valentine ideas for word nerds and design geeks

If you're a word nerd or design geek like me (and let's face it, I'm writing this post for myself, because I want someone to give me one of these for Valentine's Day), you might find a Valentine must-have in my Valentine round-up.

I want someone to send me this card.

And this drop-dead gorgeous letterpress print from Daily Drop Cap would look great in my scrap office. I'm just sayin'.

How great is that? I find type sexy, you got a problem with that?

Even sexier — check out this laptop case.

Shut the front door. Can you handle that action? I'll be needing the 15 inch in red, please. I said please. And it's in Valentine red, even. I can't take it.

And for Photoshoppers, how can you not love this set of magnets? I must confess, I'm in Photoshop so much, I think in these little boxes. It's quite sad.

Yep, looks like my computer screen most of the time.

From computers to typewriters, my standing ultimate Valentine gift has to be the Olivetti Valentine. It's one sexy Valentine.

True love.

resolutions for 2010

I always say I’m not going to write these.

In 2010 I resolve to:

never go back to a certain cell phone store in Shreveport again unless they’re giving away iPhones that brew coffee and shoot actual bullets.
write Steve Jobs about making an iPhone that will brew coffee and shoot actual bullets.
stop making faces at babies in the grocery store when their moms aren’t looking.
start paying more attention to the stars of the Disney Channel. I’m pretty sure one of those teens is the anti-Christ. Allegedly.
commit to a skin care system for once.
continue my 35-year run of not smoking.
stop referring to my crazy neighbors as “my crazy neighbors.”
bring back Bitch Pants Friday.
at least attempt to rush the stage at Jazz Fest to sing with Aretha.
wear more tiaras.
not refer to myself as “foxy” after taking a picture of myself wearing a cardboard New Year’s hat.
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/> not to say “hellz yeah” after that.

favorite ornaments

Tonight after putting away the Polly Pockets and trains, I sat in my dining room taking it all in. Our Christmas tree stands in a corner of the dining room, crooked after the chaos this morning. My camera was still on the table, so I grabbed it and snapped pictures of my favorite ornaments. I tend to hate themey trees, but our tree has gotten kind of themey with a lot of colorful candy canes, cupcakes, lollipops, and ribbon candy, as well as the keepsake ornaments and those I've received as gifts. I thought I would share the photos.

My tiny glass candy canes among the painted wooden and real candy canes decorated to look like Rudolph by the kids.

One of the cupcakes. I love the cupcakes — the sprinkles are the cutest.

Molly's tiny ballerina ornament is my favorite of the kids ornaments. Ain't she sweet?

This is the only surviving snow globe ornament from the three I purchased three years ago. Have you ever broken a snow globe? Broken glass, water, and tiny flecks of fake snow. Not cool.

One of the three "baby's 1st Christmas" ornaments on our tree. This is Molly's.

And my favorite new ornament, a gift from great friends. Very cute on my supercute tree.

I hope you've had an especially wonderful Christmas.

have yourself a merry little Christmas

It's after midnight on Christmas Eve, a night that has always been a favorite of mine. When I was a little girl my family always went to my great-grandmother's house for Christmas Eve and I adored the magic of that night. My great-grandmother lived alone in a little house a block away from my elementary school and I loved going there. Her house always had an aroma of butter and sweetness. There was something on the stove, relatives were dropping by, and everything seemed so big then.

The only thing that didn't seem big was her Christmas tree. Every year her little tree was placed atop a small table which was next to her chair. The chair was where my Mammaw Katie Lewis would sit to watch the great grandchildren open our presents, lots of presents. I remember asking my mother why my great-grandmother had such a small tree and she said it was because she lived alone and didn't have a reason to have a big tree. That answer never satisfied me because even as a child, I never did anything small.

Now, as an adult, I think about the alone part. Mammaw Lewis never seemed alone to me because we were there. Of course, that's a child's point of view when you only know about the part of the world you're in at the moment. I never thought about what my great-grandmother did after we left her house precisely when the channel 12 weatherman said that Santa was on his way to the Ark-La-Tex. Once we headed home in the blue wood-paneled station wagon, I only thought about getting in my bed and waiting for Santa. Now I am Santa and I'm quite reflective. I would imagine my great-grandmother was reflective on Christmas Eve as well. And tonight as I've been surrounded by family at church and a party, put the kids and the hubs to bed, and played Santa — I sit alone in my living room, enjoying the quiet before the chaos Christmas morning will bring.

I'm thinking of Christmases past and relatives passed on. I'm thinking of presents and having presence, gifts given and the Greatest Gift we can receive. I'm hoping that you have a merry little Christmas and think about our Savior who was born so long ago on a night that must have felt very alone to the young mother who bore him. That is a gift I don't take for granted.

I also don't take you for granted. Thank you for spending a few moments here when you have the time. I have great readers and friends who are just wonderful. I wish you a very merry one.

Love,

ugly Christmas lawn decor contest: winner (loser) announcement

It's Christmas Eve! That means it's time to announce the winner (loser) of the Kerry Blog Ugly Christmas Lawn Decor Contest.

Drumroll please.

The $25 Starbucks giftcard goes to Anonymous! And she sent in an acceptance speech. Ahem.

"I would like to thank Kerry Faler for the inspiration. My mother who wishes I was adopted (that's what you get mom for making me eat cinnamon Certs as a sick child!) My trailer which I have been living in for 2+ years and has helped me become the "trash" I am today. My aunt who unknowingly let me use her yard to take this pic. She also won second place in the Daily Star newspaper lawn decorating contest last week. (I bet she would have one first place if i had been out there!) My sister who was so kind to take the picture for me. Blow-up Santa who held the sign, and last but not least Blow-up Humping dog who added the extra UMPH I needed to make this picture work. FYI to anyone who dosen't know- You must ALWAYS have a humping dog in your mooning pictures otherwise the picture just dosn't look right. Thanks everyone and have a Happy New Year. Anonymous… "

No, Anonymous, thank you. Thank you for helping the Kerry Blog to bring the interwebs the best in what tacky has to offer. And yes, readers, Anonymous' mother did leave her alone sick once as a child and told her to eat Certs, because everyone knows that Certs are a cure-all. Forget Obamacare, just give a pack of Certs to each American and hope for the best. It worked for Anonymous, look how well she turned out.

Also, the winner (loser) of the bonus round is Jenn for this:

Yeah, that's just wrong. The snowman is smiling because he ate Santa and knows you're not getting any presents tomorrow morning. Sorry. Jenn wins some tinsel and a $10 Barnes and Noble giftcard. Hooray for tinsel!

Here's hoping you have a very merry Christmas Eve,

happy festivus

http://d3gkbha1s7sr56.cloudfront.net/usercards/someEcards-v4.swf

Happy Festivus to friends near and far.

Love,

ugly Christmas lawn decor contest: entry #4 had to be censored

It's hard to shock me.

Leave it to a certain blond friend of mine to make me choke on my afternoon coffee when I checked my Yahoo email. She asked me to enter this photo anonymously. I believe it's the only photo I've ever had to censor for the blog.

My good friend wrapped herself in tinsel and posed for this. I'm just glad there isn't a nativity scene close by.

Oh dear.

ugly Christmas lawn decor contest: entry #3 (in daylight)

Behold! Melissa's entry in daylight!

If only the wisemen would have had clear signs like this maybe they would have made it to see Jesus on time.

Remember, you still have time — send in photos of the tackiest yard in your 'hood to kerrybee7@yahoo.com and the winner will receive a $25 Starbucks giftcard. The tackiest entry will be announced on Christmas Eve!

just spreading my Christmas spirit

No one captures the spirit of Christmas quite like Anne Taintor. Okay, no one captures my sarcastic and cynical Christmas spirit like Anne Taintor.

Have I mentioned that the part of the holiday I'm looking most forward to is one night next week when I'll be spending the night in my hotel room in Shreveport alone? Sing it with me, "all I want for Christmas is a Do Not Disturb Sign…"

And I won't even need to get hammered to enjoy it.

Merry merry,

ugly Christmas lawn decor contest: entry #3

Here's Melissa's entry for the Ugly Christmas Lawn Decor Contest.

Apparently the Christ child is to the left.

Send in photos of the tackiest yard in your 'hood to kerrybee7@yahoo.com and the winner will receive a $25 Starbucks giftcard. The tackiest entry will be announced on Christmas Eve!