found in translation

frosted over

2011-02-02T18:29:00.000-08:00

making the best of this weather

2011-02-01T17:29:00.000-08:00

The skies dumped about an inch of ice on us today. The trees sagged. The pugs had a hard time walking on the sharp grass. My car became one with a sheet of ice....

Some power stations had explosions. Then our power went out for a couple of hours—right in the middle of my workout. So we lit some candles, I finished my workout, ate peanut butter right out of the jar, and before we knew it, the power was back on. yay!
And it's still icing out there...
I also sneakily recorded Rodger serenading the pugs in the dark. It's just the end of his song, but I love this little candid snippet.

(you might need to turn up your speakers because the sound is kind of low)

christmas morning

2010-12-30T16:27:00.000-08:00

Who is completely over Christmas? Me, too! But I just got around to editing my Christmas morning photos, and want to document it for my own selfish reasons :) I hope yours was magical, too.

it's freezing here in Ohio

2010-12-13T19:37:00.000-08:00

christmas shopping at the antique barn

2010-12-12T19:05:00.000-08:00

each one is unique

2010-12-10T16:33:00.001-08:00

pancakes (and mimosas) for dinner!

2010-11-30T17:59:00.000-08:00

I have such wonderful friends! They all have cute homes, too. Here's a peek at Andy & Lindsey's adorable pad.

sunday breakfast

2010-11-07T06:46:00.000-08:00

I've been really busy lately. I'm not quite sure where the time goes, but i always manage to find myself lacking it. I've been tired and stressed out and really just wanting to retreat. The weekends are such a relief, a tiny vacation, and a chance to become sane again. Within these little pockets of free time, I take comfort in things as simple as an un-rushed workout, a walk with my pugs, a movie with my husband, or a breakfast that didn't come out of the microwave and toaster.

This morning we made the kind of breakfast that requires a skillet and stove. There's a beauty in the work, the rhythm of eggs and flour being whisked in the bowl, and the pitter patter of my dogs' claws as they skitter across the floor. Today I did something I haven't done in a while. Something that makes me feel happy and whole. I picked up my camera and documented a mundane, beautiful, and wonderful everyday task. I will do this a whole lot more from now on.

(happy Sunday!)

halloween weekend

2010-10-31T16:34:00.000-07:00

smith manor halloween party :: the setting

2010-10-26T18:20:00.001-07:00

At the old Smith Manor, we are pretty enthusiastic about Halloween. We pretty much go all out. Here's some pics of our fourth annual Halloween bash. This year we themed it based on a haunted mansion.

The invite.

glitter skull on the table setting.
creepy bedroom set-up. We had some pretty convincing audio going on, too—like a little girl singing "Itsy Bitsy Spider", and yelling for "Mommy".
Eyeball truffles and "guacamoldy".
All the pre-party doings wore out poor Gomez.
Cooper didn't miss a chance to get dressed up.
The menu.

smith manor halloween party :: the guests

2010-10-26T18:08:00.000-07:00

We have some pretty amazing friends. They're pretty creative, too. I'm sure you'll see that in their choice of costumes.

Mrs. Peacock & Colonel Mustard.

"Sexy" Big Bird (the Sexy part is arguable) and Daria.
GI Joe.
The maid wants to drag you down with her!
The Lord and Lady of Smith Manor.... Vampire and Lycan love. Who says it can't be so?
Lucy and LegoJake.
Lost characters. The best part of this costume duo is that there really isn't a baby in that belly!
Ghostly 40's folks in the best photobomb ever.
Because it was that intense!
Vampire and flapper #4 (it was a popular theme this year).
Mrs. McDaniel, the maid of the manor.
The Geico pig! Weee Weeee Weeeeeeee!
Thanks to all you guys who came and made our party awesome! Seriously, you guys rock.

last night of summer

2010-09-21T18:58:00.000-07:00

I got the official word last night—I have a broken sternum. I managed that slick maneuver while working out at the park. The doctor's orders go something like, "no exercise of any kind". As a result, my new favorite hobby is walking. Lots of walking. I have a wonderful husband who will accompany me on said walks.

Tonight we bid farewell to the summer with a long walk across town. We headed out for some sandwiches but in the process took a walk through the graveyard (which is an arboretum and not nearly as macabre as it sounds), took in the scenery, and stopped in a music store so Rodger could play a little on the grand piano.

The other doctor's order was, "no lifting of any kind". I think my DSLR would complicate matters, so I carried along my light weight little iPhone and documented the stroll with my ShakeIt (polaroid-like) app.

I think it was pretty a magical evening.

(click on the images to see them larger)

randoms

2010-08-29T12:02:00.000-07:00

jellybeans from my birthday.

I'm sure you can see how much Rodger loves having his picture taken.
....and the sexiest cat alive!

framed

2010-08-29T10:46:00.000-07:00

I'm exhibiting in Ladyfest Dayton next weekend! Here's a little peak at some display elements :)

wishes and textures

2010-08-19T19:21:00.000-07:00

At the Indianapolis Botanical Gardens.

First 5K!

2010-08-16T17:59:00.000-07:00

Did I mention that Rodger and I ran our first 5K?! Well, we did, and we totally rocked it! No we didn't run 3.1 miles of consecutive, earth-shattering speed. We ran it at what some would consider a near jog, a 9:24 pace. But we completed it at 29:06, which was nearly a full two minutes shorter than what I expected to do. I must mention that Rodger would have done much better than this if he didn't have me trotting along and weighing him down! I'm grateful to have such a wonderful, supportive husband who would do that with me.

The Rodg sports his finisher's medal in front of the King's Island marquee.
And wouldn't you know? I got a plaque! Third place female in my division. Must've been a slow division, but I'm proud of myself nonetheless!
It was so much fun, and I can't wait for the next one!

like two teenagers

2010-08-13T04:47:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time, two teenagers, not even Seniors in high school, decided to make it official. After dating for all of one week, they made the decision to put a label on it. From that day forth they would be known as "boyfriend and girlfriend".

Little did the two know, from that moment on they would be inseparable. And even though all of life has happened in between, they are still those two slap-happy teenagers in their love for one another. Since that summer day there have been movie nights and vacations, their wedding and those of friends, dinners out, dinners in, family losses, heartbreaks, pure joy, but more than anything, so much happiness. They can't begin to imagine one's life without the other. Despite all this, those two can hardly believe that it has been 10 whole years since that sweet little declaration. It has been truly amazing and hopefully the next 50 will be even sweeter.

I love you, Rodg! Happy 10th (dating declaration) Anniversary!

vacation recap : grand turk

2010-08-10T18:03:00.000-07:00

Holy Cow, it has been three months since our Caribbean Cruise. Double Holy Cow, I haven't gotten around to sharing the pictures from our last port, Grand Turk. My life has been non-stop bananaface since this spring.

We were dropped off on the tourist part of the island, and I was told by our Cruise waitress that we shouldn't go any further than that. Everything—from the Del Sol shop to the Margaritaville restaurant-pool-combo—was extraordinarily touristy. Despite all that, we snorkeled here, and that was the experience of a life time! We saw coral, and awesome fish, and even tiny little jellyfish. Lots of jellyfish. Fortunately no one was stung.

I didn't realize that if there was coral near shore, that the beach would be really rocky (read: hard to walk on).

Large chunks of coral and sand. This made barefoot strolls painful, and walking in flip-flops a heck of a workout!

One of the coolest parts was the giant conch shells just lying around on the beach. I think this one was advertising half price appetizers at Margaritaville.
And finally, the mass exodus back to the boat. I found it hilarious that they corraled you through a duty free shop to even get on the dock to go back to the ship. Hilarity aside, I did get an excellent deal on a Nike watch on my way out :)
Then we spent another day at sea and went home. All in all, it was a pretty amazing experience. Perhaps we'll cruise again some day.

The end!

Hydrangeas

2010-07-25T10:56:00.000-07:00

from my garden earlier this summer.

south park tavern, me & mountains, you can be a wesley

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

Just realized I hadn't shared these on here yet. It's from a show the guys played a couple weeks back, with an amazing band from Boston, You Can Be a Wesley. I'm really happy with the way the color came out with minimal retouching!

one sunny sunday

2010-07-21T18:14:00.001-07:00

happy 4th of july!

2010-07-04T13:12:00.001-07:00

Last night we decided to have a little reenactment of the fateful Independence Day. I think my small size set me out as an underdog from the beginning, but we all know who came out the winner!

vacation recap : san juan

2010-07-01T18:17:00.000-07:00

Considering we boarded the ship on May 9th, I've been really slow on this vacation recap thing. I've got two more ports left to share. Here's a little photo tour of my absolute favorite port, San Juan! It was everything I expected and more.

This was the sunrise that morning. Rodger got me up at, like, 5:30 to see it. While I was really irritated with him at the time, I'm glad now that we got to experience that together.
This was our view of San Juan as we cruised in. That is a fortress that has been used for centuries to protect the city. It was the coolest thing about our entire trip!
We got to the fortress before it was opened and pretty much had the whole place to ourselves. We explored the outside grounds for about an hour.

This is the view from the other side of the fortress.

and here's the city skyline from an old World War II touret in the fortress.

Rodger at the fort.

What the fortress walls were made out of.

The architecture and storefronts were so colorful and interesting. It reminded me alot of Italy, as you could see the European influence that had lingered since it's founding days.

Interesting street art and flyers on the back of a mailbox.

whimsical sort of morning

2010-06-29T05:11:00.000-07:00

I had to do a double-take on my way in to work this morning. The iPhone doesn't capture just how low that thing was. It felt like it was scraping the tree tops! Sort of sets a fun tone for the rest of the day.

vacation recap : st. thomas

2010-06-03T18:41:00.001-07:00

So St. Thomas is touted as the best shopping in the Caribbean. I don't believe this! Not unless you're looking for diamonds and tacky souvenirs. I of course am basing this on the one hour of shopping that we partook in.... Joking aside, I'm sure there is some good shopping hiding on that island, even if it's not my cup of tea.

A few interesting facts about the U.S. Virgin Island, St. Thomas:

• The Virgin Islands are actually only leased to the U.S. We don't own them!

• They drive on the left hand side of the road there, but the cars are American so the steering wheel is still on the left side.

• On nearby island, St. Croix, you can buy a bottle of rum for 75 cents, but a gallon of milk will cost you about $8!

This is the view of the ship port. Probably the most beautiful thing I've ever seen.

Rodger shows off his impressive ink.
No, I did not ride this. I am not a fan of heights.
A little taste of home in the Virgin Islands! I have no explanation for this.
Rodger and Black Beard at "Black Beard's Castle".
just stunning.
View from the ship.
It's like a postcard. Absolutely breathtaking.

vacation recap : formal night

2010-05-31T07:47:00.000-07:00

Our third day at sea offered a formal night for dinner. It was fun to see people all dressed up for dinner in tuxes and evening gowns, and the teenage girls in their prom dresses. Great people watching on those ships, I tell you. The Rodg and I went a little more middle of the road. I sported my favorite Free People dress and he left the ascot at home.

vacation recap : half moon cay

2010-05-29T07:35:00.000-07:00

Our first day at a port was at Half Moon Cay. It is a private island that is owned by Carnival Cruise Line. It was interesting because there are only 30 people that actually live on the island to maintain it and guide the excursions. The other people who were manning the gift shops, restaurant, and bar came straight off the boat before they let the passengers debark.

Let me tell you, this island was absolutely gorgeous! The water was as clear as a swimming pool, and the sand looked as though it could have been bleached. This place was the definition of paradise.

Look at that sand! We were definitely spoiled by this beach since it was our first port.

Rodger takes in the view while on our "hike & bike" excursion. Our guide kept saying things like "Yah, Mon," and referred to me as "Boo". We learned some interesting facts about the island, got to see some sting rays, and tried a piece of an amazing native fruit (that I'm not even attempting to spell here).

This was the sand bar where you could do the sting ray encounter ($$$). We got to walk up to the dock and check out the rays, starfish, and that long thing that looks like poo is a Sea Cucumber (so I'm told, at least).

vacation recap : i'm on a boat!

2010-05-26T18:01:00.001-07:00

The strangest thing about a cruise is cruising. I'm serious. You're residing on a gigantic floating city of a boat for a week. And that boat isn't just a means to getting from port to port, it's a vacation in itself.

So, first and foremost, here's a glimpse of the sea life.

Okay, so I'm not on a boat here. I'm in the Detroit airport. on an escalator... But I like this picture.

The rest of these are on the boat, i swear.
This was our view as we disembarked from Miami.
sunset over the water.
Dinner in the formal dining room. We ordered a fair share off of that menu.
Yes. We cruised the line that makes towel animals. And yes, it was awesome to be greeted by some sort of toweligami like this every night.

it's good to be home!

2010-05-17T19:18:00.000-07:00

We just got back late last night from our vacation to the Caribbean. I'm still editing my photos. So here's a little peak at why It's good to be home!

I love my puggies.

my little brother got married!

2010-05-08T07:57:00.000-07:00

Last night I attended and photographed my little brother's somewhat impromptu wedding ceremony. It was windy, and the weather threatening, but it turned out to be absolutely gorgeous (even with the imposing storm clouds). Riverscape will forever have a warm little place in my heart.

I don't think I've seen Chuckie that happy since my dad took us to Disney World when he was nine! His bride is the sweetest, most beautiful thing that has brought about an amazing change in my younger bro. He is truly a better person because she is in his life. The two share a love that I've seen in very few people, and I couldn't be more thrilled for them.

Congratulations, Chuck and Kisha Spitzig! I love you both!

happy earth day!

2010-04-22T10:15:00.001-07:00

the day finally came (crafty supermarket)

2010-04-18T17:12:00.000-07:00

What an amazing experience! Ladybear (Rachael Smith) and I embarked on our first craft fair not exactly sure what to expect. Will people like us? Will we make any sales? Will we make some new friends? The answers are yes, yes and YES!

It surpassed my expectations. I made some great new connections, bought some amazing crafty goods from talented neighbors, and learned a great deal about vending and myself! The fact that my jewelry sold was just a footnote to it all!

Thanks so much to everyone that came out to support us! It absolutely means everything to me.

Here's some shots from our big day:

Yellowberry & Ladybear.

It's yellow!

The crowd lining up to get in early, and get their hands on the early bird swag bags.

Some of the mega-talented vendors that we shared a space with.

This is our lovely assistant Rachel Scheller. She's the best!

Yellowberry, all set up and ready for customers!

Ladybear is taking care of business!

first peak, a test run

2010-04-15T18:40:00.000-07:00

I gave my Crafty Supermarket booth set up a dry run this afternoon. I spent more time than was necessary arranging everything just so. I photographed it a dozen times, so I can duplicate the set up. Then I had my mom, dad, brother, soon to be sister-in-law, and best friend over to have a look at it. They ooohed and ahhhed appropriately.

I think it looks pretty swell, and I can't wait to get down the the Crafty Supermarket on Saturday, and sell next to all those extremely gifted artists and crafters! I'm so happy and anxious.

Also, I would like to take a minute to recognize my favorite ladies who came over and spent hours wrapping little metal rings, stuffing shopping baggies, making buttons, and keeping the atmosphere light. Thanks so much Maria, Allison, Tessa & Alissa. You guys are the best friends a girl could ask for!

one night in Chicago

2010-04-13T18:29:00.000-07:00

... and I wish we had stayed longer! Here's a couple of shots from a roadtrip that I took with my husband and our good friend to see Spoon and Deerhunter.

This was our awesome room at the Hotel Sax.

waiting for our train. you can see the Aragon Ballroom sign in the left corner through the window.

Spoon at the Aragon Ballroom.

What? I'm a junior zookeeper.

Girafe Boy, Bear Head and Penguin Girl... No idea how we didn't get kicked out of that zoo gift shop!

yellowberry print materials

2010-04-13T17:50:00.000-07:00

I couldn't wait to get home today. This is because I knew I had Yellowberry's business cards waiting for me in the mail when I got there. In addition to that my super-rad cousin, Chris, called me to let me know I could pick up my signage from his sign shop, SelectSigns.

Both turned out just perfect! There's few more things crossed off my Crafty Supermarket To-Do list. Check 'em out!

mmmm, pizza

2010-03-29T16:52:00.000-07:00

This is my new favorite, quick meal. Arnold's Multi-grain Sandwich Thins, pizza sauce, a sprinkling of mozzarella, goat cheese, turkey pepperoni and hot peppers, heated to awesomeness in the toaster oven! Just about 250 calories and lots of fiber :)

crafty super market - sweet nothings

2010-03-23T18:26:00.000-07:00

a couple sweet little things that I'll be selling in my booth...

new bloggy endeavor

2010-03-17T06:12:00.000-07:00

Hello, friends!

I have an announcement to make, and I couldn't be more excited! I've decided to open up a new blog. It's called Oh, Hopscotch, and it can be found here http://ohhopscotch.blogspot.com/.

Now, I'm not abandoning Found in Translation. I love this little blog, but I'm going to bring it back to what I originally founded it for—a photo blog. It will be even more-so a visual documentation of what's shaking in my life.

Oh, Hopscotch is going to be dedicated to my creative life as an artist—what inspires me, my own recent works, crafts, and all that jazz. I hope to bring a little bit of inspiration into your lives, too. I've already populated it with a few posts, just to pique your interest. I have so much more in the works, I promise!

So please stop on by, give it a read, and maybe even add me to your reader if you like it that much! I'd be oh so flattered. Comments help me know what I'm doing right, or so horribly wrong.

So, still friends?

Yours Truly,
Val Smith

Crafty Super Market

2010-03-15T04:37:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a big day for me. First off, I booked a cruise! More on that later. Secondly, Yellowberry (that's me) & her very good friend, Lady Bear Crafts (owned by dear friend, Rachael Smith—no relation), found out we have been selected for a duel booth in Cincy's very own Crafty Super Market!!!!!
Holy moley, do I have some work to do!

The two of us submitted an application weeks ago, and have been waiting with bated breath ever since. We're both so pleased, and so proud to be a part of such an independent, special event. I'll be selling my jewelry and accessories, and Rachael will be selling her uber adorable, hand-embroidered paper goods (think greeting cards and bookmarks and stuff). This is our very first time as vendors, so your support would be treasured! Also, you would have the chance to do some great shopping, and come away with some truly unique pieces.

Here's the skinny:
Crafty Super Market
Saturday April 17th, 2010
11am-6pm
Clifton Cultural Arts Center

Here's my "Ashlyn" necklace that just might find it's way in the show:
This is one of Lady Bear's greeting cards (check out her blog for the latest news in her world):

craft night: bubble paper prints/stationery

2010-03-03T17:39:00.000-08:00

Remember when blowing bubbles in your drink and annoying the heck out of your parents was your idea of a good time? It still is? Mine, too. You'll feel right at home with this project. Now we didn't walk away from this craft thinking "success!". Our prints didn't look just like they did in the craft book (but still looked pretty swell). Though, they so seldom do. So I'm not too stressed. However, this was definitely the most fun craft night to date! what you'll need:

1 small bowl (like soup bowl size)

1 straw

1/2 cup water

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon dish soap

10 drops food coloring

light colored paper of your choosing

What to do:

1. Completely combine the water, sugar, dish soap, and food coloring in the bowl. Be very liberal with the food coloring, otherwise, your bubbles will be rather faint.

2. This is the part where all those "That's What She Said" jokes started to come into play. We're a mature bunch... Get out that straw and start blowing! slower is better. It makes bigger bubbles which print better. That's what she said!

3. Gingerly scoop the larger bubbles off the top of the bowl and arrange them to your liking on top of your paper. Resist the temptation to pop these bubbles or blow them away. Put it aside to dry. At this point, you are done! Now write someone a pretty letter, or do a fancy drawing. If you want to get really crazy, repeat steps 2-3 with a different color for a two-toned affect.The finished product, which was completed by my friend Alissa. She was the one who really got the hang of it.
happy crafting!

happy day!

2010-03-03T17:11:00.000-08:00

I logged into Etsy yesterday, more out of habit than anything. I thought my little eyes deceived me—lo and behold, I had made a sale! A very nice girl from the Cincinnati area will soon be the proud owner of my "Dessa Dreamcatcher" necklace.

The first thing I did was stare at the receipt screen. What do I do? All that planning and work I had done, and I hadn't thought about how you actually handle a transaction! So I called up my friend, a fellow seller on Etsy, and she told me all I pretty much had to do was package that sucker up!

So I wrapped it in finery, threw in a little something special, and headed on over to the post office. Then I waited in line for a good 15 minutes. And now that merry little package is on its way. I've never even shipped anything before! It was a week of firsts.

Here's the necklace that got away.

feeling like sharing

2010-02-22T13:42:00.000-08:00

came across this iPhone picture of my husband. It makes me happy every time I see it.

me & mountains strikes again

2010-02-21T09:18:00.000-08:00

My favorite guys played at Blind Bob's last saturday. It's so exciting to see all the people that are showing up to support them (Me & Mountains) these days, as their popularity grows. They're getting so good, and I'm super proud. Okay, I'll stop gushing. Here's some pictures.

p.s. their first EP comes out very soon.

craft night: freezer paper prints (again)

2010-02-20T10:26:00.000-08:00

Due to the unfortunate amount of snow that we've been experiencing in Dayton, Ohio, craft nights have been few and far between. No one has been sadder about this than I. However, we have a real gem planned for next week, so crafting balance will be restored to the land once more.

We did manage to squeeze one in a couple of weeks ago. It was a do-over since freezer paper prints were so popular, and we had an almost completely fresh group of ladies.

So just to show off what we created, here's freezer paper prints (again):

Scandinavian tea towel by Maria N.

Personal crest tote bag by rebecca r.

whimsical birdie tote by maria j.

It's the "can-you-tell-I-design-school-products" tote by me.

they say february 2003 was snowier...

2010-02-17T18:18:00.000-08:00

... but I don't believe them! I'm longing for spring, or a vacation, or a sunlamp at the very least! Well it's pretty, anyway.

the zipper was stuck

2010-02-16T18:53:00.000-08:00

I warned her it had happened to me before. "Oh, I won't get stuck," she insisted. After about ten hilarious, sweaty minutes of two of us tugging on either side, the dress finally came off and our status as friends was confirmed (having not wandered off and pretended not to know her). The best part? There was no dressing room at that thrift store.

The second best part? That dude in the background that is pointing and oggling.

oh, Papaya

2010-02-09T11:10:00.000-08:00

I'm pretty sure those clever designers over at Papaya can do no wrong. Case in point, these lovely water bottles, one of which I will be ordering very shortly. I'm leaning toward "Bliss".

i have big, BIG news!

2010-02-09T10:11:00.000-08:00

I've been extremely neglectful of this little corner of cyberspace lately, and it's not for lack of subject matter. Quite the opposite, actually. I've been a busy little bee for the past couple of weeks because I have had something huge brewing. Something that I have been wanting to do for a very long time. I opened an Etsy store, my friends!

It's called Yellowberry, and you can find it here:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/YellowberryHandmade
Right now I'm only featuring handmade necklaces. I have big plans for the future, however. I hope to include other jewelry like bracelets and earrings, as well as fun accessories like button badges, totes, and change purses. So keep an occasional eye on the shop, as it will be evolving.

Is it wrong to love a $216 swimsuit?

2010-02-08T05:50:00.000-08:00

If it is, I don't wanna be right.

Okay, I'm not really going to buy it, even though it would be the perfect reward for all the hard work I've been putting in at the gym. AND we're going on a cruise this year... But if you have the means to, more power to you. It's a Betsey Johnson, and you can find it here at Urban Outfitters.

craft night: upcycled paper bows

2010-01-14T07:54:00.000-08:00

I'm always excited to find good uses for old magazines and miscellaneous scrap papers. I was overjoyed when I found a tutorial for making your very own scrap paper bows. I found it here at How About Orange. I'm sure she does a better job at demonstrating this craft, but I'll take a stab at it, too.

A word from the wise. This project takes a couple of goes at it until you get it just right. Don't get discouraged! It gets a lot easier and a ton more fun as you get a few under your belt.

What you'll need:

8.5 in x 10 in scrap of paper

Hot glue gun (as always)

Stapler

Scissors

1. Cut 9 strips of paper 3/4 inches thick.

Make 3 of them 9 inches long.

The next 3 should be 8 inches long.

The next 2 should be 7 inches long.

The very last one should be 3.5 inches long.

2. Take one end and wrap the outside so that it touches roughly the middle of the inside and creates a pointy little loop, like so.

3. Do the same with the other side and staple it in the center. I found that the pointier you made the loop, the better the end result. Yes, this is a piece from a different bow. I need to spend less time chatting with my girlfriends, and more time taking pictures.

4. Do the same to all the strips, with the exception of the shortest one. Make that one a little circle, secured by a dab of glue.

5. Layer those loops, one on top of each other, securing each layer down with a dot of hot glue.

6. keep on layering until all loops are used. Glue the circle-loop down in the very center. Just like that, you're done!

Tip: Now, maybe you're the observant type, and you've noticed that there aren't all 9 pieces used in this specific bow. Okay, you caught me! You might have trouble fitting all those loops in, just like I did here. This is the part where I realized my loops weren't pointy enough. But never fear! Just use as many of them as you can fit, and don't worry about it. This one looks perfectly fine with only seven loops.

Here's a couple of finished bows. These utilize all 9 pieces, as we finally got the hang of this bow-making business. The one on the left uses double-sided scrap paper. Mrs. Maria J. so cleverly alternated patterns on each side to create the two-toned effect. The one on the right is a magazine page. I love the subtle punch of yellow on the inside of the bow.

Happy crafting!

yup, it's january alright

2010-01-09T08:04:00.000-08:00

Nothing makes a better work-day distraction than accumulating snowfall. The speculation over whether they'll send us home early, or the anxiety over the hazardous ride home are enough to send employees to weather.com every 15 minutes to check the Doppler Radar.

unbearable cold and dangerous car rides aside, it sure does make for a pretty landscape. I took this outside the window from my office building. It's just a tiny moment of serenity during a hectic day at work.

craft night: button maker brooches

2010-01-07T17:41:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite gifts this Christmas was a button maker. It makes pretty awesome, basic little buttons. However, Leave it to me to come up with ways to fancy up the conventional. I thought it would be fun to add crafty things like clothing buttons, fabric and ribbons and make our very own button brooches.

Here's a rough step by step...

1. Cut the graphic you want to put on your button. You can use fabric, too. The brooch in the photo above uses it, and it looks pretty snazzy. Being the Lithuanian/German/Irish/Who-Knows-What-Else Girl that I am, I chose this map of Europe.

2. Run it through your button maker. Now I apologize if you're like 99% of the population and you don't own one of these awesome but over-priced machines. I'll bet you can wrap it around an existing button, glue it on the back, and it will look just fine.
3. grab some felt and cut out the shape you would like to back your button.
4. Cut a slit the length of your button's pin and slip the pin through like so. Also, see that little doily in the left hand corner? I did the same with that one.
5. Hot glue that stuff down.
6. Add some buttons or felt flowers—anything really to your liking—and hot glue those to your button front. Then pin that baby on!
Here's a sampling of the final products!

P.S. I'm new to this tutorial writing thing, and this project was pretty open-ended, so if you have any questions, please ask! I hope you take a stab at this super-fun project. My friends and I had a blast with this one.

frost bitten

2010-01-05T18:12:00.000-08:00

the party stops here.

2010-01-03T17:04:00.000-08:00

I make my triumphant return to the office tomorrow morning after an eleven day break. While I'm not thrilled about waking up at 6:15 tomorrow morning, I am feeling completely refreshed and ready to get to business designing some notebooks!

Howdy, 2010!

happy new year 2010!

2010-01-01T07:08:00.000-08:00

Well, I feel like death warmed over. I did a little too much celebrating last night, so I'll make this brief. I hope you all had a safe and happy New Year's Eve, and will have a prosperous and joyous year to follow.

I don't make New Year's resolutions, but I am making it my goal to update this blog more often. I have some big plans for it, and I can't wait to continue sharing little bits of my life with you all.

Love you guys!

craft night: freezer paper prints

2009-12-31T11:49:00.000-08:00

Recently I have been hosting a (nearly) weekly craft night. It is one of the most rewarding things I do. Not only am I spending time with some of my dearest friends, but I'm also getting to be productive with all that creative energy.

Last night we made prints on canvas out of freezer paper. It's kind of similar to screen printing, but much more labor intensive if you want to do more than one.

Here's how the magic happens:

Draw your design with pencil on the non-shiny side of the paper. Then cut it out with an Xacto blade. You can do floating shapes inside of a cut-out but know that you'll have to manually position it on your fabric, and it is difficult to keep it in place.

Next, iron it shiny-side down onto your fabric until it's mostly stuck. Use a very hot iron.
Use a sponge brush or paint brush to dab your paint directly onto the fabric. Be sure not to spread the paint using strokes. Paint could be pushed under the stencil this way. It's not pretty, trust me.
Gently peel your freezer paper stencil from the fabric. You really should wait for it to dry before removing. That being said, we were all super impatient, and pulled it off immediately after painting it. You just need to be careful that your wet stencil doesn't fall onto your print.
...and ta-da! This is my finished tote bag.
Alissa's beautiful honeycomb print.
Maria's canvas panel to later be stitched to her tote bag.

happy new year (holiday recap)

2009-12-31T08:24:00.000-08:00

We're finally done with family Christmas gatherings! After attending our fifth party on tuesday night, we wrapped up a five day long holiday extravaganza. Here's a brief recap on the last day of 2009.

Happy New Year, Everyone! Be safe tonight.

My fancy new boots that my husband picked out all on his own!

I got 50 SHARPIE MARKERS, a button maker, and many other things that made me immensely happy. I am a lucky girl.

It's true, kids really do make Christmas special. Here are some cousins who needed no help getting into the holiday spirit (even if it was 5 days after Christmas).

rollerderby

2009-12-28T10:52:00.001-08:00

I missed this pic in my random update somehow. It's a photo of Mrs. Tessa right after her first roller derby scrimmage. Even though her team the Gingerbread Girls, lost to the Elves I think she looked pretty darn cute doing it.

Go, Tessa!

bananaface!

2009-12-28T07:59:00.000-08:00

This Christmas has been absolutely bananaface! I've been crafting and wrapping and shopping and baking (or watching Rodger bake), and gifting since December 1st. Somehow I even managed to squeeze in my job and an occasional work out. Unfortunately, the one thing that has fallen to the wayside (other than my laundry pile), is this blog. I promise I will do better.

Here is a very brief overview of what has been going on over the past month.

the stockings are hung...

2009-12-24T11:31:00.000-08:00

labels!

2009-12-02T13:09:00.000-08:00

If Poppytalk's blog were a page in a book, it would be all ear-marked and about to fall out because of how often I visit it. They never cease to inspire me. Today I came across these cute, free, downloadable labels that they were kind enough to offer us all:
http://poppytalk.blogspot.com/2009/02/free-downloadable-labels-from-us.html

I plan on using them as gift labels for Christmas this year. I hope they're okay with me opening the .pdf up in Illustrator and making them my own. I customized the colors to match the scheme we're going with for our tree and gift wrap this year. Then I added in a "to/from" line with our names in it. This way the recipient's name is the only thing you have to write in. This is important to me, as I have hopelessly sloppy penmanship.

Here's how mine turned out:

foxy girl

2009-11-11T10:18:00.000-08:00

I'm on a roll! I haven't felt this inspired in a long time. Here's the painting I finished last night.

just a paint splatter girl

2009-11-10T19:40:00.000-08:00

I drew this girl months ago. Since that day she has hung on the wall of my cube, patiently waiting for the inspiration to strike me. Today she got her shot.

I was invited to a print swap in Cincinnati that is to take place on December 1st. Participants have been instructed to provide a few prints of 3 original pieces. Of course, I can't bring just any old pieces! I must have something new to share. So last night I got painting—the fruits of those labors to be shared soon. Then today I used a brief lunch period to give that old drawing a new life. I live-traced her, brought in some other elements, faked in some paint splatter and VOILA! Instant art.

I don't usually illustrate mostly on the computer (unless I'm designing notebooks, of course). I really enjoyed this, though. I might continue in this vein a bit more. I love to experiment.

at Blind Bob's on November 21st

2009-11-09T18:59:00.000-08:00

The hubbs and his band are playing in a couple of weeks with two of my favorite local groups. Okay Lindon and Vanity Theft are guaranteed to rock your face off, and Me & Mountains will be awesome, per usual.

I was pleased as punch when the guys asked me to whip up a little flyer for the event. So, occasional, random reader, if you happen to be a local, occasional reader you should come out for this epic night of face-rocking.

At least, enjoy the flyer:

3 years ago in Italy

2009-11-07T08:54:00.001-08:00

In my photo library, I have our honeymoon folder labeled "Florence 2006". I think I did this because deep down I know I'll be back. I know there'll be a "Florence 2014" folder (or something like that). In the meantime, we'll plan conquests of other far away lands such as London, Scotland, or Disney World (hehe).

Here's a couple snippets out of my memory from one of the most precious times in my life.

tiny vessels

2009-11-03T18:06:00.000-08:00

I was scrolling through my pictures tonight, recounting the amazing spring/summer/fall that I had. In the process, I came across this adorable picture of my friend, Tessa. I hadn't really paid it much attention before. Looking at it tonight, though, it conjures immensely warm feelings. The air was sticky, the music in the club was deafening, and we had both had our share of alcohol. It's a sloppy snapshot of miniscule moment of friendship. I think it's beautiful.

Dad's dog

2009-11-02T18:32:00.000-08:00

Chloe.

office zombie take-over

2009-11-01T16:57:00.000-08:00

Several members of my department decided not to be lame this year, and joined creative forces as a legion of zombies. Of course, we won the group costume contest. It was definitely the most fun I've had at work in a long time!

Even zombies need coffee to get going in the morning.

I was a zombie scout.

Design Center of Zombies!

Even death couldn't do them part *corny evil laugh*I think he had practice at the zombie pose thingP.S. I LOVE Halloween!

Cirque De Morte (the guests)

2009-10-28T18:20:00.001-07:00

Of course, the guests make the party! We had a lot of people dress for our circus theme, which was super fun. Here's some highlights:

strong men...

Costume contest winners, Zoltar & David the Gnome

A girl from "Mad Men" & Weird Joaquin.

Classic circus freaks.

Magician and rabbit.

Me (ringmaster) and the hubbs (strongman). He felt the need to speak in russian accent all night, and continuously show off his "guns". It was magical.

Human cannonball and dancing bear. How adorable!

Strongman again.

I have the lovely lady, Tessa (pictured below) to thank for this awesome photo.

Tessa McLionHeart

Cirque De Morte (the setting)

2009-10-28T18:04:00.000-07:00

Have a look at some of the set-up for our Halloween party this year. We went for a circus theme, and I believe we pulled it off quite well.

This is our "big top". We made the drapey stuff and the penants out of sheets we bought at the thrift store. It's uber cheap that way.

The scarecrow that greets you outside.

In the funhouse room, as one of our guests does his "Coldplay pose".

Can you believe Rodger made this thing?

The concession menu... I spent more time than is reasonable arranging the letters just so.

team cyclops

2009-10-22T15:27:00.000-07:00

getting acquainted with film cameras for our team-building photography day.

woody flowers

2009-10-22T15:03:00.001-07:00

At the Renaissance Festival.

autumnal spectrum

2009-10-17T15:44:00.000-07:00

today is my 3rd wedding anniversary

2009-10-14T09:20:00.000-07:00

...And since my husband can't check the internet at work, and won't be in front of a computer any time soon, I'm giving you all a sneak peak at this little card I made him.
Happy Anniversary, Rodger. You make every day a paradise for me. I love you.

the last summer holdouts

2009-10-08T18:22:00.001-07:00

tessasaurus rex

2009-10-07T17:48:00.000-07:00

just because.

sweet things

2009-10-07T17:46:00.000-07:00

I'm not having the most magical of days, so I'm posting something happy.

farm town

2009-10-05T19:18:00.000-07:00

maria's garden

2009-10-05T19:14:00.000-07:00

These boots...

2009-10-02T09:12:00.000-07:00

....are calling my name.

(that's all I'm sayin')

gearing up for our halloween party

2009-09-29T18:20:00.000-07:00

We kind of go all out for Halloween. I mean ALL OUT. I'm positive we spend way more money on it than on Christmas. So, just because I feel like bragging on my sweet invitation, I'm posting it (I dummied the contact info because I'm sneaky like that). More photo updates to come...

thrift store find of the year

2009-09-27T17:53:00.000-07:00

Today I found the Holy Grail of vintage, hand-made thrift store afghans.

The hubbs hates it, but Gomez here approves. It stays.

the penguins at the Indianapolis Zoo.

2009-09-26T10:15:00.000-07:00

I know, the blog has been slow lately, my 7 faithful readers. I've been busy. As it is now Autumn, and I love nothing more than to take rainy-day fall photos, I think I'll be updating more often.

In the meantime, please enjoy these penguins. I sure did.

p.s. My blog is now a little over a year old! Happy Birthday Bloggy!

I want this!

2009-09-15T05:01:00.001-07:00

I have an anniversary coming up—Rodger, I'm looking in your direction. That being said, I found this amazing little company at the Oregon Arts District Street fair this weekend. They're called Metamorphosis, and they are from Bloomington, Indiana. I'm really thinking I need to check out this city, as some pretty rad stuff comes out of there (One of my favorite bands, Murder By Death, being one of them). Anyway, you can purchase they're amazingly beautiful butterfly wing necklaces at their Etsy store, http://www.juliegootee.etsy.com/.

This is the one I have my eye on:

urban nights

2009-09-13T18:29:00.001-07:00

This weekend was all about relishing in the fact that we are twenty-somethings with awesome friends, and nothing to tie us down yet. It was pretty magical.

Hey Daytonians!

2009-09-11T12:14:00.000-07:00

This is going to be a super exciting weekend for Downtown Dayton. There is so much going on, and I encourage you all to get out there and take advantage of it. I hear a lot of people speak so poorly of our city—how nothing ever happens, and there's nothing to do. However, this weekend there will be SO much happening, One definitely won't have time to get to it all. So please, please, please, get out and support our city. It takes a little bit of participation from everyone to make our home a happier place.

The Greek Fest is going on all weekend. They have amazing food, and an awesome little store that sells Greek items. I bought a beautiful soapstone owl their last year:
http://www.daytongreekfestival.com/

Urban Nights is tonight from 5-10. All of Downtown will be opened up, heavily patroled, and well-lit. It's walkable, but you can also take free trollies around town to easily reach several destinations. See lots of art galleries, free performances, etc. My husband's band, Me & Mountains, will be performing at the "Spotlight on Second" stage from 8-9, at the corner of Second and Jefferson.
http://www.downtowndayton.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=113

My favorite part of Urban Nights is the Taste of the Miami Valley. Taking part in this event at Riverscape tonight from 5-11, will be numerous local restaurants. They will be featuring a handful of their signature dishes. You purchase tickets for $2.50 apiece when you arrive, and trade your tickets at each booth for a sampling of their featured items. If you love to eat, as I do, you shouldn't miss this.
http://www.dineoutdayton.org/taste.php

Tomorrow, Saturday, the Oregon District will be hosting their first ever Oregon Arts District Street Fair (10am-6pm), on East 5th Street. There will be several vendors selling handmade goods, food, crafts, vintage clothing, art, and more.
P.S. I designed this lovely poster :)

all 30th birthdays should come with surprise pirate parties

2009-09-07T09:07:00.000-07:00

My friend Jake's best childhood birthday party was a pirate-themed shindig for his 9th birthday. His girlfriend decided to surprise him once more with a pirate party, for his 30th. She's pretty awesome like that.

It's so fun to get dressed up ridiculously from time to time. Here's mine and the hubb's costumes.

urban rustic

2009-09-02T08:04:00.000-07:00

A few more from my Cincy photo excursion in July. I'm Channeling the plums, beiges, and slate grays that are ebbing their way into trend this fall...

this is our group. The guy with the giant backpack is Brian Steege, our fearless leader.secret self-portrait.

rainy sunny day

2009-08-31T19:07:00.001-07:00

a little more shameless promotion never hurt anyone...

2009-08-23T19:06:00.000-07:00

The guys' first show in the Oregon District at the Oregon Express. Pretty awesome.

The Champagne of beers
Burris gets acoustic.
Finally got a good shot of Rodger!

i can't believe...

2009-08-22T15:01:00.000-07:00

...my god-daughter is almost 3!

like a dandelion

2009-08-21T09:54:00.001-07:00

A few weeks ago, I was fortunate enough to take a couple hours off of work to go to Cincinnati for a photo "shoot-around". A very patient and nice photographer, Brian Steege, that my company had worked with sent out an open invitation for anyone interested in photography to come down. He offered up advice, answered questions, and insisted I give his very expensive 50 lb. (at least it felt that way) lense a whirl. It was an excellent opportunity to learn from an extremely talented professional.

When I started sorting through my shots, I noticed a very prevalent yellow theme. Being the fan of the happy hue that I am, I'm gonna feature those first.

Happy weekend!

i've been liberated from my hair

2009-08-20T18:35:00.001-07:00

Can't believe I didn't do it sooner.

it's taki, it's tiki, it's my birthday party!

2009-08-13T18:42:00.000-07:00

it was a ring toss game!
Pete must have had a really great idea the moment I took this picture. I'm so lucky to have captured it!

yard sale saturday

2009-08-06T18:18:00.000-07:00

Had a garage sale last saturday, just a few short hours before my huge tiki-themed birthday party that we threw that night. Yes, we bit off a little more than we could chew.

Our total earnings? About 50 bucks. woohoo.

my sister-in-law stopped by, showed off her AWESOME new tattoo, and left with an armful of our old goods.

These are cool. Can't imagine why no one wanted them. And what about our unopened fondue pot? Come on!
An overview...
Two ladies almost threw down over one of my old Roxy dresses.

fancy new lens.

2009-08-05T18:59:00.000-07:00

Part II to the "Why I have the Best Husband in the World" post. Just when I thought the awesome birthday gift-getting was over, I discovered a discretely placed parcel in the basement. It contained a brand new Lensbaby tilt-shift lens! Yeah, I was a bit spoiled this year.

I'm still trying to get the hang of it. I brought it to a family function last weekend and gave it a whirl. This is what I came up with.

pigtails

2009-08-05T18:57:00.000-07:00

Happiness is a pair of pigtails.

my preciouses

2009-08-01T07:48:00.001-07:00

Cooper!

Gomez!

more art hits the shelves!

2009-08-01T07:40:00.001-07:00

My favorite Five Star Style Line!

If you have an itch for a Harry Potter notebook that needs scratched, you can find any of these in Target right now in their Back-to-School section.

Best. Birthday. Ever. OR Reason #1,250 why I have the Best Husband in the World

2009-07-31T18:58:00.000-07:00

I came home to this, today:

...oh, and there's more.