HA! Moments

2011-12-09T07:13:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas!
My shop will be open until December 16th for your shopping pleasure! I will close my shop up tight for the holidays to spend time with my family. It's so nice to have all the kids home for the holidays and I don't want to be busy packaging orders, checking email and listing items while they're here! I'd rather be baking cookies, shopping for last-minute goodies and Lord willing, playing in the snow!
Hope your holiday season is shaping up to be a wonderful time with your family too! :o)

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

2011-11-20T07:44:00.000-08:00

I know, I know, we haven't even stuffed ourselves with turkey yet, but I thought you oughtta know...there will be a FABULOUS free shipping sale in my etsy shop! I don't care if you're from Australia, Japan, New York or Timbuktu! Your package of goodies will ship for FREE on Black Friday...all the way through Cyber Monday! Write this down! Here's your coupon code! Ready?
merrytoyou
That's it. That's all you need to know to get free shipping. At checkout, apply coupon code: merrytoyou and you will save some moolah! In addition, all Christmas ornaments are on sale! There will be other items on sale as well...some surprises!
All of my items are ready to ship so you won't even have to wait! Isn't that fabulous!?
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and a very merry Black Friday and Cyber Monday!!

It's good to be liked!

2011-10-09T12:33:00.001-07:00

I need to be liked!!, originally uploaded by HA! Designs - Artbyheather.

Some of you know my anti-facebook opinions...they are vast and deep. So, seeing that I am now on facebook may come as a bit of a shock...a hypocritical move on my part. And you would be right. BUT, in my defense, I only have a fan page which apparently is just something people "like" or they don't. So I won't be contacted by old classmates that are in prison, or old boyfriends that have 10 kids and a dismal marriage...it's all good. I can share my creations and direct people to my shop and go about my day without all the drama that seems to ensue when private lives are made public, and hundreds of "friends" are considered important. I'll stick with a few truly good friends and (hopefully) being liked by lots of fabulous people.

I'm a Great Auntie!

2011-10-02T18:41:00.000-07:00

I'm not announcing what a fabulous Auntie I am, I am actually a Great Aunt! This is Holden....he's precious...utterly adorable. He has LOTS of hair, my niece's nose and he squeaks when he cries! He weighs nothing...his skin is so soft I can hardly feel it as I stroke his little cheek. He smells like heaven and his elbows and knees are wrinkly and sweet. His head feels like the softest, most luxurious velvet. Did I mention how precious he is?
I am in love!
Truth be told, there is an issue. It seems that every single "Great Aunt" I've ever known has been very, very, very, very, very old. Elderly in fact. So, while I relish my new role, I have a bit of angst about it. I think I could handle Grandma better...there are young Grandmas...I've met some...but Great Aunts have traditionally been crotchity and smelled of old. I suppose it's up to me to shatter that perception! I'm up to the challenge! Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to the drug store to buy some more hair dye!
:o)
Welcome to the world little Holden!!

Birch Bark House Charm

2011-09-28T14:36:00.000-07:00

On a walk yesterday, I spied some white birch trees with long strands of hanging, peeling bark. I told my hubs that I HAD to have some! He is used to my constant scavenging...so he waited patiently while I gathered it up! When I got home, I covered a funky little house charm with it. I love it! It's so natural and light...it seems cozy...like a good place for a little bird to wait out the winter...

Etsy Fave!

2011-09-24T17:59:00.000-07:00

I cannot express how much I enjoy perusing The Frantic Meerkat on Etsy! I have purchased a few items from her but always check back to see what's new! I always find myself giggling when I browse her shop and my daughter always calls up to me "Mom, what's so funny?"...to which I reply, "You wouldn't understand". You really have to visit The Frantic Meerkat to see for yourself!

My Funky Little Houses Hit the Big Time!

2011-09-21T10:51:00.000-07:00

A few months ago, I was contacted by Interweave to do a "how to" for Handcrafted Jewelry magazine. I was thrilled to do it! Little did I know, they would put my humble little houses on the cover!!! I'm shocked, thrilled and totally freaked out! My hands were shaking and I couldn't think straight for at least two hours! I'm so grateful for the exposure, for the cover...and that something I made is considered good enough to show the masses. It's humbling and fun!

Too many dictionaries!

2011-09-12T19:14:00.000-07:00

I've become a collector of vintage dictionaries. Not because I particularly love dictionaries, but I do love making these pendants out of old glass watch crystals...which requires fabulous dictionary illustrations. So I pick them up at yard sales, thrift stores, antiques shops...and its very hard to throw them away. What if I discover another word that inspires me and I want to extract it from every dictionary I have? If I throw them away, I won't have them. What if I overlooked a fabulous illustration? What if I find a use for the incredible aged pages that were rejected for this project? And the arguments go on as the books pile up! Did I mention that some dictionaries are very big? They are. They take up lots of space. Have you seen the humungous ones that are literally 10 inches thick? I have a couple of them. They're actually pretty cheap to buy...because people can't find anyplace to PUT them...trust me on this! I don't really know what to do. Yes, I know, I could bite the bullet and chuck 'em....but what if....?
See my dilemma?
:o)

Featured!!

2011-09-07T07:45:00.000-07:00

One of my funky little house charms has been featured on Jenny Doh's blog! You can see it here!
Thanks Jenny!

2011-09-06T21:24:00.000-07:00

I've been cleaning out my studio and I'm having a little clearance sale in my supplies shop!
Among other things, I've got several lots of bottle cap charms offer you and they're a STEAL! Use them in your own designs to re-sell!
Check out the deals here!

Halloween Altered Dominoes!

2011-09-03T12:40:00.000-07:00

Halloween is coming! Wait a second...it's only September! I'm a little ahead of the game this year...a set of 3 Halloween themed altered dominoes for a bargain price of $30! They can be pendants, keychains or pins...it's all up to you! Don't miss 'em!

Aaaaaaah...

2011-08-10T09:16:00.001-07:00

She stepped outside..., originally uploaded by HA! Designs - Artbyheather.

Getting ready for a much needed break...
Two of my three kids are home...my boy is at Airborne school...jumping out of perfectly good airplanes.
We're all going to be together soon and I'll be taking a week off for fun.
SO....I will be offering a vacation discount in my shop starting Friday, August 12th...until Monday, August 23rd...mind you, I'll be completely ignoring my shop during that time so you'll have to be patient for your order!
To get a 15% discount on your entire order, use coupon code: funinthesun
at checkout.
Don't you just love discounts?

Friends...

2011-08-03T21:31:00.000-07:00

A good friend is hard to find. My best friend came to visit from California last month. It was SO FUN to get to spend time with her...laugh...talk...laugh...giggle...laugh...we laugh a lot! We have history...we've known each other for 35 years. We love each other's kids...know each others secrets...bear each others burdens...help each other see clearly when things get foggy...
I cherish our friendship...guard it...treasure it in my heart and I get greedy when she's here....because time with her is precious...
We forgot to take a photo of us...so this one will have to do. (Truth be told, we didn't shut up long enough to pose) These gals look like they're reading each others minds...remembering the time they...(fill in the blank). They look like they're about to bust up laughing because one of them said "click...click...click..." and the other is about to snort with utter glee!! (It's a long story...)

Funky Little House - Birdhouse KITS! COUPON CODE ALERT!!

2011-06-26T08:43:00.001-07:00

NEW packaging!, originally uploaded by HA! Designs - Artbyheather.

I've had these in my shop for a long time but I just re-vamped the packaging! I've had several people inquire about birdhouse kits, so I have also included simple instructions for making these little things into bird houses too! It's super easy!

From now through the 4th of July, if you use the coupon code: birdhouse you will save 10% on your entire order from my shop!
You're welcome!

10 Pounds Lighter!

2011-06-19T08:53:00.001-07:00

Us, originally uploaded by HA! Designs - Artbyheather.

A little update...I finally hit 10 pounds lost in spite of a little vacation, family dinners, celebrations and chocolate. Back on the wagon!
I'm going to add more exercise to my routine this week...gotta get moving! Up to this point, exercise has been minimal.
There is 8 weeks left until our cruise...and the absolute certainty that I will be wearing a swim suit...in public...
Wish me luck!

WeightWatchers update!

2011-06-04T13:57:00.000-07:00

I'm down 8 pounds...and counting.
A few things I've discovered:
I can live without cookies.
Raw veggies are VERY good dipped in hummus.
Watermelon fills you up.
Sugar is overrated.
You don't have to be a "points nazi" to stay on program. I'm guesstimating and it's working fine.
A few bonuses I've experienced:
I sleep better when not hopped up on sugar all day.
I don't beat myself up for having that second through fifth cookie ...or piece of chocolate...or cake, etc. every day...because I'm not having any!
It is MUCH easier as time goes by to tell myself no...and I don't dwell on it. It's becoming a lifestyle.
My pants are looser...but I'm not quite ready to go down a size...

This is how I feel...so I joined Weight Watchers!

2011-05-23T18:02:00.001-07:00

This is how I feel...so I joined Weight Watchers!, originally uploaded by HA! Designs - Artbyheather.

Lola, the cat, best depicts how I've been feeling...flubby and chubby. So...I joined Weight Watchers last week and I lost 6.6 pounds! I'm not very good at detaily stuff...points I can do...and I'm just doing a guesstimate every day. Gosh, they provide all the info for you to get down to the nitty gritty of every little thing, but I'm not.
So...this first week, I really stuck to the points. I don't think I went over even one day. I walked a few days, not every day.

The thing that REALLY seems to have made a difference for me is that I haven't had any sweets. I have about a half teaspoon of sugar in my morning coffee but that's about it. I've had trouble staying asleep for about the last couple of years...I wake up at 2am and can't go back to sleep until around 5am when my alarm is about to go off! But this week, I've slept until 5am without waking up! It's a freakin' miracle! I had chalked up my sleeplessness to my age...peri-menopause...lovely things like that. But maybe sugar has something to do with it. I have a really HUGE sweet tooth. Surprisingly, I don't miss it!

So, on I go...a journey to a thinner me. I have about 30 more pounds to go...wish me luck!

Tulips!

2011-04-27T15:20:00.001-07:00

Oooooh...Aaaaah..., originally uploaded by HA! Designs - Artbyheather.

Tulips are a sure sign of spring! This field of tulips is in Mt. Vernon, WA. We took a little trip up north for Easter to see the tulips! It's been so cold...so rainy...so unspringy this year that I had to go get a glimpse of spring to reassure myself that winter is truly over!
It was beautiful! It was colorful! It was heavenly! It looked like spring!
So, now I'm back home enjoying the tulips I bought...on my kitchen table...waiting for my cherry tree to bloom while it pours outside...thanking God for the hope of spring!

Fun Foto Friday

2011-03-11T18:38:00.000-08:00

Thought we could use a fun photo today...amid all of the concern for Japan. I don't know what this couple is looking at, but perhaps it's a look at the future...and a reminder of how tragedies are difficult in the moment and in the recovery...but someday, it will be sunny again...in time...and in the mean time, we pray and hope for those who are suffering.

MARCH MADNESS COUPON CODE!

2011-03-02T13:04:00.001-08:00

Primitive Bird Condo Pendant, originally uploaded by HA! Designs - Artbyheather.

It's March! Wait...it's MARCH????!?!!!?
So in honor of March...and because I'm so anxious for spring I can hardly stand it, I'm offering a discount to the very few lucky people that venture upon this blog! I suppose eventually I'll put it in my shop announcement but for now, it's all you!
**enter marchmadness in the coupon code spot at checkout and receive a whopping 10% off of your entire purchase!!

I am listing new things nearly every day this month...that's the goal anyway! New this month are my birdhouse pendants. There will be bird condos, duplexes...single houses...all for the birds, and YOU!

Happy March!

Fun Foto Friday!

2011-02-18T19:55:00.003-08:00

Oh!, originally uploaded by HA! Designs - Artbyheather.

I love these photos! This little guy is so cute!
My daughter found these one day when we went to my favorite antique store. Little did I know, she is a vintage photo addict too! We looked through boxes and boxes of photos and laughed and laughed! Mixed in with the prim and proper cabinet photos and staged family photos by the Christmas tree, we found photos of people with real senses of humor. People who would break with tradition and decorum and ham it up for the camera! I bought several that were too good to leave behind. There's just something about someone elses' photos...perhaps I'm a little voyeuristic...yep, I'll bet that's it...

Wine Charms

2011-02-10T16:31:00.001-08:00

Wine Charms, originally uploaded by HA! Designs - Artbyheather.

Something new...pick-up line wine charms! I made them for my daughter for Valentine's day and I may add some to my shop soon!

Sweet 16 COUPON CODE!!!

2011-02-02T17:34:00.001-08:00

YUM!, originally uploaded by HA! Designs - Artbyheather

My baby's turning 16 tomorrow so through Saturday, I will be offering 16% off in BOTH of my etsy shops!
Use coupon code SWEET16 at checkout!! Happy Birthday!!!

Speckled...not blue.

2011-01-25T19:50:00.001-08:00

Speckled..., originally uploaded by HA! Designs - Artbyheather.

One of the ladies laid a beautiful speckled egg today...not blue. Speckled. I have been waiting, waiting, waiting for my Araucana hens to lay their blue eggs. The other day I ventured out to collect eggs and noticed Opal...one of the Araucanas...sort of hovering around where they all tend to lay in the coop. She was standing up but obviously pushing...I could tell she was going to lay an egg. I was SO EXCITED..."I'm going to get to witness the laying of my first blue egg!!!"...and a few seconds later...plop...out came a BROWN EGG! I was dumbfounded. So...apparently, even though my Araucanas LOOK like Araucanas and have all the characteristics of Araucanas (looks like a duck, acts like a duck), they don't have enough Araucana in them to lay blue eggs. That figures. I'm still holding out hope that Pearl will lay blue...but I'm not holding my breath.
Ah well...brown is beautiful...and speckled is divine.

Snowy Night...

2010-11-22T19:52:00.001-08:00

Snowy Night..., originally uploaded by HA! Designs - Artbyheather.

It seems I'll never get too old for the feeling of utter joy I feel when the flakes start to fly! I'm always checking the windows and turning on the porch light after dark to see if I can tell if it's still snowing! My daughter keeps asking me if I think there will be school tomorrow...I'm hoping not. I'd love to share a snow day with her.
What is it about snow? Is it because it's Christmassy? No, I don't think that's it...I think it's just beautiful...quiet...fun!

ETSY COUPON!!

2010-11-21T15:39:00.000-08:00

Etsy has coupon codes!! I made a fabulous code for my etsy shop! Now through CYBER MONDAY, NOVEMBER 29th save 15% on your ENTIRE order by entering coupon code: abhblackfriday99 at checkout! Isn't that just wonderful?

EGGS!

2010-09-12T06:25:00.001-07:00

What the???, originally uploaded by HA! Designs - Artbyheather.

I was feeding my chickens the other day, when something caught my eye UNDER the coop! An egg! Then as I reached under to collect it, I spied 4 more! Someone had been laying on the sly! Upon further investigation, I discovered it was Yvonne! She has since laid an egg a day...like clockwork! They're small, but the latest few have been slightly bigger.
I am trying to entice her to start laying them in the nest boxes INSIDE the coop but so far, no luck! If you have any ideas, please share them! I have a couple of golf balls in the boxes...replaced the white shavings with hay, added feathers...I may need to make them more cozy...perhaps I need to add some height to them to make them more private?We'll see how this goes...I may be crawling under the coop to retrieve eggs for a while.
She may make it hard to get them but Yvonne very willingly gives them up...she has actually been a bit more friendly since she started laying...she doesn't squawk when I pick her up and doesn't scurry away when I pet her as I tell her "Thank you" for her little gift.
Isn't it funny, sometimes, how the littlest things can bring us such JOY!?

The ladies...

2010-08-15T05:22:00.001-07:00

The ladies..., originally uploaded by HA! Designs - Artbyheather.

have grown! They're about 3 months old now...teenagers in chicken years! They're making those fabulous chicken sounds...talking to me when I bring them weeds...fill their waterer...throw them some scratch. Their feathers are beautiful...and plentiful! I really had no idea how many feathers they shed. Their pen is littered with them.
Now I wait patiently for eggs...I'm thinking they'll start laying by Halloween. I shall make a celebratory omelet when they do! Until then, I'll enjoy them for the funny species they are...seemingly angry, yet playfully friendly and unbelievably dumb. I never knew they'd be so much fun!

NEW!

2010-06-10T21:53:00.001-07:00

All the new designs!, originally uploaded by HA! Designs - Artbyheather.

These are my newest domino designs...I actually have a few more I'm working on too!
It's been a while since I designed new dominos...mostly because I've been having problems with my printer. My expensive laser printer. Did I mention that it was really expensive...oh, and only 2 years old! It is not fixable. It prints washed out tinty color...not clear crisp bright color. So, I got tired of trying to find a solution and took my little memory stick to the copy store...I think I may have discovered a cheaper way of printing! After spending a fortune on the printer and ink...WOW are those ink cartridges expensive for laser printers...I spent a pittance to make copies! I've made lemonade out of lemons...my lemon printer, that is!

Sometimes it takes a while...

2010-05-26T20:22:00.001-07:00

New Charms, originally uploaded by HA! Designs - Artbyheather.

In an earlier post I wrote about my purchase of an entire cabinet of vintage glass watch crystals.

Here's the post!

I have been gazing upon them for several months now...wondering what to do with them and I finally DID something!

These little pendants are really fun...quirky...dare I say, funky! I'm killing two birds with one stone here...using some of the many dictionaries I've hoarded over the years and also using some of the hundreds of watch crystals just waiting for new life!
:o)

Funky & Chunky...

2010-05-23T21:25:00.001-07:00

Funky Chunky Charm Bracelet, originally uploaded by HA! Designs - Artbyheather.

I spent Saturday at the Artists Garage Sale in Olympia...selling my creations! It was a very good day...excellent, in fact! My sales were steady - so steady that it took me 2 hours to eat a sandwich for lunch!
These fun charm bracelets sold well! I love making them - every single one a bit different from the others.
They're listed in my etsy shop now...I had been holding out, deciding how much to charge for them. I think they're happy, interesting and fun so I kept the price a bit low...comparatively...so everyone can afford to have a little funk around their wrist!
:o)

2010-05-14T21:48:00.001-07:00

We've nearly completed a big remodeling project and in the process, my daughter's bathroom was painted the softest of soft pink! She has her "own" bathroom now that the big kids are gone! She picked out the saying that I put under the window...it's a vinyl decal from empressivedesigns on Etsy! Now all the room needs is a mirror...so she can SEE her own kind of beautiful!

Chicks!

2010-05-11T19:24:00.001-07:00

Chicks!, originally uploaded by HA! Designs - Artbyheather.

I finally got my chicks! The chicken coop is up and ready for residents and all they need to do is grow! There are 6 in all and I expect to be knee deep in eggs by fall...or early winter...if they aren't put off by the cold.
We named them all old lady names...Lucy, Effie,Pearl, Gertie, Opal and Yvonne. They are different breeds so the flock will be colorful but I do have two Ameraucanas which will lay blue eggs!
I don't know why I've always loved chickens...I suppose because they're productive...they're the pet that gives back. But they also have big personalities...even as chicks! They're fun to watch. I never knew that until I was asked to feed my friend's chickens a few years ago. They were really sweet...I was sort of afraid of them at first, but they were fun to care for...and they were happy to forfeit their eggs. I was hooked! So now I've come full circle...from wanting to having...and I'll enjoy every minute!

The 11th Commandment...

2010-03-30T21:21:00.001-07:00

The 11th Commandment..., originally uploaded by HA! Designs - Artbyheather.

Take not thy running water for granted!

We got new countertops last week...I JUST got my kitchen faucet plumbed! 4 days with a waterless kitchen! The plumber must have thought I was strange for thanking him so utterly profusely for doing what he does every day...no big deal...easy peasy.
It's amazing how the little things - conveniences - go unnoticed, unappreciated until they're gone. Running water in a kitchen for instance. Unheard of in parts of the world...in most of the world, it's expected. Depended on. Taken completely for granted. Not here...I fully appreciate the luxury of "water on demand" right where I need it. I admire the skills of plumbing a sink and making water flow without leaks. I'm thankful for the large size of my kitchen sink in comparison to the little pedestal sink I've been doing dishes in for 4 days!
I am a little more aware of the little conveniences in my life now. A little more thankful and a little less oblivious.
:o)

Thinking Happy Thoughts...

2010-03-23T14:06:00.001-07:00

daffodil, originally uploaded by HA! Designs - Artbyheather.

While our country reels from the blow of the healthcare bill passing, and we worry which of our freedoms will be snuffed out next...I will focus my anger in a positive way. I will give to the campaigns of conservatives running against all of the democrats in my state. It's something I can do. AND...I can enjoy the beauty of spring and look forward to the November elections...and that is a happy thought!

wow.

2010-03-17T15:57:00.001-07:00

wow., originally uploaded by HA! Designs - Artbyheather.

This is just too much! My brother went out for Chinese food last night and this is what was on the back of his fortunes! I'm stupified! Is there nothing that is sacred that our government won't infiltrate and send us "handy reminders" for their purposes?
And on the subject of the census...
Here's a controversial question. Why do they want such specific information about races other than "white"? Why, if you are Hispanic, do you have to give very specific information about which part of the world you come from? If you are of any colorful decent, you must be specific in which heritage you MOST contain. But "white folk" don't need to specify anything. Apparently European decent - except for Spain - is all the same. That baffles me. Why do they keep such close track of color? What does that truly mean? What does that say about our government? What does that say to AMERICANS?
I checked "other" and wrote in "American". They will probably assume that I am a bible-clinging, gun-slinging white person....and they'd be right.

I have some reading to do...

2010-02-24T18:35:00.001-08:00

I have some reading to do..., originally uploaded by HA! Designs - Artbyheather.

For years I have wanted to have a little coop of chickens in the yard. I want to go outside, reach under an unselfish hen and gather eggs...and say "thank-you". I want to work in the garden and hear a soft chorus of clucking.
It appears this want will finally be fulfilled. I will be drawing up plans for a simple coop which I will be building with the help of my dad...who will be paid for his help in eggs. I will probably start with 4 hens...I'd ultimately like to have 6. I want to have enough eggs for us and my parents and when my siblings need some, the overflow will go to them. I need to decide which breed to get - I loved caring for our friends black and white speckled hens and would love to get some of those, whatever they are...I need to do some research!
Which brings me to this book. Raising Chickens for Dummies. I feel awfully dumb right now. By the time the chickens come to live with us, I will be smarter. I will read this book. I will learn to be a good backyard chicken farmer...and they will thank me in eggs!

I'll take the Tea please!

2010-02-22T06:42:00.003-08:00

I'll take the Tea please!, originally uploaded by HA! Designs - Artbyheather.

Every day, I'm surprised at the "audacity" of this administration to completely ignore the will of the American people. Today, it is health care again. The white house has come up with a health care package and they will present it BEFORE the president's "summit" with republicans...so...why meet with republicans? Why ask for anyone else's ideas if you've already decided to implement your own? Why bother? For some good photos, perhaps? For the opportunity to say "I tried to reach across the aisle and they wouldn't compromise"? To make a mockery of opposing views?
Obama is mixing up more kool-ade.
Don't drink it!
It's as bad as the grape stuff that Jim Jones served to his followers...with the exception that this kool-ade will kill the prosperity of our great nation. It will kill the greatest health care system on earth (while not perfect it does NOT need a complete overhaul!). It will strip the citizens of this country of more of their freedom, money and choices.
I have a voice and so do you!
Use it!

Thanks Sarah!

2010-02-10T16:00:00.001-08:00

Thanks Sarah!, originally uploaded by HA! Designs - Artbyheather.

After press secretary Robert Gibbs' display this week, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktTFtqK_XwQ , I thought I'd put my own little list on my hand so I won't forget to do what is becoming more and more important to the preserving of our great country. It seems this administration has no respect for the dignity of the office of the President. For Gibbs to pull that little stunt - which caused moans from the press who DO still have an inkling of the dignity of the office - gave me pause...how will they cheapen and demean the leadership roles of this country next? I'm sure we'll find out soon.
I am a stay-at-home mom. I've NEVER been involved in politics, much less cared. This administration has awakened a passion for our country in me that I didn't realize was so strong. I love our country. I've always been patriotic. This is different. This feels like an attack from within. An attack on my family, our livelihood, our future, the future of my children. I'm passionate about my family. I am a mother bear when it comes to my children. It's very apparent that a lot of mother bears are being poked by this administration. I have attended several tea parties and will be stepping up my involvement even more. I am learning more about the candidates that would like to take Patti Murray's seat in the Senate. I will do whatever I can to help make that happen.

If you are concerned about the direction our country is going, will you join me?

aaaaah....

2010-02-02T09:49:00.001-08:00

aaaaah...., originally uploaded by HA! Designs - Artbyheather.

Our cruise was heavenly...warm...breezy...relaxing! I can't wait to go back to the Caribbean some day! This photo is a little snippet of the utterly fabulous beaches and bathwater sea. I couldn't get enough!
So...this morning I had to get up and make my own coffee. I had to toast my own bagel. No one asked me if they could clean up my mess for me. No one replaced my used towel with a fresh clean one after my shower this morning. No one turned down my bed and put chocolates on my pillow last night. My entertainment last night consisted of "Cake Boss" on TV...a song and dance team or comedian did not come to my home to entertain me. I've been wandering all over my house looking for the pizza and ice-cream bar...because I could really use a snack right about now...but...I can't find it. My husband came home last night, sat down at the table and asked for the menu...when I told him he had one choice and it wasn't the gourmet fare he had grown accustomed to, his face said it all. We've been spoiled rotten and reality is slapping us upside the head.
Why is it so easy to adjust to being spoiled and so hard to adjust back again? I'm thankful for the week of pampering and it's back to the old grind...which is fabulous too!
:o)

I'm going to use this!

2010-01-21T15:48:00.001-08:00

Look what came in the mail today!, originally uploaded by HA! Designs - Artbyheather.

This is my very first passport. My hubs wanted to get the little drivers licensey looking one that lets us go to Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean and I said NO! I want the real deal. The one that can take me to the other side of the world! So...that's what we got. And now we're going to use it! We're going on a cruise to the Caribbean! I'm so excited! I am ready to relax...to sit on the beach...in the sun...to eat food I don't have to make for myself and when I'm done, leave the dishes for someone else to clean. I don't want to make my own bed (not that I do anyway) and I want someone to make a cute little animal our of my bath towel. I look forward to spending time with our dear friends and laughing 'til I pee...that always happens when I hang out with Lora...and enjoy my husband to whom I will be married for 25 years in July.
Note to self...don't forget the sunscreen!

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-21T07:24:00.001-08:00

I made this today!, originally uploaded by HA! Designs - Artbyheather.

It's Christmas week! I'll be baking, finishing up my shopping, finally sending out my Christmas cards (so late this year!) and spending precious time with my family!
The holidays snuck up on me this year. Not that I didn't see them coming, I just thought they'd mosey on over rather than run up on me! The Christmas spirit is a bit lagging as well...not that there's any REASON that I'm not dancing around singing carols, I'm just still playing catch up! So today I will attempt to catch up, clear out the cobwebs and find all the merry!
Joy to the World!

A vintage picnic...

2009-12-09T06:01:00.001-08:00

A vintage picnic..., originally uploaded by HA! Designs - Artbyheather.

This is one of several photos I just received from an auction I won on ebay.
These people are military families. I have several photos of African-American and white families having fun together. These photos are from the late 50's...mainly '57 I believe. I find it interesting that when families are united in service to our country, color is of no concern. Yet, this photo is from a time when color was of big concern - mainly in the South. These people seem oblivious to that stark reality. It is refreshing.
In today's world, when the word "racism" is thrown about without thought, it's nice to see a photo like this and know that racism, even in it's prime, was rejected by most Americans...just as it is today.

Baby it's cold outside!

2009-12-07T05:34:00.001-08:00

God is an Artist, originally uploaded by HA! Designs - Artbyheather.

The other day I woke up and the whole world was covered in glitter...it sparkled in my headlights as I drove my daughter to her bus stop. I couldn't help myself...I stalked the sun... waited for it to come up and grabbed my camera and set out to capture the sparkle. This is the best shot I got...you can see it glistening on the fence behind the rusty antique bed frame I use to prop up my sweetpeas...which is covered in frost...glitter and grunge!
Ooooooh, pretty!
God is an artist.
His favorite winter art supply? Glitter!

It's Showtime!

2009-11-21T05:52:00.001-08:00

Flip Clock Number Necklaces, originally uploaded by HA! Designs - Artbyheather.

I have two really big shows this year! Today is the Bearzaar...at Olympia High School and next weekend is the big Lacey Holiday Bazaar at St. Martin's Pavilion!
I just love doing shows...meeting people...laughing and kick-starting the holidays! Last night after I set up, I walked around the show, admiring all of the incredible work people have done. It is amazing the amount of literal hours that go into a show of any size. One booth had at least 6 big Christmas trees that a couple of ladies were painstakingly decorating with handmade ornaments!
I especially love the family time that shows bring. My daughters like to help me and my sister and mom also enjoy pitching in! I may make the goods, but in the end, I get by with a little help from my peeps!
Hopefully, this year will be profitable...it's a tough financial year for most folks...but ultimately, it's the love of art that drives me to create...a show is a really fun way to clear out the shelves so I can make some more!

Good.

2009-11-11T21:30:00.001-08:00

Good., originally uploaded by HA! Designs - Artbyheather.

This is Dakota...our good dog. We will put her to sleep tomorrow. I'm not one of those people who think of their dogs as people...kids...I'm not even really a dog type of person. But losing her will be heartwrenching.
We got her from a friend about 10 years ago...because otherwise she would have gone to the pound. She has been a perfect dog. She was a friend to our kids, protected us from fierce wildlife such as...well...skunks, porcupines, and bunnies, and gave us love - oft-times undeserved. She was a friend to cats...opened up her doghouse to a parade of feline friends and offered her warmth on cold winter nights. She wasn't very friendly with other dogs, but for some reason, cats were a-ok. She has always had such a sweet face and as she's aged, her graying muzzle has just become dearer.
She has been declining in recent months...she's nearly deaf...her eyesight isn't what it used to be (I can completely sympathize) and it takes her a while to get up and get her legs moving. Recently she's developed "bedsores" on her hips and legs from all the laying around and she seems to be more and more uncomfortable. We have known this is coming but how can we feel "good" about putting her to sleep?
I hope that there is a heaven for dogs...if there is, she will surely reside there. She is a very good dog.

Treasure Hunting!

2009-11-08T08:54:00.001-08:00

Drawers full of Ladies Watch Crystals!, originally uploaded by HA! Designs - Artbyheather.

Gosh I love hunting for treasures! I think if I lived in another era, I'd be a friendly pirate, searching the sea for chests filled with gold!

Yesterday I went to a fabulous junk shop...I was the only customer in the store and I started chatting with the owner. I asked if he had any watch crystals and he jumped up and told me to follow him into the back room where he showed me this fabulous "treasure chest. I have wanted one of these chests...empty...for ages but they always cost a hundred bucks or more and I just can't justify it! He started opening the drawers to reveal hundreds of little ladies watch crystals...one by one...my heart started beating a little faster! I asked him what he wanted for it...I won't say what I paid, but it was much less than the empty ones I've seen...and I told him I'd take it! I didn't even dicker which is out of the ordinary for me...I always love a friendly back and forth. So...I bought it. I brought it home and now it sits with my other treasures, waiting for my muse to work it's magic! Until then, I shall open those drawers and giggle just a little!

Halloween

2009-09-01T16:15:00.001-07:00

Witchy Little Collage..., originally uploaded by HA! Designs - Artbyheather.

I confess, I've never been a HUGE Halloween fan...I don't like the dark side of the holiday...the kid-friendly fun stuff, sure, but the bloody, gory scary stuff, not so much. BUT, this year, I sort of decided to try my hand at a little Halloween collaging. I'm just not inspired. I'm not surprised, though. I think I'll skip ahead to Thanksgiving and Christmas. My brain has been filling with Christmas ideas...there's just something about the school year starting and the holidays just rushing at us...inspiring!
:o)

Funky Little House Charms

2009-08-25T10:03:00.001-07:00

Funky Little House Charms, originally uploaded by HA! Designs - Artbyheather.

I love funky...I love ephemera...I love houses...I love decorating houses...so these charms were born out of all of my love for those things. I have bigger versions in the works...and haunted Halloween houses! ooooooh...scary!

Look What I found!

2009-08-24T21:34:00.001-07:00

Look What I found!, originally uploaded by HA! Designs - Artbyheather.

Oh how I love thrifting! Today I wandered into Value Village...I rarely go there...it's out of my way most of the time. So, today I found these shoe forms. They're old and weathered and pointy and have the most fabulous letters and numbers printed on them! They're women's sizes and super duper narrow! I love 'em! Primitive at it's best! I don't know what I'll do with them yet...for now they sit on my antique blanket chest looking fabulously old.

Recharging!

2008-11-14T07:30:00.001-08:00

Recharging!, originally uploaded by artbyheather.

I remember these days...when the little ones would go down for a nap and I'd sit on the couch with my lunch and breathe...then I'd jump up and try to accomplish something before they woke up!
Now my twins are gone...away at college and I only have my "little one" left...another teenager. I'm enjoying the time alone with her...she's so fun! I do miss the others though...I miss the noise and activity...the friends storming the kitchen and eating our food. sigh.
When they were this small, I never saw this new time in life coming. It seemed so far off into the future...but the kids grew up fast and here I am...creating cards to encourage the moms still struggling to make it to nap time!

Confucious said so...

2008-08-20T20:42:00.001-07:00

Confucious said so..., originally uploaded by artbyheather.

I normally don't give the fortune in my cookie much merit, but when I received this one at Panda Express the other day...well...what would YOU think? I thought it was pretty good advise and while I don't normally believe in the psychobabble of psychics or palm readers or tarot cards or for that matter, fortunes in dry, tasteless cookies, I decided that this one should be followed very carefully. I intend to follow it to the letter...soon! My energy is nearly depleted at the end of a very busy summer! My kids...aaaahhhh my kids...I love 'em but they wear me out! My two oldest are going off to college and there's something about that summer before they leave that just wears you down to the point of wanting to tell them not to let the door hit them on the way out. I never thought they'd drive me to that point but I guess that's God's way of providing a nice clean break between mother and child. I thank Him for that. I'm ready now...
So, I share this good fortune with you...it was meant for every tired mom in August. Good job! We deserve a break! Let's go!!!

FUN!

2008-06-21T10:26:00.001-07:00

FUN!, originally uploaded by artbyheather.

Honestly, how fulfilling would life be without a little fun? You should really make it a priority. Work is important and to work hard is very fulfilling, but if there's no fun after the work is done, what is the point? I've always made fun a priority...perhaps it's gone ahead of work a few too many times...but the sky didn't fall in and no one got hurt! :o)
I'm going to have a little fun today...THEN I'm going to finish the laundry!

Graduation Fabulousness

2008-06-15T07:11:00.001-07:00

Graduation Fabulousness, originally uploaded by artbyheather.

Ah...I'm so proud! They graduated! They really did it! I wasn't as emotional as I thought I'd be...the day was too happy for tears! We had a nice family shin-dig afterward and it was really nice to celebrate them! They did high-school right. They got involved, tried new things, excelled at what interested them and what they discovered talent for, worked hard for good grades, chose good friends, and leave without the need to cling. They know that these high school years are not their best. They know that the future holds more than these 4 years could ever contain. That's GOOD! So they are happy to go and make new memories...meet new people...have new adventures! Yay!

My tray project...

2008-05-01T07:08:00.001-07:00

2-Tiered Altered Tray, originally uploaded by artbyheather.

So...I found this cheap tiered tray at a thrift store for a couple of bucks...and figured I'd alter it to use at my art shows. I like the way it turned out...although I think I would have done more if it wasn't going to be covered with stuff to sell! I'm going to go back and see if there are any more trays available...maybe add a few more elements to the trays to add interest. I have so much fab ephemera to use...I want to pile it on! Less is more...less is more...less is more...
Trays like these may show up in my etsy shop!

Pretty Smile

2008-04-30T21:21:00.001-07:00

Pretty Smile, originally uploaded by artbyheather.

My baby got her braces off today! We celebrated with a big dinner...baby back ribs, corn on the cob, popcorn and caramel apples. Not the most nutritious dinner, but a long-awaited feast! She's thrilled, needless to say! I think her smile is quite lovely...the down side, she looks older. Braces have a way of keeping kids looking like kids...there's just something about them.
Congrats my sweet girl! You're beautiful!

Ah, now I get it!

2008-04-30T06:35:00.000-07:00

Every mother has had the experience (many, many times) of looking into her child's eyes and thinking "You are so precious...you can live with me forever...I don't know how I'm ever going to let you grow up and go..." Usually followed by a sigh, a tickle and a hug and a juicy cookie kiss. You play together and your child steals your heart over and over...even when they smear chocolate sauce on the walls...it's precious...maddening, but oh so precious!
My kids are late bloomers...they've been so easy-going for EVER! My 18-year-old twins have been SO FUN! BUT...they're about to graduate...there's something about that final childhood milestone...something that makes the synapses in their strange, misfiring, brain matter go wonky and they completely turn on you. It's happened. They're normal. They're not so sweet any more. They claim I'm yelling when I'm using my softest, sweetest tone. They claim I'm a nag when I ask something for the first time. They say I'm freaking out when I expect good results in a completed task. It's not rocket science. It's the every day stuff that just two weeks ago wasn't a big deal! Normal...but aggravating!
So, I'm pretty sure God, once again, knows what He's doing...giving them the urge to break away, making the warm, cozy nest that they once adored, a torturous prison. God is making the break a clean one...for all of us. They couldn't imagine leaving us a year or two ago...the thought was scary and lonely and strange. Now they're ready...chomping at the bit. So are we. They are free to go. I've done my job - in so far as instilling my values and work ethic and beliefs...now they need go out into the world and be the people they were created to be.

I'm being nice to me!

2008-04-29T07:13:00.001-07:00

Tulips make me happy!, originally uploaded by artbyheather.

So...I made a decision a few months ago. Nothing major...nothing life altering...just a simple little thing that has had a rather large result. Every week, I buy myself tulips. Just a single bunch of 5 stems. 4 bucks worth. It doesn't break my grocery budget and I haven't missed the cash. The result has been a little oasis of happy on my antique pie safe. I found this fabulous copper pitcher for $2.50 at a thrift store...yes, you read that right, $2.50! It is the perfect vessel for my tulips! They look fabulous in it...a contrast of old and fresh. The most important bit to all of this is that the act of buying flowers for myself is so nice. I'm being nice to me. I buy them whether I deserve them or not. Even if I haven't finished my housework. It is my own little reward for all I HAVE done. AND having fresh flowers in the house makes me want to keep the space around them tidy...which is why I put them in the center of the main living space!! :o)
May I suggest that you buy yourself flowers today too!? Be nice to you! They're relatively cheap...even one stem will brighten up your whole day...your home...your attitude!
:o)

The world is her oyster...

2008-04-25T06:29:00.001-07:00

Senior Picture, originally uploaded by artbyheather.

aaaah...she's about to leave the nest. This girl of mine is leaving in June instead of August for college. She was offered a FULL RIDE scholarship to the summer session at a State University! She's so excited! I'm so proud! It's the perfect opportunity to acclamate to college life...to train for the upcoming cross country season...to get used to being away from home in a shorter time period - sort of like "summer camp" before she leaves for the whole school year. She's been given such an incredible gift. We are a very close family and to send her away early is so hard, but exciting too. She will do well. She will make new friends. She will do things she never thought she could. She will grow up...not just in responsibility and independence, but in her heart. She has always been confident, but there's just something about being away from Mom and Dad and having to realize that you can figure things out for yourself and manage your own life that grows up a kid into an adult. Into a woman. Into a friend. I'm glad she's going...

I'll miss her...

I've been Funkified!

2008-04-10T16:30:00.000-07:00

I'm featured on Funky Finds! Yay! Thanks Jessica! If you haven't ventured over to Funky Finds, you really should...click on the title of this posting and you it will take you there! Her tagline is "They once were funky lost, but now they are funky found!" I'm found! There's just something about being found...especially after you've been lost. It's comforting...a relief even!
I'm going to shout it from the rooftops! "I'm funky! I'm really funky!" - in a good way, of course! :o)

Treat me as you would the queen

2008-03-30T21:29:00.001-07:00

Treat me as you would the queen, originally uploaded by artbyheather.

I have this domino on my keychain...it's been there for the last year or so! I wish someone would notice it...maybe think to themselves: "Oh, I think I'll do just that" and then whisk me away in a limo to the spa and pamper me as a queen should be pampered, OR at the very least, clean my house for me. Yes, I do believe I'd feel like a queen if I could sit in my little studio and create fun fabulousness while someone else folded my laundry and mopped my floors!
Gee...that would be lovely!

sisters...

2008-03-17T07:47:00.001-07:00

sisters..., originally uploaded by artbyheather.

These girls are so close...big sis is off to college in the fall. What will the little one do? She claims she's looking forward to the peace and quiet...that she'll love having the bathroom to herself...that she'll relish taking over her brothers' bedroom and dance around in the extra space. But what will she feel when the paint in her new room dries and the quiet becomes louder than the noise she claims to be bothered by? She denies that she'll miss them...a typical little sister response...but she will. I know she will. She's never been one to beg for friends to come over - I think because she enjoys her siblings - so maybe she'll have more friends over to fill the gaps...time will tell. I'm just thankful that they love each other...mostly...and that they'll have a new appreciation for each other. Sisters Rock!

Shock and Awe

2008-03-17T07:10:00.001-07:00

Stud, originally uploaded by artbyheather.

Seems I'm blogging about this kid a lot lately...he's blog-worthy!
He's about to graduate (he and his twin sister). Four years ago, this boy was shy, tiny, light as a feather, lacked self-confidence, didn't speak much to outsiders...I worried about him. I knew he'd blossom some day...I had faith that he'd make his way...he was dripping with potential...but I didn't know how or when this blossoming would take place. The years passed...still he lacked confidence. His sister is a star runner...he cheered for her. She excelled socially...he was happy for her. His body grew quickly and he was awkward and clumsy. He had lots of friends, but not the confidence to go to dances or "chill" with the girls - he stayed behind. Then he began his senior year of high school. He grew into his own body...now 6'1", he used his height and muscular tone to have a stellar cross country season, ending with a trip to the State championships. He dove into social situations and went to a dance! Suddenly girls were calling and texting and he had a busier social calendar than his sister! Now...here is the shock... This boy, the shy boy who couldn't talk to people without stammering around and looking down...this boy who would sing around the house but claimed singing in the choir at school was "gay"...this boy who would be funny for us but hide his wit in public...just won a roll as the dentist in "Little Shop of Horrors"! He is singing a solo and a duet in the spring musical. WHAT?! How does that happen. If a prophet of God had come down from heaven two years ago and told me that my boy would be in the spring musical, with a show-stealing part, singing a solo...I would have laughed...and claimed the prophet was an imposter and obviously didn't know my child...wrong kid. But here's the awe...while I worried and prayed for my kid to become comfortable in his skin, God was working it all out behind the scenes. I didn't need to see all the parts work themselves out. As a mom, I WANTED to, but faith is what matters...I had faith that this boy would show the world what I knew he had in him and what God put there. Now he's doing just that!

Dream

2008-02-24T08:04:00.001-08:00

Dream, originally uploaded by artbyheather.

I have been accused of being a dreamer...an optimist...a pollyana...even an...airhead. If my brilliant mind is occupied with fabulous ideas and potential creations and my creative solutions to the world's problems, how can I possibly stay focused on the topic at hand 100% of the time? Hmmmm? Answer me that! Without people like me...like us (you with me?)...the world would lack color...spontanaeity (did I spell that right?)...and FUN! I'm all about fun. To a fault. You'll never wonder if Martha Stewart lives in my house, no sir. My house is clean...but messy. I do not have time to do it all. I really would prefer to have staff following me around picking up after me but since I do not have hired staff, I do the best I can. Brilliance is messy. That's my mantra. No, I don't really think I'm brilliant, but here we are, back to the title of this ATC...dream! That's what I do!

The Stuff of the Old Days...

2008-02-18T23:11:00.001-08:00

Vintage Label - free to use!, originally uploaded by artbyheather.

What is this exactly!? Does it actually have anything to do with sheep? I suppose I could google it but I'm not THAT curious. I just bought a bunch of these old labels...with the purpose of selling them in my etsy supplies shop. I am having a hard time parting with ephemera. I think I am so enamored with the simpler things of the past that when I find something cool, I just want to hang on.
I've never been a hoarder...I've always been a thrower-awayer. To a fault. With regrets. I have one little box of goodies from my childhood. One. I think back, however, and wish I had kept some of my favorite clothes, some books, some little trinkets that I remember and can't find anywhere to repurchase. Dumb stuff, really, which is why I probably threw it out in the first place. I didn't have a grasp of the sentimentality...I was too immature to feel the feelings attached to it and wanted to grow up and move on...so a few little items hit the trash and I never looked back...until recently. I'm in my 40's...at the age when grandparents are passing on...and I'm revisiting fond memories. Wishing I had that toy or that outfit if only just to SEE it again! Recently I bought some clickers at Goodwill. Remember those? You just squeeze them and they make a clicking sound. I've seen novelty ones shaped like frogs or ducks but never the plain rectangle-shaped ones of my childhood...and there they were! I snatched them up so fast! I clicked them and brought them home and showed my kids. Then I told them the story of how my siblings and I used to play "bike cars" - we'd ride our bikes on the trails by our house and when we'd make a turn, we'd click the clickers to sound like a blinker. OH it was so fun...we felt so grown up! Turning my blinker on isn't nearly as fun now that I'm an adult!
So...I will part with this label...I will, I will, I will. It has no sentimental meaning for me. I will divy up my stash of labels and list them...probably this week.

Jake

2008-02-11T05:03:00.001-08:00

Senior Picture, originally uploaded by artbyheather.

I almost lost this boy yesterday. He was in a very bad car accident. By the grace of God, he not only survived, but walked (ok, limped) away with minor injuries. It's amazing how fragile life is. How in a split second it can be snuffed out. How the things that seemed so important to us moments before are just fluff in the grand scheme of things. I don't know what I'd do without this boy. He brings so much joy...laughter...fun...and yes, aggravation at times...to my life. I'm thankful for the aggravation...thankful for the crap that goes along with dealing with an accident...thankful that I'm dealing with insurance companies, hospital bills, wrecking companies...thankful that I'm not dealing with funeral arrangements and coroner's reports... Aggravation and trial make up life. Life is good. As long as my kids are driving me crazy, we're fully alive. It's tough having teenagers...quasi-adults...it's also a joy. If it wasn't a struggle to grow up and help a child grow up, it wouldn't be much of a life. So...today I'm thanking God that my son is alive and struggling. Alive to work through the muck of an accident...alive to teach me the lessons of life...and appreciating the little things...the tough things...the everyday things. Today I'm just simply thankful.

My first ATC/ACEO - The Adventurer

2008-02-10T09:47:00.001-08:00

The Adventurer, originally uploaded by artbyheather.

That's what I am too...an adventurer. This is my very first ATC/ACEO. I quite happy with it! I have had a couple of requests to trade it so maybe I'll make a couple just like it and trade! I can't let go of him, though...he's my first. I am attached. I rather like this little form of art. I am going to experiment with inchies too...Yay! My brain is expanding bit by bit...

This is pretty typical

2008-02-09T22:30:00.001-08:00

This is pretty typical, originally uploaded by artbyheather.

My kids are weird. No joke. I'm glad, though...they're fun...they're funky...they're a lot like me. They're slightly odd because they feel comfortable being themselves. I wasn't that comfortable in my skin at that age...it took me many years of trial and error to realize that it doesn't matter what everyone else thinks I should be like...I just gotta be me. Funny...now that I don't worry about what everyone else thinks, it's quite apparent that they never did...think that is...mostly people just make snap judgements about people and move on. They don't dwell on us. Sometimes we think they do, but they don't. Mind you, there are the random jerks that take great pleasure in picking people apart, but honestly, who cares what they think anyway, right?
Anyway, that's the way I've raised my kids. Be yourselves...don't worry about what other people think...people who judge, do it to make themselves feel better somehow...to ease their own insecurities.
All this from a goofy picture. I think too much sometimes!

Soldering...

2007-11-19T19:15:00.000-08:00

OH MY! I have fallen in love...with soldering! How can I possibly do this? How can I add one more thing to my list of artistic vices that I love? How? There aren't enough hours in the day for what I do now. And now I'm adding soldering? I still have clothes to fold on my "laundry couch"! I can't take up soldering! My yard still screams to be cleaned up for fall...I don't have time to solder! My craft corner is a mess (I like to think it's in creative transition)...if I solder, something will catch fire! oh gee... ah well... I'll just have to give up laundry completely! I was never very good at it anyhow! :o)

Cross-Country Season

2007-09-08T07:44:00.000-07:00

My two oldest kids (17-year-old twins) are in XC (cross-country). I have to say...XC has been the most incredible, challenging, satisfying, FUN sport for my kids. They discovered it when they joined track their freshman year of high school and fell into the distance running group. The kids were absolutely fun and phenominal...I have talked to other kids and parents from other schools and it seems to echo throughout the running sports...the kids are dedicated, disciplined and generally a blast to be around. My kids team has been like a family throughout their high school years. They seek each other out at school...sit together at lunch...have unity nights almost every weekend and before every meet...double, triple date...group together to go to dances...you name it!
Well...for the last 2 years, my daughter has been the star of the girls team. She's gone to State each year and is just a really great runner...not trying to boast, just telling a story! My son, on the other hand, has struggled. He's always enjoyed running, but he's been growing...approximately 14 inches in about a year and a half...and that has caused incredible pain in his knees, his hips, his ankles...well, you can imagine! All the while, he's been watching his twin sister excelling...really being a star athlete while he sits out or struggles to finish races! What has his attitude been like, you ask? Well, he cheers the loudest for her at the meets, encourages her, and is generally verrrry happy for her! Yes, he has his moments when she's overly excited and he gets sick of hearing about it, but for a guy to be so supportive of his sister in a sport he participates but doesn't get to excell in - well, that's just unbelievable.
So...we think he's done growing (6'1 1/2" should just about do it, don't you think?) and I've been praying that he'll have a good season for his senior year. He's a good runner...he has had the potential, but his body just hasn't been able to cooperate with his ability! Well, he had his first race the other day and he was 11th out of 45 junior/senior guys!!!!! He came in right after one of our fastest guys...stayed right with him the whole race! I was FLOORED!!! He was so happy and that taste of personal victory was so incredible for him!!! So, I'm excited for him and his final season of XC. Praying that he stays healthy and that he can do what he is able to...show what he can do...what he's been trying to do for the last 2 years.
That's all I want for my kids... for them to be able to do what they can...the BEST of their abilities...and be proud of their accomplishments!

When moms are right...

2007-08-30T22:06:00.001-07:00

Remember when you were a teenager and you mom would sigh and say "Just wait until you have teenagers...you'll understand!" Well...gee...mom was right! I have actually had it pretty easy up until about a month ago when my teenagers started acting their age! They are twins...17 years old...both of them late bloomers. I always knew it would happen...the hormones and indignant behavior would kick in and I would become the stupidest person on the face of the earth. But, even though I completely expected it and waited for it to come, it hasn't been an easy thing to accept. I actually was entertaining the thought that maybe, by some strange twist of fate and some divine blessing from God, that I would get to have dream kids that would look up to me and my infinite wisdom and remain lovingly devoted to their mother and skip the whole know-it-all stage. Nope...no such luck! So...today was an especially exhausting day...for no other reason than I'm realizing that the dream has died. I'm deflated. My kids are normal. They're not dream kids. I'm not supermom....well, not to them, anyway! I know I'm doing my best and, with the smallest amount of therapy, they should be just fine! But here's what I'm grasping...my kids ARE normal...this is normal. This stage in life is necessary. If they were sweet forever I wouldn't want them to leave for college...I really, really want them to leave for college now! I want them to experience poverty (the kind you can be rescued from -the top ramen until the next paycheck kind) and having to work at a job you hate until you can find one you love (ok, they're experiencing that right now) and the stresses of doing for yourself (ie: laundry, cooking, cleaning, buying groceries, holding down a job, paying the bills, etc). They do a lot for themselves, but not all at once! It's good stuff...makes you appreciate all you've been given...all you work for...what is to come... So...I'm excited for them...frustrated with them...unsure what is ahead for them...but I'm going to love them through it all! Being a mom is the most exhausting job and then you get to say..."Just wait until you have teenagers...then you'll understand!" and you KNOW - even though they're thinking "Yeah, right, when I have teenagers I'll be a cool mom/dad" - YOU are right - they are wrong - they'll be lame parents, just like you are! Yesssssssssss!

New Cards!

2007-08-09T07:59:00.000-07:00

I added some cards to my etsy shop last night...check them out and let me know what you think! www.artbyheather.etsy.com

Bigger Messes

2007-08-02T07:41:00.000-07:00

A question...
Why does the mess get bigger as we try to clean it up? For the last 3 days I have been trying to dig out my crafting stuff. More like CLEAR OUT! I need to downsize in the worst way! So, as I've worked on it, I have piles of CRAP everywhere. Add to that, my daughter is painting her room and her stuff lines the hallway (my "office" is in a loft along our upstairs hallway). So, I have piles of stuff everywhere and so does she! She has one more coat to go (RED) and her stuff will disappear - or it will end up on the front lawn! Maybe I should move to the front lawn! There is lots of room out there...it's sunny and warm and there's lots of natural light! hmmmm... Then there's the issue of dew. (I went off on a tangent there...don't worry, that's normal)
I envy people who clean up after themselves. Who naturally think to do that. I don't know what I think, but it never occurs to me that I should do that. I create wonderful things...I'm proud of myself and I go to bed. I sleep soundly thinking of all that I accomplished and wake up to all of my glorious creative remnants lying about inspiring me once again. Mess? What's that? Then on the rare occasion that I absolutely can't find what I'm looking for (I can spot anything in a messy pile!), I get frustrated with myself...and wish I could be neater. This is my husband's and my biggest fight. Mess. He's a bit of a neat freak. (don't deny it...don't! I mean it!...stop it, you know you are!)
Here's another question...
Why do opposites attract? Is it God's way of entertaining himself while he watches us drive each other completely insane? It's got to be somewhat entertaining. I know there is a balancing thing...we fill in the gaps for each other...I help Alex let go of some of his angst about mess and he helps me not let the house turn into a trash heap. But it's finding the happy medium that's such a trick. I will find a way to make that happen...a happy medium...a magic formula... and write it down in a little booklet and sell it on Etsy. I will make a million. Check my site often and stay tuned...but don't hold your breath!
Back to my messes...they ARE getting smaller...they ARE, they ARE, they ARE!

My Cards are Listed!!!

2007-07-29T20:01:00.000-07:00

I just listed my first 9 cards on Etsy...check them out at http://www.artbyheather.etsy.com/ I feel like I just put pictures of my children out there to be judged! Why do I feel like that? But let me just say that as I was listing my 3rd card, I got the nicest convo from a lady in Australia...complimenting my art and sense of humor... this is her: http://www.gillianhamilton.blogspot.com/ She is the most talented woman! I am stunned by her blog...if you're reading this, Gillian, this is what I think...WOW! I was greatly flattered BEFORE I saw your page...but now I'm humbled. So, as I was perusing her blog I thought..."this is cool...gee, how do you put pictures on your blog". I have a blog but don't know how to use it. And if anyone can help me understand how to look at blogs of a particular subject...and how to link them to your page so you can have "insta-click" access to your favs!? I honestly am lost in here...in this little corner of cybersuburbia! I know how to compose a blog and I even figured out how to add a picture when I'm done with this post, but the rest is a mystery! I would take the time to figure it out but if you read my last post, I really have better things I should do. Chances are, though, I will take the time to figure this out first. (sorry Alex!)
Alex is my husband...I just gave him my blog address...he didn't know I had one. I imagine he will be reading this...Love you Al! He is very patient with my "creative mess making"...well sometimes he is. I suppose there's just so much trauma you can put a man through before he completely loses his mind...and I really don't want to be the one to push him to that point! His constant mantra to me is "You're killin' me" and my reply is usually "You're not dead yet!" So, hang in there with me, honey!
I will now proceed to amaze you with my ability to add a photo... if you don't see a photo, I couldn't figure it out and you can raz me in a comment. I'm ready for it, bring it on!

My inability to stay on task...

2007-07-26T18:57:00.000-07:00

I think I have "adult onset ADD". Is that really a condition? It seems that I just can't see a job to completion. I'm talking about housework...mundane chores like cleaning the bathroom, organizing my workspace, doing laundry etc. I will work nonstop for several hours and not a single thing will be completed. Lots of things will be half done to perfection, but nothing completely done.

I am the sort of person who likes work that has a beginning and end...you work at the task, finish it and it's done. That's why I like art so much! You create something and get to enjoy it or sell it for someone else to enjoy but you don't have to pick it up again and start over on the same piece - you can make ANOTHER one, but the first one is DONE! The laundry gets done for literally 2 minutes and then it piles up again. It's never actually conquered. Same with every other household task. Dust happens. So does dirt. People eat. It's just the way it works. I have always struggled to keep up with my house. I wouldn't say my house is dirty, it's just lived in and Martha would not be proud. She'd probably tidy up if she visited. I'd let her.

That's another thing I don't understand. People who get offended if someone tidies up when they come over or folds their laundry if they're sitting near a pile of clean duds. If you come to my house and start to fold my laundry on my couch - yes, I have a "laundry couch" - I will bring you a basket to stack it in...and hug you. The underwear part would embarrass me, but I'd get over it!

So...since I think I'm not the only one that has this "problem"...the problem of not being able to keep up with all of the chores and responsibilities of keeping a home, I wrote a little thing...it's with apologies to the book by Laura Joffe Numeroff...If You Give a Mouse a Cookie.
It goes a little something like this:

If you try to clean the kitchen,
You will walk to the sink and step on a wayward lego.
After you scream in pain, you will take the lego to the lego bin in the family room
And notice that there are dirty socks on the floor.
You will pick up the socks and walk them to the laundry room
Only to see the wayward diamond earring in the corner
That you had believed to be long gone but had actually stuck to your sweater
And shaken loose while being put in the washer!
Giddy with this discovery, you will call your husband
Who will be happy to hear the news and
Remind you to pick up his dry cleaning.
You will go to your bedroom to replace the earring in your jewelry box
And see that the pair of earrings now needs cleaning and drop them into the cleaning solution.
While leaving your bedroom, you will ponder what you were doing and
See your husbands drycleaning in the basket by the door.
You will take the items to the car and notice a permission slip on the back seat.
A trip to the school is needed.

** There is more, but I deleted the remainder to preserve it for an idea that I have...

To all the husbands who come home and wonder what we did all day because nothing looks different...we did quite a bit, thank you very much! :o)

OK, I'm done! I have some cleaning to do!

Ha! Moments

2007-07-25T15:02:00.000-07:00

Since this is my first blog EVER, I will tell a tiny bit about me.
I am Heather. I am a stay-at-home mom who is never home. I have teenagers that are quite wonderful actually, thank-you very much! My husband is also pretty wonderful...a hard-working guy that has put up with my idiosyncracies (fyi: I had to stop and look up that up in the dictionary to see if I spelled it right, and believe it or not...I DID!!!) for 22 years with only a few blips along the way...won't get into that now! Later...well...maybe...maybe not!
I use ... a lot. That may annoy some, but that's okay. I am an artist...I sell my creations on Etsy. Here's my shop address: www.artbyheather.etsy.com Stop by and see my stuff. Let me know what you think. Be gentle. I sell stuff I make and supplies for the rest of you to create your own fabulous creations with. I am working on a line of cards at the moment...they're really funny...I hope everyone else thinks so too...my sense of humor can sometimes be slightly off. I am doing test markets among my friends and family and so far the feedback is good...or they're just being nice.
That's all for now...I need to finish setting this thing up...this is sort of fun!