Pin-ups in Paradise Card Ordering Link!

Hello everyone,

Te'Lisha by Jeff Lange

 I created this link to make it easy for you to order the cards you want. It's nice and secure and you have a copy of the receipt forever in PayPal. You can even leave me a note if you want to change it up a bit. Of course, if you want LARGE quantities, let me know on Facebook and we can work out a special price.

I am so thrilled that all of you are so supportive of this amazing cause and the fun way we have come up with to raise money! You have no idea how much it all means to me. If you are still in the dark as to what we are doing, check out Pin-ups in Paradise and read all about us! Here are a few shots of the lovely ladies!

Cici by Frank Allard

Danielle by Jessica Howard

Charnie by Frank Allard

Chelsa by Frank Allard

Silver by Frank Allard

We are expecting more shots from more models and photographers in the future so keep checking Pin-ups in Paradise for updates!

None of the photos are the finished postcards. Postcards have the watermarks and St. Thomas logos. The backs mention what the charity is about. They are all standard post-card size. Please do not use photos without contacting me or the photographer for permission. All photos are copyright. 

Don't forget: the event is Memorial Day at Hull bay Hideaway so mark your calendars! More info on that to come. Postcards will be available then as well as opportunities to meet some of our Pin-ups, play games, win awesome raffle prizes, and so much more!


POSTCARDS

Danielle $1.00 USD    Charnie $1.00 USD    Chelsa $1.00 USD    Cici $1.00 USD    Silver $1.00 USD    Te'Lisha $1.00 USD    Set of all six! $5.00 USD

Accessories for Days

I love being creative and one of the many ways I do that is by making my own accessories. Since I was little, I would craft my own jewelry, paint my clothes, put things in my hair. Not much has changed except the fact that I am better at it now.

Today, I got crafty again to make hair pieces for me and my best buddy. In case you didn't remember, I love making my own hair accessories!

Today's look is a little more glamorous and vintage, but fun. What is your favorite way to make an outfit "yours?"

Tee Shirt Design Contest

we're making shirts! Now you, too, can be an
official member of the Rum Syndicate. It wouldn't be exciting without getting you involved somehow... so... shirt designs! We want retro, islandy, vintage-y, dark, drunk, flowery, argh!

Winner gets a shirt (duh) and a cash prize! In
essence, we wanna buy a shirt design from one of our talented fans. It just sounds more fun if it is a friendly competition. Post your pictures/ideas on our facebook page.
If you need the fonts we typically use let me know.
Then we'll make an album and have you cast votes with "likes."

So, you get monies, schwag, and your art featured publicly with your name for all to see
and the notoriety that cones with it. Pass this along to other artists! It's a great way to get your art seen internationally!

It's Carnival, Baby!

So I have been working (yay!) this year which means no food fair, no j'ouvert no late night parties.... well, there is the weekend!

This Saturday is the adult parade and fireworks. This means I can have my fireworks party at my art studio!!!!! Carnival is 60 this year and the parade is sure to be filled with fantastic costumes and fun dances. The fireworks promise to be spectacular as well. If you didn't know, I am fortunate to have rooftop access at my studio and I overlook the harbor: perfect fireworks vantage point. I may not have been able to do all the other fun Carnival things, but I will finish it with a bang. Food, friends, fireworks! What more could I ask for?

Fun With Hair Clips

Fig 1. Just a few.

So, I have a lot of hair pieces. It started years ago with barrettes and fun clips til I was well into high school, then putting actual flowers in my hair every day. Then came fake flower clips. This lasted for a while and I lost a lot of them to random acts of silly. Then I started making them. Now: addiction.


I can be seasonal or match an outfit. I have to say I am a bit disgusted with it. I blame it on being someplace with not much to do.

Boredom  will do it, assuredly.


This box is what I have "acquired" this past 5 months. I don't  know what happened, but I think it started in a craft store. I slipped walking in and walked out with sass in feathers, paper, and yarn. Let me show you some of the ones I have done!

God is a Single Parent

Yeah... you know... it takes a while to think of it that way. It is so true! And funny! That little piece of enlightenment is courtesy of a book I read by Karen Salmansohn. It's called Even God is Single (So Stop Giving Me a Hard Time). I have to say: Witty, funny, to the point, and almost snarky. The illustrations (by Ed Fotheringham) were equally entertaining.

The book tackles the premise of how to answer that dreaded question, "why aren't you married?" It tackles it in all of its forms, too. All my single ladies: Try to read it! I found it super cheap at a local bookstore. The picture below links to Amazon and also has a bunch of cheap-o copies. Super fun!

Fun and Free (ish) With a Rant in the Middle

I love the views here!

 Many times in your life you will hear the old saying, "the best things in life are free," and you know what? It's absolutely true.

I am a little spoiled to live in a veritable paradise, I will admit, but island life does have its own set of downfalls. Will I dwell on it? Not usually. I find it much more pleasurable to remember the happy times and to enjoy the simple things. Sure the traffic on the waterfront may be atrocious, but the views are spectacular. You're stuck anyway so enjoy the scenery.

Regardless of geographical location, however, one should still be able to enjoy all the little things.
This past weekend, I was lucky enough to go with a friend for a little ride around the island. Well, we covered the WHOLE island, but it's not very big. What was so special about a day cruising? The scenery was spectacular as always and it's easy to forget that. It the whole not seeing the forest for the trees. Yes, some of the houses are wrecks; yes, there is litter (which maddens me, but baby steps help); yes, there are strays; too many power lines; bad crime... whatever! When you just step back and take a good look, as a whole, it's amazing and beautiful.


Yes, I can spend time dwelling on the bad, but there is already so much of it in the media. NEWSFLASH: Politicians were never honest, not even in "your day." Crime was always bad: it was just usually across racial lines and "back then" it was okay to beat up coloreds, communists, Jews, fags, cripples, women, spics and what have you. You know, all the people with no rights so they couldn't really call the police anyway? Don't pretend it wasn't true.



Fighting with pirate statues.



Now that I made my statement for all the elderlies reading my blog.... glad I got that off my chest... let's get down to the point! ENJOY THINGS!

nifty vest

Yes, enjoy. I had so much fun just seeing the island from a slightly different vantage point. I enjoyed playing with bubbles and scoping the scenery and watching the pavement zip past and feeling the wind in my fingers and having easy conversation. I liked pretending I was a tourist and then freaking out. I enjoyed seeing the flowers and butterflies. I had FUN. It was great. I got some sun. I had a big ole grin on my face. It was free (ish)... gas did need to be bought. I didn't drink, I didn't need to spend all kinds of money, I didn't need a bunch of fancy things to do it. It was nice.

Plus I got to wear this nifty vest for a second. Shhhhh....

Playing On-Air

I have to say, I honestly wasn't  sure how I would deal with my new job. As a morning show co-host on a radio station, the hours are ridiculously early, the pay isn't so great, and it means that you can't stay out too late the night before. It is exhausting to try to be humerous at 6:30 in the morning.



Fig. 1 A wall in the studio



It's a bit tough to get used to, but I actually enjoy waking up before the sun and really like having witty banter with my co-host. Well, it's more like I'm his sidekick, but I have learned a lot from him. I have no radio experience whatsoever and I am having a blast!

The perks can be kinda nice, too, like this little concert I went to in Puerto Rico a few weeks back.  



Fig. 2 Little Concert



This still is a ton of work as I do have a full time job as a call room person for cell phone tech support... usually until around 9 pm. I don't have many days anymore. I don't mind too much. The days go quickly. I can't spend a whole lot. I REALLY appreciate my days off. I don't have time to stress and think about things anymore. The Buzz is an incredibly enriching experience so far. I speak more slowly (thank goodness), my confidence is up, and I feel better about public speaking. I think I may stick to it!


 

The Most Amazing Birthdays

I have had a few friends celebrating birthdays recently. I have to say, being honest, I am the type of person that celebrates my birthday for a few days in the least. I start singing songs about my upcoming birthday months before. I don't mind the forehead wrinkles and new digit. I embrace it. I know there are many who don't celebrate at all and that is fine, but I look at it as a reminder of this amazing person I know.

Sure we should treat the ones we love special all the time, and believe when I say I do, but birthdays are anniversaries. Mile-markers. Because of this, I have the tendency to go overboard with my loved ones. I insist on telling everyone that it is their birthday for at least a week. The birthdays are usually always more personal. We talk, laugh, make memories, play music. It may not be all glitz and fancy cars and sparkly champagne, but in the very least I can make someone feel special. I don't have a lot to give but I can give my love and make my friends feel special in the very least. Simple gestures like buying them their favorite flavor of ice cream or giving them pictures of fond memories seem to make it even more.

Cooking their favorite comfort food, going to karaoke and singing their favorite song, no matter how horrid, showing you really KNOW them seems far more important than some fancy clothes in a giant hall... unless that really IS the only sort of thing they are into. It may not be a fancy (generic) lotion set from Bath and Body Works, but damn it, it is unique to only that person! It may seem cheesy, but I think it's fun and far more sentimental. I wish I had some photos of some of the "celebrations" I have attended, but alas, I am at work. They mostly consist of bad karaoke, beach days with guitars, and home cooked dinners, so I shouldn't bore you anyway! What do you do to make birthday's special?