Invite me to a slumber party with two of my favorite friends and what do I bring?
(Above) A peek in my overnight bag
Chick flicks for the gang, knitting so I feel somewhat productive, my Kindle in case I wake up early and have read the magazines on the coffee table, my wallet with plenty of cash for delivery food, and a bottle of champagne (buried under the pajamas) for celebrating. Ready to go!
With the hurricane a-coming I talked this morning about flipping my balcony patio furniture to keep the blowing around to a minimum. But I spent pretty much all the day running around and by the time I made it back I wasn't looking forward to going outside in the already pouring rain.
But then I came home to this - already flipped furniture. Done without me asking. What a darling!
(Above) Wet furniture I didn't have to move - hooray!
The excuse this week? Was away last weekend in the Outer Banks where I had a relaxing couple of days of seafood, sun, saltwater, and sleep.
(Above) Posing at the end of a dock
(Above) Looking down the staircase, from the top of the Currituck Lighthouse
Made it up to the top of the Currituck Lighthouse, did tons of walking on the beach, drove to the end of the Highway 12 (saw warning signs for but alas no ponies), even made it to the Wright Memorial. In the rain! Had a wonderful trip - looking forward to heading back sometime to check out Roanoke Island and snag some more beach time.
Came back Tuesday from a long weekend in southern Louisiana, visiting family and attending my sweet cousin Lindsay's wedding. So that whole not posting for a week thing? I totally blame the Pelican State.
Of course the trip was wonderful. Lindsay looked gorgeous, the location was beautiful (no fireflies but mason jar twinkling lights suspended above), the dancing raucous. And the food. Goodness gracious the food. Main course was a pig stuffed with crawfish etouffee (sensational), red beans and rice, jambalaya, petit pois salad, and other delicacies.
The second half of the trip my dad, stepmom, sister, brother in law, and their kids (actual and practically-adopted) headed down to New Orleans where there was touristing and drinking and more eating (of course had beignets at Cafe du Monde, Janice also got us an incredible lunch at Commander's Palace).
(Above) My incredible touristy but tasty booty
But the best part about he whole thing? Seeing my warm sweet fun welcoming funny extended family. I don't make it down to the bayou very often but times like last weekend make me realize I really need to head down and spend more time with the folks there.
Have a busy couple of weeks but a few posts in the pipeline. Things should be calming down by the end of May - though am enjoying this swirl of activity am looking forward to some quiet!
Have been non-crafty for a couple of weeks... just busy with work and life and other fun. But that doesn't mean I haven't gotten some pretty new crafts.
Like this gorgeous number I received from a friend's daughter this weekend.
(Above) Neon Green Bracelet with Jewels
The whole thing is covered in different colored very sparkly jewels. Don't strictly have anything that does with it, but because that sweet girl asked me to you'd better believe I'm wearing it to work this week!
Okay, so making those valentines and mixes was a lot of work. Work I'm happy to do because it makes people I love happy (hopefully). But that doesn't mean I don't love getting things back too.
In the expected but still awesome category I've received a whole mess of mixes from friends - all kinds of themes with songs about lovey love, sweet love, complicated love, saucy love, and kinds of love I'm not entirely sure I need to understand. Listening to them has been so much fun.
(Above) A bunch of mixes, with even more on the way
As for the unexpected? Among other truly lovely surprises I got some homemade valentines from unexpected suitors.
(Above) Famous people courting me, by proxy
My friends Mandy and Sarah threw an incredible Toddlers & Tiaras Valentines Party, complete with personalized cups, streamers, and goody bags. And in each of our goody bags we got blush-inducing personalized valentines those two crafty minxes made for us signed by suitable suitors. In mine? Well Martha Stewart suggested we craft and then roll around in glitter. Lafayette from True Blood invited me to drop some V with him. And Don Draper from Mad Men? It made me choke on my drink and turn about five shades of red when I read his suggestion. Absolutely incredible - and some of the other valentines my other friends got were even better.
So, a thoroughly enjoyable Valentines Day. Going to go take a break and listening to some of those mixes again....
Have a long tradition of making and receiving valentines mixes; I organized an exchange of them this year because hadn't done it in a couple of years and frankly a radio diet exclusively of NPR news doesn't bring a ton of new music into my life. So if you a) live in my apartment building and b) are one of the people who I'm doing a Valentines Mix CD exchange with you got one of these lovelies looped over your doorknob today.
(Above) A bunch of the CDs, ready for delivery
Had originally planned on doing a mix that was half would-love-you-to-stay and half for-goodness-sakes-just-leave songs but decided to be valentines optimistic and made a mix of songs about that wonderful terrifying thrilling feeling of juuuuuust falling for someone. It makes me happy to hear it. And so far from friends have received a mixes ranging from Country Love Songs to one about Having Sex on the Floor of a European Dance Club. Can't wait to see what my creative friends will deliver next...
Half my family and several good friends are out on the West Coast, which means presents that need mailing. Didn't get them mailed (or even finished) before Christmas, or New Years, or (eeeeeek) Three Kings Day but finally finally hied myself to the Post Office and mailed them today.
(Above) Not quite as large as Santa's bag, but close!
Hope the fam likes them and the excitement of more presents makes up the for delay.
I love the afternoon light show provided by the mirrored disco ball ornament.
(Above) See those sweet light hits on the wall? They're even better in person....
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