Rewriting Your Life Story

Are you one of those people who feel cheated in life? Can you pinpoint exactly when your rotten attitude started? Maybe you had an unhappy childhood or an unfortunate incident that colored your outlook. Well friends and neighbors, here's how you can change all that.

Rewrite the whole dang story! That's right. I'm about to show you how to change that miserable childhood to a happy one. If I could charge for this, I could retire in Tahiti tomorrow!

Take a photo that depicts that "troubled" time in your life. My sample above is with that pesky brother of mine. This particular picture was taken when I was four and he was seven. It was probably the last time he was ever nice to me. And I'm sure as soon as my Dad laid the camera down he took a sharp turn and sent me flying. But...this picture looks pretty sweet, huh? Enough about him, let's get back to me.

The first thing you need to do is find an old book you no longer want to read and a can of spray paint. I chose white paint and sprayed the book all over and even the pages (you want the pages to stick together....heaven forbid someone wants to open the book to read the sad, sordid story).

Then you make up a title for you new book...something wonderful and flattering. Print it onto plain ole printer paper and then cut it to fit the front of your book and, using Mod Podge, apply it as the cover of the painted book. Allow it to dry and you have just reinvented your life story!

I took it a step further and added some berries and a bird, sat it on a pedestal, covered it with a cloche, and made it a centerpiece for the kitchen table during my birthday month.

You could also apply this fun idea to a birthday gift for a friend or a coffee table book for your dog...rewriting their puppy days, embellishing them...whatever the case may be. Just go with it and you'll think of your own ideas!

Now, I feel compelled to add a footnote here. My mother never played favorites and there were evenutally two more kids born into our family who lightened my load a little because my older brother had others to pick on. My childhood was actually idyllic as not only did I have two loving parents in the house with us, I had two doting grandparents just next door. If you've read earlier posts, you know that already and know they were a huge part of my life. So I actually have no complaints about my life story which really makes me feel bad for people who do. So I'm here to help any way I can, and this just might make you feel a little better. And if it's a brother that gave you trouble, I feel your pain...

Amongst My Favorites

Now that January is here and all the Christms stuff is gone, my house looks a little bare. This is when I like to pull out my favorite things. Here is a plate holder that my friend Dr. Dan made for me several years ago. It's an engineering masterpiece made of thin dowels.

I have the perfect place on my cooktop peninsula (not an island because it's connected to the wall) to keep this. It stores 8 large plates and 8 small plates. I love just reaching for a small plate when I'm making a snack or sandwich and not having to open the cabinet door. Is that the ultimate in laziness?

And it adds a dash of color that I can change out on a whim if I find some different small plates to store on the top row.

Don't you just love this? It's truly one of my favorite things. Thanks Dr. Dan!

I Did It Again!

Last year I didn't post the entire month of December, and by golly, it happened again this year. I won't bore you with whining and tell you I had way too much work to do before I could put my Christmas together or tell you I was flat of my back in bed with a high fever...it just happened. I got caught up with so much stuff that some things went undone. I actually fantasized about things I could post about, but it never happened. But, then again, you were probably too busy with your stuff to even check to see if I had posted, so all is well.

Here are a few pictures of Christmas at my house. A litle late, but nevertheless, a new post, right?

I have always wanted to do a tree with no Christmas color and this year I did it. It all started with my friend Cathie finding mercury glass ornaments half off at Mary Kate's in Dallas at their after Christmas sale. She bought me a dozen of them and then all through the season I added to them. When I started to put it all together I was amazed at the amount of decoration I have sans red and green. It amounted to a whole house full.

Christmas was pretty serene at our house, no red/green screaming at me and overstimulating me and adding to the frenzy I find myself in every year. It was pretty peaceful and my favorite part was turning off all the lights but the twinkles on the tree and enjoying the peace and quiet everynight from the couch as I turned off the day and relaxed before going to bed. Ahhh...

Reindeer Sighting

Flying reindeer are my favorite Christmas doodles. I learned these from my favorite calligrapher in the whole world, Betty Locke from Canada. After admiring her water color and calligraphy for years, I was fortunate enough to take classes from her on two separate occasions. I'd take another in a heartbeat if I could just get her down to Texas.

In the summer of '09 St. Wayne and I went up to Victoria Island where she and her husband Duncan live and actually had lunch with them. But, unlucky for me, no time for a class. I adore everthing Betty does and she has such a fun, whimsical style. You might google her and see for yourself. She's fabulous.

But back to Rudolph...it's one thing I learned from her that anyone can do. These little reindeer have graced many a Christmas envelope for me over the years and, if you start right now, they can for you, too. It takes a little practice and the right tools, but you can do it!

I use a 1/2" flat watercolor brush, or you can actually draw the rectangle and the triangle. But the flat brush is just one horizontal stroke and a pivot for the head. Then draw on the tail, antlers and the flying legs. The finishing touch is a red nose. Get your supplies out and have a fun afternoon getting familiar with Rudolph!

One More Tag Printing Technique

Okay, I'd like to promise this is the last time I post about little tags, but I can't. You know I love them and I keep discovering ways to use them. But this post is a "tease" because it's such a good idea, it will be part of the show at "Move Over, Martha!" a week from Saturday.

You may recall seeing an earlier post about printing on tags, but this technique allows you to be even more versatile with your tiny things.

That's right friends, learning this method of printing on little tiny things with your ink jet printer is just one of the many things you'll learn on November 6. I'll show you several new and fresh ideas to make your holiday easier and more fun. But that's not all...I'll show you how to make a darling, personalized gift for a friend for less than $5...that alone is worth the price of admission! Which, by the way is $65 and what tickets we have left are available at Four Chicks in the Park in Lamar Park and Stitch It! on Alameda.

Don't be left out, get your tickets now...come out and support Habitat for Humanity. See you November 6th!

An Abbreviated Family Reunion

St. Wayne and I put 1,050 miles on ole Pearl this past weekend going to see these people. We had so much fun. They're alot more fun and entertaining than they look.

Let me introduce you to my Aunt Faye and Uncle Troy. They've been married 52 years and are as much in love as ever. They take care of each other, laugh at each other's jokes, mow yards together (they each have their own riding mower), and find ways to stay out of their recliners.

They have a daughter Sandy who's married to another Troy who didn't make it to the reunion. I've never met him...it's a little suspicious. They all say he's really nice, though. She drove about five hours from Orangefield, Texas. Her daughter Alicia, a very good citizen of the world, was far, far away at college, but was able to skipe in for a hello. Sandy has a huge heart, she works in the church office and drives the school bus...and she's a great cook.

Her son is Jason. He's tall and fishes, hunts, and crochets...hats and things. He eats the whole time he's at his Granny's. I told him it's okay, that's what you're supposed to do.

Then there's Sandy's brother, Troy. Yep, another one. To avoid confusion, we've always called him "Bubba"...Cousin Bubba. He's funny and full of energy and works at about 14 different jobs then comes to the lake to help his dad build docks and things on the weekends.

His wife is Sherry. Sort of quiet but fits right in with this crazy crowd. She works for an ambulance chaser in the big city. And I think she keeps Bubba in line.

Their oldest child is Andrea. She makes me laugh. She has a quirky sense of humor and what's not to love about that? She's going to college. She's in the process of deciding what she wants to be. (In the meantime, she's entertaining.)

Then there's Travis. He's his dad's right-hand man. He goes to college and keeps up with his dad on the job. He's the kind that can fix anything...and I think they said he's planning to be a dentist, so that's good. Uncle Troy said he was 50 years too late for him.

And then there's Cody. With twinkly green eyes. He likes to eat, too. Sorta like Jason. He fishes and puts out trot lines.

We spent the entire day with them at Lake Fork last Saturday and laughed and ate and told stories. It did my soul good. It was wonderful to reconnect with them and get to know their kids. It makes me feel like I have family again. It's been twelve years since we've seen each other and I'm betting it won't be another twelve.

Oh, the screwey drawing is because we forgot to take pictures. I was just sick when I realized we'd missed out on a Kodak moment, so I took the liberty of drawing them as I remember them. They're a pretty cute group, huh? And they all have long legs (for real).

Thanks, guys, for a great time! Your Cousin Judi and Cousin Wayne love you!

It's That Time Again...

It's hard to believe that it's been a year since we presented "Move Over, Martha!" benefiting Habitat for Humanity. But it has--it's now time for our 3rd annual fundraiser!

Tickets are on sale now for this fun, entertaining little seminar/luncheon about entertaining at home for the holidays. On Saturday, November 6, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 100 ladies will gather at First United Methodist Church on the bayfront and get geared up for the upcoming holidays. You don't want to miss it!

Buy your tickets today at either Four Chicks in the Park or Stitch It! and see ideas for holiday entertaining presented by Kathy Dewbre, Gary Homan, Carmen Dy, and me. And keep in mind, all but $5 goes directly to our local Habitat for Humanity.