A Fanciful Twist

A Girl & Her Collections = Escapes to Colorful Places

You don't always need a plane or a train, a hot air balloon, or a carriage to transport you...  You don't necessarily need to go through airport shenanigans, or passport hooplas...  Sometimes, if your imagination is being kind to you that day, all you need are a few collections to transport you long enough to make you feel like you really had a marvelous escape...

      

I know you are wondering, what's up with the felt balls?  In truth?  I just love them.  That's all.  They make me so shamelessly happy...

Those and some fuchsia dye, a little gold love over that, and maybe a little glitter.  Layer it on, while printing fabric...  That is all you need to begin your voyage through the secret keyhole, to another place...

      

I am a collector of those things which capture my heart.  I don't think it is a secret anymore ;)  My collections started at a young age.  Funny enough, the collections started with exotic treasures from far away places...

      

Sometimes, I wonder...  Have I really lived so many lives in one little lifetime??  And what an unusual teenager I must have been...  Collecting vintage saris...  Jewels, sculptures...  Sometimes, it really does feel like a lifetime ago... 

Until I find myself schlepping home new treasures to add to those collections ;)  Oops, same girl... Same lifetime...  Same people saying "What do you need that for?"  Same Dad's voice going, "What one earth???" (good thing he lives far enough away, that he doesn't see the half of it ;)

      

Most of my treasures are not with me in the country (the ones above are)...  However,  I do have enough with me today, to have a fun and colorful dress up fest...  Go ahead, choose one, let's play....

      

Being raised in and around Mexico, by parents who would take us traveling (trying new things ;), meant that what I thought was the norm (I came to find out in college), really wasn't the norm.  I mean, when the guy down the street paints his villa fluorescent cobalt blue, and noone flinches (because everyone else's is pink or orange), nothing is really what you think it is ;)  Normal doesn't even exist does it?  Hahaa...  That really is the wonderful realization!!

Then you take your friends from college home with you, and they call their parents to say, " you won't believe it, the guy down the street has a cobalt blue mansion.  And, her grandmother has all these statues, and we ate fried ants, and they eat spicy candy, with chili on it, and all the other houses are pink and orange and the men howl during their favorite songs, and her grandfather has tequila and worms for breakfast..."  You get the point...  I am standing there going, is that unusual?  hee heee....

Oops, I think I veered a bit above ;)  back to collections from around the world...

       

      

             

I graduated from the University of Arizona in 1999.  At that time, the program I was in encompassed some pretty heavy duty textile science classes (sadly the program no longer requires/nor teaches textile sciences).  They were very intense, very difficult, and in the end, invaluable...  They awakened the fabric passion in me...  Studying fabric history was incredible...  Equally fascinating was studying the fabric customs around the world...  From dyeing to weaving, to collecting fibers, and on and on...  Just astounding... 

      

      

          

Ever since then, I have been collecting old wooden textile printing blocks...  I have boxes full of them & lately, I have been playing with them on raw muslin...  I find that, if you lay your fabric over an open, giant dictionary, or some big thick book, your printing really does turn out nice with these... 

The book has just the perfect give, to allow the stamp to meld on.  On a flat hard surface, you get almost nothing...

      

      

      

I love being able to be transported without having to pack.  I love travel.  But, have done it less and less since traveling became what it is today.  The anxiety over the whole thing, is just the right amount, to get me to stay in and play with treasures instead... 

That way if all of a sudden, I get into my five year old self, and want to go home, I am already home ;)  Silly, but true (for me at least)...  Nothing like being in Budapest and deciding you want to go home, to Arizona, right then. ;)

Add a little music and some child-like pretending, and Bon Voyage, Buen Viaje, Kalo Taxithi, Buon Viaggio, Boa Viagem!  See you when you get back from your make believe voyage!!! 

I want details!!!  And a postcard!!  ;)

So, here's some music...  (Khaled was one of my favorites in college, below)  The girl in the video will make you want to play dress-up for certain... & paint!!

     

I say, get messy, and play!!  Pretend you are going anywhere on the map, and go, from the privacy of your own home ;)  Maybe even throw in a little culinary love from the region you will be visiting...  I think if you have little ones, this would be a bit of fun mixed with educational elements as well... 

I have some exciting new art supply treasures to share, that I think many of you will want to run out and get...  I will share them in the next post for certain...  Plus, I am three posts behind on other fun things I want to share...  Where does the time go????

      

Oh, I suppose, amusing yourself (as above) is where the time goes... ;)  See you sooooon! xoxo, V 

Innocent Until Proven Guilty... ( A Twist in Mouse Tales)

I was convinced that dreaded night was upon me.  You know the moment you plan for, reenact (if you are paranoid like me) and have all planned out.  That thing you'll do if you think an intruder is near... 

It is a seemingly gorgeous, peaceful night...  You are on your 15th dream, when...

      

All of a sudden, you hear a thud...  You reach for your scissors, your flashlight, your back scratcher, your remote control...  But all you can hear is your heart pounding...  You are frozen.  You go over the karate moves the guy at pottery taught you...  Was it aim with the left first, to throw him off?  Oh, how could you forget it all now??  You had almost put Mr. Lovee in the hospital the last time you practiced that move on him...

Another loud thud.  Oh no!!  What could it be??  You shake off your sleep...  Get re-combobulated.  Thud, Thud, Thud...   Is it the door to the outside from your private boudoir??  Thud, thud...  Ahhh, eeeeek, ackkkk, eeeep!!  Thud...  Oh no, it is coming from somewhere else?  But where???

From the wall??  You got it.  The furry creatures.  Back again... She was certain that there must be 1,267 mice waiting to Huff and Puff and knock her house down...

But wait.  This sounded like kicking...  Like, something bigger than a mouse...  Thud, Ahhhhhhh!! 

That is when it all changed.  The face of the intruder changed dramatically... 

      

And, what do you do?  When you have accused the wrong furry family?  It's not like you can say, oh sorry Mr. Mouse, my bad (details in last post)...  Her mind raced with thoughts...  Is that why the mouse traps were never tripped?  No signs of mice in the studio...  Just signs of something trying to get in.  Something aggressive.  Something that could knock down stairs? (okay, one stair face board, but still)

Could it really be...

      

Little Bunny Foo Foo and his pals??  No, come on??  Rabbit harrassment???  She assumed it was a mouse because, they did catch one once...  A round guy, that looked a bit like a hedgehog...  Not a rat, not an ugly thing.  A cute-ish little guy...  (That didn't change the fact that she didn't like them in her house or studio though) 

      

Those sweet floppety ears???  No way...  Couldn't be, I love bunnies!! (Miss Dees made the lovely bun bun below)

      

We were up all night...  Flashlights in hand...  And then, they emerged, early in the morning...  From a crawl space...  These little buggers!!

First two.  And I swear they were speaking some exotic language, and walking on two legs...  Talking about how they were going to get in the house...  Steal my shoes & mascara, make pancakes...  Take over my studio...  Make it big in Paris, by using my art supplies...  I think one was even smoking a cigar...  No, really, I am not hallucinating...  You have to believe me!!

      

And then there were 3...

      

I mean, these guys were royal meanies.  Could they really have it in them to be so mean??  Then she remembered... When her private boudoir was being built, some rabbits got in, and actually, would run and slam their feet into the screen door that used to be there before the real door came...  And once, they even broke through the door.  She found them inside...  Could they be the same guys???  Hmm, that was years ago... Who knows??

All she did know, was that these guys did most certainly emerge from the crawl space...  And that, there were many many more than usual scurrying around...

      

A bunny epidemic?  You be the judge...

I must say though.  For now it gives me a tiny bit of relief.  The whole tiptoeing around the thought of mice was getting very tiring...  Have you ever heard of rabbits being so aggressive??  Mr. Lovee nodded.  Like he knew it was the bunnies all along...  He found and sealed up their entry point today..  Boy oh boy, are they gonna be mad or what???

Well, anyway, getting closer to the real culprit is a good feeling...  And, being that it was an extra rainy day, meant that, baking felt like the perfect thing to do...

      

      

While those were baking, I ran around the yard in some crazy amounts of rain.  I mean outrageous rain.  I was beyond soaked, and I even took a video for you.  I will try to edit it and make it viewable.  If you are at all interested?  I dunnoooo....

      

      

The peach tree gets so heavy with all the water and the plump growing fruit, that it weighs all the way to the ground.  And our monster Agave looks huger than ever...

      

      

I almost forgot!  Look at this stunning huge hawk I saw this afternoon on a power line in our backyard...

      

       

      

All that goin' on outside while lovely scents wafted out from the inside...  Cakes.  I wanted to make my friend Sarah, a cake for her birthday (even though she lives in Iowa).  I had this perfect Mini 4-tier cake in mind.  But, I made a butter cake.  Which was so fragile, you could hardly frost it...  So, it didn't really work...  Sooory Foxy!  I had good intentions...  I had to share the photo because it is so pitifully funny...  Proof that my cakes won't always turn out like this ;) 

      

But the cupcakes frosted just lovely.  So, I had a party for one (me).  And toasted to my friend Sarah.  While also, throwing a welcome party for my two Sleepy Sam's, happily captured in Miss Emily's last originals shop update.  I love them Miss E!!

      

      

I like collecting art, as much as I like making art...  It makes my heart sinnnnng!!  ;)

So, that is where we are at in the Vanessa Valencia Saga...  Oh, by the way, I just looooved Cranford!!  As well, as the Forsyte Saga...  Have you seen them??  Totally different but just wonderful.  Cranford will charm your socks off!! 

      

In Mexico we have novelas.  Like American Soap Operas.  But more dramatic, and they actually end after a few months.  They don't go on for years ;)  Which is why I loved Cranford and Forsyte (just a few episodes from beginning to end.  Viewable in a weekend)...  Mombie always says, "thank goodness my novela is over, I am not getting hooked into another one again..."  But she does...  Because they do that to you ;)  I think one of her last ones was, Alborada.

Well, I best be off...  But before I go, I want to share some night time photos I took tonight. (click on photo to see the stars) 

      

I tricked my camera into taking them.  I used my tripod, and the manual setting.  Then I set the 10 second timer.  You see, normally, my big camera does not take night shots...  But, I have to say, I am sooo impressed by these.  They are so amazing.  The colors the camera picked up...  And I have to tell you, it was way dark when I took these...  Yet there is so much light in them...  I can't wait to try that trick again ;)

      

      

      

      

So there you have it...  Magical stars for extra outrageous dreams.... 

      

Tomorrow I hope to paint all day...  See you real soooooon!!  xoxo, V   

Of Mice & Rain...

This is a dramatized version of a kinda sorta true story (mostly true).  A little sensationalized for entertainment purposes ;)  It is a tail of what happened in the Enchanted Rainy Cypress Grove, while the girl spent a very busy week, mostly away from the studio.

      

As the book tells, the furry problems started years ago...

      

To bring you up to date...  An office addition was being built for the girl of this strange place.  The building was taking a wee bit longer than planned, and so, through an open bit of drywall, where plumbing was being done, furry creatures emerged.  Once a giant frog even visited (which was totally bizarre).  Creatures did not bother often.  But, when any sign of them was seen by the girl, in a word, she FrEaKeD.

The Mister had told her, that there was NOOOOO way that critters could be getting to her from said opening.  She begged to differ...  Sure he set a few traps (to appease her).  But he never got to see them or hear them, like she did...  All he could hear was her whining ;) (I won't go into what happened the day one did emerge for him to see, and the only one FrEaKiNg out, was him.  Don't tell him I told you that)

So, she put on her hard hat, and took things into her own hands.  She worked very diligently, with 5 rolls of tape and board and nails and glue, to make sure the furry friends could no longer enter her studio.  She couldn't wait for the plumbing to be finished in her new office, so that the lingering unfinished wall, could be drywalled shut, forever...

Soooo, as they say...  Much time passed, and the girl started to notice some disturbing signs...  Evidence that her enemies were back (maybe it was just one enemy).  But she did not panic. Yet...  She believed her territory was still secure... 

Fast forward to the week of July 7th.

      

The Cypress Grove was peaceful.  Giant raindrops brought in by the monsoon danced about...  But the girl, had to be in town most of the week.  Losing precious time with her friends (you), but also, well, this is where that old saying comes into play.  When the cat is away, the mice will play...  Noone, was left to be in charge.

She assumes that the mischief began occurring right after she started her treck down the hill, away from the grove...

      

She could almost hear them scampering, laughing, carrying on...

      

"Ha ha, you'll never find out how we are getting in, ha ha..."  She could almost hear them...  Now the little guy above is quite beloved...  But, remember, he is merely an actor, dramatizing a story ;)  Also, he has not a clue, that he is of the squeaking clan.  So let's not break his little heart...

Okay, back to the story...  So, one day, in this week of July 7th, when the girl arrived at the country abode, and walked into her studio, she found that the stairs, had one face board, pushed out...  And, that the nice wood, was mangled to bits in one corner, by little teeth... (Eeeeeeeeeeek!!!)

Well, you can imagine how that went down with her??  She was channeling Cruella de Vil on high alert at that point...  Now the Mr. Lovee man, was finally floored and astounded.  He immediately started a grueling process to reinforce & rebuild the stairs...  (thank goodness we didn't see any critters)  He said, "You know, we are in the country..."

I know...  But, "WHAT" she wailed???  Hands flailing in the air??  WHAT could they want from me????  Tears streamed down her distraught face.

      

I HATE them! Were words easily thrown about (and she didn't ever like to use the "H" word).  She had come unglued...  Finally the Mister saw her point.  He rubbed her shoulder, and nodded his head back and forth...

Then he said, "But Dovee, they love you.  Look at all the sparkles and ribbons and beautiful bits of paper on the floor.  You give them such a nice place to play in, and run about.  They think you are doing it for them..."

She glared at him, and grabbed the broom.  Within seconds, her studio floor looked like Mr. Clean had just visited...

After several hours, it was agreed upon that, there was no way they could ever get in again...  Not through the stairs at least... (I still ask how they managed to move a stair board?)  Mr. lovee thinks the stair board just fell out.  But, what with the teeth marks???  We have no cat or dog indoors...

      

So, she spent the next day in an OCD state of disinfecting (just in case).  Even though, the truth was, the signs of them were minor.  It really seemed like this was just them harassing her, because they could...

The next morning, there was another sign of something not good.  A little tiny wall opening (in one corner).  Something that had never been there before...  She yelled at the wall, "What do you want from me??  I have nothing for you!!" 

She was convinced the pesky rodentia, were simply after having a romantic evening in the Patisserie.  I mean, what else could they want???

      

While she was in town, Mr. Lovee sealed up the place like King Tut's tomb...  And he reassured her, that he was at a loss, because, there was no evidence (if you know what I mean)  that they had been anywhere in the place at all.  No signs...  Hmmmmm.  She lifted an eyebrow at the idea of those pesky guys...  A trick she mastered at age 3.

But, she thanked Mr. Lovee for all his hard work.  He was such a lovely guy...

      

Mr. Lovee assured her she was overreacting.  But, she was starting to believe that if it was her they were after, they would come into her private boudoir soon?  Perhaps, they were already plotting???  She lived in fear...  She began tiptoeing around...

      

      

      

Any little sound made her jump...  She would gasp...

Then, as she was looking for something to read one evening, she came upon a special book.  She had had this book for years...  Is this a sign??  No way!!  I will not say hello.  Mr. Lovee thinks, they think, I am like them??  The head Mammie?? (By the way, below is a real mouse book called "Say Hello, Vanessa."  Found at a vintage bookstore.  Can you believe it??)

      

      

Hahaha!!  I had to laugh outloud at this... So funny!! 

      

      

      

Well, I won't make you read the whole book ;)  But it is hilarious.  And, I don't mind being the mouse...  The friendless mouse ;)  I don't want any friends if they have to be real live mice...

For now, Mr. Lovee says I am 100% safe.  What do you think?  Should I trust Mr. Lovee Moose???

      

I guess I have no choice...  But, I will keep you up to date on that front...

Am I alone in this??  Does anyone have any furry stories to make me feel any better???  Miss M and I have shared war stories...  Please share any tails you may have (or have had)...

In other Arizona news...  Catalina has had so much rain, it is incredible.  It was cool here all day today.  Driving back to the studio from town, the sky was unreal again yesterday...

      

      

At 3 a.m., I was awakened by the most outrageous rain I have ever experienced.  It was so strong, and non-stop for hours...  One of you knows this is true, because there is e-mail proof I was up at that time.  I took a video of the rain at that time.  Here is a screen shot...

      

I know you are probably thinking, "Who cares about her rain."  :)  But, I will say, rain in Arizona is so beloved, I can never convey it...  I saw this down a street I rarely travel today...

      

So, that is the 411 in my neck of the woods.  I am so excited to catch up with you!!  The week has allowed me very little catch up time, so I am jumpin' in now!! 

      

And was on her way to your house ;)  xoxo, V

ps:  I made the wall decals out of thick black drawing paper, and double sided tape.  In case you want to put some designs on your own walls ;)  I hung the water drops from thread...

pps:  I did love this little guy though....

Unstructured Magic, Wild Muddy Abandon & Little Detours (long nature love story)

So, the planned post, is taking a nap for today, in order for me to share something else.  It has been a very strange week.  So, it was inevitable, that during a strange week (and it's only Wednesday) a person would be emotionally open to little messages, right?

      

I don't know if this happens to you (I think it does to all of us), but sometimes my little heart knows how to hear little messages...  It knows when it is time to stop, and take a giant breath, even if just for a few minutes...

      

Sometimes, you want to be silly, check out of daily life for a few hours,  maybe even play in a sea of beautiful felt balls... 

      

My felt ball "dealer" has decided that, if I don't buck up, she might report me to an agent at the FBA.  Felt Balls Anonymous.  And, I dare say, the last time I met her in a dark Italian restaurant, she warned me that the head BigFish is keeping her eye on me ;) Hahahaha!

      

Still, other times, a message might come to you so full force, the only thing lacking is the brilliant singing of angels... (case in point, photo below taken from my car, on a rainy day)

      

That is what I have really come to share today...  I was driving down the road, in the rain, (as we are in monsoon season of torrential rains right now).  I look to my left and what do I see?  Those heavenly clouds above...  You see, the monsoons are short lived, dramatic, and exquisite.  They come in, in the afternoon, and stir up all kinds of spectacular sights...

So there I was, minding my own business, and voila, huge billowing singing clouds to my left...  Then I look to my right and beauty, a rainbow is forming...

      

And I am like "Okay, I hear ya, I am feeling it, it's dramatic, I am listening..."  I know, that at this moment, it doesn't matter if I am in a skirt, or if I have to be somewhere.  This moment is speaking to me.  So, I keep driving, and realize, I have to stop.  I have to get out of my car.  It is pouring rain.  It doesn't matter.  I soak up every minute of this...

      

And if you look closely, what you can see, is that at the top, is another rainbow...  A double rainbow...  That moment was so magnificent and astounding.  We lost a family friend this week, and all I can hope for, is that she really is indeed, in a pain free, beautiful place, somewhere over the rainbow...

I stayed there under that rainbow for a very long time...  Then I hopped back in my car, soaked and completely in love with the moment.  I started to drive passed our little village fire dept., when the rainbow was calling me again...

      

So, I thought, you know, that rainbow doesn't look that far away.  I bet I could find the end of the rainbow.  I bet, I could live to blog about what magic, really is at the end of it... (ya, sure ;)

So, I didn't turn at the street that leads me to my country abode.  I proceeded down a huge long hill, and then turned north, driving for a bit...  I passed Miraval, and kept going.

      

I knew just what street I would have to turn on to get to that rainbow...  The street of a thousand mailboxes...

      

So, I turned there, and of course, I knew it...  The end of the rainbow was not far... I was determined to reach it...

      

Down the road I drove and drove...

      

Until I reached water?  LOVE it!!  Love it when the wash if full of water!!

      

Then, I realized, there was a bit too much water for me to attempt to cross...  I saw some guys on the other side, stuck in mud, while grading the road the old fashioned way...  I love rural living!!

I remembered that to the left was a vintage bridge...  Could it be braved??  I am not a risky kind of a girl though...

      

There was this cheek whispering, breeze kiss, kind of wind... You know, when the breeze kisses your cheeks, and dances in your hair...  There was a marvelous bird singing around me, with the most beautiful tune.  I walked over to the side of the bank to look upstream...

    

I sat there, loving every mere second.  I realized that, this is the moment I was supposed to revel in.  I thanked my heart for following the little messages that brought me here...

 

A couple trotted by on their horses "G'day lil' Miss" the man said as he tipped his hat...  Swooon, I love it!!

To the left the rainbow lingered as such...

      

And to the right, equally as beautiful...

      

      

I walked down a little hill, to get closer to the water... 

      

Rain and water in Arizona, are more than a good thing.  These are longed for moments...

      

Even if it is Chocolatey water ;)

I decided not to cross the bridge.  The gift of the rainbow and this lovely afternoon, was enough for my wee heart...  A hawk soared in the sky above, casting a huge shadow...  I knew it was time to go...  I had come this close to the end of the rainbow...

      

The sun was starting to set so beautifully to the west...  I just had to get home to see what kind of monsoon activity was goin' on there...

      

The dancing ladies were just tickled to be frolicking in the rain...

      

The view from our yard was spectacular...  I couldn't get enough of it...

      

The growing peaches were moist, and the mint was blooming...

      

      

My sweetie pooch asked me to play in the water with her...

      

She didn't have to ask twice...

      

      

      

And wait, is that a little prince swimming over there to the right??  Oh yes, Ribbit ribbiiittt!!!

      

Hi little friend!

      

And then, just as the day was at ridiculously wonderful nature love levels...  Mr. Lovee calls me over to see these little guys...

      

So, I get on the ground to try to bring you extra special shots...

      

      

And I have to tell you, the little girl below was quite nice, and wanted me to say Helloooo to you!  Well, she actually said, "Hey what's up?"  ;)

      

So, there you have it.  I lept into this nature filled day, and had such a lovely time.  And, thought to share it...  And also share that, sometimes, life can be insane, and we just have to take a detour...  Rebel against it all, and delve into that which is right in front of us...

      

And if your are lucky, you might go inside the house, to find that, there is a second chocolate stash, you hid so well, you forgot about it also... (upper left corner)

      

Now, really, I am losing my marbles right??  How could I have forgotten about two chocolate stashes???  (and how could I dream of showing you my mess ;)

Want one??

      

Oh you know what??  In the last post, Miss Gillian said, when she was a kid you might not find her at the cake and ice-cream table, but you would find her with her head in the potato chip bowl??  That was soooo me!!! hahahaaa!

Okay, I have so much other stuff to tell you.  I feel like I am behind in all my stories...  Don't I bore you silly???  You just let me know, and I'll get us some proper entertainment.  Heee heeee....  Call Mr. Depp, Donna is away for a couple of weeks!!

Oh it is raining again!!  Off I go!  Must play!! xoxo