Freckled Star

Happy New Year.....

I have been a bad blogger lately I know.....

But so much has happened in the last few weeks....

And I have written this post so many times in my head....

only to push it aside til later....

When I am not so mad....

or sad.....

When I have time to myself......

Without the husband asking me if I am okay....

Without the sounds of the television and little, I mean big ones running thru the house.....

Don't worry I am fine......

I always am......

Thanks to those who have been wondering where the heck I am:)

I'll be back soon....

I promise:)

Until then I hope you have a wonderful New Year.

And I don't think I am the only one who can't wait for 2009 to be over:)

Much Love,

Andrea:)

Just breathe......

It has been crazy since I have come home!

Every day this week I have been awake at 4:30 a.m. tossing and turning thinking about all the stuff I need to get done that day.

Why I didn't get my holiday shopping done early I have no idea. But Sunday and all afternoon Monday I sat at this old computer and got it done! Chris, Zach, Lindsay check,check,check! Tyler 2 stops check. All my cousins, nieces and nephew check,check,check. Frank and my dad one stop done! To the local Postal Annex. Nieces and nephew's package sent. 2 books of stamps to mail out Christmas cards. Which I also addressed 40 of those suckers on Sunday. Done:) So I paid $11 per book of stamps! The not waiting in line at the Post Office. Priceless. I stopped by there on Tuesday just to see what I was up against......

NO THANKS!

Here's our 12 foot tree....

It's so big I can barely get a picture of it! Bought that soaking wet on Saturday. Again why did I wait until after I got home?? Kind of dried in the garage that night. Watched Frank and Zach curse Christmas as they brought it in on Sunday! Apparently a water logged tree is a heavy tree:) Decorated our semi wet tree Sunday night with Dad and Chris. Still fun:) I think I need a bigger tree skirt! And the trunk is so big I thought we may have to get a new stand. But Frank made it fit!

So the decorating is finished:)

Here are some pictures from around the house.......

Notice how there is no rhyme or reason to my decorating. I use all colors. Silver, gold, green, purple and throw in some red. I think I have decorators ADD!! It seems to work though. But I look at all these other blogs and everything is color themed and gorgeous and I think to myself I want that! I want an all white and green Christmas tree. I want to only have bulbs on my tree in gold. I want clear lights instead of the rainbow that Tyler just had to have! I want it perfect too!!! But then I think why the heck would I want to be perfect??? What's the fun in that??? I wouldn't be able to buy half the stuff I really want if I only had one color scheme. My kids wouldn't have half as much fun just hanging gold bulbs instead of one's shaped like cake...

Where's the memories in just gold bulbs????

I still remember when my mom gave me this.....

My first rather large Radko. Now I have like 100 of them but this was still my first and I still remember getting it in my Christmas box:)

So no the tree is not perfect. The skirt is too small. And I have a bunch of cheapy ornaments on the bottom so the kids can play with them. Although not so much anymore:) Tyler asked me if we still had to put the cheapys at the bottom even though they are all big kids now and I said of course we have little ones coming over on Saturday. I hope to always have little ones around me:) That's what makes Christmas so much fun:) Watching their little minds take it all in. The magic. Then they become teenagers.....

But I still remember.........

Well this was kind of a long post......

Kids are off as of tomorrow for 2 weeks. Oh JOY!! Insert sarcasm here:)

We have the party here Saturday. 90 R.S.V.P's YIKES!

I still have to go to Costco to order cake, the grocery store, Target for wrapping paper and Trader Joe's for cheap wine.

I have to make cupcakes for our Christmas lunch at work tomorrow.

And Christmas is a week away and at my house!!!

Then we are going to Yosemite with Frank's parents and up to the beach for the week.

So I may not be back for a while......

If I am not I hope every single one of you have a very Merry Christmas and enjoy the true magic of the season.

And remember to breathe;)

  


 
 

 
 

Parking lot funnies......

These are HILARIOUS little note cards you can leave on someone's windshield......

Perfect for the holidays....

Especially at the mall and Target!!!

From Wry and Ginger. Man I love ETSY!!

And yes I am at work right now but it's my lunch hour see....

Yeah my lunch hour:)

So I am on i dreamed i saw a new favorite!!! You have to check her out:)

And I wandered on to Wry and Ginger. Their cards are soooo funny. I nearly wet my pants:)

If someone left that on my windshield I would be laughing too hard to be mad:)

Think about that the next time you are struggling to find a spot and there is big truck that took 2 spaces. It's probably a Ford to boot;)

Just a little humor to lighten your holiday parking experience;) 

  

Quickie.....

Sorry girls but I am SWAMPED!!

So just a quickie today:)

To announce the winner!!

Of some yummy Hot Chocolate and Marshmallows......

All my comments are numbered 1-24 and Zach picks number 1!

And the winner is......

ELAINE!!!!

The first comment!!

Hurray! I don't have to go to the post office again!!

Thank you ALL for your sweet comments all week. A couple made me laugh out loud which is not a good thing when trying to listen with full attention!!

Be back soon........

What I've learned this week.......

In no particular order......

1. NEVER EVER stay in this hotel again! The shuttle service blows and when that is your only source of transportation and you just put in a 11 hour day and they say we'll be there in 10 minutes and it turns out to be 40 it does not put one in the best of moods. Or require me to tip or say hello:( This happened two nights in a row and does not include the time they left me at the mall and had to send a cab for me because the driver had already made his last stop. NEVER again!!!

2. Free food is good! Never under estimate the power of a finger food buffet:) Just perfect for a gal like me and I am going home with $175 left over in travel money. Yeah me!

3. Also contributing to that money left over is what happens when I can't go to the mall. This time it was not only not attached but I feared the stupid shuttle would leave me on the corner again and it negated a truly enjoyable shopping experience. Sorry D.C. area you are just going to have to make due without my money:(

4. Bring a swim suit next time and take advantage of the indoor pool. Maybe then I'll be able to fall asleep at night.

5. To go with that maybe drinking Coke and eating candy all day is not such a good idea when it is time for one to go to bed???

6. And to go with that maybe ordering extra ice cream with your brownie sundae is not such a great idea either.

7. Don't admit #6 to anyone......

8. I must get my Parts Department to track lost sales, get them pumped about bar coding our parts, try to implement perpetual inventory taking everyday and ask my Parts Manager to give me the real skinny on what she can do, is willing to do and will do. And I must be gentle at first then become, in the words of "The Bav" our instructor, a Charlie Hard Ass.

9. Keep on top of all of that with a smile on my face. My real smile not my "Eat !@#$" smile;) Come on we all have them.....

10. I will not groan out loud when we are introduced to our Power Point instructor and told it will only last 1 hour and 15 minutes. I don't think we even torture terrorists that long. But hey that's an idea make them give their defense by Power Point presentation. Just kidding.....

11. My rolling carry on was the most genius idea I have ever had!

12. I need a Kindle......

13. This is a good idea. Too bad this crap hotel does not have any......

14. I should probably not being looking for travel tips while trying to do a Inventory Gross Turn Analysis.....

15. Or be blog hopping during a Power Point presentation......

Is that not the cutest thing you have ever seen??? It's from Chasing Fireflies. It is the cutest website for little one's!!! And I found it by going here i dreamed i saw. I love this blog! Now if I could only remember how I got there.......

16. Don't pay property taxes while gone. It's makes you very grouchy. Can't I say I was out of state?? That should give me a pass right????

17. Text your husband a smiley face when he tells you he is now making Creme Brulee in your kitchen and using your brand new kitchen torch no matter how hard it is:)

18. Take shoes off in the elevator if no one is watching.

19. I still HATE shoes!!

And last but not least.....

20. Don't fall asleep with free sugar cookies in your bed:)

Back home to good ol' Cali tomorrow! No more jacket and gloves, no more freezing rain, no more shuttles, no more presentations, no more quizzes, no more night reading.......

Finally!

Nighty night........

Oh and by the way I rocked this class! 100% on our Final Exam:) Watch out parts Department here I come.......

 

When left to my own devices......

Okay so I am supposed to be eating lunch but I had a bagel this morning and am not in the mood:)

So I am browsing around....

Found some neat stuff.....

Love the table cloth on this.

Cute idea. It's just stacking plate stands together and adding little touches.

Love this. The tree in the stoneware is too cute. Decorated with tags!! I love tags!!

So anyhow it's cold here! And when I say cold here although I do mean Virginia in general. I am specifically talking about this class room! I think I may bring my hotel comforter tomorrow! NOT KIDDING!! 

Class is going well. A little boring but our instructor "the Bav" (seriously that's what he is called and he refers to himself in the third person which I always find funny) is pretty entertaining.

My hotel sucks. I should say their shuttle service sucks. They left me at the mall last night where I went to dinner with the class. They finally sent me a taxi when I started shrieking on the phone. See you get what you pay for. The Ritz people. The Ritz. Which I would have gladly gone to last night but they are FULL!! Ughhhhh........

Needless to say the staff sees me coming and heads in the other direction:)

Oh and I get a FREE movie every night of the week. And a card for 2 free drinks, maybe they think I will be better to handle looped! The could be right;)

Well I better go get a soda and lots of candy before class starts up again:)

I know I know my diet while away is not ideal. But hey whatever gets me through! At least I am not drinking those yucky energy drinks like everyone else in class is pounding back. Could you imagine??? Me on an energy drink......

Not a pretty sight;)

Oh and I bought a pretty braclet last night while waiting for that stupid cab. It was something I had always wanted and it was right there in my line of sight!! I love Ippolita.

Gotta go.......

 

Something cute....

Another Homemade Christmas craft.....

I got this idea from Life on Grace Homemade Christmas. She has better pictures and the link is directly to that post.

What you need:

A stack of 12 beige tiles. Available at Lowes or Home Depot for $1.19!!

A package of small self adhesive round felt pads. Also at Lowes or Home Depot.

Staz On ink pads. Crucial for drying.

A decoupage fix. They sell it at Micheal's in a red can.

And a stamp set. 

This pretty self explanatory. But a few tips.....

Don't over saturate the stamp or image will come out blurred. Just a light touching of the pad is all it takes.

Don't use a stamp with heavy detail. The blocks are not completely flat so some of image may not show up. Use a stamp with a good outline.

Let dry completely overnight before doing a light spray with the fix. Then let them dry overnight again.

Attach 4 felt pads to corners before you stamp.

I would not use these for cups or glasses that get condensation, like ice water, but instead for hot drinks like coffee.

The bird above had a lot of swirly detail in it and didn't turn out too well.

I think the ones that turned out best were the one's to the left with an outline. Just a few examples.

Tie with a ribbon and a Christmas tag and that's it! 

Don't forget about the giveaway!

I am probably in my first day of Parts class right now.....

Not crafting:(

Probably cold.....

More than likely confused:)

So talk to me!!!!

I check my emails often......;)

*which may account for my confusion

Just in case......

You didn't think I was actually going to a car show I have proof......

The truck my son desperately wants.....

And probably alot of other men/boys dream. Judging by all the guys at this display and waiting in line for the simulator. Yes my man was one of them:) Pretty neat but I lost interest rather quickly;)

Those were my only two pictures because:

A. They are cars. (yes I know I need to get a little more pumped up about it:)

B. There were no fairies in the displays.

C. No little gardens either.

D. No crowns, no glitter......

Maybe if I could decoupage a vehicle with Martha Stewart craft supplies I would get a little more excited;) Hmmm......

Where is that Ford guy in charge of New Product Development........

Just kidding:) I was very serious at the show and listened to everything our key note speaker had to say. Which seriously as a newcomer scares the crap out of me. It's all about survival. Being lean and mean. Bare minimums. Strict budget. No money. Struggling the next 2 years and on and on.......

Enough of that. I hope I didn't lose you:)

Now on to my alter ego....

Crafty Ann......

Super simple project......

Just get some clear ornaments from Michael's. They are $1.99 for 4 right now. I used stuff I hand on hand. Glitter, buttons, ribbon, tiny shells, paper scraps etc.......

Just pop off the top and fill.

Cute right?

Just roll the paper to get it in and then using the dull end of a paper piercer move it around til it opens up the way you like.

They are in my garden right now waiting for their new homes.....

I needed a little craft day yesterday. This was simple, cheap and not too messy:) I did two other projects and will post those in the coming days.

I had Christmas music playing, a Christmas candle burning and a whole bowl of M&M's:)

Just in case you were wondering....

That makes me happy:)

And just in case you forgot....

All comments will be entered for my giveaway!!

Unless of course I eat those marshmallows first. Just kidding:)

 

Relief......

There is nothing like the pressure of the holidays. Especially this year!!

But.....

Today my house is decorated.....

Man that banister is a bear to do! But it looks so pretty all lit up at night:) Just a few pictures the lighting is really bright today. Took me 2 early mornings and a couple of afternoons but it's done.

Except for the tree which we will get next weekend after I come back from Virginia:) 

Which leads to my other sigh of relief.....

My home work is FINALLY done!!! It only took me 7 weeks to do it;) The time is just flying by. I can't believe I am going back already. I leave Sunday and all that's really left to do is pack. A lot LIGHTER this time! I had to go buy a actual coat because it is supposed to be like 42 degrees and raining:( Maybe now I can finally use all those scarves I have been collecting:)

So when I was out buying my coat I took a little detour thru where else Williams Sonoma and I figured I talk about this place enough I should get my little giveaway gift from here:)

And low and behold the perfect prize!!!

All wrapped up nice and neat....

Just the way I like it:)

 
It's Peppermint Hot Chocolate, Chocolate Marshmallows and the cutest little gingerbread ornament:)

Are you loving me or what??;)

To win you must:

Leave a comment. That's it. How simple is that???

Since I will be gone until the 12th all comments will count til then. I will post the winner on Monday the 14th.

I have a couple more posts planned before I leave and I will TRY to post while I am gone. If I can keep my eyes open long enough. Plus we are talking about parts I might be bored to death!! That's right five days of car parts!! Have I mentioned I wouldn't even know how to get windshield wipers for my car if I had to:) Nope don't know a thing about car parts......

GREAT!!!

I'll tell you what I do know about though.....

Homemade Christmas....

More on that tomorrow.......

I have to go get dressed up now for a car show we are going to in Los Angeles tonight. Yep I have to leave at 3 p.m. to be there by 6. Oh how I love traffic:( Oh and yes I, Andrea, am going to a car show....

Just trying to look the part;)

Cambria love....

On Saturday we finally managed to get away (us girls anyway:) to do a little shopping. I say a little because my mom in law is not the best shopper. So I hurry so she is not waiting outside too long! She'll come in for a little while but she does NOT like to browse. Lindsay and I we are big time browsers:) And most of my favorite shop owners know us and remember Lindsay when she was a tiny tike so we talk shop a little bit;)

Anyway Cambria is one of my favorite places.....

This is the garden at "Heart's Ease".....

Lots of fountains....

and birdbaths and statues.....

Little houses for fairies....

Fairy rules...

 
Sweet....

 
Next up "The Garden Shed".....

 
That's "Abner" who scared the crap out of me when I was taking a picture of this....

The only kind of bunny I like.....

A rock one! Well big "Abner" was laying in the wheelbarrow right next to it snoozing:) Usually he is laying right next to the cash register. He is so sweet and he just purrs and purrs when you cuddle him. He has no fear of anyone. Never been around a cat like him:)

Succulents...

In a wire tea cup. How cute!

Little fairy gardens.....

 
The shop next door. Bonnie, the shop owner, is just the nicest lady:)

And this shop smells sooo good you'll want to lay down and take a nap....

 
I love the square succulent garden in the front.....

Okay so it's a rectangle. I was never good in geometry:)  

That was it for that day. My mom in law was getting antsy:)

Hope you enjoyed......

Oh and by the way this is my 200th post!!!!!

I am thinking a giveaway may be in order......

I will put heavy thought into that at work today. Wait did I say that......

I mean I will put thought into that when I am at home today not at work....

Yeah that's what I meant;)