wall-to-wall

this page is where you get to discover all those posts, ideas, and thoughts that just cannot be categorized anywhere else. perhaps we could call this the sporadic stream of consciousness? i suppose we will soon find out.

pedicures for everyone!

kdavis 2 Comments

with most of us home in birmingham for the holiday, it was a no-brainer that getting pedicures yesterday at the nearby foxy nails & spa salon would be a family affair.  dad and clark needed their nails trimmed and mom and i needed new color on our toes.

with dozens of chairs on either side of the salon, the front desk attendant quickly seated us at four together over on the right.  we all slipped off our shoes and slid back into the comfy massage chairs.

clarky boy is not amused.
everybody wave!

dad doesn’t get pedicures often, so it was a sight in and of itself to watch him get the massage going at exactly the right speed in exactly the right spot.  i’ll let your imagination run wild with this scene, for we hardly are ever a quiet bunch!

once our feet were soaking in the piping hot water, our technicians got to work quickly.  mom, clark, and i indulged in the spa pedicure while dad went the ultra relaxation route with the foxy deluxe pedicure.  how fancy!  nails were clipped, legs were massaged, feet were rubbed, and we all slowly sank into pedicure heaven.  see how happy everyone is when we’re all together?!

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technician derek finished off my pedicure with a couple sparkling coats of opi’s let your love shine – i just had to have something glamorous for ringing in the new year!  we wiggled my flip flops back on and i went to sit under the dryer so that the perfect pedicure could settle.  (i apologize for the poor picture quality – it was a balmy december day in the ‘ham!).

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since dad’s pedicure package included some more treatments, he enjoyed the last few minutes of pampering while clark got a quick manicure to clean up his fingernails.  i’m sure you can picture the mounds of fun we all had as we chatted and people watched and enjoyed some good family time together.

after about an hour of fun, our time at the salon was all done.  dad’s feet looked fresh, clark’s hands were rejuvenated, and mom’s toes were prettily polished in opi’s ro-man-ce on the moon!  all in all, a lovely afternoon that, as usual with our family, was anything but average.

you get a jewelry dish & you get a jewelry dish!

kdavis 3 Comments

like many of you fellow creative minds out there, i have been racking my brain the past couple of weeks to try and decide what to get some of the special ladies in my life.  i didn’t really have much of an idea until i came across a post from a pinterest link that just seemed too good to be true.  it looked straightforward, it looked darling, and it looked like something i could actually do myself!  with that confidence, i was off to the local binders art store to stock up on the goods and see what kind of magic i could make.

ready to go, i cleared the dining room table to create some work space, pulled up the instructions, and tore into the supplies.  what would i be attempting to make?  these precious little jewelry dishes!

now, i’m not going to repeat the steps here, for i want the original geniuses elsie and emma to get all the credit.  their instructions are so easy to follow and so accurate that the whole thing is just about stupid-proof.

i will say, though, that i do have some tips from my personal, novice clay knowledge, and they are as follows:

  • make sure you’re not working on a precious surface.  i would never have done this craft on the beautiful wood surface of my table, so i used a flat board (basically tough cardboard) that i have lying around the house for an occasion such as this one.
  • be sure to use a good amount of white clay so that you have enough material to create a whole, sturdy dish.
  • don’t be shy with the colors!  one of the dishes had, i think, six different colors in it, some more than the others.  it all depends on the desired effect.
  • if you want more mixing of the colors to come through in the final product, then yes, as suggested in the original post, pull the ball of clay apart and smoosh it together a few times to get them all intermingled before you roll it out.
  • unless you absolutely want to be like a real artist, there’s no need to buy a little clay-cutting knife like the wooden one you’ll see in my pictures.  any ‘ole knife will do ya just fine.
  • the gold gilding, in my opinion, is a must!  it helps finish the sides nicely and bring a little pizzazz to the dishes.
  • also necessary is the glaze.  i did two coats on mine and i loved the dishes even more after coating them and making them shiny.

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this craft is simple, inexpensive, and quick.  with so many color combinations it was fun to decide which to pick for each girl so that the dish would match their personality perfectly.  a great Christmas gift, birthday gift, or even bridal party gift, this craft is sure to please.  amusez-vous!

the great debate: which time zone is the greatest?

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okay, folks, i am going to settle the argument once and for all:  the central time zone is the grandest time zone of all and masterfully reigns over all others.  now, if you were to ask my sister-in-law kari, she’d vehemently disagree until the sun goes down.  seeing as how she has lived all her life in georgia, all she knows is the eastern time zone.  poor thing!  if only i could show her the light.  perhaps this post can do just that?

growing up in birmingham, i spent my entire childhood drinking the central time zone kool-aid, so to say.  our favorite primetime shows came on at a reasonable hour, which meant i got to go to bed in a timely manner to get my recommended eight hours of sleep before waking to a new dawn for a pleasant day at school.  sounds poetic, right?  yes, that’s because it is!  the central time zone is such a lovely place because you get your day started a touch earlier to keep up with everyone on the east coast yet you aren’t expected to keep your day going until those on the west end theirs.

you get home at six-ish, have the perfect amount of time to kick off your shoes, hop in your jammies, and then settle down into dinner while reading or watching survivor or whatever else it is you like to do on your weeknights.

wait, though.  what about the weekends?  oh, yes, football and all things sports start earlier in your day, but then you aren’t up until one a.m. trying to stay awake as the san diego state aztecs march onto victory.  you’re snuggled in bed before the clock strikes midnight so that you can rise rested from your slumber to do it all again.

over in the eastern time zone, everything starts when it really should be your bedtime.  yes, i might be a late-20 something saying this, but i think it’s safe to say i’m past the very short part in my life when i was eager to go out with friends and single-handedly close the clubs down myself.  i like getting done with work and having a few hours to wind down before i think about having to go through the daily grind again, just a few winks of sleep away.

if the local government would just be a lamb and move atlanta into the central time zone all would then be right with the world and every Christmas dream i’ve ever had would have come true.

#dailyselfie – popcorn addict?

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a couple weeks ago a bunch of us from work went out on lake lanier for one last summer hoorah.  although the day started out overcast, it cleared up just enough so that we could splash around in the water and get a little sun on our cheeks.  john and his lovely wife amy cooked us an amazing low country boil with sausage, potatoes, shrimp, the whole shebang!  of course, though, there were appetizers and snacks, and it was while i was sipping on my second yuengling that i had my first handful of g.h. cretors popcorn.  maybe it was the alcohol, maybe it was the cool breeze, or maybe it was the fact that i wasn’t working.  whatever it was, i fell in love with that stuff right then and there.  the cheese pieces aren’t overpowering, and the caramel bites are crunchy and sweet.

now, i probably don’t need a 1 lb 10 oz bag of the stuff, but my coworker greg bought it from costco, so what else would i expect?  perfectly portioned bags?  puh!  nonsense, i tell you!  i shared a few bowls with folks today while i was in the office, but i don’t expect it to last long once it’s at home with me, where i can feast on junk food in the privacy of my own living room while watching the premiere of the latest season of survivor in my sweatpants.  you know you’re jealous!

popcorn

thanks for nothing, west end funk

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last week kyle, kari, phillip and i were headed to turner field to watch the braves take on the mets in game one of the series.  i had been up at work in norcross that day, and what i had hoped would be a quick commute to downtown atlanta turned into a journey i’d rather not have taken.

after sitting in rainy atlanta traffic for an hour, i got to the lindbergh marta station just in time to board the red line.  i seated myself down and let phillip know i was on the train and headed their way.  he and kari were already there, so my anxiety was rising.  i just wanted to be there, too!  it had been a long short week with the labor day holiday, which meant a relaxing night at the ballpark was going to be just the ticket, that is if i were going to make it.

the train made good time, and soon we were at the west end station.  i yielded my umbrella to the slanting sheets of rain, growing more uncertain with each step how much cover it was actually providing.  i wasn’t too concerned, though, because like the good planner that i am, i had a change of casual clothes in my lulu lemon bag.  there’s no way i was going to sit through three hours of baseball in my fitted capris.  plus, i needed something with a bit more space for all the food and drinks!

i finally was under the roof of the station when i saw a police officer who was hollering above the pounding rain, “the station is flooded downstairs!  you’ll have to go down and around.”  excuse me, what?  flooded?  like many of the other passengers nearby, i didn’t take those words as music to my ears.  i didn’t know how else i could leave, so i wobbled down the stairs and found myself staring at almost two inches of standing water below me.  i kid you not, there was no other way to get out, so i uselessly tiptoed through the muck and funk of the west end marta station to “drier” land.  i’m sure i couldn’t hide the disgust on my face as i finally set my umbrella down.  the water reeked of twenty porta potties that had all been drained right into the station, and i was sure i’d caught some kind of disease during my trek.  even worse, i had to use my braves t-shirt to dry my waterlogged feet.  so much for changing at the game…

but the smell and wet feet weren’t the worst of these things.  the worst of these things was a crime against fashion, an insult to beautiful shoes everywhere:  my beloved tory burch peep toe wedges were completely ruined.  i’d worn them hard over the years, and i knew it wouldn’t be long before they were done, but thanks to west end, the process was lovingly expedited.  the stains are irreversible, and the disgusting stank i knew would linger on probably forever.

when we got home after the game that night, i put the shoes down on my living room floor and, to be honest, had a little moment.  these wedges went with everything.  jeans, pants, skirts, dresses.  you name it, odds were i could wear these shoes with it.  it’s been just barely a week, and i’m still mourning the loss as i sit here and write about it.  the up side to this tragedy?  next spring i’ll be treating myself to a nice new pair, and i promise you i won’t let the west end funk get its gross paws all over them.

that’s my boyfriend!

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last week we had an unusually cool tuesday wash over atlanta, georgia, and i insisted we all take advantage of it.  phillip’s company was having their softball game at the active oval of piedmont park, and i convinced clark and kari to join me for a lovely evening in the city.  despite the fact that the opposing team never showed up, we still had a fabulous time together.  i thoroughly embarrassed phillip with my cheering and jeering as he was up to bat and out in right field.  his coworkers looked at me on the bench and laughed, hopefully out of humor more than anything else.  although it was a forfeited win that night, it was a win nonetheless, so there ya go!

lefties hit more home runs!

lefties hit more home runs!

afterwards the four of us took a stroll across the street and enjoyed a lovely dinner al fresco at the nook for some world famous totchos and beer.  as i took in the other patrons, i was overwhelmed with joy at the weather.  i cannot recall how many times i said, “how gorgeous is it out here?  this weather is unbelievable!”  i am a naturally joyous person, but when fall comes around, it’s a whole other level of happiness that i cannot contain.  i couldn’t help but thinking of u2’s famous song “beautiful day” and how grateful i am for the changing seasons and the Lord’s grace for us on His earth.  it’s an amazing thing, isn’t it?

my clarky boy

kdavis Leave a comment

as many of you know, my younger brother clark, whom i affectionately call clarky boy, has lived with me the past year here in atlanta.  well, this week begins a new journey and chapter as he makes a sizable move up to chicago, illinois to start a new job.  phillip and i just saw him off about an hour ago as he zoomed off in the kia westbound to visit mom and dad for a night before heading up north.  i cannot lie; i was teary-eyed as i watched him take a left on roswell towards the interstate.  having the chance to call him my roommate has been nothing but an honor and a privilege.  clark knows how to make any night fabulous and so fun, and it will be quite hard to adjust to his absence.  who will watch the real housewives of orange county on monday nights with me?!  i am now taking applicants for the position.  🙂

this post is a dedication to the best younger brother i could ever have asked to have in my life.  clark, you are a talented, intelligent, and passionate young man.  our friendship is irreplaceable and will always have a prominent place in my heart.  chicago is lucky to you have you in their town, and expect a visit from me before too long.

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a romper for curvy girls!

kdavis 2 Comments

i was at target the other day with the sole intent to buy new clothes.  one may typically be in target for the necessities and just so happen to drop a hundred bucks on a new outfit (not that i know anything about that), but this time i was fully prepared to browse the racks in pursuit of something fun and light for these summer months.  it’s been a sticky season down here in hotlanta, and on the weekends i try to avoid anything snug at all costs.  gotta let your body breathe!

among the ten or so hangers i ended up taking to the dressing room, i was overjoyed when i found that the lace romper i’d warily picked from the rack actually fit and, if you can believe it, was flattering!  there isn’t too much material that it looks frumpy, and the elastic waistband hits at the right spot, at least on my body.  the only downside?  the zipper is in the back and isn’t the easiest to undo yourself.  i wore the romper saturday night to a friend’s house for grilling out and games and had some girlfriends who were kind enough to unzip me and rezip me after my visits to the ladies’ room.  hehe!

i’ve always wanted a romper, and i think this one is the one for me.  it has good coverage even though it is a little on the shorter side, and the size i got to accommodate my derriere was comfy without swallowing me up top.  another plus?  it didn’t show my sweat, even after four games of kan jam!  it’s a keeper for sure!