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.

Fall break

The girls were on Fall break from Oct. 5th through 24th. It was crazy long, but a great break for them because the past months have been a whirlwind of buuusy starting school and adjusting to the newness of everything. It's no wonder that they started school so soon- a big break fer sure!

The first weeekend off and we woke up to over 4 inches of snow,

we all looked out the window and were like... "whuuuuut??" 

Melted the next day.

Picture of the girls later in the week at the river.

Uh huh.

The Foster's came to visit on Tuesday. We went to beautiful Broadmoore Hotel/Golden Bee Tavern for Sylvia's birthday and Josh had another something up his sleeve- a surprise for his Mom.

Went to Garden of the Gods...to....go... horseback riding!

Sylvia was like...."whut??"...."whuuuuuutt??" 

She said a zillion prayers, was crazy scared...but Bob tried to ease her tense bones. 

Bob, the horse she got- was the laziest, slowest horse ever. 

Yea, I didn't think that helped though.

It was a perfect clear day.... most of us had fun.

Ok. Here's Warren. He has been talking about going to a "dude ranch" for awhile now. He was pleasantly surprised to get on a horse. His horse was "Hercules" and was HUGE. It was quite a sight to see an almost 80-year old on enormous Hercules. My in-laws were such troopers!!

I had "Winnie"and Josh had fast "Indian" and was the caboose- trying to stay behind pathetic Bob and take video, pictures and make sure everyone was keepin' it together:)

We visited, talked, ate, ate, ate, shopped...all the things you do with family/guests. 

It ended up being a delightful Co. visit for the girlies break. 

creative juices

Finished these sweet owls for Lauren's room this past week. They go with her bedding in the picture below. The girls rooms are slowly coming together. The lofts that Josh built are awesome- Lauren's is complete with a fireman pole. (pics of Hannah's pad later) I feel like I'm saying goodbye (sniff sniff) to pink, princess and shabby chic frill for the girls spaces. It's now bright, bold and on the retro-mod side. 

Here are the kiddos: Tristan's first painting (he was so neat and tidy!) and the girls and I did some salt dough Fall figures. You know, salt, water and dough? 

Classic. 

They turned out cutie. We painted and sealed them to last forever. 

Ya know cuz I am gonna look at these years from now and be like all teary eyed...goin'...aaawwww. 

The next few pictures are from this months ART CLUB. We decided to call ourselves "Art Gypsies". Sweet friend, Kim facilitated this time and these turned out adorable. 

We had 10" unfinished wooden doors, painted them, added some vintage cutouts, added bling, wire, holiday goodies. Great for hanging over a door knob...

...or as a Christmas ornament. 

Thanks, Kim- so fun!

Still chuggin' along with these name signs on my shop- always a hit!

Komen "Race for a Cure"

Denver has the world's largest "Race for a Cure" 5K walk/run. It raises a ton of money and Heather's Mom is honored during the walk each and every year in celebration of her breast cancer fight- 31 years ago! Dawn is a perfect example of the hope, strength, success and LIFE within the battle of breast cancer. I was excited to be a part of it this year.

We all loved being a part of the thousands and thousands of participants. There were so many running/walking with celebration and with memory. All the woman (and men) flashing so much pink, costumes of all sorts and most of all: doing this in love and remembrance. It was delightful and heart-warming along with bits of sadness in knowing the millions of women who are fighting or have lost the fight with breast cancer.

A fun and beautiful day (an early one!) in a cool city with lovely ladies.

The 23rd.

You have my whole heart for my whole life, babe.

Josh and I have always celebrated September 23. It was our first date 23 years ago and our wedding date 16 years ago. It's just always been our special day. So, we decided to head out for a little 3 day get-away last week to celebrate. J had some business stuff to do down in Santa Fe, so I tagged along. 

We pooled it at a very Southwest and charming, authentic hotel.

I had a day on Wednesday to myself while J worked, so I hit the plaza area for art galleries, architecture (this was the most amazing church), shopping... and later we chowed at 2 of our favorite restaurants.

 

We headed an hour south to Albuquerque and stayed at the modern Hard Rock hotel with music memorabilia and casino (where I was on a winning streak on the penny slots(ha!)...went from $4 to $100...then lost $70 again, but a couple hours of pure entertainment/excitement).

The picture below is in "Old Town" Albuquerque. A quaint, old section with tons of Mexican restaurants (yea, that is ALL we ate the whole trip) and old architecture. This restaurant was built in 1706 and it had a huge tree growing through one of the ceilings...

aRt FuN: 2

Us girls had a smiley time in our basement playing with canvas and brushes yesterday. Lauren finished her sweet little owl....(she's got this cutie owl theme going on in her new room:)

Hannah painted her "happy"...and it turned out super sweet (no pun intended!). I'm so cheesy.

All sizes painted today...big, tall, tiny and square....

I painted a quick-n-silly owl for Lauren (she wanted boots on him).

I says on the sides "owl always love you"

Did I mention that I'm cheesy?

ArT FuN: 1

Already month #2 with some of my new creative sistas! I signed up to "facilitate" the meeting this month...and so what did we do? Uuuuuhhh, we painted canvas of course.

Painted all sorts of fun. These little houses brought some HAPPY.

This, oh so CHARMING.

This full of LOVE.

Painting out of a "comfort zone" and going for it.

This one: totally inspired by NATURE.

This one: let's add some BLING! 

Texture, fun, a tad of embellishment....mixed media....whatever floated our fancy.

Whatever tickled a creative bone.

So, I think we all left with an afternoon of painting 

a rainbow of things, with a

 a soul full of inspiration and smiles.