Monday, June 15, 2009

what was i thinking??

i just woke from the weirdest dream...

we were rigging the door so that we could get a running start before the 30ft tall frankenstein monster came pouring out of the giant stone doors. See, one of us had pulled the rope that was just randomly hanging from the ceiling, and the wall split in two and started to open, revealing a very large monster guy. so we pushed the doors shut, but realized that we had to keep the rope at a precise height - if we pulled on it too hard the doors would open, and if we simply let it go it would let the doors open.

so our genius idea was to tie the rope to my left hand that was still wearing a boxing glove (WTF?!). they wrapped all my gear around me so i was ready to run. in an afterthought, i realized i had left my granola bars and giant bag of reece's pieces in my desk drawer (again, WTF), so i asked someone to put them in my purse for me. such an inconvenience, the snotty girl sighed at me and roller her eyes, but she simply didnt understand how important it was for me to take my granola bars and reece's pieces.

so the trap was set. my left boxing-gloved-hand tied to a rope hanging from the ceiling and a bag full of snacks in the other, we were ready to execute our plan. we were to start running, all together, then when i got as far as i could go, i was to rip my hand out of the glove giving us time to run faster while the doors behind us opened.

little did we know, that when we got that far, letting the big doors behind us open made the windows in front us close with large stone panels. AND, it let other monsters in from other panels in other walls. specifically, monsters from 'where the wild things are'. but, i was satisfied, thinking we had it covered, because when the big doors opened, big monster guy would eat all the littler monsters, so all we had to run to the windows and jump out.

it was like an indiana jones flick where you could bring your own snacks... we ran straight ahead to the windows that were quickly closing, and made a sharp right turn through the hallway as we noticed a window to our right was jammed, closing very slowly. with a large hurdle jump, we all made it outside...

...into suburbia, where the sun was shining and birds were chirping. we landed on the front lawn of some sort of office building, and our car was parked outside. as the others began to load their crap, i heard a little girl crying. so i walked around the front of the building, and noticed an area where holes had broken through the stone that shielded the windows. a little blond girl was in there, crying about candy. as i started to walk towards her, the big monster from 'where the wild things are' came running at me trying to get the bag of reece's pieces i had taken from my purse and was munching on. he chased me for a bit, but because of his size, couldnt keep up. he stopped. i stopped. he started to cry like a three year old because i wouldn't share my candy. then he pulled the 'fine, i dont want your candy anyway' attitude, and held out his hand full of little red and orange candies, and he said 'because i have Iranian candy to give to the naked baby jesus..' and then he sniffled. and i woke up.

and that, my friends, is the biggest WTF to date.

mental note: do not eat quesodilla and watch family guy before bed.

Saturday, June 13, 2009

New collection - Beach Diva!

I've been working on a custom order I received through my Etsy shop, The Curio Boudoir, that was inspired by my Natural Sand and Shell Switchplate. I have been making many bumbles! I'm trying very hard to meet the customer's specifications, but this is still a learning process for me. With each item I make, I am constantly seeking better ways of doing things.

I've been trying to make the 'perfect' sand covered switch plate, and needless to say I've made a dozen less-than-perfect examples so far :) However, with each bumble, I am discovering a new way of making them, and with each new way a new organic idea comes to fruition.

I was toying with the idea of using a spray adhesive to cover the switch plates with sand, as brushing on thick white adhesive was just not working out so well... I couldn't get an even-steven coat to save my life. I dug through all of my craft supplies, and found the small can of spray adhesive I used once years ago - and apparently didnt clean the nozzle after the last use because it is CLOGGED! While digging, however, I found a small can of spray glitter, and I figured its the same basic substance just with a little diva added to it... so I tried it.

I sprayed the plate with the glitter, and while it was still wet, buried it in sand. A little while later, I dug it out, brushed it off, and voila! It was a beautiful even coat of sand with a tiny bit of shimmer showing through. I instantly fell in love with it and started pulling out all of the shells I have lying around, trying to find one with the perfect amount of pink in it.

I had a bag of shells collected when I visited my sister and her husband in Louisiana a few years ago - actually, the week between hurricanes Katrina and Rita. We went to Holly Beach and found mass amounts of shells and other debris that had washed up. We even found a boot, a shirt, a hat, several bones, and we put together a 'beach man' haha.


I had completely forgotten about them, but in that collection of debris, I found the perfect piece of pink and white coral. I adhered the coral to the lower right corner... but... it still needed something.

A ha! My recent rhinestone addiction came out to play! I embellished both the coral and the switch plate with some magenta gems to finish it off. This gave me the idea to do the same with wood picture frames, trinket boxes, and other little goodies. And so was born the Beach Diva Collection! You can see the first installment in my Etsy shop now! (click on photo below)

I think this piece would be a lot of fun in a beach themed bedroom, dressing room, or a teen's room.

Stay tuned for more from The Beach Diva Collection!

Friday, June 12, 2009

Tibetanelements interview with The INcrowd

I just received word that I was mentioned in a recent blog by the INcrowd Etsy team from Indiana. They interviewed a lovely artist and member of the team, Tibetanelements. Her shop at http://www.tibetanelements.etsy.com/ features beaded and delicate wire jewelry (with many dragonflies - and you know how I love dragonflies!!). Please take a moment to peruse her shop as well as the INcrowd's blog at http://indianaetsy.blogspot.com/, where you will find the interview in full. (below, tibetanelements dragonfly hairpin)



In the interview, tibetanelements was asked to suggest five of her favorite shops, and she graciously listed my candle shop! I am honored to be a part of this list, and I'm off to share the love and check out the other four artists!! I hope you will do the same!

Thanks to the INcrowd and tibetanelements for the compliment and encouragement, and I wish much success to them all.

Thursday, June 11, 2009

as the grocery produce rotates....

a new installment in the saga of my workplace.

this week was intesting. i was told that I am the 'favorite heather' by a couple of people, and then, by the other heather, how Heather is such a 'white' name...

tequila and cramps girl suggested to someone that they 'oven' their asparagus. 'it tastes really great if you oven it..." same said tequila and cramps girl let us know she cleaned the 'ladies room' when we have two restrooms - both family rest rooms.

early morning crew = grouchy.

an elderly woman came in today with a cart full of groceries, and she was disgustingly chipper. just as i was thinking to myself how apparently happy she is, i pulled the gallon jug of vodka out of her shopping cart... oh, thats why. and that made my day.

another elderly lady today confessed that this was her first experience into our store and asked if she could have one of our large bags (even though she purchases only one item) because she
'sort of collects bags... you know, its one of those kinky things i have - i collect bags...'

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Beachy Photo Album

A friend of mine recently got married in St Thomas .. a beautiful reception on the beach. Since my employment record has been pretty poor since we moved here, I was unable to go. But, I wanted to do something extra special for her so I've put together a couple of beach inspired keepsakes.

The first is a glass bauble, embellished with small rhinestone letters that say "I Do" on one side and has their monogram on the backside. Its clear glass, and I asked another friend that attended the wedding to get some sand and small shells for her to put inside the bauble, so they always have a piece of the beach where they got married.

Second, a photo album. When we got married, a friend gave me a simple photo album with a little poem on it indicating that we were to make it our anniversary album. Each year on our anniversary we are to take a picture of ourselves and put into the book. (and we've already failed - no pic on anniversary #1.. )

But I felt a plain photo album was not enough, so I super embellished it with sand and shells from the beach here in California.

It was covered in a canvas-like cloth, and unfortunately the only color I could find was black (I looked at Michael's and Target - and both stores had a terrible selection!)

I covered it with two layers of sand and sealed it, so that the sand will not flake or peel off. Since it was cloth, and that was a first for me, it soaked up so much of my mod podge that I'm going to have to find another adhesive in the future. I think i'll try to spray glue the sand on, the seal it with the mod podge... anyway, this is how it turned out:

Then, I pulled out my collection of seashells that I've saved over the years to find the perfect fit for the front. I pulled out half a dozen heart shaped shell charms from my jewerllry kit and tied them onto a strand of raffia. I wound the raffia around the opening on the front cover to frame the area the poem will be inserted into.
Then, I chose a large sand dollar, a piece of water-eroded shell, and a conch shell that was black and white - and it made the black photo album seem purposeful!
I have ordered some additional gems and I am going to put either their monogram or last name on top above the opening in the front cover to finish it off.
This came out so lovely, I think I am going to try to do another one using a spray adhesive. If it works out, I'm going to offer them as personalized handmade wedding gifts in my Etsy Curio shop, The Curio Boudoir. In addition, I'm thinking of expanding the selection to do smaller albums for vacations, beach-themed parties, etc.

on a roll now...

Bear
To see a bear in your dream, symbolizes independence, the cycle of life, death and renewal. It may signal of period of introspection and thinking.

...so, what if you are stradling the back of the baby grizzly bear, wrapped around it and rubbing its tummy with your left hand while letting it nosh on your hand thats inside its chew toy, silently praying it doesnt eat your hand?

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

wtf.

So my favorite dream website has let me down: I looked up "octopus"

Octopus
To see an octopus in your dream, signifies that you are entangled in some difficult matter or that some situation is clouded. Alternatively, the octopus indicates that you are overly possessive and too clingy in a relationship

yeah ut what does it mean with the f'ing thing climbs onto your head and tries to eat you?


i was on a boat. an old timey tour boat, rickety like the old fashioned glass bottom boats, but with seats like the Pirates ride at disneyland (and no glass bottom). we sat super low in the water, and if i looked to my left, where i sat against the side, the water was merely inches below us. we were touring past an old fasihoned building, made to look like an old river trading post, but actually an inn. all the false doors we passed were actually rooms, but the backs of them because there was nothing leading up to the doors but water - no way in or out. that apparently was on the other side of the building that was not part of the boat tour. there were only a dozen of us, and i was seated by myself.

there were pieces of mossy things floating in the water which sometimes covered the fish that swam by. but for the most part the water was super clear. the girl in front of me dove into the water and swam with a large white fish to the faux dock about 10 feet away from us exclaiming that is where she was getting married. no one thought it odd that she just bailed out of the boat so i didnt say anything either.

from a bit of a distance, in the shallow of the water and right beside the building, i saw "__" (i cant remember its name). it was the 'ancient' black octopus that lived in the waters, reportedly for hundreds of years, and everyone lovingly spoke about him as if he were a grumpy old man. his sightings were rare, given his oily black color, and the fact that this part of the tour was covered by many hut-like awnings to keep the glare of the sun off of the water when touring the port. but i saw him, coasting along the side of the building, just beneath the surface. and then he saw me. and he cut across the water right towards me like a speeding bullet. he climbed up the side of the boat like a black blob, crawled across my lap, up my right side, and onto my head, wrapping his tentacles around my neck and face.

i had instinctively pulled my arms up around my head and covered myself with my hoodie as best i could, because for some reason i couldnt remember if an octopus was poinsonous. i wanted to cover as much of my skin as i could. and wearing my hoodie, arms, and an octopus, i shouted as loud as i could for help, because apparently no one saw what happened.

the couple behind me peeled him off of me and tossed him back in the water. but no sooner did i stand up to get a hold of what had just happened, he climbed back into the boat, across the floor, and began to crawl up my legs, wrapping himself around my waist. as he was at about my knees, reaching up and wrapping around my waist i grabbed the first thing i could find - a kabob stick.

i started stabbing wildly at the black mass between my knees, and other passengers were finally catching on. they started throwing me more kabob sticks (thanks, a-holes) so i could stab it more, and finally he began to melt and drip away like hot lava-like oil.

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

unfair punishment.

for at least 20 minutes, the dog has been sleeping on the other side of the room. she just got up, walked over to my desk, farted, and walked back to her sleeping spot.

what did i do to deserve that?