IT'S PETAL TO METAL; FLOAT DECORATORS GET BUSY.

Byline: Amy Collins Daily News Staff Writer

It's all about detail.

With gobs of glue stuck to their hands and tiny seeds lodged under their fingernails, hundreds of volunteers spent Saturday assembling the finer points of the floats for the 109th Rose Parade.

For John Myers, a retired carpenter who has volunteered for float detail for 20 consecutive years, the exquisite work is his favorite part.

``Detail - anything that's detail,'' he said.

In the western shadow of the Rose Bowl, Myers spent all day Saturday bringing an 18-inch-tall squirrel to life. The materials included natural flax, spagum moss, pampas grass, macadamia nut shells, seaweed, and a few blue seeds. ``And maybe some coconut to give him some sparkle,'' Myers said, pointing to the critter's right eye.

Myers, who lives in La Mirada, said he spends 12 to 14 hours a day at the float tents each day before the parade. Then he sleeps. And sleeps. And then finally wakes up New Year's afternoon and watches the whole parade on videotape.

At another tent in Duarte, Eva Breumair of Agoura Hills was arranging eucalyptus leaves over a small spaceship wheel, trying to keep any of the background from peeking through. ``Our supervisors are very picky,'' she said. ``But the judges are very picky.''

Rachel Barrett Hoye of Glendale is another of the detail- and creative-minded people behind the parade. She sketched, built and painted busts of several presidents to sit in a Space Shuttle float sponsored by the Museum of Tolerance.

Walking into the flower room, just adjacent to the float-building tent, Hoye finds Presidents Lincoln, Truman and Franklin Delano Roosevelt sitting on a table. But despite all her own labors, her attention is drawn to the buckets of blossoms: rows of roses in red, orange, pink and yellow, plus mums, tulips and irises.

``The first day the flowers start arriving, for me, it's so exciting, because that's what it's all about - all the floats, all the work, everything - it's about displaying the flowers,'' Hoye said.

Volunteers say it's also about the community and camaraderie, which lasts into the wee, cold hours of the night. So cold that ice formed in the flower buckets Friday night.

In Duarte, about 500 members of the Thai community gathered to decorate the 80-foot float for Thai Airways International.

Volunteers came from North Hollywood, Beverly Hills and San Diego to work on the float, which has the honor of being blessed by six Buddhist monks in an hourlong ceremony that included offerings of food, incense, and - of course - flowers.

``This is a very good opportunity to share the Thai art and culture to America and people around the world,'' said Chalermkiat Suvanamas, the general manager of U.S., Central and South American operations for the airline.

Working on the Ruby's Diner ``Summer Fun'' float was a real treat for Kathy Robinson of Las Vegas, who had risen at 2 a.m. to drive to Duarte and volunteer.

``This is my birthday present to do this,'' she said while gluing orange lentil beans on an old-fashioned radio. Earlier, she meticulously placed onion seeds to form the numbers on the radio dial.

Beginning today, the public will be allowed into the assembly tents to get a behind-the-scenes look at all the float work. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., equestrian units participating in the parade will demonstrate their moves at a free show on the grass south of the Rose Bowl. At 2 p.m., the Tournament of Roses bandfest will begin on the Festival Stage southwest of the Rose Bowl. The band show, which costs $6, will include marching bands from around the world.

Also, the Pasadena Convention and Visitors Bureau's 14th annual Holiday Hotline will be operational through New Year's Day. The number is [phone].

ROSE PARADE FLOAT SITES

The public may view float decorating beginning today at four locations, including three in Pasadena. The sites are open to the public from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. today through Tuesday, and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday. Viewing costs $3 per person. The Pasadena locations are:

(1) Brookside Tent, west side of Rose Bowl.

(2) Rosemont Pavilion, 700 Seco Street.

(2) Rose Palace, 835 South Raymond Avenue.

There is a fourth viewing site in Duarte: the Buena Vista Pavilion, 2100 Buena Vista Street, where there is a $2 charge.

CAPTION(S):

2 Photos, Map

PHOTO (1) Cena Small, left, and Kathy Robinson of Las Vegas glue flower petals to sea gull forms Saturday as part of ongoing float decorating for the Tournament of Roses parade to be held New Year's Day. Workers gather at the Fiesta Floats tent in Duarte to add color to the dazzling displays.

(2) Frank Garcia works Saturday on the Thai Airways International entry for the Rose Parade.

Hans Gutknecht/Daily News

MAP: Rose Parade Float Sites (see text)

Daily News