Pretty Pretty Bang Bang

We survived quite a busy weekend and are now gearing up for Christmas in Des Moines. Last night mom and Burl came over and we had an early Christmas celebration.  It was beginning to feel like Christmas with a house full of family and a fire blazing in the fireplace. They brought Burl’s now-famous chili and Steve made cornbread so we had a delicious dinner before doing a little gift opening.Once again, mom and Burl gave us some great gifts and we had a lot of fun. My favorite gifts are always those things that I want but won’t buy for myself and books seem to fit into that category. While I love to read, I’m more prone to check out something from the library or borrow from friends before I buy a book. I received  Honor Thy Father by Gay Talese which I will be cracking open first, Thin is the New Happy, the latest Pearls Before Swine book and a cool book of album covers. I should be entertained for quite a while. The big gift I received that I’d wanted for a while but never bought myself was an air compressor. Yep, I wanted an air compressor and Burl found one specifically for air brushes. In enameling, an air brush is an important tool for prepping a piece for enamel sifting. This cute little air compressor is just the right size for my needs and is portable just in case I need to take it one the road! We also got a new firepit for our deck and some much-needed fireplace tools. Thanks mom and Burl for a great Christmas (of course, this blog post does not take the place of your handwritten note).

I’m currently sitting in the waiting room of Don Wessel Automotive waiting for my car to get an oil change. Luckily, Steve and I remembered we needed an oil change before tomorrow when we hit the road. I made it here bright and early so I could get it done and get home to finish some Christmas gifts. 

I’m always a bit nervous leaving my house during the holidays, but we have some great neighbors that will keep a watch on the house and the kitties. I hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday and I hope you get everything you want!

My mom tagged me with this so I thought I’d share. I’m not going to specifically tag anyone, but if you post, please let me know.

Lazy blogging again, folks!  Here’s how it works:

The rules of the game get posted at the beginning. Each player answers the questions about themselves. At the end of the post, the player then tags 5-6 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer.

1) What was I doing 10 years ago?

I was working as the Marketing Manager for Ozarks Public Television. My main duties were print design, art director of the Program Guide and working on the special events. Steve and I had just moved into our first house and were settling in nicely. I had no idea I had any real artistic abilities and never dreamed I’d sacrifice my manicure to work with metal! Oh, and I weighed about 30 pounds more than I do now!

2)What are 5 things on my to-do list for today (not in any particular order):

1. Actually bake cookies. I’m going to make Pecan Drops.

2. Drink coffee and read the paper – done!

3. Finish laundry I started yesterday.
4. Finish my Christmas wrapping.
5. Attend two parties tonight.

3) Snacks I enjoy:
Raw almonds, bananas with peanut butter, chips and salsa, crackers and cheese, carrots and hummus.

4) Things I would do if I were a billionaire:
Pay off my debts, completely restore the house (meaning fix the retro alarm system), buy my sister a house, put money in a trust for my nieces, give my mom and Burl a really nice trip (their choice, all expenses paid), give money to charity.

5) Places I have lived

Springfield, MO. That’s it. I tried to leave when I graduated from college, but I never quite did it.

The week started out quite glum for me as my mood seemed to match the weather. Today is sunny and warmer and I think my mood is reflecting it as well. I’ve had a pretty good day and here are the highlights so far:

• I spent 40 minutes on the phone with Valerie this morning discussing how much we dislike Christmas. It was so nice to talk freely with someone who, not only understands my feelings, but doesn’t think I’m a horrible person for having them. Thank you, Valerie!

• I had a wonderful lunch with Mary and we exchanged our Christmas gifts. We’ve known each other most of our lives so finding the right gifts for each other is usually easy. As always, she didn’t disappoint. She got me a very cool retro chafing dish, some cedar boards for grilling salmon and some kleenex with a funny quote on it. I loved them all. I got her a t-shirt (she loves t-shirts) that says “Sometimes her tea time runs right into cocktail hour and there is nothing she can do about it.” Mary howled with laughter and said she was going to wear it tonight. I also got her a set of tea towels just like the ones she’d been admiring at my house. I love it when people appreciate the gifts I give them! Then she told me a hilarious story of how Doug was passing my gym this morning and saw a woman on the treadmill. He thought to himself, “Wow, she’s cute” then realized it was me and got grossed out (because we’re like siblings).  Mary and I laughed and laughed about it. Hey, I still have it!

• On to work where I had to stop by and see which photo my boss had chosen for our next ad. I was a bit nervous because she put me in charge of the photo shoot and I was hoping she liked what I’d done with the model. Score! She chose the picture I liked best and seemed pleased. Plus, I got a nice new camisole to wear under itchy sweaters and it was actually cheap!

• My final stop was Sam’s which I had mentally prepared myself for. I was irritated they were sold out of the item I’d specifically gone there to buy, but I figured I wouldn’t waste a trip so I got some wine for Doug and Mary’s wine tasting party tomorrow night. I gave the girl my membership card and she rang up my wine and asked for my ID. No biggie, I thought, they probably card everyone. Nope, she really didn’t think I was that old! She commented that I looked very young for my age. I said, “Really? I just thought you carded everyone.” No, she actually wanted to see my ID for age purposes.

Now I’m home and doing some laundry. Traffic was getting a bit crazy and I didn’t want to deal with it any more. Tonight is dinner with Duane and Prudy so it should be a good start to the weekend. Now I need to figure out what I’m going to wear.

It’s been a weird week here and I haven’t felt much like writing so I took a little break. We’ve had five days of cloudy skies, mist, sleet, snow and rain which has done nothing to lighten my mood. However, today the sun is shining and I’m planning on being outside as much as possible to soak up some rays.

Monday night was my work party and it was fun. I liked the excuse to dress up a little (even in the bad weather) and go out. Steve drove me so I wouldn’t have to navigate the slippery parking lot in heels. Plus, I didn’t have to worry about a glass or two of wine before driving. We had chosen Secret Santa names and I wondered who’d received mine. I had my good friend Prudy so it was easy to buy for her. She got some stunning earrings from moi. Kelly D, one of my buddies, got my name and her gifts didn’t disappoint. She knows my favorite flea market is Charley’s Place so she got me a gift certificate to use there. She also bought me a handmade Kleenex box holder that I had looked at several times and almost bought. It’s so much fun to receive gifts from someone who actually know what you like! Kathi, my boss, let us choose our dinner off the menu so I enjoyed salmon and steamed broccoli along with a very nice Pinot Noir. Yum!

Wednesday and Thursday I worked at the store and we were actually pretty busy. I guess all the men finally started to realize that Christmas was right around the corner so they came in to get some shopping done. Yesterday I spent most of the afternoon helping with gift wrapping, which I actually like to do. My first job was gift wrapping for an upscale women’s clothing store so I enjoy the work. Plus, I get to see what everyone is getting for Christmas!

I just read in today’s paper that Burger King is introducing a men’s fragrance called, “Flame.” I’m not making this up. It will have notes of, wait for it, flame-broiled burgers. Wow honey, you smell like charred meat. What a turn on.

This weekend will be busy, but it will be fun. Tonight Steve and I will have dinner at Metropolitan Grill with Duane and Prudy, tomorrow night we’ll be party hopping between Sarah and Dennis’ and Doug and Mary’s and Sunday night is Christmas celebration with mom and Burl. Christmas Eve and day will be spent with my sister and her family which should be fun. I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas!

I must like pain and humiliation. I mean, why else would I subject myself to a bra fitting at the mall during the Christmas season? I think it’s because I recently caught a glimpse of myself in the dressing room while shopping in St. Louis and realized I was in need of some new foundation garments. The elastic just can’t hold these babies up forever, you know.

I decided to try our local Dillard’s because 1) they were having a sale on Wacoal (which almost never happens) and 2) because their bra manager, Valeria, came highly recommended. She was there so I decided to take some time out of my day for a fitting. She measured me and determined I was actually wearing the correct size bra, but I wasn’t getting the lift I needed because my bras had stretched out. I told her what I was looking for as far as style and fit and she left to choose some bras for me. I wasn’t quite prepared for her to actually enter the dressing room with me as I tried them on, but she was very nice and I figured it was a bit like going to the doctor’s office so I left my modesty at the door. I was commenting that I wanted to make sure I had enough support for my, ahem, ample bosom when she asked how many kids I had. Uh, no kids this bod was built by nature. The boobs sag because they’re, well, large ‘k? I then immediately had to email [Cindy](http://herethereandback.blogspot.com/) and tell her of my adventures because we’d been having an amusing email conversation earlier. Then I called my sister on the way home to laugh about it. Yep, I’m pretty soft in the middle and I have large, saggy boobs. What can I say? I work out 5x a week and this is what I’m left with. Guess I should be glad I’m not larger!

I did find an everyday Wacoal bra I liked that wasn’t too matronly and didn’t break the bank (thanks to a 25% off sale). I bought one in nude and one in black. Oh baby, I’m stylin’ now! I’ll save the lacy, racy stuff for another time. Oh, who am I kidding? I don’t wear that crap!

Whew! What a crazy week it’s been for me. WinterFest went very well and, despite the economy, I sold several expensive pieces. The show had a lot of traffic and I managed to stay busy almost the entire time. Good thing since Saturday I worked from 9:30 a.m. until almost 10:30 p.m. It was nice to see so many of my good customers and meet some new people. As usual, I was disappointed by the lack of professionalism in many of my fellow artists. They spent their time playing childish games with each other, ignoring customers or looking bored. Then they were the first to complain that sales were down and artists were leaving before the show ended (one commented on my leaving Friday night before 11 p.m.). I admit I have a different background than many of them. Having worked in retail sales and learned the importance of good customer service at an early age, the sales person in me comes out at these events. I always greet my customers, dress professionally and act friendly. At least I try to and I think it worked since I had a good weekend with sales about 15% better than last year. A big thanks to mom for helping out on Friday with the booth assembly, and for helping on Saturday afternoon when things got hairy. Another thanks to Steve for his general support, for taking vacation time on Friday morning to help and for letting me leave Sunday so he could disassemble and pack the display. 

Steve and I collapsed Sunday night at home with some good pizza and great beer. But our relaxation was short-lived. We arose at 4:45 a.m. on Monday to hit the road to St. Louis for a workshop (Steve) and shopping (me). My plans were to hit the malls (Galleria and West County), Trader Joe’s and World Market on Monday and TFA (my fave antique store) on Tuesday. Traffic in St. Louis, with the closing of highway 64, is a nightmare even if you take back roads, so I stayed in St. Charles on Tuesday to be near Steve’s workshop and never got to TFA. I did find some cool stuff during my shopping trips on Monday. I had to go to Plaza Frontenac to return some shoes at the Cole Haan store so I ventured into Saks Fifth Avenue to check out the [Giorgio Armani](http://www.giorgioarmanibeauty-usa.com/_us/_en/home/index.aspx) cosmetics. I’ve been reading about these foundations for years and how wonderful they are so I decided to see for myself. I believe that all great looks come from great foundations (face, body, house, etc.) so I’m not afraid to invest a little in good cosmetics. I was not disappointed. I received great service from a very nice saleswoman who wasn’t pushy or annoying. I told her I just wanted to look at the foundation and I wanted a sheer formula for my combination/dry skin. I ended up with the [Face Fabric foundation](http://www.giorgioarmanibeauty-usa.com/_us/_en/catalog/cosmetics_face-fabric.htm) which is a lovely, sheer formula that feels like silk on my skin. I have been very pleased with it. She also let me play with some other products, gave me several bottles of water and some samples. Sure, it was a $45 investment, but foundation normally lasts me a year so I think it was worth the cost.

I also got my Trader Joe’s fix on Monday night, but it was a quick trip. Due to the traffic, Steve and I stopped in on our way to dinner so I wouldn’t have to return the next day. I got my almonds, some crackers for our party and some dark chocolate for Carrie’s truffles. We then went over to World Market to restock our wine cabinet. Tuesday I stayed close to the hotel and was glad I’d run all my errands on Monday since the weather was turning bad and Steve got out of his workshop early. I did my usual TJ Maxx/Marshall’s run then ended up at the Mid-Rivers Mall to wait for Steve. I scored a few new things on sale at the Gap (including a great winter coat for Steve for only $42) and a sparkly top from Ann Taylor Loft for only $24. We hit the road around 3 p.m. hoping to avoid bad weather on the way home. We did ok until just outside of Ft. Leonard Wood when it started sleeting. We tacked about an hour onto our drive, but didn’t have too many problems getting home.

I worked yesterday and have to go in today, but am looking forward to having tomorrow off. Of course, I have a lot of work to do around here and several special orders for Christmas, but I’m planning to take some fun time to wrap gifts and just enjoy my house.

Ok, I’ve had several requests for pictures and I finally got some taken so here they are! Hope you like them. I think Steve and I comment almost daily on how much we love our house.

I’ll start with my beloved double front doors. I still need to paint them red and take off the icky brass kickplates, but that will have to wait until spring.

Next up is the coffee nook area which is a favorite spot. Steve and I have coffee there on the weekends, chat when he gets home at night and hang out while one of us is in the kitchen.

Here’s the kitchen which opens to the dining room and the coffee nook. It’s very user-friendly!

The dining room is large enough for me to have my table out with both leaves. We had 13 at the table for Thanksgiving and still had room to move around. Quite a change from the old house.

Next up is the living room which is fabulous, if I do say so myself. It also has the built-in bar area. This is a view with our aluminum tree.

Here’s the fireplace and the ’80s-style tile. Now that I’ve painted the top part of it I can live with the tile until we have the time and money to change it. Normally we have a metal sculpture above the doors, but I put up a wreath for the holidays.

Here’s the bar with the built-in sink, refrigerator (with ice maker), shelves and lighting. The owner who built this in the early ’80s left the stereo and it’s stayed with the house.

Upstairs is our bedroom, complete with two lazy cats.

Here’s the guest room where Ralph and Blair stayed last weekend. I didn’t get the picture of the loft, but it’s in this room.

Finally, here’s what we’re calling the game room. It overlooks our bedroom.

I didn’t take pictures of the office, the laundry room or my studio since they weren’t very exciting but I think you get the idea of the house. It’s all very open. We love it!

We awoke this morning to a light snowfall, grey skies and very chilly temperatures. It really got me in the mood to decorate the house for Christmas. Yesterday, we attempted to decorate, but I had a small meltdown and had to retreat to the studio to get some work done. Steve got the big aluminum tree up and decorated and I got some much-needed work done. Today was a bit calmer and we both decided not to go all out on decorating. For starters, we don’t quite know where to put everything and, second, we just got the house put together the way we like it so we don’t want to mess up all the “daily” decor.

About an hour into our decorating project I decided we needed a large wreath over the fireplace. We had already discussed a large wreath on the front of the house, but I also wanted one inside. I was afraid of the cost, but a trip to Michael’s calmed my fears. A 5′ wreath was on sale for $40 and a 3′ one was only $10. Unfortunately, they were out of the 4′ wreaths, but the 3′ one looks good over the fireplace. I decorated them simply with some metallic berry garland and a large silver bow. While I would have loved a lit wreath over the fireplace, there wasn’t a convenient place to plug it in so we just adjusted the spotlight to light it.

I think I’m going to call it a day on decorating. Our house looks festive without looking fussy and I think that’s the perfect place to stop. Tonight we’re making Burl’s chili and he and mom are coming over to enjoy it with us. It’s the perfect end to a chilly, November day. Tomorrow is December 1! only 25 shopping days until Christmas.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! This year, we actually have room to host the event and Steve and I are busy getting everything ready. Ok, I’m blogging and Steve’s prepping the turkeys, but we’re still working.

It’s so exciting for me to see the table set for 13 people and know we have plenty of room for everyone. Our old house was so small! We bought two fresh turkeys and Steve’s been prepping them to go on the smoker. One is flavored with our favorite spice combo [Northwoods](http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/p-penzeysnorthwoods.html) and stuffed with pears. The second is rubbed with [Old World](http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/p-penzeysoldworld.html) and stuffed with apples. Steve also put some applewood chips on the smoker for additional flavor. Steve’s also making butternut squash risotto to go with the meal. He’s excited to cook in the new kitchen and I’m excited I can concentrate on the important things like setting the table and making sure we have enough wine.

Ralph, Blair and the girls arrived last night so we went out to mom’s for a bit. I walked in the door and was greeted by two little bundles of energy yelling, “Aunt Tammy, Aunt Tammy, Aunt Tammy!” It was delightful. Lydia has really grown up and is expressing her opinion often. She’s quite a handful and there’s no arguing with her once she makes up her mind. Julia gets more and more mature every time I see her. It’s so fun to be around her and interact with her. Of course, it’s always good to see Ralph and Blair. Ralph recently got Lasik surgery and is enjoying life without glasses. Yes, I’m a bit envious of it, but I don’t know if I could actually go through with it even if I had the money. She said they do give you Valium, but not enough!

It’s the calm before the family storm here so I think I’ll finish my coffee, read all the Thanksgiving ads and enjoy some quite time before everyone arrives. I’m thankful for my family, my life, my health, my husband and my friends. I hope you all have a wonderful day. Be sure to eat too much, watch too much tv and nap if you need to!

It was a busy weekend here and I just now feel like I’m recovering. I had to work Friday and Saturday at the store so I wasn’t home much during the day and we had our evenings booked as well. Friday night Sarah and Dennis had us over for drinks and dinner and we had a wonderful evening just relaxing with them. Sarah is a great cook and concocted a dinner of finger foods that was delicious and fun to eat. We sat at the kitchen bar listening to great music, eating, drinking and talking. A nice end to a busy week.

Saturday night Steve finally got to showcase his culinary skills in the new kitchen. It was the day after Mary’s birthday and we treated her and her family to a nice dinner here. Steve wowed us with butternut squash risotto, potato leek soup, chicken with proscuitto and white cake with homemade frosting. Doug and Mary brought some nice red wine and we had a great evening. Sam and Maddie, their kids, were adorable and I felt like we were celebrating with family. I knew this would be a tough birthday for Mary, since her mom died earlier this year, so I was glad we could go the extra mile for a great meal. Thanks, Steve, for all your hard work and for cleaning the stove after cooking!

I’m feeling the crunch to get stuff made for WinterFest which will be here in just a couple of weeks. It’s funny how, when I’m really stressed about deadlines, I tend to become flighty and unfocused. The studio is up and working so I really have no excuse. With that said, I guess I’d better stop writing and get to work. Hope your day is productive!