Kicking off Elise's Kickstarter campaign...

"Life engenders life. Energy creates energy. It is by spending oneself that one becomes rich."
-Sarah Bernhardt

 
Although I've been intrigued by the idea of Kickstarter, I've never actually supported a campaign until this week. I'm thrilled to put my money and my support behind a close friend of mine, Elise Erikson Barrett, who is raising money for her "first full-length album rich in folk and classical influences."

In the two short years that I have known her, Elise has made a great impact on my life. She volunteered to help me lead VBS, and she serves as my worship leader and pastor's wife (although she herself is a pastor, too). But more importantly, she has been a confidante, a teacher, and a close friend who always asks "how is your heart?" and then really listens to the answer.

I know she's got something good to share with the world. I'm so thrilled to have a chance to help her dream come true.

Don't you want to be a part of this project? She's halfway to her goal, and the month has just begun!! Donate here. (If you're unfamiliar with Kickstarter, the project will only funded... you will only pay... if she reaches her goal by the deadline.)

 __

**After exploring the Kickstarter site, the designer/creative in me sees how supporting these projects could be a little addicting.

**Interesting article about why there are so many wallet concepts being explored on Kickstarter.

Valentine's Day 2013...

"It was a million tiny little things that, when you added them all up, they meant we were supposed to be together… and I knew it."
-Tom Hanks, Sleepless In Seattle

Last year I was so good with my Valentine's Day craft week. But, this year between work and more work, I wasn't quite feeling it. However, I couldn't just let the day slip away without any craftiness at all.

Despite my silence here on the blog lately, I've still been "pinning" away and thought this would be the perfect opportunity to actually make something out of all of that inspiration.

Last weekend, I whipped up some Heart-Shaped Soft Pretzels, inspired by those posted over at Say Yes to Hoboken. Rob was thrilled with the idea of homemade pretzels. When he saw them, he exclaimed, "Hey, look! They kind of look like hearts!" I just had to grin... that was sort of the point!



I also fell in love with these Date Idea Arrows over at Sugar & Cloth. It was a bit of a challenge to think up ten different easy, unique, creative date ideas that we would both enjoy.

If you need hints on date ideas, here's are some of mine:

• At-home spa night
• Read a book together*
• Hike at a local state park
• Go out just for dessert
• Visit the local planetarium show
• Go on a downtown walking tour
• Order Chinese takeout
• Watch a TV show marathon on Netflix
• Take a picnic to the park
• Spend the day at the lake

*I was afraid Rob might think this was a corny idea, but I loved it, so I went with it anyway. What do you know... after he read each one to himself, he said, "I really like the idea of reading a book together."



Rob and I tried to think back and reminisce about all of our past Valentine's Days. We did pretty well, but for the future days when our memories are not so swift... here's a record of this year's festivities:

After work, we changed clothes and went to dinner at Red Bowl (a new Asian restaurant in town). I had "Beef a la Szechaun," while Rob enjoyed a "Sesame Chicken Bento Box."

Then, we walked the mall to kill time before the 9pm USC-Upsate/Mercer basketball game. [It was way past our bedtime, so we yawned through the game.] The Spartans lost the game, but it wasn't a total loss because Rob and I made the "kiss cam" during one of the timeouts!

Bein' green...

"Green is the prime color of the world, and that from which its loveliness arises."
-Pedro Calderon de la Barca

If you've been reading here for awhile, you might remember the awesome kitchen artwork that my mom and I constructed this summer.

If you follow me on Instagram, you might remember last month that said artwork leapt off the wall one morning while Rob and I were getting ready for work.

Apparently it didn't like hanging on the wall anymore. The hooks on the back bent out of shape and down it went. The silverware landed in pieces, the board was dented, and Rob panicked because he doesn't handle crisis very well in the moment.

After a trip to IKEA last weekend with my friend Lesa, we both committed to starting house projects this week. And, this newly blank wall in the kitchen was itching for something new...

Here's the look I'm going for...

1. Valspar City Chartreuse paint
2. 10" Raised Numbers Silver Wall Clock
3. Endless Circle Lattice Stencil
**Still haven't figured out the label/frames

Step one... paint the wall.
This afternoon while Rob was riding, I tackled the wall. Four hours and one quart of paint later... tada!

Now, I just need to commit to the rest!!

Blogs + Pinterest > most everything

"The greatest thing about the internet is that you can quote something and just totally make up the source."
-Benjamin Franklin (haha!)

Rob has never understood my blog habit. Despite the hours he spends on Craigslist and cycling forums, he still gives me a hard time about reading blogs and browsing Pinterest.

But, I think he's starting to realize their potential....

He came home from work the other day, recounting a conversation with a coworker named Jim.

Jim: my wife and I have just hired a interior design consultant from Pottery Barn to redecorate our house.
Rob: what?!?? Pottery barn does consulting?!?
Jim: yeah we pay them to look at our house and come up with a plan.
Rob: [still confused] why would you need to pay for that? Doesn't your wife read blogs??

So, Rob and I agree... blogs and Pinterest make the world a better place!

Even if sometimes I'm more of a reader and taker than a writer and contributor... Sorry about that... it's been a busy couple of weeks. But, it feels good to have something to say... and time to sit down to say it. Maybe I'll even make this writing thing a habit again... maybe...

Good thoughts...

“Hold fast to your dreams, for without them life is a broken winged bird that cannot fly.”
-Langston Hughes

As you probably know, I've always been a quote collector. But, recently I've been collecting quotes for a special project I'm working on. Only quotes that personally resonate with me right now. That inspire me today. That mean something to me in this moment.

It was impossible not to share this one...

Quote seen attributed to Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. Art by Jana Brunken.

Being unemployed gives me lots of time (and reasons!) to dream. Sometimes it's hard to embrace the scary dreams, but I've got to hope that some of the big dreams will come true one day.

Things I want to stay on my radar...

"A mediocre idea that generates enthusiasm will go further than a great idea that inspires no one."

-Mary Kay Ash

Ran across a couple new (or almost new) things/projects this week that I'll be keeping my eye on... and you might want to, too.

1) Prem Midha's YouTube channel. A fellow GT graduate. In fact, several of his songs feature some of our friends from the Rusty Boys.

2) The Mixed Race Project. Really interesting photo-documentary about mixed race families. 

3) Money Saving Mom. In this economy, we can take all of the hints we can get.

4) Paperless Post. Finally pretty e-vites from real stationery designers.

5) Some new-to-me house-decorating blogs. With all of this house-hunting, I'm dreaming again.

• Our Humble A{Bowe}d
• Yellow Brick Home
• Thrifty Decor Chick
• House*Tweaking

Photo Challenge: Day 8

"Life beats down and crushes the soul, and art reminds you that you have one."

-Stella Adler

Day 8 (05/25/11): A photo of something close up.

After my students finished their final exam on Monday, I promised them videos for the rest of the week. (Don't even ask me why their finals were scheduled a week before school gets out!) I worked really hard to find videos that were math-related, but still interesting. Yesterday my history of numbers documentary didn't go over very well. Perhaps they're still a little young to get the narrator's dry humor.

I was cautiously excited about today's offering. I rearranged our Netflix queue to immediately ship Between the Folds, a recent documentary that showcases the artistic, cultural, historical, mathematical, and technological aspects of origami. I also offered a stack of colored paper, available for the students to experiment as they watched. Although third period was "too cool" to fold paper and kept telling me how those people "don't have lives," the two other classes were really intrigued. And, creative! The picture above is a close-up of my favorite creation from today: a peacock with a cute little beak.

Btw... I totally recommend both of these documentaries, if you enjoy that kind of thing. I found both of them fascinating!

Photo Challenge: Day 6

"Better keep yourself clean and bright; you are the window through which you must see the world."

-George Bernard Shaw

Day 6 (05/23/11): A photo from a low angle.

As we start thinking about packing up our life and moving to South Carolina, I've been making a mental list of the things I don't want to forget about this (our first!) house. These three very high windows in our bedroom are some of my favorite features. Through these windows, I have watched the seasons change. From the golden hues of autumn and the bare branches of winter to the luscious green leaves of spring and summer. 

More than once I've been awakened by strong storms and watched as the treetops perilously rocked back and forth. And, on Sunday mornings, as Rob takes advantage of sleeping late, I often look out these windows, thanking God for all of the blessings in our lives. Of course, this photo hardly does justice to the magic of these windows. Windows... I will miss you dearly.

A new favorite...

"We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have."

-Frederick Keonig

Couldn't pass up the chance to snap this photo today. Just looking at it lifts my spirits.

What I've been doing...

"The 'Net is a waste of time, and that's exactly what's right about it."

-William Gibson

With four (going on five) days off from school, I've done a lot of internet surfing. Some highlights:

1. This video which left me in tears, even though the article I was reading described exactly what happened.

2. The "Gotcha Day" videos posted at the bottom of this blog: http://4ourkiddos.blogspot.com/, which of course, led me to search for similar videos on youtube.

3. Looking through Callie and Jordan's photos from the Grand Canyon. Now I'm ready for pictures from the treacherous hike!

4. Great home decorating inspiration photos over at The Stories of A to Z

Tonight, I'm...

“The few wonders of the world only exist while there are those with the sight to see them.”

-Charles de Lint

Tonight I'm enjoying the last evening of winter break, wishing and willing the seconds to pass as slowly as possible. Rob is playing XBOX, and I'm scratching his back... a minute ago he said, "I like when you can blog one-handed."

But in my massive wandering through the world wide web, I've found several new-to-me sites to add to my reader, and thought you might be interested, too.

Melancholy Smile.

Hooray (Design & Lifestyle).

MerMag.

Just Be Blogged. by Tara Whitney.

My Favorite Things from wishful nals.

 MaeMae Paperie.

Making it ours...

"Neither good taste nor wealth... can transform a house into a home, for a home does not consist in the quality of its architecture or decor, but in the quality of the lives that it expresses."
-Philippa Tristam

Rob and I got a steal of a deal with our dining room table. That's a great story, by the way. Remind me to tell you some time.

What a surprise when I saw our table on one of my favorite blogs. Making It Lovely, featured the Napa dining table as a part of her "Making It Yours" series! So neat to see how Nicole would decorate around the table. I think the 5th version is the most "me" of the series, but obviously her character, Lia, doesn't have to design with an opinionated man in mind.

By the way, here's how our table looked decorated for Christmas this year. I even pulled the china out of the cabinet. Someday we may actually eat off of it, but until then, I guess I'll just decorate with it.

Inspired...

"Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try!"
-Dr. Seuss

Our hike through the woods left me with the desire to create. The school year kind of zaps that kind of energy out of my reach. And, sure enough, by the time we got back to Georgia, it was school, school, school again.

But I was able to capture some images that I'll be able to save for later. When the creative mood strikes again. Maybe you'll be inspired as well...

Please distract me

"You can always find a distraction if you're looking for one."
-Tom Kite

My second year of teaching starts next week. I just can't believe that my first summer is already over. Although everyone says your second year is better than your first, I'm still nervous that I'm not going to learn from my mistakes and will revert back to my unproductive and sometimes unhealthy habits.

I've created a list of quick crafts (shouldn't take more than an evening, and at most a weekend!) that I can revert back to when I'm in need of a distraction from school. I've set it as my desktop background on my computer, but am also keeping the original so that I can add ideas and even cross them off as I accomplish things outside of school.

LOL...

"I am thankful for laughter, except when milk comes out of my nose."
-Woody Allen

Things that have literally made me laugh out loud lately. And, for that simple reason, I must share them with you. They are definitely worth bookmarking to save for a bad day.

• Catalog Living
• The 1/2 Bike
• Uneven Google
• Will Brake for Crafters
  

I don't usually dream like this...

The hues of the opal, the light of the diamond, are not to be seen if the eye is too near. -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Don't get me wrong... I love my engagement ring. It's so me... so me and him. But, man, I would trade it for this in a heartbeat.

From Conroy & Wilcox. Seen on Design Crush.

Color my world

“I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn't say any other way - things I had no words for.”
-Georgia O'Keeffe

Rainbow pancakes from i am mommy, found via Party Perfect.

Rainbow lineup from amscarlson's Flickr, found via Party Perfect.

Jessi's Rainbow Party from Jessi-Workshop Loves You, found via Party Perfect.

Pantone Mugs from Whitbread Wilkinson

"Velo's Crayola Color Chart" from Weather Sealed, found via Black*Eiffel

Decorative papers from Paper Source.

Pattern Tall Notebooks from Iota.

At least it's something...

"What soap is to the body, laughter is to the soul."
-Yiddish Proverb

I'm really going to try to be better about updating more often. But that might mean more dorky math posts. For that, I apologize, but that's where my head is all day long. Despite being set in a college math class, this is a little more universal... I think. I got a good laugh out of it at least.

By Matthew Weathers, a math professor at Biola University

Go ahead...give me a pocket protector...

"Go down deep enough into anything and you will find mathematics."
-Dean Schlicter

So I've always known I was a bit of a dork, and I'm sure that spending the last eight and a half months in a math class has only magnified the dorkness within. But aren't these cool....

[Awesome photos by Nikki Graziano (she's a photographer and a mathematician...now that's my kind of combination) found via Black Eiffel.]

On a related note, these days Rob always makes me figure the tip at restaurants, since I'm a math teacher and all.
I'm also getting much much better at mental math--Rob used to always tease me about how numbers just didn't stay in my head long enough to compute them. But these days, that's part of my job description.
However, I have to admit...part of me always knew I would be solving equations for the rest of my life. I mean, I am the girl who considered taking Calc III as a free elective her senior year of college! Luckily I was talked out of that!!

Take a peek...

"A sketch is generally more spirited than a picture... it is the artist's work when he is full of inspiration and ardour, when reflection has toned down nothing; it is the artist's soul expressing itself freely."
-Denis Diderot

Wanna see what i been inspired by lately....

from Curly Girl Design

from gemma correll's photostream

from art as life

from Missed Connections

from r's adventure

I guess you could say that I'm envious of these fanciful, doodle-y, and anything-but-uptight illustrations. I wish I could sketch like that!