This Is Me #12

1. I use to draw for several hours everyday.  Not sure why I stopped, but these are some pages from a sketchbook I filled in February 2005.  

2.  I'm a spider wrangler.  If you're the type of person that jumps, and screams when they see a creepy crawly, I'm your girl.  I'll smash that eight legged beast before it even knows you exist.  

3.  I know spiders do good things, like eat other bugs, but they also bite me.  I'm slightly allergic to spider bites, and I get a bump that looks like an oversized mosquito bite, and then a small red dot rash appears.  

4.  Hoagies are really popular where I live.  My go to sub is an Italian.  I could eat one of those for lunch everyday.  What do you call a sandwich on a roll?  Do you call it a grinder, or some other entirely different word?  

5.  I'm not athletic, and I don't enjoy watching sports, especially not on TV.  

Hope ya'll are have a great night, and happy DIYing, chris

This Is Me #11

Today I am going to try something a little different with This Is Me.  I'm going to use outfit photos with my five tid-bits about me.  

1.  Stitching together eloquent words that form a cohesive sentence, that fill you with emotional wonder, is not my forté.  

shirt -- H&M + DIY

tank top -- Target

shorts -- Target

shoes -- DSW Dirty Laundry + DIY

bracelet --  DIY

2.  I almost failed spelling in fourth grade.  I had a special teacher that I sat with in an empty room who helped me during spelling tests.

3.  I'm good at remembering names and faces.  If I forget someone's name I really give myself a ration of poo for letting it go.

    

4.  My most popular date spot with Aaron is Ikea.  We usually leave with a stuffed animal in hand, and our bellies full of swedish meatballs. 

5.   We used to have two pet rats. Rink-rat and Shanks.  Now we have two stuffed rats to commemorate them.  Of course not real rats.  We aren't in to taxidermy.  

Hope ya'll enjoyed, and happy DIYing, chris!

This Is Me #10

#1.  My favorite photos of myself are usually not the photo I was trying to take.  The almost accidental photos.  

#2.  The harder I try to make something 'perfect', the less 'perfect' it becomes.  

#3.  I'd rather send you a hand written letter, than call on the phone.  

#4.  My biceps are too large for some arm hole openings.  I don't read that as meaning I have fat biceps, but rather I have BIG GUNS!  

#5.  I went through a phase in high school, when I ate creamy new england clam chowder straight out of the can, as an after school snack.  

Well that's all for today.  Hope ya'll are having a great Saturday, and happy DIYing, chris! 

This Is Me #9

#1. I made this blanket.  It's an absolutely ridiculous size.  It probably measures around six feet by twenty feet.  

#2.  I got lazy at the end, and didn't bind off properly, and now it's beginning to become unraveled.  

#3.  I'm overwhelmed by how large this blanket is.  When I take a nap on the couch with it, sometimes I get tangled up in the countless stitches.  

#4.  It's super soft though, and extra warm.  Plus you could house a clown convention under it.  

#5.  I worked all week, and spent the evening curled up with this blanket watching Revenge.  

Have a lovely Saturday, and happy DIYing, chris.  

This Is Me #8

1. I'm a perfectionist with control issues.  I'm terrible at delegating.

2.  I'm 5"5', but I think shorter is cuter.  

3.  I don't know what I want to be when I grow up.

4.  I love cheese.  Put cheese on just about anything, and I'll eat it.  

5.  I almost always have at least one cactus in my house.  I'm not sure at what age I asked my mom to buy me one, but I know I've had a long time fascination with them.  I have a hard time going to a garden center, and going home without a new cacti or succulent.  

Hope ya'll are having a great saturday, and happy DIYing, chris.  

This Is Me #7

I just got in for the day.  I started off at my house.  Worked there for a few hours. Got home.  Showered.  Tried to find my maxi dress, but couldn't and had to come up with an alternative.  Decided that if I was going to wear sandals I had to paint my toe nails.  Painted my toes mint green.  With my sandals on, I might add.  I didn't get a lick of nail polish on my dainty kicks.  I know. I rock. :)  Then we went out to dinner to celebrate my brother's engagement.  This was the first time we got to meet his fiance's family, and they are really great.  I'm so glad we got acquainted.  I'm looking forward to more time spent getting to know them.  We ate at this amazing restaurant called Half Moon.  They specialize in game meat.  I ate kangaroo meat, elk chili, venison sausage, and fantastic crab nachos.  If you live anywhere near kennet square, PA make reservations today!  Well ya know, if your into eating meat, especially exotic meat.  Though they do offer a veggie burger and a regular cow burger.  

Anyway onto my saturday series This Is Me.  

#1.  I eat meat.  And like it.  I tried out the vegetarian thing for a couple years, but meat just fills me in a way other foods just don't.  I don't think it's a good idea for me to eat meat everyday with every meal, but it is good to have in moderation.  Ideally I wish I could only eat meat I grew myself.  I know that's a tall order, and killing my beloved wilbur would be hard, but I'd know exactly what kind of life that pig had lived, and what went into that nutritious meat that would fill me for months.  

#2.  The idea of meeting new people terrifies me, but I always leave the encounters happier for having done so.  

#3.  I hate talking on the phone.  When it comes to calling people/companies, if I can foist it off on Aaron, I'll try.  So I'm sorry if you were hoping for a phone call.  I'd really love to talk.  Just not on the phone.  Though I should mention I worked in collections on two separate occasions.  I hated the phone before the collection gig.  I took the job in the hopes it would get me less panicked about the idea of picking up the phone and dialing someone's number.  No such luck, but I did learn what NOT to do with debt.  

#4.  I hate sleeping in past 7:30, and if I'm still in my pjs come nine I feel like I've wasted the whole day.  

#5.  I try to put photos first with my blog, but sometimes my camera and I need a break.  Making photos a priority means that I usually take at least twenty photos a day, but a good day is closer to a few hundred.  Back when people only used film, a famous photographer said he could go through ten rolls of 36 frames before ever taking a good photo.  After days of clicking the shutter that part of my brain needs a break to rewind.  Thus no photos today.  

I'm speaking gibberish, and I'm sleepy.  Plus it's almost too late for this to be considered a saturday post.  Goodnight, and happy DIYing, chris.  

This Is Me #6

#1. I keep my Nalgene with me everywhere I go.  I despise disposable plastic water bottles.  Just the thought of them makes me want to explode.   The movie Tapped explains all my reasons perfectly.  

#2.  At 27 I still ask my mom to french braid my hair for me.  

#3.  Kimya Dawson's Alphabutt album makes me smile every time I sing along with it.  The album is clearly written for children, but I love it.  

#4.  Battle Royale is one of my favorite movies.  Ever.  

#5.  I'm addicted to reality TV.  I'll watch just about any show from Toddlers in Tiaras to American Pickers.  

I'm busy busy busy working on my house.  Other than that not much going on here.  I haven't taken many photos of my progress, but I'll be sure to bring over my camera tomorrow.  Hope you're having a great day, and happy DIYing, chris!  

This Is Me #5

#1.  I grew up in Delaware. 

 It's the second smallest state, but I'm certain most people think it's a town in Pennsylvania or New Jersey (unless they remember Wayne's World).  I currently live here with my husband.   Delaware is a great state to live in, because it's centrally located to a lot of great cities, and it is vastly diverse.  In a short car ride I can get to Philadelphia, Baltimore, D.C., and New York City all in less than two hours.  Sure there is a lot of suburbia, but there is also city life, beach living, and a rural atmosphere.  

#2.  I have three brothers named Christopher (one spells his name with a 'K' though).  

left to right: Helmerson, Kery, me, Meanor

I come from a blended family.  I have two half brothers, and a step-brother.  To make things easier, we call the Chrises by their last names a lot.  Chris Helmerson is the oldest, and we share the same father.  Kris Kery is the middle Chris, and we share the same mother.  Chris Meanor is a few months younger then Kery, his father and my mother have been together since I was 12.  They are all about 6 years older than me.  

#3.  I graduated from Bennington College.

  Bennington is a tiny liberal arts college tucked into the hills of Vermont.  It has an awesome alternative educational program.  A student starts off at Bennington like any freshman in college, and they leave Bennington as a person they could not have become at any other higher educational facility.  I wouldn't trade my time at Bennington for anything in the world.     

#4.  After college I moved out to California, and met the love of my life!

Aaron and I worked at Idyllwild Arts Summer Camp together.  I was the camp photographer, and Aaron was the assistant technical director.   That was the summer of 2006, and we got married April 16th, 2011.  I'm so happy to be able to spend the rest of my life with him!

#5.  I want to kiss and hug all animals!  

It's rare that I don't get along with pets.  It breaks my heart when they don't want to be my friends.  I smoother my pets with love, maybe a little on the Elmyra side of things.  Just kidding.  I do educate myself on healthy pet care.  

Hope you enjoyed, and happy DIYing, chris!

This Is Me #4

1.  I like to dress comfortably, and I try to find clothing that complements my body shape.  It's not always easy, but the hunt for the perfect top is worth it.  I've had this top for a few years now, and it's comfortable, and I never feel underdressed, or slovenly wearing it.  I'm in the process of stalking out the perfect top right now.    

2.  Accidentally photos have the potential to be more impressive than any photo you planned on taking.  

 3.  I wish I had more than a couple cute dresses to make it through the oppressive heatwave.  Dressing for winter or fall comes more naturally to me.

4.  I want to take elegant jumping photos.  I want to be more comfortable infront of the camera.  I want to be more comfortable with me.

5.  I'll sweat it out to get some much needed sunshine.  

I had a really off day.  I don't have much to say.  Hope you're having a good weekend.  Happy DIYing, chris.  

This Is Me #3

#1. My favorite color as a child was blue.  I hated pink.  I rebelled against all things labeled 'girlie'.  

Sorry about the blue mark on my neck, some pen transfer on this old photo.  

#2.  My 20s has been all about reconnecting with my inner girl.  I love pink now.  I'm embracing lace, sparkles, accessories, animal prints, and frilly things.  I've been growing my hair out.  This is the longest it's ever been.

#3.  When I imagine what I currently look like, I always picture myself with blonder hair.  I was a true toe head growing up, but I slowly became whatever color I am now.  What is this chestnut brown?  No where near blonde.  

#4.  I used to build houses for Habitat for Humanity in Orange County, California.  I miss how rewarding that hard work was.  I am thankful for the people I got to work with, and it was a blessing meeting the families we were building the homes for.  They all had their own unique story.  

#5.  I love long rides in the car on beautiful sunny days.  Which is exactly what Aaron and I are doing right now!  We are heading to upstate New York to visit some friends.  We are going to a jack & jill bridal shower, and camping.  It's going to be a blast!  

Have a lovely Saturday everyone, and happy DIYing, chris!  

This Is Me #2

1. I grew up listening to country music.  There was to be no other genre of music played under my father's roof.  When I was five my mom bought her and I Gloria Estefan's tape Cuts Both Ways.  That was my first exposure to non-country music.  I loved her album Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me.  I could sing along to one of her songs any day.  It took me awhile to allow country music back into my heart, but I enjoy a good foulk- county song, and a singer with some twang. 

2.  I enjoy all sorts of music these days, but if I had to pick my top five favorites, here they are in no particular order:  Nirvana, Modest Mouse, Jurassic 5, The Dirty Projectors, the Pixies, and Mos Def.  

3.  When I was a kid I wanted to be just like Shirley Temple.  Singer, Dancer, Model, Actor, all around awesomely talented little girl.  As an adult, I'm glad I wasn't a child star.  Plus, I don't have a speck of talent for any of the afore mentioned star qualities.  

       

4.  I prefer to spend my waking hours outdoors.  When the weather isn't great for days on end I forget this fact.  Then when the weather gets nice again, it takes me a bit to remember I'm happier when I'm not trapped in by four walls.  

5.  I rarely wear make-up.  

Hope you enjoyed this weeks This Is Me.  Have a lovely Saturday, and Happy DIYing, chris!