Top Ten

10. Premium Saltines. And they are even better with an ice cold can of Coke Cola.

9. Purple. Mom hates purple. So do I. However, I have received several nudges from The Universe telling me I need to drop by bad attitude about purple. Today I completed a collage with the most fantastic purple color scheme. It would be perfect for a little girl's room.

8. Instant Coffee. If anything is instant, I want it because the implication is: magical. When I was a kid, I wanted to be an adult. Thus, I was obsessed with the International Flavors of instant coffee that come in the square tin with the powdered creamer already added. I had totally forgotten that this stuff existed until my yoga teacher said she drinks it. Kitter and I got a tin of Cafe Francais (they were out of Cafe Vienna), and I tell you what. It's not bad.

7. Big Sister Dolls. Shopping for babies is a total snooze fest. Luckily, our friends in Savannah are adopting a 4 year old little angel from Ethiopia. So we get to buy cool stuff. Such as a cloth doll with fancy little outfits. It is the cutest thing I've ever seen.

6. Coco Chanel Eau de Parfum This is my favorite time of the year to wear Coco Chanel. It smells rich, dark, loud, and fancy. It is much too heavy to wear during the summer, but too warm to wear during the dead of winter. NOW is the time. I ran out, so Jessiker is letting me borrow her bottle. Isn't that sweet?

5. Ceylon Tea. The other day at work we had a sample of some Ceylon tea, and good lord a glory, it was mighty fine. I think it might have been the finest tea I've ever tasted. It was much more mellow than the Assam tea that I've been drinking lately. (Trivia: Ceylon comes from Sri Lanka, Assam is from India)

4. The Alchemist by Paolo Coelho. When Kitter and Paul went shrimping, she left this book at my house. I didn't think I would like it, but I sure as hell did. This book is a huge bestseller, and is pretty much an international classic.

3. Shrimpers. When Jessiker and I went to Baton Rouge a few weeks ago, we passed a giant billboard in Biloxi that says, "Going to Louisiana to eat imported shrimp? We doubt it! DEMAND LOUISIANA SHRIMP!"

2. Sinead O'Connor. for obvious reasons. Black Boys on Mopeds being one of them.

1. Electric Staple Guns. One of my pieces sold over the weekend (yay!), so I had a legitimate reason to go shopping for art supplies this afternoon. I'm not 100% convinced that stretching my own canvas is more cost effective, but I need very specific sizes, and the pre-stretched deals just aren't available in every size. My art professor in college was adamant about paintings being worth more if the artist stretches their own canvas (something about vibes). Today I busted out my electric staple gun and the jar of Gesso, and went to town. Now I have that extra feeling of accomplishment that I just don't get when I use the pre-stretched canvases.

This feeling that I have is worth the extra money.

Fat Stacks of Paper

Kitter and I have been very busy doing cost analysis and color strategy for our line of 2009 holiday cards.

People are always tripping out about Fair Trade Coffee, and are willing to pay significantly more money for coffee produced by companies who pay workers a fair wage. Please remember that people have just as much right to demand transparent business practices from their holiday card suppliers as well. Here are some thoughts I like to consider when buying or producing a paper product:

-Are the cards printed on recycled paper with post consumer content?

-Is the paper made in mills in a foreign country, or in a mill that provides jobs to American workers?

-Wonder if the printing equipment was purchased from salespeople in the United States?

-Did a living human artist design the illustration, graphic or typography on the card?

-Wonder if the people who print the cards are nearby and earning a fair living wage? (...it could be quite possible that many holiday cards in today's marketplace are printed in a far away land by mothers and children working 15 hour days in a rat infested work area with no toilet paper, running water, or hand sanitizer...)

I am very proud to work part time for one of the finest paper producers in the United States, based in Chicago. People think I'm crazy because I am willing to pay for cards and envelopes that cost twice as much as an Office Depot envelope, even with my employee discount.

But you know what? I don't care. I vote with my money, and I try to spend all of it on stuff that has good vibes. Cards have vibes. This is an undisputable fact, and as a card reader, you have my word that Concrete Lace holiday cards are made with 100% loving intentions for our customers, our planet, and the American economy.

I cannot wait for y'all to feel the paper, and see the color stories that Kitter and I are going to tell with these cards. They are not going to be cheesy holiday colors, I'll tell you that right now. We are leaning towards classic winter monochrome stories, but will know for sure when we test the paper and ink together this weekend.

Please stay tuned!

Thanks so much for your support. We love it. We will send out an email blast when we are ready to showcase the line and accept orders. If you would like to join our mailing list, please subscribe in the box at the top right hand side of this page. You will need to confirm your subscription by clicking the link that is emailed to the address you enter into the box.

Today's visual aid features a painted column in Atlanta's colorful Krog Street tunnel.

Ponchos, Cheese Straws, and Holiday Cards

I am still reading The Martha Rules: 10 Essentials for Achieving Success as you Start, Build, or Manage a Business by Martha Stewart.

Good Lord a glory. I love it. I know I already said that, but I really mean it this time.

Check out this passage. Martha writes:

When I was released from Alderson, I wore a beautiful, hand-knit poncho that one of the other women had made for me. That poncho was a symbol of the generosity and goodwill I experienced during my stay there. So I themed one of the upcoming segments on my television show "Poncho Day"; we've received 10,000 requests for 164 places in the audience. Can't you just see how it will look in the fall in New York City--a line of 164 people wearing variously colored ponchos standing outside our studios on 26th street?

Mom knitted me a poncho once. It was pink and orange. (That means I'm cool like Martha Stewart.) Now if I can round up 163 friends who have ponchos, maybe we can all stand in line somewhere and have Poncho Day in Atlanta.

Today's visual aid features Kitter making cheese straws. Neither Kitter nor I have been successful at our cheese straw making attempts: one recipe was too stiff and would not squeeze through the pastry pipe. Another recipe appeared to be just fine, but turned into cheese blobs when baked in the oven.

PLEASE send us a good recipe for cheese straws if you have one! The holidays are coming up. And while I do love me some Geraldine's Cheese Straws from the box on the shelf at Whole Foods Market, it is more fun to give homemade cheese straws as gifts, since everyone else is baking sweets.

Speaking of the holidays, please be informed that Kitter and I are creating a line of holiday cards that we will print on our Yudu printer, and sell to all who appreciate holiday cards that are printed by hand in Atlanta, GA on paper that is made in the United States of America.

Cash is king.

Yesterday I was hanging out behind the counter at Urban Cottage with Ms Gail and Heather D. We were having a grand ole time eating nachos from Taco Mac, flipping through the new Sundance catalog, sipping Coke Colas, speculating on whether or not a particular good looking male customer was heterosexual... when suddenly Murray came into the store.

Murray is a Virginia Highland neighborhood celebrity, or what some might refer to as a street person, or a bum. I don't live in Virginia Highland (aka VaHi), so I was a little shocked the first few times I witnessed my VaHi friends giving him the keys to their cars. Turns out Murray "owns a corporation" (car wash). He has washed my car a few times, and in all seriousness, he really does an outstanding job.

He has very black skin and carries a backpack. He usually wears a bandana on his head, and if it's hot outside he puts it in his pocket and uses it to wipe sweat from his forehead. When I'm driving to work, I recognize his carefree body language if I see him walking down the sidewalk. He always smiles and waves.

We suspect he likes to buy beers at the Chevron with his extra money. We are pretty sure he doesn't get into liquor or hard drugs, because we've been interacting with him for almost 2 years now, and he's always steady and calm and happy.

He has never come inside the store to ask us for anything. As a matter of fact, he rarely asks us for anything at all, because he knows we'll catch up with him on the sidewalk and we enjoy giving him a few extra dollars here and there.

So yesterday he came inside the store and asked Ms Gail for five dollars. Ms Gail paused and said, "not today Murray." Murray said he understood, and walked outside. Ms Gail was heartbroken, she really wanted to give him the money, but it is against the unspoken rules of the VaHi business association to give streetpeople money inside the stores.

Later in the afternoon Ms Gail spotted him on the sidewalk across the street from the store. She took five dollars out of the drawer and asked me to give it to him. She had a feeling he really needed it. There were cars coming, so by the time I crossed the street, Murray had disappeared. I followed the path he was most likely to take, and called his name at the next intersection.

I saw someone stop on the sidewalk, and I walked toward him with the cash in my hand. I said, "Murray, we found something for you." and I gave him the cash. He looked me in the eye with a smile that I will never forget, and he said, "Thank you, Carla." Murray always smiles. But this one was a smile of the deepest gratitude I've ever seen.

When I got back to the store Ms Gail said, "Five bucks isn't going to really do anything for any of us. But it will change his life for a few hours."

Today's visual aid features cash found in the laundry a few weeks ago. At first it was six dollars found in the lint filter. Then six more dollars on the carpet next to the detergent. Then fives and ones started flying out of the dryer. I remember how happy I was when unexpected money came out of my washer and dryer, and maybe that is how Murray feels sometimes.

Top Ten

10. Wachovia. Kitter and I have banked at Wachovia since 1997, and we love Wachovia. Today I went to the Edgewood shopping center and opened by first business checking account for Concrete Lace, and even though my deposit was barely over the minimum requirement, the representative treated me like royalty and acted like she was super glad to have my business.

9. The Martha Rules. This is the book where Martha Stewart shares her 10 essential tips for starting, managing, and growing a successful business. My favorite part is when she says, "For me, planting and maintaining a garden is not, is never, working in the garden. Instead, it is gardening. I never have housework to do. I have furniture to polish."

8. Cucina Lotion. Cucina is a new line of kitchen products. They have it at Urban Cottage, and I tried it. The lotion soaks into the skin faster than any other lotion I've ever tried. It is the best.

7. Crocodile Rock. The other day I was at Sonic eating my Extra Long Chili Cheese Coney Dog and Tater Tots. The weather was nice so I rolled down my window and turned the car off. I could have sworn I was hearing circus music, but instead it was the keyboard setting that Elton John selected for the intro to his song Crocodile Rock.

6. Church Supplies. Jessiker and I were driving through Greenville, SC on our way home from Asheville. I asked her to stop the car when we drove past a storefront with 2 robe wearing mannequins. The sales clerk looked exactly like the Church Lady on Saturday Night Live and took herself way too seriously. The Church Lady was not amused when Jess asked if they carried rosary beads, which of course caused us to giggle like two stoners playing hookie from high school.

5. Anti-duckface.com - Katie and Paul and I all go to the most wonderful hairstylist in Atlanta (Sharlene Walker of Van Michael Salon) who demonstrated "the mirror face" that everyone makes at the salon when they look at their new hair do. Anti-duckface.com is a hilarious photoblog that showcases various people making The Duck Face, which is very similar to The Mirror Face.

4. Cappucinos with the proper amount of cinnamon and nutmeg. I usually order lattes. But today I decided to be decadent and have a capuccino. The whole point of a cappucino is the foam. The whole point of the foam is to hold the aroma of cinnamon and nutmeg. Not much is required. Please learn from my mistake and do not put too much spice in your cappucino. or else it will clump up at the bottom of your cup and creep you out when you take your last few sips.

3. Alex Theory. You can find him on iTunes, Facebook, Myspace, Amazon and Sounds True. He makes music that is super modern, fresh, clean. It is my number one choice when I need music I like that will not distract me when I need to be mentally focused on reading, writing, drawing, or studying.

2. Rainbows Happen, Concrete Lace's most recently published coloring book. Available at Urban Cottage in Atlanta, at Lamb's Ear in Cahaba Heights (Birmingham), or on amazon.com. We hand illustrated and self published this coloring book especially for kids who like to color rainbows. The book features 24 expressions such as "I'm glad you're my friend" or "I love you and like you." Each expression is surrounded by graphics that are specifically designed for...you guessed correctly: rainbow coloring!!

1. Paper Mill Market in East Cobb. I will be there reading cards and peddling coloring books under the 6,000 square foot tent filled with indie vendors of all shapes and sizes. Come on out!

Unto us a child is born

Guess what y'all?

My next door neighbor here in the duplex had a baby last night.

Here. In this house. On the other side of the wall.

Don't get me wrong, my neighbor definitely had competent midwives and everything like that. It wasn't like when Scarlett delivered Melanie's baby with Prissy and a pair of scissors. They never came knocking on my door asking for extra towels or boiling water.

So I had no idea the child was born till they invited me over today to look at the baby.

His name is Sebastian. When I saw him, he was very calm and sweet. He even seemed like he was glad to be born.

Whenever I do astrology readings for people, I need the time and location of birth to pull up the chart. This one is going to be very special because I was there at the same time and location. Not in the same room. I didn't see it happen.

Good God, no I did not see it happen. I'll never make that mistake again.

One time we were making examples of baby announcements at work and Marsha brought in a photo album of her grandchild's birth.

Randomly mixed in with all the other 4x6 glossy photos of a family smiling in a hospital room was a close up shot of some thighs and a very hairy vagina with a baby's head coming out of it. In the next picture, a baby with squinty eyes and no visible eyelashes looked completely pissed off. and there were strings of bloody goo all over its face.

Prior to seeing that photo, I went along with the conspiracy that the miracle of life is all about sweet innocent pastels and white fluffly clouds floating on a breeze of a multi-generational family love.

I was irritated with Marsha for raining on my parade by bringing inappropriate photos to work. And then she flat out refused to acknowledge that there was anything gross about it! She just kept on saying that all babies are beautiful miracles, no matter what.

I'm sure she's right but I can't help but believe that the ones who are born in the house that I live in happen to be more beautiful and more miraculous than any other babies.

PS: I will be doing tarot readings and signing coloring books this Saturday at the Urban Cottage Fall Festivities event from 11am-8pm. If you have any questions about astrology, come see me!

Book review: The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski

Mom has absolutely insisted that I read this book called The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski. She showed me the book last week when Jessiker and I went up to Asheville. I thought, "No fkn way I'm reading this book, but I'll just play along. Now is not the time to explain that I don't read thick novels with serious looking book jackets."

But I tell you, she wouldn't let up on this one. This was not a gentle suggestion. This was my mother issuing a command from Capricorn Central that said it would be in my best interest to read this book.

Earlier in life I learned that if I just do what she says in the beginning, that gives me the right to share unlimited feedback about all the flaws in her set of instructions.

As a result, my mother now issues commands/suggestions much more sparingly. (She has also become the master of somehow causing me think that whatever she wants me to do was my idea to begin with.)

Out of respect for her efforts, I do like to pay attention if she feels the need to issue an overt command/suggestion.

So for Edgar Sawtelle, I figured, "WTF? I'll just check it out at the public library and see what happens."

After reading the glowing review from Steven King on the back of the book jacket, I was intrigued. My mother's sister Julie has a friggin shrine of Steven King hardbacks in her bedroom and is constantly lecturing me about how Steven King is more than just the writer of the world's finest scary stories: Steven King is a true master of the written word, and did I know that he wrote Shawshank Redemption and Stand by Me?

Therefore, I couldn't wait for this Edgar Sawtelle book to suck ass so I could tell both my mother and my aunt that they have horrible taste in writers.

Well that didn't happen. The Story of Edgar Sawtelle is truly amazing from start to finish and I honestly do believe that anyone who can read would like this story. It is that good. It is a long story, but more satisfying than any trashy chick lit and more entertaining than any self help books that I have come across in recent years.

Hope everyone is enjoying the holiday. Now that I'm finished with Edgar Sawtelle, I have gotten back onto my self help track and am reading Esther and Jerry's new book The Vortex, about relationships and The Law of Attraction.