I got a bracelet for Christmas.

I've been wanting to get a tattoo for years, but couldn't find artwork that I could commit to. I'd had a friend once that had a Bible verse tattoed on her wrist as a bracelet. It seemed to me a beautiful way for her to remind herself of something dear to her. A few months ago, I realized how much I needed to be in a constant state of remembering the verses in Romans 8. All

through the AJ situation, I leaned on the verses in Romans 8 - reminding myself that there is nothing that can separate us, me, AJ, my family, my marriage - from the love of God.

In designing the tattoo - I went through hundreds of fonts, found what I was looking for and left it in the artistic hands of a great tattoo artist that my sis and brother in law know. He embellished it to the point that I felt it was more beautiful even than what I'd come up with.

Jay came with me and helped me process the whole event, artwork, commitment and even my ability to describe to others WHY I'd gotten it. I chose these words for their many beautiful layers. For what they mean to me not only in faith, but in my commitments to my own family.

And then I got it. Not really painful, it looks like a filigree bracelet circling my wrist. It took about an hour to finish... and both Jay and I really love it.

Romans 8:38-39 For I am certain that nothing can separate us from his love; neither death nor life, neither angels nor other heavenly rulers or powers, neither the present nor the future, neither the world above nor the world below – there is nothing in all creation that will ever be able to separate us from the love of God which is ours through Christ Jesus our Lord.(Good News Bible)

January sunset

Seems like every January we have one day where the weather is warm enough for a sunset trek to the beach. This is what really stirs J's soul, so we do what we can to make this happen when we can. Daddy loves taking photos of the kids in the water at sunset, low tide in that low cool winter light. Winter is my favorite time at the beach, so I'm happy to oblige, even more than in the summer.
Tonight promises a great sunset... And these are just my phone pics. Wait till you see his!

New years... While they were sleeping

My kids were asleep for New Years, so I was busy instigating my nieces
and their friend to a little dancing madness. (well that and a little
Vintage Maker app on my phone)
Here is a little happiness to start off 2010.

Another body to clothe

The Design Director got an American Girl doll from her grandparents for Christmas. Which means we now have another body to clothe around here... And since I'm unwilling to pay more to clothe a doll than I use for myself, she's now getting handmade stuff as well. As an incentive to practice reading, Mimi now has a little chart. She read 10 books aloud to earn mittens for Kit this week. So here they are. She was so excited about them tonight that she almost couldn't go to sleep.

The cowl

Just realized the last post didn't have a good angle of the cowl. Here you go.
If you are a knitter... Easy recipe... 2 thick yarns used together as one. Thick needles. Knit in the round to measurement. (mine were on size 15 needles with 60 stitches around). K2, P2 for 6 rows at the bottom, knit to desired height then K2, P2 6 more rows. All done!

Green and red

Well, I couldn't find a way to post this without putting my face in, so please bear with the huge pic of my face. (have i mentioned how weird i feel about pics of myself? Let alone my huge face?) The intention was to show you my new Christmas gifts (the earrings and crocheted hat) with my most recently completed knitting project, the cowl. Why have I not knitted a cowl before? I love knitting in the round and with size 15 needles and two yarns at once, this thing was FAST! I'm also finding that a cowl is the perfect scarf to wear inside my freezing house. (subtract the earrings and this is how I looked in my house last night... Same pajama top and all)
The earrings were a gift from J's mom. They were made by a friend of hers in Beverly Hills that sells to Bloomies and Anthropologie. (I'll find out her name). They are a little heavy, but SO super pretty, eh? And the hat was an etsy gift. (When Ze Artiste saw it, he said, "momma, you used to have a blue one like that hat.") right-eo little buddy... Momma loves hats! And earrings. And scarves. Oh darn, I just love accessories in general... And I haven't even told you how much
I've fallen in love with fingerless gloves this winter, have I?

Ps. Green and red will continue to be put together LONG after the holidays are over. My two favorite colors? They have to work outside of December... Blast all convention...

Now that Christmas is over

Lest you think I'm not into sewing anymore... Tonight the sewing machines came out again. Believe it or not, J has been telling me I should get back to sewing, knowing I do so much better with that outlet. But sewing was sadly on the back burner this past month as I cranked through all my other Christmas crafts/gifts. And tonight's inspiration came from the fact that I gave my only French press cozy to my mom on Christmas day, as we discussed how the only bummer about FP coffee is it's rapid temperature decline. I switched into sales mode right there, "but Mom, you have to try my French press cozy! Combined with my tea cozy, it keeps my coffee hot
as long as I need to until my next cup! Here, have mine!" (mild objections from J in the background...) uh oh. Now I need to make one for us again.
So there's nothing like the threat of cold coffee to get a gal motivated. And out popped a few French press cozies... Oh, and then I needed a covering cozy that didn't say "TEA" on it... So now I've got a new match set in this awesome green "nest" print by Moda. (I've been saving this fabric for something for months. I'm thrilled to find a use for it where I get to enjoy it daily)
So now that Mom has my wraparound cozy, maybe she needs a covering cozy too, to complete the set? And since Dad drinks tea and Mom drinks coffee... Well what word works for both? (smile) "HOT"
I love it.
Mom, look what you get when we come to your place tomorrow!

Merry Blueberry morning

Want to know what we are eating this lovely Christmas AM? Check a few blog entries back for the recipe. Yum.

Merry Christmas to you. You're Awesome

When I look back over this year and I think about what things were bitter and which were sweet, I think of my blog as a sweet thing. It's been a sweet place for me to write and put things out there, artwork, ideas, acomplishments, inspirations... and you've all been sweet enough and lovely enough to read and comment, and encourage me. You've virtually embraced our life and it's so sweet to feel appreciated! I actually have a number of new friends because of my blog and I am truly thankful for you!
I hope and pray this holiday season is blessed for you. May these next few days be precious and sweet. I am so happy to have this blog and to have you as readers.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!


(photos taken by my special pal, Christy... who is celebrating much this Christmas herself.)

and one more for the road.... taken the other night at The Grove while we waited for it to snow, like, uh, L.A. style. (i.e. soap bubbles from the sky with lots of music.)

Print that image

I recently was asked to print up some copies of my recent collages. Which is funny, considering that when I use glue sticks and junk mail to make them - I actually end up scanning the images in, and then using the digital images to get archival quality prints made. Isn't that a little ironic?
I had to do a little research. Ok, actually I didn't at all. Turns out, Tori, was doing research on her own and was able to share it with me. I had just enough time before Christmas to get some prints made up and returned to me by PrintThatImage.
I was really impressed to receive back the work, and immediately began to think about the possibilities that might come from being able to get prints made - both of my artwork, and also the kids' artwork.
Since we all tend to favor the simple, crude materials that we have lying around, when I actually have something I want to keep, it would be neat to have it in an archival quality.... I had done some simple photo prints of the work - ordered through an online photo place - which actually arrived the same day as the nice prints. Wow. The color difference and clarity was really obvious when they were placed side by side and I see now that photo prints on photo paper aren't what I want to be representing my artwork. My favorite was the heavyweight watercolor paper, though I could see great applications for the printing on canvas and also the lighter weight papers that they offer. (They offer a trial pack where you can send your image in and get it back on all three).

So I guess I will be offering prints now - for special order. If there are any of the collages that I've shared here that you're interested in getting a copy of, let me know and we can get you a nice print that will last and be really true to the original... actually better.