Another Milestone

{image from here}

First colonoscopy tomorrow ~ UGH!

Brrrr ~ Chilly today!

{image from here}

Only October and I am chilled to the bone!  I think I need an outfit like the girl is wearing, but it is going to make getting work done quite a challenge!

Busy as a Bee!

Just a short post today as I am trying not to neglect the blog, but I have so much on my plate right now, some things have to be put on the back burner (especially things like housecleaning and dusting!). All I can think of is that I feel like a bee ~ constantly buzzing around just trying to get all of the things on my list completed in time for Surtex! I wonder, do bees sleep?

So, while it is a hive of activity around here, I am a hive of one ~ no other worker bees ~ just queen and worker bee combined! I am lucky though, as my meals and other basics are taken care of by my boyfriend ~ he is a good cook and does all the food shopping and much of the laundry ~ so I guess I can't admit to no other worker bees at all ~ just when it comes to the work for the show. It would be nice to have a hive like that below, wouldn't it? I guess that happens when you are born into it or are Martha Stewart, neither of which is me!

{click on images for sources}

Sprocket is 4 Today!

Today is Sprocket's 4th Birthday, so despite the fact that we are on a tight time and money budget, we could not pass the day without some sort of celebration. Since Mr. Speck seemed to enjoy his Burger King party a couple years ago, that is where we headed again - after all, you do get those free birthday crowns!

Have to say, while everything including the crowns fit nicely in the box, the crowns just don't seem as special now that they are yellow instead of metallic gold ~ they seemed much more regal then. Either way, Sprocket is not really very fond of having to wear the crown anyway. Mr. Speck just outright refused ~ he has figured out that he will be getting the treats anyway, so why humiliate himself? Both the boys need haircuts terribly ~ some might mistake them for sheepdogs at this point ~ they have their grooming appointment next week, so they will be back to their handsome selves soon.

Well, the party was a success after all! Sprocket is a big Burger King fan ~ I think he would have eaten the free toy if I had given it to him. So, Happy Birthday Sprocket and Grrdy (his sister) too!

{Yum, that was tasty ~ I don't even mind wearing the crown!}

Hopefully next year we will be back to our usual grandiose dinner party ~ after all, 5 years is a milestone birthday, so we better make it special ~ we'll aim for a scenario similar to that shown below ~ except no ducks or cats (or birds, squirrels or opossums).

{image from here}

Spring has sprung!

After all of the rain and the unseasonably warmer weather we have been having, spring is officially here as the lilacs are blooming ~ seems like they are a month early! My purple lilac looks like it won't have many, if any blooms this year, but the white one is full of blooms. I thought these looked pretty in one of my favorite vases ~ this one a birthday gift from Dick a few years back. I have a huge collection of McCoy, Haeger, and similar style vases ~ it would be a full time job to keep them all filled with flowers! Happy Spring ~ I love the smell of lilacs!

It's raining, it's pouring!

{image from here}

It's raining, it's pouring, I wish I was snoring ~ it would be a great day to spend sleeping late and lounging around, but too much work on my plate for that!

Looks like a day for rain ~ we had some massive downpours last night, but at least probably need it as spring seems to be here so early this year. Guess I will have to dig into the closet to find my rain outfit so I can take my walk today ~ hope it is as fetching as the one the vintage circus performer is modelling above. I sure wish thighs that size were still in fashion ~ I think she looks great!

I found this via Pinterest and followed it to where it was posted ~ looks like there are lots of interesting things to see at Vintage Vivant ~ when I have some extra time I will definitely be back to visit. If you are interested in vintage circus, you might like to read Among the Wonderful ~ by Stacy Carlson ~ it is about the P.T. Barnum era.

PS. Sorry for the shorter posts ~ I am in the midst of getting ready for Surtex 2012, so I have little time to spare!

Raining Cats & Dogs!

{postcard from here}

So far this week it has been drizzling or pouring rain ~ a good week to get design work done inside ~ no spring fever to have to deal with! Unfortunately, as the light is so dim, I am going to have to postpone my St. Patrick's day find until I get a good day for a photo, so please be patient.

Now, the only extra bother with the rain are the wet scotties ~ neither Speck nor Sprocket have gotten the hang of shaking off BEFORE they come inside. Then there is that wet dog smell to contend with ~ ah springtime!

Tic • Toc • Tic • Toc

Now that I have changed from a corporate work day to a freelance work day, my life now revolves around my kitchen timer ~ I cheated a bit and took photos of this cool vintage timer (not reliable) I have rather than the digital one I actually use. The 12 is the number of hours I WISH I could manage to spend working on my designs, but that is just a fantasy!

If I spend too much time at the computer, things get a bit out of focus, so I have to be disciplined and pace myself! I tend to lose track of time when I am working or doing pretty much anything, so not only does the timer force me to take a break and stretch my back & legs every hour, it gives me a wake up call as far as how much I am getting done as well. Tic, toc, tic, toc, better get back to work!

This is more of the reality ~ taking it one hour at a time! I am working hard on coming up with a comfortable and efficient schedule for myself to follow ~ not something I would have thought would be difficult, but it is. I guess after working for someone else for so many years, it is an odd, but nice feeling to be able to schedule your day any way you please!

Objets Trouves ~ Found Objects

{rusty nails & tin lid}

Today was beautiful and sunny so during one of my breaks, I took a few photos of the found objects I picked up during one of my weeks of walks. My assignment for myself was to find something that was either inspiring in some way or interesting to me ~ something that I could take with me as well.

{giant bowl of sticker balls ~ love these when they are bright green too!}

Aside from the usual suspects, ie. pine cones and sticker balls, I really love the seed pods - they remind me of matzo crackers.

I also found a few simple twig fragments ~ the first, I really love because of the beautiful colors of the moss or lichen that covers it. The second had a different variety of fungus ~ a very deep dark almost black color, combined with a pale minty looking covering.


My favorite find of the week - and also what spurred the whole assignment were the groups of rusty nails ~ loved the pattern and the rusty textural finish ~ I'd never seen nails like this before. To me they looked pretty old and I did have to dig them out of the ground, but worth it, right?! The flattened tin lid was also beautiful and ended up having lovely color on both sides!

OK, so what do you think? Trash or treasure? You can probably guess my answer! What is your favorite item?

Exercise Attire

{link from here}

In general, we have been lucky this year to have a pretty mild winter, although on the cold days I have been bundling up both at home (to keep my heating bills at a minimum) and when I go on my daily walk. As it seems to take me hours to get dressed with my multitudes of layers, I am looking for a more simple solution ~ something like the above.

Anyone know where I could acquire such a workout suit? As long as I keep warm I don't think I will mind being mistaken for the Michelin Man or the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man ~ plus, I could probably make some extra cash making appearances at parties and events. Win, win ~ now, just to find a suit in my size! Maybe some roller skates too!

PS. I generally leave the cigar at home when exercising as it is quite a fire hazard.

Simple Pleasures

Amidst my big career life change, other things in my life have been changing as well. As I have had some trouble with my lower back and sciatica this year, my physical therapist recommended working a 30-45 minute walk into my schedule every day. That had been very difficult or impossible to squeeze in with a demanding day job, but now that I am scheduling my own time, the walk is on my "to do" list every day.

I spend my walks taking in things I used to just hurry past without even noticing or sometimes just thinking about projects I want to work on ~ it is sort of meditative for me. One week I saw this beautiful lichen covered twig, so I picked it up for color inspiration along with the plain twig as I liked its shape. I decided the rest of the week I would find one thing to bring home that inspired me while on my walk, so now I have a little collection of found treasures ~ or some might say junk, but for me I found beauty in these simple objects!

Another week I took my camera with me and took photos of interesting textures and color combinations I thought were unusual ~ as it is winter, while it seems bleak and monochromatic at first glance, the color is there, it is just more subtle.

It is nice for a change to be able to enjoy and appreciate the simple pleasures in your life, so if you can manage it, squeeze a walk or jog in and look around ~ you'll be surprised at what you notice ~ and the walk itself will do you good too!

Turning Over a New Leaf

Today is a big day of change for me ~ it is the first day of my new life as a freelance designer & illustrator! I have always had a day job as an artist/designer/art director and worked for various companies, so this is a huge transition for me to make. Scary, but exciting too!

I am hoping this Irish proverb, Making the beginning is one third of the work is true since that means I only have 2/3rds of the work left to do!

My first big undertaking is to participate at Surtex this year (booth #371), so I will be working hard to develop art to license from now until the show in May ~ this has been a dream of mine for years, so here goes!

I like the sentiment of the quote below by Anais Nin and am going to try to embrace a more spontaneous life ~ a difficult challenge for me as I am a list-maker and planner. Looking forward to my new venture and life!

Throw your dreams into space like a kite,
and you do not know what it will bring back,
a new life, a new friend, a new love, or a new country.

{click on images for sources}

Stumpy the Squirrel

Oh, it has been so long since I have posted anything ~ I am so sorry! In my defense, I have been sick, so it is a relief to be feeling better and back to some of the normal things in my life! I do thank those of you who check the blog for hanging in there and I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday a month or so ago! More posts coming!

So, to start the New Year (a little late!) off right, I thought I would post about my friend and neighbor, Stumpy the squirrel ~ every time I see him, he makes me smile ~ AND I just saw him a day ago, so he seems to be surviving the winter months in good fashion. These photos were taken at several different points in late summer ~ I started noticing Stumpy this past spring, so he has been around for awhile.

Depending on how observant you are, you may or may not have noticed that Stumpy is a rather unique squirrel . . . the only reason he stands out in the crowd of squirrels in the neighborhood is because he only has a stump of a tail! I guess that is why he holds a special place in my heart since I wonder how this hardship has effected his life and how he became the way he is.

I admire his chutzpah as he strolls down the street not letting anyone make him feel inferior or out of place ~ his stub of a tail doesn't keep him from taking care of business! I think he would make a nice companion for Miss Suzy ~ I don't think she would mind that he only has a 2 inch tail and looks sort of like an odd short eared and slinky rabbit when he bounds across the yard. Lately I have seen Stumpy in the backyard scampering across the telephone lines and tantalizing my two scotties ~ I hope Stumpy's ego isn't getting too big and he doesn't take too many risks. From what I can tell, he has prepared well for the winter months and I hope he has a long and happy life.

Wishing the same to all of you ~ in addition to a Happy New Year!

Ten Today!

Mr. Speck is celebrating his 10th birthday today! Still hirsute and handsome, Mr. Speck keeps a good eye on the backyard while waiting for his birthday dinner. While the celebration last year was spectacular, turning 10 is quite the milestone, so a special dinner of flank steak on the grill awaits Mr. Speck this evening. Happy 10th Birthday Mr. Speck!

{in a serious mood}

{keeping an eye out for squirrels}

Snip, snip snip . . .

Hair appointment this morning! With this humidity, you can bet I won't be getting a permanent! My hair has a life of its own in this weather.

{getting a permanent ~ image from here}

Happy Weekend everyone!

Q & A Journal

I have never been one to write a journal or a diary ~ I've always found them a bit intimidating ~ but when I saw the beautiful book cover of the Q & A a day Journal, I couldn't resist! Who says you can't judge a book by its cover? ~ in this case I did! Black foil typography and graphic elements contrast with raw kraft paper creating a gorgeous book that feels good in your hands.

The inside of the book is nicely designed as well and is filled with questions or prompts that make it easy to jot down a quick note each day. You can start the journal anytime ~ each page/date has room for five years of entries. Here are a few examples of some of the questions/prompts:
• Write down a problem you solved today.
• Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
• What's your favorite accessory?
• What's the most creative thing you've done recently?
• Today you got rid of _____.
• What's your hairstyle?

Since this is a 5 year journal ~ I think it will be fun to look back and see how I answered the same questions each day year after year. Doesn't this seem less intimidating than most journals?

Are You Afflicted with AAADD?

I think I had an episode over the weekend, but I can't remember. Nice to know there is a name for the affliction! Any of you have this too?

Crazy Weather Week!

{photo by Scott Cook via The Pitch}

Living in Kansas City for almost 25 years, I am still not really used to the weird weather we get here ~ this week, for instance, 3 tornadoes went through the area around the lunch hour on Wednesday. Lucky for us, no damage was done and everyone emerged safely after the storms passed through. I think that everyone is taking the sirens more seriously after seeing the devastation in Joplin, Mo earlier in the week.

Above is a photo taken (and no doubt color enhanced!) that day by Scott Cook ~ he is selling prints (8 x 10 for $15) through PayPal: scottcookmail@gmail.com with all proceeds going to the Joplin storm victims. Makes me (and apparently others) think I may live on the Ghostbusters set, here.

Speck & Sprocket's Day of Beauty

Today was a beautiful sunny and warm day ~ the perfect day for a trip to Picasso Groomery for the boys' spring makeover. The boys were all excited about the ride in the car ~ until they realized where they were going! Since they are both male and terriers, getting spruced up is not their favorite activity, even though their groomer is Tak, a celebrity! Grrrdy, Sprocket's sister likes getting pampered ~ she was honored with the PDG CLient's Star of the Month for June 2010.

After several hours at the groomery, the boys were bathed, trimmed and clipped and were looking pretty darn handsome. Sprocket wasted no time getting back on the deck to keep an eye out for trespassing squirrels and rabbits.

I think Speck has not quite forgiven me for taking him for a day of beauty......

Wish I could get Speck & Sprocket to pose like these guys. . . . .

{Walter & Delbert from here}

New Addition!

Ordered a new couch for the living room this week ~ it will arrive next week! I ended up choosing the taupe leather instead of the cream because the two scots would have it mud covered in no time. Now to look for some pillows ~ any suggestions? I see another knit or crochet project in my future......