WOYWW - This is my desk:

This is my desk on "work".
I've been watching a lot of PSAs lately as I'm studying to get my permit. At 28 I figure it's probably time to learn to drive.

On the fateful day I invented 'Baby Mermaids' the brilliant Sandra Gaddis and I were running on sleeplessness, giggles and hot tea. Apparently this is the exact mix I need for pure genius. It's been years since the spark that made Baby Mermaids, and nothing as creatively spectacular or clarifying has happened to me since, until....

What we will call THE PERFECT STORM (which happened today) I had a semi-lame but acceptable blog post ready to roll and scheduled to go live. I planned to be in bed hours ago, but this PERFECT STORM must be shared, and shared with you now on the evening of its birth.

On Sunday night my friend Sam brought me these.
HAVE YOU EVER SEEN ANYTHING MORE ENCHANTING?

(Incidentally if it's years since this post has happened and my future husband is reading the archives of this blog in our penthouse apartment across from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, I want you to know I never expect these blooms to be topped, so no pressure)

There are a bunch of white roses that were somehow magically dyed to make rainbow blooms. They have been in a place of honor on the windowsill since the fateful day they were delivered. This afternoon after days of not sleeping and pushing myself too hard between job-job and licensing clients and follow up from Surtex (it feels like months since I've had a weekend) AKA PERFECT STORM... I panicked in a way that only happens when you are delusional from not sleeping. What if they were getting too much sun?! I picked them up and moved them to the kitchen table out of the harm of gama sun rays.

In the process one perfect petal fell from its rose and in theatrical Beauty and the Beast style floated to the table....

I was instantly devastated, proof that I need to go to bed. BUT THEN, my eyes did that criss-crossy thing that they do when you are looking at a magic eye poster or smoking crack ;)

In fast non-thinking trans like motions I started tearing petals. One after another.

At 8:00PM - prior to the next creative chapter in my life. My workdesk looked like this.



It's obvious what we're looking at here, right?
.
.
.
.
RIGHT?
OK, if you can't see them, maybe you're a healthy girl who goes to bed and remembers to eat ;)

They're fairy wings!!!
In homage to the masses of UK followers we have here at Amber INK's WOYWW I thought they would most likely start out sharing a spot of tea. As in, "would you care to join me for a cup of tea?"

They weren't working out exactly the way I thought they would in the moment I cannibalized my bouquet of beauty. Exhausted and blurry eyed I crawled to the kitchen, driven by the power of suggestion to brew a cup of Earl Grey...

PERFECT STORM!

It's going to be hard to sit through job-job all day. I've got fairies to develop! Funny how we're only tired until we're lit up with an idea.

Now spit-spot - Off to Julia's to peek at ll the other desks,
the ones that aren't presided over by sleep starved idiots ;)
I blogged this at She Sure is Sketchy too. I Couldn't help myself. Too excited ;)

My Workdesk - Balancing act

It's been a hectic week in my personal/work/emotional life. Friends and friends and people in and people out and sometimes it seems like a house of cards - but then I remember... "I am more a brick house than a stick house." Everything seems to come back together and I brush the NYC dust off my clothes (literally) and get back up on that proverbial horse.

Amber Ink. had another first on Monday. We ended the voting on our very first ever INKredible 21-day Challenge at http://amberinkchallenges.blogspot.com !!!
It was an exhilarating challenge and the entries were truly brilliant!

Congratulations to our top 3 girlies! We'll be announcing the winners on the 20th!! I am so excited about the prize, because I think it's kinda awesome and I hope you guys like it too.

With the challenge wrapping up and life going on, there have been a lot of things to keep in the air. Challenge blog was our amazing (th)Ink Tank Babe, Pinky's idea. My business partner, aka Incredimombo (just mom to me) took it up as her torch and has been running with it for the last three weeks. We're so excited about next months' challenge. We'll announce it on release day (the 20th) and it might even have a celebrity hostess!!! (shhh...)

When the idea for the challenge was brought up, Incredimombo might have said "I need another thing to do like I need a hole in my head." We came up with the compromise of making it a nice long challenge, for more people to play and more brilliance to happen. We like letting the magic sit. Plus we know you all have a toppling pile of demands on your plate too!

I'm designing some new art for the blog's redesign and reveal this month! Keeping to the 'like a hole in my head' concept.....we're designing a girl who's just got so much going on and SO much to juggle. Here are very early concept designs:

They are what is on my workdesk today

I would LOVE for you to stop by and see the end results next week when our INKredible challenge kicks off all over again

What are you juggling this week? I'd love to know. If your workdesk is a telling one, pop over to Julia's because it's the pick up you NEED.

P.S. One of the fun things that happened this week was brunch with the phenomenal Tanny P.! This girl is even fresher than that blithe face would lead you to believe! Tanny's carrying the torch for Amber Ink. this month and she ran it over to this side of the border for a NYC dream vacation. Seriously, after ten years of life in this state, I think we might be tied for fantastic experiences. Check it out on her blog and remember, be inspired, not pea green with envy :)

P.P.S. Three cheers for life imitating art.

Back to the balance board ?

What Workdesk?

In New York City if you ever find a person who doesn't read you know that they DO NOT WANT TO. I spend 40 minutes twice a day commuting on a train where all I have to do is sit until I arrive at my destination. I do this along with millions of other commuters. As a result, I finish a book every now and then.

I love books. They are like my second favorite thing next to people, and sometimes they trump people, but time to read leisurely sometimes seems too indulgent when it's not 'train reading'

This trip to the Bahamas was the very tip top of a mountain of fun because I could JUST READ. READ AND READ AND READ.

The problem, is now this is what my work desk looks like:

Oh, let's find something else to chip away at....
I'm not adjusting to 'just commuter' reading mode. I'm still in 'we are at the beach' reading mode.

So I'm working at my bookshelf, and spending a lot of time between it and my Kindle.
Then night before I won the Kindle I gave an impromptu oratory at a bar with the majority of my social circle on why I could see the Kindle being a good thing for some people, but how I for one would NEVER EVER own a Kindle. I let the box sit on my desk for two months before I opened it. Now it is a life line. If I forget it at home I think about it. I hope it's not lonely. I run home and hug it. Pathetic really.

So here's what I'm 'working' on this week:

The Duchess was reading this like crazy in the beach, waking up early to read it in the hotel, on the plane, on the train, in the rain... you get it, etc. etc.

I got to be next! Score! If winning second in line on a book isn't 'working' i don't know what is.
Last night I went to a party with a bunch of my favorite friends, and found out that one of them is #7! Since this book is all about winning, the victory is even sweeter.

P.S. Now that I've picked this up, putting it down really is quite the chore.

For me, summer is NOT summer without the Tillerman Saga. It's been this way for over a decade, and while this might be the tenth time I've read about Jeff Greene, I still love him in that perfect Gilbert Blythe sort of way. It's been so fun to revisit these old friends.

My other job, is preserving my tan. It's peeling like a citrus fruit. I'm battling it with these: Recommended by the Duchess:

If you can handle the smirk of the teenage boy bagging your groceries, this Happy Sensation is totally worth it.

and this:
Recommended by me, island girl turned body product snob, I still go back to the tried and true when it really matters, when it pertains to tan.

Use my example and 'get to work'. What are you working on?
After all, I'm going to need new recommendations after I'm finished with these current tasks ;)

Bahama(zing)

In case you were wondering,

It's a there and back again kind of morning.

The view from our hotel room:

A quick walk to the pool:

The view of said pool:

SHUT UP!
(I know, right?)

The view of the beach.

Five days of sand and saltwater beats any NYC pedicure.

The view of the streets:

I was shocked to find the Bahamas prettier than I pictured it, and tickled to find that a majority of the buildings are pink.

View of historical natural, national beauty:

Gorge(ous):


The view from the jungle:

A panoramic view south:


A view of the most relaxed I get (hopefully also the reddest):

After a lot of thinking and planning I decided to leave my laptop stateside. This face is the face of a girl who has abandoned the internet for the first time since the 90s.

See? Happy face:

(Ignore creepy kinda-winky eye.)

View from the boat!

What? You've never seen a dolphin before?

So here's the stats:

• I swam with dolphins.
• Ate infinate carbs for breakfast, every morning.
• Spent less than five minutes on the internet.
• Didn't have access to a phone.
• Got burnt to a crisp
• Hid from the sun under a hat, a first for sure.
• Spent every day with some of the people I love best.
• Ran from smoke INDOORS (what?! people have their Cubans hanging out of their mouths everywhere!)
• Ate ice cream when I felt like it.
• Won $8 at the slots
• Sipped pretty drinks, shore side
• I woke up when I wanted
• I fell asleep when I wanted
• I took my time doing whatever I wanted
• Spent as much time in the water as the days of my youth.
• I had a week of bliss, despite the sunburn and the HEAT! Bahamas is hot, mon.
  

Now I'm home, and luckily for me, home is one of the places I love best.
Still, you have to admit, "It's better in the Bahamas" ;)

Are We There Yet!?

Why yes! We Arrrrrrrre!
Welcome to the PARTY!
We're so glad you could make it!
Come on in, you're all invited!


Why not start with one two fifteen of
Jen's mini Chocolate or Lemon croissants?


It's OK. We're easy we're cool! Why not move onto the grand buffet?!
I recommend the raspberry tart ,
but the feta-tomato pizza is divine....
OM NOM NOM


Follow Jenny! Grab a drink!
Let us all raise our glass to AMBER INK!


WHAT TIME IS IT?!



(if you didn't know this is a High School Musical reference I am either ashamed or proud of you...I'll decide later...)

It's TIME TO PARTY!!!
Get out the toys!


OOOOOOOH! THESE ARE EXCITING!!!

Amber they're like stickers! But like Stamps!
SIT DOWN AND BLOW YOUR MIND!
Clear stamps - rock so hard.


OH MAN! WE WANT MORE!!!
WHERE DO WE GET THEM!?!
We want to party at OUR homes - like late at night on a Thursday... when we have something disagreeable to do, like dishes.

Well you're in luck! There's more!
Let me show you www.AmberInk.com


SWEET!!!
Wait? Is that a 'SHOP' button!? I want to go to there!


Wait. Wait. Just a second. You're saying we just push a button and we can get paper!?
Pretty paper!?


Matching paper!?


Woah.

NOW WE STAMP!!!


Stamp like the wind!!!


Can you handle it!?!?!?


We interrupt the fun for a sage word from the Duchess:


NOW ON TO MORE SELF PROPELLED FUN!!!


FUN!!!


FUUUUUUN!!!


Look what we made!!

Now who's going to clean up all this mess?


I'm so excited you came to my party!
I can't wait to show you everything at http://www.amberink.com/!


Keep the party going with our thrilling Amber Ink. Blog Frolic!!
See how the professionals play ;)

Charmaine Ikach -http://bit.ly/9eoQHy
Dawn Burnworth -http://bit.ly/9uO37g
Jodi Collins -http://bit.ly/a7AcTV
Karin Martin - http://bit.ly/b2nJ24
Michele Boyer - http://bit.ly/avDqr4
Nicole Anderson - http://bit.ly/cH59Wb
Pinky O'Hagan - http://bit.ly/9GdDAT
Paula Williamson - http://bit.ly/bVh49G
Sankari Wegman - http://bit.ly/bTlYMF
Shannan Teubner - http://bit.ly/9PSECf
Suzi McKenzie - http://bit.ly/dlgTMl
Taylor Usry - http://bit.ly/cEyeqX

We have lots of exciting prizes hidden behind secret doors, so don't forget to leave the the blog love as you frolic along the way!


If you want to party more you can peek at the excessive amount of fun and photos we had and took at our Grand Opening Flickr Set.