Inspiration: Paintings by Marisa Redondo

I have been using this super amazing planner to keep track of and plan my Year of Awesome. I love love love the illustrations in it! As a totally unexpected bonus, it's actually really laid out well (unlike most planners). Here's where I gush about my planner (yes, I am a big old nerd). It has a two page spread of each month at the beginning, for a quick overview. Then it starts with the weeks, giving each one a two-page spread. The best part is there a place for notes each week and then extra random blank pages between the months. Also, special pages for Books to Read, Movies to See, Restaurants to Try, etc.  It's like the person who designed this planner is inside my brain. Yay? Maybe they can declutter a little while they're in there.

So, back to the illustrations. So inspiring! Lovely nature illustrations and cute (but not cutesy) little animals. The artist is Marisa Redondo. She has both a website, blog and Etsy shop and all can be accessed here:

http://www.riverlunaart.com
The planner is from here and they have lots of other cute calendars: http://www.orangecirclestudio.com/

Dandelion Painting

Look, a new painting! I have been creating some new work this winter. The bright colors of the paints and markers are helping me through the dreary winter. This one expecially reminds me of a warm summer day, with dust motes or maybe bits of flower fluff floating in the air.

Awesome List #35: Lake Harriet Kite Festival

The first thing accomplished on my Awesome List! Yes!

It was a great day for a kite festival! As you can see, it was a little cloudy and there was some wind gusting BUT the weather was pretty warm...well, for January (but not too warm to make it unsafe to go out on the ice).

There were tons of people enjoying the nice day. Some walking dogs, pulling kids on sleds, kids just messing around on the ice. A lot of kids just messing around on the ice- making forts, clearing patches to look down into the lake, sliding around and landing in piles.

This carp/koi kite was impressive. There was a real method to getting up in the air. One person needed to open the mouth and get it filled with air and one maneuvering the string to get it up in the air. I like this photo because it looks like the carp is hunting the other kite.

An Awesome List for an Awesome Year

So, here it is. My next birthday is the big 4-0. I'd like to finish up my thirties with a bang and start my forties having a year of awesomeness behind me. Although, sure, I'd love to visit Morocco, that is probably not in the cards this year. However, there are a ton of things right here in Minnesota that I've been meaning to get around to doing.

Here's my list so far. Feel free to make some suggestions. Note that I am definitely not an adrenaline junkie (e.g., I will not be bungie jumping off of anything any time soon). Anything food- or art-related will probably get a thumbs up. 

1. Get a tattoo
2. Visit South Dakota/Mount Rushmore
3. Go to the Renaissance Festival in costume
4. Visit the Russian Art Museum
5. Visit the Weisman Art Museum
6. Go to a rollerskating rink
7. Got an ice-skating rink
8. Go horseback riding
9. Hot Air Balloon festival 
10. Visit House on the Rock
11. Visit Franconia Sculpture Garden
12. Dine at a pizza farm
13. Learn and do some canning
14. Have a tent at the Red Hot Art Festival
15. Volunteer more at Articulture
16. Learn to knit
17. Renew passport
18. Go kayaking
19. Take part in pub/bar trivia
20. Sing karaoke
21. Get a psychic reading
22. Donate blood
23. Ride a Segway
24. Go on a picnic
25. Enter a state fair competition
26. Visit Lanesboro
27. Go dog-sledding
28. Ride on a motorcycle
29. Visit at least two new state parks
30. Hang up funny fake fliers
31. Go to an NFL game
32. Eat pho at Quang
33. Play lawn-bowling at Brit's Pub
34. Go to the Artsled Rally
35. Go to the Lake Harriet Kite Festival (Done! January 17th!)
36. Go snow-shoeing
37. Visit the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden
38. Go Snow tubing
39. See an outdoor movie at Father Hennepin park by the Mississippi
40. See the Perseid Meteor Shower outside the city
41. Attend a concert at the Lake Harriet Bandshell
42. Twins game
43. Visit the American Swedish Institute
44. See the Art Shanty Projects Not possible because they didn't do the this year! Next year!
45. Eat at Psycho Suzi's
46. See at least one movie at the Riverview Theater
47. Ride the Lake Harriet streetcar
48. Eat in the Ferris wheel at Betty Danger's Country Club
49. See the inside of the chapel at Lakewood Cemetery
50. Visit Macy's spring flower show
51. Go to a Comedy Sportz performance
52. Drink at Sociable Ciderwerks
53. Play bingo at a bingo hall
54. Watch the Luminary Loppet
55. Attend the Japanese Lantern Festival at Como Park
56. See the Jolly Green Giant statue
57. Visit Lark Toys in Kellogg
58. See the Viking ship in Moorhead
59. See the Dala horse status in Mora
60. Big Stone mini golf in Minnetrista
61. See a moose
62. Visit Isle Royale
63. Exhibit work 
64. Afternoon tea at the Saint Paul Hotel
65. Read at least 3 biographies of presidents (One down, Two to go!)
66. Haunted tour of Forepaughs
67. Make a short film or video (maybe stop motion animation?)
68. See Midsummer Nights Dream at the Guthrie Theater
69. Join or start a bookclub
70. Attend the Saintly City Cat Show (part of the St Paul Winter Carnival)
71. Make at least one recipe from every cookbook I own
72. Visit one of the Laura Ingalls Wilder historical sights
73. Spend a whole day on the beach at Lake Nokomis. 
74. Enjoy an old-fashioned soda at Lynden's  Cold Front soda fountain in Saint Paul
75. Visit Lake Minnetonka
76. Play skee ball at Pat's Tap
77. Visit the Headwaters of the Mississippi (Itasca State Park)
78. Milk a cow or goat
79. Take a walking tour of Summit Avenue
80. Visit the Mill City Museum