Artful Anthology

Look what Santa brought.

2011-12-19T07:02:00.000-08:00

Look what the ~~stork~~ Santa brought. Yesterday I had the pleasure of photographing my good friend Kate's new bundle of joy - little Max. This 11 day old sweetheart makes me want to have another baby right this very minute! On Saturday night while I was trying to finish painting my bathroom I had the stocking idea and sent Kate a text all excited like "OMG we need to stuff Max in a Christmas stocking - do you have one big enough?" She surely must of thought I was 100% crazy. Best. idea. ever.

This little guy makes my melt. Merry Christmas!

A Crate for Christmas.

2011-12-18T07:48:00.000-08:00

My early holiday gift from one of my closest friends - Johanna. She knows me so well. This vintage crate she picked up from Goodwill - for $6!! I'm seriously in love with it and its now hanging on the wall in our living room. So far I just have a mini vintage camera displayed in it that I purchased from The Evol Pixie Supply Co. This present seriously made my day.

a giveaway hosted by yourwishcake.

2011-11-19T07:28:00.000-08:00

I'm a little excited this weekend. My adorable friend Kerri is kindly doing a giveaway on her lovely blog yourwishcake and you can win this flower bib necklace I created:

Kerri's blog is always an inspiration and quite frankly I feel all kinds of special to be featured on there for a giveaway... She kindly photographed herself wearing one of my bib necklaces and lets just say she is obviously better at self portraits than I am. If you take a peek at the giveaway post you can see hers.

So hop on over to yourwishcake to enter the giveaway and to get to know Kerri. Have a great weekend!

Holiday Boutique Craftiness

2011-11-14T22:36:00.000-08:00

Recently my friend Jenn and I had a little booth at my daughters school for the annual Holiday Boutique. Jenn posted some great pictures on her recent blog post about it. It didn't go as well as planned but it was still a fun day, a good learning experience, and a great way to support the school. And now I have a ridiculous amount of handmade Christmas gifts so no complaints.... Here is a peek at some brooches/hair clips I'm adding to my etsy store soon, and a picture of the two of us at our table.

Happy holiday crafting....

Spicy Chicken....

2011-11-11T23:01:00.000-08:00

I realize the title for this post "Spicy Chicken" may be a bit misleading... But I couldn't help myself. Today I decided to start wearing in my new 2nd hand vintage acme cowgirl boots (a thrift store SCORE for just $10). One of my coworkers (she cracks me up daily) referred to me as having gone all "spicy chicken" in my new boots. Whatever, I'll take it... I love Fridays, not just because of the soon arrival of the weekend, but because its casual "jeans allowed" Friday which is perfect for boot wearing.

I plan on living in these boots this winter so breaking them in was going to have to happen sooner or later. The previous owner must not have worn them much at all because these boots need some serious breaking in. They are however a perfect fit, but getting them on and off isn't easy!

And I couldn't help myself with the suitcase. My old green suitcase had been sitting in the prop room at work for some time and today I finally decided to bring it home for a fun project I have in mind.

When I was walking from one building to another at work I couldn't help but laugh at how ridiculous I must have looked. Kind of like the "spicy chicken cowgirls leaving for a long trip!"

Off for the weekend, yeehaw!

Kate and Victor

2011-11-01T19:40:00.000-07:00

I recently had the chance to do some maternity pictures for one of my favorite couples. My good friend Kate and her husband Victor are expecting a baby boy. This baby boy (Max) is due in a few weeks. This couple have been through a lot to get where they are now. They have endured pain that I cant even imagine so seeing how happy and excited they are is truly amazing. What makes me melt is knowing what these two have been through, yet they manage to still be so strong, happy and kind. Kate and I used to be coworkers and quickly became friends. I miss her terribly but wish her all the best with this new chapter. She is going to be a great mum. I miss her and I sharing our lunches together (pretty much daily) and having the kind of friendship where we could talk about anything. We have cried together through hard times and laughed our asses off (crying with hysterical laughter). Kate is just the kind of person who's personality is addicting. She is without a doubt one of the strongest, funniest, smartest people I know. So here is a peek at Kate and Victors maternity session. I'm looking forward to meeting little Max and possibly a newborn photo session...

A Peek at my Halloween Decorating

2011-10-25T20:44:00.000-07:00

I decided to get some Martha Stewart rat silhouettes this year. I think these are my all time favorite Halloween decorations. It probably would be much more effective if I had wood stairs but I'm happy with how it turned out.

Last year on the day after Halloween I picked up some clearance wall stickers for 90% off. Couldn't resist!

They're on the fireplace, stairway, in the bathroom - everywhere!

I will have to blog on the outside decorating once our pumpkins are carved. More to come.

Happy Halloween!

The first day of kindergarten

2011-09-17T10:09:00.000-07:00

So the past week has been quite a week to say the least! My little girl started kindergarten a week and a half ago and I'm happy to report it hasn't been nearly as stressful as I thought it would be. Its still going to take some adjusting but its all coming together. I had a week off work before kindergarten started to spend lots of quality time with Izzy. We did a few Disney days, lots of shopping for back to school supplies and clothes, LOTS of pool time, and finished up some projects around the home! Well, I finished the projects while Izzy watched the Care Bears and My Little Pony...

The first day of school was great and went very smoothly. I decided to go back to work that day, but my husband was off work for a while also, so he was close to home just in case there was any problems. Thankfully there wasn't... So far Izzy appears to be really enjoying herself, a little too much to be honest because I cant seem to get her to come home when I go to pick her up! She is having way too much fun... We are very fortunate and live within walking distance to her school, so I get to walk her to school each morning, which I love. Then I swing by and pick her up on my way home. Here is Izzy on her first day of school... This is without a doubt my favorite picture from the day! Looking a little nervous at first.

But it doesn't seem to take Izzy long to warm up so within seconds she was being her silly self and doing all kinds of funny poses. I've included a bunch of pictures from the day throughout the post :) The second day of school? Well the second day was interesting because school was cancelled! Yep. We had a major power outage the night of her first day of school (which was kind of a fun camping night at home playing flashlight games and sleeping on the floor). Because of the power having to be restored at the school etc, etc, the school district closed all the schools for the next day. It all worked out because the husband was still off work so him and Izzy got to have a random daddy/daughter day. I came home to some new plants in my backyard, lovely!

Ive joined the PTA, which I'm really excited about but at the same time seems really bizarre? I think It just seems like this stage of my life came around way too fast. I honestly feel like it wasn't all that long ago that I was in school, now my baby is! Either way, I'm excited to be involved and help the school, volunteer where I can and meet and get to know other families in our community.

Izzy's 4th day of school was also an interesting one. To cut a long story short: I drop Izzy off at usual time of 7:45. At 11am I get a voicemail from the school saying "we are just checking in to see why Izzy is absent?" I run outside at work at lightening speed, (saying bad things under my breath), call the school and tell them "she ISN'T absent, I dropped her off like 3hours ago, WHAT is going on?" The school receptionist very kindly and professionally handled the situation & told me she would figure it out and call me back asap. I decided - OK, I will give it 5 minutes before I jump in the car, drive to the school and begin the search - because I was 99% sure it was some kind of roll call mix up... which it was and my phone call was returned within about 4 minutes. phew. But for a split second I was in serious panic mode. A few people at work saw the humor it in, joking about how she was already skipping school... sigh. If my daughter is anything like I was as a teenager then that's just going to be painful... Lets just enjoy the cuteness of kindergarten before the teenage years, please!!

Few more pictures from the day.

This is what I am calling the GANGSTA poses.

It's been a long and tiring but very exciting week.

Happy Back to School!

Day 31: August Break Challenge is over?

2011-09-05T08:31:00.000-07:00

Wow, that went so fast. I'm feeling very happy and proud that I actually stuck it out and completed a challenge for once! Mind you there were a few days I missed and would then make up for it the next day and post twice (sorry about that). So I thought this picture of my little one blowing a kiss was a good one to say "goodbye" to the August Break:

August Break was a blast and pushed me to take more pictures and blog everyday! It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. Glad to be a part of it. Many thanks so Susannah Conway for hosting this awesome challenge.

Day 30: Messy Hair.

2011-09-05T08:18:00.000-07:00

I couldn't help myself, had to share this messy hair picture of my Izzy..

Professional Photography

2011-09-03T21:54:00.000-07:00

Artful Anthology Photography.

Because a picture should be worth a thousand words.

Elizabeth and Pedro.

Costa Mesa, California Wedding. August 2011.

Jen and Neal.

Montage Resort.

Laguna Beach,California Wedding. March 2011.

Lambie Family Portraits.

Rancho Santa Margarita, California. August 2011.

Day 29: Self portraits on the move.

2011-09-03T08:53:00.000-07:00

Yes, I do self portraits of my daughter and I when we are on roller coasters. Doesn't everyone?

I still need to perfect these, I tend to miss half our faces (usually Izzy's ends up being cut off - I guess because mine obviously takes up more room). But pictures like these on a moving roller coaster? Not easy. This would probably be easier if I had the iphone so I could reverse it and actually be able to see our self portrait before I take the picture. Yep I really need an iphone. I've decided to continue until day "Day 31" with The August Break since I started late, so two more days! Cant believe I've made it this far, feeling proud.

Day 28: Point and shoot macro.

2011-09-02T22:59:00.000-07:00

I typically take my point and shoot camera to places like Disneyland, so of course its when I don't have my good camera that I find things like butterflies about a foot away from me where my SLR would come in handy! By the way, I'm just assuming this is a butterfly since its broad daylight and its hanging out on some greenery, but to be honest it looks more like a moth. I know. It isn't the most beautiful butterfly/moth thingy). But I feel like when you witness the simplest of moments (like this one) you really need to document it, Moments like these are rare. Life is so busy and hectic at times. Every now and then you need to just stop and apprecieate a moment like this from mother nature.

Thankfully point and shoot cameras have a macro function that will do the job so that you don't miss the shot.

Day 27: So Simple.

2011-09-01T08:00:00.001-07:00

This recent photograph of mine just simply makes me happy.

Its nothing more than a few random blades of grass with the sun setting in the background. So simple. But sometimes less is more and slowly I'm learning to embrace simplicity in photographs. This one makes me happy.

Day 26: Working on some wall decor with my girl.

2011-08-31T20:42:00.000-07:00

We are in the process of putting up some wall decor in Izzy's newly painted bedroom.

I love catching photographs of her in the moment like this.

Days 24 and 25: Take a Peek.

2011-08-30T19:56:00.000-07:00

I'm gradually going through many hundreds of pictures I took this weekend at a friends wedding. She is away on her honeymoon (I would rather not bother her) so I thought it would be best not to share too many pictures before she gets to see them... I think a couple of bouquet detail shots are a nice peek though.

Once she is back from the honeymoon and has previewed all the pictures I will try to share some more.

Day 23: LB Antique Market Part 2.

2011-08-28T07:34:00.000-07:00

A lot of what you come across at the LB markets are sellers that have a good mix of vintage finds. It makes the hunt harder because you have to really have a good eye - especially if you have a stroller and a 5 yr old in tow. But the hunt is actually a lot of fun. I tend to get pretty excited when I find something cool. However, I do love it when I come across the sellers that specialize in a particular item. Like clothes or beads and jewelry. Makes it much easier!

Racks and racks of cool vintage clothes... heaven.

Tables full of yummy beads!!

Vintage clothes are certainly a favorite for me. The beads I love but I don't consider myself much of a beader and cant take on another new hobby just yet (although I would love to). But my favorite thing to hunt for is vintage containers. Cigar boxes, tins and kitchen canisters. Which I will have to round up and do a post on soon. And of course my daughter has a treasure that she hunts for - my little pony's. And the LB antique markets often have many! We have quite the collections going... Of course the things I like and my daughter likes are random and you really have to hunt for.

So let me know if you come across any antique dealers of strictly vintage "containers" or "my little pony's." My daughter would freak out if there were a antire table of ponys, but I doubt we will find that at the markets... We will just have to continue the market treasure hunts!

Day 22: LB Antique Market Part 1.

2011-08-27T08:26:00.000-07:00

My favorite antique market is Long Beach. Last time I was there I managed to get a few pictures of some funny things. I was speechless when I saw this Chucky painting. What kind of person painted this? And what kind of person would actually hang this on their wall? More importantly, WHY is it priced at $200.00? Maybe if I was filthy rich I would have one random house that I would fill with stupid things. Just stupid, ugly, nonsense things. It would probably be the guest house for "certain relatives." But I'm not mentioning any names. I would probably buy a lot of etsy items featured on regretsy:

Chucky.

This big tire would probably wind up in the backyard of the stupid house. I would have to find a tree large enough so we could hang it up and use it as a giant swing.

Over sized Tire:

(I'm pretty sure you could fit an entire family in there)

Amongst the strange things I stumbled across (this was a small portion) there was as usual lots of great finds. I will have to post more on those later.

Day 21: Disney Water Show.

2011-08-26T23:23:00.000-07:00

The Disney water show. So cool.

That's about all I have time for today. Big week, and a big weekend ahead of us!

Day 20: Baby Shower Love.

2011-08-25T20:15:00.000-07:00

Recently I went to a baby shower for my friend Johanna. She knew she was expecting a boy (her 3rd son) and I figured she probably already had plenty of clothes and toys and I knew she would be getting showered with lots more so I decided to give her something a little different. I made her one of my rosette necklaces with five roses. Her new bub is the fifth addition to the family so I thought it was suitable!

Sometimes it seems like its just meant to be because I realized when she opened the gift and put the necklace on that it matched her outfit. Perfectly. I love it when things like that happen.

There is something special about a handmade gift or something that the person being showered wouldn't expect. Actually I just had mentioned Johanna on Day 16 because of the flowers she gave my daughter on her birthday. In addition to those flowers she also included fresh, locally grown strawberries. I honestly think that its the gifts like that, and hopefully like mine, that are the ones that really make an impact. And that the person receiving will clearly remember. Otherwise, mum and bub are doing well. In fact he is almost a couple of months old now! Time just flies way too fast...

Day 19: Simply Adorable.

2011-08-24T19:25:00.000-07:00

I recently got these paper bags from Whisker Graphics. Simply Adorable.

So I had to share the adorableness of these for day 19 of The August Break.

Day 18: Should we or shouldnt we?

2011-08-23T19:33:00.000-07:00

It looks like we will most likely cut all these blonde locks off before my little one starts kindergarten... I may change my mind (as I have done many times when considering this). But I'm pretty sure that a nice bob haircut will make our morning routine much easier (well the days that daddy drops off)...

So I guess lots and lots of pictures are in order over the next week!!!

Day 17: Take a peek...

2011-08-22T21:37:00.000-07:00

Take a peek at our new spare room/craft room/reading room/guest bedroom. Its a work in progress.

Gradually we are getting there. But I'm happy to report that its nearly complete!

Day 16: Fresh Flowers.

2011-08-22T06:16:00.000-07:00

Today I will aim to try and post a picture for the August Break twice (because I didn't post yesterday)...

There is nothing quite as cheerful as a bunch of fresh flowers. My good friend Johanna gave my little one these flowers on her 5th birthday. Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Day 15: Another self portrait....

2011-08-20T07:26:00.000-07:00

For Day 15 I decided to use a self portrait picture I did a few months ago. I was basically trying to take some pictures of my bib necklaces and didn't have a model so I thought I would give it a whirl.... Self portrait pictures are just plain odd and frustrating for me. This was the best one of the batch, but I still had to crop and edit the heck out of it. I edited the picture in picnik with the orton-ish effect and then desaturated it a bit.

So that's Day 15. Halfway through August Break already! Time sure does fly.

Day 14: Inspiration from other bloggers.

2011-08-19T08:30:00.000-07:00

I have been watching my friend Dianne's daily posts for The August Break and was inspired by her personal style and the pictures she has been posting. I'm pretty sure we have the same cactus, although mine is new and I have not seen it flower, but after seeing how pretty hers is, I hope that it does! I don't have a good track record when it comes to taking care of plants so I am hoping that I cant go wrong with a cactus... After I photographed the cactus I decided to edit the picture in picnik using the boost and soften effects:

So today's picture is dedicated to Diane - thanks for the inspiration!

Day 13: Sand between our toes.

2011-08-18T09:00:00.000-07:00

This picture pretty much sums up what the summer time consists of for our family.

Beach days, lots of beach days.

Day 12: Because thats how I roll.

2011-08-17T09:00:00.000-07:00

My husband and I recently did a segway tour in San Diego. I was rather nervous as I am not the most coordinated person but I'm happy to report that I didn't eat it. One person on our tour did though. Thankfully he didn't injure himself but it was one of those situations where the person kind of deserved it (for acting like a know-it-all) so it was kind of humorous. Actually to be honest, even now when I think about it, I still cant help but laughing. This guy thought he was some kind of seasoned segway rider because he had done like one tour a few months ago, so when our tour guide allowed us to go a bit faster, this guy thought he would be cool and try and zoom around on some wet grass and man did he take one heck of a fall. He was right behind me and all of a sudden in the corner of my eye I see him doing about 3 flips through the air and the segway go flying. OK I'm chuckling still while writing this. There is always one in a crowd, right? Otherwise it was an awesome day, and an awesome tour. I highly recommend it. Of course I chose the brightest helmet possible:

Here I am learning to segway:

And here is my husband and I in front of the Gaslamp district. When I see pictures like this I understand why my sisters husband refers to my sisters and I as "the big forehead family." Uggghh, it's annoying that he has a good point...

Good wholesome fun. And that my friends - is how I roll.

Day 11: Wasting time at the mall.

2011-08-16T21:40:00.000-07:00

On Saturday we did a quick trip to Ikea. As we were leaving we wound up with a flat tire and ended up at a nearby Sears getting it fixed. While we were waiting we wandered the mall and Izzy found these awesome sunglasses.

I was tempted to buy them...

Day 10: I love surprises.

2011-08-15T18:59:00.000-07:00

I love surprises. Like this one from my sweet 7 year old niece.

We went to my sister in laws house recently for a bbq and my niece had asked her mum to buy me this orchid as a present. It wasn't my birthday, no special occasion, apparently she simply just wanted to get me this plant. And it made my day.

Day 9: Family portraits at the park.

2011-08-14T20:14:00.000-07:00

Today I did some family portraits for my daughters preschool teacher and her family. They hadn't done family portraits in 25 years! I have been wanting more practice photographing families and was though it would be a really special present and way to show her how grateful I am to have had her in our lives and caring for Izzy for such a long time. This was one of my favorite pictures of the day. I'm always drawn to the more natural pictures, "in the moment" style. We did do mostly posed portrait style pictures but this one of her with her grandson just stood out. I took over 300 pictures in about the space of an hour. It was great practice.

I will be sure to share more photos from today's family portrait session soon!

Day 8: Goodluck at Goodwill.

2011-08-13T10:37:00.000-07:00

On my way to meet a friend for dinner last night, I decided to stop real quick at Goodwill. I'm still searching for a side table for my hallway, and a few random chairs for our spare bedroom, but of course didn't find what I was looking for. But I did find this pillow $4.99.

Unexpected thrift store finds are the best. Now if I could just find a side tale and some cool chairs...

Day 7: Hairy Creatures.

2011-08-12T09:00:00.000-07:00

Today’s picture was actually taken in August of last year. I’m feeling nostalgic because this time last year my daughter and I were back home in Australia visiting family. This picture was taken at one of my favorite places in Brisbane – Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary.

I was looking at the picture and thought, that's a whole lotta hair...

Day 6: Self Portrait Disaster.

2011-08-11T19:18:00.000-07:00

Today I thought it would be funny to try some self portrait pictures. Yeah, that didn't go so well. But it was good for a laugh.

Maybe I will try again sometime soon. Or not. I might pluck up the courage to show some of the disaster pictures later on for the August Break, but I'm not making any promises...

Day 5: Scorching Hot Summer Days.

2011-08-10T21:32:00.000-07:00

My August Break Day 5 picture was actually taken a few weeks ago. It was a recent hot summers day by the beach. It was such a scorching hot day. Although it looks like she is seriously sunburnt, I promise you she was not! Regardless - I love this picture.

I'm kind of relieved summer is nearly over. Today while at my daughters swimming lessons I finally got to browse through my magazines I mentioned yesterday and was loving all the fall fashion pictures in the Women's Health magazine, so ready for summer to be over!

Day 4: A little bit of reading material.

2011-08-09T18:22:00.000-07:00

I hadn't checked the mail in a while so when I looked yesterday and discovered the most recent Country Living, Women's Health and an Ikea Catalog - I was in heaven! Now to find the time to actually sit down and browse through them....

OK, OK, I realize that so far none of my August Break photos have been anything super artsy but I'm not too concerned about that. Although I do want to try and take some really nice pictures soon... I'm more or less just enjoying snapping a picture daily of something I like or that's on my mind. I wonder what tomorrow will be?

Day 3: Cauliflower Crust Pizza.

2011-08-08T22:39:00.000-07:00

Tonight was a bit rushed but I did manage to snap a few pictures for the August Break of one of my favorite dinners that I make for my family - Cauliflower Crust Pizza. I'm trying to limit the amount of carbs I eat so this recipe is a great one! The crust is easy, just cook 1 large cauliflower, grind it up in the food processor and mix it up in a bowl with some shredded mozzarella and a few eggs. Then spread it onto a greased tray and cook in the oven for approx 20 mins. Put all your toppings on and then bake for approx another 30mins. Enjoy!

Crust baking:

Top with LOTS of veggies, then add cheese:

Bake and enjoy:

Day 2: Bamboo and Shell Bead Curtain.

2011-08-07T18:23:00.000-07:00

We recently hung a bead curtain in the main bedroom to help with our "chi" since my husband was sleeping facing the door to the bathroom. I'm taking this Feng Shui stuff very seriously ok? I was going to hang a fabric curtain up but then my husbdand found this online and had his heart set on it, and although I wasnt really sold on it, I decided to just let him get it. I felt a bit guilty because I want him to be included when it comes to home decor and somethimes I have been known to not consult him with impulse buys...

While its a bit noisy, it looks pretty cool! I have taught my daughter to commando crawl uner the bead curtain in order to reduce the amount of jingles I hear daily, its like giant wind chimes in my home...

Day 1: My Bat Girl at a Birthday Party.

2011-08-06T21:15:00.000-07:00

I'm jumping on the August Break challenge a little late, but better late than never! My friend Jenn told me about it the other day and I thought it would be a great way to document the rest of the summer, forcing me to photograph something every day. Today we attended a Batman-themed birthday party. Luckily we already had a batgirl costume from last Halloween! The party was all kinds of awesome and there were plenty of fun games for the kids.

If you haven't heard of the August Break challenge then check it out on Susannah Conway's blog!

Ready to start some new Scrapbooks.

2011-08-02T19:16:00.000-07:00

I'm feeling really disappointed with my scrapbook efforts over the past few years. I used to be so good at cranking out pages but over the past few years I seem to have let go of scrapbooking a little. Which isn't good. It isn't terrible either because I know I have worked hard on other creative projects (lots of card-making, mixed-media and wearable projects) but I miss scrapbooking frequently. I'm currently in the middle of "Operation Organize" at home and getting our spare bedroom in order is my priority this week. It's getting a fresh coat of paint and I'm setting it up as an office/art room. While doing some reorganizing this afternoon I started looking back through some old scrapbook albums. I came across some of the first scrapbook pages I created for Izzy. I hadn't looked at these in a while and all of a sudden I felt like a complete failure and tears started welling up in my eyes (I might be PMSing). I think it was a mixture of "oh my gosh I forgot how tiny she was" and "why the heck am I not scrapbooking as much as I used to?" I'm confident that in 1-2 weeks I will have the room in order and ready to create. So in addition to creating something with my Amy Butler fabric as I mentioned in my last post, a few scrapbook pages are in order. asap. I have never been much of a journaler except for holiday scrapbooks, so I need to start journaling more also. Just for fun, here is a look back at a few of my pages from four years ago...

I will be back on the scrapbook subject in a few weeks with some fresh, new pages. Can't wait!

Inpsired. Mustard and GrEy. What I Found.

2011-08-01T23:09:00.000-07:00

For whatever reason, last week I decided to blog about one of my current favorite color combos - Mustard and Grey. While composing the post, I decided to challenge myself (small challenge, baby steps you know...) and see what I could find at home that I already have in Mustard and Grey. It seemed like a good idea at the time. I was thinking that if I revisited things I already own, it would spark some ideas and inspiration. Here is what I found, and excuse me if its not really "mustard" and more yellow. Close enough!!!

I visited my closet and came across a few mustard and white shirts I have, and decided to pair them up a grey shrug. The striped shirt I purchased on a recent shopping trip with Lannysmusings and the polka dot shirt is a thrift store find. I think the grey shrug might be forever21. I haven't worn either of these shirts with the grey shrug before - so far the challenge was worth it, I feel like I discovered two new outfits! I don't know if the grey thing is technically a shrug or cardigan, I'm no fashion guru.

Then I stumbled across two of my favorite handbags.

And speaking of bags, I had completely forgotten about my Amy Butler craft tool tote. Not sure why it didn't occur to me, I went into our spare room looking for fabric, randomly saw the tool tote and realized it was yellow and grey... This tote I've had for a few years now and still love, love, love it - and love those 40% off Michael's coupons!

Then I found the fabric I was looking for in the spare room, happens to be Amy Butler also... This swatch of fabric I still haven't used in a project, its so pretty that I have to wait for the perfect project. I've probably had this for 2 years, maybe more. I should stop waiting and just use it. I know.

And of course accessories!

One of my favorite brooches given to me by a coworker, and one of my fabric flower necklaces.

Last but not least - Target $5 clearance shoes that I am about to retire. The pattern is lovely but one of those little thin strips that connects to another piece snapped. I realized this when I went to photograph my feet. And I cant help but wonder if people were looking at me wondering what the heck I was doing. Taking pictures of ants? My non-existent pedicure? Nope. Anyhow, I guess you get what you pay for...

So I discovered 2 new outfit ensembles, decided I'm ready to create something with my Amy Butler fabric, feeling inspired to wear accessories that I have already have and love, and realized my shoes are broke.

Best $47 I ever spent!

2011-07-30T23:00:00.000-07:00

I recently decided to do away with our rectangular dining table and that I instead needed a round table. I had pretty much grown tired of the rectangular table after one of the chairs broke and we were left with 3. Then recently my neighbor had purchased a pottery barn set on craigslist that is a round table and chairs (I'm insanely jealous) because those sea grass chairs are amazing. When I saw her set I realized that a round table would open up more space and that it simply had a better ambiance. Since purchasing my round table I have honestly realized that there is more energy in the room. I also noticed at a few recent gatherings with friends and family that when sitting around the table, the conversation in general is so much better - it feels warmer and friendlier, how it should be! Not that it wasn't before but there is definitely a difference. And most importantly our family dinner time feels more like it should and not some mad dash to eat dinner.

I had stopped by one of my local thrift stores with the intention of finding a side table for the downstairs hallway (still have not found that by the way) and while there I stumbled across this dining set. It reminds me a lot of the style of dining table my parents had (and still have) growing up. I asked the sales person how much for the set and he said $40. Sold! It is a little outdated but it's a solid table and in great condition. I'm not really sure what kind of wood it is, maybe maple?

I still have yet to find some super cheap and awesome round table cloths. So until I do, I'm using this rectangular cloth piece that I picked up at the markets recently along with my red lantern as the centerpiece (usually lives on my kitchen window sill). I'm probably breaking design rules by using using this rectangular piece (I'm almost 100% certain that it should be something circular?) but honestly right now I am OK with this. Plus the blue in the pattern compliments my blue kitchen so I think I'm good. This may all change soon but for now this table and setup makes me all kinds of happy. Eventually I may repaint it, maybe even distress it. I'm undecided and trying to put my energy into repainting rooms first and organizing so maybe this will be a fall project. I do love the look of a white table and black chairs set so we shall see!

Table $40, Table Cloth $3 and Ikea Lantern $4.

That happy feeling of getting an awesome deal? Priceless.

My new kitchen - a fresh coat of paint.

2011-07-26T19:40:00.000-07:00

We have been in our current house almost 2 years. Gradually we have been doing a project here and there but more recently I have been a home decorating rampage and have a goal of finishing all the painting projects by the end of the summer. I decided recently to tackle the kitchen. The green just wasn't my style and since I spend majority of my time in the kitchen, it seemed like the best place to start. I don't even know what i would call this green? All I know is that is wasn't my style and had to go.

Before:

(and if you look closely yes that is bacon in the fry pan. sorry).

After:

So here is my new kitchen. Is amazing what a fresh coat of paint will do!

A blue kitchen is just what this home needed! Everything feels so much better downstairs now.

I'm a happy camper.

Just in case you are wondering the blue is "Prussian Cadet" by Valspar. My goal was to find a deep, earthy blue and this was the winner. I will be sure to post more of my home decor adventures throughout the rest of the summer. My daughters room is almost complete!

Inspired. Mustard and GrEy.

2011-07-25T22:40:00.000-07:00

What is it with Mustard and Grey? It has been a trendy color combo for some time now and I seriously just still just cant get enough of it. I put together this etsy treasury a while back with some of my favorite etsy mustard's and I'm still hooked. I'm even considering decorating an entire room with mustard and grey but have this fear that in a year or two I wont be that into it. But I can always paint over it so the idea is quickly growing on me...

I've put together a little collection of mustard and grey items that are currently on the "oh my gosh what I would do for these things" list. These are wants (not needs) and to be honest just looking at these pictures makes me happy and inspires me. I've had my eye on these things for a while and just narrowed down the mustard and grey collection to my favorites. I bet I could go through my stash of crafting supplies and my closet and find a little mustard and grey that I already own. Actually I've just sparked a little challenge for myself. I'm going to re post again in 1 week with a follow up on my Mustard and Grey list and turn it into Mustard and Grey "what I already have" featuring things found at home. Just for fun. But for now here is a little inspiration.

Blissful paper collection by Authentique Paper. This is a WANT but seriously hoping that I can actually get this. Maybe.

althea lace necklace by whiteowl on etsy. Mustard necklace, grey backdrop. Love it!

Katsugi Fabric by Schumacher. Imagine chairs or a couch or curtains with this.

DIY Fence Board Headboard from Apartment Therapy. First saw this on Pinterest and if I didn't already own a bed frame I would be begging my husband to do this.

Tea-And-Crumpets Kid's Apron from Anthropologie. Adorable.

So stay tuned because my goal is to re post in 1 week with Mustard and Grey, not what I want - but what I already have. Now I'm off to do a little searching around the home...

And just for the record:

grAy is how it's spelled in America

grEy is how it's spelled in England

I grew up in Australia but live in America so I tend to spell it however the heck I want, today I feel like it should be grey, tomorrow might be gray. Who knows?

You can even check it out at this wesite http://www.greyorgray.com/.

And yes there is a website for it.

Laguna Beach Montage Wedding Pictures

2011-07-22T22:39:00.000-07:00

I recently had the pleasure of assisting a photographer at a wedding at the Montage resort in Laguna Beach. This was something I had wanted to do for some time so when the opportunity was there I grabbed it. I've been using a dslr for quite some time now but my experience is limited to taking pictures of products and art and craft projects. So when I purchased my first personal dslr I knew that taking pictures of people would be quite the learning curve. Gradually I'm making progress and trying to share pictures on my blog here and there.

The couple we photographed were incredibly cute and adorable. It was a small wedding which actually made it much less stressful I'm quite sure. There were only about 20 guests and no bridal party so I cant help but wonder about weddings with 200+ guests and enormous bridal parties. I realize a wedding that size would need an entire team to catch all the important moments. I cant even imagine.

When Ross and I got married, we had a similar size wedding with 15 guests. Big or small - it really doesn't matter. I just wanted to take some great pictures for the bride and groom. By the end of the day, between myself and the lead photographer, we had at least a few thousand pictures.

I have put together just a very small sampling of my pictures from the day. I haven't had the chance to go through all the pictures just yet so my goal is to include ceremony pictures in a future post. These are basically some of my favorites.

Thanks for looking and stay tuned for part 2.

Just Rosy

2011-07-02T07:36:00.000-07:00

You may have seen my other flower bibs in my etsy shop, however I have a handful of rosette necklaces that I recently listed also. I've made these as gifts for people in the past and thought i would add a few to etsy. The first one made an appearance in the last issue of the Jewelry Affair publication. Simple white roses that can coordinate with so many outfits.

My sister requested a blue rosette necklace for her birthday, so I started making rosettes in this dusty blue that I love!

For this one I decided to try something different and add a simple embellishment. This is my new favorite for the summertime.

I could spend hours looking at etsy and all the amazing accessories artists create with rosettes. I still haven't created rosettes using patterned fabric so that will be one of my near future projects. Now I'm off to clean out my wardrobe in search of shirts that I no longer wear with pretty patterns (and maybe a trip to Joannes).

Yes I made a Cork Wreath...

2011-06-26T20:19:00.000-07:00

I had been saving corks for a long time (probably a few years) and recently I finally felt inspired to create a project with them. I decided a cork wreath would be a great way repurpose the corks and create a "green" home decor project that is somewhat unique. My wreath is currently resting on a bookshelf in the dining room. I still have not had the courage to actually hang it on my front door. I guess I'm worried that all the neighbors will think we are the vino family! Its not like that, I promise. In fact, even though I thought my cork collection was huge, I ran out of corks in the process of constructing the wreath and had to call on my trusty vino friends for some more corks! Thankfully they had been saving theirs also, I guess a lot of wine enthusiasts just like to keep corks? They do look pretty cool if you keep your collection in a large glass jar or vase.

Anyhow, as soon as I decided to create the wreath I did a quick google search and found plenty of images for inspiration. I decided that my wreath style would be bricking the corks instead of scattering them, just my personal preference.

All you need is a straw wreath, available at most large craft stores, a hot glue gun and your corks. I started from the inner side and worked my way to the outer edge. Too easy. Once the wreath is finished, tie a strip of torn muslin and tie a bow for a simple accent.

Whether you enjoy a good glass of wine and have your own cork collection going or you happen to stumble accross somebody that has a few spare corks, a wreath is one of many green projects that you can create with corks.

Recently I've Been....

2011-06-22T20:16:00.000-07:00

Spending lots of quality time at the beach with my two favorite people. Feeling sad that my little girl no longer takes dance classes (this picture was taken at the last one) but excited that she is a little tennis star now! I'm enjoying seeing her try new things. Loving the macro on my slr and taking plenty of nature pictures: At Disneyland a lot. I love that place despite the crowds and overpriced food!
And enjoying photographing events and special occasions like this one for my good friend Johanna and Christos wedding.

Ruffled Camera Strap Covers

2011-05-25T23:23:00.000-07:00

Creating camera strap covers was on my crafty list of things to make and I finally accomplished the task! I added this fun colorful one and a plain white ruffled one to my etsy shop for just $9.99 each. Looking forward to making more!

nothing short of crazy busy

2011-05-15T06:49:00.000-07:00

This past month has been nothing short of crazy busy! But, it's the been the good kind of crazy where its been action packed weekends with birthday parties, baby showers, weddings, mothers day celebrations, and much more. Actually yesterday I ended up having a garage sale and today is a dance recital for my little one and then a bbq lunch after. The good news is that somehow amongst all the craziness I have managed to lose 19 pounds! Now the really hard part will be keeping it off. Otherwise I have been working hard at work as usual, and in my personal time just simply trying to find time to work on home decor projects and new creations for my etsy shop. The good news is that I will have a lot of crafty things to blog about soon. I can't wait. I'm really hoping to photograph a few things this afternoon and add some new things to etsy this week and share some fun pictures I have taken over the past month! For now here is a picture I took recently. I was at my good friends wedding and this flower in the garden outside it was so perfect that I had to photograph it. I have decided I really need to take a Photoshop class. Soon. I seem to have a lot of ideas for my pictures but don't know how to pull them off. So for now I will continue with the Photoshop basics and the free actions on picnik...

Wedding Rehearsal Dinner Pictures for a Co-worker

2011-05-03T22:25:00.000-07:00

I recently had the pleasure of taking some pictures for a co-workers wedding rehearsal dinner. I'm trying to get more experience at taking event pictures, especially outdoor events so I can practice with natural light and taking more pictures of people! My experience with photography is primarily more commercial style photography so I'm eager to get more practice with parties like this one. It was a perfect afternoon, by the ocean and a great experience. Thought I would share a few of my favorite pictures.

Deciding on a Thank You Picture

2011-04-25T22:38:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we celebrated my daughters 5th birthday and much to my delight the party was a success! Never mind the fact that my house is still in shambles from the party that we had at home after the party... And that I still feel somewhat exhausted from it all. But I would do it all again in a heartbeat, and I'm already starting to think about next years! I will post more on the actual party later but for now I need help on figuring out which picture to use for our Thank You notes. Having Izzy hold this sign was not an easy task - but I have narrowed it down to the final four.

#1#2

#4
(this one I just think is really funny because of the serious face,
but I'm not quite sure everyone else would see the humor in it...)

So if you happen to have a favorite let me know!

I am a guest blogger on Scrapbook Trends!

2011-04-11T06:23:00.000-07:00

I'm SO excited to be a guest blogger for Nathalie Kalbach today! I've had the pleasure of meeting Nathalie twice and working with her. She is an incredibly creative lady and certainly someone I look up to in our creative community. Hop on over to her website to check out my guest blogger questions I answered! Happy Monday.

My First Handmade Market

2011-04-09T19:58:00.000-07:00

Today I experienced my very first handmade market. I was really excited to share some of my handmade creations and give it a whirl. It didn't go anywhere near as well as I hoped but I learned a lot, and have a lot of ideas on how to make the next one better. In all honesty it was somewhat heartbreaking because I seriously thought I was going to sell a bunch of stuff and when I didn't, I felt like I had failed. But tonight as I'm sitting here I've decided not to let it get me down, and instead to change a few things, keep trying and simply give it another shot. However it was a fun day, I took a bunch of pictures and it was a fun atmosphere. I had lots of friends and my husband and daughter come down to visit and support myself and my friend Melissa that I shared a booth with.

Here are a few of my bib necklaces.

And some of my hair clips.

And even some "ruffle bottom onesies!"
These I have some new ideas for - so excited!

I've got a bunch of ideas swirling around in my head for new items, and ways to make the items I was trying to sell even better. No plans to give up. Just plans to keep on crafting.

Clearly a Crafter and not a Cook

2011-03-30T20:13:00.001-07:00

This past weekend was crazy busy but I still managed to fit in my usual Sunday morning breakfast for the family - oatmeal pancakes. I thought I would be a cool mum and make Mickey Mouse pancakes for my little one. Lets just say that I think its pretty obvious that I'm a crafter. Not a cook. Yep.

But hey, I tried.

Deals - Vintage Circus Products at Michaels

2011-03-27T09:43:00.000-07:00

If you are head over heels in love with the whole "vintage circus" trend then run (don't walk) to your nearest Michaels and head straight for those sale bins that are typically near the checkout area (greatest marketing strategy ever - they get me every time). I was at my local Michaels picking up a few essentials and excited to stumble across the circus products for $1.50 a piece. For a long time I have been in love with images of vintage hot air balloons so I grabbed a cool notebook, set of cards and stamp. I'm contemplating going back for more... At $1.50 a piece I think I will stock up and have some of these on hand for gifts for friends and family!

In addition to the vintage hot air balloon designs there were a number of other designs in the same collection that were very cool. Like this set of circus themed cards. They are great "all occassion" cards. Perfect to have on hand when you need a card asap but dont want to trek to the store.

The prefect saying for all sorts of occasions -
Fun Times Ahead.

Eastern Redbud

2011-03-17T18:02:00.000-07:00

I posted recently on how around here spring has sprung. At the time I was eagerly waiting for a tree in my backyard to bloom also. Finally it started blooming so I headed outside this afternoon to snap a few pics.

Last summer a local nursery was have a huge sale because they were unfortunately going out of business. I decided to take a look and get some plants to pretty up my backyard. Majority of my backyard is concrete so I was looking for shrubs and trees that could grow easily in large pots. I found a Japanese Red Bud and decided to try it out. At the time there were no flowers on it since it was late summertime so I have been waiting and waiting to see how it would look this spring. I was starting to get nervous because the tree was basically bare all winter and I was pretty sure I had killed it in a heatwave at the end of the summer (the leaves all shriveled up). And in addition to the heatwave I may have forgotten to water it... But much to my delight, it recently started popping up all these pretty flowers! Success!

I've never been much of a green thumb which is why I'm kind of excited that I didn't kill this tree. Not like my tomato plants that I got at the same sale. That's a story for another time though...

Good Things Come In Small Packages

2011-03-16T18:58:00.000-07:00

I created this shadow box about 4 years ago...

I made it for my daughters bedroom and it stills sits on top of a bookshelf in her room. I got the idea from a project that I had seen on Twopeasinabucket. Its been so long but I'm pretty sure the inspiration for the project was from a Twopeas member by the name of Melibean but it looks like she removed the project for publication. Judging by her blog LilyBean's Paperie, and the style of her projects, I'm 99% sure it was her. By the way, her blog is pure eye candy and you must check it out! Lily Bean designs for a number of various company's and her style is so soft and pretty.

To create the project I used a shadow box and mini pots from Michaels. With a little paint, paper, natural craft moss, and faux flowers I created a similar project to the one I had seen on Twopeas.

What made me really want to create this project was because it was just so perfect for my daughter. At the time Izzy was only 1 and we had been going through some tough times with doctors appointments and trips to the children's hospital to see specialist after specialist because she was basically small. And each time test results came back showing nothing abnormal. So the phrase "grow little flower" really touched me because of what we were going through. My motherly instincts tell me that there really isn't anything wrong with Izzy, she is just simply naturally petite. My mother went through the exact same thing with one of my older sisters (whom Izzy obviously takes after). Izzy is still a petite little munchkin these days but perfectly healthy. Good things just simply come in small packages...

Just Simply Tasty.

2011-03-14T00:09:00.000-07:00

I'm working on a fun photography thing·a·ma·jig and had to share this picture. Gosh I love plain old pretty sugar cookies.

That's all folks!

Vintage Canisters - But New To Me

2011-03-13T07:18:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I picked up this set of vintage tin canisters at my local antique market. The seller had marked down the price from $15.00 for the set to half off so I got the entire set for just $7.50. I guess I thought it was my lucky day and couldn't understand why no one else had snatched them up before me. Sometimes I have to remind myself that just because I see beauty in something doesn't mean everybody else does.... but I certainly see the beauty in these.

So I brought them home, gave them a quick clean to get the dust off and set them up on my kitchen window sill. My husband came home from a snowboarding trip that night and I was half waiting for some kind of comment/joke from him about bringing home more junk... But it turns out he likes them (this is not the norm with my husband and my antique/thrift store finds) so I guess they are here to stay for a while!

What is really cool about these tin canisters is that they had an original Sears price tag attached, and they must be somewhat old because the price tag says $1.97. What can you get for $1.97 these days? Not a whole lot.

The tins are still empty, I'm just trying to decide if I should put kitchen items in them or craft supplies. Leaning towards craft supplies for when I do crafting in the kitchen.

A Trip to Salvation Mountain

2011-03-12T06:58:00.001-08:00

I first learned about Salvation Mountain through Elsie Flannigan's blog.

I was so intrigued and still fairly new to California at the time so I decided to do some exploring and head out there to visit myself. It was back in March of 2009 that I went out to visit (yikes almost two years ago) I'm kind of itching to do another trip and see the mountain and Leonard again. My friend Cacey was visiting from Australia so I thought the perfect Sunday road trip would be a trip to Salvation mountain, and a quick stop in Palm Springs. So with Izzy in tow we headed out to the desert.

Salvation Mountain was created by Leonard Knight. It's a really interesting story on how he came about to create the mountain and how he got there, you can read all about it here. I'm always intrigued by people like him that really live SO differently to most of us. Hi lives a simple life and simply does what he loves while sharing a message that is important to him.

Leonard uses adobe clay, donated paint and all sorts of recycled and found objects to build and create the mountain. The vibrant colors used throughout the mountain are pure eye candy, I love it!

Its truly an amazing work of art and simply breathtaking. It's kind of like an enormous green crafting project! It's in the middle of nowhere but if you live in Southern California is an easy drive.

Leonard is such a kind man and fortunately he had some spare time to walk around with us and give us a little tour trough the mountain and shared some of his story. What a nice man. He also happens to share the same name as my father, which of course made me like him even more!

I was really in awe of his passion and love and simply inspired.

It doesn't matter what kind of religious beliefs or views you have, it doesn't even matter how old you are (Izzy was 3 at the time and LOVED the place), its an enjoyable experience that I think people from all walks of life could appreciate and plain and simply leaves you feeling good.

So if you are up for a trip to Salvation Mountain then let me know!

My Type of Celebrity

2011-03-09T18:57:00.000-08:00

So my very first post ever on my blog was about this blue typewriter that I scored. I actually ended up using a picture of it in my blog and etsy banner. It seemed kind of appropriate for a blog. These days it lives in the photography prop room at work and it has actually made some appearances here and there for Stampington & Company. I like to think of it as a celebrity typewriter now!

It actually graced the cover with Kristen Robinson's artwork on this
Winter 2011 issue of Somerset Life.

Then I noticed that it also made its way into the Spring 2011 issue of Take Ten
as a handy dandy prop for an adorable handmade card.

And the one other spotlight it received recently was in the January 2010 issue
of the Postscript newsletter (sign up for it here) from Stampington & Company
featuring a letter by Stampington & Company Director of Publishing
Christen Olivarez.

So I thought I would share a few recent pictures of my typewriter. I need to bring it back home soon and retire it from being a prop. Maybe set it up in my craft room or living room. I think I'm going to redo my banner soon using these colorful pictures.

Anyway here is to an anthology of artfulness and craftiness and to pretty pictures of vintage treasures like a Robin Egg Blue Typewriter.

The Loveliest Christmas Gift - A Handmade Quilt

2011-03-05T20:02:00.000-08:00

This past Christmas I hit the jackpot. My friend and coworker (Linda) surprised me with the loveliest handmade gift I have ever received. Linda had shown me this quilt that she had made some time back and she knew how much I was in love with it. She makes many, many quilts (really a lot) and this one was my all time favorite and she knew it. The past two years for Christmas Eve (and hopefully more to come) I had her come join in our family festivities because she is such a wonderful person and simply great to be around. She regularly creates the most amazing quilts for her church and they send them off to various countries to families in need. She is simply a "giver" and takes joy and pride in giving. This gift was so unexpected. When I unwrapped it I pretty much acted like a 5 year old opening the toy of their dreams and hugged it like I never wanted to let it go! Today I had the joy of her coming over to visit and hang out with me and Izzy. We went to the park and Linda brought with her a bunch of her quilts and I photographed them in the park. I really, really want her to start an etsy shop and sell some of her amazing quilts. So here is my quilt from her. It lives lovingly on my couch and I use it just about every night so snuggle up with when I'm reading to my daughter or watching a good tv show. I'm not a very good sewer but I hope that one day I can create a quilt as amazing as this one.

Here you can see the detail of the flowers and the fabric on the underside.

And here is the entire quilt. Amazing!

And of course Izzy had to get in on the action. Do you think she loves the camera?

Maybe just a little...

So hopefully Linda will open an etsy shop. When she does I will update my blog with the details. I really wish her well with her handmade quilts. They are simply stunning.

Kitchy or is it "Kitschy" Aprons

2011-03-05T08:31:00.000-08:00

First of all for a few minutes I was confused about the word "kitchy" or "kitschy." I thought they both meant essentially the same thing but according to the urban dictionary (yes i looked them both up) they actually have different meanings and I am leaning towards kitchy and not kitschy. Please correct me if I am wrong or you disagree. Sorry for the rant, kitchy is not really a word I ever used a lot or even heard people use until I moved to the USA so this just never occurred to me!

Anyway, on to these lovelies I just listed on etsy... I picked them up at the Irvine antique markets a few years back and have hung onto them for a while, I think its time someone else enjoys them! Both the aprons actually made an appearance in Summer 2010 issue of Somerset Life where I used them for a Creative Living Idea. If you haven't already got that issue then I suggest you pick up a copy. Somerset Life is always packed with mouth watering projects and ideas. Another publication that might interest you in you are an apron enthusiast is apronology. Flipping through the pages of apronology is another mouth watering experience!

I love the style and simplicity of this one. Classic.

And this polka dot number with a delicate sheer white fabric. So Cute

So stop by my etsy shop if you are in the market for a good vintage apron.

Dressing up a Cupcake

2011-03-03T22:33:00.000-08:00

Cupcakes. Who doesn't love a good cupcake? It's kind of like not liking anything cute and cuddly or anything that is seriously cute. I think for most people it just comes naturally. Occasionally you have to indulge (in my case its a little more than occasionally) in a sweet treat.

I recently created this simple cupcake project for our Valentine Collection at Stampington & Company. No - I did not actually bake these cupcakes... I wish I was that good with my baking skills! I basically wanted to show just how easy it is to dress up a simple treat by adding something simple like a mini flag. With just toothpicks and some paper tape you can create sweet and simple flags to stick in cupcakes like these and even create a mini banner.

Perfectly sweet for any occasion!

Thrift Store Purse Quick Fix and Supporting The QLD Flood Victims

2011-03-03T19:40:00.001-08:00

I picked up this cute bag at my local thrift store recently. Its quite functional and was still in great condition so I decided to embellish it with a few rosettes. I used some solid green cotton fabric to create three rosettes then glued them onto the bag using my hot glue gun. I decided to donate the bag to the silent auctions being hosted by Your Creative Journey! The donations from the auctions are going to help support the QLD flood victims. Being a Queenslander it was really hard to watch the floods in the news and see all the suffering especially when one of the major floods was in my home town of Brisbane. Brisbane and the other parts of QLD that were affected by the recent floods have a long road to recovery but if I know queenslanders I know they are tough, and they are survivors. Sherry Mendoza is the lovely lady behind Your Creative Journey and I recently (finally) met her at CHA. She is doing amazing things these days, in particular organizing the Prima roadshow down under. Anyhow this is one of the projects that I donated to the auction. Gotta love a good thrift store find and transforming it into something cute. Visit Sherry's blog to learn more about her and the auctions to support the QLD flood victims.

Before:

After:

Just Some Harley Pictures

2011-03-02T20:51:00.000-08:00

So my brother in law recently purchased a Harley. While I'm very happy for him, I also worry for him and constantly remind him to be safe. He wears one of those helmets that doesn't protect the face wich I think is crazy but hopefully he will get enough bugs in the face and change his mind. I hope so. It's not so much him I worry about but other drivers. Drivers in Southern California quite frankly scare me. What scares me even more is that I know the day is coming when my husband will want one. uggh. But we will cross that bridge when we come to it. When my brother in law recently stopped by I was outside with my little one taking pictures and couldn't help but take a few quick pics of his bike. I learned a few things - for example the next time I try this I will be sure not to get my reflection in the pictures (look closely at the 2nd and 4th picture and you will see what I mean). Live and learn I guess! After I uploaded them I decided to edit in picnic and used the 60s effect. Enjoy :)

Spring Has Sprung

2011-03-01T17:50:00.000-08:00

Its only our second spring in our home but already I am looking forward to every future spring and the tree outside our front door blossoming. I took the picture with my 55-200 lens so that I could get a just a little closer. Now I'm just waiting for my other favorite tree in the backyard (that I almost killed) to start blossoming. Any day now, any day...

I have never been one to head outside and do "nature" photography. Its not that I don't like it, I just usually prefer to photograph people and when I'm at work I'm photographing art projects and art supplies. So I really just haven't had much time for nature photography. But the more I look at this picture the more I think the picture could be a really cool artist paper and incorporated into a mixed-media piece of art. So I think I might head outdoors this weekend a just give the nature photography some love.

Welcome To The World - Baby Gift Idea

2011-02-28T18:48:00.000-08:00

This past weekend I was supposed to co host a baby shower for a friend at work. She still had 4 weeks to go with her pregnancy and we thought we had timed it well. But things don't always go to plan! The morning of the shower her water broke and she was on her way to the hospital. Mum and bub are doing great! I guess we will instead do a "welcome to the world" party for the mum and baby (girl) since we couldn't do the shower. I'm looking forward to giving her this gift that I created though. Since I created the gift before I knew that she was having a girl I tried to keep the style gender friendly. I simply used a iron on transfer by Prima Marketing and transferred it onto a plain white onesie. Simple! And to compliment the tree on the onesie I packaged it in a repurposed Trader Joes gift bag that I had created and had published in GreenCraft Volume 4.

Home Decorating - Front Door View

2011-02-27T17:26:00.001-08:00

When I walk down our downstairs hallway this is my view. And its also the view that you get from the front door. So when we moved into our house this one spot was really, really important to me.

I didn't want to put just anything on this wall so I decided to try and wait it out until I found just the right piece for the wall. Well I waited about 3 months and couldn't wait any longer. Luckily I picked up this colorful canvas at Ikea for just $50 which I love and although its not exactly what I visioned, it will fill the spot for the time being until I find "THE" piece that was meant to be. Hopefully I will find it... Anyhow, this spot for some reason makes me very happy for a couple of other reasons. The vintage crates. I seriously love these crates... I saw them at the Irvine antique market a number of times before I finally gave in and bought 2. I love how they add some vintage character, plus they are all kinds of awesome for storing books and puzzles! One other flea market find from Irvine that brightens up my day is the red pillow with the ruffles. It cost me just $2. Yep! It isn't vintage but certainly a deal for $2. I'm gradually working on the rest of my home (very gradually these days) but like I said earlier - this was one part of the home that need attention before any other. First impressions last so I like to open my door to my family, neighbors and friends with a good view.

Etsy Treasury - New Addiction

2011-02-27T07:32:00.000-08:00

I'm seriously in love with the Etsy Treasury and creating my own treasuries just for the fun of it. I recently signed up for pinterest but haven't sat down to start my first board, I'm kind of worried that pinterest could be even more addicting! With Etsy treasury lists you don't have to necessarily do a certain color scheme but from the first three I created its obvious that a treasury with beautiful colors all blended creatively is what tickles my fancy! Here are the first three I have created, and if you haven't already started your own treasury lists then give it a try!

Must Have Mustard

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Color My World

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My Ideal Picnic

GreenCrafting Kind of Weekend

2011-02-26T16:37:00.000-08:00

I'm busy greencrafting this weekend getting ready to submit some artwork to the next issue of GreenCraft. In the spirit of things I thought I would do a small post of a few of my favorite projects. Inspired by GreenCraft magazine I regularly create a green project for the Studio for Stampington & Company. I few of my favorites that i have done are probably the easiest. Happy GreenCrafting!

Tin Can Charm

Reuse something as simple as a tin can and turn it into something pretty (and useful).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Don’t Fly Away

Primitive Bird Cages

Transform wire hangers into miniature decorative bird cages!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Green Gift Wrap

Use old calendar pages to creatively wrap gifts!

Cover Girl x 2

2011-02-21T18:32:00.000-08:00

I was really excited when I made the cover of the Summer 2010 issue of Take Ten. So when I made the Winter 2011 cover of Take Ten I was seriously excited, and simply felt so fortunate to make two Somerset magazine covers within such a short period of time. When the summer cover hit the newsstands I must of been going through a crazy busy patch because I never got to the bookstore or craft store to see it on the shelf :( which I really regret. But when the Winter 2011 issue hit the newsstands you better believe I was at Joannes and there it was on the shelf taking up not one but TWO spaces. YES! Unfortunately I was shopping solo so I didn't have someone to take my picture with the magazine but I was able to snap a quick picture with my phone. I could of asked a total stranger but I get embarrassed way too easily and would of felt all kinds of awkward... Anyhow, I'm just excited to be the cover girl of Take Ten not once, but twice!!!

A Handmade Girly Gift

2011-02-20T16:14:00.000-08:00

We celebrated my nieces 2nd birthday yesterday and since I have been on a "handmade gift" roll recently I decided to alter this plain white t-shirt for my niece. Currently I'm crazy for gingham so I decided to do a few fabric flower yoyos in red gingham. I'm so mad for it that gingham will be the pattern of choice at my daughter 5th birthday party that is approaching... So I simply created three yoyos and machine sewed them onto the shirt, then with some thin strips of brown fabric I sewed the stems on. Finally I hand stitched a button onto the center of each flower. Just be careful using buttons if you are creating wearables for a small child (choking hazard) so if the child still a peanut then leave out the buttons. If you want to learn how to create the fabric yoyos then watch my demo in this free how-to video.

Artful Anthology Etsy Shop

2011-02-16T18:32:00.000-08:00

A few years back I opened an Etsy shop but never really got into selling seriously. I decided that with the New Year i would make it a resolution to start selling in my shop and add some fun handcrafted projects (primarily accessories). I'm just going to dabble in it and the goal is more or less to have some fun and create projects that inspire me. I've been making a habit or giving handmade gifts recently and have had a number of people to me that I really need to open an Etsy shop so I decided to just go with it. To start out I have added a few different items including rosette brooches, hair clips and some ephemera packs. Stop by my Etsy shop and take a look (shop if you like) and enjoy!

One of my favorite items (lots of additional designs coming soon) are my yoyo hair accessories:

And my other favorite thing to create these days is fabric rosettes!

2011 Resoultion #1

2011-01-01T19:43:00.000-08:00

With the new year here i have been thinking today about my resolutions for 2011. As i was hanging up my new 2011 Papaya Art calendar this morning I was thinking about the Papaya organizer i had in 2010 and how much I will miss it... In case you never got to see or own of these lovelies i have posted a picture below.

I think the cover of the organizer pretty much says it all, right? Simply follow your bliss. Dream, Vision, Create, Imagine. I also love the cover of the accordion folder inside the organizer. Life In Progress.

While looking back through the organizer and its inspiring pages I realized that the beautiful inner pages cant go to waste, they are just too pretty!

So one of my goals for 2011 will be to green craft these pages into something special. Crafting a greener world will be more of a priority.

So as I'm hanging up new 2011 calendar....
i cant help but get excited about the green crafting potential of my 2011 calendar!

If you are ever in need of a little green craft inspiration pick up a copy of GreenCraft magazine. Another favorite of mine for green inspiration is the Crafting a Green World website.

My Ten Minute Asymmetrical Necklace

2010-11-02T19:07:00.000-07:00

I was so excited when i put together this necklace in less than ten minutes!! I'm not exactly a "jewelry artist" so this was the perfect jewelry project as a beginner. The Vintage Groove line by Making Memories makes is so easy! After I create a project the next step is to photograph it, which can sometimes be a real challenge... I decided to prop it on a dress form and grabbed the first shirt i saw in the stash of "clothes props" at work. I feel like it was the perfect choice! This picture actually ended up taking much less time than i thought so I was one happy camper. One of my biggest influences for style comes from my favorite store - Anthropologie. I'm starting to see how that reflects my photography sometimes! Everyone is (usually) their own worst critic and I'm usually pretty hard on myself but for once I couldn't be happier with the end result - project and photo!!

Little Touch & Sew

2010-10-08T21:02:00.001-07:00

So i decided to go back to my favorite thrift (the one that's closing in 2 weeks..) to see if there was much left.. Everything is still 50% off, soon to be 75% off so you can imagine my reaction when i came across this mini Singer for $5 which ended up being $2.50 with the 50% off discount. I seriously feel like i hit the jackpot.

Every time i find i deal like this at a flea market or thrift store i almost want to pinch myself. I actually look around to see if anyone else is eyeing the same thing and about to try and snag it from me.

And then i just count my lucky blessings. My thrifting karma.

So this beauty is battery operated. I will be giving it a whirl this weekend to see if it works. But if its doesn't I'm not the least bit bothered. Because for $2.50 even if it doesn't work it will simply just look amazing as a funky piece of home decor.

Vintage Goodness - Mary Had a Little Lamb

2010-09-28T20:01:00.000-07:00

Sadly my favorite local thrift store is closing... But the good thing about the store closing is that they are having an amazing sale to clear out the store. So when i found this stack of vintage children's books from the 50s i was just a tad excited when the store attendant informed me that "normally children's books are 60cents but with the 50% off sale they are just 30cents each." What!!!!

I know not everyone is as addicted to thrift stores and flea markets as some of us are, and i know there are people out there that just don't get it and think that things like this are "junky" but for someone like myself, coming across a find like this simply makes your day. I love how tattered and well loved these books are, it just makes them all the more special.

I haven't decided what to do with them or where to put them yet (ideas are appreciated). For now I will just stack them on the dresser in my daughters bedroom, and read them to her, but that may be a struggle since the stories don't involve Disney characters! Maybe I will end up using them for baby shower gifts, who knows?

But these well love books will most certainly continue to be well loved in their new home.

Unexpected.

2010-09-21T18:38:00.000-07:00

I recently did a friend at work a small favor. She came to me wanting a little help altering a cardigan. To cut a long story short, it was a black cardigan and on the upper right chest area there was a decorative patch/embellishment that was a rather girly, frilly pink bow. It's not that it was it was hideous, but it wasn't good. And it certainly didn't suit the style of my coworker (Raquel). So I offered to take it and embellish/fix it and turn it into something a little more current that she would enjoy wearing. I added an arrangement of flower yoyos in black, white and a brightly colored blue fabric. It turned out pretty cool. Well I think it did. The cardigan should be making an appearance in a future issue of Altered Couture so unfortunately I can't show any pictures... However I was pleasantly surprised when Raquel came to my office recently with a gratitude gift that simply made my day. It was totally unexpected and that's what made it so special. I never expected anything in return for my favor so I was over the moon happy when she gave me this cool gift, and it made me realize that she was really happy with the cardigan.

Like a lot of women, one of my favorite stores is Anthropologie. I knew the moment Raquel handed me a gift in an Anthropologie bag that I would love it - whats not to love in that store? She added a sweet yet simple tag to the outside of the bag tied with a piece of decorative twill.

I love her handwritten note. I'm glad she doesn't have to wear something "cheesy" now! Cheesy would be bad.

Inside to my delight I found some cool gifts that any gal would love.

A cool flower brooch that you can attach to a shirt to add a little interest. The best thing about this brooch is that it doubles as a hair accessory. On the back it has a clip and a pin so I can choose to wear it either way!

Also included in the bag was a set of the cutest recipe cards ever! From a company that I just discovered recently, Rifle Paper Co. You must check out the website, its full of eye candy!

The best gifts are ones like this - unexpected.

Back From Oz

2010-08-26T21:32:00.000-07:00

What a whirlwind of a trip! Izzy and I just spent two weeks back home in Australia.. Had an absolute blast with the family. We hadn't been back home since 2006 so it had been four years since we saw most of the family. Most of our time was spent just spending good quality time with the family at the beach and parks. I'm pretty sure Izzy's favorite day was at the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. Lone Pine is by far my favorite place to visit when back home. Its a small wildlife park, unlike the huge, over priced, commercial zoos that you can go to in Australia. It only has Aussie animals and is basically the real deal. The best part is being able to hold a koala and hand feed the Kangaroos. Thought i would share a couple of my favorite pics. I'm happy to be home and looking forward to doing some crafting - its been way too long!

Took A Break From The Blog I Never Really Started

2010-08-04T22:11:00.001-07:00

Its been quite a busy few months to say the least. I'm feeling so extremely disappointed in myself that i still haven't really pushed myself to blog more often. A number of things happened that have consumed all my energy and time... But I'm seeing a light at the end of the tunnel and I'm going to put a stop to it and get back on track. I really want to start making more of an effort to just enjoy the moment. Just like my Izzy is enjoying herself in this pic. Sigh.

Finally - I'm a Cover Artist!!

2010-05-11T21:14:00.000-07:00

Making the cover of a Somerset publication has been a goal of mine for such a long time. I've submitted to many of our publications and have been fortunate enough to have my artwork published in a number of various Somerset publications. At work I always enjoy see the "cover samples" every time I head over to the art department and was just waiting for the day that I saw a cover with my artwork as a cover option. So you imagine my excitement the day I saw my little French ATC hanging on the board as a cover option for Take Ten - and it was chosen!

Its been a tad crazy busy recently so I'm hoping to get busy and start blogging more soon!

Creative Idea for Wall Picture Display

2010-04-02T21:22:00.000-07:00

Wire Wall Picture Display

I recently found this idea in a magazine (cannot find the magazine so sorry i cant tell you which one!) This is a really inexpensive way to decorate an empty wall. The supplies cost about $10.00 (not including printing the pictures).. All you need is:

Turnbuckles (these are the wire connector/stretching screw)
Hook screws
Strong Wire
Pictures
Gator Clips by 7gypsies

I had my husband help out, I think its best if you have two people so you can make sure everything is level, even etc. Drill the holes for the hook screws (we used really small wall anchors just to make sure its extra secure) then put the hook screws in. Connect each end of the wire to the turnbuckles tightly making sure (if you are doing two rows) that they are the same length. Then hook the turnbuckles on the hook screws and tighten the wire. It’s really easy but you just need to make sure the wire is the right length. Easy!

I found the turnbuckles at Home Depot in many sizes but I suggest using the smallest size. If you are doing two rows then all you need is 4 hook screws and 4 turnbuckles plus the wire and clips. Then you just hang pictures of whatever it is that you are displaying using Gator Clips.

I'm a little disappointed with how my pictures turned out but it was not easy to photograph the area since its a narrow hallway and the lighting wasn't the best. Also just a quick tip - if you are printing black and white pictures I suggest you have them printed at the same place so you don't end up with photos with different shades/tones as I did. Some of mine ended up looking slightly purple instead of a true black and white..

Week 2 - The Artistic Mother Challenge

2010-03-23T18:21:00.000-07:00

Poetry Journal

Better late than never! Here is my poetry journal that I altered. I used one of my favorite childhood pictures and part of a nursery rhyme that I love. I thought the "home" theme for the journal was appropriate with the shape of the journal. I hope to fill the book with many poems and journals entries!

I altered the book by painting it first then adding some art paper that I created in the week 1 challenge. I also added some fabric leftover from an old project and faux stitching rub ons. As usual I used Collage Pauge to adhere everything to my project - I love that stuff! I used a grubby tag for my childhood quote.

Not sure how the Week 3 challenge will go because i have a broken sewing machine! Uggh. Maybe I can alter a bag instead?? I'm sure i will figure it out - looking forward to it!

Week 1 - The Artistic Mother Challenge

2010-03-13T09:02:00.000-08:00

Creating my Backgrounds and Action Lists

The various papers I used included regular printer paper, colored card stock, junk mail, lined paper and pages pulled out from crossword books. I primarily used the paint blending technique Shona suggests in The Artistic Mother. I did a few papers using the other techniques but i found the painting blending to be my personal favorite. As i was painting the papers i used paper towels underneath to avoid getting my counter top messy. I saved all the paper towels with the paint splattered backgrounds - I'm really excited about these paper towels and will save them for a future project! After all the papers had dried i used various stamps to stamp randomly on the papers. I didn't stamp every single sheet as i thought in the future i may want some without stamping for whatever reason. I picked my favorite paper for my "Action List" and in Word created the list, printed it on my background paper, scanned it and then printed out 12 copies. Week one is done - YAY!

Backgrounds Before:

Backgrounds After:

Artistic Mother Challenge

2010-03-05T16:38:00.000-08:00

Trudy Callan is hosting an "Artistic Art Challenge" inspired by Shona Cole's new book The Artistic Mother. You can read all the info regarding the challenge on Trudy's blog here. I'm going to do my VERY best to be a part of this challenge and add my projects weekly. Can't wait to get started!!

Finally on Flickr

2010-03-04T23:51:00.000-08:00

I have been meaning to create a flickr account for the longest time so I recently started one... I do all the web photography for Stampington & Company so I am going to try and regularly add some of my favorite pics from work and of course my family and I.. Check out my flickr photostream - enjoy!

Garden Girl

2010-02-28T19:43:00.000-08:00

So excited for my "Garden Girl" project to appear in the next issue of Somerset Memories. Here is a peek at how it looks! It's a really simple project with a shabby garden theme...

Bind-it-All Project 1 - binding your childrens artwork

2010-02-28T07:45:00.000-08:00

For the past few years I have been saving my daughters artwork from pre-school. It kind of got to the point where is was "out of control" so it was time to organize it. I have a really hard time parting with anything of my daughters (clothes that no longer fit, her drawings, old birthday cards, toys) just about everything.

I am a huge fan of the Bind-it-All machine by Zutter Innovative. In the Autumn 2009 issue of Somerset Memories I wrote an article about the Bind-it-All that featured the artwork of Shona Cole and Audrey Hernandez. I have been using the Bind-it-All quite a lot and decided this binding system was the best way to create books and archive my daughters artwork. I went through all her paintings, drawings and collages and weeded out some (this part was not easy) and kept the very best ones to bind in what appears to be the first 4 volumes of what could turn into a very large collection/library of Izzy's Art.

The Covers were made of recycled cardboard. Izzy helped paint them which was messy but fun as usual! We used white paint to do her hand prints - this was with out a doubt her favorite part! After the paint had dried we sealed the covers with Collage Pauge. We then simply bound all the books, trying to keep a theme for each one, one is collages, one is paintings, one is "holiday" artwork, and the other number and letter learning worksheets. I used the Antique Brass o-wires to bind the books and added a simple bow to the bind of each book when I was finished.

So much fun and such a great way to preserve your child's artwork for them to look back at and cherish when they are older!

Wonderment

2010-02-16T18:55:00.000-08:00

I recently took a totally random picture of Izzy at the front door of my brother-in-laws apartment. Just a simple shot of her standing in front of his screen door.. Well I happened to show the picture to my boss who is a flickr addict. She loves to alter photos and has a very cool style. She altered the picture in Picnik. Click here to see her flickr post and the original!

yoyo

2010-01-22T19:08:00.000-08:00

One of my goals for this weekend is to make some fabric yoyo's for a wearable art project! Love these ones that i came across on Etsy in cookoorikoo's shop when looking for inspiration..

Pure Vintage

2010-01-16T21:30:00.000-08:00

I recently acquired a few very cool vintage dresses and they have inspired me so much that i decided to have a very special friend model some. This dress (and this photo) are by far my favorite. This particular dress is so feminine and just seems so pure. Gotta love a good vintage find..

Best. Santa. Ever

2009-12-26T07:43:00.000-08:00

This is our fourth Christmas with Izzy and finally a Santa picture where she is smiling! The pictures from the previous three years are quite entertaining, as Izzy look rather frightened in each one. So happy this one turned out great!

Fall Festivities

2009-10-26T21:33:00.000-07:00

I can't believe fall is here again! It seems like such a short time ago that it was last fall and we were enjoying all the seasonal festivities... This picture was taken in the fall of 2008 of Izzy taking a pony ride at a local pumpkin patch. I try so hard to enjoy the season change here but after living in the Midwest for so long I have to say - fall is best in the Midwest! Nothing like that cool crisp autumn air, hot apple cider (with cinnamon sticks) and all the typical fall themed festivities.

In Love With This Tape

2009-10-02T23:19:00.000-07:00

sigh, i cant tell you how much i am in love with this tape... i will be adding it to my stash real soon!

The Great Ocean Road

2009-09-03T23:27:00.000-07:00

I read a recent news article about the happiest cities in the world to live in. I wasn't surprised to learn that two of them are in Australia (Melbourne and Sydney). And I have to say that my time living in Melbourne I had some of the happiest times of my life. Such a great city. For anyone that is into the arts, Melbourne is a fabulous city full of fashion, art and entertainment that simply puts other cities to shame. I miss Melbourne... mostly I miss Brighton Beach, St Kilda, Spencer Street, the Docklands, the Yarra, Swanston Street, Chapel Street, and much more. But more than anything i miss being a hop skip and a jump from The Great Ocean Road. Here is a picture i snapped from my last trip along the Great Ocean Road back in 2006. I've lost count of the amount of times I have been lucky enough to travel down the Great Ocean Road but it never gets old. The 12 apostles take my breath away every time I see them.

Beach Days

2009-08-08T21:02:00.000-07:00

We hit the beach once a week in the summertime. Occasionally something comes up and we cant but usually we head down on a Saturday or Sunday morning nice and early before the crowds start arriving and before it gets uncomfortably hot.. I'm thinking we only have another 4-8 weeks of good beach weather before the water starts getting too cold so we better make the most of it while we can! I snapped this pic on of our recent beach days, every now and then i love getting pictures of Izzy when she isn't posing, or saying cheese. Sometimes the totally random shots are the best!

The Robin Egg Blue Typewriter....

2009-08-07T18:32:00.000-07:00

I discovered this typewriter recently on a trip to my favorite local thrift store... It seems to be in good working condition but I just need to find some tape for it! Even if it doesnt end up working well I know its going to look super cool just as a decoration. And I love that fact that the color is robin egg blue!