One of my mostest-favoritest places on the planet....

This is from KC Willis - a great fun fabric artist that I have enjoyed (and made a few of the pieces myself..much to everyone's delight!!)

Here's the information I'd like to share with you - I have the video class and it's AmaZInG!

I have learned so much, enjoyed her humor and her style and when I visit my kids and grands in Colorado, I will be meeting her in person :-) {Note to KC: Expect a visit this next year from me..and you don't even have to bake a cake..you know..."if I knew you were comin' I'da baked a cake"??..oh..nevermind..}

"This has been an amazing year at KC Willis Studio. Wow. 170 students from 8 countries currently enrolled at the on-line workshop where I teach the basics of my techniques and inspire you to new creative heights. www.collagecamp.ning.com. You have never seen anything like Collage Camp.



After Collage Camp there's Mixed Media Mania where you take what you learned at Collage Camp and in these workshops I teach Altars and Shrines, Altered Books and Works on Paper. Fun stuff. www.mixedmediamania.ning.com.

And for those of you already making art and wanting to know how you take it to the next level and get yourself a regional or national audience, next week starts the super exciting Marketing Mindset. www.marketingmindset.ning.com. Check out the Main Page and take advantage of the Intro Price which will only last until January 8th.



And if video workshops aren't your thing...how about KC Willis Live! (assuming I've had my coffee.) Come take a multi-day class with me in my very sweet Victorian studio house in Longmont, Colorado. Check it out at www.studioretreats.ning.com. "


I know you'll enjoy her site and her classes..as a matter of fact, I gar..run..tee it :-)

What starts up.....then down again..then.up..then down??.

You're thinkin' I'm talkin' about my mood, aren'tcha?? Ah-huh...you totally are..

And..you'd be wrong. OK, maybe a little right. I am feeling better,thankyouverymuch.

But that's not what I'm talking about here..

It's me. Moi. Your truly.. At Temple Square. While with a work group. In the snow. Did I mention...ice? And slippage?

One second I was walking...carefully, and smiling...not a care in the world..the next, I was looking very closely at the ice-covered sidewalk..

Hmm...yep, all a-hundred-and-plenty pounds of me had hit the pavement so fast and quietly {that's the good thing about ice..it's pretty quiet..} that I really was kinda surprised.

So were the people around me..

Got up pretty fast, brushed off the snow from my left hip {owie} and tried to laugh off my clumsy-ness ...

Walked a few yards and....WHOMP! Down again..And because I am an equal-owie employee..I hit the right hip.

Owie2..
By this time, I was still several yards away from safety {Jillian's car} so I was now completely paranoid..walking in teensy baby steps, my mind racing to figure out what I should fall on next..

"OK, both hips and sides..hmm..that leaves either a face-plant or a back-bum-bump..".

Well, I actually made it to her car and was transported safely back to the office.

So much for a Tuesday...I'm thinking Wednesday's gotta be better..

..a little stiffer...but better.

So, remember when you travel in snow..slow down..leave plenty of room between you and the other vehicles...people, and above all...keep your sense of humor..

You can always cry in the Lady's Room back at the office.

Gee, I love winter..

Hey...I think I figured it out..

I really should have known...all my life my moods are controlled by the tides ..my hair.. and when it looks crappy  bad I feel really bad crappy...
Thing is, as you may remember..I hated my last haircut and vowed to never get another single hair on my hear cut ever again...ever...ev-ER.

But that was then..and this is now. And it's looking very crappy-bad.  Very.  Crappy.  Bad.. verycrapppybad...

So I think, "maybe I should find some photos of how I want my hair to look.." Yeah! That's it..

uh...well, probably not so much..

More like this..

..or this?

maybe even this??

but... in the past I've ended up like this..

..not that there's anything wrong with that look.. for her..and she's probebly a very sweet person..and she may have had a very bad expereince..with my last hairdresser..but she kinda looks like Dana Carvey...I'm just sayin'...

So maybe I should bring in one like this..

..and I've been told that even if you do find a great photo, if your hair is not the same..you face shape is not the same..your AGE is not the same..it may  will not work.

OK, I get that...but I took the photo to the same hairdresser...at the same shop....and the photo was age-appropriate, hair-type comatible, face-flattering...

{This is how it ONCE did look - and I liked it..}

It was..............ME...and they STILL couldn't didn't get it right..

Well, I'll have to wait until Saturday anyway...so let's all pray..OK, maybe save those for more befitting matters..but maybe we can all HOPE..that somehow, I'll get it right this time...

I know it would make Mr. B very happy...

How have you found the best hairdresser?

-

Whew...we made it..

..I really wasn't Christmas-y this year.

I tried.

I had a party.

I brought reindeer antlers to work.

I wore them to deliver neighbor gifts..

I made Mr. B wear his Elf hat..

I listened to Christmas  music so much that even I got tired of it..and I never get tired of it.

I watched The polar Express in 3-D..

And I celebrated and thought about the birth of Christ. 

But the humbuggers got me anyway.

Without going into details and whining about our circumstances, let me just say, quietly, and with dignity...

I'M SO FLIPPEN' GLAD 2009 IS ALMOST OVER!!

There..that's better.

And it will be a good year.  I have one thing I need to hold onto ..

HOPE

And we really did have a nice Christmas..we recived love and we witnessed love given..and we saw gratitude..

So, tommorw, it's back to work..back to routine, back to getting up early, reading your posts...

..laughing and learning..

So, with all my heart, thank you for being my friends..letting me in your life..and listening to mine..

You are appreciated. 

Seriously, appreaicated.

So let's all go inot 2010 purposley and with courage. And whatever it brings, we will handle it with all the tenacity of a bulldog..

..because..

that's how we roll.

-me

Dear Santa,

Hi..it's me, Colleen.  I know, it's been  a while since I've written to you. ... I wanted to apologize for not stopping by to see you this year like I usually do. 

But I wanted to drop a line to say if you can, stop by tonight.  We have some goodies for you and Lulu will be OK after you give her a cookie or two..

...just remember, she's 11 lbs.....and you're, what...like 6 feet and 275 lbs? Do not let her get the upper hand.. Oh, and don't let her out..

Braxton will be OK..he may roll over for a belly rub and if you do have a minute..he'd love that ;-)

So..the list.  Not so much this year..I'm pretty lucky to have what I have and am pretty OK with all the "stuff"..and thank you again for last year..I really appreciate it.

You've done a great job with the kids through the year and now the grands..and they sure do love you..so, yeah, about my list...

OK, that treadmill? Yeah, I know, I've been meaning to use it more...or start using it..whatever..but I'd really like a fun way to exercise..do you know of any? Walking is good, but you know how I feel about the 'walking-and-getting-nowhere' thing..walking with a purpose is good, right?  So maybe you could put a Barnes and Nobel in walking distance?  Yeah..that'd be nice..
.
Time.  I know, really, who couldn't use more time, right?  The thing is, I have time..I just don't use it well..can you help with that?

A fish would be nice..one of those pretty betta-kinds...,but not in a jar thingy..one of those little "Habitat for non-Humanity" vases.  Nope, we'd {the fish and I} we'd like one of those cute little fancy bowls in retro shapes and great little colored stones..

Can you do anything about organization? No, not another book..a real solution..that would help..

Guess that's it for this year.  Sorry about the short notice..you know how I can't make up my mind..so thanks again.  And stay out of the fudge...you know you're cholesterol is completely over the top..

Safe travels..and can you spend some extra time with my brother tonight? Whisper in his ear and remind him of all the great Christmas's we had when we were growing up.and all the wonderful Christmas's that he helped you with his own children.. .that's sure to make him smile..

Love,
-me

Oops..I did it again...no, it's not THAT song...

..I fell alseep before making my entry last evening.  I hate it when I can't stay awake when I don't have to work the next morning..Oh, did I tell you? They gave us Christmas Eve off :-)

So, today, there may be 2 posts; one now for last night and one for tonight..but before I forget again....

Merry Christmas Eve!

Mr. B's company had a catered party yesterday, but to make it even more festive, they had a "bring-in-a-side-dish-contest"...not a bad idea at all for some fun and extra food, huh?  I liked it :-)

Mr. B decided to take in a sweet-treat..or 6 pounds of Joy...that we all made {Evelyn did Peanut Brittle,
and chocolate Mr. B did peanche (penuceh?..that brown-sugar fudge wonderfulness) and I made white chocolate-cranbery and walnuts and triple-chocolate peanut clusters.}

{Notice the photo with MY perscpetive of it being tiny while he thought it was pretty big..}

Then there was the packaging of my office workers gifts..thank Dawn from The Feathered Nest, for offering us these great images I used as tags on the gift bags of homemade candies..everyone loved not only the yummies, but the darling tags..

We have a few things to finish up before we get the cookies out for Santa tonight.  Hvae a wonderful SAFE and warm Christmas eve and know one of the things I am so very grateful for is the gifts you have all given me of listening, laughing, crying and sharing our love of home, family and all of our beautiful blogging buddies

biddies :-)

Love you all..really!

-me

I have a theory..

...that word - theory -  makes me smile..it looks nothing like it sounds... 'theory'.  It should be theer-ee or there rie..anyway, I have one.
a theory..
Probably more, actually, but only one I am writing about tonight.

I was driving home tonight in a snowstorm and  saw a young kinda "tough-looking" guy walking in the snowstorm...in his long sleeved shirt and baggy pants,no hat or gloves.. and I felt immediately sorry for him..for a minute..

Did he not have a jacket? No gloves or mittens?Could his grandma not knit him a scarf??

Maybe.  But he had this look of toughness, even meanness that being bundled up in a puffy down jacket and a hat with knitted  braids would probably not work with.

And what's the cool way to wear a scarf if you're a tough-guy...knotted or draped?

So here comes the theory. .

I think crime is down in cold weather because NOBODY looks cool all bundled like the cast of South Park.

I don't remember ever seeing a gang run by mafia Eskimos..

Graffiti on igloos? 

'CSI - the Frozen Tundra'  ?? Hmmm..bet it would be hard to 'make chase' with a parka and snowboots on..

Never remember seeing a dog sled all jacked up..."Pimp my sled"..and what would the dogs think of loud rap music being belted out?

Yesseriee, if you want to be safe, move North..

No one looks tough in a parka.... It's hard to be cool when you're cold.... I'm just saying..

Do you have any theories?

-me