Halloween is my favorite holiday of the year. Last year I didn't get into it (for reasons I can't remember) so this year I had to make up for my lameness. Early on I decided to go as a Zombie Waitress which turned into Zombie Housewife just by virtue of how everything looked when it all came together. Behold. Laurie as Zombie!

Scary, right? 

The whole look was about $25:
Dress: Salvation Army, $1.50
Apron: Peddler's Mall, $5
Cami: Walmart, $5
Shoes: Goodwill, $3
Creme makeup: Halloween Express, $6
KoolAid packet (for bloody mouth, totally disgusting, btw): $0.30
Black blood: Target, $5.50
Necklace: One I already owned that just happened to break the day before. How convenient! 

I LOVE the way it turned out and I got a lot of positive reactions from people. My friend Angie made the best comment saying that she would "totally shoot me in the head" because I looked so scary. It was fun freaking people out.

Ruby's also been a busy little Halloween-er (haha). Saturday we took the kids to a Little Goblins Halloween thingy put together by the city. It was pretty cold and really blah but it didn't seem to keep the people away. This was the only decent shot I got of Ruby in her costume. After we went outside it was coats on. 

Today Ruby gets to don her costume again to go Trick or Treating at her dad's work. After that I am not sure if we will go out with her again or if we'll stay home and pass out candy. Whatever your plans are today stay safe and have fun! 

Yesterday I turned 35. That's totally insane to me. I most definitely do not feel like I am 35 years old. I still feel like I am in my mid-to-late 20's. The day was like pretty much any other day, with lots of extra love from those around me. I worked, picked Ruby up from daycare (and got her to say "happy birthday" which was totally awesome), and then we all went out for Thai food (yum) and a sub-par pumpkin shake for dessert (I'm talking to you, Culver's). Shake aside, it was a great day.

Tonight we finally got around to carving the pumpkins that have been sitting on our step for the past week. 

Ruby was mildly interested in what we were doing at first and then pumpkin guts, planes, and acorns became far more interesting. By the time we were done she had given the stairs a nice, slimy coat of seeds and pulp.

Technically, these are Ruby's first pumpkins. Last year, at 10 months old, she fell asleep pretty much immediately after daycare. I didn't even get the chance to dress her in her costume-she was going to be Sue Sylvester, I had a track suit, whistle, and mega phone-super funny. Anyway, since these are her first pumpkins I tried to get a good picture of her with them but I think she was just done by that point. 

Heath claims that he has never carved a pumpkin before but I think he's just forgotten, right? I think that they turned out great! This morning as we left for daycare Ruby said, "Bye bye punkin!" 

Happy Halloween!

I worked a lot in the studio last week, it was great. I finally got to try out my new molds and with the exception of one of them (which I'll have to remake-it makes very, um, special cells) they are working great. I am enjoying the variety of the different sizes of 'nubbins' and making itsy bitsy cells.Seriously, I think about all these things and more! Of course my thoughts aren't always art-related. Lots of times I am thinking about the giant bull crickets that share the basement with me and hoping that they decide to stay put and don't come hopping over in my general direction. 

I made my first Etsy sale last Friday! As soon as I got the email I was literally doing a happy dance around the room. The sale was for three items! Three items about a month after the opening of my shop? I guess that's pretty good? I was so excited that I was ready to run to the studio to pick up the cells and then run right to the post office to ship them right off to their new home in New York City!

I'd like to add more cells to the shop but I have a couple of things coming up that make me hesitate to do so. I'm part of a show that will be installing November 5 and up through the end of the year called For the Delight of Children at the Christ Church Cathedral in Lexington. Kids seem to love the cells (and I love hearing what they think they are) so I am excited to be able to participate (the show will feature both adult artist and child art). I believe that the opening reception coincides with Gallery Hop on November 16th so if you're hoppin' stop on by to che

 There are also a couple more events where my studio is located that I want to have at least some inventory for. Thankfully if I need to I think I can crank out another batch of cells before the last event on December 2nd. I made 5 new molds this past Friday. I haven't made a mold since Fall of '09 but apparently it's like riding a bike, I remembered all the steps and even though the molds are a little jacked on the bottom they'll do the trick. 

I was actually looking forward to cranking some cells out yesterday in the studio but the molds were not completely dry yet so the clay wasn't drying at a decent pace. I'm hoping by the time I go in tomorrow they'll be ready to go. I am anxious to get crackin'! 

I am also looking into getting a kiln hooked up. As much as I like supporting local business like Kentucky Mudworks, it is more fiscally beneficial for me to get my own hooked up. It's only been sitting in my garage since May '10 collecting dust! 

Today I stepped on the scale for the first time in months. The last time I stepped on it I officially weighed the most I have ever weighed. E-ver. Yuck. Thankfully today the total was 1.5lbs less than The Most. How I've lost weight is beyond me but whatever, I'll take it! 

Considering my weight I actually don't feel all that terrible. I have my moments but for the most part I feel pretty good about myself. The girls are looking good (always important) and I feel like I actually have a shapely ass for once. I like being curvy, in fact, I never want to be skinny skinny. 

Heath and I debate about this all the time. He thinks that I could easily be 150 and look fine. I think I would be too skinny, lack any curves, and even though I might physically be able to get to that weight I don't think that I would enjoy being there. I LIKE food, I like alcohol, I want to be able to enjoy these things, even if it's only in moderation. 

But the girls are nearing DD status and if I keep going on this See Food diet (the only diet I've been on that hasn't been an Epic Fail) then, well, it could get scary. Plus, more importantly, I need to be healthier in general and be a better role model for Rubes. Ideally I'd like to be back to the weight I was when we got married. That's still an crazy 75 pounds from now which seems a little overwhelming but I've been there before so I know that it's possible. 

Since Thursday I've taken a yoga class, a Zumba class, a weight lifting class, and walked around the neighborhood for about an hour. I did the yoga class last Thursday and after just the one class I felt AMAZING. I friggin' love yoga. I think it will be the key to either the success or failure of this latest weight loss endeavor. It helps calm the monsters inside of me. I am amazed at how well I fall back into the swing of working out and how well my bodies handles it despite what I've throw at it!

Back in, oh, MAY I was a second (shooter) at a wedding with Angela Shay at the Lexington Country Club. Yes, I am a little behind in posting them but I've been in a wedding photo kind of mood after this past weekend's wedding and I am gearing up for another one with Angie next weekend. I don't want to get too far behind so here I am at 1:00am editing and blogging photos. Way to make my insomnia productive! Here are a few of my favorite shots from that day. Oh, and a word of advice...if you think you can wait until the end of the night to snag some candy from the super awesome candy bar, you are so wrong my friend. It will be wiped clean!  Enjoy! 

Friday night I got to hang out in my studio and talk with guests during the 4th Friday event at the Lexington Art League. Despite all of the stairs I had quite a few people come up to check out my new space in the tower (more on this later, I swear). It was so great to receive such positive feedback from people about my work, talk with friends, old and new-I even sold a cell! (Thanks, Sue!) After the evening was done I headed over to West Sixth with the great group of ladies I work with and enjoyed a Dead Heat Wheat and a pretzel. Mmmm...carbs!

On Saturday I had the honor of attending a good friend's wedding in Louisville. Could I resist taking photos? Of course not! The bride and groom (and the location) were simply too beautiful to resist: 

After the ceremony there was dinner, an open bar, and a photo booth. Craziness Ensued: 

Actually, I think we would have been just as crazy without free wine! The wonderful weekend was rounded off by a quiet evening with some more friends drinking coffee and catching up. I am truly blessed to have so many wonderful friends!