A Fanciful Twist

The Mad Hatter & Me {A Tale of Whimsical Adventure}

In continuing the tale of where the Hat, the cupcake and the Mad Hatter led me, I shall remind of the day I "borrowed" the hat, offered a cupcake for any hat related inconveniences, and was coaxed into a stay in Wonderland by the Mad Man himself.  (Oh and, might I hint at the existence of a wee film at the end of this tale...)

    

So there he was, pondering the happenings of Wonderland on the day I snuck his hat back into the garden.  He seemed like he had something very very important on his mind...

    

He had just returned from a grand voyage, and I was peeking through the trees, watching...

   

I noticed some sparkles appearing around him - magic for certain.  I heard the fairies in the trees whispering something about, an enchanted tea party on his mind...

    

Just then, he heard a noise.  It was me crunching the leaves on the ground while I was spying...

    

He quickly spun around, and spotted me!

    

So, I emerged from behind a tree and introduced myself, bowing my head and curtsying...

    

Whilst offering a grand cupcake, and attempting to scurry off...

    

But, the Hatter insisted I stay...

    

He spoke of a treasure, a gift that he had chosen just for me while on his voyage...

    

For me? I asked...  "But sir, you don't even know me...?"

He replied, "Why, of course I know who you are, my pretty..."

He reached out in his enchanting manner, urging me to not be afraid...

   

His kind and comforting eyes, with a twinkle of sure madness, drew me in.  I took a deep breath as he reached into his suitcase and produced a gift (actually, my real life December birthday gift, tee hee)...

   

"In this box lives a gift of pure and endless magic, a gift of infinite internal youth and imagination.  Take it, and it shall be yours..." 

    

I couldn't resist.

As I reached for the box, he said-

"Be warned, once you accept this box filled with boundless imagination and wondrous magical creative abandon, you can never ever ever go back to the life you once had, to the girl you once were..."

   

I didn't have to think long - I wanted to open the box, and share what was inside the box...

Then he said "Go into the woods and ponder what we have spoken of.  If you return, this journey shall continue, and the box shall be yours..."

I found a mossy spot by a great big tree, and sat, pondering... 

I could not think of any reason not to accept the box...

I returned to the Mad Hatter, with my decision and one final question...

  

As I opened the curtain I asked, "May I share the contents of this box with my friends?"

   

He responded in song, emerging from his wagon, while playing the most curious little tune on a beautiful mandolin.

"Of course, share it with whomever you choose, and celebrate ~ clink tea cups, twirl, dance, smile, laugh..."

    

And with that, he ran off...

   

Beckoning me to follow him ~

And so, I did...

   

I kicked off my shoes, and skipped to catch up to him...

And through a corridor of trees he sang of a grand tea party -

    

A plan to invite each and every character in Wonderland (that's you!) for a festivity of true madness!

    

And just like that, the planning of the 3rd Annual Mad Tea Party commenced...

   

So we danced and celebrated at the thought of a tea party beyond our wildest imagination.

    

With that, I opened the box, and let the magic float out - it should be reaching you just about now....

Carrying the twinkling glowing idea of a wildly wonderful Mad Tea Party in the midst...

To be formally announced very soon ;)

A sure reason to dance and be silly in the garden on this lovely evening.  Join us, won't you?

 

 

♥ ,V

ps:  My shoppe is filled to the brim with Mad Tea Party related treats...

pss:  I just realized, I have never linked to my YouTube channel. Here is the link, just in case you feel like peeking in ;)

psss:  Oh my gooodnesss, more preshah ;) ;)  I have been nominated (unbeknownst to me, how fun!) For the Top 20 Art and Craft blogs...  If you would like to take part in a wee vote, you can skip on over there, and vote in the right hand side bar... eeeeeeeks ;) ;)

Enchanted Sunlight...

It's funny, the way the light knows just when to find you...

   

There is this enchanting time of day, about an hour before sunset, when the sun bursts through the trees and beckons me into its arms...

The sun rays called my name this afternoon.  They entranced me into leaving my paint palette and just being...

Open the gypsy wagon door, and just breathe...

   

One of the most important creatures in my world, my fur baby - the one who dances with me everyday, who has licked my tears when I have been sad (like when Mister Lovee had his terrible car accident a few years ago) and the one who is also a huge part of my life, has not been feeling her best lately.

       

Oh this blonde babe, boy oh boy, she fills a huge part of my heart.  I think she might even fill the entire upper right hand rounded section of my heart, because any thoughts of her not being in my life send pains through my soul that I didn't know existed...

I love her white spot.

        

She has been in our lives for almost 10 years, and in that time I became a dog person, I felt her soul, and we became bonded.  And now, I am experiencing the same thing with her little brother. 

Who knew that this sort of love for a furry family member burned so bright?

I had no idea.

And now, I can't imagine my life without them.

I think that working from home these last 3 years have made Baby and I even closer that close.  

But today, today I am delighted to visit here with you because we had a good day.  I am finishing up some painted treats and such, and Baby felt much better than yesterday, which makes us all happier than happy.

Baby, Matty and I spent the late afternoon in the gypsy wagon, under the warm sunshine. 

Encapsulated in a moment of bliss and joy...

The sun rays were casting a delicious pink haze over everything they touched, whilst I dusted and added some spring flare to the wagon...

        

It was so peaceful and lovely...

        

It is Amazing, what light and color and warm air can do for the soul...

   

Lisa Lynne's tune played in the distance while Baby sat a few feet from the wagon entrance. And, wouldn't you know, she chose to sit right next to Saint Francis of Assisi...

        

I knelt down as I usually do with my fur babies, and I whispered, I love You.

I held my camera up to take a picture of Baby, and she smiled.

Melting my heart right on the spot....

        

This love.  This furry family member love, is some kind of love, ain't it? 

Some of you know just what I mean, I know it...

We could hear Matty being his wild child self.  He was splashing his paws in the gypsy garden bath.

        

Such lovely moments today.  I wish I could bottle them up.  It is times like these that I am extra happy to have this virtual space to chronicle the beauty of a day and share it as well...

   

Matty kept Baby and I ever entertained with his nutty antics.  He decided he wanted to have his own tea party and dragged out a tea pot I made a long time ago.  I don't even know where he found it?

Oh, the barrels of laughs he caused us.  What a hilarious lil' guy...

        

Of course, I didn't really give him tea.  I wish you could meet him.  Although, he can be a real meanie to strangers, so we will have to work on that a bit.  But alone at home, he is so funny and silly and wonderful.

He has added much joy to our home.

And so, that was how the enchanting light led us to a beautiful afternoon, where we could savor a little slice of bliss, and then wrap it up and tuck it away as a beloved memory...

   

For now I must go and add the finishing touches to some creatures.  Oh, and I hear paws!! OH, it's Matty at my feet!!!  YAY!

I'll tell you a quick secret.  When Matty is being hard to ahem train and or Love, because I tell ya, he's got a real mind of his own and doesn't like his personal space being compromised, I sing Maggie May (Rod Stewart) to him, But I sing Matty instead of Maggie and I take out and change some parts :)

Wake up Matty

I think I got something to say to you... 

I know I keep you amused....but I feel I'm being used!

oh
Matty
I couldn't have tried anymore.
You lured me away from home
just to save you from being alone.
You stole my heart and that's what really huurrrtsssss

;) ;)

Silly, I know...

Off I go for now, but I will see you soon with fun stuff ;)

♥ ,V

ps:  Thank you beyond over the moon for taking the time to vote for me (I am not sure when voting ends).  I was sort of embarrassed to even ask actually.  But, I am so touched at your support and kindness and all around good attitude about the whole thing.  I could cry I am so touched, I tell ya.  I already have my award, found in you and your kindness, truly.....  I don't care if I sound mushy, I am mushy, and it's the truth.

Gypsy Love in my Little World

I am sorry I am so late.  I went down a winding road to visit my parents with Mister Lovee, and was in a magical (yet frozen) luminaria village of lights this weekend.  I will share some luminaria night photos, later this week.

I also found myself playing a bit too long in the gypsy wagon today, and sitting around making dried flower garlands (plus Mister needed me to do some graphic-art work for him)...

   

As promised, today marks the gypsy garden tour.  So, come on in and let's rock the casbah...

   

October 2008 marks the date that I created our outdoor gypsy-ish living space,details in this blog post here with lots of photos.  We almost never get rain, so it seemed a perfect idea, and we loved it so much we decided to keep it alive all the time...

        

   

        

I highly recommend doing a little outdoor living.  It is so much fun, so magical and freeing.  

As you might recall, as spring of 2009 rolled around, I was ever eager to soak in a gypsy garden bath, and so, with a little bit of insanity motivating me, I did.  Much to my Mother's (what is the right word) dismay?  I reassured her that, rabbits and pups don't care about crazy girls bathing in the garden, and no one else could see me ;)

There are lots of photos of those adventures right here...

        

I am able to get hot water too, which makes things extra fun out there under the trees.  The gypsy garden happens to be in my front yard, but we are on a large property surrounded by trees and shrubs, plus I put up giant tablecloths as my gypsy garden walls, so no one can see me (everyone here is on acreage so your neighbors aren't too terribly close and are scarce anyways)...

I especially love the garden by night, with the chimenea burning bright.  Some of those images shared here...

      

        

Spending time outside has been crucial to my well being.  Remember when we were kids and we loved to play outside, and it invigorated our souls to run around with our friends and be out until our Mothers had to holler at us 500 times to come inside?  I sort of feel like that when I am out in the gypsy garden.  The fresh air brings magic...

   

The first weekend I came to the country house (10 years ago), I felt attached to it.  Like a piece of me, of my body map puzzle, clicked into place.  A missing void was filled.  I never take for granted, how lucky I am to share this spot with Mister Lovee.  My humble soul is ever so thankful.  And, it's funny, our property is very simple & humble itself, but that makes me love it even more...

   

There is a post with shots of the Gypsy garden that gives perspective to how it is situated, right over here.

Some of my favorite moments are having friends over to sit and play music in the garden.  Our main outdoor fun all happens in the front garden.  I have to say, you don't need anything but random scraps of fabric and twinkling lights to start your own gypsy garden or tent, even if it is in your living room ;)

 

   

The fun thing is that, visitors like the gypsy boys (who visited in this post), get into the whole gypsy mode too.  I am certain you can conjure that sort of magic up with your family or friends as well, if you feel like you need a little gypsy fun.  It transports you to a super wonderful place.  It's like playtime for adult-children.

      

      

The thing that I have to pinch myself about all the time, is that I have a Mister in my life who listens to what I like.  And, he quite likes almost all of the things that I do.  So it makes things really easy and light -hearted.  That's how the gypsy wagon came to be, Mister thought it would be fun to get rid of me a couple hours a day, by giving me a play house on wheels ;)  

It worked.  In August him and a little old guy (the seller) surprised me with a little wagon that had much potential.  That story is in this post over here...

 

(finally a place to put all those suitcases I have collected ;)  How about a road trip??  

        

I spent some sweltering nights in that wagon, being drenched in moonbeam glow, this summer....

        

One night, I decided to just decorate the inside of the wagon with whatever I had.  You can read that post right here.  Mister joined me and played some tunes, and before you knew it, just 20 steps from the gypsy garden, we could sit in an enclosed gypsy wagon and have a blast...

      

And then of course, lots of you lovelies played with me this October for Spells and Magic and even a video I made in this post... 

 

(the labels below can still be found in my shop)

    

Wasn't that so much fun?  I loved those nights, filled with spookiness and enchantment!

   

And now, here we are today.  And I am ever delighted you decided to stop in...
        

I had a lovely day, riding my vintage Schwinn around and collecting garden treasures to make nature love garlands.  I also used some dried flowers I already had...

        

        

It makes me want to put up a nature treasure tree for the holidays.  

Oh, are you going to stay on for tea?  I sure hope so, come on in.  You can see my gallery from here, and you can see my two huge kilns in front of the gallery, under the stars.  They are covered with tarps, but you can still tell there are two huge monsters there ;)

   

   

As you can see (from the garments hanging in the tree above), I have been rather naughty, collecting Antique Victorian frocks to make up for my missing one.

- Lined up like this, the frocks make me want to drift into a story about 3 gypsy sisters who might live here in some sort of story world, traveling in the wagon...  Any ideas?

   

Let's discuss this over that promised tea...

   

Would you like the cute cup?  Okay, if you insist, here you go...

   

   

Oh, I think someone has just joined us.  Looks like a pirate is sneaking in ;)  Is that your beau?  I didn't invite him...

        

It's so cozy in here, I am so glad you joined me for tea ;)

        

   

Let's get dressed up and have a real big gypsy party, wouldn't that be fun???  I have this antique wedding gown from lands far away that I could wear.  A dear friend gave it to me 2 years ago, as she thought I would be the only person she knew who would appreciate it.  Swwwwwwwoooon!

        

        

I keep it in an air tight box, but pulled it out for our little visit today.  Although, the thought of a gypsy party has my brain wheels turning!!!

Thinking thinking...

      

I have to go now, because my brain is getting out of control with party ideas (and I have to go hug my furry babies).  Also, I have to go wash my hair, since starting in 9 minutes, marks my Birthday week.  Yes, I take a whole week to celebrate being dropped to the earth from my cherubim bliss in the sky, don't you?  Oh wait, isn't that where I met you?  Yes yes, I knew you were familiar ;)

      

Anywho, I am going to be 34 on Friday.  Which is beyond exciting because one of my favorite numbers is 7.  And as you know, you get to act the age that your double digits add up to.  I get to be 7 for a whole year, YAY!  Annnnd, you get to have as many items as you want dealing with your birthday number.  But you have to really believe this one, to make it come true.

        

So, this year I am getting, 34 gumballs, 34 shoes, (not pairs, but just shoes), which will add up to 17 pairs.  34 slices of cake, and 34 kissessss!!

In my world age is meaningless.  The only thing it's good for is for assigning a number to the aforementioned treats ;)

        

How many do you get this year???  Aren't you excited?  Just beware of what you ask for. You don't want 34 boyfriends, or 34 spins on the tilt-a-whirl.  Or 45 or 56 or 62 or 23 or 87.  Trust me.  I know these things.   ;)

See you ever so sooooooon!  It is party week which means, treats for you toooooo ;)

      

♥ ,V

 

ps:  Too see all of the posts about the gypsy garden - click here, or click on Gypsy Love in my right hand sidebar under Categories.

pss:  Have you seen the old film, An American in Paris?  The design style in the opening shots of the characters' apartments is so fabulous!  And in many ways, so now, regarding what we are seeing in design.

psss: I am also at my other blog today ;) 

Of Spells and Incantations...

There was once a girl, who slept on a heap of leaves, in a garden filled with curious enchantments...

      

One evening, a particularly haunting moon loomed over the little secret garden...

        

The girl thought that for certain, such a moon, was sure to bring voyages through dreamscapes.  So, she cozied up, upon her heap of leaves, and drifted off to sleep...

Not soon thereafter, she felt a little flurry of butterfly kisses on her brow and nose.  She slowly opened her eyes and found herself not in her secret garden, but in a dark vast landscape that was covered with unusual trees...

And in the distance, a golden light glimmered through the trees...

 

What could it be she thought, as she peeked through shrubs in the darkness...

   

Such beautiful lights glimmered and glowed, and entranced her inquisitive spirit...

   

It looked like a wagon with canopying trees hovering above it.  Could it be?

   

She crept closer, unaware of what she might find.  She searched for a sign of people...

 

She was certain she could hear music playing.  The sound of a record turning, and song seeping through the darkness, called her name...

       

What was this place, she asked herself?  Then, she caught a glimpse of a sign...

   

How intriguing...

    

  Oh my!  The sign read "Spells, Herbs, Miracles & Magic..."

 

She thought that perhaps she should run away as fast as she could.  But it was too late...

        

She had been drawn in by...

        

Magic itself.

        

An old woman, came out from what seemed like nowhere.  She said, I know just what you need my pretty...

You need...

Love.

Quickly the girl replied, "Oh no, I don't need lo--..."

But before the girl could finish her sentence, the old woman had taken a wooden bowl, and thrown in a dash of this and a pinch of that into it. 

And just like that, a dashing man walked towards the girl, bathed in the glow of the moonlight . He took her by the hand, and twirled her in dance, without uttering a word.

      

They danced for hours and hours, and just when the girl thought she could dance no more the charming fellow vanished.  As did the old woman.

The girl was confused and tired.  She decided to find a cozy place to rest her head, just until morning.  As she was certain this was just a dream.

The next day, as the sun slowly emerged over the mountains, the girl opened her eyes.  It was then, that she realized...

 

She had not been dreaming at all.

 

She stepped out of the little bed she had slept in, and felt strange.  Quite strange indeed.  Perhaps, even more than strange...

      

She felt a bit warm, and thirsty.  Her ear itched tremendously.  Standing was quite strange also.  She tried to rub her eyes but she couldn't.  She felt as though, she had been transformed into another creature...

It was then, that she caught a glimpse of herself in a glass frame.

She was stunned beyond words.  She tried to speak, but she couldn't...

She had been turned into...

      

A dog.  

A furry friend.

What ever would she do?  She ran outside, and searched for someone.  How could she even ask for help?

 She stood outside, still shocked when...

 

I rode up on my bike.  I was looking for some herbs for a love spell of my own.  This blonde pooch came up to me, wagging her tail, running all around.

What a curious pup I thought.  And went about my business... 

Hmmm, what did this witch's apothecary shoppe have for me today??

A giant bowl of herbs straight from its own garden!  Just what I needed...

      

I put my giant wooden bowl of goods in my bike's basket and rode off...

  

As I was working on my own edible delights that would be infused with love and magic, I couldn't help but think...

      

That furry pooch at the herb stand, sure did have a human aura about her.

 

So you see, if you happen upon said wagon.  Beware.  You just might find your self tailed or even winged ;)

Have you ever met an animal, that you are certain could understand you?  That you feel has something about him or her, that is just a little unusual...

Who knows?  The creature may have had an encounter of its own with...

   

If you have a furry or winged or even a reptilian friend with a personality that exudes, do tell.  What would their human form and character be like, if they could be anyone?

My friend has a dog named Max.  I am quite certain that Max was a snobby, super fab food critic, once upon an enchanted moon... ;)

~ As you can tell, I am still playing with my potion labels (big time).  I had the most wondrous magical evening last night.  Too bad you weren't there to twirl under the moonlight with me.  It was beyond words lovely and breezy and enchanting...

But wait, I made you a silly rotten little video, so you could get a feel for the night spells.  Nevermind my deadly backwards steps at the end. 

I think I need a little more video practice.  It's the thought that counts, as they say ;)  The music was a record playing on my record player, and it wasn't playing loud.  Wild how you can hear it so vividly... (Barber Violin Concerto, second movement - Louis Kaufman )

 

See you soooon!  And, super duper thanks for being so much fun!

♥, V

ps:  I hope you know that this is just a bunch of nonsense going on in my front yard.  I am not really casting spells and such.  ;)

pss:  Lots of Halloween treats in my shoppe...

psss:  A bit of Mad Tea Party 2008 Love.  I love those memories!