Diadra's amazing pink hair
However, it didn't take long for things to get totally out of hand. The girls challenged the guys to some hide-and-seek, and poor Chip was frightened out of his mind when Sassy suddenly leapt out from behind a curtain of magenta hair. It will take several strong drinks for him to calm down, I think. Probably a good thing Weed Whacker Guy stayed home...
Spring is here!
In the meantime, the Queen's friends climbed trees and took a barefoot jog through the bluebells. Spring is definitely here.
The Plastiqueville Camera Club Annual Spring Outing
How we did it - The joys of a shiny background
On one of my recent craft store scores, I picked up two yards of shiny-shiny vinyl. Sturdy, yet flexible, it would make great wipe-off placemats. I had no idea what it would look like as a background, but one thing is for sure - it throws a lot of light around. Five bucks a yard? Worth a try! Today, I pulled the plain white background out of the studio box and made a template to cut a similar piece from the shiny stuff, using Velcro to attach it to the box. I deliberately made it wider than the manufacturer's backdrop, so it could be stuffed into the corners - and it did that pretty well. What's more, it reflects the other items in the box and makes a blurry landscape that picks up on colors and shapes. (I definitely needed the diffuser over the LEDs inside the box, or that background would have been nothing but a sea of hot spots.) The stepping stones (wood and fake rock) are from the dollar store, and the crazy arch in the back was a random find in my backyard. Later, I added some fake trees, to hide the back corner. A couple of the trees didn't want to stand up straight, but that just made them look more real. It was ladies' day in the studio box, complete with dramatic reenactments. The set's still up, and as long as Maxine hasn't knocked anything over, maybe there will be more excitement in the shiny swamp...
If today is your birthday...
However, today is Ari's birthday and what's more, it's #18, one of the landmarks, the big One-Eight. I know Ari through my friend Angel and her daughter Eva; Ari and Eva are colleagues in their high school band. They all live together in a house with one growing dog, multiple cats*, and a flock of birds (one cockatoo and a lot of budgies). (*Some of the cats are fosters, so if you're in the market for feline companionship, hit me up.) I got to thinking and realized that at the end of next month, I will be celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of my own One-Eight. Times back then were a lot like they are now: lots of uncertainty in the air, along with many strong opinions on all sides and the inevitable boil and broil of change. If you had told me, back then, that I would be where I am now, I wouldn't have believed a word of it. Yet, here I am, having landed on my feet after many twists and turns. I'm still amazed. So, the Queen and some of the lovely ladies of Plastiqueville have gathered to remind all of us, regardless of your mile marker on that wacky Road of Life, that we've all got people, we've all got friends. We've got people who look out for us, even when we don't see them there. We've got the ones who stand on the same stone with us, like the Queen and the Lady in Red, who taps the Queen's shoulder and dispenses advice. We've got those who bring us gifts, like Rose Girl on the left. We've got those who warn us away from trouble, like the Sorceress on the right. And we've got those who hang out in the distance, like Esmeralda under the arch. We may not meet them in person, but they shape the path, too. Therefore, if today is your birthday (and I know it is for at least one of you): The people of Plastiqueville wish you many glorious returns of the day! (And for the rest of you, stay tuned for a "How we did it" - where did all that shiny background come from, anyway?)
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