Why You Should Never Mix Hot Coffee and Softball

I get pretty queasy when I see blood, fresh scars, the operating scenes in Grey's Anatomy, etc.  If you are like me, you may not be able to finish reading this post.  I'm getting a little light-headed thinking about it myself.  What you are about to see are the effects of last nights wild night on the town.  Don't say I didn't warn you.

Yes, that is the remainder of my chin.  The lovely heart-shaped bit is where my skin blistered and burnt.  Here's a little reenactment of what took place.

I was watching my brother's late night softball game with my parents and Sebastian when I decided it was time to enjoy the freshly brewed coffee my dear husband had made to keep me warm on the bleachers.  Sebastian was sitting safely in my mother's lap next to me all tucked in under blankets and layers of clothing.  I took the lid off of the thermos that I had never used before and fidgeted with the part that I thought opened so that I could drink the coffee.  If I had stopped to realize that this was not a 'drink from spout' kind of thermos, I would've avoided the scalding hot coffee that missed my mouth and ran down my chin and all over my shirt.  

This is what it looked like.
I wiped my chin off with my sleeve and shared some mild expression of frustration in the form of 'CRAP' with those around me.  I felt my chin and noticed my skin was movable...like when you're sluffing off the dead skin from a sunburn.  Sick, I know.  It was only about three minutes later that I turned to my mom and asked if my chin looked red and she said very calmly, "Rachel, you may need some ice."   Its always better if you don't see how bad it is until you're in a place to laugh it off.  I'm not sure what this will look like in about a month but if it has permanently sealed off the pores on my chin, then we're good.  In the meantime, all self-portraits will have to be of my feet.  Ha!  

The Tribe Has Spoken

Oh, you beautiful, beautiful thing. I'm saving up for you.
I'm also working with a good friend on a woodcut tattoo. He's a prolific artist, I love his stuff, and he's sending me the first draft on Friday. Promise I'll share when I have it done.
And, thanks to another beautiful friend, a very special email from iTunes showed up in my inbox! Love love love! I hope I turn 27 again next year. I'd just finished reading 'Redemption Song,' a biography about Joe Strummer. So I'm listening to his solo record, 'Earthquake Weather' and his 3 incredible records as Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros, 'Rock Art & the X-Ray Style,' 'Global A Go-Go,' and, compiled and released after his death, 'Streetcore.' Incredible stuff. Oh, and I'm paying a bit of attention to another one of his earlier bands, the Clash. Anyone ever heard of them? No? Probably a one-hit wonder or something.  Maybe they'll grow on me.

Frosting

There is nothing finer than homemade cake frosting. This recipe is the one Brett's Mama made every year before we got married and although I've made it at least ten times (birthdays and other days) I can never remember where I put my recipe card. You have to remember we've moved our kitchen four times in the last six years. I told Cheryl that I would paint it on my wall when we finally bought a house.
I called her again yesterday to get the details but she was away from her own recipe box so Jaime, Brett's youngest sister and a fine baker herself, gave me the ingredients and guessed the measurements. As I went along I could tell it wasn't turning out per usual so I kind of winged it and added a little more of this and that until it was suitable.
Despite its unusually light coloring, the frosting was delicious.

It was a relaxed birthday weekend. We talked about going to see Kimya Dawson in Visalia but then remembered all the practical reasons why we shouldn't. I know. We're old. The last concert Brett and I went to was Over The Rhine in Seattle two years ago this month. Sebastian heard the muffled version through the amniotic fluid he was floating in.

I've really enjoyed NOT working on anything crafty this weekend. I don't usually lock myself out of the crafty space because I always enjoy spending free time making stuff but it can really keep me from spending that important 'do nothing' time that every soul needs to anchor itself. This morning I realized how much I love sitting under the huge shade tree that graciously hangs over our backyard. I was just there. Not making lists or worrying about how much t.v. time Sebastian is getting, etc. but just noticing and absorbing and sitting. Its what being six feels like.
Thanks to all who left their two cents and birthday wishes for Brett. He felt the love. Still no decision on the birthday checks except that he's happy to not spend them on debt reduction!
Ta-Ta!

Rock the Vote

Saturday is Brett's 27th birthday.
He is sitting on the couch going over all the possibilities of what he can buy with his birthday checks.
He needs your help.

Should he:

A) Get a tattoo

B) Drop it on iTunes

C) Pay off debt

D) Start his Vespa nest egg

Its always a toss up between instant gratification and long term happiness but I tend to choose the former when it comes to birthday money.

More random things about Brett.

*He subs at a middle school where ALL the 8th grade girls have a crush on him.

*He makes the best lattes.

*He used to paint his fingernails black.

*He wore the same pair of pants (that turned into shorts) every day during 11th grade.

*His top three favorite things include reading, sleeping and.. guess.

*He knows almost everything about indie music, sports and politics because of his aforementioned reading hobby.

*He is totally supportive of my artistic endeavors.

*He always writes thank-you notes.

*He likes Grey's Anatomy, too!

*He wants a Vespa real bad.


Feel free to leave Brett a 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY RAD HUSBAND OF RACHEL's' message. He'll blush.


Happy weekend!

DIY Woodgrain Book

You can make your own if you go HERE.

I'm Better

Ya'all are the best at making a girl feel loved. I laughed my way through many of your comments. THANKS!

Enjoying these lovely blogs lately.
Making It Lovely
Paper Pony
Heart Handmade
Mati Rose
Oh Joy!
Jen Gotch Photography
Wondering if I could make one of these myself.


And I'd like one of everything from this shop.

Chill-Out, Man!

Uggghhh. Totally feeling lame.

I think I'm about to menstruate. Yes, I said menstruate.

So, I woke up yesterday and watched yet another 40 minutes of (the same) Elmo's World, did NOT go jogging, spent some fabulous time outside in the backyard with my journal, and stayed in my 'morning clothes' until 3:30 p.m. when Brett got home from subbing and I was able to take a shower in peace before tutoring. Bumming around in my 'morning clothes' puts me in a bad mood. Answering the door in my 'morning clothes' usually makes me feel awkward. So, when the salesman knocked around lunch time, I was in no condition to stand in my 'morning clothes' with a diaper clad toddler tugging my arm to get back to Elmo's World. He said he wanted my help in getting points to win a trip to some exotic location. I told him I wasn't interested in helping him win a vacation to said exotic location. I just wanted to get back to my pissy morning. I regretted being so rude as I watched him walk down the driveway, shaking his head and probably wondering if he could get away with tagging our fence. (Sorry, Sebastian has already claimed that canvas!)

The rest of the afternoon and evening just felt forced as far as work goes. Its hard to be creative when you're about to menstruate. Anyone? Anyone? Sebastian pooped in the bath tub and will probably wet the crib for the fourth night in a row despite his super absorbent, overnight diaper. I will probably regret staying up a little too late again when its time to roll out of bed in the morning, find the coffee, and insert the worn-out, Elmo DVD while I check out how many comments I have on my blog.
Glam-or-ous! So leave me a comment or I'll probably yell at another salesman.

Tag Time

I was tagged by Jocelynne. I'm feeling compliant.

What was I doing 5 years ago?
Finishing my junior year of college, working in the library, being newly married.

Five things on my to-do list today ( or things I did today):
1. Tutor Verujan
2. Work on secret project
3. Take a shower
4. Entertain my son in the backyard
5. Return e-mails and phone calls (the phone calls probably won't happen, though.)

Five snacks i love:
1. avacadoes
2. yogurt
3. chocolate chips
4. apple sauce
5. peanuts

-Five things i would do if i were a billionaire:
1. buy a house for my family
2. fund an art center in my community
3. move to italy for a few months
4. send a good portion to some friends doing good work in Haiti
5. send some to each of our family and friends

-Five bad habits I have:
1. saying 'yes' when I need to say 'no'.
2. being impatient with sales people at my front door.
3. not calling people back.
4. not cleaning my bathroom as often as I should.
5. making piles instead of putting things away.

-Five places i have lived:
1. Roseville, CA
2. Fresno, CA
3. Ashby-De-La-Zouch, England
4. Shawnee, OK
5. Seattle, WA

-Five jobs i've had:
1. Yogurt Server (yogurt technician?)
2. Reference Library Assistant
3. Day Care Worker
4. English as a second language teacher/ tutor
5. Kit Club Designer/Owner

If you're into tagging and have some free time today, be my guest.



No pressure.

Tuesday

We went to the edge of town and stared the foothills in the eye.
The weather seemed warmer there.
Sebastian loved the cows until they tried to lick him.
I just wanted to lay in the flowers.

I Bought A Pink Flamingo

I found this blog through many clicks that originated from this girl's flickr favorites.

Speaking of Elsie, if you haven't already purchased one of every print, you may want to head over to her Etsy shop and see what is new as of late. These are my favorite three at the moment.

Yes, I Still Scrapbook

I was so happy to be asked to showcase a few of the new products from Elle's Studio during her blog party this last weekend. I love the number tags and the candy store journaling spots! I've still got a pile of tags to work through on future layouts. Thanks, Elle!

The rest of the mini is here.


(Prepare for the parenthesis')
This month has been irregular but so refreshing. We're starting to figure out where we'll be living in Springfield, sorting out jobs and planning how to be organized enough so the kit club isn't too affected by the timing of our move.
Last night I went to bed before 11:00 p.m. (never happens!) just to get a head start on the week ahead. We slept with our windows open but it got too cool for Sebastian around 4:30 a.m. I woke up and covered him up with a blanket and then got back in bed but laid there for about 45 minutes going over kit club details, imagining what our new place will look like, wondering what life will be like in the Midwest, etc.
Finally, I decided to do something productive with my alert state of mind and crept out of the bedroom so as not to disturb anyone who might be happily asleep (yes, our son sleeps in a crib in our room...thats another blog post). I made it into our bathroom where I located my bra (ahem) and morning clothes (aka: clothes I wouldn't be caught dead in outside) in the dark and was about to step out into the hall when I saw a dark figure coming towards me. (Gasp!) It was my half-asleep brother and his full bladder (yes, another blog post). He had a little green flashlight with him but he looked quite scary and I was a little nervous that he had seen me clawing around in the bathroom and brought his gun to investigate! My brother is in the Army Reserves and is an accurate marksman with a full plan of attack if ever anyone tried to break into the house, so you can see why my heart might start beating rapidly. Fortunately, he was just getting up to use that bathroom and was too groggy to be alarmed.
I eventually made it downstairs without peeing my own pants and got busy working through e-mails and ordering the final bits for the kit club this month. 9:30 a.m. hasn't felt this good in awhile. I might try this early to bed, early to rise thing out again.

Off to the foothills to take some pictures in a field of wildflowers this afternoon. Does it feel like Spring where you are?

I Think You're Just So Pleasant

Elle's Studio is having a blog party today and you're all invited. I've heard mention of give aways and new product debuts so make sure you stop by and check the schedule.

The above image is not a give away but it is yummy to look at. Brett is learning about Vespas so its on the mind.

San Francisco was almost a week ago but the after glow is lingering. Its so refreshing for the imagination to have an exciting change of scenery, change of pace. Its like opening the windows and letting the spring air in to blow the stale air away. There were so many 'best parts' that I can't put them in order of importance but the VERY best part of any trip is spending new time with my family and especially my husband. We did road trips a lot in college so it takes us back to the fluttery days of young love set to lots of indie music.

I felt less intimidated than expected on the walk to Rare Device to see if I could meet Lisa Congdon. Mostly I tried to remember that she did a show called the 'Tenderhearted' because she is one. I knew it would not be an encounter that left me wanting to slip out after the second awkward pause. We walked about 1.5 miles from our hotel to the shop and as we figured out if the baby jogger should go inside or stay outside, I looked up and saw her at the desk. She helped us bring the jogger in and introduced Sebastian to Wilfredo, her pup. We talked a little about the strange weather, her upcoming shows, how good Wilfredo is with her niece and nephew and our move to the Midwest. I browsed around and other people came in to shop but it was a really easy feeling considering I was coming into her store to meet her as a fan of her work. That can be an awkward time on any level of admiration. Brett took our picture as Sebastian was scurrying around after Wilfredo who was trying to snag his cheerios and then we said goodbye. She helped us out the door again and we took our Rare Device goodies with us in search of a few Vespas. I was really happy to have met Lisa, but more happy that I did something that was brave. I think my dad explains that every inaction due to fear leads to further fear, and every brave step forward moves you away from it.
Something like that anyway. See, Dad. I do listen.

Three other major highlights of the trip were (1) meeting Nikki and her friend Courtney at the (2) Alameda Antique Show and eventually finding (3) Marie at the correct Starbucks in Manteca. It was a full 36-ish hours of new and exciting moments.

I can't stop looking at this picture of the quilt I brought home from the Show. My Grandmother in Oklahoma managed to find the couple that this quilt was made for and they are still alive and in California! She found their address and sent it to me. I'm so curious about all the reasons this quilt would be special to them and what their life was like and why it was separated from them, etc. so I'm going to sit down and write them a letter sometime to let them know I have it. I'm halfway scared they'll want it back but if the roles were reversed...

I've got a few LO's to share this weekend.

I hope you have some sunshine for breakfast.

Words Will Come Soon

Road Trip

I was reading about the Alameda Antique Show today and realized its happening again this weekend and decided I needed to be there. Brett and I had been talking about a trip to the Bay Area for his birthday so it didn't take much convincing to make plans to leave Saturday morning and make a weekend of it.
I've been reviewing sfgirlbybay for some tips on how we should spend our time in one of the most brilliant cities in the country. How many times have I been to Pier 39 but walked past countless photo booths and local galleries? I'm hoping to make it to Rare Device but I will share with you that I'm at the same time hopeful and afraid that Lisa Congdon will actually be there! Its one thing to e-mail someone, admire their flickr feed, check their blog, but to meet said artist in person means I can't erase what I was going to say three times and keep an appearance of radness. Its enough to keep me from introducing myself at all and just cruising through and taking pics. Not going to happen, though. I need to be vulnerable and brave and shake a hand. Because awkward is beautiful, right?
I'll be taking both my digital and my polaroid cameras on the trip and I plan on taking an obnoxious amount of pictures in the city. If anyone wants to meet up on Sunday afternoon for coffee/tea in or near San Francisco, I'd love to hang out. Send me an e-mail.
I shall leave you with pretty things to look at. Happy weekend.
~r

1. my kitchen (after), 2. Interview with Pieces Owner Lee Kleinhelter, 3. Untitled, 4. Giant Golden Book of Biology - Illustrations by Charles Harper, 5. cozy.corner, 6. one.dress.finished, 7. na na na, 8. 24032008, 9. Untitled, 10. little deer, 11. Untitled, 12. Untitled, 13. cutmecutme!, 14. Untitled, 15. Ava, 16. Vespa- the Anti-Hummer

Why I Keep Every Catalog

Anthropologie knows what makes a girl swoon. Their children's bedding is glorious and I was inspired to finally make my own backyard version of their indoor sheet tent (Christmas '07).

Today I thought a lot about why I love springtime. I think its the movement towards better things that seems to infuse the day to day with a little more joy. Longer days, brighter colors, far off travels...

~r