Thursday, June 30, 2011

forever friends

I recently hosted a little get together for friends from high school.
one is now across the country.
Her visit with her three kids prompted us to all reconnect.
Even though miles and years sometimes separate us.
We will be forever friends.
And it was such a nice way to kick off the summer.

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

picture me {im}perfectly: stuck


I get stuck.

Stuck at the computer.


Stuck looking up this and that.


Recipes, tiles, party ideas.


Researching and side-tracking.


Some are necessary, some are just fun.


But there really are a million things


I need to accomplish.


And accomplish quickly.


My kids are in VBS for three short hours this morning.


There are beds to be made, dishes to put away,


appointments to follow up on and schedule,


lunches to be packed.


But I get stuck here.


Sometimes I literally have to tell myself.

GET UP!

I also get stuck with a fear of messing up.
I have these pillows I want to make.


I now have the fabric.  


It's a beautifully rich velvet design and color.


I just fell in love.


The scissors are waiting.


But I'm stuck because I don't want to

mess up.

It's a frustrating trait of mine.


Typically once I jump in, it all works out.


But it's that fear of messing up that can


make me freeze.


It's the zipper.


I haven't done one since I was pregnant with my first.


Back then time was limitless and my nesting out of control.


Today, free time is minimal.


So I must get un-stuck.



Tuesday, June 28, 2011

scrumptious

This little guy took me out of my comfort zone.
He was well worth it.
And so was my sister.
I flew to New York for a week and just returned late Sunday night.
To cuddle this little bundle and help my sis, the most relaxed first time mom I think I've ever seen.
But she had lots of practice as an Aunt and was well prepared for the realities of new mommyhood.
It helps that he's a dream sleeper and a pretty mellow baby.
I love being an Aunt and will miss seeing him and his mom daily.
Aren't these photos to die for!

Sunday, June 19, 2011

The Dolphin Girl

I've had some requests to make her blonde... so here she is!  You can find her in the shop now.

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Present



My word for the year.


PRESENT.


Being present in the moment, thinking of the present, not yesterday or tomorrow, seeing even the difficult as a present, a gift, that the Lord's hand is upon.


It's nearly the half way mark and we're challenged to check in on our word, how it has changed us, how we've practiced it and how we might want to try to live it out more effectively.


The biggest change for me this year has been practicing not letting the past affect today.


I've had some big things in my past haunt me and I tell you I'm bound and determined to close the door, to not ruminate, to not let those things seep into the beauty of today.  It takes such mental practice to stop the thoughts right in their tracks, to stop the enemy from robbing joy.  It is getting easier and I know the Lord is growing me up in this way.  I'm so grateful and it makes me feel stronger in my faith, seeing that it really works.


"We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."
2 Corinthians 10:5


This goes for the future as well.  In January I wrote that I was so excited to see the plans the Lord has set out for this year.   It hasn't been as smooth as I would have liked.  We began, just days into the new year with the unexpected death of our 11-year-old four legged baby Bella.  And much of this year has been sprinkled with discovering developmental delays and learning challenges for one of our children.  They're subtle, but still it's affecting a lot of decisions for the future for our whole family.  I haven't written about it here, but it has been heavy on my mind and prayer life.  In this process of evaulations and assessments and suggestions from experts there are words thrown out and diagnosis that sometimes sound so negative for a girl like me who can start spinning.  But I am trusting the Lord has His hand upon this as well.


Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
Luke 12:7


It takes practice to rest in Him, to rest in His peace, to just rest in the PRESENT.  I haven't been very good at this in my life.  But in the past couple of years, He's teaching me.  So often we don't learn when it's easy do we?  It takes practice and we're given circumstances to practice.  Seeing the blessing in the circumstances is changing me.
I was thinking the other day in terms of general sadness over life circumstances, not the big things, but the little things that sort of bum you out.  And I know we all know this, but it was like the Lord took me by the shoulders and reminded me that I have him within me, He is a part of me and that is just so, so amazing and reason to rejoice from the mountain tops.  If I have Him by my side, walking through all of this with me, why in the world am I letting these petty things that are going to be a blip on the map of my life bring me down.  Really.  Think of the amazing gift you've been given of knowing Him and calling Him friend.  Snapped me out of my mood I tell you.


I think the best part of practicing being PRESENT is I'm learning to lean on God.  Really, truly, know He's in control.


It's so easy to say it, but to feel it.  That has been a struggle for me for years.


One of the biggest ways I wanted to practice being PRESENT is with my family.  I have mourned over the fact that it felt like those newborn years would be here forever and suddenly they're gone.  We're in a new phase of life of school and schedules, practices and lots of miles on the road.  I yearn for those simple days of naps and park outings and mommy and me music classes.  But you know, I totally acknowledge that those days had challenges of their own and I didn't always find them blissful the way I reminisce about them today.


I know that one day I'll look back on today and all this craziness and be reminiscent wishing it hadn't flown by so quickly.  I'm realizing the only way to not look back and feel remorse about the days gone by is to really truly be present with my kids, to soak in all the little stories and joys and outings and miles on the road to and from school and schedules.  
I will miss this one day.  So I want to lock it in my mind, in my memory by being present, really truly present.  And I want my kids to know I cared about the little details of their lives, I wasn't just shuttling from one thing to another in a hurry to check off our to do list.  I want to be a part of their world, of their lives, their little moments.
I want to feel the moment.  Do you know what I mean?  The way you remember the smell of your newborn's skin, the softness of their fuzzy hair.  Each and every phase has it's own visceral memories.  If I'm present today, I'll have them to hold onto forever.
el capitan july 2008
I still need to work on being even more present when I'm making dinner and they want me to come see something or when I need to answer a call or an email and a little one is tugging at my arm.  It's all about balance isn't it?  Some things are urgent, but a lot aren't.  
This is where I've made an intentional effort to be more selfless.
Sometimes it's hard though.  I'll feel just plain tired.  But I'm aware of that nudging from the Holy Spirit to get up, to push past my tiredness for them, so they know I truly care about their cares.


These are the little things that matter to them. This is what makes them feel loved and how I can build them up.  And I can't get this present back.


I'm seeing more and more the present of my husband.  How grateful I am for him and how much I need to treasure our moments together as the gift they are and let him know how much I treasure him.  We're in such a good place of truly being friends and partners leading our little ones to know and love the Lord and growing up our family prayerfully to glorify Him.  I feel the Lord so strongly in his life as the leader of our home and and sense how He has knit us together stronger than we were before.
I have one more take on being present and it should have been first, it certainly is foremost in my life.  To be present with God.  To focus in my prayer and quiet time, to talk to him as the friend He is.  To be present with him all throughout my day and to talk freely about Him to others when the opportunity arises. 
A verse that has been coming to me time and again especially in regards to the future is:


"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."
Matthew 6:33

When I start to veer from being present, to thinking about the past or worrying about the future I think of Him and I think of how He works all things for good.  I've seen it happen, so who am I to doubt.  When I start to let the worry or anxiety creep in I have to stop and remember all I have to do is seek after Him.  He's there, He knows.  And it's ok, for me to not understand.  All I need to do is trust.





Wednesday, June 8, 2011

blissful

I'm quickly writing to share this
blissful scene
blissful blog
blissful shop
blissful giveway!
hope you're all doing well.

Monday, June 6, 2011

11 x 14 prints

Here's a trio of 11x14 prints.  
I was recently asked by a customer if I could do this.  I said yes, and now they're available in the etsy shop.  
They're printed on Hahnemuhle fine art museum etching paper using archival epson inks.  
I love how they look lined up together 
ready to be shipped and can't wait to see them 
framed on her daughter's wall!
p.s. that's a little glimpse of my creative space.  Because it's in a hallway double closet I can't get back far enough with my camera to give you a good wide look at it.  But I'm hoping soon to reveal some of the details.  I'm loving it, not quite completely using it to the degree I'd like, but soon enough.
OH and another p.s. My little sister is in labor as I type.  I'm so excited to become an Aunt.  If you're reading send out a prayer for her and the baby!

Sunday, June 5, 2011

Canvas Art


I wanted to share.. a customer recently asked if she could have me produce my prints onto canvas so they could be ready to hang.  She wanted both of the Armor of God Warrior girls, but with the different skin/hair colors because she said each one looked like each of her daughters.
These are 8x10 canvas prints.  
If you're interested in more information, 
send me a 'covo' through etsy.
www.willowofwonder.etsy.com