Today is a milestone.

Mark your calendars because today is an important day.  This here blog turns 1!

I know I've neglected it lately, and I am going to work on being better.  Thanks to the handful of you that still read this.  Spread the word.  I'm more likely to be diligent about writing if I know people are really ready.  Maybe one day I will make it to 10 followers?!  Well, that means I only need one more.  I'll aim for 20.  Gotta have high hopes.

In other news, I need to be more observant about my pants.  Last week, I went to the mall after work.  I was wearing stretchy capri-like pants (no buttons or zippers).  I tried on some tops and didn't buy anything.  Later that night when I was at home, I used the restroom and realized something really embarrassing.  I'd had my pants on backwards.  All day.  And I didn't even notice.  Yikes.  I also realized last night that the dress pants I'd worn all day had a hole in the back seam.  Really?!  Who does stuff like that?  Maybe that means I need to go pants shopping.  I think I'd rather have a root canal and a pap smear done.  At the same time.  I don't like pants.  And it's not because I'm a prissy girl or anything.  Pants just fit awkwardly, so I prefer dresses.  Or skirts.  The only pants I really like are sweatpants and yoga pants.  And those aren't all that professional.  Unless you're a yoga instructor, which I am not.  Sorry for those of you who just wasted 2 minutes of your life reading about my pants drama.

Happy 1st birthday, blog! {Technically this is a picture of Princess Fiona on her 1st birthday, but it cracks me up so I thought I'd share it again.  You're welcome.}

Exes and Ohs,
A

Friday?

I am unbelievably happy that today is Friday.

I've had a wave of inspiration (and motivation) with my jewelry business.  Hopefully I will get the chance to craft some things this weekend.  And sleep.  Lord knows I'd love to sleep.  Can it be nap time right now?

Here's today's jewelry collection:

1.  Watch: Michael Kors
2.  Owl necklace: I made this cute little guy for my jewelry line, Copper Alley.
3.  Ring: barse, from Rue La La

I've also developed an addiction to Pinterest.  It's pretty severe.  And it's probably contagious, too.  And etsy.  I'm awful.  This is why my savings account is so sad.  But my jewelry and craft collection is ever-growing!

Love life update: I went on a blind date last week and it was fun.  He's dropped off the face of the earth since then.  Another one bites the dust...

Love and Rockets,
A

If the shoe fits, buy it in every color.

I decided to help the Easter Bunny out this year and did some shopping of my own.  Here are the deals that I scored:

 
Pretty tiered dresses from NY & Co. {here}


And also this solid-color version.  (I'm a creature of habit.  I find something I like and I buy it in every color.)  The best part?  I paid a total of $55.42 for all three dresses combined.


I picked up these adorable and super-comfortable sandals from Target.  The price?  $12.99!  I'm contemplating getting a few more in different colors.


I also picked up a pair of BOBS, Skechers version of TOMS.  I really wanted the real thing, but these were on sale at the local shoe store and Skechers donates two pairs of shoes to those in need for every one pair of BOBS purchased.  I can definitely get behind that cause.  In fact, I liked them so much, I found these puppies online and had to have them:


Ridiculous is my middle name.

*UPDATE*
After hitting publish on this post, I found these online and on sale, so I  snagged them, too.

Lord, help my bank account.

Did anyone else get any great deals over the weekend?

Hugs,
A

Yesterday, my bank account cried.

My name is Allison, and I have a confession to make.

I am a shopaholic.  Whew, glad I got that off my chest.  Surprised?  You shouldn't be.

I've been trying to stay away from shopping temptations lately.  And by lately, I mean since last week.  Hey, give me some credit; I'm trying.  I went to Michael's last night after work to buy an ink pad for jewelry stuff.  You know, my business, Copper Alley.  Totally legit.  Well, Michael's has this magical section of $1 items.  I tried to keep myself from browsing, but I suddenly found myself picking up stationery and I was powerless to stop it.  And then I found these little things called "trinket trays" that were beyond adorable, monogrammed, and I thought they would make perfect coasters.  So, naturally, I bought 8 of them.  Give me a break, I bought 5 of them for Mommy Dearest.  I walked in intending to spend $6 on an ink pad...and I walked away with $24 worth of loot.  Oops.

Can you blame me?  How presh are these?!

I got a little obsessed with these.  A good southern gal always has a stash of cute "thank you" notes on hand.  It's the polite thing to do.

What's your guilty shopping pleasure?  Anything you can't resist?

Dolla dolla bill y'all,

A

Lessons in customer service etiquette. And maybe some conjunctivitis, because that's sexy.

I don't know what the weather is like where y'all live, but it's nasty here.  Cold, wet, and icky.  This weather affects my mood and makes me a wee bit cranky.  And bitter.  And freaking cold.  Although cold isn't an emotion...shut up.

On my lunch break, I decided to stop by the gas station and get some of the nectar of the gods Dr. Pepper.  I was like the third person in a long check-out line.  The woman running the register had the IQ of a potato chip.  She had 14-inch-long fingernails that looked like she was vying for a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records.

Well, maybe not quite that long.  How does she wipe her own arse?  {here}

Somehow, she manages to close her register.  She has no clue how it happened and no clue how to fix it.  Like zip, zilch, nada.  Dumber than potato chips.  She then informs everyone in line that we should probably leave because she wasn't going to be able to do anything.  Really?!  If you own a business that hires cashiers, here are a few ground rules you should probably follow:

1. Never hire anyone who is not capable of operating a register.  After all, that is their main task.
2. If you are dumb enough to hire someone who is not capable of operating said register, never allow them to work a shift alone.
3. Don't hire people with potato chip IQs.

Needless to say, I left empty-handed.  She seems like the type of person who spells Nancy with an "S."  Stupid people should not be allowed to breed.  I, clearly, would be allowed to have infinite amounts of babies, because I am not one of those people.  (Shut up.)  

I mentioned in my last post that I did quite a bit of shopping on Black Friday.  I received a phone call from my bank last night alerting me that I might have someone fraudulently using my account.  Yikes!  As instructed, I called the fraud customer service line and try to get to the bottom of this.  She said that there had been an abnormal amount of activity on my account in the past few days and they needed to verify that the transactions were indeed mine.  A hold had been placed on my account just to be safe.  Okay...  She reads off a seemingly endless list of transactions.  All of them were mine.  She judged me.  I politely explained to her that there were bazillions of sales this weekend, as it is one of the busiest shopping weekends of the whole year.  I was obviously buying Christmas presents for all of the wonderful people in my life useless stuff for myself.  Tis the season, lady.  She still judged me and suggested that I not do that again.  After all, if I was spending at such a rapid pace that it would suggest fraud, that might be a problem.  She's jealous that I didn't buy her anything on Black Friday.

I think I may be coming down with a sweet case of pink eye.  Aren't I too old for this?  Let's all say a prayer that I just have itchy eyeballs.  Better yet, let's pray that my eyeballs stop itching all together.  I like that plan better.

Amen,

A

Turkeys, babies, sales, and Staph...That's what the holidays are all about!

Sorry for the hiatus.  I've had a busy holiday weekend.  I hope everyone had a (ful)filling Thanksgiving!  Here's a recap of the festivities:
After work on Wednesday, my parents and I drove down to Alabama to my grandparents' house.  Thursday morning was a flurry of yummy dishes being prepared and family arriving.  Take a look at this impressive Turkey Day spread!

Soak it all in.  

From L to R: (top row) cranberry sauce, deviled eggs, mac and cheese, dressing, (bottom row) cranberry salad, squash casserole, sweet potato souffle, and black-eyed peas

From L to R: (top row) cornbread, mashed sweet potatoes, carrots and green beans, mashed potatoes, (bottom row) blueberry salad, and sweet potatoes with pineapple

My plate from Round 1.  (We won't discuss Round 2.)  Nom nom nom.

The dessert table: chocolate cake, pumpkin cheesecake, coconut pie, peanut butter pie, pumpkin pie, brownies, more brownies, and other yummies.

It was a ton of food, but that's what you need to feed 23 people.  It was totally worth all of the calories.  After lunch, I played outside with the little ones.

Swing low.

Lovin on baby sister.

Their smiles melt my heart.

Big girls discussing big girl things, like what's in their purses.  After this, they sneaked off to the bathroom to write in their journals.  Divas.

Look at this precious nugget!

We drove home from Alabama after lunch on Thanksgiving.  After we made it home, Mommy Dearest and I were looking at the sale papers and I was coming up with a game plan.  We were watching the 11o'clock news and I heard them say that Old Navy was opening at midnight.  I perused their sale paper and decided that I needed some $5 pajama pants.  Mommy Dearest decided to go to bed and I headed out the door like a moron to go stand in line in the cold at midnight to get into Old Navy.  Yes, I realize the absurdity in this, but I had nothing better to do and I really needed some pajama pants.  I got in and grabbed everything in sight what I needed and proceeded to wait in the check-out line for almost an hour.  I should have expected this, but all the crazies were out, and some of them were standing behind me in line.  There were 2 young couples behind me, and they were just a touch redneck.  I was surprised to see full sets of teeth.  One of the girls was preggers and I overheard her say her due date was the next day.  I swear, I was going to have to flip my shit if her water broke all over me and my new pajamas.  It would have been on the news the next day, next to the headlines of people being trampled to death at Walmart.  Here's a snip-it of a conversation I heard between Girl #2 and Boy #1 (prepare yourself):

Girl #2:  Did I tell you that I had to go to the hospital th'other day?

Boy #1:  Nah, man.  What did you do this time?

Girl #2:  I had a boil on my leg, right in my crotch crease.  I had t'get it lanced.

Boy #1:  I'd've stuck it for ya!  What was in it?

Girl #2:  It was all full up with infection.  Like MRSA and Staph and stuff.  I gotta keep gauze on it though because it's still leakin.

Holy geeze.  Get out of Old Navy!  Stop touching things!  Take your MRSA and Staph and go on somewhere.  Dirty people.  I threw up in my mouth a little.  

I got home from Old Navy and took a little snooze, then Mommy Dearest and I were out among the crazy Black Friday shoppers.  Here's my loot list:

• Pajama pants and sweaters (Old Navy)
• DVDs and a Shark steam mop (Target)
• Glee and Mariah Christmas CDs and Michael Kors pea coat (Costco)
• New pillows for my bed (Sam's Club)
• Cute top and sweater (TJ Maxx)
• Make-up (Ulta)
• DVDs (Best Buy online)

I think I did pretty well for myself.  Did anyone else do any Black Friday shopping?  What did you score?

Cyber Monday hugs,

A

PS- I heard that some of my lovely readers were having trouble viewing the pictures of Princess Fiona's birthday, so I reloaded them.  Hope that helps!

Feathers don't have to come with birds.

Someone needs to take my debit card from me!  It doesn't help that payday magically came today instead of tomorrow.  I was casually browsing blogs and say someone mention the designer melie bianco.  I decided to go to the webpage, and it must be my lucky day.  They are having a sample sale!  I got this beauty for $10 + s&h.

Dear Rachel Zoe, I die.

I could not resist something called a "Feather Clutch."  And I definitely couldn't resist the price tag.

On another note, I must have hit my funny bone on something, because I have a pretty terrible pain shooting down my right forearm.  I really wish it would stop.  It is very unfunny.  

Umm...yea.  Kthanksbye.

A

I'm sorry I don't speak Russian, but I am learning to speak Weezy.

Maybe I'm slow, but I just learned that I could check the stats on my blog.  I can see where my traffic is coming from and see referring sites.  I learned something rather interesting, too.  There are 8 people somewhere out in Russia and 1 in Denmark that have been checking out my blog.  So...добро пожаловать to you 8 Russians, and welkom to you in Denmark.


I have officially ordered an iPad and I'm and impatiently awaiting it's arrival.  The dang thing is shipping from China, and I don't have that kind of time people.  I want it yesterday.  I'm worse than children on Christmas morning.  I obsessively check the FedEx tracking like 15467686 times a day, just to see if there is an update.  I hope that it comes by Friday because I'm going to Tennessee this weekend and I'd love to take it with me.  


I wen to Target last night in search of some new tunes.  I may be the only person left in the universe that buys actual CDs instead of iTunes.  I'm proud of that.  I bought Sugarland's "Incredible Machine" and Lil Wayne's "I Am Not A Human Being."  Don't tell me I don't have diverse taste in music.  


I ate some Japanese food for lunch today, and now all I want is a nap.  It probably doesn't help that Golf Guy has been texting me and mentioned that he's taking a nap on his lunch break.  [I'll take "Things I'd Like to Be A Part Of" for $200, Alex.  Bad Jeopardy joke.]

I'm worried that I'm going to fall asleep at my desk as soon as I stop typing this...

Caffeine hugs,
A

PS- Leave me fun comments so that I can read them, amuse myself, and stay awake.

Bacon flavored lollipops and a confession of a shopaholic.

I'm taking a break from the song lyric posts, mostly because I spend more time deciding on a song than I do on writing my posts.  I will bring them back if anyone truly misses them.

There was an event here in town this weekend called Open Studios.  Local artists open up their studios and invite in the public.  It had slipped my mind until I was downtown on Sunday for brunch and saw the signs.  I stopped in a few places and ended up coming home with 2 pieces of art for my apartment.  Allison is my name, and spending is my game.

Flower Girl, Light of Soul Series (by Guy Stevens)  {here}

I'm in love with this painting.  I bought a print on canvas.  Now I just need to decide where to hang it...

I also bought a beautiful photograph of the Roman Forum from Al Keiser.  It's not listed on his site, but I'm in love with it.  When I was living in Rome, the Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II was being renovated so there are cranes in most of my pictures.

I was bad today.  Shame on me.  My email dings at 11am telling me I have a message from Rue La La, announcing today's sale items.  I glance, knowing that I don't need anything, and I see it.  There's a sale on Kate Spade New York.  Well, maybe I will just peek and make sure there is noting fabulous on sale.  Gulp.  There was.  I got these lovely sunglasses.

Kate Spade New York "Lorna" Sunglasses {here}

[Mannequin head not included.  That picture is from Zappo's, but only because the picture from Rue La La is really small.]  To be fair, they were regularly $128 and I only paid $59.  And I got these instead of the Prada ones that I've been wanting. I call that smart shopping.  Shut up.

A vendor popped in our office last week to see if we needed anything, and left us some bribes Halloween treats.  She left 3 bags of DumDum suckers.  I've eaten about 1 million of them.  I just went to the website and found out that you can vote for new flavors you'd like to see.  Check out this hot mess:

There is a bacon flavored sucker option.  Is it wrong that I'm intrigued?  Probably.  Want to know more about Dum Dums?  Check out this hand timeline here.  Whew! I can breathe a sigh of relief now that I know Dum Dum's flavor history.  It's also good to know that some of my favorite flavors have just "gone on vacation" for awhile, instead of disappearing.  Thanks, Spangler Candy.

Those are all of my thoughts for the day.  The End.

Candy kisses,

A

Starfish & Coffee

"Starfish and coffee,

Maple syrup and jam, 

Butterscotch clouds, a tangerine,

And a side order of ham.

If you set your mind free, baby,

Maybe you'd understand

Starfish and coffee,

Maple syrup and jam."

"Sign 'O' the Times" by Prince {here}

Ok, so this post has nothing to do with starfish or coffee, other than the fact that it is random.  Besides, I adore this song (especially the cover by Matt Nathanson) and it's been stuck in my head today.

Lack of sleep and an abundance of stress have caused me to come down with a rather annoying cold.  It doesn't help that the weather keeps alternating between summer and fall every other day.  Seriously, Mother Nature, make up your freaking mind.  

Since my brain is relatively fried, I am going to post a list of my random thoughts.  Sorry to disappoint you if you were expecting a polished post.  

1. I'm struggling to come up with a Sunday School lesson and a night-time lesson for my youth group for this week.  Lately, we've been discussing truth and right/wrong in Sunday School, and we've been talking about sharing our faith on Sunday nights.  I don't want them to burn out on a topic, but I don't want to end anything too soon.  Ideas???
2. I'm a little worried that my foot isn't healing like it should.  It's extraordinarily sensitive still.  And achy.
3. I'm searching for new inspiration for my copper jewelry line.  I love what I do, but I want to do more!  Suggestions?
4. On days like today, I'd rather procrastinate that be productive.  (Hence the blog entry.)
5. Halloween is quickly approaching.  I've narrowed down my costume ideas to 2 choices: Snooki or Lady GaGa.  Last year, I was Kate [Gosselin] + 8.  It was a pretty awesome costume, if I do say so myself (which I do).

 

Nailed it.  I am determined to match the awesomeness of Kate + 8, so which do I choose???  I've decided that the sex-bomb costumes just aren't me.  I don't make a good sexy Little Miss Bo Peep or sultry Catwoman or naughty school-girl.  No ma'am.  It's best that I just accept it and move on.  Instead of spreading lusty feelings with skimpy/overpriced/unoriginal costumes, I'd rather spread laughter.  

6.  Gilt Groupe spoils me with it's fabulousness.  And RueLaLa.  Check out this ridiculous beauty that I got in the mail from Gilt yesterday:

(Pardon the gnarly cat scratches on my hand.)

  It is absurd, gaudy, and I LOVE it!  I mean c'mon...it's gigantic, and it's a cameo of a fairy.  What's not to love???

7.  I REALLY want an iPad.  My excuse is that I need a computer for my business and iPad's are surprisingly inexpensive.  I realize that they don't have tons of memory, but that's what my crappy Gateway laptop is for.  I just need something that doesn't take 15 minutes to boot up and won't overheat and crash or get viruses everyday.  Plus I just want one.  

I guess that's all for now.  I know both of you that read this are truly riveted.  You're welcome.

Later gators, 

A