Throughout the seasons, the cast and crew of The Closer, has held many different contests, to showcase all the artistic talent running rampant through each department. We've had a pink yard flamingo decorating contest, multiple pumpkin carving contests, potato decorating contests, and then this year, the First Annual Macaroni Art Contest, sponsored by Department Head Makeup Artist Michele Tyminski.

Makeup Artist Liz Briseno and Hairstylist Mary Stultz joined Michele in creating a replica of the famous "gremlin-in-a-pot-of-pasta" from that classic movie, Gremlins 2.

You won't believe this, but the entire thing is made out of pasta. Even the pot. Even his eyeballs. But wait! Hair and Makeup only came in 2nd place, because as always, the Costume Department pulled out every stop imaginable.

This is truly artwork at it's finest. It's so good, it makes me want to cut my own ear off.

This episode is our our final Summer Finale. We just finished watching it at our crew lunch-time screening, and I'm still a little shaky from the experience. It's such a rollercoaster ride, and the performances are so powerful, that I literally still want to cry. Not because it's a sad episode, but because I'm starting to feel the separation that is inevitable, since this is the last season.

ANYWAY, it's too early to start getting all weepy. We still have many episodes to shoot!

We shot a couple days in San Pedro, which is quite a long distance from my house, so I decided to get a hotel room. This is the gorgeous morning view from my room:

and this is the gorgeous morning view from the Hair and Makeup trailer:

A bit of a difference. But. We were shooting at the container yard, which, if you've never been there, is kinda cool, and kinda creepy at the same time. I have a very fertile imagination, and I always find myself creating some crazy kind of horrors locked inside those big containers. Gives me the willies. I've shot there on so many different series, that the creepiness factor is almost gone. But not quite.

Executive Producer/Director/Mentor/Friend, Michael Robin, directed this episode, and as always, I was a major stalker, watching, listening, and hoping to learn a little something from the master. He's always so generous with his knowledge, and I've always got my ears, eyes, and mind wide open. In San Pedro he utilized a crane called the Stratosphere, which is the largest crane I've ever seen in action. I only wish I had taken a photo! I was too busy being impressed at that moment to think about photos for the blog, which is weird because I'm always thinking of photos for the blog! Like this one here.

Brenda has just been saved by Buzz from the kid in the Interview Room with a gun. Brenda and Tao have their guns drawn and are trying to talk him into giving himself up. From my vantage point, I saw everything go down, through the frosted glass separating the Electronics Room from the hallway. It was so surreal and a little beautiful to boot. Do you agree?

Thank you so much for checking in and reading my blogs! I'll be back when the new episodes air, and hopefully I'll have some more great photos.

Hey, did I actually go though a whole season without talking about the bees?

Stacey has been burnin' hair on Hollywood TV and Film sets since 1996. She is a two-time Emmy nominee for her work on "GLEE." Her other credits include the feature films "THE STEPFATHER," "RUNNING WITH SCISSORS," "THE MINUS MAN," and TV Series "NIP/TUCK," "JAKE IN PROGRESS," "THE D.A.," "EZ STREETS," "PROVIDENCE," "CSI:NY," "TOTAL SECURITY," and of course, TNT's "THE CLOSER," where she is enjoying Season 7 as the Department Head Hair Stylist. Stacey also made the jump to Director last season, on the episode "Last Woman Standing," and took the reigns on her second episode,"Star Turn," this season. She also enjoys making music and movies. And grilled sweet potato salad.


The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer/speaker and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Turner Entertainment Networks, Inc.