Hello Dolly

Two gold stars for Lizzie. I finished everything on my list despite a few hiccups *I'll get to that later* but most importantly, the dolly is finished!

Toc Toc by The Lovers

Inspired by this doll by Jess Brown

She is still nameless but Liv has been throwing out a few possibilities...Gee-hah, Shuue, Paatah. So yesterday was quite adventurous. I found a balloon party store in downtown LA that carries what I wanted but it wasn't as easy as I expected it to be. The place turned out to be deep down in the dirty, dirty, really scary section of downtown. I affectionately refer to it as "Zombieland". Apparently Isabella Cruise has no problem hanging out with the tweakers and crackheads but me, I was holding my breath and not making eye contact the entire time I was there. I literally told Aimee where I was in case she had to file a missing persons report later that day. I parked across the street from the lovely shop.

I was lucky enough to find 35 cents in the bottom of my purse for the meter but I haven't carried cash on me since 2006 so I was relieved to see the visa emblem on the door of the shop. When I walked in I was overwhelmed by the thousands of balloons but my feeling of overwhelm was more of how tacky the balloons were displayed. I have never seen more Tweety bird, Feliz Quinceanera and Spongebob mylar balloons in my life. Sadly my phone was too grossed out to get any photos but let me assure you, it was a gaudy balloon nightmare.  I waited patiently while several ladies purchased graduation balloons and attempted to get the owner's attention since there was no semblance of customer service. When I heard a woman request the same balloon I needed I piped in, "me too!" The dude threw the balloon on the counter and grunted "$5 dollahs at me." I pull out my visa when he rolled his eyes and said "$30 dollah min-ne-mum!" Ummm, what? Lame! I then calculated the odds of finding a ATM in the vicinity and losing my parking spot with the 7 minutes of time my 35 cents paid for so I disparagingly began to look for $25 worth of balloons in the tacky balloon paradise. Everything I was remotely interested in was on display yet the grumpy owner would tell me, "no have." So luckily Olivia saw a sticker of Yo Gabba Gabba mylar balloons but it was close to impossible to ask this guy for a Brobee balloon. At first I said, could I have a green Yo Gabba Gabba balloon? this was received with a crazy look of Bro-blee? Then I choose sign language as means of communication, pointing to the sticker and smiling, see, green balloon? Uhh, he shakes his head again and sort of shrugs like, look lady, you better hurry up, I've got a cigarette that needs smoking. Okay, finally I start looking myself and as soon as I touch the hundreds of boxes of balloons he magically found it. I managed to get to $19.99 so I grabbed some ribbon spools that weren't horrible. I ended up spending $35 on balloons but I was more concerned about finding my car on cement blocks with a nice parking ticket on it. I somehow got out of there without a ticket and with all my tires intact. I felt pretty brave after surviving that mess. So I got my car washed, went to Target, *spent more than I should* tried to exchange her clothes at BabyGap but I was told the rompers I bought aren't available in stores yet. Anthropologie was completely sold out of the chiffon bow but I did buy a new bathmat *cause I needed it, right?* I got mine in blue.

I left the house at 11 am and didn't get home until 4:30 so I was pretty tired when I got home. Driving home I finally remembered to get cash for Palm Springs *cause folks don't appreciate IOU tips* Please tell me when will the world get on a cashless system? Every thing is digital! They don't even use coins at the slot machines in Vegas anymore. Tell me what's the point of cash? The only time I ever use cash is when I get a birthday card with $20 in it and then I blow it on the ice cream truck at my Mother-in-law's house. Today will be just as busy and I still have projects to work on.

Git her done!

My To Do list is like 2 pages long!

Art made by Licorice. I love me some Gene Wilder!

I kinda slacked yesterday for getting ready for the rainbow birthday bonanza yet, I did work on the yet-to-be-named dolly. I was assisted by Antz and I think she will be FABulous!! I did have a big stumble with her wig hair. Antz came to the rescue and she no longer looks like she got her hair cut with a Flowbee



We will be styling the dolly tonight *giving her a face and outfit* I promise to upload photos and a video *I'm practicing for this weekend* So as long as I work my butt off these next 2 days, I will be right on track for Friday's party at Scruffin Rock class. Today I'll be running around town all day...Target, I have to stock up on Babybel cheese and get supplies for a last minute project I want to squeeze on to our already full plate. This kid eats cheese like crazy, she learned how to open them herself so now she wants like 4 a day! I am picking up balloons from a party store and I need my car washed *somebody went nuts with crackers in the backseat* I also need to exchange some clothes I bought at BabyGap *she's already outgrown a size 2!* and I can't pass up the sale at Anthropologie.

Chiffon Bow

I have been wanting this Ban.do bow for awhile and now it's $10!!

I have been doing doing countless loads of laundry, not because I've let it pile up but Antz and Liv both have 1 white shirt and 2 black pants that are dirty so that makes 2 separate loads for like 3 things. When you do laundry how do you handle the tiny loads? Do you wait till you have enough for a regular load or do you run your machine 24/7 like me who was drying socks at midnight last night? I am keeping my fingers crossed I can pull this off, I have been more forgetful lately so please remind me to stop at the ATM and get cash!!!

It's Over Already?

These 3 days have just flown by. The bad news is I didn't work on making Olivia's doll, boo! The good news is, I saw Moonrise Kingdom!! So quintessentially Wes Anderson style. The film is a perfect hybrid of The Royal Tenenbaums and Fantastic Mr Fox *which are both amazing* It's only playing in limited theaters this week so we saw it at Hollywood Arclight which had a lovely exhibit from the movie set up in the lobby.

We finally had the chance to try Larkins in Eagle Rock *the same owner as Mac & Cheeza* for a dinner party for our friend Darrell. The food was huge, indulgent and delish! We had chocolate covered bacon for dessert, I repeat Chocolate covered, BAY-CON!

My punch tasted like peach cobbler, yummy!

The portobello fries were my favorite

The chef was super sweet, she helped us order and kept Liv entertained while we chowed down. Yep, that's a tattoo of bacon....BAY-CON!

Ribbbbbbs and fried okra!

Antz had the good old fashioned BBQ chicken and mac and cheese

I had the fried shrimp *they were the size of my fist*

I was super stuffed but I still tried one, really tasty

Fantastic!

So, you must be wondering what did I do with all this time and still didn't manage to get any work done on her doll? I'll tell ya, I put on my Steven Spielberg hat *and beard* and worked all night on her video. It was easy using the iMovie software but editing down 8,000 photos and videos to 250 was a struggle. I had fun choosing the music and collaborating with Antz and my Mom. So without further adieu....I present Liv's 2nd Year.



How was your weekend? Any fun trips or amazing meals?

Mix Tape Fridays Vol 15

My car is all better now, hooray! I'm picking her up when Antz gets home tonight. We have a pretty busy weekend planned so I'll be back Monday. Let's hope I finish Liv's doll!

Have a Rocking Weekend!!


"Somebody That I Used To Know" (feat. Kimbra)  Goyte


"Bucky Done Gun" M.I.A.


"Hey Mammi" Fanny Pack

For Aimee

"Azz Everywhere" Big Freedia


"Bassment Party" The Cool Kids


"Pure Imagination" Jolie Holland

I love this video!!

"It's Oh So Quiet" Björk


"Brass Monkey" The Beastie Boys


"Evil Boy" Die Antwoord


"Don't Stop Me Now" Queen

My official weekend theme song!

You ever been so tired you just wanna cry?

I'm feeling that type of exhaustion right now. Like, it's taking incredulous effort to type these words. So I'm going to be brief, for obvious reasons, and then I'm going to sleep like I'm Rip Van Winkle. Today was my date with Aimee. I was totally planning to pick her up, go to Sprinkles Ice Cream, stop by Target then have lunch. By the time I dropped her off it would be time to pick up Antz from work and then I would go pick up Snowball from the dealer. Nuh uh, not happening. First, Sprinkles...we arrived a little after 12:30 and there was a line. I thought the line was manageable not as long as the ATM was but I circled 5 times looking for parking and Aimee was like, let's just come back later when the line dies down. Okay, off we go to Target. Hurtle #2, Aimee was looking for the 3rd Shades of Grey book *cause she's a dirty old perv and she read the other two in like 5 days* and the West Hollywood Target was completely sold out of all 3 books *duh, we should have known* and they didn't have what I was looking for either. All the while, I'm waiting to hear about Snowball. Turns out they have to order a part for her that won't get there until Friday so they offer me a loaner if I get there before 5. Sigh, now I have to drive all the way to Pasadena. We are starving at this point so we go to Numero Uno Pizza in Glendale. BUZZ!! RED X!! Nope!! They are closed for renovations. I am starting to sense a theme here. So I drive to way out east Pasadena to find another Numero Uno and we stuff our faces. Liv chooses to throw her meal under the table and throw an unnecessary tantrum. Since we're close, we go to Target to look for 50 Shades Freed III and of course, they don't have it *yet they have millions of the first book that I was looking for last week* We go to my dealer and pick up the gross dark grey Passat loaner that takes 20 minutes of me waiting impatiently to get. My annoyance level at this point is in the red. We then drive to Antz job to drop off his car and Aimee and I go to the mall so she can buy her face paint *aka MAC makeup* we decide, let's give the Glendale Target a shot since we're there and the dude tells us they are sold out but the Eagle Rock store have 50. Of all the places, my local Target has what we need all along. So we take our tired asses to the Eagle Rock Target and she gets her book and I buy her a second bottle of wine cause Antz accidentally dropped her first bottle. At this point, I'm delirious. We pick up Antz and Liv and I drive Aimee home to Venice. Then I drove past Sprinkles again and the line was three times as long. We stopped to get dinner for my hungry hubby and made it home after 10pm. I still forgot to buy toothpaste after going to 4 Targets. It was a long, exhausting, hilarious day. I think the fact that my loaner doesn't have an ipod connection so I'm stuck listening to the radio made me a little more grouchy-pants than I should be, but Antz and Aimee made me laugh through my tears. Alas, I have no review on Sprinkles Ice Cream but we will give it another go next week. On a happier note, Liv and Antz went cherry picking this afternoon and here is their harvest.

Good job! They are delish

I also figured out to to use the remote setting on the new camera. Sadly I didn't figure out how to stand in the right spot but here's a few that turned out okay.

Testing

stellar posing Liv

Karate kick!

Good night Lovelies!

Snowball is sick

My car decided to be dumb yesterday out of nowhere. The check engine light came on and when I would try to accelerate Snowball was huffing and puffing like a old lady with asthma. WTH? This is my 3rd lease from Volkswagen and the first one I've decided to keep at the end of my lease *to save money for our new house* and now she wants to give me problems? It's funny how tomorrow is her 1st birthday and she has the nerve to get sick.

My Snowball IV

I have no clue what's wrong with Snowball but I took her to the dealer last night *because they were smoking crack if they thought I was bringing her at 6:30 this morning* and I'm supposed to hear the diagnosis at 8:00 am. Alright, it's 19 minutes after and I need my car to be fixed! I took her in last night cause they told me they could probably fix her then but when I dropped her off they tell me she'll be the first car looked at in the morning *fucking efficient!* It's a good this happened now instead of the day before we leave for Palm Springs because I am notorious for having a crisis just before leaving town. I take her in for service on schedule, feed her yummy, expensive gas, occasionally get her washed and keep her looking pretty, so why no work Snowy?

Bah! I just called them and the incompetent jerk I'm dealing with tells me there's something wrong with the fuel sensor, they are running tests...blah...blah...blah, he'll call me with an update at 11 *right, like you were supposed to call me at 8 am* Nothing sucks more than car trouble except computer trouble. I'm going to drop Antz off at work and take his car *lame boy car* to my date with Aimee at Sprinkles Ice Cream because those jerks haven't offered me a courtesy car yet. Okay, enough with the drama, my kid's birthday is next week and I don't need anything else to go wrong.

We took Liv to the park and got ice cream after dropping Snowball at the dealer.

my Mom stopped by on her way home and played with Liv

She refused to let me style her 'fro, this is it's natural state!

I love how retro this place is but the one in Eagle Rock sucks!

She killed her mini sundae

Wish me luck I get my car back by next Friday!!!

I scream for Sprinkles Ice Cream!!!

Yup, tomorrow Aimee, Liv and I are going to Sprinkles ICE CREAM opening! I hope the line isn't as ridiculous as the Sprinkles ATM was.

WOO-HOO! I love Memorial day weekend, it kicks off summer season and Antz will be taking off a bunch of days next month. He's taking next Friday off so he can come to Scruffin Rock class with us to celebrate Liv's birthday. Did I mention I went to Surfas and bought a mini cake stand and icing spatulas?

That little guy is for the edges

I want mine to look like this one

 

I'll be freezing the cake Friday night so Saturday I can frost it nice and smooth.
So besides her doll, I need to finish working on her 2nd year video and wrap her presents. I really hope my laptop cooperates with my camera cause I'm going to be taking thousands of pictures. Lately I've been uploading 5 at a time which takes forever but it's the only way I'll ensure to not get those lame black images. Next week I'm definitely taking my computer in for service *and the Nikon D3000 too!*

I got her Shutterfly Photobook in the mail yesterday. I love how it came out. I really like their new chalkboard style. You can see it online here. We plan to make a book every year!

Ni Hao!!

That's hello in Chinese cause Liv & I are watching some Ni Hao, Kai Lan at the moment. I was too tired and frustrated to blog yesterday. We went to the fabric store in downtown and I stocked up on materials for Liv's birthday present. I bought her this book and now I would love to make her a doll she can take to Paris too.

Kiki & Coco in Paris

I found a bunch of awesome fabric and stuffing. I made my own version of the Bloom Theory camera strap *mine cost $3.25* saved $116.75!!

Sunkissis via Instagram

We picked up my Mom from her house in LA and then we had dinner at Wurstküche. I was expecting it to be crowded but it wasn't at all. My Mom loved it, she had the rattlesnake and rabbit too.

Best picture ever!!!

Did you see the solar eclipse yesterday? I took these shots, you can see the reflection of the crescent.

Disney Concert Hall

Just caught the lovely sunset

Our internet was down most of yesterday *we think due to the eclipse* which really ticked me off, I couldn't even get internet on my phone so it held me up from working on Liv's doll. I'll try to work on it in the evenings while she's asleep.
I had to drive back to our house to pick up Ching Ching *my Mom's pug* and by the time I drove my Mom house it was 11:30! I'm still having trouble with uploading photos and I plan to take a ton of pictures for Liv's birthday so I have to get this fixed soon. Nothing bums me out like technical issues.

Today my special shoes I ordered for Liv's birthday arrived. Care for a peek...?

WAINBOWS!!!