Tuesday, June 29, 2010

no apologies, but I did get a tattoo!

So, I was all prepared to write out this long explanation about where I've been, why I haven't been blogging, etc. Then I decided not to bore you with the details. The truth is, I've been busy. Quite busy. But was any of that activity blog worthy? I don't think so. The buildup to River Fest, and then Troy Night Out a few days later had me busy with sewing, jewelry making, cooking, adding new inventory, cleaning and so on. Nothing worth writing about, really. But on top of that, I've been pretty quiet outside of work too. I've stayed close to home, watching movies, reading a bit and nursing my new two-crossword-puzzle-a-day habit. Ben and I both fell off the diet bandwagon BIG TIME in the last two weeks, so I haven't had any cooking adventures to discuss (we're both back on the wagon again, though). I'm ashamed to admit that I have very little in terms of a garden this year. The flowers in the front beds are happy, though a bit overgrown with weeds, but we slacked off with the veggies this year. Not sure if we feel a bit defeated from last years blight, or if we just ran out of time, but no veggies and no herbs to speak of this year. So yeah, I'm especially boring lately...I just figured I wouldn't drag you down to my level.

One thing I have been itching to tell you about, though, are my new tattoos! I finally got around to seeing Kara last week to work out the design, dropped off a dozen photos or so of Queen Anne's Lace, and prepared myself for a three to six month wait. Lucky for me, she had a cancellation and I was there at 5:00 on Monday night to get it done! One of the things I love the most about Kara is the trust I have with her designs and her ability to carry them out. In my past tattoo experiences, I've presented the artist with a very clear, specific design and I asked that the artist follow the design as closely as possible. But with Kara, I find a few examples of what I'm looking for, give her some verbal details, talk with her a bit to make sure we're on the same page and then let her work her magic. I've never been disappointed, and I couldn't be more thrilled with how these came out. They are so much better than anything I could have ever imagined. If you live in the area and are considering some body art of your own, please, please, PLEASE consider her. Lark Street, baby. The only complaint I have is the location of the tattoos because I can't stare at them all day, and I look like a total ass bending my legs in awkward positions to gawk at them.

Oh, and please let me apologize not only for my pasty white Godzilla calves (they're my least favorite body part) but also for these awkward photos. Do you have any idea how hard it is to take pictures of the backs of your legs? Try it sometime.

Anyway, I'm hoping to return to my normal blogging schedule now that things have relaxed a bit. I know I've said that before, but I mean it this time. I've got lots to tell you about!

Thursday, June 10, 2010

for your pleasure

My dearest darling sister has decided to put her skills to use here at the shop! And no, I'm not talking about free labor. You see, my sister is one of the best massage therapists on the face of the planet, and I'm not just saying that out of obligation. She has those little needle fingers that find their way into the cracks and crevices in your muscles you never knew you had, backed up by the brute force necessary to get in there and get the job done. I refuse to see anyone else for massage. She's that good.

Anyway, she'll be here on Saturdays for a majority of the 10am - 4pm time slot. Keep in mind that she has a two year old to contend with, so there may be days when she's a little late, or leaves a little early. It's cool. Walk-ins are welcome, and you can always call ahead to book something in advance (518-272-7227). Ahhh yes, just imagine a splendid day at the farmers market, a visit to the local craft market just around the corner and then a nice, relaxing ten minute chair massage to close up your morning. I can't think of anything better.

$1.00 a minute. You choose how long you'd like to be worked on. It's that simple.

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

boooooring!

I don't know why I get so surprised and/or confused at this time of year in blog world. I get this sudden and almost immediate recoil when it comes to blogging. I have nothing to talk about. I don't know what the change of seasons and the reappearance of decent weather has to do with it, but I'm less inspired and less chatty. And, it's clear to me that the rest of blog world goes through this yearly spring/summer slow down too, because after perusing the mountainous blog roll I run through on a regular basis, I've noticed that everyone else is posting at the same speed as I am...little to no.

So, again, nothing of significance to discuss here. Slow and steady at home. Haven't been cooking much, gardening much, or doing much more than nursing my sudden crossword puzzle addiction (I'm convinced I'm getting smarter). Things are plugging along at the shop. We're all getting ready for RiverFest next weekend. Gosh, can you believe it's that time again?!?!?!? We're planning some really great buys here, including lots of great handmade goodies for $10.00 or less. If you're in the area, stop by the downtown Troy area on the 19th from 10a-6p. More info here if you need it. And don't worry, no parking meters on Saturdays, thank goodness.

Sunday, June 6, 2010

birthday lurve

Just a quick shout out to wish my dearest Kate a very happy birthday! You rock my world, yo. May we gossip, plan weddings and act like jerks for many, many years to come.

P.S. I stole this photo from her Flickr page.

Friday, June 4, 2010

deny, deny, deny

I really have no idea why, but this news story has been stuck in my mind for the last few days. I'll honestly do just about anything to keep myself from dwelling on this oil spill mess, so this little news item is juuuuust enough to keep me enthralled. Back when the Natalie Holloway case was in the news (and for a good solid year afterward), I couldn't stop reading/watching/listening for details. Something about it really caught my attention and held it there. With no real resolution to the story aside from this Van der Sloot scumbag's admittance on hidden camera that Holloway was, in fact, dead, everything in the media died out and the world moved on. When I read about this most recent ordeal, all of those thoughts and emotions came back and now it's all I can think about. I'll be watching for new news coming up soon, but I really hope they fry this bastard. His father, the man responsible for saving Joran's ass the first time around, is dead and gone and no longer able to save him again. Let's hope the Peruvian government tries him fairly and finds him guilty. Karma's gonna getcha, pal. Just ask OJ.

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Prunus serotina

The local market had black cherries on sale yesterday and I've proceeded to eat an entire five pound bag in less than 24 hours. I live for this time of year. Thank goodness they're diet friendly!

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

epic saga

I'm a slacker. I know.

The last week has been a whirlwind of activity and I can count on one hand the number of minutes I've been at a computer. Whew! It was fun, but I'm glad things are heading back to normal.

How was your holiday weekend? We spent a good chunk of last week preparing for our art show here at The Paper Sparrow. My grandmother, my mother, my niece Lola and I all had a collaborative show, "Four", in the rear gallery on Troy Night Out and it was a success! We all sold several pieces with The Lo selling more than anyone else! It was such a great idea and I'm so glad we all followed through. The show is up through June 22nd, so if you're in the area, stop by and check it out!

Ben and I hosted a barbecue picnic in the yard for family and friends on Sunday, which was great. It could have been even better had I not received a phone call from ADT Security at the very beginning of the afternoon, letting me know that my burglar alarm had gone off at the shop. I headed down to Troy immediately only to find that someone certainly had tried to break into the store. The deadbolt was busted on the front door, but fortunately for us, the asshole heard my alarm beeping and took off. Nothing was stolen and the only damage done was to the lock. Good for us, bad for the thief. I'm not expecting this dude to turn himself in, and the cops even told us that the chances of him being caught is slim, but I just wish this nonsense would stop! My store is the second in two weeks to have this happen. What kills me is that the crime is happening during the day in broad daylight. In my case, it happened around 1:45 in the afternoon on a Sunday. Guess these things don't keep the crooks away anymore. Desperate times, I tell you.

Anyway, the rest of the party was a success and I hope everyone had a great time. I've spent the last two days unwinding and just trying to relax as much as possible. There's a lot of drama going on in the background and I'm trying to keep my cool as best as I can. Hope you all had a marvelous holiday! I'm doing my best to catch up on your blog posts, and hopefully now I can resume a normal blog posting routine once again. I've missed you guys!