Hola Otra Vez

Well, I'm back..it's been a rough couple of weeks. I am operating on stress, and ibuprofen, and I am in a funk...and not the good Studio 64 kind. I mean the kind of funk where your down, and lack the "ganas" to create or do anything. I did however get talked into trying out for the Santa Fe Spanish Market..ahem..I mean the contemporary Hispanic market. I know there is a big difference..the "traditional" artists usually point it out. Not all of them just the snotty's that think contemporary art is a lower rung on the artistic latter. To them I say guffaw. Contemporary art is Art on steroids! It is art that has yet to be discovered..colors that scare the faint of heart, and grab the looker by the coller and say "can you handle this!". But I digress, back to the funk, and Santa Fe Market. I entered three bags, not my best work just three bags that I had yet to sell. I figured hey why the heck not? But now here I sit waiting to be judged and possibly rejected! REJECTED!!!!!!! What was I thinking? Can I handle a funk and a rejection?? Will I ever recover, or will I have to end my tumultuous relationship with my fickle sewing machine for good? Whatever the outcome is, I have no choice but to take it like a lady. A bitchy, fit throwing, potty mouthed lady! Now if I do get in, I can only hope that it brings me a wave of motivation, to get creatively crakin' once again. Pray for me guys! O yes...suggestions on funk busters are greatly appreciated!

Aye ya yie...I'm broke!

Well first let me start off this blog by saying..HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELVIS! The king is gone but not forgotten. What an icon, what a looker, what an eater! A man after my own heart really!

So it's 8 days into the new year and I'm scared! What the hell happened to all the money? It used to miraculously appear in my bank account, and it just up and walked away. I mean I know we are facing tough times, but I never thought that it would hit my life so hard! I have never been a woman of means, but comfortable indeed. Now I'm cooking papa's and beans, and leaving no leftover wasted. My lip and eyebrow waxer has put my face up on a milk carton..(luckily no one will recognize me with this Magnum P.I. mustache), and ahh the fond memories of a pedicure are but a mere speck in the rear view mirror of my life. A trip to the movies is now a Lifetime flick on the couch, and I have turned into the energy Nazi, punishing the wasteful boys that dare leave the lights on in an empty room. I guess I could look at the bright side, the new budget has no room for eating out, so I may just turn this cash loss into some pounds lost! The lack of entertainment funds, could force me to back to my sewing machine, and hey maybe poverty will make me into one of those brilliant starving artist types! Either way I gotta keep on truckin. I guess that things could be worse, I could have a beard that coordinates with my stash right? For now, I'm skating on thin ice, but hey at least I'm skating! Colorado..thin ice!

THE SCARY ENERGY NAZI...NO LIGHTS FOR YOU!
Oh yeah, I'd like to say a special thanks to Carolyn for the shout out that she gave me on her blog, (Mi Vida Loca) check her out, not only is she a good friend, but her art is bad ass!

The Holidays are over..the diet begins!

Uh oh did I really eat all that???

My Boys gingerbread mayham!

The fancy chola has a huge holiday cola! And I'm not talking a carbonated beverage..I'm talking the beef stick, cheese ball, tamale, cookie binge excess that can only come from Christmas. In my family food equals love and happiness. And boy am I happy and loved...just ask the strained button on my pants. Every year I say that I'm not gonna over do it, but the queso beckons me, the tamales sing the song of the siren, and I answer those pleas of "eat me" "eat me", with a gusto that can only be described as forbidden love realized. I joke but my struggle with food is a difficult hurdle, that I have never been able to conquer. 2009 is my year, I will focus more energy on creative endeavors, and less on the culinary saboteurs that haunt me! I hope that the new year will bring me the inspiration to perfect my handbags, create new patron pin-ups, and find new outlets for my limited talents! Reading the blogs of fellow creative types, has really inspired me. I sometimes get overwhelmed by such awesome talent, but it also motivates me to carve out my own little niche in the creative world. I hope this year is full of hope an inspiration for all, and I will look forward to reading the adventures of you talented ladies that I so envy! (I hope that the visual feasts of my fellow bloggers can replace some of my actual ones!) Keep creating deliciousness ladies!

The Holiday Speed Way

What happened to my life? As a child Christmas seemed to freeze time. The anticipation nearly killed me! But now at days, where is the anticipation? I don't have time to anticipate anything, much less show up on time! Starting in October, I begin to feel like a paper airplane shooting through the next few months, only to land in the abysmal wasteland of the January let downs, just in time to start yet another doomed to fail new year diet. And believe you me, eating beef stick, and tamales for a month straight doesn't exactly set me on the right track. I make biscochitos and trust me that half pound of lard per batch, goes straight to my fanny pack (front butt, rolls, pansa..you get the idea).
Every year around this time, I plan to make great hand made items for my loved ones, HAHA that's funny right? Well it's the thought that counts. I was so motivated after the Dia de los Muertos show in Mesilla, I mean my creative juices were really flowing, but I was so tired, that I took a little break. I jump started my creative efforts for the Monte Vista show in Albuquerque, but all I got was ripped off and rejected. I sold a few patron pin-ups and some ornaments, but 30 bucks wasn't what I would call a successful show. What kind of world are we living in when a girl can't sell Blessed Mother Retablos?
I am really making an effort to stop, slow down, and enjoy whats left of the holiday season. I vow to do some baking this week, and even make a necklace or two. I have an order to fill for some ornaments, but I promise to not procrastinate and get overwhelmed. I WILL, by golly take a picture of my boys, and send out Christmas cards, and maybe even watch some Christmas Classics (Nestor the long eared donkey anyone?). Yikes! Listing all that, just caused me to hyperventilate a little! Where the hell is my paper bag? Merry Christmas Everyone!

Hola! Fancy Cholas (or Cholos, I don't discriminate!)

Welcome to my blog! Let's get down to the nitty gritty..who is this Fancy Chola? I am a mother of 3 boys, devoted wife, and creator of funk. I figured why not give this blogging business a try. I dibble dabble in the arts, but do not consider myself to be an artist. I would love that kind of talent but alas, it was not to be. So I work with what I got. I create reversible handbags, that feature Latin prints, pin-ups and kitsch. I ventured across the border and discovered some wicked cool mercado bags, that I then funktified with fabric embellishments and a little bling. All my handbags feature a flower because as my motto goes "A flower in the handbag or one in the hair, always adds a Latin flare!" I should also mention that I have a strange and deep seeded crush on the King himself..Elvis. I am working on a bag that features that handsome devil, it's called the Elvis Pursely. Get it? Pursely...like Presley...catchy right? Any who, my other ventures include my patron pin-ups, which feature 40's era esquire style pin-ups on a retablo style background. That's pretty much me, and what I do. I am stocking my etsy shop, and am abandoning craft shows! I had a bad experience recently (see floresoriginals for details).

I appreciate you stopping by and I hope you will stop in from time to read my wacky adventures of creating with limited talent, but endless inspiration!