2012 Goals

This year I decided to have goals and not resolutions.  I frequently make goals throughout the year, but for 2012 I have some specific ones.

Through blogging, I have found my biggest passion is photography.  I love it.  It seems I mostly photograph people and I am going to work on creative photography of inanimate objects in 2012.  To help me with my goal I joined Kim Klassens’s Beyond Layers class that will start in January 16th and last for 52 weeks. 

That should keep the creative juices flowing for 2012.  It’s only a dollar a week and knowing Kim it will be well worth it. 

I also joined Rock the Shot Photography forum.  I don’t know much about it, but it never seems like a bad idea to surround yourself with people who love what you love. 

My 3 Boybarians has a photo challenge that should kick my creative goal to the next level by participating in a photo themed linky party once a week.

Finally in the photo department I am going to try to feel confident enough to start charging people for my time and overhead.  I invest a lot of money in photoshop actions and lightroom presets to enhance photos. 

Not to mention photography equipment and time.  I am still spinning the idea and details in my head. 

For my home I need to paint my trim in my family room.  I kept telling myself in 2011 I would get it done and now I have a whole year to talk about it and procrastinate about it in 2012. 

I need to get my 3rd bar stool painted while I am at it.  I don’t know how some of you whip out one paint project after another. 

Speaking of painting.  My 13 year old is ready to change his room.  That will be a big undertaking.  The hardest part will be trying to make it like he wants it and not how I want it.  Anyone else have this problem? 

This spring I hope to figure out a solution to my grass that dies year after year in my backyard.  I have to get my husband on board for this one.  I am thinking of laying stone where the grass always dies.  Something like this inspiration photo I found on a google search months ago.

I know I have other things I need to do to my home, but these are just things that have been on my mind. 

Lastly I have a running goal.  I exercise regularly, but I did slack when I first started blogging and I was not happy with myself.  To keep myself motivated I decide on a challenge.  Years ago it was to run a 5k.  I can now do that easily.  This year I want to try and run an organized 5k in 25 minutes. 

images via pinterest

What do you want for your 2012? 

PLEASE Help This Dad Find His Daughter

My heart breaks for a man in my town who is searching for his 17 year old daughter who ran away Christmas night.  He is using the social media to spread the word about what she is driving and her photo.  He made a video that is heart wrenching.  If you have a facebook account and you can spread the word to help this dad I would appreciate it.

This is his missing daughter Haley.

This is the video he made and posted on You Tube.

Here is the facebook page for her. 

https://www.facebook.com/help.find.haley

Thank you so much for helping this dad.  I appreciate it. 

You Is Kind

Last night I watched The Help for the second time.  It’s a great show and the book is even better.  I found some art on Pinterest awhile back and added it this post.  I should have linked the source and I don’t know why I didn’t.  Recently, I have received emails asking about the You is Kind art and I can’t find the source anywhere.  I apologize to whoever made the art and didn’t get credit.  I decided to make something similar.  I experimented with Dropbox so I could share the image with anyone that wanted to print it.  It is an 8x10. 

Click on the link below to access the image and print. 

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/41313679/youiskind2_edited-2.jpg

I Am Finally Learning How To Fix My Hair

I despise fixing my hair and you will often find me in a pony tail and it’s not a cute one.  Just functional.  My hair is naturally curly and it doesn’t do well on it’s own.  Curled or straightened it takes time.  I use to get really frustrated because after I would spend precious time fixing my hair to only not like it when I was done. 

I am really really excited to tell you that I have been learning how to fix my hair and like it.  If you browse Pinterest you may have seen this photo of a cute fluffy bob hairdo.

Her blog is called The Small Things and she has a tab for really good hair tutorials.  It’s the first time hair instructions have made sense to me and I am able to do most of it by myself.  So at 41 years old I can finally have a decent hairdo when I want one.  I am still prone to the lazy ponytail though, but at least now when I take time to fix my hair I like it.  Let me know what you think of her blog.  I bet you will love it as much as I do.

We Interrupt This Vacation…………

I envisioned my week off work to go a little differently than it has so far.  I was going to get organized, finish up some projects and maybe start on some others.  I would sit in my pjs all day and go at my own speed and not be on a schedule, but sometimes things just don’t work out like we think they will. 

It has been an odd week.  Christmas morning it started snowing expectantly all day.  It snowed so much my father in law who is disabled was unable to come over for Christmas dinner.   The snow started early that morning and it was the cause of the accident that took the life of my friend’s brother in law.  I will be spending tomorrow watching her babies so that her and her husband can spend the day remembering a 35 year old son, father, brother and friend.  He was a fireman and there is a wonderful service planned for him.  So although I won’t be spending my day like I planned tomorrow, I am thankful for the safety and health of my family and the chance to be there for my friend. 

Speaking of family, I took pics for my sister of her and her boys for her Christmas present.  I will share a few of them, because a post just isn’t a post without a photo.  Plus this is the only thing I have to share other than my Christmas tree is down and put away! 

Please say a prayer for my friend and all of the family for tomorrow. 

Merry Christmas

Wishing you and your family many blessings today. 

The Stockings That Were Almost Not Hung

Years ago I made stockings for my family.  I swore I would never make them again.  I lied.  We added our dog Izzy to our family so I needed 5 stockings instead of 4, plus I was going with muted tones in my family room this year and I wanted the stockings to match. 

I began sewing them a few weeks ago and they sat and sat.  I was fine with it and was gonna just let the stocking thing not happen this year, but my son said it’s not Christmas without stockings.  I spent some time today on Christmas Eve finishing them up. 

I made 2 boy ones for my son and husband.

And 3 girls ones for me and the my 2 schnauzers. 

Since I was short on time and patience I rigged a stocking loop out of a drape ring.  I like it and it made the stockings go faster so it was a win win solution.

You just push on the loop and it opens and then clamps shut on the stocking. 

So now the stockings are hung by the chimney with drape clamps and on the ladders too.  Now it’s time to clean the house, make the pies and go to a candlelight Christmas carol service.  Merry Christmas Eve!

Linking to

Saturday Night Special @ Funky Junk Interiors

Christmas Tradition

Last year I shared my handmade ornament with my special tradition inside.  You can see that post here if you’d like. 

I have been thinking about my letter to my son that I will tuck away inside the box on Christmas Eve so he can read it Christmas morning.  I am looking forward to writing about  how proud I am of him.  He has challenged himself this year and made some great goals for himself.  I have seen him push himself harder than he ever has.  He is 13 and becoming a young man.  I know one day these letters will mean more to him than any gift we ever bought him.  I wish my mom had told me in a letter year after year how she felt about me.  I would love to be able to pull those out and cherish them every Christmas. My mom passed away at 47 years old and I was 29.  Life can be really short.  Don’t forget to let those you love know how you feel and enjoy this time together. 

So Stinkin Cute….Baby and Pink Christmas Lights

I took some more photos for friends today and they wanted kid pics with Christmas lights.  The baby’s mom brought along some pink lights and a cute leopard beanie.  Here’s the result.

Betcha smiled.

Christmas Lights

We have a couple of neighborhoods that have been putting up gorgeous lights since I was a little girl.  My family took a drive through both of them last night and I thought I would share some of them with you. 

This neighborhood is outside of town and some of the lights are amazing. 

This is part of  the entrance.

I didn’t get a very good photo of Rudolph poking out of the bushes, but it  made me smile.  It is hard to take pics at night while your husband is driving.  They tend to blur. 

There were 2 homes that had every little tree and there home lit.  It was a see of lights.  I needed a wide angle lens which I didn’t have to do it justice.  Here is a portion of the first house.

The next house was feeling a bit lazy this year so they just put this out.

Next door to the ditto house was the most amazing one.  It was so lit and colorful. 

Those lights can be seen from pretty far away.  I love the cross above.  I would not love their electric bill though. 

There is a hill in the neighborhood that always has a cross lit on it.

The next neighborhood is in town and an older area with brick streets.  It is kind of sad, but some people buy the old homes and knock them down and build gigantic modern homes on the lot.  Seems wrong to me. 

I loved the wreaths on the side of the trees lining the street.

Then this lit up blue tree was so cool, but kinda spooky looking too.

Lots of trees had every branch lit.

I loved the dripping lights on this house.  It made me think of a willow tree.

Someone was feeling patriotic this Christmas.

Other than shopping for food, I am ready for Christmas.  Our schools don’t get out until Thursday here and it will be  hectic week at our dental office.  I will get a week off after Christmas and I am very much.  We are expecting a blizzard tomorrow.  That has me a bit worried, but we can use the moisture after our drought this summer. 

Are you ready for Christmas to get here?

Rustic Tray Filled With Christmas

My tray has been one of my favorite pieces I have purchases and change for the seasons/holidays.  For Christmas I added some greenery, pine cones and some Christmas balls. 

It looks even better with the addition of some textures from Kim Klassen.

I tried to redo the table this tray sits on and wasn’t successful.  I am trying to decide what to do about it, but at least the tray looks good. 

Linking to

Saturday Night Special @ Funky Junk Interiors