black and pink round poodle commission case

Round d1960s vinyl textured case sent by the patron along with poodle patches. Here is the step one beginning layout thoughts.

painted the sides with pink

added peal top coat to bring out texture

Companion case given same paint

sponged top coat

glitter super fine fairy dust and varnish over pink paint

bedazzlement

hand applying the bling

added writing on larger case

black foot prints and trim off the edge of faux fur zebra print

pink added as well

thinking of using this dog print ???

they look nice together. the round is the commission

inside is lovely 1950s pink with great mirror.

textured case was sent my the patron to me to work on

I would like to bling up the poodle a bit

inside use zebra fabric with third poodle, with trim and other bedazzlement's

thinking of using these vintage 60s lovely plastic beads from one of my favorite necklaces that recently sadly broke along with the black cord

Winning things is better than losing things

The Vagnino Monologues is (are?) BACK!


My thesis has been submitted and I have taught my final class of the semester. Now I can get back to blogging and reading things other than my own poetry. Very exciting.

The title of this post is pretty master-of-the-obvious, but still, it's not often that I enter into contests and win them. But recently, Lady Luck has been smiling on me and I have to say -- winning? So much more fun than losing. Y'all should try it.

Win #1: Scholarship money for my trip to China.

In February, I applied for financial assistance for my July trip to China, organized by the Yale Alumni Service Corps. I had to write a brief essay about why I would be an asset, and what skills I bring to the table (karaoke?). I also submitted my tax return, as evidence of my poverty. And lo and behold, they are giving me $1600, the maximum award amount.

I can hardly wait for this trip. I will be staying most of the time at the Smoky Willow Resort in Xiuning, a rural town in the Anhui Province. I really hope I get to stay on the Ladies Floor:

"Specially designed for the female guests who prefer the most peaceful and quiet environment that they so enjoy when being alone, the Ladies Floor section is located in a separate building hidden behind the main hotel block. In addition to the excellent views through the windows, each room and the common area are designed with the fine touch of feminism suited for today’s women with their discerning taste for fine quality of life."

YESSSSSS!


Win #2: A bottle of Jim Beam "Red Stag" whiskey

This I won at Lineage, as the champion of the first-ever edition of Lineage Jeopardy. Lineage Jeopardy was created to test the staff's knowledge in five categories: wine, beer, cocktails, food, and service. I dominated the wine, food and service categories, answering questions like "this herb tastes like green apple" (what is sorrel) and "Gruner Veltliner is traditionally from this country, but the one on our wine list is from this region" (what is Austria and Monterey, CA).

I'm not much of a whiskey drinker, but I figure I should have some booze at my place that's not wine, for guests who are not fellow winos. And look, Kid Rock likes Red Stag!

And obviously, it's my goal in life to emulate Kid Rock in every way. My skeevy goatee is growing in nicely.


Win #3: An all-access Chrome pass to Boston's IFF (Independent Film Festival)

As an Elite Yelper, I get the chance to enter contests every so often. This past Wednesday, I happened to be on Yelp and see that they were giving away a film festival pass and all I had to do to enter was answer a question, which was something along the lines of "what can independent films offer that mainstream Hollywood movies do not?" I wrote something about untidy endings and subtlety and talked about the movie "Once." And voila! I won the pass -- I can attend any and all movies this weekend and get priority seating. I also can go to the after-parties, all of which have open bars and free food.

Last night, I saw the narrative feature "On the Ice," a somewhat grim morality tale about an accidental death that haunts a small town in rural Alaska. Tomorrow I'm seeing the new Miranda July film, some narrative shorts, and a documentary about an artist that reanimates skeletal animal remains using robotics (?!?!)

On the topic of movies, I also recently saw "The Room," written/produced/directed/starring Tommy Wiseau. It was a life-changing experience that warrants its own post, so look for that soon.

It's good to be back, friends! Hope you'll keep reading the 'Logues! Zai jian! (that means see you soon in Mandarin)

playing

pardon me as i work on a new blog format today....

Sharing our homes... Bed and Breakfast style

His house was perfect,
whether you liked food, or sleep, or work,
or story-telling, or singing, or just sitting and thinking,
best, or a pleasant mixture of them all.
- J. R. R. Tolkien (1892 - 1973), The Hobbit.




I’ve been mulling over the whole thing about "bed and breakfasts" since the start of our holidays. (As per my previous post, we enjoyed a really good time at Huskisson B&B in South Coast NSW.) It was one of those chance encounters that have left us friends.

Image from Huskisson B&B

Since my last post, Kate’s put up before and after shots of the room we were gifted for our stay. You just have to pop over to her blog for the wow shots.

Every now and then (especially after being to a B&Bs in Australia), I’ve played with the idea of my own bed & breakfast. I've known for a long time what I don't want: just mere 8 years ago, a B&B set in the country Victorian era would have charmed the socks off. But I’ve grown less and less enamoured of cluttered spaces filled with decade-old dried flowers, stuffed teddies, heart shaped frilly cushions… you know the sort.

This is a B&B I went to in 2004 on our honeymoon. Incidentally I checked out the same B&B and my photos are still current! Even down to the dried floral arrangement over the bedhead!

I’ve also eschewed B&Bs who are so overly sumptious that one feels like one has stepped into a mansion where nothing should be touched or used.

In the B&B of my daydreams, I’d have a cross between Shaker and Shabby Chic. In a light, white, airy home. Nothing overly staged, nothing overly done.

Kinda like what Kate and Stephen have done in their lovely B&B.

Another of Kate's vintage mirrors!

Anyhow. I have been thinking about intrusive a B&B business is (or can be). I mean, this is about opening up your own home to strangers.

I have been to a few B&Bs in my life and being at Huskisson B&B is a rather different experience for me.



As you will see from Kate’s coming blogposts, a lot of love, elbow grease and ruminations has gone (and will keep going) into setting up the “guest quarters”. What struck and inspired me was that Kate and Stephen have chosen to inject quite a few personal items into these shared areas. Essentially, sharing with strangers their hearts.

I LOVE this. I WANT.

There is an heirloom rockinghorse. Stephen’s grandmother’s chandelier graces the dining area (incidentally, it matches perfectly to Kate’s Pareek Johnson Bros tea set). Some treasured local artwork graces the living room. Kate’s enviable collection of vintage mirrors dot the halls and bedrooms. An old salvaged piano cradles a selection of photos of the hosts. The kitchen showcases Kate’s collection of vintage glasses – use with care!



I felt so priveledged to be amongst these personal items. And because it’s not overstuffed with things that “make an era” but “chosen to reflect personality”… what you do get is a sense of what the hosts are like. What makes them tick.

In my mullings I decided that if ever husband and I started a B&B and coffee roasting endeavour, I’d do the same. I’d share my personal items with my guests. I already know I will steer clear of “make an era” decorating…



Note: sometimes the “make an era” feel for a B&B works wonders, but it behoves the host to change things around now and then, to freshen the feel, to update tired decorations. Imagine after the clutter of city living to be able to escape to a Shaker-style guest room!

I took these pics at Huskinsson B&B.

A slice of white heaven in Huskisson Bay

We are finally on our short break. 3 years in the waiting.

Just a week away. But what a blessed week.

And what a blessed start to a blessed week ahead.



Thanks to Kate and Stephen Broadhurst in their little slice of white heaven in the making in Huskisson Bay, south coast of NSW, Australia. This friendly and warm couple run Huskisson B&B along with their 2 cats and gorgeous dog.

11 feet high Dulux Antique White walls and ceilings, cathedral ceilings in bedrooms, light, light and more light. Airy to the nines and furnishings and decor edited to maintain a chic, simple and charming experience.

This is where we slept! Can you believe the beautiful leadlight??

Kate just informed me that she's also started a blog, Love in a B and B documenting her renovations from what sounds like a drab place to this sunwashed home. As we get to know each other, we find that there are so many things we both enjoy and crave (we have mainly gas-bagged about home decor and homes haha).

Make sure you check out her blog for promised photos of the still ongoing transformation of this elegant ol' lady!
She promises to show more photos (esp before and after and possibly during) of her home so I shall refrain. There are some great shots on the Bed and breakfast website that you'd do well to check out!

Ooooohhh!

The woman loves vintage mirrors too! Kate dots her dreamy palace with these beautiful art deco mirrors, some frosted, some coloured, all divine.

Suddenly I have more than mere photos in my imagefile to show my husband of my desire to collect vintage mirrors - I have an actual place to show him! I really have to start my own collection...

More about that in a post soon... :)

Photos taken from Huskisson B&B since I forgot to pack my camera cable.

Fun photo-self portrait of suitcase artist and her friend

The suitcase artist got her own bill board!

Yesterday while on facebook I uploaded a new , well it was an old pic of me because I was considering changing my profile pic. I choose one that was black and white of me while I was n Mexico, I always thought it had a vintage feel, like I was the typical 50s tourist, My friend and artist Victoria Pandora quickly but on my wall this art worked photo version of it. Then a few days later she created the image that you see on top, I have made it my desktop background. I have dreams that the realities created by Victoria Pandora are alternative and attainable .

Catherine Reinke Suitcase artist photo by Victoria Pandora

Here is am image that her husband made for her, she is elegant magical and saves the world each and every day . I love her . We have been friends for years, in fact we lived together as co-families while in Sedona Arizona during some very trying times for myself . It was fact that brought us together. I had signed up for a REIKI class, I wanted to get my mastership in one of the most notable alternative health centers in the USA, we were looking for affordable room and board and came across Victoria's room for rent. Our children , her two girls and mine , hit it off.

These are two other works she made for me, my husband and I and my first born daughter Cassy when she was 6

A year and half later we moved with our Winnebago from Wisconsin and parked in her driveway and lived there for about a year before finding our own place.  Victoria, then as now, is an artist, in fact it is she whom I first learned the fine art of decoupage from. I tried my hand at it while there, and found myself clumsy at best. She created beautiful breathtaking furniture, musical instruments and stained glass. Victoria s work can be found at her newly opened etsy store here

The Goddess Victoria Pandora

vintage recycled circus tribute to the Shriner Circus

My newest work, adding vintage doll parts