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Sunday, January 5, 2014

Scrappy Dog Sunday

Can you believe Lola is still as feisty as ever? She is 90+ years old and is still going! She is the Bettie White of dogs!

She does need her sleep after attacking OMP and running around the backyard.

I really think we need to bottle Lola's energy and sell it. We would make a fortune.

Friday, January 3, 2014

Today OMP and I lost a dear friend. OMP knew Mike from the comic and toy scene. They used to trade VHS tapes for toys. I remember meeting him for the first time and he was so excited about taking us to a pancake house that had pancakes the size of a large pizza. He was a dear friend to OMP. His wife, Lisa and his children are in our thoughts and prayers.
http://www.seattleweekly.com/home/950460-129/mike-vraney-founder-of-something-weird
In Memorium
MIKE VRANEY
Founder of Something Weird
December 29, 1957 to January 2, 2014

We regret to tell you that Something Weird’s founder, Mike Vraney, passed away on January 2, 2014 after a long heroic battle with lung cancer. He was 56 years old, way too young to leave this planet. There was still so much Mike wanted to do in his life, so many films to be found, and adventures to be embarked upon.

This sad news may come as a shock to most of you. Mike was a very private person and didn’t want anyone, except his closest friends, family and colleagues, to know about his illness. He went through aggressive chemotherapy and radiation treatments for over a year, but sadly the cancer spread and cruelly took him from us.

Mike had a larger-than-life personality and a genuine enthusiasm for movies. Something Weird was his heart and soul, he was obsessive in his pursuit of tracking down the weirdest, wildest movies out there. And it wasn’t enough to find a few forgotten films, he was always in search of the movie motherload. (Making 370 two-hour volumes of Nudie Cuties loops is a good example of this. Who does that?! Mike Vraney!) Even as a child, Mike loved movies. During his teenage years, he worked at the Bel-Kirk Drive-In, and then later as a projectionist at the Green Parrot and Apple Theaters in Seattle. Then around 1990, Mike went in search of as many old, unusual, obscure, and lost low budget exploitation movies as he could, and preserved them for prosperity. Mike amassed thousands of these rare movies and had them transferred to video so that people could relive the good old days of going to the drive-in or grindhouse theater, in their very own home. We have him to thank for introducing fandom to the wonderful world of sexploitation sinema, rescuing it from the dark recesses of forgotten film vaults and defunct movie theatres.

Some of you may know that prior to Something Weird, Mike was involved in the early Seattle punk rock music scene. He was a partner in Modern Productions, the group who started Seattle’s seminal rock venue, The Showbox, in 1979. Mike then went on to manage such well-known bands as The Dead Kennedys, TSOL, and Seattle’s own The Accused. Mike always seemed to be at the forefront of whatever was happening and cool.

Mike’s second greatest passion in life was collecting old comics, vintage toys, movie memorabilia, and pop cultural ephemera. He enjoyed going to the swap meet and always had a magical ability for finding great stuff. But when he wasn’t working, collecting, or telling great stories, Mike spent quality time with his beloved family. Mike adored his wife and business partner, Lisa, and two (now young adult) children, Mark and Danielle. These three were the center of his universe, and his reason for getting up each and every morning.

The folks at Something Weird fully intend to honor Mike’s incredible legacy. Mike may be gone, but his remarkable achievements will live on. One of the happiest days of Mike’s life was when legendary David F. Friedman and Dan Sonney called him “the forty-first thief,” which to him was the ultimate compliment and recognition for his work. We’d like to think that Mike’s now hanging out with his old pals Dave and Dan, reminiscing and talking shop with Dwain Esper, Kroger Babb, Barry Mahon, Joe Sarno, Doris Wishman, Bob Cresse, Dale Berry, Michael Findlay and all the other exploiteers and smut peddlers who’ve gone to the great grindhouse in the sky.

We will miss Mike with all our hearts. Goodbye dear friend, husband, father, and fearless leader…
– Lisa Petrucci, Tim Lewis, Kendall Bechtel, Mark Vraney, Danielle Vraney of Something Weird Video

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Happy New Year!

Has it really been since August that I've last visited with everyone? HOLY COW! How dare real life get in the way of my blog! OMP has a new job, Lola is still hanging in there, Jujube is just the bee and Pete has turned into the sweetest little man ever!

I have been hanging in there, doing what I do...ya know, the usual!

I want to thank everyone for hanging in there with me and I hope that 2014 is full of glitter, pink, champagne and cupcakes. So much love and peace for everyone.

Happy New Year from me and the OMP!

Thursday, August 8, 2013

Shake Your Pom Poms!

Oh yeah, shake your pom poms! Okay, not really, but how about making a pom pom garland?

Aren't these great for birthday parties? They are so super easy to make!

The ice cream cones are my favorite.

Now I am totally addicted to pom poms. I want to make a whole room out of them!

Check out the video to make your own pom pom garland.

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Craftster is Turning 10!

I can't believe it! My favorite crafty website is turning 10! How cool is that? I can't believe it has been that long. So many years of crafty goodness!

To celebrate 10 years, the wonderful folks at Craftster have put together an amazing Challenge. Entries are due August 7-13th The grand prize includes:

A canvas Red Heart project bag/tote
6 sheets of Phoomph! in both Stiff and Soft
The September/October 2013 edition of Crochet Today!
3 skeins of Red Heart Boutique Unforgettable yarn
A 6mm Susan Bates Bamboo Handle Crochet Hook
Dubonnet Poncho crochet pattern from Red Heart
A stitchable iPhone 4/4s case

Monday, August 5, 2013

No More Reality, PLEASE!

Yeah...I'm a little done with reality right now. I'm going to Pamtown and not coming out. Wanna come with me? I feel like I haven't devoted enough time to my blog lately and I am so sorry for that. Between my father being under the weather and having surgery and Lola Mae having problems from getting older, I just haven't been able to devote the time I wanted to. Don't you just hate when reality tries to control your life?

Since taking care of a sick dad and sick little Lola, I have been stitching like crazy and reading a ton. What have I been reading...nothing special except, TRASHY ROMANCE NOVELS! Hey, it's the summer, which means trashy romance novels, don't judge.

I am really having fun reading them and I prefer to go for the PG-13 romance. The X-rated ones just make me giggle too much. I have found that there is a certain formula to these novels, they break down like this:

City girl has crappy disrespectful boyfriend and for some reason they just broke up. She then decides to head to a small town because 1-someone wronged her family and she is getting property to make it right or 2-she wants to start a bakery or a wedding planning business in a small town because that's all she can afford.

After she is settled she meets a very attractive man who is widowed and his wife at the time was having an affair, caring the child of her lover or the child is sick and the mother has left because she can't handle it. The man has a heart of gold around the rough edges.

Boy and girl meet, they get into fights. She is independent but he loves that. She loves that he is a caring dad/cares about animals.

They finally give into their lust and live happily ever after. All problems solved and she ends up pregnant with his child. The end.

I am not making fun of this formula, it works and I love it! I love it so much that I will sit and read a book in one day. I think they are very sweet books.

Some of my favorite authors right now are Lori Wilde and Debbie Macomber. Yes, these authors make quick easy cheesy books but they also restore our faith in romance and love. You want to see the couple fall in love at the end, you want the bad guy get what's coming to him and you want it tied up with a nice bow. I am a firm believer that we all need a little summer romance.

Thursday, July 11, 2013

Down By the Sea

I have been going swap crazy on Craftster. I am currently in a Hit the Beach swap. We had to make our partner something that was beach themed. Of course I decided to make a wreath. I was inspired by My Very Educated Mother .

I started with a dollar store swimming pool noodle. I taped it up to make a wreath form.

For the ocean (or the sky) I used chunky blue yarn and for the sand I used burlap. I added some shells and there ya have it, a beach wreath.

For my small item. I decided to do a sea glass vase/jar and fill it with gummy sharks. The paint came out a little darker than I wanted and I really wish the directions told you for a completely smooth finish you really need more coats or that it take 4 days for it to dry and then bake. I'm still pretty happy with it and may play with other shades.

Now on to the next swap....Sideshows, Halloween and Make a Friend. Yahoo for crafty goodness!