Carlsbad mini-book

I finally got prints of all my photos and had some time to play.

I started with a basic color theme. And rather than use patterned paper I chose to stencil designs using the 3 paint colors. The goal was to keep it simple, but different from my other projects

However, I did use paper for the covers. I used gel medium to adhere the paper to the book covers and added some rub-ons and a few stamps.

The inside of both the back and front covers are the same polka dot paper.

I attached the photos using tape. Some pages have 1 photo, some 2 photos, and a few even have 3 photos.

They are attached so that 1 side can flip up to reveal journaling on the back of the photos.

The only embellishments used were rub-ons and some inking around the edges.

I wanted to keep the focus on the photos.

I can't believe that I took so many photos in just over 2 days. I originally thought this would be a smaller book. I had to make several design changes due to various factors (such as dropping the Instax idea due to terrible quality of the photos).

The book has about 25 pages, but about 50 photos.

Hope you enjoyed! If you have a fun summer getaway planned, let me know how you are planning to document the trip!

Friday Wrap

It's that time again folks. The Friday Wrap.

Firstborn came over Friday evening.  Haven't seen him since around Easter. Turns out I kinda miss the boy (even if he is a giant pain). Chelsey had to work. As I'm fond of saying, work really gets in the way of life!

Sunday we went to Trevor and Chelsey's apartment. This was my first time seeing it. Very nice. Wish it wasn't so far away. But the distance could be worse!

My mom came over Friday also, to stay and help while I recovered from surgery. There was a lot of puppy lovin' going on this past week. She was sure that Daisy would be ferocious, seeing as how she has all that pit bull DNA flowing through her veins. As you can see, she is pretty scary. She likes to spaz out on your face as she showers you with kisses.

We got to cross game night off our Summer Sand Bucket list. Emma and I tried to teach my mom how to play Uno. By the 3rd game, she was still asking which card she could play. So we had to start teasing her by saying we could teach the dogs how to play the game before she could get the rules straight! We were having so much fun that Katie had to join us!  (we also got to cross off 2 movies from the Summer Sand Bucket List: MIB III and Madagascar 3)

This was my view most of the week. Legs elevated, pj's on, bandage peeking out near the ankle. Ice on the knee. Life is getting a little less painful every day, I just have to make sure not to overdo the walking!

Got a care package in from the gay husbands. Made me smile! Thank you boys!

Another Summer Bucket item to cross off: craft day. We picked up some ceramic animals for the girls to paint. Wasn't sure if Katie would be interested, but she spent over an hour working carefully on her frog. Both animals turned out super cute!

While the girls painted, I worked on this book page mirror. I started earlier in the week trying to make a sunburst mirror. I had seen lots of ideas on Pinterest, and thought it looked easy. So a few months ago I picked up a round mirror on clearance at Target. I decided to use skewers and spray paint them a yellow color. Then I tried to glue them on the front of the mirror. They looked awful. Like I had glued spaghetti to a mirror. I let the mess sit on the counter for a few days to see if I changed my mind, but in the end I pulled off the skewers and gave up. But now I had glue residue on the mirror. What to do? I remembered another craft involving rolled up book text. I know it looks odd, but I kinda like it. Mind you, no one else in the house likes it, but I do. And since I spent 2 hours working on it, it will spend some time hanging on the wall!

Einstein playing ball with my sleeping husband. Doesn't he understand the entire reason we got him a little sister was so that he had a built in buddy to play fetch and tug of war with when we are trying to sleep, such as at 5 am?

And the last photo of the week is the red wall. I decided a week ago that we should paint some walls in the house. Like one wall per room. And the wall should be a bright, funky color. Like a red wall in the living room. Oh my! It actually looks great. And since I'm recuperating, Mark and the girls did all the painting while I peeked over the ledge periodically. I'm really impressed with all their work. There is still more to finish tomorrow, but a good chunk got done today. Next will be a yellow kitchen wall.

This is what happens when I have so much time to sit in a chair and stare at the house!

So what have you been up to this week? You could share with me, or even better, share with the link party by clicking the button below. Come on. It won't hurt a bit!

Be Afraid

Be very afraid. There is a new teenage boy out driving on the open roads.

Alec got his driver's permit today. Passed the written test. And we all know what that means.

7 months from now, December 14th, he will be eligible to take the driving test and earn an AZ driver's license.

Congratulation big guy! We love you!

Currently

Happy Wednesday everyone! Hope your week is looking good so far!

Here's some fun pictures of me with the girls while we were in Carlsbad.

Currently, I am:
grateful: to have insurance so I could go get surgery to repair that torn knee meniscus. (I have noticed lots of people walking funny lately, and wonder how many are not able to afford going to see the doctor or pay for a hospital procedure.)

loving: being home and spending lazy days with my family as I recover from surgery.

determined: to keep working hard on this blog and my art shop so I can change my future

honored: to have a husband that looks at me with so much love in his eyes, as I ask him to fetch me yet another object (he has been  at home caring for me this past week).


feeling overwhelmed: by the clutter in my home. It just never ends. But I may need to just let the anxious feelings go and continue to work on the clutter as I can.

eating: heading out door to Cracker Barrel in a few minutes for breakfast. Love me some Eggs in a Basket with bacon

asking: for help is hard for me. My mom is staying at my home to help, but it is hard for me to ask her to do things for me. But I am trying. I know that is why she is here.

happy: to begin working on my Carlsbad mini-album. I'm excited to finish and share.

entertaining: the idea of  walking on a treadmill in the near future. I do not like the idea of my body limiting what I can do, and I realize that I need to start treating my body with more respect if I want it to behave well as I grow older!

looking: forward to the lazy days of summer. This is the first summer where I am truly excited to have the kids home and enjoy the relaxed pace of the days (at least the days where I am not at work).

re-realizing: that my heart is breaking at the thought of going back to our crazy normal life. Both of us working too many hours, opposite shifts, not enough time to just breathe and enjoy life!

accepting: that going to bed at a reasonable time really does make me feel better, and makes waking up early much easier too!  

turning: into a total dog lover. My 2 furry friends have really captured my heart!

booking: a small road trip in July. Should it be Tucson or Flagstaff?

finishing: the current season of Mad Men. Only 2 episodes left to watch on the DVR.

taking: risks with adding some color to the walls in my home. First color? Red in the living room. Just one wall.

embracing: the idea that leftover night is a fabulous way to both clean out the fridge and make my life super easy one evening per week!

New in the Shop

Happy Monday everyone!

I made a few changes to the appearance of the blog this weekend. I added some images of my canvases to the header (the very top portion of the blog where the title is located). Let me know what you think. I'm hoping that the blog looks more like me.

I also added a few more canvases to the shop. Just click on the tab labeled "My Shop" to visit (just above the blog posts). I'd love it if you would take a moment to check them out and leave me some feedback. They are a flat price of $25, which includes shipping.

Any suggestions? Liking something but wish it was a different color? Prices realistic?  I'd appreciate your comments!

Seattle: Day 3

We decided to venture out for breakfast. And of course I didn't want to go to the Denny's across the street. I spent some time on Yelp looking for a good place to go eat, and decided on The Clearview Cafe. I gave Mark and my dad one last chance to veto my choice, and was told "it's up to you". Well, that's a green light for an adventure! Along the way to the car, we picked up an extra person to join us. Gene (ex-step dad) came along for coffee (he had already eaten breakfast). So, after a few wrong turns, and 11 miles driving in the rain, we found out place. And after waiting about 10 minutes for a table, we were seated and ready to order a yummy breakfast!


Isn't this just the prettiest hot chocolate you have ever seen?

Gene on left, dad on right.  See how happy they are to be on this adventure!

Waiting for food to arrive. I ordered the Nutter Butter french toast. Yes. I did. Peanut butter between 2 pieces of french toast, coated in something crispy, with bananas, whipped cream, and chocolate sauce drizzled on top. If there is a next time, I would skip the chocolate and leave the whip on the side. Otherwise, to die for. Huge portions too! I highly recommend if you are ever in the area!

Spotted these pretties in the McDonald's drive thru. Needed a Diet Coke bad. And I don't want to hear that these are weeds!

Before we left for the airport we got to take a quick tour of my brother and Kristi's new house. It was every bit as gorgeous as I had imagined. It sits at the end of a street, and has total privacy from all the neighbors. When you open your car door all you hear are the birds chirping. Sweet!

 

Can totally see myself eating pancakes here for breakfast!

 

Back patio deck. Great place for a beer and a grilled dinner!

This is my favorite spot by far. It's a fireplace in the master bath. Across from the whirlpool tub. I totally wanted a fireplace in the bathroom of my last house! Warm water with a bath bomb. Glass of wine. Crackling fireplace. Jets turned on in the tub. Nice! Is it odd that I keep imagining myself in various rooms of Bob and Kristi's house? I think it means I need to come back and visit the house Bob and Kristi!

Waiting for plane to take off. Got super lucky and no one sat in the middle seat. Mark and I got to put up the arm rests and it felt like we flew home on a love seat. Yes! Note the rain streaming down the window. Must be Seattle. Definitely not rain in Phoenix!

On our way home. Visit was much too quick and not nearly enough time together, but so glad to have been able to share in the special days with my bro and his lovely bride!

Becoming

source: the pink elephant

Yep. Every day.

I have spent the entire day in a chair surfing the web. Finding new blogs. Checking out Pinterest. Learning to play Draw Something with the new sis (Kristi). Eating Mexican food. Talking to my gay Boston husbands (Freddy and Warren).


This is the life of someone recovering from knee surgery.

Guess who gets to take her ankle to thigh bandage off tomorrow? Yep. That's me, And that means I get to shower without a trash bag taped around my entire left leg! Think i might need to go to bed so Sunday can come quickly!!