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Puppy Tats {Fridays with Fred}

You know that lightening bolt stamp I made for the shorts I DIY'd? It was put to good use. We had a little fun with Fred one night.

Puppy tats. Perfect.

Not a creature was stirring

Christmas for us was nice except we've both been fighting a virus since before Thanksgiving. It has hit us pretty hard having started with me and then infecting Tyrone and my dad you can guess how much fun it has been. "Thanks for moving in and bringing your disease with you," is what my dad said to me in his caring way. We had other plans for the holidays that just didn't work out because we were sick but that is okay. I haven't cried about it a lot because I felt like that's all I did this same time last year when I had pneumonia for 12 weeks.

Christmas Eve was nice watching my nephew opening up his gifts. He's three so it's a fun age. We had a tissue paper throwing party and rolled around in it like monkeys. I even taught him how to jump on our bed, hee hee.

Christmas day was spent laying around in our pajamas with my parents and Tyrone's mom Deb. We watched a lot of movies and ate till we were fat as can be.

(this has got to be the most boring post ever)

(I'm falling asleep just typing it)

(snore)

We went shopping and picked out our own gifts this year and I was just fine with that. No surprises. Although I did surprise Ty with the first three seasons of In Living Color. I think he was happy with them.

My mom got the first five seasons of Dexter from my dad and they have been glued to the TV ever since, I swear to God.

But, I really do hope you and your family had a wonderful time.

Despite these pics we did get a white Christmas - some people like that I suppose.

God Jul

{it's not quite over yet}

in time for the holidays...

or something like that...back on Myspace. Loving the design of it and I'm admittedly more excited about than I thought I would be.

In My Brain

I think I should start calling these segments "catching up" since I've become an even more slack blogger than I was before. I'm still struggling with my new commute and work has a strangling grip held tightly around my throat.

We are making progress with our plans so I have to stay focused. At close of the year it has been three months since we reverted back to teenagers and moved in with my parents so, I think it's time to reevaluate our plans and see where we go from here. Three months has flown by.

And it's Christmas time. The time where I'm usually moping around wanting to gut-punch every smiling holiday face and fat man dressed up in a red suit. Sadly those feelings aren't around much except I did feel the pressure a bit last night and I almost felt back to normal.

You know you're a grownup when you can buy your own Christmas presents and not have any qualms about it.

Sometime in February I'm getting a new nephew and lately I've been really excited about it. This one better not take so long to like me and it will be interesting to see what effect this has on His Majesty.

I miss crocheting. That sounds weird to say, I get it.

I've been staring at my makeup bag all morning but don't care to put any of it on. I really need to because my psoriasis is in full effect so I'm as scabby as can be.

Fred has been incredibly needy lately but it makes me feel so loved and that's how sick our co-dependent relationship has become.

I went to see The Hobbit with my cousin the gorgeous, and super generous Stepmom Extraordinaire, Kendahl. I loved it!! And I can't wait to see it again. I didn't read the book before I went to see - I mean really, did anyone think I would actually do that? Hahaha NO! I have great intentions but intentions don't get you shit unless you follow-through. It did however inspire me to start the damn book so that's been nice the first couple of pages I have managed to get through.

If I don't hear or see anyone of you before Christmas, have a merry one. Yes I DID just wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday too while I'm at it.

peace out

-Brandy

--

Brandy Franklin
The Shop
The Blog - brandy-son Zen master flash
@Letting_It_Fly

Xmas Junk Hunt

I NEED A HOUSE TO PUT THIS SHIT IN!!

WHAAAAWAAAA!

 Holly Hobbie :)

 I have an affection for old caroling angels.

WINKING SANTA MUGS!!!!!

I miss my broken creepy santa collection.

Unrest Soul

Our pastor spoke about having an unrest soul today in church and how peace is available to those that need it. I thought it was appropriate and comforting. I am not a parent but my soul was disturbed by the CT tragedy that happened on Friday. I haven't said a lot about it on social media because that isn't my outlet for things like that. I deal with it a little differently but I did want to say a little bit about it on here. I will be mindfully keeping the people of the Newton in my prayers and thoughts.

I hope that I never cause another to have unrest in their soul and I hope everyone in our world finds peace within their souls.

DIY Xmas Wreathe {last minute}

for some reason when I went thrift shopping the other day I was out for old xmas decor and I found some cool shit (to be posted on Tuesday)

when I found the mid-century glitter "merry christmas" I was thrilled and instantly wanted to do something with it

before

wreathe found @ Big Lots for $3.50

ornaments thrifted

old beat-up blue bulbs

wire & glue

after

not too shabby on the front door

Confession: I'm not being such a ba-humbug this year.

The Killers - I feel it in my bones

Probably one of the best xmas songs out there right now and you know I'm digging the creepy Santa vibe.

Just listed! Vintage Necklaces

new in The Shop

A very dark Christmas, Etsy treasury

black and gold for the soul

The Hostile

Because that's what I feel like we live in, a hostile. We share a bathroom, kitchen and living area what else would you call it. Our room is the walkway to the basement so the occasional foreigner does have to walk through our only "private" space we have. It's like I'm back in high school and my car is the only safe haven I have. So many internal issues going on. But in all this we are making progress on our plan so I have to stay focused and breathe.

A bit of a mess at first but we finally made it homey.

Our little avocado tree is growing so fast since we moved. It's even bigger than this now.

In My Brain - How's it going?

I have not caught up with The Walking Dead so do not say a word about it. I need to watch last week's episode and as much as I love Twitter I've had to be cautious in reading as to not let anyone give anything away.

Now that we got that out of the way, I will allow back-and-forth regarding this week's Dexter. Oh. Man.

I heard this morning on the radio that Joseph Gordan Levitt may show up in a quick cameo as Batman in the new Man of Steel movie to introduce him for the new Justice League movie. Maybe I was confused at the end of the last Dark Knight movie, but I though they introduced him as Robin? Anyone want to chime in on this?

In other move news I can't wait until The Hobbit comes out in just a few short weeks. I found an old copy of the book that and I want to attempt to bang it out before the movie opens up. I doubt it. I'm a huge slacker on my reading this year. Remember when I made a goal to read more during the year 2012? Bwahahahaha............................ I want to take all day Saturday and read that damn book though. If I can get through one third of the book before December 14th I think that should be fine right? Because they are splitting it up into 3 movies. I have 3 years to read this book I guess. My procrastinating brain loves that.

I've bought a lot of makeup lately. I blame all of the makeup tutorials I've been watching on YouTube. I may need an intervention. You know, that might make a good reality TV show. "YouTube Intervention; A woman's addiction to makeup tutorials." What do you think? It would start with me waking up on a Saturday morning with my cup of hazelnut coffee, ear buds in, and solemnly watching video after video making lists of all the makeup I need to buy. Cut to a sneak peak of episode two where I'm breaking down in the middle of the makeup aisle in Target and Tyrone is dragging me out the door screaming and kicking and sobbing uncontrollably as tubes of mascara fall out of every pocket on my person.

I would totally watch that.


My horoscope for the day:

You are projecting an aura of calm today -- so what if deep down inside you are frazzled and frayed? Focus more on what people perceive you to be, not on who you really are -- especially since what they are going to perceive will be so helpful to your reputation! Accept all compliments and don't even think about making any self-deprecating jokes. As far as you're concerned, you believe that you are as big a rock star as everyone else says you are.

Pretty much right on the money. I did wake up projecting an aura of calm...until I sat down in my cubicle.

I have my eye on this camera. I think I'm opting against an SLR. I have my reasons, most of them are out of pure laziness and my squeaky pocket.


Peace out, Beatrices!

DIY Swiss Cross Print

Before we moved, back in the beginning of September I made these pillows for our bedroom. I love the trendy swiss cross print and have swooned over it for quite some time now but I couldn't afford most of the items I had my eyes on so I ventured over into crazy town and made my own. I mean, come on, someone who is moving in to their parent's house shouldn't be paying too much for a blanket (but I so very much want it)

I rummaged through the pile of fabric scraps I have accumulated and whipped up these beauties. OK that sounded very annoying. I didn't just whip them up all quick like a pro and what-not. They took me awhile to finally finish, trust me. My favorite one is the hand-stamp patterned rectangle shaped pillow. The blue one is really like a turquoise color and is made out of this soft vintage velvet fabric. The hardest one was the small square velvet and crocheted one. I had this small crochet square that from an old project that I had started but never finished. Sewing the velvet to the crocheted piece was challenging but it turned out alright. Anyways, five new pillows for a new bedroom in our "new" "home"

I had fun making yet another stamp for printing. I really like doing this and I have to say that I want to keep doing it but I more than like won't be hand-stamping anything soon. 

Do you like?

MADNESS sale (expired)

DIY Lightening Bolt Print

First I made a lightening bolt stamp out of an erasure like I did here for my handmade boston print shirt and here for my flag & skull stamps. I've been meaning to post this since September right before we moved, in fact I have a few projects that I did before we moved that I want to show you and one of them has to do with another freaking stamp.

before

they're very 90's mom jeans and stretchy too!!

Staz - on ink is awesome because you can use it for fabric and it won't wash out easily. I've washed these shorts now quite a few times and they still look great. I thought of this idea because I wanted these white skinnies with black lightening bolts on them but missed out on them because I did not jump on that quick enough. So I made my own version because that's WHAT I DO.

after

I found the shorts at the Goodwill for 3$. They're a bit oversized but perfect for a casual day which is pretty much everyday for me. I barely try at work anymore. I just do. not. care. Bring on the maternity jeans for this non-pregnant gal. I'll rock' em!

It does take some time to stamp them and if you're super anal (which I am NOT) and think you have to have every bolt lined up perfectly then this step might take you forever. I let the ink on my shorts dry over night before I wore them just to be safe.