Green Jello

It's Beginning to look like I'm going shit house

 

Let's review my holiday responsibilities:

I'm supposed to cook for 12 people next week when I don't like to cook, decorate, bake festive cookies, come up with 30 advent gifts that are cheap but not made with lead paint, buy and wrap presents for these people, act excited when I receive a tin of stale popcorn as a gift, finish 40 hours of cpe in the next 2 weeks for work, make cards and photo calendars, hide a tattletale elf around the house every night for 30 days, create a memorable holiday moment with thousands of other angst-ridden people, make 2 hams for Christmas when I hate ham, go to holiday parties with coworkers and pretend we like each other...oh, and prance around the house in a sexy Santa suit with jingle bells on my ass.

 

Yes, I could say no to many of these things, but then it wouldn't feel like Christmas.

o.k. I read this again & it sounds awful, especially when many people have no one to cook for or money to buy food. This is about our & others expectations of the holidays - it's too much. I will try to simplify, but I know I won't.

Paper Makes me Happy & a little Complaining

 

I know I'm talking to myself here, but I deserve it. No one reads a blog when there is nothing to read. Now I will complain; I don't know why, but it seems more difficult now with the kids (age 7 & 5) than when they were babies. I thought it gets easier? The house is a constant stream of talking, demanding, & destroying. I know I should relax and enjoy this time with them, but some days I want to run from the house screaming. Oh, and here come the holidays, which means less time & more cooking & shopping. I do try to make it as simple as possible, but the reality is there are demands from school and family that make it not so simple. If I had time, I would do some paper crafting, so I wanted to share these:

The Black Apple's Paper Doll Primer:

 

Fantastic Toys Gingerbread playset

 

Japanese paper cutting:

 

Happy Halloween!

 

Update your stupid blog! Here pumpkins ~

First, an article about Halloween photography - here.

 

 

One creepy spider ~

 

Let's Buy Halloween Stuff

 
I don't like Fall. I like the leaves, but I know what is coming - cold and dark. Halloween gets me through October & I found some cute things:

 
I ordered these from Bake it Pretty. I love everything they have and if you love kitschy vintage decorations, you will love them too.

Blumchen all of it - but I really like the paper lanterns.

 
Directions & supplies at Fancy Flours.

 

 

The Bean is Lame

The bean in Chicago is well, a bean shaped mirror. You have to fight through the crowds to get a good picture. I took the kids and said it was a "park," so they were upset there were no swings. After arguing with them to help take nice photos, I told them to go ask the crazy guy talking to the pigeons if he would take them home for $20.

The fun part was all the wedding parties at the park trying to get the perfect shot.

   
 

No Title

Inspired by photos and words.

...and this

 

Polaroids & Photo Booth Photos

From my new Polaroid camera. It takes business card size photos; my plan is to hang them up by a string when I get enough of them.

 

I wish they had photo booths here that were "real." All of them now print out pictures on regular paper or just look strange. These are from the zoo. I don't know what it is about these that I love so much - maybe the silly faces sitting inside makes you do?   

Old school parks

My thing this summer is searching for old parks to photograph. We found this one today at an abandoned school. I have more to share, but had to post one tonight. If you know of any in Illinois, please let me know.
 

Things I want & now you want them.

These painted tights.

Fancy Lingerie

Kitty Bento

Batucada Jewels

Alice Toy

I have to stop now, so I don't start looking at fabric.