The Anti-Consumer Hypocrite

So there's plenty of things I'm known for, making my own shoes from carrots I grew in my garden is one of the funnier ones my girlfriend Janeille coined, but one of the lesser known ones is that I'm a bit of an Anti-consumer hypocrite... sad but true.

I'm constantly tortured in my head, knowing that Forever 21 just got in that perfect dress that is gonna suit my not-so-perfect figure and I'm gonna miss it! But I know that I have no business being in that store because my closet is full and once I'm there, there's at least 5 other things I can't live without, ughhh!!! It's places like Nordstroms rack that convince the anti-consumer hypocrites like me that it's OK because that dress was $130 and now is only $11 so it's not really that bad, right!!!!

In an ideal world I would just be content with what I have and never need anything shinny and new. But no, I'm tortured, I'm tossed to and fro all the time. I can't, but I would love to blame it all on Orange County, I mean shopping might be highest on our list of cultural priorities.

So my friends, it's only fair that you share the burden with me, so I'm gonna do what any good anti-consumer hypocrite would... Give you the two options to wrestle over that I do, everyday!
You're welcome :)

Let the torture commence:

This month, charity: water is doing a campaign, encouraging people to give up their September birthday gifts in exchange for a donation to charity: water. They hope to further solve the world water crisis, and so far, they're doing a killer job! Good thing it wasn't October birthdays this year, phew!
Watch the trailer, I'm pretty sure you'll become an Anti-Consumer hypocrite too... sorry. And don't worry, I am gonna give up my October birthday this year :)


Next is for those of you who can shop online unimpeded by that nagging feeling.
Zafirenia is a really cute company I just learned about. Seriously cute, cute vintage inspired jewelry.

Did I say cute. I love their big, bold fun designs.

I really wanted to get one for my best friend's birthday, but she has to make the ever torturous call, since it's her September birthday, no pressure.


If you decide you can't live without one of Zafirenia's designs, you can make yourself feel better knowing that you're supporting the cottage industry and actually putting food on a family's table :)

I know, I know, I would say I'm sorry, but all kidding aside I think this is too important. So much of what we do in America needs a bit of a reevaluation. At the very least I've gotten you thinking, cuz if you never did, nothing would change.

Balance my friend, balance.

Your Old Time Friend

Oh Betty!

This one's been a long time coming... one of my all time favorite people ever is Betty Hutton, and I've wanted to introduce you for a long time. I'm hoping most of you already are good friends and have enjoyed her for years, but if you haven't, here's my brief yet non-exhaustive intro to one of my heroes!
Betty Hutton was a glamorous, yet not quite right for Hollywood type that somehow managed to star in dozens of films in the 40's and 50's. She had said that she hit fast and run in hopes that no one would realize that she couldn't really do anything... Well I definitely disagree with you Betty! She had a spunk that is unrivalled. Bob Hope once called her a vitamin with legs... She would definitely fit right in with me and my girlfriends! Fiery and fun with some sass and silliness! This is me doin' my best to pull of Betty's hair for my 30th birthday party!


This one here is my favorite! It shows her range and how funny and delightful she can be. I especially love the part when she sings "woof, woof"


Sadly, Betty followed the road of many in Hollywood, turning to drug use and nearly had a nervous breakdown. She ended up living in obscurity until someone discovered her working as a cook in a Catholic rectory in the 70's!
In an interview with Robert Osbourne on TCM in 2000 Betty was very candid about her personal struggles and the turmoil she experienced in Hollywood and later her bout with drug addiction and ultimately her faith that changed her life!

This one's called the Sewing Machine, I sing it to my kids when I sew :)



I learned that Betty had become a devout Catholic living quietly at the end of her life in Palm Springs, really close to where my Dad lives. I often fantasized about writing her and seeing if we could get together to talk or pray... but my courage failed me, and I soon after learned that she had passed away. Boo...

This one's about a neighbor that never stops playin' his piano... She's so cute!



So while my opportunity to hang out with my girl has passed here, I can't wait to hang out with you in heaven Betty! I hope you love her as much a me! When I hear her fun and silly songs, they just bring a smile to my face and a little joy to my day! And if you want some more Betty head on over here to SatinsAndSpurs.com The Betty Hutton Website
This is the best site there is for all things Betty!


And if you're looking for a good movie to rent this weekend, check her out in "Annie Get Your Gun" it's rip roarin' old timey fun!

And apparently 3 or 4 of her movies will be featured this month on TCM!

So have fun!


Your Old Time Friend...

Wait! Where did December go?

Isn't there just something about December! It's magical yet hectic, and no matter how hard I try to make it slow down, it just goes too quickly and I'm always left a little sad that it's all over, and disillusioned by the mess I have to clean up!
It seems like just the other day I was posting on my facebook status, to decorate or not to decorate... And I'm sure you can guess by the looks of this here photo, I gave into sentimentalism and tradition. I can't help it, I'm too old skool I really try so hard to break out of the shell but I just can't. So in typical O.T. Cyndi style I bring you December in pictures, in January... "sigh"Gave in and decorated, this year I held back (a little bit)Emmy started December right, with a rousing performance of "splish, splash it's rainnin' in my bath" at the CBS children's Christmas program, with all her good homies by her side!Next Emmy and I spent a little too much time round the sugar, wholy moly although I ate very little sugar, I'm pretty sure I ingested it through my pores, cuz you couldn't talk me into eating any for the next few days... but we had fun!Then the next day for some reason I felt compelled to make all the ladies at my church Christmas tea, their very own Christmas Tree cake pop... When I get these brilliant ideas somebody please do me a favor and hit me over the head... !this is what 80 cake pops look like... unfortunately I have no photos of what 80 cake pops makes my kitchen look likeNext we had the Weeks Fancy dinner party, which for me was the highlight of December! We had friends from church join us for a 4 course meal which I prepared with a little help from my friends!I discovered an old lot of beautiful linens that inspired the decor for the evening... it was so fun to use them with my grandmothers etched crystal and my fun and funky Bakelite silverware!We talked about how the gospel had impacted our lives in 2009 and toasted to the gospel with wonderful wine, and pretty darn good food, if you ask me... notice the mostly devoured croque embouch my girlfriend made!We enjoyed good conversation and a hilarious white elephant gift exchange that brought tears to many eyes... Is that wassail Dave??And this is definitely the best present of the year for me... My sweet girlfriend Laura who couldn't be at this year's party sent gifts for us to open up from New Zealand. And what could be better for her Old Time friend than a 50's inspired Pavlova recipe apron??? I'm mean seriously where do you find this stuff!
I'm so thankful for my church and my sweet friends that God has blessed me with, it's been an awesome year!Next we had yet another Christmas production, which Emmy played a little angel in. I have to say she was slightly overshadowed by a hilarious 2 year old who inched right up to the mic in desperate anticipation of saying "happy birt-day Jedus"
I got to do the music for the kids... (I think it's time to touch up the roots there Cyndi)Then the week preceding Christmas, we took a little r-r-road trip up north to the central coast! Dang their cute and are excellent travelers, their well seasoned...We took a little hike around Laguna lake up in San Luis Obispo... photo courtesy of Emmy!Judah loves to hike in the sling... Attack of the baby fangs! Man I love this kid!Then we headed up for a little time of R and R at our 2nd home.... yeah right. If you didn't already know this is Hearst Castle and if you haven't already taken a tour, it's remote and time consuming and if you have a big family, expensive, BUT definitely worth it! Wow, so cool!I wish we could have had more time up there, seriously ridiculous how much money that guy had and spent!Then we rushed home for Christmas Eve service that Mike and I were doing the music for, here's me with a couple of the girls that serve in the music ministry at church... looking good girls ;)Then we had Christmas morning... I still need to have a talk with the folks about this one! We said no gifts... long story, but they are grandparents, and everyone knows they can't help themselves! Judah pretty much loves this one anyways!Then definitely the highlight of Christmas for me was going and hanging out with these guys and a few others... Some friends and I decided to make pancakes and coffee and go hand them out to the homeless, or as they like to say "home free" of Laguna Beach. It was such a cool time and as we were standing around talking and eating, some sweet people came by with a car load of sleeping bags and just handed them out (this is me being super stoked on them!)And lastly we finish with Judah doing it right... pooping at the brunch table. Thanks for the extra special gift buddy... bonus: no changing table at this restaurant!
Well it's been an awesome, awesome year, and I definitely will fill you in on more of the details of that, who knows when... but you know how I roll.
Thanks for reading and I pray this next year is filled with God's many blessings and a closeness with Him that rivals anything this world can offer you!
Peace out 2009!

At least it wasn't a total loss...

This weekend we headed down to Crystal Cove which, lately has become a bit of a ritual... I get to walk about 4 miles so I can check off the "hobby" from my to do list and the kiddos get in some play time with the aunties.... BUT this weekend there was just no way I was gonna let anyone, even a 30 year old near the water! Dang those waves were scary! Beautiful, but scary!

(This just doesn't do them justice!)

So we walked a long, long way with no relief of the cool clear water for the long, long walk home.

But my good friend Laura brought her camera and captured some great photos!


So it wasn't a total loss...


she loves her uncle K-love...
And he loves her, so cute!

By the way, this is how Emmy winks!

My little buck-toothed beauty...

just where I like her, up away from certain peril!

Judah doing his "baby blue steel"... can't wait to see "magnum!"

If you haven't made a point of going down to Crystal Cove and you live in Southern California, do yourself a favor! I lived here for years and for a long time never bothered, I have no idea what I was thinking.

When you go here, there's definately a feeling of going back in time, it's like a ghost town on the beach, so charming! It has abandoned cottages lining the beach, complete with weathered boardwalk and picket fences!

There is even a little restaurant called the beachcomber, which occupies one of the old cottages, that serves it's food on Fiesta ware under palm leaf umbrellas while playing the tunes of the 40's! Love it!

Hi-Ho! Cherry-O

A few years back, I found myself waiting in a very, very long line to get into what was going to be one of the biggest scores of my life... A rock concert where you met the Cute Kiwi, you ask? Nope... Must have been at an amusement park, and the Cute Kiwi was the ride attendant... Nope! (He would never ever be the ride attendant at an amusement park) No offense, I'm just not into Carnies...
Strangely enough I was waiting with tons of other people, who were also chomping at the bit, to get into one of the best rummage sales I've ever been to! And let me tell you, this one was a score! I love, love, love old people who never throw anything away, they make my life so much fun!

Well at this particular rummage sale, I was able to pick up a 1940's Gabardine Western Ware skirt with sequins and all! A 1950's Pendleton ladies coat, a 1950's wool coat and bonnet for Emmy, a 1950's Cookie maker set, 1940's Salt and Pepper Shakers, and the first edition of High-Ho! Cherry-O.... What a fun day... there were lots of other scores, but I won't bore you with the details

Fast forward 3 years and Emmy is finally old enough to understand the principals of playing a game, and playing to win...haha!

So all this morning we've played and we've played and now I remember why I loved this game so much as a kid!

Primary colors, cute little cherries, a spinney wheel with cute little pictures on it, and simple good ol' fashion competition! What fun!

1940s House

I just finished watching a BBC program called 1940s House . If you haven't seen this amazing social experiment, it is worth every minute of it's 3 hours! I can say that I was truly ignorant of how life was for people during the war... I think for me I've always looked back with such an idilic perspective, I knew that people had to sacrifice and work hard, but I really had no idea to what lengths people went to make it during WWII! In this miniseries this family, the Hymers, applied to live in a house that was completely restored to late 30's early 40's fashion, which of course was better than disneyland for me! And they we're all given clothes and haircuts... no detail was missed. They even set up a store for them to shop at (which by the way, rarely had much in it!) and they had to make a bomb shelter and do regular bomb raiding exercises... it was wild!
The biggest reason I wanted to post about this show, was how incredibly inspiring it was to see how people went above and beyond the call of duty whilst living on practically nothing. This family, the Hymers, we're totally surprised by how hard things were and from time to time wanted to quit. But they stuck with it, and they were definately changed by the experience!

I've always thought that I would have been a totally awesome home front wife, but man I can't believe how hard it was for them... I have this idea that it would be so awesome to have my victory garden and make every meal from scratch everyday... all in my cute little house dress with my snood on and my red lips... (which they called the red badge of courage)
But I totally had the picture all wrong... imagine getting called in to your bomb shelter 17 times in one day! Try making a meal that day, let alone from scratch... so your in your bomb shelter for the 10th time that day and all you've managed to eat is some gray bread from the day before and your kids are crying that they're hungry and you can't get in to make them anything else... and then it hits you that you need to go to the bathroom... all while you hear bombs going off in the not too far distance....oh man!


I've always known that if a senario like WWII were to errupt today, we would be in serious trouble, because there are not many left today that would sacrifice like people did back then... but now after seeing this I know that we could do it, it's just a matter of buckling down and pushing hard through tough times...

So great! Get it on Netflix you won't be sorry... and you WILL look at your grandma and grandpa differently after this!

Paint by el numeros

I LOVE Paint by numbers, and now I commission you my beloved readers to love them too!

Fun Fact: Paint by numbers was the brain child of Dan Robbins in the early 1950's, an artist who remembered that DaVinci used to put numbers into his paintings so that his apprentices could help him finish his works of art.

So Robbins takes his idea to a major paint company and the rest is history! And guess who is hanging in more living rooms than any artist ever? That's right Dan Robbins + You... well not you, cuz we have too much to do with our busy lives than sit around for hours filling in blanks...

But thankfully for me and now you, (cuz you're gonna love them) our forefathers had the courtesy to spends hours upon hours filling them in for our enjoyment!

My Mom recalls when everyone was doing them and she thought they were terribly tacky. Luckily not everyone thought they were, cuz there's thousands upon thousands of them hanging around and they can be purchased for mere dollars! There are crazy people like me who have quite a few in their collection and some who will pay more than a few dollars for some of the more rare examples. But usually they can be found for around $10-$20 smackers...

So I've posted some of my collection for you to enjoy, and I hope now you will love them as I do, and if you still aren't convinced, that's fine, just next time you see one at a garage sale, pick it up for your old time friend, Cyndi ;)