my blessed life {summer}

ah... summer. i am enjoying what is left of it... it has gone by so fast. i can't believe it.

this weekend is going to be packed with so much summer fun & i love it!

{first} going to water world, one of my favorite places ever, with a bunch of my family! i have my waterproof camera ready & i cant wait!!

^ my sister at water world last year! :)

{second} going to a rockies baseball game!! yay!!!! always love to root for my favorite team! :)

what are your plans for this weekend? anything fun?

i ♥ blueberries.

 & my favorite meal lately!! :)

all photo taken by me! :)

favorite etsy finds...

+ i ♥ pride & prejudice!

& this etsy shop {brookish} has the cutest handmade items based on the book.

i really want these two... :)

{pemberley is mr.darcy's estate...}
drawing adapted from the estate featured in the a&e movie
screen printed by hand on the t-shirt

"They gradually ascended for half a mile, and then found themselves at the top of a considerable eminence, where the wood ceased, and the eye was instantly caught by Pemberley House, situated on the opposite side of a valley, into which the road with some abruptness wound. It was a large, handsome, stone building, standing well on rising ground, and backed by a ridge of high woody hills;—and in front, a stream of some natural importance was swelled into greater, but without any artificial appearance. Its banks were neither formal, nor falsely adorned. Elizabeth was delighted. She had never seen a place where nature had done more, or where natural beauty had been so little counteracted by an awkward taste. They were all of them warm in her admiration; and at that moment she felt that to be mistress of Pemberley might be something!" -from Pride & Prejudice, by Jane Austen (1813)

{quote said by jane, after getting engaged to mr.bingley ♥}
one of my favorite parts...

+ pretty feathers print from groundwork.etsy.com 

love the colors!

 + i love these vintage dresses from etsy.com/shop/sallyjanevintage 

she always has the cutest vintage clothing for sale!

they are sold already though... sad.

the first one is completely amazing.

etsy shop update!!!

visit {my etsy shop} to see a few new additions...

+ summer-y striped fabric button earrings...

 + thank you cards {set of 4} designed by me-- with fonts from {fonts for peas}

+ birthday card- poppies hand-drawn by me! :)

& much more...

{http://www.etsy.com/shop/brightsidephotos}

+ remember, i still have a some special items that are up to 50% off, in my SALE section...

inspired by: letterpress.

i spotted all of these beauties while browsing through http://www.ohsobeautifulpaper.com/ ♥

it is full of amazing designs from many very talented letterpress artists :)

i would love to be able to do this...

weekend photos.

last week was very busy for me... my church had their vacation bible school and my sister & i taught the 3rd & 4th grade class! we decorated our room to go along with the "dude ranch" theme & we had a blast with the kids all week long. we had 70 kids enrolled, which is more kids than we usually have! also, we always have a boys vs. girls offering, the kids get really into it! this year they brought in over $500 for us to give to opperation christmas child, which is an organization that sends gifts & the message of jesus to children in poor areas of the world, at christmas time. we had a blast all week, but it was also a lot of work... so i was so thankful when the weekend came!

my sister & i made a covered wagon for vbs! the kids loved it! :)

& we ate more goodies from the backyard garden! it is really flourishing now! i am loving it! :)

we got our first red tomato! :) hope more are on there way soon...

we went for a walk by the river for a little bit. & i took some more film shots... here is my mom and sister :)

my sister & i

my film camera ♥

it was a perfect relaxing weekend... my mom, sister, & i even had a gilmore girls marathon on sunday afternoon! :)

downtown {in film}

last weekend, i went downtown with my mom & sister!
i felt like shooting film, so i loaded my camera & took a walk...
& here is some of what i saw:

*i think, this one is my favorite... my sister said it reminded her of

the grest gatsby! :)

i have another roll that i am ready to shoot now! maybe this weekend!

:)

it was such a busy busy week for me, so this saturday feels even better than they usually do!!

hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

food from the weekend...

fresh snap peas, summer squash, & zucchini right from the garden...

 yumm... these were perfect in our summer chicken stir-fry! :) 

also, over the weekend, i made a "healthy(ish)" carrot cake!!!

it was so good. :)

carrot cake recipe ♥
{ingredients}

2 cups whole-wheat flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

3 large eggs

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

3/4 cup nonfat buttermilk*

1/2 cup canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups grated carrots

2 peeled & grated apples

{frosting}

12 ounces fat free cream cheese

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

{instructions}

1. To prepare cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat two round baking pans with cooking spray.

2. Whisk flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Whisk eggs, sugar, buttermilk, oil, & vanilla in a large bowl until blended. Stir in carrots. Add the dry ingredients and mix with a rubber spatula just until blended. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, spreading evenly.

3. Bake the cake until the top springs back when touched lightly and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

4. To prepare frosting: Beat fat free cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Spread the frosting over the cooled cake.

*no buttermilk? just mix 1 tablespoon lemon juice to 1 cup skim milk

color inspiration...

here is what is inspiring me lately...

i am loving all the color!!!

{amazing print from persimmon and pink}

{really cute cake decor from kiki la ru}

{i love these colorful italy photos by irena s... visit her shop}

{cabin charm from my fine garden}

{a stunning flower arrangment from lauren {elycerose}

{free birds photo by yvette inufio}