30 Days of Lists

Scrolling through blogs last week, I stumbled upon Pamplemousse1983's post about 30 Days of Lists. I'm a perpetual list-maker and a fan of blog-based projects, so I was hooked.

Of course, despite my excitement, I forgot when it started until today...and it starts tomorrow. So after work, dinner, and reading, I had to whip up some type of book/journal to contain my lists. Luckily, in addition to being a list-maker, I'm a craft-project-ingredient hoarder.




I finally made use of some scrapbook paper scraps and some reused/recovered paper (including manila envelopes and desk calendar pages).




And the fun foam sticker letters I got for my birthday.




I'm excited about this format since I can easily add in list pages made from random paper on the go. Check out 30 Days of Lists and let me know if you participate!

All Dogs Go to Heaven

Today the world lost a really great dog. Annabelle was perhaps the only fried-chicken-colored dog with Flock of Seagulls hair the world has ever known. She had so much personality that it was impossible not to think of her as a tiny (furry) human. I spent many an hour holding her like a hairy baby, or just having her cling to me, no hands required.

She also had really nice hair, but she wasn't a big fan of mohawks (or so she pretended).

She was also a princess and a really snazzy dresser (when she wasn't falling over).

She could body slam the heck out of some treats...

She loved her monkey and her many beds...

...And her god mom and dad...(and her many other family and friends)...

...But most of all, she loved her mom, who was the best dog mom in all the land.

You were a great little furry friend, Annabelle. Your scratches of love will be missed.

Clothing (Re)Construction

I made an amazing score at a local thrift store this weekend!

A dress form! That's my size! And in nearly perfect condition! And for amazingly cheap! Oops likes it, too.

I also scored a great skirt that doesn't fit well, but the fabric is certainly sweet enough to salvage.

Luckily, I also had Amazon credit that allowed me to get a book that will help with this and a lot of other sewing projects: Little Green Dresses by Tina Sparkles.

I highly recommend this book, especially if you are like me and can sew, but are far from mastering clothing construction (or if you're like me and have a hard time finding clothes that fit). I haven't read every word yet, but its instructions are clear and it has a lot of cute patterns. It even has a wedding dress made out of tablecloths - you can bet I'll consider that! It's going to make searching for thrifted clothes (and fabric) quite an adventure. I can't wait!

I'll be sure to post pictures of whatever I do with my new skirt and of my future experiments in clothing (re)construction. Share your experiences with me, too!

Snippets

For most of my life, going to a salon has been a traumatic experience. Nearly anyone that has touched my hair is amazed at how full it is, in a way that signified they were terrified. I have left many a stylist chair with only the most basic of haircuts or the most uneven of haircuts. In high school, I started getting it trimmed by someone and then cutting style into it myself.

Then in college, I started working next door to a salon and befriended one of the stylists. This started me on a six or seven year streak of free or super-cheap haircuts that has only recently stopped. Now, not only am I scared to have anyone else cut it, but I hate the idea of paying anyone much of anything to do so.

Enter my old friend from high school...a hospital surgical/prep razor like this:

(source.)

My number one at-home DIY haircutting tip is to get one of these bad boys, especially if you have wavy/curly/full hair. Then cutting your hair is not only basically free, but super fun. I just hacked the living daylights out of my hair.

I chopped off a ton of hair & I think managed to look pretty swell afterwards.

(at Disney's Hollywood Studios, in front of a giant blade of grass)

Happy Valentine's Day!

Today I received a couple of virtual valentines that were pretty amazing. So amazing, in fact, that I will now share them with you...with the addition of a few valentines that I could only ever hope to receive!

Hopefully they'll top off a good Valentine's Day for you, inspire one, or at least give you a little chuckle. Enjoy!

Perhaps the best Valentine's Day card(s), ever!

(from my pal at Consider My Dear)

The best anthropomorphized inanimate object card!

(from my pal at Coffee For Two)

(which was from here.)

Two terribly punny cards!

(both found on Cap'n Wacky)

Almost Lunch

Accidentally, this post is also related to my birthday. I swear I'm not some birthday-obsessed person that doesn't stop talking about it for weeks on end. But anyway...

Part of my gift from Brian was basically a shopping spree that resulted in, among other things, a mini greenhouse/seed starting kit and seeds. Because when I'm let loose in a store, I buy dirt apparently. 

I set up the greenhouse and planted the seeds this weekend. My first little green friends showed up today. I hope there's more where that came from!

Big & Tall

Last weekend, as part of my birthday adventures, Brian and I went to a local park that neither of us had been to. It's really small, but it's the home of the (alleged) 5th oldest tree in the world. And I know that sounds super nerdy and boring, but it's pretty amazing.

The main tree (named the Senator) is around 3,500 years old. Think about that. 3,500 years old. As such, it's huge, unbelievably huge: 11.5 ft in diameter and 125 ft tall (and it used to be 40 feet taller).

(Of course, to put this wholesome educational experience into context, I should mention that we only went there after visiting my favorite amazingly-seedy arcade, where my prizes included a plastic grasshopper, a creepy marble maze game, and a fortune telling fish. Romp approves.)

Magic!

Yesterday, I put my birthday money to the best use, ever! I somehow only found out on the day of that Penn & Teller were doing one show in Orlando. So, naturally, I immediately bought tickets.

I've always been a fan of theirs, but that fandom reached new levels after I saw them in Las Vegas in 2006.  I went on a vacation with my family and made Brian jealous by seeing the show on his birthday. So, like a good girlfriend, I brought him back some souvenirs...






Of course, the only effect these likely had was to make him more jealous...especially coupled with the fact that Teller talked to me and Penn said that he could eat me for dinner.

But in all honesty, I was so impressed with their show that I've been really wanting to somehow take Brian to see them ever since. The costs associated with flying out to Vegas were a tad steep, so I jumped on the chance when I heard they were in town.

I was once again blown away. I highly recommend that you save up, scour your house for loose change, or do whatever it takes to see them live if you get the chance.