Let Boredom Reign!

Let's see.  It's been how many days since school got out?  Approximately 12.  The weather here is still not super-summer-like.  That means we have been doing quite a bit of indoor play.  I do shove the bees outside but inevitably the wind kicks up and they are "cold" or it starts to rain and they complain that they are "wet."  Wussies!

With boredom beginning to take it's toll on us, let's just say my resistance is low.  I've let my guard down.  I am not the tower of strength and creativity I normal proclaim to be.  This is the conversation and sequence of events that may have snapped me back to reality.

Ladycakes:  "Hey mom, we are kinda of bored."

Me:  "mhmm."

Ladycakes: "You know how your said the boys need their hair cut?"

Me:  "mhmm."

Ladycakes:  "Can I do it?"

Me:  "mhmm."

A few minutes later, coming from Ladycakes's bathroom.   "BZZZZZZZZZZZZ."

As I wander in I find she has opened her own salon and 2 of my 3 children (thank God she isn't into cutting her own hair)  had already become customers.

I didn't know how to react.  This is my own damn fault.  But wait, she didn't do too badly.  

 

Turns out Mr. Handsome was kind of involved.  He started on Q's hair.  The problem with that is Mr. Handsome shakes when he cuts hair.  We have laughed about opening a kid's hair salon, where "Shakes the Clown" could cut their hair.  It would ruin children for life.  Ladycakes took over once she saw Mr. Handsome's handiwork.

Elvis is loving his mohawk.    I am tolerating it.  If anything, every time I look at him it reminds me I need to plan an activity for the day before any more damage is done.

So this morning when this conversation happened,

Q:  "Hey Mom, I'm kinda bored.  Can I take the car for a spin?"

Me:  "mhmmm."

Q:  "Thanks, see ya."

Me: "Wait, what?  Get back her Mister, go scoop some dog poop!  And get me another cup of coffee!"

Ahhh, summer.  I promise we will survive!

Last Day of School! But wait, I'm not ready!

So.... sorry for my absence.  I have been busy with musical performances, totally lame preschool graduations, last minute assignments, a Renaissance Faire, a new job, allergies, felt making, "what the hell are we having for dinner"ing.  And, a random orthodontist appointment.  So nothing really.  Just kidding!

Tomorrow is the last day of school. Happily, we do not have any snow in the forecast.  You laugh.  I cry.  It's been a long "sprinter"  and no, that's not a mis-spelling.  It's been Spring and Winter here.  It's LAME!

I love teachers.  They amaze me.  I was a teacher.  But, I didn't understand the power, the influence.  I knew it but didn't appreciate it from a parent's perspective.  NOW, I understand.  You people are amazing.

I am that parent that makes shit.  I make a present.  I like to make presents for people.  I think about them the entire time I am making their gift.  I also like to receive handmade gifts.  Okay, I'm a weirdo?  NO!

Hopefully, next year, the teachers aren't saying "Do you have that Q kid and his brother Elvis, cuz their mom is a handmade gift giver!  Sorry for you.  No Starbucks gift certificate.  No $10.00 Visa card.  It's all handmade.  Oh good luck with that!."

Here's this year's.  I like them.   I am proud of them.  I hope the teachers agree and appreciate how much time and love I understand that they put into every day.  I get them.

The bottles are an entire different post.  It, unfortunately, dives heavy into my psyche. We'll do that later. 

I have painted them  Added a tag.  Will then add flowers.  I love these people, they deserve paint, flowers and felt. 

Here are some more photos....

Close up of gold heart.

A message to each teacher.   With flowers. Such cute flowers.

Thank you teachers. Thank you moms.  Thank you dads.   Thank you for incredible public education.  Thank you Spring.  We are ready.

Hold on to your seats, it's SUMMER!

If the Three Stooges were into pottery, their names would be Pinch, Roll and Slab.

A few weeks ago, on a Saturday, Ladycakes and I met two other Mother/Daughter Teams at the Kimball Arts Center to take a little hand-built ceramics class.  Ladycakes and I were giddy.  Together we would construct a birdhouse from clay.

The woman who taught the class makes amazing birdhouses that she sells at a local gallery.  We had seen them before and were thrilled to be learning something new.

The girls listened intently, the instructions seemed to go on forever.  All we really wanted to do is get our hands on some clay.  And once that happened........

We got serious!  It was fun to just let the clay do it's thing, which was the instructor's advice.  As she said, "Listen to the clay."  Here is our creation once glazed and pre-fire.

The proud artist, who was less than pleased that we couldn't take it home immediately.  Pottery is a nice lesson in patience.

These are our wonderful friends.  Turtles took up residence on their birdhouse.  It was adorable.

Karen and her daughter made this beauty.  I love the poppies on the sides and the perch they added.

So today, I picked up the finished product.   Ta Da!  

It turned out so cool.  Nothing broke off in the firing.  The glaze looks great, it's tough to tell when you are painting it on.

Taking a class with your child is enlightening.  We both learned something new, we worked together and it was a blast.  I highly recommend it.  Now we are turned on to pottery and Ladycakes wants to trying a throwing class.  I say bring it on!

Is PBR causing my BPV?

I've been a terrible friend.  I apologize.  My posting has been infrequent.  My posting has been unpredictable.  It's "peri-posting."  One doesn't know how to diagnose it.  It's frustrating and sweaty.  Actually, not so sweaty but wait totally sweaty for all the wrong reasons. Read on and you will understand.   I've been uninspired and over-scheduled.  I think perhaps I've used just about every adjective that describes my generation.  Yikes, it's come to that.

So. BPV?  What the hell is that you ask?  Here are some thoughts...
1.  Baby Post Vacation
2.  Bubbly Poetic Voice ***
3.  Bossy Pushy Visitor
4.  Bodacious Popular Vest
5.  Blissfully Punk Vixen  ***
6.  Bottom Planted Violet
7.  Blinding Planet Vector
8.  Beautiful Peaceful Voyage  ***


*** these indicate possible explanations for my situation.  I like to think in a weird way these kind of explain my character.

However!  BPV  stands for Benign Positional Vertigo and hell yes, I've got it.

It sucks.  I am super dizzy and it makes me feel sick.  Awful.  It won't last forever.   Thank goodness.  But for now, I have to actually explain, "I'm not walking like this because I am drunk, I am super dizzy for other reasons and watch out, I might throw up on you!"

I'd rather be drunk, that I enjoy!


Please, because a little laughter goes a LONG way, offer what you would describe as BPV.  I must know!  I miss all of you in a very weird way.  Dizzy as I may be, I still like all of you!

And, btw PBR probably doesn't help my  BPV but Holy Cow, have you met my TYA5?

Peace out and bed spins used to mean I was drunk!

Hope your day doesn't involve breakfast in bed....it's just messy!

This is my Mother's Day loveliness.  Mr. Handsome and I found these shelves at our local Recycle Center.  For $2.00 a piece, I couldn't pass them up.  After a little sanding and painting, I have just what I wanted and needed.  This is my honey pot collection.  It's something I have been working on for a few years.  It's something I will continue to work on.  Some are old (I love these the most) some are new (It's fun to find ceramic artists that make honey pots.)  

My honeypots have been hiding in the pantry.  Now they are out for all to see and for me to dust.  Along with the shelves, the black amethyst pot on the top shelf is new (to me.)  It's beautiful and unusual.

Tomorrow we hope to be outside, hiking and just enjoying each other's company.  It is such a privilege to celebrate this holiday.  And, have it be about me.  I feel so lucky and loved.

Happy Mother's Day to all of you out there.  Enjoy your day, it's all about you!

A GIVEAWAY that all the cool kids are signing up for!

Remember how yesterday I mentioned my "stacking" attempt.  It was fun, I'm doing it again today.

Allison is having a GIVEAWAY!  over at her blog www.stacksofstyle.blogspot.com.

In order to get started on your own stacking, you should head over and comment.  Let her know I sent you!

And if you WIN ,  you have to let me know.   CHECK HERE!

Go. Go. Go now.  I mean it!

Showered, mascara-ed and totally stacked. Oh yea I am.

So today I decided to bust out some style.  I try.  It doesn't happen everyday.  It's my goal to make it happen more often.  I have a style mentor.  Do you?  Her name is Allison Dayton.  She's a jewelry designer and screams "style."  It comes naturally.  It looks effortless.  I have known Allison a LOOOOONG time.  We went to college together and made our mark on Greek Row (we both hail from the Kappa Kappa Gamma house.)  Oh shit, now you know too much.


Allison makes beautiful jewelry.  She gave me a piece as a gift.  Mr. Handsome bought me several pieces for Christmas.  I bought a few more at an open house she had....I would have bought more but I am working on gluttony.  One must know when to restrain themselves.  You can't have it all right away, Jen!  Mellow.

Okay, sorry.  Back to this.  I have always admired Allison's style.  She stacks jewelry like it just jumps onto her wrist or neck without even thinking about it.  I have always loved wearing a lot of bracelets.  When I was in college I had lots of crazy, inexpensive silver bracelets from Mexico.  I wore them ALL, ALL of the time. You could hear me coming from a mile away.  It was my style.

Please go visit her.  You are going to love what she does.  What sucks even more?!  She has a beautiful house, a charming husband, lovely children and get this....she's NICE!  Oh yea, I said it.