April Challenge

Broadway Baby

I'd like to be singing cabaret songs in this outfit alongside my dear friend and duet partner Katie and then we'd go out for drinks and fondue looking damn adorable.

Items in this set:
Clothing at Tesco | F&F Signature Angora blend cardi > cardigans >...,
Great Plains Tailored Trousers,
Johnston & Murphy: Julia Mary Jane Pump,
Lola Rose Black Agate Semi Precious Stone Faceted Disc Earrings With...,
Purple resin bangles,

Sunday in the Park

I'd like to take an early evening stroll through the park in this outfit and then sit in a gazebo, holding hands with my honey, sipping on hot apple cider.

Items in this set:
Long Sleeve Scoop Top,
Season Opener Vest-Mod Retro Indie Clothing & Vintage Clothes,
Womens Favorite Boyfriend Jeans - Dark Vintage,
メンズ カンマちゃんスニーカー,
Monsoon Accessorize - Printed Bow Trim Cap,

Bookworm

I'd like to reshelve library books in this outfit and then take a break in a cafe with one I've checked out just for me.

Items in this set:

Miriam Bow Cardigan by Yuki**,
Mod Retro Indie Clothing & Vintage Clothes,
In the Bow Heels in Chestnut-Mod Retro Indie Clothing & Vintage...,
Marc by Marc Jacobs - Fancy Heart Earrings (Tortoise) - Jewelry,
Ascensiononline.com : Nkuku Naveena Chunky Bangle at Ascension,

Green with Envy

I'd like to be going to Ireland (like a certain lovely cousin of mine!) in this outfit where I would search for shamrocks and leprechauns and learn all about pubs first hand. Pub...Pub.

Items in this set:
Cream Lace Insert Blouse,
Womens Favorite Boyfriend Jeans - Dark Vintage,
The Frye Company,
Edan's Emerald Green CZ Cocktail Ring,
emerald brooch

Cultured Pearl

I'd like to take a field trip to the museums downtown in this outfit and then stop for an afternoon cupcake.

Items in this set:
Crumpet Cashmere tank top,
Scalloped Leaflet Cardigan,
Ivanka Skirt-Mod Retro Indie Clothing & Vintage Clothes,
Aphrodite Heels-Mod Retro Indie Clothing & Vintage Clothes,
Oasis Pearl Diamante Stretch Bracelet,

Walkin' on Sunshine

I'd like to skip through a farmer's market in this outfit and then twirl in a meadow and pick wildflowers.


Headband: Wide Headband in Yellow
Cardigan: The Blue Room Cardigan
Skirt: Confectioner's Sugar Skirt
Shoes: Life on the Wedge in Mustard

Some stuff I want.

Morris!! You little cutie!!! Come live on my desk!!!

Sweetheart Sunnies! You make me think of being a little kid with my hair in pigtails, my own bag of potato chips in hand, getting ready for a trip to the playground.

 

Cheese spreaders for all occasions! I love cheese. I love miniature cutlery. I love a theme. 

Lady Lass Hoodie! You are sold out right now, but you'd be a welcome addition to my closet!

So there that is. I love stuff. And things. And belongings. 

Stronger and Younger

We're sitting on the carpeted stairs, holding hands, looking up to the light in the hallway. 

"I know you're sad. When you look back on 2009 you'll always be sad. Because the 2009 me is gone. But... I'm coming back."

"You are? How?"

"It will be confusing. Even to me. The 2009 me will always be gone, but the 2010 me will be here. So when you tell people about me, I'll be both here and gone."

That was the first dream a few months ago. 

Last night I got the second dream.

We're sitting in lawn chairs in her front yard holding hands under her crab apple tree.

"How are you?"

"I'm okay. I'm still pretty sick, but I'm getting better. I don't mind being sick. I'm stronger than when you saw me last in person."

"I'm glad for that."

"I'm getting better. And....I'm getting younger."

  I wake up feeling a strange energy. Like excitement and comfort at the same time. I think that every year sees some balance of good and bad. 

There are many wonderful things in store for this next year. 

Some that I have been planning and can see clearly....

and perhaps some not.

We rehearsed A LOT.

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Ya' Turkey!

Oh my, people can be awkward. Recently I attended a bridal function that included various vendors. There we met one of the good lord's more interesting children. She had what I might call, "a touch of the crazy eyes."

I want to paint an accurate picture here. Think of the female version of Dr. Steve Brule and you'll be pretty much right on the money. Don't know who Dr. Steve Brule is? Well, let's fix that...

Now take that manner of speaking, girl up the hair just a tad, and add in this little gem of a monologue:

"This centerpiece here is a pumpkin. It has other elements in it too. Pumpkins are in the season, so it's unique. You can bring it all together for your tables. And what I'm trying to say with that is that....we can make all your dreams come true."

Our faces were frozen in a polite smile; our heads nodding up and down.

Public speaking and delivering sales pitches may not be her forte. But heck...for all I know...she really can make all my dreams come true...

Don't It Always Seem to Go

I was listening to some music on Grooveshark today and got an urge to look up and listen to all of Amy Grant's music. I've been a fan since I was a little kid. Her's was the very first concert I ever went to. I was about 7 or 8 years old. Some combination of her, the Little Mermaid and Annie Warbucks made me want to be a singer.

So today I was listening and humming along with some of Amy's songs when her version of  "Big Yellow Taxi" came on. I was immediately whisked away from my day job and back into my childhood.

Fall 1994:
Mom and I drive around town running various errands in our Station Wagon. I'm probably dressed in something like brightly colored leggings, a festive fall sweater, hair in a side pony tail or double french braids. The soundtrack to this outing, is the recently released albumn "House of Love." About 3/4 of the way through "Big Yellow Taxi" we park at our intended destination, Michaels (possibly MJ Designs), but we still have some 'mmmm, bop bop bop bop'ing to do before the song is over. We sit in the car and sing the rest of the song at the top of our lungs. People can probably hear us in the parking lot, but we don't care. It's a beautiful, crisp fall day and we are together and singing. It doesn't get much better than that. We head into the store and gather our things. I think mom even let me pick out one of these silly animal figurines I was obsessively collecting at the time.

It's a really specific memory. Just a regular day. But lovely. A simple, yet perfect snapshot of how I think of my relationship with my mom. It makes me miss being a kid and really makes me excited to have my own kids one day. I hope I can be half the mom she is.

I may have teared up at work today remembering this. I'm so excited for her and my dad to come visit in a little less than a month. I miss them.

"With a pink hotel, a boutique, and a swingin' hot spot."

Just some stuff...

"I have a head for business and a bod for sin. Is there anything wrong with that?"

• Can I live here?
• I pretty much adore how excited this kiddo is. I bet I'd have a similar look on my face.
• Gimme Gimme 
• Listen to this show daily at HIGH NOON, or you can download the podcast. Imaginary Radio Genius.
• Oh how I love this movie.
  

Where you been?

Napping with this doggy-face-lovey-pup.

First Attempt

Loosely sketched from an old photograph I found in a bag my mom sent me labeled "Photos of people you don't know" and then Exacto-knifed out of the paper. My first attempt at papercutting AKA scherenschnitte. I'm completely inspired by this lady's work: http://madebyjulene.com/

I would love to be able to make things like she does someday. I'll keep at it. I need to get some better tools and some patterns for good practice. It is tedious work, but so fun to see it coming together.

This guy kind of looks like he's on fire. I didn't notice that until just now. Ah well. Sometimes you just light on fire I guess.

Translation: Awkward Part Deux

“We have become increasingly dependent upon the web as a first point of contact for critical, strategic relationships.”

English Translation: "Our website should look pretty."


"I have......recently noticed.....a......a passing interest........from you.....in the......general subject of......Victorian Fashion."

English Translation: "I thought you might like this magazine."


"Sadly, I am not having a period right now. And I am increasingly bummed out about this."

English Translation: "I don't really have a style anymore. I wish I could go shopping for something new."

If the shoe fits...

I am about two seconds away from

buying

all

of

these

and turning into "that crazy childless lady who stockpiles baby shoes.”

Money to Burn

I have a good $300 to spend on something fun. I cannot make a decision and if I don't come to a reasonable, well thought out conclusion soon I am bound to blow it all on chap stick and headbands. Or something worse like groceries, god forbid.

Current top contenders:

1) Cute little camcorder to record important events for posterity. Things like adventures and the adorable way my dog blinks at me when she wants pizza. I don't even know if this is the best one, but it's pretty and shiny and red and would leave me a good $200 for chap stick and headbands.

2) Wii. Also Wii Fit. Does this even need an explanation? The sound of fun is right there in the name! Wheee!!! Wii!!!!

3) iPhone. I could do everything from my magical new phone! Knowing me, I could also promptly drop it, wash it, lose it, etc. And then I would have dropped/washed/lost my phone, music player, internet, planner, etc. I love the idea of getting one, but I don't know that I trust myself enough.

4)Lots of hoodies. How many hoodies does one girl need? Do I need this hoodie? NO!

5)I could go wild on etsy.com. That money would be gone in the blink of an eye.

What's a girl to do? Any votes on the matter? Additional suggestions? This is not a common problem for me and though I'm excited for new stuff, I'm a little stressed out by what that stuff should be! Help.

Translation: Awkward

So it turns out I'm having to learn how to decipher the language of Awkward Robots. Here are some examples of the 'Socially Retarded to English Dictionary' I'm working on.


"I am overstimulated."

English Translation: "What a busy day!"



"Perhaps you have been fertilized."

English Translation: "The pollen count must be really high."



"Thank you for your contribution to our struggling economy."

English Translation: "I like your new shoes."



Sometimes people don't know how to interact with other people. It makes me laugh, but also makes me kind of sad for them.

Kindness Works

Fluttering hands.

High pitched voices.
Sudden hushed voices.

Running from here to there in a frenzy!

Dear colleagues: It may be time to calm down. We all feel your stress. I know I'm not the only one. Guess who else is having anxiety as a result of you?

The stapler.

Probably all of the office supplies. And the doors too. You are slamming them and they really don't like it.

I've always been a strong advocate of manners and such. Towards people it's a no-brainer (well, for some...). Animals? Of course, we can see how they are feeling when we treat them a certain way. But I think it should extend to the inanimate. Just because they can't emote does not mean that they don't have a soul. (I'm not saying they for sure DO have one, but it couldn't hurt to just be a little nicer to all things, always, forever.)

You wonder why the stapler doesn't work? Maybe it is just sick and tired of being punched in the head like that. It works perfectly when you just use it like a rational human being who needs to staple something. Why are you acting like a rabid monkey whose father was maliciously killed by a stapler? Unnecessary force.

"Um Glitterpony? We need you to replace this stamp. It just spontaneously broke!!! WHAT A POORLY MADE, STUPID STAMP!!!!"

I think it was made just fine. Also, it is not stupid. Just fed up. Lost the will to live. You sucked the life out of a defenseless little stamp. Way to go.

Maybe just try being a little kinder. A little gentler. I bet your office supplies will last longer. Perhaps your employees too...

IN MEMORIAM: