Silhouettes! Friends! and Family! OH MY!

I decided a while back to collect silhouettes from the Disneyland Silhouette Shop on Main Street, USA. I have a pretty small kitchen, but I estimate there is enough room for 50 + silhouettes to line the little area of space around the top of the room. It all started when I found a silhouette from a 1977 trip. The next time we went to DL in 2007 I had them do another one. I was blown away that the girl in the shop noticed right away who cut the silhouette! Ever since then I was nagging my family to get me silhouettes. One year, on my birthday my BFF sent me a silhouette of her and 2 of her children to me as a gift! Then it was on! I started to think, If I could get people to get the silhouettes then they could give me their extra one! (they give you 2 when you have them done) To date I have 23 silhouettes. The majority are family in various combinations. But I am starting to get friends! I have one promised from a dear young couple that I hope to get SOON! (you know who you are!) I'm not picky. I even have a couple of what people might consider "strange". I have a S in a frame. It's a long story, but I needed a S for a DL project I was doing. So I decided to have them do a S for me. It's on the wall. I also had myself done with the Evil Queen from Snow White. Mostly for a joke because one time we were at California Adventure and did a game where you sit in a chair and answer questions. The computer figures out what character you are most like. Our whole family was something "nice" and my son-in-law and I were villains. You guessed it, I was the Evil Queen from Snow White and Johnny was Hades. I wish now, I would have done me and the Fairy Godmother because that's what my BFF's kids call me. So, next time that will be in the making, unless of coarse I just get the Fairy Godmother by herself...hummmm. And I was told I am getting this one

A rare character one set on black background...whoa! This collection may have to go through my whole house!

What I love about the collection is every time I walk in or out of my kitchen area I am surrounded by friends and family. Helps me to think twice about my actions! :-D Helps me feel loved and best of all, it is just cool!

Back to this visit to Disneyland. My BFF, Marti (the famous Marti of the Cuban World!) and her lovely family came to see us on the day we were doing silhouettes at DL. We were filling the little shop and I sent Mary out to yell at her. Marti came over and the top silhouette was born! Her and I! So fun! Then she told me she had a picture of us in 1977 right on the porch near the shop. We had probably just finished the 1977 portrait! Of coarse she did a marvelous blog post about our trip and I stole the picture to have here!

My first thought was, I didn't remember Mary being in the shot. (the shot that is following) Then I realized "that isn't Mary, it's me!" So above is Marti, Me and Gene in 1977 on the little porch next to the Silhouette shop. The porch that most people just pass by in their aimless wandering at Disneyland. I mean, if you do not stop and look around, you miss all the wonderful things that make Disneyland so wonderful and nothing like other parks, like Magic Mountain, for example. But that topic is not important right now!

Here we are now! 32 years later! Wow! Thanks for a wonderful friendship Marti. You are always there and always think the best of me. It is a source of great strength, probably more than you know.

I thought I would share a couple of my favorite pictures from the visit with Marti and family.

Seeing Adam again was so great! We haven't seen him for maybe 5 years. That seems long, but I think it was that long. We usually go to DL when other people have to be at work. This time we could see him and he was nice enough to come and see the crazy Pensieros! What I loved about Adam, was his voice! He has a very calming voice! We knew Adam's father and in fact Mark was in our wedding as Gene's best man. Here's Mark and Gene

I think Adam looks more like his Cuban Grandpa but I wanted to find this picture and post it. How wonderful life can be when you can experience such a moment-sitting with a old friend's child and having a great time.

Not only that, Adam was so wonderful with CJ. She just loves the men! He played and danced with her in the middle of main street! She was so sad when he had to go. I wish we all lived closer! Adam, you could babysit!

If you read Marti's blog (linked above) you will see she tries to get fun photos of her kids all together at once. CJ, who usually declines photos (maybe because I take pictures all the time of her), says "now with me!". Being so nice they included her! I love the picture because of that and because I love the family! One note, isn't it cool that balloon is right there in the picture kind of just like the balloon Marti sent me for my birthday so long ago! It was even the same color! I'm telling you, it was a cosmic meeting!

I hope to post more of my amazing photos I took at Disneyland. There are some sweet ones and to get an LDN update out. But for now you will just have to enjoy this post!

The Magic Kingdom

The first thing I noticed about DW in comparison to DL was the lack of decoration! We went first part of October and was stunned that there was little or virtually no decoration at the parks. There was a few banners (as shown above) and a few jack-o-lanterns on Main Street, but nothing like our own DL. There was no big Mickey Pumpkin on Main Street to take pictures in front of....wwwhhhaaaattt?! There was a small blow up pumpkin on a stand in the front of "The Magic Kingdom" when you came through the turn styles. But there was no real picture spot. This was a tad disappointing since, next to Christmas time, Autumn is the most beautiful time in DL. Funny, but I expected everything to be bigger and better!

We were greeted by this though! No one ever does stuff like this at DL. (at least I have never seen it) The street "washer" was washing Main Street in the form of Mickey Mouse. That was a truly amazing thing to me. We were off to a good start after all! No pumpkins, to mention, but other amazing stuff.

Main Street was familiar but different. It was about twice as wide. As a person with M.S. that was nice. It didn't feel like people were up on my heels all the time. Now, we were there in the "off season", so maybe it feels much like our own DL in the summer. But for us, it seemed spacious. There were good and bads to this. First of all it was great the uncrowded feeling was great but there seemed to be a lot of unused or unexplored space. Everything was spread out better, but there wasn't as much "magic" crammed in, if that makes since. We came in and had lunch at a restaurant located where the Opera House and Great Moments With Mr. Lincoln are located in DL.

Tony's Towne Square Restaurant was AMAZING! We had a wonderful lunch and even enjoyed all the Lady and the Tramp stuff. I will say that all the food at DW was way better than at DL.

After that we were off down Main Street. I didn't get far and I noticed that they were cutting silhouettes.

Of coarse I had to get a couple of silhouettes cut! As you know, I have a massive Silhouette collection. You can read about it here.

The interesting differences about the silhouettes. First of all, they were outside in a cart. Kind of like how the artists are sitting around New Orleans Square at DL. It was a little odd feeling sitting outside. I would assume that is really bad when it rains...which is all the time in Florida. And they are not nearly as fast as Sylvia in DL. He took a good 30 minutes to do us all. They seemed to be a outside group cutting the silhouettes and not from Disney. I will say, that since they spend more time, they are much more detailed. So that was a neat thing. And the framing is similar but not the same. They didn't have the same black with gold Mickeys on the frame and the paper did not have the word "Disneyland" (or Disney World) in the script around the mat area. But all in all I was excited about getting this once in a lifetime silhouette! I really don't expect to go back to DW and am very excited to have been able to go once an have a thing I love so much done there!

So there we all are! And yes we all had curly hair! The humidity made sure of that! So, we got to The Magic Kingdom at around noon and by 2 or so we were able to get down Main Street! Yeah, we were that slow! This didn't help any...

They have a real glass bower! I still remember there being a glass blower in Anaheim inside the castle area! Wow! I wanted to buy something, but I couldn't figure out what to get that would survive the air travel. I wanted to get some Mickey earrings because a dear Friend (who has now passed away) wanted me to get some for her on one of our trips to DL and there were none to be found. She said she remembered the glass blower having earrings in the store that were made of glass. I just could not find any. But we did stop and enjoy watching something that DL had lost years ago!

This post has gotten pretty long, so I will do a second post ASAP. As you can see...we did a lot in a week!

Good-Bye Christmas 2010, we will miss you!

I can't believe the decline in my postings this last year. I just don't seem to get a hand on managing my life. I seem to be in slow motion. I seem stiffer and slower than usual. I guess my M.S. is progressing faster now. I occasionally walk with a cane (mostly for balance). I want to do a whole post about my health, and I know there are those of you on the other side of the world who wonder so I will... Just not this morning.

Top picture is of a dear friend Grace and my sweet dog Momo. Her and her mom stopped by just before Christmas to give me a great present! A mug and calendar! But not just any mug and calendar, one with silhouettes on it! And not just any silhouettes...some from my collection!

Wwwwhhhhaaaatttt? In fact, I'm using it right now as I type! Such wonderful friends made my Christmas wonderful. I can't believe my BFF made a whole post about my pomegranate PAMAgranate Jelly! I love you MORE Marti! And Christine and Grace I love YOU!

I feel like such a looser this year...no pictures of my Christmas card, nothing. I just couldn't keep up. Now, I am tearing down everything. Maybe tomorrow I can get it together in the blog world.

Here is a couple of things I got at Christmas...

My Darling husband got me TIFFANY earrings and necklace combo. He knew I always wanted something from Tiffany but with the economy the way it is, well, let's just say I didn't think I would be getting that any time soon. The we happened on a classy second hand store (one that takes high end gently used items). The name of the store is Castaways Concepts. (link attached to name) That is where he found this amazing gift! Thank you Gene P. I love them! A LOT!

Then my son and daughter in love gave me this eclectic charm necklace. I just love it.

My sweet daughter got me three silhouettes for my wall. But by far this one was the most unexpected. CJ with Ariel. I think I created a monster, as CJ now wants her with all characters! (she has her and Cinderella as well)

Then on one dreary day...a package was there from Disney. (which I did not order!) Low and behold the D23 fan club sent me a watch! Notice how the only numbers on the watch are 2 and 3! I guess they were sending them out to members! OK..that keeps me renewing each year! (don't judge my nails!)

When it is all said and done, December went really fast, but I did a lot. I guess it was just too fast!

Happy 2011 everyone! Keep reading and I'll try and do better on the updates!

31 years in silhouettes...

One thing my husband wanted to do this time at Disneyland was to have a silhouette done from the Silhouette Studio on Main Street. He didn't remember or know that we had done one in 1977, so I dug it out and brought it with us. The artists were truly excited to see it. They said it was "Nancy's" work. The young gal doing the silhouettes now said she learned from Nancy. The one on the right is the older one. It had a cool boarder around it. The one on the left is the newest one. I was afraid of how it would turn out, but I think it is pretty accurate. (definitely kinder on the chins than is true) :-)

It causes me to reflect on the wonderful years we have had together. We have been blessed to be able to serve the Lord in full time ministry for going on 26 years. I believe the "burden" of the ministry is really not a burden at all. We have been privileged to help people in their need and be there to enjoy countless blessings. I have known many pastor's families that got burned out because of the demands a church can put on the pastor. But I have been so blessed to have a husband that truly put his family first and because of this we didn't mind the calls that came at odd times. (there is an old joke....why do people always die on the pastor's day off?) I remember one Christmas Gene had to go to a family's home to help with a problem they were having. We just waited for him to return to do our activities. Because, after all, it wasn't about presents or goodies, it was about being together and being thankful for the life we had.

Our children are such a wonderful gift to us. Each one makes me crow with pride! (the good kind) We have 2 amazing spouses for our children and a granddaughter that will steal your heart away!
But I digress....

I guess what I am trying to say is those silhouettes represent our life. A life filled with joy, sadness, peace, salvation, abounding protection, I could go on and on. Thank you Lord for all you have given me!

Did you know they just sit there and look at you and cut the silhouette? I was amazed by that!

Here is what the studio looks like by the end of the day.....

Start a tradition! Get a silhouette done when next you visit Disneyland. The cost is very reasonable. For one silhouette the cost was $7.00 and the frame was $9.00. You can't beat that!

The best thing ever!

So everyone knows by now that I collect silhouettes from the Silhouette Studio on Main Street, USA at Disneyland. This past Sunday I was given another one (my 42nd)! This one was very unique and quite a surprise!

I opened the box expecting to have one of Josh and Leia. They had given me one before but I thought they did one of one of them with a hat on due to this picture they sent me.

But they were so tricksy! They were just sending a picture of a random kid who was not happy about having to do a silhouette. Anyway, as it turns out Sylvia remembers me, my collection and our little church. Not long ago she cut this for me

It's of my dog Momo. I sent a picture of Momo (left profile) via iphone to another wonderful family from the church who were doing silhouettes for me, half as a joke and half wondering if it could be done. Apparently the Silhouette Studio will do silhouettes from pictures. They said they needed it to be a right profile and that the photo I sent was not clear enough. I said, "ok....next time and thanks for trying". Well, they flipped the photo and had her cut it as a surprise. What wonderful friends I have! Anyway, back to the surprise silhouette from Sunday. Josh and Leia asked her if she would do a self portrait. She asked them to come back after about 30 minuets as she needed to think about it. She graciously said yes! So she did her first ever self portrait and what was she cutting out? (you might be wondering) MOMO! So cute! Then she signed and dated it! Wow, what an amazing keepsake!

So thanks a million Josh and Leia! You are amazing!

And a big thank you to Christine & Alex for the surprise of Momo!

And if you would like seeing Sylvia talking about the Studio, click here!

Here is a cute you tube of the shop (not Sylvia)

I just love the Silhouette Studio! My kitchen takes your breath away when you walk into it! I guess if I fill up the kitchen, I'll have to go to the rest of the house! I hope they never close the shop. I have one 30 years old! I love Disneyland!

I put Sylvia up on my wall in between Momo and Josh & Leia.

I forgot to mention why I think this is the best thing ever. I am not easily surprised! I think I was named Pandora appropriately! I can't stand a wrapped package or unopened box. I have been known to open a Christmas gift then re-wrap it! (and "act" surprised of coarse when I do officially open it!) I didn't see this coming. I figured they were doing one with an Indiana Jones hat on (which would be great!). Never in a million years would I have guessed they had this in mind! So, for that surprise which I rarely (ok almost never) get, it's the best thing ever! Thanks guys!

12,410 days, today!

12,410 days today Gene and I were married! Wow! 34 years! I have spent more of my life with Gene than without him! We've raised 2 great kids who are married too two 2 great spouses. We have 2 amazing Grand kids and are so thankful to the Lord for keeping us on the right foundation all of these years! As I was thinking about our anniversary, and wondering what I could do that would be special, the phone rang. On the other end was Gene's dad. He said they were having their 70th (makes 34 seem like nothing, but that's not important right now!) wedding anniversary and would we come to a dinner they were going to have celebrating this! Of coarse we said yes but it meant the plans we had were going to be put on hold. So, in a week we will go to San Bernardino to celebrate Gene and Mary's 70th wedding anniversary! We hope to do something fun for our 34th in the near future!

Back to my post. I rounded up a couple of photos that show how much I love my husband, hope you enjoy them!

A few years ago, while on one of our many Disneyland trips, we were stuck in the hotel because of rain. I took the opportunity to tell the Disneyland Hotel how much I love my husband. I often wonder when the window gets foggy, it was still there? I'm guessing it is gone now that they have refurbished the rooms. But I can still smile thinking another family, or couple saw this when they were stranded on a similar rainy day!

I wrote this on one of the white boards at church!

Along with that!

I had Disney put it in stone!

I asked my dear friends Rhett and Leigh to write this message in the sand on their vacation in Hawaii. It was taken at Ka'anapali Beach. Thanks guys!

I asked my BFF to write in the sand also! This was taken at Crescent Bay in Laguna! Thanks Marti!

I wish I had thought about that sooner....I wonder how many places and people I could have asked to do this! Well, you and many other people from Hanford to Anaheim and Laguna to Hawaii know that I love Gene P.!

What did I get him as a gift?

I had another couple get these silhouettes for me on their trip to Disneyland last year. They were so sweet to do it for me! Thanks so much Nick and Liz!

As you know, if you read my blog, I am a big Disneyland fan and I collect silhouettes from friends, family and other unusual topics. You can read about it here.

Happy Anniversary Gene P. and if everyone doesn't know by now! I love you!

(written in my Bible!)

Can't wait to write a letter!

I suppose I should change the focus of my blog to "the Pensiero's Disney silhouette" page! It's true, I love the silhouettes. Friends, family and characters grace my kitchen and now my family room walls. Last December I found a site that could change your photos into personalized silhouette jewelry! I was so excited to have a silhouette we had done at Disneyworld converted into a pendant! It was the perfect gift!

I follow their blog Le Papier Studio where I learned about a wonderful new thing they are offering. A return address stamp that could have my silhouette in the center! When I saw it, I knew it was for me! I received the stamp just this past weekend and am so impressed with the quality! I highly recommend all of their things! They can make a personalized silhouette from a picture or you can choose from one of their own designs. They charge a very reasonable one time fee for a custom silhouette, and then you can use that custom art for all other future projects. It's a big thumbs up from me.

Go and check their site out! I'm very excited about all they do! And now I'm very excited about Christmas and using my stamp! Don't be surprised if you get a letter from me just because!

A fantastic giveaway!

There has been a reason why I haven't been blogging of late, and I will talk about that soon, but right now I'd like to share an amazing giveaway option.

If you've been reading my blog for a while now you have probably figured out that I like love my Disneyland silhouette collection!  There is something else I like love!

A wonderfully creative site called le papier studio.  I don't think I can explain this site better than Vana herself-

"Professionally trained as an architect, Vana Chupp has always been artistically inspired by the sweet and simple moments in life.  Her craft was born with the birth of her beautiful boy Nikolas. Documenting her son’s milestones by cleverly capturing his personality, emotion, playfulness and essence, she began using silhouettes to tell her own life story.  It’s a love story – continuing to blossom, with Nikolas as her muse. Coming full circle, Vana was able to combine her passion and artistic experience and share it all with you! In 2008 Vana launched her dream job; Le Papier Studio,  a small woman-owned business that expresses creativity and inspiration, all the while giving her time to fulfill her most important job; being a mom."

I absolutely love that she is  "inspired by the sweet and simple moments in life".  Being a mom is what should be most important to everyone with children!  I have been purchasing her items for a year or so now After our trip to Disneyworld, I contacted her to ask if she could reproduce my silhouette from Disneyworld into a charm.  Last Christmas (2010) I received this lovely necklace.  And from then on I have been a huge fan....

This  necklace is no longer available, but you can get the silhouette charm here. 

Then, it was on!  I continue to enjoy all their artistic items!  Above is a return address stamp that I blogged about here.

I have received a bracelet, earrings and even a ring all with the original silhouette they adapted for me. 

 

The bracelet is still available here. 

The earrings here.

The ring here. 

So, what are you waiting for?  Surf on over to Le Papier Studio's blog and enter their fantastic giveaway!  Check out their shop and order some amazing custom or just plain awesome stuff!  You'll be so happy you did! Better hurry...you have until Monday!

Family and Friends

I have quite a collection going! I don't know how it started. I suppose I over heard a man in the Silhouette shop at Disneyland. He was having one done of his daughter for his mom. He said she had them lining the hall from all his siblings. They are all grown and now they are giving her one of her grandchildren. I thought "what a great idea"! So the next time Mary went to Disneyland I asked her for one of Cecilia. I got one of Cecilia and one of Her with Cecilia. Then, when she went again with her husband I asked for one of the both of them. Then when Gene and Kelly went, I asked them for one.

You remember sometime back I talked about finding the one of Gene and I we did in 1977. So, I guess it all started with that one silhouette. Anyway, for my birthday my very bff gave me one of her and her 2 youngest children. Odd you might think? Not at all! Maybe I should get everyone to give me one! You see, they give you 2 when you buy one. I could solicit it the other one! Anyway, I love them. Maybe I should check on eBay for abandoned ones. The poor ones orphaned ones that are being sold at swap meets and garage sales!

I had this one done so I could shrink it for my Pensiero sign on the right hand side of the blog. This is the curse of a collector personality!

So friends, want to know what to get me? How about a Silhouette from Disneyland! You get to have a great trip, a souvenir and give a gift to someone you love in your life! And to those of you that want to throw away your old silhouettes or put them in a garage sale....send them to me, I will love them!

Of Fairy Godmothers . . .

Since I have been so lame in posting the past few months, I thought it would be nice to hear from others in my life! So, if anyone is reading or wants to participate feel free to send me a post at pam.pensiero@gmail.com and I would love to post it. Use whatever topic you like. he following is from my BFF's daughter Amy. There she is above with my beloved dog Momo. You can read a few of my thoughts on Amy here. (click link)
This is Amy. Her smile it lights up the whole room! I think you will agree! So, without further Ado, here's Amy's post! (with pictures and red text added by me)-

Fairy Godmothers are a rare breed. There are not many fairy tales that actually have them. Thanks to the magic of Disney, there are a few really good ones (and I'm definitely including the the Blue Fairy from Pinocchio in this group).

Hello, everyone! My name is Amy and I will be your poster for today. Feel free to put me up on the wall. No autographs, please. ;-)

When I was a little girl (VERY little, we're talking 3 or 4 here) my favorite Disney cartoon was Pinocchio and I wanted to be the Blue Fairy when I grew up. I also wanted a cricket for a friend and a black and white cat I could call "Figaro," but that's not important right now. (Yes, I DID get the cat. I won't use the word "spoiled" though.)

Being from a big, fat, Cuban family that had originally-at-some-point-but-not-really-anymore been Catholic, we maintain the tradition of godparents. So, technically speaking, I have an actual godmother (my aunt) and as a child I really did think she was a fairy. Her job as my "fairy godmother" basically consists of giving me gifts and cards on major holidays and she still does it to this day. But, I have been blessed. I'm lucky. I have a SECOND Fairy Godmother (one more, and I'm a regular Sleeping Beauty).

She showers me with gifts. Little gifts. These amazingly thoughtful and personal things that overwhelm me with a feeling of love and security. Plus, I know that I can call her at any moment and she will be there for me in any way she can.

I know I called her my 2nd godmother, but she's also like a 2nd mother. Actually, I call her my "almost mother." You see, she had been dating my father and, after she broke up with him, was the one who introduced him to my mother. The two couples used to do everything together.

(Amy's mom took this picture in Catalina on one of our many vacations together!)

It really was like right out of a movie or a sit com. At least, that's what it looks like to me. As it does, life happened and the couples lost touch. Only to reconnect again years later thanks to the magic of Disney . . . wait, no, the magic of the Internet! =D

So, this godmother of mine knows how much I love Lord of the Rings. In fact, I do believe that was how we really got re-connected. We used to send our favorite LOTR quotes back and forth to each other . . . for DAYS.

(This is a shot of the line at Trilogy Tuesday in 2003. We needed Amy's help to tell us the words to the Hobbit Drinking Song. Then we sang it and won stuff!)

When the Return of the King came out and it was an all-day extravaganza, my FGM (Fairy GodMother) was sharing the day with me. She would ask for help with trivia questions, she would send pictures. It was a blast. And then, because I know she just adores me more than I could ever deserve, she sent a bunch of the stuff that she won to me.

Ok, I hope I've established that this FGM will do just about anything to see me smile (and no, she does not work at a McDonald's). We constantly share the simple things that are happening in our life. She will send me a picture of LOTR on TV with a quote from the movie. I'll send her a picture to let her know I'm at Disneyland and she's on my mind.

So, the other day she sent me a short video of her husband reading to their granddaughter. He was doing an accent and everything. It cracked me up to the point that I wanted to know what book it was because I definitely wanted to go buy it. She told me that she would have him read the whole thing and that she would send it to me. So, I expected to get another message sent to my phone, but this time, the message came via the magical Internet:

I can't believe they did this for me. I am so touched. I think it is just so funny!

I'm sure you know that she collects silhouettes from Disneyland now. Well, since she always sends me such thoughtful gifts,there was just one thing I could do . . . I had to send her one of me, with THE Fairy Godmother. Ms. Bippity-Boppity-Boo herself. No, the Disney people did NOT have one ready to go. I had to pour through picture books and find just the right one. The Disney people liked it so much that they put it in their book as a regular one that they offer.
(We are such trend-setters!)

I am so grateful to have a Fairy Godmother like Pam in my life. She brings magic to my world in ways that no one else can. (I love you!!)

(I love you MORE!)

Thanks Amy for the wonderful post! Can't wait to hear all about your trip to Cuba!