july desktop calendar :: etsy sale :: photography

i don't know about you, but i am getting so excited about this weekend! in fact, i am beginning a summer sale on my etsy shop a day early! all photographic prints are 1/2 price when you enter the code summer11sale at checkout. sale will end monday night, so be sure to go check out cp :: photography right away.

also! above, you will see the free desktop calendar available this month. i have added a great new feature too... you can now download and save the fullscreen version or the widescreen version so that the calendar is the perfect fit for your monitor.

as always, once you follow the link, you will right click on the image and save.

enjoy friends!

monster pillows :: project idea

so, making pillows is harder than it seems. i don't really know how to sew and i don't have a sewing machine. i actually started making these for each of my sons for birthday presents. as you might know, their birthdays were last spring.

but, i finally finished each up a couple days ago! the project wasn't too terrible and i did have fun with it until it became time to sew the last edge. once the stuffing was in, and i turned it right-side-out, i was at a loss on how to sew up that last edge. i figured since they were monster pillows i could make them look a little rough around the.... wait for it... edges.

i think they are cute but destined to be destroyed in a matter of months. we'll see.

grape kabobsicles :: food fun

grape kabobsicles are my new favorite summer treat! last night we pulled them out of the freezer and enjoyed their cold sweetness on the porch. as you can see in "the monster's" reaction, they were really really cold.

p.s. my son has been wearing that shirt for two days. and it's backwards. but, he doesn't care.

bad dog daisy :: personal story

i'd like to introduce daisy.  i took this picture one day while we were walking.  correction:  while she was chasing squirrels and i was being pulled.  a millisecond before this shot, she was sitting [tolerating me] while i was thinking about what a nice walk [back-breaking-pull] we we're on.

daisy is the boss in our home. i like to think that i am, and i know "hubby" thinks he is, but it's really daisy. she tells us when to feed her, when to walk her, when to pet her and she grumbles at us when she's napping and we move her (even if it's in front of the door that we need to walk out of). and she's not subtle... and we better move fast.  her way of bossing us humans is nudging us with her 40lb self and whining in a high-pitch, non-stop, very annoying whine. if that doesn't work, she howls. it's kind of like a mix between a beagle howl and mariah carey. in fact, i had a girlfriend in college that used to call her mariah carey.

another "perk" about this little boss is her non-stop shedding. i could build a nest for 10,000 birds with all of the dog hair i've cleaned up over the years. it's ridiculous and gross. i remember when i got her, i was actually excited about having a short-hair, shedding dog because it meant i didn't have to pay for doggie haircuts.

at this point, i would pay obscene amounts of money to anyone that could stop the shedding.

daisy is also a thief. she isn't even sorry about stealing our breakfast right off the table when we get up for a fork or drink refill. she has also stolen more than one of the boys' stuffed animals to sleep with. before too long, i find the poor animal covered in hair, stuffing bursting out of the ripped body and an eye missing... buried in her dog bed. when i scold her, she looks at me with a proud smirk because she knows that little animal is now her new buddy. there's no way in hell i'm giving it back to the children at this point.

but... what can i say? as any good servant loves their boss, i love my daisy. i can't resist her big brown eyes and slightly graying face as she snuggles up to me each night. she's good to my boys and has tolerated their tugging and pulling and chasing without even a threat of a bite. she's my closest friend who has traveled from city to city with me and lived in 5 different homes with me. she doesn't judge and she always loves. unconditionally.

unconditional love... what a role model daisy is.

dump truck brownies :: baking with kids

here's another fun project we did for father's day. we baked the brownies in the morning and "the monster" washed the trucks. he was so excited to put the "dirt" in the dump trucks! he talked about it all day and ruined any sort of surprise we had going for hubby. o well... it was still a super fun dessert! i let "the monster" pass them out by driving them down the table.

i think this would also be a great treat for a little boys birthday!

m&m bow tie :: kid project

for father's day, "the monster" and i made grandpa a new bow tie! doesn't he look sharp?

monster onesies :: kid project

aren't these the cutest? this year seems to be the year of the baby! i know four very special little ones that either have arrived or their very special parents are anxiously awaiting them. this gives me all kinds of reasons for baby crafting and gifting. my first project was these simple iron-on monster onesies... designed by "the monster" himself (with a little tasteful help from mommy).

side note: i realize that my mother calls them "onsies" and that's why i do. i'm not sure if anyone else does... but you know what i mean.

summer list :: chalkboard art

i create a lot of lists. it's because i forget everything. i thought that because summer only comes once a year, i better create a fun summer list! what are you and your families doing this summer?

party like a one year old :: party decor :: cake decorating

so... i tend to get a little over-the-top when it comes to birthdays and holidays. i think you know that about me already.  i had so so so much fun setting up for "bump's" first birthday!  above are a few pictures that i took right before family and friends started arriving.

things you might notice above:

• yarn puff balls.  instructions here
• cardboard letters, bought from hobby lobby, wrapped with yarn.  so easy & cute!  these were also featured in "bump's" one-year-old photo shoot.
• cotton candy ice cream cones!  these were a big hit with the older kids.
• treat bags of cheese popcorn.
• soda in a glass bottle.  i know glass isn't the safest thing to have around a bunch of kids, but i just couldn't help myself.  they completed the "look".  and actually, it was mostly the adults who drank these while the kids chose fruit punch from the cooler.
• "bump's" cake.  wow this was easy.  just food coloring and cool whip.  i got so many compliments on this and it literally took me 5 minutes to put together (after baking of course).

"bump" is one! :: photography

well... that went by fast.

the marvelous wonderettes :: personal story

today i want to talk about my "new super talented friend". a few months ago, he purchased this old theater with the intentions of restoring it to it's original glory. you see, this theater building has been the second home to hundreds and hundreds of teenagers for years and years. kids have grown from awkward youth to confident adult right on this very stage. these walls hold memories of adolescence for people around our town as well as stars that have moved on to do acting in chicago, los angelos and beyond.

it's a special place and you can feel it the moment you walk in.

i have watched my "new super talented friend" work on this building with a passion that compares to none. it's in his heart and bones. he loves this place and he loves to put on a show. next month, the roxy theatrical group will present the marvelous wonderettes and if you want to see something magical you must come. especially on opening night. i imagine the energy in this theater will be overwhelming.

so...  i'll see you there?

p.s. my "new super talented friend" designed everything about the theater, show & website.  i built the website and i was honored to do so.

island ruins :: photography

this beautiful area of st. lucia is fort rodney, where the british used to spy on french ships during a stand-off before the battle of saints. in the top picture above, you can see the barracks, where soldiers slept, which were destroyed in a hurricane in the early 1800's. fort rodney is actually located on pigeon island, which is now part of st. lucia island, but only by a man-made causeway.

hubby and i hiked pigeon island and were astounded by it's beauty. you can almost feel the lost life there and the devastation of history.

green caribbean :: photography

one of the reasons we choose to visit st. lucia is because of the lush rainforest that covers the many mountains on the island. stepping inward from the sea, you can get lost among a gorgeous and green blanket of detail.

ocean meets sky :: photography

hello friends! we have returned from our incredible trip to st. lucia island in the caribbean. i have files and files of photos to go thru and plan to share, but only after i get caught up on laundry!

the picture above is a little tease of what's to come. we experienced so many beautiful things thru our travels, but one thing that especially took my breath away was the horizon of where the ocean meets the sky. it's far off and foggy and i was reminded of just how large our world is.  how intimidating the ocean can be and when combined with the sky's vastness i became suddenly aware of what a miracle we are.  what a miracle all the people i love are.  i was reminded of what a blessed life i have... when the ocean met the sky.