Becolorful

Lindsey Phillips Ballet Flats - A Great Gift For the Women On Your List

When I go Christmas shopping for the women on my list I often end up buying two of the same thing; one for them and one for me. This time I am doing the reverse. I found something I like so well I may end up going back and buying more for gifts. 

I found these great little numbers up in Galena last week and thought they were just hands down fabulous so I bought a pair for myself in silver. They seriously feel like bedroom slippers. Yesterday I was putting up Christmas decorations and wore them all day and they felt amazing. 

 I decided I had to give them a shout out because not only are they oh so comfortable but because they are also so versatile. The toe embellishments snap on and off and you can buy more of these "shoe jewels" to change out the look of your shoes. At roughly $70.00 they are easy on the pocketbook and they would be a traveler's delight. With the embellishment options  ( $12.00 a pair) your can dress them up or dress them down or mix colors to work with different outfits. The shoes come in copper, black, and silver and I just saw today that they can now be ordered in gold. Check here to see all of the options. In a word they are flat out fantastic. 

 

Thanksgiving Thoughts

Now that the Thanksgiving holiday is already behind us I am looking forward to tackling the not so insignificant task of decorating for Christmas. As I am packing away my ambers, browns and golds and pulling out the numerous totes of greens and reds I have time to reflect back on yesterday.

I have a lot to be thankful for. Yes, there were some empty places at our table and we will miss those loved ones forever but all of our babies are well and safe and two of them were with us.

 

 
 

How lucky am I?   I am married to the kind of guy that chips right in and helps  to make the day a relaxing and enjoyable one for all of us. One of my favorite times of the day is when we are alone and we are cleaning up after our big meal. We  are able to bond over the private jokes, concerns and the pride we share for our family.

 He's not mad, just concentrating while cooking :>) 

 

 My mom was also here to complete my family circle and like the rest of us she knows how to tell a good story. We had some real belly laughs and some great food. I sometimes think I could easily downsize and have a home with out a dining room, but when it comes to Thanksgiving and Christmas I am also thankful for all of the space this big old house offers up. It is the space and the home I always dreamed of and when it fills up with the people I love I know that I am truly living the dream. Wow, I'd better stop or you'll all be hating on me. :) Does it help if I tell you that 2/3 of my Christmas tree will not light up? It's true.

 Thank you too for Liz who has taught me to have my camera handy so I never forget these days and thank you to James for taking this picture for me.

 

Laundry Room Panache

Voila! Finally I have been able to get back on track and "finish" my laundry room. Our home is very old and our laundry is in the basement but with large windows that let in a lot of light and look out over a brick courtyard . The view outside is a pretty one so I don't feel like I am laboring in a dungeon. 

About a year ago I decided I was really over the green and white vine and leaf patterned wallpaper in this space and decided to do something totally outside of the box for me. I painted this room a pale aqua. I later did my studio space in a bolder version of this same color but when I first stuck my toe into the blue world it was, for me, a risk. A year later the paint job was all that I had accomplished in my laundry room make over. It was an improvement but I didn't love it. 

I would still like to replace the TV with a small flat screen... someday, and I would really like it if I didn't have the drop in ceiling tiles but hey, in this old money pit we never know when we are going to need access to water pipes or electrical wiring. It is much easier to pull out a few tiles than to tear into drywall. So they stay. 

Still, I was able to make a few improvements that make me happier when I am sorting, shifting, folding and ironing.

I made some curtains out of Pier 1 napkins and a little black fabric. My windows are dirty so I closed the curtains for the picture. :)

I 

 

I added a few tchotchkes in black and white.

 

and I rescued this lamp from storage and added a new shade. I bought the lamp at Target a couple of years ago for $10.00 and knew that eventually I would find a home for it.

 

The wall decor is a big black tray from Ikea

 

 

and so are these great red press on vinyl poppies. I love black and white but I have an addiction to color and these gave me the pop and wow factor I needed to be happy.

 

I struggled to find just the right rug. This tile floor gets cold in the winter. Then Liz sent me a link to a shopping site where everything is black and white. She knows me so well.  This site had me at hello. It was love at first sight for me and it was here that I found my rug. The best part was it was only $39.88! 

 

So now I have one more room that I can check off my to do list for awhile. The next projects will be more difficult. I think I will wait until after the holidays to start in on those but it's never to soon to start mulling over ideas and possibilities.

 
 
 

 

Funky Hand Painted Furniture in a Traditional Home

I always put in one controversial item, it makes people talk. ~ Dorothy Draper

 

Those of you that know me know that I have an old home that is basically decorated with a traditional flair but if you are visiting here for the first time you may not know that I also paint furniture and I am part of a fabulous group of women called The Traveling Door. Our group recently had a sale and I would have to say that considering the economy, it was a huge success. I did have two pieces, though, that did not sell and rather that store them in the garage until our next event, I brought them into our home.

To try and meet the needs of an ever changing market I am trying to honestly evaluate why these items did not sell. That sounds kind of whiny or that I am fishing for compliments and I don't mean it that way. I get it that wildly crazy pattern pieces just aren't going to appeal to everyone,  I did sell pieces very similar to this one so I am comfortable that there is a niche market for these kinds of conversation or statement pieces. My altered furniture is definitely unique - controversial even, but I think the bigger hurdle is that people see these pieces in the store and can't imagine them mixed in with their more traditional furnishings. So I thought I would show a couple of examples of how well I think these two styles compliment each other. I like to think that mixing these two looks gives a room such an edge and a thrill of the unexpected. To me this light hearted look says, "I don't take myself too seriously". 

This is a four drawer chest I brought back home and placed at one end of the dining room. I know I am breaking a rule by placing it in front of a window like this but hey some rules were made to be broken.

 

*Those of you that are more observant will notice that I changed out the dining chairs for the captain's chairs. What do you think works better stripes or floral?

I also have a clock that did not sell and I tried putting it in the dining room as well but I think one statement piece like this in a room is enough.

 

So I moved it to the living room.

My living room is also very traditional. So much so that I am itching to have a chance for a do over but I need the auto industry to make a come back first. Keep in mind I pulled this room together ten years ago. My tastes have evolved and our life style has changed dramatically since then. Regardless, I think the whimsical touch of the funky clock helps to dial down the formality of the room. Well, at least it's a start.

 

 

Not every room in our home is so formal. Painted pieces work easily with a more casual style as well.

 

 

 

So when something unusual jumps out at us I think we need to not dismiss it because of it's uniqueness or it's color or pattern. It is scary to do something bold but safe is so mundane. So seek out something controversial. Embrace it. Update a tired look or give new life to your tried and trues. Think of a new ways to use what you have. Paint them, stripe them, cover them in polka dots.  Perhaps that piece you see at the store would work in a foyer, or bathroom, or child's or teen's room. For some reason it seems easier to do something a little out of the ordinary in those spaces first - at least until you become more comfortable taking a  decorating risk. Think outside of the box. Use pieces in unintended ways. Then when people come to visit they will leave your home feeling inspired and motivated and they will owe it all to you and your creative style.

Jewelry Cabinet Minus the Before

I really wish I had remembered to take a before picture of this little jewelry cabinet. I found it at a salvage store. It was made of an ugly brown nameless wood and the mirror that was supposed to be on the front of the door was missing. 

Along with my surplus of belts I also have a copious amount of jewelry. My jewelry armoire was overflowing and I knew when I saw this pathetic orphan piece that it would be a perfect addition to my closet. So I painted it black, added some foam board and fabric ( actually a napkin from Pier 1), and I ordered some great push pins. Voila now the front of the cabinet has a new life. I can use it pin up inspirational photos or even more jewelry.

But seriously, isn't this great? I think you could modify any old medicine cabinet with hooks and pockets and have something very close to this. It doesn't take up much space but is another element to help keep a girl organized.

My Love Affair With Belts { and subsequent storage issues}

Very simply, I have a love affair with belts. Actually I have a love affair with a lot of things; sunglasses, shoes, jewelry, pink lipstick, gift wrap and anything black and white. My latest quandary though is what to do about my belt passion. Let me be honest here. I am not looking for a cure. All I really need is a better way to store them. I keep reading that I should edit my closet and if I haven't worn it for a year I should get rid of it. Really? I have tried this with varying levels of success. Some things, though, either have a way of multiplying or I just can't break up with them and move on. Belts are one of those things that I hold on to for years. They have a rather short life cycle. Waist accentuating or hip slung, skinny or wide,western or urban,understated, or all out glitz - it doesn't really matter. Each of them have a way of reappearing on the fashion front every few years. A belt is never really totally out of fashion and  doesn't seem to take up much space. As a result it is easy to justify holding on to it. Now occasionally I will find something I like waaaaaay more than what I already have. This I call my replacement purchase :) and I can let go of my previous friend rather easily. More often than not, though, my new love becomes another addition to my collection. 

This is the result of too little editing and too much belt love -

I have belts hanging here

 

and here. But that's not all.

 

 I live in a  rambling old house with teeny tiny closets so when we moved in eleven years ago I converted the smallest bedroom - and it is almost too small to even call it a bedroom into my walk in dressing room. Because the house is old I don't have all of the cool built ins of a newer home. I would love big pull out drawers with dividers for all of my belts and jewelry like I saw on The Rachel Zoe project or at Ikea in their big closet models. I would also love a huge wall with hooks so I could see everything at a glance.  Alas, wall space is  at a premium in my vintage space although I do have about three feet floor to ceiling that I could work with. 

These current belt hook bars really aren't cutting it for me. They look a bit messy, they hang one on top of another and the whole thing lacks that inspired touch. I am thinking of maybe putting up a painted peg board. Any suggestions are welcome. I am kind of hitting a creative wall with this. 

 I like to keep my favorite belts out where they are easily viewable. I know it looks like quite a few faves but these really are my chosen go- to belts and they work well with everyday looks. I have others that either don't hang well, are seasonal or total glam for parties and holidays. These I have organized into a great set of Ikea shoe organizers called skubbs. 

 

with the drawer inserts  You can't beat these prices and they are so easy to use. Plus they come in black, white or orange. I, of course, had to go with the black and white but I like them mixed together. Then I labeled each drawer accordingly. 

I am one of those out of sight out of mind kind of people so the tag reminders are a necessity for me. They also keep me organized and nudge me to put things away where they belong. Everyone thinks I'm neat and tidy and orderly. I am so not. That's why I do this.

 

So now this has become my overflow storage of the things I can't part with but still love. I had one drawer left at the bottom that I tagged for receipts. I'm thinking of adding another set or two of these skubbs. I could use them for costume jewelry or tights and leggings. I could also see them used in a craft room. You just need a bar to hang them from.

As for the tags. I printed them on my computer and then used my Making Memories tag maker and rims to complete the look. The tag maker took a little practice and I learned that I need to use card stock not just scrapbook paper but now that I have it mastered this little beauty has almost replaced my label maker.

Goodnight Carlotta

I can't believe that Halloween has come and gone and it is already November. October was like a movie played in fast forward. Now with Halloween over I am starting to focus on Thanksgiving. Just like Christmas, I don't like Halloween decorations up after the holiday has passed. It's just so 2008. I find that looking at them after the holidays is like looking at my rumpled party clothes the morning after or the dinner table after a big meal. It's a bit of a let down.

Unlike Christmas, packing away the holiday remnants is a breeze. I have one large tub dedicated to Halloween specific items and another for fall flair. I seem to be better about using or tweaking what I have with a few small additions instead of the reams of chotchkies that tempt me and follow me home from the store at Christmas. I bought this very cool mask,though, and named it Carlotta.  Naming her is weird. I know. Anyway, I bought her late in the month at Pier 1. I probably paid too much because I bought her a day before their Halloween sale but I knew if I waited that she would be gone. I'm kind of sad to pack her away but how fun will it be to open up my tote next fall and greet her again. She will be my head start on next year's festivities. So good night Carlotta and Happy November to all. 

The 411 on Fabulous Hair

The holidays are rapidly approaching and if you or a friend are looking for one fabulous stylist in the Cedar Rapids area or if you think that maybe you are ready to change your look up a bit then let me introduce you to Jessica. Not only is she talented and up on all the latest trends and products, she is dependable, professional and easy to talk with. She will listen to what you want and, if asked, make helpful suggestions. Her salon is centrally located and her impressive training includes a Bumble and Bumble course in New York, Beth Minardi and Aveda color classes in Chicago, a Wayne Grund haircutting course, and Redkin training in Chicago, Des Moines, and Cedar Rapids. She was also a hair artist on the set of The Final Season and yes, she is mentioned in the credits.  She is one of Cedar Rapid's best kept secrets and I want to share her with you because I believe in supporting local talent and in passing on a good thing. I hope you will give her a call. I know you won't be disappointed.

A Creative Mind is Seldom Tidy

Yes, this is my studio that I proudly put together in thirty days this past summer and bragged about how organized it is. Actually, the studio IS organized it's just that I am not. I've known for five months that I would be putting on a sale with The Traveling Door in October, so it isn't like I didn't have enough lead time. After every sale I say I am going to be more organized for the next one. I am saying that again because this is the result of my latest round of last minute cramming. 

My excuse this time was that I needed to wait until we got Adam moved on to college so I could claim this space for myself. Then it took me the thirty days to pull it together into what I call my studio space. Shortly after that we had a a personal family set back that definitely needed to take priority over painting. Throw in a trip to the east coast and another one to Lake of the Ozarks and before I knew it I had three weeks to prepare.

Initially, I tried to keep finished projects together and lined up, but before I knew it I was working on five things at once. While waiting for the paint to dry on one thing I would start another. It snowballed and was soon out of control.

I had more projects in various degrees of completion going on out in the painting garage. I'd have so many projects going on and so many paint colors that I'd set my brush down, move on to something else and not come back to it until the brush was rock hard and worthless. New brushes will definitely be in order.

The good news, though, it that despite this horrendous colossal mess, it returned to "normal" with relative ease. The beauty of having an organized space is there really is a place for everything and it really does make clean up so much easier. It only took me about an hour to put everything away and wipe down the counters. I still haven't vacuumed. Even though I fight it, I do have that lazy side to me and I hate to vacuum. I also learned what worked well and what maybe needs to be tweaked but that will be another post. For now I am just enjoying my calm reorganized and clean blue heaven.

 

Ahhhhhhhhhhh.

Sneak Peeks

With just hours until our sale, the women of The Traveling Door are working feverishly to finish up our projects for you. It seems we all get into this last minute push to complete just "one more thing." 

I thought you might like to see just a sampling of what you will find tomorrow, Thursday October 22nd from 4-8 PM at Klik's.

Some of Kathy's fantastic door candy -

 

 

 

Sally's jewelry -

 

Here is something new and different; Hip Mama Calling Cards!

These fun cards can be shared with other cool moms to exchange information or schedule play dates. Wish I had had these. What great ice breakers.

You will find gifts for your home or for a friend =

 

 

 

 

or how about an earring frame for a friend.

You will want to stock up with some of Lynn's breathtakingly beautiful photo cards.

 

Of course there will be holiday treats.

 

This is just a sneak peek of what you will find. Don't miss this event because we all love having something that is unique and original and The Traveling Door is the place to find it.

What is Functional Art?

 This is a clock I pulled together a couple of years ago. At the time I called it altered art. Maybe the term should have been functional art. What is altered or functional art? I have thrown these terms out interchangeably for several years now without really knowing what I was talking about. So I decided to do a little research. That only left me a bit more confused. So now I'm trying to figure out what 'found art" is. Maybe the terms, like art, are open to interpretation or maybe things can be classified in multiple categories. 

In my brief search of the internet for the terms altered and functional art I learned that altered art incorporates several techniques within the same piece. These techniques could be paint, collage, and stamping. This wall hanging has painting, stamping, and decoupage so I guess it would be considered altered. A lot of collage artists specialize in altered art. After creating a collage, an arrangement of papers, pictures, and/or words, they either add these to a painted background or paint on top of their work. Then they may add stamping or other embellishments such as ribbon, metal, or chipboard. The options are limitless. 

Many scrap-bookers or card makers have seen their craft evolve into altered art. My scrap-booking style is simple.I am inspired, though, by Liz who takes it to the next level. 

Maybe after The Traveling Door sale (shameless plug) and the holidays I will get back to this creative outlet. Looking for pictures in my scrapbook folder makes me realize how much I miss it.

I am also inspired by Linda at Just My Little Bit and Alberta at Amusing Muses. Their work on canvas just makes me happy and I am itching to give it a whirl.... soon. Click on their blogs to exciting examples of true altered art.

So if I'm not really doing altered art like I said in our promos for The Traveling Door, then I would have to say that what I attempt to do is functional or found art. Functional art is taking something ordinary or worn or outdated and giving it a new life. Maybe even reworking it in a new way like using a cupboard door as a canvas or a boot as a planter. Functional or found art is putting creativity in our everyday lives not just on our walls. 

In my case it means looking at the mundane with new eyes and thinking how I could make it something unique and worthy of notice

I try to visualize something with a new coat of paint, some stripes (usually black and white) or maybe some polka dots , or often times,  both. I also love to add quotes or words to my work whenever possible.

 

 More than once I have found something at the store and when I go to check out I am forced by my need to feel cool to try and explain to the sales associate that I will be painting this lamp, clock, vase or whatever . Forget saying I'm going to alter it. They usually don't know what I am talking about nor do they care. I wish I didn't care but I must admit I don't want them to think that I am so taste deprived that I would take this ugly butt purchase as is and put it in my home if I didn't think I could make it into something noteworthy. 

Last week I bought some trays with Betty Boop on them. I apologize to all the Betty Boop fans but really, I'm a grown woman with a mortgage. I couldn't buy that tray without trying to explain myself. 

So now when I try and convey to people what I do I guess I will be using the term functional art. To me found art sounds like I went through people's garbage...ewwww. I think I like the word functional better. So functional it is.

 

In trying to scour up examples of switched up pieces I went back through my photos. I rediscovered the pictures I used in this post. These are pieces I did a couple of years ago for our first Traveling Door sale. (Yes, that was my 2nd shameless plug) 

It is fun to look back and watch my style evolve. I wonder where I am headed next?

I am grateful for artsy friends and an inspiring daughter and an also creative and supportive mom. They all encourage me to try new things and to take a leap of faith because in the end the worst that can happen is I have to paint over it.

Light It Up

I've always believed that one of the easiest ways to make a room feel welcoming is with lighting. I love the glow that the house takes on at Christmas time with much of the lighting coming from the lighted trees and wreaths. Because I love it so much I figure why just Christmas?

These grape lights stay up year round above the windows in our breezeway. I love to sit here with friends on a summer night without any other lights on but these.

When I do my switch over from summer to fall I try to think of ways that I can decorate with lighting. So I string lights through vases of leaves. After I took this picture I also put a string of lights under the green scarf.

I look for Halloween flair with lights.

 

 

A lighted wreath and candles in front of a mirror gives off a magical kind of lighting.

 

Whenever possible I string lights on Puck.

 

This year I bought some of these great stems with the L.E.D. lights on the tips.

 

But in the end I guess nothing beats plain old candle light.

 

 Send me some of the ways you like to use lighting to make a room sparkle. 

 

 

Less Than Two Weeks

With less than two weeks to go before the next Traveling Door art sale I am beginning to panic. I do this every time. The Traveling Door is a group of five women and I am lucky enough to be one of them. We get together weekly to inspire, laugh, and create. We call our get together day Therapy Thursday. Then twice a year we pull all of our creative endeavors together and put on a sale. I always think I will be so well prepared but I am a master procrastinator and every time I end up about three weeks out from the show and I realize that I am once again way behind schedule. So I end up putting the rest of my life on hold and I go into manic paint and design mode. 

This was the first piece that I had completed for the upcoming sale. Well, actually, if I am truly honest, I originally did this wall hanging for my laundry room but when I realized how far behind I was for the sale it became Traveling Door artistic effort number 1. 

Our next show will be Thursday October 22 at Klik's Photography from 4-8 PM. Yes I am realizing that is less than two weeks away. I hope to have fifty items for sale. So with that in mind my blog posts will be brief. Hopefully knowing that I have put that fifty piece goal out there will be the motivation I need to stay focused and to keep me designing and creating.

 

Bringing Oz Home for Halloween

I'm not exactly big on decorating for Halloween but I decided to try adding a little something different to the mix this year. I don't like decorations that take up a lot of room because I don't know where to store them and I don't like to spend a lot of money on these types of things but I had this hat from my "Blinging Witch" costume a few years ago and when I saw these shoes at a consignment store last week the idea bulb went on in my head.

 

I apologize to the person that bought them thinking they were cute and then I use them as witch shoes... yikes, hope she doesn't read this blog. :)

I thought it would be fun to have a little vignette that looked like the Wicked Witch of the West had set her things here so I added some Halloween socks and placed the three items on this table. It still wasn't working. I decided the hat needed height so it is on a wreath stand that is wrapped with a gift wrapped paper towel holder.

 

There was still something missing. I knew what I needed was a snow globe, but where would I find one of those that had a Halloween theme? I had an Ah ha moment and remembered that in the scrapbooking department at Hobby Lobby they had empty globes that you are supposed to put a picture in.  I couldn't decide - a picture of the witch or her words. In the end I went with the quote from the story.

So there it is an easy to store and unusual Halloween nod for less than $25.00.

It's Miller Time { We Had The Time and They Had the View }

This past weekend we went down to the Lake of the Ozarks with some great friends, the Millers, and this is the amazing view off of their ginormous, must- be- seen- to be- believed deck. Now a girl could get used to a view like this. Plus, what a perfect vantage point for the Fourth of July fireworks that are fired off on that little island out in the center.

We've been trying to get down to the lake and the Miller's place for about two years but it is difficult to get four people as busy and as important as we are all together at the same time :) 

What was bittersweet about this weekend was it would be the last weekend for the Millers at this condo that they have owned for eight years. Their family is growing and the condo is not so they sold it earlier this summer and are now looking for a bigger place in this area. Mike and I made it our mission to help them find that picture perfect dream home on the lake. 

After fortifying ourselves with dinner - and a martini of course- at J.B. Hook's on Friday night,

 

 we set out Saturday morning determined to meet our real-estate objective. I don't know if it was the full moon or the black cat that crossed the driveway at our first stop, but we fell short of achieving our goal. There were some great houses but apparently no "warm fuzzies" for the Millers.

So we decided to regroup. The guys went to play golf...

 

and the girls went shopping. I'd have to say the shopping went better than the house hunting.

 

I even came across this little beauty at the Coach Outlet. Instyle is saying it is all about the colorful handbags so not one to be shy I decided to go big or go home and went all out with purple!

 

We topped off the day with dinner at Docknockers. This place could be a post all on its own.

 Usually we would have gone there by boat but it was unusually cool so we opted to drive over. I loved it here. From the nautical dive bar decor to the humorously designated facilities this place was a study in eye candy.

 

 

 

Haha! You've gotta love it but the real reason to come here is for their amazing crab legs. They are served in a bucket with a wooden mallet to break open the shells. I guess I got a little over zealous with the mallet  (sorry Annie) but hey I was a newbie and maybe it is an acquired skill :)  

 

The crab meat was flying but it was also delicious - as were the steamers.

 

 

Good friends, good food, good Miller Times

Thank you Dean and Annie. Can't wait to do it all again.

 

All Dressed Up for Autumn

"Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns"  ~ George Eliot

 

It's October 1st and I am just getting around to changing out summer decor for fall. It isn't that I'm not excited to do this, I love doing it. It seems like there is always something impeding my progress lately. My family room is one of the more difficult rooms for me to change over for fall. Probably because it has windows on three sides and is full of the bright colors that I love; reds, greens, and yellows and of course my trademark accents of black and white. 

This room was made for spring and summer decor.

 

 

Fall flavoring is a little more challenging. I started by removing the valances. They came with the house when we bought it eleven years ago and I am so over them. Then the easy stuff like switching out the pillows  quilts and table cloths. Then I substituted the Easter Bunny for a witchy looking vase full of fall leaves.

 

 

A new piece from Sticks -

... and of course I always have to dress Puck for each season.

 

Happy October. I wish it could always be autumn.

 


 

Memory Walk '09

 

 

 

This was the second year that Mike and I walked in the Alzheimer's Memory Walk. We are lucky enough to walk with a fantastic group of friends on Team Good. Our team was organized by Kathy Good who's husband, Dave, was a judge here in Cedar Rapids. Dave could always be recognized by the bow ties he wore when he was on the bench. This admirable man began his battle with Alzheimer's while still in his early fifties. As a nod to his courage and sense of style the tee shirts our team members wear all sport various patterns of bow ties. We were especially proud this year that our team was 200 members strong and that there were over 800 walkers in Cedar Rapids.

This year we even got some of our kids involved. Thanks for participating Page, Kate, Liz, and Theo and thanks Liz for these pictures since I camera fouled for this event.

Last September when we walked my dad was suffering with Alzheimer's.  Our family knows first hand the devastating effects and the emotional and financial tolls of this insidious  disease. I never dreamed when we participated in this event last year that Dad would only be with us a few more short weeks. My dad had been diagnosed about five years earlier and was  classified as being in the middle stages. Because many Alzheimer's patients live a long time with this disease the costs associated with Alzheimer's  can be disastrous for so many families. With our country's aging population it is imperative that we get congressional funding for more research or the impact on our economy for the long-term care of Alzheimer's patients will be crippling.

We lost Dad in October after a fall and these flags bearing his name were very special to me. It makes me feel good to know he has not been forgotten.  We marched this year for Dad but also for the numbers of people and the loved ones that care for them that continue to fight this battle on a daily basis. 

Thank you to all that gave so generously, thank you Kathy Good for your tireless support for this cause, and thank you to the thousands and thousands of walkers that participated nationwide. 

Please contact your local Alzheimer's Association for information on a Memory Walk in your area. If you live near Cedar Rapids we would love to have you lace up your walking shoes and join us next year as we walk in the 2010 Memory Walk to raise money and awareness for  Alzheimer's  so that someday none of us will have to suffer or watch someone we love suffer from this heart breaking disease.

 

What's For Dinner

Greek Couscous Salad from LuLu in Philly http://luluinphilly.typepad.com

Those of you who know me know that my creativity does not extend to the kitchen. I usually avoid cooking at all costs but sometimes it is inevitable. Part of the drudgery for me is just figuring out what to make. Then I discovered this gem. The blogstress of this delightful site is bff''s with my daughter. Are they really so grown up???? Lulu, our friend moved to Philly about a year ago and started this great cooking blog. She sooooooo reminds me of Julia and Julie. Actually they could have made the movie with our Lulu.

 I love how this blog is laid out with all of the categories on the side, plenty of pictures (I'm very visual), and I heart the detailed directions. When I am cooking you can not assume that I know anything. 

Lulu posted this Greek Couscous salad about a month ago when we were inundated with the gifts of tomatoes and cucumbers from a dear friend. I had hoped to make this last week but life got crazy like is so often does and by the time I was able to pull it all together I realized I was out of cucumbers. I substituted water chestnuts for texture but I wouldn't recommend that. I also changed out the green pepper for red because that just flies better in this house. Then I added olives for color and because I'm a believer that you just can't have a Greek salad without olives. It was quite yummy and healthy.

Go here for the actual recipe.

 Enjoy and Bon Appetite!

Road Trip

    

Two years ago my hubby saw a downturn coming in  the economy and more specifically in the auto business. He decided he wanted to diversify and started talking about a towing and recovery company. He knew nothing about this line of work other than his fascination with the cable show Wrecked. I didn't think he was really serious but I should have known better. He was looking for something that was a bit more recession proof to supplement his current business and he has always, as he says, "loved big trucks". A year and a half ago he bought his first tow truck and a building to keep it in. I would have preferred a diamond. It was fun, though, to see him excited about this new venture. He has always been a risk taker but he is also a pretty smart guy so I encouraged him to take that leap of faith. Six months later he bought a second truck and hired his first employee. Wow. The employee thing made it a bit scarier because now this wasn't just about us. Two years after the dream began he is up to four trucks and three employees. There is even a Hook'er Towing  website  ( be sure to watch the intro. I love the flash on this) thanks to our tech savvy son-in-law and Page Smith Designs (I love his intro too. Check him out in the top left corner of his site. Funny).

Lately all I have been hearing about is a red Feather-Lite car hauler/trailer that he has been bidding on via eBay. This same trailer has been up for auction three times and each time it goes unsold because the minimum wasn't met.  I know now that once my guy sets his sites on something like this he will probably end up with it - or at least one like it. For him the thrill is first in the hunt and then how cheaply he can purchase it. He sometimes tends to overlook the logistics such as where the item is or how to get it home. This latest acquisition was no exception. The trailer he found ... and by the way, do you know how hard it is to find a RED Feather-Lite??? Do you care? I have been told repeatedly that it is like finding a needle in a haystack. Anyway, the trailer he found was in North Andover, Massachusetts - a mere 1268 miles from home - EACH WAY. Being the fabulously devoted wife that I am, I didn't  want him to make this trip alone. So I actually volunteered to ride along. Such a sap. I'm thinking there must be a diamond in this for me some day. 

I was kind of dreading this trip and I can't lie and say it was awesome but the reality was much better than I anticipated. We did have fun rocking to the tunes, listening to the game on Sirius, and just sharing an adventure together. Instead of cosmetics and blow dryers I packed my ipod, iphone loaded with an audio book since I can't read in the car, a set of bad boy headphones and my laptop for when we stopped. Add in Mike's ipod, Blackberry, the invaluable Garmin GPS and his laptop and we were loaded for bear. We had more chargers than we did clothes. You can tell which item is mine. Even though I didn't wear much makeup I still moisturized :)

When I got bored I took pictures of myself or whatever was around me. 

 

The upside was I had only flown and had never driven this part of the country. It is truly beautiful. We drove through Pennsylvania on 9/11 and I really wish we hadn't been squeezed for time because I really would have liked to have stopped in Shanksville, PA for the memorial services there. 

Our reward when we got to Massachusetts was an incredible dinner of lobster, steamers, and shrimp and the discovery that  after two days in the car we still had stuff to talk about.

and of course a cosmo.

And yes we did get what we came for. TA DA.... here is the newest addition to the Hook'er Towing family.

I'd still rather have that diamond !:)

Jon Aanestad - Songs from a City

Jon Aanestad is on iTunes!

It's a bit alternative with a dash of country and a twist of blues and it's definitely good. 

Stop by iTunes to hear this new sound. Right out of the box I would have to say City Living is my favorite song but they are all choice.

Congrats Jon and now we can say we knew you way back when.