Dear Diary

Day 1 of driving...

I think he's trying to kill me.

Comin' to you LIVE (for now) from a single-wide... hee-hee

start your engines...

The resident teen is getting his drivers permit today.

He has the ride already - but it doesn't have air conditioning...

I'm just hoping his driving skills are better than my gardening skills...

Please think of me today (and help - how do I install a brake pedal on the passenger side?). Thank You in advance.

Comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide (where I'm thinkin' I'm much too young for this....) hee-hee

I have a new man.

He's got arms of steel...

Sometimes he's dark and mysterious...

Sometimes he lights up my life.

He just kind of... rolls through life...

and his eyes - his eyes are SO engaugeing that my heart just goes pitter pat each time he spins his dials in my direction...

Mr. Flannery:

He guts and fillets couches like Minnesota's own Rambo...
He shellac's like a pro...
He taunts me with photos of things I need to steal out of his driveway...
He's got a masters in truck loading (so technically he could help me load up all the things I'm stealing from him...)
And just wait 'til he's finished with his command center...

He's even sent me a wedding dress.

uh huh...

Mr. Flannery with his rolling carts and magical lights has inspired me to play around with all things industrial and steam-punkish and 'cuz of him - I built my new lamp man!
(geesh... what were you thinking?!)

And NOW making his debut - I'd like you to meet:

he usually just goes by "Frank".

Yep.  He's mine and mine alone... he will brighten my days (did I mention he's a lamp?) and be my beacon in the dark... and I think he's hog-a-licious!

And today?  TODAY I'm grabbing Mr. Flannery with one hand - Frank with the other - and I'm marchin' all 3 of us over to Debra's "Vintage Inspiration Friday" and Margo's "Industrial Chic" parties... wanna join us?  You can't have my man... but you could still partay with ALL of us!!!

Comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide (where I blush when Frank looks at me... and sometimes I bat my eyelashes at him...) hee-hee

Oh!  And I think this is important for you to know:  all parts and pieces of my new man came from my local Habitat For Humanity ReStore!!!  Have you been to yours lately?  You should go there - now (after you get inspired by Mr. Flannery) - this week-end... you never know what you will walk out with!!!

Have a WONDERFUL week-end!!!

And Frank and I will live Happily Ever After
~The End~

It's Birthday Day!!!

Guess who's celebratin' today?

Uh huh... I think she's like.... 19 again or somethin' like that...

Anyway - I WUZ gonna bake her a cake - but then I figured she wouldn't eat it 'cause she's smarter than that (and I'm sure she's okay with me not visitin' with the Fire Department...)- but YOU could bake her her favorite:

NEW YORK STYLE CHEESECAKE
from COOKS.COM

1/4 c. butter
1 c. graham cracker crumbs
1/4 c. sugar
4 (8 oz.) cream cheese (Philadelphia)
1/2 c. flour
4 eggs
1 (14 oz.) Eagle Brand cond. milk
1 tbsp. vanilla
1 tsp. grated lemon rind
Preheat oven to 300°F.

Melt butter. Stir in crumbs and sugar. Pat firmly on bottom of buttered 9-inch springform pan. In large bowl, beat cheese until fluffy. Beat in flour and eggs; mix well.

Add Eagle Brand milk, vanilla and lemon rind. Pour into pan over crumbs. Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Cool to room temperature. Garnish as desired.

 

Be sure and take your cake right on over to her 'cause she's celebratin' (seriously - she could be younger than 19 'cause she's playing with dolls right now...) and she's ALSO celebratin' the soon-to-be-open: The Primitique!  I'm SEW crashin' that party... wanna come with me? You won't wanna miss this - I'll give you the scoop when she's not lookin'...hee-hee

Happy Birthday "Thee Mindy!!!"

Comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide (where one time I tried using a springform pan - then I got stove number 2... she shore wuz purdy....) hee-hee

miracles

If ever for a moment you doubted that miracles DO INDEED HAPPEN...

... there are now 33 miracles being pulled from a mine in Chile.

Be sure and hug YOUR own miracles today... and salute the heroes that surround you...

Comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide...hee-hee

Inspired by...

Sarah (and her side-kick (and sister!)) Courtney...

I stole this photo from David... hee-hee

were set up by "the Mindy" and I at Zapp Hall.  Now - I should just tell you - I think it was a scheme. A conspiracy. A grand master plan  'cause I'll be darned if every. single. time. I went to talk to these two hoodlums I ended up walking away with another piece of sparkley somethin'...

Not only did I walk away with some BLING (a girl just can't have enough, can she?) but I would always walk away with my wheels a-turnin'...

Sarah - and her mad crazy sparkley-thang creatin' talent inspires me!  Not only that - but she and Courtney have the most amazing tales to tell - with some giggles and a WHOLE lotta cuttin' up mixed in!  Trouble?  We didn't get in no stinkin' trouble... (and I have some ocean front property in the middle of Kansas for sale...)

Sarah's style - in jewelry and in display - is just awesome cool.  And fun!  Industrial - industrial - a lil' steam-punk - some more industrial - and "girly goodness" ALL combined!

So... with Sarah in mind I went and unloaded at the Taj Mahal (inside the Hillsboro Antique Mall) yesterday (after gettin' my craft on... and visiting the Habitat ReStore...):

Sarah uses a lot of metals (so of course the step stool donned an aluminum shield... and I got fumigated) and she ALSO includes many different graphic elements in her displays (so up my alley)... and her sparkley thangs!

Added to her mix are TONS of textures... so when I was layering the "dining table" I tried to do the same: glass, metal, wood, fabrics and fibers, plastic, sparkles... feathers...

The place markers that I came up with are construction springs (of some kind) glass fuses (of some kind) and hands that I smothered with chalkboard paint - I SO luv that stuff!!!

And the napkin rings are a wee lil' pipe... of some sort.  Don't get me to liein'... I just know it was in the plumbing department at ReStore. LOL

There are some gauges mixed in... lots of graphics - all the textures...

and the required BLING!  SPARKLES!! GOTTA HAVE THE SPARKLES!!!

Now you know - if you see me walking away with Sarah's sparkles... I am also plannin' my next big re-set of the Taj Mahal adventure (and thinking of the next necklace - bracelet - earrings... I need from her mad talented brain)...

Sarah inspires me. You won't want to miss meeting her... she'll be at Zapp again in the spring (I'm saving in to the sparkley thang fund now as I type this)!  When you come see her (and me!) be ready 'cause you have now been warned... you will want to wear all of her sparkley thangs at once (layering is good!) and... you will want to re-decorate - EVERYTHING!

Who inspires you?

Comin' to you LIVE from a single-wide (where I'm currently trying to figure out how to get a truck in to my bedroom so I can hang my necklaces off it...) hee-hee