Free Vote for Obama Button

Want a free vote for Obama button? MoveOn's giving them away totally free—no strings attached. I just got mine, and wanted to share the opportunity with you.

Click this link to get a free Obama button:

http://pol.moveon.org/obamabuttons/?id=13339-9609874-GYcWoVx&t=4

(ps: I did an entry about where to find Obama Button Artwork.)

Ban Comic Sans

Because I have been on a Font craze lately....

bancomicsans.com


This is especially my favorite....
Bunny Punch

Font Conference

A friend who knows I am a font fantic sent me this....I thought it was funny but probably those that don't have a font fetish won't. (be aware this is hosted on an adult type humor site but the actual video itself isn't adult.)

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Book Review: Collage Unleashed

Collage Unleashed by Traci Bautista

My review

rating: 2 of 5 stars
I was disappointed in this book. It was confusing to follow. It didn't have clear steps for techniques. One page even said to see something below -- and it wasn't there. It did end up being many many pages further into the book. I love the look of the fonts, wild and distressed looked. I mean that is the art I do so I love that style but for a how-to/inspirational book it was almost overwhelming to try to figure out where to start. Your eyes didn't go down the page like you normally do in a book. It just went from here to there. So I kept missing things. I would have to go over the page several times to make sure I got it all.

Good things about this book -- I love learning about making art books and book binding techniques. Although it doesn't spell it out step by step. It gave me enough information that I think I can figure it out. And the bindings were fun and beautiful so I can't wait to use them.

And the other thing it does it remind you to PLAY. Really I think that is the message of Traci Bautista is to just let yourself play.

View all my reviews.

Denver Trip

We are back from Denver. Now it is catch up time for work. Being away for so long really makes things a little crazy when we get back.

But we also had a nice time in Denver. I saw my friend DM and her partner. It was great to see them! The time went to quickly for me though. I wish I could have spent more time with them. I felt like I wanted to talk about so much and time just kind of got away from me. But I am still thrilled that I was able to see them even for that short of time. Getting time with them both made my week!

Most of our week consisted of meetings. We got quite a bit accomplished while there. On Saturday morning Michael took a look at some pictures that were ruined. Michael's parents basement flooded and they had been sitting on the floor so they were ruined. Michael looked to see if he could think of a way to salvage them. One was a photo of a stain glass window that Michael's Gram was given for her good works with the youth of her church. That photo was ruined so with some pooled resources Michael and his Mom were able to track the window down. And Michael called to see if we could go take pictures of it. As it turned out the church was open so we went down to take pictures of it. It is a beautiful stain glass window in a very cute little church so I am glad Michael was able to get pictures. They turned out great. We then dropped one off at Wolf's Camera for 1 hour development and then ran to Michael's Arts and Crafts to get a frame for it. And then got another frame for the other photo which Frank took of Maroon Bells. So it was not only a productive day but a touching day seeing the stain glass in person. Michael's parents thanked us many times for helping them with the photos and frames.

Of course while in Denver we always seem to hit good places to eat! Michael's parents took us to Jim 'N Nick's BBQ for dinner. Yummy! I had never been there but everyone else had and Michael kept telling me how good it was and he was right. I didn't leave hungry. We also went to a really good vegetarian/vegan restaurant in Denver with my friends as they are vegan. The food there was beautiful. I had banana bread french toast with toasted walnuts and fruit. I had planned on getting a sandwich but then saw that on the menu and it was calling my name! We also got to have Beau-Jo's Pizza while over -- met family there. Michael's sister needed glutten-free and they had a whole page of menu devoted to glutten-free - even glutten free pizza. And she said it was pretty good for being glutten free --- and now knows when she is craving pizza where to go.

So we are back and busy working. I have several websites going and a logo to work on too. Michael has quite a few projects too so we are busy.

Gratitude Friday

Thankful for...
1. very productive meetings this week. Really good things for our future!
2. seeing my friends!
3. Beau-Jo's Pizza!
4. Rain in the mountains yesterday-- although it spoiled our plans it smelled so nice and was pretty
5. Coldstone ice cream!

I recognize that I have much more to be thankful for in my life.

Hitting I-70

Leaving for Denver! Seeing my friend DM and her partner on tomorrow. I can't wait as we haven't seen each other for 7 years.

No More Papyrus Please!

I just read one of those lists -- 25 Reasons you might be a graphic/web designer. And all to many of them I could relate too but one of them has been a personal crusade of mine for a long time. It is to not use the font Papyrus. For the last several years -- to urge people not to use it. I said it once in a workshop I was teaching and they just looked at me like I had slapped them in the face. But I guess they just don't see how OVER used it is. To me it feels clunky with most designs. Nothing seems to mesh with it very well. So my suggestion is to not use papyrus for anything you do (I was going to add except for personal correspondence but really it even bothers me seeing it there.) Please just step away from the papyrus font! Pretty Please!

Biscuit Muffin

Biscuit Muffin Recipe over on my other blog.

Gratitude Friday

I express my sincere gratitude...

1. For Bread for Breakfast book - wonderful recipes
2. For almost being done with my redesign of my art site (crossing fingers)
3. For A&W Rootbeer with dinner
4. For the library - I know I had said that before but I can't say enough how great they are -- they send books from all over the state to the branch I use, I order them online, I get notified online they are in so just have to go to the desk to pick them up. It is so quick and easy! And everyoen is always so nice there!
5. For such wonderful man in my life. Michael cares about my emotional and mental wellbeing as much as my physical well being. I am really struggling with something that is happening in my life and he has been my rock.

I recognize that I have much more to be thankful for in my life.

Living the Creative Life

On Friday's Gratitude list I said for the beautiful book I picked up at the library. I haven't finished the book but I had to write at least a little something at Goodreads.com which is below. But in reading more of this book since then I just am amazing by the words just as much. They really had got into my head -- many of the things I struggle with they are addressing. Definitely a book I am adding to my wishlist!

Living the Creative Life: Ideas and Inspiration from Working Artists by Rice Freeman-Zachery

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
June 27, 2008: I opened this book tonight and have not even read much of it yet but I started to cry. Cry because it evoked such a feeling of home for me. That this is truly the art I have inside wanting to come out. The pages are beautiful - truly inspiring.

View all my reviews.

Vanilla and Cinnamon Crumb Cake

Every month on the first I am greeted with Michael saying, "Happy Anniversary!" Our official anniversary of when we started seeing each other is February 1, 2003 but it doesn't matter if it is February, July or November....if it is the first of the month I get greeted Happy Anniversary, warm embrace and passionate kisses at the start of the day. We love each other and try to celebrate that love and life. The moment we first knew we were right for each other is brought up each month in his words and embrace.

So today being the first of July I decided to make Michael something special for breakfast. I checked out the book Bread for Breakfast by Beth Hensperger recently from library. The book has some delicious looking recipes in it. And it is a book I would like to have on my bookshelf because I know I would use it quite a bit. This morning I tried Vanilla and Cinnamon Crumb Cake from it. And it turned out so good! Michael doesn't like nuts so when I find recipes with a crumb top usually it has nuts in it. And I have substituted other things such as more flour or oatmeal at times but this one didn't have any nuts in it so I flagged it right away as one I wanted to try.














Makes one 10-inch round coffee cake

Crumb Top
1 1/2 cups cake flour
2/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
10 tablespoons cold unsalted butter - cut into small pieces (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons)


Cake Batter
6 tablespoons unsalted butter - softened (3/4 stick so basically the rest of what was left after the crumb topping)
3/4 cup sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/4 cake flour - unsifted
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream (not fat reduced)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (325 degrees for a dark-finish pan). Line a 10-inch springform pan with parchment, grease the bottom and sides and set aside.

To make the crumb top, in the bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the flour, sugar; and cinnamon. Cut in the vanilla and cold butter on low speed until coarse dry crumbs are formed. Pour into a small bowl and set aside. If not using immediately, refrigerate until needed.

To make the cake batter, without cleaning the mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add the eggs, one at a time, and the vanilla extract and beat well on medium speed for 30 seconds. The mixture will be loose. Add the flour; cinnamon, baking powder; baking soda, and salt and beat on low speed for 15 seconds. Add the sour cream and beat on medium-high speed only until the lumps smooth out and the mixture looks fluffy, about 30 seconds on medium-high speed. Do not overbeat.

Spread the batter evenly into the prepared springform pan. Sprinkle the top evenly with the crumb topping. Bake on the center rack of the oven for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the top is crisp and feels firm when gently touched in the center; the cake separates slightly from the sides of the pan, and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean (it may be a bit moist; that's okay). Do not overbake, or the cake will be dry.

Remove from the oven and cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes before removing the sides of the pan. Let cool at least 30 minutes before serving warm, or cover in plastic wrap to serve later at room temperature.
Store at room temperature for up to 3 days.
















*** Of course I made a few modifications. I didn't have cake flour so used all-purpose - as I said turned out great. I add some cardamom as I just love the flavor and it sounded like a good add for this cake so just did a couple pinches of it in the cake batter. And last thing I changed was the springform pan. I didn't want to use my springform pan as I just didn't want fight with it leaking at all -- although I sure it would look prettier in it so might try that eventually. But today I just used a 9-inch square pan. Only problem that came with that is it seemed to need to bake longer. I baked 1 hour 10 minutes.