Tropical Themed Painting

Well, here's a painting that's not for any sort of art challenge, but just because I seem to be thinking about tropical things lately :) and spring. Today my daffodils offically opened all the way and it's very exciting. This is my first garden since getting married and it is beginning to bloom. I feel so blessed and happy to see what will come up next. I spend an hour out there several times a week pulling weeds, trimming roses, clearing the ground, etc. It's so fun and reminds me of my momma. I'll post pics of my garden I'm sure as I get more progress done, but for now here are some of my daffodils.

Week 49: Time Flies

Emily's Challenge for week 49 was "Time Flies" and boy does it ever. Time has flown from when my girls were babies and I would sing to them at night. (Okay so we still do that, but they aren't babies anymore.) :) Time has flown from when Seth and I got married 8 1/2 years ago. Time has flown from when we were dating and in college.

I remember taking a trip in college and visiting my friend Katie's house and listening to her dad (David Golden) play the guitar for hours while we sung along. This is the way she grew up and I knew that was the way I wanted to raise my kids too. So I decided to learn the guitar. I practiced a few chords and the next trip we took he taught us a very special song he wrote the music and set to that old dutch lullaby/poem "Wynken, Blynken, and Nod" by Eugene Field. (My absolute favorite) It's so beautiful and magical and I knew I wanted to learn his version the best I could. I learned it from him when I barely knew anything on the guitar so please don't judge the song by how I play and sing. If only you could hear him. He's an amazing musician and such an incredible person as well. I was so blessed to spend time in their wonderful, loving home. I hope he doesn't mind me sharing the song here. Any credit should be given to him, except for much more because he'd play it much better for you than me. :)

I play this song for my girls all the time. They know the words even though in the video Kendyl is more interested in showing her gum to the camera than singing every word, but she's such a cutie, what can you do? We're mostly just messing around in the video, but you get the idea. It's nice to me though because it's just how it sounds in our home instead of being professional. Might remind some of you of another video Kendyl and I made singing together almost two years ago...

I made plans 10 years ago to make a painting for this poem and made sketches etc., but didn't feel confident enough to complete anything. It was so special to me I was worried about making a painting that couldn't show how much I love this poem. Well, with this challenge I wanted to try and I think it's safe to say I spent the most time on this painting than I have on any of them in this challenge. I'm happy with how it turned out so all the time put into it was worth it. I'm so thankful I can express myself with art and music. It makes me happy and it's wonderful that I don't have to be the best artist or musician to find joy in it.

Something so interesting about planning out my painting was looking through my notes and my sketches. Back in college I had known I wanted Wynken to be the oldest with long brown hair that would have a caring personality sitting back amazed at all she was seeing and be holding a baby. I knew I wanted Blynken to be more of a curious nature with shorter blondish hair and holding a lantern that she had stuffed a star into that was lighting their way. Blynken had the personality of touching everything around her to experience it all whereas Wynken was happiest seeing it all play before her. The baby Nod I knew I wanted to be a little boy in green in his big sister's arms and feeling safe and close to her. I spent hours thinking about this in college and felt like I really knew these little characters. I have pages and pages of notes and sketches, so much that I had to put them all in a folder. Now as I looked over these 10 years later I realize that Wynken looks and is so much like Makenzie, Blynken is Kendyl, and Makenzie is holding a baby Nod...... no we aren't pregnant. :) Did I get you? :) I'm just pretending we are for the painting. hehehe But maybe we have a little Nod waiting. :) That's what our joke is anyway. (btw- the blue polka-dot fabric around it was Makenzie's idea and a nice touch too- thanks kiddo) :)

So here we are... a blink later, when actually it's been 10 years, with a painting finally done and two kids that sing along with us at night. Time sure flies....

Merry Christmas Seth

Well I finished it and here it is. I killed two birds with one stone so to speak. I knew I wanted to paint a sweet nativity for Emily's challenge for week 29:Define perfection. Also I wanted to make Seth a painting for Christmas. We have a favorite Christmas book with the most lovely illustrations. I study it all season long trying to figure out the illustrator's techniques and then we put it back in a box not to be able to enjoy for 11 more months. In the book is a wonderful two page painting that we love and I decided that I would make a little miniature version of it to be able to practice some of the illustrators techniques but also so that Seth wouldn't have to wait till the end of November to enjoy the serene nativity scene again. I only wish I was as good as Jason Cockcroft. :) I found this really cool frame. It's intricately wood carved design reminds you of something a carpenter would make eh? I was so happy to see Seth love it so much. It is now displayed in his art studio on one of the shelves for the computer desk area beside a pirate head and under Jack Skellington. Very nice. :) Isn't Seth's annual beard just lobery? He grows this every year around this time. It began in college when he'd go home for winter break and the roommates would see who could grow the best beard by the time they got back. 10 years later he is still doing it, only now he's competing with my leg hairs. hahaha. Makenzie has decided that he grows it this time of year because he wants to be like Santa. She may be right.

Week 32: Quiet

Week 32's art journal challenge was "quiet". There's nothing like the morning after it has snowed through the night. It is the most beautiful quiet I can think of, well except the wonderful quiet that you have when babies are sleeping. Oh blessed moments! Although my girls are older and don't take naps, I can still remember the relief of when they were younger and were down for a nap. ahhhhhhHHHhhhh. I set up this snowman the way I did and used the colors and border and style for the same feel as my other two Christmas paintings I have made this year. Just for fun here they are all together. The Santa one is actually the same size as my other two, but to have it be the same height I enlarged it. All my paintings are on small little 4x6 inch water color post cards.

I'm about to get some quiet around here in just a minute. I'm stalling putting my little chiquitas to bed so I can post this, but after I get them down I'm starting a new little painting that's a surprise for my hubby for Christmas. I couldn't find a perfect gift for him for some reason. I found a few nice things that I got for him, but I also wanted something perfect and I refused to spend more money unless it was something great. Why spend money just to spend it because you feel like you are "suppose" to have a certain number of presents? I hope my painting turns out the way I want it to and that he will love it. I'm sure he'd love what his sister gave her hubby for Christmas more, but this is a little more economical and definitely from my heart.

Merry Christmas!

Week 31: No Regrets

Emily's week 31 challenge way back in August was titled "No Regrets" and I knew then what I wanted to make and began sketching it out, but got frustrated with it and erased it and didn't go back to it until yesterday morning. No regrets.... well, first of all I have no regrets about putting a halt on my career for beginning my family. I find a lot of joy and fulfilment in teaching, but even more in teaching as a mom. I have loved being home with my little kiddos and wouldn't have given it up for anything.

This year since my youngest is preschool age I have begun teaching at a very wonderful preschool (just not the same class that my little one is in) for a few hours 3 times a week. It was quite the adjustment having a strict schedule again and planning etc., but the rewards followed as well. So the other thing I have no regrets about is starting teaching again. Oh sometimes I gripe or it's hard to work things out if my kids are sick, but for the most part it's been so wonderful. Of my 12 students only one could sound out 3 letter words the first week of school, now 4 1/2 months later 11 of my 12 students are reading! More lovely than that, they follow direction, adore me (which is wonderful), and share with me the most delightful stories about their lives and their families which I'm sure would make their parents cringe some days.

I see so much potential in those sweet little stinkers. My biggest goal is that they will feel loved and feel what I see in them so that even if they have failures it wont sting. I hope they will believe deep down that if they keep trying, whatever it is that they are trying, than they will have success and I hope beyond hope that they will feel they can do anything and not be afraid to try. We outlawed the words, "I can't" at the beginning of the year. We had a funeral and everything for that nasty phrase. I have taught them to replace it with the words, "I'll try." When they remember to say, "I'll try" when they feel frustrated they almost start giggling because they know I will jump around the room cheering for them for trying. I expect a great deal of these little 4 and 5 year olds and they are accomplishing great things. What a blessing it has been to teach in a classroom again and see how much they've grown.

Yup, no regrets! (I just wish teachers were valued more monetarily) :)

Week 44: Home

Emily's challenge was "home" for week 44 and I have to say I was quite charmed by her sweet little bird picture she used and wanted to put a bird on mine too. So here it is....

I've been having so much fun day dreaming about what we'll do with this place. It's a slow process, but I'm glad that we have an art studio now. That is so fun for me. Since I was a kid I wanted my own room for art and now I have one and I get to share it with an amazing artist who inspires (and sometimes intimidates) me. Last week I left my mark in there and it makes me happy. Here's some pics of the mark I left. :)

I decided to hang all my little paintings from this year in the corner where the drafting table is. I had a bit of ribbon and some small little clothes pins, but had so many paintings I had to use old hair clips of the girls that are too small for their thicker big girl hair. I must admit it makes me quite happy to look at these paintings and remember what has happened this last year in the most unigue journal I've ever kept (and believe me, I've filled a lot of journals- around 20).

Week 46 and 47

woo woo. I'm naked! :0) My first nudie painting. hehe Week 46's theme to do an art challenge around was "Rejuvination" and Week 47's theme is "Happy Place". This is exactly how I give back to myself and fill up my little "mommy store" so I can have energy and patience to keep going. It is my happy place as well so I thought I'd combine the two since I was behind and they go hand in hand for me. (Other happy places are the beach, the temple, cozy by a fireplace with a good book... so if I have time after I'm all caught up more on these challenges than I'll do one of those, but for now this'll work.) Wanted to try a different sort of face shape and style, but feel I look a little Latina. It's fun, but just doesn't look too much like me. That's okay though, it's good to try new stuff.

I LOVE bubble baths! I could take them everyday. It is how I cope and move on. I grab a good book, sometimes light candles, fill it up with salts, bubbles, oil, whatever yummy smelling stuff I've got and soak and soak and soak. Sometimes I set up a small tv/vcr in there and watch movies. It's ridiculous how much I love baths. When we lived in our ity bity house in LA the bathroom was so small it couldn't fit a tub. I had no bath for 2 years and I thought I would go crazy some days. It's so fun to have a jetted tub in my new home. I get quite a lot of use out of it, as do my girls. :)

Week 28 and 39

Well I combined these into one post even though the weeks between were spread so far apart. I'm playing catch-up. I feel like I go in cycles of creativity. I've just got bit again by the painting bug when before that it was the decorating bug and before that the sewing bug. Okay so anyway, about the art challenges, that is what this post is suppose to be about anyway right?

Week 28 was "Goal of the Week". So I'm totally cheating, but I figure it's okay to if I admit it. The truth is that I really just wanted to paint a little Christmas tree and use glitter and get into my hubby's gold leafing. :) So I pretended that my goal of the week was to get my Christmas tree up. (It's embarrassing to admit, but we put our tree up two weeks before Thanksgiving- gasp! I know, poor Thanksgiving. ) So I guess my goal of the week was to pretend to need to put the Christmas tree up. There, that sounds legit.

Week 39: "Someone Spesh" Well since it's Christmasy time and I'm pretty sure that's why the painting bug bit me I painted a picture of Santa Claus. I'd certainly say he's special, wouldn't you? Since I had so much fun with Seth's gold leafing I used it again (on the star and bells on his hat and scarf). Don't you just like his beard? :) It makes me happy to look at it. I love those little swirls. Seth had the great idea to have the shape of the beard mimic his hat but go the opposite direction. I had made a slightly different shape to a beard and I'm so glad I changed it. I'm married to such a smarty pants. :)

Well I'm off to probably catch up some more while I'm in the mood. This is sure fun. Actually no, I just looked at the clock and realized I'm an idiot and I'm going to bed. Tomorrow (oops, I mean today, but when the sun comes up) I'll paint more I'm sure since I don't have to work, but first I better tidy up the house so I don't feel icky all day. It must be late because I'm writing down my thoughts. Ok, goodnight before I write something even more dumb. Like that.

Hickory Dickory Dock

Emily's challenge for week 30 was "Not Anymore". With my children being 4 and 7, I don't have any babies anymore. I cannot turn back the clock and have my growing big girls be so little again. It makes me realize how much I need to cherish my time with them at this age because that is slipping quickly just like the time of when they were babies. It seems to be slipping even faster. That's why I have so much fun keeping our family blog and my own family journals so I can record and remember the wonderful and stinkery things they do.
I've always LOVED LOVED LOVED grandfather clocks. When I was a little girl my dad and I would look up grandfather clocks in catalogs and day dream about making our own in his garage. I was sure we were going to, just as I am sure I will get to it eventually. :) For many years I've imagined making a little painting of the "Hickory Dickory Dock" nursery rhyme using a grandfather clock. I'm glad I've finally done it. It makes me want to paint some of the other nursery rhymes I've loved like, "Wynken, Blynken, and Nod" and "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star". I guess keep your eyes out for those. They may be coming (depending on how long I continue to be baby hungry) :). Don't be surprised if my next paintings are Christmasy though.

A Witch's Birth

I made this little painting a few days ago thinking of Kendyl and how much she likes to throw spiders into so many of her drawings. They are usually dangling in the air all over her characters. Toon club's topic last week was "Witches" and even though I'm not in toon club it made me want to make a witch painting. It also goes along with week 43's challenge in the art journal that is "scary". Although it's not very scary, it was to Kendyl. :)

At night sometimes we will make up stories and take turns going around adding on to the story until the story finds its end. Well this little painting spured a new story a few nights ago. Tonight Makenzie refined and dictated the story to me, so I put it on our family blog here. The girls are downstairs making drawings to illustrate more parts in Kenzie's story.

Week 36: Life Is Beautiful

Awww. Finally I am out of my creative slump!!!! I'm so glad to be posting this and not have to look at my Jane Austen post anymore. I hate how I want to draw and paint and then I get in a slump because some picture doesn't turn out right and I freak out, throw it in a drawer, and vow to never paint again and tell myself I'm only fooling myself that I'm an artist. I have attempted several drawings and paintings and felt super annoyed. In fact my last post for the art journal I didn't like, but put up anyway because it had been so long.... but the family Halloween portrait I was working on made me so mad I didn't touch a pencil for two weeks. Finally this morning I was inspired by a fun children's Halloween book and wanted to make my own night time pumpkin patch.

So here it is: Week 36's Challenge was, "Life Is Beautiful" and although I'm behind this fits perfect with how I feel. I just love autumn time! Halloween, colorful fall leaves, pumpkins, whistling wind, crisp air, my birthday, my hubby's birthday, smells, pumpkin carving, walking through trails in the mountains, sewing costumes, picture taking, decorating, pumpkin pie milk shakes, parties, costume contests, making silly little crafts with my kids. Life is beautiful in the fall. It's my favorite!

P.S. A very happy 36th birthday to my biggest brother!

Week 35 and 33's Art Challenges

For Week 35's challenge it was strength. We were suppose to create something around what our strengths were. I know one of my strengths (and maybe weaknesses) is how easily I give my heart to others. I love loving people. I love to do things for others. In fact I live for it. :) I grew up always helping other people and loved being able to cheer them up or do some sort of secret little thing for them. Not to say I wasn't a stinker or that I was perfectly kind. I mean, we all have Emma moments right? (that's what I call them anyway- you know the scene in "Emma" where she says something horrible at the strawberry picking picnic and you just feel sick watching it and Mr. Knightly scolds her- "badly done Emma!" Oh how I hate those horrible moments) Anyway, my mom was a wonderful example of acceptance and my dad was an incredible example of service. I thought I'd make my painting into the Queen of Hearts card since everyone else is scrapbooking these and on a deck of cards. It made me feel like I was fitting in a little more with the rest of these amazing gals. For Week 33 the challenge was 10 minutes. Create anything and see what you come up with in 10 minutes. Although I forgot the 10 minute part and I remembered it as 15 minutes for some reason and then fudged for an extra 5. hehe I didn't have anything in particular in mind except to use a color that's in my head lately- cobalt. All because of a certain dress in my head right now. :) I just wanted to make a quick little painting of any sort of design that wanted to come out- so here it is. enjoy.

(My sister just asked me how I made it so I guess I'll describe what I did: I sketched out the lines of the borders and flowers, then put masking fluid over the flower vines and borders and went crazy with the blues and purple watercolor- painting over it. The masking fluid protected what I wanted to keep white so I could be as careless and dark with the blue as I wanted. Then I crinkled up saran wrap and stuck it on top of the blue to let it sit and dry. When I lifted the saran wrap it dried making that texture in the background. Then I took of the masking fluid with an erasure and outlined everything in black. I added touches of rusty orange when I was all done for a good compliment to cobalt blue. voile! So basically it's just watercolor and ink)

Random Halloween Prize Give Away!

Well I started working on a painting to get back into Emily's challenges, but then this came out. I can't help it! So I guess it will just have to fit with Week 37's idea for "Draw Something". There's something that gets me going as soon as school starts. Even though it's in the upper 80's and 90's, not a leaf has changed color, and I haven't even seen one little ghoul or goblin I just get so excited for Halloween to come! I like to start planning costumes and begin sewing at the end of summer so I can have a few months to get the costumes made in time (here, here, here, here, and here). Today the Halloween bug bit me! To celebrate the approaching fall and ghoulish delights I made this little painting.

I want to try something fun too. I'm ready to go get some candy! I'm talking the good stuff! (Not what people usually pass out at Halloween). I'll pick up some extra and send it to one of you! I'll also make a copy of this little painting and send it along. It's my way of getting everyone else nerdy-excited with me so I'm not alone in this. Leave your name (or more) in the comments. On Sept. 8th I'll draw a name of who to send some treats and this painting to. I'll post the winner on the 9th! Go ahead, don't be shy. Good luck to the only 5 friends that look at this blog. :) hahaha Oh- and one entry per person. :)

P.S. Kendyl says the kitty's name is Cat-tail and the witch's name is Pretty Spidery Girl. Just thought you'd want to know.

I'm Repenting... :)

Ok. So I've decided that life has begun to settle down enough to try and get a painting in every week again. I just have to for my sanity. Yes, we still have things to do from the move, and the girls have just started school, and I have just begun a new teaching job (Preschool), but I've got to get back into my creative schedule again. I'm going bonkers. I started sketching a new painting and am going to set aside a little bit of time every night to work on it. I may not get one a week done like I use to, but if I at least work on something creative for a moment everyday- than I'll be a happier person. (My kids and dear Seth will love that). :) In honor of repenting and to get my creative juices going again I compiled this year's paintings so far to look at and get excited for my little moments everyday. It's fun to look at them all at once and remember what has happened throughout the year. I love keeping a journal this way.
P.S. The pirate one in the corner was Seth's... I just needed one more to make it even. :) Wish I could claim it. Still can't believe how quick he whipped that one out.

Week 23: Right Now

Emily's Challenge for Week 23 is "Right Now". Basically what's happening right now in my life. You can look at hers here. I feel all I've been writing about lately is what the major things in my life that have been going on. Well, I'm sick of that. :) So I decided to do a card about what is going on in the lives of those around me. Baby girls!!! :) What fun. Is there anything more lovely than a pink baby? Well except a little blue one of course.

My brother and his wife just had a little baby girl last month named Allegra. They also have one year old twins and a 10 year old daughter from his first marriage. Needless to say, they have their hands very full right now. :)

Some of my very bestest friends in the whole world (James and Martha Willis) had a baby girl last month as well and named her Lindy Carolina. (The Carolina part is named partly after me (Karalenn) and partly after where James served his LDS mission! It's true! What an honor!) They've been telling me for years that if they ever get a pink baby they are going to name her after me. James was my swing dance partner through college and one of my best friends. I met his wife in college too and have grown so close to her that I consider her one of my most cherished friendships. She is an incredible woman! Martha discovered breast cancer in her back in winter of 2004. She was in her early 20's with no history of cancer in her family. After a long battle she has come out stronger and more beautiful than ever. She has two older WONDERFUL sons Phillip and Luke, but has struggled through several miscarriages. I'm so happy that they had their little miracle girl. What a great family!

I'm so happy for Emily, Mic, and Ivy with their new little Yindi Willow. She's so beautiful. Here are pictures of her. I just wish that I could still be in California to give my kisses. I'll have to through mail. :)

Last of all my very bestest friend, my little sister is pregnant with her third child- a little girl too! She is due in 5 weeks! I can't wait to hold my new little niece and play with her when she gets a little older. I'm going to teach her all sorts of annoying tricks to play on her mom so her mom can think of her wonderful, greatest, most marvelous older sister.

I'm so happy to know such wonderful people that are bringing sweet, strong, beautiful little girls into the world! I left the top of my card blank in that gold section so that I can print copies of this card and put the names of these beautiful new little girls in there and mail them off to you all. The quote around the card is a favorite of mine. I wrote it all over the walls of one of our homes in California. It is from the play/book Peter Pan and it says, "When the first baby laughed for the first time, it's laugh broke into a thousand pieces and they all went skipping about and that was the beginning of fairies." Isn't that beautiful? Those little glowy orbs are pieces of the baby's laugh that will soon make fairies with one fairy already made watching from the toad stool. I've been daydreaming this card for a few weeks and I'm so happy to see it done and out there. It's more whimsy and fun than what was in my head, which I'm very happy about.

P.S. I just counted an embarassingly large amount of times I used the word "beautiful" in this post. Feel free to give me any alternatives I could use in the future. :) Thanks

Week 21: Your Redeeming Qualities/Qualities You Aspire Towards

Emily's Challenge for Week 21 was: "Your Redeeming Qualities/Qualities You Apsire Towards".

You can find hers here. The first thing to come into my mind were qualities that I aspire towards of course, because I am never satisfied with where I am. I always am thinking of how to improve or how to be better. Once I feel a sense of accomplishment, it is short lived. I soon am thinking how to improve the next time. That's why I love these challenges so much. It pushes me to the very core. I'm so happy to see me come out of my shell with art again. When I finish a piece of art I will feel happy and show it to who ever is around and then I begin to look at it and see what I could fix or do if I were to start over to make it better. I soon learned that the great thing about this challenge is there is always a new painting to make. I can feel happy about what I learned in that painting and not pick at it because I'll get to paint again in a few days.

So instead of picking what qualities I want, I'm going to feel happy about what qualities I have. :) I think one of my greatest traits is my desire to grow and blossom. So I made this painting to represent me as that beautiful butterfly who was not afraid of growth or change. I know I will blossom here in Utah where we have just moved. I'm not afraid of adventures and people that will come into my life. I'm not afraid of the unknown. In fact I'm excited! I will be a better person for it. Work is hard, change is hard, but who's happy with the same old blah? It's in the struggle and work and change that make us beautiful and refined. Growth to me is happiness and beauty.

Week 22: What would you like to learn?

I'm getting closer to catching up, I think. I'm skipping week 21 for now, because I finished week 22 first. :) For Emily's Art Challenge for week 22 she titled it, "What would you like to learn". I love it when I get a good drawing and watercolor painting out, so something I would like to learn is how to do acrylic or oil and make a mural in my girl's new room. They want it to be a princess room and I want to make it look like a real princess room with molding, fancy drapes and bed, a fancy little chandelier and on one side I am going to make a mural. (This painting is an idea for what I could make). Only I want to be able to keep it so I am getting a big flat piece of wood and preparing it for painting on and then painting the mural in my new art/sewing/creative room (eek!). That way I can nail it up and when we need to move I can take it with me and the next people wanting the house won’t have to paint over all my hard work with some boring shade of taupe or yellow. (Actually I really like those colors too.) :) Anyway, you get the idea. I want to learn how to paint in another medium and make something huge out of it. Probably what I will end up doing is cutting two pieces of wood in the shape of arch windows and painting a scene like they are looking out instead of a whole balcony scene.

Deck of Me- Week 20: Change

Well it's been a whirl-wind of a month and it's only going to stay that way for at least another month or two. I finally was able to get to my paints and a scanner to get back into this art challenge thing I do. I have missed being creative with my paints. I feel that all I've done is run around with half a brain trying to move to a new state, find a new house while living in temporary housing and Seth's parents', and move again.

Buying your first home is oh so exciting and insane at the same time. I feel that I have had a crash college course in the matter of a few weeks, but think I may pass with an A because we found a most wonderful home that will close on the 27th of June. (keep your fingers crossed). Everything is ready, we're just waiting now. :) We wont move in all the way until July 20th because we can stay in temporary housing that long. I'll just drive out there and paint and get it ready and then be able to crash at our nice little temporary apartment at night. I'll go less crazy and be able to pace myself better and probably get a lot more done than if we just moved in there with all of our stuff and had to paint with all of that around us.

The last challenge I left off on was Week 20: Change. Very fitting don't you think? I began sketching this card the day before we moved from LA and didn't finish until a few days ago. Now that I've found a scanner I will be trying to get all caught up as quick as I can (I'm 4 behind- eeek) and post them here. It's pretty self explanatory what my card is about. It's one of my favorites I've made I think. I saw a little picture of a tree house that I fell in love with and used for our moving announcement cards that inspired this picture. It's actually quite similar in the tree part of it with the tree house in it on my card and then I just made it me. :)

The home that we've fallen in love with is outside of Salt Lake City in the mountains a bit. The neighborhood seems to have a lot of young families with children our children's ages. From the backyard while standing on the deck you can see the entire valley and Utah Lake. For miles it's just fields and grass and from the front yard you see the little hills and mountains we are next to. It's got a covered deck for outdoor furniture and an outdoor fire pit. I plan to play my guitar out there every night I can. Also there's a hot tub which I will use on the nights I'm not serenading the crickets. It has an enclosed trampoline and fun play ground set for our girls. In fact when we were looking at houses the girls fell in love with the swings and as they were swinging declared, "If you pretty please buy this house we will never fight again. See how well we are swinging together!" So pretty much that sealed the deal for us. jk (Sorry girls, we're not falling for it. Lucky for you we like the place) :)

It is surrounded by such a beautiful garden that has won "Most Beautiful Yard" three different times. The actual house is almost 3,300 square feet with 4 rooms, a bonus loft room, two family rooms, a living room, finished basement, 3 fireplaces, jetted tub, the list goes on and on. The previous owners had a girl so one room is painted all princess and the room next to it is painted to look like a grassy forest fairy land. The girls have decided to share the princess room to sleep in and put their toys in the grassy forest fairy land. Even their bathroom is princessy. I just keep wishing I knew the mom who lived in the house before who did so many fun things to it because we seem to be kindred spirits. It's going to take a while to get all settled in, repaint, and save and buy all the things we need (a car for Seth, washer/dryer and table/chairs) and the things we want (new couches and bedroom set). We wanted to put the best down payment we could down and so for a little bit we are "house poor". We figure it's allowed.

Poor Sethy-poo will have a bit of a commute I'm afraid, but he actually wanted to search mostly in this city or on the other side of the valley and both would be long commutes into Downtown Salt Lake, so I figure I shouldn't blame myself for his terrible 45 minute commute each way. I just hope the car he buys is a good fuel efficient one that will be safe in the winter. Is that combination possible? Any ideas? It still has to look manly you know. :)

Well I'll be sure to post again soon with another painting and probably more photos of our temporary housing the fun stuff to do all around it. For now here's a few pictures of the house.

Deck of Me- Week 19: Surprise!

Emily's art journal challenge this week is "Surprise". It ended up being the perfect theme for me to make this be a journal as well. My Makenzie's birthday was 2 1/2 weeks ago and we threw her a surprise party at the park. Seth took her on a daddy-daughter date for her birthday while Kendyl and I set up the party. I've put some pictures below. One of them is of all the kids waiting to surprise her as we've just seen Kenzie and Seth pulling up (you'll notice that almost all of her friends are boys). It was so cute to see her expression as she walked up. She was utterly confused! We had been telling her for the last 6 months that every other year she got to have a big party with friends and on the odd years a family party with just us, so she was not expecting it in the least because she had a big party last year. Surprising her was the best part. :) The other picture is of me lighting her candles and the kids excitedly anticipating a bite. Yum... cake.

As far as my painting goes... it's of my Makenzie throwing my Kendyl a surprise tea party. They are always planning and putting together all sorts of parties each night in the backyard. They'll set up activities and food for us and make up games for us to do. Last week they had us doing a contest where we had to trace our hose with a stick and then run over to a bowl of water and marbles. Quick as we could we were suppose to pick up as many marbles as we could in 20 seconds with our toes. (Of course I won. I have Tarzan toes.) They are such fun little sisters always planning and making sweet little surprises for each other. I'm glad I'll remember how they play together through this little painting.

(Sooz asked a few days ago what size my paintings are. I'll just say it here in case anyone else was wondering... they are 4" by 6" watercolor post cards. So not quite as small as a regular playing deck, but still tiny for trying to put detail in.)

Deck of Me- Week 18: Nature

Well my Makenzie has been begging me to paint a picture of her as a small fairy in a flower or on some flowers. I love how she balances on everything that we walk past and so I pictured her balancing down a branch of blossoms for this weeks card about "Nature". I'm glad I actually got it done. I really didn't think I would with all the craziness of moving going on, but then I realized I just needed to do this to actually help me be more sane. :) And really it worked. I feel so happy to get some creative time in. Another lesson on trying to keep balance in my life. :)

I am so inspired by Margaret Tarrant who illustrated little fairies on flowers etc. for books of poems in the 1920's. I just love her art! She's one of those artists that have made an influence in my style.