Express Yourself

Rachel and I have been BFFs since we were 8-years old. I think that one of the main reasons we've been friends for nearly two decades is our common interest in creativity. For as long as I can remember, every time we've gotten together we've made some kind of craft—from clothespin people as kids, mock fashion magazines as pre-teens, and glass magnets in our college years, to refurbishing furniture finds and starting our business, hauteChocolate, as "adults." 

Growing up in Kerrville, Rachel and I were neighbors all through elementary school. When she moved across town to "the country" we vowed that we'd someday be neighbors again. Since graduating high-school, we've each lived in several different cities across the US. Although we had always imagined being college roommates, it wasn't in the cards when we chose two different universities nearly 10-hours from each other. I thought she may move to NYC after she graduated and come live with me in the Big Apple, but again our lives took different turns when she was offered a job in San Antonio. When Rachel called me up two summers ago and said she was taking a job in Austin, I couldn't have been happier. I had been living here for about three years and couldn't wait for my BFF to be back in my life on the regular. After a year and a half of commuting back and forth to each other's houses for girls nights (she lived north when I lived downtown, and then I lived north while she lived downtown), we are finally going to be neighbors again! Starting next month, she and Matt will be renting a house just a few blocks from Jason and I. Since we're all grown up and living with our men, we may never have the chance to be roommates, but I'm glad our vow to be neighbors has finally come to fruition! 

This weekend, thanks to my fabulous boyfriend Jason, I'll be going to Houston and fullfilling a lifelong wish by seeing Madonna in concert. I have fond memories of Rachel and I as 9-year-olds, making up gymnastic routines to Madonna's True Blue album in my backyard. As every child of the 80's knows, Madonna was an original and a huge burst of creativity and energy in the pop-culture scene. She continues to reinvent herself and is always a huge source of inspiration for me in my creative work as a designer. I can't wait to hear her live and just watch a really great show!

I'm also thinking of going to the Nutcracker Market while I'm in Houston this weekend. It's supposed to be a huge shopping fair in Reliant Stadium with hundreds of vendors. I hadn't heard about until Jason's mom mentioned it to us yesterday. Has anyone been before?

And because I can't resist, here's a quick shot of one of the new holiday hauteChocolate bars. Rachel and I worked on Saturday while the boys watched football, and we made a few Holiday and wedding marketing samples to mail out last night.