Photo a Day recap (days 42 - 48)

Day 42

"Entrance"

February 11

This is me dreading walking through the door and entering back in my work day.  So long lunch break, I will miss you :-)

Day 43

"Where you ate lunch"

February 43

Speaking of lunch break, the next day the sun came out.  I took the opportunity to take my lunch outside.  This breath of fresh air really was a breath of fresh air.  Sometimes we just need to step away from the desk and come back feeling a bit refreshed.  I know that an outdoor lunch break really refreshes me.

Day 44

"Walking"

February 13

Oh Uggs - you may not be the prettiest shoe, but I love you for your warmth and comfort.  Changing out of my heels and stepping in to comfort to start walking towards the bus to go home.

Day 45

"Love is"

February 14

Love is ... sometimes expressed through chocolate.  Happy Valentines Day!!  I celebrated by wearing red polish, writing with a red pen, and eating chocolate all day.  It was great :-)

Day 46

"Inside your fridge"

February 15

My veggie door is my favorite area of the fridge - it needs a little bit of a shopping trip though :-)

Day 47

"Perfect"

February 16

I had a very crafty weekend.  This project is the perfect solution for making a pretty display for my necklaces.  I also made a new earring display - more info on that coming soon - stay tuned :-)

Day 48

"In your hand"

February 17

I absolutely love this necklace that I got from Modcloth.  It's an old antique looking rotary phone.  The phone receiver is attached to a tiny chain and hangs down when you wear the necklace.  It also open up to be a locket.  I love it so much.  They are currently out of stock (sorry), but Modcloth is really good about bringing back products in high demand.  So if you want your own, let them know.

Photo A Day recap (Day 35 - 41)

Doing a little bit of catch up.  Here are days 35 - 41 of the #fmsphotoaday challenge:

Day 35

"Hope"

February 4

I took the opportunity to do a little bit of art journaling.  You can read a little more about this page and the song that was going through my head as I made it at THIS post.

Day 36

"Something you smelled"

February 5

Roasted fennel.  I have been discovering that you can roast pretty much any vegetable and even fruit.  Like roasted grapefruit - sooo good.  My method of roasting is to preheat my oven to 450.  I take a baking sheet and put a light coating of olive oil to prevent sticking.  Then I cut up my veggies and toss them in some olive oil with salt (and perhaps some herbs).  I put them in the oven and cook them in 10 minute increments.  I take them out when they are soft.  I really like them cold as well (a great lunch option for the next few days).  For the grapefruit, I found that it tastes wonderful with some Truvia and cinnamon, while making your kitchen smell like Christmas - delightful!!

Day 37

"Soft"

February 6

When I come home, one of the first things that I do is put on some soft cozy sweats.  Cozy sweats is about the only thing that I am going to miss when the weather gets warmer.

Day 38

"Your name"

February 7

This is a little something from the second art journaling page that I ever did.  It was the first page that I did for an online art journaling course that me and my friend Karisse did a few years ago.  It was a course offered through Red Velvet.  They actually have a year long ecourse being offered for $30 if you want to try it out yourself.  It is actually very tempting.  I might have to sign up :-)

Day 39

"Something orange"

February 39

I love 4-colored pens.  It helps me organize my tasks and I love how it keeps my notes colorful - my handwriting is a rainbow :-)  I recently discovered that the 4-colored pens with the blue barrel are medium point and the pens with the orange barrel are fine point ink.  I just love the way a fine point ink pen writes, so I am loving this pen.

Day 40

"Guilty pleasure"

February 9

It's possible that my craft supplies take up half of my closet space.  This picture is the top half of my craft storage.  If you need yarn, paper, paint, sewing supplies, jewelry making supplies, fabric, art journaling doodads, books on knitting, books on art journaling, or even a gingerbread house making kit - I have you covered.  My closet is a mini Michaels store :-)

Day 41

"3 o'clock"

February 10

I have a few songs that have been on my heart.  Right now they are all stuck as half songs, but I still enjoy sitting down every now and then to work on them.  One day they will be complete :-)

Photo a Day recap (Days 28 - 34)

Day 28

January 28

"Light"

Found this candle at Target on clearance after the holidays.  A few weeks later I actually lit it and discovered that it smelled like Anthropologie.  I wish I had bought more.  $25 Anthro candle vs $2.50 Target clearance - clearance wins.  Too bad I have not been able to find any more :-(

Day 29

January 29

"Inside your fridge"

I found these mason jars at Target and I love using them to hold soup.  They are great because they don't spill in my super cute lunchbox.

Day 30

January 30

"Nature"

My office plant is struggling so bad - so bad that I think it is dead.  I'm sorry little plant :-(

Day 31

January 31

"You again"

All my pictures of me lately have been taken using my camera phone and a mirror.  That's how the hipsters do it, right?

Day 32

February 1

"Fork"

I have decided to bust out the silver and use it - on a daily basis.  I don't want it all packed away waiting for a special occasion.  As Hallmark would say, "Life is a Special Occasion." 

Day 32

February 2

"Pattern"

I have a huge box of sewing patterns and an even bigger box of fabric ... I should sew more :-)

Day 34

February 3

"Something beginning with e"

Me and Karisse in the "elevator".  Karisse came over to watch "Pitch Perfect".  We looooooooooved it and we swooned over leading man Skylar Astin - so cute and then he sings ... excuse me while I pick myself up off the floor :-)

Here's a few favorite clips for you:

Good movie.  Netlfix might have to wait a little bit longer before they get it back :-)

Musical Monday "Holding on to Hope"

Tonight I did some art journaling inspired by the photo a day challenge I am doing.  Today's prompt was "Hope" so I decided to do a page on hope.

I really don't do enough art journaling.  I love starting with a blank page, putting a backwash of color and just seeing what happens.  This page is not my favorite page, but so many times it is more about the process and what God speaks during the process than it is about making something pretty.

When I was making this art journal entry there is a song by Jenny and Tyler that came to my mind - "Holding on to Hope"

I was introduced to Jenny and Tyler back before Christmas.  This song meant a lot to me in that time.  December was a fairly rough month and those words "holding on to hope" penetrated into some pretty empty places.

Isaiah 40:30, 31 "Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who HOPE in the Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."

Sometimes, I think that we just need someone to tell us to not give up (well, at least I do anyway).  So I will just go on and say it for anyone else who may need it - Don't give up.  Have hope.  God really does see everything and He really does have your best interest at heart.  Put your hope and your trust in Him.  He loves you and only wants the very very very best for you.  Hold on to hope :-)

Holding on to Hope - Jenny & Tyler - Faint Not - Copyright 2010 One Eyed Cat Music (BMI)

Music and Lyrics by Tyler Somers (BMI) and Jennifer Somers (BMI)

People I know around me float past with the debris
Saying they don’t mind, such is life, as they float on down the street
I heard the worst is to come, I heard the words
'Look above and find your home in Me
In this storm

I’m holding on to hope, hope, hope
And never letting go, no, no
Even when the storm it grows, hope, hope
Will never let me go, no, no
‘Til I go on home

People build homes using pieces of broken virtue and philosophy
When people place hope in people I notice even more broken dreams
I know that time is so short, there’s something in store, a home I’ve never seen
In this storm, o in this storm

I’m holding on to hope, hope, hope
And never letting go, no, no
Even when the storm it grows, hope, hope
Will never let me go, no, no
‘Til I go on home

Only a trace, no face to face
So here I wait with this poor reflection
Running a race, scared I’m going to break down
Give me strength, Your protection
Only a moment, a passing of time
Until the day when faith is sight
Only a moment, like a flashing of light
So keep me safe, keep me nigh
Keep my way homeward bound
When the rain’s pouring down
Keep me safe, keep me safe

I’m holding on to hope
Never letting go, no, no
‘Til the day I come on home, hope, hope
And finally fully know

Little touches

40+ hours of my life are spent at work each week ... so I might as well make my desk a space that I enjoy.

I previously posted a tutorial on my mason jar snowglobe.  That was the first little step towards make my desk at work reflect a little more of me.

I recently purchased a little something that provides a little pop of color that makes me happy.

You can get these little latte bowls at Anthropologie for $2.50.  I definitely prefer it over the boring black plastic container that I was storing my paper clips in.  Even a little bit of washi tape wrapped around the top did not spruce it up enough.

I also decided to create my own planner this year.  Many attempts of not finding the design that I like paved the way to a creative project.

I have 6 months done and plan on finishing this weekend.  Tutorial coming once I have a completed project in hand :-)

Sprucing up a boring notepad makes a pretty place to track my task items:

I just put some washi tape along the top and used a pen to write "to do".  

Sometimes a few little things can make a huge difference.  My next step is to get this little basket to hold my post-its:

Source: anthropologie.com via Melany on Pinterest

"I invented post-its" - Who knows what movie that is from?