Tonight Tonight

Happy belated Thanksgiving! Just stopped by to let you guys know that Bubble Addict was featured in a treasury by Dpad called Go Gamers.

Go check it out...maybe you will find a Christmas gift for that special gamer in your life? Remember to shop local today!

Greensleeves

With Black Friday and the "official" holiday shopping season close upon us, I wanted to put in my two cents and urge everyone to...

(banner courtesy A Beautiful Mess)

There are so many independent local shops all over the US, not to mention the hundreds of online crafters and vintage collectors that provide unique products and personal shopping experiences. Often these sellers struggle to make a living while doing what they love, and this holiday season you can say NO to anonymous chains and YES to supporting small businesses by shopping local/handmade for holiday gifts for your loved ones.

Get creative this year! Grab a friend or family member and go on a hunt for those special one-of-a-kind gifts! I for one am super excited to visit Frocks Boutique, Vintage Martini, and of course Etsy for my holiday gift-giving needs.

What are some of your favorite local businesses? :)

Carol of the Bells

Trying out a new font. Like?

I may be a few days early, but I've already started the Christmas music. Carol of the Bells is my absolute, all time, hands-down-kick-his-ass favorite. Acoustic, a capella, and anything in between...I melt every time.

Speaking of Christmas, I have my very first Christmas-themed painting up in the shop!

This piece is called White Elephant and is a testament to my hatred for all holiday gift swap games. White Elephant, Dirty Santa, Chinese Christmas (is that some how racist? probably), Yankee Swap...I don't care what you call it, it is not fun and I will not come to your party.

All the hipsters will be proud of me, I recently made my very first vintage purchases!

A 1978 Mardi Gras t-shirt and a 1960's happy jacket. I think I'm in love.

I can't wait to spend Wednesday baking and Thursday in a food coma. Time to fatten up for the winter.

Hark! how the bells
Sweet silver bells
All seem to say,
"Throw cares away."

:)

Beautiful Disaster

Omg, you guys, I was reading through my old blog from 2003 and came upon this lovely "poem" that I wrote:

The grass is always greener on the other side
But their reasons are not mine
It's all too cliché for words
Don't rain on my parade

When you speak, you've opened up a can of worms
And it's a horse of a different color
You never know what not to say
The cat's out of the bag

Dr. Seuse had the right idea
One fish, two fish
Red fish, blue fish
I'm trying to count my many blessings

I've reaped what I've sown
Washed my mouth out with soap
Bitten my tongue
What goes around comes around

Whoa. I was all kinds of awesome in high school. You have no idea. But, seriously, it reminded me how open and ready to create and challenge ourselves we all were. I don't know how or why it happens, but it seems that these walls get built up the older we get, maybe to protect ourselves, or to convince the world that we are "adults" who "have it together." But, all this accomplishes is to stifle our creativity and push us closer away from who we really are. I'd like to get that freeness, that vulnerability back somehow. I'd like to be a kid again.

I guess the closest we can ever get is to try to be as open and as true to ourselves as possible. To not let responsibilities and age get us down. After all, I'm still relatively young. I've got time.

Anywho, now for my original intention: to share my newest creation! Just finish this morning. Hot off the press. Fresh out of the oven. Etc. This is Polar Bear's Birthday.

I've been working on the piece forever, never feeling that it was right...until this morning. I'm really pleased with the way it turned out and ready to see where this new style is headed. Because honestly, I have no control over it whatsoever.

Well, I gotta go now. I've got a lotta bouncin' to do! Hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo! T-T-F-N: ta-ta for now!

About A Girl

I have been working on a personal cookbook for the past couple years, but as of late it has kind of fallen into shambles. So, I have been spending time this week cleaning it up, typing out some of my favorite recipes, and trying some new desserts. My newest creation (something I have made before, but like the cupcakes is a seasonal thing) is my Great-Grandmother's Persimmon Cookies.

They are so delicious, there seriously are not words.

In other news, Corban, Daniel, and Stephen recently filmed a new short, Say Nothing.

I have to say that my favorite character is the stud in the red jacket...yum! Seriously, though, they did an excellent job, and I am really looking forward to what they will come up with next. :)

Glitter in the Air

Why are the last two months of the year so busy? I barely have a free moment from now until New Years. Or, it feels that way, at least. The past week has been no exception, full of some sweet and some bitter sweet moments...

...Saying goodbye to a good friend (bitter sweet.) Matt (we're related!...we'll just call it second cousins) and his lady friend Brit left for Irvine, California late last week. They are two of the most relaxed, accepting people that I have known, and I will miss them very much. I was delighted that I was able to spend one last evening drinking, visiting, and generally shooting the breeze with Matt and the guys. Mister and I are already planning to drop by sunny California for a visit soon.

...Attending a Joshua Radin concert (sweet) at House of Blues with Hope. His voice is even more melt-tasitc in person. We were dangerously close to swooning on several occasions.

Redecorating my side of the office (neither sweet, nor bitter sweet, just long over due!) There is definitely still more to do, but everything is now organized and functional (as it should have been a year ago.) I am planning to make some Christmas pompoms, or maybe some bunting in the next couple weeks. :)

Watching the leaves turn (sweet.) When we moved in a year ago, the trees outside the office were beautiful reds and golds; I have been anxiously waiting to see those colors again. Well, the trees are finally turning! Fall colors make me so happy, and I am thrilled to be able to look out the window and enjoy my own little piece of the season.

And, last but not least, baking pumpkin flavored desserts (super sweet!) Lovelovelove pumpkin ANYTHING. I spent a good part of the morning making these Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes by Emma of Red Velvet fame. Obviously my icing fell short of expectations, but the cake is so moist and delicious...I am very proud of myself for just having one (even so, I have a sugar rush like whoa!) Persimmon Cookies coming later this week. :)

I look forward to much more sweet and bitter before the year is up. Hopefully there will be much more of the former. For now, I am really looking forward to Thanksgiving next week (an excuse to make another batch of those cupcakes!) and plans are still in the works to get a new piece posted in ye olde shoppe by the end of the week. Ivy is helping me. :) Enjoy the weather, kids, it's sure to turn nasty soon.

Suspension

Yesterday, an oldie but a goodie, The Last Dolphin was featured in this super sweet treasury by Night Owl Craft Works (or their daughter, anyway.)

This treasury is absolutely adorable, so please go over and give it some commenty love!

In an unrelated note: this is my 100th blog post! Is that a thing? Should there be balloons? This is possibly the only thing that I have committed to for more than a few months at a time, so I guess I should be proud?

Yay, 100 blogs!

I will now watch Parks and Recreation until mister takes me to brunch. I am so hungry.

Immovable

The stars finally aligned this weekend to allow Corban, Connie, Olivia, and me to visit some of their family in Houston. I do not exaggerate when I say that these are some of the most creative, warm, hospitable people I have ever met. We had a wonderful time visiting, eating, and generally being merry. Olivia and Aunt Laura even graced us with a beautiful song!

Now that I have a bit more "free" time, I have been following creative blogs like gangbusters and recently came upon musician Jeremy Larson. I would highly recommend checking out his album Salvation Club, which is FREE here. His integration of strings (especially the cello) melts my heart. I am also completely obsessed with his finance Elsie's blog, A Beautiful Mess. Their talent and creativity is truly inspiring.

New pieces (nature show inspired!) are in the works, hoping to get something up in the shop early next week.

Stay tuned.

Out Of My System

This past week I have tackled the Great Office Re-Organization/Decoration. I've never been happy with the space, and I figure that there's no way I can work in it if I don't even want to be in it. As I enjoy a good craft from time to time, I decided to use this tutorial from Smile and Wave to make myself some rockin' pompoms (no other pompom in the history of the earth has ever been "rockin", but I somehow managed it.) Voila!

So freakin' crafty.

Bittersweet Symphony

Halloween has come and gone, and with it some valuable lessons. The biggest one being that I hate-hate-hatey-hate wearing wigs and will never do so again. Bearing that in mind, feast your eyes on the only time ever that you will see me with black hair (aka Mrs. Mia Wallace):

Mr. Johnson was smarter than I - he dressed up as "Guy In Hoodie". Behold, the Unabomber:

My favorite costume was probably Kim Jong-Il. Who apparently has a thing for ballerinas. Who knew?

Well, glad that's over! Now I can just go back to being boring ol' me. Happy Post-Halloween Autumn!