Blogger Quirks - or Something Else Altogether?

Just wondering if anyone else had any issues with viewing the new buttercup template? I looked from work & all of the sidebar links were down below the text of the posts. Then I looked from another (likely highly "blocked") place and it looked VERY strange.

Connie thinks that she could help me - but from where she sits, everything looks normal. How about you? If something does look strange - could you post a comment & then note the browser that you use - I would appreciate it. Hopefully this is something funny with my work computer & not anyone elses.

Stay tuned for a couple new posts that I've been working on - one about how I met Nick Cage and the other about, well, about the good ol' Red White and Blue.

Let's just say that both are "period pieces".

Thanks! XO

Connie hooked UP the buttercup!!!!!

Ta-Dah!!! The new look is revealed!!!!!!!!!!!

Connie-Dear took all of my thoughts, ideas and 20,000 jpeg-clip suggestions and patiently, generously, skillfully put them together as you see right here.

I LOVE IT.

Thank you so much, Connie. You've brought a huge smile to my heart...right when I really needed it.

Surgical Procedures

Just a little announcement - - things might get a little wiggy here at buttercup in the next couple days. We are undergoing a little revamp. Emphasis on the "vamp" part. Connie is helping me out a little in the design department. There may be a few fits and starts so this is why I quote:

"pay no attention to the [woman] behind the curtain"

...and all that.

Hopefully all will run smooth and come out yellow-brick-road-esque in the end.

Til' then.......see ya'll on the other side.

XO, WZ

Someone Pass the Tardy Sauce...

Sorry Secret Pal. I'm really sorry. I forgot to thank you for the lovely December gifts. And, here you've already sent along such great January gifts - I feel like such a heel.

Please accept my apologies.

Check em' out.


Our pal sent us this really great Horse & Kitty plaything - we think that it seems like something that would be great for the car. It jingles and crunches - and, it is the prettiest shade of blue!! There's also a killer Einstein teething ring that I intend to put in the fridge as soon as I wash it. If you look a little closer, you'll see another level of cozy-cute. Our pal sent us our FIRST set of piggy-jam-jams. Yes, pjs! They are so cozy that we had to bust them out of the package to test for ourselves. Verrrrry soft - and with feet! Awesome!

Iris was laying on the piggy-jam-jams but I missed the shot. Here she is cuddling in the crunchy wrapping paper. (In the right hand corner of this pic you'll see the dangling feet of the pjs).



BTW, out of curiosity....how long do we keep this up...this Secret Pal thing. Do we just keep going until the end of time? What if people forget amidst the delirium of the incredible extending wait time? Do we end when we thought we would eventually have our referrals? If so, will there be post-swap-pre-referral-depression as a result? Imagine the slump. Or, could it actually come as a relief of sorts - take the pressure off of the monthly got-to-find-a-unique-and-thoughtful-gift-that-tops-last-months??

What is a DTC group to do??

More Random

I'd like to introduce you to Maeve the Mauve Llama...if you click on her, she'll talk to you.

I know.

I couldn't help myself.

1/21/07 Edited to add:

**Maeve ran off with an Alpaca - they decided to go to Miami to become golf caddies from what I understand**

Interesting Tag

Mrs. D over at Bicycle Built for Three tagged me in a new and intriguing way. Here is what she's requested:

1) Find the nearest book
2) Open to page 123
3) Type lines 6-8 of said book
4) Tag three others

So.....here goes.

1) A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius - Dave Eggers

2) Done

3) See below:

"I have donated to the couple from the women's shelter, and to that little boy from the Boys Club, the pair of solemn teenagers from SANE/FREEZE. The Berkeley-ness of Berkeley, so charming at first, is getting old.

The bell rings."

4) Tag three: C1, WrittenWord and Beginners@This

Have fun y'all!

Eight Months In - But Who's Counting?

Uh, yeah...I am.

You know what the number 8 looks like when it is on its side?


Just keepin' it real.


So, in the spirit of my newfound desire to make use of this time waiting instead of frittering it away being pissed off...here are eight things I'd like to accomplish in the next 8 months:

1. Paint & decorate BabyZ's room-to-be

2. Sew up the Bai Jia Bei

3. Tighten up the budget and tuck away a nice little chunk to show for it

4. Strengthen my back and increase my energy level because parenting is an endurance event

5. Look into becoming a Home Study Social Worker

6. Throw a Tupperware Party

7. Reconnect with my garden

8. Learn how to make Red Velvet Cake (I'd like to have it at our baby shower)

Random

A - available or taken: As far as the CCAA is concerned...I'm available. Regarding love/marriage/romance: I'm taken.

B - best friend: jzboy

C - cake or pie: Pecan Pie


D - drink of choice: Nice, hearty red wine. Non-fat latte. PGTips w/ milk & sugar. Yamamotoyama Genmaicha Tea. Water.

E - essential item you use everyday: Contacts. HondaCRV. Computer. DVR. Chapstick. Itunes. Water.

F - favorite color: RED...the old fashioned, 40's-esque-kitchen/apron/barn-shade-of-red.

G - gummy bears or worms: ONLY the German HARIBO Gummi Bears - the green ones...red ones are ok, too.


H - hometown: "All over". (Try to explain that on your homestudy)

I - indulgence: fabric stores. lattes. cookies. sewing. vino. time with my neice.

J - January or February: Both. I love New Years. And, I love Valentines Day.

K - kid's names: Iris, Cleo & Willie. Those are the furbabies.
Baby girl??? Well...that is a bit under wraps at the moment.

L - life incomplete without: jzboy...for sure. Mom/Dad/Sister/babyneice, too...

M - marriage date: July 1999.

N - number of siblings: One.

O - oranges or apples: Blood Oranges. Apples in Tarte Tatin...fa' shizzle.


P - phobias or fears: Yes.

Q - favorite quote: Too many to list. Anything by significant, strong women who have endured more than I could imagine.

R - reason to smile: Sunshine. Sunsets - especially in Mexico. Furbaby Iris. Plans with jzboy. A clean house.

S - season: Autumn, for sure.

T - tag 4 people: I think that everyone else has done this one. If you have not - then, please have at it....

U - unknown fact about me: I collect dishtowels. I love to wrap gifts. I could eat broccoli everyday. I met Nicolas Cage

V - veggie I don't like: Lima Beans. Frozen peas. Canned peas. Bitter lettuces.

W - worst habit: Worrying about stuff I have no control over.

X - xrays: Teeth, female parts...Multiple times. Head...once...after a major car accident.

Y - your favorite food: Sushi. Broccoli. Fresh summer corn/tomatoes/lettuces/peas/anything with summer freshness.

Z - zodiac: Virgo-on-the-cusp-of-Libra/Ram-Chinese

24

Just. Can't. Wait.

Jack's Back.

Countdown begins......

Pulse racing. Disbelief suspended.

Buckle up, baby.

Non-Prescription Treatment for the Blahs

Making cute things.



If you haven't already, you should definitely visit Wee Wonderfuls. Hillary Lang is the designer of this very cute pattern for Kitty, Bunny and Bear. She most definitely is an artisan of cuteness.

This project has been brewing around in my thoughts for some time. I bought the pattern this summer and had a few fabrics in mind. Then I got all consumed with the quilting class. As the holidays approached, my inspiration kicked into gear...time to make the bears! What began as a simple, little Christmas gift plan for my neice and BabyZ eventually spilled into a level of crafting hypomania that neither I nor the Kenmore could have imagined.

Beginnings of BabyZ's Kitty:


Voodoo Kitty:


Kitty's Friends:



In total, I think that I made....hmmmm.....about.....eleven of these suckers. Talk about rabbits multiplying.

The dark brown bear above with the blue/white/red craziness in the top pic went to my incredible neice. I gave one to Julie. I gave one to my local DTC buddy, Jen. One is earmarked for my friend who is expecting any day now. Of course, Mom wanted one after she saw the ones for the girls...hers is the kitty with the Asian umbrella print below:


Finally, here is BabyZ's Kitty...the very first one that I made:


I realize that this is craziness, I do.

However, keeping busy and making so much cuteness really does something for the mood. At least it does for me.

I'm also thinking of it as a bit of a warmup for the Bai Jia Bei Marathon that looms. Question is: am I training for the event - or simply engaged in an elaborate game of dodgeball?

Oh well, at least it has been fun procrastinating.


***Update*** Mom's kitty:

Looking Back...My Excellent Discoveries of 2006

1. Blogger (you know how to find it)
2. Ugly Betty (love, LOVE America Ferrera. Love the girl.)
3. Lady Sovereign (see above for attitude)
4. Auntie-hood (sorry, can't post a pic of the girl who's stole my wee heart)
5. Re-Discovering my sewing machine
6. Quilting
7. ITunes
8. David Sedaris (I know, I am a latecomer)
9. The Beauty of using long accumulated, miserly hoarded sick/vacation time
10. Beard Papas
11. Brandon Flowers
12. The Caribbean

Oh yeah.....the Caribbean!

2006 has been a challenging but beautiful year.

Why Nic Rocks

1 - She's funny
2 - She's a bit left of center
3 - She's a serious feminist
4 - She's uniquely creative
5 - She asks the right questions
6 - She has a love for the hog
7 - She has a flag for everything
8 - She brings people together
9 - She doesn't hold back
10 - She's a Wicked, Wicked Witch

Happy Birthday, Nic. You are quite a woman........XOXO