BLOG PARTY: things I love Thursday

Welcome to the very first {things i love} Thursday post on the new SHADYLANE BLOG.  For the last few years I've had this feature on my blog and a good link-up post is always fun.  Click the button under my Special Features on my sidebar for previous TILT posts.  Its where I share the fun and unique things I stumble across on the internet.  

I wanted to restart this feature with a post full of links to the blogs and resources I utilized during my redesign process.  I've found that if you want to learn something there are always places to look. 

>>>> Sarah over at SillyGrrl is a circus performer with a bunch of great blogging and design tutorials.  Check out her Nerd Q & A posts HERE. 

>>>> One of my favorite tricks for customizing blogs comes from Kevin and Amanda.  This post from 2009 shows how to use custom fonts for blog post titles and your sidebar.  I created a font from my handwriting and love how it looks for my titles.  See the how to HERE. 

>>>> The Primp My Blog section over at Her New Leaf was full of great tips and tricks.  

>>>> My social media icons at the top of my blog are from this post over at The Academy.  They created a set for each of the Pantone Colors of the Year since 2009.  I loved the Honeysuckle color for 2011.  I found these icons (and created a couple extra ones that I needed, like Instagram) and had the perfect color to finalize my design.  Download your own HERE. 

>>>> Something simple that adds a big impact on your blog post is to remove the shadow around your images.  Check out this bit of coding that will enable you to do that HERE. 

>>>> Ashley from After Nine to Five did a great post about staying inspired with blogging.  At her suggestion I got really inspired to write down all of my ideas and see where they take me.  Doing that gave me some great ideas and posts I'll be doing on the blog now.  See her 5 tips HERE. 

>>>> And for the inspiration sake I created a Design pinboard over at Pinterest.  These are the things that helped me work through visually what I wanted my blog to look like.  I just love Pinterest. :) 

Do you have any blogs or resources you always turn to 

for your design needs or ideas? 

What is inspiring your blogging and design? 

Please share links in the comments.

I like to go exploring on Thursdays. :) 

CURRENTS

• TIME: 5:40 pm
• LOCATION: at work in my little corner.
• DRINKING: and Iced Salted Caramel White Chocolate Mocha with rice milk. 
• WATCHING:  Chris play solitaire on the other computer. 
• LISTENING: To my "Celebrate the Everyday" music mix. 
• LOVING: That its almost the end of the work day. 
• ENJOYING: sending and receiving emails from friends. 
• WANTING: this week to go by without any more bad sick days. 
• NEEDING: to take pictures tonight of some things that need to go up on Craigslist.
• THINKING: about what we're going to make for dinner. 
• CREATING: content for my blog party and tomorrow's {things i love} Thursday post. 

What are you doing right this moment?

Feel free to share at least one thought from today's list. 

Take a moment and appreciate it for everything that it holds.

Currents list thanks to Tina @ LifeLovePaper

Flourishing in 2012

For the last 2 years I've picked a One Little Word with the goal of letting it guide and mold my year.  For 2012 I was drawn to the word FLOURISH.  I've been sitting with it for 4 1/2 months now.  Last year I got a ring made with my word BEGIN on it, but once I picked my word for 2012 I knew I wanted a way to collect my words together through the years.  So I looked on Etsy and found the perfect necklace.  This etsy shop offers custom necklaces with words and/or names hand-stamped on little tags.  I got both my words and a pretty purple charm.  And I've been wearing it every day since I got it.  It is a little reminder of all the ways my words have presented themselves in my life.  

Ali Edwards has a class over at Big Picture Classes focused on One Little Word and I took it last year.  So this year I'm going back through and creating with each of the prompts again.  I haven't started the physical book yet, but each month I've worked through the thoughts Ali shared and looked at my life in terms of how my word is present.  I thought I'd share one page that I created with images that reminiscent of my word: FLOURISH.  

1. The primrose my mamma planted for me when she came to visit.  It flourished for its season.
2. My krill oil and CoQ10 pills that I'm taking to help with my cholesterol.  Part of the program to get my health flourishing again. 
3. Notification of medical insurance coverage.  A very important step towards getting a better understanding of my health problems and flourishing within that space. 
4. Walking almost every day with my sports tracker keeping track of my miles.  
5. A touching sunset. 
6. My nephew Emerson, whose smiles bring me so much joy. 
7. A sweet card from my husband.  Our relationship is flourishing. 
8. My morning journal.  I have been writing every morning in hopes of finding the writer within me again. Its been a good exercise. 
9. My new running shoes.  These Nike's have a flourish of their own and wearing them helps me stick to my goal to stay active. 

I have noticed many ways FLOURISH has touched my life.  But now I want to actively pursue it. To find even more of a connection.  I'll share more of my journey with my One Little Word through the year. 

Did you pick a OLW for the year? 

How have you seen it present itself in your life?

What does the word "Flourish" bring to your mind? 

Guest Blogger: Vivienne McMaster

I first came across Vivienne's photography and self-portraits in the autumn of 2010.  She was just introducing her first ever e-course called You Are Your Own Muse and I jumped at the chance to participate.  Since then she has continually inspired me, taught me and been my friend through her words and images.  I am honored to share her thoughts with you today on celebrating the everyday.  Thank you Vivienne!  

I think I’ve always been a dreamer, easily distracted by the rays of sun pouring through the trees or by something beautiful I come across.  Yet it wasn’t until I discovered photography that I really saw this as a strength and realized how much it invites me to celebrate each and every day.

Every day I try to take a picture, at least one.  Often it isn’t a problem…in fact it can often take me much longer than expected to walk only a few blocks as I tend to be stopped every few steps by something else that catches my eye. 

A flower petal, a water droplet, chalk drawings on the ground, or a cat looking up on me.  I can’t really predict what it will be and I think that is part of the wonder of it.

On other days it is much harder.  The skies in my west coast city may be grey, nothing is blooming or I’m having a rough day.  It is on these days that I try even harder to look for something to take a photograph of, as I know I need it all the more.

Exploring photography has allowed me a tool to celebrate every day, to be present in it.  A way to look for what is beautiful around me and within me.  It is a way to cultivate creative energy every day.  I need this like I need water, sleep and food.

While photography is a big part of my life as a whole now (as I teach a series of photography workshops), this is where it began, just noticing the beauty around me each and every day. 

After a while, I started inviting me toes or my hands to be a part of these photos, to hold a bit of beauty in my hand or to show the toes of my shoes amongst pink flower petals.  I started to turn the camera towards myself and let that be a part of the narrative of experiencing the beauty of the world.  I started to let myself be a part of that beauty.  Later I turned the camera towards myself even further, putting it down and allowing for a space of playfulness and movement.

Taking self-portraits has allowed me to deepen that feeling of gratitude for every day and not only that, but it allows me to tell a visual story of that celebration, one in which I am part of the story. 

If you happen to take a picture of some beauty you find that invites you to celebrate this day, I’d love to see it!

Find Vivienne McMaster on the web

WEBSITE <<>> BLOG<<>> FACEBOOK<<>> TWITTER

Its time for a short hair cut.

After I chopped my hair off in early 2010 I made a deal with Chris that I wouldn't do a drastic cut for at least a year.  And I officially made it 2 whole years!!  I changed the color and style a ton within those 2 years, but never cut my hair at all except for necessary trims and about 8 inches in December.  But of course I've been pinning new ideas for my next cut.  And I was ready for something short again...and blonde! 

Here are some of the styles I was drawn to and showed my stylist (and awesome cousin) Hannah. 

Please visit my "Beautiful Hair Pin Board" for all image sources.

I went to Wenatchee and was able to go to Hannah's new little salon again for my cut and color.  And since I have Instagram on my phone now I had to take some fun during pictures too.  Hannah chopped about 18 inches off.  The pile of hair looked almost like a little dog on the floor.  LOL. 

And here is my final before and after.   

I'm so pleased with how it turned out.  I've been watching lots of hair tutorials from The Small Things Blog and been trying them out with my new style.  And my favorite so far is with curls.  Hannah also got me some Aquage uplifting foam that adds great volume and texture.  I love that Hannah is always there for me and willing to try anything with my hair.  We have a lot of fun together playing with my hair.