If I gotta be me...I'm gonna be Super Me!

I entered the "My Glue Gun is Bigger Than Yours" contest at Lenny & Eva.  The theme is "self-expression."  This photo is my entry along with the narrative below.  If I win, my quote "If I gotta be me....I'm gonna be Super Me!" will be on a piece of their jewelry!

Thinking outside of the box and self-expression are two of my specialties! I make a daily conscious effort to express myself through my outfits, jewelry, hair style, and other accessories! So, you can imagine, how excited I was to enter this contest!

My original quote is "If I Gotta Be Me....I'm Gonna Be Super Me!" I was inspired by the quote "If your going to be blue, be bright blue." To support my quote, I decided to make my picture a "Super Me" portrait. (thinking outside of the box of simply displaying my poster in a photo with my pretty head) My "poster" is my "Super Me" shield. The design was inspired by the quilt on the couch in the photo on your blog's home page. My quote is in a word bubble. This, again, was inpired by the word bubble pillows on the couch in your blog's home page. I thought the word bubble was both literal and appropriate for "self-expression."

I wanted the portrait to have a vintage feel to compliment your jewelry's salvaged style. So, when I processed my photo in Elements, I ran a "seventies" action on it. I love it! And, I hope you do too!

Jennifer Crosby, Self-expression Extraordinaire



Talk about customer service!

So, I went in to Walmart this morning to return an item.  I got my sticker from the door lady, then walked to the service desk.  I told the associate, "I need to return these.  They didn't work out."  I handed her the item and the receipt.  She laid the item and receipt on the counter.  I saw her look at the item, then the receipt, then flip the tag around on the item.  So, I pointed out, on the receipt, where the item was listed. 
And, she says, "That irritates me when customers do that."  So, I said, "I sure didn't mean to irritate you.  I was just trying to help."  My tone was sarcastic (as you can imagine).  So she continues to tell me about how they have to look at the reciept and the tag even though she had already found it listed on the receipt.
My response (truly not caring),  "Next time, I'll just throw it at you.  And, you can figure the damn thing out yourself."  Hahahahahahahaha! (I laughed). 
She attempted to recover with some talk.....to which I just gave her this fake pierced lips smile while I shook my head like I was listening, but obvious that I didn't give a shit.
She handed me my money.  I gave her a more genuine smile and said, "Have a good day!"  My instinct was to say, "I hope no one else irritates you today."  But, I held back.  Gotta love customer service!  And, a genuine smart ass!

Too much volume!

Have you ever lowered the volume on your car radio thinking it will help cease the noise in the backseat?  I did today.  And, I have done it before.
I got my car in 2003, before I was pregnant with Patrick.  I HAD to have a Bose stereo system.  I thought the amp in the trunk was super cool!  I used to love turning up the radio so loud!  I loved to feel my music!  I had my favorite songs with bass and nasty words.  Back then, it didn't give me a headache.
Now, the only time I turn the radio up is when whining is going on and I am trying to drowned it out.  Now, I have to screen the music that I listen to for nasty words and download the "clean version."  Now, when I am in my car by myself, I find that the radio isn't even on.  I enjoy the peace and quiet.
If that doesn't make me feel old, what would?! 

Over it!

It started just after I picked them up.  They started fighting over who got to talk to me first.  When we got home, they fought over who got to take Zoe her food.  At supper, they fought over who got the Georgia bowl.  Then it was over who had the biggest strawberry.  Then, they fought over who got to take a bath first.  I was so mad at them, I told them as soon as they were bathed they were to go to their rooms for the evening, not to talk to me, not to talk to each other.  You know what Olivia says....."Can I sleep with Bubba?" AAAAHhhhhhhhh!  Really?!  I know if I said yes, it would be a matter of time before they were fighting over who had one inch more of bed space.  Their fighting and bickering drives me freakin' crazy! 
I understand the profound need for yin and yang.   I know that in order to have proper balance, I must experience both good and bad and appreciate the entire venture, not just the parts that are easy and fun.
But, for now, I am in a bad mood and I just want to be by myself with some stupid tv show like Teen Mom.  That always makes me appreciate my life and I need that right now!  Good night!

I Got Love For My In-Laws!

Blake is out of town.  Every week, he leaves Monday morning and comes home Thursday evening.  This is the only life we have ever known.  It's not usually a big deal, but when it comes to extra special days like today (Valentines Day), he feels extra far away! 
Today, I called Blake's Momma (Maxine) and asked if her and Bill (Blake's Daddy) had plans for supper.  I was planning on taking Patrick and Olivia out to eat and wanted them to join us.  We went to the Huddle House (Daddy Bill's favorite) and had breakfast for supper.
The food was good, but it was the company that made my heart extra happy and made Blake seem much closer.  I am so blessed to have Maxine and Bill in my life.  I always joke that if Maxine were to pick anyone for her son's wife, she wouldn't choose me.  I am not your average south-georgia church goin' speak when you're spoken to type girl.  But, you know what?  She has never once made me feel like she wants me to be any different.  I think it's so cute when she says "We'll just have to agree to disagree on that one."  We are both firm in the things we believe.  Maxine hates confrontation.  I would rather skip confrontation, but a nice respectful debate is good for growth.  I can never relate to the horrid talk of mother-in-laws.  Mine is an angel straight from heaven!
Tonight, Maxine shared her cheese grits with Olivia, Patrick read us "Cat In The Hat," I wiped syruppy hands with wet towells, and Bill picked up the tab.  I am so grateful for my Mother and Father In-Law!  They made me feel extra loved tonight by spending Valentine's with me, Patrick, and Olivia!
Thought I would leave you with a few pictures i took a couple of weekends ago!

Homemade

Today I made a double chocolate cake with chocolate cream cheese frosting.  From scratch.  It's an extra special treat for my family for Valentine's Day.  I've never made a cake from scratch before.  And, I learned a few things:
1.  It makes a huge mess.  Cocoa  powder, powdered sugar, and flour kinda flew everywhere when I turned the mixer on.  This shows my inexperience, as I should have stirred it a bit before mixing it.
2.  When the recipe calls for parchment paper, you can use wax paper.
3.  I'm thankful to have peeps I can call that are professionals in the kitchen when I don't quite understand the recipe.  The icing recipe called for (2) 3 oz packages of cream cheese.  First of all, why didn't they just say 6 oz.?  Secondly,  I shop at Walmart.  And, they only sell cream cheese in 8 oz blocks.  I was sure it was a typo.  But, both Ryan Ledbetter (of Krazy Kookies and Kupcakes) and Aunt Net Hengeveld (of the Downtown Sandwich Shop) confirmed....use the entire 8 oz block of cream cheese. 
4.  It takes a long time to do all that!  Between grating chocolate, measuring and measuring and measuring, mixing in between every little bit, cutting out wax paper just the right size, cleaning, and re-cleaning, icing three layers of cake and all the way around trying to make it look pretty.  I was in the kitchen for four hours.
5.  Unsweetened chocolate is the worst tasting stuff that has ever touched my tongue.
6.  A hand mixer is completely inappropriate and unable to stand up to the challenge of all that mixing.  I burnt the motor out in the very end when I was adding one cup at a time (of 6 cups) of powdered sugar.  I'm so stupid...it would've made so much sense to use that fancy kitchenaid mixer under the cabinet.
7.  It's so damn good!  I'm not going to say it was worth all that work.  But, it would be worth paying someone to do it all for you!
You live and you learn!  Hope your day was as sweet as ours here at Arbor Grove!

Mary Kay makes me beautiful!

I knew you were wondering how I am so beautiful!  Hee Hee   Actually, I must thank my parents for great genes.  They both have great skin so, my canvas given to me by them is a nice starting point.  But, I DO have to take care of it.  I know there are a lot of products out there.  I know people who swear by Merle Norman and others who say Ivory Soap is enough and there's this Obagi that some people think is great.   I'm not trying to start an argument.  I'm just telling you what I use and what I have come to love!
Here is my daily routine:  I wash my face with MK Timewise 3-in-1 cleanser (combination to oily).  It lathers up so nicely!  I wash my face with my finger-tips in an upward motion.  (I'm washing under the shingles)  Your skin is like the shingles on a roof.  When you clean it, you want to clean up under the shingles.  When you apply product, you want to apply with a downard motion- not to get dirt up under the shingles.  After I lather the cleanser all over my face and neck, I wipe it all clean with a warm wash cloth.  I pat my face with a towell, then apply MK Timewise Day Solution.  I use one squirt.  I dot it all over my face, then rub in (in that downward motion).  Because you use one squirt, this bottle lasts a long time!  I think this is supposed to relax expression lines.  I just know it has SPF 25 and is recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation.  I know the sun ages my skin and can give me cancer and I don't want either, so I use it!  The next step is to apply your moisturizer.  I don't use the foundation, it was too heavy for me.  Instead, I use the MK tinted moisturizer (SPF 20)   Then I apply the MK concealer, under my eyes.  I have dark circles under my eyes and this tones them down a bit.  Then, I apply the MK eye primer on my eyelids.  This is the best $12 you can spend, even if all your make-up is Cover Girl.  It actually  keeps your eye  shadow in place.  You know, especially in the summer, when you get hot and sweaty and your eyeshadow gets a crease in your eyelid....well not with this product!  I live in South Georgia!  I never get creases in my shadow.  It never budges out of place.  It looks just as good at 5:00pm as it did at 8:00am!  No kidding!   This product is AMAZING! 
Then, using my MK cheek brush,  I apply my MK cheek color (blush).  I have two colors:  sparkling cider (more bronze) and shy blush (more pink).  Love both!  After these steps, I feel like the fun can begin.  It's at this point, I can be creative and make some fun choices!  My lips:  most often, I use MK neutral lip liner and apply MK amber glow lip color.  When I need to be extra fancy, I use MK chocolate lip liner and apply MK amber suede lip color.  The amber suede makes my teeth look so white! 
Now for they eyes!  I get so excited about all the choices!  I don't have an everyday go-to for this one!  It's different every day.  But, I'll give you an idea on what I do.  First, I apply, with my MK eye definer brush,  MK honey spice eye color  just below my eyebrows and MK crystalline eye color on the inside corner of my eyelids.  Then, I apply Cover Girl Golden Sunrise (probably like MK amber blaze eye color) to the crease of my eyelid using the MK crease brush.  Sometimes I add a little MK copper glow eye color to the very middle of the crease.  Then, on the outside corner of my eyelid, is where I add my accent colors.  My choices are:  MK sweet plum, emerald, chocolate kiss, navy blue, cinnabar, raisin, granite, vintage gold, golden olive, and cranberry ice.  Some of these colors are no longer available.  After I apply the eye colors, I blend, as needed, with my MK eye definer brush.  Then, it is time to enhance my eyebrows just a bit.  I use the MK eyeliner brush to apply MK espresso eye color on my eyebrows.  Just lightly, to fill in the blank spots in my eyebrows or where my eyebrows are blonde.  It helps my brows frame my eyes better.  This was a bit shocking to me when I first tried it.  I was like "Well, HELLO eyebrows!"  I felt like they stood out too much.  But, now I'm used to it and I like it!
The last two steps for make-up are eyeliner and mascera.  I have:  MK eyeliner in amethyst, bronze, deep brown, navy, olive, and steely.  Amethyst is my favorite, but I probably use bronze more often.  I apply it just above my eyelashes all across the top lid and half-way across (from outside in) on the bottom.  I blend it just a little with my finger so it doesn't look like a straight line!  I use Cover Girl mascera.  My experience with MK mascera is that it stays on a bit too much.  I feel like I have to rub my eyes to much to get it off at night.  I felt like I was ruining the elasticity of my skin around my eyes.  I might try it again some day, but for now I am fine with Cover Girl Lash Blast!  Maybe it is because I watch America's Top Model and love Drew Barrymore and Ellen Degeneres and I am a victim of marketing, but I like the Cover Girl mascera and some of the eye shadows!
So, that is my morning routine.  It probably sounds like it would take forever.  But, it doesn't.
In the evening, I use MK oil-free eye make-up remover to take my eye make up off.  Then, I wash my fash with the MK Timewise 3-in-1 cleanser.  (Just as I did in the morning)   Then, I apply MK Timewise night solution.  This product is supposed to do magic to your skin while you sleep.  The MK claim is "vitamins, antioxidant, and collagen-enhancing peptides nourish, smooth and firm skin."  Sounds good to me.  My skin is in great shape so I keep using it!  The next step is MK Timewise Age-fighting Moisturizer.  It makes my skins feel so soft and hydrated.  My final step of the day is the MK Timewise Firming Eye Cream.  I have a genetic history of a slight hooded lid.  So, to keep my eyelids from sagging over my eyeballs, I use this cream.  And, that's it!  Just a few steps to not just look beautiful, but feel beautiful too! 
These products are great!  It's worth a try!  There is a satisfaction guaranteed or your money back policy.  If you decide you don't like it, it's no big deal....just give it back to your consultant and she'll refund your money.  Thing is....you're gonna be satisfied.  You'll have the softest, healthiest skin of your life!  I have been using Mary Kay for four years and will always use these products!
MK make-up is great.  But, if I were going to have one thing, it would be the TimeWise Miracle Set.  It includes four products that are "clinically shown to reduce fine lines and improve skin elasticity and even skin tone."  Oh yeah, and the MK eye primer.
My Mary Kay consultant is Kerrie Sirmans (Baxley, Ga). I gotta give a shot out to her because she takes care of me and I would love to see her business grow and thrive.  I know Laura Young sales it too!  Her enthusiasm for Mary Kay is beyond words.  She will, no doubt, be riding in a pink caddy very soon!