Thursday, January 22, 2015

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.

Sunday, January 18, 2015

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.

Sunday, January 11, 2015

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