Thursday, June 30, 2011
Let's Go to the Sea
Yesterday was such a beautiful day. The sun was finally out and it was actually warm! Eighty degrees... couldn't have been any more perfect. While driving through town I was immediately inspired by the boats in they bay and the sun shimmering off the water. Let me bring you there with me.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Early Morning Musings Volume 1
The wind woke me up yesterday morning. The trees were whipping around and I could tell that my dog, Yama was feeling a little anxious. Looked to the clock, 7:00 AM. I had no intentions of waking up this early but that didn't matter. Yama wanted outside, I could tell.
Yep, it was windy. I couldn't believe how much the trees were moving. After getting over the initial shock I realized it was kind of nice. The temperature was 63 and the wind was bringing up the scents of the bay down the road. Yama was definitely enjoying it. Face to the wind and eyes closed, he stood there for a good minute just sniffing the breeze.
Jinx hasn't adjusted to the move that well. I knew he wouldn't but it is still a bit frustrating. He is a very moody and stubborn cat. Perfectly comfortable upstairs, he doesn't want to come down and explore the rest of the house. He will get down the steps and peek around the kitchen, bathroom and laundry room a bit but as soon as he gets near the dining room/office he bolts. There is a dark ceiling fan on the ceiling and I'm pretty sure he thinks it is a hawk.
Coming inside, I was greeted with a wonderful surprise.
The visit didn't last long. He let me pet him for a bit but I could tell he was wound up and wanted to play. Yama caught sight of him and off they went upstairs! I was able to get Yama out of the bedroom though and get a few more pictures. Though excited, he didn't mind posing for a few more pictures. Sometimes I think his dream is to be a model. He sure does have the attitude for it!
Playing with the animals was great fun but now it was down to business...........
Painting my nails of course!!! And showing off the new shades. :P
Also! While having my usual coffee/blog time in the morning, I stumbled upon this post from Handmade Nest. I immediately printed out one of her printable freebies and put it on my fridge. Gives me a little smile every time I go in the kitchen. Thanks, Dita!
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Ocean Rain - Behind the Soap
Ocean Rain is one of my favorite soaps right now! As soon as the fragrance oil got here and I cracked it open... oh man! The scent is a mix of salty rain, light basil and that wonderful smell right after a storm, ozone. It's almost indescribable how good it smells. Also, I got to use my new shimmer mica colorants and they were a blast! They are the same type of shimmer used in eyeshadow and they really made the soap pop! Here are a few behind the scene shots.
Aren't those sparkles amazing? After making this soap I couldn't wait to do a few more with the shimmer micas. Some of the others are black cherry, lavender and herbs and bamboo.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Red is the Beginning
Browsing by "color" is one of my favorite ways to discover new finds on Etsy, whether I am just shopping or putting together treasuries. After looking through and seeing so many great things I figured why not do a mini color feature? One day a week I will feature a color from the rainbow, going from red to purple and getting all colors in between. First up, RED!
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Sunday Dreams
I woke up this morning unable to think about anything other than plants. Flowers, ferns and especially moss. At first I thought about digging out my sketch book and working on a few things, getting these images out of my brain and down onto a piece of paper. I also pondered the idea of planting a few things but had no idea where to start. I have never grown anything in my life and figuring out where to begin was immediately intimidating.
And then it occurred to me, why not start a terrarium? Of course I immediately bolted to Etsy to check out some of the beautiful ones you can purchase there. Would I buy, or just use some of them for inspiration? I'm still not sure which path I will take but here are a few that are super beautiful.
I'm really leaning towards buying my first and then once I see how it goes I might build my own! I love the idea of having a little eco system resting on my counter. There is something so magical and whimsical about them.
Have you had any experience with terrariums? What sort of beginner plants do you suggest to attempt growing inside and outside the house?
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Sterling Silver Oxidation
I recently got engaged (squeal!!) and the boy purchased my ring from Jorgensen Studio on Etsy! I am absolutely in love with it's vintage style and design. It is sterling silver and the stone is white topaz, which is the perfect size.
Unfortunately, when it got here it was too small! Impatient as I am, I was really hesitant to send it back and have to wait again for it to get here to be able to wear it. I went down to one of the small local jewelers here in town to have it re-sized. When I got it back they had polished all of the wonderful oxidation! I didn't say anything, just came home feeling slightly discouraged. I knew it would probably return but I was anxious! After doing a bit of reading on the internet I found a way to oxidize it myself -- with eggs! Here is a little explanation of the process.
Before oxidation - they made it so... polished!
First things first, I needed some eggs! After running to the store (just moved... no food in this house, hehe) and hurrying back home I plopped them all into a pot to hard-boil them. Of course I couldn't boil just one. Egg salad anyone?
Twelve minutes later I scooped out an egg and while still hot I threw it into a sandwich baggie, shell and all. Squish it all up and toss in the ring!
And now we wait! After about twenty minutes I checked on it and was shocked to see it was already turning copper. Now, I don't make jewelry so this is all very new to me. I'm sure some jewelry makers would be laughing and teasing me but it was so exciting!
Look how dark it's getting! I left it in the baggie four about three hours before pulling it out and examining. Of course it is all egg-y and a teeny bit gross. A quick scrub with a sponge and dish soap and WAH LAH!
Look how nice and dark it is! In my hastiness I didn't realize I didn't have any steel wool in my house... doh! I rubbed it up as much as possible with a pair of jeans and slipped it over my finger. So much better! Tomorrow I will scurry to the store and get some steel wool to polish it up. The flower pattern will really stand out after that!
A Quick Introduction...
Ready....
Set.......
GO!!!
I think this baby is finally ready to take off. I have been tossing the idea of a blog around in my head for quite some time now and I'm quite happy to say that I'm ready to take the plunge. First posts are always be a bit awkward and a little on the weird side (kind of like a first date, huh?) so please bear with me!
I figured the best way to kick things off would be with some pictures and introductions! So here we go...
My wonderful fiance Mike and myself of course! This picture is about two years old but man aren't we an adorable couple. :) I could go on and on about where we met, how magical it was and how we knew right from the get-go we would be forever together but.... I'll spare you the gory details and babble about that in another post someday.
Mike is in the Coast Guard and we are currently stationed in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. It's an adorable little town and a definite change from Seattle, where we were almost a year ago. I work from home and most of the time can be found doing something artsy whether it be taking pictures, painting or sketching or managing my little business: SOAP! I'm pretty much obsessed with all things color and try to pour as much of it into everything I do.
Jinx! My partner in crime and favorite kitty on the planet. He is a bit of a snooty-pants but I tend to love him anyway. Got this little one off a farm almost a year ago and we are practically inseparable...
This is Yama. He is the newest addition to the family. He is a Great Pyrenees and Mike and I got him from a family not even three days ago! He is such a sweet and lovable dog. Only seven months old, he is already 60 pounds! Crazy, I know... he is going to be a big boy.
And that's it! Just the four of us living the military life in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. Wouldn't have it any other way.
H9MB7H9V38XF
H9MB7H9V38XF
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
