A Fanciful Twist

Rain-Showers Bring...

I was thinking about the logical form that this blog post should take, when a marvelous idea popped into my head...

      

I think I should change my giveaway/swap a bit?  RESULTS below.  But first...How this blog post unraveled...

I was standing around, when it hit me...I need to be wearing my new bag ,and enticing the winners of my Giveaway/Swap with their new treasure.  I love this bag. Call me silly, call me ridiculous, but I am wearing my grocery shopping reusable Trader Joe's bag as a real handbag.  Not just to stuff with Groceries...

        

Now, I am trying to get used to snippets of me in blog world.  I must ease into it, as the last time I posted my head, it was way too traumatic for my secret sheepish side.  I know, everyone who knows me thinks this is bogus, but I assure, there is a shy side to the gal.

Anyhow, I was getting ready to announce the winners, typing my post like a good munchkin, when I heard the strangest sound...A sound we do not hear around here often...I ran outside.

      

Yep!!!  It was raining! Raining? What?  Well, most of you might call it drizzling.  But to me, it was raining.

It was just beautiful out. The roses, with tender water droplets...

      

The sky, a magnificent breeze, and a slight hint of a rainbow...So, I skipped off to play, leaving my crazy announcement behind.

      

The rainbow kept growing, getting brighter and brighter.  I was in awkward-too-big-Mr. Lovee-flip-flops, determined to ride my dandy little three wheel Schwinn in the rain...

      

      

The rainbow was unreal, and I had the most lovely time frolicking amongst the critters and trees in the yard....

      

      

It was soon over though, as the sun started to set, it took with it, the rainbow and the clouds...It was okay though, I had made a memory of today.

So I was here, back to you gals, getting ready to announce that.....

      

The winners of the swap are!  ALL OF you who decided to participate...YEP!  All of you!  Everyone who decided to join in, I was unsure of some of you, so, if you didn't explicity say that you were sitting this one out, I threw you in.  Now, If I forgot you, let me know.  But my little giveaway/swap pals are....Oh, and in no particular order:

Maryam in Marrakesh, Lisa F., Anastasia, Wende, Stephanie, Misty Alderson, Karen Beth, Risa, Shell, Desiree, Kazzy, Lisa S., Sandy, Kelly, Tiffany, Gillian, Emma, Natasha Burns, Shabby in the city, Cindy, Michelle, Sadira, Tricia, Crust Station, Amanda Button, & Jungle Dream Pagoda.

   

Now the tricky part.  You have to e-mail me your Address, so I can send you your FANtastic NEW Trader Joe's Reusable tote with my little "Air Male" guy!!!! And, at that time, I will send back mine.  Remember, you can send me anything you want.  It doesn't have to be elaborate.  Okie Dokie...FUn Fun FUn!!!

ps: We have Mr. Lovee to thank for the box full of extra totes.  He gave a call from Trader Joe's, as he does most of the grocery shopping. I know, weird, but the man knows what he is doing. Anyhow, he called and asked, More Totes for more ladies?  And I replied, YES YES YES! 

Tales and Treasures (for you)

Hi, I am "Super Bake Girl,"  a character creation from the mind of Vanessa Valencia.  Today I am in my Owl costume, as I had some delicate business to attend to.  You see, it is about Vanessa...I saved her from the trenches of the real world, long enough to get a blog post out of her...Cake.  It works. Oh, and to get some treasures out of her, for you...in the form of ...

        

A snippet of the treasures. Yes, I know. Unreal.  Some of you already know what it is...I am using it as a GIVEAWAY/SWAP.  Details to follow, way way way at the end...

      

Now for Tales From the Nutcake:

HI! It's me, It's me!  I can never begin to explain the details of my real world or what craziness occurs from day to day.  I basically am running 3 businesses and my life sometimes feels like it is slipping from my own hands.  Friends get angry, wonder why I have no time for them, family members start sentences with "if you are not too busy..."  and I am left spiraling...

      

However, I have huge plans to reign in some of these things & create a bit more sanity for myself.  It is not always like this.  But when it is....Oh, the hoopla.  I am sure many of you feel like this too. It is only natural that sometimes life gets busier than others.  Right?

I am trying to reclaim it, trying trying trying...

          

Before the guests and all of the other mess... I had intended to share a new love of mine with you... A secretaire bookcase.  The story goes something like this...

A year ago I saw this book case in a person's home. They were moving, having a sale, but this piece was sold to someone they knew for 50 USD. Sooo, I went on, lamenting my loss, and completely forgot about it.Yesterday (This was actually a week ago), The artist (Dino D'Taos) and I ventured into the world. Had a truly sinful lunch...And then, we noticed a wonderful antique and consignment furniture store.  There were chairs from Persia that I had to be peeled off of...But there was "That desk/bookcase."  The one I had seen in that house.  It had been sold to this shop.  The shop had priced it at $798.00, but it had a red line going through the price tag, saying it had been marked down by half.  Of course, being the negotiator, I got it down to a tender little steal...

TA-Da!  I love it.

      

It has all of these little hidden compartments.  And, even though all my favorite books are at my home that I never get to visit...I am loving having a place to house some runners up here at the loftish space/studio...

      

      

      

Okay, enough of that, now for the best part.  I am having another giveaway.  Only this time, it comes to you from a purchase I made.  You see, yesterday, I was at an appointment when my sister Kandeedo called.  She said, "Can you talk?" I said, "No, with clients."  She said "One thing, Trader Joe's, you must see the reusable bags, SHIP!!"  Sooo, after a long day I went there, and YES YES YES!!!!! I had Miss Foxling on the phone, I asked would you like one, thinking I could only buy two??? She said, YES!  But, when I saw the price, which was unreal, I had to buy TONS of them.

      

So, here is how the game goes, You can have one of these amazing Reusable Double Sided Totes (6 gallon Capacity) from Trader Joe's, the most wonderful grocery shopping place on the planet! By doing the following...

      

Yes, it is true, you do not have to choose as Miss Foxling was concerned about this, because the photo above and the photo below are of the same bag!!!!!

      

I have no idea who Trader Joe's artist is, or maybe there are several?  But I must say, I can't help but notice the encompassing of many styles I see from our fellow blogging artists...Very Very interesting...

Anyhow, back to how you can have one of these totes?  Let's SWAP!

All you have to do is leave me a comment with the reasons why you love this bag and why you must have it.  I will then put every participants name in one of the totes and draw 6 names on the evening of Sunday the 29th of April. 

I will swap with 6 of you for anything you think I should have in life, for this bag.  You can send me anything - From a 5 cent item to a hand made item, to anything you want.  I will share the item on my blog! I will ship anywhere, so far away people, please play!!

I would appreciate if the paticipants would be people who do not have a Trader Joe's really really really close to them.  You be the judge of that.

This will be sooo much fun!!!!  Missed you!!!

The Surprise Visitors

Wondering what happened to me?  Maybe I am on vacation in a swirling metropolis?  Shopping?  Lounging?  Painting?  Nope.  Life as I know it is on a small hault.  The following is a detailed sketch of what has occurred to Miss Vanessa Valencia.  (click on drawing to enlarge)  

Yes, that is me in the door way.  Unsuspecting.  Unusual knock on door,  and a loud "Surprise."  A lovely unexpected group.  Shocking to a single girl, set in her ways.  <Huge Grin> I have rituals, I have OCD, I have, umm, ummmmmmm...Allergies???

I think I am addicted, as I sit nervously, tapping my finger, awaiting the chance to jump onto my computer.  What are you guys doing??? I am lost, I am jittery, I am addicted to reading your blog!!!!! xxo,V

All Around Peculiar...

Everytime I go to bed with my hair wet, not only do I wake up with a kookie crazy hair nest...But, I also wake up in a strange pickle.  This morning I woke up in a full scale phase of mourning. I don't know why.  All I know, is that at 3:45 a.m. I woke up, my hair still moist, and knew something was not right.  I fell back asleep at 4:30a.m...Nightmares in tow...Fun Fun.

      

The truth is, I still don't know why my day got under my skin in the form of a 95 year old little Italian lady wearing a little black veil?  Who by the way, had been in mourning for 65 years, over the loss of the love of her life.  My brother calls me Sybil.  Now I know why, as today, I was every part of Miss Dinsmoor...Chick-a-boom...Strange day, new personality...

The writer in me sat down to type.  Cafe Americano's a plenty, all day...Still, the words had knots all around them.  I have this same typewriter in red.  I should have used it instead...

      

Covered in paint, as all my clothing seems to be, I typed and typed.  But, it would not help shake my little black veil...Oh, little red elf shoes, take me away...

      

Then I gave up. The phone rang soo many times. All stressful real world calls.  So, I decided, perhaps I should paint.  Finish my "one day at the circus" painting to decompress...

      

And then, Knowme and I played dress up in the gallery...

      

As I let myself dream and soar in the gallery...I had sooo many thoughts...

      

Like, why in the world isn't all of this stuff in my Etsy shop???? And, what am I doing with myself?  And, where is all my time going?  And, do you feel like this too?  Do you have strange peculiar days? Do you have any answers for me?  <psychotic laughter>

So, I decided that within the next two days, I am going to work on getting a bunch of characters in my Etsy shop.  After which the next goal will be to get a second batch of paintings in and some jewels...As, you girls seem to be die hard jewel fans.  Yay!

Including:

My "Super Bake Girl"

      

      

      

A Cupcake Trick

      

      

Sweetcakes (Love the hand that feeds you)

      

      

The fool who let love

      

      

Tomato Tamato (deciding to call the whole thing off was easy, finding the appropriate way to do it was not.  So, she thought of the perfect trick. One last offering.) And as the song goes, Tomato Tamato, Potato Patato, let's call the whole thing off...

      

      

Plus ceramics. A couple of which will be...

A Berry Good Bowl of edibles

      

      

      

Miss Mouserson, the wobbly little sip...

      

      

      

Plus, a few new illustrations.  The larger pieces of artwork will not have prints made of them.  I guess, I have a lot of work to do in the next few days.  That should keep me out of trouble...

I have to say, I was surprised to find the "Thinking Blogger Award" attached to my name.  Thank you Miss Gypsy Purple and Miss Giggles.  You girls are wonderful.  And, in following the lead on how this works, I get to nominate 5 blogs that make me think ( if you are named, the rules are, you must choose your own five, and insert logo, which I am being really bad at late this evening).

In no particular order:

Maryam of,  My Marrakesh ~ Love everything about her, her stories that lead to real life adventure, her tales of long ago, along with textiles and fashion, even home decor. Oh and her photos! 

Risa of Muerto de Risa, she is funny and real and sharing and oh, sooo giving.  Risa is a magical little sprite, running around Ecuador doing really good things, and almost ready to return to the states. 

Paris Parfait, smart and chic, kind and wonderful.  You never know if you are going to get an amazing eyefull of treasures or the most intelligent update on world happenings, even a bit of history actually.  I just adore her...

Sonya of KnitSonya, my goodness, this woman is precious.  She is smart and witty and funny too.  Sonya is full of life and a true dear heart. 

And, Miss Small Fox in a big world, who has actually become alive to me.  She is hilarious and a kindred spirit! And oh, so real and one of those people who you know would save you from a shark or a bad date.  She would be the one who would call you, know you were on a date from hell, and turn up at the restaurant going "You have to get out of here, there has been this huge emergency, c'mon, let's go..."  Saved by Sarah. 

You must take a minute to go to Sarah's current blog post.  She is soooo funny!!! We became real to eachother over the telephone waves yesterday.  It was sooo funnnnnyyyy.  And, it was brought to my attention, that well.  I use a lot of exclamation points & seem to get really excited about things...  And, I realize now ~  I sound like an over caffeinated smurf...And all I can say is, the jig is up.  I do apply a very very expensive theatre make-up to my entire body every day to cover up my blue skin.  I can not lie about this.  I am a true "over caffeinated Smurf!!!!!!!!!"

                     

I am not the smurf above though.  I am a bit different. And, I borrowed the pic from homepages.stmartin.edu/ smurfette.gif