Melody's Sofa

I am finaaaallllyyyy home!!

the last few weeks and months of craziness have felt like a few years....but I am finally home...and went to bed last night smelling like bug spray, chlorine and grilled steak.......so....it was a good homecoming afternoon!!!...........will be posting lots of photos and lots of writing this week if all goes according to plan.....:)

HOPE YOU ARE ALL HAVING A WONDERFUL SUMMER!!!

lots of love
melody

But first I promised I would get this up....

I have been tagged from Kat's blog...
HERE
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This is one of the dearest people in my life, Kat...she is one of my greatest friends...but also like a sister to me.....I love her so much....we have been through so so so much together in the last 5 years...stuff that bonds us for life....so....when you see her, you may want to hate her...because she looks even better than this in person...and she had a baby 6 months ago...land I have traveled all over the planet with her...seen her in the morning...late at night, when she's sick...when she's drugged up after surgery....seen her crying and laughing and ALL OF IT...and she is always gorgeous...and happy...and radiant from the inside out...

So...she chose to TAG me for this beauty treatment questionaire...HA!!! Why me??? When we used to work together before she had her baby....SHE was the one who helped me figure out all my makeup...my hair...even my clothes....so, I don't know why she's asking me...but I will take a shot at it...I have taken a very relaxed position to all things the last 6 months...including beauty and fashion...so, honestly, I certainly do not have any glamorous answers...but I promised her I would get this up on my blog ASAP...so...
here goes Kat!!!
BEAUTY TREATMENT TAG

MY FOUNDATION: I always love mineral foundation....usually I use the one from Bare Minerals that you get in the starter kit because it is such a good deal that way...but it's so messy...and so much work...lately, I've been using Neutrogena sheer oil free foundation...so light....and cheap....you can get it at WalMart

MY BLUSH: I am still using the Dollymix from MAC that Kat picked out for me 2 years ago....or sometimes I smudge a little bit of pink lipstick on my cheeks....or pinch my cheeks really hard to make them pink...or mostly...just don't wear any at all...

MY DAY CREAM: I love the REGENERIST line from Olay...actually, I love all Olay products....I have used some awesome DNA Repair cream that was $90 an ounce back in the day...but these days...I just pick up some Olay at Wal-mart

MY LIPSTICK: Well, I really like that all day stuff that you paint on and then finish it off with the gloss that is on the other side of it...but I have so many lipsticks....usually I wear pink...sometimes nude...I lose my lipsticks all the time...just like sunglasses....and so I have tons of cheap ones that I picked up at WalMart or the drugstore....just like sunglasses...

MY ESSENTIAL BEAUTY PRODUCT: exercise and water...I look like a different person when I am exercising regularly and drinking lots of water.....oh wait...I forgot...FAKE TANNER......the kind you rub on and sometimes turn out orange?? I am pasty white...so I splurge on Mystic Tan and always spray on some kind of self-tanner after every shower....to me...better orange than white...

MY FAVORITE PRODUCT: diamond dust shimmer powder...a tiny bit on the top of the cheekbones..at the brow line..makes you look sunkissed and healthy and like you have gotten a ton of sleep....all things that I have not indulged in for while and need to fake...so this comes in handy...oh, and Sally Hansen eyebrow wax strips...I wax mine...and both of my daughters...works great

MY PERFUME: I love all perfumes from Victoria's Secret....but I am currently wearing something that i have never heard of that used to be super dooper expensive at some department store...but that I picked up at TJ MAXX for $15

MY NAILS: I love getting my nails done...but have not for probably a year...I rub oil into them....and I try to keep them filed and trimmed........but.....beyond that......not much....they are usually caked with glitter, paint, glue, etc.

MY FEET: that's a bit of a sore subject...I've got the worlds worst callus problem...I do the cheese grater thing after the bath....I pumous stone them (I know I am totally spelling stuff wrong...c'mon...it's the weekend) and I use lotion.....but mostly my feet are totally dry and have home-done paint jobs on them in coral pinks and hot reds........I would LOVE to get a pedicure soon...

MY HANDS: I rub lotion into them sometimes?????? My poor hands...they get put through artist hell...usually covered with paint..glue...glitter...ink.....paper cuts...

THREE PRODUCTS TO TAKE ON A DESERT ISLAND: sunscreen, mascara & deoderant!

WOMEN I ADMIRE FOR THEIR BEAUTY:hmmmmm....Kat, of course....and lots of my other gorgeous friends..and their moms....and now that I'm nearing in on 40...I would have to say....Cindy Crawford...Kelly Ripa....Moms who are totally rockin in their 30's and 40's

WOMEN WITH THE BEST SENSE OF STYLE: I am seriously impressed whenever I see photos of Katie Holmes...and Reese Witherspoon.....oh, and Kat

MY ULTIMATE DREAM: to have Kat's body and her incredibly wierd talent of eating 3500 or more calories a day and huge desserts for a week straight and still looking fabulous in a size 2...

SORRY I DON"T HAVE ANYTHING MORE EXCITING....
I will soon....maybe...I am finally getting back to my boot camp regimes at the gym and even thinking about enrolling in a fitness competition 9 months from now...I will definitely need that much time to get back in shape....other than that...I am just going natural....SO MUCH EASIER!! LOL
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Ok....will be back soon to tell you what I would do if I ruled the universe...

If I was in charge of the Universe.....

COME BACK LATER...I HAVE FIGURED IT OUT...I WILL TELL YOU...I think I would know what I would do TODAY....if I was in charge of the Universe....
...and I'm quite sure it would only be a day, because then I would get fired for showing up to the board meeting in flip flops and doodling all over my quarterly report...BUT...FOR A DAY.....I will tell you later...will be back....
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ENJOY EVERY MINUTE OF YOUR FRIDAY!!!
lots of love...
melody

Absolutely IN SANE

....this has been ONE HECK OF A WEEK...WELL, ONE HECK OF A MONTH.........ok...ONE HECK OF A YEAR.....but, anyway....I am finishing up preparations for CHA...all has to be shipped out by tomorrow...I can't wait to show you all that we've been up to.....there's CHA...and a zillion other things that I will have to tell you about later.....SO MUCH GOING ON with my family...so so so so much.

...will be doing a proper, nothing-to-do-with-business blog post very very soon. JUST WANTED TO STOP AND SAY HI!!!!

HOPE YOU ARE HAVING A GREAT SUMMER!!
WE really really really are........the best summer in years and years and years...
life is good.

LOTS OF LOVE TO EVERYONE
melody

Artsy.licious Give-Away Winners!!!

..............................................................................................................................................................OK...first, I must say...THIS WAS ONE OF THE HARDEST THINGS EVER!!!
second...I had help.....
and third....these winners were partly randomly chosen and partly chosen by several individuals...THERE WERE SUCH GOOOOOOOOD and WONDERFUL entries...and WAY TOO MANY to choose from...that I beg you to understand that yours idea and your entry was fabulous even if you did not get drawn....

***THIS IS NOT OUR DESIGN TEAM LIST*** this is for the artsy.licious project give-away....

THAT BEING SAID....
IF YOU ARE ON THIS LIST....YOU NEED TO EMAIL COURTNEY WALSH at courtneyrwalsh@gmail.com and tell her who you are of the winners, then give her your request for product (which product and colors you will need for your project) AND your address....she will be taking care of shipping it...ALSO...give her your email so we can follow-up and POST YOUR FABULOUS photographs of the project you make with your winnings....

ALSO....if you were one of the winners of the weeklong book giveaway a month or so back...and I told you I'd send you some Artsy.licious with your book...PLEASE EMAIL COURTNEY and tell her...and she'll be sending those goodie boxes out too!!!

Thanks to EVERYONE for entering! It was so fun to read your ideas and I wish EVERY SINGLE ONE of you could get a box of goodies.......

BUT...here's the winners...(I am just pasting your actual comment...you must identify yourself to Courtney)

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Oh I think I'm late on this but going to tell you anyways! I'd actually make some jewelry with it! Love those embellishments! I did some with some tim holts/7gyp stuff, so why not this!!! Its AWESOME stuff! So beautiful!!! Can't wait to get my hands on it to try it out!!!!
Posted by: jenn | June 01, 2008 at 08:45 PM

i have been collecting vintage wallpaper for many years and like to use it in my projects, sometimes it is too brittle and won't glue well. I especially love the flocked paper. This line is gorgeous and imitates my vintage collections very well. I am the owner of a little company in Utah called The Art Nest, creative retreats to nurture the soul through art. We host five day retreats in the mountains of Park city. Bringing in artists and mixed media classes. Every retreat we hand make a little packet that is mailed to each participant. I would love to use these products to see what kind of yumminess i could come up. It shouldn't be hard since these are beyond fabulous.
Posted by: candice elton | May 27, 2008 at 09:52 PM

Hard to name just one, so I have to say first that I am loving the teal color. I have a wall in our new home that runs down the length of the downstairs and the side of the living room that is that color. Just gorgeous! The project that I have been dying to do for the longest time is an extremely large wall canvas with pictures of my four boys and the quote "Of all the creatures, the boy is the most unmanageable" in the center. I have some great photos from last Easter with all the boys making faces in their nice church clothes. I want to make the wall canvases really ornate and posh looking - in total contradiction to the photos. I'm talking gilded edges, rich colors, etc. and my little stinkers right there in the center making typical "boy" faces like they do when I break out the camera.
As a secondary project, I have been thinking of making some curtains for my dining room using non-traditional materials like buttons, ribbon and papers. I want to literally sew together paper and use the ribbon as the tab tops to anchor them, with buttons like you would see in regular old store bought curtains. The goal is to create curtains that would look like fabric and take people a second glance (or a third) to figure out that they are made from something else entirely.
Definitely no shortage of ideas and I would love to get picked. My scrapbooking mojo went out the window a long time ago and I am just starting to get it back again.
Posted by: Anna A. | May 27, 2008 at 09:33 PM

Such pretty items, all of them! I've been toying with a book about Valentines Day. All of the members of DH's family have gotten engaged on Valentine's Day for three generations. I'd love to document all the stories together in one place :-) My DH is the youngest and of course had to make it a surprise, so I think we'll have the most romantic story, lol! My color: Red, of course!
Posted by: Melissa P | May 27, 2008 at 07:37 PM

WOW Melody... remember me(Sarah McCombs!!) From way back when! Well, I have been keeping up on your blog and wanting to post and post and post, but just haven't... Don't ask why?!?! Can I just say- you are inspiring!! I just love you so much! I have become a lot more artsy since starting to read your blog and I am not a terribly "artsy" person. Some have worked and some haven't- but such is life and at least I am trying myself instead of just buying some one elses!! But, if you sent me a box, I would "decorate" my daughters room. I finally have a girl after two boys.. YIPEE(she is 1). But the poor thing just gets hand me downs from the boys! She had a sports ball mobile when she was a baby baby, now she has a hand me down sport lamp and no pictures on her wall(and boy PJ's :). I have shopped and shopped and can't find a thing I like for her room, so I decided I am gonna have to do it myself - I want to create some fun crafty one of a kind pictures and photo frames and fun stuff for her walls- but with fun funky artsy colors(not like the stuff you could just buy made by some one else!!) Thanks for everything Mel, I mean everything!!
p.s. i may need 2 boxes too- I could decorate my whole house!!

Posted by: Sarah Tolman | May 27, 2008 at 02:24 PM

Here is what I really want to do with it. Alter a headboard for our bedroom! I love the blues and blacks! I have been wanting to do this for sometime but not much has grabbed my attention...but you did it!
ps. I may need 2 boxes
Jamie
Posted by: jamie~2girlsdesigned | May 27, 2008 at 09:01 AM

Wow! Such beautiful colors and great pieces!!! I can't wait to play with it all! I have a naked dress form that has been sitting on my shelf just BEGGING me to alter it, however, because I haven't decided on the perfect papers and embellishments, it hasn't been done yet! The amazing blacks and grey/silvers in this line would be PERFECT for the "skirt" portion and I'm thinking a touch of the reds may be the perfect way to accent the piece! The spiral books are SO cute and would be a great album to create a "journal-style" piece about the every day things in life, like the Diet Coke that I always seem to have at my side, the struggles and joys of working through Weight Watchers, the cute expressions on my dogs faces, my obsession with the online world, and other random pieces of me. It would be so cute to have "stuff" just sticking out from all sides of the great album! I could have some serious fun with these incredible papers and embellishments! OH! They would be AWESOME for the foot-long mailing tube that has been sitting on my desk waiting for inspiration, too! Again, I am really loving the black and red colors, but the aqua would be a great color to work with on this project! I have some silk flowers to put in it, so it has to be great! LOL! It would be an honor to be one of the first to create with this amazing line! I can't wait to smell it! Yeah, LOL!, I'm one of those! LOL! Thank you for this amazing opportunity!
Posted by: Jennifer Ingle | May 27, 2008 at 03:47 AM

Hi Mel
This may be my first time to your blog but it won't be my last-you have an amazing amount of energy, it jumps off the screen!
I SO totally love this new CB line. The flocking, the embossing, the bling, the unbelievable richness of it all. CB has taken paper crafting to a new level. I will finally be able to make myself the photo board I have always wanted. Using the paper as the background and the brads and bling on pins and magnets to make an inspiration board that won't need anything else!(well, except photos) I have a feeling it will end up being a scrapbook page- king size- for the wall of my home, instead of just in my little scrapbook space. Finally something my dh will look at and love as much as I do!
Yep, a work of art and inspiration that would fit in my old style living room! Who needs Classical Framed art?? Fabulous!
Posted by: Heidi Shaw | May 26, 2008 at 11:52 AM

This stuff is just fab-u-lous!!! Those kohl black lacquer and flocked papers would make gorgeous mats for some hanging prints. The black, blue and green embellies would also probably find their way onto some jewelry.. definitely!
Thanks for the opportunity to win some of your wonderful goodies :)
Posted by: Harley | May 25, 2008 at 09:52 PM

HI! What beautiful products!The embellishments are just too adorable! My favorite colours to use are pinks and browns. I would love to make soem altered items with the products, specifically I need to make some name plaques to go on the outsides of my children's doors. I also would like to make two altered paint tins (one for each of my children) for a special present.
Posted by: Errin deBoer | May 25, 2008 at 12:29 PM

Mercy that stuff is pretty!!!! I would make a super pretty art journal. Most of my journals are so organic and having a girly girl one would be fun!
I would also make books for my friends. I have some who are interested in getting started in scrapping. What better way to do it that with this great stuff?!
Posted by: lu | May 24, 2008 at 07:39 PM

AH-MA-ZING!! this stuff speaks my language. I will be home schooling my son 3 kiddos for the first time next year and i've acquired a beautiful old weatherd cupboard. I want to decorate some wooden magazine/file holders to sit on the shelves. I think it would look awesome, oh, and i also just read A New Earth and want to make a spiritual journey "journal"- how great would these be for that?? Thanks for always being such an inspiration as a woman, wife, and mother!
Posted by: Nicole Mc | May 24, 2008 at 01:44 PM

I would love to take those fabulous new papers and make a jewlery box! I have been saving this project until those papers were released! I would also love to put them to use coving a few accessories for my office, it is just so darn chic! Can't wait to see the new Chatterblog.
Posted by: houston | May 24, 2008 at 06:48 AM

I have 4 children, and to keep our family organized we do everything in their favorite colors. I do a lot of scrapbooking for them that way as well. That is how I purchase and store a lot of things I use so the arsty.licious instantly inspired me. I actually have a specific project in mind using 5x5 canvases, paint, and color specific paper/embellishments to go with the kids' photos. When they are complete I plan on mounting them to a 13x13 routered piece of wood spray painted black and hang it as a piece of art in my studio.
Posted by: Lori | May 23, 2008 at 10:05 PM

Whoa!!!!
W E D D I N G I N V I T A T I O N S ! ! ! 
This looks like it jumped right out of my imagination! I've had something in my head for the past month as I've been trying to come up with the PERFECT design for my dear friends wedding invitations, which she intrusted me to create. The black paper combined with a dash of bling is exactly what I've been searching for!
As always, you don't disappoint!
Thanks for the inspiration...I've been a *fan* from the beginning!
Tracey
Posted by: Tracey | May 23, 2008 at 05:51 PM

Wow ... how amazingly gorgeous! The colors just made my creative mind LEAP with joy!!! I am a graphic designer and would love toget my hands on those amazing products. The "project" I would REALLY love to use this stuff on is my soon-to-be 7 year olds bedroom. We just moved & we created a fairy (not Tinkerbell ... sorry fans!) themed room for her now that she is a "big girl" ... no more babyish stuff for this chick! Our "inspiration" was a gorgeous, vintage print by Edward Robert Hughes "Midsummer Eve" (C. 1908) It has such beautiful, rich colors which instantly made me think of your new line. So I would do multiple projects, such as, fairy house (of course!), gilded mirror, nightlight, etc. The list is endless!!! I know your products would make one happy little girl. I am truly a creative creature and would love create some amazing things for my beautiful daughters enchanted space. Thank you for considering us!
Posted by: Dana Wickenheiser | May 23, 2008 at 05:14 PM

I would make a beautiful bouquet of Artsy.licious flowers to sit in my newly painted robin egg blue kitchen. The colors and textures are delicious.
Posted by: Erin Noll | May 23, 2008 at 02:28 PM

First of all, it's absolutely gorgeous! I have three little girls sharing a very light colored lavender room. The lime green would be gorgeous to use on an old peely white window frame I have. I'd use the textured and foiled paper in the background, and embellish the mini "layouts" of the three girls together using all of the goodies.
Posted by: Julie Johnson | May 23, 2008 at 02:25 PM

Oh...so yummy! And different. I can't wait to get it in my store, where of course I'll use it for a class, but right now I'm thinking that it would be perfect for lampshades and a desk set for my daughters' room. Green and Turquoise of course! This stuff is so beautiful. Wish I had it now!
Posted by: Johanna | May 23, 2008 at 12:49 AM

Oh Mel!!
These are amazing!! I saw a glimpse on JQ's blog too. I am in love. I would love some to work with. I have my family photos from Miss Tara Whitney, that I haven't scrapped yet. My best friend also had her family shot on thier boat, so would love to put something together for her. I want to blow these pictures up in black and white, Scrap them and put them in great frames and put them in the entryway. I will also scrap some family ones and put them in each boys' room. Since my house is Black & Red (love me some pottery barn) I think that would be great...Also, the I have some home decoration things I am working on (ie. gift topiary, chandelier, other goodies..)
I would also love to make a mini book I could teach at some local scrapbook stores.
I am doing well, and I hope that you are also. Love your blog! Oh, and a great quote I saw on a bag....
"Too blessed to stress!"
God Bless, 
Rachel
Posted by: crazy rachel | May 23, 2008 at 12:45 AM
I absolutely LOVE this line. AB-SO-FREAKING-LUTE-LY!!
I am going through a divorce and just moved in to a new townhouse. My walls are empty and the PERFECT blank canvas!! I would use the Artsy.licious product to make large canvases of my children as I want the wall decor to be one-of-a-kind and handmade. :) I have huge vaulted ceilings so there is PLENTY to fill!!
My goal is to make my house MY home and my children's home. Their Dad and I have a wonderful close friendship and we want them to feel they have two homes...not just "mom's house" and "dad's house". Because of this, I would also make some photo canvases of the kids for their Dad's house.
Pick me, Pick me!! It would be the perfect way to get me motivated to play!
Posted by: ~hunzer~ | May 22, 2008 at 08:33 PM

The Artsy.licious looks fun. As the mom of a boy...I don't use this girly stuff often but....I've been wanting to start an album all about me!!! I want to record my mid-life transformation. I'm doing a middle aged re-invention of myself - from overweight mom/housewife to marathoner! Yes - I'm training for the Disneyland Half Marathon in August and the L.A. marathon in 2009! And, of course when I am done, I will need to create a display frame for my medals! I love all your colors - especially the Green, Red and Brown!
I'm Dreaming Big!
Posted by: joann | May 22, 2008 at 07:08 PM

Oh, I can't wait to see what people come up with! I myself have been wanting to do a "Month in the Life" sort of mini book where I journal or take pictures everyday for one month. Just a little record keeping for the family of what we do that may not seem interesting, fascinating or intriguing now, but in 10, 20 or 30 years we will be astounded! In fact I'm downright positive one of those albums/books is exactly what I'm looking for! Definitely has to be in ruby, peacock and willow!
Congratulations to all of us for a new generation of Chatterbox goodies!
Posted by: Heather Roms | May 22, 2008 at 06:19 PM

Good gracious-- ok-- breathe, breathe. . . I am envisioning the biggest canvas or frame I can find, and making an amazing sort of "wall quilt" out of the various papers, with the treasures where the colors intersect, in peacock blue, red and white. I love the idea of the pairing of the luscious papers with the homey design of a quilt. (Homespun bling?)
And that green would look amazing matting my black and white photography.
And some paper mobiles, to show off that amazing texture with light and air. (paper birds, with jeweled eyes???) Again with the peacock, red, white and black.
OK, well, can you tell that I'm excited? The texture and colors just pop off the screen. Beautiful! Bravo!
Posted by: Missy K | May 22, 2008 at 05:56 PM
WOW, Melody!! The Artsy.licious looks yummy-licious indeed!! I'd love to try a mini album using one of those mini books... they sure look droolworthy with all the texture. I've been wanting to do a "What Makes Me - Me" album. The mini book would be perfect and, of course, all the yummy Artsy stuff as well. And color? My fav has got to be RED! :)
Posted by: Anne-Marie | May 22, 2008 at 04:42 PM

I am getting ready to move from IA to TX. My new home is a little bland and I could see some great home decor projects made with this awesome, rich, beautiful product. My two sons and hubby might not appreciate the details but I'll bet my guests would. I think I'd probably work on some wall pieces that included welcoming quotes and maybe a fun guest book for all of the poeple who come to visit us in TX.
Posted by: susan | May 22, 2008 at 05:08 PM

Goodness Gracious!

Guess What!??? This is the week for choosing the giveaway winners! Courtney will be sending out all of the product and we'll be announcing the winners at the end of the week! Cross your fingers!!! Sorry it's taken so long! So many to sort through and over 430 people auditioned for the design team too! Courtney just got the big shipment of product at her house to ship it out to all of the winners...so BE PATIENT! :) I can't wait to see what you winners will do with your stash!

I am traveling for business and Courtney is on vacation til Wednesday, so soon as we are both back, we will make the big announcements and send out the goodies...this includes the winners from the book give-away too! SO FUN!!

Hope you are having a great week! I am really looking forward to getting back home and in a routine...after CHA, I am home for the rest of the summer....lots of blogging and GOOD TIMES!

BE BACK SOON

2 business trips this week...I will write tonight from my hotel.
HOPE EVERYONE IS DOING GREAT!!!
enjoy summer!

have the best day, ever.
Melody

ALL IS WELL

Madi keeps all 10 toes.........it is healing nicely, though they still won't stitch it up.....huge hole all the way thru that dad has to clean and dress twice a day...I can't do it yet.....but......I give lots of hugs....and she's doing great on her crutches.....THANK YOU THANK YOU for the well wishes and prayers...means more that you know....

I will write SOOOOON! I have lots to share!

THANKS AGAIN FOR THE KINDNESS AND PRAYERS!

melody

A recipe for disaster....

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And we had one.......a bad one....

I have some bad news....I can not make it to Idaho Falls for Express the Moment.....family emergency...

My daughter was running in the grass and stepped on a rake that was turned up and it went all the way through her foot......

...needless to say, she needs her mom. We've been to the hospital twice now....and there's some issues causing them to not be able to stitch it up yet...they're hoping she gets to keep her middle toe....she's on crutches, on heavy narcotics, and in lots of pain.

I AM SO SORRY to everyone that I was scheduled to meet and speak to this weekend....I am REALLY going to miss seeing you all and I will be posting my speech in bits on the blog over the next week....I did send you all some presents....and I know Kim will take good care of you!!! I am sure that you will understand...since this industry is all about family...that when child needs their mommy...there's nothing more important.

SO MUCH LOVE TO YOU ALL...I hope to make it there later this summer...maybe we can schedule a class or something.....

HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEKEND!!!
Melody
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Catching UP!

So....I'm back from my business trip....first thing I gotta tell you....PREPARE to be stuck in an airport for days on end...I mean, I've had it happen my last 2 times....and, sheesh, I WAS NOT PREPARED....I wore THESE BOOTS
....of course...it was worth it...because I also had THE HANDBAG.....BUT STILL......36 hours in these boots...which ended up turning into 48 hours by the time I got home....lots of walking, running, kneeling in prayer for a flight, AND....twisting my ankle...which I will tell you about in a second...means that I SHOULD have had a pair of shoes in my bag that were more slipper-like....maybe cow slippers or bunny slippers....but NO...I had nothing but these...oh, and a pair of faux crocodile stilettos that I couldn't fit in my other bag...that were even worse.....I should know better.

An aside....I bought these boots on Ebay....they were $15....I got the bag at Ross for $18......that's how I roll with my shopping folks...cheap...that way, if I get mad enough on my 27th hour of running through the airport, I can almost guiltlessly throw them in the dumpster by the ladies room and fly home in my socks. But...I didn't....I brought them home....and my feet ache. But I still wore them to church yesterday. I am a slave to my boot collection.

One of the heels is loose, hence the twisted ankle...well...maybe the twisted ankle hence the loose heel?.....let me tell you why. I had dinner on Wednesday night in Minneapolis at a REALLY great Indian restaurant...it was nice, quiet, classy...full of business people who were super sophisticated. I ate my pot of something spicy and when it was time to go.....I got up and tried to walk out...oh...did I tell you it was a very SMALL restaurant....and I was in the MIDDLE of the room...and I was one of the only people NOT of Indian descent? Well....I got up after dinner and TRIED to walk out...my heel turned under....my foot was asleep...no matter how hard I tried...my foot just kept turning under....I almost fell....a table caught me...I tried again....my leg stopped working....my boots looked good...I looked like an idiot....OH THE STORIES I COULD TELL YOU THAT RIVAL THIS ONE!!!! I kept trying...people were staring...I looked drunk. I finally sat down at an empty table and massaged my ankle like it was an old war wound, trying not to make eye contact with anyone......I kept trying.....and then...I finally made it out of there, limping....and...I put the boots on again the next day....that's when the airport fun started and I did not get home until Friday night....in my boots.

My feet hurt today.....I am tempted to wear them...but I will be in the studio all day so I will probably just wear flip flops...we will see. I just thought I would share BECAUSE I KNOW someone out there has enslaved themselves for the sake of the perfect boot or shoe and handbag match.....DON"T TRY TO HIDE!!!

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Finally...I am going to share a TO-DO list with you today...because somehow blogging it makes me more accountable.

I am going to make something FABULOUS this week with Artsy.licious....really fabulous...and post it here

I am going to make something with paint...I don't know what yet...but, it's gonna be good.

I am going to get back on the wagon after Trail Mix from Costco was the death of my diet

I am going to drink a whole ton of water this week.......I have a dr. appt. on Wed. that I have to get myself in peak condition for to avoid the YOU NEED TO TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF lecture.

I am going to choose the winners for teh Artsy.licious giveaway and have that all done and ready by THURSDAY

Ok...that's enough.
I have other stuff that I HAVE to do...that's the stuff I'm gonna put on top of it.
I will post again later....for sure...I have more adventures to tell you about......it's been a killer few weeks.

WISHING YOU THE HAPPIEST OF MONDAYS!
Melody