Preparing for (faux)Turkey Day

Something about cool weather strikes the crafting bug inside of me. I also work for a craft website and get to look at inspiring things all day! Now that it's cooler outside, I'm using my time inside to craft up a storm.

This year my roommate and I have decided to host a big Thanksgiving day event and dinner for fellow transplants like us that aren't going home for the holiday. Of course this involves sprucing up the place with lots of Holiday themed decorations. Here's a few of the things I've made so far:

Wreathes! I love love love seeing one project come out three different ways. Mine (on the far left) is made from burlap, the middle from fabric, and the right from twigs, branches, and ribbon.

Here's a close up of my burlap wreath happily hung on my front door.

And of course we can't forget about the table.

I was surprised how quickly I was about to put this table runner together. It was done in 2 days and looks just as autumn-ish as I was intending. The design isn't as modern as I would like, but as my first quilt project I decided to try something simple so I could actually finish it without it looking like my cat put it together.

Now, on to more crafts...!

Does anyone have any suggestions for Thanksgiving day decorations you think I should make?

Photo Shoot: Toys!

I had the pleasure, excitement, and mostly fun of doing two photo shoots this week for work. I'm a strong believer that you grow from each experience you have. How much you grow, can be up to you. How willing are you to open up, to push yourself, to learn new things, and forget things you thought you knew?

I feel like I've grown a lot from this and I can't wait to do more! It's so thrilling to be at a point in my life where things feels like they're just at the beginning. Everything is infused with possibility.

Here are some of the finals:

I experimented with some post editing techniques for these images since the goal was to invoke a warm, intimate, home-y, almost vintage feeling. I'm really proud of this work, but please feel free to provide some constructive criticism as well. That's one thing I really miss about college...honest feedback.

Alive and Kicking

Hello world, I am alive! I've come to the solid conclusion that there aren't enough hours in the day. No matter how much I do there is an ever growing list of things I still want to do. I am going to try my best to make more regular updates, comments are good motivation, hint hint. I've been busy working, creating, smiling, biking, and generally loving where I am. Here are some of the things that have keep me from blog-land.

1. Friends! This summer has been filled with lots friends! Getting to know some much better and meeting lots of new ones.

2. Exploring! I've been spending time in new parts of town and going out for photo walks with fellow photographers.

3. Photographing! I've been helping on set stills, photo shoots, product shots, and generally working on my portraiture.

4. Biking! I've clocked a couple hundred miles this summer. Maybe 400 total? I've certainly found my "thing." I feel so at peace on a bike.

5. More Biking! Besides biking to work everyday, I've tried to get in as many longer rides as I can. It's hard not to be amazed by the gorgeous scenery here.

6. Hiking! I haven't gotten into the mountains as much as I would have liked to yet, but no fear, they're not going anywhere.

7. Fall activities! Pumpkin picking, corn mazes, and lots of crafts. I've been teaching myself lots of new skills like learning to knit lace. I'll try and post some pictures of my recent projects soon.

July 20, 2011: Day of Biking

I clocked a good 30ish miles today by bike. I wasn't sure if I could do it, but my doubts were silly, I did it and feel great. I started by accompanying a friend to work at 6am; 12miles there, 12 back. I noticed this sign on the way there, neither of us could figure out why this town gets called a lot.

Then that evening I finally got to participate in my first Cruiser Ride. If you're in the area, you have to check it out for yourself if you haven't.

Each week there is a theme, this weeks was Beach Party.

Thousands of people start out at one of three bars across Denver, in custom, with their bikes. Then we take over the streets! Giant packs of bicycles all head toward one central location called...

The Circle of Death. So many people, so many bikes, so much happening.


Circle of Death continues. A side note: no one dies.

All in all a great night. See you next week Cruiser Ride!

July 18, 2011

I don't know if it's luck, or having picked a good place to live, but almost everyone I've meet so far lives within 10 blocks of me. Which comes in handy when the pizza is out of the oven and you have plans to meet a friend at his place in 10 minutes. Walking a handful of blocks with oven mitts and pie plates got us some funny reactions.


A view of downtown Denver, an easy 10 minute bike ride away.

July 17, 2011

During the summer months there is a free jazz concert in City Park every Sunday night. Tons of people pack a picnic and hang out for the evening. Today I meet some friends and their giant dogs. One of the things I'm enjoying most about Denver is how easy it is to get anywhere by bike.

July 15, 2011

They might not admit in when humans are around, but I'm pretty sure they've become friends.

July 14, 2011

Now I must say, Denver has some pretty nice public sculptures and artwork. Take these 4 cases as an example.

1.The landmark giant blue bear outside the downtown Convention Center.

2. A pair of cows outside the Art Museum.

3. The epic look of part of the Denver Art Museum (or what looks like a fort) from Civic Center Park.

4. An angry looking seal spitting out water (maybe not how the sculptor would have described their work).

July 2, 2011

I've been so overwhelming busy these past couple of weeks that it's been a nice reprieve to take this weekend to myself. This morning I woke up and biked down the Cheery Creek Bike Trail. This will be my new commute to work and it's gorgeous.

Best of all, 90% of the way is on designated bike trails, which means only braving city traffic for a handful of blocks!

July 1, 2011

It was a perfect evening to just chill on the porch. Summer is meant for moments like this.

June 29, 2011

Self Portrait 157/365 Year II Outtake. You can see the chosen one here. I wanted to show my need to journal and get some of my days anxiety out in this portrait. This image showed it better, but the image I chose I think was a more striking image overall even though it had nothing to do with writing. Self editing is so hard!

June 24, 2011

This weekend I flew into NY for a wedding. It was also the first weekend all of my close college friends were in the same place at the same time since we graduated. Needless to say I took 100's of photos. I have yet to complete the giant task of editing them all. Here's a sneak peak at one of my favorites from the weekend taken while playing some backyard games at the rehearsal dinner.

June 23 2011: A Homemade Gift

I decided to make a homemade wedding gift for my friend over at Craft Resolution. I thought about it for a while and finally came up with hand made paper with wildflower seeds so the letter could be planted in the ground and grown into flowers!

Step 1: Make the paper.


Step 2: Let the paper dry.

Step 3: Labor over what exactly to write on the letter and how to incorporate her yellow/blue/lemon theme.

Step 4: Make an envelope big enough to fit since the paper came out too thick and brittle to fold.

Step :. Fly to NY, drop off the gift and leave...no just kidding. The wedding was fantastic!

June 23, 2011

When one looks in their fruit bowl and realizes they have a very moldy lemon, naturally one runs for their camera and spends a significant amount of time composing a good image. Right?

Now...what was I doing?

June 22, 2011

I think I've biked almost every day since I got my new bike last week, it's nice to live someone so bike-able.

June 21, 2011: Summer Solstic

It's the summer solstic! It's the longest day of the year, so why not join bikedenver for their ride through the zoo, bontanical gardens, and cheeseman park! All ending in a free beer and buritto in Washington Park. Yup, sounds like a perfect summer night to me.



There was a slight mishap mid way through the ride. We lost our bearings, well actually the bike did. Lucky one of our friends on the ride had an extra wheel at home and saved the day!


Enjoying dinner in the park. Reflection version II, version I is here.

June 16, 2011

It really feels like summer here and now that I don't have to deal with humidity I can only say I love it. What's a better way to spend a summer evening then biking to a park, watching a kickball game, and meeting lots of new people?


Another favorite summer moment is all the thunderstorms and the light right before them. It never actually stormed this night, but it sure had the dynamic light with dual tones (blues and oranges at once).

June 14, 2011

A Study of Denver Skies; One Week in June 2011.

June 7, 2011

It's hard to describe those simple things that make us happier than would seem reasonable, like sitting in a park in the warm summer air with great company, realizing a solid amount of time has passed only by how dark you notice the sky has suddenly gotten.