28 is the new 28 (belated bday post to myself...)

I wrote this on my birthday and never posted it.  Talk about adult-onset ADD.  Anyhoo, I don't see the harm in throwing it up here now, do you?

May 30, 2011:

Happy birthday to me and Memorial Day to you kids out there!  I hope the weather was phenom wherever you were, as it certainly was here.

My day was perfect: A (first) 30-mile bike ride, bbq, volleyball and pool time, Harry Potter movie/nap, dinner and bday brownies made by the boy.  SO fun.  Isn't weird how you "care" less and less about your own birthday as you get older?  I am normally one of those "It's my birthday WEEK/MONTH/YEAR" type of people (only child for sure), but this time all i wanted to do was relax, be outside, laugh and eat good food with friends.  Simple pleasures.

Along the lines of getting older, wiser and a tiny bit more mature,  I've also begun to set short and long-term goals and an action plan to help me reach my best life and best self.  It will be interesting to look back at this date a year from now and see what got done.

One year goals (age, 29)
1/ I create new product consistently for onthelookout, blog at least every other day and am selling jewelry and accessories at 3 local shops and do my first craft show for the spring season.
2/ I bike 150+ miles for MS on August 14th, 2011. (dunzo! and it was AWESOME.)
3/ I run my 2nd 10k in under 50 minutes on October 9th, 2011.
4/ I save $2,000 for a snowboarding trip to Big Sky, MT this winter and buy myself a GNU Snowboard...dream big, right?

Inspire me!  I want to hear some of your goals too!

The Daily Draw // June 8

My other job is pretty sweet too.  Basically, I get to be super creative all day (with only a few rules), amongst a witty crew.  Our storage space is massive and stocked full of blank canvases/cardboard boxes housing our wares.  There is never a shortage of Sharpie markers (gush).  And so, when I gets a little antsy from sitting at my desk, I take to the warehouse and do a little doodling.  Sometimes it is found and I perk up to gales of laughter hours later, sometimes it goes unnoticed, my little secret.

Mike Gonzalez

Sort of Absolutely obsessing over the most recent collections by Mike Gonzalez.  The head ware, the jewelry, the make up...phenom.  I couldn't pick just a few favorites.  To be honest, I didn't even try.  Sometimes that's ok right?  I'll put my filter back on later.  In the meantime, enjoy.

BTW, this is the same Mike of MIKE&CHRIS.  I OWN A FEW M&C hoodies that I was infatuated with in a previous life...2 years ago.It's nice to know that great obsessions never really die. *Pulls "old" M&C hoodies out of storage and puts them promptly onto body.*

via fly girls.

AmErica!

I hope your 4th was bangin.  I had a super one as well...massive consumption of drinks on the front stoop; Some yes-I-deserve-it-for-no-reason cookie dough ice cream WITH extra sprinkles; Boots, rain jackets, tents, in preparation of our 10-day backpacking trip to Banff, Canada; A run that ended too soon with a stand off and a bite by a pit bull,OW*; Couch relaxing and champagne sipping with my man and a wide-eyed kitty, while fireworks boomed and banged around us.  It was lovely.  MINUS the dog bite.

*I KNOW, RIGHT?  Yes, I was attacked by a pit bull on my run this holiday weekend.

Luckily, I've parted ways with my ipod addiction and was able to hear and spot the little asshole as he darted out.  The dog left two bite marks on my forearm and would have continued to attack, but somewhere deep inside my bad-assed alter ego rose up and said ..."OH. HELL. NAW."  So, instead of trying to run away (which wouldn't have worked anyway) I turned and faced the little f--ker. I puffed up my chest, balled my fists and yelled with all of my might:  "HEEEY!!! GET BACK DOG!  HEEY! NOT TODAY DOG!! NOT TO-DAY!! GET. BACK!!!"  Badass.  I must toot my own horn and say, I kept it real REAL.  The dog eventually backed up far enough for me to take some baby steps back away from its "territory," otherwise known as the public side walk.  I trotted home, had some tears and the boy promptly took me to file a police report and then to the hospital for shots.

A word to the wise (because I know you guys aren't fools): Be aware when you run.  I usually try to zone out on my runs, to relax and have a little zen, but remember, there are crazy drivers, bikers and dogs who aren't necessarily looking out for YOU.  And you the shit.  So, stay safe and run like the wind!

The Daily Draw // June 30

Drawing, which I love, takes patience, which I do not have.  And so I practice, practice, practice (both patience and drawing) and I share with you.

"We Stay Winning"

One Click And It's Mine

Paypal makes it waaay to damn easy to buy things online.  Pretty print by The Post Family, soon to be framed (custom built) and hung in the studio.

...Shhhhh, don't tell the boy.

swiped from seesaw.

Wedding Weekend

What a Weekend.

Two main goals were to take tons of pictures and have a lovely time celebrating with friends and OH SNAP did I ever accomplish both.  I think my total on pictures was 400.  Snapping, snapping, snapping, breath, eat, drink, snap snap snap.

The best part about taking some many pictures is that I will remember this weekend forever - even the (dance party) parts I don't recall so well...The worst part about taking so many pictures is that nearly 1/2 of them suck and needed to be deleted.  But I did get a few that will warm my heart and make me laugh for years to come.  And that's what it's all about right?*

ps. *Although I love my point and shoot, I will be upgrading to a real, big girl camera very soon.  Thanks mom!

friendship bracelets

these just make me smile.

via oracle fox.

You've Got the Love.

This song is pure, freaking heaven on earth.  Can't wait for my day off to sit and draw and paint, sip on a dark and stormy as I listen to Flo lay it dowwwn.

I Hear That

There's nothing wrong with being happy when life is sweet.  Grateful, rather.  But, as always, haters gon hate.  I love this pair prints to put them right in their place.  Get them here.

I am a busy little bee as of late, being social (winter hibernation is OVER), riding my bike allll of the time and being the most annoying little photographer I can be, which is quite a challenge during these lazy, humid days.  I am super psyched for a special wedding weekend coming up...!  Everything should be gorgeous and my fingers are already crossed for no rain (please please please Ohio, no...more...rain...).   Prepare for a photo overload.

Images via F/F.

...And we're back?

          

OK OK I am back.

The boy is traveling cross country to scoop up a friend, so Sir Kittles and I are left to our own, uninterrupted devices. We spent a few hours outside napping in the sun, lightly flicking spiders off our legs, drinking a random beer and snapping away. That scaredy cat LOVES being in the grass. Loud noises aside, when I take him outside he goes from fat house kitty to rather primal and wild-cat-like. He's a great muse and I must admit the color of his eyes looks great against his dark fur and the abundant greenery.

Anyway, first my iPhone died. (I love that thing by the way.) Then my camera battery died. Then I ran out of film. I told you it was a photography day! So now we're inside for further (cat) napping and uploading of images. And the essence of staying on track, here's where I hop of said blog wagon and am off to upload and revive my Flickr account. YIP!

ps. Here are some of my favorite photography blogs are probably the inspiration that got me from "I want to take more photographs" to "I am taking more photographs."  Peep game, you will not be disappointed:
1// bigBANG Studio
2// for me, for you
3// sweetfineday

rest your pretty little head

on these bad boys.

michelle obama

our first lady is just the BEST.  phenomenal and stunning.

swipped from franchesca.

draw.

just a little random drawing on a sunday evening.  what are you guys making these days?

svpply love

a random, little snap shot of my svpply stuff (aka ultimate wantlist).  some how these just fit so nicely together.

(my) studio space

having a place to go to and create is like the most phenomenal thing ever.  i'd like to thank the boy for helping me build my dream drawing desk in my dream studio.  and for letting me be weird encouraging me to be creative.

what's your favorite space to make stuff in?

you are an artist because you create (it's true!)

rock your benevolent-minded, creative mojo and donate art for a great cause! small works for change (genius) is a community-based organization accepting little works of art from ANYONE to sell for $25 each.  all proceeds will go to a charity of your choice, score!

submissions must be 8x10 and two-dimensional and need to be dropped off or mailed in by May 21st. those are the only rules folks!!

i'm gonna whip up something cute tonight, then shove it into the helpful hands of the USPS before it's too late.

swiped from for me, for you.

Mural Love // Supakitch and Koralie

i adore this mural and even more so getting to watch it being created.  kind of makes you want to pull out a sharpie and attack your newly painted walls huh?  by French artists Supakitch and Koralie.

swiped from honestly...WTF.

skip across the pond

who wants to go do some of this this and a lot of this with me next month?

david dimichele

i love these giant photographs of small scale dioramas by david dimichele.  they're lit so perfectly and look so atmospheric and heavy.  like a weird dream you might wake up from and go "...ehh, what the f..?"

swiped from i need a guide.