big bugs at the desert botantical garden

 David Rogers’ Big Bugs

 It's no secret that the Desert Botanical Garden is one of my favorite places to visit. We were members last year and went pretty regularly. They have rotating garden exhibits and it's a beautiful place to stroll around and let the kids explore. Sadly our membership expired in August so, this year for National Free Museum Day we decided to use our free pass to visit the DBG and see the incredibly cool exhibit David Rogers’ Big Bugs.  There were 11 enormous, whimsical bugs crafted by sculptor David Rogers from fallen or found wood, cut saplings, twigs, raw branches, twine, bark and other natural materials.

Ethan loved using the garden map to find all the bugs - for him the hunt and the bug facts were super exciting. Hudson was more interested in the butterfly exhibit that was going on as well so, that was his highlight. I was smitten with the bug sculptures themselves. They are huge and magnificent and at first glance I thought they were made from metal but, it's wood - many glorious types of rich colored wood. The praying mantis and dragonfly were my two favorites but, all of them were beautiful really. If you are in the Phoenix area I definitely suggest checking it out.

you have my heart

Then, 2001

Bert and I have been married for 10 years today! We celebrated last week by spending the day driving north with stops at Sedona and Flagstaff along our way to the Grand Caynon. We had long walks, delicious quiet (kid-free) meals together, and a precious night of just the two of us. It was awesome.

Now, 2011

Today we celebrate all that we have been through together ... friendship, love, growth, adventure and of course our share of challenges. I am grateful that we have always worked through our challenges together. We truly adore each other. I can literally spend all day wasting my time with with my husband (and many days we do just that) without every tiring of his presence. I am grateful to have a constant source of love in my life and am so thankful for this man, our family and the life we have built together. 

Bert, you have my heart.

round my hometown

Bert and I in Williamsburg - Brooklyn

It's been quiet here on the blog and for good reason, I went on vacation! I unplugged for 2 weeks while visiting New York. My husband and I are from Long Island and each year we head back for a family visit. We took the kids lake-side in Connecticut, park-side in NYC and beach-side on Long Island. Bert & I visited Philly, caught a Phish show in New Jersey and strolled around Brooklyn (where I thrifted a fabulous blouse). We celebrated my little sister's 30th birthday, our niece's Bat Mitzvah and Father's day. It felt good to be home with family and friends. Here are some highlights ...

Beauty at Brooklyn Botanical Gardens

Swimming in the lake near our friends home in Danbury, CT

Central Park NYC

My BFF and two of her three girls with me and my boys

My parents and sisters

Phishin' in NJ

Cousins at Sarah's Bat Mitzvah

At the beach!

Round my hometown, memories are fresh
Round my hometown, ooh the people I've met
Are the wonders of my world

~ Adele lyrics from Hometown Glory (one of my favorite songs)

national yoga month

Saturday I reacquainted myself  with yoga.  I went on a hiatus from the gym this summer.  My arms and shoulders took a beating and are extremely sore.  It was nice to practice again. It's amazing how quickly my body tenses up and how little flexibility I had was frustrating however, it was great to feel connected with my body and have my mind clear and calm once again.

September is National Yoga Month! National Yoga Month has been created to educate people about the benefits of yoga. And how cool is this, studios all over the country are participating in a free week of yoga for new students! Head over to www.yogamonth.org, to find out which studios in your area are participating and and print off a free yoga week pass!

The website also includes information about the benefits of yoga. Some of the ones they list are:

• Lower Blood Pressure
• Decreased Stress
• Greater flexibility
• Enhanced brain function
• Lower cholesterol
• Better skeletal alignment
• Strengthened bones/joints
• Improved respiration
• Weight Loss
• Enhanced circulation
• Easier transition through menopause
• Deeper peace of mind

Big thanks to Eliza who announced National Yoga Month on her blog Art Asana.  Take a look-see at her blog if you are at all interested in yoga and/or art.  I really enjoy reading it.

drawing class begins today!

 Drawing by Ethan, age 5.

I can't believe I begin teaching drawing to elementary kids with Young Rembrandts today, I'm so excited and a whole lotta nervous.  I had training back in June so, it feels like a long time coming.  I did a mock class with Ethan & Hudson his week to practice - I am a bit worried I will go too fast or have my back turned to the class too much so, I'm trying to be be extra aware of that.  Sunday, I spent time reading over the company manual, class procedures and made a sample so, I am as ready as I can be.

As the days grow nearer, I am thinking a lot about art being a learned skill. For many artists, creating art is a learned skill developing over time with proper training and dedicated practice. I have always felt this way. I think its because there isn't anyone I know directly in my family that was an artist I could look up to or say yeah it's in my genes.  I recall countless hours copying color book characters until I mastered the image enough to be able to reproduce it without having the page to look at.  I had Donald Duck and Yosemite Sam in my back pocket to wow my cousins at any moment. That was always fun.  Kind of like a magician with a few tricks up their sleeve.  I look forward to helping a new generation of artists wow their friends and family with their drawing skills!

Learn more about Young Rembrandts or check for a class in your area by visiting their website at http://youngrembrandts.com/.

scooby and buster

Scooby's portrait finally arrived in New York this week.  The much anticipated arrival was well received and the overwhelming gratitude from my friends, Bobby, Vicky and Scooby has been wonderful.  To hear them say how much they cherish it and how much it looks like him is really rewarding. 

Scooby is very excite about his self portrait, heck we all are! Thank you so much Kristen, you are the best!!! You nailed it!

 It was the first canvas I ever shipped and learned a few things along the way like; do not estimate the cost of shipping until you package the canvas up in an appropriate box, a mirror shipping box works really well and  it is a good idea to cover the canvas with kraft paper or the like to protect it's surface.  Also, you can utilize all those plastic bags you have in your cupboard to stuff around the canvas as packing material. If it is an oil painting be extra careful that the bags to not touch the surface of the canvas as it could stick to it.

Our beloved dog of 11 years, Buster passed away shortly after I furnished Scooby's portrait.  I'm glad I had finished the painting a few weeks before Buster left us.  Buster and Scooby look they could be long lost relatives and I know it would have been a struggle to finish if the timing had been otherwise.  We love and miss him so much.  He was a great dog, always standing guard, he such a snuggler (loved to give hugs and lean on you when you sat beside him on the couch), Buster never missed a meal and always knew when you needed a friend.  He was especially helpful during those messy toddler years cleaning up after the boys at every opportunity.  Thank you for being part of our family.  Rest in Peace Buster. You will forever be in our hearts. xoxo

happy, happy oh my friend

Today is my 32nd birthday and I am full of love, food and happiness.  My dear husband cooked us up a "world famous" french toast breakfast.  My kiddos created this potato posse to celebrate. After a Beiber dance party at Hudson's request, we got ourselves dressed and met Nannie & Tom for lunch at Wildflower Bread Company.  The boys were exceptionally behaved at lunch, which translates as minimal climbing under the table, somewhat quiet chatter and only one straw eye poking incident.  Then we took a lovely stroll around the Scottsdale Museum of Modern Art, which had a some great exhibits we all enjoyed.  After a trip to Dairy Queen and some shopping time at Target all by myself I topped the day off with some playful painting. 

I received wonderful gifts and lots of birthday love from my family and friends which has me bubbling over with gratitude . I'd say it was one kick ass day. A BIG THANK YOU to everyone and a special shout out to my phenomenal husband and children for making today truly special! I love you.

dreams and transformation

 Snake Skin Butterfly

A couple of weeks ago I dreamed of a snake shedding it's skin. In my dream, I never saw the snake but, I did see his old skin lying around. I searched for the snake out of fear it would creep up but, I never found it and I was at peace not finding it - thinking it simply moved on. I don't remember dreams often but, this one was vivid and stuck around even after I woke up so, I had to check into it.

Before I get into the meaning, here is a little back story ... I had this dream a few days after I applied to a drawing teacher position and was offered an interview.  So, I has all these feelings of excitement and opportunity with a heavy dose of fear.  I haven't been on a interview in about 10 years.  So, I was a little anxious about it.

Okay, back to the dream meaning.  This is what I found ...

Snakes shedding their skin is a symbol for ridding oneself of what one no longer needs in favor of accepting something new. The process of shedding skin is not simple for a snake, nor is it so in our waking lives. Snakes speak to transformation, death and rebirth, the taking on of a new skin, new roles, responsibilities and even attitudes...snake sheds its skin and grows new skin; shedding the old, new growth. A snake appearing in your dream may very well be telling you that despite the temporary discomfort you must go through, it may be time to release old relationships, careers, or habits in order to renew and reclaim your life. Lastly, when you dream about snake skin it could represent that you are identifying differently with your process of creativity.

How spot on is that?!  I had my interview, was happy to learn more about what the program was all about and was offered a job with the Young Rembrandt's program.  I will be teaching drawing to elementary aged children after school starting in August - woo hoo! The idea of trying something entirely new in my art career is exhilarating and I am up for the challenge.  I am not sure exactly where this opportunity will lead but, I do know that it will be a wonderful experience and will answer questions I have about the possibility of continuing my education to teach art in the future.

herb garden

I planted 3 herbs this week; Mint, Italian Parsley and Basil. I'm so excited to cook with them! I really hope I can keep them alive and pest free.

The shortest distance between two people is a smile

It's been 5 days since we got back home and I am still pretty darn sad. I seem to be in a grieving period over the loss of our family as we settle back into life as we know it. To work through it I took a walk yesterday and took pictures of the beautiful desert in bloom. It's a gorgeous time of year here and definitely something to enjoy and savor. This short walk put in a much happier mood.



When I woke up today the sadness had crept back in. I cleaned and ironed and showered and cried. Then the universe stepped in at lunch. My lunchtime fortune cookie today said "The shortest distance between two people is a smile".

I took that as a message saying that our family and friends are only as near or far as we make it out to be. We have many ways of staying in touch and involved in each others lives. I do feel deep down though that as life continues I am becoming more and more convinced that we need to be closer to family then we are right now. As the saying goes "only time will tell".

missing home

We're back from a long and action packed family trip to our hometown in New York. We had a bit of wonder and many fun adventures with friends and family while we were there. I am having a hard time adjusting back into the real world and feeling pretty homesick right about now. Definitely more so then usual. Being a family of four traveling across the country, we aren't able to visit as often as we'd like. It had been 1 year and 7 months since we had last been to visit. That is really far too long and I fear it may be that long before we go again. And that has me feeling blue. I'm slowly unpacking and getting everything back in place and hope to feel a bit less blue in the process.

rainbow spotting!

As much of the country has been hit with snow we in sunny Arizona have been on the rainy side. The rain is a rare treat for us and with it I hold memories of where I grew up. And I love it. Having so much rain this year has reminded me just how much I love it. My creativity yesterday was flowing and I know it had to do with the soothing sounds, smells and sights of rain. Always clears me + we saw this beautiful full spectrum rainbow in our backyard! Hudson was very excited and wanted to know when were going to ride down it. Precious.

So what did I do that was so creative yesterday? Well ... I made 3 pairs wire wrapped earrings for gifts, 2 wire wrapped gift tags (a soon-to-be free project idea on Soft Flex Company's website) and I made whole wheat strawberry muffins! Yum.

desert botanical gardens

On Friday, my long time friend Carla and I got to spend the day together. Carla was in town for the ArtFest of Scottsdale and took some time out of her trip to spend the afternoon with me. We had a fabulous lunch at Arcadia Farms, known for their local and organic menu, and then headed to the Phoenix Desert Botanical Gardens.


I was the lucky recipient of a Culture Pass which led us to the Desert Botanical Gardens. The culture pass is a program that began in April and allows library members to sign out passes for free admission for 4 people to 15 different museums and cultural institutions around the valley. It's a pretty neat program. The library near me makes them available at random so, it's the luck of the draw and on Friday I happened to pick up a pass the Desert Botanical Gardens, score! While there we visited the Mariposa Monarca Monarch Butterfly Exhibit.

Hope you had a lovely weekend!

day trippin'

Last weekend we took the family for a drive up north to Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon. We watched the leaves fall as we drove through Oak Creek Canyon. I forgot how beautiful it is to see the leaves delicately fall all around us. Once there, we ...

had a picnic lunch

played in the leaves

took pictures of the trees, this was taken by Hudson!

feed a goat named Amber

and admired this metal Javelina at an art show, Ethan loved him

While in the area we visited our friends Carla and Mark of Black Mountain Jewelry (and their dog Sam) at an art show they were attending. Lastly, we stopped at the Black Cow Cafe in uptown Sedona and enjoyed some homemade ice cream before hitting the road to head back home. What a sweet way to end a nice day trip with my family.

vac8tion

We’re el8ted to be leaving town in a few short hours to start our vac8tion! We are headed to Festival 8, a three-day Phish festival this weekend at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California.

Keeping the tradition of past Halloween shows, Phish will don a musical costume on Halloween night and cover another band’s album. And everyone is a buzz about what album they will be covering! The tradition began on Halloween 1994 with Phish covering The Beatles’ The White Album. In subsequent years, they covered The Who’s Quadrophenia, Talking Heads’ Remain in Light and the Velvet Underground’s Loaded.

Phish will play 8 sets over the course of 3 days, and as with all past festivals, there will be numerous attractions and art installations throughout the weekend.

Bert & I will be meeting up with a bunch of old friends ta-boot! Can't wait!!!

parenting woes

I am in need of some good old fashioned parenting advice and support right about now. I am day 1 into our 3 day weekend and the boys are making me nuts. Hudson is simply too loud. I have repeated "Hudson, please stop screaming!" all flippin day long. After 3 time outs, I'm still saying the same darn thing ... "Hudson, please stop screaming!" Ethan on the other hand has embarked on a whole new adventure with school; with that has come a new found independence (which is great) and a new found defiant attitude (not so great). My standard parenting "techniques" are falling flat and I need a pick me up. I guess I know what I'll be doing later this evening when everyone else is asleep ... I'll be arming myself with some new tricks to try out for the remainder of the weekend. My goal is to get my kids to "want" to do the right things without me getting loud, angry or frustrated. Sounds like a challenge for sure! Are you working on any challenges of your own right now?

nature deprived

We desert dwellers are a little nature deprived by now due to the summer's heat but, I do get a little (hot) fresh air in each day as I sit on our shady front porch waiting for the school bus to arrive. We are settling in to our new routine now that school has begun. I guess I'm daydreaming of that new ritual today since I've been indoors all weekend! Being indoors can be pretty productive some times though and this weekend I put myself to work cleaning, cooking, organizing and even squeezed in art projects with the kids and for myself! That feels good.

sisters vacation

Aunties & the boys having fun in the backyard.

So much has happened recently! Since our trip to Colorado, I just feel like time has flown by. We came home and within days our first born began kindergarten. A few days after school started, my 2 sisters arrived to witness Ethan's first days at school and celebrate my birthday.

Aunties & Hudson relaxing by the pool

For my birthday we stayed at the Hotel Valley Ho in old town Scottsdale, drank John Daly's by the pool all day, and ate like queens. Both my sisters and I love to order a few things and share family style. Anyone who goes out to eat with me knows this is my favorite way of enjoying a meal! We enjoyed a delicious lunch at Arcadia Farms. This place makes you feel like you're inside a doll's house and the food is all farm fresh. We enjoyed dinner atMalee's Thai on Main, the food was great as was the service. Katie, Kelly & I were all pretty tipsy and giggled our way through dinner. A few steps from the restaurant (Kelly had REALLY high Tina Turner heels on) we stopped at The Tortilla Factory to rest our feet, have another drink and snack on chips and salsa and finished the night with a chocolate cake to go (which I enjoyed in the bathtub later that night,haha).

Hotel Valley Ho room

Hotel Valley Ho bathroom

Hotel Valley Ho pool

After our night away, my sisters had a blast hanging with their nephews for the rest of their stay! I was so sad to see them go. I hadn't felt that sad in awhile :( It sure does get harder to be away from our loved ones as we get older and understand what family means to us. My sisters are really special. It's sad knowing I won't see them again until March 2010!




In other news ...

Sara Hardin (AKA Ask Sara) found that even Martha Stewart Living suggests Soft Flex Wire by name for their beading project!

Black Mountain Jewelry Co was reminded yesterday of why they love doing jewelry repairs.

Tiffany from Green and Natural Parenting explains how taking a nature walk with kids helps improve their emotional well-being.

Craft Magazine showcases Egg Press' work and whirl video, which gives a mesmerizing view into their workshop, on their blog.