GoatNotes

Thinking of You

2012-11-29T05:00:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends, I've been thinking about you. An awful lot. I've checked on this space off and on over the last few months. I've noted that the colors of the most recent pictures posted are still steeped in the heat and brightness of summer sunshine. A contrast to the wet blue hue nature is snuggled in these chilly days of November.

I have wondered what I am doing in this space these last several months. Maybe you already guessed that was the case. My silence is more due to hesitation and uncertainty, rather than a lack of things to say. I am still in that waiting place. That place of searching and finding. I often wish to say I will share my wanderings with you and take you along as I go, but I know for me it's more of a personal journey. My resolve is to slowly work back into this space and get to know it again. Get to know you again. Make this a space of creativity and inspiration once more.

I have a feeling you will find several changes happening to this space over the next few months. Bear with me as I move in a new direction. Looking forward to newness all around. Happy Holiday Season friends.

5x7 Folded Card

2012-09-18T11:35:00.001-07:00

Picture In Landscape 5x7 folded card

Modern greeting cards and party invitations by Shutterfly.

View the entire collection of cards.

Stillness

2012-08-13T17:29:00.000-07:00

I have to remind myself more often than I would like that it's OK to be still. To not do anything. For 10 minutes, or even, 20 minutes.

Stillness is an art I am learning more about as I attempt to pull my thoughts, creative juices and dreams together. I never realized how much in a state of business I keep myself. Lately I have been in a realm of dizzying daydreaming about incomes, future careers, and what actions to take next. Some of these thoughts are relevant, as well as necessary. However, many are just distractions from what I need to be focusing on in the present moment.

To ease the sense of overwhelm, and honestly, the sense of not progressing which is what all that busy "thinking" creates I have surrendered to stillness.

For the last few days I have striven to give myself at least 10 minutes of quiet time. This time arrives at any point in the day. Sometimes in the morning, sometimes in the afternoon while my son naps, and more often it's when I should be brushing my teeth before bed. The only rule I have enforced is that during my quiet time I am allowed to not think about anything. In fact, I do my best to just breathe deeply and allow my body to relax.

My time for quiet and stillness has helped my ability to focus a lot. I find my actions are more directed and I achieve more worthwhile actions during the day. I welcome you to try giving yourself a little time for stillness. Perhaps, even at this very moment.

PS. My intentions are to return to this space more regularly, and I appreciate the e-mails and comments I have received in my absence. In the hopes of providing high quality content I always love to hear from you. Let me know what you would like to see more of on the pages of GoatNotes. Your feedback is always embraced lovingly. Thank you.

Shifting

2012-07-05T09:37:00.000-07:00

An itch for change has been whispering in my mind lately. It's time to shift and do something different. Recently we shifted my son out of his crib, out of diapers and removed all of those "baby toys" from his bedroom. He's morphed many times in his short life, but this time it was a bigger transition. He's no longer a baby, and it's apparent to everyone.

So too has this blog shifted over the past year and half that I have been its keeper. Starting out as a way to promote a long-gone Etsy shop to becoming more of a space for me to share my thoughts and life. This space will be quieter than usual over the next few weeks. I am working on a new project that requires most of my free creative time. It's an exciting prospect, and I hope it becomes something fruitful I can share on these pages in the weeks to come.

Enjoy the summer heat and sun. See you back here soon.

XOXO,
Julia

June Recap

2012-06-29T15:44:00.000-07:00

It's Friday and it's almost the last day of June. I can't believe it. This has been a month of crafty-craziness and sweet escapes for me. Since it was such a fun month, I kind of want to relive some of it. Here are some of my favorite posts from June:

1. Wilbur Hot Springs Getaway...need I say more?

2. My five favorite things right now. This was so much fun to write that I plan to share a post like this one every month. Stay tuned for Monday!

3. I can't wait to use chia seeds in other recipes in July like I did in the vegan chia seed and dried cherry scone recipe. Maybe a 4th of July chia seed milk shake?

4. I have been in the process of making more of those cute memory games for all the little children in my life with summer birthdays. It's so much fun to come up with more versions!

5. Plus there have been more and more button snakes creeping into people's birthday bags this season too.

How about you, what have been some of your favorite events and such from June?

Happenings

2012-06-28T15:56:00.000-07:00

Oh happenings of this busy life...

- Returning from vacation can be difficult...especially when there is a pile of laundry waiting for me
- Returning from vacation can be even more difficult when one realizes all of those "pre-scheduled" blog posts never posted...(sigh).
- Watching the first full-length movie with my son couldn't have been better (we watched Cars, and yes, I do realize that movie came out, in like, 2007. No big deal, right?).
-Dreaming and scheming on my next big idea.
-Keep thinking there should be more people in this house, after a week of the whole family together it's feeling a little lonely here.
-So thankful that potty training and bed training have been such a breeze... lately.
-Amazed at how tall that corn grew in seven days.
-Wishing the ocean was still part of my back yard.
-Thinking about all of outfits I could wear my new sandles with.
- Planning my next adventure into the woods.

How about you, what's happening in your life lately?

Beach Bound

2012-06-21T05:00:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year. We are packing our car and heading west. To the Ocean! Don't fret, as I am taking my lappy (that's laptop) along with me. I look forward to sharing posts with you as I soak in the sun and squish sand between my toes.

I also have some fabulous gusts posts to share with you in the upcoming week. Be prepared for some amazing stuff!

Happy Thursday everyone!

DIY Memory Game for Toddlers

2012-06-20T05:00:00.000-07:00

We are preparing for our summer vacations, which this year, include several long car rides and many stops in between. In order to maintain the sanity of mama (ahem) and of the toddler-man I have been dreaming up new ways to keep those little fingers entertained, all while sticking to my budget of a few dollars, and keeping in the mind minimal space (we drive a very small car...) we will be occupying.

My first new addition to my "Travel Fun Bag," or the "Bag of Magic," as I like to call it, I have added a mini-memory game. I painted some of my son's favorite insects, birds and mammals onto medium-sized wooden disks I bought at Michael's for around $3.

With two ways to play this game, either with all images facing up to match the pairs; or all images facing down you turn one over at a time trying to find the match, I have a feeling this will be gracing many a restaurant table this summer.

I had so much fun making the first set that I painted a second set as part of a birthday gift for a little friend who adores the ocean.

I have a feeling several other young children in our life will receive sets of this little game personalized to their taste in their Christmas stockings this year.

How do you entertain your kids on long car trips? Have you come up with any great frugal games for your kids recently?

Vegan Chia Seed and Dried Cherry Scones

2012-06-19T05:00:00.000-07:00

I don' like using eggs when I bake. I don't know why, and it's not like I never use eggs, it's just, I prefer the taste of baked goods without eggs. Believe me, eggs have their place around here. Just not in my scones.

I have spent the last several years trying different methods to create the best tasting egg-less scones. The funny thing about all that trial and error is I developed not only an egg-less scone, but a vegan one.

So far, it's been a hit with all of my vegan and non-vegan friends alike. Plus this recipe uses chia seeds- making you super healthy and trendy too.

What You'll Need:

1/4 cup prepped Chia seeds*

3 cups all purpose flour

2 Tablespoons Baking Powder

1/2 Cup Sugar plus a dash for sprinkling the tops

Dash of salt

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar

1 1/2 cups Soy Milk

1 cup Dried Cherries

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Grease two cookie sheets with a little vegetable oil. In a small bowl or mason jar mix together the chia seeds and water* and let stand while you combine the other ingredients.

In a large bowl sift the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. In a separate bowl mix the vegetable oil, soy milk and vinegar together lightly. Add the 1/4 cup of the set chia seeds to the liquid ingredients. Using your spoon create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients into the bowl. As you stir the wet and the dry ingredients together, slowly add the dried cherries until they are well incorporated. Try not to over stir**. The dough should be clumpy, but not sticky. Not all of the flour will incorporate, and that's fine.

Drop 1/4 cups full of dough onto your prepared cookie sheets. Press the dough into shape and sprinkle with the remaining sugar. Bake for 10-15 minutes. Your are scones are done when the bottoms are slightly browns and they are firm on top.

* (take 1/4 cup of dried chia seeds and mix with 1/2 cup water. Let stand for a few minutes. The chia seed are ready to use when they have formed a jelly-like substance. Measure the neceesary quantity for the recipe from the prepped chia seeds. You will have some left over.)

** A trick I have learned when creating vegan desserts is to resist the urge to over-stir. Usually, if the ingredients are well combined, that's all the stirring that is necessary.

We Celebrated

2012-06-18T07:11:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Father's Day with an alfresco brunch in our backyard. Complete with breakfast pizzas inspired by Alice Currah's new cookbook the Savory Sweet Life, fresh squeezed orange juice mimosas, a bit of French pressed coffee and all the sunshine and fresh summer air we could soak in.

Celebrating in such a simple manner has a subtle way of reconnecting and reminding those we love, just how deep that love goes. This time in our family life is fleeting, and I am grateful for these stolen moments that allow all of us to be present in our joy.

Have you had any stolen moments of joy lately?

Work In Progress Friday

2012-06-15T15:42:00.001-07:00

Paper Mache Wand and Paper Mache Sail Boat (under construction).

It's Friday, and I haven't blogged in a while. Sorry about that. I have had a little too much going on lately. It might have something to with this personal challenge I have given myself. It's going to sound crazy (because it probably is crazy!), but I am going to attempt to make, with my own two hands, all the gifts for Christmas and Hanukkah of 2012. Crazy? Probably, but I have always enjoyed giving handmade gifts, and this would just give me the jump start I need. Since it's almost July and I have a little time before the mad-dash to holidays I am going to spend the next eight weeks attempting to get all the gifts completed.

In addition to sharing some of the hand made gifts I create, I have some fabulous guest posts of tutorials and ideas of gifts you too can hand make ahead of the holiday season rush.

If you have a tutorial about hand made gifts for kids, women, or men, and would like to share it on GoatNotes please send it along! You can reach me on my contact page.

So, what have you been spending your free time creating lately? Wishing you all a wonderful weekend!

Button Snakes: Frugal Toddler Craft

2012-06-05T16:35:00.001-07:00

Happy toddler= Happy Mama

I have dubbed those hours between 4-6PM in my house the "howling hours". For some reason at the strike of 4 all our toys render themselves "boring", and the ample amount of fresh air out my backdoor is deemed "too windy." Thus, howling begins.

To minimize the howling, and to allow me that much needed time to keep an eye on those bubbling pots of my stove, I have created a "creativity box." The box is just a large plastic Sterlite Organizing bin with drawers, which I now keep several easy to assemble (and guaranteed to keep small hands occupied for at least 20 minutes) activities that my wee one can do on his own. Last week I shared our Modern Art Sculpture that we create using pipe cleaners and spice jars (you can see more detail on this post). This week the new favorite is the button snakes.

I can't take credit for these easy to assemble "snakes." I've seen them all over other blogs (see: this blog, this blog and this blog) and within the pages of my Montessori books. But great ideas are meant to be shared, and this one has been a lifesaver for me. The snakes are a great way for E to learn how to button and unbutton (as potty-training is in full swing), and he also just has fun sorting all of the felt shapes by color and size.

The howling still starts every day, but at least now I have a few more tactics that save my eardrums and my time in the process.

What are your clever ways to keep your children busy during the hours before dinner?

Weekend Retreat

2012-06-04T16:35:00.003-07:00

I have returned from my retreat into the wilderness at Wilbur Hot Springs refreshed and probably more relaxed than I ever have been in my life. Our stay was a brief weekend getaway (without the wee one- something we hardly ever do!) that I have to honestly say, had me a little skeptical at first.

I had never been to a hot spring resort, although there are tons of them throughout California, so I wasn't quite sure what to expect. After my experience I can safely say all skepticism aside, I am definitely going back the first chance I get. Wilbur Hot Springs is near Clear Lake in Colousa County, California. It's off a non-paved 4-mile road that makes you feel like you are "in the know" as you drive out into (literally) the middle of nowhere.

I spent my 48 hours at Wilbur sleeping, cooking in the Victorian Hotel's gourmet kitchen, basking in the warm June sun, soaking in a variety of the mineral flumes (yes, flumes people. I know, like the stuff of lava beds and Magma!) and taking long walks in the beautiful nature preserve. I probably have already said this, but I can't wait to go back. There are very few places on Earth that can rejuvenate one's soul instantly. I think Wilbur Hot Springs might just be one of those places for me.

So, as I sit here still smelling faintly of sulfur with a bit of sleep behind my eyes, even though it's 4:30 PM, I am looking forward to jumping back into the flow of the stresses of a "regular" week's offerings. This time with a little more ease, and perhaps, just a bit more grace and patience than I had before.

How was your weekend? Do you know if any great hot springs near you?

5 of My Favorite Things Right Now

2012-06-01T05:00:00.000-07:00

1. Recycled Necktie Kindle Case by Unorthodox Crafts

Ok, before you hop yourself to to the comments section to shout loudly why reading books on real pages is the only way to read a book. Let's be real for a second. Trust me I love the printed word. But, I love my Kindle too. I love books. I love to read. As you can see that in addition to my kindle I am sharing TWO printed books that I think are just awesome.

As someone who is a voracious reader, my Kindle is truly one of my favorite all time devices ever created. Since my Kindle goes everywhere with me, it needed a fancy-schmancy case to keep it protected. Fortunately I have a very talented artist in my family who makes spectacular cases from recycled neckties.I can feel high-tech and cutting edge while saving the environment.

2. Joy the Baker Cookbook

The latest cookbook to make it into my collection is Joy Wilson's Joy the Baker Cookbook, which I am so very excited about! I have been a long time fan of Miss Wilson's blog and mad-cooking skills. It's going to be fun to try some of her tasty treats. So far, I am a big fan of the "Single Lady Melty Lava Cakes." Seriously, it's a lave cake recipe for one. Now I won't have to share!

3. Eva Hand Painted Cups

We have been on a slow crusade to rid our home of plastic drinking vessels and storage containers. The problem is with a toddler it is very difficult to live without plastic. Glass is not always the best option and wood just doesn't always cut it. After many months searching I finally found the perfect solution. A metal drinking cup from the greenheart Shop. Not only are they beautiful, but they are fair trade too!

4. Reusable Sandwich Bags

Last year I gave up using paper towels, which has been a huge success. We still only buy a three pack of paper towels every 6-8 months, because there are just certain things you have to use a paper towel for. Otherwise, we only use clean rags and towels. This year my goal has been to reduce our plastic bag use. Thanks to my amazingly talented friend Sarah (*Hi Sarah!) she has gotten me well on my way to ditching plastic snack bags forever. Does anyone know of a sewing pattern that would allow me to create more of these amazing bags?

5. The Down and Dirty Guide to Camping with Kids

You can read my deeper thoughts about this book and enter the GIVEAWAY that ends today (winners will be announced on Monday June 4th) on this POST. To just add to my enthusiasm for this book, it's gotten me motivated to schedule my first family camping trip, as well as a weekend getaway with my sweet husband. Can't wait to share the adventures from those trips with you all in this space soon! Look out summer, here I come!

So, what are your favorite things right now? Wishing you a wonderful weekend.

Garden to Table: Kale Chips Recipe

2012-05-30T21:28:00.000-07:00

Fresh and crisp from the garden we have plucked out first bushel of heirloom kale. We had so much of it left-over from dinner that we used the rest to make kale chips. Unfortunately, the chips were eaten so fast that I didn't have a chance to snap a photo. A sign that the snack was a delicious hit.

I was a bit intimidated at first by the idea of roasting a leafy green in my oven until it became "crispy." I thought for sure it would disintegrate into dust, or burn into a charcoal mess. To my surprise, neither occurred. Instead I was delighted with a lighter than air snack doused in salt and oil that I could proclaim was "healthy."

To make this tasty morsel for your mouth gather yourself some...
Fresh Kale
At least 4 tbls olive oil
Salt to taste

Wash, dry and remove the large stem from each shaft of kale. Chop the kale into the desired chip size (I just cut my leaves in half for a larger chip). Place the chopped kale into a mixing bowl and pour your olive oil and salt over the kale. Toss until the kale is well coated. transfer the kale onto a well greased baking sheet (I used vegetable oil to grease my pan). Place in the over at 400 Degrees Fahrenheit for 8-12 minutes (everyone's oven is so different. It took mine about 10 minutes). Remove the kale from the baking sheet onto a plate lined with either paper towels or clean flour sack cloths to absorb any extra oil. Let sit for a few minutes...then commence shoving the chips into your face without shame.

Do you have a favorite way to eat Kale? (seriously, I am going to have a ton of this stuff, so suggestions are most welcome).

***Giveaway*** Remember to enter the giveaway going on. You have until June 1st. See this POST for details.

Modern Art Sculpture for Toddlers

2012-05-29T05:00:00.000-07:00

All it took to keep an active toddler occupied and out of trouble, while I frantically made an elaborate dinner, was an old spice jar and some pipe cleaners. Yep. That was it. Child was entertained for 45 minutes. Solid.

He pulled and pushed those pipe cleaners in and out of the jar over and over. He marveled that he could see the pipe cleaners in the jar, but not touch them. He proclaimed he was making a spider...then it was a tree...next it was mama (no idea about that one...maybe me when I get up in the morning?). Whatever he decided those interlaced pipe cleaners were from moment to moment, provided his mama the much needed time to put the final touches on the evening meal.

You too can make something similar from items found in the cupboards of your home. My spice jar, which was from Target, and used to hold garlic powder, was washed, cleaned and dried. The pipe cleaners are from a large pack I got off of Freecylce over two years ago. Find a solid surface, and a little free time, and give your child all the time he or she wants to create their very own modern art sculpture. You just may find a second or two to put your feet up and relax. Or make a complicated dinner, in my case.

Have you devised any frugal creative inspirations that keep your kids occupied lately?

***Giveaway*** Don't forget to enter the giveaway for The Down and Dirty Guide to Camping with Kids! See this POST for details.

This Long Weekend

2012-05-28T14:30:00.000-07:00

Taking in the beauty of a special family member's garden
Cutting, chopping, cooking eating more and more strawberries
Becoming one with the open space behind our home

Just a few of the ways we are expressing our gratitude, as this weekend sticks around for one more day.

***Giveaway**** See this POST for details.

Simple Saturday DIY Round-Up

2012-05-26T15:14:00.000-07:00

Make Your Own Nail Polish- In ANY Color!

High Fashion is Great, Especially when It Provides Free Printables!

Add Sparkle to a Feather Necklace...Yes please!

Happy three-day weekend! This long weekend has me in a spring-cleaning creative mood. I thought in addition to sprucing up my bedroom, I would do a little research in sprucing up myself too. I am in the process of putting together a fun DIY project for you all in addition to photographing a few more fun kid's activities. I have high hopes they will grace these pages next week. Remember to enter the giveaway for the Down and Dirty Guide to Camping with Kids before June 1st! See this post for details.

Make Your Own Nail Polish from Delighted Mama// Free Printable Clutch from Hermes//DIY Sparkle Necklace from El Cuadern De Ipeas

Camping with Kids & Book Giveaway

2012-05-25T10:48:00.000-07:00

It's been almost two years since I have been camping...and I love camping, so why the absence of a good camp excursion in my life? Well, it all has to do with the addition of a certain little fellow who came into my life two years ago.

Ever since my son was born my husband and I just could not fathom giving up a single night of sleep that had the potential of being almost solid (it took our son forever to sleep through the night...wait he still doesn't!). So, the idea of trying to get our child to sleep outdoors for any extended period of time, and thus losing more sleep in the process, just didn't appeal to us. So, we opted for long day hikes instead of overnight trips.

OK, so fast forward to right now. It's May, and almost Memorial Day Weekend, which in my book is the unofficial official start to summer, and that hint of summer has made my mind all bonkers thinking about the good'ol days when the stars were my night lights and a camp fire was all I needed to make my morning cup of tea.

Fortunately, just as I was biting my nails to nubs trying to decide whether or not to schedule a camping trip for this summer, a book arrived in the mail that put all my parental worries at ease. Shambahla Publications sent me Helen Olsson's The Down and Dirty Guide to Camping with Kids.

I read Olsson's book, and it was like she was reading my mind! The book's design is clean with a retro-hip flair. Olsson breaks down the whole process of camping from start to finish. Including information and checklists to consider before scheduling, in preparation for and while on the camping trip. She even has a quick reference "park ranger" character who intervenes throughout the book with useful tips and tricks to consider. My favorite feature of the book are the checklists. Olsson includes checklists for what to pack, gear to bring, and the most useful of all a complete first aid kit checklist. I appreciate the wit she delivers along with her wisdom of how to successfully and easily travel to the woods with kids. She put my worries at ease, and I am now in the process of planning that long awaited camping trip.

In celebration of my taking the first steps to get back into the groove of camping I have two copies of Helen Olsson's book, The Down and Dirty Guide to Camping with Kids to giveaway to two lucky readers! ~~You ave until Friday June 1st to enter. Please leave a comment in the comments section of this post, sharing one thing you love to do outdoors in the summer.~~

*****Comments Closed*******

Give Peas a Chance

2012-05-23T16:10:00.000-07:00

Right now our pea plants are more like leggy green monsters. They are HUGE, which I think might be why my toddler is now OK with eating his peas. Each afternoon, after nap my son cannot wait to get out to the backyard to check on the peas.

Fresh peas off the vine have become his favorite go-to snack these days. I am sure he would consume all the peas on the plants at one time if I wasn't there helping to navigate which are ready to be picked, popped open and eaten.

Lately this is how we spend that hour or so between late afternoon and the beginning of dinner prep. It's a peaceful few moments we have together, and golly it's even nutritious. So far, planting of the peas (which was my husband's idea) was the best yet.

Have you planted anything lately that your children (or you, or your pets) just love?

Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble

2012-05-22T07:21:00.000-07:00

Birthdays around our house are usually punctuated with something chocolate. This year, for my husband's birthday, found us with an abundance of strawberries and rhubarb, and an absence of chocolate powder in our pantry. The lack of chocolate is not intentional (believe me!), but it was a fun challenge to come up with a different kind of dessert for our family of 3 celebration.

The result? A scrumptious, and super easy, strawberry and rhubarb crumble that even my toddler enjoyed, and I, his mother, could feel guilt free as he jammed fist-fulls of the cobbler into his mouth.

Ingredients:
Fruit Mixture
2 pounds of Strawberries (about 3-4 baskets)
1 pound rhubarb (about 5 stocks)
1 cup sugar or honey

The Crumble:
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter (one stick)
Dash of Nutmeg
Dash of Cinnamon

Slice the strawberries four ways and set aside. Chop the rhubarb into 1/2 inch chunks and set aside. Pour the strawberries and rhubarb together in a bowl and mix with the sugar. Spread the fruit mixture into a 9 inch pan or dish. Let sit while you prepare the crumble. In a medium-sized bowl mix together all the dry ingredients for the crumble. Melt the butter and pour over the dry crumble ingredients. With your hands sprinkle the crumble on top of the fruit mixture. Cook at 375 degree Fahrenheit for 20-30 minutes, or until the crumble has started to brown. Serve hot or cold.

It Was A Surprise Party

2012-05-21T05:00:00.000-07:00

I spent months racking my brain for a fun way to celebrate my husband turning 30. I threw around the idea of surprising him with a trip to Vegas...but we don't really gamble. I thought about renting a convertible so we could take a scenic drive down HWY 101, but that drive would take way too long.

In the end I decided to focus on what my husband loves most: His family and friends. Oh, and good food too. So, me, his friends and family scared the socks off of him and then made him do silly things like beat a pinata and eat cheese cake.

We all had a great time hanging out and relaxing in our backyard. With a pinata filled with bubblegum cigars (my husband is known to enjoy a cigar now and then), and a ridiculous DIY photo booth there was plenty of silliness to be had.

Plus with an al fresco fiesta-style potluck and homemade cheesecake by my mama-in-law our tummies were full and happy too.

Have you planned any birthdays or events lately?

Someone Turned 30

2012-05-18T17:40:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was my dear husband's 30th birthday. The day was beautiful. He spent it doing those things he enjoys most: relaxing, working on the yard, playing with our son, and-of course- eating delicious food. We celebrated with a strawberry rhubarb cobbler and BBQ-Tempe stuffed sandwiches (recipes to follow). Plus he picked out his very first "real" Grill. It was a good day, and a promise for a good weekend. See you here again soon!

Daily Inspiration: Dirt and Mustard

2012-05-16T15:09:00.000-07:00

Dirt & Mustard by talktogoat featuring heel boots

Dot dress
$48 - modcloth.com

Rebecca Minkoff mustard skirt
£195 - oxygenboutique.com

Miss L Fire heel boots
$150 - heels.com

Violet Bella flower jewelry
$13 - shopruche.com

Polka dot scarve
$7.99 - modcloth.com

Polka dot scarve
$7.99 - modcloth.com

I Love mustard and I love dirt. I thought it would be fun to mix the two colors together to see what happened. I don't know about you, but I am digging those shoes. If only they weren't $150! Maybe I can score a pair at Goodwill. Is there a set of colors you are into at the moment?

Daily Inspiration: In Bloom

2012-05-15T22:09:00.001-07:00

Can I tell you a secret? OK, now don't get too excited. For some reason I am whispering this as I am typing...I know, weird. Anyway, these beautiful pictures of the stunning roses from my yard, the ones in this very post... were taken months ago by my Mother-in-Law. (whispered)

So, why is this strange girl confessing in hushed tones that she's posting old pictures?...And they are somehow supposed to be inspirational?

OK, so here's the deal. I was recently reminded of the close-up picture, the one you see above, as it was the center piece on my Mother's Day Card from the said Mother-in-Law this past weekend. It was stunning. Breath-taking, really.

The color is so alive. Vibrant. A reminder that summer is on it's way. It has inspired me to come alive again too. It's time to tap back into what feeds me creatively. It's time to bloom.

I hope over the next few days to share images, snippets and findings that are currently inspiring me. I hope you will consider doing the same.