20091029

1975 Was a Very Sunshine Year - Doris Day, John Denver and a Sunshine Medley

This week's Old School Friday is Songs that Make Me Smile. I came across this clip from The Doris Day Show from 1975 - it's a duet between Doris Day and John Denver.

I know a lot of people never cared for John Denver but there was something about his music that I always loved - I miss him and his music. Pairing John Denver with Doris Day is almost a "Sunshine" overload but this medley of Sunshine songs does bring a smile to your lips - if only at the end when you watch those two skinny little tooshies dance away from the camera in a happy little jig.

The set and clothing are predictably yellow, full of flowers and very Doris Day-Girl Next Door. You can almost count the freckles on Day's face (if it wasn't for the famous Doris Day lens blur you probably could!) Denver is a mop headed Muppet of a hippie with his round glasses and blond Beatles hair. The pair are almost a "happy overload" but it's still amazing to see both these singers again almost 35 years later and remember when . . .

Yes, 1975 was a good year - the Baby Boom Generation was still young, our lives were ahead of us and we basked in the warmth of youth. Those were the days when there was no guilt heaped on us for laying out in a bathing suit, lathered in coconut oil and soaking up the rays while we listened to the latest John Denver tune or Beach Boys hit. Those were the days before the worries of the world came to rest on us, the days of Sunshine on our Shoulders.



Check out The POP ART DIVAS - Original Miniature Paintings by PopArtDiva
Prices for originals starting at $20!

Check out MY LATEST ART PROJECTS at my ART BLOG


-------------------

Follow me on Twitter
Friend me on Facebook

One Click Shopping at The PopArtDiva Gift Gallery:

20091028

THIRTEEN FUN HALLOWEEN RESOURCES TO SPOOK UP THIS SATURDAY

It's no secret that Halloween is my favorite holiday of them all. I look forward to Halloween even more than Christmas, probably because on Halloween you get to get out of your own life for a few hours every October 31st. It's a chance to become anything you want to be.

Most of you know that I house several different online personalities inside the Pop Art Diva - including The Martini Diva (where I've been posting Halloween Martini Recipes all month), The Diva of Tiny Foods (where I've been posting Halloween Appetizer Recipes all month) and The Normal Challenged Artist (my multiple creativity alter ego). Halloween gives me an excuse to create a few more - just what I need right? Muhahahaha!

For those of my fellow Halloween Freaks out there I've compiled a list of great Halloween websites and resources to Trick up your Terrifying Thursday, Frighten up your Freaky Friday and Spook up your Scary Saturday this week:
  1. http://www.halloween.com/ (a good general Halloween resource)
  2. http://www.pumpkincarving101.com/ (tips for pumpkin carving)
  3. http://www.365halloween.com/spooky/halloween-websites (a few more websites to check out)
  4. http://www.hauntinggrounds.org/ (Guide to and info on haunted places)
  5. http://www.halloween-web.com/halloween.htm (some fun Halloween stuff)
  6. http://www.halloweenghoststories.com/ (ghost stories!)
  7. http://www.halloweentips.com/ (Halloween tips)
  8. http://www.halloweenfonts.com/ (Halloween fonts)
  9. http://www.theholidayspot.com/halloween/music.htm (Halloween Sounds)
  10. http://www.komar.org/halloween/music-sounds/ (Halloween Music)
  11. http://www.all-about-halloween.com/free-halloween-music.html (Halloween TV & Movie Themes)
  12. http://www.kidsmusic.co.uk/acatalog/Free_Halloween_Songs.html (Free Kids Halloween Music)
  13. http://www.spookmaster.com/pumpkin-carving-patterns-freebies.htm (Free Jack O'Lantern Patterns)
And of course you don't want to miss my Halloween Martinis that I've posted all this month at The Martini Diva and my Halloween Recipes at The Diva of Tiny Foods!

From my younger self of a Halloween in the very distant past:


-------------------

Follow me on Twitter
Friend me on Facebook

One Click Shopping at The PopArtDiva Gift Gallery:

20091023

Goodbye White Fang, Black Tooth & Soupy Sales


SOUPY SALES
January 8, 1926 - October 22,2009


Milton Supman (professional name Milton Hines) - more famously known as Soupy Sales - has passed away at the age of 83.

Soupy Sales was a regular visitor to my house when I was a kid. My siblings and I watched his show all the time and I remember first hand some of the stunts he pulled that later became legend (and a bit infamous.) I loved White Fang, which was basically just a big white furry paw - you never saw the rest of White Fang - who threw pies at Soupy. Black Tooth was the same only black and female and she gave Soupy big wet kisses.

His most famous stunt was the time he told the kids in his audience to sneak into their parents bedroom, rummage through their wallets or pants, take out a dollar (which he described as, "funny green pieces of paper with pictures of U.S. Presidents") and mail it to him. He then told the kids that they would get a postcard from him from Puerto Rico for it. The dollars started rolling in, Soupy tried to explain to the angry parents complaining that it was a joke and the money would be donated to charity, but he was suspended from the show for two weeks. When kids started picketing Channel 5-WNEW it just served to increase Soupy's popularity.

Of course, we've all heard about the "topless dancer behind the door" stunt his crew pulled on him. Remember he would open a door on the set to reveal a celebrity guest or just an arm he would joke with? Well, to Soupy's surprise, his crew once positioned a topless dancer behind the door during the live broadcast (out of range of the show camera but covered with a few strategic balloons).

I didn't find out he had a Twitter account until I read the news of his death - I certainly would have followed him. One of his last tweets was, "Did you kids catch me at the Oscar ceremony last Sunday? Neither did security! KAPOW!" Typical Soupy humor.

Goodbye Soupy, thanks for all the laughs.

Lunch with Soupy, 1959: THE TOPLESS DANCER INCIDENT:

Soupy, White Fang & Pookie:



Soupy talks about those "green pieces of paper":


Read more about Soupy Sales at Wikipedia

-----------------

Check out The POP ART DIVAS - Original Miniature Paintings by PopArtDiva
Prices for originals starting at $20!

Check out MY LATEST ART PROJECTS at my ART BLOG


-------------------

Follow me on Twitter
Friend me on Facebook

One Click Shopping at The PopArtDiva Gift Gallery:

20091021

THIRTEEN STUPID CLICHES - Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr


Thirteen Cliches That REALLY Irritate Me
Sorry, but it's been a really hard week and I'm madder than a hatter, grumpier than an injured mama bear and angrier than a hornet's nest.

(Please indulge me a bit this week in this rant. Yesterday I lost another very dear friend to the evil of cancer and I'm feeling a bit like life is cruel and unfair. My friend battled this disease so bravely for the last several years, always keeping her spirits up and even making plans to help others in the same situation.

Kathy was an extremely talented artisan, a great person to have as a friend and I am feeling the loss of her
presence greatly today.)
  1. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. B*ll Sh*t! Imitation is simply another person stealing from you because they are too boring or lazy to think for themselves.
  2. A Penny Saved is a Penny Earned. A penny isn't even worth a penny in this world anymore and usually a penny earned is spent on rent or food before it will ever see a savings account.
  3. When God closes a door he opens a window. Great - does he want me to jump out that window after he slammed the door in my face?
  4. Money doesn't buy happiness. Believe me, not having money will not buy you happiness a lot faster!
  5. Everything happens for a reason. Maybe - but if I die before I find out the reason what difference does it make? And just because there's a reason doesn't mean I have to like it any better!
  6. No one buys the cow if they get the milk for free. Holy Crap, no one buys the cow these days anyway - with the divorce rate it's more like a short term lease. Oh, and I am not fond of being compared to a cow.
  7. This hurts me more than it hurts you. You know, if you're hurting me I don't really care how you feel but if it does then GOOD!
  8. God never gives you more than you can handle. Then why are there so many people babbling in rubber rooms?
  9. Better late than never. Next time the ambulance gets to your house late while you're having a stroke or a heart attack I'll be happy to repeat that to you - unless you died before they get there.
  10. Good things come to those who wait. Honestly, I don't have the patience for this.
  11. Two heads are better than one. What? On a circus geek? And I'll bet they disagree with each other.
  12. This too shall pass. Really? And what good does that do me NOW?
  13. You'll Survive. Guess what, in the end none of us survive!
Whew. I feel so much better now.

Happy Thursday Thirteen


-------------------
Check out The POP ART DIVAS - Original Miniature Paintings by PopArtDiva
Prices for originals starting at $20!

Check out MY LATEST ART PROJECTS at my ART BLOG


-------------------

Follow me on Twitter
Friend me on Facebook

One Click Shopping at The PopArtDiva Gift Gallery:

20091020

MEET THE POP ART DIVAS - Original Pop Art Paintings by Pop Art Diva




I have started painting "real world" again! For the last few years I've concentrated mostly on digital art such as my illustrations, product designs and graphics and I found myself missing the enjoyment of actually moving paint around with a brush.

I wanted to do something that I could paint in my somewhat limited spare time and decided to do a series of miniature original art works called The Pop Art Divas - a style of retro sixties style pop art cartooning that I love to do. I'm doing these as a series of women's faces with a kind of Cirque du Soleil inspiration.

Read more about them and what they are and how I create them at The Original Art of Pop Art Diva.

-----------------------
Check out MY LATEST ART PROJECTS at my ART BLOG


-------------------

Follow me on Twitter
Friend me on Facebook

One Click Shopping at The PopArtDiva Gift Gallery:

20091014

13 SPOOKTACULAR HALLOWEEN PARTY RECIPES

Halloween is just two weeks away so this week I'm posting my 13 favorite Halloween Recipes from The Martini Diva and The Diva of Tiny Foods - these are the cocktails and appetizers I would serve at my own Halloween Party:


  1. The Slimy Eyeball Martini - How can you not love something you can stick an eyeball in for a garnish??
  2. The Smashed Pumpkin Martini - this martini actually tastes like pumpkin pie!
  3. The Nose Picker Martini - Yes, it's a really good tasting coconut, banana, melon martini but, guys, my favorite part is the name - be good little goblins and drink you boogers, LOL!
  4. The Count's Bloodtini - This is a tomato based martini that really tastes good and it looks like you're drinking blood - perfect for the vampire lovers out there!
  5. The Jack-O-Lantern Martini - This is one of my favorite martinis - all the rest of the year I call it the Orange Julius Martini but, hey, it's Halloween so toss in a Pumpkin Peep and get your ghoul on.
  6. The Spider and Snake Martini - Come on, how can you not love a martini made with Blavod Black Vodka and garnished with gummy worms and spiders?
  7. Mad Science Soup Tubes - This is such a fun food - it's basically cold gazpacho soup BUT the kicker is you serve it up in test tubes and display them in a bucket with dry ice - so fun and so tasty!
  8. Nose Booger Pickers - Eeeuuww - such a gruesome name for simple grissini (skinny bread sticks) dipped in green colored cheese - they go great with the Nose Picker Martini!
  9. Worms in Black Ooze - A gory name for a really delish black bean dip - the worms? chow mien noodles!!! Oh, this one is just fun!
  10. Cheezy Finger Food - Yup, cheese molded into severed fingers, hope you're not queasy!
  11. Eerie Eyeball Eats - These look like eyeballs but they're tasty mozzarella and olive appetizers.
  12. Oh, Dem Bones, Dem Bones - Tender and tasty bone shaped bread sticks - great alone or for dipping with #13.
  13. Slimy Green Goo - Spinach Dip, what else? Serve it up in a hollowed out gourd for added holiday flavor.


Check out The POP ART DIVAS - Original Miniature Paintings by PopArtDiva
Prices for originals starting at $20!

Check out MY LATEST ART PROJECTS at my ART BLOG

-------------------

Follow me on Twitter
Friend me on Facebook

20091009

John Lennon Remembered - Birthday Memorial

"When The Music's Over" copyright by PopArtDiva.com

Today would have been John Lennon's 69th birthday. John Winston Lennon was born in Liverpool on October 9th, 1940 to Julia and Alfred Lennon. He was named after his paternal grandfather, John Lennon and Winston Churchill.

Did you know that John was born during a German Air Raid on London? Another little bit of trivia - Elton John is the godfather of his son Sean Lennon
.

Happy Birthday, John - I hope you have achieved the Peace you so badly wanted for the world.
----------------
OLD SCHOOL FRIDAY MEME
  1. Anyone can participate; any music genre;
  2. Old School is defined as music created before 1999;
  3. No offensive words allowed, please use edited radio version;
  4. Post no more than 2 videos of your favorite old school song to take us back down memory lane;
  5. Add your name to the meme list so that others can check you out;
  6. Have fun and don’t forget to leave comments for other participants!

------------
Check out The POP ART DIVAS - Original Miniature Paintings by PopArtDiva
Prices for originals starting at $20!

Check out MY LATEST ART PROJECTS at my ART BLOG


-------------------

Follow me on Twitter
Friend me on Facebook

One Click Shopping at The PopArtDiva Gift Gallery:

20091007

THIRTEEN LESSONS FOR NEW CAT OWNERS - You poor saps.


  1. I no longer have the glass plate from my microwave - I had just washed it, set it on the counter, got interrupted and Tink knocked it to the floor - bye bye microwave plate. Lesson #1 - don't leave anything breakable near the counter edge.
  2. A gold bracelet has gone missing. Tink discovered my jewelry box when I accidentally left the lid up. Lesson #2 - Always shut the jewelry box or buy only cheap costume jewelry.
  3. I went to the store for groceries. I came home and found my freshly baked banana bread full of little bite holes and the butter licked down to the plate. Lesson #3 - Don't leave the house without putting food somewhere cats can't get to it.
  4. Tink has developed a fondness for my little mini paper umbrellas on the bar. Lesson #4 - Don't tease a cat with little paper umbrellas that make crinkly noises and open and close.
  5. Tink is fond of dark places and hiding where I can't find him. Lesson #5 - shut all closet and cupboard doors and put a brick on all floor vents! (Yup, he yanked one up and crawled in!)
  6. Tink got into my art drawer where I keep various and sundry goodies. He bit into a tube of super glue. After you quit laughing please remember Lesson #6 - Cats look really funny with paper clips, eraser nubs and stamps stuck on their faces but sooner or later you have to get them off. You will not look funny with all the scratches and puncture holes on your hands and arms that will result from this truly agonizing exercise.
  7. Don't think your cat is just laying there being lazy as it watches you go about your daily routine. Your cat is watching every move you make and calculating more mischief. Lesson #7 - Once your cat learns how to open the screen door by himself you will never be able to get a nice breeze from that direction again without bungee cords and locks being installed.
  8. I've lost three rolls of toilet paper because I was stupid enough to let the cat in the bathroom with me. Lesson #8 - Never let a cat even see a roll of toilet paper, you can also buy a toilet paper protector and struggle with the contraption every time you have to pee. Or just give up and put the damn roll in a drawer for the remainder of the cat's life.
  9. Lesson #9 - Cats don't do tricks and don't kid yourself into thinking they do - you'll waste a ton of kitty treats and when you try to get them to do the trick to show off they'll ignore you, twitch their tail, lay down and lick various parts of their bodies just to make you look stupid.
  10. Lesson #10 - Twitter is not the cousin of Tweetie - Cats are no good at twitter and can get you banned as a spammer. Close your laptop or at least disable your internet connection if you're leaving the cat loose while you're not at the keyboard. You don't want to know what Tink managed to paw up in under 140 characters - people on Twitter now think I'm a total moron.
  11. Wanna keep your toes out of danger when getting in and out of bed? Lesson #11 - It is wise to stuff old suitcases, storage boxes and whatever else you can under your bed unless you like being a moving toe target for your cat playing guerrilla warfare from under the bed.
  12. $300 Crystal Ice Buckets and rambunctious cats do not mix. Lesson #12 - Cat proof your house. Put important, expensive and breakable objects away or "Quakehold" or strap them down. Put your great-grandma's hand knitted afghan away in storage, hide your Manolo Blahniks and Jimmy Choos. Whatever you cherish hide until the cat is so fat or so old they don't care about shredding or bouncing them off the floor anymore.
  13. Lesson #13 is really simple. Here Kitty, Look! Bacon Toes! is a REALLY STUPID GAME.
To show how my psyche has been affected by being the proud owner of a truly psychotic feline that is possibly devil spawn, here is a little sketch that I started out trying to make into a cute little kitty for a line of cute little kitty drawings. I may never be able to draw a cute little kitty ever again:
---------------------
If you still like cats...
POP ART KITTY Gifts & Gear

------------------
Follow me on Twitter
Friend me on Facebook

One Click Shopping at The PopArtDiva Gift Gallery:

20091001

13 Things I love about HALLOWEEN


On October 1st I get out my purple and orange twinkle lights, my jack-o-lanterns and witch decorations and my Halloween spirit. So, since today is October 1st I'm doing my Thursday Thirteen on Halloween!

  • THIRTEEN THINGS I LOVE ABOUT HALLOWEEN
  • Candy - I especially love those peanut butter and molasses kisses that come wrapped in black and orange wax paper - you know the ones that pull out your fillings? Love 'em!
  • I love the fact that Halloween comes at my favorite time of year - Fall. I love the crisp air, cooler days and cold nights where you finally get to add lots of blankets and feel all safe and secure under that weight!
  • I love the falling leaves and the color of the falling leaves - I even did a Nature Design for my Taking Care of Business Store based on these fall leaves - these are a redhead's palette for sure!
  • I love going into the stores and seeing all the Halloween merchandise - the tacky, paper thin costumes, the aisles and aisles of trick or treat buckets, face paint, fright wigs and talking skeletons.
  • I love Halloween parties - I love the special spooky lighting and fake cobwebs and silly witch decorations.
  • I love fog machines - these come out in large numbers for Halloween - I love fake fog, it's so cool and I can imagine if we'd had that when I was a kid what I could have done with it to add mood to my Halloween parties.
  • I love those cheesy motion activated boo machines and moving spooky figures that really do take you by surprise when you pass by them in a store or on someone's doorstep.
  • I love black and orange jelly beans.
  • I REALLY LOVE POPCORN BALLS! For some reason I only make them at Halloween.
  • I also love caramel apples but I admit I do make those at times other than Halloween - I've even bought those caramel apple charms suckers (which aren't half bad, btw, if they're still out there).
  • I love planning my Halloween costume. Most years I start even before October because my costume is always a big production for me and includes special design and custom sewing.
  • I love getting out my huge box of face paint, rubber appliances (for fake scars, noses, etc), my bottle of gum spirits, my jar of flat bottomed crystals that I glue to my face each year, my hair tinting sprays - the whole "transformation tricks" box.
  • I love that for one night I get to be a completely different entity - whatever I've chosen that year is who I am until the Witching Hour and it's always a treat to leave boring old me behind for a few magic hours of make believe.





Check out MY LATEST ART PROJECTS at my ART BLOG

-------------------

Follow me on Twitter
Friend me on Facebook