Painting on the Road

New Poster and Ticket Design

2012-02-09T16:38:00.000-08:00

VDAY is a great organization and I'm proud to be a part of it. Although this year I'm not performing in the Vagina Monologues, I am creating the marketing materials again. Here's last year's design.

And here are new 2012 Vagina Monologue Posters and tickets.

If you live in the Tahoe area, come check out the show. Last year was standing room only so it's actually going to be 2 nights this year, Friday February 24th and Saturday the 25th.

Pummelo

2012-02-09T09:48:00.000-08:00

Oh how I love trying new foods, especially fruits and veges. Walking through the produce section, this beauty caught my eye. Now, I like grapefruit. But for those that don't like it because it's too bitter, the pummelo is a great alternative. It's mild instead of bitter, and just as sweet.

It actually looks like a huge grapefruit and has the most amazing smell. It's somehow calming and invigorating at the same time. I think it might just be my favorite smell to date! And even though my nose has been on the fritz ever since the short hairy roommate arrived, I can still manage to catch a whiff now and again. Just having it near me seems to lift my spirits. =)

what I wore

2012-02-06T20:08:00.000-08:00

Last week, I had some errands to run as well as do a little photo shoot. I love the chance to do a shoot somewhere new. I headed to town, keeping a look out for a good spot to pull over. I found a dirt road right off the highway and it ended up being a great backdrop.

This is my favorite!

So yeah, I stopped and took pictures first and then continued on with my errands. Usually I take of the legwarmers because I don't like to get them dirty and have to rewash them before shipping them off to a new home...BUT I decided to wear them. All day.

I wore the whole outfit all day actually. Hat and all.

Man, can you believe it's this warm? Loving it!

I went to 2 thrift stores, 2 paint stores, a shipping/copy store, a fabric store, and a large hardware/home store.

I started thinking about all the places this outfit is perfect for. Musical festivals, burning man, welcoming home a soldier, voting, occupying, performing, and of course the celebrating our nations independence.

2 year Dreadiversary

2012-01-29T00:39:00.000-08:00

Today is my 2 Year Dreadiversary so I'm taking the opportunity to indulge myself (and YOU) with lots and lots of photos of my dreads from this past year.

All from the meager beginnings of this...

They haven't changed a whole lot in the last year, but I've been having fun changin' them up! =)

Wild Hair Wednesday - Big Bow

2012-01-18T15:57:00.000-08:00

Happy Wild Hair Wednesday! I have a fun new do to share with you.

I created the bow leaving a few 'bangs' left behind to create a wrap around braid. I had about 3 dreads on either side (parted slightly to the side). I braided each side then joined them in the back. I wasn't sure how I was going to join them since I don't have any bobby pins. I ended up actually sewing them together with a big needle and a piece of yarn. =) It held up great.

This cutie pie hairdo paired beautifully with my valentines leg warmers.

Remember this stripy pair? I thought they were for kids only, but they fit me perfect! I just had to take a few more photos.

And this pair I'm adding later tonight.

Plus I took some non-Christmasy photos of a couple red pairs that were part of my Christmas bunch.

There you have it. Valentine's stockings and Dread Bows.
Tootles

$$$ that's what i need

2012-01-17T11:25:00.000-08:00

I'm in the process of partnering with a writer to illustrate a children's book. I was just reading over the latest version of the contract and remembered this song I heard last night. I had already queued it into my playlist so I had to listen to it again. The line "And if I share with you my story would you share your dollar with me" is so fitting. =)

I Need A Dollar by Aloe Blacc on Grooveshark
This is how songs get attached to moments and people in our lives. =)

the Sunday Special - pumpkin balls

2012-01-15T21:02:00.000-08:00

You might recall, I made pumpkin chili for Christmas. I actually used a regular pumpkin, not one intended for cooking, and it still came out great. Well, that big boy yielded a lot of pumpkin puree. First, I made the chili and bread. Later, I made pumpkin scotties (my creation) and pumpkin balls. Yeah, pumpkin balls. Like meat balls but with pumpkin instead.

about 2-3 cups pumpkin puree

3 eggs

a little over 1 cup bread crumbs

3/4 cup almond meal

grated pepper jack cheese

sauteed onion, garlic, and red pepper

seasoning: ground oregano, minced onion, and basil

Mix it all together. Scoop into balls. Sprinkle with garlic salt and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. Eat 'em while their hot.

I saved a little bit to make pumpkin patties (aka veggie burgers) the next day which turned out quite scrumptious, too!

Media Monday - close to you

2012-01-09T18:19:00.000-08:00

A friend shared this video on fb and I think it's a wonderful cover. It's usually hard for me to like a cover that is done differently than the original especially when I like the original, but this one is an exception.

If you like Late Night Alumni's original music and are in the Salt Lake City area this week, they have their very first live show (after 8 years of making music together) this Thursday the 12th.

the Sunday Special - Persimmons & Chestnuts

2012-01-08T12:42:00.000-08:00

I had heard of persimmons before, but didn't even know what they were until a couple weeks ago. They had some at the nursery so I was excited to take a couple home right before Christmas. I was going to try it sooner but there was so much food around here for the holidays. But I finally ate it this week and have to say... I love 'em!

And then there were the chestnuts. Yes, we've all heard of them, right? Well, they also had some at the nursery and again I was excited to try something new that just happens to be an age old holiday tradition for some. I didn't roast them on an open fire, instead I used the oven. The first batch (I had actually purchases from the store a few weeks earlier) ended up getting charred because I left them in too long. The others I guess, were just too old. They looked good, but I about broke a tooth trying to eat them. *sigh* Oh, well. Something to look forward to next year. =)

Happy New Year

2012-01-03T21:16:00.000-08:00

I had such a blast at a friends New Years Eve Party, that time just flew by. I didn't get to bed until after 5am and that is really unusual for me.

Nick was in Kansas for Christmas. He brought some yucky germs back with him which I have managed to catch. That or I'm allergic to the other thing he brought back. =)

Our new roommate.

She is so super mellow. She has never once hissed, bit, or clawed us. She is actually sitting on my lap at this very moment. Ok, I admit. I love her. I hope I just got some yucky germs and they go away, cuz I'd hate to be allergic to her. Oh, and we deliberated a long while on a name. We decided to name her Bunny. hehe

Wild Hair Wednesday - Fishtail Faux Hawk

2011-12-28T13:31:00.000-08:00

I have a fun one for you today!! I've been wanting to do a faux hawk for quite some time now and yesterday I had a reason to try it. One of the funnest parts of being my own model, is getting to dress up. =) I have a pair of punk lumber jack (that's what I'm calling them) leg warmers. What better to pair them with than a faux hawk and heavy eye liner. My black leather combat boots from high school would have come in handy too. My mom always said she saw me dating biker dudes. haha! Little did she know, I was a hippie. lol

Needless to say, I've tried on many looks in my life and still enjoy 'playing' in that way.

My original intention was just a faux hawk, but I didn't want to take the time to figure out how to get my dreads to stand straight up. It's not wise to put product in your dreads because depending on what it is, it won't wash out. Some dread heads use wax. I tried a tiny bit on a couple of mine once and regretted it. Really, you don't need it. (However, that would have definitely helped to get a good hawk.)

I ended up gathering the top section into a small ponytail and then worked my way down, gathering and making more ponytails. At this point, they just flopped to one side or fanned out. So that lead me to sort of tuck and braid it into place...which is why it resembles a messy fishtail. Then I tied a piece of yarn on the bottom to finish the look.

Come on, we all like being one from time to time. =)

If you just can't get enough. Check out my other Hair posts.

This one was a big hit. Jessie B's 30 years of Hair Dos

Beautiful Winter Day in the Desert

2011-12-27T19:50:00.000-08:00

It was so nice out today! I sat outside and did a little work while soaking up the sunshine and blue skies.

And then just a couple hours later, we had a beautiful sunset. I could really get use to this kind of winter!!

Christmas wrap up

2011-12-27T10:22:00.000-08:00

Christmas was pretty low key this year. I stayed in Tahoe and had a big house to myself. I got together with friends and even hosted a small gathering on Christmas Day. We had a non-traditional meal of Pumpkin Chili and corn bread. Plus nachos, roasted pumpkin seeds, egg nog, and pumpkin bread. I still have so much left.

I waited until Christmas night, after everyone went home, to finally open my presents. My mom and sister wrapped them up so cute that I had them sitting out bringing a little Christmas spirit to an otherwise undecorated space.

My mom sends me my stocking every year filled with goodies. As long as I get it back to her before the next Christmas, she fills it back up and sends it back to me. It's my traveling stocking. =)

I'm also happy to report that my etsy shop did really well this holiday season. Woohoo!! Thank you to everyone who spread the word.

Jess

Story time with Spunkidoodle -Dumbo part2

2011-12-22T13:30:00.000-08:00

Here she is!

DUMBO

part 2

Watch the 1st half here --> DUMBO Part 1

Media Monday - short anima film

2011-12-19T23:47:00.000-08:00

I was playing catch up on my blog reading today, saw this precious little video and want to share it with you.

Streamschool (Patakiskola) from Péter Vácz on Vimeo.

the Sunday Special - salty smores

2011-12-18T12:53:00.000-08:00

The other night it was gray and wintery outside which put me in the mood for a fire. One of the great things about a wood burning stove, you can roast marshmallows. =)

Oww, and then I thought .... "why not s'mores?" I found some chocolate and marshmallows, but no graham crackers. Hmmm, time to get creative. What do we have? Aha! Saltines. That might be interesting. And it was! If you like sweet and salty, you'll love these salty s'mores.

SALTY S'MORES

Marshmallow
Chocolate of your choice (I used peanut butter cups)
Saltines

I like to get my chocolate nice and melted. I put it on the cracker and use the shovel tool to rest it on the coals, while I roast my marshmallow. Put 'em together and walla. A tasty treat. Be aware that chocolate might ooze out the holes in the cracker. Hey, if s'mores aren't messy, you're not doing them right. =)

omg!!! what a brilliant idea

2011-12-15T17:53:00.000-08:00

I stumbled across this today while looking up the word "street worthy". So amazing what you can find without trying.

I have quite a few suitcases and think this is an absolutely brilliant idea!! Repurpose them into boom boxes. Solar boom boxes that connect to your ipod!! They have even more bells and whistles. You can read an article about them here or check out their website theboomcase.com.

And they let you customize them. I'm really drawn to this one. It has so much character.

Even lunch boxes.Something for everyone... big and small =)

this is a long good story

2011-12-11T13:53:00.000-08:00

You might recall that I have been scheming to find a little girl to model some kid leg warmers. Well, yesterday, I needed to go to South Lake because Made in Lake Tahoe (the store wear I have my handmade goods on consignment) is moving to a new location. Since I was going to 'town' anyway, and it was a weekend (perfect for kids not being in school), I figured I better make my move. I called a friend who doesn't have a child of her own but has a little girl next door that likes to come over and hang out with the girls. She came over before our V-Day practice last spring and even joined us for the fun clothing swap this fall. But, besides that, she was actually one of the students I taught art to last spring! Well, my friend was out of town, but she thought it was a great idea. The only thing, the little girl's parents only speak Spanish and I don't know Spanish. Oh, and she didn't have their number so I would just have to go knock on their door. Alright, I can handle that, I think. I loaded up my tripod and such and headed to South Lake.

After I packed up and moved my things to the new location (in the Raley's Center between Savvy and Hot Cha Cha's) it was already after 3pm. As I headed out of the parking lot, I thought to myself... oh it's getting late, maybe I should just go home. See normally at home it's too dark by 4pm to take pictures. I figured by the time I got to her house, asked her, it was translated to her parents, they actually agreed, we'd pick out an outfit or two, found a good spot to take the pictures, it might be too late. I made a split decision and turned toward her house. I honestly don't even know my friends address, but I found what I believed to be her house... again she wasn't home. I parked. I got out. I started walking toward the house. I started to wonder if this was even her house. Who lived here and how was I going to communicate with the person who answers the door? I started to get cold feet and paused for a moment on the porch. You know, I vaguely remember backing away even. Then I just said, screw it, and knocked on the door. To my delight, I saw a familiar face peak out at me threw the window and smile a smile of recognition. She came to the door and I did my best to explain to her what I was wanting to do. As she went back in to ask her mother, I got my things from the car. I waited on the porch, thinking she would come back out once it was discussed. I have no idea what she said to her mother, but when I finally knocked again, I was welcomed into their home. She had already thrown on a pair of tights and was soon heading to the front yard to shoot. Yay, this thing is happening!

My camera battery is so old and it hates the cold so I was worried that it would die and waste my one chance. Well, it did show low, but we managed to photograph 4 legwarmers and a headband at lightning speed. I was there for just over 30 minutes. I could not have asked for a better outcome. I should also mention, she is a sweetheart and total cutie. Thank you, Jasmine!

Your reward for making it through all of that is to see the cutest picture! I am so in love with this picture right now. She was ok with me posting the pictures on the internet, but decided it was best not to show her face. Leg warmers were easy, but the headband was a little tricky. We came up with an adorable solution. Here ya go!

So now I have kid items in the shop and a few more to come.

handy(wo)man tip

2011-12-07T16:18:00.000-08:00

I just have to share this tip with the world.

A couple months ago, I was searching the internet high and low for the best "clean up" for epoxy. The best answer I got was denatured alcohol. Ok, then I had to research what denatured alcohol is. My understanding is that rubbing alcohol is a denatured alcohol so I gave it a shot. And yes, it works.

So I was using it. I really get into a project and often just use my bare fingers to wipe up (etc) and get it all over myself. Not that this is a good idea, but it's the truth. I wasn't nicknamed messe jesse for nothin'. =)

Anyways, I really don't enjoy dousing myself with alcohol. It's super drying to the skin and smells awful. There's probably even more reasons, but those are my top two. Soooo, I got a brilliant idea and reached for my trusty Dr. Bronners. And what do you know, that stuff does do everything!!! It lathered up all nice and took that nasty epoxy right off my skin. Man, I love Dr Bronners soap.

In short: Dr Bronner's soap cleans up excess epoxy.

photo of the week

2011-12-03T16:10:00.000-08:00

I'm going through photos today and I love this one, but know I won't be able to use it.

Yes, it's me. What's new? =) And yes, this post is completely to show off my cuteness. hehe. I need to share it with someone, right?!

Story time with Spunkidoodle - Dumbo

2011-12-03T01:06:00.000-08:00

Today, well yesterday technically, was my nephew Andrew's Birthday. I hate missing birthdays. Although I'm far away, I have created something special to hopefully create the feeling of being near by. I love you so much, Andrew! Happy Birthday.

Thanksgiving pants

2011-11-25T18:21:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, the wind slowed down long enough for me to do a Christmas photo shoot outside, and the pictures turned out really cute. So today I posted a few items and spiced up my banner. The shop has officially been christmas-fied.

I'm also working on some kid legwarmers and scheming a way to borrow some kid legs. It just doesn't seem right to photograph them not being worn.

Oh, right. Soooo, Thanksgiving pants. Yesterday, I had so many different outfits out on. I like to coordinate my outfit with the item I'm photographing and with only a small portion of my wardrobe here in Tahoe, I have to get pretty creative with the few pieces I have available. Well, in my listings, I suggest wearing them over skinny jeans, although I had never even owned a pair. So on a recent thrifting run, I happened to find a pair that fit me, I guess. You know, back in the day, "skinny jeans" just meant the jeans you wear when you are feeling skinny. Just like fat jeans are the jeans you wear when your feeling bloated or the like. I still haven't worn them for a product shot yet but I feel it's coming. I hadn't planned to really wear them in real life. But for some reason, after taking off my christmasy outfits and slipping into my real outfit for the day, I thought "Hey, why don't I wear my new skinny jeans!". I only got one leg in before sanity kicked back in. WHAT in the world was I thinking! Skinny jeans on Thanksgiving! No sir-ry. I hunted down my biggest, can't keep em up without a belt (though mr belt stayed home) pants and happily skipped off to a humungous dinner at friends.

the end

Wildlife Wednesday

2011-11-23T17:13:00.000-08:00

I've been collecting pictures of the wildlife that live around this area. The very first time I was in this neighborhood, I saw a handful of deer running through the yards and down the street. Over the last few months, I have seen only a couple, however they were right outside the front door. And of course, they like to come out when it's way to dark to be taking pictures. I managed to snap only one.

Can you see him?

How 'bout now?

last chance.

The other fun and quite frequent guests around the house are jack rabbits, quail, and lots and lots of lizards. Up until a couple weeks ago, I could step outside and always see a few lizards hanging out on the warm sidewalk. I'm not sure where they have run off too but somewhere warmer, I bet!

I'm not sure how I ended up with absolutely no pictures of the quail. They were quite abundant and still I hear and see a few now and again. The family of about 15 babies was the cutest.

I do however have quite a few good ones of jack rabbits. For awhile there, I was seeing them everyday.

Check out those ears!

One day, I saw TWO through the front picture window.

buddies

aww, and a baby jack.

And then this is the best shot I've gotten. I had Nick spook him in the back yard while I waited in the front drive way. It totally worked and I got an action shot. (click on these next 2 to see larger versions)

Then he stopped at the end of the drive. What a poser!

Most recently, we were visited by a cotton tail.

This one reminds me of Peter Rabbit.

Oh, and a not so welcome guest.

Can you see what I see?

How about now? eek! Right?!! For those of you who don't recognize it (which I never would have) It's a scorpion.

My favorite wild thing found on a hike near here, was this caterpillar.

Isn't it the most beautiful caterpillar you ever did see?!!

There are also quite a few horses and cows around here too.... although no longer "wild", I guess.

This horsey lives at the end of our street.

And even a few other fun "pets".

Gobble Gobble, my friends!
Gobble Gobble.

Media Monday - firework

2011-11-14T11:14:00.000-08:00

I was driving in the car the other day, on my way to get a 'crash interview' and this song came on. I'm sure most of you have heard it, as had I. But it just really hit me at that moment. It stirred some emotional fire within me.

Maybe it'll do the same for you.
Jessie B.

the Sunday Special - spaghetti squash

2011-11-13T10:51:00.000-08:00

You know, I've had and made Spaghetti Squash before, but something about this one was different. I was so so delicious. Without adding anything. Seriously, nothing but the squash and the oven. It came out sweet and savory. I could have eaten it completely plain jane. But I didn't =)

I sauteed some onion, mushrooms and lots of garlic. Steamed some broccoli. And Nick made homemade meatballs. (You only see 3 here but I actually ate 2 more before even making my plate.) The sauce is actually my favorite store bought brand "Classico". They have lots of different kinds, this one happened to be Tomato Basil.

Oh so gooood!

Saying goodbye

2011-11-11T12:11:00.000-08:00

I had to say goodbye to a friend this week. She is moving to New York for her dream job! I am super excited for her, but of course sad to see her go.

All the best Whitney! You're gonna ROCK New York!!

ps. The food at MacDuff's in South Lake Tahoe is pretty darn good.

photoshoot left overs

2011-11-10T16:45:00.000-08:00

There is always lots of photos to sift through after a photoshoot. Etsy only allows 5 so sometimes it's really hard to decide which 5. These legwarmers haven't even been listed in the shop yet, but I just had to share my favorite photo that didn't make the cut this week.

This was the outfit I wore last weekend at the bizarre. They are so thick and yummy. They are made from a blend of materials, including ALPACA! I have a feeling this pair is going to go fast. I might just keep wearing them until then. haha

Bizarre

2011-11-10T16:10:00.000-08:00

Last Thursday, I stayed up late working on stuff for the bizarre. At some point, I opened the front door to do something and to my surprise, it had snowed. It was so pretty in the starlight that I just had to snap a photo (though didn't do it justice).

And as soon as the sun came up, I was back out there (loading my car up) and it was just as pretty.

I mostly set up on Friday and then Saturday was the bizarre. It looks pretty similar to the last one, though it was inside in a 6x6 space. I was able to borrow the grids again and luckily they fit in my little car. I'm gonna have to get me some of those. They really make a difference in presentation and are fun to play with. I kept shifting things around all day.

I only sold 2 ornaments and a custom made neck warmer. So sales wise, this wasn't a successful show. However, I gained more experience, got some business exposure, and made a couple new friends. I am happy to say that all 3 legwarmers shown in the first picture above (on the bottom rung = camo, beige, and sage) have all since sold through etsy, along with 2 other items this week! Woohoo!

Project Thursday - among the mess

2011-11-03T17:13:00.000-07:00

Yep! Makin' messes again. I'm preparing for a craft fair this weekend near Topaz Lake. Uh yeah, you read that right. Not Tahoe... TOPAZ Lake. I have made a few new legwarmers and a bunch of new pine cone ornaments. Haven't had a chance to photograph them yet, but I'll be sure to take some of my booth. Set up is tomorrow morning and then the fair is on Saturday. Well actually, they are calling it a bizaar. The Topaz Sagehens Holiday Bazaar.

There are supposedly over 20 artists/crafters/vendors that will be there. If you live near by and want to get started on your holiday shopping or just get your hands on some unique handmade goodies, you should come on out.

details: This Saturday, November 5, from 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. at the Topaz Ranch Estates Community Park Building at 4001 Carter Way, Wellington NV 89444. It's at the end of the cul de sac. (I'm being really specific because it took me awhile just to narrow down the exact address. Google had me all over the place.)

I'm starting to get excited! And nervous. I haven't started planning my booth yet and I really need a small Christmas tree. We went to 2 nurseries today and neither had one. eek! I really want a pine tree for my ornaments. It's only fitting.

Media Monday - Halloween Playlist

2011-10-31T11:51:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween everyone! I put together a special playlist of old school, classic, and spooky movie themed music. Set it in the background while you hand out candy and even play "guess what movie or tv series this one came from".

the Sunday Special - organic salad

2011-10-30T13:24:00.000-07:00

I've been eating some pretty yummy salads lately. I made this one today.

It has all my favorite salad fixin's.

SPINACH cabbage BEETS bell pepper GARDEN TOMATOES

hard-boiled egg AVOCADO scallions ALMONDS

All of the ingredients came from the organic nursery except the avocado and almonds. I was going to add some pickled artichokes, but I didn't want to over do it. =) There was so much flavor that I scarffed down half of it before I finally drizzled a bit of dressing on it. The dressing is a mixture of balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, and olive oil. And I like to season it with black pepper. Yum!

Farmer to Mechanic

2011-10-29T20:45:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I went from farmer in the morning to mechanic in the afternoon.

I rolled my window down and when I tried to roll it back up it just stopped halfway. I figured it just came off the track. Now, I'm as much as a mechanic as I am a farmer...actually even less. Well, I've seen a friend of mine take my door panel off to fix this before so I felt comfortable attempting it myself.

I'm really proud of myself for tackling this project. Although, I might be a little more hesitant to roll my window down in the future. =/

bike ride

2011-10-28T08:54:00.000-07:00

I have been making frequent trips to the post office lately (which is a wonderful thing because that means the shop is doing well). This past weekend, I needed to make another run and although it's not terribly far, I didn't want to waste the gas. SO I decided to take a bike ride to the post office which is a 15 mile round trip.

I rode away from the foothills, into the valley.

Along the way, I saw lots of horses and cows. And on the way back, I saw a huge snake in my path (thankfully a car or something had already gotten him), and a few smaller snakes (again thankful...because I was at least on my bike and off the ground) and a poor jack rabbit too.

It was a beautiful day for a bike ride. Still trying to hold on to the sunshine. =)

Well, I'm off to the post office again this morning and then to Hungry Mother for some gardening and yummy produce.

peace!

Produce and Pine Cones

2011-10-21T20:40:00.000-07:00

It's been a busy last couple of days. I worked at the nursery on Wednesday and picked (well, I should say 'dug up') my very first potatoes and beets! So maybe it doesn't sound all that exciting but I thought is was super cool. And not only did we dig up 3 different kinds of potatoes, one of them was PURPLE! Everything's cooler with fun colors. ;)

They are extra purple when they are wet. (top 2: dry. bottom 2: wet)

I made sure to bring my camera this week so you can see the corn stalk bouquets I was referring to last week.

And a few other farm-y things.

Look, we have egg plants on the way.

And I have also been hard at work transforming my painted pine cones into ornaments. Yesterday, I hung some at the Art Center (where I have my paintings) and also brought some to Made in Lake Tahoe (where I have other handmade goodies on consignment). I also worked at MILT yesterday and painted a few while I was sitting there.... and sold my first one. =)

I made all the curly Qs different.

Let's see... oh, and today I dusted off my sewing machine. (No really, I did. Somehow even with a cover it got dusty.) And I put it to work for the first time in months.

I made these cute legwarmers and plan to make more aprons. 3 out of the original 4 have sold.
Alright. back to it.

Wild Hair Wednesday

2011-10-19T12:07:00.000-07:00

After taking out some of the more colorful pieces of string, leaving just a few more fall-ish colors, I then added pieces of patterned fabric.

I found this feather patterned sheet that just screams fall to me. So I decided to rip it into strips and tie a few into my hair.

I left the ends longs on one side. And since I ripped the sheet, it left it frayed...adding to the feathered look.

Just a few here and there.

I also tried out a wider piece for a belt.

Welp, that's it for this week's edition of....WILD HAIR WEDNESDAY! hehe

What is Organic?

2011-10-18T11:57:00.000-07:00

With all this gardening lately, I've started wondering. I hear people talk about ORGANIC and how it's better for me, but what does it mean to be organic? Food wise, that is.

There is lots of information out there (which I myself have not delved into yet). I did however, find this article that does a good job summarizing it, but also gives links to expanded information if you feel inclined to read on.

Sustainable Baby Steps has some answers.

My Booth

2011-10-17T22:50:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, I participated in an outdoor craft fair. We literally set up in the parking lot...see the car parked in the stall next to me?

I picked the spot that led right into the store, Heartstrings. I thought it created a pretty good flow.

A few took the space on the sidewalk/'courtyard' area in front of the store.

Here's my cute table of painted pine cones.

I had a Christmas Side.

And a Fall side.

I had most of them in sets of 6, although I have since started making more individual ones and have turned them into ornaments.

I sold this spunky one to a cool chick from Oregon.

Here are some of the dried flowers I mentioned in my last post. I got the two big ones from the nursery and the rest is actually sage brush from our back yard. And isn't my orange pitcher the coolest! My mama gave that to me for my birthday last month.

And here's the rest of it. The owner was super helpful. Not only did she let me borrow her table and grid panels, but she also helped me set it up.

And here are my best sellers. Since I list these on etsy, I have pictures of most of them. So I printed up my favorite picture of each and made little tags for them. I used diaper pins to fasten them to the legwarmers and keep the pair together. I was so excited to sell my first one of the day, that I forgot to ask for the pin back. =( That was sad and so was that fact that they took home my very favorite pair. Anyone remember which pair is my very favorite? Well, even if you don't remember, you can probably guess. The rainbow striped ones of course! They sold first, then I sold the black sparkly ones, and then the grey/black/red and white pair.

The weather was totally cooperative. There was sunshine and no wind. At exactly the time we started packing up, the slightest little wind started to pick up. Perfect timing. So it turned out to be a pretty decent day.

Project Thursday

2011-10-13T22:43:00.000-07:00

I really got in the Fall spirit today. At the nursery, we bundled corn stalks and dried flowers and then used them to decorate the store front. This girl from Kansas felt a little closer to 'home'. Sorry, I didn't snap a photo. However, I did take a few of the corn tassels and flowers home and will for sure be taking some pictures of them this weekend.

I am doing my first outdoor show this Saturday. It will be outside a little gift shop called Heartstrings located at 1572 Hwy 395 in Minden, Nevada. I am bringing my painted pine cones, upcycled clothing, retro racks, and a few paintings I snagged back from the Art Center yesterday.

I had just brought 2 of the paintings to the center last week, managing to squeeze them in by angling a couple of the big ones. Although a tiny bit of room was made because.... I sold my first painting to a stranger last month! You might recall that that was one of the goals on my 31 before 32 list. I only missed it by 10 days, but it's all the same to me. =)

Tomorrow I'm gathering all my goodies and setting up a mock table so I'll be all ready for the show on Saturday. I'll be there from 9am til 3pm. If you're in the area, come say hi! I'm using the corn stalk tassels and flowers to decorate my booth so you might just get into the Fall spirit too.

the Sunday Special - Carrot Cake

2011-10-09T12:36:00.000-07:00

I'm still juicing away. Mostly carrots. And of course, that means more pulp. The carrot "patties" haven't been perfected yet, but I thought I'd try a carrot cake this time. I had a couple events last weekend that were potluck style and figured that was a good excuse for cake. As always, I used a recipe mostly as a guideline and then just had fun with it.

Here's a link to the recipe I found --> carrot cake.
And below is what I did.

Ingredients

2 eggs
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
plain yogurt - about 1 cup (I had added a pear & a nectarine to it so the fruit went into the recipe too)
2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 1/2 cups of carrot (and a little celery, spinach, and who know what) pulp

1/4 cup butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
yogurt - maybe a couple tablespoons (same kind as above)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 9 inch cake pans.
In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, yogurt, white sugar, and 2 teaspoons vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Gradually mix the 2 bowls together. Stir in carrots. (Using a mixer to add in the carrot pulp was crucial because it was so dense.) Pour half into each prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
While the cake is baking, make the frosting. In a medium bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, yogurt, confectioners' sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. I set it in the frig to set up a bit. I didn't have time to let the cake cool so I stuck one of the pans in the freezer for about 5-10 minutes. I didn't remove it from the pan. I frosted the top of the cake and out the door it went. It was still slightly warm when it arrived at the party.

I took the second cake to another party the next day. That time I cut the cake up into bite size pieces so it was easy to just grab one and go, plus I didn't need to bring any utensils with me.

Check out the plate! It is so fitting. A bunny in a watering can with a bunch of carrots on the ground beside him.

This was actually the very first time that I can remember ever making carrot cake and it turned out delicious! Seriously. There are quite a few people who could vouch for me. =)

Will & Natalie's Wedding

2011-10-07T17:50:00.000-07:00

My friends Will and Natalie got married last weekend on a beautiful Tahoe day. The weather was perfect for an outdoor ceremony.

the handsome groom

the happy bride

friends Izzy and Jeremy

friends John and Natalie

husband and wife =)

The bride with her sister and mom. Don't let her fool you, she is taller than her sister. Reminds me of my trio. My older shorter blond sister and mom.

And there was lots of this going on. As there should be.

Today's pickin's

2011-10-06T00:31:00.000-07:00

I've been volunteering at Hungry Mother nursery for 4 weeks now, today being my 4th time. The weather last night and early this morning was crazy windy and rainy here in the valley, but looking at the mountains right outside the window, there's... well... that white stuff I just don't want to talk about in early October. One things for sure, I'm happy to be 2000 feet lower. Needless to say, it was a little chilly today at the nursery. We worked hard getting all the plants inside. Volunteers came out of the woodwork and made for a very productive few hours.

It's a heck of a deal. You work hard for a few hours in exchange for yummy healthy food.
Here is today's pickin's.

Spinach, apple, cabbage, variety of little tomatoes, peppers, chives, eggs, carrots, onions (purple scallions, I believe), big green tomato, yellow squash, and strawberries.

Wild Hair Wednesday - video

2011-10-05T13:31:00.000-07:00

Howdy! And happy Wild Hair Wednesday everyone.

I decided to do my very first video blog today. Kind of exciting in itself. So yeah, you get to hear my voice and everything. haha. Oh, and I guess I should warn you, in case the title wasn't a big enough clue, this video is all about dreads. If you're into that sort of thing, enjoy!

Fall decor

2011-09-26T18:27:00.000-07:00

I have been hand picking and cleaning and painting .... Pine Cones.

They are such a staple to fall and winter decor. And of course, I just had to add a little spunk to them. :)

For my main color palette, I chose candy corn yellow and orange, red, white, and aqua. I think the red, white and aqua will be perfect for the winter holidays.

I have also painted 1 set in more subtle yellows, oranges, and browns.

This set is available in the shop.

New Painting - What should I call it?

2011-09-19T10:38:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited about this one! Would look great in a modern/retro home, cafe, office, or retail space.

I plan to make a few more in this style so I'm trying to keep that in mind when picking the name, but I'm having trouble coming up with one. What would you call it?

new painting: Thinking About Babies

2011-09-15T16:46:00.000-07:00

I started this painting quite awhile ago, but just finished it this week.

It's called "Thinking About Babies". A subject that seems to spend more and more time occupying my thoughts these days... as I'm sure it does a lot of women.

Pretty sure I'm going to add it to the shop. Plus I finished another painting yesterday that I think is super cool. I'll be sharing it soon.

*update* I did end up adding this painting to the shop. Find it here.

Hungry Mother

2011-09-13T16:56:00.000-07:00

Today, I volunteered at Hungry Mother, an organic nursery. They have a program where you can work a few hours a week in exchange for fresh organic produce. I've been wanting to learn to garden and thought it would be a good idea to get some hands on experience before starting my own...and, of course, score some yummy produce!!

Today was my first time at the nursery, but we got straight to work harvesting the tomato plants and then composting the plants and soil. I worked with 2 other girls doing this, one works there full time and the other has been volunteering for quite awhile it seemed. It was pretty easy to catch on. I definitely got the sampling part down. haha We worked for a little over 3 hours. And then we were shown what we were allowed to take home. Some of it was in a cooler and the rest we just went and picked ourselves.

Here's my loot. All of this is grown at the nursery.

Squash, tomatoes, edible flowers, strawberries, and even eggs!

I figured the flowers would quickly wilt so I had them for lunch. It reminded me of last summer when I ate my first edible flower at summer camp.

Life is beautiful.

another year older

2011-09-12T23:54:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was my birthday, but I mostly celebrated on Saturday. I woke up early to make it to a store-wide 1/2 off sale at a local thrift store. As planned, I arrived at 8:59am (opened at 9) and although I was the 5th or so car there waiting, I was the first one in the door. haha. Unfortunately, they had already sold the yellow striped swivel chair and cute picnic basket I was wanting to get (from this outing). I did however have a nice stack of things that I took home.

After that, I went to an outdoor flea market and picked up this somewhat psychedelic sheet. Wouldn't it make a cute maxi dress?

I was on my way home when I saw a Green Living Festival so I stopped to check it out.

I met some interesting people. Taste tested a dozen different tomatoes (so so yummy. favorite one was called Yellow Pleated Hillbilly). Got an Arnold Palmer (tea and lemonade mix) and headed home.

Well, I have been wanting to stop and take pictures at a bunch of different spots along the road between the house and town. I was alone so I figured this was as good a time as any. However, it was around noon and very sunny out so not the best lighting conditions. I'll have to try it again sometime.

It was time to get home and get cute. I even painted my toes my favorite color for 'late summer, already have a nice tan' .... tangerine.

Then off to the train depot for Toast to the Canyon! It's a steam train ride to the canyon and back, including wine and appetizers on board.

The seat benches and old luggage made the interior very quaint. Even the tickets, were well designed. The staff was fun and encouraged us to climb up into the engine. I even pulled the very very loud whistle.

And on the ride back to the depot, they let us stand outside and feel the droplets from the steam engine. I highly recommend checking this out next summer (as this was the last one for this year).

I was then on the look out for chocolate cake and ice cream. Not as easy as it might sound, but I did finally find some at a little dive diner.

All and all, a pretty darn good day.

Thanks to everyone for the birthday wishes!!

my first vistors

2011-09-09T18:05:00.000-07:00

I had my first visitors today! Seriously, this is the first time anyone has come to visit me since I left Kansas 2 years ago. So of course I was excited. It was so cool to see family and take them around to some of my favorite places. We went to the farmers market and each got a ripe piece a fruit that we ate right there on the spot. Juice running down our chins and all. We then went to the beach and soaked up some sunshine and dipped our toes in the cool Lake Tahoe water. For lunch we ate at Sprouts and everyone seemed very satisfied with all the yummy options. After that we ran across the street to show them the little gallery where some of my paintings are hanging. And to finish off the day, we drove to Emerald Bay (where this picture was taken).

So nice to be with wonderful people. Although we grew up on different sides of the country and only saw each other a few times through the years, I felt super comfortable hanging out with them. Truly family.

Carrot juice & Carrot Burger

2011-09-08T18:10:00.000-07:00

Yes, you read that right. Carrot Burger. I made some carrot juice the other day. Added some celery, a couple kale stems, and part of a tomato. It was de-licious! I sucked that thing down like it was a milk shake.

When I went to clean the pulp out of the juicer, it felt like such a waste to throw it out so I decided to throw it in the skillet. I ate it on a toasted bagel with spinach and bbq sauce. It's wasn't too bad (I ate the whole thing except for a bite I shared with Nick), but next time I'm going to try adding some seasoning and maybe an egg. It sure was pretty though. =)

Shop updates

2011-09-08T16:56:00.000-07:00

I have started adding things to my little etsy shop this week. It's been a few months since I've had anything in there so wanted to let everyone know. As of now, there are 4 original paintings and 5 retro racks. If you want to stay on top of what I am adding to the little shop, you can 'like' my facebook page and it will appear in your news feed. Oh yeah, and you can always find my shop by clicking the spunkidoodle button to the left.

Ima Juicin'

2011-09-03T00:21:00.005-07:00

Yep, I got my juice on.

Do you ever sit back and imagine how your life will look in the future? I do. And have for as long as I can remember. I can't remember when it was, but quite a few years ago, juicing popped into that picture. If you read my blog often, you know that I'm a smoothy nut. Now I might just loose it. :)

Nick found this old beaut at a yard sale while I was away in Kansas. It's an Acme Challenger. I don't know anything about this model, that's just what it says on the front. haha.

Today I got to use it for the first time.

It started off as Pear Strawberry (dark)Grape Juice.

Then I decided to add some celery to round it out a bit. Which topped it off with some greenish foam. (check out the last picture.)

It made quite a mess because the pear mushed up inside instead of coming out as "juice".

After I took it apart I was able to retrieve the pear 'mush' and add it to the drink.

The pulp was so pretty and reminded me of this painting.

Any tips or recipes from fellow juicers?

Moon Boots in the Desert

2011-09-01T17:57:00.008-07:00

free stuff or thrifting?
Well, both of course!

Ok, so I've been a craigslist user for quite a few years now, but hadn't taken advantage of the free section until this week. I found a listing that stated there was going to be a whole house free of stuff (tenants moved out and left basically everything behind). The free-for-all was to take place from 8-9am, so yesterday morning we got up early and arrived 30 minutes before we were suppose to be there. We were actually 2nd to arrive. By 5 mins til 8, 20 other people had arrived. Finally the guys in charge showed up, but told us that we'd have to wait 15 mins while they took pictures of everything. We were all waiting like hungry vultures. I was envisioning this getting ugly. Are people going to fight over things? Finally we were allowed in. Nick and I strategically went straight for the couch. Yay, there's a couch! And it's not too bad. Does it smell? No, it's good. Pick it up, lets go. So the two of us picked of the couch and headed out the door. It didn't fit out the first 2 doors we tried so we had to go around back out the sliding glass door... wasting a lot of precious time we could have used to pick out a few other prime items. But we got a free couch! We drove it home on the roof of the Subaru Outback.

Oh yeah... so we did make it back inside the 'free-for-all' to snag a couple things. Nothing big. There seriously wasn't much left after about 15 mins. On the way out the door I found these rainbow boots. Too bad they are too big for me. We're guessing men's size 10.

Yep, rainbow moon boots in the desert.

And then today, we found the 2 thrift stores in our nearest town. And they had lots of good stuff. Here's a pile I really wanted to take home, however the prices were 2-3 times more than I am use to paying. So I just walked away.

And found more fun stuff.

I might just have to go back and see if this vintage yellow chair and cute picnic basket are still there on a sale day. I can just image a colorful liner waiting to brighten up your day as you reach in for your lunch.

ok. ok. I did walk away with 2 things I found at the 2nd thrift store. An aqua pyrex (in need of a special lid) and an olive cake-saver tupperware. I have wanted a vintage cake saver for years. I love that it's olive. It suits me perfect. =)

fun fact. I also considered calling this post... Thrift & Boots.

farmers markets

2011-08-24T13:44:00.008-07:00

I was happy to discover 2 local farmers markets near our new home, and I made sure to check both of them out this week.

Tuesday, the market was held on a cool old-timey street that had an antique store packed with goodies and an art gallery next door. There were even live musicians creating a fun atmosphere while you browsed the fabulous local produce. I picked up some beans (they're fuzzy like peaches), a lemon cucumber, a couple peaches, and a variety of tomatoes.

Yesterday's market was set in a park and had a larger variety of both produce and vendors. I sampled an apricot (though I forget what kind), some yummy homemade bread, honey butter, and raspberry preserves. We walked away with a cross-bred melon that smelled soooo good and an expensive yet beautiful mini peach pie. Of course, we picked up a carton of vanilla ice cream on the way home.

purple peppers

I can't wait to try it all!

Ace's baseball game

2011-08-22T20:57:00.004-07:00

Our friends had extra tickets to the Ace's baseball game so we drove to Reno yesterday for some sporty fun. The seats were incredible. We were sitting just 3 rows back right behind the Ace's dugout.

We partook in concession food. I got tacos and Nick tried the Reno dog which was like a hotdog taco.

It was a hot sunny day, but very enjoyable thanks to sunscreen and seat-backs.
Oh yeah, and they won :)

he closed

2011-08-13T11:03:00.005-07:00

Nick finally closed on the house this week. He is officially a home owner. Pretty exciting, yet quite unceremonial. He received a text message telling him he closed and that the key was left under a rock. haha. So we ran down there with our first load from storage and he got to unlock his door for the first time.

Welcome HOME :)

view looking west from the driveway

view looking south

Ah, it's good to be back

2011-08-11T09:57:00.005-07:00

We made it back to Tahoe on Monday morning and wasted no time getting out and enjoying the weather. We went to the beach in the afternoon.

Isn't this the cutest umbrella?! I see one in my future :)

And then for dinner we tried a new place called Freshies. We have heard good things about it, but it was the roof-top seating that drew us in. I was tickled to find this little guy as we waited to be seated.

There was a beautiful view of the lake from our table.

Tuesday night we jumped on our bikes and rode to the outdoor amphitheater where Phish was performing. We weren't able to get tickets, but ended up not needing them. We went exploring, checking out the sound from all sides, and then parked the bikes beside a wall we climbed up on to enjoy the show.

Yesterday, I worked at the Art Center Gallery and attended our monthly meeting. Every month after the meeting, there is an artist who speaks and often does a demonstration. Last night, Erik Holland demonstrated his painting process while sharing some fun little tidbits. He was 30 years old painting on the sidewalks of San Francisco when he sold his first painting to a passerby...who just so happened to be Rosemary Clooney. Ok, so I didn't know who she was either so I looked her up. enjoy :)

Tuesday Travels - Kansas to Tahoe

2011-08-09T11:05:00.004-07:00

Got to see many friends and family on my trip back to Kansas this year. I hadn't seen these girls in ages. Seriously, I hadn't seen Liz in 10 years!

me, Tamara, and Liz

my goddaughter Brittney is now 13!

She is even taller than her mom now.

We enjoyed some pool time to cool off from the 100+ temperatures. (It got up to 111 one day.)

And they introduced me to Margarita iceys. So good on a hot day

Oh, yeah. We also enjoyed an adult night out. We indulged in swirls at On the Border. Those girls put me to shame. haha. Then we went to a late movie and saw "Bridesmaids". Yay for girls night!

I went to a cousin's wedding in Wichita and saw my closest living relative (I'm talking proximity here). She lives near Yosemite National Park, but we meet up in the midwest. Go figure. It was great to see her and we managed to stay out of trouble. ;)

Janna and I

I then spent a week in Kansas City. The highlights were having dinner with my aunt and cousin, learning a few things about my car (tip: if your check engine light comes on, go to an auto parts store and borrow the code reader to find out why. it's free! then do a little research online.), and a trip to Hobby Lobby for a few necessities and some inspiration. If only they'd build one near Tahoe.

From Kansas City, I drove to Sabetha, KS for a family reunion. I had been really missing my grandparents for the last few months and was so happy to get to visit with them.

There was food galore as always. I even snagged a couple recipes to try!

The reunion was actually held at my grandparents assisted living facility. Dude! They have shuffle board.

And a paddle boat.

Everyone who came this year.

My more immediate family.

Saturday night around 9pm, Nick and I hit the road. We decided to head north to Lincoln, Nebraska and catch i80. There was an awesome lightning storm that kept him entertained while I drove the first leg of the trip. We both got sleepy about the same time, but he tried to drive. He drove an hour then pulled over for an hour. Then repeated the sequence again. After the second time, I was ready to drive again.

Around 8:30am we made it to Cheyenne, Wyoming and stopped at a diner for breakfast.

We stopped at this little tourist trap for a 50 cent ice cream cone.

We saw so many trains on this trip. This was my favorite, taken in Utah.

We arrived in Reno around 1am yesterday morning. Slept in the car for a couple hours and then drove the last 1hour and an half to South Lake Tahoe. So happy to be back.

photo shoot of Walter

2011-08-03T11:12:00.000-07:00

I am now in Kansas City, but for the past few weeks I was staying with friends in Wichita, Kansas. Their cutie pie of a son turned 8 months old and needed some pictures taken to document that cuteness!

First we took some at a local baseball game.

with daddy

and sissy

with mommy

the whole family

and even with me!

Then around their yard.

And these last one's were taken at a local park fountain. Boy did I get drenched! Thank goodness for waterproof cameras. :)

Wild Hair Wednesday - braid

2011-07-27T08:58:00.001-07:00

Ok, this isn't too wild, but in the tradition of sharing my hair styles, here's a single side braid.

I started the braid with my front left dread and used the next 2 to the right of it, braiding it to the right. Once those 3 started getting short, I grabbed 3 more (like you do when you are french braiding) and continued braiding. It sweeps up and over to the one side.

Pretty sweet and simple.

What should I try next?

Media Monday - the Weepies

2011-07-25T07:44:00.000-07:00

The Weepies are a new discovery for me. One of their albums is called 'Happiness' and that about sums it up for me. Happiness.

the Sunday Special - Orange Leaf

2011-07-24T11:12:00.006-07:00

Our final destination on photo shoot day was Orange Leaf. My friend and photographer, Travis, suggested it for it's bright colors. I had never even heard of it before. Glad he suggested it. It was yummy! And fun!

The best part was sampling the flavors.

Here's how it works. It's self serve yogurt. You pick the size container. I chose the smallest empty bowl, but there are different flavored waffle pieces, cookies, and brownies to choose from. Then you can pick and choose as many of the flavored yogurts as you want.

Some favorites included chocolate/peanut butter (swirled), coffee lovers, red velvet, and coconut.

Top it off with anything from bobas, fruit, candy, nuts, etc.

Your dish then gets weighed in (I believe it is 39 cents an ounce). Mine came out to be about $3.50

Ahh, I want some right now!

My 1st sewn dress

2011-07-20T21:34:00.009-07:00

I did it! I did it! I made my first dress, ever! And it's also the very first thing I've made from a pattern. Thank you so much Joy for holding my hand through it. I can't wait to show it to you in person. Hope this will suffice until then.

It was much more work than I thought it'd be, but it can only get easier from here. Right? :/

Eek! I love it sooo much! I made it from vintage sheets. Could you tell?

I ended up taking it to Kansas in 2 pieces...well 3 if you count the zipper, because I couldn't remember what Joy instructed me to do. I wanted to finish it before I left Tahoe, but hey, there are sewing machines in Kansas. :) And hey, I was heading to see my mamma anyways. I used her machine to attach the top to the bottom, but couldn't get the tension (I believe that was the culprit) quite right when sewing on the zipper. The stitches were all loopy. I tore it out at least 3 times before calling it quits with her machine. Back in Wichita, I stayed with my dad and step mom for awhile and used my step mom's machine to attach the zipper. The machine had never been used before so I got to break it in. =) And it worked great! Thanks Mom and Jean for letting me use your machines.

And thanks, Travis for taking all the pictures!

As you can see, we took pictures at a lot of different places. Well, one of the places we ate something yummy so it's going to be the Sunday Special this week.

dress - sneak peek

2011-07-18T21:04:00.003-07:00

My good friend Travis went out on the town with his humungous camera and now I'm swimming through all the pictures of me in my new dress. We went to a bunch of different places so it's going to be hard to narrow down 'the best ones'.

In our drive from one side of town to the other, we detoured and ended up finding this beauty in a not so good part of town. We jumped out of the car and quickly took a few shots before we felt the need to jump back in the car and go. Although this photo is overexposed, I really love it!

And of course, it makes a perfect sneak peek. =)

Media Monday - Givers

2011-07-11T08:47:00.002-07:00

I'm not sure who mentioned this band, but thank you. I'm enjoying their up beat tunes.
Happy Monday, yall.

jessie b

the Givers

Cruisin

2011-07-11T06:31:00.001-07:00

Got up early and went for another bike ride with my sister yesterday. Good thing we got out there when we did because it got up to 111 degrees. yikes!

Yeah so I stayed indoors for the majority of the day and worked. And guess what?!! I finished my dress!! Yes, yes I did. So freaking excited to be done. It fit's perfect. Now I must schedule a photoshoot. =D

the Sunday Special - Chocolate Zucchini Cake

2011-07-10T08:02:00.003-07:00

I was staying with my dad and step mom this week and their neighbor gave them this huge zucchini. They are not big fans of zucchini and were stumped at what to make with it. Leave it to me to google recipes. I read off the different options and we decided on Chocolate Zucchini Cake.

he was a big sucker (we only used a small portion of him)

So while my dad was at work, my step mom and I baked this yummy cake. We followed the recipe (linked above) pretty closely, but we didn't glaze it. I had a piece while it was still hot and the chips melty with a cold glass of milk. yum!

look at that zucchini!

the batter was delicious!

Pretty sure this was my first time baking a cake from scratch and my first time ever making a bundt cake! hmmm, I think I can add this too my 'healthy' recipes. right? =D hehe

more Retro Racks - these ones are available

2011-07-07T20:17:00.000-07:00

I am thrilled to have received such an enthusiastic response to my retro racks. A few of you asked if certain ones were still available so I figured I better share photos of the ones that are. The racks shown in this post are still available. The racks in the previous post are on consignment at a shop in South Lake Tahoe, CA. A few of you had your eyes on a certain one... Well, there is always a chance it may not sell so if you really want that specific one, let me know. Otherwise, check out these beauties that are still up for grabs. And maybe you'll find one you even like better. ;)

Again, I ended up with a few racks without a cute picture. I guess they were absent on photoshoot day. :) All four of the ones below are available. 2 were already shown above and the other 2 are the red/white/brown on yellow (far left) and the brown/green/red on white (far right). Sorry for such a yucky picture, but hopefully you get the idea.

Another view showing those 2.

And this brown/green/black one on beige board (I'm pretty sure I'm holding it upside down) is also available. You can also see the red/white/brown one and sort of see the brown/green/red one .

Similar, but the brown/green/black one is on the chair in front.

From the top down:
green/black/silver on white
3 silver on yellow
silver/cream/silver on aqua
green/orange/yellow/brown on white
3 silver on aqua
cream/brown/green/black on yellow
cream/black/green on yellow
beige/brown/red on white
green/brown/aqua on white
red/white/brown on yellow
brown/green/red on white
brown/green/black one on beige

I'm asking $30 a piece for them. If you'd like one, leave a comment or msg me on fb.

jessie b

Bike ride with my sis

2011-07-06T18:40:00.005-07:00

It has been ages since my sister and I went on a bike ride together. She got her first cruiser this spring. It's pink! of course :)

The weather was exceptionally nice today with a little breeze this evening so we rode around the neighborhood. It sure is convenient staying 2 doors down at my dads :)

Swimming with the girlies

2011-07-03T09:16:00.006-07:00

I went swimming with the girlies yesterday. Oh well, the girlies and Walter. =)

Isn't he the cutest!

with big sis

Amy with her girls

Hope you're staying cool.

Frolic in the Flowers

2011-06-30T08:47:00.003-07:00

That's the title of a painting I've been working on lately. I shared pictures of it a couple months ago, in an early state. I have since then added an element.

I haven't decided if it's 'finished' or not. What do you think?

Tuesday Travels - Western Kansas

2011-06-28T13:36:00.009-07:00

I took the bus out to western Kansas this past weekend to visit my mamma and pick up my car. We had a fun time of garage saling, thrift shopping, getting their adorable pomeranian groomed, surviving an 'almost' breakdown (car not mental) in the 100 degree weather, sewing, and early morning tea time on the patio.

check out their awesome water tower.

Her fun kitchen. I found her the yellow vintage table set a few years ago.

the ducky themed bathroom

yummy fruit cups

Ok, it's pretty unlike me to post pictures or content about dogs. I've never been a big fan. But my mom's dog is super cute.

My mom and Moya on the way to get her groomed. She was a little freaked out.

Look at her cute little foxy face. I think that's one reason I like her so much. I love foxes. She's also tiny which I like and for a little dog, she has a sweet cuddly personality and minimal barking.

A pep talk before she gets handed over for a new do.

The after shots.

Mom also showed me the shop she has some of her things in on consignment.

Lamar, Colorado.

On the drive back, I saw one of these...

and lots of these...

(and smelled lots of these.)

Welcome to western Kansas. haha :)

I am now back in the city and making progress on finding new renters. Wish me luck!

Snowboarding Video....starring me!

2011-06-23T11:14:00.000-07:00

Making a Snowboarding Video has been on my to-do list for quite some time now...originally on my 30 before 31 list and then carried over to my 31 before 32 list.

Well, I finally figured out how to edit video. Quite amateurly done but I'm still proud I was able to figure it out.

Hope you enjoy!

And for all of you lucky people out there enjoying those hot days, maybe this will cool you off.

Tuesday Travels - turns Wednesday Travels.

2011-06-19T19:54:00.006-07:00

Yep, flying to Wichita, Kansas today from Reno, Nevada. I was suppose to leave yesterday but my flight got canceled. Twice. And the second time they auto-rebooked me to fly out of Chicago instead of Reno. hmmm. That wasn't going to work.

But that's all been straightened out and I'm heading to Kansas today. I'm excited to see everyone. Swim in some warm water lakes. Eat a whole lot of watermelon. Ride my cruiser with my sister (who just got a cruiser of her own) who I haven't ridden bikes with since we were little kids. Get my tan on. Maybe sweat off a few pounds. haha

I'll be touching down tonight around 7:30. Then I'll be giving out free hugs and kisses, folks, so come and get 'em!!

ps. I finally finished my snowboarding video. Woohoo! I started to upload it today, but it's going to take way too many hours to finish here so I'll have to post it tomorrow.

Retro Racks and Aprons

2011-06-18T13:20:00.024-07:00

Yesterday, I brought some of my handmade goodies to a local shop called Made in Lake Tahoe. I'm sure I probably mentioned a long time ago, that I made a bunch of retro racks (as I call them), but I don't think I ever shared any pictures of them. Well, today's the day. And I'm also sharing the aprons I made recently.

I got the idea for the Retro Racks a few years back while browsing the kitchen wear section at one of my local thrift stores. I saw these poor forgotten pot lids, orphaned and alone without their mamma pots. I saw such beauty in their fun retro colors, worn tarnished metals, and ornate knobs. So I rescued them. And found them some friends to play with. I created a fun place for them to hang out and show off their beauty. Now, it's time for them to get noticed.

These 9, plus the black/white/silver on aqua board, 3 silver with colored knobs black/blue/red on white board, and the copper/silver/copper on brown board, were chosen first to be offered in the store. (for some reason or another, I don't have 'cute' pictures of the 3 previously mentioned, but here they are before being dropped off yesterday.)

When I was planning the photoshoot for the racks, I knew I needed to find them some pretty duds to wear. I had little time and no sewing machine handy. So I went thrifting. I picked up some tank tops and skirts and even pillow cases. I cut them up and just safety pinned them together. They were a nice splash of extra color... never can have too much! Although, I chose aprons, they also look gorgeous in flowing scarves, fancy hats, and jewelry... ooww and lingerie .

A few weeks ago, I decided to finish the aprons. So happy with how they turned out!

the end :)

Secret Beach

2011-06-14T21:24:00.005-07:00

I had a great weekend of being in the sunshine. Saturday, Nick and I went on a six hour bike ride. I had only rode my bike 2 times so far this year and was a bit sore, but what a wonderful time in the 65 degree weather. We stopped and had little snacks along the way.

Sunday, we went to the beach with some friends. Lake Tahoe is really high right now with all the recent snow melt so it's pretty chilly... but the water is also very clear and beautiful.

I dipped my toes in, while others were brave enough to actually get in

all the way in!

I think Nick had the right idea with wearing his wet suit.

Splash!

My girlfriend actually got in and swam around for like 10 or 15 minutes.

The gang.

Not being use to the sunshine, I was out riding my bike in a t-shirt (the first time to be out without a jacket this year) without sunscreen. I got a pretty good sunburn on my arms so I made sure to cover up the next day. Oh well yeah, my legs needed some sunshine. ;)

Bringing Art To Schools - pics galore

2011-06-13T08:32:00.001-07:00

A wrap up in pictures including 1st through 4th graders painting, having fun, and bringing us all a little creative inspiration.

Those little faces with colorful hair make me happy. She mixed all the different colors herself.

Adding some clouds to his cat in red shorts painting

I find it interesting to look around the room and notice that some are standing and some are sitting. One just feels more natural and eventually everyone is in their zone.

dancing on the water

purple unicorn

Love how the younger kids are so much more free flowing.

cutie pie

The little girl in the bottom right hand corner, painted this awesome flying cat!

jellyfish

Hmmm, what else does it need? (Can you see the influence of my octopus painting? =D)

blue elephant playing baseball

cute cow

blue cat doing a handstand

I thought she was drawing the golden gate bridge, but no, its a roller coaster. duh!

sitting, standing, in-between, and even kneeling

dog riding a bike with a dragon in a pool with Hogwarts in the background

red dragon

cute little dog house...reminds me of Snoopy's place

This one has a very mature color pallet, and he mixed all the colors himself right on the painting.

pink palm tree

shhh. Don't tell, but this is one of my favorites! Okay so you might not be able to tell what it is, but this little girl spent the entire time mixing and getting her brown just right. And i think it's absolutely perfect! I love the color combo and simplified lines/shape. Oh, yeah... it's a horse. Now you see it :)

birdy

mermaids and a city scape

flowers. See her sketch beside her?

happy painters

Oh yes, they were some happy painters.

Fun tidbit: When I was out riding my bike this weekend, I saw a little girl waving. Nick was on his bike in front of me and he waved back at her. As I approached her, I waved too and she said, "Hey, you're my art teacher!" SO CUTE!

Last day of 'Paint What You Love'

2011-06-10T20:47:00.005-07:00

Today, was my last (and 13th) class of 'Paint What You Love'.

gummyland

a haunted house

my fave

I stopped by all 3 of the schools to pick up paintings that the students are donating to the county courthouse. It was fun popping in unannounced and getting bombarded with hugs before I even made it inside the building.

Some cute thank you's I received from a couple students.

And one class gave me a dark chocolate candy bar. How'd they know? =)

I have lots more cute pictures of kiddos painting...coming up.

Tuesday Travels - PLANS

2011-06-07T09:51:00.007-07:00

Last week, I received an email from my renters in Kansas telling me that they want out of their lease early because he received a promotion that requires moving out of state (by August 1st). Although I am happy for their family, I am bummed out about loosing them. I was not planning to come back to Kansas this summer. Here in Tahoe, winter is just now starting to come to an end. We even woke up to 4 inches of fresh snow yesterday and I literally shoveled off the car.

(waking up in a winter wonderland. then it got up to the 50's and was beautiful out)

It was 100 degrees in Kansas yesterday. Drastic change. I was really hoping to enjoy summer in Tahoe for once. Last year, (as you might remember) I left Tahoe at the end of June. Camp is only a couple hours away and it was absolutely beautiful for the month of July that I was there. By August 1st, I was in Kansas (it was 107 when I touched down) and ended up staying til November. I have been looking forward to a beautiful Tahoe Summer of 80 degree weather, but looks like I'm headed back to Kansas to sweat it out until I find new renters.

This is my official announcement to everyone. I have not yet bought my one-way ticket or made any arrangements. I plan to fly into Wichita around the 21st, then go get my car in Syracuse. (If you are itchin' for a short road trip to Western Kansas, we are a match made in heaven :p Backup plan....there's always the bus.) As far as a place to stay in Wichita, I'm looking to possibly make a trade. Maybe some babysitting, cleaning, home repairs/redecorating, errand running etc for room and maybe some board. If you are interested in some company and extra help around the house, let me know.

I AM looking forward to seeing my family and friends! Hugs from Tahoe coming to you live real soon. :)

the Sunday Special - Basque

2011-06-05T14:44:00.003-07:00

Last weekend, I tried a new kind of dining.

The Basque Restaurant Experience

First: Stop at the bar and order a 'Picon'. I'm told it's the traditional Basque drink. "It's like ordering a Margarita at a mexican restaurant." according to the bar tender and my friends.

Second: Be seated at a table that already has an open bottle of red table wine and water. A large tureen of Soup arrives immediately along with bread and butter. Start chowing down.

Third: You will find no menus on the tables. A waiter stops by to get your entree order. The entrees offered to us were Top Sirloin Steak, Lamb Shoulder Steak, Lamb Chops, Basque Chicken, Sweetbreads, and Pigs Feet with Tripe. I was already starting to feel satisfied from the soup and bread so taking a risk and ordering something I might not like was easy. =) Go outside your comfort zone and try something new. That's what life is all about anyways right?

Fourth: Next comes the salad. Very simple. Just lettuce and dressing. Did I mention this is all served Family Style? The sides that are served are the same for everyone.

Fifth: Here comes the beans and stew. Oh, Yum! That stew was the best part of the meal. More please. Oh, did I also mention... all the sides are 'all you can eat'!

Sixth: The last side is a huge plate of skinny seasoned french fries. Pass 'er around.

Seventh: The main course arrives. Oh yeah, I got the Sweetbreads. =D There are a number of different 'parts' given the same name sweetbreads and come from either a calf or lamb. According to our waiter, mine were made from the thymus gland of a calf. I was so full from all the other courses that I hardly had room for the entree.

Eighth: Dessert Time! Umm, you probably won't have any room in your bellies at this point, but suck it up, unbutton it, or whatever else you've got to do, and have some. We had a choice on this round. Coffee and either Vanilla or Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream. Uh, duh! Mint chocolate chip please.

Ninth: Get your leftover entrees to go. (not 'allowed' to take home the sides)

Tenth: Stop by the bar on the way out, order another Picon (if you can manage it) and stick a dollar to the ceiling. We each stuck a dollar (well, you actually toss it up and hope the tack sticks) after writing a message on it. The helpful bartender folded the bills in just the right way so that our messages would be legible to others...forever.

my friends favorite word

receiving instruction

I told you, it was an EXPERIENCE.

The experience continued for a few days after with Sweetbread breakfast burritos and Sweetbread lasagna. haha.

Snowshoeing and Splitboarding

2011-05-31T19:24:00.000-07:00

We received some fresh snow cover this past weekend. Yes, you read that correctly. New snow over Memorial Weekend. With all the food I had consumed, I was ready to get out and get some exercise. I had never snowshoed or splitboarded before so I suggested a hike. We grabbed our gear and headed to the resort (no longer running/open, but still an accessible mountain great for these activities...and snowboarding).

I started snowshoeing first. It was a little awkward because I had to step with my legs farther apart so I wouldn't knock the shoes together each time. It didn't feel very natural, but was definitely easier to walk up the mountain with them then without them.

Then we switched, I tried skinning up on the splitboard. A splitboard looks like skies that you can put skins on and climb/hike up in. Then when you get to the top, you reconfigure it into what looks and functions like a snowboard. It was pretty fun climbing in them. I only slid a couple times on some really steep parts, but powered through them and got to the top.

Here we are at the summit.

It was really foggy out so it's hard to make out the valley below, but we still appreciated 'the view'. While we were getting everything ready to come down, it got really cold all of a sudden and started snowing.

Nick used the splitboard coming down and I used my snowboard that he was so considerate to carry up for me.

I was a little sore the next day, but not bad. It felt good to burn some calories from all the holiday eatin' :) psst... more on that during the next 'Sunday Special' post

Media Monday - Nicola Conte

2011-05-30T06:36:00.003-07:00

I recently discovered Nicola Conte, an "Italian DJ, producer, guitarist, and bandleader, known initially for introducing an innovative style of acid jazz that incorporates bossa nova themes, melodies drawn from Italian film scores of the 1960s, easy listening themes, and ethnic Indian music." (quoted from Wikipedia).

In my words, it's a nice relaxing yet upbeat listen while easing into your Sunday morning. I know it's Monday, but it feels like a Sunday. :)

Happy Memorial Day!

jess