Post Anniversary Post

We exchanged gifts- cotton gifts!
This is what I got for Mike...






And this is what he got for me!


All the shirts are from etsy. His brown shirt is from smallvictorystudios and the artist that designed it is Justin Richel- he has his own etsy store- talkingpaintings- they are amazing and I want to buy them all!

Mike's green shirt is from MisNopalesArt. I didn't take any of these pictures, I stole them from etsy! Mike wore one shirt yesterday and is currently wearing one, but I didn't get a picture.

The shirt he bought for me is from boygirlparty- maybe the best name I have ever heard! I am planning on wearing it on Friday- casual Friday at work! Hooray!

July already!

This has been a semi-busy summer so far. Mainly busy because I got a job! I design the interior of books. I've only been working about a month but so far it's been pretty fun. But, since it's an 8-5, I haven't been working on art very much. Although I do have to admit to doodling at work. I have decorated my cubicle a tiny bit. I have my "Baby Sasha" pillow monster and 2 family photos!

I have been liking work also because I have been enjoying dressing up! It is a pretty casual office and technically we are only supposed to wear jeans on Fridays, but I have noticed a ton of people wearing jeans during the week. I have made a deal with myself that I will only wear jeans on Fridays and so far I have been good, although in the winter I can see myself wearing jeans more. In the summer I have been loving skirts and dresses, fun and easy to wear! I have had Mike take a picture of me when I come home so I can post it to wardrobe_remix. I am also keeping up with a pact I made that I will only buy from thrift stores, so far I haven't gotten anything new since December, except a black pair of malindi crocs I bought myself for my birthday. I am not sure how long this pact will go, maybe indefinitely except for very special things. I have been wanting a pair of black boots since last winter, so I might buy those new. Not buying things new has really changed my perspective on new clothes, and buying things in general.

In other news, Tuesday is me and Mike's 2 year anniversary. I think we are going to get fondue for a fancy dinner. I am going to wear my "anniversary dress"- a super colorful dress I found at a thrift store and have been saving for this very special occasion. Also, the traditional 2 year gift is cotton, so I am very anxious to exchange gifts!

Bloomington is so fun in the summer. We've been walking downtown a lot for dinner and walking to the cute little grocery store by our house. Next month we'll be going to the Greenbriar in WVA for a vacation with Mike's parents and sister and brother in law. I am very much looking forward to it! I saw that the Greenbriar recommends "resort casual" clothing, I don't really know what that means, I take it to mean skorts and floral and since I have both of those things, I am ready!

New mini-painting

This painting is VERY mini- only 3 inches! It is cute. I listed it to etsy this morning. I have made a ton of them and Mike is very nicely taking pictures of them for me in the light box he made.

I am 6 months into my new year resolutions! So here are the updates...
Draw more- I have sort of been doing this. I have a lot more ideas in my head that I haven't put on paper yet so I need to get it together!
Start new cardboard canvas painting series (have started sketching ideas!)- There are cardboard paintings all over my house!!
Start working on small scale sculptures- I haven't done much with the sculpting, although I just starting to make Christmas trees out of cardboard for holiday decorations. I still have a 5 lb bag of peanuts in the laundry room! Yikes!
Continue with embroidery- I starting making a pillow for the couch with a pair of old jeans and it will have a little embroidery on it.
Actually open an etsy store and stop being a baby about it- Yes! I have done this.

Other potential resolutions:
Contribute to Wardrobe Remix?- I have been contributing semi-regularly and made a new resolution for myself. I am only going to buy thrift store clothes and stop with the Old Navy and Target clothes. I have only bought one new-new pair of shoes since before Christmas and no new-new clothes. Although I have bought plenty of new-to-me clothes from Goodwills and such. I have saved a ton of money and found some really awesome things that I could never find at Old Navy or Target or mall stores!
Take better care of hands- use more lotion, stop picking and biting nails- I have only been biting my thumb nails so the rest look pretty good. I just lotioned and painted them this morning!
Do more with blog?- blah.

Lately all I have been doing is job searching and trying to clean up the house and looking forward to my bday trip. Mike and I are leaving for Chicago on Friday! Hip-hip-hoooray! I am really, really excited about it.

Kinda 80s Peanut Chair

Another finished mini painting. I am having a lot of fun with this mini paintings, I haven't sketched any out, I am just going for it. Which is kind of unusual for me- I like planning

Today I am working on more of my minis and I am also going to a job fair/open house thingie and then dinner party- exciting.

Big news for Mike and I- we are getting professional hair cuts on Friday!! He had one professional haircut before our wedding two years ago and since then I have been cutting his hair. I just kind of chop off whatever it sticking out, I am not a good hair stylist, so it's time for us to get real hair cuts. I am excited, I love hair cuts!

Metallic Peanut and Two Huge Diamonds!

I think the diamond and peanut trend is going to continue with me for a while- at least for my batch of mini paintings! I have about 15 mini paintings I am working on right now! Super fun! I really like the juxtaposition of shiny gold and metallic paints and image of diamonds with really thin pieces of plywood.

New mini-paintings

I have a bunch of little pieces of plywood sitting around in my art cart- so I have started a series of mini-weirdo paintings. I listed one to etsy today- The lime green chair and rainbow. I have been loving rainbows and diamonds and gold lately- as my paintings show. I think it is because I am happy that it is spring and almost summer, I love the nice weather!

Fun weekend!

Mike's parents visited us this weekend, we had a blast! We ate at a lot of good restaurants, yum. We also went to Indianapolis and went to the Indianapolis Museum of Art!



LOVE sculpture! So cute! I didn't know that the IMA would be so big and nice- it is a really great museum. They also have a really nice garden, we saw a wedding couple taking pictures and I guess getting ready for their big day! It was really cute.
We also played my favorite game, masterpiece and I tried a new recipe, Minty Pea Green Guacamole- it was pretty good.

Green Pea Guacamole:


1 handful mint

juice from 2 limes

1/2 cup lowfat sour cream
1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt
1 cup green peas

1 garlic clove

1/2 t curry powder

1/2 t cumin

salt and pepper to taste


Put it all in the food processor and blend!

We ate it with tostito scoops. Also, I accidentally used tumeric instead of cumin, and I added a whole bag of frozen peas.