The Paper Indian Star Lamp in my Kimono Robe

My Vintage "Shirley of Hollywood" Kimono Robes
 (Made in USA 2000)

So, my robes have kinda been a thing with me for years, but I had hadn't felt the jazziness with them, so for a long long time, I wouldn't wear them in photos. But, when I was cold, I'd worn them in a few cellphone photos, or a few of my videos. And, because the robes are so old, in my head I thought people would tease me about them, but the opposite happened.

Several people asked me about the robes. I have one that is magenta, and the other that is blue. They are by Shirley of Hollywood and are vintage 2000, which I purchased online in 2001 after I graduated from college. It was the first time I'd ever purchased something online using credit that was my own money, from a "check card" which is just called "debits" today.
Also, in 2001 people were mostly afraid of using credit cards online, or buying things online... but, I'd already many times gotten gift cards, or other things since 1998 with no problems nor troubles.

Anyways, in 2013 I'd tried some experiments with the robes. Since, I liked the whole Boho Chic (which isn't actually anything new at all) I just went with it.

So, I've used these robes in several photo shoots.

These are from last summer in 2014.

The Paper Indian Lamp

 I've had a store from about 2009-2012 (and have had my own businesses several times over) and one of the items my spouse insisted on selling were these paper lamps from India. I wasn't as crazy about them as he was, maybe because they seem like a kind of old Chinese paper artform... I was surprised how jazzed he was about them because they were not cheap, when they first came out of retail sale way back in the Bush Era, and didn't sell that well when he first got some, plus he's not very enthusiastic about anything from India, at all... ever... In Chinese, Indians are called "Yingdu" or "Ashan". Altho' it's not a derogatory, per se, many people in China call Indians "Ashan" in a not very nice tone. It's not something I can understand, because much Chinese ideas originated from India or Nepal which in Chinese is often called "The Western Heaven".

Anyways, the samples we had of these were rather nice. I used one for a long time that was blue, until we opened the store front, and he wanted a nice sample lamp. It actually sold, and so, we had many colors of these...

The only ones left, once we closed the store, were a few other ones, and several of the red ones... but, trying to hang them up, several ripped, which was strange because they are very sturdy. But, these red ones are really nice! They give off an orange red light, and are dim compared to the other lamps. Laos, this one is lined with yellow colored tissue paper, the others just have perforated decorative punched holes in them.

So, they give off a unique wash of color.

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天天喜气羊羊！Happy Chinese Lunar New Year! Sheep Year 2015

过年好！万事如意！

羊年发羊财！

Happy New Year of The Sheep!

Here's more of my Wuxia makeup photoshoot. Nice and weird!
If you want to see the other frames from this photo shoot check the other entries from this month.

It's the Year of The Sheep, or sometimes translated as goat, or ram. because the word is called "yang" 羊 which just can mean a sheep or a goat. So, if you order mutton in China, you might be eating goat, or sheep. Who knows?

Well, this is my Guonian, my year. I'm a Sheep person. But, I tell you, I am no Sheeple. I'm not dossile, or airheaded.
I've read untold things written about this Zodiac, and they don't all agree about what it means. Allegedly one of the things I read was that people born in the year of the sheep were more of a craftsman than an artist, and I wanted to tear up the book, and smack whomever wrote such trash! Also, because I read that I STOPPED doing "crafts" altogether, until I had my daughter. That same book also said that Sheep people never do anything, never go anywhere, and never travel, and that they're homebodies, boring, bland, play it too safe, and whine all the time about nothing, and do nothing to help the outer world.

Utter rubbish! I've been all over the world, have a pioneering spirit, and am a multi talented artist. I'm also a Gypset, philosopher, and a protestor.

But, as the years have passed, I've read other books about Sheep people, and they always sound good. Like creative, open minded, caring, good with family, family minded, intelligent, and many good characteristics.

However, there's this superstition, which is newer in China, that Sheep people are doomed to a poor life. So, on years when it's the Sheep they have the lowest birth rate fearing their one and only child will be cursed. This is a totally NEW concept, because in the 20th Century I'd never heard of such a thing. In fact, I couldn't find any materials about this dating back last century.

Well, my daughter & I are both born the Year of the Sheep. And, so in my brother-in-law's wife in China. 

Since it's our year, we;re supposed to wear red for protection, and jade. It's a big deal in China. Also, if it's your birth year, everyone is suppose to give you money, and stuff.

So if you wanna give me some money you can Flattr me: 

Year of The Sheep

天天喜气羊羊！

Can you see the little sheep behind me?

Happy New Year!

羊年到，祝三羊开泰，喜气羊羊。

祝你羊年财源滚滚，生意兴隆，工作顺利。

过年好! 万事如意!

I have noticed that on the National Chinese New Year CCTV Show in China, they often mix the Chinese Zodiac Animals of that year with Western Mythology. Like, on the Horse year they use Pegasus, and on the Dragon Year, they often depict Western Dragons also. So, you get a Capricorn!
Here's my artwork:



Capricorn in Color by BlackUniGryphon on DeviantArt