I am trying to get used to using my camera with no AF. I’ve become really lazy; relying on my camera to do all the work. Now I’m using my backup lens which isn’t great for closeups (70-300mm) and certainly doesn’t focus fast (ummm, I don’t focus fast) enough for taking pics of wiggly toddlers. How in the world do photographers do it!? I’m going to get fast, I guess. I don’t think I’ll be getting that $500 lens replaced anytime soon.

Does anyone know of a reputable online company that fixes lenses? It’s actually not a terrible break– just these little plastic pieces that hold the lens to the camera. Seems silly to toss an entire lens over something like this. I tried super gluing the pieces back on but they are just too small.

On the way home from town today, Austin shared a story about his trip to the Rec Center with his friends over the weekend. Apparently there was an old man wearing a “thong” at the pool, which I took to be Speedos. Kids this age talk so nasty, let me tell ya. Austin said his galpal came up to him and said, “Austin! There is an old man over there. He is wearing a thong. He has one wrinkly old ball hanging out. Save me!”

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Austin asked me if he could create a myspace page because all of his friends were doing it. I said I didn’t mind as long as he let me double check to make sure he was completely anonymous after he created it. Saturday night Jeremy and I decided to go to bed early and on the way to bed, Austin asked if he could use my computer to work on his myspace page. I said sure. Silly Momma! Jeremy told me the next morning that he got up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom and when he came out into the dining room, Austin got up and ran from my computer. He suggested I check my history to see what Austin had been doing because he was obviously guilty of something. Low and behold– I found a bunch of pics of young hotties in thong bikinis in my history. When did he start liking girls? Much less half naked girls in thongs! What cloud have I had my head stuffed in?

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I’ve been missing some Victoria’s Secret catalogs and was a little frustrated by that because there was a shirt I wanted that isn’t on their website. I decided to give up on the whole catalog search because I must have tossed it accidentally while cleaning. Last week I was visiting my in-laws and went to use their restroom. Bella followed me and immediately started opening cabinet doors. On the opening of the first drawer, I fussed at her and told her not to be nosy. Then I looked down into the cabinet and noticed a VS catalog. Talk about being nosy. I picked the magazine up and looked at the address on the back– IT WAS MY MISSING CATALOG with my name and address! Turns out that Austin and my 14 year old nephew swiped it and were checking out the half nekkid models in it!

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I’ve finally accepted that my son is a teenager now. Ugh.

I was a little disappointed on Friday night when I went to set my booth up. My “booth” was actually so tiny that I didn’t have room for even a chair behind my table. We worked with the space and made the best of it. Jeremy made a folding screen out of plywood to hang the paintings on, which ended up being eye candy all by itself. It was so lovely! So is my talented and gorgeous man!

After spending the week making roses, painting them, and curling 10,000,000 petals, I decided not to just give them away. I saw online that others were selling the coffee filter roses and had revamped the tutorial enough that I felt I had put my own originality into them, so I decided to sell them. I didn’t think about selling them until I put bouquets together in vases that I picked up at the thrift store and saw how absolutely beautiful they were– too gorgeous to be free and too time consuming to just give away to strangers. A few neighbors came over a couple of days before the craft fair and asked if they could buy some, so I knew they were something people would spend money on. So I put a $4 price tag on them and thought they would sell like hot cakes… Contraire mon fraire. People complimented them at the fair, but no one coughed up the dough. In fact, no one coughed up any dough. I didn’t sell ONE. SINGLE. THING! Oh, I’m lying. I sold one rose.

So… You can say what you want about the economy problems being blown out of proportion by the media. But I asked every vendor at the fair how they did. Only a small handful sold anything and those that did sell sold very little. My neighbor sold one item and it was to a friend of hers. She pat me on the back for being blue about not making a sale (not even making the money back for the money I spent on the booth rental) and bought a rose from me out of pity. We laughed about it and I told her I would have given her one for free but she insisted it was what she wanted to do so that I could tell everyone I sold something. Crafters are so sweet!

The knitted sweaters in the picture above were made by a little german woman who lives 2 doors down from me. She asked me to see if I could sell them for her. They were only $25! No one even bought those and they are sooooo beautifully made. She even crochets the little buttons on the front. I told her I’d try to sell them for her in my Etsy shop, which I’ll be setting up this week.

Despite that nothing sold, I was interviewed for the local newspaper which was fun and I met some really sweet, talented gals. I handed out many business cards to expecting parents who wanted to find out what gender their baby was before they bought a painting. And the Director of the Children’s Museum was there and asked if we would be interested in painting a jungle themed mural in the Toddler Room (which would be volunteer work but great PR). So, it was a great day and I’m not sad at all about not having sold anything.

I started making another rag quilt last week because the gnome rag quilt came out sooooo delicious that I wanted to make one with some Amy Butler fabric I had. I was making this rag quilt all week and thinking about my grandmother, “MeMe” the whole time. By the time I was done, even though I had made it to add to my bulk for the craft fair, I knew that I had made it for MeMe. It was hers. And I didn’t want anyone to buy it! I put a large price tag on it (I justified the price by reminding myself how much Amy Butler fabric is) and hoped it wouldn’t sell. It didn’t, of course. So I sewed a label I had made for her quilt on it tonight and now it’s ready to mail to her. It’s soooo wonderful and it’s probably my favorite quilt so far (although the gnome rag quilt is a close 2nd).

Deliciousness!

And, lastly… A rant…

Bella has recovered from the bug but Noah just isn’t getting over it. Bella had it for 24 hours and Noah is now going on day 4. I’m hoping tomorrow is better. Poor little fella! So besides the drag that is sick babies and unsuccessful craft fairs, I got the babies down for a nap after lunch today and immediately went to grab my laptop for some bloggy/mommy/quiet time. I wasn’t paying attention to what I was doing as I grabbed the computer and started walking away with the computer without remembering that my fargin’ camera was still attached via USB cord. KERPLOW! Babies wake up crying, my camera lens ($500+) shatters on the hardwood floor, and MOMMY? Freaks the f%^* out! I had a serious meltdown, y’all. I haven’t thrown a fit like that in years. I’m pretty sure the last time I did a tantrum like that, alcohol and a bad boyfriend had something to do with it. Not toddler vomit fumes and lack of sleep. Geesh.

Someone buy my quilts and painting so I can get a box of Calgon and a new camera lens. Please!

After the craft fair yesterday, Bella and Noah came down with a HORRIBLE stomach bug as soon as the fair was over. They have been vomitting, pooping, and crying all night. I have absolutely no clean linens or towels in the entire house because the machines can’t keep up with all of the squirting. My poor babies!

The good news is that I got my computer back and it’s working great. The craft fair was fun but I’ll share that story for later.

So, to keep myself busy between potty trips and lurching, I’ll probably do a few paid posts thing morning.