April is a promise that may is bound to keep.

~Hal Borland

Hello world! 

All is well. I am alive...

and creating! 

Spring is here and my soul is happy and grateful.

I have been making jewelry..

 and digital graphics...

and playing with my parrots...

 and loving my sweet pup...

and enjoying my family...

and missing my sailor...

and enjoying life...

Our kids are happy and well.

Our sailor will be home on leave soon.

Life is GOOD and I am blessed.

Every day is a precious gift.

~♥~

~~UPCOMING SHOWS~~

Saturday~ November 17, 2012    4-6pm

Sunday~ November 18, 2012     2-6pm

Holiday Open House

13468 Hemlock Trail

Frisco, Texas

Sunday~ December 2, 2012

Brookside Holiday Fair

1215 Brook Ridge Ave

Allen, Texas

shades of peace

Ah, poor neglected blog.

Been dealing with some health issues... ugh. 

Feeling better now, but still not 100%.

I have some shows coming up, so I am busy

and happy to be busy!

Working in tranquil hues with lots of vintage

lace, silk, buttons and jewels. These colors

soothe my soul. 

They remind me of sand and sea oats

and heaps of shells.

May your autumn days be peaceful and healthy.

That is a very good thing.

~♥~

a year later...

 my son and his girlfriend at Dallas MEPS

Last year at this time I was sitting in a rather surreal place, Dallas MEPS , with my son, his girlfriend and my husband. Well, actually, for most of the time our son was off doing his final processing to leave for Navy boot camp. All around me were young people with stickers on their chests... Army, Air Force, Navy, USMC, even a few with Coast Guard~ all of them set to embark on a life-changing adventure that very day. Dallas MEPS is, of course, huge. There were lots of kids (yes, they sure looked like kids) and family members. But some were alone. That made me sad.

I thought to myself, if the nervous energy in this building could be harnessed, it could power a city.
The future sailors, airmen, marines, soldiers and coasties were at turns joking, laughing and often quiet and obviously a bit fearful and reflective. They were all about to enter a great unknown, a time of trial and then on different schooling and then off to serve their country. They looked so young.

My son, came out and sat with us from time to time. He was exhausted. The night before he had been in a hotel with a large group of Navy recruits. His recruiter had driven him down mid-afternoon the day before. And that was the first good-bye. We joined him that evening for dinner and then good-bye number 2. Next was the BIG good-bye, the REAL good-bye. I was not looking forward to that.

We watched as his group was called and sworn-in. It was very moving. The room was packed and every parent must have felt the the same sense of pride and sorrow that washed over me.

Finally, after several heart wrenching hours at MEPS, groups began to be called. The young, brave  men and women began to line up. Buses filled the parking lot downstairs. Finally it was our son's turn to stand in that line with his sad little sack of deodorant, toothbrush and phone charger~ and his first set of military order clutched in his hand. He looked tired and he looked 12 years old. He was 18.

As his group left the building one way, we family members made a stunned, nearly silent exit to the bus area. Huge buses sat running, with doors open like great, hungry jaws set to swallow up our children. So we got our quick hugs. I was strong, no crazy crying, but tears in my eyes and a lump the size of the moon in my throat. The girlfriend, poor thing, fell apart. I understood.♥

And then my son, my sweet, sweet boy stepped onto that huge bus bound for DFW airport and into his future. My heart has never quite repaired the rift. There is a tender place in it that aches for him always.

A year has passed, amazingly, astonishingly!! I saw my son at his PIR (boot camp graduation), at Christmas for 9 wonderful days, and at his Nuclear Field A School graduation in February. We are going to see his graduation from Nuclear Power School in September. You have only to read a bit of this blog to know how much I miss him and how proud I am of him. He strong, brave, smart and independent. He is a 3rd Class Petty Officer in the U.S. Navy studying in what is known to be one of the most challenging programs in U.S. military. He has accomplished so much in one short year. And I have learned to treasure every phone call, text, FB message and rare visit.

Onward and upward my sweet, brave boy!♥

Do what you need to do♥

I painted yesterday. Nothing amazing, just a small seascape,

but I haven't painted in years. It was a joyful experience!

See, here's the thing~ I have 4 kids, big kids now...

27 (married), 23 (out on her own), 19 (in the US Navy)

and only my baby, 16, remains at home.

Home has been sort of empty. There are ghostly echoes

of laughter and spats, kids romping down the stairs like 

wild ponies. The dinner table broke my heart on a daily basis~

6 chairs with only 2 or 3 filled most days now. I did get smart

and move 2 chairs out. It did my soul good to remove those 

empty chairs. 

Look, I'm grateful and blessed beyond any worldly measure.

My kids are doing well. Healthy birds do indeed leave the nest.

But it has been a rough year in spite of my certainty that things

are as they should be. My 2 oldest fledglings are close by. 

My Navy son is in South Carolina for now. I have seen him once

since Christmas. I miss him so much every day. 

My youngest son, still at home, is the quiet type.

So here is this house, settling down and feeling a bit bereft.

   The upstairs with the neglected gameroom, 2 empty bedrooms...

ghostly, I tell you! 

On Friday I decided to move my studio space from our unused dining room

into my daughter's large, sunny upstairs room. I'd been kicking 

the idea around for a while, but suddenly it was the right time.

And now, I am settled in, perched in this pretty space that has a 

treehouse feel about it. Outside the large window a pistachio tree

nearly brushes the panes. I can see into it's branches 

and I feel so lofty up here!! Morning light spills across

a lace covered table. It is a peaceful room, but bright 

with possibilities! 

So yesterday I painted! I have not painted anything in years. 

In this room I have an area to make jewelry and also

a place to paint and do other projects. I even have space

for my treasured vintage books! 

I needed to do this, to move forward and fill this house

again with sunshine and joy. 

This is my life and it demands I live it well.

For me, this means being grateful and being creative.

It is the way my soul sings.

get offa' my cape!

Oh, how I love summer!

Life is good~ not perfect~ but good!

I choose to live in gratitude and wonder.

I am so glad to have a sweet family, 

friends that understand me and make me laugh,

and the wonderful gift of creativity

that makes my life sparkle!

Each day is truly a gift to be treasured.

Sadly, some people choose to focus on what their lives lack.

They can not, will not be happy.

And those people often want to share their misery.

They are "cape-standers". 

LET.THEM.GO.

Then, the sky is yours! 

Life is a great adventure~ GET SOME!

vintage-y chalkboard DIY tutorial

This project was so easy that I feel kind of silly doing a tutorial, but I've had some requests,
so here goes. :)

  

 First  you need some "fine art"- that, like mine, was in the Goodwill pile.

What was I thinking?? Did I think my house-guests 

thought this was a real Monet? How embarrassing... ;)

• 
  
• Next you need this stuff... all pretty cheap and you
• might already have some of it! 

• ~1~Vaseline- I got the Dollar Tree brand (which happens to smell pretty great)
• ~2~ White (or whatever color you like) wall paint. I used a sample from Lowes. (about $3)
• It can be flat, matte or satin~ your choice.
• ~3~ flat black spray paint
• ~4~ black chalkboard paint 
• ~5~ Plaster of Paris (not Rome or Athens, has to be Paris).
• It's cheap... Home Depot or Lowes has it in paint section.
• ~6~ Minwax Finishing paste ~again Lowes or Home Depot
• and it will last you a looooong time.
• ~7~ paintbrush and fine sanding block or sand paper
• (Ignore the stupid bullet points to the left... I can't make them go away.. grrrr...)

~

I spray painted the whole frame, glass and all.
And yes, that priceless "Monet" is under that paint.

Then I took the faux-Vaseline and LIGHTLY rubbed it on the spots

I wanted the black to show through. Don't need to glop it on.

 SIDE BAR~~~ You need to go here 

 http://www.iheartnaptime.net/chalk-paint/

 and follow the very simple directions to add plaster of Paris to your paint.

Super easy and you will LOVE what it does to your paint! 

Covers super well and gives things that vintage-y look 

you want! This is my go-to paint for EVERYTHING! 

Okay~ use some annoying junk mail flyers to "tape" off

the black board part. DO NOT use tape as it will pull 

your paint off the glass!! Just shove the flyers in tight and you're 

ready to paint with your plaster of Paris infused paint.

SO, what are you waiting for?? 

Paint already! 

 See how the paint is resisting on the greased up spots??!!! Magic!!!!

I painted 2 coats. It's up to you how much coverage you want.

Then BEFORE the white paint dried I snatched the flyer bits out. 

Don't let them dry in there. You'll have a mess that will make you cuss!

Next you need to paint the chalk board part (the glass) with the chalk board paint.

I did 4 or 5 coats, letting each coat dry well. I live in Texas 

and it was, oh, 106 or so that day, so the drying part was wicked fast!!

Then came the duuuullll part... I set the thing in the killer Texas sun and let it "cure"

for 2 looooong hours. You Yankees might need to let it sit longer or if (God forbid) it is winter 

when you do this. The paint needs to be very dry. ~yawn~

After the drying part come the FUN part! This is the easiest sanding you'll

ever do!! Sand that puppy down and LOOKIE!! 

Something looks old (.besides me!!)!!

YIPPEE!!!!!
Use a soft cloth to rub on a light coat of finishing wax.
Let it dry about 10 minutes and then buff it.

 Now, genius that I am, I took the finished project pic against a WHITE WALL... 

what a nincompoop! 

Trust me, it looks VERY WONDERFUL!!!!

Nice and chippy and faux-vintage-y-ish!!!

So, give it a whirl! The chalky plaster of Paris paint is the bomb! 

The Vaseline is the "secret ingredient"! And if you're lucky enough 

to have it, the Texas sun in July makes this project ultra-quick!! 

Have fun making something look shizzy-cool!! 

sweet blue boy

My beautiful baby Indian Ringneck~~ Sultan♥ 

Godspeed, sweet friend ♥

Earlier this week my beloved Mojo passed away. My heart is broken and I miss him terribly. Mojo was a brilliant, beautiful bird. He was a true companion and friend. He was sweet, spunky and charming. I miss his conversation, his chirps and squawks and his larger than life personality. Parrots are remarkable creatures, so smart and endearing. I feel blessed to have known this wonderful soul.

I know my sweet Mojo is flying free now. ♥

This is my baby birdie girl. She was born on 1/31/12 and is being hand-fed by her breeder. 

She can home to our house in about 4 weeks. She is a Half Moon Conure. 

She is helping my heart heal. 

♥

make it good

Misery not only loves company, it loves to drag others

down into its dank pit of unhappiness. 

I don't get it. 

Ultimately, it is self-indulgent.

We all have our moments, but even in times of trial,

ATTITUDE is what matters, what we control.

I am an optimist. I CHOOSE to see the bright side.

And I CHOOSE to disassociate from negativity.

I count my blessings a lot more

than I lament what is lacking in my life.

I choose JOY~ not every single second

of my life, but mostly. 

Gratitude begets a peaceful heart.

I LOVE my crazy, beautiful life!

happy day...

Today my son passed his A School Comps at 

Navy Nuclear Power Training Command. 

He graduates on Friday and will be a Third Class Petty Officer.

He has a lot more hard schooling ahead of him, but this

is a great accomplishment. Nuke school is generally regarded

as the most academically demanding school in the military. 

I am so proud of my sweet son. 

It is a happy day! 

And~ I am going to Charleston to see him graduate!! ♥