The best form of flattery

I like to think that I'm creative, but mostly I'm just good at copying people who really are creative. Take this recently completed art/photo wall in Sara's bedroom for example.


First I saw this really cool alphabet name poster here, and after spending way too much time playing with their "customize your own" feature, I thought to myself, "I could make that!"

So I did.


Then I saw this awesome elephant collage here, and a similar screen print of more elephants on the same website here (and I have always loved elephants!) so I thought to myself, "I could make that!"

So I did.


They both differ slightly from their respective originals (obviously I used different paper for my elephants than Petite Collage did, and my alphabet poster is in ABC order instead of randomized), but for the most part, they are just blatant copies. It sure would be nice if I could think of creative stuff to make all on my own. But for now I'm good with just making slightly different versions of the cool things I see online.

So, the take-home message from this story is: go be creative so I can copy you!

I should open a flower shop

I like to arrange flowers. It's fun. And arranged flowers always look better than bouquet stuck in a vase flowers.

Hiking

Rob, Sara and I went for a hike yesterday afternoon. We hiked part of the Porter Fork Trail up Millcreek Canyon. For those of you who live locally and like to hike, if you've never done this one, you should! It was a beautiful hike! It is in a gully with trees surrounding you and a stream running along side it the whole way. We didn't make it to the top, but really enjoyed the part we did hike. Sara really loved it too! Thanks to Rob's sister for letting us borrow the baby backpack.

Thinking of Pioneers

You can't see my face (the video is kinda poor quality and taken from far away) but I'm in there somewhere. This is one of the 6 songs we sang.

Preaching to the Choir

So a little more info about the Sunrise Service choir I'm singing in at the Tabernacle on Temple Square THIS FRIDAY July 24th at 7:00 AM.

It is a multi-Stake choir from up here in Davis County. I was so excited when they announced it, and glad I got picked to sing! (only 9 of each part from each Stake, so I was one of 9 altos from my Stake--yay!!) Coincidentally (or perhaps not) it was one of my life goals to sing in a "real choir" again (aka, not just the Ward choir) and I'm counting this as fulfilling that goal! There are 300+ people in the choir (enough to fill the choir seats in the Tabernacle) and the director is awesome. We've been practicing twice a week for the past two weeks, and each practice is 2 1/2 hours long!! We're not messing around!

So I know 7:00 AM is super early to try to attend this thing, so if anybody wants to attend the dress rehearsal you are welcome to do so. It won't be the same as the actual performance, but it could be fun to watch. It's tomorrow night (Wednesday) at 7:00 PM in the Tabernacle. Oh ya, and children are welcome to attend both the dress rehearsal and performance, so bring 'em along if you decide to come!

Sunrise Service

Here in Utah we have a State holiday on July 24th, Pioneer Day, that celebrates the arrival of the first pioneer settlers to the Salt Lake Valley. Well this year I will be singing in the choir for the Sunrise Service at 7:00 AM in the Tabernacle on Temple Square, and you are all invited to attend!! It should be really great. The choir will be led by Michael Huff who is a Music Professor at the University of Utah and also the Musical Director of the Salt Lake Symphonic Choir. We are singing 6 great musical numbers and there will also be a speaker and other musical performances. And IT'S FREE! No tickets required. So for anybody who likes getting up with the sun on your holidays (and I know you all do!) come and join us! I'd love to see you there!!

(Click here for more info.)

Painting

I took a few oil painting classes while I was in college and really enjoyed them. I haven't painted since those classes, and I didn't realize how much I missed it until yesterday when I started a new painting! I have to thank my friend Audrey who asked me to do a painting for her. I've been keeping blank canvases behind my bed for way too long; it's time to get some paint on them! This painting I'm doing for my friend is very small, only 5x7 inches, but I'm hoping it will turn out okay. If it does, I'll post a photo of it when it's finished. And hopefully this will keep the painting bug going!

...gently down the stream...

Yesterday was (that's right, you guessed it) National Learn To Row Day!

Rob and I joined the festivities by going out to the Great Salt Lake marina to learn to row from the Salt Lake Rowing team. This is actually our second time attending this event. We went two years ago as well. For anybody who ever wanted to learn to row, they have this event every year around this time, and it's available all over the country (so long as there is some water nearby and a rowing team in the area!). We had a great time learning to row (again). We just might take lessons to learn even more, but they're kind of pricey, and membership to join the team is expensive too. But the people we talked to who are already on the team love it! And once you take the 3 training courses, you can come to the lake at any time and use the boats. You can even go out by yourself if you like the solitude. I'll bet it's pretty cool to be on the lake while the sun rises or sets and see the mountains and city in the distance.

So anyway, nothing too exciting. Just reporting on yesterday's activities.