A Fanciful Twist

Wallflowers...

I always did love being a wallflower, said one wallflower to the other.  Oh yes, said the other in agreement, it is quite mysteriously romantic...

      

Yes quite, agreed the others.  The things we get to see and hear, do delight...

 

Paper wallflowers.  A perfect alternative, compared to what the soil is offering in this increasingly scorching summer in my neck of the woods.  A summer so hot, it raises its wand and zaps all the gusto out of you in one fell swoop...

        

I made paper flowers like the ones I shared last week, along with a paper branch, and then double sided taped them to my wall.  I dream of extending the branches and flowers to cover my entire wall in different directions...

      

I know what you are thinking.  She is addicted.  She must be sitting in a corner hidden by piles of pretty papers stacked to the ceiling, crazy-eyed, popping gum balls and cutting like a mad woman.  Okay okay, you're right. 

 

Although, as long as you are brushing three times a day, I don't see how a few gumballs a day can hurt, right?  I'll tell you a funny thing.  Just yesterday, while talking to my Mom, I popped a giant gum ball into my mouth, and proceeded to chew and pop bubbles.  All of a sudden she stopped and said, why don't you call me after you are done chewing that... :) 

You want to know what the good thing is?  The good thing is that, if I were 10, she'd be saying, Vanessa, spit that gum out right away, you chew like a cow...  And now I get the, call me when you are done chewing like a cow treatment.  Gum chewing respect.  Ain't life grand?  I just love being a childlike adult.  Don't you?

Anyhow, where was I?  Oh yes, Wallflowers...  So, perhaps you will be sprouting branches and paper flowers on your wall, possibly maybe? 

      

I think you should just go for it.  Mombie has hinted that the paper flower chandelier would be a great gift for her birthday...

Speaking of gifts.

      

You-know-who, left me one sitting right on my reddish chair, for me to find as a surprise.  Sometimes, he gives me "commendations."  Like a gifted brooch that he pops out of his jacket pocket.  The whole commendation thing started with me doing things like, scrubbing the floor on my hands and knees until it is all sparkly, and him saying, "hey, looks nice."  The problem is, that phrase is never good enough for me.  So I always say, "you should commend me." (being silly of course)

Hence, his cheeky weekly commendations in the form of things a girl like me would like.  So, he does get brownie points for that. 

But this gift...

It takes the cake, really.

I know I agreed to live in the country, and mend and be dusty all the time, and fight the rodent population like Annie Oakley (not really).  But this is just...

        

He was at the office when I opened said parcel.  At first I was open minded.  Okay, this could be fun, thought I.  It goes with the wash tub he gave me last year I suppose...

 

But after 2.5 minutes outside, in 113' degrees of heat pain, I made a decision.  I like my electric washer and dryer.  Wait, let me re-phrase that, I LOVE my washer and dryer.  No need to get all 1909 in 2009.

Plus, I didn't like the bossy attitude of the creature overseeing my washboard duties...

 

So, I marched inside, and called the Mister.  "Umm Lovee, what's up with the washboard?" 

Isn't it great? he asks.

Ya sure, I say. 

He hears silence....

Then he chuckles and says, I got it to add to our instrument collection.

Ohhhhhhhhhh, heee heeee.

Thank goodness.  

        

With that, I say, Popsicle cheeeeeers!  That's the 411 round here.  Oh, I loved that song, remember that song by the Counting Crows?  That brings back tons of memories of university days...

Well, I best be off.  I have to pack because I am going out of town tomorrow to visit Mombie for a couple of days for her Birthday!  I spent all day trying to find light fixtures and fans for my office and room (for the exterior and interior).  I had no luck.  So, it's Mister Lovee and the electrician on their own tomorrow.  I hope I don't return home to some wacky lighting and fan love.  YIKES!  If it were up to Mister Lovee, he'd give me a light bulb and a pull string :)  (don't think I don't already live with one of those, cos I do)

♥,V

ps:  More parcel love sharing to come.  I promise ;)

pss:  Mister Lovee has informed me that, I can choose my fixtures later (if anyone has had success finding such things online, please let me know).  The electrician is going to do the scary wiring jobs tomorrow.  I was already envisioning my fan ;)  Something like my mannequin hand holding a hand held fan, mounted to the ceiling, operated by who knows what...

Summer Ensues + McClintock's + Kirei Nest

Hot summer days continue to drift in and out, from hot to hotter, and then back to hot again.  Nights are still very warm, but lovely as the midnight hour approaches...

      

I have so much to tell you that I am getting behind in what I can jam into one blog post.  I'll have to save some of my tales for next time.  I am still addicted to making the tin can-dle holders from the previous post.  They looked so pretty last night...

      

I even made a large one out of an old rusty paint can.  Perfect ambience lighting for our summer grilling adventures...

My basil, Chinese Parsley and rosemary are crazy plentiful.  Which inspires me to-

      

Throw together some summer salads to accompany our flame cooked dinner.

        

The air fills with the delicious aroma of grilled goods, as we stand around and chat, and get bitten by ants who share tiny jolts that make us dance around in spurts of pain... 

 

Why two little ole people have 3 grills puzzles me.  Alas, we choose a small one for our dinner, and then move on to sharing our melodies...

Me on piano, he on bass - not necessarily playing at the same time.  I go through a song book and improvise.  It's like, name that tune.  My favorite game.  Song after song, we laugh and sing.

      

I play some older tunes that I have never heard, but can play all the same.  I suppose that is the good thing about being able to keep time and read music.  I am not Liberace of course, but I am okay.  Although, my 4 year old self did not find amusement in forced piano lessons of the technical variety.  I am ever grateful for those unrelenting parents, who sent me to my piano teacher every year of life that I lived under their roof starting at age 4.  The piano is a huge part of who I am, and I can't imagine my life without it...

Anyhow, I am veering, big surprise ;)

I have oodles of things to share.  I started this post yesterday at 9 a.m., but all sorts of things have gotten in my way.  Yesterday was such a bizarre & random day.

Anyhow, I wanted to take you to a desert wonderland, before I forget.  Would you like to come along?  I hope I don't bore you on my wee visits to places...

It was a surprise of sorts.  Mister Lovee said we were going to a place in the Tortolita mountains. Truth be told, I think these mountains get totally taken for granted...

 

As we drove and drove, we came upon a tunnel...

The sky was holding buckets of water that it would splash on the earth sporadically. 

  

Through the tunnel we ventured, and emerged to the sight of a desert wonderland... 

 

Right outside the tunnel was a huge windmill, and tiny signs of human life here and there.  We came upon a stone cottage. 

 

Guards would not only approve us going through the gates, we were to be escorted by a little white SUV to our destination...

 

In to Saguaro Ranch we went, driving for what seemed like forever...

 

But it was a good forever because the view was incredible...

   

Caves in boulders and Saguaros everywhere...

 

As we approached a building, giant clouds started drifting rapidly towards us.  The building said, "General Store."  How charming I thought...

 

I turned to my right and saw the city lights start to twinkle.  Rain poured down on us...

   

A gorgeous girl appeared by my window holding the hugest umbrella I have ever seen in my entire life.  It was a black Mary Poppins style umbrella, only it was 5 times the size of a standard large umbrella.

She was ever so kind and greeted me, then took me on to the patio, while a young man went out with a monster umbrella for Mister Lovee...

   

As I stood there, people swarming me, asking me if I wanted a cocktail, etc. etc. I thought - "You know, even if it is just once a year, everyone should take an evening of enchantment and go out and be treated like a princess."   

I am one of those people that would choose my garden over a night out on the town.  I was sooo glad Mister Lovee dragged me out.  My soul needed a little of this, and I didn't even know it...

We went inside and took our cozy places.  We were the only people there, as it was early, around 6 p.m.

 

The rain was just the perfect icing on the cake...

   

There was a fabulous bar that I didn't photograph.  There was also a cigar bar, where fellas came in and chose a cigar, then went outside to smoke and have drinks on the patio.  

Mister Lovee was being very pushy, in a nice way, for me to order anything I wanted.  What a funny little character I thought...

 

We had calamari as an appetizer (which was piled beautifully on the plate in the shape of a fish) and so much other delicious stuff.  Our entrees were beyond words.  I had to take most of mine home.  Our dinner was incredible, and I got to enjoy it the next day...

 

In between courses we escaped outside to just stare...

 

The gentleman who took care of us was called BJ (or was it DJ?).  He was delightful and took us onto the roof before dessert...

   

On the roof there is a huge grilling area, with a more casual fare for families with children.  Burgers and such.  And of course, more views...

 

It was a lovely time indeed.  Poor Mister Lovee got stuck eating two desserts (I had a couple small tastes), I just couldn't muster one more bite.  But I will tell you, the crème brûlée (my fave in the world) was better than anywhere on the planet.  And I thought I already had my favorite crème brûlée place.

The second dessert was berries tossed in pepper, inside a fried tortilla, atop some sinful ice-cream, then drizzled in a vinegar that has been cooked so long that it turned into a chocolaty syrup.  You couldn't even taste the pepper or the vinegar at all.

 

A glorious evening...

   

The music was fantastic also - It was a night to remember, and a night I didn't want to come to an end...

The place?  McClintock's in Saguaro Ranch. Truly a magical experience...  A wonderful place for Tucson and Marana to cuddle under its wings...

And, since were are on the topic of fun places in the Tucson Area - have you been over to visit the lovely Nicole at Kirei Nest?  She lists all sorts of places with fun shopping spots, gift ideas and cozy retreats.

She asked me to do a little tid-bit on Tucson so, here is a list of Welcome Basket Ideas. You can also find a list of places around Southern Arizona that will knock your socks off (I hope).  If you can't see the pictures on the above links, click on Nicole's main site and scroll down to "Locale Lovelies: Arizona {Tucson}, Part Two" - the pictures will be there.

Well, I guess that's all the food for thought I have for now.  There are little faces waiting for me...

Paint me, paint me....

       

Much more, very soooooon ;) :)  Along with more parcel love.  OH HOW I adore parcels!!  I hope you are all doing wonderfully ♥

♥,V

Love Bugs in a Can-dle holder {Fireflies, Gone Green}

The monsoon season is bringing beautiful rain these days.  With the rain, come all sorts of bugs.  I love bugs.  As the sun goes down, I plug in my fairy lights in the great big old mesquite tree, and wait for all sorts of bugs to surround me and the lights.  They land in my hair and on my shoulders. 

Frogs gallivant around, stunning me time after time with their super long tongues.  I dream of fireflies... 

I search for them day after day, with no luck...

 

In a place where water in nature is more than sparce, droplets from the sky are beyond beloved.  They collect in giant puddles, with just enough water to splash in...

  

The cacti are ever thankful...

        

   

The rain drops cool off the evenings, making bug loving quite comfortable under the light of the moon.  The land becomes almost mystical and magical...

 

Bugs hide in trees and weeds, as the garden starts to need a haircut...

 

As the sun goes down on another rainy summer day, I prepare for my firefly search, yet again...

  

I make wishes in mirrored puddles...

Still, no fireflies.  I sleep with the thought of butterflies and other winged insects flying around me.  Last week, after a long night of dreams, I awoke to find someone sharing my bed. 

      

Someone with delicate wee wings.  Someone who had gone off to bug heaven, and made his last stop in my white fluffy bed...

        

        

I put his precious lifeless body in a little glass box.  The tiny winged sharer of my dreams... 

      

That night I sat on the front stoop with Franky the frog, Baby the dog and bugs, ever so many.  I was wishing to be graced by the dance of the fireflies.  Just then, a funny orange and brown beetle bug landed in the arch of my foot, between my foot and my sandal.  It seemed to be glowing? 

      

Could it be?  I wasn't sure.  I carried him around, then put him gently in a plant.  I decided right there and then, I was going to have to take firefly magic into my own hands.

 

I went in the kitchen when it hit me! I quickly emptied a can of peaches for a snack, into a glass jar.  Took my can, glued paper on it, and found some tools...

An ice pick and a hammer should work just fine I thought...

 

I waited for the paper and doily pieces I glued onto my can to be fully dry.  I used white craft glue to glue on the papers. (my goal now is to rust a bunch of cans outside)

Then I drew a winged bug onto my can (avec swirly cue accents) with a sharpie, and followed my drawing to determine where to punch holes into my can by holding my ice-pick to the can's surface and hammering the top of the ice-pick handle. (I sandwiched my can between some books and an anvil to hold it in place.)

      

I made two holes in the upper sides, so I could run a wire through and make my can hangable.  I put a few shells through my wire, and glued some old buttons to my new can-dle holder.

      

Firefly magic in your garden is right at your fingertips.  And who knew, it's really a "green functional art project" too. Imagine lots of these hanging from trees, especially for a garden wedding?

       

You could even use coffee cans for bigger can-dle holders, and stamp in (with your ice pick) the initials of a bride and groom, or stamp in anything for any party or event.  FUN!

      

From the moment I decided to make this, to the time I was finished was less than half an hour.  Of course, you could get fancier with your can.  I just kinda put it together really quickly.  But the ideas are endless!

 

And there is a HUGE bonus.  Beautiful firefly twinkly lights on your walls!  I am going to hang a bunch of these in my bathroom, and light them for an evening bath...

 

Thanks to a few cans, we can now have firefly magic swirling around us any ole time. 

Maybe one day I will be as lucky as this little gal...

 

For now, I must go to work.  Being a full time artist is harder than I thought it would be.  It takes huge (HUGE) amounts of discipline.  I have oodles of treats I am working on, and must get in there and finish them once and for all...  I think I need to play some Devo, and cr-ack that art whip... 

♥,V

ps:  Miss Kylee sent me the best wedding video the other day that is rapidly making oodles of people smile.  If you have not seen it, it's fun!

Art Skates {refurbished}

A little known fact about me is that, somewhere around 1981 there was one place and one place alone that you could usually find me at.  You could stop in for a shirley temple (with extra cherries) or you could join me in a roller dance.  Whatever the case, you could meet up with me for philosophical chats and wheeled twirls any old day at none other than the local skating rink. 

I was 5 years old ;)

 

I had roller skating costumes galore, and a few pairs of skates.  I was a roller skating munchkin.  Life was xanadu and roller skates...  (I can't wait to look for my roller skating photos when I am at the family home next week)

         

All was bliss until an older girl going super fast backwards, knocked me over and I skid the length of the roller derby on my chin.  Burned/skinned chins can wipe roller skating love right out of you, I tell ya...  I promptly turned to ice skating, although I am not quite sure where the logic in that was.... 

      

I did actually continue to roller skate, just not at the roller skating rink.  I didn't feel like I could trust the other skaters :)  It makes me giggle, to think of a 5 year old with lack of faith in her fellow roller skaters...

I woke up this morning with a vivid memory of these crazy roller skating twirls I used to do.  I did get roller blades when that was all the rage, alas, the brake in the back and me didn't mix.  I am a front brake kind of a girl.  I roller skated a lot in junior high and high school late at night in our tiny downtown...

When I met Mister Lovee he got me a pair of roller skates for 5 bucks at a rummage sale.  They had purple wheels, which weren't my favorite. 

Just today, I decided maybe I could get more done with my day if I did my chores in roller skates? 

I decided to paint my purple wheels pink.  I mixed whites, pinks and reds until I found the perfect shade...

 

A little acrylic paint and some varnish did just the trick.  I didn't varnish the part of the wheel that hits the ground though (only the outsides), because for some reason that didn't seem like a good idea...

 

I traded purple laces for pink vintage ribbon & could not resist a little flower love...

       

A little doily action, and we're off...

        

This was just a spur of the moment, on a whim, thing I did.  But, as I glued the doily on I thought, I could really go crazy embellishing these bad boys.  I am definitely keeping my eye open for another pair...

Mister Lovee threatened to pad me in toilet paper.  "Ummm, Dovee, please wear knee pads..." he said.  To which I responded, are you kidding, didn't you know I was a roller skating champion?  Of course, I was telling a white lie, and being cheeky.  As soon as I said the words, I knew I had jinxed myself and would be plastered face first, to the floor...

Still, I strapped the wheeled boots on and...

      

I started with a few tiny skating moves around the studio, yikes!  I had not roller skated in at least 8 years. 

         

I then went up a few stairs (in the skates), got my camera, went outside, came back, and tried a twirl.  Not too shabby...

        

Just then, Sally Field was standing right in front of me.  Was I dreaming?  I could hear her saying, "I've got this one body and this one life..."  You know from the Boniva commercial.  And then I was really freaked out.  

I don't feel old or rickety, but I realize, I really do only have this one body :)

Are my bones strong enough?  What if I have one of those falls like I did when I was a kid?  Where your tooshie hits the ground so hard that your cranium feels like it's going "boy yoy yoy yoinnnng."

What to do?

I skated around a little more and decided there was a much better place for these bad boys.  At least until I drink 24,000 gallons of milk.  I can't remember the last time I had milk, oh me oh my!  But I do eat yogurt and cottage cheese, so I guess that counts right?  Oh, and I had a giant ice-cream cone last week too ;)

      

I intend to roller skate more and more, so I best get some padded gear...

      

For now, we'll just put these whirly wheely gigs over here...

   

All safe and sound.

        

I think maybe you should decorate a pair of roller skates for yourself.  Whatta'ya say???  Oh please do, I would love to start an art skate photo page.  What fun would that be??

Well, as you can see, I did none of my chores today, and ended up playing with skates.  Darn, the skates were supposed to help me get my chores done quicker, silly me...

After I listened to Xanadu today I got stuck in Olivia Newton John Land.  It is so surreal the way time passes by so quickly, isn't it?  I think I'll listen to a little Toto while it rains (which will lead me to Men at Work and on and on), since I am on a blast to the past... 

♥,V

 

ps:  Parcel love sharing today is from Miss Lovely Lulu Kellogg of Coastal Sisters.  Such a super sweet gal!!  Thank you Miss LULU!!!

       

pss:  You can't imagine how many movies I have seen that I would love to share.  But it would be sorta silly for me to list them all :)  Inkheart was lovely!  I am watching the Mad Men series annnnd, I just saw a lovely documentary called, The Cats of Mirikitani.  I loved it.  It reminded me a little bit about my life twists with my friend Dino.  I am truly a non-fiction kind of girl.  Real life stories can be so incredibly moving.  I also watched A Man Named Pearl for the 3rd time.  I just love it. 

psss:  Cute roller skating video...

It's raining, I gotta get outside.  Can't miss a rain dance my friends!  xoxo, V