Modernsnap !

Buh Bye ...

2010-09-09T11:52:00.004-05:00

This blog has moved to a new location! Find me at

http://modernsnap.blogspot.com/

Please, go there. Seriously. Do it. Now. Bookmark it. Follow it. Love it.

7th Heaven

2010-09-08T19:19:00.004-05:00

I have to admit that I'm in absolute 7th heaven with the current weather situation. Cool temps in the morning, 70's in the afternoon, cool temps at night! Man, I'm loving it. Long sleeves, jeans, kids in school and did I mention long sleeves? Beautiful! I wish I could live with this climate all the time, perhaps Canada is my real home? Just a thought eh.

Time is in short supply however! I can't get the things I want to get done, done before the day is over it seems. We did get Griffin's carpet removed and the carpet going down the stairs and man does that feel good. Griffin's carpet was so old that the back of it was burlap for crying out loud. Burlap backed carpet! geez!

So now before mom comes I have to paint two bedrooms, one hallway, one staircase. Touch up paint in two bathrooms, re-paint kitchen cabinets, install two ceiling fans and the list doesn't end there! David and Amanda should host mom this time and save me the nervous breakdown I'm about to have. :)

Snapped this photo the other morning of the sunrise coming into the dining room, it was prettier than it shows but at least I tried.

I've been taking some more pictures when I can and preparing those for sale plus trying to draw / illustrate / design as well. I need to get back into the swing of Etsy soon, the extra dough is much needed. Here's an example of another digital piece.

I plan on closing this blog soon and just using modernsnap.blogspot.com. Even though this one says modernsnap on the top, the actual web address is still lemongrasslove and I don't use that for Etsy anymore. I'll post when I do the switch-a-roo though!

Hope everyone is well!

Hey yo...

2010-09-01T20:43:00.003-05:00

I'm tired tonight and kind of a crank. I sometimes wonder when a certain child of mine will grasp the concept that if he keeps his mouth shut, he'll be so much better off! His mouth is the problem, period.

I've been busy around here as usual. Got one bedroom carpet stripped out with another one to go and with the heat lately, my desire for this project has dwindled fast. Tomorrow the high is supposedly going to be 69 degrees, I'll believe it when I feel it.

My precious treadmill has reached it's last days. I'm milking it for all it's worth until I take it apart completely for a dump trip. Luckily, I found a $4 DVD at Goodwill featuring Dancing with the Stars dancers! Now that will be funny!

Slowly trying to work on getting back into art but the timing for it seems off and I can't get anything accomplished like I want. Plus I'm trying to decide if I should keep doing photo's or switch it up to this digital stuff. hmmm...ponder-ment.

Of course, the kids have Friday and Monday off already from school so it should be a long weekend, hopefully I'll get something done!

How's everyone else doing?

Little Lamby...

2010-08-26T20:05:00.004-05:00

Ok so I drew this (on my digital pad) based off of a painting I own but it isn't traced or anything, cute huh? It's HARD to "paint" with it and I'm still trying to squeeze in time to practice with it but overall, I really love it.

Not much else going on, usual routine stuff. I'm going to start ripping the carpet out of the boys' rooms this weekend. They won't have a replacement floor for awhile but they only sleep in there right now so they shouldn't mind too much.

I also am hankering to re-arrange stuff but I've got everything pretty much where I like it for now so I can't really fulfill that fantasy. What's a girl to do?

Got another dream retro lamp of glory at GW the other day. When I get my rechargeable batteries back from the kids' xbox controllers I'll photograph it.

We have a little toad living in the backyard, they are so CUTE. I killed one earlier by forgetting him in a jar to show the kids and he cooked to a crisp. I was not happy I killed an animal! Why am I the only Mitchell to have and love animals AND grow out my hair? I figure I might as well create the world we never had (cough cough, ha ha). Remember how we were promised a rabbit when the garage was done being built girls? mm, hmm. Nary a rabbit to be found in my childhood memories. I remember going to Lewis and asking for one all the time but just got an ice cream cone to shut my piehole. Remember Lewis on Minnesota Ave? The greatest Lewis ever. TWO levels and everything.

Well, after that little reminiscing I suppose I should get back to creating for a bit!

Much love everyone!

Craigslist Crap...

2010-08-24T21:48:00.003-05:00

Here's yet more examples of the horrific crap available on the SF craigslist website.

I'd say it's a fact that craigslist SF is crap! AH ha ha ha..

In love!

2010-08-22T20:21:00.004-05:00

Ok so I'm totally and utterly in love with my new digital drawing pad! I sketched this bird, scanned it into the computer and then did some mod magic to it. Adorb! right?

As for the weekend, I holed up in the house like a hermit due to the heat. Griffin the teenager was gone both days for the entire afternoon at friends' houses. Seems he's starting to leave the nest in little ways already. Bwahh aahh haaa. tears.

I mopped the basement floor with bleach water finally, did some random chores like laundry and laid pretty low. John had a nasty bout of ringing in the ear on Saturday that required two trips to the pharmacy and lo and behold there was an ear drop that completely stopped the ringing! Of course, it only stops for about an hour, but hey, that's exciting! He can take it as often as needed, YES.

I have successfully broken my glasses so I'm anxious to get a new pair in a few weeks because working on the computer with the drawing thingy makes my eyes hurt with contacts in. We had to replace two tires on the Beckmobile and my dryer now gets a few inches of water in the bottom when it's humid. Go figure. Water has become my nemesis! Took me two days to figure out the nasty smell coming from the kitchen wasn't the fridge, the sink drains, the dishwasher, the bread drawer, the dog food, the garbage can but the stupid bamboo plant in a vase that went all disgusting on me. I'm a little slow but at least the fridge, sink drains, dishwasher, bread drawer and garbage can are spotless. :)

I can't wait for summer to be over and my electric bill can go under $200.

How is everyone else doing?

Playing around...

2010-08-20T16:38:00.004-05:00

First week of school is over and both the boys seem happy with everything! Can't complain about that! I have successfully worked out five days in a row, read and weep, I know! I've also been to lunch with MG five days in a row so my days are short and fast! 4 lbs down, woot woot! I haven't done a huge checklist of house chores and my blog has suffered as usual. Anyway, I've been trying to work with my new digital drawing pad I got for my birthday and here's a few of my very first creations...(just having fun here, nothing serious kapish?)

more kids...

2010-08-16T11:16:00.008-05:00

In honor of the kids being gone today(total giddyness), here are a few more pictures from the summer!

Aw, such good buds!

What a life!

(This shark was trying to eat this innocent turtle!)

jellyfish!

What a face, LOVE him !

Getting so BIG! SO Cute!

my own little monkey's!

Camera Shy...

2010-08-14T11:54:00.006-05:00

So my adorable husband claims to hate the camera.

Yeah, sure.

Home Repair

2010-08-12T12:25:00.004-05:00

Here's a shot of the recently removed and then reinstalled brick patio. Check out those nice rocks on the side of the house! Let's hope the 3 inches of rain we are expecting AGAIN tonight can still hold the water away from the house! Still waiting anxiously for the roof repair guy to start his investigation into the other water leaks but the end of August isn't too far off!

I moved a few things to redo the entry for a much needed change, still can't keep a rug clean and usable in this space for more than 6 months it seems! (nighttime blurry shot, sorry!)

Burke is funny...

2010-08-11T18:49:00.003-05:00

Here he is being silly - found it on my computer today and had no idea he did it.

Hey ps - with my new fandangled phone I can email! But I have to use gmail so make sure to add modernsnap@gmail.com to your contacts or I'm sure it will go to your junk folders, thanks!

New Feature..Craigslist Crap

2010-08-08T15:10:00.004-05:00

There are several bloggers out there in the world with a bevy of fantastic finds on Craigslist. Awesome mid-century modern delicious items that are affordable and cool. Here in South Dakota, we don't have any of that. We have crap. I figured why not blog about that once a week? It will at least provide a good chuckle to some of you!

Lovely oak and brass coffee table (matching end table too, not pictured) $150

1970's wooden bread box $15

"Vintage" light fixtures $25

And of course, a Terry Redlin Print - they want $100 for this!

I'm jealous of all those big city Craigslist items!

Why I've Been Busy Part Four

2010-07-30T12:00:00.001-05:00

My Husband.

You read it correctly. My main man. My squeeze. My sugarplum.

This year has been a rough one for the poor guy and after an ER visit, two acute care trips and a regular physician with no real answers, I've diagnosed him with this...

http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/balance/meniere.html

I have spent a lot of time researching, tons actually. I could be a researcher for some multi-million dollar company with the amount of time and commitment I've put into figuring out what is happening with my sweets. That being said, no real solution has come out of any of the doctor's visits. I even have him going to a special chiropractor!

http://www.nucca.org/about.php

He's been on steroids, antibiotics (like since January), nasal spray and he pretty much pops benadryl and zyrtec like a crack addict. He's frustrated to the core and my anxiety levels are on ultra high alert all the time worrying about him.

We can't get his doctor to even agree that the problem is in his ears.

idiot.

So keep John in your thoughts and prayers because he's an awesome person, my favorite person and he deserves to feel better!

(hilarious photo's right? It was tough to get them to do it!)

Why I've Been Busy Part Three

2010-07-29T12:00:00.000-05:00

My hair.

That's right, my hair.

It makes me crazy. It takes up long moments of my day.

I grew up with short hair and had short hair most of my life.

I don't want to have short hair again.

Still, can't figure out what I want for style, color, etc.

Here's a year's worth of photo's via photo booth where I've captured the quandary of bangs long or short and color, darker or lighter.

Another fine example (excuse) of why my blogging is lax.

Why I've been busy Part Two

2010-07-28T12:00:00.000-05:00

Our dang house.

1984 must have been a year filled with morons building houses in our area and lucky us, we bought one of them!

We have issues. Lots of issues. Expensive issues.

Water leakage. The basement, the fireplace, the foundation, UGH. It's not fun and the fix for it all would be extensive, expensive and invasive. Someday we hope to get it all fixed up nice and then hightail it out of here and pick a different house with different issues!

I keep repeating the mantra, "it could be worse, it could be worse, we aren't floating away, we aren't floating away. It works temporarily at least.

main level fireplace. water pours down the wall and bricks.

basement. water pours from wall and seeps through floor/foundation

Paint

I've been busy painting the main floor with my favorite paint that I'm now obsessed with and completely sick of at the same time. Benji Moore's Revere Pewter. I've painted the living room, the dining room, the kitchen, the hallways, the bedroom and included with all of these were the popcorn ceilings that go right along with them. I despise popcorn ceilings but don't have the time or dough to scrape them all. Here's a peek at the dining room...

Kitchen

Remember one of my dream kitchen photo's from last year?

I'm sure you can guess that THAT ain't gonna be happening in my house for awhile but it was one of the inspirations to tear out all my upper cabinets. That's right, tore them out. Also, moved my fridge and wrestled a few of the lower cabinets from one spot to another. I LOVE the difference it made from 1980's to hip and a bit more current (stupid pink countertops and crappy ceramic tile). I have no intention of letting my dream go, I will make it happen!

Thrifting

I've made a complete turn around on the amount of time and stuff I buy from the thrifts compared to years past. I do buy clothes to actually wear and then once in a great while, something wonderful happens, like this..

Made in Denmark people! And then on a little jaunt to Omaha, we snagged this chrome lamp of deliciousness!..

Yard

The yard is keeping me busy this year due to the massive rain quantities. I mow, then mow some more. I also trimmed trees which turned out to be a huge project. By the time I was done, the kids erected this beauty teepee out of the limbs I had no energy to continue cutting. Sweet right?

There it is, another reason (excuse) for my lack of blog posting!

On a side note...

2010-07-27T21:02:00.006-05:00

I want these boots.

Why I've Been Busy Part Five

2010-07-27T20:09:00.003-05:00

Dogs.

My pack of three are a handful to say the least. Plus they are killers. Genuine assassins!

This summer they've captured and eaten an entire rabbit. An innocent little birdy. However, the new next door neighbor dog and cat are the prize they are desperate to get to.

Plus, rumor has it the house behind us is rented starting August 1st and they have TWO dogs of their own. Great. Things will not be getting any easier letting them outside.

Here's a great shot of them when I was painting/re-arranging our bedroom. I keep this room as dark as possible so the open window was irresistible!

Why I've Been Busy Part One

2010-07-27T14:00:00.011-05:00

Kids.

That's right, I've got two, well three if you count Parker (my nephew). I watch him in the summer while his mom works and the three of them are time consuming. Seriously.

I've got to feed them, entertain them, blah blah blah.

Sheesh, the work kids entail is exhausting.

I've tried to be creative and one of those mom's that magazines highlight. You know the kind, art projects, field trips, hikes, etc. I'm trying to come to terms with the fact that I'm not one of them.

I have done a few things. Taken them to a few parks, a trip to Omaha, finally let some kids come to our house for a change. It's about all I can do too because much more than that and nothing would get done around here!

They are hilarious and fun though, don't get me wrong, LOVE them. They are definitely ours!

Check out Parker's face on his first ferris wheel ride, hilarious.

Phew, it was alll good!

Then there was Omaha, complete with water park hotel and zoo trip!

Forgive the blur, they were moving!

Omaha's zoo is awesome; however I swear it was 100 degrees that day and everyone who knows me knows that I don't like being hot, it's even my new cell phone signature and blog quote so that just proves it.

As summer (hopefully) starts winding down, I think I've been fairly good at keeping the guys happy this year. They are growing up so fast and I want to enjoy it as long as possible!

New Name?

2010-07-21T20:42:00.003-05:00

So okay, I suck. I've been busy. Like extremely busy! I'm totally working on a new blog design and name and will have updates of what I've been doing soon, I swear.

Random..

2010-05-03T22:03:00.004-05:00

Sorry guys, been busy lately, geez! Here's a photo of some photo's I sold ( in the house of the buyer) ... how cool was it for her to send me that?

Here's my living room re-arranged (again) and freshly painted...

Hey, these look familiar!

2010-04-08T20:39:00.002-05:00

Found these online and was like, WOAH, our childhood dishes! How random is that?

Kid update...

2010-04-01T17:38:00.004-05:00

Spring break has started..

Two are mine, one is best bud/cousin Parker...

Kind of fun!

2010-03-22T16:31:00.003-05:00

I have to admit it's kind of fun keeping your family in the dark about your new business ventures. Such confusion has ensued!

My new etsy shop is at http://www.modernsnap.etsy.com and no, I haven't sold squat.

My new blog is http://www.modernsnap.blogspot.com and I use that mostly for random stuff about the new shop.

Have fun checking out my latest creativity!

yea yea

2010-03-16T10:41:00.002-05:00

Got an image of mine featured on somebody's blog today! Can you figure out which one is mine?

http://cassiab.blogspot.com/2010/03/etsy-showcase_16.html

Dreamy...

2010-03-09T22:39:00.002-06:00

Lame-ola blog posting lately, been busy as a little beaver with house/kids/photo's, etc. I ran across this kitchen today and I must tell you that I am now obsessed with it for my house. It's SO simple! Totally do-able with the exception of the stove. To do that we'd need to sledgehammer out the ugly ceramic tiles and get an electrician to put in an outlet in the floor. Then of course they have all those glorious pot lights which we do not have so there's another job for an electrician. Then there's the fact that we'd need new flooring and countertops and cabinets. hmm. I guess dreamy is the perfect description after all.

Busy...

2010-02-25T08:21:00.003-06:00

I've been busy creating my new and secret Etsy shoppe. I've decided to keep it to myself so I don't have any family opinions to worry about. It's basically going to be photo's like the ones I've shown you before so we'll see what happens. Planning to open it up Friday/Saturday! A lot of work goes into starting something new and I'm fairly sure I've covered all my bases. I'm pretty excited at the possibility of generating some income so wish me luck!

Re-arranged the re-arrangement

2010-02-17T18:55:00.003-06:00

Before
After

Which way do you like the couch/chair better? I raised my gigan-toid light fixture up and do you think I need bigger lamps on that back table? I believe I do. My preference is the 2nd picture because I can see the rug which I really like and the couch looks hipper. I also took out the two cute little brown swivel chairs just because the balance was off in the room. However, if you prefer the 1st way, don't hesitate to say so or I wouldn't have asked!

6 days of kids

2010-02-15T15:04:00.002-06:00

Here I am on the sixth afternoon.

Re-arrangement...

2010-02-07T13:44:00.000-06:00

Dining room before...

Living room after...

Burke's latest art...

2010-02-04T09:45:00.003-06:00

Super cool new thing Burke's school does... post his latest artwork online! Love that! First one is self-portrait, 2nd one is the study of Picasso!

What I'm working on...

2010-01-31T19:39:00.004-06:00

Hey everybody! I was blessed with the new Adobe Photoshop as you know and I've been tossing around the idea of setting up shop online again but this time with photos. Of course everyone knows that I'm a quirky nut so here's what I've been messing around with... thoughts?

edited photo's again...

2010-01-10T09:52:00.004-06:00

Are these cool? Recognize them? I need opinions.

2005-2010

2010-01-05T20:51:00.004-06:00

Part of the reason I'm posting more photo's of myself is when I realized, the last photo's of me are from 2005! Yikes, that's five years ago now! Sure there are a few random ones here and there but 5 years is a long time. Not cool. The last halfway decent picture of John and I together was 2003. Even worse! So during the holidays, we snapped a whole lot of photo's. I have to say that I'm grateful for iphoto's blemish function and the delete button but we got a few cute photos!

Here we are in 2003

Here we are last week!

Double Digits

2009-12-30T20:57:00.004-06:00

Double Digits Birthday!

Video Clip

2009-12-28T14:41:00.002-06:00

Christmas...

2009-12-28T13:18:00.002-06:00

A few photo's of Christmas!

Thirteen...

2009-12-24T19:40:00.005-06:00

Can't get over it...Griffin's thirteen!

(family joke on the card)

(John, are those sexy eyes or angry eyes?)

ps..I've tried dying my hair to be the exact color of the boys and it only stays in for approximately a week before returning to the ugly color you see above. don't understand it. Just thought you should know.

Baking Day...

2009-12-19T18:35:00.007-06:00

Here's a photo gallery of the baking I did today...

Here's what I looked like after I was done... hilarious....

wait for it...

BAM.

Then I noticed that weird flyaway hair section, what's with that? And my eyebrows? geez.

Overall a fairly successful day..now is the frosting of all those dang cookies. I'm pooped. If only I looked good while doing it...

Misc..

2009-12-10T10:21:00.009-06:00

I've been a lousy blog updater lately. Here's some misc. photo's for your enjoyment to fill the gap of my slightly uneventful life.

WII night on the big TV which is only for special occasions...

Kelley & Mike are boxing eachother...

Kelley won!

Did you see the water stains that have been painted on the ceiling? Interesting since our water problem with the roof has not gotten to that point which in turn means that the previous owners had some sort of water issues as well. sucks.

First night of the Falls being lit for Christmas.

I couldn't get a good photo of the living room but you get the gist...

'Over and out' says Santa...

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-26T11:57:00.011-06:00

Wishing my whole entire family clan a great Thanksgiving this year. I'm thankful for so many things it's hard to put into words or pictures but I just might try...

John

He really is a genius. He makes me laugh every single day and loves me regardless of my flaws. He makes my life better, period.

Griffin

Griffin is unbelievable sweet and witty. He understands my humor and is in tune with everyone's moods and feelings. His sarcasm is second to none and I feel blessed everyday I get to be his mom.

Burke

Burke makes me question time. He's my baby after all. He's sensitive and inquisitive and a ball of fire. He makes me try harder and think longer and if you think about it, how can that NOT be a blessing?

My Mom

My mom has a great laugh, fab smile and the ability to cook all my favorites and still self-depricate herself each and every time! She's been through a lot and stays strong everyday, awesome!

Kim

My sissy Kim is loving, dedicated and laid back. Although she is not a fan of decorating for Christmas, there's a lesson in that, simple sometimes is better. She is a great sister!

Becky

Becky is hilarious, super smart and a survivor. I miss her constant sarcasm! She makes me proud to be her sister!

David

David is passionate, smart and cute all at the same time. I'm so grateful I've had the opportunity to have a brother!

Maury

Sure he walks so fast he's always ahead by 20 feet and he's opinionated but he's one of the most generous people I've ever known. Underneath, he's a sensitive and loving soul. I'm grateful that he is in my life because I've learned a lot about myself because of him.

I know there are spouses to include in my Thanksgiving summary, but I'm out of time and my stomach is aching for the spread I'm about to partake in so please know, Robert, Scott and Amanda, you all rock too!

Windmills on Acid (for Becky)

2009-11-11T16:35:00.002-06:00

Recent photo's edited in the classic acid style.

Halloween...

2009-11-03T16:10:00.003-06:00

If you don't know what a black mage is, here's a photo for reference....

This is a video game character and Burke's choice for his costume this year. Here's his interpretation.

I do love it that he refuses store bought costume concepts and always chooses his own get-up.

Slightly depressing that Griffin didn't participate at all. My own pre-teen is growing up!

Panic Attack...

2009-10-23T20:22:00.012-05:00

For months I've been meaning to head to the stockyards. Why? Well, here in SD, the stockyards have been a big part of our fair city. Always have been. They are right next to the big meatpacking plant and consist of rickety old buildings and animal pens. Completely foreign to me since I'm a 'city' girl. Visually, it is a very interesting place with it's odd colors and mascot. The smell is something else that could become a short story in and of itself. The point is, I thought I'd better take some kickin' photo's of the joint before it gets torn down. I headed out and drove smack dab right up to The Pig Arena. It's my favorite building by far with it's pastel stripes and appropriate signage. To my shock, the LIGHTS were on in this place. Someone actually works in there! I totally panicked with my little Toyota running while in park at the front door and my camera slapped around my neck. Then I heard PIGS, tons of them, screaming for dear life! I couldn't believe it. Suddenly, I had the urge to bail in case some actual cowboy ranch hand man came out and started asking me questions about my business at their slaughterhouse! I'd only snapped three pictures before I whipped the car into reverse and headed around the corner.

Then, I saw pink. Pig pink. In 30+ years, I've never seen any actual animals from the street. I thought about the chance to photograph a large pig (think Charlotte's Web) with my fancy fandangled camera. The risk of getting questioned by any western dressed rancher seemed rather worth it. I swung the car around and hopped out to visit the nice little piggie. To my horror, it was injured! Bloody and shivering. SO depressing! I'm an animal lover. LOVE them. This situation was completely disheartening to say the least. My trek to the stockyards was a complete and utter disappointment with so-so photo's, a memory of a pig that needed a blanket, and an unsettling desire to quit bacon.

Figuring it out...

2009-10-20T16:50:00.003-05:00

I have two digital cameras. I decent pocket size one and a really nice big one. The big one is tricky with it's dials and options and quite frankly, it intimidates me. For example, the 'A' option would logically be automatic to a simple minded person like me. Apparently, it's for aperture. The 'P' option is for program, which in this camera's world means automatic. Go figure. Then there's the whole shutter speed settings and bokeh dials, manual focusing vs. automatic. The list is long. Thanks to Google and a manual download, I'm working on figuring it all out. Now, if I could just afford Photoshop, my life may just be complete.

This is for my mom...

2009-10-18T20:15:00.004-05:00

Check it out mom! You would have had a complete heart attack and ran like an Olympic runner to the car! This snake was fast, albeit tiny and Burke even picked it up! Yikes!

It's okay mom, deep breaths should calm you down! I'll leave you with a nice quiet duck to look at instead....

Five Days...

2009-10-14T19:21:00.003-05:00

Five days straight with sick kids at home has brought me to my computer to search for some contentment. This photo was taken on our mini trip to Omaha and for me says ' relax ' .

Not sure what is going on!

2009-09-28T19:14:00.002-05:00

As many of you know, things around here are out of whack. John has had double ear infection, sinus infection, vertigo. My 1 year old central air conditioner has kicked the bucket. My dog has been sick. The IRS wants employment taxes I forgot to file for the store we never speak of. Perhaps a black cat crossed our path and we didn't even realize it?! Now, my crowned back tooth has lost it's crown. Needless to say, twelve hundred calls to dentists and a panic attack later, I'm scheduled for an $850.00 procedure on Wednesday. Perhaps I should have a house 'smudging' to rid our lives of this negative energy? Any other suggestions would be welcomed.

It couldn't be resisted...

2009-09-11T15:37:00.004-05:00

The red second hand, the turquoise hour hands, the cog wheel radio station tuner, the chrome surround! It was a force that could not be reckoned with!

Mod Chair Deliciousness...

2009-09-09T22:35:00.004-05:00

A small gasp of air escaped my body when I spotted this chair... literally. Sure, it has a few small stains (which I spent an entire day trying to remove), but overall the design of this chair makes me unbelievably happy.

Big Shot Mahoney...

2009-08-24T20:15:00.004-05:00

Today was a big day at our house! G got some bling-bling!

Before

After

Check it!

2009-08-17T22:09:00.001-05:00

Not sure what my deal is with focus lately but you get the idea, MY CAR IS IN THE GARAGE!

School Days!

2009-08-17T09:47:00.002-05:00

Can't believe that school started today! We successfully got them off and man, did they look CUTE!

Yet another one...

2009-07-07T20:39:00.001-05:00

Make a Smilebox postcard

Ok, So I'm addicted....

2009-07-06T20:47:00.003-05:00

The boys are looking fab with new haircuts, new contacts, new glasses...it's like a virtual makeover around here lately! Enjoy the photo's, they are so stinkin' cute!

Another one of these....

2009-07-06T08:12:00.001-05:00

Couldn't resist making another little video montage..

These photo's were actually taken a few days before July 4th because we just couldn't wait to light the massive amounts of fireworks John bought this year...

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Happy Fourth!

2009-07-04T11:40:00.003-05:00

Have a fab holiday!

Now that's a nest...

2009-07-02T21:33:00.003-05:00

I wonder what this little bird is hiding from? This sort of living situation could come in handy if you think about it. Just slap some sticks all over your front door and you are sure to be left alone. I may have to try it the next time I'm searching for some silence...

New Toy I'm Obsessed With

2009-07-01T20:23:00.002-05:00

Hey all! I have currently been a lame blogger with all my pre-mom visit preparations, not to mention this fab new app I got that is super fun to play with. I've created a little scrapbook of the fam to test it out. Let me know if you can't see it or you think it's lame, either one.

Peace out peeps.

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Vine Craziness.....

2009-06-25T20:58:00.004-05:00

My vines have declared 2009 their favorite year!

(check out the height!)

Burke Grows...

2009-06-23T08:27:00.003-05:00

2003

2009

You ever have one of those days?

2009-06-21T21:47:00.005-05:00

Yesterday was just one of those days...ever had one? Father's Day started out well enough, but went downhill faster than a freight train. It wasn't one thing in particular, just a lot of irritability all around the family. We just couldn't get ourselves synced back together! I tried to snap us all back into shape but at 9:49 pm, I gave up the ghost.

John did score a fancy fandangled new small kitchen appliance that poaches eggs and a delicious new shirt so it wasn't all a bust. We also got propane for the grill and snagged ourselves some mighty fine burgers. Oh, and a cheap movie full of action for the guys and a muscular X-Man for me to enjoy looking at.

(nummy)

Still, I'm glad today is here, finally!

Time flies....

2009-06-19T08:38:00.006-05:00

Okay, so if I hadn't mentioned it, I got a new computer for my birthday! My husband is sneaky and was terrified that he would be in the dog house for such a purchase; however, I'm in love with it and in love with him even a little bit more because of it... :)

That said, I have gotten quite a few photo's loaded from the old dying computers and to see the years pass in such a way is pretty amazing. I used to be skinny and now I'm not and my boys used to be little and now they are not! Here's one example...

Griffin in 2003

Griffin in 2009

Am I a big shot?

2009-06-14T22:12:00.004-05:00

I feel like such a big shot editing my South Dakota landscape photo's. I think the editing is all that, and then some. What do you think?

Overwhelming projects..

2009-06-13T22:00:00.005-05:00

Who's that foxy lady at the world famous 'Seinfeld' Restaurant location?

It's my cute and adorable mom of course!

Okay, so my mom is coming to visit! I'm so excited to see her again and can't wait! However, my mom is the cleanest person I know. I'm not. The amount of work I need to do in the next month and a half is so overwhelming that I find myself thinking about my project list and then, I wander...aimlessly...around the house, not doing anything! YIKES! Anyone have any tips on how to just get my butt into gear?

Homeward bound...

2009-06-11T20:59:00.002-05:00

Well, wrapping up the trip was a long drive home. Funny how it seems twice as long to get home as it does to get there. The landscape was divine...

Waterfall Heaven...

2009-06-09T21:09:00.005-05:00

Spearfish was fab. Ab fab, in fact. Found this hidden treasure behind some lodge complete with hiking trails and little fishing nooks!

I have only a few photo's left to share! Going home shots soon to come...

Caves

2009-06-08T16:33:00.004-05:00

Western SD has a lot of caves geared for the hearty tourist crowd. We'd been to one a few years back but chose a different one this time around. They are all pretty much the same with a high school senior guiding a group through. We heard things like this...

"So, like this is called a box formation, so, yeah, we think it's really neat"

"So, this is called cave bacon, so, like, it's cool"

This particular cave took our money before telling us that there were 200 to 300 steps to descend and then RE-CLIMB back up when the tour was over...jerks.

My kids are defensive of the girl tour guide, they get offended by my impression of her. She was kinda cute, like, I guess, so...

Fishing!

2009-06-07T10:33:00.004-05:00

We had two opportunities to fish on our vacation! To Die For!

Devil's Tower...

2009-06-05T10:27:00.003-05:00

I'd never been to Devil's Tower which is just over the border in Wyoming. I have to say that I loved it! Nature is so awesome isn't it? The weather was dreamy too.

My Kids are Cute...

2009-06-04T12:25:00.005-05:00

My boys love Wall Drug and with so many photo ops available, I took full advantage!

Wall Drug Oddities...

2009-06-02T22:15:00.004-05:00

If you haven't been to Wall Drug in Wall, SD, you should put it in your list. As you get older, it gets kind of creepy but wonderful at the same time. Here are a few of my favorite attractions...

A stuffed male fully dressed kangaroo in window display...

A giant ape that plays piano...

A stuffed female fully dressed kangaroo..

A more 'hip' display for today's Jurassic loving kids...complete with 7 minute feeding times, loud roar and fake fog...

Look soon for another look at the photography opportunities spread throughout the place...I could barely get enough of it!

Back to Normal...

2009-06-01T11:22:00.004-05:00

Well, the trip was a huge success with plenty of daydreaming and fun with the kids. I'll give you a few shots of the long drive out. I'm in love with the billboards, the landscape, the colors!

Random Friday...

2009-05-22T08:00:00.001-05:00

Less than a week to go before we head out to western SD for a few days of much needed R & R.
I love South Dakota for its vastness. I especially love the colors. Year round the prairie has a magical sense of color perfection in my book. I hope to take some fab photo's while I'm gone!

Random Friday....

2009-05-15T08:00:00.003-05:00

Here's my new baby.

The one thing I've been without since last summer!

A CAR. MY CAR.

To me it is the cutest thing ever and the sheer freedom to go wherever I want is thrilling, literally!

Our Honda is jealous and has protested by needing a new 'rare' expensive starter and now a new ignition switch...which sounds simple enough; however with our model it's not just an ignition switch, it's an ignition kit, oh goodie...

However, I got two days with it so I'm still thrilled!

Random Friday....

2009-05-08T08:00:00.000-05:00

I'm going to try and make Friday's a random picture day!

Today's Subject: Big Foot

Ground was way soggier than expected and yes...that's my gigantic female foot.

All photo's are taken by me and not conveniently downloaded from Flickr. Why showcase photography skills of a complete stranger when I've obviously got my own mad skills!

Rabies Vaccine equals Pretty Blue Badge...

2009-05-03T20:43:00.004-05:00

We all headed out to the rabies clinic this weekend. The stress of this had me in knots all week; however, we made it, we conquered, we succeeded, we nailed it. Random strange dogs is cause for havoc but surprisingly the best behaved dog we have, Murphy, was the worst behaved on our trek through the pet store. They all love their new blue badges though and thought they'd better show them off for everyone to admire...

Retro Water Tower...

2009-04-29T19:08:00.003-05:00

Have I posted this before? Found this delicious retro water tower north of town near the prison...oooh!

ps..of course I 'aged' it a bit but the color is accurate...

Dogs

2009-04-20T22:03:00.003-05:00

Getting them on them on was the easy part, editing the video was the hard part!

You are all Fabulous...

2009-04-16T21:16:00.005-05:00

Thanks to everyone who responded to my last post, which admittedly was kind of a downer. I even got feedback from ALL of my siblings which was great! I am still kind of in an odd place regarding my purpose but I'm striving to come out of it better and stronger. I have put my creativity on hold for a bit due to my chaotic brain questioning everything. all. the. time. Perhaps I'm searching for contentment? So I'm focusing on things I can control like learning to walk my dogs to my side, cleaning up my yard, forcing myself to go out to lunch, organizing our money situation, starting long overdue home repairs, etc....

I appreciate every one's comments and can't tell you how much they really do mean to me. You are all loved whether you know it or not! I will strive to bring myself back to more frequent posts to update you on my progress back into the world where I hopefully will fit in, thrive and find peace!

Long time, no writey...

2009-04-06T10:45:00.003-05:00

Okay, so I haven't been posting. I haven't been creating anything. I haven't really been doing anything. I'm stuck in a place right now that is hard to explain. Those moments in your life that you start wondering what the heck you are doing. Is what you are doing really what you want to be doing? And if it isn't, what do you want to be doing? It's been a tough winter for me, extremely difficult, probably the hardest one I've had in over a decade. Oh, it could be worse, WAY way worse, but nonetheless, I'm struggling. For all the other bloggers out there that I follow, I know I'm not alone; however, it is a lonely place, regardless.

So on that cheery note, here's a few snapshots from our weekend blizzard - it was GORGEOUS!

Mirror Mishap Miracle?

2009-04-01T08:00:00.000-05:00

Remember the mirror mishap?

Here's my revival painting complete!

Anybody likey?

ps...of course the lighting has been poor due to gloomy weather so the flash was a must!
The painting is actually better than the photo with tons of layered paint...

Remember the inspiration painting?

Squirrels, rabbits, birds...OH My!

2009-03-31T08:00:00.000-05:00

I'm loving these vintage animal collage pendants, they are too adorb (adorable). That's right I typed adorb. I'm overusing the shortened words lately and adorb is one of my fav's.

Now available in the store!

Do you Twitter?

2009-03-30T15:46:00.004-05:00

I have started using Twitter quite a bit. Trust me, I fought it... hard.

Technology is an important tool in today's world so I have forced myself to Tweet. It can be a bit addictive but also quite fun and informative too. Plus, there's famous people on there which is an added bonus because today I found my favorite famous person in the whole world, Cesar Milan...the dog whisperer.

Want to follow me and give it a try?

Find me at http://twitter.com/Ali_Maurer

I promise I'll tweet you back!

Punch Needle Update...

2009-03-29T08:00:00.000-05:00

So a few weeks back I posted about punch needle and how I'm trying it out (above photo). I haven't made much progress...In fact, I kind of hate doing it (below photo).

I think what I'm looking for is a punch needle that can hold a nice big honkin' huge piece of yarn. I'm not used to working with embroidery thread. It's so delicate and fragile. Two qualities that I'm not.

A google search of punch needles resulted in the glorious result of exactly what I'm looking for! Oh man, I can hardly wait to save up some coin and get one!

New Work..

2009-03-28T12:05:00.009-05:00

I'm preparing some more mixed media collage pendants! Here's a sneak peek!

Remember, you can buy my art anytime through my new shop!

Cool Details...

2009-03-27T09:00:00.000-05:00

This photo is of a house near my mom's place in Maine. Of course, I fancied it up with my favorite photo enhancers to make it look like a vintage photo but check out the detail on the exterior, LOVE it. Why doesn't anyone do that anymore? I'd like a big ol' slap of swooped wood on the front of my house, wouldn't you?

ps...I would give just about anything for one of those red mailboxes by the front door...even though I don't get mail at my front door...

Mirror Mishap...

2009-03-26T10:19:00.003-05:00

Hopefully, the fact that two mirrors were broken in my house last week, isn't actually going to bring any bad luck for the next 7 or 14 years, but it's true nonetheless.

One of my only mod pieces took a spill in the living room, no thanks to my two wild children. The right side had a large mirror and you can imagine what a disaster that was to clean up. The good thing is that my precious orange couch was spared from any damage and the estate sale painting of glory, although knocked off the wall, got away unscathed as well.

So the plan is to paint the board that was behind the mirror in the same 'ilk' as the other art in the room and slap it right back into the empty hole left by the above said mishap. Here's my progress so far...thoughts?

New Store!

2009-03-24T11:25:00.011-05:00

MY NEW STORE!

Well, well, well...after messing around with all sorts of disastrous attempts at creating a direct buy art blog, I've found the right place for me to showcase my work in one place!

Lemongrass Love

Please check it out and perhaps you can blog about it, facebook it, twitter it, tell your friends about it, buy from it and know that if you do, good things will happen because of it!

Cookie Jar...

2009-03-24T07:00:00.000-05:00

I've got a hankering for a cookie jar....

I'm not a big cookie baker or anything. In fact, my boys still think the Toll House refrigerated cookies are my version of homemade. Hey, until they figure it out, why not keep them innocent right?

Here's what I think would look best on my kitchen counter and probably reflects my decor personality fairly well...

Then again, there's this one...

What about this one?

Each one of these as a great kitsch quality with a downright confident pixie, what more could you want in a cookie jar? I say, not a thing...

Sorry People!

2009-03-23T07:00:00.001-05:00

Last week I managed to eek out only 1 post!

Oh the humanity!

I was stressing about an appointment with the tax man. After the appointment, I had homework to complete. Four years worth of tax homework. I decided to avoid everything else and get it done.

I was also working on a secret project and thought it was all ready to debut when the project failed...miserably.

So hopefully this week my 2nd secret project will grow and prosper into an exciting blog post to share with everyone!

If not, I will try to post each and everyday anyway because I know you all missed me whether you know it or not!

Park play equipment close-ups..I find beauty in the strangest things...

No More Babies...

2009-03-17T07:00:00.000-05:00

Taking my kid's to the park this past weekend and snapping a shot of them here and there made me realize how big they are! There's really not a hint of baby left in them. Sure they played on the equipment but their main focus was to research the park for a new weekly blog post (me and my hub's brilliant idea for free entertainment to keep them occupied!) about area parks and the pros and cons to each of them. It was such a grownup, mature way of going about play don't you think? Anyway, here's a quick peek at their adorable growing faces and makes sure to keep on the lookout for some kid friendly advice on parks here in SF!

The Classic Green Park Bench

2009-03-15T14:39:00.004-05:00

I photographed the classic green park bench this weekend and have a mini display of random close-up photography for your enjoyment!

Trying something new...

2009-03-12T08:09:00.004-05:00

back

front

Anyone ever tried punch needle embroidery?

I bought a clearance pack of needles about a month ago and while laid up with a bad back, tried it. At the time it was tedious and frustrating. This could have been from my poor attitude and pain levels or it could have been from my crappy embroidery ring, or even, my lack of talent. So, I snagged a better ring at my local thrift store and tried it again yesterday. A tight amount of tension seems to be the key. Of course, I had to ditch the pre-made pattern and make my own but I think I'm getting the hang of it...

Playing with the Layout...

2009-03-11T07:28:00.002-05:00

I'm playing with the layout of Lemongrass, give it a fresh look for spring...I think this one (burlap background) is pretty boring so it probably will change throughout the day. Thoughts?

New Project...For Sale Here!

2009-03-09T13:00:00.002-05:00

I'm offering my latest creations for sale here!

(and only here!)

A great use of some solid wood game pieces from the slightly retro game called Bottle Topps. Each pendant is one of a kind with a random and delicious wood engraved design (by me of course!). A light paint and wax wash is used to give it a rich, eclectic and slightly aged look!

Each piece measures in at 1 1/2" and has a sterling silver plated aanaku bail attached to the back for an easy slide onto any chain, ribbon or cord!

I've given each pendant an adorable little title and they will come signed and dated on the reverse side.

Cost per piece is $12 and that includes shipping...

Tell your friends to swing on over and take a peek!

Please refer to the names below when ordering, thanks!

Holly Hobbie
Driftwood
Robin's Other Egg
Spring Greens
Park Bench

My new fr-enemy...

2009-03-09T07:00:00.002-05:00

I've eaten my last veggie pattie with fat free cottage cheese,

I'm done lunging and squatting.

My brisk 3/4 mile daily (well, most days, it's winter here in SD) dog walks aren't making a dent.

So I've got a new plan.

I'm walking on my stinkin' treadmill for an hour a day, period.

I also may just try and do it with a dog (future blog post hilarity may ensue).

please note: I hate the treadmill with a complete and utter passion.

please also note: I may reduce it to 45 minutes. Now that I've typed an hour, it's seems so LONG...

I got nothing...

2009-03-06T07:00:00.000-06:00

I need some inspiration, any volunteers?

Don't say 'polka' around me

2009-03-05T22:28:00.001-06:00

polka
If you say it slowly, it will freak you out..

Do you ever feel this way?

2009-03-05T07:00:00.000-06:00

So, anyone else feeling this way? This past week I've run out of things, lots of things, random things that you need, things you love and don't even know it. For example, I was taking a shower and the bottle of body wash was empty. I proceeded to prepare my face for the day, makeup foundation, empty. Make the boys' lunch for school, sandwich bags, gone. Camera batteries, dead. Laundry soap, one cup eeked out, barely. Then, I dared to start on our taxes. I should have known better....

Artfire!

2009-03-04T10:46:00.003-06:00

Well, I'm trying out Artfire.com! You can list up to 7 items for free with no fees so I've listed these two pendants.

We'll see how that flies!

http://Grasslands.artfire.com