I love Blingee!

totally addicted to Blingee.com

Reminds me so much of when I was little and would cut out black and white pics from magazines and newspapers. I loved pictures of women that I could then color with my markers and pencils.

Yeah...was altering things even then!

I loved to put pink on the cheeks and blue on the eyes, red on the lips and color the jewelry.

Well, I guess blingee.com is like that for (almost) grown ups.

Its tons of fun and I have been really enjoying sprucing up my images with all their wonderful glitter and effects. Hope you get to try it, too!

my god! Where have I been!

Its been over a year since I blogged on here! It just got so crazy having so many sites and blogs and things to keep up with-but I am learning such is modern life. If you ain't bloggin'-you aint living! At least thats how it seems in the craft/internet business world.

So I am back.

Give it another try...what a weird thing to come back after a year. Feels like I just blinked and a year went by.

Been trying so hard to really launch my website, http://www.ignition916.com

I'm all about my polymer products at the moment, with four new characters in my polymer clay line

and revamped the polymer clay hair bows-they are now made with REAL lil Daddy Roth Metalflake! More sparkly and amazing than ever....

Other than that, I am trying really really hard to build my clientele back up at the hair salon...having babies is great fun-being poor isnt. Ugh. So...I am workin'-come and see me!

My sister let me use her cute mug to make this flyer! hee! She is the greatest.

Meanwhile...I am also slaving away for Midnight Mass-Sacramento's greatest, biggest, coolest car show! The line up of entertainment is incredible- if I say so myself! (I got to book all of the music this year!)

So...I have been making TONS of swag for the goody bags they give to the first 500 through the gates!

How crazy am IIIIII????
This crazy! :

So...come out to Midnight Mass, and say howdy to me, and my Sacramento Craft Mafia pals, Sophia from Simply Strands, and Rain from Rain's Embellishments! We will have the prettiest lil booth there!

This summer has been the hardest in so many ways-and I am just hanging on all of the fun that Midnight Mass represents. I hope you all will get to share what will probably be the funnest thing to do in Sacramento all summer long!
See you there!

The tower of terror birthday! how it all went...

June 10th was the day. My lil bubba (my oldest nephew) celebrated his 8th birthday. And you know from my other blogs the work that we put in! I have to say I think it went off well. Sal (my sister) came and picked me up at 9 so we had about an hour to put everything together. I was up pretty late the night before with the final details. For Ian's gift I helped Rob make a replica of the bell hop hat that was in the movie. I also worked on making a spectacular hair accessory worthy of my crazy green velvet "curtain" dress!

This is the hat as it dried. The saftey pins are there to hold the ribbon in place. We made it from foam, felt and ribbon. I added an elastic string to hold it under his chin.
Rob added a hand made Hollywood Tower Hotel logo.

We were both so excited to show it to Bubba. We also put the finishing touches on the pinata. As you know from my other blog, we decided the actual tower of terror pinata we had originally made was just too cool to beat with a stick. So my friend Yoli came up with the idea of making just an elevator pinata. Yeah. Just an elevator...of course Rob and I went crazy again and this is what we came up with.

Our elevator features a photo from the movie of the five lost elevator passengers. I left the picture outside and the sprinklers came on...so the photo was warped and the ink ran. My sister was worried...I thought it looked even cooler and more ghostly! I made my handpainted "marble" with white acrylic paint on black foam and the little elevator numbers were printed out from the website. Rob added weird burned wires and a burned outlet as "cables" and a "hatch". They were found items from a burn job he was working on. Came in handy, huh?

I painted the werid green glow around the passengers, and the "fog" around their feet. Not bad for paper, glue and a lil paint!

This is the hair accessory I made for myself. Its a cluster of tiny roses, some glitter, rhinestones and my favorite black marabou feathers! I added some of my favorite black jeweled netting, too.

I also made some little gift bags for my lindy dancers that came to do a dance demonstration. From Sacramento's "midtown stomp"-the nicest people ever. I put together some Ignition goodies for the girls

An orchid, a cherry blossom and a hydraengya bloom.

The plan for the party was Lindy dancing from 10 to 11, cake and presents from 11-12 and The Tower of Terror movie projected on the wall from 12-2. I think it went off really well and we stayed right on schedule. One of the guests was so impressed she wants to hire me to do a party for me. Yay, me!

We gave Bubba his hat/gift right away so he could greet his guests as the hotel bell hop.

How really cute is that!?

Me, My sister and my lil man-feeling pretty accomplished, ready for guests!

Bubba and his Tower of Terror!

Whats a fella got to do around here to get a drink?

Don't mind if I do!

Boo is wearing one of the 40ish corsages and buttioneres I made for the kids.

Here my Boo enjoys some "pink champagne" we had champagne saucers and chilled sparking juice, and a punch fountain as well. Very festive. My nephews LOVE the drink fountain!

Arriving guests got a free lesson in the Charleston from our fabulous Lindy dancers.

The setting of the Eastern Star Temple and Ballroom couldnt have been more perfect.

Even Yoli made a cameo!

Here I am dragging my protesting baby out of their five million square foot kitchen-the galley was perfect for pushing his "caaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar!

All the dancing made it really heat up in there! Boo and her school chum cool off in front of the (NOT period!!) fan!

The tower of terror photo cake! Yay!

Present time!

My husband as the human pinata holder! Jeez! Luckily, no one got hurt.

Then it was movie time......

It was the perfect ending. Kids munched popcorn, some stayed for little bit, a few stayed till the end. We ended the afternoon with another tour of the entire building, including the spectacular old giant ballroom. Amazing, eerie, charming, beautiful. I especially liked the coat and hat check areas. I imagined all of the grand gentlemen and ladies who visted, danced, partied. I tried to envision what it must have looked like back then. It is definatley a treasure to our city and our state. If you get a chance, pop in-or you know, throw a big party there! ;)

Jazz Jubilee & Willemina's with the Tip Top Trio!

Yesterday was day two of Sacramento's annual Jazz Jubilee. I normally detest the entire function on the basis of serveral things. One is it completely clogs up all of downtown/oldtown. It makes driving and parking in these areas near to impossible. Next I am not all that fond of the whole traditional jazz thing. And I associate the event with loads and loads of white haired people with fanny packs and overpriced mardi-gras beads. Not the image I would like to associate with my fondness for other types of jazz, you know?

The jazz jubilee gods, whomever they may be have I think tried over the last couple of years to make things better. They have spread the event to other areas of Sacramento which has helped to alieviate some of the congestion. Also they have designated certain areas for different types of jazz so it is easier to find and hear what you like. Last year I went to the jazz jubilee and spent my entire time at the Swing Emporium which they set up in the convention center. I loved it. Away from the heat, dust and noise of Old Town.

Well, I did'nt visit the Swing Emporium this year, because I have to say that I got a better offer! I had the opportunity to vend at Sacramento's best and only hot rod club, Willemina's! Jason and Syndi were kind enough to include me and Yoli (sacred snatch) in their jazz jubilee festivities.

Yoli came and picked me (and my huge rolling suitcase) up at my house at 11 something. The things were supposed to get rolling at 12...so we would be leisurely. Considering the traffic, we thought we should try and get their early-ish. So when we got their we decided to forgo the overpriced and crowded parking garages..we thought we would be real slick and park near the river and the railroad tracks where lots of other participants were parking. It was a bit of a walk to get to the club, but we thought worth the savings.

We rolled our way to Willemina's to find we were the first ones there! Old town was filling up with the white hairs, fanny packs and mardi gras beads, but the weather was beautiful and it wasnt horribly crowded, yet.

We went around to the back entrance where the band typically load in and found the gate and back door open.

We went in and got to work setting up our display. As we were finishing, Jason (club owner) came to us and asked "you guys wanna make some money today?"

Well, YES!

Jason suggested we set our stuff out in front of the club outside! Now, I don't know what other vendors had to pay for permits or space, but we felt pretty damn special that jason let us use his little bit of outside real estate to set up our wares!

Big, strong Jason helped up with the tables and chairs and Yoli and I went to work making everything pretty.

We had brought a very small version of what we normally sell, but I think it was a nice display of what we do. I went heavy on the hair flowers, because that is something I know sells almost anywhere, especially in the summer.

Our friend Dara Devil (sacred city roller derby) showed and helped to and then kindly took a photo of us in our Old Town Sacramento glory!

We joked that we don't have many pictures of us together because I always take her picture and she always takes mine. But here it is! :)

Vending outside was very nice and somewhat profitable indeed. It was not too hot and there was a very good mix of people milling by. I think we were really on a roll when jazz disaster struck!

A roving jazz marching band came along and parked themselves right in front of Willemina's. We thought it was amusing at first. They started their set with a fun horn filled version of Madness's "Our House". I got some video-you can check it out in my myspace videos. Then they kept playing. And playing. And playyyyyyyyyyyying. ugh. Jazz zombies from all corners of the jubilee came and with video cameras and glazed eyes and mouth breathing and stopped right in front of our table. The sidewalk jammed. The area clogged. Fanny packs and well fed booties knocked and shook our table. Hair flowers went flying. Sales died.

At some point I went for a potty (and drink!) break inside with Dara. Then we got stuck ourselves because Sacramento's own Tip Top Trio well well in swing! So I watched in the cool, dark space of Willemina's as those boys were tearin' it up.

I went back upstairs and was happy to see the marching band has ceased and moved on. The bad news was, so did every body else. With Dara's prompting, Yoli and I decided to call it a day and we went back down stairs to enjoy the rest of Tip Top Trio's set.

We ordered up some beers, chicken wings and fries and made ourselves real comfortable right in the very front of the club! It was just great.

I freaking LOVE this band. We chatted here and there during their breaks. I learned they played on Thursday night, they played their 5 hour show that day at Willemina's, they had a party they were playing that night and they have another 5 hour gig at Willemina's today (sunday.)

I joked with them they were in the midst of a "Rockabilly Triathalon"! They are some crazy dedicated musicians, and real swell guys, too.

When the show was "over" Dara and I went out to the back patio of Willemina's for some rockabilly improv sing along silliness courtesy of Tip Top Trio and members of the Maniac Cadillacs. I laughed so hard I screwed up my eyeliner and made my face hurt. Good stuff.

Yoli had ducked out to tend to her "day job". And as Willemina's was being set up for a private party, Dara and I made our exit.

Dara was driving me home when I got a phone call from Yoli saying that she was done working and our friend Marcella was "on a mission" and that I should meet them at Benny's. Well, Dara turned the car around but as we pulled up to Benny's we realized that at barely 8pm the place was not even open yet. I called Yoli back and we settled on Sacramento's "Depot" a local gay bar. I had never been there, and was a little wary about hanging out by myself there waiting for my girls. I tried to beg Dara to come with me, but she had hungry doggies waiting for her at home.

So looking like a rockabilly drag queen with what I started refering to as my "satelite dish" on my head,(I made a giant arrangement of my favorite stargazer lillies especially for the jazz jubilee.) I went into the depot for a beer.

Soon enough the girls came and Marcella bought a pitcher. Good conversation and I enjoyed the breeze coming through the open Depot windows and how empty midtown was with everyone down at the jubilee or gone for the weekend.

We then decided on going on to Benny's, now that it was later. Yoli busted out her fun light up hooka with some tasty mango tabacco. We smoked and had beers till it was just too chilly to stay out side. ( I was also getting annoyed with some drunktarded sorority type chicks loudly singing some crappy top forty song.)

Our next plan was to see the White Barons play at the Distellery. En route, I decided to text Amy to make sure I had not missed her play. He answered back via voicemail that their van broke down and the show had been cancelled. Bummer!

We ended our evening at Hot Rod's for a bite to eat and really crappy music videos. (fun to make fun of!)

My Party with The Tip Top Trio!

I wanted to do something for my third wedding anniversary. We can't really go anywhere cuz of our little ones-I have practically NO sitters I can leave them with, so naturally my brain went straight to "party". It is about the only way I have a social life now that I am a mommy. I make people come to me. It works out okay-We make everyone stay out in the backyard, I usually get a band or two, drinks, people, thats all I need. This party was a difficult one because a couple months ago, Rob and I started to attempt making over our shed/garage into a "tiki" hair salon. I need a place to do hair for friends and family that isnt the kitchen! It is something we have wanted to do since we bought the house and I have already purchased the equipment we need to do it. So while Rob was in between projects he started. We took everything out of the shed, and put it in our driveway. The first big thing we had to do was the plumbing. Therefore it was neccessary to dig a HUGE trench through the backyard. So he did. Then he plumbed it so there is water TO the shed. Then we need to plumb it so that waste water goes FROM the shed. We hadnt gotten that far when Rob started to get busy again. Then REALLY busy. Meanwhile the trench through my yard is still there. Making it difficult to mow. Really pretty, huh? weeds and mounds of dirt and a giant gaping trench. Not great ambiance for a party. I had mentioned the idea of a party to enough people, though, I just HAD to do it. We just decided to go g-hetto and keep the people off the grass and go ahead. It was a really fun time after all. Not at all on the scale of my bigger parties, but that was actually just fine. Some very near and dear folks were there, and thats all I really need. So I made pitchers of "my" sangria, made a few snacks. The first to arrive were the boys (and girl!) from the Tip Top Trio. I enjoyed a glass of sangria with their sometimes vocalist, Melissa. It was a real treat chatting with her. A real doll-and what a voice! Once the boys were all set up, a few people trickled in. Given that there were a few events that day and evening, including a big roller derby bout, I expected people to show late, and that is what happened. My dear friends J and Ginger

(ginger, J and ME!)

(ginger and Cap'n Sal-my sister.)

showed, and later my old friend and derby Queen Tara Armov came. My sister showed, and the party was in full swing! My other Derby pal, Dara Devil came too, with some interesting tales of an earlier party she attended. (tee hee!) That kept us girls pretty amused for a while. My newest homie, Yoli came with her man and being with her is always a great time.

(Rob and Mando pow wow, Yoli watches the band.)

I think the highlight of the evening came when Junior of Sacramento's Hell Outs showed up, fiddle in hand. He jumped right on stage (my back porch!) and joined in with the Tip Top boys. Zack and Junior really swung it. It was GREAT! My other favorite moment was The Tip Top Trio's cover of Warren Smith's Ubangi Stomp. It was creepy, cool, kinda Crampsy, but thoroughly their own.

(junior and Zack!)

As things started to wind down Rob started to wind up-on vodka that is. As the boys were trying to leave, Rob began insisting that they start doing shots. I endured for a while, but soon snuck off to my room floating on a cloud of sangria induced bliss. Apparantly things went on for a while-I was definately OUT! It was alot of fun, though-and if you ever need a band who can really swing, make your toes tap and remind you what roots music is about, please seek the Tip Top Trio! They are goin' places, I tell ya!

So thank you, Tip Top Trio (and Junior, and Melissa!) for making my party a real hoe-down good time!

Also, if any of you Sacramento locals (or not!) would like to take in this fabulous band, they are playing July 14th (a second saturday) as the entertainment for the grand opening of a fabulous NEW Sacramento gallery! Tangent in Curtis Park opens that night and to kick it off right, The Sacramento Craft Mafia will have a fab sidewark Art/Craft show out in front, featuring The Tip Top Trio! More details to follow, so please stay tuned!