Gabi with an Eye

My Neck of the Woods

2009-11-12T04:00:00.007-05:00

I invite you to join me for a little Sunday drive, just around our neighborhood so you can enjoy the palette of Autumn colors currently on display. There is something very special about the Virginia countryside and although I've lived here for 10 years, I'm still humbled by its raw untouched Autumn beauty.

Thanks for joining me today.

Gabriela

Soup and a Sandwich

2009-11-11T04:00:00.015-05:00

Don't be fooled by the title of this post. Lunch was really more like just the sandwich part. Oh sure the soup looked mouthwatering appetizing but do you see all those little green flecks? Well it was the over abundance of said little green flecks that ruined the soup and rendered it inedible.

Way too much oregano. My DH said to tell you that the soup was Progresso and that some disgruntled production line employee probably spilled a whole can of crushed oregano into the mix and that Progresso, in order to not lose a single dime on profit earnings, simply relabeled it as "Tuscan Chicken". Maybe a more appropriate title for this post would have been "Soup Sucked" - cuz it sure did.Now this sandwich was the king of all sandwiches. This sandwich was at the opposite end of the spectrum, for as bad as the soup was, the sandwich was out of this world good. Grilled on fresh baked sourdough with generous slices of imported aged Irish cheddar melted to savory perfection. This sandwich was the food of gods. So if you come to my house around lunch time, I hereby promise to never, ever, serve you anything from a can.Gabriela

Mellow Yellow

2009-11-10T04:00:00.006-05:00

Autumn is undoubtedly here. There is a chill in the air, although it has been blessedly sunny so far, and the wind is starting to rattle the gradually baring branches of the trees. Everything is starting to turn to shades of gold and umber. Oh how I love Autumn in Virginia!

Gabriela

Blog Award

2009-11-09T19:57:00.007-05:00

My sweet friend Tosha has sent me this blog award (thank you Tosh) and while I've stopped accepting awards (please hold all applause) I've decided to make an exception for Tosha and will play along. The rules are to answer each of the questions but with just one word (I'm not sure I can, but I'll try).

Where is your cell phone? charging
Your hair? brunette
Your mother? kindest
Your father? loving
Your favorite food? Thai
Your dream last night? adventuresome
Your favorite drink? water
Your dream/goal?
What room are you in? kitchen
Your hobby? stamping
Your fear? cancer
Where do you want to be in 6 years? Provence
Where were you last night? home
Something that you aren't? lonely
Muffins? pistachio
Wish list item? earrings
Where did you grow up? Los Angeles
Last thing you did? kissed
What are you wearing? Danskos
Your TV? OFF!
Your pets? dachshund
Friends? Numerous
Your life? fulfilled
Your mood? pleased
Missing someone? yes
Vehicle? BMW
Something you're not wearing? gloves
Your favorite store? Coldwater Creek
Your favorite color? Red
When was the last time you laughed? Now
Last time you cried? July
Your best friend? All
One place that I go to over and over? Michael's
Facebook? Stalker
Favorite place to eat? Home

Now I'm supposed to pass this blog award along to five other bloggers whom I visit daily and by whom I'm inspired. Hmmm...only five? That doesn't seem fair since I subscribe to over 130 blogs. Well, here's five in alphabetical order whom I don't believe have already received this award and whon I find very inspiring:

Amy

Anna

Cookie

Denise

Charlene

Thank you - Thank you - Thank you very much (said a la Elvis).

P.S. The photo is completely random. Any guesses as to the identity of the subject in the photo?

Gabriela

Vicki's Color Palette

2009-11-09T19:12:00.007-05:00

That's right! The uber talented Vicki over at Fields in Fiber has created another sumptuous color palette out of this puny little photo I shot of my street gutter. If you're not already familiar with Vicki's talent, check out her blog because you're in for a real treat with her phenomenal stitching, quilting, embroidery, fabric postcards, fabric dyeing, Tye-dyeing, and so much more. She's got some serious talent as you will soon find out.

Miss Vicki is a fellow Virginian who lives about an hour south of here and although I've never had the pleasure of meeting Vicki vis-a-vis, I have met her husband through a friend of a friend. It just goes to show how the world is getting smaller and smaller through the magic of cyber space. I trust that Vicki and I are destined to meet in person one of these ol' days and in the not too distant future and that is something to which I truly am looking forward.

Vicki, thank you for the awesome color palette. It's truly breath taking.

Gabriela

Coupla Nuts

2009-11-09T04:00:00.009-05:00

without their lids.

Gabriela

Dappled Color

2009-11-08T04:00:00.007-05:00

This is one of the large maple trees in my front yard. This photo was taken on a grey Saturday morning with tepid light and no tripod. I was very pleased with how well the leaves photographed in the muted morning light. (click on the image to see the entire photo)

I hope you're having a splendid day today.

Gabriela

Orange You Glad it's Fall in Virginia?

2009-11-07T04:00:00.006-05:00

Gabriela

My Secret Garden

2009-11-06T04:00:00.006-05:00

This is my Secret Garden. Welcome. Come right in and stroll leisurely through its grounds. This garden, these grounds, are the reason I bought this house. I love meandering through the various forest paths. I love walking under the shade of these 150' tall trees. I love looking for toad stools, seed pods, acorn and birds. These woods bring such serenity and each time I walk them, I'm amazed at their beauty and thankful that I'm here to enjoy them during this period in my life. Showcased in this photo are a small smapling of redbud, dogwood, maple, cedar, hemlock, and tulip poplar.

Gabriela

Curb Appeal

2009-11-05T04:00:00.005-05:00

There's something so appealing to me about a street gutter filled with Autumn leaves. Ours are just starting to fall and our curb is gratefully receiving them, collecting them, and happily waiting to show me its coveted prize. (click on the photo to enlargeand see the rest of it.)

Gabriela

I've Turned Over a New Leaf

2009-11-04T04:00:00.004-05:00

...and have lost myself in a sea of color. (click on image to enlarge)

Gabriela

The Sky is Falling

2009-11-03T04:00:00.001-05:00

...at least it seems to be in Virginia.

Gabriela

The Last Geranium

2009-11-02T04:00:00.005-05:00

This is the last of the summer geraniums. It's one of two that are potted and sit like sentinels at the front porch entry, greeting every visitor with a bright sunny hello. There's something very nostalgic about geraniums for me - geraniums and hydrangea. You'll probably need to click on the photo to see the whole thing.

Gabriela

Mums the Word

2009-11-01T03:00:00.001-05:00

More mums, different shot. This time I centered my focus a bit better. This would have been infinitely better with a macro lens though...

I hope you're enjoying the Fall weather. It's perfectly cool and crisp here in Virginia.

Gabriela

Happy Halloween

2009-10-31T21:14:00.013-04:00

See that Snickers bar? Yeah, that one, right next to the Reese's peanut butter cup. It's mine.

And the peanut butter cup? It's mine too. Don't nobody touch it!

Here's my little Club Penguin girl.

She designed her own costume all by herself.

Check out those penguin feet. Complete with yellow Puffle.DH was busy baking mini cupcakes and a Jack-o-Lantern cake. Pretty creepy, huh?

Then he rubbed some of the black frosting all over his teeth and scared the daylights out of us.

Not nice.

I hope you had a fun and safe Halloween.

Gabriela

Spiders & Gobblins

2009-10-31T04:00:00.009-04:00

wishing you a Happy Halloween!

Gabriela

Punch Art

2009-10-30T04:00:00.003-04:00

...just a little punch art for you today. And that's that.

Gabriela

Plenty of Pumpkins

2009-10-29T04:00:00.001-04:00

This card is actually a couple of years old, but I don't think you've seen it before. Pretty simple, eh?

Gabriela

Pumpkin Patch

2009-10-28T19:24:00.007-04:00

I'd love to tell you about our trip to the pumpkin patch down at the Belvedere Plantation and how we took Minime on a hayride, and how she got lost in the corn maze, and how she must have turned over at least a hundred pumpkins in search of the "right" one. But I cannot tell a lie (well actually I can). Our pumpkin came from Wal-Mart. Now wouldn't the pumpkin patch story have been much more entertaining?

DH is now threatening to commandeer the blog from me. Help! He's snatching at the laptop. Help me! What ever you do, don't believe a word he says about me!

Gabriela

Never Enough Buttons

2009-10-28T04:00:00.004-04:00

Same card - different DP. This time in Old Olive. I know my creativity is just astounding. Try to contain your excitement.

Gabriela

What's B&W and Green All Over

2009-10-27T21:22:00.008-04:00

There are three recycled elements on this card. Can you guess what they are? No? Well I'll give you a hint. The B&W image is not stamped. It's actually a piece of Macy's gift wrap paper that I recycled. You see, my mother sent me a lovely birthday gift wrapped in the prettiest B&W textured paper I've ever seen. Naturally I had to save the wrapping paper and thought it only appropriate to make her Thank You card out of it. The gift box was tied with a most generous length of the richest red grosgrain ribbon "evah" so I just had to re-purpose a small piece of that yummy ribbon too. The black card base is a portion of en elegant carton which housed another gift and is popped up on foam adhesive for added dimension. The white mat is Bazzill white. Not bad for a recycled card, huh? Here's a close look:

And here's a little sneak peak of the inside. I used Papertrey Ink's "Simple Little Things" acrylic set for the sentiment and again on the inside. I wonder if my Mom will recognize the ribbon and image from her beautiful gift wrap. Gabriela

All Buttoned Up

2009-10-27T04:00:00.004-04:00

I've got another card for you today based on my favorite Everyday Buttons and Bits set. The vintage buttons are from Papertrey Ink (PTI) and the DP is just a scrap of Bo Bunny. I thought it contrasted nicely against the Pink Pirouette base and the little scrap of pink silk ribbon.

Gabriela

Autumnal Hues

2009-10-26T04:00:00.002-04:00

"The leaves are falling, falling as from way off,
as though far gardens withered in the skies;
they are falling with denying gestures.
And in the nights the heavy earth is falling
from all the stars down into loneliness.
We are all falling. This hand falls.
And look at others: it is in them all.
And yet there is one who holds this falling
endlessly gently in his hands."
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Gabriela

Captured in Mid-Air

2009-10-25T18:25:00.001-04:00

Gabriela

Crimson

2009-10-25T04:00:00.003-04:00

"To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best

day and night to make you everybody else

means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight,

and never stop fighting."
~e.e. cummings

Gabriela