Happy Halloween...

Just for you...

My Halloween cards that were sent out this year...and for all of you whom didn't get one (I didn't make that many this time around) I thought you could choose your favorite card...

These were also the inspirations for the designs for the lobby cards that I set up in my bank display...

Happy Haunting!

Purprise!!

It's already been a festive Halloween season in my neck of the woods...

As I told you yesterday, I did indeed win a lovely door prize at Megan's party this weekend...which included a tin of Altoids, a skull notepad and a lottery ticket...I am sorry to say that I did not win the lottery on Saturday night...so, I will not be doling out large sums of money or retiring this week...damn.

My friend Tracey (and the girls) brought me a treat bag filled with spooky jewelry, Junior Mints, Lotion, lip gloss, and a Pumpkin Spice Room Spray...

I immediately proposed marriage to her...

seriously...
(I'm romantic that way)

Plus...I love me some purprises!

And...I love me some Junior Mints!

Tracey's response to that was, "um...yeah...I read your blog!" (She's already married, so I'll just have to enjoy her wonderful friendship for now) Right...I forget y'all have a window into my innermost chocolate dreams...Of course, there's always any kind of chocolate/peanut butter combination. All I've done with said Junior Mints however, is to sit and stare at them in their little boxes so far...I'm savoring them.

Then...another good friend came in yesterday and dropped off a little carved pumpkin for me. He is a standing recipient of my creative holiday cards...and I think he's a darned good artist in his own right...so, we can try to out-do each other in the best of ways...

I was just lamenting mere moments before the pumpkin came waltzing in, the fact that this is the first year I haven't gotten a pumpkin to carve myself...And, I have no idea why...

Don't you just love his little face? His little peppercorn eyes? His little antlers? There is a chance that he will dry out and stay like this forever...then again, he may rot (I'm sure there's some life metaphor in there somewhere)



This is today's Business Of The Week outfit...The girls in the bank loved it (all except for one...who made a snarky comment about us having "forgotten the shirt" Prude.) And, I think one of the gals wants to buy the skirt...That's how I know I have successful displays...if people can't wait to buy the clothes on them...

To Say the Least...

This weekend was a busy one...but, busy in a fun exhausting sort of way. It started long before the fun of the weekend on my end...which was a mad dash to clean and scrub up the house, change sheets on the guest bed, and air everything out (so one won't be accused of living in absolute squalor) You see...a new friend came into town to visit...

I met her through Rich...as she is a friend of his for a while now, and was coveting a vintage baking pan I pictured on the blog...and asked him if she should write? He said certainly, that I don't bite (much) and we've been emailing and sending packages and having long chats on the phone ever since...

Shari was coming all the way down here by herself, so I decided that some girlie things were indeed in order, and ran to Target to grab some fun things for Pedis and ran across this lovely gnome welcome mat (I have a thing about welcome mats...which used to throw my EX into a tizzy where he threatened divorce if I bought another one...but, honestly that wasn't he last straw)

Shari and I unfortunately, couldn't stop talking by the half of it (staying up until the wee hours of the morning, causing the cat to sit on the bed and give us dirty looks because she was tired...and didn't that mean we were tired?) and didn't get to too much girlie things...other than the giggles. I tell you, get a couple of gigglers together...and see if you can stop...plus, lately I feel a little starved for girlie moments...

We even joined Rich for a little hike in The Dells on Saturday afternoon, in between the local pastries and coffee downtown...




We were all invited to a Halloween/cocktail party at Megan's house this Saturday...we enjoyed lovely company and drinks...as well as the amazing Megan food spread that usually shows up at these things...And, I even won a door prize!

As you can see, I went as a deranged fairy (you can't see, but I am wearing my white and black striped stockings)


Shari also came bearing purprises (but not to worry...I made her one of my handbags stuffed with pink lip gloss and nail polish...chenille footies and some yummy smelling lotion) She crochet this amazing kitty afghan for Meena...As you can plainly see...it is Meena colored, causing Meena to leap on it and snuggle up...only getting down to feed and water herself...I later moved it to the back of my chair, because that's where she usually sits, and I was tired of the sad looks she kept giving me from across the room because she was torn between laying on it, and laying near me...

Shari brought me 2 bottles of the local wine in her area...one a local specialty with chocolate as the main ingredient (woo0hoo! I'll let you know how that tastes) and a jar of home made chili (she'd made a big batch to bring to Rich because he liked the chili they made for him when he was last visiting so much)

We all went early for coffee on Sunday morning so that Shari could get a jump on the day...but spent the last moments soaking up each other's company...watching the clock and feeling a bit sad...trying to draw out each little minute leading up to getting in the car to make the long drive home...It's been a while since I've felt this sad about seeing someone head home...I have my girlie moments here in town, but they are getting far and few between...so I was really needing to soak up every little bit of this visit...It is so fun to make a new friend and feel so comfortable around them, have so much fun...and feel so sad when they leave. We were both teary eyed at the end, but I am so happy to have had the opportunity to have such a fun weekend...

even if we didn't get to do everything we wanted (do you ever get that?)

even if it went by so fast...

Thank you Shari for your new friendship...Thank you for coming to visit...and for interjecting some girlie giggles into my life...It meant a lot...

I was also invited to be the Business Of The Week at National Bank downtown...so, I'm doing a lobby display for them and changing mannequin costumes every day this week...I will be showing those to you on a daily basis...This bank just bought out my other bank not too long ago (and I admit that I sometimes have a hard time with change) So, I was both excited and honored when they requested that I do the display for the week of Halloween!

That is Clay, my banker (and now very good friend) and helper for this project...







In addition to the many costume changes I will be implementing, I also designed some little lobby cards for each teller window that look like my Halloween cards this year (closeups to come) with the business cards for Snap Snap sitting by them, a larger sign next to the mannequin describing the shop a little bit and they made me re-do the Business Of The Week sign as well...


Phew.

I told you...it was a busy one...

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like...

...a damned marketing nightmare

* OR *

we're gearing up for another tacky holiday...

that's what.

I tell you, I love the holidays, really I do...but for those inward reasons. And by that I mean memories (and not just all the food) Memories of how the house smelled growing up when I would walk through the door from the bus stop in the cold after school (and yes, it actually was uphill...but in all honesty not too far from my house, and we're in AZ so when it did snow a lot, as it was prone to do when I was younger, school was usually called off...but don't tell my future children) the mix of fresh pine tree and gingerbread, or something equally as wonderful would hit me full force when walking in from the cold (my mother was a hippy in her younger days, although, I wouldn't think one could grow out of something like that...and she was an amazing cook...I say was because she only eats raw food now) So, there was usually something good brewing somewhere.



I remember the candle creche scene she would set up every year using the candles she's been collecting since she was little...which prompted me to start collecting my own (which means I get the most amazing gifties from mom, like all these new ones she brought me...when she runs across them...) And, I remember the stories we used to read...stories that were ripped from some womens magazine also from when she was a child...and we got to pick one out a night, and cozy up.



And, decorating the tree...putting it in the front window of the house and me begging every year to put lights on it, and my mother, who does not like lights on her tree, because she thinks:
1. it's tacky
2. we got real trees then, so it may dry the tree out presenting a fire hazard...
which means the minute I could put up my own tree as an adult, you can bet, up went the lights (drying up the tree to a matchstick, of course.)

We switched suddenly one year from our own childhood ornaments to her collection of vintage ornaments, prompting me to take $4 and buy my own tree and set it up with my own ornaments...and accidentally buying one of the most valuable collectible Christmas things I have...a pink aluminum tree...apparently the most coveted of all the colors of aluminum trees...who knew? (Though you can't put lights on these either, as they are prone to explode...why must the holidays end in a firey inferno?) Memories, of the year My Sister took one of the hand blown glass vintage horn ornaments, went to blow on it to see if it worked, and sucked instead, and ended up with a lung-full of godknowswhat glass and dust probably...making us all chuckle and act concerned at the same time...(and as a small disclaimer, I only put the pink tree up the first Christmas after the divorce because I felt so damned sad about the holidays...I got a new tree last year, but I'm saving the pink one still...and yes, that is a sock monkey tree-topper...cause' nothing says Merry Christmas like sticking a tree up a monkey's butt OR a tree on fire apparently)

I don't want to gripe about all the decorations coming out in stores too early, forcing me to look at someone's idea of a good ole' fashioned Christmas...in October...but, I was a little shocked this last week when I walked into my local thrift to see the "50% Off all Halloween Items" pasted up on the door...

...cause' they were making room for the Christmas Stuff...

I kid you not.

They were putting out Christmas stuff. At. The. Thrift...Halloween has not even happened, and Thanksgiving is a glimpse away...and I don't even care to think about how many days until Christmas (although, I'm sure I could put up a little counter on the sidebar) and there they were, knee deep and butt up in huge boxes of Christmas donations (and I hear tell the entire attic is full of stuff) I tell you what, it stopped me in my tracks...well before I started looking around (mostly because how often do you see a wiggle-butt sticking out of a giant box? Well, that and cause' you know I need me some more vintage holiday stuff...God, please don't let there come a day when I am found expired under a pile of collectibles...amen.) I found a box of vintage ornaments with the fake glitter snow stuff on them (I didn't want to buy them...but they were only 20 cents...I mean, come on...how could I leave them there?!)

And then...I found the adorable 4-some of bobble-thingiess...which prompted my mother to say both "OH!! They're sooo cute!!" and "We buy the weirdest things no one else would want!" both in the same breath (we're fast talkers) which was almost exactly what I was thinking when I picked them up...(they were 10 cents a piece and originally from Japan and have some age as the paint is a bit crackled, and honestly? I haven't seen prices this cheap since I was quite a bit younger thankyouverymuch)

We've got a mouse that has a little bucket of water, and a duck (whom I thought was a snowman, but I guess not) that has some sort of long metal thing he's holding which we immediately deduced to mean that he was fencing with the rabbit fellow there, and had cut off his arm (that's why it's missing, you know) And...and Indian playing a drum (I have no idea where he comes in, although perhaps he fell off a viking ship where he was keeping time for the rowers on his drum and then startled the rabbit, who lost his hand...all while winning the heart of the mouse-maiden who was getting water) I have no clue what any of these little wooden beauties have to do with any holiday, much less Christmas....but, they make me quite happy as small vintage wooden toys are wont to do.

I was trying to sneak out after picking up this armload when the girl stopped me and asked me why I wasn't getting more? I drew myself up and replied,

"Oh...well, um...you see...I have so much Christmas stuff...I have to be really picky about what I buy.."

She made a face at me (I think there may have been eye rolling involved)

You see? You see what happens when the stores put out stuff before the holidays? I can't help but buy these great vintage finds...

yeah...

you should see the plastic deer I picked up for this fine gal...so she can glitterize them...

Stomp out the tree...stop drop and roll...and let the Tacky Begin...

More on Family...

Last week my uncle, aunt cousin and her daughter all came in to town for a little visit...

We had a lovely time together...eating and laughing until our sides hurt.

This is my GG's oldest son...and oldest child actually...and we've never lived close to them, so it was wonderful to see them...as it always is.





We all got quite the giggle out of my GG, because she said that she was having everyone over for "light refreshments" which meant cake and tea or coffee...but light refreshments? She's always been one of those people who thought we were a lot more than we are...like for instance: educated. I've been to college, I have a degree...but educated? I mean, it was a state college...does that count? It wasn't Harvard or a finishing school...heck, I don't even work in a field where I use my degree...



It's a bit confusing sometimes...GG and I watched Princess Di get married, and she promised she'd throw me a huge fancy wedding...when I got engaged and I happened to mention it, she looked at me like she'd never seen me before and practically ran from the room...although, I still had a lovely wedding...even without the horse and carriage.

Once, when one of my cousins got married, she took my sister shopping in Scottsdale (a ritzy part of AZ) and got her shoes that cost about $100. and my sister was pretty young...when it came to me buying my dress, she said, "Oh whatever...anything will do." Sigh.

She's a confusing one that GG...but usually good for a giggle or two...(like when we put bows on her head during the holidays)



This visit from the family was also the first time my cousin's little girl met Rozzie...they hit it off and ran about reminding me how much fun it is to play with your cousins. The also became knitting partners...

All in all, it was a wonderful visit, and I am reminded once again, how fun it is to play with your cousin...and how great it is to get together with people who know you so well...

Which makes me miss them that much more.

My Sister Lives in SanDiego...

For everyone that remembers, and all that have been calling to check in, my sister Thais does indeed live in SanDiego...my father and a lot of my family live further North up the coast...Everyone seems to be safe for now.

My sister didn't answer her phone last night when I called and I got worried...she immediately called me back and said she was sorry, but she was busy running down the street because he hair was on fire...

we're a funny family...

That's how we handle tragedy...then again, thats how a lot of people handle tragedy...She's more upset right now because all the smoke has triggered her allergies, and she can hardly breathe. She said last night that the evacuation wasn't mandatory yet, and whenever the sun sets it's red, and looks like the Apocalypse...they had just gotten back from grocery shopping...I told her that she should have gone down to the stadium as they seemed to be giving away free food...

we're a funny family...

My sister lives in the downtown area (I think...I'm sorry to say I haven't been out to visit yet) and she can't figure out why we keep calling her everyday, because she doesn't feel like she's in any danger...the fire is in SanDiego County, not too near her apparently (but with the winds blowing, we're worried) She said my grandmother called her 5 times the first day the fires were burning (she was at a movie and had the phone shut off, so I'm sure that GG was worried) she keeps saying that she hopes my sister has enough sense to evacuate...we remind her that Thais doesn't have a car...I told Thais to jump in the ocean and swim up to my dad's house...GG is more practical and asked her if she would just pack a couple of bags so she wouldn't worry so much...my mother said it's OK not to because GG likes to have something to worry about...Thais said the big plan was to jump in the neighbors pool with straws and wait it out...

we're a funny family...

Thais works at a landmark family owned restaurant in SanDiego. She says it's been really busy...filled with people who have had to evacuate their homes. The people she works with keep a close watch on the news to see if the fire is coming close to their neighborhoods...to see if they need to hurry home to fill their cars and rescue their pets. On the first day when the Govenator was down in the area she said they were all joking that he was on the news with a lion under each arm (rescuing the animals from the SanDiego Wild Animal Park...potentially one of the best "zoo's" I've ever been to)

we're a funny family...


Thais said yesterday that there was a family in the restaurant eating lunch. The mother looked at the TV screen where she suddenly saw her house engulfed in flames...everyone watched as she and her daughter sobbed loudly...

we're a funny family...but we know when to not laugh...all my thoughts go out to my family and the other families that are being affected by the fires in California...please stay safe.

Ohhhh....

I immediately sighed and clapped my hands together as I spied the new Keens for this season,

"...they look exactly like shoes I would make...if I could indeed, make shoes" I then muttered out loud to no one in particular, but to the reflection of myself in the glass of the local shi-shi shoe store down town...eliciting stares from passerby's as they scurried away from the budding cobbler.

My father made me some tiny leather sandals when I was a baby, so I would think that perhaps the shoe making gene is in there somewhere...

The Keens come in several colors ranging from brown to orange, but I had my sight set on the moss green ones...all in boiled, felted wool...

I tried them on when Rich and I were in Flagstaff but, opted to get the Chaco's because I needed a pair that fit better for hiking. I saved the shoes I really wanted for later...plus, Rich wasn't thrilled to pieces with the way they look. I went home and got rid of 12 pairs of shoes so I could justify buying them...

I love them however, and found that they would be included in the annual 20% off everything at the shi-shi store I mentioned (along with all the Smart Wool socks, but don't even get me started on socks)

I ran to pick them up on Sunday, and have been wearing them as much as I possibly can...

They remind my mother of slippers, they remind me of shoes that a wood nymph would wear while dancing in the forest (specially with my new Smart Wool striped knee socks...ahem)

And, really...I'm nothing if not a wood nymph.

Weekend Baking Fiend...

OK...perhaps I wasn't a total fiend (cause' that would require making more that I did...) But, there was baking involved...as a matter of fact, there was a Kitchen Aid involved too...because it's near impossible to cream butter and sugar without it. Actually, I was almost tempted to buy a professional one (there was one for sale on QVC, which is odd, because I don't usually watch that channel, but I happened to bustle by on the way to a different channel, and there it was in all it's glory) I talked myself out of it, however...because I don't use the one I have enough to warrant a professional size, but I suppose I would if I was a stay at home mom or someone who was selling their baked goods outside the home...and either really seems appealing when faced with the work week...

Until then, I have been craving chocolate chip cookies (well, pupcakes too...but I thought I'd make those later this week in honour of a special friend coming to play for the weekend) and I thought I'd see if it was possible for me to make the cookies without gluten (spelt flour it was) without chocolate chips (dairy free carob chips) no eggs (1T. soy flour combined with 1T. water instead) raw sugar and soy based shortening...oh, and no nuts, I don't usually like nuts in my cookies (I know, it's not sounding much like chocolate chip cookies at all is it?)

And what do you know? I could make them just this way! I followed the recipe in Joy of Cooking (my all time favorite basic cook book) making my various substitutions and they turned out...well,

crunchy.

But, good.

They tended to fall apart quickly if I didn't immediately remove them the second I got them out of the oven...and I use an air bake cookie sheet, so sometimes they cooled quicker than I thought they would, and there's not a ton of room for me to climb in the oven with the 2 sheets of cookies and the spatula and still have room to scoop the cookies onto the cooling racks...So, it was a lot of me shoving the cookies off the cookie sheet as fast as possible (which is not that easy when you've got goey cookie dough and carob melting all over) smooshing them up or accidentally flipping them over.

But, they were still good...

Specially for breakfast, with a piping hot cuppa...

Speechless...

OK...I'm not totally speechless (because that would be short of a miracle of sorts) But, I have run out of time this week to write, or things to write about, one of the two...

I have out of town family visiting...and I had intended to write a lovely post with some pictures of all of us...and darned if I remembered my camera, but not my USB cord...

sigh.

I seem to be rushing around a lot lately and running out of time whenever I turn around...

SO...to keep you busy (cause' I hate to not entertain) look right to the right of this post above my BlogHer ads...there is a small survey that you can help us with if you would give a bit of your time (I took it, and it's very short, I promise)

And yesterday, my wonderful friend Rich sent me this picture of me that he took in Flagstaff...he was standing right here when I opened the email...unfortunately the picture came up really big...making me exclaim...

Oh My Goodness...My Ass is Huge!!!
(or something you'd say when you are not expecting a really big picture of your butt to pop up on a computer screen, cause' in all actuality, I'm kind of tiny in the picture)

He rushed to properly resize for me though, and I like it...you know, the smaller assed version...

(I really should have been warned before hand, because I think I may have scared him a little bit)

Have a wonderful weekend all...

It's Like Living With...

A Fairy...

That's what my mother says about Rozz...and she's right.

Rozz has always been the most fun person, usually in a wonderful mood, quick with a smile or hug...this child jumps up and down with pure joy almost every moment of her life...and infects the room with fun often dancing with wild abandon...She is graceful, artistic...and is a darned good piano player...She's in the latter part of her tenth year of life...is almost as tall as I am (only off by a few inches) has gorgeous naturally curly hair that frames her beautiful face...and the most incredible violet-blue eyes you've ever seen...

And, we got to hang out on Monday morning while my mother got her hair dealt with (I will be getting my hair dealt with on Saturday morning...just in time for the local blog meet-up here in Prescott) and did we have fun!

Rozz brought her latest knitting project...she is an accomplished knitter who makes up her own patterns and designs, and I believe she in the process of teaching herself how to crochet...she is a smarty...she is homeschooled. She is totally fascinated with Japanese Anime, and pictures herself living in Japan someday as a creative genius (she's teaching herself how to write Japanese) and has inherited an amazing drawing ability from all the artists in my family (she has her own greeting card line that is just fabulous) She loves my MacBook...and is slightly obsessed with Barbie right now...especially the vintage ones (I wonder where she gets that? Obsessions? Vintage Thinsg?) and ran downstairs to abduct my Francie (I always liked Francie...Barbie's more normal looking cousin) But, she can have her...you see Rozz is the kind of kid that you can let do anything and she always makes the right choice...she's sweet at heart, and kind girl...her face lights up with excitement anytime she sees someone she loves...you just want to do anything for her to make her happy...to see that little twinkle in her eye.

Sometimes I wonder how she got to be a part of my family? How did we get so lucky?

I also need to have her over more often...cause' darned if she doesn't know the best cartoon channels...

No Biker Attire...

Ok...I don't actually have anything against motorcyclists...except for briefly dating one, and getting on his motorcycle (which about cured me of anything like that, but I'm glad I tried it anyhow, just so I know I don't like speeding along a paved highway at 100 mph with nothing to hang on to) which now makes me want to run-over anyone I see on a sport bike (a.k.a. Crotch Rocket, which I'm hoping that will pass eventually, because I really don't have a thing against motorcyclists...and Crotch Rocket? Really boys...surely we hope there's more going on down there than a motorcycle?)

A gentleman came meandering into the shop yesterday and asked if I had any men's black leather jackets for sale. You see, he has just bought a Harley-Davidson and he was quite proud (I know this because he immediately launched into all sorts of sordid details about the model and make of the bike and the engine specs...and I stood there, willing myself to not totally zone out, my eyes glazing over...or tap my foot in impatience...or grab my car and run him over) And, you see, he wanted a leather jacket...

"...but, I don't want to spend $400 on one"

I would guess that's because he just spent elevendy-hundred dollars on his motorcycle...

"...and it can't be brown...because it's a Harley...and that wouldn't look good!"

I slowly took in his appearance..His grey comb-over gently covering his balding head (at least he won't have to worry about helmet hair) A tan Members Only jacket, with a button up muted plaid shirt in blues, tucked into his rather loose Wrangler jeans...and his feet encased in his Sperry topsiders.

Yeah.

I'm not sure there was anything I could do to help...

Direct him to the black leather studded dog collar section of Snap Snap? Telling him he needs to look into acquiring a large black leather wallet with a chain so that people can't get to his money? (cause' I have no idea what kind of people he rolls with...yo) Suggest a white cotton wife-beater tank to go over his new tight pair of jeans that he could wear his leather chaps over? A bandanna for his head, so the few wisps of hair that remained on top either didn't blow off entirely or wrap around his neck and strangle him...sending him into an early death?

Which leads me to an interesting question...if he was to "fly his colors" what would they be? Do they have colors for those that have just recently gotten into the motorcycle craze? People who are elderly? Would that be Silver perhaps? Which also makes me wonder what outlaw biker group he would belong to...The Gray Rebel? Outrunning Death? Old Bastards?

He left a little disappointed after I directed him to many of our Pawn Shops here in town...

This morning, during my walk...I was passed by a man on a Harley...wisps of gray hair blowing in the wind...he turned the corner right in front of me making me jump back up on the curb so I didn't loose the foot that was already set out into the street, stalling his bike, and coasting down half of the block until he managed to get the motorcycle started again, almost hitting a parked car...nearly jerking himself off the bike from a low hanging tree branch in the process...

He was wearing Sperry topsiders and a brown leather jacket...

He was right...
it did not look good...

The Boy in the Bubble...

OK...it's perhaps not that bad...

oh who am I kidding?

It's bad.

There's a prescribed burn here today (they no longer call them controlled burns you know...mainly because the forest service here waits until it is windy and then sends people with flame throwers to nuke the forests...I believe most of our forest fires are indeed started this way...and when you're in a drought? Not a good idea) I noticed the funnel of smoke pouring up into the sky on my way back from the Thrift to open the shop this morning (yes, I have an actual thrift across from Snap Snap...lucky me) and the smoke was only obliterated by the fact that Rich had pulled up at the exact same time I noticed the smoke plume...and I'd much rather look at him. I needed to look fast however, because the smoke was starting to well up between us, and I was afraid that it may be my last chance to actually see his sparkly blue eyes...

I now have a weird head ache and shooting pains in the left side of my face...come to think of it, they started last night upon getting back to the house (I spent the day at the Airstream...lots of reading, napping, and fooding and crying (sad movie) and sneezing actually...hmmm) My left eye is watering...like the rheumy eye of an elderly person, leaving a stream of water permanently cascading down my face (and while I may not be a spring chicken anymore...this is silly) and everytime I look around, it hurts...so, it's closed.

Like Popeye.
(I'm just waiting for my forearms to grow out so I can get those anchor tattoos)

I kept thinking perhaps I had gone overboard on too many allergy foods as of late, or I had been grinding my teeth at night...but, I think it is the prescribed burn...cause' I'm really grinding my teeth now to try to stave off the pains that are moving from my left shoulder blade all the way to the top of my head...I hope I'm not having a stroke. People are starting to look at me funny when they come in...that is after they can locate the origin of the voice that is speaking from beyond the cloud of smoke...I keep wincing at them.

Rich came in later in the day after running an errand and from what I could see peering through the vaporous cloud that's now gracing the shop...may be doing worse than I am. I talked him out of running into the thick smoke "...what an awesome picture a big flume of fire and smoke would make!" (photographers...I would roll my eyes if it didn't hurt so much) but he hurried home to the Airstream instead...

and that's when I got the call...his gravely allergy voice on the other end,

"The smoke is here..."

Then the line went dead.

OK...not quite that dramatic, but I may have sneezed before I threw myself on his mercy...and his HEPA...Since he's sealing up the Airstream to emulate the Boy in the Bubble, could I come over after work and curl up around his HEPA so that I could breathe? (You see? Sneaky don't you think? We do watch Heroes together on Monday nights anyway, but this way I get to go and hang out as soon as I want, and since I can't see across the street, much less take a deep breath, how could I possibly walk my 4 miles? (Rozz came over this morning, so I um...missed my AM constitutional...ahem.) Really, a win win situation for both of us) The answer was, "come over as soon as you want"

Would 15 minutes from now be too soon?

I'll just make the shop run on the honor system for the rest of the day...

I just scared the living daylights out of a customer who walked in (seriously, it's like Candid Camera in here...people are not seeing me) by appearing out of the mist of smoke...wishing I could be like one of the witches from The Graeae, of Greek mythology (thinking that if take my good eye out of my head and use it to look around I could be spared some pain) but instead more like a geriatric rheumy eyed version of The Swamp Thing or a gently used version of Igor (The hump is there from bending over trying to brace myself from the shooting pains)

"how are you today?" I asked her

"wonderful!"

"me too, as long as I don't breathe too deeply, or I can stop sneezing...you know, from all the smoke?"

"Smoke?! Oh...I hadn't noticed"

?? ::blink blink (ouch):: ??

I painfully roll my eyes and disappear back into the soot-cloud that has settled in Snap Snap...


cough...cough...sneeze...

wince.

I Would Walk 500 Miles...

You might as well know, I think the days of walking 8 miles may be over for the season (see? Hope springs eternal) I can't say that I'm too shocked (as I've been known to be a strong starter and a more, um weaker finisher) except for when I was switching out the summer and winter pants in the armoire and stopped to try on some of my winter pants from last year...

They didn't fit.

OK, they did if I wanted to masquerade as a hoochie mama...
Not my best look.

To say that I'm disappointed in myself is a bit of an understatement. But, will that make me do anything about it? Walking into a store and wondering if a size 8 will fit, trying it on to see that it does is an amazing feeling...especially coming from a size 18. And my current size 10/12 is probably in all actuality fine.

I asked a psychic once if I was going to get thinner...he stopped sighed, rolled his eyes and asked if it was just OK to be fine with where I was at...could I accept myself?

I don't know.

The thing about walking 8 miles a day, was that I broke it up into two 4-hour walks...one in the morning and one in the afternoon. I am running out of time...and sometime light as we rush headlong into the winter months. I've been walking so much that I feel like I am in training for something, a song recently shuffled through on the Nano's play list...the song that has the chorus:
I would walk 500 miles and I would walk 500 more, just to be the man who walked 1000 miles to fall down at your door...

Oh yes, I can relate to that...only no one was walking to fall down at my door, unless you count me...it is like the Incredible Journey...or kind of like when you ask a dog if it wants to walk..."do you wanna' go for a walk?!" "oh yes...yes yes yes!" My body practically ran out the door all excited for weeks on end. Finally one day, it stopped, put it's hands on it's hips, started tapping it's foot, looked me square in the eye, and said,

"hold on...weren't we going somewhere after all of this?"

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know, are we working towards a reward? An extended hiking vacation? Something where we'd win some sort of prize or at least a t-shirt for participation?"

"Oh no! We're doing it to be healthy, in shape and THIN!"
(this being accompanied by a little dance to seem like it was more fun to be doing this than eating a cookie)

my body stopped sighed, rolled it's eyes and asked if it was just OK to be fine with where I was at...can't I just accept myself?

I don't know.

I'm Too Sexy For My Ziti...

No sooner were the words "free panty coupon" smoothly typed by the tips of my fingers upon my treasured MacBook (which usually takes field trips with me to Snap Snap now daily...cause' the girl can not be without her Mac) during yesterday's post, than the mailman...who was quite late with my mail...waltzed into the shop. And what would he have in is hand, but My Victoria Secret flier...with a free panty coupon tucked inside! (I believe the words, "I love you!" were uttered by a rather stunned me)

So it was going to the wrong address...it still has my name on it.

Well...my married name anyway.

But...when I opened the 4-fold flier, I found something even more exciting than free panties! Whatever could that be, you ask with bated breath? Well...I'll tell you.

Supermodel spray.

Oh yes...a spray...to make me a Supermodel!

Wow. I've always fancied being a sex symbol, but supermodel is fine too...

It's been a good week for scents, no? I just know that when I spray this scent on, combined with the lotion from Bath and Bodyworks (VS and B&BW are the same company you know...along with The Limited) I will be irresistible...

I wonder how they're describing Supermodel?

Silk perhaps? We all know that's from worms.

OH...the fresh smell of worms and wet goat...

Look-out world...here I come...

Seeing as I can't take advantage of any of my recent coupons for at least another week, I went home to rest...and anticipate.

I went home and made baked ziti...The perfect comfort food for the start of the fall season, filling the house with the smell of garlic and Italian food. I make my baked ziti with rice pasta (wheat and gluten free) and instead of Ricotta Cheese, I use soft tofu and add fresh garlic, basil, salt, pepper, and soy mozzarella cheese (no dairy) and sprinkle soy mozzarella on top...usually I worry about pasta calories...all those carbs you know...

But, with the Supermodel spray?

All my problems will be solved...

The Scent of Wet Goat...

The other day, the mailman delivered some mail to Snap Snap (bear with me...real mail still excites me and sends little shivers up and down my spine) My mailman and I have a great relationship, at least a great one for 2 people that have seen each other nearly every day for at least 10 years, and are not in a serious relationship...

We share things in common. We started our divorces at the same time...he fills me in on the internet dating world...and I?

Well, I just talked him into getting a Mac.

Now, when my EX moved on to his new life, he moved into a place right down the street from the shop (the joys of living in a small town) that was, weirdly enough, on the same mail route as Snap Snap. My EX then promptly forwarded his mail...OH...and mine too. Several times. My mailman noticed this, and started holding my mail for me (he also told me that he would hold the rsvp's for my EX's wedding, but I thought that was a little mean...and a little against the law)

In the pile of mail the other day, I got my Bath and Bodyworks coupons and fliers. I had wondered what happened to them, and am now concerned about my Vctoria's Secret Free Panty coupons (cause' I love me some panties) but, I am confident that the mailman and I's relationship shall prevail.

In this flier is the announcement of a new scent. We all know how I feel about seasonal scents...and there is a coupon for an opportunity for a Preview of the new Velvet Tuberose body lotion (absolutely free, I might add...which always perks my curiosity) I have been long trying to find a "signature scent" but, I can not nail myself down. I love lavender, I love roses, I love patchoulli...I usually mix my own essential oils and wear them (patchoulli, rose geranium, bergamot, nag champa and lavender palmarosa...and anything else I may fall in lust with at the moment...my mother was studying essential oils at one point and some of the ones I use are for medicinal purposes as well) and then I wear all sorts of seasonal lotions...I am a veritable walking cloud of scent, which sometimes brings to mind Pigpen...

only not so dusty.

So, in leau of rushing out to the mall on October 15th, I decided to read about the fragrances that make up this new scent (hoping that it is some winter version of rose) It is...

Full-bodied and opulent (somewhat like me) Our most anticipated floral fragrance blends (oh oh oh...) night-blooming white tuberose (Tuberose is known to improve one's capacity for emotional depth. By opening the crown chakra it improves psychic powers. Tuberose also amplifies artistic inspiration as it stimulates the creative right side of the brain. And it brings serenity to the mind and heart...ok, who can't use a little of all that?) diamond orchids (used to treat allergies and relieve headache and fatigue. Many herbal formulas for treating hypertension, convulsions, migraine, wind and cramps include this preparation. Interestingly, the plant contains gastrodin, which has anticonvulsant effects, at least in gerbils...OK) and seductive cashmere...

Which stopped me in my tracks. Now, I am a lover of most things vintage, and as a teenager I used to wear long vintage cashmere coats in the winter here...they are both warm and stylish. The only problem with wearing cashmere is, when it is wet outside...from either rain or snow...and you get your coat wet? It smells like a wet goat.

That's what cashmere is...a breed of goat.

The paragraph describing the scent goes on to say --Making everything feel just a bit more romantic...

Really?
The scent of cashmere?

I will have to check with Rich, seeing as he's the person I'm bouncing ideas like this off of lately (and we spend quite a bit of time together in a 25ft. Airstream, so he should have some say in what I smell like) but if I remember correctly...I've often had people complain about the Patchoulli I wear, yet I've never once had anyone in my life tell me that if I smelled more like a goat I would be more seductive and attractive...

Then again...maybe it's worth a try...

The New Fall Uniform....

And something I did not have to sew a waist band into...cause' it came that way already.

As mentioned earlier in the week...I accompanied my mother and Rozz on a mini shopping excursion which included Old Navy (also throwing Rozz into a dancing frenzy that rivaled Lord of the Dance...only with more arm waving...we are quite expressive in our family with our arms...it is like talking to a band of Muppets) Now, I'm not too hep on Old Navy, as it is the bastard step-child of Gap...cheaper and trendier. I don't usually get myself anything here, unless it's the very basics of tanks or tees that I can't possibly find used without the nasty yellow underarm stains. Oh...and PJ pants.

I'm a little weird with the PJ thing.

Years before it became high fashion to wear slippers around (cause' that's a great look isn't it? It's either the half naked teenagers or the ones that are wearing their furry slippers trotting around nowdays) I bought and wore PJ things...Flannel nightgowns that looked like dresses over leggings, or PJ bottoms passing as regular pants. And Old Navy is always good for some kind of PJ pants...all cotton, that leave you wondering if they are indeed PJ's or just some cotton drawstring pants? I mean, most of the time I make a pair of pants, they look like PJ's anyways, I'm just cutting out the middleman here (again with the bad waistband thing)

Plus...we have entered into the I just wear what's comfortable period of fashion...this is what I hear at Snap Snap all day long, "I don't know what's "in" I only wear what's comfortable" Which, if you look at these people, they personify to the letter...and here's a hint too: Don't say something like that outloud, and then bring in boxes of clothes for me to go through and expect me to be excited about going through them...It just isn't going to happen.

So...it was completely natural for me to get excited and buy a pair of PJ pants, one's that I thought looked like they were made out of vintage material (t's only because I couldn't for the life of me, force my way into...um, I mean fit it into any of the sweaters they had hanging up for the little kids there...what a great year to shop for cute sweaters if you're a kid...if you're an adult? They all look like pregnancy things, which is fine, but I'm not pregnant at the moment, and don't want to look like I am...I got enough comments about due dates when I was heavier)

I bought a plain tee to go with the new pants. I put them on before a visit to the Airstream last night, I wore them into the grocery store to pick up some dessert items, and you know? I felt a little naughty. Plus, since they are obviously holiday theme related, I have decided that I will be wearing them from now until Halloween...yes, sometime every day...for the rest of the month...

Cause' I'm comfortable like that.

Butt Crack and Bling...

Thank you all for the birdie skirt love...it's almost as good as completing the project and getting to wear it.

I do have a dirty little secret though...I am a horrible waist band maker...I can not for the life of me fathom how to put one in successfully...usually it ends up being a wonky wrinkled bunched-up mismatched mess...My grandmother was a fashion designer and master seamstress in her time, and she hasn't shown me (it could be the Sagittarius in her, and she doesn't want anyone to be as good as she is at anything) but rather she explains it so matter of fact, which leaves me both confused and feeling stupid...Honestly, both my mother and I have actually stood in her presence with the deer in the headlight look.

I also haven't learned how to use my buttonholer foot on the machine...so all of the skirts that I make are held together by safety-pins, snaps, hooks and eyes...or velcro (I could actually keep the safety pin manufacturers in business) Which leaves a rather large gap on the sides of my skirts that sometimes exposes my bare skin...

It's shameful.

Someone should vote me of the island.

Plus, with all the pleats in this birdie skirt, it is um...rather full around the hip area (and I accidentally took out too many pleats, so it's big and bunchy...damned me and my impatience about using a measuring tape) So unless I wear a fitted top, I look hippy...

Not like a hippy...

But, like a fat ass.

And, the snugness of the fitted tee means every once in a while it creeps up and I expose my midsection as well. Capello and I were e-chatting about this yesterday, and she agreed that it was indeed lovely to expose oneself when least expected (certainly accompanied by an eye roll) It is amazing to me that JLo made this low-rise-jean-almost-expose-my-naughty-bits-to-everyone-around-style so popular. I can not tell you how many young women's naughty-bits I've almost seen...whenever they come into the shop and bend over or just browse around. It's awful, because they just don't look that good with their bits and pieces hanging out for everyone to see...no matter what age they are or what their bodies look like (plus, it makes it super hard to know where to look when this happens and I'm trying to talk to them) My age is a little...well, um...more mature than some of these whippersnappers, which leads me to worry about my skirts (cause' I'm under no illusion about what my body looks like) So, I've decided right now that I have no choice but to threaten a visit to Victoria's Secret, buy a thong and put my name in rhinestone letters on one strap and Fierce on the other...

I mean, if the midsection and hips are bare...why not enjoy the sparkly plumbers butt as the ultimate fashion accessory?

Or, I could make a plea for help with my waistband making skills...

help.

Cause' butt crack and bling is a terrible thing to waste on my body...

but, would instead make a smashing name for a lingerie store...

Weekend WIP and...

A Winner!!

I know you've been holding your breath all weekend about the wicked glitter contest...but, keep holding on...it's coming at the end of the post (of course, you could always scroll down if you can't wait...but, you know what they say...patience is a virtue...uh-huh.)

This weekend was a strange one...a ton of down time, including movies...a road trip that was planned that has been postponed to next weekend...and a shopping excursion with my mother and Rozz on Sunday. We decided to lunch at Japanese and run around for "school clothes shopping" for Rozz. Yes, she is homeschooled, but as my dear grandmother took note the other day..."if the child was attending school, I would be helping with school clothes" and the girl is indeed growing...so she needs clothes (ok...not as many as you would think because being in the clothing business, affords us some items for her...it's the shoes and basics that she grows out of...then again, she is as tall as me, and wears the same size shoes as my mother...did I mention she's only 10?) It's always fun to hang with the fam. We did get new shoes for Rozz last Sunday, and she spent a lot of our time together dancing around...it was like that cartoon where Porky Pig puts on those magic shoes and can't stop the dancing? I tell you...if I was as active as her, I wouldn't have to walk every day (and I did take the last few days off from that) And we were at Old Navy (I know...ick) but, they had the cutest knitted stuff there...I have to admit that most of it was for youngsters (and by youngsters, I mean little kids) but, it didn't stop me from holding things up and wishing that it fit...unfortunately, the only thing I ever find at Old Navy for myself are basic colored tees, and PJ pants (and did I get some cutie ones yesterday)




I also finished up a vintage skirt. Well...I re-did it at any rate. I found the cutie little vintage skirt...little being the operative word here...with the fall birdie pattern on it, and swooned just a little bit. The only problem is that it was made for someone with a tiny waist...so, off came the waistband, out came a pleat or two, and on went a new larger waistband...ahem. And the result? A perfect skirt for the fall...(and if you care to notice...a new pair of Camper sneakers someone brought in to the shop...super comfy and since I covet Campers, and refuse to pay the full price for them...I am super excited!)

And now for the winner of the Wicked Glitter Banner Give-away...

After a long involved process...ok, it was me with a pen and scissors and a bowl (I told you...it was a weekend with a lot of down time) I pulled forth the name of the winner...a woman who needs more glitter in her life (cause' really, who doesn't?) and the banner goes to...Ms. Capello of No Appropriate Behavior (for her new mantle/piano the she doesn't have yet, but I know she will soon) So, email me your address lovey, and I'll make sure this gets to you before the Great Pumpkin does...

A Letter To My Teenaged Self...

Dear Sadira,

You should probably start going by that name instead of Sadie, I know you think it's over the top weird, but it's actually unique and describes you perfectly. High School is a big drama fest...know that, and don't get all caught up with the stupidity. You know that core group of girls you hang out with? They're seem fun now, but it's not going to last...the drinking will tear them apart because someone's going to have to blame someone else for giving them a drink when their parents catch them...So, stop being a prude and being the designated driver all the time, and imbibe, your mother's only going to catch you the night after you had one sip...And that guy you kiss for the very first time...your very first kiss? You're going to marry him 7 years from then, you may want to rethink your answer when he asks you to be his wife...it's not going to turn out the way you want it to in the end (and it's going to be a hell of a struggle...if you do decide to go forward...leave the first time you have that thought...don't drag it out for 6 more years...that's just nuts!)

College is probably a waste of time. Having a degree is fun, but you would probably have a better time if you talk your parents into funding a 5 year trip to Europe instead...or if you focus on something more creative...go to Berkley or something...please stop being so scared. You're not weird and loud..in fact, you are a funny, talented and creative woman who people enjoy being around (and you're never going to be as thin as you were in high school, so damn it...take off the baggy clothes...a 36C and 100lbs. is hot, stop being so self conscious)

Dye your hair red sooner...it looks better than blond.

And, you will end up liking your hometown...a lot. Buy some damned real estate...save up all you can and buy, you will be super happy in about 2006 (that's when you should sell) that you made that decision. You're going to love owning a shop too...it's going to be fun, stop worrying when it's slow though...you're on a roller coaster with that one, and need to get off. OH...you are super coordinated (stop selling yourself short) get into hiking sooner...and learn how to ride a bike, you're going to be sad that you don't know how. And, honey, it's OK to make mistakes, no one is going to laugh at you (to your face) and trust your intuition...you know more than you think.

The summer of 2001? Yeah, that's going to be an amazing time, please try to slow down and enjoy it more...those people are all going to disappear, and it will be hard to get them back. Your boyfriend from then is going to cheat on you I don't care what he tells you his future plans are with you...please stop falling for that crap (that is a pattern you're going to repeat...Please trust yourself and get out of these relationships sooner...just because you don't have a boyfriend does not mean you are not an amazing and desirable woman, put yourself into therapy sooner about that one. Also: If you get fat to be able to stay in a relationship, that is just plain NOT HEALTHY) You can totally walk in heels, and they make your calves look great...and it's OK to feel good about yourself, it's the only way you're going to be able to live with you...

Don't worry so much, it's all going to be fine, it's all going to fall into place...take a deep breath and know that you're on the right path for you...


(as proposed by CafeMom Writing Challenge)

A Closer Look...

At the mantle...because it's changed again for the season hasn't it?

Glitter buckets...and ghoulish Halloween Toys...surrounded by the twinkling lights...

A small black and orange feather tree...topped by the Halloween banners...

Decorated with 2 little sock monkey ornaments...a witch and a skelleton...

Because, Halloween is not too far off yet right?

Because Halloween is one of my favorite holidays...
and it's fun to decorate for it...
so, I'm a month early...

Only a little wicked right?

Glitter Is My Medium...

Cause' I'm blingy that way...

Sometimes.

This weekend found me at both JoAnn's and Michaels to snag supplies for my annual Halloween cards (good excuse to go to the craft stores right?)

While at JoAnn's right next to the registers, were these large bins of glitter letters...



Yup. The entire alphabet...

I love glitter letters, and have a few words at home already..."wish" in red glitter (that hangs above my bed) and "magic" in silver(thatI use on the mantle at Christmas) So, here I was finally able to live out my ultimate fantasy of glitter words...

And I froze.

I could not think of a single word to spell...I mean, it was bad enough that the letters came in both silver and gold, and I was going to have to make that choice...but what to spell? what to spell?



Tough life choices...I know.

So, after walking around the store in agitation for a bit, I finally spied the magazine collection and flipped through a Halloween magazine (Does anyone else out there think Martha Stewart looks totally natural and better in all the black make-up rather than the white and gold? I'm just sayin') And then I found the perfect word...

just perfect.

I got started...putting the word together...then realized that I wanted this word for the window at Snap Snap for my Halloween display too...and then I was chit-chatting with a friend here in bloglandia...and she said she wanted one too...So, it was back again to JoAnn's (another good excuse eh?) I assembled the rest of the words at the shop...and let me tell you, it was like a glitter storm...

There was glitter everywhere, on my hands, in my hair, on my face (don't ask) on the counter, the floor, and all over clothes people were trying to buy...

glitter was floating and cascading swirling in the air...

like glitter snow...

Like the gentle massacre of a pixie...


In the spirit of Halloween (and the excuse to go to the craft store yet again) if you like the WICKED glitter banner...and would like one for your very own...Leave me a comment in this post and I will hold a little drawing on Saturday and make and send one to the lucky winner...