there's a new man in my life.

that's right, there's a new man in my life. he's young and quite handsome. he has thick, shiny, jet black hair that i love to run my fingers through. he has muscular shoulders and a strong build, so i know he'll always protect me should it come to that. he loves to snuggle and just likes relaxing, but can be playful if i want. his kisses are sweet, his voice is deep, and i think i'm in love. and guess what, chris doesn't mind at all! so i want to introduce you to the new man in my life...

i'm pleased to introduce you to kona, the black lab. he's a bed hog and a lap dog, and we love him. for the last few weeks, i've been sending chris links to labs or lab mixes at the humane society, but he hasn't really given me much of a response. on thursday, i looked at the humane society page for a neighboring county and found that they were providing a temporary home for this handsome guy. i sent the link to chris, and on friday afternoon, he drove the 30+ minutes to go meet this dog. we'd been hoping to find some breed or mix of retriever that would be a good fit for us and for flojo (who, unfortunately, is not scared of dogs and likes to bully them). kona's personality is great, and when we went on saturday morning to meet him, we knew he would be the perfect companion. he's a year and a half old which means he's out of the bad puppy stage, but will still play when it's appropriate. he's already housetrained, so the only thing now is getting him used to eating regular dog chow without gravy (otherwise he sniffs it and walks away). what a diva!

the ladies at the humane society told us that kona (he was actually called shadow, but we decided to change his name to kona, and he seems to like it) liked blankets and beds, and they were so right. he basically pushed chris and i out of the bed last night, so we'll have to teach him to sleep on the floor since he's a big boy. and even though he's a tough dog, he still likes his pink sparkly blanket...he doesn't have to know it's girly!

so in the last post i ended it with the sentence, "it's kind of weird that i had a dream about a dog on friday morning because..." and now i can finish it. it's kind of weird that i had a dream about a dog on friday morning because on saturday we adopted one!

the kind of dream that makes you wake up laughing.

do you have dreams that make feel so strongly that you wake yourself up laughing, crying or screaming? i often have dreams about snakes that wake chris and i both up because of my screaming. but early friday morning i had a dream that made me laugh all day long. i woke myself up giggling, and i still laugh when i think about it.

in my dream, i lived in san francisco, and my dad and step sister lauren came out to visit me. while we were walking down the sidewalk toward the bay i noticed an incredibly ugly dog and a mexican couple holding a sign that read something, "take your picture with the dog $3." i stopped lauren and said that we had to, it was too funny not to do it. so lauren, the mexican lady, the crazy dog and i all walked in a tent with an olan mills style backdrop and lighting. lauren sat on the stool, i stood behind her and made the classic arm shelf on her shoulders, and a golden colored dog thing that looked like this sat beside lauren...

i whispered to lauren to make a funny, but still somewhat serious face for the picture, so she gave her best smile and crossed both eyes, while i gave an awkward, crooked, glamour shots like smile and just crossed one eye. the flash went off and we died laughing. the mexican lady joined in the laughter and told us to do another, so we did, then we did one more, and after that one, i woke myself up laughing. i don't how to interpret that dream or what it could possibly mean, but it entertained me, and that's enough.

it's kind of weird that i had a dream about a dog on friday morning because...

wishlist wednesday...on a thursday!

yesterday afternoon i started to get some pictures together of things i wanted to add to my wish list, and it wasn't difficult to decide on a theme considering what i'd spent much of the day doing: rearranging things in my house! when you rearrange things in your house, does it give you new decorating ideas and make you want new stuff? it does for me! i didn't get around to blogging yesterday though because of my weekly chat with carla. i feel like i could talk to her straight through a three day stretch and still not want to hang up. she's just that rad. so here are a few things i'd like to add to my house...

from the top: item #1, #3, #6 from lisa b retro style 2, #2 from emma loves xxx, #4 from oh buoy, #5 from nice.

if you asked chris, he'd say i had a lamp obsession and addiction. and if you asked micaela, she'd say i had a frame obsession and addiction. i'd say they're both wrong. it's just a healthy love affair! speaking of frames and lamps, i think i need to go do some thrifting sometime soon...

also, in case you were wondering, yes, i have been practicing the worm. i kind of have the basic move down (although sometimes it's just a general smash), but i can't get it smooth like the pros, and i also can't get that high off the floor. i need to get better at it though, because i want to randomly bust out the worm the next time carla and i get together.

a new thing, a new winner, and a new problem.

it's a post of news. first off, i want to show you my new thing! a few posts back i told you that i had been contemplating making poster sized prints of some of my favorite pictures. so, i adjusted the dpi, sent chris to the office, and put him to work. having a husband with a plotter is pretty rad, but having a husband with a plotter with a new cartridge (or toner or whatever it uses) would be ideal! i kid, i think i'll keep chris. anyway, the ink was a little low so the saturation isn't perfect, but it'll do! once that baby's refilled or replaced (i don't use a plotter so i have no idea what it takes) i'll have a few more posters of different pictures! this poster is a picture of one of the wild parrots in san francisco. maybe i could offer one as a giveaway?

moving right along, time to announce a winner! brittan was kind enough to offer one lucky reader an original watercolor painting. she's recently added watercolor prints to her shop, so if you haven't already, you should go take a look! the winner is... HELEN / SERENDIPITYCHILD!

now, onto the bad part of this post. i hope none of this comes out the wrong way, because the last thing i'm looking to do is make everyone think i'm a jerk. but, there are two things blog-related that have really been getting on my nerves lately. first: the unsolicited-spam-gimme-your-money-and-support-my-blog emails or etsy convos. it's getting insane. some days i get as many as three or four of these. other days, i may not get a single email, except for one of those. when did it become acceptable to start harassing and annoying people with requests for money? don't they realize that if someone was interested in sponsoring a blog, that person would email the blogger to inquire further? it just doesn't seem right to me, and i know it's getting more and more common. second: bloggers trash talking the content of other blogs. i realize that i just trash talked a certain method of business, but it's the sales tactic i have a problem with, not the people themselves. anyway, more and more recently i've seen other bloggers get downright vicious talking about outfit posts on other blogs. how does it make them feel better to insult someone and their personal style? and why do they even care that there are fashion/daily outfit post blogs out there if they're not interested in reading them? sure, i may not like every outfit i see, and you will not like every outfit i wear, but the last time i checked, identical uniforms were not required. if people want to do outfit posts, and if, god forbid, they want to wear an outfit that someone else may not like, why not just stop looking if the style is so offensive? why pollute twitter, facebook, or some other site with your negative opinions? just stop looking, dammit! there, i got it off my chest.

i hope you're having a happy tuesday!

soul glow and the worm.

i told you in my last blog post that on friday, chris and i were going to meet up with josh, cossandra, another chris and jen, but then keith and elizabeth ended up coming, so we had a full house for mexican fun night! anyway, josh and i have been discussing the soul glow song and commercial from the movie "coming to america" and i knew that the night couldn't end without me getting a video of such a vocal feat.


it was a night of pure indulgence: fajitas, mexican casserole that knocked my socks off, chips & guacamole, Wii competitions, the sprinkler, and my personal favorite, MANGO MARGARITAS!

now, onto the next order of business. i'm a little late at setting a new goal or resolution for myself, but i'm serious about this one. it's something i've been wanting to be able to do for years and years now, but i just never really tried because i knew i'd fail. but now, i'm ready to break out of that mindset and go for it! what is this new thing i want to do? have a look...


that's right. i want to be able to do the worm. and i'm not talking just one move, i mean i want to be able to do it all the way down the hall, or even better, all the way across my house. i can do it now on the bed because it gives me a little extra spring, but when i'm trying to worm on the floor, i basically just smash my body down and hump the floor. it doesn't sound pretty because it isn't. but i'm serious about this goal. i'll make it my mission. maybe once i master that i can move onto the windmill. little sidenote, i always wanted to breakdance!

an expensive hobby: film.

for the longest time i fought digital photography with every bit of strength i had. then, i caved. i really enjoyed the ease of a digital camera, and i'm ashamed to admit, i turned my back on film for some time. but the good news is, it's back to stay! i've accumulated quite a collection of rolls just waiting to be developed, and to be honest, i'm not even sure what's on them, so it'll be like a little present when i get them developed! i have to pace myself, though. i got four rolls developed last friday, which was a bit of a splurge, but i decided that i could justify developing one per week. anyway, here are a few of the pictures i got back...

do you still use film? what are your favorite cameras? in a land of no money and endless rainbows, i'd have a collection of half frame cameras, a diana mini (yes, i'm the last person on the planet not to have one) and all the free film developing i could ask for. but since stores like to be paid for their products and services, i'll keep saving my spare pennies to continue to grow my film camera collection!

so what are your plans for this weekend? tomorrow we're going to our friends' house to meet up with our other friend couple for what the other chris has dubbed, "mexican fun night." i'm sure it won't disappoint, and i'll try to take some pictures of the insanity that will surely ensue.

wishlist wednesday!

i've known all day, and yesterday too, what i wanted to add to my wish list, but of course i wait until i have ideas for new items to be made as well as dishes to wash before i start blogging! i'm the worst at time management, but i admit it, and that's half the battle won, right? if i had to give one word that described my ideal style, and the certain je ne sais quoi i look for, it would have to be, simply, earthy. so that's the theme of my wish list today; i wanted things that looked organic, natural, and of the earth. so here you go!

find these items here (from the top): meadowmark, lock and spoon, lucky vintage seattle, julie nolan, him and her designs.

how would you describe your style, or the type of style you seem to gravitate toward? do you have a wish list to share? if you do, i hope you'll leave me a link in the comments so i can take a look!

today i've been working on my fancy clean desk, so hopefully i'll have some pictures for a what i've been working on post soon, and i've also been working with a few pictures of mine that i'm thinking about turning into black and white posters! hopefully i can get some test prints made this weekend. yay!

i organized my way to sanity.

if you follow me on twitter, you'll know that yesterday i spent several hours trying to bring some semblance of order to my desk. and let me tell you, it was one hell of an undertaking. i thought about taking a before picture to show you just how bad it actually was, but then i decided that you may contact "Hoarders," and i really didn't want that kind of attention. just to give you an idea, my desk isn't a computer desk (that's my lap, on the sofa), but it's where i make a lot of my jewelry, so the chains, feathers, and beads were so thick that you couldn't even see the top of my desk. and trust me, i don't lie. so after three straight hours and more random chunks of time here and there through the afternoon, i got my desk cleaned off and a lot of my supplies kind of organized. the drawers, that's another story. in addition to cleaning off my desk, i got the necklaces for my shop arranged and organized, and i also hung a mini inspiration/memo/pretty stuff board.

now you may be wondering, "why, danielle, if you're telling us about your new and improved clean desk are you showing us pictures of things that are clearly not your desk?" and i have an answer - my camera regularly has pms and throws fits if the lighting isn't just right, or if it isn't the right time of day, or if we're out of milk. i tried to get a picture of my desk, but since you can't fight with technology, i'll try again tomorrow.

i added a couple business cards from people who inspire me (but i'm missing one from carla), and of course a dinosaur toes business card since this is where the majority of the dinosaur toes magic happens, some pictures, and some notes. i have a few more things i want to pin up there, and i see it constantly changing. i also put those little animals on top of the closet door that's beside my desk so they can keep me company. they used to sit on my desk, but in my quest to be clutter free, they had to be re-homed.

i feel like rambling, but honestly, i don't know what i'd talk about. do you ever get in those sorts of moods? tomorrow i've got a wishlist wednesday post planned for you, and on thursday i'm sharing pictures! i took some time this morning to scan in some pictures i took with film. FILM??? WHAT?!? yes, i still love and use film. happy tuesday!

would you call me crazy if i told you...

in all honesty, i didn't really have anything in particular to blog about today, but since it's been a few days, i felt like i needed to, and i also wanted to because i miss you when i disappear! i've had a pretty busy weekend, and a busy last few days, but it's the kind of busy where you look back and ask yourself, "what did i even do?" anyway, when i see that the ole blog gets some new followers (hello, hello!), i like to do a sort get to know me type post, but instead of doing the regular "i live ..., my favorite food is...." post, i thought i'd mix it up a little! we all think, like and do things that may be strange to other people, so why not share that part of myself! so, would you call me crazy if i told you...

...i like to give chris piggyback rides, even though he's 6'2" and 170 lbs, and i'm 5'2" and 100lbs?

...i think there is a ghost in my house even though i have no proof?

...i believe that wearing my citrine necklace brings me success?

...i wonder what's going on in other dimensions and how they compare to this one?

...i'm afraid of the dark?

...i'm too lazy to eat citrus fruits?

...i can sometimes feel my great grandma beside me, even though she's been gone for 18 years?

...i can't sleep without ear plugs?

...once i start eating steamed broccoli, i have a hard time stopping?

...i'm a huge cheapskate?

...i telepathically communicate with birds?

...i don't like the taste of wine?

how about you, what might make you crazy? how has your weekend been? if you haven't had a chance yet, please enter the GIVEAWAY for an original watercolor painting!

wishlist wednesday!

i feel like i haven't done a wishlist wednesday post in ages, but you needn't worry, i've still been window shopping and cyber drooling more than i should! lately i've really started to love photography prints (i'm talking from actual film cameras) more than ever. i recently took all of the old, vintage lithos out of the frames hanging in my bedroom in a large grouping on one wall and replaced them with beautiful photography; some from anabela, one from kjrsten, and some vintage. i love it, and it kind of makes me want to incorporate dreamy photography into other rooms in my house. it also makes me wish film and developing were more reasonably priced, but that's a rant for a rainy day. anyway, here are some things i desperately want in my home...

lovely prints from (top to bottom): atlantic treefox, fieldguided, debbie carlos, allison scarpulla.

speaking of film and photography, i have NINE rolls of film that need to be developed from san francisco, pebble beach, and random things, and one more in my camera that's just about finished. i've kinda sorta been toying with the idea of maybe adding a few prints to my shop, or even making a few posters for myself and possibly for the shop. i'm still not sure yet, but it's nice to dream, right?

do you have a wish list to share? if you do, leave me a link in the comments so i can see!

P.S. DON'T FORGET TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY FOR AN ORIGINAL WATERCOLOR!

from my friend little owl arts: A GIVEAWAY!

i know i've talked about her before, but i feel like i just can't say how much talent brittan possesses. she's an amazing friend, and her art makes me really want to sit down and spend more time with my sketchbook. brittan and i have been talking lately about her watercolor paintings (one of which i'm lucky enough to have displayed in my home), and she was generous enough to offer this original to you! she has more prints listed in her shop, and i'm trying to decide which one i like the best! be sure to take a look at the entry rules below...

now, here come the rules:

1. visit brittan's shop and leave a comment with your favorite item and your email address.

2. for an extra entry, follow brittan's blog (and yes, we do check) and leave a comment saying you've done so.

3. for one more entry, tweet what's below, and then leave a comment with a link to your tweet. enter the @littleowlarts giveaway on @dinosaurtoes blog for an original watercolor! http://tinyurl.com/6cy3343

4. earn an additional entry by purchasing something from brittan's shop! if you do, leave a comment letting us know.

good luck!

what i've been working on: just buy me a roundtrip ticket to the doctor's office

days like today i start to feel like there should be a health, or injury, insurance company made to cover those in the handmade line of work. i'm far too rough with tools and supplies, and i'm sure chris will vouch for that after all the things of his i've broken along the way, but geez, i'm ready to go a stretch of time without some sort of injury to my hands! today i was working with 12ga brass, and while trying to cut it to size, my cutting pliers broke, smashing my flesh in between, leaving me with a bloody mess, a swollen finger and rapidly growing blood blisters. it hurt. in the words of a wise man, this would definitely be considered a #BRITOSMASH! anyway, i need to take more pictures, but here are a few things i've been working on for my shop...

next, i obviously didn't make these things, but they're definitely making me happy! the first one is a vintage bracelet with an enamel parrot that i bought from maria, the feisty lady behind little tree vintage. the only way anyone is prying this bracelet off of my wrist is if i'm dead. the next thing is a camera that my grandpa had for years and years, and never even used. up until he started to get sick, he owned a little neighborhood store. my grandpa was the most generous person i've ever known, and when people couldn't pay him, he wrote it off, or in the case of this camera, he took a trade even though he wasn't into cameras or photography. my grandma pulled this out of a closet for me last weekend because she knew i'd like it, and even though next month will be two years since grandpa died, he's still finding his way into my daily life!

what have you been working on lately? how is your weekend going? also, i can't say much just yet, but a friend and i have been talking about a giveaway, so i can't wait to share it with you! trust me, it's going to be awesome!

new year's resolutions for the real world.

many years ago i decided to stop playing cruel jokes on myself by making myself think i could actually kick old habits and start living a life you'd read about in good housekeeping magazine. don't get me wrong, i'd like to live on organic vegetables, wake up at 6am to bake fresh bread and work in my garden, followed by a 10 mile jog, all while wearing freshly ironed clothes, but the reality is: i won't! so to keep things honest, or even to keep from setting the bar too high, i've created a list of resolutions with which i'm happy to comply. i pledge to:

1. eat as many french fries as i want and never feel guilty about it.
2. go thrifting and buy things i don't need because, hey, you can't beat the price!
3. continue making jewelry and not worry when people think i don't have a "real" job.
4. continue correcting the most obvious grammatical errors.
5. wear my pajamas all day long.
6. make my bed only after i change the sheets.
7. always be honest, even if it means disagreeing.
8. anthropomorphize animals.
9. dream of living in san francisco.
10. use humor in serious situations.

have you made any new year's resolutions? are you good about sticking with them? and, in honor of national bird day (thanks, anna, for letting me know), here's my heart and soul...

it's been a crazy, mixed up new year so far.

it really has been crazy. full of emotion, stress, tears, gallons of tears, and a whole spectrum of feelings all at once. i know i haven't been around blogging or commenting for a few days, and i can't apologize, because let's face it, we're not blogging robots, we're humans and we have real lives, but hopefully i'm back for now. and i won't dish all the details of my emotional new year because i know that i could receive one or more of these three things: sympathy, understanding, or hate mail/anonymous comments which i hear are running rampant these days, and i'd rather not deal with it. wow, aren't i being weird and incredibly vague? i'm sorry. anyway, i have some new dinosaur toes jewelry to show you, and i have a new dress (thanks to my pop and stepmom, tricia, and the gift card they gave me) that i want to show you in an outfit post, but since i'm completely unprepared, i thought i'd share this video. i've always thought my pop (in case you didn't know, that's what i call my dad) was the funniest person i'd ever met. we went out to dinner with pop and tricia last week, and he was on a roll...

i'm not really sure where the "shteak and appleshaush" thing came from, but i guess when i was in about 8th grade, maybe earlier, it just became something my dad and i said as a joke. "pop, what did you eat for lunch today?" "shteak and appleshaush." always followed by laughter. so random, and it just never gets old.

anyway, i'll have something more for you tomorrow, but until then, i hope you have a happy tuesday, and i hope your new year started well!