Operation Spygirl II: The Sushi Files

You may have already heard about the big international meet-up of B.L.O.G. (Blog Ladies' Organization for Good) - maybe you were there. It was held in Vancouver, BC, and agents came from all points of the US and Europe. They were some of the big wigs, too - literally. Although there may have been classified meetings held in hotel rooms and thrift shops, the conclave was not top-secret. You can read about it all over the interwebs, for Pete's sake, and I suggest you do.

I was not able to make it because I was assigned to an important mission here in Oregon that required my surveillance. It wasn't top-secret, either. It was the Premiere Party of a documentary made by myself and my agent partner, highlighting some local musicians who are spreading goodness in our local area.

You are now able to watch it yourself on YouTube - unclassified - although your computer will self-destruct five seconds after you reach the end of the program.

While I was on alert here in a garage, and all the major B.L.O.G.gers were living it up in Vancouver, Agent AMB made contact and requested a private meet-up when she was en route to her home base. I was happy to oblige. I had met Agent AMB once before and found her to be professional and discreet. This time she let down her cover a little bit.

I think she was experiencing an afterglow from the successful conclave in Vancouver. She shared a few details with me, although she did not tell me anything I was not cleared to hear. Damn.

After consuming lots of sushi at a ridiculously low price, we took the obligatory facial recognition selfies, made sure Anne had enough fuel (coffee) for her long drive, and we once again said goodbye. Her visit was too short, but duty called. She was carrying important biscuits to Agent Severo, and they had to be delivered before they turned stale.

It was a pleasure to meet Anne again - I mean, look at that smile! She's adorable! Am I jealous that Agent AMB was able to schmooze with the movers and shakers of our organization, eating, drinking, shopping and gabbing in a beautiful city? Hellz yeah! But I am enjoying reading the accounts of so many other agents who were at the event. I know there will be future events, and my goal is to attend one somewhere, sometime, wherever I may be posted.

Val

PS - I'm going to link up with 52-Pick-me-up at Spy Girl - the theme this week is Raspberry/Perfection/Friendship, so I'm going to throw in this gorgeous rose that I saw when I rode my bike home after meeting Anne. It sort of smelled like raspberries, it looks like perfection, and I had just had lunch with a friend!

World Premiere!

Way back in February I told you about a documentary Mr. S and I were making about local musicians. It's called South of 45, and it's finally going to be on TV! Woohooo!

But you have to be in Oregon to see it, or at least somewhere you can tune in to Oregon Public Broadcasting. It'll be on Sunday, July 26, at 8PM on OPB Plus.

We are pretty excited, and we'll be hosting a premiere party for the musicians and crew who all gave us their time and talent. It's a damn good show! I'll let you know if it gets wider release so everyone can see it.

For those of you headed to the Blogger Meet-up of the Century, I know you are going to rock Vancouver! I can't wait to see pictures (and get the inside scoop from Anne when she meets me for lunch on her way home).

Val

I can keep this up as long as you can

Is it hot where you are? Yeah?

Is it topping 90 degrees every day for over two weeks? Oh, it is, huh.

Did you have a major fire of a historic baseball stadium? Now, come on, you did not!

Did you have an EARTHQUAKE? No, I didn't think so. We did. Didn't even scare me. Maybe because I didn't feel it. Just heard something fall, I think, while I was in the shower. Mr. S said the whole house shook, but I just didn't feel it.

Now that you know just how much we're putting up with here in Oregonia, I want to say Happy Independence Day to my fellow Americans! Here's a little red, white and blue trifle to go with the spirit of the day.

What's more American these days than a mini Day of the Dead shrine inspired by Mexican culture?

I finished three shrines. Here's another one -

And this one -

I'm probably going to become known as the Altoid tin lady. Maybe that's okay - there's something compelling about these little metal boxes.

These are for sale, by the way - $38 includes shipping in the US. Email me if you're interested!

Have a safe and sane holiday if you're American, like Macklemore and me!

Val

Life in Progress

Hello, all! That is, if anyone is still out there. I'm a haphazard blogger lately, and even worse at visiting and commenting on other blogs. But I persist in wanting to share my little handiworks, so I hope you'll be patient and indulge me a little.

Since I posted here about my mini Day of the Dead shrine I was able to sell it, and now I'm working on some more. If I can sell them here, who needs Etsy? Me and PayPal get along just fine.

These are the doors to the three new shrines I'm working on.

I decided to use beads to suggest stained glass or mosaic.

In spite of sunny weather and binge-watching The Returned (the French version - have you seen it? Very intriguing and compelling.) I also got some work done on the interior details.



The tiny picture frame on this one is just a small silver-tone charm, but I painted it to add a little south-of-the-border color.

I really got caught up in details and before I knew it, it was 6:00 and time for wine!

The people in the little frames are from a very old photo of my grandfather (bottom left) and his 14 siblings! It was taken in Denmark before 10 of them emigrated with their mother after their father died. The brother in the photograph at the bottom had already emigrated.

my family, my copyright - please don't reuse

I try to use all my own photos in any craft work I do, and having some old family photos scanned has been really handy.

Hope you're all well and enjoying Midsummer - Happy Solstice!

Val

Generation

Ladies, you are all so wise! I do appreciate your comments on my last post about my work dilemma. You didn't let me off the hook. Of course, I was hoping you'd all say, Forget the job! Do your art! Live life on the edge!

But you didn't.

You basically told me to be sensible and try to earn some money while I can. Which is wise. I realize I was just completely drained from sleepless nights and stress at work, and was having some bad days. I put in my application for the open position and will wait and see what happens.

In the meantime, we have a teenager in the house. What an experience! I never had kids of my own, and I became a grandmother after only four years of marriage. And now that baby is almost 15, wearing way too much make-up and traveling on her own.

When she was here four years ago with her mum, she met my neighbor's "granddaughter" and they became friends in the span of a few hours. They kept in touch via Facebook, and now have spent the last three days together going to school and camping! I'm so glad she's having a good time with someone her own age, and I'm so glad she's expanding her horizons and seeing what potential the world holds for her.

Since we ended up having the weekend to ourselves, Mr. S and I have been gardening. Not our favorite passtime. One honeysuckle is full of aphids, so I had to cut off a lot of the blossoms. But, the other one is just starting to bloom, and smelling heavenly!

There are snails everywhere.

That's a snail on his belly, not an outie.

Or rather, there were until I relocated a couple dozen of them to the park across the street. Is that wrong?

Tiny, tiny flowers - I love these because they choke the weeds!

Okay, that's enough excitement for now. Time to sit outside with my book and take it easy. Enjoy!

Val

Dilemma Horns

 Oh, what to do, what to do?

You know I've been working on a long-term, temporary job. It's not exciting, but it is a job. It's helping to ensure that I will be able to own a car in retirement - at least for a year or two. After losing a good job last year, any extra money now translates to our level of future comfort.

Besides my temporary work, I've done some freelance editing on the side. Not a lot, but I need time to develop it. I'd also like the time to work on my crafts and set up an Etsy shop (more on that in a minute). Both those strands would be under my control, would not require going to an office, and would be possible to do even in my late 60s or early 70s, if necessary.

So... there's a permanent job available at the place I'm working. It would be full-time, as now, but would obviously pay better and include benefits. It would mean continuing to go in to an office five days a week. Now, I have to mention that the office is over-heated. Seriously, the thermostats in the office read between 76 and 78 degrees! Who does that? I'm menopausal, I have a fan running all day, and it's just too hot.

That may sound minor, but it's a comfort factor. Also, sitting at a computer all day takes its toll on my back, hips and waistline (my home office is set up so I can either stand or sit).

Do I play it safe and apply for a predictable income? Or do I try again to establish my own business(es) and continue to pay for health insurance on my own? It's a tough one.

I hope to get Etsy set up in June, after beautiful granddaughter has visited (we pick her up at the airport tomorrow!). Here's my most recent creation - a Day of the Dead shrine, which will be part of a series.

I think I'm done, but then again, I think it needs a little more gaud (you know, to be more gaudy).

He who lives with hope, dies happy.

Go on, my wise friends - hit me with your opinions on the job dilemma, and also let me know what you think about the little shrine.

Oh, and here's me on Mother's Day (with my niece) wearing a recently thrifted dress. It buttons down the front, but it's too tight on the hips so I wear it as a duster.

I had just dropped a bunch of cookies in the whipped cream - yum!


I'm linking up my creamy cookie faux pas with Visible Monday!

Val

Dusting

Whew, it's a bit dusty here at Muse Fondue blog. At least virtual dust is, well, not real, so I'm not sneezing or having to do any actual cleaning. And I don't know how many visitors I'll have after going into seclusion for so long, so I haven't made any cookies or coffee. I guess I'm just a poor hostess lately, and an even poorer guest.

I do hope everyone is doing well! I plan to look through some blogs again at some point, but I've kind of got out of the habit. I'm working full time and preparing for a visit from our granddaughter and doing craftist things and reading and enjoying the sunshine. Online I mostly look through art pages on Facebook since I have a short attention span.

So can I show you what I've been working on? I really wanted to do some collages and try something different from the mini dioramas, but then someone gave me a bushel basket full of tins, so what could I do?

I'm working on a shrine, a Day of the Dead kind of thing - I can't wait to actually get things glued in on the little shelves!

Mini votive candles made from a plastic straw and tiny pictures from a book.

More little candles and tiny marigolds.

Pequeno pan de muerta made from polymer clay, and painted. Don't they look, um, delicious?

And here's the door before it was glued down, and the papers that went inside. I'll show you some more pictures when it's finished. Then I'm thinking about dusting off my Etsy shop and trying to earn enough money to pay for more supplies - and a shed studio. Sigh.

You may have noticed that this blog has pretty much made the leap from silver-hair style blog to craft blog. I guess I'm just fickle that way, but I think this is a better fit for me. I hope you'll keep visiting!

Val