100 POSTS!!!! High time for a giveaway!

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Can you believe it? 100 posts!

I know it might not seem like much of an accomplishment, but for equilibrium's sake I think we ought to celebrate the small stuff (since we sweat it, anyway).

If I weren't so opposed to superfluous cleaning I might throw confetti in the air or something.

Maybe a little happy dance would be more appropriate.

Can anyone see me? No? Good- let the jig commence!

I want you to be happy too, so in order to encourage the sentiment I'm giving away this little bound book I just made.

Peter mentioned needing a blank book, so I made one for him.

This is kind of a mini version.

It measures 4.5X5 inches and contains 30 pages. And, yes, that IS part of a New York City map.

If you want to win it, simply leave me a comment (here on this blog post) before midnight on Sunday April 5. Say anything, anything at all, like perhaps which post is your favorite. (Not mandatory, but encouraged).

The winner will be chosen at random.

Summary: Speak up, leave me a comment, get picked at random, I'll e-mail ya to let you know you won (I'll probably post about the winner too on the blog Sunday). Reply with your address, and a handmade book will be zipping to you at the speed of the United States Postal Service!

an ambiguous ocean

"I sell furniture imported from France, Italy, and Spain. Could you design a scenic mural that could be any of those places? I want to be able to change the furniture around a lot without it clashing so it needs to be pretty neutral."

Want to see what I came up with?

BAM!

If there's one thing I like more than a client is an extremely happy client!

Sorry, this spot is taken.

What, were you wanting to sleep here or something? Whatever. I don't care. I'm a cat.

the OTHER green people

There's a parade for almost everything in NYC.

I'd never been to a St Patrick's day parade, so I was pleasantly surprised when I found myself on a train full of revelers. Since I wasn't really going anywhere important anyway, I decided to follow the already-drunk-at-noon-painted-green crowd to the parade route.

The parade itself was actually fairly bland- It was almost nothing but hours of various military and civil servant factions (who most definitely DO deserve a parade, but I don't know what The Marines have to do with Ireland). The most entertaining part of the parade was the bagpipe playing kilt wearing celtic bands. Not actually being Irish myself I have no idea what these big banner flag things were that some groups were carrying. I bet its a noun though. Yep, its got to be a person, place... or thing.

After the parade I thought it would be fitting to take a stroll over to St Patrick's Cathedral, which is plain on the outside, but insanely gorgeous on the inside. I've never put much stock in church decor. (The J man didn't need a fancy pulpit to get his point across. His style was pretty barebones when you think about it- mountain tops, a fisherman's boat, etc... sometimes using a stick to draw in the dirt). So it just seems excessive. Beautiful... but unneccesary.

whichever one applies

Dear Strange Men of New York,

Thank you for pointing out to me that I have paint on my (pants/shoes/face/hair). That's normal for me. No, I don't (go to art school with you/ teach art to kids/ work for a contractor). I paint murals. What kind? The kind made of paint... on walls. No thanks, I do not want to see your (mostly empty sketchbook/ pictures of your car/ tattoo). What's that? You are not interested in having a mural in your home or business. That's ok, but in that case you may not have (my card/ phone number/ e-mail). Yes, you probably will see me around because I go to this (quickie-mart/bus stop/ dunkin donuts) all the time, but I will probably avoid you in the future because you (smell/ shake like a druggie/ scare me).

Sincerily, La Sha

This is how they made bread in the 80's

Because it's not done until you rip your shirt off.

Who ordered the randomness?

Oh hai!

I been gone lately cause of massive work stuffs, but I thought a post nap Saturday night blog update would be good.

Ya?

OK.

I went to the St Patrick's Day parade in Manhattan.

I had more fun watching the funny drunks than the parade.

Erin go bragh!

I'm painting a window display this week.

LOVING me some income!

Three cheers for being able to pay bills!

Did a little shopping... mostly window shopping

as the amount of clothes that I own that AREN'T paint stained is rapidly dwindling.

The best painter I personally know is Roland Richardson... and though he is an extraordinarily successful man by any and all standards (not to mention internationally famous) he always has the look of a hobo who's been eating messy food with a toddler.

presumably because he gave up the fight that all professional artists wage.

In this corner a carefully pieced together wardrobe, and in the other corner an overwhelming desire to create.

Only one can win...

I try to make both sides reconcile but its a struggle that leaves many a good pair of blue jeans ruined.

Made a fantastic new friend who took me to a fantastic new lounge/ restaurant... It reminds me a lot of Bliss.

AUCers, you know what I'm talking about.

Peter and I like to read books together... looking for the next one- any suggestions? Can't be too girly OR too manly.

Our current read is Ken Follet's World Without End, the semi sequel to Pillars of the Earth (Which is a GREAT read by the way) I recommend pretty much anything by Ken Follet.

I saw a girl wearing flip-flops today... AND A PARKA.

Seems to me that if she thought it would be cold enough to wear a down parka, that she would also wear... you know, shoes.

I've had the same Russian electronica song stuck in my head for two weeks.

Aaaaaaaahhhhhhh!

More fun making something out of nothing!

The problem:

Napkins, when kept between the salt and pepper shaker, are prone to fall down become messy whenever the salt or pepper is used.

The solution:

Make a pretty napkin holder out of stuff around the house.

I used an empty cashew can to make a napkin holder that perfectly matches my decor.

First, clean out the can.

Next, cut some paper the same width as your container. I just used some scraps of tissue paper. Glue the paper onto the container. I just used a glue stick (because it's what I had... and it works!). I glued several layers on to make it less see-through. To finish it off, I wrapped lace around it, and glued it in place. Now all my mismatched napkins have a graceful place to live on my table.

A Ritual

All day long Radar and Beauregard have free run of our place. However, Beau is quite the nocturnal beastie, and must be banished from the bedroom before anyone can head to bed. So here's the routine:

Step one: Beau hides himself somewhere he won't be noticed

Step two: Peter comes in the room all tired like and asks, "where's the cat?"

Step three: I reply, "I don't know. I don't think he's in here. I haven't seen him in a while."

Step four: go to bed

Step five: Cat waits twenty minutes then starts making trouble.

Step six: measures are taken to de-cat-ify the room

Step seven: Cat RESISTS RESISTS RESISTS

Step eight: humans reply, "Resistance is futile!"

The ritual ends when one of the humans shakes the cat food container, because no matter how full the cat's food bowl might be, the sound of cat food shaking around in plastic is like a furball magnet... it never fails to draw the cat out of the restricted zone.

Jerusalem bound

Door #1 is finished!

Hurray!

Gosh this shirt makes me look top heavier than I really am.

Anyone who halfway knows me knows I'm a girl plagued by self-doubt

nowhere near the bar I raise for myself

and full up to the brim with regret.

This past week has been amazing though... like in a life-altering kind of way.

I can think of few times things have gone better. I went from the darkest January to the brightest February, and now I'm going into March with a whole new outlook, new prospects, and strong faith.

Not renewed; it was never lost... it was never old... and needs no renewing.

Simply faith reinforced (not that faith requires reinforcement) but I trusted in God's grace, and allowed Him to put things in place.

How can I serve such an amazing God while still bringing all that shallow but weighty baggage along with me?

Self-doubt serves no purpose when your trust is in God.

The standard is high that it can never be met. It's meant to be continually reached for.

And regret? Regrets are the bricks tied to my ankle that continually pulls me into the malcontentedness that I find myself in so often that it almost feels like home.

It's really just time to let all those things go, and just fully totally completely TRUST.

Russian + English = Rusglish

I painted while some men stood behind me, speaking Russian so fast I couldn't even catch a single word. They watched me for twenty minutes, while I became more and more self conscious. My vicious imagination translated the convo in the meanest of ways:

Tall Russian Man: "Can you believe they paid for this garbage to be painted on the wall?"

Short Russian Man: "I can't believe they allow this in public- painting this bad is vulgar and offensive!"

Tall Russian Man: "Would you like me to call the police? Surely this must be against the law. America does not allow torture, and surely having to look at this qualifies."

... and so forth.

The men eventually moved on. I saw them making small talk with the building owner. I heard my name.

I decided it was a good time to take a break, so I cleaned up a bit and was about to leave for lunch, when the tall man approached. His English was bad, more like Rusglish, but after some communicative efforts I got the jist. Here's (basically) what he said.

You are doing a very good job!

I own a chain much like this one.

I would like your services, please.

Could you make some sample boards?

Here is my information, please get back to me as soon as you can.

Certainly!