Two Thousand Twelve

Man... this past year was a BLUR.  So many things happened... I went to KC for a work trip... I went to CO for a girls weekend in the mountains... I went to Eureka Springs, AR for a all girls camping trip... I went to Galveston, TX to watch my friend get married on the beach... Sold my house.... bought a new house... moved (of course)... have had lots of visitors in town... and still managed to be a wife, mom of 3 daughters, work my full-time job and run my business.

In two thousand THIRTEEN I plan on making it a little bit less CrAzY.  I am working on two personal projects - which I am super excited about.  One is to make 1000 paper cranes for an installation above my bead (I think I have about 100 made ... This is going to take all year).  The other is to work on some Polaroid emulsion and image transfers and eventually work up to large mixed media works.  I'm pretty excited.  I will still be doing all the other things... working my jobby-job, being a wedding/portrait photography business owner, etc but I am super excited to have some really fun personal projects this year!  WOOT!

OH!  And I almost forgot!  I did a session for Ichi Bike here in Des Moines.  My photos are going to be published in a book called My Cool Bike!  It will be published in August 2013 and you can buy it here on Amazon!!!

 New Years Eve 2011-2012 in Lake of the Ozarks with peeps I've known for 20 years!

Set up 3 aquariums...

We became grandparents!!

Stayed in a mountain cabin with these lovely ladies

All girls camping weekend in Arkansas

Shot my friend's wedding on the beach in Galveston, TX

My girls on their first day of school

Hannah's first Homecoming dance

Sold our house

Bought a house

Have a new puppy, Annabelle

Working on my new project!

A few photos of me doing one of my favorite things

Me and my awesome family (less my step kids who we don't see often - sad face)

Well... I think that about sums up my 2012!

So... how was YOUR 2012???!!!

Is there anybody out there....

Hello...  Hello...  Hello...

What has been going on there party people!  Let me tell you what... It's been a crazy year and it must have been for all you folks too given the fact that nothing has been published in 2012.  Whoa!  Busy creating awesomeness I am sure!!!

More to come, but I'm trying to write this on my "smart phone" and it's being dumb.  ;)

I Heart Your Bad Attitude

So, I'm writing a scene where my main character, a 16-year-old girl, gets grounded by her grandmother for using foul language in the sampler she's supposed to be stitching.

I wanted her naughty sampler to be more witty than just a simple curse or telling off, so I did some internet searches on a whim for foul-mouthed stitchery.

Believe it or not, I found a site that actually sells foul-mouthed needlepoint kits:  http://www.subversivecrossstitch.com.

So, BAMFers, what inappropriate or atypical phrase would you want stitched on a sampler (or pillow) at your house? (Check out the website for inspiration- be warned- 'tis adult language ahead.)

I have two sampler-type pillows I received as gifts: one says, My Family Tree is Full of Nuts, and the other says I Smile Because You're My Sister; I Laugh Because You Can't Do Anything About It. Pretty fitting, really.

in honor of kasey's bathroom blog post

Hello.

I just dropped by to say hello to my lovely BABB family.  I've been so busy behind the camera, but just wanted to tell you that you all ROCK!  Much love to you all!  - Jill

I want to try this

Heavy Metal Monday!!!!

Green jello, 3 little pigs for your Heavy Metal Monday pleasure....

Photo of StevO the flasher

  Here is the first photo of my flashing.  I hope they'll let me use flash during the wedding.

StevO

Stev0 is becoming a flasher.

  I have a secret to confess.  I'm becoming a flasher.  Right now I'm only flashing at home.  It started out just a few times here and there, but I'm starting to enjoy it.  Currently I'm practicing on inanimate objects.  I hope to one day work my way up to real people.  I even have intentions of doing this in public, and in a church no less. Wish me luck.  If any of you are flashers, and have any advice, I'd really appreciate it.

StevO

HFF with stevO

BE A high five Friday hero like STEVO

hero: ELVIS COSTELLO

This tune was just on the radio---Good lord, Elvis Costello is a big hero of mine, and then he goes ahead a few years ago and marries the babelicious Diana Krall and has kids and rocks out....DANG. COOLNESS.

GOOD GOD what is wrong with you, can't you see there is a VIP on the left?

A very important poll??????????????? VOTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sure looks like Ben's handiwork :)

OK, important. Somebody I worked with once was very wise and said "every evening at dinner, me and the kids say something good that happened that day, something bad that happened and something that they learned".

OK, how about YOU and ME?

Today. Hmm. All of flippin' today was GOOD. Every damn part of it. The best part???? Well, i guess it was the last bottle of my Blue Star wheat beer six pack i got for father's day. Pretty good trick, eh, NOT being a father but convincing my beagle that I am and that she has to give me presents and breakfast and bed in June.

Something bad today?????? Good lord. it was a flippin' great day. OK, I guess it was, um, the nasty BLURG the cat barfed on the kitchen floor.

Something I learned today???? God, I am exhausted now...all this thinking.......but, OK, I learned that Ned's pizza is a) the best pizza in town, according to some, and b) has a falafal platter! There, wow, i am so much wiser than I was.....

beagle puppy love

Do you ever find yourself with a quiet minute or 2 and you find yourself scrolling through the beagle puppy videos? NO? Why not? This little guy has some great NINJA moves but the big dog is a very patient sweetie pie. have an awesome vacation weekend :)

Stevo's half nekkid picture in the newspaper

You heard it right! And there he is, in back! Stevo is a championship marathoner, and here he is with his buddies, from the newspaper.....

I love the new mobile phones...hahahahah

Now this proves my point about where I live. Seriously, how many of you have ever seen an SUV with a calf riding in the back? HMMM! Our daughter took this photo on her way to work today and sent it to me. Now seriously, does my point to where I live give any of you any ideas now about how everyday since we have lived here George and I walk around with our mouths agape, and scratch our heads.

Ah yes, being an artist here is really not all that hard sometimes, I mean inspirations, and creativity abound in all sorts of ways. This area's motto is, "If you can do it, why not"? Doesn't even have to make sense, or should it? hahahahhahahha! The majority of the people here seem to have the idea that one can do anything they want as long as the cops don't catch up with them......!

booze it up!

I was outside with the wee pup a minute ago and have had trouble with WASPS this summer, including a couple of the flippin' things today, and that got me wondering "what is that old time cocktail, a STINGER???" and looked it up. Mentioned on Mad Men, of course!

3 parts brandy
1 part white crème de menthe
Preparation Mix in a cocktail shaker and strain into a cocktail glass. May also be served on rocks in a rocks glass.

Made me remember all the disgusting things I drank in college, like blackberry brandy, Boone's farm, Night Train (HOBO DRINKS!), and pink champers to be classy (2 and change a bottle--def. impressed the chicks).

You grow older, your tastes mature, or change, or whatevs. I know Kasey likes kcitos, her own invention, or root beer and rum, and she can comment about those, but I ask myself, and you, what drinks and how to mix them, do you like? What do you hate???

One drink I like is the whiskey sour. Sure, you can buy the mix and all that, or look up a recipe, but Uncle gary can tell you this: put some ice in the blender, put some lemonade in there, pour on a couple shots of a mild whiskey like Jameson and hit PUREE or one of those buttons, until it is a happy little slushy, pour it into your glass, add a cherry and orange slice if you wish.

Drinks I hate??? Our local beer company has this apricot wheat beer, holy cats it is VILE. (speaking of cats, and, well, piss)

What do you like and what do you hate for booze?

The Last Rocket of A Career

I posted this over on my blog, but figured why not post it here too! Kyle sent me this video yesterday with the message: "My last rocket. Rounds complete. End of mission."

And I was so happy I cried. Hard. A little (huge) happy meltdown. A constant worry that I didn't even know I was carrying was lifted. I didn't notice it had been there until it was gone. I can't imagine how he feels. 

my nekkid thighs.....

I was inspired by Kasey's nekkid thighs, posted here (and everywhere else!) a couple of days ago, so I thought I would post pics of MY nekkid thighs. For some reason that picture didn't come out...huh, wonder why? These thighs did though....

Dare to eat a peach

Late summer, lovely days and cooler night, getting that last desperate bit of sunshine in before the long dark winter....AND all the fruit is in!  As you know, I'm at the Farmers' Market most weekends (unless there's a hurricane, which makes selling paper products completely impossible) and so I have my little fingers on the pulse of the local produce. 

(hmmm, now there's a mental picture for you)

 And what better way to display this luscious fruit than in a beautiful blue bowl by our very own Gary Rith?