Right before I take my vacation...



Why would we have a hurricane come through right before I leave for vacation?

New fabric!


Is this not the cutest Christmas fabric you've ever seen? I know it's a little early to be buying holiday fabric, but I just couldn't resist. Hancock Fabrics just got it in stock yesterday.

Perhaps a new tree skirt for the aluminum tinsel tree...hmm.

Bomb Scare!

As I type, the mall across from my work is being evacuated due to a bomb scare. The streets are closed and the mall parking lot is under lock-down (that's where the suspicious package is located). My car is in that garage! I'm glad I brought my lunch today because now I'm stuck here. News story below:

MacArthur Mall evacuated after bank robbery suspects arrested
The Virginian-Pilot
© August 30, 2006 | Last updated 12:19 PM Aug. 30

NORFOLK -- Norfolk Police ordered the evacuation of MacArthur Mall today after some bank robbery suspects were arrested in the mall parking lot.

At approx 11:08am, investigators followed suspects that fit a description of bank robbery suspects from last week into the shopping center's south garage.

The suspects were taken into custody without incident.

During the robbery, the suspects had made statements implying explosive devices. For that reason, the mall area was secured, police said.

The suspects' car was being searched.

View outside my window
Arrows are pointing to cop cars blocking the roads, crime scene tape, and a closed Dillards.

BOOM!!

Grumble, grumble.

I'm now on a weekly budget - a very strict one. I went shopping with a coworker yesterday and noticed that after she made her purchase, she pulled out a small notebook and began jotting something down. Having just blown a chunk of money on only a gift, I decided I might try to do the same thing.

So yes, I'm very disappointed that I just spent $60 bucks on an acne treatment. That's about half my weekly budget, not including groceries or gas.

Good news is that I just finished designing a letterhead suite that I really like! I'm keeping my fingers crossed and hoping they don't ask me to add magenta.

Cute as a...

Spent the weekend reorganizing our closets, which means I found many ways to distract myself from the task. If asked to clean my room as a young girl, I would spend hours rearranging the furniture, rehanging the artwork (back then it was tapestries), and actually not getting much cleaning accomplished. Which leads me to the shoe project.

My cleaning style goes like this: I ask myself the question - "Have I worn these in the last year?" If not, then I chuck (by chuck I mean donate). I like to imagine driving down the street one day and seeing my shoes being sported on someone else, hopefully someone in need. At the soup kitchen where I volunteer, we also provide clothes, shoes, and new toiletries completely free of charge. So I'd like to think that donating my dress-up shoes might help one of our Saturday morning clients, as we like to call them, find a job.

But sometimes I have a hard time letting go. These periwinkle flats were all the rage a couple years ago, but now I feel way too feminine when wearing flowers on my shoes. Solution: cut off flowers, hot glue on some buttons. Recycle flower to make cardigan pin. Two new things that I'll actually wear made from one pair that I didn't. Yay! I'm having a hard time resisting the urge to hot glue buttons on EVERYTHING.

BEFORE

AFTER!

A new pin (not to be worn with the shoes, of course).

Just add magenta

What I love about my job: I got to scout an upcoming photoshoot today - the zoo (client is not the zoo). I actually felt guilty being outside, walking around looking at animals, because I knew my coworkers were back at the office pulling out their hair. I gotta figure out what kind of birds are in the Africa exhibit. Anyone know?







What I dislike about my job: I finally finished layout of the annual report and consider it something I'll add to my portfolio (doesn't happen much). I was a bit nervous about the client's reaction, considering I disregarded some of their direction. The account executive gave me the report today: "Client loves it, but you need to somehow work in their PMS color - magenta. And oh, you gotta change the body copy typeface to one they've requested." How does one work magenta in to a subdued color pallette? Change the typeface from a sans-serif to serif and that's not going to affect the design?! You've got to be kidding.

Staying up late & watching Bravo

I can not fall asleep after Project Runway, so I usually end up watching it again at midnight. Is Laura human? Did she just say she'll just throw her child on the pile with the other ones?

Anyhow, I've been amusing Bobby tonight with my Million Dollar Listing impersonation - "It's a done deal, come on." I think I've finally nailed the hand gesture.

Staunch character

The work weeks have been running together. Spent last night working on an annual report and completely forgot about an extended family dinner to which I had been invited. The worst timing imaginable.

Finished designing the annual report this morning and so treated myself to a chicken curry lunch in Waterside with coworkers. Steel drums to the tune of California Dreamin' - live entertainment while we dined.

I came home to find a package for Bobby, so of course, I opened it. A letter and t-shirt from Gregory. Reads as follow:

"I was in Waterbury, VT, the other day paying some bills (my incredible debt to society), and I decided to just toss my checkbook in the gutter and get fuckfaced at The Alchemist, our friendly neighborhood tavern. It reminds me of The Taphouse - if The Taphouse was made of shit. Somewhere between my first drink and being asked to leave, I bought you this shirt."

Sorry, G. Nothing's sacred once in print. Thanks for dressing my boy, as he refuses to wear anything I pick out.
For your generosity, I have included two cute cat pictures. The first one - your best friend, Pico. She still savours the taste of your blood in her mouth. The second - Lucy, the ghost cat. She becomes very affectionate after 8pm and gives massages to inanimate objects . She kneaded Jeero's eyeballs. I heard a little scream.

Also, I have included two more images to make your day more pleasant. I know I watch Grey Gardens when I feel down - I figure their situation would be my rock bottom. Dining amongst cat poop, dirty mattresses, and raccoon droppings. Lindsay Lohan can vouch.





Above: I like how you can see my lamp in her wrist band.

A STAUNCH...CHAR-AC-TA

Sew it goes...

What do you get when you mix a glass of red wine, Samuel Jackson (SNAKES ON A PLANE!), felt and fleece, and a sewing machine? That's right, the answer is: deformed neck pillow.

I tried a little experiment with felt and type. I would have never done this with print, but I chose Helvetica. For this project, it just worked. Anyhow, I decided to make a little pillow for my soon-to-be godson, Henry. Henry and Helvetica. Do you see where I'm going?

Everything would have worked if I had not taken shortcuts with cutting out the shape of the pillow. Or perhaps I should have used a pillow form instead of stuffing. I made a Henry hotdog.

Flickr for Now

Eerrgghh...Blogger keeps crashing my internet browser so I can't upload any pics. Check out recent pics here.

The details have come.


We celebrated our one year wedding anniversary last weekend. We slept in on Saturday and barely made it to Richmond before three. A day spent shopping in Careytown and strolling through Maymont. I couldn't have asked for more.


We missed the watermelon festival - it was held the following day. Poo.


The storeowner was a sweet elderly woman who offered us marriage advice - "It's not always going to be peaches and cream, so just make sure you keep talking to one another." Upon discovering it was our anniversary, she immediately started showering us with trinkets from her store. I really love this little ceramic white bird.




Timmie enjoys running in the grassy fields of Maymont.


It took some heavy defrosting, but we did eat the rest of our wedding cake. Just had to take a layer of freezer-burnt icing off first.

Brain-storming breakfast at d'Egg.

We're back.

We had a great time in Richmond. More details to come.

Dinner last night at the Folks

That looks like an Iguana!

While watching the TLC show "Miami Inked" last night, the teaser for next week's episode was aired during the breaks. A guy asks Yoji for a dragon tattoo and is disappointed with the sketch. "I want a dragon - that looks like an iguana" he yells and throws the sketchbook on the counter.

That guy is Bobby's friend, Juan. It comes on tonight at 10!

I think the situation is set up. Though I've only met Juan once, I seriously doubt he would ask for a dragon tattoo. And if he went to art school, don't ya think he would want to design his own tattoo? I guess we'll see...

Loop de poop

I've been toying with the idea of learning how to knit/crochet for weeks now. Finally, on my lunch break today, I decided to pay a little visit to the public library in hopes of finding some how-to books. I immediately sprinted to the new release section and found nothing for the novice person, such as myself. So I wound my way to the backroom shelves of neglected books.

My problem with libraries is that I don't discriminate when choosing the books I take home. An arm full is common and sometimes a tote is necessary. I take the books home, they sit, they expire, and I end up paying $15 every time I want to check out more books.

Needless to say, I brought home the "Family Circle Easy Sweaters" book for some inspiration, as well as "Knitted Toys - 21 Easy-to-knit patterns for irresistible soft toys." The first book is a gem. Let's take a little peek, shall we?


Hmm....a fine number, especially with the uberhip sunglasses. I'll take it into consideration.


Ohh..the colors. I know Bobby would really appreciate it if I knitted him a sweater. Maybe one with hearts or teddy bears.


Now here's an idea. Our first year anniversary is coming up next weekend. Doesn't give me much time to learn how to knit and actually produce something bigger than a coaster, but perhaps I'll give it a shot. What do you guys think?

Lazy Sunday

The weather is finally tolerable. Unless you're playing tennis...

Cooked out with M & M. Checked out the nursery and made plans for Mexico. Thanks guys.

Our Virtual Housewarming

For the past year, we have been planning on having a housewarming party. Each month, we think of another reason (or excuse) to delay it to the next month or holiday. Too hot...gotta gig this weekend...let's just finish up this project first. So, a virtual home tour seems to be the perfect solution. We cleaned the house this weekend, I just finished covering our kitchen chair seats, and we'll save money on alcohol.

I also found some pictures we took of the house while the previous tenants were still residing. I find it intersting to see how different people interpret a space - whether it be through color, styles, and clutter vs. minimalism. Just by taking pictures of each room (missing still are the bedrooms), I have found more projects to tackle. The wood stove has never bothered me until seeing it in the photo. Now it's gotta go.

So, I have uploaded photos here. Make sure you look at each one individually for comments - I don't want you getting confused with the Before and Afters! Also look for the recent addition of my trip to Vermont.

Why the pic of the shoes, you ask? Cause I finally wore them the other day (a souvenier from Spain).

Friday Night at Bardo

Thought I would be staying in last night, but was paid a surprise visit by Suzy who convinced me to accompany her and a few friends to Bardo.

New toy Friday! My coworker was cleaning out her drawers as I walked in her office to return a paper sample book I had borrowed. There on her desk was a miniature Empire State Building. I asked her what she was doing with the tiny statue on her desk, to which she replied, "Do you want it?"

Yes! A new toy. A tacky memento from the Big Apple. All I need now is a miniature Golden Gate Bridge and a statue of David to adorn my shelf at work. Everyone else here has "tasteful" things like framed pictures of their children and pencil holders on their desk, but not me and my office mate. We line our shelves with tacky kitsch shit that pisses off the account executives, especially when they give tours of our office. "And here is the creative department...interesting bunch, yeah?"

When we get frustrated with our job, which is usually at least once a day, we throw our little toys at the wall or each other. So, toys are great stress relievers.

John and I scored free tickets to see Fiona Apple on Tuesday night. As you can tell by the picture, it was a packed house. It was 95 degrees with no breeze.

I really liked Fiona quite a few years ago when her album, "Tidal," first came out. Why didn't she tour then? She was too busy having nervous breakdowns. Even now, she still won't address the audience - just starts playing the moment she steps on stage. After seeing Peaches recently, my standards for live performance have increased.

I finally refinished my latest thrift store find. One hutch/buffet, dining room table with three leaves, and six chairs for $150. The hutch still had a couple mementos left from the previous owner - one of them being a Mothers Day card. It's sad to think that someone cleaned out their mother's home after her death and donated all her belongings to the thrift store. The old woman must have never updated her furniture since the mid-century.


We now have six of these chairs.