MC & HNY!

Merry Christmas and Happiest of New Years to you all!!

Paul and I are enjoying our time in Florida. We're having an awesome time and I have tons of great photos to post, but have to wait till I get them on my computer. So for now I'll paint a lovely Lakeland picture: short sleeve shirts - oranges straight off the tree in the back yard - spanish moss - massive oaks full of bright green leaves - lizards - AOE art supply - Cuban Sandwiches - a Webster flea Market romp - walks around the neighborhood - Hancock Printing equipment - long drives on back roads - clay-covered hands - piles of tissue, wrapping paper and bows - turkey and dressing - purple and yellow orchids - Strawberries - Aunt and Uncles - cousins - Guava empanadas - and laughing with old friends.

Second Breath

So here's another catch-up post to keep you up to date with more photos this time.

Paul brought home some simple wonderful Gerber Daisies just before his birthday weekend. Some were red and then some were this yellow tinged orange. They were such an amazing color combination I had to document them. Pretty flowers are just way too easy to snap photos of because no matter how you do it - they always end up pretty. Its almost feels like I'm cheating!


And here are a few more pics from the beach too - which also kind of feel like cheating... sand...sunsets... ocean stretching out for miles...way too easy...




We were able to visit twice with my cousin Amy which was great fun both times.

The second time we went out to eat at The Frog Pond. And then after she left another set of cousins (on my Dad's side) coincidentally happened to walk in - so we got to visit with them too.

My Dad and I joined the crowd at the Webster flea market on Labor Day. They are only open on Mondays, so Labor Day and MLK Day are usually really good times to go.


My Dad and I's "Happy Plates" from our breakfast and the local eating establishment.

A view of the covered stalls at Webster.

A possible "impulse buy."


On September 5th we went to IKEA - the mecca of well-designed well-priced furniture and household items. I love the fact that you could literally buy an empty house - walk into IKEA and furnish the whole house - we're talking kitchen cabinets, bathroom fixtures, refrigerators, ovens, flooring, bathroom fixtures, closets, lighting, down to cabinet hardware, silverware, toothbrush holders, rugs, couches, tables, chairs, desks, pots and pans, cups, curtains and textiles. The only thing they don't sell are electronics like TVs and DVD players. So say if you hit up an IKEA and a Best Buy or something - you'd be good to go. We literally spent an entire day ogling at all the awesome furniture and commenting on designs and such - from 10:30 to 4:30. We even ate there! They have a great little lunch counter with the most gorgeous desserts and excellent Swedish meetballs (yum!). I bought a pretty red cabinet to store my letterpress paper stash in and a large-drawered roll-around cabinet for art supplies and paper.

The pretty red cabinet.

Some of the gorgeous desserts (I don't even like chocolate and I think they are pretty!!)

And then the kitchen island I kept drooling over - the back of which is undercut with room for two stools - really really sharp.

1524.5 miles Part III - Webster, FL

Webster is a town in Florida that's only around for two things: 1. to sell cattle and 2. to quench peoples thirst for other's junk. Every Monday empty stalls are packed with wholesale goods, truck loads of fruits and vegetables appear and dusty field become a front where folks can buy, sell and bargain for anything. My Dad and I like rooting through flea markets and MLK weekend is one of Webster's biggest Mondays. So we found ourselves on this brisk FL morning heading out before sunrise to enjoy a day in the flea market trenches.

My Dad inspecting some interesting 60's Modern cups.

We thought about bringing this beauty home... (LOL!)

Me with the most spectacular exhibit of vontage signage that I've seen! (I am a graphic designer after all - hence - I'm a sucker for old signs.)

The scariest shamrock green relish I've even seen. Anyone else think whoever added the food color might be color blind? I think I'll stay away from their "House Recipe."

My Dad was a bit weirded out by the color too but he ate his hot dog anyway. He hasn't mentioned any side effects.....yet....

1524.5 miles

Without further adieu (and before Laura comes up here and puts me in time out) here are some photos of my super-speedy (Jan 17th-21st) trip down to FL for Holly's Baby shower and all points in between - including a fun fantastic visit with my bestest-roomie from Flagler - Laura, her husband Eric and their son Bryce - And with Annamaria and Shawn and their kiddos Jillian and Ava, Holly's way fun baby shower and then a one day flea market extravaganza with my Mom and Dad before jumping back into the car and driving some more.

Friday Laura, Eric, Bryce, Annamaria, Jillian and Ava took me to the zoo in Jacksonville:

Jillian checking out the anteater.

The cutest tiny little primates I've seen of late.

Laura and Bryce brushing the goats.

Jillain.

Eric helping Ava make a collect call to Shanghai.


Bryce and Jillian climbing out of the tree house.


All the cool kiddos hanging around on the vines.

The well fed giraffe.

Annamaria, Shawn, Eric and Laura.

Apparently I did not get the memo about wearing red ... ah well ... its a cute picture anyway!

More trip next post.