Ardith's Kitchen...

Those of you who know me or have been following my blog are aware that I lost my grandmother, Ardith, this last October. It has been a painful time as she was very dear to me. A couple of weeks ago, while visiting my Dad, we went over to Ardith's house. She lived just a few blocks from Dad.

I had been thinking about how much Ardith loved to cook, and what an excellent cook she was. It came to me that I would love to have some of her everyday kitchen items. Regular things like wooden spoons, dish towels, mixing bowls, Pyrex dishes, cutting boards. When I asked my Dad if I could take some home with me, he said of course. So here are some of her kitchen things that I just love. They make me think of her and make me very happy. I think I love the colors of her dish towels and pot holders most of all.

I'm going to start a series soon. Little stories of Ardith. I hope you will feel in a way that you know Ardith too through the stories I write. Thanks for visiting, friends.

This Week's Poll...

Hi friends! This week’s poll is another silly one, but I hope you will have fun taking part in it. Junk food. Where to begin? We all have a weakness for some sort of junk food. Why must these heavenly morsels be filled with fat, sugar, salt, and all the other evil ingredients? It’s just not right. Just once I’d like to say I have not a single desire to eat that donut, or chocolate bar, or bag of chips. Ah well, such is the plague of the human race.

The choices I came up with are only the tip of the iceberg, so to speak. I realize there are a gazillion different junk food choices out there, but I had to narrow it down to just four. And don’t get me started on all the liquid form junk foods. Although I don’t think they really count…do they? I know for certain that at least one of you agree with me on that.

At the end of the poll, I will tell you my favorite pick of the four. Please leave a comment if you have the time or inclination. I always love hearing from you! Have a beautiful day and happy voting!

Sunday Rocket Science...

This Sunday we launched a rocket. Yep. My son dug up an old neglected rocket kit he had received as a gift. It had once been half-heartedly messed with and then returned to the garage to collect dust. He decided that it was the day to make the rocket.

Once opened, we discovered half the components were missing. Not an uncommon occurence around here, to say the least. It didn't discourage him enough to give up. We compromised on the parts and he was able to make a very cool-looking rocket. Sort of Rollie Pollie Ollie-esque, if you ask me. Next, it was off to the local baseball/soccer field for the launching.

What makes this rocket shoot into the sky you ask? A simple, tried and true concoction of baking soda and vinegar, shaken, not stirred. It launched beautifully. Soared 15, maybe 20 feet into the blue yonder. What a thrill!

After a few launches, he had run out of "fuel" so back home we went. He decided to launch it in front of the house on our quiet street. In 5 minutes flat, all the neighborhood children were gathered around and squealing with delight. Not a bad way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

Pre-launch rocket...with all the fuel supplies.

Post-launch rocket. Not too bad considering how many times it hit the ground hard.

Pet Peeves...

Or as John Cleese likes to call them, pet hates. It was John Cleese who gave me the idea for this post. I follow him on Twitter and he asked the question, "What are your pet hates?” Well, as a girl who loves the opportunity to make a list, I felt this was a great list to start. I actually replied to John Cleese via Twitter with a few of my pet peeves. I know, isn't it wild that I could actually contact him in that way? So great!

I didn't think I had many pet peeves until I actually started listing them. Now, when I refer to pet peeves, I am referring to light-hearted pet peeves. I don't mean the tragic kind, like starving children, cruelty to animals, abuse of any kind, bullies. I mean kind of silly ones. So here's my list which I will very likely continue to add to as I think of additional pet peeves. They will most certainly become more obscure and random.

1. Loud talkers
2. Loud eaters
3. Rude drivers
4. The sound of tearing paper (I know I've mentioned this one before)
5. Pompous asses
6. Water spots on my kitchen faucet
7. The word "can't" and/or whiners
8. Aggressive, pushy people
9. People who interrupt you when you're talking (extension of #8)
10. The way my husband stirs the raisins into his oatmeal (I'd never tell him)
11. People who stand super close behind me in line. Grrr.
12. The beer commercials during televised sports events.
13. Reality T.V.
14. The sound of a slamming door.

A Longing...

This ring! It speaks to me. Truly. I have such a strong desire to own this ring. A longing, really. It sold a little while back, but I have hope that neile will one day make another...

Today...

...Today I'm wearing two of my favorite things. The vintage buckle is a gift from Kateri of Leaves of Glass and the ring is from Shana of cookoorikoo. Two amazing friends who happen to be exceptional artists as well. How lucky am I?

♥ Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! ♥

This Week's Poll...

This week's poll is about the sense of smell. I think the sense of smell is highly underrated. Scents can influence our moods, memories, emotions, health, appetite (sexual or otherwise :)). They trigger many responses that are physical or mental or both.

I came up with four scents out of many that I love. I think it will be interesting to see which one wins. As usual, I have no idea which one I'll choose. The only poll so far that I positively knew which answer I would pick was, of course, the James Bond poll.

I hope you all will take a moment to vote on the righthand side of this page, and leave a comment if you like. I always love hearing from you. At the end of the poll, I'll give you my answer. Thanks for visiting and happy voting!

Hot Fuss

A new direction. The Hot Fuss Ensemble is the latest addition to my shop. It came to me one day as I sat with my son watching Pink Panther cartoons. It hit me like a brick. I had a complete vision of it and shouted "Eureka!". My son, used to these outbursts from sudden visual concepts, glanced at me calmly. He then listened like a true gentleman as I described in detail my idea. What a boy!

So here it is. Three pieces meant to be worn together in a couture fashion state of disarray or separately. The lariat and scarf look perfect together when teamed with the linen blossom brooch too. There are so many different combinations that I haven't even photographed yet. I really am pleased with the overall effect of this ensemble and the cream monochromatic tones showcase the details. It's a look into things to come from Fringe...