Jacaranda Season

It’s mid April and already the purple blooms of the Jacaranda tree are starting to burst.  Jacarandas are the reason May is my favorite month of the year.  The intense violet shaded flowers that crown the azure blue skyline of Los Angeles never fail to make my heart sing.  Maybe it’s because I grew up in Alaska where the tree selection fell into the birch or evergreen varieties.  Or maybe it’s just because I love brilliantly colored flowers.    But the Jacaranda is hands down my favorite tree.  You’ll find numerous streets in Los Angeles lined with the tall, arching canopies of the Jacaranda, so clearly I’m not the only one.

 

Before and After

I’ve been hating the chair I’ve been using for my bedroom vanity.  It’s too wide, it’s always in the way and it’s too tall. It’s a good chair in the wrong place.

The search was under way for a vintage stool.  I had a really fabulous one but Thing 2 desired it for her room and it fit her bedroom décor perfectly.  Besides, I needed something with a smaller footprint that could almost disappear in my tiny bedroom.  It also needed to be a lower so I can see into my make up mirror.  I felt like I’m hunching over my mirror – something I’m not used to since I top out at 5 foot.

Last Saturday, on my way to get the Prius a badly needed wash I spied an estate sale.  I love a good estate sale.  Especially if it’s a TRUE estate sale – not a “we think our crap is nicer so we’re calling it an estate sale.”  I love to walk in and feel like I’ve stepped into the past.  The furniture, the carpet, the appliances,  Grandma never updated.  These are the types that yield treasures.

Vintage Vanity Stool

It looked like slim pickings as I walked in.  I chose the path of least resistance – choosing the less crowded back bedroom.  There it was – sitting by itself and ignored by everyone else.  Who would want this drab little stool with its tacky brass and brown combo?  Me!  Me!  Oh, I’ve been waiting for you!

Drab Brown Stool Seat

The vinyl brown cover was carefully removed and a pattern was made.

Pattern from the Stool Base

The frame was sanded down and gilded with pretty silver finish.

A small piece of faux white ostrich leather fabric from my stash had been saved just for something like this.

It was sewn into shape and a new button was fashioned with pink fabric just to lighten things up a bit!

It’s sooooooooooo much better now!  The stool takes up less room.  It’s the right height and it feels oh so glamorous!

Vintage Vanity

Cyberpunkjunk Etsy Store

My Etsy store has been a long time project.  I opened the account back in 2007 but have yet to list a single item.

Chalk that up to the glamorous lifestyle of a single mom with two kids engaged in every activity  – gymnastics, baseball, singing lessons, guitar lessons, banjo lessons, trombone/tuba lessons.

Now Thing 1 is filling out his college apps.  Yes – that’s right.  I have a 16 year old applying for college.  If that doesn’t freak you out, you need to apply for the Special Forces Ops cause you got nerves of steel.

In light of looming college expenses (did he really just say Pepperdine?) it’s time to get the whole Etsy thing going.

The Cyberpunkjunk Etsy store specializes in Vintage and Craft items.  A lot of the items are Vintage craft materials – something I have a particular fondness for.  Vintage fabric, lace, beads or a vintage kit, tool or pattern.

Don’t know why I love this stuff – just do.  Sometimes the styling of the patterns make me laugh but other times I recognize where a current design trend came from.  Sometimes the items are just made better.  Sometimes they just don’t make stuff like this anymore.

It’s my goal to list new items every day…. We’ll see how that goes….

All funds will be used towards Thing 1’s college expenses.

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Getting my Kix!

I’ve had some pretty amazing birthdays  – one spent in Kauai, one at the Beverly Hills Hotel.  This year was no different!

My birthday started when I walked into the kitchen that morning and saw Thing 2 making my latte – that’s when I remembered it was my birthday!  I was gifted with a Starbucks gift card and a pink Kings shirt by Thing 1 and Thing 2.    Wow!  Presents from the kids!  I feel special!

That evening, Dr. Malibu surprised me by inviting our friends over for our favorite themed dinner – Taco Night!  He made his famous pulled pork tacos along with chicken with all the taco garnishments.  Serious yum!  I’m a professional – I go straight for the pulled pork.  Ms. Carrie Stevens made a homemade cake with coffee and a whipped Jack Daniels frosting – true deliciousness from the Centerfold Chef herself!

Centerfold Chef Carrie Stevens

The following night was spent with Buckcherry at the Viper room.  Yeah – the Viper Room.  That’s what I LOVE about LA –  sometimes you get to see your favorite band close enough to feel their sweat (if you choose to stand up by the stage which I do not)  If you don’t know – the Viper Room is a tiny venue (and it gets really hot in there – the sweat threat is real).

Buckcherry at the Viper Room

Buckcherry was kicking off their new album Confessions with 3 nights at the Viper.   This is a band you need to see live and up close!  You can feel the energy in the room ignite when Josh starts to sing!  He’s up there dancing, prancing and screaming – the crowd adores him!  Buckcherry rolled out a few of the new songs but played their hits – Crazy Bitch, Cocaine and Sorry.

Josh Todd

Night three was the pinnacle with Femme Fatale opening for Kix at the Key Club.   We started with a great dinner at the Rainbow where Dr. Malibu secured the coveted corner booth.

Corner Booth at the Rainbow

Sharise Neil walked in and spotted half of my party wearing Pink Polka Dot dresses (the other half were men… Sharise is going to have to expand her line.)

Pink Polka Dot night at the Rainbow!

Lorraine Lewis at the Key Club

Then we all went over to the Key Club and watched Lorraine Lewis from Femme Fatale kick off the night.  Lorraine rocks!  She’s the female equivalent to young Mick Jaggar! Not only is she an extraordinary woman – one of the key producers on Ex Wives of Rock currently running on Fuse, but she’s also really, really a nice lady.

Lorraine Lewis

Kix at the Key Club

Finally, finally, finally Kix played.  I sang all the words to every song right along with the rest of the audience.   There was a lot of Kix love in the room.

Kix Set List

After the show, I was too exhilarated to be sad that the show was over, that this was the last night of the Key Club and that so much on the strip has changed.  Right outside the Key Club doors – someone handed me a flyer – it brought me back to the days of Gazzarris.  The Key Club is closing – rumors have it that Jay Z bought it and is turning it into a dance club.  There was a lot of commemorating that night about the Sunset Strip and all the changes.  The Key Club used to be Billboard Live which used to be Gazzarris – and that’s the venue I miss the most.   I’m glad I got to be there.  But there’s no turning back time.  With every birthday  – we all get a little older and we treasure our memories and our friendships even more.

This was a night I’ll never forget – I’m thankful I got to spend it with my friends and my favorite band.