Cornflower Blue

'Mom's Stupid Canvas'

2008-07-06T05:36:00.000-07:00

So I have two canvases hanging around taking one bazillion years to dry. I put the brightest shiniest hazard orange colored canvas ontop of a pie safe to dry.... which is just great for me b/c it is just above my little head, so I never bump it or anything.
Now Joshers on the other hand... is such a giant that the lovely orange paint has just about left it's mark on every single stinking shirt he owns... as you can imagine, he absolutely LOVES this... and the canvas has begun to be known by an assortment of lovely descriptions.

So yesterday, the canvas branded Joshers yet again, which caused an exasperated proclamation from my Sweet husband. And little Laughfer just looked up at him and said...

"Did you bump Momma's stupid canvas????"

The Spell of Autumnn Marie

2008-07-05T09:49:00.000-07:00

Some super sweetness Autumn Marie style!
There are about a million and one things that make loving this babe so incredibly easy...
like the spontaneous belts of laughter that pour out of this tiny girl's little mouth...
or those endless brown eyes...

maybe it's the way it is soo easy to get tickles going...

or perhaps its just the magic of this new little person beginning to shine through.

Nevertheless, love abounds for Autumn Marie!!!

Lavender in the Garden

2008-07-03T11:45:00.000-07:00

Ever since we put this screen saver on our computer that cycles all our pictures across the screen I have been feeling a big urge to memorex...

It just seems like these little people are turning into big people so quickly before my very eyes.
I love watching them discover new things and find all those itsy bitsy lovely little details that make even the smallest treasure something remarkable.

I know you can't ever really record these things and part of me wonders if that is even something we should want to do, nevertheless the urge to document seems to have
reached a higher place in my priorities lately.

These pics were taken in my Grandma's lovely garden. I have many many memories of it filled with flowers and yummy sun warmed cherry tomatoes.
mmmmm.....

linseed driftings

2008-06-28T20:30:00.000-07:00

tonight I had one righteous evening in the studio...
it seems to have been far far too long since my last adventures here, although I guess it really has only been a few weeks. but somehow it seems like a lot has happened and the only thing constant is change.

Many thoughts, ideas and wanderings seem to be flitting through my mind tonight at warp speed and I find myself so happy to have nothing but the company of my brush and a music player for a couple o hours or so. So nice to get lost in music and just do what my hands seem to know what to do.
I am so thankful for some chunks of time to remember that God created in me a need to create and simply to savor the ability and means to do so. It has been far too long since I have actually put a brush to canvas since my encaustic obsessions have reached such a fever pitch. The smell of linseed oil and the sound of brush on canvas is intoxicating tonight.

I will sleep will with thoughts of images to come to life and a mind that can rest with these tired hands.

elusive colors

2008-06-28T20:25:00.000-07:00

how come you can never really tell someone how beautiful a rainbow really is... and you are certainly hard pressed to capture such things on film (or with tiny digital pixels)...

nevertheless I am happy to have savored such a fleeting display of elusive color.

the blank canvas syndrome

2008-06-25T17:56:00.001-07:00

so no picture right now... just words.
i seem to have a pinball machine in my head.... just little snippets of images that are potential subjects for my next painting.
The canvas has been purchased and the framework of ideas are all present, yet there is the unmotivated or perhaps timid hands.

somehow saying that you are nervous or anxious about something makes it seem less daunting. yes???

How come making a start is always the hardest part???

Happy times with the kirby crew

2008-06-24T07:53:00.000-07:00

Here are some shots of our times with the kirby crew, who sadly had to go back to the sunny south. But hey, at least we weezled an extra day out of them! he he....

I can't tell ya how incredibly cute it was to see three tiny little girls running back and forth and back and forth down the driveway with PawPaw's toy mower.... not that PawPaw plays with a toy mower, but you know.

Anyways... it was cute... except for the fighting over the Fisher Price mower... who knew these girls loved to work in the yard so much!!! eh eh ...

All this to say - We just love these guys!!!! And we were so thankful to get a little kirby fix... I think that might get us through to the fall. eh eh.

Daydreaming Google style

2008-06-21T13:34:00.000-07:00

So I was poking around on the internet, doing a little R & D for my next collage
and thought I would share these.
This is just a little smattering of what you
find when you enter DAYDREAMING into google images.

Kinda nice, huh...

what makes me happy today

2008-06-18T13:14:00.000-07:00

yep, I know... you are looking at this thinking "So the freagin' chipmunks make Jen happy today????" ---
What I really wanna mention is that my new favorite thing in Chatt town is the Rave theatre. And that is for one reason... The Free Family Film Festival.

Yes, I did say free!

Today I took Lavender & Autumn to see Alvin & the Chipmunks (Laughfer's personal fav). It was the first time I had ever taken either of my kids to the movies, so I was a little timid about how they would handle it. But it was soooo fun!!!!!!!!

Yes, the theatre was crowded with wall to wall kids and babies, but that made it even better b/c I didn't feel wierd or bad if Lavy decided to start screamin' her head off or somethin... howeva, she absolutely did not... so cool!!!!

Anyways... for all you Chattyvegas mommas out there... they will be doing this little film fest every Tues. and Wed. at 10am for 6 more weeks. The next one is 6/24 and 6 /25
They are showing The Bee Movie (which is a riot btw)
So come on out and bring your crazy chilluns....

I also gots the schedule that goes through the end of next month is ya'll are interested.

Suzanne Vega, the Sweee Heart

2008-06-16T09:03:00.000-07:00

So we have been listening to ALOT of Suzanne Vega lately... love her.
Laughfer is a very big fan of Suzanne Vega. Here is what she said about her:

L: Mom, I want the Changing song (Marlene on the Wall)
Me: ok
- song plays -
L: Who say that?
Me: what?
L: Changing Changing Chhhhannnnging
Me: Suzanne Vega
L: Go see her
Me: Well, I don't think we can actually go see her. But, we can listen to her as much as we want, Ok?
L: ok.
L: Suzanne Vega is a sweee hearrt!!! We go seeeee her!!!
Me: We can't.... maybe we can write her a letter and tell her how much we like her Changing song.
L: ok

So now we are writing her a fan letta.

So funny, right??!!!

Post Father's Day

2008-06-16T05:26:00.000-07:00

Even though yesterday was Father's day I find myself still thinking on my Sweet.

Thanks continually fills my heart for him and all that he is. I love his laugh and his continual willingness to lend his helping hands. His love for his family makes me well up with more emotion than I really ever know how to express. I love his ability to take things as they come and let tomorrow worry about itself.

Really there are just so many things to love about this man.

I just keep finding myself remembering what it was like to be without him for only a week and how I longed for him. I missed his smell, that great laugh and the feel of his beard on my neck. I discovered something about myself that week...

I realized that I am not a person that can love well from afar. I need Josh like I need the air. I love him so and he really does make my world whole.

101 Reasons I adore Laughfer

2008-06-14T06:58:00.000-07:00

I love that it is so easy to talk to rocks.
I love that I find a "fan" made of carrots & banannas at the end of her meals.
I love that she says "Lud you, mom" without prompting.
I love that flowers are still Fossies.
I love the fearlessness that brings many boo boos
I love her smo kisses (eskimo kisses)
I love being invited to "sit on the couch with me!"
I love her curious big brown eyes.
I love declarations that Dadda is a sweet heart.
I love her circle running "dancing"
I love that little voice telling me to "be happy, mamma"
I love fierce hugging.

I love countless rounds of the ABCs
I love tiny little painted fingernails
I love cries of "it's a pretty day, mom!" from the backseat.
I love repeating again & again what jobs every person we know holds
I love hearing "nice to meet you" from those tiny lips
I love the toy getting on Autumn's behalf
I love declarations of love for Mimi, Lindy, Juden, Dadda, Ella and so many more

I know I could go on and on like this for quite some time, but I fear all the bloggers out there would weep from boredom. I guess all there is to say is this...
I love her big heart and can ever really get enough of being with her. She is such a treasure and I pray she never doubts that for even a moment.

kimono rose & the dentist's chair

2008-06-13T13:52:00.000-07:00

yo kids... this week I had the great pleasure of going to ye ol' dentist office. Yep, that's right - the dentist.... dunt duh dunnnnn..........
I cringe to reveal that my last appointment was eight years ago!!!!!!!! yes, I did say eight! i know, i know... so bad, right??

Anyways, many lectures later and a laundry list of things to fix in ye ol' mouth... I am here to tell all ya'll to remember to floss and go to the dentist!!!!!

oh and one more thing... if you do decide to be a responsible kiddo & get in the dentist chair, make sure you do something nice for yourself afterword. I bought some lovely purfume... It made all the difference!

We gotsta give ourselves some little pleasures, right? Mine was Kimono Rose - It is so lovely!

my lazy summer daz

2008-06-12T05:32:00.000-07:00

How thankful I am for lazy summer days...
They always seem to be full of fun visits from the best of friends, beautiful summery blooms, snoozin' on the couch, suprise books in the mail and late night talks with my sweet.

This is the good stuff of life.

I am a lucky kiddo

So funny

2008-06-05T13:03:00.000-07:00

Sometimes when we're in the car, I ask Laughfer what she's doin' back there. Then, I ask her what little Autumn is doin' back there too and usually the answer is "playing with toys" or "sleeping", but yesterday here is how it went.

Me: What are you doin' back there, Laughfer?
L: Playin' with Polly.
Me: What's Autumn doin'?
L: Sleeping around.

Nice.

Creative Souls

2008-06-05T06:34:00.000-07:00

Lavender has just completed her very first canvas work of art.... yep, yep... she was quite insistant that it have her hand print "RIGHT THERE, MOM!" so, I put one right there. Other than that, every little mark was put to canvas via Lavender Zoe. I think it turned out pretty cool!

I must say though, that I thought little ol' Laughfer would be more into than she was. She was much more into putting the pencils and oil pastels in and back out of their little home. Can we say OCD, anyone??? Oh well, I guess the artist in me will just have to shut it and let her do her own thing. I gotta say that that saying you will let your kid explore all on their own is easier than actually allowing it - and I NEVER thought I would say somethin like that. I guess you just get into that mamma/instructor mode and it's kinda hard to pry off. Nevertheless, I am so excited to do more such activities with the girls and see what they come up with. God is so cool to give us such creative souls!!!

horizontal pj time

2008-06-03T15:53:00.000-07:00

pj time is perhaps my most favorite time of the day... not because my kids are going to sleep and i get a break (although that is a bonus too!!)
but really it is just because they are sooo darn cute in their little pajamies.... and this is at least one time during the day that they are clean and smell nice too. I just love this sweet time of jamies, songs, and hugs...

Laughfer has the funniest bedtime ritual... She asks for a kiss, then a smo kiss (eskimo kiss), and then she wants to kiss your head and sometimes a knee and then we wrap it all up with a hug and blow kisses.... I just LOVE this... don't eva want it to end. such bliss!!!

oh yeah... please excuse our horizontalness... the uploader refused to recognize the rotation of our pics... I guess it had just had enuff o me!!! testy little puta...

today

2008-06-02T05:16:00.000-07:00

all so we are trying to get back to 'normal' since the funeral and everything.... yet, it just seems that every where you look you see evidence of that person you lost... my eyes seem to continually drift over to the Mother's day flowers Ginny & Kurt sent me lifelessly sitting on my table while Lavender dances around the room in Marmie's jewelry saying "look at me! I'm busy!" --- and when I go to post on this silly ol' blog I find these pics of Ginny I don't think I ever saw. I'm finding myself thankful and sad too at the sight of so many little reminders.
I don't mean to sound to listless or morose... it is just the way the days are playing out, ya know... so bittersweet....

the fun factory

2008-06-01T14:28:00.000-07:00

so here are the kind of things we do when Joshers is away.

I thought animal face masks would be fun, howeva they kinda turned out a little creepy... a little too Donnie Darko for me.... but hey, Laugher loooved it. Ha

anyways, so glad to have my sweet husband home. It seemed to only take a few moments of his absence for me to re-realize just how much I adore him and what a treasure he is. We girls are so happy to have our family all home again.

We are blessed I say!!!!!!!!!!!!

A Passing

2008-05-25T18:44:00.000-07:00

This evening, Ginny Moyer pasted away. For those of you who do not know, Ginny is Josh & Leah's sweet mom.

Everything feels so strange right now... fast and slow... incredibly emotional and also numb... and so against nature somehow. The plants seem to all be blossoming and the trees are waving their newly emerged leaves and every where I look I see so much life and vitality. I look into little Autumn's face... so new and fresh... and I watch her take in so many things for the first time and I can't help but think of how very quick this thing called life seems to go by.

It seems as though all that is around me is the antithesis of dying.... I really just feel like all things should just stop for a moment. There is such a great need inside for things to just be still... even if it's only for a moment.

I guess all there is to say is that the world has lost one very special person unlike anyone else... and so very too soon.

Please remember Josh, Leah, Kurt and Susan in your prayers as they try and mend broken hearts and trust in God's perfect timing.

missin

2008-05-25T09:48:00.000-07:00

missin' joshers mcgeeeee............

Please pray

2008-05-22T19:36:00.000-07:00

These are a few pics of our last visit with Ginny, (Josh's sweet mom)... or Marmie, as Lavender and all the Grand kids call her.
Please pray for her and all her loved ones right now. She is in the ICU and is experiencing some very serious problems. Josh, Leah, Cannon and baby Finn are all up in Philly. I will keep you posted as to the developments.

just thinkin' thankful

2008-05-21T08:55:00.001-07:00

I've been thinkin a lot about my Joshers today... I have just been thinking about who he is and the endless things he does for us. He not only makes my everyday possible, but he makes it fun and brings so many smiles to my face and the faces of our little women. I am so grateful for all the work he does, all the entertaining of babies and making it possible for me to make art, plant in our little garden and be me. what a lucky girl I am!

there are many things I could say about how special he is.... these are just some of the thoughts that have been floating around my mind today...

Up fo sale!!!

2008-05-14T09:31:00.000-07:00

ok - here is my store of artwork post Clothesline. I must say, I'm a bit suprised the Sun & Moon Carriage pieces haven't sold yet... I know they are a bit pricey but c'mon, aren't they just too supa sweet???? yep yep --- I guess they will just hafta chill with humpty dumpty till I decide what venue to sell them in...
I will be putting them up fo sale in etsy shop this weekender... www.tumbleweed240.etsy.com

Happy homes for little creations

2008-05-13T05:45:00.000-07:00

For all you cats who couldn't make it out to the Clothesline show, I thought I would show ya what you missed. eh eh - These pieces flew away to new homes, so I thought I should post em.

Thanks to all of you out there that bought works. I am so pleased that these little guys are going to happy homes. Smooches...