Random Road Trip to Ripon

My dear friend Amy and I had a random Monday off and we thought it would be fun to meet somewhere. I was recently inspired by Tracy Porter, I picked up her amazing book from the library. I had a whole stash of decorating/artsy books and I couldn't put this one down. It was too funny that this amazingly artistic woman was born and raised in none other than Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. The irony is that my grandpa lived not too far from there, the whole area consists of tiny towns surrounded by farms. I have fond memories of going to the flea market in Princeton, Wisconsin's largest you know. So I was on a quest to discover her and how she got so big. You really need to check out the link to her web page and look at her stuff. C Read her story and watch the Tracy TV clip. Go ahead, do it and tell me you're not amazed. The book shares her most inspiring rags to riches tale. She just went with her gut, dreamed big, started out small, worked her butt off and it paid off big time! I love the story that they bought this old farm and they had no heat, they slept in the chicken coop and covered their paints with an electric blanket to keep them from freezing at night. She now is known world wide and has a line she designs of everything: from rugs to tea cups to pillows. She is such an inspiration to me! Someday, someday!

So I knew of this small town and figured it wouldn't be too hard to track her down. Everyone has to know who she is. I figured she at least had a shop where I could go to and talk to someone for info., ideas, and inspiration. Well, these ladies at a little yarn shop knew all about her. Unfortunately, she doesn't have a cute shop, they were hoping that soon she would open an outlet store for her stuff. So they just have a big factory for producing this stuff. We weren't too sad because it turned out to be the most perfect day. We had loads of fun browsing smelly antique stores. (I can't believe how much I'm turning into my parents! I hated being forced to go antiquing as a kid!) Small towns are so charming. We found some cute aprons, I scored some glass fruit, and vintage recipe booklets,Ames got a sweet umbrella.(You'll find us sporting these items on the pic in front of the antique sign) We're also sporting our matching Reduce, Reuse, Recycle shirts in another pic! Check out my hot model friend, Ames posing against the wall. We took lots of fun pics and spent time catching up at a coffee shop. We will definitely return again. I love how you go on a journey expecting one thing, and end up experiencing something completely different, but fantastically wonderful!

About the scrapbooking:
Here are some pages I did using Funky Vintage, a new line of products from Making Memories (I sound so professional, don't I) I like to pretend :) I love the papers, they fit the pics perfectly. You probably can't tell, but the brown part of the paper is velvet. I had so much fun playing with some of the stuff I've been acquiring. I coated the p in trip with clear UTEE (ultra thick embossing enamel) I painted it pink first and then used a couple coats of UTEE. The d was coated with liquid applique, and painted it green. Liquid applique is a fun product, you heat it up and it puffs and bubbles right before your eyes. I also used the new big grommet tool for the o's, not so new, but new to me! For the R in Ripon I used a transparency and covered it with swirly rub ons and painted the edges, the P in Ripon is using crystal lacquer, I wish you could feel the p, it's smooth and plasticy, you have a hard time pulling your finger away. Sorry I'm getting carried away on a two page layout, but I am so excited that all of these weird products I've been stashing are finally getting used.
Have an inspiring day everyone and live out your dreams!

Picnic in the Park

Of course the camera died right after I took a few pictures of the food. We had yummy chicken salad sandwiches on New French Bakery bread. I looooove their bread. So no cute anniversary pictures of the two of us. I also made a wedding cake recently. It was a very simple cake. I'll post more often! Take care!

Anniversary

I guess I should be more consistent with my blogging. These pictures were taken by Sam. I'm working on a little book inspired by Johnny Cash. I've been everywhere man. I'm excited because I bought a bunch of new things that I have been searching for. Using that old distressed look. I have been horrible with my art cards, I will have to take some pictures and update those.

The flowers are from Sam. He gave them to me on Monday to celebrate our 2nd Anniversary. I had to work that day, but after work we got some things and had a nice little picnic in the park. Sam is giving me a Bible (I still have to pick out one I like) and he gave me a little summer bathrobe. I love bathrobes and slippers. I'm usually a practical gal and I don't need a ton of clothes, but I could have a million bathrobes and slippers. Spring came too quickly for me to post about my slipper addiction. I'll save it for a rainy day. Sam also continues to try to keep me organized. He bought me a new wallet, as my old one is bursting at the seams. I laugh because it's not the wallets fault, it's the owner. Even if I have the best organizational device, I'll find a way to fill it up and mess it up. Bless Sam's heart for continuing to try with me. I would have given up a long time ago. I gave him some speakers. I think he'll like them. The poor guy plays the bass and can't even hear the bass line on the built in speakers on this computer.

Have a good day everyone!

Going Green

So I haven't posted in a very long time. I guess I stopped because I didn't think anyone was really reading it, but after being home for Easter I realized that a few people were. So anyways, I don't have a ton to say right now. It is finally getting warm and starting to be like Spring. Elizabeth and I went out and bought roller blades yesterday. It was a good experience learning about them, you see, my last contact with them were of the plastic type as seen in the movie Napoleon Dynamite. So these babies I bought have come a long way, we bought them at a local bike shop in town. We were excited because they were getting rid of their Salomon line, so they were majorly clearanced. We went out yesterday and didn't even fall! We avoided all major hills of course. So now I have to go out and buy some for Sam today. I love that we supported this local guy rather than Scheels, and he was way more knowledgeable than those other guys.

I stumbled across this site that lists local farmers, and if you sign up you will get fresh organic produce each week all summer and fall. And if you work at their farm for only 15 hours total it's a lot cheaper. It's definitely cheaper than buying produce from the grocery store and it will have that earthy fresh from the garden flavor and it is so nutritious. I think it will be so cool because I will always have fresh food, and it will be a surprise. It's fun to cook with things that you wouldn't normally pick up from the store. It is good because it forces me to be healthy, supports a local farm, and I can pick it up at the local food co-op which is literally around the corner from me. So I 'm excited about this and will let you know how it goes.

While we're on the subject of environmental friendliness, I want to encourage everyone to use less plastic bags, try to bring a market bag with you to the store. I need to get better at this myself, but I hate having a million plastic bags. Another problem we have is that we're short on space, but we want to recycle. It's a hassle to go down and put it in the garage for only one or two items. I saw this cool compactor thing that crushes plastic and aluminum cans and holds glass containers, it will contain a ton of stuff and it is much easier on the eyes than throwing it in a box till it gets full. It's called the ecopod, only catch, it's about $400! Yikes! I hate that it's chic and trendy to "be green" so they have all these expensive ridiculous ideas. Another way to be friendlier to the environment is to use bamboo instead of wood. Bamboo grows in only 2-4 years and when you cut it down you don't have to replant, it will grow back. Bamboo cutting boards work fantastic, even better than most woods. I am a total fan of living simply and I love looking at treehugger websites to get some good ideas. I don't think I'm a complete freak (yet anyway, who am I kidding, I lived in a van all summer long) but I do like to do little things to help reduce waste. Don't get me wrong, I think people go way too far! Just check out the No Impact Man, he's crazy! And I hate expensive cleaning products, and filtering all the air and water we use with expensive gadgetry. But we do need to try to be a little more conscious of all the crap we throw away into a landfill on a daily basis. Enjoy the day everyone!

Last Year

If I wrote a blog last year I would be talking non stop about the killer outdoor activities going on. I'd be saying things like, "Ah, man can you believe it went down a couple hundred cfs last night, we'll be dodging a lot more rocks today." Or, "I hit big drop today and it was so sweet."

Or, "I caught some fresh pow today in the trees."


but these days it's, "Oh yeah, it's cold out today, probably went down another 10, i heard this weekend it might even get colder, oh yeah!"

So this isn't a bad thing, just a change, something I need to get used to. I really love the quote, "The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeing new landscapes, but having new eyes." You see, I lived in Eau Claire for 3 years and thought I saw everything there is to see. Thought that Eau Claire was filled with nothing but fud duds who just talk about the weather all the time. I was in some ways excited and inspired to move back here. Not having a mountain or river to play in and distract me, means more time catching up doing the other things I enjoy doing. These days I have been hibernating and spending way too much time on this computer. I need to whip into action and get crafting. Or cooking, another love which gets abandoned from time to time. So we'll see. I think you can fall in love with the place you live, whether it be on the top of a mountain, in a river valley, or in the flats of the midwest. There are good and bad things about each one. I have little pro and con lists from each place that I've lived at. (Yes, I'm a big nerd, I know.) But it helps to give me perspective. This year has given me time to start this blog, throw some parties, make food, and scrapbooks and sit back and enjoy a good book. I don't have to feel guilty for wasting a good fresh powder day, or a beautiful sunny day with 2,900 cfs. I can sit and do my crafts and not get hassled for it! Forest Gump is so right, life is like a box of chocolates, you never do know what you're going to get. And I'm thankful for the chocolates that surprise you with pink goop, just as much as the good old standby of solid milk choc. God is a good candymaker.

Breaking in the Sewing Machine

Okay, I have to talk about someone else's craftiness today. I wish I had a video camera, it was the cutest and most hilarious thing. My husband was teaching his friend how to sew on the sewing machine. The way he described things was great, you push this button and it squeezes the fabric down, and you can kind of drive it and guide it as you go. One of the best things was the use of a needle nose pliers to remove the pins as he sewed. Apparently their hands were too big and clutsy, so he needed a tool to remove the pins. What are they making? It's a carrying case for a drum TJ bought. They are quite clever in making this out of a big black ditty bag and a laptop case bought at Savers. I'm proud of my husband and his resourcefulness. I love the fact that he has figured out how to use the sewing machine before me, and will end up teaching me the techniques. He loves the sewing machine! Maybe now I will finally have the guts to try to make something.

Free Style Clothes Swapp

This weekend was so much fun! I threw a little party. I was afraid there would be a bad turnout, but we managed to cram 12 girls into my little living room. Jess helped me and she brought a yummy chocolate cake and some heart shaped bars. Amy helped me make mini cheesecakes and we had some choc. fondue with strawberries. We all brought clothes that we were sick of. We set up the clothes in my living room. We drew numbers and one by one picked out some "new clothes" I think everyone had a blast and went away with something cool. Unfortunately I don't have my little sis' pics right now of us trying on some of the reject clothes! That was the best!



My husband never ceases to amaze me. I told Amy that I mentioned a week ago that flowers would be nice for our party. As he was gone, out getting some last minute ingredients I needed, I was hoping that he would just pick some up. Amy said that he was amazing if he indeed picked up flowers that were not on the list. I said, "He can be amazing!" Of course, my sweetheart came through!