Neighbors Are Annoying.

Well... ours are anyway. During our backyard landscaping yesterday, the head landscaper Bart called over to our neighbors Shelly & Darren in their back yard and asked if he could cut a few branches off their trees near the trunk (cause that would be best for the tree.) Now please understand Shelly’s & Darren’s tree branches reach about 10 feet into our yard and over our property line. So, legally, we can cut the branches off at our property line without any regard for the health of their trees. Bart, the landscaper’s, attempt to seek their approval was quite kind and his concern for their trees was above and beyond the call of duty. Our neighbor Shelly told him rudely that he was not allowed to touch the trees and she would call the sheriff. To which Bart replied “Bring it on. Legally we could cut all the tree branches off at the property line to the very top.” Needless to say Shelly had a hissy fit and continued to threaten him. I am not sure how this meeting ended but Shelly & Darren spent the rest of the night calling the owner of the landscaping company (5 times!). He had to spend many hours on the phone with them and later they came out of their house to talk to my husband too. They made a lot of claims all of which sounded shady, unlikely and did not match up with the other parts of their “story”.

Our Landscapers are very sweet. They knew we had no intention of taking the trees down or harming them that a couple really low branches were simply going to be removed. They were real sweethearts and now we feel horrible because they had to deal with a couple of real nut jobs umm ... I mean overly concerned neighbors (even more about them and their homemade “two story building” that took a year to even progress past the frame and shortly thereafter had it’s whole second story blown off after a strong wind, which thankfully landed on their own property and did not hurt anyone even though it could have easily landed in any of their neighbors yards including ours since that was ALSO near the property line. Oh and the disaster has not moved an inch since the collapse months ago. I guess really that is all I have to say about that).

Okay, I soooo apologize for the rant. It may not even be posted. If you see this apology but no rant then it wasn’t posted or maybe I deleted it. Nope, I just decided to post it anyway. It is quite simply annoying and I guess I felt the need to share. You lucky lucky thing you.

Anyhow, the garden is done for now and we are very very pleased! Still a lot of planting to be done and a small portion of fence (in between us and our annoying neighbors already existing delightful chain link fence with the ever stylish attached white plastic trellis) to be completed. We live in a new community backed on to existing homes that were built individually before all the growth. We really do love the trees they are really part of the reason we picked this space and besides that our lot size was much bigger than 99% of the others so it was worth the mix of property styles. We can’t even see their house through the trees. Shelly & Darren know that we love them and have known that for a long long time. They previously told us to cut any branches we wanted then handed us a saw and said “here cut that low one down right now.” It just doesn’t make any sense! Am I ranting again? Sorry!

On to other news, I am thinking that the Panty O’ Scopes might become a weekly occurrence, if anyone thinks they are worth keeping around (although I might continue even if you don’t *smile*). Tomorrow my goal is to try to address all of Mav’s recent posts about blogging and to catch up on my memes.

I think this is my longest post ever! Thanks for bearing with me. I really appreciate all of your kindness and support!

Update: As this post was being published Shelly came out onto her deck took one look at the trees and yelled (as loudly as possible so that we could hear) “Darren I guess we better call the sheriff!” Darren came out a minute or so later and inspected the trees obviously he could tell they were unharmed (in spite of his wife’s big mouth) since the sheriff did not arrive. We keep hoping that they will call the sheriff so that someone with authority will tell them that they belong in the looney bin.

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Wow ... Now That Is Some Serious Green.

It may be the low blood sugar or the fact that it is 1:30 in the morning, but I thought this photo was interesting. This is part of the preparations for a painting I did, in a college art course, a few years ago. I was looking for a green picture and well ... it is umm ... certainly green! I should probably share some more important things with you, like today’s Panty O’ Scopes.

Here we go. If you are wearing:

Red Panties- Today you will discover something new again.

Orange Panties- Do not wash the windshield of your car today. Seriously... don’t.

Yellow Panties- Today you may decide to cut off a friendship that might be getting a little to interesting (for more info. see yesterday’s post)

Green Panties- You will find a moment of peace today. Enjoy!

Blue Panties- Today you will feel extremely productive and get a million things done. Then, you will wake up from your afternoon nap and realize it was all a dream.

Purple Panties- Beware of moldy cheese today. It is not a refreshing snack time treat as some might want you to believe.

Black, Brown or White Panties- You will wish that today was as exciting as yesterday.

Floral or Patterned Panties- Today you may experience some cinfusion.

*Don’t forget to add the words “in bed” to the end of your daily Panty O’ Scope if you are wearing lace panties today. I’m having some funny font issues after re-installing Appleworks. Hope to have it fixed soon. Let me know if this font is annoying. Thanks!!

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The “Awww” Factor.

Yep. I did it. I pulled out the gratuitous baby bunny pictures. Yep. Baby Bunnies. They were a spring surprise two years ago. We had just moved into our first home and I came across this fluffy nest as I was raking in the back yard. As a bunny nest novice, I screamed and imagined the worst ... rats... or much much much worse... SPIDERS. You are a lot luckier though, you don’t have to imagine the worst. With the Panty O’ Scopes you know ahead of time whether your day will include bunnies or spiders. So if you are wearing:

Red Panties- Today you may also wish that you were going to this.

Orange Panties- Today you might also wish you could buy this from here.

Yellow Panties- Today it is possible that you will also want to put this, this, or this book in your Amazon wish list.

Green Panties- Today it is possible you will also think this is kinda cool.

Blue Panties- Today you will most likely also want to reproduce after seeing this.

Purple Panties- Today you might also want to live in this totally friggin wonderful place.

Black, Brown or White Panties- Today you will also know how much I care via this (which is much more enjoyable if you “mute”).

Floral or Patterned Panties- Today you may also have a hard time deciding whether or not you really NEED this or better yet, this ... wait did you see this? No joke look at this. Okay I really want this and lastly who doesn’t need this in red.

*Don’t forget to add the words “in bed” to the end of your daily Panty O’ Scope if you are wearing lace panties today. Still working on that font.

Landscapers came today, after waiting a month and half for the right kind of weather. Even though it might rain there was still 3 days of sun, so they are here as promised. YEAH! Got to go shopping and to lunch at my favourite place. Bought some goodies, including this, which is the only thing I was hoping to find and it was the first thing I saw in the first store I went to!

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Blue Bird Day.

The title of today’s post is actually the default name. It seemed appropriate. These are some yummy pictures of a couple sampler goodies. This vintage button pin that I love with all my heart is from pimienta negra.

Another one of my absolute loves is this turquoise glitter pin from glamscience whom I adore!

I am a glitter fiend and I have been actually using some of mine lately! Hope to share later. For now let me share these with you: Here are your Panty O’ Scopes for today if you are wearing:

 Red Panties- Watch your shoe laces as they may easily become untied today and this may have a serious effect on your future.

Orange Panties- Today you will remember the importance of your five daily fruits or vegetables.

Yellow Panties- Today a friend may approach you with a proposal (hopefully nothing kinky).

Green Panties- The earth is calling you today, she hardly ever leaves a voicemail though, so don’t forget to call her back (you know how she is with the guilt and the nagging “Why don’t you visit me anymore? Pluto’s children spent some quality time with her every day last week. Don’t you have time for your mother?” Don’t be selfish, she just wants the best for you!)

Blue Panties- Today blue birds will sing in honor of you (and your panties of course).

Purple Panties- Today is a good day for quiet meditation. What? You don’t like today’s Panty O’ ..... shhh... shhh ... remember, QUIET meditation.

Black, Brown or White Panties- You crave excitement today, but find it may be harder to achieve than it is for those people wearing yellow panties.

Floral or Patterned Panties- Today you may have a hard time committing (to a panty color, at least).

*Don’t forget to add the words “in bed” to the end of your daily Panty O’ Scope if you are wearing lace panties today. If this project continues to be interesting enough to carry on, it may have to have it’s very own page (or a part of The Random Panty Color Generators, since it was her brilliant idea in the first place *wink*). Have a wonderful night! Thinking of you and this crazy wonderful bloggy world we share! Thanks to the darling mav!

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Happy Friggin Birthday.

My beautiful, precious vegasandvenice.com celebrated it’s very first birthday this week. I wanted to do something special, something nice, something well ... celebratory. So I put together this little party.

Next, I turned my attention to birthday presents. I wanted to buy lots of gifts. I was thinking of clothes, but what size jumper does a one year old domain name wear? I thought of sweet stuffed animals, but I wondered what kind of creature would a domain name like to cuddle. Do domain names even know how to cuddle?

Perhaps in the end I got a little disenchanted with the whole idea, this entire domain name birthday thing became a little bit more difficult than I planned. This whole party was hand assembled from the chandelier, to the framed panties, to the paper birthday cake (real cake has way to many calories, and for some reason it does not taste as good 3 weeks and 6 days after it has been on display). Honestly though, I gave up all together. What’s in the boxes you ask? Nothing. She won’t know. She is only one year old for goodness sakes. She’ll probably just want to play with the boxes anyway.

So happy friggin birthday... I mean happy birthday vegasandvenice.com. I need a break!

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Addendum.

First of all let me give the predictions for a few categories of panties that we missed yesterday.

Floral or Patterned Panties- You will realize that some thing important is amiss today.

Now then, as far as the lace debate goes The Random Panty Color Generator’s expert opinion is this, “Since wearing lace panties can add a layer of fun to any day simply add the words “in bed” to the end of your daily panty color prediction”. That being said here are today’s “Panty O’ Scopes” if you are wearing:

Red Panties- Today all your wishes might come true!

Orange Panties- All of the issues that arise today can be resolved with a change of scenery (or panties ... I recommend red).

Yellow Panties- Today you will meet someone new, again.

Green Panties- Today you may want to carry your wallet if you leave the house, it could play an important part in your future.

Blue Panties- Today you will eat something that you will wish you had not.

Purple Panties- Today is a good day for expressing your creativity. So go ahead and get out the macaroni and make yourself a necklace.

Black, Brown or White Panties- Today will not be as exciting as you hoped, but still possibly more exciting than yesterday.

Floral or Patterned Panties- You will feel relieved today as an important conflict has now been resolved.

Now then, I have been a bit swamped what with the stomach flu making everything hard, but I have been tagged for a few memes and received a fun swap and I have a couple of other things on the go which I hope to address some time soon. So, please bear with me and know that I am thinking of you all (I am behind on emails and comments too)! Thank you all for your kind, kind congratulations about the “Everyday Panties” win (see prize above) over at the whiplash competition. It was a very nice surprise as yesterday was the 1 year birthday of vegasandvenice.com (until a month or two ago it was just a site under construction that was not available for public consumption, but thank goodness I remedied that)! So now, one down ... five to go. Thanks for sharing the time with me.

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Panty O’ Scopes.

The first thing I need to tell you is that we are not actually obsessed with panties in this household. However, when you have your very own Random Panty Color Generator the subject comes up a bit more than it probably does in most households.

The Random Panty Color Generator came to me with an idea a few weeks ago. I was hesitant to post about it here as we were still introducing the concept of making responsible panty choices. She begged and hoped it might make at least one of you smile. Now, because of all your nice comments about our various panty projects we have decided to bring you “Panty O’ Scopes” on a trial basis.

The Random Panty Color Generator may not be able to tell you which panty color you are wearing, but she’ll let you know which panty color you should be wearing! You might be asking yourself though, “What will my day be like if I am already wearing panties that are different than today’s recommended random panty color?” Well, the answer is simple with the new the Random Panty Color Generator’s “Panty O’ Scopes”. Here are her predictions for your day ahead if you are wearing:

Red Panties- You will realize an important fact about something important today.

Orange Panties- Happiness will abound today.

Yellow Panties- Love is in the air today, but it might not smell as sweet as you hoped.

Green Panties- Beware of chinchillas today ... umm ... scratch that... you should always be wary of chinchillas!

Blue Panties- Don’t forget your keys, they will play an important part in your day.

Purple Panties- Well, you should probably try to remember your keys today also.

Black, Brown or White Panties- It is possible that today will be completely uneventful.

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When You’ve Got It, Flaunt It.

Yeah baby. I’ve still got it. The stomach flu. Yep, pretty impressed aren’t you? Oh sure some people only get the stomach flu for 24 hours but mine has stuck around all week. I think it’s cause we just really, ya know, click. We are opposites so we just attract. I like long walks on the beach and he enjoys quick sprints to the ladies room. It was clearly meant to be, or so I thought.

He has been treating me bad lately. I have heard some of the other girls around here talking about him. Now, I am not sure he is being faithful. Some of my friends are saying I should kick him to the curb, but it’s just so hard. I think we should maybe just start with counseling. I feel like I can change him.

In the meantime, I am sorry the Random Panty Color Generator has also been out sick! We have GOT to stop sharing our drinks. When one of us gets sick, the other one follows quickly behind. I hope we can both update more often but we both get queasy just moving around (which means that taking photos can be really tough). I will also have to catch us up on the daily photo colors later. Until then I thought I would show you the bib that I was up till 3 am embroidering for Abby. The pattern is from Jenny Hart’s stitch-it-kit. It is my very favorite. I was hoping to come up with a new pattern, but I just was not up to it. I added the text “feed me” and it still needs a nice backing sewn on, but HE won’t ALLOW me to use my sewing machine right now!

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I Must Express My Everyday Creativity.

These hand-embroidered cotton panties will gently remind you to express your Everyday Creativity, while also providing a discreet, yet fashionable, hiding place for your beloved pinking shears or perhaps your favorite knitting needles.

This is my entry for the whip-up whiplash. Why you ask? I wanted to explore the very real consequences of unexpressed creativity. The original idea for this project was embroidered toilet paper or panties with pockets for various craft supplies and so this combined concept was born (read: toilet paper was harder to embroider than previously expected).

I am not feeling so hot (read: stomach flu) and tomorrow or so, I will catch you up on all the reasons this project was doomed to fail. All I ask is that in the mean time, please, do not hurt yourself while laughing or pointing at these pictures. That would make me sad! Please take in to consideration that the writing looks much better on the models uhh ... twin cities (read: gluteul region), but she refused to be photographed (read: I don’t want you to see the twin cities).

Update: I wore my new panties yesterday and they were quite functional and comfortable. No body noticed my secret knitting needles and when I had a free moment I simply pulled the balls of yarn out of my bra and knitted up a quick pair of socks (read: the perfect on-the-go hiding spot for a few of my favorite rubber stamps)*wink*

Lastly, don’t miss the chance to catch a glimpse of my beautiful new niece in Thursday’s post (read: go now and have a nice day)!

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Now With 100% More Abigail!

I wanted Mamma’s approval before I unleashed this much beauty into the free world! She quickly agreed, thank goodness! I mean really it would be cruel to keep this much beauty all to ourselves! Abigail was born on April 8, 2006 at 11:14 p.m. She weighed 7 pounds 14 ounces and she was 18.5 inches long!

Warning: The beautiful baby above is represented via photograph. This is not the real Abigail and attempting to nibble her cheeks is not recommended as it may cause damage to you and your computer!

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Baby Got Greenback.

I like big butts and I can not lie. No other brother can deny ... sorry that song is always on my mind. Yep, always. It is hard to top it’s gluteul perfection! Did I just cross a line?

Anyway, while mailing these pins out yesterday with a handful of other items, I set the packages and my money on the empty post office counter. Dumb? Yes. I know. Of course, I forgot the money as hubby as I went to fill out labels. A minute later a man walked up to the counter, asked a quick ridiculous question and walked away with no packages to be mailed. Nobody else approached until we returned to the counter to pay. Aware now that I had left the money behind on the counter we quickly came to the upsetting realization that the man with the dumb question just stopped by long enough to take our $30s!! It was kind of frustrating, but I said to Si that the guy must have needed it more than us. It was just a bit more charity than we had planned for.

Here is where it gets a little strange. My horoscope this morning, which I read for fun, said that any charity that we gave today would be returned. I was not too fond of this possibility because I think charity is at it’s ideal when it can be anonymous and without reward. This doesn’t always occur, but it’s nice to try. Well, right after we unwittingly donated our money to the gentleman at the post office our dinner was delayed and the restaurant gave it to us for free! It was going to be a splurge anyway, especially after I lost our cash, but they gave it to us with a bunch of extras and a lot of apologies. Very weird and in this case I did not mind the return so much! It was pretty darn yummy!

* I have a prettier green to show you but it is not photographable just yet. May put it in later today or I might have to save it for next week! Thanks for bearing two days of pins!!

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Perfect? Nope. Finished? Yep. Mailed? Finally!

This is my latest craft obsession! Martha’s pincushions made into lapel pins! I am finding a million artistic uses for these cute mutations. There may be some interesting shadowboxes in the future and some other home and beauty accessories. You might even see them for sale on the site. Oooh big step, don’t know just yet! Scary!

These, however, are going off to this raffle. They are the very first thing that I have ever sent out under the name vegasandvenice. I am keeping my fingers crossed that they will be okay and that someone might like them!

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A Beautiful Day.

My beautiful sister had a beautiful baby girl on Saturday. Momma and baby are doing well. I only wish I could be there with them!

I lost (yes LOST grr...) the baby wrap sweater I was knitting, needles and all. So I told mamma that I would wait to make any more handmade items till the baby was born. I realize now that a beige sweater was boring anyway, but now I get to make stuff that is pink, pink, pink!! I can’t wait to mull over the projects and I better get started! Yippee!

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Do Not Mourn This Ending For We Shall Carry On.

Well, today’s red, pink or purple entries marked the sad end of our week long friend The Daily Color Project. I am seriously going to miss all of the photos. They were really incredible and very inspiring.

The Random Panty Color Generator and I had a long discussion about where we will go from here. I am not feeling ready to move on and her tears made it all to obvious that she is not ready either. I think we always had an sneaking suspicion that this project would last longer for us. I hoarded my color photos only allowing myself to really share one with you per day. She was very cautious with her colors (I mean did you see “Turquoise” for goodness sakes? That’s crazy cautious!!) We wanted to take it slow with this project. We did not want to move to fast. We liked this project a lot at first, but we quickly grew to secretly love it. Then we became a bit obsessed with it as we considered photographing our own blood for it’s red, pink or purple day. Now that it is leaving us we are not taking the separation very well. There were a lot of tears, hysterical tears. There were some hurtful words. There was even perhaps some begging and leg clutching. Alas it has gone without us and because we are not ready to move on this site will be a shrine to it’s glory until we can.

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Orange You Glad To See Me.

If you can not tell by the last few posts, I am exhausted. I am completely not dealing with this time change very well at all. I wonder if you are feeling the same way and because you are not here to say how you are feeling, I have decided to just assume that you agree with me 100%, totally and completely.

I have also decided to assume (again since you are not here) that the following will make you smile (or at least roll your eyes) no matter how tired you are. Unscramble the words to get the answers! Great for little ones!!!

1. Where do burgers go to dance? (A taMe lBal)

2. What has a thousand ears but can’t hear? (A norC lieFd)

3. Why did the spider cross the computer? (oT etG oT isH eWb ietS)

4. What kind of glasses do spies wear? (pyS olscaF)

5. What part of your body has the most rhythm? (uorY raE mrsuD)

6. What does mother earth use to go fishing? (hrNto dAn utSho oleP)

7. What do whales like to chew? (rbebluB uGm)

8. Why didn’t the skeleton go to the party? (eH daH oN yBod oT oG hWit)

9. What is a ghosts favorite cereal? (maScer fO tahWe)

10. What did the belt get arrested for? (rFo gHnidlo pU eTh tsnPa)

11. What did the sock say to the foot? (eroYu niuPtgt eM nO)

12. What starts with “e” ends with “e” and has only one letter? (nA elvEpeno)

13. What do you call a fairy who never takes a bath? (Sernkit lBel)

14. What kind of phone never rings? (A aexnSopah)

15. What kind of bank has no money? (A erirv nkaB)

Looking for more questions? Buy these snacks (of course I did not eat all mine, I read the answers through the packaging)!! Do you have any suggestions to get us out of the “time change slumps”? I would love to hear them!

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Totally Fabulous Post.

Thank goodness this is a digital journal because I would feel very guilty about the waste of paper that this post would require! Today’s colors for The Daily Color Project are brown, black and white. The photo above is my brown entry. You may or may not have noticed, but even The Random Panty Color Generator has participated in the color project this week! She adjusted her logarithm so that she could play along too!

However, today’s official post (as in mail) was not a waste in any way shape or form! It was fabulous! Mailorder came (I love Amy) and my Real Simple, not to mention a $50 rebate! Post just doesn’t get any better than that!!

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Let’s Bring It All Down A Little.

Okay, today we have to get serious (just this once I promise, until the next time I need to be serious, of course. I don’t know when that will be. Sometimes I am in a serious mood, sometimes I am not. It just depends. You know like nuts in your chocolate, one time one way , the next time the next. Ooooh... speaking of chocolate, have you tried this Haute chocolat for Vosges? Hmmm, yummy with strawberries... or rice. My point is that it is very good. Oh, wait ... my point. Did I get off track? I think I did. Where were we? Oh yeah...) really, we need to get serious! Sheesh! You guys! It’s tough to keep your attention for very long *wink*.

Yesterday was my Grandfather’s birthday !! He turned 80 and that is very exciting. My family celebrated with a huge party for him over the weekend. Sadly, because of our current non-local location, we could not join in the hoopla!

I wanted to make him something special though, so I painted this. There was a somewhat interesting disaster when my green tube of paint (which apparently was broken when I bought it, darn) leaked all over my bag and this canvas. It did come out the way I planned though. I hope it is masculine, but clean, simple and understated (I know that doesn’t necessarily make it good though). Above is the fixed-up and finished product.

Of course, I was going to just pick a random item to paint (you know old shoe, floss, whatever) but then I thought “why not paint something meaningful?” When I was a little girl, my grandfather used to wheel me around in his wheelbarrow to do the gardening! We both wore bandanas and I think I may have joined a gang. It was lots of fun! We always shared this special memory. Thanks for letting me share it with you too.

Okay, thats all, I promise. You may commence your wild revelry till the next time we need to get serious again!

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Fetal Apron.

This is my belated entry into March’s Tie One On. It is also today’s turquoise photo for The Daily Color Project. Oh, and lastly it is also a submission into the Postcards From Cletus project .

Whoo, I know. Three in one. Pretty darn impressive huh? As if a fetal apron wasn’t impressive enough! Have you tried to make an apron for your fetus? All right, well I guess it is true that my fetus is, ya know, clay and all but he is very, very small. That is of course why he needs an apron. Imagine the day that he gets the scholarship to Le Cordon Bleu, one misplaced lettuce leaf and well ... it could be bad! This apron will surely protect him, not only from a terrible lettuce tragedy but also from the tragedy of terribly drab kitchen wear! What more could a fetal chef ask for?

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Quite Simply He Made Me Shutter With Delight. Six Times!

This post is not about color though, it is all about my husbands stamina! He can please me in ways that I never expected. For instance, on Saturday he took me to Ikea. He bought me this very cute garden gnome (who I have yet to name) and a little bag of swedish fish (who I forget to name before I ate them). On Sunday he suggested a trip to Home Depot where we were very, very naughty and spent all of our House Money. We purchased the six pairs of shutters required to adorn the rest of the windows on the side and back of the house. He spent the entire day hanging them. It went on for hours and required two more trips to Home Depot. He told me I was his dirty girl after I got these beautiful flowers into the pots on our deck. It made sense, I was covered in potting soil!

* I would love any suggestions for garden gnome appropriate names! Sadly, I am not very familiar with their culture. If you (or your garden gnome) have any suggestions, please leave a comment (which are now working ... yeah, you don’t have to e-mail anymore!)*

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