Nippleicious!

I've had a very busy week! I've had birthdays and anniversaries and parties and out of town visitors! Oh my! But that also means I have awesome things to write about this week.
Wednesday was my big 3-0 birthday! I had not been stressing or worrying about "no longer being in my 20's" even though I think that's what the mainstream media wants you to believe. I think there's a certain grace and elegance to aging. And I was certainly sick of hearing "you're ONLY in your twenties?" I dunno. I think a certain amount of credibility goes with you when you've got wisdom and experience (aka age).
Despite not being very worried about my big day, I didn't want a giant birthday, so I opted for my usual wednesday night karaoke, and invited friends and family (and strangers) to come out and help me ring in my new age. It was wonderful. Lots of people I love showed up, and I got some amazing home made gifts! Two gifts stood out, and they're the subject of this post:
Nipple Tassels.
What is it about getting older and wiser? I've always been very secure with myself and I like to think I'm fairly confident, so it was hilarious to get not one but THREE pair of nipple tassels! Hooray for older, sexy and confident women! Of course, these were to go with my new fuzzy, glittery merkin that was a present from Amy. (please go to her blog at http://themadstamper.blogspot.com/ I have learned a lot from Amy who I lovingly refer as my Craft Guru. She's awesome to the power of ten!)
She made set #1 of the nipple tassels. Hers were made with purple sequins with a border of pink sequins glued to fabric shaped in a cone. Long white tassels dangling from the center complete the look. They match wonderfully my blue and green merkin she also made. (merkin is a public wig that became a fashion accessory for hookers in the 15th and 16th century. When a hooker had an STD, part of the treatment was shaving the pubic area, so if a potential customer realized she had no pubic hair, that was a tip off that she was 'dirty' so the wig was created so that the hooker wouldn't lose business after treatment. Now merkins are making a come back as "outerwear" for clubbing, and berlesque shows)
Set #2 was made by my sister Cindy, who although wasn't able to celebrate with me, she made some awesome nipple tassels. This pair, was created by forming foampaper into cones, and then gluing fine pink blue and copper glitter into a heart shaped pattern with copper colored tassels glued in the center.
Set #3 was given to me by Cindy, but made by her friend. These are very traditional pasties with gold sequins glued onto the foam cone, and red twisty tassels glued in the center. I love them all, and can't wait to try them out!

They're a quick and easy craft project! Adhere the tassels and merkin using eyelash glue, spirit glue or double sided tape, hold (hold firmly, but don't press too hard) while glue is drying (between 5 and 10 minutes) then shimmy and shake! I will get pictures up eventually of me modeling these wonderful creations, but until then, you can admire these pics.

Happy Mother's Day

This post may be coming just a tad too late, but I thought it would be fitting to write a little something for all the mothers out there. Happy Mother's Day. You are all appreciated, and all special to a lot of people. Even if sometimes you don't feel appreciated. You are.
I could write a long and gushy note about the power of motherhood, and how special moms are, but I think you all know it in your own special ways. So, to all the mothers, grandmothers, mother stand-ins, give yourself a pat on the back, and know that you have changed the lives of so many.

And being a mom myself, I couldn't be more proud of moms everywhere, and am honored to have so many in the ranks that have done so much. Happy Mother's Day!

Star Trek Beaded Bliss

I don't know if this counts as "art", or as "crafts" or both. Or does it even matter? American artist Devorah Sperber creates wonderful works of art using Star Trek as her subject matter. The sheer amount of work that goes into her pieces boggles the mind. Her works include beads strung on mono-fillament, pictures woven with chenille stems (or pipecleaners, in lay terms), spools of thread hung on wires, and then hung. Some require special viewing. I would like to explain, or describe her work, but no words I put to it seems adequate enough. Or maybe I'm just too high on Dayquil.
Check out her website, and especially the Star Trek link http://www.devorahsperber.com/ It's awe-inspiring for geeks and non-geeks alike.

Doesn't feel like May...

Today is May Day! Grab a ribbon and dance around the ol' Maypole! Traditionally it's the celebration of winter's end, but on this grey and wet day, I'm not so sure it's really over at all. We've had rain, sleet and snow this week, and the weather fortunetellers aren't sounding too optimistic. But, I love May Day partially because it signals the exact two week mark before my birthday. A birthday that I'm fairly excited about despite it being the big 3-0. What's the big deal about it anyway? The awkward teens are over, your insecure and partied out 20's are behind you, and when you're 30, you have things mostly together, you're secure, confident and it's when things really start to come together! So many exciting things are starting to happen to me and in my life, and I can' help but think experience has a lot to do with that. Besides if I got all upset at this birthday, how the heck am I gonna react to my 40's?? So while I'm not depressed about my birthday, I AM depressed about this weather. When are we gonna get some SUN?

May Day is steeped in many traditions. A primarily pagan celebration to mark the end of winter, christians "sanitized" the holiday after they brought Christianity to the pagans. But now it's sort of an excuse in much of the world not to work. Mostly Europe and Australia. It's become "Worker's Day" or "Labor Day" and celebrations range from Catholic Masses at midnight, to marathons, a drink-fest, a day honoring the monarchy, parades, feasts, and Scotland has a mass midnight skinny dip - which is totally awesome! You can even get lei'd in Hawaii for Lei Day. In France, young men give sprigs of Lily of the Valley to their romantic interests, who accept the flower with a kiss. That's a sort of romantic idea, especially because that flower is the official flower of May. Let's just not bring up that Lily of the Valley is traditionally used in funerals. M-kay?

So while we suckers have to work here in North America, let's not forget our pagan or christian roots, or if you're just looking for an excuse to miss work, drink, feast, kiss, get le'i'd, skinnydip, run around, or dance merrily around a pole - or all of the above - celebrate May Day if only to forget about this crappy weather, and to kick off the countdown to my birthday!