The French Door Saga, Part II -

(Friend Jarrod, Patricia & Zack waving farewell!)

Well Readers, While our gaunt up to Missouri was fun it was also a business trip. If you will recall the last attempt at trying to get the antique double doors home from Missouri you'll know why business was on the brain. Sunday morning as we prepared to head home to Texas, we took the doors our of Missouri Michael's vast and empty garage where the doors had been stored and loaded them into the back of  friend Zack's truck.

(Boy was I nervous...)

We tied the doors down as best we could and  said a little prayer in hopes that the doors would make it home in one piece and that none of the glass panes would break on the 400 mile journey.

("Round 2" written on a dusty glass pane.)

So we left Missouri- and the wind blew all afternoon, the majority of us sat on pins and needles with at least one of us calling out every 20 minuets "Door Check?!" to friend Jarrod the Official Door watcher in the backseat.  

 (Friend Jarrod- The Official Door Watcher.)

Six long hours later we finally arrived at my Grandmothers barn, where the doors will be stored for safe keeping until they are installed in the new addition at the Casablanca.

("Safe and Sound!" says Patricia.)

At long last the doors have traveled the longest stint of the journey to their new home. With any luck in this saga, they will soon be hanging in the new dining/living room of the Casablanca!

(Job well done!)

A special thanks to friends Michael (for snagging these beauties for a mere $10.00) and to friend Zack for letting us drive his truck 800 miles round trip to pick them up, Jarrod for keeping a watchful eye on them, and Patricia for listening to me worry over all of it, haha! Thanks Guys!

-Mick-

A Memorable Memorial Day and Missouri Weekend!

(Missouri Michael, Zack, Jarrod, & Patricia)

Well Readers, school it out and Summer has begun! Bright and early Saturday morning Patricia and I along with friends Jarrod and Zack headed off to the wonderful state of Missouri to attempt a second retrieval of the French Doors!

We spent Friday night at friend Zack's house and left out at 4:00A.M. (to get there around 10:30) on Saturday morning, its a six hour drive from where we live to where Michael is in Missouri and we wanted as much quality friendship/ thrifting time as possible!

(Ah the Cul-de-sac Shack, how we've missed it!)

No sooner had we arrived at Michael's we piled into his trusty Buick and thrifting we a went!

(When I say "Piled"...)

We hit up the town of Carthage first, each of us finding a few treasures....

I picked up this set of Tupperware tumblers with carrier and matching coasters for $20.00. I wanted the carrier to put my Libby "Carousel" glasses in.

(Ta-Da!)

I also picked up yet another Atom Pop popcorn maker, this makes three! We use them like crazy at the Casablanca for making popcorn for the Drive-In.

Next we went to the Square to look at a few more antique stores. I love it there, in the middle of the square is this beautiful old pre-Civil War Court House, that while being constructed the "lawn" was planted with turnips so the people would have a food supply!

(Grand isn't it?!)

(Patricia in her wonderfully vintage Outfit.)

(Jarrod, Myself and Pat!)

(Never a dull moment!)

After hitting a few store son the Carthage square, Michael took us to a place called "Whistlers" for a quick lunch.

 (Since 1953!)

The inside is tiny, and you have to take your food outside to eat it, but boy was it good food!

(Mmmmmmm...So good!)

(Mike, Zack, Jarrod & Pat enjoying their Whistler Burgers.)

After lunch we loaded back up into the Buick and headed over to Pittsburgh KS for some more thrifting.

  (Me, Michael, & Pat in a fun house mirror.)

After a few more hours of hitting thrifts, we headed out to Chicken Annie's for dinner, and then back to town to see the Drive-In Double feature of "The Avengers & Battleship".

(The Barco Drive-In Theater)

We spent the rest of the evening in the laying in the truck bed and watching super heroes and aliens flicker across the screen. The weather was nice and cool, and all in all we had had a great day!

(Me, Pat & Jarrod)

I'd like to once again thank Missouri Michael for letting us come  visit, and for hauling us all across southern Missouri. We had a blast!

Tune in Thursday for Part Two of "The French Door Saga"!

-Mick-

SURPRISE PARTY!

Well Dear Readers, the Casablanca "Jet set" was at it again last weekend! This weekend we threw a surprise birthday party for our dear friend Russ's 54th Birthday!

This Birthday party has been in the works since December! 17 guests in all and many others who wished they could have been there turned out for Russ's  Surprise party!

(The Rice Crispy Cake!)

At game night and gatherings Russ ALWAYS brings Rice Crispy Treats, so we made him a cake out of them. Everyone brougth something to add to the "buffet" and for dinner we had self serve sandwiches!

( Friends Lara and Spencer brought- White Trash Dip &Chips)

(Fresh sliced Veggies for the sandwiches, in pretty Pyrex!)

(Adrian's delicious Pasta Salad.)

Friends gathered in the kitchen den and lounge while the food was being prepared, everyone chatting and having a good time.

(Friend Adrien served hors d'oeuvres of smoked salmon on cucumber slices.)

(Hostess Patricia served "sweet & salty" out of our red Pyrex.)

We put all the food out on the counters and everyone just helped themselfs to the buffet, we let a few records drop and the house was filled with friends and laughter.

(Friends Joseph, Zack, Lara & Spencer in the lounge.)

(Along with friends Seigen, Chloe, Heather Cameron & Tobi in the den!)

Soon everyone gathered and it was time for Russ receive his cake to open his presents.

(Happy Birthday Russ!)

After the presents were received and we waited for the sun to go down to start the Drive-In Movie, we played a few rounds of the question/answer "What If" in the den.

(Oh, lets see- Joe, Chloe, Barbra, John, Jarrod, Laurie, Russ & Janet)

After the sun went down we all moved out to the Drive-In to enjoy a viewing of one of Russ's favorite movies "The Princess Bride". Yet another shining moment in the long history of glittering Casablanca Parties!

Thank you to everyone who came, I feel safe in saying we made Russ's 54th birthday a great one!

-Mick-

Mr & Miss Saigon

I have been searching for "His & Hers" art to hang over the beds at the Casablanca for years now. I went to Goodwill last Saturday and saw these way up high on a shelf.

These aren't quite as long as I would like them to be, but until I find that PERFECT set I will replace them, however for $4.00 for the pair they'll work just fine!

Despite what the title says, I've named these two "Lun Tha & Tuptim" after the star-crossed lovers from Rodger and Hammerstein's  "The King & I".

"When people are near, we speak not a word. Alone in our secret, together we sigh..."

-Mick-

Thoroughly Modern Millie

Another Opening Another Show dear readers! I have so enjoyed working on the sets of "Thoroughly Modern Millie" but let me tell you the going has been fast and furious.  Set in New York City in 1922, "THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE" tells the story of young Millie Dillmount, who has just moved to the city in search of a new life for herself. It’s a New York full of intrigue and jazz - a time when women were entering the workforce and the rules of love and social behavior were changing forever!

I was charged with the Stage left and stage right sets- Stage Right being the basement of the Hotel Priscilla & Chinese laundry. With Stage left as the office of "The Sincere Trust Insurance Company.

 (The Chinese Laundry)

 Stage right is my favorite of the two sets. Its a dark sinister place where the evil "Ms Meers" ships helpless orphaned girls off to Hong Kong to be sold as street walkers.  we also cut out several news paper clippings and taped to the "wall of infamy" (all the missing girls that have been sold.) I created the brown stone walls of the basement with layered paint effects and it turned out rather well. I used a dark brown base, then used a paint roller to roll about two foot long "blocks" in tan, then I went back in and shaded with grey and black.

Stage Left- The Sincere Trust Office.

 This set took a little more thought and planning, although it looks pretty simple. The style of the office was hard to figure out, the show being set in 1922 means that the "Art Deco" craze had not yet caught on. However going as far back as Victorian style would be to dated.

I ended up with an awkward in between of the two periods resulting in a "Progressive Era (1915-1925)" feel, with period office furniture the office received  olive green paint with brown trim and molding. going with a period 12 inch baseboard and using four inch molding everywhere else.

(The brass blade fan on the filing cabinet is the "twin" to mine at the lake, but its strictly in my prop repertoire)

(Desk view)

I realize this is somewhat a disappointing post, usually I have more info on the shows and all the neat things I did. The turn around time on this show from "Into The Woods" seemed like less than a week and things went quickly. One of the neatest effects of the show was the "elevator" that the girls tap dance in. I didn't have anything to do with making it but it was to cool not to share with this post!

Isn't that the coolest thing ever?!

Well I'm off from 1922, I've realized i need to collect more 20's - 30's stuff for set dressing. As soon as the show closes I'm headed right into the next show and the year 1958!

See you soon!

-Mick-