Little Woman

Sorry about the absence. Last week took the wind out of my sails and I needed some time to decompress. And disconnect. Seriously-- no computer, no tv. I think I've spent so much time worshipping at the alter of that false idol, I thought it would be harder than it was. But whaddya know -- I ended up waking up to my life, doing a lot of soul searching, and recommitting myself to the important things in life.

Don't get me wrong -- I have dvr, I'm not really missing anything. (Now if I could only figure out a way to get to watch those recorded shows before 10 pm each night...)


It sounds like I've had some sort of lobotomy, I know, so lest you start calling wondering whether or not Zombies really are back and have taken over my body, let me show you what's keeping me uplifted and excited about the everyday details that would normally bore &/or disgust me:



( I got mine for $20!!) EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED OR NEEDED TO KNOW ABOUT HOUSEKEEPING IS IN THIS BOOK. If you haven't read it, you need to. Shawn even reads it, though mostly just where it talks about tools and the garage. But still.


Not to mention, almost every cleaning product they suggest you use is a cheap, inexpensive household item, and most of the techniques they use are good for the environment.

I swear, it makes me want to go out and be a Home Ec teacher. Me.


Plus, I get to wear these while I clean:


Ninny bought matching "Domestic Diva's" aprons for me and Ry, and I just scored this one on eBay:









Apparently, I'm the last homemaker in America to discover Jessie Steele. I hear her aprons have been featured on Oprah's Favorite Things (and Desperate Housewives), which explains why I'm out of the loop, seeing as how I am fundamentally against watching her Favorite Things shows. It causes too much envy. I'm jealous enough as it is. The added pressure would be too much.


Anyway, I love love love wearing these, but I know a lot of you aren't as sickeningly 1953 as ! am, so perhaps you'd enjoy something a bit more contemporary, more sarcastic, eh? May we suggest:


Not as sexy, but just as much sass!!

You're the Inspiration

You know who you are...

September Sweeps

Right, so we're chugging along at chunkyrhino.com, getting ready to move our products/services/blog to one site, but we've got to clean house first, which means we'll slowly be phasing out our cafepress products, in order to streamline our inventory.


What does that have to do with you, you ask? Weeellll, it means you get to save, save, save on some of the cutest designs for kids, 'rents, and more. Head over to the site now to get yours before they're gone -- sale ends September 30th!!


**We don't currently sell our cards at the cafepress site, but if you'd like to order, just shoot me an email and we'll get to work!!

P.S.

I'm selling some of Jaxson's old stuff, so if you or anyone you know are in the market, check out my auctions on eBay.



**Panhandling session over**

Look! Look!!

New Inventory!! I've actually sold out of both the Birthday and Gratitude lines shown here, but am currently making more, and am always happy to take custom orders. Check back soon for pics of our adorable personalized stationary!!

These Just In...

New cards from chunkyrhino! Our handmade cards are back, I've been working hard on lots of new 4pk sets, and am starting on Halloween and Christmas orders as we speak! Check out the adorable Baby cards I finished yesterday -- they ALMOST make me want to have another! (But then Jax rips open and pours out oatmeal packets/tea bags/coffe cans -- take your pick, he did. One of each this week.)

For a limited time, you can get 4 cards for $6 or 10 for $12. Have a custom order? Not a problem -- let me know and we'll get started!

(But not today. Today I'm taking the kids and Lola to visit Menana at the lake while Big Daddy rides his Harley to Arkansas to visit the kin folk. Tomorrow, though. Definitely tomorrow!!)

Ooh! I almost forgot -- keep checking back for the brand-new chunkyrhino design we'll be adding to our line of apparel and gifts -- featuring art work by Ryan!! Also, I just got a fresh batch of candles from Angie -- she's got lots of yummy new scents -- check 'em out before they are gone!!!

And last but not least, a big fat Congratulations and Welcome to my friend Rory and his new son Hudson and my friend Kellie and her baby girl, Alex. Rory is getting this for Hudson, and Kellie got this for Alex, although I forgot how much we both hated breast-feeding and that by the time Alex is big enough to wear it, it probably won't pertain to her, anyway. Maybe I'll make it up to her with some free Baby Girl cards...

Start Your Engines!!

Rude Awakening

So last night we're having dinner with our neighbors, one of which is a HOA Board Member with Shawn. During some incredibly exciting discussion about the association's finances, someone mentions that a lot of the $$ is dribbling out to the woman who "cleans" the facilities 3 times a week at the neighborhood pool. Irritated at the lack of service and astonished at the amount of money paid, Shawn quickly suggests that maybe I should do it, if it means more money every month.

*counting to ten*

On that note, don't forget to visit our online store for all your summer wedding and baby gift needs.

Please.

Unabashed Product Placement

Some new stuff at shopchunkyrhino -- check it out, and for the Love of Lucifer, give me some feedback!

(I, for one, think the she-skull baby looks like she's got a 5 0'clock shadow, but Shawn thinks it looks great...)

Invisible Children

Menana had her 15 minutes of fame last night. Our local cable news station interviewed her and her students on the work they've been doing to support the Invisible Children campaign. I'm so proud of her -- and she looks cute, too! Check it out here, then check out our Invisible Children products at shopchunkyrhino -- you may not want to buy, but someone you know probably will, so send it along!!!

Spreadin' the Love...

In honor of Dylan Thomas, I am not going gentle into that good night. I love my chunkyrhino shop, and I know many more would love it,too, if they only knew about us!!! My advertising skills and time are limited, and since my faithful followers are few (though FANTASTIC), I've decided to join forces with the gal who started it all (for me, anyway).

Back when I first got preg with Ry, my Mom ordered me a subscription to one of the phalanx of Baby Mags, wherein I read about Mindy Roberts and her blog, aptly and oh-so-covetously named"The Mommy Blog". I loved reading her and loved the basis behind what she was doing, but being a theatre teacher, coach and choir director, didn't really have the time to start my own.

We all know what happened next: I stopped teaching, went a little nuts, and chunkyrhino was born. She inspired me, I still read her religiously, and now I'm counting on her to take me to the next level. (No pressure, Mindy...)

I've signed up for advertisement on her new site, Boutique Community, which looks like it'll be my new favorite place to hang out!! Shop Chunkyrhino is still in full swing, and hopefully, with the aid of my new "teammate", it will actually hit something.

Go visit Mindy, check out the new site, let your friends know...this one's gonna be HUGE!!!!

Just do it already

Okay, fine. No one wants to buy our super-cool, super-cute stuff? (except you, Shah, my love)

I can live with rejection, but I'll be damned if I have to pay for it. Since offering all of you non-shoppers such variety is charging my credit card every month, I've decided to scale down our cafepress store, only able to offer one quote/image per product.

Humor me, people. Go over to the store, look at the stuff, and leave me a comment on what your favorite one is. Otherwise, I'm afraid I'll have to shut it down all together, and you KNOW how much I hate to admit complete and total failure.

Partial failure? That I can handle.