amAAAAzing Race

So - two things for tonight.  First - the original, best, six-time Emmy-award winning reality show, starts a new season tonight.  I'm talking of course, about Amazing Race.  The best, even though not every season has been of quite the same caliber as some - the four-person, keep everyone in the U.S. season - NOT a good idea - still, truly a cool show.

Click here to see all of the racers and to follow them.   

Of course, if I need to get a good cry on, I'll also try to watch the first show of the new season of Extreme Makeover-Home Edition.

And next, is today's Tin Can Savings purchase!  

At the top of my post are some of the items that I've purchased from Inkpainter - seriously cool stuff that I'll use for all new collages and shadowboxes - I have lots of ideas, so keep watching for crafty cocktails from my sandBar.

And last - ok, there's three things for tonight - I also love to catch 'Best Week Ever' on VH1 - snarky, funny, delicious.  

Watch up!  There will be a test later this week.

:)

Lulu

Tin Can Cash Purchases

OK - here are the first two purchases with M's tin can savings....

First up:

Mom-O, I will proudly wear this Walnut Moon Bakelite ring in honor of the full moon under which we all seem to be struggling this fall -  I'm sure it will bring me good karma, and it will never, never get thrown out the car window! :)

Click here for Mom-o-matic's Automat! 

Next, are these very lovely earrings from Angie Kelly Designs - her store is here.

These will go nicely with my new periwinkle blue cableknit dress 'n Spanx - because believe me, there will be no more dresses without Spanx!

Stay tuned....I have to go dig up the tin can for more cash...

Etsy Treasury!!

Woo Hooo!!!  I've just been included in an Etsy Treasury - yay!  "Cowgirl Up" is near and dear to my heart, so I'm excited to see it - thanks gracenapolean!!  Here's a link to her Etsy shop - very cool and very green.  http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5992439

Here's the treasury link for 'Cowgirl Envy' treasury, available until Tuesday.

I am inept at trying to get a screenshot of the treasury - if anyone has any ideas, please let me know.

Yee HAAAA!!!

Tin Can Cash Purchases

I Love Pumpkin stuff!  Here's something I'm going to purchase on Etsy from Mom-o-matic.

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=15266701.

This is the first of my four-day Etsy spree - check back here to watch me spend M's tin can money!!!

Tin Can Savings

I need some inspiration!  I think about Etsy and my blog during odd moments at the Huge, and then I get home after 7:00 and think - I'm just too tired to gear up for a project that I'll have to put down in a few hours.

See, I think being basically lazy and tired is what has contributed to my love of crap TV.  It's just easier to look at all the great work everyone else is doing and think...I could see that better if I weren't yawning so loud.  So I'll go watch the big screen, curl up into the fetal position and feel my brain turn to sludge.

That, or growing up as a tail-end baby boomer with the TV as a babysitter.

So anyway, M has decided that all of the banks are going to fail, and we need to bury some cash in the backyard.  

Me:  So - what are you doing today?

M: I'm going to Costco...

Me: Oh, ok - we need bottled water, paper plates, check out the specials on-

M: No...for a safe.

Me: What?  We have four file cabinets!  We can keep the  passports and will in one of them - we have plenty of -

M: No, not for documents.  For keeping cash...

Me: What for?

M: You know...it's all over the web and MSNBC and CNN.  They say-

Me: The faceless nameless expert-on-everything They? 

M: Sarcasm makes your elevens* deeper.  Anyway - everyone knows that a bunch of banks are going to fail and how are we going to pay our bills?  We need to keep some cash on hand.  I'm going to take some money out of the savings and keep it in a save in the closet.

(Crickets)

Me:(shoulders shaking, trying to keep sensitive, feeling, Dr. Phil-face on)

M: Well, you'll be happy when you can't get into Paypal and I'll have to cover your Etsy debts! 

True that!

Needless to say, we now have our 2008 version of the backyard tin can in our house.

Etsy on!

Lulu

*elevens - for you youngsters out there, elevens are the wrinkles between your eyes from squinting in the sun for all your live

DWTS

I missed most of Dancing With The Stars (I did mention that I love crap TV, right???) so I need to ask of all y'all - who's the dancer to beat?  Misty May?  Lance, what's-his-name boy band singer guy?  Warren Sapp?  Whooooo??????

This is an unofficial poll....don't make me go to the blogger pollster thing, pleeeeeze.  

Leave a comment.  Just a little one.  I'm pleading.

Ok, it's prolly not that dramatic, but I'm the youngest in the family, we do drama.

Have a great week!  I'll check in after Biggest Loser tomorrow night!

Lulu

BOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooo

In honor of Boo Weekley and the Ryder Cup team -- I  had to get this posted up quickly!  For those who don't know...it's team golf, the U.S. and Europe battling it out every two years, and Boo Weekley just put another point on the board for the U.S.

Woo HOOOOOO New Etsy Stuff

Wow...what a looooong day - and I'm not done posting new listings yet.  But I did manage to get three new listings up in between watching the Ryder Cup - go U.S.! - and Notre Dame / MI State in college football...booooooo.  So here's a preview of my new Halloween crafties - check me out on Etsy!

Friday Night Fantastic

Today's fab new blogs - read away!  I've also added to my Run Scamper list on the sidebar.

http://wendiwinn.blogspot.com

http://papercafegirl.blogspot.com

Off to create.

Really!

Bevvies and Addies

I'm back from the land down under....under Georgia.  Yes, I'm back from Disney and my business trip to a workshop/caucus/conference on Motivation.   I have some thoughts on motivation....motivate THIS as we say.

And of course, it's AGT results night.  Ohhhh....the little four-year-old just got voted off.

No offense - she's so so cute and bright.  But again, seriously - a Vegas act?  Nope. 

(As I type this, M is yelling up to me from downstairs, giving me his theories and spreadsheet analysis on which of the top five AGT acts is going to win and he's splitting the country into a red state/blue state format to pick the winner.)  Love that man.

So while I was at the workshop in Orlando, I was using technology as an illusion of work.  Yes, I was crackberrying during breaks, to try to keep up with all that is going on at Huge McNormous these days, and I received a message from another employee that went like this:

"Hey, didn't receive my invite to meeting X.  Please use my work addy instead of my home addy.  I have two addies, please use the right one."

Addy?  Addies?  

You just know that this guy wears loafers with no socks, pleated khakis and a double-breasted jacket with a crest pocket over a pink polo shirt with the collar popped.  And you have to count your fingers when you shake his hand.  And he points at you with both hands forming trigger fingers and makes a clicking noise with his tongue....And...well.  You get the picture.  

So there I am with some members of my management team at the conference and we spent some time in Epcot, which was hot and humid.   We stopped at various venues, trying to slake our thirst, and I showed them the email from Mr. Salesy guy with the addies.

Of course, then we all got addytudes and had to toast his email with adult bevvies.

That's motivation.

:) Lulu

Off to create - see you on Etsy!

A Magical Week and Optional Toe Touches

I'm off to the land of Mickey for a magical week - riiiiiiiiight.  I'm spending the bulk of the week at Disney for a work conference, which makes some people say luckEEEEE, but makes me want to hide at home.    I know that I need to go to these events to enhance my skills and network, and to craft new messages and upsize my potential while delivering on the essence of our corporate vision during the opening of our kimonos and thinking outside the box (that should give a big corporate BINGO shoutout to anyone else who has to use corporate-speak for a living...).

I just want to stay home and craaaaaaaaft.

On another note - I JUST MOVED FROM THE 'UNDISCOVERED' TO THE 'JUST SOLD' CATEGORY ON ETSY!!!!!!

Yes, I'm yelling.  But not at anyone, just to everyone!  I'm absurdly pleased.  One sale.  Let's see....my profit is now..mmmm....approximately - minus $1000!

Optional Toe Touch!!!  Oh yeah - my daughters were competitive cheerleaders in high school, and somehow, doing an optional toe touch (kick your foot straight up into the air with a straight leg and touch your toe) has become a celebratory gesture around our house.

(Please note: obviously, the OTT can only be performed metaphorically or privately while wearing a business suite at Huge McNormous.)

But I digress.

First Sale!!!!

I know that the supersellers are probably thinking..."Pace yourself, rookie."  All I know, is that my husband told me he was ready to spring into action as my shipping and receiving department - (for Etsy, keep it clean) - for all of my future sales.  

And that's gotta count for something.

Have a magical week, everyone.  Be safe.

Lulu

Pretty Woman

I know that it's the most improbable love story ever.  But I still watch "Pretty Woman" every time I come across it on TBS or TNT.

M is still in MI and won't be home until tomorrow.  I usually love having a lot of time to myself and while I'm going to pull an all-nighter - or long-nighter - tonight, to get more items finished so that I can snap the pix tomorrow and post to etsy....I do still miss him!

I am sending information to be posted on Etsy Studios - link to follow!

Have a good weekend,

Lulu

Follow MEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!

Click on the new gadget in my sidebar called The Cool Table (as in, in the high school cafeteria, duh) - it's very snappy and fun.  Please follow me...

Also, try 'Yearbook Me' in the sidebar under 'Click here - You'll Like It' - too funny!  I will be posting some fabulous shots of me that...ahem...do kind of look like me in past years....yikes.

Velveeta Night

Yippeeee!!

A third night of America's Got Talent, M is out of town, I'm just back in town and home after a partial week at McNormous HQ, and I'm back blogging.  Plus Amber put my Halloween Tin Pail on her blog - a big shout out to my color of dawn creations friend - (see her blog link in my faves).

How can you not love AGT?  I discuss it in depth with one of my employees at lunch every day --  OMG!  HOW could they put the little four-year-old girl through??  She's cute and she knows her songs - but really?  The prize is a headline show in Vegas for goodness sakes.....

Ok.....Nuttin but Strings...c'mon, c'mon..................................................YES!!!!!!!!!!!!

Shwew, as my niece would say.  

Anyway, this employee/colleague/friend - we talk about AGT, OCC (Orange County Chopper) Jon and Kate Plus Eight (another employee KNOWS them...luckEE), Amazing Race, Miami Ink, The Office...you name it, if it's on TV, we discuss it.  And we're not stoopid couch potatoes, it's just that - when you have to deal with corporate life, large-money decisions, employee and business decisions...it's nice to turn it off and not have to think while you're numbing your mind.

Plus it's safer to talk about tv than to discuss politics.

This is at least a decent end to a really bad week - I had to lay off two employees on Tuesday.   So I'm going to bury myself in etsy life this weekend to feel creative instead of destructive.

I know I'll never be able to quit work for my store - shoot, I might never make a sale! - but it does calgon me.

Be safe on this anniversary date, my remote friends...

Monday Night Moaning

..and NOT in a good way! I had to wear heels today for 15 hours and while I lurve my heels - 3 inches or better - it's not so good to be sitting here in the hotel room all comfortably ensconsed in the sweet sleeper bed with six pillows behind my back and my left foot cramps up so bad that my second toe is curled under - involuntarily. Ewwwwwwwwwwww....

Ok, the pedicure is 4 weeks old too. So that might add to the icky factor. But still, the foot cramp and all....double ick.

TONIGHT'S FEATURED BLOGs -

http://angiekellydesigns.blogspot.com/
http://moonmystic-buriedinbeads.blogspot.com/

All of your words continue to inspire me, especially when I know that tomorrow will be a really seriously crappy day.l

thanks,
Lulu

New Blogs and Crap TV

Ok - when you get totally bored by my blog, run run RUN  QUICK SCAMPER to three new blogs that I've just added to my list.  Not that everyone on my list isn't funny and clever and oh-so-delicious to read, it's just that I have a girl-crush on these three blogs.

http://colorofdawncreations.blogspot.com/

http://mom-o-matic.blogspot.com/

http://borneochica.blogspot.com/

Hmmm.  Maybe, to be more professional, I should just say that I'm featuring them tonight.  Yeah, that's it.  Featuring.  Now I sound like I know what I'm talking about, yeah...

And not for nothing - while I post this I'm drinking Rex Goliath, the 47 pound Rooster wine, and watching a new gameshow on Fox called..."The Hole in the Wall."  And the announcer is very seriously intoning...."Gentlemen, it's time to FACE.....the Hoooole...."

I love crap TV.

Sunday evenings...

Here's the view outside of the studio.  I love sunsets - so cliche, but still.  As you can tell from my work, that whole yellow/orange/reddish coloring is the most consistent color inspiration for me.

I love the fall, obviously, with all of those colors and I particularly miss the Michigan fall season, even though we usually get a similar color combo in late fall here in NC.

Studio - don't you love giving something an upgrade, just through a name?  My studio is actually our media/bonus room on the second floor, and we use it for the office and all of my artwork / craftiness.  So cute that M now refers to it as the studio - he's a believer!

And football season is finally back WOOOOO HOOOOOO!!!  Mostly a fan of the college football, but still, the Sunday chorus is back.

I worked on my etsy photos all day, re-editing and reposting.  I finally got to the creative schtuff just before dinner and now I need to add some new listings.

Off to HQ for Huge McNormous this week and I'm not looking forward to getting on that plane tomorrow.  I'm not afraid of flying, it's just so frustrating to travel now and the whole thing can be exhausting.  

Maybe I'm just really not looking forward to the week.  Or it just feels too much like I'm in junior high, and I haven't done my homework for Monday and I have a zit and Zippy (or Biff or Big Football Guy...whoever) doesn't like me....ok, now I'm just drifting.....

But if the work gods are reading my blog (doubtful - still working on driving the traffice :)) - I love my job, really it's great and I would hate to be without it - and the paycheck and the benefits, no really!!

Have a great Monday, all....

Lulu

Laborious Day

Is there any workday more exhausting than the day after a three-day weekend? Especially when your emotions are whipsawed around from pillar to post, politicians to hurricanes.

I just need to take in some cheesy good fun, have a glass of wine and watch America's Got Talent - yeah, I know that as you read that you think, "Ewwwww..." - but c'mon! That's the big block of Velveeta fun! M and I argue every week over who has the most emotional backstory, guaranteed to wring sympathy from the voting public.

So - here's a new post from the Etsy store, and I finally have my Flickr account up and running too. Art is also tiring.

Corporate world at Huge McNormous is tiring.

Sheesh.

I need a nap.