cinder block studio

March Madness

2011-03-06T22:26:00.003-06:00

Graham had his first dose of Jayhawk craziness in November, but he is certainly excited to experience his first March Madness. Rock Chalk.

Somebody get that drooler a bib already. Geesh.

Ba Ba Ba

2011-02-02T21:42:00.002-06:00

Guilty

2010-12-08T20:30:00.003-06:00

I need to remember these sweet little faces because when I let my imagination fast forward to 18 years from now, I'm afraid these mischievous little guys might have this same guilty look.

Remake of a classic

2010-11-20T11:29:00.001-06:00

This one is for you, Mom. An update of you favorite commercial that still gets you every time. Can't say I don't get misty eyed myself.

Gifted

2010-11-15T21:54:00.005-06:00

Loving this online mag from Creature Comforts.

This is Your Life

2010-11-12T16:24:00.001-06:00

As seen on Fabulous K.

Introducing Graham

2010-10-07T13:41:00.004-05:00

At long last...Graham Hilliard Lane. Born July 16, 2010.

I've been struggling with how to properly introduce this amazing little guy to my friends and family via the blog, but no story or picture seemed to do this little miracle of ours justice until now...a GIANT, HUGE thank you to my dear friend Emily Morrison who spent four days at our house a few weeks ago and documented her visit with more than 600 photos! Today, Graham went to daycare for the first time and it was an otherwise tough day until now...

Graham - September 2010 from Emily Morrison on Vimeo.

Awkward Family Photos

2010-06-14T17:10:00.002-05:00

Mom,

This link is mostly for your enjoyment...Awkward Family Photos. We might have one or two that may also qualify.

First Friday Roasterie Airstream Showing

2010-05-03T17:23:00.004-05:00

Hey all! Please make sure to join me in the Crossroads on First Friday (May 7) for a showing of my work in The Roasterie Airstream at Missouri Bank. Free coffee and original work from cinderblockstudio. The show starts at 5:30 p.m.

Proud

2010-03-07T21:44:00.008-06:00

Nick graduated from Army Ranger school in December. An amazing feat for which we are all extremely proud. It was a long, long process for a family that couldn't wait to hear from their brother or son for weeks or months on end and likely an even longer process for a soldier who faced the most grueling and challenging times in his life. We are all so very, very proud of you, Nick.

The Littlest Cheez-It

2010-02-22T21:51:00.003-06:00

Ellie may have been the cutest little Cheez-It EVER! Em always had outlandish costumes growing up...Hershey's syrup bottle, refrigerator, giant wristwatch...so it doesn't appear that the trend will stop with her own daughter.

Annie Goes to KU

2010-02-22T21:29:00.003-06:00

Late this past summer...back when there was sun and warmth...Chris and I took Annie to Clinton Lake in Lawrence for a romp in the lake. After a quick stop on Mass Street, Chris and I jumped back in the car and decided to drive through campus on our way to the lake. Being the total dorks that we are, we started pretending like we were dropping Annie off for her first day of college. Made a life up for her, complete with what she would major in, what sorority she would join. I know...nerds.

Annie lounges at Allen Field House.

Right before a tour at Watson Library.

A quick stop on Jayhawk Boulevard.

The Campanile.

She didn't want to jinx her possible graduation by walking through the Campanile before she received her diploma.

Overlooking Memorial Stadium, where her dad fell for Todd Reesing a few seasons earlier.

The walk of shame after a night at the Sigma Chi house. Such a slut.

Bad, bad, bad blogger

2010-02-22T21:28:00.001-06:00

I know I have been a terrible blogger lately. I have a little nugget of an excuse. I will do my best to catch you up over the next few weeks. Check back.

Without You

2009-12-23T16:46:00.001-06:00

So sweet and well said...by FreyaArt

Feeling Inspired

2009-11-16T21:14:00.003-06:00

I've been shopping for a new house every Sunday. It's the first thing I do when I wake up. Funny thing is..we aren't going anywhere according to the boss. Meanwhile, I'm dreaming of DIY projects and redecorating. I found the perfect blog to get me inspired. Check out Young House Love. Flip through the before and after pictures on the house tour. It's AMAZING and I'm OBSESSED.

Grateful

2009-11-16T21:06:00.002-06:00

i will be grateful

Smitten

2009-10-29T16:19:00.005-05:00

Stumbled across this beautiful food blog...love, love, love it. I wish she would cook for me every day.

via Smitten Kitchen

Christmas Eve Ham Sandwiches

2009-10-12T20:32:00.004-05:00

Because I had yet another request for Karen's famous Christmas Eve ham sandwiches, I thought I would just post the recipe here for future referral...enjoy!

Ingredients:
Pepperidge Farm rolls – 12 to a package (2 pans)
½ lb margarine
3 tbsp mustard
3 tbsp poppy seeds
½ cup chopped yellow onion
8 oz. grated cheddar cheese
8 oz. grated swiss chesse
1 lb. deli sliced ham

Directions:
Split each package of rolls horizontally. Do not separate.
Mix margarine, mustard, poppy seeds and onion together and spread on top and bottom.
Sprinkle 8 oz. grated cheddar cheese on two bottom layers.
Put ham on top of cheese.
Put grated swiss on top of ham.
Put tops of roll back on to form sandwich.
Wrap in foil.
Warm for 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Dave

2009-09-30T16:16:00.001-05:00

Going to see my main man again tonight. Two times in one tour!? I'm going straight over after work, so much thought had to be given to an outfit that transitioned from work to concert. I asked Chris if he thought Dave would like my outfit this morning. He rolled his eyes.

Thank you Westport!

2009-09-13T21:02:00.002-05:00

Thank you to all of you that come out to see me over the weekend in Westport! I appreciate everyone's comments and wishes for a successful show. It is because of you that I keep going in my pursuit to one day make this dream a reality.

For those of you that are visiting my blog for the first time...WELCOME! I will putting up more work on Etsy this week, so please check back.

Art Westport '09

2009-09-10T20:44:00.002-05:00

It's the festival season in Kansas City! Stop by this weekend in you are in the neighborhood. I'm be showing in booth number 114 (Pennsylvania, just north of Wesport Road). If nothing else, come to Westport for a beer and a Blanc burger. Hope to see you there.

Hours:

Friday, September 11th 5 to 9 p.m.

Saturday, September 12th 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Sunday, September 13th 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

A Dog's Life

2009-08-17T21:52:00.004-05:00

The best day of Annie's little doggie life occured a few months ago when Chris and I went to Salina for the 4th of July. We took Annie to our pasture land outside of town and introduced her to some wide open fields, big black cows and about three dozen ticks.

Mustache

2009-07-30T22:29:00.001-05:00

"Have you ever been grossed out by my mustache?"

"You have a mustache?"

"Good answer."

It Will Be Necessary

2009-07-28T22:35:00.000-05:00

Duet

2009-07-28T22:34:00.001-05:00

Good luck Nick

2009-06-30T21:14:00.002-05:00

Nick began Army Ranger School at Fort Benning, Georgia on Sunday. While I'm so scared for the future that he has in store for him the next six years, I cling to the fact that the United States is lucky to have someone like Nick fight for us.

Nick, I think about you constantly and know that you are growing stronger mentally and physically each day. God bless you and for all of you that fight or have fought for our country.

US ARMY RANGER CREED

Recognizing that I volunteered as a Ranger, fully knowing the hazards of my chosen profession, I will always endeavor to uphold the prestige, honor, and high esprit de corps of the Rangers.

Acknowledging the fact that a Ranger is a more elite soldier who arrives at the cutting edge of battle by land, sea, or air, I accept the fact that as a Ranger my country expects me to move further, faster, and fight harder than any other soldier.

Never shall I fail my comrades I will always keep myself mentally alert, physically strong, and morally straight and I will shoulder more than my share of the task whatever it may be, one hundred percent and then some.

Gallantly will I show the world that I am a specially selected and well trained soldier. My courtesy to superior officers, neatness of dress, and care of equipment shall set the example for others to follow.

Energetically will I meet the enemies of my country. I shall defeat them on the field of battle for I am better trained and will fight with all my might. Surrender is not a Ranger word. I will never leave a fallen comrade to fall into the hands of the enemy and under no circumstances will I ever embarrass my country.

Readily will I display the intestinal fortitude required to fight on to the Ranger objective and complete the mission, though I be the lone survivor.

Elle Decor Goes to Kansas City

2009-06-24T10:01:00.003-05:00

Very cool article! It makes living in Kansas City seem even better. Check it out.

Etsy Find

2009-06-17T22:47:00.001-05:00

I scored this pretty little thing as a little treat to myself. Yay me!

River Festival

2009-06-11T08:55:00.003-05:00

I'm off to show in the River Festival this weekend. I've had my nose to the grindstone putting in 20 hours on Saturday and Sunday alone. I've learned I'm quite the procrastinator. Sure, I could have been working in the "studio" all winter long to prepare for this show, but I decided to wait until the last three weeks when the weekends are gorgeous and it's next to impossible to be relegated to the basement. Oh well...

I should have pics and scans of the new work to share when I return. I have two new "products" collaged frames where people can insert their own photo into the collage and small pieces on 4x4 scrap wood. We will see how they do!

If any of you are in the Salina area or are really itchin' for some funnel cakes and deep fried twinkies and decide to make the weekend of it, look me up in booth 40 of the craft section.

From Sandwiches to Slammed

2009-06-02T22:41:00.003-05:00

I realize not many posts ago I was saying you that my life you so boring that the Panera Mediterranean Veggie sandwich was the highlight of my life. Pathetic. Now I'm gearing up for the River Fest val in Salina, Kansas next weekend and I'm wishing I would have spent my winter painting and collaging and less time with the veggie sandwich.

I have a TON to get done and I'm not sure there are enough hours in the day. I've never felt like such a procrastinator. The funny thing is that I haven't lived at home for 15 years, but my mom is on the edge of her seat wondering if I will stop procrastinating and will actually get something accomplished. Stay tuned.

Loving this concept...

2009-05-07T09:58:00.008-05:00

The 3/50 Project

What if we spent $50 at 3 independent retailers this month? What would the impact be?

Honky Tonkin' in Nashville

2009-04-29T21:07:00.004-05:00

Took a short jaunt down to Nashville with Em, Nick and my dad - who invited himself at the last minute. We were so glad he came since he kept us laughing with his dry sense of humor all weekend.

Nick is in the Army in Columbus, Georgia, so when I saw that Dave Matthews was coming to Nashville, I mapquested the drive for Nick and with just 4.5 hours it seemed like a no-brainer. Em, dad and I flew in Friday afternoon and immediately had one of the top five hamburgers in the world at Rotier's according to the Nashville policeman, quoting Jimmy Buffett. Nick showed up after midnight, but we still had a great time at the local country dive bars that line the streets downtown.

We went back to Rotier's Saturday morning for the biscuits and gravy for $2.25. The Country Music Marathon was going on the same weekend, so there were crazy marathon runners everywhere. We hung out downtown, shopping (at the one and only shop that we found in Nashville - somebody get these people some retail), eating and drinking. Then back to the hotel for some naps before the concert.

The view of Vanderbilt Stadium from our sweet hotel room. I could stalk the tour bus.

Etsy Find

2009-04-28T21:01:00.001-05:00

Loving this daily affirmation print by SparklePower on Etsy.

Windy City...again

2009-04-16T13:43:00.002-05:00

I'm off to the Windy City this afternoon for a very needed, last minute trip to meet up with Chris and visit Moe and Eric on a warm spring weekend! Be back on Saturday!

I Got Nuthin'

2009-04-06T12:58:00.002-05:00

Seriously...so sorry for the complete absence lately. Work is mad crazy and we just veg whenever we can. I'm mentally exhausted.

The most exciting thing in my life seems to be my new obsession with Panera's Mediterranean veggie sandwich. It has cilantro hummus, people. This thing is so good I had it three days in a row last week. MMMM.

Bring it.

2009-03-22T18:03:00.001-05:00

Newest Obsession

2009-02-25T21:22:00.003-06:00

I am completely obsessed with the blog Feather...fashion based on the weather report. Genius! If I had all the money in the world this is how I would dress. Sigh.

No Way!

2009-02-18T09:56:00.002-06:00

I clicked on Poppytalk this morning to discover this...Holy Cow! I am the luckiest girl in the world! My work is paired with other artists who I have admired in the blog world for quite some time. Aw shucks.

Click over and check it out!

Affordable Art at Poppytalk Handmade

2009-02-16T08:53:00.002-06:00

cinder block studio is included in Poppytalk's Affordable Art Show and Marketplace. Check it out!

For those of you that are new to the cinder block studio blog...WELCOME!

I Want. I Need.

2009-02-15T16:29:00.000-06:00

I am in love with this shirt for some reason.

Wet

2009-02-11T22:35:00.003-06:00

It's warm and then cold...and then rainy...and then dry...and then sunny. C'mon spring. Throw me a bone already.

New on Etsy!

2009-02-08T18:27:00.003-06:00

Visit my store on Etsy for more original mixed media collages.

Le Love

2009-02-03T17:16:00.002-06:00

Currently loving this blog - Le Love.

A bit of news

2009-02-02T21:14:00.002-06:00

If you find yourself in Kansas City, Kansas in the next few weeks, stop by Scooter's Coffeehouse at The Legends. I have a small show up there through the end of the month. It's all a part of my resolution to market myself and my work in 2009. The only bad part - I realized after I put up all of the work and all of the placards with the title and price that nowhere did the work or the placards say my name. So I threw some business cards on the counter and called it good. Lesson learned.

Windy City Shenanigans

2009-01-20T13:19:00.002-06:00

So, we decided to head to Chicago on a very cold weekend. Who travels to Chicago in January, anyway? Apparently we do when we need a little Moe time, a little me time. Jenny, Ivy, Kerri and I headed out Friday afternoon and after our delay for an hour and a half (which we spent at the Tequilaria), we landed at Midway, where we were welcomed by 1 degree weather. It wasn't so bad though, we were bundled up and ready for it.

We started Friday night off with dinner at Carnival and then hit a few bars before ending the night at Moe and Eric's. Saturday morning, we slept in and relaxed for a while before heading to Lottie's to watch the KU game. Then off to a few shops and home again, where Eric had prepared a feast. We sat in the kitchen from 6 p.m. until 4:45 a.m. laughing and drinking and eating. I think the highlight of the night be the John Black (Days of Our Lives) impersonations and the rehashing of memories from junior high, high school and our old Kappa Delta days. Eek! Man, did we laugh!

Unfortunately, I only took two pics and one video of the JB impersonations. If you are lucky I might post them later!

Thanks again for the hospitality, Moe and Eric! Hope to see you soon.

So long 2008?

2008-12-31T10:36:00.003-06:00

Everything I'm hearing about 2008 is that people are eager to see it go. My mom taught me to look for the good in all things though. This may be the best advice I've ever received. So, perhaps it wasn't the best year for us, for our country. Here's to looking on the bright side...

Travels to Miami, Chicago, Oklahoma City, Montana, Arizona, Minnesota, Mexico, New York and home.

Orange Bowl victories and National Championship dreams realized.

Tightened belts, but a renewed look at making the best of it.

Celebration of five years of marriage in which I couldn't be more proud.

Struggles for answers, but now with renewed faith.

A niece who brings infinite joy and demonstrates the true definition of unconditional love.

The promise of change.

The love of family.

Loved ones who are willing to embark on a journey to protect our freedoms.

The ability to create with my hands and the guts to put it out there for the world to see.

So many wonderful friends and so many good times.

Sadly, friends who experienced the loss of precious loved ones, but have a renewed appreciation for those that are still with them.

Happily, friends that discovered that wishes for families of their own had come true.

Going into 2009, I've found peace, have hope and know love.

Happy New Year.

Happiness

2008-12-24T13:12:00.003-06:00

I stumbled across this video. Not even sure how really, but it sure made me happy.

Merry Christmas everyone.

A Little Holiday Cheer

2008-12-21T20:50:00.004-06:00

Gayle had a little holiday happy hour at her house on Thursday. The "happy hour" turned into quite a party and we stayed past midnight. On a school night. The craziness began when Chris challenged three people to beer drinking chug-offs and Gayle downloaded the same Beyonce song five times on iTunes. Love ya, Gayle. Thanks for a great party!

Sweet Pat and Kara before the games began...

A little cheating going on...after witnessing Chris smoke the others, Brad decided to get a head start on the reigning champ...

So proud...

Then Kara decided to challenge Brad...

Brad didn't let the birthday girl win...

Happy Birthday, Kara!

Go Jayhawks

2008-12-09T21:05:00.002-06:00

Bowl bound again! Another reason to look forward to New Year's Eve! Go Jayhawks.

We suffered through the cold, rain and snow for the KU vs Missouri game. I had convinced myself that we were going to get our asses kicked. Perfect. No expectations.

It ended up being about the best football I've ever seen. Thank goodness we were on the winning end!

Make like a tree

2008-12-09T20:59:00.003-06:00

I realize that posts are waaay overdue, so I will do my best to catch up.

I took these pics a few weeks ago when we decided to finally rake our yard. Annie was a little unsure when Chris dove into the pile and disappeared. She went crazy and then attacked him. Pretty funny.

The Big Apple: Day 4

2008-11-23T19:10:00.003-06:00

The last morning in NYC and I'm not sure we were all that ready to go home. We had so much fun, but there was still so much that we wanted to do.

We tried to go to the Carnegie Deli, but it was lunch time and the line was out the door and down the block. So, we settled for Stage Deli pastrami sandwiches. Then we called our new friends Gustavo from Friday night and asked him to take us to Battery Park to see the Statue of Liberty, since we still hadn't made it down. After Gustavo took a few pictures of us along the river, he dropped us at the airport.

The trip to the airport...

The view from our hotel room...

The Big Apple: Day 3

2008-11-23T18:42:00.005-06:00

I really know how to drag this out, don't I?

So...day three in New York City. We woke up a little late and tried to find a ferry to take us to Ellis Island. Unfortunately the ferry tour take 3-4 hours and we didn't have that much time since Carrie and Dale were coming up to visit us from Philly in the early afternoon. So, we head back to Soho for breakfast at a local pub and then to the Upper East side to a KU alumni bar to watch the KU vs. Nebraska game. The only problem was that the bar that had promised they would have it earlier in the week had decided it was too expensive to get the game on pay-per-view. So, we headed back toward Times Square and met Carrie and Dale at a bar there. Turns out it was a pretty good thing that we missed the game. From there we went to the W Hotel bar and then to Little Italy and Chinatown. We had dinner at a little sidewalk Italian joint. And then enjoyed the "best cannoli on the planet" at Palermo, where we ate it right at the counter.

This sweet little man serenaded us at dinner...

Senior pictures in Times Square, late night...

After Little Italy, we went to the Soho Grand Hotel for drinks at the bar. And then, we landed back at Wicked Willy's that Chris and I had discovered Thursday night.. This time there were jello shots and a pole on the stage. Enough said.

It was so much fun that Carrie and Dale ended up crashing in our room rather than heading back to Philly that night, which was the original plan.

The Big Apple: Day 2

2008-11-17T20:35:00.008-06:00

We started off Day 2 of our NYC trip with a stop in the Meatpacking District for lunch Pastis. We sat outside and I was distracted by the flurry of limos and men with cameras surrounding the restaurant. I assumed there must have been a celebrity inside and kept a close look over Chris's shoulder. I never saw anybody though.

We stopped at Chelsea Market, which is sort of like a giant glorified food court, but there is no Corn Dog 7 there. Instead there are quaint bakeries and lobster shops. We shopped a little around Soho. I passed David Schwimmer on the street. I had my palm read at a little setup on the sidewalk, which may have been the best $30 I've spent in a while. She told some really wonderful things, but said I worried too much. I was skeptical about that - she probably just saw my fingernails and made that assumption. Then we stopped at Dos Cominos for passion fruit margaritas and freshly made guacamole in the early afternoon.

After Dos Caminos, we headed to Wall Street at 5 p.m. when everyone was getting off work in the Financial District. It was pure craziness. The were police officers in tactical gear at every corner with automatic guns. It gave me a slight idea of the commotion that had to have occurred on September 11 after witnessing the craziness in the area. This was just a typical Friday and it was insane. Ground Zero was sobering. I couldn't bring myself to take any pictures and was disgusted at the people trying to sell pictures of the tragedy.

Probably one of the biggest highlights of my trip was our trip to Brooklyn Friday night to surprise Russell of RePOP. Russell and I worked together for 8 months at Dingle Dry Goods, my brief venture into the antiques world. I disliked the job very much, but Russell made the days there very interesting to say the least. He once dressed as Frida Kahlo and played the part to perfection. He flourished in the antique business and now has a very successful shop in Brooklyn with his partner, Carl.

We were determined to ride the subway to Brooklyn, but the concierge seemed a little unsure about how safe the neighborhood would be once we got off the train. So, we found a driver named Gustavo who drove us to Brooklyn in his fancy black Yukon with tinted windows and shiny rims. No big deal. We walked into the store and Russell's reaction to seeing me pretty much made my day. "NO F*&%ING WAY! Cassie Lane!" he screamed to an entirely packed store. We chatted. Drank some wine. I left with a $45 monkey puppet hand mold. What? Exactly, but it will always remind me of Russell.

Gustavo picked us up in Brooklyn and dropped us back off at Times Square. It was really late, but we hadn't had dinner so we went to John's Pizzeria - a restaurant inside of an old church. We ordered a giant calzone with fresh ricotta and mozzarella and a carafe of wine. Shocking. As we left the restaurant that night we saw a flurry of women with cameras and Harry Potter (aka Daniel Radcliffe) coming out of his Broadway show.

This is the best of about 25 pictures that I took of Chris and me in Times Square. I seem to pretty much always look the same, but Chris usually has his eyes shut or tries too hard to keep his eyes open and ends up looking like an owl. It probably doesn't help that I give him a hard time about it.

After our impromptu photo shoot of ourselves in Times Square, we sat and watched this group of boys gather and dance in the middle of Duffy Square. We sat and watched for about an hour as these boys, with nothing other than the clap of their hands to dance to, mesmerized hundreds of people. Eventually someone in the crowd yelled that they would put $500 on the line in a dance off. Everyone got a little excited and things escalated. Words were exchanged. Chris and I still sat and watched and eventually the police broke it up, but it seemed like the most organic New York experience of the trip.

This was our second night in a row to stop for a pretzel and a Sunkist with a straw.

Too Tired

2008-11-16T20:27:00.002-06:00

Moe and Eric were in town this weekend and we had so much fun. Lots and lots of wine and dancing on tables. I'm EXHAUSTED though and ready for bed. I will complete the New York blog posts eventually. Promise.

The Big Apple: Day 1

2008-11-11T22:11:00.004-06:00

Chris and I are back from celebrating our five year anniversary in New York City. It was a total blast and I think we are both ready to go back for more! We walked and walked and walked. We ate. We drank. We drank and ate. We shopped.

There is so much to see and do in New York City. I feel like we just barely touched on it, but yet saw so many things.

I'll try to update the blog with pictures over the next few days...

Day 1: We walked from our hotel in Times Square to Central Park. It was cloudy and a little misty, but the trees were beautiful.

After our walk in Central Park, we walked to a restaurant and ate lunch in a sweet little cafe. We walked some more and headed back to our hotel. We had dinner that night at Balthazar in Soho. Then we stumbled across a few - by a few I mean FOUR bars - near NYU and discovered that we could still have fun just the two of us being crazy in a bars. One of them was called Wicked Willy's - it's a Pirate bar complete with a beer pong table and a tag line that says Time Flies When You Are Having RUM. Enough said. I had a bit of a wicked hangover the next morning.

KU vs. KSU

2008-11-05T20:55:00.003-06:00

A foggy drive to Lawrence....

...but the sun was out when we arrived.

And we're off

2008-11-05T10:07:00.001-06:00

We are off tomorrow for an anniversary vacay in NYC. Thanks for all of your suggestions for places to go, things to see. I promise to take lots of photos to share on the blog next week. Until next time...

Yes We Did

2008-11-05T10:05:00.002-06:00

Custom Work Available

2008-10-30T21:32:00.003-05:00

OK...I did this a long time ago, but it's a friendly little reminder that custom pieces make great gifts. Wedding? Baby? Anniversary? No Reason At All? Prices start at just $55.

Humble

2008-10-30T21:25:00.001-05:00

Humble, 6x6

Happy Fall

2008-10-20T21:41:00.002-05:00

NYC or bust

2008-10-16T12:26:00.003-05:00

Our anniversary is right around the corner. FIVE YEARS! FIVE YEARS? How did the time fly by so quickly?

A few nights ago, I pulled out a few pictures from our honeymoon in Hawaii and we looked so very young. (Mental note: Talk to Lisa about investing in better eye cream.)

Our anniversary is October 25th to be exact. We will be celebrating at the Kansas versus Texas Tech game in Lawrence. I've threatened to renew my vows at half time of the game. Maybe Gayle could read the Apache Blessing since she appropriately emails it to me every year on our anniversary.

If our marriage survives this election, Chris and I plan to go to New York City to celebrate FIVE YEARS of blissful marriage. Now, we did have to plan our travels around the election. I'm not sure how I feel about being in New York with Chris if the outcome isn't what he wants. Ouch. Could be a long vacay. Just kidding. I'm sure we will have a wonderful time, but this is where YOU come in...

We are New York City virgins and would love ideas and thoughts on where to go. At this point, there are no plans except that we are staying near Times Square in an outrageously priced hotel that might otherwise be $99 in a city like Kansas City.

Would love your feedback!

Trip down Memory Lane

2008-10-05T21:16:00.004-05:00

As you know, I'm not a fan of the past. Just check out what I looked like back in the day and you might understand why...

And Chris...

Try it yourself at Yearbook Yourself.

I Have a Dream

2008-10-03T14:05:00.003-05:00

So...I've never even met Tucker, the girl whom I'm writing this post about today. I know her Dad, Dave, though. I know how much he loves his girls and if you could witness for just a small moment the love and passion that he has for his family, you would immediately join in his efforts to find a cure for juvenile diabetes.

Now, Chris and I don't have kids, but plenty of you reading this right now have already have little ones or will some day. I don't want any one of your children to experience what Tucker has experienced everyday since she was diagnosed at the age of one with juvenile diabetes. Dave tells me that a cure will happen in our lifetime. Let's not wait until someone that we love is affected with this disease. Be proactive and donate to find a cure today!

On October 11th, Tucker and her team will walk for a cure. Go Team Tucker!

Happy Birthday Littlest!

2008-09-25T12:07:00.003-05:00

Happy Birthday to my little black and white fur baby! We think your birthday may have been around the 25th of September when we adopted you, so today we celebrate you. We are sorry that we forgot the last four years, but does it count that we remember today? Happy 5th Birthday Annie (aka The Littlest Doggie in the World)!

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year...to me anyway

2008-09-23T12:27:00.001-05:00

Happy Fall Everyone! Yesterday marked the first day of fall and the kick-off to definitely my favorite time of the year. I noticed on Saturday that the leaves were falling when we pulled in the driveway after the Plaza Art Fair, a few are already changing colors, in fact. I love tailgating at KU games and NFL is now that much better now that I'm 2-1 in my Fantasy league. I purchased a 6 pack of Samuel Adams Octoberfest and carried a butternut squash out of Hen House under my arm yesterday (the cashier asked Is this a butterSCOTCH squash? No, ding-a-ling) There are mums and pumpkins, even the green and white ones, which may provoke a special trip from Salina for my mom to pick some up for her own porch. The American Royal BBQ is right around the corner and my Meat Mitch fake tattoo entry arrived in the mail the other day. I have no more shows scheduled for the rest of the year, so I'm just going to sit back and enjoy a beautiful season! Cheers!

Here Comes the Sun...or not

2008-09-14T20:38:00.002-05:00

What a weekend! Chris and I set up my art fair tent on Friday afternoon in cloudy, gloomy weather. Just as we were finishing, the tornado sirens went off. Weird. It didn't look tornado-y, but as we got onto the highway, we could see the cloud swirling above us. I do love myself a tornado! As we tuned into the radio, we learned that a tornado had touched down just two miles from where we had just left the tent with sandbag weights and all of my artwork in a Rubbermaid bin covered by a tarp.

When we arrived Saturday morning, everything was fine except for the fact that it rained all day long! There was a small break for about an hour and a half, but for the most part it was raining and the ground was MUDDY!

Sunday was a little better, but the sun only poked it's head out for about 10 minutes all day long. These poor people that have to depend on the weather to earn a living at selling their art!? How do they do it? A couple rainy weekends in a row and they have a hard time paying the mortgage. (Note to Chris: You might want to reference this post if I ever again say that I would like art fair to be my full-time profession. I think not.)

It's raining, it's pouring...

2008-09-11T09:45:00.005-05:00

At Peace II, 6x6

Yep. I seem to have a dark, black, rainy cloud that follows me from place to place lately. I don't mean in the metaphorical sense, but rather the actual rain cloud that has been hovering for the past few weeks. Whether it's an outdoor event at work, or the slight drizzle at Zoe's wedding (sorry Zoe, but I can't seem to help it) or the rain in the forecast for my show this weekend here in Kansas City. Forecast: Rain. 100% on Saturday. Slight chance on Sunday, too. Awesome.

Nevertheless, I've taken today off to prepare for the show a little bit more, but in the back of my head I'm thinking I might just enjoy the day and not stress too much considering rain=few attendees=little sales. And so, I have facial at Bijin at 12:15. Destress.

For those of you that do chance to venture my way this weekend, I will be forever grateful. Here are a few new pieces that you might see...

Autumn's Approach, 12 x12
(This was my first attempt at an abstract piece. I actually love it and secretly want to keep it for myself).

Chicago Flower, 6x6

New work

2008-09-03T22:35:00.004-05:00

As I prepare for the Hidden Glen Art Fair on September 13 & 14, I'll continue to post more work that you can expect to see at the show.

Three of Us, 4x6 original mixed media collage on 8x10 matboard

Making a Garden, 4x6 original mixed media collage on 8x10 matboard

My Home By The Ocean, 5x5 original mixed media collage on 8x10 matboard

Sweet Little Ellie

2008-09-03T22:27:00.002-05:00

Often times the highlight of my day is when Em brings Ellie across the street to see me. On this particular day, Ellie was just looking too cute to not break out the camera. First Ellie studied the flower that Em picked for her...
..and then, like with almost anything she gets in her hand, she eventually puts it in her mouth.

Introducing...

2008-08-25T22:28:00.005-05:00

The World Will Be Our Happy Home, 5x5 on white matboard

...new collages on paper, matted and ready to frame! Yay. It's about time I went for something new and three antique elementary school books from the River Market Antique Mall were all the inspiration I needed.

The collages I've recently finished are actually on cardstock leftover from my handmade wedding invitations. (Why didn't someone tell me I was insane when I decided to make 300 wedding invites, by the way?) Then, I've added book pages from the antique books, painted, added paper collage elements, mounted them on 8x10 inch matboard so they are all ready to frame. Ta da...

We Climbed A High Mountain, 5x5 on white matboard

Lesson VII, 5x5 on matboard

Bridesmaids Gifts, Part Seven

2008-08-24T21:44:00.000-05:00

This one may look a little familiar. Kelli has two sisters and I used the same picture, but a slightly different treatment for each. Whew! That's a LOT of bridesmaids. Thanks again, Kelli.

Bridesmaids Gifts, Part Six

2008-08-23T21:43:00.000-05:00

Bridesmaids Gifts, Part Five

2008-08-22T22:00:00.000-05:00

Just around the corner...

2008-08-21T22:11:00.003-05:00

Where has the summer gone? Seriously? Was it not just June? Now it's almost September. Halloween decorations are out. Whatever.

The Hidden Glen Art Fair is right around the corner. Mark your calendar for September 13 & 14. I got my booth assignment today. Number 54.

I MUST get busy over the next couple of weekends, which may be hard considering all remaining weekends are jam packed. I did recently venture into collages on paper, which I've matted on 8x10 white mat board. I'm pretty pleased with the turnout and plan to post some here soon.

Bridesmaids Gifts, Part Four

2008-08-21T22:00:00.000-05:00

Some of you might recognize our little friend, Zoe. Too cute!

Only in Salina

2008-08-21T21:59:00.005-05:00

Don't get me wrong, I loved growing up in Salina. Things like this will always make me think...only in Salina, though. (This happened earlier this summer and my mom cut out the article in the paper to warn her hubby of the potential danger in his daily Sonic "Diet Coke with lime pieces".

From the Salina Journal...

Man blames Salina crash on 'brain freeze'

A man said he crashed his car into the front steps of a house on South Fifth Street Tuesday afternoon while he was drinking a cold drink that gave him a “brain freeze.”
Robert M. Schulz, 66, Salina, told Salina police he had just purchased the flavored, frozen drink from a Sonic restaurant and was drinking it while traveling east on East Crawford after 3:45 p.m.

Schulz said he suffered a “brain freeze,” followed by a “chest freeze,” causing him to loose control, leave the street and crash into the front steps of the home at 703 S. Fifth, said Desk Officer Brandon Tomson.

Schulz was taken by ambulance to Salina Regional Health Center, where he was treated and released.

Bridesmaids Gifts, Part Three

2008-08-20T22:00:00.000-05:00

Bridesmaids Gifts, Part Two

2008-08-19T22:00:00.000-05:00

New Commissions

2008-08-18T22:32:00.003-05:00

I was hired by Kelli to create seven commissions - one for each one of her bridesmaids! Kelli got married on Saturday, so I have the green light to show each one. Stay tuned all week.

No Big Deal

2008-08-12T21:26:00.003-05:00

We were pretty lucky last week to be invited to go to the Royals vs. Red Socks game with Gayle and Bill. These weren't just any old tickets to a Royals game. They were front row, right behind the plate in the Crown Seats. Hence the "No Big Deal". Chris thinks were a regular VIPs.

We had a blast. Free buffet including Midwest Airlines chocolate chip cookies. Great drinks with a waitress. What more could you ask for? I guess a win would have been nice, but I loved it anyway! You're the B-O-M-B, Gayle.

Magically Delicious

2008-08-04T22:15:00.003-05:00

After Katie's wedding on Saturday night (Em was the Matron of Honor, which may explain the 'do), we ventured to an Irish bar for some late night dancing. Em and I danced to the Irish version of Gin and Juice AND Callin' Baton Rouge. Life doesn't get much better than that!

Unless you suddenly find yourself dancing with a real life Leprechaun...

Em and I both had the pleasure of dancing with the jolly little guy. He was just so small and his hands were so tiny. I felt like I could pick him up and throw him across the bar, but he was a gentle Leprechaun and it turns out his name was also Chris.

Until next time, Leprechaun Chris...

Real Life Leprechaun

2008-08-04T21:39:00.001-05:00

So Blogger isn't let me upload photos right now, but please check back because Em and I met a real life leprechaun on Saturday and there are pictures to prove it.

Dad Hog

2008-07-30T21:35:00.004-05:00

I became a "dad hog" according to my sister when our dad came to town last Friday night. Em had a crazy couple of weekends, so I was giving her a little chance to breathe before entertaining again. Chris and I hijacked my dad and took him out for sushi. We waited for an hour to sit in the fancy room where you have to take our shoes off. We enjoyed tako salad (octopus salad), edamame, sea bass, yellowtail, eel and crazy monkey rolls. It had been a while since I had sushi. Chris claims it makes him think more clearly. My dad was a good sport and enjoyed having sushi that wasn't from the local Dime-a-ru in Salina.

On Saturday morning, Em and I took dad and Ellie to Einstein for bagels and coffee and then to the Overland Park farmer's market. (My ideal Saturday morning is coffee and the farmer's market...hand's down).

After the market, my dad and I decided to go to the Nelson-Atkins Museum. I'm not sure if I'm boring company or what, but he was yawning up a storm on the way to the Nelson. I offered to stop at Starbucks on the Plaza and he was more than thrilled to consume even more caffeine.

We sat on the deck and people watched and talked. Eventually I asked him if I'd ever told him about my invention (sorry, it cannot be revealed here). I apparently hadn't told him and he suddenly became so excited. Maybe the Einstein and Starbucks coffee were working their magic together or maybe I was actually onto something. After drawing on napkins, we set out for a few stores on the Plaza so I could better describe my thoughts. Needless to say, my dad now thinks I'm a genius and wants a 7% finders fee after following me to Halls, Eddie Bauer, J. Crew, Coach and Anthropologie. He followed up on Monday by sending me links to manufacturers in the area.

Eventually we made it to the Nelson and actually breezed through it rather quickly. We missed the entire area of the museum labeled "ancient" in the handheld directory. Shocking, I'm sure. I enjoyed the modern works and really liked the pop art. I did take 16 hours of art history in college, so some of it was familiar, but pulling all nighters memorizing art slides apparently didn't serve me too well.I think that of everything that the museum has to offer, I seem to enjoy the sculpture garden the best. I love those darn shuttlecocks. I think that my mother-in-law said it best when she said that she thinks of it as God playing a game of badminton and telling everyone to just not take life so seriously. I couldn't agree more.

I'm not sure what God is trying to say with the headless men...

Ellie Update

2008-07-29T21:21:00.002-05:00

It's been awhile since the last Ellie update. She is growing like a weed! She has 7 teeth and will be walking by the end of August for sure.

I try to spend as much time as possible with her and since she is right across the street, it has been pretty easy. The cutest thing is that Em takes her out and puts her in the stroller as I walk across the street with Annie to go for a walk. Before I can even cross the street, I can see the giant grin on her face. She starts bouncing and dancing and saying "Ca Ca Ca". That's right...Cassie, but I go by Ca now. I was her fourth word. Oh, and Ca is so much easier...for everyone, not just Ellie.

My dad came to Kansas City last weekend and got to spend some quality time with Ellie as well. She was so sweet when she fell asleep in his arms on Saturday night after a BBQ at our house.

Tomatoes and moth balls

2008-07-22T20:56:00.003-05:00

Have you ever smelled moth balls?

How did you get their legs apart?

Pah dum dum.

Moth balls are just one of ten of the suggestions to stop squirrels from eating your tomatoes. You see, I have four huge tomato plants with huge green tomatoes that I've been babying for months. So far, only two of these babies have turned the blush that tomatoes should just before they should be picked. But, just like the last few summers where I tested my green thumb, the tomatoes are stolen by the stupid squirrels that infest our neighborhood. So, this might not seem like a big deal, but considering the sheer amount of time spent staking, watering and swatting mosquitoes I am sick and tired of it.

We've tried cages, fencing, full strength bobcat urine...but last night I googled a few other options because these things weren't doing the trick. Among the suggestions were moth balls (hence the lame joke), dog hair, bone blood meal (huh?), human hair among other things. I've also heard that plastic snakes might do the trick.

So I set out for plastic snakes at Target last night. They don't sell large plastic snakes anymore like they did in the old days. So I settled for the most realistic plastic lizard I've ever seen and a plastic sleeve of small plastic wormy, snakey things.

I placed the lizards and worms last night and Chris sprayed the bobcat urine. So, here's to hoping for bright red tomatoes.

Etsy Fave: Heather Smith Jones

2008-07-16T22:10:00.005-05:00

I'm not getting rich on Etsy, but maybe I can help somebody else achieve their riches. I'm going to start posting some of my favorites for you to enjoy (and an ongoing wish list for Chris to reference upon gift giving occasions) Check out some of my Etsy faves...

Fellow Kansas Citian, Heather Smith Jones, creates sweet watercolor paintings and I really could blanket an entire wall with a series of her work. Love, love, love...

Carl and Russell of rePop

2008-07-14T12:59:00.001-05:00

Carl and Russell are at it again. This time they are featured on Design*Sponge. NO BIG DEAL!

HOLY COW!

2008-07-10T22:12:00.004-05:00

Chris and HOLY COW! himself, Harry Caray. Oh my God, they have the same exact hair!!

Chris and I had a heck of a time with Moe and Eric in Chicago over the weekend. Not only to Moe beat me by taking waaay more pictures than I did, but she also already posted them on her blog. Check it out.

Mr. Doust and Moe after the architecture tour.

The crazy building along the river that you couldn't pay me to park in because my car would surely end up in the river.

The news

2008-07-07T19:46:00.003-05:00

OK. OK. It's not THAT kind of news.

I've been asked to show and sell my work at the cutest little shop in Brookside called Shopgirls. I'll drop off my work this week for them to decide which to hang. It's a wonderful opportunity. If you are in the neighborhood in the next few weeks, check it out.

A Must See Goodie

2008-07-02T23:01:00.002-05:00

Thanks to my favorite blog, Dooce, who posted this juicy little nugget from You Tube. Absolute hilariousness. The greatest part is the theory about the crackhead. That word alone never fails to crack me up. Love it!

The bean is calling

2008-07-02T22:38:00.002-05:00

Well, the "bean" isn't really calling, but a trip to see Moe and Eric is way overdue. Chris and I are heading to Chicago to see Moe and Eric (and the bean) on Thursday night. We'll be there until Monday. Happy 4th.

After that, I have little remaining excuses to continue to abandon my blog. I have nine commissions and another very exciting announcement coming up very soon! So, I will have something to post after being on a bit of a hiatus.

Wish List

2008-06-29T22:39:00.003-05:00

I am love, love, loving this bag that I found on Etsy by DrikaB. Not sure if I should splurge or not, but I am in love with it!

Hope you had a fantastic weekend! It's a short week at least, which makes Monday at bit more tolerable.

Go Birdie Go

2008-06-18T18:01:00.000-05:00

Go Birdie Go, 6x6

Booth Nazi

2008-06-16T20:52:00.004-05:00

Not only was the River Festival a great experience and an all around fun weekend, but it was also a tremendous success.

First things first, I got the greatest surprise on Saturday morning when I'm talking to my family as we sat outside my booth and from behind a tree walks Moe! Moe!? "What are you doing here? What are you doing here? What are you doing here?," I said in disbelief. Apparently she decided a few weeks ago that she would both surprise her parents and me with a surprise appearance in Salina. I was in shock. I think I may still be in shock.

Moe was a great sport and sat with us behind the booth until about 7 p.m. that evening. Being in Chicago, she had never been able to see me at an art fair. This time, she got up close and personal view of me in action. I hope you enjoyed it, Moe. You will never know how much it meant to me that you were there!!

The festival was great. It always is. We ate great food and we saw lots of friends, young and old. The festival is a virtual reunion for families from Salina. It truly is remarkable.

I did do fairly well. I sold nearly half of what I brought and confirmed three custom orders already. There was also an article in the paper about me. Funny that I can't find the archive link for it though.

My dad helped me set up the tent on Thursday night. As much as he didn't understand why I hang everything the night before the show for placement and then take it all back down and pack it away in boxes only to put it back up the very next morning, he helped me out anyway. There is a method to my madness, I assured him.

On Friday morning, my mom helped me out. She helped me place the packed up pieces back on the wall, roll up the sidewall, sat with me for a several hours, but she also got me an assortment of tulips for my booth. I had to get on her a few times for the placement of her chair while she was on duty. I went away for a brief break to come back and see her sitting in the director's chair INSIDE the booth, BLOCKING THE ART. You can't it INSIDE the booth, I told her. You can sit in front of the booth about 15 feet out or about 3 feet behind, but not inside the booth. And, really, not within a three foot perimeter of the booth. It intimidates the customers. This all took plenty of explaining. At one point she moved the chair right up next to the front of the booth and the photographer from the Salina Journal assumed she was the artist since she was sitting SO CLOSE to the booth and took HER picture to accompany the article that was written about Me. The poor photographer went back to the Journal and sent the photo to the reporter only to find out that the person that the reporter interviewed was ME and the person that the photographer shot was MY MOM. Poor guy had to come back. Neither photo accompanied the article after all. Long story short, my mom now calls me the booth Nazi. I appreciated all of her help and support, nevertheless. Love you, mom.

One last tidbit about the festival is the great music that they have. Everyone needs to go to iTunes and check out Black Violin. I cannot wait for our next dinner party to kick their tunes. My mom and Dave weren't fans, but Chris and I listened to our two new cds all the way back to KC. They are two violinists that play hip hop covers. I am a semi-closeted hip hop fan and hearing Kanye and Timbaland violin-style was the greatest. Seriously. Check them out. Now. iTunes. Black Violin. Click on Dirty Orchestra.

Off to the River Festival

2008-06-12T07:12:00.002-05:00

Fly, 8x8

I'll see some of you in Salina, otherwise have a great weekend!

Guide, 8x8

No Weakness, 12x12 (right)

Those I Hold True

2008-06-10T12:01:00.000-05:00

This is two scan of one 12x12 titled Those I Hold True. The top is the left side and the bottom is the scan of the right side. Oh, how I long ofr a larger flatbed scanner. Splitting the image in half does it no justice.

Another word about the past

2008-06-09T22:01:00.002-05:00

In The Know: Our Troops In Iraq

This clip is relevant considering the post about the past. Ha! LOVE it.

On hating the past

2008-06-09T20:54:00.005-05:00

In one passing moment several years back, I revealed to Ivy that I hated the past. I can't recall what we were talking about , but I felt it was really quite normal to hate the past. Or so I thought.

This statement was met with howls of laughter and after a little bit of searching myself, I came to the conclusion that I really didn't like the past at all. At least anything earlier than World War II. I hated history in school. I can't recall with any sort of working knowledge the time periods that are so important to our nation's history. I hated my history teacher. She taught us to take tests and then purge everything that we had learned.

I'm not a big fan of historical costumed characters. Civil War Reenactors. Renaissance Festival. Dungeons and Dragons. Pirates. It's not limited to characters, though. I had no desire to see those Dead Sea Scrolls when they came to Kansas City. I'm not a fan of history museums. Really, I have no desire to see Rome. And Washington D.C.? Meh.

So, my friends latched on to my "hatred of the past phenomenon" and bring it up whenever they have the desire to creep me out. Little did I know what I was getting myself into when Lisa and I stumbled upon Old Shawnee Days when we went to visit Kerri on Saturday. The word "Old" in the name of the event should have been my first indication. But just past the spinning rides and funnel cakes, lurked those creatures of the past. Lisa took my camera and captured it best.

Funny thing about hating the past is that my artwork almost all stems from antique papers, vintage photos and, well, just about anything from the past. Go figure.

Oh, and by the way, I could really do without the future, too.

Craziness

2008-06-09T20:46:00.003-05:00

Have you ever seen the end of the rainbow? You know with a pot of gold and a smiling little leprechaun? I was driving home from a meeting late last week after a crazy rainstorm. Suddenly a rainbow appeared. I get all giddy like a little girl. I will go so far as to call my sister or Chris to see if they can also see the rainbow. Seeing that Chris was in Omaha, I doubted he could share in my wonderment. So, being the prepared blogger that I am, I pulled my camera from my purse while driving along I-635 over I-35 and captured the true end of a rainbow. It literally ended on the road just in front of my car. Pure craziness. There was no pot of gold.