all the single ladies

Greg came home on Wednesday night from school and told me some sad news. He went to the gym that afternoon and put his wedding ring in his pocket to work out. When he reached down to grab it after his workout, it was gone. He claims that he and another guy looked everywhere for it (and I believe him), but to no avail. So after two short years, my husband has already lost his wedding ring.

Don't get me wrong, it's just a ring. I'm not that upset about it.

...Anymore.

After he told me the whole story a hundred times, and assured me that he had exhausted his search for it at the gym, and apologized a million times, I did what any sane, rational thinking wife would do.

I wrote my name on his ring finger and made him buy me some ice cream.

Ahhhh, all is well again.

Ladies, I would love to know if or how many times your hubby has lost his ring. How long had you been married? Can anyone beat a measly two years? Humor me, please.

Reading Deprivation

Well, it has been a while since I have blogged, and I am excited about writing again. Last week was week four in the book I am currently reading, "The Artist's Way" by Julia Cameron. And week four is reading deprivation week. I know what you are thinking. "Reading deprivation?! How on Earth is that going to help you be more artistic?" or "Aren't you a teacher? Would you tell your students not to read?" or "How is it possible not to read?" or "Writing is not reading, so you can still post." Yes, I heard them all this week. And you can ask any other questions you wish, and I will attempt to answer them as well. But for now let me try and answer these FAQ.

1. "Reading deprivation?! How on Earth is that going to help you be more artistic?"

J. Cameron explains it best. In her own words, "No reading? That's right: no reading. For most artists, words are like tiny tranquilizers. We have a daily quota of media chat that we swallow up. Like greasy food, it clogs our system. Too much of it and we feel, yes, fried. It is a paradox that by emptying our lives of distractions we are actually filling the well. Without distractions we are once again thrust into the sensory world."
She then goes on to say, "For most blocked creatives, reading is an addiction. We gobble the words of others rather than digest our own thoughts and feelings, rather than cook up something of our own."

2. "Aren't you a teacher? Would you tell your students not to read?"

Never in a million bazillion years would I tell my 7th grade students not to read. I want them reading books and music everyday. Period.

3. "How is it possible not to read?"

Honestly, I don't think it is possible to avoid it completely. But I gave it 110%, and it paid off.

4. "Writing is not reading, so you can still post."

This is true. But I know myself. If I get on the blog to write, I will start reading other people's posts. I truly missed keeping up with my friends this week, but I just couldn't let myself give in. In addition to not reading, I avoided non-work essential internet completely this week. They say (whoever "they" are) that our generation is addicted to the internet. I totally believe it. So I figured a week off of email, facebook, blogging, etc... would be good for me, even if it meant no posting as well. Although, I did write in my diary each morning.

So now that you officially think I have gone off the deep end, I am going to start posting again. And boy, do I have a lot to say...

RAM TON

As I wrote before, one of my New Year's resolutions was to read the book The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron. It is a twelve-week intensive course designed to develop one's creativity as a spiritual practice - at least that is what it says on the front cover. It is written for artists of all genres (musicians, painters, writers, etc...).There is so much that I could blog about regarding what I have been doing and discovering since I started three weeks ago. But I don't think I am supposed to discuss it much with other people. So just know that I love love love the book so far, and you might be hearing a little more about it in future posts.

This week's task:: I had to paint something.

So here is what I started with. Thanks to the wonderful Mrs. Ebbrecht, my fellow (art) teacher, for loaning me some new brushes to work with! Now I just had to figure out what to paint.


Here is what I came up with. In case you can't read the upside down part, it says, "Make Music Not War." You don't have to say anything... I've already been told I'm a hippie by four different people in the past 24 hours. Believe me, I'm not. I just thought it was cute, that's all. And it is not a political statement either.

But it just looked a little too boring to me. So I decided to write the names of my favorite composers around the edge. (And yes, I know I sit funny.)

Bach, Palestrina, Debussy, Chopin, Beethoven, Handel, Rossini, Mendelssohn, Haydn, Brahms, and Mozart (which as I was writing I realized Mozart had "art" in his name. So I mixed a different color for it).

Finishing touches.

And Ta Da! Call me a hippie, but I like it!

Greg keeps walking around the house saying "RAM TON" back to everything I say. Can you guess why?

It still looks a little too boring to me though. I would like to add or do something different to make it a little less blah. Sooo...

Suggestions much appreciated!!

I'm proud to be naive.

Please consider this blog post a letter of apology to my readers in regards to my recent post, "Update on my gray hair (in case you care as much as I do)."

No, I am not apologizing again for anything I wrote that might have been offensive. Instead I am apologizing for this picture.

source

To find the picture I simply googled "Cruella Deville." When I found a picture I liked, I copied and pasted it onto my blog. Since I am paranoid about copyright laws, I knew for sure that I should site my source (Oh, and I live with a law student that would have a conniption if I didn't). So I simply wrote "source" underneath the picture and hyper-linked the web page to it. Just like I did above.

"No problem, right? My bases are covered," I thought.

Well tonight, just as I was about to leave for my Thursday night Bible study, something was nagging me to click the "source" link and double-check that it worked.

So I clicked it.

And it definitely works.

Only the title of the web page is "CRUELLA DEVILLE SMOKES CRACK PIPE!!!!"

source

How did I not notice this?!?!?!

I mean, I already knew that Cruella Deville smoked cigarettes, so I wasn't surprised when she was smoking in the picture. But how did I not notice the yellow smoke and weird contraption that is definitely NOT a cigarette in her right hand!!

I know why. Because I didn't know what it was. I've never smoked anything in my life. I really didn't think I was this naive of a person, but apparently I am.

The whole time I was at Bible study I kept thinking to myself, "I really need to get home so I can find another picture of Cruella Deville to put on my blog so that no one sees the blatant CRACK PIPE that is on there now!" Oh dear.

So I told my wonderful girlfriends at Bible study to get their opinion as to what I should do. Should I even bother changing it at this point? I mean, I figure all three of my readers have seen it by now anyways (ha, that was a joke, I hope). After they stopped laughing, they encouraged me to leave it... and laugh at it.

Moral of the story::
Even if it means you accidentally put a picture of Cruella Deville smoking a crack pipe on your blog, it is a very good thing that you do not know any better. Part of me is thoroughly embarrassed that I overlooked such an obvious thing, but the other part is proud of myself. And I'm not ashamed to be naive. It's a good thing, right?

source
(Go ahead. Click on it and see for yourself.)

So the big question is this...

I know lots of people that tell me they read this blog, but they never comment.
YOU HAVE TO COMMENT THIS TIME. Spare no feelings.
Did you notice the crack pipe or not?!

Oh Mr. Golden Sun

I hope everyone got the chance to enjoy this glorious weather today... if you live in NW Arkansas. (If you don't then I hope you had a break from the cold too!) God sure can paint some beautiful days when he wants. The sidewalk was calling my name this afternoon when I got home from school. So I went for a relaxing walk. Not a run. Not a jog. A walk. And it was wonderful. I saw some really interesting things in our neighborhood that I have never noticed before. Like an aging celadon fence in someone's backyard that would make an awesome backdrop for a photograph. I drive by it every single day and I have never seen it. Incredible. Also, I noticed that there are an abundance of cats in our neighborhood. But don't tell Greg that because he might make us move. Anyways, I think it is supposed to storm tonight and tomorrow (which I'm not complaining about because I think storms are cozy), so hopefully you got your sunshine in today. Have a great rest of the week!

update on my gray hair (in case you care as much as I do)

In regards to my last post, "Traumatized," in which I found my first gray hair, I have thought of a few things that need to be added or clarified.

1. I have talked to multiple people about the whole graying thing, and it pains me to say this, but I think I am just going to have to accept it. If this is God's will for my 20's, then so be it. (But just for the record, I still don't have to like it.)

2. After I posted "Traumatized,"I got scared that I might have offended some of my wonderful gray-headed readers. But my dad reassured me that anyone reading this blog with gray hair would get a good chuckle out of it. As he put it... "Honey, anyone with gray hair had to get there one hair at a time. And we all remember our first!." For some reason, that makes me feel better.

3. Then I became inquisitive as to my mom's graying experience. She said her first gray hair was on the front left of her forehead. Great. That's exactly where mine is as well... and CRUELLA DEVILLE's.

source

(Ahhhh, I can hear the jokes from my students already.)

4. Last but not least, as I was lying in bed last night agonizing thinking about the whole thing, I remembered... "Hey! I know what I look like with gray hair already!" You see, my SENIOR year of high school, a few of my friends and I decided to dress up as "Senior (Fill-in-the-Blank)" each week. For example, my favorite was the week we bought clothes from the local Mexican grocery store and went as "SENIORitas." Clever, I know. One week in particular, we all found gray wigs and dressed up as "SENIOR Citizens." So for your shear amusement, just know that I'm on the top row, second from the right.

Oh my. Who's idea was this one?

traumatized

I went to the hairdresser today for a haircut. A time or two before, I have seen what I thought might be a gray hair on my head (and quickly yanked it out to destroy all evidence), but I have always come to the conclusion that it must just be bad lighting.

Today though, something bad happened. Something really bad. It was awful and sadly undeniable.

Today, my hairdresser found and pulled out my first "official" gray hair. And believe me, the little stinker was gray to the root. It was a baby hair that must have been hiding when I got ready this morning. How could I miss something so blinding?! For a moment, I think I even saw it twinkle.

So there I was, sitting in the salon having an inside panic attack, and trying to not show it because there were two ladies with solid gray heads of hair sitting right next to me watching the whole ordeal unfold. But apparently, I don't have much of a poker face because they were both giving me dirty looks in response to my negative reaction.

I know of several gray haired people that follow my blog (Thanks for reading!). So to you and anyone else reading this, don't get me wrong. I think gray hair can be beautiful and very striking. And I have always said that if I do have beautiful gray hair when I'm older... I won't color it. I will just be proud of my natural color. But I never thought that "when I'm older" would mean TWENTY-FOUR!

Now rest assured that my parents are eating this up, and have taken the opportunity to crack several "gray head" jokes in my presence. In fact, my mom gladly informed me that I should consider it a present since I am quickly approaching my quarter-century birthday. Yay... Happy birthday to me.

To put the cherry on top, when my hairdresser showed the little booger to me, she tried to calm my nerves by saying, "Well... at least it's a pretty silver gray and not an ugly, yellowish-gray!" Ugly, yellowish-gray!?! There is such a thing?? Thanks a lot. I feel much better now.

All day long, I have been continually repeating to myself what King Solomon said in Proverbs 16,

"Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained by a righteous life."

That must be it. I'm just a really, really righteous person. Yeah. It's the only logical explanation. I can't think of any other reason I would be prematurely graying in my mid-twenties.

You agree... Right?

bedroom facelift

Last week, I decided our bedroom needed a pick-me-up. It was just all starting to look pretty blah to me. And since schools were out for snow (yippee!!), this teacher had a little extra time on her hands.

The only problem?  Two people living on a teacher's salary and paying for law school doesn't leave much money for decrorating.  So here's what I did...

BEFORE

The first thing I did was start with this pillow.
I took a gift card and replaced it with these bad boys.

But this pillow just wasn't doing it for me.

So I added this old broach that I had stashed in my jewelry box.
Ahhhh... much better now.

I've been wanting a way to hang my plethora of scarves.

Greg and I found this coat hanger at Riffraff in Fayetteville, so we bought it for the room.  Actually, Greg (of all people) was the first to spot it as we were browsing.  How does he always seem to have a better eye than I do?!  Ugh.  Frustrating.

Would you believe that I'm a cold-natured person?
Then we found this painted canvas, also at Riffraff, and hung it up, too. 
I LOVE it. (Pun intended.)


Years and years ago, I bought this lamp with a frog for its base. I don't know what it was, but it was love at first sight. And the little booger has never failed to make me smile!

Here's the BEFORE again.

And here's the AFTER.
Between gift cards and stuff I already had, the total cost came in right at $30.
It's just a little more fun. And a little more me.

FYI:: The cute scarf rack is on the opposite side of the room.
 Also, you can see the homemade frame on the left from my last post, "Framing Klimt."

Hope you're having a great week!

framing Klimt

I have a love-hate relationship with many artists. And Gustav Klimt is no exception. I really, really love his works for multiple reasons (ok, well there are some I could do without). However, I don't know how well we would have got along in real life, again, for multiple reasons. I guess this is how I feel about Claude Debussy as well. After Bach, he might be in the running for my favorite composer of all time. He certainly is my favorite early 20th century composer. But from what I read, Debussy doesn't seem like he was the most, uhhh... how do I put this nicely... pleasant person to be around.

Anyways...

Regardless of how I feel about Klimt's personality (or Debussy's), I have always loved the "Tree of Life" from the first time I laid eyes on it. I could probably stare at it all day. So when I found a good print of it last year, I bought it for our bedroom. After we moved into our new house though, it lost its luster to me.
It needed something more. It needed... a frame.

And since I'm too cheap to buy anything new, I made one.

I bought crown molding at Home Depot for cheap cheap. Greg cut it for me with his big, strong muscles (oh, and a miter saw).

Then I went outside and painted it with leftover paint from my coffee table. May I recommend to any painters out there to use a vinyl shower curtain liner for a drop cloth. It works much better than the thin plastic ones you buy at the paint store. And it doesn't tear or stick to your feet either. Also, it is reusable unlike newspapers and other paper. That's a little wisdom from my mom.

Just be sure you have plenty of paint thinner if you are using oil based paint, or you will have to drive to Sherwin Williams and beg the guy to let you inside to buy more - even though they closed 30 minutes ago - so that your hands won't look like this at school the next day.
Not that I did that.


Then I put these braces on the back to connect the four sides.

Upside down.

And hung up with those 3M adhesive things.

I'm no G. Klimt, but I like it.

Where's Greg?

This fall, when Greg's parents come home from Cambodia, Greg and his dad are going elk hunting in Colorado. Hopefully, he'll kill something to hang next to this deer friend (I know, I'm full of it today).



Well, Greg's parents got him some new camo for Christmas to wear on the hunt. The first thing he did when we got home last week was put ALL of it on. Seriously... sometimes it's like I'm married to a five-year old. Anyways, as I was taking down the Christmas tree, I turned around and saw this.


Notice the infamous pheasant feathers from my December posts here and here. You know, the ones that Greg just adores.

How did I not see this coming?

Tinley, show this to Daniel.

This is my best friend from Harding, Tinley. She was a bridesmaid in my wedding and forever a friend in my heart.


We like to get dressed up and take pictures together.
But mostly we just like to take goofy pictures like this one.

And this one.

And this one.

Daniel is Tinley's boyfriend. And Daniel is a Longhorns fan.
Tinley calls those Hogs!

Greg and I went to the AR vs. UT game tonight.

I love my state.

It was a close game that came down to the last few minutes.

This is our true side.

And Daniel... you can't argue with freshman year pictures from college. This is Tinley's true side.
Bahahahahahaha!