Cross Stitch n Bitch

So I took up cross stitching. No, I have not fully graduated to full-time spinster status. I love my wine and my cat and my slippers on a Saturday night, but do not come anywhere near me with pleated pants and cardigans, ok?!

Anyways, my bestie mentioned that she always wanted some cool cross stitching stuff because she would always get kitten cross stitching pictures and frankly, they just weren't cool. I mean, can you say spinster? I mean I get it. Kittens are cool. Cross stitch kittens? Mmmm not so much. It was Christmas, I was bored, and she wanted a new house decoration. I asked said Bestie what she wanted on her cross stitch, and she replied with her current favorite John Waters quote (which will be revealed at the end of this article!).

So, I googled some retail stores in the area and settled on venture out to Needlecraft Cottage in Pacific Beach. I figured if I was going to learn, better go to the real deal and have a chat with the pros.

I wandered in, asked for some help, and away we went! Turns out cross stitching is pretty easy according to the sales lady. She set me up with a book and supplies and sent me on my way...

Embroidery Thread @ $0.79/pc...check

Tapestry Needles @ $1.99...check

Aida cross stitch cloth @ $4.50 per quarter...check

Embroidery Hoops @ $4.50...check

Handy Dandy DIY book @ $6.59...check









Apparently you're supposed to have graph paper (yeah, like the kind you used in Algebra, yick) to draft out your image, but I decided to forgo said paper, and wing it. Total cost : roughly $20. Really reasonable me thinks.

So I got home and started. Here's how it went:

Make an "X"...make another "X"...oh hey make yet another "X"...repeat 75 times.
30 minutes later and this is how far I got:

"I"- the letter "I"...30 minutes to make this...and guess what?
Because I didn't draft my project on graph paper like I was supposed to, I realized my letter was too big and the quote wasn't going to fit on my cloth. wah-wah-wawawaaaaahhhhh.





OK, let's try again....3 days later and approximately 10 (possibly more) hours spent cuddled on a couch cross stitching with 2 cats and a bottle of wine and....drumroll please.....

Ta-dah!!
*curtsies*

 

Needless, or is it 'needles', to say (I know, laaaame), the bestie loved her new house decoration. One step away from spinsterdom, one step closer to cool cat lady... Awww yeah...

It's Tuesday- Just Another Excuse for Vanity

Got ma herr did. Thank you Kristin of Electric Chair. Despite the fact that you're about ready to pop with a baby in your belly, you still manage an amazing job when cutting my locks.

Who is Leslie Hall?

She's freaking rad. Leslie Hall could be defined as an electro feminist performance artist  meets spandex and gem sweaters. She's hilarious, scary looking, loveable, and kicks out the jams. I can't explain, you just have to see:




Bedazzling.

Up Close and Personal

This morning I rolled out of bed, groggy and most likely still hungover from NYE, and readied myself for my morning appointment.

Today, I was going to have my first Brazilian wax. Oh yeah.

Now what, pray tell, would motivate a woman to roll out of bed on a Saturday morning to have hot wax smeared on her fuzz-bunny, only to have it ripped off with strips of fabric? In my case-Vanity, curiosity, and a holiday discount. Plus, my 'situation' was starting to look a little jungly. I'm pretty sure Tarzan was down there trying to swing his way out of the thicket known as my vageen. Truth be told, I'm not a fan of shaving (just too damn itchy after a coupla days, and it grows back coarse- pain in the vag!), but I definitely like to have my pleasure garden well manicured. Just sayin'. So when I heard waxing had significantly longer lasting results than shaving, and that after repeated sessions, hair would grow back finer and softer, I decided to give it a whirl.

So I did my research, reading review after review on Yelp , and settled on a place that had fantastic reviews, and was conveniently in my hood. Le Wax Boutique earned a reputation for being a prime waxing salon. It's owner, Sarah, having come from another upscale wax boutique, The Undercarriage, already had numerous accolades under her belt, so it's no wonder Le Wax was successful from the get-go.

I walk in, Sarah introduces herself. She's going to be my wax specialist. I'd already read several reviews about her specifically, so I was very relieved to find out my first experience was with the owner. She was very friendly, offered me a beverage and showed me to the room. Off came the pantalones, I hopped on the table, lifted my skirt, and put my feet together in a lotus position. Let us commence with Vag-Wax-Fest, 2010 edition.

Sarah walks in. We start talking about NYE, and away we go. Warm wax on the yoni feels nice, btw.  She lays down a strip and Zzzziiip! Zzzziiiip! Zzzziiip! Wow, not really as painful as I thought. Surprisingly efficient and only slightly stingy, Sarah continues on. We chit chat about sushi restaurants, shopping, etc... She's really good at distracting you when-RRRRIIIIIIP MOTHER OF ALL OYSTER PEARLS SUCK MONKEY FUCK DUCK YEEEOW!! OK, that was definitely not cool. Oooowwweeeee. It's official, my she-box hates me. Palms are starting to sweat, the nether regions begin to throb, and I'm pretty sure I'm clenching. Oh-ho-hooo there are definitely some parts of the snatch patch that DO NOT like this. Ugggghhhh. A few more zips and Thank Gawd she's done... or so I thought.

"I need you to lift your knees to your chest."

Huh?

"I'm going to wax your fanny."

She said fanny. Sounds cute, right? That's code for waxing the holiest of all holies, kingdom come, where the sun don't shine....awww screw it I'll say it: the asshole. She's going to wax my asshole.

If I were wearing panties, they'd definitely be in a bunch. This is getting waaaay too personal. Unclench, Kim, unclench. OK, just breathe. She's a professional, we'll get through it. Sarah continues to chat about the mad rush before the holidays, how so many women are trying to get their vaginas waxed before the New Year, and how nice it is to have a break, yadda, yadda. Zzziiip, zzziip, zzziiip!

"K that's it. We're done! Here's some wax removing lotion, use the towel to remove it, and I'll see you outside."

Really? Sweet baby Jesus it's over. She leaves the room, and I look down to ogle my freshly waxed pudendal entry. It's totally bald. I mean all hair gone. What was a fuzzy muff-mess of hair, now looks like a bald Buddha smiling back at me! My yoni is dizzy from the event, but happy to be liberated from its previously bristly confines :)

I looked at the clock. 15 minutes. Seriously that's all it took. For those of you thinking of getting waxed, rest assured it will hurt. But it's not as bad as I thought it would be. It goes by a helluva lot faster than one would imagine. Sarah was super efficient and a great conversationalist ergo great at distracting me from my vagina-happenings.

I have to say I'm quite pleased with the effect. It feels great to have a freshly clear cut love jungle. It's like walking out of the salon after a great haircut. Although just a smidge sore, I feel shiny and new.
It's a brand new day for the Beav. Hooray!

*reader's note: all vagina euphemisms provided by Sex-Lexis
and no, I will not be posting pics anytime...ever.

Inked

As of late, I've been on this tattoo kick. Always fascinated, ever intimated, I've admired and ogled this particular form of self-expression from afar. But always short of cash and courage, I never could commit...til now. After months of extensive research on local parlors and artists in San Diego, I've finally settled on Rob Benavides  at Flying Panther Studios  in Golden Hills.

Rob is a tattoo artist and self-taught painter from San Antonio, Texas. His distinct style and wonderful eye for color (I think) separate him from other tattoo artists in the area, and most definitely caught my attention from the get-go. His online portfolio was very impressive. But, being the cautious kitten, I held off, researching tattoo parlor after tattoo parlor. A few things I look for when researching a tattoo artist/parlor:

1. Website or online portfolio with samples of work. Hello, it's the 21st century and technology is tantamount to the success of any artist/business/etc. You might be a great artist, but if you don't have an up to date portfolio that uses current technology (ergo an understanding of the importance of trends when marketing your business), you're not gonna impress me. In fact, I'd think you to be a bit lazy. Not good.
2. Cleanliness- do I really need to explain this one?
3. A style/aesthetic that reflects your own personal taste- Very important. Every tattoo artist will interpret your idea differently. This is permanent, so finding someone who can take that idea out of your head and and translate it into something you love is crucial.
4. Professional Demeanor: Don't be a douche. As tattooing becomes more mainstream, an even broader range of folks will be wandering in. These people will potentially be paying your bills and helping your business grow. Emphasis on the word, 'business'.

Things I don't take into consideration:

1. Cost: Folks, please don't look for a cheap artist. You get what you pay for- and remember, it's permanent.
2. Reputation: Something to be considered, but upon my research, I came across dozens of folks who swore by their own artists. Most of the time, I simply didn't like the style of the artist. Everyone's taste is different, so to go to an artist because someone else likes their work isn't enough. If you're as picky as I am, do the footwork. 

 All things considered, I kept coming back to this particular artist. My instincts were pretty solid, so today, I went in for a consultation.

I walked in and was immediately greeted by pleasant incense wafting in the air. It's a small studio, but well lit, with high ceilings and a very pleasant decor. I was immediately pleased with the cleanliness of the place. I was greeted warmly, by a fellow working on a patron. I informed him of my appointment and he directed me to Rob. Rob was working on a fellow, but asked to take a 5 min. break to speak with me about my design. Awesome.

We chatted about styles, what I was looking for, brass tacks. I showed him my inspiration board:

                    

I felt completely at ease with Rob. He liked my idea and agreed that his style would complement the aesthetic I was looking for. So, I put down a deposit and booked an appointment for this Monday.

Needless to say, I'm ridiculously excited.

Pictures soon to come...

I have an ego, and sometimes I like to avoid work by...

Taking stupid photos of myself and posting them on a public forum. Yep. I gots no shame.

Maybe I'll declare Wednesdays as "Narcissistic and Shameless Self-Portraiture Day"

Aiz goinz back to werks nows.

Peas owt!

It's a helluva drug

Stumbled onto these and had to share them with y'all.
(please feel free to click on images to make them even BIGGER. You know you want to...)

Yeah. No more drugs please....Ahhh who am I kidding? More drugs!! Bwahahahahaaaa!

Btw, Mr. Bud Lite isn't holding a dildo...it's a MagLite. Kinda anti-climactic, ain't it?

werd.