Things.

Things I want to do more:
1. sing 2. sew 3. paint 4. go to shows 5. serve 6. cook & bake 7. read 8. exercise 9. swim 10. pray 11. go to the farmers market 12. ride bikes & not drive our cars 13. pick flowers 14. write letters 15. spend less money 16. give 17. write in my journal 18. swing 19. go outside 20. take pictures 

Yesterday I had a 'why the heck have I not been doing the things I love moment' the things that make me happy and make up part of who I am. Living near J will bring the creativity back in me. I just know it. I'm not big on new years resolutions but maybe the move will mark a new start to the creative side in me. There are so many things I want to do & need to do more.

Matthew was up the ENTIRE night last night throwing up. Poor thing. We went to the hospital this morning (we like to be extra careful because he has type one diabetes). The 3 hours there were worth it to him because of the meds he was given. He was supposed to work today (& I'm sad he is sick) but I'm happy he now gets to spend the day with me. We are going to go lay on his parents couch and watch cable. (& maybe I will even swim!) It's the little things right? :)
Anyways I'm finished with work and it is packing from here on out! Hope everyone has a fabulous weekend!

P.S Did I mention we now have a home to live in? :) Yippee! I'm off to look for home inspiration. Where else do you go other than Anthropologie for inspiration? Here is a photo from their latest catalog. Also, why do they do everything so perfect?

Again.

This should have gone with my last post.
:)
(found via Miss Moss and by typographer/artist Mr. A Hayes.)

LoveWins.

I was super surprised again this week by a package I received in the mail. Another one of my sweet friends sent me a thoughtful wedding gift. My friend Sarah bought me two more things from Leah Duncan's website. I got one of the awesome pillows that i posted about and the 'Hello Vase' tea towel. She also bought me this watercolor print from Geninne, one of my favorite artists. The print came in this beautiful frame. Im still trying to decide where to hang it. Something so great deserves a special spot. As I was looking for pictures on Geninne's website, to show which print I got, I came across this 'Love Wins' print. 

I thought it was fitting for Valentine's Day that is coming up. Plus, love wins is a phrase I like as a Christian because it really does win.. meaning God wins. I love that.

I have the best friends. They are so thoughtful and so loving to me. I really am blessed by them on an everyday basis. 

***All pictures taken from artists Etsy sites.***

Painting.

Today, in between packing and cleaning my room, i spent my sunday afternoon painting. I have not painted since last spring. It felt so good to do so. Here is one of the paintings i did (out of the three i worked on) its a smaller version of a bigger one that i did. You can see them both in this picture.

*If interested in purchase just let me know ;)

Color.

Wow. Saying the past two days have been dark and rainy could be an understatement. The cold weather really is trying to make its way here.

In contrast to that.. Look at these colors!? Saw these today on Oh Joys blog by the australian artist Dale Frank. Thought a lot of color would be good for this rainy day. They are kinda mesmerizing.

The weekend in Texas was wonderful. Better than i could have dreamed.

I'll post pictures when i upload them on my computer.

Happy Wednesday!

Long Stitch.

Wow it has been a while since i have posted. A ton has gone on. Life has been going 100mph lately. Ive gone home the past few weekends and will go home or out of town every weekend until dead week of school which is the first weekend in December. Last weekend my friends and i had my Bachelorette party at Ross Bridge in Birmingham.. If you live in the Birmingham area i highly recommend getting away for at least just one night there. It will make you feel as if you were tucked away in the mountains of Colorado. I love it. The party was perfect.

THIS weekend i will be flying my last time alone to Texas to visit Matthew. It not only is my last time to fly alone but my last time to see him until we get married in December. Crazy huh? Feels weird that i'll only see him one more time.. but knowing thais means the journey of a 2 1/2 year long distance relationship will be over very soon.

Im pretty excited.

In other news school has been good. Busy. But good. I just finished these Long Stitch journals yesterday. My favorite is the one done with water color paper. I made/painted the paper last year sometime for a different project. I love BookArts.

Have a happy weekend! xoxo

BookArts.

Im taking a book arts class for the 2nd time in college. I took it 2 years ago and am taking it again because this class offers a writing credit which i needed.

I LOVE it. Making books by hand is so much fun.

These pictures are of our first pamphlet assignment. We had to construct a couple of pamphlets. One of these had to have content.

Since bikes are a theme in my life lately (Matthew works with them) I thought id make my fictional story about a bike who travels to different countries. Silly yes but realy fun to illustrate. I do not use my drawing skills near enough and as much as i sometimes hate being forced to draw i love doing it.

Thursday.

Just a few things.

I saw these this morning on my daily round. These are from the homepage of Etsy.

Why do i love print making so very much? Everything just looks cooler that way.

Happy Thursday!

shop HERE.

shop HERE.

shop HERE.

did i say i loved Etsy?

So every day lately i have been checking Etsy's home page for newly posted things. I always see things i LOVE without a doubt. Its becoming my favorite place to buy gifts. Here are a few things i found today...

a little letter press... of course i had to put a little bit of Texas in there along with an awesome hand printed calendar, recipe cards, and bike print... some vintage books, beautiful jewelry, an awesome bag (that i want really bad) and a neck warmer...

Im dying for fall to be here. Aren't you?

[oh p.s.. im always open for accepting gifts ;) hehe ]

all prints made by the Canoe1 shop

from the Vintage Cup

both from SMV designs.

from Adeles shop.

from BeautifulBridget

For Sale.

Wow. I feel like there is so much to write about. A lot has gone on. Im back in school. Loving the classes that i dreaded just 2 weeks ago. Im getting to take Book Arts again as my writing credit for the University (meaning i got out of the worst class in history..) I love my new little apartment. My brother got married last weekend. And wedding planning for me now gets to take off. Its all exciting and all been fun. Another new thing going on is that while i was home i gathered up all the paintings to sell and am posting them on Etsy soon. Ive was always going to sell them its just taken a while for me to take decent pictures and decided what id keep. Here are a few that i'm going to sell! (and if you want more info on them let me know! you will see right off that i tend to paint is bright colors but most of these were painted all around the same time, they are not all extremely colorful!)

P.S. im in shock that it is pretty much September! (meaning i get married in 3 months and 20 days from today!) :)

treasures.

Lately...Ive been a home with my family.

Ive painted a lot. (well more than the past year)

and i have cleaned. I cleaned from under my bed which has not been touched in like 5 years.

Pretty much threw everything away and didn't find any treasures.

BUT..

I did find some treasures in other places.

I found this Gucci watch in my attic.

My dad used to own a watch shop a long time ago and this one never sold.

I have also found random things for Matthew's and my apartment.

I got this lamp at TJ Max for 20 dollars :)

The button jar i did not find but my lovely fiance did.

Hooray for treasures.

Oh and this is a painting I've been working on called the "Redemption Tree."

This weekend i'm headed out for Emma's Bachelorette weekend at the beach.

15 days and counting. (till the wedding and till i see Matthew)

Branding.

So a few weeks ago Jessica, Isabelle, Courtney and I were talking about our kids names. Ya know like every girl does even before they are close to getting married. We were talking about giving our kids names that sound good. Names that would sound good announced out loud at the oscars or a name that would look good written in a magazine. Jessica said "a name that if they were famous their name would look good on a book and a name that they wouldn't have to change if they happen to become famous." This carried the conversation to "branding" your children. Ha. We were sitting in a restaurant while all this was going down. The couple behind us was listening in on our convo and started laughing at us. I admit, it would have been funny to overhear everything we were saying. Jessica says that when she has kids, even before they are born, she wants to create a logo for them. Just to see if it will look good. Hilarious i know. Well.. the other day i stumbled upon this picture.. All i saw was "Matthew." so.. I copied it to my computer simply because it was my fiances name. I didn't give it another look till a few days ago... what do you know! Its a logo/birth announcement for a baby! Someone already had the same thoughts as Jessica. So here is "Matthew's" logo. Sweet huh? And pretty clever.

And its done on the printing press!

(Found on Share Some Candy by Artist Allan Peters)

Prints.

On days that i write a blog entry it seems i always want to write 4..I wait a few days and write 4 more.

I found this print shop on line the other day. The Poster Cabaret out of Austin, TX.

I had the opportunity to take a Print Making class 2 semesters ago and LOVED it. (you may remember my entry about my Bike print) I have such a respect and appreciation for art that is made in a timeless and classic way. Hand made.

I want to start buying hand printed posters like this bike one. Im going have an art wall (like all hand made prints) in Matthew and my house. (Eek! that sounds crazy! and exciting!)

This is a screen print done by Robert Lee with Methane Studios.

I've also been dreaming over this print done by Jeanie Nelson. LOVE the detail and colors.

(found via this cool type company)