A. Fabulous Design

shes back! with more fabulous!!!

2011-02-28T15:59:00.004-06:00

Hey Hey! I'm still here. I been doing some things..... but now those things are almost done and I was TOTALLY inspired today (by my dear friend Bongo Moon) to write a new post about an artist I discovered. So- without further Ado- I would like to introduce....

HAL MAYFORTH!!!

He's been around the artworld for many years, and I am certain I've seen and loved his work before, but never was able to put a name with the art. His website is phenomenal so do check it out.... http://www.mayforth.com

Here are some of my favorites. He works in may different mediums but I believe these are all acrylic on wood canvas.... emjoy! Then go to his website for more fun :)

home

2010-10-12T13:45:00.002-05:00

I moved back in with my parents. For awhile. I don't really feel like writing about it right now.

What I did want to mention, however, is that my sister Caroline is ENGAGED! To a WONDERFUL man. I am absolutely in awe of Caroline and her fiancée. They are both so honest, caring, mature, and full of life and love. I know they are making measured and careful decisions about their future, which is very key when starting a life together. My hope is that they will always be honest with each other. Not the kind of oops-I-left-the-gate-open-and-the-dog-got-out honesty, but the bare-your-soul-ugly-truth kind of honesty. The kind that hurts feelings at first. The kind that causes anger, shame, and doubt at first. Without this level of honesty, a marriage rests on sinking sand.

But thats quite enough of that.

Its PARTY TIME!!! Here's to you Caroline and Brandon!! I am so thankful to be home with y'all celebrating in this season of love, new beginnings, and hope for the future.

AHHHHHH..... Life.

2010-09-21T07:20:00.002-05:00

Life is good. I am not where I want to be right now. I don't have the perfect job and neither does my husband. I am not pregnant. I don't own a house or have a savings account to speak of . I am barely squeaking by each month paying my bills. But I know, in my heart, that life is good. God is good. And things can only get better. I think I have a hard year ahead of me. I know I am going to be making some tough decisions. But I know that I will be sustained through those decisions and hard times by a love that is greater than my understanding.

So I enjoy the struggle. It reminds me that I am alive. And life is so very good.

31

2010-08-19T13:54:00.003-05:00

Baskin Robbins has 31 flavors

I am 31 years old

January 31 is the 31st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar

Proverbs 31: 30-31....
³⁰ Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
³¹ Give her the reward she has earned,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.
My progesterone level is 31 (!)

I really just wanted to talk about my progesterone level, but thought it wouldn't be so shocking if I lead you there through some seemingly innocuous factoids about the number 31.... did it work? Are you shocked? Well, to bad. I am SO PUMPED. Do you realize what this means? I, Aunt Fabulous, the "non-ovulator", have definitely ovulated. You can't help but ovulate if you have that much progesterone in your body. Most people are between a 10 and 20.... I am THIRTY ONE!!! For those of you who are still scratching your head, this is a pretty big deal. My hubs and I have been trying to conceive for almost 2 years now and, to be blunt, I'm tired of trying. I'm ready for results. However, I do feel torn about it. In order to get my body to do what it should be doing naturally, I had to take medication. I want to be a mother more than just about anything, and I'm quickly finding that I would go to any length to achieve motherhood- but somewhere in the back of my mind a little voice keeps saying, "if your body isn't doing it on its own, is it wise to force the issue?" If a person can't have a baby naturally, should they have one at all? This thought makes me very unpopular with myself. Of course I should have a baby, you insensitive schmo! I'm going to be an incredible-unbelievable-magical-mega-super-fantastical-MAMA! So why can't I just create the dang child? Why do I need medical assistance? Is the universe trying to tell me something? OR have we humans done such terrible things to our food and water and who knows what else, that we are causing an exaggerated number women to become infertile- many more than nature ever intended? Thats the answer I'm leaning towards. Because I do know so many women who have been struggling with infertility far longer than I. And these ladies are going to make tremendous mothers. And advances in medicine and technology are a blessing for all of us. I mean, hey, last month I was a 3 and today I'm a 31!! If thats not a miracle of modern science...... So lets raise a glass to clomid, ovulation, progesterone, and "relations", and say a little prayer that this time it works!

More Happy....

2010-08-10T12:02:00.005-05:00

I'm also happy about today.

Today I'm seasoning my new cast iron skillet
I hung more curtains in my house, and some pictures
I've got a new craft project! See....

Well, I can't seem to find my camera (not happy about that) so I can't post pics of my new project. Boo. I guess I'll have to post more pics of my cute house :)

And I'm happy cause I'm going to dinner and a movie on Thursday with a dear dear friend of mine who I haven't seen in quite awhile. There is so much to be happy about!

Happy about today....

2010-08-09T08:30:00.001-05:00

We got rain early this morning so that makes me happy.
This is my sisters first day of school- she is a new kindergarten teacher and I am so proud/impressed/in awe of her amazing teacher-skills!
Today is "canning day"- I get to learn how to make soup and then put it up for winter.
Today marks the first day of the last week of my two week summer break. I'm happy to have one more week, but even happier that I'll be back in school :)
Hazel and I are going to spend the morning swimming in the lake at Oak Mountain State park- it doesn't get much better than that!
And finally, seeing pics of these little girls .........

Makes me so so happy!

Hello Again!

2010-08-07T21:46:00.004-05:00

I know. Its been awhile. Lets just forget about it and move on.

I'm sitting on the couch next to my dog who just barfed up pieces of a corn cob. We haven't had corn in a week. I googled "Dog just barfed corn cob" and it seems this is a common event. Who knew? Corn cobs are actually very destructive to dog intestines. Again, who knew? Lets all say a collective prayer that Hazel got the cob out of her system cause a trip to the emergency room is just not in the budget this month!

So..... heres some pics of some of my favorite things.....

I admit it--- this is kinda a crap blog post. But its a start. I'll be writing again with more regularity..... I think :)

This is not going away any time soon.

2010-05-24T17:10:00.004-05:00

First lemme just say that I'm a little disappointed in myself for waiting a whole month to post another entry. My life is still half packed away boxes. My brain is full of "to-do lists". My day follows a relentless rhythm: unpack, arrange, clean, repeat.

However. I did have a fabulous break last week. Went home and hung out with my fam- Daddy, Mama, all my sisters and my nieces. It was fabulous. Then we had a big wedding weekend for my cousin Sarah and her new husband, Jud- the entire fam was there! Aunts, Uncles, cousins, Grandmama- we all had our party pants on and OH MAN what a party it was!
Heres a few pics of my week.......

It's Wynnie-poo!!!!

Sisters and cousins rockin' the karoke!!

Don't really remember whats going on here, but I'm pretty sure it was fun.....

Now I'm back in bham and doing the unpacking dance once again. Its gonna be great tho. At least once its all done. And then I'm gonna have a rockin party!!!! You are all invited!! Wanna see my little house? Ok.

But what I really wanted to write about, whats been driving me totally crazy is this horrendous oil spill disaster. Oilpocalypse. Oilmageddon. This is whats not going away any time soon. Friends, this is SERIOUS. What are we going to do? I just can't stop thinking about it. I don't think enough people understand how devastating this is. We are poisoning the ocean. We are killing sea life. We are killing wetlands. Fishermen are going broke. The tourist industry is in the toilet. This is not going away. That thought makes me feel helpless. And I'm angry! I'm angry at British Petroleum, but I'm even angrier at myself and the American people as a whole. We continue to insist on driving gas guzzling cars, flying in airplanes, buying plastic products and refusing to recycle them, propping up this antiquated and unsustainable system. For so long we have refused to change our ways and now, my friends, we are going to pay for our ignorance, for our flippant attitudes, for our hubris. Tens of thousands of barrels of oil are spewing, into the ocean every day and BP has NO IDEA how to stop it. This is not going away. This is going to permanently change the landscape. Our beautiful beaches are going to be black, sticky, and smelly. Men and women will be out of work and our already high unemployment is going to surge even higher and for far longer than this government is prepared to sustain. And the wildlife... it just kills me. What are we going to do?

I hate to end on such a depressing note, but the reality is.... well.... our reality is not looking good. If there is any silver lining, I pray that this disaster drives home the fact that oil is unsustainable, destructive, and must be supplemented by alternate forms of energy. Its no longer the dream of hippies and people from Vermont. We have to make a change. Whos with me?

Just around the corner....

2010-04-28T17:11:00.004-05:00

We're moving! I'M CRAZY! We're MOVING! I'm crazy! WE'RE MOVING AND I AM CRAZY!!!!!!

Yes, the insanity is upon us, but its not near at the level I've achieved in past moves. Maybe its because this is the 6th time I have moved in 7 years.... (shut UP! Have I actually move six times in seven years...... it appears I have. shut up.) Anyway. I am a pro at moving.

I can't wait to upload pics of our new cute house. We signed the lease today! And let me tell you it was so simple compared to what we have dealt with in the past. Trying to sign a lease in NYC requires two grand, a law degree, xanax and a can of silly string. Today we strolled into that office, signed our name there, there and there, initialed here and here.... and it was over. Took 15 minutes. Beautiful.

So thats just around the corner.... (literally! we are moving around the corner from our current house! Well maybe its more like walk 2 blocks and then turn around the corner, but still. What can I say? I love this neighborhood.)

And something else that is just around the corner......

This is my big debut as "event coordinator"! I have a friend who worked on the film and one day I was emailing her and thought, "i should organize a screening." So I went to my excellent friend Sally, who is also my pastor at East Lake UMC, and proposed the idea..... she was all for it..... so the ball started rolling and now here we are a week away from the event and I am simply AMAZED at what this has become. The movie is only the beginning! Its actually a kick-off event for a summer long book club! And then, WHO KNOWS......i have so many ideas.....

Because of this movie, I have had the pleasure of meeting some fabulous people here in Birmingham. People who care about the same things I do- community, healthy living, sustainability, family. And one thing I have learned about coordinating an event: no one can do it on their own. A coordinator is like a "people manager". You have to know people, you have to know how to get people excited about what you are trying to do, and you have to know when to ask for help. I can't wait till Thursday night when the movie starts rolling and I can stand back and just take it all in.....

So many good things are happening!

Aunt Fabulous.... are you there?

2010-04-22T09:17:00.005-05:00

So it seems ever since I was laid off, my blogging has slacked significantly. I guess there are a few positive aspects to being chained to a computer all day long. What's funny is I feel just as busy as I did when I had a job... I have no problem filling up my day with "To-Dos"!

Allow me to fill you, the world wide interweb, in on what has been happening in Aunt Fab's life over the past few weeks....

1. We are moving! We have 2 options for cute little houses with fenced in backyards (Hazel is SO happy about that) and cheaper rent (The humans are SO happy about that). We have to make a decision in a few days and then.... let the packing begin!!!!

2. School is almost over and I have the month of May off before summer semester begins! YAY.

3. I am producing a movie event! With the help of some stellar individuals here in B'ham, I am producing a screening of FRESH by ana Sofia Joanes. The movie night is a kick-off event for a Book-Club/Discussion Group that I am also organizing. The Book Club will meet once a month for 6 months and we are starting it all off by reading a collection of articles and essays written by famous "food scholars" like Michael Pollan, and Wendell Berry. Its gonna be awesome.

4. Speaking of movies, we saw a screening of the movie "Lifted" last night. Clarke was Art Director on that film! It was a sweet little movie- no big blockbuster or anything- but it has a nice message and some great talent (Ruben Studdard, what WHAT!?!)

5. I've been busy creating.... wanna see?

Collage Art...

Headbands....

learning how to Appliqué...

Happy Thursday!

Spring!

2010-04-11T18:47:00.004-05:00

Its here, its here! My favorite time of year! And not just because I have a spring birthday (yep, I turned 31 last week) but because spring means baby birds, green grass, daffodils, wisteria, warm winds, long days...and my birthday.

I took a few pictures of "spring" on my most recent walk with Hazel.....

This one reminds me of "praying hands".... itsn't it lovely? And I didn't really do any touch-ups on it besides warming it up a bit, the light was just that nice.

Happy Spring everyone!

Sally and her Blue Bird

2010-03-28T12:19:00.003-05:00

Once upon a time.....

Sally B and I made a little bird puppet together and then had a sweet little photo shoot. Is she precious or what?

In which Aunt Fabulous pretends to be Martha Stewart

2010-03-26T09:33:00.005-05:00

I have always wanted to work on a Martha Stewart Living photo shoot. Every recipe, every craft project, every story about organizing your closet contains pictures that are true works of art. The lighting, the color palette, the props- its all gorgeous.

So the other day I decided to make clay and document it "Martha Stewart Style"! Here's my attempt......

Ingredients:
2 cups of flour
1 cup of water
1.5 cups of salt
1 T of veggie oil
1 egg

Pour the flour, water, salt and oil in a bowl and mix it up!

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface

Start creating your shapes. If you want to make ornaments now is the time to punch your holes... Oh, and now is the time to preheat the oven to about 300

Lay out your creations on a greased cookie tin. Brush each with a little egg wash... I don't really know why, I think its something about being shiny or harder.... (I'm not Martha) Bake for about 30mins or until the are hard and very light brown.

Now you can decorate them any way you choose! I chose to paint mine, and to be perfectly honest, I had more fun setting up my photo shoot than actually painting the shapes. I wasn't terribly impressed with my final product- but I think the pictures look awesome!

So. There you have it- My first attempt at telling a story through photos.

Being unemployed has its perks.

FUNemployed

2010-03-09T20:48:00.006-06:00

Aunt Fabulous has been laid off. That's right, world wide interweb, I am unemployed. Those two of you who read this blog regularly may be preparing yourselves for another tense and terrified post full of hand wringing and nail biting. Sorry to dissapoint, but thats not what I'm handing out today! Because I am not worried.......(does a double take).......huh? That's right and I'll say it again- I'M NOT WORRIED.

Wanna know why?

Me too.

I have no idea why I'm so comfortable right now. Yes, it was a let down to be laid off. Yes, it was a bad day to be Aunt Fabulous. But today? Today I feel good. Clarke says it's because I'm in the "honeymoon" stage of unemployment. That stage in which one rises with the sun, pens a healthy To-Do list, and prepares breakfast for the spouse. "Have a lovely day at work dear", she sings and, drawing her bathrobe snugly 'round her waist, pads back to the kitchen for another cup of coffee. Its all true- I'm am currently sipping coffee, watching the Today show, and deciding what needs doing and in what order.

A fabulous fact about Aunt Fabulous: I LOVE "to do" lists. I love doing things and checking them off- its SO satisfying! Today, for example, its only 8:00am and I have already crossed 3 things off my list (walk the dog, bathe the dog, blog).... only 5 more things to do and my list is complete!

But one can only bask so long in the after-glow of a completed To-Do list....why am I not concerned about being out of work? How we are going to pay our bills this month? I haven't a clue. We already have a little debt to deal with due to a hard winter and a ridiculous gas bill. (Thank you, Global Climate Change, for 55 nights of below freezing temps in ALABAMA. You owe me nine hundred dollars.) And the bills just keep rolling in! I open each one, look at the total and say, "Hi there, Birmingham Sewer and Water Bill! How badly do you want that $35.47?" But as I file the bill away in the "to pay pile" with all his other friends, there's no noticeable rise in my blood pressure, no sweaty palms, no sick feelings wash over me. What is wrong with me?

Well friends, I think I figured it out. I have faith. A calm certainty is settling around me. This is the right place and now is the right time. I am open to whatever God is preparing for me. I have faith. I have learned from past crises that worrying gets you nowhere, that what first appears to be a curse is usually a blessing, and that nothing is insurmountable when confronted with Faith, Hope, and LOVE.

So....... Today is a great day to be Aunt Fabulous. I'm gonna finish my breakfast now and then get crackin' on that To-Do list. Have a lovely day, Dears!!

I made this.

2010-02-26T11:41:00.001-06:00

I made it for my sweet God-daughter Wynne. I think she really liked it.

Good Things to come.....

2010-02-23T11:49:00.002-06:00

Just a little "post-lett" to say that soon and very soon I will post fabulous things on my blog.... My life is in fast forward right now but I'm hanging on and having fun! Here's a quick and dirty rundown of the fabulous-ness headed my way:
1. Weekend Retreat at my church
2. craft project for G-mama's Bday
3. Crafting with Carrie
4. St. Pattie's day/weekend with Hannah
5. Gmama's Bday celebration
6. My husband :)... not that he is "headed my way"... he's here already... but he is fabulous.

Hope whatever you are doing makes you happy!!

The Man Your Man Could Smell Like.

2010-02-19T10:04:00.002-06:00

World's Greatest Commercial.......

True Love Knows no Bounds

2010-02-16T11:56:00.002-06:00

WARNING: if you are grossed out by rats or snakes, you will not want to click on this link.....

Carla and her Friend

However.

Don't make your mind up just yet- hear me out. The link takes you to Nina Katchadourian's website. She is an artist. She is quirky, intelligent, clever, likes maps, and- as many artists do- she sees the world differently than the average man and is generous enough to share her visions. I encourage you to visit her website. The story of Carla and her Friend is what first drew me in- its facinating and challenges the way I think about love, friendship, right and wrong.... and I also think its super cute. But then I also like rats and snakes. My other favorites are Renovated Mushroom and Sorted Books.

Enjoy! Happy Tuesday!

Celebrate your Family

2010-02-10T12:10:00.005-06:00

I'm working on a gift for my grandmother- its kinda like a family tree, but not. I don't want to give away the surprise, so I'm not gonna talk about it anymore..... but..... in the course of researching this gift, I ran across some truly fabulous family trees!

Take a look.......

First is my all-time-favorite family tree from my Norman Rockwell book- remember the one I talked about during Thanksgiving? As a child I stared at this picture for hours. I used my finger to trace each branch of the tree, stopping at every couple, imagining their lives together, how they met, where they lived, how they died.... And it tickled me pink every time I made it all the way from the grubby pirate and his dark and mysterious Spanish lady up to the scrubbed and shiny red headed boy.

The next three are all from My Tree and me. Love the colors, love the lines, love the fresh take on the family tree idea..... love it all.

The next two are fabulous because they include pictures!
You can find this one here .

And you can find this one here. By the way, EVERYTHING in this gal's etsy shop is FABULOUS!!! (edit: oh man! I just found out that this print is sold out.... what a bummer. Well, it's still awesome and so is the artist.)

Now, this next piece is a non-traditional family tree. Here you just print the names of all the people in your life, or your child's life, or whoever this little creation is for- and attach those names to the balloons. What a creative way to tell someone," these are the people who lift you up, who make your life bright and cheery, who float around above your head and occasionally loose their helium and start to sink......" well, lets don't take it too literally. Isn't it SOOOOO CUTE? Find it here

Now for a little DIY.... I found these wall decals here , but you can find them all over your world wide interweb. I thought it might be fun to create your own wall art/family tree combo. You could purchase one of these trees (or paint one if you are so inclined) and then add the names of your family members by hand- you could paint them, or find a cool font and print them out.... ooh ooh! and then you could collect small frames and frame each name and "hang" them on the branches of the tree...... I love that idea. Feel free to steal it.

And finally..... click here for a super cute DIY family tree, directions and all. When you finish it should look a little something like this.....

Bye y'all!

Special Night

2010-02-01T08:48:00.003-06:00

It was an awesome night. My Daddy was honored with the Clarence Butler Service and Leadership award from St. Francis Hospital in Columbus, GA. Daddy practiced medicine in Columbus for many years until a horseback riding accident ended his career and left him paralyzed from the neck down. As a general surgeon he gave his best years to St. Francis. Now that he cannot perform surgery, he works as a patient advocate and consultant to the hospital. My sisters and I have always been so proud of our Daddy. But it's evenings like this one that open my eyes to the impact one person can have on a community. Nine hundred and thirty people bought a ticket to this event; the largest turnout this fundraiser has ever experienced. Daddy's hands changed people's lives. Now his words pick up where his hands left off.

Here are a few pics of my family as we celebrated with our hero!

sisters, Anna and Caroline

Grandmama (who is 92!!! doesn't she look stunning?) and uncle Luis (who is equally stunning :)

sister, Mary Lovett (she is Sally and Wynne's mama)

Aunt Fabulous and Uncle Awesome

sister, Caroline and her boyfriend, Brandon

Hey, Uncle Awesome, you got something in your teeth.

sisters, Anna and Sally, with The Touhys (from the movie "The Blind Side") who were generous enough to speak at this function. They were a-MAH-zing.

The man of the hour!

Pooped.

2010-01-28T11:20:00.004-06:00

Hazel and I spent the first part of the week at my parent's house in Columbus, GA. This is where Hazel was born. One of Hazel's brothers, Amos, her Mama, Mae, the oldest dog in the world, Nick, and the little yappy dog, Solo live there too. It is a dog's paradise.

I always roll the windows down the minute we enter my parent's neighborhood. The breeze plays with our hair, familiar smells tease our noses. I swear its 10 degrees warmer and the sun is ever so slightly brighter. Both our tails are wagging. As we pull into the driveway Hazel is literally bouncing off the walls and ceiling of my little car. Its all I can do to safely park and extract myself before she explodes out of the backseat and into DOGGIE WORLD!! We love to be home.

This week at doggie world, the animals swam in the lake, chased squirrels, chewed on sticks, wrassled, and licked stuff. Hazel learned how to open my parent's front door by jumping up and pawing at the handle. And if the door is locked (because we humans are wise to her little trick) Amos will ring the doorbell. No kidding. They are quite a team!

Other than the dogs, my 4 sisters, Mama, Daddy, Grandmother, 2 Aunts and 2 nieces were home. Why, you ask? Check back with me tomorrow or the next day and you shall discover the answer to your query........

ps. the fabulous picture was taken by my friend , the lovely and talented artist Sam B. George.

Wishful Thinking

2010-01-21T11:28:00.006-06:00

The weather has been exceptionally beautiful for the past 2 days.... so much so that I've been dreaming of spring and summer. And then I started flipping thru some old pictures and....well.... just look...

Now if that doesn't put a smile on your face and a song in your heart.... Happy Thursday, World Wide Interweb.

HOPE

2010-01-19T09:23:00.001-06:00

Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune without the words,
And never stops at all,

And sweetest in the gale is heard;
And sore must be the storm
That could abash the little bird
That kept so many warm.

I've heard it in the chilliest land
And on the strangest sea;
Yet, never, in extremity,
It asked a crumb of me.

— Emily Dickinson

2010-01-18T12:22:00.002-06:00

If anyone needs to buy a gift, be it for a baby, a birthday, or for yourself (the best kind of gift :) I encourage you to visit Craft Hope's shop over at Etsy.com. All items for sale have been donated by various artists and ALL proceeds will benefit Doctors Without Boarders in Haiti.

Also, if you visit the United Methodist Committee on Relief you can donate money, volunteer or, what I'm really digging right now, create relief kits. My church will be donating hundreds of Health Kits to the Haiti relief effort, but there are so many options: Bedding Kits, Birthing Kits, Layette Kits, School Kits.... They provide a download-able list of what items are required in each kit and a few important guidelines. These lists can be printed out and dispersed among your friends, neighbors, church congregation, school. All kits are mailed to one of a few "Relief Depots" around the nation, and finally shipped out to those in need. Its easy, inexpensive, and does real tangible good.

And thats what I need right now because I feel SO helpless. I can barely tune in to the news without crying. Lets keep the Haitians and all suffering people in our prayers. Whenever you get in your car remember you are blessed. Whenever you turn up the heat, remember you are blessed. When you go to school, fill up a glass of water from your sink, take a shower, kiss your baby, put on a warm jacket, eat food...... remember you are BLESSED.

A Really-Real-for-Real Grad Student is Taught a Lesson By a Pack of Cracked-Out Teddy Bears.

2010-01-12T11:41:00.009-06:00

Today is my first class as a really-real-for-real Graduate Student. I feel cool. And smart. I'm a Graduate Student. Now, thats not the highest degree ever earned in my family... I come from a long and distinguished line of doctors, lawyers, and teachers. But I never ever imagined I would go for a higher level degree- I honestly wasn't sure I wanted to even graduate from college! So this new scholarly pursuit is fulfilling on numerous levels.

However.

I have been teaching theater classes to children ages 5-9 for the past half a year and the reality of teaching does not match up with my glorious and glowing image of classroom life. When I daydream about teaching, I see precious faces, eagerly shining up at me, hanging on my every brilliant word. My classroom resonates with music and laughter, or is blanketed in sweet silence as little minds diligently work to bring peace to the world, feed starving nations, and resolve the conflict over the Gaza Strip. I love my students and they LOVE me.

Reality check.

Have you ever been scared of a 5-year-old? You think to yourself, "shes just a baby! How hard can it be to make her sit and listen?" But then you find yourself not 10 minutes later standing in the middle of a room full of screaming maniacs and all you can do is breathe and try to keep from crying. Thats obviously an exaggeration.... sort of.....

Example: I had a parent observation class one week in December and it was a disaster of epic proportions. The previous week we began preparing a little play to show the parents called "Big Box of Bears". All the little girls had learned their lines and were exploring their motivations, digging deep into the psyche of the Teddy Bear, what it means to be fuzzy and filled with fluff...that kind of thing. So on the day of the performance, which as it turns out was also the last day of school before the Christmas Holiday, I headed to class expecting to see my little Shakespearean Teddys ready and raring to go........ oh no....... what i found were 9 over-sugared, over-stimulated, Santa-Claus-is-coming-to-town Christmas Monstors. Seriously. One little girl refused to participate at all and sat in the corner eating candy canes for an hour. Another had such a bad headache (from all the SUGAR) she spent the hour with her head buried inside her coat. The ones that actually wanted to play were so hopped up on candy that, bless their hearts, they could barely control their own bodies! "Big Box of Bears" turned into "Big Box of Bears on Crack"!

And then the parents arrived. And the class totally fell apart. Because 5-year-olds can only hold it together for so long. What goes up, must come down and after a long day of Christmas parties and cupcakes, there will inevitably be much crashing, crying and gnashing of teeth..... except for the little girl who sat in the corner and ate candy canes for an hour- she was still going strong. We ended up doing to play with only 3 participants. It was the worst thing I have ever seen. I was humiliated, I was in shock, I just knew I was fired. I went home and tried to regain my composure.

A few days later I got a call from my boss saying that 2 parents called and emailed and wanted to WITHDRAW THEIR CHILDREN FROM MY CLASS!!!!! Humiliation. I quickly shot off emails of apology and promise, and stressed that this class was an exception, not a rule. Which is true.....sort of. We ended up convincing the parents to leave their children in our class, and I am getting massive support from my boss and the other teachers. They keep telling me that this is normal, and these things happen from time to time, but I can't help feeling like a failure. Remember, I had a VISION! And it didn't include teddy bears on crack!

However, strange though it may sound, underneath that feeling of failing is an even bigger and more boisterous feeling threatening to burst through...... I thinks its called strength,

or maybe exhilaration,

or maybe even inspiration.

You see, the BIG TRUTH, the thing that I bet most teachers can say about their classes, is that these INSANE CHILDREN can teach us more about ourselves and our skills as teachers, parents, friends, and humans than any text book or graduate class. So while I am overjoyed to be a graduate student, I am so very thankful to have found Drama Kids. I treasure every exhausting and exhilarating moment with my cracked-out teddy bears.

What is this? Some kind of FAIRY MAGIC?

2010-01-04T12:27:00.011-06:00

I have never seen anything like this in my life. Over the weekend I hiked Ruffner Mountain with my friend, Carrie, and my dog, Hazel. It was a frosty 32 degrees (thank you, Patagonia, for 5 years of retail experience and free long johns.) and were all having a lovely time. We had reached the highest elevation, tracing the spine of the mountain top, when I looked down the path and noticed white whispy things wrapped around the base of these tall dried up goldenrod-looking-plants. I thought to myself, "now why would someone tie plastic bags to the bottom of those weeds? Litter Bugs! Where's Captain Planet when ya need him?" I think Carrie was thinking the same thing because she suddenly bent down to one and said, "its ICE."

me: huh?

carrie: yeah, ice.

me: HUH?

hazel:....crunch.....crunch......crunch
(Hazel LOVES ice)

I grabbed my camera and started taking millions of pictures. Have you ever seen this before? Is this a miracle? Carrie and I deduced that the goldenrod-type-weed-plant must have become saturated with all the rain last week. Then, as the frosty air blew into town and the weeds began to freeze, water slowly seeped out and froze into these mind blowing formations. I am amazed. And SO great full to have seen this.

Oh no! Watch out for Hazel.....

CHOMP.

And I went back to mountain yesterday to take even more pics- I just can't get enough! I'll probably post them soon..... Happy Wednesday!

Something I have never done before

2009-12-30T11:23:00.002-06:00

Picture this: Its mid-afternoon, say around 4:00, work is over, the dog has been walked, kitty boxes are cleaned out, dinner is decided upon (it was frozen pizza, no big surprise there) and I found myself with NOTING TO DO.

Well, thats not totally true. I do need to pack away all the Christmas stuff and clean up a little, but after the cluster you-know-what that we commonly refer to as "the Christmas Holiday" I don't consider a little sweeping to be a pressing matter. Plus I'm still enjoying my fabulous tree.

So.

I had NOTHING TO DO. I think I stood stock-still in the middle of the living room for a minute straight. My mind was audibly buzzing as thoughts zoomed through, "am I supposed to be crocheting something? (no.) Who do I still need to write a letter to? (no one.) Ah ha! we need groceries! (no you did that yesterday.) Dinner? (pizza, duh)" It was all taken care of.

So you know what I did? I played Rock Band with Clarke until NINE THIRTY AT NIGHT!!! Something I have never done before.

Helen and Hazel take a walk......

2009-12-23T09:45:00.003-06:00

All Kinds of Christmassy Up In Here!

2009-12-22T11:02:00.008-06:00

Guess who got her camera back from the Geek Squad? MEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!! It seems there was a battery problem so the just gave me a new one. I have been steady taking pictures since Saturday- I can't stop. I don't want to stop.

so.

Heres what I've been working on..... lets start with the Christmas Tree:

I made all the paper ornaments ( the birds and "pinwheel balls") and also made the big glitter balls with my sister Sally. The "pinwheel balls" are my favorite cause they pack alot of punch for how easy they are. And its a fun way to use old Christmas cards from years past that you couldn't bear to throw away..... (or is that just me? I can't bear to throw out any piece of paper that has a nice pattern or color, or a picture of a loved one!) I think this is my best tree so far. (and NO Clarke, I am not struggling with humility here. I didn't say it was one of THE best trees, I said it was one of MY best trees.... but now that you mention it, it could very well be one of THE best trees....)

Also.

I have been furiously crafting- having the time of my life- and wanted to give a little sneak peek....

Just in case the recipients of these craftings are visiting my blog, I don't want to spoil the surprise so thats all ya get for now.

I am so darn glad to have my camera back- can you tell?

Stop asking me what I want for Christmas.... I'm busy.... crafting.

2009-12-17T11:05:00.006-06:00

My husband keeps asking me what I want for Christmas. The answer surprised even me--- I don't really want anything. And I'm not being silly or coy or playing hard-to-buy-for. Not really. I mean it will be fun to see what Clarke chooses for me having virtually no direction or instructions. In the past I have always told him EXACTLY what I want. For a few years I treated Christmas like a personal shopping spree, bought whatever I wanted, wrapped it up, wrote my husbands name on the tag and told him, "thanks so much for the ______, honey. Its PERFECT!" And that was totally fun for me.

But this year I feel differently. Yes, there are things that I want and need.... But I have to be honest, I am having so much fun buying and making things for my family and friends, all I really want for Christmas is to be left alone in my craft room with glitter and fabric, glue and ribbons, yarn and my imagination. I wish my camera was working right now because I need to document my crafti-ness. I'm making most of the decorations for my tree this year out of paper- different size balls made from old Christmas cards (inspired by Martha), a few animal silhouettes, and a big star for the topper. And naturally ALL the aforementioned are appropriately slathered in sequins, glitter, beads and feathers.

I also discovered a FABULOUS new store in Birmingham- Frontera ! And I suggest everyone visit their website and, if possible, their store. The people who own it are awesome and if they don't watch out I'm going to take their job. They go to Mexico twice a year and buy buy buy and then come back to the US and sell sell sell. They have stuff like this.......

and this.....
and even this....

And another cool thing? They often contract the talents of local and regional blacksmiths and artisans to create wrought iron furniture, or even alter existing furniture! For example, they can make a table for you out of iron, and if one day you decide to turn that table into a coffee table, they can chop off and reshape the legs for you! I LOVE This place. If I'm not giving you a homemade present this year, than it will most likely be coming from Frontera- so get ready.

So, in conclusion, stop asking me what I want for Christmas. And if you need me I am either at Frontera or covered in glitter.

A little on the Crafty Side.....

2009-12-11T10:35:00.005-06:00

I may have mentioned this before, but I have the best in-laws a girl could asked for. This Thanksgiving was spent getting to know my mother-in-laws side of the family a little better and I had such a FABULOUS time! Aunt Linda (mom Williams' sister) is accomplished at all kinds of handwork- crochet, knit, sewing. For example, take a look at the gorgeous curtains she crocheted....

But I found out Aunt Linda also renovated her basement-turned it into a game room. And most recently she redid her bathroom, re-tiled, built an "open shower" ALL BY HERSELF. She has her own wood working shop in the basement with BIG saws, and nail guns, and caulk... I am jealous and she is amazing.

One of my most favorite surprises was finally meeting Uncle Hank, who is married to Mom Williams' baby sister Gene. Hank is pictured below on the porch of a little cottage he built for himself. Its a tool shed, a craft shop, a hangout and so much more. Hank calls it "Margaritaville"

I told Uncle Hank I was making a mobile to give to my Goddaughter Wynne, and he showed me the mobile he is making for one of the new babies at his church... I mean really? Coincidence? Perhaps. Solid proof that I married into the right family? Oh yes. Below are pieces of his mobile- fabulous little dragonflies and a gorgeous branch from which they will dangle. LOVE IT.

My favorite part of Margaritaville are the green doors. And yes, it does say "What would Jimmy Buffet do?" above the doorway. Look closely and you can see Hank has hung all different types of keys on the door frame. See, its the little touches that make me love this so much. Like the license that says "2 Chill".... Hank has a licence to chill....and chill he does.

Aunt Gene is also a force to be reckoned with. The pics below were taken in her sewing room. She works as a seamstress for an interior decorator and she has every color and kind of thread known to man, an industrial sewing machine, a serger, and a hemming machine... I want to sit in Gene's sewing room for a week and just watch her work. I should have taken more pics of the actual room, but I was mesmerized by this little contraption that Hank made. Its a "bench" for all Gene's bobbins- a "bobbin bench"- and the "seat" is lined with magnets so the little bobbins wont' go rolling around. Its brilliant. And very photogenic :)

And here are more pics of the table cloth that covered the "kids table" this Thanksgiving- I am crazy about it!

I was delighted to finally meet everyone on Mom Williams' side, and doubly delighted to find out how much we all had in common. Life is like that, isnt' it? Full of surprises and hidden treasures, if you just open your eyes, open your heart, and have faith.

My Thanksgiving in Pictures... and a few words.

2009-12-01T09:46:00.007-06:00

First of all, I got to hold Wynne for a LONG time. And it was perfect.

Then the Hubs and I went to Social Circle, GA for Thanksgiving celebrations with the in-laws. Clarke found a freakishly large strawberry in the Edible Arrangement..... and while yer at it, check out that freakishly long pointer finger (sorry honey, but you have to admit, your fingers are really long.)

We are thankful for the blue sky.

Aunt Linda did all the needlework on the tablecloth that dressed our Thanksgiving table. Fabulous? Heck yes.

Clarke and William playing "pool table"

This holiday was filled with crafty time which is just the way I like it. All my aunts and uncles-in-law are magnificently crafty. They build, they sew, they crochet and knit, they cook. I was in heaven. (More pics to come on this topic...)

After all the turkey was eaten ( and the craft projects completed) Clarke and I headed to Columbus, GA to celebrate Baby Fabulous' SECOND BIRTHDAY!!! (more pics to come on this topic as well.... but just to whet your appetite; it was a Circus Birthday. oh yeah.)

And what blog posting would be complete without a pic of my beloved animals? Hazel got to spend Thanksgiving with Amos, her brother, and Solo, that little yappy dog that follows them everywhere and nips at their tails.

So thats it for now, my friends. Until next time....... Be FABULOUS to each other.

A Norman Rockwell Kind of Thanksgiving.

2009-11-25T09:20:00.010-06:00

When I was a little girl I had a Norman Rockwell book. The book was enormous and very heavy (for a little girl). I think the book may have had a holiday theme because I remember lots of Santas and family gatherings and food. I used to open the book to any random page stare at one picture for what seemed like hours and hours. There is so much detail, so much life in every image. I didn't know what nostalgia was back then, but even as a little girl I knew that Rockwell was capturing something idyllic and even magical about life. This Thanksgiving I hope everyone finds themselves surrounded by that Norman Rockwell magic; by family, friends, good food, and so much LOVE.

"Freedom From Want" was first published in March 1943, part of a set of paintings called "The Four Freedoms"

Norman Rockwell's Ye Glutton (1923)
Rockwell represents one of the consequences of overeating: public ridicule.

The Saturday Evening Post Cover - November 24, 1945

One of many Rockwell paintings on the theme of war.

The Saturday Evening Post Cover- November 27, 1943

The Thanksgiving 1921 edition of The Country Gentleman brings us the tradition of the wishbone with the Rockwell treatment.

This was the first of two Norman Rockwell Thanksgiving illustrations to appear on the cover of The Literary Digest, November 22, 1919

And my all time favorite Norman Rockwell Thanksgiving.....

I know, I know....

2009-11-18T08:26:00.004-06:00

the cuteness is overwhelming.

Oh the SWEETNESS!!

2009-11-17T11:40:00.004-06:00

We are all completely and totally in love with this new addition to our family!! I have so much to say about this little girl but I am having a hard time getting started. I get choked up every time I begin writing! Until I can stop blubbering and get myself together..... please enjoy a few pics of my Goddaughter, Wynne. (and my handsome Daddy, David)

more to follow........

ITS A GIRL!!!!

2009-11-04T12:05:00.002-06:00

Her name is Wynne Eason Beck. She weighs 7lbs and 11oz and i hear she is just as perfect as her older sister.... pictures to follow!!!

ANNOUNCEMENT!!!!!

2009-10-28T11:25:00.002-05:00

Hear Ye, Hear Ye! I will have a new niece or nephew in exactly ONE WEEK!!! I know, I know, its the greatest news you have ever heard!!! (at least since my first niece, Baby Fabulous, was born). I'm having a hard time containing my excitement!! (!!!!!!!)

And now for something COMPLETELY RIDICULOUS

2009-10-20T12:39:00.003-05:00

IT was getting pretty heavy up in here, so I decided to lighten the mood a bit! Heres what happens when you mix friends, fun, and sweaters:

First the friends.... oh, and I guess we may have mixed a few drinks in there as well.

Then the Fun.....

Then the Sweaters......

I'm pretty sure I was wearing 6 or 7 sweaters all at once- and they are all pretty spectacular on their own. But put them together and what do you get?

COMPLETELY RIDICULOUS.

Yesterday

2009-10-07T12:11:00.003-05:00

Last night the moon was so very bright.

Last night I was falling asleep, in that place where you know you are still awake but everything already feels like a dream.... the clouds parted and moonlight filled up my room.

Last night I noticed the change in light from behind my eyelids and for a second I thought I had overslept. But then I opened my eyes just a crack, and then a little bit, and then a little bit more, and then all the way as that great big moon filled up my room.

Yesterday morning my uncle passed away.

Last night my uncle was welcomed into heaven.

And the moon was so very bright.

The Older I Get....

2009-09-29T09:10:00.004-05:00

Do you ever look around and get surprised at where you are? Not in a how-did-i-get-here kind of way...... I guess I find it amazing and a little scary that so many choices we make when we are young and naive determine where we will be when we are older and.... less-naive. Take, for instance, marriage. In the south we get married very young--average age is probably 22-24. Think about that. Think about where you were at 22. Would you feel comfortable letting a 22 year old organize your stock portfolio, hell, would you let them organize your sock drawer? Nothing wrong with being 22- I was AWESOME at 22. But I didn't know then what I know now.... is that a good thing when making big life choices? maybe.

Two ideas are coming into sharp focus:
1. I am thankful for that still soft voice that pulls me in the right direction when I dont' have the ability/knowledge to make the correct decision
2. My parents have remarkable restraint.

I talked about part one of my discovery a few blog postings ago..... part 2, well, this one is fresh and new! Lemme 'splain: The older I get the more I am thankful for my husband- that I found him in spite of all the terrible decisions I was making at that age. But more amazing still is how my mama sat by so quietly and let ME decide who I was going to marry!?! I think I've already hinted at the fact that I WAS NOT USING THE MAJORITY OF MY BRAIN from ages 19-23. And yet mama trusted in God and the girl she knew I would become and let me make my most important decision to date. How do parents do that? How do you let go of your babies?

And speaking of babies... heres another decision I see people making everyday. A few years ago I was READY to have a baby. Ready to make a person. Ready to bring another human into this world, this big, beautiful, slightly scary at times, downright confusing at times, even dangerous in certain situations....... OMG what am i thinking? See what happens? The older I get the less I think I am ready to have a baby. Its so much responsibility! What if I'm a bad mother? What if my baby hates me? What if I can't protect them? What if I try too hard to protect them and they end up rebelling and hurting themselves anyway? And where were these fears 5 years ago? Why didn't I go ahead and have the babies when I was younger and braver?

Thats the kind of mama i'm gonna be one day.... a worrying chicken egg mama.

(pause for some work-type-behavior so as not to be fired for blogging)

Now that I've had a moment to calm down. Being alive is a gift- I've said it before and I'll say it again. Think about first love. Think about the moment you lay eyes on your new baby. Think about sunrises, the beach, dancing, sisters, chocolate cake, singing, beer, holding hands, laughing so hard you wet your pants....... I have an uncle who is dying of cancer right now, and if you asked him if he regrets being given the gift of life simply because its not ending so great, he would look you in the eye and say " Hell-to-tha-NO!" We have to be so brave. We have to learn to trust in ourselves and especially in others. We need faith. We need love. We could all benefit from nice abs but thats a little further down the list of essentials..... I guess what I'm saying is: As I get older, life gets harder, but it also gets more fabulous.

images brought to you by ms. Natalie Dee

At Arms Length

2009-09-24T14:12:00.003-05:00

I was driving to work today and thinking about my sisters. I am so grateful, blessed, and humbled to know them, much less to call them MINE. Specifically, I was thinking about their chosen fields of study/chosen careers and what that says about them. Example: CRV has a degree in education, and at the moment is running her own catering company.....so I think that means she plays well with others, is a fearless self starter, and nurturing. SRV is in nursing school.....she is a caregiver, intelligent, and HIGHLY motivated. MLV is a mama (of one toddler and one on the way) AND office manager/PR/Accounting/executive assistant for an architecture firm..... she is multi-tasking, organized, artistic, a born leader. ARV is a freshman in college.....she is pretty much the life of the party!

So.......that was easy and fun!

And then I thought, what about me?

The moment I tried to condense MY career goals down to a few meaningful phrases all these emotions started clouding my thought processes. My mind was as clear as a bell while thinking about my sisters, but suddenly I couldn't form a coherent thought for all the feelings filling my brain. I shook my head back and forth in an effort to sift out the insecurities and excuses and justifications and the blinding desire to explain myself. "Well I worked here cause we needed the money"......"But they were such sweet people and they offered health insurance"......"I'm not good at choosing monologs"......"I don't like eggs" Whats going on? I had no problem stepping back and making objective observations about my sisters, yet the moment I tried to hold myself at arms length..... well.... thats just it. How do you hold yourself at arms length?

Well I'm here to tell you it can be done. It involves some circus-freak-type yoga moves and your rear view mirror (I was in my car, remember?) Its uncomfortable, but it can be done. Heres how it all went down for me........I realized first that I seem to collect jobs. Since graduation I have worked in a day care, a retail store, as assistant in a children's dance class, started a company, opened a store, was a camp counselor, a telephone tech dispatcher........Its dizzying. I also discovered I am a little embarrassed (oh those pesky emotions!) that I have a degree in theater yet worked in retail for about 5 years. Yes, Patagonia is a great company, and yes, I enjoyed all the friends I made and the things I learned, but it wasn't completely fulfilling. So that must mean I lack the confidence to pursue my career goals (whoa thats harsh)..... But I also co-founded a successful jewelry design company and opened my very own women's dress boutique in the heart of midtown manhattan- A fact of which I am not at all embarrassed- quite proud, actually (again with the emotions!) So that must mean I am creative and a risk taker. Then we moved to Alabama and I went back to school for my masters in education, at the same time working as a dispatcher for a telecom company.... which I think shows tentative self confidence, drive, and (for anyone who has ever been a dispatcher in a call center) PATIENCE. Most recently, I got a job as a drama teacher in an after-school program called Drama Kids. Finally! CONFIDENCE! and of course creativity, patience, and a dash of the crazy.

And, now that I'm in the mood and in right position let me stretch back a little further to look at the whole picture. I realize that I haven't held a full-time job longer than 2 years. I may have a bit of a problem setting my mind on something and keeping it there. Better put, I'm a sprinter. (And this is true both litterally and figuratively... I'm a dreadful long distance runner, but pretty darn fast in short bursts.) But looking at it from another side, I can also see I've been slowly piecing together the type of career that suits me best. Every job I worked appealed to me in a different way, but none was completely captivating. (Oooh Oooh! I'm starting to like this self- introspection business!) And thats also true in my daily life- for example when I get dressed I try on various tops and bottoms, add a scarf, scrap the necklace, trade the flats for heels until, VOILA- the worlds most perfect outfit.

So what do I hope my World Most Perfect Job/Outfit will say about me? It will say Helen is a (insert Worlds Most Perfet Job/Outfit here) which shows she lives to enrich the lives of others, is creative, is grounded but has very high expectations (a realistic optimist?), and loves to PLAY!

that still, soft voice

2009-09-17T13:09:00.005-05:00

I've been feeling out of sorts with myself for a number of weeks and I know just what the problem is.......its a combination of the change in the season, the turning of the leaves, the threat of colder weather, and the fact that I am SICK of my JOB. I said it and its true. The people I work with are lovely, and my bosses are generally very nice bosses, but this job has served its purpose and its TIME to MOVE ON. So I've been secretly job hunting. And I found something...... two somethings......and I almost made a terrible mistake.

Back up. Remember how I'm in school getting my masters in education? Well- school is slowly but surely getting harder. I'm taking statistics right now. I probably don't have to say much more than that, but for those of you who have never sat thru a statistics class taught by a Japanese person who is perfectly sweet, remarkably intelligent, and has a VERY thick accent; it goes a little something like this: WHAT IN THE NAME OF JACK'S PAJAMAS IS SHE TALKING ABOUT?
And.
Remember how I just got a puppy? Well- Hazel is slowly but surely getting bigger, and her energy levels keep rising. I swear one day we're gonna wake up and she will have made pancakes, painted the living room, given both cars oil changes, herded Oscar and FancyPants around the block a few times, and still bouncing off the walls like some insane clown escaped from the crazy circus. Clarke or I walk her twice a day and play all weekend long- I've lost 7 pounds so far. so theres that.
And.
Remember my husband? Cause I don't. I feel like I haven't seen him in weeks. The arrival of Hazel coincided with the start of his movie. For a solid month I hung out with my dog while my husband spent all his time on a movie set. It was great for Hazel's and my relationship, but not so great for the husband and wife team extraordinaire. Now that Clarke is back, we are having to redefine the spaces in our house, split up the chores again, clean up after each other again... its like moving in with eachother for-the-first-time-all-over-again.

Now. About my almost terrible mistake. My hectic life and not-so-fulfilling job experience led me to call my friend Hannah (the stage manager of my life). She helped me get my current job and then she quit. She now works at a cool chiropractic clinic called HUG Chiropractic. They were looking for a part-time or full-time office assistant/therapist's assistant/marketing and sales type person. And I interviewed for the position(s). I had a fabulous time at the interview, loved the staff, toured the office and felt right at home.... and then walked out of the office and started to cry. Why? I had no idea. I got back to work, back to my cubicle, and stared at my computer screen while I tried to figure it all out. Why would I be sad? I had a great interview. I dont' like my current job. Bad job out, good job in, Helen is happy... right? nope.

Then I had a thought.

Maybe what I need right now isn't another "place filler". Maybe what I really need right now is a REAL JOB. In my CHOSEN FIELD. what a concept. I thought about it all weekend, talked to Clarke, prayed to God, and listened to that quiet voice inside my heart.

Monday morning I called the wonderful people at HUG, thanked them for an enjoyable interview, and withdrew my application for employment. And then I went to work and settled into my perpetual funk. I was wandering around "the internets" (avoiding actual work) and found myself on Craigs list, and found a little job posting.....

TEACHERS JOIN THE FUN: Rewarding PT opportunity for charismatic teachers to join a well established, excellent after after-school drama program. Previous drama and/or theatre experience and classroom experience is required. Full training and lesson plans provided. Excellent pay. Send your resume to: Drama Kids International @ 144 Redwood Lane, Hoover, AL 35226 or email to dramakidsal@charter.net

And there it was. I almost skimmed right over the posting. It was so simple and straight forward and I didn't even realize it was an answer to my hearts prayer until today while driving to the interview! Lemme say that again..... It took me FOUR DAYS to realize that this was what I had been praying for. I returned from the interview a few hours ago and am still basking in the after glow of my great fortune. (whoa, that sounds so dramatic) I have found meaningful work. I'll explain the details later, but suffice to say that this is EXACTLY what I need.

And here's the point of my ramblings: I would have missed this if I hadn't listened to that still soft voice. I call it God, you can call it what you want but you know its there- its the happiness you feel when you know you are in the right place, its the uneasy-ness surrounding your bad decisions, its the unexpected, unexplained love that comes from total strangers. So listen up.

Last Words

2009-09-11T12:06:00.004-05:00

I heard an interview this morning on NPR about a father's last words to his sons. Both boys, one a Fireman and one anNYPD Detective, were killed on 9/11. His last words? "I love you". What a lucky man.....to have such brave children and to have been able to send them out of this world knowing they had a father who loved them.

Every day is a gift. Tell your family how much you love them today.

Now this is DIFFERENT

2009-08-28T12:28:00.013-05:00

I just stumbled across a new artist that i have a crush on. It is a little strange. But I LOVE it. take a look.....

This is called "Balloon Boy" by artist Mark Ryden. Here's another one....

This is "Nurse Sue". Kinda strange, huh? Now take a look at this.....

"Cloven Bunny". I love the way the little girl's eyes are glazed over, staring out at nothing in particular. And look at her hand doodling absentmindedly in the blood of the cloven bunny... like this sorta thing- broken and bleeding stuffed animal bunnies- is a regular occurrence and, frankly, quite boring at this point.
Ok. now look at this........

"Fetal Trapping in Northern California"
So. Yep. Thats another precious little girl intently studying a miniature Abe Lincoln as he extracts a fetus from the "belly" of a tree. And I love it. Mark Ryden uses Abe Lincoln often in his art, as well as stuffed bunnies, bees, and meat.... heres a cool quote from his website in which he talks about his art, inspiration, and process:

I believe to get ideas you have to nourish the spirit. I stuff myself full of the things I like: pictures of bugs, paintings by Bouguereau and David, books about Pheneous T. Barnum, films by Ray Harryhausen, old photographs of strange people, children’s books about space and science, medical illustrations, music by Frank Sinatra and Debussy, magazines, T.V., Jung and Freud, Ren and Stimpy, Joseph Campbell and Nostradamus, Ken and Barbie, Alchemy, Freemasonary, Buddhism. At night my head is so full of ideas I can’t sleep. I mix it all together and create my own doctrine of life and the universe. To me, certain things seem to fit together. There are certain parallels and clues all over the place. There may be a little part of Alice in Wonderland that fits in. Charles Darwin, and Colonel Sanders provide pieces. To me the world is full of awe and wonder. This is what I put in my paintings.

Click on this link and visit his website for a larger collection of his work if you so desire..... do you think i'm wierd for liking this stuf? I haven't completely pinpointed it, but I'm drawn in by his use of nature, the color palette for sure, his sense of humor, and especially by the adorable children and their innocent responses to totally bizzare situations. I'll leave you with a few more of my favorites....

Walnut Tree Nymph

Dead Characters

The Ecstasy of Celia

Tears

GAH. when is she gonna stop talking about her DOG?

2009-08-24T08:26:00.004-05:00

Hmmmmmmm. long time no write. What have I been doing, you ask? Well. It goes a little something like this....

5:30 wake up!
5:45 take Hazel for a walk to wear her little puppy bootie out.
6:30 shower and stuff
7:30 go to work
12:30 home to give Hazel a wee wee break and a quick smootchie
1:30 back to work
5:00 home to play with Hazel and wear her out again before...
7:00 class!
8:15 back home for some dinner and maybe see the hubs (but maybe not cause he's working on a movie this month)
9:30 finally sleeping.
(3:30am possibly waking up for a midnight wee wee break with Hazel- tiny puppy bladders! aaaagggghhh!)

so thats my life. heres the stuff i don't do since Hazel came into our lives...

1. grocery shopping- not that i did that before Hazel got here, no, that was Clarke's job. But since he started work on this film (which i haven't really even written about and will do so in the near future) he doesn't even have time to brush his teeth. So thats become my job. (not the teeth brushing- the grocery shopping) So we have been eating alot of takeout and fast food. you can't go to the grocery store with a puppy. and you can't leave a puppy at home unattended. we crate her during the work day, but once i get home she is ready to play! so, no, i don't go to the grocery store.
2. run various errands - like going to the bank, buying stamps, clothes shopping, hair cutting.... nope. those don't get done either. not enough time in the day. I do go to PetSmart and PetCo and PetWorld to purchase a new chewie toy at least once a week, because, of course, i can take Hazel there. So my dog and my cats do still eat good food and have sufficient toys on which to chew or claw or bat about. Clarke and i however stick to crap food and have no new toys on which to chew or claw or bat about.
3. visit my friends- I'm not sure i have friends anymore. Except for Hazel.
4. sleep- i don't sleep that much due to mid night wee breaks and early mornig walk-abouts. But that part is getting better. As she gets older her bladder has to get bigger, right? And I know she can't maintain this level of energy for the rest of her life, right? Ye GADS, I hope I'm right.

I'm being a little dramatic (as usual). I do still have a few friends and I did find time to grocery shop last tuesday. And I have to say that I am seriously enjoying my walks with Hazel- shes just so darn cute and smart and sweet- she brings out the best in everyone she meets- how do dogs do that? Having a dog has changed my life for the better. And this puppy stage doesn't last forever. (right?) So I am enjoying every moment with my sweet Hazel. And as soon as Clarke wraps on this shoot, we can have fresh veggies again on a regular basis :)

Side note: I'm doing something creative this weekend! I've got 2 cans of saddle brown spray paint, and 1 can of sunshine yellow paint and I have been ITCHING to get messy! Expect to see a few Fabulous pictures later next week....

I know, I know, I should change the name of my blog to "A Fabulous Animal"

2009-07-30T14:22:00.003-05:00

Here I am, blogging about ANOTHER of my furry friends! When will I ever regain my focus and start talking about design again? As soon as I stop acquiring and losing and acquiring animals.... I am still missing my sweet Hampton- and no, this is NOT a replacement- but we do have a new member of our little family....

Introducing...

HAZEL!!!!

She's 9 weeks old and a total sweetie. I'm wrapped around her little paw, She's the apple of my eye, She had me at "hello". And she keeps me up all night crying and asking to get out of her kennel. So I'm a little tired, and alot in love with my new dog, Hazel.

LOST.

2009-07-23T11:24:00.003-05:00

She has been gone since Saturday and I think I will never get over it. I miss her so much.

OMG I think I just died laughing...

2009-07-15T11:41:00.006-05:00

I have a Betta fish named Francis Ronwell Quincy Dobbs (Quincy for short).......

And I think he is a little cold so I was online researching fish tank heaters..... and I ran across this posting on some weirdo Betta Fish Forum and , good grief, I laughed so hard I wet myself........

I got my first betta on Wednesday. I thought it might have ammonia poisoning, so I changed the water yesterday and twice today because it looked to be gasping for air. Now it's standing on its head (head down at the bottom, mouth gasping, tail at the top, fins spread out) and I have no idea what it's doing. I am a first time fish owner, and none of the websites I've found are much of a help. Please help. Thanks.

EDIT- Now he's swimming around, but his smaller fins are moving rapidly and he can't seem to stay at the top of the tank for extended periods of time. Also, he pulled the standing on his head stunt again, except the tail section started going sideways. He's gonna die, isn't he?

DOUBLE EDIT- He is not shimmying along the bottom, and along with the fact he hasn't eaten much, I don't think it's swim bladder.

TRIPLE EDIT- He just went to the top, took a breath, and seemed to literally slide downwards head first. He is still gasping for air.

4th edit- (several hours later) Now he's swimming erratically around his bowl. He'll do that for a bit than sink back to the bottom. WTH is going on?

5th edit- Never mind. He just died.

Now, I know that because I was visiting a weirdo Betta Fish Forum, because I think my fish is cold, makes me a weirdo by association. And I am prepared to accept that- whats more, I think its great cause if I hadn't been looking around for suggestions on how to warm up my fish (which by the way is accomplished with a heater or heat lamp) then I may have never run across this amazingly hilarious posting chronicling the slow demise of a Betta fish. Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did!!

I demand an apology on behalf of all the Poodles.

2009-07-07T15:37:00.007-05:00

I think this is dog abuse. But since I like to present both sides of every argument, please take a look at this website . And after you are finished perusing, you may feel free to agree with me: Not only do these poodles deserve an apology, but there's at least one crazy lady out there who must be stopped.

Wedding Crashers

2009-07-01T14:51:00.003-05:00

So Clarke and I were invited to a party for a couple of friends who got married out of town. They came back to Birmingham and threw a raucous event at Vulcan Monument Park (gorgeous setting that overlooks downtown B'ham with a giant statue of the god Vulcan that you can climb to the top of Statue-of-Liberty-style) We signed our little RSVP card, I marked the date on the calendar, time passed.... and then the weekend was upon us! I put on my fancy dress and my high heels, and Clarke donned his cool tie/vest/slacks combo and away we went. The first thing I noticed were the flowers- oodles of fresh flowers on every flat surface, draped over the railings, I think even Vulcan himself was holding a bouquet aloft instead of his usual arrow. Clarke and I signed the guest book and started mingling. We didn't really know anyone there, but didn't expect to either as these were old friend's of Clarke's from WAY back in high school. I wanted to take a look at all the food, so we wound our way past the dance floor and were just about to get in line for a refreshing beverage when I spotted a couple of gents in tuxes. Now, our friend's wedding took place a few weeks prior to this party, and while I knew this was gonna be a "fancy dress" party, the invite did not say "black tie". "Hmmmm" I thought to myself, "Those guys sure are over dressed!" I leaned over to Clarke and asked, "have you seen the happy couple yet?" "Nope", he replied, "I wonder where they are?" We decided to start looking for them. As we passed the GIGANTIC wedding cake we both started feeling a little uneasy. We hung a left at the gaggle of girls in matching bridesmaid dresses and REALLY started to feel uneasy. Where are our friends? Why is everyone so dressed up and in matching outfits? Clarke suggested we climb to the top of the Vulcan monument to watch the sunset. From up there we could get a better view of the party and freely discuss the fact that we might, just might, be crashing someone else's wedding reception. So we climbed. And from atop Vulcan's perch, the sweet sounds of the motown band drifting up to meet us, we gazed at a glorious sunset.

Breathtaking, I know!
But back to issue-at-hand. Clarke and I added up what we knew so far: 1. There were dudes in tuxes and dudettes in matching dresses. 2.There was a wedding cake. 3. There was a motown band which is a staple of any good southern wedding reception. 4. There wasnt' a jew in sight- oh yeah, our friends who were throwing this party are jewish.

I think we are at the wrong party.

So do I.

And then we laughed and laughed and laughed... And then we went back down and got a drink, congratulated the happy couple (yes, we finaly found them, bride and groom, wedding dress and tux, we had NO IDEA who they were) and went on home...laughing all the way.

We are wedding (reception) crashers.

See- what had happened wuz..... I marked the wrong date on the calendar. The party we were supposed to attend had already come and gone- we were off by 2 weeks! But what a lovely event we attended. Couldn't have been better! I'd just like to say "Thank you" to the Bride and Groom for throwing such a fabulous affair. I wish you happiness and much love as you start your new life together as man and wife. And thanks for the beers too.

H to the O to the T

2009-06-19T14:47:00.003-05:00

Whoa. It is HOT.
I forgot about the HOT.
How could I not?
When you live in a spot thats so rarely hot, you forget.
I forgot!
And now I am HOT.

I step outside and immediately melt.
Its been 5 years since I felt heat like this.
Its smothering, suffocating, sizzling stuff.
I thought I was tough.
I'm not.
I'm HOT.

Its hard to breathe, its hard to move.
Just sitting still causes sweat to pool.
My clothes are drippy, my pits are sticky.
I try to look cool.
I'm not.
I'm HOT.

I've changed clothes 7 times.
I've written silly rhymes.
Theres no denying
For the next 3 months we'll be frying.

Whoa. It is HOT.

I forgot about the hot.

But at least

Its not

COLD.

Musings from a Pink Hair'd 30-something....

2009-06-05T09:48:00.004-05:00

I've been thinking. I am going through a crisis/reinvention/rebirth of sorts.... (A shocked gasp rises from the crowd, "No, Aunt Fab. Really? We couldn't tell from the length and color of your hair....) But seriously. I defy anyone to tell me that they turned 30 without some sort of Grand Pause. Here's what I'm thinking: Turning 30 for me was like turning a corner, seeing the rest of my adult life stretched out before me, and realizing I was at the beginning of something great. I'm not gonna lie and say I didn't have a momentary What-Am-I-Doing-Where-Is-My-Life-Headed-Freak-Out. 'Cause I did. You see, its a timing thing with me. I worry that 30 is too late to be starting a new career, and too late to be starting a family. And what about owning a home and a car and a vaccum cleaner? Because until very recently i had none of the above. While I didn't rush out to buy a house and steal a baby, I do own a car now. And a vaccum cleaner. And after the panic subsided, and the floors were dust free, I had a nice talk with myself. I realized that I am EXACTLY where I'm supposed to be. And whats more, I am HAPPY. I like my life. I like that I am following my dreams to become a teacher. And its perfectly ok if it takes me a few years to get there. I don't have to do it all at once- I don't have to rush up on the future so fast that I forget to BE HERE NOW. I also like that my husband is following his dreams of making movies about people in the South. As long as we do what brings us happiness, as long as we do Good, Serve and Love others, and have a little FUN.... how can we be sad?

I have the prayer of St. Theresa tacked to my cubicle wall above my computer and every morning I re-read this section, " May you trust that you are exactly whre you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith in yourself and others..."

Powerful words.

And here are a few more words I lean on when I feel burdended with fear or doubt....
"Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?....... Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."
- Matthew 6: 25-34

So no worries, my friends-be at peace with yourselves! And have a Fabulous weekend.

Did someone say "Fabulous"? Cause I could have sworn I just heard someone say, "Fabulous".....

2009-06-01T14:55:00.006-05:00

Look what I did........

And here's me at work.... Day Three of the most fabulous hair do since the "Kool Aide experience of '92" when i died my entire head with Rock-a-dile Red kool aide. I must say, this one is far more sophisticated than "kool aide". I love it. can you tell?

And no, honey, I am NOT having an "I-just-turned-30-and-I-need-to-do-something-wacky-so-I-don't-feel-old" breakdown. I just like it. OK?

New House Update!

2009-05-28T10:17:00.005-05:00

Soooooooooooo...... I've been busy. I know I know- thats no excuse for ignoring the old blog. Please accept my humble apologies. And PLEASE take a look at what I've been doing!!!!

This is the fireplace area in my Dining Room/foyer/library (its a small house, it has to multitask!)

And heres my little library- I love this spot.

This is my guest room/craft room/dressing room (again, multitasking is a must.)

If you spend the night with me, you get to sleep in this FABULOUS bed! Don't you love it?

And this is my "dressing table"/ craft station.

And finally a few cute shots of my fuzzys enjoying the backyard.....

Oscar's thoughful spot

Hampton has a very green thumb.

And this guy (I never did get his name) hung out on my geraniums ALL day. I have several great shots- its almost like he was posing!

I didn't do any color correction on these pics- the flowers are as red as can be, but when i took the picture that yellow and orange showed up-- I think its FABULOUS.

Ode to Phil Spector's Hair

2009-05-13T12:31:00.003-05:00

I can't resist. I started something and, darn it, I have to finish it. Phil Spector has had more hairdos than Dolly Parton and I have become more than a little obsessed with this dude's "Do". Mainly because he started out so "normal" looking and over the years he has gotten...well... OUT OF CONTROL. And I think its safe to assume that his wack-a-do hairstyles directly correlate to his wack-a-do life choices. Lets take a stroll down hairdo lane......

What sweet boyish charm- Can you believe he used to be in a band called "The Teddy Bears"?

The "Cool Dude Eats a Candy Cane" look. and PS- I LOVE those glasses

His futures SO Bright...... Oh, if he only knew......

Whos got rose colored glasses and one thumb.... this guy.

And heres where it starts to go terribly terribly wrong...... I ask again, can you believe THIS GUY (who is not-so-subtly giving "the finger" to someone in the court room) was in a band called "The Teddy Bears"???

The "Wet Dog Wears Too Much Rouge" look

little picture, fat face

Big picture, skinny face

The "Holy Crap I Can't Believe Your Hair Can Actually Do That" look

ps- I had BIG PLANS to do a little more research into Mr. Spectors life and try to prove my thesis that whacked out life choices = whacked out hairdos. But then I realized I'm not really interested in doing all that work and would rather just laugh at the man. But I will keep this thesis in the back of my mind in case I'm struggling for term paper topics next semester....

I heart.....

2009-05-11T12:19:00.010-05:00

I got this idea from a blog I love called Bliss. Every monday she does an "I heart Monday" post in which she lists a bunch of things that she....well....that she hearts! And I don't heart monday AT ALL. So in an effort to overcome the monday blues (and the blues in general), I'm gonna start an "I heart" post of my own, but I'm not gonna restrict it to mondays. Everytime I'm feeling down I'm gonna count my blessings and my inspirations and try to make myself laugh a little- and hopefully you can laugh a little too :) Here we go!

I heart this little girl.

I heart this wallpaper by Julia Rothman...

In both colorways!

I heart everything about this.
color, subject, composition- everything. Visit Samantha Hahn's blog for more fabulousness.

I heart natalie dee. she makes me laugh so hard i wet my pants...evry time.

I heart this guy's hairdo. I have no clue who he is, but damn. what a masterpiece. (ps, I think i did know who he was once upon a time, and if anyone recognizes him, please remind me- thanks!)

I heart this little flower. I took this pic way back in march, this was one of the first flowers of spring. You hear that, NYC? Spring! In March! HAHAHAHAHA!!!

I heart this guy: Vulcan, the god of iron and steel. How may people can say they have a god of iron and steel keeping watch over their city? Well, I guess all the people who live in B'ham can.... But I love it, and i love this pic, and i took this pic my own self.... why thank you, I think its a pretty great shot too!

I heart "I made you a Beard" on etsy. This girl deserves the Medal of Hilarity. I am not kidding, one of you is gonna be receiving a beard for your birthday one day, I just can't decide who....

Happy Monday, peeps!

L.I.V.E.

2009-04-27T19:12:00.002-05:00

I just ran across this little posting at one of my fav blogs- Vintage Indie - and i wanted to share with all of you (2 people who read my blog) what my goal for the summer will be....

L. earn how to let go of what is holding you back.

I. nclude the whole family in caring for your home and responsibilities

V. ow to build a strong family foundation.

E. njoy LIFE

This sounds like a FABULOUS way to spend the summer- no? Especially that last one. I am constantly having to remind myself to be in the moment, to enjoy what is happening in my life right NOW. And to be perfectly honest- I'm tired of having that conversation with myself. I'm ready to actually change. To actually BE happy here and now. 'Cause life is a gift, not a given.

Its UNDENIABLE

2009-04-24T14:07:00.004-05:00

I have the Worlds Most Precious Niece.

Just look at this.....

Can you stand it? I can't.

Happy Friday everyone!

I'm hanging pictures on the walls

2009-04-22T16:44:00.004-05:00

I guess that means i'm pretty serious. About living in this house. I am actually expending energy to arrange and hang my art on the walls of this house that i live in....dare I call it my home? I dare not. I'll tell ya a little secret though: I'm begining to LOVE THIS HOUSE. I knew i would. Its really so great, and if my effing camera wasn't broken (oh yeah, my effing camera is broken thats why my posts have been so wordy and not at all picture-y) I would be posting pictures of my sweet little bungalow. Theres just so much light! and space! and there are so many rooms! And my husband and I can stomp around on the floors and sing at the tops of our lungs and there are no neighbors to bang on the walls and yell, "shut up!"

Heres some great news: For the past two days we've had electricians, plumbers, and HVAC dudes at our house installing heaters and AC units and roto-rooting....
Heres some not great news: my bathroom and EVERYTHING IN IT is blanketed in a fine white dust becuase when the dude cut through the ceramic tile to make a space for the new vent, he DIDN'T TAKE ANYTHING OUT OF THE BATHROOM. If I had known they were gonna be cutting holes in the floor, I would have cleard out the room myself. But now our toothbrushes are covered in tile dust which, as it were, is terrible for your enamel.

theres your update.

Heres a picture of my favorite sneakers and the fabulous socks i like to wear with them....

Horoscope Shmoroscope

2009-04-17T11:07:00.002-05:00

I just read these things for fun- really i do! But for some reason, (cosmic? fated? coincidence?)these things are starting to seem eerily appropriate. read this:

You have fallen down the rabbit hole and nothing is the same as it was. The most stable things you once took for granted are now as pliable as silly putty. Your fantasies may seem so real that you could be a bit lost in the outer world. But not to worry; today marks a turning point in your battle to regain control of your life. Fix the problems within your imagination first. When your thoughts are in order, the rest will follow soon enough

Ummmmm. Someone asked me this morning how i was doing and I ALMOST SAID THAT EXACT PARAGRAPH WORD FOR WORD. Whats going on? I know i sound a little dramatic, but things are pretty darn dramatic in my world right now. We still don't have any heat in our new house (nor do we have air conditioning, but its not hot enough for that yet- in fact- its effing freezing at night.) We also have a plumbing issue: can't flush the toilet when taking a shower or the toilet over flows- or it backs up into the shower that is already filling up due to some monstrous clog lurking in the pipes. AND I have been calling the landlord since April 7th and haven't heard ONE WORD from him. The last time we talked, he had scheduled the HVAC guy to come by on 4.11 to install our new Heating and Air unit...... that was over a week ago.... I don't know whether to unpack or repack. One minute I am cruising craigslist for new furniture postings, and the next i am cruising for house rentals. Bi-polar. This is not fun.

So heres what we do. We enjoy each new day. We try to make the best of our situation. We thank God that we have a roof over our heads, a good job, food on the table and family and friends that love us. We call the landlord daily. And in the background we are keeping an ear out for any new houses...

A Magical Moment

2009-04-15T16:13:00.002-05:00

I can't find a video to embed- for some reason the embedding feature has been removed from all the youtube clips for this one video. So please, click on this link. I dare you not to cry.

Dreaming of paint and fabric and more time and more money

2009-04-13T16:12:00.006-05:00

Its killing me. I want to spend a solid week in my new house arranging, rearranging, painting, sewing, and decorating. I also want about 500 bucks. I think I could do it with 500 bucks. Last night i finished designing our bedroom in my mind. I am going with a deep turquoise, mustard yellow (Frenchs...not Grey Poupon), pea green, and white color scheme- with dashes of chocolate brown and sandy tan... and maybe a pop of sunny yellow or orangy orange..... I have big plans that involve curtains, a fabulous paint job on my 2 dressers, and maybe some throw pillows.... But of course, this is all in my dreams because i have no money and no time. GAH.

But I'm not complaining- things are gonna get better. They can't get much worse! I know!! Lets take a look at some inspiration pics i've been collecting for my bedroom...

This is the look I'm going for on my big chest of drawers...

I think I'm gonna use the technique shown in the first image- letting the wood show thru to create the image- but I like the yellow of the last image- and i think the image in the middle is the most like the flower design that i want to use (and its a sweet little room- check out those framed silhouettes on the wall- made from wall paper swatches!!)

More later.... i'm gonna be scouring the fabric stores on line and in my hood for the next week or so to find fabulously affordable and fabulously fabulous fabric for my bedroom and living room... we have 26 windows which I love..... but thats quite a few curtains.... So bedroom and living room take priority- then I will move on to the windows in the dining room, guest room, office and maybe the kitchen... my goodness. This is gonna be fun.

cake cake cake cake cake CAKE!

2009-04-09T11:08:00.006-05:00

Its called a "chocolate roll" and its a family tradition We cannot and will not have a birthday without a chocolate roll. I've made it a few times, but I can't really remember the recipe- I know you use a bunch of egg whites, whip those up till they make soft peaks, fold in coco and sugar.... and then.... something else..... and then you bake it. It doesn't rise like other cakes but instead makes a nice flat spongy sheet that you then slather with REAL whipping cream-not that cool whip crap. Then you roll it up and continue the whipping cream slathering over top..... SO GOOD.

My fabulous sister, Caroline, made this beautiful creation for my birthday party....

This is actually 2 chocolate rolls snugged up next to each other.

And heres what it looks like inside......

Oh yeah- just before you eat it your piece, you drizzle with a little chocolate sauce and oh my goodness. its a little piece of heaven.

Thank you Caroline!!!!

I still don't want to talk about it.

2009-04-07T12:03:00.012-05:00

So, the moving into a new house situation is still a little "up in the air".... and I don't think I'm quite ready to discuss. I'm afraid of jinxing myself. I'm also afraid I might burst into tears or rip my landlord's head clean off his shoulders. Either option would be strangely satisfying.

Anyhoo. lets talk about the fact that TODAY i am THIRTY YEARS OLD!!! Yepp- thats right.

I'm glad to be 30. I'm glad to leave the uncertainty of the 20s behind and look toward a decade of focus, creativity, and abundance..... I think thats my birthday wish- that my family and I would be blessed with fabulous ideas, will-power to put those ideas in motion, and sucess! Doesn't that sound good?

Guess what else sounds good?

Looking at more pictures of BABY FABULOUS!!!! These were take this past weekend at my parent's house. Sally was precious in her fabulous new party dress. Her mama taught her how to say "Happy Birthday" and "Aunt Fabby"..... my heart melted. Enjoy these pics and stay tuned for more. I have some great shots of my most delicious b-day cake...baked just for me by the culinary genious, Caroline Varner!!

But now, I give you Sally Beck....aka Baby Fabulous.....

oh, why don't you just go blog about it!

2009-04-01T13:31:00.006-05:00

yeah- I've been gone for awhile- it happens. I miss you blog. But theres nothing i can do about now. I'll be back and I promise to tell you the fantastical story about the time I moved into a house and almost lost my mind.

heres a random funny for you......

Ode to my Lonely Blog...or...My Life is a Gilded Pile of Poop, by A. Fabulous

2009-03-30T10:30:00.004-05:00

I haven't written in a while due to the overwhelming, all encompassing, poop storms from which the husband and i have been seeking shelter. We are trying to move into a new home. It has been TERRIBLE. I really don't even want to talk about it. But here are the highlights of the weekend.

- My cat oscar broke his leg and is now in a kitty cast.

- My husband got the moving van stuck in the Alabama red clay mud pit in our new backyard- then it started sliding downhill slow-mo-style only to be stopped by the neighbor's new fence. No real tragedy though, only minor damages and a 95 dollar tow truck experience.

-Did I mention the buckets and buckets of rain that fell on Alabama the weekend we wanted to move?

-Our new house still has no refridgerator, hasn't been cleaned since the previous renters, and we found out 2 days ago that theres no hot water and no thermostat...although there is central heating and air, just no way to adjust it... all of this was supposed to have been fixed, replaced, remedied, whatever, before we moved in....

The craziest part is, this house is so nice! Its adorable on the inside. Got tons of charm, updated kitchen and bathroom, working fireplace, all the windows a girl could want, the yard is a wreck but I like to think that it has "potential".... I can't figure out where it all went wrong, but its definately wrong.

I'm exhausted. And I can't even enjoy the fact that we almost live in a house for the first time in 6 years, becuase theres so much crap to wade thru.... ugh. One of these days I'm gonna post something happy again. One of these days I'm gonna look back at all this and find it mildly amusing. But now I'm going to punch a clown in the face.

The Best Day Ever- part deaux

2009-03-25T12:32:00.007-05:00

What could possibly warrant a title like that- right? I mean especially since I've never told you about the best day ever- part one.... Well. I am prone to exaggeration, and I have had quite a few best days of my life, but there are just a handfull that really stick out....lets do a count down of the top 5 best days EVER:

5. The day Bye Bye Birdie opened at my Highschool- I played Kim McAfee- thought i was already on Brodaway!

4. NEw Years Eve 2000- Toomers Corner Auburn, AL- The Auburn Knights Orchestra was performing, Clarke was singing, I was surrounded by my best friends.

3. Flotilla 2008- Spent the day with my sisters, the husbands, and the boyfriend floating lazily down a creek-like-tide-pool-thing that ran almost a mile down the beach.

2. The birthday of Sally Beck-- the worlds most perfect niece.

1. YESTERDAY. Last night to be specific, was the best part of the Best Day of My Life. Thats the day I found out that my sister is PREGNANT AGAIN!!!!! I'm gonna be an Aunt Fabulous AGAIN!!! Can you believe it? I can't wait to get home and see my sister and yell and scream and jump around... maybe she will have a boy this time...oh who cares! Its gonna be another baby!! We are so lucky.

So get ready- many more pregnancy updates to follow as we start this next awesome chapter in our lifes. . .

And while we're at it, lets look at the world's most fabulous niece one more time.....

Just singing away

2009-03-20T10:42:00.008-05:00

I was walking around B'ham last weekend when I heard this little birdie. I couldn't help but hear him. He was singing every song he knew at the top of his little birdie lungs. I could tell he was just as excited about spring as I was. It was a particularly glorious day in the South- one of those early spring days where the sun is warm, but the ground is still cool and the breeze feels like a sigh of relief.

I'm trying some new editing techniques with my pictures (if you can call retouching in Picasa editing.. I really need to be using photo shop for these, but am too sick of sitting in front of a computer by the time i get home from work...oh stop complaining, aunt Fab!) I am so inspired by this one photographer in particular- Mrs. French of the blog Bliss.

You can view and purchase her photography here and here.... What I love about her pics are the colors. They are faded and brilliant at the same time- How does she do that? She shoots mainly nature which I also really dig- and again, her COLORS are FABULOUS. I am seriously contemplating these three images for my personal collection:

1. life's a....

2. chosen

3. my favorite dahlia

4. pinwheel pinwheel

5. tied up

Yes, I know that was more than three. Once I got started choosign my favorites I just couldn't stop! Hey, my birthday is coming up.....

Second Place is almost First Place

2009-03-19T13:29:00.004-05:00

Clarke's short film won SECOND PLACE in the Sidewalk Scramble!!! I am so darn proud! He stayed awake editing this masterpiece for 24 hours straight. He did all the animation, all the voices, wrote the story, chose the music..... He is fabulous.

Please watch and enjoy the Fantastical Story of Brummie the B-hamster......

you'll never believe

2009-03-17T15:21:00.001-05:00

who i found over at peacanoot--- go ahead--- see for yerself!

Lets Play Charades

2009-03-17T08:30:00.010-05:00

We were strolling in the park one day and stumbled across the perfect platform-stage-type-area.... now you know a bunch of performers cant resist a stage, so what did we do? The husband jumped up on the "Stage" and the rest of us (Carrie Sweet George, Sam George, and me- aunt fabulous) yelled out famous statues and monuments for him to re-enact.....impromptu improvisation... LOVE IT!

Vulcan
(Beloved symbol of Birmingham and the nation's iron and steel industry- and the world's largest cast iron sculpture!)

The Lincoln Memorial

Statue of Liberty

The Thinker

Washington Monument

Atlas

Iwo Jima Memorial

yea for tuesday! yea for charades!

Fabulous Friday..... family style

2009-03-13T09:19:00.007-05:00

This is the Robinson Clan-My entire extended family on my mama's side. Thats my Grandmother, Aunts, Uncles, First cousins, and spouses of first cousins... and the babies are all children of first cousins(is that second cousin?). I grew up with these people. At least once a year around labor day, we make it our business to get together at my grandmother's cabin and spend the weekend together- we eat, we drink, we tell stories, dress up in costumes and put on shows, and laugh so hard that all the women end up wetting their pants. I didn't always love this giant family though. When i was drowning in the sea of teen angst, I spent all of labor day weekend with headphones glued to my ears and a book 2 inches from my face. I was embarrassed by these freaks. All they did was talk about other people and lecture me about my life and my choices. They were too conservative, too southern, had too many children, were too religious. I was NOTHING like them. They didn't understand me- they had no idea what i was going through. I was CERTIAN I had been adopted. Oh, how things change. This family (and my Daddy's side too) have shaped me into a person I am not ashamed of- in fact, I like myself. I owe them all so much... I owe my aunts who wrote me so many letters brimming with love and hope when i was "in a bad place". I owe my uncles who, along with my daddy, cranked up the "beach music" and let me stand on their feet to dance. I owe my cousins who taught me how to steal smokes from yot-yot, how to put on one helluva talent show, and how to share. I owe my papa who started all this fabulous-ness and who ALWAYS had bubble gum for his grandchildren. I owe my grandmother whose faith is unshakable, whose love is unbreakable, and whose laughter is unstoppable!

Why all the nostalgia? I missed cousins weekend this year. 3 years ago the cousins decided we needed a weekend just for us- away from the "adults". And its an effort to continue this tradition of getting together year after year, even after all the "adults" are gone. And Its another excuse to eat drink dance sing dress up in costumes and wet our pants. I hate that i missed all the fun...but this crap economy wouldn't allow a weekend away.
So, here are my fabulous cousins (with The Grandmother), all on our best behavior cause we just got out of church.... don't let anyone fool you- these people are FREAKS! and I LOVE THEM!!!!

And now- a couple of pics of us "showin out"-- We are all singing a song mama wrote for The Grandmother's 90th birthday-- yes, that fabulous lady is now NINETY ONE-- can you believe it?

Don't you wish you were here?
Happy Friday everyone!

Note to self

2009-03-12T12:09:00.004-05:00

I'm getting a little frustrated with my giving challenge. I want to give certain things to certain people but I am low on the funds right now so i can't really buy anything so I am only giving time.... If I were to hear those words come out of someone else's mouth, this is what i would say to that someone, "Giving your time to a person or a cause or whatever is one of the most important gifts of all. Anyone can buy things. Your time is valuable, and to give it away to another is a precious gift!" That's what I would say- so why don't i just listen to myself?? I guess I will.

This week i am devoting my afternoons to working on the design for my friend Jason's new restaurant in Athens, AL- The Limestone Tavern. He asked me to/is letting me design the facade and create the logo which i'll paint on the front window.... I am having SUCH a great time! I found a photo of the place online and i am playing around with it in photoshop- changing the color of the brick and all the trim to reflect the new design. Jason has no idea I am doing all this, so Sunday, when we drive to Athens to check it out in person, I am gonna "present" my design to him... I think hes gonna freak! In a good way! Heres what the place looks like now-

When I'm done its gonna look like a modern take on an old fashioned tavern-- think Irish Pub meets...... well, I don't yet know what the Irish pub meets. But, trust me, its gonna be fabulous.

Blossom Buddies

2009-03-11T09:38:00.009-05:00

Please check out this beautiful craft- and just in time for spring! We NEED to do this, EVERYONE. I want y'all to get excited, get your friends together, and at the first sign of spring, start collecting little flower petals and other botanical-type-trimmings. Actually, you could make these little people out of just about anything... I am imagining some really scary ones made out of twisty twigs and crunchy fall leaves.. and maybe a berry or two... Posibilities are limitless!!!
Anyhoo, I really just wanted to give y'all something nice to look at and to highlight the talented artist who created these beautiful little flower people. Her name is Elsa Mora, and she is amazingly gifted. She draws, she creates papercut sculptures, she works with porcelain, she makes toys, jewelry, clothing, and doll houses.... oh, and she walks for autism. Please go visit her blog and her etsy shop.... enjoy!

Busy Signal/No More Ms. Braggy Pants

2009-03-09T09:06:00.004-05:00

This weekend was BUSY. My hubs and I participated in the Sidewalk Scramble! You get 48 hours to create a 5 min film. There are also some "rules of inspiration" that each team must follow. We could choose between comedy or tragedy (I think it was tragedy, I can't really remember- we chose comedy, obviously) Then we had to draw the sub-genres from a hat to determine in which catagory our film would fall- I drew Horror. (gasp!) We traded with someone else for Sci-Fi/Fantasy. (sigh of relief) Finally, we rolled a pair of dice to determine the number of characters- we got 5- and we had to include the dice somewhere in the film. This weekend was uber-fun. I spent all morning on saturday running around town snapping pictures that clarke could use in his animation -oh yea, Clarke animated the whole thing by himself, AND did all the voices, AND chose all the music, AND did the editing- Clarke didn't sleep all weekend. He finished the final cut yesterday evening at 7:45- the film was due at 8:00p. So we jumped in the car and i sped us to the drop off point- We made it!!! In the car on the way home, I expected Clarke to fall asleep immediately, he was a little punchy, but all he could talk about was how much fun he had! FUN? i mean, I had a good time taking pictures and driving all over B'ham, but if i had to stay up for 48 hrs and make a movie all by myself, I would not call it a good time. My hubs is amazing- he loves what he does! Now will someone please pay him to do what he loves? thank you.

But what is the film about, you ask? You will have to wait and see. The judging is on Wednesday- so Thursday I will post the film right here!

And what did i give away this weekend? Well, I am having an issue with the 29-gifts challenge. I'm starting to feel like a braggy-pants, always talking about the nice things i'm doing for others. SO. I'm not gonna talk about it anymore, I'm just gonna give and have it be my own personal challenge. What really got to me was the "community" at 29gifts.org. I kept posting my "gives" on my little blog at that site, and people were saying the nicest things to me. Things like, "great job, Helen" and "what a nice give!" and " keep up the good work"- and i know it was supposed to make me feel good, (those people are super nice.) but it made me feel...not good. I don't really know how to describe it. I guess i want to say, "don't compliment me for doing something that i should be doing anyway". I don't need to hear, "you are doing such a great job at being nice to other people!" I should be nice to people everyday of my life, whether its a challenge I'm participating in or not. I am doing this 29 day give, but i want it to turn in to a life time of giving. I want to give everyday. And I don't want/need to be encouraged and complimented. So thank you so much all you sweet people who said such wonderful things to me- your encouragement was welcome and appreciated. But no more. By keeping quiet about my gives, I can give more freely, more openly, and more honestly. So look out world- I'm gonna make my mark, anonomously, one gift at a time.

Ice cream falling from the sky

2009-03-06T12:51:00.004-06:00

One winter day I was stuck in bed with a mega flu. It was the winter of 2000, i think, and I was living with my husband (then my boyfriend- i know, its scandalous, but thats another blog for another time) It was a very sad winter day for a number of reasons, but foremost was the fact that it was snowing and I was sick!! Now, we went to Auburn University in Auburn, AL, and it don't snow down here in the ole dirty south too much. And when it does snow, its completely GONE by mid afternoon so you have to get all your snow-type activities taken care of before noon just to be safe. So, I woke up on that winter day feeling like a poop sandwich with a hangover, looked out my window, beheld the glorious freshly fallen snow, and said, "shit". My husband (then boyfriend/scandalous roomate) looked out the window and said, "ice cream!"...... huh? Thats right. My husband makes ice cream out of snow. Clarke swears that hes made this stuff his whole life, but whenever we talk to other people about it they look at us like we have 3 heads. "You scoop snow out of the yard, add milk, and eat it? and its actually good?" And to that I answer a resounding, "HECK YES".
So, to everyone who has never experienced the joy of snow ice cream, I give to you my Clarke's special recipe:

SNOW ICE CREAM
1. Harvest freshly fallen snow in a BIG mixing bowl. Clarke says the best place to get fresh snow is from the tops of cars- although don't take the part thats actually touching the car, just scoop off the top layer. Don't take it off the ground cause you don't know what bird or dog or bear poop might be under that snow...
2. drop a capfull of vanilla extract in the bowl and stir
3. start mixing in a can of sweetened condensed milk - you probably won't use the whole can, but use more than you think you should (i didn't say this was healthy, I just said it was delicious)
4. alternate a few drizzles of condensed milk with a splash of regular milk and stir it around- every so often take a little taste. Some people also like to add a few tablespoons of white sugar, but i think the condensed milk is sweet enough. You may need/want to add another drop of vanilla depending on how much snow you are working with. There is no hard and fast rule to how much of anything you need to add- you are going for the taste and consistency of vanilla ice cream, but its totally up to you how sweet you want this stuff. You know its ready when you can't stop the tasting.......

So, on that very glorious, and very sad winter day in Auburn, AL, my husband (then partner in sinful cohabitation) leapt out of bed and into the snow, and spent the rest of the afternoon delighting in his ice creamy joy. While i lay in the bed and moaned.

Day Three: Chick-Fil-A

2009-03-06T12:19:00.003-06:00

My friend Hannah and I went out for our weekly girls club lunch (minus Amanda who is in NYC- miss you!!!) and today I gave/bought Hannah some delicious chicken nuggets.... And I think she is gonna take the challenge as well!
I realize that most people give of themselves, their time, and their resources every single day. Its what makes the world go round! But acknowledging the giving, getting outside of my head and consciously thinking, "what am i going to give today?" (even if its just a few delicious nuggets) does a number of things:
1. I have started to react to people differently-- instead of saying, "hey get outta my way, other person!" I'm starting to say, "i wonder if there is anything i can give you?"
2. I have experienced a huge creative surge. I'm actually starting all those craft projects that have been brewing in my head so I'll have more to give.
3. and this may be just because spring is in the air, but I am feeling strangely optimistic....

Day Two: The Bell Center

2009-03-05T13:35:00.002-06:00

Today I give of my time... I am pursuing a masters in special education and part of my degree requirement is to log a certain number of hours in the classroom. I start in two weeks working at a fabulous place called The Bell Center. Its a completely privately funded organization that offers early intervention classes to children with special needs from newborns to 3 yrs of age. Today I toured the facility and signed up for the volunteer program. I start in 2 weeks!! Anyone in the Birmingham, AL area interested in donating time or anyone anywhere interested in donating money should check this place out- Its amazing!

Day one: Ada Bunny

2009-03-04T15:19:00.008-06:00

so- I stumbled across this fabulous thing: "The 29 Day Giving Challenge" What started as a little idea sprouting from the mind of a woman with a serious case of the blues, has grown into a MAJOR force for good. Essentially, you give one gift every day for 29 days. But I have the feeling that it turns into much much more......
Visit the web site if you so desire- check it out for yerself- and start giving! I am gonna do a mini-post everyday with a pic or a story about my gift just to keep me on track. This is gonna be so fun.

ahem.

Day One: "Ada Bunny" This little cutie was made by me for my girlfriend Amanda's new niece, Madelyn Ada Jacobs.

3pm: The Melt

2009-03-04T10:50:00.003-06:00

The world went from winter to spring in just a few hours.... It was amazing.... and soggy.

(you were so right, honey, this did make a cool picture. i promise to let you hold the camera more often...)

9am: The Snow

2009-03-03T10:38:00.019-06:00

I woke up at 8:45 and peeped out my window to see the snow tipping down! Immediately flipped to the weather channel to gague how long I could sleep in and still not miss the prime snow time. Mr. Weather Man told me i had until 10:45..... "Get up Clarke!!!!" Below is a pictoral journey through my first Alabama Snow Day.

Anyone remember that art installation in Central Park, NYC called "The Gates"..... We have our own version at the Red Mountain Villas!

This was taken in the back yard of my NEW HOUSE!

These are the steps leading up to my NEW HOUSE! and no, that blurry-ness is not an effect- I had just taken a substantial spill (slippery boots) and broke my fall with my camera.... That blurry-ness is snow tightly packed into the lense area... whoops!

The last time I ever saw my Grandaddy Varner he was in the hospital, sick from cancer. He was wearing a bright red union suit. We all told him he looked so handsome and cheery- just like a cardinal. Now whenever I see a cardinal, I feel like its my Grandaddy, stopping by to say "I love you" and to make sure I'm doing ok.

this photo was retouched by my awesome hubby-- I love photoshop-- and my awesome hubby.

What a Weekend!!

2009-03-02T12:14:00.023-06:00

I had such a FABULOUS weekend. I almost don't know where to begin.... I guess the big news is that it SNOWED in ALABAMA yesterday. It was tremendous. It is also completely gone at this point. But more about that tomorrow. First i wanna talk about what an amazing time we had at WORKPLAY Saturday night. My friend Sam George has a band called Bright Henry - they rock. They played with another band that also rocks mightely- The White Oaks . I excercised my photography muscles again- most of my pics are unusable becuase i simply refuse to use a flash. It ruins the mood! Therefore ALL my shots are blurry cause who in the world can hold their hands still while rockin out to amazing tunes? Not I. But some were good, so I thought I would share- Enjoy....

Bright Henry...

Sam B. George!

The White Oaks...

these precious children belong to the bassist, I believe- they were the center of my attention for a good 20 minutes....

I think they're twins- the little girl never really stopped dancing, but the little boy would get awe-struck sometimes and just stare at the band while his sister boogied in circles around him.

So, Maybe I don't have a carreer in photography in my future, but I do so enjoy taking pictures! I have so many more to come.... this week is gonna be fun! Stay tuned...

WHOOO HOOOO!

2009-02-27T11:42:00.013-06:00

We got a house!! We are now the proud renters of 1045 Green Springs Ave-- I will have pics for ya on monday. Its perfectly fabulous. And I can't stop thinking about it. I couldn't sleep last night cause i was decorating all the rooms in my head- arranging furniture, hanging pictures on the walls, painting.... I was busy :)

Anyway- I got to work and immediately hit up all my fav interior design sites.... I got a little hung up on wallpaper. Heres what i love at this moment:

How fun would it be to hang mini pics inside each of these frames? you could even color them in.... I am LOVING that idea.

So, I am discovering that i lean towards a nature theme or a 1960's acid trip! But this is just a start.

I have 15 or so picture frames and mirror frames of various sizes and would love to frame pieces of wallpaper- That way I'm not covering an entire wall that i will have to rip down when we move again- If ya frame it, ya take it with ya! I'm imagining a wall covered in frames, some filled with wallpaper, some empty... it would feel a little something like this:

I also have a vision of a baby's nursery (surprise surprise)- I'll paint the ceiling and walls just down to about 3 ft from the floor a nice pale blue or turquoise, then go green down to the floor. Then i find some funky patterned wallpaper and cut out a huge tree- smack that on the wall- cut out some birds out of a diff design to sit on the branches and fly in the sky- and maybe a few fun animals to walk around the room-- these are not going to be detailed cutouts, just sillhouettes really....I gotta find the paper and then i will do an inspiration board of the design to share with ya- Stay tuned!!!!

WHOA

2009-02-26T14:39:00.002-06:00

I just spent about 30 minutes croping and retouching different images for my title pic. This is FUN. I could spend all day playing with pictures. I wish I had adobe photoshop on my work PC.....wait a minute-don't wanna pull a dooce....I mean, I wish I had more time to edit photos. I am SO BUSY at work, by the time I get home the last thing I wanna do is sit in front of a computer! (there, thats better)
Don't be surprised if my title pic changes over the coming weeks as i try new things- I will eventually settle on something.
Also, don't be surprised if I suddenly don't have a job anymore due to the fact that i spend every other minute editing photos or blogging or blogging about editing....

just who do i think i am?

2009-02-25T10:47:00.012-06:00

taking pictures and retouching them like i'm some talented photographer. . . .
well- I think these are pretty good. what do you think?

Lets talk Design.

2009-02-23T10:03:00.021-06:00

Since the name of my blog is "A. Fabulous Design" its about time i started talking about design- doncha think?

When i was home over Valentines weekend, I not only took 3 billion pictures of my fabulous niece, but also took a nice walk outside in my parent's yard and practiced using my new camera. I think i got some nice shots...

I have always been intrigued by extreme closeups. I love getting an inch away from a rain droplet hanging from a blade of grass- an "ants eye view" of the world.

I'm also amazed by the colors that appear in nature- this is a tree trunk- not sure what kind of tree- shoulda asked my Daddy! Anyway, I was stunned by how much color was on one tree trunk. I'm thinking these images would look great printed on stretched canvas -- Maybe in a boys bedroom? They have that "cammo" look to them.

They would also work in a mountain house or lodge-- 8x10 with a wide white mat-- hung very symmetrically, maybe in a horizontal line eye level around the room...think "modern cabin chic"- very Vern Yip from Trading Spaces!

Then I found some kind of scrubby weed that had arranged its little dew droplets in such perfectly straight lines- so impressive! I always think of nature as being wild and unruly- it surprises me when i come across this level of order among the seeming chaos. . .

These would also look nice in a cotttage or mountain house, but I may blow them up and hang them in my sunporch, among my indoor plants (this is, of course, an imaginary sunporch as i am still living in the dumb apartment- yes, I do design imaginary rooms in imaginary houses, its one of my favorite things to do)

Finally, I took some shots of my all time fav. flower- the daffodill!! I love these guys- they are the heralds of spring! They take risks-coming out when theres still a chill in the air to give us the good news: "hang in there guys- spring is almost here!"

I played around with a few effects- saturation and black and white focus mainly....

Hope you enjoyed your visit today!!

Happy Monday!

Sally is gonna be so embarrassed....

2009-02-18T16:36:00.013-06:00

Look who I got to spend Valentine's weekend with! Of course my husband was there too- but lets focus on little Pound Cake for a minute. She is the definition of Fabulous. She will also probably hate me when she turns 12 and realizes that her Aunt blogged about bath time, but goodness gracious-- Have you ever seen anything so adorable? Sorry Sally, you are just too cute for words- I had to do it. You will do it to your baby one day, so just get over it!

This was the first time I drained all the water out and told Sally, "all done! Ready to get out?" She didn't budge. Apparently bath time was not over. I filled up the tub again.

This one looks JUST LIKE my sister- Sally's mama- when she was Sally's age.

I love this one. Please look at the My Little Pony in the background- she has had quite enough bathtime for one day.

Just Because

2009-02-11T14:01:00.004-06:00

Just because its Wednesday and i don't really have anything to say- doesn't mean i should ignore my blog...right?.....so.....guess what i did today? Took my friend Hannah to get her jaw xrayed. My friend is so brave. They tried to numb her jaw first (which in itself is mega painful) then they injected dye into her jaw. . . she said she could feel the dye sweeping across her face. Then they took a quick pic of her jaw bone and she was done. But not so much. Cause she still can't open her mouth with out being in serious pain. And for a few hours the right side of her face was a little droopy.

While i was waiting for Hannah, I sat in a tiny room with your classic little old man: skinny arms and legs, a little hunched over, long scruffy face and white grey hair- only this little old man was wearing a grey tobogan. Yep- He had on old grey new balance sneakers, white socks pulled ALL the way up, a hospital gown that flapped open in the back and revealed his grey with maroon paisley boxer shorts and white undershirt, HUGE glasses, and a grey tobogan. And he had one of the hospital attendants bring him a blanket cause he was "chilled". What an adorable guy. I think he was there cause he was having digestion issues- He said something about strictures and a bleeding ulcer and then he fell asleep. Precious.

So that was my morning- oh- and i also worked the whole time. Thats the great/not at all great thing about Blackberrys...you are never more than a click away from your work. I can work from absolutely anywhere- and i have! The movie theater, the car, the shower.. you name it, I have emailed from it. Not gonna lie, I kind of hate that device.

Tonight I am going straight home to study for my precal test tomorrow... and probably going to bed super early again- I have been SO tired lately. Don't know if its stress or the time of year or what, but i could lay my head down anywhere and fall immediately to sleep. I need to get that checked out.

OK- thanks for stopping by- happy Wednesday!

Speaking of Books. . .

2009-02-09T16:35:00.002-06:00

I just got a book shelf for my blog (look to the right, and down)- don't you want one too? Go to this website and make it happen for yourself.

ITS HERE!!!!

2009-02-06T16:16:00.002-06:00

Look what i got today! To commemorate the closing of domino magazine, I bought myself this fabulous book (sorry honey, consider it my Valentines Day present :)

It is truly a must have for anyone who cares about decorating. Go out and buy one- oh, and ignore the special gift offer: one domino magazine subscription included with the purchase of this book. . . not so much.

This book is beautiful from cover to cover. Its a real shame that this publication had to fall victim to our crap economy. Lets all say a prayer for those who find themselves without a job due to this newest economic casualty. However.... i think we can also celebrate this time in our history as a moment to collectively step back, get our spending habits under control (as i ask you to go out and buy a book- HA!), and remember there are other definitions for the words value and worth-they don't have to be associated with dollar signs. Hmmmmm....this makes me think of another great thing i ran across this week- The Handmade Pledge!

Go to this website and you can pledge to buy more handmade/homeade items- this way we are all supporting each other while giving big-business-corporate-america a time out (they need to sit in the corner and think about what they have done). From that site you can link around to their blog and to many other fabulous sites devoted to hand crafted wares....

OK- thats all- enjoy your weekend my friends!

Amigurumi-- what?

2009-02-05T09:31:00.007-06:00

So- I'm picking up the hook again. I haven't held a crochet hook in almost a whole year! Last winter i made the most amazing hat, but it took almost 2 weeks of straight crocheting. My hands fell off and i had tunnel vision for a month--i got seriously burned out. And then i moved to Alabama where people don't need warm winter hats with giant pom-poms on the top. . . what a waste. Sometimes i wear it anyway and pretend i'm in NYC.... and then my head starts sweating.
But I digress! I have decided to pick up the hook once more and start on some of the projects i've had brewing in my little brain. I'm starting with a sweet stuffed animal- a gift for a new baby girl. I can't decide which one to make though, so i grabbed some pics off the world wide interweb and thought i would share them with the two people who read my blog in hopes we can come to a decision....

This one i've made before- for Baby Fabulous (aka Sally Beck)- and yes, it turned out pretty darn fabulous.

This one is called "Mr. Funky Bunny in a Dress"-- thats right, MR. Funky Bunny. I could not resist.

cuteness overload.

Again, so effing cute.

All these pics come with free patterns- just click on the links and you'll find em-- You can also do a search for "Amigurumi"- thats a japanese word for the art of knitting or crocheting little stuffed animals or inanimate objects with anthropomorphic features (thank you Wikipedia)
All Amigurumi are insanely adorable, and some of the non-animals are the cutest- i have seen cupcakes, coffee cups, even a cactus wearing a hair bow that was so precious i almost melted. seriously. So- help me decide what to make for this new little baby i know, and enjoy your new japanese word.

dog for a weekend, home for life?

2009-02-02T20:01:00.000-06:00

This weekend we got to babysit the worlds cutest doggie-- Sputnik! (no, i don't have any pics....why didn't i take any pics of her? I am such a dummy!) We took so many walks my booty is sore (thanks Sputnik! no seriously, thank you. I don't cringe so much when i catch sight of my back side in the mirror) We had a blast walking all over the neighborhood, sniffing stuff, peeing on stuff, chasing squirrels. I almost want to get a Dog now... but i promised Clarke that when we adopted Hampton (our youngest fuzzy- the winner of the fuzzy fight a few blogs back) she would be the last animal for awhile.
Anyhoo- Clarke and i also drove around town this weekend looking for a new house- It felt so "marital". Husband and wife taking a sunday drive through neighborhoods, commenting on houses, well manicured yards, children riding bikes and dogs chasing cats. .. so Norman Rockwellian! It was nice. Its one of the reasons i moved back to the south. Say what you will about the american dream- the house with the white picket fence, the patch of grass, the dog, cat, and 2.5 children- but theres something to it. What draws me to this ideal is the promise of family, friendship and togetherness. I remember growing up in my old neighborhood; We had friends all over the hood. We had block parties, slumber parties, swimming parties, and birthday parties. Every night during the summer all the kids would meet at "the circle" (a central grassy spot in our neighborhood) and go for bike rides or roller skate. The adults would gather in someone's yard and chat about the week, drink sweet tea or somethin stronger, and play nurse or referee to us kids- whatever was required. Everyone knew to drive slow cause you never knew whose children would be drawing with sidewalk chalk in the street. My family's old dog, Belle, always slept in the middle of the road- towards the end of her life she became blind and deaf, and all our neighbors knew to look out for Belle when they drove by our house. Thats true friendship. Thats what makes life beautiful. Thats what i am looking for.
So- this weekend i played with a dog, and dreamed of my future. . . . This was a fabulous weekend!

Fabulous Flickr Friday!

2009-01-30T16:22:00.000-06:00

Please check this out.... 2 of my favorite flickr chicks... one is a dear friend of mine who takes such funny pics-- my favs are her pics of the food she and her husband eat/make. hilllarious. plus, shes vegan and lives in prague so the food always looks a little strange. The next is a chick i stumbled upon while reading another chicks blog. . . go, see, enjoy-- be inspired!! ITs Friday for heaven's sake!!

Marketa's lunch....

Ann-D draws every day in her moleskin day planner. She has 3 years worth of drawings-- they are wondrous!

FABULOUS ALERT!!

2009-01-29T09:33:00.000-06:00

Look what i found! I was pokin around on etsy and stumbled upon a BRILLIANT artist-- Badbird's Art and Embroidery Shop

I was thinking of using this artwork in a baby's nursery, but its not particularly childish. Its perfect for anyone who loves nature and has a slightly wacky sense of humor....enjoy!

"Frank the Gnome and John"

"Snail of Fury"

"Angry Bird"

"The Bluebird of Happiness and the Red Bird of Crankiness"- my personal favorite

POOP!!!

2009-01-26T13:52:00.000-06:00

thats the only word i've muttered under my breath in the last 10 minutes thats "fit for public comsumption" Today is stupid. Lets all just go home and pretend today never happened.

Heres something that will make us all smile......

Hope your day is better than mine.

Oh yeah- and my husband was just looking at my last blog entry and asked, "why do you keep putting to Ls at the end of the word 'control' ?" To which i replied, "prolly cause i don't know how to spell it- ya jerk!" So now i know how to spell "control". I guess you could say thats a good place to start.

My Schedule

2009-01-22T13:45:00.000-06:00

I'm 2.5 months away from 30. Now, I know that isn't old- but its older- and I'm feeling it. I feel behind schedule. . . like when i was born i was handed the schedule for my life and I just realized I am a few YEARS late to an important appointment. I know in my heart that there is no schedule. Everyone works in their own time and in their own way. But the dang social clock is ticking so loud that i can't hear myself think (or is that my biological clock- no wait- the alarm is going off on my biological clock- thats what that ringing sound is!!) I'm almost 30 and i still don't own a house, i don't own a car, hell I don't even own a dog! I just want to do so much and am having a hard time figuring how its all gonna smush into this time line i have created for myself.

The other night I cracked myself up. I was praying- correction- I was talking at God, telling God my schedule, MY timeline for the things i wanted to acomplish in the next year. I suddenly got the feeling that God was patiently listening to my lineup and quietly laughing at me. . . not in a mean way, but definately in an amused way. Like He appreciated my enthusiasm (and organizational skills) and was truly listening to the desires of my heart, but telling me to put the breaks on! Anything can happen- thats one of the great mysteries of life. Tomorrow is not a given, its a gift. I was instantly uncomfortable as i realized/remembered i was NOT in controll of my life. I need controll. I need my datebook and my google calendar, my big desk calendar with the inspirational quotes and the one that hangs on the wall in my cubicle with asinine sayings involving cats and kittens ("everything looks better with cat hairs on it"... what?) But at the same time i was comforted by the knowledge that someone far greater and more powerful than me, who loves me beyond all comprehension, WAS in control of my life. Thats a strange place to be- comfortable and uncomfortable all at once... kinda like laying on the beach, gazing at crystal clear water, warm sun, light breeze, corona in hand, and a crotch full of sand.

And now for something REALLY FABULOUS. (thank you natalie dee)

This is Fabulous.

2009-01-20T09:29:00.000-06:00

This is really happening. Today we inaugurate someone who brings with him Hope, Possibility, Grace. In the (paraphrased) words of Michelle Obama, I have never been so proud to be an American. . .

Lets celebrate y'all!!! Heres some of my favorite pics of our new president. . .

this one is designed by a great artist Shepard Fairey, and is a take off of his "Obey Giant" street art. . .

These posters were being given away for FREE by Brooklyn artists at the website hyperakt.com-- I don't think they have any left, but they do great work- check it out!

Finally, I found a new favorite artist in my search for Obama art (Obamart?) Scott Hansen- His prints are for sale at ISO50 Shop. . . Birthday present to myself? absolutely.

Enjoy the day everyone- This is truely FABULOUS!!

My Life is a Musical

2009-01-19T09:32:00.000-06:00

My fabulous husband found the tape of his proposal this weekend and put it on youtube, and I thought i would share it with y'all too.

Heres a little background. . . Clarke and I met in college and started doing musicals together- I was a theater major, and Clarke was in all the choirs at Auburn so we stole him when we needed great male voices for any of our musicals. We fell in love. And Clarke, becuase he knows me so well, and knows how much i loved to sing, and how i wished more people would just break out in song in everyday life, set his proposal to music, and then had the band play a song that i knew and let me sing my acceptance back to him. My husband sang with The Auburn Knights Orchestra. This all happened at the Knights reunion weekend- they have one every summer and all the members from each decade dating back to the 30s get together for a weekend and perform- Its a fabulous event!

Anyhoo-Last night we watched the proposal on youtube- I hadn't seen it for YEARS. I was blown away by how beautiful it was, but at the same time, got horribly embarresed at how bad i sound singing! And I said so. And I hurt Clarke's feelings. And I feel bad because i really do sound terrible singing, but Clarke reminded me (how could i forget!) that i had just been PROPOSED TO FOR HEAVENS SAKE! And then he told me to shut up and stop being so darn self concious and quit ruining one of the most precious moments of our life together. And he is right. So. I'm shutting up.

Please enjoy.

Fabulous Friday!!

2009-01-16T13:00:00.000-06:00

Lets talk about how much i love wallpaper. . . ok? I LOVE it. I can't wait to own a house- I am gonna cover it with fabulous paper- top to bottom! Heres some of my current favorites:

All of this fabulous-ness was brought to you by the fine designers at walnut wallpaper or Wallpaper from the 70s. You MUST check it out.
Happy weekend everyone!!

HOLY MOLY

2009-01-15T16:18:00.000-06:00

its thursday. . . what? where did the week go? this is what i did all week:

Monday- hated life. I mean, what else are monday's good for?

Tuesday- Blogged about my cats. Sorry. I can't promise that won't happen again as I don't yet have any children so I treat my cats like people. Its a sickness.
Then I went to class and learned about finding the midpoint of two coordinates. . . I'm taking PreCal and Tech for Teaching this semester (oh yea- I'm back in school to get my masters in ED and spending the next few semesters taking all those "regular people" classes that my Theater Degree didn't require. Actors do not need math. Teachers do. Learn somethin new every day!)

Wednesday- I went to rehearsal with my friend Hannah. I'm in a little play that her church puts on every sunday. its cute and fun and the people are a real trip!

Thursday- Today I had a meeting with my advisor and i made an important decision. . . I am shifting my focus from MAsters in EArly childhood ed, to one in Special Ed. Heres why:
1. job security- I am almost assured a teaching position as this is a high demand area.
2. financial aide- none is offered for EArly childhood, but lots for special ed- again, high demand for this type of teacher
3. job satisfaction- this is the most important one. Theres a real need. The work will be challenging but oh so rewarding. And I think i will be good at it. I can't say that it will be a life long job, as i understand the burnout rate is significant, but i am young, spirited and a little naive. I'm gonna go for it.

Happy Thursday everyone!!