freedom in the messy

Christmas was a few months ago, but when you are busy with 3 little people, just feeding and cleaning people is enough. I am just now looking at these pictures. 

I love this picture. 

Sums up my life. 

Books, clothes, artwork, beads, pillow forts, bird feathers, papers. They are usually all over my house, not organized, not put away. I am learning to be still, to enjoy my little people and to let the mess go. 

Freedom in the messy. 

Once in awhile, you sneak in a sit at the sewing machine or a quick read. Or you do a project together with your kiddies. It makes it more fun and special anyways. Like this:

Thanks to the all the diaper boxes, we have free canvases and cardboard ready. I cut out the shape of the holly leaves and berries, and put out the paint. We used a mixture of reds for the berries and greens for the leaves. After it dried, I glued all the pieces together.

It was simple, sweet, and handmade. 

And as I look back on the title of this post, I am reminded of the real reason of Christmas, Jesus' birth. He was born in a stable/cave. It was outside and there were smelly animals. It was most certainly messy. But God sent His Son Jesus on that day for our freedom.

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 

2 Corinthians 3:17

He brings freedom in our messy. 

Christmas Clean Up with the Berenstain Bears

It was a delightfully simple Christmas this year and for that, I am very thankful. I am now starting the clean up. Yuck. But my daughter and I are already talking about what we are going to make/do/decorate for Valentine's Day.

Anyways, here is/was my mantle. It makes me happy. I used colorful felt garlands I made for my daughters rainbow birthday a few years ago.  In the clean up process, I am now going to make a fabric decorations box. I have several fabric garlands in random cubby holes in my house and its now time to give them their own labeled box. Reminds me a little bit of the Berenstain Bears Messy Room. Ahh. Love it. 

Back to my decor... white tree from Target with small ornaments along with the 3 wooden trees from a local shop.The nativity I created last year. The oil pastel cat is my daughters work and the color wheel collage is my work. And a random photo of some darling family:)

And our tree. We had to decorate from a certain point up because my little one loved the ornaments. Who doesn't love shiny, colorful things?

Stay warm out there friends!

Deals and Steals for my Rainbow Christmas

Every year at Christmas, I pick new colors or a theme for my tree and home. Well, I intend to but then the reality sets in that I love all colors so I do a different twist on the rainbow Christmas. Love it. This year, I have a few things in mind. To start with, I got these colorful ornaments ( going to add to my pink ones ) and hooray, they are on sale right now at Target. And there are lots of little me's in the picture. :)

The yellow balls is what did it. Its sort of a sharp citron. That lead me to my next thought about using lemons around my mantle and house.

And on of my favorite deals, ahh, love this one, are these candles. These are Chanukah candles and since its almost over, these babies were 70% off! 

They could be used for a birthday cake and a certain Someone's birthday is coming up. Yes, we will use them for Jesus' birthday cake.  This was my vision or perhaps cupcakes. I think He will get a kick out of us using them and delighted. 

I will keep my fire extinguisher handy. Seems like lots of things catch fire around here at family soirees. A mantle one Christmas and the yard while lighting a birthday flan, to name a few.

And I will use a few of my nativities around. 

Happy decorating! 

Jesus in the Nursery: A Literary Holy Family

These colors make me want to pick up a baby, pick up a book and read in my chintz covered rocker. And the baby sits in my lap. Very domestic and  and a tad vintage. 

Speaking of domestic, I have been reading a book called The Art of Domesticity. Randomly picked it up at the library because I liked the cover. Little did I know, the content was pretty right on. My favorite part about the book is the lists the author has compiled of movies and books, oh and art,  that offer great domestic scenes. But not a dull, boring way. With children, you are at home more and so let's make it exciting and fun and certainly, pretty. 

So, I give you the nativity set I envision in my home from the 1950's. And I have an Eloise Wilkins book by my daughters crib and we have a fire going just like in Goodnight Moon. And the outside of our home is pink like The Little House. Can you see it? 

Beachy Jesus: What I am working on

Sorry for the lapse in posts. I have been busy being mom, artist and follower of Jesus.Oh, yeah and wife, cook and house cleaner. And gardener. Driver. All good gigs, well not the house cleaner lady. Yuck. And let's face it, my house looks like yuck too. Whatevs. Although, not yuck in a bacteria way just maybe we should employ these little people running around to pick things up? Myself included:)

These 3 have been gracing my home a lot lately. Its nice. I am going to be at a show on October 19th at the Sweet South Cottage. I will be sharing a booth with 2 other marvey painters. Come see us! We will be there from 9-4. 

https://www.facebook.com/SweetSouthCottage

And in honor of my recent beach trip, I give you beachy Jesus. 

A free giveaway and a Holy Family

In my studio ( my dining room table, a chair in my living room and the island in my kitchen ), I have been working, working, working! I am creating nativity sets along with other art but I wanted to show off the Holy Family. 

Each doll is handpainted. The doll is filled with pillow stuffing and then I use beans in the bottom to get the little people to stand. 

I like pattern and color, so I use all sorts of fun patterns and colors that I have in my fabric stash. How glorious it is to rummage through my fabric drawer. 

And another.

I am getting them ready for a show in October at the Sweet South Cottage.  The show is October 19th from 9 am- 4 pm. I will also be placing a few in other shops in Tallahassee and facebook and etsy for sale. Go ahead and like my page. I know you have been wanting to. Click here. I am going to do a giveaway with one of these sets. Actually, I will start it Monday! So, come back. 

I got to get to work! 

To see other Holy Family's from last year, go here and here.