{ musings }

Been Gone Too Long...

Damn computer needed a new power supply and the Geeks at Best Buy apparently had more important things to do than deal with my simple little problem!  Not having my trusty electronic right-arm made me realize 1) the AMAZING amount of time I actually spend on the computer, 2) the shit I can no longer do without technology, 3) how out-of-freaking-touch I feel without it and 4) did I mention how I hardly know what to do with my spare time without it?!?!?!  Shit.  I need a 12-step program!

To make up for lost time, I spend a ridiculous amount of time sending people pieces of flair and taking dumb-ass quizzes on Facebook.  Yah, I know...get a LIFE, Kim!  Scary part is that MANY of you were responding to my Facebook posts as quick as I posted them...so I'm not the only techno-loser out there!  ;-)

Simultaneously, I'm catching up on e-mails, furiously off-loading camera memory cards, updating software and re-calibrating my monitor with my newest toy.  After a whole week with no contact with the outside world, I am finally BACK and I have a FUNNY to share with all of you.   

This one is in honor of my old pal The MacDaddy of Scrap, who used to post the best Phriday Phunees ever.  Hey Kenny, I miss you, dude!

Follow the link...it is HEE-LARIOUS!

GO WHITE GUY!!

She cannot be trusted...

I was enjoying a peaceful Saturday morning puttering around the house, drinking my coffee, reading the paper while the girls played outside.  The Hubs is in Omaha visiting Warren, so I had MY tunes playing on the stereo (Siouxie, Oingo, the Furs...all my old school faves...too loud, of course), still in my jammies at 11am.  Perfection!  The only thing that could possibly improve this day was to make some sugary goodness: 

Then, I step away for one minute to answer the door and return to find this little sneaky swiper stealing cookie dough!

She must have been watching me.  Laying in wait...hoping for the perfect opportunity to sneak in and nab some of the delicious dough.  Fast, this little one.  Cagey, too.  This cute one is NOT to be trusted.  Nope.  Nosiree.  Not when there is a big old bowl full of cookie dough right there within easy reach (if you stand on your tippy toes)!

Can't blame her much...I think the dough is actually better than the final product!  Yes, happiness DOES come from inside of a Kitchen Aid mixer!

May Day! May Day!

Happy May Day everyone! 

I remember this holiday from when I was a kid.  While we never did the May Pole dances like the girls in this 1911 photograph, we'd spend DAYS decorating those little, green, plastic pint baskets they used to sell strawberries in.  We'd weave ribbons and paper through the plastic holes, and use pipe cleaners as the handles.  Then we'd we'd strip our yard of all the flowers we could find and leave baskets of posies on the doorsteps of all of our favorite neighbors.  We'd also, of course, take them into the teachers, too.   It was such a wonderful celebration of Spring and it usually meant that Summer was right around the corner!

I also wanted to share this cute little note I found on the sink next to a half-eaten bowl of oatmeal the other night.  At about 7pm my littlest one came and snuggled up to me on the couch and with a HUGE yawn asked "Mommy, can you please make me some apple oatmeal?"  How could I say no to those big, sleepy brown eyes and cute little button nose all clean and fresh in her jammies and bunny slippers?   I made her the oatmeal, set her up on the kitchen island to eat it and then got sidetracked helping her older sister with homework.  When I came back out into the kitchen to check on her not even 10 minutes later I found a half-eaten bowl in the sink (she had moved her stool over to the sink so she could reach in!) with this note next to it.  I then went to peek in her room and there was one sleepy little princess already snoring amidst about 100 small, stuffed friends..  Precious!

I had a BLAST on Saturday at Devine Memories!  All the usual suspects (my uber-creative posse) were there...Michelle, Sandy, Kim, Sherry, Colleen, Melissa and Maija, plus a couple of new girls.  It was a blast...these girls are so dang creative on  their own...they don't need a teacher!  :-)

In other family news, my eldest ended her fist softball season on Saturday (sadly, while I was at Devine Memories).   The girls had SUCH a great experience!  In spite of their 3-13 record (yes, they suck), the "Troopers" all improved in their skills and really melded as a TEAM.  Alexis made HUGE strides...in spite o getting badly hit by the ball two of the last three games, she got a hit at every at bat except for two, over the entire season.  She had several RBIs on her scorecard and is now interested in learning how to pitch!  They were all so sad to see the season end, and are all excited to play together again, perhaps in a Fall league, and most certainly next Spring.

On Monday I got to spend about a half hour with a dear friend and artist genius in her beautiful home...she's got some BIG stuff in the works and needed some new head-shots...I was honored to do them for her...isn't she gorgeous?  I tell ya...when I photograph people I love, MAGIC just happens!

Let's see...what else?  While I'm totally all-over-the-page with this blog post, I'll share this dorko layout (click to see it larger) I did this morning using the new May kit from Songbird Avenue.  SUCH great digi stuff in these kits, and all the proceeds go to a great cause.  AND, my dear pal Jan busted her ass to get the new site design up in time for the site's ONE YEAR Anniversary!  Congrats, Jan!  Of course, for digi-newbies like me, the added benefit of a layout template doesn't hurt either:

Phoenix Area Classes!

Just a reminder that I'm teaching two classes this Saturday (4/26) at Devine Memories (480) 813-2093 in Gilbert.  I'd love to see you...and the store is offering a big discount if your register for both classes!

Also, my dear friend Carolyn Peeler will be coming to the Valley to teach at a very special, limited engagement at the lovely Melrose Vintage (602)636-0300 on Saturday May 3rd.   This is an event you WON'T want to miss!

My Boy (and the new lens!)

new lens, originally uploaded by bebe beaux.

This is the boy of the household, Sam, courtesy of my new lens.  He's 7 years old and 90lbs of pure lovin', but he simply will NOT allow me to take his photo!  He's either barking at me because obviously the large black thing in front of my face must be something which can be thrown and fetched, or else he's charging the lens to give it big, sloppy Golden Retriever smooches.  Either way, I love him!

Here are a few more snaps I took with the new lens...this is actually the very first photo I shot, straight outta the box (with blood dripping from my hand from where I sliced it open trying to get into the box).

This next one was of a little girl celebrating at a friends' 3-year old's birthday party.  Isn't she just delicious?  Now THAT is the way to enjoy a cupcake!

 

Is It My Birthday?

No...but it sure does feel like it!!

Lookie what the Man In Brown delivered to me about 15 minutes ago:

Oh my lordy lord!  I've been lusting and dreaming about this big, beautiful, bad-boy for a LOOOONG time and today The Hubs surprised me with it!!  Woo Hoo!!  Yippee for me!  It was on the camera within 2 minutes of opening the box and I even cut my finger slicing into the box like a kid on Christmas!

This lens is a bit excessive, I know, and yes, I have some overlap in my glass arsenal now, but this beauty is so freakin' SOLID!  It is a fierce piece of glass...I think I could actually use it to defend myself in case of personal harm!  ha!  With my shooting style (at least for portraits) I love to be up-close with my subjects and the 55mm 1.4 and 85mm 1.8 fixed lenses just require me to be too dang far from my subjects!  I hate that!  This lens allows me to be right up close and, more importantly, opens wide up to a static 2.8 no matter what my focal length (some of my other lenses adjust the aperture with a longer zoom and that bugs the crap outta me!).  Just WAIT till you see the depth of field i'm gonna pull with this bad boy...and you can bet that it will rarely be anything EXCEPT wide open!!  YOWZA!

It is GOR-GEE-OUS and my Hubby is the best hubby in the WHOLE ENTIRE WORLD!   We just closed escrow on a piece of land we've had since the 1980s and on the very day we closed, the sneaky sweetie ordered me this baby off my B&H wish list as a sort of special celebration!  Ain't he the BEST?!?!?!  He's gonna get some special attention tonight, alrighty!  :-)

So yes, it certainly feels like my birthday around here!!!!

Paris Class Kits, Anyone??

The bags are unpacked.  The laundry is done.  The refrigerator is full again.  The kids and The Hubs are sufficiently snuggled (for a little while!).  Time now, to get down to business!   

Each of us three teachers, Pam, Tena and I have a limited supply of project kits left-over from Version Scrap.  In order to make room for the next projects we're working on, we're offering our left-overs to you at a discounted rate of $30 each (plus $5.00 Priority S&H in the USA).  If I am shipping to an AZ address, I will also need to charge tax.  Of course, all the project kits contain excellent written instructions, color photos and ideas to make the projects your own.  If you order more than one kit at a time, the shipping on each additional kit (after the first) is only $1 if shipped to the same address.  So call your crafting buddies and let us know what you'd like!!  (International shipping is always an option...let us know where you live and we'll get you a price!).  If you want some, e-mail me!

SPECIAL INCENTIVE:  By one kit for $30 (plus $6 S&H), buy two kits for $55 (plus $7 S&H) or buy one each of all three of MY kits for $80 (plus $7 S&H)!

(Oh...please give the other girls a few more days to get their kits up on their blogs...Tena stepped off one plane onto another to teach at the Inspired Artist Workshops and Pam is still catching up from jet-lag!  I am clearly the insane over-achiever of the group, but then we all know that already, don't we?!? ha!)

The Sweetest Things:  Sparkly, splashy, sassy and splendidly sweet!  This mini-book project is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth with a combination of popsicle-colored papers, bold black accents, transparent overlays and sparkly fairy dust.  In this project, you'll cut and re-pattern some of Bazzill's wonderful book-board and create a darling keepsake in honor of the sweetest things in YOUR life.  The Parisian artists at Version Scrap Paris for whom I designed this project had a blast with this sparkly project and you can see some samples of their beautiful works-in progress here and more "teaser" photos of how I did MY project on the link over there in the left side-bar under Version Scrap. (Sponsored by Daisy D's, Bazzill Basics Paper and May Arts). 

What you'll Need to Add: 7-10 small photos (color or B&W), paper trimmer, scissors, craft knife, cutting mat, ruler, paint brushes, water cup and palette, Crop-A-Dile (or Japanese screw punch or Big Bite), black pen that will write on photos/transparencies, double-sided foam tape or adhesive pop-dots, wet & dry adhesives, clear dimensional adhesive (like Diamond Glaze) or glue pen, black ink and candy-colored craft paints!  You may also wish to add rubber stamps, colored inks, opaque white paint pen, different colors of glitter, flowers, brads and rhinestones.   If you have a Zutter "Bind-It-All" you may also wish to use that to bind this project!

*** I will be teaching this class in person at Devine Memories in Gilbert, AZ on Saturday 4/26 at 12:30pm-3:30pm if you want to come play! ***

***I will be teaching this class in person at Creative Paradise Scrapbooking in Sherman Oaks, CA on 7/26 if you want to come play! ***

Funky Found Art Journal:  Re-cycle. Re-use. Re-Purpose. In this thoroughly unconventional mixed media class kit, you'll explore the many beautiful and magical ways you can "go green" with art! In this project I'll inspire you to transform mostly recycled items (and a few yummy new things) into a fabulous, one-of-a-kind art journal in which to store your sketches, inspirations, thoughts or even cherished photos. Not for the faint of art, this project will push you outside your normal creative "box" and hopefully inspire you to create an imaginative and useful journal! The Parisian artists at Version Scrap Paris for whom I designed this project loved this free-style project and you can see some samples of their highly individualized works-in progress here and more "teaser" photos of how I did MY journal on the link over there in the left side-bar under Version Scrap. (Sponsored by Bazzill Basics Paper and Hambly Screenprints).  (Please note that this is a very free-flow, mixed media-type project, not a mini-book kit...if you have questions, please e-mail me!)

What you'll Need to Add: A sense of adventure, a used (but not vintage) hard back book suitable to cut covers off and paint pages of (no larger than 8"x 10"), assortment of papers to make the interior pages of the book (scrapbook papers, vintage papers, recycled envelopes, watercolor paper, card-stock, notebook paper, paper grocery bag, file folders, cereal boxes, tags, etc…), Gel Mat Medium (or matte Mod Podge), paint brushes, water cup and palette, gesso, heavy-duty wet adhesive, assortment of paints (watercolors work best), rubber stamps, inks, scissors, black pen, Crop-A-Dile, Big Bite or Japanese screw punch, paper towels to cover your desk. If you have vintage papers, fabric trims, or cherished ribbons you wish to use, Go for it!

*** I will be teaching this class in person at Devine Memories in Gilbert, AZ on Saturday 4/26 at 9:30am-11:30am if you want to come play! ***

Grant Me A Wish:  Have you ever wished on a falling star? Blown the seeds from a dandelion? Wishes do come true, and there is power in affirming them! In this project you'll create a delightful scalloped mini-book to track your wishes, be they for yourself or a loved one. Playing with semi-opaque plastics, chipboard shapes, ink paint and ribbon, you'll create a mini-book you'll be proud to display or give as a gift. You are, of course, as with ALL of Kim's projects, welcome to change the theme of this mini-book as you wish. The Parisian students at Version Scrap Paris for whom Kim designed this class each made this adorable little project their own and they were beautiful (look here).  You can also see more "teaser" photos of how I did MY project on the link over there in the left side-bar under Version Scrap.  (Sponsored by LUXE Designs, Maya Road and Bazzill Basics Paper)

What you'll Need to Add: 10-16 photos smaller than 3" x 2" (black & white are best), opaque white paint pen, black pen, Staz-On ink pad(s) (black, brown, orange?), acrylic craft paints in coordinating colors (sage, tomato, brown...), paint brushes, palette and water cup, paper trimmer, scissors, wet & dry adhesives, stapler. You may also wish to use (optional) rubber stamps, alpha stamps, felt, fabric, rhinestones, paper punches, etc.

Madame Butterfly...

Madame Butterfly, originally uploaded by bebe beaux.

Spring has arrived in all her splendor here in the Sonoran desert. On Friday I was honored to accompany Miss O and the entire Kindergarten at her school (about 100 kids) to the Desert Botanical Gardens in Phoenix. (From one botanical garden in France to one in Arizona, in under a week - wow!) The kids' favorite part of the entire visit was the butterfly pavillion, and little Miss O was sporting at least 2-3 flutter-bys on her hat or shirt the entire time. And let me tell you...it was quite a point of pride for the rest of the day! :-)

I was also able to snap a few other surprisingly good photos, inspite of being tugged at by random 6 year olds.  I wish I had framed this one with the butterfly at the bottom of the frame, but oh well! 

I really should go back down there some morning with a macro lens and my tripod.  There is some AMAZING beauty there!

France, By the Numbers

• 4 crazy crafters part of the time, 6 crazy crafters another part of the time, and 7 crazy crafters the rest of the time
• 24 boxes shipped to Paris (for the three of us teachers)
• approximately 1000 class kits shipped
• 6 round-trip international plane tickets and one round-trip UK-France plane ticket purchased
• 7 large checked suitcases to France, 4+ carry-ons
• 3 cozy Brookstone blankets and 3 cozy Brookstone travel pillows purchased in the airport
• 2 Mac laptops
• 4 working international cell phones
• 1 live Skype experience
• approximately 4 packs of gum chewed
• approximately 45 text messages shared between Pam & Cori
• over 700km driven
• 36 EUR paid in toll road fees
• 87 EUR worth of diesel fuel
• 4 nights in a darling B&B in Amboise
• 4 nights in a 3-star hotel in Vincennes
• 2 nights in airplanes (ugh!)
• 8 chateaus exlpored
• approximately 18 postcards mailed
• over 400+ photos taken by each person
• 2 berets, 2 soccer jerseys, 2 "princess" doll figurines, assorted chocolates and 4 scarves purchased
• 2 pitchers of margaritas consumed
• approximately 30 bottles du vin consumed (our closest guess)
• approximately 30 fresh baguettes consumed
• approximately 20 liters of bottled water consumed
• approximately one fresh croissant per day consumed per person
• approximately 18 cups of "cafe au lait," 18 cups of "the," and 8 cups of "chocolat chaud" consumed
• approximately 12 "jambon" sandwiches consumed
• 3 fresh crepes consumed
• 3 pints of fresh strawberries consumed
• 30+ 1-way metro rides
• about 50kg+ per person of checked luggage on the return trip

Day Ten: Time To Go Home!

Monday:  8am wake-up call once again came too early, but it was a welcome respite from the 6am wake- ups of the past few days.   I jumped in the shower first, then Cori, and we met the other girls downstairs for breakfast at 9am.   Upon peeking out the window, we noticed about an inch of SNOW on the ground and roof-tops.  Yes, SNOW!  Can you believe it???

Tena spoke to the front desk and arranged for a 10am pickup by two taxis for the four of us and our MOUNTAINS of luggage, and Pam and Amy would depart slightly later at around noon.  We trundled all of our suitcases downstairs one at a time (elevator was inconveniently broken) and filled up the lobby with our tired bodies and copious baggage.   

Tena and Laurie departed in the first taxi, leaving Cori and I to catch the second at around 10:15am.  Lucky for us, it was a huge Mercedes sedan, so we rode in comfort and style.  The driver was really nice, and once again, he spoke Spanish so he and I had a nice little chat.  Apparently the snow was the first of the season...and rather odd for city center.  Heck, it didn't even snow last year when we were here in the dead of winter!!!!!

We arrived safely at the airport with plenty of time to wait in the torturously long lines at US Airways.  Tena and Laurie were about 30 people ahead of us, so we crossed our fingers for them when they tossed their bags on the scales.  Sadly, Tena had to pay the over-weight charge on one of her bags, but we kinda expected that as she ALSO had to do it for the trip TO France.  When it was our turn, one of my bags was about 2kg over, but the gate agent was super nice and let me put both bags on at the same time and split the difference.  Whew!  Apparently Pam and Amy didn't fare so well later on Air France, but after some re-packing, they got away with Pam only paying 150 EUR for an extra (third) bag, which is what she had anticipated doing, anyway.

In the airport, Cori & I burned off some left-over Euros at the duty free shops.  I picked up a couple of tins of French truffles for my girls, plus a small bag of rich, dark salted-butter caramels for me.  Also stocked up on some necessities from L'Occitane and Cori grabbed her hubby a nice shirt and the kids some tourist swag as well.

The flight from Paris to Philly was painfully long as Cori-long-legs and I didn't get our usual lucky bulkhead seats, then the old lady in front of Cori reclined her seat for most of the trip.   I switched seats with her at about the half-way mark (made it easier for me to get out for my traditional 100 bathroom breaks), and apparently poor Tena & Laurie had it just as bad as they lucked out and got the row of seats that didn't even recline.   I watched two movies...Juno and PS I Love You...liked them both...glad to get to watch them as a double-feature as I doubt The Hubs would have really wanted that much "chick-flick" action in one sitting!  ;-) The old people in the row in front of us were quite demanding throughout the entire flight (even asking the crew for gum!) and there were four young, drunk, French men in the row behind us who had serious issues with credit cards declining for cocktails - ha!  No sleep for me or Cori...not even our cozy Brookstone blankies brought us any relief!

On our layover in Philly, after going through immigration, customs and re-checking our luggage to  Phoenix, we dined in the little Italian restaurant right next to our boarding gate.   We were giddy to order large, leafy green salads and share one final toast to a great trip.   Probably the best part of the meal was ice.  LOTS and LOTS of ice in the drinks.  Oh, and free drinking water at the table (easily pleased, sometimes!).

The flight from Philly to Phoenix was equally long (even though we DID get our lucky bulkhead seats)...just over 5 hours in the air plus an unexpected one hour delay on the tarmac where we waited for about 20 other planes to take off before us.  This, of course, totally mucked up our plans to have Hanifa and the kids pick us up and the airport in Phoenix at a reasonable hour, and poor Hanifa had to drag three very sleepy little people along for the ride.  Cori was able to sleep a little bit on this flight, but I wasn unable to get more than a few winks as I was just so tired of sitting. 

We finally arrived in Phoenix almost an hour later than expected, and were greeted by Laurie's hubby, Jim, and Tena's dad.  The funniest (ok, not so funny for him) part was that Tena had told her dad to pick her up at the wrong airline and terminal...the same mistake she had made onthe way TO France....everything came full circle!  :-)

The End, originally uploaded by bebe beaux.

I finally got home, kissed my sleeping babies, took a quick shower and got in bed at about 11:30pm Monday night.  After just about 24 hours of no sleep, I was pretty much asleep BEFORE my head hit the pillow.  Glad to be HOME!  :-)

(is it too soon to start planning a return trip?!?!)

(Be sure to check HERE for tons more photos!!)