My Day

I know. I know. You all wonder what a day in the life of IndieGrace looks like, right? Haha. I'm really just posting this because I have a cute picture of Ichabod and I needed to figure out a way to show him off. So, here is a rather untypical day in my life. Leisurely, at home, relaxed. I didn't go to bed until 3:00 a.m. last night (and if you are observant you will see that it is almost 4 a.m. at the time of this post). That being the case, I gave myself permission to sleep in. After all, I wasn't at my momMA's being tempted by a delicious bacon breakfast which is how most of my Saturday mornings begin. So, deprived of said bacon, I slept until 11:30, at which point I started receiving texts from JP wondering if I was alive. Deciding that lunch at BurgerMaster was worth getting out of bed for, I threw on my clothes, knotted my hair up on my head and made it downstairs in five minutes. Of course it was raining, so sitting at a drive-in eating hamburgers with your window down isn't quite as fun as it is in summer, but hey, this is the Northwest. We're turning into weirdos. After our tummies were full, it was off to Lowe's. We checked out the tools, the flowers, the seeds, fence railing, water fountains and do-it-yourself water features. We settled on seeds and a starter kit so JP could get his veggies growing. He's getting a greenhouse from Mom and Dad for an early birthday present. It was time for JP to work so we headed home. I cleaned the kitchen, watched "Catching Fire," went to Fred Meyer for groceries and canvas, took a nap, had Shin Ramen for dinner and have been working on business cards most of the night. Which is where Ichabod comes in. He is so helpful. He thinks he needs to be in the very immediate vicinity anytime any work is being done because he just knows nothing could get done without him. So, while I worked on the computer, he sat at my feet in a paper bag. Okay, that's all. Now you can get on with the rest of your day, happily knowing that IndieGrace is crazy as a bedbug. Are bedbugs crazy? Ahh...but I digress. Oh, and we have crocuses growing now. Or is it croci?

Surprise Early Birthday

MomMA surprised me with tickets to two PAC-12 womens' basketball games tonight at Key Arena for my birthday. It was sooooooo fun...and a total surprise. She asked if I wanted to have any input into the activities and I said no. I wanted to be completely "blindsided"...and I was. I never had even the faintest inkling that this was what she had planned. Oh how I love her and her heart for her girl. We went to the first game which was Washington State vs. University of California. We left at halftime to have dinner at Seattle Center. We ate Mod Pizza for the main course and had cinnamon knots for dessert. We made it back to Key Arena in time to watch the WSU Cougars win. Then, after a 20-minute break, we watched the next game which was Oregon State University against the University of Utah. OSU Beavers won. The weather was beautiful, making our walk through the Center pleasant and warm. The company was outstanding - my momMA put a lot of thought and planning into making this a surprise I would enjoy. The present itself was great. I love basketball. I love the sound of sneakers squeaking against the floor, I love the sound of the basketball bouncing against the hardwood, I love the sound of a swish -- nothing but net. It was an evening I will tuck away in my heart and remember for a long time. And when I got home, there was one more surprise waiting for me. My baby brother picked up The Hunger Games - Catching Fire DVD for an early present. It was just released today. Am I loved or what?

ATTENTION FAMILY AND FRIENDS!!!!!

We are finally ready to go! Here it is...the launching of our website and business...

heajoh.com

Copy, paste, and SAVE, SAVE, SAVE this link for access to the most whimsical, sweetest online boutique you'll ever see. Okay, so the website is kind of bare bones right now. We don't have any of our stuff listed yet but that will come soon. We're hoping to have samples of our work posted no later than the end of the month. We will be selling trinkets and decorations for your home, including hand-painted trunks with a hidden compartment, personalized mirrors and wall art, painted canvas, restored furniture, candles, soap, stationery featuring my work and lots of other stuff. We don't fit into one particular niche because so many things interest us, so check back often to see what new creation has caught our fancy. You never know when the site will be completely ready to go and there MIGHT be a surprise for you, if you are lucky enough to check at the right time! Leave us a message on the contact page so we know it's working...please. Thank you.

Art Stuff

Cave Art

Paper Crazy Quilts

 Picasso-esque Self-Portraits

Daughter's Picture; Mom's Thought

Recognize this place, Mom?

How-To (Kind Of)

I made an etched mirror design from a picture I drew. It turned out okay. Next time I would use store bought stencils, I think, but otherwise the result is not bad for a first try. I'm not going to give the details about how to do this because something like this will be for sale on my website but here are pictures so you can see the process.

Tidbits

Inspired by Megan's post, here's a "Getting to Know Indie" entry. I'll use the same questions she answered.

Middle Name: Sue (after my momma)

If I Could Live Anywhere Else In The World, Where Would It Be? I love it in the Northwest but rather than living in a cul-de-sac I'd really like it if my home was on the edge of a lake or the ocean. I would also like a home in the Upper Peninsula, surrounded by trees, with a gently sloping yard that leads to the lake. Three other choices:                              Mombasa, Kenya

                                            Anywhere in Switzerland
                                            Kibbutz in Israel

What Is My Guilty Pleasure? Anything Harry Potter or creepy haunted. I've read all the books too many times to count and have had to buy new DVDs to replace some of my collection because I watch them so much they wear out. I also like eerie, haunting things but not demonic or gory. I love the Haunted Mansion at Disney World and I like being just a little scared!

What Do I Like Best About My Job?  I love my students. I love learning about new cultures and seeing things through their eyes. I like the independence and freedom I have without someone micromanaging me.

If I Could Choose Any Other Career What Would It Be?

Anyone who knows me will know how hard the second part of the question is for me to answer. There are so many things I'd like to do. I would like to be a doctor and work with Doctors Without Borders. I would like to work with widows in India who have been shunned and left on the streets. I would like to run an orphanage in the United States. I would like to live on a large piece of property surrounded by a fruit orchard and have a hobby farm where I could paint in my large, many-windowed studio facing the lake. I would be self-employed in my perfect world and only have to interact with others when I felt like it.

What Five Items Would I Grab During A Fire? (People and Pets Don't Count)
Heather-Doll
Cell Phone
Medicine
Laptops
Harry Potter collections

Is Marathon Running Something I'd Like To Pursue Or Is That Just Crazy?  I would love to run a marathon. It used to be my goal to run one by the time I turned 30 -- now I'd like to before I'm 50 J

Running used to be my favorite form of exercise.

If I Only Could Eat One Meal For The Rest of My Life, What Would It Be?
Does bacon count as a meal?
Otherwise, spicy rice noodle soup

Last Person I Spoke To: Eric...and I kinda yelled at him

Favorite Childhood Toy: Little movable resin Cabbage Patch figurines Gram gave me. I had about 50 -- loved the bright colors and kept them in a basket on my dresser.

Breakfast Cereal of Choice: Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup with Keebler Crackers, of course...and bacon, duh. Not a cereal? Says who? This is MY getting-to-know-you.