Girls Gone...

...Wild

* Yeah...you've probably seen the cheesy late night ads & as I was pitching the idea to my girl D for our monthly selfies, it was a take on that only no nakie girls dancing around, just two girls tired of the winter,  me with our endless cold winds and D with her snow. At the time, it made perfect sense....the day I shot myself....not so much! Diane and I came to the conclusion that even though we might not have hit the mark on the title, it mattered more that we were doing the selfies together and we are having fun doing them...

...Until next time, I'm off to aug's blog
to see what she's come up with....c'mon...

...this way!

Happy Snapping!

xo

Kelly

Lip-smacking...

...Scrumptious Lemon-Bars

*Oh baby...

These my friends, are the latest in my gluten free baking escapade.  Let me tell you, they taste exactly as the title implies AND with no drama...unlike I had with my biscotti a few weeks ago! Food and all it's... Even my boys loved them. I've noticed that GF baked goodies taste even more amazing the next day. 

I wish we could all sit  and enjoy them together...I guess for now, i'll just have to have one for you! 

oh no, really, 

It's MY pleasure!

Happy Snapping!

xo

Kelly

The day handed us lemons...

....lemonade or tequila?

hmmmmm?!

*I couldn't say "life handed us lemons" because of one incident. Here at the Kardos household, we're lucky that way~but then we pride ourselves for creating a calm & uncomplicated home life. Every now and again, I guess, you gotta go through a "sour" spot to wake up your senses. I didn't write them rules...because if it were up to me...our lives wouldn't have have any of it. But you get through it, look for the bright spot, learn a lesson or two & move on.

Yup...lemonade always taste better sweetened!

Happy Snapping!

xo

Kelly

Because...

...retro rocks!

...the day's a little brighter with Danbo in it!

...life's about enjoying the small stuff!

Happy Snapping

xo

Kelly

Help, I smell smoke...

...cause my Brain's on fire!

Wow, I had those little synapses firing like crazy w/this weeks prompts! But I was bound & determined to play & finish! 

SO...here are this weeks interpretations!

~LOVE~

This was actually set up for a whole other prompt but morphed into LOVE! Theres' so much I do love, and this was the best way I could think of to encompass as much of everything as possible!

~DUPLICATED~

*Same nest...DUPLICATED in different tones.

~TRENDING~

I usually never follow trends but once I saw this new way to scrapbook...I was hooked, lined and sunk!

~Paper & Plastic~

Yes...Ms Kelly Cheater Pants snuck 2 prompts into one.

PLASTIC eggs on pretty spring PAPER

but c'mon...it's so cute & spring-ish!

See you on your blogs!

Happy Snapping!

xo

Kelly

Scavenger Hunt Sunday

There's always...

...{hope}

*One aspect of me you will always find woven into my photos is that I am the forever optimist that sees the glass 1/2 full. 

I'm definitely a morning person and enjoy every morning I can wake up and get out of bed! 

Sunrises...I love them.

Negative people have no room in my life so don't even bother. Who needs 'em?

 I have an endless supply of cheer, optimism and hope. 

There's always hope...

Happy Snapping

xo

Kelly

When I am with you...

...The only place I want to be is closer

~Unknown~

*To my One and Only...Frankie. 

I can't help it, loving YOU makes me corny, like a school girl all giddy inside, waiting for the "cool guy" to notice her! You did..notice...~and now I wake up to sunshine every day...even if there's rain.

Happy Valentines Day Baby!

*Frankie is my HAPPINESS!
(used KK's magic texture)

THIS...

...is for the rest of you. 

The ONE way I can say THANK YOU to each and everyone one of you for coming to visit, leaving kind words, making me laugh, inspiring me and just being really awesome at all of it!

AND...

V-day wouldn't be complete without a little Danbo love...

* I got all excited, I thought he meant me-

HE meant the candy...when I was done with it!

Happy Snapping!

xo

Kelly

One of Life's...

...little treasures

*Oh what a week! You know~one of THOSE kinds of weeks! But all I have to do, is look at this photo and my heart is instantly happy. It will always remind me of one of MY life's little treasures. My friend, Ripsime.
She is our principal's right hand gal & she does it all-for all the teachers, all the admin, all the students, all the parents....yada yada yada....you get the idea.
I just adore her & this is the best way I know how to tell her Thank you. Thank you for EVERYTHING you do & most especially for the beautiful flowers that inspired today's shot and yesterday's post: Whoa...
Oh and the cheesecake? I would have photographed that too....'cept....I ate it! :-)
And just in case you haven't heard it lately Ripsi....You are The Best & one of my life's little treasures.
What's one of YOUR life's little treasures? Please share me today.
Happy Snapping
xo
Kelly

Whoa...

...Nelly

ISO 400,1/50, f/3.2 Natural light from the left. Kim's Magic texture, Florabella Ivory Boost on overlay @ 32%
Cross Process on normal @ 84%

*I feel like this post needs a warning label...LOTS to talk about. I guess it's up to you to sift through the goodies! 

I'm loving the Beyond Layers workshop offered by Kim Klassen. We're working on "Simple" and learning a lot of photoshop techniques~which I could live to be 104 & STILL never know all it's little bells & whistles. Today, I did learn this cool gradient map technique.

It's as easy as 1,2,3!

SO fun! Here's my set up.

* You see those blinds? Yeah, well they are attached to a 12' foot slider that allows TONS of East facing natural light to pour into my dining room. For all intense purposes, I've closed them. I do a lot of my work here. Have you considered joining 

*In other news. I wanted to share a photo of Justin. It's an oldie but goodie!

*This is pre-fancy camera days! Austin & I went through hell & high water to fly to TX for his boot camp graduation. But if you are a parent, you know if that's what it takes to be with your kids, then that's what you do.

 The last time J was here, he had just gotten all 4 wisdom teeth taken out, drove to Northern CA to pick up his girlfriend, Diana, drove here for dinner and a little TLC and back to N.M. He'd gotten an infection and I couldn't take pictures of him. I made him promise to send photos of him when he gets settled in Kuwait.

Now, if you need a good cry...and I mean a really good cry, visit my friend Geri over at My Heart Art She posted a video

Dedicated to LeAnne and Kelly

I had a lump the size of Texas in my throat and who does't need a good cry?!

Thank you Geri-it's so beautiful. I've received more love and support than should be humanly legal!

And with that...I think I'm done for the day.

Happy Snapping

xo

Kelly

Ok Uncle Sam...

...You've got a piece of my heart in your hands now

*You've trained him well. His exact words to me were, "We'll be ok.  Got the best squad anyone could ask for."
I had a nice long chat with Justin last night. I know he hated to tell me his deployment will be 6 months and not 4. That was a hard pill to swallow. So now I'm looking for ways to soothe my heart and soul.
Then it occurred to me as I walked out to get the morning paper & I looked up to see a beautifully lit moon, that even tho my J-bird is 1000's of miles away from me-we share the same moon, the same sky, the same stars & I smiled & was comforted...my silver lining.
Happy Snapping
xo
Kelly

* Linking up with Kat over At KES for our photo-heart connection...It was definitely this one.
kat eye studio
If you are a mother, than you will totally understand that where ever your children go-a piece of your heart goes with them. Mine just happens to be in a desert over in the Middle East. My heart won't be complete until he is home safe and sound & surrounded by loved ones. BTW...he is well for those that have been asking.

It's ok...

...to stand out.

*Gosh...I wish I would have been a stronger kid to have the kind of self confidence to go out on a limb, & be a little different instead of trying to conform to everyone around me...and pretty much failing at that. Now that I'm older, wiser, I love being my own person, a non-conformist if you will. There's no shame in just being you...YOU are perfect the way you are...and don't let anybody try and tell you otherwise!

*Linking up with Kim over at the cafe... Kim Klassen cafe -

*In other news...It's been a very emotional week. A lot of tears, short(er) tempered, & more than a little absent-minded. Justin leaves for Kuwait tomorrow & I want to take this oppotunity to say how MUCH I appreciate all your care, concern and kind words you leave for us. I can really feel the love oozing through to me and it warms my soul to think I have such wonderful support in this blogging world.  Thank you
Happy Snapping
xo
Kelly

Is that...

...a stink eye?

*Oh that is SO a stink eye!

 What gives fella?

 You fly on my turf...you get photographed...them's the rules!

You've got all the nectar in the world...it's only fair.

Happy Snapping!

xo

Kelly

California...

...Winter

*Over at the Shutter Sisters - home
we're sharing our winter wonderland...

*This is what I see when I look out my back windows. I really can't complain! Hoping the Painted Ladies come and visit these flowers this year. I didn't see any last season.
Ok-so did any of you get Smashing? I got SMASHED...
I LOVE it-this is like scrap-booking on steroids..only way better..not to dis all you scrap bookers out there!
Generations to come will know who their  Mom, Aunt, and Grandma was...Is it just me or is that kinda cool to think about?
Happy Snapping
xo
Kelly

I got SMASHED...

...and I LOVE it!




































Have you seen this video? Smash Book
 posted by my friend Geri over at: My Heart Art ?
I KNEW instantly I had to have one. I finally figured out why I am such a sucker for stuff like this...Because these are the things I wish were around when I was growing up. I swear I'm having a second child hood!
I went to their website & looked at all the goodies, bookmarking it to place my order later. Well, I just happened to be at Michaels yesterday looking around & WHOA-SMASH books~with all the yummy things to go with it!! Talk about being a kid in a candy store! And let me tell you, I'm glad I didn't buy the books on-line because there are like 6 or 7 different colored binding books.
 BUT more than that, each book has different page styles to suit just about anyones personality. Oh & they were on sale!

<-----
THIS page is what sold me on the Orange binding.

































You CAN'T get smashed without some bells and whistles!

*SWOON*
This is going to be like therapy for me & my perfection problem! I have so many little chatchki papers and photos, drawings, whatsits & whozits. Now, they all have a home!
C'mon get SMASHED with me!
Happy Snapping!
xo
Kelly