Marathon & Freebies

Well, Ted ran his first marathon on Sunday! It was incredible to see so many people out there supporting the runners. And we keep getting more donations coming in from the run, which will help fund our band's cd, along with 5% going to Life Communities, and 5% going to Free the Slaves. So all in all, it has been a great experience.

When I checked one of my favorite blog sites the other day, Healing Expressions, I discovered I had won a giveaway! I've never won anything before, so I can't wait for my package to arrive. I've been really surprised at how many art blogs have giveaways. It's such a wonderful idea, and really encourages people to share ideas and to keep coming back for more.

I've also discovered a few blogs that are dedicated to giving away free images. They're great to play with in art projects. Here are some I've found, and let me know if you know of more out there I can add to the list! The Graphics Fairy, The Vintage Moth, and Old Photo Album. You can also sign up for free images weekly at Dover Publications and they'll email you every Wednesday with more.

Have a great week!

Crazy December & New Etsy Finds

Well, this past week has been one of total emotional chaos. We've had lots of long conversations with many different people about various crises that have come up recently. I'm grateful for God's grace in this time. In spite of it all, Ted & I have been especially united in prayer for the people involved. And I feel hopeful that things will improve, even though it looks overwhelming right now.

Every year, it seems like so many major things happen in December. I guess I'm always reflective towards the end of the year, too. I look back and wonder what was accomplished this year, what I need to reevaluate and pursue again, what needs to be finished and put away. I suppose that's helpful, like our yearly garage sales. It's great to get rid of stuff, but it's always such a mess and so frustrating. It's really hard to analyze everything that's happened in the year, but it's also necessary in order to plan for future goals.

On a different note, I thought I'd post some more great finds on Etsy for those of you who love unique handmade gifts. Have fun browsing!

Here's one from my shop, Mixed Emotions:

This one's from tiedupmemories:

Here's one from Needlings:

And a beautiful angel from rochelle31:

Sneak Preview

I've been working on some art pendants for a while now. I used the plastic pieces from old spice jars as a base, then covered with papers, paints, and extra things I found around the house. I have 15 altogether, but I'll be posting 3 this weekend. Here's a peek at one of my favorites so far...

I've been having so much fun working on these, and it makes me happy to know that I used stuff from around my house. It just goes to show you that you don't have to spend a lot of money to make something unique- you just need a little bit of creativity!

Giving Makes a Difference

We've been trying to simplify, especially with material things. So we cleared out our house, room by room. Let me tell you, it was so liberating! We had a huge yard sale on Saturday, hoping to get rid of unnecessary stuff and make some extra cash. 

Unfortunately, it was freezing! Hardly anyone was out of doors, so we made a grand total of $75 bucks. It was so depressing to pile it all back into the house. Later on, we decided to just give it all to Goodwill. So even though we didn't make a lot of money, at least it went to a good cause, and maybe they will be able to get some cash from the sale of it this Christmas. 

Now more than ever, people are in need. I talked to several people this weekend who are suffering because of our economic recession. We're having a hard time ourselves. But I know it's important to give out of our need, so I try to donate whatever I can whenever I can. Maybe it's canned food or clothes, or even fundraising for a good cause. Check out what our band is doing: http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=47062091

If we all try to give something, then we CAN make a difference.

Christmas Creating

Do you even remember life before cell phones? We use ours so much that we don't even have a home phone. Unfortunately, I could use one right now. My cell phone is broken & the store is giving us the run around on getting it fixed. So it's been 3 days now with no phone. On the positive side, it's been very quiet around here.

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It's hard to believe that Christmas is next month! 

The last two years, I've tried to be creative and make as many gifts as possible. Mostly for financial reasons, but then I discovered that I truly loved it. It's so much more personal when you hand someone a gift you've created just for them. It forces you to plan ahead, really think about the person and what they'd love. In the past, I'd think for a few minutes and try desperately to find something amazing at the mall. Which rarely happened, and I usually felt guilty about my less than ideal gifts.

So this year, I've decided to go one step further. I'm either going to make all the gifts for Christmas, or I'm going to buy from small artists and crafters, to support the incredible talent out there. I love using

 www.Etsy.com for this purpose. I could spend hours (and sometimes do!) looking at all of the handmade items listed on the site. I encourage you to go check it out, but be forewarned- you'll be hooked! I'm selling my gifts at www.MixedEmotions.etsy.com. 

So this holiday season, go look online at some creative gifts, or create your own for those special people in your life!

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Here's some of my recent favorites: 

From cosedolci

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=16697158

or this from ChamberryCherry

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=12816503

or this from skinnerstudio

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=16014053

A Busy Year

So I see that it's been a while...

This year has flown by so quickly, as they all do. I got a job in February working for a community mental health provider, then quit in August to stay home with my baby again. Driving 45 minutes one way was a killer, especially during the crazy gas price peak.

Since returning home, I've continued to work on my book, started selling artwork online, and have played a lot of shows with my band. Right now, I've got writer's block with the book (or just need a new strategy). I have more creative art ideas than I have time to even begin (my toddler loves to "help" with everything). And we just met with a local producer tonight to talk about recording a new EP for the band.

So I'm wondering what a year from now will look like...

2008

Well, it's 2008. I've been sick the past few days & the kids are increasingly bored. But it's nice to settle back into a routine after the craziness of the holidays.

Yesterday we recorded 5 new songs for our demo cd. And last night as I tried to fall asleep, I got an idea for the book I'm writing, which helped me organize it better. So far, 2008's not too bad...