Cool Stuff

Cool finder
  When I was in Mexico I met a "cool finder".  These are people who are actually paid to hang out and find cool things.  This was an Aussie lady who was paid to live in a groovy surfer town and "find cool things". Before Mexico she found cool things in Paris, London, and L.A..  I had heard of these jobs and wondered if it was some sort of urban myth but apparently not.  Jeez, I would do this for free.  Oh wait, I do.  Finding cool things is one of my most favorite things to do.  So I have decided to maybe make a "things I found that are cool" a semi-regular feature here on the Delightist.  So without any further ado, here is the first thing trending for the Delightist :

    Sunset print leggings made out of recycled plastic bottles by Teeki

  These are so comfortable and well made. The waistband is like the kind on yoga pants enabling me to avoid the dreaded muffin top.  Here's where to order them online http://teeki.com.  They look like a great company. If you live in Portland and you want to see some in person or see some of the other amazing print patterns they come in, I noticed that they carry them at the fabulous Wanderlust + Wildhearts on N.E. Mississippi St.http://www.wanderlustandwildhearts.com.  

  Okay, moving on to the next thing totally trending in Delightist land: 

Unicorn horns, baby spider balls, and cosmic drift

  Every year around this time these spider webs show up with perfect little ball shaped clusters made up of a LOT of baby spiders.  These baby spider balls are all over the yard but this one really spoke to me because of it's symbolic placement in this unicorn assemblage in my front yard.  I wonder if the baby spiders band together to weave their web or if there is a mom spider who sets it all up for them?  I have no idea but another cool thing happens if you blow a little puff of air on these babies.  The spiders fan out quickly and in an orderly fashion thusly:

  Sorry, I didn't have the patience to figure out how to make a GIF of this magical happening.  Suffice to say it's pretty darn cosmic and it makes me think of the ever expanding universe.
  Okay, moving on to the third and last cool thing I wanted to share in this installment of "cool things":

     Dancing the sun up on May Day

  At my daughter's school around 30 kids study English Country Dancing as an elective. Every year their troupe "Raven's Magic" gets invited to dance the sun up on May Day with other folks who do this sort of thing. It's somewhat mysterious who even organizes this event.  It also seems to be at a different location every year, as long as it has a view of the sunrise, and you just kind of have to know about it. I found no mention of it on the internet or in social media.  The school tells me where to be so I just get up at 4 am and troop a few boxes of donuts up to the chosen promontory and absorb the festive yet mysterious vibe. I sure wish I had sound-o-vision for this picture from one of the most magical moments this year:

 A harpist had decided to take a photo of the glorious sunrise.  He stepped up to the edge and gently put down his harp so he could take a picture.  Being that it was dawn, the wind had started to kick up a bit.  Also being that it was dawn, the crowd was ever so groggily and quietly milling about.  At first, almost imperceptibly, we heard a hum.  And as the wind picked up it filled out into an eerie, multilayered, celestial tone.  The wind was playing the harp!  Wow, how absolutely gorgeous and so fitting that the elements would play us a little tune at such an earth honoring event.

  Here are some more pictures of the proceedings:

  Thank you so much to all the dedicated dancers who practiced the intricate steps and celebratory (and perhaps a bit bawdy) songs. Who jingled, sewed, beribboned, and bedecked, and who undoubtedly made certain that Spring continued to unfold at an even clip.  It has been duly noted.
  I'd like to finish with two quotes from two different novels by Terry Pratchett:

"It is hard to understand nothing, but the multiverse is full of it.  Nothing travels everywhere, always ahead of something, to break out, to move, to feel, to change, to dance and to experience--in short, to be something.
            -Terry Pratchett, "Raising Steam"

  "...the drummer beat the drum a few times and the accordionist played a long drawn out chord, the legal sign that a Morris Dance is about to begin, and people who hang out after this have only themselves to blame."
            -Terry Pratchett, "Wintersmith"



Just kidding Morris Dancers, you were awesome.
                                              

Cat bow ties. Yep it's a thing.

Your cat most likely needs a bow tie
  I'm so in love with this idea!     I may be in in love with this idea but my cats are avowed nudists who eschew even the simplest of collars. I'm afraid bow ties for Mr. Tomkinz and Katerina might result in pee-soaked laundry and other undesirable acts of resistance.  Still, someone's cats could rock this look. I saw these at Last Thursday. (More on this later). Check 'em out at:http://businesscatual.com. Oh, and they're only 8 bucks AND made out of recycled materials. 

  They have really great postcards too.  And probably the largest selection of cat bow ties you'll find anywhere.

  Okay, so Last Thursday, how can I possibly explain you?  It's basically a monthly "arts"  (let's just use that term loosely) unjuried, free-for-all, street fair that happens just a block or so from my house in beautiful Portland, Oregon.  With around ten thousand of your closest friends wearing anything from t-shirts and shorts, to a jellyfish costume, to paint.  Um, just paint. It's very "organic" by which I mean to say it's VERY lightly organized. It can be an unbelievable cacophony of sound and smell.  And if you're not in the right frame of mind it can feel like unmitigated pathos and make you seriously question...well, everything.  But at some point in the evening, I promise you will see or experience some crazy-ass, imaginative, amazing thing or collision of things that will bring you BACK. Ready to mainline life again.  Thank you very much random freaky people.

  Besides,  there's usually organic cotton candy.

Organic cotton candy because I care!

Say "no" to boring purses with your sharpie and mad doodling skills

  So my beloved old canvas purse was dying and I needed a replacement and I was lucky enough to find this fab red bag.  A fine enough bag, but ultimately lacking in pizzaz. Something had to be done.
  Not to brag but I'm somewhat of a master doodler.  When I was still in school and almost everyone else was dutifully taking notes, I was busy honing my craft.  Maybe you were a diligent doodler as well?  Well here's a chance to show off.
  If you're feeling a little rusty or in need of inspiration, do check out my doodle board on Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/zendances/doodle/.

  

D.I.Y. Upcycled Patchwork Scarf

D.I.Y. Upcycled Patchwork Scarf
So easy!

 Do you have a stash of old scarves that you don't wear anymore because they just aren't the right size for that insouciant, devil-may-care, fling-around-your-neck-in-a-daring-jumble,sort of way?   Well here's your solution!  

 I obviously used three scarves but I think it depends on  the dimensions of the scarves you start with and what you like.  Then find some complementary trims.  Pom-pom ball trim must be all the rage as I was blown away by the range of colors and sizes at my local fabric store.  Fringe, beaded trims, and sequins should be considered as well.

 OK, confession time, The two smaller scarves already had trim.  Which was a great time saver.  Which was fantastic because I had to hand sew the whole damn thing. Actually I find hand sewing quite meditative and relaxing.  Also I don't have a sewing machine.  So there's that.  I'm sure if you had a machine you could kick this out in no time.

 Happy sewing!