Really In a Stew!

I googled ANGRY BIRD & found this image here.

Disclaimer: I am ranting in this post. I love many a person with free-time, stay at home wives, and/or mothers. I know we all have different priorities. I'm currently frustrated, so please refrain from taking offense to anything I type. Thank you.

If any of you pulchritudinous* people out there have read this old blog before, chances are high that you're aware of my tendency to overbook myself. To say I have a lot going on would be an understatement. I'm an artist, a secretary, and a program director. I'm slightly obsessive compulsive, and I have a problem saying "No."

All that being said, I'm not alone in my way too busy for a day-jobness. I had the following conversation recently.

BFF: I'm so tired of database work! I want to be at home sewing!!!
Me: Yeah. I keep thinking about things for etsy, the cake topper/guest book I'm working on, the book I'm illustrating. There's just so much to do that work gets in the way of, and it's insane! I even find myself being a little catty towards people who stay home. I know mom's that have kids in school have plenty to do, but I start wondering how they can have NO ARTSY CRAFTY ANYTHING! No hobbies!
BFF: Me too. It irritates me that other people have all this time on their hands, and I have none. When I do nothing - I feel guilty.
Me: I know.
Me: Why can't all the world be like us? It'd be a much better place...There would be biscotti and puppies...Starbucks and photography...
BFF: Warm woolen mittens, and brown paper packages tied up with string?
Me: Yes! Yes!! YES!!!

Now, this may seem a little off subject, but it's not. We have so much to do, and no time to do it! We're also ever so mildly insane, as you can see from the above conversation. If I were you, and I had free time, I'd come up with a hobby real quick-like. There are more of us, and we're likely to lash out eventually.

*That means you're beeeyooootiful. I used the thesaurus to find a new word for lovely to behold, and I thought that pulchritudinous was pretty interesting. Kind of an ugly word to have such a nice meaning, don't you think?

Bodacious Bloggers

It's about time for another one of those bloggy hiatus posts,  wouldn't you say? Poor little Mimsy patiently waits to hear from me, but I'm too busy painting and neglecting her to notice. You all know the story, right?

I've been working on painting three puppy portraits for a couple weeks now. I'd have had them finished a long time ago, were I not employed full time. Le sigh. I'm also plotting/sketching characters for the children's book I've been asked to illustrate, about which I'm still totally stoked and already mentioned here. Then there's The Sketchbook Project I mentioned a while back. Haven't touched that yet. Oh! And the lovely Ari and I are planning on entering a sidewalk art stroll next month, so I've got to be getting work together for that as well. I need more time. So much to do, so many places to be.

What about all you bodacious bloggers?* Have y'all been so busy with summer shenanigans that you didn't mind a few less posts to read? I hope so. I know you hang on every sarcastic word around here...

Speaking of around here...my house looks like it was ransacked. Mr. T (That's the husband person, for any new readers out there.) (HI, NEW READERS! <3) and I just got home from a camping/rafting trip in North Carolina, and are beyond beat. My face and shoulders are ever so slightly crisped, and, now that I've showered, I'm ready to sleep 'til Tuesday.

I miss your blogs, people. I'm sure I'll be catching up soon, as well as posting pics of paintings, doodles and camping trips. *mwah*

* Yeah, I said "bodacious bloggers". What of it? I like alliteration, and I'm too sleepy to be cool. Just go with it

Two Out of Three Ain't Bad

I've been playing with the camera on my Droid again.

It appears that I have lots of toys...

...and an unintentional feline slash poultry theme to my life, as of late.

I'm hoping to pick my Kimchi Kitty up from the vet today, and our chickens had babies! Two of the three little silkie eggs hatched, and two out of three ain't bad (Yeah. I just referenced a Meat Loaf song.). Well, one of the chickadees needed a little help. The momma wasn't taking care of it, so Mr. T and I had to help it out of it's shell and it's spent the night snoozing under a heat lamp in our kitchen. She's very wee, and getting fluffy! I'll post pics soon.

Short, Sweet & A Little Fuzzy

The above image has severely damaged my post writing capabilities. I should have avoided meandering on over to Cute Overload, but I just needed a little pick me up. Aaaaaand now, over an hour later, all I can think about is how much I love bunnies!!! Thank you, Cute Overload.

I'm hoping for a real post tomorrow, complete with photos of people and things Mr. T and I encountered on the first two days of our mini-vacation, including the lovely, lovely, lovely Shannon and Megan. Simply. Adore. Them.

Wait, did I even tell you peoples my husband person and I were on a mini-vacation?! Well, we are! Taking North Carolina and Tennessee by storm, folks. I ♥ Mountains! More on all this after I sleep! Sweet dreams, jelly beans.

El Condor Pasa

I'm in a constant state of disarray, as of late. It's really got to end. I just have so much to do. I haven't even had a chance to read all your blogs, and that, my friends, is a necessary. Oy vey.

In an attempt to catch up in the ol' Greader, I came across something refreshing. Barry posted an "If I Were" list, and we all know how I feel about lists...

Yeah. I ganked it.

If I could be a month, I’d be October.

If I could be a day of the week, I’d totally be Saturday.

If I could be a time of day, I’d be 7pm.

If I could be a planet, I’d be one we don't know about.

If I could be a sea animal, I’d be an otter.

Need I say more? Oh yeah, image found here. I don't know how anyone gets a shot of an otter. I've tried. They lounge around being generally adorable, until they see you with a camera. Apparently cameras/photographers are the universal sign of spaz to all otters.

If I could be a direction, I’d be left. ( I asked Mr. T, and that's what he said.)

If I could be a piece of furniture, I’d be a book shelf.

If I could be a liquid, I’d be raspberry lemonade.

If I could be a gemstone, I’d be an emerald.

If I could be a tree, I’d be a ginkgo.

Found this image here. Thanks Google!

If I could be a tool, I’d be a pen.

If I could be a flower, I’d be an tiger lily.

If I could be a kind of weather, I’d be snow flurries.

If I could be a musical instrument, I’d be a Whamola.

Yes. A Whamola , and I googled and found this image here.

If I could be a color, I’d be green.

If I could be an emotion, I’d be worry.

If I could be a fruit, I’d be a grape.

If I could be a sound, I’d be puppy grunts.

If I could be an element, I’d be water.
This is a Clark Little shot. Love. It.

If I could be a car, I’d be an all terrain vehicle.

If I could be a food, I’m willing to bet I'd be a noodle of some sort.

If I could be a place, I’d be home.

If I could be a material, I’d be fleece.

If I could be a taste, I’d be sweet & sour. ( It's my blog. I can be both.)

If I could be a scent, I’d be Clinique Happy

If I could be an object, I’d be a paint brush.
Googled and found this image here.

If I could be a body part, I’d have to be the silliest one, a belly button.

If I could be a facial expression, I’d be a Cheshire grin.

If I could be a song, I’d be "El Condor Pasa" (Simon & Garfunkel)

If I could be a pair of shoes, I’d be some trusty old Chuck's.
Found this image at Dirty Chuck's! Gloriousness, I say.

What about you, beautiful bloggers? What would YOU be, if you only could?

MadShiny Goodness

It's well beyond my bed time (who am I kidding? I'm never in bed at a decent hour, but I'd like to be.), but I really wanted to share my newest water doodle with you lovely people.

It's a doodle. I watercolored it. That makes it a waterdoodle, right? Right.

Aaaand what could it be, other than a chinchilla? Humperdink is my muse. :P

I just listed said waterdoodle on my Etsy Shop, and I've got high hopes. I've yet to sell any MadShiny goodness, but I'm keeping my chin up.

Keep Calm & Oh, Never Mind

Well, bloggers...I had planned on posting about something really interesting, but I lost it. My mother would say, "Must've been a lie." Such a trusting, supportive thing to say, don't you think? Fact is, I just can't remember. For the life of me. That ever happen to you? Hmph. Maybe I'll think of it tomorrow.

In the meantime, look at what I fell in love with over at TypeTees. Look, I say!

NaBlahPoMo

This whole National Blog Posting Month is getting to me. Apparently, I don't enjoy the posting everyday thing as much as I thought I would. I love that I've been posting more regularly. I love to write/communicate. LOVE. IT. It's just that...I realize I'm breaking my neck to post every single day, and it's becoming a huge pain in my hiney.

I also realize that I've been getting a little miffed with the ol' blog for upsetting my drawing/doodling schedule. I like to draw everyday, and most of the time right before bed. When have I been posting? Right before bed. >_<

I've been neglecting my drawing in order to write, and I think that's what's throwing me off. So, rather than just blathering when I've really nothing to say, I've decided that it's okay to post some of my drawings every once in a while.

Here's one I've been working on for a while now. It's not finished or colored in all the way yet, but you get the idea. I draw it everywhere, so I'm pretty sure it's going to work itself into a children's book someday...

Maybe a little odd/slightly creepy, but that's how I usually roll. I'm thinking the book will be something about what we can create with imagination. Everyone's thoughts and ideas being important. A person's a person, no matter how small kind of thing.

*Please don't steal my drawings/ideas. They're mine, and I'll hunt you down. Not that any of my readers would, but lurkers I'm not so sure about. No stealy. You hear me?

No Birdies Were Harmed During The Enjoyment of This Holiday

Thanksgiving lunch, at my sister-in-law's, and Thanksgiving dinner, at my mom's, were both incredibly cozy. I may or may not have been less than attentive company, as I was on the verge of passing out the entire time.

May I add that my narcoleptic state had nothing whatsoever to do with tryptophan? I'm a vegematarian. ^_^ Personally, I think my ovaries are to blame. Being overly emotional/hormonally imbalanced, along with being well fed, really wears a chick out!

Consuming copious amounts of both mac and cheese and garlic mashed potatoes, followed by cuddling on sis-in-law's couch with your teensy canine niece (Chica Boo), is also a sure fire way to find yourself nodding off after lunch.

Consuming copious amounts of both baby portabella stuffing and yummy garlic green beans, followed by curling up in a ginormous chair and a half, with a big warm blanket, is another sure fire way to find yourself sleeping with your mouth open after dinner.

When I was little, my mom taught me to say grace like this:

Thank you for the food we eat. Thank you for the world so sweet. Thank you for the birds that sing. Thank you, God, for everything. Amen.

That simple little prayer never seems more appropriate than at Thanksgiving. I'm so blessed to have family to spend time with, food to eat, and a safe, cozy place to take a nap.

God bless and keep you all. Mwah!

I Think Beyonce Should Have Gotten This Award

The always lovely, Ari gave me a happy little award today, which is just sweet as pie. It's also helpful, as I am too sleepy to think of anything earth shattering to blog about, or even an interesting interpretation of my day.Alright, here's the deal.
- List ten of your happy things.
- Make at least one of them happen today.

- Tag 10 bloggers that brighten you day.
- Link back to the person that tagged you.

Happies I've Indulged In Today

1. Hugging my oh so cuddly kitty, Kimchi

2. Decorating baked goods

3. Unashamedly rocking out to good music

4. Getting my Paste magazine in the mail

5. Cranking up the heat in my Jeep, so I can ride with the windows down in cold weather

6. Making plans that keep everyone happy

7. Sipping raspberry lemonade

8. Hanging out with friends that qualify as family

9. Being blessed with so much, when I've done nothing to deserve it

10. Cozying up next to my husband and kitty in our nice, warm bed

10 Day Brightening Bloggers

Ari

Jodi

Ari

Ben

Kendall

Matt (doesn't do awards, but he still makes me smile)

Jaime

Lilu

Shannon

Jay

Happy Almost Thanksgiving, folks!

Finger Lickin'

I've spent the evening with some of my favorite people, making glorious little sugary bits o' goodness. That's right. Cupcakes.

Soul Mate's little sister is now married and has a home of her own, so we're throwing her a house warming party tomorrow. Sounds like an excuse to make baked goods, no?

Just look at 'em!

Don't you just want to eat them up?

These are just pics of the ones I did, but the rest of them were equally as funtastic.

And that is my best rose. EVER. Wilton would be proud.

I've got two more batches to make before Thanksgiving, and I'm pretty sure all this decorating is going to put me into a sugar coma.

Warm Fuzzies

I'm sitting on my futon with a warm, fuzzy kitty on my left, and my warm, fuzzy husband on my right. We're being serenaded by a lovely British man wearing mismatched socks. His lovely wife, who just so happens to be my best friend and soul mate, pointed that out.

They're visiting from Michigan for Thanksgiving, and they're staying the night with us tonight. Yay!

Everything is warm and cozy, and smells like my hazelnut cream candle. It's sabbath, and I'm going to sleep SO WELL tonight.

Thanks to New Moon, I only got about 3 hours of sleep last night. I was afraid it wouldn't be (worth it), because I didn't really like the first movie so much. It was a lot corny. Thankfully, I was worried for nothing. This movie was waaaaaaay better. New director = can't wait for the next two movies.

Sweet dreams, jelly beans!

Twenty Twenty Twenty-Four Hours To Go I Wanna Be Sedated

I have been so incredibly sleepy lately! It's like I've been drugged. I don't know if it's the weather or what. I'm thinking that has something to do it. When I go to leave work, and it's already dark outside, I am completely drained and can not WAIT to get to bed.

Kind of like this, only less cute.


Normally, I am such a night owl. The sun sets, and I am ready to roll. Anywhere. But all of a sudden, it's different now. The sun sets, and I'm like, "Brush your teeth, dude. Let's go to bed."

Not that I've been sleeping well. I guess that probably has something to do with it, too. I've been falling asleep really early, and then waking up at like midnight, unable to get back to sleep 'til about 3AM. Sucks like a Dyson. Seriously.

P.S. My husband person has to eat a little something with his round of antibiotics every night, and he just came in and said, "I decided to eat a little bowl of cereal." I look, and he has one of those eensy tupperware bowls. Like, the ones you could fit a serving of apple sauce in. Eensy. This is precisely why I married this adorable man. He's ridiculous and wonderful...most of the time.

List Lust XI: Know What I'm Simply Mad About?

Hello Bloggy McBloggersons! For those of you who remember List Lust from waaaaay back when, you'll notice it's pretty much been abandoned. For any new readers (Hear that?! I have a few more faithful few! Squee!), you are about to witness the redemption of one of my deepest obsessive compulsive loves: Lists!

Today's list will pick back up where I left off, and teach you/remind you of a few possibly quirky/unimportant things about me.

List Lust XI: Know What I'm Simply Mad About?

1. Puppies & Puppy Breath (Bull Terriers are my favorite!)

2. Mr. Snuffleupagus & Those Big Soulful Eyes

3. Tall Frosty Glasses of Raspberry Lemonade

4. Almost Every Part Johnny Depp Has Played,

Along With His Sense of Style & Ridiculous Good Looks

5. Kermit, For All The Same Reasons As #4 :P

6. That I Can Get Away With Being Simply Mad About Two Muppets Without Blog Persecution.

7. Tim Burton's Brain (I figured a picture of Burton himself would suffice.)

8. Being Married To My Adorable Husband

9. Gustav Klimt's Artwork (This is my favorite of his pieces-Musique.)

10. God/Love (They're one and the same, in my opinion.)

Guess that's all for now. Better save some for another list. What are you simply mad about?

I Think I Just Saw Timothy Leary

Todd and I went to see Men Who Stare At Goats tonight, and it was absolutely hilarious. It is a tad unsettling, because you know some of the craziness depicted is true. One example: testing LSD on soldiers.

The only negative thing I can say about it is it had a good bit of foul language.

It's not getting very good reviews, but I think people are morons. It's got a wonderful cast, and it's just downright funny in that bluntly honest sort of way.

Love it.

Best line ever given by an overly trippy Jeff Bridges: "I think I just saw Timothy Leary..." I almost died laughing.

Go see it.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Let me introduce you to Julien. Well, a watercolor of him anyway. He's is one of my best friend's munchkins, and a favorite little person of mine. I like to hang out with him, talk to him and paint him. His little sister's not too shabby, either.

Anyhow, this has always been my favorite painting-of all the paintings I've done. It's called "Any Face You Want", and I just love it. I paint kids and animals a lot, but for some reason this one just stands out.

Wait. Have I mentioned why I paint what I paint in another post? I don't remember, so maybe you don't either.

I usually paint portraits of Respect, Resilience and Strength. So, it's not necessarily a painting of a kid, or critter. It's more an abstracted documentation of the respect that life has for life, and the resilience and strength that I believe all creatures possess to overcome the various forms of disrespect that they have or will most likely be subjected to. Just so happens I see these things in young children and animals.

Okay. Back to Ju-Ju. He has the most interesting ideas, and a very different way of thinking than most little guys. He's been through a lot of change that, like most children, was beyond his control, but he just keeps on truckin'. Quirky and awesome as usual. Personally, I think he's a genius. Though, maybe I'm partial because I've known him since he was born.

Normally, I don't know the kids or animals I paint quite as well as I know him. Maybe that's why it's my favorite?

Networking Fiend

This whole NaBloPoMo thing is paying off, and it's only day two. I've already got some of my readers back! I just LOVE you guys! ^_^

My little blog has been lonely for too long, and my little Etsy shop is still lonely, so I've decided to introduce both of them to The Book of Face! Hopefully Mimsy and MadShiny will make some new friends out there. ^_^

Here's hoping bloggy therapy and handmade goodness are contagious!

Monday

I've been thinking a lot about this today. I think it'd be safe to say that approximately 75% of everyone I know has an aversion to Mondays. We cower and cringe at the thought of her. Sort of like this.

(any excuse to squeeze in some Klimt ^_^)

Now, the other 25% are the optimists on a quest to redeem or save Monday, to turn it into something else-something worth celebrating. Still, they know it doesn't like them...and it has a club.

My theory is that Monday is tired of being the day that everyone hates, or at least has to try not to hate. She's fed up with being Monday. Can't say's I blame her, but I don't enjoy the punishment.

So, what can we do? I propose that we give Monday a new name. Perhaps that's all she needs. A new start, a chance to recreate herself. Maybe then she'll not feel like reciprocating our distaste for waking up early to go to work anymore. Maybe she'll have pity on us.

What's your nomination? I already have one from MadamRaspberry. Her vote is for Princess Mon, which I think sounds Jamaican and I like it. What say you? Pick a name! This could save us all!

Here's The Deal

I was totally going to show my blog some love today, but due to circumstances beyond my control, I have no love to give. It seems as though I am in a bit of a melancholy rut, and have nothing nice to say.

So, in short, I am forcing myself to be a wee bit positive. Of all the things that suck right now, I can say that I'm thankful for a whole heck of a lot. Nothing is really all that bad. God is good. He takes care of me. Seriously.

On that note, I am going to bed.

Funny Business

Well, it's happened again. The dreaded bloggy hiatus. When you least expect it...WHAMMO! You have a gazillion things to do in no time flat. I don't even know what happened most of last week, and I'm too tired to think. I've still got a pretty good grasp of the past few days, though.

Let's see. There was the Flight of the Conchords' concert in Atlanta Saturday night. Totally worth the three hour exodus that Ari and I made. They were hilarious and adorable, as usual. We may or may not have screamed like silly little girls. May or may not have. All I'm saying is we waited for silence to make our audible request, and it was honored.

Easter Sunday was totally out of commission. A lovely day with family, but chalked full of disregard for all things weighing on my neurotic little mind. I did squeeze in some knitting and sewing, though. I made my nephew an ipod cozy! I really do have a creative compulsion.

Then there was Monday. Oh dear sweet Monday. Normally redeemed only by Shannon's Memory Mondays, but this Monday also had the help of the mesmerizing Jason Webley. The man can play the piano/guitar/accordion/pretty much anything like a fiend. Not to mention his uncannily gorgeous barbaric yawp, as shown above. It just kills me. Just beautifully stirring. It was a total surprise to find out he was going to be in the area.

Other than that? A lot of unfinished projects have cluttered my poor little brain pan. Bouncing around in there like jacked up ping pong balls. I finished a couple of things that I'm far too burnt out on to even muster photographing them. I refuse. Refuse you hear?!

Oh, and I've officially obtained the crud. Sigh.

That's all the funny business for now. Goodnight good bloggers.