Thursday, December 1, 2011

Chalk It Up to Christmas!

It's December now, and I have something perfect to start it off right.
You've met my talented sister before here and here, and now she's back at it with the cutest, most creative Christmas card/video ever:

(click here to view if you don't see the video)

I watched it about 6 times the morning she sent it over for a previewing.  And maybe a dozen more since.  That'll be the third baby our family welcomes this year!

'Tis the Season!

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Giving thanks

I always miss celebrating this holiday with my big family back home.  It's hard to be away in a non-Thanksgiving'd place!  I have a lot to be thankful for, but on this day, I'm always most thankful for all of the family Art and I have. They are pretty wondey and we miss them tons.

 We are also quite thankful that we are meeting our friends from the States in Munich tomorrow.  And I'd be thankful if there was some nice fresh snow to accompany our Christmas market wanderings there and in Salzburg.

Happy Thanksgiving!


Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Viel Spaß & Sass

Some lady friends and I went to a club (the one inside the Schlossberg mountain) on Saturday night.  I don't really do clubbing, but I figured it fit into my mindfulness "living up the last year of Graz" plan.

At Lee's house before.

Sparkles, black and boots.

Kimmy poo

Down into the mountain we go.

Not at Lee's anymore

These two never stopped.

Yes, Lee wore gloves.

I'm not gonna lie.  I think we all suffered foot and head trauma the next day.  Did I feel young again?  On the contrary, hanging out in a crowded, smoky cave with the youngsters made me feel like an old fool...or was it my attempt at dancing?  Either way..this fool had some fun and added a page to the Graz history book.


Monday, October 24, 2011

Mindfulness

Well, fall is mostly here now and such a great time of year.  Pretty soon the Christmas markets will be here and my first winter visitor ever and good friend Sarah will be here to experience it with us for a bit.  I feel like fall/winter came in a day.  One day I was out in my tank top and then the mornings were 28°(F) and I'm pulling out the puffer.

I'm also very mindful of the fact that our time in Graz will come to an end in the next year or so.  I want to try to soak up the last bits of our experience here.  Not necessarily go and visit every museum and check off every landmark, but to try to savor our time here.  Be mindful and present.  With a new move on the horizon, I could easily get caught up in stressing about that and being antsy for the next phase, but then I'd be wasting our last moments here..something we'll never get back!  So, more reading at cafes, eating more seasonal Austrian fare, random walks through town, more gluhwein nights during christmas, going out with friends and perhaps a couple of trips.

Amber and I did a little hike on Friday up to the Gösting castle ruins.  Unfortunately, it was closed, but we still got the steep, huff-inducing walk and a good, long chat.

View from Gösting Castle

After living here for almost 3 years, I've begun to take scenery like this a bit for granted...there's a whopping chance I won't be surrounded by luscious greenery and the Alps in our next home, so I am trying to take it all in and enjoy it while I can.

Arnold proposed to Maria here at a cafe in his hometown, Thal. Didn't turn out so well.

Time for these trees to turn burnt orange, red, coral and yellow!

This one's doing it right.

"The capacity for delight is the gift of paying attention" 
- Julia Cameron 


Thursday, October 6, 2011

Recent Designs

Thanks to all my clients for keeping me busy and creating!



(created logo and blog design; Wordpress Pro Photo Template)

(Wordpress; coding by The Blog Butler)


(Wordpress)


(Wordpress)





(header and logo design)

(logo design)