5 Little Things

This is a fun one.

I was tagged by Emily of CoupleJones on Tuesday, where you write 5 things about yourself. If you have not been over to CoupleJones you should check out her Encourage to Inspire Project with CailaMade...it is going to be a great series on inspiration and creating!

So I got tagged, and now I am going to play!

5 things you may not know about me.

1. I love history. I always have been a bit obsessed with different eras and the pasts of different cultures. I really enjoyed my two high school history classes, and the teacher I had for those classes was really very good. At Cal State Long Beach, I found myself another great history teacher...this was not world history...this was art history. I was hooked. So I have a BA in Studio Art with an emphasis in Art History.

2. I have a huge obsession with bunnies and elephants. Bunnies - I think they are too cute for this world. I go around yelling "BUN BUNS!" when I see one...just ask Jimi. He does a great impression of me, because I am a dork. Elephants - they are such loving, gentle giants. A lot of my art is inspired by them and our house has quite a few elephant things in it.

1 // 2

3. Rootbeer fanatic - Barq's rootbeer is my favorite. But I also like handcrafted rootbeer and the classic A&W (rootbeer float...yes, please). If I could only have one sweet thing for the rest of my life - RB would be it...hands down.

Photo by Maddie Dierkes

4. I have wanted an Etsy shop since 2007 when I discovered Etsy...yes I remember the year, it was kind of a big deal for me. Everyone got Etsy gifts for Christmas that year. Now in 2013, a mere 5 and half years later, I am finally going to open my own shop. Why did I wait so long? I don't know. End of March people, it is happening here!

www.etsy.com/shop/maddreamdesign

5. I paddle outrigger canoe...Hawaiian style boats surfing down waves...that kind of paddling. Through paddling I met my fiance, Jimi, who I have had a huge crush on for like ever. Yes, I still have a huge crush on him...duh! I feel so blessed that we get to share our love for the ocean, the waves and the sport with one another.

Photo c/o Alejandra Ferrise

Okay that is enough about me. Now I tag Kelly, Noni, Lish, Kat and MJ. Kelly, because I know you will love this :) and Noni, Lish, Kat and MJ, because I would love to know a little bit more about my Falling for Friday friends!

xo,

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Central California Roadtrip

One of the best parts of California, in my opinion, is PCH. Pacific Coast Hwy, or CA-1 runs along most of the coastline in California and is home to some of the best views in California.  The section of PCH we ventured through this trip was from the Monterey Bay area all the way to Gaviota State Park area, so most of the central coast. I have not done that drive in awhile, since I was a kid, so it was almost like seeing it for the first time, from a different perspective (the front seat, rather than the back seat ;) ) and with new eyes.  I got to say it is a must drive sometime in your lifetime kinda deal, especially if you are a Californian and you love the ocean which = a lot of us!

Friday
Monterey!

 We got up early and packed up the car, to depart by 5:30 am, to jump on the 5 Fwy and head toward the Ranch House. When we arrived at the Ranch House Coffee Shop in Gorman, ready to eat, we were surprised with snow on the ground! The smell was horrible on the 5, so we hopped over to the 101 to complete our trip to Monterey.

Jimi has family in Monterey so we spent most of the afternoon exploring the bay, walking downtown and spending time with them.  For happy hour and dinner we went over to the Cannery Row Brewing Co. for the San Diego Beer Invasion.  It was pretty cool, even though I do not drink beer.  They had all the big SD big hitters when it comes to beer on tap. The Cannery Row Brewing Company is this old brink building with tons of character, good vibes and friendly people.

Saturday
Big Sur!

We had a slow start..breakfast, play with the kids, packing up, grocery shopping and just taking our sweet time..the weather was so amazing that weekend that it was just nice to be outside enjoying no matter what were doing.

Around lunch time we hoped on the one and drove down to Nepenthe.  Nepenthe, Big Sur has one of the best view in the house, a cool tree house like restaurant, a fun store and little cafe all set up into this cliff looking over the water on the central coast of California...doesn't really get better than that.  The food is good, the vibe is hip and the nice weather and view made it a really popular spot that afternoon. 

After lunch, we made our way to Pfeiffer Big Sur Campground and stacked our clam in the shadows of the some large redwood trees that climbed up this hill and opened into a nice grassy meadow across the way from our camp.  It was quite a bit cooler in the shade, since the tress were so dense back in where we were, but the weather was so nice that it didn't matter much.

The rest of Saturday was spent walking around, exploring the river, building a fire, cooking up lots of food, eating lots of food, campfire conversations, s'mores (of course!) a lot of laughs and good times.

Sunday
Pacific Coast Hwy!

My Favorite!

After packing up and saying our goodbyes to everyone, Jimi and I were headed down to Pfeiffer Big Sur Beach which is 2 miles from the highway on this little one lane road. It was a beautiful drive into the park where you land yourself in on of the most gorgeous beaches! Tons of sand to walk on...a pebble stream running through the center out into the ocean, and gorgeous rock formations getting slammed by the crashing surf. We ate lunch here and Ozzie was having a blast finally being at the beach (his favorite place)! The sun was so nice warming us through. Then we got back on the road and had a major stretch of driving to do until we made it to our next stop.

This drive was (plus the drive from Monterey to Big Sur on Saturday) was just insane. There are no words to describe the beauty that is the central coast. large rock formations, large, expansive cliffs overlooking dark crashing waves with the sun shinning and clear air.  I have so many pictures from the drive, I cannot share them all but these are the best of the bunch.

We finally made our way to Jalama Beach from CA-1 on a beautiful county road with rolling green hills and nothing for miles but green, lush land.  It looked like we should be in the English countryside, rather than central California! Soon the road opens up to the ocean and this long stretch of beach with a little campground that was hopping because of the long weekend. In the park they also have a store and grill home of the famous Jalama Burger.  It is huge and delicious. I can see Jalama being the perfect place for a beach and camp kinda weekend.

We made it to the end of PCH (that part of it anyway) where it hits the 101 at Gaviota State Park right at sunset.  Perfect way to the end weekend. You can always follow along with our weekend adventures on Instagram @maddiedierkes. 

Enjoy!

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2012: The Highlights

I could highlight a lot of events that happened in 2012, but I am going to break it up through our travels this year...it has become really important to Jimi and I to take weekend trips, and explore our local places and then get far away when we can.

January 2012
Ranch #1

Sunset on the roof

Love this bike!

We spent a lot of time on friend's ranches in 2012.  This one backs up to the SD Wild Animal Park.  Only ones for miles and you can hear the coyote pack at night.  Great for hikes in the hills and little motorcycle rides in the dirt.  This was a really special weekend...Jimi and I love a good weekend on a ranch with friends.

February 2012
Valentine's Day + Afternoons at the Ranch

Jimi and I like Valentine's Day a lot (we are even considering it as a possible wedding date ;)).  We always splurge on this day (maybe even more then on our anniversary).  This year we went to the Lumbar Yard in Laguna...a special place for me since my dad was on the job helping build and restore the site...the now restaurant is named after its former glory...a lumbar yard.

Our family friends have a ranch out in Trabuco Canyon, where when the days are warm, it is the perfect place for a fun, sunny afternoon.  A little bit of sun, a little bit of food and some Cook's Corner never hurt anyone.  I will miss those afternoons, because they warm my skin just thinking about the sun.

March 2012
Palm Springs, Craftcation and Lake Arrowhead

March is always all about the company trip and this year it was in Palm Springs.  We look forward to this trip every year and this time it got rained out, but we still had a ball.  Dinner and drinks, a tiny bit of sun, a movie and breakfast in bed on a rainy morning and dinner out at a little french restaurant to bring a little bit of Paris back into my life.  But we also had to stop and get one of these...

Craftcation....there are just so many amazing things that have come from that conference.  This is something that is so close to my heart and I can't wait to go this year! I have learned so much and have grown a ton since last year's conference, it has just been insane.

My friend Kelly (check out her blog here) has a family cabin out in Lake Arrowhead and we went out there for her birthday at the end of March.  There was still little piles of snow, it was cool, the air was crisp and we took a lot of walks to explore the area around her cabin.  We went into town for a good, warm dinner, to view the lake and check it all out.  A good little weekend in the woods with friends before paddling season takes over! ;)

April 2012
Canning 101 for Mom's Birthday + Paddling Season Start!

For Mom's birthday we took a canning class through the Road Less Traveled with Delilah Snell (of Craftcation!) One of our favorite craft celebrities.  In an old house in Old Town Orange in a kitchen that anyone would love to be able to cook in.  My Mom, my sister and I were Team Strawberry where we made two different types of strawberry jam while Jimi's Mom, Cathy, tackled the pickled carrots!  We can away with 4 types of Jam, a syrup and some pickled items. Well worth the class to know how it all works.

April always marks the paddling season's start...as far as practice goes.  The days are longer, the nights are warmer and we finally get back together for the start of another summer.  It is a good time of year.

May 2012
Joshua Tree + My Aunt came to town

My first time to Joshua Tree and we went straight for back packing into the back country and it was HOT, but it was a gorgeous night.  The only ones for miles, a full moon as our own personal night light and a tent to call home.

My aunt Mary came to town in May and I love it when she does.  She is one of my only visitors and I get to have the house all ready, the guest bedroom made up and I get to enjoy her company! Love this time with her.

June 2012
Costa Rica with the Spoto Clan!

This trip was truly amazing because Jimi's family got to come see what my Aunt is doing down in Costa Rica and experience the wonderful place of Playa Negra for Cathy's birthday.  Lots of fun, discussions, and drinks were had on this trip! :)

July 2012
SanO Sundays + Florida in a weekend

We were able to get a lot SanO Sundays in down at Dog Patch with the canoes in July.  These days are always mellow and fun! Beach, BBQ, Good Friends, Surf and Sun...cant go wrong there!!

Florida went by in a flash and undoubtedly so..we were only there for one night!  Delayed flight, almost missing our connecting flight, quick nap, big family reunion, little get together with Jimi's cousins, finally some sleep, flight cancellation, a Tampa tour, back yard Spoto band party, and finally a flight home was all packed into one crazy weekend.

August 2012
Birthday + KONA!

My birthday landed on  a practice day so naturally we didn't really practice, we paddled but we stopped along the way for some good food, drinks and cupcakes (made by Molly Bishop) at Woody's Wharf.  Truly a great night!

Kona was a blast! We had a oh so fun crew, an awesome, fast boat, no drama and placed third in our class! This was my first long distance Kona race and it was perfect, coming into Honaunau was really a site to behold!  Thanks to these girls for a fun, beautiful race!

September 2012
Catalina + Riding Giants in Molokai...literally.

Catalina, we had a good race, and it was a nice day out (not always the case).  Mom's crew got second (which is basically first) and Jimi came in 4th, which was great considering the competition.

Molokai was a huge experience and I am so glad I went to have experienced it first person.  We were literally riding giants coming out of the harbor entrance,  facing gnarly conditions for 8 hours, had a lot of first timers become masters and the everyone else gained a ton of experience.  Everyone was so positive, and that is how it needs to be to get through a race like ours. Thanks to these girls for a strong, challenging and unforgettable crossing!

October 2012
CAF and End to a good season

CAF was good this year.  I always do the swim.  It was warm and I just had a rash guard so I was so comfortable and free to move without the restriction of a wetsuit.  I did my personal best improving 5 minutes form last year.  My uncle and cousin came down to watch and my parents were by the phone for updates.  Love a good ocean swim.

My cousin, Jenna!

October marks the end of the season in our house.  Jimi has gone to Molokai for the past 4 years so I am always ready for it. It is really exciting to watch this race and be involved through him.  He has got talent and a passion for steering that is fun to live vicariously through.  Come October there are all the end of the year parties and it is great to get together one last time before some us start to go into hibernation for the winter.

November 2012
LA + Thanksgiving at home.

Coffee and Breakfast at The Mill

Last year we were in full swing preparing for France.  But this year we got to have a fun weekend in LA for Lily's birthday, a wonderful Thanksgiving at home and a fun dinner for Dad's birthday.  This is probably my favorite time of year, right behind Christmas.  Lots of things to celebrate and be thankful for!

December 2012
Los Padres, Joshua Tree, Mexico, and the best Christmas present ever!

I have to say I didn't notice how much we traveled in one month until I just wrote the sentence!

Los Padres National Forest was a weekend trip at the beginning of the month that really set the ton for the month of December for us.  It was amazing!  Even with the rain, it was filled with bright exploration and fun times.

 
Joshua Tree was equally amazing...the perfect day trip.  We went out to celebrate our best friend, Chris' last weekend in California before he headed out to Germany.  This was not the happiest of things to be celebrating but we sure as heck made the best of it with some great hiking, scenic views and crisp desert air!

Mexico - what a whirlwind of a trip.  It came barreling down right with Christmas and all the sudden we were off.  It took me a second to realize what this trip was about, what it could be and how much we had missed Baja.  It was a perfect weekend and we were the happiest of couples after Jimi popped the question.

Christmas was great with lots of celebration with our families...it will be one that we will never forget.

Thanks for being apart of 2012! It turned out to be a great year in the end...looking forward the fun to be had in 2013!

Enjoy!

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Dream Big

We all dream big, but what is the one thing that we all have that can compile all of those dreams into one?

That would be...the Bucket List!

 
I recently found Kate Conner's Blog where she has her Life List...a wish list of sorts for her life. I have this list, you have this list, we all have this list.  This is a list that lets you dream without limits, plan for the future, find inspiration, and it can be a great reminder about what life experiences are really all about!

The best way to make it a great reminder is to write it down, share it, and LOVE IT! By writing it down...not only is it the perfect page to come back to year after year, but it will become a reminder for what you really want in this lifetime.

This is a great time of year to be putting your bucket list into writing.  We are recovering from turkey, dusting off the Christmas decorations, and ramping up for the new year, making this a wonderful time for reflection. At this time of year we become aware of what it is we love, what makes us happy, what we are thankful for and what we want in the new year, which makes writing this list a bit of a breeze!  Then when the holidays are gone and the hustle and bustle of the new year takes us by storm, we have our bucket list to remind us of what we want to really accomplish, not just during the holidays, but throughout our entire life.

This list does not have to be long, but it should be big, as in dreaming big.  What are your wildest dreams, what do you want to find, and what sounds like so much fun?  These are the things you should be writing down, these are not your goals for the year (even though the bucket list is a great place to start when you sit down to set your 2013 goals!), but the goals that you might not always believe you will accomplish or find the time for...but you want to do it anyway.

Now, this list should not be a ball and chain.  This list is completely for fun, it about dreaming, and creativity.  This list will change throughout your lifetime, it will evolve and that is what makes it even better.  It can be added to, it can be changed and it has a life of its own.

Once you have written your list, share it with someone.  I would like to share mine with my boyfriend, Jimi, and see what we can go accomplish together. If you are not comfortable sharing it, that is okay! Writing your bucket list down, alone, sends it out into the universe for you!  You may come to realize, that without even noticing in the first place, you start to pick things off of that list just because you wrote them all down!

Here are a few from my Bucket List:
1. Start my own business.
2. Travel to the 7 Wonders of the World.
3. Go to the Baja 1000 with Jimi. (This is on his list!)
4. Go on a volunteer expedition in another county.
5. Teach art to children. (could be in another country :))
6. Paddle in another country. (This is probably on his list, too)
7. See every kind of whale, dolphin, and porpoise possible, from a boat in the ocean.
8. Experience the love and gentle nature of elephants in their natural habitat on a safari.
9. Drive from northern Alaska to the southern tip of S. America with Jimi. (This is on his list!)
10. Marry my best friend!

Now write a few of your dreams down and start that bucket list..it's fun!

Enjoy!

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The Latest...

....from Mad Dream Design.

 I have been working on these for some time for Jimi's sister and was finally able to finish and give them to her this weekend!  This weekend got me really excited about a certain direction I am going to be taking with my shop to get her started.  I am looking forward to sharing that with you soon!  These are a Sneak Peak:

The Arrow Drop Earrings by Maddie Dierkes of Mad Dream Design

All I have to say is... Simple. Elegant. Classic.

Another little Sneak Peak:

I have found some great inspiration and ideas for my blog from the No Brainer Blog, by Hayley Morgan, at the thetingtwig.com!  If you are a blogger, or are looking to start a blog, this is a great book (so far!), and I highly recommend taking a look at it.  It offers great insight on how to give your blog a cohesive brand or direction through your own voice.  You will start to see a few changes around here, starting in the new year, just because of this book!

Enjoy!

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