red.neck chic

paper bag please.

2012-01-30T10:29:00.000-06:00

Notice anything missing?

I have Funky Finds Spring Fling in March... the 10th and 11th.

Warrenton/Zapp Hall Spring show set-up begins... uhmmm... at the end of March - the show runs through Easter week-end.

We will not discuss the orders I have to fill between right now and then.

comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide where someone needs to hand me a paper bag really quick-like 'cause I'm hyperventilating... let me re-phrase that. I'm hyperventilating while duct taped to my sewing machine because that's not very many pocketbooks... wanna come play in my laboratory with me? I promise... I won't work you toooooooooo hard. (my fingers are totally crossed behind my back.) hee-hee

worried about oatmeal.

2012-01-25T09:28:00.000-06:00

I'm a worrier. I know - that statement comes from out of nowhere, but it's a fact. However, I'm not your average worrier. You can tell me "the sky is falling! the sky is falling!" and I'll stand there all mouthhangin'open, wearing a silly grin while mumbling, "at least it's fluffy clouds and sparklin' thangs and not cinder blocks or tires!"!

Yes, I am disgustingly - you would want to whack me upside my head - optimistic in my worrying habits.

But... I'm still a silent worrier. And then it eats a hole in my belly. And then I'm havin' to eat oatmeal for a couple of weeks because:

This is a cereal that is considered to be soothing food for the nerves. It is one of the best sources of Inositol, which is important for maintaining blood cholesterol level. Oats are amazingly high in calcium, potassium and magnesium, together with lots of B complex -- all are vital to a healthy nervous system.

And it's easy on the belly that has a hole in it.

'Cept... I DO NOT LIKE oatmeal! Blech!

When I was little "the Mama" used to make us oatmeal for breakfast during the winter months before she would leave for work. So... I would sit at the dining table, legs dangling from my chair looking all angelic and innocent while waiting for my bowl of BLECH to cool off... it was SO amazing how it got JUST cool enough for the dog to eat it as "the Mama's" tail-lights rounded the corner.

I bought the "multi-flavor" box of oatmeal... cinnamon/apple, cinnamon spice and maple/brown sugar... it's still "blech". I did a google search: "How to make oatmeal taste better", and found these suggestions...

Raisins and brown sugar

Low-fat granola and skim milk

Currants and golden raisins

Raspberry nonfat yogurt and dried cranberries

Apricot fruit spread and sliced almonds

Sliced strawberries and plain nonfat yogurt sprinkled with cinnamon

Maple flavored pancake syrup and a sprinkle of sunflower seeds

Canned crushed pineapple, sliced bananas, and chopped nuts

Strawberry nonfat yogurt and sliced kiwi

Sliced bananas and vanilla nonfat yogurt sprinkled with cinnamon

Reduced fat peanut butter and strawberry fruit spread

Chopped dates, raisins, and walnuts

Coarsely chopped canned peaches and ground ginger

Diced dried apricots and honey

Apple butter and raisins

Blueberry fruit spread and vanilla or plain nonfat yogurt

Orange marmalade and dried cranberries

Coarsely chopped apple and brown sugar

Reduced fat caramel topping and a sprinkle of chopped pecans

Warm apple pie filling and skim milk

Honey crunch flavor wheat germ and cinnamon

Canned pear slices and maple flavor pancake syrup

Skim milk and sliced peaches

Mixed dried fruit

Cherry preserves and wheat germ

Diced cranberries and maple flavored pancake syrup

Chunky natural applesauce

Sliced bananas and mini-semisweet chocolate morsels

Blueberries and sliced strawberries sprinkled with cinnamon-sugar

Canned pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice

Somewhere along the search I read, "soy sauce and sesame seeds"... who knew? How do you eat your oatmeal? Or... does your dog eat it? Mine might get a taste of it tonight...

comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide where it's raining today and yesterday and tomorrow (YAY!!!) but my pretty roof that is supposed to be invincible is leaking in my laundry room. (worry) At least it's not leaking through-out the whole house... but if it WAS leaking through-out the whole house, does the clean-up count as "mopping the floor?" (disgusting optimism.) hee-hee

I have a crush.

2012-01-24T14:21:00.000-06:00

It's a BIG crush. One of those *tee-hee-hee* giggly,

gettin' all tongue-tied,

I would blush (aka: turn bright red) and proll'y quit breathing if he ever looked at me,

*swoon*-like crushes.

I have a crush on Jonathan Adler...

I go bananas for anything Jonathan Adler.

I keep thinking I'm going to outgrow it... but... no. Year after year I'm still crushin'.

I see his fun stuff and awesomeness and consider being his stalker...

starting with being all secret/sly/stalkerish and spending a few ~~weeks~~ ~~days~~ hours in one of his stores. Have you ever been to one of his stores?

comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide where some day the ohsotalented Mr. Adler is going to decide he needs a single-wide in his "I've created this masterpiece" portfolio... hee-hee

all of the photos are from when I went on a wild pinning spree this morning (here)... I've lost my MAKE SOMETHING FANTASTIC NOW mojo and my crush might have it. (Do you think that reason would hold up in court when I'm asked why I'm stalking Jonathan Adler? "But Judge, sir... he has my mojo.")

it's been established...

2012-01-19T09:32:00.000-06:00

that i'm just not right, right?
i mean, you know this about me already, right?

well. last night i'm in my new "photo lab" (aka: storage room that had 3 extra square feet of prime real-estate) taking photos of my new clutch design/pattern: "aud.rey".

i decide i need a hand as a prop.

do you remember how i murdered the "very tall woman"?

exhibit A: here.
exhibit B: here.

uhmmm... i grab her arm with her hand miraculously still attached from under my bed and i think:

self: "this works"

other self: "this does work, but she has some serious road rash"

self: "that's okay 'cause I'm a red.neck and stuff happens"

other self: "it doesn't look healthy... her hand does not look healthy"

self (starts laughing and then cry-laughing then has to sit down from the cry-laughing that is happening)

self:

"i could call it the DEATH CLUTCH"

comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide where yes indeedy i'm watching for the white suit coat company to come take my measurements. do you think if I list "aud.rey" in my Etsy store as the "death clutch" she will sell?

disclaimer: i'm not normally this morbid, so don't be skeert. i DO have mannequin parts under my bed. again, don't be skeert...

prime real-estate.

2012-01-17T11:21:00.000-06:00

Real-estate is a hot commodity in the single-wide.

And... since I'm embracing the fact that I'm a stacker/piler/layerer (thank you Janet!)...

I'm ALSO embracing the fact that only a small portion of my dining table gets used. Chili dogs only take up so much room.

Since the back 40 was just ~~piled~~ layered with whoknowswhat I'm putting it to work.

While I was cleaning the storage room I found my laptop buried under piles of... well... ~~stacks~~ LAYERS and thought, "oh - HEY! I've been needing that!"

I stack, I pile, I layer... I use my lap top and not all of my dining real-estate. I've got my laptop - a gooseneck lamp (the older I get the more light I seem to require!) and a big comfortable, cushy chair. It all makes perfect sense now... 'cept maybe my apparent fascination with tea cups.

comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide where I'm trying to find the perfect piece of "interesting" for that corner. I had "eat" up there in giant channel letters but they have since moved on... hmmm.....

P.S. A couple of fun facts: The tray in the middle is a birch tray that the red.neck Step-Daddy made for each family for Christmas and the wire rimmed glasses are some that Jill - the CEO and mastercreativemind of Jill Ruth & Co. made and sent to me!

pile-up

2012-01-16T11:33:00.000-06:00

My name is Robelyn and I'm a piler. A stacker.

My idea of vignetting is stacking...

and seeing how many stacked piles look good together.

It's who I am. I'm now embracing that about me.

Are you a piler? A stacker?

comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide where sometimes I even know what's in my piles (although I'm not sure where the cookbooks came from or why I have them *scratches head*)... sometimes. hee-hee

pffttt...

2012-01-12T10:40:00.001-06:00

I'm throwin' in the hat.

After three more attempts at creating "THE hat" this is what I've ended up with.

Yes, the end result is reminiscent of the first go-round. And I like it! I made this one out of a beautiful piece of ivory wool suiting. I'll be as snug as a bug in a hat.

I'm gonna now ignore the "thisisSEWnotright" towering hat pile that has built up on one table in my laboratory - all different shapes, styles and colors - and make another one of these in black...

just so that I have one to wear with each coat that I have. Have I ever mentioned that I'm a coat fiend? It's true.

This one from The Vintage Square is on my radar. I don't have a black one and I have a "thing" for big shiny buttons on vintage coats. Well... really... I have a thing for big shiny buttons period.

On another note: here's my kid. I found this picture while digging through my camera card and my heart went all mussssshhhhhhy like a Mama's heart does when she sees her towering man-child.

comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide... yeah, I've sprung myself from the laboratory and I'm back in the single-wide surfing around to see if I can find "THE hat" on line so I can own it. Have you seen it anywhere?

hmmmm....

2012-01-10T10:03:00.000-06:00

Sunday night I was watching "Once Upon A Time" (the show that made me figure out how to make the DVR "playback" option work)...

and I gasped - out loud - when I saw Snow White's (aka: Mary Margaret) hat. Oh! I have to have that hat!!!

Sew off to the laboratory I go. The first one I made out of gray felt... that didn't work so well (imagine a top hat...). The second attempt (you know... where a girl feels like she knows what she's doing...) I killed a perfectly cute sweater by sewing two pieces upside down. Have you tried removing a seam from a sweater? *eye roll and a few choice words*

Third attempt:

It's just not right.

comin' to you LIVE from the laboratory where I could potentially become the had matter before perfection is achieved...

old-school...

2012-01-09T10:15:00.001-06:00

Janet, the Sweet Talkin' Sweetie from SweetTalk did a post the other day where she had written the eulogy for her paperclip. She has gone all "high-tech" with her day planner.

I wish WISH I could do that. I have a hard enough time figuring out how to make my $20 cellphone go. Heck. I have a hard enough time keeping tabs on my $20 cellphone. Oh the places it's been. Dumpster diving isn't always just for great junk. And sound system wires? Don't even get me started.

I'm old school AGAIN this year. I'm super picky about my planner - it has to have the right number of columns, line spacing, the right size, etc. etc.

and the pen has to be a really cheap one with a medium point - preferably stolen (they just write better). HA! I scratch in where I'm supposed to be and when... work orders, status updates on the work orders... and anything else that pops in to my disorganized mind. My planner is my "safekeeping" spot. Sometimes I even remember to carry it along with me.

Are you high-tech or are you still cruisin' through the same "old-school" halls with me? Have any dates you need me to write in and keep up with? I'm all over it!

comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide where I'm so technoNOTsavvy that I was DVR'ing shows but didn't know how to watch them 'til a year later... hee-hee

P.S. Here's Janet's info because she's so incredibly cool... you need to go visit her!!!
blog here
facebook page here
shop here

STILL hangin' around...

2012-01-06T14:01:00.001-06:00

Where to begin, where to begin...

My "wall of random" now shows off some of my faveohright sparkles from a few of my faveohright people! And yes, I am incredibly spoiled.

From the left (that was said in my most "booming" announcer voice.) we have some sparkles and numbers that I walked off with in Warrenton created by one of my most talented neighbors, Tricia aka: Vintage Bliss:

Find her Etsy shop here... and you should DEFINITELY go visit her blog so you can see what she's been up to!!

Then there is my Spoonin' necklace that I won and Mrs. Susie Q customized just for lil' ol' me!

Spoonin' (shop here) facebook (here)
you KNOW duct tape rules - and there is a knife piece behind the spoon about duct tape!
and yes. that is my Max Steiner cinder block necklace tucked in. ;-D

Then there is my Happy Daisy necklace that Leslie aka: the Retreauxgirl (who spoils me rotten and will be my guest again in the spring at Warrenton! Yee-HA!) sent me:

Leslie's Etsy shop here and her TOTALLY fun facebook page is here.

Sometimes I come un-hinged, and luckily for me Kim aka: "The Hillbilly" totally appreciates that about me and sent me this in a box of absurdly sensational great stuff...

I love her mix of rust and sparkles and pearls... oh lala!

NEXT up: we have the lovely Lulu Kellog's creation - how in the world did she know that this is the only shade of blue I'll wear?!

Lulu's Etsy is here and SHE will be here at Warrenton in the spring!!! I'm so excited - I get to meet her!!!

If you ever hear or read me saying: "Hey! Watch THIS! I'm running with scissors!!!" It's because I'm wearing this necklace from Ann aka: Duct Tape and Denim:

Ann's Etsy is here and her facebook page is here.

This next one makes my heart melt like my heart melts when I find THE perfect pair of shoes that I've been searching high and low for:

The definition of Namaste (pronounced na, ma, stay) is both a physical gesture and a spoken spiritual salutation, which is the recognition of the divine spirit (or soul) in another by the divine spirit in you.

It was a Christmas present ordered for me and created by NONE other than Mrs. Susie Q aka: Spoonin' Vintage Spoon Jewelry (did you know she does custom orders? She does!). As was this one:

because NOTHING says "I Love You" more than a whole bunch of name callin'.

If you come over this week-end we can play dress-up using the Whiting Davis bags (the creamy white one was my Grandmothers!) and all of the sparkles! Like Mama Debinator says: "don't exercise, ACCESSORIZE!" We can wear them all at once! Are you on your way yet?

Oh OH!! Before you head this direction be sure and stop by Mama Debinator's (here) and sign up to win the Spoonin' necklace she is showing off!

Customized just for HER honoring all of her "squirrel" moments... you will DEFINITELY want to throw your acorn in the squirrel tree for this one!

comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide where I'm wearing the "Namaste" today... but wardrobe changes happen often. Hmmm.... maybe the Happy Daisy this evening? hee-hee

hangin' around...

2012-01-05T13:20:00.000-06:00

One of the things I found in the ~~disaster area~~ storage room was a candle holder that "the Mama" had given me a few years ago when my house had pink mixed in with the red.

Turns out there are only certain things that I like in pink. I ADORE the candle holder... happy daisies and zinnias... metal AWEsomeness... so I turned the pink red 'cause I'm all "givemethespraypaintNOW" cool like that.

Then, I have a wall in my bedroom that is slowly but surely getting re-vamped...

I call it my "wall of random" 'cause there's not a stinkin' thing on that wall that makes sense - but it works for me. And it's really kinda fun to say that I have a "wall of random".

NOW I have wall hooks. Several of them. And... I can't burn the house down if I'm not using this as intended.

The pocketbooks aren't staying long 'cause I have some treasures to hang instead... Just wait! You'll be green-metalleaves with ENVY! I'll be back...

the ugly truth.

2012-01-03T11:00:00.000-06:00

WARNING: This is not a pretty post. BE PREPARED!!!

I spent the first days of 2012 cleaning out my storage room. You know... the room in every house that becomes the hub/stashing place/floor-to-ceiling pile-up for all things... and I mean - ALL things.

I cleaned... I cleaned some more...

and... I have more to clean. Believe it or not, these are NOT the "before" pictures... nor are they the "in-the-middle-of" pictures...

these are the "as it stands right now" pictures after three days of moving stuff, moving more stuff, getting rid of stuff, burn pile stuff... I forgot I had carpet in there. I even thought I had lost my cat in there and was skeert he wouldn't come out alive.

And no, I REALLY can't believe I'm showing you these pictures. But... *shrug*... I'm a storage room disaster. That is the ugly truth. Even worse? This isn't even the whole room...

comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide where I would think I was a hoarder if I didn't actually USE this stuff and/or have the ability to get rid of it. *giggle* What did you do for your New Year's week-end? Aren't you glad you weren't in my hood? I woulda put you to work. Oh, wait! I still can!!! What time should I be expecting you? hee-hee

2012

2011-12-31T09:50:00.002-06:00

yes... I have duct tape in my 2012 planner... what better way to start the year?!

Have I told you lately how much I adore and appreciate each and every one of you that comes to visit my single-wide?

Let me start this year by telling you how much I adore and appreciate each and every one of you that comes to visit my single-wide. I already think you are absurdly sensational... just keep being you in 2012!

Happy Happy New Year!!!

pearfect!

2011-12-29T09:46:00.000-06:00

I needed a quick little wedding shower gift sew I cleared off the mountainous pile of ~~JUNK~~ cool stuff from around my sewing machine and got bizzy cookin' up some dish towels.

Fun, right? Floral for her, stripes for him... the perfect pearing for the perfect pear.

comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide where I'm in "ZappHallspringshowisonly124daysaway" mode (thank you Retreauxgirl for keeping me in time-line!) and these just might come in to season there... wanna pear? hee-hee

whew!

2011-12-27T08:53:00.000-06:00

How was your Christmas week-end?! Did you see Santy Claus? Hang out with friends and family?

Did you eat toooooooooo much?

comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide where I ate way twotoooo many pieces of pecan pie. But luckily for me I have new fluffy jammy pants with a stretchy waistband. Luckily for my surrounding community I saw fit to change out of the fluffy jammies (under much duress) when I had to come back to work today. My New Year's resolution is gonna be:
buy more stretchy fluffy jammy pants.

What - you SERIOUSLY thought I would say, "eat less pecan pie?" ha!!!

no.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-23T09:58:00.000-06:00

The Christmas Gift of Knowing You

By Joanna Fuchs

The Christmas season fills our hearts with joy;

Bright, happy days bring special kinds of pleasure.

We’re wrapped in the excitement of it all,

The sights, the sounds, the smells, the tastes we treasure.

Yet when we have some quiet time to think

About our finest blessings all year through,

We focus on our family and our friends,

And appreciate the gift of knowing you!

Have a Merry Merry Christmas filled with lots of love, family and friends, fellowship and laughter!

xoxo

tractor pull anyone?

2011-12-19T09:54:00.000-06:00

hmmmm.... If I had this dress:

I would wear these earrings with it:

And because my teeth chatter the second it drops below 74 I would wear this stole with it:

Then, because I'm crazzzzzzy...

I would wear these boots with it.

all photos from my Pinterest board

We should go to a tractor pull on New Year's Eve so we can all dress up and watch the big tire drop... you with me?

comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide where I'd probably even wear this dress while braving the Christmas shopping crowds at Hobby Lobby. hee-hee

keeping my eyes on the star...

2011-12-16T16:17:00.000-06:00

okay... the neutral didn't last long...

you may have already guessed that it wouldn't last long. and yes, that is a Charlie Brown tree in the background. ;-D

my dining table is back to it's normal now (whatever THAT is)...

and yes! i painted the deer!

this Christmas has arrived fast...

and i'm not ready.

my normal "Merrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrry Christmas!" is coming out more like, "*pfffffft* Merry Christmas".

Jill at Jill Ruth & Co. found the words that I couldn't.

"... the real meaning of the season is not lost, but found even in the midst of the stress. Keeping my eyes on the star."

i'm going to spend the week-end stargazing... see if I can't remember what Christmas is all about.

comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide where I just adore the memories - new and old - that Christmas holds... and the way that Jill finds words that elude me.

p.s. the "resident teen's" girlfriend brought me the peppermints 'cause she knows they make me smile... does that mean she likes me?

sparkles and shine!

2011-12-14T07:39:00.001-06:00

We all know by now that I don't "do" neutral in the single-wide hardly at all ever never, never ever...

but a few weeks ago I came across these Pfaltzgraff "Brown Drip" dishes.... drug 'em home and SUDDENLY the single-wide thinks it's a "Christmas cabin in the woods"! Sometimes there is just no controlling the single-wide.

There are just bits and pieces of the set...

and go with absolutely nothing IN my house - but fit in with everything on "rancho del red.neck".

They aren't really my style.

But... uhmmm...

I couldn't help but play with them!!!

In my mind gold metallic, gold glitter,

silver metallic, silver glitter, mercury glass (new and old),

gold sequins...

they are all neutrals.
For my first foray in to "neutral territory" (and the single-wide's minor case of "i think i'm a log cabin"), I'm quite pleased! So much so that I'm going to go throw my duct tape roll in to Debra at Common Ground's Vintage Inspiration Friday linky FUN!!! You should go visit... EVERYONE is sooooooo inspiring and you get to visit Debra is just gorgeous AND inspiring!!!

Now, who's cooking?! I've got the dishes...

comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide where I did some shoppin' at "the Mama's" for the bedspread and the brass deer... don't tell her though 'cause I'm smackin' those dear deer in the antlers with some chrome spray paint in about... 4 hours. ssssshhhhhhh...

silver and gold (again)

2011-12-13T09:39:00.000-06:00

AGAIN I needed gold... but all I had was silver.

Cheap silverware
meet:
Gold metallic spray paint.
(you should DEFINITELY try this at home... imagine the possibilities! Pink, green... purple, orange... lipstick red... oh my! Tablescapes will never be the same again! What color do you need?)

Tape off the "eat-with-me" part and get to spray paintin'.

I added some metallic glaze 'cause gold metallic paint wasn't the right shade of metallic gold. (don't worry... i just confused myself with that one...)

Just WAIT 'til you see what I've been up to!

comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide where I DO realize that red.necks are supposed to use the plastic stuff... but 4/$1.00 at the dollar store puts me in the "Chic" category, right? Seriously... one can NOT be seen eating out of the cool whip container with a plastic spoon... the horror! hee-hee

silver and gold

2011-12-12T08:53:00.000-06:00

Mercury glass.

I usually gravitate towards the silver, but I needed gold (wait 'til you see WHY I needed gold! yeeeee HA!) and I didn't HAVE any gold...

so I ran a glass votive holder under the tap.
Shook out the excess water.
Went outside and sprayed the inside with gold metallic paint.
Swirled the watered down paint concoction around.
Let it dry.
Uh huh... that simple!
THEN "the Mama" says to try vinegar instead of water to get the "aged" effect.

So... I put some vinegar in a glass votive holder - shook it up and swirled it around.
Shook out the excess vinegar.
Went outside and sprayed the inside with gold metallic paint.
Swirled the vingegared down paint concoction around.
Let it dry.
Aged to perfection in seconds!

Hot glue on some ribbon, add some cedar pieces and a silver pinecone. 'Cause it's Christmas and finishes are meant to be mixed up.

Oh wait... I do that all year round. *shrug*

There you have it! "Fool's Gold" mercury glass. The silver works too! Here's some mood music for you... you can thank me later 'cause you're going to be humming this to yourself throughout the rest of today:

comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide where I have sprayed my way through many many cans of metallic paints, glitter paints... more glitter paints... I look best in a wild mix of silver and gold... with a lil' chartreuse thrown in...

quirky

2011-12-08T11:24:00.000-06:00

In OCTOBER of LAST year I wrote about the "Quirky Heirloom Throw" from Anthropologie.

For THAT long I've had it on my mind. Things don't usually stay in/on/around my mind that long... just sayin'. It is GORGEOUS! And I want it! But... the Anthro throw is not an heirloom to me.

Sew I made my own that IS an heirloom to me.

Wanna know why?

Judi Spinetti (the GREATEST of cheerleaders!)

Kim (CEO of A Hillbilly's Life)

Sweet T (CEO of Garden Antqs Vintage)

Mindy (CEO of The Primitique)

"the Mama" (birthplace of the red.neck girl)

Sue (CEO of Vintage Rescue Squad)

Theresa (CEO and creator of AWESOME over at The Old White House)
Mr. Flannery (CEO and "furniture dancer" at Hogs and Roses)

Mama Debinator (CEO and Cat Daddy tamer over at Talkin' Trash)

Malissa (CEO (and secret pin-up girl) over at Pent-Up Photos)

They all spoil me rotten. ROTTEN! Like... canyousmellme ROTTEN!

Between all of these beautiful hearts (and a thrift store for the afghan (I tried to find a white one but it turns out... I don't do white very well and gravitated towards the green!)) I now have my very OWN special/quirky/totally fun heirloom throw!!!

Patches, doilies, vintage trim and buttons... all mixed in together...
from all over the United States...
all sent with love and friendship...
ALL of these things insure that each time I wrap myself up with my throw I will think of each one of you... and my heart will warm up too.

You can make one. You SHOULD make one! Find a crocheted afghan - grab up some doilies and get to stitchin'. If you are more patient than I am you could hand stitch them on... but I apparently need some instant gratification (well... it took about 3-5 hours to fix this "just so") and ran it all through my sewing machine. Easy.

Sew... now I have my very own "Quirky Heirloom Throw". And it's possible I will not come out from under it until next May.

comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide where I'm thinkin' I'm such-a-nerd... I was out photographing this thing in 27 degree weather - crunching through the frozen leaves... SHIVERING non-stop (in my jammies and 3 coats no less) when I SHOULD have been UNDER the blanket in my house - where it's WARM! Quirky my foot... I think I'm brain-frozen.

oh my gosh!!!

2011-12-06T11:34:00.000-06:00

I forgot to tell you what I did this past Saturday!!!

Cat Daddy came to town.

*swoon*

And, as if THAT isn't the biggest/greatest/most awesome news ever...

he brought Mama Debinator along for the ride!!! I kidnapped that fun-size bundle of joy and mischief as a good red.neck should and proceeded to drag her ALLLLLLL around Waco - fed her a greasy cheeseburger and fries - and we shopped 'til we dropped - then shopped some more!

Then great tragedy struck.

I had to take her back to Kitty Cat Daddy. *sniff*

But, that was a-okay 'cause I got to see Kitty Cat Daddy again.

Just ONE (there were many...) of the places that I took the Trash Talkin' Diva to was Honey's Home+Style (my fav-OH-right place to loiter!) where I loaded up a Christmas tree:

purrrrrrrfect, right?!

Poor Honey... she doesn't realize what I do with her beautiful things... LOL

The next time Cat Daddy and Mama Debinator come back to town I'll let you know in advance... then we can ALL load up in the Tonka truck (once I pull it out of the "snow") and terrorize the town!

comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide where my truck is the ONLY thing under my tree so far... how many days left? hee-hee

fire in the hole - REburn!

2011-12-05T09:57:00.000-06:00

This is re-post... but REALLY!!! Fires happen... (sometimes a LOT at the single-wide...) and the whole "fire safety" thing is VERY important to me. YOU are important to me. Personal experience talks:

Fire Extinguisher dust resting on your nose (good freckle cover if I do say so myself...),
Siren bells ringin' from the big red truck,
And folks dressed up like yellow eskimos...with a smoke mask...and long water hoses...

Have you done your fire safety check lately? With the holidays upon us there's extra flamage on the stove - scented candles burning - toaster ovens to blow up - pretty sparkly twinkly lights on the trees, over the windows, hanging from the ceiling - ovens to implode - propane heaters - space heaters and fireplaces (Stop, Drop and Roll Santy Claus!) - microwaves that spit sparks - crazy red.neck neighbors that like to build very large bonfires (s'mores anyone?) - circuits to short out - and so on...

What’s a traditional Christmas morning scene without a beautifully decorated tree? If your household includes a natural tree in its festivities, take to heart the sales person’s suggestion – “Keep the tree watered.”

Christmas trees account for hundreds of fires annually. Typically, shorts in electrical lights or open flames from candles, lighters or matches start tree fires. Well-watered trees are not a problem. A dry and neglected tree can be. If you are using a metallic or artificial tree, make sure it is flame retardant. Tips from: (http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/citizens/focus/holiday.shtm)

The following safe cooking tips can help to make your holiday dinner safe and enjoyable:

Always use cooking equipment tested and approved by a recognized testing facility.
Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling or broiling food. If you leave the kitchen, even for a short time, turn off the stove. (example: don't go flyin' out to the labooooooratory 'cause the salad dressing made you think of a new pocketbook that was needing to be made...)
Keep anything that can catch fire - potholders, towels or curtains (cats) - away from your stove top.
Have a "kid-free zone" of at least 3 feet around the stove and areas where hot food or drink is prepared or carried. This only counts if your kid doesn't cook better than you...
Wear short, close fitting or tightly rolled sleeves when cooking. Loose clothing can dangle onto stove burners and catch fire (so can pocketbooks...).
Never use a wet oven mitt, as it presents a scald danger if the moisture in the mitt is heated.
Always keep an oven mitt and lid nearby when you're cooking (and a fire extinguisher or two). If a small grease fire starts in a pan, put on an oven mitt and smother the flames by carefully sliding the lid over the pan (not a phone book or home decorating magazine). Turn off the burner. Don't remove the lid until it is completely cool.
If there is an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed to prevent flames from burning you and your clothing. Have the oven serviced before you use it again. Tips from: (http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/citizens/focus/holiday.shtm) and a couple from your fav.o.rite red.neck
Always remove the cardboard from the bottom of the frozen pizza and check all toaster ovens for potential fire hazards...fire happens...I'm just sayin'. Tips From: (http://www.redneckchic.com)

Maintain your Lighting...
Inspect each strand of lights each year for frayed wires (mouses like to eat at 'em here in my neck 'o the woods), bare spots, gaps in the insulation, broken or cracked sockets, and excessive kinking or wear before putting them up. Use only lighting listed by an approved testing laboratory. Try not to link more than three light strands, unless the directions indicate it is safe. Connect strings of lights to an extension cord before plugging the cord into the outlet. Make sure to periodically check the wires - they should not be warm to the touch. And - really try not to leave those lights on unattended! Tips from: http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/citizens/focus/holiday.shtm

Candles...
(Flame-less Candles! With a timer! Great for the red.neck not allowed to burn candles!!!)
Avoid using lit candles. If you do use lit candles, make sure they are in stable holders and place them where they cannot be easily knocked over (or things thrown on them...that happens.). Never leave the house with candles burning...or, if you're me...don't leave the room. Never put lit candles on a tree. Hey, in my defense, I have never done that!!! Whoo Hoo!!! But, it is all part of the whole pyro safety thing. Tips from: http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/citizens/focus/holiday.shtm

And you know the drill...the fire drill that is, right? Escape route and meeting place for your family, cats, dogs and various critters. Be sure and check the batteries in your smoke alarms!!! I have some extra if you need some - but I'm not sharing my fire extinguisher(s) - those things are SO handy to have layin' round!!! But, I betcha' Santa will bring you a few with very little cattle-proddin'!!! They are very shiny red and pretty!

Now that I have left you with this Public Service Announcement - don't you feel wiser and more "fire proof"? Don't burn anything down.... I've got that covered. Or is it smothered? *shrug*

comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide (where I have a fake tree - I wonder what happens if I water it?)...hee-hee

fa la la la

2011-12-02T11:43:00.000-06:00

I think this is one of the best Christmas songs...

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide where inquiring minds wanna know... what's your favorite Christmas song? It doesn't have to be just one...

Have a WONDERFUL week-end!

gasp

2011-11-30T12:51:00.000-06:00

pier1

I'm gonna go this evening - I'm gonna pick out a tape measure - then I'm gonna go home and drop it in my own stocking.

comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide where somebody needs to remind me to stay on task and quit getting distracted by sparkley things. My Christmas list is growing and I have many things I'm supposed to be creating!!! Have you started shopping and/or "creating greatness" yet?

warning:

2011-11-28T16:31:00.001-06:00

Christmas is exploding in the single-wide.

And it's even more fun 'cause this year I put the tree in front of a 4' x 7' mirror...

'cause I'm all "sparkley" like that.

comin' to you LIVE from the single-wide where I am wearing more tinsel than the tree. Have you started the tinsel-flyin' in your 'hood yet?

gobble gobble

2011-11-23T10:23:00.000-06:00

Last night I baked.

I give Thanks to the men and women Firefighters all year round.
But at THANKSgiving do I see them? No. Because I baked without incident. Can I get a high-five?!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip cookies. If I can make these - you can make these. You SHOULD make these... 3 ingredients. No kidding!

1 (15 ounce) can solid pack pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling)

1 (18 ounce) box spice cake mix

1 (12 ounce) package semi-sweet chocolate chips or 1 (12 ounce) package milk chocolate chips

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together pumpkin and spice cake until well blended. Add chocolate chips to mix. Drop cookies on greased baking sheet. Bake for 15-18 minutes.

These funky piles of pumpkin goodness taste SOOOOO good! I was going to add cream cheese frosting to some of 'em but decided not to. It's a great idea though, right? And... the thought of walnuts vs. chocolate chips has me wanting to make more. Maybe in a bread pan. Or! I could do little muffins. Maybe some tiny baby cupcakes...

I feel like Chef-boy-argh-robelyn.

There you have it. A simple recipe that you can carry along with you as you go about your Thanksgiving Day.

My wishbone wish is that you have a beautiful Thanksgiving - full of friends and family, giggles and laughsnorts, fellowship and blessings, and... stretchy pants for that turkey induced coma that will arrive approximately 1.5 seconds after you finish eating.

comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide where I found this quote and thought it was 'bout right: Hem your blessings with thankfulness so they don't unravel. hee-hee

hello

2011-11-22T08:47:00.000-06:00

I can't believe it's November...

much less - TWO DAYS AWAY FROM THANKSGIVING!!! Where oh where has this year gone?!

I would have completely missed the season in the decorate the single-wide department (which is highly unusual for me) if it wasn't for Theresa from The Old White House.

But... 'cause Theresa has mad skillz as an artist of many-great-things... I now get to walk in to the single-wide and grin at my pumpkins!

And remember that Thanksgiving is two days away.

Really? Did I just type that?

Augh!

comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide where withOUT the beautiful Theresa I'd probably still be snorkeling in the cement pond and wonderin' why the firecracker stand isn't open. hee-hee

falling temps...

2011-11-18T08:39:00.000-06:00

poncho found here

it's finally below 185,000,000,117 degrees here and I'm thinking:

"Happy Fall Ya'll".

and i'm thinking: "the leaves are falling now not 'cause of dehydration... but 'cause they are supposed to be".

comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide where I do not sweep up the leaves... do you? Have a warm and cozy week-end!!!

Funky Finds = Funky Fun (part dos)

2011-11-16T10:18:00.000-06:00

Set up? Took a lil' bit (and a trip back home)...

Seeing beautiful friends (Jenn & Teri - ya'll rock!) and making new ones? AWEsome!

Funky Finds is always such a wonderfully fun show for me! PLUS - I get the added bonus of seeing Joe and Jessica - the masterminds behind Funky Finds. Jessica's blog is here - facebook here - and some "funky" shoppin' here.

Sending pocketbooks and a various assortment of other red.neck insanity to new homes? FANtastic!

Skinny mirror that's really cheap from Home Depot?

Priceless. You gotta go get one.

I swear - I dropped like 19 sizes in this mirror!!! I'm going today to buy one for each room in my house. Maybe one for my car too. And my office... uhhhh...

comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide where the funniest thing that happened was when my red.neck assistant went to hook the duct tape mobile up to the u-haul... and came back with the wrong trailer. I wonder how much jail time u-haul trailer theft requires? hee-hee

my name is earl.

2011-11-15T09:15:00.000-06:00

I'd like to introduce you toooooooooooooo:

he's my new mascot. FUN, right?! Looks just like me.

I kidnapped him at Funky Finds this past week-end, right from this guy:

it was Shawn's birthday! Yes, I made him sit for a picture on his birthday 'cause I'm cool like that.

Get Bent Metal Works... eye candy.

LuLu... I'm not sure why, but this makes me think of you...

I told Shawn when he was unloading that I was pretty sure I wanted one of everything he had - and that was based solely off of the odd things I saw sticking out of his trailer.

I could have adopted and named immediately each and every piece of art Shawn has created...

but, I wouldn't have been leaving anything for you! That's not very fair of me 'cause you need some of this:

and this:

and this.

You can go meet Shawn in San Antonio this week-end at the Christmas Showcase if you missed him in Ft. Worth... it is SO worth your trip!

You will giggle and full-out belly laugh (there's a monkey that says, "help me" on his tag - I laughed out loud! and LOUD!), you will "oooh and aaahhh" over a few pieces - and you will be flabbergasted by Shawn's outrageous creative skillz. You will want them all.

when i saw these i wanted to start singing THIS song...

ALL I tell ya! You could have your own mascot!

Get Bent Metal Works... 'cause you're a little bent. Wait... I'm a little bent.

We are ALL a little bent. Don't deny it.
comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide where I swear... I'm going to go kidnap Earl's family and take 'em to Warrenton with me in the Spring. Then he won't feel like the lone inmate. And... I think I'm going to find the "My Name Is Earl" series on ~~8-track~~ DVD... that show cracked me UP! Did you ever watch it? hee-hee

funky finds = funky fun

2011-11-10T11:14:00.001-06:00

well... i'm gettin' loaded up so i can go visit jessica and joe in ft. worth.

did i ever tell you that the very first show i did with red.neck Chic was the funky finds "spring fling"? it was SO much fun - all the shows PRIOR to tappin' in to my inner red.neck required reining myself in. (i know... can you imagine?!)

there will be no stinkin' reins on ME this week-end... you should come see.

comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide... but only 'til tomorrow. then i'll be comin' to you LIVE from the barn in ft. worth!!! hee-hee

May you find a quiet moment this Veteran's day

to reflect on our many blessings:

freedom, family, friendship,

liberty and love.

Remember those who sacrificed for the peace and security of all - thank a soldier... be it Veteran or one currently serving... they have all paid a price for our freedom. Have a wonderful Veteran's Day week-end!

cankles?

2011-11-07T10:06:00.000-06:00

I saw these boots at free people on Friday and posed the question: "would you wear these?" on facebook. When I first saw them I thought: "euuuwwww I would NOT wear those!" but then I looked... and looked again.

I would. I would wear them and love them.

'Cept... I don't have $438.00 to spend on "vintage" boots with "vintage" belts.

What I DO have is:

dear future recipient of a red.neck Chic pocketbook... i'm sorry you won't be getting these belts as pocketbook handles. a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do when it comes to cute footwear.

Mindy and Mr. Flannery brought up the whole "cankle" issue... (cankles ARE a girl's worst nightmare after all...)

I don't think I have cankles... if YOU think I have cankles don't tell me. I'm in denial... denial works for me.

Gonna make you some? I think you should - they are GROOVY (I'm gonna bring "groovy" back) in person and fun to wear!

comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide where these ALMOST make me want to put away my winter flip flops... hee-hee

whistlin' dixie...

2011-11-03T09:21:00.002-05:00

Flag pillows can be spotted EVERYWHERE lately...

and I decided I wanted a flag pillow for my house. But, you know me...

I don't do anything the normal way. Wanna whistle and sew with me?

Just sew I knew what I was doing, "the Mama" found this info. for me:

The confederate flag (Sometimes known as the Southern Cross or the St. Andrew’s Cross) is square (a few rectangles were used by various Confederate commands, but the original design was square). The blue saltire is edged in white on a red background. The stars are of various sizes and arranged in multiple directions. In reproduction flags the stars are all pointing in the same direction. The flag's stars represented the number of states in the Confederacy.

Here we go:
I cut a 16" square of interfacing and ironed it on to a red fabric sample. I used interfacing 'cause this project is going to keep you in stitches and you don't want your fabric to stretch out like Gumby.

I THEN dug out some lace from my ~~tooooo many piles of junk~~ lace jar and crisscrossed it. My lace is about 3.250" wide.

Stitch it down.

Next - measure and cut some "wonder under" to iron on to the back of your blue fabric. Mine is velveteen which makes it SUPER slippery (I think I have it left over from a velvet Elvis...). Layer it over your white lace:

I measured my blue strips out at 2.250" wide - but it really depends on how big your stars are.

I cheated and used my 2" star punch - but you could free-hand the stars, use star buttons or patches - embroider them... the sky is the limit! *snicker*
I cut/punched them out of MORE "wonder under" (I like that stuff almost as much as duct tape!), placed them all wiLLy-nILly - ironed 'em...

Voila! The front of your pillow is done! (I made that sound sew easy, right? Allow approximately an hour for this project.) Slice up some denim (I used a denim mini-skirt)...

and make your pillow back - stitch the front to the back (leaving an opening (or overlapping the denim like I did) for your stuffing (*gobble-gobble*)) - then stuff it with whatever you have on hand! I happened to have a feather pillow form I hi-jacked from somewhere... ssssshhhhhhhhh.

I now have my very own flag pillow - MY way! Are you gonna make one? You know you have your rebellious side... don't try to deny it.

TODAY I'm so excited because for the FIRST TIME EVER I'm linking up with Becky at Beyond the Picket Fence. Her blog is one of my VERY favorites - and her Under $100 Linky Party is ALWAYS fun to lurk around on!!! This pillow? Didn't cost a thing to make...

I am ALSEW linking up over with the lovely Debra at Common Ground for her "Vintage Inspiration Friday"... the 1860s was a LONG time ago! I think I was.... uhmmmm.... 10? ;-D You should go visit Debra... talk about some inspiration!!!

comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide where a Confederate Battle Flag should fit in superbly with my crystal chandelier and disco ball, right? Oh... and maybe a fur throw... and a granny square afghan... hee-hee

P.S. (And this is very important.) I know there are a number of misconceptions about the Confederate Flag and what it represents. It all boils down to the glorious fight of the states - the economic and political rivalry between an agrarian South and an industrial North. Wanna know more? Read Here and Here! ;-D

:D

2011-11-02T08:41:00.000-05:00

There's a cold snap heading my way (it's gonna be between 70 and 75... *burrrrrr*). I'm fairly certain I will need these:

kate spade

I see a snowman in my future.

For now though:

comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide where I'm feeling mighty mischievous this morning... who spiked my coffee? What kinda trouble are you getting in to today?

it's a good thing!

2011-11-01T09:15:00.000-05:00

Have you been to Home Depot lately? Good grief... one whole end cap full of glittery greatness! I threw on the feet brake. I also stood staring with my jaw hanging open and a glitter in my eye 'til the paint guru asked if I needed help... ~~for the third time.~~

This discovery of mine does not bode well for my current surroundings.

My refrigerator DOES need a new paint job...

comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide where sew you know... this is not a paid advertisement for Martha or Home Depot (my home away from home.). I am running around with my paint brush in hand and glitter in my hair - glittering anything and everything I see all on my own. THIS STUFF IS FUN!!! Do you have some yet? By Friday I'm sure I will have each color in my possession... I'll share with you. hee-hee

I wonder what Big Fat Fatty the Cat would look like with glitter highlights? hmmm....

SKEERY!

2011-10-31T12:05:00.000-05:00

her name was "ladyfingers"...

Happy Halloween...

comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide... where I'm gonna yell "BOO!" at everyone I see today 'cause it's a bad hair day and I'm thinkin'... "Cousin It". Just as soon as I find my sunglasses... hee-hee

amuck, amuck, amuck...

2011-10-28T08:37:00.000-05:00

Today in red.neckville we're brewen' up some fun...

'Eye of newt, and toe of frog,

Wool of bat, and tongue of dog'

'Adder's fork, and blind-worm's sting,

Lizard's leg, and owlet's wing'

'For a charm of powerful trouble,

Like a hell-broth boil and babble'

smash the oreos with the tool the cereal killer left behind.
(he's 17. i'm sure in his teen-age universe the wrench left on the cereal shelf makes perfect sense.)

'Double, double, toil and trouble,

Fire burn, and caldron bubble'...

bwooooooo hahahahahahaha....

comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide where the eyeballs just kinda gross me out - but the teenagers that all think they live at my house were pretty impressed. Are YOU ready for Halloween?

Know how witches drink their tea? Out of flying saucers.

tee-hee-hee... I'm just running amuck, amuck, amuck..
.

p.s. the recipe really is so simple... EYE can do it which means YOU sho' 'nuff can!
1 box of instant pudding (not the cooking kind 'cause that requires the local FD)
some oreos
gummy worms
and if you're sick like me... gum ball eyeballs.
make the pudding... mix in some worms... crush the oreos and pile on top! add another worm or two - and some eyeballs.

oops!

2011-10-26T09:56:00.000-05:00

I forgot to show you my space at Zapp Hall! *gasp*

My brain is still fried from the 100,000,000,000, +++ degree temps that it was out there in the cow pasture.

Do you remember that Leslie the Retreauxgirl was my special guest? (I am still so honored!) Leslie is SPECIAL... eSPECIALly talented! Look at this:

and this:

The Retreauxgirl was rockin' and rollin'!!! It was so much fun to hear all of the "hey, look at this!" when customers were looking at her sparklin' thangs!!! I loved having her so much I asked her to be my guest again in the Spring! I'm excited!!! You won't want to miss her - I promise!

And... Zapp wouldn't have been NEAR as successful for me without the help of my mighty assistant. Mama Debinator thinks Grayzilla is HER assistant but I beg to differ...

NObody - and I mean NOBODY

can bring the "Chic" to the red.neck better than Grayzilla!!! I have come to the conclusion that I can do no other shows without her. I wonder what the child labor laws are in red.neckville?

Hmmm.... what else have I forgotten to show you?

There you have it!

I didn't have much of anything to load up and bring home (other than what I BOUGHT when I was there to SELL)...

and I'm thinking that's a GOOD problem, right?!

really. this was the end of my tent. ;-D

comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide where the show must go on, sew I'm getting ready for Funky Finds in a couple of weeks! My poor sewing machines may go on strike here shortly... I wonder if Grayzilla can sew yet? hee-hee

one little, two little, three little...

2011-10-24T10:34:00.000-05:00

SHEEP.

I know ~~I'm in my late~~... I'm older, but I couldn't stop myself from hanging some woolly fuzziness on my bedroom wall (wouldn't it would be cute in a nursery?!).

and yes. that is "raspberry pink" thrown in for fun. with the red. and the black.

Okay - these aren't woolly or fuzzy (yet. dust bunnies DO happen) but ewe know what I mean.

I decided while I was cleaning, painting and generally wreaking havoc on my bedroom this past week-end that I'm just going to embrace my "inner quirky".

Apparently my "inner quirky" translates in to: I'm hanging some sheep on my wall. *shrug*

The frame and the picture that was so hideous it wasn't worth a "before" picture was a garage sale find a couple of months ago: $5. After another $5 (can you believe I didn't have any white paint?! Goodness - have I learned NOTHING?!!!) I can now count sheep while trying to turn my brain off at night. And then when I wake up I can gaze happily at the "sunrise red" frame.

comin' to ewe LIVE from a single-wide where "The Antonio Project" (I wonder if he has single-wides in his portfolio yet?) has been playing non-stop for two weeks because I finally figured out how to make the DVR play the shows I've been recording for the past year. Whoo Hoo!!! His motto is "go big or go home"... the sheep picture measures in at a whoppin' 4' x 4.5'. Think that's big enough? hee-hee

it's all black and white.

2011-10-21T09:10:00.003-05:00

I've had a black (chalkboard paint! yay!) wall in my bedroom for a while now. (Ask "the Mama" what she thinks about that.)

My bedroom has been a complete disaster for a while now. (Don't ask "the Mama" what she thinks about that.)

I don't know why, but I always draw a big black blank when it comes to my bedroom. All other rooms in the single-wide get a face lift on a ~~daily~~ ~~weekly~~ ~~monthly~~ seasonal basis...

but I'm never sure what to do with my bedroom. Do you have a room in your house that you are forever struggling with? (It's ALWAYS been my bedroom that leaves me mystified.)

because "the Mama" and her red-in-the-house is apparently hereditary.

Simple is good... keeping the black wall that I adore is a given.
I've been throwing everything that does not serve a purpose in the "get away from me NOW" pile...

and this week-end I'm going to finish cleaning out, painting, sewing - and then:

Because that's the way things happen sometimes at my house.

comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide where I'm wondering what are you going to be doing this week-end? Tacklin' any big projects?

all images via pinterest the photocrack site.

Pig.

2011-10-19T09:53:00.000-05:00

Mad photography skillz courtesy of Samantha

Have you met Pig?

You should meet Pig. She likes carbs. She's not picky - just give her anything with carbs.

Pig won the giveaway!!!

Oh wait... Pig is in the middle of her beauty sleep.

Samantha - would you be willing to accept the big box o' fun for Pig? I won't tell her you signed for the box if you don't...

comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide where I wish I could send each and every one of you a big box of fun. Without YOU I am just... me. And me without you is absolutely no fun at all. Thank You for celebrating with me!!!! I think you are AWESOME!!!

grin and giggle

2011-10-17T09:20:00.000-05:00

It takes sooooooooo little to make me grin and giggle.

But Max Steiner and his artistic awesomeness makes me *grin and giggle* in a goofy kind of way.

C'mon - how can I help myself when I have a little tiny cinder block hanging around my neck?!

Have you signed up for my giveaway? The big box o' fun will make YOU *grin and giggle*. Today is the last day! At midnight (Do you get visions of pumpkins and fairies and princes when you hear "midnight"?)!

I won't send you my cinder block necklace 'cause I'm selfish like that. BUT! I WILL send you an AWESOME necklace from Leslie the Retreauxgirl - a pocketbook - a dishtowel - an edison bulb - some "lip grease" (pucker up baby!) - some "SUDZ" (both laundry and hand soap) - some "red.neck Glam" (duct tape, pearls & sparklin' thangs... ALMOST as good as a tee-tiny cinder block!) a photo/recipe holder - AND! A mystery gift! You have at least nine chances to win (Look over there to the right - top of my sidebar... see all the chances?)!

comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide where I'm wondering if maybe I should have some tiny old beat up truck earrings (minus their tires) to wear with my cinder block necklace? hmmmmm......

it's time to celebrate - part 9

2011-10-13T14:07:00.000-05:00

I'm just going to let you use your imagination on where "SPLaT fine dinin'" came from 'cause it involves the sound of (YOU finish the sentence....)

"SPLaT Fine Dinin'" is made up of pretty much anything that I think of (or make) that involves a kitchen gadget. YOU KNOW I don't cook (personal safety reasons... and neighborhood burn ban) so kitchen gadgets are always useful... elsewhere.

For Example:
I've been known to desecrate fine china:

did you know that gold rimmed dishes make really cool sparklin' colors flash when put in the microwave?

Flat cheese graters are fun! You COULD use them for cheese gratin', or...

And so on. You see how my mind works, right? I have a few cheese grater pendant lights - I've made napkin or mail holders out of the rounded tater mashers - plant markers out of knives and other utensils - bundt cake pans are AWESOME wreaths... kitchen gadgets are fun (and in my case, safer) when used for something else!

And - just 'cause

I'm throwin' either a tater masher or a grater (which would you like?) in to the mega-celebration box of fun! Are you entering to win every chance you get? You should be...

I will take all comments from each "celebrate-late-with-me"post and ALL comments will be entered to win - you are going to get SEW many chances because your name goes in for each comment you leave!!!

Tell your friends about the fun over here (then tell me) and you get TWO chances to win per post that you share!

New follower? Tell me and I'll welcome you as soon as I throw your name in the duct tape roll twice for the the post you taped yourself on to!

The box now holds:
a pocketbook, some SUDZ, some Glam, a piece of Retreauxgirl AWESOMEness, a Saddle Tramp shirt... and a partridge in a pear tree. Oops - I mean - some red.neck Lip Grease and a dishtowel from Thunderbird Linens... an Edison Bulb from "Lamp Lighter's Un.plugged" and a MYSTERY gift straight from Zapp Hall (after I "U-turned" for it...) and now? A recipe/memo/photo holder straight off the "SPLaT" fly swatter!

Hmmmm.... I think that's it! I make all sorts of other things - furniture usually meets it's match with me, there are odd 'n ends I think of that just "happen" when I'm supposed to be sewing (last night at about midnight some REALLY cool candle holders felt the wrath of my spray paint can - I can't wait to put 'em to work!), but none of that stuff has a name or division other than...

"the girl's off her cinder blocks".

I'm thinking: let's keep the celebrate-late-with-me-giveaway (there are at least 9 chances for you to enter!) open through next Monday, the 17th - then Tuesday I'll announce a winner! I hope it's you!

comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide where there is more Warrenton/Zapp Hall coming your way... I'm just trying to get untangled from the duct tape still!!!

it's time to celebrate - part 8

2011-10-09T10:25:00.001-05:00

Warrenton/Zapp Hall...

You can find tricia here

First, I can't believe I left you in the middle of a celebration/give-away! *doh*

I stole this picture from Sweet T here

But - in my defense - I was out buying and selling ~~junk~~ treasures...

You can find the Trash Talkin' Diva here

'cause that's what I do.

tricia is one of my FAVORITES - SO fun!!!

I collect ~~junk~~ treasures. And... I figure you'll forgive me if I offer up ~~some junk~~ a treasure in this post.

darla was here from California!

I'm not the only one that enjoys the fun ~~junk~~ treasures as you can see from all of the awesome vendors I am taunting you with from Zapp Hall! I'll get to namin' 'em soon - I promise - you will be jealous! I got to hang out with alllll the cool kids!

stole this one from Sweet T too...

Mama Debinator here

in the kitten house...

jimmy comes from Georgia with the COOLEST ~~junk~~ treasures!

All of this leads me to: "U-Turn":

It's what happens when you pass a garage sale while exceeding the speed limit. You screech your brakes, make a u-turn in a totally illegal way while leaving skid marks and/or gravel rainbows and laughing hysterically while ~~dodging the law~~ going back to the garage sale. No week-end road trip is complete without at LEAST 10 u-turns for garage sales, junk shops, thrift stores...

stole this from Sweet T... I was so busy harassing her I forgot to take pictures so she bailed me out!

and whatever else catches your eye (sometimes it might even be a dumpster). Junk Happens (Cat Daddy and Mama Debinator have that bumper sticker on their travelin' 40' "FULL of awesome junk" trailer - courtesy of the Junk Gypsies!)

The "U-Turn" that comes along with red.neck Chic is where I find something really fun - wash it off - and put it out at a show or in the Taj Mahal at the antique mall for YOU to discover how awesome it is! That simple (after you ignore the fact that I proll'y got a few tickets for pulling illegal U-Turns).

In honor of YOU - your patience - and the fact that we are STILL celebratin' with a giveaway - I picked up an AWESOME ~~piece of junk~~ treasure with YOUR name on it while wreaking havoc in the fields of Zapp!!! I think it will remain a mystery...

But you will want to be sure and throw your name in the duct tape roll! Here's how:

I'm taking all comments from each "celebrate-late-with-me" post and ALL comments will be entered to win - you are going to get SEW many chances because your name goes in for each comment you leave!!!

Tell your friends about the fun over here (then tell me) and you get TWO chances to win per post that you share!

New follower? Thank You! Tell me and I'll welcome you as soon as I throw your name in the duct tape roll twice for the the post you taped yourself on to!

So far the BIG giant box has... a pocketbook, some SUDZ, some Glam, a piece of Retreauxgirl AWESOMEness, a Saddle Tramp shirt... and a partridge in a pear tree. Oops - I mean - some red.neck Lip Grease and a dishtowel from Thunderbird Linens... an Edison Bulb from "Lamp Lighter's Un.plugged" and a MYSTERY gift straight from Zapp Hall (after I "U-turned" for it...)! There's STILL more to come (more Warrenton - more giveaway)... stay tuned!!!

comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide that looks like a tornado hit it because I unloaded my car in to my living room then decided I'd rather be sewing something than doing laundry... I've been cleaning and sewing all week-end, what have you been up to? hee-hee

Howdy!

2011-10-03T11:35:00.002-05:00

Here's the scoop:

I have 25 lbs. of dust in my hair. (That's more dust than hair... I'm just sayin'.)

A stupid amount of junk in my front yard that I unloaded from my trailer.
(Tell me WHY I felt that I needed to BUY more junk after I sold the junk I already had?!)

I can't find my overnight bag in my car due to an insane amount of... stuff.
(including, but not limited to: 5 pair of cowgirly boots, some sparkle shoes, a few lamp shade frames, 10 rolls of duct tape, a footstool, a chair frame, a REALLY cool Austin Powerish lamp that Kitty Cat Daddy threw in, a metal lamp I couldn't live in the single-wide without, the necklace that Leslie the Retreauxgirl is sending in the giveaway box (it's AWESOME - trust me on this!) some dirty clothes, a horse ribbon that my most awesome blog hacker (Kristi/Junkology 101, I believe you met her? (She's officially my newest sister 'cause I say so.)) brought me, some dust and........ a Christmas Tree topper.)

I'll be back with Warrenton/Zapp Hall stories and photos and more stories (wait 'til you hear what Mama Debinator and Sweet T were up to!!!) and more photos and more stories...

comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide where the fattest cat in the world is dogging my every footstep - but my child grinned and waved then was out the door again after I was MIA for a week ++. How do they grow up so fast? Oh... it could be he didn't want to help me unload the duct tape mobile. hee-hee

Breaking and entering

2011-09-28T19:01:00.000-05:00

Shhh... don't tell ... I have hacked this blog while red.neck chic is out gallivanting around Zapp Hall field in Warrenton. Yep. This single-wide's not too shabby, if you know what I mean. Lots of little what-nots. Some half-empty cans of spray paint. Bling on that table. Traces of silver glitter all over the floor. She must've hauled tail in a hurry! I'm guessing she was loading that trailer up until THE very last minute, making sure all those wild Warrenton women would have loads of bags, jewelry, junk and everythingelseunderthesun to drool over.

Let me just say that I visited red.neck chic Friday. And maybe again Saturday. And probably Sunday and Monday, too. AND... I came home with a couple of friends I found right in the middle of the red.neck chic tent. The coolest art couple (male and female restroom symbols all silvery and sparkling with glitter and measuring almost four feet tall). And a necklace. And another necklace.

I know she'd love to see you. Why don't you go visit her tomorrow or Friday or even Saturday and tell her Kristi sent you. But don't let her know I hacked her. That might make her feel used. And dirty. And in need of a shower. And showers are hard to come by out in the fields!

I just know there's some junk at the red.neck chic tent with your name written all. over. it.

You'll stop by and pick it up, won't you?!

PS: That's us up there in that photo, having all kinds of fun.

it's time to celebrate - part 7

2011-09-21T13:35:00.004-05:00

"Lamp Lighter's UN.PLUGGED"

This name came about because I have moments.
I can NEVER get my lamps to turn on when I want them to.

Mainly 'cause I forget to plug them in! A couple of weeks ago I invented new vocabulary words because my new computer monitor wouldn't work. *pffffft*

Plug it in? What? Never said I was the brightest bulb in the box...

I have so much fun turning ~~junk~~ fun things in to lamps! But... lamps and chandeliers are SO taste/decor specific! For example: I might be the only twisted person that has a bug zapper chandelier hanging over an 18-wheeler table lamp.

How about:

instead of a "Lamp Lighter's UN.PLUGGED" lamp I throw in an Edison Bulb as the celebration prize for you to put in your favorite lamp? After you plug it in of course...

Tell your friends about the fun over here (then tell me) and you get TWO chances to win per post that you share!

New follower? Thank You! Tell me and I'll welcome you as soon as I throw your name in the duct tape roll twice for the the post you taped yourself on to!

but I'm leaving you! I'm all loaded, hooked up and Warrenton/Zapp Hall bound! I'll keep you updated while I'm gone - and when I get back I will have more to add to the super huge celebration box - and we will continue celebratin' as if I never left you...

comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide where I'm thinking I'm going to miss you! Please tell me I'll see you in the cow pasture?! You'll know me by the duct tape - and all the lamps that may - or may not - be lit up in the 'hood...

p.s. So that you can sing along with me - here you go!!!

*big cheesy grin*

it's time to celebrate - part 6

2011-09-16T13:55:00.002-05:00

"Thunderbird Linens".

Pretty much every state - every town - has a Thunderbird Motel that is a throw-back from another time... and most times you drive by it and you think - AUGH! It looks so "ick" and seedy... REALLY bad horror movieish!

Then - your mind wanders and you have visions of Norman Bates and the shower scene from Psycho...

And you want to stay there so that you can say you have spent the night in the seediest, cheesiest, B-Rated motel - survived Norman and his Mama - and got a T-shirt... knowing the whole time that the only way you will stay there is if you bring your own linens.

1 red.neck + a highly overactive imagination = "Thunderbird Linens".

"Thunderbird Linens" is... anything bed/bath/house linen related:

And... anything else I can get my hands on linen wise and add some "chic" to! Wanna win a dish towel?

Tell your friends about the fun over here (then tell me) and you get TWO chances to win per post that you share!

New follower? Thank You! Tell me and I'll welcome you as soon as I throw your name in the duct tape roll twice for the the post you taped yourself on to!

I've got one waiting for you!

But can be used in the same room as the kitchen sink!

So far the BIG giant box has... a pocketbook, some SUDZ, some Glam, a piece of Retreauxgirl AWESOMEness, a Saddle Tramp shirt... and a partridge in a pear tree. Oops - I mean - some red.neck Lip Grease... and there's more to come... still. Big box.

comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide where I'm starting to load up for Zapp Hall! I'll be right next to the Trash Talkin' Diva (Yay!!!) and her Cat Daddy (who's turning 21!)... you'll know me by my duct tape! I'm not finished with ANYTHING really... but I'm loading... and finishing...

it's time to celebrate - part 5

2011-09-14T15:57:00.002-05:00

red.neck Lip Grease. (or lip bomb 'cause sometimes things get a little... explosive.)

In 3 flavors. Alright - maybe only two flavors... vanilla and peppermint - THEN we have "organic".

Organic meaning: I did not make this with possum fat or skunk oils.
It was tempting... but I refrained. Oh, the vanilla and the peppermint ones weren't made with possum fat or skunk oils either. I pinky swear.

"red.neck LIP GREASE"... the name just makes sense, right? You work on the truck that's up on cinder blocks in your front yard (the 3rd one from the left, row #7) - you wipe yer hand over yer face a few times...

heck. I should have a whole make-up line! Blush is available in the spray paint department, eye-shadow is available in the dirt department. etc., etc.

Want some ~~Lip Bomb~~ Lip Balm? All 3 flavors can be yours!

Tell your friends about the fun over here (then tell me) and you get TWO chances to win per post that you share!

New follower? Thank You! Tell me and I'll welcome you as soon as I throw your name in the duct tape roll twice for the the post you taped yourself on to!

So far the BIG giant box has... a pocketbook, some SUDZ, some Glam, a Saddle Tramp shirt... and a partridge in a pear tree. Oops - I mean - there's EVEN MORE to come!!!

comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide where I'm eyeballin' the red.neck 'hood to see if I can find a bigger box... hee-hee

it's time to celebrate - part 4

2011-09-13T14:53:00.000-05:00

"Saddle Tramp"

I can't take credit for thinkin' up "Saddle Tramp". Awning Guy (across the street from my pay-my-bills-job) made the mistake of wanderin' over one afternoon while I was thinking "re-Fashion".

He smirked and said, "call it Saddle Tramp"...

then he kept talking - I quit listening - and the logo was born about 3 minutes later.

He then talked about royalty checks and percentages, blah - blah - blah... but I had quit listening.
*grin*

"Saddle Tramp" is Fashion at it's Finest. Re-cycled/Re-worked/Re-fashioned/Re-allkindsofthings. You know me best for my shirts...

but "Saddle Tramp" also includes hats and skirts - jackets and vests - and... anything else that sits still long enough for me to put my "tramp stamp" on it.

Want a new shirt for your Fall/Winter wardrobe? You know how it goes by now, right? If you're visiting for the first time - here you go:

I will take all comments from each "celebrate-late-with-me"post (listed at the top of my sidebar!) and ALL comments will be entered to win - you are going to get SEW many chances because your name goes in for each comment you leave!!!

Tell your friends about the fun over here (then tell me) and you get TWO chances to win per post that you share!

New follower? Tell me and I'll welcome you as soon as I throw your name in the duct tape roll twice for the the post you taped yourself on to!

Let's see...
in the BIG box so far we have... a red.neck Chic pocketbook, some red.neck SUDZ, some red.neck Glam - THE MOST AWESOME necklace from Leslie aka: Retreauxgirl Repurposed Jewelry and now... a "Saddle Tramp" shirt (I'll get your size when you win!). Tomorrow? Who knows. But - there's more...

comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide where I have metallic silver spray paint all over my feet - some ebony wood stain under my nails, and a smudge of apple red spray paint on my cheek that I'm trying to pass off as blush... only a few days left 'til I'm Zapp Hall bound... yikes!

it's time to celebrate - part 3

2011-09-12T09:42:00.000-05:00

"red.neck Glam"...

ya'll were here when Mama Debinator dubbed it "red.neck Glam". If not, "red.neck Glam" (story here) is all about some Duct Tape, Pearls and Sparklin' Thangs... can you get better than that? Why... YES! You can!!! It comes in the form of:

I am SEW excited because Leslie and her fabbbulous Retreauxgirl Repurposed Jewelry creations are going to be my special guest at Zapp Hall!

Get one Here!

Even better than that?! Leslie is throwing a piece of Retreauxgirl AWESOMENESS in to "THE box"... just for YOU!

Yep - not ONLY will you get the chance to win a lil' piece of "red.neck Glam" BUT you could win a Retreauxgirl necklace too! It's Leslie's birthday today... we should sing really LOUD to her... maybe have some banjo's and cowbells as our band equipment.

Whatcha' think... feelin' lucky?

I will take all comments from each "celebrate-late-with-me" post and ALL comments will be entered to win - you are going to get SEW many chances because your name goes in for each comment you leave!!!

Tell your friends about the fun over here (then tell me) and you get TWO chances to win per post that you share!

New follower? Tell me and I'll welcome you as soon as I throw your name in the duct tape roll twice for the the post you taped yourself on to!

So far in the box we have: a pocketbook and some SUDZ...

Now we're adding in some red.neck Glam and some Retreauxgirl AWESOMENESS...

It's a big box... and there's still MORE to go!!! Be sure and enter to win!!! ALSO! I would LOVE to welcome my new followers!!! We keep it fun over here in the 'hood - I promise! A BIG THANK YOU to everyone that is posting the "box of fun'" on your blog! I bet there's some special duct tape 'round here for ya...

comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide where you REALLY don't want to miss seeing Retreauxgirl's FUN in the red.neck Chic tent!!! That's if there is anything left... I've already spied about 50 things I want from Leslie out of her Retreauxgirl Repurposed Jewelry hanging from around my neck, dangling from my wrist... hanging from my earlobes...

Remembering September 11, 2001

2011-09-11T11:36:00.000-05:00

I was a director at the Boys and Girls Club. I sat glued to the television from mid-morning on. I remember thinking as the kids trickled in after school and curled up around me on the couch, on the floor - pulled up their chairs...

How could anyone hurt innocent souls?

May all of us remember with love and compassion this day.

May we grieve with those who still mourn,

And share memories with those who cannot forget.

May we draw strength from those who bravely responded,

And gave their lives to save others.

May we stand with strangers who became neighbors that day,

And remember their generosity and hospitality.

Above all God may we remember your faithfulness

And learn to trust in your unfailing love.

I'll be back tomorrow with more giveaway fun... but for today I will be remembering.

“Time is passing. Yet, for the United States of America, there will be no forgetting September the 11th. We will remember every rescuer who died in honor. We will remember every family that lives in grief. We will remember the fire and ash, the last phone calls, the funerals of the children. “
- President George W. Bush, November 11, 2001

it's time to celebrate - part 2

2011-09-09T11:39:00.002-05:00

I've done gone in to the bubble blowin' business.

You can:

or you can:

Either way, some part of you is going to get clean. (just don't put yerself in the warshin' machine)

Why "SUDZ"? My Step-Daddy is a good ol' Texas man - born and raised. We've got the cowboy boots, the belt buckles, the 10-gallon hat (depending on the occasion) and when he wants to: The Good Ol' Texas Twaaaaang!

Example:

Light bulb is pronounced: "Light Buhhhb".

So when I was blowin' some soap bubbles in my kitchen, I thought of him. And "red.neck SUDZ" was oh-ficially in the air.

red.neck SUDZ is pronounced: "red.neck Suhhhdz". The twang is important here - ya gots to have the twang.

Hand soap - the perfect size to send your guests in to fits of uncontrollable giggles:

I know you want it... but I just couldn't seem to find a skunk scent!!!

and Laundry soap... so's you can warsh up them over-alls:

the fabric bag is actuuuuuually a sleeve off of a Saddle Tramp shirt!

There you go.
I'm blowin' bubbles over here in the single-wide. So...

the pocketbook is in the box, some bubbles will land in there... let's see... what else...

Did you throw your name in the duct tape roll on part 1? If not - be sure and do so! Remember:

I will take all comments from each "celebrate-late-with-me"post and ALL comments will be entered to win - you are going to get SEW many chances because your name goes in for each comment you leave!!!

Tell your friends about the fun over here (then tell me) and you get TWO chances to win per post that you share!

New follower? Tell me and I'll welcome you as soon as I throw your name in the duct tape roll twice for the the post you taped yourself on to!

It's a BIG box! And there's sew much more fun to go!

comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide where I'm thinking that the next thing I make in the soap business should be bath bombs... but really big ones that explode and fizz while you're warshin' off in the cow tank. Call 'em "Bubba Bubbles".

it's time to celebrate!

2011-09-08T08:38:00.001-05:00

You know... AGAIN this year I missed "red.neck Chic's" birthday.

AGAIN this year I missed "in.di.vid.u.al Objects" birthday. (Did you know I've been slaving away over my sewing machine and in the pocketbook business for 13 years? Dang... I'm not even that old.)

AGAIN this year I missed my OWN birthday.
Okay, missing my own birthday was on purpose (you can only celebrate the anniversary of your 13th birthday so many times), but...

Let's celebrate them all - what do you think?

Starting NOW I will start telling you some stories about alllllll of the different things that make up "red.neck Chic"... starting with a pocketbook.

"red.neck Chic" makes pocketbooks.
The end.

Oh... ha! No - I started making pocketbooks when I couldn't find one to replace my cheapo, store-bought plastic one! Who knew I was SEW picky about pockets and handle length and fabrics and lining?!

I went home, designed one - and voila! Here I am today! Still designing my pocketbooks from the ground up - I design my own patterns, design my own pocketbooks (no two are the same!) make them all myself - I name them, I love them... I give them born on dates and mark them "authentic"... and every single one of them has a story to tell. YOU get the real deal... down to the tiniest detail! And I am a picky detail girl!

Where did "red.neck Chic" get it's name after I had been in production for sew many years? Here you go:
The calling: It all started on a sunny Saturday morning – U-turn number…(not sure what number, but we made some Grandparents Proud!!!) and, of course, the mandatory garage sale! With treasured belts, lamp bases and an embroidered pillowcase as trophies held high, off I go to the garage sale CEO (that loved my purse) – just to disappoint when I was a quarter short! Oh no! Am I going to have to give up THE GREATEST belt?!!? Alas, no, she reluctantly gave up on the quarter, but “red.neck Chic” was born…thank you garage sale lady!!! The garage sale lady (we're talking... ultimate redneck here) inspired my name, my logo, my branding - EVERYTHING within 23 miles. THAT fast it all clicked for me. I knew where I was... I knew where I wanted to go - duct tape and all.

There are SEW many other "divisions" of "red.neck Chic"... there will be SEVERAL other posts telling you all of my stories. With each post (offering a new addition to the giveaway) - and each comment you leave me (on each post) - you get a chance to win a BIG box of FUN in the end! That's right:

I will take all comments from each upcoming "celebrate-late-with-me" posts - starting with this one - and ALL comments will be entered to win - you are going to get SEW many chances!!!

Tell your friends about the fun over here (then tell me) and you get TWO chances to win per post that you share!

New follower? Tell me and I'll welcome you as soon as I throw your name in the duct tape roll twice for the the post you taped yourself on to!

We're talking BIG BOX. You see... "red.neck Chic" is not only my pocketbooks, but the umbrella for:
Saddle Tramp
Splat Fine Dining
Thunderbird Linens
U-Turn
lamplighters un.plugged
red.neck Glam
red.neck Sudz (a couple of different bubbles!)
red.neck Lip Grease
and some other stuff that I make that I can't even BEGIN to name...

And they ALLLLLL have a story behind them - and YOU will have something from each "division"!!! You won't want to miss it...

Ready? Set... GO!!! In the end - the whole box of goodies goes to ONE lucky winner... is it you? This is going to be sew much fun...

comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide where I'm thinking this box is going to be HUGE in the end... refrigerator size? double-wide size? hmmmm....

p.s. The way I figure it... the box will be full and complete by the end of next week... BIG box.

down the field...

2011-09-06T10:24:00.001-05:00

It's Friday night football season once more in Central Texas. Okay, fine. All over the United States.

But NO BODY does it like small Texas schools.

Bull horns, shaker things... louder bull horns. And the giant pickles from the concession stand.

Now - my football knowledge fits in the same hockey puck that my baseball knowledge fits in...

But my kid sure is cute. I'm sorry...we're almost 17... handsome when he marches.

Oh, and we were beating the living daylights out of the school I grew up in... 36-0. I felt immense joy with each rebound shot and hole-in-one that our football team scored!

comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide where I labored all week-end getting ready for Warrenton... what did YOU do? Are you sitting at the rugby field watching football all season? hee-hee