New Year...and New Fun stuff !

I am going to act like I have been present in Bloglandia all this past year....and just.... start...anew! Gonna try a 365 photo challenge on my insta account(user name :jungledreampagoda)! My created theme is "corners of my world" . My surroundings inspire me and I do adore a good vignette ...this one depicts a scene from my bookshelf.My Great Aunt Margarets' stallion TV lamp,vintage Caprice cards,Michael Chekovs'..."To The Actor",assorted Francesca Lia Block books....,and uhthuh(read in your best Blanche Dubois accent)tchotskes ! Happiest 2013 to ya'.

Oh table scape , Oh table scape, how ferocious are thy occupants. What up Bloglandia? Wishing you some merry!!

Happiest 2012 To Ya !

Happiest of New Years from my fam to yours...this is our families NOH8 photo ...shot by the amazing celebrity photographer Adam Bouska.
I have not forgotten that it is January and I promised a few goals for 2012! My hubs gave me a new desktop for Christmas and I am still futzing with and organizing it!

Soooooo...do my bloggy peeps have an Instagram yet? I highly recommend the addiction! You can view my pics(such as the above Franken-Docs) online here.
Follow me and I shall follow you back!

Peace On Earth and Vintage X-mas Candles

I have had a rather severe December disappearing act.
Oh those hectic holidays.....right?
Rather than rehash the decor(I shall always go overboard with Christmas decor...it's in my DNA).... I will share my latest holiday
table-scape!
I wish you all the deepest peace in the upcoming year and I plan on coming back to grade my 2011 goals.....and set some new ones later this week!
.....and I do hope your season was merry!

Ghosts Of Christmas Past!

Yes!!! A ghost..... like I have been the past couple of months!

Rather than bore you to tears with tales of how busy I have been...

I shall share pics from a not so long ago Christmas...

...when I shot some pics with a broken camera...
I do hope Santa brings all you wish this holiday season!
Perhaps I shall come back after the busy-ness slows and fill ya in on my own unique chaos!

It's A Monster High Christmas!

Getting the holly hauled out in all pertinent places at the Pagoda!
I always love to give my littlest petal some extra holiday "donning" for her dollies!!

Draculaura sings "Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree" !
Isn't there something sooooo "Josie and The Pussy Cats " about Clawdeen behind the drums?

Smallable and their Elegant On-line Advent

Have you heard of Smallable ?
It is an elegant French children's site that I highly recommend visiting.The photography and artwork is stunning.
This is last years advent...I ja'dore the mid century modern furniture used!

Check out their Christmas issue.

Here is a sneak peek of this years online advent calendar. Find it in its entirety here.
Happy December!

Well Hello There Christmas Season !

It's here !!!
Did I miss Thanxgiving? Nah.....I cooked yesterday and my decor was a bit of a re-tread of T-giving days past.
If you care to peek you can view my crazy turkey day takes here and here!




...but in the mean time it's time for....
Thrift-venturing......A List To Thrift By : Item #1:LP Cover Art and
Item #3:Vintage Holiday !!!!
I am dying over the hair and makeup of the "organ and Chimes cutie!!! This LP cover art will go nicely in the Odd little architectural nook!
The bottle brush tree is full of tiny vintage fruit and the 70's angel will go nicely with this collection...and I love the color , her little face and the sweet little bird she is holding! Not bad for a holiday spree for under 5 dollars!

The rest of my ..."To Be Thrifted" list.

Item #1:LP Cover Art

Item #2 :Overalls and 70's Shirts

Item #3:Vintage Holiday

Item #4: Vintage Sweaters

Item #5:Emilio Pucci

Totally 80's and the Science Fair Project

The Little Petal attended an 8o's birthday party this weekend.....it was so fun to see all the little girls....


...at their Cindy Lauper-est!
Good thing my little girl had fun on Saturday...cuz' Sunday....

...it was 'all hands on deck" to complete her science fair project.
I'm gonna rant here for a second....something I do not care to do in general.... and ESPECIALLY on my blog.
This was our 1st EVER science fair project.
When Ruby was in 3rd grade it was not required and in 4th she attended a TAG school that ask you to spend a Saturday at a local half-day science fair event for hands on experiments.
Though my 8 year old absolutely contributed to her project...including taking care of her plants over several weeks, keeping "data' on their growth, taking pictures(fab ones by the by)for the final poster,synthesizing her thoughts about the results after a discussion with dad....it felt like a project that was more a grade for her dad and I than for Noli. I now see why Ruby's TAG school did not do an individual assignment. An all day fair with several hands-on activities was more about the children learning and LESS about parents doing work for their kids.
At home projects have always been both a joy and a pain. I understand it is about providing a balance of parental leading and your child's input.I have to also fess up to "taking over" in the name of aesthetics.
Do any of you out there have thoughts on take home projects that are often too much for the young child to do on their own. How do you handle things?

Hipster Tee How To : by my Little Magnolia Blossom

My sweet little 8 year old loves to make videos with her dad.
She wants to create her own "fashion channel".
Go Noli!

Ruby Room Re-do : Done

Remember way back here when I was making plans for a room redecoration? Yeah....I barely remember it myself!

Well......2 shows later and I actually have a solid start.We are vintage lamp people here at The Pagoda...and you will find them in every room! I am adoring this giant piece that cost a whopping 6 bux!! We here at The Pagoda have also championed "clothing as art" more than once . This silk negligee does the job nicely and picks up the pale green in the vintage comforter (a 3 dollar thrift score!).
Tune in next week for the other side of the room (and another vintage lamp).
Happy Friday !

Thrift-venturing......A List To Thrift By : Item #5 , Emilio Pucci

Oh yeah...I hit the mother load!...and for HALF PRICE of 2.95 !

This is not the first time I have thrifted Pucci.You can see my rather extensive collection here.

Here's the story...I was actually standing in line to pay for the rest of my treasures ....when across a crowded line .....I saw an interesting sleeve poking out of a rack of blouses and tops. So what to do? Loose my place in line and investigate said sleeve? You betcha!
Honestly...I thought it had a vintage look....but as you Pucci aficionados can tell..it is not the typical geometry type print for their silk blouses. What prompted me to leave the line..was my hunch that it might be Hermes.For me Pucci is better. I shall glam it down a bit with my overalls...or maybe that's glam my overalls up a bit!

The rest of my ..."To Be Thrifted" list.

Item #1:LP Cover Art

Item #2 :Overalls and 70's Shirts

Item #3:Vintage Holiday

Item #4: Vintage Sweaters

Ghoulia Yelps and Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

My 8 year old is rockin' the Monster High resident "brain" ...Miss Ghoulia Yelps!!

Ah....My little Halloween work of art!

Big sissie is featured over at Modern Kiddo along with some other cramazingly creative H-ween 'stumes!!
I still find it so odd that the oldest always wanted to create her costumes from scratch and the little one wants a store bought 'stume.......I embrace the differences in my wonderful progeny!

Things are finally winding down a bit here at the Pagoda....I even found time let the little one carve pumpkins while mommy roasted the seeds.
MMMM...yummy....toss them with melted butter a touch of onion powder and salt.
Roast them for an hour at 300 degrees...so EZ ...so yummy!!
Happy Halloween!

A Glimmer of Light at the End of the Busy-Mommy Tunnel

Party with my old pal Lou Diamond Phillips ...check.


Spring Awakening closed?....Check!
Mommy seeing the light at the end of the tunnel?...just as soon as I get this acting class subbed today... I might just cook dinner again!

The Carol-Anne channel!!!

Thrifted Retro TV + Silver Spray Paint + Electrical Tape + Clever Inspiration from Crafts By Amanda = Best H-Ween craft ever!!!

See For yourself!

Halloween Table-scape

My Halloween table-scape is very politically correct. All monster-nicity's are represented(Hi Bella....say hi to Ed Wood for me!).
Busy-busy at the Pagoda ...but seeing a light at the end of the tunnel....who am I kidding....but this week I am going to try to take you along for the ride!

Still On Theatre and Still On The Past Colliding With the Future

Have I mentioned that my fam is busy? R and J has just closed and Spring Awakening opens this week. I just was ask to teach another acting class + I am subbing for the little petals musical theatre class!
......but...my big event is a special party I will be hostessing. A little soiree honoring and old friend of mine who has enjoyed quite a bit of success. Do you recognize him from the above photo? The party will be towards the end of October...and in the mean time I will be doing major home overhaul for party readiness!
Perhaps I can share some of my exciting party ideas along the way!

Thinking About The Future In The Past

In the theatre we enjoy giving opening night gifties.
Sure it can be flowers...but often...if it is a special role.... we look for something with a bit more meaning.

Why yes...I have been a thrifter from way the heck back.

Well....shortly after the hubs and I were married ...I was shopping at T-Towne ....one of my absolute fav-o-rite thrift stores of ALL TIME,when I came upon this cramazing silk vintage scarf.
I seem to recall it cost under a dollar( what I would pay + my newlywed budget was a lot less than today). I grabbed it immediately...thinking how I could give it to my daughter on opening night IF she ever did "R and J". Ofcourse I did not even HAVE a daughter yet...I would not even be expecting a child for about 2 years.
I put it in my rather immense vintage scarf stash and almost forgot about it till opening. I tore my house apart looking for it on opening night(it's still messy)...and found it!
Thrifted Kismet.

Of Child Rearing and Taxi Cab Driving

Sometimes I think being a Mommy is what I do best....and then I am reminded..I just *try* to do my best.
Just how did my little petal take a self-portrait in a Beastie Boys t-shirt?
See what I mean.
School has begun...and we are no where near in a routine yet.

Ruby is still kicking bootie with her Shakesperience.
Noli is back at dance and has more homework(busy work really) in 3rd grade than big sissy has as a Sophomore in high school.We could start swimming back for my littlest too....but at 3 days a week after school + dance + homework....when does she get to be a kid?
Mommy's.....if you are out there reading this...I would love some feedback.....Thoughts on NOT choosing to add swimming into the mix?
Should I re-think this?

....and before R and J ends....rehearsals for the regional premiere of Spring Awakening* begins for Ruby.


She will be the youngest cast member in a cast of really young kids.You can read about our Broadway Spring Awakening experience here.
Oh...and did I mention I am teaching acting at night now?
I truly am thankful for our busy schedule...but I want to try to be the best Mommy I can be all the while. The difference in the ages of my girls (15 and 8)often have me wondering if I am being a fair and balanced Mommy(15 year olds generally have a packed schedule)...but I always try and stress that we are a family and when one member is busy....we rally around and support...because soon enough another will be going full force.
Enjoy those lazy days while they are really little!!!!
*conceptual set rendering by Chris Pickart

Rubyet

Yup..she is officially an experienced Shakespearean actor!!!

....and a brilliant one.....how can a 15 year old possibly handle the verse as she does? I am blown away.



Amazing pics by fellow castmate Ryan Matthieu Smith and Garland Civic Theatre.