Christmas in February

OK ... so it's official. I'm a freak. I started my annual Christmas ornaments this weekend. I know ... it's only February, and I still have like 10 months before they need to be ready. But, I don't have much else going on in my studio, so I figured I'd get a jump-start on them. I mean, after all, I have like 100 of them to make ... might as well get started!

So as I was putting together the first 10 ornaments, I wound up with a bag of heads. It cracks me up every time I look at it. I don't know why. It just does. I'm a nerd. So, without giving too much away, here's a sneak peak at this year's ornament. Sorry ... you'll have to wait 10 more months before you can see the rest of it. :o)

Um ... what??

Paula Abdul made this comment last night after one of the American Idol contestants sang an amazing rendition of John Lennon's "Imagine" :

I want to squish you and squeeze your head off and dangle you from my rear-view mirror.

So, is that a compliment??

Mission Impossible

So ... on the way to lunch today, I was having a conversation with Ani about giving up something for Lent. She told me that I should consider giving up frappucinos. I immediately looked at her like she had 6 eyes and a mustache. SERIOUSLY???!!?? um ... No Way. I mean, really. 40 days without frappucinos?? Impossible. Of course, Raymond chimed in and said that given my "sin patterns" I should give up frappucinos AND doritoes ... I think that's going a bit far, don't you??

Then, I got to thinking ... even though I'm not Catholic anymore, I still recognize that giving up something for Lent can be a good thing. If we sacrifice something that is dear to us, it is a good reminder of the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross on our behalf. Think about it ... He gave up His seat in heaven to come to earth as a man and died in order to make us right with God. Sacrifice gets our focus off ourselves and helps us to turn our eyes to Him in worship as we realize how HUGE His sacrifice was ... not to mention how much it helps to prepare our hearts for the celebration of Easter. When I think of it that way, giving up frappucinos is the least I could do.

So, wish me luck, y'all ... I'm gonna do it! No frappucinos for 40 days!!! (better sell your Starbucks stock now, before it plummets tomorrow!)

And, in the spirit of Mardi Gras, I'm off to go get one last frappucino ...

Her children will rise up and call her BLESSED

My mom was awesome. Not everyone who knew her had the privilege of really knowing her ... I am her only daughter, and even I didn't get to know her as much as I would have liked. But, what I did know of her was amazing ... she was a very private person, unassuming, and humble. She was an incredibly talented and well-respected interior designer, artist, and quilter, but she would be the first to down-play her talents in favor of others. She managed to keep herself out of the spotlight most days, preferring to work quietly and tirelessly behind the scenes in support of the people she loved and the things she felt were worth fighting for. She was a loving and devoted wife to my dad and played a huge part in the success that he has enjoyed in his own career. She owned a successful interior design business and worked countless hours a week, but had a delicious home-cooked dinner on the table every night and insisted that we guard our family dinners as sacred. She was funny and shy and incredibly intelligent. She was gracious beyond words. And she had exquisite taste in everything from food to music to fashion and art. She was genuinely kind to everyone she met. She was not only a mother to me, but also a friend and confidante, an encouragement and inspiration, and an example of walking through extreme trials and uncertainty with grace and unblinking trust in God. She left an indelible mark on my heart and my life, and I miss her dearly.

Yesterday, as I was remembering her on the fifth (!) anniversary of the day she died, it occurred to me that she was truly a Proverbs 31 woman. Praise God for such an example.

(This is my favorite picture of me and my mom from when I was little ... gotta love it.)

The incredible shrinking sweater ...

Check out this cutie picture of my A.D.O.R.A.B.L.E. niece / goddaughter, Mary Rose (otherwise known by her middle name as "Brett" - yes, my family is big on the GreenBay Packers, and Mr. Favre in particular). Isn't she just a doll?? She had her very first birthday exactly one month ago. I love that she has such a calm and happy demeanor. She is a true joy, and I adore her. Seriously. Did I mention how cute she is?

Anyway ... you might also notice another cutie thing in this picture ... the oh-so-fashionable sweater that she is wearing. Yeah ... that sweater used to be mine (and my FAVORITE one, at that!!!) until an unfortunate laundry mishap about a month ago which left it the perfect size for Mary Rose. Who knew that when the tag reads "Hand Wash Only" it really means "Don't put this in the washing machine with a bunch of other clothes on a regular cycle, or it will shrink to one-tenth of its original size"?? I'm such a dummy.

Quote of the Day

My brother Scottie very graciously brought me lunch at my office today. Isn't he awesome? Every girl should have an older brother like him. Seriously. Anyway ... because I rarely see him without his children running around screaming, pulling at his coat-tails and begging him to play Wii, it was a real treat to sit down over some yummy food and have an actual conversation with him. We talked about work and family and things going on in our lives. We talked about how sad we were that the Packers aren't going to the Superbowl and debated whether Favre would retire or come back for another season. Everything was really very pleasant. Then ... for no apparent reason, my brother (otherwise referred to as "Mr. Doom & Gloom" for the rest of the post) started telling me about all this information he had read about some island off the west coast of Africa that is slipping into the sea, and how one earthquake in the region could send a "mega-tsunami" across the Atlantic Ocean which would wipe out the entire Eastern seaboard. Seriously??!!?? Mr. Doom & Gloom proceeded to tell me all about the science behind a mega-tsunami and why it is a troubling possibility in the future. He used details ... I mean, there were graphs and diagrams involved. Encyclopedia Brittanica should seriously consider hiring him. As I sat there wondering why I needed to know this information, and how it could possibly help my already freakish tendency to worry about the littlest thing, Mr. D&G offers a word of encouragement ... He says that we really don't need to worry about the mega-tsunami, because what will more probably wipe out the entire human race would be what is called a "super-volcano," like the one under YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK!!! What??!!?? When I asked him for more information on the super-volcano, his reply was

"Well, I don't really understand super-volcanoes as well as I understand mega-tsunamis ..."

A Dress for Ele Claire

I'm finally finished with this dress & matching Olive doll for my friend Lauren's new baby girl.