Walk With The Dogs Part II: A Veteran In Distress

I was still thinking about the wizard sighting as I stepped up onto the porch after my walk. Although the music was still blaring in my ears from my iPhone I heard someone calling me 'Miss, Miss, can you please help me a moment' he said. I looked over and saw an elderly gentleman in a motorized wheelchair trying to flag me down. I put the dogs in the house and walked over to him. He had said his wheelchair ran out of juice and could I get the charger from his apartment so that he could get back home. He lives at the old folk's high rise on the corner, Seneca Towers.

Seneca Towers

So I took his key and went to grab the charger. When I got back we hooked up his chair to the power at my house. So now we had plenty of time to talk while his chair powered up, and boy did we ever!! I learned some very strange facts about this bizarre man.

* His name is Avis, but goes by AJ or Al

* He is 70 years old and while his body may be deteriorating, be seemed sharp as a tack

* He has 9 children by 3 different women but has never been married. Two out of the three women are related (mother and daughter!) 

* Was a top ranking officer in Vietnam and took a bullet to the lung. They had to amputate the lung. (he has been on oxygen for decades)

* Has 13 sisters and 2 brothers, all but one sibling by the same father. 

*Was raised by his Portuguese stepfather who took him out to the woods one day to take the evil out of him by letting a rattlesnake slither over his foot.  

* He is part of the 'Blackfoot Tribe' and was raised in a cave up in the mountains of Georgia  

Those are just a few of the interesting tid bits this fellow shared with me. As nightfall approached, he found that the chair was charged enough to get him home, so after a handshake and a goodbye, he rolled down the driveway and was gone. 

A Walk With The Dogs Part 1: St. Paul Wizard Sighting

Yesterday I had a few weird things happen to me, both on my walk with the dogs. As I was crossing the Veteran's Bridge when none other than the St. Paul Wizard past right by me going in the opposite direction. Who is the St. Paul Wizard you ask? He is this guy, that I have only seen one other time in the 10 years I have lived in the area, and I was starting to think I had made that experience up in my head because it seemed too weird to be real.
Anyways, last summer I was walking the dogs and I saw what looked like a cream colored squirrel without a tail, or it could have been a rabbit without long ears. Your guess is as good as mine. So as I stared and watched the strange animal disappear into the brush, behind me I heard a voice say something like "kinda strange, aint it?"

The squabbit looked something like this

I looked over and my mouth dropped open, what I saw was WAY more odd than an half rabbit half squirrel hybrid. It was an older man with a long white beard, wearing a black cape over his brown cords and a black shirt. This man also held a peculiar wooden walking stick that could pass for a staff.

similar wizard staff

The man and I talked for a moment about the kooky mammal that we just saw and then he was on his way.  If I hadn't known better, I would have thought that someone had dosed me with LSD or something. The whole scene was abnormal.

Fast forward to yesterday. I saw the St Paul Wizard again, and in the same vicinity that I saw him the first time! This time he was pushing a shopping cart full of bottles and other odds and ends. He still had the cape and the long beard, but now was wearing Birkenstocks and had a 2 foot long corn cob pipe sticking out of his mouth. I SWEAR! If I would have not been so stunned to see him again I would have maybe had half a mind to take a picture of this fellow. Ah, maybe next time...

Part 2 tomorrow, a Veteran in distress

Word Of The Week and This Weekend's Event

This weekend you can find me at the:

First Annual 'Springtime in Canandaigua' craft show

When: Friday April 27th 1-7pm

           Saturday April 28th 10am-5pm

           Sunday April 29th 10am-5pm

Where: Canandaigua Civic Center

            250 North Bloomfield Road

            Canandaigua,NY 14424

View Larger Map

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Word of the Week

This week's 'WOTW' is Tulips 

How to get your discount: 

In person - mention this word when you see me at Springtime in Canandaigua this weekend and get $5 off of your $25 or more purchase and $3 under $25 

Online - enter the word of the week in as a discount code at check-out to get $4 off of your total purchase at www.sunshynesilverwear.com 

offer expires 4/30/12

Long StRaNgE trip: Part III

According to my friend Toddy, the Oakdale Theater in Wallingford,CT is one of the best places to have an indoor concert. After the Furthur show there on 4/7/12, I wholeheartedly agree.

This seemingly mild mannered venue is home to some of the
most rockin'  shows I have ever experienced

I drove into Wallingford,CT around 2pm and I stopped at a gas station about a block from the venue to fill up when I heard a familiar sound coming from an abandoned parking lot next door. I drove over to check it out and sure enough it was about 15 other vendors  hanging out blasting some Grateful Dead while they waited for the venue lot to open at 4. I ended up running into a vendor friend of mine who sells pulled pork on lot so we got to catch up for a while.
The lots ended up opening an hour early. And this is just one of the many reasons why the Oakdale ROCKS: As we drove in, they asked us if we were vending or not and gave all of the vendors prime time parking and let the scene rage all day with no hassles. I was having such an amazing time talking to people and running into friends I haven't seen in months that I didn't even realize how much money I was making. I ended up making enough to support me the rest of the tour!!

Oakdale Lot

 I had spent the whole day with Billy, my friend that sells the pork sandwiches, and he had told me that he did not have a ticket yet. That posed a problem because the WHOLE TOUR has been sold out for months!! So when it was time to pack up, Billy had still not found a ticket. I promised him I would look on my way in. About 10 feet away from our spot, I saw another vendor that I had a long conversation with in Boston. I stopped to ask him how he did that day and as we got to talking, he told me that he had an extra for that night's show! I couldn't believe my luck! So Billy bought the ticket and we went in.

The beautiful sunset as we were walking towards the
venue. This pic just does not do it justice. 

The line was a little slow getting in and I ended up missing the first song. :( But not long after I was there I ran into my Connecticut friends and we chilled the rest of the night.

To say the least, the show was stellar, and what made everything so much better, was that the staff was SO cool. They were friendly and let you dance in the isles. No hassles that night, it's great when they just let you be. I danced in the isle with friends from Connecticut, Ithaca and NYC. Even ran into some new friends I had made out in the parking lot that day. Everywhere I turned there was a happy or familiar face.  I knew I was just where I was supposed to be. And the song choices where out of this world. It could not have been better even if I wrote the set list myself.
After the show I half-assed tried to sell necklaces. At that point I was way more into socializing than selling. I did make $10 though!
Security let the scene rage on even after I left the venue. I had a 45 min drive to a friend's house ahead of me and I was already getting tired.
When I showed up at my friend Mikey's, it was a mad house! There were about 8 or 9 people staying there and a couple of dogs running around the house. Most folks stayed up partying until the wee hours, but I had a long trip ahead of me early in the morning so I went to bed.
I'm pretty sure I fell asleep that night with a smile on my face. For me, a day doesn't get much better when you have been surrounded by good people, close friends and great music.
Up next: 4 shows at the Beacon Theater in NYC and a spoon hunt road trip!

Long StRaNgE Trip: Part II

So, on Saturday April 6th, I found my self  'on lot' around 4pm. Parked in the same parking spot as the day before, but all the vendors were set up on the sidewalk instead of in the lot. I asked a fellow vendor what was up and he told me that the lot attendants were not letting us vend there again because of the mess that was made the night before.

NOTE: Just for the record, 90% of the folks that vend (like me) to make enough money to get from one show to the next are responsible with their trash (and in general). In fact most of us carry around garbage bags and hand them out to vendors that forgot theirs. Those of us that are part of the vending community, we look after one another when we can and try to make sure the 'scene is clean'. On day 2 in Boston, the crazy mess was from the careless Nitrous Mafia. Thousands of balloons were left on the ground by careless folks after the show. This had nothing to do with the vendors, but unfortunately, this is not the first time we have been blamed for the NM's greed and carelessness. 

Anywhoo, I found a good spot on the street and started to vend. Surprisingly, the scene was still decent and I had already made enough money to cover my ticket for the show when the cops told us to break down. At that point I had to do it old school style and walk around with my necklaces hanging off of a dowel.
Surprisingly, I made about $20 more than the day before. Packed it in around 7:30pm and was in the venue a moment before the music started.
BTW, the Wang is BEAUTIFUL, checkout the foyer and the inside of the theater:

ceiling inside the theater

Wang Theater foyer

My Connecticut friends had gone home the night before, and my Rochester friends were near the back of the theater, so I found my seat (about 5th row left center) and boogied down in the isle for the first set. During set break, Katy found me and we gabbed until the second set began.

Set break with Katy

By second set, I was running out of steam. then after one of the mean Wang Theater ushers (AKA isle Nazis) grabbed my arm and said that if I didn't get to my seat ASAP, she was going to kick me out, (ME!? I was just dancing like the other 50 people in the isles!) I made my way to the balcony where I was sure to find more room and maybe even a seat to sit in.

I ended up in the highest corner of the balcony. My back was literally up against the rear wall. I watched the show from up there for the last 4 songs or so.      4/6/12 set list  

When the encore came on, I bolted back to the car. I was ready for a good nights sleep on a comfy couch. Thankfully I had the spare keys to the apartment, so I let myself in and in 20 minutes I was fast asleep only to be woken up by the LOUDEST snoring of all time, at about 3am. (one of the hazards of touring with a group of people) 

So needless to say, I slept the next couple hours in the bathroom. I NEEDED to get at LEAST 2 closed doors between me and the bandsaw. 

I was the first to wake at 7am so I  took a shower and packed my things. After a fun breakfast with everyone, by noon I was on the road to Wallingford,CT.  The BEST show of the tour!

Long StRaNgE Trip: Part 1

Wow! Took about 2 whole days to recover from my road trip. For those of you that don't know, I went "on tour" with Furthur and saw 7 shows in 10 days. I left Rochester at about 9am on 4/5/12 and caravaned  to Boston with my friends Katy and Kyle.

On the Mass Pike, finally. 

Once we got into Boston, I was on my own to find the venue because Katy and Kyle headed off to hang out with some friends. Thanks to my trusty GPS, I got there with no problem, despite Boston's wonky roads.
Day one of the two show run at the Wang Theater, and it was a bright and sunny (almost warm!) day. I found a $20 prime paring spot with all the other tour vendors about a half block from the venue. Perfect!!

Beantown, here I come! 

The parking attendant was super cool and let us vend in the lot. By 5pm, that place was hopping! Ended up making just enough to cover my ticket to the show, tolls and parking. I consider that a WIN! I went into the show right at showtime (7:30pm) and they took the stage about 5 minutes after. As I was walking up the isle, I ran into my friends from Connecticut, and that's where I spent the rest of the show, and what a stellar show it was!! (here is the set list) 

Furthur Boston: Night 1 

After the show, it was a wild, chaotic scene. I usually don't sell my wares after because at that point most people are not looking to spend their money on a necklace.  If I really work hard at it, I might make $20-$40 in the hour/hour and a half after the show, but at most venues, it doesn't take long for the cops to start moving people along (especially in a big city like Boston) Plus I was tired as hall after a long day of driving, selling, and dancing. I just wanted a place to lay my head. 

The original plan was to stay at my friend Katy's brother's house. Unfortunately, due to bad timing and miss-communication, I ended up having to sleep in my car outside her brother's apartment in Jamaica Plain. 

my 2008 Fit

Being on the road, plans change all the time so I was well prepared for this scenario.  This is not my first rodeo, I had built a comfy bed in the back of my Honda fit, and with the heat on low, I slept pretty good that night. 

The inside of a Honda Fit with the seats folded down

Believe it or not, I can actually stretch all the way out in the back. (Part of the requirement for purchasing the car was a flat back area with no lumps or bumps from the folded down seats. I actually laid down in the back of the showroom floor car to test it out. The Toyota Yaris failed that test miserably)
In the morning I got myself a nice french toast breakfast and listened to the locals in the booth behind me talk about some 'wicked good' sports game.
I ended up meeting my friends a short time after, took a nice hot shower and a nap, then it was off to day 2 at the Wang....

This Weekend's Craft Show: IGS + Word of the Week!

I am VERY excited to participate in another IGS (Indie Garage Sale) show in Utica,NY this weekend. IGS is a two day indie craft show extravaganza held at Union Station, 321 Main Street Utica.

Why do I love the Indie Garage Sale so much? First and foremost, they have the BEST selection of unique arts and crafts around. I am always amazed at the never-ending creativity of the selected vendors. Here are just a few of the talented artist's creations you will find at IGS this year:

Dirty Ass Soaps

Yes! This IS soap! 

Dirty Ass Soaps make a WIDE range of vegan soaps that look just like food you would find in your cupboard.  A lot of them even smell like the foods they represent. (bacon scented soap, why not!!) They also make a wide range of suds that are in the shape and texture of many items you might find around the house, like a game console controller or false teeth, lol. I can't wait to see what the folks at DAS have created this year!

What's Olivia Wearing

Part of the 'Art and Found' 2012 summer collection 

What's Olivia Wearing is a clothing shop filled with an array of stunning knitted apparel. You will find items from amazing hats like the one pictured, to swimwear, ponchos and more! These one of a kind items are sure to be the jewel of anyone's wardrobe. 

Fly Rabbit Press

Fly Rabbit Press is a letterpress company from Rochester,NY run by Chris Charles. Chris specializes in a variety of 'letterpress goodies.' You can find cards, prints, posters, stationary and coasters! She also has a really fun and informative blog where you can see all of her new prints and creative experiments. Check it out here! 

So as you can see, this is definitely NOT your grandma's craft show. Come down to Utica this weekend to see me and a wide range of other talented artists displaying their wares.

SHOW INFO: 

Where: 321 Main Street Utica,NY (click for map) 

When: April 21 and 22 11am-6pm 

Why: because it it the coolest show east of Rochester!!! 

WORD OF THE WEEK

This weekends 'WOTW' is Indie Art. Get $4 off of your online (www.sunshynesilverwear.com) order by entering coupon code 'indieart' in at check out, or mention the WOTW at the show this weekend and get $5 off of your $25 or more purchase and $3 if your purchase is under $25.
expires 4/23/2012

See ya there!!! 

Big Bummer

Hi everybody!! I just got back from an amazing road trip to Boston, MA, Wallingford,CT and good ol' NYC (blog post to come) I gotta say it was really nice sleeping in my own bed after 10 days of sleeping on a couch (and in my car!!) 

I also came home to a TON of mail. Sorting through, I noticed a letter from The Park Avenue Festival. Was this an acceptance or a rejection letter I wondered. So, hoping for the best, with shaky hands I held my breath while I tore open the envelope to read:     

definitely NOT an acceptance letter :( 

Needless to say I was very disappointed. And what a way to get a denial, a 'report card' of how awful they think you are WITHOUT any suggestions on how to improve.  Definitely did not do much for my self esteem. 

Last year I applied for the festival and also did not get in, (I got a 'score' of 27 out of 50 in 2011) but after a  string of coincidences, I ended up vending on Park Ave during the festival in front of Maxim Salon and Spa because I sell my wares there. (all business owners on Park Ave have the opportunity to vend in front of their shop) Last year I ROCKED that festival!! I can't tell you how many people raved that "it is so nice to see something different this year. I get sick of seeing the same booths year after year" 

Rocking the 'Ave' in 2011

Unfortunately, Maxim Salon is not participating in the Park Ave this year. 

Because this is what I do for a living, and Park Ave was 10% of my total income for the year, this is a pretty tough blow. 

The Eden Corn Fest is the same weekend as Park Ave, and it's far enough away that it wont be a conflict for festival goers. Maybe I will try that one. It is 2 days longer, so there is a good chance I'll do as well (or better!) in the 4 days in Eden as the 2 days here in Rochester.  Guess we will see...

Another Giveaway!!!

As most of you know by now, I am a huge fan of The Grateful Dead.  I would say that about 90% of the time spent in my studio making spoon pendants, I'm listening to The Dead on GDradio.net (radio station for Deadheads, run by Deadheads) 

I am also a member of their Facebook group. Each month the folks at GDradio do a free raffle. This month, one of my spoons is up for grabs!

Win this pendant!!

All you have to do is be a part of the GDradio group on Facebook and leave a creative comment under the raffle post. That's it!!!! (drawing is April 30th)

About the pendant:

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The classic 'steal your face' logo with the 13 point lightning bolt forever encased in a recycled grapefruit spoon. There is no mistaking what this image is when you are wearing it. The bright white background enhances the image that all deadheads know and love. This pendant is a MUST for the deadhead in your life.
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GDradio.net web site link 


 GDradio's Facebook Fanpage link 


link to pendant description on sunshynesilverwear.com 

My friend Mikey and I front row at Radio City last year

Bean Town!! Here I come!! 

Favorite Advice Given

Today on Danielle LaPorte's blog, she challenged us to think of our most favorite advice given. I think the one I remember the most comes from song lyrics. "We may loose and we may win, but we will never be here again"  (From the Eagles' 'Take it Easy')
To me, that phrase always meant that the most important time is NOW and to not take it for granted.

Any memorable advice that has stuck with you over the years? Feel free to share!

I have been waiting 6 long months for this!

The time is finally here! Furthur tour! If you are thinking to yourself, who or what the heck is Furthur tour, well I will let you in in it. Furthur is a rock band comprised of some of the remaining members of the Grateful Dead, and if you have never heard of the Grateful Dead, well, I feel bad for you ;)

courtesy of Jambase.com

If you don't know already, I am a HUGE fan of The Dead. In the last 14 years I have seen well over 200 shows blended of different band members. In fact, that's how I got my start selling jewelry. I bring my wares to the concert parking lot and hopefully make enough money for gas, tolls, hotel, and concert tickets. I love the nomadic life hopping from one city to another.  I have always had great experiences in meeting amazing people and seeing some beautiful things across this great land. And it starts all over again THIS THURSDAY!!

Show in Bethel,NY 2011

I am going to see 2 shows in Boston (Thursday and Friday) then on to Wallingford,CT (Saturday) Sunday is Easter and I'm going to spend it in Connecticut with friends. Then on to (at least) 4 shows out of the 8 shows at the Beacon Theater in good ol' NYC. (all of the Beacon Theater shows have been sold out since a moment after they went on sale, but by some amazing set of coincidences, I have lined up a few weekend tickets and hopefully made some lifelong friends in the process)

So, if you happen to be going to any of these shows, find me 'on lot' I would love to say hi. Or leave a comment below so I know who to look for! See ya on the road!! 

This video was taken by me at last year's Boston Furthur run. What an amazing time with friends and Phamily.