new direction

Recipe Cards

It’s time to retire my old recipe book. I ran out of sheets to fill it, not to mention my dog chewed the cover a few years ago.

So my solution, create a design on photoshop that I can print on 4x6 index cards to type my recipes on.

This is the result!

Silhouettes

THE IDEA found on Design Sponge

THE EXECUTION by Ellen

lovecakes

I’m starting my own business!!! I cannot possibly eat my way through Martha’s Cupcakes (though Joel knows I've tried!) so I’m going to make cupcakes for my friends and family. Have any birthday parties coming up or hosting any bridal showers? Let me know!

Something Big

I'm working on something big. I cannot wait to share it with all of you!!! More to come soon.

Writing Prilla

I read an article in a Compassion Magazine. The point of the article was lost upon me but what stuck out was a detail said in passing—this sponsor had written their kid every month. So here’s so my stack of letters to write to Prilla and soon Auckline every month.

My favorite part is the frosting on the bottom right cupcake is covered with sparkles.

Valentines Day

While we didn’t celebrate extravagantly this year, I think it was my favorite Valentines Day yet. Joel, lovingly, forwent the flowers and gave me a bouquet of sharpened pencils instead!

I love clean

I have not seen the floor of our laundry room since I moved in…. actually, with the guys stuff still in there when I moved in, I don’t think I’ve ever seen it!

Best... and Worst Advice

This weekend, we celebrated Courtney getting married with a bridal shower. One of my favorite parts was making this fun wall hanging with everyone's best and worst advice for Courtney. I printed the quotes and decoupaged them on a canvas. So cute!

 

wallpaper!!!

my need for creativity

"Women often return to the things they abandoned in pursuit of fame, likability, or recognition. From the get-go, these activities are not about exterior measurements." -Jennifer Freed

Today is a day I've waited for for months-- finally the wallpaper goes up!!! We had company over last night and I wanted it to be up so badly for them. But today, I want to enjoy my paper for the reasons why I bought it and not because of any the recognition it brings. That's a good thing to remember because I think I'm one of the only people I know who is (becoming) obsessed with wallpaper despite all the campaigning I've done. Pics to come...

Cosmo Cupcakes

i tried duplicating these from happy cakes by using a combination of techniques, from combining other people's ideas online to winging it on my own. i soaked craisins in vodka overnight and then baked them in the box mix of yellow cake. then the frosting was buttercream with the juice from a lime and the zest. happy birthday, pa!

Matilda

I heard this on NPR and found it humorous. The blunt title totally took me off guard. ~Ellen

MATILDA WHO TOLD LIES, AND WAS BURNED TO DEATH
by: Hilaire Belloc (1870-1953)

ATILDA told such Dreadful Lies,

It made one Gasp and Stretch one's Eyes;

Her Aunt, who, from her Earliest Youth,

Had kept a Strict Regard for Truth,

Attempted to Believe Matilda:

The effort very nearly killed her,

And would have done so, had not She

Discovered this Infirmity.

For once, towards the Close of Day,

Matilda, growing tired of play,

And finding she was left alone,

Went tiptoe to the Telephone

And summoned the Immediate Aid

Of London's Noble Fire-Brigade.

Within an hour the Gallant Band

Were pouring in on every hand,

From Putney, Hackney Downs, and Bow.

With Courage high and Hearts a-glow,

They galloped, roaring through the Town,

'Matilda's House is Burning Down!'

Inspired by British Cheers and Loud

Proceeding from the Frenzied Crowd,

They ran their ladders through a score

Of windows on the Ball Room Floor;

And took Peculiar Pains to Souse

The Pictures up and down the House,

Until Matilda's Aunt succeeded

In showing them they were not needed;

And even then she had to pay

To get the Men to go away!




It happened that a few Weeks later

Her Aunt was off to the Theatre

To see that Interesting Play

The Second Mrs. Tanqueray.

She had refused to take her Niece

To hear this Entertaining Piece:

A Deprivation Just and Wise

To Punish her for Telling Lies.

That Night a Fire did break out--

You should have heard Matilda Shout!

You should have heard her Scream and Bawl,

And throw the window up and call

To People passing in the Street--

(The rapidly increasing Heat

Encouraging her to obtain

Their confidence) -- but all in vain!

For every time she shouted 'Fire!'

They only answered 'Little Liar!'

And therefore when her Aunt returned,

Matilda, and the House, were Burned.

Inspiration or Infringement???

Before now, I've been really conscientious about copying other people's work (like making almost exact replicas of cupcakes that I've seen at Kara's Cupcakes!) But recently I've really enjoyed being inspired by other artists and making a work of my own that's not just a duplication of the original. Today I am running to Costco to print a photo that Joel touched up for me. I think it turned out really well! What do you think?

Here's the photo I like (sorry to the original artist, I lost their name!)


And here's our version of a photo I took in New Zealand!!!

my ordinary life

i've been reading a lot of other people's blogs and i love that they know they have ordinary lives and are okay with it. for so long, i've wanted an extraordinary life. i only realized this week (well, realized again) that i am great already and don't need the attention and accolades to prove my worth.

so now i'm inspired to write-- because now i'm not chained to "prove" to others while blogging that i have wonderful insights and have an extraordinary life. so welcome, to the ordinariness of me! and like i only skim other people's blogs, that's okay if no one actually reads it-- because this time it's not really for others.

tonight i wanted to post something that has inspired me. this picture to the left is a print i recently purchased for our wall. i love it! now i am hoping to put it together with a few other prints to make a collection for the entryway.

Our Road Trip to Alaska

Harbor Seals in Tracy's Arm

The highlights of Alaska...

*the wildlife: we saw so many animals, we particularly enjoyed seeing bears, whales and moosen!
*the time away from life: hundreds of hours logged in a coffee shop reading with nothing else to do, so heavenly!
*the new experiences: fred meyers was a highlight... the beauty of civilization when you've been camping for weeks!
*the people: we met so many random people who boosted our appreciation for living different lifestyles and not conforming to cultural expecatations
*the mountains: how could this not be a highlight of going to alaska?
*the memories: i can check one more thing off the list of things to do before I'm 30-- drive the alcan :)

~E

Into Our Second Year

Well, we're almost into our second year of marriage. I'm a few days early but we're leaving on our big road trip soon!

Some of the highlights have been...

*not having joel take me home every night
*watching joel play with spooner, he's so gentle toward her
*taking walks in the park
*breakfast in bed
*late night movies on the couch
*weekend afternoons at the coffee shop
*reading out loud to each other
*the picnic basket joel bought me
*spending my birthday in the mtns

Of course, there have been hard times but looking back it makes our relationship even better. I feel we'll closer and stronger because of our adversities. (Try telling me that when we're in the middle of a scuff. Ha!)

Our first year has been more than I ever expected it to be-- I've never known anyone who loves their spouse more than Joel does. He's so caring. :)

And now I'm stoked to start our second year!

before and after

After my BIG test in Denver (which I passed! whoot whoot!!!) Joel and I went to Water World!!!! I love that place... so many great memories. Here we are sitting on the lawn eating lunch.



I love the before and after effect of these photos. The day after water world, we got our hair cut. Wow! The difference it makes!!! Here's us with our hair cut.

That just might have the be the christmas card photo of the year. Isn't Joel so hot??? :)

pictures from June... a pitiful few

Not a ton has happened in June: just a bunch of studying for the NCLEX. To show for it, I have very few pictures! Here's the three that I do have...

The Family at the movie theatre celebrating Dad's birthday

A VERY photo-shopped image of our house. We thought is was very funny and inspiring. :)

We were outside admiring the new paint job on our house. Yay!

time to catch up

the past few weeks have been crazy! may has flown by with finals, graduations (4 different ones!) and many birthdays. the month will end this weekend with 3 weddings and a birthday party on saturday.

joel turned 25 in april! for the occasion, we had a pirate birthday with his parents and rachel (among other celebrations during "birthday month.")

naomi and i went to jill's college graduation at csu.

my graduation for uccs with my old roommates, kati and kendyll, and the new roomate, kim.