Downton or Downtown

I jumped on the band wagon, along with half of Utah, in the love of a show called Downton Abbey. A fascination with how the other half live. I was able to find a place online and get copies from the library, before the que jumped to 150. I have felt a fascination towards the upper crust way of life, ever since Fridays nights at home with my Mum, watching Dynasty on the tele and wishing I could wear sequins to dinner and my hair was that big and perfect. Today our equivalent shows, are full of indecent exposure and although I still secretly wish I had been born a Kardashian, I realize I am at least 7 inches too tall and lack the lips, big hair and immoral conduct necessary. It is no secret that I was uncharacteristically excited, about the grand opening of the new "city Creek Center" Downtown and I admit I have been there several times already. It did not disappoint.

I didn't go blow our retirement or anything (already did that before, thank you neighborhood foreclosures for causing our panic)but I have enjoyed browsing the different stores and a generally different "downtown" feeling.

There are certainly some high end stores and it's fun to look at how much 2 months mortgage payment would get you, say, a leather jacket from Porsche or the most hideous shoes I've ever seen

But really my pleasure came just from the downtown feeling. I fantasize that one day, Boyd and I will have a loft downtown and this place would do nicely.

I could just sit and watch the world go by, I am a people watcher, I love it, I feel alive. I was amazed at all the really stylish people I saw. It's like people get all dressed up, to go shopping, so they can get stuff, to get all dress up, to go shopping... Oh the fantasy world that great romance novels are made of.

So there you have it, I am being honest, despite all the lessons on pride and worldly riches being of the devil, I face this challenge every day, of wishing I was the skinny, blond chick, with the 5 inch choos on, carrying more bags than a girl should have to without a PA. Oh and there was one beautiful thing I saw, that I wanted there and then and wished Daddy Warboyds would get me (which he would if I really meant it)

Alas, it was not for sale, just being valet parked while they got cheesecake. I bet they didn't have a 2 hour wait!!

Wordless Wednesday

Too Busy

It's funny, when I am having fun and taking snaps, I am too busy to blog but when I have time to blog, I have nothing to report.
Just me writing this is evidence that either a) I have nothing to do  or b) I am postponing what I need to do.
A couple of weeks ago was scrapbook USA weekend here in UT. Traditionally I have gotten together with my  gluebuds and scrapped into the night but since my super scouter hubby was off on a scout camp, I had to come  up with a plan B as I had Asha to think about.
This year they offered a young scrappers club and she and a buddy were able to go from 6 to midnight and a have all kinds of crafty fun.

They had separate rooms from the grown ups but I could pop in and out when ever I liked. They had a DJ and Karaoke with games. Who doesn't love a good hokey pokey?

They spray painted hair and painted nails and did glitter tattoos as well as working on some crafty notebooks.It was a fun time and I got to scrap.

I realize from these pictures that it looks like no one else was there but there were about 50 girls and one boy, bless his heart.

One in one out.

Just as one of my boys jumps into teenhood, another one leaves. I can't believe Jordan is 20! It even looked old on the card I made but for the next 3 weeks I have 2 20 year old sons.

Jordan is a workhorse. He works seven days a week and any time he has a spare minute, he's under a car or building something. I could not be more proud of this son. He has a gentle nature and a wicked sense of humor although most of his jokes I couldn't repeat, despite spitting food as he tells them.

He has given me plenty of nights of worry and used a good few of his 9 lives on his daredevil stunts but when it comes down to real stuff of life like working and paying bills he is top of the class.

I couldn't love this kid any more if I tried.

Made for Monday

We had a birthday this week. Growing up, I used to love seeing my cards, proudly displayed on the mantle. Everyone that comes by, would be able to see them and wish me a happy birthday. I would keep them up for as long as my Mum could stand them before stashing them away to keep forever. The tradition of sending cards lives on with my English family who always send them for birthdays and Christmas but it is not a regular occurrence here, unless someone is gifting money then a card seems necessary. For Ronan, the mantle is quite bare, so I decided to jump on the "banner wagon" and announced his birthday to everyone that comes by, with a banner.

What's that you say? nobody comes by. Oh well I will announce it to Ronan that he is thought of.

wordless wednesday

13!!!!

Made for Monday

In my usual style, of not 100% finishing a project, I thought I'd post this "Made for Monday" item, even though it is not actually finished.

I know what you are thinking, "it looks finished but what is it?" Well it started as a notice board to add some color and cover the blank side of a screw showing cupboard, but once I thought about the amount of clutter a notice board has, and goodness knows, all the offices and notice boards I see on pinterest don'y have clutter on them, I realized I couldn't live with that. It has evolved into a year at a glance, space for all sorts of things in pockets. (birthdays, advanced plans, goals etc, I even keep a daily gratitude list, today being grateful for tanning beds, I know shallow)

So you see, we have pockets and things to attach clips to and that is it and this may well be, where it stays for the next 6 months to 6 years until I decide I don't want it any more :) Read on for a brief how to. First head to the Home Depot for some trim/baseboard and note that the $1.39 tag means per foot not for the whole thing which I thought.Whoops.

Then cut wood into awesome angled corners so you can fit it in your tiny car :) Come home and have hubster, re- cut the would so it actually fits together at 90 degree angles . Use little brass L-shaped brackets to secure, make sure the screws aren't too long or they'll poke all the way through. Use wood putty to fill the holes you drilled all the way through plush cracks. Sand, then go in the garage and spray paint the frame, making sure the color matches your car in case of over spray (just kidding, it doesn't have to match)

Then for the insert, oh man I said brief. Well just make sure you have some great TV to watch and use a ruler. It all turned out great in the end.

And why to all bloggers take pictures at this angle? Do they want you to think your actually in the room and not staring head on a computer screen, just wondered.