Tis the Season!

This Christmas was hopefully the first of many more ornament exchange parties. The party was at the beginning of December and kicked of the Christmas season for me. Everyone that attended created 14 ornaments to exchange for 14 different ornaments that others made by hand. It was fun to spend time with friends and everyone's ornaments were so creative! I can't wait to throw next years party. Here are some photos of the ornaments I created as well as some of the spread my mom and I put together to feed our guests; including cranberry upside-down cake (mmmm...) and the bags a made for everyone to keep their ornaments in. A fun time was had by all! Merry Christmas to you and yours!!!

My Latest

I haven't done a piece this large for quite a while. My aunt wrote lyrics to some beautiful hymns and I had the pleasure and honor of designing the packaging for the music. As I was sketching out ideas at the beginning, I had visions of scenes from Narnia. I kept thinking of the snow beginning to melt in "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe." Without having told anyone that, my aunt said it reminded her of Narnia when she looked at it! I was so thrilled to have successfully captured the feelings of hope communicated as the snow melts and Aslan's return draws nearer in those wonderful stories. It makes me feel so hopeful even now.

May we always have this same unwavering hope and excitement as we wait for our glorious Savior, Jesus Christ's return!

Changing Seasons

It is beginning to look like fall around here!! Leaves are a changin'! I have been waiting to make this recipe till just the right time. It is a lovely fall color don't you think? Coconut curry butternut squash soup found here. We just devoured this soup. It has so many great flavors all in one little bowl! You should try it. It just tasted so delicious in the midst of the changing Colorado leaves!

Happy Birthday to my dear, witty Friend!

Today is the birthday of a dear, witty friend of mine, Janell! She is my Onema!! She thinks of so many funny things to say all on her own! Happy, happy birthday Janell! I hope your day has been filled with laughter and peace as you set out on your new adventure!

If you haven't heard Janell is going to be famous one day, and she is already well on her way! She is a wonderfully talented writer that is going to be published! We are all so proud of her! I love you Onema and miss knowing you are in town! Congratulations and Happy Birthday!

The BIG, Red, Ripe Strawberry

Okay, well it may not be a BIG, red, ripe strawberry, but it was the largest that our strawberry plants have produced thus far... Needless to say, this has not been a high yield summer in terms of strawberries, but luckily our strawberry plant's success does not determine our happiness. Brady and I have enjoyed a wonderful summer of traveling and healing and growth.

Now, considering that it has been eight months since my last post, there is no way I can catch up on all of the posts I should have made. This being said, I am not going to attempt it. I can only say I am sorry for my neglect....till next time, Cheers!

Paper

I love paper...the touch and the feel of paper makes me so happy. My heart is warmed by the smell of paper, both new and old. I mean who doesn't love the smell of an old book?

Designers know the value of paper. It enhances any design so it is that much sweeter. My newest fascination with paper however, is its sculptural quality. Take a look at the paper sculptures below!

Happy New Year!!!

Will you say two-thousand-ten or twenty-ten??? That is the question. I prefer twenty-ten, or maybe just '10. I think it will be great to tell my grandkids stories that start with me sayin, "Back in '10..."

Well I brought in the new year with friends and family up in the Poudre Canyon of the Rocky Mountains in a cute little old cabin with no running water and enough electricity to turn on the lights, but not the furnace (because there wasn't one). We had a great time cooking in our down jackets, keeping the fires going and playing games. It was a great combination between camping and staying in a cabin. The cabin was built in the late 1800s and is made up of beautiful antiques and history. I loved looking through old scrapbooks and letters written over 100 years ago. I was so inspired! Here are some of my favorite nooks and crannies of the sweet little cabin.