Inspiration All Around

A lot of people think that I am insane for selling my pieces at boutiques/shows. I have to shlep all my pieces in crates, unload, set up, SELL, and then repackage everything in the hopes that nothing will brake in the interim. I definitely admit that it’s true pain, however, I absolutely love going to them and do quite a few throughout a month. I personally get a high from meeting new people, discussing my pieces, and gaining inspiration from other vendors. (The best happens at other craft fairs when you are among other creative nuts like yourself). I am always the first to arrive and the last to leave, always getting distracted by those around me.

A couple weeks ago I was at the YNJ show and I met a couple people that truly inspired me. Jennifer, who I will talk about in my next blog post shall remain a secret till Sunday when I will post her exclusive items that I will start carrying…..so excited!!! The second person I can’t even tell you what her name was, because I have no clue who she was. She was a sheitel macher who was selling wigs. Now I meet a lot of sheitel machers, but what was so awesome about this one was that the heads the wigs were sitting on were decorated. One in leopard print, the other in cheetah print , and the last in zebra print. How cool I thought, is that painted? When I got a closer look I realized that it was decopauged with paper, rhinestones, and flowers around the neck. Now if anyone truly knows me, they know that my very first love, and the first thing I ever tried to sell handmade were my decopauged wall letters and picture frames. I knew in an instant that I could do that. The sheitel macher kindly told me that she got it from someone in the Five Towns (if anyone knows who, I would love to find out her name) and that she sells a lot in Long Island.

I personally am a shabby chic lover. I appreciate the old world style and romanticism in art. Eyelet lace speaks to me. It just does. Weird, I know. But anyways, I went out to my nearest Micheals, and bought all the supplies I needed and got down to work on decoupaging my sheitel head. Never did I realize how long it would take. Seriously. Lots and lots of time was spent on it, BUT ITS SOOOO  AWESOME! What I love the most about it is that not only does it become a piece of art, but it’s functional. NO LONGER WILL YOUR KIDS OR HUSBAND BE FRIGHTENED OF YOUR SHEITEL HEAD! I want to do more sheitel heads in different designs and colors, and wish I had the time to play around with it all day. The black and white zebra print was really chic looking so maybe I will do that next. Just out of curiosity what do you think? Leave a comment and let me know, please.

A Purim Masterpiece

Last Shabbos, I was reading through my sons Olemainu and came across this wonderfully ARTSY version of the Purim story. I absolutely loved it and I know you will too! ENJOY!  

“Hear ye! Hear ye!” Yellowed the Grand Announcer of Shushan as he blue his trumpet. He red the announcement “King Achashveirosh is making a party in Shushan in 18 days to celebrate – and everyone is invited!”

Achashveirosh’s party was very lavish. There were gold and silver utensils, white, parsley green and aquamarine, sheets embroidered with fine linen and purple wool cords were spread about. Golden and silver couches were set up over marble floors.

At the party, Achashveirosh wanted to show off his beautiful queen, Vashti. He commanded that she appear, but just then Hashem made her break out in pink pimples and she was embarrassed to come.

Achashveirosh was purple with rage at her refusal to come. The artful Haman, who wanted his daughter to become queen suggested that Vashti be killed. She was. 

After Achashveirosh’s temper cooled off, he realized he needed a new queen. He sent messengers throughout the land to gather all eligible young girls. Esther, a Jewish orphan who was raised by her uncle, Mordechai Hasadik, was forcibly taken to the palettes. Mordechai warned her not to tell anyone that she was Jewish.

Alone in the palettes, Esther felt marooned. When she was brought before Achashveirosh, he chose her to be the new queen. Esther did not reveal her true colors. 

Haman, one of the king’s ministers was elevated to a high rank. Everyone had to bow down to him, but Mordechai refused. People asked Mordechai, “Orange you afraid of him?”

“He is wearing an idol around his neck. I will not bow down before him, and I’m not afraid of him. I serve only Hashem!”

He sat outside the palettes gates in order to be close to Esther. Haman turned colors every time he saw Mordechai. How dare he!?! He thought. I’ll show him!

First Haman went to the king. In clever tones, he painted a scene depicting the Jews as being a nation of different color stripes. 

He gave Achashveirosh lots of gold and silver to kill the Jews. The king’s messengers quickly spread the word in all of Achashveirosh’s 127 provinces that the Jews in all the lands would be killed on the thirteenth of Adar. 

When the Jews heard the decree, their world turned black. Mordechai put on sackcloth and gray ashes as a sign of mourning. 

Next Haman went home and asked his wife Zeresh for advice. “White don’t you hang him on a tall evergreen or other type of tree?” she suggested. Haman was tickled pink by the idea and lost no time preparing the tree. 

Mordechai begged Esther to the king and pleas on behalf of the Jew, she was the Jews only gray of hope. Esther agreed- even though by going to the king without being called by him was risking one’s own life.

In an ironic twist, Haman was forced to dress Mordechai in colorful royal clothes, ride him around on a horse and call out before him, “ This is what the king does to one that he wished to honor!” Haman was green with envy and red with shame!

At the second of 2 feasts that Esther hosted for Achashveirosh and Haman, Esther told the king how Haman was planning on killing her people. The king blue his top! He stepped out on the porch for some air!

Haman turned white. He tried to easle his way out. He turned to beg Esther for mercy and a malach (angel) pushed him down and he fell near the queen. Before he had a chance to get up, the king returned. Haman was colored form embarrassment and the king was livid! 

Achashveirosh agreed to give Esther all her art’s desire. Haman was hanged on the very tree he had prepared for Mordechai! Mordechai became the second to the king and was dressed regally in robes of aquamarine and white. A large golden crown and linens in purple cloaks

Truly – “Ain Sa’ir B’Elokim” There is no artist like our king. For the Jews the world turned from darkness to light. The rainbow of colors blended to bring brightness and joy to the Jews of Shushan and to all the Jews in the cast spectrum of Achashveirosh’s kingdom. The Purim story is a masterpiece that portrays Hashem’s watchful eye over his nation, even as His presence is hidden. Because the Jews did Teshuvah, their brush with death was replaced by graceful strokes of love from above.