#robertwoodimages

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Pic by @robertwoodimages while I tried to get my mini-me ready for her own photo. Apparently neither doll nor human can ever be free of flyaway hair, no matter how much I brush.

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Fun fact: my husband almost got himself run over by a car - twice! - taking this picture. #devotedphotographer #straydogs #robertwoodimages #internationaltravel #mycenae (at Mycenae) https://www.instagram.com/p/B6QCVsSnhe1/?igshid=l1fh6wtsunlq

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The third Halloween decoration for 2017! I wish I could promise @robertwoodimages that it's the last, but we both know it would be a lie.

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Step 1 took longer than expected, and then I rolled directly into Step 2: reassemble the pieces as much as possible without the brass hardware.

I feel like I need to thank @robertwoodimages, for not protesting when I took over the kitchen for this project - it’s way too hot outside, and I’ve already given myself heat exhaustion once this summer. But now I need to go outside for Step 3: paint!

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I've just had the weirdest thing happen to me... Ten or twelve years ago, my BFFs gave me a lovely fountain pen for Christmas. I treasured that pen, and took it everywhere and wrote with it every day. Seven years ago, I lost it at work. I hunted all over the building, left signs up, told everyone I knew to be on the lookout for it...never found it. I was crushed. Four years ago, I resolved to replace it. (I never told my friends what happened to it, and I wasn't ever going to admit it to them.) I scoured eBay for a year until one was offered for sale, and I sat on that auction like a vulture, ultimately winning it at a cost of almost three times what it had cost my friends originally. It was worth it. I had my pen back, sort of, and I was never going to let the replacement leave the house. It sits in a leather pen case inside another, larger pencil box on my bookcase. This morning, I reached into the pencil box for this leather case, and there was another, matching fountain pen next to it. The one in the picture above - my original lost pen. There is no way that pen could be here. I lost it eight miles away and many years ago. The pencil box didn't even exist then, and in any case, I've been in that pencil box many times over the last four years, and this pen was not there. @robertwoodimages swears he doesn't even know where I store my pens, and he'd never just wander into my office and stick a pen in there if he'd found one - and he didn't find this one. How did this get back to me?

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Insomnia sucks

The doorbell rang at precisely 1:02 am. It was a police officer, alerting us that the trunk of our (loaner) car was wide open. @robertwoodimages dealt with the situation (he'd apparently not closed it properly three hours earlier, nothing nefarious) and we went back to bed. And that's why I find myself on the internet more than an hour later, watching YouTube videos of sealing wax and calligraphy demonstrations. Work is going to really, really suck in a few hours...

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Look what @robertwoodimages bought me! I'm not normally into grown-up coloring books, but this one is loaded with images of the Mirage TMNT as well as the other iterations, so it definitely needed to come home to me.

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Alphabet Meme

I was tagged by @firebirdscratches 

R U L E S: Copy this post into a new text post, remove my answers and put in yours, and when you are done tag up to 10 people and also tag the person who tagged you… and most importantly, have fun!

T A G G I N G: Ooh, maybe the reason I never get tagged is because I’m too timid to reach out and tag anyone myself. 

a - age: Haha, no. So right off the bat, I’m failing!

b - biggest fear:  Zombies. Vampires. And sunken ships, especially in really deep water (I have literal nightmares about Titanic.) 

c - current time: 11:21 PM

d - drink you last had: Fountain Coca-cola, which means I won’t be sleeping for a while!

e - every day starts with: me begging Minion to pleeeease stop being an enormous pain in the butt while I’m trying to sleep/me being in actual pain as Milo runs up the length of my body with his claws out. 

f - favorite song: I can’t really answer this one, either, because it’s all mood-dependent. My (current) favorite song for winding down is K.D. Lang’s rendition of “Hallelujah”, but my (current) favorite song for gearing up for work is P!nk’s “Bad Influence”. 

g - ghosts, are they real: No. But I wish they were. 

h - hometown: I’ve lived in or near Austin longer than I’ve lived anywhere else, so I guess that counts. 

i - in love with: @robertwoodimages, TMNT generally (especially Donatello...), Minion and all other cats, my toys

j - jealous of: Donatello - I mean, look at that big brain!

k - killed someone: Donatello (in fanfic.)

l - last time you cried: oh, lord. I cry easily - anger, grief, tear-jerker movies, horrible segments on the news, anxiety, or even sappy commercials can bring on the waterworks. I hate that.

m - middle name: Marie

n - number of siblings: 4

o - one wish: To be an enormously productive and widely-read author.

p - person you last called/texted: group-text to the friends who are discussing politics

q - questions you’re always asked: “Is that your real eye color?” (yes); “Do you have kids?” (no); “Are you mad?” (no, I have an extreme case of resting bitch face); “Are you buying all of these toys for your kid?” (uh, no.); “What did Minion just break?” (hell if I know...); “Can you fix this?” (maybe)

r - reasons to smile: @robertwoodimages; good books; lots of opportunity to snark; I actually like my job most days

s - song last sang: Prince’s “Little Red Corvette” was on the radio on my drive home, and I cranked it up

t - time you woke up: 5:23 (Minion), 5:37 (Milo), 7:30 (alarm and dog wanted out), 8:10 (I fell asleep scrolling through Tumblr and dropped my phone on my face)

u - underwear color:  um...

v - vacation destination:  New York City. Chicago. Paris. London. 

w - worst habit(s): I pick my fingers to bleeding under the slightest stress.

x - x-rays you’ve had: I haven’t had an X-ray since I was a kid and cracked my head open on some improvised playground equipment. 

y - your favorite food: Cheese in almost any form. Ramen. 

z - zodiac sign: Cancer

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@robertwoodimages , it’s apparently a rental cottage?! I love it and I want this aesthetic in our whole house!

Calling the Goths! I have posted tiny houses and cottages, but never one like this. It’s a little gothic mini mansion.

The Gothic Victorian Mini Mansion is hand built with reclaimed and vintage materials, a Mansard roof, a tower and Emmet the gargoyle guard to keep watch!

The Great Room of the Gothic Victorian is a blend of plush, regal and cozy. Relax and play the piano, sip a glass of wine or a cup of tea.

The kitchen is large enough to entertain, and has dishes and glassware for 8.

The kitchen has reclaimed quartz counters, a full-sized fridge and sink.

The antique sofa and chairs are red velvet and quite sumptuous!

The antique, brass fireplace glows with flickering, remote controlled candles, and the custom sliding door leads to the full bath.

Take a bath in the cast iron, claw-foot tub!

A copper sink and quartz counter.

The “tower” adds a large entryway, with hooks for garments, and a round, stained glass window.

The Gothic Victorian living room from the loft.

There is room in the loft for storage.

The bedroom loft is over 6 feet tall!

The custom stairs are behind the fireplace doors, under a carved, brass chandelier.

The alternating stairs make an easy access to the loft bedroom.

Drapes can be opened to enclose the entire loft, creating a private, Gothic cocoon!

The candles in their candelabras create just the right mood!

The Gothic Victorian takes architectural cues from the late 1800s and has to be one of the best recycled tiny houses I’ve seen.