how do YOU measure up...

as a woman?

do not send me your measurements. that isn't what i mean.

i feel that, as a grown woman, i should know or should have learned certain things on my journey in life.

things like...
to be on the safe side wash everything in cold water; unless whatever's on your clothes has you scared for your well-being, then use hot water - if it doesn't survive, you didn't want to keep it anyway; bleach with colors never has a happy ending; your man should pump your gas; right-y tight-y, left-y loose-y (of which i was recently informed some men have NEVER heard, sure);
and that these

come with these

except i didn't know that.

those are eyeliner and lipliner pencils... with sharpeners on the end.

i had no idea.

i feel so inadequate.

oh the weather outside is frightful...

somewhere else. in texas it's still 70s-80s. and yet, the holidays are right around the corner! still looking for gifts, arent' you??

i wanted to take just a moment to help out a couple of my friends that have an entrepreneurial (i've been dying to use that word) flair.

my friend cassie makes some trendy, earthy jewelry, as well as soaps and lip balms... she sells these items via her online store called cloverhollow (listed under "noteworthy websites" on the right side of my page). it's definitely worth checking out if you still haven't found the right gift for someone!

and my friend brian lipp is a photographer. consider some holiday portraits! brian does wonderful work and his prices are more than reasonable. go check out his website, brian lipp photography (also listed under "noteworthy websites" on the right side of my page).

hope you're all getting in the holiday spirit! i'm just dying to decorate but hubby says it's too soon... what's TOO soon?! i wanna be the first in our neighborhood to decorate, dang it! :)

now where did i put those christmas cds...

happy 30th birthday honey!

this post contains the pics that should've been included in my previous post of the same title...


SURPRISE! and was he ever!


opening his gift from me...



showing his slight concern that i am actually giving him a dollhouse...


wait... what's this?


for real?! you got me an XBOX?!


wait... is it REALLY an xbox??


yes it's really an xbox! and i had to try THIS HARD to keep it a surprise!


us at the end of the night... he's a happy kid.

spiffy sondra...

why yes, i'm about to toot my own horn!

in case you were asking yourself what else i did with my weekend... well i finally made that art piece to put above the piano! it's perfect! though i contemplate hanging it a little higher tonight. some pics:



how did i do it? mod podge... LOTS of mod podge. if you have any kind of imagination at all then you know mod podge. ;) my sister-in-law sarah and i went garage sale-ing on saturday and scored that frame with some hideous canvas painting in it. paid $3. we pulled the frame and painting apart; scuffed up the frame with some sand paper; killz-ed the canvas so that ugly painting wouldn't show through my sheets of music (hoping that MY work of art is worth more than what i covered up!); we put down some random sheets of music (all browned with age) as background and slathered mod podge all over it; then i chose some cool-looking titles (same browned pages), then burned the edges of those sheets; we placed those on top of the background (not so randomly) and slathered more mod podge all over them; let it dry over night; then put the frame back over it and it was ready to shine!

what ELSE did we do? well we went SHOPPING of course! we went to gardenridge and i scored some pictures for my guest bathroom:




and this aged-looking clock to go above my truly aged trunk that belonged to my great-great-great (i think) grandfather:


no applause is necessary...

happy 30th birthday honey!

friday, halloween, was hubby's 30th birthday! i threw him a surprise party (pics on myspace)... and i must admit i pulled it off nicely! he had no idea. i invited our families and his friends (within 200 miles of us). he loved it, so i'd say it went perfectly! a friend got an excellent picture of the look on his face... i'll post it here when she sends it.

i also managed to surprise him with his birthday gift too. he thought i got him some car parts he's been wanting (yeah, right), and that i was hiding these enormous items in one of our family members' garages. i actually got him an xbox 360 pro which i hid in OUR closet for almost 3 weeks! then i put it in a giant dollhouse box (wanted him to keep thinking big car parts, right?), wrapped it, and put it in the spare bedroom closet for the last few days. the look on his face when he saw a dollhouse box was just priceless... he was clueless! and of course he loved it... he played it at my brother's house a month ago and has been pitching it to me ever since... though all he kept hearing was a very loud, resounding, NO. hahaHA! yes, i know, i am the awesomest wife ever, and i will take my bow now...