Your appointment with Friday

  
  
Use your *word* in a sentence.

Yes, Its 2011 and that means its that wonderful time of year when we get to pick our word.  You know that word we choose to live by.  The word we slowly introduce into our way of life that somehow gives us hope and somehow helps us bring a new meaning to our everyday life.  I have chosen the word *Brave*.  I feel that in this new year I will be brave in my art.  I will be brave in love.  I will be brave in my friendships.  I will be brave in my mothering.  I will be brave in my story telling.  For me this means doing those things I am scared of doing, and start showing up for myself were I have been afraid too.  I know this will take time but I intend to do my best in showing up for myself.....

I always try to take a moment to figure out how am I going to be able to succeed.  I do little things to make my goal attainable and for this year I will write the word.  I will put it around my house on post it notes.  I will do my best to make myself proud of the brave girl inside of me.....

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Hello Lovelies!  Welcome to our last photo prompt of the year.  With it being just in time for New Years, we thought it would be nice for you to choose a single word that will represent you in 2011.....and so our photo prompt for this week is to.....

Use your *word* in a sentence.

My word for 2011 is *balance*.  Recently I have been thinking about wanting to be in that place that makes it easier for me to enjoy life.  Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy life, it's just that I sometimes find myself having difficulty dealing with things that make life uncomfortable.  My goal for 2011 is to strive for finding that place, and with it be able to work towards more balance in my life.  Balance with my sweetie, family, friends, work, play, and everything else.  I know it will never be perfect, but it feels like I am on the verge of finding something special.....and growing a lot as a person.....I just have to keep moving.

This photo prompt is a small part of making it happen, and also has a wonderful memory attached to it.  I took this photo with my nephew in my brother's backyard.  That's him with the flashlight.  My 8 year old nephew drew that heart.  He helped me take this photo.  This photo that is a symbol of what I strive for.....balance.

When you go to take your photo, make it simply what you want.  Maybe you want to write down your word in a sentence on paper, and photograph it laying on your table next to some flowers or a cup of coffee.....or maybe you want to hold it, or paint it.....the important thing is that this is a step towards making it real.

Have a fantastic New Years, listen to your heart and go for it!!!

Love, Gloria and Carrie

Joyful & Sweet Photos

You are, at this moment, standing, right in the middle of your own acres of diamonds. -Earl Nightingale

She decided to make today amazing , so she put on her red shoes and just kept walking forward with a smile on her face.

Just living is not enough. One must have sunshine, freedom, joy and maybe a glitter wand.

Love, Gloria and Carrie

Happy Christmas!!!

We arrived at my bother's safe and sound early yesterday morning (like 4am their time).  It was a beautiful drive through southern Utah, all covered in white with an almost full moon.  Quite magical : )  After sleeping in a bit, we had a great Christmas Eve wrapping presents, mulling cider, hanging stockings and spending time together.....Ryan, me, Gatsby, Ponyo, Benji, my nephew, Vader, Cidney, Havoc and Lola.  Today we opened and have been playing with our lovely presents.....my nephew got a netbook, and he and I have been having fun sitting at the table next to each other working on our laptops.....





.....And my brother is currently preparing our Christmas dinner.  It smells amazing!

Have a wonderful evening and fantastic rest of your holiday weekend!!!  There is a digital Christmas card over at Bubblegum Life for you!

<3 Carrie

Happy Christmas!!!

Happy Christmas to all.....and here is a Christmas card for you courtesy of our sweet December guest, Nely : )

We will be on holiday break until December 31st.....when we will share a fun new photo prompt just in time for New Years!!!  See ya soon and happy holidays!

Love, Gloria and Carrie

Joyful & Sweet Photos

Nothing ever becomes real until it is experienced.....



Remember life's most precious gifts usually come unannounced.



From home to home, and heart to heart, from one place to another - the warmth and joy of Christmas brings us closer to each other.  - Emily Matthews

May today be especially beautiful for you.....

Love, Gloria and Carrie

December Daily Fun

I added four more pages to my December Daily art journal over at Bubblegum Life recently, and you can see the post HERE.  It has been really great documenting this month (even though it's a slow process for me).  Also, our new holiday inspired photo prompt is up with sweet guest Nely today!  So if you want some ideas of fun photos and projects to work on this weekend, hop on over : )

Today I have a BIG project to mostly finish up, and then by tomorrow afternoon it will be done.....of at least the first step of the process with be.  And I am SO looking forward to it!  So, I'm off to get more work done.....Have a great weekend!!!

<3 Carrie

Your appointment with Friday

Gloria and I are thrilled to have sweet Nely as our photo prompt guest for today!!!  Take a look at the fun she came up with.....

Deck The Halls

There's something magical about the month of December.  (maybe because it's my birthday month...wink)  As soon as the first day hits, I can hear the Christmas songs and smell the peppermint candles.  This season is the season to “deck the halls”.  I absolutely love stringing Christmas lights, hanging stockings and lighting scented candles!  I love driving at night and seeing all the homes lit up with Christmas lights!  You can photograph your tree, a candle, your favorite ornament, or give us your favorite holiday song!  Can't wait to see how you Deck The Halls.

This Christmas, there is but one single red shiny ornament dangling from our Charlie Brown Christmas tree.  You see, since we moved this month, we decided not to get a large tree and hang all of our normal decorations.  I found an authentic Charlie Brown tree at our local store.  It was perfect!  It was all we needed to make our new home have a little bit of Christmas cheer!  The red shiny glass ornament dangles off of one single branch, and it's the only ornament on the tree.  It's so cute!  This picture will be a sweet memory of how we kept Christmas cheer amidst all of the packing and unpacking into our new home!

love~nely

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Honestly, when I found out that Nely had chose Deck the Halls as her photo prompt I was thrilled!  I had planned to take some photos of my Christmas decorations to document in my December Daily art journal, and having Nely give us this prompt with such a perfect description really put me in the mood to take my photos.....

Having these little bits of Christmas cheer around the house has been a joy this month!  I have been adding photos throughout the month to the strand (in the photo above) that is hanging from some baker's twine.....and I think it is one of my favorite decorations in the house.  You can see some of my Christmas lights in the background of the Santa photo, but I also have some bright pink ones hanging over my craft table.  I love having them on while I'm relaxing with my sweetie while we watch a movie and drink mulled cider....yummy!  They give such a great atmosphere indoors!!!  And then I have lots of little odds and ends of Christmasy stuff spread in the kitchen and bathroom that I didn't take photos of.  These two photos in particular felt like me right now, so when I see them, they make me happy.

What holiday sentiments are making you happy these days?

And just for fun, since Nely mentioned sharing your favorite Christmas song, I thought it would be festive to share the song Ryan wrote last Christmas (that he was kind enough to let me sing).  Hope you enjoy!!!

• Christmas So Far Away by Christmas So Far Away

More Christmas So Far Away music on iLike

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Thanks Nely for coming up with such a great prompt!  Yes, its that time of year when we all come together to celebrate.  I like when we can focus on just the fun stuff.  So, whats decking my halls?  I took a picture of a Christmas decoration at my Mom's house.  Its definitely a new decoration because I haven't seen it before.  This made me happy to see my mom still buying decorations and not just keeping the ones we used to have.  I love going to my mom's Christmas morning with my kids.....between my brothers and sisters, I have 11 nieces and nephews.  That's a great big decking of the halls!  I love what decorating brings to children this time of year.  I love that my mom has new ornaments out.  I love this time of year.  Thanks Nely, and I cant wait to see what you come up with.....

Love, Gloria, Carrie and Nely

Joyful & Sweet Photos

Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.  - Marcel Proust



And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.  - Abraham Lincoln



Life is just a mirror, and what you see out there, you must first see inside of you.  - Wally 'Famous' Amos



Symbolizing eternal hope, the wreath goes 'round and 'round, and where it starts or ends cannot be found. Woven of things that grow - for life, and hung for holiday delight the wreath must be left in place from advent through twelfth night.  - Anonymous

Love, Gloria and Carrie

Project Monday

Well, I didn't think I'd do it, but I finally made time to do four more pages of my December Daily Art Journal.  I'm only up through day 9, but it still feels really great to work on this little momentum of my December 2010 : )

Here they are.....

I varied my formula just a little this time in putting these pages together.  There is no watercolor (except a little on page 6).  And I didn't sew any of the pages together.....instead I just attached them together with glue.  For some reason I liked this better today.  I did still sew on most of the photos, though.  Days 7 & 8 are mounted on an acrylic sheet, and I actually used my Christmas card for this year to write a note to December for day 9.  For Day 6 I tucked a Starbucks cozy inside one of the sleeves.....love that saying, and peppermint mochas are a blessing right now.

I plan to have a few more pages put together each week to share here, but assume I won't be caught up till after the holidays.  But I can't complain.  That's one of the reasons I am enjoying this project so much.....because there is so much to look forward to this month :  )  What are you enjoying most this month?

See you tomorrow for a new photo prompt from our sweet December guest, Nely!

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(Gloria's Project Monday coming soon)

Love, Gloria and Carrie

Remeber this.....

Around this time last year I shared some Christmas songs that Ryan wrote and recorded.  You can see last year's blog post HERE.  Well,  I added them to my sidebar under Music, so you can listen to them again (or for the first time) this year too, if you like : )

And just because today feels super special, here they are in this post as well.  I actually sing on the first song called Christmas So Far Away.....The idea for the song came from Ryan and I racing on Christmas Eve in a blizzard from San Diego to Utah to try and see my family in time for Christmas.  The song isn't really about that exactly, but that's where we got the idea.  Hope you enjoy!

• Christmas So Far Away

Christmas So Far Away on iLike - Get updates inside iTunes

<3 Carrie

Wednesday ~ Heart Flutter { Top 5 }

This week I am in the mood for going to the movie theater, so I though it would be fun to share the top 5 movies I am exited to see in December and in 2011.  So, (from left to right and top to bottom), here is my list.....

• Tron Legacy (2010)
• Somewhere (2010)
• Gnomeo & Juliet (2011)
• The Tourist (2010)
• Red Riding Hood (2011)

The original Tron was a breakthrough movie, so everyone I know is excited about Tron Legacy (Ryan even had a Tron viewing party with some friends last weekend).  Somewhere, well, all I needed to know was that Sofia Coppola wrote and directed it, and I'm hooked.  Gnomeo & Juliet.....cute little garden gnomes and a forbidden love affair.....perfect.  I love adventure movies that take place in Europe, and Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp are both beautiful, so The Tourist  sounds really fun.  And last but not least, all I had to see was the long red cape against the soft white snow in the Red Riding Hood trailer to know that the visuals in this movie are going to be a big inspiration.

I think Ryan and I are going to see Tron this weekend, and I hope to find time to see the other two from 2010 on my list before they leave the theater.....There are some movie passes just sitting in my purse and I can hear these movies calling my name : )  Of course there are quite a few other movies that are going to be amazing, like I'll probably see the new Coen Brothers with Ryan too, but in general I prefer to watch dramas at home.  What movies are you excited for these days???

Happy Wednesday!

<3 Carrie

Playdate with Nely

 (photo from HERE)

Happy Wednesday to all of our Bubblegum Life readers!  We would like to welcome you to a fun new in chapter in on our sweet blog project.  Today we are really excited to introduce our first photo prompt guest!!!  This month Carrie and I find ourselves with a big smile on our face, as we introduce a very close friend.....and our first Playdate with Nely : )

Stay tuned as Nely will be here sharing her holiday inspired photo prompt.....coming this Friday.

Love, Gloria and Carrie

Winter Garland

Well, I'm back from my short absence from this little blog, so first off hello to all you beautiful people!  I hope you are having the best holidays!!! 

Saying that I am busy right now is an understatement, so I'm going to try and update here two or three times a week for the month of December, but honestly it may be less just becuase I am so pressed for time right now.....

I have been busy making presents, (like the frosty winter garland above), working on projects for friends, going to puppy classes, working on dog training, trying to keep my house in order, spending wonderful time with friends, doing projects for Bubblegum Life, and have had lots of fun Christmasy dates with Ryan.....Oh, and Gloria and I started doing photoshoots, which has been a blast!!!  You can see some of the pics from our first family photoshoot HERE.

I made the garland above for a dear friend who said she liked sliver, white, iridescent and frosty blue.  So, it's layered with vellum, glitter paper, iridescent bazzill, pretty feathers, rhinestones, and I also snuck in a little vintage with THIS beautiful Pink Paislee paper.  It was super fun to make.  I'll try and share some of the other gifts I make, once they've been opened by the person I made them for.

I always have the most difficult time coming up with homemade presents for Christmas......What has been your favorite holiday project so far?

Well, I'd better get back to my day.  Enjoy your week!  I'll share some more holiday pics and stories soon : )

<3 Carrie

Your appointment with Friday

Hi lovely friends.  How have you been?  We hope you are enjoying the holidays : )

OK.  Originally Gloria and I had this awesome photo prompt picked out for today, but as December and the holiday fun started we began to think that there might be something a little more special about this time of year.  So, we chatted and talked about all the cool photography ideas going on in our heads and decided to go with a sweet and endearing prompt thought up by Gloria (with a title inspired by Starbucks).  The prompt is.....

Stories are gifts.  Share.

My story starts out back in September when Ryan bought me this little fella for my birthday, on my birthday no less.  I remember bringing him home and even though he was tiny, he was fearless.  He looked like a little wolf and made the cutest little squeaky noises.  And that's when we decided to name him Ponyo.  Ponyo is an onomatopoeia, based on Miyazaki's (an amazing Japanese director) idea of what a "soft, squishy softness" sounds like when touched.  It seemed like fate.  A Japanese breed (he is a shiba inu), with a cute Japanese name.  See, we have this tradition on my side of the family to name our pets after names of character's we like in movies.  My sister just got an adorable minature poodle and named her Elora Danan, from the movie Willow (1988).  Perfect.  Ponyo (2008), just so happens to be one of Ryan and my favorite animated films.  Lovely.  Skipping past all the baby puppy stuff, our little fella is now in his teenage phase which means three things to me this Christmas.  One, he is curious about everything.....and I mean EVERYTHING.  Look out Christmas decorations!!!  Two, he is old enough for puppy class and to be around other dogs.  Yay, us!  And three, we have been able to take him out the last two weekends to enjoy fun Christmas stuff.  Last weekend he went with us to the La Jolla Christmas Celebration, and the day before picked out a present for one of my sibling's dogs.  I know that when I go to wrap it he will have his wet little nose everywhere.  But, on his behalf I do have to say he was such an angel letting me take this photo.  He does not like wearing his Santa hat, but he wore it, let me place him exactly into the center of the wreath AND didn't budge until I got my shot.  Not bad for a little fella who has enough energy for three dogs.  LOL!  So far this Christmas he has been enjoying the following.  Popcorn with Gatsby (his big brother, a basenji), Ryan and I.  Cuddling up with Ryan on the couch.  Lots of playing with Gatsby.  His first trip to the dog park.  Being a good student at home and in puppy class.  Already outgrowing his current collar.  His very own stocking.  And is soon to enjoy.  His very first road trip, when we drive to be with my brother and nephew in Salt Lake City for Christmas.  And hopefully his first adventure in the snow!  It seems to me that Ponyo's first Christmas is already filled with fun and a lot of firsts.  Now if only I could find the perfect present for him.....

What story do you have to tell this holiday season?  I am dying to read it!  When you go to take your photo this week, look for something that either brings back a holiday memory.....like every time I see baked ornaments it makes me think of sitting at the table when I was a kid and making them with my family.....or something that symbolizes a story that is happening.....like my doggie's first Christmas.  Take your photo of that thing, and then write your story about it.  Your story can be long or short.  But I bet that there's something out there that means something special to you right now.  Give us a gift this Christmas.  Share your story : )

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Stories are gifts shared.

This prompt was one that I think came to us.....We were collaborating and had ideas floating between Carrie and I and then you know how it is...your friend says something that brings you to another thought and then it come to you.  A holiday picture that in your mind bring you to a cool place were in that lies a story.

Paola is my daughter.  She is 16 and I am 38.  That means little sweet P has been with me most of my life.  We have had our share of Christmas stories but this dear ornament brings me to my favorite one.  In this picture she is 8 and I am 30.   We took this little picture after her first Chorus performance.   We lived in Boulder Colorado and if my memory serves me it was about 30 degrees outside and it was snowing.  She was wearing this nice white satin shirt and I was wearing a pink one.  ( At this point in my life I matched our clothes.)  She was so afraid of it getting wrinkled that she refused to wear a jacket and I said OK that's fine but its gonna be cold.  She was obviously nervous.  Lots happened getting ready for this performance...not all good behavior stuff, but we got through it.  She froze on the way to her performance and I quietly watched.  Then she got on stage and sang her little heart out and she was perfect.  What was so special about this holiday performance was that as soon as she was done she ran up to me and hugged me (that's when this picture was taken), and said thanks for not getting mad at me when I was acting up mom.  So, I framed this picture in a little ornament frame so that every year when I put it up I can remember that story.....

Hope you enjoy this prompt, and happy holidays!!!

Love, Gloria and Carrie

Joyful & Sweet Photos

Beauty, truth, friendship, love, creation – these are the great values of life. We can't prove them, or explain them, yet they are the most stable things in our lives.

- Jesse Herman Holmes

Courage, determination, pride...that's what girls are made of.

- Author Unknown

When the future hinges on the next words that are said, don't let logic interfere, believe your heart instead.

- Philip Robison

In art the hand can never execute anything higher than the heart can inspire.

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Love, Gloria and Carrie

Project Monday

Hello lovely people!  Thanks so much for stopping by today : )

Our Project Mondays are a little late this week.  With the holiday parties, plays, gift making, spending time with loved ones, and kids getting sick, we are going to kindly ask for your patience this December.  Every week we still plan to share our photo prompt, projects, and inspirational photos but they may be a little late.....and now, without furthur adue, I am super excited to share my Project Monday with you this wonderful afternoon!!!

I have decided that for the month of December, my Project Mondays are going to be and art journal with one page for each day leading up to December 31st.....my version of Ali Edward's December Daily.  Take a look at what I have so far.....

December 1st - Ice Skating with Melanie and Self Portriat.

December 2nd - Regular art stuff, dinner with Ryan, and a trip to Michaels with Ryan to get more art stuff (a rare and special treat).....I love December already!

December 3rd - December Night as Balboa Park.

December 4th - My first family photoshoot with Gloria for one of her friends <3

December 5th - La Jolla with Ryan and the doggies for their Christmas Celebration.

As you can see I only have up to December 5th even though it's the 8th already.  This is why.  I use to print my photos at home, and now I have them printed at my favorite shop down the street from my house (my printer and I are not getting along).....it's a little difficult for me to get to the shop every day, so I have been taking my photos, saving trinkets, jotting down notes, and doing loose page designs each day until I get my photos developed.  It seems to be working OK so far, and I still plan to have either 6 or 7 pages to share each week for my Project Monday.  So, we'll see where my progress is next week.

For my art journal I knew I wanted to use this chipboard cover as my base, and sweet, sweet Gloria was totally awesome and knitted the yarn cover for me (green is my favorite color...thank you Gloria!!!).  I think I'm in love.  Sigh.  It feels so cozy.  Andyways, for the rest here is the formula I came up with.....I am using watercolor on each page over the patterened paper (And I bought my first watercolors specifically for this project.).  All the journaling is with my typewriter.  All the photos are sewed down, and some have fun little negative frames.  I have been having fun the the Martha Stewart Christmas tape or dye cut stickers on each page.  I am using punched circles out of red glittered felt for each day's number.  And once the front and back of a page is complete, I sew them together.  It has been really fun!

Anyone else out there working on their December Daily?  If you decided to use any of your prompt photos on a page, we would LOVE for you to add it to our Flickr Group!!!  And also please share your links in the comments here so we can see your beautiful art!

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The beginning of every month is fun but I think we can all agree that December is special.  It does not matter how old you are or where you come from this month is magical.  For me having a December Journal and following along with Ali Edwards just sounds exciting!

I am so glad Carrie and I decided to do this and kinda give it our own Bubblegum Life twist.  So here's mine.....

I am planning on sewing it together, but I might have a need to stick some extra stuff in there so I have left that for last, and just held it together with a ring for now.

Then there are the rest of the pages.....some are water colored, others scrapped.  There is just a little bit of however I felt that day in December.  That's the great part about this its our rules, its your journal...

 

Have fun and I am so excited to see what we come up with for next week!!!

Love, Gloria and Carrie