Every day there are a million choices competing for your time, your brain space, and your commitment. It's so important to look for the good instead of the bad, and to see all of the wonderful little things all around you rather than letting yourself feel annoyed by other little things that really are not important.

Try to find peace, and then remember that feeling and seek out whatever it takes to get back to that feeling when you seem off track or uneasy. When life feels dark, just step into the light. One step at a time. And before you know it, the darkness is gone. Go where the peace is. Go where the beauty is. Go where the good stuff is. Most of it is just a choice. Use the gift of choice wisely. You know this stuff! Just remember to remember it! (Brave Girls Club)

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This week has been a rough one for me and getting to create a lesson in Parker's journal was soothing to my soul tonight. This lesson is also a reminder for myself when life gets crazy to 'Go where the Peace is'.

Have a fantastic night!

It is Ok

I did my first page for my son's lessons journal. I wanted a first page that was more of an introduction to the journal. Lots of paint on fingers for this one! I used this custom element technique from Rae Missigman using washi tape. I added ink, spray ink, alcohol inks and spray paint.

Few close-ups:

The journalling reads:

_________________________________________________________________________________

To my sweet Parker,

I want you to know something that has taken me a long time to learn. It is Ok. It is ok to fail, it is ok to be scared. It is ok to make wrong choices, it is ok to get overwhelmed, and it is ok to get off your path for a while.

That's how you learn. And sometimes a lesson will come to you over and over until you learn it. That is ok too. That is what this book is for. To help you learn how to deal with those difficult days and to learn from every experience - good and bad.

I want you to grow up to be a happy, peaceful man who knows who he is. The lessons in this book are the ones I have taught you  and I hope will serve as a reminder when you need them.

I love you,

Mom
________________________________________________________________________________

Happy Easter!

Lessons for my son journal

For the past four years I have been on a journey. A journey that started because I was not happy. I really thought that my happiness was attainable based on outside factors. When I made some serious decisions years ago, I thought things would be miraculously all better. When they weren't and I was still unhappy I knew something had to change. I was 36 years old when I decided to take my life off of autopilot. To take control of my life and to change it. It has been difficult and it has been a tough journey but I keep on trucking. I keep on learning. I keep on challenging myself.

I do not want my son - who is 7.5 years old to be 36 when he realizes that he is needing to look within to be happy.  I have been working hard to teach this little guy everything that I have learned and continue to learn. So I thought I would put all of it in a book for him. I am really hoping that this will be something that he can read and re-read when he is older and have a reminder of all the little lessons I have taught him.

This is the first page. Just a little art for me to kick off this book. I am hoping to do some art journalling in it and lots of writing for him. So please keep checking back for the lessons. 

Have a great night!

DIY Thrifted Wall Art

It's no secret that I love pinterest! It's like going to the candy store for a thrifty-do-it-yourself-addicted-to-pretty-things girls like me. One day a few weeks back I pinned this beautiful piece.

And then a few days later I got notification that my sister-in-law pinned it. So I knew I had to make her one. I went digging in my garage in my over abundant stash of picture frames that I have picked up at yard sales or thrift stores over the past few years and found the perfect one. Now it was a frame that had this dog poster in it with glasses on it. The poster was mounted on cardboard and I am sure some 13 year old loved it at one point of this frame's life. I knew exactly what I wanted to do with it.

I took the print out, primed it with some regular latex primer then I used some texture paste to give it a nice texture. The flat painted cardboard didn't cut it. I then took some white and off-white craft paint and randomly covered the whole thing. I was able to transfer the quote with regular transfer paper. I was planning on distressing the lettering but it took off the texture paste so I had to kill that idea. I do like the crispness of it. So happy I mixed in some off-white though.

For the frame I mixed up some milk paint and put a thicker layer over the beige burlap strip on the frame and then the rest of the frame just got a white washed layer which was later sanded down. I love how it totally changed the look of the frame.

Hope you like it! Have a great night!!

Trust your Heart

One lesson I have learned since I have taken my life off of autopilot and decided to take control of my own happiness is this: trust your heart. When you trust your heart, and I mean really trust it, then you will learn how to fly.

This piece was originally purchased at my local Thrift Warehouse in Haliburton, Ontario for $0.50. I used gesso to cover up the original artwork and then with some paint and collage I created this. I love how it turned out.

and some close ups:

Thanks for stopping by :)

Coats

Hello Everyone! Sorry for such the long delay in posts! Life has been amazing and I have been taking the time to enjoy it. I have been able to create again! Yay!! Feels so good to get ink on my hands!

I am a visual girl - as you can see. Many of my life lessons have come to me through art and analogies. One of them are my 'coats'. We all have them. We all wear different ones. We think they protect us. They are comfortable. But are they useful? I always imagine wearing a parka in the summer. That parka had it use in the winter when it was cold but wearing it when it no longer serves you is kinda ridiculous but until you get tired of wearing it and carrying around it's very hard to let go of. Like many, I have a whole closet of coats. And some I am still wearing. But fear and doubt - they are no longer required! Happy Family Day (Canada)!

New altered yard sale finds!

I am putting a table at a local yard sale this weekend and thought it would be fun to alter some pieces and try to sell them. All the pieces came from either a yard sale or from my local thrift store.

Love using acrylics, water colours, stamps and my new gelatos.

Thanks for stopping by!