Author Archives: Sparkbark

What I Designed Today: Theater Bartlesville’s The Trip to Bountiful – Billboard Design Progression

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I thought you might like to see the progression of this particular billboard. The artistic director, Joe Sears, of Greater Tuna fame (Aunt Pearl? Tony nominee? Ring any bells?), created the yellow background and silhouette with watercolors on vellum and I scanned the artwork in and adjusted everything for print. It’s been 20 years since I designed a billboard. That makes me sound really, really old but the first time I did one, I was only 22. You do the math. I’m not a dinosaur…yet. Billboard design can be tricky but it’s nice to know the technology has improved enough to where an accurate color proof is available on the same vinyl they use to put up on the actual billboard. It was only $35 extra for the proof, and yellow can also be tricky, so I figured it was worth it. If all went well, we’d have an extra 2.5 x 4′ banner for the front window of the theater. The yellow turned out fine so it was a win, win!

In other news, I’ve been elected Marketing Director for the local community theater: Theater Bartlesville. It’s going to be a fun way for me to make more local connections in the printing and publishing industry, as well as the arts. It’s a great board this year so I’ve already met some fantastic, intelligent, kind people. This won’t kill me for a year term, right?!

First Day of School 2013-2014

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The boys started school this week.  It’s Cole’s senior year.  That’s all I have to say about that.

What I Designed Today: Climbing Logo

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Here’s what I did today:  which would you choose?

What I Designed Today: Custom Illustrator Brushes

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So I just realized today there’s a relatively new feature in Illustrator where you can choose which portion of your custom brush to allow to stretch. Hence, these cute little heart balloons for Valentine’s Day and four-leaf clovers for St. Patrick’s Day. Adorable, no? I love learning new things that make life easier.

(Not So) Recent Design Work: Pisgah Centennial Celebration Poster

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In an effort to get some of my older work online, here’s a piece from a 2004 Centennial Celebration in the town of Pisgah, Iowa. Great little town! This particular poster won a Silver Award from the Printing Industry of the Midlands. The printer submitted it without my knowledge and it won! He said that he submitted it after he saw several employees at the printing house put it up in their cubicles just because they liked it. Those crazy midwesterners that I adore!

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint + Ethan Allen Armoire DONE!

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Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Antibes plus dark wax plus an Ethan Allen solid wood armoire found at Goodwill = MERRY CHRISTMAS to me! I am thrilled with the results but I must warn you there were a couple of moments I thought it wouldn’t be salvageable. The dark wax can be tricky but once I learned to use clear wax to remove excess dark wax in spots then it worked out beautifully. Also, distressing isn’t as easy as everybody says so I decided to forego much distressing on this piece as the oak beneath showed through rather than the Graphite layer I painted beneath the two coats of Antibes green, and I did not want that.

Recipe For Faux Oreo Filling

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Tastes like Oreo filling!!!

I was making variations on fondue for an upcoming Christmas Eve 70s-themed party and one vanilla version I had altered was too thick. I left it out on the counter and when we got home from church, it had hardened a little into what tastes just like Oreo filling. Even my kids agree! So now I am dreaming of all the wonderful uses for this filling!

Faux Oreo Filling

12 oz vanilla flavored almond bark
1.5 cups sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup butter
1/8 tsp salt

Microwave in one minute intervals until smooth when whisked. Let cool then use as desired.

Knitted Things I Found at Target

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My little town doesn’t have a Target and, oh, how I truly miss clearance shopping at Target! I enjoyed poking around the store and took a few snapshots of some cute knitted Christmas things. Enough to spark a knitting or recycled wool felt project? Probably! Enjoy!

My Ethan Allen + Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Project

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So I haven’t started yet. Unless you count scouring Goodwills, garage sales, estate sales and thrift shops for the perfect armoire to hold linens, which, everybody knows, is the absolute funnest part other than having your project done. I’m all about envisioning and finishing. The middle stuff gets a little murky so I thought I’d document my project so I’m a little more motivated to get it done. I found this Ethan Allen cabinet for $35 at the Tulsa downtown Goodwill — the only one in the area that sells furniture. Even as the store put it on hold for me (with a sign and everything) while I still shopped, another couple went up to it and I actually heard them discussing that they could just take the sign off…and I quickly mentioned that I WAS CHECKING OUT WITH IT. Geesh. That’s a sure sign of a good find!

Then, I went to buy the paint at Canabananas at The Market at Walnut Creek in Tulsa which is an adorable selection of mini boutiques. Some great, some just okay. The staff was a bit snobbish and less-than-helpful, but I enjoyed wandering around there just the same. Next time, though, I’ll buy my Annie Sloan Chalk Paint right here in Bartlesville at the French Nest. Candi Peaster is the owner and I have met her and she is super nice and helpful. Wish me luck on the project! I think I’m going to try graphite underlayer and Antibes green with dark wax to match our black bedroom furniture and green polka dotted comforter. I hope it turns out as well as I envision it!

Christmas Decorating for the Nativity

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The world’s best designer was out of commission this year so I was asked to help decorate the refreshment room for our church’s community nativity display. I am by no means a professional but I am pleased with the results. You’d have to know what I had to start with to accurately judge, but since my goal was to PURCHASE next to nothing for this project (I like to throw money at problems when I don’t have time to deal with them!), I can honestly say I achieved my goal. The only two things I purchased: the whole bolt of chocolate brown burlap — and the two 96″ tablecloths used nearly all of that –and secondly, the teeny tiny nativity shown in the glass. It’s still too big but I was amazed at the lack of miniature creches available at Hobby Lobby in my small hometown. Rest assured I’ll be on the hunt for tiny nativities online! All in all, though, few purchases and yet a decent success. My favorite thing: the burlap camels from TJMaxx. They are adorable with or without the gold bells I put around their necks. I hope we get lots of visitors to the nativity display at the church this weekend and that all who come eat cookies and think of the true meaning of Christmas!

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It’s Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas!

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It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Our home is a MESS. A huge mess. It was hard for me to “let” the boys go fishing on such a nice November day in Oklahoma because we started on Christmas decorations today and we have so far to go! It still feels nice to have the beautiful decorations going up…even if we fight half the time while putting stuff up {think: don’t drag that! watch the walls! are you hiding in your room playing games?! don’t you like Christmas?!}. The season of peace and joy is about to begin for sure and I love every single second of it. It doesn’t hurt to have a Husker win and college football on in the background, either!

Quick & Easy Outdoor Halloween Decorations

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So we finally had some time to add some of the projects we had been hoping to for Halloween. Our front yard has such an expanse (corner lot) that it can be hard to capture the whole thing in one picture, so I tried to take closer shots so you could see some of the details. I especially love the shot where you can see my reflection in the glass on the front door…not. Oh well, I never claimed to be a professional photographer!! We put up garbage bag spider webs in one front window and on the side fence. We put up a huge rope spider web and a trash-bag-spider with glowing LED eyes crawling down off the roof. We also put up a milk jug skeleton, lots of white spiderwebs, a cheesecloth ghost, and a couple of bats. There’s also a window silhouette of a huge black ghost (four poster boards worth!) but he won’t show up until after dark. Lastly, the boys had a great time making their pumpkins — Ben got to learn to use a power drill for the first time and nobody bled!!! I call that a successful day at our house. HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

Halloween!

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We quickly made up some fabric ghosts today and put them up in the yard! The boys love it. We did this many years ago in Nebraska but they were up for ONE night and somebody stole them from the front yard — sticks and all! This time, we hope they stay for awhile. I think I’m going to insert some lights on the ground like they’re gathered around a fire. I love this because it’s cute, cheap ($1.50 / yard fabric — about $15 total in supplies!), and most of all…easy!

I love this pic from our entryway toward the ghosts. You can see the inexpensive spiderweb rug we made last year and I posted about it here. If that rugs lasts through this season (which I’m sure it will!), it will have paid for itself, it was such a cute, cheap project and I love a wide oval shaped rug on the porch.

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Lastly, this pic is of my FAVORITE ghost ever. I love his shape and his black felt eyes on white corduroy fabric. He has ragged edges and covers my vacuum. He was originally the smallest in a set of three that I sewed to cover upside-down tomato cages covered in lights. They blew away in a storm and this one was the only one I could save. I hope to resurrect the other two and put out the three lit-up ghosts this year, too. I’ll be sure to post pictures if I get that project done, too!

One Idea for Keeping a Journal

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I am not the very best journal keeper, but I do try to document our lives every year or two…or five. I ran across this idea from Gretchen Rubin’s article in the February 2012 issue of Good Housekeeping and thought I’d share it, although when you multiply one sentence times four children and a husband (not to mention 3 pets!), it gets overwhelming and I don’t think one sentence could sum up any one of our crazy days. On the other hand, it might be good to choose one superlative memory from each day. Surely during a year of this solid endeavor, every child would be covered.

Another tip: I like to write down “Top Ten Things” for each of my kids. Sometimes it’s difficult to think of ten different things but I love looking back at the minutiae of their lives: stuffed animals, funny sayings, food preferences or dislikes. It’s the stuff that makes up great memories. I think I may try to cut that down to one thing each day, choosing just the very best memory and see how that goes for awhile! Happy writing!

Benjamin Franklin & Alma 37:6 — Small & Simple Everyday Things!

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Two facets of the same subject: First, I love this quote by Benjamin Franklin. “Human felicity is produc’d not so much by great pieces of good fortune that seldom happen, as by little advantages that occur every day.” Secondly, it made me think of one of my all-time favorite scriptures. Alma 37:6 “Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise.” When we study that concept in seminary, I always try to warn my students that the reverse is also true: small and simple things can lead you down the path of spiritual destruction as well — those flaxen cords! But, mostly, I love this scripture for its acknowledgment in the great power of simple choices made repeatedly over time. Strength truly is consistency over time — whether it’s food, exercise, spirituality, or another choice. I love when quotes from unrelated parts of the world combine to affirm a universal truth!