FINALLY got some new glasses the other day..."they look just like your old ones" you say??? Au Contraire (sp?) these are MUCH more feminine and stylish (albeit thick, chunky & nerdy like the old pair- I'm continually going for the Tina Fey/Ganeane Garoffolo look)

I'd had that old pair for around 6 years I think..time for a change, and strangely enough, for the first time in my life, the pair that I "wanted" the most, was actually the least expensive too!! That almost never happens!

And then in the continuing makeover spirit I hacked away at my hair today and almost got the A-line that I've been trying to get someone to give me for ages! The last girl, a very sweet girl and friend of mine, that cut my hair almost had a conniption she was so nervous about cutting my hair...and no matter where I go to get it styled, I always end up with a variation on the mommy-helmet - SO not my style!! so I figured WTH and chopped at it myself....my bathroom sink is now completely clogged with hair but I think I'm happy with how my head looks...and it didn't cost me anything!! woohoo!!! LGK had to help me hack at the back bits a little...luckily the look I was going for was somewhat shaggy/not necessarily even so it worked.

I can't obviously take a picture of the back of my head so you'll just have to believe me it looks good...and yes, I am sporting the old Bee's Gear in the above picture...No, I don't willingly wear unisex polo's.

On a side note, I miss my boy....we've had a glimpse of what it would be like to only have one kid this weekend as the young Master went on a little trip to P-town with his Grammy & Grampy. The little miss has been talking our ear(s) off as usual but it is eerily quiet around here with just one...He's having a great time though...got to go to a sculpture & ceramic conference/workshop thingy and hang out with his uncles a little bit too. Miss M is feeling a little bit left out but she's focusing her energies on planning her upcoming 8th birthday party (The theme will apparently be Cheese, with a Jungle/Mad Hatter Tea Party and she's requested a Dora the Explorer Pin`ata -not because she likes Dora...rather because she hates Dora and relishes the thought of bashing her effigy and watching candy pour from her "corpse" - OMG!!! what a morbid little monkey my husband has created!!! (I take zero responsibility!!!)

press release...

I got this in an email from the organizer of the earth day fair we were a part of over the weekend...kewl. I feel all warm & fuzzy now

Extraordinary Earth Day

The 8th Annual Earth Day and Energy Fair happened this past weekend with enormous community turn out and participation. Over 80 exhibitors were on hand to showcase conservation, sustainability, and green living. Event organizers report that nearly 3000 Douglas County Residents came out to brave the snow and hail to enjoy the free event, music, and prizes.

The most extraordinary part of this year’s Earth Day and Energy Fair at the Douglas County Fairgrounds, is that organizers planned a couple of recycling events to coincide with the festivities. First, nearly 700 pounds of used tennis shoes were collected in front of Douglas Hall and delivered to Nike in Eugene to be ground up into new athletic running tracks. Second, 3 truckloads of electronic waste was collected for recycling from local businesses and families. This amounts to 24,000 pounds or 12 tons of waste diverted from our local landfill.

In addition, the event demonstrated how a large scale venue like the Douglas County Fairgrounds can successfully subscribe to a “zero waste” philosophy. Each exhibitor was encouraged to minimize waste, as was the concessionaire. Organizers provided zero garbage cans; only recycle bins manned by volunteers to educate fair goers. A waste audit at the end of the event indicated that of the 227.2 pounds of waste generated; only 5 pounds went to the landfill as garbage. The rest was either recycled or composted. This amounted to a recycling rate of 97.5%. The average household in Douglas County only recycles 30%.

Chris McCullough, Douglas County Waste Reduction Manager and event coordinator stated “The success of this program is due in large part to the great partnerships and volunteers.” McCullough goes on to say that “Douglas County is rich in community leadership. Despite differing approaches and ideologies, each partner and volunteer is fully engaged in the shared goal of a clean, green Oregon.

For more information on this or any other of the County’s waste reduction programs contact Douglas County Public Works at 440-4350 or visit them online at www.recyclepower.org

three things...

no wait, make that four things, that are boooging me today
1. I got to Office Depot at 10 minutes to 9:00 tonight to get my very important copies...and they were closed! the sign on the door said they were open until 9:00 and I could see the retail-drones inside - but the doors were locked! pooh! LGK says I shouldn't call and complain but I'm thinking about calling the manager tomorrow and expressing my displeasure (I too work for a corporate entity and we are required to stay open, no matter how slow it is - posted hours are posted hours people!)

that brings me to
2. A new reason to hate this podunk town I live in. I have to drive 20 or so miles to get to an office depot/staples to get my all-important laser copies. This is not the land of late-night Kinkos and I miss that. There are NO "copy" or print stores in my neck of the county
again, I say Poo

3. We watched, and thoroughly enjoyed Sweeny Todd the other day. That's not bugging me; Johnny Depp is a genius and Tim Burton is a God and this movie was quite MY cup of tea. What's killing me is how many people I've talked to about it who say "I didn't like it. There was too much singing" Are you freaking kidding me!?!?!? It's a Fracking Stephen Sondheim MUSICAL!!!!! that means there's singing - and if you didn't know that going in then I say to you......yep you guessed it...Poo

4. I was listening to liberal talk radio on my way home from work and I heard several Hillary Supporting callers who said that if Obama gets the nomination that they will vote for McCain. Exqueeze Me? Baking Powder? WTF!!! What kind of chicken-shit spoiled-brat kind of crap is that? "If MY candidate doesn't win then I'm going to vote for the other guy!" POOOOO
If I go out to eat and I really have my heart set on a hot fudge sunday...and they are out of hot fudge - I'm not going to order brussle sprouts instead!!!! I'm going to have the friggin' cheesecake because it's at least a yummy dessert! (does that metaphor make sense to anyone else?)
As my step-mother would say "Jeez O' Pete" - I don't know who this Pete guy is but I'm gonna kick his ass too
Poo
( I feel better now...going to go take a warm bath now)

Hug A Tree...

and if you're in the 'burg...swing by the earthday/energy fair this Saturday @ the fairgrounds

more magnet designs!!

for earth day

and my favorites (we're doing these for breast cancer awareness...I'm not a big fan of the "pink ribbon" symbology so this is our bad-ass twist) I've also got this design available with a red heart instead of pink and the banner message can be customized - like a dog tag! kewl-ifIdosaysomyself!)

Special thanks to LGK for all his help bringing my visualizations to fruition

So we noticed at the Farmer's Market last week that folks seem to be more willing to part with $4 than $8-10...and both Alana and Erin had recommended magnets .... so we're making magnets now!! (as well as the jewelry) they're easier, and cheaper to make, and therefore cheaper to buy!! and stinkin' cute if I do say so myself!! (also available at my etsy)

(and yes, I just figured out how to do the linky-do thing!)
happy day y'all!

A few (fuzzy) pictures of the tadpole "project". The kids are simulating "rain" with a spray bottle and that third shot is of just a few of the 2 dozen or so little guys we caught....I can't wait for froggies!!!!
and Molly's seedlings are sprouting this week too! Soon we will be swimming in basil, roma tomatos & sunflowers!!!! Yaaaaaay! (yes, I just did the Kermit the frog arm-dance!)

Red Letter Weekend

All good things must come to an end...so I bid adieu to a loverly weekend.
Saturday was delightful...what started as a brief visit to gather some tadpoles at a friend's pond turned into an enchanted romp through (part) of their 100 acres of Callahan Woodland. We saw fairy domeciles...doozer caves, dragon dung and more varieties of moss than I ever knew existed. Add to that great conversation, a nice bottle of wine and Cheese (Brie, Bleu and Chevre to be exact) and it was one of the best days we've had in forever! These friends of ours also have a beautiful daughter about the boy's age and the kids had a great time too! Romping and exploring through her "Tarabithia"...(We try not to discuss the pre-arranged marriage too loudly around the boy..he gets twitchy...but part of her "dowry" might include a hunk of this property, getting us one step closer to our dream of "Kadestan" ;)

Yesterday I worked so it wasn't "technically" weekendy but I did go out for drinks with my girlfriend Paigey after work. I am now fully caught-up on all the gossip...and boy is there some juice!
Seems the trend to disregard the sanctity of marriage vows continues...Cheaters abound, leaving husband's for angry, tattooed fry cooks; baby daddy's continue to indiscriminantly apply their kryptonite-sperm to the unsuspecting;baby-momma's continue to leave their baby daddy's 'cause they won't pay for their boob jobs...the gamut! I am constantly appalled ( and morbidly intrigued) by the Shennanigans (someday I will write a treatise on it) and I always wonder: is it the area I live in? Is it socio-economic? Am I just incredibly old fashioned?
Anyway, this old-fashioned baby momma, had a fantastic weekend with her husband of going on 14 years, and her two brilliant children and I just wanted to take a moment to give thanks for that

Farmer's Market here I come...

So I didn't write anything about it because I didn't want the same buildup/letdown I had from the farmer's market to the south...but last night I "juried" for the farmer's market in the 'burg....and.....they called this morning to say "yes"...surprise surprise surprise!!
It was overall a much more positive jurry process (I actually got to present my merchandise and meet the board - you know, actually a chance to "sell" myself) and the board was quite a bit younger and hopefully "hipper" - ready for my jelly ifyouknowwhuti'msayin'. Who wouldathunk it in the 'burg?!?!
Anyway, that market runs Saturdays starting next Saturday, so wish me luck :) Mike & Madalyn (LGK's parents) will be jurrying next month and hopefully joining me with their ceramics and stained glass (like they did at the Spring fair)

on another note; I don't generally "critique" films. I leave that to folks like Uncle Jeff and Erin, but I must address the emotional state that August Rush left me in. I feel like I just had a week-long crying binge, ate too much chocolate, drank too much coffee and then took a really long nap.
Of course I've always loved that little tragic munchkin Freddie Highmore...and John Rhys Myer's lips are enough of a reason alone to watch a movie...
I'd seen the previews and knew I was in for a pms-inducing experience and was not disappointed at all. If you don't mind a little "schlock" (but as LGK puts it, the right kind of schlock) and sappiness, and you haven't yet...you might want to rent it. The sound editing/musical score is really neat-o (see the little boy hears music in everything - subways, cornfields etc.) oh and did I mention Terence Howard's eyes!?!?! swoon! and even though it was uncomfortable and a bit queezy-making to not adore Robin Williams as the Fagen character - he was excellent, just not entirely likable ( and no, despite what I thought from the previews, he was NOT playing U2's Bono) I'd give it a thumbs up (also worth noting: no potty humor, no profanity and no naughty bits)

Just posted...
now that I'm done with the spring fair I had a chance to get LGK to take some pictures for me so I could post a few of my newer designs on etsy...(I'm quite proud of myself that the only things I still need his help on are the photographs & the poly-eurethane dipping (it makes me wheezy) other than that I'm finally getting quite self-sufficient with my craftiness (I even learned how to pour resin yesterday and I'm getting better with the photo shop! Yay me) anyhow, in celebration of spring...and gardening


For the cat-lovers

and my new favorite design...

more to come....