Alternate Universe Curse: Palm Springs King and Kevin

Fancy Fish Necklace

Colorful Cameo Necklace

Dandy Deco Necklace

This weekend, I watched the Hulu original movie Palm Springs, which can be summed up as a weird, nihilistic, West Coast version of Groundhog Day.  It's about a jaded manchild named Niles (a symbolic name if ever there was one) (Andy Samberg) who gets stuck in some mysterious cave while attending a wedding in Palm Springs, and as a result lives that day over and over again.  While trying to hook up with maid of honor Sarah (Cristin Milioti), he accidentally sucks her into the vortex with him.  They relive the day together on repeat, having fun and making bad decisions because, hey, no consequences!  But then Sarah discovers something about the day that she can't live with, and she and Niles must decide whether to remain in the world where time stands still or work to find a way out.  

Now may be a good time to mention that I've always been confused by Palm Springs.  Because it's a desert with a watery word in its name.  Also, when I hear desert I think cacti, not palm trees.  But in a way, this incongruity only makes the oddness of the movie more fitting.  Point to you, Andy Samberg. 

Earlier this week, I watched another movie, Jeff, Who Lives at Home.  It's about another manchild (alert Pee-wee Herman; "manchild" is the word of the day, if not week), only this one is named Jeff (Jason Segal), and he lives in his mom's (Susan Sarandon's) basement instead of in an alternate universe.  Sweet, introspective, and a little naive, Jeff is convinced that everything happens for a reason and that the universe sends him -- and all of us -- messages.  (Ok, maybe he lives in his mom's basement and in an alternate universe).  So, when he gets a wrong number call for someone named Kevin, he does whatever it takes to follow all the people and things named Kevin that pop up in his path that day.  This means spending time with his jerk of a brother, Pat (Ed Helms), which results in a bizarre string of events that lead Jeff exactly to where he's meant to be.

If I'm talking about manchildren who learn something profound via supernatural means throughout the course of a single day, then what's up with these necklaces?  Not much, but as always, I'll use every tool in my arsenal to force some tenuous connections.  

First, the flamingos in this wall art remind me of palm trees, which remind me of Palm Springs (despite there being no flamingos and only armadillos there).  Secondly, the flamingo art hangs in my home, which is also where I made these necklaces (okay, embellished these necklaces, as I just added ribbon-strung beads to already-made vintage pendants).  And finally, home is where Jeff lives. 

I told you it'd be a stretch.  What isn't is that I liked that Jeff believed in something.  And that he was a fellow homebody. 

Which is my way of saying that everything in life -- and in necklaces -- is always connected.

Connect the Dots, La La La

 Penny Loves Kenny, DSW squared.

"P" is for polka dots.  And also Pee-wee Herman.  Who would be proud, I like to think, to be linked to these quirky cute kicks.  Not that he's done us proud since he last sat on Chairy.  But such is the way of TV folk.

Compact Attack

From top to bottom: Purple Hello Kitty, Target; Golden Girls, Snappy Mirrors, Etsy; Rainbow cloud: Snappy Mirrors, Etsy; Pink rhinestones: ULTA; Green angel: Michael's; Red rhinestone: Victoria's Secret; Yellow leaf, Snappy Mirrors, Etsy; Jambi, Abbie Road Designs; Pink Hello Kitty, Target

It's no secret that I love to collect things.  Colorful, sparkly, gumball-machine-looking things that serve no practical purpose.  (Maybe that's why I've always loved The Little Mermaid.  Ariel was an acquirer too, what with her cave full of doppelgangers and snarblats.)  Perhaps the most useless (and fledgling) of my collections is my compact collection.  Nine times out of ten, I just use the boring old green Cover Girl pressed powder compact I carry in my purse.  (No offense, Cover Girl.  Your powder is top notch despite its uninspired packaging.)  I think this is probably because it takes effort to rummage through my compacts and pluck out a winner.  Still, sometimes I like to glance in their (purse-printed!) box and take in all of their rainbowed splendor.  If not for such pleasures, then I wouldn't bother collecting anything at all.

Tales From the Trove: Haddonfield Fine Arts and Crafts Festival

SquidFire

Whimsicology

Pee-wee Herman-inspired Pocket Mirror purchased from Original Abbie by my sister and gifted to me.

Yin-Yin

I knew that it would rain on Saturday. I'd been stalking the weather all week, my apprehension increasing as the estimated precipitation jumped from 40% to 60%, and finally to 80% just a day before the Haddonfield Fine Arts & Crafts Festival. So it was with a resigned mood of that I watched water pour down from the sky and sluice off of tent roofs. Truth be told, it could've been worse. Only minimal raindrops sneaked through the creases in my tent, and there was no thunder or lightning (always a good thing when you're fenced in by a metal structure).

This show was kind of different than any I'd done previously. For one thing, the two hundred-plus vendor tents were set up right on the street (King's Highway) in the downtown district, an arrangement that required everyone to arrive before 7:00 a.m. to set up for the 11:00 a.m. show. As for the art, it ran the gamut from fine jewelry to hats to pottery to wall art; quite honestly, I'd never seen anything like it. This, my friends, was art with a capital A. It made me feel a tad bit sheepish about my luridly colored plastic jewelry and cartoonish totes.

Yet as always, The Tote Trove was something of a curiosity spot for the passers-by. Several browsers told me, "You can't walk by without smiling!" and "This is the most colorful booth ever!" In a way, this was what I came to accomplish, which made me smile.

The rain stopped somewhere around 2:00 p.m., which wasn't so terrible because the show ran until 8:00 p.m. My parents dropped by just before 7:00 p.m., even though I told them it was too far of a drive. They also bought a bunch of stuff, even though I told them not to.  It goes without saying that the bf went above and beyond. He dutifully awoke with me at 4:30 a.m. to load our rented U-Haul, assembled the tent upon our arrival, hung all of the totes, and assisted and engaged the customers. Although the tone of this blog coupled with my outlandish outfits may suggest otherwise, I'm kind of shy and not always comfortable talking to the public. The bf, on the other hand, is very charming, approachable, and friendly, and for this I'm eternally grateful.

EtsyNJ team leader Abbie of Original Abbie was two tents down from me. My sister, who was kind enough to hang out all day Sunday, bought one of Abbie's art blocks as well as a pocket mirror featuring a genie and the Pee-wee Herman reference "meka leka hi meka hiney-ho," which she gave to me. Hilarious. Of course, she also bought more than a few things from me. Oh, that family of mine.

I also had the pleasure of meeting Marisa of Purplicious, who was also vending, and Stacey of Deepshade Creations, who was shopping. It's always very interesting to meet fellow EtsyNJians in person. I don't often have the opportunity because most of the shows I do are in Atlantic County, by the beach, and most of the group members are located toward Philadelphia or North Jersey. On the flip side, I saw only one of the vendors I've come to know from my usual shows.

True to form, I couldn't help but do a little shopping of my own. I was especially glad to find Janet of Whimsicology in attendance. I purchased one of her polymer clay fruit barrettes at the Brigantine PTA show last year (I wear it often, as evidenced in my Photo Shoot Friday posts) and had been wondering where I could find more pieces. Having spotted her booth, I happily snagged a matching fruit-themed bracelet as well as the all-important business card. You know, for those future purchases. I also nabbed a colorful flower necklace from another polymer clay artist and a funky fruit tee shirt from an outfit called SquidFire. I must confess that I never bought anything at craft fairs before I became a vendor. But now I have an inside perspective, so if I see something I like, then I get it.

That's about it. Next stop Ocean City on Saturday.