a little bit of this...

A day of relief

2009-06-30T12:13:00.003-05:00

It has been 100+ degrees here in Waco for the past 2-3 weeks. Thankfully, today it is noon and only 75! I always think that because I grew up in Texas that I can stand the heat, but it is not true!

I have spent alot of my free time crafting lately. I have been making headbands to sale at the store I work in (Harts N Crafts). I have sold several! It makes me feel so great when someone buys something that I created.

My lovely friend, Jamie, made me these beautiful tags:
I think they are so 'me'!

so i didn't win the giveaways but...

2009-03-27T10:39:00.003-05:00

I got a haircut!

I am just soo excited to have all of that hair gone! My hair was past my shoulder blades. I think i got about 7 inches off.

I probably lost a lb. of hair. My Wii fit will be so proud! ha!

It's friday! I am super excited about that since we have little to no plans this weekend. My main objective is to finish book one of Twilight. Then, perhaps, I will watch the movie?!

Baggu Grosgrain Guest GIVEAWAY!!!!

2009-03-16T14:41:00.000-05:00

I could win some stuff so that is why i am posting these links. :)

This particular one is for reusable bags.. you know the kind you can roll up and put in your purse or keep in your car for when you go to the grocery store or Target? I am obsessed and already have plenty, but wouldn't it be exciting to win!
Baggu Grosgrain Guest GIVEAWAY!!!!

Muntedkowhai%Necklace GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

2009-03-16T14:38:00.000-05:00

Muntedkowhai%Necklace GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

2009-03-13T15:36:00.000-05:00

I am a big fan of the TV show Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations. Recently I saw the episode he did here in Central Texas with Ted Nugent. (Yes, "The Nuge" lives just outside of Waco AND his wife and son can be spotted at the church I go to every once in a while). Sooo I have lived in Waco for years and really haven't found great BBQ. On the show, Ted takes Tony to The Rusty Star BBQ in Speegleville. I figured it must be good! Well folks, my parents came into town yesterday and took me there. It was quite a disapointment! Nothing special to mention. My search for good barbeque continues! If only there were a Harold's here! Yum!

It's Friday! Britt and I are headed to his hometown this weekend to see family and continue the week-long celebration of Britt's birth just 27 years ago! It is going to be fun. I just wish the weather wasn't so yucky! I am pretty sure we are going to be driving the entire way in the rain.

Happy Weekend!

twitter

2009-03-05T16:26:00.000-06:00

yet ANOTHER social networking site that i got sucked into. I have heard many people speak negatively toward these types of things (facebook, blogspot, xanga, etc.) and about what a waste of time they are but I do not feel the same way.

I am a social person and I feed off of social interaction. It makes me happy to be connected to people and that is why I love twitter and facebook.

I do understand that you can spend too much of your life on these sites. You could miss a bit of your own reality in your own city, but isn't it nice to know what your long lost pal is going through right now?

With that said, come follow me on twitter! http://twitter.com/HoJoDu

I like reading?!

2009-02-10T17:37:00.001-06:00

I have read 4 or so books since Christmas. For me this is unheard of! I didn't enjoy reading until my Junior year at Baylor. I feel like I missed out on some great things by not being reader when I was younger. Better late than never I guess.
Anyways, I am attempting to read the Alchemist right now. Whomever said it was "amazing" was WrOnG! Maybe I am just thinking this since I don't exactly feel like I am seeking my "personal legend." hmmm... I think I may stop reading it and move onto Confessions of a Shopaholic in preparation for the movie.
Movie popcorn sounds pretty good right about now...

I love Christmas!

2008-12-17T11:31:00.007-06:00

Christmas if my favorite time of year! I was begging Britt to let me put up Christmas decorations way before Thanksgiving even though I knew better. That was not allowed, so the weekend after Turkey day, we went to work. First, the tree went up. It seemed bare to me (if you saw my mother's tree, you would understand why this seems sparse) so we made some popcorn/cranberry garland!
(i do not have the "after" picture of the tree with garland on it like i thought i did. This is the trouble with having two cameras. You never know what pic is on what camera!)
He is a very talented garland maker
Then, we went outside! We thought long and hard on what lights we wanted. We sprung for the LED lights in order to save electricity, not burn the house down, and of course, live up to the eco-friendly status we have given ourselves. :)
Britt braved the steep roof to get those lights looking good! I must say, they are perfectly spaced and look so nice!

Oh, we had our one year wedding anniversary on Monday! The work day was horrible, but Britt made me feel better with my new beautiful earrings and flowers he got me! We just stayed in, made dinner and had a bottle of wine while watching Love Actually. I love being a Duke!

We are going to spend Christmas with Britt's family this year. My first time not to be in Abilene on Christmas. Kind of crazy, but I am excited for the new traditions and seeing everyone!

Happy Holly Days!
(so cheesy, I know!)

big dreams for waco

2008-11-19T14:05:00.002-06:00

i saw this proposal on the trib website and it is crazy! What if Waco looked like this in 2015? Impressive.

Yes We Can!

2008-11-05T12:41:00.001-06:00

woohoo!

*photo courtesy of www.aaronsacco.com

ornamental things

2008-10-23T11:46:00.005-05:00

so harts~n~crafts got some new necklaces that are from ornamentalthings.com...(an Austin based jewelry artist who we came across at ACL) they are all so pretty! I have been trying to keep my hands off of them to let others get the chance to buy them and take their pick, but i am not sure i can wait any longer!

so cute!the one i am leaning toward looks alot like this one but it has a leaf and a little flower with a pearl in it.

i originally fell in love with this one:what do you think?

i am just in the shopping spirit because i have been badgered about christmas from my mom and mom-in-law. As I look for other people, i naturally find stuff i like!

leave us alone, Ike!

2008-09-11T10:31:00.003-05:00

A woman just came into the store and told me she was just browsing and that she and her husband had evacuated from Houston because of Hurricane Ike. They are staying at the hotel behind the shop. I got to talk to her and find out that they had sought refuge in Fredericksburg just last week because of Gustav. She seemed a bit shaken up

She had no intention of buying anything, just killing time and then she found a special little plaque. It said "STORMS always lose out to the SUN." She told me that she would put that up in their hotel room. I thought that was so sweet.

*EDIT* she came back and bought two more for people she met at the hotel!

i have a fear of going to the bank.

2008-08-25T16:43:00.002-05:00

Have I ever told you that I have a fear of the bank? Somehow every time I go, I do something wrong. Lately this fear has been amplified at Wells Fargo because my account says Holly Jones and my ID says Holly Duke. Geez. Sometimes Britt offers up the idea that I should be a bank teller for some extra cash. How can I work there if I can't even make a successful trip through the drive-thru?

One day I will grow up. One day.

p.s. I have tried to post pictures from our trip to Atlanta but my internet connection is lacking.

break time

2008-07-30T10:00:00.000-05:00

I, along with my Hello Kitty sewing machine, made a lap quilt! I just wanted to see if I could do it and am pretty happy with the turnout. I used Amy Butler's Midwest Modern fabric. I just love the colors! Now that Britt and I have completed all of these projects I think it's time for a little break.

Off to Atlanta we go! Be back next week!

50 simple things kids can do...

2008-07-24T22:00:00.002-05:00

As many of you know, my minor at Baylor was Environmental Studies. My first semester at Baylor I took the intro class and fell in love. Later, I realized that I was actually falling in love for the second time in my life. I could now remember my environmental efforts as an elementary school student that included going door to door to collect change for "pennies for the planet" and me begging my parents to cut the six pack rings!

I have recently blamed Nickelodeon for this strange interest(and maybe my family of Democrats, but they take no credit). You may remember the "Big Help." each year I would call in and pledge to Ren or Stimpy how many hours I would spend helping the planet that summer. From here I started my own "recycling club" with my friends. Needless to say, that didn't work out. How come no other 4th grader cared that that glass container that his applesauce was in will never decompose?

So this past weekend I went to Abilene to stay with my parents for a few days. They have been remodeling and cleaning so I had a box waiting for me of stuff my mom couldn't toss out. And in that box I found the true culprit for my love of the Earth:

Over the last week Britt and I have both read through this. It was published in 1990 ( i was 6) and it blew us away. The content of this book is the same of articles being published today in shiny magazines about "Going Green."

At first I was surprised about this and now I am disheartened. Why did it take 20 years to make the things in this book "hip"?

icebox

2008-07-23T04:43:00.000-05:00

Several months ago Britt and I purchased a little old icebox from our neighborhood junk/antique shop, Laverty's. Apparently this little gem once had a handle on top instead of drawers. In this compartment is where you would put in your block of ice to cool the food in the lower shelves. Well, we stripped it, sanded it, and painted that sucker! This was quite a task considering the 5+ coats of paint on it. It took us forever, but here it is:
I really like how it turned out and how it fills out some of the space in our gigantic dining room.

When we were done painting, I went back in and lined the drawers and shelves with Martha Stewart wrapping paper. Isn't it cute?

click away!

2008-07-21T20:06:00.002-05:00

go HERE for a good time....

teehee.. i saw this link posted on http://howaboutorange.blogspot.com/

Enjoy!

before and after

2008-07-13T15:30:00.000-05:00

Britt's grandmother gave us a gorgeous table and chairs to match that she used back-in-the-day. We are using the table as a desk and now have chairs "floating" all around the house. When Anna Maria Horner's "Drawing Room" fabric came out, I wanted any excuse to get my hands on the gorgeous textiles. I decided we must recover the chairs. Britt and I covered 4 in this teal print. (It ironically resembles the original fabric, but oh well)

Then we were left with 2 to cover in this beautiful "sketch book" print. These are in the dining room.

I love this fabric so much that i would consider wallpapering my walls with it. You can't help but smile when you see all of those bright colors!

Now the question is what to do about the chair color. I don't really want to go through the trouble of painting them, but that wood is a bit dark don't you think?

2008-07-08T10:36:00.009-05:00

Well my cheesecake was not quite as beautiful as Martha's but it was yummy!

The 4th was a great day! It consisted of sleeping in, swimming, Wall-E, cooking out, fireworks, and great friends!The pool was so warm that Ben put ice in it.

Britt as Micheal Phelps.

Anna and me.

Avery whacked me in the face with her festive headband.

Happy 4th!

2008-07-03T16:07:00.002-05:00

yummm...

I hope you have a great Independence Day!

(i plan on making this glorified cheesecake. Hope I don't end up eating it all by myself!)

the new milk jug is here:

2008-07-01T09:17:00.000-05:00

I have some reservations about this design. Why is it white? Doesn't this use more resources to make it this color? If it is sturdier in order to be stackable, doesn't this use More plastic?

After reading more, I realize that my thoughts are on a rather small scale.
Apparently, you can stock an 18 wheeler with twice as many of these jugs than the former because it they do not require the plastic crates that traditional jugs do. This has a few benefits including less trips to and from the distributor equaling less fossil fuels.

For a while now I have heard the buzz about how a redesigned milk jug could be beneficial for our culture by cutting down waste. There have been talks about getting rid of the traditional handle to significantly reduce the amount of plastic needed to make a milk jug. (Reminds me how Nestle recently engineered a design for their Ozarka water bottles that uses 30% less plastic than their former bottle.) What's funny to me is that the actual container does not seem to be made of any less plastic. I guess it is made up for in other areas like external packaging and fossil fuel consumption?

Keep an eye out for these jugs at your local Sam's, Wal-Mart, and Costco.

Ironically, I only buy milk in a cardboard carton. :)

splish splash

2008-06-30T16:29:00.001-05:00

The U.S. Olympic Swim Trials started last night in Omaha. World records were set and I was excited to watch. In honor of the trials, I started my swim training yesterday. No, I am not training for the Olympics, but just wanting to get in shape. Swimming is the only activity/sport I have ever excelled at. I love the water and hope/plan to make it a part of my life again. This will be tough, but I do have a new suit and new goggles!

as will smith and dj jazzy jeff would say...

2008-06-12T12:42:00.006-05:00

summer summer summertime!

My birthday was fan-freakin tastic. Thanks to everyone who made it special!

At my party, I took a picture of my favorite 1 year old...

More posts to come...

Introducing...

2008-05-28T16:32:00.001-05:00

Mr. & Mrs. Chad Zellner!!!

Aren't they beautiful people? I had the best Memorial Day weekend with these 2 (and the other 17-18 in the bridal party)! This wedding was unique for me to be a part of because I not only know and adore the bride, but I know and love the groom, too! It was wonderful. Congrats guys!

UPDATE on previous post....

I brewed my own snicker-roo coffee at home the other morning. It is rumored that I may be receiving a CG coffee mug for my birthday?

I got over the iphone. Thank goodness! In 1-2 business days I will be the proud owner of a Blackberry 8310.

all of my problems are solved! phew!

I need coffee!

2008-05-20T17:00:00.003-05:00

I am having two consumer-driven dilemmas:

dilemma #1: coffee. I love coffee! Especially Cinnamon Bun from Common Grounds(which they brew every Tuesday.) I have recently begun making almost daily trips to CG which means I am spending $2 each visit and am using a styrofoam cup! The main dilemma is whether or not to buy a CG mug. This would be a $10 investment that would help me produce less waste, BUT it would also encourage me to continue going to CG this often! I tried buying CG coffee beans and brewing it at home, but honestly it doesn't taste the same! Help!

dilemma #2: The iPhone. I want it. I used to think it was ridiculous to have something this grand to carry around with me. I thought it was a waste. Somehow, almost overnight, my feelings changed. I found out that it would only cost $10 more a month to support the iPhone and thought that this could be a reality for me! I do realize there is a large sum of cash i would initially put down, but I do have a bday coming up:) And now I hear that the iPhone 2.0 may be coming out over the summer. What to do?

Thoughts?

blogger gripes

2008-04-29T10:59:00.002-05:00

Okay, I need help!

When i signed up for this here blog, I was Holly Jones. Now that blogger has teamed up with gmail, I have to sign out of one gmail account and into the old one in order to post. Blogger won't let me change my email in my profile!

This is so annoying! Any suggestions?

spring cleaning

2008-04-22T11:24:00.004-05:00

I am by no means a clean freak. Just ask Britt. I am the clutter queen, but lately i have had spring cleaning fever. It is crazy. I mean, last week I got out and cleaned the OUTside of the windows. Who does that? Holly Duke that's who. I just received my Martha Stewart Homekeeping Handbook in the mail.Yes, cleaning is so foreign to me that i need a Handbook. I am excited about what i might learn from good ole Martha.

Spring has motivated Britt as well. He got out to do yard work in the back of our house and has discovered we have a small gold mine out there (a.k.a. landscaping stone 6-8 inches under the soil). We were planning on making a small investment in these nice stones and now we have dug up all we need! Amazing. The plan is to have an acceptable backyard by my birthday (June one). I think we can do it!

It's EARTH DAY! In honor of this special day, a few of us UBCers went out to Cameron Park on Sunday afternoon to pick up trash on the trails. We spend nearly 3 hours scouring the park and I think we made a considerable difference out there. Happy Earth Day!

it has been a while

2008-04-16T13:42:00.004-05:00

Wow alot has happened since my last post! Let's see here...

I got married!

My dad and I are now officially cancer survivors.

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I just finished reading a book called "Garbage Land." I could hardly put this book down! It is about a New York woman who follows every type of waste that she produces. She follows her garbage to the landfill, her recycling to centers, and her sewage to the water treatment plant. It is fascinating.
I have had many discussions about how much we consume and how important it is for us to make conscious decisions. This book proves this to be even more important as 98% of waste is from factories and the making of those things that we throw out. Our landfill waste only makes up 2% of our nations garbage. Amazing. So as we look at that cool new item at Target not only should we consider how much packaging it has there in the store, we should attempt to find out how responsible the manufacturing company was in the making of this product. (which is not exactly easy to do)

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Thanks to Carn-dog for posting our lovely little commercial on his blog! It is nice being a Waco celebrity.

goings on

2007-09-21T10:22:00.000-05:00

this month has been absolute chaos! Let's re-cap:

I had my first bridal shower which was amazing! Mrs. Katie Duncan knows how to throw a party. It was so fun having all of those girls there just for ME!

My family found out that my father has prostate cancer in its very early stages(praise Jesus)... we will find out what the next step will be in about a week...

i found out that i have melanoma... the doctors open me up and i now have a massive cut on my arm that spans 3 inches! i am sure it will look great in my wedding photos...

UBC Green Team is off and running. We are attempting to make recycling more efficient at the church and hopefully promote some lifestyle changes for members of our community... more about that later...

I am helping out with a sunday school and a community group this semester which is quite a handful... but most of the time i just sit and throw in a comment here and there..

I have my wedding dress!

Britt booked our honeymoon! El Dorado Royale, here we come!

Life is good... come by Harts N Crafts and see me someday!

climate change camp?

2007-07-31T10:59:00.001-05:00

well well well.. i dont think anyone reads this, so i disappeared for a while.. but now i have something to say...

i want to go to climate camp!

this is so crazy to me... kids in England have the chance to go to a camp and learn, debate, discuss global climate change... i am jealous!

anywho....

wedding planning is going well... we have all of the big things nailed down, which feels good... we have to decide ceremony music and readings, etc... this stresses me out... i have no idea what music to play! surely i can figure it out in 4 months, right?

meanwhile, Stephen and Kelly are getting married this weekend! and next is Danielle and Randy! These weddings excite me!

2007-05-25T15:21:00.000-05:00

this week has been Lame! I am very glad to see the end of it...

we did get the living room painted though... Britt and I taped it off like two weeks ago and just now got around to finishing it up...

i am going to happy hour today at ninfa's and am super excited... also Britt and I are going to a wedding in Austin on saturday... i will most definitely be taking notes...

2007-05-22T16:48:00.000-05:00

Life is crazy right now... my thoughts during my free time have changed from how to reduce, reuse, and recycle to wedding bells, small electrics, and color schemes.... i am enjoying it, but am a bit frightened by how ineffective treehugger.com is at holding my attention...

things are changing... and it's great!

p.s. T minus 10 days until my birthday... holla!

2007-05-09T14:44:00.000-05:00

it's official, we have a date!
December 15th!

now let's see if we can keep this ball rollin'

2007-05-02T23:30:00.000-05:00

blogspot isn't up-to-date with us mac users, sooo i am going to have to give you a url instead of a link that i think is important at this time, on this day May 2nd..... clocktower74.blogspot.com(or you can click on craig's name to the left) teehee!!

!!!

2007-04-17T21:51:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to Miss Danielle Jamison and Mr. Randy Lochte on their engagement!

my little world is changing...

2007-03-28T10:27:00.000-05:00

my new blog... i decided to copy Carney's template because i read somewhere that the darker the web page, the less energy used to have it on the screen... so this is one of the tiny steps i am taking to save the world...

sooo, i have a new job! In a few short days I will be working just fifteen feet from where i have earned my extra cash over the last 3 years. I am nervous and excited. Harts-N-Crafts will hopefully be much more enjoyable than the spirit shop. I am looking forward to the relaxed atmosphere as well as fewer nagging Baylor Alumni.(is the plural of Alumni, Alumnus? or is it the other way around?) anyways, I am excited about my brighter(literally) future in that old house.
Please come visit!