i never want to take them off

I have never liked long pajama pants.
The bottoms ride up when you get in bed and twist all around your calves.
My legs get hot.
They bug me.
But for Christmas my sister bought me the fuzziest, softest, most wondrous pajamas that have ever existed.

Can you see the fuzzy?

And they are that fuzzy on the inside, too.

And polka dots.

POLKA DOTS!

Pink polka dots even.

I put them on and it felt like i was wrapped in a flock of fleecy sheep, without the bothersome wool rash or barnyard stank.

I don't think i took them off for 2 days.
As soon as they were laundered, i put them back on.
I freakin' LOVE these jammie pants.

a dozen random queries

WHY WAS THAT CABINET EVEN OPEN?
I have a pretty specific morning routine on non- studio days.
It is the same day after day because it is both efficient and easy to do half asleep.
Which is why I do not understand how I managed to smash my face into the medicine chest mirror this morning.
I hadn't used anything in there yet.
I'm sure it was closed when I got into the shower because otherwise I would have hit it going into the shower. But when I was drying off and stepped out of the shower gabang chin meet pointy edge of door. Then the phone rang and Rea was greeted with, Stand by; i'm wet and bleeding.
Good start to the day: GO Team Us!

DID THE DESIGNER OF THIS COOKIE JAR GET FIRED?

This little doggy is so cute with his play-with-me posture, waggley tongue and big eyes.
But who thought it was a good idea to have to fetch your Oreos from under the dog's tail?

WAS THE DENVER AIRPORT DESIGNED BY CIRQUE DU SOLEIL?

I mean, honestly people.

Was the circus in town during the designers' meeting for this building?

HOW AWESOME IS THIS ENSEMBLE?

Cute summery sheath dress in a sweet bamboo print that has not only a matching purse, but matching shoes?
I love matching!
Now if only I liked sheath dresses.
And wore green.
And was a size 6.
A size 6 Tall.




AT WHAT HEIGHT DOES A PILE BECOME AN AVALANCHE HAZARD?

This is an unused shower with which I am acquainted.

 (no, it isn't mine; we already established that I was in my shower this morning)

Every time I use the facilities in this bathroom I am kinda afraid for my life.

WHY MUST PRETTY PRETTIES BE SO EXPENSIVE?

...sigh
Spent a while cleaning and displaying Waterford crystal at the Flea this week.
This is a medium bowl in the Lismore pattern.
You can see the spots of light that it throws onto the wall, but the picture didn't capture that all of the cut lines gleam with rainbows.
I could sit and stare at it for hours (but Andrew would frown on that).

ARE YOU SURE THAT IS EDIBLE?
What is going on here?
Jar, water, yellow globs...
That, my friends, is some of the homemade butter I made from the cow I milked.
This pic is from an intermediary step; I promise it comes out better in the end.
Look for the complete post next Thursday or Friday.




WHY DO FAKE ANTLER CANDLESTICKS EXIST?

We are not even gonna discuss the idea of decorating in dead animals.

Or the fact that this particular candlestick is hideous.

If you are opposed to using real antlers, why would you be okay decorating with resin ones?

Normally people that don't want real antlers wouldn't like any depiction of dismembered animal parts.

If you are going to go with a rustic/hunter/carnivore motif you should at least have the good grace to use real antlers, people.

WHY IS LYDIA STANDING IN AN ABANDONED GAS STATION WEARING 3-D GLASSES?

I gave another teaser about this Friday Adventure months ago and then there was the picture kerfluffle.
Well, I am really going to reveal the coolness behind this picture in a post on Monday or Tuesday.

IF GIANT BEAVERS RULED THE EARTH WOULD THEY KEEP US AS PETS?

Yes.
Yes, they would.
At least, they'd keep the sparkly humans as pets.

The rest?
Great Dam builder slaves.















WHAT HOBBY WOULD YOU START IF YOU HAD UNLIMITED TIME AND MONEY?

For me?

Juggling fire.

'nuff said.

WHAT IS MY NAME?

The contest to name this adorable little guy ends on Tuesday.
I have a clear favorite so far from the suggestions.
Leave your last minute ideas here or on the original post.
Wednesday his/her name will be announced and the winner gets either a $15 NikCo gift certificate or a 4 pack of greeting cards custom made for them.

let's begin at the end, shall we?

As i begin to post the Hawaii pictures i need to tell you a story about a lovely $5 Goodwill skirt and the only bad thing that happened on my trip because it has some bearing on the posts.
When i travel i like to have a few things/place/restaurants/goals picked out to visit or accomplish, but i leave the rest of the time open for adventure.
 Generally, the day before i leave is my "clean up" day to hit anything still on the list and to take pictures that i need for my scrapbook or for specific blog posts. I was checking out of my hotel on Saturday, flying out at midnight, flying through the night and getting home in the morning on Sunday, so i had almost 12 hours for "clean up" and planned the day to the max:
-get up at 8
-breakfast at Eggs and Things
-take Waikiki street shots and buy souvenirs during the 1.5 hour wait for breakfast
-check out between 11 and 11:30
-pics of Waikiki Aquarium and Honolulu Zoo
-pics of Honolulu public art and mountainside neighborhoods
-head north to find the Crouching Lion formation
-spend the afternoon exploring the Polynesian Cultural Center villages including going to the specific shows and lessons, until they close for the evening luaus
-dinner someplace on the way back to Honolulu
-pictures of the city at night
-return rental car at 9pm
-shuttle to the airport and change into warmer travel clothes
Doesn't that sound like a great day?
Knowing that there would be a lot of pictures and that many of the pictures of me in Hawaii up to that point had been taken when i looked like crappy (totally happy, but tired and salty with sketchy hair) i saved the cutest outfit for last. I found this red and white knee-length floral skirt at Goodwill just days before i left. It is cotton and too light to wear in Maryland in October, but perfect for Hawaii. It was to be paired with a white V-neck t-shirt and long, vintage red and gold beads.
 Lovely, if i must say so myself.
And the perfect yes-i'm-a-tourist-but-i'm-not-the-fannypack-crowd outfit.
Ahhhhh... the best laid plans...
Friday night between the luau and the show (separate post), i was going over everything in my head for "clean up" day - firming up the estimated times, planning the most efficient driving routes, deciding what to pack that night and what to leave for the morning, etc - when i started to have a little doubt.
 I'd made the plane reservations one day sitting at my desk with my boss in the guest chair, talking about flying over a bunch of timezones. I'd intentionally picked flying overnight so that i could sleep. But now that i was in Hawaii and understood the time difference, the travel times just didn't add up. It is a 5 hour flight across the ocean and then another 5 hours across the country, plus layover time to switch planes. Add crossing 6 time zones to the east and the journey appears to take almost an entire day. How was i supposed to leave at midnight and get in at 7am? Somehow i must have messed up and be getting in at 7pm, losing Sunday in the process.
Once i got back to the hotel i checked my reservations.
Yes, i got into BWI at 7am.
Yes, i left Honolulu at midnight - 12:30pm to be precise.
Wait.
12:30pm...
Wait...
12:30 pm is NOON, not MIDNIGHT!
waaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!
No "clean up" day.
 No Eggs and Things.
No Crouching Lion.
No PCC, even though i had already paid for the tickets.
 No final pictures for the scrapbook or the blog.
 No opportunity to wear my super cute i'm-in-Hawaii outfit.
CURSES!
Soooooooo... i managed to get souvenirs bought and pictures of the King Kamehameha statue before sitting through rush hour traffic to return my car and get to the airport by 10am.
sigh
That is why several of the posts following over the next few days will say imagine pictures here and why there is a picture of my pretty Goodwill skirt, since i can't wear it until probably April.
Phooey.
Oh well, crap happens, right?
Anyhoo, the trip was great otherwise and i'll try to get a few posts up each day to share the adventure with you.

What i learned today

In the School of Life today i learned how to correctly dress a bride and lace her into a corset back dress. I would have thought you laced from the bottom loops up to the top ones, ending in a bow because that is how you do it on yourself, but that is not the case; you lace from the top down and then tuck the ribbon ends into the dress. Also, be sure to lace the wide ribbon into the back on the top loop, but then up from the back on all of the other loops. Who knew you needed lessons on these things? But now i know. Which means now you know, too.

they're he-re

Perhaps you recall that during my Month of Birthday Festivities Kate P had me choose a yarn for my very own hand knitted birthday socks. I picked them up on Halloween: I am at a loss for words at the awesomeness. Look at how the bubble wrap pattern is so bubbley at the top and how the Yarn Pirate I Want Candy yarn colors are so vibrant and how the heel is so stripey. Look at how well they fit! That stripey heel just slays me with its cuteness. And they are waaarm, which is a plus when your whole first floor apartment is hardwood floors. As i was taking these pictures i also realized that the bubble wrap pattern really lends itself to slouching: I miss you 1987! These socks are the best. Well done, Kate!

dressing rooms make me nauseous

I really don't like shopping for clothes and try to do it as little as possible (you might recall that i recently bought fun socks cause i was wearing ones that were 15 years old). So when i do shop, i like to get it all done at once: Thursday after work and before i left for the conference i stopped into Fashion Bug to get some pants, only to discover that they were having a "Buy One, Get One For 99 Cents" sale. Two and a half hours later i left with: -purple flats -brown shoes -blue work shoes -brown boots -black boots -a skirt -a sequin tank / sweater set -black dress pants -2 pairs of jeans (blue and brown) -3 sweaters (burgundy, blue, black with silver) -4 long sleeve shirts (white, burgundy, purple, navy) And best of all i shouldn't have to go shopping again for a while. Except that i need khakis for work... boohiss

Today's Post Brought to You by the Letter C and the Number 7

Fashion people always go on and on about cashmere : how it makes the best sweaters, how soft and comfy it is, how it makes strong, beautiful knitwear. Of course they never really point out how expensive it is; instead, it's always You'll get your money's worth with cashmere. But come on, people, this stuff is like $100 for a scarf. Needless to say, cashmere has never graced the Nikiverse. Until now. On lunch one day last week we went to a Salvation Army store to kill some time. I was looking at tank tops cause sweater season is coming and all of last seasons are too big. I wandered over to sweaters - my favorite item of clothing - and saw a lovely sweater set (cardigan over a short-sleeved sweater or tank in the same material for those of you who have no idea) in my favorite color - dark purple. I am not a typical sweater set kinda girl, but i have been doing a lot of interviews lately (anyone need a job, btw : i still have 2 openings) and need some nice office clothes. Upon investigation i found that it was not quite my size. sigh... then i saw the label : cashmere. I had to try it on. Though it is a little too big, it fit pretty well. And it's my favorite color - in cashmere. I can always roll those sleeves up. And how much for this great find?

Yep. 7 bucks. For cashmere. I love you, Salvation Army. I will drop extra money in the red bucket when the bell ringers come in December.

It doesn't take much

In the last 3 weeks i have had to throw away many pairs of socks that had come to the end of their usefulness. Upon reflection I realized that some of those socks were 10 - 15 years old. No wonder they were getting a little threadbare. So Saturday was Sock Shopping Day. A vast array of new socks. I think that the lobsters are my favorite, though the flamingos are a very close second. But the award for instantly useful goes to these since i was wearing this t-shirt at the time. Blessed are the easily amused.

Color Palette

I was having a lunch on Monday and Douglas was arriving to stay for a few days on Tuesday, so over the weekend i did a lot of cleaning in the Nikiverse. I think i did about 5 loads of laundry. I sorted all of my clothes, rearranged the closet and took a lot of stuff to charity.
After i looked at the stuff i was giving away
and the stuff i was keeping
i came to the conclusion that i own a lot of pink and purple and blue.
I know that everyone has a color palette that they tend to favor, but i didn't realize that mine was so obvious.
 Wow.