DIY 1

So it’s a strong possibility that I may be slightly addicted to Pinterest. It inspires craftiness, creativity, and all things awesome!
On one of my Grandma’s migrations back from Florida she brought with her several large frames that my Uncle David sent for me. At the time, I didnt know what to do with them. I didnt have a ton of extra wall space or large enough photos to put in them… so they sat in my closet at my parents house UNTIL Pinterest followers shared their sweet idea finds and BAM! Greatness!

Before:
Step 1: Paint the frames crisp white with a rustic touch.
Step 2: Staple twine to the back of the board with my Mamma’s handy dandy power staple gun.
Step 3: Print your photos.
I had already decided to do a photo wall in my office (sister’s old room). But since my sister told me that it’d be creepy to have 8×10 photos of my friends hanging on my wall (even if I was the one who took the photos), I decided to add several of my favorites from different clients I photographed.
Step 4: Buy clothes pins and hang photos on twine rows. Step 5: Hang on the wall. Stand back. Oooh and Awww.
Step 6: I hung other photos around it (My 8×10′s that I love or already had printed in my portfolio) One on the middle left is missing because the white frame was too big to fit in the space.

This is the photo that will be in the empty space:
**Disclaimer: All but the bottom photo was taken with my iPhone (yes, I finally joined the rest of the world and upgraded from my basic cell), so forgive me if the quality isn’t up to par. ♥ B

These are a few of my favorite things: When the Weather Outside is Frightful

These are a few of my favorite things: When the Weather Outside is Frightful by brianna-swisher featuring a hooded toggle coat

Dessert Recipe

Yesterday I basically had no food in the house, that has now been rectified though. I was craving something sweet and wanted to bake at the same time. I didn’t feel like going out to get ingredients so I had what was in the fridge, freezer and pantry to work with…. which meant only one egg. Thank you internet and allrecipes.com for this easy, yummy, sugar cookie recipe that only requires 1 egg!

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking power
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 egg
1tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 375. In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and baking power.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla.
3. Gradually blend in dry ingredients.
4. Roll rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls, and place onto ungreased cookie sheets.
5. Bake 8-10 minutes in the preheated oven.
6. Let cool slightly, pour a cup of cold milk, dunk and enjoy! ♥ B

2012 Begins

“It occurs to me, as it sometimes does, that this day is over and will never be lived again, that we are only the sum of days, and when those are spent, we will not come back to this place, to this time, to these people and these colors, and I wonder whether to be sad about this or to be happy, to trust that these hours are meant for some kind of enjoyment, as a kind of blessing. And it feels, tonight, as if there is much to think about, there is much we have been given and much we have left behind. The smell of freedom is as brisk as the air through the windows. And there is a feeling that time itself has been curtained by darkness.”
-Donald Miller, Through Painted Deserts

Goodbye 2011

10 Things I learned in 2011
1) In Kansas, they take their BBQ very seriously.
2) Jimmy Fallon, Justin Timberlake and Neil Patrick Harris should be my BFFs

3) I love to snowboard
4) Being short is not exactly helpful when building houses, but the bigger the hammer the better.
5) Super Jugos is a-maz-za-zing!
6) Summer Lee Modesitt has some crazy sweet dance moves.
7) The Walking Dead somehow, thankfully, became way more popular in season 2.
8) Blue Moon is pretty awesome. (In moderation of course).
9) Having a life while being in Grad School and working a GA position is hard but important.
10) Toms are awesome!

Books I Read
1) One Thousand Gifts
2-4) Hunger Games
5) The Hitchhiker’s Guild to the Galaxy
6) The Broker (again)
7) Outliers
8) Searching for God Knows What
9) Understanding and Managing Public Organizations (Yes, it’s a text book, but I read it. So it counts!)

Along with a few other text books that I’ll spare you from reading about, this is basically all I achieved on the book front. Except, at the beginning of 2011, I commuted a little over a hour (one way) to work 3-5 times a week and thus began my obsession with books on tape (ie CD). I easily went through 1 to 2 per week with all the driving I was doing, and I found this very Grandpa thing to do, quite appealing. There’s only so much repetitive radio one can take. After going through quite a few, all of which I dont remember the titles of but included quite a few John Grisham’s, the appeal lessened and then dropped off all together. Henceforth leading to the list of above read books.

Well, new year. New goals. New things to accomplish. New adventures to be had!
Sayonara 2011. ♥ B

Happy Friday

“Many of the adventures you go on will not make sense to other people because the outcome is unknown. But journeys where the outcome is already known are not adventures, they’re errands. And you were created to do more than run errands.”
-Jon Acuff

These are a few of my favorite things: Browns with a pop of Orange

These are a few of my favorite things: Browns with a pop of Orange by brianna-swisher featuring studded handbags

November 11th

Normally on Veteran’s Day I’m giving a presentation, hosting an exhibit opening, or attending a banquet involving the only remaining African American WWI Memorial of its kind located in McDowell County, W.Va. I’ve been working on the Kimball Project with the Kimball War Memorial for over two and a half years and this is the first Veteran’s Day that I’ve been at home.

The photos below are from a while back of an impromptu photo session of a family that is near and dear to my heart. I thought today was a fitting time to post them. I had sweet settings planned to do this outside, but like West Virginia weather goes, unpredictability struck and we were forced inside. I’m a lover of natural light and hardly use flash so this was a challenge, but one of the sons had to return to duty in the next two days so waiting was out of the question. Here are a few from the day.

It was like pulling teeth to get these serious men in uniform to smile just a little for me.

Here are a few that I never got around to posting from the Forgotten Legacy: Soldiers of the Coalfields Kimball War Memorial exhibit opening.

Today, we remember the Veterans who have served and continue to sacrifice for our country and for us. We extend words of thanks, host parades, and throw banquets that cannot begin to adequately represent our gratitude.

Thank you to those in my family, to my beloved friends, and to those whom I have never met. You have shown and continue to show bravery in ways that I cannot imagine. You have my sincerest thanks and utmost respect for choosing to serve our country. ♥ B