design

You would think I could make a cool banner for my own blog - since I've been designing and selling designs for two years now. That's what I thought anyway....but it never seemed to materialize. I mean - I make things that are nice but I need more! The problem I think lies in working for myself. I'm impossible to please, I have eighteen other ideas and get overwhelmed, and when it comes down to working out the details I have no patience for a customer that's not paying me anything when I have a line out the door of customers who are. Not to mention I always feel like I should be able to design more modern pieces but I'm pressing my skills to the limit most of the time. I have no education (well I have a lot of education but...it's not helping this problem). I opened adobe illustrator recently and my mind BLEW UP. I'm not going back in there alone. But I probably won't go back to school, my bet is I'll stumble around for 10 more years and then I'll be sweet! Today I made the banner you see now and it got Tim's approval - which is always a must. I think I'm ready to leave it for a little while. I wanted something a little more design orientated but as I design more I realize I need to be taking more (and better) pictures. It's still the root of my designing. But I guess that's enough for designing and writing tonight. Grant's breakfast bowl is still on the table...and there are some dinner dishes from LAST NIGHT still hanging around as well. I wish cleaning the kitchen was as exciting as my design time - at least my husband does most of the dishes around here.

putting things together

Grant is starting to say funnier and funnier things these days as he interacts with language and the world around him.

A few nights ago we went for our usual summer walk around the block. As we passed a man watering his grass out front Grant hollers out, "is that your own hose?"

Teaching him about the vegetable plants I just put in my front garden I said, "this plant will grow melons.... and this one will grow tomatoes." Then he quickly added pointing to another plant without any flowers on it, "this one will make hotdogs!"

stuck to the street's mailbox

the last few weeks

In the last few weeks we went to the Rodeo....never our favorite experience but a family adventure nonetheless. Grant wanted to sit all by himself for the first half hour with his mouth open in amazement - HORSES!
I've tried to take less clients and I'm starting to design new invitations again - although I'm supposed to be designing stationery before the Christmas shopping on Etsy begins. The good news is if I really like something in a wedding invite I can usually turn it into stationery too. I also redesigned the blog a bit - I'm making it a little more about my designing business since most of my blog friends right now are artists/sellers - we'll see what develops.

Grant has learned to ride his trike in the last few weeks. A few nights ago half the street was out riding bikes and playing. We have great neighbors with lots of kids. I made Grant's 3rd birthday invites with him on his bike. I can't believe he's almost 3!

gone fishin

greens and blues

My new save the date was put in this sweet little collage on inventing weddings blog. I love the look of the greens and blues - this is definitely what I would pick if I got to marry Tim again. If I had the time I'd make collages like this for all my products, wouldn't that be cool? ....maybe someday. So my creation is in the top right hand corner. I designed this oak for one of my brides getting married among the trees. I think it's my favorite tree so far, I just need to work up some more pieces with it. I hope I get some more time to make new things soon. I'm getting inspired...and antsy.

turkey burgers

I just wanted to say we successfully conquered the turkey burger tonight with our favorite burger friends. I thought we'd try something different/healthy (I must be getting older) so I bought a bunch of ground turkey. I didn't know what to do with it but burgers seemed possible. Lauren and Tim mixed up a great little patty tonight with some lipton soup mix, bread crumbs, and....I don't know what else you'll have to ask them. They were fabulous! Especially with the avocado and fancy cheese!

Anybody out there have any good ground turkey recipes? I don't know what to do with the rest yet. And should I be treating it like chicken, beef, or turkey?