Happy Valentine's Day!
Never mind flowers (I'm allergic and our cats eat them anyway)! I'm not in need of any jewelry either. So what did my thought hubby do for me today? He made me one of my favorite meals, while he has a cold (which I gave him earlier in the week). And, the meal necessitated barbecuing steak. Not a fun task for a vegetarian. If that isn't love, I don't know what is! The menu also included all my favorite carbs: baked potatoes, corn on the cob, and rolls. Yummy! And yes, he earned bonus points for finding a slab of meat shaped like heart!

Enough Already!
A few days of snow is fun, but after more than a week of snow and ice and freezing rain, I'm over it!!! It's made me miss work, multiple pet-sitting jobs, my last craft show of the year, and other important engagements which I can't discuss yet. Luckily, I've only had to drive in it one day- and that was enough. I have to thank myself for paying extra for traction control on my Saturn! Of course, the fur-kids are thrilled: 1) I've been home for days on end, spending lots of quality time with them, and 2) the dogs love the snow! Rudy and Azlan are like little kids romping in it. Even (mostly blind and disc-diseased) Sandy has been adventurous and been tromping around the slippery snowy mountains in the back yard. Thank goodness Grandma knitted him lots of warm sweaters last year!

Go to the KPTV slide show, and look at the 4th photo to see a snow monster... (or look below)

Arisen from the Dead
After way too many days spent in a living hell called the stomach flu, I'm now back amongst the living! Seriously, the highlight of my week was being able to get off the couch today and go upstairs to the office to check my week's worth of email. What would I have done without my wonderful Jewish mommy coming over to make me drink chicken soup and 7up? And give me meds, and entertain the grandkids, and even do my laundry! Yes, hubby has tried to be helpful. But, I've learned that no one is as good as Mom when you're sick.

It's that Time Again!
After a two month long vacation from craft fairs, it's time to start toting around my tables and bins again. I'm pretty excited; I miss getting out and watching people enjoy the things that make me so happy to create. I'm usually a shy person, so it's good for me to get out and "have" to talk to people. Over the last 4 years of having booths, I have seen both me and my seemly quiet hubby grow to become more confident and independent people. I'm so proud of us! I had never even thought about the additional benefits having our own crafty biz might have.

Anyone in the Portland metro area who wants to get an early start on holiday shopping and help support my alma mater and lots of indie artists & crafters, come see me next Saturday! I promise to have lots of fun stuff at special prices!

Kinda Creepy
You know those wacky online quizzes? Aron, you should be relieved to know that after answering the bizzaro questions on the What Letter Does Your Soulmate's Name Start With? quiz, my result was the letter A! Furthermore, it said "Possibly (but not limited to) Addison, Aaliyah, Aaron, Adam, Abigail, Abby or Aiden." So there ya go, we are soulmates, it's been confirmed (-:

Blast From the Past
When I was a kid, Garbage Pail Kids were very popular. Well, now someone clever created this:

Misery & Suspense
I know I've been neglectful in my blogging. I have two excuses:
1) my chronic pains have been wreaking total havoc
2) the small percentage of time I can function as a human being has been spent working on an exciting new crafty endeavor

I am only 32 years old, but usually feel more like an 82 year-old thanks to intractable chronic daily headache, restless leg syndrome, and TMJ (temporomandibular joint disorder). And those are the reason I am awake at 3:30am, when I have to be at work in a mere three hours. I will say that one good thing does come out of it all; my fur-kids really love when all I do is lay in bed b/c they get to cuddle with me! Enough kvetching. On to the good news; I'm collaborating on a project with my favorite group of guys. Soon I will be venturing into a new market with my creations. But, that's all I can say for now! (-:

Whatta Day!
We had the best time ever at the street fair last Saturday! It was busy all day and we sold tons. The weather was perfect at about 80 degrees and sunny. Sandy met lots of other nice dogs and enjoyed sharing my chicken kabob with me.
Many friends stopped by to say hi, including Tyler and Chris. Even better, Aron was sweet enough to stay back at the booth and work while I ran a few blocks away to hear Outpost live for an hour!
Aron got to hug a tree.
And, we were awarded this in recognition of our not breeding!

Last Chance
After a busy spring and summer, tomorrow is my last street fair of the year. The weather is going to be perfect. So, if you're in the Portland metro area, come on by SE Belmont for shopping handmade goods from local vendors, live music (at 2pm the best reggae band in the world is performing), delicious food, kids activities, and free trolley rides. I'll be at the corner of SE 35th and Belmont. See ya there!

Party Time!!!
This Saturday come on over to SE Portland for a reggae, ska, roots, and acoustic music extravaganza! My favorite group of super-cool guys with amazing skills will be hosting all the fun. Awesome merchandise will also be available from local vendors too (like me and Headdy Hats)! Lots of good music, good people, and good times. You'll be really sad if you miss it...

Pet Parade and More
If you're in the Portland metro area, you should come to Bethany Village Center (off Hwy 26, near Tanasbourne) this evening. From 6pm to 8pm there will be live music, booths with give-aways and samples from local businesses, food, and local vendors (including me!). There will also be a pet parade! Prizes and fun with proceeds to benefit Dove Lewis Emergency Animal Hospital and Indigo Rescue. All well behaved dogs are welcome. Register your pet at the concert stage (on NW Central Drive) at 7pm. Costumes encouraged. $5 Entry fee. Parade to start at 7:20pm.

Family Fun
Yesterday me (in the pink shirt), my mom, sis, and nieces went to the Oregon Zoo. I hadn't been there in 3 years, so I was excited to go, plus it's always (well, usually) nice to spend time with my family. It was a pretty nice day weatherwise, although it was starting to get hot when we left. We got to ride the train through gorgeous Washington Park, see dinosaurs, come almost nose-to-nose with a cougar, see the inside of an elephants mouth, and briefly see a few chimps (my favorites). Despite her serious, sullen look, Quinn did have a fun time (she was just hungry and tired by the time we took the picture- and she's a total drama queen).

Human Pincushion
And I thought I got a lot of needles stuck in me with my weekly acupuncture! This guy decided to celebrate the Olympics in China by inserting 2008 into his own body. I think I usually have about 20 or so needles in me at a time. I think that's plenty!

New Finished Projects

Who Knew?
Who would of have guessed that my high school friend and locker partner would later become a famous fashion expert?! Well, the fashion consultant part isn't a surprise- he was the best dressed guy in school (I don't think most other guys cared too much about their "image" back then). Kevin and I used to spend hours talking on the phone almost every night. We would discuss his outfit selection for the next day. I just didn't know he'd go to New York and become a contributing fashion editor for Glamour Magazine! Now he's on a Learning Channel broadband show. Crazy!!!

Super Nanny
No, I'm not talking about the tv show. I'm talking about my mom! Last weekend, while hubby and I did a vacation/craft event at the beach, my mom pet sat our 7 kids and my boss's dog. That's a total of 4 cats and 4 dogs!! Even more impressive is that she also medicated three of those fur-kids. Aron and I never go out of town. This was my first night away since Labor day of last year (when Mom also pet sat). She's the only person we trust to take care of our kids. It's not that they are ill-behaved or difficult; I just worry a lot. Yay for Mom- you're awesome and much appreciated!
The day before the show, we walked around Newport's bayfront and had lunch at our favorite restaurant, The Whale's Tale. Aron says they make the best pasta he's ever had.The craft show was a fundraiser for the Lincoln County Animal shelter. It was pretty successful- $2200 was raised and 4 puppies and 2 kittens were adopted. And, although the adoption booth was right next to my booth, I did not bring home any more fur-kids!The day after the show was a vacation day for us. We went to the Newport Aquarium. Aron had never been and I hadn't been there in a long time. Overall, we had a great time. It was crowded- with lots of noisy children. I think we both could have stayed and watched the sea otters all day!
The beach house we stayed at was wonderful. It had ocean views from the kitchen and living room. It was a quiet, peaceful, relaxing place. I can't wait to go back!

Lady Luck
Although I usually feel as if I'm jinxed, this past weekend I was lucky all around:
1. It was warm and sunny at the beach (a rarity in Oregon, especially in May)! This made for a wonderful day for the Cause 4 Paws fundraising event. And, hubby, friend, and I were able to take a late-night walk on the beach without freezing our butts off.
2. I won an auction for a pet stroller! I've been wanting one for my special terrier boy, Sandy, for a long time. He's 13 years old and has some medical issues. He loves going places and almost always accompanies me when I have a booth at outdoor venues. I have a pet sling that I carry him in during the street fairs. However, my shoulders, back, and arms get mighty sore after carrying around my 21-pound baby. So now not only do I have a super-nice stroller for him, but the money I spent on it all goes to the animals at the shelter in Lincoln county.
3. Hubby and I made an awesome new friend! We shared a beach house with another crafter. Since I had previously only met her online, who knew what we were in for? Luckily, Gloria turned out to be a really cool person. Gloria, Aron, and I hit it off and became good friends almost immediately. We quickly realized we have a lot in common: a love for dogs and reggae music. We all had a lot of fun hanging out together. The only bad part is that she lives about 4 hours from us, so we won't be able to get together very often.

Heat Wave
Hubby, Sandy, and I will be braving the sudden heat wave to man our booth at the Alberta Hop today. This is our 3rd year doing it. We'll be sharing our booth with Bread and Badger, who makes super-cool etched glass accessories. If you're in the Portland metro area, come on by. It's always a ton of fun!

Mommy Dearest
Yesterday was my mom's birthday. In honor of that, here's my favorite photo of her. I'm not sure how old she was when it was taken. I think she looks like a movie star!

If You Were A Little Girl In The 70's (or early 80's)...
-You owned a bicycle with a banana seat and a plastic basket with flowers on it.
-You learned to skate with actual skates (not roller blades) that had metal wheels.
-You thought Gopher from Love Boat was cute (admit it!)
-You had nightmares after watching Fantasy Island.
-You had either a "bowl cut" or "pixie," not to mention the "Dorothy Hamill".
-You owned a "Slip-n-Slide", on which you injured yourself on a sprinkler head more than once.
-You begged Santa/Hannukah Harry for the electronic game, Simon.
-You had a pair of Doctor Scholl's sandals (the ones with hard sole & the buckle).
-You wanted to be Laura Ingalls Wilder really bad; and you despised Nellie Olson!
-PONG! was the most remarkable futuristic game you've ever heard of!
-You know who Strawberry Shortcake is, as well as her friends, Blueberry Muffin & Huckleberry Pie. -You carried a Muppets lunch box to school and it was metal, not plastic.
-You and your girlfriends would fight over which of the Dukes of Hazzard was your boyfriend.
-YOU had Star Wars action figures, too!
-It was a big event in your household each year when the "Wizard of Oz" would come on TV. Your mom would break out the popcorn and sleeping bags!
-You did lots of arts and crafts, like yarn and Popsicle-stick G-d's eyes, decoupage, or those weird potholders made on a plastic loom.
-You made Shrinky-Dinks and put iron-on kittens on your t-shirts!
-You had subscriptions to Dynamite and Tiger Beat.
-You learned everything you needed to know about girl issues from Judy Blume books. (Are you there God, It's me, Margaret.)
-You thought Olivia Newton John's song "Physical" was about aerobics. (?? its not??)
-You wore friendship pins on your tennis shoes, or shoelaces with heart or rainbow designs.
-You wanted to be a Solid Gold dancer.
-You drowned yourself in Love's Baby Soft - which was the first "real" perfume you ever owned.
-You glopped your lips in Strawberry Roll-on lip-gloss till it almost dripped off.