A whole bunch of random and a side of clutter

Catching Up...

Ahhhh. I have so much life to share

 art and small children and hopes and decluttering my life and being creative.

We are finally all healthy.

And my baby is finally sleeping. {crying.}

And I'm so deliriously tired that I'm

 {finally} perfectly okay with it.

I am sleeping and I feel like a new woman.

Like I can climb mountains and leap tall buildings.

Or at least walk upright without passing out.

My heart is full of thanks.

I feel like we're turning a corner

and I don't wanna get too excited,

but it's exciting.

In my art world I did something huge.

Okay, 2 huge somethings.

I taught art to grown-ups.

And the gremlins came out with a vengeance.

I was so nervous. I felt beyond inadequate.

And it was better than wonderful.

and I met these really, really great women.

like, people I would want to be friends with.

I was completely blessed by it.

And it was just another reminder

that when I walk through my fears

and climb my mountains

there are big rewards.

always.

and of course I forgot my camera.

{doh.}

so my other big art dream mountain climbing news is this:

Artehouse prints gorgeous vintage posters and signs
on wood and sells them to retailers.
They contacted me about licensing my mixed media collage.
I'm serious. I'm not kidding. or lying.
I'm trying not to freak out or get too excited.
I'm holding my breathe and hoping that everything will work out.
 I signed a contract and sent them my images.
They are not up on the website yet,
but I will definitely let you know when they are.
{This is where I remind myself to breathe.}

 

On the homefront,
 being at home with 2 littles...
is getting better.
so much better.
I'm trying to schedule out our day & stick to it.
And work on fun projects.
This deserves a whole post.

Thanks for hanging in there with my constant "this is really hard" whining
I just kind of feel like I'd be lying if I said everything is all roses when life is simply hard.
And of course, there are blessings in the hard.
but all this to say, we're finding our way.
With a lot of prayer & help.

Things I love right now:

The first Pinterest project that I've actually really made from here.
http://sewingin-nomansland.blogspot.com/2010/10/rocket-man-little-boys-space-party.html
It took about 15 minutes & has given about 15 hours of play time.
So fun.

I'm trying to live by this mantra.
Which explains the back of my car.
Now the challenge is delivering them to GoodWill
without bringing any more c$%p home.
Not easy.

Completely inspired by this post:
40 bags in 40 days
I'm gonna try it.
I think I can. I think I can.

This article from Jeff Goins about
Why My Clutter is Killing My Creativity

This post on marriage.

The post I've wanted to write for 2 years,

but haven't been able to.
She says it so well.
I have so many paintings in my heart and head
 I want to make about marriage.
No time right now, so I have to jot them
down in my sketch book.
I've been art journaling.

It's worth at least a million dollars in therapy.
seriously therapuetic.
And that's an entire post too.
I love Julie  and Tammy and Rachel
This is a great post for getting started.

This sweet banner.

Easy love notes.

mb art studios

Oh yeah.

It’s hard to be a parent.

It’s even harder to be a good parent.

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

Anyways, I took some time off of the computer.

I’d like to say, to be a better mom,

But really it was out of pure exhaustion.

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

{source}

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

They come nonstop. Filling my mind with possibility.

And then I fall over when they fall asleep.

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

runny noses and messy rooms and cranky kids.

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

Art and paint and possibility will always be there.

But my babies won’t always be babies.

And it’s hard. It's really hard.

Because a.) it's just hard and

b.)I really, really want to paint.

I crave the creative.

I know you know what I mean?

But it’s just not possible right now.

Not not possible forever.

Just for right now.

What do you do?

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

I'm also going to the doctor to see where

in the world my energy has gone.

I can't find it.

Anywhere.

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

Hello 2012.

Source: ohhellofriendblog.com via sarahreck on Pinterest

Hello new year.


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

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

Hello messy studio.

{I've missed you friend.}

Hello new blog banner.

{done in Picnik}

Hello new verse for the year.

Hello beginnings of a new journal.

Hello view from my ergo.

{I love this view.}

Hello sick kids for going on 2 weeks.

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

Hello new episodes of Downton Abbey.

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

Hello new camera.

Hello new year.

It's gonna be a good one.

I can feel it.

What are you saying hello to in 2012?

{Linking with Lisa}

Stuff I really did do in 2011.

Looking at my 35 things list from last year

my first thought is...

What in the hell was I thinking?

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

Seriously.

I seriously need to start living in reality.

{At least partially.}

and here's why:

1. Have a baby.

And the list should stop right there. 

Okay, maybe include one more:

2. Try to survive.

but no.

I casually included

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

whaaaaa?!?!?

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

as if adding another human being to the planet

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

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

I'm not even a hiker.

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

which I don't. want to go hiking.

because I'm not a hiker.

I love the idea of me saying

"Come on two month old baby and 

extremely bitter, barely potty trained, 3 year old"

"Let's go hiking!" 

But reality?

uh uh.

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

Or apple picking excursions we didn't go on.

I'm simply going to create a new list.

A list to celebrate the things I did do.

And then I'm gonna say

Wow.

Yay me. 

35 Things {I actually did do} in 2011

1. Have a baby.

STOP.

{yes, I'm yelling at you.

jumping up and down, with my hands waving}

That can fill up all 35 spaces right there.

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

Okay let's go...

2. Survived.

hooray.

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

3.Worked full time through pregnancy.

{and I did a damn good job.

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

4. Potty trained a very strong-willed child.

5. Took a liking to turquoise and orange.

hmmm.

6. Was a vendor at the Queen Bee market.

7. Made it through Christmas.

8. Made and gave Chex Mix to my neighbors!

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

10. Started preschool.

Okay, not me.

But it felt like it was me,

 so I'm proud of myself.

11. Threw away all of my maternity clothes.

{Yahoo!}

12. Became addicted to Pinterest.

13. Received a commission from Sharp Hospital

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

14. Decided {once and for all}

that street fairs and art festivals are not for me.

I hate doing them in the worst possible way.

And I will never put myself through that again.

15. Gave up trying to figure out Photoshop &

discovered my beloved Picnik.

16. Fell in love. Again.

17. I had my lettering exemplar published

in Somerset.

18. Found a great counselor.

{Hallelujah}

19. Helped orphans.

{As part of a fundraiser for the

Sparrow Fund and little Sergey & Xander.}

20. Gave my studio a makeover.

21. Learned a ton about how to run

my etsy shop from their online labs videos.

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

23. My Christmas Angels were published in

Cloth Paper Scissors for the first time

{so, so exciting}

24. Got a king sized bed.

{heaven}

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

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

27. Survived hours of Yo Gabba Gabba.

28. Painted.

I can't think of any more right now,

but I know there's more.

The point is

even though I didn't go hiking,

I did a lot of stuff this in 2011.

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

The life I did live.

and not get all grumpy and hard on

myself about the silly stuff I didn't do.

I think you should do the same.

I hope you do.

I hope you take a little time to celebrate the

life you've chosen to live this year.

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

Happy, happy new year to you, my friend.

Mobile Crazy

Yes I'm crazy for mobiles these days.

I love them all.

Source: sewshesews.wordpress.com via Erin on Pinterest

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

Source: housetweaking.com via Erin on Pinterest

Source: scrapyardcards.blogspot.com via Erin on Pinterest

Source: createloves.blogspot.com via Erin on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Erin on Pinterest

Source: blablakids.com via Erin on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Erin on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Erin on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Erin on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Erin on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Erin on Pinterest

Source: littlestyles.com.au via Erin on Pinterest

Source: designspongeonline.com via Erin on Pinterest

Source: spearmintbaby.com via Erin on Pinterest

Source: anthropologie.com via Julie on Pinterest

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

But for now I will just admire these.

Enjoy!

Newborn Bliss

Meet

Joshua William Butson

8 lbs. 11 oz.

of pure sweetness.

Thank you for all of your

thoughts and prayers.

We felt them all.

Labor and delivery went

better than we could have asked for.

We came home Thursday afternoon

and we are in baby bliss.

Josh is as sweet as can be.

Jack is getting used to being a big brother.

And we are settling in to life together.

I am so thankful that Darryl will get to

be home with us for a month.

We are loving having daddy home.

I forgot how sweet and perfect and yummy newborns are.

Thank you again

for all of your blog love.

I'll keep you posted.