Swallowed by A Polar Vortex, New Floors, Published Again, and Another Wedding?

My mailbox in the Shire.  Yes that is actually my mailbox entombed in Mt. St. Kaplan.

It's snowing here...again.  This winter I could start every blog post with this sentence.  I am not exaggerating when I cry "I can no longer see over the (ever growing) twin peaks of Mount St. Kaplan" (Mount St. Kaplan is apparently a new species of super fast growing mountain range that has taken up residence at the end of my driveway...ask Google Earth..it is a real thing).  My mailbox is literally entombed in Mount St. Kaplan.  I keep joking that it feels a little like a hobbit mailbox...down in the Shire..or something like that (I haven't actually watched Lord Of The Rings...is that obvious?).  My epic Hobbit joke just keeps cracking 'em up.  Okay, so maybe it is only cracking me up...is it pathetic that I still keep telling it?  Anyway...the little red flat doohicky that tells my mailman "STOP...there is mail inside this box" is buried and there is no way in hell we will see it before late March.  No biggie I figured, it isn't necessary to actually flag Newman-The-Mailman, because we get mail every single day and surely he will see the stack of envelopes bearing unconcealed stamps.  Apparently I was wrong.  Part of me wonders if it is because the poor guy can't get very close to the actual box anymore (I blame the snowplow for that part of the mailbox problem) and he's annoyed enough by this problem-which is a problem throughout my entire subdivision- to just slam the mail into the box and move on without looking inside.  Okay, I have to be honest...I don't actually know my mailman's name.

This is my house and driveway and Hobbit mailbox all in one pic. Notice how the large pile of snow on the right side of the drive overlaps the opening to the garage.  This is going to be a big problem when my husband gets home with his car.  You see, he left it at the airport after his last trip-which coincidently was when we got a lot of the snow you see.

The driveway is getting ridiculously skinny.  Who knew driveways could lose weight? With Mount St. Kaplan continuing to grow it has gotten to the point that it is very difficult to get through the bottom end of the  driveway and soon I think the mirrors will scrap the sides of the mountain.  The problem comes down to this: It is very hard to throw snow up and over ones head in order to get it out of the way.  I actually did a little shoveling last night and let's say 1. I am out of shape and 2. throwing snow over your head is EXHAUSTING.  What do they do in areas that always get this much snow? Do they have mailboxes on elevator poles that can simply be raised above the snow line? Do they have hearted driveways so the snow melts off rather than becoming huge mountain ranges?

The neighbors house; that big pile of snow is my yard (to the left of my driveway)   

FunFact: One of my favorite neighbors has somehow managed to keep his mailbox completely clear of snow and his drive is bare down to the cement and all the way out to the grass line.  I mean seriously?  How does he do that?  I couldn't figure it out. Then I heard the snowblower fire up AGAIN and I remembered.... he fires up his snowblower nonstop 12 hrs a day every time a snowflake falls (here you should imagine the loud engine and stinky smell of a snowblower).

Look at my cute new bag.  My aunt- well, she's actually my mom's cousin but they grew up as BFFs- sent me this bag.  Perfectly appropriate for me and I love it.  So thank you Kay and mom.

Now, take a look at that GORGEOUS wood floor beneath that cute bag.  You're looking at my new wood floor that covers the second floor.  I LOVE IT.  I love it so much in fact that I really want to do the first floor to match.   

More good news.  The wedding I did last summer has been published in Detroit Bride Magazine.  I took some quick pics of the magazine pages to post here but you can see the actual pages at the magazine's website and it's free.  There is not an easy direct link to the page but you can get there by clicking this link Metro Detroit Bride Winter/Spring 2014 issue page 49-52. 

I have had individual projects published in Cloth Paper Scissors, Stampington publications as well as several Northridge Publishing magazines but there is something about seeing a body of work in a magazine.  To see my vision right there...BAM in a magazine.  I mean....I made all those things with my hands.  ME...MY hands...it is just so exciting.  Okay, I'll stop now. .

Moving on...or not.  I find my life works in weird ways.  Call it karma or coincidence or energy or whatever but today I got a call from someone who works at the studio where my daughter dances  I've known this woman for years and I'd like to say we are friends, I mean we are but it's the kind of friendship that one has with someone they really enjoy talking with but only see each other at place.  Anyway,  she asked for help with her March wedding.  I could tell she was nervous asking me and I sorta have to laugh at that.  When do I turn down a chance to be crafty? NEVER that's when.

Here's the odd part- or again maybe it is all Karma:

1. I've been feeling better this lately; certainly well enough to help her.  Maybe it is weddings that make me feel better :D
2. She wants a vintage, shabby chic vibe- Hmmmm I can do that....
3. Colors are peach and mint green...Seriusly? I still have things we can use in that case...
4.  She's having two receptions (more on that later).  The second one is at Salt of the Earth.  

As in the same restaurant that catered Brandin's wedding and whose charcuterie you see in the magazine (above).  I had to chuckle as we spoke because the two weddings are so similar...yet each is unique as the brides are very different people. I cannot wait to make another bride's dreams come true.