Miz.November

Reality Check

2012-01-31T15:03:00.000-08:00

It's hard to find the desire to blog when your husband hasn't spoke to you in four days and counting. Forgive me, friends. I'll be back around when I feel like life is worth living again.

Counting Pennies ~ Common Cents

2012-01-25T15:43:00.000-08:00

Money Saving Rule #3: Pay your bills on time!!!

This little bit of advice may sound stupidly obvious. But if you actually pay your bills manually, like me, this is a waste of money that will sneak up on you.
I used to be the best at keeping my bills paid and paying them on time. I never had a late charge. I never paid interest. There was no way I was going to let someone weasel me out of a dime more than I owed them.

But then there was life. A husband. More bills. Quitting my job. All of the sudden, it seems impossible to keep up with the bills that roll into the mailbox each month. I refuse to do my banking and bill paying online because I like to actually see what goes in and comes out of my account. It's too easy to ignore those bills and never check up on them when they are automatically drafted. And each time a bill goes in late (even if just by a day or two) a few more dollars has to come out of my pocket. Late fees add up, people!

Common sense and perseverance go a long way in saving money. And honestly, there's no better place to start than with the obvious. Am I right?

Pay your bills on time. It saves you money. Easy. Class dismissed.

*awesome quote found here.

It's Me Again.

2012-01-24T17:11:00.000-08:00

This is what I need right now.
A warm spot in front of a sunny window. Some peace and quiet.
No puppies trying to sneak off to the bathroom to chew on toilet paper. No need to clean up pee from the kitchen floor. No dog hair on the couch.
Just nice, clean, sunny solitude.
Doesn't it look nice?

I apologize for not being around much recently. I have all the best intentions of blogging more often this year. So why is it that we get quiet when there is the most to be said? It seems that any time that I could be spurting off multiple posts daily, I cease to write anything.

I could be telling you how our puppy, Gus, has decided that obviously peeing in the floor gets you a trip outside. So we have had to fall back and regroup on our training tactics. Or that he jumps like a cat. Today he managed to jump into a dining chair and onto my mom's dining room table. (Don't tell Daddy.) And speaking of dining furniture, I have been looking for a set of dining room chairs. It's not going well so far.
I could be telling you that I ordered some new business cards and that I plan to try a different route for my Miz. November store. (I will fill you in and show you my cards. They're pretty kick ass.) I could tell you that I have been painting again and that I've went back to watercolor (my original love).
The list goes on and on.

But for now, I'm just here to say "Hello" and thanks for being here with me. Come back tomorrow for another Counting Pennies post. Hopefully a little peace and quiet will come my way and I will be able to sort my thoughts and share them with you.

XOXO ~Jo~

*pic

Note to Self......

2012-01-18T16:30:00.001-08:00

...buy a long skirt.
What are you waiting for?

~While we're on the subject, let me ask the guys a question. Do you think long skirts are sexy? I know you think mini skirts are sexy, but what about the long flowing skirts? Just curious.

*1, 2, 3, 4

Conversation

2012-01-13T08:46:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday, dolls.
I am staring out the window at a yard full of snow this morning and pondering some things.
One thing that I would like to know is, who are all of you people who are allegedly following me?
My info says that I have 43 followers, yet I am lucky to get just a few comments on each post.
I'm curious. Why don't you comment? Do you even like my blog? Do you read it? Is my subject material boring you? What made you start following my blog in the first place? Is there something you want to talk about? Should I stop asking questions? Is it me?
I just feel like we aren't communicating.
Please don't break up with me.
Let's work this out.

Pretty please, with sugar on top?

Counting Pennies ~ Waste Not.

2012-01-12T17:07:00.000-08:00

Back with another rule for money saving in 2012. We've all heard the old saying "Waste not. Want not." Even though I'm pretty sure that there will always be something else that I want, I do believe in getting your money's worth and not wasting what you already have. I have been one of those "scrape the bottom of the jar" kind of people my whole life. Want proof? Just take a look at my current lotion situation.

One of the main reasons that I buy lotion in a tube is so I can cut it in half when it gets low and slip the top half over the bottom, like a lid. The plastic container on the right was the leftovers from a pump bottle. Instead of losing all that lotion, I cut the bottle open and scraped out the portion that was left in there to die. Silly? Not exactly. Just look at how much product I saved!

Money Rule #2 for 2012: Be aware of waste. Pinpoint which items in your home go to waste most often and figure out a way to use them instead of lose them.

I'm pretty good at using up bath products. But in the kitchen? I could stand to be more thrifty. More food goes to waste in our house than I even want to discuss. I have been trying to get better at cooking only enough for the Hub and I to eat, so we have no leftovers. When making a large batch of something, like soup, it's a good idea to split the remaining portions up and freeze them for quick meals when you don't feel like cooking. Use those extra tidbits of ingredients in the fridge to make a frittata or a stir-fry.

Pay attention all over the house. Be aware of everything you put in the garbage. Is there a way to get more use out of it? Have you gotten your money's worth out of it? Are you only throwing it out because you have replaced it already?

Let's waste less and save more.

Truly You

2012-01-09T10:02:00.000-08:00

Since making a conscious decision to be more true to myself in the coming year, it seems that I have run across all sorts of supportive words and images. Don't you love when that happens?

I have been feeling like my role in life is being determined by other people. What I do with my day is increasingly being decided by someone else. And who I am as a person is being molded by what others expect of me. I'm tired of it. I believe that God made every one of us to be a unique individual. We have different ideas and preferences that set us apart from each other. It's up to us to be the person that we are meant to be.

I read an article in the January issue of Marie Claire about the philanthropist, Jennifer Buffett. In it, she talks about losing her voice and identity in trying to support her husband in all of his efforts and projects. She believes that women are too often thrown into the supporting role and lose sight of who they are.

"I don't think the traditional female role serves us. I think it serves men. When somebody is subordinating themselves, it's just too easy for the other person to take them for granted and not value them. We need to start to say no. You think you are being selfless in giving, but you're being a martyr. Self-care is not a selfish act."

I think that some men are guilty of the same thing, though. Too many of us are fulfilling someone else's dream.

The December issue of Women's Health had an interesting interview with actress Amber Heard. She is bravely honest and unapologetic about who she is, even in the public eye. I love what she says about it.

"You can't respect yourself if you're afraid to be who you are. It requires bravery to do something no one else around you is doing."

I realize that society puts certain restrictions on everyone, from how we dress for the job to how we act in public places. And there is nothing wrong with that. Rules and boundaries make the world go around. But it would be a shame to get so used to these rules and boundaries that we let them apply to every aspect of our lives. Are you brave enough to be your true self? To stand up for what you believe in? To wear what you want to wear? To listen to the music that you love? And sing out loud in your car? Do you know what you want out of life? Do you respect your own desires?

Are you with me on being more true to yourself in 2012? It never hurts to have a support group, you know. I'll try to be truly me and you try to be truly you. What do you say?

*photo

All Things Bright and Beautiful

2012-01-07T16:40:00.000-08:00

If, like me, you are sitting at home with nothing to do on a Saturday night, go bury yourself in pretty pictures. In a quest to find some bright and beautiful on this dreary evening, I have spent more time than my eyes can be happy about on That Inspirational Girl. And although my peepers are tired and need a good rest, my soul feels a little bit better from all the prettiness I have taken in.

Much love to all of you. Hope your weekend is going great.

Counting Pennies

2012-01-03T07:35:00.001-08:00

Having several goals this year (which we will discuss eventually), money has been the topic on my mind lately. Particularly, saving more and spending less.

As you have probably already figured out, I am not a big spender, but I still have room for improvement. The hubby is much more free with his cash flow and needs to be reminded often of how quickly it disappears. So, I thought now would be the perfect time to start a little weekly post on money matters. I'll share a few little thoughts and tips for saving money and hope that we all save a few more pennies in the process.

I am going to start this series off with a new rule. This came to me yesterday while using a gift card that I received for Christmas. While shopping in one of my favorite stores, I realized that I am always drawn to the same things, over and over. There are those few things that seem to appeal to me whether I am in need of them or not. I know my weaknesses. { *fingernail polish *blankets *pajama pants *shoes *paper products *makeup.} And I bet I'm not the only one. Do you have a weakness for certain things? So what do we do when we come across yet another great deal on the softest, cuddliest pair of pajama pants (or whatever your vice is) ever? We start counting, that's what.

New Rule for 2012: When the urge hits to buy something new, I will stop and count how many of said items I already have at home.

So, let's say that the pj's were the item of question. Upon the initial "oooh. what pretty colors. i love the plaid flannel!"....... I would follow up with "I already have two pairs of flannel, two pairs of fleece, one pair of cotton (three of which happen to be plaid)". Obviously, I am not in need of another pair of pajama pants. See how that works? I'm going to be doing a whole lot more counting in the future.

Will you try this tip? Let me know what you think. Let's save some $$$!!!

* photo from here.

Welcome to the New Year

2012-01-01T15:35:00.001-08:00

First of all, let me just say that Blogger is screwing shit up again. My pictures are not going in the right places. So forgive me if things aren't looking quite right.

But let's not dwell on that. I need to tell you that Gus and I are finally on good terms. We are getting better at the whole schedule thing and he is much more comfortable on a leash now. Last Tuesday he went to get his boyhood snipped. I'm glad that's marked off the list. He's getting better at the going outside to potty deal. And, to be totally honest with you, I'm pretty much in love with him now. Well, not so much when he starts whining in the middle of the night because something scared him and he wants to sleep in our bed. And not so much when he gets too excited and drinks too much water and forgets all about that going outside to pee thing. But I am liking him more and more. The hub declares that he's a momma's boy.

I still miss the peace and quiet. I miss being able to sit down and read or draw or whatever without worrying about what he's chewing on. I hate having to clean my floors as often as a bank lobby. And my mornings are not at all what they used to be. But he's a pretty cute little shit head. I guess I'll keep him. (Not that I had a choice, you know.) The only pics you ever see of Gus may be sleeping pics. That is the only time that he sits still long enough to take a decent photo. Hopefully, that will change at some point.

As for the weekend, I hope you all had a wonderful New Years Eve. The hubby and I ended up not doing a dang thing. He rang in the New Year on his Xbox and I on Pinterest. Woohoo!
Well, that's it for tonight. I've got way too many exciting things to being doing, like washing dishes and folding laundry.
Happy New Year, dolls! See you later this week.

Ring Envy

2011-12-29T11:40:00.001-08:00

I bought myself a Christmas present. Do I feel guilty about it? Well....I did a little bit until my husband bought himself a Garmin and a new Xbox. And a puppy. And is thinking about trading his motorcycle. Yeah. I don't feel guilty anymore. We are not made of money, but apparently the hubby doesn't know that. Anyway. On with my story.

I bought myself a ring from Huismus on Etsy. And a few days before Christmas, this beautiful package showed up in my mailbox!

Complete with shiny paper and a tiny black box; Simone had also included three gorgeous tags to use on gifts. I am a sucker for presentation, and the presentation of this gift was perfect. Tiny handmade confetti spotted the inside of the box, which (of course) held this most amazing ring!

I am in love with it! It is everything I was hoping for and more. The craftsmanship is beautiful. Its wide band and large face feel warm against my finger. It's comfortable. And the big chunk of creek jasper is........it's hard to find words. Let's just say it speaks to me.

Look at it! Like a beautiful painting that I hang on my hand. The colors. The patterns. The metal. I am so glad that I splurged on this ring. I have a feeling it will be with me for many many years. (I also have a feeling that it may not be my last purchase from Huismus.) I highly recommend Simone's work if you are in the market for some new jewelry. Check her out.

I have other random news to share with you guys later. I don't want to muddy up the ring envy. One thing at a time. ;)

Merry Christmas

2011-12-23T13:04:00.000-08:00

Before we all go off to the land of endless sugar and tinsel, I just wanted to send a great big hug to every single one of you. You have no idea how often I think of you. No, really! I consider you my friends and acquaintances and I think of you often. Blogging has become very special to me since I started several years ago. Whenever I start to feel like there is no good left in this world, most often it is your blogs and sweet comments that revive my faith humanity. And I need that.

I had to share this tattooed Santa with you because I absolutely love it! I wish I could credit the original artist, but my links just take me so far. This is exactly how I would like to imagine Santa. Maybe a retired sailor. Maybe owns a motorcycle. Has a beer with his elves when he gets home from delivering gifts. I can just see him grab a kid up and grind his knuckles into their mop of hair. What do they call that? A noogie? Regardless. I would say that he is a no nonsense kind of guy, with a soft spot for puppies and cookies. This is my kind of Santa.

Well, until the hustle and bustle subside, I'll be wishing all of you a very Merry Christmas.

Tis' the Season

2011-12-22T06:36:00.000-08:00

So, dolls......how is your week going so far?

More than the fact that it's almost Christmas (two more days!), I am really trying to take in the fact that it's almost 2012!!! Seriously?

Although I have somehow managed to feel like I have a accomplished a few things this year, I still have more things that I want to work towards. One of those things is to be more true to myself. Since I was in high school I have had a little note hanging on my pin board that says "To Thine Own Self Be True". It is, hands down, one of my very favorite quotes in the whole entire world. But as simple as it sounds, being true to yourself is honestly quite a challenge. Do you agree?

As much as I would like to believe the fairy tale ideal that love brings out the best in us, in reality we all tend to sacrifice parts of our being for the sake of relationships. I'm sure that we all hate to admit it, but take a second to think about it. Relationships, and life in general, have a way of chipping away at our true identities. For example...... there have been many times that I have thought "Oh. I can't wear that. The hub would think I'm out of my head." Or "I would love to cut my hair like this, but my dad would completely dis-own me."

I don't want to define my life by someone else's standards. I want to be the strange, random, creative person that God made me to be. And if I end up stepping on a few toes along the way, or if my husband thinks I'm a complete loon, then so be it.

Tis' the season to let your light shine, darlings. Even if that light happens to be a strobe.

*bad ass pic from here.

One Week Left.

2011-12-19T07:04:00.000-08:00

Due mainly to the fact that the hubby took the puppy to work with him a few days last week, all of these......

are now in these!
I made thirteen pairs of these fabric button earrings. Most of them are made from vintage fabric from my Nanny Ruby's stash. Now they are all wrapped up and ready to be gifted to the ladies of the family and a few friends.

What you are seeing right here is the extent of my Christmas decorating. Well.... this and a big vase full of glittery ornaments. But I'm cool with it. This house is starting to feel pretty crowded as it is. Adding a big ol' Christmas tree wouldn't help matters.

Remember the simplification post? Well, I decided to try to use up some of my wrapping supplies this year. I have a massive collection of ribbons and such. I almost always use plain brown craft paper to wrap my gifts and then get creative with the embellishments. I still need to narrow it down, though.

Well, loves....... there's only one week left before Christmas. Are you ready for it? Here's to a peaceful week, full of joy and love. May we avoid rushing and fussing and enjoy the last bit of 2011. Hugs to you all.

Aw, F#@K.

2011-12-14T15:51:00.000-08:00

And now.........anxiety. Yay!!!
I haven't had those piercing chest pains since I was dating a drug addict who tried to commit suicide with me in the room. Now this sweet, adorable, darling puppy is kind of making me want to do some drugs myself and smash my head against the wall.

Yay for puppies! (and husbands who insist on getting puppies even though they pay them no effing attention and only get in on the cuddling part.)

Disclaimer: Don't worry. I'm not really going to do any drugs (unless it's maybe Excedrin PM) and I don't have the energy to smash my head against the wall. So. No worries. Just chest pains.

Lack Thereof

2011-12-13T09:52:00.000-08:00

Wanna hear something ridiculous?
I haven't put my Christmas tree up. What's worse? I don't really plan on putting it up. Does this make me a bad person?

I've been dealing with bouts of depression lately. Lots of crying for no apparent reason. No desire to do anything at all. A short fuse and an even shorter attention span.

It's been quite a while since I have had to deal with any serious depression. I had been doing so good for so long. And, honestly, I am managing to hold it together quite well. Thank God this isn't as bad as it has been in the past. But after not seeing this side of myself for so long, it has been quite disturbing to have to face it yet again.

Although I am doing better, bit by bit, I still do not have the slightest interest in getting things all gussied up for the holidays. So, I'm just wondering........ am I the only one? Have any of you ever skipped the whole Christmas tree, sparkly lights, decoration thing? Actually, depression issues aside, am I the only one who dreads having to put the tree up every year? It's such a monumental task and I hate doing it. Usually I find it worth the effort to sit and stare at the lights, but not this year. What about you? Do you enjoy the task? Be totally honest with me. I want to know.

*from here.

Soul Sharing ~ Simple

2011-12-07T18:47:00.001-08:00

I've never been one for making resolutions; but regardless of what title you give them, sometimes changes need to be made in our lives. Recently I have been noticing a shift in my own actions towards simplifying. I have always been good to keep my possessions thinned out and not hold on to things that I don't use or love. But, as is usually the case, there are always those exceptions to the rule.

I got to thinking about this subject when reading an old magazine clipping I had that talked about having a signature color of wrapping paper. How simple would that make gift giving? Choose a paper and ribbon color combo and stick to it. That would sure beat my bin full of rolls of paper and baskets jammed with tangled ribbons. But gift wrap is only the beginning. I also noticed that I had already started to simplify other things in my life without even being aware that I was doing it.

I love bath and body products and I buy them recklessly. I keep an average of 8-10 different lotions and regularly cycle through all sorts of makeup and face creams. But what's the point? I am now on a mission to find what works best for me and stick to it. I have discovered that Aveeno lotion does wonders on my skin and will make it my lotion of choice from now on. No more masses of scents and tubes of potions past their prime. And I am working on the rest of my beauty stash along the way.

I also have a tad bit of an addiction to magazines. But after years and years of being an avid magazine subscriber, I am finding less and less to be excited about in many of the publications that frequent my mailbox. I have been letting the lesser of the subscriptions lapse in an attempt to only receive magazines that I truly enjoy and that I feel enrich my life in some way. (even if it's just feeding me beautiful fashion.)

Just think. How many times do we let these sort of things clutter up our lives? How many blogs are on your feed that you don't even look at? How many perfumes are on your dresser that you never use? How often do you buy something with good intentions, but never actually get around to?

It may not be a resolution, but I am hoping that simplifying becomes a regular part of my life and who I am. Not only does it reduce clutter, decrease wastefulness, and make things run smoother; it actually clears up a little more space in your mind, too. And that is something I am sure we could all use.

*photos from here, here, and here.

Hello Again

2011-12-03T15:39:00.000-08:00

What? It's Saturday?
I've hardly even noticed. It hasn't seemed like a Saturday to me.
I am stuck in this house with a whiny puppy. He won't shut up. I let him out...he whines. I let him in...he whines. I play with him...he whines. I set down...he whines. The husband is at drill with the army. Usually I get to unload the pup on him when he gets home, but it's nearly 7 pm and he is still not here.

All I really wanted for Christmas was a massage or a ring from Rosy Revolver. I am not a stable enough person to be a pack leader for such an energetic puppy. This just reaffirms the fact that I don't want children.

Now. Stare at those pretty flowers and feel better.
Over and out, till the next time folks.
Happy weekend.

*via here.

Meet Gus.

2011-11-30T10:45:00.001-08:00

This, my friends, is Gus.

Gus is our four month old German Shorthaired Pointer. He's a gorgeous boy with a solid liver colored coat and a white blaze down his chest. We went and got him over the weekend; so now he's part of our family.

This was not my idea. Let me make this clear. My husband is the one who has been looking at dogs for months on end, hoping to run across the right one. And Gus happened to be the right one. So.......this is our "Christmas present" to eachother. (even though I wasn't quite as excited about getting another dog as the hub was.) I am not totally proficient at taking care of myself, much less an energetic puppy. And the process of trying to housebreak him......dear Lord! Gus has become my full-time job. The hub goes off to work and I spend the day trying to figure out when this little guy wants to poop and pee.

I will say that he is a very smart dog (thank God), and that he is quite obedient already. But there is only so many times you can clean pee up off of your floor before you hit your breaking point. I am reading Cesar's Way by Cesar Millan right now and we also have a training book specific to GSPs, but anyone who can offer any tips on housebreaking would be a lifesaver. Gus is such a good dog; I don't want to ruin his opportunity to be a well trained, well adjusted member of our pack. I am getting some massive practice in patience.

So now you know what I have been up to. It's hard to think about blogging (or anything else for that matter) with a puppy in the house. A piece of jewelry would have been so much easier to take care of! Haha.

I'll be back with some more posts soon. I have a few subjects that I am eager to talk about.
xoxo

Happy Thanksgiving...

2011-11-24T05:46:00.001-08:00

to all of my American friends. To the rest of you......happy Thursday!

I'm off to make some Au Gratin Potatoes and spend the rest of the day eating. (but not too much)

How to Get Lucky

2011-11-20T16:08:00.000-08:00

Guys, I'm pretty sure that if you want to seduce a girl, this is the way to do it. Own a bedroom/bathroom like this.

I have come across many things that have caused me to go weak in the knees, but this one is ranking pretty high on the list. This is, hands down, the sexiest room I have ever seen in my entire life. One hell of an aphrodisiac.

Oh, the scenarios that are going through my mind. This room is practically a stage for perfect seduction. Sorry for the heavy dose of heat here, folks, but this room has me seriously swooning.

*from here.

A Picture = A Thousand Words

2011-11-19T10:00:00.000-08:00

I settled on this photo this morning on the Sartorialist.
My first thought was that this guy with the random hair and head to toe black is adorable. Someone interesting, for sure.
But then I noticed that he was drawing and that his art is woven into the fence beside him.

Now, I am left feeling a little bit outed. Like the person who walks in at the end of a story. I want to see the real picture. The art. What is the guy drawing? What has he already drawn?

I'm curious.
A picture may be worth a thousand words, but sometimes that just isn't enough.

It Has Been Done......

2011-11-15T08:27:00.001-08:00

All prices over $35.00 have been reduced by at least $10.00 in the shop.

Just putting it out there.

Clean Up

2011-11-14T18:00:00.000-08:00

I'm in the mood to do some cleaning.
I have that unstoppable urge to get rid of things. I think this happens every year around this time. It must be my brain's way of simplifying things before the holidays. Regardless of what it is, I need to clean up!

I think it's about time to have a big ol' sale over at the shop. I am sick and tired of looking at all this stuff. I want some peeps to take this loot home with them! This is my goal for the week, friends. Put everything in the shop on SALE! It may take a few days....but this is the plan.

Thanks for tuning in. I'll catch up with you again this week, I hope. ;)

*pic

Life Gets in the Way

2011-11-10T07:24:00.000-08:00

I had finally found my sweet spot for working out. I had figured out the right combination of cardio and strength training, with some yoga worked in. I was on a roll. Feeling great. Looking stronger than I had in forever. I looked forward to my workouts.

And then.....

I had to take ten days worth of high powered antibiotics whose side affects included risk of tendon rupture. Yes. Tendon rupture. My body ached like I had been beaten with a baseball bat. I could feel tendons and connective tissues that I had never even thought about. No working out for over a week! Actually, it's been close to two weeks now. My body is still hurting. And the risk still remains up to a month after the antibiotics have been finished.

But I intend to work slowly back to the place I was before. That happy place where working out was a reward for the day. Where lacing up my cross trainers makes me smile.
Slowly but surely. It just sucks to be sidelined right when you feel at the top of your game, doesn't it? But at least I am able to get back in there. Thank God for that.

*On an unrelated note....I am gonna try to answer some of your comments within the comment sections. I don't have a ton of comments, so I think this will work. So, if you ask me a question or something in my comments, check back......I will try to answer you.

Hugs and Sunshine to all of you. =)

*oh yes. and I think you can figure out where the pic above came from. it's marked right on it!

The Case For Black

2011-11-08T17:14:00.000-08:00

Recently, I chose to paint the kitchen in a house that we are working on black. All of the guys that I work with thought that I was crazy. They asked over and over if I was lying about my color choice. That is, until I actually painted it. But once the paint was on the walls, they all loved it!

It seems odd that there are so many perfect examples of how beautiful and sophisticated black walls can be, yet there are still so many people who cringe at the idea. The very week that I painted the kitchen, my mom got a new House Beautiful magazine that was just crawling with gorgeous black walls.

Even painting only one wall black brings something special to a room. Don't you think? It just looks so black-tie and classy.

Do any of you have black walls in your home?

*photos from here, here, and here.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

2011-11-06T09:31:00.000-08:00

There are a few more strands of silver in my hair.
There are a few more lines around my eyes and mouth.
But I am proud to say that I turn 31 today.

Age has never really scared me. I am not one to try to hide mine. Instead, I announce it loud and clear for all to know. I mean, honestly, it has taken me 31 years and 9 months to get to this point in my life. Why would I try to downplay that accomplishment? Maybe I haven't achieved everything that I hoped I would by now. Maybe I have made and continue to make many mistakes with my time here on earth. But I have lived and breathed the air of this world for 11,315 days. I have been right here...... enjoying the good times, gritting my teeth through the bad times, and trying to foster hope for even more positive experiences in the future. God has blessed me with 31 years of life and counting. May I never be ashamed of my age, for it is a gift.

*photo from here.

In the Great Big Scheme of Things.....

2011-11-04T15:36:00.000-07:00

Do you know what happens when you think too much about the future?
Huh? Do ya?
You stop living in the present. That's what.

This past week has been a great big massive pain for my husband and I and it was all caused by my unshakable habit of trying to work out my future before I get there. It's a terrible way of thinking that I have had since I was much younger. I'm not talking about the healthy habit of setting goals and having ambitions. No. I am talking about obsessing over "what ifs.....".

What if this were to happen? What would I do?

Having a backup plan isn't such a bad thing. But when one gets a little too preoccupied with that backup plan.................well. Thinking too much about the future has a way of totally screwing up the present. We are only meant to live one day at a time. And who is to say how we will handle any given situation if it were presented to us?

Ever since I was young, I always thought that "planning ahead" was a wise idea. I would automatically start thinking about how I would handle the break-up as soon as I started dating someone new. I would consider my alternate route in the case of losing a job. I would imagine every possible way that a friendship may fall apart, and then map out my defense for getting through the pain. It's downright obsessive.

But what good does it do?

In the great big scheme of things, does obsessing over the future ever really help when something bad happens? I don't think so.
Breaking up will still hurt. Changing jobs will always be stressful. Losing friends will break your heart.

I always thought that I was saving myself pain by being prepared for it. But I was wrong. All I was ever doing was neglecting my present situations and placing unneeded stress on them. It took a really hard blow for me to see this. But my eyes are wide open now. I may never be able to completely let go of my habit. But from now on I would like to think that God will give me the strength and wisdom to do what needs to be done, no matter what kind of bridge I have to cross. But I'll worry about that bridge when I get there, and no sooner.

* pic from here.

Just Something to Think About....

2011-10-20T16:58:00.000-07:00

Big ass birds.
Big ass birds have always simultaneously fascinated and scared the shit out of me.
But I would love to check this thing out in it's deceased state.
Even though I have always been told not to mess with dead birds because they have mites.
Morbid?
Maybe.

*thought for the day brought to you by this place.

Friday Pool Party!!!

2011-10-14T16:21:00.000-07:00

Have you noticed that I'm doing good to get one post a week around here?
What do you mean, that's all you've ever expected from me?!?
Okay. Okay. This actually makes two this week, smarty pants.

Anyway. I couldn't help but throw in a pool party. This pic is breaking my heart wide open. As much as I love autumn, I don't really like my feet being cold. I'm pretty sure that I would be warm as sunshine lounging there on those pillows.

I'd love to stick around a bit, but it's time to go workout. Gotta keep the blood pumping in order to keep the toes toasty.

Happy weekend, darlings!

*pic from here via here.

Hometown Tourists

2011-10-10T15:16:00.001-07:00

The Hubs and I spent our Saturday pretending to be tourists in our own backyard. There are so many pretty places to see where we live. So many sights. So many hikes. So many waterfalls and vistas and mountaintops. We all take field trips to these places when we are small, but it's easy to forget about them when we are actually old enough to appreciate them. We take it for granted and overlook the things that tourists flock to see every year.

We drove to Mt. Mitchell, which is the highest peak east of the Mississippi, via the Blue Ridge Parkway. While there, we hiked a loop that smelled so strongly of spruce trees that we sniffed and grinned the entire time. After stopping at every overlook on our way back, we decided to hike down to Crabtree Falls. A nice long hike on very rocky trails. I would like to thank whoever it was who blazed these trails and built stone staircases and retainer walls and bridges and benches. And I'd like to thank God for making the things that are worth the effort to see.

So if I get behind you on the road during tourist season and you are driving ridiculously slow, I will probably cuss you a bit under my breath. But truly, I can't blame you one bit. My big backyard of the Blue Ridge Mountains is one spectacular sight to see.

*all photos are my own.

Soul Sharing

2011-10-06T18:58:00.001-07:00

I am a crier. True story.
I wasn't always a crier. No. Quite the opposite, actually. I was stoic. I could hold back emotion like nobodies business.
But there is something interesting about having depression. You see, you either learn to let your emotions flow so you can deal with them......or, you hold them inside and let them eat at you.

I remember sitting in church as a child and feeling such raw emotion roiling inside of me. I would be on the brink of tears and, yet, I would hold them back like they were wild beasts waiting to eat everyone in my path. But it was always there. The emotion. Those tears. They were always there. When a song moved me. When a movie tugged at my heart-strings. When a harsh word was thrown my way. When a flock of birds flew over my head and I could feel the pounding of their wings in my own heart. Those tears. They glassed over my eyes and pooled at the edges, waiting for permission to fall.
But, no. I would tilt my head back and take a deep breath and blink wide so the air would dry them before they escaped.

Then something happened. I lost control of the beasts. Like a den full of hungry wild dogs, they would attack me. They would come with no warning. They poured from my eyes for no reason at all. Nothing would trigger them. And they would drop at the most inopportune times.

I had lost the leash.

You see.... that's the thing about tears. They don't actually dry up. The only way that you can really make them go away is to let them fall. Otherwise, they just gather in the deepest part of your heart. And the longer they stay down there...the longer you keep them stifled and chained, the wilder they get. The more they yearn to be freed.

Let them out. Trust me.
Let them out before they eat your heart.
Your tears are hungry. Feed them air.

*photo from here.

Hugs

2011-09-26T20:56:00.000-07:00

In need of a warm embrace.......

*all these images from this beautifully explicit (there's your warning) pinboard.

Flowers For Friday

2011-09-22T17:23:00.000-07:00

Just thought I would share a few pics with you. Some pretty pink, indoor blooms. And the hub and myself before going out for a friends birthday. FYI: It's hard to give a guy with thick, curly hair a fauxhawk. But I still like it.

Hope you have good things planned for this weekend.
Hugs and Sunshine to all of you. XOXO

It's Almost......

2011-09-20T19:26:00.000-07:00

October, people! It's right around the corner.
And I'm feeling very much like this pooch. I want nothing more than to curl up on my couch and take a nice, cozy nap.

Autumn always brings about a major push/pull in my emotions and energy level. I find myself wanting to sit and relax and enjoy every little thing. But, at the same time, I can't seem to calm myself long enough to do so. I laid out of work this past Friday, hoping to have some alone time at home. Instead, I worked ten times harder than I normally do at "work". I dug up what seemed like a ton of hosta and daylilies and cut a huge section of forsythia down to the nub. It was a hell of a job. Those forsythia were as big as ornamental trees! It took a set of hedge clippers and a hacksaw. ..... Then, on Sunday, I did a major overhaul of my living room. Rearranged furniture. Cleaned. Weeded out the unwanted items. I've been going non-stop. And it all caught up with me this morning, when I couldn't hardly give myself a good enough reason for getting out of the bed.

This is a problem, folks. And, apparently, I am not the only one who noticed. My Yoga Journal magazine came in the mail the other day and there is an article inside about the benefits of doing a fall detox. It's the perfect time to slow yourself down from the fast pace of summer and get yourself in order mentally. Not only that, but it's also the perfect time to reinforce your immune system and be prepared to fight off the inevitable viruses of winter. I'm seriously thinking about dedicating a week and following their sage advice. You can check it out for yourself right here. { I should also add that this is not the kind of detox that normally pops into peoples heads at the mention of the word. }

September is usually one of my very favorite months of the year. I can't believe that it's almost over already. This has not been a normal September for me. Maybe taking some time to slow down and take care of myself will help me enjoy the remainder of my favorite season. ~

On a completely unrelated note: I piled all of the plants that I dug up beside the road and put up a sign that declared them "FREE" to whomever wanted to pick them up. A friend of mine told me that this method would not work because people have some sort of thing about freebies. And, to be honest with you, I agreed. But I tried it anyway. And guess what! It worked. Within a few days, every single one of those plants (and trust me, there was a massive pile) were taken. So.....to my friend of little faith. You were wrong. ;)

*pic from here.

Fly By

2011-09-14T17:47:00.000-07:00

Just dropping in to say hello.
I know I've been M.I.A. for quite some time now.
Got a lot on my mind, but don't want to talk about any of it at the moment.
Hugs and sunshine to all of you.
You know I love you, right?

*pic found on Pinterest.

Picture Perfect

2011-09-05T17:44:00.000-07:00

I have never wanted to be a celebrity. Never craved fame and fortune.
But you have to admit that there are certain privileges that would be quite nice. Like the ability to buy the best designer clothes and accessories. Or the best of the best of vacations.

But there is one thing in particular that the rich and famous have that makes me a jealous. And that is....... great photographs of themselves. Is that a vain thing to want? I mean, honestly, haven't you ever wished that you had someone photographing you that would make you look your best? And a crew following you around to make sure your hair/makeup/clothing was perfect? Wouldn't it be awesome to have beautiful, artistic pictures of you and yours?

I know there are plenty of amazing photographers out there who are ready and willing to take gorgeous shots of regular people. But every time I come across a stunning photo shoot in a magazine, I can't help but get a little bit green with envy. I can't help it. I want to put on Alexander McQueen and have my picture made.

*photo from here. Thanks, Sarah!

Mirror Image

2011-08-30T20:21:00.001-07:00

I have.
You know, there's a lot we don't see about ourselves.
I have always hoped that I could have a friend who was honest enough and blatant enough with me to tell me what my shortcomings are. I have wished for someone to point out when I do something stupid, or selfish, or hurtful. To tell me if there is something about my personality that may offend others. Or, sometimes, just to tell me to shut the hell up.
But friends like that are nearly non-existent.
I think to meet myself and be able to see myself from someone else's point of view could be some of the best insight that I could ever ask for. To see, for myself, what others really see.

However....
Being able to see our own flaws would not be the only benefit.
We would also be able to see the good that people see in us that maybe we overlook. Maybe when someone tells us that we are beautiful/smart/funny/etc., we don't quite believe them. Are you guilty of that, too? But if we could see ourselves through that other persons eyes, maybe we wouldn't be so judgmental of ourselves. Maybe we could believe that they were telling the truth.

Just something to think about. ;)

*Thanks, Jen, for always posting the greatest quotes and words of wisdom over on Bits of Truth. You rock.

The Ending

2011-08-28T15:52:00.000-07:00

I am sitting here eating what will more than likely be my last strawberry salad for this year. Trying to savor the flavor of the berries, I'm afraid I'll forget what they taste like by the time December rolls around. I already can't make it past 6 p.m. without putting a jacket on. The air is sharp and clean. The heaviness of heat no longer hangs in the evenings. There is no haze. No humidity. Just crystal clear skies and the brightest, fluffy clouds floating in the blue.

Pool Party Fridays just don't seem to fit the bill anymore. It would have to be a heated pool for me to take that jump. But I still attempt to grasp at the last precious moments of summer. Like a good dream that you hope you can re-start if you go back to sleep quick enough.

I hope to see more of you this week. I have lots of things in my head to talk about, but not enough time to work through them and put them into a post. But I am trying. Here's to a new week. A round of Hugs and Sunshine for everyone!

*from pinterest.

Weather Report

2011-08-22T17:20:00.001-07:00

The fact that I am sitting at my kitchen table with the door open and my legs are cold does not make me happy. It reminds me that cold weather is just waiting its turn. And I greatly prefer warm weather over cold. But, hey. What you gonna do about it?
I'll tell you what you're gonna do! You're gonna buy a cozy new sweater, finish the cape that you are making, and look up what leather you want to order. Oh, wait! That's what I'm gonna do.

But before all that, you are going to lust over these kick ass looks from Andrew Marc.

Let's not dwell on the fact that I couldn't afford one of the buttons off of one of these jackets. One can dream, right?

Check out all the hotness on the Andrew Marc website.

Just to Say Hello

2011-08-21T16:08:00.001-07:00

Hello Friends.
I thought I should probably stop by and let you guys know what the heck I have been up to for the last little bit. Obviously, not blogging. So here's what I have been doing.

Painting. A whole lot of painting. And as you can see from the pic above, there has been some ceiling painting involved. My brother has been doing a remodel job and I am, of course, the painter. I don't think that needs any further explanation.

Yard work. I had been needing to dead-head my dahlias for a few weeks now. They are still going strong and throwing out the prettiest pink blooms. But there was something stopping me.

This girl, to be exact.....
who had built a huge web from one end of my dahlias to the other. She is quite an odd little creature. I had never seen one like her before. But today I had had enough. I wanted her out of my flowers. So now she is sealed up in a glass jar just awaiting her fate.

That's about it.
Doesn't sound like enough to keep me from blogging, does it?
But it has been. Working. Doing chores around the house. Keeping doctor appointments. I've been slightly distracted. And it may continue to be this way for a few more weeks. Maybe not. You just never know with me.

Until later..........
xoxo ~Jo~ xoxo

True Story

2011-08-14T18:07:00.000-07:00

"People think a soul mate is your perfect fit, and that's what
everyone wants. But a true soul mate is a mirror,
the person who shows you everything that is holding you back,
the person who brings you to your own attention
so you can change your life. A true soul mate is probably
the most important person you'll ever meet,
because they tear down your walls and smack you awake.
A soul mate's purpose is to shake you up,
tear apart your ego a little bit, show you your obstacles
and addictions, break your heart open so new light can get in,
make you so out of control that you have to transform your life...."

Elizabeth Gilbert

Friday.....um....Swim Party

2011-08-11T17:34:00.000-07:00

You don't have a soul.
You are a soul.
You have a body.
C.S.Lewis

I've been a little absent this week. Sorry about that. It's just been busy. You know how it is. I don't know about you, but that picture up there looks pretty much like perfection to me. (can you tell I have a thing for water?) I have been saving that C.S. Lewis quote for a while now. It really struck a chord in me. One of those quotes that you keep rolling around in your head because it is so profound and yet so simple at the same time. Mr. Lewis. Very smart man.

I hope you all have had a great week and are headed for an even better weekend. My niece is having her 6th birthday party this Saturday. My mind is officially blown. She is 6 already? Insane. And her big sister just started high school. Holy crap. Where does time go? Better savor as many sweet moments as we can before they all slip away.

Have a beautiful Friday, friends. :) Hope to see you back here next week.

*photo from here via here.

Modern Wasteland

2011-08-06T11:33:00.001-07:00

Imagine billowing waves that look like the shiny scales of a mermaids tail.
This is Wastelandscape, an art installation by Elise Morin that explores the relationship between people and the things they throw away.

It is made of 65,000 old CDs that have been hand sewn together and then draped over inflatable mounds. I automatically think of water when I look at it. Water or one really massive sequined dress. How about you?

People are just so flipping creative! It amazes me.

*photos from MyModernMet.

Friday Pool Party

2011-08-04T19:45:00.000-07:00

Need I say more?

Happy weekend, folks.
In case you are interested, I will be listing a few more bags this weekend.
And wishing we were all at this awesome place, hanging out and talking like real people. You know......in person. That could be fun, right?

*photo from here via here.

What a Day

2011-08-03T08:03:00.000-07:00

I'm trying to make myself feel better.

One tends to lose a lot of sleep trying to hear every little sound that goes on around the house at night. I am paranoid. The peeper came back the second night. No messes. Just peeping the second time. He was a no-show last night when we were waiting for him. I am tired and my brain is exhausted. I want to be at the beach with my parents and my brother and his family.

So let's pretend that all is totally well and that I can still walk around my house naked if I want. And let's talk for just a second about this little crush I have on Charlie Day.

My husband and I went to see Horrible Bosses while we were on vacation. Pretty funny movie. But what makes it even better is the presence of Charlie Day in it. Now I rarely harbor a crush on anyone famous. It's just not my style. But this guy is just too damn adorable. And funny. Gorgeous eyes and the cutest smile you have ever seen. Am I the only one who sees it? The magazines seem to favor the other two guys in the movie (Jason Bateman and Jason Sudeikis).

Not me. I favor Charlie.

Warning: Explicit Content

2011-08-01T10:24:00.000-07:00

I'm pissed.
Concerned.
Annoyed.

If you have virgin ears, please turn away now. I apologize in advance.

My morning has been spent with the local authorities dusting my windows for fingerprints.
Why, you ask? Were we burglarized? Vandalized? Threatened?
Well, no. Not exactly.
Actually, I stepped out my back door this morning to find that......

some pervert had watched my husband and I have sex and jerked off all over my porch.

I'm not joking. I am serious as a heart attack. They had had their face pressed up against the window and left several puddles of sperm all over the porch and banister.

I can't really share all the details with you, but we had suspected someone sneaking around the house last night. Not until this morning did I find that the fucker was doing more than just snooping.

Here is the worse part. We happen to know that he had a phone with him. What concerns me is that he may have video taped the whole ordeal. And we all know what happens with photos and videos that get shared on cell phones. I don't really want to become an amateur porn star. Not on my list of goals, mind you.

What kind of perverted idiot jerks off on someones porch, steps in their own cum, grabs the banister with their sperm covered hand, and carries a cell phone without the sound turned off? I don't know. But if the bastard comes back, he can expect more than a peep show this time.

What the fuck is wrong with people?

Back With a Vengeance

2011-07-29T14:53:00.000-07:00

Oh. I forgot to tell you that I was going on vacation.
Yeah. Got back yesterday evening.
Had fun.
Glad to be sleeping in my own bed and showering in
my own bathroom.
I'll be back around shortly.
Just stick with me for a bit.

Filling Requests (if you love me, you will read this)

2011-07-23T09:20:00.000-07:00

Annalise made a request.
She asked "If I knew I could not fail, what would I do?" She also added that money is a non-issue, here. We are going to pretend that the money for any endeavor would magically appear. I have seen this question before; on inspiration boards, on blogs, used as a motivational catapult. And, like most people, I have thought "Ha. What wouldn't I do?" and then went on about my business. I never really considered what my real answer would be until Annalise asked me. Now, I could have just went with an easy answer, like "I would be a dancer and be in a dance movie!". But I really don't think that is what she was looking for.

This has been a difficult question for me to answer. Maybe because I am not a very motivated person. Maybe because there are too many things that I would like to do. Maybe because I don't actually see any of them happening. Maybe because it's too easy to become complacent about your own situation in life. Maybe because I have quit trying, already.

I make things. That is what I do. That is what I have always done. I make art. I make clothes. I make bags and jewelry. I make whatever it is that my over-active brain spits out at me. But, as you all have probably already figured out, I don't have a life or death desire to do these things. I don't wake up in the morning feeling like if I don't create something my head will surely explode. On the contrary, it takes a whole lot of effort and ass kicking for me to follow through with my ideas. This is the very reason that I do not do custom orders or list items in my shop that are made to order. I am very quick about filling and shipping orders, but if it is not already made and ready to go, it is not going to happen. Therefore, I have piles of unfinished projects waiting around with good intentions of finishing them all up and moving forward, yet I continue to stand still.

I am envious of artists and designers who have such passion and drive. I wish that I was born with that same determination. But I wasn't. Interestingly enough, I was born with an equally artistic and mechanically inclined mind. This is why working on cars has always been fun to me. Just as much fun as finger painting. So one half of my brain desires to make something beautiful that speaks to the soul, and the other half desires a problem to have to figure out. Thus pattern-making was a natural fit. Designing is a perfect marriage of the two. Yet, it still doesn't excite me.

Bored yet? I'm trying to make this all come full circle. Stick with me.

So, the big question is "what does excite me?" Get your minds out of the gutters. We're not taking that road. Well........ finishing a project excites me. Not the process, but the end result. Singing excites me. But that's a whole other story. Putting something onto paper or canvas that was once only visible in my head excites me. That includes both painting and writing. The thought of encouraging young girls to appreciate themselves excites me. Our society just keeps pushing kids in all sorts of wrong directions.

So what is a girl like me to do? What would I do if I knew I could not fail? Knowing who I am and that my motivational level is not going to miraculously quadruple over night. Knowing that I have the talent, but not the drive. Knowing that making it in the art world involves selling yourself (seriously, guys. not like that.).

If I knew I could not fail, I would start painting again. Painting the things that I like to paint. Not worrying about whether I have a recognizable style. Not worrying about whether they could categorize my work. Not worrying about what anyone else wanted to see me paint, but only about what I wanted to see me paint. I would believe in myself and my skill. I would present my work to galleries and it would sell. And, somehow, somewhere in that mix, I would find a way to encourage people. To tell them "Hey. If I can manage to get up and push myself through each day and believe in myself, then you can too."

If I knew I could not fail, I would be the person that I know I was born to be.

Sounds simple enough, doesn't it? But it isn't. Here is the really sad part. Regardless of what I hope will happen, I am probably not going to wake up every morning wanting to paint. I very rarely actually want to paint. And you know what happens when you force yourself to paint? Shit. Shit happens. Nothing goes right. It doesn't flow. Same thing with writing. And designing. When the Divine Inspiration is not knocking at your door, all your effort turns to shit.

But you wanna know something crazy? I think I'll give it a try anyway. Hell. What do I have to lose? (this is where I pretend that canvas and paint doesn't cost a fortune.) Nothing to lose. Everything to gain. May as well follow my own advice and at least try to kick some ass at life.

Thanks, Annalise. :)

Friday Pool Party

2011-07-22T11:20:00.001-07:00

Oh, this? Just a regular ol' N.Y.C. rooftop. With a killer lap pool, beautiful decking and a nice little privacy hedge. You know. Same ol', same ol'. I mean, come on. Who doesn't have a view like this from their pool?

* from fresh home.

Wednesday Already

2011-07-20T06:44:00.001-07:00

Thank you, Jessica Simpson, for blessing us with fabulous shoes. It just doesn't get much better than this color combination.

On another note...... I owe Annalise a requested post. Thing is, she asked me a really hard question and I have yet to really come up with a solid answer. I'm still working on that. I have new bags to list, too, people. It's just that other things have been more important lately.

Filling Requests

2011-07-16T19:28:00.000-07:00

One of my very favorite blogs of all time is Lila's blog; A Simplesmente Lila Braga. It is a constant source of beautiful images combined with thought provoking words and quotes. Sort of a blogging meditation. So it came as no surprise to me that Lila gave me a simple suggestion for blogging instead of a request. Simply blog about what you think is beautiful.
I know it was a more general piece of advice, but it got me to thinking. What is it that I long to say? What is it that I find so painfully gorgeous that I can't help but want to share?

I know the answer to this question.

What I find more beautiful than any tangible thing is the longings of the human heart. The things that we all feel deep inside of us, but cannot seem to convey. There are no words that can properly describe them. No way to fully emphasize their meaning. And, to be quite honest, I'm sure that we don't fully understand them ourselves. But they are alive inside of us.

They are wrapped up in feelings and emotions and deep seeded hopes and fears. They are the wishes that we have without even knowing what we are wishing for. And they can be brought to the surface of our hearts on so many different wings. The light filtering through trees. The scent of something long forgotten. The touch of someones hand. The sound of ocean waves.

The longings of the human heart. I have no way to pour them out to you. But I am sure that you know what they feel like. You have them, too. They are haunting and beautiful and magical and illusive. And even with all the words in the human language, they cannot be written down.

To me, there is something painfully beautiful about that.

*images here, here, here.

Friday Pool Party

2011-07-15T11:51:00.000-07:00

To say that I am a little jealous would be a massive understatement.
From here.

*I'm loving this request thing. Keep em coming. I've got one for Lila and Annalise coming up.

Filling Requests

2011-07-14T17:10:00.000-07:00

If you missed my last post (or are just ignoring it), I opened up the request lines for what you want to see on my blog. Not that I'm changing things around here. I just thought it would be fun to answer some questions or cover some new topics. So.............request line is still open.

Dawn wanted to know how me and the Mr. met. So here goes.

As I have mentioned before, my husband is a good bit younger than me. I sort of robbed the cradle when I got him. But, honestly, I didn't mean to. I actually fought it pretty hard. I, as most of you know, worked in a body shop for nine years. Yes, a collision repair facility. I met my husband when he did an internship at the shop his senior year of high school. He was a young, cocky little punk. But adorable. However, I never considered him to be in my age bracket so I never considered a relationship with him. Ohhhhh, but he did. And he tried to get me to go out with him for the longest time. He would ask. I would laugh at him and say no. He would ask again. I would tell him he was too young. He would ask again. I would roll my eyes.

This went on for two years. No. Really. It did. He kept at it for two years. I kept turning him down for two years. But we became pretty good friends in that two years. In the meantime, he joined the Army National Guard and went to basic training and then to specialized training to be an Army mechanic. That knocked a good bit of his cockiness out. He came back acting much more mature and level headed. But still too young for me.

After hurricane Katrina, he got sent to Louisiana to help out. He called me while he was down there. First time he had ever called me. He said that he had gotten orders to deploy to Iraq and that he wanted us to hang out when he got home. I agreed, for some reason. Our first non-date was on Thanksgiving weekend. I only remember this because it's the first indoor motocross race of the season every year and that's where we went. I call it a non-date because I was still swearing that we were just friends and that he was much too young for me. And then we got married on May the 3rd.

I know. What the hell, right? I was still fighting it in December and then married him in May. The real kicker of this story? He left two days after we got married. Set foot in Iraq four days later and was gone for over a year. And five years later....... here we are.

Also, Dawn. I have lived here, in the mountains of North Carolina, all of my life. Never moved from the tiny town that I was born and raised in. Probably won't.

the end.

Request Line

2011-07-13T10:40:00.000-07:00

Hello, beautiful people.
I'm sitting here at my computer, trying to think of something that I want to blog about. But nothing is sparking my interest. I could tell you about all the mundane stuff that is going on around here. About cleaning out my Nanny's house, mowing the yard, trying to sew and then getting so frustrated that I have to walk away, writing random things in my notebook, watching the two kittens that are now living under my shed playing in the grass. Blah. Blah. Blah.

So...... I've decided that I am going to ask you what you want to hear about. Seriously. I know. I'm a little crazy. And if I even get a request at all, I will consider myself lucky. I just thought I would try it out and see how it went. So, darlings. I'm taking requests.
Tell me what you want me to blog about. Anything. Really. Go for it.

Request line is open.

*photo from stumbleupon.com

Shoe Lust

2011-07-10T19:15:00.001-07:00

Just so you know, I am posting this for the sole (haha. sole. get it?) purpose of not seeing that wedding post every time I open my blog. I am tired of it.

So. Let's talk about these shoes. And the fact that I have no idea who made them or where to get them. I nabbed the pic on Pinterest and there was no origin to be found. I think it's pretty safe to say that they are the most awesome thing since slap bracelets. And I would totally rock these beasts like mad if I had them. But, alas, they probably cost a fortune. So let's not dwell on that. Let us, instead, dwell on how cool it would look to walk down the street leaving a streak of neon in your wake.

Yes. Totally rad. Totally.

*by the way.... if you are on Pinterest and I need to be following you, because you are super awesome (of course), let me know. I've already ran across a few of you there. Let's make it a party!

About a Wedding

2011-07-09T07:29:00.001-07:00

I promised you a wedding story. And you are going to get one. But first, I want to thank all of you for the compliments on everything in the last few posts. I know I say it a lot, but you guys are the greatest. A few specific replies, though.......... Amber- there will be 10 of the hand dyed bags in all with one more Luna. Jen- You are such a doll. And that tattoo covers half my back. You're only seeing a glimpse. ;) and Matt- plenty more happened. Trust me.

Now that I've said all that..... let's start with the arts and crafts!

First piece of evidence: You know those photo frames that they get everyone to sign in on? That's what this is. They wanted it embellished instead of just plain ol' white. So I embellished it with pink flowers. Excited yet?

Then there were hand lettered cards to go on all the goodies. Sparklers, seed packets, flip-flops, and so on and so forth. I decided to use song lyrics that would go with each.
It is quite annoying when people look at these and say "Oh, you have such pretty handwriting." This is not handwriting, darlings. This involved mapping out letter sizes and spacing, hand drawing in pencil and then going over them in ink and giving them all their pretty curves. Very labor intensive stuff. There was also a wooden sign, but you don't get to see it. (The couple may not want their names advertised. Just saying.)

Also hand lettered some signs for the front rows. These were done with paint, though. Not ink.

And then there was cake. Let me just go ahead and tell you........ this cake was a nightmare. To begin with, each tier is made of two layers. The bottom (and largest) tier had a sliding problem. The cake just broke apart and slid like the banks of a river. This happens in cake making. But considering that mom added all this stuff to the cake to make it firmer, this should not have happened. Oh, but it did. And we had to scrape the whole top layer of the bottom tier off and bake a new one. That equals two cake mixes. Just like this.......

Yes. Wasted cake and icing. Mom was sick about it. I actually have a picture of her flipping the cake off, but I'm keeping that one for myself, too. Now you can see that it was confetti cake. The bride wanted confetti cake. And a ribbon. We are not very fond of ribbons on cakes, but when that is what the bride wants, that is what the bride gets. On with the story....

The grooms cake turned out great (thank the dear Lord). I made this baby myself. Mom baked the pound cake. I carved it and did all the fancy fondant work. It was a big hit. People actually didn't believe that it was a cake. I just about had a heart attack when I witnessed a woman try to pick it up by the bill.

Baseball cap on a slice of wood. The groom is a football fan and a logger. There you go.

Okay. Now let's finish this story about the wedding cake. We fixed the bottom layer. Mom put the base icing on all three layers. And then I came in and added the detailing. Little vines and leaves and flowers and such. The pics aren't that clear, but the cake was iced off white with super white detailing. And it looked great when we loaded it in the car Friday evening. Each layer was secured in it's own box to be assembled on site. And then the long, slow 40 minute drive.
Everything went great, despite the heat and humidity, until we reached the venue. When you pay a small fortune for a place to have your wedding, one would just expect that they would have a decent road into the joint. But, hell no! They have a long gravel driveway. And not just any gravel, but that large gravel that is sort of like driving over small boulders. Cakes with real icing (not fondant) really hate to be jiggled. Especially for a good three quarters of a mile.

When we reached the top.......... the whole side of the top layer had jiggled right off. Heat, humidity, bad roads. Bad combination. But we handled the situation. Mom smoothed the icing back onto the sides, but half of the design was lost. And there was no fixing that.

So, as you can see, the vines and leaves and such on top just sort of disappear. But at least it had icing on it! May I please re-emphasize the fact that we are not big fans of ribbons on cakes. But the bride wanted the bow to match the one on her dress.
Mom swears that this is her last wedding cake. I don't blame her one bit. For any of you wondering why so many bakers use fondant religiously these days, it is because fondant can hide a multitude of sins. It tastes terrible and has to be peeled off, but it can cover all the bulges and sags and sweating that comes with the territory. Sort of like putting a girdle on your cake.

At the end of the day, the happy couple didn't even seem to notice that part of their cake was missing. But me and mom did, and it will forever irk the crap out of me that there were no designs on half of the top layer. But, oh well. It's just a cake. Life goes on.

And there you go, my dears. The story of the wedding cake.
I'm sure you are so excited that you can't stand it. Now, if you will excuse me, I must go find something for lunch.

Hugs and Sunshine to you all. Happy weekend!

Friday Pool Party

2011-07-08T16:17:00.001-07:00

I need a second to catch my breath.
A Friday Pool post sounded like a good way to do that.

*from Pinterest.

The New Shiz

2011-07-06T16:20:00.000-07:00

Just dropping in to let you know that I will be listing new items in my Etsy store for the rest of the week. If you are interested, I am offering a coupon code to my blog readers for 15% off of your Miz.November order. This is the only place and the only time that I will announce this code.
When checking out, just enter FINALLY15 in the coupon code box and automatically get 15% off of your order. This offer will last until July 23.

Hugs and Sunshine

June

2011-07-06T07:37:00.000-07:00

I promised you guys that I would get caught up on all of June's happenings once the smoke cleared, and I am here to do just that. Starting with my Nanny Ruby's birthday. (nanny=grandmother, by the way)
This is the cake I made for her birthday party. I was hoping to do something feminine in soft colors, but mom picked out the party colors. This was my first foray into using gum paste, so I kept it simple, making a little blue bird and some flowers and hearts. I really should have gotten a better picture of the bird.

I just had to try my hand at the heart cakes that you keep seeing pop up all over the internet lately. I have to say, I was worried that it wasn't going to work out. I know it's a messy picture, but I was just insanely excited that you could actually see a heart inside when it was cut! I also have to say that it was a big pain in the ass and worth every second of it. Partly because three days later, my brother had to inquire about how it was done. He had racked his brain trying to figure it out. You know it's pretty cool when your big brother can't quit wondering about it.

On this same day, my aunt brought me two dresses that she had found while cleaning out my Nanny's attic. They are dresses that my mom made and wore before she was married. My mom is quite the seamstress. There is honestly no telling how many things she has sewn in her time. I love being able to keep a few of them for myself. Especially this one. I fell in love with this one.

Quite a bit shorter than anything I'm used to, but so freaking cute! Look at those sleeves!

This dress is made out of dotted swiss, which is a printed cotton with tiny dots all over it. It also happens to be quite sheer. I could never wear this out in public without a slip. Problem is, I don't have a slip this short! Guess I'll have to find one.

So, there you have it. Nanny's birthday and mom's old clothes.
I will be back with pics from the wedding and a cake catastrophe. Also, I am very slowly but surely getting the new bags listed on Etsy. It may be tonight before the first ones are up, but I'm getting there. Finally.

Whew! Friday!

2011-06-30T17:45:00.001-07:00

You know, I'm really getting a little giddy about these weekly pool posts. It's like a new fantasy every Friday. I don't just mindlessly pick a pool for you. I take my time, study them, try to pick the one that is speaking to me. And once I pick a pool, I stare at it for a long time and drift off to la la land.

This particular pool is from a resort. But I like to pretend that it's a private home. And I imagine that if I had this pool, and this bedroom right in the middle of it, that I would spend a lot of time without clothing. I mean, seriously, why wear anything? It would be much easier to just towel off. No worries about wet bathing suits laying around. No need to change clothes when you decide to take a swim. Yep. I'm liking this place more and more.

*wayfaring.info

????????

2011-06-29T06:26:00.001-07:00

Is it just me, or do these jackets not kinda remind you of condoms?

The July issue of Elle features this company (on page 66, if you get a chance) for its innovative use of biodegradable polyurethane to make fashionable rain gear. The jacket in the magazine is not modeled on a body and it looks even more like a condom. My first reaction was "Ewwww!".

Cute designs though, yes? They also come in a graphite color, which is much better.
From Terra New York.

***On a side note: It has been mad, crazy busy this week. (I warned you) I can't wait to catch you guys up on what all is going on. But it probably won't happen until this weekend is over.
Hope you are having a great week so far. :)

Happy Friday

2011-06-24T07:13:00.001-07:00

Enough said. Happy weekend, all.

Skylights

2011-06-21T07:12:00.000-07:00

I have never been a city girl. I prefer the laid back rural life to the hustle and bustle of the city. It just fits me better. But this New York patio makes city living look pretty inviting, doesn't it? That is a pretty amazing view. And just look at that blue sky. Yeah, I think I could handle that kind of city life.

I realize that content has been a little random lately. Bear with me. This has been a week of endless projects. I promise to share pictures when I get a chance.

Hope your week is going good. Hope the sun is shining where you are.
xoxo ~Jo~ xoxo

*photo from sunsurfer via pinterest.

Dear Adele,

2011-06-19T18:54:00.000-07:00

Thank you for sharing your God given gift with all of us. You have woken up a part of my soul that has been sleeping for years.

All the Best,
Jo

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

2011-06-16T19:28:00.000-07:00

Friday is here again. And so soon.
I want to drink in every moment of sunshine and warmth that the season has to offer, but time just seems to go by so fast. I always expect to get more done than I actually do. And there is still an empty spot somewhere in my heart that is longing for something new. Or maybe somewhere new. I'm not sure.
When I found the photo above, I stopped dead in my tracks and took a deep breath. It was like a spell was cast on me. I completely lost myself in it. I could feel the warm air on my skin. I could taste the salty water on my lips. I could imagine swimming in those waters until dark. And then I saw that the photo was taken in the Maldives and something occurred to me. I have run across many photos of the Maldives in my online travels, and they always stop me in my tracks. I know this may sound crazy, but I think that I have dreamed about this place in the past. It's like my heart is tethered to this place somehow. Or maybe somewhere very much like it. You may think that I am completely full of shit, but I actually have a written record of one of my dreams from years ago that perfectly matches up with an image I came across the other day.

I may never get to see the places of my dreams in real life, but I am grateful to be able to travel there in my mind through the beautiful photos and accounts of travels that are shared on the internet.

If I go missing, just know that I am swimming in the waters of the Maldives. At least in my mind.

Happy weekend, all. I hope it is as fantastic as your daydreams.

*photo from sunsurfer.tumblr.com

Playing Catch Up

2011-06-14T15:38:00.001-07:00

Just a little mid-week update for you. As you can see, I have a pile of bags to get photographed and listed. There are a few more in the works, too. And some smaller pieces. However, the lighting has been a little sketchy the past few days and I haven't been able to get good pics. Listing items in the Etsy store is a tedious task. Besides making the item and pricing it, you also have to write descriptions, upload all the photos and tag them. Bear with me. You all know that I'm a little slow at getting things done.

Yesterday was like a National Geographic shoot in my back yard. First, I witnessed the neighbor's cat sneak in like a stealthy thief and snatch up one of my adorable little chipmunks. There is a reason that I don't have cats. Well, obviously, I do have cats. They just aren't mine. And then....... this black racer came off the bank like a bolt of lightening and caught a frog!! Literally three feet beside me. Scared the holy crap out of me. So my stupid, panic mode brain told me to go get a hoe instead of a gun (after, of course, I went and got the camera) and the snake bolted off unharmed. I could have killed the slithering little spawn of satan if I had just thought to get the gun instead. He wouldn't have seen me coming. But, oh well. And, seriously, don't even tell me that I shouldn't kill snakes. I AM NOT hearing your arguments.

On a tamer note, I have been feeling unusually girly lately and playing with makeup. Ladies, let me ask you a question. What kind of foundation do you use? I have given Mary Kay every chance in the world to redeem themselves, but they have failed. Their newest formula has the most shades that they have ever offered and not a single one of them matches my skin. None. So I am seriously considering a little trip to the MAC counter. I have never used MAC, but their sales chicas look really bad-ass and I like how many eye shadow options they have. They have more colors than Benjamin Moore! Not that I normally wear a huge array of wild colors; but when I want a brick red eyeshadow, I want a brick red eyeshadow, damnit! But the foundation is the important part. So, do you have any suggestions?

All of June is gonna be a busy month around here. I have to make a cake for my grandmother's birthday party coming up this Thursday. I have a pile of things to paint (signs, frame mats, tags) for my cousin's wedding. Not to mention that cake and a grooms cake to go with it. I have to take my dad to get several teeth pulled next week. The hubby got his motorcycle fixed, so we will be back to motocross racing on the weekends. And then there is all the other stuff that just has to get done on a daily basis. So..... June=busy.

I hope your week is going good. Please excuse me for being so completely random on this post. I have some pretties stored up for you, too. So I'll try to sprinkle them in here and there.
Hugs and Sunshine to you.
xoxo ~Jo~ xoxo

Friday, Already

2011-06-10T07:46:00.000-07:00

Here you go, loves. A little fodder for your imagination.
But since I really wanted you to get the whole scope of the place, I included a few more pics.
This is in Ibiza, by the way. If you want to see more of it, go here.

Happy Friday!

Road Block

2011-06-09T18:08:00.000-07:00

I have been trying to put together a new bag design. I started working out the pattern last night and it just isn't working. I hate when that happens. I have been hitting my head over the wall all day trying to figure it out. (not literally. don't worry.) I'm really hoping that I figure it out in my sleep tonight. This is frustrating.

Come back on Friday. I'll have another pool for you to drool over. :)

Filling In The Blanks

2011-06-08T06:39:00.000-07:00

This was the view from my backyard last night. There is really no way to describe the beauty of these clouds without you being there to see them for yourself. Seriously impressive.

Now. To do a little explaining of myself and that last post. Obviously, I can't really go into great detail on this blog about my personal life and the inner workings of it. But I think I owe you guys a little better explanation of things being that you are all so supportive and such good friends. (I love my blog friends more than you know.)

You know that little saying "Find what makes you happy and do it"? Well, it turns out that its not that simple. Life is never that simple. I have to say that quitting my job at the garage back in February was the best irrational decision I ever made. I have been healthier and happier and more inspired than ever. I hope from the bottom of my heart that I never have to go back to working a "normal" job again. I love working for my brother when he has a painting job for me to do. I show up. I do my thing. I don't have to answer the phone or deal with customers. I just do my job and go home. Love it. And for all the people in my town who keep asking if I have found a job yet........ I'm not looking for one!!!! I wish they would stop asking that.

I know what you are thinking. How the hell does she expect to ever build a house if she doesn't have a job? Well. This is where things get interesting. You see, I have worked a job ever since I was 16. I am good with money. I am very low maintenance and very good at saving. My husband, however, is not. Enough said. I have been without a job for four months. I have just as much money in my bank account as I did four months ago. Me not having a job is not changing the economic situation. However, getting a construction loan right now is nearly impossible unless you already have 90% of the money needed to build the house already.

On to my creative endeavors. Amber asked if I have been sewing up that dyed fabric. (thank you for keeping me in check, girl.) And the answer is a resounding YES!!! I have a whole pile of bags sewn up. And I am still working on more, a new design and some small bags made out of the excess. However, I am having a dilemma as to whether I should list them all on Etsy or try presenting them to a local store. There are several possible stores and galleries that I have considered trying to sell through. The problem with that is..... I could be losing a good chunk of my profit that way. Etsy is so highly preferred because of the low cost of sell. But I just can't seem to get a lot of business on Etsy. I'm just sort of torn on whether to keep selling on Etsy at all. (I will show you what I have been working on as soon as I take some pics. I'm really excited about how this line has turned out.)

Now, I'm sorry, but I have to remain rather vague about some of the things that have been bothering me lately. Suffice it to say that sometimes you cannot make your own fate. Sometimes you are tied to circumstances and people and responsibility. Sometimes there is not one damn thing you can do about life. It just is what it is.

And so, there you have it, loves. Another ridiculously long blog post. I'll try not to be so talky in the future. I know this doesn't even begin to clear up the hazy picture that I have painted, but I hope it at least sheds a tad bit of light on the subject.

Hugs and Sunshine to you.
~Jo~

Standing Still

2011-06-06T18:38:00.000-07:00

Do you ever feel stagnant?

Like water that has been sitting too long, losing oxygen and growing muck?

This is how I have been feeling lately. I realized it the other night when, with much fervor, I decided that I hated everything about my surroundings. This can usually be remedied by rearranging furniture. But when you live in a 100+ year old house, how to arrange the furniture isn't exactly a multiple choice question. Despite that setback, I started moving things and changing things and discarding things as if my life depended on it.

But there is still a dam somewhere. The water is still not flowing freely. I can't quite figure it out. It isn't my surroundings at all (although, the changes did seem to help). There is something inside of me that is stagnant. After such a long time, I am fighting off moments of depression again. I am happy one moment and completely miserable the next. But why?

Maybe it is because I am starting to realize that I will never have the life that I had always hoped for. I am never going to have a house to call my own. I am never going to have a bright green yard and berry bushes and a cozy patio for cooking out. I am never going to have a husband that wants the same things that I want. I am never going to have a female friend that I can trust and that I want to call and talk to about everything in my life. I am never going to be able to make a living doing what I enjoy doing.

And this is okay. Really, it is. I mean, come on. I am blessed beyond measure. Happiness does not come from material things. I feel like a little bitch complaining about what I don't have. I am so fortunate that I should be scolded for ever even mentioning the things that I hoped to have. But some of the things I want are not material things. They are much deeper. They are things that cannot be bought or built. And maybe the part of me that desires those things is the part of me that is not getting oxygen. I commented on a blog earlier that I think I am growing increasingly numb towards some things and increasingly sensitive towards others. I don't particularly like going numb. It makes me feel much less human.

And so this rambling ends with no revelation. Only the recognition of something that I can't explain. Only a knowing that this life will never be what it has the potential to be. Not just for me, but for everyone else, too.

Something tells me that if the dam isn't broken, the water will eventually dry up and leave a hole somewhere in my being. A dry, empty grave where once there was the possibility of a ever flowing spring.

*photo from Pinterest.

Happy Weekend!

2011-06-03T12:49:00.000-07:00

Just a little something to dream about this weekend.

I have been spending some quality time in the river. But, let me tell you. I would trade it in for this pool any day of the week. It's like a human aquarium!

I have some more pools saved up for you, too. So tune in again soon, okay.

*from glo

This Post Is Not What You Think It Is.

2011-05-31T13:17:00.000-07:00

Girls don't just simply decide
to hate their bodies.
We teach them to.

Ladies and gents, Miz. Jo is getting ready to break bad on the interwebs. Are you ready?

I ran across that quote the other day and automatically had to save it. How our society is raising young girls is something that I feel very strongly about and hope desperately that we can change. Low self esteem, self worth issues and eating disorders are rampant in our perfection obsessed world. And the two main things that are fostering these unhealthy views of the female form are photo re-touching and cosmetic surgery. Two things that have nothing to do with reality. No one is teaching our children that the photographs in magazines and catalogs are all digitally enhanced and perfected. No one is pointing out how many bodies are surgically produced. All of this "beauty" that our world is ingesting in gluttonous proportions is all fake. And little girls think that they are supposed to grow up to look like super models, actresses, pop singers and porn stars. And little boys expect them to do the same.

This disturbs me. Greatly.

But there is something else that is starting to disturb me even more.

I found that photo up there on Pinterest. Lovely, isn't it? Wouldn't most women love to have an ass like that? And that is the exact reason that someone pinned that photo. As inspiration. But some of the comments I am seeing on photos like this are really getting under my skin. On this particular photo someone had commented that the model looks "scary thin". That her shoulder blades jut out too far. That her waist is smaller than a child's. Another photo that I saw was a before and after photo of a young woman after some serious health and lifestyle changes. She had lost a bit of weight and gained some beautiful muscle. Her weight was down to 110, but she looked healthy and fit. Regardless, the readers started bashing her for being "too small". Quoting what the "healthy" weight was supposed to be for someone her height. And, worst of all, saying that she looked better before.

Okay now. This is where my blood starts to boil.

Nothing in me wants young girls to think that they need to look like a Victoria's Secret model. Nothing in me wants them to feel like they need to get breast implants and liposuction to be beautiful. But telling them that being out of shape and unhealthy is more beautiful than being strong and taking care of themselves is just absurd! This entire issue is about being mentally and physically healthy, isn't it? Well, guess what? Not working out and not making nutritious food choices is dangerous, too. True. We can't all look like super models. But we can all work hard to be the best version of ourselves that we can be. And I personally believe that this is what we need to be teaching young girls to do. There is a blurry line drawn between what society proclaims to be too "fat" or too "thin". But every single body out there is different. And what is healthy for one is not always what is healthy for another. Despite what department store clothing may suggest, we are not cookie cutter people. We did not all come from the same mold. We are as varied as the stars.

And this is where it gets personal.

Why do the "too skinny" comments disturb me just as much as the "too fat"? Well, because I have always been that "too skinny" girl. I am 5' 7" and weigh anywhere from 107-112 lbs. depending on the day. The charts in the doctor's offices have always preached that I was "too skinny". I have never worked out in public, nor do I talk about working out because I get fussed at. People roll their eyes if I skip dessert. Ditto if I order a big salad instead of a pasta dish. I have never turned down a dinner roll that I didn't hear "yeah, like it's gonna hurt you. you could stand to put some meat on your bones." And so, I have always tried my hardest to "put some meat on my bones", in the form of muscle. My nutrition choices are based on what makes me feel better and perform better. And my workouts are to insure that I always stay strong and capable instead of soft and frail. I have always had a very healthy body image and therefore always tried to make responsible and wise decisions regarding my body. It's a good thing that I have always took the snide remarks and quizzical looks in stride. Otherwise, the teasing about my skinny arms and flat chest could have driven me mad. But I have always chosen my health over what society keeps yelling at me. I have never been told by a doctor that I needed to gain weight or quit working out. The charts may say otherwise, but I am a healthy weight for my body design.

Now, I don't know the girl in that picture. I can't tell you what she had for breakfast or how many hours a week she works out. But I can bet that she isn't "scary thin". She has a nice full booty. And see those dimples and that dent at the base of her back? That usually comes from good muscle tone. If she were too skinny you would not be seeing that. If it is a good practice to inform girls that some people are just made bigger and that their healthy size and shape may never be a size 2, then it is only fair to acknowledge that some people are made smaller and their healthy size and shape may never be a size 6. Both are equally valid.

Girls are told exactly what every single aspect of their being is "supposed" to look like. From their hair to their cheekbones to the shape of their nose. From the size of their breasts to the size of their hips. For heaven's sakes, people. They are even doing cosmetic surgery on women's genitals. When will it stop? When will we all figure out that there is no "perfect" formula? We are all unique and special and that is what makes us beautiful. Our differences. Teach young girls that their bodies are not supposed to look like the artificial versions that they see on television and in magazines. And men! Your role in letting women know that natural is beautiful is even more important than ours. The same encouraging words can be much more powerful coming from a man than coming from another woman.

But please......Please! Please! Please! Please! Please!...... don't ever tell a female that striving to be the best version of herself that she can be is not beautiful. Being healthy is not about what we see in the mirror, although positive physical results are an encouraging side effect. Being healthy is about the myriad of benefits that come with it. Vitality. A sense of accomplishment. Strength. Self worth. and yes. Beauty. Because the human body is a beautiful thing. The more you love and respect it, the more beauty you will find in it.

This is what we need to be teaching.

Just a Thought

2011-05-28T11:31:00.000-07:00

I saw this on Pinterest and just couldn't resist. Coincidence? I think not.

Hope you are all having a lovely weekend.

xoxo Jo xoxo

The Hotness

2011-05-26T05:31:00.000-07:00

God invented hot pink.

Just so you know.

Is Blogger still being screwy for anyone else? I still can't log in from the log in page. They need to get their act together.

Oh! And, by the way. It's nice to know I'm not the only girl out there wearing a guy's cologne. Looks like the perfume market is missing something in their female offerings.

Good Scents

2011-05-23T19:00:00.000-07:00

Let me ask you a question.

Do you think it's odd for a woman to wear a man's fragrance?

As far as perfumes go, I have a few favorites that I absolutely adore. Burberry is at the top of my scent list. Burberry the original, that is. It's an odd scent that does not appeal to everyone. But it makes me happy. It's the one I wear for myself. You know. The one that I could care less if anyone else likes. It makes me smile and makes me feel like I have a secret.

I also keep a bottle of Victoria's Secret Vanilla Lace, which I like to layer with other scents, particularly Lacoste. A touch of vanilla is always a good thing in my book. And a bottle of Gap Grass rounds out the permanent collection.

It's not very often that a perfume sample from a magazine will sell me on a scent. There have been many that I liked and wore around for a day and then never crossed my mind again. But one has stopped me in my tracks recently and I can't get it out of my mind. It's haunting, almost. I have been trolling through my magazines looking for more of it. And here's the kicker. It's the men's version that I like best.

Issey Miyake's L'Eau D'Issey Pour Homme, ladies and gents. It is breaking my heart. I want it. It is calling my name. But is it strange for me to be wearing a guy's scent? The Florale version is beautiful and smells like roses. But the Pour Homme is seriously making me weak in the knees.

What do you think? Could I get away with this? Would you consider a scent made for the opposite sex? I mean, honestly, I'm gonna buy this regardless of what you say. But I still want to hear your thoughts on it.

The World Didn't End

2011-05-22T07:50:00.000-07:00

Hey, friends! So, it looks like the people saying that the world was going to end were wrong. When are they going to figure out that you can't predict the end of the world? God said so. Quit trying.

But since we are all still here, I thought I would fill a little request. You know I'm not real big on posting pictures of myself for no apparent reason. But Dawn asked to see my new haircut and my nails. So. Because Dawn rocks and posts pics of her great adventures all the time, I figured that I could at least share a little snapshot of myself. (she asked nicely)

I couldn't get a great angle on the hair. It's shorter and punkier than the last time. I love it. Even if I do look like a boy in a baseball cap. And the nails are the coolest dark aubergine color. I've talked before about how I lean towards fall colors in the summer and summer colors in the fall. Well, this color is an all time favorite. It's N.Y.C. New York Color (cause I'm a cheapo) in Manhattan. Yes. Nail polish for under 2 bucks. And its pretty awesome.

Stay tuned this week to see if I finish any projects. And if I don't, I expect you guys to send out a lynch mob to kick my rear into gear.
Until then............. hugs and tons of sunshine to you all.

{Happy Weekend}

2011-05-19T18:40:00.000-07:00

It has been an interesting week, folks. My mom and I finally had a little sit down with my cousin to discuss the details of her wedding cake that we will be making. The wedding is July 1st. I promise to take pictures (of the cake). I actually (randomly) had a gallery suggest that I get some work together and present it to them (all because I was wearing a necklace that I made). I have piles of dyed fabric cut out to make a whole new run of bucket bags and totes (with leather bottoms!). I got a fresh haircut. I painted my nails (I know. Crazy, right?). And I have been feeling a great urge to paint.

This urge to paint is what I am most excited about. It has been so long. But you see that quote up there? Yep. Someone has touched part of me other than my body and seemed to have awoke the sleeping creativity inside of me. I feel like proving myself. Even if only to myself.

So maybe this weekend will involve some painting. Maybe some more sewing. And, hopefully, plenty more dreaming. Here's to a productive weekend, my loves!

*pic from lookbook.nu
**quote from darling Jen. Bits of Truth.

To Dye For

2011-05-17T18:39:00.000-07:00

Last Wednesday, when the sun was actually shining, I decided to have myself a little arts and crafts field day. A few months back I bought a pile of white cotton canvas with the intention of dying it to make some new bags. I put it off and put it off (because I'm really good at that) until the moment finally hit me. And, let me tell you, it was a blast! I even took pictures so I could share it with you. Aren't you the lucky bunch? I'll even give you a play by play just in case you want to try this at home.

So. I started out with several yards of white fabric. I had already washed and dried it (very important). It took all of my good pots and bowls to mix all six of the colors I had picked out. Each dye is dissolved in four cups of hot water with a good heaping tablespoon of salt mixed in. Be sure to have some good rubber gloves and a wet towel handy for wiping your hands between colors. My tools of choice were some cheap kitchen sponges and a few angled paint sponges.

You'll want to put down a plastic drop cloth for this. The dye will soak right through the fabric and into whatever is below. So please, don't get crazy and try this inside your house. That is a bad idea.
This is not your normal dip dying process. What I did was more like "drip" dying. I dripped and wrung out and swirled and splattered the dyes however the heck I found fit. It was sort of hard to be reserved. Of course, the messier I got, the better the fabric looked. Who knew?

Once I was finished, I let the fabric lay in the sun until it was completely dry. Completely.
I actually folded them up and waited a few days to complete the next step. Like I said, I'm good at putting things off.
But at some point in time, you have to wash the fabric to get the residual dye out of it. Now, being that I had several different color combos and some puddles of serious color on this fabric, I hand washed each pattern separate. In my kitchen sink. In luke warm water, folks. And then rinsed it in cold water until the water ran clear.

Ta-da! Pretty watercolor fabrics!
I wrung these babies out and threw them all in my washing machine. Turned the dial to "Rinse" and let the machine do the last step. Final rinse and spin. Then to the dryer.

It was the most fun I have had in a long time. I felt like an Arthur Morgan kid. (you would get that if you lived around here) Maybe I shouldn't mention that I was in a bikini and barefoot on my back porch, throwing fabric dye around. ;) But it all turned out beautifully and I have been cutting out bag patterns today. I'm excited to see how they look all sewn up.

This would be a fun project to do with older kids. Its very messy and you have to be careful, so its not really little kid friendly. Cotton fabrics work best. Always pre-wash; it helps the fibers take the color. Have fun with the painting process. I can't wait to do it again and try some different things. I really do recommend hand washing the fabrics before tossing them into the washer. Be aware that the colors are not going to be exactly what you expect. The concentrated dye and the random application can yield darker or lighter hues depending on the colors you choose. If anyone decides to try this, let me know. I would love to see what you come up with!

Profound Thought of the Day

2011-05-13T18:41:00.000-07:00

I've been doing way more thinking than is really healthy these days. I guess maybe I have finally reached an age where I more fully understand myself than I ever have before. Maybe I have found a breathe of fresh air and feel like I need to make some changes in my life. Whatever the reason, my brain has been doing more calculating than it has done in a long time. And, as usual, if we are thinking about life, we are sure to run into the subject of love.

I have always been a little cynical about love. I don't really look at love in the same light that Hollywood does. I don't believe in fairytales. And to be quite honest with you, I'm not totally sure that I believe that two people can love each other equally.

I would really like to believe that it is possible to be in a relationship that makes both people the best version of themselves that they can be. And it would truly thrill me to believe that it is possible to have a relationship where both people are fully themselves, never having to change anything about their personality or preferences. But, alas, I have yet to see such a relationship.

It is my honest opinion that people tend to hang way too much on the word "love" itself. Love is a great thing, yes. I love love. But (here goes the profound thought part), love is not what makes a great relationship. (Oh. I can hear the crowd mumbling amongst themselves.) Simmer down. Simmer down, people. It's true. Just hear me out. A romantic relationship (for lack of better terms) is not based on love.

You do not have to respect someone to love them.
Yet, respect is one of the most important parts of a good relationship.

You do not have to trust someone to love them.
Yet, if you do not have trust in a relationship, it will surely crumble.

You do not have to have a similar moral code with someone to love them.
However, if you do not have similar morals in a relationship, you are headed for trouble.

You do not have to be physically attracted to someone to love them.
But, come on, let's face it. You need to be physically attracted to the person you are in a relationship with.

This is the real kicker, right here.

You do not really even have to like someone in order to love them.
Ah, but just try having a relationship with someone that you don't like.

You see, love really is NOT all you need. You need more. We all need more. And for any of you out there who are mumbling about that feeling that you get in your stomach, the butterflies and racing heart. That is not love, my dears. That is infatuation. And you cannot build a relationship on that, either. It makes for a good fling. But if you are going for the long haul, you gotta have more than butterflies.

I realize more and more these days that compatibility is one of the most desired things in a long term relationship. Being able to understand the person you are with. Having the confidence in and respect for each other to be able to communicate and grow. When going into a relationship, keep in mind that there is usually something about yourself that you are going to have to give up in order to be with this person. Look real hard. We normally always end up sacrificing a part of who we are to be with someone else. Is it a part of you that you can live without? Be honest with yourself.

I'm not trying to be mean spirited and rain on any one's parade. I'm just trying to be real and honest and maybe even helpful. Love is a many splendored thing. And we all need love. But love is not all we need.

*painting by me.

A New Leader

2011-05-13T15:38:00.001-07:00

New York/Paris/Milan is the most fashionable place on the blahda, blah blah blah, yaddah, yaddah. Yeah. I'm sick of hearing it. Whatever. I think you guys have some catching up to do. The real style icons are in Moscow.

Just happened upon mskstreetfashion the other day. Let me just say..... the ladies of Moscow have got it going on. Every one of these looks are kicking some serious ass.

Penny for Your Thoughts

2011-05-11T08:12:00.001-07:00

PEOPLE!!!!
I am not even kidding here. Not for a second. I have ALWAYS said that if I ever get to build a house of my very own that I am going to lay the foyer in pennies.

Someone stole my idea!!! And it looks AWESOME!! Seriously, how cool is that?

It looks as though they are planning on laying them out and then grouting them like you would do tile. I always thought that if I were only doing a small foyer entrance that I could actually set them in resin. That way it could be buffed and polished. And the best thing is, it's cheap. It costs only pennies! Haha. I crack myself up.

What do you think?

*found on the incredibly time consuming Pinterest site.

Oh, Baby

2011-05-09T15:25:00.000-07:00

Can I justify eating almost an entire pint of Banana Split ice cream with the fact that it has fruit in it? No? I guess that means that I owe myself one hell of a workout tonight.

Folks, my attitude has been a bit less than sparkling of late. I'm sure this is really no surprise, now that I think about it. Let's face it. I'm not exactly winning any congeniality points in life. Anyway. I keep posting the address to my blog in my Etsy profile and then taking it down again. I've done it over and over. I'll think for a second that I may draw a few new readers. And then..... I'll want to post something that I don't want everyone and their mother to read and I'll take the address down again.

I just deleted it yet again.

Sometimes I just need to get things off of my chest. And I prefer to not have my family members and any other curious little monkeys snooping around in my business. How is this different than sharing it with all of you? Well, partly because all of you show up here on a fairly regular basis. You chime in on my rants and offer advice when I lose my mind. You guys are great. You aren't here so that you can tell the girls at the hairdresser what I have been talking about. You are here for ...... well, honestly, I'm not sure what you are here for. But I totally love you for being here.

This past weekend has been a bitch for me. Actually, the last few weeks have been quite testing. You see, Mother's Day (of all things) tends to be a sore spot between my husband and I. Why, you ask? Because my husband would give anything in the world for me to be a mother. And I do not have any desire, whatsoever, to ever be a mother. None. At all.

Please. Spare me the speeches on what I bad person I am; how I am so selfish; how I'm too vain; how I have no idea how amazing it is; how I would be such a great mom; how beautiful our baby would be; and any other argument that you can possibly think of. I HAVE HEARD THEM ALL. Seriously. I really have.
And I don't doubt in any way that I would be a great mom or worry that I wouldn't love it. For God's sake, people! Why do they say "Oh, you would love it". No Shit. Of course I would love my own child. But it's kinda like sex. You have no idea what you are missing until you do it. And I have NO desire to do it. (have kids, that is. I have plenty of desire for sex)

It all comes down to a very simple fact. My body, mind, heart and soul do not want to be a mother. It is not there. And I cannot make it be there. And this whole situation pretty much breaks my heart and exhausts me like nothing else.

I told my husband way back at the beginning that if his desire to have children was stronger than his love for me, then he should go ahead and leave and find a mother for his offspring. But, no. He declares that he loves me and always will, despite everything. And I have to live with his spells of not talking to me for days at a time. Arguments. Guilt (for some reason). Shame (because others inflict it). And a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach that knows that my husband may stay with me, but he will always resent me.

There is really nothing that I can do except trust the Lord and hope that the big picture makes sense at some point. Although, I have a hard time understanding why He would put two people together that just seem to get more and more different from each other every day. I guess there are no quick answers.

I feel so detached.

But I also feel a little better now that I put that out there. Thanks for listening.

*photo from Inked.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

2011-05-02T18:01:00.000-07:00

Ahhhh. May. The month of steady sunshine, planting gardens and a nagging desire to take a trip to the beach. It is also the month of my wedding anniversary. Tomorrow, the 3rd, will mark five years of marriage for me and hub.

Wow. Five years. Seems unreal. The first year of our marriage was spent apart. He was in Iraq fighting the war. The second was more like most people's first, I think. The third year was the year from hell. We came so close to splitting up that year. It seemed that we couldn't get along to save our lives. My depression came back. He drank a lot. But things got better. After we walked up to the edge and looked over and realized that if we jumped there would be no looking back, we made it work. We tried harder. We tried to remember why we even liked each other to begin with. And now, after five years, I look back at our relationship and it just keeps surprising me.

You know, marriage is a bitch. Let's just be honest. Some days are wonderful. Some days you just want to rip each other's throats out. And it keeps on changing. He wants to believe that some day I will change my mind about not wanting to have kids. I want to believe that some day he will quit acting like a pouting 12 year old every time he has to mow the yard. Sometimes the seven year age difference makes me wonder what the hell I was thinking. Sometimes I realize that the immaturity is exactly what I need, being that I am sort of a kid myself.

It all comes down to this...... It is what it is. Marriage is like every other thing in life. Sometimes it's great. Sometimes it sucks. And there is one thing for certain, we can never know what tomorrow will bring until we get there. So here's to life and a five year anniversary. Have yourself a drink tomorrow in my honor. But don't get too wild. ;)

*photo from la la lovely.

April Showers

2011-04-24T16:12:00.000-07:00

Hello again friends. I hope that you all had a beautiful Easter weekend, whether you celebrate the holiday or not. The weather here was gorgeous. Saturday was spent at the motocross track. Sunday has been spent with family. Quite nice, indeed.

I thought I would share a few more photos of the flowers around my house. We are right now wrapping up the month of April. Unbelievable, right? And I am hoping that all these showers we have had are going to bring a bounty of May flowers.

By the way...... I just want to say "thank you" for being such great blog friends. Some of you have left the most thoughtful, supportive, kind comments for me lately and I truly appreciate it from the bottom of my heart. You guys are the greatest and, if I could, I would send every one of you a huge bouquet of the prettiest spring flowers to brighten your day like you brighten mine.

xoxo ~Jo~ xoxo

Confirmed

2011-04-19T20:22:00.000-07:00

I mentioned this little quote to my husband recently. He thought it was a bunch of crap. Apparently, my husband is not a nice person.

I've been busy with family stuff lately. The last of the hubby's great-grandparents died over the weekend. I've been in dress clothes for two days straight. Thank goodness I can get back to a pair of jeans and a tank top tomorrow.

Just dropping in to say hello. Hope your week is going well.

*thanks again, Jen, for the great quotes. Bits of Truth

High Hopes

2011-04-14T16:51:00.000-07:00

One of these days, my friends, I hope to be able to build a house of my very own. A nice little cozy home. With plenty of windows and a hella security system. A smooth, green yard. Flowers and vegetables. A porch out front and a patio in the back, with a big fire pit. Maybe some rock work. Maybe an art studio. A bright kitchen and an open floor plan.

But there is one thing that will not be found in my happy little home. And that thing is shower doors. I HATE THEM!!!! I loath those sons of beaches from the bottom of my heart. As if cleaning the damn bathtub wasn't difficult enough! Let's add shower doors! Being forced to clean a bathtub with shower doors has to be a form of torture in some societies. I mean, come on. I'm not going for martyrdom here. I'm just trying to keep the house clean.

So, here's my list so far.

Things That I DO NOT Want in My House:

*spiders
*snakes
*pornography
*prostitutes
*shower doors

Yep, that pretty much covers it.

Ring Envy

2011-04-11T18:02:00.001-07:00

It's been a loooooong time since I have made a Ring Envy post. Those of you who have been around for a while already know that I have a little thing for rings. Odd, being that I hardly ever wear rings. But let's not dwell on that fact.

I have seriously been lusting after these Stand Firm rings from Rosy Revolver for quite some time now. The two unfortunate things about this little love affair are that A. all of Jess's jewels get sold as soon as she lists them and B. they cost a tad bit more than I want to let go of at one whack. That is not to say that they are too expensive. On the contrary, they are nicely priced for such a beautiful festoon made by such talented hands. I'm just not real good at spending money; especially on clothes, shoes or jewelry. Don't make fun.

With all that said, I think I am going to start saving a dollar here and there (and count my change) to buy myself one of these rings. You see, my loves..... this is not just any ol' ring. This is a talisman. A reminder. A secret source of courage. This is a Stand Firm ring. A ring which proclaims boldly on the face in Latin "Don't let the bastards grind you down."

tee hee hee! Now you want one, too, don't you?

Who the What?

2011-04-06T19:07:00.000-07:00

So....... I've been reading back over my own blog this evening. Why do this, you ask? I really don't know. It just seemed like a good idea. But I am glad that I just wasted a few hours doing it, because I learned a few things.

I learned that there are a lot of things about me that you really don't know. Maybe it's best that way. Maybe not.

I learned that I crack myself up. My sense of humor runs a tad bit on the snarky side. And, honestly, I keep it pretty reserved on this blog. I actually have a pretty dirty sense of humor and I clean it up a good dose for all of you and omit several choice words.

I learned that you may think that my life at home is way better than it actually is. I'm not divulging any details on that one, but suffice it to say that things are not nearly as damn rosy as I have probably made them out to be. I don't tell you about the holes in the cabinets from me throwing things or the fact that me and the hubby do NOT always get along like peas and carrots. You know about the depression, but you do not know that I used to daydream about hurting myself. Why tell you that? I don't know. Maybe someone needs to know that there IS a frigging rainbow on the other side of the storm.

I learned that I feel better! Holy wow! No kidding. I hadn't really thought about it lately. You know how I'm always talking about how tired I am and how I feel like crap pretty much all the time? Yeah. I don't feel as much like that since I quit working at the shop. As a matter of fact, the last three times that I tried taking a nap, I couldn't! I am blowing my own mind with this one. News Flash: THE SHOP WAS LITERALLY KILLING ME!!!!!!

I learned that I talk a whole lot about art and inspiration and projects and such, but then I never show you what I am talking about. Actually, I tend to not follow through on a lot of things. It still shocks me that I even blog. I have NEVER kept a diary in my entire life. I just can't commit to writing on a regular basis. Which is also odd because I love to write. ( I also learned that I apologize way too much for not blogging regularly.)

So, loves. I just thought I would fill you in on that little revelation. Oh, yes. And the fact that I have been working with my brother for the past week. And I haven't taken one single nap! or even wanted to! I'm sorry, but I just can't get over it. Now if we could fix my girl parts and make sure that I never have a depression relapse, I would be cured!!!! Hells to the yizzeah!

Well, I feel better about life. Thanks for listening. And as always, Hugs and Sunshine to YOU ALL. Every single one of you. :)

Spring Fever

2011-04-01T07:19:00.000-07:00

"It's spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you've got it, you want - oh, you don't quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!"
~Mark Twain

I ran across this quote the other day and felt that it perfectly put into words the feeling that I get every time the sun pokes through the clouds. I get that ache in my heart every spring. And what a beautiful ache it is.

Happy weekend to you all. I hope the sun decides to shine wherever you are.

Bitter Tea

2011-03-25T22:19:00.000-07:00

My stomach is growling. Pandora told me that I couldn't skip anymore songs. And I just found out that the shit head that I ordered two very expensive wigs from on Etsy is a re-seller. Yes. Feeling a little fizzled out indeed.

Sometimes the world just seems like such a big pile of bullshit that I no longer know how to react to it. I know I am not the only one. A few of you shared your empathy by commenting on my post about being myself. Jane wrote a great post on her blog last week addressing the question of whether anyone even wants to hear the truth anymore. Heck. Spend a few minutes on Regretsy and read some of the comments there. Talk about a collective of people who are tired of playing nice. Regretsy has become one of my favorite places to hang out. It's nice to know that I am not the only one who thinks that society is just insulting my intelligence.

Let's break this down into bite size portions. Since I'm so close to the topic, let's start with Etsy. Touted as "the" place for buying and selling handmade and vintage, Etsy has become a mecca of weird crap and things that are not even remotely handmade. Once again, visit Regretsy and see the big picture. A huge percentage of items on Etsy are indeed mass produced items that are being sold as handmade. And the sellers of this mass produced finery are making a killing. Besides resellers, there are people who are selling junk. I'm not talking about useless items. I am talking about actual garbage. Rusty cans and moldy boots. Hexes and spells and spirits bound to magical jewels. What the hell? And you don't even want to know the rest.

This clowning makes the rest of us on Etsy look like fools. I actually make the items in my shop. I get needles jabbed in my fingers. I cuss at my sewing machines. I spend countless hours working patterns out by hand. It's not easy. Yet, I get very few orders. I cannot afford to re-list my items five times a day so they don't get buried in the sea of stuff. And I can't afford to charge any less for them or I would be losing money. But if I were buying my items bulk and then reselling them for triple my cost...... you see where this is going.

Now. I have always been a big fan of fashion design. I have subscribed to fashion magazines since I was old enough to fill out the order form. But these days I am utterly perplexed by what is being sent down the runways. This should sum it all up: I have this little game I play whenever I get a new fashion magazine. I flip through the pages that highlight the latest and greatest items and play "one per page". If I could have one item from each of these pages, which item would I choose? It used to be a fun little practice of fantasy and taste. But recently, I have been going through entire magazines and not seeing one single thing that I would like to have. The designs are so absurd. Or just plain ugly.

I know there are great designers out there. The spring runways did have some winners. Jason Wu and Donna Karen stand out in my mind. But the magazines just want to showcase the most hideous stuff. Stella McCartney's citrus print? Prada's monkeys and bananas? I don't get it. Why is it that if you have a big prestigious name, no one will call you out for doing dumb things? Why are people not saying "You seriously expect us to want to wear that?" I'll tell you why. It's because too many people do not make up their own mind anymore. They rely on someone else to tell them what they are supposed to like. How they are supposed to look. Where they are supposed to want to go. We are a society of mass produced clones.

I trust that you all know that I am making a broad generalization here. And if you truly adore Stella's citrus print from the bottom of your heart, I have no argument with that. But I think you will all agree that there is a certain amount of brainwashing that seems to go on in our society. Most of my readers, as far as I can tell, are opinionated people, perfectly capable of making their own decisions. So I want to know what you think. Is the media indeed dumbing us down?

You know, when I found out about the wig sellers on Etsy getting called out for reselling, the money that I wasted was not the first thing that come to my mind. Of course, that bothered me. But what bothered me more was the fact that this girl so blatantly claimed to handmake those wigs. She talked about her process in her profile and even had a blog where she frequently updated about her "work" and how busy she was trying to fill orders. As a matter of fact, when I sent her a convo about one of my orders she replied with "I am just now finishing your wig up!". How can people do that? Does no one even recognize the truth anymore?

This, my friends, is why I am feeling fizzled out. I believe that resellers and bad design and media control all go back to one thing. Lack of truth. Do magazine editors truthfully love the things that they write such high accolades about? Are all of us truthfully examining our hearts when we show our support for something? Do you truthfully know who you are and what you like? In trying to get back to the core of who I really am, my true self, I have found that my own opinions get blurred by what media throws at me. And now I re-evaluate my favorites list on Etsy, trying to make sure that I don't stand behind and cheer for anymore resellers. I feel like everything is a big lie. But I don't want to be. I don't want to be a lie. I want to be real. And truthful. And personal. How about you?

Hmmm.

2011-03-25T08:44:00.000-07:00

How is it that I keep getting new followers? I'm not quite sure. But I really appreciate it!

I have been such a slacker on posting lately. I know, you kind of expect that from me, right? But I have just been feeling really fizzled out these days. I have a lot to say about it and where I think it comes from, but it will have to wait. I'm headed to my mom's right now to have leftovers for lunch. Yay!

I will be back later, hopefully, with an explanation to my lackluster attitude (maybe even with pictures!). Until then, I hope the sun is shining wherever you are.

May I Introduce You:

2011-03-16T07:22:00.001-07:00

As you all know, there are plenty of sellers on Etsy that garner a whole lot of hoopla that they do not really deserve. I'm not being mean. It is just the truth. It baffles me how some sellers get so much attention while others who truly deserve the spotlight hardly get a chance.

So when I run across such a talented artist as Rose Wong, I just have to share it with as many people as I can. This girl's work knocks my socks off!

The title of Rose's shop is Go Happy, which is good advice for all of us. Yet her art conjures up so many emotions.

This one, in particular, is killing me. (I will probably be ordering it before the day is out.) I have felt like my heart was doing just that before, haven't you?

The complexity of her work just amazes me. Yet, even with all the pattern and detail, Rose's pieces still emit a certain sort of calm. A sort of zen.

In case you are wondering about her medium, most of her art is traditionally drawn with good ol' ink pens and then colored in digitally. As a student at Pratt Institute with a major in Illustration, I believe that Rose Wong has an amazing future ahead of her. What do you think?

Please click over and take a look at Rose's store. I just picked a few of my favorite pieces to share with you. There are plenty more, though, all enticingly priced.

Things About Me.....

2011-03-09T18:45:00.001-08:00

I'm not sure why I feel compelled to do some soul sharing, but I do. It has always been brought to my attention that I am not a person that can easily be thrown into any particular category. This could possibly be why.

Things about me....... that could piss other people off.

*I think weddings are a waste of money.
*I love to eat meat. And, as a matter of fact, I love real leather and real fur.
*I really don't like cats.
*Crying children make me want to scream.
*I have a devout belief in God, but have absolutely no faith in church at all.

Things about me....... that piss my husband off.

*I have absolutely no desire whatsoever to have children.
*I see nothing wrong with interracial relationships. (don't blame him. everyone around here
was brought up that way.)
*I want a house instead of just a garage.
*I actually enjoy going to the beach and doing nothing.
*I like going places by myself.

Things about me........ that piss my parents off.

*I married a guy that wants a garage instead of a house.
*I have absolutely no faith in church.
*I love getting tattooed.
*I say "shit" more than they do.
*I tend to vocalize my opinions.

Other things about me that probably don't make sense:
*I do yoga, but I love watching people beat the shit out of eachother. (doesn't really go with that whole "non-harming" idea.)
*I recycle, but I don't want to ever have to drive an electric car. While on the subject, I also think that America should really start using their own oil.
*I freak out if anything in the house is not stacked straight, hanging straight or an inch out of place. But I could care less if the bath tub doesn't get scrubbed.

I could go on and on and on. But because I love you, and I have no idea why you just put yourself through the pain of reading that, I won't.
You guys are so great. Your comments always make me happy. Truly. You have no idea how much your positive words mean to me. I guess it just makes me wonder if any of you would actually like me if you knew me. Sometimes I think that I must not be able to get along with anyone. I have never kept a lot of close friends. Especially female ones. But I think that its because I know who I am and I make no apologies for it. I say what I mean and I don't candy coat things to make others feel better. Girls tend to not take too well to that sort of friendship. They would rather you pet them and tell them that they are brilliant and then talk trash with them about every other female that they know.

I'm going nowhere with this. I know what I want to say, but I just can't figure out how to say it. You see, I get a big kick out of diversity. Just because I believe something or like something doesn't mean that I think you should believe it or like it. And I have a hard time understanding people who think that their opinion is the only right one. I know there are moral and logical and theoretical arguments for everything under the moon. But do you really think they are worth an argument? My husband thinks that recycling is pointless. I don't care what he thinks. I just keep on doing what I think I should. Other people think that I am selfish and vain for not wanting children. Should they be able to ridicule me for it? And can two people who are completely opposite end of the spectrum kinds of different still be friends?

The well is deep, my dears. Very deep.

The devil made me do it.

2011-03-04T15:20:00.000-08:00

Girl Scout cookies = Spawn of Satan

Just when you think the coast is clear and all the Valentine's candy is gone.

Hotlanta

2011-03-02T09:59:00.001-08:00

I want to be outside right now working in my yard. Unfortunately, my nasal cavities feel like they have acid running through them and I have a smashing headache right behind my eyes. It seems as though I have developed allergies. Yay. Just what I always wanted.

I thought now would be a good time to share a few pics from our trip to Atlanta. I'm sure that most of you couldn't care less about a motocross race. But this is what we do. We race. And being there at the Georgia Dome for this event was crazy fantastic for everyone in our little group.

Our friend's son got to have lots of pictures made with all the pretty girls. (and there are A LOT of stupidly hot girls at the Supercross. makes a normal girl feel quite homely.)

But who cares?! I got to have my picture taken with Cary Hart. I'm not one to give a crap about meeting celebrities. But when that celebrity can do a backflip on a dirtbike? Hells yeah.

Our friend J, me and the Hubs.

Our seats were right behind the starting gate. Not the best place in the house to see all of the track, but it was pretty cool to get to see the racers come out and line up right in front of us.

The racing was awesome. The opening ceremony was kick ass. Getting to hang out in the pits and watch the mechanics and racers getting ready was priceless. Now, if only we can get that little guy in the top photo to this point. He's really good. Just wait till he gets a few more years on him. Maybe we'll get to see him race here some day.

Welcome to the Week.

2011-02-28T18:23:00.001-08:00

I'm really hoping that today is not an indication of what the rest of the week will be like for me. My eyes hurt. They want to cry.
Do you ever have those days when it seems like everyone is fussing at you? You obviously can't do anything right? You want to just flip everyone off and go hide? It has been one of those days.

I may be overreacting, but it doesn't feel like it.

The weekend in Atlanta was awesome. I'll share some pics on the trip as soon as I feel enough positive energy to do the post any credit. Right now I feel like someone would surely bitch about something I did wrong if I even tried.

Does anyone in the Supercross industry want to offer me a job? Because I would totally be up for being out of town on a weekly basis right about now. Hart and Huntington? I'm waiting.

Hello Friends,

2011-02-24T19:52:00.000-08:00

Heading out for Atlanta tomorrow. Going to the Supercross race Saturday. Pray for me. And the rest of my traveling crew. Unlike many of you, traveling does not make me happy and free. It makes me anxious and nervous. I guess those two words are sort of the same thing. But anyway.

Think of me. And, Lord willing, I'll see you on the flip side.

Give me Sunshine.

2011-02-22T16:56:00.000-08:00

I want to be right here. It looks so warm and relaxed.
Wanna come over and we'll have some drinks and sit around the fire and talk way into the night?

*from Sunset.

New Things

2011-02-21T13:37:00.000-08:00

The past week was full of new things.
I have tiny crocuses peeping up through the ground. Doesn't the sight of fresh green make you want to squeal with delight?

Little buds are sprouting from the lilac bush, the forsythia and the dogwood. I dread the undeniable return of cold weather that will leave these little signs of spring withered and frostbitten.

A nest full of ginkgo seeds. I gathered them in the fall, cleaned them up and put them in this nest to weather the winter. Now they are ready to be buried in peat and hopefully encouraged to sprout.

I took some new pics of some old items. This little clutch got some glamour-shots made in better lighting.

And, of course, there are some new items to be listed, too. This particular bag above has been quite a little pain in my hiney. Well..... this one and another leather bag that I recently finished. Broke three needles between the two. Ah, leather. Sometimes I curse the day that I met it. And then I smell it and rub its soft surface and remember why I put myself through the pain.

Also on the "New" list is a beautiful tattoo that I bought my husband for Valentine's Day. (I still owe him big for this laptop.) He has to go back in a few weeks to have it finished and then maybe I will share a pic of that, too.

I hope this week is off to a great start for all of you. I apologize for always being such a sporadic blogger. But please drop me a comment. It makes my day to hear from you guys.
Hugs and Sunshine to you all.