To all you Ravin’ Mavens, from me, the former DJ Cherrybomb… you are ROCKIN’!

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY, Mavens!!! I hope that everyone is being showered with love, no matter who it’s from — lover, sweetheart, children, family, friends, or secret admirer (#hubbahubba)! Cupid visited our humble headquarters in the night and left Mini Maven all kinds of little lovebug tokens of sweetness for my “Loverbuggers Baby”. Our extended family all sent lovely valentines with pink & red goodies galore, also. Last night our whole ravin’ household went out to dinner at this FAB new joint called Back in the Day Cafe, which was chockablock with wicked funtastic retro artifacts from the 50s through the 90s — it was grand & a real high time! This morning Darling Hotbuns & I attended Mini Maven’s Valentine’s Day Breakfast & Books Celebration at school (that was a splendiferous way to kick off the day, even though we already started our festivities last night ::beam::). Mini Maven has her Valentines all filled out for her classmates & comrades, as well as some sugary treats & a heartfelt Valentine froggy covered in hearts for her teacher. Darling Hotbuns & I are exchanging lovey-dovey fun stuffs tonight after Mini Maven & I do holiday crafts & make red velvet cupcakes! This is shaping up to be the very BEST Valentine’s Day EVER!

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Katherine Hepburn

Yesterday I was talking about the famous Hepburn actresses with another maven on the What’s Ravin’, Maven? Facebook fanpage. We were discussing how grand they both were, but I mentioned how I have always been a bigger Katherine Hepburn devotee than Audrey. She is the Hepburn I always identified with more of the two. Although, maybe to a fault, because other people identified me the same way at times, and sometimes to my dismay. As girly as I can be, in many regards I am not girly whatsoever. My ex, before Darling Hotbuns, used to call me a “Dude”. I couldn’t agree less. I may be just like one of the dudes in a cluster of ’em, and *my* place may not be in the kitchen, but I am an all-encompassing lady (*ahem* ladies carry a lot of torches ::giggle::). It’s true I can be a bit of a rock-hard bruiser in certain situations & scenarios. Yet, I’m a polka-dotty-dress-wearing, poetry-writing, lovesick little pup in one fashion, but in all other fashions, have strappy & scrappy tendencies for a waifish twig in slingback pumps. ::smirk:: When asking DH what makes him so attracted to me, he always says, “Because you’re a really strong woman.”

He also says, “A witty woman is a treasure. A witty beauty is a power!” All women are beauties — hear hear to Hotbuns!
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Perfect for Valentines Day, eh?! 😉

It’s that time again… Maven Mall Monday! Take some time to take a gander around The Ravin’ Maven Mall. It’s running a little low on merchandise, but the good news is that there will be about a half dozen more goodie gems listed this week! And for those few Mavens who messaged me about the charming owl parasol, well, it sold last week to a lovely lass in Texas. #newlovinghome I will keep my eyes peeled (hot beaver dam, that expression always gives me the heebie-jeebies!) for more fetching parasols & umbrellas, so not to fear! But, for now, something perfecto for Valentines Day coming your way…!

This Monday’s featured fun find is this DEAR little Voodoo doll Voo-Doo Friend “Heart Robber” keychain! Since when can a Voodoo doll be adorable? Since NOW! This cutesy keychain is sure to make you grin! This delightfully sweet little Voodoo doll is a “Heart Robber”. Are you seeking love from another? Heart Robber will steal his or her heart for you and make them fall in love with you. ::smirk:: Be sure you are ready! (Note: This is NOT a toy. It should not be given to children under 6 years old. Pins can really hurt!)
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A painting I sold at one of my art shows. The proceeds went to Yéle Haiti Relief. 🙂

Tonight we’re hosting a birthday bash at our digs for Darling Hotbuns! I’ve ordered 2 ice cream cakes from Coldstone Creamery — a devils food cake & a chocolate peanut butter cake (DH loves peanut butter flavored sweets!), 6 gourmet flatbread pizzas from Bella Monica restaurant (2 margaritas, 2 mushroom & herb, & 2 spinach & tomato), & all his gifts are wrapped (I’ve asked all the partygoers to bring playful, comical gag gifts)! Darling Hotbuns ran out to run an “errand” earlier, so while he was away from the digs, Mini Maven & I decorated the WHOLE house with purple, blue, & black 40th birthday decorations — there are even signs on the lawn so the whole ‘hood knows. ::knavish::

But when HE arrived to his party surprises, he had a SPANKIN’ NEW computer for Mini Maven in tow!

Um, he won. ::snicker::

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Mini Maven decorating our Pepto pink cartoon character Christmas tree in 2011 🙂

Even though it is Valentines Day that is right around the corner, I’m going to hark back a bit and talk some more about Christmas (as I did in the last post about the geek gifts I got Darling Hotbuns this year).

I love holidays! If I had to pick a favorite, it would be Halloween, but Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa would be the second runner(s) up. As of the moment, Mini Maven & I are not religious people, but we respect all religions, and I mention this “moment” because she’s so young that it could change for her someday. I, of course, am giving her the right to choose whatever belief system she wants to adopt, no matter WHAT it is, and even if it is nothing. I am doing this by educating her on all religions. You name a holiday in any various religion or culture and we’ve explored it in *some* way, even if just through books, but we try to practice one or more traditions each holiday’s turn. It’s a fun way to celebrate, not just a holiday or event, but a culture and its people. Even so, by heritage we come from Christian-based families. My family were Protestants and Presbyterians, and her father’s side were Irish Catholics. For me, you could just as easily say they were Montagues & Capulets, Greasers or Socs, Humans or Replicants, it really doesn’t mean anything more to me than a family history I did not continue to carry out. (DH’s family were also Catholics. Of all of us, none of us turned out to be what we were born into.) By no means does this mean I am not a believer. But by no means does it say that I am. I choose not to discuss religion or politics with more than my invulnerable powwow of constant pals who deserve to know my deeply intimate views. What I DO believe in is educated opinions & beliefs, secondary to honor, respect & acceptance of everyone’s personal ones. I don’t care a crumb what Mini Maven comes to believe, but I care profoundly that it comes from a vast, wide, diverse knowledge. So an integral part of this, especially as a young person, is knowing & understanding the history & reasoning behind all holidays that are celebrated throughout this shared world, and never finding the one she chooses to subscribe to as being superior. In that case, if she believed we were all derived from a unicorn who spontaneously was born to a pious pegasus and a celestial centaur on Uranus, it would only be ridiculed by me should she use it to ridicule someone else’s faith. I’d rather raise a flaky, fruity zealot than an intolerant misanthropist, but Plan A’s focus is on a well-rounded individual!

Now that that irrelevant backstory has concluded…

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