ALWAYS FINISH WITH A BANG

On our last full day at Lucky Star we sat down to the most fabulous dinner yet, including the infamous "Krack Kale" that I've been yammering about all year. Then it was time for Show & Tell!

We were absolutely blown away by how much Shawn's Irish dancers and Mandy's Girl Guitar group had managed to accomplish in just a few short days. If anyone who is reading this has video of either of these things, please, please link to it here in the comments!

Next it was time to shop the wares of our fellow campers...

I blew all my money here at Kimberley's booth!

Katherine Autographs Books

and even make some stuff!

Kelley's Monoprint Journal Tutorial

Last but not least, of course, there was one last song-fest around the campfire, with S'mores! Then it was off to bed to dream about all the things we had done, the people we had met, and the things we hope to do next year. You see, that's the only thing I do not like about Lucky Star. There just aren't enough hours in the day, and there will always be at least one or two classes you regret missing out on, once you see the results. For me, it was this one...

the Chicken Butt class! That's where they learned to screen print awesome stuff like the t-shirt above, kitchen towels, or whatever their little hearts desired.

Yep, next year I'm definitely takin' that one!

But, now I'm home, and there's no time for mopin'. Tonight we're headed out to hear Eliza Gilkyson play over at Susannah's Kitchen, and tomorrow morning we take off for Houston, to meet up with our besties Paula and Tim. We decided to celebrate Tim's birthday and kick off the holiday season by spending the weekend here, and we're hoping the whole dang shopping center is just dripping with twinkle lights! Catcha later!

LUCKY STAR SATURDAY

On our final full day at Lucky Star, I woke to a gloomy mist that crept along the river, and it suited my mood perfectly! Only one more half-day class to go, then it was all over but the shoutin'. Lucky for me it was a great one, with super fun, fabuloulsy patient instructor Cal Patch, and lots of my new friends.

The class was called "Hook It", and was held upstairs above the Waldemar offices, in this funky room here.

After lunch we had the afternoon free to do this...

or this...

or this...

or this...

Turns out High School Debbie has quite the eagle eye!

 or this...

or this...

or even this...

not to mention the horseback riding, massages, yoga, and intuitive healing sessions you could have signed up for in advance.

As for that "all over but the shoutin'" bit I mentioned earlier? Well, I'll save that for one last post.

MOST CREATIVE WEDDING GIFT EVER

Chia and Arthur

Several of Lexi's old high school buddies were at the wedding, including one named Catherine, who was in Lexi's AP art program with her all through high school. You first saw her appearing rather blonde and "Clueless" at the rehearsal dinner...

but in real life, she looks more like this.

If we had given out awards at the wedding, she would have won several. First of all, she probably traveled furthest to get here. She went off to art school in Maryland after graduating, and just never came back! Second, she would have been pronounced the "Dancing Queen", as I don't think she ever left the dance floor the entire night. Most important, though, would have been the award for most creative wedding gift ever, for she gave Lex and Nate these, which she designed and made herself.

What are they, you ask? Why, tattoos, of course!

But she didn't give them just one set. She gave them a whole boxful, so they could hand them out as party favors!

Just wanted you to know so that, if you are ever walking down the street and see someone with a tattoo that looks like this...

or this...

you'll know who's responsible! To see more of Catherine's amazing work (she makes all kinds of fabulous stuff, in addition to tattoos) you need to go here. Tell her Hill Country Hippie sent you.

TRUE COLORS

There was a time when I was so insecure about my decorating taste that I'd ask my mom or sister to come help me pick out and arrange stuff. It wasn't until we moved overseas, where that was no longer possible, that I finally began to figure out what I actually liked and didn't like, and really started to trust my own judgement. Even so, I still had to carry color swatches around with me at all times. Had to make sure anything I was tempted to buy for the house would match perfectly, right?

But that was a long, long time ago.  Somewhere along the way, all the colors that I love most -- my true colors -- became so ingrained that they actually began calling to me. Seriously! That's just what happened when my sister and I stopped in Fredericksburg on our way to Lucky Star art camp. We had just entered this great little shop when suddenly I heard something calling out to me from across the store. It said "Becky T. Lane! Get your bohemian-hippy-gypsy-cowgirl-senorita-self over here, girl!" There's no point fighting it once it calls to me (unless it get's into a brawl with my seriously tightwad self) for it's pretty much a given that, whatever it is -- this time a table runner -- it's gonna fit right in with everything else in my home...

even the houseplants!

WEEKEND SPLORIN'

We had tickets to a show over in Austin this weekend, and Hubby asked where I wanted to go eat for dinner. Since it was cold enough to freeze your winnebago that night, my reply was "Anyplace is fine with me, as long as it's cozy and warm!" So we decided to give this place a try.

Bess is one of two restaurants down on W. 6th St. that are owned by Sandra Bullock, who has a thing for renovating and saving old buildings. We had been to Walton's for lunch several times, but had yet to try this one, which is only open for dinner. As for cozy and warm? Well, we couldn't have picked a better spot!

I knew we were onto something good when they brought out this plate of delicious artisanal breads, a little tub of creamy unsalted butter and not one, but three, different kinds of salt to sprinkle on at will.

I had this fabulous pumpkin ravioli with wild mushrooms, pumpkin seeds and crispy kale...

while Hubby opted for the Wagyu Beef Burger with truffled parmesan fries. I helped him with those.

Afterwards we went to see a woman named Jeanne Robertson, whom we knew absolutely nothing about. Hubby just sorta picked this one out of a hat when the other show he'd bought tickets to at the Long Center -- a Gong Show revival -- got cancelled. (go figure) Turns out, she's pretty dang funny for a 6'2" 70 year old basketball playing former beauty queen from N. Carolina. Take her advice. Don't ever send a man to the grocery store.