A Not So Ordinary Weekend

Yippee! We were able to get out of the house this last weekend and have some fun filled experiences thanks to a few of hubby's family members. The fun started Friday night when my brother-in-law Justin and his wife Amy said they would watch Kaelyn so we could go to a movie! An actual movie in a theater!! Are you kidding me!? I don't remember going to a movie since before Kaelyn was born. While we would be there Kaelyn would be able to play with her aunt, uncle and little cousin Kamalee. Kaelyn was sure excited... as was I! So the theater we went to didn't have the newest movies out. Avatar sounded like it would be the best one to see. Now since I RARELY go to the theater I never paid much attention to all the talk about it. All I knew there were some blue creatures and one blog I skimmed said it was like an all grown up Pocahontas. So what did I think after seeing it?

...the masterminds behind this movie are amazing!!! Yes, there were a few things that remind you of other movies but isn't that what we do; learn from others, add in our imagination and knowledge to make something even more magnificent? The well thought story line is great... the real importance's of life has nothing to do with money. I like how it focuses on how powerful our mind is. The graphics are also amazing! I loved the magical feel and all the details... in every aspect! If you haven't seen it I highly recommend going especially if its still in a theater near you! This is one to see on the big screen. Thank you so much Amy and Justin for letting us experience it!

Then Saturday we were off to Sioux Falls to do a little shopping... which was kind of hard since Kaelyn was super energized that day and only seemed to have one volume... super loud. I'm pretty sure everyone heard her in every store we went to! I was ready to call it a day and go home before supper but the main reason we went to S.F. in the first place was to see Monster Trucks. David's sister, Kathy and her husband, Jess gave us tickets to attend. I was kind of worried how Kaelyn would take the noise and sitting for so long, but at least she could be as loud as she wanted. But it went great!!! She was thrilled with the show and clapped and clapped. Here are some shots I took on my phone:

This was one of the crazy monster truck drivers. But he didn't come close to crazy compared to the motocross drivers! They were INSANE! They would shoot off one ramp fly through the air doing tricks and land on another ramp. One was a kid that has only been riding for a year. I just have to say his poor mother!!! He would let go of his bike completely while flying in the air. Yikes!

Kaelyn got to have cotton candy for the first time! She loved it! (Her cousin Laney made her smile extra big for this shot. Ha!) It was a great night. We all enjoyed the show very much. Thanks Jess and Kathy for inviting our family!

Children's Faith Typography Prints

A new teal bedtime prayer print has arrived. This would make a great wall hanging for a boy's or girl's bedroom. More color varieties will be coming in the shop next week so keep checking back if you haven't seen a color you really like yet. I have a couple more almost ready to photograph and a new prayer saying is in the works. It has been another busy week! But some fun is in store for the weekend. Yeah, the sun is finally out here again and we're able to get out of the house and do some things! Can't wait! I hope you all have a fantastic weekend!

"Raining Down Possibility" New Painting

Here was my first new acrylic painting I finished earlier this month. Something a bit different from my usual. I was hoping to try new things with my art this month and I succeeded on that goal. Have to be happy about that! The idea behind this modern fine art painting, "Raining Down Possibility" is to remind us to keep an open mind and new possibilities will arise! A deer represents the feeling of freeness. Bright colors and unique designs are reminders to look up, be unique and live life to the fullest.

You can view this painting in my shop for more details and photos. If your interested in the original please email me.

NEW Painting ~ Modern Bedtime Prayer

Here is one of my new typographic prayer paintings I mentioned working on in a previous post. I'm very happy with how it turned out and will definitely be making a block print of this for Kaelyn's room. Faith is very important to us and I have a very hard time finding fun God related gifts for children. I hope to get more prayer prints with a few different color options as well as different sayings in my etsy shop in the next month. I think they would make perfect gifts for baptisms, birthdays, baby showers or any day just because talking about God and having Him be part of your life is so important.

A few details on this new piece: A great mix of fine art and graphic design. I first designed a modern typographic piece on the computer to get all the spacing just right. Then I made it into a sticker using my plotter. Last I used my acrylic paints to give the letters a distressed look. Of course each step was a little more involved than it sounds but you get the idea of how it was created. I thought worn letters would look great and represent a lasting faith. These prayers have been around for how long? A long time. Their meaning remains the same. The font is streamlined and modern on its own but I wanted to give it more of a "wow" effect and focus on the "I Pray" so I used pink with a pop of red. This prayer is a childhood memory that I will cherish forever and I want to pass on to my daughter. I hope others can enjoy it too!

If your interested in more details and seeing a couple more photos of it, click HERE to view the print in my Enduring Arts shop.

Wedding Invitation Design Option

Friday all ready!? Wow! Looks like we'll be stuck inside all weekend with a nasty ice storm. So much for celebrating my birthday as we had originally planned. That's what you get for living in South Dakota. I remember when I was a kid (I still am, ha!... but when I was in elementary/junior high) I could almost always count on no school for my birthday due to bad weather. I loved it then! Anything for getting out of going to school! Awe, those were the days when snow was so much fun!

I was thinking it has been an awfully long time since I shared a design on here so I thought I would share one of my wedding invitation design options I did towards the end of 2009. I'll share the actual one the bride and groom chose after they are all sent out to their family and friends so I don't ruin the surprise. Here was one option:

{front view}

{inside spread with closer views}

{back view}

This card measures 7"x5". I liked how the minimal color turned out with the pop of orange and the beautifully colored photo on the inside. If you love the design and would like it used for your wedding email me at enduringarts@gmail.com and I would be glad to work with you on customizing it your way! (For the couple's privacy I didn't show the dates and locations.)

Dolby Photography took these lovely photos. I was given several to choose from so the photos on the actual invitation are still going to be a surprise!

Have a wonderful weekend... even if your stuck inside! Hopefully we can watch some good movies.

The Mastered Pout...

Have you ever seen a lip out so far???

All because she wanted a cookie! She asked me for one and I said no we were going to have supper soon. Then she goes and asks dad if she can have a cookie, and he said no she had to wait and eat supper first...(my I didn't know playing the parent card started at one!) then came the lip, and we couldn't help but laugh and take pictures! She even got to laughing so it was a happy ending and she got part of a cookie AFTER supper. :)

We had a busy but fulfilling weekend. I finished a new modern prayer painting that involved many steps. Hopefully in the next couple of weeks I'll have some good pictures to show you and can add it to my etsy shop. Anyway, since the weather was so nice we had a little fun family time out in the snow on Saturday. We went sledding on the snow piles across the street. Kaelyn was a little worried to be pushed down a hill by herself, so I ended up going with her and oh my goodness I don't remember when I've laughed so hard. I was more worried than Kaelyn and she thought it was funny and kept saying again, again when I wanted to be out on my feet again! Later Kaelyn and daddy built a snowman together, which she doesn't stop talking about and she has to look out the window to see him several times a day!

Sunday, David was given a Trustee position at church. He will be serving for 3 years! Way to go hun! I'm so proud of you! After church we finally had our last make-up Christmas party due to the snow storm. We were also able to celebrate my grandma's 87th birthday. She's 87 and going strong! Her mother made it into her 100's so I hope I take after them! So that was just a few tidbits of our weekend.

I also want to let you all know there is another GIVEAWAY going on at my other blog. This time it is for a 100 free postcards that can be used for so many things: announcements, invitations, thank yous... check it out. I wasn't planning on doing another giveaway so soon, but I couldn't pass this one up since I thought so many of us could use it. Enter to win at http://www.touchedcreatively.blogspot.com/.

Another Creative Space and Results

{image via Line Juhl Hansen}

I love artsy decor. It adds so much personality to a room. After so much work redoing walls and floors in our old house I have little ambition left to decorate the walls. Photos like this give me lots of inspiration and ideas for one day when I get the time and the energy to do my decor... Until then I'll just enjoy looking at other people's photos!

I can't believe this week is already over. I've been busy working on some different creative ideas but it may be a while until I share pics. Today I had my stitches removed. Thank you to all of you that contacted me with well wishes! The results came back clear of cancer... great news! Thank God for that!

Hope you all had a good week. Enjoy the weekend... we're having a small heat wave here. Have to love that!

Enter to Win!

There is a giveaway going on at my other blog, Touched Creatively, so head on over there if you are interested in entering for a chance to win 250 business cards with the size of your choice: 2 x 3.5”, 2 x 3”, 2 x 2” (square card) or 1.5 x 3.5” (skinny card)! This is a great giveaway to gain exposure for your business in 2010! You don't necessarily need to use this giveaway as a standard business card. Think creatively and use it for tags, thank you notes, photo cards, bookmarks, calling cards... whatever you can dream up, business related or not, enter today! Click HERE for more info. Have fun!

twenty three months...

Oh how the last twenty three months have flown by. One month from today little miss Kaelyn turns 2! Wow, it really is amazing how quickly time goes by! As I sit here blogging I'm in quite a lot of pain from being cut open and stitched back together for almost an hour and a half straight today. I lost a couple spots of skin but gained 10 stitches! Tons of fun I'm telling you. Now I pray the results come back cancer free. We'll find out sometime next week. Right now I'm trying to feel better by looking at some adorable pictures of my baby. These are just a few that Dolby Photography took for us last month. They took the photos for our Christmas card that I posted about earlier. They did such a great job. It's a husband and wife team and instead of ordering prints they take a whole bunch, edit them and send you a cd of all the pictures so you can do as you please. I absolutely love that idea because I never know what size of frame I'm going to have or find, and your able to print your own sizes to use for scrapbooking, give to family and friends, or whatever else you wish. Ethan and Leslie were so great and patient with Kaelyn. She didn't exactly stay in one spot long so it was pretty interesting on how to get a good photo. They did lots of background changes and were up for several outfit changes as well. There website is still being worked on but it should be up in the next couple of months, so if your looking for photography around the Sioux Falls, SD area, I highly recommend Dolby Photography.

a creative twenty ten

{image via faire houre}

Happy twenty ten! I hope you've had a wonderful start to your new year! I have several goals made for 2010 which include many more paintings (one is currently in progress), possibly getting into doing some more sculptures (haven't done that since college)... need a band saw for that and I don't think my husband would like me much if I took his... I might not ever get my top kitchen cabinets finished if I took it so that project of mine may be put on hold for a bit, unless I can get my hands on another one. Anyway, I would also like to make more print blocks. I made one with my "Weathering the Storm" painting quite some time ago and was planning on selling it, but I liked it so much I never put it in my Etsy shop,... so I should really get more made this year. I'm determined on focusing on my fine art this year and seeing where it takes me. I'm sure it will be quite the journey... a roller coaster even, but I'm ready for what could be an incredible ride!

I love the clock from faire houre shown in the photo above. To see more photos of Jenilyn's work check out her blog or see the clocks that are currently for sale in her etsy shop.