Dia De Los Awesome

Holy Crap Saturday night was great!

It was a semi impromptu party event Jesse and I attended. A day of the dead themed pop up club. This group who puts it on does other themed nights as well, there is another party coming up called Shore Leave and it's nautical themed (Oh I hope someone actually comes dressed up as Shore Leave from GIJOE though). I don't know all the details. So if someone knows the full info let me know!

It wasn't too traditional mind you, mostly people dressed up semi gothy with sugar skull face paint. But it was one hell of an evening.

There was a face painting booth in case you forgot to do your own makeup.

There were some charleston dancers, a fire dancer, a contortionist, and Nosferatu was playing on the wall above the stage.

Even a pinata filled with "guts".

I think the major reason this all worked out was the fact that we barely even remebered that this was happening this weekend, which in turn made me not over think things too much.

But I ended up having the perfect outfit for the night and it was awesome.

I even made extra paper flowers with a little homemade business card attached the the stem. There is no harm in pimping myself a little while having fun.

I've had friends show me how to make these before but I researched a little bit just to be sure. This tutorial was the best I found. They're so easy!

Ooh Ooh!

I apologize for the crappy pictures but I really think it's so cute.

Unfortunately it was not my idea.

My friend Lori asked me if I could make a custom item for her.

Great idea! Dang it. 8)

Love and Polka Dots

~Valiant V

Mid-Week Mayhem!!!

Ok I haven't gotten a catchy name for this weekly segment yet. But I just started it so gimme a break.

I've decided to start interviewing artistic, creative people, so that you may know, how awesome they are...because you should.

First up is Chase!

She's a super crafty lady with more talents in her little pinky than in my entire body. Seriously I think she is the most highly skilled person I know, her hobbyist ways know no bounds.

Can you remember your first craft project?

Barely. I don't remember doing it but my mom keeps everything so I have seen my first drawing, collage, etc. My mother and grandmother are both artists and my mom made sure art was a big part of my life growing up. The moment I was old enough to hold a crayon I was given free reign to do whatever I wanted except draw on the walls. My grandmother's medium was collage so after crayons I moved on to that, and we were always making toys and decorations from recycled materials from around the house. And my first sewing project was when I was, I dunno, maybe six, and it was a heart-shaped pincushion with a felt heart center that I embroidered with a C. I still use it.

I know you love Zombies, but would you really want to become one?

Yes, actually. I have an immense fear of my own mortality so the thought of sticking around as long as possible, even as a flesheating ghoul, appeals to some part of me. Not that I want to eat people and make a mess of things though. I would be fine with the voodoo version of an undead slave with a little sentience left. But mostly I like zombies just because the movies are cool, the games are fun, and there is usually a strong female hero in them kicking ass and I want to be that chick. But just in case I fail at that, I wouldn't mind being a zombie.

Do your hobbies ever get in the way of your work? Or vice versa?

Nooo, never! (Okay, maybe a bit.) Actually, when it is really slow at work I can bring my knitting, etc. But I have not had a slow day in a while. More often my job gets in the way of my crafting. I have a really long commute where I can knit, but I end up getting home at eight and I am usually so tired I cannot do much. And to make it worse, everything is closed by the time I get home so I have to spend my days off running errands which distracts me from my crafting. I would love to cut back to 4 days a week at work and just do more at home, but since I am the manager now it will not happen for a long time.

Have you ever had absolutely no desire to make anything at one point? If so, did you do anything to get outta that funk?

I do not think I have ever lost the desire to make things, but I have most definitely lost the will to get my butt in gear. For almost a year after I had a big breakup and moved into a new place I just wanted so much to sew or make jewelry, but I could never summon the energy to do any of it. Then one day I just kind of snapped out of it, must have been time to move on I guess.

In your opinion, which is the hottest United States president ever?

Grant. I just looked at the place mat we have at the toy store with all of them on it, since I never really thought about it before. Obama comes in at a close second mostly because he plays with light sabers.

Any projects you're working on now?

Besides the gigantic Me-Made-May handmade clothing challenge**? Where do I start... Organic cotton shopping bags, elephant plushies, quilts, it never ends. I have never not had a project in the works!

**At the moment Chase is challenging her self to wear only clothing she has MADE for a month! And she's been on a crafty role and is ready to share her creations with us soon. But first, a sale to make room! Out with the awesome, in with the awesomer.

Thanks for the fun interview Chase!

Love and Sexy Dead Presidents

~Valiant V

Clothes Experiment

Stripes are very in right now. And I being the fashionable one already have a striped shirt for the season....AND then I shrunk it. Damn it!

And now I have no money to git me some more trendiness.

So I took matters into my own hands and created my own striped awesomeness.

I had some clear tape that attached very well to an old v neck undershirt.

When I ripped off the pieces the edges were very clean.

And some leftover black fabric paint from another project.

Now I know it looks a little funky but I'm touching it up and adjusting a few things.

I'll post pictures of the finished product when I wear it.

Love and DIY

~Valiant V

New Project: Jewelry?

I don't know. It was an idea I've had for a while but wasn't sure about it. I like the first try.

Denim and gold are a good combination. It was a pain in the aeeiiiasss to work with the chain part though. And the boob shot won't hurt trying to sell it either.

I Rack Diciprine. But I made a sandwich. eh?

So this is the second day of me sleeping way too late. And being fairly unproductive and not going anywhere. So I thought I'd perk up a bit and post a recipe entry.

It's from a favorite book I randomly discovered in a used bookstore in Oakland, CA.

The Pooh Cook Book's: Radish Sandwiches with Bread and Butter Prickles.

I love radishes.

The recipe basically calls you to grate some,

add some mayo (made from scratch for the first time!)

and spread that onto a piece of bread or cracker and top with "prickles" or pickles cut into thorn shapes.

With the pickles, and fairly watery first try mayo, it kind of tasted like KFC coleslaw actually. It gave me the idea to make a shreddy slaw with my grater. For someone's bbq later or something.

Love and Prickles,

~Valiant V

Berlin in May

This last weekend was great. Jesse describes it in better detail. The travel time was very quick and easy, despite the transfer from train to plane to bus in one evening.

Upon arrival (12:30am mind you) our gracious host Mary whisked us away to a back room club called Schwuz. There were three rooms filled with hedonistic goings on. Scream Club and the Electrosexual were performing that night.

We danced the night away. I believe we stayed up until about 5am. Came out of the club with daylight starting to show and birds chirping.

After a bit of snoozin came Prater Garten. A lovely place that's usually packed during the season (we were a little early), we were also too early in the day for the restaurant but not for the concession stand. They know that the bun is merely to keep your hands mustard free.

Best. Sausage. Ever.

We went to a lot of underground places. Literally. Kliene Riese was one such place. Owned by some lovely Irish fellas. One in particular, Carl, was awesome enough to talk to us losers who showed up like two hours before the action all started.

Sunday was a clothes swap event that Mary hosted. A really good idea actually. She was moving into her new place and had all these extra clothes that she didn't wear that often. What better way to get friends together and enjoy the outdoors too?

Jesse trying on a few things. The weather could have not been better, starting out at least.

There were parks everywhere! And art and monuments in said parks everywhere. Such a nice balance of forest and city in Berlin.

There were "pieces" of the Berlin wall for sale in a gift shop we walked by. The pieces looked individually hand painted actually.

Club Der Visionaere. This was a lovely place we went to Sunday evening, kind of a precursor to our night out. You can lounge and drink and talk and eat pizza. So relaxing and great to just buoy about on the barges.

We ended that night with a giant art show in what can be best described as gutted out university buildings. It was awesome and OF COURSE my camera battery dies early that day.

There were so many more things that we saw and did while there that would be too much to describe now. But maybe I will add more entries to this later. And there will for sure be another trip here, hopefully in warmer weather so that we can enjoy a few special places we didn't get to.

Berlin-ing Points:

*The night doesn't really start until 11:00pm. And it is very easy to find things to do all night.

*Bring an eye mask to sleep with to counter the sunlight you experience after said night out.

*If you learn the basics in language and smile and you will find a lot of nice people willing to practice their english speaking skills on you.

*One way to make a friend, have rolling papers on you, everyone rolls their own cigarettes!

Love and Recovering

~Valiant V

It Has Been Decided...Berlin!

Its the home of chess boxing and roof golfing?

We're off to visit my friend and apparently not sleep. I am so excited and I will try to take as may pictures of the mayhem as I can. In the mean time here are a few things you can do while you wait for me to post them.

*If you're in London and love to watch men shakin their booty. Thanks Londonist!

*Make beautiful music without even trying. It's so FUN and ADDICTING.

*Try a daring new recipe. Will it be yummy or yucky?

*Do you have a gps and good shoes? Who wants to be a treasure hunter this weekend?

Liebe und Ferien!

~Valiant V

Upcoming Events

So Jesse has a long weekend away from work coming up and we want to go away some where. But with crazy volcanos and unpredictable weather we're still not decided on where the best place would be. Jesse had the great idea of just packing up and heading to the train station to see what's available. I don't think I have ever attempted to try a surprise vacation. How would you even begin to pack for one?

Polyvore helped me figure it out. Well more like created a wishlist wardrobe for the next trip.

Gawd I would love a leather jacket with the slouchy front like that. And granted this is not including tights or any scarves or hats that would be needed for colder weather.

What would you pack if you had no idea where you were going for the weekend?

Love and Surprises,

~Valiant V

Shop Update

Thanks to the photographing styles of Jesse and the awesome British backyard backdrop I have great images of some new shop items.

And as soon as I posted the red felt bow it sold! Things are lookin up.

Love and Check Out My Shop,

~Valiant V