A beach cruiser rode away with my heart!!

Last week was simply marvelous.  Eric and I spent the last 7 days in Treasure Island, FL.  I have been going down there to visit my grandparents and soak in that sweet Florida sunshine since I was little.  One of the things I love about Treasure Island is that it has not changed one iota in the last 15 years.  Feels a bit like stepping through the wardrobe into a different land...

During our time down in the Sunshine state I had my first taste of getting around by way of beach cruiser.  I fell in love!  It's a completely different riding experience!! Up north E and I ride road bikes...which are great for an awesome workout---but no good for a nice relaxing ride.  Love love love these things!  I'm officially on the hunt for a few for Eric and I to enjoy around CHI this summer...yay!!

Self portrait.

Pret-tey down there!

We stumbled across this pretty lady one night on a ride home (on the cruisers...of course)

We went to the big flea market nearby and spent a few lovely hours wandering around looking at all the STUFF.  Love me some flea.  I found a killer part faux fur jacket that looks like it was put into a closet in 1973 and never taken out...its fantastic!! Some of the STUFF...

What do we think...a gold Optimus Prime?  I don't know my transformers like I used to...

I just got my new 50mm 1.4 lens prior to leaving for this trip, so had a lot of fun testing it out at the flea!  We flew back to 30 degree temps and flurries...BOOOOO...I am ready for spring!  But i will say, the warm weather tease did the trick...I feel recharged!  Sigh...now back to reality...

I ♥ PAPER SOURCE SUNDAY

This past Sunday I did something that I would love to make a ritual (in a perfect world where i had the kind of time to allow for 'rituals').  It was nice out so I grabbed Baylor and we trotted down to the nearby PAPER SOURCE .  I really do ♥ PAPER SOURCE.  It's a crafters heaven...and I love to craft.  Some day I plan to have an entire room devoted to STUFF that can be used for all sorts of various crafts...sigh...someday.

After strolling around the store for entirely too long, I finally made my selections and Bay and I headed home.  I had a few client discs to get out, and while I have found a company that makes packaging I really love (Loktah ...check em out...amazing stuff!), I was just in the mood to do some crafting Sunday...so opted to create my own!

Came back home, put on some tunes, poured a glass of wine and started cutting.  The end product was a couple of awfully cute disc covers if I do say so myself...the paper was soooo pretty that I picked up the scraps and started making little flowers out of them...which you can see up top!

                                                                                                        ➘flower

And my work bench where all the *crafting magic* happened...

a.k.a the island in our kitchen.  We get the prettiest light in our condo in the afternoon.  Eric has attempted to get blinds to dim the rays during the hours the sun is strongest but I avoid avoid avoid.  We don't see the sun enough in this city as is.  No way I'm intentionally blocking it out when it actually makes an appearance!  

So it really was the most relaxing Sunday afternoon.  The only sad part was this entire session was one big fat means of procrastination to avoid the hours of editing I had waiting for me.  In addition to that entire room devoted to crafting, I also dream of someday having someone to do all my photo editing for me...

Joey rockin the SMIZE (and frize)!

He's months away from his first birthday, and already an expert at SMIZE...(smile with your eyes Joey)!!

I feel like I could just plunge into those huge oceans of blue.  Aren't his eyes just gorgeous?!

And as we soon learned, he also has a rather fierce Frize...

Maybe it was my use of the word SMIZE...???  I know for some it's like nails on a chalkboard...(which never bothered me...but run your fork across your plate and aaaahhhhhh!!!!)

2010 Year in Review Part II

Kept very busy in 2010!  Officially launched my photography business and it has been such an awesome experience thus far!  To polish* my skills I've been taking classes at Harrington College of Design...in addition to working full time...in addition to supporting organizations that matter to me, (like the Posse Foundation), in addition to getting my photog biz off the ground...oh and then there's all the other stuff that keeps human beings busy...keeping a tidy house and other such errands, creating healthy delish meals, getting our pup out for regular exercise, maintaining a social life...and also trying to find some special time for me and my other half.  BUSY BEE...but to be fair, I'm just that kind of person.  While I LOVE my downtime (and need it...usually I reserve Sunday evenings.  Hate hate hate not being at home on Sunday evening), I also can't have too much of it or I get a tad stir crazy.

So...a look back at 2010...a very good year.

This last photo is my first "published" work :)  My friend Eric won a contest KARHU was putting on (KARHU makes all kinds of fun gear...shoes, clothing, etc...)  Lucky dude got to go on an all expense paid trip to Helsinki, Finland!! Notice the picture above is also seen in the announcement below!  Yea, only an Internet ad campaign...but I'll take it!