Sunday Scavenger Hunt

The rules are simple: 

1. Anyone can participate. 
2. You're encouraged to take five new photos this week for the challenge. 
3. If you get stumped, you may use one photo from your archive.
4. Link up to Ashley Sunday (or Tuesday at the latest) - you can use the button above.  
5. Leave comments for at least five other hunters
6. Have fun!

Without further discussion...here are my interpretations this week:

1. Capture the Sky

I had difficulty choosing this one. I go to Lake Wanaka almost everyday, but usually in the morning. Friday afternoon the dogs and I took a walk at sunset, and I sat taking pictures every couple of minutes to capture the whole thing. Out of my collection, these three are the ones that make my heart extra grateful to live in Colorado.

2. Everyday

Have hope everyday!

3. Furry

 My furry children, Sasha and Blitz.

 4. Life

The first show of life in this year's vegetable garden!

 5. Blurred

A bright blurry granny-square quilt.  

I missed out on joining the fun last week, so I made up for it.

However the first photo was supposed to be of chocolate. I don't keep chocolate in the house. And when I do buy it (which I did), it is gone before I can even pick up my camera. 

 2. Numbers

 3. Canned Food

I have friends that tease me for my canned food and their straightened labels.

4. Music

My taste in shoes reminds me of stripper music... but I love them all the same

5.  Stack

My life is currently beneath this stack of books and some more stacks of papers. 

Month of May, I am so looking forward to you!

Want to play along? Here are the five for next week!

1. Diptych
2. Book 
3. Fill in the Blank: When I think about how ______________ is in the _______________, I just have to ______________. 
4. A Taste of Italy 
5. Reminders 

My day at the Academy Awards

So Janet ALWAYS goes to the Academy Awards. And this year, I decided that I would put off school for my paparazzi...

And so I will be attending the Academy Awards on Colin Firth's other arm (sorry Janet, you'll have to share), wearing this Galliano/ Christian Dior 2011 Spring/Summer throwback to the 50s

Wearing my hair like so:

With Tiffany pearls (the necklace worn in Breakfast at Tiffany's no less)

I'll make my best friends over at Tiffany's design some beautiful drop diamond earrings that look like a single branch from the diamonds in the center of the necklace above. How nice.
And to finish it off:

Nude and diamond shoes by Miu Miu. 

Want to come with us? What will you be wearing?

Happy Saturday!

I missed joining the bandwagon of HappyFriday and Friday I'm in Love posts yesterday.
But I'll show you what is making me so happy today.

It is my nephew's birthday. His party is "cameo" themed so his talented photographer momma (from Yellow Rose Photography currently in Wichita Falls, Texas) took these adorable and funny "tough guy" photos.  With his curly hair and big grin, its hard to make him be the next Rambo.

you can also visit Yellow Rose's facebook page to see more galleries. 

Pink Shirt Day

Bullying is one of those things that I am really paying attention to right now.  After reading clinical studies, research, articles and books from adolescents' perspectives, psychologists' perspectives, and parents' perspectives, and even re-watching a bazillion teenie-bopper chic flicks with that as the main focus - I am shocked that I had no idea that today was wear a Pink Shirt Day for anti-bullying.  Thankfully I found out before getting up, dressed, and out the door.

So if you're reading this before you leave the house - I suggest a wardrobe change to a pink shirt.

Thankfully I had ONE in the closet... its more for summer season, but it will have to do.

and just in time - a friend passed this anti-bullying flashmob preformed by an elementary school. Pretty cool.



I am of the personal belief that we have all bullied and been bullied - obviously on varying levels - but all the same. I believe that we have to be accountable for our own actions but that we also have to stand up and advocate for those what have been bullied into silence - and when it comes to our youth, and particularly our adolescents, there are a lot of them.  I also believe that we all tend to carry some of our experiences with us - they affect how we continue to interact with individuals even into adulthood.  While that can be reclaimed, it is difficult. And both the bully and the bullied need hope - hope that those acts/messages alone do not define who they are.

My question is who will give them hope? While it is just a t-shirt, no real miracle work, it is a sign. A sign that you know how painful it can be. A sign that someone is noticing. A sign that it is not okay. So while it is just a t-shirt and nothing more.... look at how powerful that mall full of a pink flashmob is.

List it Tuesday

want to join in on List It Tuesday? You can link up HERE. 

Response art journaling.

Happy Monday!

I'm exhausted after class today - I guess I still haven't fully recovered from the Strep.

On top of that it was a highly process oriented class - so it was emotionally draining on well. However, in a good way. Its just made me tired.

Since I've been absent in blog world and miss you all, I decided I'd go with a lazy post and share more old pages from my first semester internship experience:

1) Evil Twins. Sometimes my response art is really just venting off excess energy that isn't mine. I often pick up others energy and I have learned that a journal is very good at holding it all. 

 Since I wanted to vent without really having to see it again, but without covering it like it had never been there, I wrote on a clear transfer sheet and glued that down on top of the oil pastels I had used to chaotically discharge all that amped up energy.  

2) Language is my art. This is just an image that I drew while sitting with a monolingual Spanish speaking little girl. Her mother had brought her to a parent's meeting - and the girl was obviously bored and restless.  She was starting to get into trouble and the mom was having a hard time concentrating on the meeting that she needed to participate in. So I brought out my makers and we made art together until the end of the meeting.  The beauty of art is that it is a language that is shared across all cultures. 

3) Sex education discussions with middle schoolers is uncomfortable at times. 

It started a little something like this:

Me: Something seems to be bothering you. What's going on?

Girl: I'm freaking that I'm pregnant.

Me: Did you have sex?

Girl: I don't know.

okay then, let me break it down for you.

4) My way of seeing the world.

Internship Response Art.

Some art journaling in response to the beginning of my counseling and art therapy internship with "at risk" youth - way back in September 2010.

and a quick question....
How do I create a button for my blog that I can share with others? I would like to try to get more involvement for my community art project!

and PS. I'm coming up with a give away, so keep your eyes open for that soon!

I'm laid up with Strep Throat. It ties in so much with my Chronic Epstein Barr that it feels more like I have a severe case of mono.

Strep Throat has always been my kryptonite.

In 5th grade, I had Strep every single month. I missed so much school that my mom had to argue that they couldn't hold me back a grade since I had kept up with all my work and managed to get straight As. By the end of the year, my entire family, including my dog, were taking medications in case one of them was the carrier.

Ever since, if anyone within a mile radius has Strep, guess who gets it... yours truly. So I kinda knew this was coming when the majority of my mult-family session called to say they weren't coming due to Strep.

So I'm catching up on some thesis work, movies, and rest.

Valentines

(this was written yesterday... but then never got posted)
Happy Valentines Day Lovies!!!

I got a Valentine from Micaela:

and a love-letter of different sorts from Janet who sent me thoughts because she knows I've been sad:

Isn't she just beautiful. I love Janet's art! 

Thanks so much ya'll!

I've shipped off dozens of silly Valentines.

And made some Valentine ATCs too:

 (The glittery tags are from LuLu)

 (PS. the sticker in the middle was pulled off an envie from Claire!)

Sunday Scavenger Hunt

The rules are simple:

1. Anyone can participate. 
2. You're encouraged to take five new photos this week for the challenge. 
3. If you get stumped, you may use one photo from your archive 
4. Link up to Ashley on Sunday (or Tuesday at the latest) - you can use the button above. 
5. Have fun!

Without further discussion...here are my interpretations this week:

1. Shadows

2.  Patterns/Repetition

and then I captured this... which is both 1 and 2 together:

3. Bright White

4. Strong

hahaha. I was walking around, last minute, saying "I don't have anything strong for my hunt." He jokingly posed. I totally count it. I then said that I didn't have anything for warmth either.  He offered to pose with a can of beans and a lighter. um...

I decided to pass on that image :)

Thats my hubby though - always joking. Seriously, there has never been a single day since I've known him (so about 6 years or so) that he hasn't made me laugh. 

5.  Warmth

If you didn't play along this week, but are thinking about linking up next week, here is your list:

1. Chocolate 

2. Numbers

3. Canned Food

4. Music

5. Stack

PS - for those of you reading this on Monday, Happy Valentines Day!!! I'll have a Valentines post up later in the day.

tata for now lovies!

Sunday Scavenger Hunt

The rules are simple:

1. Anyone can participate. 
2. You're encouraged to take five new photos this week for the challenge. 
3. If you get stumped, you may use one photo from your archive 
4. Link up to Ashley on Sunday (or Tuesday at the latest) - you can use the button above. 
5. Have fun!

Without further discussion...here are my interpretations this week:

1. Water

Albeit mostly frozen. 

2. Quote

3. Window

A cute little love train!

4. Activity

Estes Park, Colorado is filled with Elk activity. This was intriguing to watch! 

5. Pg 25 (inspiration)

This wasn't actually inspired by a pg 25 of anything. But it reminds me of the "Breathing Space" pages in O Magazine. Or any outdoorsy publication. I'm lucky to live so near nationally reserved beauty!

If you didn't participate this week, but want to participate next week, here are your items :

1. Shadows
2. Patterns/Repetition 
3. Bright White 
4. Strong 
5. Warmth