exciting places

Last year I celebrated my first anniversary in the Dirt Hole. I spent a majority of the day at Wally Martinos. In keeping with my odd tradition, I am once again located somewhat in the middle of nowhere and once again I went to a Walmart today. However, this time it was not to buy my husband a present (or another present, which was the case). This time it was to buy things the two room flat he's living in currently lacked.

At first, upon my arrival here in southern Oklahoma where he is doing the final leg of his training before we ship off to Alaska, I was appalled at the little flat they gave him to live in. However, after spending two days here I have come to realize it is not that bad. The bed is bad, but the rooms themselves would seem spacial to someone say in New York City. The bathroom is good sized and the closet is large. The bed still sucks and the kitchen sink is too small for the facet its got, but other than that its fine.

I am currently planning my winter line. I created a new purse design before I left to come here and am currently carrying it. With the exception that the strap is way to long, the bag is great. It is a large hobo type of bag. Pretty cool. I bought some plaid print corduroy and wound up using it for the prototype, as I usually carry the prototypes and I like plaid. The bag actually turned out better than I expected, well except I over judged the strap length. I wound up making a smaller version of the bag with the remaining material and was really pleased with the result. I have been making the drop on the bags I've been working on recently a lot longer to be able to wear over winter coats and such, but the strap on this new hobo is just a little long. Well, unless you want to throw it over your body like a messenger bag, which it works well for, especially in airports. I am thinking of calling the bag the Dublin Hobo and hopefully, once I arrive back home, I'll get cracking on making more! (If my mother isn't quilting up a storm again, lol.)

Now, while I am here, Halloween is going to happen. My puppy, Basil Dog, is at home with my parents. She, due to her barking at doorbells and simply freaking out at the people on the other side of the door, is going to have to spend the evening in the basement, as we live on a very popular street for trick o treaters. I did, though, buy Basil Dog a costume, even though she will not wear it as my mother won't put it on her. She'll wear it for Thanksgiving.

trying to get ahead

I've been sewing up a storm these past few days (when I haven't been filling in a large hole with rocks). I went out and bought winter material. I cannot wait to start on the new designs! We'll see how that goes. The winter material is a mix of winter patterns and what I deem as winter like colors (reds, blues and greens).

I ordered more makeup from Sephora. I did this for an array of reasons. One, I needed a new foundation. Two, I didn't feel like leaving the house.

I needed a new foundation. So I ordered Stila Sheer Color Tinted Moisturizer. I searched for days until I decided on it. I have really pale skin (especially since I left the Dirt Hole and am no longer assaulted by the sun daily) so finding a color is hard for me. Why? Because none are "pale" enough. I had my makeup done at the Dior counter once and they lady simply couldn't find a shade pale enough for me and I looked orange when I left (I also had about a gallon of mascara on, but I digress). So, I am always sort of iffy when buying new foundation. However, this stuff is AWESOME. Seriously. It totally rocks. It is sheer, but has enough coverage to cover up my flaws. Perfecto!

I also ordered Two Face's Natural Eye kit. It is also awesome. I've worn it almost every day. I usually opt for the Day eye, but have tested out the Classic. I've worn only one shade of the Fashion line up, but it is glitter crazy for night time, and I'm just not into glitter. But the Day eye is all matte, totally cool. I'm all ready looking into getting more of the Two Face palettes because they are just such a great deal.

The other things that came with my order were samples. I chose three, one was a face wash, one was a purfume sample and the other was another foundation that I had considered. The face wash, Fresh Soy Face Clenser To Go, rocked. I totally want to abanonded the face care line I've used the past three years for this one, but I can't bring myself to pay 15 bucks for some soap. The other sample, the perfume sample, totally won me over. It was Michael Kors Very Hollywood. Man, does it smell good. And I think it lasts all day (Unless you go into Victoria Secret and spend an hour wandering the store while they are pumping in their new sent Amber Velvet or what not).

I also went to the Sephora store in JCPenny's to buy blush. I didn't like the colors I had, so I wanted something new. I got new. I walked in, got HELPED right away and told the lady what I wanted. She did not try to overtly sell me anything I did not want and I was out of there in ten minutes smiling with my small bag of Sephora brand blush (which was where she found me, she didnt' try to sell me an expensive one, just the Sephora brand) and another perfume sample, this one for Gucci Flora. I wore it the day after I got it. Basil Dog sniffed me all day. I guess she liked it?

Well, that is all the makeup reviews I have for the moment.

Books in Ten Sentances or Less

1. The Other Boyln Girl, by Phillipa Gregory - This book was awesome. I enjoyed the characters and how Mary evolved throughout the book. I liked how the book hinted at scandal and for the first time a book I liked ended when I felt it should end. I always had a mixed perception of who Ann Boyln was and I felt this book gave her a portrayal that was believable.

2. The Boyln Inheritance, by Phillipa Gregory - This book did not hold my attention as The Other Boyln Girl, but it was interesting nonetheless. I did find the take on the two queens, Anne of Cleves and Katherine Howard interesting. However, the character that was truly interesting was Jane Boyln, as what she did for the "family" and her own hide were what really drove the book. It angering the rate at which the Howard and Boyln families were willing to sacrifice its women in their quest to be related to a king.

3. The Virgin Queen, by Phillipa Gregory - I went on a Gregory kick. This book was good for it investigated and fictionalized the events between Lady Dudley and Lord Dudley. I liked how the twists in the book happened and that poor Amy was the only one never plotting and all she wanted was a simple life, yet even when she was resigned to have one, she could not for the situation she found herself in did not allow it because she was a women. Also, it is always nice to see the loser guy screwed over in the end by a woman.

4. Kane and Able by Jeffery Archer - AWESOME BOOK! It is a huge book, but totally awesome. The book follows two very boys and their journeys to become life enemies. One boy leads a very tragic life, but comes out stronger for it, while the other lives a privileged life, but it is still stained with tragedy. The book follows them as their paths cross and spite leads one to charge the other with the death of his friend, leading to a life long grudge fest that only ends when one dies, then the other finds out how he really helped him out and become the rich man he became. It is a really great book, especially if you like books told from two points of view and over long periods of time.

5. Twenties Girl by Sophia Kinsella - While I adore Kinsella for all she is and writes, this book did not hold my interest like her other books. I am not sure if I simply wasn't in the right mind set or wasn't in for the predictable nature of chick lit, but something wasn't right. The premise of the story, ghoast haunts down on her luck girl, seemed great when I read the jacket cover, but I just did not fall in love with the book as I have done with all Kinsella's other book. I will read it again, as maybe I am just all read out a the moment?

6. Baby Proof by Emily Griffin - Pretty good book. Was an interesting concept, as the fact the lead female character doesnt' want a child leads to a divorce from her husband. The book deals with self discovery through the fact everyone around her wants kids, but she knows she doesn't want one in the least. Even as she explores the reasons she doesn't' want a child of her own, she comes to realize that her love for her ex-husband trumps the fact she is afraid to have a child of her own. Good book and good topic to explore in a chick lit book I thought.

MIA for a little too long

I've been so bad lately keeping this updated, right after I made a promise to keep it updates. Oops.

So, what have I been up to?

Not making purses. I've stared at fabric a lot lately, itching to buy, but in all honesty I haven't made a single purse for awhile now, mostly due to my mother's quilting. There is just no room for me in the work room...tragic. Hopefully, I'll be able to get in there after she finishes the quilt for my brother. So, instead of making purses, I've decided to create a new line for winter. While I love the bags I make, it is getting somewhat tiresome (which might be why I haven't made any lately) so I need a new challenge. I've been brain storming lately trying to come up with new designs. I'm going to find a notebook and sketch out a few ideas. I guess I am looking for a challenge. I need to make some new patterns and some new fabric. If only I was made of money, lol.

In other news, my husband visited me for a few days last week and we went to Indiana to visit his family. The dog got all messed up by this and the fact her boy returned home. Now she's a complete idiot again. Today she peed in my parents bedroom right at my mom's feet. After we'd taken her outside like 8 times since she had gotten up and she never went. She'd do some sniffing then go to the door to return inside. She spent most of yesterday sitting in the front window, waiting for her boy to return to her. She is rather pathetic. She's been not eating when she will go potty and eating when she wont' go potty. Oi.

In other news, my husband and I are at odd on how to reach Alaska. To say the least, it'll be an interesting journey.

I've been doing a lot of reading as of late. I've turned into this reading machine. I read a lot of books and I will be doing some book reviews, as almost all of them were wildly good and I enjoyed them all. I just finished "Twenties Girl" by Sophie Kinsella. Yesterday I finished "Kan & Able." So good. OMG. I think tomorrow I will take a break from reading and write those out.

Well, that is pretty much it for now. Fall is in full swing here and my nose has set itself to rebel against me during the season I so love.