Feeling it and I am kind of loving it. Even with the sun, the days are crisp. Time to shift to boots, sweaters, and mid-afternoon coffee. Fall harvest is right around the corner. The change of seasons is a true gift in the Northwest.
More fall inspiration on my fall in to fall board on Pinterest.
Over the summer I started using PicMonkey to edit my photos and build collages to use in blog posts. My end goal is to eventually learn to use Photoshop, but I really needed an editing tool that I could use now, with little to no expertise! PicMonkey is kind of amazing and it’s free. Edit your photos, create collages, and then simply save them to your computer. The tools include Basic Edits, Effects, Touch Up, Text, Overlays, Frames, Textures, and Themes. And did I mention it was free?
For example, this is a photo I snapped on my iPhone yesterday. A new pair of sandals….of course you take a picture!
With PicMonkey, I was able to crop the photo and then resize it to fit the specifications of my blog. I also used an Effect [or filter] called Orton to soften the look.
It is by no means professional and I still have a ton to learn, but I love playing around on this website for novice, photo editors. Not sure how you would use it? It could be as simple as adjusting the color on your point-and-shoot photos or adding text to a photo before you share it on Facebook. As I learn more, I will be sure to share tutorials. But you can play now!
{P.S. The Touch Up editor has tools for Blemish Fix, Wrinkle Remover, Nip Tuck, and Weight Loss. Oh, hello!}
Top photo features a Frame [Polaroid] and Text.
We have our phones with us all the time. Pictures are snapped non-stop! Rarely do those pictures escape the confines of our smart device! StickyGram Magnets seem like the perfect way to get them off your phone and made into something useful. Perfect gifts for you or someone you love! Fab.com has StickyGram Magnets discounted on their site right now. Maybe this fun project will motivate me to do something today!
Pssst……You can also create Pop Art with your Instagram photos.
The Serena & Lily catalog arrived in my mailbox yesterday and I devoured it during Big W’s soccer practice! I am dreaming of remodeling our playroom into a family/media room. Ideas are swirling in my head! Have you made this switch over in your house? It is so exciting to think about reclaiming that square footage for something other than LEGO storage!
I want pattern, color, comfort, and fun! The thing is- I want it to be cohesive and well-planned, but not too matchy and not all from one store! Simple, yet interesting. Whoa, this is why it is exciting yet extremely overwhelming! Let me please add that we will not be doing any of the heavy lifting {no handymen around here}, but I will be doing the planning and selection of goods. Any tips on resources or design ideas? I am happy to take them!
Follow the rest of the inspiration on my a room for a {family} board.
{Shop this image:: 1//Mohair Throw 2// White Pouf 3//Pewter Charing Cross Rug
{ 1//Get Shit Done mug 2//fresh box of Crayolas 3//Roll Top Backpack 4//Jeffery Campbell ‘In Love’ Flat}
You are going to have to take me kicking and screaming into fall. This has to be the best summer on record for quite some time. Leave it to Pinterest to make the change of seasons just a bit easier. Back to school always means a bit of retail therapy. New shoes, a new pack, and necessary supplies. Don’t forget the checklists that never seem get completed. [Kind of like the one box, “Get shit done.”] And, who doesn’t love a fresh box of crayons?
For these and other pins to help ease you into autumn, follow me on Pinterest.
The end of August and the first weeks of September bring county fairs! I have found memories going to the fair as a kid. The rides and games, the “carnies”, animals, cowboys and the food! In recent years, I have taken my boys to a small county fair in Eastern Washington over Labor Day and they love all the same things. We always go over budget and eat way too much. Somehow there is always room for an elephant ear! {My love of anything with cinnamon sugar is not a secret.}
[Shirt and cut-offs from H&M, The Grand Wheel via Etsy, and a Ferris Wheel wallpaper]
A county fair is a country girl’s runway. It is a treat to see the western wear in full effect. I am certainly not a country girl-but it sure is fun to play along. I also have a growing obsession with ferris wheels and photography. The vibrant colors of the cars, the sky, and clouds. I need to take my camera along this year.
I will have this song on repeat as we drive to the fair:
What is your #1 favorite thing about a fair?
I am still working on re-entry after being, literally, in the middle of nowhere. I surprisingly had no problem turning off my phone and completely disconnecting. It was great for all four of us! I am excited to share highlights of our trip and the lessons that the river taught me.
As I ease back into the digital world, I must admit that Pandora may have saved our sanity on the long road miles between here and Riggins, ID.
I will sing the praises of my digital provider. Somehow even on an extended network, I could stream the #1 road trip playlist. Pandora: Johnny Cash is the best music for driving through endless miles of wheat fields and open pasture! Give it a try. It will not disappoint. {It is pretty great with your morning coffee, too.}
Where is June is outbound. I am stepping outside my comfort zone and climbing into a white water raft. A big time, {3 day} rafting trip on the Snake River lies ahead for me. This girl is not an adrenaline junky. My motto this week will be, “Great things begin at the end of your comfort zone.” I look forward to uninterrupted time with all of my boys, unplugging, and lazy afternoons on the river. I hope to capture the beauty, I am sure we will encounter, and share it upon my return. {I’ll be back a week from today.}
{image via}
In the last week, I have heard Baby Got Back on the radio three times. What’s the luck? It seriously could be best song released in the 90’s. And since everything 90’s is hot again, it doesn’t surprise me it is getting radio air time. A whole new generation will come to love this awesome track. Like most girls [of a certain age], I know the lyrics by heart and have to crank the volume way up. How can you not?
Just a little treat for you as we head into the weekend! Enjoy.
Tell ’em to shake it! (Shake it!) Shake it! (Shake it!) Shake that healthy butt! Baby got back.
A few things that have made me smile recently.
A patriotic yarn bombing on a city street pole. Creativity at its best!
$1 coins {aka: gold coins}. Tooth Fairy money.
A handmade pretzels at our local Jewish deli.
Golden Raspberries and granola.
What is making you smile? Stop. Enjoy. Don’t miss it.
