I can’t recall how I stumbled across blogger Amanda Del Buono’s website: MandaJuice – Blogging With the Safety Off, but I’m glad I did. Her writing style is open and honest and quirky and funny. She is very near – if not exactly -  my own age, has 2 young chilluns (her oldest and Miss A were born in the same year) and, above all else, she is also on the journey to publication. She’s a few steps ahead of me because her first book is finished…and wow, but do I love how she includes an open invitation for an agent to come check her awesomeness out. If that is not the definition of awesome, I don’t know what is. (I promise to stop using awesome now). Her unabashed “Hey you, I wrote this incredible book, now who is cool enough to be my agent?”  was enough to get me wanting to read Gravy, the title of her hopefully-eventually-published-novel (y’know, the one she actually finished while I am still about 30k away from the 90k finish line I’ve estimated). I really like her recent post on “Where the Magic Happens” it makes me want to tote my netbook around more often, just on the off chance I’ll finally manage to find an extra 30 seconds in my day.

Apart from the kinship of a childhood in the 1980′s, motherhood, a love for Trader Joe’s,  and writing – I find we have something else “in common.” Manda went through gastric-bypass surgery and is very open about the procedure and its impact on her life. My mother and brother have both had this surgery, and my sister and other brother are both in the planning stages to have it as well. Though weight is a constant struggle for me, it is a battle I have managed to control, for the most part, in that surgery is not an option I have had to consider – nor do I ever plan to let it become one. But I can, all too well, understand the ache:  physical, mental, and emotional, that obesity causes.

But that’s not holding either of us back! On a much lighter note (yes, pun intended)  I am happy to see her GoodReads shelf includes Laura Kinsale’s newest novel, which I have cued up (thanks to a rockin’ SB Sarah!) and ready to go on Miss Scarlett. Wow, this is one Monday Muse I’d love to sit and have coffee with…especially if it means I’d be doing it in Portland (I still really want to visit there, and the husband still really wants to live there).

But if you can’t get some java right now – in the Pacific Northwest or otherwise, click on over to MandaJuice and start sipping.

Though I can’t imagine being unable to obtain some kind of coffee-type beverage at a moment’s notice in the Pacific Northwest…or is that a stereotypical fallacy? I’d be happy to do the research necessary to find out.

Then at a 7Nations concert (pretty much the only band I enjoy seeing live) the lead singer and bass player signed my CD.

ETA: I just wanted to add, that if you are looking for some new Christmas music – something a little different but still a bit traditional…you should check out 7Nations holiday CD:

My favorites: "The Rebel Jesus" and their version of 2000 Miles and Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.

Several years ago, I had met the fiddle player and got a pic (I cornered him while he was grabbing a drink at IrishFest).

Here I am with Dan, the Fiddle Man of 7Nations, at IrishFest (clearly, this picture was taken BEFORE I had kids).

And to top it off, just after my birthday, I got to meet my favorite blogger (aside from the Bitches, whom I hope to meet one day as well) PW!

I know I have mentioned my love and admiration for The Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond here before. I was first introduced to her a little over a year ago by another homeschooling mom, and ever since then, I’ve been hooked. I visit her site every week, sometimes every day, (ok, ok I admit it,  sometimes more than once in a day).

I can’t decide what I love best about her site…sure there is the homeschooling section, but sadly, that doesn’t get updated as much as I’d like – she has some great contributors, like Mrs G and Oh My Stinkin’ Heck, who write wonderful articles and post cool tips and ideas. Like the one about notebook pages and free write stories I posted about awhile back.

Then there is the cooking section – full of recipes, most of which I just drool over, knowing I will never find the time to make any of it. I have actually tried making a few things from her site,  like the apple tart and zucchini cake. I hope to try making her rosemary rolls at some point, and if I am successful with that, I’ll try something else.

I think my favorite section of her site is the Photography  – she offers awesome free PhotoShop actions and between her and her incredible contributors (like Miz Booshay), all sorts of helpful tutorials and tips. Of course, I am still lusting after a DSLR instead of owning one, but I make do with my point and shoot. It’s a fun and a creative outlet.

Then there are her contests. Her awesome incredible contests. At least once a week (usually) she will run a contest giving away pots and pans, mixers, knives, cameras, printers, gift cards…all sorts of great stuff!!! And it’s never stressful to enter her contests, usually you just have to answer a random question that floats through her brain (like: “What’s your favorite kind of pizza?”) I am crossing my fingers and hoping that my luck is holding out to win one of her camera prize packages. Oh, I am hoping! (Me and the 30,000+ people who comment on her site everyday).

So, when PW announced she was coming to Chicagoland as part of her cookbook tour, you know I had to be there. Miss A and I went to the Barnes and Noble to hang out and wait for her, and Holy Cow (little bit of Chicago for you) does this woman draw a crowd!

The store was packed, literally, from floor to ceiling. I hung out in the back (in the kid's section) with Miss A, so that's why all my shots are from behind. Pretty cool, though, cuz it's more from her perspective.

She came along with her husband (whom she refers to as Marlboro Man on her blog) and her 2 boy “punks.” Her 2 daughters stayed at home on the ranch for this leg of her book tour. Miss A liked meeting some other homeschooled kids, and loved hearing how they each had their own horse!

Miss A brought with some markers and paper for the boys to sign.

They were pretty busy running all over the place, but stopped for a moment to hang out with her.

I gave Miss A my old camera which hasn’t been working very well and told her to have some fun.

So she did.

She took pictures of other people in line with us.

And she took pics of PW herself.

Ree was as sweet and funny and open in person as she is on her website. She was a good sport about Aishtyn basically shoving a camera up her nose (I know how PW hates “bad” pictures of herself, so I won’t post Miss A’s shots here).

Despite the loooong line, she chatted with me and Aishtyn and took the time to personalize my books. One for me, and one as a birthday gift to my mother-in-law. Hopefully she will get inspired and make something extra yummy for us to try when we visit (is that devious of me?).

If you have never been to Ree’s website, go now! You don’t know what you’re missing. She is currently running a Chirstmas contest – prizes every day from now until Christmas!

One of the hand-outs she created was a stream of consciousness instructional “lecture” on how to just let go and create. I am totally stealing her words and applying them to my writing, it has given me the little inspirational boost I needed today, I hope it does the same for you!

Send your inner professor to the hall for there is no judge here – no grade – no critique – only you and your pen and your paper and your process and whatever you might discover along the way.

Pretty awesome huh? It looks even better in her unique doodle-y design:

Her advice might have originally been intended for hand crafting your own lettering designs, but it can so easily be applied to any art…so take her words to heart, send your inner professor out the door and create something!

Thanks for the dose of inspiration Miss Aimee!

She Wears Many Hats was found after clicking her blog link from PW’s Tasty Kitchen site - I had spotted her recipe for chocolate muffins with pumpkin frosting (using dark chocolate, no less) and knew I would have to make these for the husband. That man is one picky eater, but this recipe has his name all over it.

Created by Amy from South Carolina, SWMH is  fun and informative; the website is vibrant and well organized; reminding me quite a bit of PW herself (maybe it’s all the recipes and great photos). Anyways, Amy has some neat craft ideas, home decor plans, diatribes about the usual stuff, and all the great things that make crafty creative Moms who blog a source of inspiration and motivation for the rest of us.

So put on your “web surfing while drinking wine” hat and click on over.

Crafty Chicks is a collection of women (mostly Mamas, from what I can tell) who have some of the most wonderful ideas for all things crafty. Currently up on their homepage are ideas for “Quiet books” – cloth books to keep toddlers busy. I was amazed at the quality and level of detail in these books…I don’t know if I would have the patience (or skill) to make one! I think they should sell them (hint, hint). Lil’ G would love one for Christmas.

If ever your crafty creative well runs dry, take a peek at their tags – they have ideas for most holidays – take a look what I found under HALLOWEEN, and all sorts of other stuff like aprons, magnets, digital scrapbooking and more. I know this is going to be a great “go-to” resource for me when I’m wearing my homeschool mama hat.

Smitty baby’s Mama, Meridith, is close to my age, and had her first baby just a few months after Lil’ G was born…I think it’s amazing all she has managed to do as a new Mama in the past year. Check out her blog – she and her husband seem fun and funny and I wish them all the best in every crafty cool idea they come up with.

We did accept the lovely invitation to play in a friend of  a friend’s pool before it closed for the summer.  I’m glad I let Miss A have that hour of fun…yes my schedule was full and hectic, but summer is almost over and you only live once. She had an awesome time (Lil G gad fun too).

I also managed to squeeze in a shower and plan the dance choreography for the show’s first song.

So you know what? I’m my own muse today!

Drama Mama…Multi-Tasking Maven.

Being a mom and a writer is hard, and the only other people who know just how hard are other Mama Writers. We want you to know that you have a place to come where you belong, where you can feel like part of a real community. And that’s something very special.

We have all dedicated ourselves to being the very best mom we can be, which means becoming a better person. And we’ve have dedicated ourselves to being the best story-tellers we can be.

It’s a great place to go for when you feel…as so wonderfully articulated by Aimee over at Artsyville:

And if that’s not enough...every month they have a contest, giving away a bag of goodies to whoever comments the most at their site.

I haven’t had a lot of time to dig around on the site, but I look forward to finding ideas and inspiration…Mama Writers…what a great idea! Go check it out today!

Today’s Monday Muse is Susie Libell, a mom of two chaotic little people (as she prefers to call her punks/heathens/chilluns/epsilons/offspring/etc – please-insert-your-moniker-of-choice here). Susie writes the delightful blog Inner Toddler, in whose words I recognize a kindred spirit: her posts create a catch-all journal of sorts that relive events of the day, air troubles, share triumphs, showcase discoveries, and pretty much cover the same bases that many of us artist-mommies run circles around everyday.

Like yours truly and a certain drama co, Susie also made the leap and started a company this year: MishMish Studio. Go browse a bit  – you’ll find lots of watercolor prints in luscious colors. If you’re looking for something completely different to decorate the kiddo’s rooms, check out her animal line (the name prints are awesome too).

Best of luck with the business Susie! Keep up all the hard work!

I feel a special kinship to this Muse, based on the simple fact that she has two red-headed daughters as well.

We are a special breed of people…we mothers of redheads.

I also love her signature sign-off to each post “Encourage One Another.” What a simple, yet inspiring statement. A true Muse if I ever saw one.

She is the kind of person who sees the beauty in everything, and is able to capture that with her photography. Her pictures always seem to say something…and I like that.

Her photography advice is like her signature: simple and inspiring. Her posts are straight forward and unassuming, full of helpful hints and tips, as well as suggestions for others who share her passion for capturing a moment in time to reflect on forever.

Her blog also includes links to the Well-Trained Mind and a Jane Austen site…which makes me love this woman all the more.

Go pay Miz Booshay a visit, I think you’ll love her too.