The Story of What's on My Desk ~ Undomestic Chica

Hey! I'm Lindsay over at Undomestic Chica. I decide to participate in Bloggerstock this month but little did I know how embarrassed I would be by the posting topic. See, Bloggerstock chose "The Story of What's on Your Desk" and my desk is a mess! I work in the Promotion Department of a radio station so things are constantly coming onto and off of my desk. Currently, I have about a million pens, one camera, a stack of event sheets that tell my employees the detiails of the events they're working, an (unpopped) bag of popocorn, water bottle, tickets to a recently cancelled concert, and a bunch of promotional items on my desk. All this is in addition to the normal stuff you'd find one someone's desk like a cell phone, keyboard, phone, stapler, etc. 

I'd like to tell you the story of one particular item though. For those of you who have actually read my blog, you might have heard this before....Back in February of '09, Boyfriend and I were spending our first Valentine's Day together. I HATE Valentine's Day. Ever since Jr High I thought it was too much stress, too much pressure to show someone how you feel about them when you should take every day to do so. I've always preferred to spend quality time with my boyfriend's rather than get/give gifts, so for our first Valentine's Day together, Boyfriend and I chose to go to the aquarium.

Our aquarium is really cool because they have this big doughnut-shaped-thing where part of the doughnut is under ground and the part you can see is constantly sucking jellyfish through it. Ever since seeing the movie 7 Pounds a few weeks before, I had been obsessed with jellyfish. I stood in the doughnut for a long time watching the graceful jellyfish travel through the doughnut right at eye level.  

Fast forward to December of '09, Boyfriend and I had our one year anniversary and then two weeks later we broke up. I had given him this jellyfish paperweight for our anniversary and he loved it. And I loved it too. I don't believe in taking gifts back after a break-up so I didn't, but I wanted one so bad. Imagine my surprise when Boyfriend and I got back together and he gave my not one, but two jellyfish paperweights from the aquarium! He gave a me a pink one to match my bedroom and then surprised me about a week later at work with one for my desk. 

When we got back together, he told my that day at the aquarium is one of the best memories  he has of the two of us, and he always looked at his paperweight on his dresser with sadness - he knew he needed to get me back. So that's my favorite item on my desk, the jellyfish paperweight from Boyfriend. Not only does it remind me of what has become one of my favorite animals, but also of the fun times Boyfriend and I always have together. So there may be a ton of items on my desk everyday, but my jellyfish is definitely my favorite :)

GUEST BLOGGER TODAY:  It's a sort-of round robin guest blogging day thanks to Bloggerstock and everyone is writing "The Story of What's on Your Desk."  Please enjoy the following post from Lindsay at Undomestic Chica ~ and be sure to check out her blog!  If you want to read my post, you'll find it today on the blog, Just Jennifer. ENJOY!  And, thank you, Lindsay!

stanley loves lollipops

We discovered Stanley cat has a taste for Trader Joes lollipops!

Stan came from an animal rescue called A Place to Bark which is run solely by Bernie Berlin (she's also one of my closest friends). Bernie's rescue is in Tennessee so she had him transported to Atlanta where he waited a day or two for us to arrive at my friend Andra's house!

He was such a little baby (he had to be bottle fed for a few weeks before we could adopt him) and has brought so much joy to our lives! He would not be alive if it weren't for Bernie. She truly amazes me -- every day she is saving wonderful pets like Stanley from certain death at animal control. She saves so many lives and all these wonderful creatures have found new homes because of her. She is so amazing!

A Place to Bark is running out of money and desperately needs our help! Here's a FREE way to help! Please click this link and vote for A Place to Bark in the Chase Giving sweepstakes. All it takes is a moment of your time and can help to provide the much needed money to keep the rescue open. If A Place to Bark can win Bernie can continue to save many more lives like our little Stanley. Please pass it on to your friends and family and get them to vote too, tweet, facebook and spread the word! We can do this!!!

Hello heat wave!

As the temperature goes up, so does my craving for loose fits and comfort. I'm in this new jumpsuit non stop and the worries I have when riding my bicycle in a short skirt are gone, how relaxing! I wore it to a huge festival last weekend and the Dixie toilet stops took me forever, hahah!

Monki jumpsuit - Zara peep toe clogs - COS necklace with old medallion

BONUS POST: This is a picture of me and my sister, Cat.  She is one of my two most favorite sisters in the world and today is her birthday!

Happy Birthday, Cat! Ich liebe dich!!!

6 Down, 6 (7...8...9) to Go

I can hardly believe the year is half over.  I can hardly believe I've been saying "We're moving to Vienna!" for 6 months now!  I can hardly believe we'll actually be there in 6 months.

Well, that last statement may not actually be true.  It may be, but then again, it may not.  Huh?

I am a goal gal.  My husband needs deadlines.  And, so, when we began this venture, we set ourselves a goal, "to be in Vienna" with a deadline, "in December 2010."  About a week ago, it hit me ~ we're half way through the planning phase, but I don't feel half-way planned.

I started to have a little internal panic session, mostly centered on the issue of money.  I haven't saved anything for the move.  We haven't implemented any of our cost-saving ideas (moving, re-budgeting, downsizing and selling belongings, etc.), and at this point, by the time we actually do these things, we'll only have 3or 4 months to stash anything away for the future before we're supposed to actually be in our future.  Not so much...not enough...for my liking.

I started doing that internal spinning thing, feeling like I needed to say something to my husband, but afraid that I'd be a wet blanket, feeling guilty about being lazy about things and not pushing our agenda, beginning to wonder if that meant I really don't want to go.  Oh, this little head of my mine can go all sorts of places when left to its own devices for too long!

Before I could even broach the subject, though, he did so for me.  Coming from a different angle, my husband started talking about being flexible in our timing.

See, he's starting a new business, a business that he'll be able to run from wherever once its gotten to a certain point  but that he needs to be here for while things are in the beginning phases.  He's been working on this project night and day for weeks (months?) now and this is why I haven't pushed the things on our To Do List that require two of us much.  The work project is a priority at the moment, a big part of our future.

He's beginning to get bits of success, things are beginning to happen.  And to make it really happen, we need to be flexible.  Or, this is what he asked ~ can we be a little flexible with our departure date?  If it takes 9 months instead of 6 to be at the right phase in the business to move, would I be okay with that?  What about if it is a year from now, rather than a year from when we first started talking the Vienna talk?

Ah, the world works in funny ways sometimes.  Would I be okay with that?  I wanted to give him a big, fat hug.  I probably would have, but I think we were in the car and one of us was actually driving at the moment, so it would have been difficult.  Yes, I'm okay with that!

This does not, by any means, I assure you, mean that I don't WANT to be there in 6 months.  Heck, I'd like to be there now.  But the openness is helping me breathe a little easier about the whole thing and when I breathe easier, I get more done.  So, I actually feel like the open-ended, non-time-specific goal is going to work by my/our advantage.

Mind you, I rule nothing out.  I'm continuing to keep my eyes and ears open for a job in Vienna for which I can actually apply and trying to be creative in my job searching (nothing so far, but I will stay diligent).  If there arises an opportunity for me to get over there on a work visa, you can be sure I'll take advantage of that and we'll make something work.

Open-ended does not equal delay.  Open-ended is simply flexibility.  And flexibility can be a good thing.  I know it's the right thing, because I haven't needed to sit and convince myself that it is good, that it is right, that it doesn't mean something I don't want it to mean (that we'll never get to Vienna).  It simply is.

Australia says hi to Victoria's Secret

Just a quick one, big news that I'm super excited about! Australia might not have Zara, or H&M... but we finally have our very own Victoria's Secret! Just read in the newspaper today- first Australian store is in Sydney international airport Terminal 1 and is functional as of last week! Shame it's after customs though, because I'd be seeing someone off at the airport at the end of July and it would be good timing. 

However, I did read elsewhere that it will be a travel and tourism shop, so more beauty and accessory product orientated. Baby steps though! We're working our way towards a full blown lingerie store here in Sydney city! I can imagine the masses, the crowds and the lines on opening day (when they get around to opening a store) already! Might even give the Apple crowds a run for its money? 

Saturday

DEFINITION OF A SATURDAY: Slept in.  Husband off getting bi-weekly haircut so I have the house to myself.  Reruns of Gilmore Girls.  Coffee and breakfast. Laundry. Cleaning.  Puttering.  A lovely day.

Cupcake wonderland

I can never resist writing with candy letters

Elisah and me

The table of yesterday's high tea was stuffed with so much bright colored sweetness, I could feel the sugar rush just by looking at it. Death by cupcakes! All the sweetness and champagne (thanks to Monki) was the perfect beginning of what will be a great summer weekend.

illustration friday: satellite

Here's my submission for this weeks illustration friday theme of "satellite".

This was a custom artwork that I created of a little boy who loves outer space and he's on an adventure with his cats! More custom artwork here!

Have a great weekend everyone!

DVD sale!

My DVD's with Creative Catalyst are on sale today!






Here's a preview of my Beeswax DVD usually available for $32.95 now on sale for $23.97! Click here to order!

And if you love beeswax, why not come and join me in S. Portland Maine for a weekend Beeswax collage retreat September 17th-19th! Class details and sign up info here!

Go Figure

I may not be a sports fan, but I am big on health and fitness.  And while I never attend football or baseball (or soccer) games for fun, I did recently find myself at another kind of fitness event I had never imaged ~ a bodybuilding show.

I was there for my husband.  No, not because he was on stage, oiled up and flexing his muscles, but because he had coached someone to compete in one of the women's categories.  Did you know there were different categories at bodybuilding shows?  For women, no less? I didn't.  Oh, my husband had tried many times to tell me all about the competitions and the various levels and the fact that not all the women are the huge she-male, musclebound, unfeminine type, but I wouldn't believe it until I saw for myself.

Lo and behold, there they were - lots of women who looked like women, all (or most, at least) in fabulous shape.  Depending on the level at which they were competing, they were in different states of leanness and muscle size and definition, but, with the exception of a couple freaky-weird people I'm still not convinced were actually women, they didn't look alien to me.  They didn't look like women trying to be men.  In fact, they looked quite good.  In further fact, I was a little jealous.  (Lethal combination of competitiveness and vanity kicking in.  Damn.)

My husband has been trying to convince me to enter a competition for some time and train to get myself into prime physical shape.  I've resisted so far.  It's not that I don't want to put myself through the training required; I actually love the idea of pushing myself, mentally and physically, to get into such shape.  I've resisted for two reasons:


1) I had the image of a true female bodybuilder in mind and I have no desire to get into that kind of physical shape.  I like being a girl and looking like one.  I like my muscles just about the size they are, thank you very much.


2) I just cannot imagine myself parading across a stage in a bikini and high heels, oiled up and tan, with a full face of makeup and hair blown out in a big do.  SO NOT ME!


So, what did I find when I actually attended a show?  Oh, yes, I did feel a little odd-man-out even in the crowd.  Many of the female attendees were nearly as made up as the contestants and were wearing tight jeans, heels, revealing tops, and there I was in my cute vintage blouse, black pants and converse sneakers.

In truth, though, it wasn't as bad as I thought.  As far as the contestants went, there were women who looked like men but there were also women who looked like gorgeous, fit women.  There were women who were so spray tanned that they looked orange or green-brown, but most could actually walk down the street without turning heads.  There were quite a few women who were so made up and had such big hair that they looked like  muscled beauty pageant contestants, but there were a few who looked more like the gal who lives next door with a little extra blush and lip gloss.

So I'm thinking......maybe this would be fun, maybe this is something I should do before we move......maybe, maybe, maybe.  I'd choose the Figure Competition level, which means being super lean and being judged solely on muscle symmetry and tone (not size - meaning, no huge bulging bodybuilding muscles).

I actually started the diet and training a couple weeks ago to get myself into shape, just in case, and now I'm just about ready to register for a competition in San Francisco in October.  Gulp.  Will I actually do it?  Stay Tuned.

a little inspiration

I can't get enough stop motion animation or creative animation. Today I found out about cartoonbrew.com from Ward Jenkins (@wardomatic on twitter). They have a whole section on stop motion and I had to drag myself away from the computer to get some work done. My mind is swirling with ideas of animations I want to create! Now where can I learn how to make what is in my head a reality. hmmm.

here are a few of my favorites:



United Airlines commercial, beautiful and poetic. If more commercials were like this I wouldn't fast forward them!

Undone from Hayley Morris on Vimeo.

Haley Morris graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design. Undone, her senior film project, is a tribute to her grandfather who suffered from Alzheimer’s Disease. Very touching piece.

the Blank Page from George Metaxas on Vimeo.

This one was made only with cardboard materials.

FLUFFY MC CLOUD from conorfinnegan on Vimeo.

This is so cute. and the mix of live motion with animation is so creative.

Something Left, Something Taken from Tiny Inventions on Vimeo.

I really love the fabric look of the figures in this one!




The United Arab Emirates Ecological Footprint is an initiative aimed at inspiring people in UAE countries to reduce their individual footprint. This clever stop-motion promotional makes the point by using recycled paper figures and settings. LOVE the use of paper in this one!



Opening theme to United States of Tara - a series on Showtime. Love all the drawn elements, especially the retro gal in the kitchen.

QUESTION: If I move to Europe, does that mean something will turn on inside me and I'll suddenly become a soccer/football fan?

Jump around

Jumpsuits never go out of style - just like leather jackets, breton stripes and wedges, to name a few - and are one of my favorite items year round. (Too bad I can hardly ever find one!) A ditsy printed romper can perfectly be cinched in at the waist and paired with wedges and a cardi for daytime. And when the sun has set, all you need to pile on is a clutch, heels, a big necklace and a boyfriend blazer.

I've listed some jumpsuits that I came across online. The best budget proof buys are available at Asos, Topshop and Forever 21. It's time to jump around!

1. Topshop - € 40,57
2. Forever 21 - € 12,05
3. Anna Sui - € 152,63
4. Loeffner Randall - € 261,01
5. Forever 21 - € 15,90

6. Elisabeth and James - € 488,42

7. Topshop - € 101,42

8. Lanvin - € 1274,25

9. Armand Basi via My Wardobe - € 146,40

10. Wetseal - € 20,52

11. Bluenotes - € 12,05

12. Topshop - € 77,55

On books and reading

I've been reading lately.  A lot.  I'm lucky.  I am a librarian and I work every day in a building devoted to collecting the printed word.  One can't assume, though, that proximity and availability necessarily provides any more time in which to get lost in a good book.  Contrary to a strangely common notion, my job does not give me any more time in which to read than the average person who works full-time and has other stuff going on in life.  


What my job does give me, though, is a daily opportunity for discovery.  I see hundreds of books every day, some are familiar, but many are new to me - older titles that I've never encountered and others fresh from the presses.  And because it's a library and not a bookstore, I'm able to sweep these books up and bring them home for a few weeks, maybe to be read, maybe to sit in a stack at the side of my bed, but all without a sense of commitment or a feeling of guilt if they're returned unopened.  Usually, the number of unopened books far exceeds that of those I actually read.


Except recently.  As I said above, I've been reading a lot lately.  I've been wanting to read - all the time.  On the train, on my lunch break, sitting in the car while my husband is in the store, in the evenings and on weekends, when I should be attending to other errands and activities.  And it hasn't been that a particular book has captured me - they all have.  


It just struck me this morning that perhaps I'm trying to get it all in.  Perhaps I'm attempting to discover and devour as many books as I can - as many new authors, new subjects, new stories - before we move to Vienna.  Perhaps I'm afraid I'll have little access to books that I can actually read once we're there and that I'll have to make due with my own collection of already read books.  I know this is a little silly, that the Vienna Public Library does have an English language collection, and I fully intend to take advantage of this.  I do wonder what it is like, though.  Is it extensive?  Current?  I can search the online catalog from here (in English no less) but if there is anyone reading who is familiar with the Library, I'd love to hear what I have to look forward to.   


I know I'll be able to order books online if I'm looking for something specific, but I'm thinking mostly about the opportunity to browse, to discover.  A bit of quick research has turned up a few bookstores in Vienna that either specialize in or at least carry books in English:


British Bookstore
International Bookstore
Shakespeare & Company
Thalia


I also have to say that I consider myself very lucky that my native language is English and not, say, Swahili or Thai, which, I can only imagine, would make finding books in other countries much more difficult.      

Are you an expat with a native language different than that of your current home?  What has your experience in this area been?

____________________________________________________________________________________

And because I'm always curious about what other people are reading, I'm going to share some of the recent titles I've enjoyed and am enjoying.  Please feel free to comment and share your own recent discoveries.  

Recently Read:

Zeitoun by Dave Eggers

The Sweet Life in Paris: Delicious Adventures in the World's Most Glorious - and Perplexing - City by David Lebovitz

Embers by Sandor Marai

Family Album by Penelope Lively

Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese

Currently in my Reading & To Be Read stacks: 

The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin

The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman

36 Arguments for the Existence of God: a work of fiction by Rebecca Newberger Goldstein

Boys and Girls Like You and Me: Stories by Aryn Kyle

Alice I Have Been by Melanie Benjamin

Stash it under the mattress

What are your tricks for saving money?

I am, admittedly and unfortunately, not a natural born saver.  I never have been good at paying myself first, building that nest egg, or setting aside for a rainy day. I'd have to say that I fall somewhere in the middle of the broad spectrum between spendthrift and miser - I don't spend foolishly or wastefully (anymore), nor do I stash away cash and watch bank balances go up and up and up with anything resembling rapidity.

Moving to Vienna obviously requires a certain financial investment.  Moving anywhere does, but there is more pressure when moving to a different country.  I don't have the assurance that I'll be able to walk into a coffee shop in Vienna and get a job as a barista to pay the bills if whatever official job I do get first doesn't pan out - those minor issues of work visas and not being fluent in the language, you know.  So, beyond the expenses of actually moving and getting ourselves (and all our stuff) there, I'd like to have as much money in the bank as possible before we go.

How's that for a goal - "as much money as possible."  Hmmm - I think it's time for some serious pecuniary planning.

One of the Big Six on my To Do List is - "Save Money."  That is the heading at the top of the page.  What I need to figure out now is what comes underneath that heading.  HOW am I going to Save Money?  What can I do to squeeze every penny out of my current income and stash it away, safely out of reach until the time comes to move?  Are there ways to maximize or leverage my money, to make what I do have and what I am able to save "work harder" for me? (Isn't that the lovely phrase that personal finance gurus use all the time?)

Some ideas and thoughts - in no particular order of importance or implementation - but things I've heard of, read about, tried myself, am hoping will work.

• Track current spending - to determine where I can cut back and how much I can afford to stash aside
• Make cuts in spending (based on above)
• Set a realistic budget (based on above) and stick to it
• Downsize (apartment, clothing allowance, etc.)
• Repair and reuse instead of replacing
• Write down every penny I spend, every day - keeping track supposedly helps you stay aware ALL THE TIME
• Eat out less, stay home more
• Establish a goal - set a specific dollar amount for how much I want need to save
• Set up an automatic transfer to savings account each month
• Make it a game
• Open a virtual Piggy Bank
• Use a real piggy bank (or some other appropriate receptacle we already own - see, saving $ already!) and fill it with every penny, nickel, dime, quarter I find
• Play the $5 Bill Game

What works for you?  Do you have any special tricks for saving money?  Tips for living on a budget?

Amsterdam welcomes: Monki

Monki pants - H&M floral blouse - Zara heels

This August, it's Monki business in Amsterdam. I've long been an admirer of this affordable scandinavian brand so I was thrilled to hear it's opening a store in my lovely city. Since the on screen experience is not quite the real deal, I recently visited the Spice PR showroom to feel and try on some of the clothes. I took home this lavender / grey pair of pants and love the versatility of it.

And if you're as fond of Monki as I am, this might be interesting: Monki is still searching for a store manager. Could that be you? Send your application to sabrina.kellermann@monkiworld.com

ps. Excuse the familiar background :) I'm interning at a magazine and don't get home until around six thirty. Then it's grocery shopping, cooking, eating and that leaves little time for scouting a great photo location :P

hello New Jersey!

Tomorrow I'll be heading up to the Ranger offices for a weekend of art with Tim Holtz, Suze Weinberg and yours truly at Ranger University! I'll be driving, (Ranger offices are only 4.5 hours drive from DC!) and I Can not express how happy I am about not having to deal with all the hassles of airport travel. Hop in the car and go!!

I'll be checking in via phone on Twitter and Facebook and I'll try to give you a few little sneak peeks!

Have a great weekend!

To Do's

I've been talking a lot lately about a To Do list.  The fact that I need one, that I've thought about one, and, finally, that I started one.  It's no joke, not something I made up to make myself look good.  I did actually start one.

And here it is....

Doesn't look so bad, does it.  Just a matter of six Things To Do to get us to Vienna.

1) Move to a smaller apartment while still here
2) Save $, $ issues
3) Jobs, Jobs, Jobs
4) Paperwork, Visas, etc.  What's needed? How?
5) German - learn it
6) Moving logistics

Six things.  Six small things.  Ha!  Do you see the "Which Means" and the big fat arrow?

You see, this is, essentially, just a cover page.  Following this momma to do list are lots of little baby to do's, and that's where the real work fun comes in.

        

And so on, and so forth. And so on..and so on...and so on.  I fully expect to fill my new notebook in a relatively short amount of time!

But first.  Next Step is to sit down with my husband and create a general timeline.  Choose a date to move (!!!) and work back from there to set goals and deadlines, establish priorities and the proper order in which we must address all the various and sundry activities.  And decide who is going to do what.

Oh yeah, I like to plan.  Seriously.  It may not have come across thus far here in my blog.  I've had more a looming, overwhelming, oh-my-gosh-it's-all-so-big-I-don't-know-what-to-do-and-I-don't-want-to-start approach to the whole thing.  I've also been waiting for my husband to lead me to the planning table.  I forgot (conveniently) - I'm the planner, he's more a do-er.  He's great once the ball gets rolling, but my strong suit is to get said ball rolling.  Time to accept and work to our strengths.

Roll on.

Hardware

New H&M ring amidst my favourite silverware. Do you prefer silver or gold?

I miss German

I must admit that I haven't done a Rosetta Stone lesson or looked at any German since well before our trip to Vienna.  UNTIL TODAY!  Phew.  I've been putting it off and the longer I do so, the harder it is to start again.  What's the German word for procrastinate? Zogern (it is actually supposed to be an o with an umlaut, but I don't have a German keyboard, so I can't type it correctly, which totally bums me out).  But today I jumped back in.  Didn't do too badly, either.

I miss hearing German spoken just walking down the street.  Not that I had any idea what people were saying for the most part, what with the speed of the talk and the vocabulary that far exceeded my font of knowledge.  Rosetta Stone is good for me.  I know.  But it has nothing on being in the thick of it.

And perhaps it sounds strange, but lately I have very much been missing what it felt like to be in a completely different place, among different people, a different culture, hearing a different language, having no idea what is going to happen, what is coming around the corner, and how I may fare in any upcoming interaction.  The feeling I had when visiting Vienna.  It was overwhelming, but exhilarating.

Feeling homesick for a place that isn't (yet) home?  I delved into my photos from our trip today because I was missing it.  It made me feel good to look at them....

Seeing these stirred feelings inside and put a smile on my face, kicked my butt into gear to start a big fat To Do List and got me to finally put the funny headset back on to learn more Deutsch.

Thing is, I'm excited to live in Vienna and I'm longing to be there.  I'm not quite as excited about doing the work that is required to get us there.  Or, at least I haven't been in the past few weeks.  Feelings of motivation are beginning to stir again, though.  Watch out!

Fringe

Dancing around in my new fringe top from online store StyleSofia wich is a great match with this h&m skirt. I love clothes that move when you twirl! Going out in the evening and I'm looking forward to it. Will you be on the dancefloor tonight as well?

ps. can you tell my hair is shorter? I really noticed that in my previous outfit post. But it was much needed and feels great now!

stylsofia top - h&m bodycon skirt

Out with the old, in with the new

It's been forever since I last posted and to be honest, I had lost motivation so that I was pretty much on permanent hiatus. This is a small project, and I love it but sometimes, I found myself making posts that were less about me and my interests and more about well... everything else. So for now, it's back to basics, and on that note, I'm announcing my move to

http://likeabohemian.blogspot.com

It only seems suiting as I try to figure out my true interests because I've changed so much over this year and a half I've been gone. More likely than not, I'll come back to this place one day- hopefully sooner rather than later! In the meantime, please come take part in my adventures, my take on style and fashion... and check out my forays into photography on L.A.B! Think of it as moving away from the house for a while to check out the brand new and recently acquired downtown loft space! Welcome!

online class starts July 1st

My online class starts July 1st! I created this video to share with you a TEENY TINY sampling of just a FEW of the projects we'll be creating in my online class that starts July 1st. There are so many more exciting things we'll be doing in this class, but this will give you a small preview!





Tempted?

Well you are in for a treat with this class!! If you sign up we'll be spending 12 weeks together, making art, learning techniques, creating projects -- you'll come away refreshed and loaded with new inspiration and ideas! Think of it as an arty summer camp for your creative soul!

Class is $79! That's only $6.50 per week of class. And it's yours forever to refer back to, teach from, learn from and make it yours!!

But hurry! Class starts in just 3 weeks! Click here for all the details on the workshop!

Hot with cold

A sore throat.  Again!?!?  Yuck.  Didn't I just have this cold a few weeks ago? It hit my husband this past week.  I was sick not too long after our trip and I must have passed it on and gotten him ill.  I was feeling bad for him but also a little cocky ~ well, at least I've already had it, I don't have to worry.  I can go to work, workout, follow my diet, feel healthy, get things done.  I'm being knocked down a notch now, it seems.  It hit me yesterday, just as this strange cold(ish) weather front moved in.  It had been warm and sunny.  Yesterday, along with the sore throat came a headache and a general malaise, along with the return of clouds and a cool breeze.  It all seems so wintry.  Where is my summer?!

From what I've been reading this week, it seems that summer has finally hit Vienna.  I've seen lovely photographs on blogs and imagined myself sitting in one of the many city parks, people-watching, reading, simply being.

Looking at the weather for the Bay Area, it appears that summer should return this weekend.  And we do have plenty to do outdoors that is enjoyable, I just have to go do it.  If I feel better.  I've got a few days before the weekend, this feeling may pass.  Otherwise, I may just have to take on the hot with my cold and see who wins.

Hanging out

A quick look at my new dresses from Ready to Fish, a thin suede peach T-dress and a low back navy dress. (The chandelier was in front of my closet so I thought I might as well use it as a prop to hang the dresses on ;))

Do you want to get your hands on a Ready to Fish item? There's a BIG pre-sale at their store on Prinsengracht 581 starting TODAY (opened from 11.00-21.00) until this saturday. The discounts? 1st item: 35% discount, 2nd item: 45%, 3rd item: 55%!

See the invite to the pre-sale here

creative escape sneak peek

Check out the Creative Escape blog for a sneak peek of my class I'll be teaching there in August! Like all my classes this one is loaded with information so you'll leave class with lots of new techniques to add to create your layouts and projects!

Would you like to join us at Creative Escape? There's a few spaces left! Grab them before they are gone!

Pretty pretty

Gorgeous contrast between edgy and soft. Gosh, I would love to do a shoot like this some time :p

Heidi Mount in Dansk Magazine

Wake up and smell the coffee

When I first woke up this morning, lying in bed before the alarm sounded, I could swear I smelled coffee.  A wonderfully inviting and motivating smell.   Thing is, though, I knew it was impossible.  A figment of my imagination.  An olfactory hallucination.  Unless the cats had learned to scoop coffee grounds and boil hot water, it was pure fancy.  But wouldn't that be a cute children's story - kitties wanting to help out, doing things around the house when everyone is gone or asleep.  Good intentions with hilarious mishaps.   


Then I remembered that I had done a little prep myself last night.  I filled the kettle with water and put the coffee grounds into the French Press coffee pot before I went to bed to save myself time in the morning.  Is it possible that the smell of the grounds was strong enough to fill the house with the scent of a freshly made pot and reach my little nose all the way in the bedroom?  An unexpected but oh so pleasant byproduct of thinking ahead.

I'll never be able to anticipate everything in planning our move to Vienna, but I am thinking today about how important it is to do the best I can to look ahead, prepare in advance, pay attention and do the little and big things that might help pave the way.  Who knows what good happenings, what surprises and little bits of pleasure doing so might create.  To enjoy the smell of the coffee before it is even made is a lovely thing.

family time!

My Mom's coming up to DC today, She'll be here for a whole week! hooray! We are really excited!

I'll be offline enjoying a little vacation time with her and showing her the DC sights. See you next week!

ott lite rock star

I always wanted to be a rock star and now I am. well sort of ... I'm an Ott Lite rock star!

Click here to read the story and watch video. Thanks Ott Lite!

happy birthday Paul

Happy birthday to my wonderful husband Paul!

wishing you the best 36th birthday ever!! I love you!

Goodbye twenty

I love lazy outfits on Sunday and wore this yesterday on my last evening as a twenty-year old. Yes, that's right. It's my 21st BIRTHDAY TODAY! Karl, if you read this; a Chanel 2.55 with silver hardwear would do. But seriously, 21! Not many years have been as exciting as this one and partly that's because of you, sweet readers :) Big kiss to you from the birthday girl!

All Stars without laces - H&M parka - Zara leather pants and shirt - Guess silver watch - Forever 21 ring - Ibana Rouge bag

Almost ready To Do

Slept in a little bit this morning (for me).  I faced no alarm clock, no nagging internal voice; I woke up naturally, at just the right time.  I am now rejuvenated and it is a gorgeous morning, literally and figuratively.

This is a bit of a work weekend.  My library has its annual reading festival this weekend.  Yesterday, the libraries (there are 25 of them) had all kinds of events and as one the three organizers of the Big Event, I drove around with my two colleagues to enjoy some of the festivities the individual libraries presented.  In addition to being colleagues, we're also dear friends, so it was a treat to be able to spend the entire afternoon together, work or not.  It's a little sad to think that this will be the last year we work on this huge project together.  It is what brought us together as friends three years ago and while it is certainly hard work, we look forward to it each year, as it means being able to spend more time together while planning.  Alas, today - our big author event (Dave Eggers.  Awesome!  And a huge deal for us!) - will be our last big hurrah.  And it should be great, so we'll end on a high note.  Or I'll end on a high note.  Most people at work don't know this will be my last year.  But I know.  And my two friends know, so there is a slightly bittersweet taste to the day.  

It feels like one of those big markers.  You know...last time I'll ever do this.  Last time I'll ever do that.  Who knows, maybe one day I'll work in a library in Vienna and organize a reading festival, but I'm thinking that the odds of that are rather slim! And, honestly, I'm not sure I would want to do that, even if I could.  I think it might be time to do something new and different.  Not that I won't capitalize on my library skills and education if it'll get me a job in Vienna, but any library work I can foresee will be more corporate, research-based and less public library work.  

And, ack, here comes the nagging voice....what about work, Carrie?  Have you looked into it recently?  What ARE you going to do?  How ARE you going to make a living, legally?  Is it even possible?  It is one of the many items on a very long To Do list for Vienna.  I started the list last weekend.  And now I have a nice list.  But I have to start doing things.  My husband and I set ourselves a timeline for one of the projects - selling our furniture on Craigslist so that we can downsize apartments.  Step One.  We were going to have everything posted by the end of the week.  Last week.  And somehow, here we are, Sunday, the beginning of a new week, and we still haven't done it.  What are we thinking?  

I have/we have GOT TO get our game on if this is really going to happen.  I swear.  This week.  That big To Do list.  Game on.  (It's got to be.)  

Made up

Hi sweeties! I think make-up can make a difference in your look and I like playing around with it. So I got a few new products by Mac, Pupa and more. For a change this video shows my beauty buys, the next video will be about fashion again :) !

ps. If you want to see my videos before they come on this blog, subscribe to my channel: www.youtube.com/thischicksgotstyle

Who me...trouble?

This is Little Sister.  Sister is one of our two cats and she's been a bit of a troublemaker lately.  Beginning a couple weeks before our trip to Europe, she started peeing outside her litter box.  On the couch.  On our bed.  In the plant.  It happened just a few times, it wasn't a regular thing.  It didn't seem like she couldn't help herself, like there was a physical reason she was doing this, so we figured she was trying to tell us something, but we couldn't figure out what that something was.  She needed more love?  We gave her more love.  Maybe she's decided that after 8 years of sharing with her brother, Bear, she wants her own space?  We got a second litter box.  Things got better and she seemed just fine in the days before we left.

While we were gone - nothing.  For two weeks.  Our friends stopped by twice a day to feed the cats and give them a little petting and love and there was never anything amiss.  

Neither kitty gave us too much of the cold shoulder upon our return.  We got back, things went right back to normal.  The pre-peeing normal.  At first.  And then it began.  In the kitchen. On the couch. In the kitchen. On the bed.  On my husband in the bed.  In the kitchen.  On me on the bed.  On our favorite armchair.  In all other respects, she was acting normally, her disposition hadn't changed.  We were giving her a bit of extra time and love, assuming she wanted or needed more attention.  But it didn't stop.  

Forgetting for a moment the fact that she had done this well before we went on vacation, we assumed she was telling us she was peeved about our leaving.  That made sense.  But it went on for more than a week.  I woke up every morning, afraid of what I'd find.  I had a bottle of special cleaner at the ready.  It seemed to be related to when she wanted to eat.  If I didn't get up fast enough and feed her, well, she let me know how she felt about it.  One time she didn't even let me get out of bed, just started to tell me how she was feeling in this new special way of hers while I was still lying there!

We took her to the vet last week.  She is as healthy as she can be.  No infections, perfect little bladder.  There is absolutely nothing physically wrong with her.  Brought her home from the vet and -poof- just like that, it stopped.  We brought her in on a Tuesday.  Starting Wednesday, everything was magically back to normal - hurrah!  Maybe she just needed the extra attention.  Maybe we scared it out of her by taking her to the vet.  Who knows why, but we were once again a happy, pee-free family.  

The honeymoon was short-lived.  It has started again!  After a week in the pee-free zone, she's done it again.  Just once that I can tell (and, really, you can't hide cat pee anywhere), yesterday.  On the favorite armchair again. AAARGH!

What is she trying to tell us?  Does anyone out there speak kitty?  I could use a translator.  Ah, I need the Kitty Whisperer, that's what I need.  

P.S.  I just had an image of my husband and I trying to piece together enough German to explain the situation to a vet in Vienna, should we ever have to.  It's a funny visual - single words, hand gestures.  We may have to resort to drawing pictures if our vocabulary isn't up to the task.  Should be fun.

Am I my stuff?

Minor freak out yesterday morning.  I'm all dressed for work and looking for my brown purse.  I can't find it.  It's the only brown purse I own and my outfit definitely called for it.  I don't use the purse often, since I don't wear earth tones very often, but since it does happen occasionally, I own one fabulous slouchy, brown leather purse.  Or, at least, I thought I did.

As I was rummaging through my bedroom closet, the coat closet, the back office closet and time was running out before I HAD TO leave the house, I kept saying to myself, "I can't believe I would have gotten rid of it.  I just can't believe I'd do that."  But it wasn't there.

A few months ago, I made a first pass at weeding my wardrobe to prep for an eventual move to Vienna.  Who wants to cart boxes and boxes of clothes and stuff across the ocean!?  I went through my closet,  drawers, shelves - clothes, shoes, handbags....everything.   I was feeling pretty focused and intent on making a dent; I followed the Use Rule (how often do you wear/use it) and I was pretty ruthless.  And I made some pretty good decisions - since the Big Clean, I haven't reached into the closet to find something, only to realize it is no longer a part of my life.  Until yesterday.

Strictly following the Use Rule, the purse wouldn't have made the cut, so I can see myself putting it in the To Go pile.  But it is the ONLY brown purse I own.  As much as I hate to admit it, I am a matchy-matchy girl.  My shoes and purse must match my outfit or I feel off all day.  I just couldn't imagine that I'd have let the drive for minimalism trump the need to have one brown purse for those non-black-wearing days, few as they may be.

Lo and behold, just in the nick of Gotta-Get-Outta-Here time, I found it.  On the closet floor, underneath shoe boxes and various other items.  Of course I didn't get rid of it.  A sigh of relief and a huge smile.  I felt such joy!   

And then I felt a little silly, feeling such happiness about a purse.  I spent the day pondering the idea of the things we own, the things we each choose to put an emphasis on, and how we use them to define ourselves - to ourself and to others.  In light of moving and wanting to pare down to basics, what it would mean to not have some of these things?  Would I feel like myself in Vienna if I got there and didn't have all my *stuff*?  I'm not a very sentimental person.  I don't hold on to objects, trinkets, or knick-knacks much.  A few family items, but mostly books and clothes.  That's me, that's my stuff.

A friend recently asked me and my husband what we were planning to take with us to Vienna.  "Just a few suitcases?" he asked.  My husband nodded, yes.  I shook my head, vehemently, No! I probably also had a look of utter disbelief and horror on my face - a couple suitcases!?

I do have every desire to pare down to the basics and I understand the need to do so in planning an international move, but the basics for me is a totally different thing than the basics for my husband.  The question is...is it actually necessary to own three pair of black pants?  Really?  I keep telling myself - no, it's not, you can do better, get by with less (and there is a sense of accomplishment and pride in being minimalist, I do feel it), but, while they may all be black, these pants are all different styles, they create different looks and reflect different moods.

Since the time I could put my own outfits together, I've felt that the way I dress is my personal means of artistic, creative expression (Much to my mother's chagrin at times.  But in my defense, I came of age in the 1980s - think Madonna, Flashdance, big hair, jelly bracelets - what was a girl to do?).  I have grown into my own style since those high school, testing-the-self-expression-waters days.  Sometimes classic, sometimes quirky, always a little different and always very Me (whatever that really means).  To be Me, I need these three pair of black pants and a brown purse that I only use once every few months.

It's not a matter of being owned by my stuff, being a slave to consumerism and trends.  Most of what I own, I've had for years.  I do shop, but I only buy what I really need and want now and I keep and wear things for a long time.  My wardrobe is my history, my story, in a way.  To trim it to what would fit in a couple suitcases would be like cutting off an arm.  Oh the drama!  But it's true!  Am I crazy?  Am I my stuff?  Or is my stuff a part of me?