whatever

this summer.

dudes....this summer is crazy.

i don't know what i did other years?

how did we do craft thursday?

how did i get anything done?

who is this person i have become????

that is how i am feeling everyday.  it's getting old.

i miss that lady who made cookies and painted pictures and sewed late at night.

she needs to come back.

i really miss that girl.

this busy, tired, scattered, zoned out person who is living in my head needs to leave. 

 

these pictures have nothing to do with that little pity party.

these are the cows across the road from our front door.
i love to watch them wander around that field.
this day i was sunbathing while all my kids were gone for ONE WHOLE HOUR and there they were.
just chillin' at the only opening that i can get to for pictures.

i have this little voice in me that says "that is the picture you want... take it"
and for so long in my life i have ignored it.
there are lots of reasons i ignore it.
sometimes there are people with me and i don't want to stand out or have someone think "what is she doing?"
sometimes i don't have the right camera for the good shot.
sometimes i am driving and can't stop.
but about a year ago i promised myself that when i hear that voice i will do whatever i can to get the shot.

not wreck my car or anything but if im not running late than i will pull over and get it.
or i just let people wonder why i am taking a picture of something at Target.
because my mind works like that.

i can see the photo in my mind and it feels so good when i get it.

and i like that.



so.... i was lying there... in my swim suit... one hour alone... reading my book... and there come the cows.
i heard the voice.
i said "BUT.... but... it's my only hour"
sigh.

i got up and put on a skirt and flip flops and my big camera and into the ditch to see the cows.

i am so glad i did.

i am ALWAYS glad i did.

and a lot of times it's not a super AMAZING photo but it's really just the process of looking through the lens.
finding the focus.
catching the light.

 

and i guess on these jammed packed days that send me to bed exhausted, i need that little moment.

a reminder that i am creative...created to be creative.
it's in there.
and sometimes i don't get to it as often as i would like but it doesn't go away.

 

moo.

 

 

 

craft weekend is my fave.

alrighty... i have made it home from Haiti.
it was a super quick trip to meet some of the stove vendors and see how it all is working IN the field.
my trip was lovely.
i will share my pictures and stories at the end of the week.

i stupidly left my phone in the car of one of the girls living in haiti so i am without a phone for awhile.
feels like i am missing a limb.
somehow though i think will survive.... ha! 

and now.... Craft Weekend January 2013!

************************************************

a new year begins for Craft Weekend.
it is pretty exciting to me.
we have some pretty big plans for the Craft House and Craft Weekend this year.


we brought in a new piece for supplies....it's from the barn.
it is so COOL!  
it was from a post office but i am sure it is much happier living at the craft house now.
it was a pain to clean but i am loving it!
i  want to paint it.... although i never have time.  

(Katie Daisy art is from Pottery Barn Teen)

lindsey helped me set up my shop on the stairway.... so adorable!
she is so good with displays!
and a new/old map is up in the foyer making me happy every time i walk by.






we were ready a little bit early this time (YAY!!) 

our guests arrived and the party was officialy under way!

after dinner we got busy on our aprons.
i am always so interested in watching how they choose.
some are done right away and some are still deciding an hour later.

:)





ironing, hemming, pinning, sewing...almost done.
i love the sounds of 6 sewing machines going at once!





they were all done earlier than any group has been! 
that doesn't mean it was early, but it was earlier than the previous groups.
and i am fine with getting a little more sleep.  


on saturday we took a COLD field trip out to Marion to our favorite shop, Bearly Makin' It.
it was crazy cold.
craaaazy.


tere had a jeanne oliver bag!  
so cute.

i always like to see what people gravitate to at the store... the quilts? the books? glassware?

after a sonic break we made it home to get crafty again.

these girls were fast workers!
most of our projects get quite messy.
if you are going to make a mess it may as well be a pretty one right?



i found another 7up crate at the barn (and then quickly got back in the van before i froze to death)


Lindsey led a project that she has posted about on her blog before.
it was so fun to make!! i LOVED it!!

i want to make a huge one now.  :)

joy led a project that let us use hammer and nails for the first time at Craft Weekend!

its fun to get a little noisy!
(actually it was A LOT noisy...kind of unreal how loud it was!)














my canvas before i started with bright colors. 
we used canvases and paint sponosered by DecoART! 
we love thier products!


my friend wendy of blue lily photography came for friday & saturday to take a ton of photos for us.
i was so happy to have extra time with her!
she squeezed us in before she took off her World Tour with Tyler and her kids.  
i am so grateful!
you NEED to get on their schedule .... they go every where in the world!  
check out their dates by you!

roomie pics.....

                     

                    


seriously adorable aprons!
they added flowers and pom poms and really cute trims.




i don't think i have ever been able to pick a favorite.



we made fabric covered button bracelets..... LOVE these!





these are the signs we built with joy.
everyone came up with neat quotes and colors!



our paintings with lindsey!




everyone's was slightly different in the shades they chose.
but i thought they were all awesome!  

what an awesome group we had!

i felt completely relaxed when it was over....love that...how wonderful to finish your WORK and feel great?!

    krista from kansas                                                       erin from kansas

                                                       mary from kansas                                     angie from dominican republic

   katherine from texas                                                    meredith from texas

                                                           dani from utah                                                   tere from washington

   charly from kansas                                                       sara from kansas

                                                                                                                                           gale from kansas

   joy from california                                                       lindsey from california

 
here's the whole gang!  
such a lovely group of women.... i miss you girls!

                     

kimberlee and i pretty much have the best jobs ever!  
we love serving all these women and guiding them as they create alongside their new friends.
somehow i have no photos this past month of all the YUM-O food she prepared.
i was too busy shoveling it in my mouth apparently.
her meals are just the best...prepared so thoughtfully...taste so GOOD!
i am so grateful for everything she does at Craft Weekend.

but it's really too fun to be called work for us both!

what is your favorite part of craft weekend when you read about it?

i would LOVE to hear that!

happy monday!

 

god is awesome.

i hunt for sunflowers.
every summer.
i am a sunflower addict.

i mean really....just try to tell me what is happier than that?!!
nothing.
it is the best site to see.


every detail amazes me.
LOOK at that!
it's about 8 inches across and hasn't even opened yet....it is  B E A U T I F U L !!!


sean held annie up to see a bug inside that one.
they had a blast running around this old farm.





this brings me joy.



{{{{ sigh }}}}

three of my favorite people in one of my favorite places....it's enough to make me cry.





GRASSHOPPER!!!

i didn't see that in my lens....or when it uploaded....i noticed it when put it on the blog.
i absolutely LOVE that picture! 

only about half of the flowers were open when we came by.
which made me giddy just thinking about coming back.




my kids asked if we could build a house right here so we could see the flowers and climb that tree.




talby took this picture of the lady bug!
amazing.

i am not prejudiced....i love dead sunflowers too!


one of the things i love about sunflowers is that they are solid and study.
they have big leaves....they have layers and layers of seeds and petals.
God creates each one so intricitly.
His creation is so detailed.

she found her twinsie in size.
:)

thank you Lord for reminding me of how detailed You are in the world.
every seed.
every petal.
Thank you God for caring about every hair on my head....every tear...every hurt....every joy in my life.

and for showing me that in a field of sunflowers.

God is awesome.