Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Summertime Photography Scavenger Hunt

Happy Wednesday, everyone!
Today I'm linking up with my friend, Rinda, and giving you a little update on some of the items I've found and photographed for her annual Summertime Photography Scavenger Hunt. I'm sharing six items today and all of these photos have been edited in Instagram.
 
Item #2 - Theater for performing arts:
This is Grady Gammage Auditorium on the campus of Arizona State University. It was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright to be as acoustically perfect as possible, and I'd like us to all take a moment and remember that this is where I breathed the same air as Donny Osmond. {sigh} And on the complete other side of the spectrum, Carrie also wants me to mention that looking down on this building from the air, it's said to look like a toilet bowl.
 
Item #5 - A Sunset 
We have our share of beautiful sunsets in Arizona during the summertime, so I will have to narrow this one down when coming up with my final choice for item number five. This one with my sweet sunflower in the foreground just may make the cut.

#6 - Someone or something taking a nap
Man, I love this cat.
 
#12 - A cloud in the shape of something: 
If I make it through this summer's scavenger hunt without tripping and hurting myself because I'm looking skyward for a cloud in the shape of something it will be a small miracle! I did find this shark shape last month {the pointy thing is supposed to be his fin}, but I'm still on the lookout for a cloud shape I like better.
 
#17 - A candle 
We lit this candle on July 4th in honor of Doug's mother's birthday. PJ was such an awesome lady, and it's sweet to remember her on the fourth of July.
 
#20 - A dinosaur 
Driving along, minding my own business, when what do I see? A dinosaur!!! I had to turn around and take a few pictures of this guy. I could also count this as #9 {a photo of something that is out of place} and #13 {a fence} but that might be considered cheating.

That's it for this round. So far I have 10 out of the 21 items on the scavenger hunt list, but I'm not freaking out about the remaining 11. Yet. I have plans to capture a bunch of them next weekend when Doug and I take a little road trip.
 
Are you playing along with the photography scavenger hunt?
Rinda's hosting a link up party on her blog today, so you can
click here to see some more takes on the scavenger hunt finds.

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

This Week In My Garden

Sweet friends! Thanks so much for your lovely comments on yesterday's 1,000th post! Oh, my day was so happy. :o) I thought I'd keep it light today and just share a few photos taken in our backyard this past weekend.
 

This year's blood orange crop is progressing nicely. These two oranges are right about eye level so I have plans to document their growth - like I'm desperate for something to photograph. Ha! They are a little challenging to photograph though, as they are shaped like...well...the two of them are an interesting arrangement.


I set out some more of these vincas and hope they survive better than the last batch. We've since had our sprinkler system/drip lines revamped, and Doug's fence has successfully kept Lucky from digging here, so fingers crossed that these beauties flourish.


I also did a little planting in some containers, including the flower pot that was supposed to glow-in-the-dark.


I didn't even realize until I was looking through my camera lens that something is eating my basil. Dang.

 
And here's the clown of the backyard, Lucky the Dog, at your smiley service. He's such a funny little dog; so entertaining too.
 

We're almost over the hump where summer heat is concerned. August is knocking at our door and puts us one step closer to autumn. I planted another round of sunflower seeds in hopes that we'll have a fall and winter crop this year. You know I'll keep you posted...
 
What's growing on your part of the planet right now?

Monday, July 29, 2013

For the 1,000th Time

I could hardly believe my eyes a couple of months ago when I noticed that my “published blog posts” count was inching up toward the 1,000 mark. All sorts of things ran through my mind.
 

For one thing, I thought about the time I’ve spent blogging. That’s 1,000 blog posts photographed, written, previewed 10 times to make sure everything’s aligned, links linked up, labels added, hearts inserted and colors changed…  Blogging is time consuming.

“Oh,” I thought, “If only I had all that time back…” But, for what? What would I have done if I hadn’t been blogging? Now there’s a question to ponder.

And while a considerable amount of time has been invested in 1,000 posts since November 2008, the benefits of that investment have been beyond rewarding for me. So with this, my 1000th post, I wanted to document some of the things I love about blogging – the things that stand out for me and make the investment in blogging seem totally worthwhile.


Friendship ~
In the beginning, I used this space to post photos of craft projects that I wanted to show my mom. And in the beginning, my mom was usually my one and only reader and commenter. Oh how she loved my blog.

When I took an online class and had a chance to meet other bloggers I started making blog friends. And they weren’t just friends in my same town. Or state. Or country even! They were from all over the planet. If I hadn’t been blogging for the past 1,000 posts, I wouldn’t have made friends like Ruth in London. Sian in Ireland. Amy in Australia. Robyn in New York. The list goes on and on, and I don’t mean to sound like I’m bragging at all, but man I have made a ton of friends over the course of 1,000 posts!

But wait. There’s more. Not only have I made new friends, I have also formed stronger bonds with distant family members and real life acquaintances. It always catches me off guard when I run into someone I haven’t seen for a while and we start talking about what we’ve been up to and they say, “Oh yeah, I read that on your blog.” :o) Haha - my life is a bit of an open book, I suppose, but I feel so honored that they take time to visit here.


Personal Growth ~
This section could be its own blog post, if I ever in a million years wanted to get that personal on my blog. ;o) But I have to say that this is a big one for me. I've written this section over and over - trying to articulate the ways that I have changed in terms of personal growth through blogging without being too personal on my blog!

The main thing that stands out for me is how writing my own stories - posts about me, my life, my thoughts and feelings - has helped me to accept myself in a way that I had never known how to do before. There's been something very empowering about writing my thoughts and then clicking over to preview my blog posts. For me, as I read through my own words I've gained a deeper understanding of who I am, and what I stand for. It's made me more comfortable with who I am, and that's not saying that I think I'm "all that." I'm just saying that believing in myself has become a whole lot easier because I've been blessed with blogging.


Feedback via Comments ~
Oh, comments. Those comments that lift me up and validate that I’m on the right track; remind me that I have something in common with someone else; tell me I’ve entertained or lightened someone’s day; and that I am not alone.

Along with receiving comments comes the giving part as well. There are weeks when I keep up with friend’s blogs and have time to leave comments, and there are weeks that just get away from me and I feel lame for not being able to participate more. I worry about that, and stress just a little, but what’s a working girl to do? All I can do is all I can do.

Giving and receiving comments in our online community is such a fun part of blogging. I appreciate the time it takes to leave a comment, and I always appreciate when you leave one here.


Inspiration ~
As I visit other blogs and make my daily travels around the World Wide Web, I find more inspiration than I will ever be able to bring to fruition in my simple lifetime. Some days my head is so full of ideas I can barely focus on my day-to-day responsibilities. Saving things on Pinterest has given me the illusion that someday I’ll bring all that inspiration to life. Someday.

I've also been fortunate to follow the blogs of some very uplifting and positive people. They inspire me with their strength and courage, and their tenacity in life. There is also something very gratifying knowing that perhaps I have been an inspiration to others. This one usually catches me by surprise, but I’m so happy when that happens. :o)

 
Photography ~
Several years ago, Carrie talked about getting a nice camera. Once she had hers and I had a chance to play with it a little, I knew I had to have my own. I wanted my blog photos to look like some of the big bloggers that I admired. And while there will always be bloggers with much better photos than mine, I'm proud of my growth in this area. It hasn’t come without a lot of practice and effort on my part, but I don’t think I would have ever been this interested in improving my photography skills had it not been for blogging.

Photography is a hobby that surprised me. For one thing, I’m surprised at how much there is to learn about taking a great photo. I was surprised to realize the artistic aspect of photography. And I’m surprised at how much I love it. Love.It.

A scrapbooking friend once mentioned how much she hated sitting next to someone at a crop who wanted to show her every photo in her crop bag. {I kind of might be that girl.} When you visit my blog you probably expect to see a photo or two, so this is a fun way for me to share those photos without irritating my crop neighbor. ;o)

 
Writing ~
Friends, I have always loved writing. Blogging actually gives me an excuse to write creatively, and I continue to be surprised that people actually want to read some of the random stuff I write! Haha – that’s pretty awesome, really.

I know that the opportunity to write on a regular basis has changed and improved the way I write. I know that my sentence structure and punctuation in blog posts aren’t always 100% correct, but this is no English term paper I’m writing. I think that my blog writing style mimics the way I speak in real life, and I love that blogging makes a comfortable space for me to do that.

Writing personal stories for my blog has helped me connect with my past, and in many ways has helped to heal me. I won’t get into a lot of deep explanation here, but I’m sure that blogging has been as beneficial to me as daily journaling might be for others.

 
Hobbies ~
I have had creative hobbies all my life spanning from needlework to ceramics to jewelry making to scrapbooking... I suppose the hobby to cap all hobbies is blogging. In a way I guess you could say that blogging is my creative journal. It’s a place to gather all those crafting projects, share recipes I love, tell stories about things that tug my heart strings, show my photos, and hang out with people I like to hang out with.

It's true. Blogging is one of my favorite hobbies!

 
In Summary ~
I just want to take this opportunity to give a heartfelt thank you and to express my appreciation to all of you who read my blog, support me with comments or emails, like my posts and photos on Facebook, and have helped me to be comfortable just being me here on this humble little blog.

Blogging continues to amaze me. Of all the things I am in this life, I love that “blogger” is one of those things. It’s become an important part of who I am, and it’s been such a fun way to live my life for the past 1,000 posts.

Thank you for being part of my blogging journey – it wouldn’t be the same without you! Whoever you are, however you know me, no matter how you found this space that I call PaperTurtle, thank you for continuing to walk this path with me.

And thank you for reading my 1,000th post.
Gosh, I love blogging.

Friday, July 26, 2013

Just a Quote for Friday

 
At the beginning of this week I met our niece, Beth Ann, at the park for a photo session.
This girl is graduating from nursing school soon and we are super proud of her!
 

Aunt Deb (later, in a text): "B.A! You look so happy in this picture! Who were you talking to?"
Beth Ann: "Oh...just some guy..."
Aunt Deb: "You should marry him."
Beth Ann: "hahahahahahaha"


Documenting this just in case it happens someday and I was right.  ;o)
This girl will be an awesome nurse!
We love our Beth Ann.

Thursday, July 25, 2013

My Quilting Roots


When I was a little girl I was tucked in to bed every night under the weight of a few homemade quilts. I loved the comfort of the weight of the quilts, and knowing that the quilts were made by my grandmother and her sisters made them even better. I always knew those quilts were held together with love and stitches – no wonder they felt so cozy!

 
I also loved any opportunity to snuggle under a quilt while watching TV or reading a good book. One of my favorite things to do was to admire the quilts – the random fabrics, the different sized stitches depending on the grandma or aunt who worked on that section of the quilt, and the way the squares or triangles came together to create a cohesive pattern.

But my favorite part was recognizing fabrics in the quilt that were scraps of something else I knew. The square that matched a dress my mom had made, a triangle that was the same as my sister’s blouse, or an appliqued flower that was like my grandma’s kitchen curtains. I loved the familiarity of fabrics, and in hindsight I realize that I really loved the resourcefulness of the process as well. Nothing ever went to waste. 
 
I’ve been wanting to make a quilt for Carrie for a while now, and when I came across this pattern I knew I’d been inspired. But, I wouldn’t be using designer fabric that was color coordinated and all matchy-matchy. Not that there's anything wrong with that! But I’m using scraps because that’s where my quilting roots are. I love that this quilt will have squares that match an apron I made for Carrie, and some turtle fabric I used for a camera strap. And what’s really cool is that I inherited some of my mom’s fabric scraps so this quilt will hold little pieces of Mom’s leftovers as well.

And just like my grandma and her sisters used to do, this quilt will be held together with love and stitches. In years to come, when Carrie snuggles up under the weight of this quilt, I hope she will appreciate it for all its randomness and resourcefulness.

I’m pretty sure she will.
She is my girl, after all.

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Chocolate Sugar Cookies for a Rainy Day


My friend Robyn called these "brownie cookies for grown ups" when she posted them on her blog a couple of months ago. I followed her link for the recipe and printed it right then. I have been carrying that printed recipe around with me for two months now, and this past weekend I made these yummy dudes.


I haven't been doing much baking lately because of the whole summer-in-Arizona-heat-issue, and by last weekend I was itching to play with flour and butter. Plus, it was cloudy and rainy over the weekend {although still hot} and that kind of weather just begs for fresh cookies.


This recipe was super easy, and it reminded me a lot of some chocolate sugar cookies my mom used to make. I used Hershey's cocoa and they tasted just like my mom's used to! Doug and Carrie loved these, and I have plans to repeat this recipe at Christmas time. But when I make them again, I'm going to invest in some fancy swanky cocoa and enjoy the added taste boost.


And just because I was thinking of my sweet mom,
I used one of her little strawberry plates to serve them.

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Spray Paint and Me

Lately I've been seeing so many awesome projects involving spray paint. I've been awed by how a simple can of paint can transform a glass jar into a color-coordinated flower vase. Or a pretty mercury-glass candle holder. Or a glow-in-the-dark flower pot. I was itching to try my hand at it, so a couple of weeks ago I braved the home improvement store and purchased three cans of spray paint. I was ready to create something awesome!


Random fact #1: I have always been a fan of glow-in-the-dark stuff. So when Carrie sent me a link and I saw these groovy flower pots, I wanted them! I never really looked up a tutorial for the best way to accomplish that awesome look - I was just so happy to have found glow-in-the-dark paint I just went for it. Problem: the terra cotta pots I used really should have been sprayed with a primer before I sprayed, oh, I don't know...10 coats of glow-in-the-dark stuff that totally soaked into the clay and barely lights up once the sun goes down. {Note to self: read directions.}


Random fact #2: I collect jars. You just never know when you'll need one for holding flowers, storing leftovers, and I-don't-know-what-else. I love jars. And fortunately for this one, I didn't need a tutorial. I used regular ol' red spray paint, a couple of clean jars, and I started spraying.


I should mention at this point that I asked Doug to not watch. For those of you that may not know, my hubby has been a professional painter for over 30 years, and this kind of stuff is like second nature to him. Me? Well, not so much. I had grand illusions of painting jars, some rocks {to be turned into strawberries} and an old cafeteria tray.

The results? Well, the jars turned out pretty good, except for the one that got stuck to the newspaper when the wind blew. And I over-sprayed the rocks causing paint to drip down underneath, making them stick to the newspaper. And the tray? I never made it that far. Turns out by then I wasn't a fan of spray-painting. And I realize I could have asked Doug to do it for me, but I'm stubborn about junk like that. Silly me.


Right, so this is a fun little mason-jar turned-flower-vase. I put a metal ring on this one before I sprayed it and I really liked the look - plus it made for a more narrow opening that I like for flower arrangements.

Random fact #3: When we were kids a thermometer broke and we had the most fun playing with the mercury ball that rolled around on the floor. We split it into pieces and were amazed at how the individual balls kind of morphed into each other when they touched. Man, we loved that mercury. Who knew it was a dangerous element? Not us! And we survived. A small miracle.

Anyway! Mercury glass. I love the aged look of mercury glass, and when I saw this tutorial for creating a mercury glass finish, I added it to the list of stuff I wanted to spray.


Now, for this one I did follow directions. Well...sort of. I followed the directions but I couldn't find "looking glass" spray paint. I did find a glossy silver metallic paint though, and that seemed to work just fine. Of all the things I sprayed, I loved this finish the most.


So, I think I got the whole spray-painting-desire out of my system. Or at least I am over the desire to do it all myself. I think some more painted jars are in my future, but I'll leave the other stuff to the professional. {Doug? Will you make me some glow-in-the-dark flower pots?}

How about you? Have you tried your hand at spray painting?

Monday, July 22, 2013

This Weekend ~ Flowers in the House

Happy Monday morning, dear friends.
 
This weekend we enjoyed some rain, thunderstorms, wind, dark clouds, and cooler temperatures. ~sigh~ A welcomed break from the summertime heat! I spent the majority of my weekend at my sewing machine piecing a quilt top {} and I also created a canvas art piece for a special someone's birthday.
 
Rather than my normal weekend recap this morning, I'm joining in with my friend {Flower}Jane over at Small But Charming for a link-up-get-together she calls "Flowers in The House."
 
 
Someday I will have a flower garden robust enough that I can pick my own flowers to bring inside. Until then, I'll continue grabbing whatever is available at my local grocery store. This bright and cheery bouquet was just what we needed to balance out the dark and dreary outdoor weather! And I was happy to finally use one of the mason jars I recently painted {more on that later this week...}.
 
 
These "flowers in my house" were lovely while they lasted, but today they'll turn into "flowers in the office" because these are actually for a work friend who's celebrating her birthday. :o)
 

Not to be stingy or anything, but I did keep some for myself to enjoy at home this week...


How about you? Are you enjoying flowers in your house this week?
When is the last time you treated yourself to a cheery bouquet?
I think you're worth it!
 
Hey, so why not head on over and say hi to Jane and check out the beautiful flowers in her house? She has an amazing garden that allows for clipping and bringing inside - no grocery store flower fare for her! {And I love that she included oregano in her bouquets this month!} It's also a great day to check out the links on her blog and enjoy a lovely skip around the planet to see what others have blooming in vases in their homes. Have a lovely week everyone!

Friday, July 19, 2013

Just a Quote for Friday


 
"Adopt the pace of nature;
her secret is patience."
 
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Thursday, July 18, 2013

Looking Up and Looking Down ~ in my garden


Short and sweet today.
I'm joining in on a photo meme created by my friend, Helena.
What do you see when you look up, and then down?

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Tostadas for Dinner!

Continuing my quest for dinners that don't heat up our kitchen, today I give you:
Tostadas
!


Back in the day when Carrie still lived with us, whenever tostadas were for dinner she'd whine that she diiidn't liiike tostadaaaas. But she always ate a couple and seemed to enjoy them.


And nowadays, when given the choice between tostadas and something-else-for-dinner, Doug always chooses the something-else. ~sigh~ But, when I don't ask and just make tostadas anyway, he always has three and really enjoys them. My people.


I do realize that this is just a play on a good ol' classic plate of nachos, and that's just fine by me! They're super easy to make, and here's how I do it:

Fry corn tortillas, one at a time, in hot oil until browned and crisp (a minute or two on each side). Drain on paper towels. My mom was a lifetime member of Weight Watchers, so instead of frying she used to spray each side of the tortilla with cooking spray, and then toast them on a cookie sheet under the broiler.
Spread a layer of warm refried beans on each crispy tortilla. I usually stir in a spoonful of sour cream while the beans are heating - it makes them a little easier to spread.
I top mine with grated cheese, lettuce, avocado, salsa, and cilantro. Sometimes I'll use some diced chicken as well, but once in a while I like serving a meatless meal.


So how about you? Are you a tostada fan?
Or would you choose something-else-for-dinner?
;o)

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

My Blog Friend Mini-book

Oh how I love a mini-book!
They're such a fun little way to hold a collection
of photos and document a fun event.



I knew while Carrie and I were in England that I wanted to make a mini-book when we got home. And I knew that I wanted it to hold photos of all the blog friends we'd met while we were there. I loved working on this book and recalling the sweet memories of being with these lovely ladies (and one small gentleman).


Gosh, it was so awesome to have the opportunity to meet so many blog friends in person while we were in England earlier this year. I loved having the chance to go back through our photos and relive our time together. As I worked on this book, I thought of each friend as I worked on her (his) page. And even though the process of making this book was a bit drawn out, I loved every minute of it!

Here's a look at all the pages, with names and links of each friend under their photos. :o)

Alison and Deb


 Helena and Jacky

 Becky and Mel

 Rhona, and her daughters and grand-daughters. So sweet!

My friend, The Boy Child, and his mum, Ruth.

 
Sweet memories of time spent with lovely friends.
It just doesn't get much better than that.
 
Thanks again to Lisa-Jane for the cute Union Jack paper she sent me as part of Sian's Great Big Swap of Very Small Things.
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