KIJSA STUDIO

Time To Wrap It UP!

2012-10-30T18:34:00.000-07:00

So thinking I might get a head-start on wrapping gifts, I was searching the studio for new and different tag ideas...I wanted burlap, but with a twist...

I had several small 4x6 and 5x7 wooden frames, a lot of burlap, felt and a staple gun...voila...a gift tag is born!

I cut the burlap about an inch larger that the frame, and back-wrapped it, fastening in place with the staplegun

(hot glue might do the trick, but you can stretch the burlap taut with the staple gun)

Also...to finish off the back, you could either add ribbon to cover the staples, or a felt backing

If you were to stop here...grab some black paint, put on a fabulous initial, and add a black & white ribbon...but for this festive touch...

I cut decorative felt to size, leaving a nice border to let the burlap show

I cut out my initial from felt, then using quick fabric glue, glued both the felt and initial to the frame...

Then reached for cute ribbon scraps...

...glued and stapled some onto the frame to accent and tie it on...

...and then, in just a quick staple here, glue there, you have a tag as cute as the present!

Would be adorable in your Christmas holiday wreath too!

To make this, and three other really different, but fabulous tags...stop by next Tuesday at the studio for the First Day of Christmas Creating...Here's a quick look at the schedule...

Twelve Days of Christmas Creating...

…Make your own gifts …be fabulous!

$25 per class, reservations recommended, allow 2 hours creating fun!

On The First Day of Christmas:

Tues, Nov. 6, 10am-1pm: Wrap It Up

Create special gift tags, monogrammed tags, paper flowers, etc to make your gifts beautiful & over the top!

On the Second Day of Christmas:

Thurs, Nov. 8, 5-8:30pm: Paint your own ornament…learn how to create beautiful hand-painted ornaments

On The Third Day of Christmas:

Sat, Nov. 10 10am-1pm: Paint your own wooden stocking…don’t forget the stripes, polka dots & a monogram!

On The Fourth Day of Christmas:

Tues, Nov. 13 10am-1pm: Make your own amazing Christmas frame! You will LOVE these…don’t stop at one!

On The Fifth Day of Christmas:

Thurs, Nov. 15 5-8:30pm: Christmas Photo Blocks…bring 6-8 of your own photos to use in your project to fit 3” blocks

On The Sixth Day of Christmas:

Sat, Nov. 17 10am-1pm: Book Paper Ornaments…create amazing paper ornaments using vintage book pages & German glitter!

On The Seventh Day of Christmas:

Tue, Nov. 27 10am-1pm: Photo plaques…Beautiful wooden cutouts are painted and decorated with your own photos- bring your own 8x10 photo

On The Eighth Day of Christmas:

Thurs, Nov. 29, 5-8:30: Paint your own adorable Christmas Snowman canvas…cute for your home or gift!

On The Ninth Day of Christmas:

Sat, Dec. 1, 12-3pm Paint Door décor with a cute canvas monogram banner!

On The Tenth Day of Christmas:

Tue, Dec. 4, 10am-1pm: Make your own Christmas Chalkboard…use for notes, memories…or just pure Christmas cuteness!

On The Eleventh Day of Christmas:

Thurs, Dec 6, 5-8:30pm: Make your own amazing Christmas Subway art (You, yes, you can make this amazing professional design!

On The Twelfth Day of Christmas (WHEW!!!)

Sat, Dec 8: Finish off with a final “to-do list” Subway Art creation…so you can finish off all your Christmas lists in style!

Class projects subject to change due to supply availability more info: 270-331-2787

Crack Up This Fall!

2012-10-23T11:03:00.002-07:00

Let this fall 'crack you up!"...

A wonderful product to give your Fall decorations a unique vintage flair is...

DecoArt's Texture Crackle...age in a jar!

Simply grab your pumpkin, pear...or other item (these are pears from the Dollar Store!)...

Using a palette knife, apply liberally to your surface, covering all areas you want to age.

If you miss a spot or two...

It is easy to retouch...Then wait for it...

wait for the magic...

literally...right before your eyes...

Treasures galore...ancient history replicated in mere minutes!

Then take & display...tuck into wreaths, stack on a mantel, display under a cloche (Truly...this is an antique!)

Check out more fabulous ideas at Make It Monday at the Brassy Apple!

Paint Chip Flower

2012-09-18T19:43:00.001-07:00

I wanted to create a cute, easy, and almost free flower for a fun centerpiece project...and this is the little ditty that came out of some fun with paint chips...

Grab a variety of long paint chip strips...

Cut a 'fringe' on one side, leaving about 1-1/2" at the top...

...after cutting the entire strip...begin rolling

If you want the color on the topside...roll with the white on the outside...for the underside to be fresh and colorful, roll the color side in...

the grab those fabulous big glue dots...

affix one at the bottom, then top off with a simple white button (or color of your choice)

Then stick a short length (8-10") of baling wire through a button hole, through the glue dot and slightly into the flower roll to affix...

Start pulling back the 'petals'...

...until you have a fun flower spray...

You can either do several and place in a vase...

Or press the end of the baling wire into a wine cork, and pace inside a small wooden turning...

One centerpiece down...off to Sherwin Williams for more floral supplies...

Verse of the Week

2012-08-04T20:42:00.005-07:00

I have been busy in the studio making so many of these fun "Verse of the Week" chalkboards for the studio and my Etsy site...

but then there was this drawer front...it has a beautiful provenance, once adorning a dining room on a shaded boulevard in western Kentucky...and now it sat on the studio calling to me...

...The tarnished brass hardware and painted cherry front spoke (Although not audibly...but I swear I could almost hear a little ring as chalk dropped into the handle!)

...it said "make me proud again...to have someone love me...

so, out came the sandpaper & the paint (Of course, I was so quickly responding I didn't take pictures...there was a talking drawer front after all...)

I prepped the surface, touched up where I needed, flipped the drawer handle-upside-down (to create a holder for the chalk)...and then painted my design in chalk paint.

A few coats later, I added the lettering...just my own whimsical style...

...And then the drawer took on a whole new personality...one where little ones and big ones alike could memorize their verse, or simply write it up there to make them smile as a good reminder each morning

...and the chalk snuggled down in the hardware...waiting for next week's memory lesson...

...and life was good :-)

Sweet Dreams...or DIY ceiling jewelry!

2012-06-30T10:15:00.005-07:00

How to take your light from fab to fabulous...add a little jewel of an accessory to make your ceiling go from ho-hum to how did you do that?!!...

Do it yourself in an afternoon by decorating an inexpensive ceiling medallion from your home-improvement store...

To get this finish, you will need an aqua blue, a sandy beige, and a creamy white (or adjust to your decor)...Brush the blue into every crevice and curve of the medallion...do not be shy...just 'moosh' it in there...then loosely brush the beige around the rest of the surface...

When dry, use a big brush to drag light applications of the cream paint over each surface...applying until you are happy with the look...then let dry...

Use a bit of cream tinged with blue to letter out your phrase (this one was 'sweet dreams"...but it could be many things...even their monogram)

Once set, then go back over with a more visible blue application (I freehand my lettering for a more whimsical look, but you could use transfer paper or stencils too)

While the blue is still slightly wet, introduce highlights in the sandy color...

...allowing the paint to mix slightly for a dimensional look...

Then , pull back out the light cream/blue mixture you used to layout your lettering and add a few shadow and accent marks...

then stand back and admire your work...for your ceiling is calling you to get dressed...

Remove your light fixture to install (here is where I step back and let the experts (ahem...my husband) do their work...

Sweet dreams little one...

2012-06-30T09:05:00.000-07:00

Contemplating what to post today...or maybe just thinking about what to eat!

2012-06-06T21:13:00.002-07:00

This is my space...just mine...a little corner of my house (well, really a room over the garage) that I have claimed as my own...

My haven filled with fabrics and burlap and notions...

...where I can sit with only the noises of the yard below...(and of course the hum of the sewing machine!)

I have an art studio...a creative space that I have packed full of anything needed to spark creativity...paints and papers...canvases & palettes...stuff & stuff & more creative stuff (just shy of hoarding a little bit...but used daily to create!)...but here there is stillness...

And softness...creativity blooms more quietly here, perhaps muffled slightly by the shelves and shelves of pillow forms

And the history of this tiny room meets with the simpleness of my current favorite sewing medium, burlap...

for this is where the "help" would have rested their weary feet...this tiny room a flight of steep steps above the yard

oh the conversations that this room held, now wedged tightly among the beadboard paneling and tucked in the corners of the painted, peeling shelves...

What would they say when they saw me gleefully sewing the simplest of feed-sack-making- coffee-bean-holding fabric? Jotting notes for new designs and patterns...falling in love with the coarse and uneven texture of this lowly woven jute...

I think they would chuckle...and join me for a glass of ice water...and we would sit for just a moment listening to the sounds of the yard below...

...and then we would both get back to work again!

...check out what's been created lately in my little sewing room here...

and go find this fabulous Olympic giveaway Hosted by Hatingmartha of my pillows here...

http://www.hatingmartha.com/let-the-games-begin/

One, Two, Three...

2012-05-23T17:55:00.000-07:00

I recently had a pinterest party in the studio with one of my favorite canvas projects...the Numbers Canvas...

After modge-podging the backgrounds with old book pages...I took the ladies through how to compose the canvas...for each one was to be individualized to the artist's important numbers...

dates, birthdays, anniversaries, sports numbers, baby height & weight, etc...

(I loved this one...this young lady was in high school and put the jersey number of the cute boy on the baseball team...we all smiled wondering how long that number 4 would be on her canvas)...

Each ladies artwork became a personal original...full of memories, important times...happy days...

I can't wait for each one to tell their story...

...for it is all in the numbers!

Make Your Own Burlap Letter

2012-05-10T05:22:00.002-07:00

Make this easy Burlap latter to adorn your front door...

Use a styrofoam letter...

You can get this one of two ways...Painstakingly cut the letter out yourself from foam you have salvaged from your last appliance purchase packing...

...or purchase for a few dollars from an on-line cheerleading supply...

( I was cheering myself when I figured this out...thus the fabulous foam packing material remains intact now in the recycling bin)

Trace the letter reverse-facing onto the burlap...cutout and adhere to surface by brushing on DecoPage glue medium...

Cut out strips the width of your sides and apply the same way

There will be some raveling...but persevere on...we will cover that up soon...

Make sure to apply glue heavily in corners to prevent lifting

Take twine and measure out three strands 1 1/2 times the length of your perimeter

(you can break this up into smaller sections if need be)...

knot the ends of the three and begin to braid together until about 4" remains at the end...knot this end as well...

Then plug in the glue gun...

Make sure to run some hot glue at the end of each strand just before the knot...this will keep the strand from unraveling...

Trim the first knot off and adhere to edges using a hot glue gun (carefully)

Press down, meeting new strands together if broken into sections

Apply twine to the backside using glue or tacks and enjoy...

If you want to add the ruffle flower above...cut a 24" strip of burlap 5" wide...using floral wire, feed it down the center of the burlap strip like a running stitch...

Fold in half with wire edge in middle, gather onto the wire to ruffle and then roll up like a flower...

using extra wire on each edge...wire onto letter.

Strawberry Days

2012-05-07T18:00:00.001-07:00

The days of summer are peeking around the corner...nudging at spring...blustering about like a warm wind beginning to heat up to hotter temperatures...

and with those warmer breezes come baskets of strawberries from the U-Pick-It Farm...

...my oldest daughter and I took a break from school and work and the general bustle of the day to pick strawberries. These tiny little red bursts of sweetness filled out baskets, stained our hands and broadened our smiles...

because...

We knew we would be having a tasty bite of warm Whole Wheat Strawberry Breakfast Bread soon...

This bread is easy, filling, not too sweet, with just the right amount of brown sugar to crunch the outsides and enough whole wheat to sastify..

After taking out what I needed for several loaves of bread...I flash froze and sealed the rest...perfect to have on hand for bread later...

Sorting, nibbling, washing...

Then I gathered all the ingredients for this quick and easy recipe...

Whole Wheat Strawberry Breakfast Bread

2 1/3 cup whole wheat flour (I use soft white)
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
dash of salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/3 cups coconut oil (or applesauce)
4 eggs
2 cups fresh strawberries

Preheat oven to 350. Grease two loaf pans, set aside. Mix first six dry ingredients together in large bowl. In a separate bowl, beat together oil and eggs. Slowly pour wet ingredients into the dry, mixing gently until combined. Fold in strawberries.
Pour into pans, then into the oven for 40 minutes or until golden brown and knife inserted in middle is clean.

Yummmm....

Off to make more...we already ate it all!

International Pillow Fight Day!

2012-04-23T20:18:00.001-07:00

It was recently international pillow fight day in Berlin!... I think I will celebrate here :-) with the fabulous pillowpalooza party with Linda at It all Started with Paint ...

(I mean really...isn't that were all great stuff starts..with a little paint?!)

I have linked up a pillow from my Etsy site...so many fun ones there!

...SO hop on over...and let the feathers fly!

Where Life Happens...

2012-04-15T21:03:00.000-07:00

In honor of wonderful Judy I have pulled up a few "blast from the past" pictures of my home...

I laughed while going through these...

...so many things have changed in the rooms from these photos below...

...from new upholstery and counter tops...

...to vintage tile and kitchen updates...

...yet it is not the 'things' that have changed as much as my family...children added and children aged...dolls have given way to crushes...cribs passed to the next sibling...

What you see below are just still photos from a slice of my life

...but what isn't captured from picture to picture is the actual living that goes on here...

...leaf projects for biology class spread across the kitchen table...

...Pinterest creations started and waiting to be finished :-)...

...bags and uniforms and cleats in the halls to grab on the way to ball, or swim, or Mother's day out...

And then comes the occasional moment to sit, laugh and take in the whirlwind of life around me...

...and I am thankful for the love, the laughter, my God who has blessed me...

...and I smile...

A local magazine popped by to take a couple photos of our home one day...

(I say this as though it happens all the time...

*sigh*

...that would be nice...like weekly trips to the spa and daily massages...however...like both the spa and massage...it was a rare occurance)...

...my family room (the couch has since been recovered...and I have my grandmother's wonderful chairs in the dining room)...

...The winter scene from the dining room mural...it took me a night for each season...but that floor in the entryway took three weeks! Also...the chest is recycled from my oldest daughter's nursery

(here's a peek)...

...another garage sale re-do...and it is still holding strong!

A few house details...laughed when I saw this one...as I have changed many things in my home since these pictures

...like my backsplash and counter tops...

...the pictures above the sideboard...wait...I have even changed the sideboard!...

...maybe the nice photographer man will come back :-)...

A peek into the "man cave"... cosy, warm, and dark...the perfect place to snuggle in for a show...

My house is very quirky...there are stairs everywhere...this room is in the "new part of the house"

(it was only built in 1930)

this is a peek above the study...where my boys lay their heads tired from boy adventures involving trucks, trampolines and some sort of firefighter meets batman action...they toss their muddy shoes and shirts displaying hints of each days activity to the side and snuggle in...

..the greyhound were for my second child...child number three came into our family at seven months...just in time to use the bumpers as launching pads...so it looks a touch different now...

...and memories of my sweet girl...

...this was her rabbit "Emily Callison Caroline" that accompanied every outing, playdate and bedtime...now tucked away in a keepsake box...

Her bath cabinet has been replaced by a sleek white one...with traditional white hexagonal tiles on the floor...

just like the bunnies have given way to funky flowers and art projects galore...

...to skinny jeans and daisy chains...

and so much more in store...

...and I smile again :-)

How to Paint on Burlap

2012-04-13T04:12:00.001-07:00

Recently I was challenged to design an entire room using only elements from a charity yard sale...

This chair was already yearning to be so much more than it was...it was already trying to shed it's old vinyl...

You have to sand a little...

Then a little more...

then just a bit more...then paint...using a primer lightly in spots, then creamy paint...sand some more to distress...Then on to the fun...

tools: fabric paint, brush, chalk, stencils (if desired!), and patience...

Note...do not use a favorite brush for painting burlap...the fibers are hard on the bristles!

Layout your design using chalk

(that way you can just brush away any mistakes...wish I could do that with everything!)

...then paint away...I usually freehand most designs, as for the laurel wreath above

(I do trace my circles out ahead of time using proper artist equipment...such as paint can lids!)

...but for this project I needed to give it a "stamped sack feel"... so to the stencil drawer I went...

If using a stencil, simply pounce on the paint with a heavily loaded brush, being careful to not let the paint seep under stencil edges...

then let dry...this look lets the holes of the burlap shine through...adding a vintage feel...

For more fun with painted burlap...

Hop on over to Savvy Southern Style today to register for a giveaway of one of my handpainted pillows from my Etsy site made from old industrial bags (see the cool stitching!)

These are all hand-lettered, handpainted and fun to customize!

For more fun-to-win goodies...find out about Walk It, Pin It, Win It in a fun American Heart Association Pinterest contest (my younger sister Whitney is responsible for this cool contest!)

And since it is all about family...for general fun & laughter...you could also walk on over to my older sister KariAnne's farmhouse just down the road...

PoppyTalk ShopTalk

2012-04-08T21:33:00.003-07:00

Today...

...I am so excited! Poppytalk picked my artwork to showcase this month...

So the paintbrushes are moving..the paint is flowing...the burlap is flapping...

(okay so maybe there isn't any flapping of burlap...but I was swept up in the moment)...

So head over to the Poppytalk Handmade market and checkout all the cuteness there...

...and i am going to go make some burlap flap...

Fast & Easy Photo Transfer Blocks

2012-03-16T16:46:00.000-07:00

I am loving Pinterest SO much & have been excited to try out one of these transfer projects I have been pinning! There are so many so that I had to make an entire Pin board of them!...

To make this fast & easy photo transfer you need the following materials...

Gel Medium

(Liquitex Heavy Gloss is preferred, but any will do)

Blocks cut from scrap 2x4s

(If your house is like mine, there are always a couple lumber odd's and end's left over from projects!)

White acrylic paint

Sandpaper

Xerox copy sized to fit your block

(I have provided a free printable of my artwork for this project,

or use family photos or favorite pics from vacations)

Brushes, Warm water, ribbon & cup hook (if desired)

1. Cut your lumber to size (to fit approximately 3x5" photo)

Use the sandpaper to smooth rough edges & corners...

this is why my studio is so dusty all the time...look at the dust on the table!!)

Cut the Xerox to size, then coat the FRONT of the picture with gel medium, then adhere face down on the block, smoothing out any wrinkles or bubbles...then let dry around 3-4 hours...

When dry, wet the paper (The white will suddenly let the image come through when wet...and begin gently rubbing off the paper...

(she is showing a cute example of a family photo...see all the white flecks...keep rubbing...

Soon, after gently rubbing off the paper, the design will be left...Coat with more gel medium to add a gloss finish, or leave for a more vintage look...

Screw in the cup hook on the top & add a bit of ribbon for a finishing touch...

Feel free to use this design for personal use only...then send me pics of your own great projects!!

How a Painting Became a Coffee Table...

2012-03-14T12:29:00.000-07:00

Participating in a fundraiser for Easter seals allowed me to do all sorts of wonderful up-cycling of different elements and paint them together...like this old painting & luggage stand...

the luggage stand was in good condition, and I liked the finish, so I used it as the springboard for my design. It was brown with a black speckling...

SO I based coated the painting and frame a neutral brown (stony fields from Porter) , allowing to dry, then speckled with black...using an old paintbrush, watered down black paint (1 part water to 1 part paint) and my finger to move the bristles...

When dry, I taped of a one-inch 'frame' along the inside of the frame & painted chocolate brown, then allow to completely dry...

Then I used a walnut oil-based wood stain and glazed the surface two times to achieve a little depth...coated with poly...and...

Voila!

Place on top of luggage stand for an instant coffee table for the low, low garage sale price of a couple bucks (and some elbow grease!)

(Note the before tag...!)

Fly Away Birdies

2012-03-13T14:30:00.000-07:00

Fly away birdie...

This little birdie was found amongst the treasures at the Bargain Fair...

While he was a sweet little guy, he didn't match the room I was designing, but was the perfect size & shape to tuck in right by a flower-filled vase...

So I quickly cleaned him, placed him on a drop cloth, and sprayed him with magic white spray paint (really the greatest primer on the face of this earth, Kilz)...

I let dry, then sanded him all over with steel wool...this burnishes the flat primer surface, and gives a great aged look by creating 'scratches' and subtle highlights. I also wanted to uncover a touch of color here and then on him to make him the perfect accent...voila!

Note: on larger pieces, you might want to top the Kilz with a light spray of white spray paint to give your surface a play of gloss and flat as well.)

Trash to Treasure

2012-03-12T06:42:00.002-07:00

Recently a local yard sale charity event, Bargain Fair,

enlisted several designers & artists to create rooms from items donated for the fundraiser...

As designers, we were allowed to have first peek at all the goodies

(my favorite at any yard sale!!)

...and then create to our hearts content...

As it was incredibly crowded during the event, and as there were lots of questions

of how I created the pieces in the room above,

I am going to go through the process of each piece this week...

So stay tuned...

Pinterest Parties

2012-03-04T12:55:00.003-08:00

My Pinterest addiction is being filled with these fun parties!

(along with countless hours of pinning all these amazing ideas on the web!)

Great gals, great projects, great fun!

Come out and get your creativity on each Thursday night if you are in the area!

Pinterest Parties...

2012-02-14T05:13:00.001-08:00

Do you like fun...?

Starting this Thursday evening 6-8...drop in for a creating party!
All sorts of projects, all sorts of ages, all sorts of pinterest = lots of creative fun!
Check out all the info here or at www.kijsa.com

Children Should Be Seen in Fabulous Spaces

2012-02-01T19:34:00.000-08:00

Children should be seen in fabulous spaces...

image via Pinterest

Love, love, love beautiful children's rooms...both simple and elaborate...brimming with personality and promise (above is one I painted for a client/friend)...

I am in love with the room below...both young and grown up at the same time!

image via Pinterest

Below are a few different room details that I have painted for clients...

From "All Things Bright & Beautiful"...

To sleeping where the monkeys play...

...& there's a Rumble in the Jungle...

To my baby girl's first nursery...

...so many fun ideas...the possibilities for fun and creativity in children's room are endless...have fun...revisit your childhood!

..."and the cow jumps over the moon"...

Paper Trail

2012-01-25T05:32:00.000-08:00

My sister Whitney & I went to Scotland last week to surprise our brother during his PhD defense at ST. Andrews. We had an adventurous day to ourselves that found us in search of the amazing mysterious Edinburgh Paper Sculptures...

These amazing little book sculptures have been appearing anonymously at historic and literary sites throughout the city this past year...

My pictures were taken on the fly (literally!)...there are much better pics and the full story HERE...but for a quick peek...This is the T-rex found at the Scottish History Museum...

The Magnifying glass found...

at the Central Library...

the story-telling book sculpture at the Writers' Museum...

The hatching dinosaur...

at the Scottish Storytelling Center (just an aside...I love that they have a storytelling center!)

This amazing tree that started it all...

at the Scottish Poetry Museum...

& the last one that appeared...

at the same place...

The forest for the trees book...

and the over-flowing tea-cup that appeared at the Edinburg International book festival...

A big thank you to all that helped in our paper trail scavenger hunt...

Amazing little works of art that took us to all sorts of wonderful places & people...a good time for the memory books...

This Year...

2011-12-19T20:30:00.000-08:00

It has been one year...365 days...12 full rotations of the moon

(here I am just guessing, but it sounded good!)...

My year of joy, of survival, of change and redefining myself...

In short...one of the best years of my life!

I have been given so many gifts and blessings...

...and have been learning to count each one of them.

In doing so, I find that many things I once esteemed seem very small when compared to the weight of appreciation for all the blessed moments that I used to miss...

I have been able to encircle myself with friends worth more than a ransom of gold...

I have been able to watch my daughter bloom and grow...having the opportunity to get to know her as the amazing young adult she is becoming...trying to learn how to balance control & freedom...

I have seen my middle son walk bravely up the 24 school steps to a new first grade and step inside...

and graduate in three months from the squeaky wheels of a scratched, yet still smiling, blue train to wielding light sabers and telling me of dark knights and battles...

I have held my baby during sleepless nights, wondering if his birth mother across the world knows that he is loved...that kisses are showered upon him...hugs freely given... and that he is an active toddler with a grin that will open many doors for him in his future...

I stand in amazement...remembering a time over a dozen years ago, crying out in desperation from a pile on my kitchen floor for the children that seemed to ellude us...the three children we yearned for...then to have even one seemed out of our grasp and ability...yet God was faithful...and good...and generous beyond belief...

and my husband...my darling husband of almost twenty years...kindness, gentleness, patience... I could write every one on that list from Galatians...love being at the top...

...this has been the year of reflection...of trying to cook more and eat less...of filling shelves with organic and wheat and local... and pinching pennies when I must...of trying to smile more and complain less...of being grateful for my health...and trying to remember to do what I need to keep it...

I have life, I have love, I have food, shelter & heat, I have messy floors and smudged windows, I have paint on my clothes, and the desire to create, I have, I have, I have, I have...

I have a most high & Holy God who has blessed me beyond belief...

that is what my year has been...

Pillows

2011-12-16T20:17:00.000-08:00

Pillows, pillows, pillows....

Just a small sampling of all the fun I have been having painting on burlap...

a stitch here, a stitch there...

a monogram here, a name there...

and even words I need to live by....

Lettering

2011-12-15T20:23:00.000-08:00

This year my brush seems to want to paint words...

Words to celebrate and be with those you hold dear...

Words to affect your mood & bring cheer...

Words to tell, talk & remind...

Words to be merry...

& words to be kind.