Wednesday, January 25, 2012

our last's first



five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes 
big man on campus, hunk a burnin' love, jack-a-bee, jack tom, jackie, rat & pick are just a few of his nicknames.
he makes us laugh harder than ever.
he sports wings(his hair is much too long for his father's liking right now lol).
he's a flirt!
he definitely has a strong opinion.
he's so close to walking- he just needs man up & do it!
he could probably play in the tub all day.
he's an explorer.  he's into everything. he'll make a great scout one day.  or sneak out the car at eleven like his daddy did.  heaven help me!  he better not!
he worships his sisters and follows them around like a little puppy dog.
he says mamma, dadda and hi.
he kinda wants to be entertained all the time.
he can light up the room and drive his mother and father to junk food all in one mouthful.
he has our hearts.
he's turning one this week.
this is our last's first.
...very bittersweet for me.

happy first birthday sweetest baby boy!  


©2012 brightsides, all rights reserved.


Saturday, January 21, 2012

brightsides now on facebook



dearest readers,
brightsides is now on facebook!  up until now i've just been posting my blog updates to my personal wall.  i figured it was time.  now that my etsy shop is up and running, i wanted to post all my latest work, promos, updates, blog posts, etc. here!

please "like" brightsides designs and stay connected! 
i hope you will... 
it'll be really fun, i promise!
happy saturday!


©2012 brightsides, all rights reserved.

natural window light



there's nothing like good lighting when taking pictures!  it makes all the difference.
good natural light makes me weak in the knees.  it's pure, it's real, it's divine.
one of the lightest, brightest spots in our house happens to be the master bathroom.
between the water, white bathtub and window light, i'm in heaven.  their little bare shoulders couldn't be more darling either!
candids + natural light = primo!
Now that we are in the winter season and many of us are stuck inside due to the freezing weather, it is important that we know how to utilize as much available light (indoors) as possible.
Window light is a very beautiful and powerful tool in the world of photography. It can create many types of lighting on your subject ranging from harsh light to soft, diffused, even light. It’s pretty simple and one of my favorite types of lighting – winter or not.  Using backlight in a window light situation can create a beautiful dreamlike haze.  read more here via i heart faces
happy picture taking!



©2012 brightsides, all rights reserved.

Friday, January 20, 2012

funny feather glasses




annie and i had fun modeling these spectacular spectacles and laughing at each other the other day!  we found them when pulled out that horrific craft bin of mine.  
our cute babysitter halie brought quite the assortment of colorful pipe cleaners, pom-poms and fanciful feathers to make these darling funny glasses with the kids!  so fun!  so clever!  
kids LOVE little projects like this!  

i'm crushing on this song big time today.  it's so beautiful.  i like to listen to it loud.  enjoy!  
i'm so happy it's friday-  like really happy it's friday.
what are you doing this weekend?
we're going to our ward temple night!  anyone want to go with us?  can't wait!


©2012 brightsides, all rights reserved.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

meet me in the middle


morning came way too fast and the first thing i woke up to were the words, "are there any darks in the dryer?" aHhHhh!  i immediately cringed.  "um, no.  what are you out of?  i swear i just washed them!" "i'm out of workout clothes" my patient husband replies.  "they pile up quick" he follows.  "i don't get it !!!" i moan, covering my face with my pillow.  my head is now spinning and i kinda want to puke.  i felt bad.  i am failing at my job.  sam sensed my bitter frustration as he continued to get ready in the dark.  "i'll figure something out... it's okay."  "thanks lover" i mumbled.  "i'll wash them today."
thanks for meeting me in the middle smeeter.  thank you for understanding and loving me even though i can't seem to keep your clothes clean!
so i managed to write the two things i had to do down.  that was it.  the rest i make up as i go.  this is how i roll.  i need to change that.  this week i MUST come up with a weekly schedule that i follow.  if i need to change things around, then so be it.  like they say, if you fail to plan, then you plan to fail.  it's true gosh dang it.   
the highlight of my day was meeting my sister linds and her little kiddies at ikea.  it felt really good to get out and just meander around with her, look at all the cool stuff, pick things up, contemplate buying them, putting most of it back, and occasionally adding a few things to our carts... we need to do it more!  we laughed a lot which is always so therapeutic.    
i picked up a few more frames (i kinda have a frame fettish) and some bright pink and orange umbrellas.  aren't these fun?  they're so cheery!  i thought they'd make cute valentine's gifts for the girls.  annie's already seen them, but they'll be a surprise for the others.  shhhh.  
ikea has a new family line.  there were backpacks, umbrellas, toiletry bags, and i think small luggage (don't hold me to this, i didn't pay close attention- i was enthralled with the umbrellas)  i don't know how it is at your house, but our umbrellas don't seem to last very long.  i never spend more than a few bucks on them because they break so easily.  maybe that's my problem.   do the expensive ones last longer?  am i just buying junk?
hahaha.  after we got home from shopping, i was totally in the mood to make valentines.  so i began digging up all my craft stuff.  i don't have much.  shelley, do you remember this box of junk (above by the frames) you helped me organize once upon a time?  lol.  i'm super embarrassed but it's way too funny not to show.  shelley came over one day to craft with me.  i pulled out this ridiculous bin of random ribbons, flowers, thread, stickers, etc. and the poor girl was probably so disgusted.  shelley sat and un-tangled and re-rolled all my ribbon, color coded and sorted my flowers, and cleaned up my big mess!  shells, i PROMISE it stayed nice for a while!  you were so cute to do that!  can you come over again?

well, since we all know my time management stinks, i quickly realized the kids were due home from school any minute and that there was no time for crafting.  i frantically put everything away because i knew that they'd all be in to it instead of starting in on their homework.  this will have to be a weekend activity.
a small valentine reminder: meet me in the middle  --please.  
may we all come to understandings, be a little more loving, forgiving and patient with each other.  no one's perfect.  love conquers all!
happy wednesday!


©2012 brightsides, all rights reserved.

Monday, January 16, 2012

let us be as quick to kneel as we are to text



so i've been SUPER ridiculously lame at posting these days.  i seriously don't know what my problem is.  ever since the new year, i can't seem to get a handle on things.  i can't seem to organize my brain.  i feel like i'm going minute to minute and can't seem to focus long enough to get my crap together.
maybe i have ADD?!?

it seems like all i've been posting about lately is my etsy stuff.  is it gettting old?
well, that's all i've been working on creatively this last month.  it's addicting.  if i could, i'd spend all day long working on new designs.  i will admit that sometimes i do spend too long playing on the computer... and instead of cleaning out the fridge, mopping floors or folding clothes during my free time, i sit and wear out my chair.  really, my sea grass office chair is starting to come apart :(

here is my latest:
let us be as quick to kneel as we are to text 

and here are all the different versions, paired with some of my other prints i wanted to show you for fun!  i think they look pretty cute together :)  i just love this quote and i wanted to offer it in a couple of different formats as well as several different color schemes.  the first one here is a youth boy version paired with my customizable stripes print. Followed by a youth girl version, and then the horizontal versions in neutral, tangerine, charcoal and greens.  visit brightsides designs to see the full collection- there are a bunch more to see :)
this color palette (above) reminds me of that amazing home in the movie something's gotta give with diane keaton.  my ultimate dream home for sure!


there ya have it!  i hope you like 'em!  order some up!  
have a great monday night!



Monday, January 9, 2012

two new prints!


i'm in love with this blue, can ya tell?

so i've made a few changes and added a couple of new prints to my shop! let's think & because i said so
-two simple phrases that seem to be pretty popular amongst the parent folk :)

and due to popular demand, i also added a custom color chart!  
most all of the prints are customizable, so you can change up the color to fit your home!  
now you get to be all creative and design your own color scheme!  here's an example of coordinating three (below) 
i'm so excited to see what y'all will come up with :)
p.s. stay tuned for a valentine's print or two!
have a great night!


Monday, January 2, 2012

two little hands



simple and traditional.  i created these with a classic look in mind. 
i finally took a few pictures of the two little hands boy print framed :)  i'm hoping to photograph the girly one soon too.  these can be purchased here

and for those of you who read the post i wrote last night, i'm sorry!  i really shouldn't write after 10 pm.  it felt good to vent a little though!
 thankfully today is a better day!  thank you for your love!  

©2011 brightsides, all rights reserved.

Sunday, January 1, 2012

on to a new year


hello.  i have no pictures for you today.  i have no inspiring thoughts or motivating words.  today has been a downer for me.  usually i am enthusiastic about the start of a new year.  i don't remember feeling like the way i do right now on January 1st.  i'm feeling so depressed.  my second mom from childhood passed away this weekend.  cry i think i'm numb.  i'm all cried out.  aHhhh!?@*  so sad, so hard, but so happy i know i'll see her again.  between that and post holiday blues, i'm just feeling so crappy!


normally i am always one to set new year's resolutions.  generally i feel hopeful and brave, ready to conquer new goals, aspirations, whatever you want to call them.


[side note: i'm ornery, emotional & possibly hormonal-there's nothing bright about this post]


this year i think every resolution i've ever made in the history of my life has caught up to me and decided to punch me right in the gut.  i'm feeling extremely overwhelmed with all that i'd like for myself and my family this next year.  i picture perfection when i think about how i'd like to be in 2012- that's what i'm envisioning, reaching so far for.  logically i know it's impossible.  i know i'm being stupid about this.  i know that i will never be perfect and that no one is.


seriously, what is realistic?  for me?


i think i better go to bed now before i go too far and sound even more ridiculous + i've got to get up and exercise so one day i can have the perfect body (when i close my eyes real tight i can see it skipping around gleefully in a white little cloud over my head)


wow.  i'm tired and not funny.  tomorrow's a new day.
good night.


lol.  sam's saying, "go smack yourself around a little if you have to--you're being ridiculous!"