Ties that bind: Leah + Brent (+ John) Elrod

I LOVE my family. Have I mentioned that?


Well, week before last my lovely cousin Leah had a destination wedding at the Outer Banks, NC, where my family and I all attended and had a FABULOUS time. It was beautiful. It was sweet. It was awesome.


Here are a few peeks at the events through both Holga and Canon AE-1 lenses:

Congrats, Leah and Brent! It's always good to add new awesome family members!



...and can we all agree that I have the most photogenic family ever? Let's be real here.

Somebody alert the authorities, she's got criminal intent

Today, I laugh in the face of bad news.

Right after I get really angry, give up on life for a minute, and cry, that is...

Really though. That's pretty much how I handle adversity. Other than crawling in my bed and watching WAY too much angsty teen television, which is probably worse.




But, after all of that, I laugh. Via embroidery. Check this out:

Lolcat!!

Me, imitating Lolcat!

(Wow, I sometimes can't believe the horrible quality of these computer camera images... Doesn't anybody want to buy me a new digital SLR lens? No? Oh well... Guess they'll have to do.)


Anyway, this is actually one of those stolen designs you sometimes find randomly on craft blogs. I can't remember which one, but the designs were pretty cute. [I might stitch up the roller-blading Boston Terrier next, maybe with a Buffy quote added.]

If you're into it, here they is:

And, as for Lolcats, I just recently really got into them. Which is why I finally decided to stitch up this little guy, besides the fact I just needed a little giggle...

Wanna see my favorite one lately?

Oh, and this one is pretty hilarious as well:

Hahaha... We've thought about creating some of these guys at work, but then we get too busy working, I guess. And wow, at the luck of the guy who created this shit. I mean, funny pictures of cats + really simple/racy captions = GOLD MINE!! Who knew?! I love the new era of comedy.

That's all for Monday. I have plenty of new craft ideas coming, though, so I'll be back soon...

So it goes.

I love Kurt Vonnegut.

Don't you just love Kurt Vonnegut? All that wit-meets-nonsense mixed with crazy idealism. Something about the way he sets things up, makes the regular seem outrageous, makes the outrageous seem regular, makes you want to scream and laugh and cry, just from a 3-word sentence:


"So it goes."

That's the line from Slaughterhouse-five that all the hipster kids get tattooed on the nape of their necks. And it's the line that I, a person who self-righteously denies any such descriptor for myself, wanted to put into cross-stitch today.

Wanna see?

There's my PCStitch design.

And there's the real thing.


So what does it mean?

Hmph. You tell me. But I'll give you my interpretation: no matter how ridiculous a scenario, how difficult a situation, how terrible or terrific an outcome... the world keeps on turning, and life goes on. This speaks to me and makes me feel better at this particular moment in my life. Thus, the cross-stitched proverb.


I, however, am not headed to the tattoo parlor with my neck bared. Sorry Kurt. Embroidery floss will have to do.

Don't be a hard rock, when you really are a gem

First things first:

I would like to recommend the use of iTunes Genius, which I used for the first time today, on this entry's title song

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and enjoyed the results immensely. Sometimes all you need is a little mix of Lauryn Hill, Usher, Missy Elliot, India.Arie, Prince, Erykah, and Aretha Franklin.



In other news, I've had a rough couple of weeks having to do with a youthful indiscretion (I figure youth remains an excuse until 25? that's my reckoning anyway) that I am not quite ready to share with the entire web community, but things are turning out alright. Unfortunately, that pretty much closes the door on that subject. But to those of you who know what I'm talking about, thanks for the support. It's the hard times in life that remind you how important friends and family are.

And, speaking of friends and family, I have a few new pics, taken with my latest photographic equipment:

My new Canon AE-1! Ok, so it's actually old, and it really works less painlessly than my automatic Nikon, but hey, the Nikon died, and I'm recently inspired by the older, less digital modes of photographic art. Also, not pictured is the awesome Native American-inspired camera strap, the awesome camera bag, and the extra lenses that came with the camera! My first ebay purchase, and I must say, I'm proud. Now, if only I had a darkroom...

Anyway. Here are a few samples. 

Remnants of a fire

Walking buddy

The walk to Hickory Hill

Cat nap

Oh, sweet thangs...

Daddy's chicks

Hannah's beautiful Beatles-inspired seranade

A Yankee in the Deep South

Playing with the baby chicks

This must be right before we realized we were locked in

At which point, I just started playing...
And then we screamed for Molly.

Sweet.

Hannah and Mom jam out to hippie tunes

The infamous El Mariachi birthday "dessert-on-face and sombrero" routine

Like sister, like brother

Oh, Kate...

These last few images are a little weird, because, well, I started taking pictures with the Nikon that died, then it died, then I put the partially used film in my Canon, and, well, there were sort of strange overlaps at the end. Most were too strange to actually use. But these weren't too bad.

Kate and Charlie

Birfday girl, and the loot

Highlights of this reel = Cole's brief visit, my adorable pets, my even more adorable cousin Hannah (sorry Molly, I only got one picture of you, and it wasn't very well composed), some adorable baby chicks (more specifically, proof of mine and Hannah's lock-in at the chicken coop), and my lovely (and lovable) coworkers.

And my mantra of the month:

Even when life ain't great, 

Life is good.

Also known as, "Get over it."