Are you in middle school?

No, I wasn't asked this by a stranger. (Although I was often asked if I was in highschool after my graduation...from college!)

This is what my husband asked me when he saw the newest fingernail polish I had purchased and applied. (Of course, I am TERRIBLE at putting fingernail polish on, which is one of the reasons why I normally stick with just painting my toes. I think fingernail polish looks a little strange on me, plus it takes effort to put it on and take it off and I am lazy about that sort of thing!)



But, yesterday on my way home from work I decided to run by Ulta and use my latest coupon to pick up a few new nail polish color choices. Since I don't wear it much I don't have a lot of choices-mainly a few shades of pinks and reds.



I decided on three new shades from China Glaze. (They were buy two get one free.)

I used the dark purple, called Grape Pop on my toes


and the pale lilac, called Light as Air on my fingers.


(I am saving the dark grey/charcoal color I bought, called Awaken, for another day!)


After I had painted my fingers and toes last night, and I was looking them over, (trying to decide if I liked it) Kevin came upstairs so I asked him what he thought.

K: "Why did you pick that color. Are you in middle school or something? "

E: "Purple is all the rage this season so I am giving it a try."

K: "It looks like you were painting a wall and got it all on your fingers."

(I would be the first to tell you that I am not that great at putting on fingernail polish, but I am not that bad either...it is only on my actual nails...I promise!!)

I didn't really have anything to say at that point.

It is a very different color, and since it has a matte finish and is such a pale color, I could see it on someone's wall, so his statement made sense.
In reality, at this point I still hadn't decided if I even liked it.



But now, after wearing it all day today, the color (and the general idea of nail polish) has grown on me. I have decided it is a fun to have color on my nails, especially such an out of the ordinary color.
However, I don't think I will make it something I wear on a regular basis.
I am too used to my plain old naked nails.

It's the little things...

Sometimes I think I have the sweetest husband.

Last night when he got home from work my Mr. tossed a Target bag my direction
and guess what was inside?




What a wonderful guy I have...he actually does pay attention to me when I am rambling on about things.

It was the newest edition, so there was a bonus chapter...which I read immediately!

It was like Christmas morning!!

I would just re-read the whole thing right now, but I think I have decided to let mom borrow it instead! (Take care of it please marmee dearest!)

Oh! and in the notes on why she wrote the extra chapter, Stephanie Meyer talks about how she was working with the producers on the film version of this book and she thought this chapter would be helpful.
Wait, hold the phone...a film version!!!
I am so excited, and yet a bit nervous as well...
since I loved this book so much,
I am not sure if a movie will be able to live up to my expectations!

A sew-filled weekend

Kevin and I didn't really have any plans this weekend (well one party that we skipped on since I was running behind schedule, and it was raining and I dont' like going out in the rain, we stayed home instead!) so we stayed home and I got a ton of cutting and sewing done.

I finished cutting and sewing the house blocks for Victoria's Block Party.

I ended up getting 25 house blocks sewn together, and around 40+ 10 1/2 inch squares.

(Now I just need to get to the post office and mail them to her!!)

I cut and sewed together two star blocks for our AMQG June Challenge.

I cut out and sewed together a quilt top for a baby quilt (following the basic directions from Oh, Fransson! (And cut out the pieces for another one, I just need to sew it together.)

And I washed and ironed the fabric I had purchased a while back.

(As I put it all away I decided I really do need to stay away from fabric shops for awhile, I have so much fabric!! I wanted to purchase some online over the weekend, but I quickly deleted my cart and got off line so I wouldn't be tempted anymore!!)

Thursday Night Sewing

Yesterday when I got home from work there was a lovely package waiting for me.

The blocks from the Owl Block Swap arrived!!They turned out so great! I am excited about putting them together into a finished project!! Thanks APP for being the swap mama for this, you are so sweet!

Mandy, Rachel & I had planned a sewing night for Thursday evening, in the end Rachel wasn't able to come, but Mandy and I had a great time sewing and chatting. (Sorry you couldn't make it Rach, we missed you!)
Mandy worked on piecing a quilt and I finished sewing together my PWG blocks from the No Sew Block Swap.Now I just have to decide how I want to piece all of these together into a finished product!

The Allure of the Automobile

Grab something to snack on because this is going to be a long post...

Last weekend was crazy busy, as I mentioned earlier, but I wanted to share a bit of the fun stuff that we got to do!

After a long day on Saturday...

visiting with Kelsey while we shopped at a weekend craft/antique show in downtown Adairsville (where I purchased some adorable antique hankies we are going to use for an upcoming bridal luncheon, and saw this guitar case that I want!),
prepping for and having a pre-production meeting for a summer play I am going to be helping out with (which I watched growing up),

and of course the wedding,

I came home, put my feet up and watched a movie with Kev as I fell asleep on the couch. (While receiving a foot rub, what a fantastic hubby I have!)

Sunday I met up with some of the ladies from the AMQG at Rae's house (Thanks so much for opening up your home to us, you and your husband are too kind!) and was able to get some sewing done. (Finally!!) I worked on my PWG blocks from the no so block swap I was a part of. I got several of them sewn up before I had to head off to meet Kev.
Kev and I met up and went to The High Museum of Art in Atlanta to see their newest exibit.

The Allure of the Automobile(It was the open version of the car above (550 Spyder) that James Dean crashed on his way to sports car race and was killed.)

Kevin was actually interested in this one, normally he just gets dragged along if I can't find someone else to go with me to these sort of things, but this one was all for him!!

I also got some more cutting done for the house blocks and 10 1/2 inch blocks I have been working on for Victoria. Hopefully I will be able to get those sewn together sometime this week or weekend so I can get them sent off!

And the most exciting news from the weekend, Kev surprised me by putting the tile on the fireplace hearth that he built forever ago.It looks so fan-tab-u-lous!!!
I am so relieved to have it finished!

BTW-I got an email today about this beauty! Isn't it fab! I want it!!

Wedding season begins...

I'm so excited!
and I just can't hide it...
(Seriously, I can't say/type anything without thinking of a song-and this one goes well with a wedding theme-or as least the wedding night!!)

Wedding season has started and I had my first wedding of the year at Stonewall Manor last weekend!(Sorry, this is a horrible photo that I snapped on my iphone-I will say I am so glad to have my iphone though. I totally saved the DJ's rear when I got a song request from itunes for him that he had forgotten about!!)

I absolutely love wedding season!

Now if I can just catch up on sleep somehow I will be good!! (Wedding season takes pre-season busy weekends and makes them look boring and slow!!)

This weekend was great, but extremely full! With the rehearsal on Friday afternoon, and a full day on my feet on Saturday it is a big job, but I LOVED every minute of it!!
(I am so excited about all the upcoming weddings in the next few months!!)

More to come on the rest of our busy weekend...

Insanity (part deux)

So today is the 11th day since I started the Insanity workout program...
and I have only done 4 of the workouts.

(I know I am super lame and slacker!)

At this rate I will be finishing this 60 day program sometime in September!

Oops!

If I was home I would do day 5 tonight (really, I am not just saying that!) but I am up at Mom and Dad's.

Hopefully I will get home in time tomorrow night to do it, and then maybe I will get on track a little better and try to get myself in shape before the END of swimsuit season 2010!

In the sewing room...

I haven't done any sewing in what seems like forever, but I have been busy cutting things out when I get a few moments everyday.

I have been going through my scraps cutting out 10 1/2" squares (from the big pieces) and house blocks.
Victoria over at Bumble Beans is collecting house blocks, 10 1/2" squares, binding and backing for charity quilts she is making.
(I sent her some 10 1/2" squares and binding last month)

I have been listening to my new cd as well.

I loved the 1234 ipod commercial, and have wanted this cd since I saw it. (I couldn't find the actual commercial video, but I found this MadTV parody on you tube just now.)
When I was at Borders this weekend, with a coupon burning a hole in my pocket, I thought I would go ahead and pick it up!(And just look at the inside of the cd case, Gutermann thread, my fave!)


I also spent a good amount of money on some more fabric...I know I have a problem, no matter how much I already have on hand, I keep finding more that I need (you can translate that to want)!

AMQG Meeting #3

Last Sunday afternoon we had our 3rd Atlanta Modern Quilt Guild meeting. We are still small with only 12 (well 13 if you count little Aaron!) of us there,but it was nice to be able to meet some new members.

We had our first demonstration (by Melissa)
some great show and tell (everything was great but here was my fave...Andi was working on this fabric portrait of Ronald Reagan. I think the idea of a fabric portrait is amazing, but not sure it I could ever have the confidence to do it myself!! Here is one that Victoria at Bumble Beans did of herself! Amazing!)
and our first challenge! (by Nicole)We are making any star block (finished size 8 1/2" square) out of these fabrics! I took two...because I am crazy!!

I feel so blessed to be a part of this fun group, and I am excited to see what all we can do together!

What I just finished reading...

I finished a library book yesterday evening after I got home from work...ok I'll admit it...and while driving home from work. (Gimme a break, I was stuck in traffic people...and I was at the end of the book!! It was REALLY hard to put it down when I started moving again!! The ONLY time I can remember being glad about traffic!)

I had to recheck this book (and a couple others) twice because...

1) I had too many books at once
2) I had way too many projects going on (normal me)
and
3) lets be honest here, I am a slow reader!

But, once I started the book (a giant one at that...over 600 pages!) I REALLY enjoyed it!

At points I was smiling with joy, and then tearing up and crying in heartbreak. It played on my emotions like a Lifetime movie!

Here is what I just finished reading:

The Host
by Stephanie Meyer
I absolutely loved this book!

On my way back from dropping it off at the library I wanted to stop at Target to see if they have it and pick up a copy to own. So I could hold it in my hands and read it all over again!

I am serious when I say I loved this one!

Wanderer is one of my all time fave heroins now!

*******

I am a loser at book reviews, so I won't try to do a review, I will just say

Stop whatever you are doing right now and go buy this book and read it!!

I am not kidding,

stop now and go buy this book.

Well, first finish reading this post, it is almost done I promise it won't be a long wait!

This isn't a book to be borrowed, or checked out from the library, because then you have to give it back...like poor, sad me!
(FYI: If you want to send The Host to me, you are more than welcome to. You know the saying about giving is better than receiving...well I want to bless you with the joy you feel when giving a wonderful gift by letting you get me this book! I will love you forever! Is anyone listening? I am putting it on my wish list on Amazon....Oh, who am I kidding, I have no restraint...the next coupon I get emailed to me from Borders will be begging to be used for this exact purpose! I know a sign when I see one!)

So enjoy your afternoon,
get your book ordered, or preferably picked up so you can start it NOW,
then call me in the morning...after you have stayed up all night reading because it is so good and you can't put it down...and tell me how much you loved it too!

I'm blue da ba dee dabba da-ee....

Well...

I guess I am actually more Aqua,

but I don't know a fun song for that color!
(Wow, does that age me or what!?! I remember really loving this song in college!)

Over our VERY FULL weekend Kev and I painted the master bedroom.

I had been wanting to re-do our bedroom for awhile now...

hence the purchase of this lovely fabric, (for a new dust-ruffle and curtains)
and this foam, (for a future headboard)
and this dresser, (which Kevin still thinks is fit for the junkyard and I ABSOLUTELY love!!)
and so earlier in the week, when I mentioned to Kevin that I really wanted to get some painting done, and maybe I should just hire someone to do it, he said "let's do it this weekend."

Wow!

Saying I will hire someone to do it motivated him to get it done ourselves RIGHT NOW...I will have to remember that!
(We did some furniture rearranging also, I moved my chair into the office and put the small table that was in our dining room as a new bedside table)I still have a lot to do to get our bedroom re-do where I want, but I am so happy to have it painted finally!(I also painted out the little fleur-de-lis I had stenciled all over our bathroom walls years ago, I think I want to go with aqua in here as well, maybe a little darker shade...but one step at a time!)

Thanks again babe!
You were quite a trooper painting away, inside all day on Saturday while it was so pretty outside and I know you really wanted to be elsewhere!!

Playing Statue

Every week day, while heading to and from work, I pass a little ranch. They have goats, horses and some sort of long horned steer.

Yesterday as I passed the ranch the horses were in the front field and I nearly started laughing out loud...
because they appeared to be playing statue.

Did anyone else play that growing up? As you were playing some random game with your friends in the yard the rule was, no matter what you were doing, you had to stop and stand still whenever a car drove by. I remember thinking this was such a fun game, and trying to be caught in really crazy positions to see if I could hold still while the car passed by. (Looking back the drivers must have thought we were crazy, but we thought we were pretty cool!)

As I passed the field I noticed that the horses were all standing perfectly still. Even one that looked like he was about to scratch his back or something, stood perfectly still as I drove by. (I really don't know anything about horses, so maybe this is perfectly normal, but I didn't even notice a tail twitching or anything!!)

I couldn't help but be reminded of my childhood and smile. Then I was imagining the horses laughing with each other after I had passed, as we always did, rejoicing in how still they were able to stay!

I know, I probably need some drugs or something...the randomness that comes to this head of mine, but it made me smile and remember some lovely childhood days, so I thought I would share it with you. What random things happen to you in your adult life that remind you of those fun days gone by of childhood?

Insanity!

Oh the insanity!
(Does anyone else remember that cartoon. I don't remember much about it...it was about cats and this one cat always said "oh the insanity!" What was the name of that cartoon?)

Well, I have decided (meaning KEVIN is forcing me!!) to try out a workout program. (Let's face it, I have a bit of a Buddha belly!!) It is called Insanity. (Why did I agree to this? Who knows!!)
I did the first part last night, which is a test to see how many repetitions of different workout moves you can get done in a specific time frame, and let's just say I am not looking forward to starting the actual program tonight! I was exhausted just from the fit test!! It is a 60 day program, we will see if I make it!!

I finally got my dresser drawers lined, or at least the one I am using in our bedroom, and put all my clothes away. It is nice to be able to see the chair in my room again and that there actually is floor space on my side of the bed!
Oh! And here is a picture of my finished name tag! I sewed down the binding and wrote my name on it last night! It is finished!
In other, more exciting news...
I got to meet an adorable little guy, Keyon, yesterday. (Sorry, I didn't take a picture! I was too busy holding him!!) He was just born on Easter & was simply perfect! Too precious!!

Easter Weekend

What a wonderful, family-fun-filled Easter we had!
Kev helped me out a ton and I had a blast cooking away (while he did most of the cleaning and weeding that I had so dreadfully neglected because I was distracted by other things!! What a great husband I have!!)
Sunday we had a full house with Kevin's parents (Barb & Larry) and all my family (Mom, Dad, ABC&Z, Kels & Travis-we were only missing Mary, otherwise we were all there) over for an afternoon of yummy food, visiting, movies and fun! (A total of 12 seats were needed, which is all I have at the house unless you move outside, and it was a bit too hot to really enjoy eating outside!)(We always get pictures of our feet, don't ask me why, we just always have!!)

Mom and Dad!

(Mr. C found a four leaf clover! What a lucky guy!!)

The Freeman Family!

After lunch we did an Easter egg hunt for the boys (they actually hid the eggs for us first, then we hid the eggs for them) and enjoyed the beautiful sunny and warm weather! (I have been ready for the warm weather for awhile, but it was downright HOT after being outside for awhile, I am not sure if I am ready for that!! They say it will be in the 80's all week and I spent time on Friday evening, when I should have been cleaning, pulling out all my summer clothes because I was too hot to even look at my winter clothes anymore!!)We missed you Mare!

We watched Planet 51 with the boys, and then after it was down to just Betsy, Kels, Travis, Kev and I we went out and played some Frisbee and then watched Sherlock Holmes. (Which Kev had bought last week!)
Saturday I had fun with two lovely ladies from the AMQG. Nicole sweetly opened up her home (tell you hubby and little Zubin thanks for letting us come and take over the dining room with our sewing machines and mess!) and we sewed and chatted and I finally got a nametag made! I had fun playing around with all Nicole's scraps, I was going to work on my PWG blocks, but was too distracted by the fun tiny scrapes she was working with!! (Oh, and thanks again Melissa for the batting so I could get it almost finished, now I just need to hand sew the binding down and write my name!!)

Nicole also allowed me to dive into her scrap bin for so wonderful scraps (these are some nice size pieces too! I am so excited to make something with all this loveliness!) and gave me a couple of books to read...I guess I need to get busy on my reading...my "to read" list just keeps getting bigger and bigger!!