tick. tock.

"I don't know what I expect from me as an artist. I will just have to figure it out as I go I suppose. It's just simpler that way." -artist from "Great Work of Art"

Time is tickin' and tockin' on this 100 paintings in 100 days project of mine. It's almost the end of month two and I am about 25 paintings behind or so. I want to be at 60 by the end of this month. (I haven't put pictures of everything on this blog.) I told my sweet, supportive Josh that I was this behind and with gentle eyes he looked at me and was like, "good luck with that." I know I was sick, it's been busy and I'm a bit creatively delirious at times. Okay, koo-coo. BUT- I'm not giving up!! I indeed have a pattern of starting MANY things and not finishing them. My Mom said I have AADD (Artist Attention Deficit Disorder!). Ha! It's true.

For me, art needs to be from the heart. Needs to mean something, bring joy, and be different. Plus FUN. I was ready to have some serious fun, so one early evening I whipped out about 10 small canvas panels I had and stuck them on Josh's workshop (sorry honey!), got my colors out and went to town on them. No plans or rules. Finished all ten that night. Uh huh. Aaaaand, they ended up being CUTE!
Fun, I tell ya.

Stay tuned. I will put some on here. They're kinda "gifty" and will be sold in November.

Here's a group of custom canvases I did recently to coordinate with a sweet shower curtain fabric.

State Fair and Big Tex

                     It's the simple things that make you smile.

 

Being that we are heading to the mountains one of these days, we are wanting to get the most out of this grand state. We feel like we've seen a good portion of Texas. I mean, it is pretty big so we're being realistic here. From Fort Worth to Austin to San Antonio to Galveston and whatever in between...for the most part, we've seen it or done it. We had not gone to the Texas State Fair yet, though. Apparently it is the oldest, largest and best fair in this great nation of ours. Soooo by all means, we gotta go!

It WAS big and crowded/expensive but it what a blast of a day we had. We'll never do it again, so we made the most of it. Road some rides (the most unforgettable spinny-whirly ride actually), played some games, went through the Botanical Garden and Museum of Nature & Science, people watched (oh, you gotta love that), held hands and loved the big blue sky.

I need to start an entirely different paragraph for the food there. Seriously. We just stuck with the typical corndog (best ever though), lemonade, cotton candy route. BUT, oh my goodness....fried EVERYTHING surrounded us. I am not talking like fried chicken here, friends. I am talking deep fried: club salad, pbjelly, caviar, Pop Tart's, Frito pie, chocolate, BUTTER, frozen margarita, Snicker's, latte, lemonade. And last but not least, fried BEER. All I gotta say is "how in the world do you fry these things?" They do it there. They must do it well, because the lines were HUGE.

It was great. With sun kissed-cheeks, junk-filled bellies and worn-out toesies-- Texas State Fair? Check.

The treasure is called right now.

I had my camera and wanted to capture some pictures of tonight. A pretty normal night on school days actually. A bonus that the air is having a chill to it, and we get to wear long sleeves outside. Hip, hip, hoorah! Check out what a Monday night in the Foster house looks like.

 Josh's continual attempts to get that gopher/mole(s) that tear up our yard. Remember Bill Murray in Caddy Shack? Yeah. Hannah had a the vocab word "persistant" in her homework tonight. That's Daddy!

Our poochie looking for some trouble.

She is all that! And so happy on her wheels--love the socks, L. 

 So sweet from her teacher. I agree!

Homework. More homework? Showers. Pj's. Dessert. A little T.V. and xoxo.

There can always be a wonder in the here and now.
Nightie. night.

So long September.

Have one of those weeks lately and it's just plain "ugh"? From Sunday to Sunday- that was me. Sick (again), stress, emotional,... just puny stuff to some, but big in my world. Sometimes life can be so overwhelming. We all carry around our own stress, brokenness and "stuff". So, being that this is a new week- I wanted to get my heart straight. I needed to look at the past week. See the negative. Know it's real (and you know I like keeping it real) but also stick a positive with it.

Josh left for Co. for the week.
Hoorah for modern technology (iphone vs. droid) helping us stay connected.
My heartstrings stretched with devastating stuff that happened to some special someone's in my life.
There is the power of prayer and God is our refuge and strength in difficult times.
The art teacher forgot I was subbing on Monday= no lesson plans and I had to pretty much wing it.
It actually ended up being fun. Then on Fri. I patiently taught a kindergarten class (who barely know how to draw shapes) to draw a cute cat! They were ALL so excited and proud.
Polly ate some of my lunch and barfed (!!) for a couple days. 
Polly is a comfortable companion when I'm lonely.
Need to vent every once in awhile.
I am blessed with THE most incredible friends that are always there. To listen. To encourage, love.
I am 12 art pieces or so behind (including custom work).
I CAN and WILL catch up and love my new paints!
Sick. Run over by a semi-truck? Head a big balloon? (Have I developed allergies?)
Thank you Motrin. Benadryl. Comfy bed. Understanding kiddos and hubby.
It's Fall. October. 3 years since Dad died. Sad spots in the days.
Blessed with memories and love that can never be taken from me. (Also lovin' Fall weather- bye bye almost 4 months of 100 degree weather.)
Missing my Mom (and not just 'cuz she was a free kidsitter!).
Yay! She booked a flight to come in a few weeks.
How many times to I have to ask? Squibble, squabbling again?
I get the honor of mothering angels.
For Sale sign still sitting pretty. No lookers.
Not wasting too much energy lately on the dust bunnies, grime and spider webs. 
Our water bill is whaaat?? Bills. Bills. Bills.
Saturday night backyard campfire. Friends. Family. Laughter.

Last, leaving it on a big time positive- the angels are singing and our hearts are jumping for joy... another Whiting to be born next spring!

dibblin' and dabblin'

  I'm just trying to keep it fresh and be creative in something.  It really comes down to the main reason why I am doing these 100 paintings. Just a desire to fully know where my favorite art-niche is.  

Today I told Josh that I wanted to read him the little children's book I wrote awhile back. I want to illustrate it. He says (with sweet, loving support I assume) "oh, you are just dibblin' and dabblin' in everything aren't you?" Yeeeessss. That's my problem. 

I mean- I am painting custom name signs. Another wedding frame. Whimsy. Dogs. Gifts. Decoupage. Designing my calendar again for Christmas sales. Subbing for an art teacher at the girls school these next weeks. 

A bit jumbled. Get it together, girl!

I have been fervently searching ebay for some really nice (and a tad expensive) professional acrylic paints. I found some and busted with glee when they arrived yesterday. It's was like "Merry Christmas to me", although it was bought with birthday money from May....seriously.

 Did this "love birds" silhouette for our Anniversary. Kind of abstract, but turned out cool.

 A sweet friend and I did some decoupaging together one night. I took old love notes from forever ago and placed them randomly on this square, flat canvas. Then went over with paint/smudged it, went over with ink/smudged it and added other goodies. A bit of a mess but too fun.

"Don't go where the path may lead- go where there is no path 

and leave a trail." -Emerson

...and they lived happily ever after

If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day so I would never have to live without you. -Winnie the Pooh

He sat behind me in study hall one day. We later bumped into eachother on a golf course. He called me several times wanting to go out, and I finally decided to on September 23rd, 1988. I was 15 and he had just gotten his drivers license. An old $1 movie theatre, Burger King and a chilly night riding around in his big, navy blue '76 convertible- the rest is history. Seven years of falling head over heels in love, two me's became us on September 23rd. 15 years ago.

This man of my life (that I am still growing up with!) has introduced me to a love, laughter and happiness like no other. To adventure. To trust. To holding on in the most tender and toughest times. To Jesus. To two baby girls. To a committed and comfortable world made just for us.

Josh is in my smile every day. My heart. My dreams. My yesterday and my tomorrow. He's the one person who fully knows who I am, who I was, and who I wanna be. He knows my highs, my lows and from the good to the icky... loves me unconditionally through it all.

If that's not a love from Above- then I don't know what is.

Happy 9/23, Joshy. Forever loving you to pieces. xox

Doggies. 100 paintings in 100 days.

Designers. Designing. Just design in general gives fuel to many creative things I get myself into. I'm ignited and my heart pitter patters whether I'm doing this or that in the design realm. Thus, I am in l-o-v-e and a tad addicted to any design show on HGTV. It's all I really like to sit through on television anymore. I was forwarding a recent recorded show of the "Antonio Treatment" (he looks rough, but sweet and way talented!) and he was re-doing a Boys-n-Girls Club art room. He talked about how kids are the best artists. They are not afraid and carry no boundaries or restrictions. They just go for it without judgement. This is why everything a child creates is fabulous, right?

This so resonated with me. And stuck. How when you start "growing up" you start believing you're not good enough? You get intimidated by others and icky thoughts eat you up. I do that ALL the time with my artwork. Fear eventually sets in and then I don't do ANYTHING.

So, where I am going with this is (rambling on) is that I have had this stack of dog pictures to paint. I kept looking at them all week. Fear set in. I can't do these! Then I remembered Antonio  "just go for it, take those walls down"....(this can apply to so many areas of life.)

So I did. And my heart went pitter patter.

Here are two of my "frightening" stack of pooches.

Our cutie Polly above (when she is groomed!)
And remembering Sasha below.
Up next: Oliver, Carter, Dexter.

Foxxy 

Shy-Ann

today.

Today I am sicky. Feverish and aches. Okay 1.2.3... you can say "aaaaaww". Maybe I am just sleep deprived. hee. hee.

I wanted/needed to finish a wedding gift to get it shipped out asap. I love to do these frames. I take the wedding invitation and paint the wedding flowers somewhere around it on a customized mat. I frame it and ta da...a cherished gift for a lifetime. The flowers in my cousins wedding are fushia gerberas, lime spider mums, blue orchids and purple lisanthis. Everybody that invites us to a wedding knows what they are getting for a gift. I have been doing these for years and like to do them for others too.

Until later, friends.

week 2 of a 100 in 100.

I can't forego sleep. Everybody knows that about me. I need enough it like I need food. If not: BEWARE.

So, I decided instead of walking around like a frazzled basket-case with an overused paintbrush ('cuz I'm such a night owl)....that I would use my custom work as a part of my 100 paintings in 100 days. I had most custom/personalized work this week.

It seems I had a pattern going on during the week.
The pattern= pink. green. yellow. simple shapes. cutesy.

The butterfly (which was big & was a pleasure for me to do because I am a butterfly girl) on here was a lil' mural in a little girls room and it coordinated with colors/theme in the room.

Here they are. The cutie patootie pooches that I want to do have to wait until next week.

"You have a unique message to deliver, a unique song to sing, a unique act of love to bestow. This message, this song, and this art of love have been entrusted exclusively to the one and only you."
John Powell

our little haven (in the south)

"One of the hardest things to realize is that our someday is right now."
(I love words, sayings, quotes, scriptures & write them down all the time--bear with me as I share them!)


This little haven of ours hasn't sold yet. Going on month 5, everybody. It's okay though. We aren't planning on giving it away and are patiently (not all the time) waiting for that one very special couple/family to cherish it as we have. You are out there! Get a move on it! Just give me a bit of notice before you come- for I have stopped keeping this place spic-n-span 24/7.
Not that I have given up, but c'mon...

No really, it's a gift every day to live in the moment. Live fully right now. Not tomorrow or yesterday. Today. And today is good. There have been many times in my life where I have lived in the past or the future. To be content and grateful for right now is priceless considering the huge transition we are entering and all that is unknown. I know that peace only comes from the Lord. There is comfort in knowing that there ARE plans for us (fabulous one's to boot) and that we are just in a holding pattern at the moment. We/I are simply walking in faith and knowing that there is always hope sitting softly on my shoulder every single day. It's like a song that is constantly singing in my heart.


Here are some pictures of what it is right now for us. Labor Day weekend on our haven in the south....

  Tremendously awesome sunsets in our backyard almost every night. Of course we don't own that prairie behind us...but certainly enjoy the free views.

The fantabulous man in my life who traveled all week last week and then came home to set up camp in our backyard with some special girls in his life. (Great campsite available all seasons; especially on a chilly night with convenient fridge and clean shower steps away. Can't beat it.)

Our neighbors next door have this crazy good tree house/play area in their backyard- complete with a fireman pole and small zip line. Aaaand they like to share it with us. Yeeesss!

The nights are getting a tad cooler finally. We have been frequently sittin' out like "porch monkey's" (as Daddy says) in our front driveway eating dinner, biking, playing....even our Polly-poo has her seat. She sits on it like an old lady and doesn't want to get down. Too cute.

Porch monkey Hannah, in her sweet tooth heaven. An ice cream truck came through our hood... and of course we excitedly jumped up and HAD to get huge bomb pop's and stuff. (Remember how fun it was to hear the tune of an icecream truck?!)