Party gone out of bounds...

My friend's husband planned a surprise party for her last Saturday. I volunteered to decorate because I have a giant crush on her. So my other favorite ladies (sigh, jealous rage.) helped make and hang and arrange the decorations with me. (Which is an excellent excuse to constantly hang out with amazing women).

A couple of things, though. Even though I emailed with the catering lady at the venue, I never got a proper photo of the space. So I had hanging things with no place to hang them. And, for whatever reason, my brain never fully realized that it would be dark around 8:30. So I never got the great "magic time" photos. The top floral photo was taken in my kitchen after I somehow managed to keep every single flower. I think the birthday girl should have ended up with a bunch. But there I was walking to my car with everything.

Hartwell and I made bouquets this morning with the birthday flowers and took them to some of our favorite ladies on the block. (Well, the ones who were home). After our first delivery he said, "I wanna take someone AGAIN."

Hielten sich fuer Captain Kirk

Hartwell: I'm the guy!

Who's gonna shave me?

I thought Bee had jam on his face. I asked him, "Is that jam?" He left the room and came back and handed me a razor. "Here go, mama."

Boom - Shalaka

Bee running from an explosion. Why do I feel like I've just seen my future? Good luck to you, public school system.

Pasadena Museum of California Art parking garage. So graffiti-ie.

Lady Marmabug

Not being natural gardeners, John and I are amazed at this squash plant that grew out of our "compost." It's like a fake compost because we built the circle to house an olive tree and have been composting in the circle to get the soil all ready. We've already grown a bunch of potatoes, same reason, and now then giantest squash plant in all the land.

While I was trying to capture its hugeness, I noticed bugs crawling all over it. Like a whole world living in my squash plant. Ladybugs and bees were working. I think it needs it's own reality show.

I love it in my room at night...

I recently asked the universe for a trundle bed and the universe cannot deny me anything so, voila, trundle bed. But it's ginormous and we already had more furniture in that room than an Ethan Allen, so I had to rearrange. And make pretty. So here's the boys newly decorated room. With plenty of space for "so many activities."

Previously, when we still needed a crib and a toddler bed:

(Sigh). The days before BeeBee. When one child seemed like a handful and you could walk through the room without stepping on a tiny, tiny car.

Not a toy in sight.

I was feeling retro-modern. They've since been painted over, but still spell Hartwell.

Baby Hartwell in his crib. Yes, I purposely dressed him in orange. 

The best bookshelf ever. Got it at a yard sale and painted it to match. It's my favorite thing.

Man, I miss that room. The only thing better would be if this were my room and all the boys slept with their dad.
Universe? I'm looking in your direction.

Purse Snatch

It was my sister-in-law's birthday and the opening of her art show. So what does a girl do? She designs a bag to match her art show! It's too much fun to design for an artist. The usual boundaries don't exist. Color encouraged, the more contrast, the better. 

The only downside was that I sewed it in an hour using new materials and techniques. I should've worked them out first. On some project for myself.

Here's the show, or part of it anyway. How'd I do?

Everything in my cabinets Cake

I bought two cake mixes for Bee's Party. Somehow I had convinced myself that 24 cupcakes wasn't enough. So for John's birthday, I made the extra chocolate cake. (He likes cake).
The middle is marshmallow fluff. The frosting is malted cream cheese frosting with the leftover Oreos pressed into the sides. It was a little bit like eating a spoonful of stevia. But sweeter.

Bee got a Haircut!

And eats a banana.