Oregon Gardens

Hello friends and followers! I wanted to share a few pictures from the gorgeous Oregon Gardens. One of our favorite types of photographs is flowers from underneath.







What are your favorite types of nature photos?

♥/Lex

Studio Macros

Just wanted to share a couple macros from my studio, totally digging this color combo lately:



and



♥/Lex

Summer Reading Digs

I'm having fun catching up on some of my stacks of books I seem to habitually buy. Here's my shortlist of some good reads to delve your mind into:

'So Long Insecurity, you've been a bad friend to us' by Beth Moore - Entertaining, deep and honest. Beth openly shares her own insecurities and the path she took to healing and wholeness.
Excerpt: "We can get away with thinking we're secure people because, for a time, we have the important things just like we want them. But then change happens, and suddenly we are thrown for a severe emotion loop. We realize we weren't secure. We were spoiled."

and...

'Make A Scene, Crafting a Powerful Story Once Scene at a Time' by Jordan E. Rosenfeld - If you love to read then you've probably thought about writing a book or screenplay at least once or twice in your lifetime. For me, that's more often, such as every hour on the hour! I do love writing and I hate receiving those rejection slips from publishers. This book is amazing. I bought it when I wondered if there could be more to writing than just creativity, good punctuation and the ability to organize an intelligent thought into something worth reading. There is a SCIENCE to writing a book, novel or screenplay. These items designed for mass entertainment must contain elements that a publisher and producer are looking for. I love this book because it is easy to understand, inspiring and is a fun read! I have a full blown library of books on the craft of writing. Some other recommendations are: 'The First Five Pages' by Noah Lukeman (he also offers some free online downloads of writing helps - just google his name and see what you find), 'Write Better, Write Faster' by David A. Fryxell, and 'Writng For Children and Teenagers by Lee Wyndham.

I'll leave you with these two for now....I'm off to read a bit more before jumping into my day!
I've got a fun sewing ideas, art ideas and decorating ideas...I'll show you some pics when I finish something worth posting. :)

Let me know what you've been enjoying this summer!

TTFN (Tah, tah for now)
Theresa

Happy Father's Day!

My father always had a load of good things to say, but the most profound thing he told me was when I was in my twenties. I had said, "Wow, Dad, you've really changed since I've grown up." His response, "Theresa, I'm not the one who grew up." I had to think about that one a bit as it caught me off guard.

As we grow older, we hopefully grow wiser, less selfish, less demanding, more content, more forgiving.

The past is the past and the future is waiting for you to create it.

Today, share you love with the man who loves you as only a father can. Leave him
with a tidbit that makes him stop and think a bit. Tell him you love him, silently forgive him
for all his short comings and let your heart be light and trouble free. The past is the past, the present is a gift, and the future is an unfolding adventure!

Cheers!
Theresa

Can you help?

Please read the incredible story of 14 month old Israel at http://www.thejourneyofisrael.blogspot.com/. This family is very near and dear to our hearts. Israel is such a special boy, amazingly sweet and very brave. He's had to endure multiple surgeries and hardship just to survive. As you read his mother's latest post, you'll read the heartwarming story of how Israel just took his first steps! Unfortunately, his therapy is only twice a month and an hour away. Can you please help this loving family purchase his special therapy walker to use at home? The cost is $2,000.00 - so if 200 people can contribute $10....or if 100 people can contribute $20, Israel is well on his way to learning to walk. Its going to take a lot of hard work on his part, and his family will be there day and night to help him, to encourage him and to cheer his every step. As for me, I am happy to give up my weekly coffee a couple of times, or pack a sack lunch for a week to pass on a blessing to Israel. Can you please help?

Thank you so much - have a blessed Memorial Day Weekend!
~Theresa :)

One of my personal favorites....just one of many!

Mod Flower Power Reversible Cup Cozy

Cotton Candy Reversible Coffee Cozy

New HOT seller!

Happy Family Reversible Coffee Cozy

Did I mention that all of our cozies are reversible? That's a budget friendly 2 cozies for the price of 1.

New At Uptown Avenue.

Visit us at www.uptownavenue.com

New in our handmades! Did I mention they are reversible? Great selections for gals and guys.

Dazzling Reversible Coffee Cozy

Is It Summer Yet???

The count down is on!!

Many of you know that I homeschool my 2 boys. While it is a joyful task, I am really ready to get my sewing machine humming, my paints flowing and spread my craft supplies from one end of my studio to the other. Oh, and did I mention that I intend to finish at least one of the many books I've begun writing? I yearn for those free days when the kids are playing with friends and I'm happily creating without a care in the world.

This was also my plan last summer. I must admit that I did have creative days, but I mostly sabotaged myself. I looked out the window. From my window I can see the mountains, and I got the bug to go hiking. I saw the sunshine and got the bug to go swimming. I heard the kids laughing and got the bug to play at the park. I kept talking myself into enjoying the summer and to simply put aside my indoor stuff until Autumn and Winter when I am stuck inside without much to do. After all, it rains for months here in the Pacific Northwest.

That's what I eventually did. I gave into temptation, gave into outdoor fun instead of indoor flair. How do you think that worked for me - the whole procrastination thing? If you homeschool, you already know. School began again in September and my days were filled to the brim. When you homeschool there is always way more to do in one day than humanly possible. Teaching, cooking, cleaning, laundry, errand running, PE, field trips, parties, phone calls to and from all the sources of your homeschool connections (friends, groups, etc...). That's just the morning. Then comes the afternoon with grading, explaining, listening, researching and debating. Afterwards, evening. That's dinner, dishes, pajamas, bedtime stories, prayers and tucking in - all while I am completely tuckered out. The day is done, the kids are happily dreaming and do I go to sleep? No! I, like most of my fellow homeschool moms, stay up late emailing, facebooking, blogging, online shopping and surfing. Its how we unwind - and it can take hours!

I am completely ready for summer. I'm going to do it this year - stay dedicated to creating all my stored up ideas....that is.... just as soon as I finish watching all those breathtaking sunsets! :)
Cheers - Theresa

New Art Prints!

My mom and business partner, Theresa, is selling art prints of her original paintings!
The prints are available in our Etsy shop - clicking your favorite prints below will take you right to the Etsy page where it's being sold. I loooove her art (the one on the very bottom is my personal favorite).













More details about them on Etsy.

♥ / Lex

Happy Spring!

When the sun comes out and the temps get warmer, I cant' stay inside! As an artist, I love the colors in nature and Springtime in Oregon is eye-popping (guess all those long months of rain, rain and more rain really paid off). Blooms are everywhere - flowers, shrubs and trees - petals fall like snowflakes and cover the streets like intricate lace. The fresh air is fragrant and refreshing (let's not talk about hay fever here!). Anyway - the colors and textures inspire me so much I can hardly sleep at night - instead, I design in my mind (Can't exactly fire up the sewing machine or break out the paintbrushes when the sleepy members of my family are in dreamland). But in the morning when I wake up (guess I accidentally doze off sometime between midnight and sunrise) I begin to create! Look for new goodies popping up in our handmade shop.

What inspires you? What new blooms (ideas!) is Spring bringing your way? I'd love to hear!

Blessing,
Theresa

Psssst...

Shhhhh, we have ONE set of the rainbow mustache mug sets available in our Etsy shop!


You can get it here!

Love those graphic tees

Happy almost Spring, friends! Just wanted to show the new camera, which I loveloveLOVE.



I think I might sign up for another Photog class next month. I took one in high school but didn't learn anything that I didn't already know. Hopefully this one is different.



Took it out the other day when it was crazy gorgeous. This 60 degree weather is awesome! Today was rainy and chilly again, but the sunny warm days make me remember last summer. Days of smoothies, running, and new adventures. This summer will be much the same, but better. Because 2010 has been a-mazing so far.

I feel like it might be hard to stay away from my beloved graphic tees this summer though. Last fall I made a pact with myself that I would try to have a more grown up wardrobe, because I was stuck in a tee shirt/jeans/sneaker rut. I bought a bunch of cardigans, which I didn't think I would like so much but wound up adoring. And straight leg jeans with ankle boots. But after Allie blogged the CMYKRGB shirt from Threadless again {one that I'd been admiring because of my graphic design love}, I started searching out other super fun graphic tees. Thus making it harder yet to stay true to my promise to myself. I might just break, because they are so great!


Because I ♥ Portland {duh!}


Because foxes + bikes might just be the coolest combination all week.


To prove to myself that I should stay on track because this is just completely adorable.

{All items can be found on Etsy, click on the photo to go to the listing!}

What wardrobe resolutions have you made to yourself lately?

♥
Lex

Unexpected hiatus is officially over

Hello again friends!
Sorry it's been a while. My handy-dandy, usually trusty laptop started having issues a little over a month ago. First, it would freeze in the middle of everything I was working on {usually graphics, it was a PAIN!}. Then, it started forcing me to shut down manually and would take an hour to load back up. Next, it started taking 14 hours {yes, HOURS!} to load. And then it refused to load completely.The hard drive went bad, apparently. So I had to take it back to Best Buy and they replaced the hard drive for me. So now I'm back in blogging business! It made me realize how dependent I am on a] my own computer with customized settings {I customize them like CRAZY! I hate the default programs and have to change almost everything. Plus all of my Firefox add ons, etc.}, b]the internet. I think I went slightly crazy without the internet there for me.

I've been playing with our new camera lately, and now that I have the computer back I can get around to editing and uploading the pics!
Here's a sneak peek from the Wedding Extravaganza we hosted at my day job a couple weekends ago:



There was so much cake and other scrumptious goodies. Yummmmm!!!

So much more soon, I promise! Just wanted to drop by and say hello and let you know that I'll be back in full swing VERY very soon!

xoxo ♥

Lex

Mustaches Galore!

So in case you DIDN'T already know - we have mustache mugs back in stock! Right now we have them in white, a new style for 2010! I think they're super classy looking, great for a wedding or more formal look - but of course, still crazy with mustache graphics!





You can find them here!

Also, I watched Leigh-Ann's 2010 photobook project live today, that was so much fun!

She is totally adorable, most of the crafting session is viewable at UStream right here. I wish I had registered for a UStream account while I was watching, so I could join in on the chat - but is was fun watching and hearing her cute stories! I've loved Leigh-Ann's blog for quite a minute, going through one of my old blogs from YEARS ago I saw comments from her and it made me happy in my heart again. Isn't it funny how thrilled we get when someone we look up to takes time out to say hello to us?

xoxo
-Lex

So pretty

I'm very inspired by turquoise again. Remember my dresser that I painted Tiffany Turquoise over the summer? Well, when I moved into my new bedroom I painted the walls gray, and I've been wrestling with myself over what accent colors I should put in. I have decided upon turquoise and red. I thought about going turquoise and royal purple, but royal purple is too much of a fad color for me. The nice thing about my neutral walls is that I can change out accent colors as often as I want!

Here are some of the most inspiring images I found on WeHeartIt when I searched for turquoise {you can see more of my faves in my stream}:













If you are on WeHeartIt and want to heart these images too, I've saved the web address in the Flickr description - just click on the photo to get to the link!

Also, I've added a shiny new blog button you can add to your blog if you love mine! Its in the left sidebar, check it out ♥
I'll be adding buttons to my favorite blogs here too.

Ok, it's late, which means it's project time!!
Goodnight♥

-Lex

New in the Shop

Hi friends!
Small shop update, including Valentine's Day {or just "love"} cards, some new earrings, and original mustache paintings!





Mustache Original Paintings here.







Sweetheart Earrings here.







Love Cards here.

I'm working on lots of new projects, can't wait to show you!

xoxo

-Lex

PS: Are you keeping up with your resolutions? I think I need to start reviewing my resolutions book every morning when I wake up. I'm trying to keep up with taking more photos, but they've mostly been for the shop this last week. More personal pics are just around the corner!

A few resolutions

Instead of having just ONE New Year's Resolution, I decided to make a scrapbook of sorts called "10 Things To Do in 2010". Not all of the pages are finished yet. Actually, most of them aren't! But I thought I'd share the majority of my list of resolutions with you. I'm hoping to accomplish every single to-do on this list before 2011!

Here goes:

*Take more pictures {see below for page!}
*Take a creative, just for me class {see below for page!}
*Volunteer more
*Go to Renegade!
*Make a kawaii quilt
*Send more packages to faraway loved ones





Well, it just happens that I signed up for Style School, so I get to cross this one off my list! It still counts, because even though I paid for it in 2009 it starts this year! Plus, it's the first fun, creative class I've taken since high school {intro to digital photography}.

And speaking of Style School - here are a couple pages I've done for my "homework".

The binder cover - used Basic Grey Eskimo Kisses - Woodland 12x12 for the woodgrain background, then drew one of my signature trees and colored it in using metallic gel pens. It took forever, but I was watching a movie the entire time so it was ok!


And one of my wardrobe inspiration pages:



These are actually the only two pages I have done for it, but I have a TON of ideas for future pages!

And, no page in either one of my new books is free from future altering. They never are :)

What are YOUR New Year's Resolutions?

xoxo
-Lex♥