LiFe {unscripted}

Confidence

I have not been the best blogger lately.  The nights come and go before I realize it's past 11:00 PM, and seriously this mama-to-be is loving sleep too much lately (smile). 

Lately, I have gotten back into drawing again, and it's such a great feeling.  I decided to make a little sketch book out of watercolor paper and thread one day, and I've been drawing + water-coloring in it at least twice a week.  Something about having a little 6X6 sketchbook to carry in around in my purse that inspires me.  I just draw what inspires me that day.  A layout in a magazine, a funny thought from a t.v. show, or a quote that resonates with me.

Today, I found a great quote and wanted to illustrate it BLT style. 

This quote speaks to me on so many levels lately.  At work with my students, at home when I think of the fact that I'm going to be a mama in less than 5 months and sometimes still think "what am I doing?!", when I am on stage teaching Body Combat with a baby bump, and just in everyday life. 

My mom always taught my sister and I to "Fake it till you make it...Even if you don't feel like you know what you are doing (or supposed to be doing), fake it.  And before you know it, you will find purpose and meaning in that situation, and soon, you will feel confident." 

Her words ring so true to me.  It may not always be easy, but I'd rather be confident (and sometimes faking confidence) than constantly insecure and afraid. 

And with that, baby girl is kicking me from the inside...I can finally feel her moving around in there and it's THE coolest feeling!

Thanks for dropping by :)

 

 

ABC's

I've had my huge box o' Sharpies out in my classroom lately.  If you are like me, you can understand the excitement both high school and middle school kids get from a large selection of Sharpies.  I share that excitement. 

The huge box o' Sharpies sparked my creativity to start doodling and within a couple days this print for the butterbean's nursery was created. 

I love to doodle and experiement with different ways to make patterns...and with a huge box o' Sharpies, both ultra fine point and fine point, I can truly get carried away for hours. 

Cool thing, once scanned in, I can change the colors with a few tweaks of Photoshop.

Both prints are available in my Etsy store now. 

Thanks so much for stopping by :)

Psalm 139:44

I started this last Saturday and decided on the colors just yesterday.  Of course, I will frame it and hang it in the nursery. 

Thank you all so much for your kind and lovely comments on our "finding out" story.  We truly are blessed to know and call each of you friends. 

This print is also now available for purchase, here in my Etsy store, BaconLettuceTomato. 

Thanks for dropping by :)

Cameo Cut Share

I'll be completely honest.  A lot of my summer vacation has been spent lounging on our bed.  Not the couch - that would take too much energy to go that far.

I've had lots of time to play with my Silhouette Studio software, Google tutorials on how to make your own Cameo cuts, and basically any computer activity that does not require me getting up too often.  I'm really not joking. 

That said, I decided to try my hand a few cut designs that I have promised myself I will actually cut and use as soon as I get up  (okay, here I'm sort of joking - I have gotten up some to craft and sew...I do get a few bursts of energy every now and then).

First up, these journaling cards so that I can journal what Adam and I both said when we first found out we were expecting, but they could be used for many other subjects as well.

This one was made using Photo shop shapes and Bebas font.  You can download if you would like to use it.

Download SheSaidHeSaid

Second, OMG! Pregnant

I used Cheap Pine font, Marmellata Jam font, and Miska Ornament font.  It cuts much better if you cut it at a larger size - at least 4X5 inches or larger. 

Download OMGpregnant

The last one came about because I watched this tutorial and realized that I could basically make any cut based on a picture that has been scanned in.  A light bulb went off and I immediately decided to try making a Cameo cut from my Linocut of Henry. 

First cut, this one did not cut so well (argh!).  So I decided to go back and simplify my design so that it might cut out more clean and crisp. 

( pre-simplify and retry)

  (post simplify)

Download HenryCleanCut

So.  Not only have I created these cuts from lé bed, but I have also created a blog post using them, too.  Go me!  See, babe, I'm not just being completely lazy (wink, wink). 

***If you do have a Silhouette Cameo and download these, I would love to see what you do with them- just drop me a link in the comments section :) ***

Thanks for dropping by :)

Labor of Love

I've been working on this labor of love for a while now.  a loooooong while.  several years kind of long while. Going back and forth - the should I, shouldn't I, kind of ordeal that always played over and over in my head and heart. 

Well, today, at 11:10 PM, I am happy to say that BaconLettuceTomato is now open for business. 

Artwork that I have created over the past four years, is now for sale in the form of digital prints.  All of my artwork has been highly inspired by this girl's wonderfully simple life.  I've taken favorite songs and put them into my own interpretations, heartfelt people and moments and created these pieces to forever remember those special times. 

I chose the name BaconLettuceTomato, BLT is also my initials as a married girl.  I'd love to say that I have a sophisticated name like Rebecca (I do, it's on my birth certificate), but the truth is, people who know and love me call me Becky.  Becky Leighann Trump - BLT.

Like all things me, I have definitely taken my time getting on the Etsy train, but I must say, I am super excited to finally take the dive in. Get my hair wet, let the mascara run, and everything.  Dive it. 

As my dear friends and I say, "BOOM (with fist pump)!" There it is. 

 

I'd love for you to take a gander, take a peek, and just browse my labor of love. 

Thanks for dropping by :)

 

Artwork=decor in our house

I do actually frame some of my artwork.  We've actually run out flat surfaces to put frames, so I've started hanging things on the wall.  Yesterday's edition?  Bathroom art. 

The idea of this artwork actually came from a piece that is not mine.  A lovely positive/negative shape cut out that a student of mine completed this past year and gave to me instead of taking it with her.  The color completely matches our guest bathroom shower curtain, so I bought a frame for it and found two more frames that match the curtain.  I decided to use my Cameo to cut out a couple designs for the same positve/negative shape look. 

The middle piece is my students artwork.  Sorry about the reflection in the frame - but that's the shower curtain. Also, I'm not sure why, but the color on the walls looks much better in person than in these photos - it's Behr Grass Cloth.

image via

I chose to use the Cameo store to find other scenic cuts.  The Golden Gate Bridge by Hero Arts, and a hot air balloon from Loni Stevens, were exactly what I had in mine.  I added a few more cuts using to the balloon using  the Cameo software to give it a more scenic look. 

I cut them out of black textured cardstock, and decided to mount them on watercolored paper for a slight bit of color. 

I traced the edges of the cutout onto my watercolor paper, and then used my Sakura watercolors to add a bit of color. 

I used Tombow Mono Multi permanent glue with the pen tip to adhere the cutout onto the dried watercolored paper. 

Trimmed off the excess watercolor paper, and popped it in to the frame.

Easy wall art (and cheap!) in less than a few hours. 

Thanks for dropping by :)

"Life's a ride..."

We hung a new piece of functional decor in our butler's pantry on Saturday. 

This piece was given to us by some of our most closest friends, Max's parents ;), and they totally hit the nail on the head when it came to this quote.

"We must take every opportunity to make the most of our very remarkable life...Life's a ride.  You've gotta buy a ticket, hang on tight and keep going around 'til they kick ya off."

It is such a thoughtful and adorable piece.  We hung it just above a piece of artwork I made the year we got married.  The two make me smile each time I pass by and see it. 

The drawing is actually just a Sharpie drawing-type doodle that I created in the months leading up to our wedding - it has lots of little tidbits and images of things that described Adam and I at that time in our lives. 

Sorry for the crooked photo (blush).

I think the two pieces compliment each other so nicely and are such a true reflection of who we were, who we are, and how things are going (smile). 

Life's a ride...and we are certainly hanging on tight! 

Thanks for dropping by :)

 

Artwork Share

I finally got out my watercolors yesterday.

It's been a while since I've used them.  I've had a piece of artwork that I finished the pen & ink part in the beginning of May.  It lacked the last step of watercolor.  Last night it was finally finished.

I saw this poem via Pinterest a while ago.  I loved it the minute I saw it - and before you wonder, NO, I am not preggers (insert shocked face, right!).  This poem just reminded me of some special friends of mine who have their own child/children. 

The words are all handwritten, and I used this technique to keep the centers of the caps white.  I used Photoshop to add the author of the poem, Maryann K. Cusimano, at the bottom.

And now that my watercolors are out, I can't wait to keep painting.

Thanks for dropping by :)

String art: Revisited

 

I blogged about this last week, and mentioned that I thought it might be better with baker's twine instead of yarn.  I couldn't resist trying.  And I must say, I love the result. 

These are just 8X10 pieces of three-quarter inch thick plywood.  I printed out a simple state design and used carbon paper to get it on my plywood.  I used some cheap three-quarter inch long nails with about an eighth inch head (that helps to keep the string on the nail) and nailed them about a quarter inch in, spacing them about a quarter inch apart.   And then I raided my scrapbook supplies for lots of bakers twine.  The secret I learned is to work with the entire spool attached to ensure that you  have enough before your cut (it uses a lot twine!). 

I do love the yarn look for more fun textured look, but the bakers twine does look more polished to me.  Here is one with yarn that I made for a graduating senior student - I love the colors she chose and with yarn, I think it adds more of a young look.

Thanks for dropping by :)

just a few hours shy of midnight.

And I am posting for Friday, May 25th, 2012. 

Posting something that has nothing to do with anything else going on  - I just love this saying :)

Today was a busy & good day.  Wrapping up the loose ends, cleaning up, cleaning out, and saying goodbye to the  2011-2012 school year. 

I'm ready for summer.  Ready for a break.  And ready for this long weekend spending time by the pool and hanging out with wonderful friends.

Aaaahhhhhh.  Finally.  After a 1/2 work day tomorrow, of course.