Strawberry Shortcakes

We had so much fun and made a lot of new friends at the Strawberry Festival. Here are pics of some of our best customers...

(Cutie patootie in pink is my wonderful friend Karen's daughter, Princess Leah.)

Favorite Strawberry moments:

Little boy walked up and pulled 2 crumpled dollars and some change out of his pocket and said, "What do you got for $4? I want to buy something for my mom. She likes black."

And the little girl (above with her brother) who, upon receiving her shiny princess ring (dug out of my magic 'stuff' bag that always seems to produce the right thing at the right time), declared, "We just had a litter of kittens. Would you like a girl or a male?"

I told her while I thought it was a very generous trade indeed, I really couldn't properly care for a kitten on the road.

Life is a blessed thing...

Strawberry with Pancakes on Top

Tomorrow we are off to the northern Arizona town of Strawberry for a 2-day festival in the sunshine...How delightful sounding is that? Again, pinch me...Instead of boarding a plane in my black travel suit, I will be wearing a gypsy dress, going barefoot and hanging out in a place much like I would imagine...Candyland (Remember that childhood game? Anyone....) to be.

I imagine the weather will be wonderful; the town cheery and sweet. But what I look forward to most, what will bounce me out of bed tomorrow morning, is the promise of meeting and connecting with wonderful new customers who always seem to find us. And going on treasure hunts through all our latest finds for just the right bauble or vintage piece to complete a look or brighten a day.

I know it's just a little thing, but for me, it's enough, to see somebody who seems a little harried or beaten down, spend some time finding a little something just for herself that doesn't strain her budget and makes her feel like a million bucks!

That and a greasy spoon that serves pancakes with real maple syrup and I will be complete.

Safe travels. See you down the road, Heidi

Let er rip!

So I've noticed that a lot of us high energy creative gypsy types seem to have "been through the wringer" (as my mother would say) a time or two when it comes to our men and relationships.

I had my heart ripped out and trampled on a couple years ago when my husband of 13 years up and left me. I was in the 1% minority of women who didn't have a clue that he was leaving till he was out the door.

I spent the better part of a year blaming myself for being so willful and independent. Why couldn't I have been a little more Stepford and a lot less Mae West? (I tried. I learned to play golf for cryin out loud!)

Then one day I woke up and thought "screw it!" I am going to let my light shine as bright as I want. I am going to be loud and full of ideas. I'm going to grow my hair back long and sing Free Bird out the car window at the top of my lungs.

My true self is what I was owning up to when I recently met my true match and mate. He said I talked to fast. Made his head hurt. Was careless with my heart, time and money and a total pain in the a*** And, that it was vitally important to do whatever it took to protect my childlike nature because that was more beautiful than all the clutter and chaos I could create.

I have felt mostly lucky in my life...But this was one of those moments when I felt truly blessed to have another chance at love being who I really am.

I believe that when it comes to men, and most matters, letting them see you "let er rip" is where Grace lives.

Bless you sistas...and the men who love us...anyway!

Genteel Poverty

When asked during an interview where her creativity originally sprang from, Robin Brown "Pearl" of whimsically fantastic Magnolia Pearldom responded "poverty and imagination."

I love that. I learned the hard way that making lots of money doesn't necessarily make you rich. While I am grateful for the business experience and the lessons (and ok, the Ritz Carlton) I learned in the corporate world, there was not much room for my imagination to roam.

It was only after my mini empire collapsed that I began to feel my life again and to experience everyday stuff in a whole new way. And to appreciate what I already have. And to wear my fabulous jewels...

There is still that business cougar in me that wants to grow my little business into something bigger and better and magically fantastic...And I believe I shall...Only this time I am leading with my heart.

ps-Trust yourself to know the next move - wisdom from amazing fitness instructor I had somewhere along the way.

Duck Tape and Gorilla Glue

Somehow I ended up in this do-it-yourself world without the crafty gene. Creative? yes. Sewing, measuring, sawing? no. BUT I don't let it stop me. My secret weapons of choice? Duck Tape and Gorilla Glue. Works on 92.7% of whatever I need done... (Like glueing my beloved Paris Montana skull back together AGAIN after a particulary nasty crash and burn.)

That and a fabulous pair of pearls will get a girl through almost anything.

You don't throw a life away because it's banged up a little...You patch it with Duck Tape and Gorilla Glue and get on your horse and ride... Seabiscuit Movie + Paris Montana wisdom

Where the Heck Is Paris Montana?

It's halfway down a moonlit walk along the River Seine lookin like a million bucks in impossibly high heels and a little black dress with 47 layers of pearls...and about 3 mile markers from Katy's Wildlife Sanctuary Bar in the middle of somewhere Montana boots off and bare feet out the window to cool your heels after a night of nonstop jitterbuggin with Waylon and Willie and the Boys.

Gratitude

Sometimes I can't believe that my office is a wide open prairie of cool grass and wild flowers growing every which way and blue sky stretching out as far as I can see.

Ok, and sometimes it's a parking space sandwiched between the kettle corn guy and the crazy fun sunglasses, but still...

This gypsy life overwhelms me and fills me with such a sense of glee that truly I can sometimes hardly contain myself from jumping up and down and yelling out YIPPEE!

This One's for Andy

Bonjour Ya'll,

Paris Montana is an over-the-top bohemian jewelry flea market showcased in a vintage Airstream trailer turned blacktop jewel box boudoir.

With Paris Montana or Bust as our motto and gypsy wanderlust in our soul, down the road we go selling our brand of couture, vintage, repurposed and cheap chic jewelry salvaged from Montana cow towns, Paris flea markets and the asphalt jungle of Los Angeles.

Check our website for upcoming shows. http://www.parismtjewelry.com/

Love to see you down the road!

Heidi