The Last Supper

Our menu looks grim. We are trying to eat everything in the fridge and not waste a drop. Well, at least I am, John Jay is just complaining about eating everything in the fridge and dreaming of fast food mush. But the other night did me in.
It was our last Ruston-cooked meal and it was going to be special. Pan seared garlic steaks, spinach dip and baked potatoes (sweet and original). Ruston had another thing in mind. She can't sustain her electricity through a slight breeze, let alone when the wind knocks down trees all over town. Out goes the power...during the middle of cooking. In an effort to avoid food poisoning, John Jay squinted through the flashlight beams and created shoe leather, while I made makeshift spinach dip, sans everything but the spinach. The potatoes were only half baked when the power shut off, so in the microwave they remained. (Our old lady of a kitchen gets too hot to run the oven for an hour, especially when it's 102˚ outside and the air be broke!) Ahh...dinner's ready! Garlic and teriyaki tire tread, with a side of flavorless spinach gruel. Wash it all down with a nice glass of lukewarm water! Mmmmm...
With a baby sleeping in the house, we had no escape from the heat. My genius of a husband came up with a plan...we used our cell phones as a baby monitor (thank you free mobile to mobile!), and went out to the air conditioned car with popsicles for an hour. But thanks to Ryan and Anne (and their candles, Scrabble, and ice cream) the night ended on a high note.
Here's Hubby, enjoying the steak jerky by candlelight:

BFF's Say "See You Later"

To those of you who don't know me and/or Jenn very well, this post might seem a bit narcissistic. But let me explain...
Our photo-shooting all started about four or five years ago when Colin Todd needed some subjects for a school project. I have conveniently left out those photos from this post. :) Two years ago, Kelly Moore asked us to help out with some new ideas she was playing with. We complied, but had no idea what we were getting into. We spent the day playing dress-up and posing all over North Louisiana, and ended up in a lake in wedding dresses! (click here for a few of those pictures)
Since then, our new mom schedules haven't allowed for many dress-up days and just-for-fun photo shoots. So for an early birthday present this year, Jenn took me shopping to buy an outfit for...you guessed it...one last session with Kelly for old times sake! We had so much fun! It got a little engagement picture-esqe, but whatev. To post them all would be ridiculously long. Besides, it gave me an excuse to make a slide show video! I was going to set it to this song, but settled on a song Jenn gave me instead.
We have seen each other through a lot...school (one of us graduating!) bridal showers, a wedding, painting and moving (although, that's always been one sided...sorry!) sharing a duplex, crazy jobs, Dessert Fests, pregnancies, baby showers, and the births of our firstborns! and all their firsts, lots of birthdays, lots of Lost, lots of tostadas and cookie dough, and way more laughter than anyone could hope for in a lifetime. She's seen me at my worst and still loves me anyway. If people in North Carolina are half as great as Jenn, I'll be okay.
Jenn: Thank you for teaching me how to be a friend. I love you and will miss you terribly, but it's just "see you later".

Project #5 & #6: Skirt and Headband

This was the original goal, but I didn't have enough fabric on hand. So I used her formula to figure out the waist circumference, and used my "wing it" philosophy for the rest. After cutting out the skirt, I cut slits in fours spots to insert triangles of fabric for fullness. I'm waiting until we move to order the FOE, so this has regular ol' (super thin) elastic at the top.



































As usual, I couldn't waste the scraps...so Judah's bff, Siriana, got a headband. I needed Judah's head for sizing and a photo, which he wasn't too thrilled about. We included a knife and a scowl just in case anyone had any questions about gender. :)

Project #4: Sling Pack/Diaper Bag

The first goal of this bag was to not waste the pant-leg from Project #3. The second goal was to give me something less bulky that I could fit a diaper or two and a wallet in for when Judah and I are boppin' around. That diaper bag is huge!
I love the clever little corner folding. I copied that from Hannah Rose's piano bag...never would've thought of that. And the green/blue striped flower circles are still leftovers from Anne. (Thanks again)
Reuse!!! Reuse!!! Reuse!!!

Project #3: Anger Management Pants

I've had these pants for years and years. I wore them to my HORRIBLE orthodontist appointment the other day (grrrr! spit!) and I remembered why I never wear them. Those two things are completely unrelated, I just needed to rant ever so briefly about the rude, good-for-nothing, money sucking orthodontist.
Back to the pants...I forgot to take a before picture, probably in a rage of anger or something. I don't know how I feel about the "improvement." I think they were just therapy. Better than eating a tub of ice cream...mmMMm...ice cream.
So remember kids: caffeine + anger = cutoffs.

Project #2: Bloomers

I love these! That's what I say every time I wear them. So light and frilly. Oh, I didn't make these, by the way. They were weird-length pj's that I cropped and added ruffle to. These are way more company appropriate than the first set of bloomers I made.



















I'm telling ya...ruffles make everything better.

Today's "Project"

This has nothing to do with anything I made, created, painted...etc. But I got to model today for one of Kelly Moore's "Give Me Moore" sessions. Wait! Actually, I wore a pair of earrings I made - that counts, right? Click here for pics.
Thanks Kelly!