especially the flowers we press in books.  Do you do that?  I always try to press tiny flowers in my diaries or books.  I have been keeping a diary off and on since I was in 2nd grade.  And, there are several beloved pressed flowers in my diaries.

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My adult diary was in a drawer here in the country, and although I have not written in it much this year, I had a vague recollection of a certain dried flower in it.  So that started a search...

Then I found it...

  Forgetmenot 12

Slowly I opened the little hotel napkin that held a tender flower...

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I swooned at the fact that I still had it.  I completely believe in making memories of times in my mind.  But sometimes, if I have a tender reminder, I can almost relive the moment...

As I flipped through my diary (which I rarely flip through, so that when I do, I find swoon worthy moments hidden inside) I found pictures that tickled my soul.

  Forgetmenot 16

I realized how much things have changed in ten years.  The photo above, taken in Jerome, reminded me that 10 years ago, I carried a film camera.  Film.  Oh, how I miss film.  I spent many years in the dark room underground at the University of Arizona 13 years ago or so.  Developing my own negatives and my own photographs...  I think film is calling my name again...

I found a photo with the swing Mister Lovee put up for me on our second date all those years ago.  I painted it that same weekend.  How we enjoyed (and still do) swinging slowly and eating popsicles on that swing...

  Forgetmenot 17

So, you see, lots of random tid-bits indeed.  My mind floats from thing to thing, so fast I can't keep up with it sometimes ;)

I have a friend who thinks diaries are terrible things to keep.  But, I guess I don't worry because I don't have any huge outrageous secrets, do I?    ;)

 I love my diaries.  I love the memories stuffed inside of them...

  Forgetmenot 15

Annnyhow - as for vertigo.  I feel so much better, thank you ever so much for your kind words regarding my ailment.  To answer a frequent question, I think I wrote about this sometime ago, but the reason I have a discombobulated inner ear (left) is from a very scary horse fall w/concussion I had at 17.  I can't believe I survived that fall.  So, vertigo is okay as opposed to anything else I could have suffered (plus, I only get it once or twice a year)...  The vertigo spells I get are incredibly intense, but I see a doctor for it, and I am all better for now.  Yay!

And I am telling you, there is magic in the garden tub for helping me feel better.  Besides the fact that it is dreamy, I think there is something more to this...

  Forgetmenot 14

The shape of my old ball and claw tub cradles my neck and head so wonderfully.  I wish homes still had such tubs.  They are truly therapeutic in their shape, me thinks...

Between the tub, and a manny, how can you not get better?  ;)

He makes me plates of fruit and fruit juices...

  Forgetmenot 4

       Forgetmenot 3 

We are such enablers ;)  If I am not babying him, he is babying me.  SO silly.  But I will say one thing, I prefer my fruit on a plate and not in a juice.  How do you take your fruit? 

  Forgetmenot 2

Speaking of fruit - I think I should bake a pie for tomorrow...

I hope you have a magical and delightful, but most of all, SAFE Independence day!!!  

Happy 4th of July!

       Happy 4th of july

See you super soooooon!!!

,V 


ps:  Do you enjoy the lovely Sade?  I found a box full of old cd's and all of hers were in there.  I just love her all over again.  This video is so pretty, but I really love all the older tunes, like this...

Afterglow

Hello, hello!  I wanted to pop in and say - Thank you, thank you ever so much for being a part of the Mad Tea Party.  Whether you had your own party, or just peeked in, I thank you.

       Afterglow 2a

The sharing of wonderful & magical tea parties that so many of you had on your blogs left me speechless.  I was so touched to see the inspiring participation.  Thank you for going out of your way, and stepping into Wonderland. 

It is a very special relationship we have here in the blogosphere.  Where so many of us can unite and share what we love.  Be our true selves, without boundaries...

I can't wait to share a tiny tea party with you again!

       Afterglow 1

As many of you know, I fell ridiculously ill on Saturday as I was wrapping up my party post.  I thought I had the stomach flu.  But, I soon realized, I was having a dramatic dance with one of the few unpleasant parts of my life.  Vertigo.  I get it twice a year or so.  I can't believe it visited me during the festivities. 

I was trying to figure out what was making me so sick.  Believe it or not, I didn't even sample any of the wee cakes I made during the week.  Alas, the out of control spinning head made me realize what was visiting me.  Thank goodness for my vertigo medication or I would not have been able to make visits. 

I tried my very best to visit everyone.  If I missed you (which I hope I didn't), please know, it was not intentional at all.  I will leave the party list up until the end of this week.  

I am still not 100%.  I have been a noodle, partaking in things like begging to feel better while in the garden bath...

  Afterglow 5

Which does make me feel so much better.  The sun twinkling through the trees while monsoon clouds dance about, pretending they are going to bring rain...

       Afterglow 6

Submerging your head under water, and seeing the blurred trees through bubbles.  Listening to your heart actually thump, thump, thump...  A garden bath might be my favorite thing in the world.  Or close to it ;)

Last night a delightful friend, Miss D, came over and we chatted and cut paper flowers.  Technically snowflakes, but we are calling them flowers.  We made them into a banner to put up at her house for the 4th of July.  She is just so much fun!  I even got to have uncombed hair and wear my Little House on the Prairie attire.

  Afterglow 7

Our beau's were rehearsing and when they got back, they were a ball of laughs.  My studio table can turn from a square into a giant rectangle.  So I extended the leafs and the boys (men) had dinner in the studio.  It was so unusual to have my studio full of people chatting and laughing.

  Afterglow 8

It was wonderful.  Oh, and everyone modeled a marvelous hat that came in the mail yesterday from one of the sweetest people on earth, who made it herself.  It was a hit Miss Cori!!

       Afterglow 9

Today I had residual vertigo, and so I have been doing things in intervals between feeling good and not so good.  But I tell ya, by tomorrow, I plan to be back to my normal self.  I hope! 

  Afterglow 3

I am finishing packaging up prints etc.  And then, goood stuff!  I can't wait to show ya ;)

Thank you again for sharing yourselves and your whimsy.  And, for sharing your lives, your time, your tea parties, and your families too (including furry family members) in many cases.  Thank you for a magical Mad Tea Party, 2009.  Partying like it was 1865 was a blast because of you!


  ,V

Mad Tea Party ♥ 2009

It was one of those late afternoons in the Mad Tea Garden.  Where all was aglow, and characters peeked out from behind trees...

       Mad Tea Party 49

Whispers echoed through the garden, it's time, it's time...

  Mad Tea Party 26

Welcome to the 2nd annual Mad Tea Party, The Mad Hatter sang, as he took a deep bow...

  Mad Tea Party 43

Little guests made their way through Wonderland, down the path, marching behind the bunny soldiers.  All eager to begin the festivities...

  Mad Tea Party 51

A wish ticket is all it takes my friends, to enter into the maddest place on earth...

  Mad Tea Party 2

Birds peered through the trees, into the Mad Tea Party, as little hands paid their toll...

  Mad Tea Party 1 

One by one, they filled the wish box...

  Mad Tea Party 3 

The Mad Hatter was delighted to greet little faces, and fill them with treats.  The more treats, the madder everyone gets, he proclaimed...

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Hurry Hurry, little faces said to one another...

  Mad Tea Party 25

So kind of you as well, to join us for tea...

       Mad Tea Party 36

It seemed a wee Alice had made her way into Wonderland...

  Mad Tea Party 6 

And boy oh boy, was she prepared...

  Mad Tea Party 7 

She was accompanied by her handsome brother and her beautiful Mama.  Who wore a hat, encrusted with rare flowers, just for the occasion...

   Mad Tea Party 27

The Mad Hatter was being extra cheeky...

       Mad Tea Party 42

Up to all sorts of nonsense...

       Mad Tea Party 47 

After a hearty dose of sugar, he started spinning, and twirling and acting a bit loopy...

       Mad Tea Party 38 

And then, he did the most curious thing.  He offered his hat, his magical Mad Hat, to a wee Mad Hatter in the making...

  Mad Tea Party 4  

Why, me oh my!  I do believe he is in fact, The next Mad Hatter in line ;)

       Mad Tea Party 5

With that, the party got into full swing!

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So much eye candy, real candy & yummy treats, that the children did not know where to begin...

  Mad Tea Party 8

A Mad Tea Party fantasy indeed!!

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Oooooo, aaaaaaaaa...

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Scrumdillyumptious!!

       Mad Tea Party 12

  Mad Tea Party 9

Please dig in, and don't be shy.  Why, this place is all about boundless fun, no reason, no rhyme...

  Mad Tea Party 32

Fairies flew about, peeking in, and of course were invited to join...

  Mad Tea Party 37 

The sky began to turn into cotton candy.  Perfection!  What more could we ask for?

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Under those magical skies, we frolicked and played, and nibbled and munched!

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Cherries, cherries, cherries abound...

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Gumballs make us smile...

  Mad Tea Party 13

Go on, try one...

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How could I possibly describe how much fun we are having?  Pouring and...

  Mad Tea Party 17

Sipping...

  Mad Tea Party 33 

Perhaps this is the best face to describe what a blast we are having.  Yes yes, I am sure of it!

       Mad Tea Party 15

So much fun!  The children are allowed to go bonkers.  If anything breaks it is no biggie at all (although nothing did break).  That is the main mindset to keep.  It is after-all, Wonderland...

  Mad Tea Party 29  

We sit and enjoy last year's Mad Tea Party, which was in Artful Blogging Magazine.  Wow, it doesn't seem so long ago, and yet here we are at part 2 of the madness...  Enjoy every moment indeed!!

  Mad Tea Party 14

Yep, looks like Mister Frog is enjoying every minute.  Perhaps he ate too many cupcakes.  At least he looks happy ;)

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Just when we thought, it couldn't get any yummier, some of my doll creations join the party with boxes of ribbon candy... YAY!

  Mad Tea Party 34 

Oh, and someone thought the toadstools were the biggest hit ever.  Our little Miss Alice could not get over the fact that this party was filled with toadstools... 

  Mad Tea Party 30

What a delightful evening of games and treats, and even sharing of the Mad Hat ;)

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As the sun started to go down, little Alice longed for a bit of music...

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Soon her wish was granted. 

  Mad Tea Party 22

Songs could be heard in the distance, dancing through the trees.  She put down her cup, and twirled...

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And twirled...

  Mad Tea Party 21 

Soon, making it through the Wonderland woods, The Mad Tea Party trio joined us!!  

  Mad Tea Party 41

Delightful sounds!!

  Mad Tea Party 40 

Little Miss Alice spread sparkles all over, from my (I mean her), seemingly endless golden sparkle supply ;)

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As the band played well into the night...

  Mad Tea Party 39

Little by little everyone drifted off, as Mister Frog thanked everyone for stopping by, and talked about meeting up for another Mad Tea Party next year...

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The next morning, as I was cleaning up the party mess...

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I came across a key.  A key that opens the door to next year's Mad Tea Party...  How curiously wonderful, I thought...

  Mad Tea Party 45

Just then, I saw the Mad Hatter Ride by, out of the corner of my eye. 

       Mad Tea Party 46

As he left a trail of magic behind...

Huge thanks to all of you who are participating, as well as to all of you who stop by for the Mad Tea Party!!  We are delighted here at A Fanciful Twist, that you could swing by!!

I also want to thank my friend Linda (of Fire Ranch Glass Works), who is an artist extraordinaire, and lives 32 seconds from me.  She is mother to the two beautiful children (who I think should be in the movies) who made my tea party extra special.

 ,V

ps:  Special Sale in my shop, see post below ;)

pss:  Please be patient with me.  It will take me a few days to visit everyone.  I am quite noodley right now ;)  But I just can't wait to see what everyone is up to!!  ;) :) 

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