Watercolor and Some Inspiration

Every year, the school I work for closes for half a week for back-to-school cleaning and organizing and we have an in-service which usually consists of some type of team building or class. This year it was an art class with a Child Development teacher at a local community college. One of the assignments was to think back to a time during our childhood and visualize a self portrait. It didn't have to be our face; it could be a location or something physical. Next we were to cut out a piece of black paper. In no type of pattern, just cut. Once we were finished the professor handed us a piece of watercolor paper, a paint pan, and glue stick and asked us to glue the pieces of black paper into the self portrait we saw in our minds and then paint around the black paper with the watercolors. 

Every summer growing up my sister and I would stay with my uncle in Pacific Beach, CA at his condo for one or two weeks. We basically lived at the beach the time we were there and this is what I pictured when the professor asked us to go back to a memory of our childhood. After I cut out my pieces I realized there was this strange llama/dog/horse looking shape I had cut out. I decided I would make that piece my corgi, Clementine, because she ties in to the previous beach scene I had remembered. I love to take her to the beach.

The sun, the ocean, and Clementine.

Clementine at the beach! Derp!

After we watercolored that day, I found some inspiration to watercolor paint myself. It's funny because my entire life my grandmother has always pushed me to paint. Any kind of paint. Watercolor, oil, acrylic. It didn't matter as long as I was painting. She is a painter and I guess wanted to push her love on to me. Because she pushed and pushed, I believe I never really gave it a shot. That and I am not a creative person AT ALL so I figured, why try?

I went to Michael's yesterday and picked up a watercolor pad and some brushes. This morning I looked on Pinterest for some ideas and found a beautiful picture of poppies and decided to give it a go. I'm proud to say I actually really like it and I'm quite proud of myself. 

Watercolor poppies.

The only thing I would change would be the two randomly large ones at the bottom :/

I posted this photo onto my Instagram after and a lot of people have liked and commented about how I should frame it. I'm happy with how my first try has turned out.

Moral of the story?: As Nike says, "Just do it." JUST DO IT. I don't think I would have picked up a brush and painted hadn't I taken that in-service but you can. You can try right now if you'd like. You might be surprised with the outcome :)

Have a wonderful day,

Samantha 

Friends, Weight Watchers, and Clementine!

I haven't been on much in the last two months with the business of school, work, and our puppy Clementine but a few things happened yesterday that inspired me to want to get back on and continue sharing my thoughts and passions with you.

First, I recieved an email yesterday from a nice woman named Gabby asking if I would be interested in having my Maybelline Color Whisper post featured on her website sweetandstyle.com. OF COURSE I emailed back! Someone liked my blog and my post so much she wanted to share it with the world. This makes me very excited. I blog because I know someone out there is interested. Someone is interested in the makeup I post about, or the outfit I'm wearing that day, or even about my life that week. I hope I make someones day better and inspire them somehow. You can find my post on her blog at www.sweetandstyle.com/blog.html

Second, I joined Weight Watchers yesterday! I am extremely excited about this and hope I can stick with it at least until the end of the year. I have had an issue with my weight my entire life and I could never stick with any diet long enough to see any results so I believe if I'm paying every month and I have to go in every Sunday to weigh in, maybe this time I can get down to my goal weight. Like I've wanted my entire life. I really love the PointsPlus system and with today's technology tracking is so easy with the WW iPhone app. I'm hoping to post here often with tips and things I've eaten that I think someone might enjoy :)

Third, and last but not least, CLEMENTINE. A little over two months ago I posted that we were getting our furbaby that week. Our eight month old Pembroke Welsh Corgi. It has been two months now and she weighs 10 pounds more than when we picked her up that day but she is still perfect and I am so happy that she makes me so happy. We decided on the name Clementine, a name that wasn't in the ultimate list, and when we saw her, Clementine fit perfectly. She loves the dog park in our town and we just went to the beach a couple of days ago. I enjoy, and I'm sure she does too, the San Diego Corgi group we have on the Meetup website. So many corgi friends here and so many events we enjoy attending! Clementine has her own Instagram @clemycorgi and her own Tumblr clemycorgi.tumblr.com

 Until next time,

Samantha

We pick up our furbaby Wednesday!

One of these sweet girls will be coming home with us Wednesday night! 

I'm taking Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Monday, AND Tuesday off just to stay home with her and get her adjusted and to go get her first set of shots. We are so excited! Be prepared for updates and pictures of our little bundle of fur! 

Also, we are still stuck on her name! Ellie or Clementine?! If you're reading this PLEASE comment with your choice :) we would love your input! 

Until next time, 

-Samantha 

Long Overdue Update AGAIN

I can never just come back for good can I? I really want to seriously stay. I like sharing new products and things I`ve done/seen.
UPDATE on the Corgi: There wasn't a girl for us in the December 11 litter. We do have a girl who was born December 28 though :D she is 4 weeks old as of yesterday. We pick her up the last weekend in February. And I took the whole following week off. HOPING to get her potty trained before I have to head back to work! No name decision but the list has come down to Ellie and Clementine (Clem, Clemmy). I would love your input on both those names so please feel free to leave a comment!
Also, back to school on Monday. So far I'm registered for Communications and waitlisted for English and a Child Dev. Working toward my Child Dev permit! So close, yet still a bit far.
This post is probably all over the place. Here are some recent pics :)

Long Overdue UPDATE!

I am so excited to be back up and running! I have not got my laptop back up but I have figured out how to upload photos to Google+ and import them on the blog using my Asus Trabsformer Tablet! So I suppose this is how I will be posting until I find out what is wrong with my Dell :(
ANYWAY! I have been SO busy lately. I started my new work schedule. Rather than 32 hours I'm working a full 40 and have a math class at 7am Monday-Friday. No complaints here though. I am a morning person and I enjoy very much spending all day with my babies.
Ryan and I have been debating adopting a puppy for the past few months now and while his heart is set on a breeder for a Pembroke Welsh Corgi, my heart is set on adopting from a shelter. I had a dog when I was younger that we adopted from the shelter and I believe in saving those dogs. Who got the final say? RYAN. Of course I researched breeders in our area and found a wonderful woman in Riverside (about 2 hours away) who breeds her many AKC registered dogs. I really gave in because Corgis ARE adorable and it would be nice adopting an 8 week old puppy we could train and have from the beginning. I requested the health and sale agreement, looked it over, and Ryan and I decided to go for it! We mailed out the signed adoption agreement and our holding fee last Monday. She called Friday confirming and asked if we wanted a boy or girl. I let her know we wanted a girl :D She reminded us the litter is due December 10. They will be ready the first weekend in February! We will be driving up around the middle of January to pick her out and go back up to take her when she's ready! I have been probably over doing it with all the research and Corgi blogs I've been finding but I'm so excited! I already have a shopping list going for all of her things before she arrives.
I guess that's it! Here are some Instagram pics from the past week :)

I love painting my nails but I feel fall is for acrylics and shellac!

                                             I went a little crazy on crafts at Michaels...

And made some button bracelets! Possible blog post on these coming soon!

I voted for the first time! 

Driving into the fog on my way to school.

Email from DeeAnn with Noble Hearts Corgis about our baby!

Until next time, 

-Samantha