Hello :)

Written 4/22/12

Happy Earth Day!

Sorry I've been away from my blog so long-It was a very busy week in my studio-and a beautiful weekend! I worked all week to finish up some projects to take home as gifts, such as scrapbook pages for my niece, who will be here in June, a birthday card for Dad, my brother's journal (it was a Christmas present...yes, late... :) ) and baby shower stuff for my sister. I love working on projects for others and am always a lot more motivated to finish a project if it's for someone else!! :)

The weekend went well. The weather in Seattle was gorgeous and it was wonderful to see my family. The gifts were well received and the baby shower, though a small family production, turned out nicely. Most importantly, I got to spend some much needed time with people I love, as well as time alone: driving, viewing the gorgeous scenery, thinking, singing, and just plain "de-overstimulating." I love long drives alone. They are good for the soul.

So, long story short, that is why I still have not posted pictures, nor updated my blog. I know...slacker! :)

Hope your weekend was as wonderful as mine! (I'm just glad to be home and back to my Honey. Life isn't the same without him, even for a few days).

Update

So, I just want to thank everyone for your patience. Sorry I do not have any pics up yet. It has been a busy week working on curriculum and putting things together for my sister's baby shower next week, so...my blog is definitely on my mind, but time is just not sufficient to get everything done as quickly as I would like! If only I had one extra day this week! :) I will do my best to post pics this weekend. :)

Puddles

I adore mud puddles. So many fond memories conjured up with the thought of the word...

Puddle jumping-giggling, running, and jumping only to feel the cool water soak into my shoes, seep up my bell bottom jeans, and create a spongy feeling under the balls of my feet, water rushing between my toes with every leap...

Dancing in the rain-celebrating the life giving, color bringing force and feeling it wash my very "being" clean...

Mountain biking-tires spinning as I race down a hill, mud flying up from the tread, delighting in the feeling of pure joy as I am covered with specks of wet dirt...

And last, but certainly not least, seeing through this looking glass, gaining another perspective as I view the most basic of things I so often view, from another angle and in another light.

Say the word puddle; see me grin like a child.

Shimelle Laine: She sets my creative spirit free

I just wanted to share one of my biggest inspirations right now. Shimelle Laine has inspired me to be more free spirited with my layouts-less worrying about alignment and more focus on the "flow" of the page...how the eye is drawn across it...and making the layout fit the pictures, mood, and personal style of the artist. Plus, she reminds me that everyday is spectacular and beautiful...worth remembering. Of course I know this already, but reminders don't hurt, especially when we get caught up in the seemingly mundane details of our daily routines. Hope you enjoy the video and that it inspires you to create something a little more out of your comfort zone! :)

Paper

I have to confess that I love paper. No, not just love, LOVE. I love the way paper feels. I love how it smells. I love that every time I think I have found my favorite one, another appears, as if by magic, to draw my attention to its dancing colors. I love the patterns-the bright contrasts, the soft romantic ones, the distressed look-the way they can evoke an emotion or memory. I even love plain papers, in all their different shades and textures. (This probably explains why my collection is so large and ever so slowly growing!) But, most of all, my favorite part of going to a small craft store is the smell of the paper. It just seems to lend a certain scent that is both relaxing and refreshing. So, to all of the craft store owners out there, please don't mess it up with all those stinky bars or candles...just let the paper speak for itself! :)

Beautiful day!

What a beautiful day! The sun is shining, enjoyed breakfast with my Honey, took a nice morning walk, and...you guessed it...finished my very first blog hop! So exciting! Cup of tea in hand, Colbie Callait, Michael Buble, Dave Matthews Band, and Jack Johnson to keep me company, and a whole bunch of inspiration from some extremely talented ladies! I love it! I had no idea what exactly the function of a blog hop was, but now I understand. It is just a journey you have to take to really comprehend...lucky me! :) So, if you have never done a blog hop, I highly recommend it! And, for what it is worth in the inspiration category, it gained me more encouragement from fellow bloggers whose work I admire. So exciting! Happy Saturday everyone!

P.S. I will be working on my gallery this weekend, so will have lots of work to share... :D

Hop, hop, hopping!

Phew! 15 blogs down, 39 more to go! And, Happy Birthday to Lily Pad Cards! Good night!