50 Projects: 52 Weeks (21. Sunset at Devil's Lake: A Two-Piece Wedding Landscape)

For the beautiful bride and groom. Devil's Lake State Park in Baraboo, WI. I've been working on perfecting reflections and water. It's a challenge to paint, but I love the way this one turned out. 

Congratulations, Mike and Jen!

Big Baby

This is the newest addition to our micro-sized apartment: Teal'C [pronounced Tealk]. He's mostly Siberian Husky with maybe about 10% Malamute. Teal'C has a very stubborn, very lovable personality. The first 48 hours we had him (pre-neuter); he didn't sleep, nap, or blink. He would just bark and talk and pace and be generally obnoxious. He went after the cat in the middle of the night (subsequently, cat on my face in the middle of the night...what a sight to behold!). Teal'C is loyal and pretty goofy. He isn't aggressive and he's learning a little bit each day. Plus. We figured out how to break him. He gets AT LEAST two 4-mile runs (on a bicycle, mind you) a day. It completely obliterates his energy level and he's less prone to terrorizing Frank, the cat.

Now Steve doesn't have to sleep on the couch anymore. Baby steps. And he's a big baby.

Up and Running

Tada! The first round of my photographs are up and running in my Etsy store: Soul Journer Studio.

I'm nervous and excited. I'm reluctant and exhilarated. I'm hesitant because I am my own worst critic. I am excited because this may open up windows, maybe even doors. The next round of items (I hope) will be greeting cards and paintings I've completed. 

Support starving artists. Please.


P.S. For any of you with a keen eye, YES, I did organize my Google Chrome Bookmark Icons by color. I am that OCD about it. . .

Rawah Wilderness - A Challenge

The basics stay the same but the colors change. And you never know what to expect. I love the Rocky Mountains.

We took a two-day, 20-mile hike through the Rawah Wilderness for Steve's 25th Birthday this past weekend. It was moderately difficult, and if it wasn't for him, I may not have had the courage to press on. Press on. He challenged me. We made it over Grassy Pass (11,250 feet!) and onward to camp at Lower Sandbar Lake.

Blue skies. Not a soul in sight. Quiet moments. Reflection. Hope.

Happy Birthday, honey - I love you!

50 Projects: 52 Weeks (20. Repurposed File Hanger Plant Stand)

Another one in the books for repurposed. My friend Elizabeth pointed out that the metal frame is actually a file-hanger (I had no idea). $1 at ReStore. The glass? Free from Freecycle. 4 silicone feet for the glass? About another $1. 

$2 for a great plant stand or garden table. I have a second one outside which would look GREAT with a chaise lounge and an umbrella drink and a good drink. Just like the entryway table, in small spaces, glass helps keep the space looking open and uncluttered. A heavy table would look out of place in such a small apartment. And the glass draws the eye outside to enjoy the fantastic Colorado weather.

Another tip? Buy tropical starter plants. $2.99 for 2.5" pots (the ones in the photo were replanted). It saves a lot of money and they are already growing strong. Happy planting!

50 Projects: 52 Weeks (19. Repurposed Glass and Metal Entryway Table)

Well. It seems like I've taken a big hiatus from posting anything on my blog. Summer has been challenging in so many ways. Though I might be eons behind everyone else doing the 50 Projects, I thought I'd keep trying anyway. This is out of order, but I'll start with this project [It's for sale!]

This started as an old iron aquarium tank stand. Matte black and slightly rusted. It had an odious piece of plywood screwed to the top. I removed the plywood and bought a can of Krylon metal, hammered finish spray in Grey. Then, thanks to Freecycle, I had some 1/4" glass, repurposed from a glass-faced cabinet. Voila! A couple of silicone feet for the glass, a little bit of elbow grease and this table has clean modern lines. And a little flirty detail in the front legs. 

Great for an entryway, especially our own entryway because it's transparent and appears to float in such a small space! It also would be stellar outside since it's made to handle the elements.

What we hope to do is sell it. I am not attached to anything I own; we hope to sell it for a little more than it took to repurpose it. Any takers? 40 bucks? ;)

50 Projects: 52 Weeks (14. A Little Bit of Perfect)

Collaboration. 

I cannot take 100% credit for this, as the idea and the gift was not my own. Steve had been waiting over a year to finally be able to create this project. The only thing I can take credit for is the clashing of creative minds to figure out how to make the mounting happen.

You see, my wedding present is a love letter. And with that letter came this photo - a picture of the sunset at Hot Water Beach, Coromandel Peninsula, North Island, New Zealand (2009). We camped there. The photo hangs across from our bed as a reminder of some of the most amazing moments we've had as a couple (don't worry, I bawled when I read the love letter this past Christmas)!

Steve found inspiration in a photo that was adhered to "floating glass" at a Caribou Coffee shop. The glass was thick. Really thick. And we were drawn to it. He wanted to recreate that. Together, we found a really great glass company in town - Black's Glass. The price was VERY reasonable and they are very creative and knowledgeable people. We also found these clips to offset the glass from the wall and it gives it a finished look. We, ideally, wanted holes drilled in the glass and these stainless steel offsets would appear to float. If you ever need a hole drilled in glass - just know this - it was cost you more than the glass itself. And we needed four holes. So we nixed that idea.

Here is the final project:

This photo is a little piece of Heaven.

So, consider this project a 1/2 project, as Steve was the creative genius! 

This is another photo (at sunrise) of Hot Water Beach:

I wish I was there. . .

A Reminder

Sometimes I forget why Steve and I moved to Colorado. It's a gorgeous, soul-awakening place. It's full of raw, untapped beauty. I forget the colorful sunsets and the big-open-blue-skies. I forget what it's like to stand on top of a summit and breathe in crisp mountain air and...wait. Hear. Nothing. It pierces my soul. 

But, then, the everyday nonsense gets in the way; washing dishes, working, laundry, errands, fixing and mending and the like. I rarely leave FoCo and my "familiar" surroundings. Ordinary becomes content.

Sweeping plains with red earth at Devil's Backbone (Blue Sky Trail)

It's a beautiful 13.0 mile long trail (we only did but a fraction of it).

So, I received a friendly reminder of why we moved to CO. Inhale. Take a look at its beauty. Smile.