Today, we are 2 years old together!!

Dear Zach,

I was running around ideas in my head on what to do for our anniversary. Yes, it's been two years since our little girl was conceived. I'm sure we're not the only ones that celebrate the conception date as an anniversary :). Well, I decided what better to look back at the past two years. I must say we have a bazillion photos documenting every little moment together. I picked out the ones of us together and when little Miss O popped into our lives. She has always been the peanut butter in our little PB&J sandwich. I always think that in a weird way she choose us. She wanted us to be her parents. There's something about our union that spawns life and beauty! When we took a little trip to the Botanical Gardens on our first date, I just knew... I knew we would be great together. I was smitten like a little kitten. heheh. Your intelligence and good looks kept my attention. Your genuine kindness and compassion for others astonished me and still does! I always refer you to as my "Dalai Lama boyfriend" with friends. The amount of love you give with no judgements is definitely one of your best attributes. People feel so comfortable around you because your just super chill and a great listener. You are always willing to participate as well as give life to any conversation with your hilarious humor. I always thought you were pretty shy when we first met but really you are very selective with the people you like to open up with. I feel very privilege to be one of those people. Everyday and almost every moment you are smiling and when your not smiling you still are every bit relaxed and forgiving. You are absolutely amazing at fatherhood. You are that kind of father who loves to be there every minute with his daughter. I love that! She runs to you as soon as she sees you. The brighten between the both of you just wipes out any darkness that might be looming. I love you and I love us!! Thanks for putting in your best at everything you do. I look forward to the years ahead but for right now at this moment we, together, are 2 years old and in a kids life we are just about to start talking. so I say "Hi!" "I love you, Zach!"

                                                                                                                                        With all my love,

                                                                                                                                                            Gia  

Neighbors in 2003

First Date

Pregnant (baby shower)

Birth of Olivia

 Mama/ Dada beach break

Our little familia 

 3 months

 Mustache Pot Luck

5 months 

 8 months

 Carousel rides

9 months

 Our visit to the mountains

Hiking around

 Olivia's first Birthday

Happy!

Geminis - Judy Garland

                      June 10, 1922 

Judy Garland (June 10, 1922 – June 22, 1969) was an American actress, singer and vaudevillian.

Sun Gemini / Moon Sagittarius / Asc Cancer

Interesting facts about Judy Garland: 4' 11½" tall, married 5 times,  real name is Frances Gumm "baby", youngest of three girls, would sing John F. Kennedy "Over the Rainbow" over the phone and died at 47

Weekend update:

On Friday, I set up a mini art show during Art Walk at the Citizens Co-op right on Main Street. It was a lot of fun. It didn't rain, people were very nice and social plus $2 imported beers! Some friends showed up which was awwweesome! Zach and Olivia were there hanging out which I loooooved! I sold some prints and an original, Thank you! It was a great start to a long fun weekend. I think I'll do it again!

On Saturday:

We hung out with friends at a BBQ, ate grilled corn (which I loooove), Olivia played in the pool and we sat around conversing about funny things like // how extraordinarily dumb one feels when they meet someone famous. I had an encounter... well we never met... so okay, I was in Nashville, TN visiting my old friends who are in this band // The Ettes // and they are friends with Jack White, hmmm okay. They really wanted to introduce me (or maybe they just wanted hang out with him, either way, I was going for the ride) so we went to his studio down the street from where they live. I'm totally not a musician and I'm really bad at acting like I know anything technical about music. I hardly know lyrics to songs or who plays what instrument in the band - I just love the music. So we walk in and there's all of the White Stripe records and all sorts of albums I haven't even seen from him // cool store area btw. I then started to get really nervous like what am i going to talk to him about... the same old cliches "I love your stuff, I I I love your music, I I I love you!" creepy stuff. So I hear Jack White in the other room talking to someone and my girlfriend looks back there and tells me he looks pretty busy. So I'm like perfect! Let's go, I can't take us just hanging out here for me to go up to the guy and say amazingly stupid stuff. So we leave and laugh and now I just tell people I heard his voice and I saw his studio and that's totally fine with me. So that was my little Jack White story - maybe I'll have something clever to say one day to a celeb that I meet // I think it's just getting them to smile at you or laugh at a joke you say. That would be the ultimate encounter for me but until then I'll stick with being behind the curtains.

Here's more pictures:

Sunday Morning ride:

Then a little swinging action:

Beautiful Florida sunset before all the rain came on Monday - no filter on this photo. 

Buzzing Around

we had a branch from an old tree fall on our porch at 11:00 at night. we were startled but fell right back asleep. (happy we are renters) 

 

took a nice early sunday walk

 houses we like to look at

she loves to stroll

with her tongue out

 stairs and columns

cool old buildings

 Party Mouth!

what I've been working on

 my muse

finishing up

she's very calming to look at

We've been on a great schedule lately. Zach's loving his internship and Olivia is in a new group at school which she loves. I was watching her the other day and she has her first friend! It was so cute to watch. They were playing together on this little mini slide. She kept glancing at the little girl like what should we do next. My heart melted. I love to see her sharing her toys or smiling at other kids. It was worrying me that she kept clinging to us and was a bit fearful to interact. I'm happy to say that it's not the case anymore. She's got friends now and her teachers tell us she's enjoying the interaction with her peers much more and loves to DANCE! Olivia is a tiny little dancer! 

My schedule is wonderful too. I get to paint more and also have time to clean the house as well as take a yoga class. Wow! Six months ago, I would have never thought I'd ever have the time to do anything but care for Olivia. With each milestone, we get better and better with change in general and reaching some of our personal goals in between. Optimism Bias - watch it!  

Busy Bee/Framing - Part 3

Part 3 is the final part of the framing process. Here we will cut the glass, staple in the backing, place backing paper (dust cover) and finish with wiring. It's been a fun little three part series. I hope it gave you some insight into custom framing. We work hard to keep artwork looking as beautiful as possible. The frame is really the last step in presenting/preserving the artwork. So if you choose to do some framing, definitely ask for assistance or go with a friend and trust your instincts with designing. You might just have a "ah-ha" moment... "that's the one, that's the frame!" Happy Framing!!

We start with the matted/mounted print.

Next, we cut the glass.

place glass on top of matted print (inspect the mat for any dust sandwiched in between)

time to place the frame 

now we shoot some staples all around the back side (these staples hold the artwork into the frame)

grab your double sticky tape and tape the edges of the frame

have a piece of backing paper a little larger than the outside dimensions (use razor to cut the excess paper)

the razor gives a nice clean line all around

bump-on's help your piece from swaying on the wall

place them at the bottom two corners

measure a third down from the top and make a mark

twist in the screw eyes on both sides

remember to make a nice loop around the screw eye for stability

and loop around the wire as well for stability

Viola! 

ready to hang

two are ready for hanging!