threesixfiveart

congratulations are in order.

2012-02-16T12:38:00.005-05:00

although this week has been a crazy one, what with me staying over at the family's i nanny for while they are away on a medical conference in las vegas, and all...it has been a joyous one as well and i wanted to formally congratulate two wonderful families, one who is actually family (my cousin), and one who might as well be :)

Congratulations AJ, Sharyn, Sierra Rose, and Camryn Nicole on welcoming Jocelyn Danielle to the family!

She was born February 12, 2012 at 12:03pm, weighing in at 7 lbs and 20.5 inches.

I can't wait to meet you next Tuesday!

Congratulations to Rachel & Chris on your engagement!

I love you both so much and couldn't be happier for you and can't wait to start planning!

watercolor week three: shading & shadow

2012-02-15T11:00:00.000-05:00

this week we worked on shading and using complimentary colors to create neutrals for shadows. then we put our practice to work and painted a juicy, speckled pear. this is also the first time i signed my name as d. golinski :)

watercolor week two: brush strokes & techniques

2012-02-11T12:37:00.001-05:00

this past week we worked on different brush stroke techniques, textures, and glazing. i wrote what technique we used under each square.

the salt trick was really neat as it draws the water into it and makes cool speckles.

here are some flowers we made practicing different brush strokes, sponging, and what is called 'blooming color'.

the wedding album.

2012-02-07T08:30:00.000-05:00

this album began back before the wedding had even taken place with a single page showcasing my beautiful ring :) i believe i shared that page somewhere on here over a year ago, but will do so again so that you can see all the completed pages together. i am going in no particular order, just whatever page i feel like working on at the time. here is a list of guidelines i have loosely set for myself when creating in an attempt to not make it too overwhelming.

-use paper/ products in a blue/green/ brown/ white color scheme
-favor natural elements over geometric ones
-focus on the photos and the story they tell
-include one hand sewn/ painted/ made detail on each page
-take your time

so that's about it i guess. i have taken over the dining room table for good and have a TON of products all laid out that generally go with the color/ nature theme i am going for. i still have many stories to tell and pages to complete, hell i don't even have all my photos printed out and it's seven months later!

all the pages and posts revolving around this project will be under the 'paper' link on the left sidebar.

now to get off the computer and to the scrap table on this most lovely saturday afternoon :)

my beautiful ring and the first page in the wedding album.

our first picture taken after getting engaged earlier that afternoon.

i took the color palette from the butterfly paper.

here are some of those hand-painted details i was talking about.

not really wedding related, but i love these photos of us (and i was having a great hair day.)

more lacy details. that wooden button is my favorite!

mine and all of my lovely bridesmaid's bouquets. i added paint to the swirly stamps and made hand-sewn fabric tags for the title.

these are two of my favorite shots from that day. there is a little story behind them in that the photographer took them but we were both in focus in both of them. so i used my creative photoshop skills to unfocus the background us. the only thing that still bothers me is that i didn't flip one of the photos so we are both standing on the left side of the photo. not a big deal but one of those symmetry things that drives me nuts!

another hand-sewn tag and my favorite letter stickers of all time that are like 8 years old!

watercolor week one: color palette.

2012-02-04T12:05:00.003-05:00

i recently signed up for a watercolor class. i have been wanting to take one FOREVER and finally did it! i can't tell you how nice it is to have two whole hours as week dedicated to nothing but painting. i think that not only will the class be inspiring but challenging as well. i am excited to implement some of what i learn into my scrapbook pages and other illustrations. i decided that each week (there are 8 total) i would like to share with you the projects that we complete in class. i am thinking that this will also serve as neat way to catalog my progress.

anyone else taking any creative classes lately?

do share :)

ttc.

2012-02-02T15:16:00.000-05:00

i said i wanted to get honest and real so here goes.

as i shared a couple of months ago, my husband and i are trying to get pregnant (well not right this minute of course, as that would make typing this quite difficult :) for some, this may seem like one of those personal life moments that you shouldn't share with the online community, but for me, i could care less and never really could keep a secret!

so i don't really have a plan of how i want to share this crazy, weird, exciting, sometimes frustrating journey. but i have added a new button in the sidebar where all baby-making, eventually pregnant (fingers crossed!) posts can be found.

that said, i will start by saying that we are going on month six of what i have now learned is called ttc (trying to conceive). each month is a crazy roller coaster of hope, excitement, and yes some disappointment. i would be lying if i said it isn't on my mind a lot and that i am getting somewhat anxious and impatient.

oh, here is another secret. it absolutely drives me nuts when people tell me to relax ( i said i was impatient, not high strung!) and that it will happen when we stop thinking about it and trying.

NEWS FLASH: YOU HAVE TO TRY TO GET JIGGY WITH IT TO GET PREGNANT!! unless of course immaculate conception runs in your family...

and you can't just "forget" that you are trying to get pregnant and ready to start a family.

ok, so that's my rant and really the only negative thing i have to say about all this and i HAD to get it out there in the open. if you are reading this and have offered this advice to me, don't worry i still love you :)

i love this.

2012-02-01T12:56:00.000-05:00

i am so excited to share this little gem that i found yesterday!

Amelia, the girl that i nanny for had yesterday off of from school and had a friend over and requested that we sew felt monster dolls (more on that later). for inspiration she presented me with this book that had some doodled monster shapes and creatures in it.

i was instantly in LOVE! i actually think i might buy this book for myself. erica harrison and katie lovell are the illustrators and they had created a colorful, magical world that begs to be completed. check out the usborne book of drawing, doodling, and coloring for yourself or someone you love that could use a little inspiration :)

photo credit

I blame mother nature.

2012-01-30T21:05:00.001-05:00

For making me take this picture with my phone camera while driving.

Yes I know its dangerous. And no I don't do it often.

But I kept hitting every green light, which on a normal evening would be awesome, and therefore didn't have any other choice but to snap this whilst in motion.

The picture is not that high quality our very magnificent, but I did get to share the magical sky with all of you :)

** side note ** this is my first blog post from my phone...not sure how it will turn out our if I will be doing it often, but its a start.

what's a smoothshake?

2012-01-30T19:32:00.001-05:00

it's a cross between a smoothie and a shake.

duh :)

i am more a fan of milkshakes than i am of smoothies, but smoothies are healthier and better for my waistline (or lack there of :) soooo, i decided to put the best of both worlds together and make a smoothshake. here is what i put in mine, but you can really wing it and add whatever flavor frozen yogurt, frozen fruit, and sweetener you choose.

i used a couple scoops vanilla frozen yogurt, a few splashes of 1/2% milk,a handful of frozen blueberries, and a drizzle of honey.

oh so tasty!

i'm back.

2012-01-27T13:12:00.003-05:00

so, i want to start blogging again.

really.

not like last time, when i said i was going to, did like two posts, then fell off the face of the planet. i miss it and never realized how fun and therapeutic it really was. in realizing this i have also decided that i want to try and be more "real" for lack of a better word, and share more of my personal thoughts, quirks, fears, achievements, happy moments, and frustrations with everyone, or no one, whom ever happens to be reading.

i really need a place to organize my thoughts as i am tired of them all just bouncing off of each other in my brain and giving me headaches.

so yeah, that's my plan.

did i mention i am now a red-head. i LOVE it ;)

bug out kit example.

2011-11-28T12:25:00.000-05:00

here is my first page using the threesixfive digital kit, called bug out!! i am super excited to finally have an sample page to share with you, and used both paper and elements from the kit! the pictures are from a camping trip my sister and i took this past june to celebrate our made up holiday, sister day :) it was our fourth annual trip and we went to Grand Haven on Lake Michigan. i am planning on doing a second example later this week and adding my wilkom kit to the threesixfive shop.

a secret project.

2011-11-20T13:34:00.000-05:00

so i have a secret to share with everyone. come closer. closer. we don't want just anyone to over hear this juicy tidbit of news. ok. great. now you have to promise you won't tell anyone. promise? good.

**my husband and i are trying to have a baby**

now that you know, i will also disclose that i have indulged in the guilty pleasure of starting to gather pretty things for my future tiny human beings room. the colors i have chosen are pretty gender neutral and for those who know me, probably not at all surprising. i have also started crocheting a blanket. i love love love circles, and they are one of the only things i can crochet so that is the base for the blanket. when it is finished it will look similar to the last photo here, but all sewn together.

i will keep you all updated on this journey and share some of the other goodies i have bought soon. until then, wish us luck!

winter is upon us.

2011-11-19T15:13:00.000-05:00

i can feel it creeping in. slow and steady. the last of the leaves are falling. there is an undeniable chill in the air. darkness falls earlier and earlier. i am ready to light the fireplace. warm cups of tea, cider, and coffee are in abundance. i am parking in the garage again. every so often there is a glimpse of tiny white flakes blowing on the breeze. the time has come for snuggling up under cozy blankets. although i may regret it come march, i am ready to welcome winter and say goodbye to the final days of autumn.

my happy place.

2011-11-16T16:11:00.001-05:00

hello again :) these past two weeks have been nothing short of crazy and to make a very long story short, it is with a heavy heart that I am announcing that I will no longer be a part of the urban folk art family. i do believe that this decision is for the best and that my heart and passion lie in working with children and as an artist, not in event/ show promotion and planning. that said, my new "office" so to speak is now the spare bedroom in my house that I use as my studio, and I have been doing a bit of cleaning and reorganizing and thought it would be fun to share the space with you all. enjoy the tour :)

my hefty yarn collection that continues to grow.

a wonderful dresser left here by the owners that offers plentiful storage.

a vintage suitcase for when i need to take projects on the go and mae, my granny chic owl creation.

another piece of furniture from the owner's where all my scrapbook supplies live.

i have two shelves above my desk that hold supplies and files and such. organization is key :)

the view from my window out over the neighborhood.

stamps, markers, pens, a tray of trinkets, tape, glue and other basic supplies for all things crafty.

my main work space. i usually work on the laptop not the dinosaur that sits behind it. i also have another table that forms an L shape with this desk that i use to scrapbook on. coffee is usually always in the picture too :)

urban folk art hits Indy.

2011-11-02T14:34:00.003-04:00

take a walk tuesday.

2011-11-01T13:27:00.000-04:00

boston butt roast=bbq pork.

2011-10-27T15:27:00.000-04:00

one of my cooking goals lately has been to venture into the world of cooking large cuts of meat. i am trying to accoplish this for many reasons. 1. the meat tends to be juicier, 2. it is less expensive, 3. i get multiple meals out of one day of cooking. this is what i chose to cook this past weekend.

start with a 4 lb. boston butt roast (also known as a bone-in pork shoulder) and preheat your oven to 250 degrees.

using your favorite seasoning/ rub (i used a blend of rib rub, sage, savory, fennel seed, and brown sugar) generously cover all sides of the roast. meanwhile pre-heat a few tablespoons of oil in a dutch oven over med heat.

once the oil is thoroughly heated, sear meat on all sides, cooking approximately 4-5 per side or until meat releases from the pan on its own

it should look similar to the photo above on all sides. from here add one cup of beef broth to the pan and put it in the pre-heated oven for 3 hours.

when the three hours is up, take it out of the oven and let it rest for about 30 minutes.

once it is cool start shredding it into smaller pieces. you can do this one of two ways, using your hands (this is my preferred method) or using two forks (my husband's method).

your finished product should look like this. voila! pork butt! now depending on how you want to use it you can move on to the last step or you can store/ use it as is.

now i love, love, love bbq pulled pork sandwiches and that is why i made this roast in the first place :) i made my own bbq sauce out of the pan-drippings/ broth and added a bunch of random hodge-podge ingredients that i neglected to write down (sorry!) you can add whatever your favorite sauce is and stir it and heat til sauce is warmed through. then scoop it onto a bun (add cheese, coleslaw, and/or pickles, if you prefer) and take a big ole saucy bite!

take a walk tuesday.

2011-10-25T14:37:00.000-04:00

frozen perfection.

2011-10-20T12:37:00.000-04:00

these photos are actually from a couple months ago when i was in carmel, indiana in august. heidi, bree, and i were walking around downtown carmel when we happened upon a butterfly that had died and was perfectly preserved in the middle of the sidewalk. not sure why we chose to keep it, but it seemed to beautiful to leave on the street.

upon returning to our hotel room i wanted to get some photos this creature up close. you can probably see it in some of the photos, but the wings started to deteriorate from us handling them. we decided we wanted to learn the best way to preserve a butterfly should any of us happen upon one at some other point in our lives. turns out that you cannot touch it with your fingers and should use tweezers to move it using the body. from there gently pin down the wings and place it in the freezer. you can remove it and put it on display after a couple days. add this to the bank of knowledge :)

all that's left of my garden.

2011-10-18T12:19:00.002-04:00

gobble, gobble.

2011-10-14T16:10:00.002-04:00

i am finally back from portland and back into blog mode. i unfortunately don't have a computer or smart phone so blogging from the road is not an option. i am going through the past months photos and catching up on sharing them with you :)

these pictures are i took out the kitchen window of my friend's window when i was staying the night there. it was early in the morning and it was like one minute they weren't there and the next there were eight of them!! a whole family of two adults and six of what i like to call teen-turkeys :) they were all perched on the bridge that leads from the deck to the pole barn and finally all jumped off and scurried around into the woods. the daddy took the leap first, followed by four of the teens. the last two kiddies were reluctant to jump and mama was waiting for them to go before she took the leap, but eventually had to lead by example and the babes were soon to follow. so cool to see them up close!!

2011-10-05T10:40:00.002-04:00

Urban Folk Art Shows™ (full animated version) from Staci Gibson on Vimeo.

hello from portland, oregon :) i am here with heidi gearing up for our first urban folk art show, and i am so excited (and a little nervous). it is going to be great to see all of our hard work finally pay off and have some sort of place to keep growing and improving from.

while i miss putting my extra time into threesixfive, i have thoroughly enjoyed this endeavor. if you live in the portland area be sure to come check out the show. we are going to have live music, DIY projects, artist demos, wine, great food trucks, and of course the wonderful and talented artists!

if you don't live in the portland area (well and i guess even if you do) check out the commercial my friend staci daniel from pea soup studio put together. it is amazing! i will check in again later this weekend hopefully with some pictures from the show, and will do a portland version of take-a-walk-tuesday next week.

happy birthday to me.

2011-09-30T16:03:00.002-04:00

this year is was golden birthday. i turned 28 on sept. 28. i got to celebrate with my husband and best friend on wednesday and will be having a little party tonight at my house with other family and friends. i will share pictures next week.

birthdays have a way of making you reflect on your life, where you've been and where you want to go. i am very thankful for where i am at this time in my life and have a feeling it will only get better. i firmly believe that my thirties are going to be the best years of my life, but that doesn't mean i am not going to live it up for the last two years of my twenties :)

2011-09-26T19:02:00.002-04:00

here is a sneak peak at my next collection of digital scrapbooking products. it is called wilkom and inspired by traditional pennsylvania dutch and german designs. can't wait to share the whole line with you!!

long time gone.

2011-09-21T15:54:00.001-04:00

sometimes i just can't believe how fast a month can go by. but alas that is the last time i posted as my life has been a whirl wind of travel trying to kick our first two urban folk art shows into gear. enough with the excuses though, i am back :)

i wanted to comment quickly on all the new interfaces out there on various sites. first pandora switched theirs, which i found out this morning, still not sure what i think. second, facebook is trying to monkey with things again and i wish they would just leave well enough alone. third, as we speak i am writing my first blog post from the new blogger interface. i think i like it, it's cleaner and more streamlined, but only time will tell.

here are a few things you can look for over the next week or so.
** scrapbook page post
** a garden update as the season comes to an end
** a recipe and photos of a new kind of chili i am anxious to try out
** a tribute post to my favorite season
** my birthday celebration
** introduction of my second and newest line of digital designs

so stay tuned!!

2011-08-16T14:56:00.002-04:00

drumroll please.....

2011-08-11T12:02:00.004-04:00

i am proud to announce my newest endeavor and something i can truly say i love doing....digital scrapbooking design!! since starting my new job with urban folk art, i am the design director and am in charge of designing all the ads/ posters/ print work/ and website. i have learned so much over the past year and decided to start dabbling with designing my own products and i love it! for me i can combine my love for scrapbooking, drawing, color, and digital art into one :)

my first line is called 'bug out' and was inspired by the unique patterns that can be found in the insect world. i used kraft paper and chartreuse (a favorite combo of mine) as a jumping off point color wise and am thrilled with the outcome! although the inspiration was bugs, the products can be used in a variety of other ways, not just layouts about insects :)

you can find both the paper pack and elements in my newly revamped etsy store, threesixfive: everyday digitals. check back soon as i will be posting some pages using this kit and will be sharing another kit i am working on.

happy scrapping!!!

taking a break.

2011-08-09T12:21:00.003-04:00

happy tuesday everyone :) i just wanted to let you know that i am taking a little break from 'take-a-walk-tuesday' this week. we have had so much going on at home lately and i am going to pick up my step-daughter from the airport this afternoon and then have friends coming with their kids this weekend! should be super fun as we are planning on going up north to the hunting cabin. i promise t.a.w.t will be back next week!

also i have been venturing into the world of digital artwork/ design more lately and have some exciting news to share shortly!!

my step-daughter jordyn making her picture face :)

2011-08-02T15:09:00.002-04:00

scrapbook love.

2011-08-01T10:36:00.002-04:00

i am back in my scrapbooking groove and wanted to share my latest creations :) i am also working on the wedding album and will be sharing some of those pages soon!

t-shirt necklace.

2011-07-28T09:33:00.000-04:00

this is a project i have been seeing everywhere and been meaning to try myself for a while now. the shirt i decided to use is one i have had forever and was reluctant to get rid of because i loved the color, but alas i felt it had seen its time and that it could live on in a necklace :) they are super easy to make and i used the simple directions from whole living.

anyone else tried making on of these yet?

2011-07-26T10:20:00.002-04:00

ready to fly.

2011-07-25T12:27:00.001-04:00

these were taken last monday and the babies are almost ready to fly, look at those wings! only one was brave enough to poke his little head out for me. wonder how much longer they will be gracing us with their presence?

cherry season is upon us.

2011-07-24T12:24:00.001-04:00

here in michigan cherry season is short and anxiously awaited by many. traverse city is famous for its cherry festival and many cherry laden products. i however prefer the real thing. thanks mom and dad for picking some up for me. they are at the peak ripeness and i can't stop eating them!

baby bird update.

2011-07-22T12:11:00.003-04:00

Here is an update on the baby robins living outside the entrance to my office. This is actually from last week, but it is AMAZING how much they grow in just a week. Also amazing that four of them fit in that little nest! Everytime I head outside though, mama bird is close by tweeting and following me to make sure I don't harm the babies :)

2011-07-19T08:43:00.000-04:00

light painting: take two

2011-07-17T16:21:00.000-04:00

these are my last few attempts of the first session mentioned here. my camera settings are the same as before, but i did list them again below. next session we move indoors.

i am using the manual setting on my camera and have a 10 second exposure set and the f-stop/ aperture at f/3.4 which is as low (the lower the number the more light is let in) as it goes. ISO is at 800 i believe. i also set a 2 second delay from the time i snap the photo, so that doesn't cause it to shake. i don't have a tripod yet, so it is just sitting still on a table.

i have found that you really need to whip the light source around and make much bigger getures than you think. if you feel silly doing it and that your arms are too crazy, you are doing it right. this is something i want to experiment with.

i made letters!! i had been trying to do this and it just wasn't getting caught on film. i wish i knew exactly what i did different here, but alas i don't and need to fiddle with it a bit more.

more swirls, but i really like the way these ones turned out. i need to get the bright spotlight out of there though.

baby birdies.

2011-07-15T15:54:00.003-04:00

there has been a nest perched up on top of the light right outside the entrance to my work for a few weeks now. we suspected there were eggs in there, as mama bird was always sitting on the nest. the other day as i was coming in i heard little tweet tweets and noticed mama was gone. i opened the door and they all popped their little heads up! mama is very watchful of her four babies from the nearby tree, where she looks for provisions to feed hungry little mouths :)

jessica swift.

2011-07-10T09:19:00.000-04:00

one of the reasons i love my job is because i get to work with hundreds of amazing artists! we are always looking for new artisans to sell their work at our shows, in addition to attending a ton of art shows, and combing through sites like etsy and poppytalk for talent. i was recently reminded of an artists i saw at renegade chicago, named jessica swift. her work is RIDICULOUS! at least for me :) her use of colors and patterns puts an instant smile on my face and gets me itching to start doodling, photoshopping, and bringing my creative brain to life! here are a few of my favorite patterns/ illustrations of hers, but be sure to check out her site as there are hundreds more there!

light painting: take one.

2011-07-08T10:45:00.000-04:00

well i am ready to share my first attempts at light painting. i did a post about this last week and how excited i was to try it! i will be posting part II tomorrow and will explain what my camera settings were and how things are progressing in each picture. feel free to share tips if you've tried this before :)

obviously my camera settings weren't right here because you can see everything in the photo. it looks as though i am just shining the flash light into the lens. i also don't think it was dark enough outside.

this is my second attempt. also done outside on my deck, after it was much darker out. i am using the manual setting on my camera and have a 10 second exposure set and the f-stop/ aperture at f/3.4 which is as low (the lower the number the more light is let in) as it goes. ISO is at 800 i believe. i also set a 2 second delay from the time i snap the photo, so that doesn't cause it to shake. i don't have a tripod yet, so it is just sitting still on a table.

it sort of worked, but i need to get closer to the camera and make grander gestures so the light isn't a tight ball, but more like a paintbrush.

all the same camera settings. just getting closer to the lens. you can see a few more squiggles here.

camera settings are the same. a much cooler painting effect/ design here. i am still trying to find out how to fill up the whole frame though.

camera settings the same. wider "brush" strokes here. i used a mini maglite flashlight for all of these photos. i think i need more room than just on the deck. even grander gestures, and i thought i was swinging and swirling that this all over. stay tuned....

fourth of july fun.

2011-07-07T14:24:00.003-04:00

2011-07-05T13:50:00.000-04:00

chard and sausage pasta.

2011-07-03T09:00:00.000-04:00

light painting.

2011-07-02T13:36:00.000-04:00

so one of the new things i am really wanting to try with my new camera is light painting. my sister told me about this awesome technique this past weekend as she know much more about the details of photography than i do. she explained how it works and i have been looking up various things on the web about what settings to use and different things you can do. i tried it for the first time last night (not whole heartedly mind you, just a quick, let's see if this works) and i caught a photo of myself shining a flashlight into the camera. boo. so i am going to keep testing it tonight and over the course of the weekend in hopes of at least starting to get it. i will post next week and let you know how it went!!

anyone else have experience with this?

photo courtesy of weheartit.com

photo courtesy of twopeasinabucket.

my turtle collection.

2011-07-01T09:00:00.000-04:00

i wanted to share a post i did for urban folk art, the craft show i design/ promote for. on betty's blog, she does a feature called racketty-packetty, where she features people and their collections, and my turtle collection is the subject of the most recent post! head over to her blog to check it out :)

garden update.

2011-06-29T13:49:00.000-04:00

i realized that it has been forever since i did a garden update, what with the wedding, honeymoon, camping, and all. it always amazes me how fast everything grows once you put it in the ground! i planted all my seedlings on memorial day weekend (4 weeks ago) and i have already picked about 20 radishes and made dinner using fresh chard (look for the recipe later this week). i am in the process of getting tomato cages and planting more radish seeds. i am going to try and do a weekly update and base my recipes around using things from the garden.

anyone else harvesting anything yet? and does that beet look ready to pick, how do you know when to harvest?

2011-06-28T08:00:00.002-04:00

i usually don't write anything with my take a walk posts, but i just wanted to not that this is my first take-a-walk with my new camera and i must say that i am pretty impressed with it. i had some fun with the miniature setting and love, love, love the macro focus feature!!

my new camera.

2011-06-23T14:01:00.002-04:00

I am so excited to announce that I have a new camera! This was my old camera...

the Canon Powershot A630 and for an 8 megapixel, 4x zoom, point-and-shoot camera I loved it. I have had it for 5 years and the LCD screen just recently cracked on our honeymoon :( I loved the flip screen and was able to use the settings to capture some great shots. Below is the camera I got to replace it.

The Canon Powershot SX130 IS. As much as I would have loved a SLR, my funds would only allow for a point-and-shoot. I also stuck with Canon because of how much I loved my other camera and I am already familiar with how to customize the settings. This one has 12.1 megapixels, 12x zoom, a larger screen, and will shoot 720p HD video. I am taking it camping this weekend and can't wait to see what it can do!

I will share photos from camping and do a special 'take a walk tuesday' from this weekend next week.

Anyone else camping yet this year? Where do you camp?

2011-06-21T09:00:00.000-04:00

little things studio.

2011-06-19T16:14:00.000-04:00

Good afternoon to everyone. I am working on contacting artists for Urban Folk Art and came across Little Things Studio. I met Kate and saw her work when I was at the Renegade show in Austin, TX and fell in love!! She told me it was her first show and that she was super nervous, and I reassured her that her work was great and that she didn't really have much to worry about. She left the corporate world at 27, went back and got her degree in Graphic Design from Mississippi State and started designing. Her work and story are inspiring so take a minute to check out her website if you get a chance!

buddleia.

2011-06-18T09:00:00.000-04:00

2011-06-16T14:53:00.003-04:00

we are home, happy, and married! i am now mrs. golinski. the wedding and cancun were both absolutely wonderful. i am planning on beginning the wedding scrapbook soon, so stay tuned for detailed photos and stories!

break time.

2011-05-31T09:33:00.002-04:00

hey, i just wanted to let everyone know that i am on a blogging break for a few weeks. first, blogger was having errors, second, i have been going crazy with getting wedding/ work stuff finished up, and third, i will be getting married this weekend!!!! then will be leaving for my honeymoon next tuesday to mexico. this also means i will have lots to share when i get back on the 15th! adiaos amigos :)

This photo of Cancun is courtesy of TripAdvisor

bird nerd.

2011-05-16T10:54:00.003-04:00

i am definitely a bird nerd. i love to watch for them in the back yard and one my long drive to work in the morning/ afternoon. they are also my favorite animal to draw and paint. something about them just facinates me! this weekend was a good birding weekend :)

Red-tailed Hawk

source

saw one of these babies this morning on my ride to work. now i look for and see hawks/ falcons in the trees quite often driving down the highway. however, this morning was unique. i saw him in the sky, hovering and flapping his wings in a strange way, then all of a sudden he dive bombed the median and swooped up a mouse!! it was so cool!!

Blue Jay

source

i see these a few times a week in my back yard, however it is still always fun to spot one. they are so bright and beautiful.

Oriole

source

this is a rare bird to spot, although looking at it's bright plumage you might not think so. dave actually spotted this one amongst the trees in the back yard. there were two females with him too. not sure the next time i will see one, but very very cool!

nuptials on my mind.

2011-05-13T15:37:00.002-04:00

gone to the greenhouse.

2011-05-12T10:29:00.000-04:00

today i took my first trip to the greenhouse :) i went to turner's which is not too far from our new home and it was my first visit to this particular place. overall they had a great herb selection and decent flower and veggie selection. they focus a little more on pre-planted pots and larger trees and perennials, but overall it was wonderful! i will also be doing a hanging pot of asparagus fern/ begonias/ assylum soon in addition to poblano peppers on the back deck!!

ground cover that was already in place from the owner's of the house, just bloomed this week!

daffodils in place from the owners. i prefer the ones with the orange centers.

my first planter on the front porch. i spray painted the container to bring out the bright green in the coleus. there are three coleus in the center with eight red inpatients around the edges.

i am making an herb corner on my back deck!! here we have sweet basil and english thyme.

lettuces of all kinds. arugula and pepper cress specifically.

sweet peas. they are really growing! wondering when we will have actual peas :)

vintage recipe cards

2011-05-05T16:26:00.000-04:00

i am not really sure where these originated, but i found them in my mother's cookbook cabinet and simply had to have them :) the top is the design on the box top and the other is the recipe card. i want to find more of these. if you know where i can let me know, until then thank goodness for color copies and cardstock!

2011-05-03T16:11:00.002-04:00

awesome quilt.

2011-05-03T10:34:00.002-04:00

i need to own/ make this quilt found at purlsoho's purlbee, one of my favorite new blogs/ sites!!!

design seeds.

2011-05-02T16:40:00.004-04:00

design seeds is a cute little blog I came across today whilst looking through photos on Pinterest. it is run by jessica colaluca, who also has a book I want to own. i love that all the posts are color combinations taken from photographs! i drool over stuff like this and can't get enough of color combo websites/ blogs/ posts!! one would think that there are only so many combinations possible in the universe, however I feel like new ones are always popping up :) definitely my favorite part of the creative process!!!

design seed favs

naughty kitty.

2011-04-28T16:16:00.002-04:00

happy birthday john james audubon.

2011-04-27T16:12:00.002-04:00

yesterday was John James Audubon's 226th birthday and as a fellow bird lover and artist I wanted to do a tribute post of my favorite paintings. enjoy :)

2011-04-26T15:31:00.000-04:00

lapageria rosea.

2011-04-25T15:29:00.003-04:00

huset.

2011-04-21T11:57:00.004-04:00

i stumbled across this scandinavian shop the other day, from a link on the decor8 blog i believe. it is called huset and these are some of my favorites :)

2011-04-19T11:47:00.002-04:00

i heart bhg.

2011-04-15T13:39:00.002-04:00

i am a lover of Better Homes and Garden and look forward to getting my beautiful glossy issue in the mail every month :) I just got my May issue yesterday and decided to take a gander over to the BHG website to look for more wonderful ideas and I came across their garden planner. They have such pretty little watercolor paintings for each one that I had to share. There are a ton more so be sure to check it out, especially if you are in garden planning mode like me :)

2011-04-12T16:14:00.002-04:00

embroidered whimsy.

2011-04-11T15:02:00.000-04:00

I found a link to these beauties while surfing the web :) The artist Jill Tamaki designed and embroidered three gorgeous covers for Penguin Classics, here are my two favorites, Emma and The Secret Garden. Aren't they lovely?

prunus persica.

2011-04-09T13:56:00.000-04:00

seedlings have arrived.

2011-04-06T13:44:00.001-04:00

happy art.

2011-04-05T15:00:00.001-04:00

wisteria frutescens.

2011-04-04T12:01:00.000-04:00

aloe ferox.

2011-04-02T10:00:00.001-04:00

she makes me want to scrapbook.

2011-04-01T12:03:00.002-04:00

whilst surfing and clicking along yesterday I came across michelle alynn clement's blog and fell in love! a kindred crafty soul after my own heart :) she knits, crochets, sews, designs and scraps! below are some of my favorite pages of hers. i love her use of layering and texture. you can find her whole scrapbook portfolio here. enjoy :)

back into blogging.

2011-03-31T11:37:00.004-04:00

hello readers. it's me again, re-entering the world of blogging. i have come to notice that this is something that comes and goes for me. i blog for a solid 6-12 mos. then feel the need to turn my focus elsewhere, only to find myself a few months later longing to blog again. so i have given my blog a fresh, clean, new look and focus. i am excited to share with you, here is what you will find. let me know what you think of the new look :)

grow: my adventures in gardening this year now that i have a house. photos of plants i find on the road and my attempt to identify each and everyone.

eat: recipes and yummy treats, much like my previous blog posts.

create: all things creative and projects i am working on or planning to work on.

live: home decor ideas, links, and inspiration. details of fun little make-overs i have planned for my new abode.

take a walk: every tuesday you can find a series of photos i have been doing for a while now called talk a walk. which is exactly what it sounds like, me taking a walk outside and photographing what i see.

studio 365: a once a month segment dedicated to a how-to projects, complete with printable pdf instructions.

inspiration: anything i find particularly inspiring on the web, in person or otherwise.

3 tires changed in 2 days.

2010-10-18T18:50:00.006-04:00

friday morning: I wake up early to take Dave to the airport at about 6:30. I then return home and snuggle back into be until around 9. Ten o'clock rolls around and it's time to leave for work. I get into the car, start it up, and back out of my parking spot. thwump, thwump, thwump. hmm, something sounds off, sure hope its not a flat. sure enough it is. I put on the donut and proceed to drive to work.

sunday morning: Because I was headed out of town and had no time to fix my tire I take my fiancees truck. ready to go pick up Chinese food and icecream for the football game I head outside. hmm, the truck looks lopsided. I walk around the vehicle to inspect. of course it's another flat tire. no jack to fix this one, guess I will call Dad. he's up north and will be here to help at 8pm. we change the tire in the dark and it takes about an hour.

monday afternoon: I finally have a chance to take my car and go get my tire fixed. it is unfixable as the nail is much too large. so I get a used tire. they want to charge me extra to put it on. I decline the offer and save $10 figuring I am now a pro at changing tires and can put that baby on in no time. so, I drive home and that is exactly what I do.

note: whoever keeps dumping boxes of nails around the apartment complex...could you please stop!! please!

eat. pray. love.

2010-10-14T20:44:00.000-04:00

this is one of those books that I knew I was going to love before I even started reading it. no, I haven't seen the movie and to be honest did not even know much of what this book was about other than a woman travelling. i am about 100 pages in after waiting on the list at the library for two months and it is divine :)

i miss you.

2010-10-13T20:36:00.002-04:00

i miss you.
half my stuff is here.
half my stuff is there.
i am starting to feel inspired again.
but have no where to create.
i want to knit a blanket.
my needles are at the house.
i am at the apartment.
i will find you again soon.
until then...

recipe two: pork tenderloin with apples and leeks

2010-10-11T20:00:00.004-04:00

this is what I made for dinner tonight :) I used only one pork tenderloin, one gala/ one golden delicious apple, and very large green onions from the garden instead of leeks. we also had stove top stuffing and warmed mulled wine with it. a perfect fall meal!

recipe one: baked sweet potatoes

2010-10-08T09:12:00.002-04:00

so I don't know if this technically counts as a recipe considering it is just a baked sweet potato with butter, however it is in the book and so I shall cook it :) We are having them with some spinach/cheese chicken sausages and some other veggie (probably frozen!).

on another note, moving is making me crazy :) we are slowly getting stuff at the other house sorted out and getting some of our stuff there, but no where feels like home now! soon it will be settled and all will be well.

harvest season.

2010-10-03T15:33:00.005-04:00

garden splendor! it has been a LONG time since I did a garden update. I think I realized that taking care of the garden is more work than I thought and blogging about is more work than I have time for :)

one of about four bunches of tokyo bunching onions from the garden. these babies are about 2 1/2' tall!!

right now we are only getting 1-2 tomatoes per couple days. however there are about 40 green tomatoes that I hope will ripen before frost comes!

holy cow! our basil and oregano have REALLY take off! I cut off a ton everytime I go to the garden. we use some fresh, but most we have been drying by putting it in the oven for a couple hours on warm then crunching it up. we have a couple containers so far. doing this made me realize how much I really like making dried herb concoctions!

how is anyone else's garden coming along now that it is in the prime of harvest season?

collage fun.

2010-10-01T10:55:00.005-04:00

so...since I have been on a Keri Smith kick I decided to do a fun little collage exercise inspired by her! here is what I did.

1. got a stack of old Real Simple magazines, a box cutter, a glue stick, 3 pieces of 8 1/2" x 5 1/2" pieces of cardstock.

2. looked through the magazines and cut out three phrases to use as titles. in this case: long live color, solutions, and the best memories start here.

3. took my box cutter and cut a square in the magazine (about 2" x 2") through as many layers as I could.

4. continued doing this through various points in the magazine and with different magazines. each time changing the shape a little to a rectangle or bigger/ smaller square.

5. went through my stack of cut outs and picked out pieces that I thought went with each title and glued them on as I went.

6. admired my creative finished works that for being random aren't really so random afterall :) click on them to take an up close look!

very.good.news.

2010-09-29T20:28:00.002-04:00

we are moving!! a family we know is moving to China for a couple years and asked us if we would like to rent their house. a house. after YEARS of apartments we are going to get to live in a house I am beyond happy :)

found here

cooking more.

2010-09-22T14:49:00.003-04:00

this is one of the things I feel like I have gotten away from. specifically trying new recipes and techniques. my cooking, like my art, is in a rut. it's all chicken breasts, pasta, and salad, which I love, but could use a taste of something new. so here is what I have decided to do in an effort to rejuvenate this area of my life.

I loved the book and the movie Julie and Julia. the whole notion of cooking your way completely through a cookbook, leaving no recipe unturned, no matter your tastes sounds like an excellent adventure to me!! however, Mastering the art of French Cooking is not my answer. I wanted to start with something less daunting with simple recipes that I could work through in the course of a month or so. below is my solution.

I chose this because the recipes use simple, fresh ingredients. the recipes can be completed in 30-90 min in most cases. I have a TON of these magazines in my cupboard. they can be picked out seasonally so I can get the freshed produce for a good price and stay in tune with the seasons. here is a list of the recipes I plan to complete. I think I want to scan in each page/recipe then add a photo of my own finished product. there is no time limit. I may do five in one week, then none the next. and I am not limiting myself to doing them in order. simply to complete the magazine.

chicken tenders parmesan w/ penne and broccoli

mashed sweet potatoes

baked sweet potatoes

moroccan chicken stew w/ sweet potatoes

watercress salad w/ roasted sweet potatoes

sweet potato souffle

lighter chicken pot pie

meatloaf three ways: bacon/cheddar/onions

pear and honey oatmeal

blt to go

crunchy caramel corn

pappardelle w/ sauteed scallops and peas

amaretto cocktails and goat cheese stuffed mushrooms

muenster, turkey, apple quesadillas w/ halloween salad

mediterranean tuna noodle casserole

cinnamon applesauce

baked ziti w/ crunchy italian salad and garlic bread

stuffed chicken breast and roasted broccoli

country fried steak w/ green beans and rice

pork tenderloin w/ sauteed apples and leeks

vegetarian black bean chili

porcini and parmesan risotto

spice rubbed chicken w/ hominy saute

coconut and beef curry w/ noodles

salmon w/ wasabi sauce and baby bok choy

braised short ribs

sauteed broccoli rabe w/ garlic

creamy polenta w/ thyme

roasted pears w/ amaretti cookies

apple crisp

banana raisin bread pudding

warm almond cherry cake

chocolate pudding cake

cheddar masked potatoes

peas w/ bacon

brown sugar glazed carrots

quick stewed tomatoes

sauteed collard greens with raisins

minestrone w/ collard greens and white beans

braised collard greens

baked eggs w/ croutons and onion

spiced prune cake

lolllipop cookies

WOW Danielle!! that sure seems like a lot! won't this up your stress level and make you feel like you have more things to do?! you may be asking. but, in reality it will not. with no time limit and a whole list of things to make without going through multiple recipe books/cards it should be a breeze. and also a lot of fun I hope :) any guesses on how long it will take me?

100 uses for a pencil.

2010-09-22T14:06:00.005-04:00

weheartit

this exercise is out of Living Out Loud by Keri Smith

try to get to 100 and come up with as many uses as you can for a pencil.

1. playing fetch with my dog

2. picking my nose

3. back scratcher

4. writing a story

5. drawing a self portrait

6. hair stick

7. chew toy

8. ruler

9. drumsticks

10. pointer

11. plug a leak

12. kindling

13. eraser

14. stress reliever (if you break it)

15. peace offering to a beaver (if you ever find yourself in a feud with one)

16. burn, then use the ash to draw

17. hole puncher

18. clean your ear (this is not safe)

19. weapon

20. a birthday gift

21. notch it, like a bedpost

22. spin the pencil (instead of spin the bottle)

23. a prize

24. to curl paper

25. hold up a plant

26. play catch with

27. compost (this may take a while)

28. knitting needles

29. chopsticks

30. pick-up sticks

31. shim

32. unclog drain (maybe?)

33. eyeliner (not sure how hygenic that would be)

34. sculpture

So...the goal was 100, and this is what I have come up with so far :) I will add more as I think of them. Any of you have any creative uses for a pencil? I'd love to hear them and will add them to the list w/ your name!!

living out loud.

2010-09-22T08:48:00.003-04:00

this is a book I always come back to when I am having feelings of staleness. it always serves as a way to refocus my energy and see things in a new way. I am going to do a few of the exercises in the book and will share them here with you as I complete them :)

stale as a loaf of week old bread.

2010-09-21T13:29:00.004-04:00

STALE.

that is how I have been feeling lately. what does that mean exactly? it means there are things I enjoy doing that I am no longer getting to do. creative energy that needs to be rejuvinated and retapped and then actually put to use. ideas that are growing old. why am I sharing these feelings? because I have decided that certain aspects of 365 (i.e. my blog and etsy shop) are suffering and I want to explain why, and hopefully in doing so will be able to push through this lull and come out a shining, inspired, creative individual. so excuse me if this sounds negative, it is not meant to. it is just meant to be the truth and some free thinking if I may. so yes it may sound a bit unorganized and rambling, but perhaps in the end it will help in sorting my brain out :)

first, a list of current projects I am trying to work on or am toying with working on soon:

urban folk art
working 30+ hours a week as a nanny
my wedding
365 blog
work for a holiday consignment shop
a piece of artwork for a friends home
custom painted glasses for a friends wedding
a baby blanket for my cousin
a possible piece of artwork for my friends new baby's room
365 etsy shop
my book (that is now over 2 yrs in the making)

second, things that I would like to do more of or miss doing because for whatever reason I have fallen out of the habit of doing them:

scrapbooking, especially with the wedding coming
cooking new recipes and planning meals
cute photoshoots
eating healthier and exercising, even if it is a minimal amount
reading blogs
painting
having a routine/schedule
everyday life photos

so now the question becomes, what to do about all of this? my plate is WAY WAY too full and I am going to need to cut out/ tone down some of what I am doing or at least have a schedule for it so I don't always feel like I have 20 things I should be doing, which in turn makes me want to do nothing and then I sit and read a magazine and snack on food! it is all about finding some better balance. I had that for a good while and with the addition of a possible new career path and a wedding to plan it somehow has gotten thrown way off. I need to get this back and have been trying for a few weeks now. you have probably noticed this in my less frequent, less inspired posts and my few mentions of trying to sort this whole thing out.

I need a plan. a way to get rid of the stale, crusty bread that is my brain and replace it with something fresh and warm that is inviting and appealing. I am working on the plan. when I figure something out I will let you know.

for now I am going to turn my blog into a daily journal of sorts. meaning all special/ weekly posts will be put on hold and I will concentrate on just sharing my day. both in words and photos. and maybe from simply doing that some assemblance of balance and inspiration will come :)

thank you to all my readers, I always read your comments and I want to work hard to bring 365 back up to my creative standards!!

creatively yours,
Danielle

what a week.

2010-09-20T09:36:00.002-04:00

was my last post really last Tuesday?! WOW! I know I have been busy, but I swear I had squeezed in one other post. oh well, I guess that goes with the whole planning a wedding and starting a new business territory :) anyhow I did a LOT of things in the past few days. I went dress shopping again and think I have it narrowed down to 3 dresses for myself. there is a sale that ends Sept. 27 so I am forced to make a decision by then. I also got some bridesmaid/groomsmen stuff nailed down. I am working on a separate blog for the wedding, which I will be debuting after I send my save-the-dates out this week.

Here is something else I did this weekend!!

I was super excited to get to see them in concert and it was a great show!! I went with my sister and we had tons of fun :) any other Sugarland fans out there?

I am not nearly as busy this week, so look for more posts. hope you all had a great weekend!!

take a walk tuesday.

2010-09-15T09:02:00.004-04:00

brought to you on wednesday because we had no power last night from 5:30pm-midnight!

the boy I nanny for recently started kindergarten and thought it would be fun to point out things to take pictures of at his school while waiting for class to start. I then took those things and tried to focus on close ups and texture :)

renegade favs.

2010-09-14T09:36:00.003-04:00

here were some of my favorites from the show this weekend.

renegade this weekend.

2010-09-10T10:05:00.004-04:00

this is where I will be this weekend :) Hope you have a fun and crafty weekend. Come to the show if you can, and I will see you all on Monday!!!

take a walk tuesday.

2010-09-08T08:07:00.004-04:00

the signs that fall is near :)

under construction.

2010-09-07T09:24:00.003-04:00

i wanted to announce that my Etsy shop is going to be under construction for a while. i am done doing shows for the year and am going to take some time to focus on some other projects i have in the works as well as getting back to just making art. not making items for the sake of selling or mass production. i plan to play around with new techniques and ideas without some of the added pressure. i plan on reopening the shop sometime in November and will keep you posted.

i will however still be blogging :) and as always will share some of my artistic adventures along the way. i just feel like i need to take some time to get back to creating for the sake of creating and exploring my artistic whims :)

how i spent my weekend.

2010-09-05T12:32:00.004-04:00

tissues. chicken soup. hot tea. sleep.

can you guess what i was going this weekend?

scrap a page thursday.

2010-09-02T10:22:00.002-04:00

this is the first page in my new wedding album :) so excited to start scrapping again and having some new stories to tell keeps it interesting!

take a walk tuesday.

2010-08-31T20:12:00.004-04:00

or in this case a ride on the Detroit Princess Riverboat.

home cooked sunday.

2010-08-30T18:00:00.001-04:00

special addition coming to you from Chicago :) My friends and I have been cooking up a storm this weekend with a cookout on Friday night and a bring-your-own-picnic concert on Saturday! Here is the yummy food we have been concocting.

For the BBQ on Friday, although I don't have any pictures :(, we had Chilean turkey dogs (these have mayo, avocado, and tomato on them), marinated tofu, mexican potato salad, pasta salad, and grilled watermelon mojito skewers....mmmm yum!!

on Saturday we went to a concert at Rivinia, an outdoor park in Chicago, where you bring your own wine and food, which is exactly what we did :) We had an appetizer of hummus and pita bread and fruit and cheese. I provided the main course (pictured above) which consisted of cold sesame/tofu noodles, vietnamese veggie rolls, and mango coleslaw. here are two of the recipes.

mango slaw with honey-lime dressing

what you need:
1 mango
1 red pepper
1 small bad pre-shredded slaw
handful of shredded carrots
juice of one lime
1/4 c honey
2 tbsp rice wine or cider vinegar
2 tbsp EVOO
salt and pepper

what to do:
1. thinly slice red pepper and mango, after peeling.
2. toss with carrots and slaw mix.
3. whisk honey, lime juice, vinegar, EVOO together.
4. toss dressing with veggies and season with salt and pepper.
5. let marinate in fridge for at least one hour.

vietnamese veggie rolls

what you need:
rice paper rounds ( I found these at an asian market)
mei fun noodles
shredded carrots
cucumber, julienne cut
bean sprouts
basil leaves
mint leaves
1/4 cup peanut butter
2 tbsp soy
2 tbsp water

what to do:
1. I did not put quantities on the above ingredients because it depends on how many you want to make. one package of each thing is MORE than sufficient.
2. cook mei fun noodles according to package, drain, rinse in cold water.
3. take a rice paper round and wet it with a brush on a clean plate/board.
4. place a little bit of noodles, carrots, cucumber, and bean sprouts on top of each other in the center.
5. top with a basil leaf and a couple mint leaves.
6. time to roll :) fold of the bottom of the paper so it is tight around your ingredients, then fold in the sides, then continue to roll. (here is a video)
7. make as many as you want.
8. warm peanut butter in microwave for 20-30 sec, then whisk it with water, and soy.
9. dip your rolls into the peanut butter sauce and enjoy :)

i do saturday.

2010-08-28T14:00:00.003-04:00

This weeks Dave's parents have been in town, and we have seen a lot of my parents, which means we have had lots and lots of wedding talk/planning going on. here are things we have discussed and figured out :)

--my mom bought her dress
--the idea behind what we want to do for the rehearsal dinner
--where the guests and the wedding party may be staying
--gathering addresses for save-the-date cards
--investigating more possible photographers
--final decisions before booking our honeymoon!!

hello from chicago.

2010-08-27T10:33:00.005-04:00

happy friday everyone :) there was no scrap-a-page thursday yesterday because I was en route to visit a very good friend of mine named Lindsey who I have not seen since last October!! I am here all weekend and will be posting some fun things for you.

first, here is a little tour of her and Erica's cute apartment in a wonderful old building located between China town and Andersonville. she doesn't even know I took these pictures, but I am sure she will love this little post. thanks for letting me stay :)

wonderful old architectural details.

using old windows as art.

creative storage solutions that double as cute displays.

classic honeycomb floor with a really neat wooden bath mat.

thrifted items, like this $10 hallway table.

attention to detail with decorative kleenex boxes.

gorgeous and huge fabric wall hanging.

maps as art in the living room.