Evil Pixie's Blog

Facebook It Is....

2012-01-28T05:30:00.000-08:00

Well, I did it. I joined Facebook. Okay, I was already on Facebook, but I didn't have a Facebook page. After a lot of going back and forth on the pros/cons of having a Facebook page - amplified by the constant drone from Pixie Pals - I decided to leap into the fray. I now have a Facebook page. Yep... To paraphrase Neil Armstrong: "One small step for Facebook; one giant leap for Pixie

Fontalicious!

2012-01-27T05:30:00.000-08:00

I don't know about you Pixie Pals, but this Pixie is a big fan of fonts. I love the different styles, types, and decorative dings that creative types come up with. It fascinates me. There is a true artistry to creating fonts. And believe me, I often go trolling through the freebie font sites - looking for that next great font that I can download and utilized in all sorts of creative

Wicked Busy Thursday

2012-01-26T05:30:00.000-08:00

Today is going to be a very busy day for me. As my friends and family from the northeast would say, it is going to be a wicked busy Thursday. After enjoying a lull in activity over the holidays, my business seems to have been magically goosed into action. It started on Monday when I received phone call after phone call about the big workshop I'm doing in February. It's a two day workshop

The Eagles Have Landed...

2012-01-25T05:30:00.000-08:00

We are one of the fortune few areas of the country that has bald eagles all year. Most bald eagles make their way north in the spring and summer, only to return around December and January for the spawning salmon. However, in this little area of the world - it isn't too difficult to find a few bald eagles throughout the year. That said, the bald eagle population explodes in January and stays

Home Office Blahs...

2012-01-24T11:24:00.000-08:00

For the past 8 years, 9 months, and 24 days I have worked primarily from a home office. Sure, I've been called out to do work for clients - some jobs requiring my presence at their facilities - but my home office has always been my primary office. Since the Pixie Household lives in a pretty small house, we basically converted the family room into my office because - quite frankly - it was the

On the Hunt...

2012-01-23T05:30:00.000-08:00

This Pixie is on the hunt. As all you Pixie Pals know, I emptied out my office at the end of last summer and started the daunting task of redoing it to accommodate Naughty Pixie. It was not an easy task, but I made a lot of head-way in purging, re-organizing, and prioritizing. Unfortunately, I only made it about half-way before I just sort of stopped. I still have about 6 totes packed with

Snowy Time... Work Time

2012-01-20T05:30:00.000-08:00

By the time you Pixie Pals are reading this post, I'll be elbow-deep in a seminar I'm giving about 30 minutes south of here. I'm not terribly pleased about the 8 a.m. start time, but at least it gives me an excuse to get out and into the snow.... Sort of. There is a lot of snow out there, so venturing out this morning means continuing my love affair with the white stuff. However, the

Winter Storm Brings Snow

2012-01-19T05:00:00.000-08:00

We've been snow-bound for three days now, and I'm loving it! Granted, it helps that I work 98% of the time from home but I'm still loving it. I love that the world around me is covered in fresh, white snow. I love the cold air and the smell of freshness everywhere. I love that the color of the Blue Jays pops against the white background, and I love that I hear no noise outside except laughing

Naughty Pixie's Fruit Salad

2012-01-17T05:00:00.000-08:00

I'm not a big fan of fruit. I embrace veggies, but I do have my fruity moments (literally and figuratively). And, every once in a while, Naughty Pixie throws me a curve ball forcing me to rethink my stance on fruit. And her fruit salad is one of those curve balls. The fruit salad is so simple it is scary. Here is how you make it... Start with your bowls. We use sundae bowls that have

Snow!

2012-01-16T13:35:00.000-08:00

Finally! After grumbling about the lack of snow since early December, my little corner of the world finally received some of the white stuff over the weekend. Granted, it isn't as much as we're currently on the receiving end of but I'll take whatever I can get. Right now we have close to 6 inches, and it is still coming down at a heavy rate - which makes me *squee* with delight. The

Dreaming of Kitchens

2012-01-13T05:30:00.000-08:00

Naughty Pixie and I have been having a lot of chats lately about kitchens. Right now we are renting a house and that house has the worst kitchen. If it isn't the worst, it is pretty close to the worst. There is little counter space, only a few cabinets, and the under cabinets are too shallow to be of any significant use. None of our cabinet doors close because cookie sheets are too long,

Bags... This Pixie's Kryptonite

2012-01-11T04:30:00.000-08:00

This pixie loves bags. While some women love shoes and even more love clothes, I'm a sucker for bags. I'm not talking purses; I'm talking bags. The kind of bags where you could pack for a weekend, but I actually use for an everyday bag. Recently I was flipping through a magazine, I saw this bag... This bag is the Hurlingham Bag from Ettinger. Fantastic, isn't it? I'm absolutely in love

Black Bean Casserole

2012-01-10T04:30:00.000-08:00

One of my all-time favorite dishes is Black Bean Casserole. It's one of those comfort food dishes that is perfect for warming you from the inside out. And, it's vegetarian! The other day I decided I had a hankering for the tasty treat, so I busted out the pots and pans, but then decided it would be a great time to pull out the ol' camera too. Just in case some of you Pixie Pals are interested

A Few Changes...

2012-01-09T04:30:00.000-08:00

I have been working diligently on my new blog, and I realized it was time to freshen up this blog a bit. So, I've made a few changes. A few things you may notice... A new masthead. It is similar to the old one, but I wanted to make it bigger and a bit bolder. I even have new cartoons for me, Wicked Pixie, and Naughty Pixie. I've also developed a new logo - the Pixie wings. I went with a 3

Stormy Weather

2012-01-06T04:30:00.000-08:00

I love storms. I love being tucked away, wrapped in blankets, and hearing the storm blazing outside. I love the pitter-patter of the rain hitting the big picture window in our living room, and I love the whirring sound of the wind dancing through the trees surrounding our house. What I don't love is when the power goes out or when the trees or their branches come crashing down. Luckily, our

Sick Pixie Must Have...

2012-01-04T04:30:00.000-08:00

I have the ick again. Actually, I never really managed to get fully over it. One day I feel fine, and the next day I'm congested, scratchy throat, and sluggish. It hasn't blossomed into the full-blown cold that it was back in November, but it is definitely being stubborn. And, I admit, I've been a good Pixie. I've rested, ate well, got plenty of fresh air, minimized the stress, and did a

Door Knob Clever

2012-01-03T04:30:00.000-08:00

(c) Lara Robby/Studio D One of my favorite magazines is Country Living. I'm not much of a country girl, but I do like a lot of the decorating ideas and recipes. In a recent issue, this image (and idea) caught my eye. It's such a clever and fantastic idea for hanging necklaces. I don't know about you Pixie Pals, but I have a big issue with tangled necklaces. My jewelry box has little hooks

New Year = More Work

2012-01-02T04:30:00.000-08:00

One of the wonderful things about a new year starting is it gives you a new slate of possibilities. It gives you the opportunity to say "This is the year!" And many people do say that very thing. I know I do. But getting caught up in the drama and wonder of all those possibilities, enthralled by the romantic notions and imagined moments, is the very real fact that it means a lot more work.

Welcome 2012!

2012-01-01T04:30:00.000-08:00

The sun set on 2011... It's now in my rearview mirror. Time to welcome 2012! Happy New Year!

Pixie Year in Review...

2011-12-31T04:30:00.000-08:00

With 2011 coming to an end, it is always good to review, be a little introspective, and learn from all the good and bad - preparing yourself for 2012. For this Pixie it boils down to this... I lost two people in the Pixie family. Grams Pixie passed away in March, while Bonnie Pixie passed away in November. It sucked. It sucked big time. Unfortunately, death is a part of life. I'm not happy

Strategic Planning... Pixie Style

2011-12-30T04:30:00.000-08:00

As I mentioned in a previous blog, the Pixie Household doesn't really do New Year's Resolutions. We do strategic planning. Okay, I should say I force strategic planning down the throats of Naughty Pixie and Wicked Pixie. In years past, we have never really done a full-on strategic planning session for the new year. There are many reasons why it hasn't happened (I blame it on Christmas cookie

New Year's Resolutions

2011-12-29T04:30:00.000-08:00

About this time of year, I join the masses and begin to make my list of resolutions for the coming year. These resolutions (I prefer to call them goals) are always realistic ones, and I tackle them as if I'm creating a strategic plan for a company. I can't help it. It's just the way I am. I write out goals, objectives, and tactics. I make sure the list isn't too long and ultimately become

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-24T16:34:00.000-08:00

It is Christmas Eve, and the Pixie Household is hunkered down for the weekend. We trimmed the tree, wrapped the presents, stuffed the stockings, and baked the goodies. We've also explored the area's Christmas lights, eaten way too many cookies, and purchased some nice fish for our holiday dinner. Now that we're feeling all warm and fuzzy (could be from all those cookies), we wanted to wish

Playing Santa...

2011-12-23T04:30:00.000-08:00

Today I had the pleasure of playing Santa. Well, sorta... I went out to deliver the client gifts I had bought to let my clients know how much I appreciate their business. I pulled on my Santa hat and sunglasses... Started loading the goodies into my Santa bag (okay, it was black, white, and orange instead of red but it still works!)... Grabbed the rest of the Pixie Household,

Crafty with Christmas Cards

2011-12-21T04:30:00.000-08:00

Well, I'm at it again. This pixie was struck by a crafty itch and decided to see what I could do with our Christmas cards. I was looking for a creative way to display the things. The Pixie Household goes through this little drama every year... Just what do we do with the cards? Usually, we just put a little tape on them and hang them around the doorway leading into the kitchen. And, almost