1260

1260: how many times a humming bird heart will beat in a minute. My grandmother loved her hummingbirds. Many humid summer days were spent waiting for their arrival on the perch of the feeders that hung from her magnolia tree. We would sit on her glider and drink sun tea out of aluminum cups. My grandmother must be on our minds lately. Last week I doodled the above hummingbird, and then ordered a new necklace from Home Studio. Yesterday in the mail arrived a Valentine from my mother...featuring, yes indeed, another hummingbird. I miss my grandmother and watching for the hummingbirds...

The Girls

The Golden Girls Necklace from Trashed Clothing. It is currently a new favorite conversation piece at work. Who knew there were so many Golden Girl fans? I guess you have to love them and all their fancy pajamas and midnight cravings for cheese cake. Television inspired me to have a life like Rhoda in my 20's, Kate and Alley in my 30's , Elise from Family Ties in my early 40's, Murphy Brown in my late 40's....and later a life much like the Golden Girls. My new assistant on overnights would like to get one for himself....Which Golden Girl are you ?

Glimpse

Look! It's me when I was a little girl...an inspiring wee nerd. This precious illustration warmed my bookish heart.

Stash

Who could resist? These arrived in the mail today...as the stash for the future family member continues to grow....

09/13: Crafters and Celtics

The rain poured for the Renegade Craft Fair. But we loved it anyway. Of course we loaded up on all the free loot and did some "research" for our trip next year. The vendors were very pleasant and tended to flirt with the husband (who tended to roam away from the group).

Did you know that corn was an Irish Tradition? No? Me either. We came to the Chicago Celtic Festival a little late in the day---and a bit on the soaked side. The vendor food was a bit on the mysterious and strange side---but the free Great Big Sea (G's favorite band in the world) made up for it...

Rain ponchos and Great Big Sea. A medium sized crowd of die-hard fans meant we had a great view of the band and plenty of room to kitchen party in our way cool ponchos in the never ending down pour.

The Loot

We have returned...our bags loaded with Renegade Craft Fair loot, our memories loaded with love, and our cameras loaded with over 2,000 pictured from Chicago Vacation 2008! As the husband and I try to recuperate before work tomorrow (i.e.= showering away the funk of the trip, unpacking, paying the bills that arrived while we were out, and taking some big naps) I will also attempt a photo-travel log on my new flickr thing...(Note: this vacation did just the trick in getting me exctied again about the world of art and crafting...and working over the next year to be a part of it!) Oh...and it was just all shades of fantastic to share this vacation time with my lil sis:)

And the Winner Is...

Oh! My! Huzzah! Hooray! What a splendid Monday! Over the weekend...in a daze of sleep...I entered some drawings on a very nifty site that sponsors stuff from the art hearts of etsy. Onthedotcreations picked me as the winner for Giveaway 19! If my dear friend M is reading this---I entered this one just for you (awesome camera straps)! So as soon as it gets here we will totally make your camera so very funky! Again---Huzzah!

I Shall Wear Purple

When I am an old woman I shall wear more purple....and green grass blouses filled with happy stars...and necklaces of Saint Frankenstein. Such things are joyous.

Lonely Island

This past week has been pretty rough at the work place. Two mornings in a row I wanted to hand in my keys and just walk away from the negative chaos that thrives in my work environment. Working nights I miss the sun, my family, friends, and the husband. It is a lonely island. Above are the little things that have brought some good to my days:

• Bananas: I discovered that they really do help tired muscles and still taste good with peanut butter.
• Izze: According to the label it is good for you---providing two servings of fruit that somebody at the USDA says you should have every day. Taste good + good for you = new favorite after gym tasty beverage.
• i-pod cozy: It makes me feel young and hip in the sea of silver hair at the gym. Plus it is now filled with the most awesome music my husband selected for me---like a giant mix tape.
• Pens: So cheap, so cute. I have to buy more! Bonus: the pens write in the color of the cap (I found this out when I started to write the rent check in hot pink).
• Tumbler: Featuring the new favorite color combination dominating my domestic life---blue and red. Custom made for me by Naomi Cleary Ceramics.

Post!

Very swell things arrived in the mailbox today. Most were expected. One provided a jolt of surprise happiness into my day (a day that had been previously filled to the rim with a negative work experience). The Tree Reader will be a spectacular addition to my growing collection of "girls with books" art. The Scissors are sweet pink inspiration for my sewing corner (because now that the studio is basically done...I have the itch to sew again). The cherry blossom earrings are part of a quest to find the most awesome red dangling earrings available (to wear to work in order to contrast with all the blah blue that I wear). And then the very best thing...a hand drawn and inked Thank You card from my dear friend that came for a visit last weekend.
A side note on friendship: When I was an angst filled teen with britches and a sour attitude too big for a small river town, she would tell me:

"...that in life you were lucky to have a few good, true friends. Ones that you could always count on...when things were rough. You may not have or find that many. Probably just enough to count on one hand...."

She was so wise. I can do just that. I am blessed to have the good friends that I do.

Good Company

Sometimes it is nice to have a simple day. Initially the plans involved going to see an outdoor production of Hamlet with a friend that traveled from Pittsburgh. At close to the last minute we learned that the tickets were $36 a piece and the play took place come rain or shine. The sun predicted for the day morphed into a thunder storm. And we discovered that the play was located by a lagoon. This was a very negative factor. Point of interest about me in the summer time: Mosquitoes love, crave, destroy my skin. With that excursion dismissed, we planned for dinner and a movie in an air conditioned theater sans mosquitoes. After going grocery shopping for the details of the meal we actually made a small dinner. Yep, I turned the oven on and everything. The meal:

• Fresh squeezed lemonade
• Presbyterian Chicken (a family favorite comfort food for 20 years or more)
• Red seedless grapes
• Corn
• and Blueberry Crisp for dessert (and a little as an appetizer...we had too! It smelled so yummy.)

We made the table look lovely by including the new up-cycled napkins. To add to the social feel of the evening my sister came to visit. The conversations were so pleasant. The time ticked away. Before we knew it it was very late. The movie times had come and gone. It was just lovely to be able to have an evening to share stories, ideas, and a little art. Maybe this autumn we will plan an even bigger social dinner... Bonus: my sister did the dishes!

ObamamabO

At work, among my peers I tend to be classified as a liberal, hippie, tree hugging democrat. They planted the seed of a self-fulfilling prophecy and out sprouted Obama hanging from my ear. These great earrings also came with a couple of button surprises. I plan on wearing the earrings on my trip to Chicago...and maybe the buttons to work....if my peers can handle it.

Admiral and the Pirate

The Admiral and the Pirate joined we land lubbers today in the studio. The Admiral (with the eye patch) arrived in the mail with a broken nose. He is made out of plaster. When the nose broke in shipping it kept rubbing in the box until it returned to its original state of powder. This past week The Admiral went through cosmetic reconstructive surgery. He was given a new nose, a fresh coat of paint in some areas, as well as a glossy coat to help seal and protect the plaster for years to come. In these pictures he tends to shine a bit more than his nemesis The Pirate---who has a mat finish. But for some reason that seems to fit their personalities. Whom do I adore more...The (sophisticated) Admiral with his perfect neck scarf or The (macho) Pirate with his dashing mustache...?

Front Porch Deliveries

Speedy Delivery! Speedy Delivery! I love a day that feels like I am living in Mr. Roger's Neighborhood. Before traveling to the Land of Nod this splendid package arrived on the front porch. The artist from GMIstudio took such sweet care in the shipping presentation. Brown paper packages tied up with string make me want to sing and spin in circles on mountain top pastures. The petite dresser is already cozy and at home in the studio. It is responsible for looking quaint and housing my pencils and erasers that tend to wander away when I am not looking.

Daily Dose of Inspiration

A new little item has sprouted on The Corporate Cog: Etsy! Gnomelove = me. For now I am just an esty-addict buyer. Plans are in movement to become a "seller" of creations made from my hands (with the creative support of my patient husband, my "sew"-fantastic mother, and my stylish supportive sister). How I love thee, dear bright and hopeful Esty. I "research" the site daily! Better than chocolate milk in the morning (no offense to the beautiful cow pictured from RozArt's Shop on Etsy).