A busy busy week

So, there is no doubt that this is not only a busy week for me but most of the population as we have the holidays quickly approaching... Thursday marks Thanksgiving which in turn brings black Friday and the kick off of some major holiday shopping and baking! For me it also marks my daughters 1st birthday weekend so I am busy busy. Here is a recipe that is so easy and great to bring as a dish to pass:


Pumpkin Cake

1 BOX YELLOW CAKE MIX -  SEPARATE 1 CUP OF MIX (DRY) FROM IT.


CRUST

Mix :

½ cup butter
1 egg
Remainder of cake mix
Press into ungreased cake pan

CAKE
Mix:

1 29 oz can of pumpkin
2/3 cup milk
2 teaspoons cinnamon
½ cup brown sugar
3 eggs

Pour over crust.

TOPPING

Mix:

¼ cup butter (hard)
½ cup white sugar
1 cup cake mix
½ cup chopped walnuts

Sprinkle over top of pumpkin mixture

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

As far as design,  cssnature caught my eye the other day.. It is a site for nature designed websites and it had some fresh "green" new looks! Check out the  One Year in 40 Seconds video, so cool...
Oh and check out another recipe for cranberry-pear-crumble-tarts it looks great.

Now it is off to order Madelyn's 1st birthday cake and head to costco to start shopping for the birthday food!

"Young cat, if you keep your eyes open enough, oh, the stuff you would learn! The most wonderful stuff!" Dr. Seuss

I thought it would be cool to post on new random things we learn everyday. This is proving to be very true for me with my 11 month old. (Yes, she will be 1 in a couple of weeks but I will not say she is 1 until it is real.. I'm boycotting her being a whole year old..) Anyway, I think we should post some random things that we have learned over the past couple of days! Feel free to add yours!

1. Did you know that Dr. Seuss, known as Theodor Geisel was not only the author of his creative and unforgettable childrens books but the illustrator as well? Well he was, and sometimes he liked to write the books and have someone else draw the pics. In that case he used the pen name Theo. LeSieg (which is Geisel spelled backward!) Check out this fun site www.seussville.com/

2. If you think you can't carry about 12 bags of groceries and a screaming child, unlock the house and get inside without letting the cat out and dropping a bag (or the child). You CAN! I tried and succeeded!

3. That in a PET Scan for Cancer, a radioactive drug is injected into your body prior to the scan?  The most commonly used PET radiopharmaceutical is FDG, which is a radioactive form of glucose (sugar). Crazy, but totally safe...

4. At even under a year children are understanding what we are saying and doing (to a certain point)... I showed my daughter with one finger how old she would be on her birthday... When I randomly asked her the next day "Maddie, how old will you be on your birthday?", without a thought she stuck her pointer finger up at me with a huge smile... PRICELESS : )

5. If your cell phone gets wet and you think its ruined... Try the hairdryer or putting it in a ziplock bag full of rice. It might not always work but the hairdryer did for me! Twice!

Oh, and a cool new site I found through a friend is http://www.sweetbabydesigns.com/ Really nice stuff for holiday cards, announcements, invites etc.

Happy Thursday!

My Inspiration

So I was thinking to myself today, what inspires me? Not just in art or a job, but everyday life. I mean, its all connected anyway right?. If you aren't inspired or motivated by something everyday you wake up then you wouldn't get a lot done, or more than that, probably wouldn't be very happy in general. I was reading some of the nice comments I received on facebook, this blog and the email that I sent out to some of my friends promoting my "new blog" and my design work, and I just felt good. I have GREAT family and friends to say the least. I m very fortunate in life to have such supportive people who even though might not have the time in their busy days or the "want" to read about the stuff I post, do it anyway because they support me and what I am trying to do for myself. This post is totally mushy and kind of sappy as I am reading over it haha... but, I just want everyone in my life to know that I appreaciate them! You guys all inspire me and I am grateful!

Oh and another thing that inspires me is the Ugg boots I want... Chris..hint hint...  : )

Lulu for Photo Creations

I have been working on some Christmas gifts and tried the standard Shutterfly and Snapfish while making a photo book. I wasn't really happy with the sites and their options (but I can be picky as a designer). I came across Lulu and love it! It is super easy and fast especially when uploading your photos and you can work on the project as they upload! The layouts are really cute (especially the baby books) and I found it extremely affordable. You can create books, e-books, personalized calendars, cookbooks etc. http://www.lulu.com/
Since it is my first time using this site, I will make sure to post on the finished product and its quality. From what I see so far I'm happy though..

Love this!

love this!

This is so cool... typographer and illustrator Jessica Hische has created this ongoing project of handcrafted decorative type.. love it! check it out:
www.dailydropcap.com

Naya Bistro & Lounge

Looking for a new place with different types of food and wine in the Cleveland area? Naya Bistro & Lounge just opened and the experience was awesome! The food and presentation are amazing and if you are looking to go organic this is the place to try.  Check it out on the web as well http://www.nayabistro.com/

The site is one of my designs...

Take That Breast Cancer!

Well I have a feeling of relief and hope today. After 6 long months of Chemo my mom has finally finished her treatment for breast cancer! I dont think that anyone (including myself), understands the magnitude of cancer until it hits closer to home. It now affects 1 out of 7 women. Keeping yourself informed is the best way to protect yourself and showing your support to those who suffer from this disease is more appreciated than you know... There is still a long road ahead for my mom but there is a sigh of relief that she has come so far and is feeling great! Check out the sites and just inform yourself. Happy weekend all!
http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org

Looking for a web host

I am looking for a good programmer/host in the cleveland area... I am finishing up on my personal design site and I stoked on getting this up and going! I am open to all suggestions and would appreciate any feedback! Here is a sneek preview of my homepage...

Awesome for "unique" holiday gifts

If you are like me and trying to find unique gifts for the holidays to avoid the over-crowded shopping scene check www.etsy.com.There are so many categories of things to choose from, a lot of which happen to be handmade etc. I could spend a lot of time and money here.. : )

My First Blog

So this is my first post (let alone first blog site) ever... I am starting this all because I am a graphic designer who is just starting to work as a freelancer on my own. Scary at first, as I am sure all of you who have been in my shoes know! Being comfortable working for a company and now attempting to work on my own from home is a big change but an exciting one! I want to have this blog as a way for all of us out there to share whats new in the design world and to help myself especially, stay up with the trends... I am home with my 11 month old daughter and as much inspiration as I draw from her I would love to draw creativity and knowledge from all the designers out there! Aloha!