lucky me

The only time I’ve ever won anything was in 1996.  I was working for a CPA that summer and spent most of the day in and office with the radio on.  The original Lilith Fair was in town and the local radio station was giving away tickets to the 5th caller at some designated time.  I heard the Sarah McLachlan song they were looking for and my fingers went to work.  Usually you get a busy signal, but this time the phone rang…and rang, and rang, and rang.  Just as I was getting ready to hang up I heard a voice on the other end say, “Hey, who is this?”  After I state my name,  bells and whistles ring out and the d.j. pronounced me the proud new owner of sold-out tickets to the summer’s hottest show.

Well I’d say that I’ve been on a bit of a dry spell since then.  Nothing of pure luck has come my way.  No lucky numbers, or a sock to never wash and I’m at the bright side all the time.  I mean, I can’t even win at $1 scratch-offs.  (My mom and I tried at every gas station between Texas and Chicago!)

However, 13 years later my luck has changed as the splendid SistersGulassa have deemed me their lucky give-a-way winner!  Last month they decided to give away an original piece of mixed media artwork and I’m so pleased I will get to hang it on my wall.  Yeah for original and unique art!  I am a big fan of their lovely designs and products and so glad I will get to look at something so lovely every day.   Thanks ladies!

finally done

I finally went to the printers yesterday and got some prints made.  One specifically I wrote about last spring I have finally framed and is ready to go for my friend.  I’m really happy with the way it turned it.  11 x 14 matte finish.  The frame was on sale at Michael’s and I’m so excited to give it to the new owners this weekend.

***I haven’t quite mastered just how I’m supposed to take a photo of something with glass so as to not get the reflection, strange light, etc.

a weekend diptych

friday finds

So Pete Yorn pretty much rocked my face off last night!!!  It was such a fun concert. (All the more so b/c this lady joined us for the festivities!) I don’t know what’s wrong with Grand Rapids, but there was a pretty pitiful turn out.  Sad for Pete, but good for us as were were like 10 feet from him all night!  I think if we could hang with any musician, from any time… I think we’d choose Pete.  It would be a toss up for Brad between him and U2, but I’m with Pete all the way.

Now I’m taking a break from cleaning my house as we are preparing for a private showing today and an open house tomorrow.  Crazy person am I!

Earlier this week I decided to catch up on some blog reading and here are some super fun things that caught my eye.  Man, three weeks away from blog-land and you miss some really good stuff.

 

The Czech Republic’s got style. Check out this great blog on all things aesthetically pleasing and inspiring:  Art, Design, Photography, Food, Fashion, Color, Life.  Graphic Designer and quite possibly my Eastern European doppelganger, Raru, certainly does have 79 ideas running through her head…and then some.  I loved her post on the Calligraphy of Russia and the rest of the world and her an eye for unique artists.  I also tend to read her blog with a cool accent.

Etsy Love The most lovely prints that say fall.

 

The most perfect perpetual calendar by Orange Beautiful via Uppercase.

 

 

 

 

 

 

:: Wishing I was at this fun party.

:: Loving these little labels.

:: I would love a whole collection of these beauties.

:: Looking forward to seeing this movie.

:: Keeping my fingers crossed for our showing today & our open house tomorrow!

suit up

I openly mocked the latest fashion resurrection of the dreaded shoulder pads.  I scoffed, whooped, hollered, furrowed my brow and snubbed my nose high and mighty into the air. And with good reason!

However…

You may cry “hypocrite”, but I say unsuspecting-duped-lover-of-a-good-deal (aka: idiot).

While practicing a little retail therapy after bringing my dad to the airport last thursday, we stopped in Banana.  (The ONLY reason I stopped in was because I had a gift card that I’ve had for over a year burning a hole in my pocket.  I still stand firmly on my soap box against the big-bad-box-store.)  My self-righteousness aside, I perused the sale section and came across a lovely tailored black jacket.  Immediately my thoughts went to this post on dressing like French women and the importance of such a staple as a black jacket.

As I stood in the flattering glow of the dimly lit dressing room, I liked what I saw.  This jacket could be my new “winter coat” when we become snowbirds later this year.  It was fitted, yet big enough to add lots of layers underneath (another very key element to dressing like a French woman).  I also liked how my waist appeared miraculously smaller (despite the heavy eating events all week).

I got the go-ahead from my mom and sister, both agreeing that it was a wise purchase.  It was, after all, on sale.

Fast-forward to later that evening.  I want to try on the jacket again, make sure it looks the same now that it’s made the journey home with me.  I pull it out of the bag, by the shoulders, and I think the light-bulb moment was audible.  I then called out the my sis and said, “This this has shoulder pads!!!  Did you know that?!”  She of course looks at me like I’m an idiot and says, “Yes, of course!  You didn’t?!”  Well I just knew, I would never hear the end of it from my husband and my inner critic!

My self-justification is that these shoulder pads are not near as big as the original football style in the 80s.  So much for my miracle suit and shoulder snobbery.  And really, who cares?  Cause I’m gonna rock this thing tonight at the Pete Yorn concert!

the color of organization

I am so much more productive at night.  I wish I was a morning person, but I’m not and I’ve come to accept the fact that I am not.  I can get more done between 11pm & 3am than most can during an entire work day.  Especially when I’m rockin’ out to good free tunes (thanks Kate!)  The fruits of my labor?  Rearranging my bookshelf for a more aesthetically pleasing style.  We’ve got an open house this weekend and so I’m trying to dot my i’s and cross my t’s.  I thinned out quite a few of the books too.  I’m terrible at returning people’s books promptly so I have a stack of those; I have another stack to donate to our church and yet another to the library.  I also decided to pull all of my journals.  I had no idea I had such a collection (over 20).  And no more magazines.  Those can all go in storage down below.  This is what I was left with:

I also thought that people who arranged their book shelves by color were pretentious people who liked to surround themselves with books they don’t read.  However, if you are the person who has arranged these books #1. you become well acquainted with your books and #2. i do tend to remember things visually, so I know what the color of the book is that I’m looking for.  Yet again, I’m having to eat my words and step off my high horse.  I will however still reserve judgement for those people who turn their books around backwards for display. Now that truly is impractical!

But even the trees were playing along with organizing color today.  It is so beautiful in Michigan this time of year.  I’m  glad I didn’t miss it.

quick fix

i’m not one for pre-packaged, processed food.  but have you seen these?  when b brought them home from the store a few weeks ago, my heart skipped a beat.  no fuss, no muss.  and healthy to boot!  ok, so maybe not healthy, but as healthy as a pre-made cookie can get.  this new simpler recipe is immediate gratification for my cookie dough cravings with only partial guilt for not making them from scratch myself!

party seen

What a week.  I’m not quite sure where all 7 days went.  It was a blur for the most part, but fun.  We ate lots of cake, laughed hard and cried too.  It was an emotional week while we cleaned out my dad’s office, pasted 30+ years of newspaper articles in a scrapbook, organized awards & certificates, hugged people I hadn’t seen since I was little, and pretended to recognize people who knew me.

I haven’t attended many retirement parties, but I think the one we put on was pretty alright.  The party on Sunday was just what we needed and the venue was perfect.  Everyone ate lots of gumbo, listened to good music and walked down memory lane with my Pop.  I think very few other professionals who end a near 40 year career will have so much to show for it.  We only displayed about 1/3 of the paraphernalia accumulated over the years, but it was quite something to see all together.  Now my poor mother has to figure out where to put all that stuff in her house!

The ladies at my dad’s office also pulled together a lovely good-bye.  Only in Texas would you decorate with camo and animals… & have it look appropriate and lovely.

why not throw-up on something pretty?

for one of my mommas-to-be, i thought a set of burp cloths was in order…that and some diapers!  once the little alien pops out and they are a bit settled into a routine i will see what else momma and baby could really use (maybe a blanket or bag or even more fashionable rags).  once the little tyke gets a bit bigger she might need some of these.

the sounds of texas in the middle east

So I’m in the Lone Star state again.  This time I’m here to visit family, eat a hell of a lot of good food, and party with my dad as he closes out a 37 year career in law enforcement in this area.  But he’s not quite ready to take up the rocking chair just yet.  He has one more big adventure planned before he decides to retire his sidearm (if any true Texas law man ever can!) 

He decided that he wanted to serve his country and at 57 he joined the Army.  Ok, he didn’t exactly join the army, but that’s what he likes to say.  He’s signed on to work for a private contractor that sends civilians with unique skills to Iraq and Afghanistan to aid the military in a variety of ways.  He will be going as an investigative expert and basically continue to solve crimes.  And he’ll do this for the next 12 months.  There’s obviously quite a few more details, but I’m still uncertain about how this new chapter will play out here in my little nook of cyberspace. 

But before he ships out we are having a big ol’ texas size retirement party complete with bar-b-que and good beer.  And I couldn’t show up down here empty handed.  Because my Pop is a music man (his own band is playing at his retirement party) I thought I would make him something he could use, especially with the gift my mom got him: The Martin Backpacker Guitar.  I couldn’t think of a better gift than that guitar.  I think the emotional value that a little music, entertainment and taste of home will bring to the battalion of soldiers he’s stationed with will far outweigh any monetary price or physical weight.  B & I have the backpacker guitar and we really like how light and portable the thing is.  That said, I decided to make a custom strap for the thing, and since Camo is the chic color palate this season in combat zones, I figured I would give in and go with the trend!

Looking at it now, I wish I had embroidered something special on it, but I guess I can always make a new one and send it to him at Christmas. 

It’s going to be a whole week of gifts.  I’m also working on a mini family look-book (to remind him just how crazy we all are and that he may want to reconsider coming home! )  I’m also celebrated two very good family friends who are going to be mommas and one of them real soon!  We’ve also got a formal ceremony to attend today at the court house and an informal office party on Friday and then the big kahuna on Sunday. 

Needless to say I’ll be busy and trying to get in as much quality time as possible.  He deploys on the 22nd of this month…just over a week now.

you caught me gawking

I’m always the last to know.  But I have a new daily obsession, checking out the findings on Craftgawker.  A lovely gallery of handmade goodness, updated daily.

I seem to have taken a liking to the internet this week… Here are some images from craftgawker. (The image will take you to the owner’s shop.)

best idea ever

…or maybe the best FALL idea ever.  As we have been up to our eyes in apples (and pears) lately i think this is a FANTASTIC way to preserve some of the goodness and also a very thoughtful, handmade gift.  This is definitely one of those… “why didn’t I think of that!”

Found originally by this lovely blogger, but for the full tutorial go to the horses mouth here.

The sneak peek:

resolve

I was looking at the oh-so-lovely blog: The Wife of an Artist and she thankfully posted about the artist Liu Bolin.

I. WAS. AMAZED.

I can’t quite describe why I was so taken with this particular artist and his medium.  It is more than just the obvious talent of the painter, but the deeper vision of Mr. Bolin.  He describes himself as The Invisible Man, silently protesting the lack of his acknowledgement as an individual and artist in his society.  As a Chinese artist he has continually been oppressed and denied value as a contributing member of society.

I cannot fathom the deep dedication it must take to stand for up to 10 hours just to be painted.  I wonder what he thinks about while standing so still…

A couple of the photos are from here (an article about the artist) & here (another lovely blog).

the weekend what not

curves not welcome

I was casually perusing blog-land tonight when I came across a photo of this little gal.  She is a model for the current J.Crew season.

I passed her by without much thought, but a few blogs later she was still in my head.  I decided to look again, but I couldn’t remember whose blog it was so I went straight to the source.  As I searched for her, I realized that I was getting angry and that’s why she was still in my head.

I was annoyed at her lack of curves and youth, but not jealous mind you.  Soon my annoyance turned to anger.  But my vitriol was redirected to the appropriate source: J. Crew for the moment.  Just who the hell do they think they are trying to sell me, a 31 year old woman (with curves), a lifestyle that this young girl can’t possibly know anything about.  It was as absurd to me as a 10 year old wearing high heels and lipstick.  Basically the message you’re sending me is that if (one) I buy this outfit I can be a 14-year-old-prepubescent-girl-with-the-bank-account-of-beyonce.  And (two) if I don’t look like her then I am not worthy of praise and adoration.  A bit extreme maybe, but not far from the mark I’m afraid.

Yes, I know this is not a new idea.  There are whole blogs devoted to the topic, but it really irked me tonight.  The usual lure of clean lines, soothing colors, and safe photos were lost on me.   I looked beyond the shine.

On the casting choice of this young girl, I understand that the reason we hold these models in such high esteem is that, yes, very few people are blessed with the combination of such beautiful bone structure, height, and protruding hip bones.  However, this look is attainable…for a 14 or year old.  I would even cut retailers a little slack if they would God-forbid cast a model that is over 25 (and NOT Gisele, Cindy, or the like). Why not actually cast someone in your target audience (maybe I’m the idiot and they are targeting 15 year olds… with $300 t-shirts I’m sure they are.)

I’m not advocating having the every jane-frumpy-person on the cover of a magazine.  Oh believe me, I don’t want to look at ugly!  But I wouldn’t mind looking at someone slightly authentic… ok fine.  I’ll say it, someone over 20 with boobs!  I’m not wanting to get on the bandwagon of the whole “plus size” model that has recently been in the news.  (But good for her if she is healthy)  I just want to see a woman that is around a size 8 with curves (someone that is not a glamazon and 10 feet tall).  So maybe I’m a little biased because I’m a size 8 and I have boobs, big ones that combined with my short torso continually make me look “thick in the middle”.  But people pa-leaze… how long are we going to tolerate this?  I like being in my 30s.  I have no desire to be an adolescent again…nor look like one.  A few less wrinkles, an easier time toning my muscles, sure; but I like my boobs.  I just don’t want to be made to feel bad for having them.

ok.  rant over.  it’s just another fabulous reason to boycott the box-stores.