Day 334 | Color Pallet

Prompt: Collage together your favorite color pallet, or the color pallet that currently inspires you.

Annetta | I am inspired by neutrals, heavy shadows, and earth elements when it comes to color. I've just recently created a moodboard because I've seen a shift in my work, especially here when photographing my journals. I've gone from pastels, light and air images to deep and rich colors with moody images.

Stephanie | I have been inspired by clean and neutral colors like white, cream, grey, pale pinks yellows, and greens, and wood tones.  

Day 333 | Book Review

Prompt: Share a book you recently completed. What did you learn from it?

Stephanie | I just finished the book 'For Men Only' (Shaunti and Jeff Feldhahn) last night and I was almost in tears. This is the companion book to 'For Women Only' which I have read a few times. These books are designed to help men and women better understand the opposite sex, the things they want and need in order to feel loved. I ordered this book for my husband because I loved the women's version and found it helpful, I thought this would be equally beneficial for him. I wanted to read it too to see how accurate it was to my wants and needs. I was almost in tears because it spoke everything I feel and think. I would strongly suggest these books to anyone who wants to learn more about their spouse or partner. They are not books that point out all you or your spouses flaws and tells you have to deal with them, those books -to me- are not helpful. These books explain how men and women are wired and designed, why we act the way we do, if your spouse is reacting this way, its because of this. They talk about the different struggles and pressure each sex faces and why. They are very easy books to read and very helpful.

Annetta | "After the child's needs of love and nourishment are provided for, the child plays." I've been reading a new book that I started to help us in our homeschool venture called 'For The Children's Sake'. Yes, I haven't completed it, but there was the part about child's play that changed a few things for me at the way I look at how my son plays. I think in our day and age it's really good to read these few thoughts that the book has on play. I've been needing to learn how to invest into my child's future by raising him for life and not just for a 'job'. I'm excited to get deeper into the thoughts and ideas shared in this book!

Day 332 | Nov Mail Call

Prompt: Share what you received from November Mail Day.

Stephanie | Annetta never ceases to amaze me with her generosity. This painting is one I have admired in her home many times, its just so beautiful, and one of her favorite treasures. She chose to gift this pretty painting to me! I am also excited about my new magazine Where Women Create, I have flipped through it before in stores, but was never able to purchase one for myself. Annetta gives the best gifts and has the sweetest heart!

Annetta | I love the thought Stephanie puts into her gifts. She seems to know just what I need and like. She got me the beautiful scarf and the colors are there are so inspiring! I'm happy that she didn't keep it and gave it to me as I just might have kept it if I were her. She also got me a cup and teapot! I've been putting my teas into a teapot and enjoying the never ending cups of tea lately so her gift was perfect!

Day 331 | Thanksgiving Menu

Prompt: Whats on the menu for your Thanksgiving dinner?

 

Stephanie | This is the smallest Thanksgiving dinner and gathering we have had. Its a low key day. We made the usually staples for thanksgiving, plus I made a pecan pie for the first time. Its one of my hubby's favorites and I finally made one, looking forward to trying it for the first time tonight. Appetizers: olives, cheese ball with crackers, mimosas, and sparkling cider for the kids. Dinner: Turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, rolls. Dessert: Pumpkin pie, and pecan pie.  

Annetta | This is the biggest Thanksgiving dinner and gather I've been too since the loss of my nephews that tore our family apart. Lucky for me, it was held at my aunts house so I only had to bring a dish or two with me and enjoy the evening without the stress of hosting. I actually just got back from the gathering not too long ago which means we spent around 8-9 hours there eating, playing games, talking and watching football. There was so much food! Many of them were our traditional Russian dishes like fish salad, Russian potato salad, mushroom-carrot-garlic salad, jello meat, a few different beet salads, a variety of pickled veggies. The traditional stuff was there too like mashed potatoes, turkey. There were other things, but my stomach was too full to pay much attention to everything that was there. Then there was dessert that lasted for a few hours with your typical items and then not so typical Russian stuff. It was the best Thanksgiving I've had in a long time. I am grateful for my family and the time we spent together.

Day 330 | Thankful For

Prompt: Share what you are thankful for from the past year.

Annetta | The most things I am thankful from this past year in our health, without it everything is meaningless. I am also thankful for friendships made deeper and for opportunities in my career. For personal growth that was big for me this year. I am also thankful for my husband and the way we've grown as a married couple, ready to seek God and go for our dreams together.

Stephanie | I am thankful for the growth I have made.

Day 329 | Your Age

Prompt: What is the most difficult thing about being your age?

Stephanie | The most difficult thing about being in my early 30's is the pressure to be perfect in every way. The pressure to have a well kept home, happy, highly educated, multi-talented, and well behaved kids, to be thin and unrealistically beautiful, to be involved in many clubs/events/gatherings outside the home, but still have a wholesome home cooked meal from scratch on the table at an appropriate dinner time. The pressure to be everything, to everyone, at anytime and to have everything in perfect order. To have my life all figured out and to know exactly what I am doing. To never fail and to have all the answers. The pressure to act "grown up" while still feeling like a kid, and never feeling myself. The pressure is enormous and I never feel like I measure up.

Annetta | I'd say the changes that I've been going through as my body shift from a teenage body to a woman body. I know that sounds funny! Here's an example, I've never been a sweets kind of person, but since turning 30 I've had a strong craving for sweets and mostly at night. I sometimes don't know how to deal with it. There are other changes that I can't wrap my mind around yet and it could actually not really be about my age. I've learned to except me, but there are moments where I wonder... I'll be 31 in January and so far I'd say I am liking this age in general. I am so much more mature then when I was in my 20's. Honestly, there are more things that I love about this age and very little I don't.

Day 328 | Quiet Time

Give yourself 20-30 minuets of quiet time, what did you do?

Stephanie | I am not one who is good at taking quiet time for myself. Since starting the school year in September, my daughter goes out of the house for art, music, and other school things during the week. This gives me 4 different times to do something for myself. I let my little one play fun games on my phone while we wait and I keep busy by reading or working on my cross stitch projects. I make progress on my current stitching project today. I look forward to these little quiet moments, even though I am not alone, I get to work on things just for my and Shea gets to have her treat of phone time while big sissy is doing her school stuff.

Annetta | My favorite thing to do is find some time to myself. I don't always get it, but there are serval days out of a week where I can carve some time out for myself. That is the benefit of having one child I guess. My most favorite thing to do is to cross stitch. I've been doing it for a year now and have become quite attached to this hobby. While cross stitching I love to watch a good show or a movie. This, to me, is relaxing and I find lots of joy that I can relax, create and be productive as something I love.

Day 327 | November Mail Day

Prompt: $10 or less thrift shop find for the office or home:

Annetta | I have a love for spoiling Stephanie. I know that the gift was for $10 or less, but goodness I find some great stuff for her. I've given her a gift of my first found treasure. I really love this gift, but it will bless me more if she has it. It's always better to give then to receive because when you give the present is two fold and intangible.

Stephanie | I picked out something I think Annetta will really like. I wanted to get something I thought would fit her home well, she could use, and photograph. One gift I think is totally her style and will fit right in at her house. The other gift I almost don't want to give because it is so cute and I just love it, but it will make me more happy to give her this item.

Day 326 | Children Taught Us

Prompt: Share a lesson your kids have taught you.

Stephanie | My kids have taught me unconditional love and forgiveness. That no matter my bad mood, messy hair, foul language and yelling, they still love me and they forgive all the wrongs that I do. I also love them even through their horrible tantrums, punches in my nose, bickering with each other, and screams from the backseat, I forgive-and quickly, all the wrongs they do.

Annetta | My son has taught me many valuable lessons, some I can recall at the moment and some not. One thing that I keep learning is that this world does not revolve around me. As a child he is still a person, a person that I as a mother need to love and serve. He, like the rest of the world, is not here for my sake, but I am here for him. This thought goes much deeper and needs to be explained further, but it's late and I will leave it at that for now. I am thankful for all the things that I get to learn from my child, it's needed as I have a desire to grow and be better.

Day 325 | Watercolor

Prompt: Watercolor whats around you.

Annetta | Today I bought some paperwhites for the first time. I want them to start growing in vases I'll have along my table for my holiday tablescape. I've been wanting to buy some every year, but this will be my first year actually having them and watching them bud. I personally am in love with rough and quick sketches, scribble and doodles that you will find in sketchbooks. I love well formed pieces of art, but quick beautiful messes will always have my heart.

Stephanie | My idea was to paint my cute little poinsettia plant I have sitting on my desk. But after waking up at 4 am, I have not been the best with time today. The day kinda got away from me, and 20 minutes before taking my daughter to art class (too dark to photograph when I get home) I tried my best to sketch out and paint my beautiful plant. I had high hopes for myself with this prompt, but my lack of time, and severe lack of skill have left me with a rather disappointing painting. 

Day 324 | Banish Room

Prompt: What are somethings you would put into the banish room, never to be in existence again.

Stephanie | Some things I wish I could banish are: Leaf blowers (they are so outrageously loud and are only used at the worst possible times), Spiders, Wearing socks with sandals, People who can't return shopping carts to the store or cart corral, The Geico pig commercials (or all Geico commercial, not including the hump day one, that's hilarious), Jaywalkers when there is a cross walk nearby or when they purposely dart out in front of traffic, Pedestrians and bikers who walk/ride in the road rather than the edge/sidewalk and who can't walk straight, Spitting, Smoking and chewing tobacco, Using speakerphone in public, Election ads, Child abusers and sex offenders, Spam email and blocked phone calls, Roads without proper sidewalks and lighting.     

Annetta | I wold banish many things. I could make a really long list of them, but I won't. I believe that a place like that already exists. I do love Stephanie's list though!!

Day 323 | I Am The One

Prompt: I am the one who....

Annetta | I am the one.... who needed to do the catching up when I married my husband. It seems like he had it all figured out and had no flaws. Obviously that was not the case because no one has it all figured out nor is anyone flawless, but in our own relationship I was the one who need to grow the most, to catch up. I have been going good in the growing department, but need to continue in that journey. I am thankful that he is ahead because in the end I believe that's how it should be.

Stephanie |  I am the one who....tries to see all sides to a situation and see other peoples point of view and offer advice that is fair.

Day 322 | Help

Prompt: What would really help you right now?

Annetta | Some high quality inspiration. The kind that gets things done because you are so inspired to do them. It's been a while since I've had that kind of inspiration as everything I do is forced out of me instead of it just flowing freely. I really miss being able to work off inspiration alone.

Stephanie |  Right now a workspace of my own and a 2nd computer would help me the most. I share a small desk with my home schooled kindergartener in our dinning space. It gets very crowded and I have to clean up my creative messes right when I am done with them, since I do them on the kitchen counter currently. I can't leave anything out since there are 4 small kids running around my house. I need a space that is just mine for my creativity, where I can walk away and pause my work rather than putting it all away for the night, I will get more done if I have my own space. 

Day 321 | Something New

Prompt: Tell me about a time you tried something new.

Stephanie | A few weeks ago hubby and I went out for a dinner date. We enjoyed a nice sushi dinner, one of our faves. I am usually very cautious about the foods I eat, I don't like anything "strange" or at least strange to me. Growing up it was a lot of casserole dishes and it carried between chicken hamburger, pork chops and can tuna. And I've been ok with that. But I married a man who enjoys eating all those things I think are just a little strange and even gross. Over the course of our marriage he has introduced me to some new food items that I actually enjoy, but there are several on the list I am not brave enough to try, yet. So on our sushi date, I was brave and tried an eel roll for the first time, and kinda liked it. Not sure it would be my first pick when we order again, but I wouldn't shy away like I have in the past.

Annetta | Last week while on our trip to the coast for our anniversary my husband and I were trying to find a good place to have lunch. Instead of lunch we stumbled upon a 'restaurant' that does a cooking class/show. You sign up for four courses! First off, it was our first time having four courses as I can barely manage to finished one. Second off, this cooking class/show was the first for the both of us. Not only was the food incredibly delicious that I eat almost all the courses, but we learned some great things. Next time I go out to buy beef it will be grass-fed and not pasture-raised as there is a huge difference. The interesting thing was, a few month back I was telling my husband how I would like to try dining out and having a full course dinner. I got my wish! Its good to try new things.

Day 320 | Next Big Step

Prompt: Tell me about the next big step you are going to take towards your dreams.

Annetta | Film Photography was my next big step towards my dreams. I went another step forward and purchased a vintage polaroid. I've purchased modern polaroids, but have not enjoyed the results. The fact that I'm using something that's no longer made makes me very happy. It's not the one that I want as that *might* come this Christmas, but it will get to a place where I can discover inspiration and how it works through digital and film photography. I'm all about inspiration and photography is one way to get anyone inspired. Hopefully the things that I discover this coming up year will be a good foundation to that book I plan on writing someday. I now own a 35mm film camera, a twin-lens camera and my new polaroid land camera, hello inspiration!

Stephanie | One of my goals is to continue working to clean up or debt so we are able to purchase our large lot of land and have our dream home. Another goal I want to work towards is finally opening my etsy shop I created a few years ago and sell handmade items and pictures. I need to work towards making some money in the new year and this is a way that I can do that.

Day 319 | Day In Pictures

Prompt: Share your day in pictures.

Stephanie | Today was all about taking Christmas pictures, for my family and for our friends Jennie and Richard.  The first session was for my family which was basically a nightmare. Neither girl wanted to cooperate at the same time, Shealynn was having a meltdown over everything, our dog Moose was too excited to sit still, and I had to set the timer and run in place to be in the pictures. It was overwhelming to say the least, but at least we were all dressed real cute and festive and the sun was shinning. I love the 'out take' of my hubby and the girls, Syri is very serious while Shea is acting crazy, shows my family pretty well. Jennie and Richard's session was much calmer and super cute. I am excited to look though all of their images.

Annetta | Today my husband and I celebrated 6 years of marriage. We spent half of our week on the coast of Oregon. Today we drove home, but took the back roads to explore Oregon a little more. The back roads took us on a gravel road that followed a river most of the time. The landscape was gorgeous and we stopped many times for that perfect picture. On the trip I took 2 digital cameras and 2 film cameras. We both had fun capturing the beauty around us. This has been one of the best anniversary getaways that we've had as they do get better and better with each year. With the both of us I think we walked out of there with 1,000 plus images. I'll also be making a video from our trip. Cannon Beach is now on my top list to visit as much as I can as that place was amazing!

Day 318 | 100 Years

Prompt: When you are 100 years old, what do you think will have really mattered the most to you?

Annetta | That's rather an easy question to answer. My family, that is the only thing that will matter to be when I am 100 years old, that they are healthy, happy and living a God centered life. It will be nice to look back on all the things I've done, went and accomplished, but family is where life is and where God has placed us.

Stephanie | When I am 100 years old what will be important to me will be my family, my health, and that I accomplished something in my life I set out to do. I don't want to get to the end of my life and had it wasted away without doing something fulfilling for myself.

Day 317 | Family Occasion

Prompt: In as much detail as you can tell me about a memorable family occasion such as a wedding, anniversary, birthday party etc. Add a photo if possible.

Annetta | My husband and I celebrate our 6 years of marriage this Saturday so I'm going to say our wedding day. I don't only remember how beautiful it was, but a few other things that made the day not so beautiful. The important part was it was one day and my marriage has been far more precious then anything I could have hoped for. Here's to many and a many more years to go with the man who helps me be a better me!

Stephanie |  Right after my husband I were married he was sent off to Iraq for a year. When he came home that was the first time we experienced married life, the first time we lived together. One of the first outings we had was to the beach. Our little family had been reunited and were ready to begin our lives together. We were pregnant shortly after so this picture was one of a few where it was just my husband and I, safe and together.