keeping my paintbrushes wet-

School schedule is up and running. I am not sure if all of us are doing the "running" part- but we are trying to get into the swing of things with bags under our eyes first thing in the a.m.!

I'm excited about the intentions I have in regards to my art-time now that summer is over. I feel like this blog has been filled with our personal happenings, thoughts, endeavors....but nothing ever said about what I have been doing with my artsy this-n-that. I am planning on putting some things on here that I have been doing and making it a bit of a marketing tool for business.

A great friend of mine and I are hitting some garage sales, etc. and we plan on painting furniture. Two is always better than one in the world of inspiration and creativity! I just want to have fun with it like this one I did a bit back~


These are some cute custom things that I did this week~





Here is what to come in the next weeks-
* Getting a professional re-design and "look" to my blog; logo and all from a computer-savvy gal (that's NOT me!)
* Plan on putting quite a few of my watercolor paintings for sale on etsy.com.
* Anyone have any old furniture that they want to sell? Bring it on! I am doing some painting for a boutique in town and a holiday sale in November. (www.greshambarnsale.blogspot.com).

Too fast!

First day of Kindergarten


Hannah: First day of 1st grade


Hannah: 2nd grade and Lauren: Kindergarten


Hannah: 3rd grade and Lauren: 1st grade

 
My babies started school this week. Do I seriously have a FOURTH GRADER? And please someone tell me where the summer went? Oh, I so want to know. In fact, someone tell me where the years are going. Months? Days?...anyone?

It is flying by too fast. I always get a flood of mixed emotions when school starts. They are memories of my grade school years, some tears and sadness (add a little loneliness mixed in) along with excitement and anticipation of another school year. I also know that we were getting a tad bored of each other and that they are ready for being scheduled, seeing their friends, and what...learning some new, fun things? I think so!

Our little pianist...

Now, don't get me wrong...I am soooo excited to see a blooming gift or talent...especially at the tender age of seven. But after about 12 waking hours of seven year old piano playing all the time, I have had my fill! (Although you know I am a proud Momma-)

Josh got Lauren a beginners piano book for her birthday in June. He noticed an interest that she had in the piano. So, the first lesson that Josh gave was great. Second, great. Third, great. You get the idea.

She now memorized and plays all 20 lessons over and over, and over. Obviously, she has the Foster gift. Josh is an amazing (although very modest) musician. I, on the other hand, do not have one single music gene in my body! My sweet old childhood friend told me not to ever take lessons from the lady she was taking from. She had reaaallly bad breath. Well- enough said for me. Thus, I do not know ANYTHING. Lauren is trying to teach me. I wish her luck.

A sweet time for Daddy and little L...

Herb has a friend-

A bit of an adventure one night. (Not much excitement happening in the TX heat at the end of the summer you see.) I yelped like a little girl at this huge (like a crazy 4 inches long!) camouflaged caterpillar eating our new tomatoes. Nooooo! Lauren said, "it's matches the tomatoes 'cuz it's all full of them."

Hannah got Daddy's BBQ tools and was the hero of the night. Now, you need to notice the pj's and the long strand of pearls she is sporting while getting rid of our invader.
All girl. But a brave one at that. (Mommy's a WIMP!)

Lauren took this. Love those lovely pearls and proud smile...


Niiiiiice. A lovely picture a enormous freaky shaped zucchini.
(A special type only grown in the backyard of the Foster's.)

Josh said that this zuchinni got lost. It didn't know which way to grow... hee. hee.

Camp Stacey

What do you do in a hot, steamy, sweat the minute you step outside Texas summer with two girls and an artist of a Mom? Well, you do arts and crafts of course!

I must confess that I myself get into a bit of a frenzy at times with art... and crafts. Not just the stuff you do with a paint brush, but anything that involves creating something out of nothing with your hands. (At holiday time last year, I was totally o b s e s s e d with jewelry making...and I haven't touched it all since.)

So, here we go. As usual, my house and the every counter upstairs and downstairs seem to be filled with a bit of everything. Within this arts-n-crafts time, we have had friends come over and play...and join in on the frenzy. The more creative juice the better.

Camp Stacey it is.

Here are some of the summer "campers" that have joined us in our endeavors-





Our creative times have included:

(I so want to put a picture of all of our stuff on here- but I will hold back)

~We pressed wildflowers from the empty, crazy growing yard next to us and made cards.
~Went over basic 101 for beginners watercolors and painted.
~Painted hummingbird houses.
~Made bottle-cap necklaces.
~Started a still life and it still hasn't gone anywhere (a lil' blonde girl I know got frustrated ;-)
~Did groovy tie-dye shirts.
~Stamping.
~Pasted and designed a large collage.
~Made soap with special scents, colors and "exfoiliating" strawberry seeds.
~We now have a forest of felt/pom-pom friends including bugs, bunnies, skunk, squirrel and fish.


Tomorrow: Rock painting

My green-ish tint in my thumb

I am proud of myself. There I said it. I have never grown anything that is edible in my 30-whatever years. I was inspired and thought it was time!

Okay, so we got some dirt, some... whatever Josh put around the dirt, whatever we put in the dirt (see, you can see I didn't really research or prepare for much) and stuck some beans and stuff inside the dirt. I know that I should have planned a bit more, but oh well- that is typical of me. Our garden named "Herb" (pronounce the H, now) was off to a very pathetic start. Sad really.

We finally figured it out. Too much water.

I was disappointed that everything either withered, browned or shriveled up into nothing. I told the girls not to lose HOPE. I wasn't going to lose hope. Without it you have nothing!

So here we are in the heat of the heat here in Texas and I DO HAVE A BIT OF A GREENish THUMB afterall! We just stopped the crazy overload of watering, really. Of all the herbs, basil is doing best at about 3 feet high, we have 2 peppers, 1 tomato (7 growing now though!), a ton of zuchinni squash lately, and still holding out some of my hope for the beans and cucumbers.

Most of all, Herb makes me smile (in a peaceful, woman-of-the-earth way). This plot of dirt has proved to help some of my creative green-gardening juice come out and is giving the girls a lesson on not giving up.

A little angel has arrived...

Tristan John Whiting
Born on August 7th at 6:10pm in Co.
8lbs 1oz, 21 inches

Look at this face! Ooooooh, our hearts are exploding! With big grins (and tears) we welcome this adorable little blessing into our family. Steve and Heather are doing so good and they are ready for the most incredible journey into parenthood. These are certainly one of the most unforgettable times in their lives and we know that they will be fabulous parents.