ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE...AND CHER...AND BLUE MAN GROUP...

Yes, I've been gone for awhile, playing "catch-up"...mostly spinning my wheels, actually.  The absence, this time, was an "in town" event, but what fun was had!  Each year, my Dad and brother spend a week "bonding" and doing manly/outdoor survival things (OK, hunting) in CO, and my Mom gets to come to Vegas to play.  This year was a whirlwind of playing/shopping and shows with two of the most favorite people in my life...

Starting the evening before Mom arrived, my daughter and I were lucky enough to get tickets to see CHER, before she leaves Vegas next month (I know! - TWICE in my lifetime - twice in ONE summer).

Jaci didn't get to see her the first time around, so she was thrilled that she got the chance before she's gone - FABULOUS show...more like a Broadway production instead of a one person show, really...there's a reason that she only needs ONE name, and you and I need two!

First night Mom hit town, we painted it red...blue...THE BLUE MAN GROUP, at the Venetian Hotel/Casino - ALWAYS a mesmerizing show!  The next night I "drug" her back with me to see Robin Zander...CHEAP TRICK/SGT. PEPPER LIVE at Paris Hotel/Casino, before they left The Strip, also.  I don't need to tell you how much I enjoyed Robin Zander that show, as I'd seen it twice before, and could have probably sat through it another three!  Sadly, it has closed, but not in my heart, where Robin Zander lives.

Third night was a "down night", where we just sat around and thought of Robin Zander.  Fourth night found us at an Elvis show - what's Vegas without channeling The King?!  Elvis acts are plentiful in Sin City...Pete Wilcox/THE KING LIVES at Hooters Hotel/Casino (yes, I took my Mom to a Hooters!  It's a newer casino, utilizing a refurbished hotel/casino directly across the street from The MGM) sang his heart out in tribute to Elvis.

The next night we had to stay home so that we could regroup our Robin Zander thoughts, but Tues. found us downtown at the Golden Nugget for GORDIE BROWN.  GREAT show!  Comedy - Music - Impressions - Live (it came from the front of the ticket).  I would recommend this show to ANYONE coming through town - OK, I'll say it...better than the late Danny Gans!  And he's darling - I probably didn't have as many Robin Zander thoughts that evening....you know, it's the whole "Rock Star" idea, and sadly, I am probably past my prime now, anyway!  Heavy sigh!

Wed. night (are you still with me...we were starting to get a wee bit tired by this point) we were back at The Golden Nugget, where we were treated not only to COUNTRY SUPERSTARS TRIBUTE, but we got the chance to catch two performances on the overhead MEGA screen on Fremont Street - definitely worth a trip downtown for those that haven't been for years.  It's a whole different side of Vegas and so much "cleaner" than it used to be!

Thursday night we caught up with the Wednesday Night Girls Night Out gang (at least Colleen and Jackie), for GREG LONDON'S ICONS show at the Riviera Hotel and Casino...another impersonation act - another wonderful show.  We had drinks with him afterwards (well, he was IN the lounge with us, but did actually drop by the table and thank us for coming).  Six shows for my Mom and me by this point, and not a bad one in the bunch...

We saved the best for last.  On her last night in town, we splurged and bought tickets to see Cirque du Soleil's Beatles tribute, LOVE, at The Mirage.  I don't think there has ever been a bad Cirque show, and this one featuring the always incredible Cirque performers, coupled with fabulous costuming and sets AND the music of The Beatles was no exception!  BREATHTAKING - GO, if you get the chance...Section 201, Row P, Seats 15 and 16 - best seats in the house!

Sadly, the trip DID have to come to an end (there are only so many TV dinners my Dad could eat).  We put a very tired (did I mention the daily shopping trips, too?) Barb on a plane to Denver the next evening.  I had the BEST time with her this year (as I really do every year), and yes, we DID gamble (though not very well, I might add), even though I neglected to mention that above.  Seven shows in nine nights might just be a record, somewhere...it definitely was for us!  Counting the days until next hunting season, Mom...thanks for sending her, Dad!

And, I leave you with Vegas showgirls...after placing Mom at the airport, my Jaci and I took in one final show for the week, ourselves (my husband and son were out of town on a motorcycle trip at this point, so we had lots of "girl time" to fill)...tickets to JUBILEE! at Bally's Hotel/Casino, presented themselves to us for a Saturday night show.  Truly one of the few remaining (if not the ONLY one anymore) showgirl extravaganzas left in Vegas...this is quite the show to see (and we got a birdseye view, as we were moved up front to one of the extra special VIP tables before the show started) if you've never had the chance.  BEAUTIFUL costumes and sets make for a memorable "old Vegas" evening - you've never seen so many feathers, rhinestones and crystals in one place!

It has taken a few weeks to catch back up on real life (final tally was 9 shows in 11 nights for me), but I think I might be back in the swing of regular, every day things again, sadly.  I even made a few pieces last week, but that's for another post.  Happy Friday, if you've made it this far through the reading - have a wonderful weekend.

ROCK ME, ROCK ME, A LITTLE WHILE...

And the hits just keep on coming...in keeping with my recent trend of revisiting groups from summers past (lonnnnnng past), "the girls plus one" got the chance to take in The Doobie Brothers last evening.  With Jackie, Colleen, and Colleen's charming husband, Greg, joining our entourage, we headed to The Hilton for a round of drinks, chitter chatter (poor Greg), and more great music of my youth.

This was pretty much "the look" in May of 1979, when I saw them at an all day concert at CU Boulder's Folsom Field, with Poco and Boston (and probably at least one other band I, sadly, can't recall now).  These "events" ran from noon (or 10 a.m., depending on the amount of bands involved), into the evening hours - each band performing an entire standard concert length before the next came on.  Tickets for these concerts (there was usually 4 bands, and they were ALL "name" bands on the same bill), ran us $15.00...the cost of a drink and a half, at our concerts now.

From CU's online archives, this is a shot from that very same concert (or at least they are claiming it is, but it's pretty much how I remember it, in any event)...held in the football stadium on campus - I think the amenities at The Hilton probably suit me better now (padded chairs and clean bathrooms are our friend).  Those were some great concerts, though...sunshine and music - what a fabulous way to spend a Saturday.

The Doobies of 2010 still have "the hair", though it's a little bit grayer (aren't we all!)...no Michael McDonald, but the sound is just a rockin' as ever...pretty much as I remember it from 1979 - they played their hearts out!  It was, indeed, a great jam session, Greg!

"OM" MADE

Ganesh - The Hindu god of wisdom and remover of obstacles...hey, I take all the help I can get these days, no matter what form it takes.  A little trinket I picked up from a booth selling Tibetan "silver" (it's really more like pot metal), during the ASD show awhile back, got the bead treatment the other night - I think he turned out quite grand...not too shabby for a $4.00 investment.

Hope your weekend is wonderful...I will be helping the hubby install a new kitchen faucet and am hoping all those "long-weekend" obstacles (broken appliances, mainly), that seemingly plague us each and every holiday, might just become a thing of the past.

A very wonderful, brave woman passed away this week after a valiant 2 year fight against breast cancer and all the debilitating side effects that come along with treatment.  Fly high, Angel...you certainly earned those wings, dear girl!

I can see clearly now the rain is gone,

I can see all obstacles in my way,

Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind.

It's gonna be a bright, bright sunshiny day...Johnny Nash

THE "FRIDA" BRACELET, OR...

IT TOOK ON A LIFE OF IT'S OWN, PART DEUX...

After a small surgical procedure last week (small, but with stitches that left my daughter telling me I looked like Jeff Goldblum in The Fly, darling that she is), I found my "Brundlefly" self locked out of sight in my house, taking it easy in the evenings, and finishing up my very first attempt at a bead embroidered cuff bracelet.  Same (only) daughter told me it had a "Frida-esque" feel to it, once done.

Sitting on the back of a tiny little Colima dog, of Mexican folk art/lore, this one is FILLED...once again, it kept growing and growing 'til it was what it is - extravagantly full and heavy!  A 1940's celluloid face button was my starting point, surrounded by precious Bakelite, cut-steel, rhinestones, and various antique buttons.  New beads, freshwater pearls, turquoise and coral were thrown in for good measure.

Above the head, to the left, is the tiniest (a mere 3/8" across) little gold and "pearl" encrusted pin - the number 27...my birth date and the number I always use for luck (recently, it has popped up more and more in my life - the day I finished this was actually Friday, the 27th - HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY MOM, ON THE 28th).  Wish I knew the story behind this little treasure - it came to me in a "lot" of buttons - someones class pin from 1927, perhaps?

It was my daughter that suggested the red beads for the edging, as well as the Ultrasuede lining...she said if I had come that far, it needed to be finished boldly, so bold it is!  I do imagine that Frida might just have sported this herself.

CURIOUSER AND CURIOUSER...

After painting the town red, Friday evening, I found myself painting the roses red, Saturday morning, with my "charm"ing little group of creative friends - the theme for this go-round was Alice in Wonderland....hosted at a local antique shop's tea house, it was "mad", indeed!  Click on the pictures to view them in detail (it was a cloudy, rainy day here in the desert today - hence, no sunshine for pictures).

"Velvet" flocked/wire wrapped heart atop a beautiful handmade card ("Off With her Head" - from an original Tenniel illustration) from Jackie; a beaded Queen of Hearts charm and a handmade/soldered, tiny little box made from playing cards from our newcomer, Mariann; a resined Queen of Hearts from the old Disney movie from Pat; a handmade silver art clay tea cup from Colleen; a tiny little paper clay Mad Hatter's hat, complete with the infamous 10/6 tag, from Mandy; and a beautiful little copper Hatter's hat, with tiny little watch parts, from Jerry.

Alice's tiny cake and bottle from Betty; "A" is for Alice from Ronna.

 

A glazed ceramic playing card/Red Queen guard from our other newbie, Sophia; a quartz, carved rose in the process of being "painted red" (probably by that same guard), and crystal rose with leaf from June; and a red rose with crystal dew drop from Betty.  Final photo is of two of my extra charms (front and back), sitting atop a photo of the "Alice" the stories were originally written for...Alice Pleasance Liddell.  Thank you to all my charming friends - tea was delightful, and these will make a fabulous charm bracelet!

MEAT LOAF AND EYE CANDY...

Taken from the title of the latest Meat Loaf album, "Hang Loose, Teddy Bear", I had just that kind of week, last week...a "hang loose" week with aging rockers that can STILL bring it, and a blue-eyed crooner on a Saturday evening, by the beautiful outside pool of The M Resort.  With our ears still recovering from The Nuge the Saturday before, Jackie D. and I scored tickets to see Meat Loaf, this past Friday night, at The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino.  What a GREAT show he put on (we had 10th row seats!) - unlike the Motor City Madman, I had never seen him in concert and am so glad I did, this time around.  Another 62 year old rocker that put on one ("Bat Out of") hell of a show!  Daughter, Pearl, was the opening act for her dad - the girl can sing...certainly a chip off the old block - and joined him onstage for the rockin' finale, after 2 hours of his greatest, and newest, hits!

Saturday morning found both of us, bleary eyed (go to Jackie's blog and ask her about our road trip through UNLV after Meat Loaf), and at the Charm Exchange, where we gave and received the latest round of creative little pieces...which I will post tomorrow...or sometime soon.  A much needed nap was missed in lieu of some errands, and then it was on to The M for an evening with Jackie D., Erin, and CHRIS ISAAK...yes, it sounds a little kinky - a definite "Eye Candy Girls Night Out" (husbands would NEVER "do" at a Chris Isaak concert).  The handsome, blue-eyed (yes, we were close enough to see them with our own special eyes), "rockabilly" crooner, made for a marvelous end to a week of incredible music  - I am fairly certain there was no one else in the audience except for me that night...even those two that went with me...he was singing to me, girls, ME!

AMY STEVENS ORIGINALS...

A quick shout out for Amy Stevens Originals at amystevensoriginals.etsy.com. I purchased this beautiful, little (the watch case itself is only 1-1/8") antique ladies pocket watch from her, for my daughter's birthday  - Happy Birthday, Jaci - I know you heard it enough this past week, but here it is again!  I can't believe it's been 22 wonderful years already!   LOVE YOU!

Drop by Amy's online shop for some really incredible, tiny finds (beautiful watch pieces/parts, etc), perfect for use in your steampunk creations, etc...I purchased this thinking I would "gut it" and use the parts, while giving the shell to my daughter, but I think it will stay intact...it's going to look lovely on a chain, around her neck.  Amy also has her own, handmade treasures for sale - check her out!  amystevensoriginals