around the corner

~ SPRING IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER! ~

Look at this lovely lily! It's from my cousin Shell's gorgeous birthday bouquet from her husband

~

Peeps! I know I've really been missing in action lately... I sure have missed my blog!

I've been in Utah (still here!) taking care of my precious cousin Shell -

she had gnarly, nasty shoulder surgery and has very limited mobility and a long recovery.

I love her so much, it's a joy to be with her and I'm so grateful to be here. 

For Shell's birthday, she not only got her stitches removed, but we went to get pedicures!

If anyone deserved the comfort of a massage & pedicure, it was Shell!

So here are our cute toes - you know I have a thing for cute toes, hehehe :D

Happy colors for spring! :)

Shell :)

 Most of you know how much I love my cousin Shelly :)

I never get to see her enough, but am so grateful for the times we can get together!

She was able to come visit last week, and as usual, we had a wonderful time...

 Every time she comes I seem to find another fantabulous gnome!

And I'm very picky about gnomes.

A huge TURQUOISE gnome?! Are you even KIDDING?!

 Our all time favorite thing to do is get pedicures together and take feet pics :)

Shell came up with the quilt idea this time, which looked great with our sparkles -

and was probably a better choice than stepping on Davy's album covers ------> HAH!

 OH YEAH :)

 Shell is going on the waiting list for Kat Von D at L.A. Ink...

so we'd better start thinking, cuz that's probably the next time she'll be here!

 And almost as soon as she arrived... she left... saaaaad. SO SAAAD. OH GOSH, SO SO SAAAD :(

I always sleep on the quilts and pillows she uses cuz they smell so good and it comforts me.

 I put on the fuzzy socks I got with her at one of our favorite stores.

I sipped some hot cocoa while we texted how much we already missed each other.

Thank you so much for coming Shell - as usual, I had a terrific time!

I sure love you and can't wait to see you again :)

xoxo

toes and porch teasers

Guess who came and stayed with me last week?!

Can you tell by our foot photo?!

If you guessed my cousin Shell, you would be right!

Oh, how I *LOVE* it when my Shell comes to visit!

Naturally, we had to have our pedicure first thing -

and then take our traditional pedi pics!

I call this one "Fun Feet on Fake Fall Leaves" :)

So naturally, when Shell is here, it's porch time!

And boy, did mine need it! It had hit bottom :/ 

Besides - summer porches are SO last summer...

Mine was definitely ready for fall!

(AND MAY I JUST SAY HOW READY *I* AM FOR FALL?!)

I don't know what I'd do without Shell - 

she is such a hard worker and an amazing help! 

 So to keep you in suspense a day or so longer

- muah-ha-haaa - here is porch teaser #1! 

And here's porch teaser #2!

*Stay tuned peeps! It turned out AWESOME!

shenanigans

I have no doubt whatsoever that all of you have been dreadfully missing my feet photos and wondering when I will grace my blog with more colorful creations of toes, tattoos, and tie dye :)

 Remember how my cousin Shell came to visit me? We love to take feet pics together too! I think Shell is probably the only person that would put up with my insane ideas and actually like them too :) I've posted a few of our feet pics *here* before. Do you notice anything NEW about one of Shell's feet? That's right - she finally got the tattoo she always wanted :) So the first thing we did was get a pedicure with similar polish and rhinestones, and then we started going through all the albums that would work best. That's kind of our thing :)

 Ah, George.....

 I think everyone on da Earff probably has this album...

 ... and this one too!

 This is a personal favorite because I turned it kinda creepy...

my Led Zeppelin IV... see how we're climbing the Stairway to Heaven?

 Okay, so no album, but I loved this one in the late afternoon sun :)

Here is another personal favorite - are all these colors amazing or what! It will also prove if Davy really reads my blog or not, because the second he sees that we were standing on his Tool "Lateralus" album he's going to have a royal come-apart, hehe :D Yes, of course we always take the records out! So here is your color/tattoo/album/art/toe/creative shenanigan inspiration for today! Zaaaaaaaaa!

P.S. Made ya look!!! Hehe :D 

Take a look at the awesome blog ToeMail 

to see our world famous feet!!!

Pink Friday

Look at the *ADORABLE* little pillow my dear friend Lauren made for me!

She sent it as a surprise in the mail, in an envelope we send back and forth.

She knows me so well (since we were 13) - she always knows what I will love.

She's an amazing seamstress - if fact I've mentioned her here before.

She made my boys hand-quilted quilts when they were born,

and she's made me other adorable pillows I keep on my bed at all times.

Her Etsy store is -----> HERE <----- if you'd like to visit her :)

Thank you Laur!!! I absolutely *LOVE * my heart pillow!

Let's get on with our Pink Friday!

Yes, more feet and toes. Just my freaky little thing.

And usually I'm all over outrageous colors and wild designs,

but sometimes a girl just needs a calming little dose of baby pink.

This week was definitely a rare baby pink week.

Hey, just keepin' it real folks... just keepin' it real :D

~

Have a fantastic weekend!

more sweet feet

 ~ Ahhh, little sweaters for your toes! ~

This post is dedicated to my friend Wendy, who introduced me to Toe Sox.

Wendy has her finger on the pulse of All Things Cool.

She's a talented gal too, so make sure you check out her NEW BLOG.

 Toe Sox is a great little online company that does one thing and one thing well.

They take care of the needs of your feet and toes (especially if you're into yoga)

Some sox come with non-slip pads on the bottom, some are made with half toes.

They just came out with new double-wicking sox - cute holiday sox too!

They're all well-made, affordable, and doggone adorable :)

 For those of you saying 'what the heck! you're always HOT!'... I know, I know.

But when the southern California temps finally drop at night 
for a combined total of 30 seconds, my house actually stays COLD inside! 
Hey, don't get me wrong - I'm not complaining!

I wait all year long for it, and I love being cold. I need to live in Newfoundland.

But my toes don't love being cold, so this is the perfect solution for them!

Tee hee - like I'd EVER stop wearing my flip flops just cuz it's cold!

Have a happy feet day everyone :)

friday feet

~ Happy Graphite Toes ~ 

Happy Friday! I had a lot on my plate this week and today was the last of it -

my yearly check-up. Yes, that check-up. So a pedicure was my reward of course!

How genius is that!? I love being in charge of my own reward system :)

I know I usually go for the crazy colors, but I'm feeling a bit melancholy.

My dad would have celebrated his 100th birthday this week... 100, wow...

He led a long and happy life - passed on at 85 - but of course he is still missed.

So he has been a constant thread woven in and out of my thoughts this week.

I decided to go for a beautiful charcoal color with a little sparkle in it -

it just seemed like the natural choice. And the hint of sparkle is cheerful.

~

Have a GREAT weekend everyone! 

I guess if toes could wave this is what it might look like...?

hehehe :D

boys pets toes rose

As suggested by my title, a virtual panoply of topics with accompanying photos season today's post! So much is happening this weekend! Let us waste no (more) time getting started, because I am literally shaking with excitement. Actually, I'm shaking from Exedrin and diet Coke, but I'm really excited too. I feel a little buzzed. Kind of like that time I passed out in Hot Topic. And luckily John caught me before my head hit the floor. And the Hot Topic employees were like "whoaaa". And my kids thought it was hysterical. But that's another story.

So first up, my firstborn son Daniel, the gorgeous boy in the photo above, is as I type, driving home from college! WAHOOOOO!!! Isn't that such a great photo? It is Daniel and his best, best, best friend & partner in crime Alissa, at their all time favorite place on earth, In-N-Out. They have a slight addiction. But we figure since Daniel will be spending all summer doing research in Uganda, and Alissa will be volunteering in Haiti, they will either come home broken of their addictions, or broken people - I guess we shall see. In the meantime, we are sooooo thrilled to have Daniel home for 3 weeks before he has to take off again! He needs to slap his brothers around big time.    

Speaking of which, I took this photo of Davy and Kitty a while back and forgot to post it. Kitty is the biggest, fattest, crankiest kitty on God's green earth, which is probably why Davy picked her out in the first place. Their crankiness compliments each other. Plus she's naughty. But you rarely see Kitty. In fact, most people don't even know we have a kitty at our house. She stays in Davy's room most of the time, unless he's playing his guitar or mandolin (she HATES that) or has a friend over. But she does like to lurk around the rest of the house occasionally, and announce her presence as though she were the queen and we are to treat her as such.

Here is cranky Kitty laying in the antique cradle on MY minky. She mostly likes to daydream about all the awful things she could do to make my dogs lives miserable. She thinks they are pathetic and will hit them in the nose. 

Which is why I must add this photo of Luna - the most perfect pet EVER - and say just LOOK at that sweet nose!

AND... I forgot to mention my friend Diana and I got another pedicure. Stressed? Me? Nah... :D

Now here's something I've been waiting for! If you've read my blog for a while you know I take a photo of my first rose bloom of the year. Well, here it is - and just look how GORGEOUS! I probably should have at least taken the time to adjust these pics a little, but I didn't - I was too excited to share them. HAPPY SPRING INDEED!!!

* to everything there is a season *

* bloom where you're planted *

AND HAPPY FRIDAY EVERYONE!

ocean toes friday

Yes, as a matter of fact, I *did* get a pedicure. And yes, as a matter of fact, it *was* glorious.

My friend Diana and I went a few days ago. It was better than eating an undisclosed amount of chocolate.

So I am dipping my fantastic blue toes in the ocean to test out the water, and wishing all of you a happy Friday!

xoxo 

Be of Good Cheer

Cherry toes are Cheerful toes! Happy Friday and have a great weekend! :)

M.I.A.

Hi all :) Sorry I've been Missing In Action lately. My random photos will give you some clues as to why I've been away and what I've been up to. First of all though, many thanks to all of you who made comments here, or through e-mail, or in person, or on Facebook... about the RED BED! It was awesome to have so much enthusiasm :) Thank you!

As you can see from the stack above, I had 125 Christmas cards to address. I really don't mind because I enjoy sending something handwritten in this day and age. But it is time consuming. Our assembly line to get the cards ready worked out great though - I folded the newsletter, my 17-year-old put the newsletter and greeting card into the envelopes, my husband sealed the envelopes, and the Mouse put the return stickers and stamps on. Now that's what I'm talkin bout! And the usual brawl didn't start until later when we were playing Uno...
Now, between the hot cocoa and oatmeal on a tray, and the cute little toes poking out from underneath a blanky, I bet you can guess what else has been going on... the Mouse has been sick with a sore throat and swollen glands - fun stuff. He missed 3 days of school, but I am happy to report he's feeling better, and is caught up on his homework. And went back to school today. After I shoved him out the door. 
If you look at the photo below, here's another fun update (and subliminal message): my iPhoto program went *kablooey* and nearly gave me a freaking heart attack. I had over 6,000 photos on it - most of them backed-up fortunately (Europe and everything!) - and I spent an entire evening at the Apple Store. After navigating 3 freeways to get there. And spending 4 hours walking in circles. At a crowded mall during the holidays. While they reloaded all 6,000 photos one by one. By one. That was a really fun evening. 
But here is a favorite reason I've been missing... I've finally started decorating for Christmas! My husband put up the outdoor lights while I decorated our front porch. In 90 degree weather. Sheesh. A few days later all of us trimmed our tree while we listened to Christmas music. Our "less is more" theme turned out lovely. I still need to get my nativity scenes out, and our stockings, but things are looking good. I have had this precious little angel (below) since I was very young. It's one of the only Christmas decorations I have of my parents' things. She's teeny tiny, and so sweet. I really, really cherish her :)
I've been busy doing the usual things too, but I refrained from taking photos of our dirty laundry, dirty dishes, and the Poo Garden, for obvious reasons.

And guess what! I finally finished making *Rochelle's double-dipped rice crispy treats* and have the pics to prove it! Oh my gosh - soooooo good! We are flipping out over here! And I'm also excited to introduce you to another wonderful, talented friend of mine. Maria. She's so awesome. So stay tuned - fun things are on their way!