Happy Holidays

Signing off for a few days now to spend time with family and friends! Happy Holidays to everyone!

Winter Inspires

There have been a few cm of snow in these parts lately. It's been really cold too. Normally the temperatures stay above 0 Celsius through much of the winter here on Vancouver Island. However, it has been -3 in the day so needless to say the snow is sticking around and today we have another snowfall warning 5-15 cm and tapering to flurries overnight.

My favourite version of Baby it's Cold Outside from the movie ELF performed by Will Ferrell and Zooey Deschanel hee hee

The snow is so beautiful and inspiring. Nolan and I went down to the big toboggan hill on Sunday. I must have taken over 200 photos.

Blog Header for CAGO Program

The Resident Canada Goose Management Program BLOG: cago-vi.blogspot.com

We are awaiting funding for a resident Canada Goose Management Program on Vancouver Island.
So I thought I would get started and just keep my fingers crossed for the funding to come through. It's important to spread the word about the geese and why there is a problem regardless.

In the 1960's geese were brought here to increase numbers for hunting. It wasn't long before populations grew and then folks realized that the geese were not migrating, they were staying all year long. Years later the local estuary damage caused by the geese is a reminder that human intervention can cause lasting problems. A volunteer addling and banding program has been in place for a number of years, This year we hope that funding will push things to a more serious management level.

Inspiring Spaces are Important!

I have had my home studio in the basement for more than a year now. It's always been the plan to redecorate. The walls are yellow and the carpet is orange, there is diagonal cedar in one area and linoleum straight outta the late 70's. It's a rental property so we are limited with what we are willing to invest here. So I think I have a plan. WHITE!!!
I am going to paint all the walls white and give the ceiling a coat too. I will compliment that with black and white objects and shelving etc. I have 2 plates from the "Homemaker" series circa 1950's that kinda spurred the design.

HERE ARE THE BEFORE PHOTOS


At first it was a spare room....then an art room (check out the carpet)


They look kinda like this but flat and no scallop on the edge.
Actually the original inspiration for this room came from a designer named Andrea Schreiber As_Art_Up who lives in Germany. Follow this link to the COOLEST CHAIRS EVER. I have a couple chairs in my office that are prime candidates for this decopatch project!
Note the linoleum :(blech...the original "studio conversion" on the right

I plan to start the painting prep this weekend. Here are some photos via decorology (photo credits on their blog)


The inspiration wall above is awesome! I have the cables already. Ideally I would like 2 old wood ladders for magazines and other inspiration that can be draped.

Wish me luck!

I forgot to tell you about Spoonflower!

Spoonflower is in it's Beta form. This little company is a custom fabric service. Here's what you do (right from the web site)

Love fabric?
Print something unique

• Spoonflower lets you print fabric from designs you upload to your own account on our web site.
• All your designs are private unless you choose to make them public. We will never sell, print, or share your designs without your permission.
• There is no minimum fabric order and no set-up fee. You can order a swatch for $5, a fat quarter for $11, or multiple yards at $18 each. Registration is free.
• At the moment, fabric choice is limited to 100% Bella™ cotton from Moda™, a maker of very high quality fabrics for quilting.
• We are based in Mebane, North Carolina, but ship all over the world.
• We are happy to have you here.

Hello Lucky

I found these cards in a shop in a small but funky town called Edison in Washington state. Located near Bellingham in the Skagit Flats. An amazing ratio of super cool stores for such a small town!
I got the cards in the Shop Curator See more photos here
Across the street was the Breadfarm, the Breadfarm sign was done by a very talented metal smith named Ries Niemi
and on the other side was the Lucky Dumpster.
Wow, what a lot of talent on one corner of Edison Washington!

It was a fantastic little side trip on our Arlington for Thanksgiving and Space Needle in Seattle journey.



www.hellolucky.com

The BEST Online Radio Station Ever!

I am a big fan of online radio. I usually listen to Accuradio or Aol radio. Depending on the mood required I might listen to anything from Alternative 90's to Big Band Swing to French Female Vocalists. I usually listen to Listening Post (Office Friendly) on Accuradio.com but recently I found a slightly burried gem on Aol radio.
Launch the aold radio player and expand the "Eclectic" Category and there is a sub category called"Relax Tracks". This station is great for working and being creative. A fabulous mix! Artists such as The Breeders, Beck, Wilco, John Lennon, Ben Harper etc

I can't say enough about this fabulous station!! Give it a listen
http://player.play.it/player/aolPlayer.html?v=4.1.43&ur=1&us=1&id=

Exciting Web Site launch

So my web site is finally up! My goal was to keep it simple to reflect my approach and style to design projects. Remember I am the girl who sorts the lego into colour and size groupings BEFORE building. Gotta keep it organized and simple!
I will be including a price list soon that includes some package deals. Since I am just starting up in this capacity I will be offering some fantastic deals so I can get a few projects under my belt and build my portfolio.
Thanks to everyone who has supported my career morph.

dreaming of sunshine on this stormy fall day

Tansy is so beautiful and simple. Nature really has done it best. Using organic shapes and colours bring elements to your projects that people can relate to. They've seen it before somewhere. An emotional response is much more likely.
The shaded light in this photograph reminds me of being a child laying under a table watching the world while parents went about their business unaware of your presence.
The brighter area toward the back brings feelings of summer and warmth and the excitement of fall and the changing of seasons. A picture really can be worth a thousand words or at least a thousand thoughts.

IF:Packed By Justin

This fantastic illustration is done by my friend Justin. Justin is 9 years old. This picture is a grizzly kid named TJ who is moving with his parents. HE doesn't like to move and he doesn't like to pack!!!!

Draft design for West Coast Birding

Draft design for West Coast Birding
Originally uploaded by bakroots-Lori Lynch

I have been puttering away at Rich's web site layout. We have gone through a few ideas and have settled on this one. Now for the coding part! Any suggestions or critiques on the layout would be welcomed!!

In other news Rich asked me to marry him last weekend. We were away on a little mini holiday (MUCH needed break) in Westport Washington. After a wonderful day at sea looking at seabirds 35 miles out and getting a super rare bird (Hawaiian Petrel) we headed out for a nice drive to Tokeland Marina. It was beautiful and the sun was casting a warm golden glow on everything. We then headed back towards Grayland to a little country restaurant that we had found last year. We ordered some crazy organic ales and were completely relaxed and happy in our booth tucked away under warm lighting. And then he asked me. I hardly remember anything he said because of the excitement. I accepted! So happy!

One can accomplish so much when left alone!!

POST IT NOTE ABUSE


Also, Courtesy of Genine this instructional post & super cool magnets at NOT MARTHA.

Today was a bit frustrating. I was feeling so creative and focused and dag-nabbit I had all kinds of other stuff to do. It was going so well...I even went for a nice cardio workout this morning but after my shower I was continually pulled away from my computer and studio! Of course the irony is that on days when I am not so focused I procrastinate the day away...I would sooner fold socks than focus to get something done. Just one of the many challenges of working from home. I wouldn't change it for the world though. Looking forward to The Longwood Station Fall Festival on Saturday, September 20th form 8:30am-1pm. I am helping out with the Brant Wildlife Festival focus on biodiversity. We set up a tent and we are doing a big mural. This was my idea of course... Hey if I have to stand under a tent at a festival all day I want to have a good time. So I am going to draw and play with animal puppets all day!

So the long and the short of this long excuse type story is that I haven't finished anything to post. coming soon I promise!

West Coast Birding Site

Well, today is the day I get to work on Rich's web site again. I have been doing all these design tutorials so have put it off in case I learn some cool technique that I want to implement. I have now decided to keep it simple. Rich has had a couple web sites and it's great practice for me as he has very specific ideas and requirements just like any other client.

Above is his logo that I designed some time ago and a cheesy sun behind it version.

We have been sick around here and Nolan brought home a nasty case of head lice (wahoo!) but supriseingly we have still managed to quite a lot lately. We moved Nolan's room back upstairs next to our room. HE has been downstairs for about a year but there is always a struggle getting him to go to bed. The new room is much more organized and minimal. Things MAY OR MAY NOT have gone to the salvation army in this move. ;) Now Rich has his office downstairs in Nolan's old room. This seems to be working fantastically except that we are having some trouble finding good places for some of stationary tye items as the downstairs room doesn't have a closet.
So there ya go.
OK, enough procrastinating and back to the west coast birding web design.
That's Rich painting his office on his day off (with a head cold)


This is the disaster in my studio workspace when we were switching rooms. It has been a long 4 days and we are almosat done the reorganization and rehanging of pictures etc.

See Rich's flickr site here.
COMING SOON: www.westcoastbirding.com

pink hair cher

bff

This is cher with Pink hair! Rad hair cher! Have fun sky diving if you dare!
And that's all the rhyming for today! thank you.

Forest for Trees

These are a couple acrylic paintings I did in the spring.

I really love to draw and paint in circles and circular shapes. My printing is also circular and condensed. I am sure that says something about my personality.


What does your handwriting say about YOU? hmmm


So this is my birch forest inspired by the fabulous Lisa Congdon's painting she did while in a painting class.

Tree trunks are at our eye level so in art hold a special value. For me a forest such as this reminds me of fresh air and still and that thick silence that only a forest can deliver!

A species so easily influenced by marketing

I was cruising through some trend and inspiration sites this morning when I came across some vintage ads... Check out this camel cigarettes ad We are such an easy influenced species! For Digestions Sake!

Illustration Friday : Clutter

Pen and Ink from the sketch book

bakroots and bakroots creative

After some thought I have decided to keep bakroots and bakroots creative as separate sites. Thankfully I have not done many posts on bakroots and they are easily transferred to bakroots creative.

oooh new daytimer

My new day timer begins in September...I love new day timers...an entire year of unfilled pages just begging for lists, appointments and projects! Note the Chinese brush painting set. This is a lovely set my mom gave to me some months ago and I am just now reading the booklet and trying it out.
*"The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak." This is my new favourite quote. It's like New years resolution time over here on Cooper Place I tell ya!

De-clutter, focus!

This morning my goal is to stay focused. Keep it simple. Fewer details.

I am normally all over the map with everything from a conversation to house cleaning to projects. I will partly clean the bathroom, put on a load of laundry and then clean the toilet then sweep the kitchen floor. So the challenge is to prioritize and force myself to stay on task so i can complete things more efficiently. That starts with a list of goals. Today I will watch 2 chapters of my online tutorials and then do the illustration friday topic. How fitting that the topic is clutter!

Illustration Friday : Memories

Memories of Falkland BC, the farm, dry hay season air, the weeping willow tree out front, the big red barn, my favourite green sun dress and my 5th birthday party (August 15th). My mom used a lot of pink paper wrap that desk that she repainted for my...and holly hobby stickers on each drawer!! (ok its a bit lame as far as illustrations go...photo-shopped photo but I thought creative expression of any kind is better than nothing...right?)

Illustration Friday : Forgotten

from the sketch book doodles

Illustration Friday : Leap

Illustration Friday : Plain

Illustration Friday : Stitch