Kate shoes

I wanted to re-do a pair of shoes I had. Got the idea from pinterest.


The idea was to put fabric around the edge where the feet go and add a bow on the side. So cute!


So I decided on gray. I just finished a new gray skirt, so gray shoes sounded good, right?
Wrong.
Ugh.
Painted them gray. The gray fabric didn't match.


So I tried to mix the paint so they would match.
Still couldn't do it.
Frustration!!!


Ok. New color.
White.
White is good. White goes with everything. I have white fabric. This'll work.
Wrong again.
Fabric was too white.


FRUSTRATION!!!!!!!!


What to do? What to do?


Ok fine.
Beige.


I wanted some beige shoes. No fabric things. I didn't have fabric to match.
So they're just going to be beige.
And now I have
Princess Kate shoes!
Oh yes.
Like in these pictures:

                 source                                                                                    source

                                                                                                                                                                                          

Ah. So happy to have Kate shoes.


Here they are:


The before:

I cut off the strappies.

I don't have a picture of when they were gray. Sorry!

Here's after I painted them white. I know, they look fine. I just didn't like them.

And here they are beige:

I love my new Kate shoes.
All I did was sand them so the paint would stick well, paint them with acrylic paint, then seal them with glossy mod-podge. (I did have to re-sand, re-paint, re-podge, then re-sand, re-paint, and re-podge again because of the stupid color).
Because they're already well-worn in, I don't think I'll have problems with them cracking. I just have to be careful. 

Ella's headstone

It's finally finished.

We went to see it on Saturday. Even though I knew what it looked like because I designed it, it still killed me to see it in stone.
I posted a picture of it on Facebook. I don't really know why. Maybe to remind people that she's still out there? Or remind them why I don't come to their baby showers or gush and coo over their baby pictures? That's probably it.

They have their pictures, I have mine. Sometimes bitterness wins out and I foolishly try to humble the world, when really I need to humble myself.
Everyone said "it's so beautiful." "I love it." "It's so perfect." "You did a great job." or, my favorite, "dang!" yes. That was a real comment.


Yes, I think it turned out beautiful. But I hate it. I hate that I don't get to use this beautiful name I have loved for so long for a daughter I have longed for my whole life. Instead, this name is on a headstone and my baby is in heaven.

I know what you're thinking. I know I'll have her one day. I know she's mine forever. I know she's perfect and I'll get to raise her. But you know what? I don't have her right now.

And that really, really sucks.

Shopping. So bad, yet so good.

I went yesterday with my new friend Camille.

That's right! I'm making new friends out here in our new city. It makes me so happy! There's a girl's night tonight too and I'm totally stoked to go eat too much sugar and hate myself tomorrow morning.


Anyway, we had so much fun. We went to Ross and Target and some other store whose name I can't remember that sold designer jean knockoffs for cheap. Nice!


I bought three things at Ross. well, four, but it was for the house and doesn't count: I got a gray and white-stripped cardi that came with an adorable black belt that goes around my waist, a dark denim pencil skirt that is so hot, and a pair of skinny jeans that are just stinking cute.

Spent less than forty-five bucks.
But had to tap into my savings. Dangit.

And today, my Mother came to visit me!!! I was so excited to have her come and hang out and show her around Glendale. We went to Nordstrom Rack.

ooohhh, that place is DANGEROUS. I found two shirts that I adore. But unless I take more money out of my precious savings, they're not going to come home with me. Dangit. I might just say phooey on savings and go back to get them.

Then me and Mum went to Freddy's for lunch (tasty) and then I showed her where they're building the new Phoenix, AZ temple, which is just a few minutes from where I live. Can't WAIT until it's finished.

Ah, shopping. How I loathe love thee.

Thanks for coming, Mama! I had so much fun. Can't wait to see you rock your new duds!

It's finished!

Sorry, Mom.
I know I promised to post this last night.

But here it is!
Our final product.
After hours of priming, sanding, painting, and putting-back-together.

With much pride, garnished by bouts of aggravation, many trips to Home Depot, and a lot of sweat, I give you

Our new kitchen hutch!

We bought it off of craig's list for 80 bucks.

Here is the before:

Here is the during. Pictures complements of my hubby.
Oh how attractive am I. Sarcasm implied.

Use of garage complements of our amazing cousins. Love you, Heather!

 Primed

Sanded.
Some of it.

Painted.

And painted.

AND painted.
And painted some more.

Putting it all together

aaaaaaand, TA-DA!!

i love it.
We spent probably the same amount on paint and supplies as the hutch itself cost.
But we have extra storage and a gorgeous piece of furniture.
It isn't perfect.
There are paint blobs and streaks and one drawer that sticks.
But I love it.
And I did it! And Bret helped of course.
And Phil and Heather too. They let us use their garage AND their truck.
That's awesomeness in human form.

Sorry it sucks.

I'd love to make money writing. 

And I'd love to have a secret identity.

An identity that sets my regular self apart from my writing self. In which case, should someone find out about it, they'd be shocked to find out "you're Hero London???"

I'd love to have Hero London and her stories adored by millions of fans. I'd love to pay off my husband's dental school debts with book royalties.

Problem is, sometimes my writing just stinks. And I don't know how to fix it.


I know I have talent. I'd be selling myself short if I didn't admit that. But I also know I'm not perfect. I'd be delusional to claim it.

It's funny though. I'll get lots of compliments and wonderful reviews, all kinds of encouragement and support.

And one or two bad reviews.
And that's all I remember.

"Annoying."
"Contrived."
"Bad characterization."
"Moving too fast."

Of course, it's all meant to help me. But I can't help thinking: This just sucks. Pardon my french. And I want to say "I'm sorry it's awful. I'm sorry I didn't get it right. I'm sorry there's so much imperfection and screw-ups and annoying, contrived scenes that lack motivation and move too fast."

Makes me wonder... what would John Ronald, Jo, Jane, and Jack do?

Probably just keep writing.

Lake Trip

More playing with iMovie. 

I'm not in any of this video because I was behind the camera.

Plus, I never wakeboard. I only humiliate myself.

So instead,  you can enjoy my very talented hubby 

and our relatives.