Home Sweet Home

Since I'm off in the summer (because I work in a school), I am enjoying the little things like peonies in an old jar, the birds singing early in the morning and the amazing stars outside last night at 3:30 am when I took the dog out (ok this morning, not last night).  I am appreciating all the little moments of being home, so I just finished this painting titled "Home Sweet Home." 

We've been talking constantly about wanting to live on the lake soooo badly, but it's not in the cards for us now (maybe never).  But, I have to remember we do have a great home and we need to see how lucky we are instead of wishing for more and someone else.  It really is a home sweet home feeling when we're here and I need to remember that when I feel like it's not enough--because it is.  It is more than enough.  It has our personal touches and comforts which are priceless.  Doing this painting helps me remember to enjoy what we have AND enjoy each moment, not looking for another one but the one we have right now.

Of course, this painting is for sale, but if it doesn't sell--it's going to be proudly displayed on my teal shelf in the living room as a reminder of the comforts we enjoy everyday together, the three of us and our dog Mazie.

Pink Trees in Paris

I just finished and sold this painting titled "Paris Dream" this weekend.  Didn't even get a chance to post on etsy, just on Facebook and a friend of a friend liked it and bought it for her little girl. 

I've never been to Paris but I hope  plan to someday.  My daughter is slowly changing her bedroom to a Paris theme, so that's what inspired me to paint this, but I wanted to add some whimsy so the trees are pink.  Even though it's not perfect, I am happy with it's cheerfulness and color. 

Have any of you been to see the Eiffel Tower yet? 



Big Flowers

I finally finished this painting of flowers--it took me forever.  The roses gave me a hard time--I wanted them to have texture and actually look like roses.  I like it because the flowers and vine of blue berries are larger and it's fun and freeing to do bigger scale things. 

I still haven't named it yet--nothing is popping into my head when I look at it right now.  Any ideas from anyone?  I'd love some !  Really.  I would.  Seriously.

Are you True???

I've done a few paintings/collages with the theme be true to yourself.  This phrase resonates with me because so much of my life up until now, I wasn't true to myself.  I worried, worried, worried what others thought of me and my actions.  I chose to do and say things that wouldn't make people look at me like I was an oddball. I wanted to fit in so badly.

I now wish I had that phrase in my head a lot earlier in life because life is sooooo much better, so much more peaceful when I am doing what is right for me and not worrying how I will appear.  It's definitely a work in progress but I'm getting there.

Do you follow your truth?  Do you have a hard time doing this?  What kinds of things are you afraid to show to the world?  Or are you brave and completely show your true self?

Love this Book

I'm reading The Story of Beautiful Girl right now and I'm loving it (especially since I'm off for the summer and have more time to read). 

It takes place in the south during the late 1960s and much of it is in a mental institution--it's disturbing how they treat these residents--some of them should never have been placed there.  I could go on forever about the injustices of that situation, but that's not the only focus at all.  It is the story of two residents who fell in love there and escaped for one night--one of them a deaf African American man and one a beautiful white girl with some cognitive disabilities (basically put there by her father who didn't want the embarassment of her). 

The young girl gives birth to a baby (father unknown--raped by another resident) and they hide for one night with an old woman out in the woods.  The police and institution authorities come and take the girl back, the man runs and the old woman is left to hide and take care of the baby since the authorities no nothing of this new little one YET.

It's interesting to see how the two of them got to this place in time, what they're thinking and feeling as they hope to reunite and find a better place in this world.

The End of Elementary School

Today was the last day of elementary school for Bella.  Our district built two new "intermediate" schools three years ago and they span fifth through eighth grade.  At first I was not happy with this at all.  I was worried she'd grow up tooooo fast and be exposed to toooo much toooo soon.  But now, since we've had an open house there, I'm actually excited for her because they seem to have a lot of exciting opportunities such as fun clubs like yearbook, photography, even archery (she got a real bow a year ago), etc.  She also is signed up for choir and will be taking the flute.  All that aside, it's still hard to see my one and only baby girl growing up before my eyes. 

I hope that she remains a good student because I was not a good teenager at all.  I PRAY that God doesn't get revenge on me by her turning into a snotty girl like I was in school.  So far, though she's a firecracker for sure, she's a peach in school.  I really want to enjoy this summer with her because in a few years, she may not want to be with Mommy as much as she does now!