Tuesday, February 14, 2012

My Love of Art



I am participating in The Love of Art Blog Party today hosted by Rachel Payne

What a wonderful thing...writing about why we love art!

I am sure each of us is very different in the type of art we create

and the type of art we love or are drawn to

but I bet the reasons we love art are probably very very similar!


For me it's very basic at it's core...

I love art because it makes me happy!

When I am in the process of creating I am at peace.

Without those moments of creativity I am a mess...

nothing else can fall into place...

because I am not in place.

As long as I am creating at some level on a regular basis...

well it makes the rest fall into place a little easier.


(beautiful wooden heart by my sister Jamie)

Art connects!!!
This is another huge reason that I love art.

The artist community is a wonderful place...

meeting and chatting and brainstorming with other artists...

oh what an awesome thing... 

it leads to more courage, bigger ideas, and new possibilities...

and the discovery of some extremely awesome ARTISTS...

those Kindred Spirits...

(beautiful tin heart made by one of my favorite artists Carissa Fox of Brown Eyed Fox)

and their beautiful ART!!!

ART that now graces the walls of my home...

ART that brings a smile to my face...

ART that might just inspire more ART!!!


Not to mention the good artists do...

I have had the opportunity to help others through my art.

There have been times when maybe I haven't been able to give money to a worthy cause...

but I can always donate a piece of my art...

and it can be sold or auctioned off and maybe bring a slight blessing to another.

What's not to love about that.


So see it's simple...


art makes me happy...

I simply cannot be me without art!!

(posted both here and at Star Hitched Wagon)



My wish...


My wish for this day is that you all are surrounded in love!
And remember I appreciate each and every one of you!!

Monday, February 13, 2012

My Xander - He's An Artist

This sweet boy of ours is an incredible artist.  Always has been...
He spends hours drawing...
HOURS!


He has a unique style that is all his own!
I just love it!

This is his latest drawing!
Roberto Luongo

This one will be framed and put it up in Connor's room...
Connor is a HUGE Canucks fan.
A pretty sweet gift if you ask me.

Maybe you'd like to vote for him.
 He may just end up in the magazine...
And that just might make his year!!  :)
Thanks everyone for looking!

Have a beautiful day!

Hello Monday...

Hello to our first Monday with a 14 year old son!!!  :)


Hello swollen eye - adult acne sucks!

Hello sore muscles - but I am so glad to have yoga back in my life.

Hello week 4 of  training!!  3 whole weeks and 46 miles down - only 16 weeks and about 465 miles to go!!!


Hello contractor - thank you for replacing that missing piece of siding!

Hello handmade Valentines!!  What a clever idea (his mouth is where the kids will put in the Valentines!!!


Hello aromatherapy classses - I promise to start working on you!


Hello design work...can't wait to make you two realities!!


Hello to a wonderful REAL life, full of opportunities, choices, and blessings!!

 And as always a big thanks to Lisa Leonard for such a fun idea!

Monday, February 6, 2012

Hello Monday...

Hello struggles to get out of bed on time...just how many times did I push the snooze button today?
SO thankful Steve went in later today so he could bring Connor to school.
This means an extra few minutes of sleep for Xander and I!!

Hello bright and sunshiny day!  
You may be cold but I do love your rays!

Hello little man's beat up face...no not really beat up
...and no it wasn't that rough of a hockey game this weekend.  
Sadie was just so happy to see him - he ended up taking a paw and a claw to the nose.  
Poor kid.
Hello mouth full of missing teeth?  
Can you even chew?  
The tooth fairy has made you rich these past few weeks.

Hello scrappy goodness all over my floor...
I just can't make myself put you away I will probably use you today...
and tomorrow...
and the next day...
and the next...
I do have to vacuum at some point.

Hello 28th layout in 2012!!  
I am so excited to have some scrappy goodness back in my life!
Think I might tell you this often!!!  :)

Hello delicious new coffee discovery - oh how I love you!!

Hello Week 3 of training...
I know it's early but I am really feeling good about this!
I am really enjoying my time running.
Praying that it lasts right up until I cross that finish line on June 3rd.

A big thanks to Lisa Leonard for such a fun idea!
Makes me think Monday's aren't so bad after all!!  
Lots of wonderful things to love this Monday!!!  
How about you?  
What does your Monday bring?

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

A Little Scrappy Goodness!!!

I have been a scrapbooking fool these past few weeks!  I am SOOO excited about all the pages I have completed!!!  25 pages completed!!!  25 layouts in 32 days !  Woohoo!!  So I decided to share a few:

The above layout was inspired by a My Minds Eye sketch by Tamara Jensen


The above layout was inspired by the layout on page 59 in the Spring/Summer 2012 CTMH Catalog

And the above layout was inspired by a Basic Grey Sketch by Kelly Goree

All the layouts below were done for the Inspired to Scrap Sketch Class that just finished up!  Awesome inspiration there!!!  The classes are ultra affordable - you should sign up for the upcoming April sketch class!!  Really you should!  If you scrapbook that is!  :)




Thursday, January 26, 2012

Totally Random Thursday

From 7:35 am to 9:27 am I put 12.5 miles on my vehicle and I didn't really go anywhere.
I also expect to add at least 20 more miles on that number today...WOW!!! 
I know I know many of you are saying - ha that's nothing. 
BUT I do not work at one of the mines and I do not live in a big city...
so it seems CRAZY how many miles I travel each week. 

Moving on...I washed my car today for the first time in I don't even know how long...
and when I say I
well I really mean that big machine.
Yes it did and I sat and texted in my car - tough work I tell ya. 
Anywho...by the time I got home you would NEVER know I made a visit to the car wash. 
So tell me again why we wash vehicles?  (Steve and Dad pretend you didn't read that last statement)

I am hopelessly and shamelessly ADDICTED to Pretty Little Liars. 
Thanks a lot Macey.  No but really I am. 
I have watched 12 episodes in the past 2 days while scrapbooking. 
Stacey + Ezra = TRUE LOVE 4EVER. 
Ok I sometimes have the mind of a 14 year old. 
And I might have replayed his make out session 427 times,  but probably not.  
 HOT!!!

I have scrapbooked 18 pages in the past 24 days!  And that's the real number!!
I am so super excited about this because I didn't even scrapbook that many pages
in the entire year of 2011.  Yay ME!!!

I started marathon training on Monday.  Crazy I know. 
It will be my first and I am actually REALLY excited. 
I will be running the Deadwood Mickelson Trail Marathon on June 3rd,
along with my really hot hubby.  Well I won't really be running along side him or anything. 
By the time I finish the marathon he will have finished his marathon, showered,
had a couple of meals, drank a few beers and lots of other stuff.
I have never been to interested in speed...finishing is my goal. 
With this being my first marathon my goal is to finish before the 7 hour cut off time. 
If it takes me 419 minutes and 60 seconds I will be so super thrilled that I accomplished that!!! 
And another member of our family will enter the world of running.
Xander has taken an interest in running.  He has been "training" for about three weeks now.
He is really excited about it.  He will run at least 25 miles over the next few months
and then finish the final 2k of the marathon at the Mickelson Trail the day before Steve and I run.  AWESOME!!  So proud of him!

I LIVE in yoga and running clothes - 96.4% of the time and that number may be low.
The old gear wasn't looking too pretty so I may or may not have purchased $8641.23
worth of new gear from Sierra Trading Post.  I didn't say I spent that much but it was worth
at least that much!  Seriosuly do you all shop here???  If not your CRAZY - CRAZY I tell ya.
The bargains are unbelievable.  (They are offering an addition 20% off orders over $100.00. 
Coupon code: SITETHUR112)  My new gear consists of Columbia, Mountain Hardware,
Royal Robbins, SmartWool, J-41.  And not one thing was over $40.00!
In fact $40.00 was the most expensive item and I cringed a little...most things were 12 - $30.00!
Even then shoes!  Score.  Now I am comfortable but at least I look somewhat put together! 
Hey I said somewhat.  And now I am even a runner again so I have an excuse - right??? 
Now I just need to work on getting back into Yoga.  Which reminds me....

Dear Gillette,
Please offer mid-morning yoga classes for people like me.  I do not like Zumba...well let me re-phrase...my body can't move like is required in Zumba.  And I am not looking for spinning
or cardio fit right now.  So please a 9:00 am yoga class would be awesome!!!  And I'm not a senior or a kid - so those don't qualify.  Thank you.
Sincerely, Desperately Seeking Yoga Classes 

Hmmmm...what else can I bore you to numbness with....let's see here...

Totally in love with:

The Civil Wars

Andrew Belle

 And I CANNOT wait (Thanks Jamie for the heads-up) to see this:
Love me some Channing!

OK that's it!! That is all I've got...gotta get back to watching some Pretty Little Liars
and perhaps drool over Ezra!!!  And scrapbook, of course!!  Have a BEAUTIFUL Thursday!

Friday, January 20, 2012

New Outlook...

I have been scrappin away these days!  LOVE it!!

Decided to have a go at the My Mind's Eye Blog Challenge #31.



I LOVE how this one turned out!!!  But boy did I have a hard time getting here.  The sketch had three circles - and boy did they have me STUCK.  So I decided to check out what the other participants were doing - sometimes you need just a little extra inspiration. 

I came across a fantastic layout by Wendy Smith - just love her take on the sketch.  It reminded me to think outside the box when it comes to sketches.  So with that I decided to move away from the circles and used the rectangles...love it!!

Everything (except for the ink) on the layout is My Mind's Eye - from very old cardstock from a paper pad that I have had FOREVER to the more recent Lost & Found line.  Oh I did use dies from Stampin Up to cut out the heart, brackets and rectangles - but using My Mind's Eye paper of course!!

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

My Petals - Thanks Lee


I am pretty sure I have mentioned my friend Lee about a dozen or so times on my blog - her blog is such a bright spot!!!  And she shares the most wonderful or projects, ideas, inspirations....LOVE it all!!  I take many ideas from Lee and run with them.  (I do give credit though - so that makes it OK right???)  You really must add her to your blog roll!  She won't disappoint!  Not one little bit!

Anywho...todays post was awesome!!!  Moved me to get busy right away I tell ya!!!  She was inspired by Hope Wallace Karney's Pen and Paper: Living Between the Lines post on A Beautiful Ripple Effect's blog.  WOW!!!  Did ya get all that???  Hover over each and click on the links I provided!  All wonderful!

So like I said I get busy RIGHT away!  I was just so excited to do something a little pretty, a little creative and document where I am at right now!  As a scrapbooker I take a lot of time documenting those big moments in our lives and the fun little moments in the kids lives but I forget to include me specific projects.  This year that is changing - One Little Word and Project Life are both giving me the opportunity to document where I am at today - to share a little more of me with those who will want to know some day.  And also for me to look back and see how I've changed/grown/blossomed?!?!?!

The petals of me...my petals are all things that I am!!!  They really are - but some need more attention than others.  They are things that I have really been working towards and want to continue working on - they are essential for me to be a whole me...which is what I really want most.



Hope posted a list of questions/prompts to get a little more out of this fun little exercise.  This totally works for me - I need specific guidance...
I added each question to a 2.5" x 3.5" card and then wrote down my answers/thoughts.  I really love how it turned out - very simple - not all crazy embellished up - but it is exactly what is on my mind lately.  Good to document it.



It will be interesting to look back and maybe do this again in a month or two like she encourages.  Or how about in a year.  Here's to hoping that I make strides towards achieving/incorporating more of all of these! 

Monday, January 16, 2012

Hello Monday...

Hello nice lazy Monday - no school for the boys means sleeping in and taking it easy.

Hello time to scrapbook.

Hello day 5 of my beautiful Shellac'd nails!  LOVE!!!

Hello beads - what shall I send Marie Jane Dodd for the 5th Bead Soup???

Hello little bowl of dark chocolate chips - my excuse?  It's good for my health.

Hello treadmill and elliptical...love having you at home.

Hello sweet little birdies - oh how I love seeing you.
Think I might try to make some friends for you this week!!!

Hello new snow.

Hello gorgeous roses!  You make me happy and still look beautiful on day 5.

Hello Battleship with my favorite 11 year old!!

Hello yummy Banana Bread baking in our over!  Smells delish!

How's your Monday looking??? 
Thanks to Lisa Leonard for this fun idea of Hello Monday!!!

Saturday, January 14, 2012

A Little Fun...


I LOVE LOVE LOVE looking at other peoples creative spaces!  Such awesome ideas out there!  Many of the ideas I have incorporated into my own studio have been "things" I have spotted in other peoples spaces!!

Ann has some great spaces featured!!! So go over and check it out - comment if you'd like!  And be sure to check out all the other spaces Ann has featured.  Very cool stuff!!! 

Hey and if YOU have a fun creative spaces - email her - she is looking for spaces to share!!  You might just inspire some organization for another creative soul!  :)

Sunday, January 8, 2012

New studio....

So I did it!!

I moved the studio up from the dungeon!!! 
All by myself.  OK not entirely true...
Connor helped me with the three big pieces of furniture.
Just couldn't drag them up those darn stairs without help. 
If I could have I would have.  I promise. 


 Now it sits prettily upstairs








(P.S. Want a pair of these wings?  Contact Shelley and see if she's game!!)

SOOOO much better!  I am so lucky I had two spaces to pick from.
The ONLY draw back is that there is no over head light so I need to
invest in some good task lighting so I can see what I'm working on 
when it's gloomy out and at night!  But that's easy! 

Love it!

Oh and what's really cool is that since it is connected to the
dining room if I ever have friends/family over to craft or scrap
we can use the dining room table to spread out and won't have
to run up and down the stairs to get supplies!!!  Nope!
This also means there will be plenty of room for X-Man 
to work on homework, puzzles, drawing, or other projects he's working on.
All close by!  Just in case he wants to visit or he needs my help.

Yay!!!

From this:

(which was very nice)

to this:

(which is just plain awesome)

So much happier.

Only thing left to do is hang up all my fun art work and shelves!!  
Steve??  I need your help on that one.

Now no excuse to not make lots of creative lovelies.