Time to create.....

My word of the day is "originate".

originate : to give rise to : initiate

The kiddos are back to school and the creative juices are flowing!!

I spent 6 weeks this summer with all of my favorite people in Utah, which means lots of whimsy!!!

Yummy foods galore, window shopping, novel reading, and best of all IDEA GATHERING!!!

Did I ever gather ideas... too many ideas!

So, now that my three 'olders' are back in school and I have to fill my days

to the brim so that I don't miss them (Yes I actually prefer having them home), I am going to focus on a

plethora of projects.

Time to originate and get these projects going... 

First up.....

It's hard to imagine this chandie looking really rustic and cute, but I have a plan

for it that I hope will be just the ticket.

I will keep you posted!!

Now go be originative (do we think that originative is a word?),

and start something!! Anything...

And,... let me know what you have started. :)

 

Reclaiming my whimsy.....

I was looking around my room the other day, and I thought

"why in the world are all of my doors white?"

I am in the process of reclaiming my whimsy.

I am an artist at heart and for months I have been feeling stagnant.

I have been doing the mundane things that we need to do to keep life going, to keep the household functioning.

laundry, dishes, chauffeuring, cleaning,

the list goes on and on.

(Like any of you don't already know that...)

I don't even mind doing those things. Especially with some good music in the back ground.

BUT... My magic is fading. I use to be fun and whimsical.

Lately I have been finding myself becoming

so

so

practical.

Not that there is anything wrong with practical. In fact I totally plan to hang onto some of

this new practical me!! It's really handy!

The part that troubles me is that my light seemed to be fading.

The pixie dust is wearing off of my wings...

the red is draining from my hair...

the paint has dried on all of my brushes...

the caffeine is gone from my diet coke!!!

You catch my drift.

SO... I am reclaiming my whimsy!!!!!

I am starting with baby steps, but my first project is my closet door. I have just finished painting it

Martha Stewarts 'Tidewater'.

It is my new favorite. I now have 4 frames and a bedside table recently painted 'Tidewater'.

(I have never believed in overkill. :) )

So here is where you come in...

Please vote on a door knob.

Choice 1

Choice 2

Choice 3

A decorative door knob for my colored closet door.

I think it is the necessary first step to re-whimsy-fying.

I know it's not practical...

but...

that's kind of the point.

Chicks, a duck, and a dancer???

Jen has done it again!! She did the most adorable mini photo sessions this Easter with chicks,

a duck, and a cute fuzzy bunny. Although my boys would not indulge me,

my girls loved every minute of it. When their turn was up they would not leave until we

had said goodbye to each individual animal.

Jen has such an eye for artistic photography, and is really

gifted with the ability to catch those moments that make a photo unique.

This is the first year that my Chloe has been in one continuous dance class, and has been able to enjoy

the costumes and recitals that go along with it. I have been so spoiled by Jens'

mad photography skills that when it came time for the dance studio to do their annual

photos, I went running straight to her for ours.

I will NEVER go back to traditional studio photos. I loved having

Chloe outside for her pictures. It catches the colors in the costume and the

whimsy of the whole idea of a little dancer girl so much better than any of my studio pictures

growing up ever did.

I love the way Jen plays with light, and makes my dancer girl sparkle!!

Once again...

THANK YOU JEN!!!!!



Merry Christmas!

"Maybe Christmas,"

he thought

"doesn't come from a store.

Maybe Christmas...

perhaps...

means a little bit more."

-Dr. Suess

Merry Christmas!!!

Thankful For.....

This is what I am truly thankful for!! My amazing family!!

(that and a bestie who is an incredible professional photographer. :))

I decided that I would be diligent about getting annual family photos as I watch my kiddos grow

up far far too fast. After last years success with Jen taking gorgeous family pictures, I

decided that I just had to make her work her magic again!

Well,... she did it!!.....Again!!!

THANK YOU JEN!!!!

I just love them!!

You really captured my children's personalities, which can be nearly impossible.

(Especially when they are in front of the camera. ;) )

I've said it before and I'll say it again... 

Your MAD TALENT just runneth over!!

Now,... how to make choices for a Christmas card?????

Such Talent...

My littlest and I attended a birthday party the other day for her "bestie".

She was turning the big '3'!!

So her mom (my bestie) got out the camera and just started taking snap shots...

they were all

BEAUTIFUL!!!

Given... her mom is a professional photographer...

BUT STILL!!

I feel like I should have paid a sitting fee. These are just a few

of the amazing photos that she sent me.

Thank you Jen for these...they are truly a gift!! 

The darling Birthday girl.

Easy as pie...

My son made an acrylic painting a few years back and titled it "Zero Gravity".

I thought it was so clever and cute that I (of course), immediately

stole it and hung it in our office.

Well,...

recently he decided he wanted a it in his room.

What??

He thinks he wants his own art work in his room??

The solution...

We scanned it into the computer and printed it out on nice photo paper.

He wanted to hang it over his bed so I needed to go an earthquake safe route. (i.e. no glass.)

We bought a cheep canvas and painted the edges blue.

I used Mod Podge and a paintbrush to spread sticky wonderful-ness

all over the back of the picture and stuck it to the canvas.

We flipped it over and stapled a felt ribbon right to the canvas.

And.....

Voila!!

He has a copy of his own art 

hanging in his own bedroom.

And I still have my original in the office!! :):)