Art by Erin Leigh

2012-02-01T21:26:00.000-08:00

mb art studios

Oh yeah.

It’s hard to be a parent.

It’s even harder to be a good parent.

or maybe it’s just hard to feel like a good parent.

Anyways, I took some time off of the computer.

I’d like to say, to be a better mom,

But really it was out of pure exhaustion.

I pretty much fall over in a coma when the littles finally fall asleep.

{source}

And my brain explodes during the day with ideas for creating.

They come nonstop. Filling my mind with possibility.

And then I fall over when they fall asleep.

And I also know I'm here, for such a time as this.

runny noses and messy rooms and cranky kids.

And I have to remind myself that this too shall pass.

Art and paint and possibility will always be there.

But my babies won’t always be babies.

And it’s hard. It's really hard.

Because a.) it's just hard and

b.)I really, really want to paint.

I crave the creative.

I know you know what I mean?

But it’s just not possible right now.

Not not possible forever.

Just for right now.

What do you do?

Okay. That's where I'm at right now.

I'm also going to the doctor to see where

in the world my energy has gone.

I can't find it.

Anywhere.

And here's some stuff that made me laugh.
really hard.

Guest Post from Amy at One Artsy Mama

2012-01-11T06:25:00.000-08:00

I'm excited to introduce you to a new friend of mine today,
Amy from One Artsy Momma.

Hi there, Erin's friends and followers!

I'm so excited to be here today, especially because it means that in exchange, Erin is posting over at my blog and offering an aMAzing giveway - $50 credit to her Etsy shop full of absolutely gorgeous art.

When she approached me about doing a giveaway and I first saw her work, I was floored. She is SO incredibly talented!

but you already knew that.

So who am I?

My name is Amy, aka One Artsy Mama.

Lover of books, art, music, photography, and all things creative.

Passionate about Jesus, ballroom & latin dance, Ravens football, and my family.

Married to my best friend and mama to our adorable 3 yr old son, my "Little Crafter".

Addicted to Starbucks.

Constantly striving to become all that God intends for me to be. Trusting His promises.

So, when Erin and I decided to blog swap, I had no idea what I was going to share with you.

Turns out that was because God had something in mind for me that I didn't even know about yet.

As the new year approached, I was evaluating the things in my life and the things I felt were missing, and I really felt an emptiness because I know I've got some gifts and talents, but I wasn't really using them to serve and to bless others, you know? Especially since I'm not working outside the home right now, sometimes I feel like my influence is so small...I wanted to know if there was something I could be doing that would really make a difference.

So I started to pray. Then, for Christmas I got some metal stamping supplies.

{Which I had wanted really badly and hinted about not-so-subtly!}

I've been making beaded and wire wrapped jewelry for about a year now, some of which I sell in my Etsy shop, but I wanted to branch out and try a new aspect so that I could create some really personalized things.

I was playing around to get some practice, and I decided to make myself this pendant. I used the word COURAGE, because it's my word for 2012. {If you're curious why, never fear, I have a whole post about it here!} Anyway, I made this and on a whim, posted a pic on my personal Facebook page.

About five minutes after I posted it, a friend of mine wrote this:

Cool idea, Amy. I'm thinking of cancer survivors who would like "courage" "hope" and "health" or something like that.

Shortly after that, my aunt commented,

Yeah and I would get one for my hero Shelly and my girlfriend Laura Rogers who is fighting the battle now.

Later, a former student of mine from back in my high school teaching days wrote:

I want a breast cancer one! I actually want to buy more than one. Let me know when you set a price.

Huh! Maybe God was speaking?

Maybe I could make these for folks dealing with cancer to encourage them in their struggles and help them celebrate their victories. It's certainly a cause that's near and dear to my heart after losing two grandparents and two grandparents-in-law to cancer and watching my cousin win her battle.

So, I whipped up the ones my aunt requested, using beads to represent the awareness ribbons for the particular cancer types. Lime green is for lymphoma; pearl is for lung cancer {which I mistakenly thought Laura had. Turns out, it's melanoma, so I switched the pearl for a black bead later}. Then, I took a break and went upstairs to call my mother-in-law about a Christmas gift we need to exchange. While we were talking, she mentioned that my husband's cousin Caitee, whose husband is currently deployed with the Marines, is in town and wanted to come visit us on Thursday and introduce us to her little girl. I found myself wishing I had a gift for her, something to encourage her as she waits for Austin to come home and complete their family.

I hung up, went downstairs, and found this comment from the same friend who made the first suggestion:

I have another idea... Semper Fi and a little heart bead for women who have a Marine deployed.

I didn't have a heart bead, but I did have a heart blank. Here is the gift I will give Caitee when she visits.

I'd say it's more than coincidence, wouldn't you?

So how does it work? Well, the best I could come up with for now is that I'm supposed to make myself available to create these pendants to support cancer fighters and their loved ones and encourage folks in the military and their loved ones. I've listed these necklaces on Etsy where anyone who just likes them for whatever reason can purchase them at full price with any word they choose, but created special coupon codes for people who fall into those two categories:

Cancer patients/survivors and their loved ones: SURVIVE

Military families: SEMPERFI

These codes will take 55% off the listed price, making each necklace just $8.

$2.50 of that covers shipping, and the rest covers my supplies and packaging materials.

I'm donating my time and labor.

Basically, the $8 just covers my expenses so that I don't go broke giving them away.

I'm not making a profit on these, just making them available, and hoping and praying they bless someone.

I didn't hear any audible voices, but I know in my heart it's what I'm supposed to do...and I'm excited.

Excited to help, to serve, and to hear the stories of how God uses my little gifts to touch lives of people I may never meet.

Thanks for the opportunity to share today, and thanks to Erin, both for hosting me and for guest posting on One Artsy Mama. I hope you'll visit her there and while you're there, take a look at some of the fun things my Little Crafter and I have been up to lately. I have free printables there for the new year as well as all kinds of craft tutorials and a fun Friday linky party. Can't wait to "meet" you.

God-sized plans for me and you

2012-01-09T07:23:00.000-08:00

It’s so true.

Noah, Mary, Paul.

They were real people.

With real dreams.

And I’m sure their dreams didn’t include:

Building an ark.

Giving birth to God.

Leading Gentiles to faith in Jesus.

But God had bigger plans for them.

God had God-sized plans for them.

My dreams and prayers are usually along the lines of:

Give me sleep. Please.

Help us pay our bills.

Make art.

Keep us safe.

Keep us healthy.

Teach me how to be married.

Teach me how to be a good momma.

And when I’m really dreaming big:

Please give us a long vacation.

And a 3 car garage.

Oh, and help me read my Bible.

I don’t know,

but I think God might have bigger plans.

God-sized plans for me.

And for you, too.

Now to Him who is able to do

exceedingly abundantly

above all that we ask or think,

according to the power that works in us,

Ephesians 3:20

What is your word?

2012-01-04T15:20:00.000-08:00

Quick! You only have 361 days left.

Last year and the year before that

my word was as clear as day.

It just came to me.

Over

And over

And over again.

Painfully and purposely.

With help from the Lord.

And my counselor.

There was no mistaking my word.

But this year I’m kind of stuck.

There are plenty of words that I could choose.

But none of them feel right.

The first word that comes to mind is sleep.

{Please, please Lord, give me sleep this year.}

Simplify comes to mind.

I feel overwhelmed and cluttered and out of control.

But doesn’t everyone choose simplify?

I like something along the lines of

courage or be brave
or uncomfortable.

but that seems overdone, too.

Authentic?

Disciplined?

Creative?

Balanced?

Bold?

Full of Grace?

Healthy?

Connected?

Deliberate?

Economical?

Faithful?

All of the above.

but I’m just not sold on one.
I'll tell you what I do want
and maybe you can tell me my word:

I liked the challenge of giving chex mix to my neighbors.

I liked how I felt after. I felt brave.

It was an old, familiar feeling. I used to be brave.

And it’s been a while since I’ve felt that way.
I don't know where that brave girl went.

Life feels cluttered. Overwhelming.

I feel a little lost in the living of it all.

I want to

Focus.
Simplify.

Be still.

Listen.

And let the Lord change me and use me

And lead me as I surrender my will for His.

I want to let go of my dreams

So that I can discover His dreams for me.

{Always better than my own.}

I want to stop being so obsessed with myself.
I'm kind of getting sick of me.
I want to let God use me
and the gifts he's entrusted to me for his glory.
And to use my blog for good.

I want to trust that God will provide financially.
And just rest in peace of knowing He will.
He always does, and worrying about it,
trying to juggle everything to get ahead,
simply exhausts me.

I want to feel healthy and strong
and confidant and cute.

And I want to make a mobile.

So what is that word?

I wrote what I want for this year.
I keep adding to it.

I’m joining up with One Word 365

Come with me.

Let's do this together.

P.S.

Whatever you do,

DON’T choose

humility or patience.

{God will provide in buckets.}

I saw a couple of those here and just cringed.

I wanted to scream

“Don’t do it.”

Hello 2012.

2012-01-02T13:30:00.000-08:00

Source: ohhellofriendblog.com via sarahreck on Pinterest

Hello new year.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zls4Ao3GyM&feature=related

Hello couldn't be any more politically incorrect,
but it always makes me laugh.

Hello messy studio.

{I've missed you friend.}

Hello new blog banner.

{done in Picnik}

Hello new verse for the year.

Hello beginnings of a new journal.

Hello view from my ergo.

{I love this view.}

Hello sick kids for going on 2 weeks.

Hello sleep.
{Someone please, oh please make these babies sleep.}

Hello new episodes of Downton Abbey.

{6 days to go.}
{Season 2 starts on Sunday, Jan. 8, on PBS}
{If you missed the first season you can stream it from Netflix &
sit in front of your TV for 8 solid glorious hours.
You can thank me later.}

Hello new camera.

Hello new year.

It's gonna be a good one.

I can feel it.

What are you saying hello to in 2012?

{Linking with Lisa}

Stuff I really did do in 2011.

2011-12-31T08:02:00.000-08:00

Looking at my 35 things list from last year

my first thought is...

What in the hell was I thinking?

What is wrong with the chick who wrote this?!?!?

Seriously.

I seriously need to start living in reality.

{At least partially.}

and here's why:

1. Have a baby.

And the list should stop right there.

Okay, maybe include one more:

2. Try to survive.

but no.

I casually included

and "hike with my boys" in the same breath.

whaaaaa?!?!?

as if having a baby and going on a hike are in the same realm.

as if adding another human being to the planet

would not turn our entire known world upside down in the best possible way

and also. I'll let you in on a little secret:

I'm not even a hiker.

I wouldn't even know where to go if I wanted to go.

which I don't. want to go hiking.

because I'm not a hiker.

I love the idea of me saying

"Come on two month old baby and

extremely bitter, barely potty trained, 3 year old"

"Let's go hiking!"

But reality?

uh uh.

So, I'm not going to beat myself up about all of the hikes I didn't take.

Or apple picking excursions we didn't go on.

I'm simply going to create a new list.

A list to celebrate the things I did do.

And then I'm gonna say

Wow.

Yay me.

35 Things {I actually did do} in 2011

1. Have a baby.

STOP.

{yes, I'm yelling at you.

jumping up and down, with my hands waving}

That can fill up all 35 spaces right there.

Let us pause for a moment to acknowledge this big deal.

Okay let's go...

2. Survived.

hooray.

We made it through the first 6 months with baby #2.

3.Worked full time through pregnancy.

{and I did a damn good job.

of course it helps that I have the best job ever.}

4. Potty trained a very strong-willed child.

5. Took a liking to turquoise and orange.

hmmm.

6. Was a vendor at the Queen Bee market.

7. Made it through Christmas.

8. Made and gave Chex Mix to my neighbors!

9. Went away on a fun weekend with my husband.

10. Started preschool.

Okay, not me.

But it felt like it was me,

so I'm proud of myself.

11. Threw away all of my maternity clothes.

{Yahoo!}

12. Became addicted to Pinterest.

13. Received a commission from Sharp Hospital

for original art work, which made me feel like a real artist.

14. Decided {once and for all}

that street fairs and art festivals are not for me.

I hate doing them in the worst possible way.

And I will never put myself through that again.

15. Gave up trying to figure out Photoshop &

discovered my beloved Picnik.

16. Fell in love. Again.

17. I had my lettering exemplar published

in Somerset.

18. Found a great counselor.

{Hallelujah}

19. Helped orphans.

{As part of a fundraiser for the

Sparrow Fund and little Sergey & Xander.}

20. Gave my studio a makeover.

21. Learned a ton about how to run

my etsy shop from their online labs videos.

22. Bought this book and read it cover to cover because I so admire her work.

23. My Christmas Angels were published in

Cloth Paper Scissors for the first time

{so, so exciting}

24. Got a king sized bed.

{heaven}

25. Got to be a part of Creative Book Club.

26. Played hours of cars and trains and concert shows.

27. Survived hours of Yo Gabba Gabba.

28. Painted.

I can't think of any more right now,

but I know there's more.

The point is

even though I didn't go hiking,

I did a lot of stuff this in 2011.

So I'm going to celebrate the stuff I did do.

The life I did live.

and not get all grumpy and hard on

myself about the silly stuff I didn't do.

I think you should do the same.

I hope you do.

I hope you take a little time to celebrate the

life you've chosen to live this year.

Let me know if you do and I'll link you up.

Happy, happy new year to you, my friend.

shoot. I think I missed Christmas.

2011-12-27T13:56:00.000-08:00

Again.

But thank you, Lord, that it’s over.

And thank you Mary for this post.

You always make me feel okay to be my human self.

Here what she posted:

If we have neglected the spiritual call of Advent for yet another year, and have allowed ourselves to become thoroughly frazzled by December 24, all is not lost. We are, in face, in very good shape for Christmas.

Oh good.

That’s me.

Frazzled.

Exhausted.

Fat.

Poor.

Distracted.

Inadequate.

Overwhelmed.

Cluttered.

Weary.

I qualify.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKX3eyYuJ9c

This makes me happy.

The thrill of hope.

The weary world rejoices.

These 2 lines keep ringing through my ears.

I love this version of this song.

Anything Mac Powell sings sounds sexy to me.

Even O Holy Night.

We made it, friends.

We made it through the madness.

And now we can eat fudge for breakfast.

and exercise in the morning.

{or the morning after that}

{or maybe in January}

The Chex Mix Conspiracy

2011-12-24T09:52:00.000-08:00

I had a serious wrestling match with God over this stupid Chex Mix and my stupid neighbors.

(It’s a good thing I have such a great attitude about it though.)

I had a million and one good reasons not to pass it out to my scary stranger neighbors.

And I let him have them. The whole million. And one.

And I kept telling him, my perfectly wonderful reasons:

First and most importantly:

I don’t want to.

Plain and simple.

I’m sick.

Laundry.

I’m covered in spit up.

I just got a stupid hair cut.

My eye liner is down to my chin, again.

It’s vitally important that I check Pinterest so that I can feel even

more inadequate in every realm of life than I already do.

Oh, my 3 year old is being an a#$hole right now. Serious.

We are spending entire DAYS {days I say} in time out.

And you me to expose unsuspecting soles to his wrath?!?

Really, Lord?

And did I mention that I don’t want to.

And He kept telling me to just do it.

So there it was.

And there I was.

It was getting dark so I wrangled Jack into the stroller with

his Santa hat on and 43 bags of Chex Mix.

And we went to our 1st house.

And we were both nervous. Standing at the door with our little bags.

And no one was home.

And then we went to our 2^nd house. And we were less nervous.

And no one was home.

And then our 3^rd.

And finally Chuck answered the door.

{Thank you Chuck}

Chuck the sweet guy who lives alone.

The guy we see going to the mailbox after work in his chef outfit.

The guy who we’ve never known his name and we both shift eyes when we see each other.

That Chuck.

And my little a#$hole transformed into his sweet little 3 year old self. In a Santa hat.

“Merry Christmas. We made you some Chex Mix.”

Then he proceeded to engage in a full on conversation about

Santa and Christmas and life in general.

And it was glorious.

All of that wrestling was worth it.

As always. It always is.

And my temporarily transformed 3 year old and I continued down our street

Spreading Chex Mix and cheer.

To the junior high boys playing football in the street.

{All I could think about was Young Life kids}

To the super cute family of 5 girls who I didn’t even know lived there.

To the cat woman with dark house and all the “go away” signs on her porch.

And each person was genuinely glad to see us & not scary.

Until Jack peed in his pants and we had to run home hop in the bath.

For the 3^rd time today.

And I did it.

And God is faithful.

He always shows up.

Every single time.

Kind of reminds me of Christmas.

Thanks for reading my words dear friends.

I hope you have a really great holiday with your friends and family.

On being brave: love thy neighbor

2011-12-07T08:42:00.000-08:00

do you know your neighbors?

i don't.

we've lived here 3 and a half years and

i still don't know my neighbors.

which has kind of been okay with me,

until now.

when i was 10 we moved to california.

encinitas to be exact.

and i grew up with my neighbors.

we were in and out of each other's

houses all day long.

we walked to school together.

we played capture the flag.

we dressed up in sparkley flapper dresses

we made invitations and knocked on doors for the

whole neighborhood to watch us put on "shows" in Tyme's front yard.

we sang and danced to whitney houston and the sound track to stand by me.

our families went on ski trips

and celebrated christmas eve together.

i got to grow up in community

and i didn't even know it.

but i knew it was sweet and i knew it was special.

i could feel it.

and i loved it.

what i didn't know is that it doesn't just happen.

i have to put myself out there. {ugh}

i have to make an effort. {sigh}

i have to risk being uncomfortable. {really?}

i have to make small talk with strangers.

i have to be brave.

if i want the rich life that comes from being brave.

and i do.

so here's what i'm gonna do.

i'm gonna start small.

no grandiose awkward parties or anything.

first i'm gonna walk around the neighborhood with my kiddos

and pray for each family that lives in each house.

silently of course. so as not to freak out the strangers on my street.

{i'm not saying this cause i'm super spiritual.

i promise. i'm not.

i'm saying it because i remember going on prayer walks

on highschool campuses as a young life leader

and it calms my heart and brings me peace

and reminds me that it all belongs to God.

and i need that reminder.a lot.}

then i'm gonna bake {or buy} something

a lot of somethings

and make them pretty and put them

in the wagon and deliver them.

door to door.

in person.

to strangers.

scary.

i know.

and all the while i will be scared and nervous and thinking

ugh. this is not what i want to be doing right now.

but i will do it and god will work and

i will say thank you lord.

and wait for my next brave assignment.

hello monday

2011-12-05T07:35:00.000-08:00

Source: weheartit.com via Terri on Pinterest

hello christmas

Source: theinspiredroom.net via Sally on Pinterest

hello parties

Source: creatingathome.com via Evalee on Pinterest

hello baking

Source: emptybobbinsewing.com via Jamie on Pinterest

hello Christmas tree buy decorating
{love this idea}

Source: flickr.com via Mandy on Pinterest

hello handmade ornaments

hello getting my body outside

with 2 littles and moving

hello my favorite devotional

hello Elmo's Christmas dvd

{over and over and over again}

hello Christmas blend

*************************************************

Help bring Xander home!

15% of all sales from the shop

will go to Xander's adoption fund

thanks to Jeanette

{linking with Lisa}

hello monday

2011-11-28T12:19:00.000-08:00

today is the last day of the shop sale.
25% off everything & accepting commissions
coupon code: holiday

tyler is having a super cute bunny ornament giveaway.
go see her. she's rad.

hello christmas decorating

hello sideways photos that won't rotate
no matter how mant times i try

hello crazy hot summer days

hello advent calendar making

Source: delysiastyle.com via Erin on Pinterest

inspired by pinterest , of course

hello christmas music

hello my new favorite necklace from her
{hello blurry photo}

hello parenting class tonight
{hallelujah for this reccommended by her}

hello doggy birthday party under the kitchen table

hello gift list making

hello messy studio

hello messy everywhere-i-turn

{linking with lisa}

Give personalized, handmade art for Christmas

2011-11-24T21:28:00.000-08:00

It's here.

Black Friday.

Small Business Saturday.

Cyber Monday.

Take 25% off of everything in the shop.

THIS FRIDAY - MONDAY ONLY.
COUPON CODE: holiday

I am accepting orders for commissioned paintings with personalized

verses and quotes for the people you love

this weekend only.

Prices are as follows:

11 x 14 $75 (+$12 shipping)

14 x 18 $85 (+$12 shipping)

16 x 20 $95 (+$18 shipping)

18 x 24 $105 (+$18 shipping)

Here are some commissions that I've done in the past.

These make great one-of-a-kind gifts.

I'd love to create one for you.

Email me at erinbutson@gmail.com and

I'll set up a custom listing for you.

Happy shopping!

Queen Bee Market with a side of random

2011-11-22T15:15:00.000-08:00

The Queen Bee Market

came and went.

It came and went without one single itty bitty

picture taken on my part.

seriously?!?

On Friday night I forgot my camera. Oh well.

On Saturday I remembered my camera

and forgot my memory card.

shoot.

But I did remember my 2 small children

bottles, diapers & all,

{with the help of the best mom ever}

and fall in love with Mindy
Does everyone already love her?
Love, love, love her new Christmas CD.

Today:

I took Joshy to school.
He was completely entertained by first graders. The whole time.

I'm madly finishing a bunch a Christmas pieces with scripture
for my house and for the big shop sale on black Friday.

Watching Parenthood. Best show on television.
I think they might have a hidden camera in our house.
Anyone wanna come over?

Wanna laugh until you cry?
Here are some of my new favorite blogs:
she introduced me to her as she talked me down
from the mommy's going crazy ledge
who introduced me to her
which led me here
and I always love her

and oh *&^%&*#.
really?
nap time canNOT be over already.
i think I might cry.
and put on another pot of coffee at 3:00 in the afternoon.

His grace is sufficient.

2011-11-20T09:26:00.000-08:00

My grace is sufficient for you (erin)

(and you too my dear bloggy friend)

My power is made perfect in weakness.

2 Corinthians 12:9

God has been whispering this verse to me over and over again.

In that still, small whisper that only comes when I am quiet.

His grace is enough to heal all of my wounded parts.
His grace is enough fill up the many places I fall short.
His grace is enough to bring the parts of my life and my hopes and my dreams,
that I thought were dead, back to life.

This for me.
and for you.
to remember.
every day.

God is in the business of
bringing dead things to life.
making all things new.
healing the sick parts of us.
binding up the wounds of the broken.
making us whole.

His grace is sufficient.

hello monday {link up}

2011-11-14T15:00:00.000-08:00

hello druel-faced toe-grabber

{almost 5 months}

hello new boots.

hello trader joe's chai tea

hello christmas angels in my mailbox

come back here for a tutorial on thursday

{thank you cloth paper scissors}

hello lazy mornings

hello hours of dance parties in the garage with daddy's old dj stuff

hello {and thank you} etsy orders to package

hello my latest netflix streaming addictions

{guilty pleasures. i can't stop watching.}

hello getting ready for queen bee market this friday

goodbye sweet auntie cami from texas

{we miss you}

goodbye pinterest

{this week only}

goodbye 3 bags of maternity clothes

{yahoo.}

goodbye summer

{finally}

what are you saying hello to today?

linking up with lisa today

Autumn Inspiration & Another Winner

2011-11-07T01:00:00.000-08:00

Another winner...

Oops! Kaira so kindly pointed out to me that my random number

generator only went up to 100 and I had 206 comments.

Big oops! So I picked another winner and the winner is:

#118

D.M.

I couldn't figure out how to post it,

but I'm working on it.

Thanks, Kaira.

**************************************************

bhg

Okay, okay, I can't stop.

I need a Pinterest timeout.

I've got to go cold turkey.

But before I do,

here is some Autumn Inspiration for you...

Sweet Little Thrills

The Sweetest Occasion

Maureen Cracknell Handmade

rambling renovators

honey, we're home

susan branch

p.s. it's in the details

slowburn

Simply Stardust

The Happy Day Project

2011-11-05T17:54:00.000-07:00

I'm excited to be a part of this this week.

The Happy Day Project

Created by Jeanette & Julie.

I've been thinking I need to do something.

I love the ideas &

I love the idea of doing this with other & sharing it.

Anyone want to join me?

**********************************************************

I'll be at the Carlsbad Village Faire tomorrow.

Please stop by & say hello if you are in the area.

Happy Suaturday to you, friend.

Thank you!!! And the winner is...

2011-11-05T09:27:00.000-07:00

A humongous thank you, thank you, thank you

to the nester

and to you dear readers

everyone who signed up for my newsletter,

or followed along on Google,

or like me on Facebook

And the winner is...

True Random Number Generator

Min:

Max:

Result:21

Joey & Elizabeth

Please email me.

I don't have your email in your comment.

Happy Saturday everyone.

Thanks again!

$75 Shop Give Away!

2011-11-01T09:15:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my blog! I'll be giving away a $75 credit to my shop full of inspirational & scripture handmade mixed media collage as part of the Nester's fall give away day.

To enter:

1. Like me on Facebook.

2. Sign up for my monthly newsletter.

3. Follow me on my blog.

(Top right side bar.)

Handmade Christmas 2011: Mixed Media Advent Calendar Tutorial

2011-10-28T23:34:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was Christmas. This came in the mail. finally.

I created this Handmade Advent Calendar Tutorial for this month's Somerset Studio

and {as always} they did an amazingly beautiful job with the photography and the spread.

I thought I'd share this as the first in a series of handmade Christmas projects.

I'll be posting a handmade Christmas tutorial every week for the next 8 weeks.

Don't let the materials list scare you.
Really, just use what you have and it will turn out great.

Materials:

1 piece 46 x 27 inch unstretched canvas, for the calendar
1 piece 12 x 18 inch unstretched canvas, for the pockets
{You can get unstretched canvas at an art supply store or a fabric store.}

Gesso

Acrylic paints:
titanium white, blue, green

Gel Medium

Paper towels

Paint brushes

Glue gun

Sewing machine or fabric glue

Patterned paper

Text from old books

50 circle magnets

Card stock

Printer

Ribbon

Wooden dowel

2 wooden dowel caps

Step by Step Instructions:

1.Prepare your canvas.
Cut the canvas to your desired size (I chose 46x 27 inches). Iron and create a 1 inch hem on the sides and the bottom of the canvas with a sewing machine or fabric glue. Fold the top 3 inches of the canvas back, making a hole to insert the wooden dowel for hanging. Apply gesso to the entire surface.

2. Create the pockets.

Cover the entire 30x18 piece of canvas with gel medium and apply torn pages of text
from old books in contrasting directions. Apply a layer of gel medium over the text.
The text will wrinkle, adding texture to your piece.

Bunch up a paper towel and dip it in water first, then into unbleached titanium acrylic paint.
Cover the entire piece of canvas with paint and wipe it off, exposing the text.

After the paint has dried, cut the canvas with the text into 30 3x3 inch squares for each pocket,
and 30 2x2 inch squares for the ornaments and snowflakes. Set aside
30 2x2 squares for the ornaments and snowflakes.
Gather several pieces of patterned paper and cut them into 2x2 inch squares.
Adhere each 2x2 inch square onto a 3x3 square of canvas with gel medium.
Print out the numbers 1-25 on card stock. Cut them apart and attach a
number to each square with gel medium.
Paint details on each pocket with gesso and a thin brush. Attach each pocket to the
bottom portion of the prepared canvas in 4 rows of 6 using a glue gun.
The 25th pocket will go under the tree.

3. Create the image.

Paint a large rectangle of light blue permanent acrylic paint on the top of the canvas to create the background. Paint a large triangle using hooker’s green hue permanent to create the tree. Outline the tree with titanium white paint. Use a paper towel to smear the white paint into the blue.
Adhere different shades of blue patterned paper to the background and green paper to
the tree with gel medium. Paint over the patterned paper with base color and wipe off
the top coat of paint with a wet paper towel, exposing the paper.
With a thick, dry brush, outline the blue background in burnt umber.
With a small brush, paint small white circles all over the background.
Use the end of the paint brush to create tiny white dots all over the background.

4. Create the ornaments and snowflakes.

Get out the 30 2x2 text-covered, canvas squares from step 2.
Turn the squares over and adhere shades of red and pink patterned paper to
15 squares with gel medium; shades of blue patterned paper to 10 squares.
Cut each square into a circle by cutting off the corners. Paint details on each ornament and snowflake with gesso and a thin brush. Print out numbers 1-25 on card stock and cut them apart. Adhere each number to the text side of the ornament with gel medium. Adhere a small circle magnet next to the number with a glue gun. Adhere a magnet to correspond with each circle on the background of the canvas with a glue gun

5. Add the finishing touches.

Cut the dowel to the appropriate length and feed it through the top portion of the canvas. Attach the dowel caps with a glue gun. Paint it with 2 coats of gesso. Tie several pieces of different colored ribbon to each end of the dowel for hanging.

A trip to the pumpkin patch & meal planning...

2011-10-25T19:36:00.000-07:00

We took the boys to the pumpkin patch this week.
It was hot, hot, hot. The cute long-sleeved fall outfits had to stay home.
I'm so ready for it to start cooling off and be fall already.

I can't believe we got a cute family picture of the 4 of us!

Jack is obssessed with tractors and transportation right now.
He was thrilled to get to drive.

Joshy is all smiles {as long as he's being held.}

And I am still a walking zombie.

After taking about a looooooooooooooooong {6 month} break from
meal planning & cooking anything I'm finally {finally} getting back to it.

And, like everything else in life,

I really don't mind it once I get going.

It's just the getting started part that's hard.
damned inertia.

And it's so satisfying when I actually pull off

making yummy & cheap & healthy meals.
Here's my week...

{It could also be called how to cook chicken 1,000 different ways.}

Monday
Chicken & Wild Rice Soup
Parisian Salad
and Rosemary Sourdough Bread

Tuesday
Easy chicken potpie
salad

Wednesday
Crockpot barbequed chicken
coleslaw
sweet potato fries

Thursday
veggies & noodles with thai coconut curry sauce
cucmber, tomato, & feta salad

Friday
taco soup
corn bread

Happy fall!

More Christmas Mixed Media Collage Art

2011-10-25T13:44:00.000-07:00

I can't believe October is almost over.

I'm on a Christmas roll over here.

Here are some colorful Christmas trees on wood.

Christmas Mixed Media Art & Fall Craft Fairs

2011-10-24T13:00:00.000-07:00

I've been in the studio playing hard over here.
(and completely forgetting to take pictures of the process.)
Getting ready for Christmas shows and craft fairs.

Here's a peak at what I've been working on...

Here's where I'll be this fall.

If you are local, please stop by my booth.
I'd love to meet you.

November 3

Saddleback Community Church

Holiday Boutique

November 6

Carlsbad Village Faire

November 12

Olivenhain Holiday Boutique

November 19-20

Queen Bee Market

Still on the list for today:

Make this soup.
Mountains of laundry. (always)
Finish painting Christmas series.
Scan, edit, & list in shop.
Make more coffee.
Play Thomas the train.
Breathe & enjoy.

Sunday Inspiration: Life and Peace

2011-10-23T11:19:00.000-07:00

We've been doing a lot of living and a teeny tiny bit of sleeping over here.

I have a really, really tough time finding time during the day to sit down and read my Bible.

But I just figured this out.

I can listen to the Bible on BibleGateway

I can listen while I paint, while I cook,

while clean up 100 million little toys around the house.

And while it doesn't replace sitting down and being still,

it still gives me good input.

It retrains my thoughts.

And as I am learning,

my thoughts determine my life.

My thoughts either make or break my day.

And days equals weeks and months and years and a lifetime.

And if I'm not filling up my thoughts on the truth of what God says about me,

then, by default, I'm filling up on what the world says about me.

And it gets ugly.

So I've been loving Romans 8.

I've read it 100 times but never like this:

1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

STOP! Stop condemning and comparing myself.

There is no condemnation. That is not of God. That's a lie.

2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life

has set you free from the law of sin and death.

only the Holy Spirit can give me life and set me free.

That's it.

3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh,
God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering.
And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement
of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh

but according to the Spirit.

Stop! I can't do this on my own.

I can't will myself to be good enough, or kind enough, or clean enough.

I'm powerless. Stop trying so hard. God has already done it.

I just need to ask the holy spirit for help to come

& do it for me, through me, every single day.

So I can live by the spirit, and not by my flesh.

5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires;

but those who live in accordance with the Spirit

have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.

6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but

the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.

Life and peace.

That's what I want. That's what I need.

I keep praying for the peace that surpasses all understanding

and trying to get it in my own strength.

But I can't do it. I don't even know "what the spirit desires".

I need his holy spirit in me to give me life and peace

and to set my mind on what it desires.

So, that's where I'm at today.

With help from a really great counselor.

Happy Sunday bloggy friends.

May you be filled with

life and peace today.

Trusting God

2011-10-05T19:05:00.000-07:00

I've felt overwhelmed for the past months

and I've blamed it on having a baby and going back to work,

which has all contributed, but, it's more than that.

A while back I wrote this post about feeling like

I really needed to be home with my boys, being their momma,

and ever since then I've been planning and controlling and scheming

ways to get to stay home with them, to work part time,

to share a teaching contract, for the next 30 years.

And not have to work full time.

But I've also been freaking out about it on the inside.

freaking out to the point of paralysis

so full of fear about my tomorrows that I can't even enjoy my todays.

Staying up late night trying to figure out how I can make this work,

after all, I'm a pull-yourself-by-your-bootstraps-and-make-it-happen kind of girl.

and I realized that I've been holding this thing so close to my
heart with clenched fists, afraid to give it to God.
{um, no thanks, I can figure this out on my own.}

and I just realized that my fear is me not trusting God.

Not trusting that He is good.
Not trusting that He is in control.
Not trusting that he is for me,
on my side.

and in my brain, I know the truth.

I know that God is good.
I know that He is in control.
I know that he is for me.
I know that he is on my side.
even if I don't get my way all of time.
all of these things remain true.

but I need to surrender this idol to Him.

to bring it to his feet and trust in my heart what I know in my head to be true.
This book is speaking so much truth into my life.

It's such an encouragement.
I reminder of the truth of who God is.

...we learn to trust God in the midst of our pain, whatever form it may take.
It doesn't matter whether our pain is trivial or traumatic, temporary or interminable.
Regardless of the nature of the circumstances,
we must learn to trust God if we would glorify God in them.

And what struck me is that trusting God is a learned behavior.

It's not natural. It's something I can get better at. But not by myself.
Learning things takes practice. Daily practice. over and over again.

And so there's hope as I practice placing my trust in God every single day.

and believeing in my heart what I know in my head to be true:

God is good. God is in control. God is for me.

Absolutely nothing can separate me from the love of Christ.

Not even myself.

What, then, shall we say in response to these things?
If God is for us, who can be against us?
He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—
how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?

Romans 8:31-32

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,
neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,
neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation,
will be able to separate us from the love of God
that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:37-39

Today:
We returned home from our beach vacation & collapsed.

Now we're doing all of the coming home work of unpacking &
laundry & settling back in to life.

I love going away, but even more than that, I love coming home.

Beach Vacation

2011-10-04T02:26:00.000-07:00

I've taken a break from blogging to

start the school year & catch up on sleep & life.

We're on a little vacation at the beach for a few days.

September & October are summer months in San Diego.

Clear, warm and no crowds on the beach.

June & July are overcast and cool.

But, September & October are usually pretty perfect.

Josh is pure joy.

at 3 and a half months old now, he is a

super sweet 16 butterball of smiles.
And I can't wait for him to sleep through the night.

Jack is almost potty trained (wahoo!)

loving preschool.
and giving me a run for money right now.

I've just spent hours editing my photos from the last 6 months on picnik.
Shelly's tutorial is super helpful.
I had no idea that picnik could do all of this.

Hopefully I'll make time to create some art soon.

Checking in...

2011-08-27T19:39:00.000-07:00

Joshy wanted to say hello...

I didn't mean to be gone for so long

but every year, just like clockwork...

July is fun and lazy and

August comes around and it is crazy.

So since I can't beat August,

I'm just going to join it.

I'm just going to sit back and give in to the craziness

and proclaim a break from blogging

until things settle down for us a little.

I have to remember to him wear

all of his cute 0-3 clothes.

Josh is 10 weeks old and

Jack turns 3 on Tuesday.

Jack is potty training

and has decided to stop taking naps

and he starts preschool next week.

so we have a lot of change

a lot of adjusting.

a lot of figuring out.

Joshy in my moby wrap.

I love it.

Josh is super sweet.

He is smiling and talking and kicking and lifting up his head.

He never, ever stops eating.

This is my teaching partner (aka: my other spouse)
The best partner. ever.

School starts for me in August, which is always

fun and exciting and a ton of work.

I'm sharing the job this year, which I am very, very thankful for.

And I love first grade. They are so capable. And sweet.

Helping mom with the laundry.

Here are some peaks of our month so far.

I'll be back to blogging in September.

oh. that's next week.

okay, maybe it'll be October...

I'm trying my hardest to take pictures with my boys,

without worrying about what I look like.

The important thing is that they have pictures with their momma.

Jack had his last Mommy & Me class.

He loved his teacher, Miss Kristen.

Daddy can make Josh smile and talk better than anyone.

Mixed Media Collage prints in the shop!

2011-08-02T03:40:00.000-07:00

Celebrate new prints in the shop with a sale!

Buy 2, get 1 free.
Help me get to 500.
seriously exciting.

This is my favorite.

It has a great story behind it.

Thank you Cassie Ray!

Here are some of the others.

There is something so satisfying about picking up prints.

Finished. Cross it off the list. Now let's brew some coffee & get ready for Queen Bee.

Ben F.

2011-08-01T22:52:00.000-07:00

All I can say right now is...

poor Ben F.!

Ouch. Double ouch. I hurt for him.

Ouch.

She really, really shouldn't have let him get down and ask.

She should have stopped him and at least told him he wasn't the one, right?

She should have given him some sort of clue.

I can't even watch his soft, vulnerable self right now.

I'm so glad I'm married.

Monday: Queen Bee Market is coming...

2011-08-01T09:20:00.000-07:00

Next Saturday is the big day.

The Queen Bee Market will be here,

at the Bay Front Hilton, on San Diego Bay

9am-6pm

There are so amazing displays of handmade goodness.

Come by and shop and say hi. It is always a good time.

I'm picking up new prints today (whoop, whoop!),

I'll share them with you & and start a sale tomorrow.
I'm closing in on 500 sales this month!

This week's art time will be spent
finishing more prints & getting ready for the Queen Bee Market

The list:

*Pick up a boat load of prints from the printer. (Yahoo!)

*Spend a moment, no matter how small, with Jesus.

*Be present, engage with Jack today. Spend good time interacting with him.

*Move. Take a walk ~~around the lake. around the block.~~ to the mailbox! success.

*Clean up. Yes, Julie, having a second brings entirely new meaning to the words "messy house".

*Don't check email until nap time. This is really hard for me.

Tonight:

Watch the bachelor finale.
List new prints in shop (ugh.)

Finish Josh's birth announcement.

Finish Josh's thank you cards & actually SEND THEM!

Hello August!

2011-07-31T13:19:00.000-07:00

This is how I feel about August. excited and anxious.

This month overwhelms me, second only to December.

It is raw chaos over here as I go back to school (teaching first grade this year, part time)

we have birthdays galore, throw potty training & starting preschool into the mix and August is full.

And in the last 2 years I ran out of steam by the time Jack's birthday came.

Not this year. I'm determined to get in front of it and not be surprised

when his birthday comes.

Things on the list:

1. Savor these sweet moments together.
Resist the temptation to wish them away.
Resist the temptation to check my email and do grown up stuff.
Resist the temptation to browse to internet and wish for things I don't have.
Live here. Be here. Play here. Sing here.
Today.

2. Spend time with Jesus.
Not hours or half hours. I'm talking about whatever moments I can get to
crack open my devotional and get a little time with Jesus.
A page, a paragraph, a sentence.
and be happy with what I can get & trust
that God will use it today.

3. Handmade Christmas 2011

Create a collection for my etsy shop & for fairs. I've got so many ideas.

I want to host a handmade ornament exchange.

I always get jealous when I see her and her exchange.

Who is up for it?

{I don't have a good picture for one.}

4. Birthdays and birthdays and more birthdays.

Get out ahead of them. no more being surprised when they come.

I haven't had a real birthday party for Jack where his friends come.

It kinda scares me. Any tips?

{or this one}
5. Move more, eat less

No huge crazy goals. I just need to get off of the eat-whatever-I-want diet

and on to the have-some-self-control diet. And get outside and move

for my physical, emotional, and mental health.

I feel so much better when I do.

What are your August plans?!?

Let a joy keep you.

2011-07-28T11:35:00.000-07:00

I have been stumbling into my studio in the wee hours

of the night in between feedings.

In the midst of exhaustion.

Because I find that I must create. I must.

It's like breathing now. And I get antsy and depressed and feel icky without it.

And while I have no time or energy to create,

my muse is on overdrive,

filling up my head and heart with ideas and experiments to try.

And so, against my better judgement,

I go in and tear up little pieces of paper

and lay them side by side and glue them together

and paint on them, then write on them,

then cover them up and start all over.

My little man who doesn't sleep or pee pee in the potty
who can throw a knock down, drag out tantrum in a single bound
who gets up at around 2 or 3 am every night to crawl in bed with us.
Last night at around 2 or 3 I was playing in the studio, which is right next to his bedroom,
and he stumbled in and sat on my lap for a while I cut and glued and painted and cut and glued.

Then, he grabbed a piece of paper and tore up a little piece of yellow paper.
With such certainty and confidence he said,
"Momma, this piece goes here."

Then I gave him his own paper to make his own art
and over and over he repeated:
"This is my art. This is your art."
Sometimes he'd even throw in,
"Oh momma, I like that piece. That looks really nice."
"This is my art. This is your art."
And yes, I'm paying for it this morning.
but it was worth it.

Uncle.

2011-07-27T18:19:00.000-07:00

Okay, um, this is hard. I said it. It's just hard.

One month old and a three year old who won't sleep and refuses to pee pee in the potty.

(We've only had 3 accidents today. good times.)

I keep telling myself I need to lower my expectations. drastically.

And then I think maybe I can take a shower or brush my teeth.

or maybe even ***here's where it gets exciting***

empty the dishwasher.

then all hell breaks loose and I go back to reminding myself to lower my expectations again.

all I really have to do is survive the 9 hours until daddy comes home.

I do find that Jack (my 3 year old) needs me more than he ever has.

That I need to sit down for extended periods of time and engage with him.

You be the mommy bird, I'll be the big boy bird.

You be the mommy firefighter, I'll be the big boy firefighter.

and on and on and on. all day.
Reminds me of this great post.

And I need to be present for him and for me.

I know this is a season of survival,

but I also know that it is a season to savor.

That it will be gone faster than I want it to be.
And my laundry will still be dirty.
But it's still hard.

Mobile Crazy

2011-07-25T15:37:00.000-07:00

Yes I'm crazy for mobiles these days.

I love them all.

Source: sewshesews.wordpress.com via Erin on Pinterest

Source: farm3.static.flickr.com via Erin on Pinterest

Source: housetweaking.com via Erin on Pinterest

Source: scrapyardcards.blogspot.com via Erin on Pinterest

Source: createloves.blogspot.com via Erin on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Erin on Pinterest

Source: blablakids.com via Erin on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Erin on Pinterest

Source: littlestyles.com.au via Erin on Pinterest

Source: designspongeonline.com via Erin on Pinterest

Source: spearmintbaby.com via Erin on Pinterest

Source: anthropologie.com via Julie on Pinterest

One day I'll make one for each of my boys.

But for now I will just admire these.

Enjoy!

Flying Solo

2011-07-23T22:54:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a sad day.

Actually, Tuesday was our sad day and today was another.

Daddy went back to work and Mimi and Papa went on a 3 week trip to Ireland.

Happy for them, sad for us.

Auntie Cami (aka: fairy godmother) flew all the way from Dallas to work

her magic with the boys and I as we learn to fly solo.

It was a really great week together.

We did a lot of hanging out.

a lot of talking.

a lot of laundry.

We went to the beach park.

and the spray ground.

and I took lots of naps.

sweet josh is sweet, sweet, sweet.

I can't come up with a word that describes him more perfectly.

I worked late nights in my studio because I could
take naps. New art is coming soon.

Thank you sweet Auntie Cami.
You are the best. We miss you more than you know.
Wish us luck flying solo in the next couple of weeks.

Shop Update: New Dr. Suess Mixed Media Collages

2011-07-16T17:48:00.000-07:00

These fun, new colorful prints of my mixed media collage

are now available in my shop!

Climb the Mountains

John Muir Quote

I've always loved these quotes by Dr. Seuss and I finally created

two new mixed media collages to go with them.

There is no one alive who is youer than you.

Dr. Seuss

I think I'll hang them side by side in the boys' room.

They are available in the shop as individual 8 x10 fine art prints, or as a set of 2.

Your mountain is waiting

Dr.Seuss

The original collages are available here too.

Your mountain is waiting!

So be on your way.

Gussy Link-up: Sunshine

2011-07-14T02:38:00.000-07:00

Oops... I just noticed I wrote 2 days. Oh well.

See my post about perfectionism below...

Have a bright, bright sunshiney day... or uh 2 days.

Perfectionism

2011-07-13T15:44:00.000-07:00

So, I have this huge long list of stuff I need to do
and I'm so overwhelmed by it all that I can't seem to do anything.
Now, I know you'll probably say,
Oh you just had a baby, don't worry about it...
but the thing is, the more I don't do, the more it bothers me, you know?
And it's stuff I just want to do and get done and move on, so I'll feel better.

like thank you notes & Josh's birth announcement.
I didn't even make one for Jack because I couldn't decide
on a picture and design. It was too overwhelming.

photo credit
and then I was talking to my dear sweet Aunt Cami in Texas
who is coming to visit and help out next week
and she told me a little secret.

I doesn't have to be perfect.

And what she didn't say because she's sweet is...
no one else really cares.
about the picture, I mean
what?!?

photo credit

I didn't even realize it, but I have letting my
perfectionism paralyze me and rob me of my joy.
My counselor points this out to me pretty frequently.
"If it's not perfect it's *$%*^."
All or nothing. No middle ground.

And it robs me of the little daily joys all around me.
And what's worse, and super scary to me, is that my perfectionism,
left untamed, will actually hurt my family.
My husband and my boys.
If I'm never good enough for me,
then they won't be either,
and that sucks.

photo credit

That's not the wife and mother I want to be.
That's not the home I want to make.
That's not the men I want to raise.

Thank you, Aunt Cami for a little reality check.
I'm going to finish that birth announcement now...

Art Journaling: A Little Bit of Playtime!

2011-07-12T18:27:00.000-07:00

We've been finding a new normal around here.
Getting used to being a family of four. And taking lots of naps.

I've been trying hard to do at least a little art in my art journal every day.

And it's hard. But so satisfying.

I'm such an all or nothing kind of girl

that it's hard to create for 5 minutes here or there.

But, I'm finding that I can get a lot done when I do.

I painted a bunch or backgrounds last week.

And now I'm trying to make myself

think outside of my usual creating box,

take risks, and do things a little differently.

I usually just trade off: paint, paper,

more paint, more paper, more paint... you get the idea...

so I'm trying to experiment with different materials

line, line, shape, composition.

I would love to take this art journaling class.
Mostly because I love Aimee Dolich and want to grow up be her one day.
But I know from experience I'm a terrible online student.
I simply don't do the assignments.
Especially right now. I'm a little bit full right now,
but maybe you should take this class and tell me about it.

Happy Arting!
as my friend Janne would say.

Family Pictures in the Park

2011-07-04T10:19:00.000-07:00

Buy 2 Prints, Get 1 Free

in my shop until Friday!

***************************************

Happy, happy 4th of July everyone!

I hope that you are having a good one.

I witnessed a small miracle this weekend when all 4 of us:

me, my husband, almost 3 year old, and my newborn

a.) got clean at the same time

b.) got ironed and dressed.

c.) got out of the house

d.) took pictures at the park.

Granted it took begging, pleading, cajoling, and

making empty promises about my forever-indebtedness,

but we did it!

My sweet mom came along to take our pictures.

Jack is in a

Don't look at me!

phase

So I knew it was risky,

but once we ignored him,

he came around quick.

Josh and I are doing great.

He sleeps and eats and sleeps and eats.

He is just pure sweetness.

It's weird. We're kind of waiting for the other

shoe to drop & for chaos to break out.

With my first pregnancy my recovery was brutal.

Recovery the second time around has
been strangely wonderful. I feel good.

I have more energy than I have had in 9 months.

I feel like a new woman.

Please remind me of this blog post

when Darryl goes off to work in a couple weeks

and my parents go on a 3 week trip overseas.

So, I hope you are having a wonderful long weekend with

your family and lots of barbequed carnage and greasy potato salad.

That's what we'll be doing.

Buy 2, Get 1 Free Sale! New Prints in the Shop!

2011-07-03T08:19:00.000-07:00

Enjoy a

Buy 2, Get 1 Free Sale!!!

From today until Friday, July 8th, purchase 2 prints from the shop and get 1 FREE!

Let me know in "comments to the seller" in your check out

which print you would like me to send you free!

New Prints in the shop:

Art Journaling: The Perfect Bathroom

2011-06-30T04:08:00.000-07:00

Thank you, thank you, thank you for all of your love

and well wishes for Josh and our new family of 4.

Thank you for sharing in our joy.

We are overwhelmed

& taking in every minute.

I'm linking up with Gussy's Inspiration Workshop today

I thought it would be a good excuse to play in my art journal.

The only rule I have for my journal is to play & try new things.

The prompt:

The Perfect Bathroom

For my background I started with a few colors of paint.

Then added paper.

Then doodled and dreamed.

Then added more paint.

And put it all together.

My perfect bathroom would have to have...

fresh flowers everywhere
an enormous claw foot tub
really good water pressure
an abundance of perfectly folded warm white towels
yummy glass jars full of expensive soaps from France.
a separate space for a well ligthed beauty station
did I mention fresh flowers everywhere?

Newborn Bliss

2011-06-25T11:53:00.000-07:00

Meet

Joshua William Butson

8 lbs. 11 oz.

of pure sweetness.

Thank you for all of your

thoughts and prayers.

We felt them all.

Labor and delivery went

better than we could have asked for.

We came home Thursday afternoon

and we are in baby bliss.

Josh is as sweet as can be.

Jack is getting used to being a big brother.

And we are settling in to life together.

I am so thankful that Darryl will get to

be home with us for a month.

We are loving having daddy home.

I forgot how sweet and perfect and yummy newborns are.

Thank you again

for all of your blog love.

I'll keep you posted.

And we're off...

2011-06-20T20:08:00.000-07:00

We've been busy over here...

Source: gallery.projectnursery.com via Brandi on Pinterest

unpacking bins of teeny tiny baby clothes,

Source: bumpsmitten.com via Mary Jo on Pinterest

setting up the swing, and the pack'n'play,

Source: etsy.com via Erin on Pinterest

installing the baby car seat

Source: madebygirl.blogspot.com via Missy on Pinterest

and packing our bags.

Source: flickr.com via Erin on Pinterest

we're off to the hospital at 6:15 tomorrow morning

to welcome our little boy into the family.

I'll post when I get home.

Please pray for health and peace and joy and

everything else good and lovely for our family.

You are worth far more than rubies.

2011-06-12T09:55:00.000-07:00

Red Letter Words

It's true.

Don't you forget it!

Top 10 Craft Fair Tips: Part 2

2011-06-11T10:14:00.000-07:00

*** Okay I'm a day late, but here it is...***
Find Part 1 here.

Source: google.co.nz via Erin on Pinterest

Source: kirstyfish.blogspot.com via Erin on Pinterest

6. Make & bring way more inventory than you think will sell.

Every single time I have been a vendor at a craft fair
I have felt like I've had a ton of inventory,
because it's usually all over my little studio
& my living room & my garage.
It feels like it's going to take over.

But once I get there, and spread it out
in a 10x10 space, it doesn't look like that much.
I usually end up trying to make it look like more.
Which brings me back to Step 1.
How you display your items will make the inventory look really full or sparse.

Source: thepleatedpoppy.com via Erin on Pinterest

Source: flickr.com via Erin on Pinterest

7. Be familiar with your money stuff.

ack. ugh. yuck.
Can I just complain for a little bit?
Can we just skip the money stuff and have it
magically appear in my bank account, please?
We are artists, not accountants, right?
Um, wrong.

I hate money stuff, but it's reality, right?
Okay, I'll justy get on with it...

I used Propay to accept credit & debit cards
which, yes, is another expense,
but it's also the way that most people paid,
so it was pretty necessary, and worth the extra expense.

But I didn't really practice using it before,
so I really had no idea what I was doing
which made for some awkward and embarrassing moments.
People get (and should get) sensitive when you are dealing with their money & cards,
so just practice before, and do you best.
That's all you can do, right?

Source: funkyvintagekitchenblog.com via Erin on Pinterest

Source: missmalaprop.com via Erin on Pinterest

8. Have signage & branding well displayed.

At my first fair I had one small sign with my name on it,

supposed to be attached to the front of the tent with industrial strength velcro,

and the velcro kept falling off. So I had no signage at all. None.
To tell you the truth, it didn't even occur to me.

For my next couple of fairs I hemmed & painted some
scrap canvas, which turned out really cute.
For the Queen Bee Market I used pieces of scrap wood for my big sign,
but I also out my logo and my name on everything, like 10 times over.
Signage doesn't have to be fancy or expensive, it just needs to be there.

My reccomendations:

Have multiple signs with your business name and logo everywhere.

All over your booth, on your product, up high, down low, too slow.

Seriously... everywhere you can think of!

This time I put my name and logo on everything.

It can only help you.

Source: hellolucky.com via Erin on Pinterest

Source: everythinglittlemiss.com via Erin on Pinterest

9. Have prices clearly labeled everywhere.

After being a shopper at craft fairs & markets, I know
how annoying it is to not have prices clearly marked.
I don't want to ask anyone unless I really love it.
If I can't find the price I'll usually just put the item back and move on.

At my first few shows, I had signs on the back of my paintings

and on baskets, but it really wasn't enough.

As much of a pain as it is, I now put sticker labels

on the front of every. single. item. (with my name & logo)

pain? yes.

worth it? yes.

Source: emmallamb.blogspot.com via Nesha on Pinterest

10. Go out of your way to be friendly and meet people.

We're all in this together.
One of the best parts of this handmade community is the people.
So introduce yourself, say hello, tell them what you like about their booth or product.
It just makes everything more fun to support & feel supported.

At my first couple shows I was so, so nervous.
I couldn't help but feel like I had no idea what I was doing (I didn't),
and everyone looked all professional and their booths were cuted out.
I was so insecure and intimidated. I don't think I said hello to one person all day.

Warning: Showing your products to the public may make you feel
super exposed and vulnerable and naked.
It's weird, but true. That's a whole different post.
Anyway, I needed to get over myself and be friendly.
which I've done now and getting to know great people has made
worlds of difference in the "fun" factor of shows.

**********************************************************************

That's all I've got for now.
I've really enjoyed hearing about your experiences at shows.
Do you have any more tips, tricks, or advice?
We would love to hear them.

Next week I'll be posting on the positives:
Why you should sell you work at a craft fair.
There are many.
Happy weekending!

Top 10 Craft Fair Tips: Part 1

2011-06-09T08:30:00.000-07:00

***Okay, I'm starting with 5 tips because I have so much to say & this post is already too long.***
*** I will post Part 2 tomorrow.***

After having a booth at the Queen Bee Market,

I wanted to share with you some tips I've picked up.
This was about the 6th show I've been a vendor at,
so I'm not a veteran, but I always learn so much at each show.

Above all else:

1. Invest thought, time, & energy into your booth display.

I was so focused on my art for the first few craft fairs that I didn't

spend much time thinking about the display.

I ended up hanging some originals in weird awkward ways because

I didn't have a good hanging system, and putting all of my prints

in wicker baskets so they couldn't be seen.

Without a thoughtful, engaging display,

all of my hard work and time and money seemed wasted.

Be sure to research and figure out the details of your set up.

Practice setting up your booth way before the big day.

My booth display this time...

As you can see, it's super simple,

but all of the space is used and

the product can be seen.

You booth needs to be:

Practical:
My art need to be seen!
Think vertical & varying heights to maximize your space.
Easy to set up and take down.
It all has to fit in my minivan.
I need to store it in my garage without
driving my husband crazy.

Affordable:
It can't break the bank.
My budget goal for Queen Bee was $100 for the whole display.
I ended up spending about $170 after going back
to Home Depot about 17 times. (See # 4).
*Tips: Make friends with the guys at Home Depot & ask them how to make stuff.
*Look in the used wood bin at Home Depot. $.50 for some great, big pieces.

Adorable:
Pay attention to detail.
It needs to make people want to stop & look.

Queen Bee had the best, cutest both displays I've ever seen.
There is so much more I will do next time to cute it out.
But this was a start.

Source: craftshowdesigns.blogspot.com via Jenny on Pinterest

2. Know thy venue.

I can't stress this enough!
an art fair, a street fair, and a craft fair
are 3 very different venues with very different clientele.

Don't just sign up for anything!
Take time to think about your product and where it will fit best,
and your target market and where they will be.
Attend the venue and take note of booths that stand out
and get attention, what they are selling and their price points.

My experience:
My first venue was a street fair in a small town.
I only brought original paintings. I sold not one thing. Not one.
I was so discouraged. But duh...
When I go to a street fair I bring $10 to spend on kettle corn & maybe a pair of earrings.
I don't go there looking to spend $125 on original art.
and neither does anyone else.
That doesn't mean I can't do street fairs,
it just means I need adjust my inventory & price points.
Which brings me to # 3...

Source: ohhellofriendblog.com via Jacqui on Pinterest

Source: ohhellofriend.blogspot.com via Stephanie on Pinterest

3. Have a variety of price points.

Honestly, I don't like selling cards.
I barely make a profit and they are a pain to fold and package.
But, I view them as part of my marketing.
They provide an inexpensive price point for someone who wants to buy a piece of my work
and when someone sends a card to someone they care about
with my name and information on the back, it's free marketing for me.

I know when I find an artist I love, and want to remember,
I usually buy a card, or a set of cards (what I can afford).
And if I have that art work lying around, if I love it enough,
I'll purchase artwork when I can.

Also a variety of price points (having inexpensive items) draws people in to your booth.
I can't tell you how many times people stopped to look at a $3 card
and ended up purchasing a print, or even an original.

With a variety of price points, and more inexpensive items,
you're going to have a lot more sales.
Which is just way, way more fun and engaging,
and gets you connecting with customers, too.

Source: emmallamb.blogspot.com via Nesha on Pinterest

Source: renegadecraft.com via Rachelle on Pinterest

Source: farm5.static.flickr.com via Little Pretties on Pinterest

4. Be prepared to spend way more money than you expected.

Whatever you think your budget is, double it.
It's really annoying. An emergency trip to Kinkos. 73 trips to Home Depot later.
A $50 budget can easily turn into $300. Just be prepared.
I'm sure the more shows I do, the less unexpected costs will pop up.
Plus, I think I have most of the emergency items I need now.
But I also know that I will probably always spend more than what I plan.

Source: flickr.com via Jessica on Pinterest

Source: renegadehandmade.com via Amy on Pinterest

5. Be prepared to spend way more time than you expected.

So far, every time I've done a show it doesn't just take up the time during the show,
it consumes my whole world for at least 2 weeks before.
Countless hours are spent thinking, listing, planning, and preparing.
which takes away my focus on my family, which is the whole reason I'm doing this:
For my family, to be home with my babies.
I have to believe that, if I do this more, the learning curve will even out
and it will take significantly less time and energy. Right?

I try to keep track of every hour spent,
in order to find out how much money I'm really making.
But the bottom line is that it will always take way more time than you plan.
So just plan on it.

And remember:
Everything is a learning experience.
Flickr has some great groups with photos & creative ideas for booth displays.
Here and here and here

Tomorrow I will get to Part 2!

Summer Lists & a New Look

2011-06-08T09:20:00.000-07:00

Ummmm...

how is it June 9th already?

Source: megduerksen.typepad.com via Erin on Pinterest

We've been busy doing...

nothing.

nothing productive any way.

Source: megduerksen.typepad.com via Erin on Pinterest

Source: fingerprintsonthefridge.com via Erin on Pinterest

I'm giving myself June and July to just be.

To rest. To play. To relax. To be with Jack.

To get ready for this baby.

(12 days left!)

Source: laurawinslowphotography.com via Erin on Pinterest

No lists, no goals, no plans.

It's weird.

and wonderful.

And while I am so tempted to create my own summer list

after seeing all of these fun lovelies.

I have one item on my list:

have a baby.

Source: shannonbrown.typepad.com via Erin on Pinterest

We'll have plenty of summers to fill up

with fun activities and lists of things to do.

But this summer there will be no obligations.

We will adjust to life together as a family of 4.

And resist the temptation to want to "get through it".

Savor it and enjoy it.

And nap whenever possible.

Source: giverslog.com via Erin on Pinterest

Art is at a stand still,

but did you notice my blog overhaul?

Molly at Life Made Lovely Designs

has been working hard and I am loving the new look.

Source: thecraftingchicks.com via Erin on Pinterest

What are your summer plans?

Backyard Makeover: Summer Lovin'

2011-06-01T22:05:00.000-07:00

Had me a blast.

The thing I love most about living in San Marcos is our summer nights.

It can get hotter than hot here in the summer.

But the nights always cool down to perfection.

We spend a ton of time out here in the summer.

Our house is not big,

so if we want to have people over,
we end up in the backyard.

For the past couple of days we've been cleaning up the backyard
all of the toys & junk & getting it ready for summer.

Of course I forgot to take the before pictures.

But, trust me, it was a mess.

We bought a new patio set after church on Sunday.

Darryl's parents helped us set it up and put up the canopy and haul off tons of junk.

We organized the outside toys & put up a little umbrella in the sand box.

We got a new swing.

New flowers. (My favorite part, of course)

Added pillows & candles.

And voila... a whole new backyard.

Here are some more ideas I'd love to get to this summer.

Yes, I've finally joined the pinterest club

and yes, it is everything it has been cracked up to be.

and more. so fun.

hours and hours of timesucking bliss.

Proceed with caution!

Source: tumblr.com via Erin on Pinterest

Source: trend-dir.net via Erin on Pinterest

Source: blog.hgtv.com via Erin on Pinterest

Source: studiogblog.com via Erin on Pinterest

Source: marthastewart.com via Erin on Pinterest

Source: housetohome.co.uk via Erin on Pinterest

Source: aprettycoollife.com via Erin on Pinterest

Source: google.com via Erin on Pinterest

Source: ohdeedoh.com via Erin on Pinterest

Source: openwindows.tumblr.com via Erin on Pinterest

Source: potterybarn.com via Erin on Pinterest

Source: vitaranunkler.blogspot.com via Erin on Pinterest

Happy Summer!

Art Journaling: Everything in moderation...

2011-05-28T10:14:00.000-07:00

In Mere Christianity C.S. Lewis talks

about the virtue of temperance.

moderation.

A virtue which I severely lack.

MaryAnn Moss

(I would love to take this class.)

I 'm an all or nothing type of girl.

I dwell in superlatives...

Pam Garrison

I'm going to exercise every day for the rest of my life.

I'm not ever going to __________ again.

I'm going to ___________ every day.

For reals this time.

Teesha Moore

In truth,

I think it's an excuse.

I don't have a full hour, so I won't...

go for a walk around the block

or have that quiet time I know I need

write that friend a letter,

or even blog, for that matter.

Michelle Allen at Michelle my belle

And it spills over into my art.

If I don't have at least an hour, forget it...

What's the point?

Mary at A Splendid Adventure

But the more I read about other artists' art making schedules and practices...

no one with small kids has huge chunks of time and energy. no one.

they all seem to say... I take my time where I can get it.

in little doses here and there and an ocassional long nap time or late night.

Right?

Kathy at Paper Pumpkin

So, that's what I'm gonna do.

I'm going to work on taking little snippets of time here and there

to do whatever it is that needs to be done.

Or that I want to do.

A Little Imagination and a Pile of Junk

These are friends and their art journals that have been inspiring me lately.

I've wanted to art journal for so long.

And I've never made time.

So I'm going to try (TRY)

to do a little each day.

even if it's only 10 minutes.

whatever.

just something.

I will let you know how it goes...

Alisa Burke

How about you?

How do you find time to do the things you love?!?

Confessions

2011-05-24T20:04:00.000-07:00

1. I am counting the minutes until Jack goes to bed so that I can sleep.

2. I've let him watch way too much tv and eat way too many hot dogs.
I don't care.

3. I haven't taken one picture of Jack in May.
Not one.

3. I'm frustrated by the things I can't do.
I need to give in. To surrender to the fatigue.
To slow down.
{sigh}

4. There will be a time for art.
A time for creating.
A time for full speed ahead.
Now is not that time.
Get over it.

5. There is reason why young people have babies.
I've never felt so old.

6. The house and the laundry will always need cleaning.
Always.

7. What I have right now is what I dreamed of and prayed for:
my husband, my babies, my family.

8. I will get my body back to myself soon.
I can't wait.

9. I can't wait to have a glass of wine.

10. I'm afraid I might never sleep again.
At least not for a year.

**************************************************************
Kindergarten Conversations:

*Names have been changed to protect the innocent.
This is after we've learned about farm animals & life cycles
& I am super pregnant.

Emily: So how is the baby born?
Like really born.

Me: It grows in your tummy and it just comes out when it is ready.

Emily: No, no, no. I mean how?
How does it come out?

Me: Nature is so amazing. Our bodies are just made for the baby to come out.

(Meanwhile Ryan is rolling his eyes. He totally gets it.)
Emily continues to ask and ask.
Ryan gets so fed up he finally blurts out:

It comes out of your privates Emily! Duh.

Emily: Ooo. Gross. Really?

Me: Talk to your parents about this.
They know a lot.

I love kinder.

God has made everything beautiful for it's own time.

2011-05-22T01:00:00.000-07:00

It's true.

His timing is perfect,

even though it's not mine.

I keep trying to tell Him how to time things...

and he doesn't seem to listen,

but His ways are higher than my ways

and his thoughts are higher than my thoughts...

and His timing is always perfect.

Speaking of timing:

1 more week of work.

4 more weeks until baby is due!

Getting so ready to welcome him into our family,

and have him on the outside of my body.

Deep Thoughts & The Sparrow Fund

2011-05-14T08:06:00.000-07:00

Are you still as amazed with the internet as I am?

with email? with blogging?

with the friends and relationships you've made

with people you've never met in real life?

That I can do a google search on anything in the entire universe

and get the information

for free?

That I can paint pictures in my bedroom upstairs (my dream come true)

and send them all over the country, all over the world,

and that that's how I'm able to stay home with my babies (my other dream come true)?

It amazes me.

I think it always will.

**********************************************************

You know how you meet someone & connect right away?

That's how it was with my new friend Kelly.

She is a rock star for orphans.

She contacted me about donating 10% of all May sales to

The Sparrow Fund, to help families bring orphans home.

I am so happy to be a part of all that God is doing here.

Kelly found 30 businesses to donate,

one for each day in May!

Ashley is another sweet soul getting the word out.

I am their featured business today.

Stop by & have a look!

Queen Bee Market

2011-05-13T20:48:00.000-07:00

Finally.

Back to blogging.

I'm in my 34th week of pregnancy &

body is saying no to my hectic pace.

I've been falling asleep at 6:00,

waking up at 6:00.

repeat.

But everything is going well,

so I'm thankful and waiting...

I've been so excited to blog about...

the Queen Bee Market

last Friday and Saturday

The madness is over and oh my goodness...

It was so fun.
So many thoughts, and always a learning experience.

I always, always learn something.

lots of things, actually, which I will be sharing with you

over the next few weeks.

First lesson learned: Take more pictures!

Here is how my booth turned out.

There are so many details I'd like to add...

next time, but I just ran out of time.

I had a lot of help:
husband help, friend help, momma help, dad help, momma-in-law help
I'm so thankful for everyone & all of your love & support & help!
I could not have attempted it without every single one of you.

The booths & creativity were amazing.

The atmosphere, so festive & fun,

but the best part about this experience

is always meeting other vendors & customers.

Everyone was so sweet and just excited to be there.
Here are just a few. Next time I will take many more pictures.

Elise Joy

Domestic Nest

Bliss Blvd.

Mique & Jess are amazing.
They make me want a sister.

Thank you so much!

The Pleated Poppy

Funky Vintage Lovely

Just Lovely Things

So, how have you been, my bloggy friends? I've missed you.

I've spent every waking moment since the market well, asleep.

I'll be around visitign & catching up with you.

Sunday Scripture: Romans 8:28

2011-05-08T09:49:00.000-07:00

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him,
who have been called according to his purpose.
Happy Mother's Day!