morninglory kitsch

dear walmart,

2011-05-14T12:48:00.001-04:00

i know the idea of l.e.i. bra camis is good in theory; however, i have a beef with them. they are relatively easy to put on, but removal requires atleast 1 disjointed shoulder and a lot of wiggling that feels suspiciously like putting on skinny jeans. also, why are underwires always required? also, the use of flimsy lace for straps is ridiculous and not adjustable. what kind of one-size-fits-all world do you think we live in? oh yeah, please state on the tag that these camis are, in fact, underwear. i have seen too many women at theme parks wearing them as tank tops. gross.
l.e.i. may stand for life energy intelligence, but i feel it is saying, "life is too short to be spent in you closet, disrobing. all of your energy will be drained trying to take this off. intelligence was NOT used in this design."

sincerely,
mgk

the hidden cost of good taste

2011-05-14T12:48:00.000-04:00

did you know that you can design your very own decor at joann.com? for furniture (which is what i tried), you choose style, fabric, wood stain, trim, etc. i chose a louis xiv chair and a great striped fabric. we were recently given a pair of louis xiv chairs and aside from the dark upholstery, i like them. i saw this chair on a furniture website:

and tried to emulate it on the joann site here:

now how much do you think this would cost for one chair?

$200? $300? $600?

try over $1000!!! fun, but NOT worth it.

hot fun in the summertime

2011-04-30T17:06:00.003-04:00

my word, it is HOT outside. i was sweating while i watched the kids' soccer games this morning. i was roasting while i watched dot work on a pottery wheel this afternoon. those who know me know that i do not like the heat. why do i live in the south? i would like it to always be between 40 and 60 degrees. always. i love scarves and sweaters, but i don't like frostbite or bitter numbness. i love crisp, brisk wind, and pulling a blazer just a bit tighter as i shop downtown.

i ordered a new cell phone. it was renewal/upgrade time. i don't know where the time went, i didn't think i had had my old one this long. i guess it had been 2 years. amazing. your choice of a 'cool' phone is limited when you don't have or want a data plan. here's the one i picked. my old phone was a slider with a touch screen and full qwerty. i don't like touch screens. so i got this lg octane that is a side flip with a full qwerty.

of course when i get a phone, i immediately shop for a hard cover. i was tired of my old one, and wanted something new. i looked and looked. eh. no. mmm sort of. maybe. i knew i'd know the perfect one when i saw it. and i saw it. and it was the only one i wanted. here it is.

funny thing. i just got this tote bag. it matches perfectly, but i didn't mean it to. if you like these bags, my s-i-l is a consultant and would appreciate the biz. i love these bags!

and i got this large tote for the soccer gear.

i opted for a belt holster for my phone because i don't like carrying it in my pocket. so i got this.

my most recent television obsession is parks and recreation. i love this show!! so funny. talk about must-see-tv. this shirt was featured on the recent episode 'harvest festival'. i had to get it.

so this is the shopping i've done over the last 2 months. sorry i've been gone so long. miss you!

dear blog, i missed you

2011-02-06T21:25:00.000-05:00

{sigh} ah, super bowl sunday.

{snore} a couple of the commercials have been funny. adrian brody selling stella artois. i've been working, and just living day to day. i'm writing my book like crazy. 21,ooo+ words. it's really coming along. i'm very happy with the progress. i want to read now.

happy birthday, jane austen

2010-12-16T20:51:00.001-05:00

a peek at things to come

2010-10-11T06:49:00.000-04:00

we all know i usually start planning in july, but things got a little off course this year. so here's what i've got so far...

back to work

2010-09-04T14:50:00.000-04:00

okay, so it's been 6+ years of not working outside the home. what with the kids and all... so when the boy started kindergarten 2 weeks ago...

i decided to go back to work. just during school hours. and i got a job! at DSW shoes! yea, shooz! yea, employee discount! so i did a little work-clothes shopping at ross...

yes, i don't know what happened - lots of black and grey, but then i can wear colorful jewelry. and what's up with the scarf? i have plans...
so whilst shopping, i couldn't help getting a little helen of troy action...

blurry phone pic

it was only $20, but i couldn't justify it. and i'm not gonna wear it while scrubbing toilets.
my orientation was yesterday, and i put together my outfit.

belted grey long shirt, dark wash capris, fun cuff bracelet, dangly earrings, smoky navy necklace, navy strappy sandals. i felt good. i have fun plans for wednesday, my first official day o' work.

now the other day...

2010-09-01T10:17:00.003-04:00

i showed a book that i made instead of doing housework. just to clarify, i have cleaned the house.
and no, i won't post 'before' pics.

the trunk in the living room, my mom gave me when i was 20. i worked really hard redoing the interior. but i've never touched the exterior. so i finally redid it as an end table...

before: kitty-boy loves to get right in the middle of the action

i found some faux leather contact paper at the hardware store on clearance for $5!

close up of 'leather' grain

found some great drawer pulls at said store for less than $2 a piece!

it took a lot of grunting and sweat, but i managed to get the hardware off the front and
i will replace the latch. it made it much easier to cover.

hubby was nice enough to get a piece of glass cut at work to fit on the top for my lamp and phone and coasters. thanks to janabanana for the awesome leather coasters!

my homage to newdressaday

2010-08-30T12:18:00.000-04:00

here's my $1 dress:

before

this little number caught me with the vibrant flowers and it's shapelessness. hahaha! but i thought, 'i can do something with this.'
so i cut off the top and made it strapless. added elastic to the top. ripped the seams on the sides for side slits. hemmed it. added a halter. sewed a snap whose other half was attached to a ribbon with a fab silk flower. a little empire waist, yo!

after

fun top! the ribbon is removable for laundering.

a quick project

2010-08-27T11:36:00.000-04:00

i made this for dot instead of doing housework. :{

my inspiration: a "plush book". the monster book of monsters

i used a journal that i had meticulously copied harry potter class info into years ago (before dot could even read) and made it into this:

i simply cut out cardboard the size of the front and back covers. cut out 1 piece of plush that would cover the entire book. cut out felt teeth and pink plush gums. and just started hot gluing everything in place.
plush to cardboard, teeth to book, gums to teeth, cardboard to front cover, plush to cardboard, cardboard to back cover.

alex likes it

today...

2010-08-26T08:49:00.000-04:00

i saw a man in town. people were throwing daisies at him and giving him goodies.

"Where are your robes?" "They were... stinky. These are my recreation clothes."

gettin' lucky

2010-08-22T23:24:00.000-04:00

how many of you joined the lucky magazine online buying club thingy just to get the cute red handbag?
come one... you know you did. then you got this medium-sized smashed nylon thing in the mail 4-6 weeks later.

i haven't used it yet because i wanted to snazz, yes, snazz it up a bit. what to do, what to do. i decided on some black ribbon action, since i still had some from my alice dress. but first, i wanted to put some feet on it. i took some navy (close enough to black, and i would never use them for anything else) buttons and clipped the loop off the backs and hot glued them in place.

then, i started on the ribbons. the first one, i tacky glued. messy, yucky. so i got out the hot glue.

i snipped the backs off of the featured buttons and ran my middle line of ribbon.

then, what was i to do with the back? i didn't have enough buttons to do the same. since the front looks kind of like a blouse (remember that time, the people were chanting my name? and i used my strength to rip my blouse? i remember you getting knocked unconscious!) i decided to do the back like a criss-cross lace-up.

i added tiny bows for accents.

last thing (more is more!) was to do something with the handles... more ribbon, a little thicker.

and i had 4 buttons left, so...

so my completed product is like, such as...

front

<---

back

--->

and for you, mom, i put my charm on my bracelet. hope you like it...

just some little hot glue hairs. i got them off post-picture taking.

yet another blog in the woiks

2010-08-20T22:15:00.002-04:00

i have started a new blog to address just my cancer experience. please do enjoy:

www.mycancerblessing.blogspot.com

in love with a blog

2010-08-19T09:48:00.000-04:00

okay, so yahoo! homepage tipped me off to this, but unlike most drivel, this was totally worth it!

http://newdressaday.wordpress.com/

the blog is about transforming $1 thrift store finds into fun new outfits. please check it out!

i had to repost this recipe from her blog, though. as she said, totally dangerous!

5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE

4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
A small splash of vanilla extract

1 large coffee mug (Microwave Safe)

Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly before pouring in the milk and oil in. Keep mixing. Add the optional chocolate chips next (who makes that an option!) and vanilla extract, and mix again…

Put your mug in the micro wave and cook for three minutes at 1000 watts. The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don’t be alarmed! Allow it to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired.

FUN!!! i mean, YUM!!!

after much prompting and pressuring, i'm continuing on

2010-08-11T10:15:00.000-04:00

how long have i been gone? they've gone and messed with the setup options for this blog and it's not easier.

last month, seven of us went on a big-passenger-van-family-vacation through tennessee and missouri, with drives through arkansas and kentucky.

we stayed in memphis. i did not see jason lee, because they shoot 'memphis beat' in new orleans!

The front door of Graceland

yes, we visited elvis' house, graceland.

we had a great time together. we drove from memphis to branson, mo.

this is on the showboat branson belle, a cruising musical dinner theatre. i'm not sure what's going on with the boy making gang symbols. we did tons of stuff in branson - none of which you were allowed to photograph.

so we move on to springfield.

here are mom and dad in front of their married dorm at bbc. i actually lived here when i was a toddler.

midge and i posed in front of someone's backyard rubbish at a gas station in arkansas.

in nashville, we stopped at the jars of clay recording studio. nobody home. :(

regaining my brain for a project

2010-06-10T18:43:00.000-04:00

with the boy starting school next year and me looking at re-joining the workforce once that happens, i decided to be prepared to organize my life by buying a planner. it runs concurrent with the school year so it was july '10 - june '11. i thought, 'how can i best sort out whose project is due when? what is my work schedule? who has a sockhop or other after-school event?'

so i bought a pack of 4 assorted color pens. each color represents a different family member.

now, how will i keep these pens with this planner so this whole brilliant plan doesn't go south if the pens inevitably get lost? keep in mind, this is not the planner she lost on 27 dresses. this is a vinyl-cover spiral number from day runner with no pockets or such.

so here's what i came up with:

my starting materials: fabric, planner, pens

i used a rotary blade and a straight edge to make it nice and straight since my raw edges will be exposed.

i measure my strip of fabric using my planner as a guide and trim.

using the planner, i overlap the fabric with the right sides out.

hold snugly in place and pin.

sew along each edge with a zigzag stitch and contrast thread.

sew along the edge where the fabric meets underneath, not at the top.

i don't know why this is underlined... or blue

starting at the middle of the now built-in pocket, sew 3 lines to bottom of the 'pocket' to make 4 pen slots.

tada!! a tubular sleeve that fits nicely on my planner cover and holds all my color-coded pens.

'it's a good thing'

update

2010-05-12T21:15:00.000-04:00

so, per requests, here's my update:
i had internal radiation treatment today. just imagine all that goes into labor and childbirth, smash that into 2 hours time, and remove the joy of the baby. that's basically what i went through today.

now imagine every time you run a hand through your hair, huge amounts of hair come out. fill a bathroom trashcan with it, and there's the rest of my day.
no bald spots. yet. just slowly diminishing quantity.

sorry for posting a downer of a blog, but it's hard to be funny when you feel so crappy.

however, God is good - all the time.

a detailed costume view

2010-04-13T07:21:00.001-04:00

i did make the costumes for the shoot - all but the hat (which i tweaked with some added details). if you're playing along at home, you know this started with my dress and grew from there.

for the hubby, i bought the hat - added a real feather and made the hat pins (which you can't really see in this desaturated pic). the silk (polyester) scarf was $7, goodwill jacket $6, i sewed and added the extras - pocket hanky, pocket ribbons, pocket red fabric, lacey faux sleeves, and the all-important vintage spool sash.

for dot, i made the ear-headband and basically raided my closet for the blazer and the boy's closet for the vest. thrift shop ascot for $1.

for the boy, i bought a hat and made the ears. thrift shop bowtie $1.

blogtastic news!

2010-04-12T07:28:00.000-04:00

gotcha! not really. i'm still excited about how our family pics came out. so amazing! so i'll leave a few more tidbits here.

a day of fun in the sun

2010-04-10T18:04:00.002-04:00

and a tea party.

to clear things up

2010-04-08T23:38:00.002-04:00

there is a journalist in our town that does photography as a side job. he does free pics for cancer patients. so on saturday, he will be doing pics of our family. he'll do a shoot in alice in wonderland theme, and a traditional set.

i picked up 2 bowties and a brown velvet jacket today. $8 total. yea!

it's hard getting back into the routine

2010-04-07T09:54:00.001-04:00

those of you who are in on what's been going on in my life, well, you know...

i'm trying to heal. i'm trying to get costumes put together for hubby and the kids. trying to get a crazy dog acclimated to life with a cat. trying to get a 9-year-old to go outside while she's arguing with me about being out in the sun. i'm on the last disc of 'psych' season 2.

can you imagine if they tried to release soap operas on dvd? one season would be over 300 hours. and some of the shows have been on for several decades. what a waste.

getting ready for a photo shoot on saturday. getting prepared to start several weeks of treatments.

remember tommy kirk-

2010-03-11T14:01:00.000-05:00

from the classic disney movies? i watched last night's episode of psych and found his doppelganger. meet jimmi simpson.

likeness is usually better in motion. and lose the bad wig on tommy.

not the most flattering, but same angle of the face. just go with it.

twas brillig, and the slithy toves...

2010-03-08T09:46:00.000-05:00

did gyre and gimble in the wabe:

all mimsy were the borogoves,

and the mome raths outgrabe.

o frabjous day! callooh! callay!

remember that time...

2010-03-04T13:22:00.000-05:00

that i said i was going to make an 'alice in wonderland' dress? here's how far i've gotten:

this is the dress my mom wore in my wedding. it was sleeveless and had a short jacket. i cut off the straps, cut it off at the knee and added another slit.

i've now added an empire a-line skirt that comes to the shin with a sheer gathered skirt on top. black lace completes the hem.

now for the ribbon-wrapped top.

have you seen me?

2010-03-03T07:08:00.003-05:00

do you know who this is? when i saw this pic, it was very hard for me to recognize this young kid as the guy i recognize now. any takers?

sorry, shannon, we already discussed this one.

so who is going to see alice in wonderland this weekend? i'm actually working on making a dress like one alice wears after she shrinks. yes, it's a little ambitious, but i think i can really do it. i'm using another dress as the under structure and transforming it.

movie clubs & jeggings

2010-02-18T14:00:00.003-05:00

everyone's done it at one point in their life. we all know about the requirements and necessary fulfillment of monetary obligation. i'm talking, of course, about music/movie clubs. in college, i joined bmg. 11 cd's for $1 always lured me in. nevermind that i had to buy 4 (or more) at full price in the next 24 months. plus s&h. certainly they had their 1/2 price sales that didn't count toward your obligatory 4. and i would always indulge in the sales. over $100 later, and i would come to my senses and cancel my membership. disney's got me all twitterpated now over 5 dvds for $1, free shipping, another for $11.95 and yet another for $8.95. that means i only have to buy 2 more plus shipping, right?

my next major beef is jeggings. and guys in jeggings. for those over the age of 15, jeggings are actually leggings made to look like jeans. i've put up with emo guys wearing skinny jeans. and i've look away from guys wearing capris. but i put my foot down when it comes to guys wearing skin-tight, ankle-baring, elastic-waisted jeggings. judge for yourself...

yes, that is a guy. he's lead singer for some band called aim & ignite.

joan of arcadia

2010-01-29T09:23:00.004-05:00

so, syfy (formerly the sci-fi network) has intermittently aired 4 - 5 hour blocks of 'joan of arcadia'. for whatever reason, i got totally involved. i never watched it when it originally aired (blame myself for its cancellation). after watching the bulk of the entire 2 seasons, i watched episode 47. it was leading up to a big good vs. evil confrontation between joan and (hottie 'prisonbreak' and 'tudors' star) wentworth miller. then the episode ended. as did the season. and the series. now i'm hacked off at cbs for not giving us a fitting end to a great show. we're left with more questions than answers (a la 'lost') at the end.
boo, cbs!!!

ps, did i mention that mike newton (twilight) plays joan's younger brother?

pps, did i mention that i met chris marquette from the show?

being erica...

2010-01-28T18:32:00.003-05:00

is not all it's cracked up to be.

i've started watching this show, 'being erica'. it's a soapnet original series, which should tell you something. it's a sort of quantum leap with a woman, erica, who is going through some form of other-worldly therapy. this therapy helps erica deal with her regrets by sending her back to times in her life so she can try to right her wrongs.

i thought this was a new show, but sadly found that my first episode was actually episode 14. now, do i sit at my computer for 13 tv hours (that's a one hour program minus commercials) to catch up? everyone knows that the first season of a series is crucial to understanding the storyline.

erica, it seems, has regrets. a lot of regrets. i thought of my own life, me being erica's age and all, and tried to come up with a multitude of regrets. most of them seem so minor. my first episode did not involve any of erica's regrets, so i had to watch the other 2 to see what could be affecting her adult life so negatively. well, pot (for one), working at a coyote ugly-type bar, camp counsellor with low morals, etc. i still plan on tuning in. maybe catching up on some enlightening re-runs that will give this show merit.

i was initially attracted to this show because i've fantasized about being given the chances that erica is given each week. i am encouraged to find; however, that 'being mgk' wouldn't be a very long running show. unless of course, each episode, i would be shuttling back to a few days prior to put down the (danish/frappacino/chocolate/garlic bread) and not have to battle with the carbs/calories/fat. it would be less a soapnet original, and more of a lead-in to 'ruby' on lifetime. (i love ruby, by the way)

i wrote a movie review for my mom's newspaper...

2010-01-21T17:32:00.003-05:00

Leap Year, PG

Amy Adams and Matthew Goode star in Leap Year, a romantic comedy that follows one woman's determined quest to have the perfect job, the perfect apartment and get married to the perfect guy.

When their four-year anniversary passes without a marriage proposal, Anna decides to take matters into her own hands. When her father tells her of an Irish tradition that allows women to propose to men on February 29th, Anna decides to follow her boyfriend Jeremy to Dublin and propose herself.

But weather leaves Anna stranded on the other side of Ireland, and she must enlist the help of scruffy barkeep Declan to get her across the country. As Anna and Declan bicker across the Emerald Isle, they discover that the road to love can take you to very unexpected places.

I found this movie delighfully reminiscent of Hepburn and Tracey. Hollywood finally made 'romcom' that doesn't have to turn to inpropriety to be 'entertaining'. Anna and Declan's relationship goes from antagonistic to having genuine substance (even though they only know each other for four days). Through some eye-opening circumstances, Anna finds that love isn't about having everything perfectly planned out. Marriage is viewed positively, and as the only path for a couple in love to take. A couple keeping an inn refuses unmarried couples from staying there.

This movie is romantic, sweet and best of all, honestly funny. I recommend it for any date night or girl's night out.

who would play you in the movie of your life?

2010-01-12T08:46:00.008-05:00

or maybe, who would you want to play you?
if amy adams can make that skeevy whore, julie powell, look sweet and earnest; then who could i get to play me?
(google all red-headed actresses)
i'm no angel (thank goodness! if you only knew what they really looked like), but it seems that 'real' people are portrayed by thinner, prettier, more adorable actresses who look way cuter because of a wardrobe department.
Hint: if the main character is supposed to live in a tiny apartment which presumably has little or no closet space - have them wear the same clothes once in a while.
Reality Check: with the cold weather we're having, even in florida (especially in florida), my wardrobe consists of 3 pairs of jeans (1 dressy pair, 2 utilitarian pairs), 2 sweaters, 2 long sleeve t-shirts, one thinsulate shirt to accompany my short-sleeved t's, and my beautiful new off-white down puff jacket my hubby gave me for christmas.
i got a little off the subject, there. point is, i have a lot of repeats.
my subconscious life-calling is to determine who every normal person's actor double is. just last month, hugo weaving was installing my carpet. but back to julie powell...
i love the movie julie & julia. adams and streep did a fantastic job. in fact, meryl streep ceases being meryl streep from the first second she appears and never wavers from her invocation of julia child. adams, however, did a wonderful job as a likable, if harried, government employee. we immediately enjoy and empathize with her characterization of julie powell, however falsified it actually is. after totally loving this movie, i became ever so slightly obsessed and wanted to emulate the story by cooking from child's best-seller. i never did obtain a copy. the other half was thinking i wanted to read powell's blog. the real julie powell. big mistake. she is crass and foul-mouthed. i also found that she went from best-seller to sordid, feckless, adulterer for the next 2 years. i feel duped. i also feel pretty sure that if adams had come across with powell's real personality, the movie would not have done so well.
ah, hollywood...
powell's new book is not only about her latest obsession with butchery, but excruciatingly details the abhorrent meat and potatoes (if you will) of her infidelity.
i will still love the movie and watch it when i'm well fed (because you should never, ever watch this movie if you are hungry), but will do my best to mentally cut the real julie powell (just as she so deftly cuts animal carcasses) from this story.
if i have come across strongly, it is only because i invested emotionally in this movie and then felt betrayed by how the 'real' julie powell behaves. blah!

so i pose my question again: who would (you want to) play you in a movie???

georgia couple tattoes their 6 children

2010-01-06T11:34:00.002-05:00

between the ages of 10 and 17. they tattooed a small cross on each child's hand. this is illegal in georgia. it was a homemade tattoo gun (gross!). what offended me most was the comment section under the on-line article. here is one comment that followed some racially biased comments that i couldn't locate. read the irony:

"Thousands of black children are tatooed under 18 years of age so please stop useing the term white trash. Unedjucated yes. Millions of people in the US peirce and have neeldes injected into our youth, why are we so outraged that a 10 year old wanted to be like the rest of them and get a small tat on his hand. Barney Fife needs to hit the street and start busting real criminals."

breaking the law is breaking the law. and everyone's hackles are up about catching the 'real criminals'. parents who permanently mark their children ARE criminals.

it's been so long, i forgot my password

2010-01-05T13:02:00.003-05:00

not funny, just sad.

so many things going on and have gone on and are about to go on...

ups:

new carpet

christmas

family

sketchers shape-ups

oakley watch

snow tubing

new washer and dryer

eating in vegas at a sushi place that gsp ate at

downs:

flooded house

insurance deductible

paying for a new washer and dryer

injury

death

and now, the 5th day of a new year/decade, and here we are.

wow

2009-12-16T09:57:00.001-05:00

i've been waiting for 1 1/2 months for new carpet. it is being installed as i type. yesterday, my washing machine broke and flooded 1/3 of my house. this is my life. Merry Christmas.

bear with me

2009-12-10T12:25:00.000-05:00

i'm not feeling well. sorry.

a new endeavor...

2009-11-25T23:58:00.002-05:00

have you ever read an entire book while you were at barnes & noble? i have a few times. don't get me wrong, it wasn't war and peace or some other endless tome. i recently came across a book while with my sis. we both read the entire thing and laughed heartily. i was back this evening and decided that i needed to purchase said book and pass its goodness on to you, my loyal readers. [both of you]
it is:
i am neurotic (and so are you)
by lianna kong

kong compiled a list of neurotic tendencies that people entered on her site: iamneurotic.com

and i am here to share some of them, a little at a time, with you. i may interject some neuroses of my own, but i might not tell you which. i thoroughly encourage you to add your own or if you find someone else experiences the same thing you do, comment on the likeness. i love to see that we all share some neuroses.

so here is segment #1

food

food on my plate cannot touch other food. any part that has touched has to be placed to the side on the plate and not eaten.i consider it contaminated.

i am very picky about my chocolate chip cookies. i'll separate the batter into forty-eight tablespoon balls, and then add twelve chocolate chips to each ball. they are much tastier with the perfect number of chocolate chips.

i have precisely 20 nuts every morning before 11:00. these are counted out of the packet individually using a homemade cardboard nut counter, which consists of 5 rows or 4 equally marked-out squares.

i can only eat the middle of foods, like chips, eggs, or sandwiches. i leave all the crusts in a perfect form so they make up the shape again.

i hate tomatoes. yet whenever i order a sandwich, i deliberately order it with tomatoes and then pick them off. this way i keep what i call the 'essence of tomato'. i don't like sandwiches that don't have the essence.

hair!

2009-11-17T09:56:00.003-05:00

the last time i cut my hair was feb '08. so here's the evolution that got me where i am now...

spring '08

feb '09

spring '09

oct '09

nov '09

look, no teeth! or lip gloss. au natural. like the scarf?

something from the heart

2009-11-15T16:41:00.003-05:00

i recently came to terms with something in my life and am actively seeking to treat it. i've known my whole life that i come from a family in which depression is hereditary. but now i'm tracing through and finding that anxiety/anxiety attacks are also part of the smorgasbord of fun. (mom, i just want you to know that i spelled that right first time.) i knew that depression and anxiety are linked, but only quite recently inquired as to our family history with the latter. it appears that anxiety is, in fact, part of the mix. i have been experiencing something similar to cameron diaz's 'the holiday' character's "esophageal spasms". well, that's what it feels like anyway. hers are brought on by stress. mine are brought on by who knows. one sunday, we're worshipping in church and everything is great, suddenly i have an urge to escape to the empty hallway and gulp water because my heart is beating thickly in my throat. i wasn't experiencing anything emotional, or even thinking about anything other than the words of the song, but there i was, pawing at my throat trying to force my heart back down into my chest. i have acquired 'bach's flower remedies - rescue remedy'. it contains the essences of 5 different flowers that treats 5 different emotional or mental (yes, i'm completely mental) symptoms. i take 4 drops in a small glass of water twice a day. it appears to be working. and for whatever reason that is: real, placebo, or otherwise; it still cost me less than one doctor's visit in which she would probably put me on some synthetic chemical that would harm my body and turn me into a zombie. i know that depression and anxiety are real, chemical problems, and i don't take that lightly. i also don't believe that drugs are the answer for everyone. if you struggle with being bipolar or need to take anti-psychotic drugs, by all means, stay on them. but i fully believe that God doesn't want me to be substance-dependent. He created the plants and flowers and herbs that all manner of hippie-dippy, organic, granola-folk rely on to treat illness. i use those terms facetiously - i don't really feel that way about most of them (sure, some are crazy). why are people so leery of 'God's medicine' (natural), but will totally pop anything their doctor throws at them (unnatural)?

i'm just saying.

so now i come to terms with learning a little more about who i am. playing with the cards i'm dealt.

party pics

2009-11-11T13:21:00.002-05:00

so glad to be poor

2009-10-29T13:26:00.002-04:00

i watched the nanny diaries yesterday. i had never seen it. it made me so glad to be in the family i'm in. raised by my own, loving parents. without a nanny (or a trust fund). so scarlett johansen isn't my favorite actress, but it was still a good movie. it really made me appreciate the life i have, and realize that 'deficits' can actually be positive things. children are for cherishing, not passing off onto someone else.

oh yeah...

2009-10-27T19:58:00.002-04:00

if there's anything i hate, it's a zombie

2009-10-26T08:51:00.002-04:00

party #1 was on friday and i didn't want to have a repeat with the costume situation, so i threw together a corpse bride number.
step 1: makeup

bare face with lots of moisturizer in preparation for the loads of crap i'm about to slather on. i love this eyeliner-lashes look so much, i want to do it all the time. i can hear tink screaming, "don't do it!!!"

i custom mixed a light foundation with some shimmery white powder to get this ghastly pale look. i mixed moisturizer with some eyeshadow to do my hollowed eyes and cheeks.

step 2: get into character

"now give me the milk!"

step 3: get dressed

i wore a dyed wedding dress, black cherry lipstick, and a centipede spirit gummed to my neck.

viola! i was so lucky my friend had a wedding dress that fit me perfectly.

my recipe for non-dairy cheese

2009-10-22T11:44:00.002-04:00

non-dairy? yes. is it soy-based? no. the recipe is as follows:
start with plain almond breeze (almond milk)
pour into a cup and serve to 4 year-old
12 hours later (once children are in bed, and the house is quiet, and you can think) clear dishes off table
realize that your 9 year-old neglected to unload the dishwasher
realize that you are exhausted
place dishes in sink
leave for 36 hours
stop waiting for someone else to empty dishwasher and do it yourself
load dishwasher
discover almond cheese in a plastic cup

viola!
non-dairy, almond cheese.

spread on crackers, serve with vienna sausages

wishing you hadn't

2009-10-20T07:16:00.003-04:00

i saw that bram stoker's dracula was coming on last week, so i dvr'd it. the weekend went by and i finally watched it yesterday. i don't think i ever really watched the whole thing. hmmm. maybe there was a reason for that. i felt like poo afterwards. i want to clearly state, however, that i have no problem with keanu reeves. it wasn't any of the actors, just that i'm not into horror that much. action is fine. i love van helsing. (well, hugh jackman) so anyway. i'd much rather watch nosferatu, which i felt was much scarier. i think the unknown is scarier than a monster you can see.
i'm working on my costume for this friday. not to be confused with my costume for next friday. that's right, this year i have TWO costumes. two parties, two costumes.

and something else

2009-10-14T13:09:00.003-04:00

my victorian vampire necklace of pearls with thin black ribbon tied between each pearl and a lovely brooch i snagged for $3 at a cookie lee sale. i also replaced the fastener on the pearls with a magnetic clasp.

finished projects

2009-10-13T18:54:00.002-04:00

here's my finished and varnished sushi necklace.

and my completed cake earrings.

i am so livid at my old dentist and at overstock.com.

NEVER, NEVER, NEVER ORDER ANYTHING FROM THE IDIOTS AT OVERSTOCK.COM!!!!

HOW CAN A COMPANY SEND YOU THE WRONG THING 3 TIMES??

spectacles, mr. magoo!

2009-10-11T14:04:00.002-04:00

i need new glasses soon. i haven't had a new prescription in over 5 years. new contacts, yes. frames are stinking expensive for nice ones. these prada frames go for $200 on an eyeglass webstore. however, i am now the proud owner of these for about $50 on ebay.
ebay really has never disappointed me.

trying my hand at minis

2009-10-07T06:52:00.005-04:00

so after looking at all the polymer minis of food, i decided to try my hand at it.

i didn't think i could duplicate the moist, cakey texture, but i figured out the secret. i'm very excited about the result.

cake was not enough, so i tried sushi. i know my sushi paper is too thick. a mistake i won't make next time. i think it still came out alright and my wasabi and ginger look good. i think i'll rework the salmon.

another great blog

2009-10-06T06:47:00.001-04:00

http://sweetbfolkart.blogspot.com

this blog has adorable halloween decorations made by the blogger. really great stuff! check her out!

fun, fun

2009-10-03T19:37:00.003-04:00

just cruising etsy and various blogs and websites for fresh inspiration. check out the new guy blog in my following section. he has fab ideas for halloween decorating! if everyone tried one of his virtually free projects and mailed it to me, i'd be all set. there might be a lovely bar of all-natural, hand-made soap in it for you!!!

ginger, white tea, ginger/white tea, mango/mandarin, fresh grass, mango/mandarin/ginger

let me know what you like!

i've become that mom

2009-10-01T10:37:00.003-04:00

4th grade means state project.

i remember doing my florida report in the 4th grade. back in those days, my teacher had to copy large amounts of text on the blackboard and we had to copy it on notebook paper to insert into our folders. if you didn't copy it down in the time allotted: incomplete.

then, a beka books introduced these florida project books. you just fill in writing, insert pictures... easy way out if you ask me. i remember writing letters to chambers of commerce all over the state to get brochures. i had to draw a chickee hut and a sabal palm. this was all back in the day when you addressed your envelope 'Pompano Beach, Fla. 33064'. yeah, not this 2 letter state abbreviation. it was Fla. and we memorized all 50 state abbreviations that way. which is probably why it is still hard for me to distinguish between MA, ME, MN, MS, MO and MI.

now dot has to do her state report. which means i have to do the state report. i got wal-mart photo to print out pics of all the state symbols. who knew we had so many? state insect?? i nicely adhered the pics to the papers (she is to fill out) with scrapbooking brads instead of glue. i didn't do it perfectly, however, it has to look like a 9 year-old did it, right? i used the avery template to print out the labels for the chapter dividers. cute font! then i made a lovely layout for the cover with the appropriate information and a great picture of dot at the medieval faire.

chapter 1 is due in less than 2 weeks, i think we'll be fine, since i'm going to have her work on it this weekend. we didn't have the luxury of a home computer and the infinite information of the internet when i was 9.

so i've become that mom. the mom that really works on the school project with input from dot, asking her 'which one of these?' or 'how do you want this?'. then i do most of the manual work. i made the pioneer wagon out of a shoebox and popsicle sticks, the top hat with life size eagle head made of styrofoam, felt, and polymer clay, etc.

the thing is, the school always pounds it into our heads as parents to be strongly involved in our kids' work. finding the balance of how involved in this project should i be? teachers don't want the kids turning in crappy projects, but they know when a parent has done the entire project and the child turns it in. so dot will be handwriting all entries in her notebook, even if her handwriting is atrocious. i will refrain from printing everything out after tirelessly formatting it so the text perfectly lines up on the lines on the paper. nope, not me. presentation is what i will focus on, and she will focus on information. my mom worked at a stationery store when i was growing up, so i had the best folders and binders and lamination (and atrocious handwriting). thanks, mom.

doppelganger

2009-09-22T07:17:00.003-04:00

so this looks exactly like my brother (except for the ear). but this came out of the ikea catalog. weird!

a little more vampire humor

2009-09-22T07:16:00.001-04:00

tax evasion? hide in forks.

just getting another few projects out of the way

2009-09-22T06:41:00.003-04:00

this is the cullen wristband that i made for my husband who will be emmett cullen for my vampire halloween party. this and amber contacts are the key pieces of his costume. i printed out the crest, cut it out and placed it on this setting, covering it with a paper mosaic medium to seal it in.

i borrowed this idea from my friend, tink. i thought it was so cute, and a more compact way to store my pins.

love potion #13, made from mandrakes. and an a-1 bottle.

homemade blood is just elmer's and red and purple soap dye and food coloring. when the glue dries, it won't be so milky - more like the drips on the outside.

getting tired of your boring wardrobe?

2009-09-18T13:03:00.003-04:00

dye it!

i have a brown dress that had a white, leafy design. i wanted a new dress, but spent my money on other things. i bought some pink dye for $2, and now my dress is brown and pink. cute!

i got a salmon-colored jean jacket at target on clearance for $7. not my favorite color. a box of wine dye and viola! great jean jacket in a rich claret color.

got some items from goodwill? dye them. they're all yours, now.

don't be afraid of dyeing. it just takes a washer and 1 cup of salt. results are very consistent, unless you're going from 1 light color to another. remember your color wheel. colors across from each other will not combine well. light green to light pink equals a muddy brownish color. go for something much darker. it's fun to peek in the washer and see your 'new' items in a fun color.

and buying those clearance items that look good on you, but aren't necessarily the right color is no longer an issue.

dye it!

and now for other news...

2009-09-16T09:58:00.002-04:00

okay, so my last post was, well, whatever. i was just starting to get better.
i finished dot's halloween costume. sherlock holmes. i will take a pic of her when she gets home and post it. post haste. i got the idea from the martha stewart halloween issue.
~
any ideas for my hair? remember: victorian vampire.

a look into the life of...

2009-09-12T13:39:00.003-04:00

i watched a 5 year-old movie today. alfie. when it came out, i thought, 'a movie about an irresistible british guy romping through all the beds in new york. somehow portrayed as a light-hearted movie about what is so wrong with our culture. illustrating how sex affects women and not men at all.'
~

then i watched it today. yes, i came in about 45 minutes into it and missed 2 key relationships of the story. but you know what? he was actually the most miserable person in the whole movie. that in conjunction with what we know has happened in jude law's real life since this movie...

alfie is always looking for the next best thing that will walk into his life. when things seem to be getting too committal - he bolts. when he finally realizes that the one he wants is - wait for it - old susan sarandon, he finds her with another.

'what does he have that i don't!?!?' alfie screams.

'he's younger.' she replies. this destroys him.

in the end he is alone and unhappy. and i think, 'what a depressing movie.'

finally someone lets us in on what might actually be going on in the head of the confirmed bachelor. he eventually finds fault in all the women he's been with, yet finds himself alone and unfulfilled.

i've seen him in this sort of character before. in a.i., he was gigolo joe. in the holiday, he's the swinging bachelor with the secret life of single, widower dad who doesn't bring anyone home to meet his daughters. in real life, his marriage gets broken up by his inability to resist the dowdy nanny. his wife was sienna miller! if she can't keep him, no one can. what is his problem? he's been led to believe that his looks, fame, looks, money, and his looks make it okay to do whatever (or whomever) he wants. he deserves it. why should he be held to the standards of ordinary mortals? he's bigger than that. he's a superstar.
~

looks aren't everything. alfie even says this in the movie. if i were married to a guy with movie star good looks, i would be nervous that he knew it, and might feel he could do better than me.

a man's ego and a woman's insecurity. it's a deadly cocktail that tastes of bitter regret.

this claritin really clarifies the brain.

sickness and disappointment

2009-09-09T09:04:00.004-04:00

we are all sick. dot has it the worst today, but the three of us are sinus-miserable. dot and i are supposed to go to night of joy this weekend. we were supposed to get to meet jars of clay because i bought the 'special, limited edition' cd. and now i find out that they aren't doing a meet & greet at night of joy. which means i will be going to another concert of theirs in 2010, so i can use my pass.

on the up side of things, i did win a trip to boise, idaho. another concert. and i ordered my costume elements for my halloween party, figured out what to do for my kids' costumes, and my hubby's. he always gets the last minute planning with his non-costumes.

my party theme this year is vampyrs through the ages. any and all forms of vampires are welcome.

on monday, i started a somewhat extreme 'diet' and i've lost 3 pounds already. that's cool.

my rose-coloured view of new york

2009-09-05T12:57:00.002-04:00

gives some color to the flesh.

wind-blown

this is my absolute favorite. i think i'll get a large print of this.

those lazy, crazy, hazy days of summer.

uh oh, i think i've been caught in a web of obsession

2009-09-04T07:06:00.004-04:00

again.

so halloween and the new moon premier have been sneaking up on me. i haven't done a lick of planning. weird for me since i usually start planning and sewing in july. i felt so burned after last year's over-planned, under-attended debacle.
never fear, i've been talked into it by me best mate, shannon. apparently our twilight group is dressing as vampires through the ages. pick an iconic (or less than traditional) vampire style and go with it. i usually make my costumes from scratch, but this year i think i'm going to take the $$ and buy the perfect outfit.
if you don't sew, you might not realize how expensive it is to actually make something. and even then, my workmanship for costumes is good for costume wear only. it may be a little tight, or a tad uncomfortable. so i want to buy something beautiful and comfortable. preferably with a crinoline petticoat.
i'm going with victorian vampire. midge [whose new name is zoey] guessed before i could even tell her. so here it is...

elizabeth bought fangs for the three of us and i'll be ordering amber colored contacts for new moon. which reminds me, i need to get new glasses.

so what do you think?

vermin and varmints

2009-09-03T12:09:00.001-04:00

our little sweetie, butterscotch. and cranium giganticus.

sadie, the painted lady

2009-09-02T19:49:00.002-04:00

i think this is really cute. and i'm going to recreate it. not necessarily with sequins, but definitely something glam. i appreciate the occasional page worth tearing out of instyle.

oh, when the wells fargo wagon is a-comin' down the street

2009-08-31T16:03:00.005-04:00

i have ordered a couple [scratch that] few things:

and i am so waiting for the mailman today!! over the past week i ordered some 'necessities' and i can't wait to get them.
~
~
these 'huggie' earrings were inspired by a pair that tink has that i adored 3 years ago when i first saw them. these are stainless steel.
~
how industrial!

this is the cover for my new 'free' phone. you voted on this a few months ago. so i stuck with the decision.

this is a delicious parfum that i have lusted after for over a year now. ever since my first visit to sephora when i decided this would be my signature scent. it ain't your momma's bath & body splash.

it arrived on my doorstep this afternoon.

thanks, ups guy!

pardon me

2009-08-31T08:52:00.001-04:00

while i clean house.

new phone!!

2009-08-27T10:43:00.003-04:00

okay, so i didn't get the blitz that i was waiting for and even ordered a cover for. however, this rival was FREE with contract renewal. so i didn't pay a thing. i did order a new cherry blossom cover for this one. funner texting. but not whilst driving, of course.

the value of a good haircut

2009-08-24T09:23:00.004-04:00

what do you do with a nine year-old's hair that's been growing out for 2 years? you certainly don't go get it all cut off again. i been waiting, saying, 'i can't wait for dot's hair to grow out again.' but she did need a do worthy of a 4th grader. not to mention it's so thick. so i took her to someone with experience doing a tweenie's hair - someone with a 14 year-old.

before

after: thinning and layers

don't worry, this isn't her everyday look. so here's to the first day of school with a conservative ponytail.

the story of the jeans

2009-08-20T14:12:00.007-04:00

when i was in nyc on my shopping trip with tink, i scored a pair of lucky brand jeans at filene's basement. we were on the fourth floor. they didn't make me look fabulous, but they were comfy and had that cute, slightly slouchy 'boyfriend jean' look. they were on clearance for $20. yes, $20! there was just one problem.

the left leg looked like it had gotten caught in some machinery and had copious amounts of thick, black grease around a hole that had been torn through the leg. most of the leg had spots of grease on it. we searched and searched for another identical pair, sans grease. no luck. plus, we were going to be late for the ferry to ellis island.

in a last ditch effort, i took the prized jeans to the cashier and showed her the damage, asking if there was anything they could do about the price. 'why would you want these?' she asked, incredulously in the fashion capital of the u.s. (you see, she wasn't there for the countless pairs of jeans i had already tried on. most of which refused to budge past my thighs - even though they were 'my size'.) so i told her the truth, 'because they are sooo comfortable.' so she checked with her manager after muttering a string of horrific words that sounded like, 'he may want to damage them out.' i watched nervously as she spoke to a man. when she returned, she said the best words i had heard so far. 'he said 75% off. [beep, click, click, clack] four dollars and 98 cents.' (these words were better by far than the words, 'oh, this sweater is cashmere, so it's $60, not $40.')
back at tink's apartment, on the sage advise of my mom, we made a paste with baking soda and trader joe's lavender and tea tree oil dish washing liquid. i used my travel toothbrush to scrub and scrub at the grease. i then rolled them up and tied them tightly in a shopping bag.

at my mom's in n.c., we scrubbed some more, then soaked the pair in borax. finally washing them. the result was very pleasing. most of the grease was gone. there was just the holes to deal with.

at a craft store, again on the sage advise..., i purchased some material with the intent to put myself through what became an intricate, painful and laborious process of:

1. cutting out the portions i wanted
2. ironing on an interfacing
3. using embroidery floss to hand stitch over the outline and elements of the design, using multiple colors
4. ironing on a bonding agent
5. trimming design more intricately
6. applying a fray check around edges
7. belaboring where i will now place the fabric on my new favorite jeans
8. finally placing them and ironing them on
9. realizing that too much ironing actually kills the bonding
10. sewing around the design with strong quilting thread and shredding my fingertips in the process
11. noticing that my precious (not gollum voice) lucky brand tag was deteriorating from several washings
12. masochist that i am, deciding to hand embroider the 'l' and 'b' on the tag as it continues to disappear
13. weaving a patch through the holes and then deciding not to cover them after all

here are the pics:

super comfy, cute lucky jeans

increasingly deteriorated lucky tag

holes with grease after intense cleaning

woven-patched hole

embroidered 'l' and 'b'

flower design on fabric

flower embroidered by moi

dragon design on fabric

countless hours later, dragon complete

flower and dragon with bonding agent and fray check

flower applied

dragon applied

yes, i bought these jeans worth over $100 for $5 - 'new'. then i invested hours and hours into the cleaning and embellishing. i hope i never lose these.

if you don't like the dragon or think i wasted my time, don't waste yours in commenting. i certainly did not share all this with you to be told that my hard work looks stupid.

don't forget, i live in podunkville where people appreciate craftiness.

winner, winner, chicken dinner!

2009-08-19T08:33:00.001-04:00

so, obviously, 'a' is the winner. one vote for 'c' and one vote for 'd'.
thanks for your participation!

it's a vote!

2009-08-16T15:55:00.003-04:00

new header time!!!
here are my header choices, please vote on which one you want to see 'head up' my blog.

a.

c.
d. the header i have up.

please let me know what you think...

type a personality

2009-08-07T18:39:00.004-04:00

thanks for the lesson in close-ups, tink.

just a little vampire humor

2009-08-07T17:21:00.001-04:00

my new python

2009-08-07T17:16:00.001-04:00

lavender pythons* are very rare in the amazon. as are bloodsucking darcy's.

*not actual python

movies that stay with you

2009-08-06T09:44:00.006-04:00

once in a while, you see a film (yeah, film) that doesn't fade away with the credits.

i've recently seen two such examples of cinematography. the first (and i can here shannon laughing) is the fall. i can't even start to explain the effect this film had on me. not since amelie (remember that?) and the darjeeling limited have i been so awed. and i wanted to immediately watch it again. the little girl is so natural, i'm not even sure there was a script for her. it keeps you emotionally involved, and, even though there's a short freaky part that's more of an unconscious hallucination, it has a good ending. i want to watch it over and over. and so should you. by the way, it stars lee pace.

this second selection is a slightly odd choice for me. i saw trailers for this film and was intrigued. it came and went in my mind, and i would wonder about it, namelessly, once in a while. until tuesday night. elizabeth and shannon came over and brought miss pettigrew lives for a day and charlie bartlett. (by the way, miss pettigrew is also one of those wonderful films. lee pace. a must see.)

charlie bartlett is about a high school boy (anton yelchin, star trek's chekov) who, although terribly sweet, is constantly getting kicked out of prep schools. his mother is never mad at him. he starts public school. gets beat up. tries out for a play. sees a shrink. is prescribed ritalin. which makes him hyper.

from there, the plot takes off. charlie starts counselling kids in the boys restroom. taking their problems to different shrinks. getting drugs prescribed to him. which he then sells to the kids who need them. he makes the bully who beat him up his business partner. gets involved with the principal's (robert downey, jr.) daughter. it has a lot of language - particularly from bully and sidekick. but it was thought provoking. and i can't shake the enchanting performance given by yelchin. nor how much downey, jr. has grown on me. can't wait to see holmes.

some shopping success

2009-08-03T11:11:00.006-04:00

so i got this outfit at ann taylor loft with tink. she said, 'pair it with a jean jacket and a red beaded necklace.' on saturday, i found this jean jacket at goodwill!

on saturday night, while hubby watched cops and america's most wanted, i made this necklace.
and then i wore it all on sunday. yay!

all hands on deck

2009-07-31T08:51:00.000-04:00

and i thought the scooby doo was ridiculous

2009-07-30T15:47:00.002-04:00

the madness never ends.

ellis island, table for two...

2009-07-24T09:23:00.004-04:00

hey, we ain't scared of brooklyn!

2009-07-24T09:22:00.001-04:00

i love my tiny camera.

you know what happens when you assume...

2009-07-24T09:19:00.001-04:00

yes, i found myself suddenly in NYC

2009-07-24T08:54:00.001-04:00

i love this shot where the past and the present collide under lady liberty's nose.

Widget

2009-07-10T07:28:00.001-04:00

a lot to think about

2009-07-10T07:17:00.006-04:00

there have been a lot of deaths these past few weeks. some were surprising. some were understandable. some were blown way out of proportion. i'd like to address a death that could've happened, but didn't.

my father-in-law was urged by his cousin to have a new heart test done after his own test resulted in bypass surgery. my father-in-law also underwent bypass surgery and is now on his way to recovery. but doctors told him that if he'd gone on vacation, the blocked artery may have very well killed him. he is 58. encourage all the men in your life to have a stress test administered and a thorough heart screening.

NOW...

there are a few things i'd like to discuss. first is the most recent book i've read.

this book was soooo good. especially after having visited salem, ma. i totally recommend this as a good read. i don't want to give anything away. so i'll move on.

i am excited about a new book that is coming out next month. i plan to gift this book to some special people, so i hope they don't run out and buy it first. let me back up a little...

first there was this book:

completely ridiculous. first of all, it was written by a man. secondly, zombies?!

but this one i am excited about, because i've read her work and she is excellent:

like jane austen on twilight. how fun is that? if you think about it, you can see a kind of darcy/elizabeth relationship between edward and bella. he's kind of mean at first. she acts headstrong. he's rich. she's not. make your own observations.

a revamped me

2009-06-30T08:43:00.002-04:00

i'm trying to build a collection of quality articles of clothing, shoes and accessories that can be put together smartly and only make me look good. better. best. i started sketching out some outfits i've seen other well-put-together peeps wearing on tv. then i carefully build my wardrobe with good basic choices. no more mindless, ill-fitting t-shirts for me. but i'm keeping my jeans and what me mum would call 'knock-around clothes'. my body double is helping me with the display. so here's one i put together with what i already had. replace the skirt with wide leg jeans. add dangle earrings and some jewel-toned ballet flats.

an american institution!?

2009-06-27T08:52:00.004-04:00

when you watch a movie as a kid, a lot can fly right over your head. innuendo, indiscriminate song lyrics, teen pregnancy, smoking makes you cool, etc. but if you watch this movie again as an adult, you catch a whole lot more. although i was reminded why, as a 4 year-old, i had a crush on travolta (who now lives less than a mile from one of my girlfriends - you think i've ever seen him? no!). i also realize how impossibly thin sandy was. last time i was that thin, i was 5 years old.

why, though, has this movie (and so many others) become a 'classic', an 'american institution'? there are so many things wrong with 'american classics'.

take a page from older countries and compare what is classic. charles dickens, jane austen, actual history. the sad part is that this movie, being 30 years old is so tame compared to what we expose ourselves to in the threatres now.

the tvland awards honored 2 1/2 men with the 'future classic' award. what's wrong with this picture? anything with charlie sheen should not be made a classic. i give you one example: hot shots.

things are going down the tube. fast.

remember the sunday school song, oh be careful little eyes (ears, mouth, feet, hands)? i think they were on to something. except i think we should now sing it in 'big church'.

shopping the sales at hobby lobby

2009-06-23T18:13:00.004-04:00

so my new, penny-pinching philosophy tells me to carefully buy only the items i need for this one project, do the project, and clean up any extra bits. so i finally put together a display of my british coinage.

top row: elizabeth ii through the years in pennies 1-3, two pence with young elizabeth ii, older elizabeth ii and back

2nd row: 5 pence, 10 pence front and back

3rd row: king george vi, youngest elizabeth and young elizabeth (a study of canadian pennies)

4th row: 20 pence front and back

5th row: 50 pence

bottom: a study in british pounds

how about this

2009-06-20T22:06:00.001-04:00

the disturbing photo of the week. and a built-in pillow.

making the old new again

2009-06-13T11:27:00.002-04:00

so i had this necklace/wrap bracelet that had a stone hanging from it that wasn't the best quality. i've been looking for at least a year for a new stone to hang from it. in related news, i finally visited a bead store near my house. i got an awesome natural stone and not only changed out the old stone, but incorporated my most recent medal that came in. fun right?

a summer haircut

2009-06-10T11:37:00.000-04:00

it's my obsession

2009-06-09T15:58:00.005-04:00

another one. this one is a 5 year-long 'need' to acquire a st. joan of arc medal. i asked my mummy to get one for me from italy whence she wast there, but, alas, no medal. so, since saturday i have bought 3 on ebay, and there's still a few more i want to get.

i got this one in the mail first, and immediately made a little necklace out of it with part of a lone earring my friend made for me (it's mate was lost).

this one isn't my favorite, but i got it for $5. it's very modern traditional of saint medals.

this one was the most $ so far. straight from belgium, but gorgeous!

2009-06-02T05:52:00.001-04:00

just sooo creepy!

2009-05-28T22:21:00.003-04:00

i might just have nightmares.

are you freakin' kidding me?!

2009-05-28T16:02:00.002-04:00

a small gas station-size bag of fritos has 50 grams of fat.

50 GRAMS OF FAT!!!

2009-05-27T17:13:00.000-04:00

yeah, i was there.

ready for a vacay!

2009-05-21T07:10:00.002-04:00

tomorrow we're going to sanibel island for a few days. i don't know if anyone has been paying attention, but we've been in monsoon season all week, and it doesn't appear to be letting up. so my beach getaway is going to be a rainy one. but, hey, it's still a getaway! and it won't be blazing hot.

congrats, kris allen. church music leaders are taking over the world. finally.

maybe it's maybeline

2009-05-18T13:14:00.002-04:00

i don't know what it was, but i cried for both winston churchill and princess di yesterday. i was watching a show about the windsors on pbs. and i cried. i cried for william and harry. i cried for fergie losing her friend. maybe it's the combination of pbs and pms.

ps, mom, i want this quilt. and, go!

mother's day and other sundries

2009-05-16T11:28:00.003-04:00

this is my mother's day gift. my hubby made quite a personal sacrifice to get this for me. he is so giving.

after months of waiting, i put up my souvenir shelves myself. and he's the installer.

topshelf: empire state building, eiffel tower, flatiron building, statue of liberty

second: tower of the americas, las vegas sign, chinese dragon dog, gateway arch

third: coral and figures from hawaii (king kamehamehal), the alamo, cozumel aztec head, cowrie shell from charleston

fourth: liberty bell, piece of foundation from pompeii, vespa from italy, tower of pisa, trevi fountain - rome

it's been soooo long

2009-05-14T07:04:00.002-04:00

this week started with a field trip and pretty much went downhill from there. now it's thursday, i've got 4 finales (castle, big bang, biggest loser, lost) under my belt (this week only) with a couple more to go. excited about tonight's office episode. last week's was hilarious. cafe disco, anyone? would it really be that bad to have michael scott as a boss? i'm also in the midst of reading atleast 6 books at once. did i mention that i've been working out 5 days a week for the last 5 weeks? it feels good. it's too bad that danny gokey didn't make idol finals. i guess we'll be seeing adam lambert's cd of screams and screeches on shelves soon.

working for the weekend

2009-05-08T11:22:00.004-04:00

i threw this purse together for my weekend away with dot and midge. it has pockets for my cell, camera and ipod as well as a grommet for my earbud cord and a loop to hook my wallet and keys to.

my new camera. light as a feather and small as a pack of gum.

don't you love the color?

and it's a nikon.

be still my beating heart

2009-05-05T18:16:00.002-04:00

Wolverine Sequel Already in the Works

http://news.yahoo.com/s/eonline/20090505/en_top_eo/122213

so i didn't know this, but...

2009-05-05T16:02:00.004-04:00

apparently freckles are unsightly. people don't like that they have freckles and have a dermatologist remove them with a laser treatment. i read that freckles are the result of too much sun. any of you who know me know that i am hardly ever in the sun, yet i have an abundance of freckles. are they really that bad? wolverine's kayla silverfox had freckles. i know quite a few redheads who are freckled. so i googled, 'i like my freckles'. i wanted to read one website devoted to liking yourself the way you are. all i found was 'i don't like my freckles', 'i hate my freckles', etc.

so i'm taking a stand to say, i like my freckles - they are a part of who i am. plus, if i ever got rid of them, i would be void of color. my freckles are the only thing that make my skin visible to the naked eye.