Vintage Repro

This may sound strange, but here I am at the age of 33 and I was transported back in time to the age of 10, today. I discovered that Mattel has a "Vintage Repros" collection for Barbie that features dolls from the 1950s, 60s, 70s and 80s. Suddenly I was in the fifth grade again as I held a pink box in my hands and I reminisced about one of my favorite toys of all time: Barbie and the Rockers Barbie!

The year was 1986 and I don't remember how expensive a Barbie was back then, but to a 10 year-old it cost beaucoup bucks. I recall admiring this doll on the store shelf many-a-time and what was so cool about this Barbie, was that it came with a microphone and a cassette tape of The Rockers greatest tunes. I still remember the names of the other Rockers: Dana, Dee Dee, Derek and Diva too and I would sing along to their music.

Don't laugh ... I was 10!

Barbie had the coolest purple eyeshadow and blond curly locks. Her clothes were "truly outrageous", oh wait, that's a Jem reference. I'm talking about a metallic top and hot pink tuxedo jacket, so new wave! Of course they look totally ridiculous twenty three years later, but back then they were high fashion.


It was fun to remember. But not enough to fork over the $39.99 for the reproduction.

A Year's Worth Of Sketches

It totally escaped me that yesterday was my one year anniversary of writing this blog. And oddly I remembered as I was vacuuming my carpet today (evidently I do a lot of serious pondering while sucking up a week's worth of dog hair and dust). It got me thinking about what this blog has meant to me over the last year.

I'm older, and I hope a little wiser. In the last year I've had a bought with depression; struggled with Fibromyalgia; traveled through the state of Oregon; seen my children grow; learned to knit; and have taken hundreds of photographs and improved my skill - and this blog has allowed me to show off a little - and I posted through it all. It has pushed me to read more, experience more, and write A LOT more. I have spent time carefully crafting descriptive sentences, developing witty captions and finding subjects I hope others would find interesting to read about.

Blogging fuels my creativity and gives me a place to relieve stress. It sends me out in search for inspiration. It's not a knitting blog or a food blog. It isn't about one subject like graphic design. It is not used as a diary, describing every mundane thing during the coarse of my day. It is whatever I want it to be. After sifting through a year's worth of posts, I have found that I have stayed true to what I originally set out to do with my writings: sketch life. Sketch MY life, a little glimpse into the happenings of a normal person living a normal, but valuable, life. And in my eyes, it is becoming a beautiful work of art.

She Says "Totally" Way Too Much

My daughter threatens to give her aunt a smooch!

My little sister. Well, I have two so I should say my littlest sister. Except she isn't that little - today she turns 25. Needless to say, I am in shock, but mostly because that just means I am now truly old. While I am reeling from that concept, here are some things that make me think of her:

Duracell / "totally" / coffee / Bon Jovi / hangin' with the niece and nephew / long red locks / dimples / more coffee / Denver / fun jewelry / blue Toyota truck / mad barista skillz / C & C Music Factory / music editor / "... Adorable" / "Good job Gee, good job!" / American Dream Pizza / music editor / "Where did you get your red hair ...? / watching The Sandlot ... about a million times! / holding my newborn daughter

Happy Birthday to you little sister, I love you!

My son seems quite happy perched in her lap.

A Day to Celebrate ... Not Solitate

My mom and I when I was 3 weeks old. 1976

These are just a few things that come to mind when I think of my mom:

Franklin planners / chicken and rice / Quincy / red / pansies / breakfast at Elmer's / at the birth of grandbabies / crochet / Red Rose tea / mother/daughter trips to the craft store / Volvo / amethyst ring / red chili enchiladas / pens, pens, and more pens / Moleskines / cone headed 'Dancing with the Stars' / green Jell-O alien eyes / colorful coffee cups / long phone calls / yellow macaroni and cheese spoon / true stories about stepped on white Keds and dogs who drive cars / Strand / Fossil wallets / three lovely daughters / Rosebud lip salve / making up cool words like "solitate" and "sneedling" / HGTV / perfect handwriting / B & R platter / a comfy bed for sick kids / The Shed / my friend / Mamaw

Happy Birthday Mom! I love you!

My mom and I in 2006. I had a cute kid of my own on his way when this was taken!

The Bistro Sandwich of My Dreams

For Christmas this year we received a panini grill as a family gift (thank you Mom!) A Cuisinart Multifunctional Griddler Gourmet Maker GRID-8PC to be exact, and I was so excited to get it because there was a sandwich that I have been hoping to recreate for some time.


Last March our family went to Arizona to visit my in-laws. One day my mother-in-law and I went shopping and had lunch at a place in Scottsdale called Zinc Bistro and I have to say it was one of the best lunches I have EVER had! I had a cup of French onion soup, a Pellegrino, and the two of us shared a grilled sandwich and crème brûlée for dessert. The sandwich was u-n-b-e-l-i-e-v-a-b-l-e. On grilled rustic bread was a tender herbed chicken breast and gooey Brie cheese. That's it. Nothing else. Unbelievable.

The other night I tried to recreate this sandwich using my grill and I have to say that I did a very good job. Although the experience of eating it outside this charming bistro, talking with my maw-in-law and watching gorgeous people walk by is also a part what made the lunch so great. And eating this sandwich takes me back to that place.

Basiled Chicken & Brie Sandwich (makes 4 sandwiches)

rustic crusty French bread, sliced

butter

carved chicken breast (my secret is Hormel carved roasted chicken breast if I don't have some chicken breasts already roasted, it's quick and ready to go)


1 Tbs olive oil

2 tsp basil (fresh is probably best - finely chopped, but I only had dried on hand and it was still delicious!)

a pinch of thyme leaves (I used fresh)

double cream Brie cheese, sliced and white waxy rind removed

In small bowl combine olive oil, basil and thyme. Add carved chicken and toss. Let sit while preparing bread.

Butter outsides of sliced bread. Place sliced Brie on one piece of bread, then pile on herbed chicken. Place other slice of bread on top and place in panini grill on medium, with the top down. It only takes about 3-5 minutes to grill, but keep checking it; the cheese should melt and there should be deep golden grill marks on bread. Enjoy!


I'm sorry I don't have any photos of it, I was too anxious to eat it and completely forgot about taking pictures. Yeah, it was THAT good!

The World-Wide Day of Wonder

My sister in her senior portrait.

On Facebook someone asked my sister what is so special about today and she jokingly responded, "The World-Wide Day of Wonder". The truth is, today is her birthday. Here are a few things that come to mind when I think of her:

Candy / peacocks / Aphrodite / basil / painting / Boulder Tea House / "Bobber" / American Dream Pizza / artichokes / long locks / Ireland / kitty cat sweaters / poorly performed cartwheels / art supplies / little girl mullets / opal pendants / rainbows / ferns / Zooropa / hanging with the niece and nephew / avocados / Arabian Nights / saffron / Hellgate jet boat excursions / sunset pink nail polish / silver VW Beetle with leopard print seat covers / Farsi / Lee press-on toe nails / Paddy McGinty's Goat / silver / Yogi tea / prisms / "Fernessa Star MacPhisto"

Happy Birthday little sister, I love you!

My sister and I on January 3rd, 2009.

There Once Was a Man From Gildersleeve ...

My dad and I, sometime in 1976.

A few things that come to mind when I think of my dad ...

Gildersleeve / Big Alex and Little Alex / mustache / three lovely daughters / the Oldsmobile / golf / black and orange / Kenny Loggins / Miagi / black and gold / Harry Chapin / playing Puff the Magic Dragon on the guitar / Peter, Paul and Mary / Go BEAVS! / Coca Cola / shrimp cocktail / Duke, Duke, Duke, Duke of Earl / breakfast at Elmer's / meticulous car washing / A Horse With No Name / lemon drops / Angus / ham and eggs (over medium) / Outback Special / farmer's tans / Back to the Future / falling asleep during movies / orange high-top Converse tennies / Daddy/Daughter dates to the Cinnabon / getting "ears lowered" / meeting newborn grand babies / black coffee / Peepaw

Happy Birthday Dad! I love you!

My dad and I, 32 years later in 2008.

Blog Fodder

The Good Old Days

This last weekend we had the opportunity to head up to the Bend area to see some friends from California. We stayed at a house in Sunriver, a resort not far from Mt. Bachelor. It was gorgeous there - the aspen trees were stunning as the leaves were changing color, we had picturesque views of the mountain, and we saw deer everywhere. It was something out of a Disney movie! On Sunday it rained, but I didn't mind, and Monday the weather was sunny and cool.

It is always a great thing to catch up with old friends. Sometimes it seems that time hasn't passed; that we are the same people we used to be in college. Then we see each other's offspring playing with our own and realize that things really have changed. We have families, careers and homes. Fortunately a package of Halloween Oreos and a chick flick can take us back to the good old days.

My son's first Halloween Oreo. Yummmmm!

Fall Festivities

When we were in Bend we stayed with my in-laws for a night. It's always fun to go to Meemaw and Boppa's house. I am always amused by how my daughter forgets about me when Meemaw is around and wants her to put her to bed, but my son still wants his mama.

We went to the Bend Fall Festival where we heard the Gospel Choir of the Cascades perform (Meemaw is part of the choir), and they sang a U2 song which made my day. There were craft booths and mazes made of hay bales and my daughter got to ride a pony. I'm no expert but she looked like a pro to me!

My daughter's first pony ride. Yeehaw!

A Disco Bride

Last week after I went to the gym, I called my house to see if my husband wanted me to pick up some dinner. I asked him what crazy things were going on around there and he said "Well, your daughter is wearing a wedding dress and we are listening to Saturday Night Fever." That's a sentence you don't hear too often!


Whatever, Cable!

I have Dish Network and don't get the Fine Living Network channel. I wish I did, there is a show on there called Whatever, Martha! that looks hilarious. Martha Stewart's daughter, Alexis and a friend, watch old episodes of Martha's television shows and comment. Their comments are not always nice, but they are amusing. I imagine it must have been very hard growing up the daughter of the domestic diva.

I Wish I Had Paid More Attention

I will always remember the events of this day, 7 years ago. In fact there is no way I could ever forget. I will not dwell; I will not rehash what I was doing when I heard the news; I will, however, remember.

One thing I wish I had done was pay more attention. I wish I had paid more attention to current events leading up to that day. I wish I had paid attention to the threat posed by those who hate us and our freedom. I wish I had understood what the World Trade Center was and its iconic significance before it was destroyed. I wish I had been more prepared.

I don't think I could ever understand the true magnitude of what happened that day - I think only our Lord knows that.

But I will remember.