artistic endeavors: african tree sunset.

i just remembered it's been a while since i've posted a canvas.
which means there's art i've done that you people have probably not seen . . . even on facebook. ;) haha!
i'll remedy that today.
just . . . after i go pour myself a cup of this breakfast blend at 4pm.
:)

august 5
it's not my personal favorite.
you know one of those days when you just want to try something new? play with different colors, stretch your skills a bit, maybe?

this was one of those days.
not done for anyone or even for me, but just for the sake of doing something different.

there. now i can say i've posted this canvas.
:P
:)
i love kate briles' about page. it's a wonderful post to read all in itself.


right now, my cute little sister [lyddie] is making a batch of chocolate chip cookies, claiming that the zumba class [either here because she's memorized some of it] or there will pay off for the pound of butter in the dough.
hah!
oh my. i just love kiddo perspectives.
and . . . the sound of music is on.
my, my...i love that film.

Maria: I can't seem to stop singing wherever I am. And what's worse, I can't seem to stop saying things - anything and everything I think and feel.
Mother Abbess: Some people would call that honesty.
Maria: Oh, but it's terrible, Reverend Mother.

funny, this is me, today: puzzling over where to start with gathering the fabric in to make a skirt with elastic top :P . . . and the canvas above, scrubbed.
sigh.
some things in life have to be redone.
and sometimes, they happen to be things that can be redone.
how awesome is that?
el oh el.

There's nothing more irresistible to a man than a woman who's in love with him.

[the baroness]

[talking about pink lemonade]
The Baroness: Not too sweet, not too sour.
Max: Just too, uh... pink. 
. . . i'm sorry. i can't resist all these quotes from that film.

lyddie-boo and me:)

Maria: You know how Sister Berthe always makes me kiss the floor after we've had a disagreement? Well, lately I've taken to kissing the floor whenever I see her coming, just to save time.

manual focus. i kinda love it sometimes....

i'm listening to some josh garrels music.

this is what i love and miss in the wintertime; staring up into branches that reach for the sky
and grow stronger each year
and let the sun and seasons turn themselves colors.

benjamin :)
the older brother who rocks at painting and carpenter stuff. yep. :)

[no, i don't run. i grabbed the nearest pair of shoes because the ground is still wet from earlier. who likes wet socks? not me.]

[i need to go darker. and more ash blonde....someday soon....]

finally.

black.
the book i'm reading [mainly] currently. only so far as this chapter.

shall get farther.....soon. :)

pumpkin cookies. + salted caramel buttercream frosting. = something good.

the other day, leanna posted about blessed assurance and wonderful pumpkin cookies that will add a an extra pound to your thighs. and they taste good [obviously] and they melt in your mouth, and there's caramel involved . . .
so hey, of coursewe had to try that recipe out.
thanks, leanna.
and thanks, anna, my dear older sister, for making them.
i ate five of them tonight.
sigh.

*shakes head*

50-100 push ups and 10 pull ups tomorrow . . . [i suck at pull ups.]
here it is.
your fate.
because really, it's all worth it. ;)

salted caramel buttercream
1/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp water
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla
large pinch of salt
1 1/2 sticks salted butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar

pumpkin cookies
yield: 5 dozen         
     1/2 cup sugar
     1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
     1 cup butter, softened
     1 cup canned pumpkin
     1 teaspoon vanilla extract
     1 egg
     2 cups all-purpose flour
     1 teaspoon baking powder
     1 teaspoon baking soda
     1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
     1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
     1/4 teaspoon salt
     3/4 cup finely chopped pecans

i tell you . . . i love chelsea's blog. and i just love how she writes about being a mom and wife.
so darn real and sweet and tough and all that. i want to be kinda like her when i grow up.

jesus having coffee.

that's one very recent search that led to my blog.

via this picture.
to this post: hurting fingertips.

this ending of september has been very moody.
the weather, everything.
so much rain, off and on, and so much cloud cover . . . it's interesting trying to stay off that roller coaster and
choosing to feel bright, find joy in more than the sunshine that's lacking . . .
this picture ^^ is a custom canvas for this lady who contacted me via etsy. :)

but i did succumb to a nap after lunch. and when i woke up, someone had made chocolate chip cookies and i was craving coffee.

and then i was looking at interior design books, which consequently, are full of beauty and sunshine and stimulates my mind.

and this morning i woke up to news that jen is getting closer to having baby cate . . .
any. day. now.
anna and i are all packed up, ready to fly out the door and start the road trip down there.
quite excited, to say the least.
but hey, practicing patience is always a good thing.
right??

i. love. that.
ben is so making it for me someday. :)

well. i'm off to bake something. or something. i don't know.

today's writing of life.

 peach bellini candle? mmmm.

 watch over me.

today had so much rain in the first half of the time, i was longing for a pair of wellies, a cute raincoat, and an umbrella.

i skim-read a christa parrish book [watch over me] because i've read it before but i was hankering for a random quick read in the quiet later-morning early-afternoon.
tonight, anna and i went to bible study; we finished up 1 peter and 2 peter, and next week we're starting on philippians. should be good. :)
that was today.
now, it's 11:53pm, i'm tired, and my laundry still needs to finish in the drier. then: sleep. i can't wait.

a paragraph of life.

this weekend is finally looking up: tomorrow night is a good friend's wedding; i'm working on a weebly site for the wildflower cafe where i painted that mural with ben; i've got a cold cup of mango ceylon tea by my side in a huge red mug; cozy socks and pjs on; spent the evening with some of dad's side of the family for a 1-year-old's birthday; writing back and forth with a good friend; little sisters watching the timeless classic road to avonlea; waiting for anna to get home from work with stories of patrons and quirky servers and random stuff like that; a kitchen to clean; and waiting for october to slowly creep up on us and dawn new things, including dear jen and craig's first little bebe. :)

wonder in daily life.

Thursday, September 22, 2011

11:38pm-11:51pm

I wonder . . .
There are nights that I look forward to that first sip of coffee –and the grinding of the beans, the sun pouring in the windows, rinsing the filter, pushing the start button—into the next day.
I wonder if it’s the things we look forward to, that fill our life with wonder?
And my, my . . . how many things do we already look forward to, or how many things could and should we teach ourselves to build up to look forward to them –and how much joy and wonder would there be?
I wonder.
The things that make us smile –we could bring the number up with simple choices to savor them, couldn’t we?
And how close will we let ourselves to the edge to love, to care, to reach out hands out to touch the sky or what we think is blue, cool expanse brightened by the sun; toes balanced on the edge?
We could fall. And hurt. And learn and turn away from the choice to become bitter, but rather start climbing another mountain.
Or something else could happen; we could fall be lifted on the wings of wonder and joy and gratitude and touch the clouds.
Of course, climbing mountains and touching clouds won’t be our whole life.
But for moments of joy that could be paralleled to such things.
Such times that fill the soul.
Such times that our souls feel out of breath and weary, tired of existence and trying; waiting for a day to feel new again, hopeful again.
Such times that our soul connects with another.
Such times that grow a smile on our mouth and welling up in our eyes.
Such times that even bring our soul low, searching for bright specks of goodness in the bottom of the river of life.
Such times that make us laugh or sigh inside, with wonder that such good could exist in someone else; that such good could exist and happen to us.

Gratitude is the root of joy.
[brennan manning]

this afternoon.

do you have any idea how perfect this dress is for swing dancing?
no?

well, it is.
fact.
too bad it's from anthropologie and way over $50 no matter where you search online.
anna met a lady at work who was wearing this dress . . . she came home and looked it up.
an ebay seller had an XS dress posted for $88. holy. frickin'. cow.
sigh.

[crawls into nearest uncrowded corner to sob.]

it's one of those really chilly days.
painting and warm food and hot coffee.
i even woke up to it raining --ever so slightly, so i was planning on going out to sit and drink some coffee in a cozy hoodie, yoga pants, and socks and read books for a long time. no go. rain slows things from happening.
i'm going to see if those chairs are dry. it still sounds like a good idea, even though this will be the third brew of the day . . .

yep. that's the plan.
and....these for dinner.