shutterboo

Three year olds.  They move too much.  Way too much.

I haven’t been around very many three year olds but I am certain of one thing.  They are balls of hyper-energy escaping in the form of skipping and giggling and spit bubbles.  This particular three year old moved so much that not even the continuous setting on the kahuna kept up with her.  Hell, I couldn’t even keep up with her.  I don’t know how her mother does it.  Probably super powers.  No – definitely super powers.

I visited yet another friend with a new baby last week.  And I’m taking my sweet time sorting through the shots I got of said friend with new baby.  (More on that later.  Like when I actually get on the computer at home to do something productive.)

But her three year old?  Maddie?  In a word: whoa.

This child is a whirlwind, constantly on the go, giggling and being funny, talking and talking and talking and… I’m sure you get the point.  But she loves her new baby sister.  A lot.  I lost count of how many kisses she planted on her little sister.

But even with this little tornado swirling around us, I was able to get her to sit in her rocking chair and to look at me.  And I snagged a photo.  One that wasn’t blurry.  Because she was still for zero point two seconds.  *high five*

Maddie is such a cute little girl.  At three, she has so much personality and you can see the little person she’s becoming.  The thing you (“you” being the fine people of the interweb) don’t know is that she looks just like her daddy.   Everyone that knows the family has known that Maddie looks like her daddy since she was six months old.  The spitting image, people.  It’s a really good thing Charlie looks good in a skirt.

Fair Day.  I love it.

Abby and I did a repeat of what we did last year: blow off the entire day and spend it at the Kentucky State Fair.  I dig, y’all.  So while I didn’t have the kahuna with me, I kept Paco handy.

And this was our day.

My bourbon balls!  I didn’t place but it was exciting to see them in the case.  And they were pretty.  And thank you, Abby, for taking my picture with my balls.

All the balls… totally not as pretty as my balls.

A close up of my perfectly round chocolately, bourbony balls.  They actually look kind of schwetty in this picture.

The cattle.  A must see.  As in you must see where you’re walking or you’ll end up in some bovine fecal matter.  That’d be a cow pie.  We wholeheartedly believe that they laugh at the “city folk” that tiptoe through here.  If I had boots on, I’d probably trot on without batting an eyelash myself.  But I dont.  So I won’t.

The border collies doing trials with the ducks.  I had more fun petting the dogs beforehand but it was still a good time.  These doggins love what they do.  And I kept thinking of my Chasey Bear – the one dog named Dot looked a lot like my Chase.

The Ugly Lamp Contest.  Thank you, Lynn’s Paradise Cafe, for holding such an excellent contest at the fair.  The Ralphie lamp was the best, hands down – it has blue ribbon potential.  You got the shaft, my friend.

Ew.  Barf.  It does exist.  So does the myocardial infarction that comes after you eat it too.

We watched Edgewood play for a while.  You see that fella on the far right?  That’s Natalie’s brother in-law.  That’s why we came.  We stuck around because they’re actually pretty good.  And because sitting on a hay bale is fun anywhere you are.

These fine ladies would be the Lumber Jills.  Chicks with axes.  Well, they have saws in the video but regardless, they carry sharp, heavy things that could do some major harm.  I will never be able to do what they did.  Ever.  I’m OK with that.

So even though the Kentucky State Fair judges didn’t find my bourbon balls to be ribbon-worthy, my friends at work did.  And Amy made me my own ribbon.  I think part of the reason she thinks they’re the “best most delicious” is because they don’t cost nuthin’.

And #22 is Julie – CONGRATS!  We’ll contact you today to get some more information from you.

Thanks to all that participated – but don’t forget you can get your own sweet gifts at

Susan’s Sweeter Lemon Etsy shop.

Yes.  Another list.  My mind is going off in about 100 directions so this seemed like the most logical thing to do.  Bear with me.  Or ignore me.  I’ll never know the difference.

• I wish it was Friday.  Because I have mini eclairs in my freezer that will  be eaten on Friday night.
• Ear buds.  Molded to fit comfortably in the ear.  Apparently “comfortable” is a relative term.
• Harlan County exists!!  We saw the county booth at the Kentucky State Fair and I just smiled.  If you haven’t watched Justified, you are seriously missing out on some good television.
• Speaking of the state fair, I saw my balls.  No ribbon but they looked so pretty.  AmyHasBangs just made me an award ribbon.  Thanks Amy – I wear it with pride.
• I love the Kentucky Pork Producers.  They make a mean pork chop sandwich.  I didn’t want it to end.  Ever.
• When I was younger, I used to think my brother looked like Keanu Reeves.  I now know his long, lost, younger twin is actually Justin Long.
• I have more nicknames for the BDD than I do for the dog that can hear.  At the moment, Yard Cow and Mini Moose are at the top of my list.
• New knitting project has commenced.  It’s going very well too – not using the help of anyone but instead breaking in my Stitch’n Bitch book. Update: Yeah, I spoke too soon.  Knitting debacle of the decade happened 10 hours after I wrote this bullet.  And I couldn’t fix it.  Luckily, Bev the Knitting Guru was three feet away.
• And thanks to the return of football season, I figure I’ll have this new project buttoned up in 6 weeks or less.  I like football – I just can’t watch as many games as the hubs does.  So I knit while I watch.  It’s win-win.
• A three year old called me a weirdo this week.  Yet she was the one with the skirt over her head.  So much to learn, little kemosabe, so much to learn.
• IN LOVE WITH THE WEATHER!  It was 65 degrees this morning.  Hasn’t tipped over 90 in a week.  I love it.  Stay forever.  Please.
• Le blog is hosting a giveaway this week.  Ends this Friday so scoot your boot on over to meet Sweeter Lemon and sign up.  Easy peasy lemon squeezy.

It really came about because of my Big Bro.  Thanks Big Bro.

After searching the web to get an idea of how others had handled challenges, the list of 52 came to be.  A few friends signed on.  Then a couple internet friends.  And then some people I didn’t know.  OK, a lot of people I didn’t know.  Some have stayed along for the entire ride; others have fallen off the bandwagon [some hopped back on... and maybe fell back off...].  But this was only a challenge, a personal challenge to push yourself and see what you could create with your camera.  Not a contest – no contest at all – only a challenge.

For me, this challenge was about going out into the world, finding the subject or color and seeing it differently.  Not digging back through my archives but actually hunting and relishing in the find.  There were times I panicked and shot the first pink thing I could find.  Other times I had several shots but nothing seemed special.  And of course the times when planning helped and a stellar shot was born.  (Thank you anonymous model.)

But my favorites were when an idea struck like lightening – and in an instance I had something I was really proud of when one minute before it didn’t exist.  There were only a few of those but I still remember how I felt when I took every photo.

Isn’t that the point of photography?  Not only looking at the image and remembering the moment but the feeling you also felt when you looked through the viewfinder?  That’s what I believe.  But little ol’ me is just a little ol’ blogger that’s a little ol’ hobbyist… but I do believe it’s more than just the pixels you freeze in time.

I wanted to include a post that would reference to my personal journey through The Weekly Photo Challenge.  That post would be really, really long.  And possibly really, really boring.  So instead I created a mosaic of my favorites over the past year.  And some fun facts about my challenge photos:

• 4 photos include my doggins.
• 4 include friends and 2 include family.
• 8 photos include my fantastic co-workers (including Edward)
• 4 are self-portraits
• Taken at home: 15
• Taken at work: 21
• Taken in a bathroom: 3

All 52 are D-O-N-E done.  All of my challenge photos can be viewed in my Flickr set.  Below, I’ve linked every blog post if you feel like doing a little reading.

It’s a sweet feeling of satisfaction, that’s for sure.

1.Chair 2.Cocktail 3.Window 4.Red 5.Medicine 6.Books 7.Map 8.Speed 9.White 10. Time 11.Candy 12.Zipper 13.Water 14.Green 15.Fork 16.Cold 17.Road 18.Feet 19.Brown 20.Fire 21.Toilet 22.Eyes 23.Lingerie 24.Yellow 25.Cards 26.Up 27.Puzzle 28.Suitcase 29.Blue 30.Doorknob 31.Reflection 32.Shoe 33.Smell 34.Orange 35.Smile 36.Change 37.Hands 38.Music 39.Black 40.Skyline 41.Hot 42.Bridge 43.Button 44.Purple 45.Hat 46.Down 47.Fruit 48.Grass 49.Pink 50.Bicycle 51.Pencil 52.Mail

If you follow me on Twitter or happen to be a Facebook friend, you know what I’m talking about.  And thank you for all your concerns and kind words.  But here’s the whole story:

We are assholes of the dog owner world.  Anybody could have made the mistake we made but I still feel like an asshole.  A big one.

We had plans of visiting friends in Indianapolis on Saturday.  So like any other time we go out of town, we were making our way to my in-laws with the doggins [because they like the doggins as much as we do].  We usually drive the dogs in my Honda but that day we were going to take the hubs’ car, a 4-door sedan, that the dogs have never been in.  So we’re heading down Shelbyville Road, a road that has four lanes and a turning lane, going about 35mph.  The BDD is doing her usual Tarzan calls from the back seat – we’re trying our best to ignore her.  The back window starts rolling down.  At first I’m all, “WTF?”  And then I look at Mike, “What are you doing?!?”  He yells back he wasn’t doing anything and pulls over.

Two words flash in my mind: oh shit.

The child-lock on the windows wasn’t on.  I’ll be damned if we didn’t think about that BEFORE the window started rolling down.  That damn BDD had her foot on it and that window just zoopt on down.  And out she went.  The hubs had the car over in an instant, jumped out after her – she had gone to the right where the grass was.  But in a nanosecond (I seriously didn’t see any of this because I was going ape shit), she dashes across all five lanes, so does Mike and they’re gone.  I get in the car, pull the car over and search for them – I didn’t see them anywhere.

I finally caught up with the hubs; he was at the very back of the car dealership on the other side of the street.  The BDD bolted on him.  Poof! Poor Chase is just sitting in the backseat, not knowing what in the world is going on.  Mike continued on foot, I took the car and we both search for our big deaf dog for 40 minutes.  No dice.  We go home to let Chase out of the car and Mike takes it right back out.  I make “Lost Dog” signs which I have to say is one of the most pathetic-feeling things I’ve ever done.  At least when I’m looking for her, my mind is somewhere else.  Making a flier is horrible – I sat there and cried while staring at that big smiling mug of the BDD’s.  “Why BDD?  Why did you run away?  I thought we had a good thing going?  Dammit dog.”

Wiping my tears, my nose, and my guilt on my sleeve, I get the fliers done; I drove off myself to tape them up on stop signs in the area she escaped to.

Twelve signs.  That’s how many I put up.  Driving past them sent me into tears.  But 30 seconds after I passed the hubs and hung up sign #12, my phone rang.  Unknown caller.  “Yeah, I saw your sign…”  He had her.  Well, would you look at that… more tears.  Shocker.

Apparently my BDD waltzed up to the back door of an apartment dweller.  The  apartments butt right up next to the Toyota dealership Chevy ran through.  These kind people let her in.  Checked her out.  Read her tag and see that she’s deaf.  (Her tags say “I’m deaf & can’t hear”.)  And they call the number on the tag.  Yeah… about that number… we decided to cancel our home phone last week… we can say “disconnected”.  (Like I said, we’re assholes.)  They call the vet’s number on the other tag; the vet won’t release our information.  This nice man decides to take the BDD in the car with him, see if he can find anyone looking for a dog.  (Which by the way, if he was aware of the sounds that dog makes in the car, he wouldn’t have done that.)  But I’m glad he did; he stopped at the main office and saw the sign I posted in the mail area.  And called me.

She jumped out of the window of a moving car.  She darted across five lanes of traffic.  She can’t hear her name being called.  She was gone for 2½ hours.  I was certain she’d be struck by a car since we have that whole “deaf” thing going on.  I was wrong.  And I’m so effing happy that I was wrong.

I pulled in the culdesac of the apartment and some fella I didn’t know was walking my dog.  I told him the story, he wowed and was so so kind and then I broke down again (it pretty much became the theme of my day) and I gave him a huge hug.  Chevy jumped in the car.  We drove away.  And her clanging cries of joy took over our car ride.  But she was safe.  And I kept crying.  No surprise there.

The BDD is fine.  It doesn’t appear that she broke anything but toenails.  She has a few scrapes of road rash and I’m sure she has some bruises.  But she’s fine.  Better than fine since some days have passed.

How does this happen?  How does a deaf dog defy the odds of being hurt when she did what she did?  I can’t get over that.  All I do know is that someone was kind enough to take my dog in for an hour, do everything in their power to reach out to us and then we got lucky.  Lucky indeed.  Maybe we should change her nickname to BLDD.

(Yes, new dog tags were made that day for both doggins; the new phone number is stamped on them.  And yes, we do plan on changing how we transport the dogs.  We clearly haven’t learned everything yet when it comes to owning a big dog.  A dog with enough weight to open electronic windows and lock doors accidentally.  All I ask is you not judge us.  It was scary – I am mad enough at myself; I don’t need someone to give me an ear full – and I’m fixing it.  I just hope others can learn from our 2½ hour panic session.  Because it completely sucked.  And we got really, really lucky.)

You guys know my PodMate, right?  Susan?  Well, she’s off on a new adventure and has opened her very own Etsy store: Sweeter Lemon.  Her shop is filled with items that are perfect for gifts, for the home, for the office and even for those of us who are back at school.  And as a fan and a customer [and a friend], I thought it would be fun to host a little meet and greet with PodMate herself.

1. OK, so I know you and you know you, but not all the fine people of the interweb know you.  Tell us more  about yourself.

Hello, fine people of the interweb!  I’m Susan, aka PodMate, aka the person behind the one-woman Etsy enterprise, Sweeter Lemon.  I’m also a displaced New Englander living in Louisville after a six-year stint in Chicago.  I’m a crafter, a knitter, an avid TV-watcher and reader.

2. What is Sweeter Lemon?  What was your inspiration?  Unicorns?

Sweeter Lemon is my Etsy shop, your place to find surprisingly sweet gifts and accessories.  Right now I offer an assortment of fabric covered button gift items – magnets, pushpins, sewing buttons, and gift sets.

My inspiration was really an “ah-ha!” moment.  I had made a few sets of magnets that I thought were really cute.  After a quick focus group (aka, showing pictures of them to friends and family via e-mail), I knew I had a great product that I wanted to share with the world.  I even documented the moment I decided to open the shop in a picture for the 365 Self-Portrait project I was working on at the time!  I love that photo, because it really captures the moment of inspiration.

Susan’s self-portrait.  Isn’t she cute?  *heart*

3. What have you enjoyed most about your new adventure?  Do you have a favorite piece?

I have a background in Arts Administration, so the business portion of this venture has been very exciting for me.  I love blending my business background with the creative aspect of the shop.

As for a favorite piece, I love every single item I post – that’s one of my personal rules.  If I don’t like it, it doesn’t go beyond the experimentation phase.  That being said, I have a few new items in the works that I’m *very* excited about, including a button bracelet that is (in my humble opinion) absolutely adorable.  I should have it ready for the shop in just a few weeks – you don’t want to miss it!

Some of Sweeter Lemon’s newer items.

4. Now I really like the fabrics you select for your products [as I’ve told you a bazillion times] – is there a fabric selection committee or a requirement of making people cry rainbows?

The fabric selection is so much fun!  It’s my favorite part of the process.  I prefer to shop in person at local quilt shops when I can.  Basically, I walk along each aisle and pull fabrics that appeal to me.  Then I find a seat (quilt shops usually have seats, they’re very accommodating) and really look at each and every fabric, determining how it will look on the buttons, if the round button shape works with the colors and patterns in the fabric.  It’s a process, and I love it.  And if it makes people cry rainbows? Even better!

I love the fabrics Susan picks – LOVE.

5. What do you do when you’re not elbow deep in crafting glue and glitter?

If I’m not elbow deep in glue and magnets and fabric and felt, I’m usually knitting or working with yarn in some way. (She’s an awesome knitter, guys.  And entered some items in the Kentucky State Fair.) I’m trying to see more sights in and around Louisville, and so you might find me taking a bourbon distillery tour, cheering on the local roller derby team (Go, DCRGs!) or taking a photo walk in a local park.

6. Since Sweeter Lemon is with Etsy, you must be a fan.  What are some shops or products that you stalk admire?

There are so many amazing artisans on Etsy.  Since I’m a knitter, I tend to stalk admire the yarn dyers like North Loop Yarn.  I also have a deep affection for owl motifs because they remind me of my grandmother, who collected them.  In particular, I love the ceramic owl items at Fruit Fly Pie – she carries reproductions of many of my grandmother’s owls, but uses modern colors to make them more “now.”  I’d buy one of each, if I could!

7. Are there other places on the interweb you can be found?  In case the fine people of the interweb want to stalk admire you?

You can find many of my crafty, photography and cooking ramblings at my blog, Almost Crafty.  I’m also on Flickr as “Space-Case,” where I just started another 365 Day Challenge!

For Sweeter Lemon shop updates you can check out my blog, Twitter (@sweeterlemon), or Facebook. (All the cool kids are doing it – you should too.)

8. How much do you enjoy your neighbor at work?  And her sneezes?

I have to say, I really and truly lucked out with my neighbor at work. She makes each day a lot more fun, she’s a blast to be around, and her sneezes make me giggle each and every time. (I sneeze like my DAd – it’s loud and annoying and I usually follow one with a “I’m sorry.”)

I should really record one of her sneezes one of these days to share with the world. Really, shutterboo readers, you don’t know what you’re missing! (She’s pulling your leg.  Don’t listen to her.)

A little Pod-love.  And photobombing.

9. And a final, universal question: Do you install the toilet paper so that you pull from the top or the bottom of the roll?

Is this even up for debate? Over the top, definitely. (I knew we had a deeper connection!)

---

And there you have it!  Now you wouldn’t think we’d have you read Susan’s autobiography for nothing, did you?  (If you answered yes, you have very low expectations of le blog.)  Sweeter Lemon has graciously offered up an item from her Etsy shop to give away!

These Rainbow Dot Fabric Covered Button Magnets could be yours.

{more details here}

Here’s what to do to enter the giveaway:

1. Visit Sweeter Lemon and come back to this blog entry to post a comment of your favorite item in the shop.

2. A valid email address must be included so that you can be notified.

3. Your comment must be on this post.  The giveaway closes Friday, August 27, 2010 at 8pm EST.  The winner will be announced Monday, August 30th.

Good luck, fine people of the interweb!

St. Louis Cathedral and Jackson Square.  This has to be my favorite place in New Orleans.  It takes the cake.

We walked through this area at least a couple times everyday.  If not during our daytime treks, then we’d pass by at night after dinner.  I think it’s so pretty.  And full of history.  And I like it.

I had no idea the oldest cathedral in the United States was in New Orleans.  We walked through the place, following the stories of the stained glass windows and painted ceilings.  My first cathedral experience ever was in Kohl, Germany in 2008.  I visited St. Paul’s Chapel in New York City in 2009.  And though, St. Paul’s and St. Louis’s houses aren’t as extravagant as Europe’s, they were still awesome to explore.

Shoo people!  Can’t you see I’m trying to work here!

If I could stand in a seashell at work, that would be awesome.

And I’d most likely sing tunes from The Little Mermaid all day.

And truth be told, I have a lot of fun walking around, trying to set up interesting shots.  Like the cherub holding the Holy water.  I dig.  Speaking of Holy water…

I found it amusing.

Jackson Square, located directly in front of the cathedral, is picturesque.  If it was cooler outside, I think I would have loved it a little bit more.  Just saying.

I think it’s so cool the horse is only on two legs.  Abby said it was the first of it’s kind – you know, the horse being on two legs part.

“I’m ready for my close up!”

Sure, I like this area because of the pretty sights and the history but that’s not only why I like it.  We had some fun times venturing through this part of the French Quarter.  Yes… yes we did.

One night [after a few cocktails] we walked down Pirate’s Alley – Little Skipper straddled the storm gutter and walked quite a stretch of it.  I was in stitches.  Thank you, voodoo drink, for making silly stuff absolutely hilarious.  Another night we stopped to get some nighttime shots of the cathedral – I proceeded to make an ass out of myself which proceeded to make some gentleman passing by laugh at me which then caused me to snort with laughter to which then the gentlemen laughed even more.  I’m comedy relief, what can I say.

And then on yet another night we had our palms read.  It was fun thing to do and tease one another with.  I shared this with my DAd who quickly told me that he did not believe in that stuff.  (Guess what?  Neither do I.)  But as soon as I said the palm reader saw me having two girls and one boy, DAd asked if it was triplets.  My life, folks… my life.

So yes, good times were had at the Square.  Full of smiles and laughs and pictures and stories.  And cocktails.  Because everybody has to go cups.

I’d like to start this post by saying that Mrs. Rev told me that “mail” was a “lame” subject to end on.  Or was it “weak sauce”?  I can’t recall now which defining word she used but I must say I agree.  And I apologize.  But after thinking about this for five days now I realize I have no flippin idea what I would have changed it to.  So “mail” it remains.

Here is my mail:

A self-portrait.  That makes all my neighbors think that I’m a little off my rocker.  So glad they didn’t drive by when I was trying to photograph a fork in the middle of the street.  It could have ended really badly if they had [because I was laying in the middle of the street... maybe].  The hubs was my spotter – I questioned his alertness that afternoon.

I don’t know how many of you have actually shot all 52 subjects but me and Mrs. Rev have.  And since she’s two miles from me we are celebrating.  With cake, no less.  (Right?  We’re still doing cake?  I’ll settle for a cocktail but cake has my name written all over it.  So does the Comfy Cow – I hold no prejudice to ice cream whatsoever.)

I’m also going to give myself  a little break and be challenge free for a while.  I’m hoping to come up with something really fun for the next challenge but if not, a new list of 52 can be born.  (We shall see.)  Of course, please don’t let me put a damper in your photography challenge.  Start your own challenge, encourage friends to  participate, create a new Flickr group – it’s easy, it’s fun and sharing is caring.  (Sharing is caring?  Ignore me.  I don’t know where that came from.)

I do hope to give myself little projects to keep me occupied until a new challenge begins.  Or tag along on others’ photography ideas.  But nothing as committed as an entire year – that’s 365 days, people… not happening right now.  At least not until the new year.  But for now, go check out how other challengers captured “mail” in our flickr group.

Cheers to the end of a good thing, my friends!

I got see someone special this past weekend.  I was very excited knowing I’d get probably 12 hours of her time.  Even though eight of those hours were spent being her chef de partie.  It’s OK – I was paid in artichoke dip and hugs.  I’ll give you some hints…

She made all these cupcakes.  In the morning.  I promise I only had 1½ cupcakes.  Slices of bacon?  That ration still remains to be undetermined.  You know who it is?  No?  How about another clue…

I can’t even look at that crap. *blinded*heart-broken*WHY!*  You know who it is now, don’t ya?

Yep, my Mel.  My sweet, sweet Melanie.

Her and Thurmeo came down to the Ville for the weekend.  Friday night was spent with friends and a spread that was fantastic.  Good times to be had by all.  And Saturday was a cooking adventure.  She and her family decided to surprise her mom with a birthday party and I was recruited (along with Miss Julie) to get everything prepped and ready in time.  I was happy to oblige, of course.

It was great spending time with her, visiting with her family and snapping some photos.  Like the one above where she’s laughing at her mom’s reaction to the whole shindig.  I just love it when surprises are pulled off!

Have a safe trip home, my friend – I can’t wait for a certain phone call in the next three weeks. 

And here is your Michigan Fact-O’The-Day: In Clawson, Michigan there is a law that states it’s legal for a farmer to sleep with his pigs, cows, horses, goats and chickens.  And they make fun of Kentucky.

XOOX