Lost Type

So a few months ago a friend introduced me to Lost Type Co-op, a great design resource and my new favorite place for inspiration. There are a ton of fonts there to choose from and the best part is that you can see how the creators use the fonts or how other designers have implemented them into their work. My friend used a few of the featured fonts on our rehearsal dinner invites:

and I've been using a few for different looks at work

Check it out when you have the chance!

An Accidental Pet

So, we have a new buddy hanging out around the house these days…

Meet Dr. Cat, a "neighborhood" cat (aka stray) who started hanging out on our front porch a few months ago. He comes inside every once and a while. We've taken to feeding him and looking out for him. I'd say he's at least 8 years old. He a great tomcat who purrs and drools when happy. We keep lots of rags handy :) And he has the cutest meow - the hubs has taken to imitating it.

A neighbor told us he was brought down her by a girl up the street and her boyfriend when they moved to California from Seattle. I guess she thought he was a stray then, too. Turns out she was mistaken, though - Dr. Cat's been spayed/neutered and declawed. Definitely belonged to somebody up there in Seattle. Poor guy's been braving the streets ever since! I hope to have him taken to a vet soon to check him for basic problems before we get our kitten later this month so he can still spend some time inside with us. Otherwise, the porch will be his home.

Another habit of his that tipped me off to thinking he was a house cat is his constant need to snuggle up. He always wants to get on the sofa and cuddle on your lap or he'll sneak upstairs and get in our bed when we're making dinner (which is so off limits to our stray friend). He loves blankets.

Sure, having an outdoor cat spend some time inside with us requires extra vacuuming and hand washing, but he's the sweetest thing. I think it's worth it. Hopefully he gets a clean bill of health and we can keep him around for the long run.

Changing...

So it's been quite around here. Between the wedding, owning a home, finishing up (my last year of!) school and everything else, bloguing hasn't been happening. I miss it terribly. I was talking with the husband about it and we've decided to change the subject matter of the blogue. We're currently (and continually) in the process of updating and recreating our 1920's bungalow (pictured below, photo from our engagement shoot with Tori Wible at TW Photography)

Those gross, overgrown plants are gone now, btw, and we have 6 beautiful hydrangeas instead! 

So, let's think of it this way. As the home sweet home gets a very diy (my husband does not believe in handymen, plumbers, electricians, contractors, etc) facelift, so will the blogue! It'll be fun. It already is fun. And you can expect more pictures and a recap of my very diy wedding (because I don't believe in wedding planners, decorators or ready-to-order whatever) as soon as possible.  Here's a sneak-peak at Tori's blog.

More coming soon… :)

Designer Babes

I know, I know…it's been quiet around here lately…Sorry about my extended absences. I posted a random tidbit on Valentine's day, but that's about it for this month. Something's caught my attention lately, though, and I'd like to share it with you.

Not that this is new news or anything. It was first publicized in 1999, when TIME magazine released an article about it. I heard a peer bring it up after class one day and I couldn't help but ask what she was talking about. "Designer babies." What are those?

The more naive part of my brain thought designer as in clothing. Come on, who doesn't love a great pair of True Religion jeans or a Louis Vuitton bag? Designer babies, in my opinion, would be kiddos dressed to a 't.' Like they're mom's Barbie dolls.

She said designer babies are, in fact, fetuses designed by their parents. As in, parents can now choose the gender and even the genetic make of their unborn children…for several grand. Actually, anywhere from $3,00-19,000 in the United States. This medical advancement, formally called preimplantation genetic diagnosis, was originally intended to help parents avoid miscarriages or infant deaths from diseases like cystic fibrosis and spinal muscular atrophy. Embryos (yes, embryos with an 's') are "formed" in a lab setting, where they are then tested for genetic mutations or signs of these debilitating diseases. The "defect-free" embryo is then planted into the mother's uterus. It's hard to find an exact number of "possible embryos" created for each couple, but there are "defected" embryos who do not pass the biopsy (or do not survive the biopsy) and are disposed of about five days after fertilization.

Just because it's a five day old ball of cells…it's not human? What are we doing?

The Fertility Institutes, the leading fertility institution in the PGD race, suggests couples seeking designer babies should suffer one of the following complications:

"Prior unexplained IVF failure

Recurrent miscarriages

Maternal age over 38

Conception of a chromosomally abnormal child or fetus

Polycystic ovary syndrome

History of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome

Heritable medical condition in either the patient or in a prior child (such as hemophilia)

Two or more children of the same gender (sex selection for family balancing)

Multiple birth with desire to transfer just one embryo or a need for donor oocytes due to Turner's syndrome

Premature ovarian failure or premature menopause"

(The whole spiel is available to read at http://www.fertility-docs.com/PGD.phtml.)

But…it's been taken even farther now. And the process of designing a baby is apparently traumatizing for the fetus. According to an article found on the Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago's website (www.advancedfertility.com/preimplantation_genetic_diagnosis.htm), many embryos never fully recover from the genetic alterations performed during the earliest stages of development. The biopsy can actually kill the fetus. Red flag, anyone?

I wonder why adoption is not a more sought-after answer to infertility issues. But, the increasing cost of the process and the limiting regulations have caused private adoptions to be more and more time consuming. It may actually be cheaper to have a PGD…and faster, too. Nine months isn't much time to wait when compared to the tedious adoption process. Maybe this is what has discouraged so many families from adopting children in need. That's a whole other nightmare.

Back to the PGD.

Are we trying too hard to play God? It used to be that family was really the only thing in your life you couldn't choose…but now there are rumors of couples being able to change all kinds of features and details of their unborn children. We may be raising a generation of genetically-advanced humans soon, folks.

This is too much like iRobot for my taste.

Just some food for thought…what do you think about PGD?

Procrastinating?

So guys, are you a little behind on your Valentine's day planning?  Today is the big day, you know, and let's face it- you should be taking your lady out tonight. And no, dinner at MD for two just won't cut it tonight. The expectations are high and, as a fellow college student, I understand that the extra money in your wallet may be running low. Here are some fun, affordable and woman-approved date/gift ideas for you and your Valentine:

How about breakfast? There are some great local breakfast places and taking your girl out first thing means something special. Not to say you should skip class or anything, but what if you got up a little earlier to show her she's worth it? My favorite breakfast place is Bloom Coffee and Tea off Eureka in Roseville. Great coffee, awesome food and even fresh squeezed orange juice with a menu that's appropriately priced. Breakfast is offered from 8am-12pm and is full of seasonal fruits and veggies.

Bring flowers to her first class. Ok, hear me out. It's sweet and she'll smile though the entire period, no matter how boring the lecture. Or take that a little further and have a flower for her in every class. By the way, you can pick up flowers at any grocery store. There's a Safeway off of Park. Or, even better, bring her favorite coffee drink to her first class. She'll love the caffeine boost.

Make dinner for her. Or try really hard to and have a backup plan in case it doesn't turn out so well. Pasta is easy and salad will make it a meal. Taking her to dinner and making dessert is cute, too. There are some great local restaurants, like Pause Lounge in Roseville. This restaurant is offering a full-blown Valentine's Day special and all items are available a la carte. Don't worry too much about a reservation- seating at the bar and in the lounge is first come-first serve. Say "hi" to chef Michael Williams for me while you're there. Fat's Asia Bistro offers half-off all appetizers during happy hour (3-6pm). Chicago Fire is another local hot-spot off Eureka with hard to beat prices and a great menu. But, get there early!

Pictures. They really are worth a thousand words. Get together some pictures of the two of you and have them printed up. Put them in frames, make a cute scrapbook. You can do this at Walmart and some Targets.

Make a mix cd for her. Have you ever seen "Say Anything"? Consider this the modern way to express feeling through music. It could be made up of songs that remind you of her…or songs you both enjoy…or songs you would play for her on the guitar if you knew how. Get creative! And get her flowers, too. You don't want to seem cheap.

Here are some ideas to go off of, guys. Remember, today's national lovey-dovey day, so show your significant other how much you care! Or, do this any time just because she's your lady. Happy Valentine's day.

Update

I'm taking a class on my favorite books in the Bible- I and II Corinthians. This class is interesting…I don't agree with all of the professor's interpretations of the scripture, but I don't disagree with everything either. I Corinthians is full of gentle correction and spiritual truth and I appreciate it more now than ever. II Corinthians is like a ministry update and a lesson in sound doctrine all wrapped up in one letter. Seems like some great stuff to learn from and model after.

I'm writing an exegesis on II Corinthians 1:3-11, called "The God of All Comfort" in my NIV. All comfort. Verses 3-7 are incredibly reassuring and I find myself referencing them when I'm stressing. I'm excited to see what I come up with from poring over this passage for a semester.

I've been doing some design work lately, too. It's been a while since I've dived into any and I'm really enjoying it. I find it easier to create things that please both the "client" and myself than I have in the past. Maybe I'll post a blog of some of my work from the past year. Someday :) Oh, and I've jumped on the Gotham bandwagon. Ya, I'm a little late, but I chose to use it in a logo this past week! Snaps, anyone? The logo's for a young women's conference the college ministry's putting on at my church. Gotham and Lobster1.4. Very nice :) Check it out:

In the end, picture #2 was the winner. Fun design time.

I'm currently playing with some save the date ideas. Trying to come up with something without stepping on the fiancé's toes since it's his nitch…I just keep coming up with concepts and need to get them out of my brain! You know?

Oh, something I'm crazy about right now:

Science & Faith, the Script's new album. So great. I'm really enjoying it. Sure, I wish it had come out two years ago, but I forgive them ;) It was worth the wait in my opinion. I'm also liking Florence and the Machine's album called Lungs. Sure, some of the lyrics are a little graphic, emo and ya, ok, pretty strange. But Florence Welch's voice is so beautiful. So I just skip the songs that creep me out a little, like Girl With One Eye. Weird stuff. But, Dog Days are Over, Cosmic Love and My Boy Builds Coffins are incredible.  I'm also crazy about You've Got the Love, Hurricane Drunk and Drumming Song. I could go on and on. Not so much with Science & Faith because, honestly, many of the Scripts songs sound very similar. I don't know the album well enough to tell you which songs I prefer.

I'm also learning a lot. About myself and all. Ya, I feel like I write this every time I post, but I guess I'm still at that age of self-discovery. Which will probably continue for a lifetime. I'm ok with that. Just figuring out what my strengths are and what my weaknesses are. It's an exciting time and I can't wait to see what the next year has in store. 

My job is awesome, by the way. Another thing to be excited about :)

Have a great Thursday

The Coolest Thing Since Shredded Cheese

Do you remember how you felt when you where a kid and something embarrassing happened to you in public? Like when your mom would drop you off at school and shout, "I love you, Patootie!" from the car window. It seemed like everyone must be watching you. Everyone must have heard her say that! But, in reality, it was simply our childlike egocentric nature. Not that ever kid thinks that they're the coolest thing since shredded cheese (I insist on buying pre-shredded cheese), but let's face it. We were kind of the center of our own universes. Who was the main character in your imaginary adventures as a child? Ya, I was always the princess, too. It's something many people grow out of, though it seems to give one strong last struggle in adolescence before finally being replaced by a growing sense of self-confidence.

I was one of those kids who quickly learned that it was best to not care what others thought of me. I attended very competitive private schools from junior high to sophomore year and I honestly struggled. I maintained my honor roll status, but I constantly felt overwhelmed by the pace of the classes and the piles of homework. The last thing I needed to worry about was what the other kids thought of me. I just didn't have the time.

It would sometimes get under my skin, though. I was different. I was the "good girl," obviously not using anything and I didn't swear. I never paid much attention to what I wore since uniforms were mandatory. My skirts weren't hemmed to the popular so-short-it-got-you-a-detention length. I tended to protect and defend the kids who were bullied or teased. Not to mention that I was a Christian. That was like "social suicide."

My mom would often remind me that I wasn't at school to make friends. And I didn't necessarily want to be close to my classmates. There was a lot of manipulation and experimenting going on that I was far from comfortable with. In the end, I was the one people would talk to when they where marginalized or excluded. I was comfortable in this position. It made me Switzerland. No one wants to pick on the nice kid and no one really wants to include the nice kid in questionable activities. Win win.

When I was about to enter my junior year of high school, I did not reapply to the college-prep, all girls crazy place I had been attending. A friend from middle school had told me of this great school she was at and that I should apply. So I did. And it was like happily ever until-the-end-of-high-school. And I promised myself to focus my attention on what God wanted me to do and how He wanted me to live. Not on the expectations of my peers.

High school's over and the days of worrying about what others think about me are way behind me. Sometimes it's an issue because I'm not a political thinker. My parents are both involved in politics, so I leave that to them :) I'm a very private person and I tend to keep my thoughts and opinions to myself. I try to treat everyone with the respect they deserve as children of God. Most importantly, I try not to take myself too seriously. Now, if I trip down stairs or wear my shirt inside out, I laugh. Ya, it could be embarrassing, but I choose to not let it be. I still tend to be a rescuer and that's ok with me. But I don't worry about how other's interpret it any more. I know who God has called me to reach out to and who am I to not do so?

This, I've realized, is the first worry I let go of. Living this way is like a breath of fresh air. And I think it's important to realize, people are not focused on what you're doing because they're busy considering what they are doing themselves! People may not have an opinion about how you act or dress or whatever until they find you have developed an opinion of them. It's ironic, right?

I'm not trying to encourage an attitude of self-righteousness or anything here. And there are times when a loved one's opinion will affect how I act and encourage me to be a better version of me. Example: I'm shy right off the bat. It might not seem like it on here with me sharing my honest feelings and all, but I really am. I'm guarded and more of an observer than anything. Remember those vibes I talked about way back when? No? That's ok. Let me explain.

I've always scored highest in the area of discernment on those fun spiritual gift tests you take at Christian schools :) I sometimes get a very strong first impression of a person. And it's usually right. But, I've learned to not jump to conclusions. So, I typically keep people at arms length when first getting to know them. This and my shyness end up coming across as…I don't know. Different people perceive it differently…obviously. But J, who knows me best, brought it to my attention ages ago that it can seem mean and rude. It's not intentional, but his honesty has helped me. When he expressed what he thought, it was meant to benefit and not to harm. I'm so glad to have someone in my life who is willing to call me out on things I may be unaware of. 

In summary of this rambling metaphor, I guess I just want to encourage you: don't worry about what other people are thinking. Those closest to you support you and will offer their honest opinions, I'm sure- if you seek them out. If there is something you can improve on, then your friends and family are your best resources. I truly believe that you can't go wrong with politeness and kindness. You can't please everyone. It's healthiest to focus on pleasing the Lord.

Yes, this might sound like self-help mojo nonsense, but I really believe it. So what, who cares? Life's too short to put much of your attention on what the nosey Joneses are saying.

And a Happy New Year

Well, that was quite the hiatus.

I was going to write more often, but I just hadn't felt like writing. Which is slightly out of character, but I'm posting something now…right?

I don't really "believe" in New Year's resolutions, but if I did, it would be about my blog. Something like, "I will post at least once every ten days." A lofty goal :)

Some days I have a million ideas in my head that I could write pages about, and other days I don't. I never thought I'd write something today since I reformatted and updated applications at work, but I think it cured my writer's block. So, the ideas are coming back and here I am.

I started a new job today. It was a great day. I work for Student Ministries at my church now. It makes sense- I love working with students and my peers and it's what I'm going to school for! Winner combo. God is so faithful. I didn't really know what to expect or what I would be doing, but I ended up working on some things I feel passionate about. And everyone was so warm and welcoming. It was a great day.

I think it's a good start to the New Year.

And this is the year I get married :) The planning is going well and I'm so excited. No glitches or real issues there. All the big ticket things are taken care of; and people say wedding planning is stressful! 2011 is like 2010's nice twin so far.

My friend Dena calls me the Inspirational Bride. I've got lots of inspiration and I'm sharing it. Ready or not:

My wedding's theme is love birds and love stories. Birds and books. Don't worry, no feathers included! The colors are gray and purple and a lot of others, but mainly those two. We're having some amazing vendors involved and I can't wait to share with you once I've got something to talk about, haha.

Here are some sites I love to refer to as far as wedding planning goes:

www.stylemepretty.com

www.stylemepretty.com/little-black-book-blog/

www.etsy.com

www.brides.com

and of course:

www.brilliantearth.com

It's a bigger wedding with 200 people invited, but it doesn't feel big! J and I haven't combined our guest list yet, but so far ours are a hundred people long a piece. And then we have to consider our parents' invites. But I'm not stressing. I want the people who have truly supported us and who love us to be there, like family and friends. No one we haven't talked to in three plus years or anything. Budget constraints also limit the guest list and you gotta work with what you got. One of my bridesmaids (jokingly) said, "Only 200? You're not afraid of insulting anyone." I just want to say: I don't want to insult anyone. I don't play games and with limited space we can only squeeze in so many people. We want to share this day with those we're closest to. If we could invite everyone we know, we would. Well, J would :) The idea of a wedding for two is super appealing to me. OK, I kid. But…you know.

So I guess the invites are the only difficult thing so far. We're meeting with our photographer next week and I can't wait to share more about her! Maybe a cake tasting in there somewhere, too. I'll keep you all posted.

I guess this was a catch-up kind of post. It's going to be a year full of change and opportunity and I can't wait to see what happens. Have a great first week back in the swing of things!