Fun Zone

So we have what we call "The Fun Zone" in our home. It's the family room but we've furnished it in a way that is suppose to be fun, and I think we've accomplished that. Essentially it's stuffed w/ Max's toys, books, my computer desk w/ computer, graphics tablet, t.v. and brightly colored play mats on the floor. Do to the nature of this room I felt I would start digitally altering some of my favorite photo's and hang them in the fun zone to make it that much more fun. This picture is my first digital alteration, I only have eleven more to go. It's a picture of sweet little Max when he wasn't even a year old. I had just pulled him out of the bath, wrapped him in a towel and plopped him on our bed. It's the cutest little picture of him, in fact one of my favorites so this is the first one I chose to alter. Too much fun as always.

Other then that, it's the same ole' thing for me around here. We're getting ready for Terry's promotion on Friday. That should be a great time, we've got lots of wonderful friends and family coming in for the event. Can't wait. We're even going to have an early Thanksgiving dinner since we'll all be together. What fun is that!!!!

Gotta run, happy day all.

My Big Boy starts kindergarten

It's been forever since I've been on my blog much less added a new posting. I finally got around to it today. In between avoiding some homework and doing some house work I made another digital memory of Mo's first day of kindergarten. He's been in school for five or six weeks now but I've just been so busy that I didn't make the time until now to post a picture of him. I can't believe he's already in kindergarten. I know it's just the beginning of his school career but I also know that it's just going to fly by like the rest of time does. It's strange that he's is no longer, and hasn't been for some time now, a baby. He even lost his first tooth last week. Holy Cow! Big Sigh. My little guy is growing up, thank goodness he's turning out to be a wonderful boy and a blessing of a son.

Happy Day all,
Jane

Arrggghhhh, I see Pirates!

Argh, their be pirates Matey

We're settling back in from a wonderful two weeks in Hawaii. It was heavenly. Our second week we stayed on the win ward side of Oahu, specifically Lanikai where we saw all kinds of wonderful Hawaiian things, one of which was none other then the "Black Pearl" of Pirates of the Caribbean. We knew it was tied off at Kanehoe Bay where cast and crew were filming but other then taking a quick site seeing trip out with the hopes of ssatisfying Max's curiosity we did not see it. Fast forward three more days, I was rounding up kiddo's for a day trip out, went out the back of the house in search of something (probably a missing flip flop, or sunscreen) when I happened to glance up and low and behold out on the horizon was this very old looking sail boat. "Wow", I thought, "Its hard to believe a boat that old can still float" when duhhhh it hit me, OMG that's the Black Pearl. I yelled for all of the kids to have a gander, grabbed my camera and snapped a few shots. Regrettably the boat was too far away to identify any bedraggled but still cute Captain Jack Sparrow's. Aye Matty, no matter, still fun to see the boat and play with the image in Photoshop.
Cheers

A day in Huntington Beach

Final project for my Sessions Advanced Photoshop class, I have no idea what kind of grade I'll get on it but it was sooo much fun to do. It's my interpretation of a great day in my home town. We just got back from a three week vacation there and I'm really missing it, it's just SOOOOO HOT here and not there. Ughhhh. Any way, happy summer all. Here's to a quick end to this heat wave.

Vintage Bicycles, a heavenly experience

Okay so this entry is off topic for me but I had to post about it anyway. Today would be defined as one of those Great Days! After stuffing ourselves with Sushi Max, my mom and I headed to the coolest bicycle shop I've ever been to. Mind you I'm a HUGE fan of Jacks Bicycle shop in down town Huntington Beach and always will be, but I discovered a hidden and wonderful secret of a bicycle shop that I'm certain few other places could rival. Before going on at length I must give "Props" to my friend Michele who told me of this treasure. If it hadn't been for her I would still be sadly ignorant of this bicycle haven. Also, for those of you that don't know, that may be many if not most of you, I'm a bicycle enthusiast. They can't be just any ole' bike however, they've got to be "Beachy Cool" and these bikes fit the bill.

Upon Entry

Here's some of the goodies to choose from.

So the shop is in a most understated, almost seedy old strip mall in Westminster, CA. Apparently the owner of this shop has collected vintage bicycles for over twenty years but she has only been in this location for two. I think the shop originally occupied only one store in the mall but over the last two years it has needed to spread it's inventory into the store directly adjacent to it which can only be accesses through the back doors of both shops. The main restoration of the bicycles are done on the opposite adjacent structure (a home) that shares the same alley of the strip mall. This home is also where the owner lives full time. I imagine she must enjoy the bicycle scattered yard once the store is closed for the day, it appears to be a wonderful little sanctuary of pretty flowers, comfy outdoor seating and of course colorful bikes. There are hundreds of them in all shapes, years and sizes peppering her side and back yard not to mention the two store fronts. All three structures complete the shop.

Creepy alley pictured here, also shows the only entries into the adjacent shop and restoration/home area.

Quaint grounds of the home and bicycle restoration section

Why am I blathering on and on about this shop you ask? Well, if you or any one you might know are in the market for a truly unique, possibly even one of a kind beautifully cool vintage bike, then this is your place. The bikes here range in price from $125 for a basic, current day restored beach cruiser to extremely rare, late 1800's, early 1900's bikes in all states of restoration and price. The most unlikely bike that caught my attention as top billing was a 1963 1/2 Schwinn (first day production) sunset orange, banana seated goodie. If you're in the market for something like this it will set you back $5000! That's right, you read the price correctly, $5000. I wouldn't pay a price like that for this bike but I would consider many of the other beautiful, nostalgic ones they have in stock. The average price for a rare vintage bike was roughly $1,500, some were more some were less. They'll even custom paint your own bike if you bring them a pattern, how cool is that. I’m not sure how they determine the pricing for the bicycles but I can only assume Lynda (the proprietor) probably knows a bit about value on these bikes since she’s been in the biz for twenty years or more.

The $5,000 very rare 63 1/2 Schwinn

Pedals and name plates are just a few of the accessories offered.

This place was amazing, it's very shabby standing lent well to the overall feel of the bikes and the shop itself. This place is about vintage bicycles and parts and not about presentation. What you see is what you get, but it was all good by me. The staff I have to add were terrific, friendly, helpful, willing to answer any questions. They'll even give you a "tour" of sorts if you'd like.

The only down side to the store is there atrocious web site. It's practically none existent, there's only one poorly designed page, even the phone number is incorrect, BUT it does provide an address and a map and thankfully those are correct. I’ll have to drop a bug in their ear about an up and coming web designer that also happens to be a vintage bike enthusiast.

For all of you bicycle fans out there, this shop is a MUST SEE and Patronize.

Happy riding all,

Jane

A couple other samples of their goods.

Reno/Tahoe, fishing with Grandpa and Max

We just left Reno yesterday after six fun filled days. Max and I had a great time. It's always a happy and satisfying event to spend time with my Dad and his WONDERFUL wife Linda, not to mention their sweet dog Loki of course, I would be remiss in not mentioning little ole' Loki.

It's funny, I've always thought Reno/the Greater Reno area is beautiful but every time I go to visit I grown more and more in love and in AWE of it. It's simply breathtaking. I know a lot of people probably scrunch up their noses at the thought of Reno, God knows I used to, but that town/city is like nothing I've seen or experienced before. It's a large town, small city nestled in a valley between the breath taking beauty of the Sierra Nevada Mountain range. There's beautiful views from every angle in this city. And if you're one that appreciates high desert foliage, such as myself then the city of Reno is candy for the eyes as well. I digress.

So my dad took Max fishing for the first time while we were there. Our first try was at the "Marina" which I found somewhat comical since it's simply a flooded rock quarry, but quaint none the less. They had no luck there, so we all packed up and made a very worth while forty five minute drive up to Davis Creek Park to try our hand at fishing there. Still no luck, I don't think a single person had even got a nibble the entire time we were there, but the surroundings were so beautiful that it just didn't matter. As soon as we opened the car doors and took in the delicious, crisp, dry pine scented air I knew we were in for a nice time, and we were. Max grew weary of waiting for fish to bite so after forty five minutes or so of hanging on to a fishing rod and catching nothing but creek moss he gave up and we went "exploring in nature" which amounted to hiking down very well worn fishing paths a half a yard from the creek. I didn't mind, it was eye candy still and I was able to get lots of great pictures. I did however feel a little bit bad for my dad who had lugged all of this fishing gear half way across Reno and back only to have Max bail in just shy of an hour. What can you expect from I five year old I guess. Max did have fun trying though and was up for going fishing again the next day. That didn't happen.

Any way, I'm happy to be down in So Cal now but oh do I already miss Reno/Tahoe and of course my Dad and Linda. I look forward to seeing them again soon.

Here's a collage I needed to do for an online class I'm taking. It's several images of Davis Creek Park and of course my dad and Max. I just wish I could somehow convey or include the smell and feel of the air there. It was heaven.

Good night for now,

Fire flies

Yeeee Hoooo!!!! So most of the summer weather aside from the lush green foliage, I am not a fan of (although I will take it over winter weather mind you) EXCEPT for the Fire Flies. I just adore this time of year simply because of them. I suppose some, if not all of my Mid West friends may be thinking "what's up with Jane, so what about fire flies", but if you're from some where that does not have them, such as ohhhhh let's say the West Coast, then you may not quite understand the awe that these little creatures can instill upon a novice such as myself. They are truly MAGICAL. It's heavenly to drive by a young corn field, baseball diamond, expanse of weeds even and see this entrancing show. It's impossible to describe how special it is. Disneyland's Pirates of the Caribbean ride does a decent job of reflecting this, but oh so obviously it's just not quite the same as seeing it up close and personal. I do not look forward to the summer heat and humidity, but the fire flies are a different story and thankfully I got my first glimpse of them for the first time this season, tonight. I'm delighted. Here's a picture that I hope captures the essence of what a fire fly experience is like for me. Regrettably, none of the images used were taken by my camera but as usual I still had fun with them in Photoshop.

Happy Firefly watching and Happy Summer.

p.s. for those that don't know, this is what it really looks like. It's amazing, and way better in person.

Pretty Bloom

I found more time not to unpack by creating this picture instead. I know, shame on me but I'm trying to catch up on my creative impulses since I've been behind these last several weeks. Any way, the bloom is from the neighbors tree across the street in my old neighborhood. As always I had a lot of fun with it in Photoshop. I'm thinking I might, MIGHT do a series of images using this one and see how many different ways I can use it. We'll see if I get the motivation to do so. Any way, here it is.

Peace Out

Settling In

We've moved and are two thirds of the way unpacked, yea. So far so good, I'm LOVING it here. It's been good fun exploring our new surroundings, meeting nice neighbors and settling in. Several days ago Max and I went to the play ground behind our house and romped around, it was becoming over run with weeds so I started yanking them out as we played. One little weed turned out to be a seedling of an Oak Tree (I think). It was too sweet to just trash so once Max and I were done playing at the play ground we came back to our yard and planted the seedling there. Max did most of the work. He was very diligent and loving with the way in which he planted the little shoot. Now we'll have to see if it actually grows. Who knows. I'm thankful for our new home, although I do miss some of our old neighbors in the "hood". Hopefully we'll see some of them soon and better yet have them over here for a house warming. We'll see.

Happy Day all,

Jane

Strawberries on a stick

So Max and I spotted the cutest little bunny having a hearty snack on some leaves, probably from a cherished plant, but I prefer to think they were weeds in our back yard yesterday afternoon. Max, being ever enthusiastic about animals lately, wanted to find some carrots and quickly add to the cute little guy’s plate. We had none so I suggested a couple of our strawberries. Poor Max was thinking he could saunter on out, berries in tow and the little furry friend would happily eat from Max's hand. I explained that the bunny would quickly hop away once he/she/it caught sight of us, which it did, but that if Max wanted to watch the bunny eat our delicious contribution to his meal we could put them on a stick and then plant it in the ground right where the rabbit had been eating. Max approved of the plan, so out we marched, strawberries on our stick and jammed that poor little strawberry laden limb into the ground. We quickly trotted back to the house in hopes of catching a glimpse of a no doubt very grateful bunny nibbling away on our fruit kabob. No luck, the bunny was being shy, sure enough though that stick was licked clean by this morning. Short story long, now you know the tale behind the strawberries on a stick.

Happy Day all.

Gracious Gifts

Yea, another issue of Artful Blogging is out. I find myself pouring through it yet again. I love Somerset Studios publications, they're just so beautiful and inspiring. I feel pressure however to get my blog up to par (customize it w/ my own headers, side bars etc), which it is not at the moment. I'm hoping to make time to do this in the next week or so.

In the mean time, I wanted to post a picture of some of the thoughtful gifts I received for my birthday last week. They're beautiful, delicious, fun etc. and they photograph well too.

Thank you everybody for your kind gestures and helping to make my 40th birthday so memorable. It was a great time.

Much love,
Jane

The best Mothers Day gift ever

Yesterday (Mothers Day) was spent cleaning the house after my 40th birthday party the night prior. It was unseasonably cool so most of the day was spent indoors even after the cleaning was done. I was pooped from the party and party prep the night before so I did not mind at all just hanging out with Terry and Max. I did spend some time trying to take advantage of good light to take pictures of some of the thoughtful gifts people brought. I'll post those later. Max decided he wanted to ham it up for the camera then so I was able to get some cute snap shots of him. Here's one for ya. It's RARE that he's cooperative for picture taking so I seized upon the opportunity. He's a wonderful boy, I'm so grateful to be his mother.

Happy day everyone,
Jane

Two sweet preschool teachers, Thanks.

So Max is wrapping up preschool in two weeks. I can hardly believe it. Ms. Vicki and Ms. Jan, Max's fantastic teachers, put on the sweetest program with the kids including a terrific picture slide show immediately following. It was wonderful, and I'm glad to say that I was not the only one at the end of the program to have teary eyes and a sniffle nose. They so graciously passed out sweet daisies to all of the moms in the audience; at least I think they're daises. Any way, I took a ton of pictures of them, found one I really liked, and went crazy with it in Photoshop. This is going to be there thank you and good bye card from Max. I don't know what he'll give them as a gift but at least the card is covered. I'm going to miss them and quaint little D. school and I think Max will too. Here I go again, sniff, sniff.




Sweet dreams all,

Jane

Lucky Mom

Funny, there's still some days that I can't believe I'm a mom to such a beautiful and wonderful little boy, well not so little anymore. I had a micro moment the other day in which I thought to myself, O.M.G. I'm a mom. Wow. I'm blessed. Any way, I fell asleep last night thinking of this picture that I took last year some time. I'm not sure why this one stuck in my head but it did, so here I am playing yet again in Photoshop creating with my favorite subject instead of doing my Design project. Off I go though.

Happy day all,
Jane

A great day

I love days like today, I did nothing but play with my son all day long. It's great being able to worry not and just enjoy building Lego creations, play tickle games and watch him run and play with his buddies. The weather's great too. Who could ask for anything more?

For all of my cherished ones out there, I hope you're having the kind of day I'm having and if not I hope one like this is coming your way soon.

Hugs to all,
Jane

Sweet Love

Hello all. It's cold today, Spring went away but I'm hoping it's just being shy and will show again soon. Spring Break for me is over too, back to school today but I still managed to have some fun w/ Photoshop once homework and such was complete. It's a picture of Max at the St. Louis zoo last year. I can't wait to start going back there too, so many wonderful picture ops when we're there. Love it. We have another showing of the house today too, keep your fingers crossed all. I hope all of you are well.

Jane

Silly little doodle.

Spring is finally showing itself around here. It's a beautiful day so much so that I actually have windows and sliders open and am able to air out the house. Ahhhhh......, it's nice to hear birds singing and feel the cool breeze coming though. I've also just finished doodling and playing around yet again in Photo shop. I can't say my creation is magazine worthy, but it was fun to do none the less. Here it is.

Happy Spring everyone, I hope all of you are enjoying the day as much as I am.

स्प्रिंग हस फिनाल्ली कामे

Some of my favorite things

Some of the fun pics I took today reflecting a few of my favorite things. My top two favorites "things" are not shown, those being my husband and son.

First day on

So I bought Artful Blogger yesterday and have been pouring through it as well as the digital studio magazines by Somerset. I'm so inspired by all of the beautiful work that these people have done. I've been out shooting photo's like mad the last several days and can't wait to post some of them (if I find some I really like) soon. In the mean time I'm going to post some of the other digital art I've created over the past several months. I LOVE THIS STUFF. Now I just need to pin down the blogging gig. Forgive me as I stumble along. I hope to chat w/ some of you soon.

This image is two different photo's combined and then made into a card for my mom. It's of Crystal Cove Beach in So Cal and of my son (same beach) just playing around. I had tons of fun creating this in Photoshop. I don't know if it's obviously "Shopped" or not, but I still love the image. I always have great fun playing around in Photoshop creating digital art.

Jane