Everytime I'm in London, I daydream that I meet this hottie on the street...
...then we makeout, get married and have babies. It's great.
10.30.2008
Thursday Eye Candy
Everytime I'm in London, I daydream that I meet this hottie on the street...
...then we makeout, get married and have babies. It's great.
10.28.2008
10.27.2008
Happy 35th Anniversary Mike and Marlene!
I feel so fortunate to have been brought up by these two love birds. ow ow.
When I was back in Dallas, my siblings and I threw a surprise party for the parents and invited all of their closest friends. I landed the job of giving the speech and creating the slide show...danger danger.
7 minutes of family pics...watch at your own discretion.
Love you Mom and Dad!
When I was back in Dallas, my siblings and I threw a surprise party for the parents and invited all of their closest friends. I landed the job of giving the speech and creating the slide show...danger danger.
7 minutes of family pics...watch at your own discretion.
Love you Mom and Dad!
10.26.2008
English People and the Curry Confusion
Have any of you heard about the amazing food in England?...
…Yeah. Me neither.
Not to say that good food doesn’t exist here…(thank you dear Jesus for SUBWAY)…but all the amazing stuff…is so not English.
For instance: Indian food
The Indian food over here rocks.
When someone asks you out for dinner in England, it usually goes like so: (please read in an English accent)
“Do you fancy a curry?” or “Fancy a meal out?...which curry house would you like to try this time?”
Meet Alan. (I always meet the most amazing people on planes)
He’s the kind, English man that I had the pleasure of sitting next to on the American Airlines flight back to Manchester this past week. He had me laughing pretty much for the duration of the flight…but especially when the meal arrived.
Menu:
Chicken and Rice or Beef and Potatoes
(please keep in mind that we’re flying American…)
So…we’re eating dinner when Alan remarks, “This is a good chicken curry!”
I almost yacked up a chunk of chicken as I carefully explained to Alan that this meal we were eating…was not a curry…but rather, rice, chicken and vegetables all mixed up to create a nutritious and compact airline meal.
For all the English people out there…just to alleviate any confusion….this here is Chicken and Rice:
And this here is a Chicken Curry:
Chunks of Meat + Rice = Doesn't always equal a curry...but I love you for thinking so.
…Yeah. Me neither.
Not to say that good food doesn’t exist here…(thank you dear Jesus for SUBWAY)…but all the amazing stuff…is so not English.
For instance: Indian food
The Indian food over here rocks.
When someone asks you out for dinner in England, it usually goes like so: (please read in an English accent)
“Do you fancy a curry?” or “Fancy a meal out?...which curry house would you like to try this time?”
Meet Alan. (I always meet the most amazing people on planes)
He’s the kind, English man that I had the pleasure of sitting next to on the American Airlines flight back to Manchester this past week. He had me laughing pretty much for the duration of the flight…but especially when the meal arrived.
Menu:
Chicken and Rice or Beef and Potatoes
(please keep in mind that we’re flying American…)
So…we’re eating dinner when Alan remarks, “This is a good chicken curry!”
I almost yacked up a chunk of chicken as I carefully explained to Alan that this meal we were eating…was not a curry…but rather, rice, chicken and vegetables all mixed up to create a nutritious and compact airline meal.
For all the English people out there…just to alleviate any confusion….this here is Chicken and Rice:
And this here is a Chicken Curry:
Chunks of Meat + Rice = Doesn't always equal a curry...but I love you for thinking so.
10.23.2008
10.19.2008
It's Devin...as a Nutcracker
This is my South African friend, Devin. (...calm down ladies)
This is the portrait of Devin that I drew my freshman year of college...he looks like a nutcracker.
Oooh the little treasures that you find when you're at home.
My trip is officially coming to an end.
Sad.
I haven't seen a pigeon for like a week...but I have seen a few mullets.
Dallas Checklist:
* Met a new friend on the plane ride over...check
* Threw an awesome Bachelorette Party...check
* Married off another friend...check
* Ate some proper Mexican food...check
* Helped the American economy by purchasing a winter wardrobe (in 75 degree Texas weather)...check
This is the portrait of Devin that I drew my freshman year of college...he looks like a nutcracker.
Oooh the little treasures that you find when you're at home.
My trip is officially coming to an end.
Sad.
I haven't seen a pigeon for like a week...but I have seen a few mullets.
Dallas Checklist:
* Met a new friend on the plane ride over...check
* Threw an awesome Bachelorette Party...check
* Married off another friend...check
* Ate some proper Mexican food...check
* Helped the American economy by purchasing a winter wardrobe (in 75 degree Texas weather)...check
10.15.2008
Classic Marlene
One of the skills that I've mastered in my 26 years of living:
Getting a rise out of my dear mom, Marlene.
This is a very special skill that has proved to bring endless entertainment...pretty much on a daily basis.
So...earlier this week I told my mom that I kissed my veeeery first English boy...and it was euro-tastic!
This is the email response that I got two minutes later:
Be smart honey.....
When you kiss them they think they mean something to you. JUST HUG.....
Love you too much,
Mom
Getting a rise out of my dear mom, Marlene.
This is a very special skill that has proved to bring endless entertainment...pretty much on a daily basis.
So...earlier this week I told my mom that I kissed my veeeery first English boy...and it was euro-tastic!
This is the email response that I got two minutes later:
Be smart honey.....
When you kiss them they think they mean something to you. JUST HUG.....
Love you too much,
Mom
10.13.2008
I'm a Lucky Girl...
...yep...it's true.
I won £10 in the lottery last week, and this morning...after a night of dreaming about American Indians
(don't ask)...my soap fell and landed like this:
I don't need to read my horoscope to know it's going to be a crazy lucky day.
I won £10 in the lottery last week, and this morning...after a night of dreaming about American Indians
(don't ask)...my soap fell and landed like this:
I don't need to read my horoscope to know it's going to be a crazy lucky day.
10.12.2008
Circa 1980
Sometimes I forget that I’m in England…
…but then I catch a whiff of fish n’ chips and/or see someone sporting layered socks and a Boom Box and then suddenly it all comes back to me.
The 80’s are back full force in the UK.
This morning I almost substituted my straightener for a side pony.
10.10.2008
I'm Craving The Mexican...
...alas, I'll be in Tejas next week for yet another wedding.
Taco's, queso, and margaritas por favor.
10.08.2008
10.06.2008
Happy Birthday Angie & Neil!
These two individuals have brought so much joy and laughter into my life...it's hard to believe that we met just six months ago.
Cake Party at my place! I've decided to play Marlene and bake up some birthday treats...or Buns and Cakes as they would say in West Yorkshire.
Angie's favorite dessert: Boston Cream Pie
Neil's favorite dessert: Sticky Toffee Pudding. Classic English dessert...this one should be interesting.
10.05.2008
I Could've Come up with a Much More Appealing Name...
Spotted Dick Pudding. Hmmm....
For some strange reason, I don’t fancy having a go with this particular English treat.
10.02.2008
When You Need a Break At Work...Google Yourself
I googled my neighbor buddy Neil...he lied and said he's never done it before.
Yup, he's pretty much famous.
taken straight from Advertiser Series
Designer is a real diamond!
By Sally Clifford
A passion for pop-up books led Neil Shoesmith into his job with one of the world's largest greeting cards companies based in his home city of Bradford. He laughs how his interest in the 3D books from his childhood led to the hundreds he has amassed over the years which are part of his ever-expanding collection. His fascination and expertise in the field of 3D has enabled him to turn his obsession into a full-time profession. Neil's introduction to the card creating industry was working part-time in between his studies for the former British Greetings Card company. After completing an art foundation course at Bradford and Ilkley Community College in the 1980s, and a three year BA degree course at North Staffordshire Polytechnic in multi-disciplinary design, Neil joined British Greetings Cards full-time. Subsequently the company was taken over by American-based card giants Hallmark PLC, and Neil has since been promoted to be the company's art director based at its Bradford headquarters. "I have always been creative. All my family are - they can all draw - but I never really sat down and said I wanted to do it. It just happened. I suppose I was always pushed down the route of art and took to it like a duck to water," Neil says.
Neil particularly loves the complexity and ingenious way he says artists can use 3D to animate from 2D. He became a specialist and is using his expertise and skills creating pop-ups, packaging and paper mechanics. "In the beginning you have a go at everything because you are given everything. The longer you stay here and the higher you go you become more specialised and you become a mentor to other people coming in," says Neil. "My strengths are 3D, pop-ups, packaging and paper mechanics, which is where the character animates the card. In this career you always need a point of difference, something you can bring to the job and something that will make you stand out." The greatest change he has seen in the industry is the advances in technology which have made card creating a more speedy and flexible process.
"When I joined it was pre-Apple Mac so it was black ink and working on boards. Luckily, when I went to the college in North Staffordshire they had invested in computers so I was familiar with them. It has certainly made the job a lot cleaner - I don't go home now covered in ink and paint!" His most recent assignments include working with the company's licensing team on the popular Forever Friends and Wellington Bear collections. But perhaps the most poignant project he has been involved with was designing the card to contain Hallmark's Mother's Day diamond. Neil was in the process of designing the box-like card to show off the one carat diamond, donated by high street jeweller Beaverbrooks, when he lost his mother to lung cancer at Christmas. "The card is in honour of her," says Neil. The unique gift is the first collaborative venture between Hallmark and Beaverbrooks. The gem, worth £5,000, will be sold in a telephone auction on February 27 and 29 and Beaverbrooks has offered to set the diamond into a piece of jewellery. Proceeds from the auction will be distributed to two breast cancer charities through Hallmark's Cards for a Cure campaign.
Yup, he's pretty much famous.
taken straight from Advertiser Series
Designer is a real diamond!
By Sally Clifford
A passion for pop-up books led Neil Shoesmith into his job with one of the world's largest greeting cards companies based in his home city of Bradford. He laughs how his interest in the 3D books from his childhood led to the hundreds he has amassed over the years which are part of his ever-expanding collection. His fascination and expertise in the field of 3D has enabled him to turn his obsession into a full-time profession. Neil's introduction to the card creating industry was working part-time in between his studies for the former British Greetings Card company. After completing an art foundation course at Bradford and Ilkley Community College in the 1980s, and a three year BA degree course at North Staffordshire Polytechnic in multi-disciplinary design, Neil joined British Greetings Cards full-time. Subsequently the company was taken over by American-based card giants Hallmark PLC, and Neil has since been promoted to be the company's art director based at its Bradford headquarters. "I have always been creative. All my family are - they can all draw - but I never really sat down and said I wanted to do it. It just happened. I suppose I was always pushed down the route of art and took to it like a duck to water," Neil says.
Neil particularly loves the complexity and ingenious way he says artists can use 3D to animate from 2D. He became a specialist and is using his expertise and skills creating pop-ups, packaging and paper mechanics. "In the beginning you have a go at everything because you are given everything. The longer you stay here and the higher you go you become more specialised and you become a mentor to other people coming in," says Neil. "My strengths are 3D, pop-ups, packaging and paper mechanics, which is where the character animates the card. In this career you always need a point of difference, something you can bring to the job and something that will make you stand out." The greatest change he has seen in the industry is the advances in technology which have made card creating a more speedy and flexible process.
"When I joined it was pre-Apple Mac so it was black ink and working on boards. Luckily, when I went to the college in North Staffordshire they had invested in computers so I was familiar with them. It has certainly made the job a lot cleaner - I don't go home now covered in ink and paint!" His most recent assignments include working with the company's licensing team on the popular Forever Friends and Wellington Bear collections. But perhaps the most poignant project he has been involved with was designing the card to contain Hallmark's Mother's Day diamond. Neil was in the process of designing the box-like card to show off the one carat diamond, donated by high street jeweller Beaverbrooks, when he lost his mother to lung cancer at Christmas. "The card is in honour of her," says Neil. The unique gift is the first collaborative venture between Hallmark and Beaverbrooks. The gem, worth £5,000, will be sold in a telephone auction on February 27 and 29 and Beaverbrooks has offered to set the diamond into a piece of jewellery. Proceeds from the auction will be distributed to two breast cancer charities through Hallmark's Cards for a Cure campaign.
10.01.2008
...And Today's Make My Day Award Goes to the Lovely Bess B.
Thanks sweet girl for making me smile halfway around the world.
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