A Fanciful Twist

Hablando de pajaros y otras cositas...

Speaking of birds & other little things...

Come in to my abode, let me tell you some silly stories before you are off to your next stop...

      

Perhaps the stories are not all that silly.  Here is the storyteller for the day.  She is known to scare a certain friend who calls her, Miss Stigmata.  Miss S is a gift from my Momm-bee.  I think Miss S is going to whip me into shape. As my art endeavors have been very slow this weekend...  She sits on the mushroom... Watching, waiting...

      

Wait, I need a sip before I can even get started.  It is so lonely to have a Mr. Lovee who does not enjoy a glass of wine.  I am at the point where I am such a lightweight that, only a few drops touch my lips and I am fluttering.... Join me, let's open one up and sip for a sec... Friends have offered a few bottles as offerings, to The Wooden Mermaids brother, both from the Philippines...

      

Back to the story, which at this point, seems like it might be a serious story. But really, it isn't.  It is a story that happened by chance...  You see, I was about to write a new post, when, my attention got taken away. I decided to visit a few friends first.  When the comic irony to my life, was the topic over at The Black Apple. Birds.  Birds?  Is this a coincidence.  I was about to tell you my bird story...

Frida wanted to join in... Can you hear her now... "Hablando de Pajaros (speaking of birds)... Oh, Freeda, thank you for joining us, in spirit...

        

You see, it has been made very clear by a few folks, including Emily (whose bird themed collection is quite lovely), that the bird trend has really seeped in.  Along the way, many of us have amassed quite the bird collection.  Some are ready for it to go away, some always had birds and always will.  Others don't much care, and yet others have barely started letting the birds flutter in.  All being A-okay as far as I am concerned.  Where are you in the bird call? 

      

As for my place in the bird call, birds are everywhere in this Hippie world I live in.  First of all, some of you have seen the crazy bird feeders I make. Bird feeders all over this yard.. All shapes and sizes. My first time here, at Mr. Lovee's, I was astounded at the bird books and diligent bird feedings in Mr. Lovee's world... I thought, No biggie .  Birds everywhere was fine.

Then, one little afternoon, I was poking around the bathroom I claimed as my own here.  I had, a few years back, painted a thick white coat of paint over an atrocious blue (hospital quality blue).  And I noticed not too long ago, one little corner was bubbling up a bit .  Well, too bad Sulu-Design was not here. She would have helped... You know what I did right?  Yep.... I couldn't help myself...

      

I peeled.  Under the paint, I found this hazy matte & chalky film covering some wallpaper... I got out a srubby thing and bleach. After scrubbing quite alot,  I found a wallpaper, that looked like this...

      

I thought, cute.  What next?  I was standing in a bathroom, that was once pleasantly white.  But now, I have this 1970's colored bird wallpaper. 

So, I did as any artist would do....  I took paint to it.  I now have this...

      

It is so funny.  I use to have this friend Carla in elementary school.  Her mother was the kookiest lady ever.  She used to ask us to paint on doors and walls (not colors, images), to change the ambience.  I always wished for that, but my mom would have my head before that would have ever happened in the world I grew up in...

Now, Mr. Lovee let me do this, painting on walls.  Only guess what?  I am stuck with it forever.  He loves it.  He is over the moon about it.  Trend or no trend.  I am living with birds in my Catalina bathroom for a very long time.  Oh well.  hee heeee.....It is funny. 

Oh, and I got the Anthropolgie shower curtain up.  The whole house smells like the shop.  I love it! What is that smell???

      

You can see from this shot above, the walls are not finished.  I have yet, another unfinished project.  You silly girl, did you think I had completeled this bird brain project?  Another thing to add to the list....Oh, forget it... I am burning the list... I mean really, whose life schedule am I on anyway? 

      

      

      

      

      

Okay.  Whew, Liberating.  Now I have nothing to do! YAY!  So, I suppose I will scadaddle back into the studio, as my Gouache paints are probably totally dry...And, my oils are getting chunky...Why must I put so much paint on my palette?

      

      

I love popsicles in summer!  Oh, and, I have some incredible treasures to share!  I can't ever thank enough!!!  Treasures coming from,  Jungle Dream Pagoda, Anastasia & Crust Station.  Unreal girls! I will share next time.  Have a lovely rest of your day! xxo

Inspiration, Sanctuaries & It is not always too late to finish what you started...

In organizing the studio a bit, I happened upon little artworks that I started and then just simply forgot.  I have about 32 paintings of all sizes that are sketched or started to be painted, some even 75% completed.  It is pretty ridiculous actually...  What happens is that my attention gets taken by something else, and then voila, I am off to the next thing.

      

The bad thing about this is that you lose the creative mental space for that one piece.  The good thing is, sometimes you come back to it with renewed inspiration.  Which is what I am diligently focusing on...

Funny enough, I coaxed Dino, the little artist extraordinaire, into creating & completeing a painting for me. A trade or payment of sorts.  He obliged.  He started one day sitting at my table...

      

      

I told Dino what I had swirling in my mind in January.  He worked and worked and worked on it.... Check out the finished product which is now in my possession...

Some of my loves, which I explained to Dino are: Keyholes, Strange creatures, Fairytales, hidden doorways, forests, Cupid (see cupids arrow?)  I even talked to him about Snow White vs. the Witch and the poisonous apple....Needless to say, this is what I got, and I am overwhelmed with delightment....

      

Sometimes I like to wander my two little dweillings, searching for inspiration.  Not really actively searching, but seeing if little things catch my attention and get my mind rolling...Kitchens are so inspiring to me... Probably because I like to paint pastries and cakes....I just love my kitchen.

It is a tad small, but it is so fun to bake in and share with little people who sit at this table and wait for their first bite...I have not finsihed painting my cabinet, but heck, it has been unfinished for years...See the pattern here, unfinished objects?? I made those knobs (on top & bottom doors)...  They were sooo much fun to make.

      

So, it is officially time for me to crack that whip and finish some of my own painting projects...I am feeling inspired...

You see, I found this piece that I started in 2000.  7years ago, when I met Mr. Lovee, I purchased this piece of wood and sketched this little girl...As I was cleaning this week, she came toppling down from a shelf.  And, I was in awe, I thought, "Wow, how did I forget this...." Don't mind the hair and face paint, that will change...

      

Then I found Miss Habit.  How could I have forgotten her also?? And several more below...Oh, seems as though I will be very busy for the next few days...A long weekend of painting...

      

      

      

I am giving myself one swap gift today, to treat myself ahead of time for attacking these projects...

This little love is from Lisa Solomon of Lisa's Musings. Of course, everything she sent had such sensory alerting items...Thank you Miss Lisa, so very much.  I love them each and every one!

       

      

       

I almost forgot, I got tagged by Miss Shabby in the City...But this is a tag I can live with, so I'll play along...  You "grab the nearest book, turn to page 28 and post the 3rd paragraph..."

I was a bit unlucky at this, as most of my books are informational, no third paragraph, or, page 28 had only one little burb. It was silly how hard it was...So, I finally picked up Anais Nin's "Fire" diary from about 1934-1937...Here is what it read:

"Richard Maynard telephones every day.  The violinist plays at town hall tonight.  After three talks with me, she played as "I never played in my life before, thinking of you as a shadow and seeing your green ring flashing before me.' "

I hope you have a lovely 3-day weekend.  And, either kick your feet up and relax....

      

Or tour your own space for inspiration...  It is so important to love your space, and fill it with things you love.  Even if your space can only be in one room, or one little corner, even a shelf. Make sure to make a space you love. Your own little sanctuary...

      

Enjoy special moments. Even if they only come in spurts...They all count...

(To answer a question., the Mermaid is not a lamp. Although, it sure does look like I am using her as such. With all those lights draped on her.  She is actually an old wooden creature, about 4.5 feet tall, once used in religious processions in the Philippines.  She came here many years ago from the Philippines with her owner.   Over the years I have collected many old wooden dolls, all quite large, with wooden joints. All said to have been used in similiar religious processions, where they would be dressed up to resemble a certian saint. Funny enough,  I later found out,  my collection came from the same owner...)

How much does one girl deserve?

I am keeping busy in the studio, but I decided to peek out and share a bit...As, my sharing cup runneth over, and my greedy self just adores such goodness.  Yes, I can be greedy.  But not for fancy cars or big houses, none of that silly stuff, quite frankly that stuff stresses me out.  But, what I am greedy for are treasures, and finds, and rotting furniture and frames that I get to drag home...Of course, I am greedy for art too, but that is another story, for another day.

Today I am talking about mailbox love.  You know, this is when your mailbox loves you so much it houses tons of parcels for you at one time. This was my mailbox on Monday afternoon...

      

Only, I am going to show it in spurts because I will ruin it if I show it all at once. WAIT!!  Is that a sound I hear???  The mail-girl is here?  I must run and be right back...I have an extra special purchase on its way!!!!!

      

It is her it is!! She is already across the street, and while I was getting my shoes on, I could see her hovering at my mailbox.  Can you even imagine what she must think when she delivers all those parcels to me?  She must die inside of curiosity! What a tough job.  If I were a mail-person, I would have to restrain for fear of jail, but I sure would like to carry a big box of tape, and just peek in everyones packages and then re-tape....

Oh, faint, swoon, joy too much! My heart...It is here.  I can't wait...Opening, and, yep, my Black Apple Originals!  I can not describe how amazing they are in person.  I guess I really did talk a bit about my art greed today after-all...

         

      

Aren't the new pieces a spectac addition to my little BlackApple girl above??? Can't wait to re-organize my wall...Dino, my artist friend, always says that 3 pieces makes you a collector (from the same artist that is). I also have an original conjoined twins silhouette. Love it too!

Oh, I also just put some treats in the shop, some greeting cards...I got a few more treats up my sleeve here in the very near future...Sneaky Sneaky....

        

      

Before I go to "Swap Treats" that are still trickling in, (please never stop)! I have to tell you about the best movie!!!  It is called "Fur."  Have you seen it?  I totally enjoyed it.  Circus freaks, which I adore, not freaks to me at all actually...   Nudist colonies, A bit scary to me, but only if I have to wander nude myself...  And, a bit of keys and Rabbit Holes!!!!  All in the name of a fictional account on the beginnings of how Diane Arbus began her strange photography evolution....LOVED it! Here are some tid-bits, taken from my television with my camera, can I go to jail for this?  Or pay huge fines????  YIKES!!!

Anyhow, I have to say, I really think the movie was not that far fetched....It could have happened, I mean, stranger things have....Even though it is fictional...I did some research...Not that fictional in my opinion...

        

      

      

      

      

Just watch it, you might like it.  If you like strange movies that is...Which I enjoy quite much...

Okay, so let's get to the parcel love from the swap ( I know, it is great, still from the Trader Joe's re-usable bags).  Just a few for today, like I said. So, here we go...

Look who came in a package for me, T.

      

Do you people know me or what?  Miss Tricia  sent this Canadian article about Tori Amos, huge brownie points.  Not to mention a lovely embroidery, with yes, my favorite, shoes, and the logo...Thank you bundles Miss Tricia!  I ate the candies faster than anything. Well, Mr. Lovee helped, and you know??? They are so much better than M&M's.  M&M's should be ashamed, tastin' the way they do!!! PS, if you can find a way to make me a pair of shoes that look like this one, I would be extra happy in life.  heeheeee

Look who was on the backside of this article.  Funny, Alanis!  So weird!!!

           

      

Miss Cindy  sent the cutest little creations for my cocktail hour...Plus some daintily beaded ear jewels, to name a few.  Thank you Miss Cindy!!  All that hard work! psst, that photograph of your cocktail jewels is wonderful! The colors!!!

      

Miss Wende's package entranced me with the most cleansing scent for starters, plus, I am adoring the little plaque!!!I love it! Are the other folks in the boonies on the coast of Oregon jealous of your bag yet???? Can't wait to hang this little treasure!

      

I think if I share one more I will put you in overload...Okay, Okay, one more....

I just love it, it is the most soothing print, I love your work Popwheel gal!  And, By the way, Miss Jennifer, I adore your business card!!! The scratch and sniff stickers, I couldn't get enough!!! It is soo funny, I just automatically scratched and sniffed!!!

      

      

Well, Ain't it too much for one girl??  I am so delighted and happy!  Too kind, too fun, too nice!!! And, I didn't even show it all!  You can't imagine what it has been like, opening all of these!  It has made my stressful life so very very wonderful!!!! xxxooooo

La Nina Curiosa, vende sus Curiosidades

What in the world is the meaning of such a title?  Well, I'll tell ya.   It means, "The Curious little girl, sells her curious little things."  That would be me.  Creating and selling curiosities, straight from my imagination onto paper, or into clay, or onto canvas...Anything I can get my little hands on that is...

What is the meaning of all of this you ask?  I am trying to simply explain that I have had a huge shop update at  A Fanciful Twist - the Etsy shop, & I am working on little tid-bits which will trickle in much this week. 

      

      

The whole purpose of my blog was to share the love of art.  Somewhere along the way, I forgot to share some of my creatures.  The first 10 years of my life in the arts, I was creating large scale paintings and art installations for people (much more serious).  As well a peddling my jewelry creations (still doing that).  However, in the past 4 years, I have allowed myself to tap into the illustrations, drawing the images that have roamed around in my head for ever so long.

I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoy creating them.  They are a bit strange, but really, aren't we all??

      

I am having so much fun with it.  It makes me feel alive and free, to draw whatever I want, with no rhyme or reason.  And these little drawings, when I look into their eyes, seem all to familiar.  Like pointing at eachother, exclaiming, "I know you!"  Anyhow, come over to the shop if you'd like to take a peek at them all.  I am having such a hard time conveying how incredible the prints look.  My goodness, I exclaimed when I saw one printed!  It took 3 printers, hundreds in different papers, and so much time and aggravation to find a machine that would create such a lovely print.  I am smitten.

      

I am also still painting.  The serious stuff is lurking right now. Giving me a little break.  I included some paintings and plates in the shop update too. Some of you delightful girls, found your little steals before my update announcement! Thank you, that was fun and inspiring, to say the least!!

        

      

Bowls and plates, and all sorts of little treasures...You'll find...

       

                      

        

      

Miss Blue heart, Red-head (below), found a home already.  She will be missed, but will be ever so happy in her new home, I can more than assure you of that! There are other little plates in the shop and more to be added as they come out of the kiln.

      

Miss Cirque du Cupcake, is in the shop...

      

      

And, so is "Super Bake Girl."  Now remember, I invented her, so if you see her mass produced somewhere, well, actually, is there anything we can do really??? Probably not...

      

      

Those are just some bits and pieces of what went in the shop over the weekend.  I will be adding regularly, and I will let you know when I make large updates. 

Two more little characters which will be added tomorrow are...

Caracol con Flores (snail with flowers) &

      

Peacock Girl...

      

Most of my images will be going into greeting card packages as well. All to come.  I would love to hear your ideas?  Thoughts?  On all this madness???

How was your weekend? What did you do???

I was trying to catch the Fairies, through the old window in the backyard.

        

Instead, I found a half massacred body of a lizard.  I walked passed my chair, the one I swore to do something with 7 years ago, when I found it on the property, hidden. I just love the color...Can it be anything?

      

I also, did a lot of wondering...Specifically about how I became a country girl.  I shocked the heck outta myself with that....But then I remembered... The tales live in quiet unusual places...And sometimes, I can hear them in the wind...Now, how ever would I hear them amongst the noise in a big city?  Although, I think in the city, the tales seep out of dark warehouses, big abandoned buildings and underground....What do you think? 

I was at a funeral this weekend.  Funny, how everything feels surreal in life for a few days after a funeral...

I am off to work a bit, and maybe even wander....

      

(Next time, more lovely swap parcels that have trickled in.  They are just wonderful!!)

Treasures

Okay, let's be honest here.  I can have pretty great moments of lucky streaks.  Some moments of unlucky streaks, but some very good lucky streaks. And, those good moments really should not be neglected.  (this has nothing to do with cards, but come along and I'll attempt to make some sense of it all...)

      

You, yourself,  might not call it luck.  You might say, "Now, Vanessa, you have nice friends who like you, and find magical things to surprise you with."  And, yes, I would have to agree, most of the treasures I receive are pretty darn wonderful. But, these wonderful things are found by luck, aren't they? Even if they are found by other people?

Actually, Many of these objects are found by me...Walking down the street, I see something peeking out of the dirt, I pick it up....I pull, I tug, and Presto, Treasure.  I peek in little sheds, and again, Treasures....

      

I have to stop and ask, are these found and received items really treasures?  Or is it simply my perception that makes this item a treasure.  Perhaps it is only special to me?  Have I come to use that word all too liberally?  Treasures. Or, would these items be called something more on the lines of "junk" to you?

Some of the things I find here and there, are things like, A Ship...

      

An old fan that used to be at the museum pottery studio, with a huge cast iron stand.  It is a piece of art in itself.

      

A Scale

      

A treasure box with drawers made of old wood cheese boxes...

      

Mermaid Bottles that I have placed under glass domes...

      

And, there is much more junk, I mean treasures, but I have to save some for later...I just LOVE thrifting adventures!!!  I love them!!!

These are some of the things I keep in the country, as I am maxed out on space at my home in town. Snipettes can be seen here, here  and here.

I used to sit and look at my favorite book called

      

By Mary Randolph Carter, just wishing that I too could have country treasures.  Little did I know, I would have that in Catalina.  I wanted to be able to use all kinds of tattered things that just wouldn't work in my city home.  The fact that I have a place to do this,  is so dreamy to me...

      

Some pages from within the book (The one below to the left looks so much like my Mr. Lovee's hippie shack, it just ain't funny). I adore the kid in the pic to the right.  I almost want one just to be able dress up and use as a prop. I am joking.....

      

I just adore old Milagros, and those Chalkware Carnival Prizes! How I'd love my own stash...

      

I have loved this book to death...Have you seen it, or do you own it (Ithink it is out of print)?? It sure doesn't help reign in the treasure seeker, does it???

Oh I never ever, in all the times I have read through this book, seen the absolute back page...Look how cute!! (click to enlarge)

      

Thrifting and such, was not common to me as a kid.  But, when I got my dandy white rabbit convertible at16, I'll tell ya, the first thing I did was drive to a town with fabulous thrift stores.  It has always been magic to me.

My first experience with a vintage item was when I was 15 and my grandmother took me to the little door at the top of her stairs...She told me about some coats that my great aunt who had died left behind. I myself, almost died of intrigue.  I still have those coats, and wear them today.

All that said....

I veered off of the main subject which is.  Luck and treasures. 

The story I was going to tell goes like this...

So, there I am, in bed, lounging around, eating chocolates and watching a movie in my loftish space.  Locked away from the world. When I hear a knocking at what is, my still under-construction outside door and patio.  I peek out.  Why, It is Dick Arnold, from, "The Arnold Klingefus Ensemble."  I am shocked, I hop out of bed...Open the door, and Dick says, "I have a surprise for you, but you have to close your eyes."

I think, what?? Where? What can it be?  An instrument? A painting??? What What What????  Let me preface this by saying, I collect things with wheels.  (Not cars though)

So, I walk over to his car, and this is what proceeds to happen...

      

I see wood.  Or Bamboo?  Yes!  A bike entirely made of Bamboo???Wood???

      

      

I bring it inside to admire it, and determine if I want to remove the wheels and turn it into sculptural art??? Hanging from a wall perhaps?  Well, Mr. Arnold found this lovely item at a sale called "I don't want it anymore, it is yours."  He said it was the Art-iest thing they had and he thought of me!!! Lucky me or what??

      

IS that a lucky treat?  You tell me??? What is your favorite find, do you love junk?  Can you see yourself in a billowing skirt of your favorite kind, coming across a bin of trinkets, and squatting, your skirt billowing around you to search through piles and piles? Are you into it?  Or, would you prefer a clean little shop....I don't know.. I love tattered treasures...

I am also delighted to share that two of my favorite blogs to visit: With a Twist and a Turn she gets her Wish"   Queenie Carly, always smart and funny, and Allyson Hill, Miss Creative herself, have been so kind as to believe that I have a "Thinking Blog."  I am so glad, as I was getting concerned that I would be winning something for "The rambling blog." I think that such recognition from our fellow bloggers is very very special and important.  Afterall, we are the people who read eachothers blogs everyday (almost).  We are the ones who know what we like.

So the rules - straight from Miss Carly herself:

If you read even a few blogs, you've probably started to notice this little Thinking Blogger Award graphic around.  Apparently the blog world is having a heyday promoting all the blogs that its population of bloggers love to read. 

1. If, and only if, you get tagged, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think!
2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme or blog that you enjoy.
3. Optional: Proudly display the 'Thinking Blogger Award' with a link to the post that you wrote.

So, I must participate you see, and I do love this sort of thing...Sooo, here we are. Here are my five choices, not in any particular order.  But Blogs that I love to read , I enjoy them tremendously, and they make me think...An Odd Duck, KnitSonya, My Marrakech, Cally Creates & Gilfling's Designs.

I can not say enough about these girls.  I wish I was allowed to list many many more.  All I have to say is, I love all the blogs I read to pieces.  So, if you see me in your neck of the woods, know, you are one of my dearest thinking blogs too. You know who you are. I know you know!!!

On a Trip to the Middle of Nowhere...

This weekend I went to visit my mom for Mother's Day and stopped to see my Grandma too. For once I had my camera.  I decided to take you on a trip with me, a trip through photos, of a place that truly feels like it is in the middle of nowhere...The places I photographed are those that are engrained in my mind as familiar.  Come along if you'd like...

(I almost deleted this whole post, it felt so terribly boring and long...So, sorry if it is....And, I warn, it really is very very long.)

Preparing to get on the freeway, takes me passed the evergreen cemetary.  This is the first step to heading home, an hour and a half south of Tucson, Arizona. 

      

The road home is a long stretch straight ahead.  It probably feels long because you just drive straight ahead for and hour...Then you get to this little town infused with busy body obnoxious people called Nogales. From there you go about 30 minutes into the hills...So, here we go...

Passing the San Xavier Mission means that we are officially exiting Tucson...This is on ultra zoom while driving down the freeway.  Looks like they are doing some restoration to the top there...It is a fascinating place, if you get a chance to visit it in life...

      

Driving along, I look to the left, I look to the right...Yep, looks like desert to me...

      

I know it looks creepy to you, but to me, it is normal. And yes, people do really come out of this place being fairly normal.  Although, my father owned a business that allowed us to be in San Diego alot.  I even lived there as a kid...Homebase was always in the desert though.  But, most of my summers were spent in a very magical place, home away from home...

Yep, still drivin... I am about 20 minutes away at this point...

      

It gets greener as we get closer to the town...A little cooler too...

      

Almost to town, notice the warehouses. They line up and down the road, as this town's main industry is produce.  This is where most of all of your veggies in the United States filter through.  My dad owned a produce brokerage for 35 years....He retired the business a few years ago...Interesting huh? I can tell a ripe avocado from an unripe avocado from across the room.  I was pretty much a pro at produce from about, 5 years old??  I used to love going into the ice cold warehouses with my dad to inspect the produce when I was little.  It was freezing in there and, oh so hot outside.  I miss the smell of all of the produce in wooden crates...Fresh and vegetably?

Are you bored yet??? Okay, now we hit the town... and travel through ultra windy roads to get to the hidden place where I grew up.  I get so annoyed because I lived in the middle of nowhere since I was 5.  There were no houses around us. Well, actually, there was one.  And a girl I used to play with lived there, she was really mean, but I had no choice, no other kids around.  The road was pure dirt and it seemed really really far.  Now, the whole town has discovered the place and it is becoming populated, people fighting to live out there... So silly.  Annoying really.

So, here we are down the long and winding road....

      

Finally we are here....But, the gate is closed. (most people have gated entries around here for safety purposes)

      

      

Yes, another winding road up the my parents house....I need a dramamine at this point...

      

Noone is here! What???  Grreat.  I didn't bring my key...

I guess we can go snooping around... Now that is fun to me....This is a lovely tree!  And, notice, the reason for this post, is to show you what the middle of nowhere is like.  Look beyond the tree. Yep, nowhere.

      

And, if you walk to the other side of the yard and look over, again, you see, nothing???

      

Ooo, I see an open gate... let's go snooping in Mammie's side garden...Where everything is so short, for little elves and fairies...

      

      

      

      

Little benches...

      

A little work table for potting and fixing bird houses??

      

I am sooo amuzed at the grass..Betcha' didn't think you'd see anythin' green in this post huh?  Where did you think I got my green thumb from???

      

My mom has funny things in her yard (and Dad's yard too). Like giant humongous boulders...

      

You can see how far we are in the hills by looking beyong these rocks at the town, way in the distance...

      

I hear a car!!  Yep, I am going back through the yard.. and Yep, look who it is!! The hat-wearing dad himself...(he is really lovable, as you can tell) I think he is hugging all of you!  hee...

      

My heart is sad for my mom and dad.  They are all alone now, no kids at home, in the middle of nowhere...And we all don't visit that often because our lives are sooo busy.  I just feel so sad for them sometimes.  I should visit more often...

Time to open gifts.  Momm-bee received a menagerie of art gifts, some Anahata Katkin cards, Awesome blocks from Stiletto Heights (custom made), a lovely checkbook cover from Thompson Designs , and some homemade treasures by me and me...

      

      

       

      

Wanna go snooping at Fairies in Kandeedo's room???? My Momm has filled it with fairies galore...She was showing me this contraption that is something like a fairy tree and when you clap you hear fairies giggling and they dance around...

      

      

Someday I am going to steal that Mackenzie-Childs desk below!!!!

      

      

       Oh, I hear comotion!! Guess who just arrived! Kandeedo and Adam (my baby brother).....

      

With her super-lovely shoes...

      

And her boyfriend....

      

And now, the fun begins!!!!! Eatin' lovely delights and off to Granny's, where all the witch stories, and creepy attics stem from...(that is Kandeedo below)

      

Oh My, why are Momm's refrigerators and pantry always so deliciously stocked???

      

Okay, let's go in our car caravan to granny's house.. Come on Kandeedo get out of Mammies car and ride with me!!! And Mammie asks, are all you munchkins in the car.. Nah, Kandeedo and I are takin' a detour on the way to Granny's...

      

So here we go, 30 minutesfrom my parents house and into town.  And now, it gets interesting.  You see, we are going into the town of Nogales itself.  A strange and bizarre place.  But, there is much history here, and the Mexican-Amercian border is there.  So, if you all want to know what seperates you from Mexico come along! 

I even drove through the old downtown to show you the Woolworth and Kress buildings, although all the shops are cheap knock off stuff now.  Here we go...

First amuzing image as we enter the funky town...Not so sure about Disco and Sushi, you?? And, will that old school Limo pick us up?

      

Getting closer to where Grandma and Grandpa live...I want those stairs! Stairs to nowhere.  Perfecto!!

      

Passed the entrance to Granny's street which is a mile long up hill steep road, and just into downtown.  First you go passed the old courthouse...

      

So, just passed this, is the old dowtown.  It is madness down here.  Just at the end of the street, you can see a fence?  That is the Mexican border.  At the end of the street to the shops you can cross into Mexico by foot.

      

And to the right, is the "Placita" a little park-like place...(Kandeedo's eyeball)

      

And, here is what seperates Nogales, Mexico from Nogales, Arizona.  Pretty freaky wall huh?  You should see it at night all lit up.  Look up the hill there...

      

as I turn to the right, I get to see Woolworth and Kress.  Oh, how I long for the real shops to be in there.....Kandeedo exclaimed, look at the ceiling in the upstairs window...She tried to take a pic...