30 June 2010

Mostly Wordless Wednesday...


Vintage Red Work Wednesday kitchen towel...

*swoon*

This towel is displays some incredible work and makes me wonder what the rest of the week held?  Other than mending on Wednesday, of course...

This is new to the collection, and will most likely be displayed rather than used.

PS  The new and fabulous header was designed by Dina...whom happened to surprise me with this design and chose all of my favorite photos without even knowing...Thank you LoveyPuss!!

28 June 2010

Building a Firm Foundation...

Okay.  So I had this huge post all written in my head about how since I own a resale clothing store, I watch women on a daily basis try on garments and struggle.  Most often they're struggling because the things they pick don't fit quite right...usually it's because they're too small...but sometimes, it's because they're trying on Jeans.  Jeans are a nightmare...and they follow no rhyme or reason on any kind of sizing chart created for the humans on this planet.  Trying on jeans give people low self esteem...

It's worse than the feeling you get when you try  on bikinis.

So, here I am waxing all poetic in my head about the first step to trying on things is to admit to what size you are...blah blah, and then it happened to me.

Lately I've noticed that there are things in my own personal wardrobe that are wearing out.  Things that my grandmother would call foundations.  To my grandmother's generation a woman is a totally blank slate that needs various things to be able to step out of the house.  There's the bathing and washing and plucking and shaving, applying various cremes and lotions and potions...then you set your coif and put on your face...but at the very bottom of all this lies a good foundation.

I'm not talking about 3inch heels here ladies...I'm talking about unmentionables (which I know may be confusing as to why I'm now choosing to mention them here, stay with me...it gets better)

It was these that I went shopping for yesterday...unmentionable foundations.  Which isn't usually a big deal, as everyone in my family usually wears the same brand of these types of things...we always have.  I picture us standing en masse on a poster somewhere, our fists raised in the air in a defiant We Can Do! It sort of way.

But yesterday, I found myself walking through the aisles looking for the same style I'd bought before and wouldn't you know it?  They've discontinued it...unless you want an non-underwire, which I've never been able to do.  I'm not a gifted woman by any means...but I like to go for support.  Which is why I never have a lot of frilly lacy unmentionables peeking out here and there, because support apparently does not equal feminine...in most cases.  Sometimes they put a bow on something here and there...

So, there I was wandering around wondering what the heck I'm going to do now, because I've totally left this until I can't ignore it anymore, and I have no idea where to start because It's suddenly becoming very obvious to me that there's no way I can buy my usual brand this time.  I decide to rally the troops and start where any educated and sane woman does...by remembering the last time I got measured for this and them telling me what I already know about myself.  I'm somewhere around this area, but in between this other area...you know?  Give or take.  Well, they don't usually make unmentionables for that size.  Give or take...

So, I went with what information I had on hand and tried one on, which was too big...so I went down a size, which was OK and thrilling (because at this point I'm patting myself on the back for being in the gym so much)  but it was a bit snug...so I went with another cup size because I vaguely remember reading that you can do that if you go down in inches around the middle.

It was at this point that I was walking around with an large armload of these things, because nothing was fitting...and I had no idea what to grab, so I had to grab four of each style...and after going in and out of a dressing room...too small, too big...too tight...I started to wonder, if this is such a scientific and measurable thing, why do I suddenly feel like Goldilocks?

After about an hour of this agony, I settled on a model I think I can live with.  Nothing gaping, or hanging over in unsightly places...straps where they're supposed to be and a lot of separate, lift, and support, even a little floral satin design...

Only...

Things had suddenly changed.

This model?

Huge.

Seriously.

According to what this foundation undergarments size tag is telling me, I'm seriously wondering how it is that I can walk upright all day and not fall on my face, or have major back problems.

I was so surprised by this development, so to speak, that I actually had to compare it to my tried and true brand...and found much to my surprise that it was almost exactly the same size as the one I was wearing, only the numbers and letters had all changed.

It's maddening.

And it's exactly why I could not in good conscience, post a blog about how women need to pay more attention to their sizes because it would be less frustrating and it would be easier for them to find things that fit.  Because apparently buying foundation garments is going to be like buying jeans.

Anything goes.

Sigh.

I may relocate to Dollywood.

25 June 2010

Ink Complete...


Last night I went and got the rest of the design inked on my arm.  The completed design from last night is a Celtic Knot arm band, made of tree branches with apples and leaves.  It is both organic and structured, fits perfectly along with the owl from 6 weeks ago...and totally reminds me of Snow White.

Which is a bit surprising as Snow White was the farthest thing from my mind when I designed this tattoo.

The way Tony inked the knot almost looks like a flowing ribbon, with black and brown shading and leaving some of my skin without color at all...it's breathtakingly beautiful and was not at all what I had in my head.

He told me that it's what he had in his head...so at least one of us had something in their head.

I'm personally glad it was the artist in this case...


I had both Rich photo and DaNece come down during the beginning...as I was a bit more nervous for this part of the tattoo, seeing as it was wrapping around my arm and whatnot...but I'll let you in on a little secret if you promise not to tell anyone:

It didn't hurt as bad as everyone kept saying it would.

I mean, I could be tougher than I give myself credit for...even Tony was impressed as I only stretched once when he was changing colors.  But honestly?  The pain don't last forever, and if you breathe into the area, the pain kind of goes away...not to mention after a while, your endorphins kick in and make everything a bit more numb.

I'm feeling a little tender, swollen, and hot in that area today.
But I'm more bummed about keeping it covered up and sanitary because I can't sit and stare at it all day...but I will be able to soon.

Swollen, red, and hot are normal for a tattoo, as it is an open wound.  Tony has me concentrating on washing it several times a day with plain white soap and after a couple of days, I will be able to apply Lubriderm lotion.  Every tattoo artist has a different regimen, and this one worked very well with the owl, so I'm happy to stick with it.  Besides, after today the tattoo swelling will go down and it won't be quite as tender...this morning I was icing it, and it was already holding cold which I consider to be a very good sign.



I mean...that's a pretty happy face for someone who was a little internally shaky.

I'm so pleased that I'm done with this particular rite of passage/project/Birthday present to myself.  I love the way it turned out...because at first I questioned myself about the size of the Owl the morning after I got it...People besides myself love him though...I've had people walk up to me and give me compliments.  Then I further questioned myself about adding more to that design after I fell in love with him...but oh boy.  When he started and it went in the almost opposite direction I was thinking...I just fell in love.

Tony is an amazing artist, and has a very light touch to boot...he is very sweet and is excited for me to come in a couple of weeks from now to see how everything holds up.  He offers free touch-ups just in case.  Even Rich, who has an aversion to needles felt comfortable after we got started...as really, the needles are so small it more looks like Tony was drawing on my arm...Rich kept remarking, "He's so fast!"

And DaNece...was fine and her only worry was that she was going to start looking at the design books and decide that she needed a tattoo as well.

They're not for everybody, but I love them.  However...I do have only one other tattoo, and it took me close to 20 years to really choose something that I knew I would love equally as well as my first one.  Yes, I'm a little slow...but it's totally worth the wait.

I will post pictures as soon as I'm not so red and swollen...

24 June 2010

Fashion Wise? The 80's Are Back...



And you'll all be happy to know that I plan to celebrate this, not with a Choose Life or Frankie Says Relax t-shirt...but with a lesser known 80's fashion statement:  The Boxer Shorts.

I do have a strange and fabulous affinity for men's boxer shorts and I wore them all through the 1980's (usually the more vintage the better)

Hmmm...

I'm now kind of pondering if I was the only person who had this strange obsession with men's boxer shorts or if it was a mass consciousness thing?  Darn my memory.

Well, this is my blog, so I guess I'll write it the way I want.

Back in the day, boxer shorts were hot!

(There.  I hate to feel I was not in style for heavenssake!)

(Besides, I never got a Choose Life or Frankie Says Relax tee in the 80's...which totally bumms me out to no end mostly because I can't imagine that either of those things cost a whole heck of a lot of money and I did have a job all the way through the 80's...I'm just chalking it up there with the not getting a Baby Alive or an Easy Bake Oven...sigh)

So, rather than go with loud crazy pseudo fluorescent clothing that is back in the stores (and as my mother informed me IN the 80's happened to really be in during the 60's...and it was just another sad fashion repeat) I am going with my love of men's skivvies.

That are bought at the thrift store.

Only these one's aren't really that vintage, but they are kind of retro-cowboy.  Making the idea, "Boxers or Briefs Hoss?!"  pop into my head...which is a little better than what's been ruminating in there for the past 24 hours.

Plus?
I'll totally be ready for The Worlds Oldest Rodeo here in a handful of days!

Not that I go.

But if I did, I think these boxers would look pretty hot with my Cowboy Boots...


23 June 2010

Mostly Wordless Wednesday...


Sometimes I wish that I could have a mask to put over the mask that I often put on to go into the outside world and deal with life...An inner purple bird, if you will.

Or a monkey.

Sometimes the things that happen to us at certain times is reminiscent of rubbing salt into an already vulnerable wound.

Mostly though, I figure everything is just about perfect and right where it's supposed to be, and it's just me running to avoid feeling.

And that's perfect too...

No matter how many Band-Aids you need to get through the day.

22 June 2010

Solstice...


Yesterday's Solstice was brought in by a light colorful meal with friends at Foolsewoode...a kind of impromptu dinner party, if you will.  To tell you the truth, I hadn't even planned anything to celebrate Solstice, but I decided since cooking was happening I might as well name it something.

I was terribly inspired by these ears of corn my mother bought me at last week's CSA...look at all those organic shades of yellow peppered throughout the whole ear.  I can't remember corn being quite this beautiful as usually I only remember it as one uniform shade of yellow.

This corn is an overachiever indeed.

It was cooked to perfection and when I wasn't admiring its exquisite beauty I was eating it with relish.  Well, not relish the pickle concoction...I was actually having it with a smear of soy butter and a dash of salt.
It was calming to be able to appreciate it before I ate it however.

It was a lovely evening out under the stars with candles lit everywhere (well sort of.  It was still a little breezy from the day, so I did a lot of relighting of things quite a bit)  and Italian white wine flowing...from the little medieval village of Orvieto, and a place I've actually had the pleasure of dining myself...on truffles, for my birthday as a matter of a matter.

Sometime towards the end of the evening I realized in some other life of mine that it was my wedding anniversary...or would have been if I was still walking down that path.  It was more of a feeling of curiosity this year when I realized it rather than the pain of feeling like you're missing a vital part of yourself.

Time.

The ultimate healer...

If you're not counting overachieving corn that is.

21 June 2010

Tsunami on the Square 2010...


The Little Wave That Could...

And Did!

Well, the big Tsunami has hit The Square of Prescott Arizona at about 12:30 and receded for another year in the early morning hours of Sunday...And let me say that it was an amazing festival this year indeed.  There was a lot more local talent put on the stages and they didn't disappoint...everyone brought their big smiles and their hard work paid off...

We had a beautiful breezy day for it and the crowds ebbed and flowed all day long.


Kids Cove was positively packed during the day with lots of little happy faces, clapping, singing, and laughing...the children enjoyed special animal visitors from Out of Africa, The Supersiliest Band, and many other performers throughout the day.

One of my favorite groups to visit Tsunami again and again is Clan Tynker.  In fact, at one point, I noticed I'd missed a call from my Executive Directors wife (and may I stop to say at this point that thank goodness for cell phones.  It was so easy to keep in touch with each other all day via text or calls?!) She asked me where I was...I then had to admit that I was at The Kids Cove leaning against a tree after being sucked in by Clan Tynker.

They tend to do that to you.


Clan Tynker is a family performing group from New Mexico, who incorporate a lot of old and traditional magic, juggling, Diabolos, bubbles, you name it...and throw comedy in there and you have a recipe for total enjoyment no matter what your age.  I have been enjoying watching this family participate in Tsunami for the past 12 years and they have literally grown up in front of my eyes.


 Not to mention, I got to enjoy a bit of Tapas under the stars with them at dinner last night.  They truly embody the personalities of the performers that we have at Tsunami.  They are friendly and nice and enjoy getting to know you...Being a part of Tsunami is like being a part of a big family full of a whole lot of people with a whole lot of different talents...and no matter what your talents are, you have a place at the table.

This sweet girl (that would be me) arrived at The Square at 7am sharp to help set up...ran off The Square to meet my models at Snap Snap at 10am so we could be a moveable fashion show in the Tsunami Parade...marched in the parade and across The Stage, then I ran off The Square to change into my Tsunami Festival Outfit (including my white top hat) and ran back to Tsunami to help out all day long...and didn't walk off The Square to home until about 1:30am Sunday morning after clean-up and tear-down...

Since Snap! Snap! was a Parade Sponsor this year...I designed costumes for DaNece and I as kind of a conceptual Bird-Cage skirt...


Rich kindly let me lift this photo from his site because I didn't take any pictures of myself in this outfit...It was hard enough walking at a decent pace.  Behind me is our Executive Directors dog Zelda...she is wearing a fez I made her to match Andrew's fez.  She is also wearing a Hawaiian Shirt...because that's how they roll in this family.

For most of the day, I was running here and there helping as much as I could...at The Info Booth, The Sound Booth, Back Stage...at a couple of points you could find me ON stage with a collection bucket  and the bucket brigade and then running into the crowd for donations from our audience...Tsunami is a non-profit community supported event and we look for donations from the crowds that turn out to help cover our costs of running this festival.  We had a lovely crowd this Tsunami who were all smiles as they reached into their pockets and purses to help.  After all...they did get stickers (and glowing necklaces at one point)


In fact, I was mostly so busy that all I had time for were these handful of pictures...even though I wore my camera around my neck all day.  If you were lucky, you could snatch a few sentences of conversation from me here and there...The view of Troupe Salamat above was shot from where I stood to view most of the performances I got a chance to catch a few minutes of viewing time.  Our Tsunami team doesn't stand around idle a whole lot, but I did enjoy the view from here indeed in the sound booth.

It is staggering how much work goes into putting on a festival like this...both before and during.  I loved every minute of it and want to thank the exceptional people who came down to volunteer their time...some of them early in the morning climbing the scaffolding and then all day long and late into the night they worked shoulder to shoulder with the rest of us.  They did what was needed, no questions asked...and smiled at everyone to boot!

There were a million tiny moments I haven't even begun to process yet, stolen bits of time in which to have deep 10 minute conversations, people grabbing me as I walked by to tell me what a great job we were doing, smiles, big thank you's, people seeking me out to hand me money for the donation buckets, total amazement while watching everyone perform, finding inspiration and magic everywhere, watching both the adult and children audiences and their faces reflecting pure delight, smiles, yelling, and clapping...And finally a choking back a tear or two when The Tsunami Whale was led off the stage by Andrew flanked by Tiki-Torch Wielding escorts at the very end of the festival...until we see her again next year.

I am left with the feeling of awe and gratitude and a huge push to run off to join the circus...or at least learn how to hula-hoop...


We did it Prescott!

Thank you for all of your support...

And the wave rolls on.

18 June 2010

Tsunami on the Square Week Countdown :: Day 5


Circus Camp!

Yesterday DaNece and I took a quick walk over to Prescott Middle School and the grounds of Circus Camp...a camp that is held during the week of Tsunami for 4 days.  This year it was Mon - Thurs from 9-12:30 and the biggest group of kids that Circus Camp has had yet, in its 6 years of operation.

The Kids looked like they were having a blast.

I mean, I would love to attend Circus Camp, and learn things like:






Costume Making.


Puppetry.


Balancing and Hula-Hoop.


Drumming.


Stilt Walking.

(or not so much for those of us who are afraid of heights)


Gymnastics.

And a few more stations that we didn't go to...an hour is just not enough time!

So, in all actuality, there is an entire generation of Prescott children that do not know that not being able to juggle or walk on stilts, make your own costumes or puppets...is not something other children do.

One of the best perks of being a Circus Camp kid is that you get to march in the Tsunami Kick-Off Parade starting at noon that leads the whole festival that day...So, I will have the honor of marching with these kids tomorrow morning.

(it's good I worked so hard getting my costume ready, isn't it?)

After documenting some of the things that go in to Tsunami and being included in the back ground this week (although I just realized today that I did a count down to Tsunami with a count up in days.  Thank you for being so sweet and not pointing that out.  Ahem) I have such a great appreciation for all the hard work and team effort it takes to pull off a festival this large.  We have an amazing Executive Director Andrew Johnson-Schmit, who is really good at organizing people and easy to work with (not to mention his lovely wife, whom I've had fun getting to know better...I see good clean debauchery up ahead...) and a pretty darned fantastic staff, and it has been my extreme pleasure to meet and work with these people and I look forward to continuing on in this Tsunami pursuit of mine in the future!

Tsunami is a great gathering place to see and experience art for both children and adults in a different way than you normally get to when say, going to a gallery or a museum.  The act of sitting in an audience and having an exchange of energy between performers and audience is an incredible experience and one that I am happy to have had a small hand in providing for my community this year.

I may not be performing on the stage...but I've done a lot of performing off the stage to help make it possible for other people to do their thing this year.

Tsunami on the Square 2010 starts at Noon on Saturday the 19th...we'll see you there!


Some of the other things that I did not get to mention or attend are:

Flourish Before the Flood:  A nature interactive dance performance which was performed by members of Prescott College at a point of Granite Creek Park.  This performance usually happens the Thursday before Tsunami and charges a small fee to attend.

The Aqua Party:  This is happening tonight, Friday the 18th at Taj Mahal from 8-10, and is free to the public.  Juanita will be our fantastic MC, and we have four groups performing....The Aqua Party is the party the night before the event that psychs everyone in town up for Tsunami the next day!  If you're in town...come on down and check it out, it should be great.

The Official Tsunami on the Square Programs and T-Shirts:  I just received my copy of the Program hot off the presses.  They were designed by Dina, as were the posters, the Sponsor Sheets, and The T-shirts.  They all match and have a great tie-in and fantastic graphics.  You can get your Tsunami Program on the square at the event for a $1 donation, and the T-shirts will be available for $12 each or 2 for $20!

We'll see you at Tsunami!

17 June 2010

Tsunami on the Square Week Countdown :: Day 4


Last night I had the pleasure of attending The Big Brothers Big Sisters Pizza Party and Tsunami Parade Banner Making Party...phew, that was a mouth full.

Let me tell you, there was some serious creativeness flying around that room!  These kids were all geared up to do some very colorful and fun art, and they did not disappoint.


The Bigs and Littles here wanted so badly to be a part of Tsunami and contribute in some way, our fearless leader Andrew was able to include them in this way:  They were invited to make our banners and then carry them in the kick-off parade at Noon on Saturday before the Opening Ceremonies at Tsunami on the Square.

It was so fun to see how different and carefully they made each banner for every individual Parade Sponsor this year.

Up there you see Pangaea Bakery with a little heart that says "BBBS loves Pangaea!"  I concur...There's the Cortez St. Antique Row rolling along on the Tsunami waves (which they're totally doing this year) and Rich Charpentier Photography...who had a whole lot of glitter on his banner.

(someone discovered the glitter shortly before we left...thank heavens!)


Snap!  Snap! is a proud parade sponsor this year...and I'm totally digging my sign.  Look at that awesome border!  I mean, if you're a long-time shopper of Snap! Snap! you would remember that in addition to making all of my own signs I once used to use a border kind of like that...how did they know?!  Plus?  I got some pretty snazzy looking deco lettering...and I like that my Tsunami on the Square part of the poster actually includes a square...instead of just the word.

Love it!

But my very most favorite part of the sign?


This tiny little blond haired girl on the right hand corner with her hands in her pocket.

Seriously.

It totally reminds me of me when I was s child back when I personally had long blond hair.

Back when I used to pose for Parade Banners?

Purely I jest.

I just love this little girl...she seems so appropriately placed on my banner...and I believe I'm the only one with a person, so I feel very honored.

These kids are very very good.

So...I will be marching in the Tsunami Kick-Off Parade this Saturday at Noon if you would like to come down and give me a wave...I will be in a very special costume for the parade (that I will be making tonight after yoga...nothing like waiting till the last minute.  Ahem.)

Also?  If you live in town and have a few extra hours to spare, won't you consider checking in to the Big Brothers Big Sisters Program?  You can make a huge difference in a child's life.

16 June 2010

Tsunami on the Square Week Countdown :: Day 3


Commercials + Skits = Skitmercials

Skitmercials = A hilarious skit often lasting less than 5 minutes that in the end?  Advertises a business or product.

This also = a fantastically creative way to get your personal message across to a 7000+ audience in downtown Prescott Az all while benefiting your favorite live Performance Art Festival = Tsunami on the Square.

Which means (with all the math aside...sorry about the word problems, but hang in there with me) without our larger Sponsors and Donors for Tsunami on the Square, it would be so much harder to fund this amazing festival...and if you want to have a Skitmercial performed by our Skitmercial troupe, it's well worth the cost (in fact, Snap! Snap! is thinking about saving its pennies for next year...)

I was lucky enough to be invited to the Skitmercial Previews last night, along with the group of Sponsors and Donors that were having Skitmercials featured for their businesses in this year's festival...and I have to say, I was very impressed.  The collection of 22 Skitmercials this year were both hysterical and entertaining, and totally attention getting and engaging enough to sit and really ask yourself what message are they trying to get across and who on Earth could they possibly be advertising for?

Therefore; waaaay better than TV.

With Skitmercials being a major part in the breaks between performances at every Tsunami...it can't be easy to come up with fresh new ideas every year...but here they were, and doing it in style!

I think people will walk away from Tsunami this year with a lot of businesses both familiar and not so familiar, organized in their brain a whole new way.  In fact, I leaned over to DaNece at one point and said, "ohhhh...maybe we should go there for dinner Friday?"  I realized sitting there watching all this talent, that not only were they advertising for my favorite places in town, but it was like being reintroduced to those places in a whole new way...
And I find more and more lately that I am looking for better ways to spend my money with my local economy and with the people that are helping support the things I enjoy seeing in this community, people I feel I can really connect with...so, I will make a point to visit these places again and let them know how much I enjoyed seeing their Skitmercial at Tsunami and give them a really big Thank You once again!

15 June 2010

Tsunami on the Square Week Countdown :: Day 2


Our Proud Sponsors...

While Tsunami on the Square is a totally free event to attend for the public...it is by no means free behind the scenes.  Tsunami prides itself on paying, feeding, and sometimes housing all their performers!  This Festival now in it's twelfth year, is a Community Sponsored Event, meaning that there are a lot of businesses and members in our community of Prescott AZ (along with grants from other places) that ensure this festival can be continued year after year.

With so much talk about the down economy...Tsunami lost some grant money that they've counted on in the past.  This gave those of us behind the scenes the opportunity to really become creative and invited us to get out and talk to our fellow community leaders, members, and business owners...and they didn't let us down.  I personally thought it was exciting to give everyone in our community the chance to help sponsor what has become in some people's eyes, a favorite event in Prescott.  Snap!  Snap! has been overlooked in the past as a sponsor and I jump at the chance to back this event...I personally wanted to give everyone the opportunity to do so, and in turn give the people of Prescott and our other audience members a chance to see how we local businesses and private parties can come together and really put on a show!

Prescott didn't let us down...they pulled themselves up by their bootstraps and helped in any way that they could...even people who had never sponsored Tsunami before gave me a thumbs up...we brought in the Antique Stores (who have been a constant support to the local economy) Pasquales Place (a family owned Greek restaurant)   And here we are, dancing on the doorstep of another fabulous Week of Tsunami on the Square because of it!

In fact, when you're at The Festival this year, take a moment to pause at our Donor Information Booth.  There are a lot of good community members represented there...and hard working people who helped bring you Tsunami on the Square once again, and I know they would both appreciate your support and they would also love it if you gave them a thank-you the next time you were visiting them for their involvement in Tsunami or heck, take a moment to tell them how much you enjoy the festival.  As a business owner of fifteen years in the community, I am honored to be included in this list of fine Prescott establishments...and I am tickled to death to be able to sponsor Tsunami for my own enjoyment...and heck, if you're down on The Square on June 19th...come and enjoy it with me!

On my morning walk downtown, I couldn't help but smile when I saw all our colorful Tsunami posters right next to the Rodeo posters and fliers for other goings on.  We have so much community support now, and it's making Prescott a more colorful world indeed!


Here's at list of the 2010 Tsunami on the Square Supporters and Sponsors:

New Frontiers
Prescott Coffee Roasters
Monk's
The Raven Cafe
Bill's Pizza
The Frame and I/The Art Store
Bucky's Casino
Prescott Area Arts and Humanities Council
Child and Family Support Services
Academy of Performing Arts
Rich Charpentier
Pangea Bakery
Snap! Snap!
Firehouse Kitchen
Taj Mahal
Prescott Convention and Visitors Bureau
ASIS School of Massage
Dr. Susan Godman - Partners in Healthcare Naturally
Sun Qi/Defreitas Landscaping
T. Barnabas Kane Landscaping
Unitarian Universalist Church
Prescott College
Van Gogh's Ear
The Cortez St. Antique Shops (including:  Penningtons, Keystone Antiques, The Crowded Attic, Lost in Sports, Gypsy Street Antiques, The Merchandise Mart, DeJa Vu)
St. Michael's Alley (including:  The Silver Elephant and Solstice)
Springhill Suites/Marriott
Prescott Community Access Channel - Access 13
Out of Africa

The Motor Lodge

Eye on the Mountain
Arizona Commission on the Arts

Coyote Joes/Annies Attic

(and I could have left someone out...I'm sorry for that.  We also have an amazing board and a crew of volunteers that make me want to stand up and applaud)

14 June 2010

Tsunami on the Square Week Countdown :: Day 1


Today starts the Official Tsunami on the Square week countdown here at Foolsewoode!

(it's because I'm on the board and we've all been working our tails off to bring the good people of Prescott an outstanding Festival)

(oh...and because I love my Tsunami!!)

I personally began the morning running a whole bunch of posters and lobby cards I'd made...along with some of my vintage umbrellas down to National Bank for the lobby display.  National Bank gave us Business of the Week this week...which is perfect, because it will lead right up to the day before Tsunami.

  So, if you're in the downtown area and want to start getting excited for Tsunami, visit National Bank on the corner of Gurley St. and Cortez St.
You will also want to swing by the Prescott Public Library and check out the Tsuami display in the large display case...I didn't personally have more to do with it than the loan of a couple more umbrellas...and when I went to put them in the case I was blown away!  It is an awesome display designed and installed by a couple more board members and I just adore it...It brings a ton of color to that corner of the library.


Today is also the official start of Circus Camp...Which is a much anticipated event here in Prescott for children and young adults.  The Camp runs for 4 days:  The 14th-17th from 9-12:30 and is an amazing deal at only $12 per day...and it happens to be right behind Snap! Snap! in the Middle School football field...so I had to run down there and take a picture of this fine group of children...because by the end of the week, most of them will be on stilts and juggling and in costume!

I actually have plans to go to Circus Camp on the last day, so I will try to remember to snap some pictures while I'm there.  A lot of my friends children have attended Circus Camp over the years, and many of them are down there today.  One of the best things about the camp besides learning really wonderful and unusual skills is the fact that the kids are all invited to participate in the Kick-Off Parade at Noon the day of Tsunami.

Also?

It's like we're training a whole group of home-grown talent for future festivals...how great would it be to see The Square filled with past and current participants of Circus Camp from Prescott?

I think that would be pretty awesome!


Please remember to set your watches and mark your calendars for Saturday June 19th at Noon and join us down on The Square for an amazingly magical day!

13 June 2010

The Flamingos Have Arrived...


When one thinks of flamingos one doesn't necessarily immediately think of Arizona.  In fact, when I think of flamingos, I usually think Florida, or the Zoo...or even Airstreams (as they are kind of the official mascot of the silver traveling twinkies)  And I thank the heavens above that someone out there decided at some point in the past that everyone should have a shot of owning a couple of flamingos by making them into iconic yard art.

Maybe tacky?

But come on...

Where else is a girl going to get her hands on flamingos if not in overly colorful plastic yard art?   I mean, real flamingos need water and special plankton to make their feathers colorful, and I have no idea that even if I provided these things how I would be able to keep a couple of rather large birds standing in the yard exactly how I want them?  So, it's safe to say that this girl has always wanted some fantastic pink plastic...and would love to have held out for the vintage concrete ones, but I think they're far and few between.

So, yesterday while out looking for things to complete the costumes I'm making for my participation in the Tsunami on the Square Kick-off Parade I stumbled upon these beauties that practically squawked to go home with me...winking their little eyes and wiggling their tail-feathers (which one can agree is most difficult when twistie-tied into cardboard packaging)

I hesitated just a moment when I walked around the corner of the store to see there was also a lovely solar Tiki guy, who's eyes light up after he's been charged by the sun...but I just had to go back and grab these pink plastic beauties.  And you know I'm still thinking of that solar Tiki God...

My friend Arthur who manages a nursery immediately informed me that they have Skeleton Day of the Dead flamingos in his shop...and he seasonally gets in flamingos dressed as Santa and a reindeer.

Swoon.

Just think of the seasonal flamingo possibilities!

Tacky yard art knows no bounds...

09 June 2010

Mostly Wordless Mural...


Saturday I was lucky enough to go to Acker Park here in Prescott and attend the very last mural dedication of the five murals painted in Prescott in five years by The Mural Mice.

I would love to direct you to their website as their work all over town is inspired and beautiful, but their server is down.


I have been personally watching the Go Green mural evolve on the wall of my old elementary school Miller Valley for a long while now.  It is on the route I take home from the gym in the morning and it's be fun for me to see it come along.

I personally have no qualms about the image as I think it is beautiful, and the only real thought that goes through my mind is, "how do they paint so well?!?!"  I was also slightly worried about painting on the bricks of the building, but if I can recall correctly, that was either build while I was attending school there or re-done thereabouts...there has been some grumbling about this, but I'm pretty sure that they didn't build a 7,000 square foot school out in what would have been the middle of nowhere in 1912 (or around then) So that is more new brick and not the actual historical part of the school that lies off to the left of the mural on an entire different wing of the school.  R.E. Wall, the mural artist also said that he was so excited to be able to paint this particular mural with the children of the school...and it sounds as if the children were happy about this project.

In fact, the kids on the mural were models for the mural itself.

Which is why I cringed when our local councilman Blair started talking about the color of their skin.  There's really nothing positive to follow a statement that begins, "I am not racist but..."  And R.E. Wall and his team lightened the color of the childs face up...on a project that had already been approved by the powers that be...but apparently not Blair.  These children are human beings, they are a part of my community and the color of their skin is fine.  They are fine just the way they are...they add diversity and excitement to my community.

There was a protest last Saturday with a rather large turn out...because not everyone in this community thinks that cultural diversity is a bad thing.  Blair was fired from his radio job, the school apologized (and there's been talk of restoring the childs face to its original color) and there's a petition going around asking for the resignation of Blair from the city council.

I respect that in America everyone has a right to their opinion and I'm not sure what the best way of going about this would have been for Blair...but this got a lot of national attention, and there was a collective cringe from more than a few of the people that live here.  I am proud to live in a place where people can gather together, where people can talk and express themselves...and best of all?  I'm proud to live in a community that has been made more beautiful by five murals scattered around the town reminding me that this is a beautiful place in more ways than one.

Good Job Mural Mice!

08 June 2010

The Posters Are Making Their Debut...


After a short meeting with Andrew, the executive director of Tsunami on the Square 2010 last evening, I happily left with a stack of posters in my hot little hands.

These posters were designed by Ms. Dina...and we all remember her and her fabulousness!  She certainly did not disappoint this time.  I have to admit, being on the board of Tsunami on the Square means that I actually have been looking at various forms of this design for a while now, and I've been impressed all along.  I would like to say I had more of a hand in the design, but all I did was open my yap about being on the board and Dina just wanted to jump right in with her talents!

(it's so nice to be connected)

This year for The Little Wave That Could, Andrew wanted to introduce a more comic book/pulp-fiction theme, which I think was greatly captured here and will be repeated on T-Shirts and Programs...I am very very excited for those to come out as well!

I am proud to say that Snap! Snap! was the very first business in town to receive a poster this year (mostly because we met up the street, so I popped one in my window last night.  I don't usually pop anything in the window, so this was a BIG deal for me...things usually go up on my community board instead)  and is being quickly followed by people holding their hands out for this particular piece of art.

Honestly, after fundraising?  There's nothing like being welcomed with a big smile and excitement when you walk into a business to hand them one of these posters.  Tsunami is a favorite event with a lot of business owners downtown.

The event itself brings about 7,000 people into the area for the day and these people love to wander in and out of the shops and restaurants...Not to mention that the festival itself is a full day of amazing performances...and I am happy to say that we have had an extraordinary amount of local support this year...

Which makes me very happy to be a part of this amazing little community...and exactly why I proudly hang my Tsunami poster in the window of my shop.

I love my Tsunami!

04 June 2010

Food Fights For Freedom...

OK...while it's totally not accurate that I'm running around lobbing bits of food at people in the name of freedom, apparently this was the case in World War 2 here on the home front.

I've heard of victory gardens of red, whites, and blues, and collecting scrap metal, but never did I expect that people would be throwing around a valuable commodity such as their bread and butter.  Literally.

Oh wait.

You're totally right.

I read that wrong didn't I?

Well, there goes the image of someone running down the street yelling, "Live Free or Die!" while throwing eggs and tomatoes at your windows.

During wartime rationing, it was responsible to treat your food with respect and learn how to stretch it as far as it could possibly go...along with your budget.

Responsibility in rationing, but probably not as fun as it would be to hold a gigantic food fight in your neighborhood while wearing red, white, and blue...But, perhaps something to think about this Independence Day!

I may bring some old food I'm not using any more to the Fourth of July Parade and see how that goes over.

Then again, this is the Wild West, so maybe not so much on the old food thing.

I just acquired this little Wartime Meat Recipe Book a little bit ago from one of my mother's stores Gypsy Street Antiques.  As you know, I happen to collect little premium recipe books and I just adore this one.

What really drew me to this particular book is not the varied and odd ways there are to cook meats and other organs, but the fact that I totally look like that when I'm in the kitchen...Like a fabulous Pin-Up Girl Kitchen Hottie.

I keep wondering how the heck someone got this rendering of me without me knowing it?!?!

Fine.

I don't look like that (my hair is much shorter) I wish I looked like that.  Sometimes I feel like that in the kitchen...And, I probably have that particular apron tucked away somewhere so that's gotta' count for something.

I also really adore the fact that this cook-book of Meat Point Pointers (although a good pointer for me would actually be the definition of a Meat Point...?  Cause the only pointy thing I see on this cook-book is the thing in her hand, and I'm pretty darned sure that's the pencil she uses to make her grocery list...or mark something off in what looks like a Ration Book that she's holding...) was from a time when people really needed to watch their budgets and get a little more creative.  Kind of like life now...And the fact that it was given away from a little Home Ice & Supply Compnay that sold Ice, Coal, and Food Lockers!  Now that's a business worth having...

I'm still threatening my friends and family that I will someday be going through all of these books and having various dinner parties centered around some of the more colorful dishes...

Which may mean that I, myself, may either get rationed from my friends or have a whole lot of food fighting going on at Foolsewoode.

02 June 2010

An Open Blog To The Gray Hair That's Taken Up Residence In My EyeBrow...


Are you kidding me?

Look what I found this morning during my regular spiffing up routine.  Right in the middle of putting on my face (this is what my grandmother always called it) I found a big ole' long gray hair in my eyebrow.  And by long I mean, how blind have I been to this?  I mean...it's a mostly stark white gray hair in there...nestled amongst the other ones...and it's long.

These things can't grow overnight can they?

I refuse to believe that my new contacts are the wrong prescription.
(or that I'm not that aware of the things that are growing on my face)

I understand that as we get older there's some sort of chemical scientific nonsense that goes on in our bodies, like the fact that they're wearing out, that makes us not be able to grow our every day normal colored hair in places that it's been growing just fine and dandy for years.  It's like our bodies are giving up being able to expend the extra effort to add color...or keep our skin firm.

I get it.

Clairol gets it...

I get it so well, that I totally got it in my twenties...when I changed my hair color from a graying blond to a red head  (we gray extraordinarily early in my family.  I'm unsure whether the cause it genetics or our own personal life choices...)  And I remember having to hold my sister up from fainting dead away when I showed her my first grays.

She doesn't like anything that may hint that anyone is getting older.

Somewhere my sister is fainting over my eyebrows.

I, however, realize that this is a necessary fact of life, all this aging and graying and sagging...I figure if I grow in wisdom that's bound to make up for it (although, I'm looking at the fine lines that are popping up on my face and I'm starting to wonder)  and looking back over my life, I can point out several things that may have caused gray hairs.

But in my eyebrows?

We can only guess at what's coming next in the gray area.

And I have no idea what to do with it.  I don't think I can dye it to match the head on my hair, because I think there's a big warning on the box because it's too close to your eyes?  I honestly have no clue, but I personally would imagine it's because the dye would not stay perfectly in place on my eyebrows and would then drip down my face, and in the course of waiting for all the grays to go, I would have have drips dyed onto my skin.  Which is fine if one is say, Alice Cooper...and he does live in Arizona, so I'd hate for people to get us all confused.

Do I pluck it?
I mean, once you start plucking hairs don't they grow back two-fold?

Yeah, after all the care I try to take in applying make-up, anti-aging salves, waxing, shaving, working out, and any of the other voodoo that I participate in to keep myself young and healthy looking, that's about the last thing I need...big bushy gray eyebrows. 

Great.

I suppose it's just a matter of time before I look like Einstein.

01 June 2010

Ink...

About 3 weeks ago I had an appointment to see a guy...

about a tattoo.

I'd actually made the appointment on a whim about five weeks earlier.  If you consider a whim to be about twenty (cough cough) years of planning, scheming, and designing what my next tattoo would be after getting The Cat in the Hat on my shin...then it was totally spontaneous.

You see, after getting my first tattoo I knew I wanted another one, I just didn't know exactly what that would be.  I knew I wanted an arm band...and here I am at that age this year wondering what to do special for myself?  How do I mark time?

Yes, I got the contacts which I am delirious to have...but one morning at the gym the perfect design idea popped right into my head and I moved forward...the next day.

I designed the arm band around an image I'd shot when I was in Prague in 2006...an owl in a doorway between 2 Art Nouveau nudes extending his wings.  I figured that image would look pretty neat as an armband...

Making the appointment was easy, Tattoo Tony is a great guy, handlebar mustache and all...and he was just as excited about my design as I was, so that put any fears at ease that I had.  Also?  He comes highly recommended in my town as does Hold Fast, the location he parks his ink and his reclining Naugahyde chair...and I think he did an amazing job (so does everyone who's seen it in person)

Waiting for the appointment was sort of easy, because it was kind of a scribble it in on the calendar and forget about it thing.  Except that I kept wondering what it would look like on my arm...

Every time I looked at my arm or passed by a mirror...or a glass window.  It's lucky I didn't get hit by a car and actually made it to my appointment.

It was only the day before and the day of the appointment that I started to get nervous.  I ran over after work and sat in Tony's chair for about 2.5 hours while he worked applying the ink...and I know what you're thinking...no, it didn't hurt that badly.  Really.  It was only slightly uncomfortable up towards the tops of my arms on each side where the end of the owls wings stretch...but, I was able to remind myself that I had decided to not get the owl in color, and the shading would be easy and over in a minute.  Plus?  Once your endorphins kick in, you kind of go numb after a while.

It's a little larger than I had originally pictured it in my head, but only by a half an inch in height...making Megan exclaim, as she walked through the door of the tattoo parlor, "WOW!  It's bigger than I though...but you know?  If you're going to do it, you should really commit!"  And really, the detail Tonly was able to put in the image is stunning, any smaller and I would have lost quite a few feathers on this little guy.

I'm pretty healed up...which was a little painful at first, like having a fever in the area of the tattoo because it is an open wound so it does get a little hot...but that situation went away by the second day after airing it the area out and icing it.  It's healing beautifully now (or rather, it's pretty darned healed up) and I just followed Tony's instructions.

He wrapped my arm in saran wrap before I left the studio and I was instructed to keep that on all night and then take it off in the morning.  I read some things on the Internet and there are a lot of opposing opinions on that (which of course, made me panic) but I took the wrap off in the morning and washed the area with white soap 3 times a day (gentle, no real scent) patted dry and after the 2nd day started applying Lubriderm 3-4 times a day...keeping the tattoo aired out, but gently covered with my shirt (nothing tight)  No sun, or submerging in water for any length of time...

Yes, it did peel...or molt in this case (heh.)  And yes, it itched like the dickens for a couple of days, and I did take a week off from the gym to let it heal.  But that part's behind me now...


Only not really.

Because at the end of this month, I will be going back to have the rest of the tattoo inked on.  I will continue a design starting at the end of the wings towards the bottom that will wrap around under my arm.

yeah...

It may be more painful...but it can't be as bad as childbirth right?

I mean, I haven't actually had a baby, but I'm always comparing things to that particular act anyway.

The next part of the design will be in color...but I'll keep you in suspense for what exactly it will look like.  But just like the owl, it's full of personal symbolism.

We're big on symbolism here at Foolsewoode, and the owl is a particularly meaningful symbol in my life.

I think though, unlike my ankle tattoo...this will be it for me.  I am totally and wholly satisfied with this amount of ink on my body.


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