Unexpected Gifts

So this will be short and it's do over due but I got this great Christmas gift from my brother and Jen, his girlfriend...a vespa, sort of:

I'm not talented with the stamp but I added it to the back of L'aranciata and I love it!

What's next?

I am not an ambitious person -- never have been, not in the most common understanding of what ambition means in this world: money, status, impressing others (which isn't a complete lie, everyone wants to appear like they have what they want and can get whatever they want next, or just acknowledgement as a worth while human person..(how sappy))(wow, an aside within an aside and then I had to comment on it....)...

Anyways, the point being that is how I think of myself, a floater through life who follows along what is expected but doesn't exert themselves unless it is something I really want: doing well in Art History, getting into the Italy semesters abroad program, going back to school, becoming a librarian. It's a very short list.

So, its a little weird at times because I am at what is a strange-ish age for singlehood and I am happy with my job and cat (Destructo Demon Queen of Hellfire: three mugs, two picture frames, my skycow) and I am in the period were I am happily nesting (Thank you trip to Italy with relatives two years ago, suppliment with yearly Maine trips as well as flying home from Christmas has left me with little desire to travel much more...almost sad.).

I should probably get back on point, soon..month maybe two or three I will be wondering: what's next? (Damn you West Wing and your catch phrase.) 

The great thing with the mail art is I can convince myself the next thing is the gift I have planned for my brother...procrastination is a talent.

Un'aranciata..

Picture it, Sicily...well, Bologna, late August in 1999. It was my second day (or so, ah...memories) in Italy and I had finally done the mental math to realize that Bologna was sharing some latitude with Southeastern PA which meant heat, heat, heat and humidity. The ice fey that is my soul was melting in despair. And Then, then then...I had my first aranciata and I was in love.

I know it's basically orange soda but its so much better than the neon glowing orange stuff we swill in the states (to be honest, I like American orange soda as well...the heart is fickle). So upon my return several months later, depression and a longing for cafe macchiato, latte macchiato and aranciata set in....

Fast forward and San Pellegrino Aranciata is available in most grocery stores and generate great collage material:

L'aranciata

 Six pack cans come with these foil coverings on the top which I naturally ripped off in one piece and used to build this! If any previous post spoke of an ongoing project, this is it....There was a lot of time spent getting it to be flat again. Oh gel medium, how I love thee.

Anyways, back to that craving: I was lucky and a friend of mine found it at the Dean & De Luca's  in her hometown. Naturally when I finished this, I sent it to her.

Here's to you, Sailor Rosner....