Hump Day Happy–Artist’s Edition


Sorry to be so late with this today, but I have been, as my mother would have said, out ratting the streets. Errands to run. Happy ways to indulge myself. And especially enjoying another gorgeous Houston day before we either get dreary weather again or jump right into summer.

To compensate for being late, I photographed the happiness book in front of someone’s (not my) in-progress painting. Since it’s only a tiny fragment of the whole, I’m hoping she won’t mind. In any case, I know she won’t sue me. She’d be afraid the court would award her two wienerbrats.

If you want something to be happy about from this book, please comment with a page number between 1 and 611, and another number between 1 and 25. I’ll start dinner while I’m waiting for you. =)

LJ Runway Monday: Run for Cover (PR 7:5)


On the most recent episode of Lifetime’s Project Runway, the designers were asked to create a look for a very special client: PR’s own Heidi Klum! Even better, Heidi would wear the winning design on the April cover of Marie Claire magazine.

When I heard about this wonderful opportunity, I knew exactly who I wanted to dress for the runway. So I was almost sad to hear from Summer. What if she wanted to be my model for this challenge? Turns out she was just e-mailing to say hello and send a photo that was taken as she was leaving for her Valentine’s Day weekend getaway.

So who would be wearing my design on the runway?

Please click here to see.

Looking for love?


Amber and Esther love you!
The wienerbrats, on the pillow (belonging to Lynne) that I had to mend…
after the LAST time they were allowed on this pillow. Innocent looking, aren’t they?

Since I was at the fabric store to buy material to patch the dog pillow, I picked up the fabric you see on their collar covers. Hearts!

Do you need MORE love? More hearts?


Sparky loves you. Paco loves you.


Margot loves to be left alone. Guinness loves you and food.

Pixie and Rex….

I SAID PIXIE AND REX!


Pixie and Rex love you.

No, the Crazy Dog Lady lives a couple of blocks from here

An extraordinary set of circumstances has left us with a plethora of dogs at The Compound. My decision to temporarily foster the dachshund sisters coincided with a promise I’d made to Lynne to keep two of her dogs for a few days, and of course, there are the Compound Four, not to mention visits from Sugar and Minute.

Dog wrangling’s not so hard with several people sharing duties. Mealtimes get a little crazy because the only dog here who doesn’t act like starvation-is-imminent-WE’RE-ALL-GONNA-DIE! is Paco. But I’ve been amazed at how peacefully all these different personalities and sizes are co-existing, sometimes even playing with one another. Here are some photos from the past few days.

We decided that ValentinesGiving is now an official holiday, including turkey:

along with mashed potatoes and gravy, squash casserole, steamed chard, rolls, and salad that had Lynne, Tom, Lindsey and Rhonda making the sign of the heart:

Or maybe it was the brownies and coffee.

Today after I finished a really good book, I worked on sewing and photographing my Project Runway design. And tonight…


Paco, Sparky, Amber, and Esther


Rex, Margot, and Pixie


Guinness

Not exactly Mardi Gras or Olympic excitement at The Compound, is it? When Lindsey was shopping the other day, she picked up a button that expresses the mood around here. She knows me so well. I offer it to you as a bonus pre-Button Sunday gift:

Hump Day Happy


One of my new favorite places at The Compound: Tucked into a corner of the window seat, this box holds watercolors; charcoal, colored, and graphite pencils; sketch pads; angel books for coloring–one crafting location for those hanging out with us to get happy by indulging their creativity. If you want some happiness, too, please comment with a page number between between 1 and 611, and another number between 1 and 25, and I’ll give you the answer from the happiness book.

Good grief

I have been trying to post ALL day but keep getting distracted. I have the attention span of–squirrel!

There was an odd noise this morning somewhere in the bungalow. Tom said it sounded like a weird gurgling in the hot water heater. I thought it sounded like an armadillo doing calisthenics in the refrigerator. It’s possible it may have been the sound of life ending for some rats in the attic (Namaste, rats). But nobody’s going up there until Exterminator 2: Judgment Day plays here in a few days.

Poor Margot has a sick foot and had to go to the vet. Tim picked her up after her appointment and also brought The Big H for a visit.


A rat for me to play with?!?


I love rats!


Tasty, tasty rats.

The wienerbrats were MOSTLY good girls today. They picked up a few bad habits from whoever raised them, but I firmly believe that you CAN teach old dogs new behaviors, so I’m working on it. One thing they must stop doing is terrorizing Pixie. Just because she’s five times their size doesn’t mean she doesn’t get her feelings hurt when they conspire, then on a signal none of the rest of us sees, full-on charge her with ears flapping and gums yapping.

Some more shots behind the cut if you click here.