{Snow picture from last week.}Malayna's school is closed today due to the snow - we probably got about 2-3 inches overnight, and now it's raining. It's her first snow day! Looks like I'll have to find the sled and my snow boots!
_________________________
Go read my Scoutie Girl post!
I've had a burst of creative energy lately - perfect for creating new designs. I had been working in Adobe Photoshop, but after talking with a few people at the Printsource show, I've switched over to Illustrator. It's so much easier to work with. The top floral is my favorite. What's yours?
Remember that retail job I've had for almost a year? Well, no more. I was let go on Friday because they need someone more flexible. When I interviewed there last year I told them I could not be flexible because of Malayna. She is my first priority. No one ever told me they had a problem with my schedule. I did notice some passive-aggressive behavior going on when I would take time off, though. Why can't some people just be honest and not play games?
I was given 15 minutes notice that I would no longer be working there. The owner came in at 5:15 to tell me that I was no longer needed. Nice, huh? I would've appreciated being treated with a little more respect and given at least a week's notice.
Respect is not something I should've expected from that place. They talked behind people's backs and tried to get stuff over on customers. I hated going in there, but would've stayed because of the money (not that it was much - but it was something). One person there was in five days, but only put in 12.5 hours of "work." This person had the nerve to make sarcastic comments about how many hours I worked a week. At least when I was there I actually worked. I can't say the same for everyone there.
I didn't mention my unhappiness here, because what was the point? I was trying to just stay there until I found something else, but who knows how long that would've been?
I am so happy that I don't ever have to step foot in that place again. Good things are about to happen. I can feel it!
Malayna's preschool had a PJ party and sing-a-long on Wednesday night. All the kids dressed in their PJs and the music teacher came to sing songs and play her guitar. It's always so great to see Malayna with her classmates. Apparently she likes to hang out with the boys, because she was running around with them, and when they would stop running she'd try to hug them. Even when they didn't want hugs. We've had to tell her quite a few times that she should ask people first if she can hug and kiss them. She doesn't listen.
Today marks the 36th anniversary of Roe v. Wade. That means 37 years ago, women did not have the freedom of choice with their own bodies that we have today. Even with Roe v. Wade in place, some people are still trying to limit our choices by supporting the Provider Conscience Rule. This Rule "would allow doctors, nurses and nearly anyone else employed in a health care setting to deny women access to birth control, based on the providers own personal belief that birth control is immoral or tantamount to abortion." This rule took effect on January 18th - just days before Obama took office. That means if a woman wants to fill her birth control prescription at her local pharmacy, a pharmacist has the right to refuse to fill it for her based on his/her beliefs. That just sounds absolutely crazy to me.
Click here to see a Reproductive Rights timeline.
{Obama!}Did you all watch the inauguration yesterday? It was pretty exciting! I don't remember ever actually wanting to watch one in the past. Malayna and I went to Wendy and Aidan's house and Wendy and I watched while the kids played. We told the kids to come watch when Biden was sworn in and then again when Obama took his oath. We were all clapping and cheering them on. Malayna was so inspired that she said she wants to be president and an artist when she grows up. Has there ever been an artist as president? She could be the first! Hopefully we'll have a woman as president way before Malayna is old enough to run.
Last night I made this delicious vegetarian dinner. {Thanks for the recipe, Kerry!}
Garlicky Stewed White Beans with Mixed Peppers
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup chopped yellow or red bell pepper
1 tbsp bottled minced garlic (about 4 cloves)
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp dried rubbed sage
2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans
or other white beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/4 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add bell peppers, and cook 5 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Add garlic and crushed red pepper; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in water, sage, beans, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes or until thick, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with black pepper.
Makes 4 servings (serving size is 1 cup).
Enjoy!
PS: See that little logo on the lower right of the TV screen above? Doesn't it look like the MLB logo?!
___________________________________
This time last week I was in Hotel Pennsylvania in New York City with major butterflies in my stomach. My first trade show, Printsource, was starting in just two hours. Jan and I had stayed up late the night before, talking about the show and watching Law & Order. I tossed and turned all night, and each time I woke up I thought I had missed the alarm.
{Our booth at Printsource NY.}I've told my family that if I had visited the show before before committing to doing it that I would've never signed up. I would have been way too intimidated! I am so glad that Jan asked me to share a booth {and hotel room} with her. It was the push I needed! This was an incredible learning experience: I've never shown my work in this type of show and I've never left Malayna overnight. I was more nervous about leaving her than I was about the show. The Monday morning before I left I felt sick - what if she cried when I left her at school? What if she broke down when I called her from NY? Turns out I had nothing to worry about. She and Jimmy had an awesome time together, and when I called her every night she was happy to talk to me. Whew. Looking back, it seems kind of silly to have worried about those things.
Our booth looked great. We were surrounded by other talented women - Jessica Gonacha, Samantha Hahn and Sara Schmidt. We couldn't have picked better neighbors. Four of us have blogs, and have connected in some way before the show. I wish I could spend every day with fellow female artists - talking about our work, sharing tips and cheering each other on. {And sharing the trail mix that Jan's husband made for us.}
{Me and Jan in our booth.}
{Samantha Hahn}
{Jessica Gonacha}
{Taking pictures before the show.}
Jan and I coordinated our display in the days preceding the show {with about a million emails}, and our work looked so good together that people hardly noticed it was from two different artists. We got great feedback on our designs, and many people stopping by gave us contact information that we never would've gotten if we hadn't done the show. It was interesting to see the different buyers walking by {everyone wore name tags}, like Target, Macy's, Bath & Body Works, Barnes & Noble.
{From left: me, Jan, Jessica, Michelle, Sara, Samantha.}Wednesday night's dinner was Thai food, at a restaurant Samantha recommended. The food was great, but what was even better was sitting at that table surrounded by talent, talking about work and art. Jan, Jessica, Samantha, Sara, and Michelle {who took the train from NJ to meet with us} are such an inspiration. Thanks, ladies!
Jan, Jessica and Samantha all posted about their show experiences, too.
PS: I've started to create a website for my surface designs. Check it out here: Lisa Kelley Studio.
I am leaving for New York in about a half hour for the Printsource show. I was okay until I wrote that - now I'm nervous!
I took Malayna to school this morning, and she was perfectly fine. I was afraid she'd cry, knowing that she wouldn't see me tonight. She and Jimmy have lots of fun activities planned in my absence - like Smith Playhouse on Tuesday, school and the library on Wednesday and the Please Touch Museum on Thursday. Today she's with mom-mom and pop-pop, and they're probably buying her yet another baby doll.
I made her a paper chain with four links on it - one for each day that I'd be gone. I told her to rip one off each night so that she'd have a visual of the number of days left until I come back. {Thanks for the suggestion, Jan!}
Hopefully I'll find some time {and some Wifi} to update here later in the week. If not, I'll post again on Friday!
I go back to work today after having two weeks off. It's raining here, and icy in some places. I was really wishing the ice was so bad that I'd have to stay home today. No such luck!
Next week at this time I'll be in New York at the Printsource show. Yikes! I'm really nervous about leaving Malayna for three nights {for the first time.}. I know she'll be fine - I'm worried about me! Hopefully I'll be so busy that I won't have time to think about it. I created some more designs over the Christmas break. What do you think?
{Check out my Scoutie Girl post for today!}
{Jimmy, me, Malayna and Molly at my parents' house on Christmas.}Hello and happy new year! How were your holidays? Ours were fun and very busy. Jimmy was on vacation from December 22nd to January 5th, so we did lots of things together as a family.
We celebrated Malayna's fifth birthday right before Christmas. Those five years flew by. I know everyone says that, but it's really true. One day you're holding, feeding and changing a tiny baby and the next you're watching the same child run happily into her classroom, greet her friends and kiss you goodbye.
{Malayna and Jimmy in front of City Hall in Philadelphia.}We went to lots of parties, met with friends and family, and caught up with people we haven't seen in a while. Malayna got to play with cousins she'd never met before. We went to the holiday light show at Macy's in Philadelphia - something both Jimmy and I did with our families as kids. We took Malayna to Disney on Ice and I had my fill of princesses for the year.
Artie came by for a visit for the first time since he left in 2005. It was a great visit - he and Malayna painted together and reminisced over some old photos of the two of them. He stayed for dinner, which he, Jimmy and Jimmy's brother Philip made together. He gave Luco lots of hugs, and told him how old he looked. He told us how sorry he was that he left - how it was a big mistake on his part. I wish I could say that this story has a happy ending. We were supposed to see him again on New Year's day - we were going to pick him up and go to my parents' house for dinner. I called him over and over that morning, but he never called back and never showed up. I had a feeling that would happen, so I'm glad I didn't tell Malayna about the visit. I'm sure he's using again, so I'm not calling him. I'll treasure that good day we had.
{Malayna - in her Diego costume - and Artie looking at old pictures.}I've been posting pictures on flickr with my new camera! It's a Canon Rebel and I LOVE it.
How were your holidays?