The humble beginnings of a vegan, gluten-free adventure.

Hello all you lovely people! Today's post is dedicated to a special friend of mine, Nannette Minley. I met this beautiful lady a couple of years ago as I pulled into the parking lot of a church in Arizona. She literally ran up to our car, wearing the biggest smile, to greet me :] Now a marriage, a big move, and a huge leap of faith later, she is courageously starting her own organic food cart, The Crue Cart (c). In her words, "think of a hot dog stand that serves vegan, gluten-free, organic and local-when-possible snacks instead." I think it's brilliant, and I'm oh-so excited.

Now here's where you come in and make a huge difference in the young stages of what I know will become a wonderful success. Nannette and her husband, Garrett (Gary is what I call him and he has an absolutely infectious laugh), have been incredibly smart and resourceful so far, but still need that extra "oomph" to get started. 

They are currently asking for donations to meet a humble goal of $200. With 17% of this already met and 37 days left until the deadline, Nannette is counting on the those who are willing enough to give even just $5. The smallest donations make a big difference and it won't go unnoticed. For every person who generously gives, a voucher will be given! "From free vegan and gluten-free cupcakes to stellar swag bags, the prizes will be glorious." Sounds like a good deal to me.

So if you have some spare change laying around or are feeling extra giving, why not support my dear friend? And if you really can't spare a dime, send a link back to this post to everyone you know. The more support the better!

PLEASE DONATE HERE! :]

I truly admire Nannette's go-getter attitude and self motivation. She's one of the rare entrepreneurs who actually makes sure that what they set out to do becomes a reality. It's really very inspirational :] Now check out some of Miss. Awesome Baker's works of art...

Sweet Potato Gluten-Free, Vegan Doughnuts! Yum :]

Sprawghetti. Healthy yellow squash dressed up as spaghetti! 

P.S. What do you think of the new layout? I was a little overwhelmed by all the pink, and I think this matches nicely with my new site layout :]

knick knackified.

I'm a little obsessed with this "Obi Wan Kenobi of painting's" work at Knack Studios. She takes boring furniture and gives it a story. I want to buy an old vintage home and furnish it completely with her pieces! *drool*

The handles are little roses! <3

<3 <3 <3

twentyeleven.

Hello new year, I open my arms to you gladly. Twenty-ten, you did not treat me as well as I had hoped, but still blessed me in deep ways. This previous year was probably the most challenging for me, but I'm noticing now that new growth is springing forth from the ashes, stronger and wiser, and I'm so excited. I have big plans for this year and I intend not to let myself down!

I've already started on a year-long photography project (which you may follow here on Lauren Elise Photography on Facebook), the classic 365 day project, a photo a day. I have tried to stay committed to this one before and failed miserably, because my heart was not completely in it, but this time is different. I'm tired of not finishing things I start and putting what I'm passionate about on a back burner. So *deep breath* here goes, something!

I also intend on accomplishing all of the following

• Develop a passionate, unrelenting fire for my Jesus... and do something with it to change lives.
• Get it tip-top shape while eliminating any unhealthy lifestyle choices.
• Extend my creativity into as many mediums as possible.
• Take piano lessons, or teach myself, and lose myself in the music.
• Sing much more often and much louder.
• Go on adventures, real ones.
• Smile, every day. :]

I pray your new year takes you into unexpected and beautiful places! We only have this one life, and I refuse to waste any more of it. <3

merry december

I just love love love Coldplay :]

"Oh Christmas lights
Light up the street
Light up the fireworks in me
May all your troubles soon be gone
Oh Christmas lights keep shining on"

Hope you guys have a merry December :] Grab some hot cocoa and go gaze at the Christmas lights with someone you love <3

a beautiful mess.

Uuummm I am in love. With this blog. ------> bloginwhichiaminlove The chick who owns it is like, everything I want to be! I mean look at her hair!

Going red-head is definitely on my list of things to do.

And her blog... it's everything my blog wish it could be. Plus some cupcakes. (Cupcakes meaning awesome here.) 

I am super drawing inspiration from here and just love it! So I had to share :] Check it out! 

Maybe someday, when my hair is red and I own my own vintage boutique, my blog will be as lovely as this one. Until then...

Re-Imagining

My sister introduced me to an incredible photographer today, Brooke Shaden. I appreciate her work to a very high degree. Photography has lost a lot of it's true meaning in the world. So many people point and shoot at any random object and the blurry result is "art." Don't get me wrong, anyone should be able to enjoy the creative expression that is photography, but the true art form of it is being lost, buried under MySpace photos and Google. 

"Having and camera makes you no more a photographer than having a hammer and some nails makes you a carpenter." -Claude Adams

So here I want to share what I believe is an expression of true art. Shaden doesn't conform to any patterns or trends in her work. You can see that she is passionate about conveying a story or message and does so in a way that pushes the envelope, going beyond any commonly accepted boundaries. I find it refreshing. Enjoy :]

Brooke Shaden

"Within the space of a square frame, I try to build a world that is undeniably separate from the one we live in. What fascinates me about any artistic medium is that it can pull the viewer out of a logical and common world, and place them within a space that is more alive. When I use a square frame, I hope that the viewer will forget that they are looking at a photograph and instead see an alternate reality, one that mixes painterly qualities with surrealism and fantasy. Why focus on what the artistic medium is when the subject and concept are pulling us deeper and deeper into a world that allows us to escape our reality in exchange for a fantasy? It is my goal in photography to make beautiful that which others find disturbing, to take a simple concept (be it birth, death, or something in between – life) and mold it into something complex and magnetic." -Brooke Shaden

"In reality opposites are one; art shows this." -Eli Siegel

   

I'd actually wear my glasses if these were them...

I WANT THESE. That is all.

Ray Ban