You know, this whole sunny-80s to rainy-40s thing Colorado has got going is not really my cup of tea.  But I am thankful for the rain, because it means it’ll stay bright green (swoon) that much longer.  Enough weather talk, though – moving on:

We’re gonna move from rain to waterfalls and take a look at this beauty!  You’ll find Seven Falls just south of highway 24 (there are billboards) and yes, while it’s not ideal to pay to hike, this one’s worth it at least once, I think.  There’s a whole slew of trails branching out from the top of the stairs, so you can spend all day getting your money’s worth if you’d like!

The stairs are quite steep, and a little narrow, but they went by pretty quite and there are a few landings where you can take a break if you need to.  There is also an elevator – it doesn’t go to the top of the falls, but it will take you to a nice viewpoint.

When we got to the top, we chose a trail and hiked out of the canyon where the falls are to get a nice panorama of the Springs.  And now, since it’s Monday – here’s a vintage (aka pre-marriage) photo of the Mister and I when we hiked the falls a couple summers ago:

Did you have amazing weather this weekend too? What did you do to celebrate? (Because obviously, everyone celebrates sunny days, right?)

Filed in:Everyday Adventure | Travel
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This is pretty much a perfect summary of what I think about all the time.  Flowering trees, sugar, and music (not always in that order).

1. You guessed it, took this photo on a run.  You just can’t pass these beauties up!

2. Spruced up/cleaned up the apartment – this is one of my favorite pretty corners.

3. Burnt dinner, so I had a coconut milk ice cream bar instead.  Naturally.

4. These guys make me so happy! Rockin’ some great music at Pulse.

5. Quality time with my favorite inanimate object, Donatello.

6. A family tradition: pancakes with homemade whipped cream. And bacon – don’t forget bacon!

7. Two words: happy hour.

8. Seriously, I cannot stand how perfect the last couple days have been – the best puffy clouds, the most perfect sun.


(Find me on instagram : @bellatheball)

Filed in:Life
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  • HMay 7, 2012 - 10:05 am

    These pics make me smile and I love your idea of “happy hour”… Cheers 🙂ReplyCancel

I know this isn’t a Fresh Friday post by the technical definition, but hey, I make the rules around here.

So if you saw this post, I hinted at a little project I was working on last weekend – well, I can’t exactly point you to the full details YET but I couldn’t resist giving you a little sneak peek.

A fellow blogger, Matt Madeiro, is publishing an eBook, and I’m lucky enough to be contributing a few illustrations!  You know, when I was a kid, I dreamed of being a children’s book illustrator – and I suppose illustrating an eBook for grown-ups is kind of close to that, right?  Matt, you’re making my dreams come true!

Well – there’s a little peek at my famous paella – it’s the dish that my husband claims won his heart and also the dish I burned to a crisp earlier this week (hey, no one is perfect, not even when it comes to your signature dish!)

Matt’s e-book is titled Happiness Is – it’s all about celebrating life’s simple and small pleasures.  And you know me, I’m in big favor of simplifying things – can’t wait to see the finished project.  He enlisted the help of a whole collection of illustrators for his book and I’m sure it’s going to look awesome!  The full site or book haven’t released yet – but I promise I’ll let you know as soon as they do! And maybe even give you another peek inside.

If you’re interested in seeing more of Matt’s eBook, Happiness Is, you can get a FREE copy (!!) as soon as it releases – just go check out his site.

–BTW, this is NOT a sponsored post and all opinions re: Matt and his Happiness project are my own–

Filed in:Happiness | Life
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How high of a standard do you hold yourself to?

I am too often a pursuer of absolute perfection – refusing to accept anything less creates an extraordinary amount of pressure, not to mention a whole bevy of excuses as to why nothing at all gets done (thus leaving me stalled and frustrated.)

Well, if I had this camera which is way nicer/more expensive.  But I never learned how to do that.  But last time it didn’t work out how I wanted.

You probably know the drill.

Image by Natalie Norton

Image by Natalie Norton

I loved this post by Natalie Norton on Digital Photography School and her carefree attitude towards photography – she is willing to sacrifice technique for an image that speaks to her heart – and I am really inspired by her results.

While YES, YES, YES, I absolutely do believe that knowledge is good and vastly desirable, it can also be limiting. It can dam up our creativity. It can thwart our inherent confidence and impede our overall competence. – Natalie Norton

We all have to start somewhere, and obviously, we should always desire to improve and learn.  But it seems there is a balance: the desire for perfection should never paralyze us from creating in the first place!

I’d rather be making art that impacts and means something than art that is technically and skillfully perfect in every way.

If you’re interested, read the full post, then let me know what you think – has the need for perfection ever held you back from doing something you love?

Filed in:Inspiration
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  • puddlewonderfullifeMay 2, 2012 - 11:59 am

    Thanks for linking to that post – it’s something I definitely need to hear from time to time. I often get too caught up in what I “should” be doing (especially with things I’m just beginning, like photography) but whether in things that I’m learning, or activities I know well, it’s a good reminder to sometimes think less and feel more.

    I would not say that the pursuit of perfection has stopped me from trying or doing anything, but it has absolutely held me back from feeling joy or a sense of accomplishment if I haven’t done it “well,” which for me is just as bad.ReplyCancel

    • Annabelle MintzMay 2, 2012 - 1:37 pm

      such a great way of putting it! thanks!ReplyCancel

      • puddlewonderfullifeMay 2, 2012 - 5:30 pm

        I found your blog through its having been freshly pressed (as I’m sure you may have guessed), so you may relate to this or not….

        My blog was also freshly pressed (last week), which was actually a good lesson for me in exactly what you’re talking about here. I would not have called the post that they chose one of my best entries, at all, but clearly something about it caught someone’s eye, even in its imperfection.

        Did you find that also, or did you think your freshly pressed post your best-ever?

    • Annabelle MintzMay 2, 2012 - 6:29 pm

      That’s an interesting observation – I’d say it was definitely one of my favorites, though I’m not sure if I would say best? We are our own worst critics, I think.ReplyCancel

I’ve had a handful (ok, maybe more) of new visitors to the site in the last day thanks to the feature of this post on Freshly Pressed (Thanks, WordPress!) so I thought I’d put together a little navigational post to show you around my little corner of the blogosphere.

Everyday Adventure posts are from little explorations around my home base of Colorado – look here for hikes, campsites, and hopefully some inspiration to find even the everyday a little exciting.

Beautiful World posts include photos from my travels away from home and some of my favorite things about this awesome planet  (ie. sunsets and french pastry!)

Fresh Friday takes you inside my sketchbook and my closet as I share my fondness for creativity in personal style and get a little crafty too.

Today’s Soundtrack will take you to all things music (a true love of mine) and Moments of Pretty will give you a peek into my daily life, as I try to remind myself to be thankful and take nothing for granted.

Finally, if you’re just in the mood for some creative inspiration or kick-in-the-pants, check out Inspire Me posts, and particularly my 2012 intentions: Simplicity, Creativity, and Bravery.

Thanks for reading, guys – I hope that you get as inspired reading as I do writing.

Filed in:Misc
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  • Cabbie NotesMay 1, 2012 - 3:32 pm

    Congrats on the Freshly Pressed. Love the posts. Keep on doing great work. Cheers.ReplyCancel

  • Nic FreemanMay 2, 2012 - 1:24 am

    Congrats on being Freshly Pressed Annabelle. I’ve been loving your blog for a while now and the publicity is much deserved. Thanks for sharing your bright side.ReplyCancel

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