lovin' it.

Things I'm currently loving.

Maggie Gyllenhaal
Bob Dylan
Wood disks for pendents
Purple hemp
Kids, my niece and nephew, godson, babies....chittlins in general
New music
Blogging
Dancing
Camping-well I want to dance and camp more, so I'm loving it in hopes that I get to do it soon
Work
Baking-I want to make cookies very very soon
English accents
Berry Wheat toast
Flowers
Gardening
The Hippy Gourmet's Quick and Simple Cookbook for Healthy Eating


Well obviously...there's a lot that I love right now. I could go on and on.

sprinkler.

I had a great time today with my godson, Tanner, niece and nephew, Blake and Aubrey, and Joni and Honesty today. We played in the sprinkler and the sun. I really enjoy spending time with my friends and family. I hope when we have out big birthdays celebration it's very similar to how fabulous today was.







I'm currently watching the previews before Crazy Heart, which I'm very excited to see. I heard a lot of great things aobut it. I just hope it lives up to it's expectations. What will I do tomorrow?

etsy.

I recently set up an Etsy shop kjk designs and wanted to share some of my favorite shops I've come across just today. I haven't spent enough time looking, but I have definitely found some gems. Below are the prints that I have posted thus far on my etsy page. Eventually I'll have some handmade goods also, but I don't know how soon that will be. But definitely within the next month!











ETSY SHOPS
Which Goose

Creekside Crafting

Mappie's Shop

Hard-Wear Designs

Colour Bazaar

RockCandy Vintage

Nomadic Roots

netflix.

Along with my addiction to Facebook and Blogger I now have a new addiction to Netflix. In 3 days I've watch the first season, and half of the second, of Weeds. My instant queue is growing fast and I received my first movie, Crazy Heart, today. It quite honestly, is a far better investment than what I pay for cable and internet, so I've been taking full advantage of it. I'm also going to get rid of my cable since it makes no sense to pay for both, especially considering there's never any thing worth watching on tv any way. Between Netflix and Hulu.com, I'm set for the summer of crappy re-runs and paid programming.

ames. the cafe. megan.

I went to Ames last week to see my friend, Megan. Kym came down from Minneapolis and Claire went with me. We had a wonderful dinner at The Cafe. I don't spend much time in Ames, so it was a little trip for me. The food was wonderful. Claire and I split the shades of green salad that had local arugula, asparagus, peas, cucumbers, feta and fresh herbs, totasted pumpkin seeds and celery with green goddess dressing and cafe baguette wedge and also the pesto chicken pizza. I was a little nervous about the salad, but VERY intrigued with the mixture. Need less to say I wasn't disappointed with any thing about the salad. The pizza was great, but I would have been okay with less chicken on it and more veggies. I guess mentioning that I should have got some sort of a vegetarian pizza. The peanut butter cheesecake was pretty amazing...but I'm a sucker for a good cheesecake!

this garden of mine.

Knee high by the 4th of july? DONE! I see blooms and even a red cherry tomato on a plant. My zucchini is out of control already(see it in the top right part of the garden) and my corn will be here before I know it...yummy yummy organic sweet corn.

Zucchini

Peppers

Watermelon

Cabbage

Cantaloupe

Green beans

Half of the garden-tomatoes, peppers, and zucchini

Carrots

Green Beans

Sweet Corn

i love taking photos.

Here are some current shoots I've done.

I can't wait for the next project...onto editing the Ingle wedding now!

weeds.

Four episodes into the first season of Weeds and I'm addicted. Netflix was a great investment thus far! I love the song during the opening credits, it really fits perfect to the stereotypical urban family. Along with the video of the same people doing every day things like buying coffee and going running...wonderful cinematography. Considering I believe in legalizing medical marijuana this show appeals to me. I have migraines and I think it would really do me wonders. Cookies and truffles. Scrumptious.

HGTV.

I am addicted to HGTV. I want Genevieve to come to my house asap. I love my house, but it's a mess and I don't know what to do with half my stuff. I really need to clean again. I did great last year with getting rid of a bunch of stuff, but it never really got finished. I think switching between Dear Genevieve and Hoarders has frightened me into organization and new design. It will be done!

sewing down the house.

One of these days I'll get out the sewing machine. I need to mend some pants very soon since I don't want to buy new ones when the ones with holes are perfectly fine otherwise. I really want to make a light weight festival shirt before July 17th. I don't know if it'll happen, but I would really like to get it done.

Tuesday is going to be a great day. I'm watching my god son, Tanner, and also going to have my niece and nephew over to play in the sprinkler. It's going to be a great time and I honestly can't wait. I love me some chitlins.

I'm planning a birthday celebration for a great group of friends. We're all turning 25 within 3 months of each other and with busy schedules it only seems fitting to celebrate together and in a BIG way. I'm really looking forward to a nice turn out and spending a great time with even greater people!

grandpa.

Saturday the 26th will mark the one year anniversary of my grandpa passing.

I cried tonight at work about it and I'm sure there will be many more memories

to cross my mind leading to tears.

jacob.

mr. jacob
we had a fun day at the lake. here's a little proof.

yum.

I just watched an episode of Craig Ferguson and a chef, who I've seen a few times before, made some quick guacamole and a brushetta type snack with ham. His name is José Andrés and he inspires me to cook some amazingly delicious food. I saw him on 60 minutes with Anderson Cooper and I was very inspired by his passion for what he's doing. Now there's some things I can't do, like cook with liquid nitrogen, but I think he has some of the most wonderful ideas and spectacular looking food I've seen in years. I'm not a foodie, but I like great food-rich, satisfying, and crave worthy.

60 MINUTES VIDEO

"I believe the future is vegetables and fruits. They are so much more sexier than a piece of chicken... Let's compare a chicken breast, the best chicken breast from the best farm with a beautiful pineapple. Cut the pineapple, already the aromas are inundating the entire kitchen. Acidity. Sour after notes, touches of passion fruit."

Iowa State Fair Photography Salon.

I'm so excited to submit my photos to the Iowa State Fair this year. I believe that the selection I came up with are a great choice from my portfolio and I'm looking forward to possibly getting at least one in the fair. I know it's very hard to get in, but I have confidence. And if not, I know plenty people who will enter and I really hope they get in also. There are the 4 that I picked. The next dilemma is naming them....

love.

So this is love, Mmmmmm
So this is love
So this is what makes life divine
I'm all aglow, Mmmmmm
And now I know
The key to all heaven is mine
My heart has wings, Mmmmmm
And I can fly
I'll touch ev'ry star in the sky
So this is the miracle that I've been dreaming of
Mmmmmm
Mmmmmm
So this is love

Cole and Kimber Ingle

the to do list. revised.

Ok, so I previously posted a to do list that I clearly made for the year or even just a few months. I would like to add to this list with some life TO DO ideas.

1. Go to Wrigley Park, watch a baseball game, drink a beer, and eat a hot dog with my dad.

2. Go to Mexico.

3. Go to Amsterdam.

4. Research genealogy on BOTH sides of my family and for all 4 grandparents.

5. Take a month off work and travel around the US visiting friends and family.

6. Make a book of my photography, even if it's just to put on my coffee table.

7. Have a child. I want 4 but I would be more than happy with 1....or 7. I'm not picky.

8. Find the ONE. He's out there, I just don't know where...perhaps Seattle?

9. Visit some where I never thought I'd go....like Brazil, India, or Korea.

10. Take my niece and nephew to Disney World!!

vent.

The venting begins so if you don't want to read about my not so great day I wouldn't read this post. So I've been busting my butt to try to make some thing for myself and I cannot get ahead to save my life. I'm financially poor and poor in love.

So let me elaborate on my bad day, week, month, last 5 years-whatever you want to sum it up to be. So yesterday I searched for a wide angle lens and spent a lot of money on it for the wedding I shot today. As I was shooting the photos prior to the wedding my camera stopped working and would only read error...yep, an hour an half before the ceremony. Sigh.

So today is Father's Day. My grandpa, who I lived with for almost 4 years during high school, died in 2009 on June 26th. Father's Day is really no fun this year. We took Dad out to lunch-nothing new or special, but it's nice to do some thing with him. My niece and nephew adore him.

Got an email that my boss at the coffee shop, which closed 2 weeks ago, isn't going to pay us this week even though I'm owed a month's worth of pay. Fantastic...thank you for continuing to make my life extremely difficult.

I got the results from my MRI and I have a large cyst abnormality in my right knee. I'm not sure what that means, but I can't imagine it's that great of news.

My house is a mess because I'm never home, yet I don't have a penny to my name. Actually had to go to Target to spend all my money on shampoo, laundry soap and cat litter. Sighs.

Honestly, I could continue but what's the point? I know there are people worse off than me, but the anxiety and anger seems to build faster with me. Thank goodness for the rain-it saves me on the water bill.

i wanna take yo picture.

check out my website

kjk designs

listen to these words.

I fight with life and love every day. Whether I'll find it, if I have and that was it for me, etc. After running into a intense old flame these words fell out of me and they are exactly how I felt in the moment.


In your blue eyes there's a hint of the ocean
wild and free, stirring commotion
and that's what I feel when I look in your eyes
a sea of butterflies

There are miles of distance that keep us apart
and that is what tares at this old lonely heart
Oh and it cries and it cries, it aches for your touch
I never knew my heart would miss you so much

I tread lightly to avoid more heartache
as I go thru these seasons it's all I can take
that love that was stolen 8 summers ago
Will it be mended, time only knows.

i'm in the garden.

Ok a little garden update! Good news, pretty much every thing has come up. I don't think but only a few onions and carrots will make it, but it's my first time with them so I'm not too disappointed about it. My corn and zucchini are growing fast and I cannot wait for fresh veggies in my kitchen and on the grill.

oh missouri.

So Missouri is like another world. On my trip to Springfield, MO Monday I discovered that Missourians like to tap on their brakes before merging into a lane with NO ONE in it, have no differential between the fast and slow lane-often times the fast is the slow lane and vice versa, they name stores the oddest names-Wood You(which was next to Planned Parenthood....which made me laugh, because clearly someone wood) and Stake 'n' Shake, and they also have hidden gems that I would never have known about if it weren't for google-Sequiota Park. Yes, Missouri is another world, but it was a great trip and I can't wait to see other "new worlds" in this good ol' country of ours.

the to do list.

I don't remember when I wrote this list, but I'm guessing it was about a year ago. Thus far very few of these things have been accomplished because of lacking funds due to my job not paying me and my brother not helping pay bills for two months.

1. Screen printing
-I did the workshop at Swap O Rama Rama and t-shirts for Charity's wedding, but I want to do it all the time.

2. Jewelry Making
-I buy the stuff and it just sits there. I want to learn to start and end hemp necklaces better, because I really enjoy making them.

3. Make homemade pie.
-some day...apple!

4. Knit
-Ok, I saw taught to knit and here I am over a year later with no complete pieces.

5. Buy Computer
-Technically this has been done, but I'm paying a loan and now want a laptop so I don't consider it complete.

6. Buy studio lights
-Yes...this did get accomplished. They're constant lights, but I prefer outdoors any way.

7. Invest in going back to school
-Done, but DMACC didn't give me squat to go back with. I'm still not sure if I'm going to be able to swing it.

8. Job (jobs)
-Yea...this definitely has been done. Just haven't seen the fruits of my labor.

9. Family photos
-I don't know the last time we had family photos done, but I know it's been more than 10 years.

10. Take flowers to cemetary
-Dad and I did go out on Grandma Sandy's birthday, but I might get out there twice a year.

11. Cash in trip fund.
-Well I had a nice chunk of change saved up before my job wasn't paying me and my brother started stealing money from me. So I have to start over again...#11 is a bitter subject.

12. Get studio
-um...I'm not sure this will EVER happen.

13. Write
-I have a journal and a blog-does that count?

14. Draw
-Nope...

15. More concerts
-Because of my job I'll have to cut back on my music addiction, but I'll make good money and hopefully get to do more next year. Plus I can do stuff during the day at 80/35 and I'm going to Camp Euforia.

16. Get over being single
-Ugh...I kind of am, kind of not. It's officially been 5 years and 2 months. Get over it!

17. Quit to do lists
-This will never happen so I don't know why it's on this LIST!

18. Downsize
-I got rid of a significant amount of clothes and things this past winter. I still plan on getting rid of a few things tho.

19. Get wasted
-I don't know the last time I had a REALLY REALLY good time.

20. Enhance awesomeness
-This task will never end.

21.Make own cards
-I kind of accomplished this and still want to work on more!

22. Make all homemade gifts
-This is Christmas' goal!

23. Business grant
-When I get settled with my personal finances I will jump right back into this for sure.

24. Go camping more
-I plan on making this a big summer to do. I need to dig the tent out and make sure it's in camping condition!

25. Find bigger house
-Now that I'm alone again this house is big enough for me.

reading books.

I've been attempting to read "When You Are Engulfed in Flames" by David Sedaris for about 5 months now. He's been my favorite writer for almost 2 years now. Thus far I've read "Holidays on Ice" and "Me Talk Pretty One Day". Left on the list of his books to read are "Barrel Fever", "Naked", "Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim", and "Children Playing Before a Statue of Hercules". He is a very honest and hysterical writer. He focuses on his life stores, family, boyfriends, and all the interesting people he meets along the way.

In the past year I've also read "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen-I HIGHLY recommend this book. There's a movie coming out about it with Reese Witherspoon and Robert Pattenson. I also read "The Secret Life Of Bees" and "The True and Outstanding Adventures of The Hunt Sisters".

I'm really hoping to read more books, there's so many great books-including "The Great Gatsby" which I've owned for years and never could get past the first 4 pages. Suggestions are welcome!

Rain - Priscilla Ahn

rainy day please stay. rain rain don't go away. the sun can come back another day.

travel channel.

So I love me some Travel Channel and especially the Samantha Brown show "Passport to Europe". I long to go back to Europe, it was the best sixteen days of my life and I need to go back.

I've come up with a 5 year plan to go back to Europe and stay in hostels traveling the land! I've already had one friend shorten my 5 year Europe plan to 2 years, which I would gladly do if I had the money. I was lucky enough to go to 7 European countries with The Iowa Ambassadors of Music in 2004. You would not believe the amazing things I got to see and do.

This is a QUICK TABLE OF ADVENTURES from the 83 page handbook we got:
The main contents of the handbook:
Windsor
London
Paris
Switzerland
Vaduz
Seefeld
Venice
Dachau
Rothenberg

But there is SO very much more in between!


NOTRE DAME in FRANCE


Water Channel in ITALY


ADRIATIC SEA in ITALY


EIFFEL TOWER in PARIS


ABBY ROAD STUDIO in ENGLAND


View from the THAMES RIVER in England


WITTEN BASILICA in AUSTRIA


MATTERHRON in SWITZERLAND


DACHAU CONCENTRATION CAMP in GERMANY

So here is a small itinerary of my sixteen days on a large lime bus traveling across Europe.
England-London, Abby Road, the subway, Tower of London, Windsor Castle, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, Hardrock Cafe, Phantom of The Opera, Palace of Holyroodhouse, Big Ben, The Globe Theater, The Long Walk, crossed The White Cliffs of Dover.

France-Arc de Triomphe de l'Etoile, Arc de Triomphe de Carrousel, Notre Dame, Church of St. Severin, Cimetiere du Pere Lachaise, Eiffel Tower, Jardins de Luxenbourg, Mona Lisa, Musee Louvre, Palais de Chaillot, Seine, Statue de la Liberte, Tuilleries Gardens, United States Embassy.

Switzerland-Lake Geneva, Mediterranean Sea, Laussanne, Montreux, Matterhorn, swiss cheese and chocolates, Chateau du Chillon, Swiss Alps, Zermatt, yodeling and music festival.

Liechtenstein- Vaduz, Castel of Liechtenstein, the post office

Austria-Seefeld, '64 and '76 Winter Olympic Games site, Wilten Basilica, Innsbruck, Maria-Theresian Strasse.

Italy-Venice, Bridge of Sights, Basilica of San Marco, St. Mark's Square.

Germany-Dachau, Munich, New Town Hall, Rothenburg, Doppelbrucke, Frankfurt, Stuttgart.


I cannot wait to go back...it's going to be an amazing time!