Pillow Fest!

I am having a Pillow Fest!  I finished several pillows today, including this scrumptious feather Christmas pillow.  The fabric is a sort of softened canvas.  I stencilled it with CeCe Caldwell's Michigan Pine, and the trim just makes it all a bit decadent. 

Finding Thanksgiving

There are seasons in life where it seems harder to see and feel that deep gratitude of soul for all that I have to be thankful for. I think we all go through those seasons at some point:  loss, serious illness, or even just the blahs.  There is still enough to be thankful for, it is just harder for me to grasp during those times.

During other seasons of life, reasons for gratitude seem to jump out at me in living color.  And when one season follows on the footsteps of the other, it is like the wonder of Spring, the poignant beauty of green buds coming up, the scent of promise in the air. 

The past 30 days have been a mix of both at our house:  surprises both difficult and sweet.  In the midst of it all, I am grateful for so much;  the love of family and friends, the goodness of God, creativity, and the sweet moments in life.

"Rendre Grace" is French and roughly translates, "Give Thanks".  This sweet pillow is available at The Parker Shoppes.  I have one more in the works... and  I think I need to make one for myself.  Not only will it be great the holidays, it will serve as a year-round reminder to find Thanksgiving.

Back to painting....

Painting is such a zen, relaxing process for me.  I literally crave it.  My hubby is recovering from his surgery, and I am back in the groove.  It is like a sigh of relief picking up a brush again.

I picked up this original painting in it's outdated frame.  I am thinking it's final color will be CeCe Caldwell's Cinco Bayou Moss, but we'll see.  I did the first coat in Vermont Slate and it just freshened the painting up so much that I may stick with that...

I had to take a picture half way through the first coat because it was transforming the look so much.  I feel like old pieces also breath a sigh of relief when they get a makeover and a new purpose in life:)

 

Look at the difference already!

 

 

 

So what do you think?  Cinco Bayou Moss to bring out those greens, or stick with Vermont Slate?

Taking the Week Off

Just a heads up that I am taking the week off as my hubby is going to have surgery.  I hope everybody has a fun and creative week.... there is so much inspiration in the Fall!

Fall just makes me want to nest!

I am in a bit of a burlap pillow frenzy..... having fun with different colors of burlap and different designs.  I get a serious nesting urge when Fall comes!  These pillow will be available at Sweet William Market next Saturday... come get a jump start on your Fall nesting!

 

 

Texas Prairie Finch

Silver Sage Burlap pillow with sweet CeCe Caldwell's Texas Prairie bird.

What Do You Do with an Uncooperative Bat?

Tape him to the window! 

I was unsuccessful in using graphite paper to trace this guy onto my burlap, and I don't trust myself to do it free-hand, so I taped the image and the burlap to the window so that the light would help me out and traced him:)

 

Then I painted it with CeCe Caldwell's Vermont Slate... the reclaimed frame too...
Now the cute little guy is just hanging around waiting for Halloween!