Lets go on a Safari

I feel like this blog post is loooooonnnnggg over due.  Back in what? August I think...yup, just double checked, I posted a blog about these really awesome save the dates (which you can see here) for a friend of mine's 30th birthday. This specific invitation went through several revisions before Gina and I could agree on something we both liked.  Honestly, I really like all of them, and for the right party I think they could all work for something!  Take a look and tell me what you think.

Some of you are looking at this and saying "Hey! Isn't that last one a Save the Date?" and you're right, good catch!  That Save the Date was one that didn't make the cut but I really really liked it a whole lot.  I figured I could at least show it off here.

My favorite invitation is probably the one with the wine glass (and we almost went with that one, but decided it gave off a very sophisticated vibe...which doesn't really fit a safari and BBQ themed party).  It took me a while to get the wine glass built but I think it came out great (and the fact that you can tell what it's supposed to be is even better!).  The first time I created and used the rhino stamp was on that wine glass, who knew it would grow to be the center piece of pretty much everything!

Row Row Row Your Boat....

My friend Jessica and I are notorious for trying to find fun new exercise classes to try out…especially when there is a discount involved.  Our first adventure was at Bar Method and we loved it.  It really is too bad it was so expensive; it’s a great workout that goes by fast.  Of course we have been doing yoga together for a while (you know, she is my favorite yoga instructor) and then yesterday, Jessica and I tried out something new, Indo Row, and it was so much fun (and the first class was free)!!

How it works is you sit on a row machine that was specially made for this class (from my understanding the only difference is it uses a giant container of water as your resistance instead of the regular form of resistance, whatever that may be), and then you have to row as a team with your fellow classmates.  Not that your speed effects them, but when the [hot] instructor turns down the music you can hear if anyone isn’t in sync with the team.  Not to mention the sound of the water is rather relaxing.

The hour it takes to complete this class goes by really fast.  This class was broken down into smaller segments so it was more manageable and let me tell you, when you’re going as hard as you can on that thing to beat your own score it gets tough.  Like hard to breath, OMG am I going to make it for 30 seconds at this pace because I’m pretty sure my heart is going to explode, tough.  There are breaks between segments to stretch and do some sit-ups and then it’s back to rowing and trying to be faster than you were in the last segment.  At the end of class you do a relay race against your fellow classmates (3 teams of 4).  We had to give our team a country to race for so naturally I picked Uruguay…because the US felt like I was cheating (too easy) and well, why not Uruguay?   We came in second, but with a team full of new people and then the instructor as our fourth, I’m pretty sure he pulled all the weight.

What is also pretty cool is that for those who are self conscious of people watching/judging you (which I’m sure no one is) you can’t tell how fast anyone is actually going.  Everyone is doing the same number of strokes, it’s all about how much you push with your legs and pull with your arms.  I may have blisters on both hands and my back and legs hurt, but for some, obviously masochistic, reason I cannot wait to go back.  

Weekend in Pictures

I just downloaded this new app on my iPhone called instagram, and by 'just downloaded' I mean its been sitting on my phone for several months now waiting for me to take the time to use it...which I did this weekend and let me tell you, that this app is so much fun to play with!  Here is my weekend, well really just Sunday.

Starting the day off right

Fruit basket!

Arnold Palmers

Flowers by my table at lunch

My friend's necklace from Pueto Vallarta

The clock down the street

\

Espresso shot time!

Kickin' off the new shoes to take a break

Bike riding gang, watch out, we have basets!

Sunset at the beach, taking a quick break

Waiting for the rest of the gang to catch up

The final rays of sun slipping over the edge of the world

Decorating Pumpkins

While traversing Pintrist last week I stumbled upon an ingenious idea.  One that I couldn't wait to do myself at home.  Now I'm not a huge fan of messy crafts mostly because I don't like to clean it up.  While I did carve many a pumpkin when I was a kid I've since stopped doing it because, well frankly its a lot of work...and my super amazing pumpkin carving skills haven't improved much since I was five (no joke they look the same, the only difference is...well there is no difference, I'm still not allowed to use the sharp knives and Mom helps with the hard stuff so....)

Okay so Pintirist, I found these amazing pictures of pumpkins that had been decorated using black puff paint as dots and I thought, hey! I can do that! I went to Michael's and picked up the puff paint and then went to the supermarket for the pumpkins.  I didn't need big, straight from the pumpkin patch pumpkins, so I grabbed three smaller ones.  Once I got home I cleared off my work space and then spent the next 10 minutes or so staring at the pumpkin, black paint in hand poised ready to dot away.  Once I came up with a design I did a few practice dots on paper to get the hang of it.  Next I began the slow dotting process.  I thought a symmetrical pattern would be easy...I was wrong.  I got 3/4 of the way around the pumpkin before I realized I was really going to have to squeeze the rest of the repeating design in there (clearly I should have drawn the design on there with a pencil or something).  I gave up after that and just went crazy and dotted the crap out of the next pumpkin.

Then I let them dry for a couple of days (somewhere high, because knowing my luck my cat will purposefully rub himself up against them, only because he knows the wet paint will stick to his fur and then cause me hours of misery as I comb/cut it out of his hair).

Oh best part, total cost $4, how awesome is that!

Vacation + Sick = No blog posts

Howdy!

Sorry about being MIA for a week and a half. Its been crazy busy but I'll recap quickly in pictures:

First my friend (the bride) and I got ready for her wedding 

Then they got married on a cruise ship (apparently I don't have any of their wedding pictures on this computer) more to come later!

Then we ate [4 times] our weight in food

Next we relaxed on the beach in Cabo...ok clearly poolside as well

Then we ziplined through the trees in Puerto Vallarta - hooray for a fear of heights!

We got back on Sunday but of course I managed to get nice and sick (no pictures available).  I've had just enough strength to go to work, come home and watch several hours of television before passing out for 10 glorious hours of sleep.  Now that I'm feeling better I'll be posting more frequently.

I hope you all had a great week and a half!

Beach Side Yoga

This weekend I had the extreme pleasure to practice yoga in a park near the beach.  Now I am not a person who particularly likes yoga but my friend Jessica teaches it.  I don't know what it is but she is just the most fantastic instructor that I have ever had and I can't help but love every yoga session I have with her.  As a person with zero balance you can imagine how proud I was to be able to do tree pose!  Check out the pictures below (that I totally stole from Jessica's blog).  Feel free to check out her yoga blog here or if you're interested in more beach side yoga sessions visit her website ladyjyoga.com.

Beach Side Yoga, OG Yogies

Warrior Two

Tree pose, doin' it!

Something for Everyone Gift Guide

Its never too soon to be thinking about what kind of gifts to get people for *gasp* the holidays.  To get started I thought I'd make a generic gift guide that covered everyone.  Kids, adults, men, women...you get the point. Shown below are my favorites but you can find the full treasury here

1. Paris Postcard Collection - First I love the way they are all displayed in this picture, and even in frames (one of the other views available on Etsy) they look fantastic.  Plus the use of yellow in every picture makes me want to smile.  
2. Hand Made Seed Bombs - I saw these and just thought it was such a great idea! What a great stocking stuffer.  Unfortunately you would have to wait until spring to use it but, um hello! it will bring butterflies, totally worth the wait!
3. Game Boy iPhone Decal - Yup, you guessed it, nerd!  I saw this and laughed so hard, what a cool idea.  Takin' it old school while still being totally new school.  LOVE IT!
4. Hand Painted Canvas Messenger Bag - First I was totally impressed by the hand painted part.  I couldn't paint this well if I tried (and I wouldn't try because some 5 year olds can put me to shame!). Then the witty comment and I knew I just had to add this to the list!
5. Hand Tooled Leather Owl Case - Yet another hand made object.  There are just so many talented people out there! I love the owl, and the fact that each one is completely unique!