Look for the Light

This is a great mantra that I picked up from the video of a TedX talk by Karen Walrond. I can really use this at work since I spend a significant part of my job talking to college students who are in a rough spot (unable to get into their first choice major, unsure of their major, on academic probation, and more). Everyone has a story, and I am trying harder to really listen.

The thing that I love about this talk is how Karen connects life and photography. I do not know much about photography, but I want to learn more. I really enjoy taking photographs, which I mainly do with my iPhone these days. I love how the light streams in to some of my pictures.


The second photo is from Alex's Easter egg hunt this morning. Whatever your beliefs, this is a good practice to follow.

Updated: Karen was kind enough to pair this quotation with one of her beautiful photos. You can check it out and download the PDF here. Thank you!

April Homework

I am working through the Pattern Play Online Card Class lessons and getting a head start on my April homework sketch for Stamp Club. Here is the sketch that we are all working with:


I mixed pattern papers from Stampin' Up! and My Minds Eye for the card. The buttons were purchased on sale from the Stampin' Up! Clearance Rack a while back, and the My Mind's Eye twine was a prize from a blog giveaway. I will eventually stamp a greeting on the inside of the card to make it a birthday or Mother's Day card. Next, I want to use this sketch to make a masculine card with pattern paper.

Homework & an Online Card Class

I have squeezed in some crafty time this week. Monday evening with my monthly Stamp Club. Here is the sketch that we used for our "homework":


For my first attempt at the sketch, I was hesitant to use more than one patterned paper. This is the first card that I made from the sketch:


This week I have also been taking my first Online Card Class called Pattern Play. After watching the videos from Day 1, I had more ideas about how to approach this sketch. My second card uses multiple patterned papers from the Stampin' Up Print Poetry Designer Series Paper Stack and some inked edges to help separate the patterns. I also enjoy using this Hero Arts Mother's Day stamp.


I am really impressed with the all of the content in the class. Once I finish this class, I will have to decide which Online Card Class to take next. :)

Please leave me a comment - Do you prefer the card with just one patterned paper or multiple patterns?

Being Tourists in San Francisco

Last Sunday we planned to spend the day as tourists in San Francisco. We had been discussing a boat ride around the Bay for about a year now. John purchased the tickets online a few days in advance.We headed to Pier 39 for lunch when we arrived in SF. We had lunch at Fog Harbor Fish House. We enjoyed the views, crab cakes, clam chowder, and fish & chips. Alex even ate all of his broccoli!

Alex really enjoyed coloring on the table since it was covered in paper.

It was a beautiful day and we walked around the Pier for a while before boarding our boat bus. It turned out that the tickets were for a bus tour and a boat ride.

The bus tour had a set departure time, so we decided to take the bus tour first and then the boat ride. We figured that each tour would be about an hour. Nope, the bus tour was three and a half hours long with a few stops along the way. We chose the front row on the second level of the double decker bus and had great views of the city. John got a break from driving and we all saw more of the city, especially at the top of Twin Peaks. Alex napped at the end of the bus tour and agreed to wait for another day to take our boat ride.

Our bus tour turned out to be a fun surprise. We headed to Oakland for dinner with Uncle Matt. We had pizza at Lanesplitter since Zachary's Chicago Pizza was packed.

Birthday Weekend

Four years ago, I gave John a baby for his birthday. I did not realize that this picture would foreshadow John's future job at Apple and beard.


I spent last weekend celebrating with my two favorite guys. We headed into San Francisco on Friday night for dinner since John's aunt and uncle were in town for a conference. I had my first ride on BART since we took Caltrain to BART to get to Downtown San Francisco. It worked quite well even though Cupertino is a black hole of public transportation. We had dinner at Sears Fine Food and really enjoyed the meal. It was a nice restaurant to linger over dessert and conversation. I ordered the "Blue Plate Special," and my blacked Pacific cod even came on a special plate. The waiter was very helpful and got Alex a smaller portion of the macaroni and cheese even though it was not on the kid'e menu.



We spent Saturday celebrating John and Alex's birthdays around the South Bay. Alex opened his first gift, a scooter. We had a picnic at Oak Meadow Park and Alex rode around on his new scooter. We also rode the train and carousel before Alex played on the playground. This is a wonderful park in Los Gatos.


We headed home for Alex to open the remainder of his presents and FaceTime and talk to his grandparents. Alex requested peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and chocolate cake for his birthday dinner. It was a fun birthday, but I think that Alex wants a party next year.