hApPy nEw EaR!!!

(MadRetz...This is the "simple" New Year's card I made
w/ the yoga 'zine ad and PhotoShop : .)

cough, cough! hack, hack! update

So I called my doctor's office today.

They wanted to prescribe antibiotics for my "cold."

This would be the 5th round of antibiotics I would take this year.

I passed.

The nurse who returned my call said that I could "ride it out" and to call if I got worse. Take Nyquil (yuck!) and Dayquil (double yuck!)

Uh, yeah. Cough, cough!

I have a headache.

I didn't necessarily react like this...

But...

(I just have to relate this story. )

The other day, I went to the Japanese store with my Dad. There was this kid working the cash register. He smelled really good, I'm telling you REALLY good. Humans are highly motivated by scent, right? Perfume, body aroma, pheromones, etc...I am a human, I am no different.

I asked him if he was wearing cologne. He got all bashful on me and didn't respond immediately. Then grudgingly, he answers, "Yes."

So, I ask "What cologne?"

Again, his answer didn't come quickly. It was like pulling teeth. Then he says, "Well, its not really cologne. Its Axe."

I said, "Huh, (as my mind and my hormones are reeling) then I guess the commercials are TRUE!"

Hot damn! I gotta get me a man who wears AXE!!! ROTFLMAO!!!

I so embarrassed the boy. At least I didn't make him blush. My bad.

Been thinkin' about craftin'

Not feeling very motivated, however. Tired from all the hacking and coughing. (Is there a point at which I should go have this checked out? Its been 7 days and Dr. Andre (Dr. Steve's counterpart) said something about bronchitis/walking pneumonia. I keep thinking its my allergies, but a week of uninterrupted coughing???) Plus, I haven't finished my holiday cards (now, New Years cards!) and I made a pact with myself to get that done before any fun art was started. I did create a cool design for the New Years cards using a yoga + iPod ad. Maybe I'll post it at Nudge-Nudge.

Anywhoo...I thot I'd share the card my Dad gave me for X-mas. We have an ongoing battle regarding toilet seat up or down. He says he's old and forgets, but I think he leaves it up just to annoy me. The issue is, I don't usually turn on the lights in the middle of the night if I use the bathroom and the surprise of ice cold porcelain on my fanny isn't pleasant. (More than you wanted to know, huh?)

I'm not complaining too loudly. The card accompanied a really nice check. I guess I can put up with the sass and the sarcasm. I'm known for my own sarcasm. I come by it naturally.

Christmas Wrapping by the Waitresses

In between hacking coughs, I'll be singing out loud!!! I think they were reading my mind when they wrote this in '81 : .) (And evidently the grocers are out of cranberries soon after Thanksgiving, as I found out today!!!)

Merry Christmas, Bloggy Pals!!!

"Bah, humbug!" No, that's too strong
'Cause it is my favorite holiday
But all this year's been a busy blur
Don't think I have the energy

To add to my already mad rush
Just 'cause it's 'tis the season.
The perfect gift for me would be
Completions and connections left from

Last year, ski shop,
Encounter, most interesting.
Had his number but never the time
Most of '81 passed along those lines.

So deck those halls, trim those trees
Raise up cups of Christmas cheer,
I just need to catch my breath,
Christmas by myself this year.

Calendar picture, frozen landscape,
Chilled this room for twenty-four days,
Evergreens, sparkling snow
Get this winter over with!

Flashback to springtime, saw him again,
Would've been good to go for lunch,
Couldn't agree when we were both free,
We tried, we said we'd keep in touch.

Didn't, of course, 'til summertime,
Out to the beach to his boat could I join him?
No, this time it was me,
Sunburn in the third degree.

Now the calendar's just one page
And, of course, I am excited
Tonight's the night, but I've set my mind
Not to do too much about it.

Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!
But I think I'll miss this one this year.
Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!
But I think I'll miss this one this year.
Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!
But I think I'll miss this one this year.
Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!
But I think I'll miss this one this year.
Hardly dashing through the snow
Cause I bundled up too tight
Last minute have-to-do's
A few cards a few calls
'Cause it's r-s-v-p
No thanks, no party lights
It's Christmas Eve, gonna relax
Turned down all of my invites.

Last fall I had a night to myself,
Same guy called, halloween party,
Waited all night for him to show,
This time his car wouldn't go,

Forget it, it's cold, it's getting late,
Trudge on home to celebrate
In a quiet way, unwind
Doing Christmas right this time.

A&P has provided me
With the world's smallest turkey
Already in the oven, nice and hot
Oh damn! Guess what I forgot?

So on with the boots, back out in the snow
To the only all-night grocery,
When what to my wondering eyes should appear
In the line is that guy I've been chasing all year!

"I'm spending this one alone," he said.
"Need a break; this year's been crazy."
I said, "Me too, but why are you?
You mean you forgot cranberries too?"

Then suddenly we laughed and laughed
Caught on to what was happening
That Christmas magic's brought this tale
To a very happy ending! "

Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!
Couldn't miss this one this year!
Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!
Couldn't miss this one this year!

Written by Chris Butler
(c) 1981 Future Fossil Music, BMI

In All Its Glory!!!

Got my tree @ Target, don't you just love Target?! (It was my 2nd trip there today!)

Got it in its tree stand. (Ragged, I hammered that puppy good!)

Got it lit and decorated.

All in time for my Dad, who will be arriving to celebrate Christmas on Thursday! Yay!!! (I can say in all honesty that if my Dad wasn't visiting, I wouldn't bother!)

It looks very much like last year's tree. But I have new ornaments!!!

Maybe next year, the tree needs a theme, like Elsie's.


Oh, and here's a pix of my kitchen table. I don't usually have it cleared off enough to decorate it : .) My Mom made the doily. It must be an "antique" by now!

Not Your Granny's Craft Faire

MadRetz and I first experienced the Bazaar Bizarre at the Maker Faire.

Today, the Bazaar Bizarre made another appearance in San Fran. Crazy art! Tons to purchase! Big crowds!!!


The first 300 people in line received the above swag bag. Loaded with discount coupons, yarn, art supplies, art magazines, crocheting and knitting supplies, cute buttons, stickers, cards, postcards, patterns, etc, etc, etc... It was worth going early to get these goods! [Anyone out there (read: RAGGED) interested in US 10 1/2 (6.5 mm) 29" (75 cm) long circular knitting needles?]

I scored some really awesome X-mas gifts. And a couple of things for me...


Continuing with the skully obsession : .)

And a subscription to this.

Now, I'm off to Etsy to finish up the holiday shopping : .)

What Happens In Vegas, Stays in Vegas!!!

I'm in Vegas. At the MGM Grand. With the real live lions. And I have to say, what's happening, isn't exciting. I guess the whole, "it stays in Vegas' fits in any event because I don't want to admit that I'd rather stay in my room.

But I didn't. I went in search of fuds. But everywhere is expensive or chunks of meat that I can't eat. Really expensive chunks. Even if its on work's tab, its still expensive chunks of meat. Sauted in cigarette smoke.

I end up at Wolfgang Pucks, where I ate last nite, after sitting around for an hour watching the SHARKS play against the WILD in the sports betting area (which I could do at home by the way and without the eau de pew clogging my lungs and arteries!) And I ate the same thing (tuna tartare with avocado and those crispy wontons, yum) that I ate last nite. Minus the leak/goat cheese/mushroom pizza. With a glass of Kali Heart Chardonnay. (How do you spell it?) I'm so predictible and I love the familiar.

I was gonna go ride the roller coaster at NYNY, but I bagged until tomorrow nite when I really have nothing to do!

But, really, I don't get it...The gambling thing (swimming thru the cigarette smoke), the drinking thing, and the excess thing. What is wrong with me?

I did get a cool tie dyed t-shirt for my friend Bannie at the Rainforest Cafe, which is her favorite restaurant. The t-shirt sez "Peace, Love & Frogs." She loves frogs, what a perfect gift!!!

Another day of meeting tomorrow. I get to go home on Thursday. I wish I was at home right now, decorating my tree and putting sprinkles on sugar cookies. I'd even have holiday spirit!

Anyway, hopefully, my nite pixs of the strip came out and I'll have something to post over the weekend.

Later days, bloggy dudes!!!

I Pretty Much Avoid Anything Wedding Related, Butt...

glumbert - Best wedding first dance ever

Baby Got Back!!!

Humor From Paul

Click on image to see bigger size.

Is it weird that I'm glad the weekend is over?

Its just felt like its been sooooo long. I feel like I need the structure of work to reel me in!

Thanksgiving day started with a trip to Starbucks. I am so in love with the fact that I can get my chai, even on a holiday, altho' I feel bad for the "kids" that have to work. At least they closed by 4 pm.

After crafting for a bit, I ate gud thanksgiving fuds at Bill & Julie's. Homer was there. (I suppose its no big deal if I tell you his name is actually Bob! : .) Post meal activities included: the guys watching Austin Powers, and Julie and I crafting.

I didn't leave the house on Friday. Not to shop, not even to exercise! I took a nap around 11 am and got up to lounge on the couch for the rest of the day. I considered going to the Harvest Festival, but its a commercial retail nightmare and I would have been tempted to buy tons of fud kits to make cakes and dips and stuff.

Made it to the gym on Saturday. It was quite crowded (by those who probably felt they overindulged on Thursday). The guy at the desk complimented me...He thought that they input my age wrong in the check-in computer, guessing I wasn't a day over 29. Ha! Ha! I admitted that I'm "almost" 44. Yikes! Say it out loud, "forty-four!" "44." I don't feel "almost" 44.

Today I was going to go to SF to the Celebration of Craftswomen. Again, not motivated to go shopping, altho' I did hit Beverly's Fabric and Crafts and Michael's to purchase a gift for the stamp club's gift exchange at this years X-mas party. Been at home since, cleaned H'Sif's bowl, and made some pancakes. Did you know that you can improve on Bisquick's pancake recipe (yes, it is possible!) by adding sugar, baking powder, and vanilla to the ingredient list. Yummy!!!

Here are the layouts I did this weekend and past...


Photo of my friend Mike(s) Pumpkin (he and his friends had a pumpkin carving party this Halloween). I had to scrap it!


You may recognize this photo from one of MadRetz's art pieces. Isn't he yummy?! Mad captured this hunk on Shipwreck Beach in Poipu on the island of Kauai when we visited there in 2005.
The quote on this final piece "Faith is walking face first and full speed into the dark" is from the book Eat, Pray, Love. The big, fat felt flowers and buttons wouldn't allow the piece to lie flat, hence the wonky scan!

If you want to see more, please Check out Nudge-Nudge and A Skosh More for my other art!

Hachisuzume & Mariposa

Estor's Mom died on unexpectedly on Monday. During the service for Mary on Friday I was playing with my kleanex and made an image of a butterfly. Early this morning, (around 1:30 am...I haven't really slept well all week, Mary's death is bringing up a lot for me) I was thinking of the service and the kleanex butterfly and wanted to tell Estor how I think of my Mom when I see or hear hummingbirds. (Hachisuzume is hummingbird in Japanese.) Maybe it would help her in her grief if she had a symbol of her mother to think about too. Lying in bed, I saw Monarch butterflies and thought, "mariposa" (Spanish for butterfly, if you didn't know that already : .) Estor's family is hispanic and some people in Mexico believe that the Monarch carries the spirits of dead ancestors to visit (on Dia De Los Muertos, November 2). It wasn't hard to see:

Mary=Mariposa=Monarch

In the mail today, I received a letter from the Nature Conservancy with a story on the plight of hummingbirds, and right there, a hachisuzume was printed on the envelope.

The Universe and Spirit speaks to me and through me.

So, in memory of loved and missed Moms, today's art...

Tag! I'm IT!!! Yeah Baby!!!

From Ragged, from Emily, from...

1. Name one person who made you laugh last night? Me, I crack myself up!!!

2. What were you doing at 0800? Reading email and enjoying my Starbucks chai latte.

3. What were you doing 30 minutes ago? Stressing over details for a meeting in Vegas next month.

4. What happened to you in 2006? I can't remember back that far.

5. What was the last thing you said out loud? But I updated that already!!!

6. How many beverages did you have today? Chai latte, green tea, ROCKSTAR, tons of H2O.

7. What color is your hairbrush? Silver and Black.

8. What was the last thing you paid for? Rockstar from the vending machine @ work.

9. Where were you last night? Crafting w/ Madretz and Kristina.

10. What color is your front door? Reddish, brown woody color.

11. Where do you keep your change? In a huge biscotti container.

12. What’s the weather like today? Overcast, cold, threatening rain.

13. What’s the best ice-cream flavor? Current best...Ben & Jerry's Creme Brulee.

14. What excites you? Scrapbook supplies, potential romance and a good workout.

15. Do you want to cut your hair? Constantly.

16. Are you over the age of 25? Yes, way way over.

17. Do you talk a lot? Someone once called me "Constant Comment."

18. Do you watch the O.C.? Nope.

19. Do you know anyone named Steven? Surely, x-boyfriend tops the list.

20. Do you make up your own words? All the time.

21. Are you a jealous person? I used to be, but now I try to calm the green-eyed monster.

22. Name a friend whose name starts with the letter ‘A’. Annie.

23. Name a friend whose name starts with the letter ‘K’. Kristen.

24. Who’s the first person on your received call list? Karen.

25. What does the last text message you received say? "Good. i dnt now patient i culd b those were good cookies." Yes, English is this persons first language.

26. Do you chew on your straw? Straws, pens, pencils, fingernails, hang nails, etc, etc, etc.

27. Do you have curly hair? I have hair that cries if you try to bend it and reverts to its straightness if I do attempt to curl it.

28. Where’s the next place you’re going to? The gym, where else?!

29. Who’s the rudest person in your life? I can't say it out loud.

30. What was the last thing you ate? Grapes, rosemary and olive oil triscuits, swiss cheese, and turkey pepperoni.

31. Will you get married in the future? One can dream.

32. What’s the best movie you’ve seen in the past 2 weeks? Blair Witch Project.

33. Is there anyone you like right now? Not really.

34. When was the last time you did the dishes? Last Thursday. Domestic engineering is not my strong suit.

35. Are you currently depressed? Deeply, darkly.

36. Did you cry today? No, not yet.

37. Why did you answer and post this? Ragged tagged me and I have to do what the voices in my head tell me to do.

38. Tag 5 people who would do this survey. Anyone can play along if they want to.

"Finger" Fuds

Check out what Spike found today!!! Yummy fingers!!!

Seriously tasty cookies, made with the 1/2 Splenda 1/2 sugar mix. I cannot take credit for the ewwww factor, but this would be so me!

(We had a 5.6 magnitude, "moderate" earthquake this evening around 8:04 pm. I missed it, as I was in the car, coming home from the store. More to my liking, otherwise I'd be sleeping in my car tonite, waiting for the next one!)

I'm off to finish my own (boring) pumpkin shaped sugar cookies for work tomorrow!


Happy Halloween Bloggy Pals!

Target gargoyle commandeering my Starbucks and gourdy pumpkin MadRetz bot for me last year : .)

Shakin' My Groove Thang!

Post work on Friday, I had my hair dyed. I always feel like a different person after getting my hair colored. So happy to have bright hair again. Visited briefly with the Mad Monk, Orlando (the lovebird) and Elam (the cat) who had a run-in with a dog (unknown) and needed 20 stitches on his back paw and is sporting one of those annoying head cones, so he doesn't rip the stitches out, poor Kitty. Home again and attempted to do some art, but my muse has vacated the building.

Up early Saturday to get in a wog. Whoooohoo!!! I'm up to a minute and a quarter of jogging alternating with one minute of walking. Its getting boring again, so I only lasted 35 minutes and then hopped on the elliptical machine to finish my hour.

Drove to a not-so-local scrapbook store in search of supplies for this project created by Celine Navarro, who is one stupendous scrap artist. Still need some stuff, but I'm gonna be patient. I've spent way too much $$$ on scrapbook supplies lately, I think I need to freeze the credit card!!!

A quick trip to my favorite boutique, Target, netted me a cute black top for my highly anticipated trip to the city. My friend Homer* planned this hoppin' evening complete with French cuisine at Café Claude who's approach was in a dark alleyway.


That was only a little bit weird. The fud was exquis: Claude Mojito (I know, that's not very French), Maison salade, Escargot en Croute (YES, SNAILS), Porc au Miel, and zee pièce de résistance...Moelleux au Chocolat! Tres délectable!
We then navigated the Streets of San Francisco (well, the JoJo, or BooBoo, or whatever that GPS thingy is called, did) and arrived at our destination...the DNA Lounge (which is smaller than I remember, its been like 10 years since I was there last!) for this:

and the mini Bootie MashUp Lounge. For those of you who will be indoctrinated into the mashup genre upon reading my post, a mashup in its purest form, consists of the combination of the music from one song with the a cappella from another. Ideally, the music and vocals belong to completely different styles/genres generally considered to be incompatible, yet skillfully and artfully combined into a pleasurably euphonic hybrid. (Thank you Wikipedia!) For example: B-52's + MY LIFE WITH THE THRILL KILL KULT = Love Shack On Wheelz or KELLY CLARKSON + THE BREEDERS = Behind These Cannonball Eyes or GWEN STEFANI + FRONT 242 = HollabackHeadHunter. Wait, you can listen to an example here.

Oh, there was also a band called A Kiss Could be Deadly. Unfortunately, I missed most of the band's set, but I did get one of their cool skully t-shirts, and a button and a CD, all for ten bucks!

We danced and danced. In actuality, for about an hour, but Homer & I are old and had bedtime to consider, ahahahaha!!! OMG!!! I had so much fun!!!

Homer makes me laugh. I like it!!! : .)


*Not his real name : .)

I Guess I Actually Have a Personality

According to this test I saw on A Wandering Heart's blog:

Personality Types

You'll have to log in to find out if you have a personality too!

Personality Type

ESFJ - The "Supporter" Temperament: SJ (Protector)

Primary Function: Extraverted Feeling Population: 10% (6% male, 14% female)

Full ESFJ Profile >> (description, famous people, careers...)

Extraverted		Introverted
53%		47%
Sensing		Intuition
53%		47%
Thinking		Feeling
37%		63%
Judging		Perceiving
68%		32%

Wine Tasting and Artistic Insurrections

Wine tasting at Chateau St. Jean today. It was good! The weather was gorgeous! I brought a bottle of Fume Blanc home. Lunch on the grounds, which are really beautiful/peaceful. For dessert, had this great chocolate, milk with almonds and grey sea salt. (Vosges Chocolate, Barcelona Bar.) If you have a chance to try chocolate with salt, do it!!! Yummy!

I broke my favorite flip-flops and had to walk barefoot thru the grounds and thru a couple of stores until I found a very neon graphic pair of Airwalks that look like Vans. That was quite comical, walking barefoot, and I guess the kid print Airwalks too. It was pretty breezy and since we had a good rain and then beautifully sunny weather, I think things are confusedly blooming. It doesn't help that I'm allergic to every grass and tree pollen in the greater Bay Area so I'm having an allergy attack or caught a cold. I pounded some allergy meds and a ton of cranberry juice (VITAMIN C!) and I hope this blows over (haha, get it?) by tomorrow! really, I'm not whining, really...I'm not!!!

On the art front...Linda Woods and Karen Dinino of Visual Chronicles: The No-Fear Guide to Creating Art Journals, Creative Manifestos and Altered Books fame, wrote a new book called Journal Revolution: Rise Up and Create! Art Journals, Personal Manifestos, and Other Artistic Insurrections. I was inspired to start yet another art journal...

This is the cover made with a Tim Holtz stamp, painted Thickers and cammo quilt fabric. I stamped on acetate and attached the acetate and fabric to the cover with brads.

The first page...I can't seem to get away from the heart/red/turquoise, black combination. I suppose I should try to bust out of this box. Especially since the book challenges you to not limit your expression and to create your own "artist insurrection!" I did use a technique on page 83 (I guess this means you'll have to buy the book if you're interested in knowing what the technique is : .)

Wanna See Something "Really" Scary?!

Gettin' Ready for HalloWEEN!!!

Me and Spike, my mummy dog! After coveting him for weeks, he finally went on sale @ Michaels. So I bot, I mean "adopted" him. He's completely house-trained and hypo-allergenic! The perfect pet!!!
I just LOVE him!!!

Spike really digs his Starbucks, just like his master! He gets all glow-y eyed!