good times

It’s never too late… for lobsters

| Viciously Sweet

Today I’m really excited because of several things.

-Being at work was a real dream today. I witnessed my coworkers get in a really heated conversation about religion, I somehow changed the subject to Greek Mythology… I got a lot of work done, and checked over. And did mention I sneaked in some creative moments while my computer over-reacted to life.

-Tonight, I eat clam chowder. And since the weather is a little crisper in California now than it usually is… this chowder is going to be a real treat.

– I am wearing a red leopard sweater that makes me feel like a million dollars! Which I got from Vintage Dreams… and I love it and I love Lucy, the owner of the store. Who earlier this year gave me some great advice about being worth more than the mess I found myself in at the time, and to “Never waste your prettiness on people who don’t deserve it”. I am eternally for those kind words, also I blush ♥.

-I get to see my bff in all her glory today, and she will have a plethora of pens to my notebook of paper. I hope we laugh so hard that we cry. And cry so hard we laugh, and eat candy… I could use some candy and a drink.

– Yesterday I received 3 books in the mail! 3 WHOLE TANGIBLE BOOKS!!!! Now I may not be Belle or anything like that, but I felt like singing when I saw that Amazon box sitting in my living room filled with leafy knowledge. I brought one of those books to work, and I feel like a queen.

– I was reminiscing about an art exhibit I saw early this year the California Modern Exhibit at LACMA and created a new goal for myself. To own an incredible swimsuit that has an incredible lobster on it. I would wear it all the time, and probably under my clothes so I can Superman into my lobster swimsuit when necessary…

“Is that a lake? I feel some swimming coming on”. *rips off dress to reveal lobster swimsuit, and proceeds to jump in water*

This could be a really cool thing actually…

And to my coworker that keeps calling me a lobster… I think this was inspired by you. Also I still don’t get why I am a lobster? Is there any reason for this?

And if I am a lobster because of a reference to “friends” you suck so much, that I cannot fully explain with words. Also you don’t really suck, I just don’t want to be that person’s “lobster” they are too much to deal with.

♥Lauren

Excuse me Miss… your confidence is showing.

| Viciously Sweet

This week I’ve been living in the future. True story. And it’s not like the Jestson’s future. I can see the good things that are heading my way. I mean I just got paid for making doodles for people. I have a client based on something I see as the most fun side project ever!

And when I met up with my good pal Christine this week she told me that I was looking way more confident than usual. And honestly, I think I am. I am not like on a Charlie Sheen “winning” high or anything. I just know that my optimism is going to get me somewhere really great. And in the middle of this icky tunnel I’m in, I see out the other end and that all the little things I can do well are really going to help me in the future, especially when I emerge from the other side. And most importantly all these things/people trying to bring me down are just temporary. In fact I have how I feel about it lusciously illustrated below:

Also I think this is the best time of anytime to share that I’m going to make this doodling thing into a side business made with heart. I want to make shirts, and bags, table cloths, pillows, and birthday party hats. I want to make custom doodles for people. I want to share my joy with as many people as possible. And I’m going to do it. Maybe you’ll pick up a bag or hat or just keep reading and smiling… stay around and watch my dream come true.

♥Lauren

Yardy Harg! It’s Leif Erikson Day!

| Viciously Sweet

Now here’s a widely known fact… I love strange holidays. I like them obscure and delicious (ahem, taco day). And today is my favorite holiday of them all… Leif Erikson Day! And where the silly government likes to celebrate Columbus Day around these parts of the United States (and gets the day off for this). I have learned enough history from my college years, and from Spongebob Squarepants to know that Leif Ericson was the true discoverer of the Americas in which I live. My good friend Leif was like the Dark Knight of America discoverers finding America in the year 1,000 calling it “Newfoundland” (not a good namer was he) and he was like the discoverer we deserved, just not the one we need right now… hence we celebrate Columbus Day.

Also, true story… I have a personal vendetta against Christopher Columbus because I really hated having to color him in a stupid boat every year for 7 years in a row, just because Fall happened. And not one teacher would let me cover him in glitter… NOT ONE! Also don’t get me started on those cornucopias…

And a bonus over the Spanish discoverers to all of you Spanish supporters*, Vikings have better accessories, grog and far less smallpox.

Now that I have you 98.4% viking approved:

 

But can anyone explain why his name is Leif Ericson, but his day is “Leif Erikson Day”? Is that Columbus’ final joke? Dude, that guy is totally evil!

♥Lauren

*I bet I was related to some of his traveling buddies as my family comes from that part of the world…  And everyday I dress like a flamenco dancer…but, eh go VIKINGS!

My Cupcake Caper

| Viciously Sweet

I realized my joy is getting braggy. And I’m not going to unpack the brag bags… because that is annoying. And my Inner Pam Beesly told me “Take it down a notch, the world knows about your joy.”

So I took a cue at not to make myself a real life Mary Sue, and to look at my sketchbook and pull a drawing from my archives that I already should have shared. (Hehe, I have archives!) A few months ago I was not feeling the joy, and much like the friendship of Turk and J.D. from “Scrubs” my Lady Turk counterpart (Nancy) told me to drag my booty to her house to experience the “WORLD’S GIRLIEST WEEKEND”. And we did, we watched teen movies until we passed out, we ate fancy hamburgers, we made crafts, we packed goodie bags for children, we went as lady dates to a wedding…

And

then

we

tried

to

make…

red velvet cupcakes…

from scratch.

Being our first go of making red velvet cupcakes from scratch we pulled out the recipes, and not wanting to risk making a horrible huge batch Nancy decided to cut the recipe… in 4s. And most impressively she had all the math all figured out, but that wasn’t the difficult part. The most difficult thing  was attempting to mix .375 teaspoons of baking soda with a 1/2 an egg. But we were in it. We were committed. Everything was going on the good side of moderately strange until I had to add the red dye to the mixer…and like most things that were happening to me at that time, the mixer decided to stage a mutiny, and it exploded in my face, and hands and all actually over my person.

My face was red… with more than embarrassment.

However the cupcakes were then baked and finished… and were fabulous except for 2 small flaws…

1. They were burgundy and pink, like a weird steak.

2. They were crunchy on the top.

We covered that stuff up with frosting like crazy! So we may not be opening that cupcake shop like the “2 Broke Girls” afterall:

♥ Lauren

Turning Back time on technology!

| Viciously Sweet

There is no doodle today because I have been working like a mouse making a Cinderella’s dress!

I am still at work and my brain hurts a bit. I have to take PDF’s and make them into a power point. When I asked if I could just make a multiple page PDF. I was told the person did not comprehend it…

So I’m being the Cher of technology and turning back time on it’s butt. Hey there power point!

Next Goal take away all the Xbox 360s with Call of Duty and replace them with DOS computers with the Oregon Trail!

UPDATE: Everyone in my Target audience was amazed with my hysterical story!

My audience of 1.

♫Lauren

My So Called (Unicorn) Life

| Viciously Sweet

Earlier this year I adopted a life motto I couldn’t have said better myself:

“No one looks stupid when they are having fun.”-Amy Poehler.

And since then I have really embraced it, I accept all offers if they sound like fun. Sometimes even if they don’t… and I know I can make them fun. And since then I have realized a few things.. the most important is, I live a fabulous and rare existence.

I really do.

I love to dance all over my house to Aretha Franklin songs. Drive to work singing along with Pitbull, drive home singing the songs of Phil Collins. And I draw for hours, sometimes I get paid for it… And then I also doodle in addition to that, just for fun. I can and do decided to go on super fabulous adventures on the drop of a hat… but not to Sea World on a Saturday (you can’t win them all.) I have a closet full of fabulous threads. Tons of lip-glosses and nail polishes… scads of jewelry and shoes. I also just got a pair of sparkly tights in the mail… I really do live a charmed life. And best of all is I have some fabulous friends who let me exist in my sparkly universe, and stop on by on occasion to watch it in real time. And my friends are all so different and deliciously brilliant, I get the thrill to appreciate each wonderful thing about them!

Now about a month ago if anyone had mentioned the fact that I live a rare magical existence I would have burst into tears, because I desperately wanted to be grounded like everyone else I know*.  But lately I realized through a few fantastic people… that I make their days a little brighter. And that really changed everything. I thank you friends for making me feel like the most magical unicorn that has ever existed. I may care more about concerts and charities than business and finances and I don’t know stock options and refinancing… or whatever serious people are into… but I do know that sometimes there is nothing better than watching a Disney cartoon and eating pizza after a hard day.

The world doesn’t have to be such a serious place, it can be full of the joy we make. And I think that is a choice that we make… I choose the fun, even if I look stupid.

 

Thank you friends for letting me be your unicorn.

♫Lauren

Get thee to The Tannery

| Viciously Sweet

A few weeks ago Jimmy and I went to Explore the most savory of all the California missions… Santa Barbara. Now we like to go around look at the stunning artifacts and watch YouTube videos in the cemetery… like everyone else.

That may sounds like a weird/ fabulous way to pass an afternoon to most people… and it really got me thinking Jimmy is crazy about Santa Barbara, and maybe he should leave the world of Construction and mosey on up to a new career in Santa Barbara.

But I have different goals for Jimmy than he does:

He could do so much for the area as a monk… he could start the tannery back up and create a new craze of monk made leather, or form a musical group of monk’s and become the monk-ees… He could run around with chips and call himself a chip-monk… I have a million ideas… But anyways this gets you to Santa Barbara…

And… I’ve always wanted a friar friend. Especially if he friar-ed me some chicken.
♫Lauren

*P.S. the “tannery” really smells

Provocative Greetings

| Viciously Sweet

I have a world of knowledge I need to talk about, but it seems so heavy for a Monday. And much like a plate of steamy meatloaf with a bowl of soup on a really hot summer day… I’m going to choose to have a barbecue chicken and chilly lemonade kind of post instead.
Today I will share a doodle crossover sensation… which is both doodle Lauren and her favorite cactus… Provocative Cactus.

I just realized that we are quite into summer already and there has been nary a provocative cactus post…And having a summer season without a Provocative Cactus is practically illegal in California.

Without further ado I give you the doodle of the summer:

That cactus really has it going on. And I apologize to the children… because just like real life there is about 80% more boob in this picture than what people can usually handle… there is really just no place to hide it.

Tomorrow I may plague the internet with my burdens… but, then again maybe we should just enjoy some cotton candy.

♫Lauren