A Travel Journal Reflection
The other day when I wrote about hanging my bulletin boards, I mentioned a "couple" crafty projects but then only talked about the one.

The other crafty project I'm working on is a travel journal for our upcoming trip to the States. I made one for our last trip back home in 2006 after seeing a lot of examples on websites that brilliant craftspeople had created. I especially liked the idea of taking an old book and refunctioning it for use as a journal.

In particular, I was completely inspired by these three journal/sketchbooks (Paris, Italy, Provence) by a lovely lady named Jan. She even replied to my inquisitive email and gave me some tips on how to rebind my own.

I picked up a book at the Lifeline Bookfest called This is Your America. It's navy blue and has the capital building embossed on the front cover. I thought it would be perfect to pull apart for this project.

I pulled out the book I did the last time to recall what papers I used and how I put it all together. And while I had it off the shelf, I took photos of the pages. There were quite a few blanks that I thought I would go back and fill when I got back. I added a few, but I'm definitely going to be more proactive in using it along the way this time!

See the full set here.

Crafty
I've had a couple of projects set aside that I finally took action on this week. I've been wanting a bulletin board in the kitchen for quite a while for two reasons. One is for the obvious use of tacking up notes and photos. The other is to showcase my pins.

Back when I was on the road, I tried to get a lapel pin from every area where we stopped and put it on my backpack which went everywhere I did. Some were the touristy type which said specifically where they came from, and others were a bit more generic. But each one invoked a memory.

I have picked up a few so far over the last few years, so I thought the cork boards would be a good place for them. I originally wanted to get the cork trivets from Ikea, but I found these at Bunnings. They fit perfectly between the picture rail and the top edge of the kitchen nook, so I settled. I gave them a light mist of white spray paint, but I may go over them again to make them a little more even toned and whiter.


Now I just have to find the rest of my pins. Hmm...

Pain in the Neck
Two days ago I woke up with a horrible pain in my neck. I don't know if I just slept wrong or if the new chilly weather at night cramped me up, but I haven't been able to turn my head for two days. I'm starting to feel kind of silly. Any of my chiropractor and/or massage therapist friends out there have any advice?

The Bitchin' Kitchen
This weekend I dove into my latest Donna Hay Magazine, and we have been eating like royalty. Friday night we had the slow-roasted chicken pictured below. I put my version of the recipe up at TastyPlanner. Seriously, this one was SO easy and SO delicious. The aroma will start to kill you with hunger about 35 minutes into baking. I wanted to go sit in the kitchen for the next hour just to SMELL it!



We had the Puffed Cheese Omlette (below) yesterday along with toast and yummy maple baked beans. This morning we had Creamy Scrambled Eggs with leftover beans. Yum! And tonight we're having the Sage & Cauliflower Risotto.


I don't mind being domestic when it involves food.

In General
Things are picking up. We still have no Christmas decorations out to speak of, but I'm feeling a little more interested in the holidays. We braved the mall on Sunday, and I'm feeling very confident in my gifts for He Who Buys All He Wishes For. He may not necessarily know that he wants what I've gotten, but I'm meeting his needs in one way or another.

Methodology
I just found out about Method Lust over at The Dieline. Even though we have some Method products at the grocery store here, I do have their holiday air fresheners on my Christmas list for my parents.

Artsy-Farsty
I'm loving this: Obsessive Consumption: What Did You Buy Today?. She draws what she buys. Simple as that.

Short of making a resolution for the new year, I really would like to do more drawing in 2009. I seem to remember saying that a couple years ago too. Hmm.

On that note, for future reference: Doodlers Anonymous.

This is Your Birthday Song / It isn't Very Long
Hans is the magic number today. We woke up and opened presents in bed. Then we raced to get ready so we could play Little Big Planet before work. (He has rehearsal tonight. I don't. Hehe!)

Busy Being Silly
Sometimes it's good to just go completely over the top... that's what I think anyway. So three months ago, when I started looking at the footage of our little holiday, I thought it could be edited down into something watchable. Over the months, it has gotten a little... out of hand. And now it is 30 minutes of pure cinematic greatness including interviews, cut-aways, and a musical montage to A-ha's "Take on Me". And then there is also the bloopers and cut scenes and the slideshow.

Yesterday Hans color-graded the whole thing and did an animated intro and animated supers. It's heading into ridiculous territory considering it's a home movie. But we're production company people, and this is now apparently what we do.

So umm... tonight we're having the premiere, since Dan & Lisa haven't seen it at all yet. We've got a make-shift red carpet. We've got a bottle from our champagne stockpile. (For some reason people seem to give us champagne, and we don't really care for it... so it just gets added to the stash.) Hopefully it will be met with 5-star reviews.

Yay.

Ooops
Sorry for not posting about the casting call earlier, Manda. Just realized the thing is closed now -- but I did vote three times, if that counts.

Links for Later
Pixilate.com: Small fonts, text replacement.

French Toast Girl is doing a month-long art challenge for May. Create something, anything, for Every Day in May. I did a little watercolor this morning. Tomorrow might be a photo or a sweet treat (baking is an artform, right?)... who knows.