The Crayon Princess

Remember when.....

2011-07-14T12:51:00.004-05:00

Several months ago, I wrote a post asking for cans with a large pop top. I promised to show some of the finished products. I started by using a can opener to open the bottom. I washed the cans, filled, then hot glued the bottoms back to the can. I found that pineapple cans worked the best, because they were large and help more goodies! I stamped papers and wrapped the cans with ribbon, tags,... Each can was filled with goodies to make summer fun: bubbles, squishy lizards, balls, sunglasses, water guns, flip flop lottery tickets,.... I had a lot of fun making something just because, and I think the recipients all loved their little happy. I am planning to do some back to school cans for MC's teachers.

Thanks to facebook, I have reconnected with my very first BFF, oringinal best friends, as she calls us:) I mailed her little ones a can, and I think they loved the surprises. She immediately scoured her cabinets for cans that would work for some creations of her own. She has plans to create cans as party favors for an upcoming birthday.

And Again.....

2011-06-13T09:53:00.003-05:00

I am recovering from another round of strep. I think this is about the seventh time since February; hope to get this all sorted out soon! Of course, I am still painting: plates, buckets, canvas,....the list goes on and on:) This canvas is one I finished up last week to match invitations for this little one's first birthday. The mom tagged me in some party pics on facebook. She did a great job setting everything up!

New Orleans

2011-05-24T12:07:00.003-05:00

We spent the weekend in New Orleans--site seeing and visiting the museum that had MC's picture. I think everyone had a good time. It was very busy with the Rotary Convention, Microbiologist Convention, and Helen Brett show.
I am happy to be out of school for summer. I am hoping to catch up on all my painting; I know everyone is anxious to get their plates. I will also try to paint some things to list on etsy and facebook, but I still plan to take if very easy for a while:) I said I would never do it again, but I see a yard sale in my future. I started cleaning out Molly's room yesterday. I have to say that my kids have waaaaay too many toys. One box and one trash can later, and there is still lots to go!

Sea Turtle

2011-04-11T19:10:00.003-05:00

My little artist created this sea turtle, using oil pastels, watercolor, and pastels. I love having her in my art class! I entered several of my students in an endangered species contest at the Ogden Museum in New Orleans. They received 2500 entries! From the entries, they chose 40 finalists. Three of my students are in the top 40; we will hear the results this week. Wish I had gotten pictures of them all, but I never expected.....

Goin' Coastal

2011-03-31T18:50:00.004-05:00

I was recently asked to paint vehicle windows for a group headed to see Kenny Chesney. I was pretty nervous, not sure I was up to the task. Thank goodness, she was very specific; I knew exactly what she had in mind. It took last night until dark, then about an hour this afternoon.

Easter Baskets

2011-03-26T20:30:00.003-05:00

I have been busy today making lots of Easter baskets. I wanted to get one more thing crossed off my to do list, and I had people anxiously waiting on baskets. I pulled out some old eggs and used vinyl to add polka dots and initials. Everything is cuter with polka dots:)

I had an amazing week and teamed up with Smart Girls Who Surf for a great opportunity. I cannot wait to get started. I don't want to jinx it by telling too much too soon, but I will post pictures soon!

I Need Cans

2011-02-07T18:21:00.003-06:00

I have had my eye on a project for a long time, but never have been able to find the supplies I needed...until now. However, I need your help. I need some pop top nacho cheese cans. I need you to open the can using a can opener on the bottom! I will show a picture of what it looks like opened. Sorry, no picture with the label still on; I will work on that one. You will have to stay tuned for what I have in mind, but I will need around 10 cans by Easter. I doubt we will have nachos again any time soon, so I need your help!

Frog for Breakfast?!

2011-02-05T11:05:00.002-06:00

I know I rarely write on here anymore, and I am sure that Laura is the only one still reading:) I have been so busy, but I have broken my month down into what's coming up. 1. Valentine Orders 2. Molly's surgery 3. Girls' Joint Petting Zoo Party.....add to that the plates I still need to finish and the party on Feb. 19. Yes, this is going to be a busy month. Throw in there a little strep throat and ice days, and this is a whopper. It is so easy for me to get bogged down in all my stuff. I read a friend's blog and just had to share. I loved her post about FROGS! It was exactly what I needed to read. I am getting started on my list:)

Sniff, Sniff

2011-01-25T17:40:00.002-06:00

Almost 8 years ago, I had given up and didn't think I would be able to have children, but the Lord has blessed me twice. I have been wanting one more baby so bad, but the doctor, the husband,...all say no. I know it is for the best, but it seems like everyone else is having babies! I have decided to just enjoy the two I have even more. I am sitting here looking at a beautiful picture taped to my front door or the cute yorkie drawing on my fridge. I thought I would share my good friend's blog today. She has some wonderful Wayne Watson videos up--Watercolor Ponies; get your tissue ready!

Sugar

2011-01-22T16:31:00.002-06:00

I have always wanted a yorkie, and we found the perfect little girl this year. We meant her to be a Christmas present for the girls, but she didn't quite weigh enough to come home. We got her at New Years. We are in love; she is the funniest little thing, weighing in at 1 pound! There are soooo many things to consider when purchasing a yorkie, but we were so lucky to find one from a really reputable breeder. She babysits my "brothers"--my dad's dogs, and she was so thorough in making sure we understood what we were getting. She is sporting her leopard print sweater today and LOVES her rawhide bone that is as long as she is!

I Love My Two Year Old

2011-01-15T10:46:00.003-06:00

We are in the funeral home. Everyone is whispering, and all is VERY quiet. Molly shouts out, "Did you's hear me's poot?" Could have died!! I walked out and let my mom handle that one:)

Molly is curled up in my lap.
Me: Do you feel bad?
Molly: No.
Me: Are you tired?
Molly: No.
Me: Well, what's the matter?
Molly: Me don't have any matters.

I am in busy party planning mode. I am doing one big party for the girls together in February. The petting zoo is booked, and the cake is ordered. I have started the invites and bought the plates. Feeling very good about my progress. I am calling this my last party. I think from now on we will take a trip. The money would be the same and a lot less stress. This is the picture that is going on the invitations.

House Bed

2011-01-05T18:27:00.005-06:00

When Mattie Claire was 4, we had her a bed built to match one that was in Pottery Barn. It holds a full mattress (not included) on top and is open on the bottom for toys... Top to bottom is 72 inches. Across the front is 80 inches. Front to back is 63 inches. We want more room in Molly's bedroom and are trying to sell it. We originally were asking $400, but I am considering any offer. I want more space in Molly's bedroom and have some big plans, but I need to sell the bed first. It will unscrew and need a new paint job after being put back together. Let me know if you are interested or would like to make an offer.

My Little Artist

2010-12-23T21:33:00.002-06:00

I have reached my limit, and I am worn out. As a little pick me up, MC drew me a picture. She even added a little portrait of Flake in the middle of the tree. She used some of the neatest crayons to draw it; they are some kind of all in one Colorific crayon. They are like crayons, oil pastels, and watercolors all in one. I had to make her hold Flake for the pic; she is still worried about ruining his magic!

Flake

2010-12-18T21:59:00.003-06:00

If you don't have Elf on the Shelf yet, you need to rush out and buy one. I don't know why I waited so long, but I have just been putting it off. MC was so nervous about Tuesday's doctor's appointment that I promised to get her one, then I couldn't find one. Thank goodness Jason found one yesterday while out delivering plates. Our Elf's name is Flake. He is a bad elf! Last night, he ate a rice krispy treat, leaving his wrapper on the mantel. Then, he took a bunch of ornaments off my tree and climbed it. I woke up to MC crying, because Molly touched him. Didn't she understand that could cause him to lose his magic??!! She told me this afternoon that if he was still on the tree in the morning, then Molly had killed him:( Well, he is not dead; I see him hiding behind the curtains with a couple of early Christmas gifts.

If you have noticed, I have been a little MIA lately. I am busy painting plates and finishing up orders. I stayed up until 4:30 this morning; I am trying really hard to stay on track and not ruin anyone's Christmas.

Help?!

2010-11-14T17:45:00.002-06:00

I need a 2 or 3 Shrimp and Grits blue smocked pumpkin dress. I have one for Mattie Claire, but I need the matching one for Molly. Thought someone might have an outgrown one in their closet they might like to sell! I cannot find a good pic of it. It has pea pods between each pumpkin and is a TINY gingham like print.

House Bed

2010-11-14T10:31:00.004-06:00

The last Christmas before Molly, we kind of went overboard. It was Mattie Claire's last Christmas as an only child, and we bought her lots! Jason and his dad built her this house bed to match one in Pottery Barn. I had big plans for a flower box and to paint it really cute. However, there just never seems to be time to paint for myself. She slept in it probably twice, now it takes up lots of space! I will never trust Molly to sleep that high up. I am sure she would end up playing Super Molly and trying to fly down! I have put it on facebook; cross your fingers that I sell it.

Yesterday, we went shopping--girls day. We shopped with friends and went to a Matilda Jane party. Both girls had a blast, and poor Molly crashed as soon as we got home!

Monday's with M & M

2010-11-08T17:54:00.002-06:00

I am going to start sharing all the stuff that my children share throughout the week. Here is my first Monday with Molly--2 years old.

Cough, cough--"Mama, me allergic to this food." The mac and cheese was cleaned off her plate (guess she's not allergic to that); she must be allergic to the mashed potatoes, gravy, and meat.

Sneak Peak for Blogger Friends

2010-11-04T20:16:00.004-05:00

Like I don't have enough plates to do, I decided to do an extra one. I painted this Cookies for Santa plate on a large charger plate. I will be posting on facebook this weekend and offering as a giveaway. Thought I would post here first, so you loyal followers would have first dibs. Sorry--no idea why it is sideways!!

Don't Sweat the Small Stuff

2010-11-02T20:20:00.006-05:00

A few weeks ago, I got upset with MC when she made a C on a spelling test. She spelled the two words correctly, but she wrote two letters backwards. I called it a careless error and really fussed at her. Later that night, I was talking to MC's teacher's mother, and we were laughing about 1st grade.... She gave me some advice that I filed away for another day:) She said that she wished she could tell us young mothers to not sweat these little things. When our kids were all grown up, we would see that these little things didn't matter or amount to much.
Our community was hit with a tragedy last week, and her words came back to me. I hope that I can carry these lessons with me for a long time. I know that my girls will try me, but I hope I remember to ask myself if it is really that bad??!! When she is all grown up, will it really matter that she made a C on a test in the first grade? I think not! Will it matter that she poured half a can of parmesan cheese on her spaghetti (of which 1/3 went on the couch)--I think not! I can only pray that I remember to laugh at these things and remember--DON'T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF!

This Weekend

2010-10-24T17:29:00.004-05:00

I broke my camera, so I don't have any pictures to share right now. We have been super, duper busy. I don't look for it to slow down until after Christmas. Friday, I made the one hour drive to pick up some plates from the ceramic shop. Saturday, I drove back down there to pick up some supplies I needed from Michaels to finish up these Halloween orders. Last night, Jason and the girls carved the pumpkin. He did a great job, and I am headed to the kitchen to roast those seeds. We spent the afternoon at the nursing home. Jason's grandmother celebrated her 80th birthday yesterday, and there was a big turnout for her party today. It was great getting to see everyone!

On a side note--If you are planning to get your little one a Fisher Price ixl, I would go ahead and pick that up. I went to Target--none, WalMart--none, KMart--none, and finally found one at the WalMart in our tiny town. WalMart.com is also sold out of the pink ones. I was starting to panic and think I had missed out on another Christmas must!! I was having flash backs of the zsu zsu pets!

Trashy TV

2010-10-20T14:16:00.004-05:00

Does cleaning out your DVR count as cleaning?? No one was feeling well, so we are all home today. I have shared before that I like some trashy, reality tv. While the girls were napping, I watched the last episode of Teen Mom. There are a couple of girls on there that need a reality check/old fashioned spanking!! However, I love Tyler and Catelynn. This young couple chose to break the cycle and give their daughter up for adoption. They come from broken/unstable homes and wanted more for their daughter. I was so impressed watching this 16 year old couple show more maturity than their parents and most adults. Now that I have said that, what will I "clean" next?:)

Puppy

2010-10-18T17:10:00.002-05:00

God knew I couldn't handle boys, and he blessed me with two little girls. What was I thinking keeping this boy puppy?? I cannot handle boys! Would anyone like to offer this puppy a good home? He was born in February to a long-haired dachshund mother and (mostly likely) a cocker spaniel dad. He is very good-natured and good with kids. I think he weighs close to 9 or 10 pounds.

Monkey Day

2010-10-17T14:33:00.005-05:00

Laura made the cutest monkey cupcakes a few weeks ago, and I filed it away for future reference. Last week was a short week at school, and MC's teacher wanted to have some fun. I jumped on it and offered to help with a monkey day. I made the monkey cupcakes (thanks Laura) for snacks. I taught the kids how to draw a cute monkey, and we used brown wicky sticks for tails. The teacher read them a Curious George book after all the artsy fun.

I love working in MC's school. I am able to spend time with her and do art projects with her class. As a fundraiser for the Fall Festival, I created a fall platter to be raffled. Each child and teacher added a thumbprint that I turned into pumpkins, turkeys, and scarecrows.

Vexcon

2010-10-17T09:47:00.002-05:00

Do you remember the big Vexcon birthday party? We had a great time and were so happy that the cast was willing ot come to our house. To thank them, I painted a personalized plate. Mrs. Donnie was so happy and said she would put it on the shelf behind here desk, where they film her. Jason saw it on last week's show. I could not believe it! I looked around on their facebook, and I saw a picture of some behind the scenes that they are filming. My plate was there! How exciting!

I Love Fall Break!

2010-10-12T09:03:00.004-05:00

Friday was Fall Festival at school. Saturday was a plate party, and Sunday was another plate party. Monday and Tuesday--FALL BREAK!! I thought I would get a lot of painting done, but no. Molly isn't feeling well, and we are all exhausted. I have accomplished working on my Thirty One order. I am having a catalog party to help out a friend who just signed up with the company. I have chosen to do tons of Christmas shopping from the catalog. She has started a facebook page for her Thirty One business. I thought the square tote was really cute, then she posted a picture of how she uses it. I thought it was a great idea in my quest to be more organized:)

I hope Santa will bring Molly this cute floral bag; she loves carrying her toys around;) Speaking of Molly, she is a talker. Several people last week commented on how well she speaks for her age. I always say that she gets lots of practice, because she never stops. Just a few minutes ago I told her that she was going to have to hush. Her reply was, "I not know how to hush." And no, she has talked non-stop since she rolled out of bed.

Meme's Little Moovers

2010-10-05T17:42:00.003-05:00

I will be painting and firing until Christmas Eve, but I am so thanksful for the parties! Here is one that I can share; it was a birthday present, so I am not ruining the surprise. The baby is only two months old--what a precious foot! Don't miss my "newphew's" print in a spot on the neck:)

Welcome to Hunting Season

2010-10-04T20:13:00.003-05:00

Jason just killed his first deer of the season. No pictures, because she was not big enough to brag about:) The girls went outside to inspect the first casualty of the season. Molly said, "Daddy, why you kill her? Her mama is at her house." I guess she knows at two that a mother will always be home worrying.

The poor baby had a rough day. It's never good when the babysitter meets you at the door saying, "I want to tell you before you see her...." She was doing a "flip" on the concrete, and fell forward face first onto the concrete patio. It's not really a flip; it's more like an all fours with one leg in the air. Her little nose took a beating; I'm am sure it looked pretty bad at first! I won't document this accident, because remember this accident. She may be a soul-mate to the Bo Semi-Slacker:) I think he has a boo boo in every picture.

New Friends

2010-10-03T15:47:00.005-05:00

I am a little shy; not super shy, just a little leary in new situations. Yesterday was my first plate party where I didn't really know anyone. I was pretty nervous going into it, but I had the BEST time. I fell in love with the hostesses kids and the neighbor's kids. I hope to stay in touch with them, because I had a really good time! What kind of plates did I make? I made my first alligator, a family plate, a house, .... Can't wait to see them finished!

After the plate party, I headed to a nearby town where I teach, about 30 minutes from where I live. One of my students invited me to see her in a youth drama program at her church. I went to what I thought would be a 30 minute drama program that actually lasted about 2 1/2 hours:) The music was loud/Christian rock type, but the youth were amazing. I was truly blessed to see young people so passionate about Christ! The student that invited me doesn't have the highest self-esteem. When I got there, I asked her to tell me about the church. The first thing she said was, "No one judges you here; it is okay if your hair isn't just so. Everyone loves you no matter what." I would guess there were about 75 young people there; these young people made the decision to serve the Lord on a Saturday night, instead of .... I am already praying that my daughters make that decision when they are teenagers. I pray that they can find a group just as willing to make a stand for Christianity and what is right! Back to my shyness--guess who won the door prize in the middle of all the youth that she did not know!!!

Laura: Check out this site for more info on the Fisher Price ixl.

Christmas Shopping

2010-10-01T20:13:00.002-05:00

I am working on my Christmas shopping. I usually have a lot more done by this time, but I have a really good idea of what I want. Hoping it won't take too long!

I think we are going to get the little one a Fisher Price ixl. She would love having her own "ibod" touch, and I thought the price was great for everything it does. Would love to hear from anyone who has one!

Thirty One

2010-09-24T17:01:00.002-05:00

Someone recently asked me to host a Thirty One party. I am very excited about it; they have the cutest bags!! I made my fall Vera Bradley wish list yesterday, and I will start my Thirty One wish list tomorrow.

Tomorrow, I am doing something I NEVER do. I have a plate party tomorrow afternoon in a nearby town (WM); I am going to do some shopping all ALONE before the party. I will not know what to do--no mid-store potty breaks; no Dora purchases; no whining.... Can you tell I am a little excited? I do plan on stopping in at ToysRUs; some of my students want "trick" yo-yos, and I hope to get some Christmas shopping done. Facebook is keeping me extremely busy; etsy is still closed. I will try to do better about posting!

My New Studio

2010-09-07T20:24:00.004-05:00

I got a building!! I had honestly given up, then this building fell in my lap:) It was a truly blessed day last Monday. I bought a building for a great price AND accidentally drove through a highway intersection without stopping/without having a wreck. Yes, the Lord was looking out for me last Monday. I thought it would be fun to post some progress pictures, so here are some before. The pictures show the building in its old home and one of the interior. I can't wait to get started. I have some big ideas for painting my new studio! I am ready to get moved into the space; with 6 scheduled plate parties, I will need somewhere quiet to work.

Here I Am!

2010-09-06T16:22:00.004-05:00

I know I have been MIA again, but I am snowed under with no end in sight. I was looking forward to the long weekend and thought I would catch up, but no. I hurt my back yesterday, and it was downhill from there. I have been able to paint today, so I hope to get at least one order in the mail tomorrow. I thought I would share a few pics of what has been going on!
I got an order for some bass party favors. I painted a bass and some cattails on water bottles. Each bottled was wrapped with a bows and tag. I hope he had a great party!

Below are some pics of my back to school girls. We wear uniforms, so we have to accessorize with cute belts and bows. We wore braids the first day with polka dots. My mom found some Dora ribbon and made Molly her own belt and bows. She has had to dress up too. She loves being back at the babysitter; I am so blessed to have someone she loves keeping her. She runs the show in that house. She walks in placing her breakfast order and telling them what to turn on the TV. A couple of days ago, she walked in saying, "I like sausage; turn on Dora." The sad part was; everyone started running around to fill her orders. We have created a monster!!

Trying to Slow Down

2010-08-29T15:23:00.005-05:00

I am working hard to catch up on my painting and take a little break. The only problem--there is no end in sight:) I have closed etsy to catch up on orders, but the orders keep coming. I am excited about the plate parties I have coming up; I have four already scheduled and a couple more in the works. I am sketching away, coming up with new designs.

Thought I would share a pic of some more Halloween designs. I sold a bunch to a children's store up north; she plans to use them as gift bags for items purchased in her store. She should get them this week; hope she likes them.

Yesterday, we attended a petting zoo party, and I had painted the favors. We have been to a couple with these people and their animals, and Mattie Claire was looking forward to the donkey (who knows!) I had been hearing about riding that donkey for days. Well, the party is going great. I am talking with some moms and keeping my eye on Molly. MC walks up looking a little funny, then bursts into tears. One of the horses has stepped on her foot, and she is wearing sandals. She is fine; only a small bump and bruise to show for the drama. I think the hostesses were more upset than MC and I combined. We got two phone calls checking on her, but no broken bones--not even a limp:) Oh and no, she didn't feel up to riding the donkey. It is fine, though; I have already booked them for her 7 year old birthday.

Crayon Princess Too?

2010-08-28T16:23:00.003-05:00

Well, my baby has started her own business. She created a paper pillow at my mom's the other day and wanted to start selling them. (She has seen me working etsy waaaaay too much.) I told her she couldn't sell paper pillows, buuuuut...... She is using fabric markers to design pillow tops, and her sweet Nano is sewing them into beautiful pillows. I am documenting each sale to create a pillow scrapbook for her. I told her we could put her pillow money up for college, and she agreed to save it AFTER she buys a new American Girl doll!

One of her first creations was for her uncle with a picture of her cousin on it--Rook. She created one for her friend too. She is taking orders, so let me know if you "need" a pillow. We are still thinking of a name for her business: Palomino Pillows, Picasso Pillows, Crayon Princess Too....

Gotta Love Mondays

2010-08-24T19:54:00.003-05:00

Teacher is paitently waiting on her class to enter. She is dressed in khaki linen cropped pants and a pink shirt.
Students begin to enter:
Student #1: Don't you just look like a big piece of bubblegum.
Student #2: I think she looks like piglet.
Class begins...5 minutes later:
Student #2: I think she looks like piglet.
....5 minutes later:
Student #2: I said she looks like piglet.
Student #2: I said she looks like piglet.
(Yes, this was repeated about 6 times.)
Teacher: What planet are you from? I just have to wonder what planet you live on that says it is acceptable for a student to call a teacher a pig.
Student #2: (no response)

Please Say This is Normal!

2010-08-22T17:47:00.003-05:00

My last post included construction paper cucumbers; I know--how creative. Well, the list goes on and on. First, she has started her own business. Wild Stallions (the new business) deserves its own post, so more on that later. Twice today, she has played Subway. She puts her apron on and puts ziplocs on her hands. She makes sandwiches for the family, wraps them in a papertowel, and puts in a plastic bag. Molly has been calling her "mam" and telling her things she needs: drinks, napkins,.... Subway lasted long enough to mess up my kitchen, then she moved on. She is now playing "sheriff." She has a walkie talkie, and I have to call 911. She is currently investigating a burglary in my home:) She has been yelling "get down" to poor Molly--I would say she has seen one too many episodes of Cops. I hope all these roles are normal! I am sure my family would say she is just like me; they have several stories they love to share...

Pickles for Eye Puffiness

2010-08-15T11:48:00.003-05:00

MC: Mom, do people really put pickles on their eyes?
Me: No, I think they put cucumbers on their eyes.
MC: Do we have any cucumbers?
Me: No, sorry.

She decided to make her own spa day. She lubed her face up with some body butter, then made her own cucumbers from construction paper--yes, isn't she just a little Crayon Princess in the making??!!

Her sweet daddy picked her up a cucumber while he was in town. She laid out her own towel, put on her robe, and added cucumbers.

Back to School

2010-08-11T13:35:00.002-05:00

I may short circuit my computer with all of my tears as I type this. Tomorrow is back to school! I have enjoyed my summer. I loved spending my days with my girls and painting. Of course, I didn't do everything I had planned, but I never do.
I am loving Facebook. I decided to do a back to school giveaway for my Facebook followers. I painted totes and filled with back to school goodies for their new teachers. I thought people would just enter; I didn't know I would get tons of orders. I am so excited about my new customers and business! I think they turned out cute, and I have them all finished.

My next giveaway will be some totes filled with Halloween goodies. I can't believe that I am already thinking about fall holidays and going back to school--UGH! Have a great school year, everyone!:)

Back to School

2010-08-06T15:52:00.004-05:00

Mattie Claire is working on her back to school wardrobe. There is not much you can do with uniforms! However, today we bought our "1st Grade Rocks" snap cap and bow. A young girl designed these magnetic caps, and they are a huge hit. Monday's Child ordered the caps and had the special bows made to mix and match. How cute will we be on the first day of school??!!

Sweetest Things by Alice

2010-08-05T18:57:00.002-05:00

My mom bakes for people. She enjoys baking and makes yummy cakes and desserts that people drive from pretty far to get. That gift skipped my generation, so I hope my girls pick it up:) There is a fabric store about an hour from here that loves her goodies. They buy lots of her cakes for friends, church functions,.... A while back, they had purchased one of her cakes, and a television show was in town filming an episode. The show visited her shop during the episode, and the shop owner offered them cake. The episode airs tonight at 9:30 on Lifetime: On the Road with Austin & Santino! We're from a small town in the middle of nowhere, Podunk USA, so yes, this is a big deal:)

Say Hello to My Little Friend

2010-08-05T14:21:00.003-05:00

I have been eyeing these sharks for a little while; the reviews are good... I found one at Bed, Bath, & Beyond. I grabbed it up that day, and Jason and I have been fighting over it ever since. His first project was the kitchen floor. Jason cleaned the grout; it hasn't been that clean since it was installed--looks brand new! Next, he did the kitchen counters. The grout cleaner made it worth the $100. We have moved on to the bathroom floors. I have been using the big pocket to clean EVERYTHING else. The toilets are sparkly, and the furniture is next... I say you can't go wrong with this purchase, and I plan to go back to school with a sparkling clean house!

Tawanda!

2010-08-02T16:27:00.003-05:00

Once when Jason was going to work a fire, I dropped him off at the airport, then Mattie Claire and I went to Logan's to eat. I was waiting on a parking place as someone backed out. As soon as they pulled from the spot, a truck PULLED AROUND me and parked in the spot. What did I do, I drove away crying; yes, that's how I roll!

Today, I walked into the living room, and Judge Judy was on TV. She cracks me up when she yells at people:) Today's case was a man suing a woman for punitive damages. She also was waiting on a parking space; after the previous people pulled out, the man suing her pulled in ahead of her. She got out of her car and said, "I was waiting on that space." He said, "So" and walked off!! To get even with him, she let the air out of one of his tires:) Isn't that great? She got the satisfaction of getting even, but it cost her $200. Before making her ruling, Judge Judy told the story from Fried Green Tomatoes. The cute girls drove past Kathy Bates' character into a parking space, because they were younger and prettier/skinnier. That is when she repeatly rammed their car with her car, because she was older and had more insurance! Tawanda--that is one of my all time favorite movies.

The Visitor

2010-07-30T00:40:00.004-05:00

My house is a wreck, and I am not talking the normal wreck. We are talking wreck, wreck. Mega-yard sale stuff is stacked about 7 feet high in the dining room. Munchkin Market stuff covers my coffee table. Then there are my painting orders scattered all over the living room. Weeeell, I heard a horn blow this afternoon (Thursday.) I looked outside to see a very large and expensive SUV in my driveway. I stepped outside, and she hollered about the furniture that was listed in the paper for my mega-yard sale on SATURDAY! She ended up coming in my house. Yes, you read that right, and no, I do not know her. She shopped for about an hour, filled her backseat, and spent a whopping $35. She plans to return tomorrow night or early Saturday to look through the stuff she couldn't get to today. I really didn't mind; I guess I was just a little surprised by the whole thing:) I hope she loves all of her new treasures!

Check out This Blog

2010-07-28T12:18:00.002-05:00

A sweet blogger/etsy customer put my totes on her blog. I have her blog marked, because she has the cutest cupcake liner wreath. I didn't realize she was my wonderful customer until she posted some totes. THANKS, Heather!!

Facebook

2010-07-28T01:04:00.003-05:00

I am not into facebook as much as the rest of the world. I get on there from time to time and see what's going on, but that is about it. Two nights ago, I gave in and started a local business page, still gonna skip the personal part. I have been doing my blog for about a year, and I have 39 followers. I started by facebook business about 48 hours ago, and I have 90 fans and several orders. WOW!! Everyone told me that facebook rocks; I guess I should have jumped on that wagon a long time ago:) Funny thing, it suggested Mrs. Semi-Slacker as a friend on my personal page??!! How does it know that I know her:)??

Working on some cowgirl samples for an upcoming party. I am also working on some galvanized pails for a farm party, loving them so much that I may do that for the girls party in winter.

This Week

2010-07-27T10:38:00.005-05:00

This week, I will.....

1. Clean out the last cabinet for our HUGE yard sale. UPDATE: Jason will!

2. Finish painting all footprint plates from the party from oh so long ago.

3. Deliver plates to be fired and deliver farm pails to an awesome Pineville customer.

4. Consult with the Footstool about the new colors. The Footstool is now carrying Puddle Jumpers, and they have more exciting changes on the way!! I can't wait.

5. Have the biggest yard sale ever. Let me know if you are looking for something special; odds are that we have at least one in this ever growing mound of stuff. At this point, the pile on the couch to be sold is at least 6 feet tall!

I know it doesn't sound like too much, but add that to chasing two little girls and my regular stuff--and whew! Everyone should head right out and see Ramona and Beezus. It was wonderful! We cried more than once. I came out thinking, "I am raising those two children." My mom walked out right behind me and said, "Those were your kids." I think I am in trouble. Later that night, Molly was cuddling in my lap. I said, "You sure were ugly at the store today." She pulled the thumb from her mouth, smiled the sweetest smile and said, "You're welcome."

A Little of This a Little of That

2010-07-25T14:29:00.006-05:00

With a broken card reader and uncooperating blogger, I have not posted many pictures lately. I thought I would do a little catch up and post a variety today.
I did these whales when I first opened my shop last summer. Even though I loved them, they were not one of my biggest sellers, so I stopped posting them in my shop. I had a customer order them last week; I loved getting to work on something a little different.

A local lady makes the cutest cookies. She is sooo cheap, so I ordered cookies for the beach.

The sharks even had little teeth.

This order goes on my top ten coolest orders list! She is a party planner in New Jersey. She emailed me earlier in the summer asking if she could show my stuff to clients. The answer was-YES! These were the first buckets she ordered.

These are the Nemo buckets I did for one of Laura's friends.

She bought each child a fish and put the bag in the bucket with tissue paper.

Girl's Day Out

2010-07-23T19:35:00.003-05:00

Growing up, I loved to read. Beverly Cleary was my favorite--Ramona! I read everyone of those books. Remember the one where she cracks the egg on her head:) Well, we are taking the girls to see the new movie tomorrow. Mattie Claire is going for "Alex;" she loves Wizards of Waverly Place. Molly tags along for the popcorn. My BFF all through school and I had daughters within a few months of each other, so they are joining us. My mom and neice are coming too; looking forward to this big girls day out!

There is nothing like little girls. When I was struggling to get pregnant, I didn't care if I had a boy or girl. Now I know that God built me to raise little girls, and I love them both so much. I just read on Semi-Slacker Mom's blog about a wonderful family looking to adopt a baby girl. You never know who my stumble across this, so I thought I would share. Click here to read the profile and get their contact info.

Storytime Live

2010-07-22T23:09:00.002-05:00

We took the girls to see Storytime Live this afternoon. I killed myself watching for those tickets!! I stalked the ticket office until they went on sale, and I bought from the pre-sale months ago. What did I get--seats on the second row!! What was my thanks--one child that begged/whined to not go, because she is too cool for Noggin. One child who only cared about Dora; she showed no interest in the first 3 stories. I still think they enjoyed it, whining and all.

I thought I had found a building to have my classes in, but it fell through. UGH! I know it will work out for the best, but patience is not one of my strong suits. We have set a date. The mother of all garage sales will be next weekend. We will have holiday decorations, toys, kids clothes, furniture, craft supplies,.... If you are local, you are welcome to a sneak peak:) We are ready to see this stuff gone. Nothing comes back into this house!! Everything not sold will be donated to a local thrift store. I would love to show you a picture of all the stuff, but I am ashamed that we had that much excess/junk in our house:)

Ribbon Belts

2010-07-21T23:20:00.002-05:00

My friend is making ribbon belts to match school uniforms. She is charging $7 and can make any color or design. You can email me if you would like to order, and I will put you in contact. The LSU is precious. I got Mattie Claire the red and zebra--too cute. She is getting ready for back to school. I am proud to say that I have all my school uniforms purchased and hanging in her closet--yay me!

What is My Disorder?

2010-07-18T22:33:00.002-05:00

I have had no time to post since I got back from the beach. What have I been doing you ask??? Well, we are cleaning, and I mean cleaning! Jason is on a mission, and I am following his lead. It started with the closet under the stairs, then it led to the upstairs loft. We threw out about 6 large yard bags of stuff/junk, and we have PILES and PILES priced and ready for our huge garage sale. I have been wondering what my disorder is. Am I a compulsive shopper or a hoarder? You would not believe the stuff that has been thrown away or priced to sell; it really would have made a good buried alive story. Under the stairs has been organized into my etsy storage. Shelves have been installed, and products have been organized. My business should be easier with everything neatly organized in one place. I think I am going to turn the empty loft in to a play area for the girls. For those who don't know me, I am exaggerating a little, but I feel so much better knowing that I am on my way to a spotless house!

I have two questions that I would like help on. 1. Does anyone know of any professional cleaners? We want someone/company to come and CLEAN. I am talking baseboards, wipe down walls, wash windows.... I have a friend who had a small kitchen fire a couple of years ago. Her insurance hired a company to come in and clean the walls. Wonder who that was? 2. Does anyone own a shark? I am talking about one of those steam cleaner things that can do furniture and grout. I want to give all of my grout a good cleaning, without the Stanley Steemer. They only do floors, and I want counters too. I'm telling you; we are on a mission!

Pottery Barn Continued from Previous Post

2010-07-09T00:22:00.003-05:00

Pottery Barn Sea Life

2010-07-08T22:27:00.004-05:00

A family friend in Bama (had to throw that in for Laura) asked me to paint her some sea life from the Pottery Barn summer catalog. She liked all the girl animals, but she needed them painted in boy colors. I dropped all the reds and pinks and stuck to blues, yellow, cream, and green to match his bedroom fabrics. I painted them exactly like those shown in the catalog, but I changed the colors and left off some of the words. I will take them to her when we are at the beach next week. Hope she likes them and maybe I can get her to take some pictures of them hanging in his room!

The photos aren't cooperating. I can't seem to upload anymore. I will try to upload the other 4 in the morning.

I Love Me Some....

2010-07-08T11:10:00.002-05:00

....reality tv! I DVR them and watch late at night while I paint. Some of my favorites...Toddler and Tiaras; I mainly watch this one to make myself feel like an awesome mom. Some of the parents are awful, and the kids need a good old fashioned you know what!

Jason and I both LOVE Survivor and Big Brother, which starts tonight. What is my guiltiest reality TV pleasure?? The Real Housewives of New Jersey-as much as I hate to admit it, I just can't get enough of those psychos! For the not so trashy, I also try to keep up with Design Star, Pawn Stars (Jason's fave), and American Pickers. These shows are what keep me awake when I am painting until 3:00 and 4:00 in the morning.

We have been watching America's Got Talent as a family. MC enjoys watching the dancers. She comes in wearing a leotard. I have to ask her name and what her talent is. She then she spazzes out/dances, and I have to tell her she is going to Vegas. I am a little bummed that they put through a granny that can't carry a note, but sent home a group of ex-military/ex-homeless men and women that had the most beautiful voices??!!

Last night, I stayed up unti 3:00 painting some Pottery Barn sea life animals. I will try to finish them up tonight and get some pics posted by tomorrow, then it is off to the beach.

Time for Back to School

2010-07-06T15:39:00.003-05:00

I will be placing the back to school order for Puddle Jumpers on Friday. I am offering a special price for anyone who pre-orders. You can call me at home with your order. I am planning to order red and navy, but let me know if you are interested in another color. Don't forget to order at least one size up from her normal size!

So Much To Say

2010-07-05T20:36:00.004-05:00

I have so much to say that I will try to my best to keep it short, and I will continue it tomorrow. My father-in-law is home and healing. He will be back to his old self within a week. Thanks to everyone for the sweet emails and calls!

I was contacted recently to offer a giveaway for a blog--it is an awesome blog. Click on the purple link to visit JDanielsMom. She is a super-mom and posts the most wonderful ideas. Welcome to all my new followers and visitors from her blog.

My real life friends know that I am not a big character person. My girls don't really wear screen print character stuff, except pajamas. I don't know why--it is just one of those things. However, having a second child changed me. Molly LOVES Dora, obsessed is more like it. I painted each of the girls an art box to take on our Dallas trip. I filled them with car friendly art stuff, like stickers, color wonder markers, ...

Since I was showing the girls art boxes, I thought I would share these too. A mom on etsy wanted them for her daughter's party favors. She ordered art cases for each child, then gave me a budget to spend on fillers. I filled with watercolors, staplers, stickers, notebooks, pencils...... all the stuff that MC loves to play school and office with, then wrapped with cellophane and topped with a bow.

I Have Lost a Little Faith in Doctors

2010-07-03T10:32:00.002-05:00

My father-in-law has been complaining with chest pains for a while. He went to the ER Monday morning and was sent home with a prescription for Prilosec to treat some refluxy/heartburn something. He followed up with his regular doctor the following day and was told the same thing! His doctor also thought it was a gastro thing, but said he could see his heart doctor in a week. Well, Thursday morning we ended up in the Shreveport ER with continuing chest pains. THANK GOODNESS-they admitted him and did a heart cath yesterday. There was some blockage (90%). With a brand spanking new stint, he will be home today!

I think Jason is a LOT like his dad. If he complains, you better call an ambulance. For these two men to finally say something is wrong, I feel like it is usually pretty serious. I was completely frustrated with two sets of physicians to send him home and dismiss as heartburn. It was such a relief for everyone to have some answers and to see him feeling better. All of this reminds me of where we were last year--preparing for Jason's surgery. He had a condition in his legs that would require a 2 inch cut on each leg and a slice to the muscle sheath inside each calf. The 2 inch cuts ended up being more like 6! The 6 inch cuts ended up getting infected....! A lot has happened in the last year, but I am glad we made it over that hurdle. Happy 4th of July!! We are headed to the lake for the rest of the day with family for grilling, tubing, and fireworks.

Sampler Village

2010-06-30T10:33:00.002-05:00

I have decided to do the Halloween Sampler Village. Lots of artists and crafters combine their work to make a box full of goodies. They sell a set number of boxes each month. I provide a sample to be included in 20 boxes. It sounds like lots of fun, and I am super excited to be included in the September Halloween box. Below are a couple of designs that I will be sending.

I Need a Third Job

2010-06-29T18:59:00.003-05:00

(the new room)

MC wants a yorkie. This is not a new dream; she has been begging for one for a long time. She is getting a new room. We are turning the upstairs guest bedroom into her new pony room. She still sleeps with us, but she says she would sleep in her new room if she had a yorkie to protect and sleep with her!:) I would love to grant her wish, but... I found some locally for between $1,500-$4,000. That price is a lot more than I had in mind, so I guess we will put this little wish on hold.

I'm Back

2010-06-28T15:02:00.003-05:00

Our trip was amazing; I am exhausted, but the girls had a great time. My card reader is broken, but as soon as I get a new one, I will have lots of pics to share.

While in Dallas, I went to market for a day. I bought each of my girls a pillowcase that was personalized. I will save them for my beach trip. The company offers a fundraiser program. You can choose any 16 designs to sell. I think this is the perfect fundraiser for my art students; sure would be easier than ferns! I am sharing a couple of samples, but they have tons more (yes, even a Bama). I think we will sell them for about $15. Would love to hear from some moms! Would you buy these for your little ones?

Toy Story 3

2010-06-19T13:11:00.003-05:00

On Friday, June 4th my husband left for two weeks to help fight the wildfires in Texas. On the same day, my mom and step-dad left for their vacation. I haven't shared, because I am paranoid. But the fam is back, and Jason comes home tomorrow!!! I am exhausted. He is a very hands-on kind of dad and does so much around here. It has been a long two weeks without him, and we have him a big Father's Day surprise waiting.

With some late nights and girl time, MC and I have been watching old movies. She was introduced to Toy Story, which she liked. The next night Toy Story 2 came on, and she became obsessed! My little cowgirl fell in love with Jessie. We have been anxiously awaiting Toy Story 3. I have to say that it was the BEST of the three. It was very funny, and I laughed out loud several times. I recommend that everyone RUN out to see it; you won't regret it.

I usually do my girls beach buckets filled with goodies for our beach trip, but I think I am going to change it up this year. I am doing them the art boxes filled with road trip stuff. I see some personalized Jessie stuff in my very near painting future. I am taking a mini-break from painting. I stayed up until 4:30 am getting an order out on time, and I am exhausted. It was such a relief to drop it off at the post office at 8:30. I felt like I was in college again, staying up half the night to finish a painting. I will not paint until tonight, but no more laaaaate nights.

What's Up

2010-06-17T22:06:00.004-05:00

Just finished a couple of big water bottle orders. SOOO ready for bed, but I need to get a little more done. Yesterday was MC's first riding lesson. One of the sweetest girls I have ever taught is teaching her to ride. She had a blast!!

Welcome

2010-06-16T00:41:00.003-05:00

Welcome to all my new followers! Semi-Slacker Mom ROCKS! I have already received orders from some of her great followers. Check out my previous post of visit her blog and get on all the great giveaways.

I am sorry to say that I closed my etsy shop. I had so many order, which I am sooooo thankful for, that I had to take a break to catch up before I leave on vacation. Please send me a convo if you need:) a bucket right away. I still have some ready to ship stuff that I could mail out ASAP.

The pic is some bottles that I did for a group of women that went on a cruise in the spring. I have had no time to take extra pics this week, and I never posted these. I thought this was a great time to share. Yes, they are on the dash of my car at Sonic. I got super, duper stressed right before school got out. I needed a refreshing diet coke, and I am sure that was the only five minutes I had to snap a pic before delivering the bottles.

Treasuries

2010-06-14T10:36:00.006-05:00

Before school was out, I made a treasury with my sports bucket. Last week, I made a summer treasury with my ready to ship crab bucket, and now, I have made a Disney treasury with my little Squirt bucket. Woo Hoo!!! Click here to view treasury.

The Semi-Slackers have gone to the beach! She is hosting a week a giveaways, and I am day one. Check her out to enter to win one of my rope pails and more great stuff to come! Click for Giveaways.

Finding Nemo

2010-06-12T11:13:00.003-05:00

Several people have asked for Finding Nemo lately. Here are a couple of samples that I did last night.

New Designs

2010-06-11T21:48:00.005-05:00

I have been a little bummed to see my designs popping up in several places lately. I thought the best way to beat these blues was to come up with some new designs. MC is very into peace signs right now, so I came up with this peace, love, beach idea just for her!
I am using any spare moments I find to paint some extra stuff. I have opened a new place in my shop for "Ready To Ship" items. When customers place an order for one of these items, it will ship the next business day! I may even do some weekend specials with these ready to ship items. The crab bucket pictured below was featured in an etsy summer treasury!-YAY!!

AutumnLeah on Etsy

2010-06-09T11:02:00.003-05:00

I have once again found the cutest shop on esty: autumnleah. She has a website also http://autumnleahdesigns.com/

She has agreed to let me paint her shark on my buckets-super nice. I ordered Mattie Claire some lip balm stickers to give her friends for back to school. Aren't those the cutest things you have ever seen?!!! You buy the stickers from her, then add them to your own lip balm.

Purchases

2010-06-08T22:15:00.002-05:00

Well, I set a goal for what I wanted to earn in my etsy shop for the month of June. The cash would be my mad money for Dallas, but I have gone a little mad lately. I have been spending it before Dallas!! There was no way I could pass up this dress. I already have the pictures planned for these dresses. I ordered on etsy, of course, from dayspringdresses.

Thank You

2010-06-08T14:45:00.002-05:00

I never thought I would make such wonderful friends through my blog. Laura is always so sweet to follow and comment. She even ordered a plate for Mrs. L for teacher appreciation. Thanks to Laura's sweet gift, MY PARENTS:) and I have gotten to meet Mrs. L. She ordered two rope pails filled for birthday gifts. Before receiving her first order, she placed a second order. I want this post to be a THANK YOU to Laura and Mrs. L. I really appreciate your business and love painting for your friends and family. The pics below are a couple of the buckets. The mermaid bucket is the finished product, and the baseball bucket is before wrapping.

2010-06-06T23:24:00.004-05:00

UPDATE: I feel guilty. After writing this, I watched Inside Kate's World! Now I just feel sorry for her.

This has been a quiet at home weekend for me and the girls. I painted, painted, painted, and the girls played and watched old movies. Mattie Claire was introduced to Toy Story, not quite sure how she missed these. We are now anxiously waiting are 3 now! Today, she watched.....
....Honey I Shrunk the Kids. I loved this movie growing up, and she did too. We know she loves bugs, and this movie had a giant ant--of course, she loved it.

We put Molly down for bed and made biscuit donuts, something else new for this weekend. While enjoying our donuts, we watched Kate Plus 8! It is like a train wreck; you have to look! I don't want to bash her, because she gets so much of that--buuuuut she just asks for it: the spikey silver heals, the bikinis, the hair extensions, the boobs that look bigger,... MC likes watching the kids, so I am sure it won't be the last time I sit through this stimulating show!

Large Order

2010-06-06T13:54:00.002-05:00

I just finished my biggest etsy order ever!! I don't feel like I got out of my chair yesterday. Here is a small sample of what I did. I will post more later.

Summer Classes

2010-06-04T15:12:00.003-05:00

I am busy working on some big party orders. Here is a peak at some buckets that shipped out today. I am getting ready to start the next big order of some water bottles and buckets. I will share some pics when they are all painted.

Well, I have gotten 3 more calls this week for summer art classes. I am still working on buying a building to have classes, work on ceramics, and do my painting. Drop me an email if you know of anyone with a building that would be perfect to move out here.

Thank you for Being a Friend

2010-06-03T12:45:00.004-05:00

I can't believe Blanche died. I always loved that theme song--"thank you for being a friend...your heart is true; you're a pal and a confidante." I have been thinking a lot about friends lately. I have come up with a few rules for being a friend.

1. Don't lie to me. Even if you think it might hurt my feelings, I am trusting you to be honest. And yes, lying by omission is lying.
2. Be loyal. If I call you a friend, I will defend you with my dying breath. Is it too much to ask for you to do the same?
3. Call me. Not everyday; hey, I would settle for once a month or so. I am just as busy and important as you are, so don't wait on me to always make the effort.

I am sure I will feel moved to share more as they come to me:)

Domestic Disappointment

2010-06-02T11:58:00.004-05:00

Our church held a taste fair last night to benefit our youth. I decided to go all Laura on it and had big plans of all the things I was going to cook and the recipes I was going to share with all of my followers. My first attempt was to make some yummy chocolate cake mix cookies. I dumped all the ingredients in the bowl and started mixing. The little mixer screeched a little, stopped spinning, then started smoking. I tried mixing with a spoon, but it just wasn't working--I had to use my very clean hands. I got Mattie Claire to document this culinary mess! My hands were very clean, and the cookies turned out very tasty. Jason loves this kind of cookie; the leftovers are all gone!
Just in case this looks so yummy, and you just have to try the recipe...

Cake Mix Cookies

1 (18.25 ounce) package devil's food cake mix

1 large egg

1/2 (8 ounce) whipped topping; thawed

1 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar

Combine mix, egg, and whipped topping. Stir in chopped pecans. Dust hands with powdered sugar and shape into 3/4 inch balls. Coat balls with powdered sugar and place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until done. Remove to wire rack to cool.

Vacation??

2010-05-31T10:11:00.004-05:00

I thought I would relax when I got out of school, but I feel so behind that I don't know when I will ever catch up. I got so much done last night, though! We watched a movie, and I painted away. First, Dear John was okay; it won't be one of those movies I stay up late watching over and over. Now, Valentine's Day has made to my list. I loved that movie! I know I am a day late, and everyone else has seen it. I will admit that I was a little shocked at Bradley Cooper and McSteamy--their characters didn't quite fit the images I had of them; well, I guess Anne Hathaway's didn't either!:)

Working on a treasure chest bucket for a Father's Day gift. The customer wants it to for her father to use at their Cape Cod beach house when the grandkids visit an island and hunt for shells with their Grandpa. I thought this was such a sweet, special gift that I have been really excited to get started. Coming soon--Pottery Barn--I have several people waiting on projects to match Pottery Barn bedding.

Matching Mermaids

2010-05-28T10:37:00.004-05:00

A customer from etsy asked if I could create a bucket to match her daughter's swimsuit. She emailed me the pic, and here is her matching bucket. It was fun to paint something a little different than my normal designs.

Potty Training

2010-05-27T15:22:00.002-05:00

I swore that I was buying my last box of diapers in April. We have been potty training hard, since I got of school last week. She is doing great, but Jason doesn't exactly agree/approve of my method. I say just let her run naked and potty when she is ready. She didn't have any accidents yesterday, but she will if she has a diaper on. She will ask for a diaper and when I say no, she says, "Awww." I thought I would post a couple of pics that I think are cute; I doubt her daddy will agree.

My little cowgirl--she was running around in nothing but Mattie Claire's hat.

"Mama, my wheel is broke; I've gotta fix it."

Platter Picture

2010-05-26T10:47:00.003-05:00

Laura is such an awesome blogger. She has lots of the platter pics to see. She also says lots of sweet things about me; I can't brag and repeat them about myself, so you will have to visit her to see the platter and read all about me:) thehortonfamily.blogspot.com

I thought I would share a funny Molly story. We were eating out Monday night, and Molly says her prayer to bless her food. I have had no idea what she has been saying all these weeks, then it hit me! "Praying for this food, praying for this food. Amen." I asked her if that was it, and she said "Yep." I guess that works; God gets the point.

I am a LIttle Sensitive

2010-05-25T09:37:00.002-05:00

Several weeks ago an awesome beach store contacted me to paint buckets for their shop in FL. We were talking back and forth, then nothing. I contacted her to double check and gave her a simple out. However, she replied with things like "I am an honest person" and how she thought having beach buckets in her shop would be a "slap in the face" of people hurt by the oil situation. She was interested in buying my totes, loved my designs.... THEN I saw her feedback, and she had bought buckets from someone else. Yes, I cried a little. I would love to show you a picture of the other buckets to get your feedback compared to my design:), but even though my feelings are hurt, I cannot be that mean. I thought I would tell that story and share my new seahorse design. Tracy, you think Sassy will like that seahorse???

Now, for some positive news--I was chosen for an etsy treasury over the weekend for my sports beach bucket. It was a sports treasury and my first!! I was super excited, so I think that cancels out the seahorse.

Met Laura last night; hope Alise and Mrs. L. like the teacher platter!

Take My Word for It

2010-05-24T09:13:00.002-05:00

I have been working on finishing up some personalized ceramics. I had a teacher platter to do for one of my favorite bloggers, and I didn't want to let her down. I fired it on Saturday and got ready to add the details with my ceramic pen, and it didn't work! I called the ceramic shop about an hour from here-SOLD OUT! I called Michaels about in hour away in two directions--both SOLD OUT. I got on Dick Blick to have one overnighted--SOLD OUT! Yep, that is how my luck usually works out. I played with my pen until I got it to work enough to finish up the plate. You will have to take my word on how precious it turned out; it has too much personal info on it to post. Hopefully, my blogger friend will black out some of the personal info, and I can steal a copy to post here.:)

Summer Classes

2010-05-22T14:31:00.003-05:00

Doesn't look like summer classes are going to work out this year--SORRY!! I am working on finding a building to put at my house as a studio. I will be able to have lots of classes and my very own work space/studio. I hope this big plan will work out, but I know it won't work out in time for summer classes. Let me know if anyone knows of someone ready to part with a building! Thought we had found the perfect building, but we were a day late. I will just cross my fingers and say a prayer that it will all fall into place. Again, so sorry that I can't have fun with your little ones this year:(

Pray for Evan

2010-05-17T18:52:00.002-05:00

Keep Evan and his family in your prayers. I just checked out her blog, and they have made it safely to California. He will have his surgery this week, so don't forget to pray for this family. I know Mattie Claire's eye surgeries were minor, but you can't help but get a huge case of the "what if's" and begin doubting your decision. I know Evan's amazing mother will need just has many prayers as he does.

Here Comes Summer

2010-05-16T17:44:00.001-05:00

Painting lots of buckets for the summer. TRYING to potty train a stubborn 2 year old--pray for me!

Birth Announcement Canvas

2010-05-15T14:05:00.003-05:00

My baby brother's wife's sister is having a baby--did you get that?? I actually taught her my first year teaching when she was in high school, and she is very creative and talented. Knowing how talented she is made me a little nervous about painting something for her, but she didn't have anything for her hospital door. She flew in a few days ago for a baby shower, and I spent the last several days painting her a personalized canvas. I painted the smaller one and glued it to the larger one. I used ribbon to add the one below for her to add the details. I enjoyed doing it, and I hope she liked it.

Ears for Evan

2010-05-11T17:41:00.005-05:00

I have never met Evan or his mother, and I was not able to attend the cut a thon last Friday at Salon 7. I checked out their facebook to see how their cut a thon went and was excited to see this picture. This is Evan and his brother Aiden with the gifts my kids and I made and the overnight bags donated by Monday's Child. What precious little boys!! The cut a thon raised nearly $11,000, but I think she is still a little short. Don't forget you can visit her blog to make a donation--earsforevan.blogspot.com

Check out Angela Holley on facebook. She is Evan's mother and has lots of pics up from the fundraiser.

More Mother's Day Plates

2010-05-09T10:35:00.001-05:00

This one is every grandchild's thumbprint to make the flowers and bugs.

Mother's Day Who Dat!

2010-05-08T08:43:00.004-05:00

Several weeks ago, I did a footprint plate party. One mother wanted a Saints plate for her mother-in-law. The foot is her daughter, and her son is on the sides with his thumb prints. Sorry it is sideways; it is not saved like that, but I don't know what is wrong. HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

Whew, Two More to Go!

2010-05-07T17:35:00.003-05:00

What a week!! I am glad to be home with no Friday night plans. We are all exhausted and ready for summer break. I will try to make several posts over the next few days to catch you up on what I have been up to.

I travel between 4 schools as a parish-wide art teacher. One of my schools had their FFA banquet last night. Some of my art students are members of FFA too. The FFA sponsor asked them to create LSU paintings to be auctioned off at the banquet. I offered to do one too. The above painting was my contribution to the auction.

Ears for Evan

2010-05-05T18:44:00.003-05:00

I don't really know how to start this post. My computer will most likely short out, because it will be soaked in tears. I only heard this week about a 3 year old boy, Evan, who was born with malformed ears. The surgery to create ears for Evan will cost nearly $100,000. Since January, his mother has raised $58,000. A hairdresser from Monroe read about the story in the newspaper and wanted to help. This Friday, Salon 7 will have a Cut-a-Thon to benefit Evan. They will have an awesome raffle, door prizes, plate lunches, silent auction; wow, this list goes on and on. This little boy's special mother has a blog--earsforevan.blogspot.com She talks about Evan and shares some of her struggles; she has a precious picture (he has the most beautiful lashes!) and a poem that had me sobbing. I think what makes this story even more heart breaking is that it took these parents nearly 6 years to conceive, and Evan's twin brother has cerebral palsy. I have some awesome friends! I sent out an email to my friends today telling this story. I was able to sell several raffle tickets, and we are putting together some summer gifts for Evan and his brother. Monday's Child even donated overnight bags for both boys. If you want to help, don't forget you can visit Salon 7 in Monroe this Friday, or you can make a donation on Evan's blog.

Back at 29!

2010-05-03T21:27:00.002-05:00

Today was for sure a MONDAY!! Thank you, mother--I reeeeally needed to be back at 29!

Feeling Super Guilty Now!!

2010-05-01T09:33:00.005-05:00

I feel just awful--I lost a follower. It is so easy to spot when you haven't broken 30! I don't know if it was the lack of posts or the content of posts:-). Mama--I know you follow, so sign up as a follower to bump me back up to 29--I need it for my self-esteem!! I thought I would step up my game and post two days in a row!!

A couple of weeks ago, I got an email from a friend asking if her "thing" was ready. My reply was, "What thing?" There had been a huge misunderstanding, and I had one day to paint the canvases to hang on her sister's hospital door when she had her baby girl the very next morning. I ran to Wal-Mart on my lunch break and bought some canvases. I did a quick pink spray paint job and added damask, stripes,... I finished in a little under 4 hours. Thank you Brittany for the brown ribbon that finished off this quicky job. I wasn't quite satisfied with the way the stripes fell, but I love how the damask turned out. I will go back and add her length and weight. More posts and painting pics coming soon!

Here I Am!

2010-04-30T20:44:00.004-05:00

I'm sorry Laura! I have missed you too--CONGRATS ON THE HOUSE!!! I love Lady Antebellum, and my favorite song right now is "American Honey." I tear up everytime I hear the line, "tryin' to be everything, can make you lose your mind." I am definitely losing my mind, blogging got put on the back burner for a couple of weeks.

I feel so guilty, so I think I will share. A customer on etsy ordered some buckets about 5 or 6 weeks ago. As soon as she placed the order, things got crazy around here--the girls were sick, I got stomach virus, work got hectic--the list goes on and on! I had been painting them, but I was taking it slow. Her daughter's party is getting close, and she emailed me for an update. I clicked on the wrong convo and sent her the status of someone else's order. I am sure I gave her a mild heart attack, because she quickly replied that she had not ordered that.... I really had the buckets nearly finished and mailed them out this morning. I feel so horrible for making her worry, and I know her buckets will be there in time. I am sure my real life friends are just smiling and nodding--they always laugh that I will always do what I promise, but it may be delivered with wet paint on the date they need it. The pics above are some of the buckets for her party. I promise to post more pics of what I have been up to this weekend.

Here's to You, Brittany

2010-04-26T20:14:00.003-05:00

Auntie Blitt Blitt asked that I please update my blog. She has bought the American Girl doll, so she wants me to find her something else to buy. I have been so busy lately painting, working, ....that I cannot even come up for air. I have been taking lots of pics to post when I finally catch up.

My newest problem is my six year old saying she is too old for smocked--she will "look funny next to the other kids" if she wears smocked to graduation. We have spent HOURS looking for a non-smocked/non-hoochie compromise. Tonight, we reached an agreement. If she wears this beautiful grown up looking smocked dress that already hangs in her closet, she gets a graduation present. What has she decided that present should be????--a bounce house/waterslide!!! She even offered to clean out her piggy bank to help pay for it--I know--how sweet is that?? There are lots to pick from on the internet, but here is a finalist.

American Girl

2010-04-13T18:05:00.004-05:00

If your child loves American Girl as much as mine, you MUST check out MissSissy on etsy! I got the romper below for Molly and her new Bitty Twin, Lucy. I got Mattie Claire and Julie dresses made from the same fabric. She is so easy to work with, and I know the girls will love wearing their clothes to the AG store this summer.Second, let me answer Semi-Slacker's question. The Last Song had no s-e-x that I remember. Maybe one questionable part, but it is so sad. I don't want to give anything away, but my serious child could not handle seeing this movie. She never forgets anything and would hold on to the sad part forever! However, my 10 year old neice saw it and loved it; she is a huge Miley fan.

Nicholas Sparks

2010-04-12T18:22:00.003-05:00

If my sister-in-law reads my blog, she may stop after my next comment. I hate Nicholas Sparks! Can't we just have one non-cryer, one book with a neat and tidy happy ending??? Ok, I really don't hate him; I just hate being sucked in, then crying, crying, crying. After Dear John, I said I was done with Nicholas Sparks, BUT Jason filled me the best Easter basket. Guess what was in it? Yep, The Last Song! It was wonderful. I couldn't put it down, but cried and cried. Jason kept telling me to stop reading it, but he is a man and just doesn't get it.

After hearing/reading about so many people and their date nights (Laura), we decided to go on a date night. We never go anywhere without our girls, but this weekend we will go out to eat and to see The Last Song. The last movie we saw was The Squeakquel, so this will be a nice treat!

Nothing Day

2010-04-10T17:38:00.002-05:00

I love stuff like this--grass heads, sea monkeys, . . . I got Mattie Claire the parrot like the tiger for Easter, but I forgot to give it to her. I just said it was an extra gift from Mama and Daddy after Easter. There are tons of different animals on ebay in the Monday's Child store. I will let you know how our parrot turns out.

Where to Begin??

2010-04-06T19:39:00.005-05:00

We have been a busy, busy family. In the middle of getting ready for Easter and painting, I lost my card reader and our washing machine went out--here's what we've been up to! The girls have LOVED this beautiful weather. I think Mattie Claire has jumped on the trampoline more in the last two weeks than she has in the whole two years she has had it.

Only for my future son-in-law would I stop to paint one more bucket. I was inspired by some baskets that I saw on etsy, but I stuck to mostly buckets this year.

This design was a special request. I thought it turned out pretty cute. Don't you love my tulip tree!!

Mattie Claire painted clay pots for our Easter guests. Every family got a beautiful, one of a kind pot with a flower planted in them. These are a couple of my favorites. Sorry, I forgot to take pictures of all the finished pots.

This is Molly "hiding" eggs. I don't know if she thinks we can't see it or she can't see it. I am sure it made sense to her!

Everyone should run out to their nearest Dollar General and purchase one of those balls. They are fun and squishy and light up when you throw them. EVERYONE, 2-62, played with it on Easter Sunday. Good purchase Easter bunny! The Easter bunny could have stopped with the ball, the American Girl Bitty Twin, and goldfish. Molly is in love with Lucy! I will not show you pics of their whole Easter baskets, because you would lose respect for me; the Easter bunny went a tad overboard!

My Little Pony Tray

2010-03-28T18:07:00.003-05:00

Ugh--nothing goes right when I need to finish things in a hurry. I can't find my card reader, so I am upstairs on the computer. I don't know how to shrink stuff fast like I can on my laptop..... Thought I would post this little StarSong pony; my followers can see why I have been so quiet, and my etsy friend can preview her tray. Hope everyone has had a great weekend!!

Coldwater Creek

2010-03-25T20:02:00.003-05:00

I am busy, busy painting all my last minute Easter orders. I am taking a break to share some good news. My mom and I love Coldwater Creek; she got an email from them about a sale. The whole site is 40% off, but I think you can use the code listed below for 50% off. I didn't see anything I "needed" this time, but maybe someone else will. Happy Shopping!

WHH1699

We Are So Blessed!

2010-03-23T18:20:00.003-05:00

My family has had a pretty expensive couple of year's medically, but I still feel so blessed. I recently heard about a young single mother with three children. She has a four year old, a 2 year old, and a 1 year old. The one year old was born with half a heart. It broke my heart to hear about her situation. A doctor from Mississippi volunteered to fly her and her sick baby to have his surgery. I was told about this family by someone asking me for clothes, but my girls' sizes didn't match what the young mother needed.
Mattie Claire and I made a WalMart run today and bought these three kids Easter baskets. We got each child an outfit, shampoo, toothbrushes, toothpaste, bubbles, panties... I tried to get things the kids would enjoy, but the mom would appreciate. Thank you to my favorite retired teacher :-) for helping buy the stuff. I have shared this story to ask that if any of my local followers would like to add a little goodie to the baskets just give me a call. I will probably send them to her at the end of this week.