Regan made this clay gymnast the other day for her gymnastics coach.  It was so cute I just had to share the pictures :)

crafternoon

The girls asked if they could splatter paint outside this afternoon.  Addie woke up just as they were getting started.  So, while I cleaned the kitchen and prepped dinner this is what they did...

"Mom, I need to wash my hands!"

coloring on canvas

So, it has been two months since I sketched this bird onto canvas, thinking that any day I would pull out my paints and paint it... Finally after two months of never finding the time to paint it, I decided the other night to try out my Copic markers on the canvas and see how they worked.

 Although you can see the marker strokes in the background I am happy with how it turned out.  Tallulah even said it looked better than the original (it's so nice having a 5 year old around who thinks you've hung the moon).

You can see my inspiration piece in this photo.

copics

I discovered recently that Michael's is selling Copic Sketch markers.  I have wanted some for awhile, but because they are so expensive, I had not bought any.  But since Michael's sells them individually, and I can use 50% off coupons, I have been picking one up here and there over the past month or so.

I mostly have just been doodling with them so far, but I really love them!  Hoping maybe Santa will bring me some more this Christmas :)

party invites

Regan and Max both have birthday's coming up next month and we are planning a carnival themed party. I am having lots of fun gathering supplies and making plans. I will share more as the party gets closer, but for now I though I would share the invitations.
This is actually from a sketch that I have had in my sketchbook for awhile, and if I can get my act together you will see it again, in another form.
Drawing isn't really my strong suit, but I think these turned out pretty cute, and the kids like them, which is what really matters :)

the sketchbook project

When I heard about the Sketchbook Project this summer I thought it would be a great way for Regan and I to work together on a project So sometime in July I ordered our journal. I had great plans for us to spend a bit of time together each week doing a spread. The journal came and we were excited but were busy with I can't remember what now, so the journal got set aside to work on soon. Next thing you know it was December and I was busy with Christmas and we still had not started the journal. Finally Regan pulled it out and started drawing a few pictures and just last week I got my hands on the sketchbook for the first time. We have not done much (and only have until Sat. to have it postmarked in on it's way to NY!) but I thought I would share a smattering of what we have done so far!
those flowers above on the left are scrapbook paper- not my work, just in case you thought I was that good :)
I really would like to do this again and be more disciplined/purposeful about filling it!

art class

The beginning of our stampede- I can see how making these horses could be addictive! I really do hope we find time to make more- too bad I did not find this last year when we were studying horses!

budding artist

When I showed up at Preschool to pick up the kids, Tallulah's teacher met me at the door with this masterpiece.
She loves to color, but usually want me or Regan to draw people for her, until today! Her teacher was so surprised by the drawing that she took it around to show all the other teachers and when Tallulah said she wanted to give it away Ms. Beaman said "No way, we need to save this for mommy!" I am so glad she did, I think this self portrait needs a frame!

captive

Do you ever feel like you have so much to say, but you just can't seem to get it out? Like there are so many things spinning through your head and heart that you could burst but yet you remain silent? I have been feeling like that this week- totally overwhelmed with a need to create but not being able to find the space or venue to do it... like there was so much noise all around me that I could not make sense of what was in my heart until I was finally so overwhelmed all I could do was cry. Sounds traumatic/dramatic but in reality I am pretty amazed that I have made it this far in my pregnancy (23.5 weeks) with a generally even keel, at least- even keeled for a/this pregnant women :) Anyway, back to my story- so after an afternoon of tears and ruined pizza's (another story all on it's own) I finally found a bit of silence and allowed myself to just sit in it. One of the thoughts that kept ringing in my head throughout the week was "if I could get all this creative turmoil out of my head and onto canvas, what would it look like?" I have not found the answer, but instead decided to paint/glue/cut/sew the story as it unfolds, so here is piece one of what I think will be a series of pieces. I titled this one Captive, the next will be Breaking Free.This isn't the best picture as I took it at 9pm tonight, but I am too impatient to wait for a sunny day to photograph it right.