Thursday, April 20, 2017

IT'S MY THING

The youngest member of the group I refer to as my Muses -- Pouring Paint Woman -- has finally reached the big 6-0, and she invited us all to take a little trip with her to help celebrate. Where are we going? San Miguel de Allende!


We'll even be staying in the same marvelous hotel that John and I stayed at August before last, when we tagged along with a local yoga group. I think my Hubby is pretty sad that it's going to be a girls only trip this time.

Since I am the only one in the group who has been there before, I dug out my folder from the last trip and let them take turns browsing through it. Perhaps I should have curated what was in it first, and removed this little jewel -- my list of clothes and accessories to pack.



Apparently they all shared it with their hubbies and got a good laugh out of it! What can I say? It's my "thing".

I can remember, at 9 or 10, pouring over a J.C. Penney's catalog with my cousin, as we cut out all the clothes we wanted to have when we were teenagers. What did I do with my clippings? I immediately began to pare them down, to see how I could get the most combinations from the fewest number of pieces.

When I was at UT studying fashion merchandising, I had to take a fashion design class. Not easy for someone who couldn't draw stick figures at the time! What did I do for my final project? I designed a travel wardrobe, of course, where I could get numerous outfits from just a few pieces.

Which is why my bedroom always looks like this just before I leave on a trip:


It starts with me hanging everything I might possibly want to take from our bed rails. Then over the next week or two I mix, match, add, then pare the pieces down to a reasonable number. I was inspired last time by a friend who wore nothing but black, and fit it all into the smallest of carry-ons, but managed to look Paris-Smart the entire trip. I tried. I failed.


I just had to have some color-madness mixed in with it.

What can I say? It's my thing!

Monday, April 17, 2017

AN EASTER BIRTHDAY

Love Lexi's new summer 'do, and this lovely park in Cedar Park.
Hope everyone had a marvelous weekend filled with good food, fun, friends and family. We combined our Easter celebration with the special 10th birthday celebration of our first grandchild, Miss Guinness.


She has been our son's best buddy since he was in college, and is such an alpha-dog and so possessive of him that we were all somewhat shocked when she allowed him to bring home a wife!

Guinness had her own special cupcake from a doggie bakery.
Of course, the other kids and grandkids were there to celebrate with us -- all except for Miss Izzy, due to that alpha-dog thing.


Beards On A Windy Day

Little Calvin says "I don't do hats!"


He is, however, quite tickled with his first pair of real shoes.


The celebration was held at Brushy Creek Lake Park, in far north Austin. We feasted on gourmet sandwiches (mine was the Knuckle Sandwich) and the most amazing slaw and roasted Brussels sprouts from Noble Pig and, of course, cupcakes from The Sugar Shack, right here in Wimberley.



Does it get any better?