It's Here!!

My package from Amber arrived!! Oodles and oodles of goodies and all for meeeeeeeeeeee!

New (to me) Amber Brown CD Cases!!!

Back in the early part of the century I used to shop at Renegade Handmade and then Amber Brown's Etsy site. Her Etsy is no longer active but we became friendly (I was her biggest felt cd case supporter) and we follow one another on Instagram. She posted yesterday about how she kinda misses making the cases and then DM'ed me to say she had a batch of random cases left and would I be interested. WOULD I?!?! Hells freakin' yeah. I hauled ass to PayPal and sent her some cash-ish pronto. Here's what will soon be in my hot little hands:

Be Mine

Baby Be Mine - Michael Jackson
Chances Are - Johnny Mathis
Moon River - Andy Williams
Stay - David Bowie
You're the One - Greta Van Fleet
Then I Met You - The Proclaimers
Moonlight Serenade - The Glenn Miller Orchestra
I Just Want to Be Your Everything - Andy Gibb
Because You're Mine - Nat King Cole
One Caress - Depeche Mode
I'll Close My Eyes - Dinah Washington
I Love You Says It Very Well - Ann Jillian
Wait Til You See Him - Ella Fitzgerald
A Fool in Love - Frankie Miller
Could It Be I'm Falling in Love - The Spinners
Ever Fallen in Love - Buzzcocks
You Got to Me - Neil Diamond
That's How Strong My Love Is - Otis Redding
Fallin' in Love - Faith Evans
When It's Love - Van Halen
Somewhere - Tom Waits
Love Me Tonight - Mildred Bailey
My Funny Valentine - Chet Baker

Kisses Mix

Prince - Kiss
Hall and Oates - Kiss On My List
George Michael - Kissing a Fool
Echo and the Bunnymen - Lips Like Sugar
U2 - Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me
Sixpence None The Richer - Kiss Me
The Boswell Sisters - Coffee in the Morning & Kisses In the Night
The Crystals - Then He Kissed Me
Jimmie Rodgers - Kisses Sweeter Than Wine
The Cure - The Kiss 
Louis Armstrong - A Kiss to Build a Dream On
Des'ree - Kissing You
Morrissey - Let Me Kiss You
Pearl Jam - Last Kiss
Wolf Alice - Don't Delete the Kisses
Tom Waits - Kiss Me
Chris Isaak - Kiss Me Like a Stranger
Telekinesis! - Awkward Kisser
Louis Jordan - Knock Me a Kiss
Mel Tormé - Prelude to a Kiss
In Strict Confidence - Kiss Your Shadow

Pink Scarf and Yellow Buttons

A new mix for Christmas 2018!

Merry Christmas Darling - Carpenters
Open Fire - Johnny Mathis
Snowfall/Snowfall Cha-Cha - Billy May/George Shearing
Washington Square - Chris Isaak
If Every Day was Like Christmas - Elvis Presley
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas  - She & Him
The Christmas Song - Andy Williams
Remember - Harry Nilsson
I'll Be Home for Christmas - Dolly Parton
White Christmas - Barbra Streisand
I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm - Les Brown & The Starlighters
Christmas Time is Coming - Stormy Weather
O Tannenbaum - Vince Guaraldi Trio
I Saw Three Ships - Nat King Cole
Last Christmas - Wham!
Sleigh Ride - Alvin and the Chipmunks
Welcome Christmas - from How the Grinch Stole Christmas 
Walking in the Air - Howard Blake & Declan Galbrath
Somewhere in My Memory - John Williams
Christmas Card from a Hooker in Minneapolis - Tom Waits

Dublin's Finest

Flying home on Boxing Day/St. Stephen's Day means that I'll be taking a taxi to the airport. I absolutely adore Dublin cabbies. I ride shotgun and they gab with me like we were old pals. It doesn't feel forced or like they are singing for their supper. It feels sincere. When I call for a cab I use Express Taxi and they have the best of the best.

My first cabbie in Ireland was Robert O'Sullivan back on September 3rd of last year. My journal entry lists him as effervescent and wonderful and when he delivered me to the Mountjoy Square apartment he left me with a hug and a smooch on the cheek plus a wish for a lovely stay. He really was a gem of a man and started my admiration and love of Dublin taxi drivers. A handful of days later on September 10th I took a 5AM cab to the airport for a day trip to Antwerp. My Express Taxi driver was Joseph Hanway, a man sweeter than cotton candy. Conversation was effortless and the laughs were plenty. A few months later, he was the one to pull up outside SLP to take my brother and me to the airport. Mr. Hanway was funny and kind and genuine and gave me a great big hug and lots of well wishes for my brother's new baby when we reached the terminal.

So this year I made up a very silly little care package gift for my driver. I'm hoping they think it's fun and not ridiculous, but if I know Dublin cabbies as well as I like to think, they will be overwhelmed at the silliness bestowed upon them by an odd gal from Philly. I included a Philly shot glass and magnet, box of chocolates from Antwerp, Mike & Ike's and Goldenberg's (Philly faves!), Irish Accent Breath Spray, and a special mix cd for the season!

Winter Mix

Justin Hayward & John Lodge - Nights Winters Years
Ahmad Jamal - Snowfall
Fleet Foxes - White Winter Hymnal
Mumford & Sons - Winter Winds
George Winston - Night, Pt. 1: Snow
Bill Purcell - Our Winter Love
Kate Bush - December Will Be Magic Again
Scott Walker - Winter Night
Jane Monheit - Moonlight in Vermont
Ella Fitzgerald - Winter Wonderland
Rosemary Clooney - Snow
Barbra Streisand - My Favorite Things
Vince Guaraldi Trio - Greensleeves
Elvis Costello - I Felt The Chill Before the Winter Came
She & Him - Sleigh Ride
Richard Burton - Frost at Midnight
Tom Waits - Nirvana

(ps - I sure hope Mr. O'Leary enjoyed everything!!)

Ten Fun Filled Hours!

Yesterday afternoon I picked up Jax. We planned to run a bunch of errands, have lunch, and then visit my favourite Christmas house at night. Before we left I got to see Miss Sydney in the silliest p-jams I've ever seen. Ain't she the cutest snow-gal in the whole wintery world? Damn right she is.

By 1pm we were off! Jackson was pea-coat clad and ready to roll, looking extra special in the scarf I made. He wants me to knit a little one for Steve Burns and I think I might just do that.

I brought with me my super rad holiday mixes - the felt cases by Amber Brown were "so coool!!" and the Joyful Tree mix scored number one for both of us. My favourite moment of the entire day came when Streisand's Jingle Bells was playing. I love that song and always have. It's a classic number that she spins on its ear and revs up, giving it a whole new sound and pace. Jackson asked me, "Is she rapping?" Never has anyone on Earth ever listened to Barbra Streisand sing and confused her singing for rapping. Then he gave his complete review, "that is not how you sing that song." Damn. Harsh, right?

First stop was the library near Cwood. The woman behind the counter said Jackson "looks like a little gentleman!" and his dapperness got us each a little sticker! While Jax had never seen The Wire (that makes two of us), he did say that Muppets Most Wanted was really good.  

No visit to Cwood is complete without swinging by my fave bakery!

Chocolate cupcake with chocolate icing for Jax, plus a blondie for later and then a magic bar and a brownie for ME!

We had lunch at Heart Beet Kitchen and were both enamoured by the sweet little mason jar snow scenes. "It's a bird bath!!" Jackson exclaimed. Complete with a birdhouse, lil' bird perched on the edge of the bath and a bunny rabbit on the ground below. I ordered us some lentil tacos that were not a hit with Jax, but since he tried them, I let him have his cupcake as a reward, which he gobbled up.

Then we headed to my place for play time with Auntie Star's basket full of vintage toys, Shrek and bunny ears, little cars and a tuning fork, which for some inexplicable reason is always a huge hit with the kids.

While Jax ate his Not Dog (Lightlife Smart Dogs are the best phony hot dogs EVER, just so you know) we put on one of the sweetest (if not thee sweetest) Christmas shows to exist - Ziggy's Gift!!! We watched it twice. Fuzz (Ziggy's lil' white dog with the big blue nose) and the orange kitten are so cute together that it makes me all teary-eyed.

I needed to pick up a couple pairs of gloves at Old Navy and we discovered a little table with cards, envelopes and stickers so kids could create a gingerbread person. I think I showed a great deal of restraint in not overdoing it with the stickers. Jackson, however, went bananas.

Selfie Saturday is the best day of the week!

At the office in Center City (where I have not worked since September 7th because of all the overtime I've managed to pick up. I do so love to work from the comfort of my humble home!) we moved all my stuff from my current desk over to Leslie's since she and I will now be sharing. I had an anger-ball melt down trying to get in the god damn building after hours and Jax was awesome. He was supportive, "Why don't they let us in? This is stupid." and hustled to keep up with me while I dragged him to every conceivable entrance cursing under my breath. Not once did he sense my irritation and rage and get upset. Thankfully I keep candy at my desk and rewarded him with lollis. Then Selfie Saturday continued in the ladies loo!

Finally, finally at 9:30pm we made it to the house on Silverside in Delaware near the old office building. Needless to say Jackson absolutely was blown away by all the decorations, the lights, the music playing, the Pooh Bears, and the little puppies in the doggie bed inside the shed set up to be a living room - "it's holding a stocking in its mouth!!!!!!!"

Home at last by 10:30ish where a sleepy Jackson cuddled next to his father on the sofa, while I got in one last selfie with my practically grown up nephew Zach. All in all, one damn fine Saturday!

Amber Brown Collection

I am a bit obsessed with Amber Brown's felt cd cases. I've given many away as little gifts and tokens of my affection, but here is my stash for future recipients as well as the ones I shall never part with. Renee in Illinois is next on my Mix List. I think she will be getting the pink I Like You case...

(ps - the white case with the darling little blue hearts was my very first Amber Brown purchase, which I ordered from the old Renegade Handmade shop in Chicago back in 2010. The mix I created was aptly titled, Renegade and is still one of my better creations. Oh how I miss ordering goodies from Renegade Handmade...)

Winter Mix

 1. Nights Winters Years - Justin Hayward and John Lodge
 2. Winter Night - Scott Walker
 3. Our Winter Love - Bill Purcell
 4. Greensleeves - Vince Guaraldi Trio
 5. Snowfall - Ahmad Jamal
 6. Moonlight in Vermont - Jane Monheit
 7. Come in From the Cold - Joni Mitchell
 8. Cold - Annie Lennox
 9. In the Winter - Janis Ian
10. Winter - Bebel Gilberto
11. Snow - Rosemary Clooney
12. My Favorite Things - Barbra Streisand
13. December Will Be Magic Again - Kate Bush
14. White Winter Hymnal - Fleet Foxes
15. Winter Winds - Mumford & Sons
16. Winter - Tori Amos
17. Winter in the Hamptons - Josh Rouse
18. Something Stupid - Robbie Williams and Nicole Kidman
19. The Big Hurt - Scott Walker
20. Nirvana - Tom Waits
21. Frost at Midnight - Richard Burton

December 2012

Joyful Tree

 1. Trim Up the Tree - from How the Grinch Stole Christmas
 2. Don't Shoot Me, Santa - The Killers
 3. Last Christmas - Jimmy Eat World
 4. The Christmas Waltz - She & Him
 5. The Most Wonderful Day of the Year - Cast of Glee
 6. Caroling, Caroling - Nat King Cole
 7. Just Like Christmas - Low
 8. All I Want for Christmas Is You - Olivia Olson
 9. White Christmas - Placido Domingo
10. Christmas Vacation - Katie Campbell
11. Happy Xmas (War Is Over) - John Lennon and Yoko Ono
12. I'll Be Home for Christmas - Elvis Presley
13. Baby, Please Come Home for Christmas - U2
14. Christmas Time Is Here (vocal) - Vince Guaraldi Trio
15. Maybe This Christmas - Ron Sexsmith
16. Carol of the Bells - John Williams
17. Someday at Christmas - Stevie Wonder
18. Happy Holiday - Peggy Lee
19. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas - Judy Garland

December 25th, 2011

A Mix for Bishop

I Like You...Kind of a Lot

This here mix was created with tons of love for my nearest and dearest who never lets me down and always has my back. 

Track listing:

Tina Turner - The Best
Stevie Wonder - Love Having You Around
Queen - You're My Best Friend
Simon & Garfunkel - Bridge Over Troubled Water
Garth Brooks - Friends in Low Places
Rocket Summer - Never Knew
Joe Esposito - You're the Best Around
Led Zeppelin - I Can't Quit You Baby
Barbra Streisand & Ryan O'Neal - You're the Top
Bette Midler - Friends
Otis Redding - Cigarettes and Coffee
Style Council - You're the Best Thing
Sammy & Frank - Me and My Shadow
David Bowie - Young Americans
Andrew Gold - Thank You for Being a Friend
Penny & the Quarters - You and Me