Trial & Error

I got a few requests to see the owlie hat I started on yesterday, so here's a crappy razor pic! It's a nice chocolaty brown corduroy with green fleece and white, black and orange felt appliques. Our mac isn't the best backdrop either, but hey, it's late.

Soooo, it's my first hat. Didn't exactly turn out as I had hoped. You know, to fit on a human head. :( I didn't use enough material, so it's cute, but not even deep enough to be an infant's hat. So sad, but you live and learn.

This failed hat has spawned an even cuter idea, though! An owlie sleep mask! I will be lightly stuffing it with some hypoallergenic polyfill, sewing up the bottom, attaching some elastic and voila! A cozy corduroy owlie eye mask!

I'm very excited about this idea. I can make all kinds of these! I've seen variations of animal hats, but not any sleep masks. I'm sure it's been done before, as I am a firm believer that there's nothing new under the sun, but I haven't seen it, so I feel all original.

What say you? I'm going to try to get some of the eye masks and hats on my Etsy before Christmas. Maybe I'll actually sell something for a change!

Another Not So Amazing NaBloPoMo Post

I have 25% battery power left on this ol' laptop, so I'm typing against the clock here, people. Why I can't go get the power adapter, I'm not sure. It might have something to do with the fact that I'm already in bed, and too comfortable/lazy to get back up. Might.

So, what to tell you faithful few? I wish I had terribly interesting things to say everyday. Alas, it's just another day in the life of Heather. Pleasant, but not so fantabulous.

I've been trying to figure out what handmade gloriousness I can make everyone for Christmas. If I'm going to make anything, I have got to get to it. Any ideas?

I started sewing a corduroy and felt owlie hat tonight, which I'm thinking might be cute for the munchkins I know. We'll see what I think when I finish it in the morning.

I got sidetracked by the old 1946 western, My Darling Clementine. I'm a huge fan of cowboys and shoot 'em ups. Especially if it's about Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday.

Ooh! Tombstone is my favorite western, and I found out tonight that Todd has never seen it! A blasphemy that I will atone for as soon as possible. I'm moving that on up the Netflix queue.

Tomorrow I hope to achieve a clean house, at least one completed owlie hat and make it on time to my friends' wedding.

We'll see about that, and I hope to have photo documentation for you tomorrow!

Sweet dreams, jelly beans!

Cupcakes = Happiness

(found these gorgeous cupcakes on brooklyncake.com)

I've been racking my brain trying to figure out what to make for Thanksgiving. Cupcakes? Brownies? Cookies? Cake? Something fun, awesome and yummy.

Well, I've decided on cupcakes. They meet my above mentioned requirements, and give me the freedom of doing a number of designs. Plus, they're cupcakes, and cupcakes = happiness. Right?

Since I've got that cake decorating class under my belt now, I figure I can use the basics I've learned to make something similar to the beautimus cupcakes pictured above. I want to go with an autumn theme, but not turkeys or pumpkins. Not that there's anything wrong with turkeys or pumpkins. They just don't make me want to eat cupcakes.

Rich fall colored icings. Some piped leaves. Maybe a mum or two.

That sounds edible to me.

Hello, New Facebook Pic!

About a month ago, the husband person took the best picture of us. Well, maybe not the best, but I just love it. We were having dinner at my Mom's place, and it was just an all around wonderful evening, so I absolutely adore that picture.

Why haven't you seen said picture, you ask? Because I've been battling with iPhoto for about a month now, to no avail! It has simply refused to surrender that photo unto me, and I have been one angry little lady.

I've been patient. I've begged. I've been persistent. I've threatened. I've now called for back up.

And who's the best husband IN THE WORLD? Todd. That's who. ^_^ He put that mean old iPhoto in it's place, and here's my favorite picture!

Now, I realize I could use a little make-up, I look a little cockeyed, and Todd's sexy man hair didn't quite make it into the photo, but don't burst my bubble! I really, really like this picture of us.

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.

All Things Yellow

I'm currently on a mission to redeem things that I loathe for no apparent reason. It's all part of my "Save Your Negativity For A Deserving Cause" campaign. I started it yesterday. ^_^ If I can't specify why I hate something, I'm going to make a list of reasons to like it.

Today I shall be redeeming the color Yellow. It's always made me gag a little, but I don't know why.

So, without further adieu...6 reasons (can't think of 10) to like, or things that I like that are the color yellow:

1. Rubber Ducks

2. A lot of baby ducks/chicks

3. Some cheeses

4. Fire

5. Fuzzy Bumbles

6. Butterscotch Candy. Mmm.

That's all I can muster. Oh! Mustard! I don't like mustard, though. What pleasant yellow things can you think of?

NaBloPoMo Hitch

Sometimes I just take things for granted. I thought there would be free Wifi in my hotel room. WRONG.

Oh, you don't know where I am! I'm on a fun-filled (not being sarcastic) business trip in Orlando. A whole heck of a lot of child care workers, from the South East United States, have gathered here to share and learn how to better serve youth and families. It's really pretty great.

Wifi? $9.95 for 24 hours. I can do this, but not so great. Supervisory Companion and I didn't get in from the airport until late last night, and had training all day today. We didn't even get the luxury of the two hour lunch break. We had a meeting. An awesome meeting, but a meeting.

So...here I am. All paid up for 24 hours, and posting TWO posts tonight. Though, I will post one of them dated as November 4th, because I'm awesome like that. I have not given up on NaBloPoMo! I will prevail! ^_^

Absence Makes...

*Us. In all our glory. Todd's hair is chopped off now, and he has a full beard, but I like this pic.

...the heart grow fonder, right? Now, when used as one of those pseudo positive/encouraging statements, I pretty much hate that phrase. However, right now? It works.

I've only been away from home one night, and I flippin' miss my husband! I can't even think of anything sassy to say to him when he calls. I'm being sweet as pie, and that's it! Seriously, I'm on the verge of being all mushy here, people.

I adore my husband and all, but I'm just not one of those lovey dovey chicks. More often than not, I'm sarcastic and clumsy-flirty with him. By clumsy flirty, well, that doesn't really need an explanation, does it? I'm am NOT smooth, and I've never really known how to flirt properly, but it works.

I figure my only hope is to get back home before this sticks! :P I hop on a plane tomorrow afternoon, and will be back in good old Alabama before sundown. My adorable huzbun will be waiting at the Birmingham airport for me, and I'm hoping by the time we get home I'll be able to muster some sarcasm.

Wish me luck. And pray! Supervisory Companion is staying here until Saturday, so I have to navigate my way to the airport and fly home alone! Traveling inept and unsarcastic?! I might not make it, people.

P.S. This counts as Nov. 4th's post, so I'm dating it as such. NaBloPoMo!!! ^_^

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!

Not This Year

It's National Blog Posting Month, folks! You know what that means? A blog post every single day for the month of November. That's what. You in on this?! It's not too late. Go sign up now. Here.

Now, I didn't take part last year, because...well, I had no idea what it was. My dear friend and cohort, Ariana (from The Happy Cactus) was all about it, but I just kept my distance. I wasn't so sure about all that fraternization amongst bloggers, at the time, either. So, even if I'd fully comprehended, I'd have steered clear.

"Not this year!" I say. I am on a mission to get my vast array of readers back, and I'm going to do it one post at a time! You hear me, bloggers? I'm coming to get all *counts on fingers determinedly* 5 of you.