things I've come to know- part 3

~prayers are powerful and are answered (already really knew that, just confirmed again:)
~kids are like sponges, especially (and more important to know) when they grow older
~there's always a rainbow behind the clouds of life
~there's enough time in each day to remember to be grateful, joyful and seek grace
~all women carry their our own loads of hurt, stress, pain, loneliness and feelings of inadequacy
~if you have enough smiles and laughter in your marriage, it thrives
~babies steal your whole heart when they smile
~decorating takes t-i-m-e and money and energy- and you lose it all quickly
~a warm, stinky dog by your feet ALL day long IS ok
~it can snow over a foot and in 2 days melt away
~Incredible deals on groupon.com and livingsocial.com- sign up!
~Proverbs 3:5-6
~playing the guitar for hours soothes my husbands soul
~so thankful and thrilled over the 20+ orders on Etsy in 8 weeks
~ladies can get to know eachother quickly over a hot cup of coffee
~I don't have near enough sweaters coming from TX to here
~I get excited to watch Nate Berkus Show, Storage Wars, House Hunters (eek!)
~Hannah has seen every episode of the Three Stooges 3x over (n giggles every time)
~disorder and busyness can eat me alive
~been cherishing the spontaneous, grab-a-bite to eat times with my mom
~if you give yourself enough time being strong and brave, everything gets easier
~most all of us go through the same stuff in the world of parenthood at one time or another
~a daughter in Girl Scouts is a full circle moment for me
~my sweet neighbor friend Kim, Alexe and Imogen= blessings.
~hot electric blankets are the way to go tucked underneath the sheet on your bed
~every day does have the possibility to be FABULOUS. right, Josh?

In case you wanna know...
here's: part one and part two.

Hey Alison-- you won the $30 GIFT CARD to spend on my shop- yay! 
Love ya sweet friend! I'll get with you about it.

our ART CLUB Barbie creations

I texted a sweet friend and asked her if she just doesn't wish she could take a long, gulit-free, relaxing NAP (or a long, relaxing, guilt-free ANYTHING) and not have a gazillion things to get done in one day all the time?! She whole-heartedly agreed! I mean, really- I know we are in the holiday season but Thanksgiving hasn't even come yet. I need to let go and let myself just be in chaos-mode for the rest of the year (not that the ENTIRE year hasn't been a bit bonkers).
Among all the crazy, I have loved to take some time with awesome girls and create something. It's that feel good and excited place I like to go to spoil myself a tad. Here is our Art Gypsie project (compliments of wonderful Reba) we did for this month. Oh, I was so pumped for it. I know I'm nearing my forties...but I still have a special place in my heart for Barbie. I played with them until I was in like, 8th grade or something (no kidding) and my girls have a dozen or so all piled up in a naked mess downstairs. They are still dressin' them up and playing house and I'm not stoppin' them anytime soon.

Ok, let me get to it.
I will tell you all the process of these altered Barbie creations. pssst, you can make these with your daughters old dolls!

spray paint her, add some gel medium (we used Golden brand) to kink up her hair wild-n-crazy, let dry

have a "theme" that you want to go with...winter fairy, birds, travel, crazy art girl, etc

wrap her bod, limbs etc. with maps, newspaper, magazine pages, tissue paper...using the gel medium- dry

with spray Tacky glue and hot glue: add stickers, glitter, gems, embellishments, more glitter...

wings! butterfly or angel wings

paintbrushes, ribbons, beads in the hair, beads glued to the hair...crazier hair the better

so cool. just go for it.

there you have it- cool, crazy Barbie creations

(if you want to see more- go to Becky's post too:)

PS: LEAVE A COMMENT ON THE POST BELOW 

TO ENTER 

TO WIN the $30 gift certificate!

comment= gift certificate!

I'm up and running on my Etsy site. Keep looking- I add several new designs each week.

THANK YOU to those who have purchased these past 6 weeks! 

For the past year or so, among so much change, I have been wanting to be brave and really feel organized and good enough to start up online. It's kind of like deciding on any somewhat big decision- often you are never really ready. You just gotta go for it. My personalized art is what I have had randomly consistent work within the past 5 years or so. Why not put it online? I have gotten a couple comments that I don't showcase the ability of my studio fine art talents in these lil' personalized design goodies. Probably true, but it is where I am right now and I am having fun with it.

I get inspiration through so many areas in my life. Mainly my daughters, fabric, illustration...words and songs, etc. I am inspired by many artists every single day and recently the group of wonderfully creative women of whom have just landed into my life lately. There is also a particular very, very successful artsy girl of whom I have followed this last year or so. I took her awesome online class after I got her book randomly on Amazon. I certainly was not only sucked into the beauty of how she uses her art and her words, but how she has built a business and inspires so many creative souls.

I know I'm not alone in the insecure art world of trying to get a grip on a successful artistic business. 

Just like everything in life, it's a journey- always changing and growing in winding and different ways.

I need to be confident... brave...

and enjoy the ride.

I AM PUTTING THE COMMENTS BACK ON HERE! finally, right?

 SHARE A SIMPLE COMMENT on this post: on what INSPIRES YOU in your day to day.

I will announce the winner on Monday, November 21th for a $30 gift certificate to use on my shop.

Halloween

This year the girls coordinated once again. 

A Texas girl and a Colorado girl, indeed. Hannah wore my old Indian costume from when I was her age. Yes, my Mom keeps everything. It had a wig to go with it, but she decided NO on that. We had the same traditions. Go here if you want to know more about that. Or here.

thought this was a cool pic

here's the rest of the gang- two pirates, and a bee included

oh, and two farmers and the cutiest piggy...

hit a whole bunch of houses...got a ton of candy...

....SUGAR!!!...

Foster house pumpkin carving 101

1. Procrastinate until the night before Halloween and confidently draw out a plan.

2. Just dig in and try to salvage the seeds among the goop- to season and cook in the oven.

3. Get Daddy diggin' in (and Mommy; I will spare the picture of frustration.)

4. Get dazed and confused on the amount of strength it takes to carve.

5. Get Daddy into the carving and have him do all of it.

6. Search all over the house for votive candles. Find none. Then call Nana.

7. Finally light 'em up. Look at them, and say "aaaawww". 

8. Then the next day have them frozen solid in the 12-14 inches of snow that falls.