Hold Dear

10.10.10...

In honor of 10.10.10, I made of list of 10 things that are making me happy today...

1. Spending a perfectly rainy, cozy day inside with my best friend while working on and dreaming of crafty goodness.
2. Loving that every time I put on my jeans, they fit just a little looser.
3. Finishing up my personal pages for the Silver Bella Souvenir Journal swap I'm hosting as well as Sponsor Kits! Big accomplishments for me! :-)
4. Drinking Numi Gunpower Green tea.
5. Eating strawberries and cottage cheese...my oasis in dieting.
6. Cassondra and I booked our flights for a trip next year to visit this girl and this girl!!!!!!! I have to keep pinching myself! Over.The.Moon.
7. This favorite girl of mine is coming over in two weeks to play and plan and shop!
8. Found my clear retainers that I thought I lost on Friday!
9. Listening to Explosions in the Sky on my iPod Touch that I just got back from the shop.
10. Taking Jesse Reno's Freedom to Create class at Art and Soul tomorrow with my girlie.

 

fun.day...

This past Thursday, I took a class at Art and Soul in Portland and it was one of the best days ever! Not just because I got to take another class with the gorgeously talented Susan Lenart-Kazmer, but because my girlie took the class with me! In fact, she picked it out!

It was such a joy to have Miranda in the class with me. I knew I would enjoy being in a class with her. She is a magical and inspiring presence and is a natural talent in just about anything she explores.  Also, I notice that whereever she goes, people are drawn to her. She is kind, sincere, approachable and so easily engages people. And I just love watching that unfold.

Just a few pics...

That's Miranda front and center sitting next to Susan. I'm not sure how she got up there. :-) 

Miranda at work and giving me the "seriously, Mom?" look.

For lunch, we met up with Mr. G at IKEA. A funny lunch spot, I know, but that's where my kiddo wanted to go! While we were "dining," I asked these two goofballs to put their heads together so I could take a picture and this is what I got. :-)

It's now officially a favorite picture of them. :-) 

As we were leaving, Mr. G caught a glipse of a sea of carts and snapped a picture...

 

Very cool!

I just got the chance to take a pic of one of the pieces Miranda created...a work in progress but none the less gorgeous!

 Here are my pieces...lots of works in progress.

 

The large white piece was intended to be a sand dollar but I think I may have overworked it...

 
This class was so awesome and being in the presence of Susan is inspiration just in itself! This is the third enameling class I've taken and I really love it. I have a feeling it might be my "next big thing."

No classes for us over the weekend but on Monday, we are both taking Jesse Reno's Freedom to Create class! Cool!

See ya later!

my.fall.my.sky...

Okay so I've finally embraced that Fall is here. And if there really was any doubt, our neighbor's tree across the street would have convinced me.

I noticed yesterday that the tree was full on changing color and losing it's leaves...and fast! I'm pretty sure it was half again as orange today as it was yesterday and there were twice as many leaves on the ground as yesterday.

Here's a few other pictures...the view from our upstairs deck...

 

 
I'd love to try to remember to take another picture from this view in another month...or heck, a week!

Here's the sky this evening...

 

It was quite crisp out tonight...not cold, but this girl definitely needed a sweatshirt.

While I was snappin' away up on the deck, I looked down to see someone trying to get my attention..  

Bastian's probably saying..."Are you feeding me yet?!"

   
"Now?" :-)