The Seedy Side of Sugar and Spice

Sugarandspicetees.etsy.com …. Sugar and Spice and everything nice…. or so they’d like you to think.  Beautiful hand-painted children’s and women’s clothes?  Yes, but there is also a seedy side to this Etsy store.  I’ve known the proprietor of SugarAndSpiceTees since she was 4 years old and let me tell you this little girl was the first one outside after a rain storm looking for worms. As a teen-ager, she was the first in line at the Alice Cooper concerts of way-back-when (and on a personal note, this will make it official since its on the internet and it must be true “I was never at the Alice Cooper concert with you.”)  Don’t be fooled by all the cute, hand-painted butterflies on these adorable tee shirts….

Don’t be dazzled by the delicate details and embroidery like use of paint….

or the whimsical sense of humor and art displayed in these hats ….

 

There is a truly seedy side to Sugar and Spice and I am here to expose it:  I love these!  They are seed art, mosaic, magnets and art pieces.   They are hard to pinpoint into one category but they are beautiful and fun and lovely to have. Each seed is identified and carefully set.  Go check them out and when you buy something from her store (and I’m sure you will), make sure you tell her that I was never at that Alice Cooper concert with her.  Here’s a direct link to her store:  http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5226540

Harry Potter, Hogwarts and all

Harry Potter?  Harry Potter? (said in my best Dobby voice)  Yup, the Harry Potter series has inspired many artists in many mediums.  Stories, poems, videos, paintings and an astonishing variety of craft items have been produced based upon J.K. Rowling’s creation.  I myself am quite a Potter aficionado (it sounds better than Potter-dork or Potter Head which is what I usually refer to myself as).  What you didn’t know?  Why, yes.  I’ll admit it here.  Under all the cynicism, sarcasm and jaded world traveler veneer beats the heart of a fantasy loving, fairy-believing, Snape trusting fool.  Don’t  spread it around.  The sad story of the Potions Master is what started me on making Potter inspired bags and purses.  (Oh and if you’ve not read the last book this does have a slight spoiler warning on it so turn away if you wish to remain unspoiled).  This was my first Potter item – it has sold (but I will be making more).  It is the Potions Master’s Pouch:

    The Potions Master’s pouch is deep black with buttons on one side and a black ribbon to tie up all his secrets nice and tight. Inside the lining is made of a sheer, shimmering green that peeks through the closure to remind him of his beloved’s eyes.  Let me know if you like it, and I can make one up for you.  

Boofolobeads’ Etsy Store

Boofolobeads’ etsy store is resplendid with items to show your true Hogwarts color.  She has a whole section of Potter inspired items from bookbeads to cellphone sweaters.  (Check out Boofolobeads’ Harry Potter section).  I particularly like the bookbeads customized for each the house colors and also for all of the Potter books (one is currently gracing my copy of the Order of the Phoenix):

Slytherin bookbeads

 

Order of the Phoenix bookbeads.

 

And the Gryffindor cellphone sweater is practical

and a great way to show your Potter spirit  (there’s one for each of the houses and they’re only $7!)

 

 Current Potter-inspired items in my shop

Bellatrix’s bag.  I believe Bellatrix wasn’t completely evil. She just fell in with a bad crowd and in love with the ultimate bad boy. I’m sure this purse would have caught the eye of He Who Must Not Be Named – after all its a well known fact that he had excellent fashion taste. As a blog special (and as a reward for having read this far), if you convo me at Etsy mentioning you read this here – I will reserve Bellatrix’ Bag for you at the ganga price (if your from Southern Arizona you’ll know that means a great deal) of $15.00 plus I will take care of the shipping costs!

Tonight, I’m just about ready to re-list Minerva’s Evening Bag too.

Yes, contrary to popular opinion, Minerva did go out every so often and this is what she carried tied to the belt of her gown – one has to have one’s hands free for broom flying and wand waving.  I have ideas for Hagrid’s bag (I have this wonderful woolly soft furry brown material that I purchased that is just calling out to be used) and other ideas that are still fermenting.  I have to do something to keep busy until the Half Blood Prince is released.  Here’s hoping we’ll get to see more of Alan Rickman’s Snape (I’ll save my ode to Alan Rickman for another occasion).  

As a follow up to my last post – yes, apparently not tagging this with that Clay boy’s name drastically reduced my views.  Oh well, quality not quantity I always say.

Blog Whoring? (or WWRD – What would Ripken do?)

I have found myself rather obsessed.  I keep track of the traffic on this site almost obsessively – okay, not almost, I am obsessive about it.  I do the same at my Etsy store (that’s the equivalent of product placement in a movie, huh?)  I don’t know what the sense of it all is.  Traffic does not necessarily equate with sales at the store or any validation of my blog.  I have only been “seriously” writing on the blog for about a week and a half.  In that period of time, I have noticed that any time my tags include celebrity names, the traffic goes up.  I noticed this specifically with Clay Aiken.  Apparently his fans really, really, truly, really keep track of his appearances in blogs.  Now, do I tag this post with Clay Aiken in order to get traffic? Do I tag this post with Sex and the City in order to get traffic?  What’s the point of getting traffic through the blog if its meaningless?  The Washington Post ran a piece on Cal Ripken a few years ago that stated:

 As a youth, he said, he was so consumed by winning, even at card games, he would sneakily deal himself extra cards. But he said he learned from that.  ”Ultimately, at the end of the day, you couldn’t say you were better than the other person because you knew you had a secret,” he said. “You knew you had cheated.”

I love Cal and all he represents – the work ethic, the honesty, the Orioles (btw, come on, Orioles, we sooooo need a winning season!)  So, how will I tag this?  Do I put in Clay Aiken’s name and draw in the Claynation?  Do I draw in the Sex and the City crowd by tagging it with those.  Obviously I’d be well within my rights to do so since I have discussed them both.  But what would be the point?  Check the tags and see what I decided.  I wonder if its the tags or the actual names within the blog – just by using certain names will Google crawl through and pull those out anyway.  Don’t know.  We’ll find out.  

Anyway, the point of creating this blog was to push the craft store, right?  So, here without further ado is  an entry from my store.  Here take a look, buy it … buy it….  (said in my best Stimpy voice)

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=12373321

 

 

Okay, so I’m snooty too….

As was pointed out to me very politely and rather logically by a couple of commentators, in my previous entry, I contradict myself by dissing Clay Aiken while tisk-tisking away at Tracy Letts for being judgmental.  Yes. I am just as snooty as Mr. Letts.   I made an assumption based on a personal opinion and not any factual information.  I apologize.  I still do not like Clay Aiken as a performer but that is my opinion and not likely to change.  I know he has a large fan base and many appreciate his talents.  We all are entitled to our opinions.  There are a lot of people whose talent I appreciate that others don’t quite appreciate us much as I do…. Weird Al Yankovic any one?  

Seriously, these comments opened up a whole can of worms as to the value of training and performance and is an actor or painter or singer any less because he hasn’t studied for years at an Academy of Arts to learn to act, or paint or sing.  And shouldn’t you judge any artist just on the actual performance and not his background?  We’ll save this for another day when a more thought out answer can be presented.  Good night.  

P.S. Check out my etsy store (the reason I started this blog)  AMoonShadow

 

Wowwee wow wow wow

That’s my Christopher Walken impersonation.  It loses a lot when its set down in writing.  Wow is what I actually said out loud tonight as I watched the Tonys – more specifically I said it during Patti Lupone’s performance of Everything’s Coming Up Roses from Gypsy.  I hope you got to see it.  I actually felt lucky to have been able to see it.  Usually, while watching t.v., I feel a vague sense of regret for wasting my time (but oh, don’t get me wrong, I still sit there with my big bag o’ chips and waste time).  Ms. Lupone’s performance made me wish I could get tickets to Gypsy when I go to NYC but after that performance its going to be impossible.  She was phenomenal!  Ethel Merman is probably beside herself in heaven or where ever it is Ms. Merman landed (altho’ I think there probably is a theater heaven and she’s up there belting out show tunes every night).  Watching a performer give the type of performance Ms. Lupone presented is the equivalent of standing in front of Michelangelo’s David – you stand in awe of the mastery, the ability to use the medium with such force and honesty so much so you feel the power emanating from it.  Okay…  sorry, I’m getting carried away.  As a disclaimer I should state, I have a BFA in Theater – Set Design (which I’ve not used professionally – aka I’m a wannabe or better said a neverwas).  

The lowest moment of the show in my opinion came when Tony winner, Tracy Letts made this comment while accepting his award ”They did an amazing thing: They decided to produce an American play on Broadway with theater actors.”  Now you know, I will admit I was the first one to cringe in pain when they cast Clay Aiken in Spamalot (I think that is the theatrical equivalent of “jumping the shark.”)  But, that kind of snooty comment about “theater actors” and “American play” is what gives theater that haughty reputation that keeps people away in droves.  The theater has been for the masses since its inception – the Greeks, the Romans, the Elizabethans produced theater works for the common man, not for kings or the elite, but for the rest of us.  An actor is an actor no matter where his stage.  Granted, “movie stars” are not necessarily actors – but they can be.  Its all in the training I suppose.

P.S.: The best ad-lib (Potter-dork alert) of the night came from Richard Griffiths who after Daniel Radcliffe freed his finger from the sticky seal of the envelope quipped “as if my magic” and then went  on with his presentation.  … never mind I guess you had to be there. 

 

Simplemente Carrie – A Sex and the City Rant

HERE BE SPOILERS:  Please scroll down to my post from a few days back about the Indiana Jones movie.  What I said there applies here.  If you haven’t seen the movie and want to remain virginal, read no further.  

Let me preface this by saying that I never saw the series as it was originally broadcast in all its supposed bawdiness.  I watched the series when it went into syndication and I could tell there were things being censored out for us simple and innocent non-HBO types.  If the movie is any indication of what was cut, the censors weren’t cutting the sexy scenes, they were just trying to shorten up the darn thing.  This movie is way too long and has the plot (and the pacing) of a Spanish soap opera.  I swear I think I heard the theme music to “Simplemente Maria” when Carrie is beating Big with her wedding bouquet.  I mean, come on, Big can’t get out of the car until he looks at Carrie’s face?  I know this is sacrilege to die-hard SATC fans, but I never liked Big.  I think Carrie should have stuck with Aidan – now that was a great guy and much cuter too.  I know its all in the eye of the beholder but, come on, John Corbett is adorable – Northern Exposure, My Big Fat Greek Wedding….. I’ve even forgiven him for taking to singing country music.. …. where was I?  Oh yeah, Sex and the City.  Also it struck me as the height of stupidity to blame Miranda for “scaring” Big the night before the wedding with her anti-marriage comment.  Carrie seems to think that this explains Big’s behavior – its all Miranda’s fault.  These don’t seem to be the same strong women that I enjoyed watching on T.V.   Perhaps the premise, the characters, and the story are only good in small chunks.  After two and half hours (at least that’s what it felt like)  and a lot of eye-rolling (from me at the sappiness of it all) I was just disappointed.  Its not a horrible movie – certainly its not as bad as say “The Mothman Prophecies” (I don’t care what the IMDB says that was just a bad movie).   It just felt contrived and actually a little dated.  With the state of the economy and the price of gas, the glitzy, designer name dropping, expensive shoe buying, jet-setting nature of the characters seemed a thing of the past. I know its only been 4 or 5 years since the show ended but a lot has changed.  Frankly, I was more worried about Samantha’s carbon footprint than with whether she could remain faithful to Smith.  The acting is, well, let’s just say that  I’d be extremely surprised if any one is nominated for anything come movie award season.  Simply put, its long and has no zazazu.

Should I….

I’m thinking about posting a new item over at my Etsy store.  What?  You’ve not been to my Etsy store!! See that little picture over there on the right.  Click on it and off you’ll go … but wait, make sure to come back.  That’s okay I’ll wait…… (taps foot, checks watch, waits…..).  

Welcome back (you did go check it out didn’t you?).  Anyway, this is what I’m thinking about posting:

I call it “I Quit (Freedom)” – Let me ’splain… I work in an office.  I work on a keyboard all day and then come home and sit at the keyboard some more.  Lately I’ve been recycling or upcycling or some may even call it downclycing the computer equipment that gets discarded at the office.  I have been wanting to destroy a keyboard with paint for some time – it must be a control issue.  I cannot tell you the sense of happiness and liberation I got from splattering paint (the medium I thought I would spend my life working with) upon the keyboard (the medium I have ended up spending my life working with).  It was sheer joy.  It was done without thought, without a plan and without a care in the world.  It was fun.  It was messy.  It was exhilarating.  But does that carry through in the final piece?  Where I see happiness, will some one else see messy drippiness and ultimately does that matter?  Art is whatever sings true to the artist and if it sings true to at least one someone else, it is successful.  

I have found myself on several occasions defending the work of Mark Rothko (if you don’t know his work, image google him – he’s wonderful).  For the most part I prefer art that is in some way figurative, but I understand work that is not.  I have always had a soft spot for Rothko – his work just kind of vibrates, hums and sometimes even sings for me.  It is hard to explain and define what is art.  Its an individual choice. Anyway, the more I write, the more I think that perhaps I will post this at my shop.  Or perhaps I’ll just keep this one for myself and go all Jackson Pollack on the next keyboard… hmm or perhaps I’ll try some Van Gogh again… or some Rothko.

For the computer literate pet…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was inspired by Alpine’s use of a computer monitor for a cat bed and came up with my own version.  

This cozy little bed is suitable for a cat or a small pup, or even a very pampered bunny. It is a computer monitor that has been emptied of all components leaving a shell that I handpainted with my humble interpretation of Van Gogh’s Starry Night. The inside is also painted in soft blues and a silk pillow, which I hand-dyed with non-toxic blue/violet dye and hand stuffed, has been added for extra comfort. I’ve given the bed a light spray of varnish to protect it but I kept it light so as not to overwhelm the sensitive senses of our four legged friends. Omega (the beautiful kitty in the picture) was strolling by at a craft fair I recently did and found the bed quite comfortable.  So comfortable in fact that she will soon take up permanent residence!  Not to worry – I will gladly take custom orders.  

Visit Alpine’s blog – she has some excellent ideas – you too will be inspired to do a little recycling-upcycling: http://alpinebutterfly.blogspot.com/  

Also please note that the innards of the computer have been properly disposed of at a hazardous materials waste site.

Indiana Jones and the, … the … what is it again?

Let me preface this by saying, if you haven’t seen the movie – don’t read the post.  I am an absolute fanatic about knowing as little as possible about the plot to a movie before I go see it.  I despise movie reviews that tell you the story in minute detail down to the last nuance of an actor’s performance.  Those are not reviews, those are re-tellings.  With that in mind, this is not a review.  Be forewarned that I may go into details of plot points from the movie (or I may not – I never know where I’ll end up when I start writing).

The complete title of the new Indiana Jones movie keeps eluding me.  Its not as catchy as Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom or Raiders of the Lost Ark.  I think they should have gone with “Indiana Jones and the Saucermen from Mars” myself.  That title would have been an instant reminder that this is supposed to be a throw back to the old serial cliffhangers of the past and meant to be totally ridiculous.  And mind you, it is totally ridiculous but it is also entertaining, funny, exciting and completely worth the price of admission.  

Granted I am slightly prejudiced — Harrison and I had a little thing going when we were both younger — of course, Harrison never knew about it.  I was like many women my age in love with Hans Solo and Prof. Jones.  But that infatuation faded as the years went by… many, many years went by.  I will admit to a bit of shock upon seeing Mr. Ford back in the fedora up on the huge screen.  He has aged (I, of course, am as dewey fresh as I was 20 years ago).  But it was just an initial shock and it quickly changed into that warm feeling you get from seeing an old friend.  He has developed a Spencer Tracy-esque kind of quality and if not careful, one could easily find one’s self falling for him all over again….

But I digress, the movie is fun, fast paced and ultimately satisfying.  As much as I wanted to dislike Shia LaBeouf, I couldn’t.  He does an outstanding job carrying the arrogance of youth and still making the character understandable and ultimately loveable.  AND HERE IS A SPOILER WARNING – DON’T BLAME ME IF YOU READ ANY FURTHER AND ARE SPOILED:  It was evident from the beginning that he was Indie’s son.  It wasn’t completely telegraphed by Spielberg but neither was it hidden.  So that when Karen Allen appears and spills the beans, it isn’t quite a “Luke I am your father” type moment – but then really I don’t think its meant to be.  Ms. Allen by the way looks amazing and the chemistry between herself and Ford is still there.  Their relationship was completely right and believable and heart-warming.  I think it struck a chord in me and perhaps other woman may age – the fantasy of that great guy that got away re-appearing and everything just falling into place….

But I digress again.  The plot is silly but fun.  Ms. Blanchett is not as truly evil as previous Indie villains have been and her Russian accent slips away every so often but her performance is cartoony and entertaining altho’ I wish she had gone a little more over the top (a la Frau Farbissina from Austin Powers) but, who am I to tell Cate Blanchett and Steven Spielberg about movie acting.

All in all, escapist fun and well worth seeing.