Colorado camping 101

1. Find a spot and unpack it all.

2. Chill after unpackin'.

3. Find some dirt.

4. Find some treasures in the dirt with metal detector.

5. Look cute carrying dirt and treasures around.

6. Look cute chillin.

7. Take a lil' snooze if you need.

                                               
                                                            8. Chill with a pal.

                              
                                                             9. Go four-wheeling.

10. Realize we live in CO. and the weather can change in 1.7 seconds.

11. Watch the rain. Like, really really rain.

12. Go a little crazy in the camper.

13. Get a little silly and try to dry everything out and look up at the clear starry sky.

Jam making 101

1. Seek out a cheap deal on strawberries that are in season, get mason jars, tongs, sugar, pectin. 

2. Wash the little guys and take their green tops off.

3. Get some anger out and smash those little guys up.

4. Boil, boil and boil some more.

Um, and boil ALOT more because you live 6300ft. altitude.

(Our mistake.)

5. Add waaaay too much sugar.

6. Look back at your Pioneer Woman cookbook for the thousandth time to see if you are doing everything just right.

7. Boil the mason jars in the pans you borrow from your mom cuz you don't have any huge pans for boiling.

8. Stop and wonder why you are doing this in a 128 degree kitchen on a hot summer day, in a house with no air-conditioning.

9. Remember that this is quality time with your sweet daughter.

10. And she won't remember the sweat. Just the moment.

11. Carefully put the steamy hot jars on the counter and carefully put the steamy hot jam in them. Remembering that the sugary sticky red stuff shouldn't touch the top.

12. Wipe your brow of sweat and smile.

                              

12. OMG. Boil them again to seal the tops.

13. Look at eachother and smile. Then pass out on the couch with the fan on you, hoping that the jars will pop and seal.

14. OMG. Clean up.

15. Let them sit and thicken for up to 48 hours on the counter.

16. Find out they didn't thicken and have a sad face.

17. Tie 'em up cute and still give them away and tell everyone that the jelly is more like syrup for pancakes or ice cream.

18. Lastly, when your darling daughter says "Mama, we should make this tradition...and do canning every year!!" You say an enthusiastic... "Yes!"

how did we get here so soon?

You will never have this day 

with your children again.

tomorrow, they'll be a little older

than they were today.

this day is a gift.

breathe and notice.

smell and touch them;

study their faces

and little feet and pay attention.

RELISH THE CHARMS

of THE PRESENT.

enjoy, mama.

it will be over before you know it.

-jen hatmaker

You know those "older" mom's that say "Oh, enjoy this precious time, sweetie...when grade school starts...it just flies by so very fast..."

well, you know what?....

It.

Is.

TRUE.

Hello High School and Middle School.

Loveable Lauren

This girl always has her hands in something.

Making lip gloss.

Doing gifts. 

(Cool city scape for Daddy)

She's a good person to have in a group for classroom projects.

I volunteered to design and do the annual 6th grade quilt for her school this past year. It will be hung in the school forever with the other previous years. The 6th grade class always does a "Leave a Legend" project. This year they made picnic tables for outside. I incorporated that theme into the designs.

Some students were chosen from each 6th grade class to paint a square of it. 

Lauren's is the watermelon.

It was hanging at graduation.

The girls wanted to change their bedrooms up before the new school year started. I was SO on board. I used to change their rooms when they were littler almost every year!

Lauren had an idea, a color...a thought and a dream about her room.

I said go for it! So she did. She picked out everything and even painted her room. 

And it is perfectly her.

Colorful and bright and fun.

This is one of her precious drawings on her wall. She wanted a wall gallery of her OWN art.

I will post pictures of the girls finished rooms soon!

Life is art.

I get so many people wanting custom paintings from all over the world. From Australia to Ireland and United Kingdom. Like, some are crazy and some are not. In the end, they are all special and meaningful for many many reasons that I will probably never know. I am just glad that I can use my hands to bring such a gift.

This motorcycle I painted was exactly what she wanted. It was her husbands Harley that he treasured.

This has been a popular print on my new shop.

I could only imagine the stories and journey's that bring a mom to buy this for their nursery.

This mommy wanted these for her triplets nursery. 

Bless her.

These baby name canvases are still the most popular, and very cherished to place in a nursery.

This mom wrote this to her sweet angel. Isn't it just darling? 

 She wrote a letter to her daughter and wanted it written out in typography form and small cute illustrations to coordinate. 

So special.

Oh how I love. love love to do hand lettering. Ever since I can remember.

It's actually one of my favorite things to do.

I love when someone has a very meaningful scripture that they want added.

Means so much for me to be a part of.

This teacher contacted me and wanted this for her "jungle themed" classroom.

This gal had a 2 year old that she was having a swanky "Paris bakery/pastry" birthday party. This was one of two that I did for her birthday. She was having them printed on various items for the party and framed them for her bedroom.

Blessed.

This little girl will have loving little reminders on her wall in her bedroom.

Love that.

This print was going to the Netherlands. Around Holland.

The gal that bought it on Etsy didn't include a couple numbers on her address. (The addresses across sea are so confusing.) So, it took a BIG trip. A well traveled piece of art fer sure. 

It went from here to Denver...then San Diego...then New York...then the Netherlands. 

Then BACK to California, New York, Denver, then in my mailbox. 

Pretty much all around the world and back again. And hardly a dent or scratch on it.

(Oh and then I got the right address, and sent it back to her AGAIN.)

Crazy.

I thought this was so well said from Flora Bowley.  An incredible artist I follow and am inspired by. "The way I see it, love is the driving force behind my brave intuitive painting process and the work I do in the world. By cultivating intuition, moving through fear and expressing honestly, we simultaneously spread love, both on and off the canvas.....and you thought we were just making paintings!"

"When we allow love to lead the way, we align ourselves with compassion, acceptance and forward movement. For those of you who have ever tried to paint intuitively without a plan, you understand that these are also important ingredients in the painting process. That said, focusing on love is actually a great way to kick off any creative practice."

"Imagine taking the time to consciously soften and open your heart before picking up a paintbrush. Begin with a short meditation or simply light a candle and set an intention for the day. Remind yourself that there are no mistakes. Call upon your guides and inspirations to lead the way. Open yourself up to the magic of the unknown and trust that you will find your way. Surrender your agenda. Be brave. Be yourself. "

Ok. Last but not least,
Winnie the Pooh.

I cannot tell you how popular Pooh and his friends still are! From the beginning of me painting for clients about 13 years ago... Winnie the Pooh has been one of the best sellers for me. For name signs, canvases, and now illustrated prints. What is big right now are Pooh quotes. Here is a whole bunch of them that a gal in Athens, Greece wanted for her nursery.

I know-- GREECE.

Pooh and friends are universal and will never go out of style for nursery's.
I am convinced of it!

Beautifully put. 

"You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept." Matthew 5:14 (MSG)