stealing

~ Wendy's ~

"Hi. I'm Megan, and I steal straws."

You all know I'm a diet Coke fiend, and a vast majority of you know I have specific straw requirements with which to enjoy said diet Coke. In fact, I once went so far as to make a poster titled 'the Laws of Straws' with examples and definitions of different kinds of straws - both the best of the best, and the banes of my existence. And if I can ever figure out the right way to photograph the infernal thing, I will get on here. Believe me, I've tried. But I digress.

~ the local Shell station ~

Suffice it to say, I am of the camp that loves a wide, thick, hearty straw for maximum sipping pleasure. Or in other words, to get as much diet Coke into my veins as quickly as possible. I am not of the camp - and you know who you are - that likes a tiny sip of miniscule proportion to savor, or the side sippers who hold their straw in the side of their mouth. Luckily for you, I won't mention any names of people from these strange, various camps. Katie Larsen. Bob French.

~ McDonald's (the straw gold standard) ~

Alas, my love for diet Coke and straws has gone deep enough to delve into the dark side I'm afraid. I all began quite innocently when years ago McDonald's had their summer deal - something like a 64oz. drink for .75 cents or some miraculous price like that. Needless to say, I frequented that drive-thru. And began to love their straws. I also realized I was not the only one that loved their diet Coke or their straws. Hence, my affection for perfect straws was born, and I have been on the hunt ever since.

~ 7-11 ~

So when I find a straw I like... I grab a handful. Sometimes a small, polite handful depending on what kind of territory I'm in. Sometimes a huge handful depending on how sassy I feel at the moment or how desperate I am for straws. When the supply at home starts running low, I start cruising with ill intent. And of course I've convinced myself that this is just fine. That I've spent so much money on their diet Cokes over the years that a handful of straws is like my little thank you for keeping them in business. Yeah.

But I do feel much better for having confessed. I am a straw stealer. I hope you can live with that.

snowflake quilt & freaky Santa

This past weekend, the local antiques mall had their annual fall sale, and I scored 2 items I totally love. One of them obviously requires a bit of explanation. So please don't hide in a closet or run away just yet. Hang tight for a bit...
The first item is this adorable snowflake cross stitch quilt. I've never purchased a cross stitch quilt, but this one was stitched impeccably, and the main body of the quilt was hand quilted as well. I loved the snowflake design, and blue & white is a popular combination so it's often hard to find. Add to that the fact that there were no stains or holes, it was in excellent condition, and it was on sale for less than $75 and I did the happy dance right then and there! I am so excited to have it to add to my collection! I can't wait to wrap myself in it and drink some hot cocoa :)
Now, I'm aware that this little Santa is a bit freaky looking. He scares my kids. But to me, he brings back everything that was happy about Christmas growing up. My family had one exactly like him, only about twice his size. I've never seen another one like ours, so I was absolutely flabbergasted when I caught this one looking at me through a display case. I had asked my mother for ours many years ago when my boys were little, and she had said no... and for years now, all our family Christmas things lay crushed and forgotten somewhere in her garage. I have no idea what condition that old Santa would be in if I ever did find him. So to be able to purchase this little Santa was like purchasing a portion of my childhood that I have missed for a very long time. See? Neat story = not so freaky :)

actually hip

~ Julian Casablancas ~

So last Thursday on the Apartment Therapy blog, New York contributer Annie Werbler wrote a great little blurb about Julian Casablancas coming out with his first solo album entitled Phrazes for the Young. She actually wrote it somewhat apologetically, being that AT is basically a design blog... but she adores Julian Casablancas so much she just couldn't help herself. I admire such passion. And I'm always on the lookout for new music to reach down into the depths of my tie dye world and pull me up into the present. And his photo alone was enough to intrigue me. So I gave Phrazes for the Young a listen. I was instantly surprised. And instantly pleased.

Julian is the lead singer of the Strokes - a band I don't care for so very much - but he definitely has his own thing going for him with his solo music. I'm not much of a music critic - in fact, I'm lousy - but Julian's voice has depth and meaning, his songs are all diverse styles of genres, each with it's own very catchy edge, and his instrumentation is complex but never too much so that it overshadows the simplicity of his voice or the fun in his songs. There. That's about the best I can do. Luckily for you, I have a link where you can stream the whole album ---------> RIGHT HERE. Then you can hear it for yourself and hopefully enjoy it too. And purchase it. And enjoy it more.

This Is It

A few nights ago we went and saw "Michael Jackson's This Is It" - the behind the scenes footage of what would have been his upcoming return to the stage and 50 sold out concerts in London. And just from the practice footage that we were able to see, what a concert it would have been! Epic performances - the kind that history is made of. But as we all know, Michael tragically died at age 50, just 8 days before those historic concerts were to begin. And so, the reason for the film - to give his family and friends and fans a magical glimpse of who he is, and what would have been.

I felt that the movie was very well done. They didn't make it pathetic or sad. No one was trying to manipulate my emotions, or make more or less of anything. It was what it was - intense practice sessions edited together, mistakes and all. There was a lot of hard work going on among this incredible team of professionals, and some great moments of laughter, love, and prayer. And the highlight of course was Michael. His unbelievable quest for perfection regarding his music and every detail. His astonishing talent with dancing and the way his body moves like he is almost otherworldly. But we've always known that a lot of Michael was otherworldly.

My eyes welled up as soon as the film began. I grew up listening to the Jackson 5 and Michael Jackson, I was always enamored by his amazing talent, saddened by his odd life, and heartbroken when he passed away on the brink of something that could have been so great for him and for the world. Such a loss of a tender-hearted, mixed-up, talented musical genius. So watching "This Is It", I enjoyed very much, seeing him interact with his singers and dancers and directors. What did shock me was how thin he was - did no one see this? He wasn't his usual tall, skinny self. He was literally skin and bones - skeletal. His hands and his head actually looked out of proportion to his body. That was frightening to see. His warm smile was genuine however, and he is always such a mixture of little boy, and perfectionist musician, and fierce performer. It's simply incredible to watch. I loved the arrangements of all the songs of course, and his new song about saving the world and loving each other. What I probably loved most was seeing him on stage at age 50, dancing as if he were ageless. That dancing groove ran through every fiber of his body. His dancers were the cream of the crop and probably 30 years younger than him, but he was still out there grooving and moving and showing them what to do. That was awesome. He was still the Dancing Machine. It will be a great way to remember him.

Halloween

A report on the Walker Family Halloween :) First off, above is an *adorable* chocolate bar with a handmade wrapper that my friend Rochelle made. You may recognize Rochelle's name because she's had her cute things make their way onto my blog several times in the past!
Matthew's junior high was allowed to dress up, so of course he layered himself in just about every piece of official army issue gear he owns! Which happens to be quite a lot!
I used to have mixed feelings about Matthew's strong penchant toward the armed forces. And that's putting it mildly. And putting it in words I can use on a family-friendly site. How a peace-loving, tie dyed, anti-war mother such as I, gave birth to a son who eats, sleeps and breathes military, and thinks nothing of fighting in the infantry on the front lines... I have absolutely no clue whatsoever.
But as you can see, Matthew is anything but cavalier about it. He takes it very seriously. Where I thought perhaps it would fade over the years, his interest in all things military has only increased. You have to have respect for that kind of dedication. And of course any mother would be proud her child wants to serve their country. So it still frightens me - a lot - but I have laid off. Matthew is who he is - and I love the person he is.

There's the smile that lights up my world :)

And how nice of him to demonstrate his camouflage skills.

Ah, here we have Davy and his girlfriend Val - who made the best Wonder Woman EVER! Plus... check out her AWESOME boots! YEAH! And Davy is Nick 13, the lead singer for the Band Tiger Army. I know. It's okay if you don't get it. But he did look spot on amazing.

Are they just too cute or WHAT!

OH! And how *adorable* is this photo!

Liammmmmmm!!! Liam came to join them in his totally brilliant costume - that he made himself - portraying Brandon Flowers from the Killers (more commonly known as B-Flo) as the Spaceman. Liam, you totally rock!!!
So first they went to trick-or-treat in Beverly Hills, which they said was a lot of fun.
And then they went to Hollywood to experience all the Halloween... festivities? oddities? freaks? fun? Yeah, I think some of all of that... and everything in between. The boys said Val got a lot of attention as Wonder Woman. Hmmm... YA THINK???

As my CA boys were having fun here, my college boy Daniel was up in Utah playing the role of Severus Snape (of Harry Potter fame) in a large cast of Hogwarts characters HERE!

I hope everyone had a terrific Halloween! My dogs took off with my burrito and massacred it. I'm still traumatized.

Fall Porch

DONE! I'm very happy with how my white pumpkins turned out - both the 2 big fakies and the small real one. And I think I'm liking how my little porch turned out. So come take a tour!
This year I added a few of my antique doll cradles among other things, and I like how they look. I put all the Halloween decor out front and kept the porch "Fall" so it can remain up through November. It looks just a tad sparse (?)... perhaps I need to add a trade blanket or a quilt... or perhaps I need to leave well enough alone :) Truth be told, I would love to do the whole porch in white & black pumpkins with big white candles - wouldn't that be spectacular!!!
Okay, back to reality - LOL :) I approached drawing on each white pumpkin a little differently. The large stars came from a stencil I had made for some terra cotta pots. I used a thin black Sharpie to outline the design onto the pumpkin (making sure it was straight!), and then used a larger black Sharpie to fill in the stars.
This little wreath is really nothing special, but it had lots of color and interest from all kinds of different cones, pods, berries, leaves, etc, and it was very cheerful.
I actually taped off and spray painted a few small orange pumpkins with white spray paint! See the "W" pumpkin? Well, it was lots of fun but you will definitely not be seeing any close-ups! LOL!
As shown in my sneak peek, the other large pumpkin was done by free-handing large numbers in pencil, then I filled the numbers in with different sizes of black Sharpies. That fakie pumpkin material, by the way, was very easy & fun to work with - FYI.
The small pumpkin with all the dots I just drew free-handed with the Sharpies - no pencil required!
Thanks for taking the tour! Hope you liked it! Happy Friday, Happy Halloween, Happy Weekend, and Happy Fall!

sneak peek!

So this year I decided to decorate my front porch with something a just little different than the norm for Halloween and fall decor. I really like white pumpkins but I've never used them before. They're such a blank canvas - I don't know why I've never had some fun with them!
Well I'm sure having some fun now! I bought one real pumpkin - the cute, little one - and two fakies on clearance, figuring it will be fun to use them again next year. I had some ideas of what I could do to embellish them, so without further ado, here is your little sneak peek:
Tee hee! That's all you get to see right now... but the whole porch should be done tomorrow and you'll be the first to see how everything turned out! I'm very excited to put it all together. So don't touch that dial - c'mon back! Same bat time - same bat channel!

I know, I know... I couldn't resist my white Luna posing with the white pumpkins :)

Halloween Dreams

An adorable stop-motion Halloween video from talented Collin Mapp. I watched Collin grow up from the time he was a little boy - he is now 30 and living in New York. Time flies! Enjoy his darling video! *credit and thanks to my friend Lisa for posting this on Facebook :)

*Decorated WHITE PUMPKINS are coming soon! Stay tuned!*

Abracadabra Soap Co.

This is going to be the * SQUEakiEst * CleaNESt * blog post I've ever had the pleasure to write! My creative and talented friend Dana recently started Abracadabra Soap Company, featuring her very own gorgeous, chunky, yummalicious, handmade soap! Oh, the lather... oh, the softness... oh, the aromatherapy every single time you use her soap! Divine!

Take the lovely, swirly example above ~ Persephone ~ "a paradoxical blend of juicy pomegranates, creamy coconut, Mysore sandalwood, with green notes of Eucalyptus, Thyme, Ginger, and Peppermint". Are you even kidding me!?!

My own education in All Things Dana's Soap started with one bar each of Kolohe (bananas! coconuts! mangoes!), and 2 of her Limited Halloween Editions - Bubble Bubble Toil & Trouble (tobacco, pepper, vanilla, pears, sandalwood!), and Black Cat (star anise oil, cherry, almonds!). LOVE. LOVE. LOVE. Hook, line, and sinker. I am now patiently waiting for more Dandelion Crown and Vanilla Bean......... did you hear that Dana!?!?!

But wait - there's more! Below is just a small sampling of Abracadabra's offerings:

~ Strawberry EUREKA! ~

"A whirlwind splash of strawberries, mandarins, limes, lemon pie, raspberries, grapes, and ooey gooey sticky caramel. This is just a wisp of Lily of the Valley and a dry woodsy essence"

~ Blue Betty ~

"Blueberry Biscotti drenched in blueberry syrup with hints of vanilla, custard, and cream cheese frosting. Underneath the sweetness is a base of earthy pumpkin, closes and cinnamon"

This is Dana! Isn't she beautiful? I adore this girl :)

CUTEST. FAMILY. EVER.

Just a little bit more about Dana and Abracadabra Soap Company. First of all, Dana puts her heart and soul into everything she does. Knowing handmade soap was the best of the best, she decided to make it herself so her family and others could enjoy quality products at reasonable prices. Being the creative force she is, she enjoys coming up with new blends of scents and textures. Dana uses only the finest ingredients and they are all listed right on her site. Her substantial bars weigh 5-6oz and cost a mere $6. Luxury that lasts and lasts for $6! Amazing.

Dana's following is starting to show by how quickly her bars sell out! But not to worry - she is always making more of her more popular soaps, and is constantly creating fun new ones as well. Check out her "Waiting in the Wings" section, where future soaps are on the curing racks and new ideas are launched. And she encourages plenty of feedback so she knows your faves (and your wishes). You can also follow her blog and join her Facebook Group as well! She's got you covered!

~ Spook! ~ (limited Halloween edition - 1 bar left!)

"a spoooooky concoction of Rhubarb, Block Pepper, and a majestic mix of Frankincense and Myyrrh"

~ Mermaid Melody ~

"a harmonious combination of tart limes, dainty verbena, and yummy coconut. There is a dab of vanilla to soften the tartness while some mermaid bubbles give it a lovely effervescence"

~ Desert Spirit ~

"captures earthiness in every way - it contains notes of Madagascar vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, black pepper, and chili. It is rounded out with warm amber, earthy patchouli and cedarwood"

I love this photo of Dana - such a sassy, hip girl!

So listen peeps! Skidaddle on over to Abracadabra Soap Company and check out all the scentiferous creations waiting for you over there! Order a bunch of bars for yourselves and some to give as gifts for the upcoming holidays! You will be oh so happy you did!

Remember: Cleanliness is next to Godliness!!! LOL

sadness

I would be remiss if I did not post the sadness in my heart today, over the loss of my cousin Rick, the gentle giant of the Campbell family. He passed away early Sunday morning after fighting a sudden combination of critical health conditions that his body could no longer battle... leaving his family shocked and heartbroken. He is pictured here with his beautiful wife Becky, and their 6th grandbaby Kaitlin. My heart is aching for Becky, all their children, and their grandchildren. I feel an awful sadness for my aunt and uncle, who are absolutely devastated. I feel sorrow for my cousins - which includes my precious Shell - who just lost their oldest brother.

Rick, you will always be in our hearts ❤

I don't know why these things happen when they do. I do know that we will have the answers someday. It seems to take a lot of faith - and a lot of heartache - in the meantime. I pray with all my heart, that the Campbell family will be comforted at this time of loss and sorrow.

um... awkward

Okay, okay, okay - I just can't stand it anymore. You all know how much I love the People of Wal-Mart website. It never ceases to astound me. It makes me gasp out loud. Frequently, it makes me want to move to Europe. Permanently. Well I have found yet another website that is just as much fun! Awkward Family Photos is a must-see! It will captivate you! It will entertain you! It will make you waste more time than you can imagine! Seriously funny, peeps - seriously funny :)

Happiest Place on Earth???

This vacation dad has "itinerary" written all over him

WE SAID MERRY CHRISTMAS

I hope Grandma doesn't whack me with her beehive

nothing like a loving family packing their arsenal

take a nice long look at this sweet, innocent family...

hmmm... someone missing?

Check out Awkward Family Photos and have a great time!

*photo credits property of awkwardfamilyphotos.com

gangs in suburbia

The NERVE of this intimidating gang - infiltrating this quiet neighborhood in Helena, Montana! In broad daylight! My friend Wendy sent these to me - her son and his family live in Helena - and it made me smile. I just had to post them because it reminded me so much of when we lived on top of a mountain in Sandpoint, Idaho. We encountered moose and other wildlife all the time. I looked up once just in time to see a moose running lickety-split right through our back yard. So funny :) But the pics of this suburban neighborhood just cracked. me. up.

"Hey you guys - do I look like one of those plastic deer?"

apologies in advance

sorry - I just couldn't help myself.

I saw those teeth and that expression and totally lost it :)

Have a very casual day!

*photo credits to: I have no idea but your dog is awesome

Zombie Night

So Saturday night was Zombie Night in our town. Zombie Night consisted of a Zombie Walk through town (450 groaning zombies) and a Zombie Prom held back at the comic book store with food (I guess even zombies get hungry?) and entertainment. Davy's band, Cost of the Recall, was one of the bands performing. Two of it's members returned home from college for this event, as this would be the band's final performance - a bittersweet but very fun evening.

Here are Matthew and his friends Jeffery and David all bloodied up and looking very zombie-like.

Nice job guys!

And not 5 minutes later, Davy and Liam pull up looking extremely dead and sunken-eyed and creepy.
Liam was very pasty and scary and already playing the part. He was totally ready for the Zombie Prom. I was impressed.
I especially liked the scabs and blood coming out of his nose. Extra points for that.

stumbling along on the Zombie Walk

two heads are better than one

Ah, here we are at the comic book store, and it's time for Cost of the Recall's farewell performance! Davy looks deep in zombie concentration. Perhaps he has lost too much blood. Perhaps he is dizzy from the platform shoes he and Liam made. Perhaps he is regretting this blog post.
Seriously, it was an electric evening in every way. Every band member was at their best. They sounded awesome. They had the most amazing time ever. The crowd sang along to their songs. They were their usual personality-filled selves :)

If we could only get Davy to keep his clothes on while he performs...

gotta love it :)

*special thanks to Liam Moore for the majority of these pics!

2010 Wild Child Arts calendars

FINALLY in my Wild Child Arts store at Etsy - and it's about time too, dadgummit! Because I only made 10 of them and 2 of them are already gone! When I said "limited quantities" I meant it!

I'll keep it short and sweet. I've been making my own calendar for 10 years now. They're awesome. Take my word for it. My original design. Lots of space to write on. Fun paper. Printing or Cursive to choose from. Frosted vinyl front and back cover. $30. If you're interested, click --------> HERE <------- and visit my Wild Child Arts store at Etsy. You can see way more pics and all the info.

These 2 are already gone! Tee hee hee! :)

CHEERS!!!!

Giveaway Winners!

Last night when everything was quiet except for the rain, I held the most awesome little ceremony :) First I wrote down each and every name of all those of you who had made happy birthday blog comments (which I am still over-the-moon about... you guys are JUST. THE. BEST). Then I pulled out my great-grandmother's wooden salt barrel (is it not so amazing!!!) and put all the neatly folded pieces of paper inside.
I took a photo to document all the little pieces of paper were cozy inside, just as they should be! Then I covered the top of the barrel with my hand, shook it up real well, and without looking, I drew out 4 slips of paper. The ANTICIPATION! SO EXCITING! (except that 2 pieces of paper snuck inside 2 of the 4 pieces I drew - devious little things! lol)

And HERE ARE OUR WINNERS, in order of drawing them!!!

The first 3 winners are:

• My *adorable* friend Sara from the colorful and inspiring blog Sara's Art House!
• My long distance friend and fellow Family Folk Art lover Kelly from New York City!
• My *dear* friend Cindy from the lovely and popular blog Quaint Handmade!

You wonderful peeps may choose whichever Wild Child Arts notecard set you like :)

My GRAND PRIZE winner is:

• Faithful reader *amazing* Amy Cazier - super mom, super wife, super person all around!

Amy, you may choose whichever Wild Child Arts 2010 calendar you like :)

*** the calendars are nearly done - I'm still waiting for the spiral bindings! Just stay tuned... almost there...!!!

And you will notice 2 pieces of paper with names on them below our winners. These are the devious papers that snuck inside 2 pieces of paper I drew! lol! So because you are cheeky - and mostly because I like you:

• My *beautiful* friend inside and out, Naomi from California
• My *lovely* no-longer-a-lurker friend, Barb from Pennsylvania

You both may choose whichever Wild Child Arts 5x7 photograph you would like :)

YIPPEEEEEEEE!!! What an awesome day full of WINNERS!!!

*all winners please e-mail me at megibug at gmail dot com*

Thank you to everyone who took the time to comment. I am happy to say that this is the first of many fun giveaways I have planned for the future of Wild Child :)

But you know what? I am the real winner. Like I have already said, your comments have meant more to me than you'll ever know. You coming here to read my blog means the world to me. What a year this has been! I've tried to put it into words and I just can't. But I do have such a full heart, and I feel like my life is full of blessings all around me. And you are such a huge part of all those blessings. Thank you with all my heart for being here ❤

And here's to another amazing year at Wild Child!!! xoxoxo

Happy 1 Year Blog Birthday!

HAPPY FIRST BLOG BIRTHDAY

TO ALL OF US!!!

Ruffles and diet Coke for everyone!!! LOL! It's true... can you see what I've been up to as I've been oh so very busy today? Oh make no mistake - I started celebrating early :) But hey, I've been working nonstop! Nonstop!

Oh my gosh...... SOOO much to tell! Yes, yes, I know I am SOOO late with my post today! YIKES! And I'm gonna save all the mushy stuff for tomorrow when I announce the winner of my GIVEAWAY! Because remember: you still have all day today to make a comment and enter! It's not too late! I'll be picking all the winners tonight at midnight! Yippeeeee! And for those of you who have already commented, thank you so very, very much. You're just the best readers and friends ever :)

So to say my Wild Child Arts store on Etsy has been slightly transformed would be an understatement. I used to have 4 sets of my notecards in it, so sad and lonely. Well take a peek in my right hand side bar to give yourself a little preview, and then go visit Wild Child Arts yourself! I've got something like 42 items in there now!!! And more are on the way!!! I've finally put together a LOT of AWESOME new notecard sets - all original photography by moi, moi, and only moi. And for the first time, I'm selling original photographs as well. And don't think for one second that I've forgotten about my 2010 calendars - no, no, nooooo!!! They are in the finishing stages! I'm really happy about everything. Actually, I'm ecstatic :) And...... my devious mind is already concocting more items to add, including my original artwork. As in paintings. Like on canvas and everything.

Okay, breathe Megan, BREATHE!!!

So for some birthday fun today, here are just a few examples of what just went into Wild Child Arts. Start perusing, because my winners will want to be choosing which set they want :)

Love and Friendship Notecard Set

Flower Power 3 Notecard Set

Crusty Notecard Set

Hydrangea Love Notecard Set

Quirky Notecard Set

But today wouldn't be today without remembering my humble beginnings here on Blogger one year ago today, and without telling all of you THANK YOU with all my ❤heart❤ for being so WONDERFUL!!! More than you know. Much, much, more. More mush tomorrow, without a doubt xoxoxo

Wild Child Arts on Etsy

Happy Monday and I hope you had a great weekend!

Notice anything different? My Etsy store, Wild Child Arts, is back on my blog! Over in my right hand side bar, there's lots of colorful thumbnails showing some examples of what I have in my store. Yay!

I've been a busy bee all weekend to get Wild Child Arts filled with cool things! So far I've uploaded something like 28 of my original photographs, ready for framing, size 5x7. Full of delicious color, they look great on their own or in a grouping! They're available in all sizes too, and I'm always up for custom orders :)

And now I'm all ready to list 13 - that's right 13 - brand new notecard sets! They're DONE and ready to rock!

And don't touch that dial, because soon after that, you'll start seeing my 2010 calendars appear! Yippeee!

So just for fun, here are some examples of my original 5x7's, including prints made from my original paintings:

P.S. JUST 2 MORE DAYS TO MAKE A COMMENT

ON MY BLOG BIRTHDAY POST

AND BE ENTERED FOR MY GIVEAWAY!!!

COME ON PEEPS! STOP BEING SO SHY :)

for the love of poppies

Oh red...... how I love you! Your warmth, your cheerfulness, your sass! And we all know how much I love Etsy. And we all know how much I love flowers. And we all know how much I love my friends. Well, today happens to be my friend Traci's birthday. Happy Birthday Traci! And Traci is a lover of poppies. Red poppies in particular. So for fun, I decided to do a search for red poppies on Etsy for her and for all of you, to see what wonderful things we could discover. And oh, did I discover! I have here a lovely little smattering of red poppies from all different types of media. Click on the links to see more - and most of all ENJOY!

"Poppies on Yellow II" giclee print by pattyabaker -

there is nothing as cheerful as the combination of red and yellow!

Set of four screen printed dish towels with red poppies

by MichelleBrusegaard - so sweet!

"Sweet Summer Dreams" poppy wristlet purse

by EightSeasons - is this fabulous or what!

Red Poppies personalized folded note cards

by sweetbellacards - these are just precious!

Photo titled "Take Another Little Piece" -

8x10 photo print by ascenicworld - stunning!

Bright red-orange poppies earrings

by jewelrybynatsuko - SO ULTRA COOL!

ceramic Poppy Flower Bowl

from PrinceDesignUK - absolutely adorable!

Poppies adorning the scenic Italian countryside

by Barbara Carter - so dreamy!

P.S. don't forget to sign up for my GIVEAWAY!!!

5 days left!!!

cuppa cuppa burnin' love

I am not a coffee drinker, but it's one of my all time favorite smells on earth. COFFEE........ MMMMMMMMMM :) I could smell it 24/7 and never get tired of it. When I was in college, I actually kept an open bag of chocolate infused coffee beans tacked up on the wall next to my bed. Fortunately, I had really great roommates that put up with all of my endless shenanigans.
So are you wondering where these awesome coffee art photos came from? I came across a great little blog that I just love. It's called Art In My Coffee! It just makes me happy. I love simple. I love special talents. I love art showing up in unexpected places. And I love little gems of creativity that makes people smile.
So go check it out. Coffee art creations are submitted from talented baristas near and far. Don't miss the second page either! Just a simple little site that will make you smile :) Art In My Coffee! Now that I think about it, I need another open bag of coffee beans around here.......... :)

***and for heaven's sake, don't forget to make a comment on my 1st Birthday post so you're all signed up for my fab GIVEAWAY! Five days and counting!

wild child's 1st birthday countdown ~ and GIVEAWAY!

Peeps! I have no idea how it snuck up on me, but wild child's very first birthday is fast approaching! And what a year it's been. I can hardly begin to put it into words. I'm not sure I'll even try. But I'm sharp enough to know that this milestone deserves a big celebration! And you blog readers know what that means... a GIVEAWAY! I've never done a giveaway before. I've always shied away from them, thinking I'd mess it up somehow :/ But I truly have so much gratitude in my heart for all of you wonderful readers who have been so awesome this first year... it's a great time to give some heartfelt gifts from me to you. Because after all, my blog readers totally rock!!! You are the best!!! You make my day!!!

So here's the scoop - put your thinking caps on, okay? My 1 year birthday is next Tuesday, October 13th. That gives you SIX full days to LEAVE A COMMENT ON THIS POST. Tell me your fave thing about wild child - and feel free to make a suggestion of what you might like to see more of in the future. Make sure you leave your NAME and E-MAIL ADDRESS so if your name is picked, I can get ahold of you! That's all you have to do!

Here's the fun part. There will be 3 winners chosen and 1 grand prize winner, all chosen at midnight on October 13th. The 3 winners will each win one set of my hand-made notecards, all featuring my original photographs. They are so new they're not even in my Etsy store yet! And they're awesome! The grand prize winner will receive my hand-made 2010 calendar. This is my first year selling them, and I'm only making a limited edition of 12 for my Etsy store. And they are way cool! *I'm restocking my Etsy store now, so stay tuned :)

Good luck, best wishes, and I LOVE YOU ALL!!!

Now start posting your comments :)

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patchwork tray

Well, you know how much I love color and how much I adore quilts. Here is a fun project I'd been wanting to do for some time, that gave a blah old wooden tray a lot of fun color with a patchwork look to it. I love how it turned out!

Here is the tray in original form. It was all right, but I felt like it needed some cheering up!

I spray painted it a bright white. This is just the first coat - I did 3 coats total.

I wasn't worried about coating the inside of the tray because I knew it would be covered with decorative paper, but I took special care to make sure the sides and edges and inside the cut-away handles were coated properly.
I chose all the paper that I wanted to use (6 sheets was plenty), and gathered my materials - Mod Podge, a brush, and scissors. Later I used a pencil to trace the cut-away handles and a damp paper towel to wipe Mod Podge off the tips of my fingers! Oh - and don't forget your diet Coke! LOL!
After that I just had a good time snipping and fitting and playing around with all the paper. I started with the sides and then filled in the bottom. I would lay one piece of paper down at a time, painting the surface with Mod Podge first.
As soon as all the pieces of paper were finally in place, I painted the entire surface of the tray with a few coats of Mod Podge, letting the first coat dry in between. I could have wet-sanded also but I'm much too lazy for that!
Since this tray will more than likely come in contact with drips and drops of liquid here and there, I will make sure to spray it with an acrylic before putting it into heavy duty service! (aren't you so proud of me Amy? lol)

So colorful & fun! It needs some Ruffles & diet Coke on it! :)

14

Yesterday my baby officially turned 14 years old. The nerve! How did this happen? Where did that time go? Why wasn't I consulted? Who does he think he is?

Well, he is my precious Matthew - better known to everyone as the Mouse - and apparently, he is very excited about this event. Which means I have just as much growing up to do as he does. I've eluded to this before in other posts, but it still never ceases to amaze me how you think it will never happen to you. This is the 3rd time one of my boys has turned 14. I've always been so thrilled for their milestones, right along with them. But I have to admit it. There really is a difference when it happens to the last one - the "baby". It gets you right in the pit of your stomach.
So here he is after school on Friday. I asked where he got that cool bracelet in all those shades of green and black. He said his friend Kendra made it for him for his birthday because she knew green was his favorite color. Remember his dance partner Kendra? Wow, that was really nice! Yep, it's girl time too. Whenever his cell phone rings, I know it's usually a female on the other end... (and does his ring tone have to be "Fat Bottomed Girls" by Queen???)
So I'm pretty sure that gone are the days when he'd sneak into my bed and go to sleep all snuggly and cozy-like. Just look at that fuzzy little Mouse, so sound asleep :) I miss those sweet days a lot.

And gone are the boo-boo faces that he perfected and executed with great skill. Sigh.

Okay... shake it off Megan, and get back to reality! Sheesh! Back to the big day! We cruised down to City Walk outside of Universal Studios. See Matthew there under the ginormous Hard Rock Cafe guitar? We ate there a little later on - it's one of our favorite places. Yum!

We went and visited Spidey in the video store :)

But here's the REAL reason we were there: so Matthew could FLY in the wind tunnel to simulate sky diving! He's wanted to do this for a long time, so we took him to iFly and he finally got his chance to FLY! It was SO COOL! He did GREAT! And he had an absolute BLAST! I'll let the following pics speak for themselves!

Way to go Matthew - you did such an awesome job!

Now if you know the Mouse, you know his life wouldn't be complete without a new airsoft gun. I know, I know... but I've completely given up. Yeah, Mother of the Year - whatever. He has wanted this particular gun for a long time. It's one sweet airsoft gun, I have to admit. And you can tell he's just slightly excited to finally have it.
We also found out it was about 10 times louder than we thought it would be. Our neighbors will love us even more than they already do. Great. And of course, after the gun was tried out and there were holes in our entire back yard, we had to have pumpkin pie. Because Matthew would rather have pumpkin pie than a birthday cake - so every year, we chow down on pumpkin pie! HAPPY 14th BIRTHDAY MATTHEW!!! You are a terrific guy at any age! I am so proud of you! I know you'll make the world a better place, and I love you with all my heart.

Even though I'll probably always see you like this ❤

❤

❤

my vat

Remember this post? When I poked fun at my cousin Shelly? It's a good thing she's such a good sport :) Every day Shell fills up what I call her "vat" - a whopping 64oz container that you could pretty much use as a weapon if you needed to. It's kind of a Utah thing. Vats are very common there. People are very attached to their vats. Aside from nearly needing a U-Haul to transport them in, I'm a little jealous that we don't seem to have anything like them here in diet-Coke-loving California.

Well remember when Shell came to visit me a few weeks ago?

LOOK WHAT SHE BROUGHT ME!!! MY VERY OWN VAT!!!

So of course I had to get to work immediately. Sorry, Fabulous Freddy's Car Wash... I didn't want your logo on my vat. I had to personalize it, and that meant cute paper and Mod Podge was in order. But first, I taped the top and bottom sections off and spray painted the center white, using 3 light coats of spray paint made specifically to adhere to plastic.
The results turned out pretty good, but I should have sanded the smooth plastic finish first. I'll do anything to avoid sanding though - like pretend the directions don't say to sand it first...
So here is the fun part, assembling everything. I chose my papers, decided to use big dots so I got my punches out and started punching, and of course there is the Mod Podge that will put it all together. I put each dot on the vat individually w/ Mod Podge, making sure to smooth it out, and that it had adhered well. Then when all the dots were finally on, I coated the entire surface with Mod Podge. I will also spray it with acrylic since it will be holding ice and cold liquid on the inside. And I'll have to let you know how that goes! But oh my gosh, did it turn out so doggone CUTE or WHAT!!!

have way cute vat, will travel...

now, if only there was a cup holder this large...

I wonder if I'll actually have to strap it in w/ the seat belt...

crack-up

My girlfriends Chris and Tami and I were having such a nice lunch yesterday at the Urban Cafe. That place has amazing food! The three of us meet once a month to enjoy each others' company and catch up on each others' lives. We were having a terrific time, as usual - and fortunately we were done eating - when Chris casually stated, "well... I'm a little tired of staring at that guy's butt crack". Tami and I weren't sure we'd heard her right, but we turned around, and sure enough, right outside the window in full view of the entire restaurant, was this guy's vertical smile. We nearly DIED LAUGHING. I couldn't resist whipping out my cell phone to capture the moment in time. It was almost as good as perusing peopleofwalmart.com :)

What a crack-up. Literally :)

new fall line-up

Ah, the innocence of youth. So ignorant was I. All last year, I was so content - nay, delighted - with my big vintage glass of diet Coke, and my bag of Reduced Fat Ruffles potato chips. Breakfast, lunch, dinner (and in-between snacks)... of champions. Okay... slight exaggeration. But oh, how I loved them! My Reduced Fat Ruffles were my personal manna... my diet Coke was my nectar of the gods. Sigh... how little I knew then.

But I have grown (much wider) in the last year and put away my childish things. My eyes have been opened and seen the light. My taste buds have matured and there is no turning back. The seasons are changing and so am I. Fall is in the air. Change is imminent. And besides... everyone is talking about the new fall line-up.
Well feast your eyes on my new fall line-up! All natural, still-reduced fat, sea salted Ruffles! Diet Coke in my vintage glass... with a splash of sugar-free vanilla syrup in it! Oooooooooooh baby...... life is GOOD :)

The Ruffles are awesome because just like the regular Reduced Fat, they're not greasy like the Original Ruffles. I just can't handle the Original Ruffles - they make me sick to my stomach. And these Sea Salted ones have just a tad less salt than the regular Reduced Fat too. Still salty enough for sure, but wow, they taste so good! And just a splash of that vanilla syrup mixed in - smooth :) And my cousin Julynn gets credit for the Vanilla syrup (in other words, it's all her fault I'm hooked on it)

that's right

uh huh

oh yeah

If you want it then ya better put a ring on it :)

Oh. My. Ga.

Feast your eyes my peeps. That's right. And as soon as you've picked yourself up off the floor like I had to and/or wiped up the drool from your keyboard, get into the lotus position, take very deep breaths, and pray to the Goddess of Divine Simplicity Yet Color-Coordinated and Totally Inspiring Arts and Crafts Supplies. Kind of a long title for a Goddess, I know. You may be so moved as to make a sacrificial offering such as an unopened bag of Ruffles, but of course that remains up to you. Have a few tissues handy though, because no doubt this image will bring a few tears to your eyes. It's seriously so simple and beautiful, it's almost artwork in itself.

I found this image on Apartment Therapy (main site). It was originally part of a cool and funky home tour, which you can see if you click here. You can take the whole tour by rooms or you can see it by thumbnails (there are 36) - the arts & crafts displays are toward the end, and they are all amazingly impeccable. *photo credits Kristen Lubbe

Back to the real world. The world I happen to live in. It's a great world most of the time, don't get me wrong. The above armoire is where I keep most of my arts & craft supplies (in my tiny dining room). And I love my armoire, but I get frustrated having to share the inside space with other things such as kitchen linens, large pillows I've yet to make covers for, my bulky canvases, mailing boxes, blah, blah, blah.

See what I mean? Nuff said.

And my desk with all my Prismacolors sits exactly across the room from the armoire, in the living room. Not too bad really, but still spread apart. Not to mention all the rest of my craft boxes, and all my wrapping paper, is in the garage (yes, my black widow-infested garage which I've spoken of so lovingly in past posts). That, I admit, throws a wrench in the works a lot of times. I've been known to have some whine with my cheese over it.

So let's review. This is nirvana.

This is my life.

Nirvana.

Me.

But enough of that! I almost can't stand it, because I have something else to show you. A really neat surprise you're going to LOVE. Something WAY COOL.

Okay get ready for your eyeballs to pop out Roger Rabbit style. This is Japanese masking tape now available in the U.S. It's from a company called Happytape. This photo here features Apricot Bubbles, but look in the freaking background! And that's not even remotely all the colors and patterns they offer either! Not even close!
So stick your eyeballs back into your head. Now if that wasn't enough to blow your mind, look at this too-cool-for-words 2-pack of decorative packing tape from TapeSwell! STOP IT ALREADY! UNCLE! And this is just the tip of the iceberg - you seriously have to go to the site yourself just to see all their way cool stuff. No, seriously. SERIOUSLY.

Well, I hope you've been inspired. Happy Friday!

bye Cambria ~ bye Shell

Last day in Cambria... *sigh*

We DID run into my dear friend Diana, left - spoken of in many blog posts here and there - and her cute sisters Sandy and Carol! That was a really fun surprise! They had just arrived for the weekend. Obviously, great minds think alike :)

Ah yes, cute feet :) And our cool purple toenails :)

It was hard to take my precious Shell to the airport a few days later and say goodbye. But we had an awesome time, and I know there are many more adventures right around the corner. Thank you for coming! Love you sweetie! ❤

Home Arts, Cambria California

Grab your fave beverage and snack, get comfortable, and prepare yourself for some major home decor eye candy. I'm going to let the photos do the talking for themselves this time, but first I'll give you just a little introduction...

When Home Arts opened several years ago I admit I wondered if it was going to be one of those trendy decor stores that might not last too long. Plus I was still heavily into primitive antiques, and had just barely started mixing other more modern styles in with my primitives. Unless I completely fell for something funky and colorful and knew I could incorporate it into what I had, I was wary. But I am delighted to say that Home Arts has won me over time and time again. Some of my all time favorite pieces have come from this store. They bring me happiness each time I look at them, and I never tire of looking at them. So enjoy feasting your eyes on all the goods - make sure you click on the pics if you want to see them larger!

(hee hee - there's my cousin Shell!)

I hope you had fun - and were inspired too!

Antiques on Main, Cambria California

Antiques on Main has been my personal antiques mecca for many years - long before I began selling my antiques there. Actually that's kind of misleading - long before they began selling my antiques there years and years ago. It's a three-story antiques mall of a different sort - meaning it's high on quality without being fussy. You won't find dust or that... smell you often encounter in antiques stores. Their displays are awesome and everything is well maintained.
You may recognize this sign from past posts. When I see this sign I know I am home :) Antiques on Main is owned and run by Sue and Deb Patchen, mother and daughter. They are like family to me and I love and adore them. They have been so good to me over the years. Sue is a tornado of energy, and is responsible for all the amazing displays. Oh, to have just an ounce of her energy! Deb is in charge of business matters and I love talking to her about her dogs - in fact it's her "girls" in the post below we've been clicking on daily to benefit the Cambria dog park!
This is the main room you walk into at Antiques on Main. There is literally something here for everyone, and they work very hard to keep it that way, with antiques dealers of all kinds. You'd think the store was run by elves though... every time I went to snap a photo, all employees mysteriously disappeared :)
A motherlode of Depression glass and crystal and all things sparkly - lots of different antiques dealers that specialize in just what you're looking for.
One room with mainly furniture, but there is lots of furniture scattered throughout.
Lots and lots of vintage lighting - working lighting! This is just a fraction of what they offer.
Just one of the many light, bright, fun displays here at AOM.
They have an amazing section of vintage clothing - this photo is for Emily :)
I thought this antique fire bucket was totally awesome. Stay tuned - I'm going to try to get a blog up and running for Antiques on Main in the future. In the meantime... take care AOM - love you guys!!!