Hannah.

She is wearing my shoe size and my small fitted t-shirts. She oozes sweetness. Is stylish and a tad sassy at times. She's smart and sensitive and is having an opinion and rolling her eyes saying "aaaw, Mooommmeee" on more than one occasion. She's learning about what she loves and discovering what she doesn't. She's also beginning to understand what is a little scary and what is very comfortable in her little world.

She is so lovely both inside and out and is having her 11th birthday today?

I'm feeling excited about who Hannah is right now and who she is to become. I've been such a huge part of her where she has been and often wonder what part I am going to have in the future. I remember in the hospital room when she was only maybe a minute old and she leaned over to gaze at me because she heard my voice. It was the most magical and unforgettable moment. Our eyes locked and it was the beginning her precious life and of my new life and journey as a mother. I have been forever changed since that moment. She was a dream come true. Total and complete love at first sight.

Her freckles, her wide smile, her dreams, desires and giggles that warm anyone's heart is what I love right now. She's organized. A planner. She has the biggest sweet tooth known to man. She worries. She is crazy funny. Loves to relax. Loves to play hard and still loves to pretend. (Yesterday the girls didn't have school, and they wanted to finger paint. Yes!) It all seems to flip and flop back and forth. She's still young and stuck right smack in between being a little girl and a teen.

She's not too sure and not knowing what to feel sometimes. Apparently all this is normal and these days it is called being a beautiful, blossoming "tween".

Where? Did? The? Years? Go?

She's a piece of me and I love that she is an even bigger piece and reminds me of her Daddy.

She's adored in every way by everyone in her life and a splendid part of exactly who God made her to be. I've been so in love and will forever be trying enjoy and cherish every moment and do what I can to make this journey of hers just how it should be.  
Dreamy and fun....beautiful and full of love.

Just like her.

February randomness

"Life is like a box of chocolates. 

                 You never know what you're gonna get." -Forrest Gump

It's cold and flurry...everywhere. Got Ohio-blood in me, so I can take it. (Sometimes.)

Our little pooch is prepared!

We go to get juicy burgers at Smashburger every time Daddy is gone- been there alot lately, so it's tradition now. 

Missing Daddy.

Did I mention missing Daddy? Yea. He left love notes (and jewelry:) under random things for me. He's been texting me to "look in the tea bag container in the pantry" and "look under the lamp by the yellow chair" etc. etc. every night this week. Romantic? Uh huh. I'm still fallin' head over heels. 

Speaking of loooove. We created some quick Valentine yummies. Found these on the link "UCreate" on the left of my blog. Just pretzels with Hershey kisses melted a bit on top and squeeze a peanut butter filled m'n'm on top.        Bathing suit season yet? I doooon't think so.

Patient Polly. She had eye surgery last week. She's our baaaaby.

One last BIG not-so-random thing:

WE HAVE A CONTRACT ON OUR HOUSE! 

(a family fell in L-O-V-E with our sweet haven and after a week of slooow negotiations which means happy, sad, smiles, tears, nervous, ready...overwhelmed on all levels possible, really)

custom painting 101

"You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do." Eleanor Roosevelt

When I was pregnant with Hannah, I looked at her empty walls in the nursery and told myself I should paint something on them. And....so all big and round in month 8 I did. A tree, grass, clouds on ceiling (Daddy did that), birds, a window, picket fence, flowers. I never realized that her room would have opened up a door for me for the next 11 years in an art business. One person saw the room, then another, and then word spread. I have never advertised since. It has all been word of mouth. For 5 years I did wall murals when my Mom would watch the girls until I tuckered myself out without having any help, then moved onto doing a some shows, canvas, wood, furniture painting for a baby boutique in town. So here I am. Really blessed and happy to have had a part-time (although inconsistent at times), set my own hours job for the past decade or so. I am feeling like I lack in the business and administration part of everything, but I think that will come down the road when I figure out what ONE thing I want to market myself with. Not there yet.

I often think I don't have a solid, cohesive look or style. I've done mainly kids stuff because that's where I was in life when I started and where I still am. Starting as a young artist and then pursuing it in college a tad, I'm trying to embrace the process of growing as an artist and knowing it just might take some time to get where I want. I am continuing to dream about the next avenue I want to take. In the midst of learning, changing and balancing who I am- I'm still chugging along with custom stuff.

This post is a look at how I go about doing customized work. I always want to remember how I started. Whether it's been a simple name sign, frame, canvas, mural or furniture- this is how it goes. Here is a toy box that I have been working on. I haven't done furniture in awhile and thought it would be fun. A gal's father-in-law built it for her and she wanted it to be handpainted as a sweet heirloom piece. Super special and I was happy to cute it up.

Here is a basic 10-step way I paint most personalized items:

1. Sand and smooth out piece. Base coat with Kilz primer. Perhaps sand again.
2. Choose 3-4 colors to work with and base coat main colors. I mix within those for darker and lighter shades. It just gives a more uniform look and looks balanced to use only a few colors.
3. Using a good brush add texture freehand, work with stamps, painters tape, bubble wrap, foam blocks etc. Whatever inspires me. I usually use tone on tone (darker/lighter shade on top of the base coat) for this step.
4. Have a design or main concept to be the focal point. With this toy box, it was the bird and branches.
5. Work with fabric, magazine ideas, room decor, and sketch out some thoughts on paper. I get those from the client or on my own; usually bedding, rug, special request, room colors, etc.
6. Pencil in the main design and get started on the details.
7. Step back and really look at it. Walk away a bit. It's always looks newer the next day to work on.
8. Touch up and add final strokes with accents of brown, white, black or a dominant color to make the entire piece "pop".
9. Seal it with a water-based polyurethane sealant. This can be brushed or sprayed (with furniture- brush it on).
10. Voila! Too fun.

Here is the final piece. The client wanted it to have a simple-grow-with-her-daughter design. With the fabric and stuff she gave me I figured it was a "victorian-modern-potterybarnkids" look. I think that's the hardest part in doing this kind of painting. I always tell them to give me or share as much as they can so that I can paint what they are thinking in their head. Alot of clients just tell me "oh, I trust you- just do whatever you think".  Love that!

Greetings 2011.

Past: Give it to God. Present: Live it for God. Future: Entrust it to God.

My mother-in-law called today and mentioned that I hadn't blogged in awhile (she is a big blog fan of mine apparently :) Not much happening but finishing holiday orders, organizing, getting ready to list our house on the market again. Almost 9 months and counting. I did also think about summing up the past year and perhaps actually writing the resolutions down for 2011 that have consumed a small chunk of my brain. So here goes.

I think we are all in the frigid, post-holiday wish-I-were-at-a-beachy-location state right now. Winter has finally hit Texas- and everywhere else I hear. We had a whopping 2 inches of snow this past weekend and this is where you would have found me (and other sweet souls who joined me at times). Toasty in front of the fire, good book, sketch book, hot cocoa, dreaming, catching up on my snoozing. Can I say, aaaaahhh.

Since it is the second week of January, I figured I would put down some of the dozen things or so that I resolve to do this year. Many that know me well know that I am a dreamer and wisher...and...but we all have to start somewhere right? (in random order)

- Have a faith-walk in every detail to come this year.
- Go on individual "dates" with the girls.
- Bring rainbows of color, pattern in the decor of our next home and my wardrobe. Mix it up.
- Continue (and enjoy/be okay) with my journey as an artist.
- Keep conquering the icky gremlins that creep up and steal the good space in my head and the day. (I would mention what those are- but TMI)
- Keep it organized, simple and mindful.
- Eat fresh. Stay active.
- Quiet times. Among my stack of books to be read, a devotional book (luv it) that I got from a forever friend will help with that.
- DO Dave Ramsey's book. Not just READ it again. (Wanna read this too. Getting carried away here.)
- Linger in the small, simple moments that bring happiness and are rich in love. As a "still growing up and trying to figure all this out" adult I realize it's these moments that matter the most. Not much else matters in fact. (aka: this weekend: freeze tag bundled up outside, sweet chats with Hannah on the floor of our closet, breakfast in bread from J, dancing to good music, snuggly doggy....you get the idea.)

Goodbye 2010. You were good. Full of love. You were filled with uncertainty and "we'll see" and "I dunno". You were hard. Delightful. Fun. A roller coaster. I feel like I have grown/learned, laughed/cried, had chaos/peace, was strong/weak, fearless/scared, full/empty, confused/getting it, excited, content, positive, negative, thankful, quitting, patient.

Blessed with a happy fine-tuned, well constructed God path of about everything this past year.

Bring it on, 2011.

"Happiness is not a station you arrive at, but a manner of traveling."-Margaret L. Runbeck

Colorado Christmas 2010

We seem to be the traveling family these days. Not just the holidays, but Josh has certainly put some miles on these past months. What's a few more? We decided to drive to Co. for Christmas, had a little family celebration here, "packed up like sardines" in the car and we...outta...here. J needed to work a couple days out there, so we tagged along (without an inch to waist!). It was super fun. Delightful. Busy. Lovely. Sweet. Blessing upon blessing once again.

I have something like, 176 pictures. Hey, we were busy but I won't bore you. Here is a quick glance at the week:

1. A Santa Claus outing. Tristan cute-d up (oooh, he is a sweetheart!) in an adorable outfit for him and my girls weren't too sure about the Santa-thing.
2. Christmas Eve service was lovely in so many ways. At a church my Mom/Josh were going to a bit and I felt an immediate "this could be our church home" feeling.
3. Happy Birthday Jesus! Gifts. Brunch. More gifts. Chillin'. Laughing. Teary. Eating. Loving.
4. Santa hats tradition.
5. Went to Boulder. (loooove it.) Shopped, ate at a chic tavern, tried to hike to some beautiful falls.
6. All bundled up we went to see pretty holiday lights displayed beautifully at Hudson Gardens near Denver.
7. Colorado Springs! Went to old, famous Broadmoor Hotel. Ate at old, famous Golden Bee Pub. Went to old, famous "Cave of the Winds" to tour the most awesome cave. It was all old, famous and too cool.
8. Shopped a tad. Okay- the malls around there ROCK.
9. Happy 40th Steve! You ROCK! Downtown Denver celebration at Denver Chophouse.
10. Bison Park to run, jump, chase. It ROCKS too.
11. Home-bound. Up around 4am and we outta there. A big snowy storm brewing. Although tempted to stay and have fun in it, we opted out.
12. Drove 16 hrs. straight through. Made it, but got a bit "car craaazy" at times. The "packed in like sardines" part when we left...yeah, even worse coming home.

There you have it. A Colorado Christmas. Now you know and now I have it all in here so that our family will forever be remembering it. We have all of 2008, 2009, 2010- journaled via blog form. Joy, Joy! (Bloggers out there: use this to put your blog into a book.)

Christmasy fun

Wishing you...a dream to be blessed, a star to guide and peace and harmony inside!

Merry Christmas

The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. 1Corinthians 16:23

These are a few recent December pictures of making, creating, 

                           sharing, singing, dancing, playing, laughing and loving! 


                          

artsy this-n-that

"Art evolves. So does life. Art is never stagnant. Neither is life. The beautiful life that is being created for yourself and those you love is your art. It is the highest authentic art."-anonymous

 I have favorite custom pieces that I do. I loved these cute birdies and I love who's room (below) this huge canvas is going in. Hope you love your new artwork, sweet Hailey!

The things that I paint are so random lately. I just had to turn down a way too HUGE without any help mural job for 25 examination rooms for a pediatrician's office yesterday! I feel like this randomness of painting furniture to dogs is okay. LIFE is so random for me and our family right now in regards to our big move coming this 2011, so it's kind of in sync I guess.
We are in a holding-onto-our-faith-n-praying pattern and there are a zillion questions. I am finding little joy's in the things that I create in the days, and believe that I WILL find that ONE area that I want to use to build into a big business, have a shop, etc.
These are just the joyful steps to finding the answers to my next adventure. I'm listening.

 Here is a pile of some gifty things I worked on this past week. (They are stacked up because that would steal the surprise to the recipients!) I will put them on so you can see them later. Custom name signs are consistent work for me- they do make special gifts :)

normal holiday time silliness

It was one of those many Mommy days today when I sport black yoga pants and a favorite baseball cap. A no shower day. You Mommy's out there know what I'm talking about. A quick spaghetti and meatball dinner tonight (Daddy's been gone for the week and we do really easy-n-simple) and I need a shower. 

Ya know what? Forget the shower, bath it is. Holidays? Yessss, it's bubble bath time. We have this clawfoot tub that I couldn't live without, so I need to take more long, relaxing baths in in, right? Glass of red wine in hand (good for antioxidants :) and I'm there. Not quite 5 minutes (it's only 7pm so what do I expect) and knock. knock. knock. "Mommy...whatcha doin'?...Taaaaking aaaa baaath?!!..Can I take one after yooou...?" (Huh? Mommy's take some time out for herself for a moment?) 

Okay, here's the funny part. I hear whispers. They come back with the whoopee cushion that they found (and sat on it on the floor) in the $1 section of a store last night. Yep, in front of strangers and they are belly giggling with everyone laughing with them in the aisle. It automatically infates after you sit on it, mind you.  HAD to buy it. 

Well of course they get it and place a part of it UNDER the closed bathroom door and SIT on it....pppppphhhhllllbbb....and CRACK UP so hard. Ah, bathroom humor at it's best.

Never a dull moment. Yes, even with girls. "Shy, sweet and quiet" one's at that. 

Here's a couple dogs I did this week. I love doing them. Enough to do a little happy dance after I'm done. No kidding. 

a Christmasy time

May your walls know joy, may every room hold laughter, and every window open to great possibility.-Mary Anne Radmacher
Christmas exploded in our home on Sunday. I'll be honest with you and say that I wasn't sure if I was feeling the "let's-decorate!" spirit. I thought of some excuses but, not so. I came home from a fabulous annual GNA (Girlfriend Night Away in Dallas) and the tree was assembled, boxes out. Ready to go. Seriously- Josh puts up the tree, the lights and does the pretty magic outside. What is it that I am fussing about? 

Despite the fact that you pretty much have to CLEAN those enormous dust bunnies in the corners, tables, fireplace, it was a delight. Putting up a tree is soaked in tradition and memory for us- not just from our childhoods, but here in the present with our kiddos. Love the lights, the memories/stories behind the "deck the halls" items, the music, and the time together is just what it's all about.

All of the zillions of ornaments get pulled out. Handmade one's when I was seven, vacations, first home, first baby, special gifts, cherished handmade one's from relatives, preschool handmade, the list goes on. (Did I mention handmade? Ha. Yea. Every year we seem to keep that tradition.)
Sweet. Sweet. Sweet.
So here we are (although not full blown decorated this year). Furniture re-arranged, nativity, fire in the fireplace, garlands, berries, stockings...POOF...Christmas arrived at the Foster's in a few hours.

turkey time

Northerner:
A Northerner is a person born or living in the North, fast paced, aggressive, fast-talking, and friendly but cautious, devoted to basements, skyscrapers, blizzards, apples and maple syrup.
(Yep!)
Southerner:
A Southerner is a person born or living in the South, gracious, easy-going, slow-talking, friendly folk, devoted to front porches, oak trees, cool breezes, magnolias, peaches and fried chicken.
(Love it!)
We got home from Ohio very late this Monday night to be shoved into normal (whatever that is right now). An overfilled work week for J, mountains of dirty laundry, an abundance of mail, painting orders, and Christmas on our minds. Never mind the pumpkins that needed to be put in the garbage, the holiday lists keep on keepin' on!

It was a great trip back "home". Ohio is our Northern "roots" and time seems to stop when we visit. It was Foster-family-time and unfortunately not enough chunks of time for visiting our old forever friends. Josh's folks live in hilly, pretty Holmes County "Amish country". It is filled with fresh home-cooking (I had a bit of an apple pie ala-mode addiction), horse-n-buggy's, old barns, quaint gift shops, antiques, sweet children in their Amish clothes near a one-room school house and just a plain and simple life.

We headed to Cleveland/Lake Erie for fabulous food and to hang out with Josh's bro's, went to the zoo/rainforest, hiked/ate at a beautiful Inn in the country, and of course ate and ate and ate in between T.V. and board game playing. It was a sweet together time and Grandma and Grandpa spoiled two special little girls to pieces. We are continually blessed beyond measure! 

Here's most of the Foster gang at turkey time.

Adorable cousin Isabella...of whom the girls ADORE