Saturday, January 28, 2012

Custom Subway Art!

I am always looking for the perfect gift.  I stumbled upon subway art (they are all the rage in blogland.)  Hmmm...I can so do that!  Put my computer skills to work and created personalized, one-of-a-kind art pieces for my friends. After having given these two as gifts, let me just say that they evoke lots of emotion and seem to touch the recipient rather deeply.

Ta da!

These are (computer-generated in Photoshop) 8" x 10" customized works of art, printed on 90# white index-weight cardstock. I have framed them both; one without glass and one under glass (just can't decide what look I like best).

These could be customized for an engagement, a proposal, or a wedding. I could also see them as baby gifts or grandma gifts. Of course, they could just be "your story" as well.

Contact me if interested. I can email .png formats for you to print as you like, or I can mail the print as well.

The sky's the limit!

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

The Life List

Ok, so I'm an Oprah fan.  One of millions.  Some love her.  Some hate her (don't be a hater).  I love Oprah.  Always have.  I've learned much from her shows over the years.  I've just finished watching Master Class on her new network featuring Jane Fonda (yeah, I'm a little behind).  Jane refers to big sections of her life as "Acts."  Since I'm hoping to make it about 75ish (outliving both of my parents), according to Jane, I'm in my Third and Final Act.  Hmmm...I need to organize some things I've yet to do/accomplish.

For me, this isn’t really a bucket list. More of a 'git er done list.  Aside from a few obvious goals, I won’t look back on my life with disappointment if I fail to achieve an item on this list. Also, I expect the list will change as I do.  I think it will look different in a few years (and boy, it would've been great to look at the same list if I had created one from a younger Judy). This list only reflects my life, my desires & passions, it does not dictate.

So, without further ado, this is who I am today.

Family
  • See my kids marry wonderful people
  • Put flowers on my dad's grave
  • Visit my uncle in Key West
  • Host a regular game night
  • Have a grand baby. Just one.
Things to See & Places to Go
  • Visit all 58 U.S. National Parks: Acadia, American Samoa, Arches, Badlands, Big Bend, Biscayne, Black Canyon of the Gunnison, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Carlsbad Caverns, Channel Islands, Congaree, Crater Lake, Cuyahoga Valley, Death Valley, Denali, Dry Tortugas, Everglades, Gates of the Arctic, Glacier, Glacier Bay, Grand Canyon, Grand Teton, Great Basin, Great Sand Dunes, Great Smoky Mountains, Guadalupe Mountains, Haleakala, Hawaii Volcanoes, Hot Springs, Isle Royale, Joshua Tree, Katmai, Kenai Fjords, Kings Canyon, Kobuk Valley, Lake Clark, Lassen Volcanic, Mammoth Cave, Mesa Verde, Mount Rainier, North Cascades, Olympic, Petrified Forest, Redwood, Rocky Mountain, Saguaro, Sequoia, Shenandoah, Theodore Roosevelt, Virgin Islands, Voyageurs, Wind Cave, Wrangell Saint Elias, Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Zion. 
  • Go to the Rose Bowl Parade
  • Visit all 50 states
  • See the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade IRL (in real life)
  • Own and travel in an R.V.
  • Tour the Smithsonian
  • Visit the World Trade Center Memorial and Museum
  • Watch the ball drop in Times Square IRL
  • Go on a helicopter ride
  • Three cruises:  Alaska, Panama Canal & Mediterranean
  • Go to the annual hot air balloon festival in Albuquerque
  • Drive Route 66
  • Visit Country Music's Birthplace
  • Plan & take a girls weekend getaway
  • See Stonehenge
  • Go whale watching
  • Go to the Olympics (winter/summer) doesn't matter where
  • Tour Graceland
  • Ride the Orient Express
  • Hike Machu Picchu
  • Visit the Colisseum in Rome
  • Go on safari (in Africa)
  • Visit the Vatican
  • See the Sydney Opera House
  • Walk atop the Great Wall of China
  • Ride a gondola in Venice
  • Germany. Two things to do:  go to the Christmas market and drink a beer in a stein.
  • Sweden. See the alps. Maybe sing a tune.
  • Brazil.  Lay my eyes on Christ the Redeemer
Professional
  • Sell a photograph
  • Be a professional photographer
  • Have 100 blog followers
  • Win a photography contest
  • Retire
House & Home
  • Eliminate clutter
  • Make a gallery wall
  • Update & upgrade:
    • kitchen: appliances & cupboards
    • carpet hardwood floors
    • deck
  • Create a compost system…pile…whatever it's called.  Got my eye on a "system" @ Costco.
  • Get a hot tub
  • Make a beautiful, relaxing guest bedroom
  • Have a vacation (2nd home) in the mountains (yes, a condo/townhome counts - as does a cabin)
  • Build a pond in the backyard
  • Finish the basement
  • DIY some stuff
    • Tile
    • (Spray)paint
    • Upholstery
    • Lighting
  • Pay off our mortgage
    Health (Body, Mind, Spirit)
    • Stay healthy!
    • Get medical insurance
    • Get dental insurance and my first two crowns!
    • Get a colonscopy
    • Sleep 8 hours every night for at least 30 days
    • Take a spa vacation (not visit a fat farm)
    • Hike a 14er (maybe a few)
    • Become a person who exercises regularly
    • Learn to meditate
    • Lower my golf handicap.  Really, I just want to be a better golfer.
    • Get back into snow skiing (without breaking something or having any aches & pains)
    • Achieve a healthy body image
    • Cut and donate my hair to Locks of Love
    • Spend one day per week offline
    • Pay off all credit card debt
    • Volunteer at a charity close to my heart
    • Inspire someone to make permanent life changes
    • Make it to 75!
    Life & Style (aka Hobbies)
    • Write a novel.  Bonus:  Have it published
    • Complete five scrapbook layouts per month
    • Use my camera’s manual settings. Correctly.
    • Create a YouTube video
    • Read a book a month
    • Join a book club.  Better yet, create one.
    • Attend CHA annual tradeshow
    • Construct a family tree at least three generations up
    • Create my baby book/life story album
    • Own/run a Bed & Breakfast Inn
    • Write my biography
    • Have a good belly laugh every day (easy with Bill)
    Food
    • Make a coconut cream pie from scratch.  (I did get a lesson once from my dad.)
    • Can something
    • Attend a cooking class -- be more of a gourmet cook
    • Refine & perfect my green chili recipe
    • Grow my own vegetables & berries
    • Have a signature "dish"
    Oh my stars, this is a long list!

    "Goals that are not written down are just wishes."
    -Unknown

      Friday, January 13, 2012

      One Little Word

      J - is for Joy, just as J is for Judy. Coincidence?
      I'm joining in on the One Little Word process this year.  The simple premise behind this is to find a meaningful word and make it visible throughout the year.  Live with it.  Invite it into your life.  Let it speak to you. Follow where it leads.

      My word for 2012:  Joy

      Granted we've got big, BIG goals for 2012, but I want to just insert one simple word into the year:  Joy.  I need a new perspective on a lot of things.  I want to have more joy in my life.  I want to (en)joy the year.  I want to make the year so much better in a lot of simple, easy ways.  There is still much of my life that is good, but I think it can be improved upon by finding the joy.

      Joy in all that we do.
      Joy in all that we have.
      Joy in each other.
      Joy in our kids.
      Joy in our home.

      So this year, a new Judy (on the inside) and with a new outlook.  Yes, I want to believe that we have huge possibilities and 2012 is the year for us.  Something big.  I want to take every little minute and live it fully, savor it, and (en)joy it for all it is worth and all that it is. I am going to (en)joy every smile, every gesture, every touch, every hug. This year, I will embrace chaos (with joy).  Find the beauty.  Find my peace.  More joy.

      I'm linking up at:

      Wednesday, January 11, 2012

      Big BIG Sale!

      In honor of Creative Memories 25th Anniversary... almost EVERYTHING is on sale today through Sunday.  25% discount!

      A sale like this doesn't come around very often. 

      Let's go shopping!

      Tuesday, January 10, 2012

      January Photo Prompts

      So...it's only January 10.  Not too late for my monthly photo prompts checklist.  Is it?

      For any new readers...I do not have little children at home.  No grandchildren either.  Just me, my man, and my dog.  Our kids are grown.  We are empty nesters.  So, my photo list comes from my little piece of the universe (sans kid-related activities).  Here goes:
      • what goes up/must come down (if yours are still up, get a shot of those beautiful, treasured Christmas decorations going back to their storage areas) (got any lazy neighbors with theirs still up?  We do!)
      • clean & organized (doesn't the house always feel new & fresh in January?)
      • New Years Resolutions
        • exercise anyone?
        • how 'bout a diet or just eating well/better
        • If you're embarking on a weight loss journey, make sure to get a shot of you now (the "before" shot)
      • "January" aka Winter Wonderland
        • new snow
        • beautiful winter sunsets
        • shoveling snow
        • scraping frosty car windows
        • frozen lakes
        • neighborhood snowmen
        • ice is great to shoot (use your macro setting)
        • geese (why are they still here?)
        • your backyard
        • winter golfers (this past week, they were wearing shorts!)
      • New look, new hair? (Bill has a new "do" and so does Gracie!)
      • Winter wear
        • new boots?
        • gloves & hats
      • Cooking & Recipes
        • soup, Soup, SOUP
        • crock pot meals
        • squash
      • Sports (it's Tebow Time here in Denver) (this past Sunday's game was my POTD) Exciting! And, I'm sure we'll be watching next Saturday night!
      • Holiday weekend - for a lucky few, a three-day weekend is upon us...going anywhere fun?  warm?
      • Are you a movie afficionado?  We are!
      Don't forget to hand your camera to someone else.  Get yourself in the picture!

      Monday, January 9, 2012

      Blog Hop

      I have big plans for 2012.  Big plans I tell you!

      I will be joining and participating in my first ever blog hop!  Let's Scrap - one of my fav scrapbooking sites - has organized a "Leap Around the World" blog hop.  It's gonna be huge.  Epic.  I will be one of 50 (you heard me - 50) scrapbookers and paper craft afficionados putting out some of our best work for ya'll to see (and marvel over).   Lots of things to learn.  Lots of eye candy.  Lots of prizes!

      I've never done something like this.  Feeling a bit nervous.  Want to make sure I get it right.  I'd better get started.



      The hop will run for the full month of February.  Did you know 2012 is a leap year?  You only get a chance to leap every four years.
      Don't miss it.  Mark your calendars and be ready to make some cards and win some great prizes!  See you back here on the 1st.