A Birthday For Frances

My daughter, Taylor, was just invited to a birthday sleepover for a new girl in her class named....Frances! How adorable is that?! And why didn't I think of that name?

Do you remember the children's books about the little badger named Frances who always made up funny songs?

They were my favorite books when I was little and I have proof!

Okay, now pick yourself up off the floor and stop laughing. (You guys are so rude!) Yes, I was a card carrying, bonefied, Grade A, Number One Nerd as a child. (Thank goodness I outgrew it...)

This photo is me at the library after they ran an essay contest called "Libraries Are..." The winning essay was printed on to t shirts and they were sold to raise money for the library.

I practically lived at the library so they naturally used me for a photo advertising the t shirts. (Who can we use for this stupid ad for the library shirts? Hey, there's that little blond girl who doesn't seem to have a home, grab her!)

They had me put on a library t shirt and told me to hold my favorite books. You can't actually tell in the photo, but I am holding all the Frances books!

A brief note about the authenticity of my nerdom:

I actually was not naturally as nerdy as I appear in the photo. I had to ad artificial nerd enhancements. I had forgotten about this little detail until my husband saw this photo yesterday and asked "Why are you wearing glasses in that picture? You don't wear glasses."

He,of course, was not surprised in the least when I explained that I wanted glasses so badly in the third grade (no idea why) that I faked a bad eye test to get them. Direct Husband Quote: "So you were already using your 'I Love Lucy' style plots and tactics at eight years old?" (No comment.)

This childhood among books led to my career as a children's librarian for the last six years. (Before I started my jewelry business.)

Okay, I forgave the first round of laughing at the library photo, but this is just too much. Can you people please try to restrain yourselves for the sake of my fragile self esteem?!

Ahem. As I was saying...Yes, I was a librarian. ( I'm warning you, don't even snicker or this post is over!) Granted I was messy, loud, disorganized, scatterbrained, constantly laughing, never stern, and pretty much hopeless, but I was a librarian none the less. My kids did not learn much about the Dewey Decimal System, but through invented games, ridiculous skits, super involved and complex crafts, rambunctious scavenger hunts, fun prizes, delicious snacks, ...oh yes, and reading,... I did instill in them a passion for books.

I do miss the kids and my co workers, but I'm not so sure they were sorry to see me go. At least I don't think they miss my heaped trash pile of a desk and loud laugh echoing throughout the hallways at the most inappropriate times.

(How was I supposed to know there was an anti drug rally with moving testimonial going on in the gym? What? Well, no one told me the principal had a suspended student and his family meeting with him in his office! Come on now, if you can't whisper a racy joke to a fellow staff member to lighten tension during a long boring board meeting then really, what is the point of even being here?)

Yes, jewelry design was a wise career choice for me. And speaking of jewelry design...

I just had to make a Frances necklace for Frances. I think it turned out pretty cute. Not my usual themes or colors but still very much in my style.



And also very much in my 'style' is the fact that I have no clue if Frances, the girl, even knows who Frances, the adorable children's book badger, is.

I mean, seriously, is this birthday and necklace even really about her?

Dang paparazzi! I told them no more photos of me and my svelte body in my fishnets... I look like a seventeen year old again!

(Hope the above 'model' is at least 18, don't want to be pressed with charges for exploiting a minor!)