Invigorating Green Coffee & Orange Bath Soak

I've been saving orange peels.  They are pretty useful little things.  You can flavor tea, use them for cleaning or make an air freshener from them.  Another great use is to make a soak for the tub.  Orange has a bright, wake me up scent and when you add the caffeine from the green coffee beans - it's a happy start to a day.  At least on days when you have time to bathe in the morning instead of shower.

You will need a cup or so of dried orange/tangerine peels

1/4 cup green coffee beans

1/2 cup oatmeal

1 cone shaped coffee filter

food processor or strong blender

Gather everything up.  I used a mixture of tangerine, navel orange and blood orange peels.  I save them all so I have quite the basket of dried peels.  I also roast my own coffee, so I have tons of beans.  If you don't happen to have those, check with a local roaster.  They will likely sell you a small amount for not too much money.  Today most towns have an artisanal coffee roaster, so just google away and you 'll find someone.  You an also order them from many online sources, but that's more money unless you just really want a pound or more.

Put all the ingredients into a food processor or blender.  Grind away.  The coffee beans are tough on a blender so I tend to take a few seconds off in between pulses.  I don't want to burn out my Ninja.  I don't go for smooth texture.  That's almost impossible with green coffee beans because they are so tough and they also tend to have quite a bit of moisture in them so they don't go to powder.

Put 3 tablespoons or so into your filter

Fold the top over once and then fold the sides in

Fold the top over again.  This will help keep all the stuff INSIDE the filter and not all over the inside of your tub.

Secure it closed with a staple or even a hair tie if that's what you have.  Just make sure it won't come open when it's floating around in the tub.

Toss into the bath when you are filling it and then relax and enjoy.

The dry mix can also be added to a gentle liquid soap for a body scrub but I wouldn't use it on the face.  The orange oil can be pretty intense if you get too much on sensitive skin.  It's great for removing gunk off of your hands though.  

Balloon Hats for Literacy

I have an amazing new project.

It's been taking up what little time I have left over during the busy season, but it's something that really brings satisfaction from the work.  Next summer we will be attempting to set a world record while supporting and spotlighting literacy.  4500 people in balloon hats!  Over 30,000 balloons and at least 100 people making hats.  It's going to be a blast!!

Check it out at www.balloonhatsforliteracy.com 

Maker Faire Kansas City - Come see us this weekend!

This is our sculpture this year!  Started with a GIANT round balloon, uninflated it was close to 5 feet long!  If I fully inflated it, the thing would be 8ft,b ut I wanted to downsize a little to allow for the people who insist on poking and touching.

This one is dedicated to the 30 years of fun Ghostbusters has brought the world!

Kansas City - City Market ...The rules only apply to some

I have noticed a trend at the market.

See this guy

That's Mark.  He's very talented and this is his favorite spot to perform.  He's manage to "randomly draw" this same spot for 5 weeks now.  The odds of that happening are 1 in 248000 (husband is getting PhD in statistics, he did the math for me).  Mark is a VERY lucky  man.  Maybe he should play the Lottery.

See this guy?

That's Glen.  He's a paid vendor on Saturday's but on Sunday he gets to set up and vend without paying.  He's not working for tips, he's selling.  

And even if he were acting as a busker one of the reasons we were given for charging face painters and balloon artists was that the people get something so in effect we are vending.  Is Glen only letting them watch him draw without giving them the paper?  If they are getting something then even if he worked for tips, Deb Connor's logic would dictate that he is vending.  Of course he has a set price so he's just out and out vending.

Why do some performers have to draw for a spot and take what they get but others get to have their favorite spot cherry picked for them?  Why do some people who are vendors on Saturday still have to pay to be there on Sunday?    

Seems like rules should be the same for everyone.

Defying the odds at Kansas City's City Market

It really didn't take long for the whole "random" spaces thing to fall apart.  At least for some performers.  Not all, some are still forced to draw spots and get what they get.  However, a few are gifted with the same choice spots week after week.  The odds of someone drawing the same spot 3 weeks in a row is less than 1 in 1000.  Somehow a couple of very lucky musicians have managed it.  One said, "Luck had nothing to do with it!" but then realized that he was saying too much and shut up.  Another performer, non music, confirmed for me that he was allowed to set up in a spot that isn't even one of the designated places.  Three vendors and two other people associated with the market confirmed for me that some performers get the space they want week after week and they had noticed that it didn't seem random.

Even more troubling is that one of Deb Connor's stated reasons for charging balloon artists, but not other performers is that "the kids get to take something away like they do with a vendor".  I don't actually buy that, but for a moment, let's give that argument a chance.  If that's the case, then why is she letting a portrait artist set up, WITHOUT PAYING and not in a designated spot when people get to take things away from his activity as well.

Deb, if you want to charge, how about charging all the performers a flat $10.  Don't force some into $54 plus fees for taxes and licences.

My family & I make enough to cover it, but have no desire to work under her conditions.  We can also make just as much money without working the market.  I have spoken with another balloon artist who said that the $54 was over half of what he made on an average Saturday.  50 - 60 % of earnings is simply too high a fee.  Then because he is now vending instead of working for tips he would be required to pay sales tax on all of that, not just income tax.  by the time you add in income tax, sales tax and material costs he would end up with less than 20% of what he grossed.  That is seriously out of control.

I do still shop at the market occasionally and am friends with many of the vendors, though I do find myself venturing out more and more to other area markets.  This is just another in a string of ways the market has become more corporate and less farmer's market over the past decade.  It makes me sad.  Luckily, Waldo, Brookside and Lawrence retain the earthy, cooperative air that I think a farmer's market shoudl have.

Articles on the Cult eating my town

http://fcnp.com/2012/11/20/the-international-house-of-horror-ihop/

IHOP is growing even faster than envisioned and I feel sadder and sadder about it every day.

Another article

http://urbantruthnetwork.wordpress.com/2012/11/16/the-ihop-murder-case/

why post links to articles?  Because I have noticed a disturbing trend for the links to be harder and harder to find as the internet is flooded with IHOP sponsored "We are Not A Cult" postings.

Adding another resource doesn't seem like a bad idea.

http://standupforthetruth.com/2012/04/is-ihop-a-cult-one-interns-story/

http://ihopisnewage.wordpress.com/category/cult/

https://plus.google.com/100735620001011837512/posts/WpsdweVcDMB


and if you ever have the time - take a look at what financials you can find on them.  some big, giant scary numbers.  Think of how new this group is.  Founded in 1999 they turn 15 this year.  They take in more (tax free) money than a whole lot of big corporations.  As far as I can tell they don't use it for good.  Kudos to them for figuring out how to scam the student loan system and set up a worthless "university" putting young people in debt while lining their pockets.

Pipe in the West Bottoms

Building in the West Bottoms, KCMO

Ducks at Longview

Plaza

I always forget how many pictures I have on Flickr.  2600

This one is from the Kansas City Plaza.  It's just a parking garage, but I like the shadows

notice the cars - they've been cleaned off because 3 of my neighbors have tried to drive in it, either last night or today.  Based on the street, none of them got very far before they gave up.  One directly across the street only made it as far as his yard.  

The ramp is my stairs

It's really hard to tell how much we got since I didn't measure and there is drifting.  My flower pots are covered and the snow is up to the bottom of the basement window well, but the bird bath seems to be the best  estimation with about 6-7 inches on it.  According to the weather people we got between 7-8 inches.  Not as bad as many parts of the country, but not fun for a city OUT OF ICE MELT.  I've been ranting on that for days.  They can remove the snow, but the ice under it is going to be a problem.  I'm taking their bad planning personally.  Kid is out of school - Hubbie can't get to work.  There is no "Stacey time" to be had.  I value my quiet time.  Just me and the dogs - and they don't ask for much.  Feed them, let them outside, pet them once in awhile and they're good.  The humans that live here are a tad more demanding.  They don't take well to being pet on the head or the suggestion that they go outside and play either.  LOL

Mark Brown

I wish everyone seeing this could hear him live.  Mark has an amazing voice and this is one of my favorite songs to listen to him sing.  

If you're in Kansas City, or plan to be, check Mark out at the City Market or on the Plaza.  He usually performs near Scooters.

Maket/Plaza balloon work

Anchor with starfish

Killer whale jumping through the waves

Mermaid scene

Red Octopus

Jelly Fish

Whale

Stingray

Seahorse

Side of scene

Palm Tree Scene

Big monkey

Parrot

Parrot

Tuesday night jam

We've started jamming at Scooter's on the Plaza.  Tuesday nights at 6pm

Perry Hat

made with 4 5-inch round balloons

caterpillar

I like this rose.  It's made with 3 hearts.  Not different enough for me to use it in line work, but great for decor projects.

Woven rose

Weekend in balloons

This weekend I made a carousel with balloons.  It was a lot of fun to spin.  I hope my bad video skills don't give you a headache.

Then for Mother's Day I made these sculptures

Frustration!!

In March I traded my services (I'm a balloon entertainer) with a race organizer for race entries.  3 balloon artists for 3 hours each.  At my normal rate that total comes to $810 in services.  I was expecting to get 5 race entries in exchange and while it did represent a hefty discount, I liked the idea of trading because I like running and I like races.

We were already registered for the race they wanted me to work at and I can't be in two places at the same time, so they refunded one of my registrations and transferred one of the others since my daughter also has not mastered the art of being in two places at the same time.  She worked with me while we kept the other two registrations for my husband and son and they ran the race. I was happy that they were willing to work with me on the refund and transfer because I wanted to work with them,but am not willing to pay to work.  Since I wasn't being paid by the organizer in money I would have turned them down and just done the race if they hadn't been willing to work with me.

Race day came and it was cold cold cold, but a decent crowd showed up and we were pretty busy.  If it had been nice weather we would have been totally swamped.  A fun event and everyone seemed to like the balloons.  I had positive feedback from the organizer.

Time passed and I started to inquire about how we redeemed the race entries from our work.  After my first email the event organizer said she wasn't sure what I was talking about.  Had we agreed to work future events?  I sent her a copy of her email and for a week got no response.  Today I contacted her again and she said she did know what I was talking about now but the race entries had been APPLIED TO THE RACE WE WORKED AT.

Seriously?  How was that done?  I paid for everyone who did run.  I got no compensation at all as far as I can tell.  Why would I trade work for a race that I am unable to participate in?  The organizer wants to talk on the phone but I am leary.  Until I have an app that records phone calls I much prefer to do things in written form. I also want to see an accounting of how they view my "payment" as already applied.  I'm curious about how something never received was applied to anything.

The organizer said something about wanting to work with us on a year long basis, but this thought didn't come up until I questioned redeeming my race entries and I am more than a bit skeptical at the moment.

I hope we can resolved this without much more fuss, but it's looking like a headache in the making.