VintageKC Home. Fashion. DIY. SUMMER 2017 | Vol. 5 Issue 5
THE INN AT 425
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Contents
SUMMER 2017 | VOL. 5 ISSUE 5
22
32
12
learn
38 DIY DIVINATION Quan Tracy
30
do
30 DIY Pressed flowers 32 VINTAGE RECIPES Summer refreshments
inspiration 10
12 22
VINTAGE SPACES The Inn at 425 VINTAGE FASHION Men’s shirts
06 08 10 30 34
VINTAGE MAKERS Diana Parrino VINTAGE DINING Fric & Frac VINTAGE MAKERS Maggie’s Corner VINTAGE MAKERS Cherry PIt Collective VINTAGE EVENTS The Mulberry Room
community
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^ from the publisher
staff
Everything’s ‘in’ at the Inn
J
ust about everyone remembers a gratifying stay at a bed and breakfast. Yet a few things have to fall in line to create such a pleasant memory — the B&B has to have a historic aura about it, causing a part of any visit to embody questions about the home, who else stayed there, what is the history behind items in the home and why did the B&B owners become owners, and there has to be a high level of the comfort factor. In this our Summer issue, writer Corbin Crable and photographer Silas Cook visit a marvel of restoration at the Inn at 425, bringing their own pleasurable memories to our cover feature. Located in the Kansas City’s significant Northeast neighborhood, the Inn at 425 is a magnificent Queen Anne style home built in 1888. The architectural design has been described as stamped by “eclecticism, asymmetry, contrast, and even excess.” Inn owners Carl Markus Jr. and Stephan M. Zweifler have remained faithful to bringing the beauty of the Queen Anne style to the forefront in their restoration of their home and bed and breakfast. Also, we’ve added another DIY column to this issue of VintageKC. Rachel Kauffman will be a steady contributor to DIY project articles plus other topics. We have a few other writers we’ll likely debut in coming issues. As publisher, I’m starting to feel we’re getting in a groove in what subjects we write on and artists/makers we profile, and those that contribute. Kansas City is ripe with creativity and history; VintageKC wants to bring that reality to our readers.^
Editorial Calli Green, assistant editor/fashion director calli@vintagekcmag.com Reese Walley, editorial/sales assistant reese@vintagekcmag.com Advertising Cheri Nations, advertising rep cheri@vintagekcmag.com Joe King, advertising rep joseph@vintagekcmag.com Design Emily Bowers emily@vintagekcmag.com Emily Smith aew2000@centurylink.net Patti Klinge artdirector@discoverpub.com Publisher Bruce Rodgers publisher@vintagekcmag.com 816-474-1516
contributors Maggie Bonanomi Quan Tracy Cherry Melissa Cowan Corbin Crable Lauren Hedenkamp Rachel Kauffman Rhiannon Ross Sarah Teresinski
photography Patti Klinge Sarah Teresinski Silas Cook
Bruce Rodgers publisher
VINTAGEKC VOLUME 5, ISSUE 5 IS PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY VINTAGE MEDIA, LLC, IN KANSAS CITY, MO, AFFILIATED WITH AFFINITY ENTERPRISE GROUP, COPYRIGHT 2017, VINTAGE MEDIA, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. REPRODUCTION IN PART OR IN WHOLE WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE PUBLISHER IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED. PRINTED IN THE U.S.A.
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Cover photo by Silas Cook
ANTIQUE FESTIVAL Sat. June 10, 9am – 6pm Sun. June 11, 10am – 4pm
Sometimes ya’ just gotta have it. COLLECTIBLES, ONE-OF-A-KINDS AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN Free Admission | Free Parking | www.crowncenter.com | 816-274-8444 CROWN CENTER SQUARE: 25th & Grand Blvd. Kansas City, MO 64108 #CrownCenter
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community^makers
Diana Parrino Fine Art & Design Words CALLI GREEN Photos PATTI KLINGE
Diana Parrino
TOP LEFT: Diana in her workspace. LEFT: Diana uses found wood to make a piece of art that drops from the wall and becomes a table. RIGHT: Found wood and wine corks were used to make a monochromatic piece of art. BOTTOM: One of Diana’s first pieces was this loft bed, which was later transferred to her studio space.
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VKC: What is the process of designing your pieces?
a visual artist, and the aesthetic aspects complete the work.
Diana Parrino: The concept of each design must be fairly adaptable; all pieces are completely unique. Because I work largely with scraps from discarded materials, the initial design is driven by what is available. As each piece begins to take shape, the functional details dictate its development. Once the basic functional footprint is established, the maker in me returns to her roots as
VKC: What makes your pieces one of a kind? Diana: Each of my pieces is unique because the material is utilized just as it comes to me. Some pieces are cut down to size but the uneven measurements and rough cuts are also design elements. Many times, I am creating from shipping pallets, which are not square or machine milled to exact measurement — as a result they can be very unforgiving to work with. The artistic endeavor becomes apparent with the final visual elements adorning each piece. My maker’s mark is that the piece becomes an original work of fine art in its final detail.
VKC: Why did you start Diana Parrino Fine Art & Design? Diana: I started making functional fine art out of simple economy, and a need to transform the material elements around me into appreciated works of art. The first installment I created was with shipping pallets. It was a three-story loft/riser/closet when finishing my studio. It seemed to be a bigger attraction than the art I was making and became a natural extension of my work. The first piece I created was a table to paint on and house supplies, when people began inquiring about price, I began offering to build custom pieces for the public. I very much enjoy the idea of creating things that people can utilize. These items add dimension to my body of work and expand my market as well. VKC: Why repurpose materials? Diana: The materials I use are almost all repurposed, from art supplies to building materials. The pallets I am known for using come from a network of supportive individuals — small business owners and homeowners who would
otherwise incur an expense for removal will call and ask if I am interested in taking them. I am happy to provide that service in exchange for materials. It benefits both parties and leads to more long-term business relationships. VKC: What your favorite piece you have created up to this point? Diana: The most memorable piece, so far, was a bed I made out of pallets, oak and cork. The bed has a lighted headboard with little shelves — it turned out amazing. I made it for my son when he moved into his first house. I delivered it and set it up, he was genuinely surprised by how nice it turned out. VKC: What do you love about working in Kansas City? Diana: Kansas City is an amazing place! I have really enjoyed seeing our city grow and I would like to be a part of that expansion. I have had a studio in the West Bottoms for ten years, and I am open to the new opportunities that are developing in this city.
^
TOP: Paintings are showcased around the creative space, where everything is for sale. LEFT: Every open space is used in Diana’s workspace—either for storage or display. RIGHT: A table showcasing both popular mediums—corks and wood. BOTTOM: Diana’s creative style is even showcased in her scrap storage.
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^vintage dining
The ‘Fric & Frac’ of Sidewalk Dining Neighborhood gathering spot gets intimate with the outside Words RHIANNON ROSS Photos PATTI KLINGE
A
middle-aged man in blue jeans and a white ball cap stands next to a parking sign, dragging on the last of a cigarette. Near his feet, a plastic bucket filled nearly to the brim with water, is marked with the generic word “DOG”. A roly-poly pit bull by the name of Fitzgerald waddles over to the bucket and laps up the liquid. His tongue is the shade of strawberry lipstick. Nearby, a man in a cowboy hat and boots, with his lady friend, sun at a picnic table. A woman in dark sunglasses sits alone at a sidewalk table, sipping a Bloody Mary, its lime sunk like a green ship in a red sea. A harried mother, followed by two, rambunctious young children slurping ice cream cones, walks past us. One child is so close, I could reach out and touch his sticky hand. I watch this Sunday afternoon street life from a sidewalk table at Fric & Frac, a funky Kansas City neighborhood tavern on the corner of 39th and Genessee. Sharing my table is Sharon Eiker, aka “Mama Diva”, a well-known local poet, visual artist, musician and performance artist. “I’ve been eating at Fric & Frac weekly for 20 years,” she brags. “I’ve literally watched people grow old here.” Eiker calls the tavern, with its sunset pink, brick exterior and broad, storefront windows, her neighborhood bar even though it’s located two miles from her Hyde Park home. She compares the West 39th Street corridor in the Volker Neighborhood – known as KC’s “restaurant row” – to New York City. “New York City is a big place until I figured out it’s a series of neighborhoods with wine bars, grocery stores, laundries, and pubs,” she says. “This is one of the few places in Midtown Kansas City where
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everything is within walking distance. And Fric & Frac is the heart of this area. It has a personality. People working here are unique and they make you feel at home.” Our server sports a pierced nostril and a sleeve of tattoos on her right arm, and a tattooed heart with the words “You Are Sweet” on her left bicep. An outdoor mural on the building features cartoon characters jamming to a boombox. Pop tunes from the ‘70s are piped outside via speakers. Only a window separates our table from an inside table where two men chomp burgers and swig frothy beers. Sidewalk seating is limited to four tables
and a picnic table. Several nearby restaurants on the row offer enclosed patio seating or sidewalk seating set back from the street. Yet, at Fric & Frac, no barrier separates sidewalk diners from passersby. Eiker and I embrace the European appeal of al fresco dining and the opportunity to people watch. Strollers pass us as if we are separated by an invisible wall. There’s an unspoken pact to respect mutual privacy. Occasionally, some do smile and nod “hello” but only if eye contact is made and the invisible wall is breached. Bartender Patrick Martin says sidewalk dining is popular with diners and drinkers alike,
LEFT: Tax photo from 1940 of the Fric & Frac building, then a drugstore
Fric & Frac 1700 W. 39th St., Kansas City, MO 64111 Hours: Sun.-Thurs., 11 a.m. – 12 a.m. Fri.-Sat., 11 a.m. – 1:30 a.m. especially when the weather is temperate. “Outside seating has been a real asset to us,” Martin says. He adds that the sidewalk space also appeals to smokers. But sidewalk dining isn’t for everyone. Some find the experience noisy and intrusive, physically uncomfortable without air-conditioning, and the appearance of insects annoying. Jackson County Legislative Aide, Beth Ann Brubaker, says she needs “to be in the mood to people watch” when she chooses sidewalk dining. “For me, that’s when I’m drinking not dining. And if I’m enjoying a nice meal, I don’t want to take the chance of getting bugs in it.” She also prefers to eat inside during KC’s humid, summer months. “Eating outdoors is called al fresco dining. It should be fresh-feeling not steamy and stale,” she says. Owned and operated by the Rudy Ross family since 1976 (no relation to the author), Fric & Frac is a family-friendly place that offers inexpensive pub fare. Weekday lunch specials start at $8 and daily evening specials offer deals such as two for one burgers on Mondays and chicken fried steak and a pile of mashed potatoes drowning in white gravy on Sundays. Eiker’s favorite special is Taco Saturday (three tacos for $2.95). Eiker insists the neighborhood tavern has maintained its shabbychic charm throughout the years, inside and outside. “The audacious tablecloths are the only thing that’s changed in 20 years,” she says, laughing. She points to a plastic, Hawaiian-print cover adorning a table. For a while longer, Eiker and I bask in the sun, chit-chat, and watch strangers, acquaintances, and occasional friends stroll the sidewalks leading to, and from, somewhere in the city.
fricandfrac.net | 816-753-6102
^
Rhiannon Ross is an avid people watcher and dog lover. Fitzgerald, the flirtatious pit bull, stole her heart and a couple of her fries.
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diy ^ maggie’s corner
A great vintage find,a beaded purse and bangle bracelets.
‘Hooray for the Red, White and Blue!’ Patriotic colors add to a bright summer
by Maggie Bonanomi photos by Patti Klinge
T
here is nothing like a row of red geraniums in clay flowerpots to let you know summer is finally here — along with some great red, white and blue! It’s a perfect time to look for patriotic and flag related items as well as all kinds of things red white and blue. During the summer we have two holidays to celebrate and display our American flag. Flag day is on June 14 and, of course, there’s the Fourth of July. But I think all summer is a good time. Our American flag with its 50 stars is easily “vintage,” even if its brand new, as the last two stars added were for the states of Alaska and Hawaii, both entered the Union in 1959. You can still easily find all sizes of 48 star flags, which I love to put in an old crock or other container, even poked into your potted plants, they look festive in large groups. Flag holders that display multiple small flags or a small stand that displays a single
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flag for a desktop can still be found, and it’s a great way to display your flags. If you want to display a large American flag vertically on a wall, remember the field of stars is always on the flag’s right. I love to see the flag displayed this way; it really becomes a great focal point. Old calendars and books found at flea markets are also a great source of vintage Americana pictures featuring an assortment of star and stripes. Magazines found in about any era showing summer celebrations can cover a wall or create a big collage of photos and articles, adding bits of red, white and blue. If you have some old family photos, why not go through them to find pictures of previous generations Fourth of July picnics or parades, and add those to your collage. Cut out stars from old book pages, stringing them together into a garland to drape on your wall or across the window.
Fabric is another way to bring in the color of the season. Look for fabric at flea markets — there is always fabric! You can always find old blue and white striped mattress ticking, add some red checked or printed material and fold these into a stack on a shelf. Parade bunting, lengths of fabric in bands of red white and blue, sometimes with stars, can also be found. Bunting gathered into half circles often used to hang under windows or on porch railings. You might even have an old quilt to display. The idea is to add color but not to spend a fortune. Go in search of vintage items with stars and stripes, they will appear in endless forms. I have a beaded flag change purse from years ago and recently found some cute bangle bracelets in stars and stripes! It might even be fun to research things from the 1976 Bicentennial for some ideas; there were celebrations all across the country and all kinds of items made as keepsakes. Star-shaped items are another thing to look for. Ages ago I found a stone cut into a star for my garden but it’s fun to bring it indoors to decorate with. I have seen metal “yard art” in the form of garden stakes with stars on top. These are fun to add to the mix. Star cookie cutters are easily found in all sizes, group them on an old platter or along your windowsill and why not use them to bake up a plate of star shaped cookies.
TOP LEFT: Old parade bunting draped across a dress form greets you at the front entrance. RIGHT: Flags displayed together create a greater impact. BOTTOM LEFT: A pot of red geraniums just says “summertime.”
Have fun this summer — show a little red, white and blue along with some stars and stripes. Have a celebration, march in a parade, take photos that the next generation will look back on and have them searching for the same things for their summer celebrations.
^
About Maggie: I live east of Kansas City in the town of Lexington. I’ve been here since 2003. living in an old house built about 1841-1845. When we were working on my house, prior to moving in, I happened to watch a PBS program about Abraham Lincoln. The fact my house was already 20 some years old at that time just gave me a new perspective of life back then. What I think drew me to Lexington is the history, the architecture, a small town close to Kansas City and the immediate friendliness of the community. I own a shop and studio here, travel and teach, but always love coming back home. I grew up in a military family and my hubby was military so it is really good to be part of a community where the streets are lined with flags on all patriotic celebrations. Stars and stripes are part of my heritage and it is probably why I like to surround myself with them particularly at this time of year.
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^ vintage spaces
YOUR ROOM AT THE INN AT 425 IS READY Innkeepers keep Victorian period alive on Gladstone Boulevard
Words CORBIN CRABLE Photos SILAS COOK
Stephan Zweifler and Carl Markus are the owners of the Inn at 425, though guests might encounter one of their two dogs during their stay as well.
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hen Stephan Zweifler first laid eyes on the house at 425 Gladstone Blvd., he didn’t see decay – he saw potential. The Queen Anne-style house needed new plumbing and new electricity, a new roof. The entire front porch had started separating from the house itself. Not that any of it mattered to Zweifler during his first visit. “I was madly in love with it, and I had on two-inch-thick rose-colored glasses,” he jokes. “All I could see was the beauty, not the carnage.” Zweifler and his husband, Carl Markus Jr., had renovated an estimated 20 houses between them throughout their adult lives, but both men knew that this one was going to be different. Zweifler knew from the beginning that it wasn’t just going to be a new home for the two; it would eventually become The Inn at 425, a beacon of Midwestern warmth and charm for countless visitors and guests, some of whom they would eventually call friends.
W
AN HISTORIC PLACE FROZEN IN TIME The first inhabitants of the house, built in 1888, were Kansas City Judge Stephen Twiss and his wife, Emeline. In 1910, shortly after the turn of the century and after the death of Judge and Mrs. Twiss, investors bought the house and set up partition walls within it, creating multiple apartments but maintaining the lush garden around the house’s grounds. Over the course of the next 70 years, appreciation for the stately old house grew, and by the 1980s, shortly after the house had been
TOP: Many of the inn’s furnishings come from owner Stephan Zweifler’s personal collection. Zweifler says he has collected antiques his entire life. BOTTOM: The inn’s front parlor provides a cozy place where guests can stretch out and relax.
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^ vintage spaces crowned an historic landmark, the first of several renovations began. The first family, the Roscoes, removed the partition walls, put up stucco additions on the house’s exterior, opened the front porch, and reroofed the main house and the carriage barn. The second family, the Keirns, restored the house’s stencil work, as well as plaster molding. Michelle Keirns crafted the stained glass features in the house’s entryway, according to the inn’s website. Now known to travelers the country over as The Inn at 425, a popular metro-area bed and breakfast, the structure’s 20-year journey from deterioration to dazzling has been one fraught with challenges met with persistence and patience. The house was already known to Kansas Citians and historians alike when, in the 1970s, it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Though the placement was an honor, Zweifler says, it meant that all of the plumbing, electrical, structure, HVAC, carpentry work, and brick work (the chimney fell off the roof shortly after the two men moved in) had to be executed with special care. Zweifler and Markus had to pay special attention to the details from the house’s past throughout the renovation process. “All of the woodwork is original,” he notes, “but everything on a house like this is very expensive. Nothing is off the shelf. The windows in the dining room alone are over $8,000. Since this is an historic landmark, it has to look exactly like the original windows, which had rotted. So, same size, same casements.”
TOP: A volunteer crafted the stained glass windows found on the inn’s front doors. MIDDLE: High windows allow natural sunlight to bring out the color in nearly every room of the inn. LEFT: The main staircase leads up to the second floor, where the inn’s guest rooms are located. Owners Stephan Zweifler and Carl Markus live on the third floor.
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This crystal chandelier, manufactured in Vienna, serves as the focal point in the dining room at the Inn at 425, where guests regularly enjoy their morning breakfast.
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^ vintage spaces
LEFT: Many of the inn’s original features, from the woodwork to the ornate designs on the front doorknob, can still be found. RIGHT: An original gramophone sits in the front parlor at the inn. German inventor Emile Berliner developed the device in 1887, only a year before the house that would eventually become the Inn at 425 was built.
The two men dove into their work, knowing that every detail had to appear as near to the original as possible. They employed the help of a local carpenter, Anthony Bartlomi, who was instrumental in adhering to that need, Zweifler says. “We met (Bartlomi) a couple of weeks after we bought the house,” Zweifler explains. “We decided we were going to make the third floor our private space, and we created it to get away from the restoration. He’s the one who restored the (main) staircase and built the deck.” But the association created another dynamic. “When you know one person for so long, you begin to complete each other’s sentences, you understand the person’s design aesthetic. Now, it’s like working with the other half of your own brain,” Zweifler laughs. “People who are together long enough start to act and sound alike, and people mistake him for my brother all of the time.” DETAILS LOVINGLY PRESERVED From the moment visitors step into the main entryway, the attention to detail is stunningly evident. The doorknobs on the front door feature a woven bamboo design, while the green-tiled fireplace mantle exudes a colorful warmth. To the left is the parlor, where guests may relax and browse one of the photo albums documenting the inn’s restoration in photographs, or a coffee table book on Kansas City’s history. In front of the parlor window
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sits an old Victrola, a gift from a longtime friend. To the left of the entryway is the dining room, its focal point a large crystal chandelier that hangs over the table where guests may enjoy breakfast prepared by Zweifler or one of his friends. Guests may choose from one of four different rooms, each with its own different look and accents. The Carriage House, surrounded by an award-winning garden, boasts a two-bedroom suite, a gathering room, a kitchenette, and a shared bathroom with a large, tiled shower. In the main house, on the second floor, the “Room with a View” overlooks Gladstone Boulevard. The room is decorated with a queen-sized bed, as well as a variety of boutique furniture and antiques accumulated over Zweifler’s lifetime as a collector. The room includes a private bathroom. The inn’s website describes the “Rose Room” as akin to “a trip to the English countryside,” complete with a canopy bed, lace curtains, and a screened-in sun porch. Zweifler says guests can leave the door leading to the sun porch open on a quiet night and listen to the babbling fountain in the garden below. One of the more notable features of this room is the original 1888 bathroom, which includes a marble sink and the home’s original claw-foot bathtub. The last room, “Emeline’s Room,” is an homage to the original matriarch of the house. Decorated with plenty of Victorian style, the room includes an adjoining bath.
LEFT: “Emeline’s Room,” named for one of the original inhabitants of the house, features a Queen-sized bed, antique furnishings, and an adjoining bath. RIGHT: Whether a guest is using a private or shared bathroom, small, personal touches abound that will make the guest feel right at home.
“I WANT TO MOVE IN!” It is this distinctly Victorian influence that Zweifler says he hopes his guests particularly enjoy. “History isn’t any good unless people of the next generation appreciate it,” he says. “Oddly enough, the preservation (of an old house) was against the philosophy of the Victorian period. During the time Queen Victoria reigned over England, things changed. More things were invented, more lives were altered than at any other point in history. The Victorians loved new and modern. To take someone’s house and freeze it in a year is against what they believed.” True as that might be, the inn has been suspended in time, and it’s exactly what brings guests back time and again. “(Guests) walk in the front door, and they’re blown away by the stenciling, and the fireplace, and the archway,” Zweifler says. “They say, ‘Oh, this is so beautiful! I want to move in!’ My response is always, ‘Well, we can work out a rental agreement,’” he jokes.
“They come from 15 miles away in order to get away from their children,” he laughs. “And we have one repeat customer, who is with an investment firm, from Quebec, Canada. Kansas City is on the firm’s radar because of the streetcar. They come to Kansas City to renovate houses and sell them – in Kansas City and in this neighborhood, in particular.” Zweifler says he hopes the streetcar hastens the neighborhood’s renaissance as well. “We hope phase two of the streetcar will come down Independence Avenue, which would skyrocket this back into the respectable neighborhood it was,” (the inn’s website notes that the neighborhood’s status as ‘the place to be’ began to decline rapidly with the building of Ward Parkway in the early 20th century). “We’d get a whole new clientele. “That’s what we’re all about. We want people to move to the neighborhood and know what the Victorians knew. You have neighbors, not just people who live next door. You have big front porches where people sit in the summertime, where people play music and talk together.”
ENJOYING A SIMPLER TIME The guests who check into the bed and breakfast come from as close as across the state line to across the pond, Zweifler notes. At least one of them, like Zweifler and Markus, sees the great potential of Gladstone Boulevard to continue its growth.
NEIGHBORHOOD EMBRACES FUN, SAFE HOLIDAY FOR ALL The neighborhood has already taken strides to promote the friendly and hospitable nature of those who live there. One community outreach project that has gained recent popularity is the neighborhood’s “Safe Hal-
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^ vintage spaces
LEFT: The main house and the carriage house flank the inn’s award-winning garden. RIGHT: The Carriage House Suite, located on the second floor of the building that once housed the family’s carriages, includes a shared bathroom.
loween” festivities, sponsored by Gladstone’s neighborhood association. “All houses pass out candy to kids who normally don’t have a place to go for Halloween,” Zweifler explains. “We had 8,000 kids last year. They can just walk up to the front doors and get candy, and many people put up huge decorations for Halloween. It’s like a Disneyland for Halloween, and it’s for kids who can’t get this anyplace else.” The Inn at 425 is one of those many houses that one will find festooned with decorations during the fall, of course. “And at Christmas, we have three or four large Christmas trees, and Santas and wreaths everywhere. The outside of the house is lit,” says Zweifler. “But we like to start (decorating) with fall, because that introduces you into Christmas.” Again, Zweifler emphasizes, it took a long time to get the house prepared for the transformation from crumbling to cozy. Most people who would buy such a house might be excited to put up wall paper and hang lace curtains – that’s the fun part, after all – but few may realize the elbow grease and determination that one must invest in such a venture. And then there’s the money. “The biggest mistake that people make is, they find a beautiful old house that needs a restoration, and they take out a huge loan to pay for the restoration,” Zweifler explains. “And then they expect to make enough money to pay for the first and second mortgage. It doesn’t work that way. This is a cottage industry. Even if you have 70 percent occupancy, it still isn’t going to be enough money. That’s why this has taken 20 years. We did each thing as we could afford it.” JUST A HARMLESS APPARITION If that isn’t enough to ponder for someone in the market for open-
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ing a bed and breakfast, there’s always the possibility of the occasional highly unique guest. In the case of the Inn at 425, it’s Emeline Twiss, who has been dead for more than a century. Zweifler opens a photo album sitting on the parlor’s coffee table. Nestled between the images of brick work being done is a photo of the silhouette of a woman ascending the staircase. Look at the image hard enough and you’ll see her hair is swept up, and she wears dangling earrings. A shawl is draped around her shoulders. “She is very benevolent. She knocks on doors and wakes people up, or she whispers in their ear,” Zweifler says. “The room upstairs that we call Emeline’s room – that’s the one she focuses on. “One of my friends is terrified at the prospect of meeting Emeline. When she visits, I will go into the room and say, “Emeline, Suzie is coming to visit. Please, please leave her alone. Inevitably, she does, but she will come to the third floor and wake me up,” he chuckles. Any challenges aside, Zweifler says he and Markus are proud that the inn has become a part of the changing face of Gladstone Boulevard and the metro area, too. The inn is but a microcosm of the city itself. “Kansas City is the biggest surprise (our guests) will ever have. The parks, the greenery, the kindness and sophistication of the people who live here,” he says. “We have a lot of guests who call the inn their Kansas City home.” Visit https://innat425.com for more information, or call (913) 5795915.
^
Corbin Crable’s love of antiques and vintage decor sometimes makes him feel as if he should have lived during the Victorian period as well. You can email him at ccrable@jccc.edu.
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^ vintage fashion
The the cream
This summer, we’re topping menswear looks off with vintage button-ups that are the cream of the crop.
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of the top
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^ vintage fashion
Rolled Sleeves Lightweight button-ups are perfect for summer. Roll up the cuffs of long sleeved vintage tops for the perfect summer look. Adding a lightweight straw fedora works perfectly for a day out in the sun.
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Small Prints Short sleeves and small prints are a great combination for the warm months. There are plenty of prints in vintage designs to choose from. Grab a printed top, and accessorize with a vintage hat.
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^ vintage fashion
SUMMER STRIPES Stripes are good for every season, but choosing colors like blue and white make stripes soft for summer. Rolling short sleeves keeps things a little cooler in the heat, and let’s be honest, it looks a little cooler, too.
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Linen Nothing says summer like linen, especially neutrals like white and eggshell. Pairing a neutral linen top with a light pair of denim is the perfect look for the season.
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^ vintage fashion
PHOTOS SILAS COOK GARMENTS RE-RUNS KC MODELS TANNER CHRISMAN, LOGAN NICHOLS, ETHAN RUS, VINCENT SUNG; VOICES&, AUGUSTIN KINNEY HAIR ASHLEY HAZELWOOD CONCEPT/STYLING CALLI GREEN ASSISTANCE HANNAH PULIS, GABRIELLE STUART, ALYSSA SCHOEN, EA’PRECIOUS HOLMES, DANIELLE GATEWOOD
BOLD COLOR Brights are always a good statement piece during the heat of the summer. Grab attention with a simple vintage shirt in a bold color.
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Home trappings with unexpected design, artisan craftsmanship, and keen construction that go beyond passing trends. Join us at the
JUST FOR HER EVENT
June 23-25
Overland Park Convention Center 6000 College Blvd • Overland Park, KS or Our Shop:
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Tues - Fri: 10-5:30 Sat: 10-5:00
Louisburg Second Saturdays
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May 13 *• June 10 •* July 8 * August 12 8am-1pm ~ Rain or Shine
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community ^ makers
On April 30, the Cherry Pit Collective transformed their space into a pop-up shop for Wanderfest!
The Cherry Pit Collective
A creative community in the heart of Kansas City
Words MELISSA COWAN Photos PATTI KLINGE & MELISSA COWAN
W
e can do that together” is the philosophy of the Cherry Pit Collective, a communal studio space for artists, makers and creatives to not only work, but also collaborate and share ideas. Director Kelsey Pike and Associate Director Adri Luna have been friends since 2009. They met at the Kansas City Art Institute (KCAI), where they both studied printmaking and discovered their true passions: for Kelsey, papermaking; for Adri, abstract art. After a successful Kickstarter campaign last summer, they opened the doors to the Cherry Pit Collective at 31st and Cherry in Kansas City’s Midtown. “In the beginning stages (of owning a business), you’re working on your bed or on
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Director K elsey Pike (left) and A Director A ss dri Luna (r ight) met in ociate attending 20 the Kansa s City Art In 09 while stitute.
your floor watching Netflix, and it’s kind of lonely,” Adri said. “So, to be able to come into a space and just be around other people who are also making, it’s really fun.” The Collective is currently home to 16 local entrepreneurs and freelancers. Each studio is a peek into the artists’ different worlds. Some spaces are stacked with clear containers of tools and materials; others are decorated with the artist’s own work — from watercolor paintings and calligraphy prints, to vintage clothes and installation pieces made of coffee filters. Toward the rear is Kelsey’s studio, where large sheets of paper hang to dry like wet laundry. Through her business, Sustainable Paper+Craft, she creates handmade paper
for fine artists and “anyone who wants a nice paper for a special occasion.” As she unhooked the sheets from their clothespins, she explained the papermaking process — transforming cotton and other fibers (never wood) into unique products people can use for their wedding invitations or office stationery. “It’s almost meditative,” Kelsey said. “I love the sound of peeling the paper off, and to make something so common from start to finish is gratifying.” Papermaking is no easy task. Sheets can weigh 50 pounds or more because of the water, but that never deterred Kelsey, who “loved it from the first time (she) ever did it.” She was a studio tech at KCAI, cleaning in
LEFT: The Cherry Pit Collective is a communal studio space for artists, makers and creators in Kansas City’s Midtown district. CENTER: “(Papermaking is) almost meditative,” Kelsey said. “I love the sound of peeling the paper off.” BOTTOM: Around a dozen members and artists, including Lost & Found Design and Travis Stewart, participated in the neighborhood-wide event.
exchange for use of the space and supplies, until she graduated and set up shop in her parents’ garage in Lawrence, KS. Every week, she would drive there and make paper all day for a few days straight, and then drive back to Kansas City to work her day job. Exhausted, she searched for a studio closer to home. “I read a newspaper article talking about the new businesses coming in to this area: the yoga studio, the bike collective. I was only going to rent a small space for just me, but the landlords (Maker Village owners, next door) wanted to rent out the entire building.” From there, the Cherry Pit Collective began to grow — with members, business classes and, most recently, Wanderfest! Held on April 30, Wanderfest! was an open house and block party featuring more than 20 businesses from the 31st and Cherry neighborhood. The Cherry Pit Collective organized the event and turned their space into a pop-up shop, with around a dozen members and artists selling their handmade work. For some, like Ariel Thompson, ceramic and jewelry artist, this was their craft fair debut. Ariel participated in the Collective’s sixweek Etsy Incubator to get her shop, Wild Whims Studio, up and running online. “I learned a lot,” she said, “like how to advertise on Etsy and price my products,” which also helped her prepare for the event. Other artists included Lost & Found Design, Peaches Vintage Collective, Freckled Nose Co., Heavy Metals Jewelry, Alyissa Letters, Travis Stewart, and, of course, Sustainable Paper+Craft and Adri Luna Studio.
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To learn more about the Cherry Pit Collective or apply for a membership, visit cherrypitcollective.com.
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do^vintage recipes
Gourmet
GLAMPING
Words LAUREN HEDENKAMP Photos SARAH TERRANOVA
G
lamping season is here! The spell of the summer heat can be tempered best by good food and drink! While glamping in the great outdoors here are two vintage inspired recipes that will rejuvenate and refuel you for the adventuring ahead! The zucchini and tomato tartlets are the perfect light bite for the long hot days of summer. The vegetables atop the tartlet provide a pop of color and a little crunch to the decedent smooth filling inside. The tartlets subtly beautiful presentation mirrors the delicate taste. Along with this light bite is a drink recipe that is a fun alternative to the typical summer lemonade. The watermelon refresher provides the perfect thirst-quenching gulp! These recipes also include easy make-ahead steps for the prepared camper. The summer table setting mimics the season’s colorful and relaxing atmosphere through an informal buffet style setting along with the use of sunflowers, vintage linens and vintage dishes.
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The Gourmet Glamping team, Lauren Hedenkamp and Sarah Terranova, became fast friends in Italy. They met studying in the same art and photo program and bonded quickly over their love of art and food. Lauren’s vintage camper Ellie serves as the backdrop for Gourmet Glamping. Lauren lauren@leftpagecommunications.com Twitter @artsykansascity Instagram laurhedenkamp Sarah sarahterranova.com sarahterranovaphoto@gmail.com Twitter @cucina_camera Instagram cucinaandcamera
COOKING NOTE: THE GLAMPER MUST BE CONNECTED TO GAS AND POWER TO COMPLETE THE RECIPES.
Zucchini and Tomato Tartlets (1 large tart or 4 small tartlets) INGREDIENTS (SERVES 4): Handful of Cherry Tomatoes sliced 1 zucchini sliced Salt & Pepper to Taste Red Pepper Flakes FILLING (CAN PRE-MAKE AND BRING IN A JAR IN THE COOLER): 1 clove minced garlic 1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil 1 ½ Cup Ricotta CRUST: 1 Box of Pre-Made Pie Dough COOKING UTENSILS: 4 mini tartlet pans or one large pie pan Knife Cutting Board Small Bowl Spoon STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Preheat oven 400° 2. Spray mini tartlet pans with Pam or rub with butter and cover the bottom of the pans with the dough, cutting off extra around the sides.
3. B ake crust for 5 to 8 minutes, until is starts to turn golden brown. Let crust cool for 5 minutes or until you can handle it. 4. Prepare filling: in a small bowl combine garlic, olive oil, ricotta, and Salt and pepper. Stir until well mixed. Set aside. 5. Slice tomatoes and zucchini. 6. Spoon filling into tartlet pans, leaving enough room at the top for vegetables. 7. Place zucchini and tomato slices on the top in a pleasing pattern. 8. Brush the top with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and red pepper flakes (optional). 9. Bake for 10-15 minutes. Let cool and enjoy!
Watermelon Refresher INGREDIENTS: Watermelon (chop ahead of time and keep in cooler) Coconut water Lime Juice Lime Garnish COOKING UTENSILS: Knife Cutting Board Glasses STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Chop up watermelon into small chunks. Fill glass halfway with watermelon chunks. 2. Squeeze half a lime in your glass. 3. Fill with coconut water. Garnish with watermelon and lime. Enjoy! 4. (optional) soak watermelon chunks overnight in vodka.
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SPONSORED CONTENT
The Mulberry Room offers historic space for private events T
he next time you need to host a wedding reception for 350 people, or perhaps a business meeting for just a few co-workers, look no farther than Kansas City’s West Bottoms neighborhood, where a newly refurbished space, The Mulberry Room, is ready to take on your special event. The Mulberry Room is located in the historic Oliver Building at 1321 W. 13th St. between Hickory and Mulberry Streets, from which it takes its name, according to Anna Cole, coowner along with Steve Mertensmeyer. “The Mulberry Room is the premier event venue in The Historic West Bottoms,” Cole said. “We feature 9,000 sq. ft. of original and lovingly restored hardwood floors, exposed brick walls and gorgeous wood beam ceilings. Bright nine-foot-tall bay windows fill our venue with natural light that falls upon one of two grand staircases that guide you to our private mezzanine suite.” The space dates to the late 19th century like many of the other buildings in the West Bottoms, that are characterized by red brick exteriors, hardwood floors, solid wooden supports stopping at eight-stories tall because it was impossible to build higher using those materials. Today the Mulberry Room, which is on the second floor, boasts new restrooms, a fully equipped caterers’ kitchen, updated heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, an outdoor area and off-street parking. “Although The Oliver Bldg. was constructed in 1895,” Cole said, “our event venue also includes a full media suite for client use,
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Anna Col
e, co-owne allowing a full-range of audio-visual r of the Mul berry Roo m. presentations. “We even booked a video game conference as a result,” she said. buildings. The history is a People won’t find such a large space at motivating factor in their renting this space,” many other Kansas City venues. “Folks are Cole said, noting that the neighboring buildattracted to The Mulberry Room because of ings also housed agricultural manufacturing our large space and because it still retains a operations from the late 19th- to the mid certain industrial elegance that just doesn’t 20th century. exist in other parts of town,” she said. In Cole understands the demands of modern addition to the media center the Mulberry wedding planning and seeks to provide the room boasts a completely up to date caterers’ brides and their families more than they kitchen, which ensures the freshest kitchenexpect, she said. “We love our brides!” to-plate service in the West Bottoms. “It took us a year and a half of work to get Restoration of the floors and other archithis room together and I think we can handle tectural elements has been meticulous with almost any get-together no matter how large or special attention paid to specially designno matter how small, from weddings, reunions, ing the railing for the grand staircase that business conferences and fashion shows. connects the second floor to the mezzanine. “We provide clients and their guests a “The balusters are made from red oak and full-service and professional experience in they are stunning!” she enthused. a distinctive space,” Cole said, with events Cole noted that the building originally booked through this coming fall with many housed a multi-story manufacturing opwedding receptions, business conferences, eration for the John Deere Co., which made smaller get-togethers and even a fashion implements that could be attached to its farm show on the calendar. tractors and other vehicles. The wooden beams are two-feet square and made from old growth Douglas fir. An unusual spiral metal slide goes THE MULBERRY ROOM from one floor to another, apparently to move 1321 W. 13th St heavy items downstairs very quickly. It makes 816-309-5336 a unique conversation piece, as well as the railroad tracks that enter the building where rail Find the Mulberry Room on Facebook cars were once loaded and unloaded. or check out its website, www.mulberryroomkc.com “Most of our customers are intrigued by the history of the area and the individual
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Crybaby Farm Gifts & The Lavender Tea Room
A bountiful selection of gifts, home-garden decor, vintage finds and jewelry. Reserve an elegant lunch in The Lavender Tea Room and stay to enjoy sunshine in the courtyard over wine and tapas with friends. Crybaby Farm is absolutely, positively a must-see!
900 N. US 65 Highway • Carrolton, MO 816-808-9899
Tues.- Sat. 10-5:30 crybabyfarm.com thelavendertearoom.com
June 15-17, 2017
Overland Park Convention Center 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Thursday & Friday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Saturday
A Festival for Quilters Established by Quilters Brought to you by 16 Kansas City Regional Quilt Guilds For Vendor/Sponsorship opportunities, contact: Mary Langenberg, Vendor Manager • 913-851-5859 Lynn Droege, Sponsor Manager • 913-626-4095 Visit kcrqf.com for more details and like us on Facebook.com/kcrqf
VINTAGEKCMAG.COM 35
diy^flower pressing
The Beauty of Pressed Flower Art Words and Photos RACHEL KAUFFMAN
P
ressed flowers are real flowers that have been pressed and dried in a pressing machine or between the pages of a book. It is a method that botanists, gardening hobbyists, and sentimentalists have been using for centuries to preserve botanical specimens. Follow the instructions and you will know how to create beautiful works of art using your floral mementos. Pressing flowers is fun and easy. You don’t have to be “artistic” to make your own pressed flower masterpieces; nature will do the work for you. It takes a little bit of patience to wait for the flowers to dry and to arrange the fragile blossoms, but the final product is totally worth the wait. You can save flowers from a special event and turn them into thoughtful, gorgeous gifts, or you can take clippings from your garden and create art for your walls.
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MATERIALS: • Flowers • Scissors • Blank Newsprint • Heavy Books • “ Float” Frames (I found mine at World Market) • Craft Tweezers • Small Cheap Paint Brush • Acid-Free Glue (I used Mod Podge)
STEP 1: Cut and collect your flowers on a dry, sunny day. Flatpetaled flowers are best for pressing. Thick flowers, like roses, will not dry quickly enough and might get moldy. However, you can press individual petals from thick flowers. Violets, cosmos, impatiens, phlox, cosmos, or wildflowers with thin petals are perfect for pressing. TIP: Pressed flowers are also available for sale online. STEP 2: Place the flowers face down inside a phone book or a heavy book. You can line the pages with blank newsprint to protect the book. Place a brick on top of the book for added weight. Leave the flowers undisturbed for 1- 2 weeks. Wait until the flowers are completely dry before you remove them.
STEP 3: Follow the directions to disassemble your frames. Use the craft tweezers to carefully place the flowers in your desired design. The flowers will be dry and fragile, so use caution when moving them around. TIP: Keep the inside of the glass clean throughout the process.
STEP 4: When you are satisfied with the layout, you can glue the flowers onto the glass. Use the tweezers to hold a flower and gently dab a little acid-free glue onto the back of the flower. Place the flower onto the glass and gently press down on the top of the flower with tweezers. Repeat this step until all your
flowers are glued down. Allow glue to dry completely before carefully reassembling the frames. Finally, proudly display your artwork and share a photo of it on Instagram. We want to see your pressed flower creations! Share it with us on Instagram by using the hashtag #vintagekc and tag @vintagekcmagazine.
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Rachel Kauffman thrifts what she can and makes the rest. Her 1950s ranch home has been called a “virtual cabinet of curiosities,� and this unique pressed flower art will fit in perfectly with her vintage art collection. Contact Rachel Kauffman at rachelannekauffman@gmail.com or Instagram @racheldeerhead
VINTAGEKCMAG.COM 37
learn ^ divination
Cleaning by Six Classifications by Quan Tracy Cherry
C
ontinuing with the overarching theme that astrology is vintage to psychology: We can use Feng Shui Principles of our physical environments reflect our inner states. Yes, our physical spaces reflect our inner realities. Why do some of us procrastinate around getting rid of clutter and others become obsessive? What are some of the “cleaning” traits that your astrological chart can demonstrate? How can we use this vintage language to offer each other more compassion and less judgment? Helping us along is our ability to understand how to clean our physical environments. I present six classifications. If you know your Rising or Moon Signs, this will give you additional insight to which classification weighs in more. Procrastinators, Hoarders, Replacers (mix of Hoarders & Garage Sale Lovers), Garage Sale Lovers, Environmentalists and Minimalists The Procrastinators are usually those born under the fixed signs of Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius. Fixed is astrology’s way of saying stubborn. However, when positively framed, fixed signs are concentrated balls of energy. Once you get them started they will complete the tasks of cleaning the kitchen cabinets, refrigerator and oven. It is only that folks at rest tend to stay at rest. My suggestion to these born in the middle of the season people is to separate the spring cleaning into smaller and more manageable sections. Do the oven one day, get to the cabinets two days later, and give yourself a day of relaxation in between. If this is not possible, then rest in between the tasks. Libra, being the most neutral of all 12 signs, can be found in this
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classification, particularly if the Libran soul is flying solo. However, with a more assertive partner, Librans will be less likely to procrastinate in almost any area of their life, including spring cleaning. The Hoarders may be found in any of the 12 astrological signs. Usually Cancer, Capricorn, Virgo, Taurus and sometimes Scorpio can be in this group that sees some use in every object within their homes. Spring cleaning for the Hoarders will go easier, if they can go through their closets, storage areas and let go of anything that they have not worn, touched or used within the last 18 months. Cancers may have the most difficulty as they tend to be sentimental about what the clothing or objects mean to them (Caps & Scorpio too, but they hide these “mushy” feelings better). In First Nation lore, the “give away” belongs to the Turkey animal medicine and it makes room for new sustainable abundance in all areas of your life. I would need to know your entire chart to more accurately assess a tendency to hoard. For example, those with Jupiter Retrograde or Saturn in the second or fourth houses (or Taurus or Cancer) would have a potential to hold onto things possibly based on a poverty consciousness or misplaced philosophical self-depreciation. Hoarders are kissing cousins to the Replacers. The Replacers usually want new things before the old objects have fully served their use, so at times they have redundancy that clutter their homes, garages and basements, even renting storage bins. The signs that have immense enthusiasm about adding to their living spaces are the cardinal signs of Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn. These signs begin the seasons to which they
belong. Along with Taurus, Gemini and Sagittarius (sometimes Virgo), they cannot pass by a sale, be that in a store, online or one in a garage. Although they want what’s new and convenient, they can equally have an eye on what’s valuable and stands the test of time. For the Replacers, I suggest they analyze how long the object has before it is obsolete. Also, it may be best to learn how to better clean their wood floors, area rugs and carpets, before buying some new simply because they have the impulse to buy something new. If there are any Aquarian Replacers, they will usually be concerned about the landfills taking on thrown away objects or harmful chemicals used while cleaning. Garage Sale Lovers are usually concentrated in the physically conservative signs of Taurus, Cancer, Virgo and Capricorn. If it called an “Estate Sale,” then Leos and Scorpios will be more likely to be attracted. It is not that these two signs are snobbish per se, it is only that Leo likes the story behind what’s being sold and Scorpio is connected to anything that smells of an inheritance. Librans will go to these sales, particularly when invited by a close friend or when it may help with advancing their careers. If you can convince Sagittarians or Pisces individual that the Garage Sale will be an adventure, then they can usually muster up the enthusiasm to join. Geminis will investigate garage sales in their immediate neighborhoods or if they are driving home and they spot one on their way. The Environmentalists make their way through each of the 12 signs too. The last four signs of Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces have a transpersonal focus. Transpersonal signs are “beyond personal.” Their mission possible, should they decide to accept it, is to discover their identities through serving larger aspirations, goals, communities and dreams than just their own egocentric desires. Gaia, as a living organism, muses as background music. The Environmentalists are prone to use natural products in their spring cleaning, like baking soda and vinegar in their washing machines instead of buying a commercial product
value too. Cancers and Leos will sometimes see the environment as a legacy to their families so they will be loyal to this classification as long as you make it a personal passion for them. Make it real, leave the abstractions to the air signs. Last and certainly not least are the Minimalists (pun intended). Originally, I thought of this classification as a subset of the Environmentalists. Yet, as I wrote this blog, I realized that the Minimalists oversee the Environmentalists who then need to guide the other four classifications. In an ideal world, we should be living in tiny homes or tinier homes, taking up the least amount of space. Spring cleaning needs to be connected to our carbon footprint. How idealistic is that? More importantly, how realistic? I
have had the good fortune to have met some Minimalists who have joy and passion in their lives. They tend to populate the signs of Taurus, Virgo and Scorpio with a smattering of Aquarius and on-the-go Aries pioneers. Their homes may be sparse, but their hearts are large. Minimalists tend thrive on shared experiences. A number of Venus retrograde souls (who were born to stand their ground against social mores and consumerism) can be found under this classification.
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Quan Tracy Cherry is a Metaphysician, finding channels in astrology, numerology and tarot. Quan is available for private readings and consultations. Find him at www.beliefisnotrequired.com or on Facebook.
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S
cleanser. Taurus and Scorpio are usually no slouch in becoming Environmentalists. But, as my Aquarius partner said of my Scorpio black ass about 8 years ago, “I have environmental tendencies…” Ouch. You do not mate with an Aquarian, if you don’t want transparent honesty. Depending upon the associations of Gemini and Libra, you can get an avid recycler or someone who throws away everything. Virgos are also a mix lot because, these service oriented, exacting souls may sometimes accept the values of their families and communities and pollute through a “go along to get along” mentality. Although this signs has need for order and cleanliness in all areas of their lives and proper stewardship of the Earth can be their
412 Delaware St.
Leavenworth, KS
913.250.6757 www.NibbitWorks.com Celebrating local artists who give beauty to function! Handmade guitars, drums, spirit flutes, blown glass, furniture pieces, lighting, baskets, hand woven textiles and MORE! We carry a wide variety of dishwasher, microwave, and oven safe Pottery
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