Last year we tackled the enormous task our landscaping our own backyard. Part one was the exhausting digging, part two was putting down all the stone (and an injury) and part three was the garden wall. Before and after pics and summary can also be seen here. 

After all that work we decided to NOT do the vegetable garden we had in the plans...we were so tired! So we tackled it this year. We downsized the initial size/scale to keep more grass/play area for the kids and we also decided to use a Raised Bed Garden Kit to save ourselves from anymore digging. Found them on super sale which was a bonus! 

We purchased three kits, put them together, filled them and planted them with the kids help, all within an hours time. Bed 1: strawberries, raspberries and blueberries. Bed 2: tomatoes and peppers. Bed 3: cucumber, broccoli, onions and leeks. We got carried away and even planted two grape vines. Our kids are really enjoying watching them grow and are beginning to understand that veggies don't just appear in the grocery stores or farmers market. 

We've only had one problem and that has been with strawberry theft. We quickly realized it was our very own dog who was eating all the "baby strawberries" and so now that bed is protected with netting. The dog still heads straight to that bed in hopes of finding a way in but so far the net is holding up.

Everything is doing really well, tomatoes are covered in flowers, cucumbers are budding and the leeks/onions smell so good (I am not a fan of onions). A year late in completion but now it is done and thriving. Well worth the wait I'd say.

For months I've been inspired by the people around me, both those I know physically and those that I may only know virtually. I have been watching these people as they take on challenges, embark on journeys and change their lifestyles completely. 

One wonderful lady I know has been working on quitting smoking, both a wonderful but difficult decision. She is making strides and although it's been a slow and bumpy road, she is happy about her progress. Another lady I meet online a few years ago, has been training to do a half marathon. I've read about her training, her improving pace times and not that long ago about her big victory day. An old friend from my single days, decided to change her lifestyle. She began eating smarter, committed to working out regularly and the changes have been obvious and fantastic.

The list continues with a member of my extended family who is embracing her passion and starting her own business. The many that I have meet online and in the Etsy community working towards the success of their shops. To finally my old friend who after struggles and obstacles is now expecting her bundle of joy. 

These people, these women, are so inspiring. Rising to the challenges, overcoming the barriers, taking the small steps that lead to the large impacts...bravo ladies and keep up the fantastic work. You are not only changing your own lives but also the lives of your friends, co-workers, families and children. Bravo!

Is was all these women (plus those that I didn't include here) that inspired this weeks print. Simple, straight forward and meant to remind us of why we set our goals and more importantly, that we will reach them.

My goal? Lose these last 20 pounds of course success with my shop.
What is your goal? What does that journey look like for you?

It's that time of year again, yup, my daughters birthday. There is something about birthdays that I love. I think a lot has to do with my family. My parents always made a big deal about birthdays, not by throwing crazy parties but by always buying a us new clothes for our day (my mom still does this for me), making sure we always had a cake, a special meal, maybe a special day trip, always waking you up with a birthday song (spanish tradition which my mom also still does via phone), and generally making the day special from morning, noon to night. 

Now that I have kids of my own I am enjoying birthdays even more. We are lucky that both their birthdays fall in warm months so we invite the whole family over, throw a nice family BBQ, play some games, bust a piñata and of course have cake. But I must confess that because I love an excuse to create and be creative...I am enjoying putting  a theme to them. Last year my daughters party was Tinkerbell inspired and my sons was Construction inspired. I don't go over the top (not even remotely close) and in fact I challenge myself is to use what I already have and limit any purchases to Walmart or the Dollar Store.

This year my daughter is into anything sparkly, she enjoys playing princess and dress up in general. So this years party will have a Princess meets Mad Hatter feel to it. I've already starting making her a princess tutu and some glamorous party hats. I will be sharing these little projects with you soon but in the meantime here is peak at her princess attire in the works. 
I have a lot to do...and I am so excited to do it. Did I mention I love birthdays? 
What are your favourite thing about birthdays?

The weather is unseasonably warm here; people are wearing t-shirts, shorts and generally enjoying this summer-like spring. People are heading outdoors, taking in the fresh air and closing their eyes as they feel the warmth of the sun on their skin. It makes me smile to see this spring phenomenon. Driving through my neighborhood I notice mostly the Mommies. They are everywhere. Packs of mommies with strollers walking, the running mommies pushing their babies along with them (I really admire those ones), a few towing their young ones behind bikes and a few walking with their little ones snuggled up in wraps. It makes me smile again remembering the early stages of motherhood. Around the corner you see another influx of mommies picking up their kids from school. Waiting in cars, waiting with strollers and even with wagons towing their younger children along with them. One block further is the high school and I see a mother and her son packing his tuba into the back of their Civic. I chuckle a little and can’t help but remember all the things my mother did for us growing up. My creative experiments, early morning rehearsals, attempts to teach me to cook, guidance, love, oh how the list could go on.

It’s truly amazing thing this thing called “Motherhood”. Mothers have the ability of being whatever you need them to be. They will remember where you should be, take you where you need to go, they can be a medic to heal your wounds, a therapist to heal your heart and feed not only your stomach but your mind and soul too.

It isn’t Mother's Day yet but why wait! Thank-you Mom. I hope that I will be able to do as much as you did for us and still do for us. Perhaps we too should get out and enjoy this weather. Mother, daughter and grandchildren going for a walk...I think this would make everyone smile.

I really enjoy baking and since last year I've been hooked on making my own ice cream cakes and dessert (which is ironic because I am lactose intolerant). Today I am sharing a quick and easy dessert you can make...even at the last hour.

It seems everywhere you look there is reminder that Valentine’s Day is coming, which brought back a memory of picking flowers and playing the “He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not” game.  Oh the anticipation of getting “He Loves Me”, perhaps picking two petals at once to ensure the outcome was in your favor or realizing that, what was left from your attempts to find the right flower, was a pile of picked over sad looking stems. Seems like the perfect metaphor for some of us in our journey to find the love of our lives!

The coming day of love and this memory inspired my newest print. Although my daughter is still a toddler, my greatest hope is that as she grows, I can help her develop strength in character and self-worth.  With that in mind, I created this positive and empowering version of the traditional “He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not” – pleasing to the eye with a positive message. Right now she sees “flowers” but as we all know it isn’t about the flowers, the “loves me” or the “loves me not”.  In the end it’s about loving who you are.

If you are like me, you are just finishing up your "New Year" clean, purge and organizing ritual. I finally got to putting up my new one page calendar. I made one for my studio and one for my work place cubicle. If you are still in the need of a 2012 Calendar, you are more then welcome to print off a copy for yourself. Happy New Year.

Friendly Reminder: Designs are by Karen Jansen/inkanddirtdesigns.com.
Images/files are for personal use only and are not to be altered, sold or used commercially

We recently hosted a 30th Birthday Party for my sister-in-law. Here are a few pictures. I designed the invitiations and decorated everything in the same colours. We placed 80's and 90's trivia everywhere, partly for her age but mostly because she enjoys games/trivia. Instead of a present we asked people to bring in their favorite picture of the birthday girl. All the pictures were put into an album that the guests signed and the rest of the pages are now filled with pictures from her party. Everyone had a great time and so did she. Happy Birthday!

We attended a 1st birthday party this weekend. The little girl is gorgeous and very well loved. As part of her present I customized my word card for her. Her parents we quite taken with it and plan to use it as part of her birthday album.

I have been working on a few card and print designs that I will be listing in my little shop soon. They have been designed to be customizable for Birth Prints and Save-the-Date Cards. However, I decided to customize and use the first one this weekend as a Bridal Shower Card for a friend of mine. First and foremost, it was great to have the first "official" one go to such a special and wonder person. Even better, she absolutely loved it and so did everyone else (I can't lie....the look on people's faces made me feel good about my design). We did give her a lovely gift but it was also great to give her something really personal as part of it.