By the way...

I've taken to drawing on myself lately. You like?

I want to make one!

I found this knitting blog today, and I fell in love.

I want to make this:





























The knitter who designed it named this sweater Matilda Jane. She also designed a shrug she named Briar Rose. I am glad I am not the only one who names her knitting projects. I am currently working on a wrap I've named Arwen, a hat called Melrose, and fingerless gloves that are tentatively named Pavarti. I also finished a scarf recently that I called Trini Blue, after an old friend of mine that is either very very pregnant, or has given birth to her baby girl very very recently. The scarf is blue and sparkly, and I plan on giving it to her whenever I get to meet the baby.

I am also attempting to knit a pair of fingerless gloves that I've called Moo's rocker girl glovies. They are hard, and I am not speaking to them right now.

There are a few more projects that I hopeto make pre-Wales/pre-Christmas. A little something for me, and a little something for under the tree.

What projects are you working on right now? Any Christmas gifts in the making?

Awesomeness

Created by Creating Keepsake's Scrapbooker of the year, Elizabeth Kartchner. Isn't it awesome? And I SWEAR I took the pic I posted yesterday before I saw this one today! : )

Love YOU.

I have been feeling very inspired by Elsie lately. She posted some pics on her blog today about featuring some sidewalk chalk fun from the weekend, and for some reason I interpreted that as "I must draw on my hand today." Wierd how creativity works.

Also bought two new cd's today: a Hellogoodbye cd with a song that has my name in it, and a Lily Allen cd.

Talk to you later, kids.

Love YOU! ; )

Yippee!

My credit card balance is zero, I have a sensible amount of money in my savings account, and rent and bills are totally taken care of.

I love feeling financially secure. I am very proud of myself.

No freaking way...

You're Anne of Green Gables!
by L.M. Montgomery
Bright, chipper, vivid, but with the emotional fortitude of cottage cheese, you make quite an impression on everyone you meet. You're impulsive, rash, honest, and probably don't have a great relationship with your parents. People hurt your feelings constantly, but your brazen honestly doesn't exactly treat others with kid gloves. Ultimately, though, you win the hearts and minds of everyone that matters. You spell your name with an E and you want everyone to know about it.
Take the Book Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.

I love Anne! She's always been a hero of mine, and Anne of Green Gables is one of my favorite books.

Speaking of books...

I also highly reccomend Yes Man, by Danny Wallace. I just finished reading it, and I loved it because it was funny, clever, and suprising. Plus, it was written by a quirky British guy, which satisfies the anglophile in me. AND, the main character totally reminded me of my favorite British Guy, which was even better. A little "tide-me-over" until Christmas. : ) Now, I'm on to a silly chick lit book called Weekend in Paris. Won't be as good as Yes Man, I'm pretty sure, but I can't imagine something that will be right now.

This bookcase has a few of my all time favorite books on it:

It includes: The Harry Potter Books, Phillip Pullman's His Dark Materials Trilogy, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, The Giver, The Outsiders, and some graphic novels. I have more books, but they are on other bookshelves. This pic is also another little glimpse of the re-arrangement my room has gone through lately.

And see that little envelope propped up against the side of the bookshelf? It's the Elsie prints I ordered. : ) Will find awesome frames for them, then hang them around this shelf. Yay.

What are your favorite books?

Tour of Mi Casa: Lovely Lazy Days

Things have been pretty lazy around here lately, at least for me. And the kitties.

It's been so nice to have some time off. It's well deserved and thoroughly enjoyed. The house has been enjoying it too. It's been getting all kinds of little special treatments. : )

Tour of Mi Casa: A spot of tea?

Tour of Mi Casa: This is My (new) Room!

I finally re-arranged my room the other day, and I love it! I'll post more pictures later, but for right now...

sshhhh...

I'm sleeping.

A Tour of Mi Casa: This is "My Fridge" (Entry #1)

On MTV's Cribs the stars always show you the insides of their fridges. There is almost always a large collection of unhealthy processed foods in there. I won't show you the inside of mine and Marissa's fridge because the outside is much more interesting. We've taken to "decorating" it lately.

From the top left corner, across:

1. The yellow paper with a sun moon combo drawn on it. Ceja drew it at work, then gave it to me. It's held up by magnets from Muse Picasso in Barcelona.
2. A pic of me, KayKay and Tiff taken just a week-ish before The Picture People closed for good. : (
3. Official Altar Boyz magnet I got free for taking a survey.
4. Schedule of classes at the gym. I decorated it with markers I got in my gift bag at Delaney's birthday

Bottom Left Corner, Across:

1. How I Met Your Mother ad from a magazine. It starts new again next week, and we cheered Neil Patrick Harris on tonight as he was nominated for an Emmy. You don't watch it? How is not watching How I Met Your Mother? Because watching it is awesome! Seriously, How I Met Your Mother is a fresh, awesome show. It reminds me of the first few years of Friends. Here is a legendary essay about it, it you're interested.
2. A pic of Mandy Moore from cool photo shoot in an old-ish issue of Jane Magazine. Various stars were supposed to spell their crimes out on boards as if they were taking mugshots. Mandy Moore's crime? "Singer of Candy." (a really silly, cheesey song.)
3. J and M magnets. Move in pressie from Marissa! J is fr Jaime and M is for Marissa, but JM is also my initials.
4. Pics from a party Christina Aguilera threw for her husband. I love her, and it looks like they are really having fun together! We like that her husband is dorky, but cute too. Page ripped out from a magazine.

Bottom:

1. Oliver's beer and wine tasting schedule. Held up with a martini magnet, for good measure.

So inspirational...

Some of my Flikr Faves! I love how I can actually see my personality in this faves compilation.

1. Cardiff Castle....north gate, 2. Keep looking up.., 3. A Fine Pinot Grigio (Day 91), 4. day 31 - For fog's sake!, 5. Casual Elegance, 6. Love film, 7. poetry*steps, 8. Whispers of Spring, 9. City in motion., 10. in*my*coffee*cup, 11. In Golden Light, 12. Faith, 13. The past and pending., 14. Dinner at the Eiffel Tower., 15. Hobo Dust, 16. Teenage Lovers

Westminster Crabby

I felt like Britney Spears at the VMA's last night. I was only walking through the motions and everyone hated me.

Today sucked.

These photos make me want to rock out!

...which brings me to another point. I tend to burst into semi-obscure movie/Friends quotes that not many people get. Unless the person I am quoting to is my mom, I tend to get a lot of wierd looks. Marissa gets some too, but not all. For example, she wouldn't have gotten my break out of Pippin quotes after lunch the other day when I was STILL hungry (we've had one yes. But what abut second breakfasts? I don't think he knows about second breakfasts. What about elevensies? tea? luncheon? supper? dinner? Thankfully, Natalie got that one after a little aid.) but she would have gotten the apple pie a la mode joke last night. (i'd like strawberry if you have it). Only my old friend Brian used to get my Friends references, but I haven't seen him in years. : (

Anyway, Ashley probably gets the title of this post. These photos are of a cool band called Art Brut (courtsey of their myspace). They have a song that includes the lyrics:

"Modern art makes me want to rock out!"













Possible Solutions:

1. Expose my friends to the fabulousness of the media I enjoy.
2. Get new friends.
3. Stop acting like such a dork.
4. Stop caring that people look at me like I am crazy when I quote things they don't get.

Any suggestions? : )

September 9, 7 pm SCT (Standard Couch Time)

...From here on in I shoot with the following script...

I am comfortably situated on the couch. The remote and my laptop are nearby and I am wearing my favorite lougewear. I will not be getting up from the couch for the entire rest of the evening for any reasons but the following:

1. To dive under the table if there is an earthquake.


2. To run out the front door if there is a fire.


3. To finish making the pasta I have started. A girl's gotta eat!


4. To put a DVD in the DVD Player.


5. To get my book or cell phone out of my purse, which is on the dining room table.

I will NOT be getting up for the following reasons:

1. To get my notebook out of the car so I can work on articles I need to write. There will be ample time tomorrow.


2. To return the videos that are already overdue.


3. To burn photos onto a cd.


4. To do laundry.

Things I am looking forward to doing while on the couch:

1. Eating Pasta King pesto.


2. Reading Yes Man by Danny Wallace.


3. Watching the Girls Next Door at 10pm.


4. Maybe watching Under the Tuscon Sun. Maybe it will curb my current desire to leave the country and never come back.


5. Having tea.

Oh, and on a slightly strange and definitely random note, I have decided to be Holly for Halloween. : ) (Thanks for all the advice in the previous post, gals.) Holly and Bridget were in my dream last night, and they helped me put together my costume. Oh, and I asked Holly what Playboy jewelry I should get from Spencers to best communicate Holly, not random Playboy Bunny. She reccomended the charm braclelet she designed, and I agreed. The bracelet is actually at Spencers, BTW.

Anyone get my title and first line reference?

Yummies

People keep giving me tomatoes they have grown in their gardens. Tom. Betti. The Pasta King. Other random co-workers from various jobs.

I don't grow tomatoes. I grow daffodils, that's it. They aren't even in season right now.

I do make cupcakes though.

And I have decided that putting raspberries and sprinkles on top of cupcakes I have made out of boxed cake and frosting makes me an excellent chef. I like to pretend that it is a totally original idea.

Good times, good times.

A Girlie's Christmas in Wales

It's official! I am going to visit Ashley in Wales this Christmas. Here are a few thing I am looking forward to doing (besides seeing Ash):

1. Meeting his family. Finally!


2. Goin' out with the girlies!


3. Wearing a bow on my head on Christmas. I will technically be his Christmas present and should adorn myself appropriately.


4. Bringing California wine to Wales to give to all my dear ones.


5. Buying Christmas ornaments at Harrods.


6. Seeing castles.


7. Taking Wind Street by storm again. Ahhh... the good old days.


8. Teltelys, sausage rolls, Sunday dinners, cadburys...


9. Taking cool pictures.


10. Riding the London Eye. Never did it!


11. Going to the Tower of London. Never did that either!


12. Taking a nice drive around the Welsh countryside. I didn't get to see much that you couldn't see by train last time!

yippee!

One of my fave pics from the last time I was in Wales, just for the heck of it!

I'm addicted.

Etsy Buy Handmade stitchesbyjaime

Add this following bit of information to my previous post: I am also an etsy addict. I love browsing etsy for inspiration, and yes, of course, doing a little shopping. I bought this and this yesterday for my room.
These are some of my favorite things for sale right now. Can't wait to set up my own shop, but got to have a good selection of stuff to sell first!

I said no, no, no.

Rehab seems to be a theme that is permeating my existance lately. I bought the new Amy Winehouse cd so "Rehab" is permanently stuck in my head. The day after I bought it I was watching E! and discovered that her stepfather was urging people not to buy her cd untill she goes to rehab.

Ooops.

Half of Hollywood is in rehab. The only one I really worry about though is Owen Wilson. He's not in rehab (I don't think) but apparently he tried to commit suicide. I find this very sad because I really like him. I think he is very talented, and I hope he doesn't pull a Belushi disapearing act.

I don't need to go to rehab, thank God. I am not an alcoholic or a drug addict. But I do work in an industry where alcoholism is quite prevelant. I know a few people who I am concerned about.

My addiction?

Coffee.

I got addicted to coffee when I worked at Starbucks. I am so thankful that I am addicted to coffee and this is why: I learned that it is easy to become addicted to something that is available to you for free, something that you work with, and something that all your other friends use regularly.

I very rarely want to drink after working around alcohol all day, which I think shows that I don't have an innate draw towards alcohol. But if I am glad that I am aware of how socially accepted habits can become dependencies. I'm certain that I will not, one day, be going to rehab. No, no, no.

Unless someone develops a rehab center for coffee addicts. Or for shopping addicts. I've been doing a lot of shopping lately. : )