Chelleter Skelter

Craft Fair Experience

About a month ago on my birthday I was standing in a small church fellowship hall in Terre Haute with a table full of my wares.  It was only the second craft fair I had ever done, and this time the setup was much smaller- only an 8 ft table rather than a 10 by 10 foot booth space. Nonetheless, I felt good about my setup. 

Part of my display is a picture of my Grandmother- Minnie Anderson (shown above), and a sign with a dedication to her, which reads, "This booth is lovingly dedicated to my grandmother Minnie Anderson who inspired a love of all things floral and vintage."

Nearly all of the fabric I've used is from her collection of scraps, remnants, and unused fabric she had saved from decades ago. No scrap was too small, and nearly all of it was starched and pressed. 

At this particular craft fair, just like the one before, I had so many touching moments of connection with the older women that would stop. They would see Mamaw's picture, read the dedication next to it, and touch their hearts and lock eyes with me. They told me how special it was what I was doing and how proud she would be of me. Then, several of them shared stories of their own about a mother, grandmother, or even great-grandmother who had made something just for them, or taught them how to quilt or sew. I could see them holding that person in their heart, and envisioning the cherished gift or the time spent together. 

Virtually none of these interactions resulted in a sale, but I could tell they felt a stirring in their soul as they walked away. It's my greatest hope that I inspire these women to find the quilt or item they were given and touch it and bring life to it once again. If I were somehow responsible for someone dusting off their old Singer or pulling out their tin of buttons and thread and making something happen, or better yet, TEACHING their kids or grandkids how to love the glide of the thread or the hum of the machine... Well, that would be a most rewarding gift.

Handmade is made to be given. The tangible love and work shows with every stitch and every neatly joined patch piece. It's powerful and beautiful and priceless and deep. It's why I craft. May I never forget.

Costumes I've Made

In my opinion, it's never too early to start thinking about your Halloween costume. It always takes me a while to narrow it down, and I usually end up making the same list every year of things I've done already to keep me from doing anything too similar. That being said, I've made a lot of costumes!

This was the costume I wore freshman year in college-2001 !!! I had always loved halloween, but I hadn't really dressed up in  a few years. This set the bar for me to try and top every year.

 

 

This was the one and only time Eric and I ever did a matching couple's costume. Usually our tastes are... from different sides of the spectrum. He's Big Papa Smurf, and I'm Lil' Smurfette. We won Best Couple's Costume!

 

I went from Punky Brewster...

 

To just plain Punky!

 

See what I mean about different Halloween tastes? It's better this way, trust me. I was a Rag-Doll, he was an Orc... or something.

 

This was the only shot I could find that shows my entire costume. This was taken during the Condiments Upon Request portion of the Halloween party. I was Sailor Jerri. Get it? 

 

Next I was a Fall/Autumn Fairy. I did this costume without a sewing machine, believe it or not. It's all hand-sewn and adhesived together.

 

Check out my wings! 

 

This particular costume was for a Pirate Party and not Halloween but I really like how it turned out, despite my mean pirate face. 

 

This year I was a Ring Master, hence the tiny tophat. It's not a great shot of the bustle, but I made it from scratch with no pattern! One of the trickier things I've made, for sure. The little jacket top is made from a t-shirt!

Ladies and Gentlemen, Rachelle-vis has left the building.

 

For this costume I turned white skinny jeans into bell-bottoms and glued on EVERY SINGLE RHINESTONE you see here.  Thank you, thank you very much.

 

 

Eric was an Ostrich Jockey, and I was an owl. Naturally, I made the wings, skirt, beak, and headdress myself! 

I let my nephew try my wings on and he liked them so much I made him a (much smaller) set of his own! (Not pictured) Here's a back view of my wings.

 

In 2013 I was Strawberry Shortcake. I made the skirt from a tube top! 

 

This is the most recent- Halloween 2014- Gypsy. I tend to rely on a color scheme for my costumes, and this year was no exception. I think it helps me reel it in and keep it cohesive.

 

I've even made some costumes and accessories for some tiny babes!

Miss Sophie as the cutest clown you've ever seen.


My niece Gwen as Olivia the pig! It's her favorite!

 

And Miss Sophie again as an owl. Too cute!

Not gonna lie, I've already started brainstorming about this year. It's usually a game-time decision though, so your guess is as good as mine. One thing I know for sure-- There will be pictures.

Season One at IRT

When one of my friends found out I got hired as the Prop Artisan at the Indiana Repertory Theatre he said, "You are going to learn so much!"

Holy smokes, he wasn't kidding. I've learned a TON of stuff about a TON of stuff. Here's some of my work that I'm pretty proud of from this season at IRT.

I made these saddle bags from vinyl and a pattern I made myself, then distressed them a bit.

I washed, dyed, stretched and starched over thirty 6 foot by 6 foot muslin "canvases" 

I created a pigment label from scratch for these jars. 

I made about a billion letters.

I made this cake! The little candles light up and everything!

I made an army of bunnies.

I reupholstered this couch!!

I reupholstered this settee!!

Then things got weird when I had to sew a speaker into a baby.

They continued to get weird when I hacked apart a very lifelike body. He was 6 feet tall and weighed 45 lbs. It was really difficult getting him dressed. 

I made this couch from scratch! (with the exception of the base) There's an ottoman that matches!

I printed a bunch of newspapers. Newspapers are always the worst. These turned out pretty good. 

I also made a good deal of curtains, drapes, and valances. Somehow I didn't get any pictures of them hanging, but here's the fabric from the ones I made for Baskerville Hall.

 

One of the coolest things about my job is that it's almost always something different every day. While I am responsible for the execution of these items, the scenic designer comes up with the overall look of everything and my boss guides me along. It's honestly a super cool job. Can't wait to learn more! 

Meeting Pat McAfee

"Meet Pat McAfee and give him a gift" has now been checked off of my 2015 goals list. I've heard people say that you shouldn't meet your heroes because you might be disappointed with how they are in real life, and this thought crossed my mind briefly when I found out a few months ago that I was going to be involved in a project at work with Pat McAfee. I have been a huge fan of his for a few years and my excitement IMMEDIATELY stomped those doubts right out of my mind. I'm sure we've all seen him when he's "ON"- a charismatic charmer with a gruff voiced and good-natured comeback for every jab that is thrown his way. He's genuinely funny in such an offhand way. He does fundraisers like there's no tomorrow and gives so much of his time, energy and funds to various causes. 

I think the part that I was most excited about was being around him as a normal person. When you're known for being an extroverted social butterfly, that's the version of you that is expected  everywhere you go. You don't get to have any "OFF" time. People think there's something wrong or you're pissed or upset about something, when you really just want some time to yourself. My heart goes out to people like Pat, because often your good nature is taken advantage of with jokes at your expense or just taking things too far. People start treating you like a character of yourself and it can be exhausting and undermining if there's no purpose to it all. But the thing about Pat is, he's in on the joke. Exhausting as it may be, he's got a plan.

 I had lots of ideas about what I wanted to give Pat. As a fellow dog person, I wanted to show his doggies some love, so I bought some treats for them at Three Dogs Bakery on Mass. Ave. At one point he was going to be adopting a pet monkey that he bought on Cyber Monday, so I was going to make a tiny white belt for the monkey to wear to match him. He later announced that he decided against monkey parenting, which is probably for the best. Instead I went with music. I made a Boomstick playlist that included AC/DC (it goes against everything I believe in to make a mixed CD without at least ONE AC/DC song on it), Whitesnake, The Mowgli's, James Brown, Nelly, Outkast, Phil Collins and many many more. 

The project I got to work on was the Indiana Repertory Theater (IRT) Radio Show. It's a night of fundraising for the IRT with a silent auction, dinner and drinks, and a live performance featuring several guest celebrities. The IRT staff works on this event for months, but the actual performance only gets a couple rehearsals. When we finally sat down to rehearse with the celebrity cast (Coby Fleener and Pat weren't the only cast members, former Mayor Bart Peterson and several other Indy community and business leaders took part as well) it was kind of surreal. I was sitting at my foley/sound fx table onstage and in walks Coby Fleener in sweatpants and a T-shirt. Whoa. Pat was a little late, and seemed frustrated about it, but it didn't keep him from shaking hands and introducing himself to everyone.

We read through the script (bearing several jokes poking fun at Pat's intelligence, which I quietly  objected to) and made a few adjustments. By the time we finished our one and only rehearsal with the celebrities, the lobby was packed with patrons and silent auction bidders, and our stomachs were growling. I had been wearing my McAfee jersey all day in hopes of getting an autograph and a chance to give him my gift. As soon as we finished the rehearsal though, he had disappeared. So, I went ahead and changed into my dress clothes for the evening. I kept my jersey and my gift close by, just in case I got a chance to speak to him.

That chance came much sooner than I anticipated. The theater was mostly empty, with a few of the staff hanging around backstage. I walked out to my table onstage to get something from my purse, I think, and saw Pat sitting quietly in the front row looking at his phone, with a couple other cast members chit chatting nearby. After a 10 second silent celebratory dance offstage, I gathered up my jersey, a sharpie, and my gift bag and walked back out to the place he was sitting. He greeted me with a "bow-chicka-bow-wow" (one of my lines from the script) and a smile. 

I asked if I could bother him for a minute, and he immediately reached for the jersey and sharpie. He thanked me for having the jersey and wearing it, and said it looked better on me than him- (I bet he says that to all the girls) and signed it for me. Jersey- check. Now it's time for the weird part, giving a gift to a famous stranger without coming off as a complete creep. I told him about the treats for his doggies and that I burned him a CD. He thanked me and seemed genuinely excited about the CD, he said he couldn't wait to listen to it later that night. I thanked him for being an awesome person and explained that I thought that music is the greatest gift you can give someone. Then, in a lame attempt to make a joke, I added "Or money, but I'm poor." He solemnly shook his head no, and looked at me with sincerity and said, "Happiness. Happiness is the greatest gift you can give someone." There is no doubt in my mind that he lives his life by that very principle. 

Thank you, Pat McAfee for giving the gift of happiness. Hell, thank you for BEING happy! Thank you for playing along when people tease you because you know it will get a laugh, and for being in on the joke. Thank you for an awesome night of being onstage with you that I will never forget. Thank you for reminding us that it's okay to not take ourselves so seriously, and thank you for being a shining example of giving back. 

 

Level One Indyprov Classes

Here's a little diddy I wrote for Indyprov! I'm taking their Level One class and I'm loving the hell out of it. I've been performing and teaching improv for over 11 years and I am still awed and inspired by watching the magic happen.  Our instructor, Amity is the absolute Bee's Knees! Anyway, here's my spiel.  

Do Improv. See the world.

Have you been dying to visit South Gary, or stroll along the luxurious beaches of Santa Monica, Spain? Or how about landing in San Francisco after falling through a hole in the Bat-Cave? You never quite know where an Indyprov class might take you.

 

No matter where you’re starting from skill-wise, (completely new to improv, experimented in college, or been doin’ it for years) you will have a blast, and definitely learn a thing or two.  After beginning, you may notice an increase in confidence, stamina, ability to think on your feet, and over-all sex appeal.**  That’s natural, and just some of the many benefits of doing improv comedy. 

There are all sorts of reasons to take an Indyprov  class---

• You want to improve your public speaking skills.
• You have two hours to kill on Monday nights.
• You like making people laugh.
• Your friends peer pressure you into it.
• You’re looking for something fun and new.
• You saw a crowd and followed them there by accident.
• You can’t stop signing up for things. 

Each session is a nice mix of games and exercises that involve the entire class, and smaller groups, pairings, and individual games. You start out by learning the fundamentals of improv, and then build onto them each week. The games are high-energy and inclusive. Everyone gets a chance to get up and get involved, but you also get to kick back and enjoy watching the antics of your classmates.  (Fair warning: Your face will hurt from laughing it off!) 

The environment created is one of support, creative discovery, learning and good-natured laughing at one another. There’s not a negative vibe to be found.  Friendships are formed, boy-bands created, and peace-treaties penned. Basically, this improv class is changing the world as we know it.  I highly recommend an Indyprov class for anyone who has a heart and/or soul.  They will both get a good workout.

(**These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. Except for the confidence and thinking on your feet part. That’s legit.)

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If you are interested in taking an Indyprov class or catching one of their many shows,  follow them on FB, right here!  

Or go to their website www.indyprov.com

 

 

What The What

 Is this thing on? 

Oh, hey. How's it goin? It's been a minute, hasn't it, blog that I talk to like a person?

What's new, you ask? All kinds of things! 

For starters, I've been listening to a great deal of Heavy Metal lately. I went through a huge Metallica phase in Jr. High/High School (reminder: this is a judgement-free zone, lol) and lately I find myself crankin up AC/DC, Motley Crue, The Cult, Metallica, Scorpions, Van Halen, all kinds of stuff. 

Not only were they badass rockstars, their hair and makeup was better than many women could pull off. How can I actually listen to that shallow, arrogant, vapid heavy metal, you ask?

(Some would argue that some of the bands I listed aren't Heavy Metal bands, they're Hair Metal Bands, and I get it. I know the difference between Led Zep and Def Lep, aight? Don't blame me for grouping these bands, blame the DJs on Ozzy's Boneyard, Sirius XM)

I think the appeal of this music for me right now at this point in my life actually IS the shallowness of it all. It's escapism. It's rock'n'roll music about playing rock'n'roll music. You don't have to think too hard to thoroughly enjoy it, and that's nice at a time where there's a lot of bleakness circling our peripheral awareness. This helps to tune it out.

 

I've been at my new job for a month now. It's not quite what I expected, but I like it. I get to be a bit crafty and I'm learning how to reupholster furniture. (More on that later.) 

One awesome thing about working in Indy (and eventually living there) is getting to be closer to my seesters. I feel like I've seen them more this past month than I have all year. I'm thrilled about getting more time with the Babe as well.

Mickey Mouse Club House was on TV, so she wanted nothing to do with selfies. One of these days I'll be as interesting as Mickey.

I really enjoyed seeing Guardians of the Galaxy with Eric. There's just something about team dynamics that makes for good entertainment. X-men, The Avengers, Sons of Anarchy, Firefly,  even comedies like Arrested Development and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia work so well because I think a lot of people see parts of themselves in each character. Throwing a group of seemingly misfit people together and having them solve a problem is fascinating. It really makes you stop and examine where you fit in yourself in your own team. 

I am very very excited to be getting back into the Improv arena this year. I signed up for Level 1 classes with IndyProv, a troupe in Indianapolis. Starts in a couple weeks. My online classes at Ivy Tech started back up again this week as well, so my calendar is filling up! No complaints though.

My boys will be back on TV soon! So sad it's the last season. Sigh. 

Anyway, I'm just getting started on this new adventure that is this second part of the year. Can't wait to see where it takes me, because I honestly have no idea. It's kind of a good feeling, like my iPod is on shuffle.

Sounds like a plan.

 

 

 

10 Things I've learned from 8 years in a Restaurant

When I applied for a job at Cheeseburger in Paradise almost 8 years ago, I had no idea the upbeat island themed restaurant would introduce me to roughly 80% of the people that live in my city (I made that up, but seriously, I know a lot of people) and more friends and regulars than I can begin to count. I've laughed a lot, cried a little and learned so much about myself and life in general. So, without further ado, here's a list of 10 things I've learned from working in a restaurant for 8 years.

1. Be mindful of other people's time. Customers- don't make your server/bartender stand there awkwardly watching you read the menu picking out the order you told them you were ready to give. They could be getting a refill or running food for their other customers, or a number of other things. Instead they are held captive at your table because you said, "I think I'll have....Umm...(long pause) The uhh... I'll have...(reads entire menu with their finger while server shifts with irritation)..." Also, telling me you're on your lunch break is not going to make your extra well done burger come out any faster. Want something fast? Order a salad. Or go to a drive-thru.

2. The answer is usually right in front of you. I can't tell you how many times someone will be looking at the menu and ask, "What comes on the such and such?" Causing me to pause knowingly and then read directly off the menu to them the things that are listed on such and such. Take a moment, look for the answer yourself. If you are TRULY stumped (and not just lazy or in a hurry) then feel free to ask me your question.

3.Form your own opinions of people. It never fails whenever there is a new person hired, SOMEONE is going to talk bad about them to everyone else and tell you every heinous thing they've ever done and try to convince you to hate them before you even know them. Don't fall for it. I have never regretted turing a deaf ear to trash-talk and actually talking to someone and getting to know them before I form my own opinion of them. That being said---

4. Don't get sucked in to the black hole of gossip, bitterness, and negativity. Seriously, just don't. It doesn't serve any purpose except to make you look untrustworthy and make people wonder what you say about them when they walk away. We all know those people that are energy suckers and any interaction with them leaves you feeling drained and icky because they whine and complain about anything and everything. Avoid befriending those people and you will be better for it.

5. Things are always changing, it's pointless to complain. The restaurant industry is fickle. There are good days and bad days, good weeks and bad weeks, good months and bad months. When it's slow, people complain about having no tables. When it's busy, they complain that the host double sat them. When we're understaffed it's too hard to keep up, but when we hire more servers there are too many on the floor and no one is making any money. Some people will never be happy no matter what the circumstances are, but try to keep in mind that things change. Just go with it and make the best of it!

6. Know when to ask for help and don't be afraid to do so! Other people (probably your customers) as well as yourself will suffer if you don't reach out when you need help. Delegating just one thing for a brief moment can help you get caught up, and will probably make you look like a rock star at your job. Do it before you get completely overwhelmed. 

7. You can't ALWAYS judge a tip by your table, or in other words, a book by its cover. There are times that you will be right, and times that you will be surprised. That lady wearing house slippers and cutoff sweatpants may very well leave you $1 on her $12 ticket or she might leave you $5 because she enjoyed the food and got great service. If you pre-judge your guest, you likely predetermine the kind of service you are going to give to them. Exceed their expectations and they might exceed yours. And now to completely contradict myself----

8. The first few seconds of interaction set the tone, especially at the bar rail. I can usually tell what a customer expects from me in the initial greeting. When I say "Hi there, how are you today?" and the answer is a leaning "Better, now." I know that you are probably going to ask if I am married and stare at my boobs and pretend you're reading my name tag. If you have reading material or a tablet of some kind, I gather that you want to be left alone. If you are half-heartedly fiddling with your phone or read the menu after you've already ordered, you probably want some social interaction and I need to come up with something to talk to you about. If I ask how you're doing and you reply, "Diet Coke," you are not going to listen to anything I say. I guess the moral here is to be aware of the vibe you're putting out.

9. There's a good chance you will either work with or wait on these people again. Don't be a douche.

10. Have a human interaction. Some guests prefer that you only perform the functions of an order-taker, and that's their prerogative. But in all honesty some of the best guest experiences I've had have been when I've been able to laugh at my (small) mistakes with my bar guests or crack a joke about something I hear them say or things of that nature that allowed me to connect with them. Once I grabbed a pitcher in a hurry to refill a guest's water glass at their table. I pick up the glass and start pouring and it was actually a tea pitcher. I shouted, "IT'S A MIRACLE!" and they died laughing. It's easy to get caught up in the work part of a job and forget you're waiting on humans and not just customers. 

 

There are people and things that I will miss like crazy, and also people and things that I won't. Like, at all. I am grateful for everything I learned and the connections I've made at CIP, and going forward now I am armed with life skills and an unwanted knowledge of Jimmy Buffet lyrics that I would be without otherwise. Even though my time on the Island is up, I will always keep a bit of it with me in my heart and spirit... And hopefully I stop hearing Jimmy Buffet in my dreams and everywhere I go. Oh well, one day at a time. 

2014 Max Ehrman Poetry Competition

I did a poetry! It was kind of on a whim, I guess. I was flipping through a magazine at the Country Club and saw an article featuring last year's winners. I figured, I've never entered a poetry contest, why not? Turns out I won an award! I got to go to a little ceremony out at Saint Mary of the Woods and read my poem, along with the other winners. The theme for this year's contest was "Treasure." Here's my poem, dedicated to my Mamaw.

 

Pieces not suitable for quilts

Behind the hollow wood door that folds away

In the built-on room with no floor--

That's where you left it for me to find.

Long before I was born, you were curating.

Cutting dresses and drapes is what they thought you wanted it for, 

But we both know better than that.

In a room that smells like hot plastic sunlight

And sounds like bare feet and metal shelves

You saved it just for me.

Press up against the wall and stretch your skinny arm

Just as far as it will go until your fingers find the lightswitch.

Beyond the towers of unopened puzzles.

Past the pieces of milky green Tupperware with corresponding lids.

When the metal tins start to pile up you're getting closer.

If you reach the giant freezer you've gone too far.

Look up and see them arranged so neatly!

The names of my mother and her sisters are written across in your slanting hand.

The spot is not marked by "X" but rather by colors and kinds and

"Pieces not suitable for quilts."

More than my lifetime was spent collecting this treasure

Remnants of fabric that hit the floor yet caught your eye

Something about the way they formed the negative space with such style

You stoop to pick it up, softly whistling Hank Williams, no doubt,

Taking a moment to bestow its future purpose upon it

Before you gently fold it into itself.

You would've wanted me to have it, I'm sure of it.

Why else would every single piece I uncover feel like a kiss on my cheek?

Why else would you have hidden it all in plain sight?

Sitting there.

Waiting for me to grow tall enough to reach when I needed a reminder of you.

Music is the Greatest Gift!

I've said it before, and I will certainly say it again:

MUSIC IS THE GREATEST GIFT!!

At least if you are looking to give me something :)  

It's one of my favorite things to receive (be it in iTunes gift card form or burnt CD, etc.) and certainly one of my favorite things to give to people. 

Lately I've been making playlists for people (which is super fun, no?) and burning through my spindle of blank CDs. But how should one package such a carefully curated gift? Why wouldn't the wrapping be just as colorful as the music itself? Here's what I did-

 Create your playlist, burn your CD and make a track list (optional). I always want to know what I'm listening to so I always make the track list for others, but sometimes it's fun to be surprised.

 
Find a brightly colored magazine ad or article or what-have-you. 

Bonus points if there's a music reference on the other side! This was a happy accident. 

 

 

Fold the page around the CD like you're making an envelope. Make creases on the top and bottom so you know the page will fit around the CD.

Tape up the edges with some colorful washi tape (or any kind of tape, really) and trim the top fold of the "envelope" so that it will fit inside the bottom one. 

You can either cut a slit for it to tuck in to, or you can just tuck it behind the edge of the bottom one. No biggie. 

Write the lucky recipient's name (bonus points if you use stickers) and vwa-lah! You've got a colorful musical gift worth giving! Brighten someone's day with music that you picked out just for them! 

Apartment Life Hack!

Hey-o! It's no secret that Eric and I love calendars. When they go on sale this time each year, we usually get several. This year was no different, except (record scratch sound) we're in an apartment now and we're not allowed to put any holes in the wall. What can we do? 

LIFE HACK!

You just need a 3M command strip and hook and a tiny ponytail holder. I've seen some people do this with ribbon or thread, but this seems faster. The command strips won't take the paint off your wall IF you remove them according to the instructions.

Push the ponytail holder through the holes, then hang it on the hook. Boom.

Try not to be jealous of my Lisa Frank calendar, okay? Okay.