Cherry Reds: Chapter Two

First Friday Fun Nights is becoming a hit!  This time when I was at the restaurant, I had people lining up almost as soon as I set up, and I heard them saying they'd come because of me, which is a great feeling.  Some had also checked out the Facebook photos and my website, and already decided what they wanted to be.

Because of that, I had a zombie girl all lined up, as well as several butterflies.

And one young lady just knew she had to be a tiger.

The funniest two may have been this Batman,

And this girl, who got an elephant at her mother's request.  She works at Cherry Reds, and when she told her mother about me, mom requested an elephant because they're her favorite.  When she texted a photo to her mom, mom said she was jealous and wanted one... how fun would it be if mom showed up for a face painting?!  I'm all for it!

This puppy and this pony thought they were challenging me, so it was fun to see their reactions once I was done.

The real challenge was actually this young lady, who took me up on my "I'll try anything" offer with a mischievous glint in her eye and asked for my first ever full-face fish painting.  There are things I'd alter now that I look at it... hindsight is 20/20, after all, but I think it's not bad at all for a wing-it first attempt!

The biggest coup, though, was this young man, who wasn't at all into getting painted until I started listing some ideas that might appeal, and he seemed intrigued by the dragon idea.  Well, by the time he saw the mirror, he was asking his parents to have me at his birthday!

Score!

A Fifth Anniversary

It's hard to believe, but yesterday was my 5th year painting at the Tribeca Film Festival in NYC!  I was at my usual spot on Duane Street, and had a blast with all the creative ideas and the awesome staff.  The day started off great when I found out that my first line manager of the day was a graduate of my own alma mater - Brandeis University!  Of course, I graduated in 1992, and she was class of 2014, but still.  Brandesians are Brandesians.

Anyway, it was a great day with lots and lots of face painting.  I was nonstop for the 8 hours straight, and came home exhausted, but happy.

Everyone was terrific, but there were a few real wins yesterday.  One was a boy who wanted a red and black "jaguar with stripes," and who insisted upon that even though I explained that jaguars had spots & tigers had stripes and tried to clarify whether he really wanted a tiger.  Afraid that he'd be upset at a "jaguar" that looked way too much like a tiger if I just did stripes, I told him about ligers (a real animal born of a tiger & a lion, I've seen one in person and they're beautiful) and suggested I make the first-ever, just for him tiguar with both spots and stripes.  He agreed, and when I was done even wanted red glitter.  I didn't get a photo, but I'll remember his "That's the coolest!!!" for a long, long time.

Then there was this little girl, who really wanted an octopus, while mom was lobbying for a ladybug.  Mom relented, but the girl compromised on her own with a pink octopus.  Everyone there thought this was adorable, including mom.

And then there was the girl who couldn't decide between a kitty and a butterfly, so I offered a kittyfly.  So... here's my first ever kittyfly!  It was a win!

Now it just kinda stinks that Tribeca doesn't happen again until next April!

Cherry Reds: Chapter One

There's a new smoothie/shake/ice cream/soup restaurant in the area:  Cherry Reds.  It's just a town over, and we found each other on, of all places, Facebook!  There's something to be said for Facebook, I suppose, and definitely something to be said for supporting small, local business, which Cherry Reds does as much as humanly possible.

The couple that owns the restaurant is really terrific, as are their three kids.  They've jumped right in to the neighborhood, setting out to form relationships with other small businesses in the area and working on becoming a local hangout and party venue.

On Friday night, I had the great pleasure of face painting there for a few hours!  Their daughters were the first up.

Even more fun, they convinced mom to get involved!

I had so much fun during the two hours I was there, I can't wait for my next time!

In the meantime, the Cherry Reds family and I are planning lots of other sorts of events too, so stay tuned!

It's Finally Spring!

Or at least it is as far as I'm concerned.  There may still be snow on the ground, but the clocks have changed, so I drive in the evening in daylight, and yesterday even drove home with the window open and rock on the stereo!  That's spring in my world.

Plus, last week was the first annual FLOW Green Fair (Franklin Lakes, Oakland, and Wyckoff, NJ), organized and hosted by the three Environmental Commissions, with participation from a lot of terrific groups, like the Northeast NJ Beekeepers Association, the Shade Tree Commissions, the Green Teams, Princeton Hydro, Hackensack Riverkeepers, the NJ Audubon Society... you get the idea.

It was pretty awesome.

And I got to face paint!  I'm on the Franklin Lakes Environmental Commission, but since they and the Green Team had all the organizational stuff well covered, we figured I could better serve by doing what I like most and do best.  And I was a pretty big hit - kept busy all day long!

Then again, so was everyone else!

If you're in the area and didn't make it this year, definitely make plans to come next year!  And if you did come?  Well, bring the family again!

Some Definite Fun

Back in September, I got to paint at Harrington Park day, and man, did I have a blast.  I got to try some new things and new ways of doing old things too.  Loved it!

 

And of course... the standards...

After all, it's not face painting 'til there's a butterfly & a tiger!