The Pink Chick Gets Creative: Take Two

In a prior post I showed you some of the jewelry that I have been making. Well, my hobby has quickly spun out of control. I have had a couple of little shops want to meet with me about carrying some of my jewelry. My mom and sister have started carrying a few of my pieces in their shop. A few friends and I have signed up to have a booth at two local fall festivals, and I have decide to launch my own Internet store. I don't think my Internet store will do much, but I thought I would give it a try. It isn't up and running yet, but I will let you know when it is.

Now my only issue is learning how to photograph my jewelry. I can take pictures of my jewelry, but it never looks as pretty as it does in person. Jewelry is insanely hard to photograph with a point and shoot camera. I have a friend and coworker that is a professional photographer, so she gave me some great tips today. I can't wait to try them out!

I have a few pictures that turned out okay, so I thought I would share my latest creations with you. My favorite creations are actually my earrings, but I haven't gotten around to photographing those. I did take a picture of the ones that I made that I am wearing today. You will notice that many of my necklaces are red and black. That is because I am getting ready for The University of Georgia Football Season. The red in the necklaces look a little orangey in the picture, but I promise they are red.

The Horrible, The Terrible....BAGZILLA!!!!

I am a huge What Not To Wear Fan! Stacey and Clinton if by some magical chance you are reading this, I will willing give you every article of clothing, purse, and shoe I own for a wardrobe make-over! I promise I will be fun too! I won't cry or whine, and I will let Nick do whatever he wants to my hair! With that being said-on with my story.

While watching What Not to Wear I have learned many things including that carrying a large purse will make you look smaller. With large purses being in style and the hopes of looking smaller, I rush out and purchase the largest and cutest purse I could find! Okay, so I have a tendency to over do things (which is probably one of the reasons I am in Weight Watchers) and I really purchased two purses.

Below chronicles my journey from cute new purse to BAGZILLA!

Week One with my new purse: I love my new purse! It is so wonderful! I love how big and roomy it is! I can fit so many things in here! It is so cute! I love getting compliments on my new purse. What a great purchase!

Week Two with my new purse: I like my new purse. It is a little cluttered, but it is so nice to be able to fit so many things in here. It is a little big, but I have only knocked a few things off shelves with it. I can't believe I am still getting compliments on my purse. People love my purse, and its magical powers make me look smaller.

Week Three with my new purse: Where is my money? Where is my credit card? I can't find my keys! How did that get in here? This purse weighs 30 pounds! Oh excuse me ma'am, I didn't mean to knock you over with my incredibly huge purse! I hate my new purse! I wonder how much I can get for it on ebay?

I hope that you don't have any Bagzillas in your life, but if you do I hope they are cute ones!

Side note: I found this drawing on a blog, but I forgot to write down the blog name so I could give credit to the artist. I thought the drawing was too funny for words. If you run across it in another blog let me know, so I can give the credit where credit is due!

Swimming Lessons

On our recent vacation to Hilton Head, we took our youngest and smallest dog. Her name is Scout, and she is two years old. She is quite the tom boy, but she is also very high maintenance. In fact, she is too high maintenance for the dog sitter, so that is why she vacationed with us. She was so well behaved on vacation. I was such a proud dog mom!

The first night at Hilton Head we took her to the beach. She loved it. She ran through the water and then through the sand. She was a mess! A really cute mess! I don't have any pictures! Sorry!

The next day we decided to take her swimming in the pool. I took her in the pool with me, and she swam a little bit. However, she was not happy!

We didn't make her go in the pool again, but as Michael and I swam and splashed around she decided to jump in herself. She jumped in a total of three times.

After a long day of new adventures, Scout took a long and peaceful nap! She is just so cute when she sleeps! Those big furry paws and that smooshy little face!

And just do you don't think that I love one of my furry children more than the others, let me introduce you to Porter and Boone.

The above picture is Porter. Porter is our chocolate lab. He is seven years old. He is Mr. Personality Plus. He is obsessed with fetching a ball (almost as bad as the dog in the movie Spanglish). Porter thinks he is my protector, so when Michael isn't at home he thinks he is the man of the house and proceeds to bark and growl at every little noise!

The black dog in the picture above is Boone. He is three years old. Believe it or not, Boone's mother is a golden retriever. We aren't sure about his father. We think it might have been a Great Dane or Grey Hound. Boone is huge, but he thinks he is a lap dog (as you can see in the picture). Boone is a sweetheart! He is so easy going and loving! When he gets excited he prances around like a pony. It is quite hilarious! Boone is my walking buddy. We love to go for long walks together in the afternoon.

Monday Edition: My Favorite Things

Happy Monday Everyone! I finally had a weekend at home, so I took full advantage of it. I made jewelry, spent time with my husband, went out with friends, and cleaned house. I wish I could say that I have an immaculate show place of a home, but I can't. In fact, I don't understand how people keep their house clean all the time. That is so amazing to me! I really wish I was one of those people. The cold, hard truth is that I am not, and sometimes (okay most times) my house is just plain messy. Not dirty or disgusting-just messy.

My biggest enemy in my quest for a clean house is my shower. My shower is so hard to get clean. I have tried everything from soft scrub to straight bleach, but it seems that the hard water stains and soap scum are permanent residents in my shower. It would totally be okay if they paid rent, but since they don't I am forever looking for a way to get rid of them.

On a recent trip to Wal-Mart, I found a new (new to me) cleaning product. It was with the sponges, scrub brushes, and cleaners. It is called Pure Clean Bathroom Cleaning Block by Earth Stone. It almost looks like a pumus stone, but it has a sponge on one side. It looked very earthy and all natural, so I decided to give it a try. It works like magic! It is wonderful! If I could sing, I would sing its praises! I wouldn't use it on surfaces that scratch easily, but it was perfect for my pesky shower floor! You should definitely give it a try! Sorry I don't have a picture! Just look for the pumus stone look-alike in the cleaning aisle!

Sometimes People Just Suck!

Well, I'm back! You probably didn't even realize I was gone, but I was! I was on vacation again. This time I was in Hilton Head. Hilton Head is nice, but not my idea of the perfect vacation spot. I prefer a less populated beach. The fewer people that see me in my bathing suit-the better! However, we don't go to Hilton Head for vacation. We go to spend time with my husband's grandparents (and aunts, uncles, and cousins). They live in West Virginia, but they vacation in Hilton Head every year. It is so nice being able to spend time with them, especially since we only see them once a year. Michael and I are hoping to get up to West Virginia for a visit this year though. I have never been to W.V., but I hear it is beautiful!

With me just returning from a wonderful trip from Hilton Head, I am sure you are puzzled by the title of my post. Well while we were gone from Hilton Head someone stole the rocking chairs off my front porch. The rocking chairs were special to me because they were an anniversary gift (first wedding anniversary) from my wonderful husband. They were even the nice Cracker Barrel rocking chairs. My poor front porch looks so lonely now. To add insult to injury, they even ran over and broke our newly planted hedges. Shame on them!

I am so thankful that they didn't break into our house, but I am still mad about the rocking chairs. We are assuming that it was college kids since they happened to be moving back into town last week. I am still scouring the neighborhoods in our area for our rocking chairs. God help the person who has my rocking chairs if I happen to find them. I don't get mad often, but I am nothing but piss and vinegar when I do get mad! For those of you who didn't understand that last sentence, I am not so fun to deal with when I do get mad. I am not a fighter, but I am a yeller and a police caller!

I don't think we will ever find our chairs. My only hope is that my rocking chairs came with a curse. To the rocking chair thieves-may your butt grow so large that you are never able to sit in the rocking chairs!

On a happier note, I am in the planning stages of creating a web-site to sell my jewelry! I will let you know when I get everything up and running! I am really excited! I feel like God has really opened some doors for my jewelry making to become a small business for me. I also will post a few vacation photos soon. I didn't take many, but I do have a few cute ones of Scout, my cocker spaniel. We took her to the beach with us because she is a little too high maintenance to stay with the dog sitter. She had a great time, and she even swam in the pool a little. It was hilarious! I will tell you all about it later! I have to run for now. Have a wonderful weekend!

Monday Edition:My Favorite Things

Lately my job has required me to go on a few excursions through rural Georgia! I have totally enjoyed it! On one of my excursions I had to stop and get gas, this simple stop was my inspiration for today's favorite thing.

Today's favorite thing is Coke in a glass bottle. I love Coke, but Coke in a glass bottle is ten times better than Coke in a plastic bottle or in a can. There are a few gas stations around here that have Coke in a glass bottle all the time. This one particular store I happened to stop at had dozens of glass bottles of Coke iced down in a big metal tub! My idea of heaven! You can occasionally find this wonderful product in the grocery store. Make sure they are nice and cold before you drink them though. The country store part of Cracker Barrel also has Coke in a glass bottle.

If you are feeling particularly Southern the day you get your glass bottle Coke then you should definitely buy some salted peanuts. Throw a handful of the peanuts into the Coke and enjoy. Drink carefully though! You don't want to accidentally choke on a peanut. That would be a bit embarassing, not to mention life threatning! I realize that peanuts in your Coke sounds absolutely disgusting, but it is so good. I'm not sure why the combination is so yummy, but I don't question-I just enjoy! I hope you will enjoy too!

Maybe if I am not off my Southern kick by next week, I will share with you how to make the perfect green fried tomato. Let's hope I'm off my all things Southern kick soon. If not, I fear I may have to rename my blog! I just can't help it, I enjoy my Southern roots!

Two Years and Counting!!!!

Two years ago today I married my very best friend! That's right folks-I not only conned some poor sap into marrying me, but I have also convinced him to put up with me for two whole years! :) I hope he will keep me around a lot longer! I am sort of attached to him!

All kidding aside! I feel so lucky and grateful that God blessed me with such a wonderful husband, companion, partner, and friend. To celebrate, I thought I would share some pictures with you!The picture above was taken right after the ceremony. We were so happy that we grinned like goons in most of the photos. Needless to say, the majority of our photos are goon photos and not fit to be shown to the rest of the world.

For our honeymoon we went to St. Lucia and stayed at the Jalousie Plantation near the town of Soufriere. Jalousie Plantation is a more laid back all inclusive resort. It was so perfect. Below are a few photos from the honeymoon.

The above picture is Michael and I at Cafe Bang! We had a wonderful meal with a great show! The show consisted of fire eaters, dancers, and such. Very entertaining! The restaurant also has an incredible view! Side note: If you do go to St. Lucia, you have to visit Ladera. It is a resort near the top of the Pitons. The view from there is breathe taking! Ladera also has a great restaurant. The sugar cane steak is to die for!

The picture above is of the town of Soufriere! The scenery is just so beautiful in St. Lucia!

The picture above is a picture of the beach at the our resort. It isn't a very good picture because it doesn't accurately capture the beauty of the beach and surroundings. You can see one of the Pitons in the right side of the picture.

This weekend we went on a rafting trip to celebrate our anniversary. Tonight we will go for something a little more romantic, and we will celebrate our marriage at a quaint little restaurant. Here's to two years of happy marriage and hopefully many, many more!

Monday Edition on a Tuesday: My Favorite Things

Yesterday I promised that I would share my favorite lip gloss with you, so being a woman of my word here it is! Thanks to a free gift from Clinique back in December I stumbled upon a new favorite lipstick and lip gloss. They are Clinique's almost lipstick in black honey and Full Potential Lips Plump and Shine (a long name for lip gloss) in Blackberry Bloom. They look terrific worn separately or layered! Don't let the name fool you! They aren't dark. In fact, I find them to be a wonderful, more natural type color. Visit your Clinique counter and see if they look good on you! If they don't, you should still treat yourself to a lip gloss! There is nothing wrong with making your lips look extra kissable!!!

Monday Edition: My Favorite Things

I always have so many ideas for my Monday Edition, but by the time Monday rolls around I have forgotten them all! Last week, I decide to tell you all about my new lip gloss. I am totally in love with it, and I am convinced that it would look great on any skin tone! However, as I was making my lunch on Sunday I realized there was just something else I had to share with you!

Sunday was a lazy day for us. We went whitewater rafting this weekend, so we were exhausted on Sunday morning. We were bad, and we skipped church. In fact, we spent most of the day in our PJs. It was glorious! Being a low key kind of day, I decide to just make myself a sandwich for lunch. I decide on a tomato sandwich, and as I was making it I thought to myself that things don't get much better than a tomato sandwich on a summer afternoon! That is when I decided to share the recipe for the perfect tomato sandwich with you!

Now I am serious about my love for tomato sandwiches. I guess it is kind of like Elvis with his peanut butter and banana sandwiches. Elvis and I have that fat kid bond! Any way, the first step to a perfect tomato sandwich is home grown tomatoes. If you don't grow them yourself, buy them at a road side stand or from the local Farmer's Market. The grocery store tomatoes lack taste, but I guess they will do if that is all you can get! I used the tomatoes my dad brought me. He grows hundreds of tomato plants every year, and they are indeed the best! The next thing you need is real mayonnaise. Save the low fat stuff for another day. You also need fresh white bread (no, not wheat) along with some salt and pepper!

Assembling your sandwich can be a little messy, but it isn't difficult. You will need to peel and slice your tomato. Trust me! It is so much better peeled. Put mayo on both pieces of white bread. Don't skimp on the mayo. We are rolling fat kid style today! Next, layer your tomato slices onto the bread. Add salt and pepper. I always sprinkle my salt and pepper on the tomatoes instead of the bread slices. Put your sandwich together and enjoy! Of course, your going to need a lot of napkins! The true sign of a really good tomato sandwich is a few little juicy stains down the front of your shirt! I know it may not sound like the most appetizing thing, but don't knock it until you try it!

This recipe has been brought to you by the fat kid gourmet! Enjoy!

P.S.-If you are interested in the lip gloss I mentioned at the beginning of the post just check back tomorrow! I will introduce you to the perfect lip gloss then!

A Rat In My Hand is Better Than a Dead One in the Basement!

Something that you probably didn't know about me is that I used to be a middle school teacher. I taught agriculture to 6th, 7th, and 8th graders. I also had a few class pets. From bunnies to guinea pigs to hamsters all the pets were loved, but none were loved as much as Roosevelt the Rat! Yes, I had a pet rat! I purchased him at a pet store, and he became an instant hit in my classroom. The kids loved him, and he loved the kids. He begged to get out of his cage every time he heard the kids enter the classroom. The kids would immediately scoop him up and he would ride around on their shoulder. Roosevelt was the unofficial mascot of our school, and he lived a very good life for a rat! Unfortunately, Roosevelt developed cancer and had to be put to sleep at the ripe old age of 3.

Another thing you probably didn't know about me is that I don't like dead things. I admit this dislike is a little extreme, but I just can't help it. I even have a hard time handling the viewing when a loved one dies.

Okay enough background-on with the story! One night my husband wasn't feeling well, so he went to bed. I offered to lock up and feed the dogs. Our dogs, when they aren't hanging out with us, have a room in the basement with a dog door to the backyard. It is a really great set up for my spoiled pooches. On this particular night, I made my way downstairs and opened the basement door. As I opened the basement door, I saw the gift that my little ones had left for me. Perfectly laid out on its side was a dead rat-a huge dead rat! Now, you have to understand it is not the rat part that bothers me-it is the dead part. I start screaming! The only words I can get out of my mouth are "RAT" "RAT". I close the door to the basement and start running up the stairs. My little cocker spaniel is running behind me. I am still screaming "RAT" as I enter our bedroom. Michael wakes up to screaming and then hears little footsteps behind me (my cocker spaniel, Scout). He thinks the little footsteps are the rat chasing me, so he starts inching toward the head board pulling the covers up to his chin. (Just so you know- While writing this I am currently laughing hysterically thinking about the look on his face.) I finally calm down enough to tell him that there is a dead rat in the basement, and of course he has already figured out that the little footsteps were Scout. This is how the rest of the story plays out.

Me: Michael! There is a dead rat in the basement.

Michael: Get it out.

Me: I'm not touching it! I'm not going near it!

Michael: Neither am I.

Me: I will call 911 if you do not get that dead rat out of my basement. I am serious! (I pick up my phone).

Michael: You can't call 911 for a rat.

Me: Watch me!

Michael: Okay! I will go get the rat!

Me: Don't touch it! There are old people grabbers (the little grabber things that old people use when they can't bend over, it was a gag gift) in the garage. Use those and then you can fling it into the woods.

(At this point Michael gets a Dennis the Menace look on his face. I knew he was up to something.)

Me: If I see that rat again, I will divorce you. I'm not kidding. I will divorce you!

Michael: I thought about putting it on the hood of your car. It would be a nice surprise for you in the morning!

Me: That is so grounds for divorce. You better not! I will most definitely divorce you.

Michael laughs and gets up to go fling the dead rat into the woods. I never saw the rat again, so we are still happily married!

P.S.-Don't worry! My house is not infested with large rodents. That one must have come from the woods around our house because we haven't seen one or heard one since. Oh, and the picture above is one of my sweet little Roosevelt!

Monday Edition: My Favorite Things

I must admit that I have the Monday Blues. If I had any talent at all, I would make up a clever little song about The Monday Blues and sing it. Fortunately for you, I have no talent and will by-pass the singing and song writing. If I did write a song though I think I would title it, "Monday Sucks, I Want to go Back to Bed or go Shopping". The title is a little long, but I am sure it would be a #1 hit. :)

With a case of the Monday Blues, it was a little hard to think of a favorite thing to share with you. I decided to share with you something I always look forward to on Mondays. On Mondays, my husband and I have a date after work. We always go to a little wine and coffee bar in Five Points in Athens. This quaint little place is called Aromas (www.aromaswinebar.com). I always try a new red wine, and Michael always orders a new strange beer. We also order a cheese plate, so we can try new and exotic cheeses. My favorite cheese so far-a horseradish cheddar. My favorite wine is a Pinot Noir called Faiveley. We always enjoy the drinks, the cheeses, the atmosphere, and of course each other! You should visit Aromas if you are in the Athens area. You can tell them the Pink Chick sent you. They won't know what your talking about, but you can giggle at the stupid look on their face when they try to figure out what you are talking about. :)

Not in the Athens area, I don't want to exclude you, so I will include something else that I love. I love audio books. I adore listening to a good book on CD as I cruise down the road. Audio books are especially wonderful for long trips. You can pick up a good audio book at any chain bookstore. Books-a-Million has a ton of audio books. Borders and Barnes & Noble also have a decent selection. My addiction to audio books got a little costly, so I joined an audio book club. It is like NetFlix for audio books. The audio book club I use is www.simplyaudiobooks.com. They have a pretty good selection of books, but they are a little slow on the shipping. My favorite audio book-The Harry Potter Series. If you are a Harry Potter fan listening to the audio version is wonderful. The narrator, Jim Dale, is absolutely amazing. In fact, he is so good that I would rather listen to the book than actually read it. So next time you have a long trip ahead of you or if you dread that morning/afternoon commute, try an audio book. It is a lot safer than those idiots that read while they are driving!

I predict that next Monday I will be over my Monday Blues, and I will be back to sharing a wonderful lip gloss or another must have item with you! Until then, enjoy!

Show and Tell

In elementary school I can remember that Fridays were often "show and tell" days. Kids would bring in all kinds of junk to share-a shell from the beach, a favorite teddy bear, maybe even some foreign money. Boring!!!! What did I do for show and tell? Well, if you know me you know that a seashell just wasn't good enough. I have always been a little over the top, so at the ripe old age of 7 I found that only a puppet show would do. At age 8, I had graduated to a song and dance number!

Today, I thought I would bring back show and tell because I found a really fun web-site. It is a web-site that has all these different situations or backgrounds that you can put a photo in. The web-site is http://www.photofunia.com/.

This was my creation.

I wanted to find a creative way to share this new web-site with my coworker Heather, so I sent her an e-mail with the subject "Proof that people love me and want me to be their leader". When she opened the e-mail the picture above popped up and of course an introduction to the new web-site I found. She loved my e-mail and like the web-site even more! Try it out! Have some fun! It's Friday!!!!