<link>http://riverdogprints.com/photocardblog</link> <description /> <lastBuildDate>Wed, 28 Jul 2010 10:15:13 +0000</lastBuildDate> <generator>http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2</generator> <language>en</language> <sy:updatePeriod>hourly</sy:updatePeriod> <sy:updateFrequency>1</sy:updateFrequency> <atom:link rel="next" href="http://riverdogprints.com/photocardblog/feed/?page=2" /> <atom10:link xmlns:atom10="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/riverdogprints/iTKX" /><feedburner:info uri="riverdogprints/itkx" /><atom10:link xmlns:atom10="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" rel="hub" href="http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/" /><item> <title>Best of the Blog :: My Failure as a Girlie Girl http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/riverdogprints/iTKX/~3/JZ4kzxAnb2s/ http://riverdogprints.com/photocardblog/best-of-the-blog-my-failure-as-a-girlie-girl/#comments Wed, 28 Jul 2010 10:15:13 +0000 Cyn http://riverdogprints.com/photocardblog/?p=2680 Originally Published :: September 2009

I’m always honest about my age (43, thank you very much!) I think I got that from my mom, who would boast about her age with a follow-up of “Don’t I look young?” I think looking good was never far from her mind, evident from the older photos I’ve seen of her in her 20s. The woman never ceased to have bright red lipstick on – you could even tell that from the black and white photos. And I must say that amongst all the criticisms any mom feels the right to dole out, mine could give a compliment that would boost your self-esteem to the perfect height. Maybe that contributed to my girlie-girl ruination…

I was a tomboy and I was never the girl who could keep her clothes or hair tidy and clean. I wasn’t opposed to wearing skirts and dresses, but I was the girl with her tights falling down, unaware of the rules that governed said skirts and dresses. Who says you can’t climb to the top of the monkey bars? And hiking up the tights with my skirt in the air long past the time it would be considered cute. My hair was always super-short, courtesy of mom. I think she may have cut my hair as a way to save money, as we didn’t have a lot to go around. And I think short was what she could manage. But I longed for long hair. I really wanted to wear my hair in braids, just like Laura Ingalls. I did manage to convince my mom to let me cut my hair like Dorothy Hamill when I was 11. Dorothy’s cut was a concession though – what I really, REALLY wanted was Farrah Fawcett’s hair. Clearer heads prevailed, but it was still a disaster.

I guess being female, we all are in pursuit of what it means to be a girl. Why it seems that some of us seem stupider about it than others will forever be a mystery to me. My teenage years were fraught with beauty mishaps – perms, Sun-In, black eyeliner, suspenders… the list goes on. I was perming my naturally curly hair, Sun-In-ing my brunette hair to a Ronald McDonald shade, Alice Cooper-ing my eyes and dressing like Annie Hall with NO fashion sense. Also, I never quite got the hang of makeup. I still only wear Chapstick, gloss and various lipsticks (a tribute to my mom’s bright red?) When I turned 40, I thought it was time to try wearing makeup again, but it lasted less than a week. I forget to apply my night cream almost nightly. I’m utterly hopeless.

No matter who you are, there is a point in the life of a woman where you figure out what it means to be you. I’ll never carry off 4-inch heels or have a flawless face. I have pores, yes, and I’m not afraid to show them. I have accepted my failure as the girlie-girl, who can look perfect and put together at all moments. I’m okay with that. I still feel worthy and beautiful. I’ve learned what my best assets are and I try to accentuate them. I have my own style and chic sensibilities. And I believe that all women – girlie-girls, tomboys or somewhere in between have their own unique beauty, no matter what.
]]> http://riverdogprints.com/photocardblog/best-of-the-blog-my-failure-as-a-girlie-girl/feed/ 5 http://riverdogprints.com/photocardblog/best-of-the-blog-my-failure-as-a-girlie-girl/ Colorado Wildflowers 2010 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/riverdogprints/iTKX/~3/yIp2GJWQyVQ/ http://riverdogprints.com/photocardblog/colorado-wildflowers-2010/#comments Mon, 26 Jul 2010 10:00:45 +0000 Cyn http://riverdogprints.com/photocardblog/?p=2675 I’m on vacation in Colorado, visiting family. I was here last year about roughly the same time of year and my husband and I took a beautiful hike to see the wildflowers. The original post of the photos I took did not do the flowers justice, so here is a mosaic of the best shots.
Enjoy your Monday!
]]> http://riverdogprints.com/photocardblog/colorado-wildflowers-2010/feed/ 0 http://riverdogprints.com/photocardblog/colorado-wildflowers-2010/ OM :: The Trip Flip http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/riverdogprints/iTKX/~3/dVjTg1iemzU/ http://riverdogprints.com/photocardblog/om-the-trip-flip/#comments Fri, 23 Jul 2010 15:53:19 +0000 Cyn http://riverdogprints.com/photocardblog/?p=2670 On this last day before our family vacation, I’m excited to have jiggered my brain into actually taking the vacation.

As a family, we travel to Colorado twice a year to see my father-in-law. He lives just outside of Denver in the foothills and it is a beautiful place to visit. We’ve been travelling there every year since 1999, so the newness and spectacle of it has waned.

Since I quit my 9 to 5 in 2008, I have always worked during the weeks we’ve been in Colorado. If you run your own business (and you’re it’s only employee), you know that there is a constant stream of tasks to complete. And the pressure you feel, whether real or imaginary, to stay on top of all things business can be overwhelming when you’re away from home.

My moment was deciding that this trip will be different. I have closed both my shops for a week and a half. I am scheduling “Best of” posts for my blogs. In CO, I will be reading books and swimming and visiting Pikes Peak for the first time with my boys. I will take a couple runs and a couple hikes in the mountains. I will spend some quality time with my husband. And I will visit with the friends we have made out there over the years.

In my moment, I realized that I need to take a break from this business, so I can recharge and find new energy for the possibilities that lay ahead.

You may see me online, but it will be because I want to be there, not because I have to be.
And that makes all the difference.


:::

om [one moment] meet up
OM is *one moment* and is a meetup designed to notice & relish a moment in everyday life. The meetup idea was created by Linda at her blog, a la mode stuff.

If you’d like to participate in OM, just click the button and you’ll be taken to Linda’s post explaining it all.
]]> http://riverdogprints.com/photocardblog/om-the-trip-flip/feed/ 6 http://riverdogprints.com/photocardblog/om-the-trip-flip/ Canning Party for One http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/riverdogprints/iTKX/~3/LQAqvbCuoYE/ http://riverdogprints.com/photocardblog/canning-party-for-one/#comments Thu, 22 Jul 2010 21:01:35 +0000 Cyn http://riverdogprints.com/photocardblog/?p=2659 I’m excited to share my first canning experience. I only have a few photos because we had crazy, tornado-y thunderstorms move through as I was processing the brine and jar. Not good lighting for photos…

Dill Pickles from Canning & Preserving with Ashley English.
Hopefully the first of many canning experiences:





There are many canning parties going on this weekend. Check out the list of this Can-a-Rama at Canning Across America. I would definitely have joined this event, if I wasn’t going to be in an airplane on my way to another state. Check it out on July 24 & 25. Happy canning!
]]> http://riverdogprints.com/photocardblog/canning-party-for-one/feed/ 5 http://riverdogprints.com/photocardblog/canning-party-for-one/ Sunflowers http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/riverdogprints/iTKX/~3/9pXi3MtviqU/ http://riverdogprints.com/photocardblog/sunflowers/#comments Wed, 21 Jul 2010 21:56:19 +0000 Cyn http://riverdogprints.com/photocardblog/sunflowers/

sunflowers, originally uploaded by Cyn & Scout at RiverDog Prints.

A little extra beauty from our CSA…



]]> http://riverdogprints.com/photocardblog/sunflowers/feed/ 0 http://riverdogprints.com/photocardblog/sunflowers/ Swimmy Pictures http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/riverdogprints/iTKX/~3/5DfjqdwOi_E/ http://riverdogprints.com/photocardblog/swimmy-pictures/#comments Mon, 19 Jul 2010 14:32:23 +0000 Cyn http://riverdogprints.com/photocardblog/?p=2647 I find myself just clicking around this morning in a procrastinating sort of way, but I truly need to put the pedal to the metal and get some business-y things done before vacation begins on Saturday. So, I’ve indulged my clicking by finding some of my favorite swim images on ye olde Flickr to share.

Happy Monday!


Photo credits – 1st set:
1. c’mon, brave pig, let’s dive!!!, 2. Dive in mist, 3. swimming in the city, 4. Going for a swim (Explore)
Photo credits – 2nd set:
1. Day 122: Just Keep Swimming…, 2. ~Swimming Sanibel Sondae~, 3. 196/365 Pruned, 4. with bella


]]> http://riverdogprints.com/photocardblog/swimmy-pictures/feed/ 3 http://riverdogprints.com/photocardblog/swimmy-pictures/ OM :: The Frog http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/riverdogprints/iTKX/~3/VPNAmFHw-hw/ http://riverdogprints.com/photocardblog/om-the-frog/#comments Fri, 16 Jul 2010 15:06:20 +0000 Cyn http://riverdogprints.com/photocardblog/?p=2637 Meet Speckles.
A creation from Abe, my 7-year-old.

Abe loves to draw. It’s the one thing that can hold his attention just as long as reading.

And almost as long as TV watching or video game playing.

My moment came when Abe said during breakfast clean-up one morning that he’d like to be a card designer and have his own business one day. Awww, really? Thanks buddy.

Of course, this will be his third career.

First, he’ll become the lighting director for American Idol.

Then, he’ll try his hand as a full-time inventor for awhile (he’ll be working on a time machine, among other ideas.)

But I’ll take that moment, fleeting as it was. Moms know that these moments can be the most memorable. We just have to pay attention.


:::

om [one moment] meet up
OM is *one moment* and is a meetup designed to notice & relish a moment in everyday life. The meetup idea was created by Linda at her blog, a la mode stuff.

If you’d like to participate in OM, just click the button and you’ll be taken to Linda’s post explaining it all.
]]> http://riverdogprints.com/photocardblog/om-the-frog/feed/ 4 http://riverdogprints.com/photocardblog/om-the-frog/ My Creative Space http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/riverdogprints/iTKX/~3/FUbC7O5CcRw/ http://riverdogprints.com/photocardblog/my-creative-space/#comments Thu, 15 Jul 2010 18:32:13 +0000 Cyn http://riverdogprints.com/photocardblog/?p=2633 I first saw my creative space on sara’s blog for 5 o’clock crows. What a great idea to get a small peek into someone’s craft.


I’m creating tags for someone’s baby shower. I’ve made so many tags with this little elephant that I should get tired of seeing him (and yes, he is a him.) But, I love him. Maybe that is what creating is all about… crafting something that you like to experience over and over again. I wonder when I hear someone like James Taylor sing Fire and Rain for the upteenth time how he can enjoy it. Fire and Rain must be his little elephant.
]]> http://riverdogprints.com/photocardblog/my-creative-space/feed/ 0 http://riverdogprints.com/photocardblog/my-creative-space/ Gift of Enthusiasm http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/riverdogprints/iTKX/~3/mtH0dr_UgWM/ http://riverdogprints.com/photocardblog/gift-of-enthusiasm/#comments Wed, 14 Jul 2010 19:39:52 +0000 Cyn http://riverdogprints.com/photocardblog/?p=2624 I’m blogging late today after running errands again for my dad & mom. My dad got the green light to drive himself on short trips from the cardiologist this morning. So yay! A bit of freedom for both of us.

In looking for inspiration, I came across the We Scout Wednesday post from ScoutieGirl’s Tara Gentile about Gifts of Enthusiasm. It reminded me that just last night, in the minutes before sleep, that I was swept away with a discovery.

I’ve always been enthusiastic about paper. As a kid, I would ask to go to the Five and Dime or the local stationery store and could literally spend hours reading cards, touching stationery and ogling at all the paper goodness. At home, I would make my own notepads from lined paper and staples and draw picture after picture in them.

Since I started my business and have really hunkered down to design, I’ve struggled with my style (touched on in this New Year post.) Since January, I’ve worked hard to make discoveries in my designs and be judicious about my creations. I realized last night that I’m feeling Enthusiastic (with a capital E!) about where I’m headed. My style is emerging and becoming definitive to me and I can’t tell you what a gift that is. I’m giving this particular gift of enthusiasm to myself for now, so I can share it with others as soon as I’m able.
]]> http://riverdogprints.com/photocardblog/gift-of-enthusiasm/feed/ 2 http://riverdogprints.com/photocardblog/gift-of-enthusiasm/ Analytics for Everyone http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/riverdogprints/iTKX/~3/mcwqdTABqaM/ http://riverdogprints.com/photocardblog/analytics-for-everyone/#comments Mon, 12 Jul 2010 14:00:41 +0000 Cyn http://riverdogprints.com/photocardblog/?p=2614 How often do you analyze your numbers?
I look at my numbers with no regularity because I don’t know how to analyze them. I can stare at them pretty well, but I don’t think winning a staring contest with my analytics is going to help my business.

When I took the SATs and later the GRE a couple decades ago, my scores were pretty middle of the road. My boyfriend at the time got a perfect score and one of my best friends was just shy of that by 10 points. Besides feeling inadequate in comparison, I took solace in the fact that I had a super score on the analytical sections. So, what has happened to my brain?

It’s not that I haven’t tried to figure it out. I’ve visited other sites that offer some explanation of how to “read” the reports. Soon, I get the same vacant feeling between my ears and I go design something or hang out on Twitter. And the analytics are left to themselves until the compulsion to conquer them comes over me again.

So, I throw out this challenge to you. If you have a good handle on your numbers, can you tell me how you do it? I’m hoping there is some secret formula or code that will make it, if not easier, then interesting. Do you have something like that?
]]> http://riverdogprints.com/photocardblog/analytics-for-everyone/feed/ 0 http://riverdogprints.com/photocardblog/analytics-for-everyone/