Such a Fun Weekend!

At Riverstock 2011, in front of a VW bus I liked a lot.

What's in there!? Checking out the interior of a Beetle.

Let me be a little redundant here. I had such a fun weekend! I kicked it off by heading over to my boyfriend’s house on Friday afternoon. He had the day off and was working on one of his three classic Volkswagen Beetles. He’s a fan, what can I say!? While he puttered in the garage, I dirtied the kitchen making what I like to call “Banana Yum Pops,” a sweet little treat from (neverhome)maker, except this time around I used regular chocolate chips and Peter Pan Crunchy Peanut Butter. I also left out the coconut because my boyfriend is not into it. It tasted delish, anyway! I’ve made three batches this week! The batch for my boyfriend, a batch for my friend Kate, and another for myself. I still have some hanging out in my freezer. I have a MAJOR sweet tooth, so it’s great to be able to sneak a couple a day for a small treat. They are chocolatey AND healthy! Score! Plus, it’s such a kitschy throwback of a dessert. I’ll definitely serve these at the tiki party I MUST have one of these days.

We woke  up extra early on Saturday, so we could attend the 2011 Bug Blitz Bus Blast - Riverstock, which was held in Riverside, Missouri. I told you, the bf is a Volkswagen fanatic. We saw a good variety of cars. Of course, I was far more excited by the aesthetics of the vehicles than by the engines. I saw a canary yellow Karmann Ghia that I just adored. I was also rather fond of a bus painted in white and deep orange.

A sampling of the VW buses on display.

Wouldn't I love to drive around in that gorgeous canary yellow Karmann Ghia!?

I never paid all that much attention to cars before I met my boyfriend. I always liked Beetles, though. They’re iconic and make me nostalgic for something I never had, much like Woodstock. However, it’s really cool to learn about cars, especially as an artist. What I find so interesting about classic car ownership is how much variety there is. Purists exist, but there are also a lot of people who enjoy customizing their rides (Don’t get me started on rat rods; I’ll save that for another post.). My favorite detail of the day was the steering wheel emblem used on a dove blue Beetle. It was shaped like the bust of a goddess. I later learned the image actually depicted St. Catherine. It was a beautiful piece, and it was not a Volkswagen part. However, it worked well with the feel of the car. That’s just one example of a styling detail that can add personality and individuality to a car.

Anyway, lots of fun and sun. I have the burns to prove it!

Today, I went to my friend Greta’s baby shower. She and my grade school pal Derek are expecting their first son about a month from now. Greta looked so healthy and lovely in all her pregnant glory, and I got to meet a cool group of ladies. We ate so much delicious food made by the hostess of the party. She created a wonderful Thai style pizza that I am going to have to try to replicate! Instead of tomato sauce, the pizza was made with homemade peanut sauce. She also made perfectly seasoned sliders and spinach-artichoke dip. YUM.  

The lovely Greta at her baby shower.

Greta modeling the little house I made for her, Derek and their little one, who will arrive shortly.

A closeup of the little house I made using elements from Greta's baby shower invitation.

The little houses I've made so far.

After we ate, Greta opened her gifts. I gave her and Derek a gift card to Target (that way they can get what they most need), and I made them a little house, similar to the one I made for my mom for Mother’s Day. I had a great time making this little piece, and I hope Greta and Derek enjoy it and remember this special time in their lives when they look at it. I incorporated elements from Greta’s baby shower invitation into the design. I have found that it is gratifying for me to recreate invitations into sentimental gifts for people celebrating milestones in their lives. This project was particularly fun to make, because I love Derek and Greta so much!

Once all the gifts were opened, we headed out to the garage to tie dye onesies for Greta. It was such a great idea! I can’t wait to see the results! I am sure having a summer baby is going to make onesies Greta’s go-to clothing choice for her little one, so the more the merrier, I'm sure.

What did you do over the weekend? Anything coming up next weekend I should know about?

Hope you're all having springtimey fun!

Alison