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Friday, June 28

We survived the first week of summer.


was awesome.
was good.
We survived.
We did nothing.
Nothing on the summer list.
No  doing or running around. We stayed home.
{Except for a big day at the fair with mimi.}
Sometimes we even got dressed.
We spent days digging through toys
reading and playing with new birthday toys.
sitting in a box. making music.
making up games and scratching each others eyeballs out.

These boys love to be home.
Do you want to go to the park? library? walk?
"No thanks. I want to stay home."

So I had plans for the summer.
But I'm thinking we're gonna scrap the plans 
and play it by ear and spend a lot more time at home.
Unless they are on the verge of killing each other.
Then I will run to the car, turn the AC on full blast,
and drive around.


Jack is teaching Joshy to fly.
{Such a great metaphor for life!}


"No Josh, You have to run and then jump..."
Very frustrating...
Um... are you ready for this?!?
The boys had their first official sleepover wat mimi and papa's house 
together.
no kids for one whole lovely night!
don't hate.



And our big outing was to the fair with mimi...













Playing with boxes
{before a brawl breaks out}




More watercoloring while the boys play in the back.
I'm feeling a lot more freedom these days.
being able to do my thing while they do theirs
but we're still together.
It feels so good.
I'm a happier momma.

We are back on the budget wagon.
WE CAN DO HARD THINGS.
WE CAN DO THIS.
we will. we will. we will.
ack.

And back to art journaling.
Breathes life right into my soul.
 Makes me so happy to be alive.
I'm so glad if you are joining me.
It 's all about the process.




Now I'm off to a girl's night downtown.
Wahoo!

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Thursday, June 27

31 Days of Scripture Art Journaling::Day 17: Adding Ephemera and Found Objects

Day 17: Adding Ephemera and Found Objects 


Finally! I'm back to Scripture Art Journaling.
Okay. Ephemera.
Odds and ends.
Cool stuff you find around town.
Old books, atlases, flashcards, ribbon,
buttons, tickets, money, stamps, envelopes.
Whatever makes you happy.

Find it, keep it, glue it down.



1. So, I started my page, just like all my other pages, 
 with gesso and paint and a paper towel.
You can find it in a little more detail here.


2. Then I added ephemera (flashcard, torn map, music)
and pretty paper with gel medium (Mod Podge will work)



3. I added a light orange wash to unify to piece.
A wash is just a little paint with a lot of water.
So I dip my paper towel in the paint, and then the water and spread it over the page.
Then I wipe off as much as I can.

4. After the wash I added some colored hearts with paint and some white scripted letters.


5. I added more paper scraps and hearts.


6. Finally I painted  the big words in the verse.
First with white & brown paint... 


then with different colored paint.





7. And I finished off the page with an extra fine point Sharpie.


 Here are some details...




 and here is my helper.




I don't love it. But it's done.
And that's just the way it happens sometimes.
Now go journal.

My goal is to finish this series in July!
{Just in time for the next series to start.}

See Day 18: Using photos in your journal

See all 31 days

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Tuesday, June 25

Random Acts of Art and Love: Who You Are in Christ Free Printable

So I had this idea.
I first thought of it 3 years ago, way back at Artfest,
which was a life changing experience.

So when you go there you bring art trades and you trade with EVERYONE.
I mean everyone. You bring hundreds and give them away.
And you get bags and bags full of cool trades.
And anything goes.

And I couldn't believe how fun and exciting it was to get free art.
Lots of it. To see what everyone came up with.
Everyone's own style and ideas.
Life-giving.

Artfest was simply magical.
Not only did I get to meet weirdos like myself.
But I got to stay up until 3AM art journaling. together.
eating snacks and drinking wine and laughing our heads off
with strangers-turned -friends.
From all over the world.


Life-giving
is the best way I can describe it.

Anyway, I started thinking...
It was so fun to get free art. It made me giddy.
but it was also just as satisfying and happy-making
to give it away.


And I thought... what if the real world were like this?!?
What if we all carried around a little token of our art and gave it away.
At the gas station. At school. At Starbucks. At the playground.
I think the world would be a much happier place.
I know I would be a happier person.


I can already hear some of you already...
but I'm not artistic, blah, blah, blah.
It doesn't HAVE to be visual art, it can be whatever your gift happens to be.
And you have one. You have many, in fact.
It is the thing makes you come alive.
The thing that makes you think,
"Yep. I was made for this."

God created us to come alive when we give away our gifts.
Conversely, I believe that we start to wither when we ignore or
simply can't make time to use the gifts that have been entrusted to us.


I could go on and on, but I promise to stop.
I created this "Who You Really Are In Christ" to be a constant reminder to me
and to you and to the people you love.


It is truth that the world will never tell me,
but God wants me to know.
How wonderfully and beautifully made I am.
On purpose. in his image. for a purpose.
It is what my heart needs to hear.
Over and over and over again.



Who You {Really}Are in Christ 8 x 10 
4 x 6 Notecards
5 x 7 Prints
4 x 51/2 PostCards
Print Here!

Please print it on some cardstock &send it to someone (or lots of someones) you love.
send it to your child or you spouse or just pin it up on a bulletin board.
send it to a missionary an or a soldier or a camper.
And look at it to remind you of the truth about who you are.

***Please note: This is for personal inspiration & use only.***
If you'd like to use it in any other capacity just email me.
I'm nice. I'll usually say yes to nonprofits.

Lots of love to you today my friend!
Thank you for stopping by.
Thank you for printing.
Thank you for sharing.
Now go give away your gifts!


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Sunday, June 23

Dear Joshy,


I can barely remember life without you.
You've come into your own in the last year and 
I am so thankful that God picked me to be your momma. 


You are the best story teller.
I don't know where you get it, but you tell the best stories.
Adventures to Mickey's house and mountain climbing and chopping down trees.
You crack yourself up.
And us too.


You adore your brother. 
You have to be near him and doing what he's doing.
If you go to long without him you get upset and say, 
"Where is my bwotha? Where is my bwooooooooooooootha?"
And promptly whack him over the head for no apparent reason.


You are hot and cold.
Super happy, can't stop smiling one minute,
mean, bossy face the next. 
Nothing in between.



You do not let anything get past you, little one. 
You will not be left behind.
And you are learning to hold your own.



You love Thomas and Mickey and toothbrushes and wrenches
and you are adamant about holding a minimum of four things in your hands at all times.
You ride tricycles and scooters and bikes and skateboards like nothing I've seen. 
And you have the best run. ever. 


You wake me up and with a, "Where ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh you momma?!?"
You throw a fit when we can't find your spidey shirt.


You live to play with your daddy and brother. 
"Hey guys! I'm here. Come seeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee me!"
Bike rides on daddy's bike are the closest thing to heaven for you. 
Hikes are a close second.


You adore your mimi and papa and grandma and grandpa. You got the best, buddy.
You are a sweet cuddler on your own terms. Mostly when you are tired. 
And you still scream like nobody's business whenever I put you to sleep.


I love watching you grow and become your own little man.
You complete our family. We adore you.
Happy birthday, Joshy Woshy.

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