10-10-10 & Pumpkins & Bracelets - Oh my!

A Sunday in October, in 2010, but it isn't any old Sunday, it is the 10th.  I'm someone who loves numbers and special dates.  Even if it doesn't seem a 'special date' I always add up the numbers to see what I can see. I count steps when I know I'm walking far - and then the next time, try to do the same trip in less steps.  Or only step on a section of sidewalk one time and see how many pieces I can hit before having to take a second step.  Or, if I happen to turn the light off when the clock says "10:10 pm" then I will myself not to open my eyes again to see if the minute has passed.  OR - I'm just weird this way.  But - today is a very cool date.  Had I been engaged, I'd have pushed to have the wedding today (as I believe many other couples have done).  It would be cool to be born today, at 10:10 am or pm.  :-)

Other than the date, the day was beautiful here in Long Beach.  We took Little Olive to the Long Beach Fall Festival.  City hall workers put up a carousel, make a pumpkin patch in a drained fountain, inflate one of those obstacle-balloon courses, book live music, and feature food from local restaurants.  In all the years we've been here, the festival is gratis - except for the food and the pumpkin patch, but kids can get a free pumpkin for wearing a costume, otherwise it is $1.  THIS year, there are obviously minds-a-workin' in the offices of the big brick building because each obstacle and carousel ride was $1, and the pumpkins were $2 for a small and $4 for a large.  *sigh* nothing is free, but it was nice to get the pumpkins for the doorsteps.

 "Stella and Dot" released some new items for the holidays.  I loved these wrap-bracelets and ordered a set:

 I also treated myself to the Petra bracelet as my SIL raves about it:

But, my Fall standby thus far has been the Vintage Twist:

Followed closely by the Vintage Link:

And then there is the slinky-like Bardot Spiral:

and the Cortez cuff:

Happy Sunday!  I hope you enjoyed the 10-10-10 day!

"Locks for Love"

Last Spring, when I literally let my hair down after months of leaving the house with it wet and tied in a bun, I was shocked at how long it had grown.  I really wanted to get it cut shoulder-length, but then remembered a couple of friends who had donated to "Locks for Love", an organization that accepts donated hair to make wigs for sick, disadvantaged children.  I went to the website to see the requirements (bc I do have a bit of gray in there now) and was happy to see that color didn't matter, but length needed 10".  Ugh.  I need more unless I want to go the way of Demi Moore in "Ghost" - BTW, I've always envied that haircut and wish I were brave enough to do it, but alas, I'm not.  So here I am at September 24th, with just the 10" to donate and still retain a decent length (i.e. able to put it back in a clip). My mom, the best in the world, gave me the cut, color, and highlights as my birthday present. 

Here are the results in pictures.  This was my first time going to this haircutter, but I trusted her - and she did a fabulous job!  Or at least I think so. :-) 

I hope this inspires some others who are near the 10" brink and itching to just cut it all off, to take the plunge and donate to the good cause.
BEFORE:

 DURING:

 AFTER:

AFTER THE HUMIDITY HITS:

September 11th - Nine Years later

Hard to imagine what happened 9 years ago today, actually happened.  That morning I was up in the kitchen washing dishes - less than 2 miles from the Twin Towers.  I heard a plane go overhead and thought to myself "that plane is flying very low" because the sound was not normal.  Come to think of it, most plane noise isn't normal over NYC.  I thought about looking out my window, but knew I wouldn't see anything in the sky through my sliver of visibility.  So I went back to washing the dishes.  Mason was in the bathroom readying for work.  Then the phone rings and it's my sister telling me to put on the news because a plane just flew into the Trade Center.  She was driving her friend to work down on Wall Street before heading herself to New Jersey.  I thought it was a commuter plane with the pilot likely having a heart-attack. 

And then we all know how the story ends.  It is such a tranquil day here in Long Beach.  I'm happy not to have to go to work today - I am always nervous on 9/11.  Today we get to spend the beautiful day together.

My heart goes out to all those families effected by today - and the effects are now engraved into lives.  Elodie - I'm thinking of you....

 

August 1st...NY Resolution and New Owl Pillows

June and July quickly rolled by.....the outlook for August seems more of the same.  What to do to slow it down?

Back in January, when there was snow on the ground, I noted some of my New Years Resolutions.  One being "pare down" - i.e. eat out of the pantry before buying more; use up products before buying more.  My update is long overdue to those that care to know how we're doing....but there is noticeable progress (there had better be!) after 7 months.  Our pantry looks awesome!  We didn't necessarily EAT all that was in there - I found mustard with an expiration date in 2004 - and I couldn't bring myself to just toss it, like a normal person would do, but I was curious to what 6-year-old mustard would smell like.  So yes I did - I opened it.  I was thoroughly satisfied that it had turned and passed-up spreading it on my turkey sandwich.  It hit the can.  Likewise, in out bathroom, old mascara and make-up samples found the can, and the stockpile of shampoo and conditioner and soap is significantly used up, the result of purchases like "oh - it is on sale - I should buy it now" got way out of hand.  I also didn't think twice about tossing a shampoo that I didn't like after a week - If the natural seaweed formula wasn't making my hair silky-soft and I felt like there was no lather / cleaning going on, kaput, out it went. 

So as a bonus to myself for being so good, and the fact that I couldn't stand so many months without a product-purchase, I treated myself to the Burt's Bees grab-bag.  The cost? $25 and the deal is that you get about $50 worth of goodies.  I know - will I ever learn?  This is the shampoo story all over again.  But I was so excited when it arrived I actually took pictures!  :-)  BTW, that is a pumice stone, which Mr. Olive will be thrilled to have when I have him scrub my feeties.

We sold all our little owl pillows, so some fresh stock for the Ocean Beach Fair and to our newly-redesigned website, http://www.olivestreetstudio.com/.  What do you think of these guys??

Happy August 1st!

"Stella & Dot" Jewelry....

While my SIL was on her family summer visit, she decided to do a Trunk Show of "Stella & Dot" jewelry, for which she is a stylist.  I really liked alot of the pieces, so I ordered a few.  I figured, I'd support her show and get myself some cool new pieces for work.  So a few days later my two necklaces and earrings arrived(everything is directly shipped to the buyer's home - awesome!!).  I am thrilled with the pieces - the quality is much more than I expected and I feel these will be with my for many moons to come.

While I'm much better with the sewing machine than actual 'face-to-face' sales, I decided to register myself as a "Stella & Dot" Stylist - in case I can introduce someone else to this fabulous jewelry company - so feel free to poke around the website through this link: http://www.stelladot.com/sites/jenniferhicks or go to http://www.stelladot.com/ and where it asked for your stylist, if you'd be so kind as to enter my name, Jennifer Hicks, I'd be happier than a clam in the bay!  :-)

Who knows?  Maybe you'll find something you want to treat yourself to after a hard day or week or month...Here are some of my favorites:

Avery Necklace:

Baby Flower Earrings and Bracelet:

Starfish Earrings:

Stella Vintage Bracelet:

Sophia Cluster bracelet (on sale too!!):

Cosa Wrap Bracelet:

Rachel Necklace:

New Dresses Modeled by the Cousins

Since the Indy-based family and the Florida-based family are in town for the unfortunate passing of my beloved Grandmother (cannot get into it bc more tears will spring from my eyes), I decided to take advantage of the girl-cousins.  We have some new girls dresses and I grabbed my SILs, our cameras, and our daughters and headed to the bay area on Fire Island.  Here is a peek...

Teal Madras as a Dress and as a Top + Ice Cream Halter:

Pink with Pastel Stripes Halter:

Raspberry Pink, Deep Blue, Yellow Madras:

Sea Blue Paisley and Pink Halter:

Pink Floral Peasant:

June - Where did it go?

June is now gone and I don't even feel like I had those 30-days.  But, I know we did since I went to my college reunion at the beginning of the month and Little Olive turned a big 4 years old at the end of the month.  The days in between were spent working, cleaning, sewing for the Fair Harbor Pine Walk Fair.  Oh, and battling doctors as Little Olive didn't want the Pixo she put in her ear to come out (3 visits later, it is out).

We did a home birthday party for her on her actual day, followed by a "Birthday BBQ" which was really more for the adults to hang out and let the kiddos play in the water table.  As Mr. Olive likes to say, the day of the BBQ was "hotter than snot" - there was zero breeze - and that is unusual for living three blocks from the Ocean. 

She had an Oreo cake, which was delicious, and then a bunch of presents to open.  I ordered the afghan from the talented Alessandra of Just Be Happy!  Little Olive wanted a bunch of colors and then put together with "pink".  She and I absolutely love the result - although as you can see from the pics, Little Olive was more interested in the cool piggy amiguri Alessandra included.  Our nanny wanted to bring Piggy home with her one night to show a friend, and Little Olive flat-out refused to let it out of her sight! 

Little Olive's Florida family sent her a Princess Pack of gloves, necklace, bracelet, ring, and purse.....you can bet she loved it because she loves the Princesses!  :-)

Stay cool..........July is starting out hot-and-no-rain.....