and you thought...

i wouldn't be updating this week. pbbsstsht. come on. i'm way more addicted than that.

well so far we've scored some loot and stuffed our faces although Christmas just didn't feel the same this year. probably because as soon as we got here, everyone headed out to visit their families and left us with nothing to do. So Christmas consisted of a movie, some sushi and opening presents at around 8pm. kind of sad. i know traditions aren't the real reason or purpose for Christmas, but they sure make it nice. oh well. there's always next year.

happy Christmas!

well, tomorrow morning we're off, and although i'll be seeing some of you {MB & Sarah & Starbucks = good times; Jen + TJMaxx = expensive times} i won't be seeing others of you. so merry Christmas mom. and wannabe. and that crazy chic in maryland. and daniel who reads my stories and thoughts and never posts a single comment. i know you're out there. and anyone else out there who loves candy canes. merry Christmas to you too.

and don't forget, i'll have 3G's worth of photos when i return!

bathroom: codename FAB

bathroom remodel, originally uploaded by tinkerellen.

here it is as promised. i wanted to wait until we found and installed the mirror, but it's not happenin this week. considering i haven't even packed a single article of clothing for our ten day trip...

the mirror in there now is just for function until we get a new one, then that's coming out and we're making custom shelving in that cubby...but the bathroom IS fully functional! and there's a ton more room {i can even shave without cracking my elbow on the shower wall or getting hit with a cold wet shower curtain!}, AND the husband loves the color so much he even defends it to not-so-sure guests...so all is well in the house with two bathrooms.

peace and love, homies.

peace and love, originally uploaded by tinkerellen.

legen....wait for it....dary.

we finished our bathroom! seriously. can you say it's finished if you still have to hang the shower curtain rod, buy a mirror {and install said mirror} and hang a towel rack somewhere? i didn't think so. but i don't care. it's finished in my mind. i WILL have a photo of it this week. wouldn't want you all to have to go the entire vacation without knowing just how fabulous my bathroom turned out.

hope everyone's weekend was swell. i was up late making peppermint bark. i'm definately never participating in a holiday cookie exchange ever again.

presents galore

presents.jpg, originally uploaded by tinkerellen.

i still have a LOT of stuff to do and i thought i had such a handle on everything.

we got some gifts online so those arrived and need to be wrapped. i still haven't sent out any Christmas cards, but i'm hoping to get to that tonight. late tonight i will be buying pre-made everything from bj's for the party this saturday. i'm trying not to add more things to my list of to-do's.

we're planning out our trip still. {which, ladies in CT, i would love to make a girl's date and go see 'the Holiday' and maybe spend too much on flavored drinks and silly socks. anyone game?} and i still have to send my neices their gifts, which i spent a week looking for a box big enough to fit them all...oh and eggnog! i can't forget the eggnog.

i attempted spinning again. and an abs session and now my whole body feels like it was tied to railroad tracks and run over. and then the train backed up and ran over it again.

last-minute stocking stuffers, indeed

magnet sets, originally uploaded by tinkerellen.

i've been wanting to make these little suckers for ever, and friday night i finally did! they're perfect for little gifts that say, so i didn't spend a lot on you, but i did actually think about what i bought because i care {but not enough to spend oodles of money on you}....

these bubble magnets are a little under 3/4 of an inch and fabulous. there's two designs, the sushi set and the snowman set. the sushi set {i love cause it} comes in a mini take-out box, the snowman {or snowgirl since it's pink} set comes in a round metal tin. both are ready to ship! NOW!

they're $6 a set or 2 for $10. {one sushi for you, one snowmen for a gift...} i'm offering free shipping, and i promise to have them in the mail asap so you get them in time for the holidays....

there are only five sets of each design so e-mail me at tinkerellen@yahoo.com for first dibs! happy shopping...

UPDATE: only 2 SUSHI SETS LEFT! still have 5 SNOWMEN SETS...

and the weiner is...

wannabe! for including both 'nuts' and 'gay' in a poem about fall. that was a pretty weak turnout people. i guess picking numbers is much easier. BUT i couldn't ignore the effort of cool peeps just to give you all the chance at some sweet junk. so nothing free for lazy people!

amanda, you can expect your box to go out this saturday morning along with some other fun stuff for some other fun people, and the christmas gifts to my nieces of course. but you're only getting the box. i'm pretty sure my nieces would cry if i sent their presents to you.

the amazing disappearing appendage

IMG_6337_flickr.jpg, originally uploaded by tinkerellen.

i just had to throw this in here. it's 11pm and we're supposed to get THIS until noon tomorrow. it's a blizzard. but it's not. because this is what winter's are up here. so technically, no matter how much snow we get tonight, EVERYTHING will be open tomorrow. and we'll all have to go to work. and it's officially winter. and i'm not sure i really mind yet.

how to woo me

my husband came home yesterday with an early Christmas present, a 2 gig memory card for my digital camera. that's about 700 pictures worth of space. i'm stoked. it means along with my current 1 gig card, i can take an estimated 1,000 pictures this Christmas. not that i will, but it's nice to have that kind of digital power.

dipped in chocolate

what what? is the contest too difficult. we could just go back to picking numbers but then where's the fun in that? for me i mean. 3 days until i announce the winner. which is really either sara or amanda at this point. so good luck grrrls.

i finished painting the bathroom lastnight! it's delicious. the walls look like melted chocolate. i love it. tonight we'll put back the shower rod and hopefully be showering in there tomorrow morning since it's getting super cold lately and showering in the frigid basement at 7 am isn't working out for me. this weekend the tile should go down, then the toilet back in and the sink installed and voila. but that's positive thinking. if all goes perfect i'll post some pics for you all next week.

gimmee please

give_away.jpg, originally uploaded by tinkerellen.

it's here! finally. and it's all packaged and rearing to go. as soon as....

so i'm working on a mini-project and i basically want everyone else to do the research for me, SO. send me your favorite fall quote or poem (or just google something) and i'll pick my favorite. i know it's winter, but let's try to step back for a bit, shall we? i'll announce the winner {weiner} by friday since i'll be shipping on saturday! {unless the response is weak, people.} i want to make sure it gets there in time to use the handy dandy little Christmas candle. (also included are some fun magnets, a cell phone charm, frame, note cards, necklace, ect...)

ps: i also added a few last minute items, including a couple of friday faves...

P.S.

i.

hate.

colds.

friday faves: eureka!

not the vacuum cleaner. ideas. i love them. i have them all day long but i always forget to write them down. but when i do, i love coming across them and actually creating whatever it was i thought of. which brings me to my latest idea which will be coming soon, just in time for Christmas...it's a unique little stocking stuffer, and that's all i can say! keep checking back in the next couple of weeks...

also, there will be a give-away box SOON...i have a few things already made for it and i'm working on a couple more, i'ld love to give this baby away for Christmas. (did i mention i'm really looking forward to Christmas this year?)

hopefully you all don't have a huge list of things to do this weekend like me. plus i'm slowly developing the first cold of the season, let's hope it's a quick recovery and doesn't cripple me all weekend since there's painting and tree picking-out to do. happy friday.

temporarily jolly

a new header for christmas! i've been struggling with cards this year, do i send them, do i make them from scratch, do i buy them premade, do i even have time to print and stamp them all? but really, what is Christmas without obligatory responsibilities? so i just threw together a little postcard i'll be sending out. don't feel bad if one doesn't make it to your house, either a) i don't have your addy, or b) the cards aren't cool enough to worry about...

whatsa happenin hot stuff?

i'm back from a beautiful sunny weekend in connecticut! seriously. the weather was amazing. i didn't even need the coat i packed. thanksgiving we spent with my husband's side of the family and they love food. i ate so much sweet potato casserole i walked funny the rest of the night. and i scored a knock-off coach bag for free! apparently his aunt didn't like it much and i was doting on it, so she handed it over and said 'it's yours!'.

next day i was up at five to hit the sales! it wasn't as crazy as i thought it would be, except for khols whose lines were wrapping around the entire store. it was fun and i got a few good deals, but had i not been tagging along with a couple of friends i probably wouldn't have dragged my butt out of bed for it. BUT i'm 95% done with my Christmas shopping. {hate me, hate me now} this week i plan to wrap and mail what needs to go, then i'll plop the rest under the tree we pick out this weekend.

and we get to paint the bathroom this week/weekend! the walls are finished so now we can move on with the floor and the paint. i'm really hoping to have it finished this weekend since we're hosting a christmas party in the next couple of weeks....here's to hoping.

oh and one more thing. my husband totally ruined the IKEA experience for me. if you've ever been, you know the marketplace is the best part of the whole trip! and i got completely rushed through it to the checkouts. i spent 9 dollars. 9 dollars! grrr.

fauxlicious

fauxlicious, originally uploaded by tinkerellen.

this is what i was doing when i was supposed to be packing for this weekend. the good news is, i'm almost packed anyway. i have another photo gig this weekend so expect to see cute pictures next week of children that i didn't birth.

here's my ode to a turkey. hope everyone has a great weekend. even those peeps in canada eh? here's to pumpkin pie and sweet potato caserole. and being thankful. which i am. for everything i've undeservingly been given. happy tofurkey day!

the weekend update

it wasn't as crazy as i was expecting. friday night went great, we got to make and do everything we planned, from hitting the mall to making peppermint bark {pics to come, of course}. we listened to Christmas music and watched the muppet Christmas carol and Charlie Brown Christmas. i forgot how awesome those movies are. then we made some easy ornaments and magnet sets for gifts. the girls were even asleep by one. unbelievably smooth. couldn't have gone better, really.

saturday i headed out and did almost all of my Christmas shopping {what what?!}. then the husband and i watched a movie {millions}, took a nap, and basically lounged around the rest of the day. we didn't pick out tile. we didn't paint. we didn't even leave the house. it was so relaxing. {and i even wrapped all my gifts.}

sunday we did basically the same. now it's 3 days of work and packing for home {and maybe a haircut, SHORT baby, short.}...

we are all made of stars

cake_stars.jpg, originally uploaded by tinkerellen.

this is a nifty little idea i saw in a magazine a while back. cookie cutters + sprinkles = fun frosted cakes. this was my first try so i admit, it's a little weak. plus i used a metal cookie cutter and i tend to think a plastic one that cost more than 48 cents would work better.

so onto friday faves:
these are holiday themed since i won't be here next friday, i'll be eating leftover turkey and pumpkin pie and sleeping on someone else's recliner.

hot cocoa with peppermint candy canes: delicious sweet drink. although peppermint schnapps would work just as well.

mistletoe: love the look of the little plant, and it's an excuse to smooch it up.

pumpkin pie: love the season of apple pies and pumpkin pies and crisps and all those awesome fruit and veggie desserts.

sweet potato casserole: with marshmallow on top. yum, can't wait to have some next week. boston market also makes a great one, for those of you who actually have a boston market near you. lucky.

after thanksgiving sales: it ignites the fire of the bargain shopper in me. 3 for $10? i'll take 6.

Christmas street decorations: it makes any drab city look shiny and pretty when white lights line the sidewalks.

My church: it's nice to have people surrounding you that look at things with a realistic positivity that eventually wears off on you.

that's all for today kids. have a great weekend...mine'll be stressful! {picking out tile, painting, a sleepover at MY house with 10 girls and only one bathroom, trying to squeeze in the netflix movies that just showed up...should be a blast!}

and we have progress

i came home to find the sheet-rock around the tub was in place! apparently my husband had someone there yesterday working on the bathroom. it was a nice surprise. {i have a photo: will be up soon} it's been sitting pretty dormant since the plumber installed the tub a couple weeks ago. we removed the toilet so the sheet-rock behind that can be fixed today and hopefully we can paint and tile this weekend! then it's just a matter of putting back a sink and toilet {maybe some wainscot half way up, and this built-in shelf system i need to create} and voi la! we don't have to run downstairs every time we need to pee!

knit-a-phobe

i really really really want one of these.

oh danny boy

oh danny boy, originally uploaded by tinkerellen.

how cute is this little guy? he has so much personality and he's not even 6 months yet. this was my first scheduled photo gig! how exciting right? thanks heather! we took tons of cute photos of him for his christmas card and he's a full-on baby model. {minus all the anorexia and cigarettes.} and he only went diva on us a couple times....

oh, and i tried to feed him a glass ornament. i'm going to be a great mom someday.

friday faves: glossy hits

music i'm loving currently:
'starlight' by muse
'crystal ball' by keane {which is currently streaming non-stop through my brain}

beauty products i'm loving currently:
victoria secrets beauty rush lip gloss
the mint shine is fantastic. except mine's currently MIA. must check all coat pockets when i get home.
body shop bees wax texturizing wax
if you have frizzy uncontrollable hair like me, you'll love it. plus it has a great smell.
alba organic self-tanning lotion
it gives me a little boost in the winter when i start looking extra vampy. i just apply some to my face and it gives a little glow without looking fake baked or orange.

habits i'm loving currently:
keeping track of workouts in my planner
i feel so productive when i look at the month and see lots of yellow highlighted spots.

spinning = evil

i heard somewhere that satan ordered 17 billion spinning bikes for hell. which would make since, since they're torture. i think they should place criminals on them for the duration of their trials to ensure speedy confessions. think how much money that would save the government. but really i'ld just like to see sadam heussein on a spinning bike.

at the end of the session the instructor asked me how it was, and normally i feel the need to sugar-coat the truth or flat out lie to make someone feel better about themselves, but my answer: "it was horrible." because it was. and the worst part is, i'll try it again on tuesday.

visions of fug

not so new hair, originally uploaded by tinkerellen.

here's my not so new hair and my very dirty bathroom mirror. i'll have to remember to clean that this weekend. this bathroom hasn't gotten this much use since we moved in.

anyway, check out old navy, all their clearance is half off right now. picked up a sweater vest i've had my eye on for $4.50. i bet you REALLY want to go shopping now, right jen?

shiny and new

check out the updated links bar {yay for wannabe} along with the nifty new shop buttons {the monkey store is in progress but you better check it jen, for the love of all things eaw} and the tinkerwiththis button! steal it to make your blog all pretty and stuff. back to the grind. keep it real homies.

mm mm good.

apple_pie.jpg, originally uploaded by tinkerellen.

have some apple pie for breakfast.

uploaded a couple more t-shirt designs lastnight. will post pics and links later today {hopefully}. keep an eye out, they're both super fun.

also, just an FYI to any who care: i'll be in the connecticut area for thanksgiving weekend. looking forward to not cooking a freaking thing or having to clean my house for anybody. happy turkey day.

make a wish and kiss a fish

i'm getting a haircut in a couple of days and i'm not really sure what to do with it. i mean, not that i have so many options. basically i can either keep it growing out and looking very helmet-y {but definately not in the back since i hate when it's all ratty on my neck}, or i can cut it somewhat short and spiky again. not that either choice is going to have a major impact on my life, but i like to pretend it will.

the tub is IN! ha-lle-lu-jah. already took a relaxing bath and my oh my, do i love that thing. it was a fabulous pain, but now it's just fabulous.

also, i'm a huge fan of everything Christmas, but can we take one holiday at a time? is that too much to ask. apparently our retail friends haven't yet hit their quota for the consumer year and they're hoping a pre-thanksgiving push would be just what they need to hit their 17 billion dollar mark on tube socks. if only there were Thanksgiving presents.

friday faves

shopping_faves, originally uploaded by tinkerellen.

involve shopping deals! because in celebration of finishing all that work i went to the mall...{i had to return some pants, honestly, gosh.}

so my late edition friday faves are as follows:

Clarks: the best shoe on earth. find an outlet near you and buy a pair, i repeat buy a pair. these babies cost me 20 dollars on clearance and the four-inch heel is surprisingly easy to manage, which tells me one thing, Clarks are good shoes. {the rubber sole helps with our lovely early snowfalls}

Old Navy kid section: this is the part where you all vow revenge upon my soul. i can fit in a kid's XL. yep. it comes in pretty handy when they have good sales. i picked up this cute little hooded sweater for 10 dollars.

Gloves: i love gloves, they keep my all too often frozen fingers from falling off. i also love when they have a fold over flap, the mitten/glove combo. or the glitten if you will. got these delicious knit red ones for 8 dollars.

you better not pout.

so technically i just started my christmas shopping. i found the perfect gift for my cousin, assuming she doesn't already have one. if she does, oh well, this will still be the best gift ever. i can't believe i came across it! and i grabbed a hot apple cider while i was out. it may be snowing, but it's still fall in my heart, dangnabit.

{isn't the perfect find exciting?}

and so it is

first snow, originally uploaded by tinkerellen.

the first official snow.

i've completed my little side job so this weekend i finally get to relax! well, not exactly. now i have to catch up on everything i ignored for two weeks. but i'm ok with that. because now i don't have to sit in front of the computer for hours on end. and i get to work on our bathroom. {the plumber will be installing the tub this weekend!}

i have nothing good to write. except that it's really nice to complete anything.

tinkerwithtunes

if you love music, keep reading. if not, just leave a nasty comment about how i should write something relevant to your life and/or interests.

i thought i'ld pass on some personal opinions about what your itunes should consist of:

must own newish single:
jewel's "again and again"
fan of jewel but didn't appreciate the pink t-d pop album that was so harmful to her music career but oh so good for her modeling one? don't worry, this is a mix of new jewel old jewel. it's poplicious but with talent and sense.

must own dance album:
scissor sisters "self-titled"
want an updated version of abba? here it is. this UK group is lively and fun with all the funky clothes but without all the weird accents.

must own album:
jem "finally woken"
she's categorized as electronica? strange. i don't think you can really categorize this album. check it out. it's one of the only albums i've bought that i don't skip through a single song.

must own new artist:
nerina pallot "fires"
first heard her while listening to the british pop station. except what's considered british pop music is actually good. she's a singer/songwriter/piano player amazingly talented beautiful woman. pretty sure she's american and if you check out her website you can listen to the entire album in it's entirety. not sure if itunes even has her listed yet. unfortunately, i don't think we'll be hearing her here in the next few months which is normally what happens with UK music, since she's older than 15, plays an instrument and actually has talent.

i have more, but i really need to get back to working!

holy stress batgirl

so a client wants me to complete close to 400 pages of a catalog within 5 days. and did i mention i also work full time. it's imfrigginpossible. and not in a "tom cruise just went crazy" way. in a "better luck getting the dog to draw his name in the snow with his urin" way.

and the bathroom still needs major attention. and it's raining {still}, going on 13 days straight now. so i just want to sit on the couch and cry. but that would be a huge waste of my time. and tissue.

i think i broke it

IMG_5818_small.jpg, originally uploaded by tinkerellen.

isn't it awesome. that tub is now gone. at the dump. dumped off at the dump. hope to get the new one in this weekend. we shall see. it seems i have a ton of work to get done by next week to hit a deadline. so i have to figure out how to be three people at once. and i have until tomorrow to figure that one out.

and i just found out i'll be doing holiday pictures and a card for a friend! i'm really excited about it. i love creative work. and she's pretty cool so she might let me design what i want. don't tell her i'm going to just bring her baby to the mall santa and snap a couple shots!

ambition: the latest addictive substance

so this weekend the husband and i tore out the bathroom. not completely. but we pulled off the nasty ugly towel rods, the 3 dollar lighting unit and knocked out the hideous oak vanity that was the bain of our endless morning bathrooms-too-cramped fights....and we did this with no plan really. we've been talking about remodeling the bathroom since we bought the house, so we know exactly how we want it to look. in fact, we had a pedestal sink sitting in the garage for about 6 months. so i'm not completely worried. BUT now we have no sink. we have to run downstairs to do everything. and did i mention we tore the bathroom apart? so this forces us to fix it. and it's kind of fun. so far. of course, we haven't put anything back in yet. we'll be demo-ing and installing a tub unit this weekend. i'll let you know how it goes....

good morning sun. i am a bird. wearing a brown polyester shirt.

i haven't seen the sun for four days. this is the most miserable part of the year. besides november, which is when it starts snowing significant amounts of depression. or may, when we're still getting snow and significant amounts of people have attempted suicide. but these rainy weeks are definately up there. i've completely ignored my house plants, i haven't touched my to-do list, the laundry is piling up and i killed yet another digital chia pet. and george is gay. this has been a bad bad week.

rockin the suburbs

me_sweater.jpg, originally uploaded by tinkerellen.

i seriously hate this picture of me, but i wanted to show off my new sweater! my lovely cousin sent me a tjmaxx gift card so i ran out that day and picked up this angora blend sweater. thanks jen.

and it's fuzzy and warm, so why do i look so pissed off? i look like a scary statue. or a bad mannequin. or maybe i just got shot in the neck with a bb gun. ouch.

apple picking

apple picking, originally uploaded by tinkerellen.

come on. you can't possibly look at this photo and not laugh. it makes me happy. this wasn't a forced picture either, he was truly enjoying his apple up there on that ladder in 40 degree weather. this weekend we took the church kids picking. it was the coldest weekend so far but that didn't hold us back. then we came back to our house and made fabulous candy apples, which were a big hit. and super easy if i say so myself...

not much else to tell, we went house hunting on sunday but no luck. we might just stay in our current house until the job moves us, which is always an option. a smaller house was just a nice thought...

and we're thinking more and more about moving to new york city. it's crazy, and we might even hate living there, but we just can't see any other way of getting home. patience is a virtue. i hate patience.

oh. and i burned my arm on the oven rack while pulling out the first apple pie of the season. it stings. any natural remedies for burns?

digi-rific

i think i'm going to kill my digichia pet. i mean, i haven't forgotten to water it in weeks and it's not really getting any bigger. i want a fro-chia, and it's just not getting there.

it's cold today. i mean really cold. i left some windows open on the sun room and when i tried to close them this morning they were stuck. frozen. and my nose did that little nostril-sticks-to-the-inside-when-i-breathe-in thing. know what that means? winter's about here. brrr.

dream a little dream of me

adirondacks, originally uploaded by tinkerellen.

another photo from the hike. it was an amazing day. i can't say that enough. especially since they're predicting snow flurries tomorrow. and saturday. so we may be picking apples in the snow. that's just not normal, you say. i know but then where's the fun in predictability.

tonight we're having our second little Grey's party and i'm pulling out the t-shirt again. plus we're making caramel apples as sort of a trial for saturday. i'ld like to know what i'm in for before setting a dozen pre-teens lose in my kitchen...

hey there, honeybee, will you give me, sugar

adirondacks, originally uploaded by tinkerellen.

i struggle with the knee-high issue. i have full-length boots (and never plan on wearing them outside my jeans just so everyone's aware) so i never know, do you wear knee high socks or tights, or wear the socks but hide them in the boot or let them poke out a bit, and how much really? is there some sort of high boot rule for this sort of thing?

adirondacks

adirondacks, originally uploaded by tinkerellen.

sorry i've been so busy! i'm super behind on a project i'm working on because i spent all weekend doing fun things, like hiking in the adirondacks and spending money at the outlets.

i don't know if you can see the decent size lake in the middle of the photo, that's where we parked. it was an amazingly long but beautiful journey. and a perfect day for it. i'm thinking it was the last nice fall day so i'm glad i took full advantage of it. we drove for 6 hours and hiked for 5! long day for sure but more great pictures to come...

sunday the husband took me to the outlets with a couple friends. i found two great pair of boots from clarks, for get this, 20$ a piece! i couldn't believe it either, i thought they were 50 and 30 each, but apparently they were on sale...which is great since i just happen to have had two pair of boots that needed replacing. i'm all set for fall now!

and a happy birthday to my dear wonderful sister who never bothers to call me or buy an answering machine so she would know that i had indeed called her.

i'm off to meet with a client! 3 hours round trip. oi.

my recent boycott

involves days with cakes and candles and ages. i am now 28 forever. sorry father time.

new t-shirt designs. yay.

birds in a row, originally uploaded by tinkerellen.

this is the final product. i love them, they're so cute. so i'll get a link for them soon...should be posting them to cafepress.com tonight.

old navy is having a killer sale. i had a 10 dollar gift card so i figured i would get something for 10 dollars cheaper. i walked out with 7 things! sure, most of them will be put away for next summer or a winter vaca, but still, 97 cents for a t-shirt, who can argue with that.

call me crazy for missing you like this but i do

daisy mae, originally uploaded by tinkerellen.

memories are made for this

some of my best memories are frivelous shopping trips. most of them include my cousin or my mother.

my grandmother, my mom and i {three generations of shopoholics} used to take trips together to ann&hope, a lot. ann&hope was like a smellier, messier version of TJMaxx. and of course there are the traditional beach, food and TJMaxx trips with my cousin, anytime we get together.

but one of my favorite places she and i used to shop at, was this old hidden second-hand store in the heart of newport. lucky for us the rich mansion tenants of the beach town would discard clothes without ever wearing them, tags and all. it was like steeping into amuseum, seeing all the junk jewelery, the white gloves and old ladies hats. it was always fun and always cheap. and then there was the beach, of course.

introducing: a car ad

subaru, originally uploaded by tinkerellen.

not sure if i've even showed you all my car yet, so i thought i'ld take the opportunity to kill two photos with one: fall, and my subaru. it's back from the shop and better than ever. i love it. i missed it.

and look at all the great fall colors here in upstate. hoping to get more photos next weekend since i've been invited on an adirondack hike next saturday, dependent on the weather of course...

let me buy you a bottled water...

one of the main reasons i avoid the gym at night: the dating scene.

dating? at a gym. yep. i know, who wants to meet and greet covered in sweat with hair frizzing in every known direction and thinking, did i not have any non-stretchy pants clean? well lastnight as the sweat started to form a nice little wet spot on my t-shirt, i felt eyes. macking on me. seriously. when i looked up there he was. patiently waiting for the single bottle of spray cleaner. so i thought, oh good, that's all he wants. then again, macking with the eyeballs but not waiting for anything. just for eye contact i guess... at least it wasn't as awkward as creepy guy hovering over me while i did curls, telling me all about his ex-girlfriend and how mean she was and how he was getting the rest of his things out of her place that night, yadda yadda. that was bad. and awkward. and i slightly recall a mullet. this was just eye contact. but still, the gym is not a bar. women are not there to find a ride home. for the love of all things elliptical, please leave the sweaty woman alone.

sweet sweet t-shirt

sweetsweet.jpg, originally uploaded by tinkerellen.

the above is another design for a t-shirt. what do you think about the tail, should it stay or go? i don't know if anyone will buy one, but wouldn't it be cool to see someone walking around wearing something you designed? i'm working on a couple others when i have the time.

alright, so onto the actual news. well, just news about me. because blogs are selfish. i think we covered that in another post. i'm feeling better, yesterday was rough, was sore and had to drive for three hours but i tried to keep my neck and back loose by planting mums and vacuuming the house. good idea? who knows. but i feel great today so woohoo.

the car is in the shop. poor car that i haven't even made one payment on yet. supposedly the damage is about 2500 $s. nuts right. well it looks like the car absorbed most of the impact so i didn't have to. which means it did exactly what it was supposed to. yay for buying the #1 safety rated vehicle in it's class.

thinking about getting a laptop. the husband and i might go look tonight. it would be nice to do work on the go and just to have in general, for when i see clients or go travel around deadlines, etc. nothing expensive. in fact, there's a comp store in town that's shutting down and they sell macs. so we'll see.

i'll take a mcdrama with that.

got in a teeny tiny fender bender this morning. that's what happens when i stress out about being places early. this is why i freelance. i shouldn't be required to be there prior to when i want to be. in fact, i shouldn't be required to be anywhere but in front of my computer in my pajamas. anyway, i'm not hurt, and neither is the woman i collided with {which is really just a nice way to say smashed into}.

but my brand new car is cracked up, smashed up, and generally sad. it's getting dropped off in the a.m. and i'll have a rental for the next few days. hopefully the damage isn't extreme. it doesn't look it, but you never know. my neck and head are a bit stiff so i'll need to stretch out later {across my bed preferably}. on a happy note, this is my first accident in years. literally. but i bet my insurance still goes up.

sweet tees!

so i did some research and decided to put my t-shirt design online! so yes, you can now have an "I heart McDreamy" shirt! and all your friends can. i even put a pink onesie {onesie? spelled right?} on there...cute right? i was thinking of you MB.

anyway, get your own! the link is there on the side ----->
i'm thinking of getting myself one of the pink sleeved baseball jerseys myself.

i'm excited, can't you tell by all the exclamation points i never use?

everything falls perfect

today is one of those days. the days you have a few times a year. where you can just relish in the weather. it's cool enough to wear a sweater but warm in the sun, and the breeze is nothing less than refreshing. my favorite season.

i was born in fall, maybe that explains my love of all things orange. fall for me is a rebirth, which is strange since everything around you pretty much dies in fall... but whenever it gets here i feel refreshed, rejuvenated and alive. i look at the things around me like i was looking at them for the first time wishing i could spend every day like that. i wonder if fall makes everyone feel this way?

so here i sit and mcdaydream. my entire lunch hour.

i heart mcdreamy

mcdreamy, originally uploaded by tinkerellen.

i know i know. it seems like forever since i wrote anything meaningful. wait, have ever written anything meaningful? eh, whatever.

i've been uber busy as they say in germany. but the good news is i've picked up more work which equals more money which equals more shopping. it's a wonderful cycle of consumerism and covetousness.

so this design is for my little party tomorrow. they're t-shirt iron-ons and i love 'em. in fact, there will be one in my next little give-a-way. not for sale though, sorry loves, i'm pretty sure i would get sued by someone with way more money than me. currently i have cupcakes in the oven which i will accessorize with some skulls. pretty ghoulish yes? i was going more for medical, but the halloween pickings were slim and so was my time.

one more day till more mcdreamy kids...

peanutlicious

it's a pretty good indication that something is clearly not good for you if it doesn't expire for a year. on that note, i went to the gym this morning, so i'm gonna eat it anyway.

seriously.

how many digital chia pets must one kill before being considered irresponsible?

tagged in the heart, and you're to blame

i've been tagged which i'm ok with, since it rarely happens among bloggers. i mostly ignore the live journals and myspace tags. there's just not enough time in the day to answer 72 questions about my first pet and kindergarten, 18 times...

Three things I am doing right now: searching images for an ad, creating a poster, and sizing an ad. {and chewing gum!}

Three nicknames: tink, riellen, and one i have to censor that my husband calls me.

Three people that make me laugh: marybeth, daniel, and john heder.

Three things on my floor: ipod headphones, my beloved coach bag and {works} G4.

Three things I can do: i'm with you kelly, i can spend $$$ like it's an olympic sport. i can paint, and i can bake a mean apple pie.

Three things that I love: the ocean, autumn and my jean jacket.

i'm not going to tag three people because that's too much pressure, BUT if i had to it would be 'loggorhea', 'letter to the world' and 'all my fat love'. suckas.

open invitation

to a grey's anatomy party. {and i found out my hairdresser watches too, so now my haircuts fly by...} anyway, i'm thinking of hitting up the party store to look for anatomy related finds and foods. maybe some bone sprinkles, courtesy of halloween. or some funny bones, the best non-food food ever. i love fall tv. and mostly mcdreamy.

say yay

so i had a thought recently. {as my mom would say: they don't come along often. silly mum.} i'm planning on putting up about 4-5 {maybe more} new photo prints on the site (check sidebar links --->) BUT i need to order a couple for myself SO...if i get some other orders i can take off about 5 dollars for the shipping: 11x17 would be $20 and 16x20 would be $30. a sort of SALE if you will.

Anyway, i should do this in the next week or so. If anyone's interested let me know. {and let you're peeps know please} also, if there's something in particular you're looking to get an {awesome} image of, or have an odd-sized {but really cool and on clearance so who wouldn't buy it} frame to fill send me an e-mail and we'll chat.

long time, no stories

i tried to save a pigeon yesterday but someone else beat me to it. he was laying on the sidewalk trying to stay out of everyones way. it looked like his legs were broken and i just assumed he flew into the building so i went back to my office, called around and finally found a rehabilitation center for wildlife. who knew? i made plans to pick him up after work and drive him to this ladies house, but alas, when i went back to get him, he was gone. so i'm going to imagine that some nice person took him somewhere for help before i could. or that the tomato i left him really was the nourishment he needed to heal and fly away.

growing up is painful

i've officially started saving for retirement. i think this means i have to get rid of my hello kitty pencil case and ever single sticker i own. along with my muppets audio tape. and those strawberry shortcake ziplock bags i just bought.

randomness eventually leads to madness

abby, originally uploaded by tinkerellen.

the weekend was a good one. we spent most of our time relaxing and playing poker and being bombarded by babies. i was able to meet up with MB and Sarah at friendly's for some bad service and good conversation. we gave MB a hard time about being an evil myspace sinner and Sarah's little girl is too stinking adorable. the car was awesome. plenty of room for our bags and a couple of stops at the outlets, i even slept a bit {comfortably} on the way home yesterday. our small car still hasn't sold so we're dropping the price this week and hoping for the best.

trying some new 'origins' facial products this week while trying to expand my horizons from 'the body shop'.

in other unrelated news, my fake chia pet died because i did not pretend to water it. seriously, i was out of work for a few days and it kicked the terra cotta pot.

{poor steve irwin's family}

for jennifer

outlets, originally uploaded by tinkerellen.

this is to show her the cute clothes we talked about lastnight. the two tees are stretchy which is really comfortable. i still need to get a better tank top for under the middle shirt...oh, and i don't like my hair growing out so i cropped it off in all the pics.. (i thought i liked it until i saw it in the pictures)

we're going to CT for the weekend if my husband would ever get out of work...

warning: rant rant rant rant rant. rant.

so my husband buys a new sound system and some speakers for the new car, we're pimpin it out yo. so anyway, last monday it gets installed. we go out to the car and there's no ipod connector, which is why we bought the freaking thing in the first place. so we walk back in and the guy says, oh, no one told you, that part is on back order. really? nice. so we insist we want it by this weekend for our trip home. ok, he says, they can do that. and we think they can.

then this weekend i notice that the stupids there put a few gashes in the dashboard while they were installing the system! i wouldn't be steamed if the car hadn't been 3 days old when i dropped it off....so i call and complain and they say, we'll take a look at it. now let me explain a little something here, this WAS NOT a cheap system. and they charged us for the installation. and this is supposed to be a professional place, not some corporate chain. best buy is looking like a much better option now.

so i've been on the phone with these guys all morning and nothing. they don't have the part. they're trying to track it down. they suck. and the husband and i are seriously debating making them uninstall everything and reimbursing us (fixing the dash) and then going elsewhere. UGH. end rant rant rant rant rant. rant.

feel like falling

it's cold and rainy today. i've been chilled since this morning: two cups of tea and some pad thai later, i feel better. in fact, i feel pretty stinking happy. why? because i love fall. and it feels like fall today. i drink tea in the fall and wear light sweaters and take brisk walks. the city streets start to empty and the leaves start to turn and i daydream all day long about living in a cottage in the mountains. i bake apple pies and buy candles that smell like pumpkins. i truly, honestly, deeply love fall. and it's almost here. (and i'm almost 29...)

take-out and out takes

well. my kitchen doesn't belong to me right now (and hasn't since friday). it belongs to paint cans and plastic tarps. i can't get to anything. honestly. i managed to grab a couple of bottles of water this morning but i didn't cook a single meal this weekend. and now i have to throw out a perfectly good piece of cod. well. it was good. five days ago. we're painting the ceiling which we thought would be easy. we were stupid. it's not. i mean, the actual painting is easy, it's all the prep and clean-up and wait time that's the pain in the butt.

so for now i'll fill my life with chinese food, poseidon (good movie) and a cool artist called 'jem'. check her out on itunes MB, you know you want to...

oh and i completely failed my 21 day challenge. i think i actually worked out about ten of my 21 days. so every other day or so. i'm such a failure! that's ok, i'll just start over. every monday.

changerific

mud room, originally uploaded by tinkerellen.

i took a day off yesterday and this is what we did with it. This is our mudroom/laundry room. so depending on how good of friends we are, this may be the first room or the last room you see. so i wanted it to look nice. even though it's mainly for doing laundry or putting on your shoes. and we did the entire thing with leftover supplies. in other words, besides a soar back, this cost us nothing.

paint the blues away

so the husband and i are craving change. seriously. for a year we've been mentally preparing to move across the united states and we all know what a big letdown that's been. for right now we're staying put, and in four months, when the snow gets here, it's going to suck.

soooo we spent the night thinking up house projects. we have a couple of things that NEED to be done, but several that we would like to do. so i think we're going to paint a couple of rooms that could use it, redo the bathroom, and then i might take on the challenge of painting the kitchen cabinets white. not like trading spaces paint, where it peels off in a month, but serious painting. i'm just wondering how it'll look going over textured wood? i took a photo of the kitchen this morning so i can fake it in photoshop...

21 day challenge: day fifteen

fifteen, originally uploaded by tinkerellen.

day fifteen of my 21 day challenge. i'm almost there but i'm still not sure if i'm creating a habit. it's difficult working around a schedule. plus, i've had to make it in earlier to work lately so it makes working out in the a.m. difficult. BUT i'm still trudging through. i didn't work out this weekend, and this past week was pretty busy. i still got a few days in. better than nothing. and it's hard to beat myself up over spending time with good friends.

i'm already thinking about my next challenge since there's so many things about myself that i need to work on. getting my business organized and going, devotions, finishing projects, a cleaning schedule, planning meals, etc.

this weekend was filled with rain. and movies. we picked up my new car and i love it. it's fancy pants. it has 6 cupholders. 6! and a sunglass holder. and pep. lots of horses under the hood. the only complaint i have is the stereo isn't ipod ready, so we have to get that figured out before we head home for the weekend. i am not lugging all my cd's around again. no sir.

friday favorites: mistakes and failures

chopsticks, originally uploaded by tinkerellen.

these chopsticks came with my last order of thai food. along with several humorous misspellings is chopsticks as 'chcosticks'. is that anything like chocosticks. cause if they're chocolate, i'll take another.

i'm on day 12 of my challenge. i printed out some of my pages lastnight so i'll get started on my journal this weekend. 12 days delayed. very much my style. but i plan on actually finishing this project. very much not my style. i've worked out 8 out of 12 days, so that ain't bad. the past few days have been schedulely challenged, so i just haven't had time. it happens.

picking up the new car tomorrow am. taking a couple of friends shopping all day, so see how much i can actually fit in the cargo space. a table? ten shopping bags? a floor lamp? a puppy? we'll see...

happy weekending...

waiting for me

subaru, originally uploaded by tinkerellen.

at the dealership: a black one with tan interior. and heated seats! this saturday we'll go down and test drive and if we love it it's ours! (and then the isuzu is someone elses 21mpg problem....)

broken communication

i'm on day 9 of my challenge {didn't get to my art journal yet, oops} and doing great. i'm not a fan of running, but i'm seeing big results in it. unfortunately, i've lost some weight in the past few days {the husband has too, but he has a little room to spare}, although it's not enough to worry about. it is kind of surprising since i ate like crap all weekend. BUT i did work out both days. i just wasn't expecting it.

we're taking a day or two off and going home for memorial day weekend. we're also hoping {well really, i'm hoping} to get a new car before we go. we have the suv for the winter and the hyundai for the summer {both paid off, woot!}, but i've been wanting a hybrid of both for a couple of years now. the gas mileage and handling of a car, with the space of an suv. luckily, there is such a vehicle: the subaru forester. sure it screams yuppy, but i drove it a year or so ago and loved it. SO, maybe we'll get one soon.

i dropped my phone this past weekend. i've been wanting a newer one {mine was about tres years old} but i didn't want to be forced into one. oh well. i got the same one as my husband's, so we can share chargers, ect... i wanted the slim little pink razor, but i wasn't willing to slap down 300 bucks on a phone. come on. seriously? so i'm thinking of painting mine pink, though that might void the warranty. yeah, i'm pretty sure it would.

i'm currently addicted to project runway. i am. i should be ashamed. but i'm not. it's hilarious.

friday favorites: crafty crap

crafty crap, originally uploaded by tinkerellen.

this past weekend i moved my office to the basement so i could work while spending time with the husband {only technically with, but better than being in opposite levels of the house}. the cool thing is my old office became my new craftroom/studio. i still have some organizing to do, which leads me to my favorites for today: organizational gadgets and all things crafty.

have a good weekend. i'll be spending mine on business junk.

21 day challenge: day five

21_day_5.jpg, originally uploaded by tinkerellen.

i woke up. and made it to the gym this morning {i yawned the whole time but so what} even though we were home late due to the husband's heated theological discussion with a fellow church member. i also told him all about the challenge on the way home and the community of people who participate, etc. he thinks it's a great idea. he might even start a challenge himself. although i highly doubt i'll see any kind of art journal in his future...speaking of, i hope to get time to work on mine this weekend, everyone else's is so inspiring, i want my own little book i can create and hold and show off.

mucho importante

yes, my second post for the day but i feel this is ever so necessary for everyone to read.

it's a word of advice: never never NEVER switch to vonage phone service. not only do they never work, but they never work. what's the point of paying for a phone service if there's no dial-tone? pretty stinking useless if you ask me.

21 day challenge: day four

21_day_4.jpg, originally uploaded by tinkerellen.

day four! i feel great too. except i'm so tired. and craving chocolate. but we all know what that means. (no i'm not pregnant, gosh..) anyway. running is great. for the husband and i it's a nice time to catch up on the day, no tv, no distractions, just pavement. it's also a good time to discuss. i like this new habit we're making together. oo la la. and lastnight i actually ran the entire stretch, no stopping! big accomplishment for me. and i can feel my lungs hating me less and less each time we go.

so i'm also throwing in eating better and drinking more water. which i've been doing fairly well. considering i've needed to go grocery shopping for about two weeks now...

if you want to explore the {21} day challenge a little more..

(i've been using photoshop brushes made by this really cool guy to create my pages)

keeping fake things alive.

fake_chiapet.jpg, originally uploaded by tinkerellen.

look at how well my fake chia pet is doing!

21 day challenge: day three

21 day challenge, originally uploaded by tinkerellen.

so i slept in late this morning BUT, i needed to. i've been so exhausted lately. i need a day or two to just catch up and relax. ie: i rented the new pride & prejudice movie (post colin firth, yum) and have not had time to watch it yet. so it's late now and i have it for another 5 days. i'm planning to watch it tonight after i hit the gym for some cardio and a short run with the husband...(so i'm not failing on day three, i promise!)

finally sent out the prize winners loot yesterday...it's well worth the wait BUT next contest i will have a premade box of awesomeness to send out immediately after announcing a winner...keep an eye out for that post.

21 day challenge: day two

21 day challenge, originally uploaded by tinkerellen.

since technically this is my second day! like i said in the previous post, i woke up and went to the gym this morning! it was really hard to roll my lazy butt out of bed, but i did it and it feels great!

21 day challenge: day one

21 day challenge, originally uploaded by tinkerellen.

i've been wanting to do this: 21 day challenge and even though i'm about 6 days behind i'm doing it anyway...

i have tons of good habits i want to create, but i'm picking 'running/working out' for this one. i have a hard time being consistent with anything, so this is more difficult than it seems...yesterday the husband and i ran together and this morning i woke up and hit the gym...sooo, the past two days have been successful!

here's the quote from the first day, thanks to rhonna:

we've been adopted.

by a cat. she belongs to some neighbors up the road, but morning to night she's always at our house. at first we would let her in the house but she would debate whether or not to come in. now, when we're trying to leave or go to bed, she'll bolt in the door or she won't leave.

this morning i heard her crying, so i opened the door fully expecting to see her staring up at me like usual. but she wasn't there. i could still hear her, so i stepped outside and there she was, on the roof, pacing back and forth. i coaxed her down and then let her in the house for tea and biscuits. really it was just some water. (i don't feed her so luckily i can avoid a situation like MB's...)

salem

salem, originally uploaded by tinkerellen.

so the last major stop on our trip was salem, mass. it was a pretty focussed town. meaning that all the shops and historical sites had something to do with the witch hunt or modern day wiccas. still, it was interesting to see.

apparently, women would garden with a broom, using the stick to make holes, and the wisk to brush the dirt back over the hole. they would then jump with the broom in their hands, straight up into the air, and how high they jumped indicated how high their crops would grow...people would see this from a distance and it would look like they were flying in the air on a broom. there. now you know some cool history for halloween.

the last day we spent at IKEA. yes, yes, three hours at a store. it was so much fun though. we should have brought our cameras in but i didn't want to get ourselves kicked out when there was so much to buy...

thus ends my girl trip. it was fun. we laughed. we talked about things way to private to talk about. we ate fun foods. we bought stupid t-shirts. and now i'm actually looking forward to a bit of relaxation.

boston: favorite photo

boston, originally uploaded by tinkerellen.

krista trying some sashimi (i think). you know, the slab of raw fish layed over rice?

boston

boston, originally uploaded by tinkerellen.

well, here we are in boston. that's me with the boston cow. actually there were a bunch of these cows everywhere, all painted different. krista was taking pics of each one until she realized her memory card was full and pictures of painted cows weren't all that important. boston was beautiful and so was the weather. we had breakfast in the museum of science, and it really is amazing what you remember from childhood, like the gift shop or the electricity generator. krista enjoyed boston's quaintness compared to nyc's dinginess. so did i. it was a nice paced day. but alas, our trip had struck the mid-point already...

anyone have...

the just like heaven soundtrack? i'ld be willing to trade off for something you've been looking for...(if i have it). email me: tinkerellen@yahooDOTcom.

block island: favorite photo

block island, originally uploaded by tinkerellen.

block island

block island, originally uploaded by tinkerellen.

being a rhode island native and never having been to block island i was most excited about this day of our trip. we boarded the ferry in a little town called galilee, which i believe my uncles fished from. i made sure to grab some del's lemonade and some clam cakes for the trip (rhode island delicacies), krista loved both. then on the island i treated her to a lunch of quahogs and stuffed sole, so it was seafood all around.

we rented this moped which is a lot harder than it looks. i managed to nearly kill myself in front of the instructor on my test run and made my way back to the shack assuming he wouldn't give me the keys after that little disaster showing. BUT he handed them over and yelled 'have a great time' and i thought 'don't you mean have a great death?' it ended well though (even with krista on the back) after i finally got accustomed to it all, and at top speed we hit 28mph! (love how dorky we look with our little helmets...)

we were both sunburned by the end of the day, but my dad was there to welcome us off the ferry and we made our way to providence to meet up with some old friends for dinner, so it all ended very very well. i loved block island and plan on returning as much as i can when we finally settle back home...

new york city: favorite photo

new york city, originally uploaded by tinkerellen.

new york city

new york city, originally uploaded by tinkerellen.

after finally finding parking we ventured on to the empire state building. i was nervous, due to my fear of heights. not necessarily being up high, more falling from up high. but the line moved quickly and before we knew it we were looking over as much of manhattan as we could see through the haze. it was an amazing experience that i probably wouldn't have done on my own. (the free tickets helped a bit too)

the rest of the day was hot. we sweat a lot and walked a lot and stopped a lot for water. we hit some smaller vendors and made it all the way to central park where we employed a bicycle tour. and then the buggy got a flat. but we found help in a couple other bike drivers and were soon on our way. then we hopped the subway and booked it out of there in time to sit through 2 hours of traffic. the big city leaves a big film on your skin at the end of the day. maybe that's why they call it the big apple.

those were rose-colored times alright

i'm back from my trip and feeling antsy (?). i predict a new blog header in the next few days. i also can't wait to get through my photos from the weekend. and to hang my new IKEA roman shades. the trip was great and i plan on writing a huge post about it since there's so much to tell. (like the moped incident, or the cut-out head on a stick, or the view from the empire state building...) i'll take it a day at a time though, starting tomorrow.

night swimming

advice for the day: don't buy a bag of hershey special dark miniatures unless you are completely okay with eating every single one. they're SO good.

so my trip. i know you're all on the edge of your seats:
i leave thursday morning at about 4am. heading to nyc to pick up a friend from college whom i haven't seen since my wedding. 5 years ago. she's never been to new england {!!} so i'm her official guide for the weekend. thursday we're going to trek around manhattan and see some sites, maybe even the statue of liberty. i'ld love to slip the met and central park in there, but we'll see...{we have free tickets for the empire state building too}

friday we're catching a ferry from rhode island for block island {from narragansett area}. i've never been, so it'll be an experience for both of us. we might rent some mopeds or just lounge on a beach all day. then onto providence for dinner with some friends near my old high school hang-out: thayer street. it's the brown university area. we're driving to a friends near boston to crash for the night.

saturday is boston! we have a tour scheduled in the morning, then lunch, then a historic tour then quincy market...so much to see in so little time. we'll also be headed to the salem witch museum for a bit.

sunday it's onto connecticut. mystic village, seaport, some fresh lobster off the coast, then on to yale university and their art museum...busy busy. {if there's time i'm taking her to IKEA!} then monday she flies out, so we head back to nyc with a stop at greenwich on the way.

so anyway, i'm really really excited about this trip. with just the two of us it'll be so easy to just do what we want, see what we want, go where we want...and i'm looking forward to doing things i never really did when i lived there {like a duck boat tour or yale museum}. and i really like the idea of being on our own, to find our way, figure out how to get there, use the public transport systems...and get a peak at nyc again...plus, she's one of those friends that you reconnect with and it doesn't seem like time even passed. she's really looking forward to the seafood and fake rolexes.

prints for sale!

i rarely use exclamation points but this calls for one. maybe even two. i know you guys have been asking me when and where you could get my photos {which makes me feel awesome by the way} so here they are: drumroll please... tinkerwithphotos. i will also keep the link on my sidebar if you want to keep checking for updates. which there will be. so just follow the ordering instructions at the top of the site. i'll put more up after my trip this weekend! what? going on another trip? yep. i'll tell you all about it tomorrow too. it's gonna be a big one....

friday favorites: sunsets and husbands

sunset, originally uploaded by tinkerellen.

sunsets. i love them. who doesn't. who says, bah, humbug, i hate sunsets? you know how people say that if you had something ALL the time you wouldn't appreciate it as much as something that occurs every once in a while. they're wrong. i could live in an eternal sunset and never get sick of it.

my husband. five years ago today we committed ourselves to each other for the rest...of...our...lives. wow. doesn't that sound so daunting? well, it's not. these past five years have passed by so fast. we've had our hard times and our fights, but we've had more love and laughter than i could have ever asked for. it's been an amazing five years and i'm looking forward to the next five. {who knows, maybe we'll even have a kid or two.} the futures so bright, i gotta wear shades. {another friday favorite: bad 80's references}

and one more since it's been a while: old men feeding pigeons.

have a good weekend everyone.

sweet summer

blueberry, originally uploaded by tinkerellen.

"There shall be eternal summer in the grateful heart."
Celia Thaxter

a little goes a long way

this weekend was fairly productive, even with my father in town. i was proud of myself. even though i was just avoiding much larger tasks on my to do list.

i vacuumed the entire house including all the spiders that had moved in last month. cruel, i know, but they have houses outside. il'd vacuum up any intruder. cute or creepy crawly.

i found some great cheap canvas boxes at christmas tree shop so i reorganized my closet. i also tried on a bunch of stuff i haven't worn in years and realized i had about 5 pair of kakis and 2 skirts that weren't possibly going to fit me anymore. i've also got some boxes to mail out this week {including the number picking winner's box, let's hear it for procrastination, yay}

then i dropped off some dry cleaning and some donation clothes {sitting in my extra room for months now}. and i unloaded my husband's summer clothes and packed away the winter. {don't even give me a hard time about it since it's only been summer weather here for the past few weeks...}

tonight i'm going to a private party at this place to make and take some dinners that should last us a month. and there's no mess to clean up afterwards. and i don't have to cook to serve a fabulous dinner at home. {hurray}

palos verdes and me

palos verdes and me, originally uploaded by tinkerellen.

another shot from california. look at how amazingly beautiful it is out there. if we end up living there i will be spending the weekends here. i might even take up surfing. {notice my sweet hollywood glamour shades}

1 out of 10

women suffer from low self-esteem. i tend to think that's a pretty generous assumption based on personal experience. nearly all of my friends suffer from the disease. i say disease because it's something you catch from people around you, magazines, billboards, or your own inner negativity. but there's a cure. it's in your head. in my head.

80 percent of women are unhappy with their bodies. yep, 80% of us. how disturbing is that number? the number one cure is to start thinking positive about your curves or your dimples or your frizzy hair. (like instead of focusing on my extremely small breasts i'll celebrate my flat stomach, yay, etc.)The second is to take care of yourself. Buy those 50 dollar jeans that make your butt look so good. make healthy eating choices and then splurge on dessert at the end of the week. get up and go, to the gym (making friends with the regular desk person seems to force me to be accountable, even if they don't pressure me about not being around). no excuses. if you want to feel good about yourself you have to take the time for yourself. even if that means just sitting somewhere in a quiet place and reading.

i read all of this in an article while i was on the eliptical machine this morning. second day of taking care of myself, again. i'm really excited about it too. i feel so much better when i take the time to make healthy meals and snacks and workout, and i'm more productive with everything else in my life. i think it's the energy i get from knowing i'm working positive things in my life, mind and body. so i guess i'm just trying to convince all of you that you are what you think. and i think a lot of you sacrifice all day long for others without realizing you're just as important. so take some time for you today and dwell on your good qualities. you know you have them. i know you have them. you just have to show everyone else that you have them.

there once was a man with a little too much time on his hands

I'm finally over it. my cold. who gets colds in the summer? apparently me. my body gets pissy when i fluctuate between temperature zones. so i slept through much of this weekend. which is exactly what i needed.

this week is back on track week. back to the gym, back to eating healthy, back to making meals and getting into all my business paperwork that i've been dreading. also have to call the investment counselor so i can start saving for retirement which is weird to think about since it's about 40 years away. but i do need to get my website set up, along with business cards printed and then there's the task of actually getting business.

oh and i need to buy a lounge chair for the deck this week. which i'm not sure when i'll get to use.

lucky me

me_jen_sushi.jpg, originally uploaded by tinkerellen.

if anyone has that friend, that one friend that they can count on for anything, call at 3 in the morning, understand what the other is thinking from a simple look or gesture, and generally find comfort in, than lucky you. jen is mine. we connect. we laugh. we shop. we sometimes even fight. we've been through boyfriends, breakups, bad jobs, the eighties, training bras and ben and jerrys. we share everything from friends to clothes to dreams to dinner. i couldn't imagine her not in my life.

that said, i miss her. already.

rose colored glasses

rose colored, originally uploaded by tinkerellen.

this was taken this weekend at this cool little rose garden we found near the university downtown. we never go down there but we were showing some friends around and i forced justin to pull into the park so i could get some shots. beautiful roses in every size and color.

hopefully the posters will be arriving within the next couple of days. they shipped on monday which is amazing since i ordered them sunday night. they better not be crap!

i'm wearing my 220 dollar skirt today that i scored in a boutique in venice beach for ten bucks! my best find of the week by far. the other was a five dollar skull bag for a friend.

i've just claimed a domain name for my business: www.thearthousedesigns.com
check it out. it's still under construction, but if you know anyone looking for stellar graphic design, let me know.

run down and thinking of leaving

"Blog Schitzophrenia = The condition of having two highly diversified blogs. One is meant for friends and family and contains no controversial or incriminating material. The other, usually secret, is used for ranting, raving, swearing, and confessing."

this would so be me if i actually started that other blog i've always dreamed about. thanks for the link marybeth.

delicious dinner

sushi_yum.jpg, originally uploaded by tinkerellen.

jen and i ate at this place in venice twice. it was good sushi. we weren't expecting all that fish when we ordered our meal however. it didn't mention it at all! but it was good anyway.

good news is i've found a place online that will print poster-size. i'm sending them a photo to test it out and see the actual quality of their work. then i'll have prices online and upload some photo choices as soon as i can. hopefully in the next couple of weeks. i'll keep everyone updated!