The file system in my brain is broken.

You know those days where you are working along, feeling quite productive, and you think of something you need to do. So you stop what you are doing to go do the thing you just thought of...while doing thing number two it occurs to you that there is something else you just must do now or you'll forget it altogether, so you move on to thing number three and so on and so on and so on until you realize that thing number one is still sitting there, first in a long line of half way done tasks. Welcome to my life.

I think I am on thing number 12,000.

My brilliant idea of 30 days of new jewelry (see photo above), while still a good idea in theory, is, in practice not working out as well as I had hoped. The fact that I came down with a fantastic case of strep AND the flu didn't help my already sinking ship. And on top of that I am very busy planning another round of The Austin Flea in conjunction with Dogtoberfest (a fundraiser for Blue Dog Rescue). Ahem. Too much. Did I mention trying to help coordinate and proof the production of the fifth Music and Mutts calendar (another fundraiser for BDR)?

I am not even exaggerating when I say that I have, at a minimum, 8-10 To Do lists going at a time. I am as scattered as the scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz, bless his little straw heart. So my question is this? Does it take an actual wizard to organize your life?

cold nose = warm heart? or is it the flu?

So, I was feeling kinda under the weather for a couple of days. Sore throat, achy, just ick. I didn't feel truly awful, but enough that it was bugging me so I called the doc. So, for future reference, when the nurse come in and looks down your throat and then goes, literally, running from the room only to come back with a bright blue face mask on - it's not a good sign. Oh, and yells "Make sure the doctor gets a mask too!" to who ever. And when, at the end of your visit, both the nurse and the doctor tell you to head straight home, don't stop at "Go", talk to no one on your way out, don't worry about checking out, again, not a good sign. I'll tell you what it equals, it equals a big fat case of strep throat AND the flu. Crap.

Seven gets cozy.

Some days I dream of having the life of one of my dogs. I mean really, look at this. Could she look more comfortable? And this could have been her 10 am nap or her 1pm nap or her 5:50 nap...take your pick. She found that if she limps ever so slightly she gets a cookie, if she barks and barks and barks we yell "Seven! Seven! Seven!" and then go find her and then she gets just the attention she was demanding. She has us so trained. I bet she considers us very well behaved.

such silliness

I was leaving for the grocery store the other day and noticed Horatio pacing on top of the water bowl stand. I asked Tom if he'd get them some water since I was on my way out. Before either of us could make a move Horatio just plopped right down in the water bowl. I would love to know if this was some sort of stance he was taking, like "I'm gonna sit here in this bowl until you get me some water!" or if it just seemed like a comfortable place to chill for a bit...

Birthday party for the Big Man

We finally had Preacher's birthday party this past weekend. I was about a month late but I am pretty sure he didn't know. There were about 20 people here and I assumed everyone would go give him a pat on the head while he napped off and on on the couch. But no, he was Mr. social! It was really pretty hilarious. It was like he knew it was his party and he needed to make the rounds. He seemed particularly fond of the kids...possibly because they may not be as protective of their plates as the adults. I don't know. But he was a wonderful host. After everyone left he sacked out and was pretty worthless all day yesterday too. His party pooped him out!

It was pretty awesome. We have had THE most amazing support since Preacher was diagnosed with lymphoma and to have a good number of those supporters at our house this weekend getting to spend some time with him, well, it was the best.

30 days

It is quite possible that I have bitten off more than I can chew. While we were in New York in early August I had this baaarilliant idea: 30 days of new jewelery. A new design every single day. For 30 days. What better way to challenge myself, force new ideas and creativity, keep things fresh, stay in people's minds. It really is a good idea. In theory. However, in actual application it is, ummm, a bit more difficult than I imagined. It's not quite as romantic now that my 30 days have begun. But, enough complaining. Ick to complaining. I am doing it. I am committed. So, today is day two of my 30 day self-imposed challenge. To follow my progress you can visit the piece du jour here. Each one is for sale and will be marked sold when it's gone. How embarrassing if they are all still available at the end of the month. Hadn't thought of that one... oh well, still this is mainly a challenge for me, see what I can come up with. Let me know what you think as the month goes on...

minimalist schminimalist.

I think it's become fairly obvious that I am not a minimalist. Never have been. Never will be. My studio might be the prime example of that. Well, and the fact that we have 12 dogs and two cats. I find it hard to understand the minimalist concept/aesthetic. I mean, I guess I get the idea of not being tied down by a bunch of "stuff". And I do find my attachment to things to be pretty irrational at times. Like the time I laid on the hood of the car I had just sold and bawled my eyes out. Or when I was five and cried crocodile tears as my grandmothers old sofa was hauled out and the new one brought in. Obviously this is not a new aspect of my personality.
Some of my "clutter" is useful, some is nostalgia, some is sentimental, some is inspirational, some just makes me smile. For example: this bulletin board is VERY useful. It has my to do's, my assistant's to do's, ideas, and my photo of Raymond Burr. Very useful.
My desk. Pretty much all useful. Full, but useful. And my brand new Jonathan Adler mug that I am in love with and I am fairly certain it makes coffee taste better.
I have photos and magazine clippings stuff all over the place of things that inspire me, my collection of Perry Mason DVD's is at the ready, and this painting by Susan Gibson makes me smile every single day!
...more useful info, measurements I need to remember, bubble gum wrappers I need to keep, song lyrics written on scraps of paper, and little photo of Viggo Mortenson to swoon over from time to time.
I also have stacks and stacks of little bowls. In my kitchen I have stacks and stacks of big bowls, but in my studio these little bowls hold solder, jump rings, cut outs and saints for bottlecaps, random beads, and my uncle's gold tooth is in there somewhere...
It may seem odd and random to any one who doesn't know me. But I think to everyone who does know me it is probably pretty much just what you'd expect. This last photo is probably one of the more important things in my studio - my collection of prescription bottles, fabricated by me for my senior show my last semester of college. These remind me of where I've been, of what I've learned, both emotionally and educationally. It's not for every one - thank goodness.

August Birthdays

Yes, this month was Preacher's birthday. His 12th birthday. No matter how many times I say it I still pinch myself. You can tell by this photo how thrilled he was to be having a birthday - at this point all he knows is that it involved wearing a paper cone and annoying elastic strap on his head for point one second. The reason this is all he knows is because his horrible-rotten-no-good mom has not arranged his birthday party or made his cake. I know. I suck. After all he has been through you'd think I could get my $&#* together and have a big blow out. But as my dear friend Casey pointed out today "Preacher is VERY smart, but I don't think he knows that it's not August anymore." Perhaps she is right. So, Preacher will be having an early September party I think.
August also happens to be my birthday month. I'm pretty certain that this is still my best birthday photo to date so it's what I am still going with. Not to mention I much prefer the number of candles on this cake to the number of candles I would have on a cake this year. So, happy birthday me and happy birthday Big Man.

It's a Living

Do you remember that sitcom in the 80's? It's a Living with Jillian Anderson? When I typed my title for this post the theme song for that show went playing through my head. It is scary to think what information I have purged in order to retain a theme song for a show that I am pretty certain most people don't remember. I have a whole brain section dedicated to tv theme songs in fact. I do. Alice - check. Silver Spoons - check. The Love Boat - che, oh, who are you kidding, we all know that one!

Anyway, this has nothing to do with what I wanted to share and am so excited about! So excited and spazzy that I went into a whole diatribe on 80's pop culture. So, here it is: one of my necklaces is in this months issue of Southern Living!!!!! Whoo Hoo!
I love it!, It's one of those "how to get this look" bits. Very cool. And I am featured in an outfit with freakin' J.Crew. I'm big time. Well, I'm not really big time but it feels pretty big time. And the bit from the outfit wearer is pretty sweet...
So, if you wanna "get this look" you can create your very own necklace like this one on my "Build Your Own" page.

I gotta say, it's pretty fun getting exposure like this. I mean, obviously it's good for business, but it's Fun seeing something that you made in print like this. I think I'm on a free press high right now.

the verdict is in

No kids for us. Matthew (my not-so-little little brother) is leaving for college tomorrow and it is killing me. How do you parents do it? If I'm a wreck over my brother imagine how I would flip out over my own kid. Thank God dogs don't go off to university! Geez.

I need your votes!!!

I am entering Preacher in the Save-an-Angel Calendar photo contest and I am fit-to-be-tied to choose a photo to submit. I just goes with out saying that he is THE most handsome boy in the world, we all know that, right? But how do I choose which photo to submit - I keep going back and forth. I have narrowed it down to these seven. So, will you help me?

First, let me tell you a tiny bit about the calendar so you'll know why Preacher would be such a great poster-boy. This is Save an Angel's 1st calendar and the proceeds from the calendar will help dogs with lymphoma receive life saving treatments. A cause after my own heart, right?

So, if you feel so inclined just leave me a comment letting me know which photo would look best in a calendar. Thank you!!! The above photo is number one.

number two

number three

number four

number five

number six

number seven

Thanks so much for helping. I would love for my sweet boy to be in a calendar that would help other dogs with lymphoma. How sweet would that be?!?

yearning...

I celebrated my birthday in New York last week. I've got tons and tons of pictures to share, but first off let me tell you this: My sweet, sweet husband got me a cake from Magnolia Bakery, possibly one of my most favorite places on earth. I always get a red velvet cupcake when we're there, but this time I got an entire red velvet cake. Dear Lord it was delicious! They make this amazing vanilla frosting, NOT cream cheese frosting like you usually find on red velvet cakes, no, this is light and creamy and so vanilla-y. Oh, red velvet cake, I miss you so.

Happy Birthday to me, two days ago.

I never thought I would be one of those people who hated having birthdays. I guess it's not really the birthday thing, it's the turning another year older thing. But I really am surprised by how much it bothers me. It's just a number, it's just another day, all those things people say. I think I've figured out that it's the whole biological clock thing. It's not that I necessarily want kids, but it's that I resent it being taken out of my hands. I think that's what the whole birthday thing boils down to in a nut shell.

So, what does that all have to do with a Smurf cake? Well, this photo was from my birthday 30 years ago. Me and Kim, still best friends and still celebrating birthdays together, for more than 33 years now. And still fans of smurfs.

My friend Kathy

Don't we all have those friends who just make us feel just completely inadequate? But not because they try to, in fact quite the opposite, they try to make you feel like you are as competent as they are. Meet my dear, wonderful friend Kathy (the one in yellow, not the dog).

We met when she found a dog and was willing to bend over backwards and sideways to save him. She's been a part of Blue Dog Rescue ever since. I could go on and on but the short version is this: her husband recently had a heart transplant and through it all Kathy has continued her Blue Dog board duties, continued to foster, continued to work full time, drives back and forth to the Heart Hospital in Houston, and runs the restaurant that her husband bought just before he got sick. She is an amazement. When I think of all she has to do on a daily basis I feel faint, but she does it all and really never complains.

Kathy has been through hell and back over the last several months and yet she always has a smile on her face, always has time to ask how I am and if I need anything, she is always making me laugh, and just being her cheerful self.

So, the reason I am sharing is this: her friends want to do something for her and for her husband. It has been a difficult time and we want to try to make things easier in any way we can. One thing we thought would help is trying to get people into their restaurant to eat - here's the deal, the food is great, people just don't know about it. So, here's the plan - if you live in Austin, on August 7th go eat at Gyros +. That's it, that's all you've gotta do. And let me tell you what to order because I am an expert: hummus with Israeli salad and an order of fries with chipotle mayo. It might sound odd, but that's what I get. It's my favorite. I could eat the hummus and pita until I explode! Other options include the falafel (very yummy!) and I hear the chicken sandwich is darn tasty too. We are also having a silent auction that day with wonderful items from yours truly, a weekend in Port Aransas, a great package from Premier Animal Hospital, GC to the Ghost Room and The Ginger Man, and a lot more. August 7th, Gyros + on the corner of Burnet Road and Pasadena (just south of Northcross Mall). So this is all I've gotta say - Be there or be square.

what put this smile on my face?

It might be that I adore this man, it might be that I have a belly full of yummy Perilla, it might be that I am headed for the Brooklyn Flea, it might be that I am on an air-conditioned train in August, it might be that I am in New York City, it might be all of the above...