soozphotoz

Even My Toys are Giving Me Strange Looks

Kewpie In the Latte Bowl (my version of Venus...) is even dubious that I'll ever finish this project.

What started as a simple closet-cleaning has turned into an Extreme Makeup. I should star in my own NLC series called How Not to Clean. But I AM getting organized (oh so slowly) and am becoming better equipped for the next round...oh about 30 or so years from now.

My clothes on hangers: a) all hangers are uniformly black and I love this, b) the tops are arranged by color (as you can see...I omitted the white tops because I have far too many and just aren't very photogenic), and c) yes, I too cannot wait to see how long this organization lasts so I just had to document it to have a record that once, briefly, I was insanely organized.

When I went to the thrift store looking for organizational items, I found some very pretty scented shelf liner for just a dollar. It only took a full hour to cut it to fit the shelves and tape it down (using double-sided tape of course). Actually, I was going to paint the shelf (which is located in the closet, under the rod) but this was much faster. Notice how I own just ONE pink item in my wardrobe.

I must say that by arranging my clothes by color it helped my assess where NOT to spend money. I own enough black, white, or black & white clothing to last a lifetime. Same with all shades of cream to brown...guess I gravitate toward neutrals even though I look better in blue. Will I run right out to fill in the Blues? Actually, I won't but I'll definitely think twice before buying any more neutrals.

THIS is only a small portion of what lies ahead for me for Lord Knows how long (I was too embarrassed to photograph the rest of the room right now). The good news is that the basement is full so from here on out the remaining STUFF has three possibilities: trash, consignment, or donation.

To energize myself, I am playing (and re-playing) my iPod playlist titled Life is Good. Here are the titles/artists:

Girls Just Want to Have Fun / Cyndi Lauper
Feeling Good / Michael Buble
It's Amazing / Jem
Closer to Fine / Indigo Girls
Tree Hugger (from Juno soundtrak) / Kimya Dawson & Antsy Pants
What a Wonderful World / Tony Bennett & k.d. lang
Holiday / Green Day
Happy / Meleni Smith
If You Want to Sing Out, Sing Out / Cat Stevens
Daydream Believer / The Monkees
Over The Rainbow / Ray Charles & Johnny Mathis
Labels or Love / Fergie
You've Got a Friend / Carole King
Passionate Kisses / Mary Chapin Carpenter
Holding Out for A Hero / Bonnie Tyler
I Will Survive / Gloria Gaynor

Happy Weekend!

Julian Beever - Sidewalk Artist

The job of the artist is always to deepen the mystery. ~Francis Bacon

If Bacon was correct, then sidewalk artist Julian Beever has done his job quite well! (Incidentally the photograph has nothing whatsoever to do with this artist…it’s just there for fun.) Beever  creates chalk drawings on pavement which look three dimensional when viewed from the correct angle. I would have thought that the websites which show his work were flukes if I had not seen similar artwork on a bridge in nearby

Frederick

. Click HERE to see Beever’s work…you’ll be astounded and if you’re not, please leave a reproachful comment…but not one that’s too cruel as I’ve had Special K for dinner for the third night in a row and by rights I should have lost at least 5 pounds but haven’t lost a thing and you certainly don’t want to be the one responsible for me drowning my disappointment in Nestle’s semi-sweet morsels which are the only chocolate I have in the house.

Dream Date

Time to vote girls...given the choice...Owen or Johnny? Here are the simple rules:

1. No "Neithers."
2. No Substitutions.
3. No Abstaining...from voting that is. The world is in danger of painful and certain annihilation and you must choose one of these hot males or suffer the consequences along with all man/woman kind.

Explanations as to why you chose whom you chose are welcomed and even encouraged!

elfa

A place for everything, everything in its place. ~Benjamin Franklin

Not quite everything is in its place yet...but thanks to those brilliant Swedes, it soon will be! I have spent my vacation week cleaning out my craft/sewing/computer room...a daunting task to say the least (did someone say pack-rat?!). Finally, today the desk reappeared and with it, the computer so I had to post a photo of my new best friend....Elfa. Goodbye, cigar boxes and plastic shoe containers; hello, customized drawer units and colorful storage boxes!

relish life

Life begins and ends with a beautiful mess of opportunities. ~ Anthropologie Catalog (Autumn 2005)

I spent a good part of the day finishing some Christmas projects. When it comes time to clean my mess, I put away the larger scraps and sometimes use the leftovers for my Scraps Journal. I play this silly game with myself in which the self imposed rule is that I can only use the bits and pieces remaining on my desk. I usually have a fairly good stash to select from as my desk is rarely really clean :-) I am also allowed to use tools but only those within my reach (actually this is not so much a rule as my own laziness).

fresco frog

I took this photo one day last week. I am posting it now because I am hoping to generate some sort of snow mojo for yet another snow day which I do realize is being rather piggy of me but I could, in theory, get a lot accomplished if I could be home just one more day before Christmas (in addition to the weekends of course). Also, I don't usually post photos that have had PS filters added but my friend and co-worker, Laurie, liked the fresco effect for the daily announcements so I kept it. I wish I had put a Santa hat on the frog though...maybe I'll get the chance before the holidays :-) For now I must get back to work!

The Trees of St. Mary's

I am not a tall woman (5'4"); this was not a tall tree (also, 5'4") and it cost SEVENTY two dollars. I did not buy it, nor did I buy the 4 foot tree that cost 49.99. Instead we drove a few miles south to another church...the church Tom grew up in...St. Mary's in Rockville. First, I was convinced that St. Mary's would not charge such outrageous prices for their trees (not that I had an rationale for this belief; call it blind faith) and secondly, even if they did try to rob us blind, I was willing to buy a short tree there because all of the Creamer clan attended St. Mary's at one time or another. In fact, at any given time during their elementary days, at least 6 of the 14 Creamer (and Flanagan) cousins attended St. Mary's school at a time.

St. Mary's is well known to locals because F. Scott Fitzgerald and his wife Zelda are buried in the church cemetery. Upon arrival, I was pleased to discover that we did not need a Gatsby fortune to get a tree even taller than myself!

hands

When our eyes see our hands doing the work of our hearts, a circle of creation is completed inside us. The doors of our soul open and love steps forth to heal everything in sight.  ~Anne Jones

summer

Summer afternoon - summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.  ~Henry James

Henry must have been a teacher too! Yesterday was summer alright -- 95 degrees and if you count the heat index (which I most certainly do), if felt like over 100 degrees. I intended to take outdoor photos but as you can see, was driven inside like most Washingtonians to enjoy a hot cup of coffee.

breakfast

WARNING: Until I replace the USB cable to my storage device and am able to retrieve my Austria photos, I am not accountable for what I'll photograph or consequently post...this morning the juicy red strawberries against the cerulean dish attracted my attention. And, incidentally, the tea IS a part of the breakfast; the Shiraz is NOT...everyone knows that you must drink champagne with strawberries :-)