our willow tree

willow tree, originally uploaded by Kirsten W.

How awesome is it that I can see this tree from my window? I'm still in disbelief that this is *our* amazing house and beautiful yard. It is the best of both worlds to be surrounded by nature but still be in a neighborhood, and so close to town.

Tonight I am finally working on hanging up some more artwork around the house while waiting for Bill to get home from a late night at work. Had a fun time working at Reminisce today - so much new stuff to admire - I've been resisting the buying urge the past few weeks, but I have a feeling that will be coming to an end tomorrow, since we are having an employee crop at the store.

I am thankful that the stomach bug that took hold of me Thursday night only lasted about 24 hours. A full day of sleeping at drinking fluids on Friday brought me back to my senses and I'm feeling almost normal today. Here's to a spring season free from germs!

new stamps!

Here are the aforementioned stamps that I started this weekend and finished tonight. And a couple new atcs using the tree stamp!

First Signs of Spring

Last week was a *long* and *messy* one at school and by the time I got home on Friday, all I wanted was a cold beer. Ever have a day like that? Anyway, after I took a few moments to get into weekend mode, I started to notice some signs of spring around our yard. Look at these green leaves sprouting up. Yippee!
Apparently Cleo is feeling the same excitement for getting outside to enjoy spring because she has been attempting everything she can to escape the safety of the the house.
This sweet little bird came in the mail Friday from Wendy, which helped very much to cheer me up, and she looks great on our kitchen windowsill.

This was one of those weekends when I had no schedule, but a big to-do list. I worked on a project for an upcoming class at Reminisce, finally unpacked and did laundry from our vacation, put away some winter clothes, and I started working on a couple hand-carved stamps for upcoming mail art swaps. I took a trip to the grocery store, bank, gas station, Hobby Lobby for 1/2 price frames... I even made time to work out, make muffins a la Rachel, and finish reading The Poisonwood Bible, which I started on spring break. All in all, a very productive weekend, which puts me in a better frame of mind to start this week.

Back home sweet home today. We had a wonderful time in Mexico, soaking up the sun, eating, drinking, then repeating that cycle many times, with some reading and napping thrown in, of course. It was fun to see the family and so relaxing to be away from it all, but I do have to say I was happy to be headed home after being gone over a week. We arrived home late last night, after delays at our layover in Atlanta. I pretty much had a few hours of sleep then headed off to the shock of back to school in the morning (and without Cami the wonder-student teacher to help out - poor me!) So this afternoon I managed to drag myself onto the elliptical machine to workout a little - this better become a routine after eating ice cream 2-3 times a day for a week - and I've been catching up with my email and uploading photos from our trip. Here are a few of my favorites - so fun to spend quality time with our nephews 3 1/2 & 3 months. What personalities. More to be see in my flickr set. Time to get ready for bed!

Off to sunshine and Coronas

We're headed to Mexico in a few hours for a wonderful spring break getaway with Bill's family (even the little nephews!) but I wanted to make a quick post to share a few favorite pictures from my student teacher's last week - I will miss her! See y'all in a week or so!

One inch squares swap - step 3

One inch squares swap - step 3, originally uploaded by Kirsten W.

Here are my first 25 squares with a little embellishment. I started by drawing the little windows with brown pen, then I inked the edges with Distress Ink, and painted in the "panes" with gesso. Finally, I found tiny pictures in a magazine and to attach inside the windows. i really think they need a little something more, but I don't know what...

Pear atcs

Pear atcs, originally uploaded by Kirsten W.

Seriously. Another snow day today. More snow and ice and actual blizzard conditions here in Iowa today. We only had school 1 1/2 days out of 5 this week. That's winter for ya, I guess. I spent some time this morning enjoying my art space and using some of the extra paper from the 1" squares to make a pear deco. I enjoyed painting the pear so much that I made a couple pear atcs. Acrylic paint on watercolor paper. I think I'll keep one and trade one away. If you're interested in a 1-1 trade, leave me a comment... and stay warm and safe wherever you are!

One inch squares swap - step 2

So, I cut my paper into one inch squares last night while watching Marie Antoinette. I thoroughly enjoyed that movie, not so much for the (lack of) substance as for the stunning visuals and the great soundtrack. Anyway, I'm much happier with the painting in mini-doses. The swap, via the Embellished Circus, is for 25, or 50, or 100 one inch squares. I went ahead and cut 100+, but I'm not sure if I will actually finish and send that many. This project was inspired by artwork by Chrysti - and although hers are fabulous, I'd like to do something a little different. Playing with the idea of making different "windows" on each square. Hopefully step 3 (drawing and collage on the squares) will come together soon.