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He makes enchanting gardens, I love his “Create” sign in the beautiful plants..

I don’t normally post articles of a personal nature, since I know people come here looking for chocolate inspiration. But today is my Dad’s birthday. and I wanted to write a birthday blog post for him to read. I want to show everyone what an amazing artist he is, where I get so much inspiration from, how I came to be the creative person that I am, and most of all to tell him how much he means to me. And to say thank-you.

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He turns drift wood into magical creatures…

NOTE TO PAPA: this is my blog, what you’re reading is called a blog post. Yes, other people can see it too. Ignore all of the stuff on the far right, I know… it’s confusing. But don’t click on anything over there, unless you want to order my chocolate DVD. Just keep scrolling down the page until you get to the bottom.

I thought it would be cool to have this available for him to read anytime, anywhere. If I wrote it on paper he’d probably lose it. This way he can just Google it if he can’t find it.

Botanical Eye-Candy

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My dad, who I call “Mon Papa” (because I like to pretend I’m French), is the most creative person I know. I would describe him as an environmental artist, he turns his surroundings into works of art. I’m especially fond of his outdoor spaces, where he creates whimsical and enchanting gardens in every available nook and cranny. He does this out of plants, trees, rocks, old rusty wheels, broken pottery, and vintage nick -nacks he finds here and there. You might say he is a collector of sorts.

wheelsonrock

All the cool birds hang out here

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makes the sweetest enamel birds, and stylish bird houses…

He also makes the sweetest little enamel birds that he embellishes on tree parts. He loves birds, and birds love him, because he spoils them with the “gourmet” bird seed, and provides an exquisite botanical playground for them to zip around in. They also have plenty of upscale accommodations to lay their eggs in. I mean, what more could you ask for …. if you’re a bird.

NOTE TO PAPA: Thank-you for passing along your creative genes to me, and giving me the gift to see and create beauty everywhere I go.

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some of his beautiful jewelry

Mon Papa also makes beautiful jewelry. He has been doing this all his life. When I was a little girl, he used to sell it on the beach at the famous arts and craft show on Cabrillo Ave. in Santa Barbara, while I would frolic in the sand and almost drown in the ocean when no one was watching. We did this every weekend for many years. Good times.

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more jewelry, broken pots, a stone path he made…

NOTE TO PAPA: Thank-you for raising me in one of the most beautiful destinations in the world, Santa Barbara. I’m lucky to have so many great childhood memories growing up on the beach. No matter where I am, Santa Barbara will always be home. In fact, I don’t know why I ever left, can I come back and live on your couch?

hippiesign

he does this all in Santa Barbara, CA, where he also covers doors with tree scraps and feathers, so cool!

Mon Papa’s flowers are the happiest flowers I know.

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NOTE TO PAPA: Thank-you for arranging my arrival during “The Summer of Love”. I’m a flower child, we’re both hippies. I will proudly pass on the meat and potatoes for the tofu and sprouts anytime. And thank-you for doing all of the drugs after I was born, opposed to before, which might have resulted in me having even fewer brain cells.

wheelsonpebbles

makes sculptures out of dirty old rusty stuff

rocksandgate

collects heart rocks, and makes hobbit gates out of tree branches…

Did I mention rocks?

ommrock

more rocks…  he likes to paint and make mosaics on them too

Music

He has been playing music for as long as I can remember. He is rarely seen around the house before too long without some kind of musical accessory at hand. He has a vintage accordion he calls Charlene, named after my step mom, who’s not crazy about accordions. He sings, plays the guitar and just about everything else. He leaves me little ditties for phone messages, they always make my day.

NOTE TO PAPA: Thank-you for giving me the gift of music appreciation. I simply could not live without music.  Music is food for the soul. A life without music would not be worth living.

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his accordion named Charlene

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the real Charlene … my other two parents. Hats by me.

NOTE TO PAPA: Thank-you for getting married again so I could have two moms. I love them both very much. In fact, I have two Dads too, just another perk.

Note to other dad, I love you too.

NOTE TO PAPA: Thank-you for having 2 kids instead of one, because of this I have a cool older brother who exposed me to some great music growing up, including The Beatles, The Sex Pistols and The Ramones, as well as some music I’m still trying to appreciate like RUSH, Motorhead and Iron Maiden.

randykat

He has two kids who sometimes switch genders

 NOTE TO FRANCEY PANTS, thank-you for keeping the music alive in our house.

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Frances AKA Francey Pants, looking hot

NOTE TO PAPA: Thank-you for being you and always making me laugh, I simply can’t imagine having any other kind of unique individual for my Papa.

Charlene says:

“The apple does not fall far from the tree”

mepa

I think she might be right

Joyeux anniversaire à vous Mon Papa,
Je t’aime beaucoup !

Katreece