Enduring Arts

Busy Birthday Week Ahead

2012-02-05T20:04:00.001-08:00

It is going to be a busy week, but a week that Kaelyn has been excited for for a long time. :) Tomorrow (Monday) we celebrate my dad's birthday, then on Wednesday it's K's b-day so she has a fun outing planned and then Saturday is her actual party with family. I can't believe my baby is already turning 4! Tear. She's happy though so that's all that matters. :)

{winter birthday invite designed by me}

Art Print GIVEAWAY!!!

2012-02-03T11:47:00.001-08:00

Etsy... I am so thankful for you. To be able to create and then sell items world wide is a dream. So many doors have opened because of you. It still amazes me that from all the amazing artists/crafters there are, customers actually find my shop and like my work enough to buy it! (Thank you buyers!!!) I know God plays a big part in it and He will continue to amaze me.

I want to celebrate hitting 500 sales earlier this week and offer any one print out of my shop to one of my readers! And if you have been a reader for awhile and would prefer a print of one of my paintings you have seen on the blog, I could probably make that happen. :) I'm glad to have you guys stop by and read what's going on.

{Bicycle is a Simple Solution}

To win an art print of your choosing for your self, loved one, friend... leave a separate comment for each of the following (pick one or more for additional entries):

1. Tell me your favorite quote or Bible verse.

2. Follow this blog (on the right side). Already a follower?... just tell me that you are.

3. Tell me what print you would choose if you were the winner. Visit shop HERE.

4. Share this giveaway on twitter, facebook or on your blog. Leave a separate comment for each one you do.

Winner will be announced on Valentines Day! Good luck!

From the Little One's Desk

2012-02-01T13:58:00.000-08:00

{by Kaelyn almost 4yrs old}

Often times when I'm working in the office Kaelyn is sitting at her little desk behind me drawing like crazy. Usually it is either pictures of me or her daddy. This is one of the first ones with ears and I LOVE it! She's really into writing the names of whatever she is drawing. Sometimes there are arms with fingers. She usually has so much fun drawing the fingers and toes she just can't stop after 5, and she usually asks, "Are there just 5 toes?" It makes me smile so I hope it does the same for you. :)

Clay it Again {favorite things}

2012-01-26T13:32:00.001-08:00

Look what I got in the mail this week! A customized bracelet with my daughter's name! I LOVE it! And get this I won it from a giveaway going on at Christie Cottage. (Jacki hosts lots of fun giveaways on her blog.) After I won, the wonderful shop owner, Cindi from Clay it Again worked with me on customizing it. The original giveaway was for a customized necklace but I asked if she would consider making a bracelet and she agreed. :) I knew I wanted Kaelyn's name on it. In no time Cindi had the name done and emailed me a picture and asked some questions about what kind of bracelet/clasp I would like. First we thought Kaelyn would be wearing it but when Kaelyn saw pictures of it, she really liked it but said Mommy should wear her name! No need to push that idea. :) She is my little angel, sometimes naughty angel but she has blessed me in so many ways that this bracelet is a happy reminder of how lucky I am.

Poor babe got the stomach flu yesterday. :(

But she still had fun watching daddy photograph mommy wearing the new bracelet.

Cindi is one of the sweetest shop owners... so easy to work with. She went above and beyond what you would expect. Her customized jewelry would make the perfect gift for any age... use a person's name or even an inspiring word. Be sure to browse through her many handmade treasures at Clay it Again. She is also a talented oil painter! Check out her paintings at 12 Midnight Oils.

bracelet: Clay it Again Etsy

cardigan: Forever21

favorite t-shirt: Gnome Enterprises Etsy

jeans: ebay

diamond necklace: from hubby years ago :)

Another Easy & Healthy Recipe

2012-01-20T20:26:00.000-08:00

I couldn't decide if I wanted an omelet or a salad for supper so I ended up combining the two and really liked the results. This was quick and easy to make and best of all it was really healthy. Here's how I made it... if you are wondering. :)
Chopped up onion and mushrooms and put them over low/medium heat with some coconut oil to lightly caramelize the onions. Then I whisked up 3 eggs with a dash of milk, oregano, basil and pepper... cooked it like an omelet. When it was done cooking I added just a little cheese and put the onions and mushrooms on, then scooped it onto a bed of lettuce and spinach. I added some flax seed and topped it off with a few dried cranberries to add a little extra color and sweet taste. I will definitely be making it again.
Too bad my daughter can't stand eggs (she was allergic to them since birth) and she hates the texture of lettuce. Boo! I'm thankful she loves steamed broccoli. She had a plate full of steamed broccoli and carrots with a touch of flax seed and an almond butter + strawberry jelly sandwich followed by dried cranberries and an orange for dessert.
What are your favorite healthy/easy meals to make? I would love some good ideas!

Sunday Snapshot

2012-01-15T18:59:00.001-08:00

{outfit: vintage}

It is so fun seeing what K's great grandma has kept for years and gives Kaelyn to wear. I love this outfit and it's even Kaelyn's favorite color. :)

Hope you had a wonderful Sunday!

NEW Design {Letters from God}

2012-01-12T13:45:00.000-08:00

{print available HERE}

"Pay attention to your dreams for they are your letters from God." -Jewish Proverb

When I read this proverb in a book a couple months ago, I knew I had to make it into a design. The words spoke to me and I wanted the words so I could see them daily and be inspired. Thinking others may enjoy the design too, I added a few to my shop. Although I made the print for me, after playing around with different color options I thought this yellow one would look really cute in my daughter's room. :)

A MUST See Site!

2012-01-06T21:50:00.000-08:00

Do you ever wonder why so many people are getting sick these days? I don't mean just the flu bug I mean the more serious stuff like allergies to diseases. It seems like many little people these days are getting sick and dying from serious illnesses and it breaks my heart. Cancer is a biggie. I've been doing some research lately on health since I'm dealing with my own issues and have come across some interesting sites. One is the Skin Deep Cosmetics Database. If you haven't checked it out before I think you should. In my opinion the site contains very valuable information on items that can greatly affect our health. There is a ton of information on there. One statement that jumped out at me was that nearly 80% of cosmetics have not been evaluated for safety. What? You would think if it is in a store, a brand name even that it should be safe to use. Ha! Boy was I wrong. I think this world has become way too money hungry because so many of the products we use are hazardous! Money is such a priority these days which is so sad. Anyway, that's a whole different story, back to the site. I about fell off my chair when I typed in my favorite chap stick and it was a high risk, hazardous item! Chap stick? Seriously?! That is something I use all the time and even let my daughter use cuz she wants to be like mommy and where "lip stick". I'm not letting her touch it after seeing the risks.

You are able to type in products that you use on a daily basis, such as toothpaste, hair products, skin care, make up, baby products... the list goes on. It will show you if your items are safe. Just check it out HERE, I bet you'll learn something!

LIVESTRONG Bicycle Painting Complete!

2012-01-02T15:59:00.000-08:00

Completed just before the New Year! Yippee! I am so glad to be done with this project. Sadly these photos don't capture all the detail but they at least give you a good idea. For those of you not into biking it says LIVESTRONG on Lance Armstrong's butt. Such a powerful word combo don't you think?

I love the bold black paint on the sides.

The white paint has been a little controversial and honestly I'm just fine with that. Actually I like that because it gets people talking. For me it adds extra interest and it really brings your eye to the detail. It says I am a painting! I like the unexpected. :) Kind of like this New Year... who knows what's going to happen.

In the Kitchen

2011-12-30T16:49:00.001-08:00

Kaelyn and I spent some time in the kitchen today making pumpkin cookies. I meant to get these made before the holidays but for some reason I ran out of time. :)
When I suggested making them with K today, she was not interested... I think because chocolate was not in the name. But I told her she might really like them if she gave them a try, so she did.

And she loved them. I think it's one of the yummiest cookies to come out of my kitchen so thought I'd pass on the recipe. I followed the directions HERE but halved everything, which made 30 cookies. If you like pumpkin you should definitely make some. They are really good right out of the oven without any icing... yes I may have eaten too many that way. :)

Christmas 2011

2011-12-29T20:33:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful Christmas... very busy, but fun. When Kaelyn was asked today what her favorite part of Christmas was, she answered "eating together!" So I guess she really enjoyed all the yummy food she had while family was around! :)

{collage created using Smilebox}

From Us...

2011-12-22T19:39:00.001-08:00

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Photo shot by K's Aunt Amy, Edited by me, Outfit from Shoppe on the Corner.

Yummy House and Shop News

2011-12-17T12:48:00.001-08:00

{Kaelyn decorating her first gingerbread house}

With every one piece of candy that went on the house, one would go in her mouth. Little stinker! She had so much fun! :)

Quick Enduring Arts update: The shop will be closing Monday morning, the 19th for holiday break. I plan on opening back up January 2nd. Thank you to all those who have supported the shop this last year! I wouldn't be able to do what I love if it wasn't for you! ♥

Simple Owl Cake Directions

2011-12-02T19:47:00.001-08:00

Since I've received a few emails/comments asking how I did the owl cake for Kaelyn's last birthday I figured I should just share the directions on here. If you've been reading my blog for awhile you know I don't spend any longer in the kitchen than I have to so this cake was quick and easy.
I made two cakes in a 9x13 cake pan. (Pick your favorite kind(s) of cake.) The body part of the owl is chocolate and when the cake was cool I cut the outline... just eyeballed it. If you want something exact I suggest making a template out of wax paper then placing it on top and cutting around it. (I prefer making a slight indention with my knife first to make sure I like the shape.) I made the body as big as possible, so not much cutting off the sides, just the top and rounding off the bottom. The wings are white cake... again just eyeballed the cutout. When moving the big body part out of the pan I did have my husband help so we each had a spatula under it so it wouldn't break apart. I bought 1 container of vanilla whipped frosting. I kept some of the frosting as is for the whites of the eyes, then added a few drops of red food coloring for the pink, and a few more drops for the darker pink. Jellybeans were used for the flower and beak and a mini oreo split in half makes up the dark parts in the eyes. Simple, right!? :)
Go HERE if you want to see more pictures of Kaelyn's owl birthday.
Can't believe my baby is almost 4! Tear. I do have some fun ideas for her next cake though. I plan on keeping it just as simple. Stay tuned...

Thankful

2011-11-23T20:08:00.000-08:00

I won't list all that I'm thankful for because it would seriously turn into a book. :) At the top though is my wonderful husband and my beautiful daughter, as if you couldn't have guessed that! Ha, ha. I am a very lucky wife and mama.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!!

Photo by Kaelyn's Aunt Amy. See more of her wonderful work at DesignerGenes Photography. The adorable outfit is from Shoppe on the Corner.

Unglued Christmas Market!

2011-11-18T09:20:00.000-08:00

{Unglued Market}

If you are around the Fargo, ND area be sure to check out Unglued's Christmas Market!
Several talented artists and crafters will have their work displayed. I was thrilled when they asked me to send a variety of my inspirational and religious prints to be part of their shop's inventory! Yay! And to add to the excitement there will be awesome gift workshops for both kids and adults! There's also free hot chocolate for people to enjoy and sweet tunes. It will be a whimsical, refreshing holiday shopping time. So go get something entirely unique for a family member, friend or just spoil yourself... you deserve it! :) Shopping begins Black Friday!!!

Bicycle Painting in Progress

2011-11-13T11:28:00.001-08:00

Hello! It has been awhile since I've showed you some artwork so thought I'd share a glimpse of what has been going on (or rather SHOULD be going on) in my studio. Time for just painting has been very limited lately so I've been glad for our art group that meets once a month. We met yesterday and I was able to get a little more accomplished on this detailed project...
It is a gift for my hubby. He knows about it and probably wonders if it will ever be finished. I still have quite a ways to go. Maybe in 2012 it will be complete? :)

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T21:40:00.001-07:00

This little flutter bug could not wait to go trick or treating this year! She is already looking forward to next years Halloween. :)

It was a delightful night filled with visiting family and friends.

Hope you had a Happy Halloween!

Artistic Pumpkin

2011-10-28T15:42:00.001-07:00

Here is Kaelyn's masterpiece of a pumpkin. :)
She loves to paint so that was her choice on how to decorate it. For some reason this girl likes spiders. (She is not at all like her mother in that area!) Anyway so I obliged and drew her a spider and then she drew a web and gave it some nice color. She loves it and insists that it cannot stay outside for other people to see. It has to be in the house so she can keep an eye on it. Ha, ha!

Have a great weekend!

Beautiful Fall Weekend

2011-10-23T19:58:00.000-07:00

The weather was beautiful this weekend. (for SD temps anyway) It was nice to be outside for awhile even if there was work to be done like raking. :)
Hope you all had a nice weekend!

Follow Your Heart...

2011-10-21T10:56:00.001-07:00

Always... even when it is hard.

Believe in yourself!

Super Simple Supper

2011-10-12T15:24:00.001-07:00

Thought I'd share what I made for supper last night... a baked taco ring. It looks a little fancier than our normal meal and it's easy to make! I love that since I don't enjoy sending long in the kitchen. (I just don't have enough time in the day! Ha!) Click HERE for the recipe. Kaelyn really enjoyed watching the "sun" be made out of the crescent rolls and meat mixture. When I make it again I'll probably add some beans to it. :)

I was able to use onions and tomatoes from my garden. Love fresh produce!

Kaelyn is a pretty picky eater but she gobbled it up (except for the lettuce and onions)! Hope you enjoy it as well.

Beautiful South Dakota Day

2011-10-11T21:37:00.000-07:00

Enjoying this weather. There aren't going to be many more days like today (atleast for several months)... soon the ground will be covered in snow and I will want to hibernate. :)

Kaelyn's Happy Place

2011-10-08T12:09:00.000-07:00

Kaelyn had so much fun last weekend. Here are just a couple of the highlights...

{K and me by my cloud painting}

Last Friday was the artists' reception at the Goss. K was so proud of her painting and the attention she was getting. Sure you can't tell with her happy dance! :)

Then Saturday after playing with one of her cousins she hadn't seen for a long time she went to a birthday party at one of her very favorite spots... the Children's Museum in Brookings SD. If you have young children and you're near Brookings, it is a must stop. Kaelyn would go every day if she could.

You won't stay dry in the water room, but it is sure fun for all ages.

Who wouldn't love a huge light brite!?
Here's Laney the birthday girl in the art room. :)

K with 3 of her cousins on air!

Digging for dinasour bones... or just digging. :)

One happy three year old.

Part of My Heart...

2011-09-29T16:52:00.000-07:00

belongs to creating art. I've had so many ideas run through my head over the years for paintings and other artwork/designs. I've tried many and never been real happy with the outcome. I think I'm finally getting to where I want to be and I'm so excited! I enjoy creating lots of different art and designs like the typography prints in my shop but they haven't been exactly what I would say I LOVE to do.

This is more "me", its letting go with my own style...

{Proverbs 21:31 ~ acrylic on wood}

it is painting from my heart. I believe God gives us our own unique talents and dreams and He wants us to use them. And well since a very young age I have always loved art and said I would be an artist when I grow up. Because of this I wanted Him to be part of my paintings. Not only did I want to paint a creation of His that I think is beautiful but I wanted to incorporate scripture as well. I literally asked Him to pick the verse He wanted me to use on the painting (after it was almost finished) and He gave me Proverbs 21:31. You may be asking how did He tell you to use that one? Well I asked Him if He wanted me to use one of His verses He would have to help me by picking one that would go with the painting and it would have to be on whatever page I first opened the bible to... and there it was.

"The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the Lord."

Coincidence? I don't think so. I'm excited to see what He has in store for the next one! ♥

Celebrate the Arts at the Goss!

2011-09-20T16:18:00.000-07:00

There is always so much to see at the Goss Opera House on Kemp Ave in Watertown SD. If you love art and a building with lots of character, this place is a must stop... just make sure you have enough time to browse through all three floors. My cloud painting is currently being displayed on the second floor along with many other talented artists' work. Yay! :)

The show will run through the end of September. There will also be an Artists' Reception on Sept. 30 from 5pm-7pm. So if you are in the area we would love for you to stop by! If you can't make the reception you can visit the gallery Mondays from 9am-7pm, Tues.-Sat. from 9am-9pm or Sunday from 10am-2pm. The second floor artwork changes monthly.
Look, little Kaelyn's painting is also there! (on the right) She's the youngest (3) to have art on display there. :) My mom also has a beautiful watercolor painting on display as well. Thank you to the talented and sweet Corine Beving who invited us to be part of the show! She has a show of her work on the first floor.

Also when you are there, you have to get something to eat or a specialty drink. It just goes so well with the art ya know. :) The boy working created art in a cup for me. (He had to make sure I saw it before putting the cover on, so I made him happy and took a picture of it. Ha,ha!) Gotta love it!

{wishes}

2011-09-15T18:55:00.000-07:00

Wishes... we all have them; dreams for ourselves as well as our loved ones. It is up to us to make dreams a reality. Some can take a LOT of work and determination while others may just end up staying a dream... you know the ones that only a greater power has control over and maybe the dream/idea was planted into our mind so we would experience a new journey and learn new lessons along the way. Either way doing something about the wishes/dreams we have is good. Nothing can come true if we don't even try.

I took this photo of my daughter last June and I recently came across it again. I LOVE capturing moments like this. Life seems so magical through a child's eyes. The simplest things in nature are great treasures. Kaelyn has the best time making discoveries of God's little creations... what we as adults often pass by. It is refreshing to follow her around and look at things from a different perspective. I will never tire of witnessing her excitement from the natural "beauties" in the environment around her.

The photo also makes me think of my own wishes. So often we are drawn into the "worldly rules." By this I mean we are brought up to think we have to go to school, get a good paying job so we can afford the material items such as a house, car, food, stuff... and to take care of our family. Money is such a control factor. It seems many of us lose sight of the dreams we once had as a child. Do many people even dream anymore? Or maybe several dream but just don't act on making it a reality? I think fear has a lot to do with following our heart. I know people's thoughts/opinions have an impact on me. I'm finally realizing I can't make everyone happy and that is okay. I've always wanted to please everyone else but it isn't fulfilling me or my purpose.

Yesterday I came across a reading from a daily devotional I was given at the Rescue Her 5K event, and it really struck a chord in me. Talk about everything happening for a reason! Anyway, here is what it said:

I will give them an undivided heart. Eze 11:19
Do what you love, love what you do.
Successful people allow their God-given passion and talent to guide them in life. They have a single focus and an undivided heart. God doesn't create you to be talented in an area, then ask you to give yourself to some unrelated area. There's always a potential alignment of talent and passion, if you have the courage to pursue your life's purpose and take risks. Po Bronson, author of What Should I Do With My Life? writes: "I'm convinced that business success in the future starts with the question, 'What should I do with my life?' People don't succeed by migrating to a 'hot' industry or by adopting a particular career-guiding mantra. They thrive by focusing on the question of who they really are--and connecting to work they truly love (and, in so doing, unleashing a productive and creative power they never imagined)." Carly Fiorina said, "Love what you do, or don't do it... Make the choice to do something because it engages your heart as well as your mind. Make the choice because it engages all of you."

Pretty powerful isn't it? I'm guilty of often putting my passion on the back burner. I tend to stay in the "safety lane" you might say. I think I need to switch lanes or maybe try a roller coaster... it would be a lot more fun wouldn't it? I truly believe our passion is there for a reason so why not follow our heart now?

Rescue Her 5K run

2011-09-13T12:56:00.001-07:00

Last Saturday our family participated in the Rescue Her 5K run. Some of you know I do not enjoy running like my husband does, but since I feel so strongly for this cause I was determined to do the run. I honestly haven't done any running for the last 3 years (other than chasing after my daughter). So to get in shape to run a 5K was a bit of work! :) My hubby, being the fantastic athlete he is, had no trouble figuring out a running schedule for me and specific stretches for my knee. I had a couple goals for this event... 1. Raise extra cash for the organization to help save more girls from living a horrible nightmare. (Thank you to my family for all your support!!! Love you guys!) and 2. I really wanted to run the entire 3.1 miles and do it in less then 30 minutes. And you know what? We did it!!! Yay!

{Right after the race. K had enjoyed her ride and me, well I was glad to be done. Ha!}

{our family}

It was a gorgeous day!

I previously posted about Rescue Her but if you would like more info please go HERE.

True Love {adoption}

2011-09-06T15:24:00.000-07:00

It is pretty amazing all the connections that can be made through technology today. You never know whose path is going to cross yours. A total stranger can have a huge impact on your life. Are you willing to allow others to touch your heart whether it be on-line or off-line? We can be taught so much if we are just open to it.

I recently had the pleasure of getting to know a little about Whitney Runyon via the internet. She shared photos she took from a recent adoption she was blessed to witness and document. Here are a few of her shots...

You can see a lot more of the journey HERE.

The moments that Whitney captured made me cry... they really did. She captured so much love from this family. And the little boy... he is finally home and you can see how happy he is. ♥ Doesn't it look like he has always been with them? What a perfect fit... God is so good. He joined this family together through adoption.

I want to give this mom and dad a hug for opening their hearts to a little one that needed a home... needed a family... needed to be loved. You can get a glimpse into the family's life HERE. I especially love this post. Their blog is bound to make you smile. :)

The Eicher's family went through Reese's Rainbow adoption agency.

And guess what, Whitney is looking for more families to work with and share their stories! If you are interested send her an email at wrunyonphotography@gmail.com . To see more of her photography go HERE.

the outdoor photo shoot

2011-09-02T08:19:00.000-07:00

A few of my favorites from last weeks photo shoot...

I made her stick around extra long just for these dress shots. I wanted the sun to be in a certain spot. So I was really hoping they would turn out. I was happy with the results.

Oh, and she is going into photography... so no extra pressure in getting good photos! ;)

Had to play around with shooting into the sun. You never know what will show up on your photo.

Thought they turned out pretty good as this is the first time I've really photographed anyone over the age of 4. (Other then my husband with K.) Wonder if she knew that before asking me to take her pictures. Hee, hee. I also don't have anything real special for a camera... so I was pretty nervous prior to taking these photos. Thank God for helping me out. He created some amazing backdrops!

Now if only my kiddo would pose for me, I'd have a lot of fun! :)

{Linking up with Jennifer's Sneak Peek Friday. Check out more creativity on her blog!}

this last week

2011-08-28T17:32:00.001-07:00

Like every week it was a busy one but there were a few memorable happenings that went on. Of course every day included the regular graphic design work, mommy tasks... ya know all the ordinary day to day stuff... but here is a glimpse of the more special points of the week...

Last Tuesday was our 8th wedding anniversary (10 years + 1 month of being together). Boy time flies! It has been a great journey thus far! Is it bad to say this is probably my favorite photo of the two of us? We really have very few of the two of us and those are just the look here and say cheese type. Maybe around our 10yr anniversary we'll get a good photo of the 2 of us together. Maybe.
Wednesday David surprised me with a cake he decorated to celebrate my 300th etsy sale! :) Wow! It was my goal for the year to get to 300 by Christmas so I am very happy and thankful for how things are going for my little business.

Other activities during the week included photo editing for the senior shoot I did last Sunday. (I'll share a few pictures later this week.) Then there was working on signs for the KAMI Group Buddy Walk that will be going on next Saturday the 3rd. (Find more info about the event HERE and come join the fun if you can!) And every other night David and I go running with K in the stroller cuz David is training me for a 5K that takes place on the 10th. No I'm not a runner... don't even enjoy it but it's for a good cause, RescueHer, so figured I could go through some pain to hopefully raise some extra cash for that organization. I'm up to 2.5 miles... so need to get another .5 mile worked in there in the next two weeks. I want to be able to run the whole thing and do it in a fairly good time. Hoping I can do that. ;)

Saturday we thought we should do something kind of fun to celebrate our anniversary and since Kaelyn is one of the best things that has come from our marriage :) I figured we should go to the zoo. K loves the zoo and we hadn't been there in a long time. So off to the zoo we went.

Giraffes are so interesting to me. This little guy was adorable! Then it's mama came over and well you can just see how much they love each other! ♥

Maybe this was daddy giraffe. :)

Yes, it was a good day and week!

Senior Portrait Sneak Peek

2011-08-23T06:58:00.001-07:00

Had the opportunity of taking senior pictures this last Sunday. It was fun playing photographer for a day. (Almost makes me want to be one! Ha, ha.) This girl was an amazing model. Will share more with you once I get a chance to edit the rest.

Plein Air {painting day}

2011-08-13T19:26:00.000-07:00

{my outdoor studio}

Couldn't have been a better day to take part in the Plein Air painting event held in DeSmet, SD. It was a little toasty sitting in the sun for several hours... yes, I will be sporting a nice sun burn for the next few days but it was worth it! Several artists attended. Everyone picked their own spot and painted their little heart out throughout the day. I can't tell you the last time I was able to paint for hours and hours at a time AND be outside enjoying the gorgeous weather at the same time!!! So peaceful... beautiful scenery... pure bliss. :)

{peaceful prairie}

Here's my completed landscape painting. Done with acrylic on a wood panel.

Hope you are having a great weekend!

Worth Checking Out

2011-08-08T07:49:00.001-07:00

I want to share a site with you that I think is worth checking out... give1save1 by Beth Cupitt. Beth is a talented photographer and she has an adorable family. Her site is unique and heartfelt due to the fact that she has big plans to adopt 2 children from Ethiopia... 2 girls that are older and most likely wouldn't otherwise be chosen. Age 14 is when children leave the orphanage to fend for themselves and 70% of them are turned into prostitutes. Heart wrenching. Anyway to find out more details please check out Beth's site. She has a beautiful soul!

A Birthday to Remember

2011-07-29T16:54:00.000-07:00

How David spent his 30th birthday...

the start line at the Chisago MN half ironman.

(800 racers for the half ironman but many more for the sprint distance.)

David's wave of 50 swimming. Fog made it very difficult for

the racers to see where they were at.

on to the bike... 56 miles
starting the run... 13.1 miles... still smiling :)
To keep K entertained for the several hours daddy was racing
she played with her boats in the sand, played on the playground,
ate goodies, rang her bell and cheered on the racers,
played with a 7 week old lab puppy and asked its
owner 1001 questions! Not joking! This girl loves to talk! :)

First half ironman completed in 5 hours. 13th place in his age group!

Just a few of the bikes.

David and Jason (a co-worker he trains with)

David's words after the race... "It was the best part of the trip!"

So yes, he enjoyed his birthday and I'm sure he'll be doing more.

Congratulations Birthday Boy!
You did awesome!

Oh, and last weekend didn't entirely wear him out. He participated in a

bike race yesterday in Crooks SD and came in third!

Visiting Lanesboro

2011-07-28T06:03:00.000-07:00

We're back! Before heading to hubby's half ironman this last weekend we decided to take a mini family vacation in Lanesboro, MN. Why there? Well we happened to come across a website where you could stay in an art loft that was above an art gallery... that sounded perfect to me. On our way there we started to get a little worried about if there was much else in the town... we didn't know anything about it! But everything worked out and it was a very fun and unique town. Here is a glimpse of our visit...

The door to our loft was PINK! ♥

The 3 large windows on the top, middle building look into our living area.

We loved the spaciousness and it was a great place for kids to run around.

Such a beautiful place to explore.

There were great paths to walk, run, or bike on.

So of course we had to rent a bike and let me tell you, they

had lots of options of different bikes to rent, although your

a little limited when you have little ones along.

Here's what we went with...

This bike was hilarious! Well, I thought so anyway.

David called it a death trap. Ha! It only had one gear. He thought

the lever next to the steering wheel was to change gears but it

was only the break. Ha! Although there are 4 sets of pedals on

the bike whoever sat on the front left ended up doing the most work.

And if you know my hubby you know he is obsessed with

biking and averages 20 miles in hour+ on rides so this was

about killing him. This is what he ended up doing

on the way back...

He ran and pushed us! No, I didn't feel bad at all for him.

Lets just call it training for his ironman! :)

I admit it was quite a nerdy beast but it sure made me laugh

and Kaelyn loved it too! She could steer all she wanted cuz the wheel

on the right didn't do anything! (perfect for entertaining a youngster!)

The paths went along a river that is popular for tubing... if K was

older we would have done it. Other things we rode past were bluffs, fields, lots

of trees where we even saw deer. It was pretty and peaceful! Well, other

then having to work hard to get anywhere! We did go down hills quite well!

After all the hard work, ice cream was a must. The bike rental and ice

cream shop were right across the street from our loft which was

so handy! (Actually everything was in walking distance so we never had to

start our vehicle!) We took the treats back to our place and relaxed.

K and me on one of the many bridges.

One of the cute shops had pottery painting. K was able

to pick out whatever she wanted including her colors.

Her turtle will be shipped to us after it is fired.

Looking forward to seeing it!

We decided to take an Amish tour and what an

eye opening experience it was! It was seriously like

going back in time 200 years.

When first looking at an Amish house from afar you probably

wouldn't think their lifestyle is much different than our own.

These places have no electricity, no running water, they plant all

their food that is supposed to last them year round, their mower

is powered by a horse, they do not have bikes,

there only means of transportation is by buggy pulled by a horse.

Their income comes from all their handmade goods... furniture,

rugs, jams, soaps, bakery items, soy candles, quilts, etc.

It is common to have 3 families living on a farm. The great-grandparents

have the smallest home, the grandparents get the middle sized and

the youngest couple gets the biggest home (to fill with little ones).

These people work harder then anyone I've seen... they don't

go out and have fun like we do. (can't imagine!) They aren't

wasteful, if something isn't an absolute need they don't have it...

they weren't even wearing shoes outside! Baling is done by hand!

Their hay stacks were so neat and uniform I wouldn't have guessed it!

Ok, I could go on and on but I've already written a book! :)

So if you're looking for a fun little getaway I highly recommend

Lanesboro. It is also the bed & breakfast capital so you have lots of

unique options to stay... just make sure to check if certain ages

are ok if you have kids. Some of the fancier Victorian homes are a

bit stricter about who can stay.

Ponder This...

2011-07-18T20:13:00.000-07:00

{country view across from my parents home}

We are blessed to be a blessing to others.

These words came from the visiting pastor I listened to last Sunday... what a statement to live by! He preached about us being blessed not so we can go buy bigger and better things but to help others... help children/families who don't have food, homes, medicine. Just think about that. We do live in such a materialistic world. People are always trying to out do one another. It seems like few people are satisfied with what they currently have. It's really sad. It is even more sad that others are suffering from our selfishness. His sermon really struck me. I grew up in a family where you always help out, and I know we have a "purpose" here on Earth. The words from Sunday just got me thinking that I can live with less and I can give more than I already do. It made me think about a lot of things really... I don't really need an addition on my house... I need to be extremely grateful for what I have today... stop thinking so much about me and think about serving others. I am rich, maybe not so much with money but with many other things.

The pastor talked quite a bit about Food For The Poor. Just a few dollars can help a lot of other people who are in desperate need. I strongly urge you to check out this site and give. If you are reading this, chances are you can spare a few bucks... just saying... think about it.

Thank you!

Rewind

2011-07-18T17:53:00.000-07:00

My husband is a complex kind of guy. He's a talented woodworker (see his work HERE), a fantastic father, a smarty pants engineer by day, and a very determined athlete. This year he has been training hard for triathlons. Last month he was in an Olympic triathlon...
He did amazing and placed 3rd in his age group. This was his farthest swim in a race. He began swimming only 2 years ago! He is the most dedicated, determined person I know. If he goes for something he goes all out.
Coming up this next Sunday is his first half ironman which also happens to be his 30th birthday. Yeah, signing up for the event was his birthday present to himself. You could say we're not too much alike in that department. I would much rather be eating cake and watching movies on my birthday (or any day for that matter). Ha, ha. Each to their own.
Miss K and I will soon be taking a little trip with him and we'll of course be encouraging him through the race on Sunday. I just pray its not in the 90's like it has been. I can't imagine doing a 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike and 13.1 mile run in that kind of heat! More adventures (and photos) coming soon! :)

the newest 3 year old artist?

2011-07-16T11:40:00.000-07:00

To be honest, I have been on quite the emotional roller coaster lately and the ride just keeps getting steeper. What's been pulling me back up? Well God and my daughter are a couple of the big things and I am so thankful for them!
Miss K has me about pulling out my hair quite often but she also brings so much joy every single day. I don't know what I'd do without her. She is one very smart and talented 3 year old... she amazes me!
I honestly think she could give any abstract artist a run for their money. I might be a little biased but check it out...
She had been bugging me to let her paint again so I set her up with her own canvas and paint and this is what she created. None of these colors are right out of the tube except for a tad bit of white. She loves mixing colors! She came back to the painting 4 times before it was done. I LOVE it! She even added neat touches to the sides of the canvas. :) The colors aren't near as vibrant when I uploaded it though... but you get the idea.

I'm also really enjoying her love for music. She sings a lot and she drums! She's had her own little drum set since her second birthday and now she plays on her daddy's big drum set...

The other day she was trying on headbands and wanted her picture taken... that rarely happens. She usually does not like my camera any where near her, so I gladly obliged when she asked. This spunky girl has my heart! :)

Something else I'm really enjoying lately is listening to songs by JJ Heller. Have you heard them yet? If not go HERE to listen for free. She is amazing and I love the meaning in the songs! "Your Hands" is one of my favorites. Enjoy!

Gray & Yellow Nursery {via e, myself & i}

2011-07-14T12:54:00.000-07:00

I always thought it would be so fun to see one of my prints hanging in a nursery other than my daughters. And well when I decided to check my google analytics for my Enduring Arts shop today I saw that several people were coming from e, myself & i. So I HAD to check it out, and I was thrilled to see this...

My "I Prayed for this Child" print in this stunning nursery! WOW, I'm blown away!

You can see more pictures of this adorable nursery HERE. This mama is sure talented in the decorating department! :)

New Prints in the Shop!

2011-07-11T15:39:00.000-07:00

{RESCUE ME Eric Abbott Quote}

Just finished up a few more custom requests. Isn't it amazing how powerful words can be?

Anyway the Eric Abbott quote above has a few different options, two with a little illustration of daisies and lilies. You can see more of the details HERE if you are interested.

I had to share what came about from a custom color request. The customer told me her little one's nursery was light pink and black so this is what I came up with...

{Now We Have Everything in pinks & greys}

Not your ordinary color combo for a nursery but I love it!

Then another cheerful color request...

{Bedtime Prayer in Sunflower Yellow}

yellows and white. Great pop of color for a girl or boy's bedroom!

In other news I'm having several problems with blogger, one of the most annoying is trying to leave comments on some people's blogs... some work fine, others don't. Sometimes when it doesn't work I can choose anonymous and then my comment will go through, but with a few blogs I don't even have the anonymous option and can't leave a comment at all. Anyone else have this problem or know how to fix it? If you haven't heard from me for a while and usually do this is the reason. So any help would be very much appreciated!
Thanks!

Please Help! {Facebook Fundraiser Auction}

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

FUNDRAISER AUCTION going on NOW for Keegan!
Auction runs from July 4th - July 11th.

{this is sweet little Keegan}

Here's a little of his story...

A year ago, baby Keegan Chupp had medulloblastoma removed from his brain. Recently, during his 1 year check up, it was discovered that his cancer had returned in his spinal fluid. With this heart wrenching discovery, his parents are now seeking treatment options. You can read their story here: www.karingforkeegan.blogspot.com/

Please help by bidding on the wonderful items HERE (Karing for Keegan Fundraiser on Facebook). And if you could help spread the word by blogging, tweeting, facebooking... that would be awesome!

Thanks so much for your help!

Happy Weekend!

2011-07-01T15:26:00.001-07:00

A fitting quote for the holiday weekend don't you think?

One of my newest designs in the shop due to a custom request. :)

Thought I'd also share a few photos of what Miss K has been enjoying so far this summer...

Strawberries of course. She helps me pick them from our garden and when we're done she says lets have a picnic and eat them. So I wash them first and put them in a bowl for her and she plops down in the grass... then she always takes off her sandals. I asked her why she takes off her shoes and she told me "I like to have the grass tickle my feet!" LOVE that! I love how children think. They are so innocent and appreciate the little things. The joys they find are precious to witness.

And the next thing she's been loving the last couple days since its been hot out (in the 90's!)...

Her zebra pool. Thanks to her cousin Shania! We had gotten her a pool but it wasn't near as cute as this one and the sprinkler entertains her for a long time. It can go as high and far as you want it too. Yeah, I found that out when I thought I was turning the water off but was actually turning it the other way. Oops! Gave my garden a bit of a drink. Ha, ha! :)

I wish you all a Happy 4th of July weekend. Have fun and stay safe!

New Art Prints for the Little One's Room

2011-06-24T14:43:00.000-07:00

{First we had each other then we had YOU...}

It is fun when customers contact me to design a special quote for them. Many times it is just a little change to the wording on a prayer print but sometimes I get an entirely new, fun quote to work with. The print above is one that came about from one of my latest jobs. The customer actually wanted a fun neutral green design similar to the one HERE... but a few days later I came up with this fun girly one above (reminds me of a summery popsicle) and I of course had to make a boy version shown below. That one reminded me of sea glass. I love the ocean so find that one very calming. Perfect for a nursery don't you think?

I made these prints by combining an original acrylic painting with some digital design. Hopefully in the near future I can make some small art blocks with these prints. I did small printouts of them and they are absolutely adorable if I can say so my self! :)

{Now We Have Everything in seaside hues}

Fiddlestix {revisited}

2011-06-22T15:04:00.000-07:00

Fiddlestix Grand Opening is June 24 & 25th!!!

10:00am-6:00pm

If you are in the area please stop by and check it out!

Fiddlestix is one of my all time favorite shops... and I'm not just saying that because they carry some of my stuff. There are just so many treasures in this place, the environment is so cheerful, and the sweet Shelly MoonPalmer (pictured above) is so creative on putting it all together!!! I honestly can't get out of the shop without something. :) Here is more of a peek since the last time I tried to take pics my camera died...

My daughter even loves the store. There is a little art desk that occupied her while I shopped and took pictures. Notice the ceiling and the thread tree in the other room. So fun!

Here's a portion of my original acrylic painting, "Life's Journey" that is for sale.

Shelly shares the link to how to make your own push pin/thread tree on the Fiddlestix blog HERE.

I could have shared several more pictures with you but I didn't want to spoil all the fun if you haven't been there and will be going. :)

one day at a time

2011-06-07T13:27:00.000-07:00

{VBS one of the marketplace shops}

Lately my days have been filled to the brim. I think I am learning to just think about what needs to be done today, because if I think of all the projects needing to be done... well I might just explode! :) My design job, Enduring Arts business and being mom all at the same time is plenty but I somehow got talked into helping coordinate vacation bible school at my church. (Ok, I may also be bad at saying no, especially for church related activities.) But anyway we had a very short amount of time to pull VBS together... organizing, ordering supplies, lots of decorating, promoting. Thankfully God helped everything fall into place and the big event started last Sunday night and runs until Thursday night (tonight... its taking me a few days to just type this post!). The kids, ages 3 through 6th grade, seem to be having a lot of fun. Yes, my little one is attending and she is having a blast. (She also has a mind of her own and likes to challenge the leaders... oh no!) The kids are getting more and more wound up as the days go by so things stay interesting. ;)

{view of the marketplace and Mary's house}

{little ones taking part in the dye shop}

With so much going on there really hasn't been family time. But K and I did get up at 5:30 am last Saturday to watch David's bike race. Which he got first place so I'm glad we were there to watch! He has a triathlon coming up this weekend so we will go cheer him on and then hopefully we will have some nice family time when he's done with the event. This mama is in need of some fun relaxing time... it won't last long enough I'm sure!

{waiting for the race to begin}

{the start}

{he won!}

Breaks My Heart...

2011-05-27T15:23:00.001-07:00

From the speaker I heard last weekend...

PLEASE READ and SHARE the information!!!

RescueHer... have you heard of it?

Have you ever heard a story that touched your heart in a certain way that you had to do something because of the information you took in? Well, this was certainly one of those moments for me and I have to share the story with all of you.

RescueHer is about human trafficking. I've seen it in a movie before, you try to tell yourself its a movie, its not real, but your heart knows better... I knew when I saw the movie that it is very real and happening today... what a nightmare. I had no idea what I could do though, especially since I just saw it in a movie, so I just tried to push it out of my mind. Well last Saturday a lady came to our church and shared a story with us...

A man was going to India, while he was there he heard of an auction going on. He figured he'd get a van to fit his treasures in and brought $5000 to spend. (you would think you could get some beautiful furniture for that!) When he got to the destination of the auction and the auctioneer said "and our first item up for bid"... up walked a girl on the stage. Girl, after girl, after girl. This man who thought he was buying actual items was now praying to God and asking Him what to do, which girls should I buy. He only had $5000. So he felt led to buy the youngest girls. Girls started for a $100. He ended up buying girls for $500. When he was about out of money he decided to go "check out." Then one of the last girls up for auction was in the back and when she was called to the stage, the good man noticed that she was struggling very much to get to the stage... she had just been beaten, bleeding, bad leg, barely moving. The good man was going to head to help her out but the translator said "No! If he were to help her, no man would bid on her and she would be immediately killed behind the stage when the auction was over." When her bidding started the auctioneer smirked and started her off in mere cents. No one bid. The good man spoke up and said I'll pay $500! He was asked why in the world would he pay $500 when he could have her for $1? He said she's worth just as much as every other girl and wanted her to know she was just as worthy. So the man got his girls and took them to a doctor and then to a safe home.
How horrible is that that these innocent girls live in this kind of nightmare on a daily basis? Can you just walk away from a story like that... ignore that you ever read or heard it??? What can we do to help? Well there are organizations out there to help these individuals who are trafficked. This is where Rescue Her comes in.

From RescueHer site:
"The horrible things that are happening everyday in this holocaust we call Human Trafficking are hard to imagine. Little children being sold for sex; some as young as 4 years old. Every 30 seconds another child is captured. 32 billion dollars every year is made off the bodies of young girls & women in sex trafficking...

There are many amazing programs and ministries around the world that are rescuing children from the horrors of trafficking. But they need funds to keep going and to take care of the children they rescue. They need food, education, psychological help etc. We are raising money through ZOE coffee and our other initiatives and sending it directly to help these children. Our desire is to raise a TON of money from people all around the world that CARE and shower these ministries with all the money they need to rescue as many as they can!"

Please check out RescueHer's website and the about us HERE. A couple of the ministries they donate to is SHE Rescue Homes and Sower of Seeds. Look into the other ministries as well and support the one that tugs at your heart.

RescueHer does sell a few things to raise money (if you LOVE coffee join their club), but really do we need more things??? I say give as much as you can, go without a treat for a day, think of someone else who really needs your help before buying more things for yourself. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the little extras we are fortunate enough to be spoiled with, but please share a little, give someone else hope. Everyone deserves a safe environment and I believe God has us here to do our part. Anyway, think about it...donate a few bucks if you can. If everyone put in $2 it would help! Thanks so much for reading!!!

Have a blessed weekend!

Our Weekend

2011-05-23T20:22:00.000-07:00

Our weekend flew by like most. Saturday was spent working on projects for our church and then that night I went to listen to a speaker and watch a fashion show. (I have lots to tell you about the speaker but that deserves a separate thought out post.) Sunday was a nice relaxing day. We decided to enjoy some outdoor family time.

I love the peacefulness of the outdoors and listening to the birds sing!

We went on a family bike ride. This picture makes me laugh. Kaelyn looks so tiny with just her eyes showing. :)

After biking around for awhile it started raining on us... not lightly either. Good thing K was in the cart that had a plastic shield to cover the front. I had a hard time seeing and when we finally made it back to the truck hubby was laughing at me and told me to look in the mirror. I had mud splattered on my face! I was beautiful! Ha, ha! It was fun even though I was drenched and polka dotted with mud.

A good thing about the rain... it made wonderful puddles for Kaelyn to play in!

I have to say yay for the $1 rain boots I found at a garage sale. Worth every penny. She loves them and puts them to good use as you can see.

Then David went on a swim to do more training for his triathlon and half ironman coming up. Glad I didn't have to get in the water. Burr!!!

Instead I took lots of pictures of the beauty around us.

Enjoy Your Weekend!

2011-05-20T10:37:00.000-07:00

I bet if it doesn't rain all weekend K will pick me more bouquets! Nothing like getting fresh, cheerfully colored flowers every day (for free!). ;)

Be Strong in the Lord

2011-05-18T14:31:00.000-07:00

{Be Strong in the Lord}

My newest inspirational print. Life isn't always easy. Everyone has their own journey with difficulties laying in their path, but knowing the Lord is there every step of the way and that His power is the greatest... it helps. Faith can change our outlook and with His help we can overcome our obstacles.

Nuisance or ...?

2011-05-13T10:39:00.000-07:00

What some of us may consider a nuisance, others (like children) may find it to be quite magical. Kaelyn's favorite flower...

She picked several bouquets for her mommy!

I love seeing the world through a child's eyes. It is so delightful. Watching her get excited about dandelions made me think of Mathew 19:14, "For the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." Young children see the beauty... they are amazed by all God's creations... why do we seem to lose that amazement as we get older? We overlook the treasures right in front of us because we get so busy doing other things.

Thank you Kaelyn for the sweet reminders of God's beautiful creations all around us.

Here is another one of His creations I'm super excited about...

Ground cherries!!! The greenhouse didn't have any last year so I was completely bummed as they are one of my favorite summer treats. (Thanks to my grandma who hooked me when I was little.) So this year when they had them I got enough for my grandma and me. I can't wait!

(We finally had a day this week that got into the 80's, Yay! I LOVE the heat!)

Have a great weekend!

Exciting News!!!!

2011-05-09T10:57:00.001-07:00

First of all I hope all you mama's had a wonderful Mother's Day weekend. I sure had a blast spending a day with my mom and the weather was gorgeous! Couldn't have asked for a better day.

Ok, now on to the super exciting news. No I'm not expecting, but my artwork is in a new shop, Fiddlestix!!! I was contacted via etsy about this new store and Shelly the owner liked my work enough to see if I would want to sell a variety of work in her shop! Yay! So the weekend before last when I said I was so crazy busy this was one of the reasons. When I dropped my stuff off at the store I fell in love with the shop... it wasn't even all put together yet. Shelly does an amazing job decorating and her personality... lets just say you can't help but like her! :)

When I took my mom out for the day, one of the stops was Fiddlestix. Here it is...
Isn't it adorable? Its just a sneak peek cuz wouldn't you know my camera died right after I took the first shot of the inside! Boo! The next time I go back though, I'm making sure my camera is fully charged so I can share more with you. :)

For those of you that live close by, this shop is a MUST SEE!!! The energy and talent in the place radiates! It makes me smile just thinking about it!
Here are the directions: 727 South Broadway Suite #2, Watertown SD
When you turn onto Broadway off 212 its one of the first little shops on the left side of the road.
Enjoy!

Meet My Mom

2011-05-06T19:16:00.000-07:00

I want to introduce you to the person who inspired and encouraged my creativity at a very young age and continues to be one of my biggest supporters... my mom, Shari Haufschild. She does amazing watercolors; see for your self...

It was my mom who put the art show together. She did all the planning, got the location, did all the advertising, did lots of printouts for show pieces, setup (my hubby, dad and I did help with that part) and then tear down (all the artists helped with that) and got all the display parts back were needed. It was definitely a lot for one person to handle but she did amazing!

Ok, now for a closer look at her artistic talent! :)

Her pieces are even better in person. The one above has such an energy to it and I love the birds. Then the one below is so detailed and has great depth! She has lots of beautiful paintings, these were just a couple I had on my computer.

And my all time favorite, a book she wrote and illustrated with her watercolors for my daughters first birthday!!! I was shocked... for one I didn't know she wrote stories, and two the illustrations are fabulous! Kaelyn of course loves the book too! I'm really hoping to work with her to get some more smaller books made so people can purchase them for their special little ones on etsy. The story and illustrations are absolutely precious!

I hope you enjoyed seeing a little bit of her work. I have to say I'm certainly blessed to have her as my mom. I'm also super excited to take her out on a mother daughter day tomorrow. We're having professional massages done, going out to eat and then off to look at art! Yay!!!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend, and to all you mom's, Happy Mother's Day... you definitely deserve a nice relaxing day! ♥

Art Show Continued

2011-05-04T18:27:00.000-07:00

Some more photos from last Sundays Art Show...

Roger Wermers is getting a closer view of the challenge pieces. :)

Here is one of the challenge groupings. The little photo that is hanging on the left side is what all the artists looked at to make their artwork. (Yes, I was the odd ball... the one on the lower right. Ha, ha. I like to think I'm imaginative! You can read more about Dream Spirit HERE.) There were a total of seven challenge groupings.

This was one of the pieces from the onion challenge. Doris Symens-Armstrong is the artist... her work is amazing! I must say my photos don't do any of these pieces justice... they are much richer in person.

Each artist plus a few more that weren't involved in the challenge had an area to show some of their work.

The paintings in the background above are done by Roger Wermers. He knocks out paintings faster than anyone I know. His enthusiasm and artwork is inspiring!

These precious pastels are done by Sylvia Keszler. She's a sweetheart and her work matches her personality. ;)

Roger Bommersbach recently started watercolor painting. He's been impressing everyone with what he comes up with.

Here's a view of part of my display. Can't tell my daughter is one of my big inspirations. Ha, ha!

I love the feel of Judy Edenstrom's work! Splashes of color, kind of abstract but you can still tell what it is. The photo of her grouping didn't turn out... darn it! At least you get to see a glimpse.

Here's the birthday girl, Jodi Spilde, with some of her watercolors. You probably remember me blogging earlier about her. She is one busy painter and crafter! You can see more of her work HERE and on her blog HERE.

Wila Christensen did this GORGEOUS peony painting! It really makes me want to paint a flower! You can also see a little bit of a quilted runner made by Charlene Phiel in the background... her work is beautiful too!

So that was a little bit of the show. Beautiful quilts, photography and sculptures were also displayed along with several more paintings. It was a lot of fun to see! (The food was really good too!)

Busy Weekend

2011-05-02T12:43:00.001-07:00

{a glimse of the art show}

It was an exhausting weekend but it was fun too. One of the big events (yes there were more but I'll share that later) that took place was the art show on Sunday which was put on by my mom! She did a fantastic job and worked so hard on it. A special thank you to her and to all those who came... it really meant a lot to us artists having you there!!!

These are most of my art club friends. (A couple had already left and a couple others weren't able to make it.) As you can see there is quite a range of ages... I'm the baby of the group but I have so much fun getting together with all of them! There's nothing quite like spending time with people who share the same passion as you... they get you in a way that other people, including family members don't. These people are great inspirations and soooo much fun. Age seriously goes out the window. :)

I'll try to share more about the art show soon plus more weekend happenings.

ART SHOW!

2011-04-27T14:28:00.000-07:00

The event is free and open to the public. Enjoy refreshments while viewing art created by some amazing artists all the way from Watertown SD to Sioux Falls SD. My artwork will be there as well as the challenge pieces my art club has been working on... this was where everyone did there own interpretation of the same photo in their preferred medium. Should be lots of fun and LOTS to see! We would love to have you stop by any time between 2:00 to 6:00!

Happy Easter!

2011-04-24T18:24:00.001-07:00

I might be a bit biased but I think this is the cutest Easter card ever! :)

{drawing by K age 3}

I hope you all had a wonderful day!

Weekend Happenings

2011-04-18T16:08:00.001-07:00

It was a work filled weekend, cold and windy. I thought family from away would be interested in seeing some photos especially with the high water...

Looking off the deck.

Thankfully this is our family's cabin... not our home! My dad actually helped build the cabin with his family several years ago and it has been a wonderful place for extended family to gather in the warm months. My dad definitely has a big job keeping the place up since he lives close by... and well at this time of year it really is a BIG job!!! He's doing his best to save the place. My hubby and I were happy to help him out by doing some more sand bagging on Friday. I was surprised at how much ice there still was on the lake. Since it was such a windy day the ice did serve a good purpose by keeping the waves from crashing in.

Water has never been so high. For those of you who haven't seen the cabin in person, there is usually green grass to the trees then there are HUGE rocks that then go down to a beach area. I think it was 3 years ago when we had a large beach area. Crazy how quickly that changed.

This is the main highway 81. Only trucks can pass.

This is looking to the right of there.

There will be lots of clean up this summer.

The ice and wind have been so powerful it went right through some places. Again, its lucky that most of these places are summer getaways, but there are some year round homes here too. Another reminder that earthly items come and go.

As soon as we got home from sand bagging it started snowing like crazy and snowed on and off all weekend. No, I'm not even going to complain this time. Things could always be much worse... plus a little person was definitely excited to go sledding and build a snowman again.

Then it was Palm Sunday!

She had lots of fun with what she called her "feather", ha, ha... it was almost as big as her!

Then that night she was writing her name all by herself for the first time. She's been writing HI for a long time now but that is all she wanted to write, didn't even want to try any other letters until this last Sunday night. Boy was she excited with what she could do! :)

Too cute! I am so proud of this little girl and feel so lucky to have her in my life every day!

We are so blessed!

What are YOU doing here???

2011-04-14T13:29:00.001-07:00

What are you doing here in South Dakota, he asked? My quick thought... my family thought it was a fabulous idea to live where it is freezing and I'd feel bad to move away from them. (Yeah, it's freezing here again and snow is in the forecast!) Ha, ha. But seriously it is a great question. What are we doing here, in this place right now on earth? Are we helping others?... doing good things?... or are we simply existing from one day to the next, focusing on ourselves and what is the next best thing we need to buy? Yes, we are all sinners but we are able to help others and should do so.

I went to this speaking event last night with a group of ladies, and let's say we were all very impressed! If you ever have the opportunity to hear Don Piper and Bill Wiese speak please do not pass up the chance!

I read the book 90 Minutes in Heaven a few years ago, and it is a very good book that is unforgettable (and to be honest I don't have the best memory... just saying), but then to see and hear the story from Don in person was even more amazing. If you don't believe in God now and you hear these men talk, I seriously don't know how it can't change your mind. If you've never heard of Don Piper I'll give you a quick glimpse of what happened to him. He was in a horrible car accident... body parts were not attached anymore, he was pronounced dead, yes DEAD at the scene of the accident. A pastor who was on his way home felt called by God to pray for this man and so after talking his way into the scene of the accident he layed his hand on Don's shoulder and prayed. Don is ALIVE today and tells his story of seeing heaven and coming back to this Earth to do more of God's work. Let me just add, after Don's accident people at the hospitals said he wouldn't make it, he would never walk and do this and that... looking at him last night you would have never known he was in an accident and had 34 operations and some operations that included reattaching body parts! To those who do not believe... how is this possible???

Then there was Bill who talked about an out of body experience where he visited hell. He also showed a short video and oh my goodness it was disturbing. There is not one good thing about hell and you do not want to go there or have anyone you love go there! I would much rather believe in something that doesn't exist then to not believe and then suffer enormous consequences if it in fact was true... just a thought.

Anyway, get your hands on these books if you haven't already. Check them out in your town's or church's library if you don't want to purchase them. It's a good read and it will make you think. Are you doing what you should be?

Commissioned Modern Pet Portrait

2011-04-08T13:41:00.000-07:00

One of my latest commissioned jobs... one happy dog. :)

Painted with acrylic on a 16"x12" wrapped canvas.

Here is the photo I was sent to work from:

Edges are painted in the pop of color chosen by the client.

Linking up again with Studio Sneak Peek via (in)courage. Check it out to meet some talented souls and see what they've been working on lately. Enjoy and have a wonderful weekend!

Little weather update: Our snow is almost gone! Yay! It's actually been in the 50's for a few days. That's like 80's for some of you lucky people. :) Anyway, we're definitely happy for the warmer temps... although Kaelyn now wants to build a snowman. Ha, ha.

PEACE {completed painting}

2011-04-05T19:22:00.001-07:00

I think I'm finally finished. Titled "PEACE"...

"Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7

{cropped view}

Painted with acrylic on a 24"x18" wrapped canvas. Edges painted a light sea glass blue green.

What I'm Loving and Not

2011-03-31T20:25:00.001-07:00

I love that this girl makes me laugh several times a day! And all her kisses!

(even the attempted ones, ha, ha)

I love that she's so much like her daddy.

She made a little tool box.

Again like her daddy. She couldn't wait to get her bike outside and ride.

This was eleven days ago... one actually pretty nice day.

Family ride to Great Grandmas house.

This shows quite a bit of snow on the side... eleven days ago. I should have taken more pictures a couple weeks before to show the insane amounts we had.

Two days ago, she told me she had to shovel! (Three days ago we had more snow and couldn't see any grass... we got that soon after I talked to my sister in law and she had asked if all our snow had melted yet. I said, well we can finally see grass.)

Fling!

Then today...

Really???? Snowballs were literally falling out of the sky!

And yes, BALLS, they were not flakes!

DO NOT LOVE!

(But I do love my warm house and cozy blankets!)

But on a happier note, other things I'm loving...

a new vacuum cleaner made especially for pet hair... oh yes, I LOVE that!

I also LOVE Norwex cleaning products. If you don't know what it is, google it. Saves time and it's organic cleaning so it won't harm your health or your family's. The towels also contain silver so no bacteria can grow in them! I thought I would never be excited about cleaning products. Ha. There is nothing better (cleaning wise)... in my opinion anyway.

I've also had a little fun on-line buying some clothes for K and me. So fun! It's been well over a year since I ordered anything on-line, so this was a big thrill for me. Who doesn't love getting presents in the mail. It's even better when they are so little and adorable!

What are you loving lately???

Josiah's Nest {interview}

2011-03-22T07:54:00.000-07:00

Moriah from the beautiful and adorable blog, Josiah's Nest interviewed me today. Please go HERE and check it out... you may learn something new about me. ;)

Thanks!

Huge Children's Sale

2011-03-17T19:46:00.001-07:00

{last fall's sale}

During my design breaks I've been busy getting some of Kaelyn's stuff ready for What Grows Around Comes Around consignment sale. (A percentage of the money made goes to Children's Miracle Network and the remainder goes to the consignor.) If you are looking for some great deals on children's items or even maternity clothes, this is the place to go! I don't know about you but I'm always excited to find a good deal... especially on kids items that get outgrown so fast. Here's more info if your interested in going:

Saturday, March 19th
8:00am till 5:00pm - Open to the Public

Sunday, March 20th
8:00 till 12:00 noon
Open to public with many Items at Half-Price

Family Life Center
Central Baptist Church
3100 Ralph Rogers Road
Sioux Falls, SD

Doing it for Others

2011-03-14T18:24:00.000-07:00

Ha, ha! Yes, my nails are actually painted this color. No, I didn't do it myself. Here's the deal, yesterday was spa day at my church again. It is such a fun, relaxing time with a small group of women of a wide variety of ages. We were pampered with a professional massage, a home spa recipe book (we could actually try some of the handmade lotions, facials, etc. there), cheesecake... can't go without good food, hee, hee... there were a variety of good (photo) books to look at, beautiful music to listen too, an Avon consultant was there giving hand massages and painting nails, and more. Anyway, I was waiting my place in line to have my nails done and the consultant had her two young girls with her. (they were 8 and 10 yrs old) Anyway they were so cute and helpful... taking the older ladies dishes when they were done and what not and well they were hoping very much that someone would go for the bright, brand new Avon nail colors. I was previously thinking I would go for a soft metallic pink, but one of the little girls picked out colors for me. :) She was so set on having me have what she picked out, and the little old ladies would ask me what color I was going to get and I said, "I guess a rainbow!" So we went with it. The young girls thought it was awesome and the older ladies got such a chuckle out of it... it was so worth it. I have always loved rainbows... my nails kind of make me think of an Easter egg, but ya know, they make me smile... and they made other people smile. :) It was a good day!

So on to more of doing things for others. I get some interesting convos through my Enduring Arts business. Some are for some good causes like this one that you can take part in...

an Online Auction!!!

A loving couple is on there way to adopting a child from Ethiopia. They feel very strongly that it is God's plan for them. You can read more of their story HERE.

So go bid on some wonderful items and know your helping some other little person's life as well as making a family. Children are such a blessing and deserve to be loved and cared for. I wish James and Emily the best. They will be wonderful parents! Ok, really go look at the goods HERE!

Please Head Over Here

2011-03-12T08:28:00.001-08:00

{Weathering the Storm}

Where will the stormy winds take you? I'm guest blogging over at cara-deo today. Cara blogs about her daily thoughts on the devotional book 'Streams in the Desert' by L.B. Cowman. She also shows a visual representation of the day's reading. Today she asked if I would share my thoughts on today's reading that has to do with stormy winds. Please head on over to her blog and share your thoughts. Thanks so much!

Paintings in Progress

2011-03-11T07:34:00.000-08:00

{cropped view of painting in progress}

I currently have two acrylic paintings in progress. One is another modern commissioned portrait so I have to wait to share that one, but this is the other one and is so close to being finished. I just have some doves flying in the upper right (you can kind of see a little of the pencil sketch of them showing) to get painted and it will be done (oh I guess the sides too)! This one was so much fun and I think I captured what I was going for. I actually used a sponge as my paintbrush for most of it and blended colors I normally don't use. I've wanted to paint clouds for a long time... something dreamy.

Linking up with Studio JRU. Head on over there to see what other creative people are doing.
Have a great weekend!

Comfort Quilts {so much more than just a quilt}

2011-03-01T19:19:00.001-08:00

Just to warn you this may be a rather long post but I hope it will be worth the read... okay just please read the entire thing. :) Thanks!

I am a believer that everyone we meet in this world was meant to teach us something... whether we learn to better ourselves from the good they do or maybe we learn from watching their mistakes... there are always lessons along the way. I met Jacki who is a fellow blogger quite some time ago. She is such a sweetheart, is supportive, and she certainly has a story of her own. She has been a joy to get to know and follow and she is the most dedicated blogger I know. You can see for yourself at Christie Cottage. She is one busy lady!

Anyway a few weeks ago she put on a giveaway (she often does) but Jacki took time to stop by my blog and leave a sweet comment and also mentioned a giveaway going on at her blog. I was so busy that I hadn't been getting around to other's blogs like I usually do but for some reason I decided to head on over there and enter. Boy things certainly happen for a reason.

So I entered the beautiful quilt giveaway that Jacki was putting on for the talented Debbie of Little Piece of Comfort. The next week when I saw Christie Cottage pop up on my blog roll I had a funny feeling and thought, "you think I won that generous giveaway?"... and sure enough there was my name as the winner!

Soon after this is what I received in the mail from Debbie:

Minky material... oh sooooo soft, so snuggly and nice and thick to keep you warm! I wanted one in my size!
The top is made with beautiful satin and has an adorable pattern on it.

Beautiful detail!

But as most things, there is even more to the story than what meets the eye. And it is the story that makes me so thankful for Jacki for hosting the giveaway, for winning Debbie's beautiful handmade treasure and learning Debbie's story of why she came up with these quilts. Let's say it was certainly in God's plan, and it was also in His plan to save her little boy... please read the story HERE.

It goes to show how so much good can come out of what seems like a horrible nightmare. God is working through all of us if we are open to it. And here Debbie is hoping to offer others comfort who need it most.

So not only are these quilts adorable and oh so comfortable but they serve a very good purpose. Just to repeat it again, from Little Piece of Comfort site, "100% of our profits will go toward the donation of these quilts to children who have a chronic disease. Though it is not a cure, this is one thing we can do for those with so many physical problems. These quilts can give love in and of themselves. Never have we seen a child of any age, 1-100, be able to put down one of these quilts without wanting to pick it up again. They are just so snuggly and soft…. and happy. It is an instant “I LOVE THIS!” We hope to instill in the children’s lives a little warmth and love where they may seem so lost and picked on in the world. So many tears are shed in those cold hospital rooms of fear and of the unknown. We would hope with all our hearts that our quilts could bring some smiles, some hugs of hope, warmth and love."

There are so many sick children, I've seen it through being a member of C.O.L.E.'s Prayer Team(a true eye and heart opener), these little one's are stuck in the hospital for an extended period of time, some don't even make it out... anything comforting that can be given to them is a blessing!

So please visit Little Piece of Comfort website HERE and Debbie's etsy shop HERE and please share the news. Supporting her shop is definitely a worthy cause and everyone who is gifted with one of her creations will love it!

I would love to keep the one I won but I am going to give it to someone who NEEDS it, whether it is at a close by shelter or in the hospital.

Follow Your Heart

2011-02-26T14:42:00.000-08:00

First I have to say, today has been so much fun! It was a girls day, my mom, me and miss K. Kaelyn had a photo shoot at 11:00 with a special promotion that Posh Tales and Designer Genes Photography were putting on at the Hampton Inn. (Kaelyn's aunt Amy is the talented photographer for Designer Genes and her sister runs an adorable children's boutique.) I was totally unsure how this was going to go... if you know K she can't sit still for long and trying to get a good picture of her looking at the camera (forget the posing) is VERY difficult. Well when we first walked in a 5yr old girl was having her photos done and was the perfect model. She was so good at posing, being still... listening! The good thing was that Kaelyn was mesmerized by her so when it came to her turn she did awesome!!! Yay! I can't wait to see the photos. Oh, I forgot to mention that Posh Tales let you try their clothes on and model them for the pictures. It was ADORABLE! After that we went to my favorite Italian restaurant and hit a couple thrift stores. So fun and such a nice getaway from all the work projects!

Ok, so on to yesterdays art project I completed for my GYPO class. I tried some new things with this one. The original has a little more of a yellowish tinge to it that my computer doesn't seem to be picking up. I'm just letting you know because viewing it from here looks like most of it is just a drawing but in reality most of it is acrylic paint. I had never painted a "scene" on paper before so decided to try it. I almost trashed it after the first coat of paint since my first layer of gesso was not smooth and really showed steaks from the brush... but since I was short on time I kept going and was pretty happy with the end piece. I brought out details in the bird and some in the leaves below with graphite and charcoal.

{follow your heart ~ mixed media}

Of course this one has a meaning like almost all of my others. Notice that the bottom part of the piece is darker and their is a darker band in the middle of the bird... well this represents the weighted down feeling we have. There are so many times we have dreams or really want to do something but we don't... we find ourselves coming up with reasons why we can't... we hold ourselves back. The colorful rays signify following our heart, taking the leap of faith, forgetting about all the other stuff on our mind and just going for what we really want. Lets face it your not going to get anywhere if you don't fly.

Another New Painting

2011-02-22T19:20:00.001-08:00

{acrylic design}

Taking a quick break to share last weeks GYPO project with you all. I actually just got it done yesterday and that was thanks to the big snow storm we had. There was no getting out of the house on Sunday or Monday so that meant some good painting time. Anyway we were told to pick 4 colors that we really like from something around us. I used the colors from a favorite scarf and then put together some designs from my sketch book. I find it pretty easy drawing up the designs but it's a whole different story of putting color into my pieces. Let's say its very frustrating for me and I don't think it should be so complicated! Oh well, I tried something a little out of the ordinary anyway. It's always good trying new things, right?

I think I'm gonna have to combine the class assignments with my other art challenge I'm involved in. Just found out there may very well be a showing of the groups pieces the end of April! Oh my goodness I have so much left to do... as if I'm not busy enough already! Yikes, I'm like a chicken with its head cut off. Ok, nasty image, but you get the idea. Off to get my babe to bed. (crossing my fingers she sleeps through the night... you have no idea what a rarity that is!!!) Then I just might crash... another extremely full day planned for tomorrow.

New Painting {Memories 3}

2011-02-18T14:10:00.001-08:00

This was one of the paintings finished last week. When my GYPO (Get Your Paint On) class assignment was to do something out of your ordinary and that is inspired from another artist, I decided this would be the perfect opportunity to work with my daughter! Why would it be fitting for the class assignment? Well we were given tips on staying loose, to do something we haven't tried before and one of the artists who inspires me is Clara Fialho. Her art is beautiful, loose and just so fun. So how better to get me from my normal detailed work than having my girl work right along side me!

She was a pretty serious painter! You could definitely tell she was enjoying every minute of it though. She kept telling me "I love painting with you mommy!" Awwwe. I really had no idea if anything good was going to turn out, but I didn't care. I've wanted to do a painting with K for a while now and this was just the perfect opportunity.

After this first stage I took it for a little while, then I got to a point where I didn't know what else to do to it but knew it wasn't finished so I let her back at it...

and now a look at the final piece...

Titled "Memories 3" for her just turning 3 and such a wonderful memory created. A few clusters of 3 were worked into the painting to remind me of her age. :)

Now I'm way behind on this weeks assignment and it's going to take me longer... not sure if I'm going to get it done in time, might just have to show it in progress. But I'm loving the course!!!

Happy Weekend!

Another Modern Custom Portrait

2011-02-14T07:57:00.001-08:00

Here is my newest commissioned portrait painting I completed last week. The request was to paint on the largest canvas size I had... which was 18x24 and the chosen color was red. I asked if I could go crazy cropping the photo and it was agreed. So I had a lot of fun with this one. Since the size was bigger I could add in some extra detail.

I think it's so crazy how a bunch of odd little shapes can add up to look like something let alone a person! It's just an amazing process. You get to the third color and the painting comes alive! I was so excited with the end result and the customer loved it as well... which makes it even better. :)

♥ Make sure to tell your loved ones how special they are to you today. To feel loved and share the love is a true blessing! Happy Valentines Day! ♥

New Mixed Media Painting "Freedom"

2011-02-13T10:39:00.001-08:00

I can't tell you what a crazy busy last 2 weeks I've had. Oh my goodness... we'll just say house work has been put on the back burner and there has been very little sleep. Part of that has to do with a sick little girl though. Uggh. I seriously thought I was going to fall apart on Friday from lack of sleep, so much on my plate, and a customer's package getting lost in the mail! I never thought going back to my marketing job was going to be the most peaceful part of my day. Ha!

I have so many new pieces of artwork to share but just haven't had the time to post anything. Even with such little time I am so glad to be part of the Get Your Paint On class. It has really pushed me to make art even when I feel like I'm too tired or have too many other things needing to be done. It's a way to make art a priority... which I often have a difficult time doing.

Anyway I just completed the second weeks painting assignment but thought I should go back and share the first project with you. We were told to look at Gee's Bend quilting and work that into our piece. Here is what I came up with:

Of course I had to work a whole story into it but it's pretty self explanatory. It is titled "Freedom".

Hope you are having a great weekend! I'll try to share more art pieces this next week!

An Owl Birthday

2011-02-09T16:22:00.001-08:00

Sunday was K's third birthday celebration. The weather wasn't the greatest once again so not everyone could make it to the party... the reason for a few extra photos.

Here's the owl cake I made her. Her birthdays are the only time I try to make anything real special/fun in the kitchen. Its just not my thing. But for her I'll do anything. :) (At least try.) I was pretty happy with how it turned out.

K and I made these nests together. Well she helped stir it all together anyway and tried making one but she quickly decided she would rather just be the taste tester. Hee, hee. She loved them! These were the only ones with white jelly beans, the other ones all had colorful eggs.

I had made the white branch a couple years ago and thought it would make great party decor. My mom was getting rid of this nest and wondered if I wanted it... another fun addition. Hubby made the wooden eggs for it.

In the background there was a birdcage filled with jellybeans.

She loved being the center of attention.

Everyone spoiled her with gifts! Here she's modeling a super cute owl hat from her aunt Amy and uncle Justin. Daddy took the picture... kinda funny with me taking a pic too but it was really cute of K and the hat. Here was my shot:

K's best friend Lizzy came over late afternoon for a few hours and they played with lots of the birthday gifts. They had a lot of fun jumping from one thing to another.

Kaelyn's actual birthday was on Tuesday. I had to work at corporate all day so luckily my mother spent the day with her. At first I was sad I had to be away at work but it actually worked out for the better. I was running on only an hour of sleep and if I would have been home all day I'm sure my patience would have been slim to none. (I have to admit it was kind of nice sitting in a cube and relaxing... it has just been so crazy busy around here lately!) Anyway her and grandma had lots of fun and daddy and I brought balloons and a tiara home for her. She was a happy little girl!

I can't tell you how thankful I am for this little person. She has changed my world and has taught me more than probably anyone. Children really do teach us what life is all about. Thank you God for the gift you gave me 3 yrs ago!

owl birthday invitations

2011-02-03T21:17:00.001-08:00

Just a quick post to share the birthday invites I designed for K. I was hoping to do many more fun projects for her coming birthday party but I'm running out of time. Pretty much all I've been doing this week is working on a commissioned portrait. It's been a ton of work... good thing is its turning out pretty cool (Kaelyn even said it was beautiful and asked if she could keep it! Awe!), bad thing is I haven't even started my painting class assignment for this week that is due on Sunday and I haven't done anything for getting ready for the birthday celebrations that are at our house Sunday as well. Yikes! Ok, gotta go.

Snow Fun

2011-01-31T18:25:00.001-08:00

{plenty of snow in our backyard}

Friday was a beautiful start to a wonderful weekend. The temp was actually above 30, Yay! It didn't last too long but it was enough time to get outdoors and have fun. The fantastic thing about kids (as most of you know) is they want you to have the same fun right along with them... and it is seriously a breath of fresh air.

{mother/daughter snow angels}

{she loves throwing snowballs at me!}

{winding up}

{throw!}

{good thing its real fluffy, ha, ha!}

Hope you had a great weekend!

Mama Magic

2011-01-28T07:28:00.001-08:00

{Mama Magic in progress}

I am enjoying this new style! I love to draw but I love color too, so to incorporate the colorful beams to accentuate the meaning of the painting is perfect. There is a story in almost (if not all) every ordinary subject we come across. In this new series I'm focusing on that meaning... well that is where your eye is drawn any way. In "Mama Magic" the focus is on the mother bird and what is taking place in the nest. Motherhood is so magical... a true blessing. This mother put in so much work on building her nest, the home for her babies, where she will take good care of them until they are ready to take off on their own.

I added some more contrast into the drawing since these photos were taken. (My photos are kind washed out too.) I did the same to "Lit Path" so that one is now complete. Now I just have to get good prints of "Mama Magic" and "Lit Path"... that part isn't so easy. I love making the art but the steps after that, well I tend to put off. Anyone else have this problem? I'm sure I'm not the only one!

Linking up today with Studio JRU. Jennifer has redone her site/blog. It looks amazing, so check it out if you haven't already!

Have a fantastic weekend!

A Little More Craziness? Yes Please.

2011-01-27T09:34:00.001-08:00

{Journey to the Grave Notecard}

We should go all out during this life shouldn't we? Live life to the fullest... as long as we are doing something we enjoy and it is good for our family. Well February should be an interesting month. Jan. 31st I start taking part in Get Your Paint On. The class is taught by the very talented Mati Rose and Lisa Congdon. Any of you taking the class? I am very excited and am hoping it will give me the push I need to get going on some new paintings. I owe a big thank you to my hubby for this b-day gift. He is such a wonderful supporter of my art.

Then the first weekend in February is Kaelyn's third birthday party! Can't believe my baby is already turning 3! She is super excited for her party and can't wait for the cake! Ha! And to think last year she was more excited about eating the cheese rather than the cake. (she had allergies to milk products and eggs but was just starting to tolerate some milk products when she turned 2)

The day after the party I go back to my corporate marketing job. The good news is I only have to go back full time a few days til I get the hang of it again and then I can work from home! Yay! I know it will be harder doing the job at home with Kaelyn and keeping up with Enduring Arts too, but it was an opportunity I couldn't pass up. For now I think it's the best decision. I did a lot of praying about it, and there's a certain peacefulness in my heart that I know it is right. I know now that I'm not stuck any where and I can still do my own art and take care of my number one priority... my daughter.

Hopefully it won't take too long to find a new structure to my days where I can find a balance to being a good mom, wife, daughter, maid, cook, artist, designer and such all at the same time. Hoping we'll have the house renovations pretty much finished up too. I just have to remind myself that God will help me along... don't stress, just enjoy this crazy, good life.

A Wonderful Friend

2011-01-26T18:52:00.000-08:00

Another fun mail day! This time the package came from my talented friend Jodi, from Just For Fun by Jodi. I am so lucky to live close to her and we usually get together once a month to take part in a painting group. It is so fun to spend time with others who are not only friends but share the same creative passion you do. Jodi is seriously one of the sweetest people I know and probably one of the busiest too. This girl creates almost non-stop I swear! Just check out her etsy shop, she does it all... jewelry, sewing, knitting, and painting to name a few.

She gifted me not only one of her creations, but THREE! I am a very lucky girl! The red and white necklace above is so fun and I'm sure Kaelyn's going to want to wear it sometimes too. Then there's this other gorgeous necklace and bracelet set:

I absolutely LOVE the ocean and this shell is the perfect reminder of the sandy beach and the peacefulness. Such a fitting word to hang from the top of the shell. Thank you so much for spoiling me Jodi! I can't wait to wear your creations.

Celebrating...

2011-01-25T19:26:00.001-08:00

...my birthday. Thanks to my hubby for the many wonderful surprises to make my b-day extra special. We did most of the celebrating over the weekend but he still did many nice things for me today... made me a delicious steak and the drinks above, rented a movie I had wanted to see plus lots more... he's the best! My parents took Kaelyn for a good part of the day so I worked on house projects. I know, what a way to celebrate huh, but I actually really enjoyed getting it accomplished. It's just so hard to do some projects with a two year old around. Anyway, it's one of the last house renovation projects. Yay! Hopefully it will be the last room to paint, ok, at least for awhile anyway until I decide to repaint rooms again. :) Now hubby can finish installing the sink and Kaelyn's little bathroom will be about finished. Some of you may remember it, its the half bath I had posted about a LONG time ago. I ended up redoing the walls (tried to patch cracks the first time and primed but hated it so retextured-much longer process) and hubby had to build the vanity. Everything always takes longer then expected, but the good news is it's really close to being done! I promise I'll share pictures when it is completely finished.
Hope you are all having a great week!

Busy Little Girl and a Request

2011-01-18T21:09:00.001-08:00

Some people ask me how I get so much done while also taking care of Kaelyn. Well, it's definitely not easy but sometimes you just have to let them do their own thing and hope for the best. Kaelyn has been getting better at keeping herself occupied. She's not constantly asking me to read a book, play ball, play school or doctor with her... instead she's being more creative lately. When I was upstairs printing in my art room I thought I better run down and check on her in the kitchen. When I was coming down the stairs she was saying, "oh no, HIDE!" I was thinking, oh no, what am I going to find? She was hiding her arm as if I wouldn't notice... ha, ha!

Then she was checking out her work and told me she was just matching the dots on her shirt!

I must say it was a pretty good job. 11 different colored dots on her hand plus a few more on the inside! I told her no more drawing on hands... only paper and she said "ok mom."

Here is one of the drawings she made for her great grandma who turned 88 today! Yes, she did it all by herself and she's not quite 3 yet. She wrote 'HI' then she circled it and put a balloon in front of it which is colored pink. I love the face in the bottom left corner and all the little circle doodles everywhere. I can't wait to see what this little girl will be creating in another year. Little kids art is so refreshing! Imaginative and so unique. Love it!

So anyway she continued drawing so I figured it was safe to run back to my art room and when I returned back down stairs I heard water running. At first I thought ok, she's just washing off her hands. I look in the bathroom and she looks like a drowned rat! I ask, "What are you doing?!" She says, "I'm playing water tag... with my friend." Yeah, she has imaginary friends already. Oh goodness. She was pretty soaked and there was a good amount of water on the floor which she fell in. She said, "oh it's slippery!" and went to clean it up with the towel. Have to give her credit for cleaning up the mess and she did wash off all the marker on her hands by herself.

Then on to supper. She only wanted a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Well, she even has to eat this creatively... no taking regular bites. No this girl takes finger swipes and eats it a dab at a time. I think it takes her almost an hour to eat a sandwich... not joking.

Really, you can't just take a bite and eat the bread, peanut butter and jelly all at the same time???

No matter how hard you try to have her just take a normal bite, it doesn't work. She's happy doing it her way.

And I can't help but chuckle... seriously, if it makes her so happy, go for it! Children really do teach you what life is really all about! Enjoy it! :)

On a much more serious note though, we do need to enjoy every day we have and live in the moment because we have no idea what tomorrow is going to bring. My cousin's wife's sister had a horrible stroke recently and is fighting for her life. Joanne (some of you may know her from her blog A Simple Wife) is only 38 with two young girls and a wonderful husband. Prayers are definitely needed for her and her family.

You can read more about Joanne's story HERE and there are details there if you would like to financially help the family as well.

Remember to not take life too seriously. We're only here for a short time... have fun, be you, help others, love the gift of life. ♥

You've Got Mail

2011-01-17T18:10:00.001-08:00

Who doesn't love getting mail? No, I'm not talking about all the junk mail and bills... I mean the good stuff. If you are anything like me, the good stuff is very few compared to the not so fun mail, but maybe that's what makes it so special. I was so excited when my mail carrier brought my mail to the door a couple days ago and it was "fun" mail! The thought occurred to me, if good mail can brighten my day the way it does, I should really be sending out more "just because" packages to others to brighten there day as well. Wouldn't that be fun? A sweet surprise, totally unexpected! I must do more of that this year.

I'll share one of the sweet packages I received; it came from the talented Kelly Berkey! Yay! Her card had one of my favorite paintings of hers on the front. Isn't it beautiful?! Her faces are so dreamy... LOVE them!

And inside was a beautiful artist necklace she made me! Wow, what a treasure!

Thank you so much Kelly! I hope to share the special feeling you gave me to others this year.

To see more of Kelly's beautiful paintings and jewelry be sure to visit her etsy shop. Enjoy!

NEW Mixed Media ~ Lit Path

2011-01-10T15:21:00.000-08:00

{"Lit Path" by me}

Playing around with another style. After participating in Kelly Berkey's Stretching to Sketch challenge and realizing how much I missed drawing I decided to try yet another style. This mixed media piece involves pastels with a focal point of acrylic paint. I don't have a photo of the entire piece yet, but to give you an idea it's done on a wooden block and I painted the sides black so it really makes the drawing/painting pop. It was definitely fun to try something new and I hope to have a couple more pieces done using this style soon.

Also thanks to the talented Kelly for the sweet blog post about my charcoal drawing gifted to her hubby. :) You can read more about it HERE.

Commissioned Painting and Design

2011-01-05T09:14:00.000-08:00

Finally able to share a couple projects I had been working on before the holidays. I was thrilled to get a modern portrait order through etsy. The color is a bit washed out in the above photo but I wanted to show the painted sides and the depth of the wrapped canvas. It will certainly give a pop of color to a room! I thought the photo was so adorable. It's an interesting process to simplify as much as possible yet leave enough to look like the people and tell the story of the day at the same time.

the BEFORE photo:

my modern painting of the couple:

A bright royal blue was the requested color. More details about the painting can be found HERE.

Then I had a little freelance project to design an online store front banner. Pretty small to see here but it gives you an idea any way.

Projects like these always keep my job interesting, and I am very thankful for them.

Right now I've been working on a new mini series... kind of similar to my thought provokers found here, here and here... only there is a bit more detail and I'm incorporating pencil drawings into it. So many ideas running through my head! Oh what will be made in 2011?! :)

New Year... New Art

2011-01-02T15:26:00.000-08:00

2011 is off to a good start for getting new artwork created. Yay! I had a few special design requests via my etsy shop towards the end of 2010, but with the hectic holidays fast approaching, getting ready for the craft fair and working on some other jobs I just didn't have enough time to get them done earlier. Due to the snow storm during part of last week, I had some nice time to really work on these new pieces:

{Guardian Angel prayer in khaki tan}

I love the feeling that I'm serving God by creating religious based art. It warms my heart knowing that many of my prayers are going to be hung in children's nurseries/bedrooms and they will be able to say them every night and know that God loves them. I'm a pretty quiet person so sharing God through art is perfect for me. I want to do my best to serve Him and I feel this is one way I can.

{I Prayed for this Child}

I really love this bible verse. Parents who have a difficult time having a child(ren) can really appreciate this verse. Whether they have to wait an extended period of time to have a baby or they end up adopting there is nothing better than in the end when their lives are lit up by a child. Children have to be one of God's biggest blessings.

{Teacher Typography Art Print}

These new pieces hold lots of meaning. All of the text is specially distressed to give a vintage/worn feel. These sayings have been around for a very long time and they will always be around so I wanted to design them in a modern way yet still give an old feel... because they are old. Old, but very good.

Everyone has there own preference of color so there are a few different options in my shop. More will be added soon for the Guardian Angel prayer but if someone wants a particular color that is not listed just let me know and I'd be happy to make it.

an end to 2010

2010-12-31T17:41:00.000-08:00

2010 is soon to be over. It has been a bit of a blur but I do look forward to 2011. When I look back to a year ago I had some really great expectations for 2010. Although it has been a great year I am changing my mind set a little and just hoping to enjoy the journey that 2011 brings and I look forward to seeing what God has in store for our family.

Kaelyn has thoroughly enjoyed the Christmas decorations this year and will be pretty sad to see the Christmas tree leave the living room. (Yes we keep them up the entire month of December... at least... more time to enjoy the magical sparkle.)

We don't have any real exciting plans for celebrating the New Year. The lovely SD weather has supplied us with plenty of snow and travel is not advised so we're a little limited on what we can do. It is okay though, hubby's been working around the house and I've been working on some design requests. Hopefully shortly we'll have some nice family time. :)

I know Kaelyn is always up for a good time. Whether it's singing, playing or dancing... she's ready to rock it! Ha, ha!

Happy 2011!

DIY Project Before the Holidays

2010-12-30T11:33:00.001-08:00

Hello friends! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday break. I have tons... ok several things to share with you. First off I'll show you another DIY project. Everything I look at I see possibilities... which is nice for the pocket book and probably the environment too... things don't simply get trashed. So first off is this buffet/dresser which a cousin didn't want anymore and I'm always on the search for more storage. This was a perfect addition to our kitchen.

Before: painted brown... not so pretty.

Then I've always wanted a nice way to show Christmas photos so I figured I'd make my own photo board. This frame was really nice but not quite my style. The cheaply framed cork board was going to be trashed at hubby's work so he brought it home for me. :)

So here is what I did with some primer and white paint:

Don't these items look much happier?! White gives a nice clean, fresh feeling and it goes with everything else. If it was colored I'd most likely get sick of it pretty quick. And the total cost was $5! That's right. We had the paint already from other house projects. The frame was found at a garage sale and everything else was free! I was going to change out the knobs but they actually looked good with the black and white stove and the counters in the kitchen are charcoal. I'm definitely getting lots of enjoyment out of this thrifty makeover. Hope you enjoyed seeing it.

Wishing You...

2010-12-23T09:41:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas!

Photos by Dolby Photography. Christmas card design by me.

Still Here!

2010-12-09T21:26:00.001-08:00

Sorry I've been away for quite some time! Busy is an understatement but I'm sure many of you can relate. It always seems like a busy time around the holiday season. The last couple weeks I had been working really hard for a craft fair that was held last weekend. It went okay, but I think next year I'll just work more on my online shop. I'll be adding some fun things to Enduring Arts etsy shop in 2011... some things that were at the show and some I need to make more of. Other than getting ready for the craft fair, I was working on a custom modern portrait, etsy orders, another design project, then there was a funeral in there, (Sad! But this amazing guy left this world in a wonderful way and we were able to see family we don't often see so that was a blessing too.) and a birthday party. This week has been trying to get the house in order, decorated, Christmas cards sent, some more house renovating projects, a design project... and trying to out run the sickies that have been going around. (hubby and K both caught it... although K didn't seem effected much, she was still her hyper self.) So that's a bit of what's been going on.

There always has to be some fun time worked in! This was the night after the craft show when we spent a little time with family. K was roller skating for the first time. She loved it!

And whenever I get a little extra time it's spent with this kiddo. So you may not hear much from me until after Christmas. :)

♥ Take Care! ♥

You Are Beautiful

2010-11-25T19:44:00.001-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving! Not your usual thanksgiving/fallish picture but I thought it would tie in well with what I have to say. I photographed this rose during the summer and even though I've looked at the photograph a few times I didn't see the "beauty" right away. A couple weeks ago I decided to play with it, majorly crop it and lighten it a bit and oh my goodness I was amazed! It was beautiful! (to me any way) And then it really made me think, God sees the beauty in everything... in us, in others, in everything he has created immediately. For us, well we miss a lot, sometimes we don't see the beauty in others or even in ourselves. The thing is, it is there, we just have to look harder. God has blessed us with so much. We have so much to be thankful for... and are we? Or are we bi-passing some important things, taking things for granted we shouldn't? Probably. We are only human. For some reason this flower touched me. It reminded me to look for the beauty in everything, because it is there. I am thankful for so much God has given me and my family. I am continually learning new things from Him. He is amazing. His creations are amazing. And you are his creation... yes I'm very thankful for you. For all of you who read this blog. You take time out of your day to read what I write. Many of you have never even met me, yet you offer support, encouragement, and leave comments... you brighten my day. You are a stranger yet a friend. I know I have family and friends who read this too. (Hi guys!) Even though many don't leave comments on here, I'm glad to hear you enjoy visiting my little on-line space to see whats going on in our life. Its heart warming. So thank YOU. Thank you for reading, thank you for following, thank you to those that leave comments so I know I'm not just talking to myself. You are all wonderful! I hope you will take time to look a little deeper, to see the beauty in God's creations that surround you and what lays within you. You will feel truly blessed! ♥

the shirt says it all

2010-11-22T14:26:00.001-08:00

She really, really does! It's been snowing on and off all day and K

keeps asking if there is enough to go sledding. Ha, ha. Soon enough.

Happy Monday!

In the Studio

2010-11-20T09:24:00.001-08:00

Lots left to do for a show coming up the first weekend in December. Praying it goes well and hopefully I can pull off getting everything ready for it. Uggh. Thankfully my medication (for Graves Disease) was changed last week when I saw the specialist so I should finally have some energy again! The hyper shakiness feeling had returned to my arms and head and that is quite an energy zapper... goodness! Fingers crossed that I'm good to go now.

So this is what I've been up to the last couple days. Once I printed out a tiny Jesus Loves Me print I thought it was too cute so my awesome hubby made me a bunch more blocks! I'm thinking they would make fantastic stocking stuffers! The blocks are currently sanded and surface prepped. Next is to paint and adhere the art.

These are getting close to being finished. Yay!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Linking up with Studio JRU. Always fun to see what other artists are up to!

Country Beauty {photography}

2010-11-10T17:42:00.001-08:00

{Yes Dear, Photography Art Print}

So I was planning on doing a painting from this photograph but when I printed it out today I fell in love with it. I think it's better to leave this one just as it is. I have my mother-in-law to thank for the shot. She took us on a little road trip to find some of their cattle. I love how the mamma cow has her ear straight up as if saying to the calf, "yes dear, I hear you." The print has a vintage color like feel to it that I love. And this peaceful country setting... well that is what I have grown to love. Having grown up here I've seen the sight of cows a million times, but now, I'm finally appreciating it. It's beautiful.

I thought others may enjoy this photograph so I added it to the shop along with the photo of echinaceas flowers that you may have seen in an earlier post.

Saved from the Trash

2010-11-05T09:16:00.001-07:00

I'm always on the look out for things I can transform from ugly to pretty and usable. Since I've always stuck to a strict budget I like to look at things from a creative point of view. Well one of my last finds was sitting curbside ready to go to the dump. I couldn't let something that was so sturdy and in pretty darn good condition go to the trash! Sure the colors were completely out dated and there were a few little scratches on the side but I knew with a little paint it would look LOTS better. So here is the before:

The coloring was actually a little lighter than the photo shows. The top was made out of the old formica but the rest was a nice hardwood.

Here's the after:

A clean white look with brushed silver pulls. (Same ones that were there just spray painted.) I really like how it turned out. Who can't use more desk space and someday it might even be Kaelyn's if I can part with it. :)

My mother-in-law gave me a few treasures last weekend. I was so excited! One will be a perfect chair for this desk... just have to get it painted.

Linking up with Studio JRU today. Be sure to check out these other talented souls HERE.
Have a great weekend!

Blown Away

2010-11-02T15:03:00.001-07:00

Last Saturday I was able to spend a few hours with my mom before going to a Halloween get together. Us girls headed to the Goss Opera House where a couple of my mom's friends were displaying their art. Little did we know that 3 floors of the Goss were filled with art. There was so much talent! I was truly inspired by the work on the third floor that was done by artist, Meranda Turbak. We didn't know anything about the artist but were both so impressed by her mixed media paintings. The imagination, color, story... wow! The size of her pieces were certainly eye catching and when you got close to them there was so much detail. And another thing I loved was that she often finds thrift frames/pictures and paints right over them. She doesn't spend money on buying canvases! How awesome is that?! When we went back down to the main floor and asked about more information on Meranda they told us she was working in the next room. So we headed over to the gift shop area and were able to meet her. It is so much fun meeting artists! She is such a sweet person. We talked for a bit and I sure hope to see her again in the near future. Maybe I can talk her into teaching a class. :)

I think several of you would be interested in Meranda's work and story about her process so be sure to check it out HERE. Also if your in SD and near the Goss be sure to stop by. It has the neatest old architecture and its rustic qualities have been saved. A coffee shop, gift shop that will soon only carry handmade work, a restaurant and art galleries are only a few things this building holds. It's impressive in its self.

RrrrRRROARrrr!

2010-10-31T20:59:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween from ...

such a scary tiger! Ha, ha!

Just a quick couple shots from the night. Hope you all had a great weekend!

Memorable Week

2010-10-29T20:56:00.001-07:00

This week like so many others flew by but with a couple memorable/exciting happenings. The beginning of the week I made my 100th etsy sale. To some that is very little, but to me it was huge! I can't say how thankful I am for my customers, and for my blog readers and commenters for encouraging me. You guys are incredible!!! I think most of you etsy shop owners know its not a walk in the park on getting customers to your shop when there are so many other amazing talents within etsy. It just amazes me that all these people all over the world found my little space in the on-line world and liked it enough to buy something! I am one thankful girl! ...and my awesome husband surprised me with this cake to celebrate! ♥

Another amazing thing happened for my husband today. Those of you who have been reading for a while know how much hubby likes to run and bike.. Well he found out yesterday that Lance Armstrong was putting on a bike ride about an hour away from us! I was seriously excited for my husband to go and I can say he couldn't wait either! So when the hour finally came this is what it looked like:

Yeah, I told him he had to take pictures for me since I was unable to be there. As you can see quite a few people were in front of my hubby. I can't even see Lance.

But ...

since my man LOVES riding and can kick butt going up hills, lots of people were dropped and he was able to place himself nice and close to Lance. (He did have to work for it though. Hee, hee.)

Lance is wearing the black shirt with the number 28.

And here Lance is signing autographs afterwards. Hubby just took a picture of him rather than getting anything signed. He didn't want to be pushy. :)

We definitely have lots to be thankful for!

Have a great weekend and a Happy Halloween!

Dispersing ~ New Mixed Media Painting

2010-10-27T14:00:00.000-07:00

Wow! It's crazy how much the weather can change in a week. Last week we were painting our house when it was in the 60's to higher 70's and today it is in the 30's with snow! Unlike me, Kaelyn was excited to see the snow and was jumping up and down and said "Lets go sliding!" I'm pretty sure she meant sledding. :) She was not a happy camper when I said she had to wait until there was a little more on the ground. She'll get what she's hoping for soon enough.

Above is my newest mixed media (thought provoking) piece, "Dispersing". It represents our life... the whole growth process. We, like the flower, are always changing. The more we learn about our self and apply the skills or rather talents we know we start blooming. Our goal is to bloom into a beautiful flower. The circles represent the petals than will eventually fall. Its like the memory of us that will be left behind. Hopefully we will have touched others in some wonderful way through our journey here on earth. The flower can be quite a powerful symbol... something beautiful but it won't stay around for long. It grows up so quickly and then disperses its self... so much like you and me.

Major House Project

2010-10-25T09:08:00.000-07:00

This post will explain what I've been so busy with last week. Non-stop work from Tuesday through Friday... scraping, taping, priming, and painting. It was a job! Since the inside of our house has done a complete 180 it was time the outside felt some love.

Here are a few before and afters. Note that this house was moved to town in the early 1950's, not sure when it was actually built. I like the charm of an old home!

{before}

{starting to scrape; new door has been installed}

{after: color adds character and makes the trim work pop!}

(another angle: scraping}

{after}

A little difference don't you think? In the spring we will be working on a deck and a little landscaping. So happy to have this big job done. I'll tell you it was pretty scary! A friend lent us scaffolding, but boy it pretty much terrified me climbing up on that thing. It felt like I was 3x higher than I really was and when it wiggled I seriously thought I was going to puke! Thankfully my dad brought in his loader and lifted me up in that. It felt like I was at an amusement park. There was a section that my dad had to put David up high in the loader with a ladder on top of that to reach a part the scaffolding couldn't get to. That was extremely scary... yes, I was praying that everything would turn out smoothly and thankfully it did! And a huge thanks to my mom for watching K while I was working on the house! Hubby and I couldn't have done this job so quickly without the help of my parents!

Birthday Invites and Logo Design

2010-10-18T15:21:00.000-07:00

I have been busy with a variety of projects lately... makeover projects on items around the house, art projects and a few freelance projects as well. Here are a couple of the latest design projects I worked on for others:

Dr. Seuss Birthday Invitations

The request was for a fun saying with possibly a fish illustration - Dr. Seuss themed. So I came up with the fun saying, "Oh the places he will go! from there to here, from here to there, a one year old is everywhere!" Yeah, we read a lot of Dr. Seuss books in our house so it didn't take too long for that to pop into my head. And isn't it the truth, a one year old is certainly on the move! Ha! The cards were requested to be flat so on the back I designed the cat's hat with the one. Something simple but adds a little extra spice... better than just leaving it blank. The package also included thank you notes where I illustrated the cat in the hat saying thank you from the birthday boy. It was a fun project!

Then the design job I just completed was a logo design which was then made into several vehicle decals. I've made a few decals for Larry before but he recently decided on adding trenching and some sort of graphic so here is what I came up with:

Freelance projects always keep my job interesting. Each request seems to challenge me in a new way, sure some I struggle with but when I get to the end of the design process and see the end product I can't help but be pleased with the outcome.