Southern California Speed Vacation

I've been starving for a vacation with all of the work and life stresses as of late. Between the ongoing house renovation finances pulling in one direction, and the work unhappiness pulling in the opposite direction, the best one can do is plow forward as best as possible. Hubby was also embroiled in the completion of the house, and our marriage has been strained through these changes. I decided the best I could do is plan a girls trip close, but far away.

Just so happened that one of my friends was flying into Los Angeles for a work event and I conveniently had another friend, whom I haven't seen in years, residing in L.A. as well. It was a nice time, in between the stressful holidays to escape even just for a little bit of time.

'Ousted' in Venice Beach. Maybe it was the time of the year, and the fact that we stopped by around sunset on a cool evening, but Venice Beach was initially not a shockingly crazy as I was hoping for. The top memories for me were the plethora of graffiti art objects, even the palm trees, as you can see far left. As a fan of detailed, colorful and/or thought-provoking graffiti and stencil art, I was loving it. My friend and I had a bottle of champagne and walked along the shops. Saw a guy riding the LONGEST long board that I've ever seen. A stranger passed by and yelled at the long boarder, "you must be trying to compensate for something!" Ah, that's the Venice Beach I was looking for!

After visiting my friend, I met up with some other friends for lunch in Manhattan Beach. I arrived early so I killed time by walking around on the beach and pier. Watching surfers connect with the waves. Entranced. I ducked into a couple of shops and to my surprise, I almost *literally* ran into Vince Vaughn! (I was completely surprised given that earlier in the day I walked for several miles along Melrose Avenue and spotted no one.) Most of the patrons were gawking and pointing him out to their companions in the shop. I went on my merry way, trying not to ogle at him. I'm sure celebrities are sick of it.

I picked up my other friend who flew to the area for work and we hit the road south. The first night we stayed in Dana Point. To our surprise, a killer holiday event was in progress. The walk down to the harbor was decorated with lights. We picked a random seafood restaurant, Wind and Sea, and sat outside. I drank the best Mai Tai (or two) and we watched numerous boats float by decked out with holiday light decorations. It was such a chill, fun night. I think I caught my maritime bug here!

We went onward toward San Diego after walking around in killer San Juan Capistrano. The sun was setting as we were driving, so we exited toward Oceanside and parked quickly to walk out on the pier. This little pelican didn't give a damn about the many people walking past. He was on a mission to steal the fisherman's fresh catch. Pictured here is this little gypsy creepily staring at the fisherman (not pictured.)

The sunset was a story teller. It changed colors many times. At times it was cloudier, and other times it was brighter. Coming from a landlocked area, it was pure heaven to watch the sun slowly descend, with the clouds dancing around it, and the waves singing below. Gosh, I needed this.

The next night we stayed in La Jolla, and we did a bit of everything. Drank microbrew, shopped, ate and hiked the nice long pathway that runs along the coastline. The whole time I was walking along the coastline with my friend, gawking at the beautiful houses, I thought how lucky these residents are! I suppose the grass is greener, but I thoroughly enjoyed the peaceful expansive views. We also watched the seals sunbathing, cuddling and getting fussy with one another. I could have watched the seals all day. What interesting creatures they are.

The last night we stayed in San Diego, specifically in Point Loma. This is a view from the point toward San Diego at sunrise. Sailboats mooring close by. The marina was on the other side of the point. I again fell in love with the maritime life, and couldn't wait to tell my husband about my interest in this lifestyle. My husband is itching to sail someday. Someday...

The Southern Cali Speed Vacation, as I put it, was definitely the swaddling blanket I needed as of late. I felt a resurgence of blood in my body and feeling in my soul. Perhaps the waters' force had something to do with it. Perhaps it was getting away from it all. Or, maybe, it was the change in routine. The best recommendation for a this quick trip, is the connection to animals in their natural environment. I can't stress that enough with today's commercialization of animals. Otherwise, the views don't hurt either! Make a quickie out of Southern California if pressed for time. You won't regret it.

Happy Holidays--Turkey Slumber

Happy Thanksgiving! Pre- or Post-Turkey slumber and all!

My new favorite vase, courtesy of Anthropologie

Wreathing Around

Much of the US has received much colder weather temperatures by now, thanks to Super Typhoon Nuri pushing the arctic air southbound.

This snuggly weather combined with the looming holidays ahead had me in the mood to decorate. Yet, I'm not mentally prepared to surround our home with all things Christmas. Let's just take each holiday one step at a time, okay?

As you know from my previous posts, I'm a sucker for door wreaths. I grabbed my basic vine wreath (that I use for every occasion) and wrapped it for warmth with burlap. 

I decided that leaving the frayed end hanging looked pretty neat. To retain my wreath's many looks, I fastened the burlap with a safety pin in the back, as it strong yet impermanent. 

Now, a turkey is needed for this Thanksgiving wreath. I had a piece of this pretty laser-cut card stock from a wedding I attended last year. *I know, I have a hoarding problem!*

The "lace" portions of the card stock looked like turkey feathers to me. They just need a bit of a re-arrangement. 

Glue together. I used hot glue because of its strength and speediness. 

I left the pointy portions of the paper alone, since I imagined them as turkey legs. I cut a free-handed circle and glued on as the bodice. Sometimes imperfection is best. The button topped off as its head--holes make the eyes. I'm going for abstract here.

My little pretty turkey needed a beak. I went through my craft supplies and found an orange feather and cut the base of the quill for use of the beak, gluing on of course.

This little turkey cost me nothing! Zero. Zilch. This wreath didn't cost me a dime. I utilized items I already own and love the challenge of creating something new each season. 

Now, to complete the wreath, I pinned in a cluster of cranberries (that I have had forever) and hung a sweet starburst ornament we bought last year for our mid-century home. Little Miss Turkey found herself a spot too. She was attached with floral wire.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Spooktaculous!

Gearing up for Halloween...favorite time of year! Nothing like creatively re-mixing your existing Halloween decorations to look like something different each year! You will see from my previous posts (here, here, and here) the Cheapskate methodology. Here's a snapshot of this year's simple spooky ensemble. I haven't had much time to devote to getting too creative, and in times like that, simple is better.

Primate death by branch

A gothic glam entry way

Sugar skull figures from last year's Dia de los Muertos party, sizing each other up on the dining table

My favorite skull-arachnid-pirate thingy, waiting for unsuspecting victims at our front porch

Beautifully whimsical spooky cookie platters at my favorite bakery *yum*

The Floods of Current Affairs in Job Hunting

Hi folks. I've dropped off the radar for some time now. Hubby and I have been extremely busy with buttoning up all of the small and numerous projects on our stucco remodel. I will be posting updates on how that's coming along soon.

The other underlying facet of my absence has something to do with job misery. Unfortunately, we need jobs to pay for our bills, but it can feel like a penitentiary when you loathe what you do every day, and you hit the glass ceiling years ago. When the situation gets that bad, it can really affect our health, creativity and social lives. I can vouch that I have been head-deep into this "flood" and can't figure out how to get out.

Most of my free time has been wasted allocated to applying for new jobs, or cleaning the house in order to try to clear my head and soul from the icky feeling my job leaves me in at the end of the day. What's worse is the lack of response I receive after sending out my meticulously crafted resumes and cover letters--which, mind you, take hours to complete per job application. Why must we introduce ourselves on paper? Why are we overlooked simply because we cannot seem to sell ourselves in the exact way that the employer is looking for?

I know the majority of the population feels the same frustration. I ended up writing an applicant cover letter about how I really feel. I can't succumb to this marketplace prostitution any longer!

Apart from the painful crafting of resumes and letters to tailor to each job, I have on countless occasions logged into a company's website to apply for a position, and they want my social security number off the bat! In fact, they force you to enter it and if you don't...well, you cannot submit your application. One company was seeking it for the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC), which I can bet I'm not part of their target group, so no sense on hiring me! And should I be that hard up to willy-nilly give out my social security number so that big box employer can find out everything about me before they even decide if I'm fit for the job? What kind of nation are we? 

It's been years since I've been on the job market, but something has dramatically shifted. It has shifted toward benefiting the companies and not the people. I cannot tolerate these new requests that put my identity and privacy in jeopardy. I'd love to hear from you on your job application experiences, not only getting through hours of CV and letter crafting, but especially encountering online applications that fall into the gray "unlawful" category.

Afternoon Quickie

It's been hot here in Texas, and I've been finding myself retreating indoors as of late. The house has seen itself rearranged and well cleaned. The internet hours are overused. And Netflix is getting a run for its money.

After all, summer programming is a bore and I'm always outside during the fall and winter season. So here I am, getting pulled into shows on Netflix that I never thought that I would watch. One of those shows is "The New Girl."

There's no doubt that Zooey Dachenel has pretty cool throwback style. She brings out her fashion style with her character, Jessica Day, which is part of the fun in watching the show. One episode in particular had me craving this adorable adorned neckline sweater.

Of course there wasn't any possible way I could have THAT sweater. However, when there is a will, there's a way. I could have a VARIATION of THAT sweater....

I hit pause and began to dig around in my dresser and craft box.

Basic tee. Yep. 

Jewels. Nah. 

Permanent marker. That might work. It's fast too. 

And so my road to instant gratification began. 

Marker ink bleeds so it's generally a good idea to use a partition such as a cardboard box or Manila folder. Clip that tee into place. No sliding is allowed when creating with a steady hand. 

I drew the bow on similar to how Jess's sweater was designed. The pointillism technique almost looks like stitching or embroidery. 

Wham. Bam. Thank you. Ma'm. A cute tee in a quickie. Thank you Netflix. How serendipitous was that?!?

Dog Days of Summer

Teachers. We've had them in grade school. But it doesn't stop there. As adults, we continue to meet and connect with others who teach us about ourselves. Growing and learning are mutual. Without teachers, we would be stuck in a non-beneficial pattern. Perhaps you might have several teachers in your life right now, without realizing it.

Hubby is my teacher. My family members are my teachers. Our friends are my teachers. Even random strangers I have interacted with fleetingly have taught me something. Working from home has been challenging since my human interaction has waned significantly. Computers don't teach. They cause aggravation if anything. At the end of day, sometimes I need to scream.

However, I have discovered that there is one little living being that I spend the most time with, who is also my teacher...my dog. Each day, she provides to me an intrinsic connection to mother nature during these hot days holed up inside the house. She is my little reminder to live each day to its fullest. She reflects love and devotion. She enforces the sensory aspect of life. She is balanced.

What my dog has taught me:

1) Follow your nose and your eyes. Breathe in and truly look at your surroundings each day. 

2) Sunbathe no matter how hot it is! A dose of sun does wonders for the body. 

3) Explore...Always be curious. 

4) Continuously love, no matter how imperfect the object of your affection may be.

5) Exercise each day. It makes you calmer. 

6) Make time to goof around and play no matter what your age.

7) Equally make time for naps. 

8) If you find yourself near negative or unstable people/environments, just leave.
9) Remain devoted to your pack, but seek some time alone when needed.
10) Enjoy food as if it were your last meal. Do this every day.
11) Make new friends, always.

12) Cuddle with your favorite person.
13) Be you, and only you. 

14) Enjoy where you are and who you are with at this very moment. It could all change someday.