Oklahoma, did you know that I love you?

BIG NEWS!

My sister and her family are moving from the barren waste land of the far far Iowa north to....wait for it.....OKLAHOMA!!! I have very fond memories visiting my grandparents in Oklahoma, and for my entire childhood, this was the meeting place for my cousins and aunts and uncles for holidays!! I am so excited I will get to be closer with my nieces and nephew and my sister and her husband, and that they will get to be close with us.

Get here soon sister!!

11/22/63

My regular reading piled up after I heard about the book 11/22/63 by Stephen King. Wowza, what a great book! I just couldn't put it down...even though I wanted to because it weighs about a zillion pounds. (see the giant book in the lower right corner of the photo? that's it!)
I had to prop the book up on a pillow on my stomach in order to hold it for any length of time. :)

Don't let the time-travel science fiction part scare you - it's a beautifully written story - truly wonderful.  The headline of the story is about JFK, yes, but the heart of the book is centered around the idea that tiny, everyday choices can change a person's life.

I highly recommend it!

Craft Weekend

Worked on a few crafts this weekend, woohoo!  I love craft weekend.  I love it so much, that I am hoping to host a craft weekend like this one someday! I definately I'll ask my sister to do the cooking. If you went to my bridal shower, you'd know why.

First up, DIY Bath Salt Soak. Very easy, very rewarding.

• Epsom Salts
• Sea Salt
• Herbal Botanicals, Optional
• Essential Oils
• Container

The recipe is 2:1 (Epsom Salts : Sea Salt). Then add the Botanicals...I chose Lavender and Ground Orange Rind from hobby lobby. 

Mix them all together, then add 20-30 drops of oil. 

Plumeria smelled incredible, so that's the oil I went with. 

Note: the Botanicals I used were very fragrant, so make sure you select an essential

oil that will compliment the other smells.

Next, a paper covered letter! No explanation needed :)

don't cha just love modge podge??

And finally, I wanted to make this metal book stand a little more colorful and add some texture. So, I wrapped it in fabric that matched my living room colors. I knew all those fabric scraps would come in handy someday. :)

halloween is coming

Progress

I have been tirelessly trying to re-discover what it means to be an Artist, and I think I am finally making progress.  As my first series (after a long break) takes shape, I feel like I am also taking shape - figuring out what I am trying to say now that my life is different. Soooo much has happened since I stopped making art full-time, and I found it incredibly difficult to start again.  There were a few tearful phrases that worked their way out of my mouth..."I can't do this!" and "My hands forgot how to draw!!"  Just plain ol' defeat.

After all, when I started to become serious about art, I was living in a different city, single, and on my way to becoming a college art professor. Now, my destination is moving towards kids, stay-at-home moming on a (hopefully soon!) country farm, and making art as a part of my life instead of my job.

Who knew? I know that God knew, and hopefully He will continue to give me lots of inspiration, and as long as I'm asking... I'll take a little more progress, too. :)

Golfing for Poppa

It just made sense. He loved to golf, he loved to laugh, and he loved his family. 

This was for you, poppa - we love you and we miss you!