Monday again..

How was your weekend friends? 

The air feels different here.  Good different. 

Yesterday the wind was so glorious.  Not the usual cold, spring wind that will whip your hair around and make your nose run.  This wind was soft and gentle and sounded like thunderous applause from the heavens.  You can bet we spent the day outside.

Really, the past week or so, that's where you can find us.  We are much more at home among the trees, sunshine and shadows.  It feels good to our very core that spring is here and we're breathing a lot deeper and the swing in our step....well, just swingier. 

During a recent conversation with my Papaw I admitted that I just didn't think it was possible to go through winter again.  Not during a season like this, where garden food is growing and the days stretch out for well...days.  He reminded me that all this is possible because of this very thing called winter I dislike so much.

That'll preach. 

The girls and I are enjoying the slower pace of spring and filling our days with art and playing outside.  Last week we bought a box of popsicles and sat.  Just sat.  I said "Girls, this is what you call relaxing".  They rarely see their mama just sit and do nothing. But really, nothing isn't nothing after all.  Sometimes I even like to close my eyes for just a few seconds and let the good Lord love on me. All that sunshine and all those bug sounds.  A heavenly choir of sorts.

We ventured to our Botanical Garden last week as well.  My twin and my neighbor friend met us there and we had seven kids between us!  We are close and able to keep an eye on each other's kids and I like that.  The kids played in every fountain, chased and laughed, and kept us running to and fro.  I did manage to sneak a few pics of the beautiful flowers while we were there that I'll share with you tomorrow.  I've noticed lately how many artists use a photograph to reference while they're sketching and for so long I've thought I was the only one that needed/liked to do that.  I now realize I'm not and how good that feels!  I thought this aloud to myself "It's ok to look at a photograph and try to sketch it" and felt myself be freed up artistically.  So there you go.  Keep calm, photograph and sketch on! 

And what do you know, I *may* have already moved a few things around in the new studio/art room.  You didn't expect anything else did you?  

I just happened across this old ladder and vintage quilt on a day that had a pocket of unexpected alone time.  These things have been on my mental wish list for a while so I happily drug them home to the studio!  Sadly, my string lights got crashed into the closet door and already broke.  Sad day.  I have plans to make my own light out of a wire lamp shade later this week.  I'll keep you updated.

I got bold (or desperate) with my long hair and gave myself braids last week!

 The girls had the funniest reactions...they both just stared and then giggled away.  

We are ready to welcome another week of popsicle weather! 

(isn't this the cutest?)

Lots of fun coming up on the blog this week including the many faces of Anna, still life shots on the farm, custom order details, and a DIY way to reuse your strawberry containers! I look forward to a fun week with you!