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>Things on the Horizon

April 25, 2011

>Hello friends!  Busy times here, with lots coming up.  First of all, I’m in process of setting up a new blog.  Hang on now; I’m still keeping this one.  I had meant for this to be a shop blog, but it got out of control with reports of other endeavors.  I’m feeling a bit scattered here, so I decided to change things up.  It pleases me to announce that this will go back to being a shop blog, and a different account of our lives will be at rhiannonrising.blogspot.com, which is not really even set up yet (so don’t go right now!). 

Second, Evermore got booked into our first farmers market of the year.  Its a little one on Tuesdays at the Village of Cross Keys.  There’s an article in the Examiner on it here.  We still have quite a few applications out and things in the works.  We are also making plans to go back to our yearly market in Ocean Grove, NJ.  Such a busy summer already!

I’ve been laying low this past week, trying to get things done around the apartment and enjoying the stormy weather we have been having.  My office got rearranged and its once again a joy to be in here.  Maybe more blog times now?  🙂

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>Music for a Manic Monday – Success

April 18, 2011

>Hello friends!  I hope everyone had a great weekend.  Maryland got some thunderstorms, which is my favorite kind of weather.  Its been so nice out, temperature-wise lately.  I’m so happy happy happy that it’s Spring!

So I had an audition on Saturday, and I was accepted into the Bethesda Summer Music Festival!  I’ll be getting private lessons, attending master classes, and will take part in opera scene studies.  They also offer roles in the full opera and musical, but I think I’d rather do the scene studies.  Its only a two-week program, and I’d like to spend that time getting as much personalized attention as possible.  Also, I’ve never done a full-blown opera (unless you think the stuff at Calarts counts, which is doesn’t, because better shows have been staged at mental hospitals) so I think starting smaller and more intimate would be better for me as an artist.

Being a musician, especially in the classical world, is really tough.  This is my first successful audition in a long time.  And that’s how it goes!  For everyone!  The most successful people have the longest list of “failures”.  No one ever said it would be easy, and if they did they’d be lying, that’s for sure.  I’m really grateful that the director recognized a well-built voice, even though my Italian needs work.  That’s the way it should go, since building the voice is harder and takes much longer than learning how to pronounce foreign words.  Sadly that’s not always the way it happens.  Apparently this director has her head in the right spot.  She seems interested in my growth, and I can’t even say how happy that makes me.  I’m very much looking forward to this experience.

Wedding planning continues.  Nothing really gets done, but its going.  We’re also having some work done on the apartment this week, so come Wednesday I’ll either be really happy or incredibly angry.  We’ll see!

>A Friday Challenge

April 15, 2011

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I have a dilemma! 

My Bank of America account desperately needs to be closed.  In it right now is $3.96 and of course I need to get that money out of there before I can close the account.  I’m a big fan of being lazy, so the thought of putting pants on and going outside and finding the bank and taking the money out physically just does not appeal to me.  I’d rather sit here in my PJs and Paypal it to someone in exchange for something fun.

I know $3.96 isn’t a lot of money, but it seems to be enough to buy cute and tiny paper treats on Etsy.  The problem is that nothing will ever work out to be exactly $3.96.

So here’s my idea:  I Paypal you this money, and you send me something fabu.   Samples, tiny paper goodies, whatever you think is fair.  I suppose I could have the bank just send me a check, but I think this is an opportunity to (in fairness, only slightly) expand my horizons.

Anyone up for the challenge?

>Some lace and paper flowers

April 14, 2011

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A while back I ordered some vintage papers from my blog-friend Andrea at Faded Plains.  These aren’t them, as mine were a mix of novel and music papers, but its a pretty picture isn’t it?  Anyway, I wanted to incorporate them into my bridesmaids’ bouquets.  So, I’m looking for a good tutorial for paper flowers, or bouquet designs involving real flowers and paper somehow.

Anyone have any good info?  Of course I Googled but haven’t found exactly what I’m looking for.  Plus I’d like to be able to talk to someone who has done it.  Let’s see what you’ve got girls!

>Wedding Wednesday – Invitations

April 13, 2011

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I have been staring at this bowl of ribbon and burlap for a few days now.  Ribbon gets cut, goes in the bowl, gets taken out and wrapped around invitations.  Ribbon gets used, new ribbon gets cut, but it never seems to go away.  Today I need to buy more ribbon.  And burlap.
 

The end result, she is worth it!  Ben designed our invitations and had them printed with Vistaprint.  We are very happy with the result.  My only complaint: after spending hundreds of dollars on save-the-dates and this order, they still wanted $10 to not print their name all over the inside of the envelopes.  However, they included a king’s ransom in blank white envelopes (in two sizes even!).  I would have much rather had their name NOT all over the insides of the envelopes than a lifetime supply of the blank whites.  We giggled.  But really I shouldn’t complain, because we got what we needed.  The invitations look and feel great.  I can’t wait to send them out!  Almost done, almost done.

Happy Hump-Day!  I spent the afternoon on the phone with the woman doing the flowers and she is fabulous.  I was so worried it was too late!  Not so.  Huzzah!  So many other things to do, despite my ultra-productive day yesterday.  The real question is this: Do I want to put on pants and leave the house on this cold, rainy day?  Well when I put it like that, the answer is so obvious!  *finds the warmest blanket and a kitty*

>Forgiveness, please

April 12, 2011

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I have been a Very Bad Blog-Friend lately!  Not only have I not been updating, but I haven’t been commenting either (though I have been reading).  My apologies for going missing.  Between my NJ trip and planning the wedding, I have very little time left over to do anything blog-worthy.  To tell you the truth I’m getting a little bit scatter-brained.  Just a little bit, I promise.  Do you see the Spring buds?  We have rain on the way.  The sky is darkening for a storm soon I think.  Oh right, I was blogging.  Onward!

The mess in my studio doesn’t help.  You can understand now why I’m blogging from the couch.  YIKES.  OK maybe it doesn’t look that messy, but trust me when I say its too much of a mess to be functional.  Everything is a reminder of another task I need to do: a garbage bag full of things to put on eBay, a wooden crate full of craft supplies to donate, a pile of books to put on Goodreads bookswap, invitations to finish wrapping, new-to-me vintage wedding shoes to clean/fix.  And the list goes on.  Emails, phone calls.  Cleaning.  Fixing problems.  On and on.

Speaking of that which does not end, Box City is still alive and well in my studio.  I just gave three big moving boxes of stuff to Goodwill, and boy did that feel amazing!  That pile now has been replaced with the boxes that our wedding presents came in.  There are other boxes floating around the house that won’t be immortalized in photographs.  *twitch*

My One Good Thing for the day was calling about farmer’s markets.  Oh and blogging.  Two Good Things – tomorrow I’m free to be as lazy as possible!  Joking, oh so joking. 

Big hugs to my blog-friends!  What have I missed?

>New Jersey adventures

April 7, 2011

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This is what I’ve been doing since Saturday.  Do you see how huge he is?  Probably not, since this picture just doesn’t do it justice.  But trust me, he is.  So naturally it takes a long time to pet him.  I’ve been on it since Saturday night and I’m almost done.

I just can’t get enough of this guy!  He’s shy but so sweet and loves being loved.  I just wish his sister, who is no where near as big, would join in.  She enjoys things like hiding, running away, and and staring at me with fear in her eyes.  Doesn’t she know that I just want to love her?

I haven’t been blogging much, because between petting this cat, doing wedding stuffs, traveling to NJ to kitty-sit, and my body’s need for naps, I just don’t have the energy.  I will resume my regular blogging schedule next week, though hopefully popping in to say hi before then.

>Treats!

April 1, 2011

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Look what came in the mail today!  I can’t even tell you how thrilled I am.  Thank you, Mary of Urban Farmgirl and Co for these darling drawers.  We will be using them to hold programs and escort cards at the wedding.  Beyond that… oh I’m sure I can come up with something.

Happy Friday friends!  I’ll be traveling to NJ tomorrow for a week of shenanigans.  What are you up to this weekend?

EDIT:  Just as I posted this, FedEx brought more treats; WEDDING PRESENTS!  Thank you, Kate.  They are our first.

>Wish List #3

March 31, 2011

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Anthro #3

Anthro #3 by EvermoreOrganics featuring bootcut jeans

Cardigan
reviews.anthropologie.com
Top
reviews.anthropologie.com
MiH bootcut jeans
177 EUR – anthropologie.eu
Wedge sandal
$148 – anthropologie.com
Earring
$158 – anthropologie.com
Necklace
34 EUR – anthropologie.eu
Leather belt
$54 – anthropologie.com
Hair accessory
anthropologie.com

Its been awhile since I’ve put together a wish list.  This sunny yellow joint is a far cry from what’s going on here:  I’m currently decked out in no less than 4 different colors of purple, including 2 different kinds of flannel and a Charlie Brown long-sleeved Tee.  Its cold.  And here I am, trying to plan for a warm-weather wedding in a church that pre-dates air conditioning.  Needless to say, I’m just not in that head-space right now!

>Wedding Wednesday – Some Inspiration

March 31, 2011

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