summer

sitting outside tonight. with the laptop and coffee. enjoying a beautiful summer night in the pacific northwest. summer here is completely different than anything i am used to. i miss the constant sunshine like we had in louisiana. but it is still so darn beautiful here. the weather is very mild. and tonight it's simply perfect. i haven't gotten many summer nights like this....warm enough to sit outside in a tank top. so i am enjoying it. 

i had such a nice day today. i had the day off and i spent a lot of it perusing websites and collecting more photos of decor ideas i like. scrapbooking a little. 

and spent a lot of time reflecting and centering myself before i start a busy few days of work. i can't believe we are already halfway through this year. time flies that's for sure. i find myself making lists and trying to really study my priorities and my goals and see what changes need to be made to keep myself on a positive track. i have a lot of things i am striving for right now. mainly trying to find my niche in life. i am trying to look at the big picture. where it is i want to be in five years. what is is i want to accomplish. i am feeling very optimistic about everything these days. and that's a good thing. but i could use a little more self discipline in a few areas. always room for improvement. there is this line in a brother ali song i love....."if i don't like my life i gut it and rebuild it. fuck it. keep nothing but God and my children." we have that power. to change our life whenever we are unhappy with the way we are living. it's when we realize that power and utilize it that our lives are transformed. when we take responsibility. and strive to be better each and every day.

ok that was a ramble! i have a few photos of projects to share. just the covers of a few mini books. i will share the insides whenever i get around to photographing and editing all of those photos. last time i shared photos of projects i decided not to edit and just upload them as is to save time. they are all dark and now i wish i would have taken the time to edit them. maybe i need to learn to use my camera better! that's on my to-do list. 

anyhoo....

here's the first one. it's my road trip book. i had a lot of mistakes when making these books. but i just kinda go with them and don't freak out too much. these books are for me and my family so little mess ups really don't bother me. 

on the cover of this one the holes were punched on the wrong side of the cover!!! :( we saved it and i found the little circles we punched out and glued them back in. you almost can't tell. lol! this book came out really cute. i kept the book simple and focused on my journaling and the great photos we got. 

these photos are all phone pics so they aren't the best. 

those pictures suck! i will take better ones with my camera when i photograph the whole things.

here is the date book. this thing is huge! i used 4x6 chipboard sheets for each month. the idea for the book is that each month has a little section for me to write down birthdays and anniversaries and i made a section in the back for contact info. i have been wanting to do this forever and i made it so it is decorative. i plan to put it out on the coffee table or something. i am going to add photographs of everyone on their birthday page. 

i haven't added rings yet. that black and white tape is 7gypsies and i am in love with it. seriously. love. i used a cork sheet for the back page of the book.   

 

it's huge. but i love it.

and lastly my book of lists. it's just a little book. i put lists of all my favorite stuff inside. movies, food, celebrities and stuff like that. something cool for the kids to look back on one day. and i made that label myself! 

and i am going to leave you with a few of my favorite photos i found today of some cool home decor ideas. oh and i love this etsy shop.....milk&cookies. i love all of her pillows. i am planning to do my living room in a red, grey, black and yellow color scheme and i already have some pillows collected but i have been looking for some more yellow and grey ones. she has some neat ones in her shop.

i especially love this one..

oh and this one...

 

isn't this cool?!? i want to do one or two over my scrap area. i love that idea.

 

i love how the green chairs and the orange jack on the table really pop in this room. i love little splashes of color like that with neutral furniture.

 

and i am in love with this. and that light?!? amazing. i am definitely doing something like this. i see so many cool colored glassware pieces in thrift stores around here.

  

and this would be my ideal scrapspace. i am so so so doing that bulletin board thing covered in fabric. so doing that. i love the large scale of it. and the overall simpleness of the space.

 

that was fun. gosh i get sucked into those decor blogs. next thing i know hours have passed and i feel like going immediately to the thrift store when i am done. they have awesome ones here in the seattle area. 

well that's it for now. hope your week is going fabulously! 

peace,

kate

ps....make sure to leave a comment if you stop by so that i can visit your blog. i have been trying to visit everyone who visits me! :)

 
    

 
 

Comments

[Brittany]

oh i am just smitten with those minis. you really should do an online class about them. love love love the travel one. and that large bulletin board is to die for. an absolute must have in my one-day (hopefully soon) studio.

[Jessi W.]

I LOVE that fabric inspiration board. I am hoping to move in the next year and cannot wait to decorate my home just the way I want it!! I have also been feeling exactly like you in the way of making my life exactly what I want it to be and keeping it on the positive track to get there....so far I feel great about it, and I'm gonna keep working hard to get where I want to be:) have a great week, Kate.

[Jennifer Kolakowski]

Hi Kate,
I don't have a blog, but I would LOVE it if you did another class + kit. I'm just sayin...:)
jen kolakowski in CT

[gloria]

great books!
often the lil mistakes are the ones that make the book more personalized!! : )
i love the yellows in those pillows...and that huge bulletin board is amazing!! i'd like to re-decorate sometime soon...lol

[andrew]

Brother ali always finds the right words... I just wanted you to know that I am so proud of you and all your recent accomplishments baby. Love you! Keep making magicalness :)

[Wendy]

Hi! I found your blog when your Path layout was voted favorite of the week at SC. I love, love, love that layout and have copied it a couple times in the form of bday cards so THANKS for the inspiration! And I love your minis. I've bought several books to do minis but haven't actually attempted one yet. Soon.
My blog is far from exciting/inspirational/etc and I haven't posted anything scrappy in a long while (just haven't been in that mode and we just moved (I'm totally obsessed with decorating as well and LOVE that gray pillow)), but here it is: www.adventuresofdickandgwen.blogspot.com

[Sandra]

Hi - Like Wendy I found your blog from SC Path lo. The lo and the subject spoke to me. Love the mini books. They are my fav thing to do, though not made any in a while. Hopefully you have given me a little inspiration. Thank you x

[Julie Ann Shahin]

Your minis are totally inspiring! the clouds room reminds me of a Warhol installation I saw once at the Chicago Art museum!

[Sherry Williams]

Hi Kate. I was an old admirer of your blog back when you lived in Louisiana (i don't think i spelled that right?!?) I, like others, saw your layout on SC and stumbled around to find you here. I am glad you are still creating your art and doing your thing. Your minis were always my favorite too. You seem to have an eye for them. I hope you continue to blog and post your art. :) I thought of you recently-I took a trip to New York with my husband and I forget the song, but it was a fave on your old blog & my husband said -hey there's that song you like from that ladies blog. :) I would play your blog to hear the music while he was deployed so some of those songs remind me of that time and also reminds me of you. Anyway....I really just wanted to say hello and nice to "see" you in the blog world again. :)
Sherry in MD

[ellen s]

i just love those minis. i neeeed a road trip book and have tons of paper to do it, LOL! you are my insp :)

fab photos, too! i love love looking at them

[hera]

i dont have a blog but i love yours and your work. i also found you at SC or rediscovered you there. so glad you are back :-) thanks for the wonderful inspiration.

[Karen Beth]

I am so glad to have found your blog today!

I've never been a scrapbooker but I keep books with odds-and-ends of stuff that inspire me, stuff that I want to remember, etc. Your books remind me of these books that I keep but yours are SO much cuter! I absolutely LOVE them! LOVE LOVE LOVE! I'd really love to get some chipboard and try my hand at something like this.

Really so very inspiring. THANK YOU!

Karen Beth :)
[email protected]

[lilith]

wow fantastic inspiration!! where did you find these clouds! I neeed them!

[Penny Smith]

i just saw that light (dandelion looking) at Ikea this last month! It is only like $89, and very cool!