a girl like me

Every Little Thing

2012-02-11T12:19:00.001-05:00

We watched "I Am Legend" the other night for my first time (Tim had seen it already). Great flick. It, of course, reminded me of how much I enjoy the lyrical genius of Mr. Marley. AND inspired me to create this. One of these days, I'll take the time to get set up so you can download PDF files here, but for now, if you like, feel free to click on the image and print for your personal use. Happy Saturday!

ps, it's snowing here today, how about where you are?

Free Fonts

2012-02-10T06:30:00.001-05:00

I'm a sucker for free anything, but when it comes to fonts, I'm a double sucker. I'm obsessed with checking the "new fonts" on a couple different sites and downloading anything that I think I might someday want to use. Of course for personal use only, but there is the rare occasion that a free fontier has given permission for commercial use as well, so I tuck those away for the future life when I will have more time to freelance again. Here are a few of my favorites from the past few weeks and a lovely link where you can find them for your own free font enjoyment!

I don't know what it is about this font, but I just love it. It's an all caps font and reminds me of Marvel comics, I think. Shown here with a slight drop shadow. download from fontspace.

What can I say? I love calligraphy and I'll blame my grandmother who took calligraphy in her early grandma years, and always writes with beautiful penmanship AND every card or letter is beautifully scripted. download from fontspace.

mmm...clean and warm, just like fresh laundry. Me gusta!

download from lost type co-op (found via smashing magazine).

When I first saw the name of this font, it reminded me of my little sister's monthly blogograms to her babies. love them! The font itself reminds me of their purpose to savor your babies at every stage. love them up. download from dafont.com.

I also downloaded a ton of web ding, ding-a-ling fonts that I have already saved as vector images to get decorative with. Even if you don't have illustrator software to convert these gems, they are still fun to use in word processing documents. just type them in a text box for easy placement.

download from dafont.com

The Ghost of Valentines Past

2012-02-09T20:42:00.000-05:00

I was going through past entries on my blog, reminiscing, when I came across this one from four years ago. Oh the blessed and/or cursed day. I'm not very romantic, so I've never really understood the hullabaloo.

But, when I was single, any Holiday was just another excuse to throw a party. So that's what we did. I must say, the invite turned out quite nice. A little bit like her introduction at the pre-superbowl press conference, or so I read here... (if you choose to follow the link, scroll down to 2:04pm)

The Month of Love

2012-02-08T19:26:00.000-05:00

In this gritty city finding frill is a little like looking in a "where's waldo" picture book. If you look really closely, that striped red tunic and tuke will glare right at you. Bless these urban artists and their creations for bringing a little bit of romance to the concrete jungle.

While, my creations may not be worthy of sidewalk art or wall murals, I like to do my part to celebrate the month of love. This year, I decided to get crafty with ric rac and ribbon and make some placemats. Frilly and functional. Again, I don't have enough photos for a full tutorial (and apologies for the iphone photos), but I found this one the other day (which I didn't use, but why reinvent the wheel when there is already a fabulous step-by-step out there?)

After pre-washing my material, 3 yards of heavy red canvas that I picked up at one of the many fabric stores in the Fashion District, and the ric-rac from my favorite (Daytonna Trimming). I used a store-bought placemat as a pattern and cut out 16 rectangles for 8 placemats, traced a bowl on the corners with tailor's chalk and then cut them into curves for added femininity. Each placemat got it's own hand-stiched, lovey-dovey message. (I also used the tailor's chalk to write the messages and pictures before I attempted to embroider.)

I didn't knot the thread so that it would lay flat, but I was worried that over time after washing the stiches might get loose. I ironed a little bit of interfacing to the back of each message to *hopefully* fix this. At least it gave me some peace of mind. Then I pinned the ric-rac between the front and the back (right sides together) and stiched around the edges, leaving about a 5 inch gap open to pull the right sides out. But don't turn it until you've notched the the seam allowance on the curves. It lays some much better if you do. And it's easier to top stiched.

Top stiching. I ran out of heavy duty red thread mid-way through. PS Fabric is my go to for this product at $1.80 a spool, so I had to wait (they aren't open on Saturdays) until after the weekend to restock and finish.

I rather like how they turned out and our table looks festive, like a handmade valentine.

Bon Chandeleur!

2012-02-06T13:00:00.000-05:00

N'oublie pas des crepes aujourd'hui.

February second is not just for groundhogs. It's for tossing crepes too! Tossing them over your shoulder into a cupboard while holding something of value in each hand and leaving it there all year...all in the name of good luck. It has to be the first crepe, which is fine by me--it never really turns out right anyway.

Yum!

(Yes, that is our Christmas tree stand on top of our kitched cabinet. Don't judge. We live in NYC.)

Not Your Mama's Flute

2012-01-29T19:25:00.000-05:00

Wow! Maybe I still have some band geek left in me, but I'm totally inspired by this guy. Tim and I have been "jamming" together on the flute and guitar, as one of our New Year's resolution, and I wanted to show him how the flute can be cool. So we looked up Ron Burgandy's flute solo on YouTube, which lead to a search for "Jazz Flute" and we found Dirko Juchem.

Dirko, where can I learn to play the flute like that?!? And after that, I could take some lessons on videography ;).

what's in a name?

2012-01-26T19:00:00.000-05:00

There seems to be new press on my Church published daily. And understandable so, what with (up until recently) two high-profile members vying for the GOP presidential nomination. Some of you may have seen this cover not too long ago...I happened to spot it on the coffee table of a doctor's office waiting room. (I found the image here, her comment on the cover art is good for a chuckle.)

One of the senior execs on my team (who I don't directly assist and happens to be from New Zealand and is very boisterous--just to help paint the picture) plopped himself down in the chair next to me this morning and excitedly said, "I have just found out some wonderful news about you, and that is that you're a Mormon!" He went on to say that one of his clients is Zions Bank, a detail which I knew, and that he probably knows more about our faith than the average person AND that he teaches the high school aged Sunday School class at his church. He gave me a clipping from today's New York Times titled, "Why Evangelicals Don't Like Mormons."

continue reading...

新年快樂

2012-01-23T18:30:00.000-05:00

It is the year of the dragon, but I was born in a sheep year...and here is my horoscope for 2012.

You are connecting to the dragon year quite well. Hence there will be luck for you, together with new projects and opportunities. New projects and opportunities are on the horizon. You will succeed in the fields of medicine, art and design. Your money signs are strong, and investments will do well. New sources of income are on their way. In general, your relationships will be good. An older man will help you. Pay attention to your digestive system. Eat healthily.

Highlights for people born in sheep years:

(specific to my birth year) Things you do tend to be ups and downs. Hence be conservative. If you are employed, stay put. If you are self-employed, do not expand.

Of course, there will always be new projects on my horizon. In fact, I'm hoping that my hubby will have time between classes this week to pick up a rocker/recliner that I saw at the thrift store on the local Army base that I am dying to reupholster. I even have the fabric already (I used it for the big pocket on the inside of my new shoulder bag).

As for everything else, it sounds pretty good to me. I don't even mind the warning to be conservative. Well, 2012, year of the dragon -- bring it on!

P.S.

2012-01-20T17:02:00.002-05:00

Apparently, I'm not the only one with the aforementioned dilemma that comes from looking sideways...while browsing Apartment Therapy, one of my favorite down-time, go-to blogs, I found this quote:

Reading through my favorite design blogs can create a sense of inferiority in even the most talented and ambitious homesteader. My online peers seem to be the most design-savvy, motivated and ingenious folks in the world--they have the prettiest homes, eat the most delicious food, wear the best outfits, and manage to blog about it regularly on their super stylish blog!

Hmph. Right? But also, as she says, you just have to remember to get real and remind yourself of what's really important. And sorry to say my friends, that it's not usually comparing ourselves to anyone but ourselves.

Look up

2012-01-19T14:57:00.002-05:00

One of my New Year's resolutions for 2012 (and every year, let's be honest) is to increase the regularity with which I study the scriptures (and this year, I'm including the Ensign -- the monthly magazine circulation by my church).

I've started reading on my iPhone (the Gospel Library ap works well for me!) on the subway during my morning commute. It may not be the most ideal time-slash-place to study--it is loud, I'm standing or rather stumbling around half of the time, and the highlighting function on the touch screen is a little tempermental-- it's just the best time for my current phase of life.

Long introduction to the point of this post, this morning I read a few articles from this month's Ensign and this entry was particularly poignant and in-line with some things I've been thinking about lately.
continue reading...

video kick

2012-01-12T17:22:00.000-05:00

I was just browsing Black Eiffle, listening to her Music Monday's and found this peppy number by Theme Park (click here for an encore). It's got me bouncing side to side in my chair, so I though I would pass it along.

Weather for I-Bankers

2012-01-12T14:10:00.000-05:00

I got this internal email with the weather report and I was looking forward to getting an update, but was greatly disappointed. I guess this is how bankers analyze the weather. Trends, no specific forecasting of degrees or prediction of inches or type of precipitation, just "above", "below", "much above", "much below".

it's all about taste. and time.

2012-01-11T12:48:00.000-05:00

I'm a huge fan of Ira Glass...and I love his quote on not quitting, but doing a lot of work to get through that beginning phase when nothing you create is really all that great...very inspiring. For anyone who is trying to start something creative or new...it's all about taste and if you've got it, just hang in there and keep creating until your product is successful. When you work FULL TIME doing something else? Well, the time you have to do the work you really want to is short, so I imagine getting to that point takes even longer. So, patience my friend. Patience and persistence.

talent

2012-01-10T13:41:00.002-05:00

I just watched this and feel a bit inspired. Great harmonies.

Bumb Grab!

2012-01-09T12:05:00.002-05:00

It may sound a little bit like what happens when a pregnant woman walks down the streets of New York City. Total strangers feel entitled to share in the joy of the upcoming birth and will pat the belly, or so I've been told... BUT bumpgrab.com is SO much more appealing and you don't even have to leave the comfort of your own home to enjoy.

bumpgrap.com is a NY-based company looking to bring quality, specialized products (aka: fun stuff for parents, babies and expecting moms) for a deal. Once it's lauched, it will work a little like Groupon. bumpgrab.com will offer a daily deal featuring products offered by participating sellers at a discount--for bumpgrab.com customers only! Who doesn't love that??

A couple of girl friends of mine are the co-founders of bumpgrab.com and are about to launch their site. To celebrate, they are offering a couple fantastic giveaways. So head on over to their blog The Grab Divas, like them on Facebook (not sure if that link will work or not), and give them some love!

One Year!

2012-01-08T16:27:00.002-05:00

One whole year ago today I made one of the best decisions of my life!

Happy Anniversary, Babe!

Christmas Crafts

2012-01-06T07:00:00.000-05:00

I think I went a little crazy on the Christmas crafts this year. What else are you supposed to do when you have minimal decorations and no budget for them?

Our tree was decked with paper and felt and a few Ikea ornaments that I've had for a few years. Tim called it our Valentines tree because it ended up having so many hearts and a lot of red. I can't help it if I've been drawn to the heart shape since birth. Blame my parents for naming me Charity.

Felt Mistletoe. Copied from West Elm and a fraction of the cost.

Felt Christmas trees. DIY from Barbara at Joggles.com. I used piece of our real Douglas Fir for the bases. Tim cut and drilled them for me.

It was definitely a handmade Christmas. I cross-stitched sibling gifts and one for my mom and Scott (mom, will you take a pic and send it to me? I forgot to snap one before I wrapped it up).

And His & Hers stockings. I've never quilted before, so this was a little challenging. I really really wanted to do mine in a chevron pattern, so I found a tutorial and figured it out. The fabric is from Moda's Twelve Days of Christmas advent kit--I bought on eBay since it is impossible to find quilting fabric around here that isn't either outrageously priced or a minimum cut of 1 yard or both. No thank you.

I think I'm Christmas crafted out. I'm sure by next year come November I'll be ready to start all over again.

Mary Poppins' Carpet Bag

2012-01-04T16:15:00.001-05:00

I've been wanting a new messenger bag for awhile. In DC I just used my Marmot waist pack that has an over-the-shoulder strap, but it just doesn't quite seem classy enough for el manzana grande. One can get away with being a little more out-doorsy down there. However, this new bag needed to fit a few requirements: 1) lighter weight than leather, 2) big enough to hold commuting essentials + lunch + gym cloths when necessary, and 3) be inexpensive--I didn't want to blow a whole month's fun money on a bag. Read on for my solution.

Some day I will have a craft room where my lovelies can stay out all the time. Until then, the straight stitch lives under an extra dining room chair in the corner and the serger lives in my closet. Per the Captain's request, they can only come out while I'm working on a project and have to be put away at the end of the day, whether or not the project is finished. I have come to appreciate this rule, since I seem to always be working on a project and it is nice to see our table top every now and then.

I'm sorry I didn't start taking pictures until I was well into this project. The guy at Dayton Trimming (oh gloriousness) cut almost a full extra yard of the green webbing I chose for the strap, so I decided to stitch it down all the way around the bottom of the bag. I figure it will give extra support since the strap will not be pulling directly on the fabric this way.

I've been looking for the right fabric for months and finally found this fabulous brocade at a new-to-me shop here in Brooklyn--Jay Street Fabrics. I also purchased 2 yards of another fabric that I ended up using for one of the interior pockets and will save the rest for another idea. I purchase the contrasting fabric at Bay Ridge's only fabric store from their $.50 barrel (same place I found some fantastic red velvet that I used for our Christmas stockings). One day, I will turn my projects into DIY tutorials, but for now I'll just explain what the photos are of.

I basically made two identical bag bodies, one for the exterior and one for the lining (though I did end up cutting the lining a bit shorter so that the exterior fabric rolls down around the edge, you can kind of see this on the photo of the zipper tail). I ironed on fusible interfacing to the lining, cut out the size pockets I wanted, ironed interfacing to those and then top stitched them in place to the lining. After I had already sewn the pockets and zipper in, which was quite a lot of fun to figure out--using a bag from Banana Republic that I've had for years as a model--I put the two bags right sides together and serged around the mouth of the bag, leaving about 8 inches unsewn so I could easily turn it right side out (see above).

You can see the opening that is ready to be pressed and top-stitched.

The zipper tail, which will be tucked into the bag. Don't look too close, my machine doesn't do so well with a lot of layers. it zips near the top, but I attached the strap so that the whole top folds over, making it somewhat expandable.

A look inside. Finally, I'll have enough space to commute without having to tote multiple bags. There is one big pocket on the left and the pocket on the right is stitched into three compartments, measured to fit my phone and other necessities like my metro card and security pass for work.

Don't judge my outfit or the dishes on the counter in the background. I'm home with a nasty sinus thing today. One productive sick day for the year gone. Now it's time for a nap.

Another project

2011-12-09T06:48:00.001-05:00

This little guy was surprisingly fast to make. Isn't he cute? I love him. I was going to gift him for Christmas, but I decided to save him away for future little ones and keep him in the family.

I love the simplicity (that's why I didn't give him eyes or stitch a mouth) and the subtle details with the baleen and fins. He's made from a Kenneth Cole Reaction skirt that I've had for years. It was time to let it go, so the skirt has been sitting in my craft closet waiting to be repurposed. It's stretchy and thin and was the perfect material for this project.

I found the tutorial here. Nevermind the Finnish, I made my own pattern on illustrator and followed the picture directions in true Scandinavian fashion (thanks for the practice IKEA!). Kudos Whale in Sweater blogger from Finland. Thanks for letting me borrow your creativity.

Finally!

2011-11-17T19:45:00.001-05:00

After five months of living in a shoe box on my dresser, my jewelry finally has a home.

I found the Guatemalan shelf at the thrift store on base at Ft. Hamilton. The framed decorative grate is Pinterest inspired.

I still need to find mini S hooks or figure out a way to rig some craft wire so I can hang bracelets and my necklaces with thinner chains.

But really, I'm just excited for any little thing that makes our apartment feel more lived in.

Happy Movember!

2011-11-17T09:19:00.001-05:00

catch up.

2011-11-13T15:44:00.001-05:00

1-2. Coney Island Labor Day 3. Early Autumn on my street 4. Madison Square Park and a nearly full moon 5. Glamming the streets of Manhattan (that's gold paint on the tree covers) 6. changing leaves outside a Home Depot with the best looking facade I've ever seen 7. evening commute 8. Friday night dinner and a movie 9. number 8's dinner, chilequiles 10. Free Friday at the MoMA 11. one of my favorite places in Manhattan, a crafter's dream 12. Lady Liberty -- Happy 125th Birthday!

1. brooklyn bridge 2. great story put on stage, finally! 3. bebe on the bk bridge 4. the kitchen on my floor at work, all you can eat cereal all day 5. the view from my desk 6. grand central station 7. buy American 8. pineapple fried rice 9. blue crabs in chinatown 10. the halloween parade in greenwich, aka: the village 11. church harvest party activity site map (created by yours truly) 12. sidewalk graffiti

1. getting out of the city 2-3. sharing a drumstick 4. vintage bottle cap collection 5. getting lost in all the vintage loveliness of a barn sale 6. some of my treasures 7. est. 1731 8. type setting 9. city boys lugging their spoils from the country

I promised myself

2011-11-12T23:17:00.001-05:00

That I would blog this weekend.
So here it is just in case I don't get around to something more substantial.

I love Redhook. If I squint at the buildings I can see Spot Collins shoot a marble from a sling shot peeking out from a roof top. It's so old and charming. That reminds me, I need to blog about Newsies at the Play Mill in NJ along with the last 10 months of my life. Fabulous.

I wonder how old these cobble stones are.

2011-09-12T17:50:00.001-04:00

I have quite the collection of pending projects that I have found and repinned on Pinterest... *which I love, btw* But this is the first I've actually completed.

How I have lived without elastic thread until now, I just don't know. It is magical! I will give credit where credit is due as soon as I am home and am allowed to log in to google (restricted at work, so thanks blogger press iPhone ap!)

Thank you Irene

2011-08-27T19:27:00.002-04:00

For giving us an excuse to do nothing today but read, nap, bake and relax...and that you haven't taken out our power so we can enjoy a wonderful hurricane dinner.

Kind regards,

Charity

Need doesn't quite cut it

2011-08-27T14:15:00.000-04:00

I just looked up "need" on thesaurus.com to find a word that could accurately describe something I've been feeling lately.

1. Want, requirement

2. Poverty

3. Emergency, pressing lack

4. Want something

These are the definitions listed.

Further explanatory words include:

Essential
Ought
The urge
Wish
Deprivation
Distress
Insufficiency
Necessity
Demand
Desire
Hanker
Hunger
Pine
Long
Feel a dearth of
Feel the pinch

All of these words wrapped up together in one urgent package tied with a grosgrain ribbon, scratch the surface of this ache that seems to start in my shoulders and travel down my arms to my fingers. Everywhere I go I see images, hear phrases, that are crawling under my skin wanting to escape onto paper painted. in. watercolors.

Am I a watercolor painter? No, but I want to be.

Have you ever felt a pinch to do something you don't really have much experience doing but feel deprived because you aren't doing it?

Btw, I can blame two things for this. 1) Alisa Burke whose blog I drool over, and 2) our relief society activity last month where we learned a bit and I painted this...

and now I need to do something about it, but there is a visitor (aka: hurricane) named Irene that has shut down public transportation and we are on an island and stuck in our apartment, but I'd rather be stuck in our apartment than stuck staying on someone's couch or an air mattress or in a hostel somewhere in land or not on an island like we are (strange though that long island is not really an island, right?)

Our first houseguest

2011-08-21T19:25:00.001-04:00

And hopefully not our last! Btw, he said our guest bed is really comfortable :).

Having company means we get to do things we really want to do but usually forego for the likes of laundry. We met Nate under the bridge for some Grimaldi's pizza. We timed it right and only had to wait about 40 minutes for a table. It was worth every minute. Best pizza I've had yet!

Then we took a walk over the Brooklyn Bridge. I think I loved this architectural feat long before I could tell you what it was. I just love the lines! And someday I will paint/sketch/vector-ize this image.

Sisters and Sunday v-chats

2011-08-07T21:55:00.000-04:00

Thank goodness for modern technology. It makes it a little easier to be so far away.

update

2011-08-03T21:17:00.000-04:00

I found the materials for a lot less at Top Trimmings and opted for a copper colored leather cording instead of the black -- this I did get at M&J Trim, but could've also found it at Toho Shoji.

I also found tons of beautiful fabrics that would work perfectly with my mom's color pallet, which is peach, blush pink, ivory, watermelon (coral), and platinum. It's such a romantic pallet and will be so pretty.

today

2011-08-03T09:27:00.002-04:00

I'm about to head out to the Garment District to rummage for some fabric finds for my mom's upcoming wedding celebration, and in doing some research before I do...I stumbled upon this.

Being as cheap as we are, I don't get much exposure to fashion and/or style magazines so maybe you have already met Jenni Radosevich, the resident DIY-er from InStyle magazine. She does some amazing things with fabric and trim. I may just have to try this tutorial and add rhinestones and thick chains to my look out for list.

Also, this blog is the best I've found for garment district resources: www.shopthegarmentdistrict.com

Wish me luck! And tireless feet.

ispydiy : step 8

been working this morning...

2011-08-01T10:58:00.001-04:00

Free hand vector...the only part I didn't draw is the grass.

Just an idea for a client's (aka: my Mom) logo. I really like how it turned out, though it may need some tweaks.

they say don't count your chickens before they hatch...

2011-07-29T13:00:00.001-04:00

...but you can definitely still get excited at the prospect of food on your table--or if your of the veggie persuasion, then friends in your chicken coop!

I am awaiting an official offer to arrive by post early next week from Macquarie, Australia's NUMBER ONE bank and a rising star here in the New York finance industry. I couldn't be more thrilled!

To start August Eighth.

faith renewed

2011-07-25T16:30:00.001-04:00

While I definitely experienced a set back with my first job here in NY, my faith in my recruiters has been renewed. I went on eight (8) interviews last week. All incredible companies and great positions with great teams. I voluntarily chose to not pursue one of the opportunities and a couple of the others I could go either way on. BUT there are three, that for me, are in the final running and I hope I am in their final running too. I had my first follow-up of the week today, a third-and-final-round tomorrow and a second-possibly-final-round on Wednesday. Today was psychometric testing and skills assessment. By the time I got off the metro, I had an email asking for me to come back to meet the executives. I am in a bit of shock, (1) to realize that we are actually living in NY, (2) that I may be receiving multiple offers from top international finance firms, (3) that I am being considered.

I read an article in the New Yorker the other day about Sheryl Sandberg--a VP at Facebook. Here's a clip:

Sandberg graduated first in the economics department. At her Phi Beta Kappa induction, there were separate ceremonies for men and women. At hers, a woman gave a speech called “Feeling Like a Fraud.” During the talk, Sandberg looked around the room and saw people nodding. “I thought it was the best speech I’d ever heard,” she recalls. “I felt like that my whole life.” At every stage of her time in school, Sandberg thought, I really fooled them.

I can identify with Ms. Sandberg. Not because I am unqualified or a bad candidate or fraudulent in any way. But, because there is something about walking into these high-powered office buildings among high-powered people that makes me look down at my $8 Ann Taylor suit from the Friends of St. Asaph's thrift store that I altered myself because I didn't want to pay the $16 to have it tailored and think to myself, "Who do you think you are?".

Here's to thinking big and reaching for the stars. And if I can do it, anyone can do it.

And if you ever move to New York and are looking for great recruiters, look up Glocap (Colette is my contact--though all of my interviews have come through her colleagues) and ExecuSearch (Jordana is fantastic).

I am so not Manhattan.

2011-07-12T09:33:00.001-04:00

I am so behind. I have lists upon lists of things that I need to write about. Happy things. But not today.

Because today I'm bummed. Some people around here call it the Brooklyn Blues. I think there are as many causes as there are people who get sucked down by the Brooklyn Blues. Though maybe mine are more of the Manhattan sort.

I am realizing that I am so not New York. I am more Brooklyn than Manhattan, but really I am just a first generation immigrant from the wild, Wild West.

Our air conditioner isn't working right now. No one wants to come fix it for us. I'm exaggerating. Our landlady sent one guy who doesn't care to take the time to fix it for us. Now, this wouldn't be such an issue if I still had the job that I was offered on the 2nd of July and was sitting in an air conditioned office instead of our oven of a top-floor apartment. (which I still love, don't get me wrong.)

It was a "temp-to-perm" position. They seemed to love me and offered me the position on the spot. I have never done any temp work before so I really didn't know what to expect and since they seemed to want me so badly, even asked me to start the next business day, I thought it would be more similar to my direct hire experiences. But it wasn't and I guess I know now what it's like to be treated like a temp. To be the "them" sitting opposite the "us". Funny though, because the HR manager who interviewed me first kept saying over and over that in this particular firm and especially the team I would be working on, there is no "us and them". Well, they proved her wrong.

They gave me four days. FOUR days of nearly no training and no orientation. Not even so much as a tour around the office to introduce me to everyone or show me where I could find a pen or sticky notes. And at the end of the FOUR days, they told my recruiter that it just wasn't a good fit. And the only example she gave was that I sent the team and email asking for projects and if any of them had time to sit with me to go over some of the processes. I guess I was supposed to stand on my chair and address the whole group vocally at once. Please keep in mind that the executive that I was hired to support wasn't even in town the entire time I was there. So tell me this, who made the decision that I wasn't a good fit? grrr.

I am so not Manhattan.

When do we get to go out West again?

a new adventure

2011-05-26T09:56:00.000-04:00

a new look for a new adventure. I would have waited to post the new banner until AFTER we were actually in the BK, but the movers contractually have 7 days to deliver our stuff and since today is my last day at work, that means I'll be computer-less for a few days.

I like how my illustration turned out. I guess we'll find out next week how true-to-life it really is. It may be a little unfinished...maybe I'll add to it as we get to know our neighbors :).

happy birthday to us!

2011-05-25T13:47:00.000-04:00

The Captain's computer died in April and mine is really on it's last leg...given this scenario and not having a TV, we decided to splurge on ourselves this year for our birthdays. And let me tell you, it is a beaut and well worth it!

good question!

2011-05-24T13:14:00.000-04:00

sum sum summah

2011-05-22T10:00:00.000-04:00

summer is coming and ever since I was a youngster summer has been for bike riding, for a few years it was beach cruising, and now I just want one of these. I spied this propped up outside of the blue duck tavern on my way to work the other day. I have no idea what the make is and since I took the shot with my bb it's too blurry to tell. Anyone out there know?

and speaking of bikes, how cute is this MSL craft?

Correction

2011-05-20T12:13:00.001-04:00

I've been advertising the wrong dates! Saturday we'll be on the west side of University Avenue around about 4500 North (just south of riverwoods mall). Click here for a list of some of what you may find!

2 coasts collide...

2011-05-18T16:56:00.045-04:00

...and crash smashingly into DC! At we aren't leaving the city empty handed (not that the Captain nor I had anything to do with it).

Behind the Bisnow branding (a gift from an advertising vendor that we signed a contract with a few weeks ago) these are 100% Sprinkles. This California-based cupcake original makes one good piece o' cake.

Is that...? Yes it sure is! NY has decided to share. The line was ridiculously long when I walked past today on my way to its neighbor for lunch. I wanted to tell all the stuffy businessmen that were gauffawing at the line that they should be so lucky as to have to wait for such a burger.

What's next? Cafe Rio??? Oh wait, some obscure town north of here in Nowheresville, Maryland got it.

if walls could talk

2011-05-17T13:26:00.030-04:00

I had a voice mail from our new landlady this morning telling me that her local paint store didn't have "igloo" which was the Behr paint color we had emailed to the broker who was talking the owner into repainting some of our new apartment. She (landlady) sounds like the sweetest thing--called me honey. I have no idea how to place her accent, but I looked up her surname and it belongs to Saudis. She asked if I would pick a Benjamin Moore color. That is what they carry at her local paint store (which may be our local paint store since she only lives a few blocks from the apartment). I sent her this:

Because I've been drawn to light and airy decor lately and I think a light gray will make white gauzy curtains look so great

Because of the promise of all the tall windows and natural light that we'll have

Because the wood floors and accents look very warm in the photos and I wanted to find something that would "cool" the rooms down but also give a little depth

I have to keep in mind that she is only painting the bathroom and the office/second bedroom, though I do have secret hopes that we'll get there and she will have liked the color so much that she'll have the whole apartment painted.

A girl can dream, right?

in the news :)

2011-05-16T14:06:00.000-04:00

the last time I was in a local publication, I was a missionary in Nanaimo, British Columbia running a Family History booth at a mall with my companion.

better mark your calendar!

2011-05-16T14:00:00.003-04:00

love this

2011-05-09T16:08:00.000-04:00

before & after via Curbly

I know a name, a glorious name

2011-05-09T10:11:00.000-04:00

quote via curbly

I will be forever thankful that I have the mom I do.

welcome friends!

2011-05-06T11:22:00.000-04:00

now that we've signed our lease, I'd like to introduce you to our new dwelling place. We are trying to convince the owners to repaint, but she seems like a hard sale. Obviously this is furnished with the current tenant's belongings. As we settle in, I'll post some "afters".

our new brownstone, well 1/3 of it anyway. we get the top floor.

master bedroom

dining area

another angle of the dining area and kitchen bar

living area

kitchen

IKEA online magazine

2011-05-06T11:16:00.001-04:00

maybe this is old news, but I loved browsing through this...

fingers crossed

2011-05-05T11:53:00.000-04:00

Last weekend the Captain and I took a bus ride to the big apple. Our mission? To find an apartment...or at least figure out what area of Brooklyn we want to live in. After a lot of walking and a few bumpy public transit bus rides, we narrowed it down to two neighborhoods. The problem is that one is a lot "nicer" meaning straight out of the movies people. Brownstones and tree-lined streets, cute and trendy shops and cafes, lots of young professionals and families. The other, not quite so cute and trendy but still not ghetto, but a ton more bang for your buck when it comes to the interior living space.

To give you an idea, the apartments we were discussing yesterday: [on the south end of the"nice" area, aka: borderline not so nice anymore, but about 6-7 blocks from the cute and trendy parts] 2 bedroom 1 bath, in a charming pre-war building with large bedrooms and closet space, hardwood floors, exposed brick (which is a nice feature), lots of sunlight, probably about 700-800 SF.

Sounds pretty good, right?

Compare with [in the more "affordable" area] a 2 bedroom 1 bath, top floor of a fully renovated brown stone, stainless steel appliances, recess lighting, dishwasher and washer and dryer included. Central air and heat. Open layout with huge living room and king size master bedroom with bay windows. 1000 SF. Hardwood floors throughout with massive custom closets. Apartment is flooded with light during the day. (description taken from craigslist)

The difference in price? Oh, only $400 a month. To get the same quality apartment in the "nice" area, we would have to pay about $600 more a month. Yes, this is me validating our decision to go for the nicer place in the less trendy neighborhood, but it's the right thing to do, right? Right.

As soon as we are confirmed [meaning, the owners want to talk to us before we can sign], I'll post some pictures. This will be our neighborhood. People. Do you know what this would mean? We will have plenty of space for VISITORS!! Maybe we can finally get some family to come visit us :).

live with virtue

2011-05-02T12:18:00.000-04:00

I have felt a need lately to feel inspired. Every day I wake up, go through my daily routine, go to work, sit at a desk doing mundane work just to keep the money coming in. I go home eat some food, interact with the Captain for a few short moments before I'm too tired to keep my eyes open, crawl into bed to sleep and do it all again the next day. Auto pilot has taken over.

My spiritual life has been neglected and I am almost desperately trying to fill my life back up with positive messaging.So what do I do? I sign up for email newsletters from wellness professionals and come up with lists of things I should do, like mediate more, move more, eat more veggies and less crap, accentuate the positive and minimize the negative. Translation: be more diligent in my obedience to gospel principles.

In my inbox this morning, I had a note from a philosopher, Brian Johnson (who is, mind you, an exceptional person and positive thinker, lover of wisdom, but still from the secular) about Positive Psychology.

Near the end of my masters program in Family Therapy, several of my classmates got really excited about a relatively new movement called Positive Psychology. The founders, Martin Seligman and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi started on a quest to find identify the science behind happiness. To most of you the results from the foundational research will not come as any surprise.

Brian's note:

"Guess where they started.

"They went Old School—sifting through all the classic wisdom texts where they saw the same ideas repeated again and again. Although they differ on the details, these classics (from the Bible to the The Bhagavad Gita to the Bushido samurai code) say the same thing: Live with virtue.

"In fact, the researchers identified a constellation of six core virtues: wisdom, courage, love, justice, temperance and spirituality. They set out to *scientifically* establish that, when we put these virtues in action, we’ll live with more happiness, meaning and mojo.

"The equation is simple: Happiness = Virtues in Action (VIA)."

See what I mean by not surprised? Sounds a little familiar, right?

"Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the household of faith, and let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from heaven." ( Doctrine & Covenants 121:45)

I love finding truth out there. And I love being reminded of fundamentals that I have known my whole life.

Brian's conclusion: "As Martin Seligman, the author of Authentic Happiness and the Godfather of the Positive Psychology movement tells us, one of the keys to happiness is simple: Use your strengths often. Do so in service to something bigger than yourself and you’ll be blessed with abundant happiness and a life filled with meaning and all that goodness to boot."

The first step to using your strengths often is figuring out what your strengths are. And then remember to use them to building something bigger than yourself.

To revisit the my self-prescribed cure for auto-pilot, meditation (aka: pondering), movement, veggies and elevating my thoughts...Translation: be more diligent in my obedience to gospel principles.

Happiness = Virtues in Action = Obedience. Period.

I love paint too!

2011-04-22T17:08:00.001-04:00

Those who know me well know that I love to paint. I'm not talking pretty pictures. I love to paint walls, wood, furniture. I am a HUGE fan of spray paint.

As much as I love painting, there are some items that cannot be painted until their original finish is removed. Not always the most fun job, but I just found this fantastic tutorial for stripping paint on a new-to-me blog, Natty by Design.

She uses this...

to make the paint look like this...

So you can do this (in only 3 hours mind you)...

and then this...

I am seriously coveting this desk and am putting out the best and most intense vibes I can for my future workshop. Please come into my life sooner rather than later!

I need a new job!

2011-04-20T16:22:00.000-04:00

Sitting, it would seem, is an independent pathology. Being sedentary for nine hours a day at the office is bad for your health whether you go home and watch television afterward or hit the gym. It is bad whether you are morbidly obese or marathon-runner thin. “Excessive sitting,” Dr. Levine says, “is a lethal activity.”

This article published in the NY Times last week is seriously tempting me to slip into depression. When I think of my life over the next 18 months or more, I will very likely be sitting at a desk for 9 hours a day. While I do fidget quite a bit, it still probably won't be enough to counteract the ill effects of my pseudo ergonomic desk chair/straight jacket.

Dr. Levine... is exploring ways for people to redesign their environments so that they encourage more movement. We visited a chairless first-grade classroom where the students spent part of each day crawling along mats labeled with vocabulary words and jumping between platforms while reciting math problems. We stopped by a human-resources staffing agency where many of the employees worked on the move at treadmill desks — a creation of Dr. Levine’s, later sold by a company called Steelcase.

Dr. Levine was in a philosophical mood as we left the temp agency. For all of the hard science against sitting, he admits that his campaign against what he calls “the chair-based lifestyle” is not limited to simply a quest for better physical health. His is a war against inertia itself, which he believes sickens more than just our body. “Go into cubeland in a tightly controlled corporate environment and you immediately sense that there is a malaise about being tied behind a computer screen seated all day,” he said. “The soul of the nation is sapped, and now it’s time for the soul of the nation to rise.”

Oh, I know this feeling too well, this malaise he refers to. I'm feeling it right now. My body was not created to sit still. Someday I will be my own boss and ditch this cube and all cubes forever!

it's all over the news

2011-04-14T11:40:00.001-04:00

on my way home from work yesterday and to work today I listened to a conversation between Tera Warner, the raw foodie who brought to you WISH, and Seane Corn, an internationally-known yoga teacher and social activist.

Their conversation brought up many things for me, including an intense desire to study yoga more deeply. But more present to today they spoke about the news and how amazingly bad it is. I almost shouted out loud to my ipod, "I know!! It's SO bad!"

I was watching CNN yesterday--only because it's what they keep the keep the kitchen TV on here at work--while filling up my water bottle. Suzanne whatever her name is, you know the lady with the orange skin (is that bad? I swear I'm not judging, she really does have an orange tint to her skin. maybe she eats a lot of carrots) was interviewing an American teacher who has been living in Japan for the last nine years about the earthquake and his perception of the damage to the nuclear plant and specifically about the Japanese government's "purposeful withholding of the truth" and the change in the intensity ratings--making it comparable with Chernobyl. This man proceeded to tell the world about the Japanese culture and how it was not an intentional withholding of truth on the Japanese government's part, but a cultural thing, and how the change in ratings did not change the levels of toxicity and presented his optimistic perspective, only to have the interviewer shamelessly interrupt him again and again to lead the conversation down dark and pessimistic paths. I was shocked as I have never before witnessed such a blatant excavation for bad news and spinning what could be looked at a little more hopefully downward into what the network media would have us believe are increasingly despairing times.

this is not the actual interview referenced here

All the more reason to practice yoga instead of watching the news. Or watch Paula Dean which is what I usually turn the channel to during my lunch break. So much more entertaining and uplifting!

Do you ever...

2011-04-13T17:30:00.002-04:00

...look through your list of posts and realize you have a draft that was never published? Here's one such post, I guess better late than never, even if we are no longer living in the love nest.

love nest: completed

The kitchen is done! The Captain did such an amazing job. I am so lucky to have found a guy as handy as he is. The cupboards are filled with new things--dishes, pans, bakeware, flatware, and we even have an iconic kitchen chicken name Chick-a-dee China or China for short--thanks to family and friends and wedding well-wishers.

He documented it here, so take a look already!

loving these right now

2011-04-11T16:00:00.001-04:00

unbelievably shocking to the taste buds, but sooooo good! yes, these are kumquats.

warning!

2011-04-06T10:32:00.000-04:00

I tried to save a buck. It was not worth it.

CVS brand advanced healing ointment is NOT the same thing as Aquaphor.

I've got a serious nesting itch

2011-04-05T11:04:00.000-04:00

Oh man. I love this bathroom. LOVE the wall color and the white contrast. It's so fresh and fun.

Polly Wreford via twig & thistle

Move 2 of 3 complete. The Hayes house is rented and we are biding our time in a garden apartment (aka: basement) just across the street. It's an interesting thing to go from a 4 bedroom house to virtually a studio apartment. I guess it will be good preparation for Brooklyn. We got lucky, though, it's a steal and will be more than sufficient for the next two months until my 3rd and final move in six months.

That, by the way, does not count my upcoming project to move out of my mom's house in Utah. Sometime in the next couple months I will be making the trek West with the purpose of liquidating all my STUFF that I've been storing in my mom's basement. People. This is a big deal. I have a lot of STUFF. And some really good STUFF at that. So get ready, because I'll be hosting a week-long liquidation yard sale. More details to follow as they come.

the nerds love april 1st

2011-04-01T14:53:00.000-04:00

Google does it again! Motioning your way through email composition. Where do they come up with this stuff?

Can you imagine? Pretty funny stuff, Google.

www

2011-03-30T11:18:00.000-04:00

Someday I will have time to utilize this site...

all in a day's work...as an army dentist

2011-03-29T17:35:00.001-04:00

The Captain sent me this pic yesterday...a root canal he did on a patient. That's some serious hardware in there! Glad it's your job and not mine, babe!

if WISHes grew on trees

2011-03-28T14:23:00.000-04:00

Thanks to my mom, a few weeks ago I connected with WISH [Women's International Summit for Health]--40 days of *free*, hour-long recorded interviews (downloadable here, I think you may have to register for the event, but remember it's totally free) between Tera Warner, a raw-foodie, Canadian [among other things] and 40 professionals from across the health and wellness world. It's an impressive line-up to say the least, including Marianne Williamson (you'll know her best by her quote that is often mis-attributed to Nelson Mandella, "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure..."), Maya Angelou, and Mat Boggs (author of Cracking the Man Code).

I have no obligation to advertise for WISH, so you may be wondering why I am. As I've been listening to the interviews on my way to and from work, I have felt inspired and motivated to live better, eat greener, dream bigger, and love deeper. I have always been a believer that we are co-creators of our lives and that there is more than enough to go around...but sometimes even I need to be reminded.

With that said, like everything that isn't straight out of scripture, listening with the spirit of discernment is always recommended. I do not endorse everything that is said, however much of the information resonates with my soul and I wanted to share with anyone who is interested.

A couple of my favorites have been Brian Johnson [common threads through philosophy] and Mike Adams [superfood nutrition], and I can't wait to keep on listening.

I LOVE GREEN!

2011-03-17T16:19:00.001-04:00

maybe it's my eyes. maybe it's because even though it's a small fraction i do have Irish blood in me veins. but i lOVE GREEN.

Our friends and across-the-street-neighbors, the Smith's, invited us to their annual Green Day Party last weekened...here are a few pics.

We like to jig, what can I say?

they set up a photo booth. we couldn't resist.

I hope everyone has a HAPPY St. Patty's Day!

happy fonts

2011-03-09T16:56:00.003-05:00

There are a lot of really cheesey fonts out there, but also some really great ones. For some reason, this font makes me so happy. It's totally borderline cheese, but I love it anyway.

long time coming

2011-03-07T23:00:00.000-05:00

Thank goodness for photos and video! I'm not sure I would have remembered very much from this day otherwise. Many many many thanks are much deserved to family and friends who traveled and took time out of their busy schedules to spend a very cold January Saturday celebrating our marriage. In two hours it will be two months of newlywed bliss! The Captain and I remark frequently about how much easier and better marriage has been than we previously expected. Maybe we worked out all the kinks while we were engaged? Probably not, but it really has been an easy adjustment and I'll take it for as long as I can get it.

I am so glad that I let God guide me, even if obstinate at times, through this journey. His infinite wisdom, insight and foresight are proven to me again and again. So, without further ado, here are a few photos from our big day, thanks to Jenna Rammel, a good friend of my sister Emily, who was willing to play photographer for us. She did an excellent job!


I love how the peacefulness of the Temple is captured in this shot. It reminds me of the promises we were making inside possibly at this exact moment.

Not sure if the face I am making is because of all the loving faces I'm looking at or the frigid temperature.

I love my bouquet (I finally got to study it from the photos). Annie and Courtney Grow did a fantastic job on the flowers

The Captain.

All of my sisters (and nieces minus Lola)

getting crafty at work

2011-03-02T15:29:00.005-05:00

I wrote about this on my crafty blog, but thought it worth mentioning here as well. My work day yesterday consisted of me, a measuring tape, pencil (+eraser), sticky notes, a level and some super-handy picture hanging hooks that look like this

and a couple dozen framed images to hang. Everyone seems to love how the office looks like a corporate headquarters instead of some sublet space. I loved having a day where I looked at my computer for all of about five minutes.

These guys line the wall behind my desk in the "marketing departement" aka: me in my what used to be a closet work space.

appendix

2011-02-20T16:05:00.005-05:00

Thanks for humoring me. I promise this is the last installment.

Now that the Captain and I are married, I feel like I answer the question, "how did you meet" quite frequently. And lately, people seem interested in the how-I-got-to-Virginia part. Which, after telling the short version of the story again last night, I realized I totally left out. We were both very against dating long distance, and the Captain about 100% more against the idea than I am. At the beginning of our non-dating, long distance "friendship" he started making comments like, "It's too bad that you live in Utah. Just a shame that we won't be able to see where this could go." He considers the first hang out on the Mall to be our first date, but it's still like pulling teeth to get him to admit that we were "dating" before he came back from Iraq and we were actually living in the same city.

I'd have to search back through emails and chats to find when the tune of the conversation switched and I started talking about the possibility of relocation. Maybe September, maybe August. But this conversation happened September 23rd. I had started sending my resume out to job postings online, but I think I was more than testing the waters here. Please excuse the bad grammar, it was a gchat and very late.

T: i just want to make sure that this move pays off for you, not only romantically, but financially too!

me: babe

i make like 14000 a year here

right?!

T: hahaha!!!!

me: anything is going to pay off

T: point well taken, but you know, you'll have more expenses there...

haha

me: yes

T: at this point - i want you to come no matter what!!!!

me:you do??

T: oh yes babe!!!!!

me: it was my coverletter, huh? [meaning my resume cover letter]

it won you over?

T: even after just a few weeks of imagining you there, i don't think it would be the same if you didn't move out

i would be bummed out for sure

me: i would be too

T: yeah, your cover letter was pretty amazing i have to admit!

me: haha

thanks!

reallly?

T: hhee

T: nah - how can i sum up my feelings for you from just one point in time?

me: what a team we make!

It's fun to look back and see how far we've come since then, but also how far we had already come in just a few short months--sustained by verbal and written communication alone.

November 11, 2009 I flew back into Dulles International Airport with as much as I could fit in two checked bags, a carry on, and a personal item such as a briefcase, purse or backpack. The Captain still had about two months left in his deployment, but coming out before his return was a good move. Not because I reached my goal of finding a job before he got back. I didn't. But, I felt more settled in my new location. I had begun to make DC my own, and we picked up where we left off, except with a little more challenging time difference. In Utah, the 8 or 9 hour difference (depending if we were on or off daylight savings) made it perfect. I slept while he was at work and he slept while I was at work and we could talk for about an hour on either side of that cycle. As critical and wonderful as the forced communication was, I was definitely ready to elevate our "friendship" to a real relationship.

You can read about his homecoming here. The rest is, as they say, history.

love story part 3 - the end of the beginning

2011-02-19T17:46:00.000-05:00

Time to wrap up this novel.

Upon returning to life in Utah, working for $10 an hour—mind you, the Captain and I continued to text through the weekend. Monday morning, after a text that I guess he thought would be easier to answer in a real conversation, he called me. I think that was the first time we spoke on the phone. I was getting ready for work and, thanks to the two-hour time difference, he was already at work and between patients. We communicated sporadically via text, facebook and phone the next couple weeks, but he still talks about the time that I “answered on a date”. I didn’t really answer the phone, but I saw that he was calling and made an excuse to go out to my car so I could call him back. Looking back, I guess that wasn’t very nice to the guy I was out with, but it was a weird situation anyway (he was crashing at the house of a guy I had gone out with a couple weeks before, and another guy who I had some history with came over while we were making dinner and lingered for awhile—dating in the small Mormon world can get quite strange and complicated). 

Once the Captain got to Texas for pre-deployment training and such, I think we were talking every day. We had our first “skype date,” (it was really a google video chat date, but that doesn’t roll off the keys as well) which happened to be the first time I video chatted with anyone—ever. It took some getting used to, but the connection was good and picture and audio usually came in pretty clear (can’t say the same for the connection to Iraq). We even had a video chat “dance party”, but I felt so awkward I just sat in the desk chair and moved my shoulders. During his second of three weeks at Fort Hood, I got a text from him saying they were giving them a three-day weekend. We started talking about the possibility of him coming to Utah to “visit his friends and brother” and maybe we could hang out too? I got really excited and very unnaturally forward, trying to make a trip to Utah irresistible. I promised water skiing, a place to stay, even a car so he wouldn’t have to rent one. I don’t know what got into me. I was really insistent that he come out. I guess I felt that we had nothing to lose and I was a little bored with my current life.

He got a standby pass from a friend who works for an airline and took the shuttle to the airport after he was done with his training on Thursday. There were massive storms in the south and flights through Dallas and Houston were being delayed and rerouted. The first flight was full, as were the second and third flights that night. He was smart and took a sleeping bag to camp out and try again the next morning. We talked on the phone, getting more and more excited for the weekend, trying to keep the others morale up. As fate would have it, there was no luck the next day either. By noon we gave up and he took a cab back to the base. I was tending my nieces that weekend while Collin and Liz were in Puerto Rico for Liz’s job, and very busy keeping them alive and safe. Disappointed, yes, but bored, no. The Captain on the other hand had nothing to do but think about how much fun he could’ve been having in Utah with me . Sunday night after the girls were snug in their beds, we were talking and admitting our disappointment. They say nothing good happens after midnight, but I’m not so sure anymore because Tim asked, “What if you came here? If I flew you out, would you come to Texas?” Of course! What else did I have going on? We started to make those plans. I was to call my work the next morning to see if they would let me take Friday off and I would fly Thursday evening and spend a couple days living the army life, bunk up with some army lady and spend a few days with a solider before he flew away to the war zone. Sounds kind of fun, right?

Before I could call into work, I got a text update saying the army was giving them another three-day weekend and that the Captain had decided he was coming to Utah and buying a ticket this time. Great news! You can read about the weekend here for a reminder.

We packed quite a bit in just a few short days, the promised water ski trip where we both were impressed by the others skills; went camping where we couldn’t find our friends and ended up just pulling over somewhere and sleeping until it started raining on us around 5 am then driving back home; he met my mom and my dad and three of my siblings; kissed for the first time (scandalous, I know!). I calculated once that we had spent about 48 hours together in person until he got back a fact that he did not like hearing. What happens when two people who are extremely against long-distance relationships, both having pretty bad experiences with LDRs, decide they like each other but one lives in Utah and the other in Iraq? Ha. You have to admit, it’s a little ironic.

Thank goodness for technology. I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, God knows what He’s doing. And, there is no way He did not have a hand in this one. Example #1 – the Captain claims he’s an aggressive and intense dater. Oh man, that would’ve scared me off so fast. Problem eliminated by the fact that we could not date for the first six months. Example #2 – I, historically, have a hard time communicating my needs and wants once romantically involved. I turn into a spineless jellyfish. Problem eliminated by the fact that the only thing we could do was communicate, whether via handwritten letters, emails, gchat, video chat. I was forced to communicate. I had no choice. Then there’s the story of the vision board, which is another post itself and possibly a book. More going on here than two people just randomly meeting and falling in love. But, everyone probably says that.

v-day yoga

2011-02-14T17:59:00.002-05:00

I wanted to share a bit about my experience this morning. Our entire yoga practice today was dedicated to opening our hearts and I absolutely loved it. Each pose and every twist encouraged a lifting up and out. I got into the strongest "head stand" (which you don't really use your head at all for, it's all forearms and upper body) in my whole yogi lifetime. Very excited about that.

At the end of the practice the instructor had us do our savasana on a bolster. In everyday terms, we laid on top of a hard foam cylinder with the bottom edge at the base of our tailbones so that the bolster ran directly under the spine and head. It had elements of a traditional savasana—arms at 45° angel from our sides with palms facing upward and – my favorite part – eyes closed. But this was not a resting corpse pose. With our legs up at 90° and feet planted on the wall (in a sort of seated position), we worked to get the entire length of our spines on the bolster with no part of it lifting off, including our necks. Gravity pulled at my sides, allowing them to melt around the bolster, while working against it to keep my lower ribs together and sternum to close to my spine. This is such a great exercise for people like me who sit at a computer all day. Balancing on the bolster while trying to keep every part of my body in just the right place was no easy task, but it was amazing to feel the rocking on the unstable bolster start to slow to a complete stop. "Feel the bolster support your spine, start to trust the support and feel your legs become lighter." I have always been a believer of/in the mind-body-spirit connection. And there is something about really using your body, pushing its limits, trying something new that opens up all sorts of possibilities. For me, it translates and permeates into all other aspects of my day. You may wonder why I chose to share this today, on my first married Valentine's day. I felt that my practice this morning truly did open up my heart. I was more tolerant, patient, understanding, it was easier for me to communicate, delegate, own my personal responsibility.

(here's the stretch) A healthy relationship can act like that bolster. Only after I allowed myself to trust the support that it offered my spine (the body part that connects everything to everything else and houses the nervous system, which controls all movement and feeling) was I able to achieve effortless balance. Only after I achieved balance was I able allow my chest and heart to completely open. I let the reader connect the dots.

A pleasantly surprising side effect of the class today was the increase in confidence we all seemed to walk away with. I smiled as I listened to other students talk to each other about it, also smiling and walking a little straighter and a little taller.

Oh, I love mornings like that.

love story part 2 - a few firsts

2011-02-10T14:45:00.002-05:00

Now, where were we?

My clothes dried just as the party started. I had only gotten about an hour of sleep the night before and I was literally falling asleep mid-conversation. Not my finest social moment to say the least. At the earliest break in conversation, I made my way to the door that led to the basement stairs where I had seen several beds earlier. I just needed to sleep for a little while. Alas, my plans were derailed when someone grabbed my arm and asked me where I was going. It was the soldier. "Downstairs, I'm falling asleep and I've got to take a nap." "No you're not," was his response followed by something about how he and his friend would be entertaining and keep me awake. At this point my thoughts were so incoherent that I couldn't fight it so I attempted to make conversation. Besides, he was entertaining and a bit charming and leaving for a war zone in a few days for goodness' sake. I was, however, conscious enough to know that my sentences were not making any sense and it wasn't long before I was saved by a petite, mouse of a girl who intercepted our conversation. I don't know how people do it, and maybe I've done it myself, but who steps in between two people in the middle of a conversation and totally takes over? She began to pry into how he was feeling about his upcoming move. He shot me the, "I'm so sorry, I have no idea what to do here" look to which I gave him the "Oh, no worries, I'm totally fine" look and graciously and gratefully continued my journey to an unmade twin bed that smelled of boy and basement but I didn't care. I lay down and listened as the volume of the party above me quickly faded into nothingness.

I don't know how long I was asleep before I was conscious of whispers in the doorway. My friend Eliza and a couple other voices I could not place. "I don't want to wake her, but I want to say good bye!" I wanted to say, "Wait, I'm here and I want to say good bye too!" but I couldn't move. Not even a fraction of an inch. My watchers faded away and I was dead to the world once again.

When I awoke next, it was apparent by the noise level that most of the guests had gone home. I looked at my phone. 11:45 pm. I had been asleep for more than two hours. I also had been Facebooked. Not once, but twice. He had found a picture of me posted by a mutual friend and commented, "So this is what you look like well rested and done up." I smiled and took it as a compliment.

And he had friended me, which I confirmed, responded to his photo comment with a message, and made my way upstairs. I caught a ride to Wendy's home and welcomed the cocoon of clean sheets on her guest bed. I hadn't been able to see anything of DC, other than the Monuments whilst driving on the Beltway, so in the morning, while Wendy was on a run, I thought of a back-up plan in case she already had a full day. I had several friends in the area and a others who were still in town from the holiday week at the beach that I could call. But my thoughts turned to the soldier who had Facebooked me the night before. Why not? I sent him a quick message, "I may or may not need a tour guide for the day, depending on Wendy's plans. Would you be interested?"

"Would be very interested. I have a meeting at 11. Keep me posted."

Wendy came home from her run, we both got ready and she and I went for some of the best blueberry buckwheat pancakes (aka: "blue bucks"–if you've been here you know exactly what I'm talking about) and an omelet at Eastern Market behind the Capitol. The soldier and I exchanged a few more Facebook messages, exchanged numbers and decided to meet at the Smithsonian Metro stop on the National Mall.

Oh how I love navigating a new city, especially the public transit. There is something that is so empowering and free about getting from point A to point B all on my own and a map of some sort. Wendy pointed out the nearest Metro station and left to run her Saturday errands. I also love a good outdoor market, and to this one such is an understatement. I mingled with the booth owners and made a few purchases, including a tree of life pendant handmade by the sweetest Persian woman (which I bought in two sizes, one silver one bronze). When I got off at the Smithsonian, I had a few minutes to spare and pulled out my copy of Kierkegaard's Works of Love. By the time the soldier came up the escalator wearing his signature plaid short-sleeved button-up and runners with his SLR strapped across his back, I was feeling inspired and happy.

We made our way down the Mall past the Washington Monument to the World War II Memorial, the Vietnam Memorial, down to the Lincoln, and back to the Washington talking all the while about everything: books we've read, things we've done, goals we've accomplished. We talked about our families and past relationships. We even aired some dirty laundry. Mid-sentence about something totally different, he stopped me and asked if I had served a mission. I replied in the affirmative and waited for a follow up question—instead he just asked me to continue and seemed to be marking off a mental checklist.

I don't remember everything we talked about. I do remember telling him about my reasons for not pursuing a career in counseling and some of my theories about theory and parenting and relationships in general. I remember him telling me about how much reading he has done on his own regarding relationships and such and being impressed.

It was a beautiful day and I cannot ignore the significance of our location. I am a patriotic girl. I also get that from my mother. She taught us all the most American songs, to "take your hat off as the flag goes by", and to love our country. To this day, I cannot sing the National Anthem without getting choked up. So for me, to spend the afternoon surrounded by reminders of what has made our Nation great was an honor and a privilege. I cannot express the feelings that came as I approached the Vietnam Memorial. The emotion and the Spirit of that place is palpable. Maybe it's because of the anti-war songs my dad taught us, but it was by far the most emotional walk passing by all those names etched in black granite.

The time passed too quickly and he asked more than once, "What if you missed your flight?" I told him that was not an option because I had responsibilities the next day. At this point I had not allowed myself to think of this as more than a one-off. It was just a fun day mixed with great conversation that would not go anywhere. If you need proof click here and scroll down. Anything more than that just wasn't on my mind.

We made our way back to the metro and I let him guide me back towards Wendy's and my ride to the airport. I had no concept of where things were located nor how long it would take to get to the airport, but trusted that this soldier would get me back on time. We continued our conversation underground, which was intercepted again. This time by Joy Jackson, a woman selling tickets to go up in the Washington Monument. As soon as she found out that I was heading back to Utah, it became clear that she just wanted to talk. She told us about her fascination with the Osmonds and how she had followed Marie's career for years. As I was smiling and nodding, a funny thing happened. I felt a strange sensation on my forearm that ran down and hovered around my fingers. It totally caught me off-guard, "Is this guy trying to hold my hand? He's totally going to hold my hand!" Yes, it's true. It was like that three-quarters kiss theory, you know how dudes say if they go 75% of the way, the girl will go the last 25%. He was three-quarters of the way holding my hand and waiting to see what I would do. My conversation with myself continued, "How strange. I didn't realize he was feeling that way. I mean, we just met! Do I even want to hold his hand? I am trying to attract an affectionate guy though. And you know what they say about being the kind of person you want to attract. If that's true, then I should be more affectionate and I should probably hold his hand." And that's what I did. I have no idea what Joy had been saying, but a train pulled up and the solider said it was ours so I gave his hand a squeeze before I dropped it and jump through the doors.

At the next stop, he told me we had gotten on the wrong train, so we'd need to get off and try again. I guess I wasn't the only one distracted by the hand holding. Once we got off at our real stop and were making our way back up to ground-level, he thanked me for responding. I had to think of a quick comeback, "You know, if you were scared down there, you could've just told me." He laughed at my joke and continued to explain that he really appreciated how responsive I was. I told him that was interesting because being responsive is important to me too and I made a mental check mark on my list.

Wendy called in a bit of a panic and said she would meet us on the road. She rushed me to the airport in her cute convertible as we talked about the strange hand holding and great conversation. Luckily, the desk agent escorted me to the "express" security line and I arrived at my gate as they were boarding the last "zone". Out of breath, I sent off a quick text to the soldier that I had made it. He said he was sorry that I did and that he felt like he got the short end of the stick--wished we had more time. I didn't think to tell Wendy that I had made it until I saw a text from her on my layover. I guess that should've been an indication of how I was really feeling about this strange soldier who holds hand on a first hang-out.

By the way, he calls that our first date. "Was there a plan? Were we paired off? Did I pay?" He asks. Well, there wasn't anything to pay for, but I guess two out of three isn't too bad.

Check back for the third and final installment.

love story part 1 - pregame

2011-02-09T17:50:00.007-05:00

Our wedding photos are on their way, so I figured I better start this gig before I get so backed up I don't know what to do with myself.

As my family all learned at our rehearsal dinner, I have no gift for parsimony and my version of the story is incredibly detailed. I get it from my mother, so you can blame her (love you mom!).

And so it begins.

Sometime before May 2009, my dear friend Lorianne asked me if I would take on the task of catering her wedding which would be in the Washington DC temple Memorial Day weekend. Lorianne and I, along with our friends Wendy and Becca, spent quite a bit of time back in the day planning and executing parties. They weren't just any kind of parties. These were big ones.

Lorianne's idea was that it would be a great send off for her into married life to get the band back together and throw a last hurrah. I had moved back to Utah and was having a difficult time finding full-time employment. With nothing really to hold me back from accepting the "job" I decided to go out early to help out the entire week prior to the big day. While looking for flights, I noticed several connected through Chicago where my oldest brother, SIL, and their two kiddos were living at the time. Why not go out even earlier, spend some time with them, and then continue on to DC? And while I was at it, I might as well tack on some time at the end and participate in the infamous Duck Beach single Mormon extravaganza. It is, after all, pretty much a cultural rite of passage.

I had been doing some freelance graphic design to "pay the bills" and was working on a piece for a client at the airport while waiting for my flight to Chi-town. I heard the announcement that they had oversold the flight and were asking for volunteers to be bumped, but didn't pay much attention to it. I've always been more of a "destination" girl--I just want to get where I'm going. When they gate agent made a second announcement, for some reason I thought, "why not?" So I approached the desk and said I could go on the later flight. Not only did I get a voucher for $200 + the cost of my ticket, it actually ended up working better with my brother's schedule and he was able to pick me up rather than me taking a cab.

The weekend with the munchkins was so fun, I got some much needed bro time, and whenever I spend time with my SIL I admire her more & more (she's such a great mom). I flew to BWI on Tuesday and thus commenced a crazy week of food preparations and wedding event planning bliss! I have never seen my feet as swollen as I did after the reception was over Saturday night—I didn't even recognize them as my own. After the clean up, round about 1 am, I piled in a car with three other wedding guests and drove down to Outer Banks, NC serenaded by really bad, futuristic sound effects from a Star Trek marathon.

Duck started out rough, but by Monday I was wishing I had more time at the beach. My flight home was scheduled to depart on Wednesday morning from Dulles. I would need to find a ride back to DC sometime on Tuesday in order to make it--bad planning on my part. After an arduous decision making process, I changed my flight to Saturday evening, giving me until Friday at the beach.

I was immediately glad that I decided to stay. It was so relaxing and fun to spend my birthday with new friends and some long-time ones just chilling—no worries (I even talked my way out of a speeding ticket on the way back from the airport). We packed up, cleaned up and headed out on one of the most humid days I had experienced to that point. I was foolishly wearing jeans, sweating like a piglet. The ride back to Virginia, where I would be crashing at Wendy's place after a little post-Duck house get-together at the home of my new friend and chauffer, Dave Marble (I only use his last name because he's somewhat of a legend), was only mildly better in an un-air conditioned truck. Dave was also kind enough to add my birthday to the facebook invite for the party, celebrating five birthdays and a going away party for this solider who was deploying to Iraq the next week.

As we were pulling in to VA (did you know Virginia is for lovers?), I experienced my first east coast "thunderstorm". The heavens opened up and poured inches of rain on the roads, the windshield, and eventually us as we rushed to unburden the bed of the truck of its left-over Duck food and paper products. I was a salty, drenched mess. Since my luggage did not fit in the truck and was traveled in another car I was stuck with the clothes on my back. Little did I know that I was being watched. Trips to the truck and back; finding room for everything in their fridge; being talked into showering in a boys shower and wearing boys clothes while mine dried; coming back up stairs with wet hair and no make-up in baggy cargo pants and a t-shirt. The soldier says in passing, "Hey you're wearing our Halloween costume from last year." At least, I think it was the soldier. My memory is a little blurry from that night.

If you aren't bored out of your mind. Come back tomorrow for the second installment.

so nice to come home to!

2011-02-05T10:12:00.002-05:00

Last Sunday I wore my Brooks Brothers light blue no-iron button-up shirt to church. It's a favorite, (1) because it's a great shirt and (2) because I got such a good deal on it...$29, considering the full-price ridiculousness. Well, at the end of our meetings, I lifted my arm to rest it on the seat back next to me and heard a sound you just don't want to hear when you're wearing a favorite shirt. The no-iron press mark down the sleeve split open exposing my forearm to the world. After the meeting was over, friend Jill came up to me. "I saw what happened to your shirt and that is such a bummer!" I was so bummed! Expensive clothing is just not supposed to do that!

Luckily, I'm married to the Captain. Not only is he a master negotiator, he knows how to get what he wants and he usually does. I asked him if he would try to take it back to the store. I had a suspicion that it wouldn't be a problem. I was right, he didn't even have to use his skills. No questions asked, the salesperson said, "my manager said there was a bad batch of these shirts out there," (not to mention mine was about 4 years old and probably not in the bad batch he was referring to) and exchanged my ripped shirt for a brand spanking new one, which was sitting at the foot of our bed when I came home.

And these were on the table. Oh! Jeremy Anderson did such a good job! He sent two Blue Ray discs--unbelievable! the quality is so much better than I could've imagined--in addition to enough DVDs for all of our parents and probably all of our future children to have their own personal copies of it. I will figure out how to post the video from our wedding I promise! In the meantime, I thought I should back track a bit, maybe start at the beginning while we wait for our photos. And then I realized the document I started with the story of how I met the Captain is lost or hopefully on my work computer. So that will have to wait too. My sincerest apologies. One of these days I'll get to blog about our wedding with some eye candy to keep your interest.

lamotion

2011-01-26T14:25:00.002-05:00

thats what you call a lateral move within your place of employment. It's not quite a promotion, but definitely a change in responsibilities. I haven't quite decided if my recent lamotion will be a good thing or not. Keeping the marketing coordinator, I get to ditch the "administrative assistant"...thank goodness no more fetching coffee...and trade it in for "leasing something, tbd." maybe I will be the "marketing and leasing coordinator". oh the joys of working for a small company.

Am I digging myself into a real estate hole, never to be escaped from? And if so, am I okay with that? My only true concern is how will it read on my resume when I start sending it out to the boroughs?

btw, if any of you have connections in the big apple...pretty please drop me a note!

a thousand words...

2011-01-18T09:20:00.001-05:00

It's the only one I've got and I had to borrow it from my little sister who has connections with our photographer (Jenna Rammell).

Stay tuned for details from the day and more pics. I can't wait for the rest of them!

final countdown

2011-01-03T13:32:00.002-05:00

It's the Monday before my wedding day. If I thought my emotions were all over the place last week, they are even more intense today.

The Captain is now very familiar with my "business mode" which I have been in all day. In between actual work tasks I have ordered sandwiches and a veggie tray for the informal "drive thru" luncheon at my mom's between the sealing and reception, called the cake lady, made an appointment for a pamper hour, sent off several emails including one with the band's set list to the Captain for approval, one to my sisters so we can schedule some hang out time, and one to my glorious Receptionista's (aka: Mom and Dana) with some last minute updates.

It's definitely coming together and just barely under budget. I can't believe I did it--it's an absolute fiscal miracle.

Keeping our fingers crossed for a dry day with a few high, white clouds and for this cold to go away.

you say goodbye and I say hello

2010-12-31T12:02:00.002-05:00

t minus 1 week.

How do you describe the emotions that run the gamut of each possible one: excitement, trepidation, budding love, nervousness, joy, a lot of stress, even a little bit of fear of the unknown--followed by a whole lot of faith in a grander plan.

{art by lizzy hunter, found on 20x200}

If I weren't so busy coming down from the holiday high, packing/being homeless for a week/moving in with a boy(!), planning and executing last minute details for the wedding and throwing my ultimate party--the apex of my event planning career, I would try to take some time to say goodbye to singlehood. It has treated me very well these nearly 32 years! We've come through a lot together. A lot of heartache and lessons on relationships, a lot of self-discovery, a lot of testimony growing, a lot of good times!

Most importantly a whole lot of preparation to say hello to reciprocal commitment, more growth, probably more heartache, but more rewarding love, lasting covenants, and so many things that I don't even know to include so I'll just call it possibility.

Here's to 2011! One step closer to my heaven...

Merry Christmas Eve Eve!

2010-12-23T11:46:00.008-05:00

This morning as I was getting ready at the gym (yes, I've been getting a head start on my 2011 new year's rizzos), I watched the show before the Today show as they featured military wives who are preggo...solo for the holidays..and threw them all a surprise baby shower--I'll just say I started blow drying my bangs over my eyes at that part (sniff).

Though my experience was no where near the intensity of theirs nor will it ever be since the Captain will be exiting the Army in June, it did bring back memories of last Christmas...not so patiently waiting for good news from Iraq.

Little did I know then, that just one year and one week later, I'd be marrying that soldier!

2010-12-14T22:08:00.002-05:00

bow ties - check!

I found step-by-step instructions here. The little boys are going to look so hansom!

just another something to look forward to...

2010-12-14T11:51:00.003-05:00

an extra ream of paper =

2010-12-13T16:46:00.004-05:00

another project. I can't just let it sit there, right? favors for wedding guests, here we come!

other outstanding projects for the next three weeks:

✓ tutus for the nieces

✓ bowties for the nephews

✓ finish my bridesmaid gifts

✓ choose a color from the samples I requested and order ties

And the last minute project wrap-ups that can’t happen until two days before:

✓ mount the brackets to stand up our backdrops (repurposed shutters my mom removed from the exterior of her home this summer)

✓ make a display for the favors (something kind of like this…but minus the sunglasses)

✓ white paper chains to fill in any holes in the décor

just when I thought I was done!

best "possible" news ever!

2010-12-10T16:10:00.003-05:00

BTW, meet my newest nephew, Max. isn't he a doll?

and while we're at it, my even newer niece, Lola. Man, my sibs make beautiful babies.

ps

2010-12-08T17:50:00.002-05:00

I haven't looked at a wedding blog since before Thanksgiving. I don't know what I'm going to do with myself this last month...my LAST MONTH as a single person. Maybe I'll start blogging again.

on a wish & a prayer

2010-12-08T17:35:00.003-05:00

only ONE paper cut later... (that's Utah on the right and by the time we were finished, the left side was full of everywhere else).

Dropping these off at the post office yesterday morning, I MUST have felt a bit like Hannah as she dropped Samuel off with Eli's to serve the Lord for the rest of his life.

Okay, so maybe that's a little exaggerated and a tad sacrilegious. Nevertheless, I lingered as the post office worker dumped them into a plastic bin, blew them a kiss and said a brief prayer of gratitude for the resources and means to create them and for their safe arrival into the mailboxes of their intended recipients.

And yes, those are the generic forever bell stamps. I procrastinated and was unable to get cute stamps in time. classy, I know.

so delinquent!

2010-12-03T17:03:00.005-05:00

Oh man. I have been so bad at blogging lately! I just barely caught up on my sister and sil's blogs today, still haven't had a chance to check anyone else's!

today.

today the Captain picked up a few hundred dollars worth of postage, since I never get home before the post office closes. It's so nice to have someone around who's got your back.

today I used the "happy hour" at work--you know that end of the work week, everybody grabs a beer and some cheese & crackers in the kitchen 5 o'clock on a Friday hour. The hour that no one bothers to tell the mormon girl about ;) hour--to make an invitation to my church's monthly Welcome Social for December. This is the vector image that keeps on giving...

yesterday.

yesterday my sturdy little HP inkjet printer ran out of toner because I am putting it through the ringer and printing all of our wedding invitations on it. poor little guy! Just 250 more to go. You can do it!!
last week.

last week I was in Utah! visiting family and friends, getting showered (thanks again Em and Dest, et. al.), posing for pictures (aka: exploiting the talents of my siblings), welcoming my newest niece, and folding paper stars, flowers, snowflakes until my hands ached. but oh, I think it will pay off when we transform the reception hall into a paperie winter wonderland. (all will need posts of their own.)

Emily was so great to drop what she was doing, rearrange her schedule and drive down totake some pics for us. She did a fantastic job! She keeps asking me for my favorites so she can have a photographer friend (jenna, who has kindly agreed to be our wedding photographer, yay!) to "fix them". Geesh! they don't even need any fixing! I love them just the way they are.

I know they say it's bad luck for the groom to see the dress before, I'm not that superstitious...but I'm purposely not posting photos of us together before...that I don't want to jinx ;).

The lighting just kept getting better and better! The Captain actually took this one...yep, I picked me a winner! I'm wearing my great grandmother Kay's self-made, hand knit sweater coat. divine.

{hair & make up: bethany kartchner--you should have her do your hair. she's brilliant. salon K in riverwoods.}

happy to announce...

2010-11-13T10:22:00.003-05:00

details to follow :)

Who needs Botox?!?

2010-11-08T12:35:00.002-05:00

I've gotten several questions lately about my secret "wrinkle cream". Well friends, here it is. I swear by this stuff. Smear it on your lips, crows feet, smile lines, etc. every night before bed and you just might notice a bit of reverse aging! When I was living in sunny southern California, my mom made a comment to one of my roommates (not to me, bless her heart) about what the sun exposure was doing to my face...at aget 26 it was not a pretty sight. I've been using Aquaphor faithfully for the past few years and I look younger today than I did back then. This is my miracle product.

2010-11-04T14:59:00.003-04:00

Leonard. I just had to call a guy named Leonard and no offense if that is your name or your dad's name or your grandpa's name. It's a perfectly fine name--I'm just having a hard time wrapping my brain around the pronunciation. Lenerd.

one more for the project list

2010-11-03T13:36:00.007-04:00

I couldn't help but snap a shot of these woodsey darlings last time I was window shopping at Anthro...
and then I spotted these in Gifted ... I'd like a reason to make some cute felt shrooms :).

and I just ordered 325 yards of this from the stationery boutique and am coming up with all sorts of idea for where to use it.

via text from my mom>> "they're here!"

2010-10-28T13:36:00.001-04:00

and so cute!"

part of the 5% that will not be made of paper :).

fall preview & playlist

2010-10-27T11:57:00.002-04:00

For my first full Fall back east, I must say it's absolutely beautiful out here right now. I'm patiently waiting for photos from last Saturday's quintessential city-folk jaunt to the country, but here's just a taste and a fantastic playlist my roommate Patricia put together for the drive when the leaves turn shades of red & gold

come and knock on my door

2010-10-26T10:22:00.004-04:00

I picked up this cute fall wreath kit at Paper Source because I wanted to see how long it would take to make paper mums for wedding decorations (can't you just imagine these in shades of white & ivory?). Due to the time intensity factor, I decided not attempt to make hundreds of paper mums. This pretty paper creation is, however, hanging on our door and now that I've finally changed the light blubs in our front porch sconces, our entry is much more welcoming. Then I saw these paper pretties in the window of jcrew and I'm reconsidering spending a portion of my limited free time with the bone folder. How amazing are these?

Did I mention that I've decided to use 95% paper products for all my wedding decore? I'm really excited!

I want a barn

2010-10-25T10:00:00.002-04:00

where I can retrieve treasures like this one...

{photo credit: soule mama -- see what she did with it here}

he facebooked me. that's how it all started.

2010-10-24T22:04:00.001-04:00

I didn't realize I owe Mark Zuckerberg so much...

where oh where have these been my whole life

2010-10-23T12:15:00.001-04:00

My friends in junior high used to say that they could leave me in a room with paper, scissors and glue and I could entertain myself for hours. It was true then and it's true today.

why then did I just learn about this handy tool? This bad boy is going to revolutionize my paper crafting.

2010-10-21T13:55:00.003-04:00

I hate posting twice in one day, but I just saw this and have to share. Z Gallerie has long been one of my favorite furnishing stores (I even worked at the one at Fashion Island for a couple months while in grad school) and now they have one near me!

"research"

2010-10-21T11:11:00.007-04:00

Just doing some "research" online (aka: not working) and found some things to look forward to in our soon-to-be new locale.

I can't wait to browse these two shops, and with it the whole of Grand Street in Williamsburg. Via Martha:

Fresh Kills

Moon River Chattel

Then I found this super helpful map because I had no idea where Williamsburg is...

I can't wait to get lost in this town again!

wanna get my art on

2010-10-20T11:49:00.009-04:00

Today the execs are away on a "retreat" (funny how a plan can go from turks and caicos to the eastern shore to down the street at the four seasons...I just have to tell myself, it's not my company!) and it's given me some quiet time. Sometimes that's good and sometimes it's better to just be so busy I can't think. Maybe sometimes I'd rather be running to get a coffee with half-and-half and a packet of sweet 'n low for the ikester (that's the mini boss).

Left with my thoughts and a chance to blog surf, I can't help but feel a few green (as in covetous), murky waves of regret.

1. I regret that I didn't learn earlier how to be smarter with money and live on a budget.
2. I regret not sacrificing 'lifestyle' for 'life savings'.
3. I regret the shackles of debt I am now paying off.
4. I regret having to choose employment based on salary instead of job description.
5. I regret not going to design school when I had the chance.
6. I regret having to sit here in a stuffy office and read about other people living their artsy dreams.
7. I regret keeping the Sony point and shoot I got as a gift several years ago (that I never use, hence all the crappy cell phone pics) instead of trading it in for a Canon like I had secretly wanted to and now I regret not being able to afford a new camera because I'm now making sacrifices (see #2) and am on the super-skinny-get-out-of-debt plan (see #3).

Before I bring myself to sorrowful tears of self-pity I need to note some things that I am grateful for.

1. I belong to a Church that promotes self-reliance and debt-free living.
2. I can learn to master the self and delay gratification.
3. The feeling I get every time I add another big payment on my spreadsheet to financial freedom and see my balance chipping away.
4. That my work is footing the bill for my InDesign class and that I know more than every other person in the class and even some things the instructor doesn't know.
5. The opportunity to get out of debt before I bring children into the world and really won't want to have to work.
6. Days with downtime and a chance to catch up on loved ones' lives.
7. A job. A job that pays well.

So yes, while I desperately wish I could roll out of bed, walk two steps and be in my office where I do crafty stuff all day, I know I am learing some really important lessons with eternal significance. a penny spent is really two pennies earned. patience is a virtue. and a whole lotta other stuff.

{piggy illustration by: me :) }

something I love about not having a car

2010-10-19T16:47:00.003-04:00

passing a random sushi place in Dupont on my way home and deciding to stop without having to worry about parking...

today

2010-10-12T17:26:00.004-04:00

I saw my work on a photography blog, granted the talented haley anderson is a friendly of my sis, but it's still kinda fun to come across when you aren't expecting it.
And I have my first intro to adobe indesign class tonight. don't ask me how i've made it this far without indesign, it's complicated and i don't want to talk about it ;). but that all changes tonight and the next four tuesday evenings. very excited. very.

Is it

2010-10-11T14:33:00.003-04:00

very terrible that I bought the Captain's Christmas present in ... wait. Is it already October?

I cannot believe that it is already October. And not only October, but almost half-way to November! Where does it go?

in case you were wondering...

2010-10-05T11:00:00.002-04:00

this is exactly what my ring looks like...except normal hand size, not giant size like this pic.

drum roll please...

2010-10-04T14:31:00.004-04:00

I don't remember who quoted Elder Dallin H. Oaks' October 2007 General Conference talk Good, Better, Best, but it came at a very appropriate time for me yesterday during the Sunday morning session of this October's General Conference.

Often when making a decision you have to make sacrifices in order to choose the "best" overall option--even if it doesn't always make the most sense.

Well, that's what we did. It wasn't easy, in fact it has been sad to say good-bye to a really great opportunity. However, in saying good-bye to one amazing opportunity, we're really saying hello to another amazing-for-other-reasons opportunity.

And so it is with some sorrow, a little trepidation, and a lot of excitment that we (and when I say we, I mean the Captian) will be accepting the offer to join the resident ranks of Lutheran Medial's Endodontics program for 2011-2013.

Brooklyn, here we come!