I think I see a new career on the horizon...

I just realized that my last two posts were about shopping! I guess I better watch those purse strings! Or at least not tell you guys about my purchases! He He.

My version of the great little black dress.

This Saturday night I am attending a fundraiser for the Ceramic Research Center at ASU. The auction is the last event of a weekend of art-related events - studio tours, home tours, lectures, etc. I am on the planning committee and have been invited to sit at the table of the Dean of the College of Fine Arts (I had to drop that in. Forgive me for name dropping!)

The reason I mention this is because there is the issue of clothing! Last year I wore a black suit embellished with great jewelry (loaned by Andora Gallery) and a wonderful scarf. This year's dress code is listed as "cocktail attire." What in the hell does that mean? I decided to play it safe and wear black pants and a funky, yet sopisticated and stylish, mushroom/earth colored silk blouse. But, my problem is I don't have a great evening bag. Well, that is I didn't until now!

Leah and I were at the mall on Monday and I saw the cutest Calvin Klein clutch but it was a metallic bronze color and I decided that the color was too trendy, and even thought I loved, loved, loved the streamlined shape, I didn't buy it.

Since then I did a bit of research online and found the greatest black leather bag with silver edging. It isn't as modern looking as the Calvin Klein bag, but I think it will serve me better. I think it will be great with dressy cocktail clothes and also with more casual outfits. I'm excited to have found it after so much online research (ebay, bcbg, calvin klein, overstock.com, nordstrom's, etc) and wanted to share it with you.

Oh, and the second best part is that my friend Michele gave me a Westcor gift card for my b-day so I only had to pay for 1/2 of it because Michele paid for the other 1/2. Thanks Michele!

Happy b-day to me.

Limousines for my feet (as my dad would say).

Here is a picture of my new running shoes. Yes, you heard me correctly...I am taking up running. Well, I am going to slowly transition from walking to running.

The last few years I've felt dissatisfied with the way my body has changed and I know it is only going to get worse as I get older. I hate feeling lumpy and I hate when my pants get tight!

Plus, I am feeling motivated because Claudine asked me to travel to Italy with her in September. She graduates in August and wants to take a celebratory trip and who am I to say no to Italy? I hope this trip is just the motivation I need to get in shape and get ready to wear a bikini in public!

For those of you from Phoenix, I bought my running shoes at The Runner's Den on 16th and Missouri. That place is amazing. The salesman made me walk for him to determine my type of arch, whether my foot rolls, etc. Then, when I had the shoes on, he made me go outside and run for him so he could see how the shoe fit my foot. These people don't mess around.

The shoe he originally recommended for me had a pink sole and pink interior and (not to sound like a girl!) I asked him if it came in any other colors. He laughed and said that he gets that question from women all the time and unfortunately that shoe came only in pink. Fortunately, he brought out this shoe. It isn't pink and it felt even better than the original. Woohoo! I am a happy camper. I think I'll break them in tomorrow morning. Wish me luck...I think I'll need it!

Memories...

And now the Muppets! I love these stamps. And, the Jim Henson picture is a stamp too!

When I was young my dad and I would watch the Muppet show together every Sunday night. Ahh, memories.

Ooooh, look at the pretty pictures!

Ann told me how to post a picture (the easy way!). The way I was doing it before was much more complicated. Let's see if it works...

well, it worked but I got 2 pictures! I'll have to practice a bit.

Thanks, Ann!

Stamps!!!

I am one of those old fashioned people who like to send and receive snail mail. I also like to adorn my mail with pretty stamps. Recently I bought the Muppet stamps and very carefully selected who received which stamp. I think I save Fozzy bear until the end; he's one of my favorites.

Today I went to the post office to buy more stamps and I found out that the "Favorite Children's Book Animals" stamps had come out and I was so excited (I'd been waiting for a while for them).

Featured characters include:

• The Very Hungry Caterpillar ("The Very Hungry Caterpillar" by Eric Carle, 1969 and 1987)

• Maisy ("Maisy's ABC" by Lucy Cousins, 1994 in the U.K. and 1995 in the U.S.)

• Wild Thing ("Where the Wild Things Are" by Maurice Sendak,1963)

• Curious George ("Curious George Flies A Kite" by Margret and H.A. Rey, 1958)

• Wilbur ("Charlotte's Web" by E.B. White, 1952)Frederick ("Frederick" by Leo Lionni, 1967)

• Olivia ("Olivia" by Ian Falconer, 2000)

• Fox in Socks ("Fox in Socks" by Dr. Seuss, 1965)

I love the Olivia and Fox in Socks stamp! And, of course, I thought of Ann when I saw the Curious George stamp. He's holding a small, white rabbit. Ann, who is the rabbit?

I tried to post a copy of the stamps here...

but I couldn't remember how to post pictures.

Visa and Cox will be so happy when they receive my next checks!