So Proud of Him!!!!

My DH, Jim recieved some amazing news yesterday!!! He is a pre-med student and has consistantly pulled 3.8's. He is a member of Phi Theta Kappa honor society. He has been selected to participate in the International Scholar Laureate Program - Delegate on Medicine, going to China for 3 weeks this summer!!! They will be exploring traditional Chinese medicine and current trends in Medicine in China. They are also going to hit all the great places to visit while there! He is over the moon!! I am beyond proud of him!! There is fundraising and paperwork, but we hope we can make it happen for him!! I wonder if I can fit in his suitcase???

One World One Heart Blog Giveaway!!

http://oneworldoneheart.typepad.com/one_worldone_heart/


I had a chance to check out this wonderful giveaway & decided to join the Gypsy Caravan myself!! If you use the http code above(One World One Heart) it will take you to Lisa Swifka's wonderful blog for details about entering your own work or entering to win one of the MANY wonderful items offered up in the giveaway! Thank you Lisa for offering us this wonderful opportunity and all of your hard work!!!!

I'm offering one of my paintings in my Winter series, "Riding Lessons". It is 5"x7" unframed work on canvas. It features a sweet little bunny having a polar bear riding lesson. It is one of my own favorites.

I will be pulling a name out of a hat on the 12th of February 2009. The contest runs from Jan. 19th 2009 until Feb. 11th 2009. Good Luck, Sarah

Addition - I will be choosing a winner tonight at 9pm Pacific time! Announcing tomorrow morning! Thank you all so very much for the amazing response! I am deeply touched by your amazing selves and your compliments! Sarah

Unicorn Bookmark

Here is a little, purple Unicorn bookmark I did - in between tax calculations - lol. It's for sale on my Esty site - http://cottagegarden.etsy.com. I'm trying to finish these darn taxes so I can get back to work on my art. Lots of ideas floating around in my head - need to put them to paper before they go poof!! Thanks for visiting!! Sarah

Tagged again!!

I will say - I enjoy the tagging!! It is a wonderful way to get to know everyone!! Margo @ http://backattheranchjewelry.blogspot.com/ tagged me this time! She is one of amazing grace & I'm thinking some steel too! I love her blog & her jewelry is to die for!!

1. Cindy,(The Shabby Hag)asked me to elaborate on the singing thing. She is dear friend of mine from our Ebay group SEHA. I adore her work and am honored by her wonderful friendship! I was trained in my younger years,in opera, musical comedy, jazz and general music. I have done my share of singing in public. I do love to sing background harmony if I get the chance. Singing lead makes me wanna puke – lol. These days I just sing really loud around my house and on the lovely rare occasion that my daughter Hanna (in the pic... who has an amazing voice) is home – to sing harmony with her – Dixie Chicks or something fun.
2. I have five children – my 4th Fox is our only boy – poor kiddo! He is ten!! I had him at home with a midwife – amazing experience! Jim was able to do the delivery himself – under the watchful eye of the midwife!
3. My parents have passed away – my Mom when I was 27 and my Dad when I was 32. Simply put..I miss them. I have two wonderful sisters – both older than me ( rib rib), one in LA and one in Tucson. They both have finished their Masters Degree’s in the last few years and I am VERY proud of them.
4. We do not have a car! About 5 years or so ago – we sold our car with the intention of buying another larger one (Mhanon was on the way). Due to some financially rough times – we could not. After a couple of years and better times – we just were so used to walking – we didn’t get a car. I rent car every few months and do big shopping. We live right in the middle of town so that helps – doesn’t hurt run off some of the junk in my trunk either. I also barter childcare with one of my Mom’s – she does personal shopping for me. In the beginning – people kinda looked down on us – “OMG…how can you live without a car??!!!” because we were poor. LOL – now we are considered “green”. Times change.
5. Speaking of junk in the trunk – I have taken up Belly dancing. In hopes of losing some of it – lol. Love it!!!
I will tag a few blogs I love....
http://heartofacowgirl.blogspot.com/
http://hopeintheheartofdarkness.blogspot.com/
http://circlingmyhead.blogspot.com/

My Bodyguard!

I've been asked to elaborate on my comment about marrying my bodyguard. I wish I could post a pic - but he would prefer I do not. I hope Ray Stevenson will not mind me using his image - as they have many similarites in looks. Huge guy, stiking blue eyes.. the part he plays in Rome so reminds me of Jim.. a force to be reconned with - but a lamb with those he loves.
So here goes...My first marriage was difficult- my ex was/is bi-polar and as the marriage wore on he became much harder to manage. Despite years of phyc., counceling and meds - little changed. I put up with physical abuse - but his mental abuse was wicked. When he started to direct it at my girls - we were done. Funny I did not value myself at the time. I had seperated from him once and gotten no help from the community or police - when I made it final - I hired a bodyguard - Jim.
My ex was frightening and was stalking me and the children. I was introduced to Jim by a mutual friend who thought he might be of help. He was a strapping 6'2", ponytail to the middle of his back, earings and combat boots. He informed me that he was a 2nd degree black belt and very capable of "dealing" with the situation. I had it from very good sources that he was trustworthy and safe for me and the girls. Despite what it may have looked like - he and I did not have a relationship at that point. He was there when the girls went for visits and when they came home - he screened phone calls and made sure that my ex was very aware of his presence. When the stalking became more serious - my lawyers and my domestic abuse councelors suggested it might be best if I moved closer to family (we were on the East coast - they on the West)or at least out of the area(all legally). Jim helped us get across the country safely & decided to stay with us.
I still chuckle over the picture of this young guy driving a huge Uhaul with a Standard Poodle in the passenger seat. I think he was unprepared for how often a gaggle of girls have to use the bathroom - lol. He got us all through tears and fears and was there for me when I had no one to turn to. What I did not know was how very young he was...22. I was 37 at the time. I had guessed he was close to 30 - uhmmmm not. Some of you will say,"OMG, craddle robber!" Some will say, "You go girl." I will say this...we have been together now for nearly 12 years - I adore the man and can safely say he feels the same about me. It hasn't always been easy - we have had some very rough years - but we stuck it out. We share two amazing children. I have felt from the very beginning - that I knew him - in a deeper way- like I had known him forever. We often joke that we better get it right this time or were gonna have to do it all over next time.
He is a contradiction in terms...he has been a bouncer for many years - yet this semester his is taking Ballet 2. Loves it!! He is brilliant, but socially uncomfortable. A badass in the first degree - but a teddy bear if ya really know him. Public speaking makes him wanna puke - but he can make me laugh until tears are rolling down my cheeks and often. He is without a doubt an amazing Father! He is not only the bodyguard - but the guardian of my heart as well!

Bird watching!

I posted this picture a while back - but I just love it!! We had 7 feet of snow last month and Tink, our cat took to bird watching inside rather than outside. We have two feeders right outside the window for the preschoolers to watch the birds come and go. The birds are used to the activity inside the window - drives Tink kitty crazy!!

I've been Tagged

It would seem that I have been tagged - lol ...by Jennifer @ http://gypsymare.blogspot.com/. If you have not been to her blog - she is an amazing painter! She does lots of amazing critters & I am a huge fan of her horses!! So... six things about me I have not shared.

1. I spent a summer teaching program at a NH Girlscout camp. My kids came along and we basically played all summer. We had a nice tent on the lake! I had a dream supply room and a huge budget. My children also had free program. Two hundred girls a week - was really wonderful!

2. I married my bodyguard.

3. We lived in a bus and a little trailer one summer. I had the opportunity to run a horse ranch - loved it. I can now cook almost anything on an open flame.

4. I adore a good butt kicking movie. The "Rome" HBO series and Braveheart are among my favorites. I'm guessing that's because I teach preschoolers all day!!

5. I have been accused of being a granola. Every summer my preschoolers and I tie dye everything that does not move. They love it! Me too. Their parents usually bring me several shirt to do for them too. Last year several of the neighborhood teens joined us too!

6. I love to sing. I've been trained - but do it just for myself now.

So I will tag few blogs that I love....

Cindy @ http://halloweenspirit.blogspot.com/
Sherry @ http://byrumart.blogspot.com/
Heather @ http://witchhollowprimitives.blogspot.com/
Josie @ http://skeletoninmycloset-itsdarkinhere.blogspot.com/
Gail @ http://artbygail.blogspot.com/
Brenda @ http://rustycreekprimitives.blogspot.com/

Circling My Head

I was toodling around the blogsite - nappers all asleep... I came across this blog, http://circlingmyhead.blogspot.com/ . I usually check out the more recent enteries to a blog I am new to, something about Renee's blog drew me in. I found myself looking for her first posts and working my way forward to present. I have "pimped" her blog here - because it touched me so deeply. Her honesty about her cancer is amazing. She made me laugh and cry & squirm in my seat. I want to thank her for reminding me how precious "normal" is & how very blessed I am!! I for one will be following her blog and pulling for her every day!! Thank you Renee for touching my heart!!!

Wordless Wednesday

It's complete!

Here is my completed piece! Heart of Darkness. Well maybe not REALLY dark - but it has potential for darkness to come.....

WIP - part 2

Am about half way done - maybe - lol! Thanks for the comments - keeps me going!!!

Wip

Here is one I'm working on for a challenge. Heart of Darkness - we shall see how it turns out. I have such a hard time putting that first color to page...lol.

Little Village

I did a set of about 25 of the smaller buildings and two of the large ones. They all found homes at Chrismas as gifts. I was really happy with the way they turned out and thought I would share them. I'm hoping to do some Spring ones too! I will say - the mini work makes me break out my magnifying glass these days - sigh!! I do love painting wood!

Precious Things!

I recieved a box in the mail yesterday full of things that I thought were lost to me. Suffice it to say - they were found after ten years of being stored away. The brown box is full of my Mother's and Grandmother's recipes- both have passed on!! The mice (who I adore- Wee Forest Folk) were gifts from my older children when they were small. The purple Hippo - lol was made by my 16 year old Hanna when she was in Kindergarten! There were also family pictures - some of me at 20 - wow - I'm getting old - lol. Anyway - it was a rich blessing that I did not expect!! It made my day!!

Whimsey Bee

This is a piece I've done for a friend. It is intended to be a header. I'm happy with the way it turned out. Not sure she it will suit her business idea - hope so. This is pretty close to the work I did for years. The bees have been my trade-mark for a long time. It's done in colored pencils and fine pens.

My artwork!

Tweaking the my blog a bit - learning as I go- lol!

Wonderful Gift from a Friend

My dear friend Deb gave me this wonderful purse!! She makes them out of all beautiful vintage materials!! I took pictures of the outside - beautiful -and the inside with all the lovely pockets and clips! I just love the 50's photo!! She is putting her Etsy site together this week!!! Whimsey Bee. http://whimseybee.etsy.com. She does so many wonderful things! Can't wait to see her up and running!!

Just really loved this picture!

Good afternoon!! Still snowing here - well kind raining too. Basically yucky out. Our aluminum chimney (no stove attached) is coming down with the huge snow load & leaving a hole in the roof. My DH is attempting to patch it so we don't have major leaking going on!! Our neighbors have a wall collapsing.. so I guess the chimney is a small thing for us!! School is out again tomorrow- which for most of the parents is not a good thing. For me - I get drop ins and some extra income - always a good thing. So here is hoping we can fix the roof before the rain really kicks in!!
Hoping you are all having a peaceful week. Sarah

Snow, Snow, Snow, Snow!!!

We have had a huge amount of snow here! Five feet and still coming. I am a huge cold weather lover - and adore the snow..... but I think even I am ready for it to stop. My neighbor had some young men clear his roof yesterday - they filled in the corner of my back yard. This, of course, allows Lucy our Border Collie to escape!! We have a 6' fence - lol. It is a cold 25 degrees today, but sunny and stunningly beautiful. Even the cat has taken to bird watching from the inside.

Welcome

It's taken me a bit to get the ball rolling again. Thank you for visiting! I hope to create a site for my work and just fun chat!