Illustration Friday - Fierce

it has been wayyyyyyyyyyy too long since I've done a post for IF, but I'm hoping to be back on track, hopefully posting every week :)

this is my first attempt coloring my drawing in photoshop- I used the wonderful tutorial on Jonesapalooza's blog...I had been afraid to try it, but his instructions were so easy to follow, I know I'll get the hang of it with more practice :)

so here is my entry for this week...I came home the other day, to see my cats staring at what I thought was just the ground, but then I realized, they were chasing a ladybug that had found its way inside...my very tough, and FIERCE cats were a little afraid of the little bug...

The One With The East German Laundry Detergent

Episode 5 - Season 1

Rachel: Oh god. Oh, am I being like a total laundry spaz? I mean, am I supposed to use, like, one machine for shirts and another machine for pants?

Rachel: Oh, everything's pink.
Ross: Yeah, uh, except for the red sock, which is still red. I'm sorry, please don't be upset, it could happen to anyone.
Rachel: Except it didn't. It happened to me. Oh god, I'm gonna look like a big marshmallow peep.
Phoebe: What a neat idea. All your clothes match. I'm gonna do this.

challenge day 2

so far, so good- two days down...24 to go! today's post is brought to you by the letter "B" :P

21 day challenge

I came across a few blogs where people were challenging themselves to draw something, anything every day, for 21 days...so I decided that I'd start on Monday (yesterday) and get myself on the right track, and to keep a creative mindset at all times...

so when I sat down to think about what I'd do first, I thought of the letter A...so I think my challenge, will be 26 days, to do a series of drawings for every letter of the alphabet...so here goes...day 1- the letter A

Blog Carnival for July

Catch up! now that it's summertime, and you (and/or the kids) are out of school, it's a good time to catch up on those chores, reading list, organizing that etsy shop, etc. What are you going to catch up on, in July?

I must say, the thing I miss the most about being a student, and well not a full time grown-up, is having that nice 3 month hiatus from any sort of responsibility...now with a full time job, and school that goes 12 months a year, along with trying to do anything for fun, or to travel, even that seems like work! summer months go so quickly now it seems, but in the spirit of this carnival question, I plan to set some goals for myself!

1. transfer to full time status at school...and finish my degree!

2. do something creative every day - participate in the 21 day drawing challenge

3. post new things to etsy store at least once a week

4. get my office/craft room completely organized

5. finish one of the books I've started

okay, good list...now it's time to get started...ready...go!

EoY banquet

my dad, doing what he does best :) working the crowd at the Entrepreneur of the Year banquet

and of course the yearly photo with the newest crowned Miss New Jersey, Ashley Fairfield and my super wonderful parents :)

my bathroom!

or at least I think it's the bathroom in 'my' room at my parent's new place...things are moving along!

walking to work

every day for the past few weeks I've walked past these pretty flowers outside of Camden Yards...so today I actually stopped and took a picture of them...I don't know what they're called, but I'd love to get some for my "backyard"...anyone know what they are?

what I did today...

not much, not going to lie...it was a slow day at work, so while I was bored, I decided to do a little post-it sketch of a picture of my kitties that I have on my desk :p

The One With George Stephanopoulos

Episode 4 - Season 1

Rachel: And now everything's, just, kinda like...

Phoebe: Floopy?

Rachel: Yeah.

Monica: You just gotta figure at some point, it's all gonna come together, and it's just gonna be.... unfloopy.

Phoebe: Ya, like that's a word.

Rachel: Uh, Phoebe? Who's George Snuffleupagus?

Phoebe: That's Big Bird's friend.

monday art day- my hometown

I grew up in good old NJ...the Jerz, Joisey, dirty Jerz, yes, yes, the list goes on...so when I saw the topic of this week's Monday Art Day was "my hometown" of course the first thing I thought of was The Boss and his song...My Hometown...

Here's to Jersey...I miss my yellow and black license plates, not getting out of the car to pump gas in the dead of winter and more shopping malls and diners then you can ever go to....

This was my old license plate...before I traded it in for my Maryland plates...ahh how I miss them...

Bruce Springsteen, My Hometown

I was eight years old and running with a dime in my hand
Into the bus stop to pick up a paper for my old man
I'd sit on his lap in that big old Buick and steer as we drove through town
He'd tousle my hair and say son take a good look around this is your hometown
This is your hometown
This is your hometown
This is your hometown

In '65 tension was running high at my high school
There was a lot of fights between the black and white
There was nothing you could do
Two cars at a light on a Saturday night in the back seat there was a gun
Words were passed in a shotgun blast
Troubled times had come to my hometown
My hometown
My hometown
My hometown

Now Main Street's whitewashed windows and vacant stores
Seems like there ain't nobody wants to come down here no more
They're closing down the textile mill across the railroad tracks
Foreman says these jobs are going boys and they ain't coming back to your hometown
Your hometown
Your hometown
Your hometown

Last night me and Kate we laid in bed
talking about getting out
Packing up our bags maybe heading south
I'm thirty-five we got a boy of our own now
Last night I sat him up behind the wheel and said son take a good look around
This is your hometown

supplies have arrived!!

today was a fantastic day at work...why you might ask?? because the supplies for Gena's bridal party jewelry arrived!


the bride, maid of honor and bridesmaids will all have different shaped swarovski crystals...I'm so excited to get started!!

relaying for life

Friday night my co-workers and I did Relay for Life up in Towson...it was quite moving...to see all the luminaries light up, names of survivors and loved ones lost to cancer...it was a fun night...with games, and events- musical chairs at 11pm...how could that not be fun ;)

dancing in the dark...

Sunday night I learned a few things...no power = no fun...we had a nice little 3 hour power failure in the neighborhoods around mine...so I rounded up all the candles I could find, and bunkered in for a few hours of eerie silence :p

also...no power, is kind of boring...if it had been during the day, it would have been light enough to read, or get other things done around my house, but being that it was 9pm it was a little more difficult...so I rounded up all the candles I could find...and sat on my couch...



and of course...no power and no light makes it hard to make dinner...so pizza delivery to the rescue...ahh pizza by candlelight...not the way I envisioned ending up the weekend or gearing up to start the new week...but it was definitely an experience...

how to catch a mouse

I have two cats...so lucky me, I haven't ever seen a mouse in my house...which is a rare occurrence if you live downtown...they're everywhere, and in the city, it's kind of a given that you'll have a run in with at least one mouse :p

but my friends...who have probably the cleanest house I've ever seen...had a little mouse come to stay for a few weeks...and they finally caught him, using a technique they found at this site: how to catch a mouse


I agree with Kelley...why are they so cute animated...but not so much when they're in your house!

Idea Stealer...

I know a good idea when I see one...so I'd like to think that this is not so much stealing, but borrowing a really great idea, from a very inspirational, crafty girl...Liz Kartchner, scrapbooker extraordinaire, and Creating Keepsakes Scrapbooker of the Year! I was browsing through her blog, and I stumbled across her idea, "Shades of Summer" where she will be sending around a fun pair of sunglasses to people across the country...they'll take pictures wearing the shades and send them back to her- and I thought that would be such a fun way to connect with all my friends this summer...so if I know you, you'll be getting an e-mail soon ;)

so I found these super cute shades...and I'm going to send them around, and make an album, with pictures of all my friends wearing them in interesting and fun places :)

if you look really closely on the glasses you can see they're made by dr peepers...so I had to get these ones ;)

to see the original post by Liz, visit: http://www.elizabethkartchner.blogspot.com/

The One With The Thumb

Episode 3 - Season 1

Monica: Uh, No. Loosely translated, "we should do this again," means "you will NEVER see me naked."

Phoebe: Or, or, you know, "I think we should see other people," means, "Ha ha, I already am."

I have a problem...

yes, I love fonts...I have hundreds, and a good number of them came from one of my favorite sites Scrap n' Fonts ...I could (and have) spent hours on there, finding fonts for scrapbooks, school assignments, and even a freelance project or two...


not just fonts though- cute little downloads called doodlebats...seriously, how cute are they??

and the best part, every once and a while they have $1 sales, so you can load up on your favorites...but just to warn you...it can be addicting ;)

my creative friends

ahh, the gift of creativity :) I am so proud of my friend Liz...the soon to be mommy to twins, Hunter & Haley...she made this super cute wreath to hang on the outside of their house...and she has a scrapbook with all the details of the past 7 months in it...she's becoming so crafty :)

view from lunch

it was so beautiful out at lunch today, so I went to meet my good friend Liza to eat on her office's balcony overlooking the harbor...