Little Michael RIP

Another Childhood Icon Gone.
I have danced my butt off to Michael Jackson for as long as I can remember. I had a huge crush on him when I was 5 years old, glued to the TV watching him belt it out. I could never understand how my peers could prefer Donny Osmond. Come On! This kid had soul.



Tito, hand me a tissue...at least he is not in pain anymore.

Lovin' You Is Easy 'Cause You're Beautiful

I loved Charlie's Angels during my awkward years. Those women were so strong and independent. Great role models for a preteen and surely a far cry from Mrs. Cunningham. Farrah Fawcett's sex kitten image was emblazon on t-shirts worn by the cutest boys in middle school, until those shirts were actually banned for being too racy! Man, times have changed.

Sad to hear Farrah lost her battle with anal cancer today. What a horrible way to go but she did it with grace and strength. May that dazzling smile shine in the night sky for a long, long time. Inspiring others who have to fight the fight.

Whenever I hear about someone else dying from cancer, I get really pissed off. I hate cancer. So come on....let's go out back and kick cancer's ass! We can start HERE with nothing but a click.

">la la la la la

Singing one of my fave songs from when I was in the single digits is Maya Rudolph's mom, Minnie Riperton, who also left this planet way too young. Notice how she sings Maya Maya Maya at the end, right before all the glass in your house shatters. Excellent.

Forget Me Not

Sorry I have not posted in quite some time 

I'll be back, just have been very busy lately. 

Enjoy the rain, plant some ferns!

They LOVE this weather and so do I!

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Rainy Days and Mondays....

.....always make me want to sleep late.


I also get all reminiscent when it rains on Mondays and start singing The Carpenters, CLICK ON LINK, my mother was a big fan and I could see why...,with all that buttery Holly Hobby dressiness and lip-sync'd innocence. What's not to love? Perhaps Rainy Days and Saturdays?

Actually I love rainy days, means the planties are getting plenty of water-maybe too much these days....and this Monday made me happy because I am working with a crew composed of some of my favorite people on the planet and can't wait to play with them and food all day.

Mondays always feel like a fresh start too. Great time to embark on a crafty project, exercise program or sign up to volunteer!

Sad Eyes

I have been working a lot lately, and after the slowest 6 months in my career it is a nice change to be busy again. Good for me. Bad for Cheddar.
He is not happy. Some mornings he will not even make eye contact with me, like I didn't feel guilty enough!

Where the heck is the SUNday?

I was half-expecting someone to knock on my car window as I was creeping down the west side in this pea soup and ask..."are you the key master?"
Maybe we left the sun back in Wadi Rum. That rhymes.
Have not seen a decent sunset in a long time, guess you need the initial sun part during the day to make that happen.

THIS priceless beauty was the only bit of sunshine I saw in NYC. Check out my friend Kevin (he is also priceless) next to this yellow ware sink I have to have! Sunshine Day Dream! And I thought my yellow ware BOWL was cool. Hope the sun shines on you soon! Until then don't forget to drink your milk or take some vitamin D supplements.

Fleeting Beauties

Rain+Peonies=Tara Reid+South Beach  

or in other words...what a wreck!

Thankfully I had some down time while constructing our ark and took some photos of our peonies before the deluge wiped them out.

Until Next Year!

Big Bro B'Day

I am the runt of the litter. Five siblings come before me. My brother Fred: Fredro, Fredeye, Freddie J is eight years my elder and a major influence in my life. Today is his Birthday!He was always the coolest guy around, recently I realized it wasn't just in my eyes, there were plenty of people who thought he was the bee's knees. That's him brushing his hair back on top of Averill Mountain, VT. I am in the front encouraging him. Can I get a whoo whhooooo? (like I have ever said that)
He gave me away at our wedding as my Dad was literally there in spirit.
He opened The Beat, the hottest night spot in the tri-state area when he was just 25 years old. Moby started his career there at that cool, tiny hub of fun, my social career blossomed there as well. 

Fred Jenkins, our Dad

It's my brother Freddy's birthday today. He is the best. I am so glad that he was born!


HAPPY BRO-DaY!

XOOXOOX

Sooooouuuuuullllll Train!

If this doesn't make you get on up and shake that thang.....well.... then I don't think we can hang out anymore.

Grab your pick, your platforms and your plushbottoms and CLICK THIS!

I know that wasn't enough....so here's some more! Owww get up on the good foot!

Soul train dancers
Uploaded by gazobu - Music videos, artist interviews, concerts and more.

What Is It That You Do Do?

Someone said do-do. That always makes me laugh. Anyway...people always ask me what it is that I do for a living. Those that don't ask are either in the business or have no idea what I really do...or they think I am a food stylist.

Here is a very brief synopsis of what this Art Director/Prop Master does:

Before pictures of a kitchen "set" we will be shooting in.
It's really nice 'as is' but we want to freshen it up a bit, that's where I come in.

I am working on this project this week and weekend. Will submit some after pictures when I am done.

These are some props that I have pulled for the set, to give you an idea of color scheme and overall feel. Stay tuned for an After shot! That is probably the next time you will hear from me, busy busy busy!

SLF

Silver Lining Farm or more accurately....So Long Friend! I will surely miss my old house in Vermont but know that the new owner will have plenty of good times there. So long old friend, welcome new memories...

Freaky Friday

or what we here in Crazy Town like to call

 "Big Fun, Little Budget"

my nephew Jed and I were in Austin..he at a wedding, me on a shoot, and he picked up these 'magnifying glasses' at a thrift shop South of Congress. $1 buck I think.

Here are a few of my nieces and nephews trying them on at a family function.

fun on a budget!

So go ahead, laugh at yourself!

Have a great weekend and I hope to SEE you back here soon!

CHEERS!

MAINE- The Way Life Should Be

I have always had a serious love affair with the state of Maine. 

I remember picking wild blueberries with my mom there when I was knee high to a whoopie pie. Jeff and I want to retire there someday, hopefully someday soon!

Until then we can always visit my brother's lake house which was completely renovated last year. Our other brother created the cedar railings over the winter with most of his 9 kids helping to peel the bark. It looks like sculpture, bronze Ralph Lauren-esque sculpture. I like how they used cedar saplings from the area to create the posts to hold the porches-there is a bottom floor you don't see in this too. Using "trees" instead of posts camouflages the support posts completely. You don't even notice them. 

My brother is great with all the details, I also like how they used the wavy raw edge cedar siding, super adirondack camp style!

We made these little lanterns out of canning jars and some fine gauge wire looped around the rim, with an attached wire handle. Place some sand in the bottom of the jar with a tea light and hang from your porch, trees or along the garden path. Inexpensive hurricanes that never go out of style...and easy to store!

Ahh..... rowing on a lake, in the vacation state!

I decorated the living room with tag sale and thrift shop furniture (those tables were there-Jeff refinished one/post later). Those club chairs had some mail stuffed under the cushion, they used to live on Park Avenue in NYC! I bought them for $25 bucks each at The Goodwill. Nice life those chairs have had. They retired to Maine too!

Best way to end a day on the lake. 

Bonfire, a glass of wine, a hoodie and some lobsters. 

The way life should be. 

What are your summer plans?

I Bought You A Nice Beard.

I was perusing the internet for pictures of James Beard's kitchen, did a shoot there years ago with Ultimate Kitchens and loved the map covered walls. Anyhooo..., thought that idea might work on the set I am currently designing for a Food Network pilot.

James Beard had such flair.

Amazing what pops up when you search 'Beard" on those internets.


If 'they' say beards are the new black....then Blackbeard must be VERY hot!


If you are a guy having trouble sprouting your stuff click here.

Who knows, if you work really hard at it perhaps you can compete here next year.



So with or without facial hair, make your day something special...with a twist and some flair!