vol.25

A quote for your week #93

Over the weekend we were able to collect some special moments. The girls played outside in the sandbox while I got in some much needed time gardening.

When I took this picture Trin said "this is a nice volcanoe because it doesnt interrupt." I started giggling, but she couldnt understand why I was laughing. I first thought it was funny that she thought ppl who interrupted wasnt nice, but then when I realized she meant that it didnt ERUPT it became even funnier. :)

Can I just say I am LOVING instagram? So glad it became available for android. I have been extra excited about making a blurb book with all the photos. :)

My favorite filter is RISE, bt I do wish it had a border or frame. :) What about you, what filter do you find yourself using the most?

Little Artists + vacation plans

This little girl wants to be an artist like her big sister. They've been doing quite a bit of drawing around here lately. Journeys scribbles have improved TREMENDOUSLY. :) Her favorite subjects are: unicorns, people, cats, horses, and dogs... and the occasional house. :)

In the picture below she is drawing "herself in a rainbow dress" I should have taken a pic of the drawing when she was finished, the headband looking thing ended up having a feather added and it turned out so cute! :)

Some of Trinitys recent drawings have actually inspired me! I'll share a  bit more on that subject when I have a tangible finishedproduct on my part to show! :)

Today I was looking at the calendar and realized that we have just about 2 weeks left until we take a road trip out to Oklahoma for my sister in laws wedding! I'll be closing down my etsy shop for a few weeks at that time. We're selling the mustang and just bought a new (to us) car. Really looking forward to a road trip! The last road trip we took out to OK was when I was 5 months pregnant with Journey. I had to dig to find that post... and wow, it was so long ago that it was on my old blog! I'm NOT looking forward to driving back there during tornado season. Especially after this last storm. I'm a scaredy cat when it comes to tornadoes. Living in the northwest has really spoiled me. We do have a nuclear plant not too far from here, and I do occasionally worry about that... but not nearly as much as a tornado. :)

Anyhow I'll quit dwelling on that now! :) We flew out twice last year, but plane ticket prices have sky rocketed SO much it was going to cost us over 2,000 to fly out this time... so we decided driving would be the way to go. Anyone else planning a road trip this year? I'm also photographing this wedding and I'm ALWAYS nervous about doing so!

New Overlay set- Birthday themed and super cute!

New overlay set is live! :) This is a birthday set. Had a few requests for a Birthday themed set! As always 50% off this specific overlay set for the next week with code: PARTY EXP 4/27

A really big THANK YOU to Rosie (from Simply Rosie Photography)  for her beautiful photography. :)

Happy Thursday!!

p.s. did you miss this little animated GIF?

New Birthday Overlay set due to be released today!

Rosies photography has inspired this new birthday overlay set! I'm hoping to have them listed in just a few hours! :) Isnt that puppy just SO stinkin cute!?

Last day to save 50% off the Animal Face Printables!

The Animal Face Printables can be found right here!

SMITTEN- Portofino Outdoor Chair + a peek at new templates in the works!

SMITTEN WITH: Portofino Outdoor Chair- White | Image copyright: ZGALLERIE

Hi there!! Two posts in one day?! Shocking I know!! :) I was just wanting to test out a new set of templates I'm creating. :) I've wanted to work on a set of templates that you can upload to your very own blog for featured posts, or for highlighting specific products. So, basically the image you see above (the notepad, and text, etc.) will be available in a psd file that you can edit. You can drop in your very oen image in the polaroid and change most of the text.... some of the text will be handwritten, but you can always hide and add your own. :) What do you think? Is this something you might be able to utilize?

The purpose of the templates is to bring some consistent style-ized posts to your blog content. Personalizing your blog and making it a little more memorable for your readers! Because the design is in place you will be able to quickly prepare the image in photoshop (CS or Elements) and then save as a JPEG... and upload to your blog as an image. Add in a link crediting the source of your image and you are good to go! :)

Do you currently run a weekly or bi-weekly themed post on your blog? I would love to know if there are certain themed posts I should cater towards! :)

Anyhow I will have a couple more variations on this notepad theme! Plus many more planned for the future. I already had quite a bit of work done on another set, but wanted to start with a bit more basic of a template. I posted this image on facebook a couple weeks ago and had a pretty positive response towards the idea:

I took that screen shot before I changed my profile pic and changed my background! :)

Maternity photo shoot!

Hello!!! How are you today? I'm doing pretty good. I managed to finish editing the rest of the maternity pictures I took for my brother and his wifey. :) They were the perfect models, like usual. For the photo above I used the little tv I picked up at goodwill for 4.00. I applied the stay tuned in photoshop after the fact. :) I also lovingly handcrafted the heart antenna the night before with wire and washi tape. :)

Isnt Shaela glowing and beautiful? I would love to have her hair! :)

-boy or girl overlay on window is from the in bloom overlay set-

The weather was PERFECT when I took these pictures! We also were able to catch that beautiful golden just before sunset lighting! We braved carpenter ants and prickly plants for these pictures! :) 

I was looking back on their engagement pics from a few years back:

They were up for all my crazy ideas then too!! :) Love how they are always willing to humor me! I'm excited to see my little brother become a daddy. I know he will be such a natural at the whole daddy thing. These two have it in the bag! ;) It looks like they will be around through next week. They are staying at my parents' house right now... but we will be taking them hostage for a couple nights- for sure!

Well today my mom is watching the girls for me, and I'm planning to get some time in working on a new project/photo shoot idea I've had brewing in my mind for a couple weeks. Pretty excited to reveal more details when I get just a little further in! I hope your week has been going great so far!

A quote for your week #92

LOVE this!!!! :) I've said it a dozen times... but I am not a rain lover! :) I live in the desert-ish part of WA, our climate is fairly comparable to Colorado. We only have about 6-8 inches of rain a year, but we also average over 300 sunshine days a year! :) You would think that with so few rainy days I would really appreciate when we do get them... but honestly I just do not care for the rain. It makes me depressed! So- this quote/phrase... is definitely a good reminder for me. No matter how gloomy of a trial you may endure, the sun always follows. It may not show up as quick as you would like... but you can be sure it IS coming. :)

-p.s. The 72 hour Buy 2 get 1 free sale ends at 4:30 PST. It applies to my etsy shop. :)

Have a great monday everyone! :D

Our motorhome featured on etsy's blog!

-yep! The title says it all, and I'm so incredibly excited to have Sharkey (our motorhome) featured over on etsy's blog this morning. He is beaming from side mirror to side mirror. -hah!

 

When Christine e-mailed me about featuring our motorhome in the next "Get The Look Decor" post I was somewhat shocked. Speechless ( and it is NO small feat to make me speechless ) is more like it. When I first opened my etsy shop the one hope I had was to be the etsy featured seller at some point. As far as I know there are no guidelines or tips posted anywhere to help acheive this. It was just one of those things I always hoped would "just happen". Well to the best of my knowledge this hasnt happened yet, so being recognized and contacted by etsy was kinda like the next best thing. :D I tried to contain my composure as I wrote and re-wrote back my reply. "Sure! You need me to stand on my head and dance circles in the middle of the street... NO problem!" Okay, I'm clearly joking... but I was that excited. :) Christine sent over some questions and I answered them, rambling and editing my answers on more than one occasion.  So intimidating to be featured on etsy's blog and have my answers read by SO many people! But also really really nifty at the same time! 

If you are just now finding me for the first time- Welcome! :) Also- Thank you etsy for featuring our motorhome. It makes all the hard work spent on the big guy even more rewarding!

Some posts and other stuff related to the motorhome you may find interesting:

-Driving him home for the first time!

-A walkthrough of the motorhome before much of anything had been done

-A short video of our first trip (minus one daughter who rode up early with my parents)

-Before and After pictures

Now if I can only get around to editing the final video of the finished walkthrough! :)

New Art- Kitchen Series

Hello! :) How is your Saturday going? This morning we met with our accountant and wrapped up the last of our tax stuff, celebrated with a salted caramel frappuccino, came home and cleaned some. I then found some extra time to finish up the kitchen series I was telling you all about! :)

I was really wanting an organic, neutral, fresh look to this new series, and I hope I've managed to give it that affect. :)

You can find them available individually in my shop. :)

Strawberries and Hearts

Orange You Glad

Love and Utensils

and... A Little Cheesey :)

Plus, dont forget that there is a 72 hour sale going on in the shop right now!  This will be the last sale I'm going to have in my etsy shop for quite awhile! I'm a little burnt out and looking forward to not doing as much these next couple of months! Taxes are paid and I feel like taking a vacation now! lol

Okay! Wish me luck... we're about ready to head over to my parents house. Taking my sister in law's maternity pictures. The weather is GORGEOUS!