Yellow Love.

I've really been interested in the bright yellow shades lately. 

{I still pine for the yellow dresser} 

I think this table by Peggithas Pieces is spunky and cheery.

I could really do an entire room in this color scheme.

Guest room, I should say.

Because I still dream of a dark cherrywood look in my own bedroom.

Etsy strikes again!

Friday Fondness: A Strange Childhood Book...

My favorite childhood book would be considered very disturbing today. 

However, I will read this story to my children someday, disturbing or not.  I loved it.  I am so, utterly pleased that I found a used copy for a mere quarter at the library bookstore. 

This book is, after all, out of print.

I give you...

Bony Legs.

Check out the cover:

Scary, huh?

Bony Legs is about a witch named (duh) Bony Legs.  Her bony legs could make her run very fast.  And she liked to eat children.  (Come on, now, I told you this was a DISTURBING book)!  She lived in a hut in the woods.

On the edge of the woods lived a little girl named Sasha.  Her aunt sent her out to borrow thread. 

Sasha came to a hut in the woods.  (See where this is all going?)

Well, without pretty much telling you the entire story, lets put it this way:  Sasha is kind and generous to some creatures she meets along the way, and the creatures help her in return.  They help her escape from Bony Legs. 

In essence, it is a fable about good vs. evil, and good winning in the end.

Yes, I realize it is somewhat frightening, and the illustrations of Bony Legs are pretty freaky, but the overall moral is worthwhile.

This book is unique.  To say the least.  ;) 

And I still love it!

Have a great Friday!

Festive Blog

I made my blog festive for February.

Yay Valentines :)

Weight Watcher Wednesday: The Rating Scale of Honesty

If I had to rate this week (Weight Watcher wise) on a scale of 1-10, 10 being the highest (as in, super, awesome, and all that jazz),

I would have to rate it a number:

3

3.  Period. 

Is that any indication of my focus over the past several days? 

Even with the fruit I love.

Even with those tasty vitamuffins.

Even with all the water in the world.

Even with the strive to achieve. 

Today, my simple goal is to raise this rating scale number. 

Most weeks I feel great, as in 8-10. 

Occasionally, it's hit or miss.  5-7.

Sigh. 

A mere 3.

Where did I go wrong?  Oh, so many ways. 

Bottom line, I didn't write anything down, which I need to do for myself.

And now I realize the importance of that.

One day at a time.

Beauty-full Light.

I love to see evening light filter through the trees.

Sunsets.

Sunrises.

How it is ever changing.

But it is always consistent.

Always lovely.

Awe inspiring.

I thank God for creating light.

It is beautiful.

And "beauty-full."

The Awesomeness of Etsy

I'm helping plan a baby shower for a fabulous friend of mine. 

She's having a girl.

The crib set is printed with ladybugs.

Here is an inspiration for ladybug themed baby shower decorations, via Etsy:

Too darn cute!

I also love the red and black theme, as seen here:

These banners (plus more party items) are available via

 http://www.etsy.com/shop/getthepartystarted

(and they even customize!)

I {heart} Etsy and it's crafty folks.

Dresses as Decor

About a month ago, I was antiquing, and I went into a very nice, fairly priced consignment shop.  Against one of the walls sat a gorgeous, old dresser and mirror. 

It was yellow.  Very striking and cheerful.  Completely vintage. (I so wish I had a picture of it).

It got me thinking about a room theme.  Preferably a guest room.

A yellow dresser.  Bursts of colbalt blue and rich green colors throughout.  Vintage figurines and wall prints.  A mixture of modern and antique furniture.  A few cool lamps. 

And an antique dressform to hold this:

This 1950s vintage dress as part of the room.  A unique form of period art, tying together colors and style. A vibrant focal point.

I am in love with this dress. 

I want it.

Friday Fondness: Pee Wee's Playhouse (Plus a Bonus PSA)

Hanging my head in slight shame, I willingly admit to you that I watched this program:

Pee Wee's Playhouse.

I thought it was so clever and funny. 

Of course, this was long before Paul Rueben's own 'pee wee' scandal. 

I remember liking some of the regular segments and reoccuring characters of the show: 

Jambi the Genie, Pterry the pterodactyl, Penny, Conky the Robot, just to name a few.

And of course, the day's Secret Word issued by Conky. 

And for some reason, the giant foil ball really sticks out in my mind.

However, as time has passed, I don't remember the plots of the episodes as much as these key characters.

It was a silly show, like Blues Clues amped up on hallucinogenics, while the main character wears about an inch of cover up, and appears to have some form of ADHD. 

Still...if you were a child of the 80s, I would bet you saw at least one episode of Pee Wee's Playhouse.  At least one.

Your Secret Word today is:  snaggle.  You know what to do.

Remember the theme song? 

Oh, and the Pee Wee PSA!  This is so funny! 

While I appreciate the 'effort' and all, doesn't this kind of make it sound like he's saying crack is bad, but implying that cocaine isn't?  Or is it just me?  Either way, there is something about a serious Pee Wee Herman emerging from the darkness holding some crack that makes me chuckle. 

Pee Wee, maybe you should have done a PSA on certain other issues:

Let's be real:  if you do anything that will equal a mugshot, then you probably shouldn't be doing it, regardless. 

Right Pee Wee?

Happy Friday!

Someday, an Art Room.

Someday I want a multipurpose art room:

An office space, for editing/printing photos. 

A painting area, set up with an easel and canvas storage.

And a scrapbooking/card making area that looks as darling (and functional) as this:

I'm in love with the individual paper slots.

Weight Watcher Wednesday: Fruit I'm Loving

This week, I've been loving a couple of my favorite fruits:

*Blackberries:  1 cup = 1 WW point, plus Vitamin C, magnesium, and antioxidants. 
*Pomegranates:  1 cup = 2 WW points, plus antioxidants and potassium.

So simple, so natural, so sweet. 

I especially love pomegranates.  Contrary to popular belief, you can in fact eat the arils (seeds) whole.  They don't hurt you, and if you want to get really honest, they provide the body with roughage.  I eat them in a bowl with a spoon, plain, like cereal, and usually buy the seeds which are prepackaged in the refridgerated section of the grocery store.

I wait for pomegranate season all year.  It will be sad to see them go.

To Be Where Little Cable Cars Climb Halfway to the Stars...

Strange as it may seem, I must admit, sometimes I think about San Francisco.  There is just something magical about that city.  I fell in love with it the first time I visited it.  It's vibrant, and ecclectic, and real.  It's busy, but I find a level of calm exists in the midst of it all.  The hillsides are visually appealing...the ocean is lovely, the people are friendly (for the most part).

I've made a total of 5 weekend trips there with friends/family in the past 3 years.  There's always something new to explore, or even something to revisit again and again.  Even the public transportation offers a new variety of people and sights.  (Wouldn't you agree?)

It's just one of those cities that gets under your skin, you know? 

A little over a year ago, I had the opportunity to move up there to attend art school.  I didn't, but that story will be saved for another day, another time, another blog.

Right now, on days like today, while my head is spinning with all the 'must do's' and the varying level of stress in my life, I would love to be there.  I want to check into my favorite little hotel, grab my camera, and hit the streets.  I want to have an extended date with the city, and lose myself for awhile behind my camera lens, capturing the beauty, life, and  bustle of a place existing outside of myself.  To brave it alone. 

I really can't explain, and I really shouldn't complain, I suppose.  But, then again, everybody needs some 'away time', don't you think?   

Could I brave it alone...? 

Maybe someday ma ville, someday...

Nous sommes de retour, nous sommes de retour dans San Francisco. Nous sommes de retour, et vous me dites je suis à la maison.
xoxo

Friday Fondness: An Album for...Stickers?

Sticker albums.  I was in love with the whole concept of sticker albums back in the day.  Did anyone else keep one?  Mine was white, with the self adhesive pages.  You know the kind, you pulled back the clear plastic sheet, stuck your pictures (or stickers) on the page, and replaced the plastic to protect them?  And the time spent arranging those stickers, and comparing them to friends, and even the occasional trading.  Such a simple concept to keep a kid quiet occupied, really. 
I could start one now, if I wanted to.  I don't, nor will I.  I'm just stating a fact...
And, of course,  the stickers!  I still occasionally buy stickers for scrapbooking purposes, but they've come a long way since my childhood in the awesome 80s.  As in, they've matured in the past couple of decades. 
In my collection there were:

Scratch and Sniff

Cabbage Patch Kids

Unicorns and other animals

And I vaguely remember having a couple of Cabbage Pail Kids, too.

Oh, those 80s stickers.  In honor of all those stickers, in a garbage heap somewhere, I dedicate to them this edition of Friday Fondness.  Gotta love them!

Weight Watcher Wednesday: Because I'm a Chocoholic.

This week proved to be fairly successful in my weight loss endeavor.  I am, unfortunately, one of the many, who gained some Holiday weight, which needs to be pulled off in addition to what I'm already working on.  It's my own fault.

This week, the challenge I faced was the number of student birthdays in my classes.  Every student gets to bring in a class treat to share for their celebration.  It's so fun, and the kids go all out.  This week was full of homemade cupcakes, cake with thick frosting, ice cream cups, oh my!  I'll be the first to admit it:  on my 'off', 'not caring' days, I would gladly have a treat with the kids, write the day off as a loss, and just begin again the following morning.
This week, in the face of cupcakes, of frosting, of ice creamy goodness, I fully resisted.  Not ONE bite.  That was an accomplishment, hurray me! 

As I've mentioned before, I love chocolate.  It's a real weakness of mine.  (Hence the birthday palooza challenge over these past few days).  While I'm working through the first couple of weeks getting back on track, I'd like to thank the following product for helping me along the give me chocolate or I'll hit you 'craving' path:

Vitalicious Vitatops.  Deep Chocolate flavored. 

A mere 100 calories, 1.5 grams of fat, 6 grams of fiber, and 3 grams of protein (1 WW point).
Quite often, finding a lower calorie, reduced sugar snack can be a struggle, thanks to the flavors of various sweeteners used.  But these babies take the cake...err, muffin.

Instead of having a cupcake, and feeling like I'd lose track, I'd grab one of these instead.  And, they aren't little bite sized morsels, they are pretty substansial in portion.

To find a store near you to buy some, or order online, visit http://www.vitalicious.com/ . 

They help my chocolate addiction.  My name is Angela, and I'm a chocoholic.

Update on My Mom Part 2!

Thanks for the prayers and well wishes!!  She was discharged this morning with a clean bill of health! 

Praise God!!

Update on My Mom!

Hi friends!  As some of you may know, my mom was admitted to the hospital today, for an overnight observation on her heart.

So far, all tests have come back with good results:  blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, etc.

My mom drove herself to Urgent Care this morning with shortness of breath, and sudden jaw pain.  She felt like it was out of the ordinary, and decided to get it checked out (better safe than sorry).

The doctors felt that it wasn't anything serious, but still wanted to transfer her to the hospital for lots of tests and observation.  Apparently, one of the initial tests they ran in Urgent Care indicated that it might be heart related. 

She has had a series of blood tests (results not in), one stress test, and in the morning she has one more stress test, and then she is most likely going to be released, depending on all of the results.

Thank you so much for your prayers.  I love my mom so so much, and hearing the phrase 'mom...hospital...heart' from my dad literally made me feel like the air was sucked out of my lungs for a split second.

Oh, and she didn't want me to worry at all about her today at work, so I didn't even find out anything until I was leaving school, and voila, there sits my dad in his car, waiting to deliver the news and fill me in briefly, before we headed to the hospital to see her.  Not one call, text, nothing.  On one hand, that was so sweet and thoughtful, on the other, I want to say 'seriously?'

God is good, and she is in great spirits, feeling well, and she hasn't a worry in the world.

Again, thanks for the prayers!

xoxo

"I Love Charlie the Unicorn"

Only because rapping shrimp are awesome.

Successful Blog Merge!

I've successfully imported my Little Flock Photography posts here for you!  For the time being, I will be working from just this blog, all photography updates will be here!! 

Hiatus and a Merge?

Hi friends!  Just wanted to let you know that I will be on a photography hiatus for the next 2 months!  My schedule is such (right now) that I will not be able to schedule any shoots until the end of February/early spring! 
Thank you for your faithfulness!
Also, I'm considering merging this blog with my personal blog, as soon as I can figure it out!  Keeping up with one blog right now would be so much easier!
Check it out, and please follow me there!
Thank you!!
http://accessorizeyourlife.blogspot.com/

Friday Fondness: Nintendo, Original

Old school Nintendo.  Super Mario Bros and Duck Hunt.  Ah, nostalgia.  The first time I ever played SMB was at a friends house after they got it.  I was...9? 

Does anyone remember the game with the mat you put on the floor?  It was some type of racing game, track meet style, and you ran in place?  The faster you ran, the faster your player went.  Let's face it, that was some really cutting edge gaming right there.
My all time favorite Nintendo game was Kid Icarus.  Holy smokes, was that hard.  Now, most games give you a halfway point if your player dies.  But you could be at the very end of one of the oddly long levels of Kid, and die, and have to start all over at that level again.  Oh, but the mythical creatures, the flying eyes, the grim reaper character, battling Medusa at the end. 

Those were some good times.
When your Nintendo system got old, and the games wouldn't play well, did you blow into the bottom of the game cartridge?  I did.  Apparently under the assumption that it was dust or grime that caused the system to crack out on me.  Most likely it was just wear and tear of a well loved game.
If you ever have enough spare time and want to experience these vintage games of the NES, visit http://www.nintendo8.com/ for a free flashback experience.
Or, just go play your Wii.  Which, believe it or not, I've yet to play.  Whatever.

In the Arms of Jesus

Dear Richie and Natalie,

In this season of grief, of deep despair, and devastating heartbreak, please know you are truly loved. 

I, among hundreds upon hundreds are not only praying for you, but we are praying you through your darkest hours. 

God is good.

And He is with you.

And little Gavin,

You are a rockstar, braver than most adults. 

You fought a good fight. 

You have impacted our world, rejuvenated lost faith, brought Prayer Warriors together, melted hearts of ice, and you helped the light of God shine brightly into a dark and weary world. 

Thank you, for that amazing gift. 

'God is bigger than

the air I breathe

The world we'll leave.

God will save the day,

and all will say,

My Glorious.

My Glorious.'

**Please visit Natalie's blog.  Let's join together to lift this family up in prayer.  Read about Gavin and his life here: http://www.natalienortonphoto.com/

Weight Watcher Wednesday: Continuing My Journey

I decided to add a new weekly segment to my little blog here.  Weight Watcher Wednesday.  That's right, that's what I said. 
I've been in Weight Watchers before, but this time I knew I needed to stick with it.  I feel like I've done fairly well.  I've been regularly attending meetings for a year, doing the after meeting grocery shopping spree to prepare for the upcoming week, the journaling, the measuring, and so forth. 
So, I thought I'd post a small tidbit every week about my journey.  Because it really is a journey.  It's not an event.  It's changing my way of thinking, and feeling, and making choices that are right for my body.  My posts will sometimes be just me, expressing my thoughts, or food items that I find helpful, or the occasional recipe.  I would like to believe that blogging about this experience will serve as another form of accountability.  By going 'public', I know people will form some expectations.  And don't want to let myself, or anyone else down.

This weeks tidbit?  The truth.  Allow me to be honest with you.  I like food.  Period.  I cannot shift the blame anywhere else but on myself for my weight.  My weakness is chocolate.  I make the wrong food choices. 

I'm human, though.  This journey is not a skip through a field of flowers, while birds sing, and butterflies flicker by.  Let's put it this way:  it has it's skip worthy moments, with puddles of mud in the way, angry bees instead of butterflies, hills to climb, and sometimes I step in a pile of bird poop.  I have weeks of success, and even weeks of lows.  I have days when I'm full throttle, charging ahead with the program, and I have days when I just don't care and feel like I have to start over. 

But it's still worth it.  At least, to me.

In one year I lost 30 pounds.  I will post a photo for every 20 pounds I lose.  Sound good?  However, I can't find one (right now) prior to the 30 pound loss, so this will have to suffice.  Taken during August in San Francisco.  When this was taken, I'd lost roughly 22-25 pounds.  I work hard at trying to position myself in photos to hide certain areas (as in, below the neck).  For whatever reason, in this one, I didn't make any effort.  Ah, well.

I want these posts to encourage any of you out there who struggle with weight and/or self image.  It's an uphill battle, but it's a learning process.

P.S.  A few disclaimers!
1. I love, love LOVE comm ts!!  However, I do have to approve each comment submitted.  If you post one, it may not appear right away.  I reserve the right not to approve a comment.  I want this to be an enjoyable reading and/or discussion experience for my readers.  If you want to snark and rant, please go elsewhere.
2.  I have chosen Weight Watchers as my weight loss plan.  I am not endorsed by them, nor will I be using any copyrighted WW material in my posts.  My blogging about this experience is solely for the purpose of encouraging others and telling my story.  If you are considering any weight loss plan, please seek the proper advice from your doctor about what is right for you.
3.  I am fully aware of the fact that I am not the only person who has chosen to share her/his weight loss story.  But, mine is mine, and theirs is theirs.
4.  I don't feel comfortable (at this point) posting my actual weight.  I will, eventually.  Promise.

A new year, a fresh start!  Here goes!!  Thanks for reading and for the encouraging words.
xoxo

Personal Blog Part 2

My personal blog is now called 'Accessorize Your Life.'  Click here to visit!  Thanks!  http://accessorizeyourlife.blogspot.com/

Still Updating!

Hey folks!  I've been behind (again) on my Friday Fondness posts!  They will return, as I am still working on revamping my blog, and getting it the way I want it!  Even considering renaming it and creating a new header!  Thanks for being patient!!  Want a new look for a new year!  Thanks for reading!  Please follow this blog!