New Chapter in my life 2 + 3 = Happy Heart

I have been truly blessed. I have found the one whom my heart calls home. I am truly happy to say that it took a long time to find him but there he was - one day on the golf course :) . Fast forward a year and a half and we are making the move. Because we each have children we decided to take it very slow. So some time in April, my son and I are moving in with my love and his two daughters. I can't wait. To make it special for the kids we decided to put all of our focus on making their spaces amazing! To make the house work for us we have to shuffle rooms around. Miss D (his 15 year old, horse/music lover) will be moving to the spare room downstairs, Miss A (his spunky almost 10 year old) will stay in her room but will get a refresh, and my Minecraft fanatic 8 year old will be moving into Miss D's room. Amongst making three kids rooms ah-maz-ing, we are also renovating the downstairs bathroom, recroom, making me a craft space (YIPPEEE!!) and putting in a fireplace upstairs in the living room. PHEW! So my to do list is pretty big!

Here are some inspiration photos for each of these rooms! Stay tuned for many projects to come!

Each room has a to-do list longer than my arm but I've managed to scratch some off this week! Stay tuned for more posts soon!

Patience - Lesson for My Son

Life has been wonderful and I really can't complain. I have finally met the person that was put on this earth for me. He is beyond what I have ever wished for in a partner. And to top it all off he loves me unconditionally. I have been in limbo waiting for the next big step and know that I need to be patient. Everything we have ever done was with our children in mind. No rushing. No pushing. No forcing. It has been such a beautiful journey of getting to know and love all of each other. We are so sure of our love that we don't need to rush. But for this impatient girl this lesson has been tough to sit back and enjoy the journey until they are as ready as we are to take that next step. So because of this struggle I thought I would journal and make a new page for my son's book.

Was fun to do and I got to use some velum for the quote. I forgot just how much I enjoy using this simple product. Hope you enjoy!

Here is the journaling  in my son's book:

One of life's biggest lessons is 'Patience'. Patience is a daily chore that you must continuously work at. It is required everyday in so many different situations. Either being patient waiting in line, or patient with a difficult child or patient with yourself as you try to learn something new. Sometimes it's being patient as you are waiting for 'that thing' to happen. Being 'patient'  is hard work, but so worth it! Great things take time and great things come when it's time to come. Not one second sooner.

So Parker, please enjoy the time in between being patient for the things you want. If we got everything we wanted all at once, what would the point of living be?

I love you so much and I am grateful everyday that you are my son!

Worrying - Lessons For My Son Journal Page

So much has happened this past month. Some amazing and some heart breaking. 

First for the good - my son celebrated his 8th birthday (will post pictures soon) and he went away to his first overnight camp. Camp Huronda is a diabetes camp near our home and it was amazing for him! It was the first time he was away from either his father and I at the same time and it was worrisome for me. But he (and I) survived the week away. I am so proud of him for going to this camp. 

During the party planning and the going away to camp, my partner's father passed suddenly and it has ripped a whole in his family. It is a feeling I would never wish upon anyone as I have been there. My heart breaks that he has to go through this. So I am worrying about him and of course he is worrying about his mom and his siblings. So all this worrying sparked this page. 

The journalling reads: 

Worrying changes NOTHING. 

Sometimes our worrying becomes a bigger problem than the problem we are worrying about to begin with. 

Please, set your worries aside and step firmly into this very moment. Look yourself in the eye and tell yourself that from this moment forward you will stop filling in the blanks with scary details. Let life surprise you a little. 

No matter what, worrying doesn't help anything...it just keeps us from feeling peaceful when we have the power to choose peace all along.

Don't forget that everything has always always always worked out somehow. Always. And almost always everything works out beautifully for our growth and our wisdom. 

Let yourself go where the peace is. It feels so much better there.

You are so loved. Everything is going to be ok. 
(From Brave Girls Club)

____

Please have a worry free evening!

Use your Light - Lessons for My Son Art Journal

Now that summer is here I have found it hard to be inside and create. But tonight I sat in my craft closet and made this quick page in my son's life lesson's journal. I used four supplies - chalkboard paint (I bought it at the dollar store), chalk, white pen and a gold pen. Love how it turned out. A little bit of chalkboard art in my journal.

The journalling reads:

There comes a time when you must stand alone. You must feel confident enough within yourself to follow your own dreams. You must be willing to make sacrifices. You must be capable of changing and rearranging your priorities so that your final goal can be achieved. 

Sometimes, familiarity and comfort need to be challenged. There are times when you must take a few extra chances and create your own realities. Be strong enough to at least try to make your life better. Be confident enough that you won't settle for a compromise just to bet by. Appreciate yourself by allowing yourself the opportunity to grow, develop, and find your true sense of purpose in this life. 

Don't stand in someone else's shadow when it's your sunlight that should lead the way.

- From author Deanna Beisser

Enjoy the little things - upcycled piece

I was able to find some time to create again and this makes my heart happy! I love playing with paint, watercolours, inks and texture paste. So much fun! I got this piece (brown) at my local thrift store and really enjoyed turning it into something else. Thanks for stopping by!

Rise above - Life Lesson For My Son

You know some times things don't work out like you hope. You just don't have the mojo going on to create. That was me tonight. I have been wanting to create for a while and put too much pressure on myself. But I decided to share anyway so please be kind.

I am behind on the Documented Life Project.  But I'm ok with that. I decided to try May 16th challenge - Rise to the Occasion and use some modelling paste. I couldn't think of anything about rising to the occasion so I went off topic a bit.

My journalling to my son are lyrics to a song I can not find again for the life of me to reference.

Dear Son,

The world is full of people,
content to be what they are
Who never know the joy of success;
they lack the will to go that far.

Yet in this world there is a need,
for some to lead the rest
To rise above the average life,
by giving of their best.

Are you the one who dares,
to try when challenged by the task
To rise to heights you've never dreamed,
Or is that too much too ask?

This can by your year,
for great purpose to achieve
If you accept the challenge,
and in yourself believe.

be the light - mixed media upcycled frame

Hello everyone, sorry I haven't posted in a while but I have been sick and it really knocked me out of the game for the past few weeks.

I was inspired to create a piece from this old framed print I purchased for $0.50 at my local thrift store. It started in a different direction that it ended but I am happy with the finished result. I was inspired by the darkness we all have inside us. I strongly believe that it is a daily choice to choose to let the light in and to be the light. Our gremlins are more vulnerable when we choose to shine the light on them. They are not as powerful and we may even stop listening to them when we realize what they are and what they are really doing to us.

April 18th The Documented Life Project Challenge (yes I am behind) was using a gelli plate. I didn't have one so I googled how to make my own. I found this great video on how to make one. I'm not sure if I made it thick enough but it was good enough to play around and make my own sheets. It was fun and I will be buying a real gelli plate soon. I used the papers I made in this piece.

(original thrift store frame)

Thanks for stopping by! Have a wonderful Mother's Day weekend!