Colorful Little Houses Mixed Media Collage Series

Remember the magic of summer as a kid?
Playing Capture the flag with the neighbors until the sun went down.
Swimming until I nearly collapsed.
Sleep overs, sleep overs, and more sleep overs.
Playing with friends for hours and hours.

For some reason, when I started this series of colorful houses,
I remembered this hot summer night when the electricity went out
and the whole neighborhood came out to the street and just hung out and talked.
All the kids played together.
Simple and magical. 

That got me thinking about all kinds of other dreams and hopes and plans I had as a kid.
Remember vowing to live next door to your best friend and both of you would both have four girls each and we'd all play with  our Cabbage Patch Dolls all day? Anyone?

Or remember that water slide form the roof of the house in to the pool? 

Or for some reason, and this one was reoccurring... 

spending the night in Target and playing with all of the toys all night long.

And sleeping in the round clothes hangers?

And then that got me thinking about the dreams and plans
and hopes I would have as an adult. If I let myself.
And it was actually pretty tough to get in that
imaginative, playful, anything is possible place.
I think it takes practice.

What happens to us as we grow up?

Why do we stop dreaming?

Why do I stop allowing my mind to wander to those places?

And why is it actually hard to get back?

This is a series of my grown-up dreams.
I tried to go to those hard-to-get-to places in my heart and imagination.
And eventually, after a little practice,
it was like play.

So (you knew it was coming) I must ask...

what are your dreams and hopes and hidden plans

tucked away in your heart and mind and memories?

Give yourself a little time and space to think and play.

it will be fun.

I promise.

My "Colorful, Little Houses" are featured 

in Somerset Gallery Magazine 

Summer 2013 

Thank you Somerset.

Live, Love, Laugh... Finished & a Give Away!

Finally. Finished.
A few fun wordy flowery collage pieces.

I'll be giving away this set of 3 prints on Facebook!
Just like or leave a comment to enter.
Open until tomorrow night.

Thanks for stopping by & supporting & encouraging!
It means the world to me!

Sunday Scripture Art in progress...

Here's what's on my kitchen table.
I'm in finishing mode after writing my last post.
Because really. I have way too many half finished pieces laying around
that could be something great, or something mediocre.

But either way, my head is full of these half finished pieces.

And with my head full, it's hard to move forward with all of the

other ideas running amuck in my imagination.

It's been so long since I've painted. 

My head feels like it's going to burst.

So many ideas. So little time. and energy. and paint.

Do not be afraid. 

I have redeemed you.

Isaiah 43:1

 I have called you by name.
You are mine.

Isaiah 43:1

You are God's masterpiece.

Ephesians 2:10

He has created you anew in Jesus.

Ephesians 2:10

I Must Ship.

I've been staring at these pieces I started over a year ago now.

Trying to figure out what they need to make them done.

And move on with my life.

And then I read this post from Jeff about shipping.

and I knew that was me.

it's fear.

fear dressed up as

indecisiveness.

procrastination.

The truth: I have about 6 series that are

completely stalled right smack dab in the middle.

And I haven't listed any new paintings in so long.

because I don't want to ship.

And I've been avoiding painting for so long

because

a.) I was burned out

and

b.) I felt so overwhelmed and lost and confused every time I got my paints out.

and now I'm realizing that that feeling is fear

creeping in so stealthfully (word?)

 so here I am finishing. finishing. finishing.

and if you don't like it, I don't really care.

Because it's my art and I shipped it.

And honestly, the practice of shipping,

putting it out there,

whatever it may be,

begets shipping.

Stalling, procrastinating, making excuses

only feeds the gremlins.
and begets procrastination.

And the crazy thing that I keep learning is that it's all connected.

All the fear and all the risk taking.

It's not just art.

When I'm brave in my relationships, it begets bravery in my art.

When I'm fearful about meeting my neighbors it silences me in my art.

It makes me want to hide and cover up and crawl inside a cave or something.

All I can think of is Brene Brown talking about shame.

And how shame is feeling embarrassed about who we are at the core of our being

And how Eve must have felt.

And that I know in my head that shame is a lie from the pit.

The truth?

I am God's spoken poem.

His masterpiece.

His work of art.

created brand new

 in Christ Jesus

to do the good things that only I can do.

that he planned for me to do.

when he made me.

Ephesians 2:10 

Okay, time to ship.

hello again...

Hi friends.

The Sparrow Fund is rad.

 and they May is their big month!

Kelly is amazing and there are SO MANY shops participating.

So go buy something. And help adopting families. and kids.
Only 3 days left in May!!!! huh?

******************************************************

1. It feels like Christmas over here!
My very favorite thing came.
These precious pillows from Chrissie Grace came in the mail.
I've wanted them for the boys ever since I saw them about a year ago.
Love, love, love them.
Such a great new baby gift.
You can get them in her shop!

2. Our garden is growing!
It never grows. I'm super excited.
These are our pumpkins.

3. Life pieces to masterpieces on NPR
This is a great story. So inspiring.
Maybe one day I could do help with something like this?!?

4. My Picture Perfect Name Banner was featured in
Somerset Memories Spring 2013
Thank you Somerset.
I love this magazine.

5.  We had a shower for Julie's sweet baby Rocco.
Such a fun day to celebrate this little guy!

6. I just got a big stash of fabric & hours of pillow making ahead me.
So yummy.

7.This is what our house usually looks like.
These boys are pretty much obsessed with tents and forts and camping.

8. I'm looking for a DIY no $/under 10$ solution to a stuffed animal hider.
Any ideas? I looked on Pinterest and couldn't find anything.

9. "Hey Mom, come here..."

Everyone in the crib!

10. Only write on the paper Joshy.

11. Desperately wanting to do this project.
Found on Pinterest
Isn't it so cute?

12. And this one for my kitchen.


No art to speak of because I've been sleeping at night.
Bliss!