Art and Soul!

I am going to my first Art and Soul Retreat - Yeah! I am going to take Sally Jean's tiara class and Lisa Kaus' art class. I am so excited. I have taken one day classes before, including one from Nina Bagley up in Saluda, NC, but this will be the first time that I take an actual retreat.

I am trying to spend a little time organizing my studio. I have never got it set up since we moved here. I just have so much stuff and I can't work without it organized. Plus, while I get everything in order, I can put aside things I will use in my tiara!

Happy Anniversary!

It is our anniversary. We were married in Charleston 4 years ago. It seems like just last year, but then again it feels like a lifetime too.

I met my husband right before he was due to report to Iraq. We only had a short time together before he left, but we continued to write, email, talk on the phone the whole time he was gone. This is him returning for his 21 days of R n' R. I met him at the airport with his daughter, Elise.



Sadly, he had to return to Iraq to finish out his tour. But shortly after he returned, we were married.



This is me in my dress. I LOVE this dress. It was Sue Wong Nocturne. It is sooooo beautiful!

Twilight!!!!!

I loved the movie! We went to see this yesterday at 3:30 and the theater was packed - full of teenage girls! I really liked how they seemed to stay with the book. And contrary to one review I read, there did seem to be chemistry between Edward and Bella. I think I will re-read the first book and see the movie again. Then re-read the next books in the series, since now my imagination has some faces to put to the story.

And Edward - so cute, in a vampire, pale skin way. I really liked him in this movie. He played Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter, but I don't remember him. No matter now - after the great weekend they had, it seems they are going to go ahead with making the second book into a movie.

YEAH~!~!~!

And tonight is the final season episode for True Blood on HBO.

Edward or Bill???? I am thinking Edward Cullen!

Books I need to read

I love books and I love to read! And most of the time, just checking them out from the library is not enough. I have to own them and have them in my collection. But I seem to be falling behind in my reading. Here are some recent purchases that are in my "to be read" stack!
1. The Host by Stephanie Meyer. Since I loved all the Twilight books, I figured I would like this too.
2. Bringing Home the Birkin by Michael Tonello. It is the story of a man who figures out the Hermes Birkin handbag system for getting the purse. the book is so cool with the cover actually looking like a Birkin bag. Here is the book's website.
3. The Fiery Cross by Diana Gabaldon. This one just caught my eye.
4. Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyer. I have read the first two books in the Twilight series and this in the third. AND I will be seeing the movie this evening - YEaH!
5. A Charmed Life by Liza Campbell. This is the true story about the life of a girl raised in Macbeth's Castle.

From the top:

1. Wild Rose: Rose O'Neal Greenhow, Civil War Spy by Ann Blackman.
2. The Daphne du Maurier Companion - I really want to learn more about this lady.
3. The Painted Veil by W. Somerset Maugham - I finally saw the movie and now I want to read the book.
4. Black Dahlia Avenger by Steve Hodel - This former detective believes his father killed the Black Dahlia. I love to read true crime.

As you can see, I have lots to keep me busy. I just need to find the time!

Why I love Charleston!

Veteran's Day

Happy Veteran's Day - I served in the Air Force in the early 1990's. I completed Basic Training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Tech School at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi and was stationed at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam.

And my husband in is his 19th year with the Army National Guard! He is the First Sgt. of an Military Police unit.

Today was a State holiday, so I busied myself with a bit of errand running and now I am getting ready for a short trip to Charleston, South Carolina.

I stopped by Barnes and Noble today. I am always on the lookout for any new Edgar Allan Poe books. And what did I find, but a new book!

Edgar Allan Poe: An Illustrated Companion to His Tell-Tale Stories.







It is one of those cool books that has "treasures" included in little envelopes!

Love it!

Keep Calm and Carry On

This says it all!

I'm not a vampire, I'm a Lutheran!

I am so into True Blood right now. I just love it! I love that it is based in Louisana since I grew up in Mississippi right next door. I love all the characters. I love the theme song. I love it all!

It is on HBO, and HBO On Demand if you need to catch up - there are 10 episodes right now. If you watch from the first episode, it fills you in on all the things you need to know - like how vampires are able to live in society.

and what TruBlood is.

This is the year of the vampire for me. I started reading the Twilight series from Stephanie Meyer and now the first book is a new movie in November.

And now True Blood. And these are totally different "ways" to look at vampires in current time. And both are great. Of course, Trighlight is PG and True Blood is like TVMA!

About this blog title: I was telling a co-worker about this series and he said he always worried about me because I wear all black to work and I am so into Edgar Allan Poe. He then said - are you a vampire? (Just joking of course) but I just said "I'm not a vampire, I'm a Lutheran" and we started laughing. Not sure why I said it - but it's true!

Halloween Drop In

Here are some pictures from my Halloween Drop In...

House with grave yard...

Me in costume making last minute preparations...

Butler's pantry...

Coffin with skeleton..

Dining room food table

Living room...

Poe overlooking the festivities...

And finally, some pictures of my bruises from my wreck back on October 2... These are from the seat belt. I also had them across my stomach and on my right knee.