Pasta and Garlic Bread...YUM!

Oh how I *love* that Johnny lives with me! Tonight I had a massive headache and just wasn't up to going grocery shopping or making dinner. I asked him if he would mind cooking tonight and he was immediately willing to do so. He made us a yummy dinner of salad, angel hair pasta, four cheese pasta sauce and even some garlic toast. I was also impressed to find the kitchen in pretty good shape after his cooking. No pasta or sauce on the floor or the ceiling. For those of you that know him well, this was quite an achievement! If I had been feeling better, I would have snapped a few pictures as evidence, but didn't make it off the couch until dinner was ready. Oh well, maybe next time. Perhaps we'll make this a weekly arrangement. He even offered to help clean the kitchen, but I was feeling better and I think that the "you cook, I clean" rule is fair. I did let him help me empty the dishwasher so I could reload it with the dishes that are dishwasher safe. Yup, our apartment has a dishwasher, so the "I clean" was actually pretty minimal tonight. We think we also narrowed down the paint for the bedroom and the kitchen today. One more trip to the paint store and I think we'll be certain. It's the tan for the bedroom that seems to be the toughest choice, but that is a story for another day. Hope you're all enjoying the weekend and spending time with people you love...I know I am!

Rain, Rain, Go AWAY!

Well, we're back to more rain and cold today. I hear it's going to stay around for the weekend too...sooooo happy I'll be here all cozy and snug with my lovey! We've got a pretty busy weekend planned with grocery shopping, laundry, choosing paint for the bedroom and kitchen (hoping to be painting next weekend) and other miscellaneous errands. We're still getting settled in and making "my" apartment "OURS." Oh, how I love saying that! We might even fit in a movie and nap on the couch too...if I'm lucky. Since it is raining out, here is a little card I made the other weekend on the Cape inspired by the *A Muse* seattle girl stamp. Enjoy!

More Photo Love

Here are some other fun photos we took downtown the other day. Too bad John had really bad hat head!!! He didn't like any of the pictures, but I still liked the wide angle effects on these two. Enjoy!

Busy Week

Wow, this week has been soooo busy so far. Lots going on at work and really trying to stick to working out everyday. John and I took a great walk downtown last night when we both got home from work. Tonight, I had a kick-butt step aerobics/cardio class and did some weight training. Then I met John at home and we went for a quick jog around the block. Here are some fun pictures from downtown yesterday. Enjoy!

Mom Knows Best

My mom has been telling me about a new weight loss community based website called Sparkpeople. Well, I finally looked it up yesterday to see what all the fuss was about and it is AWESOME! I made a page last night and have already loved using the nutrition tracking feature and seeing how many "points" I can earn by updating my goals and achievements. If you're trying to lose weight and don't want to go it alone, this site is for you. Check it out and see if you like it too.

Willow Tree Park

Here is a shot from last summer at a park in CT that John and I LOVE! I call it Willow Tree Park because there are these huge flowing Weeping Willows all over the place. Since today was so warm and sunny it made me think of our park, and how I wanted to be there again to take some new pictures. Perhaps I should take some at our new park (White's Park) this weekend. I'll be strolling downtown with my camera tomorrow, so expect some photo love later this weekend!

I've Been Tagged!

That means I was challenged to answer a question via a friend's blog. This time the question is what blogs/websites do I read on a regular basis. Here are my top five (at least for today!
1. Tara Whitney Great photography inspiration...gosh, I wish I had one ounce of this woman's talent. She's just plain amazing!
2. Ali Edwards An absolutely unbelievable woman. So talented, such an artist and designer and a devoted wife and mother. She really makes you stop and think about your life and what you're contributing back to society. Whenever I'm down, she lifts my spirits in an instant.
3. Steph Steph is a friend from Keene State College days. We see one another sometimes at the gym, but haven't had a chance to catch up lately. It's fun to hear stories about her cutie pie kiddos and her observations about life in general. She also takes really beautiful pictures that inspire me.
4. Elsie Flannigan Elsie is probably the most creative woman that I have ever come across! She is always creating something new, including a new stamp line and products that I can't wait to get once they are released. She is a painter, scrapbooker, crafter, author, photographer and all around artist and I think she's only 23! This girl has talent folks.
5. A Muse Artstamps This line of stamps is by far my favorite!!! Not only is my Miss Jenn a demonstrator for A Muse, but she also designs cards for them. I love how simple and clean their stamps and designs are. As many of you know, I use them on most of my card creations.

Okay, those are my five top picks. Goodnight.

Camera Class-Week 2

I had my second week of camera class last night and I'm loving it! The teacher is wonderful and it is such a small class that we all get to go over our photos with everyone. I was proud of myself for being confident with the group when my photos were up and it was met with great enthusiasm. Everyone seemed to really like the compostitions that I am framing and I was given good feedback about what to change technically to improve my photos to where I'd like to see them by the end of this 10 week class. These were the three favorites from last night. I showed one of them yesterday, but what the heck, you want to see it again don't you??? Hehehe. Last night we learned about lenses and it became oh so apparent that I need to purchase at least one additional lens sometime in the near future. Too bad the one I like costs around $400! What the life of an artist entails {insert dramatic sigh here}! Hahaha. I'll try to post again later tonight, it seems I've been "tagged" by Miss Jenn! Okay, Happy Pre-Friday everyone!

Catching Up!

Hello out there in bloggerville!!! I'm sorry that I have been away for the last few days. I thought I would be able to catch up on Monday night, but then life took over. The Nor'easter hit NH hard and I was without power until around 1:30 (they had to send us home from work about a half hour after we arrived, since the power had been out for almost two hours at that point). It would have been a fun day off, except that I came home to no power too...so, no internet or cable, no baking fun treats for the new roomie, no going to the laundromat, no working on crafts (technically I probably still could have done this one, but with the low light and no heat, my little fingers were just too cold). My landlords are so nice, they invited me down to get warmed up by their gas stove, but I was doing okay under blankets, so I declined.

Anyway, power and heat came back on around 1:30, but I was still without cable and internet until around 4. I cleaned up around the apartment, read my new issue of "Real Simple" magazine and napped. Around 5, I decided that I should go grocery shopping instead of the laundromat. Really, who wants to carry clothes in all that wind and rain???

Okay, I'm babbling. I'll leave you with some fun pictures from Colorful Creations Spring crop weekend! It was so much fun and especially nice to spend some quality time with my Miss Jenn! I'll write again soon. Enjoy the afternoon!

Apartment for TWO!

I'll have lots more to post tomorrow, sorry for not posting too much this weekend, but once I tell you all my fun adventures I'm sure you'll understand. But the big news this weekend...26B is now home to TWO! Johnny moved in over the weekend and we're both so excited about this new adventure in our relationship. We're off to bed, since we both have a LONG week of work ahead of us. Goodnight!

I'm SUCH a Tease!

I'm down on the Cape with Miss Jenn this weekend to do a studio crop at her store, Colorful Creations. I've made about 12 or 13 new cards since Friday night...and I have to say, some of them ROCK! I'll be posting some in the near future, so stay tuned...I bet you want to see them huh? Maybe I'll even make a few more tomorrow too, or maybe I'll try once again to complete a scrapbook page, we'll see. Goodnight!

Sad News

I'm afraid that I came home today to find that the little momma bird has gone MIA!!! The nest is still there, with one little egg remaining, but with no Momma to keep it warm and MORE snow today, I'm afraid that it is not going to survive. I wonder what could have happened to her? So, so sad.

Watch Out...I might shoot ya!

Hehehe. Tonight I started my first photography class. Well, that isn't exactly true...it's a camera/photography class. We will be learning all about digital SLR cameras, more importantly, I'll be learning about the one that I own and the one I use for work! Now I can finally unleash the true creative potential that is just waiting to burst out of me, and my camera, I'm sure. No more novice pictures from me I tell you...well, there I go lying again. I'm sure they will still continue to be both good and bad, since it IS an endless learning process. There is just sooooo much to learn. I'm very excited, and was thrilled with how happy and comfortable I was back in a classroom. The best part of the whole thing? My work is paying for the class. You can't get much better than that! So, you better watch out, because I'll be looking for subjects to shoot as "homework assignments." Pretty much, for the next ten weeks, my camera will be with me...EVERYWHERE I go! Have a great night!

Inspiration Today

Check out the BasicGrey website. Their paper is sooooo awesome! I just love the fun colors and patterns they are always coming out with. I think these are my favorites right now from their Pheobe line. Every time I go to a stamping store I say, "Okay, no paper today" and then what do I come home with??? More paper of course! Well, I'm heading down to the Cape to see Miss Jenn this weekend. "Her store" is having a weekend crop and I'm all signed up to work on some projects. We call it her store, but she is really the manager there. LOL. Anyway, I'm sure I'll do a little shopping while I'm there and maybe, just maybe, I'll come home with a few new papers! Keep your eyes peeled to see if you spy these papers in some upcoming projects.

Spring or Winter?

Well, we still haven't been able to melt the rest of the snow from last week's storm and now they are predicting more for Thursday. UGH! I made this fun little Spring card the other week, but couldn't post it until my Mom got it in the mail. She was the first to respond to my "Spring Challenge" post a few weeks ago. I also sent her a special "points" notebook I made her to track Weight Watchers points in, but I forgot to get a picture of it before slipping it in the mail. Maybe next time I'm home, I can snap a picture of it. Anyway, enjoy this little bit of Spring cheer, especially if Spring is having trouble arriving in your neighborhood too.

A Family Affair

When you look outside my kitchen window, you can see into a little nook that is protected by an overhang of the roof. It is the perfect little shelf to house some creatures, and that is just what it is doing! There is a little family of nesting pigeons building a home and warming their eggs. I think I counted three eggs the other day, but the mama bird was just readjusting herself, so I didn't get a clear view. She is working hard to keep those little eggs warm with the new snow that we got the other night (another 6" or so). It is fun to watch them as the papa bird flies off and returns with little twigs to add to the nest. I'll try to keep an eye on them for when those eggs hatch. It's difficult to get good pictures of them because of the screen on the window, but I'll keep trying. I'll be away for the weekend, so hope you all have a Happy Easter!

Funny Bunny

I saw the cutest little felt bunnies on Elsie Flannigan's blog last week. She made some "ugly bunnies" for Easter. I loved the idea, even though I've never sewn before, and I had a birthday coming up for a little girl that I babysit. Well Emma's second birthday came and went last weekend, and I hadn't had time yet to try my hands at a felt creation for her. Last night I finally sat down and got to action! Isn't this little bunny sooooo cute??? And now that I know I can do it, I'm excited to make more for the other lovely little girls in my life! Anyone know which girls would enjoy these??? A handmade gift that cost less than $5 to make, who wouldn't love that? Enjoy!

A Little Bit of Spring For You!

To reward myself for all my cleaning and organizing this weekend, I treated myself to some flowers when I went grocery shopping yesterday! Red tulips, tipped with yellow, for the living room, purple irises for the kitchen and pink hyacinths for the dinning room (I couldn't get a good shot of the vase with the irises, but you get the idea). All three bunches for only $20! They make the whole apartment feel like Spring and they smell so yummy too, the only problem is the scents are all very strong and seem to overwhelm one another a bit. But I'm not complaining, I'm enjoying and appreciating the beauty of nature. I LOVE flowers!

Spring Cleaning-Update #4

Today was another fun filled day of cleaning. I didn't get as much accomplished this weekend as I had planned, but maybe that is why some people consider me an overachiever! It's about 6pm right now and here is what I did get done:

-all rooms vacuumed
-kitchen and bathroom mopped
-fridge cleaned out and wiped down
-kitchen cabinets cleaned out and organized
-microwave cleaned out
-clothes sorted and items to donate set aside
-all bills/paperwork piles sorted, organized and filed...no more overflowing baskets in the office!
-living room dusted

To finish tonight:
-fix slipcover on couch (I can't wait until I own a couch that doesn't need to be TUCKED in all the time!!!)
-iron placemats/runner for tables & coffee table (I might treat myself to some flowers tomorrow to finish off the look)
-iron and hang pants that are in the bedroom
-put my craft supplies away

To finish this week:
-clean bathroom
-organize bathroom closet
-remove window sealer from windows

I also talked to my landlords today about painting the bedroom and they were all for it!!! They just asked that I keep the color light, and I'd been thinking a light tan, so that works great! I might pick up some color samples tomorrow and maybe for the kitchen too. They said they would even pay for the paint and supplies, so now I am really excited to finish off the spring cleaning and bring the look together. Enjoy your night.

Spring Cleaning-Update #3

Day two and I'm afraid I'm off to a slow start. Finished up the kitchen this morning by cleaning out the fridge and clearing out the sugar and flour containers. Now back to going through clothes and shoes. I think the bathroom might be the next task, as I have a lot of clutter in my nice little closet to go through. Happy Sunday!