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Thursday, December 30, 2010

I'm Feeling A Theme Here



I've been working on some art pieces & realized mid-way through, they all kind of have a message about just being yourself.  Embracing whatever it is that makes you unique(even your weirdness)...who wants to be like everyone else anyway?

This was my first attempt at embroidering freehand.  I hope to do more in the future.



I really like this one dictionary definition of the word
Eccentric.  The little girl in the picture is holding a sign
with it.  
It says,  Deviating from conventional or accepted
usage or conduct especially in odd or whimsical ways.

















Monday, December 27, 2010

Holiday Highlights

India's plate she made us
Whew, we are back from our whirlwind of Christmas celebrations(3 days in a row).  We got to see my Dad's side of the family, my Mom's side of the family, & Richard's family.  It was all fun, & the kids had a great time of course...they love unwrapping stuff!


Now, in the Christmas aftermath, my living room looks like an explosion took place.  There are dolls, & toys, & beads all over the place.  I am trying to maintain it, as best I can.  "Oh well", I am telling myself, "it's vacation time, let them have their fun".
Fun Nativity set from Aunt Jennifer, Uncle Scott & family


"Little Coco" as the girls call him

New dolls(they look a little like Coraline)

Posing the new Lalaloopsy dolls


Persimmon with Christmas bow
Cody enjoying the fire
My parent's place
At Grandpa Rick's house


So I know it's not about the "stuff".  I am truly grateful for my family & friends!  That being said....look at my loot....these are my favorite things I was given:
1. The Grove book & Rilo Kiley CD (cool indie group) from my brother
2. Pretty, pretty yarn & a knitting/crocheting lesson from my friend Maya
3. Photography book from my parents
4. Paintbrushes & decorative plate(by Pretty Little Thieves) from Richard
5. Embroidered pillow(see below)  from Royce, Art & baby Darcy



Friday, December 24, 2010

Wishing you a Merry, Merry Day!




Here's to Peace, Love, & Sanity this Christmas...
                                              have a wonderful Holiday!

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Deck The Halls

The girls & I were drawing, & I drew out my original Christmas card idea.  It was going to be a picture of the 3 kids, with our 3 pets (the fur kids) & say something about our house being a zoo(cause it really seems like it sometimes).  It's a rough drawing of course, India in no way resembles my drawing...& Chewie is looking rather strange. 


These are some pictures of what Christmas looks like around our place...... 
Happy no one has pulled the tree over this year!
Traveling Treasures--I found the Santa in Iowa, & the little elf at a Goodwill in Washington


We Three Kings--I always put these guys on my mantle

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Look Who Arrived On My Doorstep

This is my new doll Hattie.  I've had her on lay away since last Spring(I love lay away)...& she finally got here.   She is by the doll artist Nancy Latham & she is from her "Wistful Children" series.  I like her old fashioned clothes & little boots.  Anyway, I think she is cute, & I'll admit, a tiny bit creepy looking.  


I don't know when exactly I became a doll collector.  I like them though, they are little works of art.  







Monday, December 13, 2010

It's A Coming

Vintage button trees
I always call these "tye-dyed Ponsettias"

Really neat Nutcrackers
Little Train
Love these little peeps
Christmas day will be here before we know it, so in the meantime, I am trying to enjoy all the little things that lead up to it.  Like holiday parties,& visiting with family & friends. Also I enjoy a little baking(yes, I know that's rare), & taking the kids to look at Christmas lights.This past weekend we went to Roger's Gardens with my folks & brother.This is sort of a yearly tradition.  I love it there because they have all sorts of pretty things to look at. Here are a few things we saw.
A lovely statue
Glitz

Miniature Theatre

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Making A Little Scene

I have to say, I hope my kid's look back on my eccentricities with fondness, when they are older...instead of just thinking I was a little off my nut.  Anyway,  since way back when, I've always liked to try make little imaginary scenes in boxes. We used to call them dioramas.   I used to like collecting little miniature glass animals, & making paper dolls too.  So I guess adulthood hasn't changed me much.  I put together this little scene, & included some plants from my back yard, different papers, etc. & then photographed it.



On another note, I've been itching to splash some color on our living room walls.  I was thinking of a mustardy yellow, or maybe a little goldish.  The problem with mustard, is it could end looking like something that would be found in a baby's diaper, if you don't find quite the right color. I have been looking at paint samples, & bought little sample bottles twice so far.  I need to stay out of the Home Depot paint section for awhile!  My living room wall is going to end up a rainbow of paint patches, as I go work my way through all the paint colors.  After I put up my shades of mustard/yellow, I started thinking...how about red, how about grey? Decisions, decisions.



Monday, December 6, 2010

Things To Smile About

New Red Shoes

    

Chewie's Smooshed Face



Finding Just The Right Tree
Little Sparkly Treasures

    Thursday, December 2, 2010

    Where I Escape To

    
    Blythe & Friends Wall Art

    
    It's quiet here now, but awhile ago my kids were running through the place like wild banshees. India & Cody were fighting...which led to India crying.  I wasn't really in the mood for any of it, because I happen to have a monster case of Poison Oak right now.  So I tried to go to my happy place (ha ha), & concentrate on something creative.  That always puts me in a better mood!  I have been working on this art piece, with pictures of Blythe, & finished it today.


    Wednesday, December 1, 2010

    Decorating Tales

    Aaahh....bringing out the Christmas decorations, & putting them up, such a fun time right? Our Christmas music was playing in the background & I was all about bringing the holiday cheer out, the other day. The first task was bringing out the boxes of decorations.  Some are in a long closet, in the house, & some are in the garage. I began to dig in the closet, pulling everything out, while Richard tackled the garage. If you've ever been in our garage, you'd know that's no easy feat!
    As I was knee deep in the closet, I heard only what can be described as "bad stuff" going on in the garage.  Sounds of glass breaking, Richard yelling, then silence.  I went to check it out.  I guess he had broken an old mirror we had out there, either by accident, or maybe in frustration with all the junk in his way. Also,  blood was trickling down his leg from a close encounter with some pieces of wood.  After making sure he was ok & seeing he wasn't dying, I grabbed  the Christmas boxes from the garage & went back in to start putting the decorations up.
    Last year I bought two new Christmas things. I love nativities, & I bought a cute one with little clay kids in it.  Also, I got a Folk Art style picture of Mary, Joseph & baby Jesus.  I wanted to display all the nativity type stuff on my wood case in the living room, & hang the picture above it.
    That's where things went awry. The framed nativity picture ended up being really heavy, & I guess I should point out that sometimes I am short on patience, & may not have hung it correctly.  It fell off the wall.  My new cute nativity set crashed to the ground.  The stable was broken in half, an angel's wing was broken, & my wood display case now had a chip of wood missing from the front.  As I looked at everything, I yelled "I hate Christmas this year!"
    After my breakdown had subsided, Richard attempted(with some amusing grumbling) to hang the picture of Mary, Joseph, & Jesus over the couch instead.  Thankfully I was able to glue my nativity set back together with my glue gun.  
    The morals of my story?  Things are just things, & most of the time they can be replaced.  Have a little patience(I'm talking to myself here), & when in doubt, have a trusty glue gun on hand!
    Back together & good as new.

    Saturday, November 27, 2010

    The Retro Dress

    This past week has been fun, the kids have been on break from school, & Richard took off most of the week.  For Thanksgiving we cooked some here, & then took the food to Richard's Dad's house.  We got to see 3 of Richard's sisters & their families.  Then we ventured on to my Uncle Larry's & Aunt Monica's place, with our Tofurky in tow.
    Sage cooking on Thanksgiving

    India on the mosaic wall
    This morning, bright & early, we had our photos taken.  I've been wanting to get some good family shots for awhile, also some of just Richard & I.  Of course I had the perfect picture all planned out in my head.  We had them taken at this artsy, outdoor place....so I didn't want it to be the typical stuffy family portrait. So  I ordered this vintage dress for myself, & got the girls cute outfits too.  I waited, & waited, & waited on my dress to come...after all, it was supposed to make me look like a retro housewife/supermodel.  Finally, it arrived yesterday(the day before the pictures) & boy is it "vintage".  It smelled vintage, & it was wadded up in a really small box.  After trying it on, & realizing it wasn't working the wonders I expected, I decided to go with Plan B.  That would be jeans & a red shirt.  What can you do?  
    Also, we could not find one of Cody's shoes at the last minute, so we brought him with one shoe off.  Most of the pictures he is barefoot in, & refusing to smile.  Sometimes I make myself laugh with what I envision in my head, & how something actually turns out.  It always works out ok though...& I'm sure we will love the pictures.
    Trying to get Cody in a good mood
    Sage posing
    Not quite the look I was going for

    Tuesday, November 23, 2010

    Feeling Blue-ish Green

    10 x 10 Mixed Media(acrylic paint, pen, paper on canvas)
    I started working on an art piece, for my ETSY site, & it was all dreary out.  So I decided to make the girl in the picture a little sad, surrounded by big blue/green rain drops coming down(or they could be tears).  After the artwork was done, I was liking the colors & in the Teal mood.   I got some other pictures yesterday, out in the day, with some similar hues.

    Pretty Cabinet
    Reflections
    Some good books