I love Pinterest just like the next person.  However, I try not to use it too much as a time vacuum.  Generally I use it for inspiration to create something new.  I only follow people who I admire their style and most of the people I follow I have never met face to face.  Here are a few things that have inspired me over the last couple of weeks!!!  You can sum it up best with books, food, knitting and words….some of my favorite things!

***Please note that I do like nature, sweating, hiking and even camping….for one night only.  But I am not sure Den Mom is for me.  The above pictures are from a hike we rearranged our entire schedule in Vail, CO to take just last month.

I am doing great on my “bucket list”……I prefer to call it a compost pile.  You know, that list of things you say you will “never” do.  Well, my mother told me, “never say never” but like so many other things I didn’t listen.  My “pile” goes something like this….

I will never….

• Take my baby to the grocery store without putting socks on him.
• Go to church on a Wednesday night.
• Let my kids watch Spongebob Square Pants.
• Worry that my kids are bored.
• Stop working to stay home with my kids.
• Make Law Man dinner if he comes home after 7:30 pm.

The list goes on and on.  The latest #epicfail…..I will NEVER be a leader of Boy Scouts.  I know….I am horrible.  I am a terrible, awful, no good, very bad PERSON.  But, Boy Scouts is just not for me.  I didn’t even like Camp Fire.  The only thing that made that experience tolerable was our awesome Camp Fire Mom/Leader…..I don’t know what her official title was but it was not “Epawa” or whatever I will soon be known as.  I remember one time we were supposed to “go camping.”  We basically took our slumber party full of sweets, nail polish and McDonalds out to a tent on their “ranch” and slept.  Then we went inside the cabin, cleaned up and went to town for breakfast.  Highlight of the trip…we got to take turns driving our fearless leader’s 1989 Taurus Wagon.  It was awesome.  The second highlight was when she got pulled over for speeding on our way home.  All of us Campfire Girls were in the back…..behind the backseat laying down and we stuck french fries out of our mouths like we were smoking when the officer walked by to do is vehicle check.

Geesh, how times have changed….now I suppose I will need to make sure we have 5 point harnesses for each boy in the Pack…..not Troop, Pack.  I stand corrected.  And children smoking, riding in the trunk and driving their parents cars has become so taboo.

Here is what I have learned a few things from my two scouting meetings, thus far.

• As long as I wear heels I think I can avoid the “uniform”.
• They call the Big Guy’s Pack (1^st Grade) Cub Scouts NOT Boy Scouts.  I can’t seem to get this in my head, but apparently it is a big deal.
• They earn (not win) badges (not patches).  I think I have that right…and something about belt loops.
• The other (primarily male) leaders scowl at you when you suggest that you ask your brother in law to fix the “pushcart” for the pushcart races.  Apparently these are little wood boxes with wheels and no brakes that the boys ride in and “get hurt while having fun.”

I still have to figure out what the Pack Meeting and “Arrow Ceremony” are all about.  What I understand now is that they take a long time and there is a lot of sitting and listening, but they are VERY IMPORTANT.

Needless to say, I am not equipped to be a Den Mom.  That is what they call it….I thought a den was where the kids gathered to watch TV…Nope that is what we call our little covey of boys that pretend to sit and learn about being prepared leaders when all they are really thinking about is, “when do we get to use a pocket knife and shoot a bow and arrow?”  They are going to be sorely disappointed when they find out that their Den Mom has more than a slight aversion to weapons.

I think part of the problem is that I just have very different ideas about what it means to “be with nature” and “be prepared”.  Let’s just say a public campsite with 60+ boys and their families is not my vision.  I do hope there is some serious talk about hiking etiquette.  Maybe even cotillion for the outdoors.  At the very least….stay on the trails, talk quietly and leave nature alone (i.e. don’t break of tree limbs, step on the bugs, harass the wildlife).  As for preparedness, go with a buddy and bring a cell phone.  If all else fails follow the water down the mountain.  Which brings up the last thing…..we are doing all of this in Oklahoma, land of the extreme temperature and no water or mountains.

Someone please leave me some advice on Scouting.

Law Man and I travel as if we have never been allowed to leave Oklahoma in our lives.  We have to catch all of the “must sees” and all of the local hangouts.  I try to visit at least one yarn shop and his goal is at least one local brewery.  All in all, we need a vacation to recover from our vacation, every time.

I am sure I am just a little tired, but I am having a hard time getting motivated to join “the real world” after this last trip.  I am not ready to jump back into the meetings and deadlines and cooking dinner and laundry.  I am really not ready to fold endless amounts of socks!  I am overwhelmed with the expectations I develop for myself while away from the everyday hustle and bustle of real life.  It is a bag still packed/haven’t made the bed kind of day.

How do you recover from the Summer Vacation Blues?

Join me and FOLLOW — GIVE –  PASS IT ON!!!  Now, I will stop talking!  Let me know if you choose to participate!

Nanny loved her children and her grandchildren “bigger than the sky” as we would say around here.  She bravely went with all of us into the pits of despair at one time or another and never wavered.  Nanny was not perfect, none of us are, but I am so thankful that I can look back on my time with her so fondly and use what she taught me to be a better wife and mother.

Happy Birthday Nanny!  We love you.

I have also used Logos as a pre-reading tool for my little guys.  I am always pointing out a logo around town and asking them to tell me what they think they are trying to sell or market.  Now, they point them out to me.  Sorry…..I digress.  Back to typography.

I guess I can categorize my Logo Love in to three areas….

1.  Script typography….I abhor my own handwriting.  I am not sure why, but I do.  It keeps me from a lot of things, especially hand written notes, but with the perfect font, I can almost express the same sentiment.  I especially like the Pea Gretchie it is so much like my mother’s handwriting it creeps me out sometimes.  Creeps me out in a good way.

2.  Ampersands…. &&&  I just love the ampersand.  Perhaps it is because I always have more to say about everything, or maybe it is just because I like how it sounds when you say the word.  Either way, I search and search for fonts with a great ampersand.

3.  Creative Ornamental Typeface….these are what I use in a lot of the themed birthday parties.  Some examples are:

I used Comic Book when I did the Superhero Theme.  And several Dr. Seuss inspired fonts for the Dr. Seuss Party and to add text to the Classic Children Stories themed nursery/playroom at our old house.  Click on the examples and you can download them free for your personal use.

If you have a similar adoration for typography, you will love this video.  Enjoy and happy Techy Tuesday!

Erik Spiekermann – Putting Back the Face into Typeface from Gestalten on Vimeo.

So, you can imagine, when I saw this video posted on Design*Sponge by Portlandia….well, I had to laugh at myself.  And then, go on, still loving birds.

And, for Techy Tuesday….there is even an app to actually “Put a bird on it”! And it works…..

Courtney …..entered drawing by Liking the R&TM Group on Facebook

Included:

• Anne Lamott, Grace Eventually
• Lantern
• Ric Rac
• Coffee
• Sealed With A Kiss (a how to knit video)
• Chunky Yarn
• Wood Knitting Needles
• Handmade Toy (This special one is made by me!!!)
• Sweater Key chain
• Camera Strap Cover
• Hello Kitty
• Vintage looking new (coasters and mirror)
• Bird Fabric
• Hand Embroidered Linens
• All things with a knit motif (wrapping paper)
• Knitting Needle Carrier
• Thank You Notes and Gift Tags….also designed by moi.
• Sewing Notions (3)
• Knitting Notions
• Journal
• Toy Alpaca from Victory Ranch

But, I also had a “stalker” and in this context…..I *heart* stalkers!   So, Katy at Relieve My Groundhog Days will also be receiving one of my favorite things.  Happy Groundhog Day, Katy.

You all are great!!  Thanks again.

Now, you have 25 hours to comment, link, and Like and then I will draw a winner.  Good Luck!