Camera Tricks

This is my amazing Christmas gift from my dear husband (taken with my iPhone of course). It was such a surprise and treat. I'm really excited to learn how to use it. So far I have only read the short manual to  but know that I am going to need to sit down and read the whole shebang to learn how to best use this baby. I've spent the better part of the last two years miming the use of a real camera just to prove to him that I'd use it. It had become our joke and now I have to hold up my end of the bargain. It shouldn't be a problem though. Add this to my list of things to conquer in 2013.

HEX

HEX was quite a party on Saturday night! For us it was triple date night with our friends and we made the most of it! We had a fabulous dinner at L'Albatros before the party where we dined on amazing fish, meats, and a savory french toast that will seriously have you coming back for more.

The new MOCA building in University Circle is really cool. The whole scenery down in that area of town is so remarkably different it's amazing. We walked over from dinner and ran into friends on the way. It made the event seem really special for me to see so many of our friends there celebrating art and the city. Above is a The Orbit and Inside Out and From the Ground Up, two giant pieces in a shared space.

The outside party area was a little too dark for me to get any good shots of the crowd so you'll have to just believe me that it was packed! I'm always a fan of cool steps so I took this awkward angle of the spiraling staircases. And I'll leave you with my favorite photo of the night. These two are quite the models. I hope you had a great weekend too! I'm still tired from all of the fun! Happy Monday!

A Cleveland Sunday

  

On Sunday, my husband packed a picnic and took us down to the beach at Wendy Park. The sun was shining and the wind was a bit chilly but it was such a nice family adventure.

   

There were lots of dogs and kites for little man to bark at and point to. He didn't seem to mind that the wind was so chilly. He kicked off his shoes and let the grass tickle his toes.

We watched a man suit up and take off on his sailboard. He jumped right in and was just a speck in the distance within in minutes. He really knew how to use the wind to his advantage, unlike me who was wrapped up in a table cloth to keep warm. 

I of course stuck my toes in the lake just to test out the temperature and it really wasn't as cold as I thought it'd be. There were lots of boats to check out at the marina and we even ran into some friends down there. It was a beautiful day. Thanks for getting me out of the house, babe.

Snippets of Life

Starting this blog has given me a place to keep track of my creative endeavors and also inspired me to take  that extra second to admire the beauty around me. As I mentioned the other day, I love to take photos all day long. Inspired by Miss James over at Bleubird Vintage, I gathered up some of my favorite shots from the week. I hope you enjoy my little snippets of life. Happy Friday!

A happy visit to Half Price Books.

My favorite kitchen shelf featuring a home grown (not from my home) Meyer lemon.

Discovering the beauty of a dandelion.

The alumni pancake breakfast at Cleveland Heights High School, class of '97!

Representing.

Abundant light in the babe's room.

New shirt and favorite boots.

Toddler shoes are too much.

Magnetic

I am a photo addict. I am constantly snapping photos of everyone and everything. While I dream of having a fancy camera, at this point my iPhone is my bff and does the job for me. When Instagram came along I quickly started using the app to alter my photos. I'll be honest, I just counted and I have eight different photo apps. Money well spent. So here's what I want to know, have you heard of StickyGram? It's a website that turns your Instagram photos into magnets! And they are totally awesome. I got a set last week and love them. I think they would make the perfect gift!

A Study in Yellow

The sun has been shining in Cleveland lately and we have been busy walking the neighborhood. The bright yellow flowers (yes even the dandelions) have got me smiling. We chased a big yellow ball, counted flowers, and got inspired for some new DIY projects.

We've got some tasty recipes coming up and hopefully a new project or two brought to you by these fabulous shades of yellow. What's your favorite color this spring?

Chasing Sunset

Last night I was driving home at sunset with the sun in my eyes. It was kind of blinding but completely beautiful and it felt poetic. Almost as if I could just keep driving and chase it. I wanted to grab my boys and drive to the water and watch it set. And for a minute, I was able to pretend that I was driving to this beautiful place. I went on home instead, but it was a nice thought.

The Flowers are Free

Monday turned out to be a gorgeous day in Cleveland. So what better do to than stroll through the Rockefeller Park Greenhouse with my mom and my babe. The tulips were all blooming and there is nothing quite like the site of thousands of blooming tulips.

The ferns were unfurling and I was quite taken by their beauty.

And Little Man got see how his very favorite food grows.

Then we traveled to the desert. The cactus garden was filled with amazing prickly plants. This one reminded me of gathered fabric and flowers.

There is an entire wall of potted orchids accented by amazing origami butterflies that hang from fishing line. My next project just might teach me how to make them!

A chartreuse fern in the making.

Doesn't it look like someone painted the middle of this plant?

This giant tree in the entryway had fruit hanging way at the top.

Here we are enjoying a chance to walk around in the grass of the statue garden. And the best part of this whole trip is that the gardens are completely free! If you've never been, I would definitely recommend a visit. Enjoy your day friends!

Aw, Springtime in Cleveland

It would be difficult to find a Clevelander that did not lavish in the unseasonably warm weather that we had here the last week or so. It was sunny, warm, and beautiful. Usually these are not worlds used to describe spring in Cleveland, and especially not in March! But we were lucky.

So we spent many hours out walking and playing on the front porch enjoying the weather. Here are some shots from our walks on the paved paths along Horseshoe Lake last week.

The pinks, yellows, and greens were abundant. I hope your week is off to a great start! Happy Monday, friends!

Signs of Spring

Yesterday was just a glorious afternoon. Blue skies and sunshine. We took our first official stroll around the neighborhood and around Horseshoe Lake. It was so warm I even took my sweater off, I felt a little silly in a tank top but I was warm! The sunshine and exercise were exactly what I needed. Here are a few shots from our afternoon.

Away We Go

Wednesday it was an unbelievable 65 degrees here in Cleveland. And it had me dreaming of hot sun and sandy beaches. This image evokes the feeling of an easy, breezy, and hot vacation. We are not ones to pick up and travel on a whim but I certainly have the bug in me. It would be a dream to just jet off to the Mediterranean or Caribbean for a week's worth of R&R. But I'm not too sure who would be against that. Since it's all make believe anyway, I would take these items with me! Happy Friday!

Image sources: photo, shoes, poncho,  glasses, bag, suit