Jon & Kate Plus Straight....Jacket

I keep hearing people say how much they love this show.  I have never watched it, and so tonight when I could find nothing interesting on TV, I watched it.  Within 10 minutes, I was breaking out in hives.  Every nerve in my body was standing up and screaming out loud.  I was hyperventilating.   How can you watch that loud chaos of pooping, screaming, hitting, kicking, puking, running and crying?  I cannot believe that woman is still alive.  I couldn't take watching it edited for TV, how in the world does she do that every day? 

God knew what He was doing when He did not make me have kids.

Normal Girl

Logo Madness

The mission trip commitment process begins on Sunday.  I have been working on forms and blogs and needed a logo.  Today, I bought some software that is specifically for making logos.  It took me a hours to get it figured out. And this is what I ended up with.  How frustrating.  Can you return software?  

Divine Design

Atlanta Dream Center

So, I had to go old school and get out a piece of paper.  OK, it is not professional or digital, but I am hoping it has some charm or something redeeming because this is what I have. 

Anyway, this represents a big chunk of my day, 

Normal Girl

The Bracelet Interchange

When I went to Gift market a couple weeks ago, I did some research on current jewelry trends.  You won't be surprised to hear that the trendy stuff you will see in jewelry this year will be just like everything else.  The trend is recycle, reuse, repurpose, reverseable.  Re-everything.  So you will probably see interchangeable jewelry this year.  

 

I saw a lot of this at market....charms hooked on by lobster clasps.  I am not sure I get it.  I guess the plan is to be able to unhook and rehook them.  You could make a bracelet, a necklace, earrings all with the same charms.  I am spoiled rotten and am not environmentally responsible and use up way more silver than my allotment, I guess.  I just make all of the pieces I want.  

Would you do this?  Buy one chain and a pile of rehookable charms and change them out?

Just wondering,

Normal Girl

Pants on Fire

It is day 3 of my Ethics and Moral Reasoning class.  I am having a blast because the thing that I love and hate about attending a Christian institution for higher learning is the Sunday school answer.  And Sunday school answers are flying around the discussion board faster than I can read them.

The first week's discussion is about the basic concepts of truth vs. lie.  And, how does a Christian worldview fit into that?  We have already read about the Veracity Principle that says telling a lie is only right if some alternate truth cannot be found.  Opposing that is God's commandment...Thou shall not lie.

Questions come up like why do we have to look for the gray in this black and white world.....meaning, God said don't lie, so, don't!  Or, it is eternal damnation for you sister!

So, most of the class is sticking to that Sunday School answer, and I am the little pin that pops their bubbles.  Rahab lied, Miriam lied, Sarah lied.  God loved them and kept His promises to them.  If I lie, God loves me and keeps His promises to me.  

Here is my question.  If a man was holding a gun on your family, and one lie from you could keep them alive, would you lie?  

Yep, I would too!!!  Is that lie OK to tell?  If I found myself in the reality of a situation like that, I would not care.  I would lie my heinie off.  I am a big fat sinner, God knows it.  

I love the discussion that brings God into learning at my Christian school, but sometimes we miss the point totally.

There, you know you are safe with me around, I will lie like a rug to save your life.

Normal Girl

Fancy Ice Cubes

This past weekend was the annual ice festival in Plymouth.  I didn't have 5 minutes to go, so I took a break this morning and went downtown and looked around.  It was 6 degrees.  The people who did the sculpting worked outside with huge blocks of ice all day in this weather.

Anyway, there were not as many large sculptures as usual.  Here is a very optimistic sculpture.

DT, I am laughing!

I liked the big flying mermaid...isn't it amazing how they did the spray of the water?

At home, I have an ice sculpture of my own.  I know.  It is an amazing likeness of icicles.  I worked alot of months on this.  I had to let the gutters get clogged just right and then not clean them out.  

I have seen dumber things called art.......

Normal Girl

And So It Begins

Class starts Monday and so I am beginning my reading.  What in the world will I be learning this semester????

Take Your Daughter to Work Day

I went to work today with Wonder Woman.  She drove me to East China (the real name of the place, not just a sarcastic comment from me) to visit with a birth Mom and Dad.  East China is on the St. Clair River, which you see here.  The opposite shore is Canada.  And when you feel cold this winter, think of this guy.  His heinie must be freezing.

So, Wonder Woman is a social worker for an adoption agency and she takes care of  birth Mothers.  The one I met today is 16 years old and the father is 17.  They are auditioning for an MTV show and I was the Spielberg of the audition tape.  I taped them talking about the pregnancy and the adorable girl said her friends are so excited and nothing has really changed in her life since she got pregnant.  Wonder Woman laughed at me when I said I wanted little Mother to say she throws up every day, is getting fat, her back hurts, and life is hard.  

When did teen pregnancy become something the other girls at school cheer?  

Normal Girl

Obsession Confession

Sometimes I run to an obsessive streak.  Right now, I am obsessed with chocolate pudding.  Not the pre-fab kind.  Not the instant kind.  But the kind in the box that you cook with milk.  It's good for an old lady like me, right?  Milk? Calcium?  So I cook it and eat it hot.  Love it!

Being obsessed, I wanted some this morning.  After sort of working for a couple hours, and knowing myself enough to know that I would not focus until I had pudding.........I went to the store.  I went to the grocery store wearing a pair of paint pants, a huge sweatshirt, no make up and barely brushed hair.  My head was on a 360 degree swivel in case I saw someone I know before she saw me.  I peeked around the corners before I walked.  You didn't see me, did you?  Good thing I went, I got the last 56 boxes of pudding.  Obsession satisfied, now I can focus on work.

I have no idea how or why an obsession is born in my mind, but I would really like to have some better obsessions.  Why do I never obsess about:

• exercise?
• vegetables?
• school?...oh wait....I am obsessed about getting an A in every class I take
• cleaning the house?
• John the Baptist?

Chocolate pudding rules!

Normal Girl

Cupcakes

I made cupcakes for my next column in Bead Unique magazine.  Aren't they cute?  That chocolate one makes me hungry.  

Then I got the bright idea to make an ice cream cone.  I think I need to go back to the drawing board on it, I am not so sure.  I can't make it pointier, but I might be able to make it thinner.  Maybe the ice cream should be rounder.  Oh the things my mind dwells on.  But I can't focus long enough to remember why I got up from the kitchen table and walked into the living room.

Normal Girl

Thinking About Summer

Divine Design is going to do two mission trips this summer: our usual trip to Grace Centers of Hope, and, we are adding a trip to the Atlanta Dream Center.

In Atlanta, we will be working on room redos in an apartment building.  There are 10 apartments.  The building has great bones and nice spaces.  Forty seven college students live in it. 
They are packed in like sardines.  I think we can make the apartments more comfortable to live in for them.  Because we will be working in spaces for young people, I am going to try to market this trip to our own young women at church.  Also, I am going to partner with the Weasel, and with some help from Kateland and the Global VP, we are in business.

The beginnings of this trip have already been amazing and God's hand is clearly visible.  I have started a blog to tell the story as it progresses:  www.divinedesignatlanta.blogspot.com.

Stay tuned!

Normal Girl

Memories of Grandma

Not my memories, but Wonder Woman's.  She gave me a pile of cool 1950's earrings that came from her Grandma.  She felt the earrings were too big and blingy to wear, so she gave them to me in case I could use them for something.  I could.  I made her a bracelet and now she can wear Grandma's earrings on her wrist.    It is still very blingy, but who doesn't love rhinestones????

Normal Girl

A Week in the Life of Normal Girl

This is what I did last week.  Fun with styrofoam!  I was reunited with the love of my life. 

I really do enjoy doing this set decorating thing.  I had never done it before I was asked at church.  I am learning alot.  Should  add it to my resume?

The theme for the next seven week series is Unity.  DT designed a great logo for the bulletin and I sort of reproduced it HUGE over to the left of the platform.  UNTE represents Unite.  The i is missing because we are each to decide where it goes.  Where do "i" fit?  My actions can either unite the body (the church) or untie it.  And the big letters on the stage?  They represent Unite of course, but also some things that can unite us or untie a church: people, music, study and service.

It is always such a relief to walk into the auditorium on the Sunday after we place the new set...and see it all still up.  You know it is all held in place with duct tape.

But this morning just when all was firmly in place, the ceiling above the praise team opened up and water poured down.  Notice the row of plants?  There are plastic buckets behind it catching the water.  It was raining so hard, it sounded like a waterfall.  But, never mind God is good and everything went on as planned.

All duct tape still in place...........thanks to my team, the Paintress, Wonder Woman. and Songbird for your help and encouragement~

Normal Girl

Beacons of Light

Tonight was Beacons of Light for the middle schoolers.  I was invited to participate because I have been on a mission trip.  I hid in the dark, in a really hot closet.  The kids had to look around a dark church to find 5 missionaries and ask them questions.  I was allowed to change my hiding place any time I wanted.  As the kids looked around the church, there were guards that could stop them and either take away one of the coins they earned by asking questions or put them in jail.  

I am working on a case of bronchitis and almost stayed home.  I am so glad I decided to go.  It was surprising to me that the kids took it seriously.  See the war paint?  Ninety five percent of the kids were interested in what we had to say.  Middle schoolers have a mission trip each summer, so they have some understanding of it.  They asked good questions.  Even though I had 24534234 flashlights shone in my eyes, I had a blast.

And now, Nyquil is my friend,

Normal Girl

Heavy Duty Persuasion

This made me really laugh.  I am not sure if it is because it is funny or because I am exhausted.  Bone tired.  I hurt so much that I can't stand up straight.  Even if that is the reason, I appreciate the laugh.

Coming up at church is a workshop on sharing your faith.  I think YM should show this video at the beginning and see how many people stay. HA!

And tonight I am saying a prayer that none of us need the services of the Evangelism Linebacker.  And not just because one hit from him right now would put me in the hospital.

Normal Girl

The Mystery Symmetrist

I am playing a game with someone at church.  This vignette with cross and pots is in the lobby.  I set it up.

And the next time I look someone has made it all nice and symmetrical.  I can hardly stand it.

So, I change it back to asymmetrical.  Who is playing this game with me?  I don't know, isn't that a riot?  

Normal Girl

Need a Doctor

What kind of doctor do I need to see about lack of interest?  I have hit the wall that I knew I would eventually hit.  I am tired of school.  I have lasted longer than I expected, but my short attention span is rearing its ugly head.  I am tired of it.  I forgot to order my books.  How in the world did I forget that?  

There will be no quitting but my mind and heart have moved on.  And I have a big class this semester, ethics.  I read the syllabus tonight and it is involved.  I am whining.

But, this school thing was not my idea, it was God's.  So, the books have been ordered and I have begun the prep.  Yes, the class does not begin until the 26th and I have work to do already.

Do you have advice for me?  Take two and call me in the morning?  

• two diet cokes?
• two attitude adjustments?
• two chocolate cupcakes?
• two semesters off?
• two extra hours of sleep?  
• two prayers?

waaaaaaa,

Normal Girl

 

Atlanta Dream Center

Before I left Atlanta today, I met Pastor Paul of the Atlanta Dream Center.  ADC is located in the 4th ward of Atlanta, definitely the hood.  Every Saturday morning, Pastor Paul and crew head out on their "Adopt a Block" Mission.  They pack bags of donated food and head out to their assigned blocks.  On some blocks there are crack houses, drug dealers, and prostitutes.  The teams are made up of volunteers and students of Pastor Paul's college program.  They knock on doors, talk to people, give them food, invite them to church, give hugs and whatever is needed.  They are all really young.  This is Pastor Paul with the Block Pastors, the kids that take charge of volunteers. 

This is Scott, he is in charge of outreach and is giving a pep talk to the kids who will be block leaders.  He is a ball of energy.  Notice the map of assigned blocks.

Before we headed out, we had a little worship time in the rain.

Then everyone got into their groups and headed out.  I was scheduled to go with Pastor Paul to the crack house, but he said there had been some violence there this week and he switched me to the old folks home.  If you know me, you know that is not my ministry, but the kids were great.  They held a devotional, sang songs with the folks and went around the building knocking on doors, delivering food and praying with people.  I met some darling little ladies.

Then I got to go on the exciting part of the trip when Pastor Paul took me to the million dollar mile.  It is a block where the most drug deals in Atlanta are made.  When we walked up, there were about 20 guys standing at the curbs up and down the block.  Pastor Paul said they were all drug dealers.  Then he took me in a house and we chatted with the guys that live there.  When one of them said, "oh oh, I made a boo boo" and he dropped a bag of drugs on the floor, Pastor Paul ushered me out with the words, "let's go.....quickly"  I had no idea what was happening.  Everyone in the neighborhood knows Pastor Paul and he waves and hollers and hugs everyone.

It was an interesting experience.  Oh yeah, one guy thought I was Sandy Patty and kept holding my hand.  

Thanking God for His many many blessings,

Normal Girl

I Want To Be

Amy.

I was in the Apparel Mart today, when I happened to find Amy.  Art by Amy.  Her booth was packed.  You always know when a booth is packed, that there is something in there you want to see.  Yep.  I could have spent $2000 in there without even trying.  I didn't.  But, I could have.  Amy was cute with two tone pink hair.  She makes glass charms and bead dangles.  She walked around the booth with a pair of pliers assembling jewelry for women as they picked out the charms they liked.  Amy's jewelry is funny, clever, well done and trendy.  And I wanted it all.  

I have a couple pictures and you already know that when I am taking pictures covertly, I stink at it.  Probably the guilt.  You can click on the pics to see them bigger.

There is a current trend in jewelry called Statement Jewelry.  It is jewelry that walks into the room before you do, and has something to say.  That is Amy's jewelry.  Most of it was huge. And very heavy.  And, by the way, did I mention that I wanted it all?  Me and at least 50 women in the booth while I was there.

See the suitcases?  They are filled with glass charms of all sizes.  Her charms are funny and it was better than browsing cards in Hallmark.  Women were standing there, going through the piles and laughing out loud.  

And people think I make big pieces.....  I can just imagine Amy sitting in her studio laughing as she creates these charms.  You can see a couple of her charms here.   Hold your cursor over a charm to see what is on the backside.

Here is what I bought from Amy.  This is the front......

This is the back....... It makes me laugh so hard that I think I will have a margarita at dinner.

See?  Thanks Weazel and Kateland for a fun night!

Normal Girl

I Heart Gift Market

One of my favorite trips every year is to Gift market in Atlanta.  It is a big recharge for me.  I am staying in a cool hotel that is two blocks from Gift Mart.  This is the view out of my shower.  Yep, there is a window in my shower.  It is not snowing here.  I had a great day.

Market here in Atlanta is in four big buildings.  I started in Building 1 which has home decor and Christmas.   And I did about half of Building 2.  There are 18 floors in Building 2.  Here you are looking from floor 15 down to the bottom.  I thank God for escalators.  

And this is the holy grail of gift market.  A moment of silence please for Golden Stella.  I am sure the Human PinBall, the Diplomat and Weazel will agree with me.  If you like jewelry at all, Golden Stella would make you very happy.  There is every kind of trendy jewelry you could ever imagine in there.  And then some.  It is good for at least 2 hours of entertainment.  The best part is that I can buy everything wholesale.

So, today I walked 345674345 miles, rode 987 escalators, had Chick Fil A for lunch, bought alot of stuff at Golden Stella, took pages of notes on ideas generated by looking at everything, and came back to my cool hotel room with the big screen tv, tired and happy.  And on top of that, I had dinner with the Global VP.  And I am expecting tomorrow to be as good or better.  

Yep, I heart Gift market!

Normal Girl

Really? A Letter?

Dear Mr. Anderson,

I believe that in your job as CEO for the newly merged Delta and Northwest Airlines, you do not have many opportunities to travel coach.  Today was my first flight since the merger, I have not been on a Delta flight in a very long time.  The flight attendants told us that they wanted us to be safe and comfortable, so I thought I might be able to brainstorm a few things to help you with the comfort of your passengers.

First let me say that your awesome flight attendants were so awesome and gave us such awesome advice and information.  It was awesome to be told that for sure I look over 15 years old.  In case you are not aware, 4 suitcases can go wheels in, in the overhead compartments on the left side of the plane.  Awesome.  How nice of them to wish us an awesome time in Atlanta.  Super Awesome.

Some thoughts on making us more comfortable:

- Flight attendants older than 17

- A special area for passengers that cannot sit still and jiggle the entire flight...or maybe you could have them help load luggage to work off some energy.

- I appreciate that you gave me one free suitcase, so how about a free reading light for each passenger too?  Maybe that could be a perk for elite members.  Or at least your awesome flight attendants could collect a few dollars from a passenger who wants to read and give her a working lightbulb to install.

- A heiney sized seat like the other airlines have.  Even the skinny boy in my row was having trouble.

Why don't you meet me Saturday night at the airport and fly with me to Detroit, and I can show you what I mean?  It would be way super awesome!

I am back,

Normal Girl

Holiday Hangover

I am totally unfocused and motivated. HPB diagnosed me this morning, said I am suffering from holiday hangover.  I did eat 235232 pounds of junk food, stayed up way too late too many nights, stared at the computer screen every waking moment, worked .23 hours, and hid in Girl World for days.  It is just going to take a couple days for normalcy to return.  Stay tuned, you will be the first to know.

Loose Ends

For the last couple of days, I have been working on some unfinished projects sitting in the studio.  I turned on my computer and watched 4549334 episodes of Two Guys A Girl and a Pizza Place.  Did you watch that show when it was on ten years ago?  It has Ryan Reynolds and Nathan Fillion and the girl that is on Monk.  When it was on TV, it made me laugh every week, and still does.  

I made a couple of baby projects, see one above.  It is a onesie and the paint is glittery.

Lampshade.  I gave it stripes and bead fringe.

Cool journal, it is wooden.  I had fun making this.

And I made a couple bracelets for my new Etsy store.  Here is one.

It has been great being a slug for a couple days.  I think I could excel at being retired.

Normal Girl