Drawing to the Music

I often play music when I draw (or paint or write or do housework) - do you? Or do you do better with it quiet? Well today, I have Michael Buble on my player and I do believe I can draw better while he sings :o). Now if I could just stop getting up and dancing every other song, I might actually accomplish some things...

So here's a little serenade for whatever you are doing right now - I guarantee it'll make it go smoooother...

Enjoy!

______________________________

PS friends...I am still here, it is still oppressively hot in Houston, and I am still drawing and designing non-stop, trying to get a whole new set of products ready to debut for the Fall. I really appreciate you stopping by to see what I'm up to and check in on me! Hang on with me just a bit longer until I can debut some really fun stuff! It won't be long now...

"He has made everything beautiful in its time..."

Ecclesiastes 3:11

You just have to laugh...

When it's 104 degrees outside, and you're a heatwave hostage, you just have to laugh...and color! Feel free to grab my little coloring page as my gift to you for your personal use - and get coloring before your crayons melt! 

(click the image, then right click and "Save As" - then just print and enjoy!)

I'm sorry I have been away from the blog for so long - I was out of town at a women's conference most of last week (connecting with old friends from Colorado) and I have been working on a licensing project and a blog design project...plus I have been working on a grown up girl coloring book idea (the coloring sheet is from that project). If you enjoy coloring, I'd love to hear from you. I find it very relaxing...do you? Anyway, look for more from me on the coloring book project soon!

Thanks for hanging in there with me...I just didn't want to let one more day without stopping to say hi! Stay cool friends - we'll chat again real soon!

Savor the Summer!

It's the weekend - what'cha got planned?

Will you play in the water, 

or play in the sand...?

Or lie in meadow, gazing at the sky

pretending you're a butterfly, flying up high...?

Will you open a paint box

and make a glorious mess...?

Or color outside the lines

without one ounce of stress...?

Will you scale the highest mountains,

or climb the tallest trees...?

Or fly to the farthest planets,

or sail the seven seas...?

Will you dance with abandon,

and skip as you go...?

Or catch fireflies just after

the sun's final glow...?

Will you rejoice in each day,

let your imagination run wild, 

and savor your Summer

like you did as a child...?

But Jesus said, "Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! 

For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children."

In Class

Hi everybody!  I'm taking an online class this week that has been awesome so far. It's all about creating multiple revenue streams from your art/crafting/creative endeavors, and it has been so inspiring! I am already loaded up with ideas for new art adventures (and revamping existing ones). The course is about so much more than revenue generation though - we have a vibrant, creative, supportive group and and active message board/interaction - the brainstorming and sharing has been wonderful. And Laura Bray, the course developer and leader, and the specialists she lined up to share with us have all been fabulous!!

BTW, I found out about two new-to-me blog sites that I have added to my right sidebar - you might want to check them out and perhaps get added to their directories...

Faithful Bloggers

and

ArtSee Bloggers

Just more great resources for connecting! 

I'm looking forward to sharing some of my new plans with you after class!! Have a great, creative week!!

A Pinterest Flea Market

source: http://thewillowshomeandgarden.blogspot.com/2011/02/first-friday-flea-markets.html

Happy Friday friends! I thought it would be fun to do a little Pinterest "shopping" today and share some of my fun "finds"! Since I don't do too much garage saling these days, this helps a bit to get my junk "fix"...

CUTE pink Pyrex

source: http://www.etsy.com/listing/63421088/holiday-sale-vintage-pyrex-pink

Awesome vintage tablecloths!

source: http://alovelymorning.blogspot.com/2009/06/tablecloths-advice.html

Gorgeous china plates!

source: http://itsybitsyvintage.blogspot.com/p/gallery.html

LOVE vintage buttons...but ones one cards are even better!

source: http://teaforjoy.blogspot.com/2009/09/five-friday-faves_09.html

Really, can you ever have too many vintage hankies?

source: http://justbeenme.blogspot.com/2011/04/round-top-report-part-2-shopping.html

Can't pass up doilies - hopelessly addicted!

source: http://soandsewproductions.blogspot.com/2010/08/doilies-doilies-everywhere.html

A glorious tangled pile of lace and trims - one of my favorite things to do when I get a pile of lace like this at a garage sale or flea market is to slowly go through the whole pile and wind each separate trim onto a card or just pin it into a loop...very relaxing...

source: http://caleenrae.blogspot.com/2009/04/i-love-lace.html

OK, the back of my Jeep is full, so I'd better head home...thanks for Pinterest-junking with me today! C'mon and follow the fun with me over at Pinterest!!

Have a great weekend friends!!

Land of the Free!

Happy Birthday America, 

land that I love!!

Have a wonderful holiday dear friends and fellow Americans! 

May God continue to bless this wonderful land of ours!

Dog Days of Summer: Louisiana Trip

On Father's Day weekend we took a trip to Louisiana to spend time with hubby's wonderful kids, grands, and great-grand. We were also there to celebrate his two oldest daughters' birthdays, which are one day apart...

We had a wonderful time, as always! Here's a few shots of the day - you can probably feel the heat and humidity from the photos; what a sweltering day...

Here's little Addie, the great-grand - hard to believe she is almost two already!

and here's Hope...almost 4!!

Addie with her Daddy, hubby's oldest grandson...

Jill and Hope

Hope's brother Kane, keeping cool on the homemade slip and slide...

We always hate to leave the kiddos...they grow up so fast and we miss them so much! 

Hope you are enjoying your summer - any fun plans for the 4th? Fireworks are banned here because of the extreme fire danger, and it was a BBQ pit that started the fire that burned 5000 acres just a few miles north of us, so we won't be cooking out either. I guess we'll just be celebrating in spirit...

Hugs & Blessings y'all! Stay cool!

Don't Worry...Pray!

(click image to enlarge)

Many thanks friends for your prayers as the Dyer Mill wildfire burned a few miles north of our home near Plantersville, TX. I am happy to report that we had a glorious, slow moving, soaking rain yesterday (first one in months) which helped the fire situation immensely. Though the fire is 75% contained now, there are still trouble spots, but we are in much better shape overall and breathing a sigh of relief!

So, I thought it would be good to create a little word art poster with one of my favorite verses, 

Philippians 4: 6-7 from the Message translation to emphasize the importance of praying instead of worrying. I hope you can apply the truth of this encouraging passage to whatever worrisome situation you may be facing today...

Hugs all around, and thanks again!

The Heat is On!

Welcome Summer (I think....)

Well, I don't want to sound too chipper at the official arrival of Summer, because here in Texas, the heat is already on, and has been for quite a while now. We are in a severe drought and high 90s/100 degree temperatures show little sign of moderating any time soon. Oh, and those Texas wildfires you may have seen on the news, well one of the largest ones is burning just a few miles north of our home near Plantersville. Scary stuff - many have had to be evacuated - 30 or so families have already lost their homes, and over 4000 acres have already been burned, and the fire is only about 20% contained. Our beautiful woodsy area is like a huge tinder box after months without any appreciable rain, so we are on pins and needles as we watch the wind direction, watch the weather, and pray for rain and protection. We are fine here so far - the wind from the south is keeping the flames to the north of us, but we are prepared to act fast if needed...

The forecast does call for scattered rain showers today and tomorrow, so that's some welcome news.

 Thanks for your thoughts and prayers for us here in Texas and throughout the dry Southwest...I know some of you blog buddies up in the Northwest and in the Midwest would gladly share some of your rain with us!  :o)

Hugs and Blessings to all my friends across the country and around the world - seems as though few of us are NOT touched by some sort of natural disaster or another. But take heart...there is hope...always hope...

"When you go through deep waters, 

I will be with you. 

When you go through rivers of difficulty, 

you will not drown. 

When you walk through the fire of oppression, 

you will not be burned up; 

the flames will not consume you.

Isaiah 43:2

Father's Day Freebie(s)!

In celebration of Father's Day this weekend, I designed this word art based on Psalm 112:1-9, which is full of beautiful promises for the important dads in your life. It is my gift to you for your personal use, and I hope you will use it as a blessing. It would be great to use for card-making or as a simple piece of framed art. Feel free to pass it along on your blog or Facebook page too. Simply right click the image and save to your hard drive.

Speaking of freebies and Father's Day, Casting Crowns is debuting their latest  *amazing* music video titled "Courageous", which is the title song for the new movie "Courageous" premiering in theaters September. (This movie is made by the creators of "Fireproof" so it is sure to be awesome!) The message in the song is custom made for dads. If you go to this link on God Tube, you'll also see a link to get a free download of the song "Courageous" - it would be a great, free gift for Dad!  When you view the music video, after the song ends it plays a short trailer for the movie - it looks really good...

Enjoy your Father's Day celebrations this weekend - and hug those awesome Dads in your life! We are heading off to Louisiana to see all of sweet hubby's kids and grands - perfect Father's Day gift!

Family Health Update

Well y'all, I've been going through what seems to be an endless revolving hospital door these past few weeks as I've visited one family member after another. I have a quiet moment at home now, so I thought I would give you a quick update...

First was my dear Mother-in-law who broke her pelvis and hip a few weeks ago. She is walking well with a walker now and was recently moved from the hospital to a nursing facility for a bit more rehab. Hopefully she will be back in her lovely little assisted living apartment later in the month. She is blessed...

Next was my Mom, who, one week after my MIL's fall, took an ambulance ride to the emergency room for near fainting and a high temperature and was admitted to the hospital overnight for observation. Thankfully her issue was swiftly determined to be thyroid related and has been corrected with thyroid medication. She's doing just fine...praise the Lord!

But alas, my Dad has now joined the ranks of the hospitalized. He was admitted this Tuesday for what was supposed to be a day and an overnight stay for tests related to some breathing problems he'd been having. But Tuesday to Wednesday has now turned into Friday to Saturday and maybe beyond, as now they cannot seem to keep his blood pressure under control. Most all of the many, many tests have shown good results, but if the blood pressure problems persist they are likely to do a heart catheterization to better determine blood flow and test how well the heart is pumping....
so...plenty to pray about. Poor Daddy - he is so tired of being there. Poor Mom, so is she...

Hubby and I have been camped out at Mom and Dad's since Tuesday and I've been with Mom at the hospital and also at her house taking care of this and that while hubby was at work. We came home to our house tonight to take care of things here tomorrow, and we will await the latest updates from the cardiologist and other various specialists...your prayers are greatly appreciated.

So, that's what's been going on around here. I'll keep you updated as I know anything definitive...
Thanks friends!

Happy Donut Day!

National Donut Day 2011!!

Yes folks, today is National Donut Day in America! It's true! National Donut Day was started in 1938 by the Salvation Army to honor the women who served donuts to soldiers during WWI.

So, who am I to scoff at such a renowned holiday with such noble beginnings? No, I will embrace National Donut Day and celebrate it with all the revelry and donut consuming that the day affords! 

Who's with me!!??

What's your favorite donut? Plain glazed (yep, that's mine), cake, powdered sugar, chocolate, donut holes, fancy eclairs, what? Do tell...and go out and have one of your favorites in honor of those awesome donut-serving women and their selfless acts on behalf of the troops!!

:o)

We Remember

Happy Memorial Day!

Blessings to all our brave service men and women
 who paid the ultimate price for our freedom...

______________________________

I hope you enjoy a lovely day with your family and friends. We'll be hanging out at my Mom and Dad's house later today...we're just going to have a laid back kinda day....sounds nice.

Hugs to you all!!

Flexibility and Frogs

As I sit here on a warm, sunny Sunday afternoon, I'm reflecting on yet another week that has flown by, and the word that keeps going through my head is "Flexibility". It is definitely a word that applies to my week...hang in there, it's a bit of a long story....

After visiting with my Mother-in-Law at the hospital last Sunday (she's doing very well after hip surgery and should be back home in a week), it was MY Mom's turn to go to the hospital on Monday night...! She is just fine now (had a bit of thyroid trouble that caused her to almost pass out), but it is always a scary thing to ride in an ambulance to the ER and be admitted for overnight observation...bless her heart. We are so grateful that everything is fine, she checked out OK, is taking her thyroid medication, and she is much, much better! Her "adventure" is yet another reminder of the fragility of life and the way things can and often do change in a mere moment...

I was so grateful that I had the flexibility to be there with Mom early the next morning (my brother and sister-in-law were there Monday evening when she went in). It was great to sit and visit with her until the afternoon when she was released. It was a very sweet time as we talked and talked, which is our favorite thing to do, pondering who would be voted off of Dancing with the Stars and American Idol as well as the mysteries of life, the joys and frustrations of family, and the goodness of God. My husband and I spent the night with Mom and Dad Tuesday night just to make sure all was well, and once again, I was so glad we had the flexibility to do that. 

I went home Wednesday afternoon, and went right back to Mom's Thursday to drive her and Dad to Beaumont for the day for a previously planned visit with my aunt (Mom's younger sister) who is battling brain cancer and recovering from her own hip surgery. Another of my Mom's sisters and both my uncles were there too. It was a wonderful visit full of hugs and laughs, deluxe chicken salad sandwiches, and more talking and talking (it was fun to hear my uncles who are in their 60's weigh in on Dancing With the Stars and American Idol too!! :o) As we were driving home, we were again so grateful for flexibility. My Mom wants to visit with her sister and all her family as often as possible...because life is fragile, and moments are precious...lessons brought home again and again this week...

We spent another night with Mom and Dad Thursday night, (and watched American Idol results together of course, which was fun) and I planned to go home Friday morning and start searching Craigslist for a good used washing machine - seems the one at the home we rent to our tenants stopped working. But, Mom and Dad and I agreed to go to a quick garage sale (or 2) Friday morning before I left. While I was getting ready that morning, I felt the Lord impress on my heart that I would find a good washing machine at a garage sale, pay X amount for it, drive to our house, get our truck, bring it back to Mom's, and have my hubby come to Mom's after he gets off, and we would go together to pick up the washing machine and bring it to the rent house and hook it up. He laid out the plan for the whole day! 

So, sure enough, at about the third garage sale we went to we asked if they had a washer for sale, and what do you know, they had one in the garage that they hadn't set out yet...it was only 3 years old, a Whirlpool, worked great, and they wanted X for it, exactly the amount the Lord told me, oh, and I had that much cash on me too. The woman I bought it from (who was also a Believer!) said her husband would be home at 6pm to help us load it, so, I went and got the truck and hubby and I picked up the washer after his work and installed it at the rent house, and it worked great - all as the Lord said!!

No, this past week did NOT go as I had planned...not by a long shot. But, the Lord knew what the week would hold, and He set everything up so that I would be able to flow with everything that happened. He's so very good...

So, why the frogs...??

To remind us to Fully Rely On God....instead of on our own understanding. We have precious little control over our circumstances, but we can TRUST in the One who sees the whole picture...

Here's verse five as well as verse six in The Message version...how very appropriate for my week...for my life...for all our lives...

"Trust God from the bottom of your heart;
   don't try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;
   he's the one who will keep you on track."

Proverbs 3:5-6 (The Message)

I have no clue what this week will hold...but I know the One who holds Me...and that's really all I need to know.... Have a blessed week in Him friends!

Another Week Gone: The Recap

Hey y'all! Another week has flown by and I haven't stopped to blog about all that's going on. It's late, so I'll boil my recap down to bullet points:

• My mother-in-law fell and fractured her pelvis and hip this past Sunday the 8th (Mother's Day, bless her heart). She had surgery and is doing remarkable well...already doing minimal walking on her own, praise the Lord!!

(Johnny and his Mom from Easter 2008)

• Got word from Universal Designs Inc. who license designs from me, that they are licensing 2 seasonal collections of mine for 2012! I am so excited - I love their seasonal products and matching displays!
• After 2 days of being at the hospital with my Mother-in-law, I returned to my computer to prepare all the files for Universal and make a few other requested designs. All done now, whew! It feels good to have it all finished!
• Worked to create a new art site (made one on Blogger that's easy to update with new designs). Sent out numerous licensing inquiries/links to art directors through email and regular mail in hopes of landing more licensing gigs!
• We FINALLY got rain!!! I know for many of you, you can't think of anything you'd like having less than more rain, but we have been (still are) in severe drought, so the soaking we got yesterday was a welcome delight!
• If you haven't tried Pinterest, you gotta try it!!  If you love clipping beautiful images from a magazine and pinning them to an inspiration board or collecting them in a notebook, then you'll love Pinterest - the digital way to "pin" photos to your own virtual inspiration boards! Caution - it's highly addictive!

OK, that's my quick update - sorry for being out of pocket for so long. I really appreciate your understanding...

Enjoy the wonderful weekend that the Lord has handcrafted for you!!