I've decided to try an experiment. Free shipping out of my Etsy shop until the end of the month.
I'm leaving on my monthly shopping trip to Las Vegas on Wednesday morning, and I want to clear out some space by selling some things. Also, I want to drum up some excitement so that people will come see my new finds.
I also found a new source for cool stuff. I can barely contain myself! It has to be delivered to me by mail, but at least I can get a new-swag fix more than once a month now. Whoo!
How was everyone's Easter? Ours was a blast. The big kids hid eggs and stuff all over for Ruby, and once she figured it out she had a blast finding it. She was so cute with the first few things she found, all surprised and stuff. God, she's so much fun.
Okay...I'm off to take some pictures and get some things up in my shop. Come see :)
Monday, March 24, 2008
Friday, March 21, 2008
Movies
So I've seen two movies lately that I thought I'd talk up a little.
First, let me tell you something about Ruby. She is so much like her father. She likes things to be predictable and to stay absolutely the same. (Not me, even as a little girl I got antsy if things stayed the same too long.) As a result, she'll watch something like, oh I don't know, The Brave Little Toaster or one episode of Sponge Bob on DVR, over and over and over and over. It takes her a really long time to warm up to a new viewing pleasure.
Okay. So I got tired, I mean really bone tired, of watching Sponge Bob. I bought Meet the Robinsons on Pay Per View. I like buying on Pay Per View instead of renting from the little rack at the grocery store, because you can save it to DVR.
Meet the Robinsons made me tear up. Seriously. And I'm not usually the one to tear up over a kids movie. But there was just something about this misfit little boy with messy blond hair with a brain no one understands, who looks into his future and sees something worth waiting for. (Yes, I know my own boy with messy blond hair and an unfathomable brain isn't an orphan. But still...)
And the message: Keep Moving Forward. And the quote at the end about how Walt Disney built his dream on this one idea. Yeah. I shed a little tear.
Then I took Adrienne and Nick to see Horton Hears a Who. Another little back story. We have one movie theater, with one screen, that plays one movie every one or two or something (like when we got Spiderman 3) three weeks. Everyone sees whatever movie it is, sometimes more than once.
Horton Hears a Who is my favorite Dr. Seuss story. It's so powerful. Just think of the genius of a man who can write a powerful story about an elephant and a speck of dust. Seriously. I really loved the movie. I didn't like Cat in the Hat or the Grinch much, so I wasn't expecting too much out of Horton. But it was really good. I especially loved with all those whos, and the little guy whose dad doesn't get him, start belting out "WE'RE HERE!"
Go see Horton. I promise, you'll love the story. And even though there is an evil vulture and an even eviler kangaroo, I love that all the bad guys redeem themselves in the end. I love that Horton never bends under pressure to be a normal jungle creature. Just go see it.
First, let me tell you something about Ruby. She is so much like her father. She likes things to be predictable and to stay absolutely the same. (Not me, even as a little girl I got antsy if things stayed the same too long.) As a result, she'll watch something like, oh I don't know, The Brave Little Toaster or one episode of Sponge Bob on DVR, over and over and over and over. It takes her a really long time to warm up to a new viewing pleasure.
Okay. So I got tired, I mean really bone tired, of watching Sponge Bob. I bought Meet the Robinsons on Pay Per View. I like buying on Pay Per View instead of renting from the little rack at the grocery store, because you can save it to DVR.
Meet the Robinsons made me tear up. Seriously. And I'm not usually the one to tear up over a kids movie. But there was just something about this misfit little boy with messy blond hair with a brain no one understands, who looks into his future and sees something worth waiting for. (Yes, I know my own boy with messy blond hair and an unfathomable brain isn't an orphan. But still...)
And the message: Keep Moving Forward. And the quote at the end about how Walt Disney built his dream on this one idea. Yeah. I shed a little tear.
Then I took Adrienne and Nick to see Horton Hears a Who. Another little back story. We have one movie theater, with one screen, that plays one movie every one or two or something (like when we got Spiderman 3) three weeks. Everyone sees whatever movie it is, sometimes more than once.
Horton Hears a Who is my favorite Dr. Seuss story. It's so powerful. Just think of the genius of a man who can write a powerful story about an elephant and a speck of dust. Seriously. I really loved the movie. I didn't like Cat in the Hat or the Grinch much, so I wasn't expecting too much out of Horton. But it was really good. I especially loved with all those whos, and the little guy whose dad doesn't get him, start belting out "WE'RE HERE!"
Go see Horton. I promise, you'll love the story. And even though there is an evil vulture and an even eviler kangaroo, I love that all the bad guys redeem themselves in the end. I love that Horton never bends under pressure to be a normal jungle creature. Just go see it.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Just some musings
I'm getting excited about going to Las Vegas again. Shopping is a whole 'nother experience when you have to drive for four hours to get to it!
I went to our little local thrift store yesterday and picked up a few things. A pair of cute red 80s heels and a neat hunter green 1960s prom dress that had been hemmed into a minidress/tunic. But I want to fill my van up again!
Who's watching the stock market? It's all wonky. Way up and way down, then reverse. I'm really afraid that we are deep into the beginning of something huge and not very nice. It scares me that when I talk about my fears of a second Great Depression, no one laughs me off anymore. I think that on some level I having most everyone I know (even smart people) think I was nuts was a little comforting. That layer of comfort has been stripped.
This list has some really good ideas for preparing for whatever level of fall we have coming. It's a non-food stock-up list. There is so much floating around about how to keep a store of food, but man doesn't live on food alone, you know? I have a goal of making strides every time I go to Las Vegas toward making sure my family is prepared. This time, I'm going to stock up on some cheap, soft flannel shirts and make some pads. TMI? Sorry, but this is a serious issue. I'd rather not have my daughter be like those African girls who have to skip school for a week every month. Me, either, for that matter.
I went to our little local thrift store yesterday and picked up a few things. A pair of cute red 80s heels and a neat hunter green 1960s prom dress that had been hemmed into a minidress/tunic. But I want to fill my van up again!
Who's watching the stock market? It's all wonky. Way up and way down, then reverse. I'm really afraid that we are deep into the beginning of something huge and not very nice. It scares me that when I talk about my fears of a second Great Depression, no one laughs me off anymore. I think that on some level I having most everyone I know (even smart people) think I was nuts was a little comforting. That layer of comfort has been stripped.
This list has some really good ideas for preparing for whatever level of fall we have coming. It's a non-food stock-up list. There is so much floating around about how to keep a store of food, but man doesn't live on food alone, you know? I have a goal of making strides every time I go to Las Vegas toward making sure my family is prepared. This time, I'm going to stock up on some cheap, soft flannel shirts and make some pads. TMI? Sorry, but this is a serious issue. I'd rather not have my daughter be like those African girls who have to skip school for a week every month. Me, either, for that matter.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Food, Glorious Food
I did a little mini-marathon of cooking yesterday.
I made pumpkin bread and muffins. Next time I'll have to freeze some right out of the oven, because it's all gone! And no wonder. This stuff rocks!
I also made a loaf of bread from this awesome book. It was a whole wheat loaf with oats and yogurt in it. Just smelling it felt nutritious. The yogurt gave it a really good sort of slightly sourdough taste. Yum.
And I made a big old pot of cabbage soup. It might not sound good, but oh my god! This stuff is so good. I can hardly wait for lunch. I've tried it with other vegetables, but for some reason I just really love it with cabbage. The cabbage sort of melts into the soup and gives it this amazing flavor. The main recipe comes from this book's The Soup. I make it with browned onions.
I think the one thing I was most excited to get during my trip to Las Vegas was a copy of Make Your Own Groceries by Daphne Metaxas Hartwig. I just love this book. I can't wait to try the recipes. I'm keeping my eyes open for an affordable copy of the original book.
Go check out Casaubon's Book's post about how and why the price of food is skyrocketing. Nearly everything we eat is somehow dependent on corn, which we are now using to fuel our SUVs. It's important to know how to cook some slow food, and to acclimate our families to it now, before it becomes an absolute necessity. If you can get your kids to clamor for your pumpkin muffins, they'll be less shocked when you can't buy them processed treats anymore.
Five years ago I was feeding Adrienne, Nick and me on less than $100 a week. We weren't skimping over much (although I've always been frugal)or eating ramen noodles three times a day. That's just what it cost to feed three people.
Just a year ago I was buying most organic, high quality groceries for five for about $125 a week.
Now it is a struggle to feed the same five people on store brand food with no access to organic produce or meat, for $150 a week. A real struggle. At first I blamed the monopoly the grocery stores have here. There is no competition. All the stores are stocked by the same company, so the sales are the same every week at all three stores. The nearest real competition is 180 miles away. Then I looked at the ads when I was in Las Vegas. I couldn't have done much better there.
So the mission is to learn how to make special food out of inexpensive yet wholesome ingredients.
I made pumpkin bread and muffins. Next time I'll have to freeze some right out of the oven, because it's all gone! And no wonder. This stuff rocks!
I also made a loaf of bread from this awesome book. It was a whole wheat loaf with oats and yogurt in it. Just smelling it felt nutritious. The yogurt gave it a really good sort of slightly sourdough taste. Yum.
And I made a big old pot of cabbage soup. It might not sound good, but oh my god! This stuff is so good. I can hardly wait for lunch. I've tried it with other vegetables, but for some reason I just really love it with cabbage. The cabbage sort of melts into the soup and gives it this amazing flavor. The main recipe comes from this book's The Soup. I make it with browned onions.
I think the one thing I was most excited to get during my trip to Las Vegas was a copy of Make Your Own Groceries by Daphne Metaxas Hartwig. I just love this book. I can't wait to try the recipes. I'm keeping my eyes open for an affordable copy of the original book.
Go check out Casaubon's Book's post about how and why the price of food is skyrocketing. Nearly everything we eat is somehow dependent on corn, which we are now using to fuel our SUVs. It's important to know how to cook some slow food, and to acclimate our families to it now, before it becomes an absolute necessity. If you can get your kids to clamor for your pumpkin muffins, they'll be less shocked when you can't buy them processed treats anymore.
Five years ago I was feeding Adrienne, Nick and me on less than $100 a week. We weren't skimping over much (although I've always been frugal)or eating ramen noodles three times a day. That's just what it cost to feed three people.
Just a year ago I was buying most organic, high quality groceries for five for about $125 a week.
Now it is a struggle to feed the same five people on store brand food with no access to organic produce or meat, for $150 a week. A real struggle. At first I blamed the monopoly the grocery stores have here. There is no competition. All the stores are stocked by the same company, so the sales are the same every week at all three stores. The nearest real competition is 180 miles away. Then I looked at the ads when I was in Las Vegas. I couldn't have done much better there.
So the mission is to learn how to make special food out of inexpensive yet wholesome ingredients.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Hodge Podge
Gas is $3.46 a gallon here. I predict it will go over $4.00 by the end of summer. On that train of thought, here are some ideas I have for trying to reduce our family's dependence on oil.
* Arrange for Adrienne to take the bus home from school instead of being picked up.
* Make sure Adrienne can get her driver's license in August. Driving herself to school will save about half the gas we use everyday.
* Stop traveling out of town to grocery shop. This will require some creativity and learning to live without eating exactly what we want when we want in order to buy food we can afford at the local grocery store. I have heard lately that we might get a farmer's market this summer. A farmer's market! Whoot!
It' s important to me to try to build up Enigma Vintage to the point that, should the shit really hit the fan and something happens to Kevin's job, it can get us through. I'm worried, of course, that the economy will deteriorate to the point that people are no longer buying clothes OR gambling (Kevin's a poker dealer.) I have to have faith that what I sell actually is the frugal alternative to shopping at the mall.
Kevin and the kids are really anxious to go to Disneyland next Christmas. Honestly, me too. It's a further drive now that we've moved from Las Vegas, which means more $4 a gallon gas. I'm sure that everything involved will be more expensive than two years ago. Kevin's parents want to go, too, to help with the baby. Part of me wants to go because with the way things are going, this might be the last time we can go. Part of me is shocked that I'm even considering it.
On the bright side, think of all those thrift stores full of beautiful vintage in Orange County! I can hardly stand it!
* Arrange for Adrienne to take the bus home from school instead of being picked up.
* Make sure Adrienne can get her driver's license in August. Driving herself to school will save about half the gas we use everyday.
* Stop traveling out of town to grocery shop. This will require some creativity and learning to live without eating exactly what we want when we want in order to buy food we can afford at the local grocery store. I have heard lately that we might get a farmer's market this summer. A farmer's market! Whoot!
It' s important to me to try to build up Enigma Vintage to the point that, should the shit really hit the fan and something happens to Kevin's job, it can get us through. I'm worried, of course, that the economy will deteriorate to the point that people are no longer buying clothes OR gambling (Kevin's a poker dealer.) I have to have faith that what I sell actually is the frugal alternative to shopping at the mall.
Kevin and the kids are really anxious to go to Disneyland next Christmas. Honestly, me too. It's a further drive now that we've moved from Las Vegas, which means more $4 a gallon gas. I'm sure that everything involved will be more expensive than two years ago. Kevin's parents want to go, too, to help with the baby. Part of me wants to go because with the way things are going, this might be the last time we can go. Part of me is shocked that I'm even considering it.
On the bright side, think of all those thrift stores full of beautiful vintage in Orange County! I can hardly stand it!
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
The Circus Comes to Town
The circus came to town yesterday. A little Shriner's circus set up it's rings in the high school gym. We took the kids. I wasn't sure how Ruby would respond, but she loved it. She got to see a real elephant, which thrilled her. She wanted to ride it, but I wouldn't let her. The elephants name was Duchess, and I was a little sad to see the old girl walking in circles around and around with a bunch of kids on her back. She should have been in some plains somewhere, Africa maybe, roaming with her friends. Here's Ruby watching.
The shows were more interesting than I expected them to be. The clowns came out to get the crowd going, tossing these giant balls into the stands.
Ruby kept wanting to get closer and closer. Nick took her down to the ring to see the pony ride. Surprisingly, she didn't seem to want to ride the little ponies.
A lady with the worst fake fall I've ever ever seen in my life was the master of ceremonies. She did this camel and pony review (honest.) The camels almost made me cry. She made them walk on their knobby knees. She had one horse that did the moonwalk which was pretty cool. Why is it that a trained camel breaks my heart and a trained horse doesn't so much?
Death Defying looses something when the tightrope walker is less than six feet off the ground. This poor guy, Fletcher, fell and hurt his knee about five seconds after I took this picture.
This couple from Romania were really talented. We were sitting so close that you could totally see the athleticism that goes into an act like this. That little woman is one tiny bundle of giant muscles. The MC announced in an ominous voice that they were doing this foot to foot trick without any safety gear. That guy kneeling under them could have given her a Spiderman-type upside down kiss if he'd stood up. It guess it wouldn't feel great to fall four feet.
What circus is complete without the hula hoop girls in porn superstar outfits, complete with huge fake boobies.
The trained poodles. The trainer had another show with his wife and kids. They did double dutch. I didn't get a good picture, but I wish I had. It was one of the best acts we saw.
And Ruby's absolute favorite. The woman in the red cloth. I have no idea what to call this. Very cool. And right over our heads. Now this? This was death defying. She kept wrapping that cloth around her foot or waist and just hanging a good twenty or thirty feet up. And then she'd unwrap herself and come rolling toward the audience.
We left after the intermission because Ruby was getting antsy. What we saw was well worth the price of a ticket. I still don't feel great about performing animals, though. Poor Duchess.
The shows were more interesting than I expected them to be. The clowns came out to get the crowd going, tossing these giant balls into the stands.
Ruby kept wanting to get closer and closer. Nick took her down to the ring to see the pony ride. Surprisingly, she didn't seem to want to ride the little ponies.
A lady with the worst fake fall I've ever ever seen in my life was the master of ceremonies. She did this camel and pony review (honest.) The camels almost made me cry. She made them walk on their knobby knees. She had one horse that did the moonwalk which was pretty cool. Why is it that a trained camel breaks my heart and a trained horse doesn't so much?
Death Defying looses something when the tightrope walker is less than six feet off the ground. This poor guy, Fletcher, fell and hurt his knee about five seconds after I took this picture.
This couple from Romania were really talented. We were sitting so close that you could totally see the athleticism that goes into an act like this. That little woman is one tiny bundle of giant muscles. The MC announced in an ominous voice that they were doing this foot to foot trick without any safety gear. That guy kneeling under them could have given her a Spiderman-type upside down kiss if he'd stood up. It guess it wouldn't feel great to fall four feet.
What circus is complete without the hula hoop girls in porn superstar outfits, complete with huge fake boobies.
The trained poodles. The trainer had another show with his wife and kids. They did double dutch. I didn't get a good picture, but I wish I had. It was one of the best acts we saw.
And Ruby's absolute favorite. The woman in the red cloth. I have no idea what to call this. Very cool. And right over our heads. Now this? This was death defying. She kept wrapping that cloth around her foot or waist and just hanging a good twenty or thirty feet up. And then she'd unwrap herself and come rolling toward the audience.
We left after the intermission because Ruby was getting antsy. What we saw was well worth the price of a ticket. I still don't feel great about performing animals, though. Poor Duchess.
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