Daily Danny ~ Danny Seo

Being from Oregon and now living in Washington, I have a soft spot for recycling. My cans never rest on my paper.........It just makes sense. So when I found Danny Seo's blog, I was thrilled. Daily Danny. I had seen his articles in Country Living.....which I think is GREAT! He brings a fresh approach to living GREEN.........no pun intended. He definetly shows us that you can still have some pretty hip happenings around your home when you make "Green" choices. I can't help but feel a bit guilty when I read his blog. I feel so indulgent with all my things. But I always leave with a better appreciation for using what's around me.

I once read an article about a couple who decided to not buy anything that wasn't consumable for one year. I have always been intrigued by that............could I ever do that?
NO WAY! I love my bargain cruise around the perimeters of Target way too much........but it does plant a seed....(no pun intended there either) Perhaps I could start with baby steps and try to make it 2 weeks. Let's wait til after the Big A@@ TV saga going on at my personal blog........and let's wait til after my son's birthday.......see it's easy to put it off. With some of Danny's projects, I may not feel like I'm depriving my senses. This simple little rock with a name stamped on it. Simple, beautiful........think how great this would look with a small bowl full of inspirational rocks, or rocks with large numbers on them using rub ons that you have laying around...... Cost: $0 Any packaging for the landfill? None. Love that.

Lots of creative projects on his blog. I really love this plate thing. You could use any shape or color. This looks like a great project for a school auction. OH.MY.GOSH! I just thought of something.........what about monograms! OH MY! And the only thing I would have to buy is the glaze. Nothing for the landfill.........but some great art for a gift or my walls!

I love his creative work space.



OK, another project that is so perfect for us decorating species. If you're in the market for a new fridge.........but your old one is still working just fine and you're not going to buy anything you can't consume for 2 days..........I mean 2 weeks.......or perhaps you have one in the garage for extras.........why not paint it with chalk board paint! HOLY. COW! What a great idea. Think of the creative expression?
Since we're in the kitchen, I thought these little soaps were so nice. He made them for gifts. He melted down some glycerine blocks, added some sand for exfoliation, added his coloring and smelly stuff........and wrapped them in an organic box with bakers twine. Simple, beautiful and so thoughtful. The presentation is perfect.More kitchen goodness...........he melts down his old candles and makes new ones. He uses old shot glasses, terra cotta planters.........pretty much anything he can pour wax into, he will make a candle..........because if you use lots of candles.........you don't burn as much electricity. You can bet he doesn't have any children running around.
How about sprucing up that bullentin board? We crafty girls have buttons...........usually way more than we will ever use. So why not glue a few on the head of a thumb tack? Darling isn't it?
This guy is a genius. Would you look at this bird house? I love old books, but I don't usually love the old musty pages.........this just uses the cover. Perfect for me.

I know, I know.......Christmas is long gone, but don't throw out those Christmas cards, but if you did, I hope you recycled them......... I remember those little cardboard villages being pretty popular. So stick this in the back of your memory for next year.
Danny's got me thinking of how I can re-purpose more items..........or to keep making sure I find the best way to get rid of them.

Does your state have curbside recycling? I know that my sisters town in Utah does NOT! Sorry Kacie........I'm still scared from my gargabe experience this past summer. I was floored with the overflowing garbage cans along her street on garbage day. I am hoping my brilliant niece will take this on as a school project.
Baby steps........baby steps.

So ladies...........great "green" ideas over at Danny's site, and he has a cute personality too. While you're there check out all his Simply Green Books, magazine articles, TV shots..........the guy is famous!

Go pay him visit........but don't leave a carbon footprint. :)

Spell check is not working, and even though I made it through years of college..........believe it or not, sometimes I mis-spell a word.......I know! Weird!

she saw things

I know...........I'm a bit obsessed with photos lately. LOVE TAKING PHOTOS! My family now thinks my NEW CANON XTi is just a new necklace. What I love is being able to find sites that show me the kind of photos I want to take. I am so green when it comes to using my SLR camera, but I'm on my way. I'm a sponge, just soaking up any and all information I can.

I ran into Jen's site a while ago. She Saw Things site and blog

She is a master! MASTER! I would even call her master if she got a wild hair someday and allowed me to tag along.........hint. :) Because I could...........you know why? Because she's in Portland!! I live 15 min from Portland. Seeing her shots and being able to recognize

that NW familiar look is so inspiring. She's got that hip NW vibe and I bet she recycles. Gotta love a gal who recycles AND takes great photos.

I would stop breathing for 5 min if something like this came out of my camera. Isn't it beautiful? The colors, the melted ice cream......the polka dots and sprinkles.......and of course the focus! The focus. Makes me weak in the knees.

And this........the magical look of those feet. I bet this little girl had a blast! I am soaking up the contrast.

The colors...........the texture...........the fuzzy background. I could stare at this for at least 30 min.This is a different wedding shot. I certainly don't have that one in my wedding album. I love the partial view. Of course the colors and the freckles make it so personal. It's not always about the staged smiling faces. Great reminder Jen.As well as this shot of a newly married couple. This shows SO much more than a staged planned out shot. Look at the expression on their faces? That is so cool!Another beautiful flower shot. I would have never thought of taking a photo of the stems. It's all about perspective.

Jen has so much more on her site. she saw things.............oh yes she does. Great ideas that give me little Aha! moments. Hopefully someday, we'll meet.

Sarah & Abraham

Every now and then I dream of changing careers..........something completely different.........something that miraculously I would all of a sudden possess the talents for...... Like Sarah & Abraham. I would totally do this.

Sarah & Abraham is a delightful site with delightful designs. I have always been drawn to simple, original and well designed stationary products. So of course I stopped dead in my tracks when I came across Sarah's site. This made me think of my pipe dream of printing original designs..........because this is exactly the type of stuff I would do. One simple problem..........I don't draw.

I love the simple silhouette designs she has created. Who doesn't love a silhouette? And personalized? She's got everything from stationary, to the cutest tags, art work for your child's room, baby announcements...........

How cute would it be to get your child personalized note cards, or Thank you cards? Or a teachers gift........Or even yourself?

LOVE this bird one? What's up with all the birds? I can't get enough of anything with a bird on it.

And this beautiful baby announcement? I'm thinking this paper would be great for any announcement. What do you think?And this one below gives me a cavity it's so dang sweet. Makes me want to have two more children. It doesn't help that she picks the most beautiful colors to use. Pinks, browns, greens.......And if you thought she ONLY did silhouettes, think again. She has the most adorable illustrations.......and they are SO reasonable. Once again, original art from a mom..........can't go wrong there.Sarah's work has an innocent nostalgic feeling. The feeling we all get when we look at our child's face...........especially if they're sleeping. And if you just gotta get your hands on a little Sarah & Abraham goods, she has an Etsy shop stocked full of treasures.

Go let Sarah know how wonderful her stuff is.

Updated and Thank you!

Thank you for your overwhelming support of my whining or your thoughts of me not whining. I really appreciate your kind words and uplifting energy.

Also, I finally updated my featured blogger link list. Arg! This job is my least favorite and I know I should just update the link list when I add a new feature..........but I don't. I always wait a few weeks so I really have something to whine about. But it's done. So link visit away.

How many features have the word Cottage or Nest in them?

Jennifer Paganelli ~ Sis Boom

Today's post is Jennifer Paganelli with Sis Boom. Amazing amazing woman........incredibly talented woman.

This blog community is so interesting. I am continually delighted at meeting these women who are responsible for so many articles I have seen in magazines.........or fabric lines I see in stores. Being from Oregon..........a small town in Oregon, you just didn't run into many "famous" people in the 70s. Unless you count the Dairy Princess that lived down the road. Oh sure there was the time when John Wayne and Katherine Hepburn filmed Rooster Cogburn, or something like that in our area and it was the talk of the town when he shopped at Safeway........I never saw him. But I bet that's exactly when Katherine had MY table at her vacation home in the Poconos......But other than that, I don't remember anyone famous. Especially anyone who may have designed the fabric of your shirt, or the design on your paper plates........or had been in a magazine. She is a regular in so many magazines that I buy........that I read. So, I find it very exciting that I can "meet" and learn from such successful women. Put a face to what I see out there.......... Am I making sense? I guess I feel a bit star struck at times and that's certainly the way I felt when Jennifer had been commenting on this little ole blog. We shared a couple of emails.......and I had no idea it was her. She is such a humble sweet soul. It was one of my biggest DUH moments........when I realized she had the blog named Sis Boom.

First up is her fabric line..........OH.MY.STARS!!! I've seen her fabric?..........I'm pretty sure I've drooled on her fabric. Isn't it gorgeous?

This one I could just roll all over...........Check out this these yummy fabrics on this quilt........Love all those colors. This would be perfect for those cool summer nights sitting on the porch swing........Oh what I'd do for a cool summer night right now.Our swinging attire would be one of these tops. And we would all have a beautiful mane of blond or raven hair swept up in a loose bun. Love those fabrics.

Her fabrics are so versatile. Use them for home decor, use them for fashion. You could match your room. I like it.I always love it when fabrics are all mixed together. This photo above looks so inviting. Great idea with all the dangling stars and circles. Very original. Very dreamy. And this one below........if I was single.......oh it would be mine!Now this just plain ROCKS! She used to make these little fabric buttons with her Grandmother. Her site is peppered with lots of nice family memories.........always giving you a peek into her childhood. I'm sure most of us can totally relate to this photo. That's her twin brother who used to call her Sis Boom. Don't you just love her even more? I think she was actually ready to shove her brother off that tricycle, but was caught........that explains the cute shocked look on her face.She ordered her letters from Deb at Say it with Letters..........I love my letter she sent me and she even sent me that crown too. Looking at Jennifer's crown........I may have to copy it. Love how she did the paper on the letters. I would love to see where she's displaying these.

What is so refreshing is that so many of her everyday crafty stuff is stuff we have all done at some point........but with a little kick.........she upped the anty. Like this Easter basket. What a great and simple idea to just glue silk flowers around the edge. I even have a glue gun. Perfectly great project for Easter coming up.

More ways to make holidays special, any holiday. What a simple tag, but oh so beautiful. That perfect touch.She does some pretty amazing stuff with paper. All with that vintage look we love and adore. Have you ever made a crown? How fun would this be on your birthday? Wouldn't it be fun to make these for your friends for their birthdays? Questions questions questions........I'm full of them today.More vintage goodies.....OK STOP...........hey Jennifer? We would really like to see that turquoise piece of furniture behind your vintage works.

This is interesting. She does these boards for her own inspiration. Remember cutting stuff out of magazines and pasting them on paper? BAM! She just kicked it up a notch. This is so cool.

And paper chains.... Remember those? Well, she did it again.........BAM! kicked up about 1000 notches.Jennifer's blog is full of stimulation. Color, texture, designs...........you name it, you'll find it. Don't forget to roam around a bit and find your way to her website as well as her blog. You'll be there for hours, so you better grab a diet coke. Heck it's Friday night..........make yourself a margarita.

a little perspective

It has been brought to my attention that I was pretty whiny yesterday. Actually she said "sometimes you get nauseatingly whiny." So, I want to apologize to anyone that may have been uncomfortable or offended by my whininess. (is that even a word?) I hope my whining didn't get in the way of how amazingly talented I think Cathy is. Or any of the other people I feature.

The fact is.........I do whine. From my side it's all in good fun and I never thought how it may be viewed by the reader. I guess it didn't really matter to me....... So, I'll try not to be too whiny, but I can't promise anything. I've got a quick and dry sense of humor with a pretty sarcastic flavor, but I do want to convey my support for women and their talents. I certainly wouldn't want to take away from that when I feature a blog. I feature blogs to keep our inspiration flowing, to give kudos to women who are doing what they love.
Thanks for the insight.

Cathy Nash ~ Tadpoles and Teacups

Every once in awhile I come across a blog that the author creates something I would have never thought of in a million years. That's the way it was today when I re-visited Cathy Nash's blog Tadpoles and Teacups. How do people make such things with only their hands? I just don't get it. These kind of people really are not good for my self confidence.

Cathy creates the most wonderful whimsical little creatures out of paper! She does papier mache. Papier Mache? Boy it never looked like that when I did it in 5th grade. Mine were all pinatas.

That's what I love about this creative bloggy world. There are so many creative people out there doing stuff that we had NO idea could be done. Well at least me........

Cathy has been an artist all her life. She has her Eclectic Company website where she does sell her beauties. Now...........I know I have thrown a few goods at you lately, but I'm not trying to push their goods when I feature someone. I don't get a commission. It's just that so many creative people are selling what they make and you what? They should. I mean, wouldn't you rather buy an original from an independent artist, a mom..........someone you possibly made a connection with online? I'm all about supporting women and especially mom's.
Speaking of moms.......Cathy is a funny funny mom. I can totally relate to a few of her stories, even though I only have one child and she has 4. Please don't tell me she home schools too. Don't these crafty wonder women know that the schools will take your children for 5+ hours? Think of the crafty time you'll get? :) :)

Ahh, how wonderful would it be to have one of these for every holiday? Wouldn't these look great under one of those apothecary jars? Oh my minds a burnin..............She of course does more than the papier Mache..............of course she does. Very vintage looking..........we love a vintage look don't we ladies?And she paints..............Gah........How do these woman become so talented? Have I mentioned lately that I scrapbook? Really.........I haven't done much lately............but I scrapbook. And Cathy paints too........... I don't paint.

She not only paints masterpieces that can be framed..........but a whole wall master piece! GAH!

Am I sounding bitter today? Well that's because I am! Where do these crafty folk get the nerve to be so.........so.........talented? I'd love to hang with Cathy for an afternoon just to soak up some of that talent. I hope you all know I'm just teasing with a bit of jealousy and I know Cathy will get it..........she has 4 children..........great sense of humor. I like Cathy.......even though she doesn't have either one of my blogs on her link list..........that's OK Cathy........I still like you. :)

Take your time, read her posts and don't forget to visit both websites. Enjoy!

Do you scrapbook and are you in the Portland area?

If so, then hop over to my personal blog and see why.

Read on below for today's feature. :)

Superhero Designs

When I first started discovering blogs, Andrea's was one of my firsts. Superhero Designs. Her artsy lifestyle, her passion for life, her willingness to put it out there.........no matter what it was, her ability to be herself......all of it. I just soaked it up. I've been a long time reader and find myself checking back a few times a week to see how things are going. I have come to love her son like a family member, and I have a feeling that most of her readers feel the same way. We all followed Andrea and her husband on their journey of trying to get pregnant........getting pregnant.........having Ben..........

Would you look at that baby? I can just about feel that cheek

and now the journey of motherhood. I find myself recognizing so many of those past feelings of being a new mom. So many of her "Ben" stories remind me of my Lu. It's always a nice visit to her blog.

Andrea is a full scope artist. She sells the most amazing necklaces. We'll get to more of those in a min.

She also takes the most amazing photographs.........and guess what? A lot of those photos are taken with the SAME CAMERA THAT I HAVE!!!

Sorry, I didn't mean to scream. But I just get so excited thinking that my photos...........MINE.......can look like hers someday. Yea yea..........I know........she has a much more artistic eye than me........but come on people, it's a start.

Not only can you hire her, but she also sells a few of her prints.

Boy, this Andrea is a one woman show........with the coolest logo ever! She has T's, baby Ts and others. I may have to get one of these.

She's has the coolest names for her necklaces......if I was a good blogger, I would have remembered all of them so I could post the names with the photos........but you all know how I am around anything shiny. I lose my head. But you can find all of them on her blog, on the Superhero main site. She has cool superhero circles you click on. Way better than a video game.

I think this one below is called JOY.

Andrea seems to have such a fun life. She has a pack of girlfriends she can be goofy or serious with. So many people in her life are of the artistic persuasion, that it's fun to see what they all do for fun. I find myself living through some of her adventures vicariously. I love the NW, but not a lot happening in my little suburb of Portland. I guess I could go into the city.........but that would mean I'd have to put a bra on and I'd be out past my bedtime. I'll just read her blog for excitement. Even though she feels so unexciting in her first year of motherhood. You are SO not boring Andrea.This cracks me up.

And so does this below. Sweet Ben.

And this photo............WOW! I would love to take photos like that someday.

I'm sure a lot of you probably already know the Superhero site, but if you don't, then hop over and check it out. Send sweet Ben a kiss.