Dancing ballerina

If you told me 10 yrs ago I will wake up at 4:30 am, struggle to put false eyelashes on my little girl, know what a bun builder is and tear up every time she goes on stage, I would have laughed and walked away thinking you are crazy. 

A dance mom - no way! 

Isn't it funny how our lives turn out? We end up doing so much of the things we vowed we'll never do. We just don't know until we are in that spot and have to make the decision... stay at home vs going back to work...send them on the bus for hours or homeschool for a while. Decisions so easily made before we had kids, and now that we've loved them and held them and know what brings them joy all those heavy labels and stereo types fly out the window and the decisions are based solely on them.

It doesn't matter anymore what other people think, it matters what our children think - who they want to be - how they want to live their life. And so we go out in this world and introduce ourselves as a homeschooler - a dance mom -  or whatever other labels we would've never chosen for ourselves... and we see the judgy looks and we hear the criticism and fear filled thoughts - but somehow we persevere and move on. A little stronger each time in our decision to do what works for our family...

So for now, I'll squeeze my way into crowded dressing rooms, and glue rhinestones to her cheeks...why?...because she LOVES it... and I love her...

And after all the busyness I am happy to have her with me, as we paint ballerinas and dye our old stained clothes and fresh new blue. 

yellow

On snow filled days...

when spring still seems so far away ...

...only yellow will do

and dreaming Big dreams...while splashing paint ....seems the perfect thing to do

< Life has been off kilter over here, with just too much happening at once.We are losing dance slippers and forgetting appointments on a daily basis. We eat cereal for supper and wear mismatched socks. We dodge emotions flying around when everyone is just so tired and we wonder how in the world to slow it all down! >

 So when a day like this comes along... with soft snow and bright yellow tulips I am glad for the hour with my ink and brush. An hour to just be...to get lost in thought. I don't know what I would do or who I would be without painting. It always soothes and refreshes and for that I am very thankful >

                                            

Sweet spring

Perhaps it is the chickadees fluffing their wings in puddles of water, or maybe it is tables adorned with bright yellow tulips... It could be the washing machine twirling muddy splash pants and windows and doors left ajar - just to hear and smell all those wonderful signs of spring! 

Whatever it is, this change is inspiring BRIGHT AND COLORFUL days here at home... and all I can think is 

Let the Reno begin

 

Coming home on a Wednesday, after my husband was home alone for the day, we walked into what was our bathroom...

Etian looked at me and said "Oh no mommy, the HULK smashed our potty! "  Yep as it is right now, our house is full of holes, dust and of course BIG dreams. We are finally moving forward and doing a major renovation, helping our little cabin grow up into a family home.

This means we are allowed to draw on ANYTHING, baseboards included ;)

It will be a long road full of mess, so I am very thankful for my one corner filled with art supplies that is still relatively dust free. A place I can escape to.

Oh and incase you were wondering, the kids like to give Daddy superhero masks to help him be strong!

Hearts and a little bit of Art

There has been a lot of love around here...

Hearts in our sandwiches, hearts on our toes and of course hearts filled with love when his little hand wants to hold mine while watching movies

And it won't be a complete week without a shaving cream bath - this time filled with hearts. With the addition of a few paint brushes, food coloring and small plastic bags, the bath kept them busy just long enough for me to do a little painting myself.

This week my mind has been on gymnastics and  beautiful vintage balance beams

Have a wonderful week everyone 

Happy chappy New Year

 As I write this I'm watching my kids scoot onto their daddy's lap, all three on a red plastic tobaggen, ready to zip down our slanted yard. 

 With their laughter in the air I feel tremendous gratitude... for this little life we get to enjoy...for starting another year fresh full of dreams...and for being loved by a God who is so full of grace and goodness.

     5 Goals for 2014
 - Blog every Friday  (to capture life's special moments)
 - Join Misty Mawn's amazing e-course
 - Buckle down and figure out all the techie stuff to create a better shop and website ~ Sigh It makes me tired just thinking about it ;) 
 - Train for color me rad 5k
 - Print photo books for the kids (this has been a goal for the past 3 years...so we'll see

I know it's very late - last day of January today - but I do want to wish you all a Happy and Blessed New Year :)
 
 

 

Embroidery

 We've been living in snow globe lately, big fluffy snow falling down slowly - ALL day.

 It's been perfect weather to bring out the watercolors and embroidery thread, sipping on tea and listening to Elvis singing Christmas songs :)

Hope you had a wonderful week as well

Wilme

Finding colour in a black and white world

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The piano keys are black and white,
But they sound like a million colours in your mind. Katie Melua

Some really cool black and white shots

Our nights have been pitch BLACK at 5pm, our days bright WHITE with two huge snow storms covering our little home. 

I'm not sure why but I've been in a blogging slump lately, a creativity slump really.  Staring at the empty canvas, fiddling with my charcoal - not really making anything. Like my mind can't see the color in life anymore, the simple beauties so easily admired in summer.

Our world has been full of creative events I suppose - birthday parties, becoming the Who's in a Grinch play etc but I miss the old me. The one who got so excited about the little things - crafting around the kitchen table, taking pictures of a pretty feather found. The girl who wasn't afraid to try something new.

I want that girl to come and play again this December. So I have given myself a challenge. No more black and white thinking, like only blogging when things are perfect. Nope I'm going to blog daily for the rest of December - even if it isn't perfect. After all it is blogging that helped me see all those precious daily moments in the first place.

Blog daily to get out of the rut and into the new year fresh and inspired.

So no more white canvases and black holes, nope, time for play and creative messes just to see what will happen ;)
  

Vintage Circus Elephant

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source

We recently visited a circus - with huge tent, canon, clowns, acrobats and all! 

But what I couldn't get my eyes off was the weathered bleachers we sat on. They were beautiful! Glossy red with bright yellow peeking through scratches. They were close to 60 years old, have seen most of America and once were the same bleachers used in the Barney Circus. 

So I mustered all my bravery and asked if they have any extras laying around... which they did! I'll never forget my husband's face as I came out of the circus tent carrying my bag, some popcorn and 3 bleachers to our car.

This elephant is the first image that popped into my head. 

Hope you all have a fabulous week :)


Linking to Paint Party Friday.


 

Bicycles

Source for these photos

 

 There is something about the design of bicycles that are just so fun to paint. The spokes and giant wheels, big banana seats, tandem bikes, unicycles. Oh I could go on. Lately I'm working on a mini collection, with this being the first. Hope everyone is having a wonderful Paint Party Friday ;)