A Fanciful Twist

Tea Tales...

Every afternoon of every day, 3 or more women gather by the wood burning stove at my Grandma's house.  The tales fly back and forth.  "Did you hear about the ghost horses that appeared to warn the people..."  In spanish, words flutter & ladies gasp, sipping and adding to the stories or telling their own...

As the stories heighten in salaciousness, biscuits are brought to the table.  Coffee is no longer good enough on its own, for the growing tales...

 

"Lemon tea cookies," interjects my Grandma, as everyone continues chatting.  I call my Mom (our 500th chat of the day), where are you? I ask.  "I am having coffee at Grandma's."  Oh, okay, I say, call me after you leave.  Then everyone hollers, Hi Vanessssssssssa, as my Mom hangs up...

So, for today I say, I am having our own tea/coffee hour to share a tragic tale of the true variety, regarding a beautiful woman who has inhabited the country space (as has her sister) as long as I have...

You see, this dark haired beauty, is often a somber sort.  She sits by the window, pondering and churning her plight in life in her head.  All the while, the curtains drawn...

      

I saunter in, "why do you have to sit in the dark?"  she ignores me.  "I just can't believe that such a beautiful girl would have any problems, what could possibly make you sad?"

Still, she ignores me...

I open the curtains.  This goes on day after day.  She has beautiful clouds to look at.  Look, I say, you can get lost in such clouds...

 

Still, not a peep uttered.

She wears my jewels, flirts with Mister in her silent somber way, and still, won't give me the courtesy to utter one tiny word...

I gasp, as I stand looking out the window.  My beloved wild rabbit baby is munching, and her two brothers are playing in the distance.

 

   

Still, no reaction from the dark haired beauty... 

Madness ensues in the yard, as one of the rabbits (who taunts his siblings often) stands up on two legs, put his thumbs in his ears, and does the "na na na na na naaaaaaa" to his brother...

 

I stub my finger on the window glass, "Did you see that?" I ask her.  

No words.

She just stares on...

        

Please, I ask, tell me what I can do for you?  You seem so sad...

Then she let's out a faint whisper.  You'd be sad too, if someone left your legs and arms outside for 2 months...

 

Ooooops, my bad.  I try to apologize, when she let's out a long sigh and says, I suppose it could be worse...

"I could be in Miss Hall-Borchert's shoes..."

Then she shoos me away, telling me to go Through the Secret Keyhole if I want details.  She is done speaking. 

      

I fill up my cup, and offer you more of whatever you are having ;)  Do you see what I have to put up with?  Separating bunnies, and mannequins with attitudes...

Oooops, another bunny brawl ensues!!  Those lil' rascals!  See you soooooon!!!

Oh and, to note again, I have deactiavted my regular blog roll, ONLY during this Mad Tea Party Season.  I will activate it again about a week after the tea party ;)  There was just a tad too much confusion in my sidebar.

♥,V

ps:  When I find a mannequin, I always bring her home and redo her face painting myself.  If you find one, try it, you can always make them much prettier than they look, eyelashes and all.

pss:  Thank you for all the well wishes and tips ( I love those tips & so does my Mammie)!!  The germs didn't get me 100% (thank goodness), and I have been drinking a lot of ginger, garlic, honey, & lemon tea.  Mister Lovee makes it for me, he has been drinking it his whole yoga health nut life, and never gets sick.  I bet I smell like a flower :)  Although, when you boil the garlic, it loses some harshness and gets much sweeter.  My noodley factor is diminishing, Yippppeee!

psss:  I saw Moving Midway and loved it!!  I am going to watch it again.  I saw it instantly on Netflix, right on my computer monitor.  I just turned the monitor towards the devan and relaxed...

pssss:  I forgot to say, I think the beatboxing championship starts today?  Either way, we are for Julia Dales, we love her!!  Last night, I hid and tried to beat box (don't tell anyone).  I almost fainted and now I have sore parts of my face that I didn't know could get sore ;)   (UPDATE: she won!!! )

Life is Like a Paper Flower...

I have no idea why this post is titled as such.  But maybe it's true?  I have been going, going, going, and this afternoon my body said, WAIT, slow down.  Read a little, relax a little...

 

But my brain said, hang on I still want to do this and this and this...  And guess what?  I am here typing so I guess I have not totally listened to my body yet, but I will as soon as I get a few minutes with you ;)

Oh and, before I forget, remember the dolls that were in the cover story of Art Doll Quarterly magazine in the fall? 

 

They are back in my shop.  They have been on so many journeys, and quite frankly, after all their excitement with shows and magazines, they are just over me completely for putting them in giant bell jar.  Their magic vibes are bursting at the seams...

 

    

They want to keep having enchanting voyages, maybe with you?  Anyhow, you can find them in my shop ;)  In my shop is the only place I have offered them for sale to date...

As for me and paper flowers.  I hate to admit this but.  I feel kind of funny.  Like, a tad achy, a tad not myself.  OH NO!  I have not had a real cold in 2 years.  I hope to all hopes I am not getting sick.  I am the saddest sick girl on the planet, I don't like it one lil' bit, not one lil' bit I tell ya...

This afternoon, I sat on the edge of my bed for a moment feeling a little noodley, and then I felt this intense delightment surrounding me. 

 

Could it have been fairies?  That or I have increasing nutcake tendencies...

 

I peeked out the window looking for signs...

 

There is something about the sun setting and glimmering through the trees that is positively holding my heart captive these days.

The other day, under that very tree I see through my window, Mister Lovee and I stood, his arm around me.  I said, I never want this (this meaning this pleasant love and life we are having) to end.  He squeezed me tight, and both of us let a tear slowly roll down our cheek...  How did we get so darn sentimental, sheeeesh ;)

(nevermind the wood post)

 

What can I say.  It is a simple, happy little life.  Amazing what kind of life a person can have when they let go of expectations, and just embrace things in the very way that they are...

      

As I end my day cutting paper flowers I notice that Mister Lovee and I kind of look like these two, haha!

 

So, I hope I don't get sick.  I hope, I hope, I hope...  Wait, don't I need ruby red slippers clicking while I say that?

My Fairy Manny Godfather (Godfather?) just walked in with ginger, oranges, garlic and a chicken, and soup (I was having pitiful veggie soup when he said he'd be right home with real lovely goods).  Soooo, wish me luck...

Got any super duper secrets to avoid getting sick when you feel a slight wind of it coming your way?

I have had a hearty dose of vitamin C, soup, water, juice...  I think I have some Airborne somewhere...

See you soooooooooon!

♥ ,V

ps:  Wonderland has been ringing my door bell, the party is one month away, still lots of time for anyone who wants, to sign up...

 

I can't wait, I send crescent moon dreams your way, for your party planning ;)

(click on images for better view)

   

pss:  I am still listening to Tori Amos' new album, and I think I am falling in love with Maybe California...  The lyrics, all their wishes...

psss:  My fresh honey, garlic, ginger tea is now served, eeeeeeps! (Mister's secret remedy)

Seeing the Trunk Half Full...

It feels like summer.  Happy warm (or hot) days.  Outrageous clouds, popsicles, mangos, pineapple, oranges, thin clothing, flip flops, wild hair.  Last night I crawled into bed, my windows open, and the sound of crickets and frogs and night brought me such peace...

      

My private lil' boudoir in the country feels so fresh without all those books in that huge bookcase right by my bed.  I moved all the books and the bookcase to a new space.  Took them all out, put them all back in.  Then took them out again, and put them in a half bookcase that was at my in town office.  I am like a little creature, repeating the same tasks over and over.

Soooo, as you heard over the weekend, I visited a super fab yard sale right down my street...

Thank goodness there are still people out there who see no value in the things I love, like peeling paint handles on old tools...

       

"Oh Lovee look, I squeal."  The yard sale keeper says, you like those?  Oh yes, I say.  She looks at me perplexed. 

       

I leave happy with good priced items to add to my blue glass...   

      

I return the next day, because the yard sale lady tells me she will be adding items to the sale on Sunday.

You see, I didn't realize she was having this yard sale for someone else.  For a very very very old woman who lives in California.  Like 104 years old.

Hence, the reason I got the fab trunk for 5 bucks on Saturday.  I saw it, I said I must have it, and her son put it in my car.  I never opened it or anything.  But, on Saturday night, before Mister and I went to my office to pack a few things I wanted for my almost finished office in the country, I had to take the trunk out of my car. 

That is when I realized, I had been graced by fairy thriftventure magic.

You see...

         

The trunk was more than half full, of treasures! Literally.  Who knew???

 

Can you imagine my surprise?

    

Wooden spools, letters, old wrapping paper, vintage linens!  Fainting...

 

 

   

I am so in love with these sweets I found in this trunk.  I wish I could tell the owner how much I will love and cherish her trunk filled with precious junk.  Not junk to me at all...

Ruby's trunk...

   

I was smitten.  Then I curled up with a little catalog that amused me to no end, so I took lots of pictures for you.  Although, I am sure you have run across lots of these catalogs before.  I just love them.  And actually, I adore the Vermont Country Store for their catalogs that you can still order wonderful vintage like stuff from...

Anyhow, here is the catalog that was in my treasure trunk.

 

Boy did I laugh...

   

Tiny ice-cube maker ( I want that!) and better than a husband zipper thingie...

   

Bouffant Tease Brush!!  Woo hoo!  ;)

   

Extra Eyes for rear vision! We need those!

   

Disposable party aprons!  Because washing them is so hard?  Oh and, we have sooo many parties, you know, mixers to mingle (not really)...  My parents used to have tons of those.  Remember those tumblers with the gold edge, men holding them, clanking scotch on the rocks?  Ice Buckets...  Hors d'oeuvre trays??  Oh the memories...

   

A corselette!  Makes you 4 inches thinner at your waist.  Never mind that you can't breathe, who needs to breathe?  ;)

  

   

A mirror for your bird to preen himself???  Can birds use mirrors?  I had no clue - oh and it plays music too???

        

Oh this could go on for days.  A remote control, a super add-a-matic, a perfect meat ball maker - but just look at those prices...

 

   

   

   

As you can tell, I was entertained by this catalog ;)  After which I played with the treasures in the little aqua box I brought home from the same sale...

   

I am a happy girl!!

   

I got more treasures from the same sale the next day too...  It was a lucky sale to find right in my neighborhood.

 

Summerish long weekend days also bring things like Mister Lovee seeing me taking cloud pictures and racing over to bring me a ladder for better shots to the west...  See that little radio, it is always with him on mornings and weekends.  NPR 24/7 all the time.  It is usually in his shirt pocket, so he can never hear you.  I had gotten one for him and one for me 7 years ago, but he owns both of them now...

   

Anyhow, I was able to take my cloud photos... (from the most wobbly ladder on planet earth)

        

   

The sun began to set quickly after I took these cloud photos, and thanks to Mister Lovee's little radio, we got to dance to a little Bix tune as the sun was setting...  We compared our best flapper moves ;)

 

Just in time to say goodbye to a beautiful summer day...

 

Mister Lovee and I don't really drink, ever, but after the lovely sunset, we wanted to sip our Sofia minis.  We still have not ;)

      

In Mexico it is custom to give "recuerdos" after an event like a baptism, or a graduation of any kind, or a wedding or a confirmation, etc.  Which is a little memory/memento of the event, with an engraved metal/or embossed fine paper tag with the name of the person and date.  People go all out with outrageous "recuerdos" in my town (the town I grew up in, but do not live in now).  

My sister wanted to give a simple spunky little recuerdo to her friends at her graduation dinner, so she gave everyone a Sofia mini.  We have been meaning to try ours.  I know, I am behind in the times.  We might never get around to it though ;)  Maybe next weekend...

I have a project to finish for tomorrow, and I am working on a painting for a special gal, and a super fun project with my friend Roo, who I met through the blogosphere, who is starting her blog.  She is so clever, you will love her!!

 

More about all of this fun stuff next time ;) 

Did you have a delightful weekend???  Are you getting excited for the Mad Tea Party??  The list is full of fun people, and like I said, I disabled my regular blog roll while the Mad Tea Partier list is up.  After the party, I will bring it back.  It was just getting a little confusing in my sidebar ;)

I feel like I am forgetting something.  But, since I already have a super long blog post going here, I am going to duck out for now before you give me the boot, xoxo

So much more, sooooooooooon!

♥ ,V

Life Through a Pin Hole?

Or maybe it should be, life through a keyhole?  Sometimes, I find the concept of internet spaces to be so amusing because it can feel much like watching lives through a pinhole.  So much goes on in a person's life, so many facets, but we focus in on one (or a handful) for a blog post, and voila, that becomes the recorded moment...  A representation of a life.  Fun, wacky, wild, somber, sparkly, whatever it is becomes part of the reel.  Often it keeps us going back for more.  Like a novela.

It is fun to watch, which is probably why we peek into the sharing of others and take part in sharing bits of our own world.  It's fun!

      

So, in my pinhole in time, I went to the city house early yesterday, while I waited for a friend to have a medical procedure ( I was her driver).  It was still raining.  We never have day long rain.  Ever.  3 days of nonstop drizzles, unheard of.  This is so wonderful.  The plants are just loving it.  

My courtyard at the city house is full of beloved green growing creatures.  The ferns above, were given to me in tiny little plastic containers.  Tiny 99 cent ferns.  3 of them.  I planted them, and they took off.  Aren't they happy ferns?  

The garden only gets morning sun and I think the plants love that because, this has been one madly thriving space since I started planting in it...  A dirt filled garden, open to any budding offerings, that kept me company during early twenties emotional quests.  It filled voids and thoughts.  It grew, and as it grew so did my heart and mind...

But that's a whole other story.

Sooo, as I waited for my friend in the early morning hours, I played in my closet.  I wanted to grab my vintage boots that were a gift from Mister Lovee circa, ages ago.  But that lead to something else...

      

You see, I was in highschool in the early nineties.  I got residual 80's fashion mixed with a small town that had a mind of its own regarding fashion trends.  So let's see, I guess you can say, it was 80's mixed with discothèque chic, sprinkled with rocker girl and a tiny teensy hint of grunge, and then tied with a Mexican television soap (novela) + European twist ribbon.

What does that leave you with?  Well, for discothèque nights at least, you got monster rhinestone earrings...

 

So, I did get sucked into a bit of that, but I threw in my own retro + vintage + romantic love into the mix...  And guess what?  I still have almost all of it.  Including giant tree stump platforms from the seventies that I got for 25 cents in 1992.  Oh, and I also raided my grandmother's stash of fab late 60's wear when I ws a teen, but I can't find a lot of it.  Nevertheless, I do have other vintage garments readily available...

 

I looove old vintage sweaters/cardigans.  This one is lovely in person, but it is getting very fragile...

   

In my highschool days, the spaces in the mall that now hold J.Crew, J.Jill and Banana Republic, used to house shops like Contempo Casuals, Judy's & Dolly's.  Do you remember any of those? 

I still have an abundance of proof that those shops existed -

 

I guess crosses were all the rage back then.  I still have all of mine, including a jeweled 6 incher.  And, I still love them...

        

My Mom suggested I take some of my highschool graduation pictures in a black spaghetti strap palazzo pant jumpsuit and giant star earrings covered in crystals, that were bigger than my head.  She said it would be a cute memory of the times...  Oh, it's a memory alright ;)

        

Playing dress up or hair do's is fun, but it is exhausting.  I used to have to pay my sister to play dress up with me when we were kids.  She was a toughie...  She would always escape and hide if I needed to go raid my Mom' stash and get another can of Sebastian extra hold hairspray or Aussie scrunch spray.

Oh speaking of dress up, in a quest for a certain Margiela boot, I came across A Sea of Shoes.  It seems I am the last shoe/fashion lover on the earth to know about Jane (Jane Aldridge).  Her Mom, Judy is a former model and an interior designer.  She has a vintage shop online...  I l-o-v-e Judy's dining room...

 

Anyhowwwww - this is the 80's residue + early 90's disco drawer.  Am I scaring you?  I scare myself ;)  I tell you, I have lived 10 lifetimes in my little life...  The only thing catches me by surprise is when I am called Ma'am.  Or is this the part where, you think you are still a kid but you are a full blown adult on the outside?  Someone warned me that would happen ;)

C'est la vie ;)  I'll take anything, Ma'am, Miss, Lady, anything, as long as I am alive and having a blast!  Woo hoooo!!  And, aren't we having a blast?

Yes, we are!  Even though there is a little guilt after a bit of this.  Poor lobstah.  My friend wanted lobster after her procedure.  Can you believe it?  And after what she had been through, I said of course, lobster is just what we need!!  I have to admit, it was delightful.

      

I was trying to help her crack her lobster because she was too weak to do it herself.  Just as I started to help her, a lobster claw flew out of my cracking tool, up into the air and landed on the floor.  We giggled so much.  I am still giggling about it.  Her lobster was huge and strong, mine was dainty and easy to crack...

We were such a mess after that...

What a day that was.  I returned to the country house, where life is polar opposite to the city world.

      

15 rabbits greeted me into the shoeless tale filled world that I so love.  Cool breezes billowed my skirt and kissed my cheek, reminding me that this is where my heart lives...

        

A place where a man-boy fills my radio flyer with flowers...

   

Feeds birds out of the palm of his hand...

 

And, puts up with me wanting to listen to the new Tori Amos album, and slow dance grooves with me, cheek to cheek when I find a song I like.  Fire to your plain...  While I explain to him that you can't listen to Tori expecting what she did in the past.  You have to treat her new music as if you just met her...  I have been listening to her since 1992, and she has changed vastly, but I still keep an open mind...

After which, he plays a few tunes for me himself...

      

Oh and by the way, Mister Mad Hatter Lovee, dressed himself for the Mad Hatter photo shoot.  He is a real mad man, I tell ya.  I don't have to con him into anything.  He actually has helped me break out of my shell in some ways.  If he had had his way, the photos shared would have been madder than I was willing to display ;)

Today brought a super wonderful yard sale down a dirt road, a street across from my street...

 

And lots and lots and lots of treasures, yipppppeee!!

        

So, my treasure desire is fulfilled for the week.  I spent all Friday night, moving my entire bookcase to the other side of my room.  So, havoc ensues in my boudoir.  Helpers?  Elves?  Anyone?  ;)

Tomorrow I paint all day...

Oh, and on my photos, since many asked.  I am using photoshop, and since I have never taken a photoshop class, I am kind of winging it, playing with layers and gradients, and making filters and borders myself.  It's so addicting!!

I suppose I best be off, I am going into town now, to my old office to bring stuff to my office at the studio.  It is almost done, thank goooodness!! (yes I still have a bit of a double life, can you believe it? I can't.)

Oh and, if you want to see two good movies.  The Railway Children, just wonderful! And Miss Austen Regrets.  I netflixed them.  I also saw The Station Agent which I enjoyed...

Okay, I have rambled for days... off I go!!  Tons of lovely wishes to you!!

♥ ,V

ps:  Tea Party Madness is seeping in.  The list is in my right hand sidebar, and you can still sign up with plenty of time ;)  I am going to disable my regular blog roll until after the party, then I will able it again, so it isn't so hard to decipher the lists....