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I did not get accepted to a craft show that I applied to be in this year and was pretty discouraged. But with some help of one very supportive helper elf, I hosted a 2nd Open House this past weekend and I am so glad I did. It went even better than last year and I feel so happy and grateful for the support of my little shop, GirlyGeekChic. Here are some photos from my 3 day event. Have a great week!
I do a post about this every year now. My annual visit to the MN Ren Fest. This year for the fairy festival and perfect for a Minnesota Monday. Here is a billion pictures of the fairy house contest, the grounds, rainbows, details and really all the things that make Ren Fest so wonderful!
Back at the start of August I was in Texas for a week. We try very hard to not only visit big tourist sites but things a little more off the beaten path. One of the great things we found to visit in Austin, Texas was Zilker Botanical Garden. It was in the middle of the city near a very big park. It was a warm day and as such there were a lot of butterflies flitting about which made me very happy.
Some snaps from around Austin, Texas from my visit there about 6 weeks ago.
I'm in the process of adding 40 new pieces to my shop. I'd love it if you stopped by!
Just a few pleasant images for this Friday. Have a great weekend!
I have been one very busy lady. But I am so happy and proud of what I've been doing. Over the last 8-9 years I've been slowly putting together ideas for a new young adult science-fiction series of books. I never really sat down too much to write a whole lot till the last year. I've had notes on scraps of paper, napkins and even a chapter written on my iPhone. I finally was given the opportunity to work full-time on getting the first book out and well, I leapt in with excitement. My first book Ella Cerulean, Book 1 of The Connective is now out and available on multiple websites. I will note that these currently available editions will change a bit as we wanted to get the story up and out in time for a party we hosted at the local convention CONvergence (separate post to come). The party we had was based on the last three chapters of my book. It is so amazing to me how much work several people in my life put into making this happen. We worked countless hours to make this come to life and I couldn't possibly be happier. The paperback version is available on Lulu.com and the digital versions are on Apple (this version is free and includes a mini-movie) and Amazon (which is currently .99 but will go up in price). The book is also available internationally. I am so pleased to tell you that the first week it was out it sat in the top 100 of Young Adult Sci-Fi books for a week. I couldn't believe it! It was on the list with The Hunger Games and Divergent! Allow me to share with you photos of the book cover and of the party we created and hosted for three nights in a row based on the book!
We served homemade blue champagne!
Part of this post is a little bit cheating as I wrote the encounter with Keanu Reeves several years ago. I have realized recently how relevant it is at the moment to my nerves about hosting a party for the launch of my first young adult novel. It will be a three night long affair and since my book goes live that weekend very few people will have read it yet. I'll be explaining over and over about it. At least -I hope I will, some people will really not care. The party part is very exciting but I am one of those people that has a terrible time keeping my foot out of my mouth. Often I am just trying to make a joke about something but that can go horribly wrong sometimes. In this particular case as you can read in a minute, I simply ran out of patience. Which I do not want to happen as I am truly grateful for each and every person who gives my creative endeavors a glance. My anxiety is at an all time high and I'll be writing more soon about an experience that will tell you why I probably should not worry too much about it. But if you care to read it: The first time I was rude to a celebrity. By accident. I swear.
I have no shame (okay, maybe a little shame) in admitting that roughly fourteen years ago I had a crush on Keanu Reeves. (Tall, dark, moody-what can I say? I have a type.) This little fact came out on a night I was out with my new roommates and as you can imagine: it delighted them to no end.
Thinking I had escaped reproach a few days went by when I came home from work one night to find a pair of tickets to a show for a band called “Dogstar” taped to my bedroom door.
Not entirely realizing what I was doing I went to Cheap-o and asked about the c.d. The entirely adorable, tattooed hipster boy working at the counter was none too thrilled to show me that it was in fact, the band Keanu Reeves played bass in. He informed me that playing bass meant that you were the guy with the money to foot the bill. Not that he was bitter.
I took the c.d. home and gave it a listen. Yes, so it was dreadful. I didn’t think twice about the tickets and went over to visit a friend. I laughingly told her about the tickets and the c.d. thinking she too, would laugh at my terrible decision making. She didn’t. In fact, she had the exact opposite reaction, “Let’s go to the show.”
“Whatever, but I want to go to Bryant Lake Bowl first,” was my response(I was in my big wine drinking phase and oh yeah, all-the-guys-that-work-there-are-hot phase). She agreed to pick me up from work the next night.
I shall now include the fact that at the time I was working in Calhoun Square and yes she was going to pick me up in her mini-van. This is a pertinent piece of information otherwise, I would’ve just walked you know the three blocks or whatever. The reason this is important to my little tale is because I changed clothes in the van on the way to the bar and brushed my hair. That’s it. Five minutes. Maybe.
(A fun little fact about this van is that it was basically a garbage truck. Crap everywhere. Including a dog dish that my friend driving said van once peed in when she was drunk, yep.)
We get to the BLB and sit at the bar. It’s not super busy but there are a of couple guys at the bar. The bartender and I were friendly at this point. He always had something new for me to try so he and I started chatting. Kay (said friend) sits down next to me putting a space between me and the guy closest to me. She turns to me and tells me I look great. I laugh, because you know, I changed in the van.
The guy next to her says, “She should look great because I’m sure she spent hours getting ready.” It was go figure, not said in a particularly nice tone.
Kay turns to him, “What did you say?”
“I said she should look great because I’m sure she spent hours getting ready.”
“Mind your fucking business.”
“Just ignore him Kay.” I really had no interest in getting into it with some random guy. Who had clearly just been dumped.
“Yeah, women think it’s really great to ignore men don’t they?” He leans towards me, “You look like someone I know.”
“Lucky me. Kay, let’s go sit somewhere else.”
“No, fuck him. He can move.” See, Kay liked fights. Especially if there was some sort of perceived threat to women’s rights. There wasn’t, he was just a jerk. I can’t imagine why he got dumped. Plus, I really wanted to have a nice night. Sadly, my idea of a nice night and Kay’s idea of a nice night are different.
I think you can get the idea what the next three hours between them was like. I myself enjoyed wondering things like, “What would make a better pet; a gila monster or Komodo dragon?” and “Belly button lint: friend or foe?” It was far, far more interesting.
The up side was the bartender took pity on me and picked out a great many glasses of wine for me to drink which somewhat helped soften the blow to my wasted evening. My point is: I was drunk.
Kay suddenly jumps up from her seat, “We’re late. The show is already started.”
“Yeah, I mentioned that two hours ago,” I shrugged and kept drinking wine.
Kay’s “date” had wandered off -FINALLY.
“Well, hurry up, I want to go.” Kay started getting it together to leave.
I’m mildly annoyed at this point as it had occurred to me that perhaps I might want to continue to get drunk and insulted by random strangers but, whatever.
As we’re leaving Prince Charming returns and shakes Kay’s hand as if they had some well-thought out spirited debate about something that mattered. Not actually just hurling grade school insults at each other to represent the “honor of the sexes.”
He then turns to me and holds out his hand, “Good Night, beautiful.”
Yep.
::blink blink::
I turn and walk away only to hear my traitorous friend say, “She’s drunk never mind her being rude.”
Bitch.
We get to the club(The Quest, as you Minnesotans know is now gone) and lo and behold the show is over. Imagine that.
People are leaving. O.K. *not* many people and the bouncers are blocking the door not letting anyone in.
So, this of course means Kay goes up to the bouncer and asks if she can go in to use the bathroom. I bet you can guess what his answer was and multiple times at that since she didn’t stop asking.
He finally doesn’t say anything else and just holds up his finger, turns around and goes back into the club and locks the door.
“Fine, I’m gonna go pee in the alley.” Not an unusual occurrence, I might add.
I follow somewhat behind her as she hurries up ahead of me for our classy rendezvous.
I turn a corner to see Kay talking to a girl who looks about 18. In fact, there’s about a dozen women from 18 to about 40 hanging out in the alley. Waiting for the band they inform us.
Kay loves this idea and keeps telling all the girls how much she loves, “Lonestar.”
“Dogstar, Kay.”
“Right, I love them.”
This goes on for a while. I’m completely irritated as we wait and wait and wait.
“Kay, can’t we go? I’m tired of this.” I realize that drinking would ACTUALLY be more productive.
“Just a few more minutes.”
They slip right on by.
“OK,” I step in front of her and I’m so annoyed at this point my voice is a bit raised.
“Kay, let’s go. This is stupid. The c.d. sucks and I’m sick of this and what in the hell has Keanu Reeves ever done that is worth a shit? Which, I know is the only reason you want to hang out here and it’s pathetic. He’s the star of a bunch of crappy movies.”
Can you just feel how quiet it was when I turned around and the members of the band we’re standing behind me, Mr. Keanu right in the front.
I think, “Wow, he’s really tall.”
He says, “So, you didn’t like the show?”
I shrug my shoulders.
Kay pushed past me and wouldn’t you know, “I love your band Lonestar.”
No one says anything.
“We didn’t make it to the show.” Common decency would mean I felt awkward and bad at this point. I didn’t. I was still annoyed.
One band member was talking to other girls who, I have no doubt, we’re a lot nicer than the two of us. The other had already gotten in the car.
Kay asks him for an autograph and he just looks at me and laughs.
Keanu points out that Kay has nothing for him to sign or to sign with so he hugs her.
He smiles real big at me and asks if I’ll hug him.
Nope, I didn’t think twice about it. Bad actor or not he’s still really hot and really tall.
And a lot of nicer than I deserve.
He gets in the car and as they’re pulling away he waves to me.
A few days later there’s a review in the City Pages about the show. The first couple of lines contain the phrase “after the band’s putrid set.”
I've added this cat picture to alleviate the idiocy.
I meant to put this up a couple of months ago but did not for some reason. I put up my Ferris Wheel Jewelry Holder How-To. Well this goes along with that post and it is also an easy alteration. I made this to go on my dresser to display part of my somewhat big handmade jewelry collection.
You'll start with buying the cupcake holder on Amazon. Once you get it-put it together per the instructions.
Other things you need:
-glue
-felt
-marker
-empty cereal box
-something to measure your circles( I used a roll of tape)
-scissors
Step 1: Put the cupcake holder together
As you can see from the picture, after I put it together I was measuring the holder trays to figure out what I could use to measure what material I was deciding to use. I started with cupcake liners. Too flimsy. I tried paper and plain material. Fell through the bottom. Then I thought of felt. I realized I needed something to make it more sturdy but not too thick. And that's where the cereal box comes in:
Step 2: Draw circles with whatever size you decide to make your pieces.
Step 3: Draw the circles on the felt too.
Step 4: Cut them out. Cardboard and felt. This is pretty hard for me. I am terrible at cutting circles. But I trimmed them down and got pretty close.
Step 5: Glue them together.
Step 6: Love yourself. (I wrote myself notes on the bottom when they were dry)
Step 7: Put your circles into the trays.
Step 8: Fill with Pretties
A few months later and I still love my little set-up!
Blue is the theme of my life these days. More on that soon....
I've been out of town most of the last week so my post today will be of my Easter Sunday out on Lake Minnetonka after a brunch at French Meadow. Have a lovely week!
Between editing my book and working on house projects I don't have a ton of time. I also have been making jewelry like a mad woman. I have been quite happily adding details to my lovely remodeled bedroom. I'll be taking a break for about 5 days from everything but then it'll be back to it on Monday. I hope your spring cleaning and projects are going well!
Some lovely flowers for you!
This is a collection pics from my phone from places I've visited the last couple of weeks. I didn't take enough pictures at each place to warrant a full post but they still deserve a mention. Especially since you can just see cool things in the most random of places or end up having a cocktail in a place you never go. Or sitting for an hour in the kids section reading storybooks with your friend.
The city is starting to thaw out. Here is Cedar Lake. On the horizon you can see a bit of downtown Minneapolis.
These two pictures are from the outside of Dreamhaven Books. A place I love but have not visited in a good long time. It used to be walking distance from my apartment and open everyday. It's a bit further away now in a much cooler space and it keeps unusual hours. It is full of books, comics and collectibles and most notably an extensive selection of Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean work.
Fellow comic addict Emily sits on the Batman bench outside the store.
A visit to the Barnes and Noble Calhoun with my friend Lindsey to do "research" on storybooks. Especially our favorite author Mo Willems.
My favorite pizza at Punch Pizza, the Gigi. I love to have lunch here and wander around the shops a bit.
I recently had my hair colored and cut at a new place and this was in the lobby of the Lyn-Lake Building where the salon is located. I like seeing things in unexpected places.
More thawing on the lake. I am getting out and walking more now that it's not freezing. I love being on the look out for the return of birds and animals. I am dying to see some greenery.
A beautiful light installation at The Living Room in the The W Hotel in downtown Minneapolis. I've had drinks here before and they are so very unique and well put together. It's not easy to find a perfectly crafted cocktail but they do good work here.
A bit of a dark snap but you get the point of the impressive size of selection at the bar in the Monte Carlo in the Warehouse District of downtown. Definitely not somewhere I would normally go especially since I do not eat meat but I am glad we stopped in. The bartender was very nice and poured a great St. Germain cocktail and sidecar.
Enjoy your week! I am going to keep an eye out and an ear open for seeing and doing things I don't normally do. It's always a very pleasant way to spend your days and evenings. Cannot wait to have some trees to sit under too!
Some PI snaps to get you in the mood.....
I've spent the last few weeks cleaning out my office from top to bottom. Folders, nooks, crannies, over stacked piles. As I've been doing this I've been finding fun things I forgot about. One of these things is my sketch notebooks full of clothings designs. I haven't done this in a long time and having come across my drawings (from 1997-1998) I am thinking to start designing again. Just for fun. I don't have any plans to do anything with them but I certainly have a lot of ideas nonetheless. Here are some of my first sketches from so long ago.
A couple of things are happening in my brain right now and I suspect it's mostly because I've had a long week and a half that included a cold, a hurt neck, unusable arm, an allergic reaction and a sick kitty. I have been getting very antsy and even feeling a little frustrated. Winter is getting to that point where it feels too long instead of grand and beautiful. Although, a bit of this was alleviated yesterday as I put on my snow boots, took my stuffed up head and hiked around the snowy lake. This year is off to a mixed bag sort of start. I'm having trouble accepting this because 2013 was a pretty great year for me all and all. Now, I should not be all doom and gloom because there have already been some super fun things, like our New Year's Event, our beautiful new bedroom(though long overdue) and of course, sledding for the first time-(yes, I loved it). I'm a bit off track with my blog posts this week but I've had other things to handle. One of my big projects the last few months has been organizing my photo library. A big task to be sure. I have 40,000 photos (and that's after deleting the bad ones) in my library. But, it's fun to go through, I've had some really great times to remember.
One of the things I loved doing last year was in September I went to San Antonio, Texas to visit family. My boyfriend and I went on a day trip to Natural Bridge Caverns. It turned out to be quite amazing. Some 18 stories underground is a world that only fairy tales can describe. It was discovered just by chance as all the best things are and we took two different tours of the caves and we did not see anywhere near all of it. It's filled with crystals, rock formations, glass like water and "rooms" beyond anything you could imagine. When you see places like this you begin to understand where inspiration for Dwarves cities, white forests and fairy lands come from. My photos are dark(of course) and do this place no justice but you might catch a glimpse of the magic.
I suppose the only way to pull yourself out of the blues is to get busy making plans and doing things. Hopefully, today will be the last snowstorm of the season! Hopefully.
And for my 200th post(!) I give you an epic cat post! Happy Valentine's Day!
