Bring On Spring

Can we all just breathe a collective sigh? Spring is here! Yesterday, Enu and I strolled through our backyard, surveying all of the teeny tufts of green grass starting to poke through.

Things I typically look for to indicate spring:
   --buds on trees, grass beginning to grow
   --sun sticking around longer each day
   --the eventual planning of our annual summer Lake Trip with friends (yes, we plan several months in advance)
   --more coffees/drinks on our porch and local coffee shop porches
   --my birthday!
   --uptick in Philip's allergies--they hit him this past week

Here's to the season! May it be kind to us all.



*Photos edited using Petal and Opal from ABM Actions.

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February Books

February found me soaring through the Divergent series, at the recommendation of a few friends and about 1/3 done in my 30-book goal. Here's my contribution for February (two books not pictured, plus one pictured that I can't seem to finish).

1) Smoke and Mirrors: Short Fictions and Illusions by  Neil Gaiman
  -My very first Neil Gaiman publication! How did it take me this long to find the brilliance that is Gaiman, you might ask? Girl, I have no idea. He's the shiz, though, and his writing makes me have all the feels. (YES, I've seen "Stardust," watched his Doctor Who episodes, and read his Marvel contributions, but hadn't read any of his actual books). Ok, seriously though, great writing. This is a book of short stories. I found myself particularly enthralled by "Chivalry" and "Troll Bridge." The old lady in "Chivalry" seems like everyone's little, old grandma. May this be the beginning of a Neil Gaiman reading-stravaganza!

2, 3, and 4) Divergent trilogy (Divergent, Insurgent, Allegient) by Veronica Roth
  -It really was only a matter of time until I jumped on this bandwagon. These were read at the recommendation of several friends, and I wasn't disappointed. I dig the dystopian future thing, and it's a theme that authors can really have fun writing. Veronica Roth built herself a nice niche with these books, and I really grew to love the characters. I have to say, though, that I've never had such a negative reaction to the end of a book series as I had when finishing Allegient. Never. I immediately ran to my computer and wrote "F*** YOU, VERONICA ROTH." on Facebook. I know! I never have that reaction. My thought is that the ending turned out to be completely unnecessary and a waste of my tears. I know it sounds selfish, but dammit! I really wanted things to turn out differently.

**The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte
  -February found me still plugging away at this book, so it doesn't actually "count" since I have it listed in January.



Happy Reading!

*Photos edited using ABM Actions.

January Books (yes, a little delayed)

One of my resolutions for 2014 is to read at least 30 books. Having been a voracious reader in the past (hello...I'm a history-degree-holding, library-book-themed-wedding kind of girl!), I found myself aghast when thinking back on books I read in 2013. I think I could count them on one hand (*GASP*!!!!!!!!). It's mostly to blame on the fact that I acquired my first smartphone last January right before my cruise. It's so tempting to watch an TV episode or movie in the time I used to spend reading. Even my comic books have become neglected, as my husband so often likes to remind me.

So, I jumped on the "Read X Books this Year" resolution bandwagon. I figured I'd start with 30, allowing for flexibility each month, and go from there. I can tell you that January really kicked off with a bang!

1) Taking Charge of Your Fertility: The Definitive Guide to Natural BIrth Control, Pregnancy Achievement, and Reproductive Health by Toni Weschler, MPH

  --Go buy this book. NOW. If you're a woman who isn't at least tracking her waking temperature, it's time to get with it, sister! My friend first loaned me her copy waaaaay back in like 2009, and I flipped through it, not thinking I would be able to adhere to the suggestions and quickly gave up reading it. I finally purchased my own copy in early January and devoured it cover-to-cover. I'd already been tracking my temps since April 2013, but reading this book put everything into perspective. Much, much, MUCH recommended book. SERIOUSLY, why were we not taught this in our health classes? I would know so much more about my body had I been tracking it all this time. If there's one book I can recommend to ANY woman for ANY reason to do with health, this is by far the book.

2) Making Babies: A Proven 3-Month Program for Maximum Fertility by Sami S. David, MD, and Jill Blakeway, LAc

  --I almost didn't pick up this book because we're not really TTC right at this moment, but I got it anyway and am glad to have done so. The first half of the book rehashes a lot of Toni Weschler's work (sometimes verbatim in places, I think?); and the second half seeks to classify the reader into various groups and prescribe a plan for health based on that. I found myself in between two categories and need to start following the plan. Pretty interesting ideas!

3) Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened... by Allie Brosh

  --GAH, how can I not read this book? Having "found" her site several years ago when she announced the book, I'm been patient since then. The book had me in stitches! Brosh not only brings the hilarity to her writing, she also brings true feelings. Because we don't just read things like that for humor--we read them to identify emotions within ourselves. I fucking love her work and can totally relate on depression.

4) A Dance with Dragons: A Song of Ice and Fire: Book Five by George R. R. Martin

  --Freaking. Finally. I'd wanted to read this book since it came out and ended up waiting a couple of years AFTER I'd finished Book 4. Not sure why, but I'm glad I got around to reading it. You won't find any spoilers here (everyone dies! J/K!); I'll just throw out there that I really, REALLY can't wait this time until Book 6 comes out...whenever that happens. Poor Mr. Martin has an entire legion of people pushing him along. I kind of feel bad for him.

5) The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte

  --One of the only Bronte stories I've yet experienced. I think I picked this book up at the annual Art Museum Booksale we frequent in May and thought I'd give it a try. It's included in my January list, even though it's still a work in progress (even now in March, when I've read 5-6 more book in between). But what I've so far read, I really like. Strong feminist tones, which were pretty controversial for the mid-1800s. Anne even published it under a pseudonym, and one of her sisters condemned the themes, if I remember correctly from the forward in the book. Anyway, still ongoing!

Happy reading! 

Craftiness--Crochet--Granny Stripe Blanket--DONE!!!!!!

It's done. What I began months ago is finally complete. And awesome. And the best thing ever right now. Seriously, it's so comfy! I could not be happier with the result.

I felt bad about the idea of throwing away the scraps, so I put them into a thrifted bubble silhouette that I'd been meaning to redo. The silhouette, tray, and curtain/tablecloth (below) are three things I picked up at the church garage sale way back in August. I used one of Philip's old grey Prismacolor markers for the frame.

The decision to run the stripes vertically was the best decision I could have made. I wanted this blanket to be able to fit into our washer, after all, and keeping them horizontally would have made it waaaaaay bigger. Plus, I find this more appealing visually.

Believe it or not, we've lived in this house for nigh on three years (this summer) and hadn't decorated our bedroom (I know!). The painting and head were art class projects of my husband's several semesters ago. Still need to add a painting to the large wall to the right.

Materials used:
--Red Heart Grey Heather (base color)
--Deborah Norville Everyday Soft Worsted (stripes): Flourescent Yellow, Wild Blue, Neon Pink, Bright Violet, and Electric Green.
--Size H crochet hook

The Kansas print is from The Big Harumph, and I made the little purse back in high school from a dress I wore in childhood.

{F-off, World. No, for real though, middle-finger unintentional.}

{good night}

{my new place to chill}

**Photos edited using the fabulous ABM Actions. So fun!

Playing Around with ABM Actions (yay!)

If you've been hiding under a rock and haven't yet ventured over to A Beautiful Mess lately, do make sure to check out their collection of Photoshop actions. I purchased The Complete Collection earlier today and have been playing around with the actions, having the best time! You know how long it takes to develop actions on Photoshop that you like when processing photos. They really take the guess-work out of it with this collection.

One day last fall, I came home from a long day of work, grabbed my DSLR, and headed out to our backyard with Enu. I'd forgotten about these photos, images taken before the long gloom of winter set in here in Kansas. (Seriously, I'm writing this on the very tippy-toe brink of spring, and I can't wait for it to be here already! So cold.)

{my original image}

Sunday and Yoko from The Folk Collection

Alice and Luna from The Fresh Collection

Bowie and Autumn from The Signature Collection

You can mix-and-match actions to tailor your photos to your needs. SO. COOL.

Opal from The Signature Collection, plus Light Leak 2 and Goldie from The Folk Collection

Gigi from The Signature Collection and Celeste from The Fresh Collection

India and Opal from The Signature Collection

Malt and Imogen from The Folk Collection

Willow (with dark separation turned off) and Sun Flare 2 from The Fresh Collection 

I might still be doodling around with the actions when Philip gets home from his drawing class this evening.

You can click any of the above links to access the ABM shop or click here. Be sure to check out their classes and workshops, too! Hardest working team ever!

Sooo... I GOT A TATTOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Everyone, meet Owliver. {Owliver, meet Everyone.}

You guys, I finally did it. I got my first tattoo! It'll be a week old tomorrow, and I've wanted another one since the moment I left the shop on Saturday. For reals! I'm totally in the "planning my next tattoo" group. It didn't hurt NEARLY as much as I thought it would, and Philip was next to me, talking to the tattoo artist and myself. That was a pleasant distraction. At times, I would look at Philip to talk with him and totally forget about the pain and that I was getting a tattoo. The artist was pretty awesome--Chad at Artist at Large Tattoo here in Wichita. He said he's moving back to the area from KC. Chad also did Philip's new tattoo.

{based on a vintage owl embroidery pattern}

It's on my left arm just below my elbow. We're thinking about getting personalized tattoos of the word "TEN" or number 10 for our ten year anniversary in April. Maybe I'll get another one before that, too. Many ideas and plans.

Hooked for life, yo.

Craftiness--Crochet--Orange Slouchy Hat

I'm on a roll! This hat came together in two evenings--I got through the band and one row of puffy stitches and then finished the rest last night. It turned out a teensy big too large for my head, and I'd thought about pinching it together on the seam. But then Philip tried it on and looked so darned handsome that I ended up giving him the hat. I can always make myself a different one (probably with a thinner weight of yarn).

Isn't he the dreamiest? It really brings out his red hair.

Used this Ravelry pattern but didn't make the puffy stitch part near as long as called for.