Elephants to make you smile

I used the word "exaggeration" a couple days ago and Josh (5-yr-old) asked me, "What does eggasseration mean Mommy?" I said, "Well, if you said 'I am so hungry that I could eat ten elephants,' that would be an exaggeration."

"Mooooommmmmy. We don't eat elephants because they don't fit in our mouth. And if we try to cut them up, they run away too fast."

From the mind of a five-year-old.

Art Studio last one

I know, you are tired of hearing about the art studio... here is the last picture for a while. I had Eric hang "gallery lines" around all 4 walls so that I can hang old and new art of my own, the kids' and whatever else inspires me. Everything up now is my own. I also covered three bulletin boards with fabric. The large one is so unorganized b/c I need some push pins! :) Soon. Anyway, get out there and do something creative. Find a craft, a camera, a pen and create!

Redone Closet!

Yeah for organized closet! It might not look that different to you, but I consolidated and cleared out and decluttered and rearranged. There's even an empty plastic drawer near the bottom! Well, it's not empty now, but it is just holding the misc empty box lids and such that were drawer dividers.

The most fun part was putting my beads and buttons and misc knick knacks into an old spice organizer that we got for a wedding gift 12 years ago. I'd been saving it for just the right purpose and today it was just what I was looking for. I haven't redone the labels yet because that will involved soaking them and scrapping off the old ones first. Any good ideas out there for taking off 12 year old paper labels? If you zoom in, you can see wooden beads, buttons, and spools in three containers.

The black open bin is a bin of old sketch pads as well as various drawings and paintings from about Junior High on. They will be fun to go through and pick out a few favorites to put up on the walls around me.

The cardboard boxes on the bottom are old family photos. There is also two bins of Heritage Album supplies that is in progress. And will be for a long, long time! :)

Now, I can't wait to get a bulletin board up for inspiration and color ideas. Soon. Then, it's PROJECT time! :)

Studio in Progess

Okay, so here is the new table and the not-yet-re-organized closet. I had to document the "before" of course so as to be even more thrilled with the "after." When I get to it. When my kids are done barfing. :)

By the way, here's some tips- when your kids have an upset stomach, put a little step stool in the bathroom for them to sit on as they lean over the toilet. This has helped us tremendously with missing the toilet (ick), splashing (even more ick) and them just being comfortable while they sit there waiting for their insides to turn inside-out. It's been a fun week. (sarcasm sarcasm). Actually, trying to be grateful for the little moments, like how cuddly Josh is when he's sick. I love that. And Jack, when he's not having a tantrum is actually quite cuddly too. Watching loads of TV while eating dry cheerios and drinking clear fluids provides ample opportunity for cuddles. Of course, this extremely type-A Mommy has a VERY hard time letting go of the t0-dos and just sitting... but when I can, it's great. For them and me. You should try it. :)






the new desk (made out of a $19 door from home depot, painted with two coats of already-on-hand glossy white paint). On the right are the new drawers from Target. ($23 per cube- much less expensive than the "Crop In Style" brand and perfect for my uses.) I really like the ones with 4-drawers, but it appears that no Targets carry them anymore. Not online, not in 3 local Targets that I've dragged the sick kids to this week.


closet with shelves from costco that we installed years ago when we moved in. Best idea ever- the things holds SO much and I can SHUT the doors to hide it all. :) Really desiring to made it more organized and pretty and happy to look at- been looking at art studios online all week- but don't know when I will get to it. Hopefully soon.

Jack-a-Nory

Here is the latest. I wanted to create a collage for the boys' room that incorporated their obsession with construction machines.

The divider line in the road is made up of a Mother Goose rhyme that says:

"I'll tell you a story
about Jack-a-Nory
and now my story's begun;
I'll tell you another
about his brother
and now my story is done."

I am thinking about moving my "art studio" (i.e. cluttered small corner of the garage) into the computer room. Wondering if I will like working upstairs... there is plenty of storage space in the office which would be very helpful. I also want to have a place for the boys to work alongside me, so I have to make some little diagrams and test the space that way. Ideas anyone? Email me photos of your own creative space if you have one! juneberryblue@gmail.com

Another collage from earlier this year

This collage is my favorite so far, I think.

For Kelsey

This is my latest collage. It's darling Kelsey Joy, my best friend Valerie's baby who was born with some challenges.

Pray for her with me! Tomorrow is a big appointment with the neurologist.

New Art Work

Okay, so here's a little collage that I did for my mom of her grandmother's house in West Virginia. The angle is weird b/c that was the only way my mom could get the glare off it. There is a coi fish on it b/c my great-grandparents had a wonderful pond in their yard with fish. Once, my mom took her little kid fishing pole and caught one of the very expensive coi fish! :) The little metal squares are letters that spell Mt. Echo. That was the name of the beautiful house.

Today is a day of tantrums and even though I know it's just a phase, it is so hard not to get completely emotionally drained in the middle of a 45 minute doozy. Jack is great at those these days. Am ready to get through this phase! Thank goodness for naps, at least there is a lull.

Overdid it just a smidge....

Yes well... in my enthusiasm for Elizabeth Goudge and the way I have been refreshed from reading fiction lately, I requested many of her books from the library....

Today I went to pick up my holds.... There were 17. Yes, 17 books. If I read them all with one renewal, that'd be 3 days for each book (as my husband wanted me to know). I am a fast reader, but not that fast! And, as a dear friend was kind enough to point out, now I am hogging them from anyone else being able to read them.

But, ... I am happy in my excess. The stack on the bookshelf makes me feel happy. Is that gluttony? materialism? There is grace even for my literary gluttony.

By the way, the definition of "excess" is... the state or an instance of surpassing usual, proper, or specified limits; undue or immoderate indulgence

Describes it perfectly. And I am happy about it.

Goudge Quote

I think there are going to be a number of Goudge quotes here to encourage and inspire you. For one, because she's my new favorite and for two, because I ordered a slew of books from the library by her and that's all I be reading for now!

This is in regards to painters:

"The great masters, no matter how densely populated their canvases, never get a single figure there without deliberate intention."

as it is with God and us... each one of us was placed here and now by His deliberate intention....