Kiwi Tales

The Fly Whisperer aka The Kiwi

Just got in from rounding up some flies and herding them towards fly heaven. I don't know about you, but The Kiwi hates flies, especially when she is preparing food. Probably because the American flies reminds her of the Australian flies, badly behaved and totally irreverent. The Yank gets majorly demented over ants but that is another story. But with flies, she sure is a sight to behold as she flings herself around the kitchen puffing herself up to look ten times bigger. Its enough to scare the wings off the dirty wee blighters and make them drop the food out of their mouth whilst flying in fright. A gal can't even leave the backdoor open without the little buggers using the place like a drive thru. Now where was I?
OH... wherever I went, there I was [and so were the flies] To cut a long story short and save you all from the cliches. I've been a badddddd Kiwi blog mistress. So beat me!

Months have passed, seasons have changed, we have a new Prez, what else, hmmmmmm. We both have some new grey hairs and I am also pleased to say we have just had yet another "Art in The Yard" flingette. This time I really concentrated on our table display setting it up the night before under the covered patio.  I was remiss last time and totally neglected our space table as I wandered around like mother hen making sure all the participants were ok with their allotted areas, cooked breakfast for 25 and took care of any special needs. The Yank was busy with her tasks and before you knew it BAM... the gates were opened. Sooooooo... in a nutshell, we kicked butt with our area this time, lots of nooks and crannies with new creations made using a lot of YanKiwi product. From hand stamped earrings, bracelets and pendants; to cards, tags and stained glass sun-catchers made by the both of us. The Yank had worked hard and long at kicking the garden up a notch even threatening the grass to grow, or else! The birdlife was out in force, fountains were flowing. 100's of attendees/friends/buyers enjoyed a fine afternoon in our garden and a fun time, food and wine was shared. We even had a chair masseuse this time and she was kept busy.
    Currently, I am so excited I can barely contain myself as I have a new project underway. The Kiwi is inspired. Its been a while and I'm enjoying the flow whilst looking forward to the next show in November. The Yank and The Kiwi will be working on some garden art to include hypertufa pots, troughs and other gorgeous organic growths that we can think of when playing with said mixture. Watch this space for pics... In the interim I am off, back to the shade of the lower patio to work on my current itches. The Yank is uploading a pic to our SALE page at the virtual convention our ghosts are presently attending at The Rubberstampchat site. Check it out, it runs till Monday eve. I am not going to make any more loose promises to be frequent with my bloggett. I am going to work at the least to be better as the Yank threatened to send me to the fly farm where I will have no choice but to constantly run around in circles, fly swat in hand instead of the dremel. I am pretty sure that can be seen as the equivalent as limbo for some of you.

Tootles for now.

The Kiwi

OH...p.s. The Yank wanted me to mention that the reason we have flies is the WEATHER and the fact that I leave the door open with no screen. Its NOT because I leave crumbs on the bench. I repeat. It is NOT because I leave crumbs on the bench... that would be countertop for the American readers.

Deadlines looming...

The Kiwi has been spread thin since returning from Aotearoa. All the hours in a day mean ZIP really! I am sure it is a time management issue. I shall make a mental note to consult the head rice crispie. There has been a little writing, a little biz, OH...The Art In the Yard fest was a blast. I finished and started a project for Altered Art. A tribute to my dear Dad. It ought be in the mag an issue or two away. This was the first undertaking of this kind for me...a tribute. I stared at the large toasted tin which I knew was going to be the vessel. I sat there a long time looking at the tin thinking about my Dad and was temporarily stunted. You see... My Dad is already in a box, of sorts, sitting atop the TV in the lounge back home in New Zealand. There he sits surrounded by family photos. A pic of him in a suit taken at ANZAC day one year looking rather solemn as he is obviously remembering his mates no longer alive. We put some of Dads fave sweets around the box as a sort of tribute and it is unspoken that they just sit there, despite most of them being also some of the family faves. We raise our drams of scotch to him each night I am back home and we toast Dad and the Auckland Blues or NZ Allblacks when there is a rugby game on. Mum whispers good morning darling and goodnight each day. One could think it rather grim that a rather smaller version of Dad is still there, but as a family it does not bother us. We have all heard of weirder scenarios, like the folk who just let their loved ones sit in their fave chair where they died and take on that sort of dried up look about them. Or store their dearly departed in the chest freezer and then pray for no power outages. So in the bigger scheme of things, the Stubbs clan is not all that weird. Dad will be interred when Mum has had enough of this place and leaves us. That will be THE sad day. Anyway, back to my Dad project. Nothing quite seemed good enough and I think that is why I pondered and procrastinated. I didn't quite get to the point of dial-a-therapist but if it wasn't for the wisest of the crispies within, I could have. The worst thing was, ugh,  I had a deadline. Welllllllll...The Kiwi is not the best with deadlines and I felt the pressure to perform. That, mixed with the emotions regarding Dad, meant I wasn't going anywhere fast. I had many ideas, I could picture a look yet there was no way in hell it was all going to fit in a tin. I accepted my temporary state of being and continued to create in my head. I knew I needed a picture of him, I knew I was going to stamp an Amaryllis Lilly on the back as Dad grew them and most family members have a generation of bulbs going back to my late Nana Tyndall, so I just had to have a stamp created for YanKiwi, It was a given. I knew I had an old article from the New Zealand Herald written about the battle at Monte Cassino in Italy during WW11. Dad was a truck driver during the war herding troops and supplies from A to B  and of course it was a significant time for him as a young soldier. I had to somehow fit that in there. I continued my quest to gather symbolic bits and bobs and soon realized I had the bones, so to speak. I just had to start the assembling. Again I was stopped in my tracks. Eventually, I just let myself feel the feeling and did it anyway. My goal was to feel the feeling and create. I touched a lock of Dads hair and bent to sniff it hoping to smell him but couldn't. I smiled at the picture of him taken next to his prize Christmas Lillie's and pieced together my project by feeling all the feelings within. It was ok to feel. I soon had completion the day it needed posting. You all won't get to see much in the mag, at best their will be two shots and the whole enchilada won't be visible. All you really have to know is it is a tribute for my Dad, from me to him.

Back in Town

Whooooo...I have been a baddddd Kiwi
I have been absent from my blog and indeed went awol.
That does not mean I had nothing to say for those that know me know that could never be. It is just that my focus has been elsewhere and I had to go with it. That was then and this is now and I am back with a vengeance. Six weeks in New Zealand got me a little soggy and I am not talking about the fine whiskey I shared with my dear Mum each eve. NOOOO...I am talking about the rain and lack of computer access. I can hear you all say " I thought NZ was a hip, go to sort of place" Well..indeed it is. The Kiwi was staying in a retirement village where dial up was the in thing and without her Apple Mac she was dead in the water and pulling out hair. Now that is not all the Kiwi has been up to. Many a musing has taken place and I will soon share.

Last things first and our latest news is that we hosted our 2nd Art In The Yard Fall Fling and have gotten to the stage where our garden is near full with woman Artists and Crafters. It was well attended with well over 200 visitors and buyers and if I say so myself a fab day was had by one and all. Bread was broken and shared, wine flowed freely and The Kiwi stuck by her new rule of not popping a cork before noon. Now don't get me wrong. I don't do battle with the bottle despite what you read here. Its just that when I play host and promoter, not to mention vendor I get a little manic on the day and thirsty. I forget what liquid I have in my hand and find myself guzzling like a jeep out of petrol sucking up at the local gas Costco and before you know it my mind is altered. Sooo...This time was different thanks to The Yank watching me closely and limiting my supply. Speaking of The Yank. She hacked me in my absence and didn't even have the decency to write in capitols where needed grrrrrr.
I think, just between you and me that she was trying to make my blogglette look NOT so neglected. Didn't fool me, after all everyone knows that I speak and write proper Queen's English and know to start a sentence with a capital letter.

Looks aren't everything

Do you remember back when you were a young wee whipper snapper with all the rushing hormones ?
Or am I the only one that can remember that feeling?
Or am I the only one that admits to that feeling?
hmmmmmm
Anyway.....LONG LONG LONGGG AGO...pre having being neutered and turning grey, The Kiwi lived at a time when looks were arguably ONE of the most important factors regarding attractive qualities. Whilst I was never one of these shallow, superficial people, still today and some may say, even more so, looks do come FIRST in some arenas.
Move the clock hmmmmmmmm 20 plus years. The Kiwi has adopted this mindset about looks and is now herself guilty of pre judging. I want to share with you, my peeps, how looks can be deceiving. A word of wisdom!
As a rubber stamping biz we have advertised in a couple of the main major mags or M and M's  for short. We also aspired to advertise in a couple of the che che, cutting edge, absolutely gorgeous, very expensive to advertise in, wonderfully textured, forever giving birth, family of OTHER magazines out there. For simplicity sake I shall henseforth just refer to them as The OTHERS.
Yes people. YanKiwi fancied playing with the big girls and is regularly courted.
We all know that the current economy sucks, I can't think of a better word than SUCKS because it indeed seems to SUCK everything out of one. More money for petrol, more money for corn, more money for petrol made of corn  you get the drift. It is a sucking time out there for a lot of us.
Before I go off on a tagent never to return I shall bring the purpose of my writing to the forefront.
We didn't even consider the mag that took over from Rubber Stamper. Didn't like the idea of being in a mag with croqueted tops and  duck shaped candles, didn't want to be on a shelf in a supermarket at rugrat level so to be smeared with greasy fingertips. That was the image that I had formed in my wee Kiwi head. I was still, in my mind trying to justify how we were going to compete against a self serving conglomeration known as The OTHERS, without feeling like we were funding their stamp line with our precious advertising dollars. Pimp I was not!
In the meantime we had some stuff published...only took a bit less than 2 yrs but then there was a change of owners and everything was a bit hickle dee pickel dee. To cut to the chase because The Yank doesn't think y'all can understand my English, We have had MORE business to date from the, excuse the saying, errrrrr , ugly duckling mag than we have got off some of the ones we pay to advertise in. I must emphasize TO DATE.
Whilst it has not made us millionaires, by any means and the tummytucks and eyelifts will have to wait till the next life, we have now reopened our mind and THAT in the least is refreshing.
To quickly summerize. Looks arn't everything, unless you're an eye, and that my pretty is the moral of the story and ain't it just wonderful to be able to rethink something and come out with a different conclusion...if only The Kiwi could have been this wise when she was a sweet young thing. Next life eh!

Long time no blog

"Goodness grape nuts" The Yank did say. "Why aren't you writing?"
Wellllllll....there's a 1001 reasons and none of them good enough.
I will give you 13 off the top of the bean..
1/ hmmmmmmmmm...nothing to say.
2/ Still sulking cause Hillary missed out.
3/ The economy sucks and I can't see the end of the tunnel.
4/ Didn't get a hybrid in time.
5/ Missed out on a FREE copy Dr Laura's book "Stop Whining Start Living".
6/ Bill Handel threatens me with the prospect of living in a dumpster, every 20 mins between  5am & 9am.
7/ Don't know what to do 1st...on a daily basis.
8/ The Kiwi melts in temperatures over 87.2 degrees.
9/ The sequel to Hannibal is being filmed in LA and they needed a brain.
10/New neighbors moved in.
11/Stress dulls the comic within.
12/Feeling my age and some #&*%^ mentioned my next b'day that happens to have an 0 in it.
13/Someone once said "If you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything."

There you go, the above excuses are some of the reasons why The Kiwi has been silent.
The Yank has another saying that she sings...Shessssss backkkkkkk!
and back I am.
I would like to add, with a vengeance, but I guess I have to first earn that rap.
I have been creating though, being the hermit I can be. The Yank turned me on to making stained glass creations and of course we had to reorganize the garage to accommodate . When you play with solder and flux and all the other goodies like sharp pieces of glass, one must proceed with caution. I, myself, had to have my own designated area as The Yank and I are very, errrr different in our needs from a work station.
Bottom line The Yank is meticulously tidy and The Kiwi can't even spell the word...get the picture?
Sooooo... a bit of time had gone into learning the art of playing with glass and I must say I have made some pretty nice wee things. Its kind of addictive and the only thing that stops me is the fact that the garage turns into a deep fryer after 2pm. I am incorporating some things we sell at YanKiwi.com into my creations and by the time the next "Art In The Yard" rolls along, both the Yank and the Kiwi will have plenty of treasures for sale. Pricing is the worse part. We both hate that... the reality is that it has to be done...you can only give so many away and if one wants to improve and be able to buy more stock then one has to sell some things...easy peasy. I mean, it just makes common sense. There's only so much space and a gal can't possibly keep everything.
I learned the perfect remedy for letting go when I had a brick and mortar Antiques Curios and Collectible shop in Auckland New Zealand.
Of course when I first started stocking the shop I bought what I liked. I didn't have $2000pr Ming vases or anything like that. Though I was in possession of a necklace made of cornelians belonging to Elizabeth 1 .
I digress... When one buys things that one likes and one also owns a shop, one has to learn to let go or else one would not be able to continue buying and would get that distasteful label that leaves me all a-quiver: PACK RAT. Sooooooo... The Kiwi decided early on in order to continue the process that it was enough to hold, smell, touch and generally molest the treasure when in custody, BUT be prepared to let it go and therefore be able to repeat the process over and over. AND...do you know what people?...it worked. I consequently got to play with and temporarily own lots of fabulous aged treasures and THAT was why I was in the biz. Because I love that stuff.
I just loved the history and being in its presence.
Its amazing how something so simple works when one is just prepared to apply the theory!
I could end there on that poignant note but I won't. I want to talk a little more about pricing ones creations. The have been 100's of articles written and rehashed on this subject. Most of it has gone in one of The Kiwis ears and out the other. (Note: in one eyeball and out the other doesn't sound as good so The Kiwi reserves the right to say what she damn well pleases cause its her damn blog...nahnahnahnahnahhhhhhhh) Re pricing: unfortunately we have all come across stuff MADE IN CHINA or MADE IN INDIA etc etc that is mass produced by basically, slave labor for a pittance and gobbled up by a society that doesn't care to think about the longterm ramifications or just doesn't think full stop. Example... I have seen stained glass sun catches in Michaels for say $20...use your 40% off or 50% off coupon and you could pay as little $10 for someone's creation.
Now whilst my stuff doesn't look like their stuff, BUYERS look at it and may think my stuff is priced high in comparison and so they buy the cheap stuff because it is cheap. You get the drift eh. THAT is why it is a worthy conversation and THAT is why we do our Art In The Yard shows because the peeps that come know in advance that our stuff is all handmade by the vendors present. They appreciate it and THAT is what keeps the process alive. In a nutshell... we all know that we don't get back the hours put into our creations and thats not how we can tally up and come to a price. It is all a matter of just looking at your work, know what goes into it and being realistic and proud enough to put a price tag on it. If it is gobbled up at a show I guess one can say...Right On!
More than $ is gained from creating and whilst it is a wonderful feeling to be monetarily rewarded for our art, the fact that so many people have been touched by things I have made and you have made is PRICELESS.

Desert Dwellers...we aren't

Welllll... we do live in the high desert but The Kiwi hasn't quite worked out what exactly that means.... Does one have to be high to live in the desert or does the desert make you high?
Either which way The Kiwi is confused AND in the desert, so maybe that gets misconstrued as being high. WHATEVER.
   Writing this from our salubrious surroundings in my ever so comfortable bed at La Grand Motel 6   Mesa, Arizona. Do not be tempted to laugh. The Kiwi can hear you. We did indeed have fine company...NONONO...Not THE Posh one...BETTER.
If you wish to know who else slummed it with YanKiwi send a stamped self addressed envelope with 50,000 buckaroonies to P.O Box YanKiwi and we will share the goss with you. (just joshn) YOU would be surprised people.... shock horror and PINK is all The Kiwi will say. You would have to either bring out the $ or the water-board to get any more info from moi.
Please note: We here at YanKiwi ONLY choose to slum it at the 6's or 8's to check out and report back to our loyal public.
   For those of you wondering why they can't read ALL our comments, it is because we are total control freaks and The Yank is a computer whiz and has the box rigged so only we can see and keep to ourselves your opinions. We do, however, let the odd one filter through, just so some of you can see YOUR name in print. The Kiwi is worried about love mail and can't take on any more responsibilities right now.  Actually people... as I taptaptap I can literally see the spiders weaving their web of words and I will indeed dedicate the next hour or so looking behind the scenes to read all your wonderful words of love, problems and sad little stories.
   Goodness...I digress, It must be the after effects of those large cacti that I nibbled on. The Kiwi had long ago heard rumors of the wonderful medicinal come cosmic experience one got from some cacti...The Yank did tell me to stop but The Kiwi thought it was mostly because she didn't want the responsibility of pulling cacti thorns our of my tongue... silly me.

   Did I mention that we were at the Mesa show in Arizona and had a wonderful response from the crafty ones down there?  If not. We did. We met a lovely new promoter who welcomed us warmly, Thanks Barbara, and a super big Thank You to you yummy folk who visited and supported us at the YanKiwi booth. For sure we will be going to Mesa again and I sure hope I can find the right cacti this time as the one I tried gave me a horrid rash and can't say it tasted nice either.

   Note to self : Contact Charbucks or preferably Deitrichs to get a new franchise or two opened up down there before we come. The Kiwi and The Yank wasted a good half hour looking for a decent coffee. Its almost a good enough reason to go out and buy one of those global positioning dooooduh thingmegigs.
   It was nice to catch up with some pals and share a margarita or two. GEE... I'm really sorry bout the tooth Pinky, I still have the broken fragment in my pocket. If you don't want it, can I use it in a collage?
The Kiwi promises never to share her butter rum toffees with anyone else again, but then again, what goes on in the desert stays in the desert...

Rain Kiwi Style

Did you ever wonder how the color green is really made?
Pure and simple it is because of RAIN.
That watery stuff that comes out of the sky, for those of you that haven't seen it for a while.
YES people, that elusive substance that encourages many a Californian weather fiend to break out into those scary words... STORMWATCH two thousand and something.
Here in New Zealand we embrace rain and cherish the gifts it bestows on us. It cleans, it empowers the plants to grow and it replenishes the water supplies, not to mention it makes heavenly rainbows.
Yes yes yes we bitch about it at times as there is always a downside. However, it is a truth that RAIN is indeed needed and it is a gift from above.
It is my second encounter with rain since being back in dear old New Zealand for all of 20 days.
The Tuis still sing from their rain dropped perches, people still go out about their day and someone kindly bought my washing in when they saw the sun shadow over. All is good back in the land of the long white cloud. No where on earth is perfect. Some places are definately greener than green. New Zealand is sure one of those places with a whole palette of greens. Its just on the other side of the hot side of the moon.

Chaos

The word itself sounds awfully dramatic, the situation , whereupon it's to be described...fitting.
I feel like I ought add another word there, like BRILLIANT or BAM.
Bam will come when we squeeze the last piece of booth content into FLICK the jeep. It will be the sound of the back door pushed tightly shut quickly before the pipe and drape poles slip that annoying inch or so that makes a situation difficult. Get the picture?
YanKiwi will be at the last show of the year in Carson CA. It's only fitting that it was our first for YanKiwi and we finish our first year in biz with a show there...how profound and totally unintended.
Two days after the show I fly to New Zealand to see my Mum, catch up with a retailer or two, and get my fair share of to-die-for meat pies and fish and chips. Are you starting to get the picture of chaos yet people??? Did I mention I haven't packed yet? (and did the Yank mention that she forgot to post this a week ago before the Kiwi left? shhhh don't tell her, maybe she won't notice the post date... uhhh busted!)

Lost in Las Vegas?

NAHHHHH, just follow the lights and know when to stop.
Thats the key to Sin Citeeeeee
Could have been a rap star but I am toooo pink..."Pinkie" the Yank calls me, when she wants to be mean and or has just visited the pet shop and seen all the fuzzies that are awaiting their date with a snake.
Little does she know that a Pinkie Bar is one of the Kiwis faves, only 2 pts at W.W. and dipped in fine CADBURIES milk chocolate. I digress.
We did our 1,2,3... 4th show. This time in Las Vegas and were well received by those that know. We don't seem to excite the soccer mom crowd though. We did meet some yum people but decided not to eat them on the spot. I had a whole heap of fun doing a couple of Make and Takes. Got razed galore by some incorrigible souls who were just delightful. Thank You gals for sharing your time and energy with us...and for your wonderful laughs, smiles and support. I would like to see your fine creations when you get around to playing. It was lovely to see Cota and John from Draggin Ink again, gee those guys are a wealth of knowledge.  Check them out they are brill people with lots of wonderful bits and bobs to tinker with. I'm so glad that drink didn't land in MY lap John hahaha. Thank You for all your wisdom and loan of the extension cord. Look forward to spending time with you again, kindred souls in this biting biz.
We shared some time and a couple of big girl drinks with our new scrap booking pal, Sheila from Denver, owner and matriarch of The Bizzy Scrapper, an online scrap bookers delight, check it out ! Trust you got home safe and sound Sheila...13 hours on the road...wow. We are a keen lot are we not? Hub Bub had better like his Patriots sign, if he doesn't, get him a Colts one instead, that will stir up some emotion lol.  YanKiwi would be honored to share a wall with you again someday. It was a fun long may our acquaintanceship last. I like that word, it works, maybe a bit long but hey, it's obvious what it means. The Kiwi CLAIMS it as a new word and will be recording it for entry into the next edition of whatever dictionary will pay the highest price for it. After all you can get a lot for a 15 letter word in eg...scrabble.
Re the show in Vegas, pretty run of the mill, barnish, no real funky altered art vendors but a few that way inclined buyers which we personally mostly cater to. Not sure I get this biz yet. Does everyone just want a version of the same $#&^ ? Does pretty rule?
We had the pleasure of meeting Sue, who, amongst other things, designs a wonderful, fine art, stamping line for her company EarthArt International. Lovely people Sue and Frank. Gorgeous, fine, intricate art. Superb!  Again, soccer moms united (SMU...for short) may not be the appreciative audience for them either. ANYWAY...its a matter of knowing the audience a very wise Draggin told me once. YanKiwi has yet to find their niche within a niche and will continue to look for a home well suited.
For now we will meander down the roads well traveled, kick a few stones, trip in a few pot holes and for sure make ourselves known where ever we set up.  That my pretties is a promise.
Don't read this if you choose to read it wrong. My tongue is sitting nicely in my cheek awaiting the Yank's return. I will get edited to hell and back but heyyyyyy...tomorrow is another day and YanKiwi gets stronger and stronger.
PS...this is the edited version, NOT The Kiwi unplugged. The Yank wanted us to remain in biz so sliced and diced...ce la vie... jejeje.

Art In The Yard

After scouring the house making it fit for human consumption, despite the Siamese sabotage, The Yank and The Kiwi hosted their very first backyard Art and Craft affair. We had 15 different women showing their wares from fine art acrylics to wonderful hand painted silk garments and scarves, jewelery galore, beaded and hand stamped silver and there was a woman who made every link in her gold and silver creations. The Kiwi's " Urban Grunge Wear " range of bamboo bracelets and pendants were a hit and were only out done by the authentic taste treats from our Greek friend Elli who brought large platters of to die for baklava, wonderful syrup cake and other Greek delicacies. We even had women from the wood carving guild showing their whimsical hobbit houses and stone gnome homes. It was a lovely day in the garden and we are ever so grateful to the powers that be that saw fit to offer us a reprieve from triple digit weather...whewwwwwww...because people...I wouldn't have attended my own premiere in THAT weather, no no no!
They came from far and away to see what was behind the gates of 4182 and I think most had a good time. We are considering having another such affair because its a time that we creative lot can come together, look, ooooh ahhhhh, swap, buy and drink chardonnay and watch a hummingbird or two take a bath. What more could be so pleasant on a sunny Saturday?
Soccer?.........nahhhhh. Rugby, well that's another blog...