Questions I have accumulated after Christmas shopping

1. Why do parents send their small children off to the toy department while they do their shopping? Do you think someone else wants to clean up after your child after they have half of the toys off the shelf and onto the floor? And furthermore with all of the media coverage of children being snatched away in broad daylight, why let them out of your sight?


2. Why does WalMart have 56 cash registers and only 4 cashiers? They don't really count if you have no one available to man them.


3. What in the world is this?

I am all for being different, but come on now! It makes me feel like I need to stand on my head or something!

My latest

This is my newest painting on Etsy. I had a great time creating it. I helped one of my friends with the interior design of her new home and most of the things we found were bronze and teal. I love that color combination and since seeing how great her home turned out bronze and teal have been a favorite duo of mine.

My favorite holiday picture ever

Barkley looking innocent for once! I think he is trying to figure out which ornament to eat!

The Official Holiday for Shopaholics!

I LOVE the day after Thanksgiving! It was most likely thought up by people like me. People who love shoes. And sales. And shoes that are on sale! I love waking up at 4 in the morning and going out to the mall. I must say though, I would have loved it a bit more this morning if it would not have been 50 degrees.

For those of you who do not love to get out at 4 am and shop, or do not like to get out and fight the malls at all, check out my shop at joydevivredesign.etsy.com. I have lots of gift ideas ranging from original artwork to various home decor items. The mailman will bring everything straight to your door for you! You can't get any easier than that! :)

Happy Thanksgiving to Everyone

So here I am today after eating 3 too many rolls and pecan pie! Thanks for the great food mom! Hope everyone has a great day!

One Turkey Saved

George must have read my call to save the turkey! Well I guess I won't count on that, but he did attend the annual turkey pardoning. At least that little guy won't be accessorized with celery and sweet potatoes. A long and happy life to you little turkey! This will be one Thanksgiving that you should definitely give thanks!

Run Turkey Run!

I was driving home from work and saw a turkey walking down the street. I didn't have a camera so the real turkey is being represented by the cutie above. Seeing as how I live a very populated area it is not normal to see a stray turkey hanging out. I wanted him to know that I hope he fights the good fight and makes it through Thanksgiving unharmed. So I yelled out to him "Run turkey, run like the wind. Get away before someone shoves dressing up your behind and slaps you on the table!" Good luck little guy!

Will someone please tell me when it became appropriate...

To stop wearing pants? or a skirt? or something covering your bottom half? Last night I went out and noticed a terrifying trend. It seems as if some of the girls could not be bothered with the age old question-"Should I wear a skirt or pants with this top?". They just went out of the house with neither. Don't get me wrong. I, too, have been at the mall and picked up a top and wondered to myself if this article of clothing was a dress or a shirt. When in doubt, though, I most certainly will wear pants just to be on the safe side. In fact, there were even several girls who obviously were a little afraid to try the trend full out, so they wore short, shorts under their tops. This would have been acceptable enough, but oh no! They then proceeded to TUCK the shorts underneath the SHIRT! Who in their right mind does something like this? Girls out there repeat after me,"If I(insert your name) see Britney Spears wearing something on a fashion don't list under no circumstances will I put on something similar and venture out of my house on Saturday night"! For the love of God do not let the woman pictured above be your fashion icon!

My life has become a sci fi movie...

One that includes frogs, tiny frogs, taking over the universe!

If you look at that little thing sitting above, minding its own business it looks harmless. And yes, as my husband has made me perfectly aware I am 1000 times bigger than it is,(he used to say 100 times bigger, but has since raised it to 1000! I need to lay off the leftover Halloween candy I suppose).

While one tiny frog does not a sci fi script make, imagine, if you will, 100's of them! Everywhere! Jumping! and sticking! TO EVERYTHING! Frogs on my driveway! Frogs on my windows! Frogs on my doors! Frogs on my living room wall! At least I am not heartless so the frogs in the house are always followed by screams of "Get it, Get it! But don't hurt it!" Where did these critters come from. I do not have a pond, nor can I fathom the fact that one of my neighbors in a subdivision would be housing a secret tadpole breeding facility!

But lately I have came across a revelation! One in which is so insightful that I realize I have single handily created my own frog issue! You see, despite my fear of creatures that can jump up high and stick to me, I love frog garden statues. I think they are so cute outside. What, I now understand, has happened is that these frogs have all congregated to my yard, because they are coming to pray for what they believe is their own froggie God! (Please see Exhibit A on the right) They have made a pilgrimage to come and worship the shrine that I have set up for them.

Now I must learn to live in harmony with these frogs. I know that anything that is so devoted as

to find their way from afar tadpole ponds can not be that bad. I am just grateful now that I didn't buy that fake alligator. When those things started showing up my chihuahua would have been in serious trouble!

New Items on Etsy

I have listed several new things on my Etsy webpage lately. I love learning new techniques and trying out new things. This is my first painting for sale using a texturizing medium and I think it turned out really unique.

Counting the days until summer rolls back around

Reasons I hate fall and winter:

I live in an area that the leaves do not change and look pretty, they just shrivel up and die.

I can not get outside and do anything. Mind you I generally am not an outside person anyway, but I like to have the option just in case.

You have to wear jackets everywhere and they are a pain to have to carry.

Walmart starts playing Christmas songs at the start of fall and it gives me anxiety attacks because I have not yet started Christmas shopping, even though every year I tell myself I am going to start in July. I also do not have my tree up before Halloween like they do!

The time changes and it is dark by the time I get home. By 8:00 I feel like I should be going to bed. I am so turning into a Golden Girl! Maybe I can fit in the 4:00 special at Denny's before I turn in for the night.

For a while I will try to cheer myself up by wearing my cute new boots and jackets. After that I will just picture myself on the beach, 5 pounds lighter, with a cute outfit. If I am going to dream I am going to make it worthwhile!