Too Hot, Don't Want

How much longer am I expected to suffer this heat!? Answer ... probably 'till November. Gahhhhhhh. I want to move, but I'm pretty set in my ways here. In case you didn't know, it is cheap as shit to live in Louisiana. I mean, we own a big ol' house for 1/2 of what most of my friends who live elsewhere pay in rent. I'm not sure I'm willing to give that up. I also happen to love the culture of Louisiana, but I recently realized that what I hold on to most dearly are my memories from my childhood in Tennessee, most of which center around Autumn ... which doesn't exist here. Now that I'm nearly 30, I'm realizing that I've been here nearly as long as I was there and like an old boyfriend or a dead relative ... I'm starting to forget what Autumn really looks like, smells like and even what it feels like.

This is my dilemma ... can I move away from the life I've created here? Can I make Zombees somewhere else? Will I be able to maintain my crafting, history student-librarian-candlemaker, aspiring cook, wifey extraordinaire lifestyle if we pack up and move? Or will we have to live in an apartment and work until we're crazy just to make rent ... meanwhile never seeing each other or have time to do what makes us happy? The "grind" of life is something we've never really been into. I consider us to be successful, but for other reasons.

I honestly believe that some people move just to get away from stuff, to run away. I have nothing to "get away" from, but my entire being yearns to go "home" to some place where there is more evenness between dark, light and an adequate time in-between.

I'm just wondering if it is worth it ... on with today's inspiration!! I have a lot of work to do today!!

♥

Awwww, merde.

I got a wonderful box full of birthday goodies from bestie Hillary! 

The kitchen sticky notes are already proving useful.

 

I go through stationery like crazy, these are so pretty! 

The envelopes are a wonderful maroon color.

For Strange Women is one of my favorite Etsy shops! 

I am one of these people! Hah.

Jackpot! My new favorite pillow. 

♥

Chanel ♥

For me, Chanel has nothing to do with Blake Lively ...

 ♥

New & Notable [also, Cheddar Biscuits!!]

Best/worst breakfast in bed ever. Too many calories is a great way to start the week. Anyway, I am dying in this  heat wave!! I am so thankful to have a wonderful home with kick ass air conditioning. I honestly think I had a heat stroke at the Shreveport Common event this weekend!! Despite the fact that we had to pack up early due to my Zombees melting away, I think we had a decent time and I hope that the Shreveport Common grows into something permanent! I have tons of new Zombees ... Sweet Basil Bouisson, Coco No. 5 [coconut with lime], Summer Brees [teakwood!], Mad Madame Mulberry and BeeJoux which is a honeycomb scented candle exclusive to the Farmer's Market this summer. Ashlie, Cookie and I have been having a pretty good time down at the Market so far. There are so many amazing vendors! I hope to be a part of this for years to come. My plan is to be everyone's new "Candle Lady" and then send out change-of-title forms and force them to call me their "Zombee Lady" ... baby steps, people.

Here are a few things that have been going on lately ... a hodgepodge of goings on in the form of iPhone pics. Enjoy!

I can't remember if I posted these, I just think they're too cute, so best case scenario ... 

the blog gets a double dose of precious summer flowers!

Farmer's Market! Come get your Zombees!

My new nightly ritual. So delicious and sleep-inducing with a little Valerian root extract!

      

My favorite moisturizer, as some of you know. Chamomile and neroli, so amazing.

Great shipping, and a wonderful product as well. Check her out! 

No big deal, just made the most amazing cheddar biscuits ever. Take that, Red Lobster!

I just used a drop biscuit recipe and added about 1/2 cup of shredded sharp cheddar 

and some garlic and parsley. Brush with olive oil to get that golden color 

and then try not to eat a dozen ... I dare you!

Brandon and I have eaten shrimp taco salads roughly 4 times this week. So great!

Azteca makes great shells you can bake into bowls yourself! What goes in it is up to you, of course,

but let me just say ... Monterrey cheese, lettuce, tomato, onions and spicy shrimp work amazingly well.

This pasta looks like squid. Impulse buy. Great simply coated in butter with a ton of

freshly chopped up basil.

Cheers! I discovered Strongbow Cider this week.

We had an Egyptian-themed jewelry program with the YA's last week. 

I'm excited for our other programs! Yay for Summer Reading!

Eeeek! I love my new mug! ♥ Heat activated ...

I got some great birthday gifts from my co-workers and kids in the teen program. 

So precious. You should know that this balloon is STILL FLOATING in The Fort. It's been two weeks!!

 I don't know why I'm so amazed, but I seem to remember balloons getting all saggy even before 

a party was over. I love this damn balloon. On the floor you can see Cookie's amazing

 present to me that will definitely have it's own post, so stay tuned!

♥

Hitchcock ♥

Those of you who know me, or have read this blog for any amount of time will know ... I am obsessed with Alfred Hitchcock! I love his style, the legendary movies and his personal quirks. When I'm nervous or anxious, I recite his cameos by film, in order. It is a great trick ....

Anyway, about once a month, I have a Hitchcock weekend. It is similar to the Hocus Pocus coma I go into more often than I should. or the Denzel/Johnny marathon my mother and I have whenever I visit her. We're movie people. I absolutely love working from home because I'm able to watch movies while I make Zombees, return a billion e-mails,  and do side-work making invitation, wedding planning, etc. I don't have TV, like actual cable TV. Mostly because it is expensive and I'd rather buy cheese and gas, but partly because I know I would sit in front of it and watch 8 hours of Keeping Up with the Kardashians [or "Welcome to the Sardinians" as Brandon calls it], without doing a lick of work. Therefore, to stay motivated, I watch movies, usually horror or documentary. Hitchcock is definitely one of my favorites and I think that his unique vision helps keep me going more than any other. 

This is my visual ode to Sir Hitchcock and a few of my favorite manifestations of his unique madness.

♥