A Fanciful Twist

San Francisco♥

Helooooo there!

Oh what a long time no see.

Too long really, but I took forever to go through photos of my latest journey.

Might I warn of the longest post ever with too many photos.

But I had to.

You see -

I went to a place dear to my heart.

Where I went a lot when I was a kid and teen...

In a state I lived half of my life in growing up.

I went north.

Where fog and ocean and wind whip together.

And little trolley's ding up and down streets all day and night.

On a mission of sorts.

To San Francisco for a week.

The view from my hotel room was sublime.

I would open the window and just smell that air.

Ocean and baked goods and salt and sweet.

The scent is unforgettable.

I took sooo many photos to share and it took me ages to go through them all.

What a blast.

Some days I went out with no camera just to enjoy the place again.

The mission was to go to San Fran and surprise my mom who would be there for her birthday.

I boarded a plane with an Irishman.

Quite a thing seeing as how I had sworn off airplanes.

I went everywhere on planes my whole life and then stopped one day.

Well, you all know this.

Found my beloved parcel of earth and got too many furs and gardens to go anywhere for years.

Plus, I didn't want to go.

But as they say, nothing lasts forever and now I'm into airplanes again.

Imagine that?

Well it helps to be on a journey with someone who knows how to fly planes and can save you if need be. Kinda sorta, haha!

And so, we set off to surprise my mom at the ocean...

Boy was she ever surprised beyond words.

Her and my dad cried and so did the guy checking them into the hotel.

We got there early and had some time to bash around town at.

And then, the day my parents were arriving we hid in the café and watched.

Almost missing them entirely.

But we surprised them beyond words at check in.

And went on to have the most glorious trip.

Here are a few places I love...

Cliff House.

Or, the former place where cliff house once sat.

Here is some history about it.

Such a beautiful ocean at this spot...

Lovely vegetation too.

 

Nasturtium at the ocean.

Bliss.

So interesting, read here for the story.

Just love the ocean.

Getting your feet wet.

Finding a drift wood heart.

Yes I brought it home with me.

Mom and I could have stayed there for days, just right in the sand.

Where ocean humidity poofs your hair.

Such beautiful cool weather.

The fog is its own character.

We also drove along to all sorts of places.

Homes I'd like to move into.

And the gaspingly beautiful Palace of Fine Arts.

Not to be missed.

What a place.

I guess you could sit there all day too.

Watch the endless birds & flowers...

Just dreamy beyond words.

You can walk across the street from there and get a beautiful bridge and water view.

Water and mountains and fog.

So much to gasp over.

And then the cafes a plenty.

And Chinatown too.

How can you not go to Chinatown?

Just a variety of fun stuff.

Traditional items and fancy things too.

Bakeries..

And I did run into Zoltar who gave me a fortune.

So fun!

I would not leave my hotel window late at night.

Shivering from the wind.

Smelling that beautiful air.

Listening to the saxophones and trolleys.

The wonderful city sounds.

The fog.

The lights.

I loved my view.

I could have just stayed there.

Shops and cafes and galleries aplenty.

We would run up the hills in the middle of the night.

Panting and laughing.

Incredible sushi and restaurants.

We found an organic grocery store up the street and went shopping.

We made smoothies in the hotel room, so much fun.

Just immersed ourselves in life there for a week.

Hotel De France!

There was something mysterious being filmed in a cathedral.

And beautiful street flowers galore.

We walked to Fisherman's Wharf and had clam chowder and shrimp.

Of course, we had to.

Admiring the buildings all the way down.

We went everywhere and saw it all.

We stayed up too late and walked so much we hobbled.

We stayed at the St. Francis for old time's sake.

As we used to stay there when I was a kid.

The architecture and details are unreal in the city.

This was in Neiman Marcus, ceiling.

Had to snap the new Louis campaign.

And the ceiling in our hotel.

Ah, San Francisco.

I love you.

There are many homeless people.

But they are not mean.

I shared a lot of my groceries and meals with them.

They were nice and you got used to the same people in places day to day.

They almost make the city in a way.

The characters in a place.

Don't they?

I went home in the evening.

Watching the sky.

So, how did a girl who had sworn off flying for years get on a plane?

And enjoy it?

And have the time of her life?

Well, because I'm a worry wart -

And because I can really make myself insane from time to time...

I decided to read Barry McDonagh's book.

Dare.

I read it a month before the trip was even a thought in my mind.

If you are a worry wart, or struggle with anxiety...

I think you should give it a whirl.

It's written by a man who struggled himself and found the light.

Even though I'm a real free bird, happy and in love with life - 

I've been a worry wart as far as I can remember.

I remember being driven to school as a kid and feeling my stomach flip flop.

But I didn't really feel actual panic until that one time when I was 36, when I took a vitamin supplement that made me so ill.

So I do understand that feeling and unfortunately have felt it a couple times in life.

What's funny is I am brave, I do scary big things.

I'm a happy go lucky sort and I enjoy life as much as I can.

I am strong for others and enjoy being helpful when people need me.

But every now and then I can worry with the best of them.

I mean really just freak myself out.

I can be totally zen in the scariest scenarios and worried about silly things for no reason.

I guess we can all be in some ways.

It's part of being human.

Everyone feels it in some way, no one is alone.

So, after being a bit ill from my stomach a few months ago and not feeling myself, and not getting better as quickly as I would have liked & being stressed, I read it. It helped me immensely during a hard time.

I thought the book was life changing and wonderful.

I loved it.

It was simple and comforting.

Acceptance is the key.

Hard times are when we learn so much.

Being good to yourself and accepting.

Allowing yourself to feel instead of fighting feelings.

Mindfulness.

Hey, if it got me on a plane and I enjoyed it, that's saying a lot.

:-)

It's not just for flying, that was just a tiny part of the book.

But I loved it.

I didn't even read it for the flying part, that was just a bonus I didn't see coming.

Needless to say, I had the best time ever on my trip.

I got on a plane, I surprised my mom for her birthday and we had a magical time.

And I enjoyed the plane just like I did before I swore them off.

Maybe more.

Life goes by very fast, and I just want to enjoy the people I love more than ever.

That's what I've been doing the last couple of years.

Living my life, enjoying it, growing with changes and spending time with those I love.

Anywhooooo...

That was the longest blog post in history.

What else...

I am loving journaling.

Writing your thoughts really is hugely cathartic.

I've been painting my gypsy wagon, painting paintings and drawing a lot.

The garden is huge and green and I hope to start coming back here more often.

I really do.

Life is good.

Always believe that something wonderful is about to happen.

And it will.

Even when you think there is no way.

There is.

 

Lots of love, 

 

Vanessa

 

 

 

 

 

Of Hyacinth & Cozy Days

It's a bright grey day today.

With big raindrops and chilly wind.

The bulbs are blooming and candles are being lit.

Hyacinths are one of my faves.

The tulips and irises are peeking out too.

I adore cold weather blooms, don't you?

There's two very cozy boys, lazying about.

Lazier than lazy day for them.

I'm getting ready for a special celebration tonight.

I shall get out of my afternoon pj's and brave the wind and rain.

But for just a second, I'd like to stay here and sip one more lemon ginger tea.

My little fox is so sweet when he is sleeping.

I just throw sheets over my white slip covered sofa and everyone is happy.

Easy to wash and comfy.

The azaleas are waking up.

How I love them too.

I'd like to hang out with my boys here all day.

But I must be on my way.

Watering the pretty things.

Wondering what earrings I shall wear.

You know, all the difficult choices in life, haha!

I'd like to wear the blue crystals on my chandelier.

In fact I just ordered a pair in the same color and they arrived broken.

It's kind of fun to get to dress wintery this weekend.

It's not always possible in the land of sun.

I love scarves and coats and warm hats.

SO much fun!

I hope to spend my Sunday ready magazines and working on a painting.

I hope you are doing wonderful out there in your neck of the woods!

What's going on out there?

 

Love, V

 

 

The Eve of Halloween...

I've so been enjoying the last few days of full Halloween immersion.

Some parts of my house are still pastel infused.

But spooky bits and bobs are trickling in.

Dusty chandelier adds to the effect :-)

I love haunted house tales, so this area is an ode to the haunted playroom.

We've been watching lots of scary movies and eating too many treats.

She looks quit harmless there, smiling with her dolly.

But if you're in the room, in any angle but straight on, she looks like this.

And that changes everything, doesn't it?

Is she nice or wicked?

You be the judge.

I usually worry that I am not getting enough Halloween.

If you are a Halloween lover you know what I mean.

But this year I really have truly enjoyed it so much.

Loving every minute.

Taking some time to just enjoy and savor the season.

Just beware of who's watching you.

Ooooooo!

We'll be right here, playing in our haunted cove.

Waiting for the clock to strike midnight.

The dining room has gotten some black and spooky infusions.

There's sooo many treats.

Not enough tricks though, but I'll leave that up to Matty and Miles.

It's time for pumpkin pancakes and some dark honey my friend brought me.

How are you out there?

Enjoying the season?

I love today and tomorrow, love love love!

I intend to have more fun than I can handle.

See you soooooon!

I'll try to come back sooner than soon with more pics.

 

Love, Vanessa

 

 

Have you ever tried to play the Ouija?

Clink clink!

Any tales?

Here comes Halloween...

Hello helooo!

My favorite time of year is here.

Only thing is, we are in an extended summer so it's hard to convince me that it's October.

Still, I'm playing with pumpkins and having some fun.

I've been very busy with real world things.

Like endless classes to keep up my license from my previous career.

I've kept it going for 15 years, no sense it letting it lapse now.

It's good to have in your back pocket.

But the every two year courses are brutal (boring and lonnng) and as you know, I'm rotten and don't like the real world.

I'd much rather play and sip tea and paint and draw and have a jolly ole time.

Good news is, I'm done until 2018, woo hooo!

So, I hereby proclaim full Halloween immersion beginning now.

I intend to watch endless spooky movies and live in a pumpkin the next week and a half.

I have so many fond memories of childhood Halloween.

It was like a block party of costume magical goodness.

All the family members got involved, it was so much fun.

Every house was decorated, everyone joined in.

And, it was safe.

Like a giant harvest festival of dreams.

That's pretty much why I love Halloween so much.

All the good memories and enchantment of it all.

It was such a wonderful time in my childhood, so I adore it.

My dining room has been very pastel the last month.

Probably because it's so hot still, that the autumn transition has not yet taken place.

I wanted autumn fun but adapted it to hot days colors.

However, it's time to spookify things a bit.

Soooo, here I go!

Into Halloween goodnesssss.

Lots of folks have asked about the Halloween party this year.

I know, it's really kind of like, were out of time?!?

Ooops!

Let's do the time warppppp!

I've just been so busy and I'm still tending garden full time because of the heat.

I feel like I'm in an odd time warp of endless summer.

I'm ready for a vacay from summer.

I'm soooo excited for chilly days to find us desert dwellers somehow.

It's time for a break from the land of endless sun.

I'm melttiiiinnnggggg (insert cackle).

Can autumn find us before the 31st?

I sure hope so!!

 

Love, Vanessa

 

Pine Cone Zinnias & Woman's World Magazine {a giveaway}

Hi there friends, Happy September!

In spring of 2015 I did a fun pine cone craft on a whim.

You might recall?

I had gathered some pine cones in my garden and noticed the underside look like zinnias.

So I painted them, and sure enough they did look like our zinnia friends.

This craft has brought more people to this fanciful land than I could ever imagine.

Imagine that?

It's been crrrazy and fun.

I have not been able to believe the amount of visitors that pine cones turned to zinnias have brought.

And super special thanks to everyone that has sent me pics of their own painted pine cones.

I love them!

This week my pine cone zinnias craft is in Woman's World Magazine.

Fun fun!

So, I thought to celebrate I would give away a couple copies.

And, I thought we could also re-visit this fun flowery craft below.

I'm amazed at how many people took an interest in this.

Simply leave a comment to enter the magazine giveaway.

And here we go with that original tutorial below...

 

 ♥

 

Let's Make Zinnia Flowers from Pine Cones!

Look at all those beautiful zinnias.

But wait, what do you mean they are actually pine cones??

Yes yes, it's true.

These are pine cones pretending to be zinnias.

Pine cone bottoms that is!

You see, these came about in the most curious and unexpected manner.

One day very recently, I was sitting at my work bench, feeling rather lack luster.

I had my hand on my chin, wondering what I wanted to make or do.

I was actually rather bored that day, as I sat and stared at some less than perfect pine cones sitting on my studio work bench.

I had collected them off the ground under my pine tree for holiday decorating.

And here they sat, 3 months later.

In my way really.

I picked one up, tossing it about in my hand.

When the most curious thing happened!

I took my pine cone as you see below and flipped it over.

I was looking at a regular pine cone as you see.

But then by flipping it over...

I found a perfect looking zinnia on the bottom side of the cone, as seen below.

I gasped really, I was so surprised.

So, I grabbed some standard acrylic craft paint, and painted a few pine cone bottoms.

Pretty much just to prove to myself that what I thought I was seeing was true.

With each stroke of the brush, a real zinnia emerged.

I was utterly amazed.

Zinnias hiding under pine cones?!?

Who knew?

After I painted some up I realized you could either leave the tops pointy, in their regular state, as below, or...

You could use craft cutters to remove some of the pine cone petals and reveal a stem, like below.

Either way works just fine.

I think they are easier to arrange in a bowl if you just leave them as they are in their natural state.

You can also paint your pine cone bottom white first and let it dry before applying brighter colors.

Then add the colors of your choice.

Don't be afraid to layer different colors and layer shades for depth.

This is not time consuming, simply use a medium to large paintbrush and glob the paint on.

It's that easy.

A little paint and there you have zinnias that never ever fade.

Are you as gobsmacked as I was?

Who on earth knew that zinnias would be hiding in such a place?

Right on the bottom side of a perfectly regular pine cone?

I sure didn't.

Such an easy and pretty craft.

All you need is standard acrylic craft paint of your choice, a medium to large brush and you'll be well on your way to a perfect bouquet of zinnias.

 

Great for gifts for any occasion.

And the things you could make are ever so many.

From centerpieces to wreaths and beyond.

You can sparkle them up if you want too, the options are endless.

They sit perfectly in a bowl, those wonderfully tricky pine cone bottoms.

 

So, if you find yourself kicking around pine cones on your walks, pick up a few.

Turn them over and look for a zinnia hiding on the bottom.

Take them home and give them a whirl.

I'd love to see yours.

If you make some feel free to send me some photos.

 

Pine cone fun!!!

Let's get crafting.

This one's too easy to pass up, don't you think?

 

Love, Vanessa

 

Simply leave a comment to enter the magazine giveaway <3

 

 

 

 

PS: Regarding pine cones...

I don't know what kind of pine tree it is or specifically what kind of pine cones these are.

(although someone mentioned that they are loblolly pinecones)

I did this project on a whim never thinking so many people would be interested in it, the response has been incredible! Wow, I'm so amazed!

The cones are from a pine tree in my garden in Southern Arizona nonetheless.

If you are unsure if your pine cones will work, simply turn them over and look at the bottom side to see if you spot the classic shape of a zinnia.  If you do, then paint away <3

 

PPS:

I get so many emails and questions about this project, which I just did for fun with the paints I had on hand.

Many folks ask if they can use spray paint and the answer is, I don't see why not?

It would probably be super easy and the spray paint colors out there are amazing.

I can't see why you can't try any paint you want, the sky is the limit.

I used regular acrylic craft paint and just mixed up basic colors that I layered as I painted, nothing outrageous.

Another question I get everyday is about baking the pine cones first to remove bugs.

Now, being the wild woman I am, I didn't even worry about this.

Mainly because I never saw a bug emerging ever.

However, I live in the desert where the temps reach 100+ all summer.

So I'm quite certain my cones are baked/dried naturally.

But, my mom told me you can wash them in white vinegar and water.

Big bowl water and about 2 cups of vinegar, just soak and slosh around for an hour.

They might swell up and look funny when soaked but will go back to normal once they dry.

Then set them on paper towels to air dry for up to a week.

If you want to really make sure you have no bugs, then after you wash them just put them in the oven on a foil lined cookie sheet at 200' - 250'F for an hour, checking carefully to make sure they don't burn.

Then just let them sit around on paper towels for 2-4 days.

Like I said, I've never done any of that, because I live in a dry dry dry desert climate.

So, don't hold me to any of it pretty please :-)

And please don't burn anything.

If you are still unsure just google, prepping pine cones for crafts, and you'll find all sorts of info.

I'm sorry if I haven't answered everyone's questions via email, but I try ♥

Thank you so much for the huge response to this fun craft I discovered on a whim, simply to amuse myself on boring day. I am so glad you liked it too! ♥

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Peach Picking Season

Hi there friends!

The seasons are shifting it seems.

I can feel it in the air.

Spring brought us these beautiful blooms.

And in an amazing act of nature...

They turn into fruit.

Peach heaven.

Time to pick my peaches!

Never ever ever ceases to amaze me.

The way that works.

Bloom to fruit magic.

Garden magic for certain.

Incredible things happen everyday.

I had a handful of pics to share of june bugs covering our peaches.

Leaving them hanging bare with slimey pits and dripping guts.

But then I thought, why Vanessa why?

Just forget those.

Spare your friends the nashtieness.

And so I bring you the bunch that survived.

Not an easy task, covering them and checking them one by one for weeks.

Giant agave can't even protect them.

So with our peach treasures we had trays of...

Buttery brown sugar turned to toffee crunch topping peach crisp.

The best peach crisp to date.

Which is hard to believe since it's pretty darned good every year.

I never measure.

I just go, one handful brown sugar, two handfuls oats, one stick butter, etc. etc.

The alchemy was just perfect this peach season for some reason.

Gorgeous things, aren't they?

I wasn't a huge peach lover until I had my own, from this very old rickety tree that was waiting for me, on this curious plot of earth.

A few roses are turning up more and more as the nights really cool down up here.

Oh summer.

You torturous wonderful thing in the land of heat and sun.

Sluuurrrpppping peaches in the garden.

Swinging from the garden swing.

Under a peach sunset.

Simple living.

Simply wonderful.

How are you out there in the world?

I know I always say I'm busy, but darn, I really am.

My days just pass like nothing.

Blink, it's another day.

I wake up early, go hiking, tend garden and then my day starts to spiral away.

It was a very eventful week with car issues and internet issues that all ended great.

There was some stellar shopping and good decaf latte's.

I've also been designing new treasures for the shop.

Can you tell the weather is starting to change a little?

I know I know, I'm obsessed with the weather.

You tend to act like that when you live inside of a burning coal :-)

I sure can tell though, I know I said that already, but it's so exciting!

It's all just PEACHY!!

;-)

 

xoxo

 

 

 

ps:

Miley's buzzed forehead is growing back.

So, he decided to model with his kitschy crazy cat painting.

Which is bigger in person than it appears, since he is closer to the camera and looks bigger.

Thanks for all the painting laughs!

I knew we were all still kindred.

And for those who wondered...

Yes the painting is signed, Hemmings.

Interesting that someone threw it out onto the street.

And then went through all these channels to finally arrive in my hands.

Poor thing, it cleaned up well and is currently roaming from place to place in my house, haha!

Where in the heck am I gonna put this thing??!!

Haaaa!

Beware of what you wish for.

 Will any of my crazy finds ever turn out to be some rare thing worth billions?!

:-)

Have you ever seen that movie/docu, Who the Bleep is Jackson Pollock?

Here's a link about it....

And here's an amazon link...

I saw it a long time ago and loved it.

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Midsummer Tales...

Hello lovely friends!

August brings us monsoon season and fresh roses galore.

Candy colored goodness.

And so begins a second sort of spring in the high desert that lasts well into autumn.

I think I'm stretching the midsummer title, but for us in the desert, it's still summer for a good long while.

Thank you for such a bright and festive mad tea party season.

As many of you know, our resident mad hatter had a garden accident on the morning of the party.

Fancy trying to chop your arm off on my one funnest tea day of the year, oops!

So, we ended up celebrating in the ER where he got all stitched up.

I'll spare you any gory details but all the docs wanted a peek.

Shark week was all I had to say about it, haha!

He's fine and healing well.

 I've been so busy with so much this and that of life.

Hopefully I'm back on track now.

I hope you all had a wonderful time at the party and enjoyed visiting one another.

I decided that in the lingering spirit of the Cheshire cat and mad tea times I would share a fun story with you.

It's a tale about a kitty kat.

A kitty in a painting no less.

How apropos, nooo?

You see, there is an antique store I like to visit quite often.

It has many rooms and nooks and crannies.

You have to stay there a very long time in order to enjoy it fully.

I try to pop in once a week.

There was this one day, when I made it all the way back to the farthest most hidden room, that I met him...

The kitty having tea.

You should know, this was a huge painting I spied on a wall.

And really, you'd have to be utterly committed to the subject matter in such a piece to bring it home.

Mostly due to its sheer size.

Yet for some reason it beckoned me.

It also exhibits a vast quirkiness that is trying to act serious, which totally made me giggle.

But the most important factor is that...

I quite fancy myself a crazy cat lady.

Although I'd like to say that, I never really quite understood that title given to lovers of felines.

What's crazy about cats?

What's crazy about people who find they like cats better than anyone else?

And I tell you this quite honestly...

If I was not cursed with the gravest cat allergy know to man, I would certainly be the mother to all the cats I could.

(In fact I was the mother to a few outdoor cats in my lifetime, including Casey who lived 14 years with my parents. We found out about my dander allergy on my first trip to a pet store at 5. Hives and wheezing and a swollen lip, so sad)

Big giant fluffy fat cats to be certain.

And I would be proud to call myself a crazy cat lady.

Mostly because crazy cat ladies are fabulous + animal lovers.

And so...

I fell hard for what I am calling The Crazy Cat lady painting.

With roses to boot!

I wish there were 4 more cats in the piece so that it would really deserve that name.

But we all know that certain kitties have personalities that only one household can handle.

And this kitty looks like he rules the roost.

Maybe I should rename it The Sensible Cat Lady Painting?

Whatever the case may be, I veer.

And so I found myself in a big hidden room with the cat painting.

Filled with flowers and vintage sorts of things that I love.

For two months I visited the painting.

Always running to the back room to see if it was still there.

The main reason I never inquired about it was that it didn't have a price and each booth belongs to different vendors.

I thought, it must be more expensive than I think.

It's kind of a fabulous painting, but very silly too in its own way.

It's not museum quality I understand, but it's charmingly overdone and funny and I love that about it.

So, how much could it be really?

I settled on the fact that it was probably $275 or maybe $425.

One never knows these things.

Depending on the setting and vibe, it could fetch quite a hefty sum with the right buyers interested.

Couldn't it?

:-)

But the hugeness made it impossible for me to guess correctly.

And so, I settled on the fact that, it was probably too expensive for me to neeeed a giant piece as such.

And so I stalked and stalked it.

Stalked it like mad.

Stalked it every Saturday.

Until on this one very curious day, a cute gal was filling the shelves of this booth whilst chatting in what seemed like a serious conversation with a man.

I noticed the cat painting wasn't up anymore?

Where could it be?!

I scoured the room, then I saw him, on his side, frame falling apart.

Should I ask? Should I walk away?

Okay, I'll ask.

Excuse me I said, this cat painting here...

Yes, said the gal.

Is it yours?

Yep.

Ummm, is it for sale? I never saw a price on it, I say.

Then the girl says to me...

Well, you know, I was going to paint over it!!!

(My brain = WHATTT??!!! Noooo!)

No, not "my" crazy cat painting I thought.

Then I thought for a second, about how much I was willing to pay?

And how I should be frugal especially when I have no good space for a giant cat painting.

But it's in a wooden white porch, with teatime, and wicker furniture....!!!!!

That counts for something doesn't it?

Then I ask her, would you sell it?

And she says, the fact is, some girls I know found it on the street.

Someone had thrown it out.

(what?!)

Then she says, in fairness I can sell it to you for what I bought it from them for.

But they only picked it up for me so I could paint over it she says.

And I'm nodding.

Aha, yes, okay.

How much?

Cuanto, dinero, tell me please.

Do I need to put back my huge pile of treasures waiting at the sales counter in order to bring this baby home?

Don't look at me like that cat :-)

And then she says something so magical I almost die.

I literally (don't you hate when people say that?) almost die.

She says, if you want it you can have it for 5 dollars.

Wait wait wait!!??!!

Did you say five dollars?

Cinco?

Dolares?

Gulptastic!

YESSSS!!

I want it.

Give it to me.

It's miiiiiiine.

(I try to act as calm as possible, and I say, really? Yes yes, I would love to buy it)

Of course I want the quirkiest, silliest, funniest painting that's trying to be serious, like for SURE!

I think to myself, I'm the luckiest girl alive, the thrifting Gods must really really looove me!

;-)

And soooo.

I am the proud owner of a five foot long painting that I have no space for and love madly.

Every man who I have told this story to, and then shown the painting to, stares at me in perturbed bewilderment.

They don't get it.

They think it's awful beyond.

But pray tell, do you spy what I spy?

The quirky wonderful goodness of my crazy cat lady painting??

Please don't tell me it's your painting and you only set it on the side of the road by accident and now you want it back.

Haha!

Now some of you might find it charming and quirky as I did, or you might just find it awfully wonderful, emphasis on awful. I'm curious to hear your take.

For some reason my photos look blurry, but if you click on them they look clear.

Not sure what's up with that.

But there you go.

My Cheshire cat spirited 5 dollar treasure.

What says you on the topic?

I'm not sure what the thriftventure gods were trying to do to me.

I am already committed to the junk hauling cause.

Hauling it home that is ;-)

Sigh....

Good times in the desert.

Oh and, I wonder what his name is?

Anywho...

I better run because Miley is in a cone and I am on nurse duty.

I seem to be on nurse duty all the time these days.

Which I don't mind at all actually.

Especially for my fur baby.

Hope you're doing grand!!

 

xoxo!

 

 

 

 

ps:  In the spirit of Jon Secada Friday (the title I gave to my Friday night blast to the past music session with my sister) I leave you with Bryan Ferry.  Because Legend and Bryan and Love and who needs anything else really? ;-)

<3

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Mad Tea Party 2016 ♥

Hello Hello!

 Welcome to our 9th annual Mad Tea Party♥

The white rabbit is here to guide you...

He'll show you the way...

Over the bridge and into a world of tea party dreams.

Take his hand and off you go.

What dreams may come will certainly unfold.

No time to waste.

No time to be shy.

Take a seat, a treat, a teacup too!

There are sweets a plenty waiting for you.

Any tea you'd like.

Floral petal menagerie is your taste, perhaps?

There's cherry chocolate cupcakes and edible fairy tale mushrooms just in time.

We've set a table with pink roses that hum the sweetest tune.

Canopies of trees sway in the breeze as we clink and nibble and giggle galore.

Take the key and unlock the magic.

Aren't we lucky?

We get to celebrate this wondrous tale Lewis Carroll left for us all.

A tale that helped us grow our imagination.

And brings us together, as like minded friends, over and over and over again.

Oh such bits and bobs to peer at, you see.

Collected for tea sipping festivities indeed.

Winged creatures fly around fairy lights...

As laughter swirls around.

Poems are typed on old keys and rose petals tossed in the air.

The table is bursting with little pleasures.

Do you take one lump or two?

Don't forget to sniff the wishing bouquet that was waiting for you.

Twinkle twinkle little star...

Err, bat?

The mouse reciting his favorites.

As some of us venture...

Into the most mysterious treats of all.

Amanita muscaria if you please?

Will I grow tall or very small?

I'm not quite sure which I'd prefer.

Such delightments our summer tea party brings.

And just when you thought it couldn't possibly get much madder...

The green fairy turns up just in time.

Also known as, absinthe extraordinaire.

We have 3 varieties waiting for you.

Dare you partake in such intrigue?

Serve just a tiny bit, for it's very strong you see.

And then use your fancy little spoon that holds your sugar cube just so.

An utterly enchanting process I must confess.

Iciest water prepares for its job.

With a four spout absinthe fountain, no one has to wait very long.

And so we begin...

Drip by ice cold water drip on the sugar.

 Plip plop, plip plop...

Falling into the absinthe...

Magic begins to happen.

As the sugar dissolves into the absinthe, the louche begins.

Which means, the absinthe turns wonderfully opaque from the water and sugar drip.

Some of us like to just watch the process all day.

Time to take your sip of this anise and herb infused delight.

But you know what they say.

It might make you go mad.

I ask honestly, could any of us go muchness madder?

Take a sip and let us know.

Roam around the table, sipping as you go.

Tea or absinthe, you take your pick.

Another absinthe for you or you?

Oh yes, don't mind if I do, turaloooo.

A little summer rain storm would like to roll in.

But we'll be safe right here under the trees.

Ruffled skirts billowing in the breeze.

Another wonderfully delightful year to share with you.

Our 9th annual, to be sure and true.

But oh my, how can this be?

It is, I promise.

It's true as true can be.

What marvelous magical times we share together.

I hope you've had a glorious tea visit.

Stay as long as you'd like.

The party never ends in our neck of the woods.

Thank you for 9 years of kindred fun!

You are such a lovely bunch, I must say.

Now make your way to other parties if you'd like.

There's a list there on the left of mad tea partiers galore.

Stop in and say hello.

If you'd like to see our parties from past years, simply click here.

 

It's been a wonderful blog journey filled with friends and fun.

Here's to many more!

Clink clink clink!!!

 

Lots of love from me to you!

Xoxo,

Vanessa

 

Now let's keep tea partying like it's 1865, off we goooo♥

 

 

Ps:  If you are a mad tea participant hosting your own event, please leave your party link in comments.  It will serve as an archive for years to come.

 

 

 

New Clay Sweeties in the Shopling♥

In a certain English ivy forest spring has swirled in.

And with spring comes the yearly swan parade through the fairytale land.

The elves and fairies hide amongst the green, spreading their fairy dust for all.

The swans sing the most hauntingly beautiful songs as they pass by the tiny elfin village.

The fairies twirl in delightment as sparklies fill the air.

The patisserie is open just in time as the village lights up with joy.

The swan song awakening of spring, oh my!

Please come in says little bakery girl.

There's tea and sweets galore.

It's so warm and inviting - delightful indeed.

The elves hide under ivy leaves and watch the fairy dust magic come to life.

It's a perfect time to live in a 3 story cake...

Or a pink pumpkin!

Or or, a sweet mushroom house.

And let's not forget the charming tree houseling<3

Can you hear the swan song?

It's spring.

It's time for magical things!

Like flowers and gardens and warm beautiful nights.

I'm sorry I disappeared for so many days, I was working away on these claylets.

The details are time consuming and I like to put my whole whole whole heart in.

Totally hand sculpted, painted, stained, varnished and sparkled by me.

One of the local elves ;-)

 

All can now be found here in my online shop.

aFancifultwist.etsy.com

 

 

Curious Collecting

Helllooo there!

I have returned from a week of gallivanting to and fro.

It's warm here, mixed with pure spring sun, simmering at full force.

I find myself watching movies set in the 1600's today as I go through my collections.

Truth be told, you may have noticed I collect all manner of things.

However, I have a special wood and glass box that I put my beloved insects in.

If I see a winged creature that has lost its life, then I bring it to my box.

Of course, I can never say no to petals.

Dried or fresh.

I have an abundance and still get petal greedy.

I was thinking I should change my name to, The Greedy Gardener.

What do you think?

My vintage bee pins have an incredibly vast tale.

Too long to tell.

I'll give the short version.

I have a large bee pin identical to these with the dark jade, which I purchased 16 years ago.

One of my most favorite things.

Huge sentimental value.

I lost it one night 16 years ago, and searched for it for 4 months.

Restaurants, shops, a boyfriend's house.

Cars, streets, nooks and crannies.

Nothing.

I went to the same department store a dozen times and they always said it was not there.

So, I went to the lingerie department on a last try, and the seamstress had a cubby there.

A gal pulled out a basket and my brooch was sitting right on top.

My favorite most cherished piece for years, I was so happy to find it back then.

Until 5 years ago or so.

It disappeared in my own house.

I have taken the place apart many times in search, nothing.

Just like my coral rose pin that disappeared and then magically reappeared.

Trust me, I am not just missing it.

So, hopefully one day "they'll" return it to me :-)

Leprechauns? Elves? You decide.

In the meantime I have scoured the earth to find the exact pin and over the last few years found these.

Identical brand and style.

Still, not "the" pin.

So maybe, possibly, hopefully one day - it'll be right back where it disappeared from.

In my glass case.

In the meantime I enjoy the stand-ins.

Have you ever lost something you adored and never found again?

In my more mature being, I just give up a little easier and accept the loss.

But refinding is always so swooningly wonderful, isn't it?

It's okay if I never find it again though.

So.

Petals and insects and keys and tiny tea sets.

All things I adore.

What's on your list?

Now petal collecting will be at its best for the year.

All of my roses are blooming madly.

All shades of pinks and corals and reds and yellows and lavenders.

Dreamy little rose days indeed.

I've been spending lots of time in the real world and painting in town too.

I have been having so much fun.

Wonderful marvelous times.

I'm enjoying my balance of country and city life.

I went to a crazy event on Friday, had champagne, listened to good music.

Painted in a city garden all weekend.

Now I'm back in the country jumping on the trampoline with ML and Miley.

Matty wasn't into it at all.

Life is full of twists and turns and I'm enjoying them all these days.

I'm still a person who likes seclusion but going places is proving to be quite enjoyable.

Thank goodness the boys all hold down the fort.

I've been making all sorts of art and sculptures.

If I can wrangle myself in I'll take pics soon and share.

I'm listening to Antony Hegarty (The Lake) and old Bat for Lashes (lonely) as I type.

I love rediscovering old faves.

How are you out there?

Is it cold, is it warm?

Is life good?

 

Lots of love,

Vanessa

 

 

 

Merry ♥

The end of a more than good weekend should look something like this.

Wouldn't you say?

Edible stars and disco dust just left twinkling on a tattered gobbled cake.

A memory of bits of magic shared with loved ones.

Remaining buttercream smooshed & scattered.

Maybe a little on your lip too.

I returned from a weekend of fun, driving through cold weather.

Snow on the mountains as I arrived to my higher elevation.

Merry feelings trickled in with the help of winter weather.

This lead to an insatiable need to tuck more baubles in here and there.

And so, I did.

While 3 boys wrestled and ran around the house around me.

2 fur, one none fur.

Indoor playing on an icy wet day.

It's been colddddd.

Brrrr.

But it sure does help infuse the holiday spirit.

Snowy mountain goodness.

I hung my sparkly pink snowflakes from the mantle.

And played in a huge wooden bowl of petals I somehow amassed this autumn.

I had collected the summer blooms in a huge glass jar.

Never realizing I'd have so many autumn petals.

Which of course I just love.

I'll need another giant jar.

I've been adding lights to ivy in the garden.

Changing things up a bit.

I've been quite the social butterfly lately.

I don't know what has come over me.

I've been having a day here and there in town doing lots of fun things.

Going to see the twinkling lights in the Tohono Chul botanical garden.

Going hiking in other mountains (not just my own), enjoying parks.

Shopping, going out for tea, lovely dinners, wonderful company.

It's been a blast and it's been so nice to nurture my inspiration vault.

Just nice to go here and there from time to time.

I'm enjoying life so much.

On December 1st of 2014 I started going out and getting exercise and fresh air every single day.

I didn't have a plan or a reason.

It was just a calling, a vast need to escape and do something physical outside of my own world.

I'm very active in my gardens and life, but I think it's different when you stop your day to take this time for yourself.

At least it is for me.

It's become such a huge necessity to my soul and I enjoy it so so so much.

Everyday I put on some music and hit the hills.

I've worn through 3 pairs of running/walking shoes in 12 months.

It's such a great gift I gave to myself that I didn't even know I needed so much.

To just unplug from everything and break free a couple hours a day.

It's changed my schedule a lot, but is now melding with my creative life organically.

I've had such a great year, projects, fun and people in my life.

But mostly, it's been great because I stopped and gave myself a gift.

To take better care of me in the sense of taking myself out, going up hills, changing the scenery.

It's not just a physical gift but mentally and for the soul, so good.

Enjoying the beautiful mountains around me & taking advantage of them.

It's wonderful.

We forget to do nice things for ourselves.

It becomes last priority.

2015 I made it my first priority.

It's amazing how few people, if any, are out there enjoying the hills with me.

I can't even believe a year has gone by, but I know I can't miss a day without fresh air, good music and big hills now.

It's blissful, it's not a chore, it's a choice.

Why I veered onto that I don't know, haha!

But now you know what I've been doing with a huge chunk of my days for 378 days.

And then somehow it became December.

And here we are, with snow and ornaments and baking.

I'm so scattered in my baking and making this month.

Wrapping up some projects and starting others, phew!

I have clay and fresh paintings waiting for me.

Somehow there is not enough time in the day to do it all.

Still, I'm encouraging myself to get out more, despite the need for more time.

I had a prickly pear mimosa this weekend, on Saturday.

And a 12 course dinner at the Arizona Inn on Friday night, tiny bites, with wine pairings.

Oooo, that was fun.

I don't drink, so after the first course with sparkling Zipang Sake' I was a bit numb.

(but I recommend it, it was so lovely, a bit like champagne & very tasty)

Booooy did I ever have fun.

:-)

Okay, I'll stop babbling now.

 

How are you out there in the world?

 

Love, V

 

 

 

Nutcracker Sweet Collection {Treats & Gifts}

 Hello friends!

Writing to you from a brand new computer & a crazy week.

I sort of feel like I'm writing to you from a whole other universe on this machine.

I've wanted to share a Nutcracker tale with you for ever so long.

Finally, today is that day.

Hooray!

With new treats in my shop too.

But first, here's the tale.

The company (BPlusPrintworks) that I worked with on my ballerina giftware line asked me to do something fun this summer.  They asked if I would consider illustrating characters inspired by The Nutcracker ballet. The illustrations would be used on some fun products for the ballet industry.

I agreed and set off to watch The Nutcracker endless times.

It became Christmas all summer.

I just let The Nutcracker repeat in the background as I drew for months.

I submitted my drawings, worked on edits and pretty soon things started to take shape.

Clara and the Nutcracker grew very near and dear to my heart.

 

As visions of sugar plum fairies really did dance through my head.

Over and over and over.

Pretty soon I had 60 or more drawings to choose from.

Then I spent another couple weeks adding color to all the drawings.

After that I waited to see how they would be brought to life.

Or what kind of products would be made.

And then, I received some super sweet pieces.

 

These are boxed notecards featuring some of my illustrations.

I love the box they are in so much.

There are also coffee/tea cups.

I was so overjoyed and just smitten with these little delights.

Then I was inspired to create a poster using all of the characters.

So, I created this Nutcracker Sweet Poster for BPlus Printworks.

(they sell to retail establishments and do gift shows etc)

They have sold out on the poster a couple of times, however I got my hands on a dozen which I popped into my shop.

The price point is pretty amazing, but it's a vendor promo price that may not last, so do take a peek if you'd like one for yourself.

Here's a better peek below at what the boxed notecards look like.

They are great quality fold open cards.

This is what the back of the box looks like.

My camera was being finicky, sorry about the pic.

There are also collectible pins as you can see below.

And some super adorable 3" mirrors.

These make such great gifts.

I've bundled them into little gift sets in my shop.

They turned out so crisp and clear.

I'm so excited about how sweet the pieces turned out.

I really couldn't be happier after a long drawing summer.

So, if it seems like I've been missing here and there...

Now you know why.

I've had a bunch of things going on and been quite busy.

I'm also trying to finish some sculptures and paintings while working on other projects.

 

I have a few of all of these products in my shop.

Not a ton, but a nice little smattering.

I hope you like them.

You can get some right here.

 

It feels like these officially kick off the holiday season.

In my world at least.

:-)

All my seasons sort of did a mashup this year.

I'm trying to sort it out somehow in my mind, haha!

 

 

Off I go for now.

See you real soon!

Love, V

 

 

 

It's Official! Vanessa Valencia Giftware has arrived♥

I'm so excited to finally get to share my giftware line with you!

In fact it's in my shop now, right here.

If you've been wondering what the heck I have been up to lately?

Here is part of the tale...

The last couple years I've been working on some product licensing with the most wonderful folks over at B Plus Printworks. We have so many fun goodies coming to fruition.

They've made some beautiful little treats with my ballerinas.

Things like cosmetic bags, mini journals, glass magnet sets & playing cards.

You can purchase them in my shop here beginning this morning.

Hooray!

I am sooo in love with these little journals.

Being a book lover, I just can't get enough of them.

They are the perfect size to toss in your handbag and boy would they make wonderful stocking stuffers.

4 of my ballerina pieces have been used to create this line of products.

The cosmetic bags are oil cloth on the outside & have a dreamy water color quality.

Each bag has a beaded zipper pull.

The cosmetic bags come in small and large sizes.

There are also beautiful glass magnets that are packaged in lovely little boxes.

The little journals include an elastic band and a satin ribbon bookmark.

Inside they have 80 lined sheets of cream paper.

And, my favorite part, a hidden pocket in the back for small keepsakes.

Aren't they so charming?

They make me so so happy.

It's a lovely combination of art and function I think.

 There are 4 styles, as you can see here.

I love the silk bookmark and elastic band.

The cosmetic bags are oil cloth on the outside and a red dotted fabric on the inside.

You can see extended details of each product in my shop.

Available in 4 ballerina styles as well.

Oh and, must not forget the playing cards.

These are soooo much fun and have the Theater of Dreams piece on them.

Crystal clear in person.

The little box is cute too.

I'm so pleased that I entrusted my art to a company that made such darling little treats and treasures.

I'm carrying some in my etsy shop at, aFancifulTwist.etsy.com

Pop on over to take a peek if you'd like.

There are more details and photos over there.

The sizes of all the items are so great for gifts and stocking stuffers.

I hope you like them too!

 

So that's some of what I've been up to.

Finally getting to share is soooo exciting!!

 

Hope you're doing great.

 

Love, Vanessa

 

 

 

 

ps: If you'd like to shop for these you can pop into my shop here to purchase.

However, if you are a retailer and would like to carry these items feel free to contact B Plus Printworks. They specialize in ballet giftware. Their products are sold worldwide and they are wonderful to work with ♥

 

Hello November ♥

Hello there friends!

A little note to say hiya and thanks bunches for the wonderful Halloween fun.

Wasn't that a blast?

It totally hit the spot.

Must be why I'm now quite under the weather.

Sorry for the bad phone pics, however...

The flowers are current.

My garden is enjoying lots of Arizona rain the last month.

And gifting buckets of flowers.

In fact, it's raining again now.

Autumn is a very nice time in the desert.

A wonderful reprieve from the heat, with the garden coming back for a sort of autumn spring.

Rain is quite welcome in the desert and a beloved treat.

Anywhooooo...

I must have partied waaaay too much.

Going lots of places and doing social things.

Because now I'm quite unwell.

So I'm sipping lots of tea.

Taking lots of vitamins.

I even made a massive pot of homemade chicken soup.

Thanks to ibuprofen for insane aches.

Wow those aches.

My aching lungs.

(insert funny accent as I grasp my chest)

I hope to be back very soon, as I might be heading toward the end of this.

Knock on wood.

It gets me every several years it seems, when I least expect.

I had so many fun Day of the Dead things to share.

Oh well.

I guess, your body tells you when you need a break.

I had just enough energy to open the Pan de Muerto for Dia de los Muertos that my mom gave me.

It's Mexican sweet bread dusted in sugar, a type of pan dulce.

I hope you are doing grand out there in your neck of the woods.

I'd love to hear what you're up to.

It's been such a lovely autumn so far.

The quince are ready to be picked.

There's one last pomegranate waiting for me.

The oranges are about to start leaving the green stage.

And the garden is bursting with roses and zinnias and cosmos.

The fruits tree leaves are just contemplating turning red and orange and yellow.

They're not quite sure yet though :-)

Oh and, the pups are keeping me warm.

Never leaving my side.

Oh and my nanny or manny, the mad hatter, ain't half bad either.

Bringing me ice packs when I have a fever.

And cold grapes and oranges.

So nice.

Hope to be dancing around again very very soon!

 

Lots of love,

Vanessa

 

 

 

 

Art & Petal

The most curious thing happened while I was painting in the garden today...

I kept thinking about the Allegory of Spring by Sandro Botticelli.

I collected a wonderful smattering of sun torched and fresh flowers from my garden.

I ate big crisp succulent, sweetest of sweet, grapes.

I looked upon our sort of second spring in my desert place with great joy.

Where desert meets forest.

And I thought...

About Primavera.

I always love this Botticelli piece.

The thought of it immediately sent me to my little library of books.

And somehow, quite naturally, my hands began tucking petals into the piece.

As I watched it come to life.

That sort of moment is sure to inspire a beautiful afternoon of painting in the garden.

From stem to petal to color.

From breeze to bliss.

I stepped in.

If only for one fragile moment.

In I went.

I tossed petals about quite decadently.

Listening to the hauntingly beautiful sound of violins.

Then piano.

Then symphony.

And there I was...

For a moment in time.

Transported.

In that perfect way that a collision of inspiration, imagery and imagination can take you away.

Swirled right up in golden afternoon sun and a cool breeze.

Fluttered about like a butterfly.

Back in time.

1482.

Imagine that date?

And then, somehow I managed to grab my camera and come back.

Just in time to share it with you.

How about that?

:-)

I suppose one can never truly know what happens when art and petal collide?

I was overjoyed to be standing right in that space...

Where a wave of creative consciousness swooped me up.

A perfect afternoon voyage.

Now I sip hot tea with almond milk and type away.

Excited to go to sleep and see if I can step back into my art book.

Loveliest weather here.

The shift, the dance of summer to autumn is definitely in the flirtation stages.

Oh how wonderful to see it happening.

Brings us a taste of spring in mid September, in these southwestern lands.

Lovely day indeed.

What's happening in your neck of the woods?

Do tell.

 

Love, V

 

 

 

 

Pumpkin Tales...

Hello from the land of no internet.

It got taken out twice in a row by storms, but here we are again, hooray!

Just in time for tales, of the pumpkin vine variety.

In the land of never ending summer, a certain pumpkin growing girl lost all her vines to wild pigs.

Yes, wild pigs.

Javelina to be exact.

Yes yes, you've heard that tale before.

I didn't get angry in the end.

But now...

There is a twist!

The Pumpkin King knew she worked so very hard year to year.

Toiling in desert heat.

So, he decided to bestow a little pumpkin magic upon her after all.

And so it was...

That in the flower garden, where the garden swing hangs from a giant canopying mesquite tree...

Pumpkin vines decided to pop through the ground, slowly unfurling.

Curls and leaves gingerly twirling about.

Making their way up to the sky.

Having tea with ivy and swaying in the hot breeze.

Crawling up higher and higher.

Dancing up the bark.

Using string lights for support.

Gracing us with the greatest gift.

What would summer be like in Fanciful, Arizona without at least one pumpkin vine?

And so, I've been swinging with glee.

Watching my pumpkin vine climb the great big tree.

Delighted that the Pumpkin King did not forsake me.

 He found a way to make it happen.

In the most magical little spot.

Where shade and swing meet up with a girl and a couple furs several times a day.

Where songs are sung out of key.

Where popsicles drip from elbow to knee.

Where candles and lanterns and fairy lights bounce off their enchantment by night.

That's where pumpkin goodness has found me.

Thankful hearted I am I am.

I soooo am.

Loving the winding twirling curling dance of the pumpkin vine.

Nature, curious character indeeeeed!

Makes me happy as can be.

 

Any fun little nature things happening in your neck of the woods?

I'm sooo happy to have internet again.

It's been a week and a half of struggling with it.

Imagine what we ever did without it?

I guess without it we never would have met, would we?

 

So, I hate to say this...

Because I adore seasons and appreciate them so.

But...

I think summer has taken a toll on me.

Sweltering endless days.

Feeling just exhausted from the heat.

Going up hills early in the hot hot hot everyday.

I'm ready for a tinge of cool, how bout you?

A week ago I wasn't ready, but now I am.

It hit me, are you feeling it too?

 

I think the growing things would love a tiny break as well.

I'm certain of it.

 

Love, V

 

 

 

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

 

 

Summer Loves

Oh Summer summer summer...

The thick clouds finally rolled in threatening monsoon season.

Dinner plate dahlias hang around, bobbing in the heat, begging for a drink.

Caterpillars munch heart shaped morning glory leaves into lace.

I love watching caterpillars eat my leaves.

So many butterflies are now coasting in the breeze.

I've filled my arbors with my pine cone zinnias.

They have totally held up and fill the flower void, as the roses on this arbor only bloom once a year.

(make your own zinnias here)

The cosmos have grown taller and taller for months and are just about to explode.

Large blooms too.

My garden gets most of its flowers in late summer and fall.

The most curious thing has been happening.

Large insects have met their demise right before my eyes.

I had to pull over to save one the size of my fist that hit my car wind shield.

Then...

This one fluttered out of the sky, twirling to the ground as I walked out of a shop last week.

So, I brought him home.

I placed him in my collection of bugs I have found already dead.

Poor thing.

I was amazed at the double wing structure.

 I love my dead bugs.

Also...

It's officially official now.

The pumpkin patch 2015 is really finito for sure.

The leaves started to come back from the first javelina feast, then 3 nights ago the javelinas slammed their bodies into the fence until they busted it again, desperation is incredible, and finished it off.  Even pulling vines down from above the domed garden enclosure.

So, there you have it.

I'm not upset about it at all.

I don't know why, I'm just not.

I normally would have sobbed.

Alas, such is life.

I'm am happy to be eating basil though.

Basil is everything summer to my heart.

The scent of purest summer days.

Waiting for monsoons.

Day after scorching day until finally.......

They explode.

In fact I tried to get here yesterday but we lost power until late night.

So, I was finally able to sneak in today.

The poor dry earth was begging for rain.

If you are wondering about mud, here is something interesting.

Our soil is very sandy, so the water just absorbs as though it was never there and mud is a rare sight around my place.  Interesting no?

I love watching the storm from the front garden porch.

My flower garden is in the front yard, so I get to watch rain on mountains and in garden from the deck.

Of course I was dancing in those glorious showers, as you can imagine.

Watching all the growing things smile and take big breaths of bliss.

Just magical desert rain I tell ya.

It got very wild for a while.

I posted videos on instagram, if you fancy a peak.

Cisterns overflowing...

Followed by the most spectacular sunset in brilliant candy pink.

The power was out so I played the piano by candlelight to bide the time in the dark.

I love that sort of summer drama.

Wind whipping around.

Hail and giant water droplets.

Losing power.

It's just all so exciting when it happens.

It's actually just raining now again, so I'm typing really fast.

Because I'm pretty sure we may lose power again.

I love love love the rain after 90 days of pure heat.

Dreammmy!!

 

How's life out in your neck of the woods?

Fill me in, won'tcha?

 

Looove, V

 

 

 

 

Mad Tea Party ♥ 2015

Hello fellow dreamers!

Welcome to our 8th annual Mad Tea Party ♥

Oops, looks like someone may have eaten the caterpillar!

 

Lovely meeting again, in that place where wishes flutter on the breeze of flipping book pages.

Where imagination is limitless and stories live on for 150 years and more.

Thanks to Lewis Carroll, we meet on this 150 year anniversary of Alice in Wonderland.

 

In 1865, a dreamer too, wrote a tale so inspiring and magical that it lives on and defines a part of our imagination in ways not even he could have imagined.

We clink to a magnificent tale and the man who thought it up ♥

So that we could continue partying like it's 1865 year after year!

Generation after generation.

And so we plunge...

Into the mad tea party chapter.

Because really, what's anything without a little madness?

Sweets and treats.

Teacups stacked from here to there.

It's time it's time!

The light of golden hour flickers in...

As we gather right outside the fairy bower.

A perfect place to sip and munch before deciding to plunge through the arbor into wonderland.

Candy coated chocolates roll about the table.

As cakes call your name.

I thought the baby pig was cute, so I stole her from a previous chapter.

Who wouldn't want to gaze upon ruffled flowers and maybe swallow a cake or two?

Even pigs do.

Sparkles and petals and happy things galore.

Pretties and buttercream and sipping tea with striped strawers?

Little moon faces made out of sugar and edible glitter beg to be dunked...

In they go...

Swirling to and fro.

Then sipped for ultimate magical experience at any tea party.

(learn how to make your own here)

Petals float in tea cups.

Top hats get passed around.

Piggies eat cookies too :-)

Stardust flutters about.

Even tiny edible stars turn up on queen cakes just for you.

We read aloud with great respect for sheer madness!

And then it's time for making wishes.

Wishes made in pennies and keys and sparklies.

Who knows, one might even come true for you?

Note that, the one activated wish on the bottom right is not photoshopped.

Hmm, perhaps it's yours?

Yes yes, it must be!

Golden light casts its spell...

As the clock strikes...

Time for you to decide if you will stay and have tea or venture further into your dreams?

Anyone willing to go first?

Oh, here we go, first brave soul.

In he goes...

Wonder what his wish would be?

And what he thinks he might see?

The question is, will you follow?

And what do you hope to find?

We'll be here waiting to hear your tales.

Sloshing our tea about.

Nibbling until our buttons pop.

Laughing until we have to lay on the ground holding our bellies.

Dreaming forever and more if we can.

We'll rhyme and joke and confuse everyone who stops in.

Which of course, you know you're welcome to stop in any time, don'tcha?

Morning, noon, night, we'll be here.

Yes yes, right here.

Ready to fill up your cup.

So never fear, someone just like you is always near.

A dreamer, a whimsian, a tender hearted imaginarian.

Waiting to mad tea with you.

So glad you came and could stay and so hope to see you again.

Hoooooray!

Hooray for believing no matter what anyone says.

I believe, this is one thing I know to be true.

And, I have a feeling, so do you!!

Just like our friend, Lewis Carroll.

 

Happy 8th annual mad tea party my friends!!

Thanks for joining in, either by hosting your own event or being a lovely guest.

It's always so much fun because of you! ♥

 

Lots of love, Vanessa

 

Feel free to visit past parties here.

 

 

 

 

ps:  If you are a party participant please leave your party link in comments, it will serve as an archive for years to come ♥

 

 pss:  If possible, please remember to leave your tea party post up for a few days.  It takes us all several days to make all those visits, thank you!

 

 

Peeking in the Winter Garden & Other Tales...

It's astonishing, what you can find in the winter garden.

When all is sparse and dry, there are still garden treasures to be found.

Inspiration for art and palette.

And wandering mind it seems, as this post curiously unravels.

The strawberry leaves turn crimson & have my full attention.

I take a few and find myself brushing up against arugula flowers.

A scent so peppery and buttery all at once.

Such a flavor.

I can't help but eat a few leaves.

I love that it has jumped outside the vegetable garden and grows in hearty patches everywhere.

I collect some of my favorite winter garden finds.

The lacy dried out casings of tomatillos.

Intricate & paper thin.

Don't mind me as I give the rosemary a pinch as I walk by.

I have made ever so many rosemary roasted potatoes with chicken in the oven this winter.

I decide to collect a bundle of garden loot, see what I can come up with.

I make a pouch out of my shirt and fill it.

Dry bits of black eyed susans amuse me.

As do coreopsis tufts and golden nettle berries.

I can't help but get distracted by the Brussels sprouts, which are ready for picking.

I love them thrown in a hot pan with a little olive oil, sauteed with garlic, craisins and slivered almonds.

Then doused with balsamic and allowed to sautee with the lid on.

Yumm.

I adore how they grow up a giant stalk.

I pick off all the big leaves so I can see them better.

We will most certainly be having Brussels sprouts tomorrow.

Hooooray!

I skedaddle on with my loot in my shirt, admiring sweet alyssum peeking through rock paths.

And I nearly gasp at the perfectly witchy look of the gypsy garden.

Where a teeny tiny 49 cent pot of variegated ivy I planted has exploded over the years.

Trickling out of its space and over to the gypsy wagon.

It's one of those things that only happens when you don't try.

If I had wanted it to do that, it wouldn't have.

I'm happy.

Crazy little ivy.

I turn out my shirt onto the old wooden table.

I even found a piece of teal glass.

I guess in the winter of the high desert, there is still color after-all?

Imagine that?

It's like anything in life isn't it?

No matter how empty or desolate something seems...

If you really open your eyes and look...

You may see more things than you could have ever imagined.

I love hunting about when the garden is empty and winter sleeping.

So many little things to notice before all the pretty guys turn up.

 

It's kind of like not judging a book by its cover.

Or judging people by the way they look.

I worked at an angel gallery once, where I also sold my angel paintings.

(I painted angels once upon a time)

You would meet all matter of curious & wonderfully interesting people there.

My parents were terrified.

But I was fascinated.

It was a wonderful experience for a 19 year old.

There was the couple who wore no shoes and white robes, so kind.

There was the scary guy who told us every chance he got that he was just out of jail - he was wild eyed and looked like he could snap at any second.  We showed him human kindness, and he always came back for more.

(he prefaced every sentence with, I just got out of jail, so it became funny after a year)

We always offered him food treats right away, because that seemed to please him.

So many other endless lovely people.

There was a cafe' next door where more stories and characters evolved after the gallery closed.

There was the French Canadian Richard Gere looking guy with the black hat.

He was about 15-18 years older than me.

He couldn't speak any English.

So, I practiced my French on him, and somehow we ended up in front of a roaring fire, laughing and listening to Pavarotti and U2 in concert.  He had the cassette tape tucked inside his black leather motorcycle jacket.

I was such a hopeless romantic.

(Am.)

However, when he wanted to take me back home with him a few weeks later, to live in a chalet in the woods of Quebec and have lots of babies, I got in my rabbit convertible and bolted away.

And that was that, one of many romances I dare confess.

(so glad I had them, fun memories abound)

I was still in college after-all.

Not ready for any of that.

Was fun while it lasted.

He was so sad.

Sorry French man.

So sorry.

And yet, and yet and yet......

I veer.

I veer so well don't I?

We were talking about angels and nature collecting...

And I ended up with heart shaped pupils and Pavarotti.

But it was winter.

And it was cold.

So, that's what the stories have in common I suppose?

Oh gooodness me.

Should I really post this fiasco of a tale, haha!?

I suppose it would only be apropos to leave you with "the" song below...

And beg you to tell me one of your tales.

Something from the past.

Or the present.

I know you have tales.

A good and juicy tale.

Come on, won'tcha?

Don't let me stand here telling you my secrets alone ;-)

xoxo

Love, V

 

♥ ♥ ♥

 

 

 

 

 ps:  As I typed I remembered...

I still have the cassette he gave me, with Pavarotti and U2, that night...

All those years ago.

Oh my, haha!

♥

Lovely Little Things.

It's hard to describe...

What autumn in Arizona is like.

How springy it is and how it doesn't feel like October should be behind us.

It's like being discombobulated, intoxicated by the scent of abundant fall roses.

But also, the intense heat wanes, and you come back to life.

Slowly unwilting.

Greeted by glorious weather beyond compare.

Confused, rubbing your eyes, wondering what day it is?

Like if waking up from a deep sleep.

Where am I?

Slowly I spy autumn.

I want to do all the things that less garden chores brings.

I am taking little garden breaks this week after a very very long summer.

I have more time to do other things outside of the garden.

Of course I loooove the garden beyond measure.

But a break is so delicious.

Not having to bolt out of bed to tend garden, but instead sip tea, first thing in the morning.

So, I guess you can say, I am slowing down.

But only for a few days as the holiday rush makes my head spin.

What day is it, where am I?

You can see from all the new petals how the confusion could be quite grand.

And this too, I would have no other way.

It's like a secret garden, when it shouldn't be.

But it is.

Gifting glorious weather in Arizona.

I receive parcels.

Some with treasures from 1880.

Oh my, oh me!

Others with fabric and ribbon and clay.

So much to do, so much to do.

I am grasping.

Trying to do it all and take it all in and not let a morsel drop.

Alas, it's not possible.

I lay in the garden, on a warm sunny patch of earth, and just watch flowers sway.

It's sometimes all you can do.

Stop and smell the roses, hmmm, what a concept, haha!

Linens and linen closets beckon.

The evening chill even lets me grab flannel.

I take everything out, making some sense of things.

The cosmos continue on.

As though time is endless.

As though spring is eternal.

At times it seems like it.

As we eat fresh tomatoes in the garden today.

Wacky.

And yet....

And yet, there are small signs.

That it really is November.

I gifted one of my Jack-o-lanterns to the scarecrow today.

A fresh head should surely delight him, as he smiles amongst pecan trees.

There is mad fluttering everywhere, still.

Love it so.

It's a bizarre Arizona after-all.

It can not be denied, can it?

Wings in pumpkin head eyebrows :-)

I do little drawings every night, on these lovely cool breeze evenings.

Forgive me if I posted these already, I can't recall?

Some slowly becoming other things.

Making their way to what is to come.

If I can get control of myself long enough....

To leave the garden and warm sun, and venture back into the studio.

I wanted to take a couple days off this week.

Alas, the chores of an adult human never cease do they?

But maybe tomorrow.

Yes, maybe tomorrow will be that day?

To pretend I am 10, with not a care in the world.

 

What is happening in your neck of the woods?

Oh, do fill me in ,won't you?

 

Love, Vanessa

 

 

 

post script: 

I made roasted tomatillo salsa, it was unreal.

Used this recipe by Rachael Ray, just added a smidge of sugar to cut the slight tomatillo tart/bitterness.

I had to quadruple the recipe (lots of tomatillos) and it worked great.

I also used different chilies.

I really don't think you can go wrong whatever you use.

 

I also made enchilada pie, it was amazing.

Used this recipe loosly.

I made my own sauce with chilies and roasted peppers plus tomato etc.

It's a great recipe and you can change it up without fail.

This is a terrible night shot, forgive me.

But it will feed you for days.

You make it in a spring form pan, so when you release the form it looks like this.

Of course, you can make it in any pan, it doesn't "have" to be spring form.

You just won't take it out of the pan.

It was delicious, really.

And healthy too, for the most part.

I put foil over a cookie sheet and then put my pan on it, as it will boil over.

 

post post script:

If you are not on instagram, here is a funny little montage of me in the cottage loft, and the pups sad that they can't get up in there to take all my covers and give me a tiny corner of the bed, hee hee ;-)

 

Of Pirate Treasure, Wigs & other Antics

There have been some childhood stories fluttering back and forth this week.

Some rotten, some hilarious.

I think I was just misunderstood as a kid.

You see, from the get go, I was obsessed with treasure.

Loot.

Jewels.

Sparkly things.

I think it all began in the Pirate's of the Caribbean ride in Disneyland.

(Me and a goofy face in Disneyland)

Where you drift by these huge open treasure chests of gleaming goodness.

Gold and jewels pouring out.

Heaps of loot everywhere.

If only I could reach!

I would fantasize about going into the ride late at night and filling my back pack with treasure.

I think I wanted the treasure much more deeply than anyone could have imagined.

I thought to myself, when I grow up, I will have treasure!

Endless treasure, you wait and see!

(That was the retro kitchen of a red brick ginger bread house we lived in until I was 6/7, it had the most spooooky library, will tell you about it during ghost story time in October.  Mom wishes they had never sold that house, it was on a great big hill (the only hill) in an idyllic neighborhood with lots of kids playing everywhere. Then we moved to the middle of nowhere, where I went on mine adventures by myself, eeeks!)

Maybe I'll even have a cave somewhere, like in the Goonies.

And stack my treasure all greedily in there.

Piling it higher and higher until I am lost forever.

In my glorious treasure!

These were my thoughts...

While other kids were dreaming of baby dolls and such.

I was literally scheming up plans for acquiring treasure.

I wore lots of rings and necklaces too.

Once, when I was 5 or 6, we were at a sea side pier and I begged for a ring.

You see, there was a man selling oysters and inside of each oyster was a pearl.

So you would fish out your own oyster, open it up, and find a pearl.

He would then set it in a 14k gold ring.

Of course, I needed this or I would stop breathing.

(I was a tad dramatic back then, so glad I grew out of that, hee hee)

So...

I begged my dad.

And then...

I got the ring.

Little rascal!

And I still have it.

After all these years, I am so happy it survived.

32 years?

My little pearl ring.

But wait!!

I veer!

I was going to tell tell you how, in the midst of treasure...

I found out about...

WIGS!

Glorious fluffy things!

I neeeeeeded one.

Or two, or ten!

:-)

I begged for a wig.

I needed a wig more than anything on earth, I was convinced.

I thought my life would end if I didn't have a wig.

I was 8.

On weekends we would sometimes go stay in a hotel in Tucson.

My parents would take us for fun.

We lived an hour away.

As you drove in through downtown Tucson there was a wig shop.

I begged, I pleaded for what felt like years.

But how long could it have been really, if I was only 8?

Finally, one day, angel voices sounded in my ears, as my parents agreed.

I was going to the Wig-o-Rama!!

I walked into the wig shop where there were endless fountains of hair streaming from here to there.

I looked around.

Carefully.

Quietly.

Amazed.

And then, I chose the one.

Did I choose long blonde locks of Rapunzel like hair?

Or, pink shiny tendrils of knee length curls?

Nope.

No way.

I chose...

Auburn, curly, shoulder length.

I always find that so funny.

With all those choices, that is what I felt I needed.

The shape was much like the gal in Flashdance, and I loved it.

When we got to the hotel I promptly filled the tub with hot water and a container of shampoo.

Bang bang bang on the door!

Vanessa, what are you doing in there?

Nothing!

Vanessa, open this door right now.

I was so annoyed.

All I wanted to do was wash my wig.

The banging on the door was really taking the Zen out of my wig washing.

I plopped it in the water and swished it all around.

Falalalala...

I was in bliss.

Bang Bang Bang on the door.

Vanessa, open this door! What in the heck are you doing in there??

All the other kids are out in the pool playing.

And you are in here doing God knows what with this ridiculous wig?

Huge sigh.

I was so serious about my wig.

It dried like a wet rat.

No more curl, no more shine.

Just dull and dry, with a smell like crusty old pasta sauce.

Faintly garlic like too.

Even so, my wig came in handy for me time and time again throughout my childhood.

With my costume obsession...

I wore it for a stint on our roof while my parents were out of town.

(the only place the nanny/housekeeper couldn't get to me)

I always hear the story of how my parents were driving back into town...

Looking at the house in the distance, and thinking, who the heck is on our roof?

With curly reddish hair??

It was me.

In my wig and a cape.

If I didn't amuse myself, who would, I ask you?

I began collecting little things back then too.

I would search out the gold mines around our property.

Not inside, as it was deadly dangerous.

But around the outsides.

I would take Slim Jims, canned Pringles and mini 7-ups into the desert with me.

Healthy sustenance.

Searching rock after rock.

Adding to my loot.

And...

To my wigs.

Quite sound and sensible things, I thought.

Yes yes, I grew into a collector of all manner of sound and sensible things.

For example...

About 9 years ago, when I was a business gal, I got a call on my phone.

That phone rang all day- morning, noon and night I tell ya.

It was a private builder who was one of my clients.

Vanessa, where are you?  I need to talk to you about something with the house on blah blah blah street.

Oh well, I am at Annabelle's Attic, the antique store.

(I would shop in between appointments you see)

So, he said he would meet me there.

What are you doing here he asked, do you collect antiques?

Oh, just looking around I said.

I remember being really distracted by what he was saying because of a little faun boy head I spied in a glass case.

Can I see that, pointing at faun boy head, I asked the salesperson.

Sterling silver?

Ridiculously priced?

Faun boy head?

I'll take it.

I need it.

My client just looked at me.

You're buying that?

Why?

Me:  I need it.

Just like I needed the little ring.

The auburn wig.

The endless loot.

He just shrugged his shoulders and kept talking.

But I was more than smitten with my little sterling silver faun boy head.

I think he needs a silver polish rag sometime soon :-)

Another time my parents were out of town I got into my mom's safe.

I put on gobs and gobs of her real gold stuff.

Diamonds and emeralds are what I chose.

Then I was picked up to go out for pizza with some friends and their parents.

Every adult was staring at me.

They must be amazed at my jewels I thought.

I was so proud of my sparkle.

The next day I hear the phone ring, then my mom scream...

Vanessssssssaaaaaaaaa, were you wearing my jewelry at Pizza Hut last night?

So and so told me they saw you all decked out in jewels not fit for a 10 year old?!!

Me:

Oh no mom, I would never do that.

Why would I ever do that?

No no, they are crazy.

Hee hee.

:-)

So, this brings me to today.

So many other stories lost along the way.

However.

It comes to how all those things create the person we become.

Define us in little and big ways.

Mold and form who we are.

Why my obsession with loot and mannequins and treasure and old things and rocks?

I just don't know.

It just stuck.

And so, now I am the girl with mannequins and wigs bursting out of her sheds.

So many mannequins, so little time.

Amongst drums and art and and and.

Somehow, along the way, Becky lost a few fingers.

Darn Becky, why can't you mind your fingers?!

No new wig for you.

:-)

Why am I telling you all of this, oh who knows.

Just stories brought up from the old memory banks I guess.

The point could be that...

I never got any buried pirate treasure.

But hey, it's never too late is it?

The closest I got so far is that up there.

I still have wigs.

But I don't look good in them so I put them on plastic women.

I still love loot.

I still love rocks.

I still sleep with paint all over me.

And chew too much bubble gum.

I also still have the same nightgown.

(I think I was taunting my sister with snacks I had in my lap)

I mean, a new version.

Which is pretty much identical, thank you Lanz of Salzburg!

And I still hunt for loot and run around all day dressed as such.

So, besides time and a little extra treasure.

I guess not much has changed, hahaha!

And all of a sudden, I have a massive urge to pop into an antique shop.

:-)

 

I would love to hear about your childhood antics?!

Anything that pops right into your mind?

 

Happy weekending!

 

Love, V

 

 

 

 

 

 ps:  I had straightish hair my whole childhood, up until I was in 5th grade and I got a perm.

After which my hair stayed over the top wavy, so now I have wavy hair with ringlets in humidity too.

Weird!

It straightens easy with the blow dryer and a brush, but ya, change-ed hair.

Unless it just changed with age?

Did that happen to any of you?

 

A Song for all the Moms and Daughters out there...

Have you been a devoted lover of a certain musician for years and years?

Someone who you listened to as a teen and then on throughout your life until now?

Whose music has been a part of your life's soundtrack?

One of those people for me is Tori Amos.

She shared her songs of finding your way in my late teens, songs of finding your own fire, courage and strength in my 20's, songs of life and the human experience in my 30's, the now.

There were songs of growing up, losing babies, going on with life through hardships, having a daughter, and the milestone of  Tori turning 50 - and all the emotions and feelings that come with that as you change and grow older.

Through the years her message has been constant -

Never lose your fire and creativity, even if you get off the path and have to refind it, you can!

She speaks about it here.

 Whether you are a fan, a follower or not familiar with her...

 

 If you are a mom or a daughter, you may love this song.

It made me cry.

 

Tori Amos and her 13 year old daughter Natashya doing a duet.

I love the whole song, but the chorus and the end really touch me extra so.

 

This duet is also on her new album.

 

Goodness, that was so lovely wasn't it?

I just had to share it.

 

Love, V

 

 

Captured, by a Dream... {a journey to the past}

I was thinking of a moment in time.

A longing, a memory.

Then I found it, here.

A chance re-visit.

Not a common thing.

But this is where I was, back in time, through a portal.

It was calling my name.

Will you venture with me again?

Captured by a curious tale, swirling amongst rose flavored warm breezes, in a dream...

The tale unfolded........

She was beautiful, long locks of wavy hair touched the back of her knees...

In her soul, in her being, she felt endless...

Magical...

Filled with wonderment.

But in the mirror...

In the mirror she saw tattered lines of years and years of age.

Lovely all the same.

Her mind was bursting with wisdom, stories untold, earth shattering loves lost...

Her fingers could do anything.

They created, they led the way.

The mirror tried to shatter the depth of her being - her feelings of youth with arms outstretched in twirls.

In her soul, she felt perfectly young.

Beautiful, free...

Alas, time told a different tale.

She made a decision one day.

She would travel forever more, mending her soul, adding pieces of lost magic...

She saw her best friend, a machine, as shiny and new.

Just like she felt inside...

She made a pact with her own heart.

Sealed it with golden thread on a sunny warm day.

She would go from place to place...

Long lost love letters, keys to all the drawers of secrets in her soul and wonderment aplenty accompanied her on her long never-ending journey...

Bits of lace aged as well.

But still were beautiful.

She decided she was an old piece of tattered lace herself.

And so, the journey began...

For years and years and years she wore the same gown...

Adding...

Repairing...

Captured, in a Dream...

Washing...

Embellishing.

Year after year after year she added pieces to her gown, which by now trailed behind her down the road, as she pulled her old sewing machine on a wooden wagon.

Every year the machine seemed heavier.

But, she forged on.

Through forests...

Up steep wooded hills, across streams...

She worked on her gown tirelessly.

Each piece that was sewed on, was like capturing dust particles of magic.

She was holding onto her magic for dear life.

To the burn in her belly which set her on fire for living.

To that inner magic, which kept her young and free and dreaming -

No matter what the mirror tried to say.

She believed.

And, she refused to let go.

Life tried so many times to take away everything that made her sparkly inside and out.

When a piece fell off,

she simply sewed it back on.

Collections of bits and pieces from everywhere adorned her gown.

Tea stained, torn -

Yet beautiful.

She pedaled and pedaled as the machine sewed along...

The sound of stitches going through fabric made her drink in a deep breath of fresh air.

A heavy sigh of thank goodness filled her.

It was always a reminder, that she was still everything she saw herself as in the depths of her mind's eye.

Young forever.

She held tight to that key...

Ribbons of youth poured out of her, and people caught them as she walked by.

For a moment, they felt a jolt.

A memory of being ever so young.

So free.

Of believing anything was possible.

Of seeing life as long and blurred, but filled with excitement and goodness to come.

Endless goodness.

As the people who caught her ribbons felt it -

They remembered...

The years when you couldn't feel your body.

When no ache or pain graced you at all.

When your heart was untainted.

When you felt love for life, instead of frustration and fear.

And they followed her...

Begging for a patch of magic here and there...

Longing to be mended as well.

And so, she mended them too.

But mostly, she mended herself.

Each piece of that long tattered gown, held together by the threads of time.

When even time was young.

And....

When she found herself deeply hurt and falling -

When she faced things that the golden threads could simply not hold together...

That was when would seal her wounds with glitter...

As warm breezes of flower petals enveloped her.

That is when she remembered who she was.

Who she always would be.

Beautiful, free, arms outstretched twirling in the wind forever.

Lines of time, no matter.........

 

True to one for always.

Caretaker of a heart belonging to the most important person in her life.

 

Herself.

 

 

 

 

 

Mad Tea Party Recovery

Are you still tea sipping or are you starting the recovery process?

One does need massive naps in droopy hammocks after eating endless crumpets.

Wouldn't you say?

I am starting my recovery so that we can have a little time off before Halloween party planning turns up.

Isn't it odd, how close autumn is all of a sudden?

Yet, it's soooo hot and summery, that I am not ready to think fall quite yet.

The party was beyond fun, visiting you all was wonderful!!!

Thank you for plunging in and making it what it is.

I had a blast!

Around here intense heat causes monsoon rain clouds to get happy and perhaps give lovely showers.

And you know what rain means?

A much desperately needed day off for me in the Southern Arizona desert from garden chores.

Oh goodness, what a joy to have a day off.

I lollygag making clay sculptures and writing letters.

Enjoying every minute of a cloudy day.

Watching The Invisible Woman.

Folding lace.

However, if you know me, then you know that I LOVE water.

And if there is water, I will be in it.

Off come the shoes and striped socks.

In I go.

Wading through pools of water.

Admiring orange tree silhouettes in puddles.

Foraging for dinner bits and bobs in the veggie garden.

Hiding on the porch.

Singing in the rain for certain.

Watching the plants get so happy.

Closing the umbrella a bit so water will roll off into pots.

Loving every second.

Watching a volunteer patch of grass grow.

Loud monsoon storms are the best.

Lightning, thunder, hail.

I love hail.

You have to enjoy it because 20 minutes after it rains the sun might come back full force.

Miles watched the rain from the office.

I clap like a child over pools of water.

The desert is delighted.

I peek around the garden with a towel over me like a ghost costume.

I watch pumpkin vines explode.

As my gardens get the best hydration they have had in months and months.

I shiver soaked to the bone.

Cozying up to Mister Lovee.

But head out a second time with a new towel.

No umbrella for me, thanks.

I watch glorious and huge volunteer zinnias grow.

And as afternoon clouds make a little space, the sun peeks out.

Gifting those amazing monsoon sunsets.

And the next day, rain again.

As I sit by and pray for more rain.

And more rain.

But instead we get crazy hot sun.

Although, I am still wishing + waiting for more rain.

With great hope.

 

Because then I can take another chores morning off, and do terribly fun things.

Finish sewing some dresses for some little gals I can't wait to share.

And, sketch a little.

 

Are you rested up, still partying??

Thank you again, MTP 2014 was a blast!!!

 

xoxo

 

Love, V

 

 

Dreams of Alice

Dreams of Alice...

Waft in through thickest rain clouds...

Clouds dusted with pink sun hues hiding from behind.

A cool breeze and rain drops tease a parched earth.

Leading me on an early morning journey.

Through dark corridors, where words are scribbled from a feather tip, onto parchment.

Tales and stories that capture all.

Grey light diffused through wavy old windows.

Candlelight.

Curious mirrors beckoning you, promising safe passage.

Secret doors and nooks and crannies.

All there for the taking.

Endless flights of imagination.

If you dare.

Alice lives within all and everyone.

Those who travel into her tales.

Those who long for such adventures.

Curious happenings of the most wonderland variety.

Tiny tea and chats with bunny.

Growing tall, then very small.

I dream of times gone by.

Long long agos.

Which these very moments will be one day too.

Writing letters.

Jotting down dream stories.

Stories that are lost at first gasp of air from deep sleep.

Lost if you do not capture them quickly as can be.

Thank goodness he captured Alice's adventures perfectly.

Thank you Charles Lutwidge Dodgson.

Aka, Lewis Carroll.

What a great gift he bestowed unto all.

An endless expanding and wonderland gift.

So that today we can still celebrate.

Plotting and planning away.

Our own way of becoming a part of those mad tea party ways.

He was so taken by her.

Wasn't he?

That Alice girl who inspired such journeys?

If you are a wandering dreamer...

Much like me -

Which I dare guess that you are...?

Then, the gift is infinite because if we wish just so, we can go there too.

To that place where mushrooms grow and grow.

And cats with biggest grins chatter like mad and grin beyond glad.

 

The first copy...

Of what he planned, for you and you and you and me.

Lots of good this and that's hidden in this little book.

Perfect for inspiring me to hide.

In a secret little writing nook.

Sending snail mail letters to friends far away.

Artists and imaginarians I know so well.

Lovers of fur children and friends telling tales to littles.

 

A book, a written letter, a written tale.

The page.

The page that brought us oh so much and more.

 

Do you have a favorite happening from Wonderland?

 Tumbling Tumbling...

Down that rabbit hole?

 

One of the greatest gifts of all.

 

Don't you think?

 

Are you prepping and looking for mad tea party inspiration?

I am.

I am in a dream day, of places far away.

You?

 

Off I run for now.

See you sooooon!

 

Looooove, V

 

 

 

ps:  My sister gave me the most hugest feather headband ever.

She didn't want it anymore, so I gladly took off with it.

I seem to want to wear it everyday.

It makes me so happy when I catch a glimpse in a mirror and I have this giant thing on my head.

Sometimes I forget I am wearing it, so I am shocked at first.

Then I laugh.

Makes me want to purchase all matter of most giant head gear.

Hats included.

I am sure I must look mad in it.

But, isn't it just perfect for a wild and kookie tea party???

 

1903 + Random Things

In the sunflower garden with granny...

Isn't that just wonderful?

Something I picked up on my antiqueventure with little brother.

This is a bit of a tester post.

Something weird happened to my phone line and it got crossed with other lines.

So, all sorts of weirdness is going on which is now also affecting my internet.

Therefore, I have not been able to post for a couple of days.

Hope this one holds, eeeks!

The shasta daisies are turning up in the same place they do year after year.

Even a couple cosmos are peeking in.

It is sooooo hot.

I am not complaining, just saying.

I don't know how the hydrangeas are surviving.

Although they do get wilty if I don't give them a drink twice a day.

So, I got a few treasures the other day.

Some I am saving for MTP.

However, I did pick up a baggie of photos for 5 bucks.

It makes me so sad to see photos discarded, so I try to save them all the time.

These are just wonderful.

I can tell they are mostly from the same family, as there are recurring people.

Many of the photos say 1903 on the back.

Do some people just not value family photos?

I know sometimes they get lost in twists of life and such.

But, I guess also, there are people who don't care to hold on to such things?

Henrietta.

One of my most favorite names.

Maybe I should name this horned toad Henrietta?

We have a little family that has lived in our garden for years.

I love seeing the tiny babies scurry around.

But this one here is a biggie.

They shoot blood out of their eyes when they are being attacked or feeling defensive.

Cool eh?

(by the by, I just got a call from my good friend Dick, who told me that actually, they don't shoot the blood out of their eyes, but from a duct between their eyes on their forehead.  Also, he said that for 50 years he has loved on horned toad lizards and never been shot with the blood.  He said you can put them to sleep by petting them gently from head to back.  But Miles got shot with blood when he was a pup who tried to catch one.  So maybe they only do it when they are really feeling attacked?  So, there you go, some more horned lizard trivia ;)  Thank you for the tips Dick!  Oh and please don't play with lizards unless you know for sure they are harmless, k?)

The skies have been beyond.

Just beyond.

Don't you just marvel at the happenings of the sky?

It never ceases to amaze me.

As cliche' as that sounds.

See the big forearm and hand reaching through the clouds below?

Well, dad's day is around the corner.

Sometimes I feel like we are the last species to figure out that it's super fab for dads to care for their kids and handle duties thought only for moms.

Waaay up in the big pecan tree, by the gigantic flowering yucca, all sorts of dad and kid stuff goes on every day.

Spy them there?

Baby cardinals have been born in the tree.

And guess who they rely on?

Yep...

It's dad, dad who brings them food.

Good ole dad!!!

Dads are lovely.

Feed me, feed me!

Isn't it hard to figure out what to do for dads?

It's like, there are only so many socks you can give a man, ya know?

Oh, here is something random.

One of my fave times of the day is when I sit down for a few minutes to enjoy fresh squeezed orange juice and book pages.

Fresh orange juice makes me feel soooo good.

Especially if I am feeling a little tired, it just picks me right up.

I highly recommend it.

We buy lots of oranges every week, yumm.

The veggie garden is growing and I am weeding and thinning a whoooole lot.

Munching as I go.

Well, here goes nothing....

Let's hope I can post this.

And I also hope to one day be able to use my house phone again.

Hearing other people's conversations and massive crackling is wild.

When Mister tries to call me from town/work/grocery shopping, the phone says, please enter code.

As though I have a voice mail box or something?

And when I try to answer a call, it keeps ringing in this sinister ring.

Weeeeirdness!!

 

All 1st world problems of course, but I find it sort of amusing too.

 

Too bad I am not hearing any curious conversations on my crossed line.

Haha!

 

Has that ever happened to you?

Heard anything interesting on crossed phone lines?

 

Well, they will try to fix it for the 3rd time tomorrow.

So hopefully I will be back very sooooon!!

 

Looove, V

 

 

 

 

Swirling Round & Round...

I am so so so excited about this year's Mad Tea Party.

I have thoughts swirling about like mad.

I am having such a busy week...

So, it's extra fun to think that the next thing on the list is making this announcement.

It really gives me something to look forward to.

Can you believe it will be our 7th one?

I am not sure where all the years have gone off to.

Or even...

How this all happened.

This blogosphere.

And years and years of your kindredness.

It's been a blast hasn't it?

I always feel like the Mad Tea Party turns up when we all seemingly need a little spark.

In fact, it's the main reason I ever started having these.

Summer seemed internet boring.

And a tea festivity so hit the spot.

Thanks for joining in with me over the years, and for new friends who join in as well.

Almost time to sound the trumpet!

And throw together an extra ruffled frock.

But first, the white rabbit and I are just wrapping up all sorts of home projects.

Along with guests and lovely visits a plenty all this week.

Busy times indeed.

I need to tidy my hovel.

I am not sure why I still behave as though I am 9.

I don't know when I will ever be able to take out 1 scarf at a time.

Or 1 pair of shoes at a time.

I seem to have 3 jewelry boxes pouring out all over the place at all times.

Shoes hanging from the fan.

Studio paint every little where.

And just all around, well, madness...

In my world all the time ;-)

I guess some things never change.

 

Worst part is, I don't like anyone to help me.

I need to tidy it up all on my own.

Which takes me forever lately.

I can't seem to wrangle myself in.

The older I get, the more rotten I get.

Pretty soon you will be calling be Edie.

 

Loooove, V

 

I'll be back very soon.

Playing hostess for a couple more days, fun in the desert sun!

 

 

 

I Love Rocks! {A Treat for You} *Winner Announced*

You may or may not know by now...

But I have a little bit of a rock obsession.

I asked a contractor working at our house the other day if his daughter liked rocks.

He said, no she likes pop more.

I said, no, not rock as in rock and roll.

I mean, rocks, as in rocks.

He looked at me like I was loony.

If he had said yes, I would have sent him home with one of these.

:-)

My favorite classes at university were geo-sciences classes.

Can you believe it?

I couldn't, but they were.

I aced them and loved them.

I studied river beds and memorized all sorts of rock information.

I do love jewelry as well.

I have been making jewelry since 1992, but only started offering it online here last year.

I don't know what it is, but I am just obsessed with stones of all kinds.

You should see me at the gem show.

I used to bring a rolling suitcase to fill with loot.

Body weight worth of turquoise and crystals and metals too.

Nowadays I stuff my glass cabinet with rock treasures.

And some of our favorite and beloved old pieces of turquoise jewelry as well.

Once I became friends with a real estate client.

(yes, I was in real estate in my former life and am still affiliated, I know shocker, haha)

Anyhow, this client started visiting me at my city house all the time.

We would laugh and chat.

One day I went to change, and I guess she went through the drawers in this sculpture I have that has lots of little drawers for a body.

Because, at dinner she starts telling people...

"no van a creer lo que tenia Vanessa en sus cajones!!"

Translation -

"You will never guess what Vanessa had in her drawers!!"

Then she exclaims...

PIEDRAS!

Which means...

ROCKS!

That always makes me burst out laughing.

Hahahaa!

She was hilarious.

She said, some people have socks and underwear in their drawers.

But Vanessa has rocks in hers.

Truth be told.

They weren't just any rocks.

They were crystals I had gotten at a rock and gem seminar at the Arizona Sonoran Desert Museum.

And still, today...

I am in the rocks.

Obsession duly continuing.

I just love them.

I have others, although these shelves are full.

I think I need a bigger cabinet.

Since I am coming clean on my rock fixation.

I'll tell you another big secret.

You know Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs?

I always was obsessed with being one of the seven dwarfs and going to work in a mine.

Hi ho, hi ho, it's off to work I go...

With my little pick and all, oh I did dream of it so.

Whenever we went to Disneyland as kids, I would get overflowingly excited seeing the big trunks of loot in the Pirate's of the Caribbean ride.

That was my kid dream.

Being a miner with a giant trunk of treasure like those pirates had.

Haha!

One thing I LOVE to date, is cracking open geodes.

Of course, the difficult part of this post is...

Photos can not capture the sparkle of any crystals.

And the golden jewelers light casts an orange tone in photos as well.

But the sparkle of these is incredible in person.

The yellow below is sulfur.

It's very sparkly in person and sort of chalky too.

Have you ever cracked open a geode?

It's sooooo exciting!

You just pop it into a sock and whack it a couple times with a hammer.

Sometimes you don't get a major cavern, but beautiful all the same.

So, guess what????

I have an extra geode that I have decided to gift away.

Who knows what is inside.

But it could be uber sparkly.

Isn't that fun??!

I'll let you crack it open and find out.

Then you have to let me know :-)

 

Hopefully you think it's fun too.

So I have one unopened geode to send to one of you.

Just leave a hello in comments to enter.

 

Ooooo, cracking geodes is sooooo fun!

Maybe it could be your lucky geode?

 

And the winner is....

Heidi Anderson!!!

Oh please email me your snail mail address, yay, hooray for geode fun!

 

 

 

 

Rock love abound!!

;-)

 

 

 

Hummingbird Mama

There's a little mama, all cozy today.

Happy as can be, in her tiny little nest, situated...

On top of a string light bulb, of course.

What could be cozier?

Imagine such tinyness?

There she sits, warming her tic tac size egglings.

Tiny babies growing.

We think she's hummingbird heart.

Wouldn't that be something?

What a sweetie, ain't she?

Tiny tiny, on a little string light.

How cute is that?

I hope she feels safe and super cozy in her tiny nest.

 

I can see her from my office desk, she's right under the office stoop.

Which Mister Lovee and I bicker about because I love its tattered paint state.

It's poitively Andrew Wyeth, me thinks.

He'd like to scrape and paint though, gasp!

(for 10 years now)

Imagine?

Isn't he aware of the value in peeling white paint?

Haha!

 

It seems, Hummingbird Mama likes it too :-)

Can you spot her there in the upper right hand corner?

Lovely little things in life.

Love them so, don't you?

 

Hope you had a wonderful Mother's day if you are a mama yourself.

 

Love, V

 

 

 

Stanley Klaus + Frankincense & Miracle?

 Well, look who decided to turn up in our neck of the woods for the holidays?

Yep, autumn.

Finally.

Just like that, the leaves turned.

We put on our fun stuff, and had a ball.

Clink Clink!

Merry merry, happy happy.

The madness is over, woot woot!

(did I say that out loud? hee hee)

I love Christmas, but it does get crazy, and if I don't calm my brain it spins.

We were however very lucky this holiday season.

We had a very important visitor.

Stanley Klaus was in the house.

(aka Mister Lovee, and his new alter ego me thinks)

He made magic, and made a bunch of kids (of the furry variety) reallly happy.

And me too.

Nothing like kids during the holidays eh?

So, mine are furry, whose looking?

:)

Did they ever had a blast.

My goodness.

Stanley Klaus did good.

He was a hit!

(it's a good thing Stanley Klaus doesn't mind sewing up toys every couple weeks either)

After baby Jesus arrived something funny happened.

I was decorating and baking, when I began to smell frankincense and myrrh.

I couldn't believe it.

A real Christmas miracle??

I was running around, trying to figure out what it was?

But no no, it definitely was around the area baby Jesus was in.

I ran around looking for ML, he came inside and smelled it too.

We were both in awe.

That is...

Until...

I realized...

It was just my fresh wreath being slow roasted by the candles beneath it!

Hahahaha!

It was sort of a miracle, that's for sure.

That the house didn't burn down.

:)

Ooopsie.

Well, after the laughs...

Baking ensued like mad, making treats upon treats...

The lasagna was... oh my!

I sort of made up a recipe.

I did scribble down my steps, I can share them if you'd like.

It was so flavorful, and yet so light too.

Interesting for a lasagna.

Ina Garten's ginger cookies had to show up.

I have a friend who loves ginger, so I wanted to make these for him.

They are really gooey to make, but if you love ginger, these are for you.

They are quite strong and spicy.

With candied ginger inside, moist and crunchy, all in one - yumm.

So much playing, with the gifts of Stanley Klaus, still going on.

Lots of fun gifts, things wrapped in his signature comic strips.

And oodles of thoughtful little things.

Like her...

(with yearly heart rocks inside, yay!)

Fun for all.

Fur in the hammock.

Crunching leaves, hooray!

Giant apricot tree finally takes a break...

Sunny skies and fresh air.

Bliss.

Matty on the lookout.

Boys playing with Stanley Klaus himself  :)

(this happens all day here btw)

My boys jump really high.

Can you believe Matty is still with us and thriving???

We can't.

After that near death scare last winter.

Boy oh boy.

Now that is a miracle right there.

(thanks to Stanley Klaus for doubling as medicine man and giving Matty his meds twice a day still)

He sleeps cuddled up to me at night, and I tell him all the time how hard it was to break him, and get him to love.

And, how I'll keep loving him and softening him up forever.

He just looks at me.

Probably wondering, what the heck is she saying?? haha!

Or thinking, I really want to bite her nose off but she is the only person I love in life.

:)

Can you believe it's barely autumn like around here?

What lovely days I tell ya.

I asked the boys to pose for a holiday portrait.

But instead they tumbled and rolled and acted kooky.

Haha!

They are such characters I have to say.

Thanks guys.

That's the thing about dog kids.

You don't feel compelled to scream at them to get out of the dirt.

Well, I have a few more deliveries to make.

I made about 8 batches of caramel corn this season.

Maybe more.

(and there is not one morsel left, it just kept disappearing)

Plus other things.

I have been working on all sorts of projects behind the scenes.

And, the Valentine order just arrived on Friday.

Time time time...

As my friend put on my birthday card...

Time keeps on slippin' slippin' slippin', into the future.

Wholey Moley, no joke.

Off I go for now.

Fun things on the way.

Did you have any holiday fiascos or hilarious tales?

Like the Frankincense and Myrrhacle that almost happened at our place?

Hee hee!

 

Looove, V

 

 

 

 

Victorian Homes Christmas 2013 Goodness (+ giveaway)

It's scrumptious!

Victorian Homes Magazine Winter 2013 is finally in my hands.

If you want some serious holiday inspiration like you haven't seen in a long time, you need this issue.

I am not just saying that because I have a couple articles in there either.

In fact, this is one magazine that I enjoy subscribing to.

(my article)

I have an extra copy to give away.

Just leave a comment to enter.

Here are a couple of my article pages filled with some of my Christmas decor..

Lots of tips and ideas, etc.

Also, I wrote the article for the cover image.

I could move right in :)

Beckett Media (which owns Flea Market Decor, Cottages & Bungalows, Victorian Homes and Romantic Homes, just to name a few) has a wonderful shop site called PlaidParasol.Com .  They happen to carry some of my jewelry, cards, labels and prints.

I have spied a few things I might neeeeed :)

Look at this cake plate, oh my!

Fun stuff, they carry so much lovely treasure, take a peek here.

As for the Winter 2013 issue of Victorian Homes Magazine, I took a few bad pics (my good camera is still trying to be Frankenstein resuscitated at a camera hospital as I type)...

But it's unreal, serious inspiration to the max.

There is traditional Victorian decor, mixed with new Victorian style.

Sooooo gooood!

What a warm dreamy kitchen, no?

I love this entire vignette below.

Be still my heart...

This reminds me of Peter Pan in ways I can't even tell you...

Just awesome.

This issue really blew me away, it's so full of awesomeness.

I wish this was my room.

I think the reason I never had children (or the calling) is because I feel like a kid myself.

Always and forever.

It's like, the case is aging, but the instrument inside is still like new ;)

Imagine having a fire place like this?

Major huge?

Major fab.

I love so many styles of decor.

Traditional Victorian sweeps me off my feet.

When it's really done up fancy like, it's almost as though you are peering into a doll house, no?

Looooove this bedroom...

I am telling you, so many awesome tid-bits.

I love ice skates.

When I was a kid I used to ice skate and roller skate like it was nobody's business.

Ooooo, heavenly red silk...

If this isn't dollhouse perfection below, I don't know what is?

Imagine being in that room?

Hello fainting.

So beautiful and elegant.

And then there are articles that have images like the one below as well.

Isn't that just beyond inspiring???

Love it!!

 

Those are just some small snippets in a choc full issue.

 

Anywhooo, like I said...

 

I will priority mail an issue to a winner.

Just say something in comments, and I'll enter you.

 

Like, have you ever ice skated?

Do you like ginger bread?

 

I am so obsessed with the gingerbread houses on pinterest lately.

 

Every break I take you will find me pinning here these days.

I am turning into a Pinterest wacko.

I barely started pinning really this year, and I barely really joined facebook in May 2013.

I am slow, but once I plunge...

I get obsessed, I know.

(probably why I should stay away from such things, haha!)

Although my facebook account won't let me friend or like anyone, what's up with that?

I hit "like" but nothing happens.

Is it because it's a business account??

Phooooey!

 

OKay, see you sooon with a magazine winner!

 

Loooove, V

 

 

 ps:

 

Have any of you Jane Austen fans seen the movie Austenland (the site is hilarious)????

What did you think?

Cozy & Warm

The weather man said a winter storm would find its way to us.

Quick!

Get out the hot drinks!

The skies are grey.

The wind is changing.

Yay.

Time to drink hot chocolate.

If you are lucky, you'll get yours in Limoges.

Okay, who am I kidding.

You'll get Limoges no matter what at my house.

I don't believe in not using the good stuff.

Or not wearing your fancy jewels.

I don't believe in saving things for special occasions.

Life's too short.

I don't have time to wait.

Plus, I don't have Limoges because I am soooooo fancy darlink!

But, more than likely, I got the Limoges at an estate sale.

Okay, I did for sure :)

Ooooo, why does everything taste better in French porcelain?

Warm and toasty sips.

Time to...

Get out the neck and head gear.

 

It's getting mighty chilly.

Not chilly as many of you of course.

But, chilly for us snakes and lizards.

The Christmas guys had fresh garland yesterday.

I L O V E fresh garland in the house.

It's not the holidays for me without such freshness.

I have been spending too many hours on the piano.

Leonard Cohen loves to find me.

Then you get inventing a few tunes, and before you know it, with eyes closed you journeyed and ventured on sonic waves that had you in full trance.

Such marvelous places we can go, aren't there?

That and the scent, ooo, I am happy.

Happy happy happy.

I know, I sound just like Phil Robertson.

:)

Smell that?

Mmmmm.

Fresh.

The sky is grey, but ever so bright.

It lets in a hazy cool light.

Fresh garland takes the place of eucalyptus.

I just love green in the house.

But my cutie Christmas boxes are still beckoning me.

A few faces making their way out.

Do you keep many house plants?

I have been bringing in all my plants that can freeze.

(freeze warning in effect)

Usually I just cover them.

Or Lovee does, I should say.

Alas, this year I am bringing them in.

I read that 10 house-plants change the air in your house, and add all kinds of good stuff.

(plus fresh air)

So, the ferns are coming in.

Some are in the ground, but others are liking being inside, me thinks.

I love ferns, you?

I find that people either love em, or don't.

I think I love all plants.

I did some holiday chalkboard stuff, only it seems I sloped everything, haha!

Mermaid's eyes don't look so weird in person as they do on film.

It's just that, the wood is fading in places (eyelids) and makes her eyes look funny.

Poor gal.

I found my moon I have had for 20 years.

Actually, I wasn't even looking for it when I found it.

If only I could find my two missing treasures.

(necklace and brooch)

I hide things, or put them in weird places.

Then they are lost.

Help me moon!

Guess what?

My computer blew up yesterday.

(burnt smell plus the sound of a jet engine emerged and it would not start up)

So, I am extra happy to be here today.

It got fixed in 24 hours, yay!!

But now my good camera is in the hospital.

Something must be wrong with me.

Or perhaps, something is right.

Why?

After all my worry and weird stuff that happened to me the last couple years, I am a changed woman.

My reaction to the camera and computer woes. 

"Oh well, who cares."

I didn't freak out because, well, what can you do about it?

All you can do is take it to be fixed and hope your piggy back has enough coins, and that it can be fixed.

It's all a person can do, ya know?

I was so stressed out and worried in September that at some point my stress hit this shivering peak, and then, I just threw my hands up in the air.

I was like, if I die, well, what can I do about it?

If my house burns down?

If the worstest thing happens???

What can I do?

I have no control over it.

And where does stress get me anyways?

I just want to live my day to day as happy as I can.

In my own little way, in my own little weird world.

So, just go with the flow and the faith, and hope for the best I say.

A sort of succumb and accept dance.

If all else fails...

There's hot chocolate.

If you are like me...

Somehow the hot chocolate explodes over the edge.

The same way the peanut butter and jelly jars do :)

So...

Find a cozy warm spot...

And watch a little winter weather roll in, while sculpting clay.

I am obsessed watching Alaska: The Last Frontier.

I feel so guilty that the store and Burger King are just a short car trip away.

I have this deep yearning to be more self sufficient.

It's such hard work too.

Where that desire comes from, I don't know?

It's such a longing.

Do you ever feel that way?

Wells...

Time to plant tulip bulbs and spread the wildflower seeds for next spring.

Plus, there is clay baking.

Off I go...

See you soon!

 

Love, V

 

 

 

 

 

Halloween Beckons...

I can't believe it, I just can't.

Halloween looms, it's here, it's so near.

Thank you for the extra fun last minute annual Halloween party.

I looooved visiting everyone!

Although, somehow when leaving a comment on a newspaper website, I got signed up for google+ and now everything I do is under google plus.  So if I visited you under google+ I have no clue how that happened or how to sign out :)

It was such good fun.

Wasn't the masked man freaky?

He turned up with the masks without me knowing, we all got a fright.

Pups included, haha.

But now, here we are, the eve of Halloween.

It came too soon, too soon.

I panic with the time fluttering by so quickly.

Wowie.

I have been doing soooo many things around here.

Truth be told, for about 8 days I have been doing major refreshers around here.

Painting (of the wall and ceiling variety), fluffing, rearranging this and that.

Washing curtains, having cable guys move cables.

You know, all that sort of house stuff.

You know how you move a painting, and realize you need to paint the wall behind it?

And then all of a sudden you realize you need to paint another wall, and then another, and then another, and then another?  And all of a sudden you snowball into major home stuff?

That's what happened to me.

Also, the garden calls us.

It's bitter sweet you know, seeing the change.

It has been cool in the evenings, low 80's during the day.

Some plants think it's spring, others know, it's time to say good-bye.

The pups and I head out to check on things.

I am still bringing in pumpkins.

There are so many more than I realized.

I have not even started taking pumpkins off of the domed garden area.

There are dozens and dozens there.

And, I won't take this guy below until Thanksgiving maybe?

Unless we get some really random cold that is.

I am only taking the guys on really dry vines these days.

It's such an autumnal ritual for me now.

I am one of those people who needs full holiday immersion.

As I get older, it gets harder to feel engulfed in seasons in the way I neeeeeeed.

But the garden helps me with that in a major way.

Thank goodness, for my sanities sake, for pumpkins.

We pass some huge flowering morning glories...

On our way to the back, where the veggie garden is located.

I can't believe there are still pumpkins growing new and fresh.

Crazy Arizona warmth makes it possible.

There are over 40 of the little guys below.

And boy, they are hard as rocks.

I think they will last for a very long time without going soft.

Last year I bought one tiny pumpkin for 70 cents that had a HUGE long stem.

I couldn't pass it up because of the stem.

I used the seeds this year outside the domed garden area, and they took off like crazy, and made ever so many babies.  It's unreal.  I love that sort of nature magic.

There are some below.

The dance of dry and green is happening in every way.

The basil is hanging on.

And there are hundreds of tomatillos happening.

When you walk through the garden you get that wonderful buzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Bees everywhere during this fall spring in the desert.

It's wonderful.

I love seeing the growing things thinking it's spring.

Now we go into the large enclosed garden, to take a bunch of punkins that grew in there.

All those marigolds self seeded.

I love them so, they smell sweet and lovely.

I used some of these pumpkins on the porch and others for Halloween party fun.

So many shapes and sizes.

Gotta love those pumpkin creatures.

I roast and puree most of them, and freeze the puree for baking and making all winter, and spring and summer, until there are more.

Off we go through the front garden...

It's flower power goodness right now.

I just sit out there in the warm sun and chilly breeze.

Butterflies and bees fluttering around.

Dogs wrestling.

Thinking about things I want to paint and make.

And, I am in my own heaven.

I love my little world so.

Simple, perfectly imperfect.

It fills me up.

I can't explain it.

But now...

Now we must infuse with pumpkin love.

Are you sick of the pumpkins yet??

;)

I love all the varieties that turned up.

Pie Pumpkins, fairy tale, cinderella (rouge vif d'entampes), jack be littles, and a few mid size every day jack-o-lantern styles, to name a few.

We set them up here and there.

I have to confess, I am a bit late for Halloween decorating.

(although I did decorate my front gate a couple weeks ago)

Horse needs a ribbon.

I intend to do it up a little more today.

And plan a creepy meal for dinner tomorrow.

With all my little (and huge) pumpkins lined up for the occasion.

Someone needs a costume.

I don't know why?

I just LOVE autumn and halloween times.

There is a magic in it for me.

You too?

Memories of goodness.

The scent of a candle inside a carved pumpkin makes my knees weak.

I think of being so excited as a kid, dressing up.

All the adults would dress up too.

We would make caramel and candy apples.

And carve pumpkins.

There were festivals, and costume contests.

Everyone dressed up for school.

It was one day of dress up heaven for me.

Sparkles and cackles galore.

The sights and scents with me, tucked into my heart forever.

So wonderful.

Also...

I think the pumpkin king over did himself at my house this year.

Wasn't he extra kind as kind can be?

Truth be told.

Regarding Halloween...

I loooove the old fashionedness of it, and I love the commercialness of it.

(is that a word?)

Commerciality?

It's true, I can't lie.

But, the thing is...

I love seeing all the Halloween junk in the stores.

I looked forward to it.

I love bags of candy with names I have seen my whole life.

I love hearing witch cackles from creepy battery powered dolls in the drug store.

I love scary movies (even though I cover my face) and haunted houses.

 I love over decorated lawns, glittered faces and plastic pumpkins for trick or treating.

I love fog machines, and over crowded Halloween stores.

I love pumpkins and changing leaves and apple picking.

I love twinkling lights and chilly nights.

I love bon fires and hay rides.

And halloween make-up that won't wash off.

I love black and orange mixed together.

And I love how all the candy corn gets gobbled up in my house by a man with the sweetest tooth ever.

I love it all.

What can I say?

That's just me.

What about you??

 

 

Halloween, I love you.

:)

 

 

 

ps:  Does anyone know how to take a dark sap stain out of white carpet?

I am desperate, I have tried a bunch of things, and nothing will work.

Tips?

 

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

 

 

 

 

Flea Market Décor Magazine {& me}

Something fun to share today (and a treat for you too).

The Autumn 2013 issue of Flea Market Décor Magazine is on the stands and...

I have two articles in the issue, yay!

I am so excited to see all the hard work that goes into such articles, in print.

Hooooray!

(isn't it so super annoying to hear/read someone going " Yay, Hooray!")

Guess what?

I have an extra copy to giveaway.

Leave a howdy in comments to enter -

or even share what your fave flea market find of all times is.

I am not sharing too much with these photos, as each article is 6 pages long.

Lots of tips and sooo many photos.

I looooove the editor I got to work with, Elaine Phillips, she is amazing.

If that isn't fun enough...

It gets better.

I got to do a HALLOWEEEEEN article!

Hellooo!

I couldn't be more tickled, as you know I love Halloween.

And so do sooo many of you.

I adored putting this article together.

Oh, Halloween!

I honestly feel like, Halloween isn't getting enough delicious magazine love the last couple years.

You?

So, I am beyond giddy about getting to share one of the Halloween parties in my garden, in print.

I wish I could show you more, but I don't want to ruin it.

Also...

I have to run, I am making pots and pots of jam.

And, I am on deadline.

I am in this weird never-ending peach dream.

Peaches peaches everywhere!

The harvests and some projects are keeping me sooo busy.

It's actually Christmas in my house right now, the tree is up, and all my ornaments are strewn about whilst I work on a Christmas project.

Imagine?

Christmas in July, too funny!

Life is spinning by so insanely fast, it's crrrazy.

The jam is yumm btw.

I'll share some recipes and tips soon of everything I have been doing with the peaches.

 

Well, off I go for now.

 

If you'd like to get your own copy Flea Market Décor Magazine is carried almost everywhere.

Grocery stores etc.

Autumn 2013.

Or, get it online.

I have to say, the summer 2013 issue was amazing too, so inspiring.

The one thing I love about this magazine is that it is so full of content, more than I see in most magazines these days.  And, it's all stuff I LOVE.

 

Leave a comment to enter the giveaway if you'd like.

 

Love, V

 

 

 

ps:  Miles has been holding the laundry hostage for days.

Oh Miley.

That, or I am too busy/uninterested to put it away.

:)

And, Mister Lovee doesn't care if I do.

I always say, I should clean today.

And he says, don't you have anything lovelier or more exciting you could do than that?

And I am like, Why soytanlee.

But sometimes, I feel like I need someone to crack the whip, or I'll be rotten forever.

Perpetually 13.

This is a problem.

Oy Vey y Dios Mio!

 

And Then, the Storm...

Oh glorious storms!

It's monsoon season in the desert and finally, there is rain.

Will a rain cloud make its way over your house in this neck of the woods?

If you are lucky, maybe.

Monsoon season technically runs from about mid-late June to September.

From experience, for us on our parcel of earth, the range is about July to the end of August.

Monsoon storms typically brew up in the afternoon after a crazy hot day, and the funny thing?

It can rain two streets away, and never on yours, or vice versa.

It depends on what clouds you get.

You might just get a phantom monsoon, wind darkness clouds, and no rain.

It can rain on the east side of town, and be sunny on the northwest side, or vice versa.

June is so hot you can hardly stand it, 100's + forever.

You beg and plead with the skies for rain.

It doesn't rain here very often, and we had not seen rain for months.

(we do get rain in winter, and some snow even in late winter for 1 day or so)

So far, we have had about 3 good rain storms this monsoon season.

Monsoon season doesn't mean it will rain every day.

It only means, if you are really lucky, it might rain once a week.

And that, that is B L I S S.

It's so exciting when a storm rolls in.

Sure, as soon as it stops raining the sun comes out again.

Which means it's the only time really, that it's humid here.

Normally it's so dry, if you have curly hair it goes straight.

But right now, my wavy hair is puffs of crazy ringlets.

Miles looks like his hair was professional crimped after playing in the rain.

These storms are so exciting, and beloved, that I was inspired to take tons of photos to share with you...

So here we go.

Monsoon season at my house.

The time where everything is green, not just the places where you water.

But, everything.

If I see a sprinkle, that's it.

I am outside begging pleading and praying up to the sky.

Please please please.

More more more.

And then...

The other day, after some heavy duty sky begging, this happened.

YES!

Huge droplets on a crazy hot day.

Even some hail falls.

Then rain rain rain.

I, determined to be in it the whole time.

So excited for the earth to become moist, and feel some relief.

Poor dry parched earth.

I planted my zinnia seeds 2 times this year.

All but a couple were eaten by rabbits.

Of course, there was little else for them to eat, but my garden.

So, I gave up and opted for great big pots.

But now, now with the rain, the gardens explode.

The front flower garden looks so happy in the rain, doesn't it?

Thankfulness bursts out of you in endless glee.

Droplets like no gift you could ever ask for or desire.

And then, the fruits.

Peaches...

Grapes.

The summer shifts and turns.

Ripening.

There you are, right in the midst of the summer moments.

"This Magic Moment...."

Time, washing past you.

And so, I decide, we shall be a part of every rain storm.

Soaked to the bone goodness.

Giantest sunflowers droop, as seeds are ready to fall.

14" diameter, just wow, self seeded too.

As the rain lets up a bit, we tiptoe to what I call, Willie Wonka Land.

Where peach tree meets a corridor of oleanders and eucalyptus.

Where peach tree droops, and branches arch with gifts.

Heavy with so many gifts.

Sigh...

It's peach heaven.

Heavy heavy branches.

Every single branch covered completely with fruit.

Hundreds and hundreds of freestone peaches.

Baking like mad has begun.

This is just 1/4 of the tree, with wood posts and chairs holding up heavy branches...

 You stand underneath, quietly looking around.

You barely touch a peach, brush your hand near it, and if it falls right off into your hand - well then, you eat it.

The pit falls right out.

The fruit succulent and sweet.

No tartness at all.

Just perfect.

You eat peaches until your belly gets round and full.

And then, you take one with you on a walk to see what your growing things look like after the rain.

Pumpkin vines explode like mad.

Time to inspect.

We have a domed little garden, and behind that, a chicken wire enclosed garden with 8 beds, and a center planting area.

I should mention that Mister Lovee built these backyard veggie gardens for me.

I helped dig up the beds and lay the mesh to keep gophers out, but he built them so that critters couldn't get in, enclosing them with chicken wire.  I do all the planting and harvesting.

(Thank you Lovee, I love my veggie gardens!!)

You remind yourself of why you keep a pumpkin patch, and wonder why you let the vines go crazy this year?

Vines pour out of the enclosed gardens.

(next year I'll go back to my pumpkin patch, silly me)

Garden treats plump and expand like mad.

Growing bigger and bigger...

Pumpkins, red and white onions, basil upon basil, tomatillos, dill, red bell peppers, tomatoes of all kinds, arugula, 10 different kinds of pumpkins, so many leeks, a fresh wave of strawberries, green onions, lettuces - and a very big fulfilled heart sigh.

Oh my goodness, it's a jungle in there these days.

You know you have changed when...

A clothing rack, is now used for pumpkin vines to crawl around.

Leaf explosion city!

The domed little garden beckons...

Let us in, let us in...

Bees buzz about, doing their pollinating work.

As we enter.

A place where self seeding sunflowers droop, and pumpkins hang from the ceiling like chandeliers.

Pumpkin loving heart, oh my!

And, as the last of the storm passes by, the sun comes out in that western sky.

As do little friends.

Hello Mister Tarantula.

Or is it Miss or Ma'am?

The pups enjoy the moist earth.

As the hot steams rises when the rain leaves.

We nibble around the yard, Lovee and me.

The grape vine was so kind this year.

We enjoyed several bunches, sweet like candy.

And then, the zinnias...

These are giant zinnias, and boy do they love water.

Carnival Zinnia Below.

Yellow and white dinner-plate dahlias peek out too.

All staked and safe.

And so here we are...

Right smack in the middle of monsoon season, and summer.

The waves of flowers starting to come in.

Thick moist clouds dancing over mountains early in the morning.

Burned off by the sun, and returning in the afternoon, if your wishes come true.

And boy oh boy, when they do...

You'll know where to find us.

Soaked and smiling, in the Arizona desert.

Where time ticks by on long hot days, at curiously rapid speeds.

But how?

Time, where are you going?

 

And age, age changes you.

 

Because for the first time, you are happy that summer lasts until October in these parts.

And there will be much more warmth to come.

Hooooray!

 

Ever so many pictures for you, hope I didn't bore you silly!

 

Love, Vanessa

 

 

 

When That Moon Gets Big and Bright...

"It's a supernatural delight...

Everybody was dancing in the moonlight..."

(King Harvest,1973)

I had a proper post for you today.

However, I am veering.

The moon has been waaaay to exciting to not chat about it, don't you think?

What is it with that moon, and all it's dreaminess?

We waited patiently every night this week, as day turned into evening...

To catch glimpses of a moon becoming rounder and fuller...

Coming right over the great big mountains...

And then, there it was.

The night before a full moon.

Misty full clouds hovering avec moon.

Dreamy.

We ran up and down the front garden in that beautiful blue sky glow.

It's a blur! ;)

Of course you have to turn this up whilst dancing in the moonlight, don't you agree?

Just love that.

How could we even think about going to sleep with that moon out there like that?

All around we went.

The dogs and I got to bed around 10, but...

Mister Lovee stayed outside until 2 in the morning, working in the gallery and doing this and that.

The moon makes us do crrrrazy things.

Staying up that late is crazy.

It used to be a breeze, but not so much anymore :)

I went hunting for him at 2:30 when I noticed all the lights were still on.

Moon entranced me thinks.

As you can imagine, after his 2:30 a.m. in the garden shenanigans the night before, Lovee was tucked in by 7:30 p.m. last night.

I decided to listen to ghost stories, and hide in the cottage, waiting for the full moon.

I ran across the yard like a freaked out 13 year old, locked the door and closed the curtains.

Even though no one on earth can see me in there :)

(unless they are in my yard, creeeepy thought, hope no stranger is ever in my yard, eek!)

The dogs came soon after, yay, my protectors.

I crawled up into the cottage, and waited.

Cuddled up in fluffy comforters and pillows.

And then, there it was...

Coming over the mountain with a perfectly orange glow.

You see, that is what I get for listening to ghost stories alone at night out in the cottage.

I get this moon.

Ooooooooooooooo!

That sneaky moon.

(source)

 

Did you get to enjoy the moon the last couple nights?

I wonder what tonight shall bring?

I have been giving myself a couple vacation days to finish some chores.

Even though I really have all sorts of things to share and do.

Maybe I'll finally take some interior cottage photos.

 

Do any of you bury crystals under the moonlight?

Tips, tricks?

 

Love, V

 

 

Mad Tea Party ♥ 2013

Why, hello there you.

What took you so long?

I've been waiting.

Been waiting all year, right in this tree.

Time to party like it's 1865!

Thank you Lewis Carroll!!!

Yep, 'tis true, it's a Mad Tea Party!!!

So so happy to see you, mrrrrreawrrrr!!

Let's follow Alice, down the path...

She drank a secret potion, which made her quite sleepy, and not tall at all...

Slowly, slowly she tumbled...

Down the hole.

She awoke to a white rabbit, passing through...

Zippity Doodah, in a hurry, woo hooo!

He spoke so fast...

 He was late, late, late for tea!

Can't be late, mustn't be late!

 As he scampered off he quickly invited her to the festivities...

As well as you and you and you, and even me too!

She chased him through the forest, her long dress nearly tripping her...

And then, she saw a glimmer through the trees.

Laughter and clanking, nonsensical rhymes!

She approached with butterflies in her belly.

Nervous and excited, time for fun, tea time too!

The white rabbit was there to introduce and greet Alice, and all of us following right behind her.

Welcome Welcome, to The Mad Tea Party two thousand and thirteeeeen!!

The table is set, and everyone is gathered!

Splendid, scrumptious and divine to see you they chant!!

Take a seat, don't be shy sings the March Hare.

So many sweets and treats and exotic tea!

How will you choose?

Oh my, oh me!

Lemon meringue and raspberry chocolate cake too!?

Oh, that wickedly curious hatter salutes you!

Hello there mateys, and pirates, ye ole friends!

Yep, officially mad as usual ;)

What are you waiting for he asks?

Dig in, dig in!!

Nom nom nom, we munch away!

Oh how we have awaited this day.

Oh hey, I just spotted Mister Mouse!

What a glorious time, glorious indeed...

They nodded as they over filled their tea cups and stuffed their cheeks with cake.

So very happy to see you today kind ladies and gents!

I would like some tea from the Mad Hatter's favorite pot.

What about you?

I hear it's spiced, yet sweet, cinnamoney too!

And what's in the striped pot?

Darjeeling, woo hoo!

Oh oh, and what's in the pie?

And did you say I could have a bite of your cupcake?

Everyone is so overjoyed to see you.

The Hatter is extra glad you sipped the secret concoction which made you tiny in the garden.

The March Hare gives you a key, so you can find your way back everyday at a quarter past 3.

When life gets rotten or tough, or if it's lovely just as much, you can easily find your way here.

A place to escape deep in the heart.

A hot sip and a nap will get you there any day...

To the mad tea partay!

I can't get enough, did you taste this, or that, or this?

Beautiful wondrous times are these.

Times when we truly believe!

When we open our hearts to whimsy and dreams.

To tales and goodness, and nothing is what is seems.

Only it's better.

To believers and hopefuls and kindred hearted souls...

To girls and boys of all ages, with a child like heart.

To those on a hunt for goodness of life...

We say, it all lives right here.

Right there.

Inside you.

A light to guide the way.

A spark!

Sparkles and twinkles, fairy lore and more, all collide at the tea party!

A little magic spark to carry always, here's one for you, and one for me too.

Stay as long as you'd like.

Don't be shy.

Tell a riddle, a tale, sing loud pitched, don't sigh!

(unless it's a happy sigh of course)

Not yet.

Don't go, we'd all have to cry!

We adore you, and thank you for being kindred as can be.

For meeting us here, for this maddest of teas!!

You are lovely and wonderful!!

Thank you for you!

It's been bliss!!

We are always here to host you.

Day or night, today, yesterday and tomorrow.

Fanciful wishes abound!!!!

Happy MERRIEST unbirthday 2013!!!

To visit past parties click any year below.

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

 

Here is a link to the party invitation post.

 

 You all are wonderful!!!

Thank you visitors and fellow partiers, you are lovely beyond lovely.

Make sure you always hang on to your muchness, okay?

 

Time to make mad visits, and chat and catch up!

All the partiers are listed in the right hand side bar.

 

The party lasts all weekend (or longer), as it takes several days to make all those visits.

 

*If you are hosting your own party, make sure you leave your exact tea party link in comments, it will serve as an archive that comes in handy for years to come.

 

And now, LET'S PARTY!!!!

Muchest of love, V

 

 

 

ps:  This year I decided to hand make all the characters and tea accoutrements for the tea party that you see in all the photos above. 

Something a little different this year.

Next week I will make every piece in these photos, plus more treats, available in my shop.

I'll do a post with more info in a few days ;)

♥

 

In search of...

I need your help.

I am desperately seeking...

Book.

Or books.

You see, I listen to audio books a lot when I am working.

Mostly real life stuff.

I just finished two.

But I am so incredibly desperate for one of those books that you lose yourself in for hours, I can't even tell you.

I want to curl up in the evenings, and relax in the hammock as monsoon winds blow in...

And read read read.

Have you read anything you can recommend?

I am open to all sorts of books.

I especially love non-fiction.

But I like fiction too if it is done well.

I like fantasy, but some things I can't get into.

I don't know why, if I live in my own weird fantasy orb?

Strange but true.

I LOVE mystery too.

And crime.

I know creepy.

And I love intense real life tales.

And fairy tales too.

I like grown up tales and childlike tales.

I like scary and pretty.

I like messy and crazy.

I like wonderful and sweet.

I love touching.

I like outrageous blow your mind tales.

I love animal tales too.

What I mean is, I like a lot of things.

And I am open.

I have about 6 bookcases of books.

Stacks and stacks of them.

If I find myself in a bookstore, especially and old book store with resale books...

I leave with boxes of pages.

I huddle in corners for hours in old book stores.

(although I haven't done that in ages upon ages)

I love the smell of old books.

Musty books.

Forgotten books.

Hidden notes in books.

I am a book hog.

A book sloth.

A greedy book girl.

And yet -

I am in desperate pleading need of good books to read these days.

I have been through all of mine.

A stack of fresh words would do.

I go on amazon and book lists, looking, but I just can't find anything.

So, I figured if you have read anything recently-

 Or a while back even, that you loved...

Perhaps you could recommend something?

Pretty please?

I like a menagerie of things, so any recommendations will be appreciated.

One of my best friends recommended a book last night that I can't wait to get called Gone Girl.  And my mom says I should read some old Agatha Christie books.

I remember in my 20's and teens, going on lots of airplanes, and picking up paperback books in the airport gift shops that I would LOVE and devour. 

I would read on the beach, and at night in the hotel.

Sometimes I would huddle in the dark wood Hotel Del Coronado side lobby, and read.

By the big black piano.

We were there a lot growing up, every summer for weeks if not more.

 It was a great and more than magical place for reading.

Even hidden on the stairs in the old hotel somewhere, with book, was incredible.

Smelling the ocean air waft in through all the windows.

Hoping to see the hotel ghost.

I grew up reading all the Ramona Quimby books, Anne of Green Gables, Laura Ingalls Wilder and oodles of fairy tales, then as I got older teens, all the V.C. Andrews books.

Jane Eyre...

Then haunted tales, vampires, ghosts and more.

I was a voracious reader.

But in the last couple years, I just can't find anything to pick up.

I re-read things on my shelves, but I am itching like I have fleas, for something new to me.

Although I did read a book about a girl dealing with her mother who was a hoarder.

And I have read and re-read My Life at Grey Gardens, about 200 times.

 

As a little girl I lived in a house with a full library.

Thousands of books.

The seller left them all, can you believe it?

I can only dream of such a thing now.

I have to tell you a tale about the creepy things/books my mom found, scary, in those book shelves.

Gives me chills now just thinking about it.

I should tape her telling the tale, and share it with you.

 

I know there is lots and lots to read out there.

I just need some suggestions.

So, if you can help, I will be sooooo happy and grateful.

Can't wait to hear what you love to read.

 

Love, V

 

 

  

ps:  Speaking of old hotels.

I had a wonderful time reading in the old Jerome Grand Hotel.

A huge storm blew in on one visit in particular.

It was wonderful!

Mister Lovee and I were there for a few days.

In the late afternoon one day, while relaxing from a long day of shopping and walking -

 the movie called Skeleton Key came on.

It was perfect, the whole ambience -  I cherish that memory.

Then we went walking around in the storm - fabulous!

We did that a few times over the years, but not since we've had these younger kids.

Of the fur variety.

I LOVE old hotels, don't you?

Waiting for the Mad Hatter...

Where could he be, you tell me?

We sit here impatiently waiting for the mad hattered he.

In our finest frocks, ready to hear the news...

Tea?

Helloooooey?

Those surprise lilies from years ago bloom like mad...

As I get out my finest, attempting to look as proper as the folks up above...

Hair-do in order.

Mister thought, umm, not so much.

What?!

:)

What do boys know about hair-do's anyway, I ask you?

Harumph.

So...

Hydrangea come out to play.

As we search and wonder.

Did you get your invite, what about you and you and thee?

Me either.

Where could he be?

We haunt the vegetable garden, biding time...

The scent of jasmine, slowly becoming intertwined...

Pumpkin vines creep, and awaken with glee.

A baby, oh a baby!

A pumpkin babe eeeeee!

Tomatoes are greenies for a while I bet.

On evenings we roam and wonder, is it time yet?

Give us magic, give us fun!

Give us excitement, we feel bored and glum.

(well, not all the time, but a party would majorly hit the spot I'd say)

Fresh mesclun salad for din, anyone?

Radishes, oh how I love thee!

And wait, I almost tripped.

Oh my oh me!!!!

Shell safe babies all cozy, in a nest on the ground, guarded by their mommy.

Oh Mrs. Quail, stay safe and sound!!

Pleeeeease.

Hollyhocks pop in, in late May...

With imperial larkspur and parsley flowers guiding the way.

Oh and, let's not forget the yellow yarrow.

Blue larkspur, dear larkspur, is it true you have powers?

Or is it the hydrangea with tricks for the day?

This blue has turned pink.

While the other hydrangea taunts in lilacs, hooray!

For blue we need acid.

Coffee grounds not enough it seems to keep the blues alive.

But all these little waffling tones, are certainly a feast for fairy eyes.

And did someone turn on the neon sign, in the poppy park?

Such wondrous little treasures, jewels straight from mother nature's heart.

One guest is here for certain.

Early, and to stay.

Miss Rhiannon Kitty, made by my dearest pal Marjorie Liucci...

Did make a journey my way.

To live in the cottage, all cozy and safe.

She's a beauty with tales and secrets to boot!

We love her so!!

Meow!

She loves the garden, and sends her regards to her dear Marmee!!

Will the hatter turn up soon?

This is what I ask every day at a quarter past noon.

Will he get here in time to see the magical lilies bloom?

Grown quite like real magic I say, from a bouquet gift from a boy 14 years ago.

My so long now, where did the time go?

Plunked in the dirt with no time to put them in the bin.

There must have been some bulb particles at the bottom of those stems.

For every year since then, in spring, the magic happens again and again.

Wowie Zowie!!

Here we wait...

You too it seems?

Just sitting, wondering, waiting.

Hey Mad Hatter!!

Do you have a day job?

Where are you?

We wanna know, we wanna know, we wanna know!!

When's the mad tea party??

Yooo hoooo, Madster???

You out there?

 

Where could he be, honestly?

Any ideas?

You tell me.

 

Love, V

 

 

ps:  Based on the frocks, what year would you say that first photo is from?

I have a thought on it, wondering what you think?

And I wonder where they are?

Europe?

Any ideas?

My aunt sent me some lovely large old photos, such a treat!

 

Plans & Ideas & Thoughts, Oh My!

We're frantic, excited, delighted, 'tis true!

We're thinking and planning, and getting ready to invite you!

You know who, is already ready as can be.

The Mad Hatter of course, tea thief indeed!

The prep's making butterflies flutter in the belly.

This time of year gets so quiet, with only tea parties to cure the weary!

Collecting trinkets and treasures for decor, whatever shall we toss together this year???

Tell me, won't you?

Baking and sweets are necessities, of course, says mousie.

For sure!

The magical elixir, of tiny tea.

Fills me with endless awesomeful glee.

Is that a word?

I can't wait to see who plunges as soon as my invites are complete.

I heard we might even have elfin guests this year.

Oh me!

Line up in your best, and yell Hip Hip Hooray!

The madness is coming, it's nearing our way.

Details are being concocted!

Ideas thought up.

An invite comes shortly.

Put on your frocks!!

;)

 

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

 

 

 

 

Of Ford and Rose...

When the cat is away, the mice will play.

Isn't that what they say?

Or if the cat is real sick, the mice will play too?

Mister Lovee has been majorly under the weather.

And, I have been a really good nurse, if I do say so myself.

Ahem.

:)

For some reason I do caretaker good these days.

I am not sure why or how this came to be?

I was a horrid, rotten self centered child, so who knows?

Love does it, perhaps?

Anyhow...

There I was, tra-la-la-ing around.

Minding my own business.

Keeping myself entertained whilst Lovee suffered a beautiful weekend in bed.

Picking roses, cooking, baking, collecting mint leaves for a hug pot of hot tea.

Painting, stringing pearls, playing with pups.

And then, it hit me.

That old 1957 Ford truck in the yard!?

The one Mister Lovee used to drive ages ago.

That should...

Possibly maybe...

Perchance?

BE MINE!

Imagine?

Cotton candy pink, or muted light teal with pink cabbage roses painted on the doors?

Me...

At the wheel...

Bashing around, to and fro.

Imagine?

Going here and there in my pink or teal truck?

Oh ya.

I can feel it.

So, I took a proper opportunity, you know...

Sort of like when I was a kid, and my dad and his brothers would be outside listening to oldies and drinking beer, and I would be like, hey dad, can I have some money?

And he would give me everything in his wallet, cuz he was too beer happy to know better ;)

Sometimes it was quite a lot of dough for a kid.

So, as Mister Lovee lay coughing and sneezing up a storm...

I proposed, you know -

That...

Maybe...

The truck should be painted all cute, and given to me?

Being such a good nurse and all.

Ha.

With sick eyes closed, he eeked out a tinge of a smile and nodded yes.

YES!

(insert evil grin, bwahahaha!)

I better start saving my pennies, so I can restore my new truck.

Hehehe.

I wonder if he will still say yes when he feels better?

I know how to drive stick.

Kinda Sorta.

Once, well, more than once...

My parents went on a business trip, and left us with a nanny/housekeeper, and I took my dad's big red monster truck out joy riding.

I was about 15 or 16.

I had two best friends growing up, they were boys.

Aaron and Hector.

We did everything together.

We spent every waking moment of our summers up to pure mischief.

So, one day when the parental units were away, Aaron came over, and I had a grand plan to take the monster truck out.

I could hardly get in, it was so tall.

It was a dull tomato red, horrid thing.

And, what I didn't know at the time, was that it wasn't working.

So, I went hunting for the keys in my dad's drawers, and off we went.

Me and Aaron in the big red truck.

5 feet of me, perhaps less at the time, driving this thing.

Gargantuan gear shift, clutch and all.

As we got down the road, I noticed that the steering wheel pulled really hard to the left.

And...

Get this.

Every time it pulled to the left, the steering wheel would let out a HUGE HONK!

I mean huge.

So, there we were on a bumpy dirt road, laughing, getting only stations playing Spanish polka on the radio, and the steering wheel honking every 8 seconds.

Bonk, BONK.

Us laughing so hard.

Me freaking out and laughing and trying to shift.

Trying to get the darned thing back home.

If I could handle that, I can handle this '57 Ford.

I think I will need some backing to get Mister Lovee to say yes when not ill.

You think I should have it, don't you?

:)

Let's remind him why it is, that I should have a perfectly lovely cotton candy truck.

Shall we??

Remind me to tell you about the time I snuck out the window, and took my mom's boat size white Lincoln town car (with a faux convertible top, remember those crazy things?) joy riding.

It was like steering a ship.

My parents were pretty strict, so I was always grounded.

 But now, time to convince Lovee to hand over the keys!

Help me out, won'tcha?

 (I wonder if I could pull my gypsy wagon around with me?)

 

Love, V

 

 

 

ps:  My dad just called and I reminded him of the truck thing.

Honking horn, etc.

We had quite a laugh.

 

 pss:  Now I can't get this out of my head.

 

 

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Bangle Love {Winner Announced}

It was oh so warm here this weekend.

So nice.

Popsicles were on the grocery list...

I don't know about you, but warm weather always inspires me to get out my candy colorful bangles.

I have a secret drawer where I keep my bakelite collection.

Only, this stash is different.

This isn't bakelite, but it's super fun plastic bangle mania.

(some wooden bangles too)

I have kept them in this big bag, since I left the city house for good last year, and have not 100% found places for everything at the country pad.

Which ones to wear, which ones to choose?

It's funny, because every time I pile them on folks come up to me and ask, where did you get them?

It's just fun stuff, and I think it inspires others (who love color and playful attire) to want to have a wild and wacky plastic bangled arm too.

Soooooooooo.

I went through my stash and came up with this big stack of bracelets below, to give away.

Yep, gift away.

Give away.

Freebie.

Right here.

(winner announced at end of post!)

The pile below, plus the ones I am wearing in the photo below, are all for one of you.

I must be insane.

Lots of goodies from my own personal stash.

I have collected these over the years.

Different shapes and sizes.

So, if you loooove colorful bangles, just in time for spring and summer...

Then, jump in!

:)

All you have to do is leave a comment.

Easy as pie.

If you'd like, you can share something memorable from one of your warm day memories.

I think the summer going into 7th grade was the funnest summer ever.

Neon clothes.

Body glove bathing suits.

Clothes that change color.

(a lot of the fashion in style right now was in that year, neon everything)

Zinc neon sunscreen.

Scrunchies towering in a ponytail.

Bunch up socks and Keds tennis shoes.

Swatches up the arm.

Riding bikes all over town.

Painting on tennis shoes, and gluing pearls and stones all over them.

Tears for fears & A-ha tapes playing in the pastel pink radio.

Tennis.

Tennis.

Tennis.

Swimming all day long.

Tanned as heck.

Feeling like all the dreams and world of pure magic lied ahead in spades.

That is the sumer I really remember well.

Falling in love with 6 boys.

From afar of course.

Okay, so, I best stop chattering.

And let you enter to get a huge goody bag of bright bangles!

Woo hooo! 

THE WINNER is....

#5

Beverly!!!

Woo hooo you won!!

Please e-mail me your snail mail address and I will send you your colorful bangles ;)

 

Love, V

 

 

 

Mish Mosh...

Hola!

I am just finishing up some painting I have been working on, so I thought I would take a break and pop in for a little random chit chat.

It's so nice out.

Sometimes, in order to retain a measure of sanity, you have to get bejeweled to go out for a stroll in the garden.

Pull out a little Frida Kahlo, just for kicks.

On those strolls through our Fanciful, Arizona...

Bit of a ghost town.

I can only handle 3 ringed fingers at a time, you?

Otherwise the clanking between fingers feels way too unnatural and odd.

I wonder when and if Frida ever took her rings off?

The center amethyst ring (called a poison ring) I am wearing is very dear to me because I got it when I was 17 years old.

(I started collecting jewelry very young, around 5 years old believe it or not - Mombie has mass tales)

I got the amethyst ring on one of my first thrifting adventures on 4th avenue in Tucson.

It opens up, and you can store all sorts of curious items inside.

As you can tell, it's been through a lot, all dinged up.

Around 1994, the latch fell off, and it kept opening up.

So what I did is that, I filled it with things.

Little teeny tiny bits and bobs, and then I special metal glued it shut.

I don't even remember what I put inside anymore.

And it can't be opened, it's too sealed.

So, that's a little fun tid-bit.

A time capsule in a way.

Guess what?

Those homemade twix bars?

OH MY GOODNESS!

Here are some of the batch I made...

They were unreal.

Awesome.

Outrageous.

Better than I ever could have imagined.

You will faint if you make them.

I put on a very thin coat of chocolate.

This is the recipe I used.

I made two changes.

In the caramel, I used no vanilla (makes caramel taste yuck to me), and I used brown sugar instead of white.

They were beyond words.

The cookie part was just...

I can't even tell you, just make them.

K?

How about an appallingly ratty picture?

Filled with love?

I never want my picture taken.

Unless I have on a super nice frock and full hair and make-up.

Which working from home happens almost never.

Who wants to post rotten pics of themselves?

I don't know?

(I LOVE to dress up, which I loved about real world jobs)

Anyhow, after a long day in my giant, knee length, paint covered horrid blue sweatshirt...

I cozied up on the couch.

Unruly hair and all.

As my Greek ex would have said...

Moromou, your hairs are a huge disasters :)

Miley cozied up with me.

And we fell asleep.

Mister took these bizarre shots.

At weird angles.

Doesn't my head look funny?

Alas, it's a pic of love.

Ain't it?

That big boy.

He and Matty (since Matty got sick) have been attached to my hip.

(Matty is still mending for the better, hooooooray!)

They usually are.

Only now, extra big time.

Really needy.

Which I don't mind at all.

They don't want to be anywhere but with me.

Is that normal?

I never thought I would be a crazy dog person.

Thank goodness I was allowed to experience it, it rocks.

I never thought I would let a big fur ball sleep on me.

I never thought my life would be so intertwined with fur.

I am so thankful for it.

 

Love, V

 

 

 ps:  The moon, so pretty tonight!!

 

 

Engelbert Humperdinck

So, it's official.

Time to say Au Revoir to Valentine's day.

Although, I just can't do it without this one song.

Which has one of my favorite choruses of all times (video below).

I remember looking through my dad's records...

And thinking...

Engelbert Humperdinck?

Who the heck is he?

Then I saw more of his albums in the stacks of my dad's vinyls, and I thought...

Yep, suave-ilicious alright.

And now I find myself with a post, titled with that very familiar elfin-like name I learned all those 30 years ago.

30 years ago...

Sitting in my long flannel ruffled laced little house on the prairie, nightgown pajamas.

(some things never change)

On the fluffy gold carpet.

In front of my dad's record player.

Playing all my dad's records.

The Beatles, Stayin' Alive Soundtrack (and other Bee Gees faves), Hall and Oates, Placido Domingo, Sinatra, Vikki Carr, Neil Diamond, classical tunes, Pavarotti, Time Life's best love songs of 1970something, and of course Engelbert Humperdinck (amongst many many others).

So here we are.

The end of Valentine's Day 2013.

You, me and Engelbert.

Fave chorus ever, I tell ya.

This chorus also brings back memories of going to so many supper clubs with my parents as a tiny girl.

Dark leather furniture with large gold nail trim accents.

Dapper waiters on hand, poised, towel over arm.

Tables surrounding a dance floor.

A proper band in the distance.

Lots of men in all sorts of black and white combinations.

And a 5 year old girl, who would ask old men out to dance.

I'd also have endless Shirley Temples to drink, with extra cherries.

Lots and lots and lots of cherries.

I would get so sleepy as the night wore on.

My parents would put two chairs together for me to sleep on.

(if there wasn't a booth corner for me to crawl into)

I dozed in and out of sleep, the surroundings were loud, yet soothing.

Adults dolled up in fanciest of clothes laughed and laughed, as cigarette smoke romantically billowed around (before anyone knew better).

Glasses clinked endlessly as the grown ups talked all night. 

Cocktail parties a plenty on weekends as well, and of course, always...

Engelbert.

I loved being 5 years old.

Now, Mister Lovee must be wondering where I escaped to?

I said I was off to brush my teeth, and would return shortly, haha!

Thank goodness Mister Lovee has TONS of records.

(as do I)

And he has a proper record player.

Some things from the past, you just need.

You know what I mean?

 

 

 

Vanessa Valencia {Jewelry}

Time to plunge into jewels!!

Yes, it's true!

It's official.

My jewelry is now available on-line.

Phew, I never thought I would say that.

But, it's true, it's true!

After years of folks asking me, what's up with the jewels?

Customers wondering if there was an on-line venue?

And regular calls from my mom (who is my best model), telling me people ask her every time she is wearing my jewelry creations, where they can get some of their own on the internet.

There is a place.

Right here.

www.VanessaValencia.Etsy.Com

And...

If you are interested in a tale of jewels?

Here's a lil' story...

Let's see.

My jewelry adventures began around 1992.

I had several pieces of fine jewelry that I didn't love anymore, so I took them all apart and made one great piece.

People would walk up to me while I was out and about, and ask me where I got it.

I promptly became inspired, and started into jewelry making madness.

There are huge gem and mineral shows in Arizona.

So I started going to shows, learning about stones and gems.

And wearing even more jewelry, which I already did a lot of.

Only because I love it.

Love.

Passionately.

In every job I have been in, some male co-worker always calls my gypsy.

Folks comment on my clanking charms and such.

And then, they want some of their own.

:)

All those years ago, I plunged in the biggest way ever.

Buying tools, so many tools.

Endless beads, stones, silver, brass, copper, gold.

Vintage, new, Czech, Venetian, German...

Crystals!

Investing my whole savings account, many times over, at the bewitching gem shows.

I did huge jewelry shows showcasing my pieces.

Tables and tables of velvet displays, towering acrylic displays.

Mannequins.

So many mannequins.

(and mannequin make-overs)

Sculptural necks, display cases, lighting, credit card machines.

Packaging, boxes and sachets, and neverending information.

Knowledge.

Always learning.

And making, making, making jewelry at all hours.

Shows all over the place.

Renting spaces, folks hosting shows.

Trunk shows, jewelry shows, art shows.

Days of putting up displays.

Car loads.

When I met Mister Lovee he took a huge interest in my jewelry making.