jessbrowsing

So long...

2010-02-14T11:14:00.001-08:00

Farewell (for now...) my little blog.

I have not posted here since the summer and I think I will continue that break.

We have just revamped out new blog Seth&Jess which you should check out and you can also find us in all our cooking/baking adventures over at Learning to Make Vinaigrette.

Thanks for all the fun times little blog and perhaps, when this crazy semester ends, we will meet again.

Hello out there????

2009-07-25T14:03:00.000-07:00

Here we are, almost a month later and I realize that I haven't done much "browsing." I was feeling a little sorry for myself, living in a state that gets so much sunshine yet spending all my waking hours inside a classroom or library.Then I realized that this is fun and this is what now is about. I chose this intensive program so I could get out sooner and explore the world more.

But I still feel bad for neglecting the blog, SO....

I'm taking an official leave of absence from the blog until at least September. I need to work hard these next two weeks so that I can relax for the following two weeks because then it's right back into the swing of things! So you can find me here commenting and hopefully posting a yummy comment or post every once in awhile.

Thanks so much and happy rest of summer!

Summer is here in the form of a new dress!

2009-06-27T10:39:00.000-07:00

yesterday I went and picked out a

dress pattern that I saw on this blog. It seems pretty versatile; sleeves, no sleeve, silky fabrics, 100% cotton, pattern, solid...

Anywho I was a little discouraged last night because I couldn't fin

d my pins to cut out the pattern (my LEAST favorite part of sewing, with washing and drying the fabric being a close 2nd. Can you tell I'm impatient?). So i waited until this morning to tackle it so that I would have time to look for and think about where the pins could be.

Sleep did me no good and i ended up using 4 pins total and cutting one piece then taking out the pins. And on top of all of this, my sewing scissors decided to no longer cut ANYTHING let alone fabric so i searched for the sharpest scissors in the house and it took my over an hour to cut the whole thing out. I'm not sure what motivated me to keep

going but i did. And I'd set out from the beginning with a mission to follow the pattern EXACTLY (another thing I'm not great at) so that goal was still looming in the air, but I am happy to say that in about 2.5 hours I have a perfectly wonderful dress that is EASILY worth all the trouble it caused me! I did add a few little details of my own. The neckline both in front and back seemed a little big for me so i added some small pleats like the ones in this dress and that worked nicely. **side note, i LOVE this picture. It's one of my favs :)

I am happy to say that I had little trouble with the zipper and following the seam allowance actually DOES make a difference :) Everything worked out great except for the part where I can't get a good picture of it to share... so I will wait until Seth gets off work and have him help me out. I want the picture to do this dress justice!

And double bonus is that I had such faith that it would work out that I bought fabric for a second dress which i am looking forward to tackling once i get better scissors and maybe find the pins. and the fabrics was between $2-$3! And whilst looking for the pins I did find a few extra zippers in my stash that will work with the other fabric so over all... I think the positives win out, but seriously folks, it was a nail bitter ;)

I'm hoping to make a bag sometime in this weekend (if I get homework done) or maybe next weekend before we venture to Wyoming for the Holiday. Here is my inspiration picture:

Happy weekend and happy summer!!!

PS I even Hemmed the dress already!

2009-06-20T12:17:00.000-07:00

mmm... scones!

We posted on our blog today!

Pictures and everything!

Click here to go straight there. Have a great weekend!

2009-06-19T12:00:00.000-07:00

two words:

Sewing Machine!!!!

Did some homework, did some cleaning and now that Seth is off at the library I get to play!!!!

~~Hopefully I'll have more to share by this evening... for now i'm just~~ working on finishing some unfinished projects. SO FUN!

You may think that this looks familir.... maybe you remember it when it looked like this:

I really did love this dress, but i tried multiple times to hem it and ended up taking it out each time to retry. And I just couldn't see myself wearing it as a dress; as much as i LOVE dresses it was just a little too exciting, so.... Since I chopped my hair, i chopped the dress! I really like it and the hem is a little funky, but I think i'm going to try making another top like this with a more solid fabric that doesn't need quite as much lining.

This is also a sneak peek of out place. That corner is the music corner: bookcase with all music books and CD's, the guitar, djembe and keyboard (which is not set-up yet) go here. We got some good work in yesterday and this morning on organizing and rearranging some furniture. We have both been so busy that this place kind of looked like we just stored stuff. But I'm almost done with my first set of classes so hopefully that will help!

So exciting! I want to go play out in the sun now! But i must get back to my work.

for now.... :)

2009-06-10T20:21:00.000-07:00

Long time no blog! It's been a busy month and a half and I think you all will forgive me. I've wanted to post some pics from Colorado, but my camera is broken and we're still waiting for the box to ship it off to camera hospital so.....

You'll have to settle for a simplistic scrapbook page I created today! Sorry, the scan is kind of washed out and grainy, so you'll have to use your imagination a little. I was inspired by some scrapbooking goodies I got for a bridal shower gift and some stuff on Ali Edwards' blog so I just decided to dive right in! I put the words on this photo in Corel Painter, adapted the flower (which is a download from Ali) in Photoshop and then put it all together using Ali's idea of a simple blank white background seen here.

It is so simple but it is really satisfying (it took up a surPRISING amount of my afternoon....) so I am very pleased and excited to explore this method more. Now the trick will be to find an 8.5x11" albumb that i like before I create too many pages in this layout!

It's been a full day:

1 month wedding anniversay
tornado warning (take shelter!)
3 essay exam
make yogurt
make ice cream
explore the nearby city of Fort Collins as a little anniversary date
Scrapbook and play on the computer

I think it's time for a little dessert and then bed!
Hopefully I'll have more blog posts this month than last, but i can't promise much since they keep me so busy in my Grad studies!

Farewell!

2009-05-02T07:35:00.000-07:00

Last full day in Spokane...
I think it's sort of fitting that My last day here will be Bloomsday.
I remember drivinig over when I was little so my dad could run Bloomsday...
I remember my family driving over my freshman year at Whitworth so both my parents could run bloomsday...
They left the station wagon with me for the last week of school and I packed it up and made the drive to Seattle for the first time by myself.
I loved that drive. It was sad to part with friends, exciting to be going home, refreshing to be truly alone because when you're in the dorms, you're never really alone. I'm not even sure i listened to music during the first half of the drive, i just soaked in the quiet...

As I continue to pack the car today for tomorrows last drive to Seattle I think about all that has happen in the last 6 years (almost to the date!). It will still be sad to part with friends, it is more exciting than EVER to be seeing family, but this time I'm not coming back at the end of Summer. Spokane and I have had a good run and I'm ready for the new adventure ahead, especially since I'll be married to the coolest person ever in 8 days!

So here's to camo man, to Division street, to the piano theme house, to Bowl and Pitcher, to the teeter totter on five mile, to riding my bike to work, to snowboarding for the first time, to hoping everything fits in my car, to hoping that the sun will shine and show off the beauty of Spokane, that we rock their socks off tomorrow at church and that the drive to Seattle is a refreshing as that first one.

2009-04-25T18:44:00.001-07:00

2 weeks from today, the rehearsal will be over and we'll be leaving the rehearsal dinner...
On the one hand i can't believe there are only 2 weeks left?!? And on the other, I can hardly wait!!!!

Seth and I keep telling the other "you only have ___ more days as a single guy/gal!" so I'm sitting here thinking "what should I do with my last three Saturday nights as a "single gal?" We know what I'll be doing that last Saturday. And I'm sure next Saturday I'll be packing the car and cleaning as it is the eve of my last day in Spokane, but what will I do tonight?

Read and book and go to bed early? Sounds good to me because somehow I know that the Saturdays in my future (at least the near future) will be spent with my night owl friend and since I won't have to get up for work the next day, that will be fine with me!

Here's to a wild night of Water for Elephants and catching up on some zzz's ;)

2009-04-07T17:58:00.000-07:00

Here is an overwhelming picture if I ever saw one! My stuff has moved on without me, but to be honest, if that's what the place looks like then I'm fine with not being there... for now. But we're down to 32 days people!!! Only 26 more in Spokane; Easter is this Sunday which means my last big service at WCPC and only 3 more Sundays after that. The sun was shining today (I even wore shorts!) and my hand is feeling better. No big story there, just a little battle with tendinitis (which I just found out I've been misspelling this whole time, geez...). I think it's time for a little dinner and then a walk around the neighborhood and a little reading. I think Spring is starting to peek out just a little bit. So many things ready to bloom, and I'm ready to see it happen!

2009-04-01T12:39:00.000-07:00

Happy April!
The day has started out kind of rough (this is NOT an April fools joke I'm afraid)

but I must admit that I feel better with this lovely new arrangement of my digits. I'm trying to channel my inner Vulcan.

And I am also encouraged by a little info off the website of my new school:

Top 10 Benefits of e-Bill:

It saves 49 40-foot-tall, 6-inch-diameter trees each year.

I love that I'm going somewhere that lists an environmental benefit first! Hooray!

Tomorrow brings an afternoon of crafting with a dear friend and Friday brings some out of town guests so if I can just make it through the rest of the day I'll be set! Plus, only 39 days until the wedding :)

2009-03-28T13:42:00.000-07:00

I really want to blog but I just can't think of anything. I don't have pictures, I don't have links, I don't even feel like i have a good story to share! I'm zapped of all energy and excitement I'm sad to say. Maybe it's because I haven't had my coffee or tea today. Maybe it's because every time I check something off my list I have to add two more things.

I can't believe that we got engaged only 3 months ago. It somehow feels like forever. And in only 40 days we will see each other again and 3 days later... It feels so far away and yet there is this sense of urgency that there isn't enough time to get everything done before then. How can that be?

So this afternoon it's just me, a book, and a cup of something warm. The clouds have rolled back in (thanks for visiting sunshine!) and tomorrow is a full day, so I hope that for at least a little while, I can sink into a good story, forget the checklist and breathe deeply, both in and out. And then, maybe i'll get motivated to check off a few more things. maybe...

2009-03-16T16:40:00.000-07:00

Today my goal was:

Find My Happy Place

Some days that's an easy goal, but lately i've been struggling. I have so many things going on or happening around me and I feel like each one is falling apart just a bit, or is eating up all my time and energy so the other rest suffers from neglect.

Today I took on the challenge, vowing that even a meeting couldn't keep me from my happy place and you know what? Mission Accomplished.

I took my time this morning, putting a little more energy into getting ready (new skirt, necklace, curled hair).

After dropping Jesse at school I went to a coffee shop, splurged on a grande latte (thanks bag of spare change and gift card!) surfed the web for free and worked on thank you cards.

Then a little old man came and sat by my table. As I packed to leave he started talking to me. He told me about his kids, we talked about computers and Spokane and then... when I least expected it, I found my happy place. This is how it happened:

One minute we're talking about technology and then he suddenly says "Do you know what the secret to having a successful life is?"

"You gotta marry the right person."

BAM!

There I was stressing out about everything and missing the main point of it all. I have FOUND the right person and we ARE getting married. I stopped packing and looked at him and said "That's great! Because I'm marrying the right person in May!"

He told me that you also can't be afraid of the world. You have to be willing to go places and try new things. You can't stay in the same place forever. So I said "I'm moving to a new state in a few months!"

And then he said "You also have to keep on learning. I was a student for 24 years. You've gotta stay sharp!" So I told him that I'm going to grad school this summer.

At that point I was packed up and he left me with #8 on his long list of things that lead to a happy life. "Persevere, persevere, persevere. It doesn't happen overnight, in a week or even a year. Everything takes time and you've gotta just accept that and go with it."

I had the biggest smile when I left and I knew that I had reached my happy place.
Thank you little old man in Starbucks. I know you won't be reading my blog, but I pray that God places someone in your life the way he placed you in mine this morning :)

2009-03-04T17:47:00.000-08:00

150 Posts!
I wish it were a more exciting one, but things have been really busy.
I did get to make cards today with my dear friend and got my haircut and am going to dinner at P.F. Chang's but I think the most memorable part of my day is what my piano student said to me.

Right after finishing her song she stopped and with all seriousness looked at me and said:

Jess, you're going to leave me after you get married.
I don't think I care for that.

I told her that we could write letters to each other. And I hope we do.

2009-02-21T14:09:00.000-08:00

Well, no fun art posts yet, but a video to end a VERY busy week. I think I could actually sleep for days straight just to recover from all the work that this week has brought. But for now I will look up appetizers recipes for our Oscar Party tomorrow night. I'm leaning towards this one and this one... but we will see how much creative energy I actually have! Happy weekend :)

**please don't get motion sick... I'm not a professional camera person. I had some fun editing so hopefully that eliminated most of the bad footage. I'll try to use my tripod on the next one!

2009-02-15T05:21:00.000-08:00

Last weekend we moved all the big furniture to the storage unit, which was probably evident in the last video. Yesterday some friends in the apartment complex took all the rest of the furniture off my hands (minus a few wooden chairs and a small side table that i'm keeping) so it's really coming together! Or apart... how does that work? I'm hoping to get some pictures of the moving truck that we conquered last weekend and hopefully i'll remember to take some more today and in the next week as I finish unloading my apartment.

Last night was also my first night in my new home for the months leading up to the wedding. I am blessed to have a wonderful friend and work-out buddy as my new "landlord". Her family is so sweet and wonderful and I look forward to some fun times in the next few months :) So today I will try to bring over the non-storage unit items to my new room so as to make the final emptying of the AEJ (Apartment of Everlasting Joy) a little bit easier.

To all who have helped me thus far, be it take things off my hands, moving boxes and furniture or very much needed encouraging words, THANK YOU!!!

Happy 2/15/2009 (also known as( 2x1)+5+2-0=0+9)!!!

PS most of the crafting/sewing stuff will be with me, so hopefully that means some fun art-like posts! Here's to hoping :)

2009-02-13T14:27:00.000-08:00

Video! I didn't spend much time on it (hardly had time to post anyway), but it's the happenings around here :)

The SUN is out today so it's a good day for taking boxes over to storage and tomorrow I'll finish moving most of the furniture (i hope!).

So, in case I don't get to the computer tomorrow, happy valentine's day! My valentine and I will be watching this movie tomorrow night. Thank goodness for netflix!

2009-02-05T21:11:00.000-08:00

Needing some extra relaxing in my life, so the timing of a certain package was perfect this afternoon! I starting working on this little project today and above are mini versions of some of the embellishments I'm creating on my computer to print off and include in this book. Not sure if I'm going to use photos that i already have, or leave spots to put photos later on. I am also trying to figure out how to use my new toy. I can't quite get the hang of centering it which was only a problem when trying to cut out the pictures above. For circles randomly cut from a piece of paper it is perfect! Hopefully I can take some pictures of my project tomorrow to post. But now is time for popcorn and a little chatting with the boy :)

Happy Almost weekend!

2009-02-02T12:05:00.000-08:00

It's only noon but it's been a full day...
I was a little bummed about the ground hog seeing his shadow, but I wasn't about to let the little guy get me down!

So far I've:

made chili
made cinnamon raisin bread
washed dishes
loaded up the desk and more to go to goodwill
reserved a storage unit (which earned a friend $20!)
signed up to have my mail forwarded once I move
filled out my "move-out notice"
found something that someone lost.... ~~(I'm being secretive on purpose)~~ ** Seth lost this vest one week after getting it. The short story goes, enter mall with vest + leave mall without vest = a SAD Seth. However, after pestering the fine folks at JCPenny for over a month, I finally got it back! I 'll have to keep looking for the items you listed Jeni :)
watched an episode of Numb3rs
acquired a coupon for a moving truck to get my things down to CO

Phew! Gotta keep moving, though, there are still things to be done!
It's a little strange to think that I won't live here soon (especially after next week when my big furniture is gone!) but I'm getting excited for what's ahead.

Happy Groundhog's day, and remember:

"Don't drive angry"

100 days!

2009-01-30T00:52:00.001-08:00

I just looked at my countdown to see that I only have 100 days until the wedding! I've been having blog issues, so i'll have to post more later, just wanted to share my excitement :)

Blogged with the Flock Browser

2009-01-23T13:00:00.000-08:00

I have always loved sending mail and making cards. I figure, if people are half as excited as I am when I receive a letter than it's all worth the effort. This morning I probably spent 30 minutes practicing different "fonts" to use and figuring out which pen looked the best and felt right in my hand. And I think I held my breath on the first one until I was all the way done. But it is fun to see the little pile there, waiting to be stamped and sent out into the world.

It will be a very small wedding; just family. And although there are MANY more people that we would've liked to send these cards to, there were limiting factors: time frame, location... But I know that this is the best option and it will be a wonderful, intimate gathering. It has only been four weeks that we've been engaged, but we've already checked so many things off the list. Most of the time it has been overwhelming for me and I think "Maybe you should just tell me when and where to be..." But now that I am sitting here, with my cup of tea, pen in hand, addressing each of these envelopes, I know that it is worth all the effort.

As I write each persons name and address I remember moments, gatherings, snapshots of our interactions. And for those I have not met in person, I think about the stories I've heard or I wonder what it will be like when we do meet...

A long time ago my mom said to my sister and I, "Friends will come and go, but you'll be sisters forever." We have been blessed to have become dear friends as well as sisters and our journey has been smooth and enjoyable (and at times awkward!). But that's not always the case. Relationships are challenging and I think family is the often the best example. But no matter what we go through, we will always be family and to be surrounded by these people on May 10th will be a good reminder of the love and the grace we give and receive throughout our lives.

2009-01-12T15:38:00.000-08:00

I started my morning playing on the computer with digital scrapbooking to see if I am interested enough to sign up for this class.

Then i decided I should be a little more productive, so I've spent most of the day:

cleaning
packing
sorting
tossing

it's been exhausting and I keep going back and forth between "It's WAY too early to be doing this" and "I have less than 4 months to pack ALL of this... oh dear..."

But, I took a little tea break and found out that there is a P.F. Chang's only 15 minutes outside of Greeley, so my spirits have been lifted :) That's enough motivation for me to get back to it!

I also have had this song stuck in my head. I sang it yesterday during the offering and can't quite shake it. Here's a link to the author's story about the song.

2009-01-09T16:36:00.000-08:00

This is my list for today, plus I had some time this evening to play around with my camera and computer. I love these kinds of days because I can see all that I've accomplished and I go to bed feeling so productive. Now I can start my weekend with a clean house and freshly stocked kitchen. And speaking of food, I think it's time for some dinner, hmm... I only have 4 months left of being a single gal, what will I make!?!

2009-01-06T16:52:00.000-08:00

Wisdom from my Good Earth - Vanilla Blend white tea:

Who looks outside,
dreams;
Who look inside,
awakes.

Carol Gustav Jung (1875-1961)

2009-01-05T15:20:00.001-08:00

My Word for 2009

It has taken me 5 days to decide on a word. It's odd knowing that so many changes are to come in the next year. There are so many words that I think would compliment the things to come in 2009 and so it was a difficult decision. I kept thinking of words like:

simplicity
reduce

words that go with the idea that i will be packing up my things and moving 1000 miles away. I immediately start thinking of how much I've acquired over 7 years in Spokane, 3 years in this apartment and I start making a list of what I can get rid of, donate, gift to friends... I like the idea of cutting down on what I have and what I consume and I miss that element of college. Every spring semester, packing things up, taking inventory and again in the fall to prepare for the new living situation ahead.

Then I thought about all the new things to come this year
and the following words came to mind:

open
new
beginning
adventure

They all feel right in their own way, but no one word really struck me as the right word.
So I began to recap the last year. And i feel like the last week fell between 2008 and 2009. It has been a blur, so busy, so full and almost removed from the real world, removed from real time.

As I considered all of these things, I know that the word I want to be on the front of my mind for 2009 is:

Three of the most important people in my life moved away in 2008, my "Spokane family," and although it was hard, I realized how blessed I have been and how special this time on my own is for me. I find it hard to stay in touch sometimes, but it has made me appreciate our relationships even more than I did before. And I feel ready to take the next step.

I remember how nervous I was about moving away to college. I never liked being far from family to begin with, let alone 300 miles. That same feeling started to creep back into my heart the other day as I thought about moving 1000 miles farther away... But this time is different. I get to be with my best friend, and I get to start this adventure with an expanded family. There is my family, Seth's family and then us and I am excited to be apart of it all. And so my prayer for this year, is that I am intentional about staying connected with distant family, open to building relationships with new family, but mostly, that I can be patient and loving as we become a family of two.

Happy 2009!

2008-12-19T16:16:00.001-08:00

Seth's mom sent this picture to us. I like this definition a lot and the simplicity of the layout even evokes a sense of peace.

However, I find that today's definition of Peace is both:

removing yourself from the chaos of snowy Spokane and it's crazy drivers/shoppers and
remaining calm in the middle of all that chaos.

May you find peace today, wherever you are!

2008-12-18T12:08:00.000-08:00

Big Storm Part 2...

I don't even know what to say. But I took another video. It's been snowing for probably 30 straight hours and the plows are going, but it doesn't do much good because by the time they come back around the snow has filled the road again. Every school is closed and I'm not going to work because I couldn't get out of my apartment parking lot even if I wanted to. I have plenty to do at home though. Last night we went out to check the snow level with some friends. At about 11pm the average depth was 11.5 inches and now we have almost 2 feet! Yikes!

Above is a picture from last Friday and below is the video from this morning at about 9AM.
The car in the bottom right hand corner is in both pictures and the inflatable snowman is in the same spot, just a little more buried :)

I see the following in our future:

tomato soup
grilled cheese sandwiches
lots of tea
some music
a few board games
maybe some rearranging of the furniture...

We're staying warm and most importantly staying HOME today. Hope you can do the same :)

2008-12-12T16:02:00.000-08:00

I thought I'd do one more video before it got too dark. This time I used my camera because the lighting seemed better... a little shaky though. Regardless, it's REALLY come down still... I don't know about this, but we'll see. I'm going to the Whitworth Choir Concert tonight so i'm kind of curious how much snow will accumulate during the show.

2008-12-12T13:31:00.000-08:00

Here's a little video of the weather... this is right when the rain became snow... I just used the video camera in my computer so sorry if it's a little wobbly or grainy. I was balancing it on the back of the couch so it could catch the action out the window. In fact... i think you can see my hair in the corner at some point... whoops!

I'll have to take another picture tomorrow so we can see the difference.
I guess when all of the weather people are on the same page it's okay to believe them???

2008-12-12T11:16:00.001-08:00

More Pictures!
Here is my holiday bunting that I made. It's crocheted and meant to replace the lack of red wooden beads in my life... I bought a strand last Christmas but it looks a little sad by itself and so I decided to get at least one more strand and no one has them!?!?! So Then I went to JoAnn's and got this yarn to make my own decorations. I'm please with the out come and think I might try making bigger flags net go around. But now I'm conflicted because I was at Target and they DO have red beads... sigh... so tricky. I opted not to buy them as I was there to get hooks to hang these little ones. And now i'm prepping for "the BIG Winter Storm." I am a little anxiously if only to know whether it actually is as big as they claim. Usually these things fizzle out before they hit and then the "big" storms happen without warning... so we will see!

On my plate for this weekend:
Christmas Crafty-ness
Whitworth Choir Concert
4 Pageants at Church
3rd Sunday in Advent
Prep for a visitor coming next Tuesday!

And probably the first use of the snow boots and LOTS of tea.

Stay warm and have a fun weekend!

2008-12-11T17:29:00.000-08:00

I don't know why I didn't put the word "Peace" on my front door a long time ago... it's my word of the year and for the most part I've remembered... but it's nice to come home to, especially this past week!

And the wreath is an idea from this website. I happened to have been saving bottle caps for a long time now and one weekend I painted them all... I didn't know why at the time, but now I do! It was perfect for this project. I have more projects I've been doing... picture will have to wait until next week probably. In fact... I'll have a little helper who can help me!

Happy almost weekend, may you find a moment of peace amongst all the busyness :)

2008-12-10T15:59:00.000-08:00

Here's some more music. I had fun on this site making it. Really time consuming if you let it be, but totally worth the fun! Enjoy :)

2008-12-07T14:20:00.000-08:00

Tis the Season to be busy,
fa la la la la
la la la la!

This seems to be the theme song of my life right now, but to keep my mind from exploding, I've been listening to Christmas music ANY chance I get! Here's one that we recorded last year. Just before Seth went back to Colorado last week we taught this song to some friends, passed around instruments and jammed on it for awhile. I find the music so relaxing and the words so refreshing. I hope you enjoy :)

Blessings!

2008-11-17T08:33:00.000-08:00

Being inspired by blue. It feels so clean and simple and peaceful. I think it was the beautiful blue sky the other day or maybe it's the absence of blue in Taylor's old room, but I am noticing blue today and here are somethings that are inspiring me.

It's back to Spokane today but I'll get some good knitting in at the airport, some fun music on my blue ipod and a little brainstorming on this current project.

Happy Birthday Sister!

Clutch from Wrapables.com
Umbrellas from Delight.com
Shirt from Gap.com (this shirt is so great! I have it in yellow and i highly recommend it)
dresses from Anthropologie.com
Mug from Starbucks (currently on sale in stores!)

2008-11-08T14:10:00.001-08:00

Hooray for a rainy Saturday! I love seeing the rain out my window while i'm inside warm and cozy with a good project :)

I think this is the COOLEST, NICEST thing I've ever made. I "used" the pattern from this book
for the Tool Roll. the words "used" is in quotes because i don't really do directions... very well... but there are pictures and i this is really close to what she said to do. BUT what's really cool is that it kind of looks like something out of the book. I used left over stripe/strips from a quilt (whose status we won't mention now...) and some other material i had on hand:

polar fleece in the between the layers for added cushion
ribbon
fabric from the sale bin at JoAnn's (from AGES ago...)

And on top of having the project work, using up some materials and creating a house for my knitting supplies... it looks really nice! I don't want to brag but it's probably the nicest thing that i've ever made. It's not that things i make aren't nice, but there is usually a spot that is scream "i just couldn't wait to be finished so i let this slide instead of taking the time to do it over/better/right..."

And side note: Matt and Jeni, if you're reading this you might notice your old ironing board as the back drop for the pictures?!? It's the best, i use it ALL the time :)

And I'll throw in another picture from the Colorado trip. Thanks for a fun trip Sethly! Can't wait until you come here! Happy weekend everyone :)

2008-11-04T07:41:00.000-08:00

I tried to update yesterday... but no luck, so here are some photos for you:
My "personal" item for the flight (since I had to carry on my suitcase too...)

Passport
knitting with Nature's Choice Organic Cotton in Walnut by Lion Brand on bamboo knitting needles.
online check-in, printed boarding pass
1 Martha Stewart Magazine November issue
1 Real Simple Magazine
1 notepad, 1 pencil, 1 pen
1 book: The Sunday Philosophy Club
ipod with headphones
1 travel mug for any potential trips to Starbucks or Borders (just because i'm traveling doesn't mean i can't still be somewhat eco-friendly!)
1 macbook

Stopped at Safeway for food and gasoline on the way back from the airport.
Monday Seth only had jazz band so I knitted in a little nook of the Music Library while he practiced and then sat in on rehearsal. The rest of the day consisted of a tour of Greeley (the immediate areas that Seth ventures to) which included:

The Library
Target
Voting Drop-Box
Borders
Bus Stops
Starbucks for coffee and crosswords

Hmm... if this keeps up, I might not catch my plane back! Having too much fun :)
Class just ended so we're off again...
Happy Election Day!

2008-10-22T13:51:00.000-07:00

Listening lots to my new CD 'girls and boys' by Ingrid Michaelson. Here's one of the better known songs off the album. Also cleaning... sorting, organizing, getting rid of stuff. A lot more work than it seems like it ought to be, but it's nice to have some EMPTY boxes when the end of the day rolls around ;)

2008-10-18T17:08:00.000-07:00

Here I am gearing up for a random trip to see The Fam. A ten hour drive for 18 fantastic hours... so much driving and lifting, but TOTALLY worth it. Happy new place sister! Here's some art for you to put on those bare walls ;)

2008-10-12T20:21:00.000-07:00

All I can say is:

in 3 weeks, I'll be here... eek!

2008-10-09T16:25:00.000-07:00

Working on the text part of my project... I think that once i have the text done that i will have a better idea of what to do with the pictures. And some days only have a few pictures so the text will make up the bulk of that days stuff! Here are some examples of what i've been playing with. I am using Ali's free handwriting font that you can download from her.

2008-10-08T20:48:00.003-07:00

Chance of snow flurries?!?!?
So much for hanging onto fall...
at least i have a new scarf to keep me warm :)

2008-10-08T13:50:00.001-07:00

Time to make a scrapbook! But where to begin.... sigh... this is the part that's so hard for me.

I did acquire the physical book and some good embellishments after a fun trip to this store so now i think i'd best come up with a good format so that i can start the assembly line!

I'm trying really hard to focus on fall right now because there is so much Christmas talk in the air. In my business we're already behind as far as planning but I NEED my fall season so I think a pumpkin muffin and a cup of tea will have to accompany me on my errands today.

Here's to a beautiful fall day!

2008-10-01T10:32:00.001-07:00

I just got an email from Joann Fabrics that October 4th is World Card Making Day. I always wonder about these things because it seems that every month is 4 different "(fill in the blank) awareness month." However, I won't throw away an opportunity to make cards! So I am looking forward to doing some card making this weekend! I also have a super special visitor that I know I will be sharing with other Spokane people, but still looking forward to it :)

And since Saturday is World Card Making Day here are some cards that i made last week at a crafting/creative party we had Monday. Last year i had a hard time staying on task as far as making the cards AND writing in them AND sending them. So this year i thought i'd make my cards way ahead of time and then they'd be ready to go when it's time to start writing!

Having fun working on this project. I had to do some catching up today, but that's not abnormal for my life so it fits right in with the theme! Happy October everyone! As someone asked me this morning, "Do you feel autumnal yet?"

2008-09-29T19:26:00.001-07:00

Recent reads... I'm adding to my "completed" pile of books, and I love it :)

I just picked up 44 Scotland Street also by Alexander McCall Smith and I look forward to reading more from his Sunday Philosophy Club series too (I read The Careful Use of Compliments at the beginning of summer which is from this series).

We're having a bizzare patch of summer weather
here for the next few days, but once the fall
temperature sets back in you'll find me curled up
under my new quilt, sipping my Pumpkin Spice Tea
and reading... well, anything really!

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2008-09-27T08:16:00.001-07:00

Sewing sewing sewing....

I got on a kick last weekend when I finished my quilt. I read an article that was talking about how adults with year-round jobs miss out on the fall fun. The back-to-school, preparation for a new "year" and all that FUN stuff. She said it was important that we create people who miss out on this create their own traditions or breaks so that they can feel excited and ready to conquer fall just like everyone else. Working so close to a University and interacting with kids/youth i'm plenty aware of when the school year began. Plus there are a few changes in my job once school is back in session. But I miss the preparation. For me it is more like dread. Seth going to school, non sister and the University and longer work day on Sunday.

So I decided i needed some fall-winter clothes... on a budget! "back-to-school" shopping if you will. Except that i really don't care for most of what's out there and so began my renewed fascination with sewing my own clothes. Fabric seems much more expensive than it used to be but with all the sales going one i figured i could create something less expensive than any store might have. Plus the will fit better (in theory) and will be totally my own... which is sometimes good and sometimes not so good.... Always and adventure!

Anyone who has cooked with me knows that I struggle with following the directions. Not because i'm rebellious but i hate feeling limited and want to add my own creative flare to the meal. Fortunately it usually works great for cooking! But not usually so great with sewing... In music theory we learned that you must understand the rules, be one with the rules and abide by the rules. Once you've done that, you can break them. But i never did become one with zippers, or seam allowance... i'm too anxious to put on my new garment! So i started off easy. A simple dress, 1 hour, no zippers, no buttons, just a hard to work with stretchy material. But I took my time, enjoyed the process and finished it! And I only didn't follow two rules. Dress number two... a little harder. I tried to avoid the zipper as long as i could but it took so long to wiggle into that i finally caved. Add my own flare and now it just needs some hemming (oh the hemming...).
So with one fall quilt and two fall dresses, i'm ready to go! Next time I'll tell you about my Christmas cards. That right, i already made them. This free-time business is way out of hand!

2008-09-25T14:04:00.000-07:00

Reading
Sewing
New cell phone
Doctor Who
Cleaning
Sending Mail
Avoiding cleaning
Coffee... lots of coffee
And a spot of tea now and again

These are some of the things i've been up to. Oh i should have put "trying to find my camera cable so that i can post pictures of my new sewing projects" but i'm still in denial about having misplaced it. Maybe next post. Just wanted to note that somehow, i'm still alive and that i've truly mastered the art of wasting precious time. In fact, i'm going to talk to Whitworth about letting me teach a course next semester. I've gotten THAT good ;)

2008-08-30T16:03:00.000-07:00

You know how sometimes there are things that people get really excited about and you don't understand why? It's something really trivial, or maybe boring... That thing for me is the water cycle. Strange, I know, in fact I'm the first to admit that there is possible something wrong with how excited I get, but i think it just brings back fond memories of 4th grade. Learning about Puget Sound (we all know the rest of that sentence and if you don't I'll fill you in later!), learning about recycling plants and how they work, and learning to appreciate the earth. I love that i grew up in an area where we learned this stuff and it's been hard living somewhere that doesn't fully embrace the importances of the 3 R's (reduce, reuse and recycle). Seth showed me a cool site and as I browsed I found a link to info on the water cycle and immediately all of these images and activities and talks from elementary school came back to me. Getting to tour the marshlands and going to the aquarium... Then i realized that the earth RECYCLES!!! It's so in our nature (literally) for us to recycle. That's the way the water cycle works. It may not be as profound to you as it was to me but it's easy to become apathetic in a place where people thing recycling means you're a vegetarian... hmm... it's nice to get a little energy boost in things like this and today I owe it all to that amazing process that is the Water Cycle.

2008-08-26T19:02:00.000-07:00

Last week was the week of mail! Both sending and receiving and here is one of the packages i received. I found these pendants on etsy.com and I'm SO excited about them :) They are scrabble tiles that have been painted and glazed on the blank side. That is probably an over simplification of the process but know that they are beautiful and professional and very quality.

First I found the bird, and we all know how i like little birds :)

Then I found the one that says "breathe just breathe" which is what my mom often reminds me to do and with the purchase of two, you get one free so I found the black one with little white flowers. (the pictures didn't turn out great, but trust me, they are very fun!)

I've really enjoyed wearing them because they are nice enough to wear to work or church on Sunday but not so formal that you can't just wear them with jeans and a tee. Thank you to Mark and Stefani for their beautiful work. You can find their items at here. The last day for buy 2 get 1 free is September 1st!

2008-08-22T12:50:00.001-07:00

This morning I went for a hike at the Bowl and Pitcher. Today is the first sunny day in the last week and the colors were so vibrant! Here are some colors that specially stood out to me. I was thinking last night about my word for the year "peace" and I feel like i've been neglectful. Not that life hasn't been peaceful or at least had some peaceful moments, but i have not been seeking opportunities to fully bask in the peace of God's grace and beauty. The hike was a wonderful way to start the day. I went early enough that it wasn't hot and I only saw 2 other people in the 2 hours i was out there. I had time to sit, pray and read with the sun shining down, birds chirping and the rush of the river in the background. I hope you can find some peace this weekend :)

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2008-08-15T16:06:00.000-07:00

My bicycle endeavors are all leading up to this. Someday... well... maybe not, but a girl can dream, right?

Edit: Just so that you don't worry, i'll be wearing a helmet when i do this. And i won't be starting anytime soon because it's going to be 90 by noon... too hot!

2008-08-13T17:27:00.000-07:00

I love the mornings. Especially in the summer because the sun is up earlier. I really love that about camping too. You wake up when the sun is out no matter how early. And there is something about getting up early... I feel less stressed because there is so much time left in the day. I've been getting up early every day since returning home and riding my bike to work. Sometimes I get to work at 7:15 am but that means i get home earlier and have even more time to play. I also like that when you get up early, you can take your time getting ready in the morning. Whether that means a big breakfast of eggs and bacon, my hair can air dry before I leave the house, or i get extra time to read, sip tea and watch the weather, I am always more relaxed throughout the day. One thing that has helped me to stay the course on taking my time is the book The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency. I just wrote about it over on a book blog with my friends. The pace of the story and the language of the book emits this sense of breathing, stress-free living. Even though there are mysteries to solve and people to help, there isn't that chaotic sense of urgency. Part of it is the language and part of it is the way the author writes. So i've been trying my hard to take my time and really soak in the moment. In fact, this morning I got up and met with some friends at 7am to catch the bus downtown to the farmer's market. We got there, wandered around the few but wonderful stalls, purchased our fresh local goods and were back by 10 and it was a fantastic start to the day. Now I'm off for a walk with some co-workers and home for a fresh, farm grown meal of grilled vegetables and quinoa. Happy Wednesday :)

2008-08-06T11:18:00.000-07:00

Sewing Sewing Sewing!
It's hard to quilt when it's 95 degrees but it's fun!
Here are some pictures of what i've done so far. It just needs a few more flowers and then maybe some "meandering" (as they call it) on the border? I can't decide yet, but that seems like it would work nicely. Hope you're finding a way to stay cool! Looks like no one is safe from the scorching hot weather!

2008-07-27T19:19:00.000-07:00

My new favorite past-time is reading.
Strange, since I went through many years of disliking reading, evening hating it at times. But I've turned a new leaf and here I am! I even starting a book club :)

Here's my list so far this summer. I'm hoping to add many more and maybe add a bit of variety in there too. Hope you all have a nice book to read and a few moments every now and then to really get into it!

Happy reading!

currently reading Animal Vegetable Miracle
A Year Without China
Ella Minnow Pea
Austenland
The Friday Night Knitting Club
Careful Use of Compliments

i know i'm forgetting some, so i'll have to add those as i remember them!

2008-07-13T19:46:00.000-07:00

Here it is...
If a picture is worth a 1000 words, how many words are these two pictures worth!?!

2008-07-13T18:16:00.000-07:00

I finally put some photos on my computer!
Hooray!

So here is the fourth of July... These fireworks photos turned out pretty cool! I have wanted to use the "firework" setting on my camera since I got it last spring. I finally had the chance to, so here are a couple of my favorites.

And here is a photo from Graduation weekend with the sister. I was playing with the color/white balance settings and got this vibrant shot! My photos to come, as soon as i figure out a good way to display them. Enjoy!

2008-07-08T07:57:00.000-07:00

yikes! i didn't realize it'd been that long since my last post!
I have 4th of july pics, but first i have to find my camera cord so that i cen get them onto my computer... hmmm.... for now, just know that i'm ultra excited to go to portland this weekend. the two jobs, living at someone else's house and helping people move stage of my life is getting exhausting. I am however, enjoying the sunshine and rediscovering my love of playing the bass!
So find somethign you love to do and do it twice today, once for me :)

Later Gator!

PS
really good book = Ella Minnow Pea
two good movies for the Jane Austen fan = Bride and Prejudice and the Jane Austen Book Club (also a good book!)

2008-06-22T23:32:00.000-07:00

Funny moment of the day:

Scene: Target
Who: me, Sister, Pseudo sister and boy

Pseudo: Is it okay if we walk down EVERY Isle
Boy: yah, that sounds good.
me: Oh! didn't we learn about people who want to walk down every isle (she said excited as though remembering something of true importance.)? Was it in the sermon?

silence... moment of pause to recall where one might learn about this type of thing...

me: no... wait... (said very hesitantly) i think it was a quiz in the Real Simple magazine.

cue extreme burst of laughter from entire group and probably anyone else within earshot!

2008-06-21T21:00:00.000-07:00

Time for an update huh?
How about a list! That's what my life has been recently. Lists. I made a list for each area of life and i carry them with me hoping and praying that i'll get to cross things off. So here's a little list of 21 things to sum up the last little while. 21 for the 21st day of June; the 1st day of Summer!

SUN!!!
Hanging with the sister, the Amy and the boy
playing with Jimmy (the dog)
Lego Star Wars
reading, lots of reading
working
working
working some more (so many different people i'm working for!)
bike riding
hiking
walking
napping
avocados and turkey!
wearing my new cons
VBS music everywhere
playing bass
recording
learning some jazz tunes
really huge bug bites!
new RAM in the computer
staying up WAY too late and getting up WAY too early

Here's a little comic of the "Happiest Day Ever" as dubbed by researchers in Europe (at least that's what they said on the news...) Hope you enjoy! I think it will get bigger if you click on it. Let me know. Happy Summer!

2008-06-09T10:27:00.000-07:00

Blogging 101

It's time for an update, but I don't really have much to update you on... so for now, i'll tell you that I just read and really interesting book called:

"A Year Without Made in China" that got me thinking in a good way.

And that i've taken up crocheting... my obsession with circles starting with fabric yoyos and i've now moved onto yarn.... pictures to come. I PROMISE! This isn't quite the same pattern as mine, but I'll tell you, the best part of the pattern that i used... the "magic adjustable ring!!!"

On that note,
have a lovely day!

2008-05-11T11:45:00.000-07:00

I think it's very fitting that this post be #100!

Happy Mother's Day mom :)
I took this picture for you and used Photoshop to add the word.

The pictures are from a hike in riverside State park yesterday afternoon with Seth. Lot's of fun trails and paths still to explore! You can see Seth is burdened down with all his gear (lenses, extra film, batteries, SLR camera) and then me with m little digital. Much less gear with that little guy! But is was fun to compare the photos. We took pictures of some of the same stuff so we could see the differences.

I pray you all have a wonderful Mother's Day.

Untitled

2008-04-28T11:56:00.001-07:00

So... I never posted the cupcake pictures ... oops!
Here you go!

And here's a picture from yesterday. Seth wanted to play with his new camera lens so we played outside for awhile.

I'm going to try and enjoy the sunshine before the thunderstorms and rain come! Happy end of April!

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2008-04-22T16:11:00.000-07:00

Happy earth day to you,
happy earth day to you,
happy earth day dear everyone......
happy earth day to you!

Can you guess the tune?
I'll post pictures of my earth day promoting cupcakes later, so in the meantime get out there and do something nice for God's creation :) I'm using my SIGG water bottle to celebrate reduce and reuse. As for recycling... I'm going to ask our managers if we can get our recylcing bins back. Here's to hoping! I also parked my car at work and have been walking everywhere else. It's a pretty day to celebrate earth day. I hope yours is great!

2008-04-19T13:59:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile, sorry!
But I have some pictures to make the wait worth your while :)

Here are pictures from two days before Easter. Oh the snow... it just won't go away! But at least now when it snows it melts pretty quickly.

And here are pictures from my quilt that I'm working on.

Got the border fabric at the Buggy Barn. A fun weekend indeed! And then yesterday I had a sewing party with Gina and got all the pieces cut and pieced together. All I need to do now is get some batting and quilt it up! I couldn't really get it to lay very flat hence the wrinkles, but hopefully that isn't a sign of incredible wonkiness. I tried hard to square everything up, but sometimes, you're only as good as your tools. And my lack of a table set me back a little. Hence the party being hosted at Gina's :) But i think it's turned out great! I'm so excited to get the rest of it put together. I'm hoping that the more I work on it the nicer the weather will get. It's such a bright and sunny quilt!

I've also been enjoying reading lately. I started this book which (or witch) is the sequel to Wicked by Gregory Maguire. But soon I realized that the musical Wicked wasn't enough like the book, so i put it down and got the book from the library. Now that i'm all caught up I spent Wednesday re-reading Son of a Witch. Really fun.

In other news, Seth is flying down to Colorado next weekend to look at University of Northern Colorado for Grad School. It all started the beginning of this last week and is going fast. While he's sorting out travel plans and such, I'm planning a date with the sister. Some good food, perhaps a movie and some wonderful jazz music featuring our favorite jazz pianist and saxaphonist (can I speak for you on that Taylor?) And then tomorrow is the Whitworth University Choir Concert which should be lovely!

Hope you all have wonderful plans this weekend that don't involve snow! I'm keeping my fingers crossed just in case :)

2008-03-27T07:42:00.000-07:00

Snowstorm... that's right... everyday since Friday it has snowed to some degree. I decided to boycott the winter by turning of my heat and applying sunscreen everyday. I'm tempting the sun to come out and play! But now it looks like the weather has decided to dedicate most of the morning to snow. I don't have the courage to see if it's sticking to the roads yet. It won't pile up too high (it's not that cold!), but it's lost it's winter-time magic. Since I'm house-sitting, I'm inside a warm home with a latte. It's actually kind of pretty from in here! I'll have to post some pictures in case you don't believe me! Hope it's warmer where you are!

2008-03-11T23:27:00.001-07:00

Here are some long due photos for you all!

The first is of a little project using repetition and a punch. I used the rose leaf Martha Stewart punch and specimen box (6"x 6") for my project.

And secondly, a project from the book Last Minute Patchwork and Quilted Gifts. It is a baby shower gift for a co-worker. It turned out much bigger than I thought it would, but it's pretty cute :) Just no good lighting to take a good picture. These will have to do. I must say that as cute as this guy is, having a pattern was a MUCH simpler process. Even if I did make a few alterations :)

Happy Spring-like weather (at least if you're in Spokane).

There might not be some picture for a while since Amy is moving and Holy Week is almost upon us. We have 13 services beginning with this coming Sunday the 16th and ending on Easter (23rd). Eek! Blessings to you during the last few days of Lent as we approach Holy Week.

2008-03-01T07:27:00.000-08:00

There's a word in there. I promise :) This is my project from last night. Not as simple as it may appear, but I got the idea from Ali Edwards' weekend creative challenge for this weekend. I'm hoping to have a chance to do last weeks challenge as well and maybe post the one from the weekend prior. Although I've mostly been working on them Monday nights when I have a little alone time, it's been really fun to think about all weekend as I see different things that inspire me. Or as I clean and find things that I haven't seen in ages that I really want to use. There have been quite a few discoveries as of late with all the rearranging and packing. Kind of fun!

But for now I'm off to work. So I hope that you have a chance to find a little inspiration this weekend. If I have a chance later I'll tell you all about our fun Friday and Saturday plans!

2008-02-02T18:54:00.000-08:00

Pictures from a fun last couple of days. Seth and I took Nathanael and GIna up to the mountain so Nathanael could learn to snowboard. What a pro! So here are some pictures of me on my new board in my new pants and mittens of incredible waterproofness! And then Saturday, after a leisurely morning followed by an entertaining game of "move the sofa" with Jen and Krystal I did a little crafting. Very fun couple of days. And now I'm going to take a chance and peek out the window. Let's hope the big snow of today was just a myth!

2008-01-28T19:34:00.000-08:00

Some pictures.
First the sewing projects, then the snowy pictures.

The strawberry pin cushions that I made and the beginnings of a wall hanging that I found when I was cleaning. I haven't been able to get to the store for the embroidery floss so i can't finish it quite yet.

and then there was snow....

The snow is better now that it is packed down a little (didn't get stuck today!)
but there is more on the way... and more after that... and more after that... and more....

There hasn't been a snowday in 12 years here and last time was because of a crazy awful ice storm. But school was out today AND a lot of places have already canceled for tomorrow. We'll see what happens... But at least it was kind of pretty this morning :)

2008-01-27T19:56:00.001-08:00

Post #90 and all I have to say is:

"OH MY GOSH"

I feel like i've been all but buried alive. In the last 36 hours we've had over a foot and a half of snow. I've gotten my car stuck at least 4 times and once bad enough to enlist the help of a dedicated friend, two shovels and a broom to dig out from around my car. If I had a video camera I definiely would have recorded. In fact, we decided that we could make a pretty penny creating the new "Snow Storm Workout." You know, one of those where you can focus on different areas of you body, like arms (shoveling, pulling the cord on the snow blower...) legs (bracing yourself as you push on the car, kicking snow out of the way, bending your knees as you shovel...). Could be good. I'll keep you updated on how the project is coming.

And what's very strange to me, is that people willingly choose to go out into the world when this happens. I was under the impression that if this sort of thing happened, that you grabbed a quilt, a cup of tea and a book and set up camp for the rest of the day. I guess I was wrong because there we a ton of people out on the roads. Of course, there I was, among them, but once I got home, I stayed put! And, I think I'll do the same tomorrow if I can help it :)

I am too overwhelmed to take pictures. I would've loved to take a picture of my buried car this morning in the untouched snow, but it was 5:30am, cold and still snowing steadily. So i took this picture this evening on the porch. Yesterday at 11am there wasn't a bit of snow on the chair or table that I am standing in front of. And the top of the snow is at my knee. Yah, thank heavens for wellies, which I've been relying on GREATLY!

So for now, this is what I will be focusing on: tea pot from Gina and tea trivet from Amy made of recycled magazince pages. And hopefully, in the next few days, I can show some pictures of my sewing creations from yesterday! Blessings :)

2008-01-16T09:28:00.001-08:00

Some pictures I finally put on my computer and am enjoying this week.
Clockwise from the upper right hand corner:
1. A birds nest in a tree outside Seth's Apartment that was filled with a little pile of snow. 2. My gratitude book and planner as i wrote things from the previous week that i am grateful and thankful for. 3. a fun package of crafts, book, bird and peace 4. close up of my new snowboard and hat. Have a wonderful Wednesday!

2008-01-05T00:42:00.000-08:00

Post on Yoga to come... but for now, enjoy this short post.

Cold, HARD... tons of Fun!!!!!

2008-01-02T18:54:00.000-08:00

My word for the year is... peace.
It doesn't feel all that original, but I kept coming back to it.

Peace

freedom of the mind from distraction, anxiety; a state of tranquility or serenity; silence or stillness.

I wanted a word that penetrates all aspects of life. Peace of mind, a spirit of peace, being at peace with my surrounds, my situations... If i had a second word for the year, it would be balance, which was last years word and is also what lead me to choose peace for 2008.

Balance was a wonderful word to keep coming back to. I made a collage and put it on the front door so that whenever I left the house the last thing I saw was "balance." And as wonderful as it was, I went back and forth on how well it applied to my life. Part of the reason I chose that word is because it tied in with my yoga practices. I love trying different balancing poses in yoga, but in order to do any balancing, be it on one leg or on your hands, you must give yourself over into the moment. If your mind wanders at all you will wobble like crazy. So to really achieve balance, you must set aside everything else; all your thoughts from the day, the sink full of dishes, the way your neighbor is doing their pose... you must simply breathe into that moment. You must be at peace to become fully rooted in the asana. Sometimes I get it and i can stand for 5 or more minutes like that, and other days i'm lucky to get 10 seconds. But most of the time I was diving right into the balance and forgetting to really focus. I figured if i had showed up to yoga that would be enough. But i was missing the intention behind the poses. And on the occasion that i really let myself be in the moment and did put everything aside, those 10 seconds of peace were wonderful.

So i've decided that will be my word. I would like to put this word up in a few places around the house and car or office so that i can really soak it in. And everyday I will try and pray that the Holy Spirit will pour out the peace of our Lord and Savior upon me, helping me to see how I can work towards peace in all aspects of my life. Happy 2008!

2007-12-30T20:22:00.000-08:00

Got in last night to find out that the adventure was not yet over! One of my bags didn't show up; it decided to stay a few hours more in Seattle I guess. So we decided to go out to dinner at P.F. Changs. Mmm... gluten free goodness! The lemon chicken was amazing! Then we played with Seth's new operating system for his Mac Mini, hence the silly photo above. The Program Photo Booth is way cooler than the demo leads you to believe! A waste of time mostly, but every good computer has a few programs that are simply good for a few laughs, right?

This morning was fun because they tried to deliver my bag only to discover that no one is home at 9:40AM on Sundays so eventually they tracked me down and i met them in the library parking lot. It kind of felt like a drug deal or something. Pretty sweet system though! It's a husband and wife that works for the airline. They load up there minivan, complete with small child in the back seat and drive people's bags to them. The even drive as far as Montana on some occasions! As glad as I was to get my bag back, i was even happier to find out that at noon, i was the last drop off for the day and they live in town so they were going to have the afternoon together as a family. Honestly I wasn't that upset about the bag to begin with (mostly confused at how exactly one bag makes it and the other doesn't... along with 15 other passengers' 2nd bags), plus, how can you be sad about a family getting to spend the afternoon together!

So I promptly pulled out my quilting project and Super Fruit Green Tea for a little show and tell and warming of the bones. It's mighty frigid over here! There were at least 12 inches of snow on my car, if not more and some kind lady (aka the roomie) even brushed off my car for me! All except for a mighty fine mohawk (picture to come, it was too dark to get a good shot).

So, now I'm settling in to do a little reading and probably more tea drinking.

Happy almost New Year! Hopefully in the new year i can be a little more regular with the photos and such. Time will only tell :)

2007-12-28T21:48:00.000-08:00

if you're wondering what i'm up to, the best guess would be listening to my new CD of "Wicked"
and sewing/knitting up a storm... or at least planning up a storm. Hopefully i'll have lots of photos soon to share. For now it's sleeping time. Goodnight! And Merry Christmas :)

2007-12-06T13:02:00.000-08:00

hooray! new pictures!
i've been working hard at a variety of things, one of which was getting some craft projects finished. and here is the proof that i've accomplished at least a little bit along the way :)

first off is the advent calendar that was really time consuming for something so simple. it grows on me every day (thank heavens) because honestly, once i finished i was kind of disappointed. probably because it took me two weeks. but now i love it :)

next we have the christmas tree making it's 6th appearance! this year it is showcasing the little elf shoes that i tried my hand at. the pictures aren't great, but they were fun to make. again, a little trickier than i'd planned but i really enjoyed just sitting and handstitching them for hours. very relaxing!

it's supposed to snow again this weekend so i'm planning y next batch of projects that i can work on with my cup of tea next to me. some inside activities that go well with christmas music/movies and snow falling outside. i've have some ambitious christmas presents in mind that will keep me busy and hopefully turn out! but i can't show you that stuff until after i've decided if they will ever come to fruition.

So for now, have a wonderful Thursday and stay warm and dry :)

2007-11-24T08:55:00.000-08:00

I realized the other day, when it was cold enough to merit digging through the closet to find my long wool coat... that I'd lost a button! And of course, the extra button was nowhere to be found. On top of that, it was the second button from the top, the more i use most, and also very noticeable.
So yesterday i set out to find the perfect buttons. As often happens, didn't really like anything that they had. Nothing quite fit so i decided to try my hand at covering my own buttons! So i got the little kit, lots of extras and found an inexpensive fat quarter that just might do the trick. And tah-dah!!!! The coat has an entire new look and I love it!!! I just know that i'm going to have problems taking it off. I want to wear it always, with it's huge funky plaid buttons. Lucky for me it's 9:30am and 24 degrees, so wearing a coat should not pose any problems!

The process was so quick and rewarding that i ended up taking one three more projects. Most importantly, this little case for my new Apple Keyboard. I don't want it to get banged up when i travel, so i lined this fun fabric with polar-fleece. The picture didn't turn out great since there is a shortage on natural light around here, but you get the idea. All in all, it was a great 4 hours of sewing! I actually started and FINISHED 4 projects! Hooray!

Now if only I could become as accomplished in my tasks of cleaning....

2007-11-16T09:54:00.000-08:00

What a cheater I am. I rarely post, and when I do, it's not even my own picture. But at least Martha Stewart photos are always mouth watering good huh? Well today will hopefully evolving in craft central. I got some things over the last couple of days to begin making long awaited projects, new household cleaning projects and, drumroll please... Christmas presents?!?!

Yup. Weird. i know. I usual don't even say the word Christmas until December just so that i can fully enjoy fall, but last week I got bit by the winter bug. I bought flannel sheets with snowmen and snowflakes to keep me warm in our fridged apartment and now i just want Christmas music and tea. So i'm giving in this year. I'm hopefully making cards and starting some projects, but as we all know, December begins the month of chaos. So many extra services and such, we will see how of what i start ends up finished.

So for now,
i will continue to drool over

this new blog i've discovered (again, thank you Martha!) and get busy crafting so that you all can enjoy some lovely photos! Happy weekend :)

2007-11-06T18:35:00.001-08:00

Look forward to this business... mmm... mmm...mmm... Then again, if you're a traditionalist, we could go that route as well. It'll be good either way, right? I mean, why not do as Emeril says and "Kick it up a notch!" ?!?!?

Pumpkin Cheesecake

INGREDIENTS

Serves 12.

FOR THE CRUST
1 1/4 cups graham-cracker crumbs (from 10 whole crackers)
1/4 cup sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

FOR THE FILLING
4 packages (8 ounces each) bar cream cheese , very soft
1 1/4 cups sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
2 tablespoons pumpkin-pie spice
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs, room temperature

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with rack in center. Assemble a 9-inch nonstick springform pan, with the raised side of the bottom part facing up.
Make the crust: In a medium bowl, mix cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter until moistened; press firmly into bottom of pan. Bake until golden around edges, 10 to 12 minutes.
Make the filling: With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar on low speed until smooth; mix in flour (do not overmix). Add pumpkin puree, pie spice, vanilla, and salt; mix just until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, mixing until each is incorporated before adding the next.
Place springform pan on a rimmed baking sheet. Pour filling into springform, and gently smooth top. Transfer to oven; reduce oven heat to 300 degrees. Bake 45 minutes. Turn off oven; let cheesecake stay in oven 2 hours more (without opening).
Remove from oven; cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate until firm, at least 4 hours. Unmold before serving.
First published

Copyright 2007 Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

2007-10-25T12:53:00.000-07:00

Oh, Autumn. It has been SO beautiful here I thought i needed to show off some pretty pictures. I just love this season and I'm trying so hard to soak it all in before it's gone.

Here are some pictures from Greenbluff, source of pumpkins, squash, onions, apples and cabbage (all of which provided more than one delicious meal!)

It is just so busy all the time it seems. I just realized yesterday that it's the end of October. less than a week left of October! What!?! I'm am so not prepared. But alas, the days keep on coming and going. So for now I pray that we hall might have a moment everyday where we can stop, and breathe in the freshness of the season.

Happy almost weekend!

2007-10-20T17:38:00.000-07:00

The most wonderful time of the year...

I love fall, and one of the main reasons is because i get to eat kettle corn!
I tried a few weeks ago and failed miserably.
But i didn't give up though. And here is THE BEST RECIPE in the world!!!
marth Stewart to the rescue :)

Now if only I had a huge yard and a bunch of willow branches to make this display for it....

Here you go!

Makes 4 cups.

1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup popcorn kernels
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Coarse salt, to taste

Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add popcorn kernels, and cover. When kernels begin to pop, lift cover carefully, and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar. Cook, shaking pot frequently, until the popping slows; sprinkle with granulated sugar. Continue to shake pot until popping has almost stopped (be careful not to burn). Sprinkle with salt.

2007-10-19T10:46:00.000-07:00

Here's my current project. I started this quilt last year and then stopped because it wasn't autumn and it was too sad to think about the pretty colors that were covered in snow. But this past week i pulled it out, pieced a back for it and pinned it all together. I got all set to quilt it (by hand i might add). Sat down with my hoop, quilt, needle poised... and then realized that i hadn't planned this far. I have NO IDEA what to do as far as quilting it. Perhaps it's not finished? Or maybe i just have been working on it long enough that i'm out of ideas? Anyway, the picture files were big so i've posted them here so i can hopefully get some ideas! You can comment ideas of email. Just figured this way the inbox wouldn't be totally full because of three little pictures :)

Enjoy!

2007-10-01T21:40:00.001-07:00

This weekend was the birthday extravaganza!

Movies (The Bourne Ultimatum and Match Point)
Popcorn
Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Fudge frosting lightly dusted with Cocoa Powder (thank you Martha!)
GameCube
More Popcorn
Lots of yummy eats!

I've also been busy knitting, however the pictures just aren't doing the projects justice.
It's fun to play around but it takes a lot of time and a lot of yarn to make anything too extraordinary, so we'll see how committed i stay.

And, a blast from the past, the sister came over to whip up some napkins (of which i still owe here a few... sorry!) and here they are, in all they glory! Cute fabrics, eh? Must be in the genes :)

I'm definitely excited about this fall weather! I've loved knitting and sewing in my slippers and sweater with the leaves blowing outside and a cup or tea/coffee/cider near by to keep my warm. I also love seeing all the pumpkins and the squash out at the stores. With the purchase of my new rainboots, Greenbluff better look out! i'll be trompin' through the fields, leaves and puddles as much as i possibly can!

But for now i'm going to try and keep my physical surroundings as tidy as possible because of all the crazy events going on. I'm hoping with a clean environment my mind will stay somewhat clear and calm. That and a lot of prayer :) There is a wonderful Prayer and Healing service tomorrow night that i will be doing music for and on Sunday we begin our new Sunday evening service. Plus, (!!!) The women's retreat is next weekend and I'm volunteering with the 5th and 6th graders at Church. Good thing we've started to do yoga 3 days a week at work! I need as much inner and outer peace as i can get!

Happy October. May the fall bring balance to an ever busy world.

2007-09-08T11:39:00.000-07:00

i'm sorry for the absence, it's been a little busy. Playing and attending weddings, organizing for the fall "kick off" (a term i still find ridiculous and unnecessary...) so there's that...

But i found time yesterday to do some organizing and deep cleaning, something that needs to continue into today, but it's so sunny... we'll see...

For now, i have some photo updates for you all!

Here are a few from the wedding care of Photographer extraordinaire Seth and then some from another wedding we went to, happy birthday roomie cupcakes and card and a fun quilt that we saw a few weeks back at the Buggy Barn Quilt Show. Man, i really want to find some time soon to sew. But i've got to get everything intos it's place before I start pulling things out! Happy Weekend :)

2007-08-17T19:08:00.000-07:00

booming baby business!

don't read too much into that... just know that i gave the parents-to-be the little outfits i made and everyone kept telling me i could start a baby clothing boutique and make big bucks. tempting, but it sounds like a lot of work. i think instead i'll just make that my go to baby shower gift. simple enough, patterns are learned and i'll only have to buy the fabric!

i didn remember at 11pm the night
before that i hadn't put any sort of tag in them and i had really wanted to, so i made three little tags, each unique. i used thread that coordinated with the outside fabric and the roomie came up with the birdie idea. as you may know, i'm a morning person NOT a night person, so the fact that i was awake at 11pm is a miracle enough let alone my learning how to embroider and coming up with a shape that was recognizable as a bird. it was fun, but kind of hard. so i only took the one picture because this one turned out the best. it's sort of my "trademark bird" and while i had intended to do something different (aka much more difficult!) my roomie being the night person that she is lent me the clever advice of the bird.

i can't wait to start another project now! i really like embroidering, so we'll see what happens with that and i would like to coin a design/pattern for a flower of sorts. i'll keep you posted, happy weekend!!! Oh, and here is a relaxing picture from the lovely Bigfork. view from a canoe I call it... a blog entry for another day :)

2007-08-13T19:04:00.000-07:00

Last night I picked up a book that I've started and stopped a number of times. Not because I didn't like it, or because it was boring... I just didn't feel like I was ready yet...

Then I went to the UK. In Hay-on-Wye I bought a beautiful copy of "Jane Austen's complete Novels" and the adventure began. I'd seen and read Emma, seen both versions of Pride and Prejudice, but then I read Northanger Abbey and visited the infamous Bath, England and I finally felt that I was worthy of "The Jane Austen Book Club." I'm still no expert, but I started the book again last night and only put it down because my eyes wouldn't stay open. The characters are much more avid Austen fans than I will most likely ever be, but I got a glimpse of the magic while reading in the UK and visiting the Jane Austen Centre. This picture is take in Bath just up the street from the Centre and reminded me of Pride and Prejudice of course. I don't know when the street was named "Bennett," perhaps before she wrote the book and upon visiting her Aunt and Uncle in Bath she became inspired. Perhaps it stands as a tribute to Austen after the novels became to popular... or perhaps a street near the former home of Jane Austen, found in a place she chose to include in two of her novels, simply shares a name with one of her most beloved characters... by chance? And I am very excited to see the movie, despite people's hesitation because it isn't historically accurate, I am interested to see how it compares with her own books and stories.

So now, I return to my dear little book. To think i'd ever enjoy reading this much, let alone reading about other people reading (!!!!) is quite amazing. Thank heavens for books :)

2007-08-12T18:42:00.000-07:00

A picture from the big trip! Exciting huh? I took a picture of this billboard when we arrived at the train station in Liverpool. I've been reading up at my favorite 'green' websites and remembering how much advertising in the UK was aimed toward "going green" and not leaving "carbon footprints" I wish that there was more around here that could be done. It's so hard to recylce and such that it's hardly worth it. You have to collect stuff for weeks in order to justify the gasoline you'll use driving out into the middle of no where to pay to have it recycled. Oh well... little by little, we'll get it.
Here are some of the sites I like to visit:

I also chose this picture because I've been thinking a lot about worrying recently. Not that i'm considering taking it up as an activity, rather the process (or art if you will) of worrying... very strange. I haven't been worried about things as I usually do and while on the one hand it is very exciting, I am wondering what that means... if I'm not worrying about something, what am I supposed to do about it? I wonder if I've disposed of my worried responsibly or not... am I actually NOT worried, or simply in denial about decisions I should be making.

It's almost enough to cause one to worry, but not quite :)
Instead I shall spend the week making paper and perfecting a flower pattern that involves using fabric I already have and as little seam ripping as possible. I'll keep you updated on the projects. Happy new week!

2007-08-09T16:03:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been a busy two weeks since I got back and I've only just put pictures from the trip onto my computer, but I've been doing a lots of sewing! It's been fun, although very challenging...

You see, I got this crazy (yesterday i would've said stupid) idea that instead of buying a baby shower gift I should make a little outfit or two... I must have been dehydrated to think of this as clever, but at least now i have three little outfits to show off. my 8 hours of work paid off to some degree. the biggest challenge is still the snaps, but i'm slowly getting the and of it. They seem like a really easy and fun cure for my fear of button holes, but i'm not so sure any more. I'll just have to sit down some afternoon and conquer the button hole setting on my machine.
So here are the little darlings. For a little girl to born next month to the Youth directors at church. I couldn't bring myself to buy anything pink, knowing that they would have plenty of that to go around so i chose these fun fabrics. I also had these wonderful purple snaps that i would never use for myself, but thought they would be a good addition.... I will not be going into business making baby clothes that's for sure, but these dresses were so simple that it made up for yesterday's 4 hour extravaganza with the green overalls.

I've also been working on some little flowers, but i'll need to take more pictures of that.
It's been so nice to just surround myself with fabric and let the creative juices fly!

Ooooo... and soon i will have some new stamps to sport...
journaling that i ordered yesterday. I thought they'd get me motivated to do something with all my photos!

Happy almost weekend! Do something fun :)

2007-07-31T17:27:00.000-07:00

I browsed and observed and admired and enjoyed the lovely motherland that is, Great Britain.

That's right! It's still kind of sinking in, but here's the proof :) Me at the Royal Palace in Edinburgh, Scotland; audio guide and all!

I still need to put my pictures onto my computer, but i forsee some free time tomorrow afternoon that will be dedicated to this task. THEN the game begins!

Keep buggin' me for new pictures and updates on scrapbooking my pictures. I need the extra nudge. But i'm really excited to print things out and see what kind of adventure took place through the lens of my camera (which i LOVE to pieces... bless that little piece of technology!!!).

Just wanted to check in and let you all know that i am alive, that i had a BLAST and that i'm still processing the trip, but that i will share my wonderful journey with you over a number of posts i'm sure.

Blessings :)

2007-07-09T14:44:00.000-07:00

here we go!!!
in 12 minutes the car should arrive...
then the adventure begins.

ps to whom it may concern... my watch was discovered inside of my shoes... some sort of clever must have come over me :)

In all its glory...

2007-06-11T14:45:00.000-07:00

Here it is!
Not sure if the pictures will do it justice. I put a lot of hard work into this one... even on the lining part!!! It was really fun to make and seems to fit like a glove! More about it later, enjoy these pics for now :)

Busy Busy Busy...

2007-06-08T13:47:00.000-07:00

I've been missing again... seems to be a new trend, but i have some new photos for your viewing pleasure.

Last weekend kicked off the summer of too many weddings!?!?! We know Paul from school (fellow music major) Being a music major, he understood the importance of having a handsome and talented group to play for the reception. Gina and i kept each other company as band photographers and food fetchers. A good time was had by all!

Anyway... in thinking of the many weddings i'll be going to, Amy and i decided to go check out some new additions for the wardrobe to beef up my wedding options. especially since i'll be singing/playing in a few. i have a dress that i'm working on but wasn't sure if it would be done in time and then some other dresses, but a couple dresses need to be altered so for now i found some super on sale options! PLUS i got a dress that isn't just black and white (like 80% of my dresses) so that was good too :) And they're the kind of material that can be wadded up and thrown in the suitcase to go to Europe with me! Hooray!

Alright, pictures will have to come last this weekend, but for now you can enjoy one of those photos that didn't turn out at all like what i was going for, but i like it better for it :)

memorial day fun!

2007-06-02T11:44:00.000-07:00

well, the fabric took so long to wash and dry that we decided to make a memorial day feast with the boy. hotdogs and brauts with corn and potato chips.... mmm... the boy of course had one of each. once the fabric was finally dry it needed some serious ironing, but the only open and acceible outlet was by the bathroom and smoke detector... aka heat detector so i had to iron out on the porch! it was a beautiful day, just a strange activity to take outdoors. nonetheless it got done and here's the roomie sportin' her new apron! i ended up getting to the sewing part of it all on wednesday and here are the results! a reversible apron. tan with magenta type pinstripes, and a conrasting purple with little teal and white flowers for the pocket. i gathered the top of the pocket with a little pleat before attaching the oversized button. then of course the other side is the opposite. the straps are the same teal as in the purple fabric so it is VERY fun :) and hopefully she'll be inspired to make me some gluten free dairy free cupcakes or something... no pressure ;)

Oh Monday Holidays....

2007-05-28T14:30:00.000-07:00

With the roomie having the day off (her ONLY holiday, paid or unpaid, to have off in a year) We decided to bust open the other leaf on the table and have a creative day! So we headed off to JoAnn's for sale-o-rama and got stuff to scrapbook, to organize and to make aprons!!! Oh man... i wanted to buy a little of everything but i would've ended up with 50 aprons, and i'm messy... but not that messy :) So now is the part of sewing that is so hard for me... waiting for the fabric to wash and be dry so that i can begin the fun!

Thus, i am hear, pre-project, to update you on the last few days and then hopefully i'll have more pictures of resulting creativity later tonight.

Last friday i had the day to myself because the boy was still out of town and the roomie was working so i did a bunch of cleaning (so wonderful... therapeutic and stress relieving and relaxing once it's done...) and then i did some follow through projects. I got a free gift of a canvas bag from something and it was really nice and sturdy, but not lined, so i went ahead and added a lining to that and then i added a padded lining to this bag which i use to transport my WACOM tablet and wireless mouse. it was a $1 find at Target a while ago, hence the fact that it started to fall apart, so i took the opportunity to fix it up above and beyond too! and with the extra fabric, there was enough for a mouse house! Kind of fun.

So now i'm off to make some lunch. a little energy boost before the art projects take over the apartment!!! tah-tah for now!

2007-05-24T21:11:00.000-07:00

Two Posts in One Day?!!?

That's right folks! Inspired by... a lot of things, but mostly a need to be creative and a desire to be able to share it with you all in a fashion that accurately represents.... thus... i bring you clear pictures from the new toy!!!

Some people i know like to research for a very long time before investing, so i tried that. it's been over a month and it's the end of a week of serious hard looking and so today i went to get my hands on a few! call me a copycat but it's a sign of flattery right? I got myself a new camera! it just felt right, everything about it.

Here are the singing beauties... my first picture with the new camera...
I got it right before I ran off to hear these lovely ladies in a high-school choir concert and then i went straight to rehearsal, so only two photos for now. Plus, i didn't slurge on the real memory card yet. Gotta wait a while. But for now i'll be learning the ins and outs of my new toy so that come July i'll be an expert! France came out grey, but Great Britain will be vibrant with color!!! Hooray!

Happy almost weekend! Here's to a little creativity...

2007-05-24T08:08:00.000-07:00

MIA

sorry i've been gone for awhile!
the preparations for graduation were more than i had imagined.
SO glad that i wasn't moving out because i got to help the sister as well as the boy.
started last friday i think and officially ended the moving OUT process yesterday.
but i a week and a half we will begin the moving IN process for the boy.
the nice thing about having all his belongings in my car or apartment is that i can hijack his camera and computer for all the fun photos we took!
so here are a few photos from the big day.
i hear the sun is coming back and i can't tell you how thrilled i am!
horray!!!!

blessings on the rest of your week. almost to the weekend :)

2007-05-12T18:42:00.000-07:00

things to do tonight....

1. wait patiently to go hear Anne Lamott speak on her new book "Grace (Eventually)", which I totally loved!!!

2. charge batteries so that i can

3. take pictures of my new flowers (might have to wait until tomorrow when there is light outside, but we will see...)

4. take a picture of the amazingly awesome (she said so humbly) bag that i created for a friend's birthday present. will be gifting it to her tomorrow morning so i'm hoping to get on this tonight or else all chance of pictures will be lost forever!

5. sleeping soundly (gotta cure for teeth grinding/jaw clenching while sleeping? i'd love to hear it.)

6. watch the latest episode of scrubs whilst

7. cleaning up the horrendous mess i made while creating the bad of awesomeness

8. read more of Bill Bryson's book "Notes from a Small Island"

Meet Franklin

2007-05-04T11:43:00.000-07:00

Fun sewing times this morning!

I love having great motivation to work on a project and what better motivation than a sister!

so here is a little sneak preview of something that is part surprise and part promise finally followed through.

my camera batteries died right after i got this picture, so it will be up to her to take more picture of this cute little guy. check her blog to find out if she's had the chance to take any yet!

i hope she likes him, because i KNOW that he'll like her :)

Happy Friday!

2007-05-03T17:05:00.000-07:00

guess what i got in the mail ?!?!
a fun card reminding me that it was a year ago next week that i graduated from college.
guess what else?
confirmation of my auto insurance payment... a luxery of being a college graduate.
guess what else???

tickets to see Harry Connick Jr. on May 29th!!!!! Hooray!!!!
so excited... oh man... here's the website if you want to listen to some of his stuff from his new album. i didn't think i could go, and then i wasn't going to and then i thought "wait! i never go to concerts and i how often does this guy come to spokane? never." so here we are! jumping up and down, counting down the days until i get to sit in row N of the opera house. that's the 14th row smack dab in the center!!! bah! so fun... can't wait, must go memorize his cd...

2007-05-03T15:05:00.000-07:00

a few little projects i've been working on. i was inspired by some wacky log cabin blocks i saw online. I put a little flower there in the corner just to add a little spice :) it's actually a pillow case so that i can have to option of washing it. it's about 11"x 11" and goes well with my crocheted blanket and oversized pillow for watching movies. and of course the fabrics are scraps that were sent to me awhile back. i LOVE scraps :)

and today i made these little matchbook booklets. they measure about 2" x 3" and i used my homemade paper on the inside. The green one has pale blue paper that was a little thick, so it only has 5 sheets of paper and then the brown one has 6 sheets of pale pink paper. very fun to make because i got to use my homemade paper, some paper that i've had for awhile and my new martha stewart line 1/16" hole punch from Michael's!!!! hooray! i got inspiration to use up some stuff that i have over the next few months from here and then we'll see what i end up with. i still don't have a great way to store my paper crafting stuff, so it'll be nice to use some of it up. We're so close to the weekend... i can't wait! and i hear that the sun might come back too... but i'm not getting my hopes up, just in case.

farewell for now :)

i dont't want to be "that girl" with a dog in her purse... except for today

2007-04-29T17:24:00.000-07:00

sorry i've been missing in action, but last week was really hard.
it wasn't even all that busy, just that the few things i had took longer than expected and were draining. BUT things got better on Friday when i convinced the boy to let me help him with his graduation invitations. again, this was draining, but it peaked his creative side as well as mine and was a nice change of pace from the rest of the week. more on this later when i get home and can put some picture with the story, but for now, know that friday through saturday night was spent creating beautiful (masculine) invitations!
i took a break on saturday to have lunch with my dear friend jen and then to go visit a potential residence for the boy this summer and next year (potential is the key word). and then today... was a great finish to the weekend.
after church, we went to look at another place (TOTALLY sketchy and TOTALLY VETOed by me) and were a little bummed, but ended up going to the state park where we went for a mini hike so he could take photos for his class. it was such a gorgeous day and much more fun than our attempt at camping this summer, PLUS it was an adventure because it wasn't planned. my favorite :) so here are some photos to enjoy from the trip. [Note that Chorduroy came along because i told Seth he needed to find a place that was pet friendly to live in next year.]

oh, and i almost forgot... yummy Paula Dean's boys recipe for chicken with grapes for dinner followed by gelato with jen and krystal and hopefully the sister! Eek!! Such a great day!

We have a picture of seth doing his photography thing and then this is a picture of Chorduroy looking out and that the the view of what he was admiring. We were at the Bowl and Pitcher in Riverside State Park .

2007-04-21T15:15:00.000-07:00

i'm a little sad because me camera isn't saving all the photos that i'm taking for some reason... hmm...
i went to down load the last couple of promised photos, and only one showed up!
i'll have to investigate a little bit more.

but it looks like the sun is thinking about showing up toady!
it was raining this morning so i bolted and went downtown where it was only overcast and i spent the afternoon going to some shops that i've always wanted to go to but never have.

First stops were some local thrift stores (some that i've never been to and some that i haven't been to for a long time). i found some things to start off my wardrobe refashion challenge of not buying clothes of new fabric for a few months. i found some nice fabric at a thrift store that will get lots of washing today and a very fun pattern for super cheap!

Next was a yarn store called A Grand Yarn. So fuN!! the whole store is rows of amazing colors and textures and different samples. They were sitting there chatting away and knitting . So of course, by the time I left I was headed straight to the library to look for a book with some knitting patterns. I have needles and tons of yarn and some basics, but i needed a little motivation.

So on my way home I was determined to find a neat book on knitting and that's when i saw Area 58 a local antique store and there was a parking spot right out in front! So i pulled over and did a little browsing in there. Very fun and beautiful things! if i hadn't been on a mission i might have browsed some of the other shops on Monroe, but but it was time to go home.

So I went to the library
and found a book on knitting as well as this book which i discovered last tnight through clicking on a series of links. the book is cool plus the material it is made out f is NOt trees... kind of strange but neat to read about. Check it out here.

And then I came home for a much needed lunch break and nap, so i'm off to sleep for awhile before rehearsing tomorrow's songs with someone.

Happy Weekend!

PS here is the one blurry picture that did download onto my computer. Oh purple corduroy! i guess you'll have to turn your head again... silly technology!??!