Guess What?!

I won this drawing on Scoutie Girl. All 16 prizes from 16 Art Garage artists....one person wins them all.....all $614 worth....that person was me.
I got the packages in the mail today. And they just sat there awhile. I was afraid to open them. I'm not sure why, maybe I was just building the anticipation. Then I started peeking inside. Everything was uniquely and creatively wrapped. I had to stop again. It felt wrong to be doing this alone. It felt like Christmas. I called Laura. She said go for it, so I did. I was not disappointed. EVERYTHING is wonderful! Better in person than looking at it online. I'm especially thrilled by the “Birdie Perched” vinyl wall decal from Shanickers - it’s going to go above our bed. The Roll and Tumble Press letterpress posters are going to go in the boys’ room, because they always need to be reminded to “think before speaking” and to “mind your manners!” And the colors will go great in there. (They generously offered that I could pick any two posters from their shop rather than the ones listed, so I took them up on it and picked the two which are perfect for our family!) I think that Dr Kennedy Jones original “Not Quiet Now” will look great in their room too. All of the jewelry is beautiful and everything else is wonderful as well. I can't wait to get everything framed. I'm going to have to investigate the coupons and frame sales at Hobby Lobby and Michael's to get the best deals on frames.

I cannot thank these 16 artists enough for sharing their time, talent, and generosity with me. I'm honored to have something from each of them! "This must be what it feels like to be Miss America!" (Famous quote that reappears at appropriate times. I believe it was first coined by Emily upon receiving her first Cabbage Patch Doll for Christmas. Love you, Em!)

If you've never been to Scoutie Girl, go check it out. Everything those girls feature is wonderful and inspiring!

(If you want to see all 16 prizes and the links to each of their art garage shops, click on the first link above.)

Valley Junction

Here are some pictures we took of our day at Valley Junction on May 17. It was a fun and successful day despite the sprinkles. Looking forward and getting ready for Iowa Arts Festival on June 6-7!!!

Just wanted to say HI!

We're Ba-ack!

We're back from a fun-filled, birthday-partyin', shopping-spreein', laughter-inducing, good-eatin' trip to Austin, Texas to see our youngest Things With Wings Gal, Emily. We've got stories, pictures and some amazing video of Ms. Emmy's talent. So stay tuned...

Meanwhile, we did an interview over at Faith Folk Cafe. If you ever wanted to know more about us, here's your chance! Thanks Mystele, for your kind words, and thanks to all the girls at the Cafe for featuring us!

We're Wingin' it to Austin!!!

Us girls are off to Austin to go visit the youngest "Thinger with Winger" Emily tomorrow!!! A five day girls vacation!!! If you think of it, say a prayer for Emmy, who's got a nasty virus and trying to get herself better by the time we arrive. I'm sure we'll have lots to report on our adventures when we return!

All inquiries and correspondence will be handled when we get back, after May 27.

Vote For Us! (If you want....)

Wowee! Good things are happening all over the place today! We are so humbled by all the attention lately! A blogger friend of ours, Stephanie, has nominated us to be the next Muse Behind the Mask on her new blog. There are several fabulous artists nominated and you can check them all out here. The winner will be determined by a poll. What this means is that whoever you all choose will be interviewed and featured with pictures and links for a whole month on her blog! If you want to vote for us here at Things with Wings, go do it within the next 3 days! If you want to learn more about the concept behind Stephanie's blog, read this post.

Today's Creative Blog!

We are so excited to be featured on Today's Creative Blog! When I got the email today I literally went running down the hall screaming and laughing - I scared the hubby who thought it was the kids! Thanks Kim, for featuring us, and for everyone's kind words!

Everything Etsy!

One of my etsy items is featured on Everything Etsy today! Check it out! Thanks Kim!

Valley Junction Tomorrow!

Here's a sneak peak of some of the new stuff I'll be selling tomorrow. We're praying that the wind dies down here because it's no fun to do a show outside with wind gusts knocking stuff around. We've got to leave the house around 6:30 in the morn, drive two hours, set up from 8:30-11. We'll be in Valley Junction in Des Moines (directions are over on the left) tomorrow from 11-5. Our space is #314 and we're on the northern end, one of the last (or first) ones on the west side of the street. Me and the Hubs (he's my muscle/tent-setter-upper/gopher/problem solver/engineer so he's got lots of important jobs) are going in one vehicle, Laura and my mom in the other. The kids are staying home with their grandparents! Fun times are ahead!!

CHAIR TRANSFORMATION!

BEFORE:
AFTER:

Coming to Valley Junction in DesMoines tomorrow! See some of you there!

Recording

Last night I went to the Ivey Casa to record some bgv's (background vocals) for Aaron's new record. We got through 3 songs. It was fun. When I do stuff like this, I realize how insecure I am. I don't like that about myself. It's like I'm not trusting that God is good and perfect in how He's created me.
Anyway...I could go on and on with that topic. But I won't.
Here is a pic of Bush and Aaron listening to some tracks.
It was a great night and was pleased with how things turned out. You all will be BLESSED by this record. Seriously. It's unbelievable.
One of the songs I did last night was "It Is Well"... um...I had goosebumps the entire time we were doing this song. It has a raw sound to it. Like it's off but on. If that makes sense.
It has a The Swell Season feel to it.
I also got to listen to a song that we did gang vocals on last Saturday. WOW!
Aaron's songwriting is powerful. It will kick you in the pants, it will make you fall on your face, it will make you get off your butt and do something to make the world more beautiful.
Get ready for it.
All the guys did such a great job on this. I feel so privileged to get to work with these amazing musicians.
God is crazy.

Special Order

"Along with love, roots to grow strong and wings to fly are the greatest gifts one can give."

I had so much fun creating this custom order for my neighbors! It is a birthday gift for their daughter's child care provider. Their 'Tata" is a special woman who watches after 5 kids as if they were her own! In fact, since she considers herself the 'momma bird' who watches after her 'flock,' we knew that this was the direction this piece had to take! Also of special significance is 'Blackie' in the bottom corner - the beloved cat that she lost this year. Hope she'll like it!

The pictures didn't turn out the greatest - we've had several rainy days around here lately, but you get the idea!

Yeah, Baby!!!

Yeah, baby, if you haven't "brooched" your bag, you might want to consider it! Go visit Jill's etsy shop for the brooch of your choice - and keep in mind, it doesn't have to match your bag necessarily! They are too cool to matter.

Fabulousness for your Bag!

Did I ever tell you how fabulous one of my pins, sorry, I mean brooches would look on your bag?

Just look at my bag, for example:
Of course my purse is even more fabulous because I found it on the clearance rack at Target for $4.34. But you get the idea.

Want to turn your bag into a one of a kind 'work of art?' Head over to my etsy shop and check out the 'wearable art' section!

Stork Chateau

I created these for a little boutique in Jacksonville Beach, Florida called Stork Chateau. The owner, Julie, has things for little ones, ladies and the home. All the pieces are centered around the themes of family and home. I hope to have some pictures of her shop to share with all of you soon! It was so much fun to make these, I'm already looking forward to her next order!

Losing my Art, But not my Mind (....Yet)

I really thought that I was losing it tonight because I could not find this piece of artwork. I've been working on 11 pieces to send to a shop in Florida (more on that later) and I was trying to finish them up. I counted them and I only had 10. One was missing. I remembered working on it last night. I was so close to being finished - this project that had taken me much longer than I thought it would, due to the stomach bug that went through the house all last week.

I tore my work room apart and the family room next to it, thinking through possible scenarios of kids running off with it, dogs eating it, babies flushing it down the toilet. These things have been known to happen in our house. After a good hour of searching I was extremely frustrated. I admit I didn't handle it very well. I called everyone downstairs and tried to jog people's memories by describing what it looked like, showing them similar examples. No one knew anything about it. After what I deemed as their "half-hearted" attempt to help me look, I sent everyone away. Are you picturing with me how I might have been yelling? How I might have taken my frustrations out on my family? Can you picture how later on, when my oldest came downstairs to ask me something how I snapped at him - then offered a lame explanation that I was very sad that I still couldn't find my artwork, rather than offer a sincere apology?

Later, when I still couldn't find it, and didn't know where else to look, I was in tears. I thought I might be going a bit crazy. I was basically having myself a little fit. I replayed and replayed the day, hoping something would jog my memory. I was kneeling on the floor with my head on my chair, having just looked under my desk for the umpteenth time - asking God to show me where it was. I happened to be staring at the dog's kennel, where I sometimes lay pieces out on top of it to dry, wondering if our dog could have somehow pulled an 8x10 piece through the little metal openings and simply eaten the whole thing. I had already pulled her cage out and looked all around it. I had already looked in between the 3 pieces of plywood and 3 boards that were laying on top of it - several times in fact. But from my angle, with my head laying on my chair, I could see that there was something between the bottom piece of plywood and the cage. It was my piece!! I knew that there was no way that the kids could have moved this very heavy pile of wood, but what I hadn't realized was that there was just enough space to slide something very thin underneath. I had just pulled it out when my oldest, Will, came down with this that he had made for me:
I was done for.

This sweet boy knew I was hurting - however stupid that may sound to some of you who have real problems - and he wanted to make it better. Despite the way I treated him. I wrapped him in my arms, covering him with kisses and hugs and sweet words. I offered him, and his brother and father, the sincere apologies they deserved. And I'm going to hang my son's artwork in a place of honor where it will hopefully remind my hotheaded self to be more loving.

***when I told the older boys where I'd found my missing art, Will suddenly remembered - he 'may have' slid it under there, and Sam who regularly hangs out in the kennel - while the dog is in it! - clearly recalls looking up and seeing it. huh.
***I'll be posting pics soon of the pieces that will be going to a shop in Florida!

Performance Art

And here is our Miss Lily - finally - this computer's not cooperating. But check out the cuteness of the 3 and 4 year olds with Lily front and center. These (both videos) are the kids I teach art to.

WHOOPS!!!

I guess Lily's video never went through. But Sam's did. He looks tired, hot, and bored, but that means he's ready for kindergarten!

Performance Art

These little performers deserve a spot on the art blog!

Lily and Sam, two of my grandkids!