Challenge #1 – High-Key B&W Portrait Effect & 30 Days of Creativity – Day 30

Once again, two birds with one stone! I did my Photoshop challenge of the week & my final day of the 30 Days of Creativity.

I used a photo that I took this weekend at a wedding we went to of my husband & my youngest son. I used this tutorial to produce a high-key black & white portrait. I love the dreamy, ethereal feel of the high-key effect.

Before

 

After

 

For details of this challenge, click here. 

The 30 Days of Creativity has been amazing. I haven’t felt heaps of pressure which has been great because I think that would have taken a lot of the fun out of it. But it has definitely been a consideration &  motivation as I think about my day. I plan on doing it again next year, but I think I will be much more organised & plan out more activities instead of flying by the seat of my pants as much as I did. This has been inspirational for me & I’ve done so many fun things & stretched myself. I’m excited to get back into more of my traditional art disciplines.

Pastel Goodness

I’m not usually a big fan of pastels on myself, but I love these two vintage necklaces that I thrifted along the way. This outfit was vintage inspired & super comfortable for running errands with the boys. My Blowfish shoes are so comfortable – I can wear them all day & they are fab. I love it when style & comfort co-exist.

 

 

 

 

Top: Torrid
Jeans: Angels
Shoes: Blowfish – Gimmik
Hairclips: Forever 21 (gift from my Sis!)
Necklaces: Vintage/Thrifted

30 Days of Creativity – Day 29

I have been fighting a headache all day – I think it’s the leftovers of my, thankfully short-lived, cold. Headaches & creativity do not dwell peacefully together. I thought I wasn’t going to manage a creative act today, but I decided to get my sketchbook out & see what happened. I ended up doing a 5 minute sketch of my hand. It’s not amazing, but it was so fun to do. I forget how much I love to just draw. I need to do it more. It takes time & concentration, but it’s worth it.

Artist in Residence

I mentioned & posted pictures of the outdoor chalkboard that we set up for our boys. It is a total hit. Jude loves to go out & draw on it. So thankful that we did it. I used the chalkboard as my backdrop for my pictures when I wore this outfit & of course, Jude had to get in on the action.

 

 

 

 

Top: Target
Skirt: Source of Wisdom
Leggings: Fred Meyer
Shoes: Dollhouse
Headband: Ross
Earrings: Anika Burke

Today & Tomorrow are the last days to enter my Anika Burke giveaway!

Challenge 3 – Trout Navarra-Style & 30 Days of Creativity – Day 28

I made this recipe using steelhead trout I got at Costco. I thought it would be more like a white meat fish, but it seemed a lot like salmon. It was a super simple recipe, but it was basically fish with bacon – not saying that’s a bad thing, but it seemed very simple. I actually added capers right at the end, mostly because one of my sons loves capers & the last time I cooked fish it didn’t have capers & he was sad. We all loved the fish & I really liked the smoky, saltiness of the bacon with the fish.

For more details of this challenge, click here.

30 Days of Creativity – Day 27

I finally did it! I made a fascinator. I have been wanting to make one for ages, but have been kind of intimidated. I decided that my first attempt would be a Summery fascinator that wouldn’t look heavy, but I also didn’t want it looking too bridal so I went black & white.

I even managed to clean the downstairs today. Creativity & cleaning? It is possible!

30 Days of Creativity – Days 25 & 26

My creative act yesterday was to take a few pictures of my boys at the wedding we went to. This is one of my favourites.

Sometimes I am just blown away by how amazing my boys are. Truly blessed.

Today, I got out my calligraphy pens & wrote out a quote on an Artist Trading Card. I haven’t done any calligraphy in ages, but I love it. This was done freehand in no particular style but my own. The quote inspires me. I can’t do it on my own.

I am quite smitten with ATCs. I love the small size – you can create something simple or elaborate & they are just plain fun. I want to find a way to start trading with other artists.

Here are a few that I have done.

 

 

Going to the Chapel…

…and we’re gonna get married. Well, I’m not getting married, I already am. And we’re not going to a chapel, we’re going to a park. And they’re already married in a civil ceremony, but this is a wedding before family & friends, but it’s still a great song. It was a great wedding too, simple, beautiful & special. (Despite the fact that my boys did a bit of rampaging around during the ceremony & toasts.) Congrats to Keith & Janice!

Here’s what I wore…

Dress: Ebay
Necklace: Kohls
Double Ring: Torrid
Gladiator Sandals: Payless

Have you entered my Anika Burke Giveaway yet? There’s still time & it’s a great giveaway!

Couch to 5K – Week 3

It’s a thrill to make it through Week 3. The first time I did the Couch to 5K program it was on the third day that I wasn’t sure I would be able to make it home on my own. I developed bursitis in both of my knees & was in intense pain & barely able to walk for the next two weeks. So making it through Week 3 is amazing!

I am fighting a cold right now which was why I didn’t make it through my second try at Couch to 5K, but I am determined not to be derailed again. I had a really rough week, sleep-wise & I am sure that contributed to me getting sick. Last night we went to sleep when the boys did & slept through until morning. Eleven hours of sleep! That hasn’t happened for well over four years. I certainly never slept that long while I was pregnant with my first son & he just turned four! Definitely haven’t slept that long since we had kids. It was blissful & I am feeling good. Ready to take on Week 4.

For more information about the Couch to 5K program, click here.

30 Days of Creativity – Day 24

I’m back! Had a couple of days without doing anything intentional – I cooked meals, put outfits together, played with the boys, but none of it felt like an intentional act of creativity. It’s been a really bad week sleep-wise & I think that has contributed to my lethargy. Snapping out of it now though. I had a brief window of opportunity today while Zane was napping & Jude was at VBS, so I got on with it & made a button tree.

I have been wanting to make a button tree for ages. I’ve lately been obsessed with buttons – my grandma used to have lots of crafty things & I was frustrated that I didn’t have a big collection of buttons for the boys & I to make stuff with. So I set out to build my own button collection – Freecycle, thrift stores, family & 50% off buttons sales at Joanns. I’ve now got a great collection going. I originally had them all in one jar, but soon realised they would be more useful if I sorted them by colour. Jude & I had a lot of fun sorting buttons. I think they are beautiful in their jars & inspirational too. I love jars of treasures!

Jars full of wonderful things.

 

Colourful buttons.

 

My Button Tree

Now I fully intend to go to bed when the boys do tonight – must get some sleep!