Dabbling in Design

Hello there! I realize that it has been entirely too long since my last post and quite honestly I feel like every post that I do write starts just the same- “it’s been a while.” No doubt about it, I find it increasingly challenging to keep up with being a mother of four wonderful and energetic children and all that goes with it- the laundry, the dishes, the teaching, the cooking, the potty training and the training up in the Lord.

I also feel the pressing need to make every post that I do write seasoned with grace and laughter and joy, and that’s just really tough to do when you only have fractured thoughts and frequently interrupted conversations and only about four point six moments to sit down at the computer. I am finding that I get lured into the quick status updates on Facebook because you are usually only held accountable for <25 words!

My mom did come to visit over Mother’s Day weekend and it was such a treat to see her. I am sure my Azalea post convinced her to get her on the plane, but be certain that the sweet kisses and laughter from my children had her perusing realtor.com for some possible winter homes in Texas. Or was it that I took her to Ross? Or perhaps the fact that she had to drive home from Denver airport in a snowstorm?

Whatever the case was, it was just a lovely weekend. I truly am so blessed to be a mother of these sweet and funny kids of mine.

I have also been dabbling in design, and contemplating opening an Etsy shop with my very fabulous and talented mother-in-law. She makes to-die-for birthday cards in a mixed-media style with fabric and such. They are very lovely and very labor intensive, and so while the recipient treasures the one they receive, it would be so fun to share. I have been working in collaboration with her in using her designs to create stationary stationery (note to self- learn the correct spelling of the item that you are considering selling) and greeting cards.

This is a scan of the original card that Mona made me for my birthday,
you can’t really tell, but it is fun fabric and even an illustration of Lassie stitched onto thick watercolor paper.

This is a quick example of a personalized note card (post card) This is a photograph of a card that she made for my nephew Wyatt for his second birthday (it very much resembles Zipper the dog)

And a Wyatt post card that uses her design- This is a photograph of a card that she made for Margaret last year
(with scraps of wrapping paper from the baby shower in honor of Margaret when she was pregnant with her!)

And this is a note card using that design that I will probably give as a set to my cousin Jode for her birthday this year.
Glad she doesn’t read my blog or it might ruin the surprise.This was the Christmas card that I made for her family last year-

and the back-

We’re just thinking about testing the water. It would be nice to do something you enjoy and make a little money while you’re at it, right? So, I have been spending those very few moments when the children are nestled all snug in their bed, to mess with design a bit, and it is so much fun.

And keeps me from blogging. So there’s a good chance that the next post will begin the same as this one.

Be blessed, friends!