my first hemp necklace

I gave my little man Hudson a hemp necklace that used to be mine. He's been wearing it to daycare and Ms. Laura's daughter (who he adores) said she liked it. So, he decided we needed to make her one. Never one to back down to a crafty challenge I said sure, bought some hemp and checked out some tutorials online. I found these two videos; How to Start Hemp Necklaces and Making a Spiral Knot Hemp Bracelet, the most helpful to me.

Being someone who has a fondness for all things hemp it's strange that I never made a hemp necklace before. After I got the hang of it I let Hudson get some good knots in. I ran out of hemp about half way through and needed to tie on extra but in the end it wasn't noticeable.Once done, Hudson picked out a lampwork flower pendant and I picked out a bead for the clasp and my first hemp necklace was born.

 

I have to say the process was truly meditative. I carried it around in my purse for the weekend and knotted when I had free time. I enjoyed the repetitiveness and portability of the project. I think making one for myself is the logical next step, right?

first day of school + printable lunch box notes

First day of school! My little man was all sorts of nervous and excited this morning for Kindergarten. I wish I could meet him for lunch but, the hubster thinks I should let him experience his first day on his own. I know he's right, so instead I'll let his lunch box note let him know I'm thinking of him.

I tried lunch box notes when Ethan went to Kindergarten and after 2 days he kindly asked me to stop. I guess he didn't think it was cool for him to be getting notes and stickers from his mom as he was a big kid and all. But with Hudson starting school, I had to give it another shot . I browsed pinterest (the best thing since sliced bread, am I right?) and found printable lunch box notes by Lori McDonough of Fresh Picked Whimsy that I thought had a "cool kid" vibe.

Visit Fresh Picked Whimsy to print your own!

new painting, teach play love

 Teach Play Love

Acrylic on Canvas 12x12, 2011

My youngest son will be starting kindergarten and as exciting as that is (and it is so exciting!), he will be leaving his second home - Ms. Laura's Daycare and Preschool. He began going to Laura's when he was just 6 months old, so it is with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to her and her family and all the wonderful friends we have made there. Our family has been so blessed have found Laura. She is an amazing caregiver; kind, patient, nurturing and has taught my kids so much. She gave us peace of mind that they were well taken care of while we provided for our family and that has meant the world to my husband and I. To show my appreciation for Laura and her family I created this painting as a gift of gratitude.

Forever In My Heart

Although I'm not their mother
I care for them each day,
I cuddle, sing and read to them
And watch them as they play.
I see each new accomplishment,
I help them grow and learn.
I understand their language,
I listen with concern.
They come to me for comfort,
And I kiss away their tears.
They proudly show their work to me,
I give the loudest cheers!
No, I 'm not their mother,
But my role is just as strong.
I nurture them and keep them safe,
Though maybe not for long.
I know someday the time will come,
When we will have to part.
But I know each child I cared for,
Is forever in my heart!

~ Author Unknown ~

watercolors and the color red

I picked up a watercolor sketchbook - yay! I have my book and watercolors in my bedroom so, that I can end my day with a little painting. This month's creative every day theme is red so, I have been using lots of red in my work.

I am trying to get a feel for how watercolors work exactly. As you see with this feather, I tried applying layers like I do with acrylic paint and it turned out really muddy (see the middle of the feather). I also tried mixing colors directly on the paper as I often do with acrylic instead of on a palette and found that it didn't really work out.

For my next sketch, I lightened up and tried not to have such a heavy hand. The red maple leaf I drew is much looser and I think it works well with the paints softer qualities.

And with this tree sketch, I felt a bit more in control. I had a nice calm feeling while painting, letting the paint lead me instead of me leading it.

daughters grow in a garden of love

I was delightfully commissioned to do a painting for a baby girl's nursery. The mother doesn't have a specific theme or color palette for the nursery so, I focused on creating something girly and filled with beauty and of course flowers came to my mind but, I didn't want to stop there - I added some loving words about daughters, I think it adds just the right about of sweetness to the painting.

Want to commission me to create a special painting for you?  Please feel free to email me to discuss your project. To see more of my work visit my artwork page.

blue braided bracelet

During July, I got bite by the braiding bug, the trend seems to be everywhere and I love it! I braided a couple of bracelets with soft flex wire and seed beads. Last month's Creative Every Day theme was blue so, that inspired the color palette. After braiding I realized I didn't have any 3x3mm crimp tubes to finish the design. I hope to pick some up from Sara this weekend (I'll be at her house helping stuff the wedding invites I designed for her, woo hoo!).

It's my birthday and I can have a sale if I want to!

Ice Cream Wish Necklace

August is my birthday month and I am celebrating my 33rd birthday by offering you a coupon to save 33% off anything in my shop. Simply enter code BDAY33 at checkout.

august biz goals

I pretty much got to everything on my list for July. August is my birthday month (woo hoo!!!), the boys start school next week and we are preparing for a move across the country so I will be keeping things extra simple with an emphasis on creativity instead of the business side of things. 

July Goals

• S & J wedding invitation - sent to the printer, should arrive this week!
• creative every day challenge - worked on bracelets based on the "blue" theme
• continue packing and preparing for a move - yep still packing, sold some things too
• possibly post a moving sale for Etsy shop? having a birthday sale instead
• create pdf file for artwork page instead of the long list and then move on to design page - still to do
• try and make time to move - I have not been good about the gym and am cancelling my membership due to moving but, I did do some yoga on my own. I have a hard time motivating myself at home to exercise so, that was a big step for me. 

 August Goals

• promote etsy birthday sale
• finish "blue" bracelets I started
• creative every day challenge check in, theme this month is "red"
• create a 35 before 35 list (sounds like fun!)
• play with new watercolor paints and paper
• continue preparing for move
• make time to move - family walks, yoga and dance

If you would like to join in the Meetup biz goals fun, head on over to Athena Dreams to read more about how we support one another and how to join in.

choosing simplicity

I recently read the book Choosing Simplicity: Real People Finding Peace and Fulfillment in a Complex World by Linda Breen Pierce. It's ironic really because I feel like my life is anything but simple at the moment. For reasons beyond our control we will be moving from our rental home. We are unsure of when we are moving, where we are going and all the other challenges that lay ahead.That sounds anything but simple!

The book is filled with stories of real people who have chosen to well, live simply. I found the stories inspiring and enlightening. I was nodding along in agreement with the things I do now and the wishes and dreams I have for the future. I enjoyed reading the variety of perspectives and appreciate that the author emphasized that there's no exact formula for this type of life style.  

This is how the author defines simple living:  

Simple living or voluntary simplicity are lifelong processes in which we turn loose the quest for more wealth, status and power in favor of an authentic life of inner peace and fulfillment. 

Excerpt about materialism and productivity (page 107) that spoke to me:  

If materialism is addictive, so is our desire for productivity and efficiency. We are constantly trying to milk the most out of each minute of the day. Our love affair with productivity and efficiency generates busy, chattering minds. Often we have trouble relaxing when we finally get some leisure time; we cannot easily escape the habit of working, thinking, and above all, saving time.

Simple living does not mean you must reject the material comforts in life. It means letting go of anything that interferes with a meaningful quality of life. This for me, means I need to strip away activities, stuff and work that doesn't fulfill me and bring peace to my life. My desire for productivity in particular is in need of tweaking. I am always trying to see how I can squeeze in something while doing something else.

This book affirmed many of the choices I've made about the of life I choose to lead and I am hopeful that I will learn to escape the habit of working so often. My only criticism is that there is some repetitive material and the author plugs the book "Your Money or Your Life," way too many times. However, looking past that this book gives you lots to think about and good resources are included.

I picked up this book after seeing a review on the nature mom's blog about it, click here to read her review.
 

typography tips

What is typography? Typography is the arrangement of type and the selection of fonts (typefaces), size, line spacing (leading), adjusting the space between groups of letters (tracking) and adjusting the space between letters (kerning). Type is made of shapes which influence how the words are to be read, and the emotion they convey, giving every typeface a personality.

Today I am sharing some tips for using type effectively and avoiding common mistakes to make your documents a little more attractive, easy to read and professional on Soft Flex Company's blog. Click here to read my guest blog post.