eye candy friday -- going in circles

Terry, my co-worker and future BFF, has a birthday the day before mine. At our school, it was birthday-o-rama last week because Terry's is the 15th, mine the 16th, and Steve, my office mate, was born on the 17th. I didn't craft for Steve because, aside from the fact that we're great office buddies but not close otherwise, he's the type of guy who's had everything he owns and wears since 1952 and is quite satisfied with it all. But Terry's got good friend potential, so I did a little get-up for her:

I usually Photoshop my eye candy but I don't have time right now (plane to catch in 3 hours, not packed, guess I'd rather be here). Just imagine vibrant, fun embroidery thread color. I got the idea for this pouch from this fantastic Craftster post. I wanted to embroider something on the front but didn't know what, so, after another design wound up in the circular file (get it, circular file? ha ha ha), I took inspiration from one of my all-time favorite fabrics, which I used for lining:

I have to say I do love me some embroidery. I'm slow at it. My stitches are the personification of wonk. But I love it.

Terry sometimes makes noise about taking up a hobby, even mentioning knitting from time to time (she got me a gift certificate from Stitch Cafe, which is near where she lives, fell in love with the place, and is thinking of going back for a class of some kind). To give her a little push but not an I-spent-a-fortune-on-this-yarn-so-you'd-better-learn-to-knit kind of shove, I went through my stash and made a little kit for her with some leftover Lion Cotton and Boye needles. I also included a couple of easy washcloth patterns. If she takes the bait, I'll let you guys know.

Well, I'm off to bite the Big Apple. I haven't been in New York in the spring since I left five years ago. It'll be great to be there and not have to worry (too much, it's only May) about freezing my cojones off.

Happy Memorial Day.

a few for the road

Oh, the things I want to do.

I feel like I've got so many loose ends going on here on the blog and in the world of bricks and mortar.

I still plan to post about Paris. I haven't shown the contest projects, one of which I'm still working on. I want to start e-mailing responses to comments because I really do appreciate when people are kind enough to leave a word or two and it was especially uplifting in response to my birthday posts. Plus, it's a good way to make new friends, and don't new friends add adventure to life? There was also that little trip to Austin, where I saw my first SuperTarget (yes, SuperTarget!), shared love with my mother-in-law, and got to spend an afternoon with a very cool and talented knitting book writer and blogger. I haven't posted about any of it. Now I'm off to New York City, where I'm bound to gather more stories and pictures that will dog my heels until I can finally post about them, too.

And guess what? It's that time of year again. The time when my laptop needs to go back to Dell for repair. I won't go into this further, lest I run the risk of snapping the monitor from its hinges and throwing the keyboard/cpu into the toilet.

At the end of this foggy night (the dawn of this foggy morning?) I'm concluding that I'll simply have to do the best I can, here on the blog, and in the world of bricks and mortar.

I wanted to share a few more b-day pics. Here they are:

The last one is an "I guess you had to be there" shot. (Girls, remember, No wrists!)

eye candy friday -- celebration

Aw. Thanks, everyone, for the birthday greetings. I really appreciate that you guys took the time to wish an ol' young gal like me a happy one. :)

Tonight's eye candy comes to you courtesy of Miss Ellen. A few shots from my b-day gathering Wednesday night. I took some photos myself, before my camera battery died, but I'm too tuckered out from all the celebrating to upload them so I'll post a few later. But it's no matter. Ellen's great at capturing the moment as it unfolds.

The spot.

I've driven past Genghis Cohen a zillion times but had never eaten there. It turned out to be the perfect spot for a birthday dinner (Valecia, I loves ya gal. You sure know what's good).

Check out these two lovelies, Natalie and Valecia.

This one was taken after I'd partaken in the cocktail menu. Isn't Tami's blouse beautiful? She made it herself. Yes she did.

The Fabtastic LA Ell and Natalie.

Pretty Darcy.

I have to say I had one of the best birthdays ever. I made out like a bandit, receiving everything from great handmade stuff (mwah, Ellen and Natalie), to delicious body products (Darcy, I'm having another birthday next week, wink wink), to gift certificates for cool stuff (Valecia, I'll be beating a path to Pulp tomorrow), to gorgeous flowers (Tami, you're the best. Next year wrap my flowers in that blouse!), to tickets to a show I'm thrilled I got a chance to see, featuring the world's most fabulous comedienne (thank you, Bubs. That was beyond sweet).

Much as I love all the loot I got (who wouldn't?), I love the time I got to spend with my friends even more. Ellen, I can't thank you enough for insisting that we go out to celebrate. I really needed that. (And thanks for these wonderful pictures too.)

they say it's my birthday

I've always had style and known how to show it.

Happy birthday to me. The big 4-1. So far, so good.

a slippery slope

I am in deep trouble and there's no one to blame but Ellen.

Ellen, this rippling thing? When you taught me how to do it, why didn't you warn me that I wouldn't be able to stop?

'tis madness, but there is method in it

So begins what will undoubtedly be an ever-changing parade of blog banners here at Purly V.

It all started with the last banner, the "Holy Rollers" one that the delightful Miss Kendra did for me. When I hired her to do the project -- at a very reasonable rate, I must say -- I tried to subtly warn her that, Hey, I’m crazy. But how do you tell someone that without scaring her off? Not that I’m a general, all-purpose sort of crazy. I’m not. I’m that very, very specific kind of crazy that comes along with secretly regarding oneself an artiste. Miss Kendra graciously listened to and implemented my 1001 suggestions for a nudge here and a crop there and ultimately produced a very nice banner that I really liked for a while. For a while. Then it just didn’t seem like me. From there, I strolled on over to Why should Archibald Motley’s work be featured on my blog?

Regarding the drive for artistic expression, I’ll go with another of my mother’s adages: Archibald, you don’t need it bad as I do.

Besides, I’ve got images. Lots and lots of images. And I’ve got myself a hearty and legal copy of Photoshop Elements that allows me to practice the layout work I’ve got such a bad case of the hots for. Yesterday I put the two together and tinkered around in Blogger, which turned out to be surprisingly easy, and did myself the banner above. More are waiting in the wings, so watch out.

Miss Kendra -- did I mention how delightful she is? She is. Miss Kendra does fantastic work and even though Archie and I didn’t form a long-term relationship, I love the stuff she’s done. In addition to her blog, check out these two blogs belonging to fellow WeHo SNBers:

That Is So Queer
Needs More Gingham

I’m sure Faith and Laurie Ann had the good sense to turn over their entire blog spaces for redesign, whereas I told Miss Kendra that I could only deal with my existing white background and my existing layout. Basically, she had only a banner to work with. Someday I’ll go the total redesign route but now I know I’m the one who has to do it. It’s too risky for me to hire anyone else. The next designer might not be as nice as Miss K and might just snatch me bald.

If you’re considering sprucing up your site and you want a great designer at a good price, drop Miss Kendra a line at drita42@hotmail.com.

eye candy friday -- everybody else is doing it

I'm thinking the answer to my mother's perpetual question, If all your friends jumped off a bridge, would you jump too? just might be, Well, um, yes .

eye candy friday -- a lovely arrangement

Tuesday night I arrived home after 12 hours in the salt mines and entered my building with the usual grumble. I ascended the stairs to my second floor apartment and found beauty sitting right outside my door.

Aren't they stunning?

They're from Gracie Bea and Gracie Bea's mom, my beloved Deatra. These tulips really made my week. My girls sent them just because they love me.

That's candy for the eyes and the spirit.

keep austin weird

I think I can help with that.

I'm heading to Austin today to hang out with my mother-in-law for the weekend. We'll be celebrating my birthday a little early (it's the 16th). Since I'm going away, I tried to be efficient by sending off some things I've made for people, including, finally, Gracie's sweater. I wasn't just hanging on to it so I could finish up the blue version and do a little photo action, though it's nice that things turned out that way. It took me a while to figure out how I wanted to package it, and then to find/order the stuff I needed. I'm thrilled the sweater is finally on its way.

As for the blue one, it will be for sale in my one day soon Etsy shop, along with its partner, this little matching hat.

Tiny satin roses. Couldn't you plotz?

I've decided to do the Etsy thing because I could otherwise wind up having to use a battering ram to get inside my apartment as a result of all the stuff I'll be making to keep my spirits up.

I also mailed something that has to do with the contest (um, I'm not slow, I'm a perfectionist) but I won't show it until I know it's in the hands of its recipient.

Instead, I'll show this:

Another thing I mailed. A while back, I got on a little bonnet kick and made about six or seven of these (a couple will go on Etsy). I knew it wouldn't be long before I'd have occasion to send one off and, sure enough, one of the best people to emerge from my days as a UCLA office drone, my friend Andrea, is having a second daughter. If you're interested, you can find pattern info here.

Well, it's 3:06 (ante meridiem) and I still have to finish writing a grammar test. Gah.

Tomorrow, pretty pretty for Eye Candy Friday.