Spring Photography Classes

My sister Tonya has a gift. She's an amazing photographer and captures not just people in her pictures, but manages to tell a story with out saying a word. I'm completely biased of course but I feel wholly confident saying she's the best photographer in the world. There, I said it.

She's coming to visit me in March and is having a photography class while she's here. Not only is Tonya a good photographer, she's a great teacher. She is hosting a beginning photography class on March 12 that will teach you the basics plus a few tips on how to get better.

The cost includes lunch and good treats of course Tonya's expert instruction. Click {here} for more information about it.

If you're thinking this class doesn't apply to you or your not a photographer, think again. It takes more than owning a camera to be a photographer. Just because I own a set of kitchen knives doesn't make me a chef right? But I still enjoy cooking. Learning how to use your camera will give you the opportunity to take better pictures. Even if it never develops into a career for you, you will still be able to use it for your personal gain.

Even if you don't have the greatest camera, come and spend a day with friends and learn the other basics to photography. There is more than taking pictures and Tonya's class can help you learn how to capture the most important moments in your life.

Valentines Day 2011 | I {heart} Decorations

In general, I think Valentine's Day is about the most useless holiday. A whole day to show the people you love how much you care about them? Lame. You should be doing that every day. My approach to Valentine's day is have low expectations and you won't be disappointed. I'm happy to report that my day was hardly disappointing again this year.

Regardless about my feelings, having a child is oodles of fun for Valentines day and Bridget and I have had tons of fun making Valentines for her to take to her class and to decorate the house. This year since I have found Pinterest, I've been so inspired to create things in my home and for my family. Although I just got my decorations up this weekend, I still did it before the dreaded day, so I'm good.

I tweaked my back last week when our car slid off the road so I've been laid up the last week. Last Friday night James took Bridget to the Utah gymnastics meet and gave me five blissful hours to myself. Sigh. I watched "Pride and Prejudice" and crafted the whole time. Sigh.

So what did I do with  my time? I made sewn heart "curtains" after I saw them on Ashley's blog (She is fab by the way, she has great projects and gives great advice). I cut out thousands of hearts from an old book in all sizes and then sewed them together. Labor intensive, a little. Fingers cramping by the end, you bet. Worth it? Oh yeah.

 

Isn't it pretty? I love looking at it, especially when the heat comes on and it makes them sway. In addition to the book hearts I also cut out some pink hearts from card stock and threw those in there too.  

I LOVE sewing paper like this! I did it for Bridget's birthday part and I love the effect. It's really easy and goes pretty fast too. 

While we were hanging these up, I realized how filthy our windows are. Luckily it was warm outside that day! Look what a good helper James is out there cleaning them for me.

 I just love the sun hitting these hearts. They are so pretty!

These hearts are in my kitchen window.

In addition to my hearts in the window, I also made a new wreath. I found this tutorial on Pinterest for a similar wreath. I had an old heart shaped wreath that was looking a little scary so I ripped everything off it and filled it with felt rosettes. It took some time but the end result is lovely I think.

 I am so digging my awesome door knocker! 

Another crafty project I tackled that night was a heart chandelier. It didn't turn out quite as I expected but I love the hearts. Next year I'm going to tie them together and use them as garland. 

I started out cutting three identical hearts from a folded piece of paper (they were easier to glue together when they matched up). I used a hot glue gun glue them together, right before the last glue and glued in the string.

 

My pile of lovely heart dangles and Mr. Darcy. Yum.

Here is what they looked like before I hung them up.

Here they are after I cut them.

 

This is the string I used. I picked it up from Hobby Lobby. Good stuff.

Valentines Day 2011 | Bridget's school Valentines

Your baby's first school Valentine's party doesn't happen only but once and I knew I had to make it pop! I found this idea on Pinterest and knew it was perfect!

This was really easy and very fun to do. I took a cute picture of Bridget and then in Photoshop added the hearts and the words. To slip in the sucker, you take a razor blade and cut two small slits at the top and bottom of her hands. 

 

Her Valentine's couldn't be delivered in just anything, so I used an Anthropology bag my friend Heather had left and glued some cute felt hearts on it. I love this bag!

What a cute bag of Valentine's!

An experiment

I saw a stunning picture of Heath Ledger the other day and it inspired me. He's good looking, no doubt but this picture really spoke to me. In my quest to improve my photography skills, I decided to  try my hand at taking a photo I knew was going to be in black and white. I was quite pleased with the results. James helped me out with my picture (because I can't be in two places at once, shocking, I know) and I'm proud of his skills.

So this is my family. I'm not normally a huge fan of black and white photography, mostly because I think my child is so stunning in color. But when I look at Bridget and how elegant she looks, I think maybe I judged too quickly. I love James's picture, he's so handsome. 

Utah Gymnastics

James loves going to see the Utah Gymnastics team. His family has been doing it for more than 15 years! Bridget had a great time at the home meet on January 7, 2011. The Utes defeated #1 ranked U.C.L.A. narrowly, but a win is a win! Bridget hasn't figured out that we're there to watch gymnastics but she had a great time playing with Mark and Makensie.

Before the meet started, Bridget, Makensie and I went out to make posters, get a "U" painted on the girls faces and see Swoop. Bridget wasn't too excited to see Swoop, he still scares her a bit. But it was a great night and we had lots of fun. 

 

We had such a fun time with Grandma and Grandpa and the Gomez family. The rest of the season should be great fun! Go Utes!

Welcome 2011

At the start of a new year, I often find myself reflecting back on what the last year has held for me and my family. I will admit now, looking back on the last 12 months, it wasn't as good as it could have been but it could have been much worse. I think I have the winter blah's or something because I'm having a hard time getting excited about the new year and all the possibility it holds.

But enough with the blah's, 2010 had some great moments that we can't forget and all in all we laughed more than we cried last year and that's really all we can ask for, right? 

Some highlights of 2010:
* Trip to Newport Beach for 10 days with my family in November and being able to see Maren and her cute kids.
* Cooking my first full Thanksgiving meal for James's family.
* Visiting Tonya and Alex in Roswell in April and then seeing them again in September in Albuquerque.
* Bridget starting preschool.
* Being honored for my writing with the Valley Journals for the second year in a row.
* Being able to go to two University of Utah football games in Albuquerque and San Diego.
* Spending the 4th of July with my family in Dutch John and watching fireworks snuggled up with James and Bridget in the back of my dad's truck.
* Crafty projects with Bridget.
* Becoming a primary teacher.
* Getting our front yard looking good for the first time since we've lived in our house. Realizing that the hours spent weeding, digging and what ever else actually paid off.
* Being surrounded by family and friends who love us and would do anything to help us out.
* Becoming involved with the Utah County Blizzard hockey team. These boys are going places, mark my words.
* Celebrating my 35th birthday and my 7th anniversary. My 30's have been great, I don't miss my 20's at all.
* Endless scheming with my sister.
* Having the opportunity to take pictures with some amazing ladies in my life.
* Throwing Bridget her first birthday party with friends.

I won't launch into the bad things that happened last year because there are a few that I'd rather not relive again. 2010 is in the past and its time to move on.

This year we hope to make some changes to our family through the amazing foster care program. We've been directed that this is the way our family will grow and we are so excited to be going through this process. If you've been a part of it, thank you for your help! We couldn't have done it with out great friends and family.

We're also looking forward to James graduating in May from Salt Lake Community College. This has been a long time coming and Bridget and I are so proud of James for finishing his degree and surveying certificate. We're keeping our fingers crossed that he gets a job soon so we can get back to our fabulous life so please keep us in your prayers.

There is so much we have to be grateful for and although we're struggling right now, we know that the tough times yield the sweetest results and we have to persevere. Here's to hoping 2011 is the best year for our family yet!

Happy New Year!

I can't say I'm especially sorry to see 2010 go, it was a long, hard year filled with a lot of disappointment and heartbreak. But, 2011 is already looking up and James and I are on are way to having a great year. As you well know, Bridget is the absolute light of my life and there's nothing I like more than bragging about her. Shocker, huh? I also love digital scrapbooking. My love for these two things goes great together and Bridget is usually the subject of my pages.

Today was spent cleaning up Christmas (depressing and soothing at the same time), battling a cold (disgusting) and scrap booking (sigh). I haven't scrapped for a long time and it felt good to give it a try again. I find the best way to get motivated is to copy someone else's design! The idea for this design came from Janelle at the Shabby Shoppe Blog. (Who the Hell is Nick? Sorry, only my sister is going to get this joke but I couldn't help it!)



I need the inspiration and find it challenging to try to recreate their layout with my style. Some times it works, sometimes not so much. This time I'm really please with the results!

I had a great time coming up with words to describe Bridget from the letters in her name. Some letters were tough (I'm talking to you letter 'e') but it was a good time. I think I might do it for James too!