A Fanciful Twist

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   

A simple recipe, to cure a complicated ailment...

So...  I have been doing this super silly thing (in my head) lately.  Everytime my day becomes even a tinge un-busy, I convince myself that, I neeeeeed some excitement in my life....  I go around, racking my brain.  Wondering what this thing is that will bring me some excitement....

      

I go through the obvious things that might bring excitement...  New love?  Oh goodness no...  New Hair color?  New hair length?  Umm, nope nope (but red hair could be fun? oh ya, already tried that once, for 24 hours, until my hairdresser opened her front door and helped me)...  New pet?  New town?  Vacation?  New outrageous shoes?  What???  What off the wall thing could I do, to attempt to bring my life some form of excitement?

I am not talking about the feeling of being sad.  I am talking about, everything is A-okay, but I sure would looove some silly fun and exciting happenings.  You know, something out of the ordinary... 

Chances are, anything I choose, will bring me more drama and less excitement.  I'll end up frantic (the hair choice), overwhelmed (moving), in a state of buyer's remorse (new "outrageous" shoes)...  Is there any practical thing that could fix my burning desire???  A Discotheque, perhaps? (only if JT's meeting me there)

      

Just when I almost gave in to one of the above, I found the cure.  I found it, I found it!!!  Yes, I can cure your need for excitement too. I can I can!!  The recipe calls for, glycerine, dawn soap, Light Karo Corn syrup, distilled water, a car, and 5 emergency dollars!!!

I am sorry that it isn't as easy as painting your nails some groovy color...

      

So here is how it all began.  My rat tail and I went outside to see what we could conjur up for excitement. 

      

When the lovely weather whispered the answer...  In I ran, in search of tools to make the tools, and soap to make the concoction. 

      

I went online and found this!!  Bravo!!!  This is it, I knew it, I knew it!!  Monster Bubbles!!! Yes yes yes!!!  This is just what the doctor ordered!!!!!

Only, this is one of those times my cooking skills "Could Not" save me.  You can not substitute dark corn syrup for light, and you can't use well water, instead of distilled.  You just can't. 6 attempts at a formula later (plus two bottles of dawn and soap everywhere).  Although,  I almost had a monster bubble, twice...

I realized, I had more of a monster MESS on my hands than lovely bubbles...

      

This is where the car + the 5 bucks comes into play.  Wash off as much bubble mess as you can, jump in the car, drive like a MAD woman to the store and buy a GIANT bottle of commercial bubbles.  Woo Hooooo.

But wait.  Why did I ever think I could photograph this, and blow bubbles at the same time??

      

          

This is where you start longing for rest and relaxation more than excitement.  And, you see how this can take the place of coloring your hair in a whole new brilliant color??  You get the same effect. 

You wish you had never conjured up the idea.  But in this case, it is only soap.  Not hair!!  Not a new more complicated boyfriend/husband, not a botched vacation where you sit in the airport for 64 hours.  No!!  It is only soap...  See how this works?? Same frustration.  Same loss of the need for excitement.  But, it is only SOAP!!!  Wooohoooo!!

And if you are lucky, you might even get a lovely shot...

      

So, after that one, lovely & satisfying photograph...  You decide, that is it.  No more excitement for me.  Unless of course, John Travolta calls.  But, in the real version of things, no more.  I am done.  Fulfilled.  Next thing on my list...

So, I take my self shopping...  And, think I deserve anything I want.  So here is what I choose...

      

My room smells like apple, grape, and original bubble gum blissssss...

      

Now, tell me, does this ring any bells???  My friend Honor always says, people will tell you exactly who they are if you just listen...  But why don't I listen to the royal title people when they tell me that I am the great Bubblewick???  Isn't this all making perfect sense now???  Remember this?

      

        

The only problem is, you have to make sure noone gets into your stash.  And the pitter patter of little feet, warned me...

      

My wee one is after the bubble gum...

      

How do explain to her that she can't chew bubble gum?  That dolls, simply can't?  Please give me some advice ;)

Now, here is the deal.  For a little blogging excitement, tell me some wacky thing you might have done in the name of a change or excitement, some time in your life.  And I will put together a wackylicious gift bag for one of you!!!!  I will draw names in a few days!! ;)

Off I go for now.... xoxo, V

PS: I do hope that you might try one of these formulas...  I might try it again soon (with the correct ingredients this time).

pps:  the carnival photo was found in google images and I believe (after searching),  is by Adam Gageik Goetz.  It was listed on photos.net 

Going Cuckoo, and other things...

Warning, this post is going to be very very cuckoooooo.  Are you prepared for the antics of an electricityless girl?

      

It all started one crisp lovely day, when the pup and I were making our way...  Through the garden of cactus, of love and of folklore, when tracks not belonging, marred the garden floor...

      

She looked at me, as I looked at her...  Both wondering what could be happening?  We heard a loud sound, and we flinched just a bit, while I cried, dear ole Lovee, but he was nowhere in sight...

Then, much to our dismay, what did we see?  The man with hair like the boys from Kiss, called Mr. Lovee, was doing an operation, on our very lovely little ground.  What was goin' on?  We cried out loud???

      

"Well lil' darlin', we're finally upgradin' the power."  (he doesn't really talk like that, but it sure would be romantic if he did) Oh thought me, and baby (the dog), with glee, that means yippeeee, hooray, A/C!  "But wait, it gets better, it's better than that, you can run all your kilns, bake pots back to back."  Only one little glitch said he to me... What thought I, eyes big as a tree... "You ain't gonna be playing with your little friends inside of that there machine."  What?  You mean, umm, no computer?  "Umm nooope" said he, "Maybe as long as a week."

Well I frowned and I huffed and I puffed all about.  But, but but.  Then said he, standing straight as could be.  "Fine, I don't have to do this for YOU."  "You can just boil and simmer this summer in 125 degrees."  Oh, no it's okay, I exclaimed.  I understand.  (Ya right)

So, I went on with my business, not much caring, but the trenching took days, no electricity, and the sound was blaring.  I acted real nice, takin' him coffee and tea.  And, I even was sweet as sweet as could be...

      

But, days and days later, I just could not bear, to be goin' around with big poofy hair (no electricity = no blow dryer, and most of the time I don't care).  I know I know, I should be happy I have hair at all...  But big poofy hair, it makes me feel tall.  And I am used to being real short, short as a mouse.  Hmmm, if only I could be tall... (oops sorry lost my rhyme...)

The nice man, the one with hair like the boys from Kiss, was truly being eagerly missed.  He worked every day, all work and no play... And the trench just grew bigger, more problems along the way.  "Oops he exclaimed, more than once a day, first it was the telephone cable, and then, who knows what else.."

      

The trench just kept getting longer and longer, and deeper, and wider, until it wrapped around the whole neighborhood (not really).  But, it did wrap around all the way down the side of the house too...

So, the girl, with poofy hair, in three layers of white prairie gowns, made herself busy, like a good Victorian girl would do.  She tredged along in the dirt, her layers of gowns and slippers like a nutty clowns...  Wondering what she should do...  The creatures in the yard mocked her from day to day... First it was Fluffy and Muffy, both causing her grief...

      

Then it was Fluffy alone (and this is true), he would pounce onto her bedroom door, just to get her attention...  And then pose as a statue...

      

First to the left of the Buddha, then to the right... 

      

As this went on, all morning noon and night...  She finally tired of Fluffy's mind games, and skipped on along...  Wondering what to do next... 

A few days came and went, and still, only spurts of power were allowed.  Check your e-mail as fast as you can and then, poof, it's out again...

So, she created a plan, to catch her own shadow... That kookie crazy shadow of hers... But it snuck right away, wearing her clothes, three layers of gowns and don't forget, slippers like a clowns...

      

Then her sneaky little shadow decided to try, to steal the dogs, oh me oh my!

      

But no luck, the duck was too alert, I mean dog, oops.  And, the pup ran away, before the shadow could cause her any hurt...

So, the shadow thought, in her best Eeyore voice, "Oooh, well, I guess, I could use this time to clean the house..."  Instead, she went to the store, walked around, but found it a bore...  Then went back to the country home, and played with her favorite gnome...

Then, she sat and she pondered, talking to her favorite hairbrush. The one that came all the way from her dearest friend in Pair-us. (I mean, Paris, hee hee)

      

She thought it had worked, she had chanelled her friend, Miss Tara, Paris Parfait, is that you?  Is that you my dear friend?  She conjured a plan, her and her hairbrush.  She would pack a bag and head for Paris.  Alas, there was this huge problem, she refused to board the plane.  So Miss Tara, for now, I made that plan in vain.  To surprise you, you see... At a quarter to three.  To call you from the airport so you could go rescue me :)

Maybe next time, she thought to herself.  Then got lost for hours, playing with treasures her friend had sent her long ago...

      

Which she cared for and loved, and thanked the elf above (I don't know who the elf above is but, let's just go with it...).

Anyhow, the days went along, the power in dissaray...  And the girl did not clean but continued to play.  Then she thought of a magical thing she had found right before, her plumbing exploded and flooded the floor...

She ran to the hiding place, where this thing lived, unpacked it and hung it, and behold, it ticked and it ticked...

      

And she sat, and waited and waited, for the wee little bird...  To hop out and say, it is time, have you heard??

      

      

      

But the whole thing happened so fast, darn and blast! (oops)  She couldn't quite capture the wee little bird, but you can imagine, he was quite handsome...

And then the news she had waited for, the power would be turned on, yippppeeee, let's explore...  A life with more power, to bake you a giant clay flower...  Only there was just one thing...

The man, known as Mr. Lovee, with the Kiss band hair, and orange under----(just kidding) :)  Took her to the new power center.  He said, well, I know it looks bad, and it is right in front of your gallery/shop, but...

Before he could go on, HER JAW hit the floor.  And her face turned as red as a bright bursting berry.  She shook and she hollered and stomped all about.  OH NO no no no!!!!  This can't be no no no, remove it right away!!!

      

All of a sudden, her anger transfered to he, and his blood boiled and steam came right out of his ears.  His eyebrows flew right off his face, and his teeth got all pointy and fierce.  He spun all around in anger and rage...  She realized, what happened. He had worked oh so hard, taking days out of his schedule to trench and to dig, so she could run her kilns back to back, and have a/c and live in peace and spoiled glee. 

So, she said, wait wait wait, I actually like it.  It is like a canvas.  I can paint it pink, I can write A Fanciful Twist on it.  He looked at her all perplexed.  Wondering, what was next?  No I am serious, she said.  It had to be, and it is just fine.  No big deal.  Then she took her hand in his, as he sat in a chair, face to face, him with a bit nicer glare (than 10 seconds ago that is).  And she said...  Now Mr. Lovee, I have a question, is this big beautiful grey metal box filled with power, a gift from you?  He nodded, yes, his face tired, but less and less stressed.  Then she said, " Well, then, if it be, that this big metal box, is a gift from you, then I love it all the more, and would hate to see it go."

Then the man said, "Well, that is good because you don't have choice."  :) :)   She gave him a hug, and brought him a nice hot cup of coffee, as he sat, looking defeated and exhausted.

She scurried away, and knew she was wrong, what was she thinking acting like she lived at the primadonna prom??? 

So, she went in her studio (getting out of his way), and thought to herself, I'll make another shamrock brooch and play...  And so was born a new idea, for making those fun paper brooches...

      

Cut out all of your shamrocks that you have printed on cardstock (printable PDF here)....  Then take pieces of paper, and trace each shamrock onto a different piece.  So that you can make a collaged paper brooch...  Then cut out each colorful paper piece, and glue it to the appropriate shamrock, and assemble as before...

      

And even try using those pin backs I spoke of before (or use a safety pin)...

      

      

And, use some of your button stash for a center...

      

Voila, isn't this soooo pretty!!  I love it!!  A wonderful alternative to no glitter!

      

So, there you have it a, a very merry cuckoo week.  And, now hopefully, getting back to normal!!  Can't wait to make my visits!!  I feel so out of the loooop!! (it has been like that alot here lately, eh?) xoxo, V

Is this really happening? {oh yes, it is}

My mind keeps asking itself those four words.  Even though, I know, yes, there is something chaotic happening in my world. I understand that I just have to deal with it, be practical, be calm.  But, all of a sudden, I think of the situation, and my heart beats a bit faster, and my brain floods with thoughts, and a tinge of panic electrifies my whole body.  Then slowly, the feeling, fades away...

What is this all about?  Let me ask you this question (particularly to those who own lots of items)...  Have you ever thought about what you would do if you had to move really quickly?  If you had to pack 15+ years of belongings.  Do you dread it?  Hope to the heavens that it won't happen?

      

Well, I have to say.  I was NOT prepared for what happened on Friday morning.  You see, for a long time, we have been noticing that floor tiles in our house are really really warm (this is my in town home, not the studio countryhome).   

My sister (we share this home) was complaining about not having hot water.  At first I didn't think much of it.  But, then it got so bad, my wonderful mother and father came to town to fix the issue.  They decided to get a new water heater (even though ours was only 5 years old).  The next day, my sister warned that there still was no hot water.  My father once again, came to town to try to figure things out.  Nothing, no sign of what was happening.  The neighbor tells my father that she had a major plumbing issue, and her whole house flooded.  Upstairs, downstairs.  She had to have new carpet, new walls, new ceilings, new everything.  We cringed....  And, then went on with our lives...  We had lukewarm water.  We hoped for the best...

      

The next day,  my sister found water seeping out from under my piano.  I rushed home, my parents met me there.  WE promptly started moving furniture, while my dad cut holes in the drywall...  The family plumber was on his way...  We knew it would not be good... 

The Good news?  The water does not seem to have reached my bedroom.  The bad news?  Our plumbing runs underground.  WE have the ever dreaded polybutelene pipes that noone ever wants to have, ever.  We never knew.  We have owned the place since 1993, without any issues.  It was never disclosed.

Our house foundation is soaked, our pipes are rotten.  The protocol, the only thing to do?  After much huddling around, discussing this ever so carefully.  The fact is evident, the entire house has to be replumbed.  It is the easiest solution.  We can not open up the floors.  WE have to make the old plumbing dormant and put in all new pipes.  The Plumber would start Monday.  That meant.  Time to pack all of my belongings.  Everything.  As ceilings and walls will be cut open. 

So, that is where I have been.  Packing all my life's treasures...  All my belongings.  The one wonderful thing.  I was able to place lots of things on my bed (all my clothes, as I had to empty out my jam packed walk-in closet), as that was going to stay.  It would just have to be covered with plastic...

      

At first I was devastated.  But then, I thought to myself...  How can you feel devastated?  You are able to save all of your possessions...  Nothing is ruined...  Then my heart broke for the people of the Katrina tragedy...  I was just feeling sorry for myself.  But, what about all the people losing homes in floods, in fires...  No time to save anything...  I am soooo lucky!!

All there was to do was pack, and not think about it too much...

      

I didn't want much help, as I needed to know where all my items were going.  And certain treasures needed to be in certain places...  Plus, I have soo many breakables... 

      

And, I want to be able to find things easily when it is time to move back in...

      

I was taking photos, in case I decided to share this with you.  Part of me thought, just move on, talk about something else.  But the other part of me, needs to talk about it, just to relieve the whirlwind stress of the last couple of days...

Moving big furniture, lots of art...  Making sure everything was safe...  Well protected...

      

The most wonderful part of this whole fiasco, was finding treasures that were lost deep in my closet.  I have lived in this house since I was 18 years old.  I pretty much own everything I brought to Tucson when I left home (and much more).  Oh, it is soooo exciting to find treasures I thought were lost...  Jewelry I mourned about, was found!!  As well as, all the rhinestone stuff and dresses from my Mexico discoteque days. So willllld!!!  Horrid Huge platform shoes made me smile from ear to ear! I got them for .50 cents in the late eighties...

      

The nostalgia of it all, made me appreciate the fact that all was not lost.  I can't tell you how I keep repeating those thoughts in my mind.  Thank God that things are okay.  All it was was an inconvenience, really.  And, hopefully, the re-plumbing will go smoothly (crossing fingers big time!)

      

I played dress up during breaks, and wondered, why I ever paid hundreds of dollars for shoes like this, brought back from London...  How did I walk in them???

      

Yesterday already seems like a blur...  As it was my biggest packing day...

      

And, I have to say, one thing I appreciate about my personality is, I have the ability to let go of issues.  I don't like to hold on, I like to move on.  No point in dwelling...  I need happy in my life...  So, as I type this blog post, I feel just fine.  I feel remarkably better, and just a little tired...

Mr. Lovee and I moved the last of the big stuff out yesterday...  While I sat on an empty safe, I played my piano to my hearts content...

      

All the while, my life sized mermaid looked on, before being plastic wrapped :)  I am so touched at how my family always come through.  My sister and brother and I are so blessed to have the parents we have.  They are understanding, they take good care of us.  I could never express to them, the profound love and gratitude I have for them...

Last night, when I got to the country home, I took a hot shower.  And felt so bad for my sister who has not been able to have one in a long time.  I also sat down to read all of the comments from my last blog post.  Mr. Lovee walked over to me, I looked up at him, huge lump in my throat, and said, "they made it all better."  Mr. Lovee said "who did?"  I pointed at the screen.  At all of your comments.   Because, well, they fill my soul.  They do, they do :)

It is wonderful to have this country place, where I have my studio, and where, my art world will not be affected.  I will have a few busy days this week, but I will see you very very soon!! xoxo  Vanessa