SuzeBlogz

Shedding some light

I recently signed up to take some online Photoshop tutorials from the brilliant Susan Tuttle. One of her first exercises was to take a picture and make it look more vintage or retro. We practiced on a photo she supplied online & then I started trying things on my own with my own pictures. Several steps...not a 1-2-3, but not at all hard either because Susan walks you through everything both on video and in written form.

I am having a ton of fun. Even if things aren't coming out 'perfect' (is there any such thing, really ?), this is more fun than trying on clothes at Chicos ! I swear.

Original photo of moi


first try at vintage

it's that whole 'highlighting the roses' thing that had me jumping for joy.

next up...the brownstones in NY City


loved this first effort...can't wait to use this one again and try more

and then, some pumpkins & gourds


and some playing around


and I even had a photo of cigarettes I took when I was in Portugal

and effort number one...which still needs some work for better contrast & more of that highlighting effect


Susan has a book coming out soon. Digital Expressions. I pre-ordered it.

Much as I'd like to share what I learned I can't do that . Susan has created a wonderful online program which you pay for. It requires a user name & password...so...sign up for anything she does in the future and have the same fun I'm having.

Learning something new whenever you can brightens your day and expands your brain.
I feel so expanded today !
I think my brain is on fire.

Aaaah...To be the Queen

So...isn't this the nicest thing...one of my Blog followers, Kathy Gledsdale from the UK sent me a wonderful hanging plaque. It appropriately says "The Queen Doesn't Cook". Oh Kathy...how well you know me !!

 

and the minute I saw it I thought....I must mold it.... So I did. I actually just wanted the top part that said "The Queen"..cause then I could wear it as a pin. So, a little of my 2 part Mold n Pour

and in 5 minutes it was done.

Then I Melted some Black UTEE. And, here's one of my tips:  I add a little Clear UTEE to it to 'stretch it out' so I don't need to use as much black. Then I poured

Once it hardened I cut the UTEE piece to the size I wanted. As long as the UTEE remains warm (but hard) you can cut it easily. Then, just remelt the parts you cut off. No wastage.

Some of my edges were a little 'ragged' so, believe it or not, I use my Hot Wax Stylus with the spade tip to smooth them out. The tip gets to just the right temperature so as not to remelt the UTEE but  just hot enough to take off the rough edges and put a shine back on.

now to give it a spiffy finish ! I often use Perfect Pearls but this time I used Rub n Buff. I just use my finger to apply the product to the UTEE surface.

 

and now...the finishing touches involve GLITZ STICKLES...of course. My favorites for this project....Tiara & Champagne.

 

the stickles will dry tonight so tomorrow I can wear my Queen pin.

now...let me be totally modest about this

deservedly so....right ??!!

Oh shush !!!!

Lights....Action....Stars !

So...The Lenster and I hopped on the train tonight and headed into New York City.

We usually drive, but tonight we felt like 'training it'. Sunday night in Manhattan is always fabulous...there's a real vibe going on when everything else in neighboring towns and cities are all quiet and closed up.

 

we got off at Penn Station (also the stop for Madison Square Garden) which is right across the street from the fabulous main branch of the US Post Office

then we hopped in a cab

 

and headed right over to our evening plans.

Remember Charlottes uptight wedding planner in Sex & The City?

'Anthony Marentino'...played by....the outrageously funny Mario Cantone

Well...when I heard that he'd be appearing at the famous Carolines Comedy Club I quickly went online and got us tickets. I always fall over laughing when he's on "The View". I know his brand of humor isn't for everyone, but it definitely tickles me. And tonight he was hysterical. Absolutely a riot ! We had a great time. Carolines is a small intimate club and you are practically 'one with the star...he's that close to where you are sitting.

 

and of course what's not to love about being in the city...

the street vendors selling their fake knockoff handbags & watches

 

the "portrait" street artists

the "characters" that walk around

the absolutely fantastic billboards

 

and then..of all things lucky...there they were, right in the heart of Broadway...the live cast and crew from....drum roll....

 

Yup...Star Jones...Lara Spencer...etc...

 

the whole setup

 

just filming LIVE right in front of a large crowd.

what can I tell you.....another great Weinberg evening.

No matter how often we go into the city there is always something new, exciting and different than the time before. I gotta say..I am so lucky to live where I do. There's just no place quite like New York City and it's right in my backyard !

Coming out of the Closet

Okay....we'll get to the closet thing later....

Yeah...I know..I didn't blog for 2 days.

That's when I have  those "nothing of amazing interest" days. Well..of course there are the visits to my least favorite place on the entire planet...the dentist. I spend an inordinate amount of time in their chairs.

They have like 10 different rooms and I've seen every one of them. The one they use to clean your teeth, the one for filling cavities, the X-ray one...oh, you get it. My teeth get it too. This week and next... Root Planing . Fancy word for very damn deep gum scaling & plaque removal. WITH NOVACAINE.  This is what I looked like before I had that laser hair removal procedure !!!!

I felt like a chipmunk when I left but amazingly I looked normal. Hours later I was my old self. Next week it starts again. Then gum surgery. I do take sympathy comments.

BUT THEN.....last night.....WOW...Lori Hassler sent me an award. Never met Lori but now she's my new BFF.

especially because it's a SMILE award, which plays right into my whole teeth thing. I love you Lori Hassler.....wherever you are. I'll have to think of who I should send mine to. I need 5 worthy smile making friends.

In the meantime...The Lenster decided that today would be a good crisp (and I mean crisp !)  day to take his motorcycle out for a spin....gone 2 minutes he came home and re-dressed...he looks like an eskimo biker now. He can be just a tad OCD over the bike thing. I mean c'mon..it's practically winter ! Lenny....Hello....You Do have a car.

 

in the meantime....I decided it was time to sort through the multitudes of  shoes in the closet and rearrange. Well..you know how that goes...you sort through one thing, it leads to another and another and on and on.....

I found a new use for my behind the closet door shoe thingie...Now I'm using it to store my obsession with neck scarves (hey...you.....no comments will be appreciated on this subject. I get it..I have MANY ). Once I moved the scarves another space opened up...

I'm doomed.

Drooling

I think spittle is dribbling down my chin.

I invited my friend Kecia Frazee Deveney over to my house today and then we went out for lunch..( oh c'mon now..you know what we ate !) and...... she gave me a present.

She MADE a gift for me..just for me...it can't be worn by anyone else. It came tied in a cloth bundle with antique thread....I was already freaking. Where does one even find antique thread. ??

It came toward me over the cup of green tea.

 

 I began the unwrapping process.

I thought I'd died and gone to jewelry heaven...which I believe is situated somewhere between Chicos and all the accumulated crap in my studio.

 

soldered, silver, game pieces...what more could a girl ask for except the friendship of this charming and very talented jewelry and mixed media artist who lives but 30 minutes from me.

So, unless your name is Shakira Weinberg, or Scarlett Weinberg, or Sienna Weinberg or even Sarah Jessica Weinberg this necklace is MINE

 

and then I took Kecia over to my favorite garden gift shop CALGO in Lakewood where she made it clear that she wants 'dibs' on this little house in their garden when they relocate to Howell after the first of the year.

so, it was a lovely day with a lovely friend.

and hey..while you're gazing.....check out HER jewelry !

The Mermaid & the Whale

Today I did absolutely nothing. No excuses...it felt fabulous. So..I am simply going to pass on todays food for thought.

Recently, in a large french city, a poster featuring a young, thin and a  tan woman appeared in the window of a gym. It said:

 

 ¨DO YOU WANT TO BE A MERMAID OR A WHALE?¨

 A middle aged woman, whose physical characteristics did not match those of the woman on the poster, responded publicly to the question posed by the gym.

To Whom It May Concern:

Whales are always surrounded by friends  (dolphins, sea lions, curious humans).. They have an active sex life. They get pregnant and have adorable baby whales. They have a wonderful time with dolphins stuffing themselves with shrimp. They play and swim in the seas seeing wonderful places like Patagonia, the Barren Sea and the coral reefs of Polynesia.

Whales are wonderful singers and have even recorded CDs. They are incredible creatures and virtually have no predators other than humans. They are loved, protected and admired by almost everyone in the world.

Mermaids don't exist. If they did exist, they would be lining up outside the offices of Argentinean psychoanalysts due to identity crisis.

Fish or human? They don't have a sex life because they kill men who get close to them not to mention, how could they have sex? Just look at them.....where is IT ? Therefore, they don't have kids either.. Not to mention who wants to get close to a girl who smells like a fish store? 

The choice is perfectly clear to me; I want to be a whale.

We are in an age when the  media puts into our heads the idea that only skinny people are beautiful, but I prefer to enjoy an ice cream with my kids, a good dinner with a man who makes  me shiver and a piece of chocolate with my friends.

With time we gain weight because we accumulate so much information and wisdom in our heads that when there is no more room it distributes out to the rest of our bodies.
So we aren't heavy, we are enormously cultured, educated and happy. Beginning today, when I look at my butt in the mirror I will think,

¨Good grief, look how smart I am...¨

 

more Sugarloaf-ing

Munching & lunching with our Ranger pals Bonnie (l) and Debbie (r) today

But..I digress......

to continue.. The Sugarloaf Craft Expo

a dimensional painting & collage of John Lennon on layers of glass. I LOVED it...I bought it. I hung it. I are happy !

I loooooved this guys handcrafted watches.

 

and I bought this one (below)....

Okay..it's over the top...it's very....ah.... METAL....

more spoon jewelry

hand marbled clothes

 

jewelry with marbles
 

beaded creations

This guy made incredible stuff with thimbles...not to mention how artistically fun looking HE was with that mustache !

tableware

 

fun fiber scarves

 

funny displays

 

Dichroic Glass
 

The ad on the table said that Whoopie Goldberg wears these socks. I would too but not at $20 a pair !
 

paintings of famous folk

paper collages
 

and, if you subscribed to the local newspaper you got a "comic" umbrella


and Maria got the vest that matched my coat....perfect for a cool evening in Florida !
 

but tomorrow Maria heads home and I might just have to do nothing....maybe just relax...maybe watch TV.......maybe eat pizza....hmmmm.....now that be something new & different !

Double Exposure ?

Okay...I know we're grown ups and the whole dressing alike thing is for kids...but...Maria and I have the same taste in T-Shirts from Chicos so we just went for it ! It was fun....we got a kick out of it !

then we drove over to the Sugarloaf Craft Festival to spend the day looking at the juried art & craft. I'll just drop in some photos below and you can pretend you were with us. I'll save some of the pix for tomorrow cause there are too many to post at one time.

Fiber Scarves

 

Hand Made Hats
 

Made from SPOONS

 

Wood Toys

 

Lotsa Food....of course....

and sample drinks

I asked.....$2200....oh my, but I have to say, it was a gorgeous all hand made menorah

 

Made from little clay cups and pots.
 

Mobiles



 

and my personal fav...this handmade coat I bought

Okay....more tomorrow

What a WICKED Halloween

My best friend Maria has come up from Florida to visit for a few days. She comes every year right around my birthday. She loves the change of seasons (which she doesn't get in Tampa) and seeing all the leaves in their gorgeous multi colors.

This year I decided to surprise HER. She and The Lenster and I drove into New York City this morning and we went to see WICKED on Broadway. What can I say...it was phenomenal !

First...before the show...New York pizza...the BEST...period.

Then..on to the show

 

As the show was filling I sneaked in a pix of the stage cause photos are not allowed.

but they are allowed in the lobby

and The Lenster with a cast member

and you know how much I adore going into Manhattan...

Redesigned and rebuilt in 2008, the new TKTS booth in Times Square is located "under the red steps" in Father Duffy Square at Broadway and 47th Street.

These stairs are right under the main Broadway discount ticket booth, which is right in the heart of New York City's theater district. Here are great views taken from the top of the stairs. Times Square

 

and....as I always try to do....here are some of my captured moments in New York City that I hope will give you some small glimpse into it's heart. There are a lot but I hope you enjoy them

 

 

 

 

 

 

and of course....we ended the evening with the only food I truly love....

SUSHI...with a little Halloween flair !!!

This is It

This afternoon my friend Nancy Gall and I met halfway in Edison, NJ and went for sushi lunch . I go and hour north...she goes an hour south ! Ken just stays there !

then on to see the new Michael Jackson movie 'THIS IS IT" playing at the Menlo Mall.

Nancy and I are like the same person just split in two different bodies. We've been friends for umpteen years. We both have an obsession collecting jewelry "stuff" and we both must have our popcorn during the movie no matter how full we are from a big lunch. There is always room for popcorn. And, we never, ever run out of things to talk about. Usually I go to Target before a movie and buy their $1.00 popcorn and sneak it in, but we didn't have time today.

So let me just say this about the movie.....whether or not you were a Michael Jackson fan or have other feelings about things he may or may not have done.... this 2 hour production was a work of art.

It really shows how extraordinarily talented he was. What a wonderful musician and dancer he was. How kind and soft spoken he was around others. How respectful he was of others. How well loved he was and how prepared he was for this concert.

His music will live on forever but how very sad it was, at the end, when he sings "Man in the Mirror" and you realize how he was not even able to see and fix his own failings.

I'm starting with the man in the mirror
I'm asking him to change his ways
And no message could have been any clearer

If you wanna make the world a better place

Take a look at yourself and then make a change

the mall is already being decorated for Christmas....I find that kind of disturbing...sorry ! Seems much too early for my taste.

 

but I did love the "light bulb moment" at Urban Outfitters....feels a lot like the type of decor that Anthropologie does

 

In 2 days my best friend Maria arrives from Florida and we have surprises for her...so..stay tuned !