Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Autobiography



I went to visit my sister and on the way there and back, I read Me by Katherine Hepburn. So lovely and quirky. Not only has Ms. Hepburn led a remarkable life, but her storytelling style is very interesting. The book is like a conversation. It goes back and forth in time. Certain people are introduced as if you already know them. It is kind of a whirlwind, but worth the read for sure.


*I have been meaning to post this since I got back. Today on my other blog, I picked Katherine Hepburn as the theme for tomorrow. Figured it was a sign to get off my keester. :)

Merry Christmas!
*upon looking over my list, I find I have already done this one. Oh well, DOUBLE DONE!

Monday, October 17, 2011

PHONE CALL!



Oh how I loathe talking on the phone. I fear it really. In the way that many people fear public speaking. I could public speak for days, but don't ask me to answer the phone. The heart just flutters in panic. Because of this, my husband is the social secretary in my family and many people have learned to text. Also because of this, when someone in my family calls me (since they have long since learned better), I panic and think there must be a tragedy. So most of those calls go liket this: Hello? DON'T WORRY. NOTHING IS WRONG. I JUST HAD TO ASK YOU A QUESTION.

So, I finally called someone I haven't talked to in a long time. Kaitanya (the one in the middle) is my history. I did a lot of growing up with her and she and I kind of drifted apart in the college and 20's year. Thank heavens for Facebook. Now we are reunited and "it feels so good". I finally called her the other day. Unfortunately, it was to talk about something sad that happened, but I hope it has opened up a door to many more happy conversations in the future.

Friday, October 7, 2011

I am not lazy...

Just busy. Kid in kindergarten, admittedly other blog taking attention, not accomplishing a lot, blah blah excuses. I did just change two things on the list to reflect a more current desire of doing-ness.

But I am super excited about my other blog which gives me and some other fabulous gals (all are invited to play) the opportunity to be creative in a way that is fun and easy. We are all having a blast and I think I have even made some new friends.

I have advertised here before, but check it out-

THE STYLING GAME



*this is me on my other blog today.

Have a great weekend!

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

CRAFT ROOM!!!

Well, of course I would love it if it was fancier and prettier. And all of that may happen over time, but I believe I have finally organized my craft room/closet/den of happiness and here are the pics to prove it.


























Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Is this too lame?




Well I finally got around to doing the paper doll cut out thingee I wanted to do. Now while the attached examples are no indication of artistic merit on my part, I did figure it out. It is really easy, I just had never done it before. I would love to be able to cut out lovely intricate cukoo clocks or something, but I guess this is a good start.

These are supposed to be witches but they kind of turned out looking like trees.




These are supposed to be people but they kind of look like they are from another planet.




Sorry my posts have been so sparse, but I have NOT forgotten this blog.

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Book Review



Sleeping Naked is Green is a hilarious book. What I like best about it is that it understands that sometimes this eco stuff (while really important) is a pain in the butt. And sometimes eco people (while brave and wonderful) can be really self-important too. I think the point of the book is do your best, but don't take yourself so seriously that you make people want to avoid your calls. My favorite part of the book is when our heroine returns after a business trip and finds out what happened while mom and sis house-sat (all the while trying to keep the green rules). Highly recommended by yours truly!

And here is the blog the book is about. She no longer updates on a regular basis, but if you have never read it before, it is all new to you.

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

I will post...I promise...


Just as soon as I can think of anything postworthy. I have blogger's block :)

Here is a random picture for your viewing pleasure.

And in the meantime, you can always check out my other blog.

www.stylinggame.blogspot.com

Monday, August 1, 2011

Slight change to the original idea...



Invent a new cookie recipe is what the list says, but I suppose as the maker of the list, I have the option of improvising. I have tried to come up with a few cookie recipes, but basically I like chocolate chip cookies, and absolutely I don't enjoy any chocolate chip cookies as much as I like MY chocolate chip cookies. I have no need for a new cookie recipe, but I don't have a go-to for cake. NOW I DO. So I am checkin' cookie recipe off the list, cuz I think this idea was brilliant.

Chocolate Cherry Dr. Pepper Cake

Ingredients:
3 cans Diet Cherry Dr. Pepper soda
1 dark choclate boxed cake mix
powdered sugar
chocolate chips

Mix one full 12 ounce can of the soda into the chocolate cake mix. Once you are good and mixed up, you are done. NO MORE INGREDIENTS FOR THE CAKE. Pour into a oiled and floured cake pan (I made a sheet cake) and bake as directed.
While the cake is baking, pour another can of soda into a sauce pan and add a bunch (I basically used half of my powdered sugar bag) of powdered sugar. Stir the mixture up until no lumps and boil until it is a syrup.
When the cake comes out of the oven, use a butter knife to put holes all over the cake, then pour the syrup on top. I made two cakes and this batch of syrup made enough for both, so if you are making one cake, either only use half or maybe half the syrup recipe?
Then put some chocolate chips in a bowl and moisten with some more soda (not too much or it will be too runny- better to have to add more soda than to have too much). Melt the chips and soda in the microwave till you get a smooth frosting texture.
Spread the melted chocolate over the top of the glazed cake. The chocolate does a nice job of hiding all the holes you poked.

Now you have a delicious cake. I took this to a birthday party at a restaurant last night and even the waitress had a fit over it. This is so moist and rich. You would never know that there is not butter or eggs involved.

p.s. Sorry for the approximated measuring. This is just how i cook.
p.p.s. Sorry that the only picture I have is of the "morning after" syrup sitting on my stove.


Monday, July 25, 2011

WHAT??????!!!!!!!!

Ok, so I basically have a black thumb but I have been trying to garden a little because I fancy myself a farmer at heart (even though I would be a starving farmer because I SUCK at it). But yesterday on my every so many days stroll past the ole Zuchini plant, this is what I found:




WHAAAATTT???!!!

When did this happen? I think magic zuchini elves welded this onto my plant in the middle of the night. How do you go from nothing to giant so fast? I don't pretend to understand.

Also, please check out the new blog I have with my best friend. It is lots of fun!

The Styling Game

Monday, July 18, 2011

To Kill a Mockingbird



So beautiful. I am spellbound. I understand why people name their kids Harper and Scout after reading this book. It is so amazing. I love it when a book haunts me. This one will for a long time.

P.S. I have done 27 of the items on my list. More than a 1/4 of the way through.

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

A harvest



Our plum tree has not been raped by the evil squirrels (unlike her poor sister the peach tree)! We got a mess o' plums up in here.




Also, on the recommendation my dear friend Renee at East of Eden, I am trying out some Sally Hansen nail effects. I thought they would be good for the girls, who like to have painted nails but do not so much have the patience for the nails to dry (thereby negating entirely the painting of the nails- not to mention the mess). First off, they are expensive- it was $10.49 for one box. However, with careful application (aka it took forever), I did both of the girls' hands and my toes and still have a few left over. So far they have survived a night of sleep and a morning shower. I am enjoying my toe glitteriness and the girls love it. We shall see how it goes.

Monday, July 11, 2011

I have been on vacation...

But I am back today and I am sure I will be motivated in just no time at all to make a proper post.

TTFN!

Monday, June 27, 2011

I painted my shoes!

I have been wanting this pair of yellow shoes forever. Nevermind. I can't find them online anymore. They were Seychelles, they were yellow, they were fabulous, they were expensive!

So left to my own devices with some internet tutoring and a pair of ivory shoes I don't wear much, I set off about making my dreams come true.

Here is a pic of one shoe with one coat of yellow (it ended up taking three coats) and one shoe as they started.


Here are the finished shoes from my point of view.



Here is a sort of blurry pic of me rocking the shoes.



Basically, you take acrylic paint and mix it with acrylic fabric medium. I would suggest you purchase or use a shoe that has a color that you would not mind showing through a little because the color remains a bit translucent (at least it did with yellow). I actually applied the paint with balled-up paper towel because I forgot to buy sponge brushes at the fabric store and I was too lazy to go back. I had to let the shoes dry about 5 days before I chanced wearing them and even now they are a tiny bit tacky to the touch so I wouldn't suggest this technique on shoes you plan to wear in particularly dirty/dusty areas. I have worn them out in the world once and they fared just fine.

Happy almost July 4!

Monday, June 13, 2011

Use it up. Wear it out. Make it do or do without!

I sort of really love that mantra. I can't say that I always live by it. Being a working mom makes me often err on the side of convenience. In this case however, I am happy to say that I made it work!



I have a pair of very lovely deep red patent leather mary janes that were unfortunately assaulted by the doggy that we tried to adopt about 6 months ago. He only got one, but boy did he do it up on that one. I love those shoes and have been really sad not to have them, so I decided that something must be done. I am a resourceful gal. I knew I could come up with something.



The first thing I did was cut off the chewed up patent leather on the heel of the trashed shoe (doggie also removed the tip on the heel). My first idea was to try duct tape painted to match. No pictures exist of this fail (because it was a FAIL). Then I got the idea to try ribbon. So I went to the craft store and what I found instead was this cool velveteen paper on the scrapbooking aisle. Almost perfect match! And it had this neat sort of rubbery backing that made it extra sturdy but also bendy.

First I removed the tip from the shoe that had one (more on that later). Then I cut strips of the velvet paper and craft glued them to the shoe. Once they dried, I trimmed to fit and then at a total loss for what to do with the tips, I first tried cutting materials from old shoes I don't wear anymore to fashion new matching tips (nope). Then I decided to cut black felt to fit. It looked great. I put three coats of craft glue on the felt to make it sturdy and maybe a little moisture-proof. I am really happy with the results. I haven't worn them yet. June gloom lurks in California and I think these will have to be shoes worn when there is no chance of showers. Will update when I wear them out.


Whoopee!

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

$5!?



Look at my new $5 dresser. I am soooo pleased.

Also, I had to make a vet costume for miss Z's preschool graduation. I think it turned out mighty fine.



And I have decided my couch has too much in the way of brown-ness. Nothing is big enough to cover the whole thing so I have come up with the idea of being deliberately patchy. My hubz thinks I am insane. So far, I like it.



Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Sproutlets!




My baby tomatoes have sprouted! I don't know much about the rest of the stuff I planted. I have to water my little garden from afar because we seeded the yard and I can't walk on it. I am just hoping that my veggies babies have not been et up by evil garden gnomes.



I also wanted to show off a semi-recent "dumpster find". Actually, I found this in the gutter near my church. It obviously used to have a hinged lid and it certainly was harboring some dead bugs and spider webs, but it cleaned up great! My new goal is to pair my kids toys down so that other than instruments and art supplies, their toys fit into one reasonably sized toy box per room that they play in. This is the box for the living room.

I can check read an autobiography off my list...

I read spent by Avis Cardella

This Slate review pretty much hits the nail on the head about how I felt reading this story:

Why try to improve on what someone said more eloquently than I could.

Whoopee! Summer is here.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

In the meantime....

Well, the camera issue remains unresolved, but I figured out a band-aid in the meantime. I will take pictures with my cell phone. Moving children and cell phone cameras are not a great match, but I can deal with it. I took a picture of my "new" curtains in the family room. I have had all this fabric for awhile, but I just finally got around to using it. I kept waiting to pull down the hideous vertical blinds and put up another curtain rod of some sort. Instead, I took down all the individual blinds (slats I guess) and pushed my fabric (a vintage embroidered bedspread) up into the clasps for the slats. Then I used painter's tape to secure a cut up vintage table cloth over the cornice thingee to make a valance. I like it. Don't get me wrong, this is very homey. But I am a homey gal. You can't act too precious if you are gonna hang a bedspread on your window.



What do you think?

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Blerg!

So we switched internet services and I am having trouble getting my wireless photo uploader thingee to work. And I tried to fix it on Sunday and now I have somehow lost the camera. Now it must be in the house somewhere (unless the camera rapture has happened) but I can't find it yet (let's blame the children- why blame myself?). So since I can't show you pictures of anything, you get book reviews.



Inner Simplicity- Elaine St. James

Ok, I don't like being negative but I didn't like this book. There is nothing inherently wrong with this book. It is well written and organized, but it just wasn't for me. The only way I can describe is is to say that it was too "patchouli " for me (codeword "spiritual hippy style). I value the concept of simplicity and I am trying to learn to be more simple, but I don't care to consult a psychic, use a ouija board, practice out of body experiences or join a group to dance and talk about my progress. For those who do embrace this kind of stuff, this could be your book. It wasn't mine.


Growing a Spiritually Strong Family- Dennis & Barbara Rainey

This book is short and sweet. I want my hubby to read it and it is perfect for the kind of person who doesn't love to read but likes to learn. This book is very succinct in discussing some ways to make your family strong and instill values and a love for God that will last your kids into adulthood. The book helps you get started by giving you ideas that are really doable at a variety of ages.


Animal, Vegetable, Miracle- Barbara Kingsolver

READ THIS BOOK. This is an incredible book about a year in the life of a family that decides to produce as much of their own food as possible and source the rest locally. First of all, the book is written beautifully. You WILL want to garden after reading such tantalizing stories of homegrown tomatoes and the like. But this book also has a lot to say about the way we raise our food and how as a society, we have moved ourselves into a very dangerous and tenuous place in terms of keeping ourselves fed. So inspiring. I am forever changed by her words.

I find that I am battling a fatigue that I have never experienced before. Life is the space between hard fought for naps these days. I hope this is just a phase and not a window into my future.

Love and blessings to all!

Friday, May 13, 2011

I am not lame...

My photos did not load as planned. Boh. Oh well. Hopefully I will figure this all out tonight and soon you will have a lovely update on my garden. We have garden babies!

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

The Great Green Hope



I am attempting a summer garden again. Much weeding has been done. Seeds have been sown with love and while I know not what I am doing, I pray that divine intervention intercedes on my part and gifts us with a bounty of freshness.

Above you see the hope of promised purple and red carrots, cream peas, squash, melon and tomoatoes.

It can't possibly be as bad as the poor showing we had last year.....right?...I mean really....no...think positive.

Friday, April 29, 2011

Thrifty Threads

Hi all. Angela was kind enough to post an outfit of mine on Thrifty Threads again. She is sooooooo nice. I love her blog and am honored to be included again. Please check her blog out. It is called My Year Without Spending (and yes, she did not spend on anything except pretty much food for a whole year!)

Monday, April 25, 2011

I Heart Reading

Two more book reviews. Both of these are all about parenting daughters. As I said, my reading tends to have a theme. I am like a serial monogamist reader.



James Dobson- Bringing Up Girls

I really liked this book. Actually, I think this book would be excellent for fathers to read. The role of a father (or positive male mentor) in a girls life is heavily accentuated. My husband doesn't really enjoy reading and most of his reading involves manuals for work but I was able to tell him a lot about what I read. Sometimes I think dads don't realize how important they are to little girls because they figure that their little sweetie is always going to run to mommy with all of her girl problems. The key is the modeling a man does in his daughter's life. Because how a daddy acts, often dictates what a girl expects in a future mate.



Vicki Courtney- 5 Conversations You Must Have With Your Daughter

I like this book as well. Ms. Courtney has a wonderful way with telling you like it is without sounding preachy. Using examples from her own life (less than perfect which helped me connect) she tells you some of the most important issues you will have to face with your girls. I know it is early for me to be worrying about some of this stuff, but I just don't think you can be too prepared!

Ok. So my book reviews aren't terribly long or descriptive. I just kind of say why I liked it or didn't. I will never be hired to review books for the paper I guess. Sigh....