easter weekend

I traveled to Lincoln, NE for Easter. I LOVE my ipod. It is the best car companion a single girl can have :) I arrived in town and went to the ACE store my dad manages. He said he made an appointment to get my car detailed. YEAH!!!!!! I have always wanted to do this and it totally lived up to my expectations! Only down fall, now I was with out a car. We ate at Runza, a Nebraska original, it always makes me feel like home. Then I needed to go to the grocery store. There is one next to the ACE store. It is a little neighborhood store. I call it the blast from the past store. They have a weird selection of foods. The spices for baking are actually in the meat isle?? Everyone knows everyone. All of the customers stand around a chat about their weekend. They do not have actual meat in packages, it all has to be purchased from the meat counter. Which I hate, because I never know what I am asking for. The produce isle has a produce natzi. I put an onion in my cart and he rushes over and grabs it out, weights it and puts it in a brown bag with the price on it. For some reason I like to buy my groceries with out having to deal with a bunch of people, especially the produce natzi. Now I head for home to make a 5 layer chocolate pie that needs to chill for 4 hours. 4 hours I do not have.


Earlier in the week I purchased the Betty's Pies recipe book from Amazon.com. If you are ever in Two Harbors, MN, Betty's Pies is the place to stop. So I thought it would be fun to make my favorite pie from Betty's. Since it is 5 layers it takes a while to make. I actually ended up putting it in the freezer to speed cooling time. The pie turned out pretty good. I think it may have been better if I had allowed it more time to cool.


This is the 20 lb fur ball that helped me make the pie. He loves to sit and meow at you when you are in the kitchen. Especially anytime you turn on the faucet. Doing the dishes around him is very difficult. He is water obsessed!

Around 6 pm on Saturday we went to my aunts for Easter dinner. Baby Grover was there. I did finally finish the baby blanket. It actually turned out a little larger than I thought it would. I guess he can grow into it. Below is a photo of the finished blanket. I kind of wanted to keep it for myself :)

One of our holiday traditions is Rainbow Jello. Or as we like to call it Hell Jello. I was the chosen one to provide this dish for Christmas. It takes about 4 days to make, since you have to let each layer totally set up. Hence the name Hell Jello. My aunt decided to try it out for Easter. I read her the recipe over the phone. I assumed she knew how to make jello...instead of boiling the water to mix with the powder, she used hot tap water. Well, none of the Jello would actually set up or dissolve. It was a runny, gooey mess. It kind of looked like a science project. Of course it was my fault because I did not tell her to boil the water. Who does not know how to make Jello??


The last cool thing about Easter was dad gave me a drill press. YES a drill press!!! I have been wanting one to drill the holes in my jewelry. The regular drill makes my arm feel like its going to fall off. I guess drilling through metal is not the easiest thing. A guy dad works with sold it to him for $30. Which is a great deal. A new one costs around $100. I can't wait to use it!

Happy Easter :)

before

after

happy anniversary...

This week marks my fifth anniversary with my house. Thanks to my super handy dad, many improvements have been made. I do still have a wish list. Someday we will do the complete bathroom remodel. This spring I want to tear out the 80 year old bushes on the south side of the house and replace them with burning bushes. I love spring. So much to do. :)

creative life...

This is how I feel today, creating what feels like a million ads for a client. It has sucked all the creative juices right out of me. My day was spent with these ads. What was more annoying was that they are strip ads. Which mean they run at the bottom of papers. They are all about 10" x 1", some in color, some black & white. I need to do something creative tomorrow. I am crossing my fingers :) Ah, the life of an Art Director.

more recalls

The vet called dad tonight and said they just recalled the diet cat food our 20 lb. cat eats. It is the only dry cat food from Science Diet that is recalled. Dad can't quite decide if the cat is consuming more water than normal because he has a total water obsession. I of course, want to run him to the vet right now. Dad of couse, is more calm and will talk to the vet when he buys more food tomorrow. I think he should be tested. For now I guess I will just be patient!

Recall link...
http://www.hillspet.com/menu_foods/Menu_Foods_03302007_en_US.htm

i (heart) bubble wrap!

Ok, so I guess i am posting happy today. I am going through some old emails from my extra cool friend Eric. I am trying to find this cool website design so I can use it for inspiration. But instead I found this email from him. Click the link and you too can pop the bubble wrap! Brilliant! I love bubble wrap. Mike especially hates me when I am in bubble wrap popping mode. I love how all my online purchases come in bubble wrap. Some day I am going to incorporate it into a cool design...

http://www.therightfoot.net/mystuff/whatever/swf/bubblewrap.swf

stay away...

Now that I am done with round 1 of jewelry making and its currently at Archival Elements. I have been planning round 2. Why do I always have to be planning? I placed an order @ jewelrysupply.com this morning. Wow I need to stay away from that site. :)

dreaming...

Why is it when you have a million things to do and very little time to do them in you think about all the places you would rather be? Today reminded me of Northern Minnesota. My last trip there was in the fall and it was cool and damp. The above photo was taken there. Betty's Pies in Two Harbors, MN is one of the coolest places. I had the best piece of 5 layer chocolate pie. Yum :) (http://www.bettyspies.com/) I should buy that recipe book...oh, I should be working. (Client meeting tomorrow at 10:30 am).

Anyway its getting late and I should really be working. I guess i will quit thinking of all the places I would rather be right now...

my project...

Above shows my insanity. Below are images of my finished product. (Sorry these photos do not include the necklaces. It was really windy outside and I gave up shooting 58 pieces of jewelry :)

the glamorous life of an art director...

These photos are from a tv shoot last Thursday. Its true that all you need is a cute kid and a puppy. Lucky for us we had both!

i won!

This is the ebay item I won today. I actually had forgotten I was bidding on it. What a nice surprise! It is a 5" x 5" college from one of my favorite artists. :)

The crane watching was postponed. The weather was kind of yuck most of the weekend and dad had a pretty bad cold. He also had to teach a fertilizer class to his employees on Sunday night. So I had the weekend to complete my jewelry. I completed 58 pieces, they include charms, bracelets, necklaces and earrings. I hope people like them. I am going to take them to Archival Elements tomorrow. The new store opens April 15th. I am both excited and scared. I am going to take photos tonight. I will post some tomorrow. :)

almost done...

Here are the up-to-date photos of the remodeling. There are just a few things left and we are done!!!! There is a big client meeting here today. I bet they will hire us just because we look cool. (E: notice the projector screen :)

an adventure...
You know how you remodel part of your house and then everything else starts to look not so good? Well that is how it is at the office. Mike and I spent part of Saturday working on the breakroom, now that the conference room is looking so cool.

Dad arrived about 3 pm. We really didn't have any real plans. We went to Lawn & Garden show. (Total waste of money, I want my $5.00 back!) Then we went to Sportsman Warehouse. This is where the Tree Hugger part 2 comes in. So in front of the store they had some canoes and kayaks displayed. The canoe was on sale. Regular price...$560.00. Sale price...$250.00. So dad has been looking for a canoe for awhile now. He was over the moon to see this canoe at under half price. So we get inside the store and find the canoe guy. They have 4 canoes instock and all 4 have been sold. (Apparently we are not the only people who think $250.00 is a good deal).

Of course the fact that all 4 are sold does not deter my father. He starts asking the guy about other locations. The Sportsman Warehouse guy starts calling and finding canoes. The closest one is in Woodbury, MN. Woodbury is a little east of St. Paul. So we purchase the canoe over the phone and make plans to pick it up.

Sunday morning we left bright and early for Minnesota. I was able to get a lot of knitting done on my baby blanket for Grover. We arrived @ Sportsman Warehouse #2 around noon, loaded up the canoe, ate lunch at Applebees and headed or home.

I found my mothership...The Russel Stovers Outlet Store. It is by the Medford outlets. When you walk into the store the best chocolate smell ever hits you. I wanted to stay all day. We purchased a 3 pound box of imperfect chocolate. It all tastes great, its just not perfect enough to make it into the fancy boxes. I love this place!!!

Over all Sunday was a day of 3 pounds of chocolate, a $250.00 canoe and about 8 hours in the car. Someday I am going to write a book about our adventures.

changes...

Our little advertising agency is getting a makeover. Its kind of like our own What not to Wear. We are looking much spiffier. Currently the carpeting is going in right now! By Monday/Tuesday they should be pretty much done. I will post final pictures. Below are photos of the front desk and the conference room. This is so exciting!!!!!!

Tree Hugger

So, my dad is kind of a tree hugger. All our family vacations consist of hiking, biking, camping or some kind of an outdoor adverture. The weekend of March 24 & 25 Dad and I are heading to Grand Island, Nebraska. Why?? The Sandhill Cranes are migrating through Nebraska right now. This is actually our second annual Crane watching trip. The Cranes spend the day in the farmers fields eating grains (which I am sure they love) and by night they land by the thousands on the Platte River. The National Geographic website actually has a live Crane Cam (http://www.ngm.com/cranecam/). You can watch them from the comfort of your own home. Which if you don't have a tree hugger father, I would think this would be the perfered method. Anyway here is the science lesson portion of my post. They are expecting between 50,000 & 500,000 Cranes. This is their peak season they are usually in NE for 6 weeks. They will all have migrated by the first week of April. Last year we went the first week of March and we were a little early. Best viewing times are: Mornings: 6 am to 7:30 am; Evenings: 6 pm to 7:30 pm. It actually is pretty cool to see 500,000 come in and land in the river. It kind of looks like you are being invated. They also make a weird warbly sound. Oddly enough people from around the world come to Nebraska for this event. Hotels are full (we had to make a reservation) and the country side is crawling with people watching the birds. Last year there was even a couple from Australia there. This is definately not a vacation for people who like to spend their time lounging on a beach. Early morning rising is a must. You have to steak out a location along the river or pay to join a tour group which usually leaves around 5 am. So this is my life being the daughter of a tree hugger. Check out the crane cam during the hours listed above. Strangely enough I know all about this. Hmmmm.

Side Note: YEAH FireFox! I just downloaded and changed browsers and now I can post pictures. Happy Day!

wearing cockroaches
Ok, I have to admit I am not a big phone talker. I especially hate calling people I don't know. But everytime I see people with their wireless phones I think of cockroaches. It looks like they have a big bug attached to their ear, sometimes I think it is going to crawl right into their brain. I have a hard time understanding why that would feel good much less look good. Don't you think the phone makers could make these look fashionable and less bug like? Since people feel the need to wear them.

Just my thought for the day...

logo...
The hardest thing for a designer to do is design something for themselves. I have been working on logos for my Silverware Jewelry. This is one of the options. I am sure I will change it six more times. But here is a start...

the dangers of being an art director
Today was a snow day at work. Mike picked me up in the morning and I think there was a total of 5 people here all day. Mike was being his usual trimmer boy this morning and the ruler slipped and the muscle boy almost cut his finger off. All the way to the bone. Of couse he would not let any of us take him to the emergency room, he had to drive himself. We are just happy he went.

2 hours and a bracelet
I spent last night attaching all the charms to a bracelet. It sounded so simple when I started. Two hours later and a lot of frustration it is done. It is kind of loud, which my co-workers hate. I think the jingling when I use my mouse hand is distracting. :)

happy snow day...the charms are here!!!!!!!!
Above is a photo of the charms from the charm swap. I am so excited. I am headed home now, so I can put them on a bracelet. Stay tuned for the bracelet...

This is so exciting :)

$100 store & a heated blanket
My rationalization for my shopping spree last night was that I needed shampoo. Where else should I buy such a product but Target? Of course you all know you can't just purchase the item you went there for. $100 later and I can't really remember what I bought. I am sure I really needed it all!

And since I was in the area I decided to walk through Bed Bath & Beyond. I need to learn some self-control. I had been wanting a heated blanket/throw. I have one on my bed which I LOVE. Last Christmas we bought my grandma a heated throw and I have wanted one since. So of course I could not resist when I found them last night. My house was built in 1919 and can be a little cold, dispite the hundreds of dollars of insulation my Dad put in the house. He is kind of an insulation freak! Now I can work on my thousands of projects in happy warmth.

the charms are coming!!!!

Above are the photos from my charm swap hostes. She mailed the rest of the packages yesterday. So hopefully I will have an amazingly cool charm bracelet by the end of the week. Oh, I can't wait! I hope I get some super cool stuff. Now all I need is some patience.

a bright spot

I ordered these shoes online last week. They were on clearance :) Cute and comfy! What a good Monday surprise. Since buying my house in 2002 I had recently hired my 3rd snow removal company. And they didn't show up just like the other two. What do you have to do to get them to come to your house?? I was so annoyed this morning that I decided to just try to drive through it and I totally got stuck. I called Mike to tell him I was going to be late for work and he came and helped me out. I work at the best place. Then one of my super cool eye-lashes feel off my car. Sad :(

how do you know you work at an agency with ag accounts?

This is one of several boxes delivered to our office today. I guess it's pretty clear we do a lot of advertising for ag compainies. If ever in doubt, just look at our deliveries. Advertising is always so glam!

new hair

Last night was my first haircut with my new stylist. He said...usually I don't do anything too drastic the first time. He cut a couple inches of my hair off! Then when he was done he said...I guess we did do drastic. Oh well, I like living on the edge. Here is the new shorter me :)

since sunday: driving, mercyme & portfolios

I arrived back in Sioux Falls early Sunday evening. It was good to be back in my little house. (I think it missed me)



Right after arriving I met the girls for an old fashioned girls night out. Applebees was the starting point, where much story tellling and laughing went on. I love this part. Actually we were having so much fun we missed most of the first act. And we really wanted to see him.

Mercyme was awesome. I have always wanted to see them in concert. They are one of my favs! I am such a dork. I enjoy going to concerts so much. It use to kind of be a family tradition. Mom and I would even sometimes drag Dad along with us. Mostly I think he just humored us. It was usually a girls night out. A great mother and daughter tradition. I do miss that. I always think of her at concerts. She would have loved this one. Of course they sang the song "I can only Imagine". I guess you would have to be living under a rock not to have heard that song. It was sang at mom's funeral so it also reminds me of her.

Back to work on Monday. It was good to be back at my home away from home. This morning was portfolio review day. There were about 90 students there. I saw about the worst porftolio ever. The student actually admitted to me that she is in her 4th year of a 2 year program at a tech school. She has had to start over a few times. Wow I can't even put into words how bad it was. I did see a few promising students. I am so thankful for my art education and my job. Today was a good reminder of that. It is kind of weird to be in a room with other designers. I keep thinking...what are they like...how do they design...do they love it? I don't know why I spend the time thinking about this but it kind of fascinates me. Because we all work at competing agencies there are not a lot of opportunities for us to hang out.

Well now I am heading home to make jewelry. Can't wait!

sleeping boys and chicken strips

Today started out my bringing dad back home from the hospital. YEAH! It is good to have him at home, even if he is resting. Now that I only have one parent left it was a little unsettling staying in Lincoln in a house by myself. And now he has to rub all the fur off the cats face. My brother spent the day with us also. Actually the boys spent the day napping. When they were awake they were watching the discovery channel. Lunch was a gormet menu of homemade chicken strips and mac & cheese. They boys were happy. Inbetween keeping them fed and happy. I was working on a project for work. On a laptop that seems a lot slower than my computer at work. I am longing for that speed. While saving the files I was able to get some reading done, get the boys beverages and pee.

Right now I am in Barnes & Noble uploading files to Mike. I am pretending to drink a hot chocolate, that I didn't really want, but felt like I had to buy since I am taking up their space. There is a young sappy couple at the table in front of me exchanging valentines day gifts. (really? do people do that in public?) Wow, I really have to go now! Ok, I'm on my way now to pick up chicken noodle soup for dad and them comfy pjs for me.

ok, one more post and then off to bed...

I think there is a rule that when you are born and raised in Nebraska, football is just part of your upbringing. There is nothing I love more than fall and add Husker football and fall is complete. But every night on the evening news, there is a story about football. Even now. It is the middle of Feburary. Crazy. So a kid from Cozad (small town) signed with Nebraska and it has always been his dream. A former Husker player is sick and in the Hospital, oh but they just said his condition is improving. I guess the nightly news producers don't know what to do without a football story. Maybe I should go to bed and stop watching the news. Just a little slice of Nebraska for you :0

gallbladder, hairball & a baby

This morning started out early. Dad had to be at the hospital at 5:30 am. GallBladder removal surgery began at 7:30 am. So we arrived. Thankfully Bryce (my cool brother) drove us through the freshly fallen snow. Then we did a lot of hurry up and waiting. Once they took dad back at 7:00 am. After listing to the stupid weatherman on TV say over and over again that he did not know how much snow fell because it was blowing. Isn’t the weather supposed to be science? Anyway at 8:30 am surgery was over. The doctor talked to Bryce and I. It was kind of funny. He said everything went really well and everything went really well. It was like he was trying to tell us something profound, but he could not come up with anything, So up to the room we went. Room 622 (for those who have weird things about numbers...Katie). Then we hung around. Next, off to Grandpa’s to shovel/snowblow him out. Lucky for us they also fed us. Back to visit dad. By this point, up early, waiting and shoveling, I am exhausted. By the way, if you are wondering Bryce was the snowblower and I was the shoveler. We hung out with Dad the rest of the evening. They are going to send him home early in the morning.

Dad has a large 20 pound cat (this is where the hairball comes in). This cat has become increasingly more high maitenance. When you arrive home you must pet him and pretty much rub the fur off his face. He must also sit on you all the time. This sounds pretty cool, except I am really allergic to him. My favorite high maintenance fun of his is his water fetish. He pretty much considers the bathroon to be his. Anytime you are in there, he is there also. He will not drink water from a bowl. He has two perfered ways for water intake. 1: Sitting in the tub, with the water dripping from the faucet just so. If it is coming out too fast he does not like it. 2: (the more time consuming way) Fill a small juice glass full to the rim of very cold water. Then sit on the floor and hold the glass for him while he drinks it. Who do you think runs this house? I have had to be the face rubber/water retriever today. Can’t wait for dad to pet him all day tomorrow.

Grover Miles Korn was born @ 2:00 am, Feburary 13, 2007. (This is where the baby comes in).
My cousin Jen and her husband Jason had their baby in the early morning. I was going to go try and see them today. Just not enough time. Good thing I am only half way done with the knitted baby blanket I am making them. I hope to have it done before he is 5 years old. (Incase you are wondering, lots of people tried to talk her out of Grover. Guess she stuck with it).

I guess I should go, the cat is meowing in the bathroom. Apparently my services are needed.

idea-fest

Katie & I went to B & N today for lunch/concepting time. I love this part of my job. Coming up with a new idea is so exciting. So we ate our food and found a comfy spot in the sun. We piled up the books and begin thinking. A few minutes passed and a guy sat down next to us. I noticed that he had a stack of books, about 8. Half way through our...maybe we could, oh it would be cool if, session I looked up and noticed all of his books were self help books on getting over a divorce. Suddenly I became very sad for him. That poor guy is getting a divorce and sitting in B & N reading about how to get through it. I am so lucky and blessed to have the life I have.

the weekend of fun...



College roommates reunite. Location: Linn, Kansas. Date: Feb 2-4, 2007.



First stop: Lincoln, Nebraska and the mall. I do have to say the carousel went a little too fast. Kind of felt like vomiting!



Teaching Cindy to knit. She made a Barbie apron/shawl. Barbie felt pretty.



Sugar??



Art projects :) One of my favorite parts. (Glitter pens included)



Later on in the evening.





Thanks girls I had a fun weekend.

ebay + monday

I broke my promise with myself and bought off of ebay again. My last purchase did not turn out to be exactly what I expected. I think this one will be much better. I purchased 21 lbs. (192 pieces) of vintage silverware. I can't wait for it to arrive, so I can dump out the box and see all the beautiful designs. I hope they ship it soon :)