of birds and baby blue

..."You have to see this close your eyes!"...

...I do and there is so much beauty framed within... that I gasp...(words from The Gap Year by Sarah Bird)

Cacharel Fall 2012 RTW

The giant red arrow, lighted now and blinking, shoots through the a sky that vibrates with colors shimmering and bouncing like aurora borealis...
(words from The Gap Year by Sarah Bird)

Photos taken by my guy in September 2012

Compared to this every other sunset I've ever seen seems painted on. These colors-swimming pool aqua, pomegranate ruby, neon green- go all the way through like stained glass...
(words from The Gap Year by Sarah Bird)

Left: Victoria Beckham Fall 2012 RTW
Right: Vionnet Fall 2012 RTW

..."Do you like the sunset I ordered for you?"...

...We watch the colors fade to deep shadowy tones...
(words from The Gap Year by Sarah Bird)

Sky photo taken by my guy in September 2012

...Like we are alone together in a submarine on the bottom of the ocean with a view of a world that has been hidden from me until this moment...
(words from The Gap Year by Sarah Bird)

Me in Autumn 2006 

...Soon the bright plumes becomes an indistinct fuzz, like the down of all baby baby birds...
(words from The Gap Year by Sarah Bird)

Sky photo taken by my guy in September 2012

... I walked into the great room and wondered why I had stopped allowing myself to appreciate the glorious light streaming in...
(words from The Gap Year by Sarah Bird)

Me at the park in 2006

...watched a milky way of dust motes that float through the  radiance. Each particle was so precious and perfect...

(words from The Gap Year by Sarah Bird )

The Gap Year by Sarah Bird

..."You'll be the best mother you know how to be.
 Just like your mother was the best mother she knew how to be and wasn't always.
 Just like you won't always be. So forgive her...

Forgive your mother, forgive everyone, but most of all, forgive yourself. Okay sweetie?"...

My art journal page written in October 2012

It rained all weekend, but started getting sunny yesterday, all sun, all today. I saw a large bird flying through the sky, with a large wingspan.

 I asked J, "What kind of bird is that?"
But he didn't see it.

He: "It might be a vulture."
Me: "You're joking."

He: "They have vultures at my work."

Me: "Eww. Really? You don't hear that in Utah.
 Look there's a vulture."

Instead it's,
 Look there's a seagull, 
or a blue jay, or a robin redbreast.

i don't own a leopard coat,

so for my Inspiration Monday look,

I didn't wear one.

Plus it's been too hot in Texas, to wear a jacket.

Here's my version.

Nora and Megan of Two Birds Boutique chose this leopard 

coat outfit by supermodel  Kate Moss.

I realize I look nothing like her.

To see how others used the inspiration go to
inspiration monday: secret shopper.

I don't have a yellow purse.
I opted for the green purse to tie into the green words on my t-shirt.
I held my purse in my hands like Kate's.
I also wore dark nail polish.

I didn't want to shoe the exact same black boots
I wore in last week's post.
Therefore, I chose, my tweed boots on the left.
They are still pointy toed, ankle height, and feature black like Kate's on right.

I don't have black skinny jeans,
(like Kate wore),
so I wore my black thrifted wide leg cords.

My purse was thrifted.

I want to explain about this guitar pick necklace.

Years ago, one of the kids found the guitar pick on the playground at recess, and gave it to me.
We made sure it didn't belong to anyone before I wore it.

Which leads me to the answer to question 1 from, Maikeni blogi-part of me when she nominated me for this sunshine award.

My nephew Speed Racer

I. Are you pleased with your current job and/or studies? If not, what would you change?

I question nearly everything. So it's normal for me to wonder about what I went to college for, and what I got my degree in. My bachelor of science is in Early Childhood. I've gone through periods where I really loved, and disliked elements of my chosen career path. 

Top: My twin nieces with their cousin
Bottom: my niece with my nephew Baby JJ

I am grateful for the things I learned in school. 
I really have used them in my work, and in my life.
 
For example, with my friends' children, and in my own family,
with my nieces and nephews.

My friend's son Little T

Over 8 years ago I started taking guitar lessons.

 I still continue those. 

 About 4 or 5 years ago I started actively taking art classes, but in a non traditional way. 

I also still actively take art classes.

These sketches were done while waiting for a band to set up at a live show, last summer.

What I would change, if I could back in time, is,  I wish I would have started taking guitar, and art classes when I was younger.

This art journal page from July 2012
were inspired by
 In the Sun Class by Natalie Malik.

If only...I had taken more photos, 
and I had wrote down more stories.
If only I could remember better.
If only I had treasured those moments,
before they slipped away.
If only I  had known. 
If only...
would it have mattered?
Would it have changed?
What would have changed?
If only I had known.

mixing blue and black

Long gone are the rules of avoiding blue and black together.

Left: Anna Sui Fall 2012 RTW
Right: Versus Fall 2012 RTW

Left: Zero + Maria Cornejo Fall 2012 RTW
Right: Alice + Olivia Fall 2012 RTW

Versus Fall 2012 RTW

Left: Altuzarra Fall 2012 RTW
Right: Aquilano.Rimondi Fall 2012 RTW

Me in January 2011

Details of my thrifted dress
Last December I did a blue and black post here.

My Summer of 2012 art journal pages
photo of my husband from Seattle, Washington November 2000

I combined song lyrics to make a statement
Rise Your Hand, Rise Above This.(You can click the links above to the see music videos).
My ode to Seether from December 2010 found here.

I feel a sense of security when...
when I'm with my love.
Even if we are lost, 
with him I know we will find our way.

*there is a steady income
*money in the bank
* all my needs are met
*familiarity
*I know what to expect
*a sense of calm and routine
* I see the mountains

They mixed blue and black on my friend's son, Little T's shirt.

 Little T was making sand angels and a sand castle.
I took these photos of my friend's son when we went to the park in November.   :)

of patterns and question 8

In this post, I'll answer question 8 from when
 Maikeni blogi-part of me nominated me for this sunshine award.

Left brown boot and top right: Yarn Inset Boots
Right bottom black boot: Slouchy Southwest Boot

VIII. What group(s)  and/or singer(s) do you like?
1. The Beatles
2. Goo Goo Dolls August 2010 Goo Dolls concert post
3. Jimmy Eat World

Right: Refashioned Sweater Wrap
Left: Huggable Stretchy Fingerless Gloves

Just Cavalli Fall 2012 RTW

4. Chevelle August 2009 Chevelle concert post
5. Band of Horses April 2011 BOH concert blog post

Amsterdam tights

6. The Replacements
7. Led Zeppelin

8. Crowded House

My nephew Speed Racer with my mom

My nieces Lil bug, EJ, and Baby JJ

9. Nada Surf November 2008 Nada Surf concert 10. Augustana this list was made on June 25, 2012


As of today, November 22, 2012 my 10 fave

band is Grace Potter and Nocturnals February 2011 GPN concert 
That means Augustana has moved to 11.

my art journal page from June 25, 2012
inspired by In The Sun 2012 class by Natalie Malik

Little me wearing a patterned winter outfit.
(Yes, I know the photo is  a tad damaged).   ;)

All the images featured patterns.
Was it obvious?

sunshine answers 3, 5, and 7

It's Inspiration Monday!

Nora and Megan of Two Birds Boutique chose an outfit to inspire a personal look.

Here's my version of the outfit.
To see how others used the inspiration go to 
holiday card, take two.

Today's outfit inspiration is:

Mary-Kate Olsen

The blue oversized shirt belongs to my husband,
 (it was his idea, to use one of his shirts).
I like that I can see him reflected in the windows.

Details of my necklaces:

* brown rock necklace (the rock was a gift my great grandma, from childhood)

* teddy bear necklace (I have no idea where it's from)

* round necklace with Johnny Rzeznik's hologram image,
 (given to me from my best friend,  several years ago)

My mom made the purple bracelet.
My cousin made the silver triangle bracelet.
The rest of the bracelets I've collected over the years.

Weeks ago, my blog friend Maiken 
from Maikeni blogi-part of me nominated me for this sunshine award.  I will answer questions 3,5, and 7.

III. How many blogs do you read regularly?

Honestly I don't know.
I do read quite a lot. I follow over 50 maybe 100 blogs? I'm too lazy to count them.

Eye shadow was a birthday present,
from my friend Em.
Eyeliner was a birthday present I bought myself.

 V. Name the last piece of clothing/accessory you bought.

These pointy toed black thrifted ankle boots
were the last accessory I purchased.

This brown sequined purse was thrifted too,
but I bought it  months ago.

VII.  What is your favourite holiday?

Halloween

When I was little they had a Halloween carnival,
at the school. I won a cake in the cake walk.
My favorite Halloween book in childhood was The Candy Witch.
I got it from my first grade teacher.
 I had a book called The Teeny Tiny Woman, it used to scare me. When I grew up I would tell the children I worked with,
this version of the story. 

This past week I've been playing
 Stars and Big White Gate
 by Grace Potter and the Nocturnals,
on my guitar.

The last photo wasn't answer to any question.
I just felt like including it in this post, because I'm weird like that.