Unbelievable UGLYSHEEP

We are spoiled and that's that. We are lucky to have some awesome and creative people in our lives. Our friend dropped this by last week for us. He took this shot at our reception and decided to blow it up as a gift. It looks like it's painted right on the cardboard.

I am loving the way he did the signature.

Remember the name UGLYSHEEP! You can check out some of his work here. His work is actually showing right now at Fresh on 9th & 9th.

So Long 2009 - We Won't Be Missing You

I am so glad to have 2009 over with. I am surprisingly ready for 2010. Bring it on!

Our family has survived two weddings, a baby, lost loved ones, new pets, lay-offs, new jobs, downsizing, 4 different moves and … well I’d love to finish this sentence but I’m afraid my brain just short circuited.

This year has brought Tyrone and me together in strength through struggle and good times the biggest one of all – getting married in June. We moved our date up 3 months from our original set date of September 14^th. September 14^th is our dating anniversary and we wanted to keep it but after my brother and his wife moved their date up a few months we decided it wouldn’t be that bad if we moved ours up as well. Honestly, we were chomping at the bit. We just couldn’t wait any longer. All while planning our wedding we were going through some rough patches financially and decided we needed to downsize to a smaller place with cheaper rent. I had a hard time with this because I really loved our 2 bedroom, 2 bath apartment. It was huge and had great lighting and in a decent neighborhood. Once I finally accepted the need for us to downsize and when I came to the conclusion that this was best for us I was able to be at peace with it. Along with downsizing Tyrone has also sold every piece of property he owned just so that we could make it. Tyrone has had to swallow his own pride with making the decision to get rid of his car and drive Old Blue. His Lancer Evo was one of his dream cars and he was so proud to have it but decided that he wanted better things for us than driving a nice car. So our goal in the next year is to be in a position where we can buy a house. He has been so positive with all the different jobs (he starts job number 6 next week) he has had to take and with everything that has gone on I look up to him so much. He has helped me to not have a total melt down and remember that things can always be worse. I’ve always hated when people say that – but it’s a fact. We have each other and God in our lives and that is all we can ask for in the end. Thank you God for an incredible match that you brought me in Tyrone – THANK YOU!

Besides the wedding for me one of my biggest accomplishments this past year would have to be the Canyonlands Moab ½ marathon I did with my friend Jenni back in March. I am so glad I had her there to help me through it. Another cool thing that happened was that our husbands started a band together. I am so proud of them. They are really starting to come together and totally rocked their first show. And they will be starting 2010 off with another show on New Years Day. This Friday!

One of my goals for 2009 was to start my own small business but I have now put that off till 2010. I don’t want to rush into it and want to make sure that I do it smartly. I am getting closer and closer to having it become a reality.

One of my biggest regrets is having cut bangs. They are so overrated. They are not for lazy people with curly hair like me.

In 2009 I’ve upped my dosage of coffee intake and lowered my soda intake. Not sure if that is a positive or if they just cancel each other out. The soda thing is a huge deal for me. In high school and college I would drink it ALL DAY LONG and that carried out all until about 6 months ago. I did take a short break from it for 4 months when I was 21 and it didn’t do a damn thing for me. I went off of carbonated soda and any caffeine intake and I didn’t notice a difference in my weight or how I felt. Seriously. So why would I try to go off of it nowadays? Well, I’ve started to notice when I drink carbonated drinks that I feel so much more bloated and for some reason a Coke will make me crash so much more quicker than anything else. As I’ve gotten older I’ve noticed things my body doesn’t like anymore. Thus, I started drinking more water and coffee. Coffee doesn’t make me crash and I’m a strong coffee advocate – I’ll leave it at that. I know there are a lot of coffee haters out there and I’m not just talking about Utahns. Our financial situation has played a big factor in it as well. I decided that I needed to start taking advantage of the free beverages provided at work; water and coffee. I hate water with a bloody passion but after months of literally forcing myself to drink it I don’t have so much disdain for it any more. I try to buy a $2 creamer from the grocery store that will last about a week instead of going to Starbucks everyday and forking out $5 dollars a pop for a Grande or Venti Carmel Hazelnut Frapuccino. It’s sick to think about how much I’ve spent on that every day. Yes! I would do that everyday pretty much.

In 2009 I feel like I’ve grown up so much. I am definitely feeling my age and I’m glad to say that I don’t mind saying that I am 31. I use to say that I would be glad to stay 21 forever but I don’t anymore. The self-confidence you gain as you get older is very gratifying and fulfilling. I love it! If only you could have that self-assurance when you are in high school, can you imagine what you could have achieved?

In 2009 I wanted to buy a house and have a baby and that didn’t happen but that is OK. We will keep our Hope for 2010.

I can’t believe how time is flying and normally I would be very bugged about it but this year I am not. I can’t wait for 2010. It has got to be better, right? (I say this fully aware that I may have just jinxed us)

Introducing Frohawk

This is the Hub's new look.

Probably one of the funnest thing we did this weekend. He wanted to do it for their upcoming show on New Years Day. They also shot a video this weekend which we can't wait to see. I'm glad he was able to sport the hawk in it.

So funny yet sexy-as-hell.

Now I need a new look. Any suggestions?

Christmas, simply

I’m fighting the urge to walk right out of the office, drive home, crawl into bed and dead bolt my bedroom door leaving Fred and Ty (who can now be referred to as Frohawk) to fend for themselves.

I want to go back to Christmas day. I can’t believe I am saying this but I do, desperately. I’m sure I’ve never said that before in my life. I want to go back to the calmness that was Friday. Even as I am writing this at this very moment I am fighting the urge to bitch-and-moan. So I am writing off today as your typical slit-your-wrists type of a Monday. I don’t want to take away from the great day we had as a family. It really was a wonderful time that started with Christmas Eve and carried on until yesterday.

Christmas Eve was spent with Frohawk’s family eating Buffalo wings and sugar cookies. The best Buffalo wings I’ve ever had I might add. Frohawk’s sister has a killer recipe. We sat around and just enjoyed each other’s company. It was so nice. I have to mention that Frohawk’s mom made him THE SOFTEST crotched blanket EVER. She made one for him and his sister. I think she made it with chenille yarn. Also, it was stark-ass-white so I didn’t even want him to use it because I am so worried about it getting Frederick fur and God-only-knows-what else on it.

Christmas Day started off with German pancakes followed by pigs in a blanket (a phenomenal hit), turkey, scalloped potatoes and cheesecake. Frohawk and Onslo (my dad) both managed to fit in a bowl full of pistachios each. Yes I said EACH. I think it’s safe to guess how they both felt the next day after devouring that many pistachios. If you’ve never eaten more than your share of pistachios it’s like eating a bowl full of fresh cherry’s or [insert anything that makes you run to the bathroom faster than a lightening bolt]. You can picture both me and my mom shaking our heads at them.

As for gifts go I am just going to go over what I made for people since that is partly what I try to focus on here. You can see that I opted for the homemade gifts regardless of the preferred purchased gifts. I didn’t care what people thought because they were lucky enough to even get anything from us and yes I just said LUCKY ENOUGH. I made some embroidered flour sack towels to hand out with homemade chocolate chip-almond-flax seed cookies. (So I bought some flax seed awhile back and in order to get rid of it I now put it in every thing I cook whether it goes together or not.) I also included some bottle-cap magnets that I put together in little sacks that made for the illusion of being store bought. I keep almost EVERY bottle cap I can get my hands on. I make Frohawk save me all of his. For The Moms I made them each a Breakfast at Tiffany’s inspired eye-mask. This was a lot of fun and doesn’t take too long even with out a sewing machine. Frohawk helped me cut out all of the pieces so I could hurry and put them all together. Let’s just say that I procrastinated a little too much. I started this blanket for my dad on Monday (dumb idea) and still haven’t finished it after working on it all week and almost all day on Christmas. I will post about it more when I finish it. Frohawk got a one-of-a-kind brandy-son Zen master flash tee shirt (ha-ha). I saw this saying from a beer add on The Dieline and decided to put it on a shirt for him. I’m not sure I like the way the embroidered drum set turned out but over all it’s not too bad I suppose.

Simply put, Christmas was good and now we are looking forward to 2010.

{best breakfast food ever}

{the picture of this shirt totally sucks}

{stay tuned later this week to see the coolest gift we got last week}

More Tee Re-Vamping

Using this technique I made two more shirts. It's like Christmas presents for myself. Before posting this I realized how sucky I am at remembering to take before pics. Hopefully you get the idea. Plain, boring, shrunken tee before; hot, sexy well-fitting new tee now! The Bob Dylan tee shirt was an old shirt I was holding on to because I had not found one like it to replace it but now I don't need to. The original shirt was brown but I thought I would liven it up a bit with the bright turquoise.

The Wonder Woman shirt was a shirt I had thrifted a very long time ago but sadly had grown out of. On this one I decided to embellish with a little black tulle.

After Christmas I will post about the cool tee I made for Ty for his gift this year. The only gift he is getting unfortunately.

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve the last day this week I have to work. They better let us go home early. I can't wait for a long weekend!!

Random

This last weekend we were at my parents house and Ty took this pic of the goats in their neighbors back yard. They are funny little guys. Their goat noises sound like they are trying to vomit. All they want you to do is feed them. One day my dad threw Fred in with them for the fun of it and one of them backed up and put it's head down like he wanted to ram him. He quickly removed Fred from their kennel or cage (whatever you're suppose to call it). I think it's weird these people have them in the first place - they just want to fatten them up to kill them and eat them. Sigh. Who eats goat meat honestly? (Ok I'm sure a lot of people do).

This is a surprise I left on Ty's pillow the day before his first show. I don't draw so well.

Some pics I took of the frosted tree in our parking lot Sunday morning.

And last but not least I wanted to show you all the cool Christmas card I helped my mom come up with for them to send out. Mr. Bo Jengles is very photogenic. I get the best pictures of him.

This one is captivating. I took these last Thanksgiving in 2008.

To Remember

I am a new day rising
I'm a brand new sky
To hang the stars upon tonight
I am a little divided
Do I stay or run away
And leave it all behind?

It's times like these you learn to live again
It's times like these you give and give again
It's times like these you learn to love again
It's times like these time and time again

-Times Like These, Foo Fighters

Luv, Luv, Luv I Want Your Love

“I want your leather studded kiss in the sand…” (Bad Romance, Lady Ga Ga)

I can’t get enough of that song and I have no other reason why I started this post off with that line other than my adoration for that damn song right now. I’m sure in a month I will be sick of it but that is ok with me. I love good music but I also love some of the trendy dance stuff too just for the fun of it. DO. NOT. Get me started on people who are so “anti-trendy” they are in return the most “trendy” mother-effers around.

And that is that.

{sad little stack of burnt ones}

Last night I baked sugar cookies and refrained from shoving every single one of them down my throat. Instead I opted to share them with my co-workers and gave some for Ty to give to one of our family friends. Others may be able to partake in the sugary goodness too but only if they are super lucky. (Did I just use the word partake?)

I am pretty confident today. Can you tell?

In the last few weeks of mailing out Christmas cards I came across some Christmas cards that I didn’t send out LAST YEAR (triple exclamation point). I just had to laugh at myself. So I included them in this year’s envelope. My findings didn’t stop there I also found Thank You’s from our wedding that I didn’t send out. So some folks are getting last year’s Christmas card, this years Christmas card and a 5 month old Thank You card. Ha Ha!

Besides the show on Friday we had a fantastic weekend. Saturday evening we saw Avatar in 3D and IMAX and laid around on Sunday (favorite thing ever). I have to say that I am not a sci-fi fan at all but they did a fantastic job submerging the audience into this spectacular world. I kept forgetting that I was watching it on a screen. You literally felt like you were in the movie riding around on a little golf cart as if you were taking a tour of the set. I did not however think anything of the plot; it was like Dancing with Wolves on steroids. A lot of freaking steroids. Ty said it reminded him of The Last Samurai.

Finally I wanted to share with you the shirts I made for Small Town Trap’s first show. I am not so much pleased with the longevity of the iron-ons I made. By the end of the night they were starting to peel up. The shirts that my friend Jenni (the bass players wife) made are totally awesome though. I should have followed her lead but was avoiding it because I was being cheap. Next time I won’t be so frugal, hopefully (wink).

{front}

{back}

Hers are much better than mine.

I wanted to include this as well to show the awesome wristband’s the lead singer had made to hand out to their loving fans. How awesome are they? They say Small Town Trap, naturally.

Apparently I am not finished yet because I just wanted to say that for those of you in Utah keep your ears open for Small Town Trap's upcoming shows. Tonight we heard X96 say their name on the radio. It was another big night for us - and more still to come.

Unforgettable First Show

Was it the fog?

Was it the runway with the ridiculous models strutting their stuff?

Could it have been the beer?

Ultimately it was the fans, and the band the brought the house down. I think they had to reinforce the roof before the night was even over.

Enjoy these pics from first show of the rest of their careers. Small Town Trap.

Remember these faces

{bass, lead, drums}

Small Town Trap playing TONIGHT!

If you happen to be dying of boredom tonight come and stop by the show. Club Vegas - 9pm.

Have I mentioned this is my husband's band? He's the hot drummer. They have a really incredible set all planned out. It's going to be sick. Lucky supporters may get a STT wristband. Don't miss it!

The House That Threw Up Christmas

Do I need any other words to describe the ungodly mess that this is? Although this picture that does not do justice to the horribleness of how gaudy this house is every Christmas season you get the picture. If not, your house probably looks the same and in that case you can just start un-following this blog immediately because we probably won’t agree on too many other things either.

This year Ty and I decided to take a picture of it because every year we drive by it and Ty always says “Look! It’s the house that threw up Christmas!” Plus they tend to leave this shit up all year long. If it isn’t a blow-up Christmas Snow Man then it’s used as an extension of their drive-way.

Holiday Cheers!

Mexican Craft Fail

What do you get when you combine the following? A knitted robbery face mask + silk ribbon + an overly ambitious crafter = BIG FAT FAILURE!!

The mission: DIY Mexican Wresting Masks

It sounded fantastic in my head but when I tried to place it over my very large, gorgeous head it ended up suffocating me and making me break out into hives. “What do you mean silk ribbon doesn’t stretch? I have it planned out perfectly. There is no way this is going to the crapper.” On the contrary, it indeed went straight down where the gold fish eternally swim. The Holy Crapper.

The picture DOES NOT show how big of a failure this turned out. In fact when I look at it I still have the desire to keep trying to get it to work out. After 20 minutes of trying to stretch it over my bulbous melon the ribbon which I used iron on transfer paper to adhere to the mask started snapping apart. Plus the obvious other reasons of using ribbon to make it. I thought of various ways to try and make it work and right before I entered into complete emotional meltdown I finally gave up. I can’t always be a rock star. Martha would not be proud.

I wanted to use Mexican wrestling masks so badly in our holiday cards that I was blind to any other options but the ones in my head. I obviously digressed and came back to reality but I am sure it won’t last long.

I posted this because I follow this site and thought it would be fun to post my own.

Reminder Small Town Trap Show Friday

Small town trap

Playing at

Club Vegas

445 S. 400 W. SLC

This Friday 9pm

Tickets sold at the door

T-shirt re-vamp continued

So I finished another shirt using this technique. I am loving being able to wear my old shirts again. Since I do not plan to be the size I was 5-6 years ago EVER AGAIN this is working out magnificently for me.

I wanted to show the embroidery around the border better here. I have two more in the works right now. I may be going a little crazy with it. We are also making some shirts right now for my husband's band's (Small Town Trap) first show this Friday @ Club Vegas. If you're friends with me on FB you're probably sick of hearing about it.

Ok so this picture doesn't really show it very well but you get the idea.

Meet Old Blue

Old Blue has been a part of our family for quite some time. He's a '77 Ford in great condition. It's now our turn to make use of him. Ty has been using him to get to and from work because he had to let his car go. His car was a dream car for him he loved it so much. You can imagine how hard this has been for him but we are keeping our fingers crossed for better things in the future.

Merry Holiday Joy or whatever!

Here is our Holiday Card

It was between that one or this one

The top one won

My mom was such a good sport in helping us take this picture. You can't tell but it was freaking freezing outside this day. Poor Frederick was shaking the whole time which is why Tyrone is holding him in. Well that and the fact he wanted to chase birds and would not sit still like a good model-puppy should. Tyra would be so disappointed in him.

I want to celebrate Black Christmas this year. It’s pretty much my made up holiday that I am sure Scrooge would be proud of. And no I am not talking about Kwanzaa. I have definitely become more Emo this past year. I think the next step is to start cutting myself but I am not ready to commit to that yet. It may be because my butt tingles when I think about putting a razor blade next to my skin and actually having to cut into my skin with it. Yuck! Back to the subject at hand, Black Christmas means that I would rather be in my dark place than rejoice during the season. I am also not really decorating for Christmas this year mostly because I don’t have any room to put up our tree and because I am too lazy to pull my Christmas decoration boxes out of my parent’s basement. I will say that even though Christmas is my least favorite holiday I do love to decorate for it – and I am not apposed to rejoicing over the real meaning of the season. I also love giving gifts when I can afford to buy them or even make them; there is just too much pressure this time of year. I buckle like a wet dog under pressure and there a people in my life that don’t care for handmade gifts. I’ve come up with a fool proof plan for our family members though, cheap and semi-store-bought. Another reason why I call it Black Christmas is because when my little brother was a small boy he would call himself ‘Black Dillen”. It was like going to his dark place. When he was ‘Black Dillen’ we all knew to stay away especially if there was a knife in his chubby little grasp. You think I’m kidding? Over-exaggerating? Nope! I wish I was. We make fun of it now as a family but it was quite the scene growing up. Now days if I see him approaching that stage I know to turn and run the other way – or antagonize him which is what I prefer to do. (Love you Pickle – I miss you so much!)

So…

This is my version of Black Christmas décor with out going completely over to the dark side. A mix of holiday cheer and Nightmare Before Christmas. Although not so much Nightmare Before Christmas because I haven't hung the black and white stripped stockings up yet---probably because I haven't made them yet and probably won't. The bunting that I made says NAUGHTY and the framed text says OR NICE.

Happy Holidays! Or not

Pizza and Street Art

The other day on my lunch break I was craving pizza BIG TIME so I decided to try this pizza place that I've heard of called Este Pizzeria. It's just a few blocks away from work. I wasn't craving just any pizza I wanted thin crust and I wanted it right then and there. I think I was a little hormonal. Anyway, they have great pizza and the atmosphere is pretty chill. Do NOT ask for ranch they have a sign that even says so. It's hilarious. I love ranch on pizza I guess it's because I've grown up here but I was forewarned so I didn't even attempt it. Well I did not need the ranch the pizza was amazing. I loved it. As I walked back to my car I took a picture of this incredible street art that someone had been painting for the last while, maybe months I'm not exactly sure. The finished product is so beautiful. I love the glowing organ!!