The New Goods!

Since my blog doesn't make any money (but does provide a feeling of wealth, hehe), I thought I'd use it for some shameless promotion of my new goods. Basically I've been sewing a lot. And after one purse I finished, Justin suggested I sell it. It was that good. (Oh he's so supportive!)

So, these are for sale. Please look, give suggestions or critique them. I'm all about getting better. And if you'd like more info on purchasing...just let me know!


Chocolate wood handles. Outside fabric is a light blue with yellow and green flowers. Lining is chocolate colored with embroidered flowers. Handle closes together with a twist! So cute!

This purse holds so much. Too big for me :)


Cute little wristlet. Zipper closure with a bamboo handle. This is really functional if you just need to carry around a few things. Can also be made without a square bottom. (More like an envelope.)

This one was special order. However I added the bow (since it was for a little girl) which is held on by 5 loops on the purse. It has a front pocket with the same hot pink lining. Closes with a magnetic closure.


And finally, the funky circles are back! The gals at work really liked this fabric so I found some more and made this one again.

I'm working on a few others. Hobo style, messenger bag, laptop bag (Justin's request). I'll let y'all know if I add them to my list of goods. Thanks for looking!

These will be added to www.etsy.com in a week or so.

My First Premier Party

Party planning apparently is my gig at work. I'm not sure it was in my offer letter or discussed in my interview, but somehow I've become the office party planner. Birthdays, coworkers leaving and now the biggest so far...our grand opening.

It's actually pretty easy. My one stress factor is food. Will people eat it? How many will complain about it? Will it arrive on time. Was it under budget? And will it be good? Seriously, all parties revolve around the food. It makes or breaks the party. So far I've been lucky. Phew!

So going back to my party planning, I'm working on our big grand opening. Actually, it's more like, we are moving into a new location. It's downstairs. Not far to move and I don't need to hire valet. Everyone's already here. Phew again! I'm catering it from a great restaurant, bringing in a bartender for all of us boozers, and going with a theme to match our situation: "Opening Night!" More like, "Opening Afternoon!" But people won't care it's between 3 and 5pm. They'll be looking for the food and bar.

Red carpet, velvet ropes (like the ones in a movie theater) and spot lights (desk lamps hidden behind plants) will give this party some character and play up on the theme. Justin suggested I get our Marketing dude to walk around like Paparazzi and take photos. Not a bad idea Justin, thanks!

Like any premier on a Thursday afternoon, the important people will be making an appearance. So it's necessary to treat them like royalty. Specialty beer is on the "must have" list. That's about it for them. Actually all of our people, the important ones too, are very friendly and easy going. But you've gotta have the beer or they'll turn into Naomi Campbell. Just kidding Ms. Campbell, I'm sure you didn't deserve to be arrested.

So when this is all said and done, it should be a great party and I shall be the *new* party planner. I might even have a beer or a glass of wine. But gotta keep it to one or two or we'll go over budget and I don't need the paparazzi all over me with captions, "Booze-hound party planner goes overboard at Premier!" That can't be good for my reputation.

A Public Service Announcement From Justin

This could actually be a "Hot Tip" but we'll let Justin have this one.

To All Blog Readers

Do not buy Eclipses new flavor, Cherry Chill. On our trip back from Chicago I grabbed a pack of gum. But Justin saw a new flavor and said, "Ooh get this one please?" So I picked it up, paid and opened it. Oh my garage! This thing tasted like cherry NightQuil. Don't buy it unless that's what you like. I'm glad he's warning you of this nastiness. You know he means business when he's using my blog for an outlet.

Eclipse Cherry Chill: Solid C- (if you're looking for an "F" get that black licorice gum...NASTY!)

1 down 3 to go

It's a pretty big milestone when you've paid off one of four student loans. You realize that it was worth dealing with stupid people in study groups, lame projects that required you to use PowerPoint and Professors who didn't even know your name.

Let me clarify before you keep gasping at the number "4"... that's between Justin and I. We both have two. More like I have one and he has two. Yes, he did go to a private college that was about a gazillion dollars more than my little state school but still!

My accomplishment has only allowed me to spend that money on other things. Which is probably the wrong way to go. I should put that amount into my savings or increase my 401k right? Wrong. I've just upped my sewing habit and have yet to decrease my starbucks consumption. I'm working on the starbucks problem, really I am.

But I look at the big picture. If I'm able to, I will. And I am! But we still have three to go. Let's all wish Justin luck as he might be the next winner in the game of "return on investment."

Show of Shows Recap

We made it back with some sunburns, a minor hangover and lots of new memories. Isn't that the best way to come back?

After sleeping in some on Saturday, we went to rehearsal. The day was beautiful with lots of sun...minus sunscreen.

The Color Guard practicing in the wind. What fond memories of getting hit in the head on days like today.

Justin looking cool in the heat. That's the beer tent in the back. If it was open, we would have been there by then.

After a fabulous show (beating the Cadets!) we stood in front for all their concert pieces. Being in front of the low brass is where it's at. Just look at those horns!
Playing Spartacus, Elsa's, New World and another one I can't remember (probably cause of all the beer I had). I'm sure Mike remembers. But it was awesome!

Beer Tent Time!

Friends Gina, Tommy and Carrie. It was good seeing everyone again! Oh, we also finished off the beer truck. Leave it to Regiment Alumni...we get the job done!

Get On The Bus!

In honor of our trip to Rockford today for Phantom Regiment's Show of Shows, I thought I would give you a taste of what life was like in Drum Corps. Enjoy and have a good weekend!

Ah the smell of bus exhaust, sweaty bodies and hair gel. Those were the smells of summer for two years while marching Drum Corps. My first year I sat with my sister. Mostly because she didn't have a seat partner and I went home with an injury and came back. Her luxury of two seats with lots of room quickly vanished when she saw me.

However annoying it was to sit with your sister, we never really stayed mad at each other. So it was perfect. Oh sure, we had our arguments but I couldn't hate her. She was my pillow.

Bus life consisted of freezing cold a/c, bus feet (swollen from sleeping upright) and the occasional naked person. We always had treats in the cubby above us. It usually melted so we learned to never get chocolate. We also learned to get rid of things you didn't need. If it took up room and you never really used it...chuck it.

We played games like "Game" and "Bus Corps". Both had potential to be fun. "Game" is a simple trash game that everyone has to play. That's rule number one. The object of "game" was to pass up the trash. You gamed trash up to the next person. My object of the game was to sit at the back of the bus so the possibility of playing game was less. If you sat in the front, you always had to play game. Suckers.

One time while cleaning out my field bag (a bag that had everything I needed for the field. Sunscreen, bandaids, chapstick, etc.) I found a tampon that had lost its life in my bag. It wasn't used but it wasn't usable either. So naturally I gamed it. I was sitting on the inside and gamed it to my sister. She looked at it and laughed.
"I'm not gaming that!!"
"Yes you are, GAME!"

She tapped Delta's shoulder(nickname for...well we don't know people's real names if they have nicknames) and said "Game."

He reached then turned to look and said "HELL NO!" Heather and I just laughed. We tried again to the guy across to us. He just looked at it and didn't say anything. Jerk.

That was a fun episode of game. Needless to say I had to walk it up to the trash. I guess there's always an exception to what you can game.

I played "Bus Corps" my second year. 1999 was a much more active year on the buses compared to 1998. So my first time playing it I made people mad because I used the group of girls called the "French Connection." A group of 5 girls in our guard who were from Quebec. They were clickish and never really talked to us so they were fair game for "Bus Corps." (They didn't speak very good English maybe that's why they didn't talk to us. But the Japanese girls said more to us than they did!) This was also at the beginning of the season before they pissed a lot of people off. It was bound to happen.

In "Bus Corps" the rules varied from bus to bus. On my bus you created a corps and describe the show, what they are wearing and who was in it. So I made up some stupid Frenchy show with the "French connection" chicks wearing nothing but cling wrap. I was certain I would win because these girls were somewhat cute and they were wearing cling wrap. I knew that nakedness would win over these boys. But they all yelled saying it wasn't nice. What jerks!

As tour went on, everyone saw the true side of the "French connection" when they screamed, yelled and blamed the corps for sending their friend/staff member home. He had been causing problems with other staff members so they felt it necessary to send him home. Long story but they hated us after that.

Bus time was pretty good. It was an escape from staff members, the sun and heat and our place to relax with great games. And so as an unnamed person would say at the end of the day, "Let's get loaded on the bus!"

Home-Woven Handy-Crafts

Yes it's that time again! I go through phases where I sew til I can't stand to look at the machine anymore. Once again, Craftster.org inspired me. Well I should say the people that are creative inspired me. I took the pocket design from one purse and the structure of the purse to create these:

I'm a pocket!

Girls at work loved them so I got 3 special orders! They wanted them bigger. These are about 3 inches bigger (all around) than the 2 shown above. Here's two of them:

For Christine

This one is like the other one above except the it doesn't have the yellow lining. It still has the outside pocket with blue lining. I hope she likes it!

For Denise

The last one is for a little girl. I'm using the top-left orange flower material. It's actually a orange cream. It just looks brighter on my camera.


Let me know what you think. I'm selling them to the girls at work. This could be a decent side business...once I get better! Thanks for looking and reading today's post, "Home-Woven Hany-Crafts".

6 Moments In My Life

1. While walking through Target, I passed two 7-year-olds with jumbo sized rubber bands in their hands. These are the rubber bands that make you scream if shot at you. They looked like trouble makers and I didn't want any welts on me so I anxiously walked passed them. Giving them the stink-eye just to make sure they weren't thinking about using me as target practice. It worked.

2. I finally watched "Gone With the Wind" and I have to say: Did it really need to be 3 hours and 45 minutes long? Honestly, I could have cleaned my bathroom (which I did when the power went off for 45 minutes) or sewed up a new purse like I was supposed to. Ok, so I sat through 3 hours of it. But still! And the ending...what was that all about? If you haven't seen it, you should. It is a classic. But I don't think I'd recommend it to anyone else.

3. to die for, slender, dazzling vibrant, smashing, knockout, the right stuff, a dash of panache, get ready to shine, with style and grace, in vogue. These are just some of the words in the "Stylish" section of my overly used book "Words That Sell". I'm so not creative, I have to have a book tell me the words I'm looking for. But I don't use them in my blog. I'm not trying to sell you anything...yet. My dream of being a purse maker is up to you. If you'd like to contribute to my fabric fund please send a check to me. Thank you. (Did I succeed at convincing you? No, man this book sucks!)

4. Remember that show "Quantum Leap"? Well I always fear that I'm that dude who's transmitted through time ending up in someone else's body. But my fear is that this body is on the field or in a gym performing a drum corps show or winter guard show. Obviously I wouldn't know the routine or the drill. So I've thought up a great plan. I'd run off as fast as possible faking an injury. Hopefully I wouldn't have a solo. Then I'd be in big trouble with the directors.

5. You know that skunky musk smell that women seem to think smells so good? No not that actual skunk smell (that does smell good) but that hideous, if you can call it perfume, perfume that burns your nose. Every flight I take I fear that someone sitting around me has that on. My biggest fear: The person sitting next to me has it on and I can't switch seats. Oh my garage! I have a flight this Friday and it is my number one concern. Not making the flight on time. Not dying in a plane crash. But sitting next to this musky person for 3+ hours! A close second is sitting next to someone with body odor. Not automotive but B.O. What a nightmare! Seriously, if you wear this and think it smells good, you might want to see an ear, nose and throat doctor because you are all outta whack. Could you make me an appointment too? Your killing my pirates!

6. Since summer is officially here in Las Vegas, bringing us temperatures of 105, I decided to get a pedicure. The 2-month-old polish hanging on for life needed to come off. And since I was too lazy to take it off, a pedicure seemed to be the next best thing. Plus I got to sit in a massage chair.

I don't mind people working on my feet if they do a good job. This dude (yes a dude) did a good job until he nicked my cuticle. But I didn't care because I was in a massage chair. My feet are naturally beautiful with the big red bunions and hairy toes. I don't feel the need for a pedicure all the time. I just want to sit in that chair! I wonder how much they'd charge me to sit in it? It might be cheaper to get the pedicure with it...so I'll just keep getting a pedi. Now my toenails are as red as my bunions.