Where I've Been

Lately I've just been overwhelmed. Not in a bad way although sometimes I'm a bit frustrated, but in a way that makes me realize this is where I am in life. I can only step back and look at the many blessings God has put in my life. I haven't been able to create lately since my studio is in disarray as I try to clean it out and sell some items on ebay. I have such a desire to create and I just finished reading the current issues of Artful Blogging and Somerset Studio. So inspiring, makes me realize what I'm missing.

Of course I always make time for my camera so I've included a few pics of the family!! My Bryce is getting so big, here he is this past week at 18mos. He loves to splash. Also, Marah has a new dancing partner next door! Marah and Marissa (on the left) started Irish Step classes in September with two friends, Faith and Grace. It's so incredible to watch them and I can't believe how much they have to remember but they do, every week. I'll be back!

I Think Winter is Coming...........

I'd have to say this is probably the coldest day since Summer ended but of course I still had on my flip flops. Maybe I'll wait until the snow falls! Just a pic of a project I did on canvas called, "Faith on Canvas"

My 14th Wedding Anniversary

I've been out of the loop since the 5th, way beyond busy. To celebrate our anniversary, Michael and I went out to an authentic Mexican restaurant while my mom watched all 5 kids. After we went to Starbucks for ambiance and my favorite venti white chocolate mocha. Then we took a ride through the city, my favorite thing. Here are some pics from the talent show this past Saturday night at our church. Marah and Madison are in the first picture with their friend Grace, and Marissa and Malana are in the second person picture with their friend, Faith. The bottom pic is just of Marah and my little Bryce. They're all getting so big.

Monday, Gorgeous Fall Day

Just wanted to post some projects I've been working on. The Fall Frame is a project I'm teaching this month at The Crop Shop in Rockland. The rest are some canvas prints. I'm all over the place these days. I check out so many blogs that I love on a daily basis. There's so many styles I like. I'm considering opening up my Etsy store soon, but I need to do a few more projects.

Sunday

Just wanted to share of picture of the girls we took last weekend at the Arnold Arboretum. It was a gorgeous Fall day as you can see. They love to pose. I'll have more pics tomorrow on some new projects as well as a Fall frame project http://thecropshop.typepad.com that I'm teaching at The Crop Shop this month!

M.I.A.

I don't think 've been busier in my life than right now. We started homeschooling on the 14th. I have my four daughters this year in addition to the little guy who's been hanging out with Daddy a lot. We have a new curriculum that's very structured with quizzes at least twice a week. I I haven't I haven't been in my studio much but today I took a class in Newton at the New Art Center with Jennifer Lee from Artizen Coaching and Leah Piken from Creative Everyday. What a freeing experience it was for us artists. The class was called Creative Play and boy did we play, it was a way of releasing all stress and really focusing on the artist in us.
Jennifer and Leah were so encouraging and there were so many wonderful women to experience this with. I met Margaret who is an incredible art journaler, she doesn't give herself enough credit! She's also very knowledgeable about all those artists retreats so we'll definitely be staying in touch. I was so "in my element" .
We did collages and I ended up doing 6 mini one's I'll share later. Check out these wonderful sites if your stuck creatively or just need to find your muse!

Ancestry

You know, I've been on this mission the past couple of years to find ancestors in the Philipine Islands. My grandfather, pictured above in my art journal, was born there and came to the U.S. when he was in his 20's. Anyway, I love this picture of him, although I never got the chance to meet him, I look at the important role he played in our lives and how he still does today. If it weren't for him and the Lord's miracle of life, I wouldn't be here and neither would my children. I hope to find out more info in the near future so that I can possibly find relatives who may still live there or somewhere here in the U.S. I'm hoping to open my Etsy store soon, just working on a few more projects! Hope you all had a great weekend!

Monday

Just wanted to share a project on canvas that I created last week, also a page from my art journal and a cute pic of three of my four stylin' daughters. Not sure why Marah missed this one!!

I'm loving art journaling and canvas work more and more. Hope you had a great weekend. Today was one of those perfect summer days. Warm and breezy, a little sun. I even got an hour of "me time." I'm startinig an online journaling class at Land of Lost Luggage. Julie Prichard is such a talented artist and teacher. Can't wait to start. You should check it out!

Saturday's Funeral

Well, even thought the funeral procession has left Boston, just wanted to share a few pics of the organizing last night when we walked by Mission Church. My girls are in a few of these photos. Michael also took some photos today but couldn't get anywhere near the church, bummer.

I was really hoping to see Bush in person. Yes, I'm a Republican, and a Bush fan. I think Obama is a great person but I don't agree with his policies (abortion, stem cell,etc) That's all I'll say about politics.

Of course it was neat to see Obama in the front row of Mission Church with Joe Biden, and Jimmy Carter. Clinton was behind Obama as well as Hillary and Bush and Laura. They were chatting up a storm, Bush and Hillary had a few words for each other as well.

Quite different from the debates last year! It was really incredible to see Jack Nicholson and Arnold Shwarzeneger (don't know if I spelled it right) stroll into the church.

The last picture is of our friend, Mark, who is a Mass. State Trooper and personal security and driver for the governor. We always love to see Mark. Well, the end of a once in a life time chance to be as close to the last living Presidents' of our Nation. Did I mention it's pouring here today!

Five U.S. Presidents in Boston this Saturday

I'm sure most of you have heard by now about the passing of Sen. Ted Kennedy, well it so happens that his funeral service will be held at Mission Church which is right down the hill from me. Obama is doing the eulogy and both younger Bush and senior Bush , Carter and Clinton are coming as well. I went down this morning and passed by this afternoon to see the chaos begin.

They're still letting people drive by in front of the church but it's amazing how many clean up and construction crews are repairing lights, painting light poles and they actually put down new cement sidewalks in front of the church. I guess having a President come is what it takes to get things cleaned up.

Boston Police are all over the place, news crews are setting up their satellites. Tomorrow I'm hoping to have more pics of the progress happening. I'll probably have to walk down with the girls.

Saturday morning is the service and it's also college moving day here in Boston. There are numerous side streets and all the streets around Mission Hill will be banned for parking so there will just be moving trucks. Total chaos. Just what the Secret Service called for lot's of big trucks parked near the President. Have a great day!

Super Goggle Boy

This is what happens when you have four sisters! I'm still giggling. I wish I knew how to post a video, the little guy was doing squat dancing, his sisters were rolling on the floor laughing!!!

I know it's been awhile since I posted some creative things. Been a bit busy with family activities so I will be posting some art journaling pages I created over the past few days. Bear with me! Thanks, J

Another Hot and Humid Day.............

So, we get all this rain in July, a couple of dry, sunny days and now it's been hot and humid high 80's, for the past few days. Thank God for AC's. Mine are blasting daily. I could never live in Arizona, I'd never go out!

I never post pics of my wonderful hubby. Here he is with the little guy at the park last week. I love seeing them smile at each other. Sometimes Bryce even growls at his daddy!

I don't know if I told you I purchased a Nikon Cool Pix digital camera but these pictures were taken with it. I love doing close ups of flowers. Isn't that pic beautiful. I could never have gotten such a clear, vivid pic with my older Cannon digital. Hope you're cool! Thanks for letting me share.

Saturday

Of course another week's gone by. This one was a bit busy, the girls went to bible camp in Cambridge all week from 9 to 3pm. That meant "vacation" for me since it was just Michael, and I and the little guy. The house was so quiet, but the girls' had an incredible time and made lot's of friends. They're already talking about going next summer. I took this picture their first day.

I've been doing lot's of art journaling this week, I'll be showing more pages later, I still need to catch up on my scrapbooking, I'm 7 months behind. The weather was gorgeous yesterday, sunny, breezy and dry, no humidity. Hope today's the same! Enjoy your day!

Friday Again

I don't know where the time goes! I can't believe a week's gone by already. First off I just wanted to share that my husband Michael and I started "going out" today 24 years ago. We'll be married 14 years this October. I love him even more than I did back then which seems amazing because I just completely adored him.

He still gives me butterflies when he comes home from being out and even sometimes when he enters the room. He is an amazing, wonderful, giving, sensitive loving husband and a wonderful father to our five children. I'm so blessed.......

Just wanted to share a couple of layouts and a journaling page. My very first done last month. I have more pages to share and I'll be using my new camera to take pics of those. I'm loving the art journaling thing. I'll have some links this weekend to some of my favorite art journaling websites. Hope you all have a great weekend!

Feels Like a Monday.................

For some strange reason, today feels like Monday, I have to keep reminding myself it's Friday. The little one's and I spent two days down the Cape at my aunt Barbara's. She has so much energy! We went out to lunch spent two hours at the park, the first day. The second day we went to this place where you feed fish and then we went to the Children's Museum of Cape Cod for three hours. Barbara's always ready to take them to the park after that! Whew!

They always have such a great time and so do I. It's been a bit humid here for the past week or so, which I can't stand. (give me dry heat!!) Just wanted to share some layouts and a project. The two layouts of course are of Bryce for his first year album. The Art project was done with Tattered Angels glimmer mist and their stencils as well. I put on some gems, ribbon and inchies and now it's ready to hang on the wall. Have a great weekend!