HEY hey May Giveaway Day!

As I mentioned before Sew Mama Sew is hosting May Giveaway Day.
A day for creatives to meet through these crazy webs and give away work!
(Check out the link in the post below to view a list of all the blogs involved waiting to give away for the small price of a comment)

For giveaway day I will be illustrating, designing, printing and shipping 3 greeting cards. The specific card depends on you. I enjoy designing with the recipient in mind. The illustration and message should be intentional and about them.

After the winners are chosen I will ask for a funny story or some characteristics that you love about the person you would like to send some care to. I will take your help and illustrate and compose a card according to the theme you choose, send it your way and you have some love to pass in the form of nice looking card stock.

Here is an example of a thoughtful card from a husband to his wife. He complained of not being good with words, "It just doesn't come out right" But he later discovered, his honest words were the best kind to hear.



I'm so excited to tailor some cards for you. To qualify for the giveaway, simply post a comment below telling me why you want to give this card to whomever you want to give it to!

Happy giveaway day and better weather day!

may showers

It's green around here.
Not in the pockets and not in the conserving our earth manner in which I didn't clean out my car today. My friend Claire encouraged me to just purge today and then start a nice system in my trunk for the future. One that doesn't involve 4 cans at my feet and two coffee cups in the cup holders.
But it's green in the fields and grass thanks to the rain. It's also raining pressure. Pressure to get everything in line to be ready to continue my certification this coming summer and pressure to end this first year of teaching in the best fashion. Today the pressure was a good sort of swift kick.

I mostly want to tell you that I will be transitioning my writings to include more design work and eventually switch to a functioning personal site. I have had a factory of ideas and inspiration working and swirling in my odd head the past few years and it is time. God has blessed me with a great job during the day and my nights are free to well, prepare for work, love, experiment and create.

While it will take some time to get a system down I will begin with a small fun peek. Sew Mama Sew, a great creative resource I learned about from my friends Whitney and Elizabeth, is supporting an event, May Giveaway Day!

Clicking the link will provide a better explanation but basically, on the morning of May 17th, Sew Mama Sew will list a number of blogs and creative sites all offering giveaways that day. Most giveaways simply require a comment to be entered to win and even better we get to see sew many artists' brains and hands at work! Inspiration & sharing? I say yes.

So on May 17th, my contribution to giveaway day will be three personalized greeting cards, designed and illustrated by yours truly, with the recipient of the card in mind while created. I will post examples of what I am explaining but what I find exciting is the 3 winners of the giveaway will be able to tell me about their friend/co-worker/spouse/love/pet/stranger they wish to give the card to and the card will be drawn to capture the details learned about the recipient.
...So if your roommate loves her squeaking, non-purring cat more than anything and when not knitting could be found crooning the sweetest melodies, preferably in a karaoke bar- you could anticipate seeing an illustration including hints of this description in my slightly skewed perspective. (With an endearing message you will help me create, of course.)

I am excited to get this exchange going! I will focus my future site around giving special words and images to those you love.

On the exciting day, the 17th of May, also look for a new title and design of this here resurrected blog. Slow motion fast train was a nice ride but it's time to switch lines.

And here are some images of late to leave you with.


chalk time with the beautiful Archuleta girls...in February when spring thought it would pass a tease.


spring break 4-square in kc!


Did I mention this is how I keep a smile?


Melissa and I always have the best antiquing luck in the greater kansas city area. look at that coral!


a happy Easter!


a gorgeous birthday celebration in the Bryans' back yard.


My grandparents came to hear the band, and stayed out so late and didn't even skip a beat beating me to our Saturday coffee date. Thank you!




I wish you a happy May!

Save me some daylight

I am a little excited about dlst (day light savings time) I figure if I explain abbreviations or acronyms, (so many are like hard word problems these days) ((but I love a good word problem)) I will save you time trying to figure out my meaningless thought.

The reason I am excited about dlst is, in my recently very diligent efforts to be at work at least an hour before I start teaching, any hint of darkness left in the sky makes me feel like I've indeed made it early! So for the next couple of weeks (because no we are not breaking for spring yet) I will feel very early. Parking in darkness.

Before it gets warm remember to enjoy that process of the car heater gradually warming you into a content driving state, especially with latte in hand. I mean cup holder.

On a day when sleeping seemed like the only way to put an end to perpetual mistake making, I read this from my friend Jolleen:

"And now I sleep to wake up to eyes open in expectation of His loving mercy and grace."

In disbelief of such an undeserving promise, I look forward to tomorrow.

I'm also thankful for the small/big things today. A morning greeting text to check in across time zones, an understanding yet challenging boss who expects the best, students who try, students who ask questions, new sheets from grandma barbara for Christmas (which happen to be gold), a bed, a check in call, friends to watch play basketball, Tori to paint my right hand while watching said basketball game (purple, but not two coats because it was pointed out to me in the past that it looked black like the high schoolers), cheap taco bell, tylonel to aid the mistake of wearing a headband, and the let down of Risky Business- but a roommate to laugh about it with. And the hope to wake up extra early!

The merriest of times in Olathe

I am the luckiest in the world when I get to spend time with the five fryes.

And that is what I did! I flew out after work on the first day of the blessing of a break (school starts again tomorrow). I never forget that part of my heart is in kansas, but I forget the details of daily living and being able to run to the store and get half & half and loved every second of being back.



Donna came over for our second annual Christmas baking day. Entire day! With a B team and A team according to skill level and the ammount of errors made, with generous room for improvement or decline.



I had to make the favorite of last year, rosemary pinenut cookies, which are close to the consistency of shortbread but with a not too sweet, great combination taste. These will be a staple each year. I also made peppermint bark and my favorite that I grew up with, soda cracker candy.



Melissa made incredible Ginger cookies to go with our tea and her famous peanut butter balls, people chow, and a popcorn white chocolate mix. Donna tried a new chocolate walnut log which was excellent and peanut butter balls and left the caramel at home to ensure B team status and no less:)



Baking war paint.



The day was a success!




Here is mister comedy, Logan, enjoying the Christmas goodies.



And his brother Brennan in overwhelming anticipation!


And his other brother, Landen able to hold it in slighty more.



Until now,











Landen loved games just as much as I, which is so fun. And competitive. Let me say I did beat him in a bsu vs tcu (we were in fiesta bowl anticipation) NCAA playstation game. I know! 27 to 21. He was begging for a re-match.

Todd and melissa,



So cute

Some last minute shopping with kim!







And my morning ritual of pg tips.

The best way I could think to start Christmas.

If I could prevent my sister from 5 things.

Here's one. I wish that she would not see procrastination as an option. Sure brainstorming under pressure is exciting. Not leaving enough hours to do the best you could do- horrible. Stressful. Not worth it.

My acquaintance with procrastination explains why this is my first break today to eat.


I hope I can produce a nice finished cookbook for my grandma by the close of this evening. Because she deserves the best!

Beat it

My friend/roommate turned 26! But we like to call it 21. We karaoked. Good thing because she is the best at karaoking that I've ever witnessed. In fact I'm missing her do just that right now for a date with my sketch book.

Rachael's pretty.


Kaysha and I decorated with one of her favorite hobbys.






And I leave you with a game called Where's Liesel? (Rachael's best friend. Hint: lots of hair)