Daisy Janie

vintage treasures, 1 of 5

This week I'll be posting about vintage treasures that I like, that I have on-hand, that I've seen around, that were passed down from grandparents...little bit of everything!

To start things off... I was going to wait until I had this chair rehabbed and recovered to show you a before & after, but, since Kim at True Up is featuring yummy bark cloth this week, I'm bustin' it out for you now.
I was looking for a sitting chair to recover - clean lines and *hopefully* a mid-century, modern feel were my requirements. Hit the jackpot for $85. AND it rocks - literally, it rocks back and forth. It seems a little too much as Jack flipped over backwards one time - thank goodness for hard heads. The lady at the antique shop was aghast that I would recover this chair. Hmm. I like the pattern, but it's a bit worn and we'd like to use it not just look at it. What do you think? Maybe I could salvage the fabric for another project. You'll be seeing this one again...

Loving these dots bowls from Hazel-Atlas Glass Co., circa 1950. Once the largest glass manufacturer in the world.

Love the immediate call to another time & place with these atomic / sputnik patterns.

Audrey Hepburn, where are you? I found your glasses! Too, too, too cool!!! I think Nicole Balch from Pink Loves Brown and Making It Lovely should have these!! She would look great!

timtex substitute

If you're in need of a Timtex substitute for your sewing projects, I have a heavyweight interfacing for sale in my Daisy Janie etsy shop that will work very well for you! It's a non-woven, non-fusible stabilizer that will be rigid but shapeable. Great for fabric handbags or little fabric containers!

27.5" wide by 36" long for $3.25.
I have about 100 yds - if you need more, let me know.

I was sorry to hear that Timtex is now defunct. I haven't used their signature interfacing in about 3 years, so I was late on the news. I found this excellent substitute interfacing (not a mainstream item) when my volumes picked-up, and Timtex's retail price was far too expensive to use ongoingly on this scale. I'm all about the profit margins (wink, wink Michelle!!).

spoonflower verdict

Here she is - this is Audrey in her bright, jewel-tone colorway - direct from Spoonflower. This was the design I submitted to determine quality, color translation, and ground cloth suitability.  Overall, I am extremely pleased with all of these attributes! They did a very professional job, and I am certain I will find applications for it in my work. I do have a big idea brewing for which it will be perfectamundo!

The only issue with the printed yardage had to do with my own stupid oversight!!! So mad at myself. I was a bit hasty in getting this repeat tiled, I was tired, I was overconfident (how many times have I done this?!). Still, I'm not above the law, and I completely missed this misaligned tile. See below. Urgh. It's a little more than a misalignment, but I won't get into the technical details here. Bottom line is that, while I do most of my creative work on my laptop , computer-generated artwork is not foolproof, and the element of real, human involvement can lead to beautiful outcomes as well as expensive mistakes.

Spoonflower Kim offered to re-run this print - a very kind, professional gesture. But, it's my error, not theirs. So I guess I'll be selling 9" x 9" squares of this nummy fabric!

pretty print

Just rec'd this pretty print from the now-gone-but-not-forgotten Modish shoppe. Thank you, Jena, for having such great taste!

Pattern Town
by Jennifer Judd-McGee
available at her shop, Swallowfield

I love all the colors, textures and movement. What do you think?

bite-sized pieces

Put a batch of smaller fabric pieces in the oven my etsy shop today. I get them confused with baked delights b/c they are cute enough to eat! These are 13" wide x 9" high, and they'll be flying off the shelves at $6.00 each (right? right.)

I've had these as well as pieces that are 13" x 18" since freaking Art Star a month ago, no lie. I will get the latter into the shop tomorrow.

June has been something of a trial here. What with continuing to work for the hospital from home, the tree falling, my parents visiting, a mini-mountain retreat, the elation of a dear friend's baby's birth, and the sadness of another dear friend's father passing away - it's been an odd, disconnected month all the way around that has somehow left me feeling more centered than ever. Priorities rise to the top when you're dealt perspective. I've said that a time or two before, but it's so true. If you're willing to see it and let it in.

Why is it that I can't ever post a simple update here without getting all mushy? I try......

More updates and goodies coming in July! Hope all is well!
Peas and sauer kraut.
Jan

inspired by ~ hatpins

When antiquing recently with my vintage-style savvy mom, there were quite a few things I ogled and she really had to pry me away. These old hatpins were definitely amongst the "you're drooling on the glass, dear" things. I have no idea why hatpins, of all things - I just turned the corner and, whamo, I was stuck in place for 10 minutes. The colors, the shapes, the delicateness, the detail, the unexpected - and especially the imagery called forth when you see an item that in itself is a time stamp. Oh, that gets me every time! I'm such an eclectic when it comes to style - I cannot be pinned down! Too much to love from every decade (pre-1980).  I love imagining how old things were used, who used them, what kind of lives they had, where they lived, particularly objects so specifically representative of women. So incredibly fascinating to me. (Did I ever tell you I'd love to be Laura Ingalls Wilder's best friend?) Did you know there's an American Hatpin Society? For real.

Here at 1515, my current fabric collection is called the "Damsel Collection." I couldn't get these women's names from bygone eras out of my head b/c of this crazy fascination, so I just made list after list of ladies' names. When a fabric was finished, I scanned the list until I found a match (except for Bloom and Daisy). I didn't label the collection outside my house b/c I didn't want to pigeonhole myself into designing only "collections" per se. Too confining, and I didn't like it when I tried it before. I would rather just keep designing new fabrics and adding them to the family, like a neverending story. I've questioned my logic on this a few times, and I am sticking to it. I promised myself 2008 would be the year of trusting my instincts. And, for whatever reason, when I saw these hatpins, I thought of the "Damsels" I had created, the ones in the works and the inspiration for damsels to come - and I knew that was the right decision. For me. For now. (Until 2009 rolls around, and I'm permitted to second-guess myself again!!) Mwa ha ha ha ha!!! (I also almost changed my business name to Toto Design Studio....that instinct was not trusted.)

sugar mountain

I'm not a Neil Young fan, but this mountain retreat was sweet so it seemed like an appropriate name. We ventured to the High Peaks area of the Adirondacks - a range we haven't visited previously. It was absolutely gorgeous!

1) The cabin backed up to the Au Sable River. Bit of fog here but still magical. Skipped some rocks, waded in the water, made mud pies, sat on a rock, watched mosquitos buzz. I stared at the ripples and waves formed as the water moved around each rock - fabric design #1.
2) Ring o fire. I stared and stared at the flames that whipped and disappeared into thin air, casting glows of technicolor rainbows - fabric design #2.
3) Hiked up to the top of Hurricane Mountain, which afforded panoramic views of almost the entire range. It was extremely windy on the bald-faced top, fitting of its name and reputation. 5-miles round trip, with a 2000' elevation gain. Jack trudged on and on and on with us (dogs too), and when we got to the top - he was completely amazed at the vista. He said, "Now I know why you wanted to get to the top." Yes, dear boy, there will be many more of those treks in your lifetime.
4) Visited Lake Placid, NY to see the Olympic Center. You can take a bobsled ride that travels partway down the Olympic track, but it didn't open for 2 more days!!! Pisser.

Doesn't it look like we're cut and pasted onto this backdrop? This is the top of Whiteface Mtn., the 4th highest peak in NY at 4867' and the site of the skiiing events for the 1980 Winter Olympics. We snaked our way to the top on the Memorial Highway - a very deceiving name - it's an 8-mile, 2-lane road that you don't dare look over the edge of...lest you want to spit-up. BUT, the top grants magnificent views in all directions. Hello Burlington VT! Hello Montreal! Unbelievable!!!

with gratitude

Just got back from the mini-mountain vaycay! It was glorious, needed and re-centering. I will share pics tomorrow!

While it was nice just to get home today, it was even nicer to find a couple of blog mentions waiting for me when I arrived. Yay! It means more than you know to see my fabrics out there in the world, enjoying themselves and being noticed and appreciated! It makes the 24/7 obsession worthwhile (well, that and sales, of course!)
- Design for Mankind (thank you, Erin!!!)
- i heart fabric

to that cabin or bust

As you read this, we're on our way to this pretty little cabin in the woods! 2 acres of wooded land, all amenities, dogs are allowed, overlooks a scenic river, close to hiking....and a hammock - do you see it?! We bought Matt a hammock for his birthday in April, thinking we could use the gone-but-not-forgotten cherry tree as an anchor. Not to be. But I've had a hammock on the brain ever since! Totally jonesin' for a hammock! Does anyone say jonesin' anymore? Better yet, have you heard the terminology chillax? Do you think "chillaxing" will stand the test of time? I think Jack's kids are going to pee their pants when they hear their Dad say, "I'm just chillaxin' with some TV." (Wouldn't it be scary if "TV" isn't even used anymore when our kids are parents - I mean the word, not the object - tho that would be blimey, too.) Stream of consciousness is done! Did you follow?

See you next week!!

PA Dutch folk art tablecloths

For the past 2 weeks, Kim from True Up has been featuring wonderful, whimsical and symmetrical fabrics that have their roots in PA Dutch folk art. Living in southeastern PA, these types of designs - and everything else PA Dutch - are inescapable. Chicken pot pie, "throw the cow over the fence some hay" and lots of other PA Dutch-ese is pretty thick here, too.

When I was antiquing yesterday, I came across lots of folk art stuff - but I really liked these 2 tablecloths. And after having seen True Up's featured fabrics, I began to see this art form in a completely different light! I guess the fish is the last one to see the water! I am much more appreciative of the balance, harmony, artistry and light-hearted symbols of hearth and home. What do you think?

known simply as "vera"

Went with my mom to a few antique shops today in Adamstown PA, which is an area pretty well-known for antiques. {Trivia: Ralph Lauren's crew has been known to travel down here looking for photo shoot props.} I was looking for a couple of things in particular and actually made out very well! But today's post is not about that mumbo jumbo; I will post about that next week. I found another treasure that I'm bursting to share right now.

You might recall that I'm *slightly* enamored with textiles, and one of my all-time fave designers is Vera Neumann. I featured Poppy Cotton on Scoutie Girl in March of '07, who was using mostly Vera fabrics for her home decor pieces. Heart be still. I thought it was amazing that she could find so many vintage Vera pieces - and I was secretly jealous b/c I wanted them all! Well, today was my lucky day!

I found this vintage Vera, linen teatowel in *mint* condition as I unassumingly strolled through the first shop. It was in a pile of other linens - in a basket - on the floor - with only a little corner peeking out. No matter, I saw it and I knew straight away what it was! And I knew it was coming home with me. I fell in mad, mad love, before confirming that the Vera insignia was there with her little ladybug, too! The colors, the design, the energy. So cool. I will do nothing but keep it by my side for inspiration and motivation, for now. If you have any other ideas let me know- cannot involve cutting! What have you unexpectedly found at an antique shop, flea market or garage sale? What did you do with it?

P.S. I paid $4 for this small delight. Wait til you see what else I scored - next week!

i love you, but you stink

So, I had 100,000,000 dog hairs to vacuum yesterday before my parents arrived. I think I got 'em all, but I'm certain George dropped at least 10/second whilst I vacuumed just to taunt me.  Ferdnick.

HOW TO REDUCE VACUUM ODOR:
Sometimes the "odor de dog" that wafts out of the vacuum is noxious. Here's a trick to keep it to a minimum: We keep extra air filters on-hand (buy from Depot or Lowe's), and I cut a new piece to fit in the vacuum about every 5th run. Each time I vacuum, I take the air filter out, wash it and rinse it with Mrs. Meyer's All-Purpose Cleaner. I squeeze the filter out but don't dry it. Then I wrap a dryer sheet around it. And, most important, I change the vacuum bag every time I vacuum so I don't get the musty smell of week-old dog hair fighting my efforts to get the house looking and smelling fresh as a daisy. (The bag fills up fast with these 2 sillyheads in the house anyway!)

numbers game

• 5 - average number of hours I sleep
• 13.4 - real age according to this calculator (I might have been a prepubescent 10 y.o. if I could manage more sleep!) What's yours? Leave a comment.
• 77 - bags I have to sew in the next few weeks
• 23 - items at #1 on my list of things-to-do, including the above and below
• 8 - Scoutie Girl posts I have to write before the next item
• 6 - days until we leave for the Adirondacks
• 5 - days I'll be without a computer or sewing machine
• 17 - red efts we saw hiking this morning
• 1 - red-sided flat millipedes we saw (don't look at this if bugs gross you out!)
• 0 - snakes we saw (bummer)
• lots - amount of wildlife I hope to see while in the Adirondacks
• lots - amount of hiking I hope we do
• 2 - days until my parents arrive to visit
• 3 - nights they will be here
• 9 - rooms to clean before they arrive
• 100,000,000 - dog hairs to vacuum in those rooms
• not a lot - amount of posting I'll be doing here in the next few days
• 2 - number of the most fabulous fathers in the world, my own and my husband!

what will the verdict be?

I just uploaded the bottom-left design to Spoonflower. It's the Audrey design, in a smaller scale and in her 2nd colorway (I shared Bloom in her other colorway here). I also added a background of Madame, but you can't see it here.

Audrey went through 4 strike-offs, and one of them was smaller and included Madame in the background - but in that darker palette, it was a no-go. I'm anxious to see if it works here. I also left blank space for the ground cloth to show through, which none of my previous designs has ever included. That's exciting, too!

Over the past 3 years, I have printed other designs on cotton sateen, pinpoint cotton, and cotton/linen but never straight-up cotton. Spoonflower uses Kona cotton by Robert Kauffman - I love Kona!!! In fact, I use it as the lining in my handbags. A little $$$ for linings, but I like it a lot and no other broadcloth as held up the way I think it should. It'll be great for pillows but not sure what a handbag will be like. Have you used a lighter, quilters' weight cotton to make a handbag? What was it like?

cicada studio rocks!

Look, look, look at all these eye-catching, pretty items! The best 9" x 7" envelope I've ever rec'd! Michelle Engel Bencsko, the incredible talent behind Cicada Studio, recently sent these lovelies along when we traded some fabric. She had her eye on this fabric of mine, and I absolutely had been sizing up this design and this design of hers. My secret favorite item in the package (you know I'm always all about the 'secret fave') is that little envelope with the rose-colored circles she handmade for her business cards! Wowie zowie, was that ever a nice touch!

Her design and packaging are clean and fresh, and they all synthesize nicely to underscore her perfectionist tendencies (that's a good thing!).  She's a rising star and a fabulous textile-designing and blogging friend! Can't wait to see what she comes up with next! Thanks Michelle!!

14 years and going strong

June 11, 1994 was a very, very, very rainy day! And I've heard rain on your wedding day can be good luck.

I took that rainy-lucky-crazy-old-wives'-tale and stuck it in my pocket. Coupled with a bit of understanding, personal growth, hard work, TLC and a lot of laughter, we've had nothing but sunny days ever since!

Oddly, I cannot locate a wedding picture - so this prom pic (omg) from 1987 will have to do. What little babies we were! Young, yes, but boy oh boy, were we in love from the word go! There's not a day that goes by that I don't look at this man and thank my lucky stars (and rainy days) for him and everthing about him!

*This 2008 pic was taken when some photographer at the fundraiser I mentioned here snapped it as he was walking by. Matt had just won this fedora by throwing a quarter into it! More luck...

P.S. Today it is only raining sawdust. Looks like it will be a 3 or 4 day job! Holy cow.
P.P.S. The background is a fabric called Starburst that I had printed, but the colors bled too much...maybe another day.

when the bough breaks

If you've been one of the lucky 10 people who've been reading this blog since last year, you might remember the post about our beloved cherry tree. It has been a banner year for the cherries -  I cannot believe this 100-year-old tree still bears fruit! It's truly amazing. It's the last marker of a time when this neighborhood was an orchard sooo long ago (our house was built around 1910-1914). I have been taking pics for a few weeks to share with you. Here are the cherries going from green to bright red - they are about 15 ft off the ground so we've never been able to pick them:

Sadly, this gorgeous tree will see the end of its years today. Yesterday, at 6:30 in the morning, a massive bough crash-landed on our neighbors' garage. The last picture I took on this camera is the one on the left below, when it was still intact 2 days ago. The one on the left is from yesterday morning.
I heard this wild rustling like a bear going through the branches and then a HUGE thud - as it landed square in the middle of their garage roof, just missing the chimney. No wind, no rain. Just dropped. The day before, my neighbor and his daughter were in that EXACT spot, trimming the privet hedge that separates our yards. Both dogs are always in that nook, too, as they tree squirrels every chance they get. We are so lucky it wasn't another limb, or it would have landed on one of our homes!

The structural integrity is lost, and a strong storm could send the rest of it down. We had a portable sawmill person come look at it last night, thinking that getting some wood planks out of it would be the silver lining (and defray the major, unplanned expense for which insurance does not cover). But he can't get in with his boom, and it's not the right kind of cherry (sweet cherry is not desirable; wild cherry is). He gave us a mini-education about planks from straight limbs vs. angled: angled limbs yield warped planks b/c the cellular structure is inconsistent (cells on top are stretched, cells on bottom are compressed). Did you know that? Love, love, love learning new things.

We will have them leave a 3-ft. stump that we can chip into a bench or add wrought iron to for a bench backing...who knows? My neighbor is using his big limb for firewood. They are here cutting now - will take 2 days. It's about 65 ft tall and 4 ft in diameter - poor old girl. It's a sad, sad day for us.... (and this is how I started my first full day of my first full week of self-employment).

it's bloomin' elemental

It's been interesting to see which of the 12 fabrics would rise to the top in popularity. Bloom is just nudging out Audrey for first, followed closely by Lulu, Maxie and Layla. (They are all my babies, and I love them equally - each one has its strengths and places where its strengths are best suited - just like children.) I thought you might like to see some of the paths they took before their final form. I'll start with Bloom, since she's Mrs. Popularity (she is married you know).

Below is the final Illustrator version on the left and the final printed version on the right:

I created another, brighter colorway for all 12 of the fabrics at one point, and the design on the left is Bloom in a more lively light. On the right is a cluster repeat that sort of looks like the beginnings of a tufted wool rug to me. Hmm, there's an idea. Bloom's basic element started with the "quotation mark" shapes. (Every element in my designs comes from a hand-drawn doodle or sketch first - I don't use any pre-fab brushes, shapes or silhouettes. I make my own. I've mentioned this before, and I still think it's akin to cheating.)

Back to some other renditions that didn't make the first cut. On the left, a simple oversized vertical repeat. On the right, the first makings of what Bloom would become. Secretly love this one.
These are all designs that I would consider for future runs, with some minor tweaking here and there - colors in particular.

***All designs are the copyrighted property of Jan DiCintio / Daisy Janie. Besides, copying is so totally not cool.***

for the love of a sharpie

What do you do when you're waiting for software to install? I grab scratch paper and let the doodles flow. If you look closely enough, you'll see the black print from the front - a Nursing Week flyer from a stack left outside the hospital cafeteria - where I no longer go b/c I'm working from home! Yahoooo. (Sorry, Holly, you know I love you dearly. And look what happened to your pretty flyer! You're still part of the daily process at Daisy Janie!)

This is a typical doodle for me (remember this handpainted mirror?). And it's very "design within reach." I happened to have a jarful of Jack's Crayola pencils sitting nearby, and the sharpie with the dual-tipped ends is never more than an arm's length away. It's kind of pod-ish, kind of conch shell-ish, kind of leaf-ish. All elements of pure fascination for me. Very feminine.

I will disect this design in Illustrator over the next few days and reconfigure it into a fabric design. I have another pod like design that's awaiting a similar treatment. They might have to be friends.

can you see my sidebars?

can you see my sidebars? I can't see them. Trying to figure out what I did that made them disappear. If you can see them, what internet browser are you using?

art star update

All in all, Art Star was a great show! I sold out of just about all of my older models - thank goodness. I wasn't ready to harvest them for parts, but they took up an overwhelming amount of physical and figurative space in my life. (i.e. dead weight holding the fresh ideas back!) It's amazing how quickly items become an impulse purchase when price is not a variable.

Saturday was crazy with weather off and on. I practically cannibalized the decision-making center in my brain trying to decide if I should even attempt to make the trek. Weather reports were all bad, but the sun was out when I woke up and I decided to give it a try. Matt followed me down and had only planned to help me get set-up before heading home. (It's been 2 years since my last tent show, and I was worked up b/c of my lack of prep time.) So, we're set-up, making some sales (thank you Lisa, Lisa's mom and Lisa's friend for the first few!), and the first crack of thunder sounds...complete downpour. Plastic goes on, clamps go on. Now here comes the lightning. And shoppers scatter. After a full 1-1/2 hours, we packed up and went home. Slept for 2 hours that afternoon without moving - that hasn't happened in years!

Sunday was beautiful, and I drove back down. (Coldplay's X&Y cd is the exact length of the drive from my door to Penn's Landing - little factoid.) Many shoppers, many sales that day. Made a contact with a gift wrap printer/owner who was interested in my designs! Also had a few shoppers who said they couldn't wait to see my fabrics in person, some who were bummed I didn't have the pillows, some who were stunned by the fact that I designed the whole lot from fabrics to handbags - and sewed them, too. That always cracks me up b/c they seriously think it's like a magic trick - how could you possibly do that? Where did you learn it (self-taught)? How this, how that?! I think, as designers, we become so intensely immersed and engrossed in our work and that of our peers that we forget how truly amazing it really is! Getting a little bit of that perspective back is priceless.

That said, I don't want to do a show again anytime soon. Tho, I know it's like giving birth - you forget how bad it really was! I was mildly envious of vendors who had lightweight, simple displays with jewelry, stationery or artwork. From the word go, my stuff is a back-breaker. I forgot to pack the dolly TWICE and had to unpack the car to fit it in. I didn't get the nickname "trucker mouth" for nothing! And I do not like dirty hands fondling my hard work over and over and over again- which creates unnecessary wear & tear. Especially kids with Italian Ice or lollipops - don't even get me started on that!

The biggest highlight was seeing some of the designers I've featured on Scoutie Girl in person! By far, the most popular booth in my sightline was Mean Cards. Julianna also makes lamps, that I wrote about here.

When I got home Sunday night, Matt and Jack made a cake in the shape of a star for "their art star!" Aw. Love those boys!!!!

goings-on and giveaway

An Art Star update is forthcoming in another post, I promise. I'm winding down my last 3 'on-site' days of work and have so much to get in place Daisy Janie-wise whilst still recovering/unpacking from the weekend. Thanks for wishing my luck in my last post and sharing your "duh" moments! They all cracked me up!

Just a quick note to acknowledge some great press I rec'd last week and 2 cool items from today. Last Thursday, Jena from modish wrote a generous post about Daisy Janie. She and I have become acquainted through blogging - she's the resident pro in the indie-handmade genre and sets the bar for me in my editorials on Scoutie Girl. She's spot-on with her write-up, and it made me smile for 48 hours straight (probably til the lightening came at Art Star - all smiles were off then). Thanks Jena!

Today, Suzy, from the newish blog Love Surface Design, featured Daisy Janie - and even with a different angle, it was spot-on, too. I'm doing a fabric giveaway on Suzy's blog through Friday - get the details here. Thanks Suzy!

Finally, DJ is the shop of the week at Something. That's totally cool! Thanks Brielle! She has a neat etsy shop called pony up design, where she features her handmade personal accessories. I especially LOVE her jotters made from repurposed file folders!!

I haven't put myself or seen myself out there in the spotlight in a long time - feels pretty good!

countdown is on for Art Star

Didn't get nearly as much done as I had hoped for Art Star, but considering Saturday *might* be a wash with thunderstorms - I'm alright with what I have. I managed to squeeze these yummy handbags out from a pile of this-lady's-borderline-OCD-cannot-throw-away-a-thread-of-her-own fabric scraps. Yes, that would be me. I made it sound like it was a breeze down whip-it-out lane, but it was not at all! The bag style itself (I'm calling it the Bellows Bag) came easily and freely from my own traced embroidery hoops (no, I don't do embroidery), but adding each 2-1/2" strip to the linen flap and gusset took some time off the clock. I only did one run-through for a prototype, and I've never had better luck with everything matching up! Maybe I've learned something lo these many years...

Not including the 'duh' moment with this banner. Do you see any website addresses? Me neither! What the..? It seriously only occurred to me when the lady from the banner shop called to tell me it was ready and asked me if I had a website b/c my banner made my business sound so interesting. [putting on dunce cap now]

Have  a great, great weekend! Don't be shy about leaving a comment - I know you're out there.
Peace til Monday and beyond! My BFF might have a brand-spanking new baby by then that she's worked pretty darn hard for...I'll let you know.
Jan

2 time-wasters for you on this fine Thursday

Both of these were sent to me by someone I work with - thanks CS. Loved them both.

1. iSerenity.com - where you can pick various sound "environments" to play. They are all really well-done. Useful if you like background sounds or if you need to fool people when answering the phone about your real location. I had a strong, negative visceral reaction to some of these - even without playing the sound. Just imagining what it would be like was enough to make me cringe. Wonder where those associations come from?
2. Postcards From Yo Momma - "a repository of modern day maternal correspondence." Very, very funny!!! This site is sort of like Overheard in NY. I could add a few to the list! And I'm sure my son could one day, too! Good times.

look what came in the mail

An interesting opportunity. Definitely going to give this a try. Fingers crossed. Thanks Stephen and Kim!