I am relocating this blog to WordPress because I want all of my blogs in one place. Here is the link: http://simplecreativity.wordpress.com/
I finally received my power cord yesterday... YAY! It is amazing how difficult it was to be without my computer for over a week. I used Pete's, but it just was not the same. Here is the final result of my painting project I started a few weeks ago of a sunset over Lake Champlain in Vermont. It went pretty fast because the wood I was working with was not very big. I was happy to dust off my painting supplies and try my hand at some techniques I learned a few years ago. Now that it is finished, I have the painting displayed on a console table in my bedroom. I love the reflection of the painting in the glass tabletop (see below).
It is a day for celebrating in my household (actually more like the past 2 weeks...). Pete's favorite day of the year is St. Patty's Day, so needless to say he is so excited and headed out the door right now to go celebrate.
I am currently working on Pete's computer because my power cord decided to die. Hopefully it will be here soon - yay for Amazon. I have a bunch of things to post but am very limited on what I can do on this computer. So on that note, I am signing off until my power cord shows up at my door. Happy St. Patty's Day!
I recently got my hands on my mother-in-law's digital camera and was able to get her pictures from a trip we took to Vermont. Pete's cousin Alissa got married and we were able to make it out for her wedding. Here is the scrapbook layout I made with the pictures from the trip. The patterned paper is Basic Grey (my favorite) and the word embellishments are from my scraps that have been around for about 7 years (I finally used them up!). I was happy to scrapbook since I have been trying to limit my scrapbooking. The only reason for this is that I think of the sheer amount of books I will end up with when my daughter grows up... (for someone who does not like clutter, it is scary). I do print most pictures once they are fixed up though and include them in a photo album for my daughter along with some journaling.
I am in amazement at the number of weddings I will be attending in the upcoming 6 months. A few of my friends recently got engaged and are planning on a short engagement and others have been engaged for longer, but they all decided for a summer/fall 2o10 wedding. The current count is 6 weddings (4 of which are in August!). Oh dolly, we will be busy and broke - wedding presents and hotels are not cheap. So with this information on my mind, I am brainstorming like crazy for gifts I can give these couples that I can make beforehand. I the past I have given personalized stationary and crocheted afghans. There is no way I am making 6 afghans - with my luck I would end up with carpel tunnel! Personalized stationary is a possibility and I am playing with the idea of a cookbook or a collection of recipes.
My favorite cookbook is the America's Test Kitchen Cookbook. My parents received it as a gift when I was in junior high and I have ever since been in love with its never fail recipes. I then received it as a gift when I was pregnant. It holds pretty much all of the main East Coast and Midwestern fares. Recently though, I have been trying to expand my cooking skills and spend a lot of time searching Rachael Ray and The Pioneer Woman's websites for new recipes.
I will give it some more thought, maybe a homemade gift in combination with a giftcard. I like the sound of that. I will keep posted on what I end up doing, the first wedding is in late June.
As I mentioned a few days ago, I have been spending a lot of time on The Pioneer Woman blog. I first found the blog when searching for a pumpkin muffin recipe (hers is amazing!). Then I got addicted to her love story (From Black Heels to Tractor Wheels) - it's almost as good as Nicholas Sparks but less tears. After that I found her photography (sigh...). It is so beautiful, it makes me want to go out and buy a Nikon and jump right in (maybe next year though, I have a lot going on right now). Browsing through her pictures gave me the inspiration to start a new painting of a sunset.
I recently got my hands on my mother in law's pictures from a wedding we attended in Vermont last summer. She had some amazing pictures of sunsets over Lake Champlain which I then started playing with in GIMP (I used to have Photo Shop, but lost my subscription when I graduated - so now I am figuring out GIMP because it is free). Above is the photo I am working with, but beware the quality is not great. I had to crop the photo quite a bit then started playing with the colors. I am using it as a starting point for my painting, but will pump up the colors and textures once I dive in.
I took a painting class in college about 3 years ago, but haven't done much since. I am excited to get started again. I've been craving to work with the medium again (literally craving the feel of the paint and brush). I think this is interesting because at the time I look my painting class, it actually was very stressful for me. I am a recovering perfectionist, but back then I was a full on perfectionist and didn't allow myself the time to learn and experiment. I just wanted to make a masterpiece in as little time as possible. The fact that I was taking 18 credits, many of which were very time consuming, definitely played into the feelings I had toward the class. I have nightmares of the end of that semester. I literally did not sleep during finals week for 4 days straight. I was a walking zombie. I also had started a new waitressing job and was trying to work in my final projects around my shifts. Ahh, just thinking about it makes me want to crawl under my covers for days...
Alright, here I go. I'm going to apply the gesso to the wood I am using this afternoon during my munchkin's nap time and take it from there.
This morning I was playing with my munchkin in her room. After a while she wanted to go watch TV and took off downstairs. When I went back upstairs to grab something, I noticed that Faith had put her Cookie Monster doll on her potty chair. I couldn't help but laugh...
So it has been awhile since my last post and I don't really know why. The time has just been flying lately and I don't know where it has gone. Well a lot of it has been spent on The Pioneer Woman blog, my new obsession. Reading it makes me want to meet a hunky cowboy, pick up and move out to the country and spend my days cooking, baking, and gardening (but wait I have a handsome guy and a little munchkin and I cook, bake, and garden already). Speaking of my little munchkin, above is a picture I took of her yesterday in the backyard. She was so excited to wear her new Hello Kitty rain boots.
And speaking of gardening I am getting really excited for this year's backyard garden (taking that we have a backyard - we will be moving somewhere at the end of April, but we don't know where yet, EEK!). Last year I attempted tomatoes, green peppers, and a raspberry bush, but only the tomatoes turned out. My disturbingly deranged backyard squirrels ate the raspberry bush before anything had a chance to grow - literally all that was left was a stick, and the green pepper plants never took off because the tomato plants ended up towering over them. This summer will be another round of honing my green thumb, I can't wait. Until then here is a picture from last year's garden. 
About 6 months ago my sister recommended a book to me that she was absolutely in love with. It was called Domino: The Book of Decorating. Being an art and design major for 4.5 years, I've seen a lot of great books for design but nothing quite like this. This book is so different from the rest because it is for anyone interested in making their home a place they love and actually shows you step by step how to do it. It is all about your personal style and filling your home with what you love, not so much what the current trends are. I spent this afternoon paging through it, falling in love all over again.
One of the first steps the book recommends is to compile pictures in a file of anything you love (a piece of furniture, a color, or a photo). Basically anything that you want to see in your home or anything that you find inspiring. I have been trying to do this over the last few months keeping in mind we will be moving again and I will have another opportunity to make a new space my own. I particularly focus on magazines, but also use images from the internet and photos of my own. I plan to keep up this collection until we move, then I will move on to the next step of putting rooms together and hunting for new pieces to complete each room.
The book gives great examples of all of the rooms in a home in a variety of unique styles. Some of the rooms I don't love, but others I would like to cut and paste into my own home. The book encourages spaces that are timeless, pulling pieces from different time eras and combining them in ways one would never think of. I have to say the book is worth picking up if you are at all interested in home decorating.
I am so amazed looking around at my house to see how much "stuff" has accumulated over the last 9 months (when we moved in). We will most likely be moving again in a few months and I am psyching myself up for some major decluttering. There is a possibility that we will be moving a few states away or even more (depending on certain current job possibilities) and I refuse to move all of this clutter.
Having a daughter who is almost two, we are constantly fighting the build up of toys. During Christmas we specifically asked grandparents not to get her stuffed animals or dolls because of the ridiculous amount she already has and she still received around 8. That really adds up for every special occasion. I hate getting rid of things that were given to my daughter as gifts, but there comes a time when I have no choice. My new plan for holidays is to get Faith a very minimal amount of stuff and instead take her somewhere fun like the zoo or kids museum. That way she has a ton of fun and I don't end up with more stuff, a win-win situation!
So getting back to my decluttering talk, I think my plan for the next few weeks is to do a massive overhaul in each room of our house. Then before we move, I think we are getting rid of some of our furniture and large electronics because they are just not worth moving (they were hand me downs when we were living the college life).
Talking about this always makes me think of my sister who got rid of practically everything she owned when she moved to Albany, NY for grad school. She was the queen of stuff before that, so it was an insane amount that she got rid of. Everything she kept fit into her tiny Saturn (and a few things in a room at my parents house, like photo albums). She is now living in a small apartment with her boyfriend in the Bronx and still living by her no clutter rules.
I feel like I've really said a mouthful, but this is a subject I am very passionate about. I am constantly trying to cut down on the "stuff" that I buy and bring home. Well wish me luck, I think I am going to start this afternoon!
I love making things to give as gifts, it makes everything much more personal. Gift giving can be frustrating for me because I am so anti clutter. I want to give gifts that I know the recipient wants and will use. I become frustrated when it comes to people like my parents and grandparents who do not need anything, but gifts are still expected for all gifting holidays. My default gift for birthdays is a handmade set of greeting cards and for weddings is a crocheted throw blanket. Here is an example of one that I made this Fall that I still need to get sent out (oops!). I like blankets that are looser (more holes) because they are so much quicker to make yet have the same effect of one that is more time consuming.
Since my daughter was born almost two years ago, I have had two 8x10 frames hanging on her wall where I display various scrapbook pages. I switch out the pages about every three months - usually with the seasons or when I develop a new batch of pictures. Here are the two pages I recently made with Faith's Valentine pictures. I found the adorable polka dot paper and shimmer paper at JoAnn Fabrics during one of their awesome 4/$1 paper sales. I'm trying to curb my purchasing of paper and other crafting things in order to use up what I have, but it is so tempting when the paper is that cheap!
It's Valentine's Day today and a few weeks ago I came up with a fun idea for a project my daughter could help with. I planned send out valentines to some of our closer friends and relatives from our daughter. I made the layout similar to a postcard instead of a card that opens. The front I made using patterned paper and a heart stamp, then I had my daughter draw and put stickers on a separate piece of paper which I adhered to the back of the postcard after she was finished. I also took some current photos of her playing in her valentines dress and slipped two pictures into each envelope with the valentine. Faith loved helping with the project and it is a great treat for some of our friends and relatives. Above is a sample picture of a valentine and below is one of the pictures of Faith in her valentines dress (the blocks even spell out love if you look closely!).
After giving it some long thought a few weeks ago and after continual review since, I have come up with my New Year's Resolutions. I have to say that I look at resolutions more as goals for the upcoming year, like stepping stones to my larger goals. As I have stated previously, I have been at a bit of a loss for new goals since graduating from college. I think I had the same big goal for so long (since the beginning of high school) that once I reached it, I felt like "now what?"
Also before I write my list I have to say that I refuse to say "lose 10 pounds" or anything along those lines because I do not believe it is healthy for me to think that way. I am more focused on feeling good and being overall healthy. When I was 14/15, I had a eating disorder that put me in a very scary situation with my health (at my lowest I was a size 0 in juniors and weighed less than 100 pounds when I normally weigh around 135 and am a size 6 or 8). Since getting back to my normal weight, I refuse to own a scale and only base any weight loss on how my clothes fit. With that said, here is my list for the upcoming year:
1. Try 2 new recipes a week
2. Make a meal plan and grocery list each week
3. Use coupons when I go to the grocery store when possible
4. Practice Pilates 3x a week
5. Find one more workout I enjoy and alternate with Pilates
6. Read 2 books a month
7. Post to my blog at least 8 times a month
8. Learn to knit
9. Finish my portfolio
10. Find a "big girl" job
I have to say I like my list and feel that it is both attainable and challenging for me. Lists and goals make me accomplish more and the best part is the feeling I get when I am able to cross something off my list! It is probably the reason I keep To-Do lists everyday.
So I have been putting off doing my portfolio again... I have been working on it like crazy this evening while listening to my favorite tunes since my Photoshop trial period is done after tomorrow. Therefore I need to finish up my pages and turn them into pdf form so I can bring them to the UPS Store and pay an arm and a leg to get this darn thing printed! It is a little crazy to think that this is a book of my best work over the last 4.5 years. It will feel amazing to have it done, it really has been hanging over my head lately.
I currently am taking a small break from it (obviously since I am typing away on here). I am trying to decide which pages to cut, a seriously tough decision, and playing with layouts for a coverpage.
On another note, I have been a reading maniac recently (which is part of the reason my portfolio has been put off until the last minute). This past weekend I read Grave Secret by Charlaine Harris (LOVE her!) and today I finished up The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks (also a favorite author of mine). Both were very good books. Grave Secret is the first in a series and so far is very interesting with strong main characters. The Lucky One is one of my favorites that I have read of Nicholas Sparks. My number one is The Guardian followed by The Rescue. Last semester I ended up feeling deprived of reading since I was so busy, so I am taking extra joy in it now. I just love a good book.
Having graduated over a month ago (eek! I can't believe that much time has passed), I am scrambling to get my design portfolio done. I have attempted many times to create a portfolio in the past, but kept putting it off because my senior project would be the driving force for the final product. Well now that my senior project is done, I have no excuse. I am finding that a few of my files have disappeared over the past few years... oops, but I have a good amount to work with. It is funny reaching back to freshman year and looking at some of my fundamentals projects then seeing what I have created since. The above drawing is a still life exercise using color pastels from Drawing II. Below is from Fundamentals of Design and was featured in the Furlong Gallery for the 2005 CIDA Accreditation Review. As I continue working on my portfolio, I will post a few of my images from interiors and other studio classes, along with the finished product.
Yesterday I decided to tackle the ridiculous mess in my bedroom (also my office/craft area). I have been trying to get my things organized for weeks, but only would get half way done before someone needed my motherly services. This would then leave an even bigger mess. I had cards and decorative papers covering my desk in an attempt to finish them and bills and other miscellaneous items scattered everywhere that needed to be dealt with.
I finally was able to get everything done yesterday. The majority of the cards were finished and filed away and bills were paid. In organizing my remaining paper crafting supplies, I stumbled upon half completed scrapbook pages from last summer. I ended up getting pretty excited because I love scrapbooking but was way too busy until recently to partake in the fun. Here is a page I finished up. It was nice to work with some summer pictures, especially because we are barely seeing the sun these days in Wisconsin. This page uses Basic Grey paper, my absolute favorite paper line. It has been for about 6 years now and I am always excited to see what designs and color combinations they come out with next.
I have been thinking about what my next creative ventures will be and have come up with two I am interested in. First I want to learn how to knit baby hats. There is a book I found called Baby Beanies that I fell in love with at first glance. The hats would make great presents. The other project idea I have is to make a scrapbook of my favorite recipes. I am really getting into finding new recipes lately and it would be fun to put together a book with my favorites. It would also be a really memorable gift to pass down to my daughter when she is older. I will update with posts of my progress as I begin my new projects.
Literally all I have done today is clean. I do not understand how my house gets so out of control within a matter of hours! Actually I do understand and her name is Faith. It is also the fact that Pete and I love to cook, yet do not enjoy doing dishes. I have been cooking like crazy these past few days (now that I have time to cook and actually am enjoying it again) but have had such a hard time keeping up with the dishes since I do not have a dishwasher.
For the past year I have been using green cleaning products. I took a science class last spring that focused on sustainability and since I have strayed away from using harsh chemical cleaners. I am a strong believer that if you can't breathe when you are cleaning your house, it cannot mean anything good. Here are my recipes for my two favorite homemade cleaners:
All-Purpose Spray/Glass Cleaner:
In large spray bottle (I bought a generic one from Walmart) combine 4oz vinegar with 16oz water. That's it! Works great on kitchen surfaces along with glass and mirrors. I also use a similar mixture in the kitchen sink to mop my floors.
Shower Cleaner:
In large spray bottle combine 4oz Dawn dish soap with 16oz vinegar. Shake to mix. Works amazingly in the shower and also on sinks. Just wipe with a wet sponge and rinse with water.
For a toilet cleaner I use GreenWorks, which does as good of a job as anything else I have used but is much more environmentally conscious.
Since switching to greener cleaning products, I feel much better about cleaning around my daughter.
The past few days I have been working on making greeting cards during my daughter's nap time. I like to give sets of them as gifts and they are also nice to have on hand for a quick thank you or birthday card. Generally when I see a patterned paper I like, I pick it up to have on hand for when I get motivated to create some cards. I only buy what I absolutely love, even if that means I leave a store with nothing. With this philosophy, I get much more excited about what I create. I have quite a collection of patterned paper and also scraps that I have been trying to use up for a few years now.
In high school and also after during winter/summer breaks from college I worked at Archiver's (an amazing photo memory store). I really built up my collection of paper, stamps, and embellishments during that time. I miss working there, it was a fun atmosphere and I loved to help others with their projects. I also taught various classes that were held at the store and was able to learn lots of tricks and techniques.
Last week I visited Michael's in Eau Claire and fell in love with their selection. I have never seen such a great selection at any other Michael's. I picked up a few things since I was in a time crunch, but cannot wait to go back and spend some more time looking.
Here are just a few samples of the cards I made this afternoon:
It is a new year and even a new decade. I recently completed a major goal in my life which was graduating from college with a bachelor's degree. I majored in interior design and minored in business at the University of Wisconsin - Stout. For me the biggest accomplishment was completing this goal while raising my daughter who is almost 2. I look back in amazement, especially at the month before I graduated, and wonder how I did it. In my last few weeks I was literally living in the senior design studio consuming ridiculous amounts of caffeine. All in all I did what I had to do to put out an awesome senior project (see the picture of my show space below), be a mom, and finish the rest of my course load. With that said, I ask myself now what? For the past 4 years my goal was to graduate, now that I have, I find myself questioning what my new goals will be. 
In this blog I would like to document my creative ventures. I am an avid scrapbooker, card maker, crocheter, baker, and designer. I also make some jewelry and want to learn how to sew and knit. I am always looking for new ways to save money, organize my home, and live healthier. This combination hopefully will create lots of interesting and insightful posts.