I'm back!…(I've missed you all!)

Hi friends, near and far! I sure have missed you all this week!  If you follow me on IG then you've already heard my woeful tale of another sick little one. :( We made it all the way to February without a single sickness in our house…then about two weeks of colds and ear aches and now two more weeks of stomach bugs.  We are just a barrel of fun, I tell ya! 

So all that to say, by the time I've been alone and not loving on my sweet, sick girls I've been tired!  The blog just hasn't happened.  But they're both asleep and I thought I'd get a quick second to spill the beans on the rest of our life lately, sickness aside. 

My "studio" (a.k.a. Hoarders Central) has become messy again and there is truly no surprise there.  It just doesn't know how to cooperate as a magazine-ready, picture-perfect room.  And I don't blame it one bit!  Because when it looks like this it means hard work is happening!  And I like that.  I've been putting the final touches on original canvases, making art prints, hand-painted notebooks, stitched and painted flowers, wood photo blocks, among other things for the local sale I'm participating in!  Vintage Market Days is happening in about THREE weeks!  This is a three-day event in Bentonville, but I will be there Friday and Saturday only! 

 I still have my handy-dandy checklist of things to do but am right on track with being prepared!  Tomorrow I get to attend a Meet and Greet event for the vendors that I am really excited about! 

I'm going to keep reminding you about the event because already several blog readers and IG followers have said they'll come see me at my booth. You have no idea how happy this makes me! If you do stop by, please tell me your name and that you read the blog! It would mean the world to get to meet you sweet readers. 

"She saw possibility everywhere"….as I'm looking at this project I finished last week I'm remembering all over again how much fun it was to make!  For this current season of life, I typically have one art/business related project going and one just for fun project going at a time.  I find too much work leaves me uninspired….and how much fun is it when an artist says they haven't created anything for fun in weeks?  Huh? Not fun to me!  

I learned how to make this fabric, hand-painted art journal from my most favorite online class teacher ever, Christy Tomlinson.  In addition to her wonderful classes (that go on sale several times a year), Christy also has monthly art classes you can buy a full-year subscription to, or just a one-month class.  These are called Art Society videos.  So February's Art Society class was all about learning how to make Midori's.  A Midori is basically a journal with elastic in the middle so you can put your own paper inserts inside.  Once an insert is full, simply remove it and put in another one!  

So for this first journal I made it HUGE, thinking I would have huge sections of paper inside.  But then my paper inserts turned out small, leaving the edge of the journal curved a bit once the elastic is hooked around.  I don't really like that but haven't had time to fit bigger paper in it.  I'm excited to bring this around town with me and to Vintage Market Days…I think it sends a very artsy message :).

You can learn all about her amazing Art Society classes here!

OR, if you're interested in a one-time purchase (so a one-month class, like purchasing just this art journal project), go here.  Her classes are VERY affordable.  A one-month purchase is $16.95.  And the thing I just love about her classes is that you can easily customize any project she shows you and change it up a lot!  Some instructors only teach how to make a copy of their own art.  Christy is so good to show you so many different options for her lesson the sky is the limit for you! 

Last week, in-between the girls taking turns with the sickness Brett and I ran to Lowe's by ourselves for about an hour.  We have been buying plants and pretty things to spruce up the outside of our home, porches, and deck.   We are SUCH outdoor living people.  We eat, play, explore, work, fellowship, gather, and date outside once spring arrives.  He bought me this pot of succulents because succulents are my favorite things EVER. In the history of ever.  And I have no idea why.  

Let's hope I can keep it alive. 

More pretty prep for the sale!  I made banners out of paint-splattered watercolor paper, old books, and vintage maps! 

Anna Ruth, before the sickies.  She is SO full of energy typically and just a wonder to listen to.  As you found out in my last post.  We are praying so hard that she is over this stomach stuff soon.  It is just the saddest thing to see her not feeling well.  She told me "Mama, the nights are loooong" in just the most pitiful voice.  Insert mama tears here.

 I quickly sewed a banner for our front-porch this week I'm excited to show you soon!  This is so real life at our house.  Meaning, the girls were resting and I had a quick minute and a cute idea so I plopped down in the floor to hurry and cut some triangles to make an outdoor bunting.  

 After laying the two piles of triangles next to the sewing machine I got started.  Just a few minutes later I had an adorable, weather-proof bunting made out of oilcloth and ready for the front porch!  

I've been meaning to tell you about the oilcloth.  I ordered some from Fashion Fabrics for $5 a yard.  Y'all, that is  GOOOOOD deal for oil cloth.  So I ordered quite a bit of it because it is so easy to plop down on the table when the girls are about to paint, and so cute to put on the back deck or porch table.  I mean, this stuff can be used for just about anything! Bags, pillows, bunting, tablecloths…the sky is the limit once again.  

I was kinda hesitant about ordering and wondered if it would ever come, seeing as it was so cheap.  But it DID come and it is super cute!  We've used it as a tablecloth both indoors and out and for the bunting so far.  Plus I still have enough left over to make a bag or pillow.  Or maybe even an art journal!  

(and no, I'm not ever paid for any of these links I show you! I truly just like 'em)

We've been waking up to the most gorgeous, relaxing fog you could imagine.  It is just breath-taking.  Perhaps I'll feel differently about it once I actually have to leave the house (we've been shut-ins for days it feels like) but for now I just breathe deep and keep looking at it.  

 (more outdoor decorating posts coming soon…just a tease today)

 And oh the rain we've had!  It's been slow and steady…nice and soothing sounding.  Not a clap of scary thunder in sight.  I feel like Spring is just easing on in…washing away the dust of the last season of our lives.  I am so, so ready.

Somehow over the last few weeks Betsy Grace has also decided just to grow up.  I can't believe my eyes every time I look at her!  She's so tall and talking in full sentences and VERY passionate about animals, art, and food.  (wonder who she gets that from?!)  I've even had other family comment on it…how big she suddenly is.  She keeps me laughing and laughing….I just love my girls.  I don't long for their baby days much.  This toddler stuff is fun! (minus the fits…..enough said)

 Well friends, it sure has been nice to visit.  How are things in your part of the world?  I'd love to hear.  I keep checking in on you lovely friends and will go ahead and apologize now for my lack of comments this week!  Time flies when you're having fun you know. :) 

 (not really, please continue to pray complete healing for our family!)

I'll be back in a day or two with a Shop Show and Tell, a food post, and some outdoor decorating! 

Anything else you're wondering about, send me an email! I have loved hearing your questions!