I must apologize

The other day my 2 year old and I were watching Noggin, which sadly if I were to admit how much we actually watch, the state would come and remove my child from the home...but their catch phrase is "Noggin. It's like preschool on tv." So really what I'm doing is giving my child quite the head start without giving her all the colds, and flu, and other nasties that go along with being in small rooms with lots of small children. So I am really mother of the year! Bring on my awards!!!

Wait, there was a point to admitting this...oh yeah! ! Lisa Loeb!

Do you know Lisa Loeb? She had a pretty big hit with a song called "Stay" back in the mid 90's. I liked her a lot. Saw her play at the "old" 9:30 club in DC...the 9:30 club should and will be the subject of another very long and informative post, just not tonight. Stay tuned :)

Back to Lisa Loeb. Seems she's doing music for kids now. And it's really good. She has a beautiful voice and Isabel seems to like her music. Whenever she comes on now Isabel points and says, "maMA! maMA!". At first I thought she was just showing her approval for Lisa's songs, but now I think she either thinks that's me on tv singing, which is just hilarious for so many reasons, or she just sees a resemblance.

We do both wear very hip glasses.

What this did though is remind me of a time, waaaaaaaaaaaaaay back in the 90's, when I was single and going out a LOT with my good good friend Andrea, to bars, and clubs, and parties, and pretty much anywhere there was alcohol that most likely we would not have to pay for. And one of the things I remember clearly is desperately wanting to meet guys, but being unbelieveably mean to any guy that actually dared to talk to me. One night we were in a now long defunct club to hear my roommate dj, and some poor boy stopped me as I was walking by to tell me that I looked like Lisa Loeb. In his defence I did have long hair, glasses, and was most likely wearing some kind of babydoll dress get-up (with combat boots I'll bet!!) that Lisa did seem to favor back then. In a dark, smoky club, after a few beers, maybe I did look like her. Should I have said thanks since clearly this was a compliment? Probably. But of course that is absolutely the farthest thing from what I did.

I laughed.

Right in his face. And then, since Andrea is pretty close to being deaf, I'm sure I turned to her and SHOUTED, "HE SAID I LOOK LIKE LISA LOEB" and again, I'm pretty sure we both dissolved into hysterical laughter and flounced out.

I'm sorry. Really.

So now when Isabel points to her and says, "maMA!" she gets a great big smooch from me.

no name

When my sister Erica was born, and anyone asked my Dad what his new daughter's name was he told them "Nonami". This was in New England in 1971 and people would give him a funny look and say, "Naomi?". No, he'd say, Nonami. What an interesting name, how do you spell that?, they'd ask. With a straight face he'd say "N-O-N-A-M-E".
Get it? :)
I don't know how long it took him to remember her name.

"nonami"



This pendant is so far removed from what I normally make that I let it sit in my studio for at least a year. I spotted it yesterday and while it doesn't fit with what I'm making right now it was just too beautiful to leave in that disaster area. I feel I should make more, we'll see. And the name? Since I have NO IDEA what to call this I thought Nonami was appropriate.

I wonder what else I'll find in my studio?

I am such a dork

How limited is my time? Do I not have a two year old who stays home with me, and only takes sporadic naps? Am I not trying to get ready for my spring shows, which by the way start on March 15th and then continue full force until mid May? And right this second isn't Isabel asleep for the night? Doesn't that mean I should be on the torch making hearts and bones and other things like a mad woman??

NO!!

I had to be introduced to icanhascheezburger. I know, this site is huge (supposedly it has 9 MILLION page views a month) and you probably already love it or hate it, but I'm warning you, if you have not seen it yet, and if you have any affection at all for cats, DO NOT GO THERE if you don't have hours and hours to waste. Hours you will not ever get back.

And me, being the owner of the world's most bizarre and spoiled cats just had to create my own "lolz" which now of course must be voted one and I have to go bug all of my friends, acquaintances, customers (most who are also friends), people I know from various forums and blogs....EVERYONE please please please vote for my very fat cat. She needs to be famous.

Her name is Zoe Bella. She is very pretty, and just a smidge overweight.

PLEASE vote for her HERE.

If she gets lots of votes I can get back to work ;)
Oh, and in the real picture I have not chopped off the top of her head.

my friends are soooo talented

Three of my friends from "back home" (yes yes we've lived in NC for almost 3 years and I need to get over DC) have just opened their own etsy shops. And while it's hard to choose, I thought I'd show off my favorite items from their stores.
designoptions

fleur de lis choker
I'm a sucker for green, and the way the soft green velvet contrasts with the antiqued turquoise enamel is just scrumptious. Lynda lived next door to us in MD. Sam used to park in front of her house and her dog Oto made Sam late to work almost every day.

cherielester

Bishops Garden at the National Cathedral, Washington DC - Framed Photographic Print
I love this image. My Dad absolutely adored Cherie. When he would visit me at The Eastern Market he would always stop by Cherie's booth to chat (and maybe flirt just a little!) and he almost always bought something from her. When he passed away my Mom kept some and I got the rest. Every time I see her work I want more.

mannmadedesigns

sterling silver/recycled aluminum cutouts pendant
I am also a sucker for pink. When I was pregnant I was so excited to find out we were having a girl so I could paint her room pink. Sam was excited too because if we were having a boy I was going to paint our bedroom pink. I'm going to save the "Jimmy Mann" stories for another day. He deserves his own post...or two...or three.....

Will you go show my friends some love? Will you tell them I sent you?
Now that we're all on etsy it's almost if I'm back in DC.

I'm such a sap.

why my boobies are on etsy

Well today IS mardi gras, so boobies are only appropriate right?

Ok, first I have let you know that I fell down the stairs, while carrying the child, and completely mangled my foot. She is fine. I am in crazy pain. Actually I am feeling no pain because I am on major painkillers, and that is my excuse for what is to follow. When you can, always blame it on the drugs.

I just listed this necklace

and these earrings

on etsy.

It was mostly a dare.
I made these beads more than 3 years ago for a gallery in Pittsburgh. They sold a bunch but went out of business and shipped these back to me. They've just been floating around my studio for years. I don't remember why I stopped making them since they were selling...hmmmm....I have never claimed to be a good business person!

I was thinking about them today because some of us in the ega have been discussing the last two featured sellers on etsy. One was a baker, who had her picture taken in her home kitchen, with Betty Crocker cake mix boxes lined up in the background. We come to find out she is unlicensed and bakes in her home kitchen. Never mind that she uses store bought cake mixes in her "homemade" treats! The only reason this is annoying is that there are SOOOOOOO many amazing bakers & candy makers on etsy they could have chosen, who are licensed and who use their own recipes, why would they choose her? Not that her treats don't look extremely delicious, and if I found any of those buttercream stuffed cookies sitting in front of me it would not even cross my mind to ASK if she were licensed. It just didn't make sense.

Then the new featured seller pops up. She is extremely creative. She is "almost" famous. And she is happy to tell you how fabulous she is. Good for her. But, and trust me when I say I am not a prude, no way no how, BUT this woman sells nesting dolls with nude women glued on them, and she sells nude pictures of herself. Fine. No problem. But do I really want the new customers who I have brought to etsy to see her as a featured seller? Not so much.

Ok, whatever, right?
Well these 2 women have sparked some very funny discussions, and it was mentioned that maybe I could get to be a featured seller if I smeared myself in cake mix and sold the pictures. Ready??

Yes of course that's me!

*snicker*

But from there I started thinking about my boobies...I mean my boobie beads so I went and dug these up, restrung them, and listed them in the shop.

I know they're a little strange. Are they going to sell? Who knows. I think they're funny. I am a weirdo but maybe it'll get me some attention.

super cute!

I just found out I was mentioned on this super cute & definitely fun blog, FUNKY FINDS.

Got some time? Go check it out!!

WIN A HEART!!!

YAY!
The contest I've been working on for my etsy glass group is finally up!

Go HERE
check out all the hearts, pick your favorite, and vote.

3 people will win their choice of heart.

SO FUN!!!