Sunday Inspiration

Sunday-Self Portrait for Picture Inspiration taken on the way to have Starbucks with my sweetheart. 

(Pioneer Woman Fresh Color used on the photo).

Starbucks!

Hanging out with this guy, talking and drinking coffee.  Skinny Carmel Macchiato for me and something with extra espresso shots for Daddy.

Taking photos of anything that inspires me along the way.  Love this little creek next to the railroad track (we were waiting for a train for nearly 5 minutes…)

And love this!  It is amazing what you see when you are looking for it.

And then a trip to Menards later in the afternoon for supplies for Science Club!

Happy Monday!

One Little Word-Simplify-Feb 2011

I have been thinking a lot about my one little word and how to make it work in my life.  Thinking about things that I want to learn and ways that I want to incorporate my word into my life (And new opportunities just keep popping up!)

  I guess the universe is playing along with the One Little Word class this year too .

Simplifying to me means a lot of things. 

Like enjoying a simple sunrise. 

Getting back to basics and using these to create (for Alisa Burke’s Sketchbook Delight class). 

Sketching and adding color using simple watercolors, pencils, and pens (with one of the barn photos that I posted earlier this month for inspiration).

Using yarn and a hook to create something wonderful, soft, and warm. 

Planning a simple garden for the summer.  Just flowers and tomatoes.  

It drives my husband absolutely nuts that I leave my flowers to dry out in the yard over the winter-but then I wouldn’t have anything to take photos of when we have a rare 60 degree day in the middle of February. 

How are you doing with your one little word? 

(And happy Friday!)

Prom Dress Shopping

On Sunday, Elizabeth and I went Prom Dress Shopping. I was worried before we left, but she chose well.

I am not allowed to post photos of her wearing the dress, so here are some of the choices  

We stopped in a photo booth-well-we thought it was an actual photo booth, but really it was just some creepy booth with a paper printout of an “artist” rendering.  Luckily, while we were waiting for Rembrandt to finish our picture, we got bored and Elizabeth had her camera with her, so we took a real photo (the one at the beginning of the post, which is sooo much better than this one.)

Hope everyone is having a happy engineer’s week! 

Happy Wednesday!

Finding my Muse

For homework in Sketchbook Delight, we were supposed to go out and find inspiration. 

So I brought my husband with me to the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art. 

I found some “pattern” inspiration before I even walked into the building!

I didn’t take my camera or my phone into the building with me-just a sketch pad and a pencil.  We really enjoyed walking around and looking at all of the exhibits.  I found that I really loved paintings of houses. 

But my real pattern inspiration came from some embroidered doilies that were originally in the Czech and Slovak museum before it was flooded in 2008.  I sketched this at the museum, just to get the pattern onto paper and make some notes. 

When I was going back over my notes this morning, I realized that I didn’t write out anything about the colors, so I jotted down what I remembered.  Then I did a sketch and added some watercolors. 

And while my painting and sketching don’t really do justice to the gorgeous doilies made by the Czech women, I did get a LOT of the design down on paper.  I am planning to keep working on the patterns and the colors. I am not completely comfortable with sketching, so this is totally new for me.  I am trying to do something everyday-and Alisa’s videos are awesome.  New lesson Monday! 

I found some more “pattern” inspiration in the brick at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church just up the street. 

Wow-I love how they laid the brick-beautiful!

Hope everyone had a great weekend! 

Happy Engineer’s Week-it’s going to be a busy one!

My Sweet Valentine

This is what I spent most of my time stressing about over the weekend.  Finishing this book for Daddy.  I don’t know why the procrastination thing.  I had the book pages painted and complete a month before Valentine’s Day!  Anyway-I will spare you the really mushy pages and show you a few of the other ones.

I love my husband so much that I gave up a Sunday of watching the Bears to watch Buffalo play at the Metrodome in Minnesota.  (THAT IS LOVE!)

I love Christmas shopping with him-he sings Christmas carols nearly nonstop.  It used to bother me, but not anymore.  I love it!

Time together.

And finally-stamps from Tim Holtz!  Anyway-I thought I would share a peak at the book. 

Love this candle that belonged to Grandma.  I remember when she got it.  I thought it was so cool when the candle was burning inside. 

 

Elizabeth and the Bunny that her and Matt made for Valentine’s Day at Build-A-Bear.

Making a Caribbean Martini…dare I say it…Shaken…not stirred… 

Printing sticker photos from my Blackberry with the new POGO printer – SWEET!  More on the printer in the future. 

My Valentine . 

Hope everyone had a great week!

Happy Friday!

Celebrating Sunday

On Sunday, William and Bryan got super cute haircuts. 

Check out these muscles!

I also gave out candy and cards…with XBOX points tucked inside. 

A devil bear for William..for obvious reasons.

And a cute sweater bear for Bryan. 

 

I didn’t get Elizabeth a bear because I had a feeling she would get one from Matt.  More on that tomorrow.

Then I made French toast and cut it into heart shapes.  Elizabeth took photos for me!

True love .

Elizabeth made me a Valentine.  I’m going to put it in a 12x12 page protector and pop it into my Project Life Album.

Elizabeth enjoying her French toast. 

Happy Thursday!

Wrestling and Band

Bryan got to wrestle in his first 2 matches today.  We missed the first match, but we got to see this one.  

I know nothing about wrestling.  So I watched and took pictures and asked questions. 

A couple hours after the wrestling meet, Bryan had his Winter Band Concert. 

Here he is playing the Hogan’s Heroes Theme song.  Woot-go Bryan!

I am way behind in my blogging this week-and I’ve been taking tons of photos and I have so much to post!  

Happy Wednesday! 

I Love This Guy-Updated

I fell in love with this template (Love You Template No 2) by Katie Pertiet at Designer Digitals this week.  All I needed to do was add a photo and a sheet of digital cardstock (Michelle Martin Studios-Peace, Love, and Happiness Solids available here).  And the best thing about digital cardstock is that you never run out!  

 

I also added some photos to this Designer Digital Chat Freebie on Saturday afternoon (I used the same cardstock as the top layout).  TONS of freebie goodness during the chats that I want to work on soon.  I haven’t done any digital scrapping since I worked on my December Daily in December, so it was good to jump in with some simple templates. 

Hope everyone is enjoying their Saturday!