It was a pretty full week.

It’s Saturday morning my day off and I am already frustrated. I woke up too early because someone called my cell phone at the crack of dawn on the one of two days a week I get to sleep past 6am. My spider bite has now progressed to the fact that I have swollen glands. I need to leave to pick someone up from the airport in like 20 minutes. But most importantly I can’t get the stupid Flickr photo badge thing to work. Geez why does posting pictures on the internet always have to be such a drama I ask you?

All things considered I should not complain. My week of filming went swimmingly. All the people I am working with are super duper nice. Especially the director Gordon who lets me yell at him because he will yell back and neither of us care (there is your special mention). Last night after we finished we had a few well deserved beers in the parking lot and my friends Traci and Lisa came to join us. After that the three of us plus Vince, Kelsey and Sandra all went to dinner at Gordon Biersch.


Tonight I am unsure of my plans. As mentioned my friend Susann is coming in today. I know she wants to shop. We have also been invited to an art gallery opening in Santa Monica by one of yesterdays guest John Are who made an amazingly cool lamp out of acrylic sheets. Then one of my producers Pirooz also invited us to go and watch a zombie movie in a cemetery which sounds pretty cool too. I’ll just wait and see what Susann wants to do since she is the guest and all. Speaking of Pirooz the picture is of he and Traci check out his blog to see the cartoon he wrote about Craft Lab.

Speaking of guests since I have been a bad bad blogger this week, let me give you the rundown on who came on the show since we last chatted. We made concrete planters with Michel Newman. My good friend Traci Bautista and her wee little adorable dog Freedom came to stay with me. She was on two episodes one where we made crayon cupcakes and another where did graffiti and I got a rad pair of custom Vans out of the deal! The lovely ladies of Duncan came to visit and with both Allyson we worked on ceramics. Check out Alexis in the dress that Traci (yes Bautista) created for a new Duncan ad. Very cool. Oh and when the 4 of us (Traci, Alexis, Allyson oh and Autumn and I) all went out to dinner that night at Cobras and Matadors in Silver lake we saw two people from Grays Anatomy (Izzy and Dr. Gray) which apparently was a big deal, but I had never seen the show so I had no clue who they were. Mary O’ Brien stopped by the lab and we made a resin table. Complicated, but very cool. The adorable Vani Sodhi Gundara came with her wood burning gear and we all made cute little purses. Cathi Milligan brought metal clay and glass cutting to Craft Lab. Both episodes were awesome and that sweetie left me an amazing skull sconce. I can’t believe I did not devote an entire blog to Addi Somekh and his balloon art. We made balloon hats, but the best part was his band Unpoppable played on the show and his bass is made with balloons. No really. Yvonne Palermo was on two episodes one where we did transfer art and another where we carved huge pieces of foam into an Egyptian piece of art. It was pretty rad and has some awesome possibilities. Katy Parks Wilson and I made a photo collage into a floral arrangement. A really cool artist from San Diego named Alisa Burke came up and we made graffiti art and then reupholstered a chair with it! Then remember me telling you how I went to host boot camp last year with Erin Murphy who played Tabitha on the TV show Bewitched? Well she was sweet enough to come on the show and be a Crafter. The picture is one of the episodes.

so overall it was a pretty full week.

Craft Lab Premieres Tomorrow!

The moment is here, Craft Lab premieres tomorrow 12:30 pm Central on DIY Network. Isn’t it kind of sad that I can’t even watch the show? I’ll be in the studio every day during filming and then Chris and I don’t have TIVO or any of that fancy stuff at home. Hopefully I’ll get to see the episodes I am going to miss sometime. Although as you might imagine it is a little odd watching yourself on TV. Kind of like hearing your voice on an answering machine. Let me give you a run down of the episodes for this week...

MONDAY: Seth Savarick – Screen printed Clay Switch Plate. And you thought you could only screen print on T-shirts, boy were you wrong.

TUESDAY: Traci Bautista – Collage Papers. Traci is a good friend of mine and you might see her collage paper in Naughty Secretary Club jewelry now and again like the necklace Vickie wore on the Today Show and the Collage Unleashed Earrings. Traci is actually coming out to LA tomorrow to stay with me and film a couple of episodes for season 2!

WEDNESDAY: Chris De Rubeis – Airbrushing Skateboards. I have to say airbrushing is a skill that I did not acquire while filming this episode even though I desperately wanted to be able to walk away with the ability to make my own “I Love Vinney 4/Ever” airbrushed T-shirt. Chris and I filmed the first episode of Season 2 together last week.

THURSDAY: Jan Bode Smiley – Fun Fabric Books. Remember those little soft fabric books you used to have when you were a kid? Jan shows us how to make a new and improved version.

FRIDAY: Marty Stevens-Heebner – Wire and Bead Creations. Wind chimes, candle holders and picture frames oh my!

See the very first week is just crammed full of crafty goodness. I hope you can tune in and watch. In case you are interested this week’s episodes of Stylelicious are Dare to Flair and Spice It Up.

Also on DIY Network…There is another new show premiering called B Original. I got to hang out with host Michele Beschen this summer in Knoxville when we filmed the Holiday special and she is adorable and likes to wear as much jewelry at the same time as I do. Also on this week new episodes of Creative Juice and really how can you not love Cathy and Steve.

Hedwig, Brew Holster Cult and more!

Hedwig, Brew Holster Cult and More!

I have spent majority of the day laying on my couch. This was completely planned, and I am without a drop of guilt about it. Standing for 12 hours a day on set will wear you out. I watched bad movies, replied to emails and did a wee bit of housecleaning. Actually one interesting thing I saw today was a documentary about all these hipster bands that covered songs from Hedwig and the Angry Inch. My very favorite song from the movie was done by one of my very favorite super groups – The Bens (Ben Lee, Ben Kweller and Ben Folds). Now I need to download the whole album. Sleater Kinney, Spoon, Polyphonic Spree and more. Here is a You Tube clip from the movie of my song. I hate to say I like the Tommy Gnosis version better, but this one is so much more fun to watch.

Brew Holster Cult!
Originally uploaded by Craft Lab.

The first episode of the day on Friday was with Nici Williams of Brew Holster Cult. She is also in a band called ACD-She that does all ACDC cover songs. Awesome names. We made tooled leather beer holsters. They were so awesome and the ladies even let me take one home. The crafters got to make tooled leather belts and Amelia made me one that said Craft Lab and Sarah made me one that says Jennifer. In the middle today was another episode with Thomas Ashman who is super duper talented. He and his wifey Ramona are adorable and I love their stuff. At the end of the day was a jewelry episode with Maya Brenner. Maya’s jewelry is really lovely and she is super sweet. So sweet that she gave the crafters and I each a necklace. Mine is silver and gold with charms all over and I am quite smitten on it! See I am just making out like a bandit on this show getting to keep all this cool stuff.

3 Show Days

Seriously why didn’t anyone tell me sooner that a Flickr account is way better than a photo bucket account? I have had a yahoo account for my photos for years, but was looking for a place to upload all the Craft Lab pictures for everyone to see and to link to for the blog. First I signed up for a Photo Bucket account and it was taking 20 minutes to upload each picture. Flickr (I guess because they are now owned by Yahoo) took like 1.2 seconds to upload. Maybe not that quick, but was quicker than the other.

Today was my second day of filming a 3 show today. We are still getting into our groove and smoothing out a few rough edges, but besides that all is going well. We have been making some really awesome crafts most importantly. Yesterday my guests were Thomas Ashman with whom I made an Altoids Tin into a music box! My friend Susan Beals, AKA Susan Stars of Portland Super Crafty was also on helping me make a customized box. Also, Jessica Acosta showed us all how to make epoxy layered dolls. Today I had the amazing Mitchell sisters Ann and Karen showing me the ropes on working with Polymer Clay. Clearly I have done this before but they are taking this clay to an all new level. We are talking how to make your own glittery sequins and skull adorned belts people. In the middle was the adorable Debbie Chialatas of Soapy Love. Popsicle Soap, need I say more.

Every season when I film Craft Lab it is like Cliff Notes for crafting. A whirlwind of information, faces and names. I learn so much it makes me want to race home to my studio and craft away like a mad woman. You think I would be sick of it, but all the projects inspire me and make me wanna go and try. Ya it sounds cheesy, but I swear it is true.

In other news I found out I am in the Austin American Statesmen today. Whoo-hoo and article on Craft Lab. Don’t forget Monday is the premiere date!

Puppets out of Automotive Funnels!

Day number 2 of Craft Lab filming went absolutely swimmingly. My friend the adorable Claudine Hellmuth was my guest and of course both of her projects were so cute they would make the Gerber baby look bad. Claudine was a guest last year so I was so happy to have her back. We filmed two episodes together today. First up we made a Victorian Cone Puppet out of her dog Toby complete with polka dots, ball fringe and fun party hats. The second episode we made a 3D photo collage of the Perkins-Boehk family. AKA these cute little stand up figurines with pictures of Chris, Lucy and Georgie. Check out the picture. Georgie looked like a little piece of baby corn, so CUTE!!!!

I am also a fan of both of our craftettes today. Monica was a crafter on the airbrushing show as well and came back for more crafty action today. She makes these headbands that I have been smitten on for a long time and I finally scored one today! I emailed her after Thursday’s show and let her know all my favorite colors and she whipped me up a custom head band. I LOVE it and wore it on the first episode Claudine and I filmed. Our other crafter is a cutie named Laura who you might know from Charcoal Designs. I have admired her fun jewelry for quite some time and was all excited when I found out who she was. Both girls did a wondermous job crafting along with Claudine and I.

This summer when I taped the Christmas special in Knoxville Claudine’s poppet kit was one of the items on my list for gifts for crafters. If you love her poppets as much as I do you might head over to the Creating Keepsakes Poll and vote for them. I did. Speaking of voting, have you voted in the Venus Hott List Poll? Naughty Secretary Club is nominated for Best DIY business so be sure and go get your vote on!

After taping this afternoon, tomorrow’s guest and another friend of mine Susan Beals, AKA Susan Stars was lingering in the lobby of the studio. Claudine and I convinced her to come out to dinner with the two of us and off to sushi we went. It was nice getting to talk about running your own small business with such clever ladies. We also talked about some super scary thing called Passive Internet use that should make every web business owners blood run cold.

After dinner I dropped the girls off at the hotel and headed over the hill to my apartment. I hit the gym and read the new issue of Venus as I peddled away on the bike. Back in my apartment I waited 75 years for the slowest internet connection in all of Los Angeles to upload these pictures for your viewing pleasure.

Better go get a good nights sleep. Tomorrow is my first 3 show day!

Austin Craft Mafia on the Fred Flare Podcast!

Posted By:fred flare


Lookie I'm on the latest Fred Flare podcast. The Austin Craft Mafia filmed it at this summers Renegade Craft Fair in Brooklyn. I hope you dig it. Keith and Chris and such sweeties! We were all so hot and sweaty in the 100 degree heat.

This weekend I went to a party in Culver City, shopping at Beverly Center for my wardrobe and to dinner with my second guest Claudine Hellmuth!

Oh and today is my hubby Chris's birthday. So if you see him, email him, call him be sure to wish him a happy happy day!

My camera’s memory card out of the toaster.

If I was at Austin City Limits today these are the bands I would go check out…
Phoenix
TV on the Radio
Ghostland Observatory
Ben Kweller
The Shins
Brazilian Girls
Iron & Wine
The Raconteurs
Massive Attack
However, I’m not in Austin so I won’t be seeing any of the shows. Poopersnickles. I got a report from the girls in the Austin Craft Mafia booth that things are going swimmingly. Apparently the Sparkle Craft headbands are flying off the shelves.

One of the stores here in Los Angeles that carries Naughty Secretary Club is closing down so yesterday I ventured out in my wee little rental car to try and navigate the streets and collect my things. It went pretty well, but I turned the wrong way on Sunset at first and then there was this whole sitting in traffic on the 101 thing. The store Sweet Charity was really cute and even got my jewelry mentioned in LA Weekly. Too bad they are closing their doors. Funny, I was complaining that I packed so much jewelry, but no display so everything was in a big bowl. Well I had also mailed the store a rack for my jewelry so I got to take that home as well and it worked out pretty dang handy.

My friend Lisa came over for a bit in the evening and helped me get my camera’s memory card out of the toaster. It’s a really long story, but I thought I was going to have to take the toaster apart to get it out and with a few shakes she set the memory card free.

Austin City Limits and Renegade Craft Fair

This is the second year in a row I am here in Los Angeles during the Austin City Limits festival. If you are going to be there you should stop by the Austin Craft Mafia booth and pick yourself up lots of handmade awesomeness. There will be tons of Naughty Secretary Club jewelry, new T-shirts by Hot Pink Pistol, delectable handbags by Sweet Tooth, guitar straps and belts by Sparkle Craft and clothing galore by All Dressed Up and Shy. Stop by the booth and say hi to the girls for me.

If you live in Chicago head out to the Renegade Craft Fair this weekend. Every year the Chicago fair overlaps with the ACL so I can’t go and it makes me oh so sad. The Austin Craft Mafia has had a booth at the Brooklyn version two years in a row now. If I was in Chicago the booths I would especially be sure and stop by is of course fellow Mafioso Sublime Stitching, Bang because they have awesome stuff and my hubby used to be in a band with one of the peeps, Happy Owl Glassworks because they made my favorite Deer Necklace and Jenny Harada because she is on an episode of Craft Lab making monster masks with me.

Yesterday was my first day of taping at Craft Lab. I think I am going to really like the new layout of the show. New set, new shooting style, new everything. Chris De Rubeis was my first guest and we airbrushed a guitar and chatted about his rad Tiki themed surfboard. I have craftettes on set with me now, as in two crafters who I snuggle into a 50’s diner booth with. Shelly and Monica got to airbrush their own T-shirts and I was quite jealous. Chris was also on last year and we airbrushed a skateboard and matching helmet.

“we pet the cow before we milk it”

I had my first experience with Trader Joes. No this is not going to be a blog about grocery shopping, well not exactly anyway. There is one thing about all arty grocery stores that really bothers me – you can’t get diet coke and Lean Cuisines and therefore I end up having to go to a second grocery store and frankly that really irritates me.

Today was my first day in Los Angeles. Last night I had dinner with a friend and got unpacked. Today I went and saw the new set and had a walk through of the show and all it’s new nuances. Afterwards what was left to do but to hit the grocery store. My apartment here is fully loaded so that I cook. I tried to call my friend Karl who lives here to see about the nearest Whole Foods, but there was no answer. I knew where there was a Vons and a Ralph’s (we call the grocery store H.E.B. in Austin), but I decided to ask the teller in the bank if she knew where the Whole Foods was. Well apparently there is not one in Burbank, so she sent me to Trader Joes instead.

Trader Joes was smaller than I thought it would be. I have heard about this store and it’s awesomeness forever now so it had a lot to live up to. There was some nice sounding store brand soups and entrées that I loaded up on and the prices were way cheaper than other arty grocery stores. However, there was pretty much only hippie organic brands or Trader Joe brands just like at Whole Foods or Central Market. Sure I know this is their stick, but why can’t you carry diet coke? And in the case of Trader Joes a decent beer selection. I was also hoping for some Lean Cuisines which at least Central Market has, along with enough beer brands that I could try a new one every week for the rest of my life I might add.

What I am getting at is that I am always annoyed with grocery stores that specialize in being organic “we pet the cow before we milk it” type stores. They never seem as complete and well rounded as a normal grocery store. I don’t know about the “normal” grocery stores in Los Angeles but in Austin most normal grocery stores also have a large organic and vegetarian section. The thing is I can also get my TV dinners and diet coke at the same time.

Site Outage, New Press and Flights.

So today is the day I leave for Los Angeles for 5 weeks and really the last thing I needed was for Dreamhost to shut my web site down yesterday. I awoke to find it back on and a standard response in my inbox about how it was an automated shut off. They think I am spamming people. I send out my newsletter maybe once every other month. They keep asking me if I have corrupt files on the site or forms that people could have hacked into. I think it might be Dreamhost with the issues and not my site and I am still shopping for another web hosting service. Sucks Naughty Secretary Club has been hosted by them since 1999 without a single issue and I have recommended them to a bazillion crafty upstarts.



In happier news I got copies of the new Knit 1 and Crafts Reports Magazines yesterday. Crafts Reports has an article about Austin complete with a big fat picture of the Austin Craft Mafia taken by the lovely Cory Ryan at Romeos. Knit 1 is pumped full of Naughty Secretary Club goodies. Vickie interviewed Isaac Mizrahi for the issue and was sweet enough to wear one of my Revamped Vintage Necklaces. All through out the After School Special spread there are tons of NSC pieces here is a picture with the Candy Sprinkled Doughnut Earrings and Kapow Ring!

Ok I better go get ready for the airport.

Wendy O. Williams

So this will officially make twice now that I have blogged about Wendy O. Williams, W.O.W. Yesterday Chris and I were watching bits and pieces of one of a about a million different shows produced by VH1 about most metal moments. I don’t remember which one this one was, they all blend together. I did however learn some new interesting facts like Jimmy Page lived in Aleister Crowley’s house and that Stephen Tyler once had a 14 year old girlfriend whose parents he convinced to make him legal guardian of. Weird. There was also some stuff about those Norwegian Black Metal kids that always fascinates me and creeps me out. Did you see that documentary? OK back to Wendy. They had the Plasmatics on the show twice for various reasons and that got me to thinking: I wonder if Itunes has ever added “It’s My Life” to it’s catalog? When I had checked before it was not there and I only have the song on vinyl. This time the song was there, which I downloaded promptly along with some Skid Row. ANYWAY then I got to thinking I wonder if the video for this song is on You Tube and low and behold it is and I wanted to share it with you. Wendy makes most other pseudo tough girl rockers look like a powder puff. Female wrestling, fast driving, demolition, the Thelma and Louise ending – what is not to love about this video?

Wolf Like Me

The Tijuana Donkeys Earrings are finally here! Shrink art ear bobs made with images my younger sister Hope painted. Also pictured are the matching Hot Pink Pistol hand painted boots.

Today is Sunday and I am washing clothes, packing (2 more nights in my own bed), making last minute pieces of jewelry and more. Last night Chris and I watched a sad movie called Umberto D. Made me wanna run over and kiss my dog Lucy.

Oh and since someone was nice enough to comment on my blog about my latest music downloads I will tell you what has been pumping through my speakers new this week…
Junior Boys “This Morning”
Minus the Bear “Drilling”
Scissor Sisters “I Don’t Feel Like Dancing”
Brazillian Girls The Last Call single
Justin Timberlake “Sexy Back”
TV on the Radio "Wolf Like Me"

11 segments in 8 hours

Craft Lab came to Austin yesterday! It was super fun we filmed 11 segments in 8 hours. Not full on episodes, but quickie little 1-2 minute projects. When Craft Lab premiers on Sept 25th you’ll see that I am usually on set with a guest for the entire show and then there are little field piece segments with our roving reporter Cat Greenleaf. Well this new season that we are shooting Cat and I are splitting the field reporting duties and yesterday was one of my shifts.

My first guest of the day was Mel Sotos a local lass studying to be an architect that adores the hardware store. She and I made 4 different projects together. First up was a bud vase out of a Dryer Duct and a test tube. Next were two different types of candle holders one out of metal plumber’s pipes and the other out of the metal bits you find in the bottom of your kitchen sink drain. That is the one there is a picture of here. They were both really awesome and industrial looking. After that she and I made a wall sconce out of an old sprinkler head. Last of all and maybe most awesome of all were these groovy lamps out of old plastic cups. I thought my candles out of old glasses were cool, but these blew that away.

My second guest of the day was Rachel McGinnis Carney. Rachel and I made a dog house out of an old wooden TV frame. It was so cute and she had it painted up adorably plus it had polymer clay faux knobs. Oddly I have an old TV in my garage right now that I bought to have converted into either an aquarium or I might saw the front off and have it mounted and made into a picture frame. Lucy would not fit inside any TVs so as adorable as the dog house was this one is not an option for me.

Melita Curphy of Miss Monster was my next guest. I have been a fan of Miss Monster since I started eyeballing her adorable glasses and purses at Parts and Labour. She is also going to have a booth at Stitch I am excited to say. I had never met Melita and she was adorable and spunky and we rocked the glass etched Monster glasses. Another added bonus Melita let me take the glasses we made home. Hers were was way better than mine, but hey I have not etched glass since a 6th grade class project. Sadly my monster looked more like a cross between a jack o' lantern and Ol' Dirty Bastard from Wu Tang Clan.


The oh so talented Melissa Gable of One Creative Girl was right after lunch with two different projects. She designs the note cards we sell on Naughty Secretary Club, has the most amazingly adorable house and studio ever and is mega talented in the found art department. First up we made little alters out of Altoids tins. She brought all these vintage brooches and cupcake toppers to fill our shrines with and I had one that was a piece of fruit with googly eyes that kept making me sing that Fruit of the Loom commercial “You Can’t Over Love Your Underwear”. Anywhoodle the shrines were aces. After the shrines were art dolls. But super awesome art dolls that incorporated stuff like vintage Barkcloth, blender parts, rabbit bones, old forks, vintage curlers and more.

My friend Jasmine Lindley of Jasmine Made came in right after Melissa with another dog house option. Her adorable pug and Lucy used to play together quite a bit so I could just see Trixie loving these fuzzy monster box dog houses. I won’t say too much but here is a picture to give you an idea about how cute and fun they are. Jasmine let me take my creation home which looked pretty hilarious and immediately Georgie my cat moved in. Well ok there was a little coaxing by Chris and me, but overall I think she likes her monsterliscious casa.

Mark Stowe was up next who is a designer here in Austin that makes gorgeous leather goods. Wallets, belts, cuffs – you name it. Mark not only tools the leather he works with, but occasionally he uses a wood burner to implement some of his designs. So I got to “Burn Leather”, which I thought sounded like an awesome name for a heavy metal band. We made his signature eagle design and I have to say my feathers were not half bad, not as nice as Mark’s, but I did not hang my head in shame of anything.

Last up was Maia Walther of Lollipoop Designs. Cute name, cute girl and cute project. We made journals out of goodies like old library cards (my fave and the one I got to take home with me, HOORAY!), playing cards and paint swatches. She has an awesome gizmo that binds the whole thing for you all you gotta do is make the cover and punch the holes.

It was a long day and I was pooped when it was done, but it was oh so fun. Thanks to all the guests who came out and crafted their tooshies off in the sweltering heat (the AC made noise on camera so we had to go without, pardon our shine). Plus thanks to First Samples. I had not been before yesterday and it was an amazing work space and I really want to look into taking a sewing class there maybe first of next year. I capped my night off by attending a “dance party” at my friend Courtney’s which involved lots of goofy dancing to bands ranging from Journey to Lady Sovereign. After a long day it was just what the doctor ordered.

Here is what I have been up to this week in bullet points.

- Met Natalie for a drink at Opal Divines.

- Sent jewelry off to photo shoots for Teen Vogue and Alternative Press Magazine’s Holiday Gift Guides. Keep your fingers crossed for me. Also did a small interview with Nylon and found out an interview I did with Crafts Reports Magazine is out. Where do you get this magazine?

- Chris and I were really bad and went and got Ice Cream Cones. I had Rocky Road, he had Peanut Butter with Butter Fingers mixed in.

- I added new Pop Purses to Naughty Secretary Club.

- My shelf got moved at Parts and Labour and restocked. Right across the store from the old location and more in front of the cash register!

- I added tons of episode dates to the Craft Lab My Space Account.

- Speaking of Craft Lab yesterday I found out Matt Maranian author of my favorite book Pad: The Guide to Ultra-Living, Leah Kramer of Craftster and Mark and Bre from Make Magazine are all going to be guests on Craft Lab with me next month!

- Last night Chris figured out how to put my Outlook Email on my Blackberry. I was very pleased.

- As I watched Project Runway last night (and I can't believe it took this long to say good bye to Vincent) I made a ton of new Revamped Vintage Rings for me to take and wear in LA on the show.

- Today I am getting my hair cut and colored at Pink. Monica does a mean red.

- Tonight I have a Stitch meeting at Little City Coffee.

- Tomorrow I am filming all day for Craft Lab here in Austin at First Samples. Guests include Jasmine and Melissa and a few other people I have not yet had the privilege of meeting.

Where the heck have I been?

I have been a sucky blogger the last few days. You can understand there has been traveling and plans for more travel. As you know I leave for Los Angeles next week, but this past week I made a quick trip down to Dallas to see the fam. If you recall earlier this summer I went to Illinois to see my 98 year old grandmother who was moved to an assisted living facility in my hometown of McKinney, TX where my parents still live. ANYWAY what is the number one thing elderly people do in new living environments? Break their hips of course. She broke her pinky too bless her heart. So my poor grandmother is in a nursing home now that has a rehabilitation center taking little walks when she can get out of bed in the hopes that she will eventually get to move back to her little apartment she got to live in for a total of like 3 days.

I flew down Wednesday night to get a good long visit in. Chris and the doggie drove up Friday afternoon and we left Lucy at my parents house and he and I drove to Arlington to see his family and go to a Rangers baseball game which was pretty fun. Saturday was more family bonding including a trip to Dallas to have pizza at Campizis Egyptian and a trip to North Park mall. They have a Delias store! I didn’t get anything but a compliment on my 31 Corn Lane Bag. Chris, Lucy and I all drove back Sunday night. Yesterday I just kind of laid on the couch comatose making occasional notes about things I need to pack for my 5 week long trip. Q-Tips, I Pod Speakers, Face Wash – I’m a really bad packer and have to plan ahead like this or it is a big mess.

So I’m back in Austin and furiously making jewelry, packing and then at the end of this week doing two days of filming here in town. What and with whom I am filming I am still unsure, but I guess I will find out. Remember just because I am not home does not mean Naughty Secretary Club closes down, Ginger will be here filling orders and answering questions so all should be well.