29 July 2010

Waterproof Mascara...


My my my...look at those gray skies out there beyond the trees.

This is what we've been staring at for a couple of days.  It's monsoon season you know, so this is nothing unusual.  Today we were treated to quite a bit of thunder and lightning and steady rains.

Which means it feels like we're all breathing through water.

It's the humidity.

We're not used to it way out west.

Which means it's a bit sticky...and muggy.  Although, we all wade around in all of this nodding to each other patting each other on the back and saying, "we sure need the moisture"  Because we do.  Every once in a while someone will come out with the reminder that we're in the middle of a drought.  It seems like I've been hearing that statement for about 10 years now...I am still unsure of how every one knows we're in the middle of it?  If it's been the middle for 10 years, I'm a little nervous about how long this drought is supposed to last.

Until then, I've invested in a lot of waterproof mascara.

28 July 2010

Mostly Wordless Wednesday...


Things have gone seriously awry at Foolsewoode.

Not only has there been a stomach flu...but look at the hot mess this guy's gotten himself into.

Apparently he is an Airbender that has been stuffed into an red ant pile.

I'm not sure if he's the last Airbender...or what the deal is, but thankfully whomever buried him only buried him up to his waist, so technically he should be able to dig himself out of this fix...unless he is indeed an Airbender and can't manipulate the Earth?

I'm not sure.

But he's been like this since this morning.

I fear the worst.

26 July 2010

Fluish...

ugh.

Sunday I woke up feeling a bit...strange.

Which led to laying on the couch and resting all day, not getting out of my PJs (as I will spare you with the details at this time)

Stomach.

Ick.

Then I woke up this morning dizzy.  I went to the gym and floated through my workout.  I thought it would pass...I met a friend for a photo shoot of the tattoo...so you could all get a better look.  I drank coffee and chit-chatted.  Then I went to the shop and things started slipping a little sideways.

I got a delivery of ginger-ale and Saltines.

A customer said she was battling with the same thing this last weekend...I noticed time passed quite strangely today.

Stomach.

Ick.

I drank broth for dinner and will most likely rest for the duration of my evening...my feet propped up, sipping ginger-ale.

I'm hoping this passes soon...I have decided that nausea and dizziness in such a spectacular combination are not my favorite way to spend the day.

Stomach.

Ick.


23 July 2010

Monsoonish...


Enjoying all the monsoonishness...

Along with the snails

(apparently)

(now, if I could only get them to give me a foot massage...although that might be a little gross)

Have a wonderful weekend all!


22 July 2010

From the Land of Orange Plasticy Goodness...


A new old design that I just recently picked up at one of my mother's antique shops...Gypsy Street Antiques.  To be entirely fair...while I don't usually hone in on the color Orange for wearable objects, this orange plasticy goodness practically jumped up and down and waived it's little anthurium petals at me from across the shop...

In a very provocative way.

So, I slipped it on to indulge myself, because it's not often that a piece of jewelry so decidedly and so obviously flirts with me, and then once around my neck, decided that I may just have to have to bring it home with me.

The fact that it is crazy vintage plastic and orange are all secondary bonuses.

Today this sweet piece made its fashion debut around my neck and I have gotten a whole slew of compliments.

(the tellers at the bank were especially sweet as all of their jaws dropped when I walked in and they said, "You look totally hot today!  Would you mind going out and walking back in?"  Which made me more of a giggly blushing person...and added a bit of twinkle to my eye and a bit of confidence to my step.  Now, normally this kind of thing doesn't happen to me...and it's happened a lot today, perhaps it's due to the navy fitted dress that I've paired this necklace with, along with my matching orange wedges...maybe it's that my gym time has finally caught up with me...perhaps it's my Dior decorated eyelashes or the fact that some day's you just got it?  Whatever the case may be, and no matter how amazed I am to hear all the compliments, I would be lying if I told you they weren't making me smile...and now at this stage?  I'm seriously considering adopting this as my official uniform...)

So...

Sweet surprises from the land orange plasticy goodness indeed.

20 July 2010

On Air...



Goodness.

I almost totally forgot what with life creeping in at every corner and whatnot...I was recently interviewed for the radio by Andrew Johnson-Schmit for his show Prescott Art Beat.  It was a wonderful interview (although to be perfectly fair, Andrew is very easy to talk to...and if you put a fez on that guy's head up there...that's pretty much what Andrew looks like.  Give or take a line drawing or two...) about fashion as art.

Or something like that.

We talked about clothing and shoes and vintage as well as current couture and style...these are a few of my favorite things!

It makes me so excited to think about it that I figured I'll have to re-listen to it, won't I?

So...if you want to hear my melodic voice
(ahem)



19 July 2010

Lather Rinse...Repeat.


Weekend Pampering.

Ahhhh...

Not something I've done in a while...I've been more of a sporadic pamperer lately...a pedi here, a facial there...exfoliation, tweeze...cha cha cha.

And this weekend?  Well, Ms. Dina and I threw ourselves together and jumped into the beauty pool.  I have to admit that she's usually the one I do this with the most.  It's not that all my friends aren't beautiful...they most certainly are...it's just that Dina keeps up with and puts on make-up in a way I wish I could.

It's almost silly isn't it?

Sometimes I feel so late to the party...

My sister is talented in this way too...but me?  I read a couple of articles and look at pictures, try things out, horrify myself...wipe it off and go on with my day.

I was actually at Ms. Dina's for a birthday party recently and leaned over to tell her niece I thought she was stunning and how jealous I was that she did her eyes so well.  She looked at me and said, "Sadie?  You need to watch the videos on Youtube..."

Ahhhh...out of the mouths of 13 year-olds indeed.

So I did.
I realize that like fashion, make-up changes through the years...applications and techniques and since I've always thought I've been rather bad at this aspect of beauty, I found something that I thought worked for me, coveted the latest techniques and just went on my merry way.

I'm realizing this may take some practice...so, I'm going to approach it like that.  And I'm hoping to bring in the skills of a fine painter.  Not that I'm a fine painter, but I am creative and I can paint.  So, was it a fluke or just a well timed coincidence that Ms. Dina and I found ourselves chit chatting about make up and eyes and brushes this weekend?  Perhaps.  I like to think it's fate.

Which found both of us running here and there talking brushes, pigments, and mascaras.

Oh my.

I walked away from this weekend with a renewed vigor (and the realization that I'm going to have to give myself more than my allotted 10 minutes face/eye time in front of the mirror as I am using no less than 4 brushes on my eyes...and 3 on my face...gah!) I learned that I need to shampoo and condition my brushes regularly (who knew?  Yeah...you're right, you probably did) I went through make-up bags with a cutthroat determination and threw away things that were old and that I haven't used in a long time (ie.  That make up that I bought when I was still married?  Yeah.  That was a bit long ago) I then I washed and conditioned...individually cleaned off plastic containers, and threw the mess of make-up bags in the wash.

Things are clean and sparkly and organized...and I think I may just have achieved that smoky eye I have been coveting for some time now.

I did buy some new key things this weekend as well.  After wandering around in Target with Ms. D...and having her point out what each brush did (seriously.  I know there's a whole lot of brushes out there, but this is major if you haven't been keeping up) I walked away with a new flat brush for applying foundation (so you look all air brushed and whatnot...simply more amazing than a sponge in my opinion) and a new eye-brow combo thing (cause I was currently using the head of a very broken one for some time now and there was no handle and most of the comb tines had been broken off...ahem) some new pigment shades, a gel eye-liner (which is fab for someone who's always thought they look dead after applying eye-liner)  a blending brush, and the thought that I may need a Kabuki brush for powder...that is until I dug out all of the brushes I already own and realize I have a lovely Smash Box Kabuki brush already (and another one I didn't realize I had)  Ahem again.

Besides.

Brushes are serious expensive business if you want the good ones.

I also inherited a rather amazing bottle of Dior mascara, which I can't remember the name of right now, but after applying it this morning I realize why people pay a little more for some products.  When I looked back at my own reflection, I could hardly believe it was me staring back...My eyes are framed in a way they haven't been since I bought the Urban Decay mascara a few years ago and used until it dried up and went away.  And I loved it, but it wasn't waterproof and got a bit smudgy here and there.

Thanks for the reminder Dior.

Oh and Dina.

Who invited me over to top off the weekend with a DIY manicure that has to be one of the best ones I've ever had.  I can't remember the exact products we used, but I can already tell it's going to warrant another trip out to Sally's.  Oh wait...D just emailed me the spot she found it!!
(we also dipped our hands in ice water at the very end to set everything and it's the perfect icing on the nail polish cake for sure.  Although, that cake would kind of taste icky, eh?)

It really is all about the little things isn't it?  Feeling like you're looking your best all while mastering (or trying to) a new technique or style or look...topping it off with great conversation and feeling a little more girlie and pampered than I have in quite a long while...

16 July 2010

And...


Changing the windows at Snap! Snap!

Incorporating:

Strings of Vintage wooden thread spools
Vintage wooden shoe forms
Vintage clothes and Current Fashions

Watching:

The rain pour down outside
The end of the week slip by
People come and go

Eating:

Not a darned thing, as I was totally going to run by Pangaeas this morning before work and grab a macaroon...and I totally ran out of time.  I'm somehow remembering that they close before I do, so I may just have to remain macaroonless.

Wondering:

If I accidentally left the cat out?

And about a hundred tiny little things I have no control over and...
and.

and.

...

15 July 2010

Cat In The Hat In The Shoe...


I suppose there are about as many reasons to like facebook as there are...well, probably to hate it.  Currently facebook is helping me stay in touch with people who are important to me (some of whom live in the same town and I see in person as well) And the other day while I was be-bopping around on the Internets I saw a flashy ad for Converse shoes, right there on the sidebar of facebook.

It just happened to be featuring their new Dr. Seuss designs.

I love Converse, and have since the moment I got my first pair of Converse...a pair of lavender hightops C. 1982.  I thoroughly wore them out only to replace them with a pink pair and so on...until I can say with some sense of snobbery know it all-ness authority that there is usually always at least one pair of Converse in my shoe collection at any given time...

Which is as it should be.
But, as of Tuesday, I now have two pairs of Converse.  The pair of pink glitter sparkle ones (obviously...I mean, sheesh) and the all new red and white and black striped Cat in the Hat's Hat inspired ones.



I'm sure I should be minding my P's and Q's and not buying more shoes...but how could I possibly resist these?

From their absolutely darling style and comfortable fit, their packaging, free shipping, a Dr. Seuss backpack/bag, not one...but three pairs of different colored laces...and again with that packaging?!

Seriously.

These are a must have for anyone who is a die hard Dr. Seuss/Cat in the Hat fan.

And you so totally know that I would have gotten the Thing 1 and Thing 2 hightops if they would have come in my size...so I didn't go that overboard.

Mostly.

Someone just happened to remind me (again via facebook) that they might indeed go nicely with the red petti-skirt I have also been coveting...as would the pink sparkle ones.

Oh.

And my tiara.



14 July 2010

Mostly Wordless Wednesday...


A particular favorite red and green zebra striped tomato from last weekends Market haul.

Delicious.

Proving you can be both functional and beautiful...

13 July 2010

The Storm of the Century! OK. Not really...but there was a whole lot of hail to contend with, so that's something...



Well, it's official.

Monsoon season in Arizona has started!

(OK, it may not actually be official, but it's been raining...and on one case hailing ((at my house)) for a few days now.  Also?  Since I mostly refuse to watch the news, I think the mere fact that the swamp cooler at Snap! Snap! is barely making a dent in what is humid ((yes, for Arizonans that's a totally different scale...for instance:  Usually around 5% humidity I'm sticky...what?  It's dry here!  But my good friend Claudine called to say that it was 107 and 40% humidity down in The Valley...and while that may not be a lot, together it's crazy ridiculous ThankYouVeryMuch)) So, it may or may not be official about the start of the Monsoon season, but I am drawing my own conclusions here based on observational facts and being a long-time resident.

So there.


During the crazy hail storm Sunday Mena actually looked at me, rolled her eyes and got down from her perch on the back of the couch (she lays there to catch the cross breeze from the windows) and got on the floor, where she sat rather pathetically looking at me out of the corner of her eye while I ran around the house from window to window to make sure that the insane amounts of water were not flowing down the driveways and into the back door.

Although, I think I may have helped that problem out with all the hoe-trench-digging I did a while back.

Then again, one can never be too sure about such things.

So, that was a scary storm for the cat...and she was probably further traumatized by me running around because I was being further traumatized by the memories of me with a hoe in hand running around in ankle deep water with lightning striking all over while trying to divert water...In my pink sparkly socks.

Which didn't make it through that particular storm.

Like the casualties of war...

Socks:  The Casualty of weather
(and a poorly planned out drainage system...although, the be completely fair...the house has sat there since 1925, so perhaps the dirt and silt has finally just caught up with everything?)

Luckily though, we mostly came through that unharmed...except for the cat, who was traumatized, and a couple of shredded leaves on the plants outside.  And later when I was sitting on the porch, I watched a little bird jump through all the branches of the pyrocantha bush knocking water on itself and taking a bath.

Which can only mean one of two things:

1.  Birds also do not like hail

2. I need to fill the birdbath with water because there are some dirty birds out there who are being forced to bathe in my bushes...

12 July 2010

The Prescott Farmer's Market...


Which is usually where you'll find me early on Saturday mornings during their run of summer...but where I haven't been one time since it started this summer.  Can you believe that?

Me neither.

But...I did make time to go out this Saturday to pick up some sweet fresh organic produce.

I bought radishes...

(don't you LOVE how it looks like the little Day Of The Dead gal up there looks like she's enjoying a little handful of the radishes?  I'm sure she would too...if she wasn't sewn on to a tank top.)


And, my colorful tomato vendors were out there with their  piles and piles of sweet tomato goodness...which always makes me very excited.

Tomatoes totally do that for me.

I fact, I have both of those things in my lunch salad today...although, I'd just as soon eat them both raw for a snack, that will do too.

Someone was also selling figs...which I snagged for of for the price of $1.00...they were $5/lb but I think you'd have to get a ton to make the scale move...my 4 didn't really do anything, and now I wish I would have grabbed more.  My mother adores figs, so I usually try to grab them when I see them for her...but I hid one in reserve for myself.

Actually, it was sitting on the stove out of the way until I ate it with blueberries for breakfast yesterday.

Cause that's totally how I roll.

09 July 2010

Dinner Party...


On The Menu:


Grass fed organic burgers with blue cheese

Waffled potatoes

Lemon Meringue martinis

And the best company of good friends, candle light, and the cool evening of Northern Arizona.

The perfect way to start the weekend.


08 July 2010

Christmas in July...


One of the local thrifts in town decided to have  Christmas in July sale...which is exciting to me just in case there are any vintagy Christmas things lurking around their place and may find their way out on the floor...

(although I just realized Christmas is about 5 months away, so there is that)

I haven't seen anything that's caught my eye and made me jump up and down until yesterday, which is when I came upon all these cute vintage Christmas cards...and for 10 cents a piece I was pretty jumpy.  It's kind of strange though, because I was honestly thinking not too much earlier in the morning that I may not send out cards this year since the price of postage keeps going up, and I would just create one card and direct all my friends and relatives to the blog instead...Not the same, but whatever.

(guess what Post Office?  We're all having to readjust in this economy and a lot of us aren't making as much money as we once did...I mean, Rain, Hail, Sleet, and Snow doesn't stop you...but a struggling economy does?  Harmph...)

  And then here these little sweeties pop right into my life.

I got a whole handful of the Santa ones, and the other ones just one a piece (which I thought maybe I could decorate with them instead?)  The cards actually came with their original envelopes which is great...although I was wondering what the shelf life of licky glue is on these things and will I get sick if I then lick the envelopes to seal them?


07 July 2010

Mostly Wordless Wednesday...


A group of old friends.

Or rather...

Friends from the past.

(cause' we're not old)

(though who can tell with all that squinty on my face?!  I swear...I do. not. squint. that much in real life...although, I had been having margaritas and my right contact was slightly foggy...I need to learn how to smile for pictures...cause' squint is not a good look!)

At Kim's Bar-B-Q for The Fourth of July.

Please note that I am the only one dressed patriotically...You can see my little rhinestone flag pin, and cherry skirt.  Although, I'm not too sure cherries are patriotic...but more of something that George Washington would rather not be reminded of.

Oh the folly of youth...

06 July 2010

From In to Outside...


Late afternoon sun streaming around the corner of the house, through the tree branches, and reaching its way across the front of the house...its little fingers waving a sweet good-bye for the day as the sun finally sets.

And...what I am currently enjoying in the evenings at Foolsewoode when I happen to be lucky enough to be home and not out and about.

You see...it's feeling a little warm in the house when I get home to it being closed up all day...no, I don't have air conditioning.  I suppose I could install this, but I chalk it up to being a long time resident of Prescott...that I can feel the heat, but not be too bothered.  After all, not only does it totally cool down at night, but I have various fans and a swamp cooler placed in mostly strategic areas...

And when it gets too unbearable, as it is wont to do in all of Arizona from time to time...I just take it outside instead, light a slew of candles, and put a foot or two up and enjoy.

Sometimes I even eat Popsicles...

05 July 2010

Pies and Stripes...


This weekend of The Fourth was kind of a kick-off to pie season around here...

Apparently.

I had a fun bar-b-q to go to on Saturday, and it being a potluck and me being a pie master...I dug out the dough, the fruit, and the extra special pie-love that flies around the kitchen, and got to covering the surfaces of the counters with pie goodness.

Ok.

Most of the goodness went in to the pies...I mean, of course, it was a bit sticky here and there when all was said and done, but well worth it.


I have no clue where my love of making pies comes from, but I find it some of the most satisfying work I do in the kitchen...it's the perfect amount of zen and creativity to keep me bustling around in my apron, totally content and usually dancing to whatever pie making music is happening that day.

This time it was a techno-Latin-Portuguese-Calypso thing...

Yes.

Barefoot in the kitchen...

The perfect stereotype.

Kind of...


As it was, all of that hard work yielded a fresh strawberry pie and an apple pie.

Both were deliciously tart and sweet in all the right ways...

My mother currently has the left over apple, as she thinks I'm the best apple pie maker in the world.  I'm not sure about that, but I hold that compliment quite close in a happy place I have reserved just for pie-type things.  To be fair, this was the woman who taught me how to cook and was a great experimenter of recipes who also told me that often you have to fudge a bit here and there when making certain things to get them right to your tastes...which is exactly what I do when I'm making most things...Loosely follow a recipe until I get it down, and then all bets are off.

My mother also happens to have apple treas that are just laden with fruit waiting to ripen as we speak...in which case, there will probably be a whole lot of other pies happening around these parts very soon...

But until then, I'm taking requests...

02 July 2010

Kiddie Parade Kick-Off...


This morning was the Kiwanis Kiddie Parade...which is like an official kick-off to the downtown Fourth of July festivities.  I mean, sure the World's Oldest Rodeo started Monday...but that's not downtown now is it smarty pants?

I have no idea how long this particular parade has been happening, I just know that I was little enough to be in it at some point.  Of course that was just a mere few years ago ForHeavensSake, so we can hardly go by that fact.

(ahem)

I also know that the older I get, the more this particular parade makes me teary-eyed.

It doesn't even have anything to do with the fact that I don't usually know anyone in the parade, but it's the pure delight on the kids faces who are participating, and watching them wave their little hands at everyone...

(or the fact that I realize time is going fast...I mean, I do cry when I see Mr. Rogers commercials too.)

(It's probably because I'm getting old...sigh)


And the Town Square?

She is all dressed up for the holiday...

It's so fun to see everyone in their Red, White, and Blue...against the beautiful backdrop that is Northern Arizona at this time of year.


And before the mass amounts of vendors get all set up for the weekend...and the Whiskey Row Street Dance starts...which I'm not against per se...I'm just not a huge Country Music fan...and usually I can hear the dance like it's happening in my living room when I'm home at this time of the year...

Same with the rodeo.

But, it's worth all the fun everyone's having, and all the mayhem that ensues on this weekend.

Have a Happy Fourth of July!

I may pop in and out to post pictures this weekend...you never can tell.

01 July 2010

*You are Here...I think...

Hello, I'd like to introduce myself...although, it's almost unnecessary at this point if you've been following along in my many varied life adventures here at and around Foolsewoode...but I feel like I must anyway.  My name is Sadira and I've lived in the same small town for 30 years.

Yes, I grew up on a mountaintop...much like a wise sage whom people travel miles to see, so they can ask various questions about life...only, people tend more to seek me out and ask me directions.  Which is great because I've lived in the same little spot for 30 years...but is not great, because in that 30 years a lot has changed.  Street names, landmarks, businesses...which tends to make me not a very reliable person to ask directions from if you want accurate and up to date names.

For instance...at the end of the main street in town which is either Gurley or Sheldon, you can then pick two distinct routes to leave in different directions...one leads you to Phoenix eventually, the other one leads you to Chino and then to Ashfork (I think...or as I like to refer to it, that place we jumped off a train once when My Pal Amy's brother took us to hop a train in the middle of the night.)  And, it wasn't until recently that I could remember the names of the highways (89 and 69 in case you're wondering) and even now?  I just wave my arm vaguely in the direction and tell people to either veer to the left and go under the bridge, or veer towards the right...and then become a master storyteller about which direction they should take and all the landmarks they would see if they were going the right way.  One would think that it would just be easier to memorize street and highway names.

It would make me hang my head in shame if it wasn't so funny.

The other day DaNece and I were invited over to a friends house for dinner and chit chat...only DaNece was driving in from Chino and needed directions.  These are those directions more or less as emailed:

Ok...this is going to be interesting, because I know how to get there, but I don't know the names of all the streets!  Hold on to your hats:

If you're going up Willow Creek towards town from Chino, turn right on what used to be known as Sylvan...or 21 curves, I'm sure they changed the name at some point, but I really honestly can't remember what to.  I believe that it's the next street after Geneva the street where Amy's family lives, although I don't think you've ever been there...it was a lot easier to find before because it had the most beautiful huge tree on the corner, but they massacred it during the "street widening project"...Um, that would be Geneva that had the tree, not the one you need to turn on to get to M's, but you turn on the next street after Geneva that has a light...which helps.

Now...go up and curve around a lot and go by that SUPER CUTE house that's for sale that I lust after every time I go by and have some sort of fantasy that I will move in there with someone in the future?  I mean, it keeps coming down in price, so that could happen...although, it's really only a close second to the one that is in that fancy-shmancy neighborhood that Amy and I go walking in...the little Spanish style one that has a courtyard?!  I don't think you've ever seen it, but it's AWESOME!  Gawd...I totally LOVE that house and I can picture starting a family in it...sigh. The house on the street you need to go on to go to M's has natural wood siding and green trim.  I believe the road to that's next is Country Park Dr?  There is a big whitish house with blue trim (I think) on the corner...follow that road down and around...at one point it will look like you can turn right, left, or go straight into a house...Oddly enough, the right hand is Geneva, but it doesn't go through from Amy's Geneva...believe me, I've tried it!  SO...turn leftish and ease your way gently around the next corner to your right...otherwise you will fly right off the side of a mountain...sure, you'll then totally be at M's house, but you may really hurt yourself and I don't know if they can afford to re-roof the place right now if you come shooting off the side of the mountain and land on top of it...

The next driveway is M's...and it goes down to her house, which is olive green...and my car should be there.

Good luck, and if you need to call on the way there please do and I'll hand the phone off to someone who knows the names of the streets...


She actually found her way just fine, although she'd driven out there before so she had that going for her...but honestly?  I think I would make a great GPS voice...you would totally eventually find your way to your destination and you'd have a whole lot of lovely stories on the way...

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