A Family Reunion {Of Sorts...}

{Photo by fan Kathy G. from Kent, UK!}

Do you have something created by one of us Things With Wings gals in your home?

We'd be thrilled if you'd snap a picture, and share it and the space where it resides on our Facebook Fan Page! Some of these pieces were our babies! And it's always good to know that they're alive and well and have found their place in the world. Hopefully they've become productive, well-adjusted members of your living room or bathroom or wherever they hang. :-) Think of it as a cyber family reunion of sorts!

Don't know how to do that? Go to our wall and make a post. Tell us a bit about yourself or the space it resides if ya like! Click on the "photo" icon below your post and upload the picture! It will be included in our fan photo album and we'd be forever grateful that you've "reunited" us!

Not a facebook fan of Things With Wings yet? Well, what are ya waitin' for - an engraved invitation?! (My mother claims I've been really sassy lately, and I think that last sentence might be proof.)

Don't know what facebook is/don't use it/don't like it/don't want anything to do with facebook no way no how: You can send your pictures to paperprayers@hotmail.com

Thanks folks - you're the best!

I don't know why, but I am not quite as conservative when it comes to designing birds in my art, as my daughters are. And ok, maybe I went over the edge with this one, but it makes me smile and maybe there's someone else out there who is just as wild as I am and will want to buy it. It could happen, ya know! -Connie

4 New Items In The Shop!

There are 4 of these new block words in the Paper Prayers Etsy shop! Two "Home" ones, a "Love" and a "Hope!" They'd look great sitting around your house - on a mantle, windowsill, grouped with other favorite finds, a dresser, side table, or anywhere you can think of! Clicking on each picture will take you to that listing, with more info, dimensions and more pictures!

*******SOLD!!!*********Still Available:

***Funny side note (added after my original post:) I had about 20 of these babies standing very close together on my drying shelf this weekend. I was very carefully setting them down so that they wouldn't tip over, after adding one last layer of sealer. The very last one I sat down tipped over and I saw my life flash before my eyes as they all went down the line in slow motion tipping over onto each other like dominoes! There was nothing I could do, except yell "Noooooooooo!" I felt like I was in a movie where the action slows way down, and your voice sounds all low and warbled. They were actually relatively unharmed - a few touch ups, and we were good to go!

***Funny side note to my side note - (added even later) I just remembered that somehow the above incident caused me to fumble my loaded paintbrush (which I was also holding) and poke the brush up my nose. It then dropped and rolled down my sleeve spreading mod podge as it went. I don't know how I manage to do half the weird things I do. Mod Podge up the nose isn't the most pleasant experience - especially when it starts to dry.

Before and After

Those of you who follow us on Facebook will remember this sneak peek "before" shot:

Here's some sneak peek "after" shots:


Stay tuned, because some of these babies are headed to the Paper Prayers Etsy Shop....

If You Are Highly Organized, You Might Want To Shield Your Eyes...

So, yeah. I'm working on this new project. At first, I was highly frustrated working with fabric and sewing and thread and needles and other such objects that I believe Satan puts on Earth in order to make me stumble, but then I found my groove and became an obsessed women for the next 36 hours. When I came out of the fog, I realized my workspace looked like a tornado hit. Did I mention my workspace happens to be right smack dab in the middle of my living room? I took a picture so you would all see...and know.

Well, that was slightly embarrassing. Moving on. Here are a few pics of the outcome. Cuff bracelets made from vintage neckties. I think they're cool. You can find them at The Shop Next Door in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Cool shop. If you haven't checked it out yet, you need to go. ASAP.

Choosing What Matters

Trying to do this every day is harder than it looks:

It's right up there with doing this:
And those of us who find their grumpypants alot more comfy than those tight "nice" jeans have a harder time with this than others.

I really do need these daily reminders. It's a good thing that every day is a new day! SO thankful for God's grace!

What are you "choosing" today?

Special Order

I made this mamma bird for someone who had fallen in love with this one I had done a LOOOONG time ago. Old one:
New One to match home colors:
I love this quote because it's so true - I don't know why I never got around to making any more with it.

Spring Has Sprung!

Well. it's officially Spring Break....

...and we've FINALLY gotten rid of all our snow, except for a few piles hear and there...

...the kids are all boycotting coats even though it's still in the 40's...

...and I just want to make birds and flowers and such.

Easy Gift Idea.

I thought I'd throw out this cute, easy, (and cheap!) little gift idea. I made this little journal for my Mom for her birthday. I found this little notebook at Target for $1.29. Just sketched on my owl with pencil and went over it with Sharpie. Easy-schmeazy.

Word Up!

I've never been one to use an exact-o knife. But cutting out these words was kinda fun!

{9x11, $28}

{13x16, $48}

{9x11, $28}

My Birthday

Shown are birthday gifts my hubby got me this year. NICE!!! He is such a practical man.
- CONNIE

Recent Special Orders

These special orders were so much fun to do. I love to be a part of making something meaningful for gifts. The first will be a wedding present for a young couple who have two small children. They've been through an awful lot together and their union will be quite the time of celebration.This piece is for the Bender Family - they have their own photography business called SB Photography. If you're local, you should check them out! Like us, they have 3 boys. This summer they will be taking a picture of our family and I ABSOLUTELY can't wait.

Being Thankful

Green Girl made these little sitting signs for everyone who sat at her Thanksgiving table this past year. I saw it sitting there in the sun today, the sun I didn't know I had so sorely missed until it came back and now I am so thankful for it today!

It is a hard, hard job sometimes to be thankful. But God promises that He is faithful and that He is always near. Even when our circumstances are crazy, He never changes. I've really felt a sense of God's peace lately even though we've been going through some uncertain times with my husband's health. We received really good news this week about all of that makes me super thankful. But what if we HADN'T received good news? That wouldn't change who God is, or any of His promises. Would I still be able to be thankful, "no matter what?" Is it hard for you to be thankful in ALL circumstances?

Dumpster Diving

Sooooo.....this is me (Laura) dumpster diving. I have a headlamp on. I wore it proudly.


Many of you have caught wind that there was a certain "incident", shall we say, during our dumpster diving experience. Well, you see, there was this outdoor light-on-a-stand-thingamajig. I do believe that IS its technical term. It was heavy duty and stood a good 4 feet tall. So we get the light set up by the dumpster and get an extension cord plugged into the garage and when all is said and done we've got about a foot long gap where the cords would connect if they were just a tad bit longer. I'm standing in the street by the lamp and Jill decides she's going to go and "fix" the problem by magically lengthening the cord by picking it up and giving it a good yank. Which is just so typical Jill. I'm standing out in the street by the light and watch helplessly as it topples on to the front of Jill's minivan and scrapes down the side of it. I stand there stunned. I think for sure she has either broken Kimberlee's lamp or scraped the crap out of the side of her minivan. I look up to find Jill sauntering around the corner of the dumpster and innocently ask, "What happened?" My reply was something to the effect of "What do you mean what happened? You yanked the H-E-L-L out of the lamp and it crashed into your car." I admit it. I used the H-E-L-L word. I then ask her, "Why are you even asking what happened? You're the one that yanked on the cord. " And her reply was, "Well...I thought maybe I would wait and see if you confessed to anything before I assumed responsibility." Well, then we got the giggles and there may or may not have been some leg crossing on my part and that's the end of the story.
-Laura

Creativity Takes Courage

Here is a piece I just finished up for a friend. I think we both identify the struggles with the issue of art vs. kids/mommyhood. (And finding a balance between the two.) I think sometimes it takes courage to put aside time just for you. To do the things you love. To actively participate in something that is "just you". To do something for no other reason than to feed your soul. And to not feel guilty.

I hope she likes it!