a handmade kind of Christmas

 i love christmas.

getting together with family.

baking some of our favorite treats.

and sweets.

singing our favorite carols.

all in celebration of Jesus' birth.

the last two years

our daughter wanted to decorate

in a simple handmade style.

 she wanted every ornament to be made.

by hand.

i have to admit.

i usually go all out.

put almost every.

single.

ornament on the tree.

 

this year.

i did not.

we went through our boxes

and picked out the things that were made by hand.

(i did sneak a couple of my favorite store bought ornaments on the tree.  i just couldn't help myself)

\

and i have to say that it is much more meaningful.

to see those things made from love.

hanging on our tree.

and on our 'mantel'

 

i am linking to~

jennifer rizzo

wendy at the shabby nest

lucy at craftberry bush
jennifer at studio jru

be sure to go check out all the other lovely 

links to their parties.

there are some wonderful, talented people!

an update on my finished' essence of creation dolls'

my computer is still out.

my daughter's computer still does not like my

camera card.

 

so i thought that i would show you an

update.

 

awhile ago i shown you some starts.

of my 'essence of creation dolls'.

you can find it here.

you can find how i started here.

 

i thought i would show you the finished products.

 

 

rose.

 

 

twila

and

daisy.

 

zoe

 

and glory.

 

 

have any of you been able to finish

projects that have sat for awhile?

please share!

 

 

 

what i am thankful for today

~snow, much needed moisture

~putting up the christmas tree with my loved ones

~coffee and toffee creamer

~memories of loved ones

~the golden glow of candles

 

 

a weekend of artsy inspiration~part 1

 

last weekend, mr farmer and i were able to get-away.

it was for our 12th anniversary.

 

it ended up being full of artsy inspiration.

 

we went to sioux falls, south dakota.

it is a family friendly, artsy community, outdoor lover

kinda town.

 

(just so you know...these pictures are from my phone,

i have lots of photos on my camera....

but my computer is broke.

and for some reason my daughter's computer is not

reading my camera card.

really wish i could show you the beauty of the the town.

the architecture.

the falls.)

 

 

sioux falls has what they call.

a sculpture walk.

 

these are some of my favorites that we saw.

enjoy!

 

 

hopefully next week i can show you

part 2.

 

have a wonderful weekend!

 

behind the curtain

 

 

i have heard that there are those who have quiet time with

the Lord

in the wee hours before the sun comes up.

before the rest of their family is up.

with a cup

of coffee.

 

i have also heard there are those who have quiet time with

the Lord

outside.

walking.

hiking.

running.

just waiting to hear His voice on the breeze.

 

not me.

nope.

for some reason

i end up having quiet time with God

in the shower.

 

 

i don't plan on it.

it is when i am the most

vulnerable.

maybe it is there because

i am totally alone.

 

or maybe because no one

can hear my heartache

with sound of the water

rushing.

 

as the warm hot water is running down my neck

and shoulders,

my heartache is let loose.

 

it is there that He fills up

the holes.

left by the pain.

disappointment.

and failures.



 

He fills them with His

love.

grace.

forgiveness.

and strength.

 

He reminds me that no one.

not one human.

can do that.

 

Only Him.

He alone.

 



 

have you heard the song

'the well' by casting crowns?

 

'leave it all behind'

'leave it all behind'

'and come to the well'

 

or in my case...the shower. :)

 

 

oh...one more thing.

that rug.

 up above.

was made by my beautiful friend.

she has a page with all of her

creations.

 

in His loving arms...

have a wonderful day.

alissa

 

 

what i am thankful for today

~my daughter back in school after 5 days of the flu

~a day spent in my studio

~prayers and encouragement from strangers

~a well worn, warm sweater

~God filling those empty spaces

 

my art heart

summer is over

and harvest is in.

 

three weeks ago i started an art journaling class from

junelle jacobsen from yes and amen.

 

 

learning to take where we are and seeing the beauty in our mess.

 

life is not easy.

no it's not.

we all have trials and struggles.

disappointments and pain.

 

i tend to clam up.

not to share where i am.

to hide from reality.

and from those who truly love me.

 

i don't want them to see my pain.

my weaknesses.

my sin.

 

 

 

i think that i can get through it alone.

that i alone, must work harder to overcome.

 

 

then i read this post from ann voskamp...

 

she writes...'the word God wastes nothing and He heals

two broken hearts with one story-the reader and the writer.

 

then this morning i read this post by junelle jacobsen...

 

she writes...'So, I am moving when God moves. I am under His watch and care. I am held. He knows me, the real me, the silly hideherheadinherpillow me. He knows the groanings of my heart and He loves to wipe the tears from my eyes. He is my first love, my real and lasting love. And I don't have to do this life alone.'

 

God has been working on me and in me to share.

my story.

not the details, but the struggles,

the pain,

the disappointments.

but also the hope i have in Him.

 

earlier this year i prayed that my art would be real.

more honest.

full of hope and encouragement.

little did i know that He would give me more struggles.

more pain.

more disappointments.

and keep me there.

to use in my art.

so that through my life, my art would be more alive.

 

so i want to live more intentionally.

more authentically.

to trust Him.

to give of myself.

to help heal.

not just my heart.

but someone else's heart as well.

 

not only in real life but here on my blog as well.

i hope you will join me.

not only as i share my journey,

but yours as well.

 

 

 

in His loving name...

 

 

where bloggers create

whoa!

this summer has been so busy!

i completely forgot about the party

that karen at my desert cottage

was hosting! 

*blushing*

we have company coming in under an hour so

i am going to guide you to my post i did

when i finished my studio.

i really wanted to do another post with more pictures

but i just don't have the time.

so without further babbling from me,

you can go here to see my finished studio.

i will see all of you later!  can't wait to see

every one's creative space.

have a great day!



the family ranch

last saturday, we went to the family ranch

to celebrate my grandma's birthday and

to meet some cousins from texas.

this ranch is where my dad was born and raised.

my grandpa was born and raised.

and my great-grandpa as well.

it was where my great-great-grandpa homesteaded,

roughly about 150 years ago.

i would go for a week during the summer

to spend with my grandparents.

it was during hay season.

i didn't help out in the hay fields.

(luckily *grin*)

i remember helping grandma though,

getting watermelon and water

to take to my grandpa, uncles, and cousins

who were lucky enough to help.

my uncles still live there and

raise cattle.

thank for going down memory lane with me.

this is what we are doing today.

staying inside until emma has her softball game tonight.

why are the curtains all closed?

because yesterday the air conditioner

couldn't keep up. it was 5 degrees warmer inside than we had the thermostat set at.

and today?

it is going to be 10 degrees hotter.

yes, it is going to be 103 out.

so all the curtains are closed to try and

help it stay cooler in here.

hope everyone has a great day!

~ curtains to keep out the heat

~ gloves for weeding

~ a watering can

~ a sherbert treat

~ pancakes and eggs for dinner

~ home-made bluebery jelly

~

a 'new' old breakfast nook

i have had these two pieces now for

about a year.

i decided it was time to finish them.

emma was excited to help me paint!

 here they are all finished and distressed

and glazed.

i just love sitting here in the morning having breakfast,

at night while on the computer.

it has been a new favorite place.

maybe,

because it is one of the few places that is actually finished!

and cleaned...

i was also able to finish this piece of art.
i found the butterflies on pinterest here

i think it fits in nicely with the color of the church pew

on a side note,

i have been reading 'one thousand gifts'

so i thought i would post a few things that i am thankful for,

i hope everyone has a blessed and enjoyable weekend.

~ being able to open the windows the last few nights

(unheard of this time of year in nebraska)

~ a body that allows me to run and walk

~ lower then normal humidity

~ projects finished

~ water sprinklers and pivots

i am linking to

in the studio sneak peek at studio jru

thrift store make-over at jen rizzo

country visitors

one thing that i have really enjoyed

while living here on the farm,

is our country visitors.

while i do enjoy having friends over for coffee,

the visitors i am talking about is

the animal variety.

there have been our share of the bad types.

skunks.

snakes...in our basement.  yuck.

black widow spiders.

and cute little ground squirrels who thought our yard was their playground.

100's of holes they have dug.

not real easy getting rid of them.

anyway.

here are some of our favorites.

this 'ant' is about 1 inch long.

we were told that they will go into the underground bee hives and

eat the larvae.

a robin nesting in our cherry tree

young raccoons in our cherry tree.

can you see them?

rabbits that have their young in my flower gardens

this little fella kept attacking the side mirror

on my husband's fuel truck.

we have been lucky enough to see a great horned owl twice in

the last 5 years but unfortunately no pictures.

however we were blessed to get a photo of this snowy owl

last winter.

and of course, deer.

the top two we saw just last week.

and guess what?

they also liked our cherry trees!