I'm In Nots (a back logged blog post) (new one forthcoming - when I get over my Nots)

I'm all tied up in Nots. You read that correctly. I mean, in no uncertain terms: Nots. I'm a fervent fan of lists, so let me list all my Nots for you right now. You don't care about my Nots? Well, fine. I'll just add you to my list - of Nots.

Negative Nots:

I do Not foresee getting all my work done today.

I do Not believe I'll have time to color my new crop of grey hair before the BIG SHOW next week.

I do Not have a large enough shoe budget (see previous post regarding boots).

I have Not been a very good Craft Mafia girl lately as I have missed two meetings and a party in the last couple of months. Please don't whack me, guys.

I do Not have the stomach it will take to clean the swimmy celery out of the bottom of our fridge. Ick - liquified veggies.

I can Not make it to North Carolina to see my sister's new house this month. Which means I will Not get any sweet baby mushes for awhile.

I can Not get my new laptop to print wirelessly or join the godforsaken network. And I do Not want to spend 3 hours on the line with tech support. Just shoot me now.

Oh, I could go on. And on. And on. Really. For a very long time. But, why? Life is full of Nots. You can Not avoid them. Maybe it would be better to focus on the -

Positive Nots:

As in, I do Not have a horrible illness (that I know of).

I do Not have a dead end job that I hate.

I do Not have to wonder where my next meal is coming from.

I do Not need a new pair of boots. The want is real, the need is Not. I guess that's a positive thing.

Those are some pretty powerful positives, eh? Being grateful for these is way better than Not.

Winter Preview!

New designs are on the way from the Twist Style design studio. It won't be long before the website is loaded with all sorts of pretty, sparkly bits the likes of which have never been seen! My goal is to make Twist Style your destination for all sorts of lovely, handmade holiday presents.

I'm hoping everyone will flock to my new wares like crows to a shiny penny, but even if you are one of those sentimental types who prefers to make those handmade goodies with your very own hands - you're in luck!

I will have a few project ideas in the holiday issue of Crafts N Things magazine that may be just what you're looking for! Very retro, vintage inspired goodies that are quick and simple to make will be featured so please be on the look out!

Here's a wee little glimpse - but you'll have to pick up the magazine if you really want to see the sparkly goodness!

Lying to Myself

All that bull about "being productive in my mind" is starting to catch up with me. I believe the summer sun has baked my poor, overworked brain, and tricked me into banking on several false, very bad ideals, including:

1.It's okay to sleep late. Maybe in July it was all right to sleep in a little and meander around the house with coffee and a cookie. But baby - it's holiday crunch time. Not for all you normal people out there - but for me it is. I have to go crazy now so that when the holidays roll in, I can be sort of sane and try to enjoy the festivities. TRY. Not always succeed.

2. If I come up with a whole slew of new ideas and designs, I can drop some older styles and just work on the fresh goodies. Yeah - that was a good one. I CANT do that because people will call me up and say," Hi. I love your stuff, but there was this necklace with crystals and pearls that I've wanted forever and now it's not on your website and can you please please make some more because it's the best design ever!" Well, maybe no one says THAT exactly, but it's often something close to that. And then I make a whole bunch of those pieces that folks can't live with out, and you know what? Those are the bits that hang around and taunt me and don't sell. Why? Because there's NEW stuff. And people always want new stuff, for goodness sake! I'm such a sucker sometimes.3. The studio doesn't need straightening or organizing over the summer. Yeah, sure. I'll just wait until after Labor Day and try to make it through the nuclear winter that my work space became while I was piddling about and playing all summer, accomplishing next to nothing except creating a very big, glittery mess.

The days are getting shorter. I suppose that's what has snapped me out my sun induced haze. It's rather sad. But, on the bright side - BOOTS!!!
The are the Frye Carson Boots I'm currently drooling over and trying to somehow justify buying.

Old Friends and New Memories

This summer has been full of fabulous travels and wonderful visits.
This summer I got to see several dear friends ...that I haven't seen in ages - including two of my bridesmaids!
This summer I parked my booty on the beach for a week and realized (again) how important it is to decompress occasionally.This summer I attended the most fabulous wedding I have ever been to and got to see my sweet, beautiful cousin Ann Marie glowing with happiness. Truly, there is nothing like a big, fat Italian wedding and a party with all your relatives!This summer I got to snuggle with mushy babies I am lucky enough to call my nieces and nephews.This summer I feel lucky. And happy. And hopeful. And ready for the utterly crazy bedlam I call "preseason." And I'm not talking about football!

Out To Sea - A post that didn't get posted. You'll see why.

Sitting here on the island, having my coffee while everyone else sleeps. I hear thunder and see some dark clouds on the horizon. Looks like we might not get to bake in the sun today. But I really don’t mind. Being stuck inside isn’t too bad when you can look out your window and see the ocean and rolling dunes.

It’s been a while since we’ve been to this place. Hutchinson Island is one of Florida’s best kept secrets as far as I’m concerned. We are at the southern tip of the island, and it’s so cool to head down to the point and have the Indian River only about 20 feet to your left and the ocean only about 50 feet to your right - it’s a pretty narrow spit of land. And just south of our little condo is an old, exposed reef with caves and ledges and holes holding all sorts of treasures. I’ve walked down there are least twice each day that we’ve been here and I’ll be heading down again as soon as I finish this post.

I brought a bunch of work with me - in case we had some rainy days or I needed a break from the tropical sun. Figured I could sit on the balcony or in the comfy chair and stitch away...or wire wrap...or at least sketch out some ideas that have been brewing for awhile.

But no. It rains almost every afternoon in Florida, which has given me several opportunities to pull out my work bag, but I have yet to do so. I can’t. All I seem capable of doing when it’s not nice enough to be on the beach - is stare at it.

It’s funny, because even though my hands aren’t moving across a sketch pad, or rocking a crochet hook, I feel like I’m being productive. My mind is out to sea and wide open and that’s all the work I need to get done for right now.

They Missed Each Other

Well. Miracle of all miracles. After a tense start to the summer, the children are granting me a reprieve from the snotty insult slinging. I am not naive enough to think that this is a permanent turn of the tides in their sibling relationship, but I'm going to enjoy it while it lasts.

David went on his manly trip with the husband for a whole week, and it was less than 48 hours after they returned that we sent Balin south for her own vacation week in Myrtle Beach with family friends.

Last week, David and I drove to my sister's in North Carolina to celebrate my nephew, Baby Jack's, #2 birthday and to collect Miss Balin. I swear David was giddy in the car on the way.


Happy Birthday, Baby Jack!

Part of his excitement could be because I allowed him to sit in the front seat for the first time EVER on a long trip. He just turned 12, so it was technically against the law before April 2nd. He really loved flipping switches and taking the car's interior temperature down to 60 degrees, then up to 88, and then back down to 60. Over and Over. The radio and Ipod were also at his control and let me tell you, he relished the command. The Beastie Boys will always be my top fave group, but I believe I'll be taking a break from their company for awhile.

But truly, I do think that more than he'd ever admit, the boy was looking forward to seeing his sister. He had insisted on talking to her each and every time she called while she was away. And while I would verify she was doing okay, and ask the obligatory parent questions like, "Are you minding your manners? Helping clean up after dinner? Do you have enough money?" etc., I noticed David was burning up lots more mobile minutes during his conversations. It was like he WANTED to talk to his sister. I didn't here a single Shut Up, Stupid Head, or Stop It.
Then, as we packed the car for our 3.5 hour ride home to Virginia, I tried to steel myself for the showdown, pretty sure we were going to have the very first battle for "SHOT GUN!" But, this really weird thing happened:

Balin went and got in the back seat on the right side, and David went and got in the back seat on the left side. When I pulled out of driveway (with some pent up frustration at not getting to yell at anyone as I had anticipated) they shocked me by announcing their plans for the ride. "First, we are going to play Go Fish, then maybe rummy, then we are going to watch Talladega Nights." The chummyness blew my mind to the point where I couldn't even whine about having to listen to Talladega Nights for the 8 millionth time.

And when we stopped for gas and a snack, Balin chose a bag of spicy chips. David asked her if he could try them - which is normally a very big NO NO - and she said YES! Then, he shared his Tropical Skittles (which has a David-value equal to solid gold covered in diamonds) with HER! They picked their favorites and tossed the semi-chewed yucky ones out the window!

Oh - I'm sorry to any travelers who were assaulted by slimy purple passion Skittles, but aren't you glad there isn't a flock of birds in Eastern North Carolina with a serious digestion issue? I DID put a stop to it when I realized why the windows were constantly rolling up and down.

In two days we are off on another trip. In the car. For 13 hours. Soooooo. We'll see how the lovey dovey sibling relationship fares after that little adventure. Everyone, I beg you, cross your fingers for me!

I Have A Problem

I have a very real and very serious problem. It has plagued me since childhood. I try so hard not to let it get to me, to rule me, to invade my thoughts and dreams, but it's no use. This giant, sugary beast within follows me everywhere. Yes, I am haunted by a Wicked Sweet Tooth.

Cookies and cakes and candies are my enemies. They are posers, pretending to be my friends. They show up with all the things they know I can't resist - icing, and chocolate chips, and non pareils. They sprinkle pink sugar under my nose and infuse the air I breathe with the scent of vanilla - those heartless, fluffy, crunchy, nutty, confections of evil.
The omnipresent Wicked Sweet Tooth taunts me even though he knows I am in a battle to the death with my bathroom scale. He knows that with extraordinary willpower I have weened myself off of two dollops of mayo on my sandwiches. He knows that I am not having seconds at supper time. And he knows that it's BATHING SUIT SEASON, for goodness sake!

But, none of that matters to my incorrigible foe. I go the grocery store and Paul Newman's Ginger O's sing to me their siren song. Visiting my health conscious friends down the street I think I am safe from the creature, but then the Wicked Sweet Tooth appears at my hand in the form of a crystal cauldron filled with peanut M&Ms. It seems that nowhere is safe.

When I tuck my children into bed at night I kiss each of their noses, hug them, and press my cheek to each of their temples. And even in this sacred moment, I am plagued; Both of my children smell like cookies.
Just yesterday I ingested a fair amount of tin foil when I discovered the mini Twix Bar I had succumbed to had melted a little into the wrapper. With the Wicked Sweet Tooth laughing behind me, I gnawed at that wrapper until there wasn't one scrap of caramel or chocolate (or the X in Twix) left. Like I said, this is a very real and very serious problem.Do they make True Religion Jeans in size 42XL? 'Cause I think that's where I'm heading. And so much for this Betsey Johnson bikini I had my eye on...