Ho Ho Ho

In case you started your Christmas preparations this week, I worked on some Christmas jewelry ideas for you today. Check out this cute button tutu made with glitter tulle. Was I living under a rock not knowing that they made tulle with glitter on it?

The nice people at Blumenthal Lansing asked me to do something with their new Christmas buttons. Christmas in April? That is the way it goes....

They are doing these button sets with three stackable buttons.

And naturally, my favorite, glitter buttons!

Merry Christmas,

Normal Girl

The Maul

I went to the mall this afternoon. If you know me personally, you understand what that means. I would rather clean your oven than go to the mall. Really. And not only did I go to the mall, I went to the big mall.

Things I learned from my trip to the mall:

• go after 2 and get out before 5
• it is a good thing my non-existent teenage daughter is non-existent...we would be having arguments over prom dresses...they are all too tight and too short and too expensive
• our mall has become quite cool with the addition of some cool designer stores: Betsey Johnson, Michael Kors, Lucky Brand
• If you are looking for jewelry in the mall, go to Macy's. They have the best selection, including classic, fun, and trendy. Nordstrom's jewelry counter is for old ladies. Lord and Taylor jewelry counter is for ladies who are already dead.
• Why are teenage girls wearing the Pebbles hairstyle? It is pulled into a ponytail at the very top of the head and looks like a fountain spewing out. All it needs is a bone tied into it.
• Jewelry at the mall is ridiculously expensive, and most of it is plastic. I saw an elastic bracelet with plastic beads for $50. Thanks Ralph Lauren. Maybe I should raise my prices.
• Life is Pink

I did collect some good intel for some projects on my drawing table, so woohoo for the mall and not having to go back,

Normal Girl

Cute or Creepy Part 2

Again I raise the question of cute or creepy. You have to get at least to 1:30 in the video to make a judgement.

I don't know why this seems to be a theme with me this week. It made me cringe and laugh out loud.

What is your vote?

Normal Girl

P.S. What exactly is solid potato salad??

Cute or Creepy?

I ran across these today. They are all purses. And I am taking a vote. Cute or Creepy? You say.




My vote is that the full body ones are kind of cute. Just the heads? A little creepy to me. However you vote, I think you have to admit, her representations of dogs are amazing.

I am getting you the giant chameleon for your birthday,

Normal Girl

Work in Progress

I have been working on this project all day. I like it but there is something missing. What do you think?

Normal Girl

FanFic

Have you ever heard of this? Apparently, people write additional stories to go with their favorite TV shows. They are posted online. There is tons of this stuff!

I guess these TV writer wannabees select a show they are in love with and they write stories using the characters from the show. OK, I spent some time checking this out. There are some decent writers, some really scary writers, and some writers who are trying to write in English even though it isn't their first language...hard to read.

From what I saw, nobody wrote the characters like they are in the show. Which is weird. Because I think that liking the character is what made them write a story about him in the first place.

No kidding, google your fav show like: House fan fiction.... LOST fan fiction...Castle fan fiction.

It is hilarous and weird. Two questions:

1. Have you ever heard of this?

2. Have you written any?

hahahhaaaa

Normal Girl

Kinesthetics R Us

I am writing my final paper of the semester on kinesthetic prayer. What that basically means is that I am a spaz who cannot sit still and concentrate.

There are three basic ways that people learn. You should know this about yourself. It can be very helpful. Some people learn best by listening (auditory). Some people learn best by seeing or reading (visual). And some people learn best by adding some kind of physical movement to the learning process (kinesthetic).

There are scientific reasons that kinesthetic learning works. The activity of the body increases oxygen to the brain and releases neurotransmitters that increase the ability to concentrate and focus. In Normal Girl terms, I have to be moving or touching something in order to concentrate.

This is putting an official label on something I have done all my life. I cannot study without eating. Yeah, isn't that great? I cannot talk on the phone without doing something else like pacing between rooms or doodling. I cannot pray without some kind of kinesthetic activity either. I journal, count the beads on a bracelet, or I walk around the neighborhood.

Hence, my paper. I have read several books on the subject over the years out of necessity, wondering if I had ADD or was just a spaz. Now I know that when we are watching a video in class, it is OK for me to draw while listening. Weird, but it helps me focus.

In case you are also this way and need some tips, let me know, I have several.

Back to writing,

Normal (oh yeah!) Girl

Get Ready for Earth Day

I am giving you one day to select a new gadget to make you greener, just in time for earth day. You might choose this solar panel necklace. Chic and pretty. Guess you have to wear it outside all day and then you can light up its little lights at night at the party.

Solar powered lawn mower. I might like this. In Michigan, I could regularly say, "Oops can't cut the grass today, the sun hasn't been out in a week... lawnmower's dead."

Not solar powered, but green just the same. I think this is an example of an invention that cuts off its nose to spite its face.

Solar powered jacket. Not only does it keep you warm, but it can charge your cell phone for you.

This is the one item that I think has real potential. It is a cell phone charm. It is solar powered and you use it to charge your phone. I think that could be handy.

Happy Earth Day,

Normal Girl

The Final Week

I am in my final week of my final class (not counting thesis writing) of my graduate degree. There is a bit of overload happening in my brain, as I am trying to figure out how to prioritize the work I have (YAY!) and the 23432 assignments for my class.....and getting the grass cut.

So, in case I don't show up much here this week, you know why. I took a break this afternoon and read this blog, which usually makes me laugh. Today I laughed like was a hyena. I am sharing with you to make you smile while I am writing my final paper.

Warning. No eating or drinking while reading it, unless you like choking or spitting on your computer. Make sure to read the comments, they are as funny as the cakes.

At the end of the week, hopefully, you can say to me, "Yu dib it!"

I appricate you!

Normal Girl

Ring a Ding Ding

You might have noticed a trend this spring called Statement Rings. They are big, sometimes really big. This trend, like all trends, has been building up for a couple years. I bought this flower bead that sits on a interchangeable ring form a couple years ago. I have hardly worn it because when I got it home, it felt like it was huge...like everyone would be staring at it huge.

And not too long ago, I made this ring out of a bead I made. When I look at these two rings, I laugh now in light of the statement ring trend.

Could you really wear this? I guess you could if your job was to sit in a chair and let someone else do everything for you.

This is a Betsey Johnson. Her jewelry makes me smile.

Be on the lookout. See what kinds of statement rings you see. And if you want to make your own, you can buy a ring form and glue things onto it. Couldn't be easier.

After dinner tonight, I got out a roll of wire and the button box. I have been wondering what I might do with this gorgeous ceramic button!

And this is 4 plastic buttons stacked.

I think I will enjoy this trend while it lasts,

Normal Girl

Fritos Anyone?

This is a project I debated mightily. You remember I had some interest from a paint company to do a few projects. However interested they were, they were offering to pay about 2 cents an hour to do the projects. I nearly called it off, but in the end, after reading their letter again, I did it. They said after this, they would not pay 2 cents and hour. I hope that does not mean they are going to 1 cent an hour.

They sent me a terra cotta pot and saucer and said paint it. I did. I thought this would be cute on the picnic table holding Fritos. I don't know why Fritos are the thing, but that is what I thought.

I wanted to add the words of a song to my pot. I could only think of this one that had daisies in it. It is a bittersweet song about life long love and devotion. It's from the 70s. It is vintage!

Does it bring a tear?

Normal Girl

Black Bean Burger with THE Dressing

Remember the new love of my life? I know you went out and bought a case. Here is what I had for lunch today, it was so good!

• cook a black bean burger and melt some cheese on top (I used cheddar, but I think swiss would have been better)
• put it in a bun with avocado slices and THE dressing

Man, it was good.

Did I say it was good?

Normal Girl

Eat More Chicken

You have probably read here a couple times that I heart Chick-fil-A. I am grateful that there is not one close by. I am grateful that I can visit places that have Chick-fil-A. If you have never eaten Chick-fil-A, get in the car right now and find one.

Enjoy Tim Hawkins, I find him very funny,

Normal Girl

Make Your Own

I am working on a new product line for making your own jewelry. It is based on a modular assembly method. You buy small assembled sections and hook them together however you want to design your own jewelry. You will notice repeating pieces. Those are the pre-assembled sections.

It makes any of these pieces assemble-able in 15 minutes or less. You can also disassemble the pieces and redesign them for a new pieces of jewelry.

The configurations are infinite. OK, probably not infinite, but really a lot.

So, I am working on some samples.

Bracelets...

Necklaces...

Earrings... You could make a pair of earrings in a minute. Literally. You have to know only one technique and have one tool.

Thoughts? They will be helpful...

Normal Girl

Power to the People!

This video made me feel all activist! Power to the people! Does this make perfect sense to you? Why don't we all think like this? There is nothing more powerful than a grass roots movement.

Just think if a church or business or school organized something like this. We could, minimally, get food for the local homeless. And who knows what else? It would just take a little organizing and marketing. Seems pretty simple for a decent payoff.

I hope this movement spreads like wildfire,

Normal Girl

Defining the Terms

OK, the question has been raised. And I am glad. We need to know these things!

Is an item from 1965 allowed to be called vintage?

Here is a glossary of terms according to some research I did today. Of course, not everyone agrees on the exact number of years. But my answers reflect some kind of consensus across several "expert" opinions.

Contemporary: up to 15 years old

Retro: from the 1960s and 1970s

Vintage: at least 25 years old...unless you have a dress by a super famous couture designer like Halston. A dress of his that is 2 years old can be called vintage Halston. Yeah, not too confusing.

Antique: 100 years or older

Glad I am not an antique just yet,

Normal Girl