Landmark Weekend!

Two very big things happened (one to each of us) and we enjoyed celebrations all around. And since it all came at once we really got to toast to them.

First up was James' 30th Birthday Party -- that's right, he's officially old now. I threw him a Star Wars themed shindig, complete with a hand-painted Jabba the Hut above the couch. I even got some gold ribbon in case anyone wanted to be shackled to him Leia-style.

That was a laborious process but I loved every second of it. Maybe it's because I haven't been doing a whole lot of artwork recently, but it was like when you have a really good workout and your Endorphins are all high. I've had a few people ask me about ol' Jabba so here's how he came to be:

I knew I wanted him to be stretched out by our lazy spot, the couch, so I quickly grabbed the measurements of our good buddy. (We seriously love this couch, so much so that I tried to talk some friends into buying one for their new space.) I have a roll of paper that I bought so I could use it like a table cloth in restaurants where they give you cups of crayons. It's great for brainstorming!

We use our old dining table as our desk up in the office which is great since it offers so much space. Rarely are the two of us up there at the same time (we have very different learning styles and study habits) so it's really easy to adjust the table to how each of us likes. I did a quick sketch to grid out Jabba's body and convert it into a larger size. Math is not strong in this one, but that B in Trigonemetry gave me the strength to try. I realized as I measured out that the main body of Jabba would be the same length as the table, and his head about the same width -- talk about serendipitous!

Using a pencil I drew his bare outline, I knew it would show through the water colors but I was okay with it, I like the look of that for some reason. I chose water color for two reasons. One, a friend of mine (a legitimate artist, he's amazingly talented) recently posted his pieces on Facebook and they were so beautiful I wanted to work with them. And, two I was on a tight budget. (A secret third reason is I was running out of time.)

While I was doing all of this, I was buzzing on really good news I'd received earlier that afternoon but more on that later!

I only did his face the first night. The body came the next day when I'd gotten some more watercolors. Smart thing that I am, I only bought one pack which got me exactly that far. Lucky for me, James picked up another pack , all the while not knowing about he super secret art project, which just made him all the more curious. 

I finished Jabba up the next afternoon. A friend and neighbor took James out for a few hours so I could finish the rest of the preparations (decorating cake and house, mostly). 

I almost forgot about his arms! Thanks goodness I took a close look at my inspirational image!

After that, all I had to do was cut him out and apply him to the wall. I'm not going to post any photos from the party since I want to respect our friends' privacy and all that but here's a photo of James and Chloe napping together under the gaze of Jabba:

So. Part One of Awesome Weekend? Ready for Part Two? Both involve a long time span. But this one is all  about me!

I was accepted to Towson University! I may be 27 and this may seem like 10 years later than most "kids" but since when have I done everything "by the book"? I just had a conversation with a neighbor of ours who also took about 10 years to get her Bachelor's and she looks at it in a similar light. We both changed our majors a few time but found a better fit and got to learn a whole lot of other interesting things in the meanwhile. She and I are "much better conversationalist[s]" for it, as she expertly put it.

We didn't take any photos of the moment, partially because we were bringing groceries in for the week/party and also because I was too darned excited. So, in its stead I'll post a few animated gifs from the ladies of NBC who represent a lot of my personality

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Entrez-vous!

Everyone wants to walk into their home and feel relaxed, right? Like you've left behind the troubles of the world and come to private sanctuary. And then there is Jon Hamm to remove my coat and hand me a glass of wine.. yes, but in reality I just want a place in which I can drop my keys, put down my bag and easily get to the couch where ac ertain beagle is supposed to sit and wait for me to get through.

I've been playing with this setup for a few months now, editing it and expanding it to include our school bags, Chloe's needs, mail sorting, what have you.

Our trusty expedit has been a part of the journey.

Originally the poor thing was just slammed against the wall as a catch-all for fantasy books and various mystery paperbacks. This was not exactly the classiest thing to look upon after a long day. No one wants to walk in and think, "Oh right, I have to clean all of this up now, too."

So embarrassing!

At some point, I cleaned it up, moved books around (my life story) and made a system.

Unfortunately, the photo is lost. But I assure you, each cube was be a home for some aspect of our daily needs. Starting from the right it was Library Books/Borrowed items, Chloe's leash, harness and bags, Files and household binder, and finally Grab & Go Items (where I stashed my purse an lint rollers hid). Then on the bottom row, a stack of random books (haha, you can lead me to water but you can't make me drink), a basket for hats and gloves, canvas grocery bags, and a recycling bin for unwanted mail.

I tidied up the top as well, removing the old mail center which was more of hassle than anything. By moving the household binder downstairs (it used to live in our office) I was more likely to instantly file and store bills, statements etc. The three pocket guy I bought from Target worked well before we were married and lived with a roommate.But we needed to move on. Not too long ago I re-did our tea organization. Instead of digging around the large (and often unsightly) boxes. I dug out a wooden box in which cheap silverware had been bought. It worked perfectly and as I looked around my house trying to think of something to upcycle I realized that the other cutlery box would do perfectly.

So, the new system worked well for a few months. The downside was that it was across the room from the door and during Christmas we had to move the coat rack away to make room for the tree.Basically, it just wasn't working.

What to do but turn it around, move it around. I kept hearing "Bend Me, Shape Me" by The American Breed (althought I thought of Bender & Angleyne in Futurama.) I tried puttig against the same wall as the door which just ended up blocking the stair well and the door, sigh. Then I tried a whole other piece instead which was a massive fail. James was feeling ill and trying to nap as I lumbered shelves and pieces up and down the steps. He was very sweet and offered to help but I was good to go (and it's usually best to stay out of my way, am I right?)

Then (and this did require help) I decided to flip it vertically. Ooh. 

That was interesting but still on the wrong side of the room. Let;s scoot it to the other wall. (Oh, and I've moved our stereo from the dining room to the living room and it's been in use much more often, happily.)

Now that's better! I changed up some of the cubbies so now we have the key-bowl/grab and go in one small area, house files and mail center (filing and bill paying is so easy!), My University supplies (more about that next time!), hats/scarves/gloves basket, records, Chloe's gear, and empty spot for James' briefcase so it doesn't get kicked around, and grocery bags.

I love it this way and so does James. That being said, how many weeks before I change it up? I can't say, I might paint it, though...

2013 Recap: January

This is a new idea I've had to help us remember 2013. I've never really done scrapbooking but part of the reason I started this thing was to keep family up to date on our lives and to have something to look back on in the future. So, without further ado, highlights for the month of January 2013.

• We rang in the New Year with a party at our house and then the ball drop at 34th Street, a tradition.
• We celebrated our fifth anniversary in the beginning of the month. I can't believe it's already been five years! It seems like we met just yesterday!
• James is coaching the debate team in school and they did well this month.
• I applied to transfer to a four-year college, ten years after graduating from high-school.
• My (hopefully last) semester at community college involves Biology for Health Majors and Sociology 101.
• The Baltimore Ravens won the play-offs and went to the Super Bowl! There was much rejoicing.
• One of our favorite shows, "30 Rock" came to an end. We were sad to see it go and have been watching marathons on Netflix ever since.

• I saw a ballet version of "Cinderella" performed by the State Ballet of Russia. 
• By the end of the month we both had a cold which was no fun except for the discovery that wonton soup not only makes me feel better but is incredibly inexpensive to get a bunch. I have a new favorite sick-plan,
• "Shakespeare Uncovered" came on PBS and I am in love with it. Even if Ethan Hawke talking about "Macbeth" made me laugh aloud -- a lot. Plus, "Downton Abbey" came back and I've been glued to the screen every Sunday. Oh how I heart PBS.
• While visiting his family we got to see Grandma Vera's wedding album and we all got misty eyed. Look at this beautiful shot. They were so in love and it's what we hope our grandchildren feel with our wedding photos.