A Fanciful Twist

Field Trip to a Western Village...

How about we take a field trip today?

In my dreams I live here...

In a little village just like this.

This little Western village is called Trail Dust Town and is located in Tucson, Arizona.

For more into, click here.

It's a place I have been going to since I was a little girl.

It's home to some really popular fun restaurants that people flock to like mad.

This morning I found myself there by accident really, as it's far from home.

In fact, I drove right past on my way to a shop.

Then I thought, oh I haven't been there in ages, so I turned around and went back.

It was morning and I was the only person there.

I had the most wonderfully fabulous and inspiring time.

All alone, just looking around.

It was ahhmazing.

I took some phone pics to share, so hop on in and let's go...

 

Nothing like a storybook setting for a proper dose of everything inspiration.

Fills all sorts of inspiration vaults for certain.

I'd love to live upstairs and run the magic shop.

Imagine?

 

Dreamy.

I had forgotten how cute and well kept this place is.

At night with all the people around it has an amusement park feel.

But alone early in the morning it felt perfectly magical really.

Of course I adoooored the apothecary shop.

I have a tiny little village in my garden and this visit has me swirling with ideas.

I just love the signs and the door.

All sorts of goodies in the windows too.

You can pan for gold...

Or peek in covered wagons.

Of course I peeked in :-)

The general store is chock full of fun things to buy.

Sweets and treats a plenty.

I looove these mechanical horses.

When I was a kid I had to always ride them.

Remember they had them outside of supermarkets and such?

Now I never see them, do you?

I'd looove to own one of these cigar guys.

The colors and vibe are wonderful all around, wouldn't you say?

There's still much more to see than what I took snaps of.

The uber popular steak house is called Pinnacle Peak.

If you wear a tie they cut it off after making a loud scandal about the whole thing.

I've been there so many times over the last 30 years or more, I've lost count.

My parents used to always take us there as kidlets.

As a grown girl, my heart was particularly drawn to this urn.

How I would love to have that in my own garden.

What a lovely little visit I had.

Hope you enjoyed a peek in.

It's been ages since we did something like this on the blog, hasn't it?

Maybe we need lots more field trips.

Me thinks, yes, yes indeed.

 

So there you have it, Trail Dust town.

6541 E Tanque Verde Rd.  Tucson, AZ 8571

 

See you soooon!

Love, V

 

 

August Petals & Other Tales...

Hello there & happy Friday!

I thought I'd pop in for a short visit with some sunny summer petals.

I can't believe some brights are popping in on these hottest days.

The big yellow dahlias finally popped open.

Leave it to nature to inspire paint colors galore.

My garden is really happy in late summer and fall.

Everything grows so tall in summer, and then blooms madly as days get cooler.

Although, the days have not been cooler at all yet.

We're still melting.

I'm so grateful for the blooms that grace us in this ridiculous heat.

I adoooore when the marigolds, in their ruffled yellow, turn up.

The wisteria is giving another wave of blooms.

The hollyhocks have kept up all summer.

The California giant zinnias have started blooming after growing ever so tall.

It's all so much fun.

So, I thought I'd wish you a happy Friday...

With a smattering of color inspiration from nature.

Paint, yarn, fabric, pencils...

For some reason the colors of the petals inspire all sorts of artistic whims in me.

As I take my photos Miles wades in his pool while take big sloshy gulps of water.

He had a giant pool, but for some reason they prefer the little one.

I went hiking this week.

What a huge adventure.

It was really hard at some point.

Mostly because the air was so thin and the sun was so bright.

But the low area heading up to 9,000+ feet and the trek back down through the forest...

Oh my, talk about inspiring.

Streams, butterflies, toadstools.

You name it, the forest had it.

It was beyond fairy tale goodness in ways I can't even describe.

Well, you know what I mean if you have a forest.

I squealed and swooned the whole way.

Getting to the top seemed like the biggest task ever at about 3.5 miles uphill.

It got so hot and sunny as we left the dense forest headed to the top.

We had to go 4 miles uphill.

So my friend and I did a total of 9 miles in the end, it was great.

I try to do about 5 miles a day with hills, so it was a great challenge to tackle this hike.

Definitely not for the faint of heart, but the view from the top...

Totally worth it.

Did you know that at the top of the Santa Catalina mountains (which you see from Tucson) is a wonderful place called Mt. Lemmon?

And did you know, it's a forest?

Yep, a forest right smack in the middle of the desert.

Such a gem.

What a great week.

And now, I'll put my petals in proper vases, and perhaps pick up the yellow paint.

You can peek in on my instagram account to see more pics and videos of the forest.

The forest really is a magical place, isn't it?

I feel inspired and delighted with all I saw.

I should go up there more often.

How are you out in your neck of the woods?

 

Happy weekend!!

Love, V

 

 

Calgon Take me Away! + Magazine Winner

Hi there!!

Where have I been?

I've been here, there and everywhere.

Spinning busy as ever.

Busier than ever.

Mad lady.

I hardly have had time to breathe or sleep.

My brother is here from LA.

(I went to see The Conjuring with sister and brother, eeee!)

Mombie and Dad were in town for Mombies lovely b-day.

We went into town to celebrate with them.

Got dolled up.

Darn, that takes time, I forgot.

The peaches kept coming in in droves.

Freezing, preserving, canning, baking baking baking.

Picking.

Making pot after pot of midnight jam.

Jam from here til winter for sure.

I made hundreds of peach empanadas (Mexican pastry), boxed as gifts.

And dispersed.

The cicadas flew in to gobble peaches, haha, we were on to them.

Acreage needed mowing.

(I am the mower, I love mowing even though it's pass out hot)

Peaches needing slicing, hundreds and hundreds oh my!

More than hundreds.

I had a deadline.  Details, photos, wonderful work, love it! Working away with that.

Mowing by night, and early day light.

Trees needed trimming.

Tending + harvesting.

More and more veggies coming in.

Washing, chopping, refrigerating.

Eating.

Custom pendant, custom sculpting.

Can I please put my feet up for a second?

Just a second though, as I have a lattice peach pie in the oven.

I want to give it to the couple at the end of the lane.

It is mad busy round here, isn't it?

Mombie says, and you don't even have kids.

And I said, well, if I had kids I wouldn't be doing all of that.

Would I?

Wait, I do have two kids.

Furry.

Does the older curly haired man count too?  Umm, yes.

He counts as 4 screaming children me thinks ;)

The good news is, it's time to wind down a bit.

Although, the mess that is my house, oh!

Wanna help me clean it?

 

How about some random photos of where I have been?

Let's see...

I went to an old hotel.

Lovely lanterns and stars hanging everywhere...

There were cocktails in a curiously shaped room with interesting edging, and a slice of Mombie's face.

A treasure in Tucson.

The Arizona Inn.

Go there, it's awesome.

Beautiful desert.

I love the desert so much.

Of course, I went up winding staircases and found little doors, with creepy squeaks and faint laughter.

I swear.

I had tea for dessert.

Move dad, I am trying to take a picture here :)

(Poor Dadly)

My sister and brother said it was The Conjuring armoire and scary lady would come out.

Darn that Bathsheba witch, scared me crazy.

I repeated her name in my sleep all night after the movie.

Serves me right.

Lovee wore bee stripes to dinner.

We love bees.

Save the beeees!

I wanted the kumquat trees in big pots.

We laughed so hard we nearly died.

Laughter upon laughter when you get my family together.

Oh my!

We are just so wrong.

Laugh so hard your head and stomach hurt.

It's no wonder they didn't kick us out, with their fancy 7 courses of perfect bites.

So yumm.

Duck, and scallops, and lamb, and salmon, and vichyssoise - and who knows what else we ate.

Asparagus, tiny edamame scattered across the plate with carrots, like art.

And the desserts.

OH MY!

True art on a plate.

I just looked.

As you know, I really have to be in the mood for dessert.

Lemon water to rinse your hands after dinner.

Nice get away for a girl who runs around with mud feet and unruly hair these days.

But wait, I forgot the wine and cocktails.

Lovee and I had water, how boring we are.

But we both feel rotten if we drink.

Although, we did share a thimble full of Six Grapes port last week.

(it's excellent by the way, I keep it around for guests)

There were paintings whose eyes followed you around.

And libraries.

Such old novels, the oldest locked up.

We snooped, and got into all sorts of shenanigans, sis and I.

(sis below, aka Bobbypin Bandit)

My brother and I pretended we were in The Shining movie.

We strolled after dinner...

As Mombie sat in front of the giant fireplace.

(that's her foot and arm)

We'll be back in winter when the fire can be lit, we agreed.

(Mombie is hipper than I could ever hope to be)

Mombie and Dadley stayed in the piano bar requesting songs from the pianist.

And I rushed home to finish my work.

 If you go watch The Conjuring, take a sweater or poncho to cover your face/eyes with.

I did.

It wasn't soooo scary, but maybe I had already scared myself enough before watching it.

Plus I had been listening to all sorts of interviews Andrea Perron was doing.

So, I was prepared, a little.

It was really creepy/unsettling middle to end.

But, what would I know, I covered my face :)

 

OH oh, almost forgot...

Magazine winner per random number generator is...

Lavender Dreams!!
Yipppee, please e-mail me your snail mail addy.

 

Thank you for playing, I wish I had a magazine for everyone.

 

Okay, off to check on that pie.

 

Back soon this time ;)

 

Love, V

 

 

 

 

Of Winding Vines and Silent Stone

I am back from my little journey, with a few tales to tell.

Visits down the cobble stone steps to Granny's, late night hair do's with Mombie.

Baking a handful of different treats.

And then, there was the beautiful day amongst vine and stone...

Wrought iron and rain clouds.

In that place of endless silence.

Mysterious and vastly peaceful.

A place where tales rest.

 

This song played over and over in my mind... 

 

Atop a rolling hill...

 In the little border town I grew up in...

Sits the old cemetery.

Older at the top, amongst huge old trees.

Sloping down the sides with newer graves, and newest at the bottom, surrounding the hill.

Of course, I walked to the maze at the top.

The oldest spots, of crumbling statues and forgotten plots of earth.

Where a giant angel looks on.

Knowing.

Protecting.

It was one of those perfect days meant for the memory vaults.

A light cardigan on my shoulders, thick rain clouds that only sprinkle.

And a beautiful whispering breeze.

The kind of weather that is so beautiful, you stand in silent space, letting it envelop you.

Quietly crunching leaves.

No other living person around.

Taken back in time.

Reading names.

Dates.

Wondering...

Such quiet and cool air.

The breeze leads the way...

Where vines grip wrought iron and trees so tightly.

Trees so big, and gates so old, it's as if they have been there always.

Forever.

And so, I took deep breaths in that wonderful peace I was feeling.

Staying at the top of the rolling hill, in the oldest most forgotten part of the cemetery.

Twisting through giant green trees.

Running fingers along metal...

Gathering leaves and brambles on the edges of my too long skirt.

Such a beautiful place.

In some parts, forgotten silk flowers meet flowering weeds.

Shrines and statues everywhere.

With flickering candles from time to time.

Telling you, perhaps someone had really been there.

A boy child...

1905-1906

Round I wandered...

Believe it or not, I had never wandered this cemetery alone.

I had been to a handful of funerals here in my life.

And once, Mombie dropped me and my junior high aged friends in here at night and had us screaming and running for our lives.

But now, as a different girl...

In a different time.

It was changed.

Beautiful.

I kept my eye open for my paternal grandfather's grave.

And some great aunts.

I marveled at the crumbling statues that I had always taken for granted.

When you grow up in a place of statues, incense and tiers of candles - big huge churches with gold gilding and 14 foot angels- it is what it is.

Until you go away for a long time.

Growing up.

And return with older fresher wiser eyes, to embrace it all in your mind.

It's a wonderful feeling.

It changes.

And you have a renewed love for the places that make up where you came from.

Like an old cemetery.

That all of a sudden opens your eyes to the history of where you grew up.

And how as a child, you never noticed.

I took endless photos to share with you.

It was so difficult to choose.

And if I could convey the weather, the air, the clouds and the birds...

I would.

Alas, I can only tell you about it.

There was a little pink cottage in memory of a baby.

The door removed, the inside filled with angels...

Across from graves so old, they had been fenced in.

95 year old trees, growing right in front of those old headstones.

To where they touched, and hugged.

  

As I walked up and down, and all around, I saw large black shadows on the ground.

I looked up to see ever so many vultures swimming in the sky.

And then, just like that, they settled into the tree right above me.

Oh my.

I looked up at them, wondering what they knew?

I found such comfort in that cemetery.

A place where history meets modern day.

Where blooms find a way to stay alive, amongst oldest forgotten graves.

Where the ground shifts as time moves on.

Where people come to grieve and pray.

And a giant angel looks on, as he has for 100 years or more...

Every single day.

 

 More tales to come your way soon.

So happy to be back to endless fur love and garden nooks.

And moments here with you.

Looove, V

 

 

 

 

Sue & Jerry's Ranch Store ~ Oracle, Arizona

 {Art, Antiques & Bliss}

For years and years, I have wanted to share one of my favorite places to visit.  It is truly an amazing Arizona destination point.  A place so magical and unique, that I go there just to refuel my soul.  Of course, I can't ever leave without a few treasures.

It is the enchanting art and antique filled wonderland belonging to Sue and Jerry Parra.  They are a handsome and kind couple, who allow you to step into another place in time when you visit them.

Sue & Jerry's Trading Post.  Oracle, Az.

30 minutes north of Tucson Arizona.

Phone: (520) 896-9200

 

Jerry Parra is an unbelievable artist.  All of the metal sculptures you are about to gasp at, are made by him...  Yes, all by him.  His work astounds me every time I see it, no matter how many times I see it.

      

I love visiting with Sue and Jerry.  Sue is a beloved friend, with such a kind and nurturing soul.  She has quite the eye for the antique treasures she fills her shop with.

Right now she has a slew of German chocolate molds that made me swoon!  But before I veer, come on in for a visit.  Sue and Jerry are allowing me to be your tour guide for today ;)

 

This is a huge space, with many things to look at.  I am sharing a mere snippet of what you would see in person...

   

Mister Lovee feels that this place has a true museum quality, and I wholeheartedly agree.  The art treasures Jerry creates are enough to blow your mind...

This sculpture below is taller than the building it stands next to, and truly emits movement and life...

 

It's funny, the nooks the earth holds, with treasures untold.  There should be a television show discovering such places, if there isn't already...

Everything Jerry makes is for sale, I personally, would go bonkers if this was in my garden...

      

Imagine?  Filled with lights??  Oh me, oh my!

Or, a guardian outside my love-shack palace?  I think this should be at a hotel, although in the front garden of a home, it would guard to perfection.  Don't you think?

      

As you walk farther onto Sue and Jerry's property, you feel compelled to want to run home, grab all your belongings, and move in...

        

This little house rocks my dream-waves.  My brain wants to explode with the idea of living in this tiny house...  

It fulfills every one of my adult-childhood desires... (click on any images for ore detail)

  

Just look at it.  Bliss Sigh...

Can you see why I escape to visit this place and then lose myself in dreamscapes? 

      

Oh precious wheel, with your glorious peeling paint, how you make the wheels in my mind turn round and round...

If you feel like someone is watching you, well, you are probably right ;)  Nothing like a skelly lounging around...

      

   

I wish you could just stand right here and stare with me...

  

I was just there this past weekend, however, last month when I was there I got to dance around giant sunflowers...

      

They were gracing the front yard of one of the many buildings you will find here...

  

Beyond lovely...

 

Real flowers and metal flowers abound...

   

So, if you ever are in Southern Arizona, you might want to make sure to stop in. 

Below is the facade of the antique shop, where you will find Sue and her beautiful smiling face...

  

Dare I tell you my secret?  I love visiting a wheeled treasure that I have had my eye on for a while...

 

I just love it!  Happy Trails indeed!!

        

So you see, there are many reasons to love visiting Sue and Jerry.  You will find that their personalities match their magical place perfectly...

        

A truly special place, Sue and Jerry's Ranch Store Center...

Location:  Oracle, Arizona

Phone:  520-896-9200

Website:  JerryParra.Com 

 

~ I told Sue I was going to share her and Jerry's place here with you.  I told her how extra wonderful you all are, and how you would be just as enchanted as I about such a place...

I hope you enjoyed your wee tour ;)

 

♥,V

 

ps:  I had the most insane weekend.  I hope yours was good?  I made 3 trips back and forth into town with my SUV full to the brim.  It is so strange to say SUV.  I have had two convertibles in my past, and I used to fill them up too, with the top down ;)  (I miss my convertibles) I am making great progress on my office and other fun things to come!  I can't wait to share. 

Much Love!  ~ V

Bon. An Exquisite place to visit. {Bon - Tucson, Arizona}

If you found yourself gazing through an 1800's Chinese mirror and were told that it held lovely memories, what would you hope to see?  If this mirror lived in a shop, where the most fantastic treasures came alive, would you take a journey through the mirror and peek around at all of those treasures?  I did.  Today. The visit transformed a normal day, into a fulfilling sensory overload adventure.  (click on any image to enlarge)

        

It is always a magnificent day when I get to visit Bon.  A magical shop in Tucson, Arizona belonging to Bonnie & Crystal Flynt.  This lovely space is home to many of the finds that I brag about. From Wendy Addison to John Derian, you can get lost for hours attempting to make a decision.  It is a place where you never feel guilty giving in to all temptation and taking home all the precious loves that you will undoubtedly find...

      

Bonnie and Crystal have such a huge grasp on the "being" of the store.  They fill it with items that they search the globe for.  Items that make up every piece of that puzzle that intrigues even the most skeptical of visitors.  Little eyes wander frantically looking at every piece, pieces that are timeless, pieces that do not fit the mold of  any fad or trend.  Bon is a place where you find lifelong loves.  I know this because I am a happy little Bon purchaser.  Every item I have ever purchased is one that I adore and enjoy over-and-over,  even if I so much as simply brush passed it in a hurry...

      

More than that, Bon is one of those places that I feel comfortable hanging out at.  Bonnie and Crystal have become friends, people you can talk to for hours.  They are funny and elegant, all at once, but most of all, they are "real."  It is so important in this fast-paced crazy world to have a place that you know you can retreat to for a long while and feel comfortable and welcome.  That is why I love visiting Bon so very much.  Look at all the delights, from home, to garden, to clothing items...how can a person even begin to choose??? 

      

I love hopping in to draw on their chalkboard and seeing what little kids have done...or to watch Crystal do many different types of creating, such as twisting and turning little pieces of paper, to make lovely paper flowers around sparkling lights...

      

Don't you have a favorite place that wraps your little packages so beautifully that you can not wait to run home and tear off the paper?  I wandered the store, trying to be good, but managing to create quite the pile...If you recall, I was there recently and bragged about my old chinese paper basket. 

      

I just lose control. Mr. Lovee says, go ahead and Bon yourself out.

      

Oops, did I forget to mention that Bon carries my original Art Cards? Each one hand drawn, hand-painted and personally glitterized by moi (below)?  They are little original works of art, all packaged up and ready to go!  They sit in a rack on the wall, amongst a wide variety of fabulous cards for many occasions...

      

      

But, as there is never a dull moment at Bon, a very curious man and his friend appeared for a short visit...Bonnie and Crystal chatted with them, as I poked around...

      

Both men were very interesting with quite the artistic vibe.  The man on the left, chatting with Bonnie is Salvador Duran, artist and musician.   You never know what famous little characters you will rub shoulders with at this magical retreat...Just be prepared...

      

      

As I reigned myslef in and got ready to make my little purchases, I got that anxiety and excitement in my belly, of wanting to get my treasures home and unwrap them.  I even picked a treasure or two for one of you!!  Look at those Wondrous Julie Arkell's on the shelf in front of Bonnie.

I had so much fun visiting Bon today!  I wish all you girls and I were on a field trip to Bon, and then an espresso after that... Wouldn't that be wonderful???

        

                                  Fg & Co. Gift Tag (above)

                

I returned home to open that classic Bon polka dotted paper, and reveal my beloved treasures (John Derian tray, below, and others too) !!! Yay! Stepping out of Wonderland through the 1800's Chinese mirror, just in time to share all of this with you lovelies!! What a fun day this turned out to be after all... I headed out of there just in time for dinner with the Russians... Boy will that be a whole post in itself!  Thank you so much for peeking in!

      

      

                             

I would love for you to share local shops that only exist in your neck of the woods, with me.  The beauty of this world is that we can share places that some of us might otherwise never encounter.  Can't wait to hear of some of your favorites!

"Bon Shop, Tucson"

Home, Garden, Clothing.  Tucson, Arizona   (520) 795-2272

Owners, Bonnie Flynt & Crystal Flynt