Unconditional Love

I wish I could better explain what unconditional love from a dog feels like. Katie is the pup that is always looking to kiss you, snuggle in your lap or when all other options are gone; just be near you.

This morning, while Katie laid in my arms, I realized just how lucky I am. She loves always and no matter what. She loves with all her heart. And she isn't afraid to show it.

It's like the quote says, "be the person your dog thinks you are." I can only hope to some day live up to that bar.

Creative Tuesday: Beatles Song (#67)

It's Creative Tuesday time!  Today's meme was Beatles Songs.  You know that English group that was pretty popular back 60's/70's?  Ya, before I was born, ha!  Well, the challenge is to pick your favorite Beatles song and create a drawing inspired by it.  So, I bet your dying to know what my favorite song is, right? 

Me too. 

I admit I've heard of the Beatles.  I can even openly say I think I like their music.  Then, I pondered about what my favorite song was. 

Drew a total blank. 

Then, I tried to think of any song by the Beatles. 

Again.  Total blanksville.  I admit, connecting music artists and their song names isn't a strong skill for me.  (I can hear the Mister laughing at that.)  Thank goodness for Google!  After about 5 minutes I was off and rolling and couldn't get the song "Love is All You Need" out of my head. 

Perfect!  I had my muse!  I got my acrylic paints out for this one.  I've been wanting to see how they might mix into a multimedia piece.  I started with a base of red tissue paper, pink and green fabric, and that piece of striped cardboard.

Layering is my favorite part, I applied a bunch of acrylic paint with a paint brush and bubble wrap.  The hardest part of using paint for me... is waiting for it to dry.  Who's with me?

Thank goodness for distractions.  While the piece dried I set out to add more texture to the Sammy piece that you might remember from a previous Creative Tuesday.  I will be showing off the finish tomorrow for the Pet's on Quilts parade!!

Once the paint was dry, I glued on a bit of lime green tissue paper, and a few torn pieces of origami paper.  Then doodled around with sharpie markers in lots of colors to outline, trace, or emphasize. 

Totally soothing. 

Totally creative. 
Totally creating without concern or plans.

And I admit, I adore the results of that crazy mind of mine. 

I also adore these two lovable pups who wouldn't let me out of their sight last night.  That's Katie on the left and Sammy super-manning on the right. 

Anyway, here's a better look at the results of my mixed media craziness.  I see many more of these pieces, in this style, in my future.  I have even thought about how I might be able to better bring this style to my quilting. 

And of course I had to instagram it!  I can't remember exactly what filter I used, but I love the way it faded the piece and made it seem like old school rock and roll.  I'm also excited that this is my third piece that I found a way to incorporate fabric in an unexpected way!

And, I'll leave you with a snap of the lake down the road.  It was so peaceful, so calm, so serene this morning!  Sure gets my creative juices bubbling!

Wishing you endless creativity and all the time you need to capture it!

Happy Three Years to Us!!

Three years ago today I married my best friend.  A part of me can't believe it's already been three years -- where has time gone; and the other part of me can't believe it's only been three years -- what an amazing adventure we are on together! 

I decided to doodle up the 'Old Apache Blessing' that we used in our ceremony.  The words are still so meaningful today!  {Feel free to download it or print it if it's your kind of thing.}

I Love you Mr. Happy.  More! (yup, more!)

Previous anniversary thoughts and more wedding details can be found here and here.

Creative Tuesday: Kitchen

It's Creative Tuesday and I have to admit I almost bailed on this one.  I'll tell you why in a second... and why I'm glad I didn't.  Wondering what a Creative Tuesday is?  Every two weeks we grab our pads and something to color with to create for the theme over at Mr. Toast's Creative Tuesday's assignment -- neat, no?

This week's theme is Kitchen.  Wait, wha?  Like I should draw my kitchen?  Oh no.  Not good.  What could really be so interesting about a kitchen.  Hmmm.  ...days of thought later....

Funny story ----------  by now you may know... and if you your new in these parts, welcome! and I'll tell you... I have a five month old puppy.  Sammy... Sammy as in Samantha, ...is a golden retriever which is code word for too smart for her own good.  And did I mention that she is getting taller/longer/faster/nosier?

Do you see where this is heading?  Yup, countersurfing.  I think countersurfing is technically defined as a pup taking whatever they want off the counter... whenever they want to.  Oh, big trouble!  Katie, our four and 1/2 year old golden, also went through this very phase.  I thought I was well prepared.  And Sammy has schooled me that I am most certainly not.  And on the very same breath.. how cute is this picture!!

And so, we work on the commands "take it" and "leave it" ... as in take that toy of yours on the ground, and leave that yummy bacon on the counter.  And I am also learning to cook with my new kitchen buddy and it normally ends with me laughing so hard when she ends up with something like flour on her nose.  The whole experience led me down the path to a fun "kitchen scene" that I otherwise wouldn't have thought of... and boy am I glad I did!!

Creative-wise I did things a little differently this time, since Creative Tuesday is all about exploring styles.  I started with card stock paper, doodled the scene in pencil, traced it in pen, and then scanned it to the computer.  Then colored it all in using GIMP -- which is a free software download.  Phew. 

Interesting exercise.  I have so much to learn about digital coloring, if I may use that term, but I loved the experience.  And here is the result! For those of you wondering... this is Sammy in the drawing.  Katie is so tall she can just put her head on the counter without jumping.

I hope you consider joining in this or the next assignment (really hope you do) and please take a look other artists in the community here.   

I'd like to add that Sammy's good cooking will also be linked at Tasty Tuesday where you can share your tastiest things and pawsome recipes!

Katie Co-Pilot

I've had the puppy 'crazies' lately... meaning I want another puppy. 

I thought the best way to calm that down since we aren't getting a pupping in the winter (midnight pee breaks in the cold and snow -- no thank you) was to go deep into the archives and dig up some Katie puppy goodness. 

Yes, this is doing the trick just fine!!

And if all that wasn't enough to satisfy your very own puppy craze... then here's a short video of my favorite co-pilot!

Have you given the two dog household some thought?  Do you already have two dogs?  How did your first dog adjust?  How old was your first dog when you got your second?

Thanks!!  Have an innocent puppy loving the world kind of weekend!

Feeling so loved!

My birthday was Friday.  I turned old.  But, had a blast!  And even more important... I feel so loved!

Here are some of the highlights:

Check out these delicious cuppies!! Cocoa Cuppies with Fresh Strawberry Buttercream  *drool*

We said good bye to our intern with style!

Mr. Happy and I went on a great big hike (at night) to see the meteor shower -- and the weather was perfect for it!

I got birthday wishes with dogs!!  Thanks Liz!

Thanks Joan!  I warn you... this song will be stuck in your head...  more of the cute goldies Augie and Ti here.

Hope your weekend was amazing and hope you're feeling loved too!

Big Wheel. At night.

Side note: our happy spot was feeling a bit green.  let's try this for awhile.

So, how has your week been going?  By the time you are reading this... it may be Friday (that's good right?).  Things are going alright here.  Busy, but making sure every moment is enjoyed.

As I am gearing up for the weekend, I can't help but think about how much fun we had at the fair over 4th of July.  I saved the best for last too.... the Big Wheel at night!

The first few here show a bit of pink in the sky from an amazing sunset.  Something so romantic about holding hands, at the fair, at sunset, while about to ride the Big Wheel.
 
Sigh!

Gorgeous, no?

Oh the angles.. kill me!

The colors, the lights, the lines.

amour! 

Ok, maybe I wasn't holding Mr. Happy's hand.  I was so taken by needing to take all the pictures that were leaping out at me. 

Honest. 

As we went up, it was hard not to stare at how tiny things were.  We were up there.

Thank goodness Mr. Happy has a steady hand even at heights so I could show you how beautiful it was. 

I wanted to steal a smoochy or two... but there were two girls in the bucket with us.  It will have to wait till another time. 

Teeny, tiny ant people.  I squish you... with my fingers I squish you.   

Mush mush mush.

Look how amazing the Big Wheel light looks on me. 

I'm ready for my close up!

I really didn't want it all to end.

I wanted to just keep going around and around. 

and around.

Even the good things can't last forever. 

And you can bet this needs to become one of our 4th of July "things"!

What special ways do you celebrate the summer?

Paint me in love

Lately, happiness has come to me in strange forms.  Well, not strange, but different.  Which is ok since it doesn't really matter what form happiness takes, right?  Just matters that you have a whole huge gob of it in your life.  Well, and you have to stop to enjoy and appreciate it... a lot!

So, what does happiness look like?

Well, a few days ago it looked like this:

Yup. 

Paint! 

After so many years of renting and many years before that of not really being able to paint my own room I have painted my first room in my house.  It's a magical. no wonderful. even maybe a fantastical thing!

The first room ended up being the kitchen.  Which is good stuff, since that's the heart of the home. 

The color picked was Natural Wicker. 

Not very daring.  Not very out there... but man it warms up the room.  And my kitchen has very intense and saturated red tiles for the floor.... which means I couldn't do anything too crazy on the walls.  (wait till you see the art work I find! -- going to be a whole other story since I haven't found it yet.)

I may have goofed off a little...

But you can't blame me, can you? 

It's funny too... since Mr. Happy walked in while I had this on the wall and I thought for sure I was caught.  But, I don't think he noticed it.  Heeheehee.  Sneaky of me, right?  Now that wall will say I love him... forever!  Romantic!  Happy!

I am lucky to have a husband who goes along with my crazy ideas.  He's pretty cool too!  

I think the color came out nicely and now that my arms don't feel like noodles any more I am ready to paint some more.

I think the next room will be the master bedroom. 

Bet you didn't think you could find happiness in a can?

Polyvore

Combining my love for Tano Handbags with a new addition to Polyvore = happiness!

I have recently discovered a site called Polyvore. (Have you heard of it?) I have to admit... I had heard of it before and even went to the site and flipped around a little, but never really did much else. Well, yesterday I took a leap into it and I am hooked!

Polyvore is a free, easy-to-use web-based application for mixing and matching images from anywhere on the web. It is also a vibrant community of creative and stylish people. Most importantly it's fun! Click on the link and get over the site and start creating your first set and then tell me you're not additcted?

I may have to start sharing sets with you more often... how about Polyvore Tuesdays? Here's another one I made yesterday which goes along with our hiking theme this week.