Summer and strawberries

As usual, things have been insanely busy lately. There are a million things I have to do, a million I want to do, and I feel like I'm only getting to a tiny fraction of it all. This summer is flying by, it's already almost the end of June. How is that possible? Fall and the beginning of pharmacy school year two are looming ahead. Slow down, time! Pretty please?

Yesterday I found the time to bake a cake. And it was good. Easily the best cake I've made in my life. I made it with a little help (okay a lot of help) from Martha Stewart. She calls it a "chiffon cake with strawberries and cream", and I call it yummy as hell. Totally from scratch, it was like a slightly dense angel food cake, cut into three layers with strawberries and whipped cream in between them. Seriously, the yummiest thing I've had in a really long time. Plus it was pretty.

And somehow, I managed to not take a picture of the finished product. I think I was too excited about eating it as soon as possible. Just imagine that last picture times three with whipped cream in between the layers. And powdered sugar on top. I brought it to a get together with friends and I think it was a hit. Unfortunately I was only able to eat one humungous slice. I may or may not be baking another one soon, just for myself. It was that good. And it's perfect for summer, the berries and cream are cool and refreshing. Plus it's cake. And cake is always good.

This summer has been so good so far, even if it is flying by at warp speed. And until today (we're back into the 100's I'm afraid) the weather has been fairly mild, as far as Texas summers go. The evenings have been really great. Perfect for being outside. Although I could seriously do without the massive amount of mosquitoes that have been munching on me. They love me. I have got at least 15 bites. No joke.

And on that note I think I am going to go bathe in cortisone cream and become one with my couch. Sunday funday y'all.

Art and aquiring a studio space

Remember when I went to school for art? Remember when I got my BFA in painting? Sometimes I forget too, it's okay.

Fall 2009

Fall 2010

Two of my favorite paintings featuring two of my favorite people. Those were the days y'all.

I haven't painted in a good year and a half, since I graduated college. I was burnt out and needed a break, plus I lost my studio space. I've filled that creative void in my life with cooking, sewing, and just making anything and everything I can. For the post part, as long as I am making something, I'm in my happy place.

However, I do love painting and the need to do so again began itching in the back of my mind a while back. I mean shoot, I have a degree in this nonsense! But I had no place to paint and was broke (still am). BUT, I had hope and was determined to figure out a way to paint, slowly but surely. And it only took about a year, but PROBLEM SOLVED Y'ALL:

Check out my studio/the ugliest corner of our living room. Ready to roll. It started with the bad ass easel my dad and I built together. Then we got a tarp and some all weather carpet to lay down (because painting is messy, especially when you're me), scrounged up some old furniture in my dad's barn (chair and a couple tables), and then this week I got the last and most crucial piece, a miter saw. Because you can't paint without a canvas and I refuse to paint on those things they sell at Hobby Lobby. Building your own is the only way to go in my book.

Pretty much my favorite thing ever. I love it. I've wanted one for years, but always though it was too crazy or I wouldn't have the space. NOPE! We made it work and now I have my very own miter saw. And it has laser sight. It's amazing.

I also reupholstered the chair we got at my dads. It was a little real funky from being in the barn for who knows how long so my dad pressure washed it for me and it was like new again! Almost. It still had a musty smell and I knew I was going to get paint all over it, so I covered it in this green pleathery material. That way when I spill paint on it I can just wipe it off!

It went from this:

To this:

Exciting stuff huh? Seriously though I am EXTRA excited to get to work. All I need is to stretch some canvas over my newly built stretcher and I'm ready to roll. By the way, check this baby out:

2.5 feet x 5 feet, she's a beaut. I've never built a stretcher this way (long story short, I've never used the cross bars for support, but since my wood shop access is limited I had to get creative), but it was fairly easy once I figured the math out. Man, I love building stuff. Just because you don't see this part of the canvas doesn't mean it's not and shouldn't be beautiful!

So be prepared y'all. Hopefully in the very near future I will have in progress painting shots to share!

Father's Day

This weekend was full of celebrating the fathers in our family. My mom, sister, Brendon, and I spent Saturday in Houston with my grandpa and aunt, uncle, and cousins. It was great to see the Houston gang of our family! We had some pretty good barbeque at this 50's style place. It was cute!

Gettin' down on some BBQ!

Sunday we spent the day playing in the sun, celebrating this crazy guy:

Weird dude huh? I love you daddio, thanks for being there always and for being constantly ridiculous. I think I inherited a lot of the weirdness.

Brendon and my dad worked on Brendon's Jeep. What a guy thing to do right? The good news is the front end doesn't look so wonky anymore!

We played some badminton, by our own rules. My sister is taking a class this summer so she was the guru, but we kind of made it up as we went along. My dad had a little court set up, complete with spray painted boundary lines. It was fun! And I wasn't as terrible as I thought. Long arms come in handy with this sorta stuff I guess.

It was a beautiful day, and the pool felt great. My sisters dog Ava loved the pool. She was in it all day long. That dog had to have been a fish in another life.

 What a cute pool boy!

 Ava trying to save my life, aka drown me.

 Chillin' hard.

Puppy and Cassie (chillin' in the doorway) felt a little left out, they couldn't hang with Ava's energy.

And check these guys out!

 

There was a little bird nest on top of one of the outdoor speakers! There were 3 or 4 baby birds in there, they were so ugly but so cute. They were jamming out to some disco tunes.

This weekend was nice. Family, fun, and relaxation. After this wild week it was nice to get out of town for a couple days! I could get used to having weekends off... Oh, if only!

I am alive.

Y'all. This week has been insane. To say it was a long week would be a disgusting understatement. It's been nonstop wildness since Sunday. I have gotten very little sleep, seen my husband for like 8 hours total, and eaten maybe 2 meals at home... but regardless, it has been a good week. I am physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted, but I alive (perhaps barely), happy, and am loving life.

Lot's of details on this cray cray week coming soon I'm sure, but for the moment I am trying to focus on the fact that I have the next two days off with Brendon. And boy do I need them.

Hope you have a great father's day weekend y'all, hug and celebrate the daddios in your lives!

Meet the new kicks

I got myself into a pickle with my old shoes fell apart on me this weekend. BAM no shoes to run in, work out in, do anything active in. I panicked a little.

I went to Luke's Locker (thank you so much Kristy and Roxanne for all your running shoe knowledge!!) and a nice gentlemen there helped me on my quest for a new pair of shoes. He watched my feet while I walked around and had me run through the store (embarrassing). We settled on a pair of Saucony's, although I did have my heart set on getting some Brooks running shoes at first, since we share a name and all.

 
After I decided on getting these babies the guy who was helping me said, "I'm sorry but this is the only color these come in, is that okay?" I laughed. Boy please, gimme them pink shoes!

They're lightweight and super comfy and fancy as all get out. A world of change from my ancient Nike's. And they were pricy. Running shoes are not cheap, but I'm hoping they will be worth it. I actually looked online everywhere after I bought them trying to find a better deal, but no such luck. I guess it was meant to be.

So meet my new kicks y'all. I've named them, because I'm weird like that. The left is Molly Weasley and the right is Minerva McGonagall (yes, I went there). They'll help me run farther, I just know it. Together we'll do great things.

In other shoe related nonsense, since losing my old funky shoes and gaining this new fancy pair, I no longer have shoes I can just muck around in. Brendon and I joined a softball team for the summer, and I'm a little wary of taking these babies into that red dirt. Also I do not plan on taking Molly and Minerva on any obstacle courses full of mud. So I am also on the look out for a cheap, but decent, pair of tough shoes. Maybe some trail running shoes. We'll see. A girl can never have too many pairs of shoes.