the b&w photography project: little red house

i finally went to the cow pasture to take some black and white pics on a semi warm day, but it had been mown and was rather boring.  i ended up stopping at this little red house down the road from mine and got some cool shots.  i think it is interesting that color and black and white photography tell two different stories.  some shots look good both ways like this first one.

some were obviously meant to be black and white like this one.  there actually wasn't even much color left in the in the unedited version.

this is obviously one where my eye was attracted to color and not contrast.

in this one and the one below i deliberately tried to see in black and white.

this was a neat exercise.  what do you think?  color?  or black and white?

joining in with the b&w photography project on podcast.

cocoa daisy: a lovely deal

i managed to squeeze out one last valentine project this morning, this one a card for g's basketball coach.  i wanted to make sure that he knew this mama appreciated all of his (volunteer) time.

i'm still working my way through my february cocoa daisy kits and they are still awesome.  i think the card brings me to a total of 7 cards, 4 layouts, 4 project life pages, and a planner cover.

speaking of planners, cocoa daisy wants to help you celebrate valentine's day with a special offer:

We've created a fun bundle of planner pages from the January, February and March Day Planner kits and added an exclusive set of mug stamps. Start any 6 month subscription (or extend your current subscription) and we will send this sweet little bundle to you for FREE! 

We offer a Main kit subscription for traditional scrapbooking, a Day in the Life Kit for those of you that favor pocket style scrapbooking and of course our Daisy Day Planner subscription. Now is the perfect time to start a subscription with Cocoa Daisy! Quantities are limited so order now!

Free bundles will ship out immediately, regardless of when your subscription starts (we don't want you to have to wait to start enjoying it)! Please specify if you would like an A5 or Personal size bundle. 

lennon and maisy

perhaps you watch tv and have been aware of lennon and maisy for a year or two now.  if you're like me and slightly out of touch with pop culture, then i have a valentine's day treat for you.  really, i don't think i've ever heard anything quite so beautiful . . .

"boom clap"

 "that's what's up"

"love"

class valentines: the grand finale

i'd say g's 5th grade valentines were a success.  i was told i have the midas touch.  :)

these were the two i was deciding between for my keeper.  i picked the rhinoceros beetle.

g's teacher ended up choosing the bee.  i'm glad it went to a good home.

i scored the little jars on half price at hobby lobby for $1 each.

the little bugs were from g's toy box.

can you believe g wouldn't sign the tags because i had written "be my valentine" on them?  silly boy.

i used e6000 to glue the lid to the rim and then the bug on top.

the spray paint is krylon 18 kt. gold plate.

the kisses are hershey's, of course.

if his tag signing phobia is any indication, i'm pretty sure g won't be wanting class valentines next year.

i'm not sure i can give up this valentine tradition though.

i guess i will just have to make them and give them to sweet valentines of my own.  i'm not afraid of little love bugs.

cleaning nostalgia

i was doing the annual tidy/purge in g's room this week and got a bit nostalgic.  as i was dusting his bookshelf headboard, i couldn't help but wonder which set-abouts would make it into his teen years.  the black cat from his preschool days?  the dentistry training teeth his papi gave him recently?  surely the ceramic dinosaur he made in the third grade . . .

the wicker basket that held his first forays into fishing tackle?  the silver indian box that a student gifted me, but that he immediately claimed as his personal treasure chest.  definitely his pinewood derby cars . . .

fishing décor from his three year old room makeover?  the angry bird he painted last year?  honduran souvenirs?

legos?  so many legos.  the collection of shark necklaces?

which books?  i still wish i had the richard scarry i had in kindergarten, but i'm thankful that the poetry books the easter bunny brought me when i was three are still in my possession.  i guess that's what really got me.  thinking about random memories of my own childhood shelves as i tidied my son's . . .

do you think he'll remember that year his mother overwintered her geraniums in his room?  it does get the best light after all.

surely he is ever so grateful that i refused to let this honduran souvenir take up residence in his room.  i can't even imagine what made his father think an 11 year old boy would be okay with that . . .

cocoa daisy: ditl blog post

i've got a blog post up at cocoa daisy today featuring our february day in the life kits.  you can read more about my page and see more pocket page inspiration over there.  hope your monday was grand!

me on monday

the weekend was so very lovely.  it involved a sleepover doubleheader for g.  two sixty degree days for me.  a super exciting basketball game that we won.  lunch at jenni's.  a cub scout tennis belt loop earned.  paper crafting and lego stop-action filming.  cranberry pork loin and peanut butter cookies.  peaceful and easy.

i don't want to go to work today.  i am ever so tired of state testing and paperwork.  why can't loving kids and doing my best to teach them be enough anymore?  :(

joining up with the delightful sian fair on a monday morning.