From the Car?

Art Prize is awesome. From the moment I heard about it I knew it would be one of the greatest things to happen to Grand Rapids.

What is Art Prize? Art Prize is a chance for artists of any medium to show their work in a number of venues around Grand Rapids. There is art shown in the streets, on the sides of buildings, and inside tons of restaurants, shops, and other buildings around town. The winners are determined by registered public vote and the winner gets $250,000!!


Look at a view from above!* This isn't even all of it, just one tiny speck of downtown! People everywhere!!

I had to see Art Prize from the car today unfortunately. My son had an award-winning attitude so we decided not to get involved in that giant mass of people. I didn't get very many good pictures from the car. I did see this awesome building covered in flowers though!

If you are in the area you should definitely check out Art Prize! I hope it becomes an annual event. Cross your fingers that next weekend I actually get the chance to see some more amazing art!

I hear the artist of this piece is living on top of this splatter painted tower till Art Prize is over. I've never understood why people do these sort of things. Where's he supposed to poo at? Why is this my first wonder upon hearing about this?

To learn more about Art Prize click here.

Since we're on the 'from the car' picture trip...

I think whoever decided to do this...


...along US131 needs to head on up to GR and see something pretty. Because the design of this is just awful. Now I know it's not supposed to be art, but come on, could it be any uglier?! I know it's fairly hard to see as I was driving down the highway when I took it, but it is a metal fence on each side of the median. The posts are connected with metal cable. Ick. In a few years when this is all rusted and nasty it will just look worse.

From what I hear it was put up to stop cars from crossing the median and going into oncoming traffic. Now I know this does happen, but come on, how often? What about when the snow flies? I'm sure accidents from crossing the median are more prevalent then but where will the cars go now when they slide off? They will either stay on the road for the rest of us to hit or maneuver around or according to this video they'll be shot back into traffic big-cable-rubberband-style. You really only need to watch the first 6 seconds of that video to see how badly this could turn out. For those that do slide off, they won't just need a tow truck to yank them out of the ditch, they'll also need a body repair shop. That fence is going to %*&# some cars up. Also, wouldn't one ugly ass fence down the center work just as well and cost half as much? Seems like it'd give a little extra space when you're being thrown back by the cable.

Maybe it is good somehow for some states, but a state covered in ice and snow for a good majority of the year? I don't want my car to be the one shot out of the median like a slingshot that's for damn sure. Saying a prayer that I'm proven wrong about this being a bad idea this winter.

Ughhhh Michigan, if you didn't bring me things like Art Prize, northern MI beauty, and my family, I'd think you were trying to chase me away!



*Picture found on Twitter. Will give credit should I ever find you again...

Whoa Now, I made something!

It's been a while since I've had the chance to really sit down and sew. My social life and other responsibilities have been getting in the way. When living in Michigan sometimes you just have to put work off to the side and enjoy the beautiful weather when it comes your way! So I have. I spent a lovely weekend up near Petosky, a beautiful weekend in Frankfort, a few afternoons at the pool and many evenings playing ping-pong in a friend's garage. You can definetely tell this by looking at my house. Word to the wise... always do your dishes and take out your trash BEFORE you leave for the weekend. It will still be there when you get home and you will be sorry you left it that way. Took me 2 weekends to learn that. It took me roughly a week between getting back to work and my socializing to get this mess of a house cleaned up!


So yesterday, while sitting in my nice, clean house, I decided it was time to mess it up with some fabric and thread. I promised my best friend Bonnie a brown and green curtain for her youngest son's new monkey themed bedroom. So I forced myself to make a curtain. I find curtains to be tedious and boring. Straight lines straight lines straight lines. Plus, brown and green just aren't that pretty together. I couldn't get the tension right with this fabric to save my life either. I should've lined it and I think I will tonight. I'm hoping the weight of the curtain pulls the seams taut as well. Here's hoping! I'm such a perfectionist... I'm half tempted to start all over again. I really might do it over again tonight in a vertical colorblock instead of what I did here. There's a seam in both the greens and my OCD can't let that be. Maybe I'll wait and see what she says first. What do you think?

I also picked up some gorgeous orange and cream fabric, and some blue fabric with white "wheels" on it, on a whim. Impulse shopping at it's best. I should really only be allowed to carry cash into a fabric store because I can justify buying damn near anything there. I loved the combination of these 2 fabrics so ridiculously much that I made 2 identical pouches. I never do that!! But I just had to have one for me. I'm going to a wedding this weekend, I needed a new clutch of course! Not that it matches the dress I bought today AT ALL. Orange, blue, and plum... oh well. It's too fabulous, I might have to just go mis-matched. I could pretend I'm colorblind or something. Wouldn't you just to carry this?

I'm also entertaining the bad idea of dying the dress black tomorrow. I never checked the fabric content though. Maybe I'll just return it for something less purple and conservative. I don't think I was thinking clearly when shopping [with kids] this morning.