Sharing My 'Sunshine' Art

Summer is here and the sunshine is fantastic! Sunny days have inspired me to share some of my artwork that features the warm beautiful sun...my sunshine art!

Here are a few of my creations that celebrate summer...

This first creation is actually a mixed media type of collage. I began by painting the sky in a bright blue as well as the water at the bottom of the painting. Next the house, sun, clouds, tree and flowers are all pieces of paper I cut from a worn out old geography book I bought at a local flea market. Once I arranged and adhered the papers in my inspired design I painted everything with acrylic paints. I chose to paint the house pink because when we vacation at the beach in North Carolina I see lots of houses painted in this vibrant color. These little pink houses always make me feel happy and summery! I have yet to add this painting to my website, but I hope to get to that soon. I also plan to offer prints of this design.

The next creation I am shaing is one of my favorites...it's my 'Sailing at Sunrise' foot stool. I have this item displayed on my website as Beach or Cottage Décor since it is actually a piece of home décor. The top of this little stool is wood burned then painted with a wash of acrylic paint. I currently have it displayed for sale in a local gallery. I've gotten lots of positive feedback on this item at art festivals. There's a huge part of our local population that loves the beach so this design resonates with many. I also offer prints of the design--only the top of the footstool so if you like the artwork but would rather have something to hang on your wall you can do so with this little beauty!

And finally, I like to call this little painting 'Sundance' but my official name for it as it is displayed on my website is 'Purple Daisy Painting'. I painted this sweet 8"x8" darling a few years ago and had it displayed for sale in a local gallery. I am happy to report it was sold a few months ago. Although the original is gone I still have prints of this painting available on my website. Yay!

As I share a few pieces of my sunshine filled art the skies are gray and the rain is falling. But looking at these paintings helps me to be grateful that this is the sunshine season and the nasty, cold winter weather is long gone! I hope I've been able to spread a little sunshine into your day!

More fun to come...until then,

Buhl Farm Park - The Jewel of Our Valley

As many of you may know April is "Keep America Beautiful Month" which is a non-profit with a mission to build and sustain vibrant communities. Recently I was contacted by Tiffany Pham, the community manager of Dropcam, which is a cloud-based Wi-Fi video monitoring service which makes it easy to stay connected with places, people and pets, no matter where you are. Tiffany asked me if I'd be interested in participating in Dropcam's new campaign by sharing on my blog what I consider to be my little 'Slice of America'. She asked me to explain what it is that makes my neighborhood or town so special. I immediately responded with a resounding "Yes!" and I knew exactly what I wanted to share with my readers.

My family and I live in western PA about 70 miles north of Pittsburgh. There's a wonderful community park in our town that I, along with many others, consider to be the jewel of the Shenango Valley.
Buhl Farm Park is a 300 acre piece of land that was donated to our local community in the early part of the 20th century. Frank and Julia Buhl’s stated purpose for acquiring these lands was to create a park for the benefit and enjoyment of the public.

Back in 1996 my husband and I bought our house which sits directly across the street from this beautiful park. Our kids were babies when we moved here and we always felt so blessed living so close to the park. Here's a photo my husband took a number of years ago while walking in the park....

When our kids were very young we had a variety of play areas from which to choose on a daily basis. Over the years we spent as much time as we could taking advantage of this beautiful spot. Plus it's a great way to keep your kids active.

Now that our kids are practically adults we don't frequent the playgrounds anymore. But my daughter and I walk our dog almost every day. The outer perimeter of the park is about 2.5 to 3 miles long so we can get some serious exercise in as often as we choose and at any time of the day. Buhl Park has it's own police that drive around the park throughout the day and night so we never have to be concerned for our safety. We normally don't walk late at night, but in the summer it can get pretty hot and humid so it's nice to be able to walk after dark and not worry. Here's a photo we took a few years ago while walking in the evening...

For several summers we bought family swimming passes and were able to swim as often as the weather permitted at the park pool.

Buhl Park also offers summer recreation programs for kids grades 1 through 6 and, of course we made sure to sign our kids up for this wonderful program! The cost is minimal and it kept our kids occupied on those lazy summer days when there's not much to do.

There are so many more things to take in while visiting Buhl Park. The heart of the park holds a pretty little lake...Lake Julia, named after Mrs. Buhl...that is home to lots of ducks, geese and a couple of swans. Here's a cute picture my husband got a few years ago of the swan mommy with her babes...

We also spent many hours at the lake fishing with our kids over the years. My youngest son still spends time there fishing with his friends. Here is a picture of our little family fishing from about 10 years ago...

They have a beautiful performing arts center where, all summer long, they have free concerts a couple nights each week.

They recently built a sweet butterfly garden that sits along the paved fitness trail in the center of the park. And speaking of the fitness trail, a few years ago I decided to try jogging and I used the trail for my early morning runs. That form of exercise was short lived! But, hey, at least I tried! My plan now that the weather has improved is to go to the trail in the mornings in place of going to the gym. This time, however, I'll be walking not running!

Another unique feature of the park is a huge open field in one area that the locals call the 'Kite Field'. We call it the Kite Field for obvious reasons...it's such a huge space and it's open with only a few small trees along the perimeter. Because of it's placement it's perfect for flying kites on a windy day. We took our kids there several times when they were younger to fly kites. Aside from kite flying many little league teams and soccer teams will use a small section of this field for practice because of it's large size and openness.

There are also tennis courts that you can use. You can take a walk through a beautiful flower garden that sits at the south end of the park. Many wedding parties, prom and homecoming dance attendees go to this beautiful flower garden to take group pictures.

And I have to mention a very important feature of this beautiful space...there is a golf course where you can golf for FREE! Yes, I said FREE! Buhl Farm Park has a 9 hole golf course and it's the only FREE golf course in the country! Thankfully my son is on the high school golf team and he can walk down the street to this beautifully maintained golf course and not have to pay a dime!

One other feature of the park that I have to share is the 'Casino'. No, this is not your typical casino where gambling takes place. From my research I learned that many years ago the word casino was defined as a building or large room used for meetings, entertainment, dancing, etc. I'm sure this is the definition of 'casino' when referring to this beautiful structure in Buhl Park. Here's a photo so you can see how gorgeous it is...

While the lower level of the Casino is used for park administration the upper level of the Casino can be rented for parties, meetings, weddings and more. The Casino was recently renovated a few years ago and, while it was always a beautiful building now it's absolutely stunning!

There are also a number of picnic shelters throughout the park that you can rent during the summer for picnics, parties, etc. Plus they have an indoor Activities Building that we've rented on a few occasions. My oldest son's high school graduation party was held there...here are a couple photos we took prior to the party...

We have this same building reserved for our daughter's upcoming graduation party that will be taking place this summer. I'm sure we'll do the same for our youngest son when it's his turn.

I could continue on and on, but I'm sure you get the gist of our beautiful park. There are so many things to do no matter the season. Almost every time I'm in the park I try to remember to offer up a simple 'Thank you!' to the Buhl's for the generous gift they left for the people in our town! Here is one more photo that my husband took years ago of our daughter standing by the memorial statues of Frank and Julia Buhl...

I also have to add this wonderful tidbit of information that is more proof of how beautiful our little slice of America is. It just so happens that a few days after I posted my initial story about Buhl Park this was the headline in our local newspaper, "Family Friendly - Forbes Ranks Area 5th Best Place in U.S. to Raise a Family"! And the photo on the front page was that of a family walking in Buhl Park! As you can see my sentiments about the park are the same as many others in our area.

In closing I will say that no matter where life takes us I know that the memories we've made at Buhl Park will be tucked away in a special place of our hearts!

More sharing on the way...until then,

Zebra Print Nursery Room Decor

As I'm sure you're aware animal prints are super popular in home decor styles as well as clothing, jewelry and more. I recently painted a really fun name sign for a customer that had the zebra print pattern on it.

Before I get ahead of myself, let me back track...

Several years ago I painted a room sign that had a border with zebra print but the design ended up being very small and wasn't very prominent on the sign at all. Take a look...

See what I mean? I like the color combination, I LOVE the quote and the details are perfect for the theme. But in looking back it just doesn't get me excited. As a matter of fact, after painting that sign the thought of painting a zebra pattern made me nervous.

So when this recent order came up I got a bit on the jittery side. But I was upfront and honest with my customer. I shared the photo with her explained how tiny the pattern ended up. She understood my point and after a few emails discussing this design we figured out a way to make the zebra print stand out. Now I can't wait for someone to order this pattern! I LOVED PAINTING IT!

This sign was created for a newborn baby and the customer wanted the little zebras on there to fill in the space. But if you don't want the zebras on there I could leave them out. In the empty space I could paint some flowers, trees, stars or just about anything will work. Or we could just leave it be with the name. Then the sign would be sure to 'grow' with your little girl. Picture it...this design without the zebras. Wouldn't it still work well for a teenager? I certainly think so!

While custom artwork can be frustrating at times I do love it! I enjoy the fact that any piece of my artwork can be tweaked to suit your needs. This 'tweaking' opens up a whole new world for satisfying your room décor needs. What may be perfect for a newborn girl could also be perfect for a tween girl as long as you're in tune with your imagination and you're up for me making a few small changes.

Fun, fun, fun! My work is almost always fun! And I am blessed!

More sharing coming soon...until then,

BAM 10,000 Facebook Fan Auction

I have one of my wood burnings listed in an auction that's being held on the Business Among Moms Facebook Page...

Click on over to see all the wonderful items that are up for bidding!

Business Among Moms 10,000 Fan Auction

My wood burned angel is included among all of the wonderful items. It has a retail value of $36.00 and the bidding starts at $1.00!!

Make sure to click on over and join in on the bidding!

More fun on the way...until then,

Gold and Silver Fever

The men in my family are fans of those reality TV shows that chronicle a group of men spending thousands upon thousands of dollars digging for gold. I have to say that every once in a while I sit down and watch these shows with them. While I find the idea of digging for gold in these freezing cold climates insane, I have to admit that some of the men are true characters and I find their stories intriguing.

However, as I sit and offer my point of view calling these men crazy, in actuality this dream of moving heaven and earth to find gold is not a new concept. People have been digging, hoping and dreaming of finding their own pot of gold for centuries.

Recently I came across this interesting graphic that breaks down how people have digging for gold and silver, too, over thousands of years.

Presented By GreatSouthernCoins.com visit greatsoutherncoins.com

In reading the facts listed in this graphic I learned some interesting information:

-- I didn't realize that at one point silver was considered more valuable than gold.
-- While I did know that some of our country's most prosperous cities grew out of the gold rush I didn't realize how quickly they grew. At the start of the gold rush San Fransico had only 200 permanent citizens. However, in only six years that number grew to 36,000! Now that remarkable!
-- Silver is making a big comeback. I did know about this fact. I have a friend who, a few months back, needed cash rather quickly. She took some old silverware that she had wrapped up in her attic to the local jeweler. Thinking she only had a couple hundred dollars worth of silver she quickly learned that in reality she had over $1200.00! Now that's pretty cool and a nice surprise!

I found this infographic interesting and I'm sure if you take some time to read it you'll learn some new facts, too!

More interesting things to come...until then,

Wearable Art Jewelry and Pendants

October is always a slow month for me so the last week or so I've been spending time making wearable art pendants. Creating things that are outide of my normal work--i.e. the items I sell from Creative Name Signs and Images of Home--is fun for me because I can just let myself go and see what my imagination comes up with.

My art pendants are made of a variety of craft supplies most of which I have sitting around my art room. Some pendants are made of wood scraps that I have leftover from my name signs. Sometimes I use a small piece of wood or a small glass tile that I purchase at my local craft store. Using a heavy glue and sealant I incorporate a print of my artwork onto a pendant. Another way I make my art pendants is to use my wood burning tool where I burn a design into a small piece of wood. It really all depends on what mood I'm in on any particular day.

This is my favorite wooden pendant necklace...

Then I made this one (not listed anywhere yet) which is somewhat personalized for me. The background of the pendant was taken from a print of my painting that I call "Colorful Spirals". The three tiny hearts represent each one of my children...

Since my art pendants are new and not anything I've sold as of yet I decided to try out this new website called Fiverr.com. I found it a few months ago and finally had the time last week to really delve into it and see what I can do. I listed a few of my pendants there as well as a few holiday ornaments that I painted. It is pretty fun and I've had some inquiries already.

Here's a link to my listings...Jane Loedding Art on Fiverr.com.

I'd love it if you'd take some time to check out my work. And if you see something you like...then what the heck...it's only $5.00!!

Okay...it's getting late in the morning and I need to shower. I know very soon my son will be calling for me to go pick him up from his fiend's house. More fun to come...until then,

My 'Sugar Skull' Art

I just learned how out of it I am. Up until about a week or so ago I had never heard the term 'sugar skull'. I had the TV on for background noise...as usual. I overheard the term sugar skull and I wondered what it was. The term floated around in my brain for a few days and finally I decided to look it up. This is what I learned:

"The Sugar Skull is one of the main symbols or images seen during the Day of the Dead festivities and represents the past ancestors of Mexico. The reason they are called "sugar skulls" is because the authentic sugar skulls were made out of clay molded sugar."

Then I went on to do a search for images of sugar skulls. I was fascinated with how colorful, ornate and pretty they were. I love to paint with color and last night I sat down to paint my first sugar skull...

The realization of how out of it I really am materialized when I showed the painting to my daughter and husband. They both already knew what a sugar skull was. My daughter rolled her eyes and informed me that she learned all about this stuff in school in Spanish class. DUH! Apparently I've been hiding under a rock for far too long! Oh well, I'll have to get over it!

Meanwhile, I had a great time painting it and I hope to be able to paint more!

Okay...got more orders to fulfill so I'd better get off this computer and get to work!

More sharing to come soon...until then,

Interesting Rock Festival Statistics

Have you ever attended a rock festival? I've never been to one but I've heard about them my entire life. Who, like me at the ripe old age of 47, hasn't heard of 'Woodstock'?? I'm the youngest of 5 kids so this infamous rock festival was something I learned about years ago.

Then several years ago I was a fan of the hit TV show on MTV 'The Ozbournes'. Watching that I learned about 'Ozzfest' which is a music festival for heavy metal fans.

Here's a very interesting graphic detailing the statistics and demographics of rock festivals.

Infographic Provided by EquipSupply

I have to say that I can't help but scratch my head and wonder why people go to these events. They're obviously for the young...or at least the young at heart! I know I'm getting old, but have no desire to go and plant myself in a sea of strangers! Talk about claustrophobia and germophobia! I'd be freaking out in a matter of minutes!

And also in reading this graphic I'm flabbergasted at the ticket prices! If I wasn't panicking about the millions of people and germs surrounding me I'd certainly be freaking out over the cost just to walk through the gates! And I can't imagine the cost of any food or drinks once you get inside. The companies that provide the event supplies and concession machines must salivate at the idea of being part of these festivals. I'm sure they rake in the bucks at such events!

I don't want to be a downer. I was young once and went to concerts all the time. These festivals are similar to concerts...they just last longer...days longer. I'm sure those who attend these events have a great time and have lots of fun. But I think in my old age I've become too prudent and uptight! Rock festivals aren't created for an old and frugal mama like me!

Regardless if you'd ever attend any kind of rock festival I did find the graphic very informative!

Okay...more fun and interesting information coming soon...until then,

Artificial Christmas Trees

When I was very young...around 3 or 4 years old...I had a serious allergic reaction to our family's real Christmas tree. I have a very vague recollection of waking in the middle of the night struggling to breath. The next thing I recall I was sitting in the emergency room with my parents. I remember being very scared. Thankfully my parents got me to the hospital in time, the allergy shots quickly went into gear and I was fine.

Having this allergic reaction resulted in our family having to get an artificial tree. To this day I have never had a real tree in any of my homes. But I don't regret it. I do enjoy how a real tree can look...we have many friends who trek out every year to the tree farm and get these sweet, sometimes 'Charlie Brownish' looking trees. They look very sweet. But as for my family we have the good, old fashioned fake tree. But I truly don't mind!

My daughter and I get into the holiday decorating mode the day after Thanksgiving. My husband and our two sons go up to their friends' hunting camp for a couple of days while we stay home and set the stage for the upcoming holidays. We don't need to rely on any man's muscle to stuff the tree into our van, drag the tree home, carry it into our house and complain as they set it up. We simply go down to our basement, unpack it piece by piece and get it done on our own! Yes, we are women...here us roar!

Over the years my kids have complained about having an artificial tree exclaiming that they'd like a real one. But honestly, once we get our tree up it looks so beautiful! Here's a photo from Christmas a couple of years ago:

Ahhh! I just love looking at that picture! In my opinion it oozes the essence of this sweet and wonderful season!

Aside from the fact that I'm never in the mood to deal with a serious allergic reaction I really do love artificial Christmas trees. I've heard people complain that they can be a bit pricey when you first purchase one, but over time they definitely pay off. Plus they are beautifully shaped and the size is included on the box and, if you prepare yourself, you figure out what size will fit your home. Our friends always guess at what size they need and, over the years, they've gotten a few that we were too tall and they ended up having to cut off the tree tops. Another positive point in favor of an artifical tree is you don't have to worry about watering it. Needles don't fall all over the place as the tree dries out. And one year I recall another family we are friends with brought a few bugs in with ther tree! Yuck!

We've had prelit trees since they came out with them a few years ago. One year we pulled our tree out, put it together and plugged it in. And guess what? The lights didn't work! Now mind you, I was all snuggled up at home and wasn't about to run to the store and try to find a new tree after putting this one up. So I went down to our basement found a couple strings of old lights and put them on the tree. Voila! We were set!

In my opinion there are many more positives to having an artificial tree. They're always gorgeous, less expensive in the long run, safer from fire hazards and we don't need any men around to help us carry it home and set it up!

So as the days get shorter, the nights get longer and the weather starts to get much cooler my excitement starts to rev up. Halloween is right around the corner and then Thanksgiving. Before we blink it will be that time again and I can hardly wait!

But okay...I've been focusing lately in living in the present moment! I'll try to enjoy the here and now and not get too far ahead of myself. But every once in a while I can daydream about what's ahead, right?

Well, I better get in gear as I have a busy day. I'm sure I'll have more to share soon. Until then,

Maternity and Nursing Clothes

I just celebrated my 47th birthday yesterday so the subject of maternity clothing certainly isn't front and enter in my mind. However, I've recently been blessed with the title 'Great Aunt' and I'm soon to be twice blessed with that glorious title. My nephew and his girlfriend just had a beautiful baby girl. And my niece is due any day now with her first child. I can't believe how much I love these babies already! I can hardly wait to spoil them like crazy!

Meanwhile, as my nieces progressed through their pregnancies I couldn't help but notice how cute they looked. When I was pregnant I would never have thought of wearing tight fitting clothing. I wore the flouncy oversized tops that made me look like a whale. I know...I don't like to complain because, as my husband so eloquently stated several times, "It's a temporary inconvenience for a long term gain." Yes, looking and feeling huge was only temporary and resulted in the three greatest loves of my life! But maternity fashions back in the mid-to-late 90's and earlier left a lot to be desired.

I'm sure you've seen images of the latest trend in maternity clothing on T.V., in magazines and on the internet, too. The tops, slacks and dresses are very form fitting. Not only does the mommy-to-be's belly stick out, sometimes you can see their newly displayed 'outty' belly button! But honestly none of that matters! I think these women look completely darling with their tummies sticking out. They should be proud of the miracle that is in process. Shout it out to everyone and let that growing belly be seen! Hind sight being 20/20 I wish I would have been proud to show my baby bump.

In this modern age being stylish doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg. It's easy and affordable to find stylish maternity clothing. I've discovered websites like Trendytummymaternity.com which offer a large variety of maternity tops, dresses, jeans and more and the prices aren't as high as you might expect. That's a big plus! I recall when I was pregnant that maternity clothes tended to be quite pricey. There were very few maternity stores in our area and the ones that I frequented were very expensive.

So while, I can't change for myself what took place nearly 15-20 years ago, I'm happy to support the modern trend in maternity clothing. Accentuating the beauty of a pregnant young lady is, in my opinion, placing a very positive light on a miracle in progress!

Okay...I better get moving and get to drawing portraits and painting name signs. More interesting topics and fun on the way very soon so stay tuned...until then,

Fun drawings...

I thought I'd share a couple little drawings I made in the past. I'm a nervous type of person and I have a hard time sitting still...that is unless I'm completely exhausted! Then I can lay down and sleep without much trouble.

But every once in a while when I'm sitting around filling a little bit of time...like when I'm on the phone with someone and I get put on hold...I doodle. And during the cold winter months I seem to have more time on my hands so I'll take out my drawing pad and play around a bit.

Here are a couple pictures of a few little doodles I made...

"Dreaming of Chocolate"

"Hope"

"Girls Dream"

"Shoe on a Pedestal"

"My Kind of Tea Party"

I hope you enjoy them...I always have fun when I'm creating!

More fun to come soon...until then,

Skin Care

Not to brag, but one trait that was handed down to me through my genetic coding was good skin. My dad always looked younger than he was and he had very few wrinkles as he aged. I have a few wrinkles such as the typical crows feet around my eyes and I know my skin is showing it's age in some respects for sure. But every now and then I unexpectedly run into some of my classmates or friends from years ago and I see a big difference between the amount of wrinkles they have and the amount I have.

Fortunately I've been blessed with healthy skin but I also take care of it. I don't go crazy like some people and buy every new skincare product that comes down the pike that's touted as the next best thing. But I do try products that are recommended to me by family and friends. Over the past few years I've built up a list of some of my favorites.

I've purchased the products I like at different retail brick and mortar stores and I've also bought some products online. I'm sure some people are hesitant to purchase these types of products on the Internet, but there are a variety of reputable skin care retailers online such as beautybridge.com that have a solid reputation and many devoted customers. I can say with confidence that buying skin care products online is a safe bet as long as you are familiar with the retailer.

Not only can you buy skin care products online, but you can also buy your favorite brand of cosmetics, bath and body products, hair care products, nail care and more. Just make sure to do your homework so you know that you are buying from an authorized merchant.

As I'm sure you're aware a big issue now a days is being more conscious about our environment. I have to admit I can be a bit of a 'green mom'...not quite what you'd call 'crunchy'...but 'green' yes. I try to pay attention and use products that are friendly to nature. And that includes some of my skin care products as well.

G.M. Collin Products fall into the niche of skin care that are rooted in nature and will help your skin to look great from the inside out. Their products are created from natural plant and marine extracts so you can feel confident that you're getting products derived from nature.

You can also purchase Babor merchandise at BeautyBridge.com which are produced in an environmentally friendly manner. Not only is the product created in a way to protect the environment, but their packaging is as well. That's something that a 'green' mom like me likes to hear.

So, while I'm a 'green' mom who's been blessed with decent skin I do work at taking care of it. I don't spend hours and hours of the day basking in the sun. And if I am going to be in the sun I make sure to use a good sunscreen. I also use moisturizers every morning and night. I was my face before bed and again in the morning. And I use good quality skin care products. Plus I also exercise daily.

Speaking of which, I'd better get moving now. I have to take my nightly walk and it's getting a bit late in the day. I don't want to be walking the dog in the dark!

I'll have more fun to share soon...until then,

Invitations for Birthdays

Right now I am enjoying a much needed family vacation at the beach in North Carolina. My family comes down here every year and because my kids are still in high school...well my oldest just graduated...we have to take our yearly vacations during the summer months. For some reason it always works out that our vacation week coincides with my youngest son's birthday. We've celebrated a number of his birthdays down here and sometimes I feel bad. I often think that we should pick a different week for vacation so we can throw him a nice party at home with a bunch of his friends. But other times I figure he has nothing to complain about. I'd love it if I could spend my birthdays at the ocean!

So every year I promise him that one of these summers he'll be able to have a big birthday bash at home. (I really hope I can keep that promise!)

This summer we waited until the last minute to make our vacation plans which gave me some time to at least consider a party at home for him. I came across a website that sold a large variety of party invitations and fortunately they offer beautiful invitations for birthdays. Being that I do a large volume of printing on my own home computer I could easily print some of my own. But heck...it seems so much more fun to buy them!

They offer so many different types of invitations at Invitation Box that I was a bit overwhelmed when making my decision. After my initial searching I narrowed it down and considered my son and how he likes to spend his time. He plays a variety of sports with baseball being his favorite so I searched for a sports theme invitation. He's turning 14 and since some of the styles were for much younger boys I decided to also look into the adult themed invitations, too. Luckily I found a nice variety that suited my son's tastes.

Meanwhile, as I continued on through the website I remembered that next year my husband will be celebrating his 50th birthday. Hmmmm...I definitely have to keep this website in mind! I've never had a big bash for him and I know I could find something that would work for him.

So even though we had to celebrate my son's big day down here at the beach and we didn't have a party at home I'll definitely keep InvitationBox.com invitations for birthdays in mind for my husband's up coming big day.

Okay...I'm off to relax a bit more at the beach! I'll have more interesting things to share with you soon...until then,

Howdy!

Wow! I've been out of the loop for a while now! So much has gone on during the past month and the time has comppletely gotten away from me. Needless to say my blogging habits have gone by the wayside. My oldest son graduated, then we had a handful of graduation parties to attend. Two weeks after his graduation we had his party which took lots of time and attention away from my so-called 'normal' life. Now it's almost the Fourth of July! Summer is flying by.

Meanwhile I thought I'd share a few photos of some of my recent work. I finally got around to setting up a Facebook page dedicated to my Creative Name Signs website. The first day of networking I got an order for a personalized plaque with this quote...

"Life is too short to wear department store jewelry."

My customer was very flexible with her color scheme choice and basically let me choose how to create the sign. I really enjoyed creating it...here's a photo:

Then I created this child room sign for another customer...this one--as you can guess--was for a little girl...

I love how the unicorn turned out. I thought using purple for the background added so much to the theme.

And my last sharing for today...I created this nursery room sign for an expectant mom of a baby boy...

I always love creating nautical theme plaques. I blame that on my love of the beach!

Okay...I've shared enough today. I have a book review to post and I hope to get to that in the next few days.

Until then...enjoy these wonderful days of summer! And Happy Fourth of July!

Quote and some catching up to do

I've been super busy the past few weeks. My kids finished up the school year and my oldest son has officially graduated from high school! Wow! The years have simply flown by.

He has done so well and is now hoping to get a summer job so he can save for when he goes away to college at the end of August. I'll miss him so much, but I know he's ready to sprout his wings and get to flying on his own. He's a fantastic person and I know he'll be successful no matter what direction he takes in life.

Meanwhile in trying to play catch up with my work world I found this wonderful quote in my Daily Guru emails:

"Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his
pictures."-- Henry Ward Beecher

Loving that thought this morning!

Here's a photo of  a wood burning that I created a few weeks ago. I certainly dipped my woodburning brush that day...

As you can guess I've been pining away for a trip to the ocean!

More fun and sharing on the way soon...until then,

Online Coupons for Frugal Folks Like Us

I've said it before and I'll say it again, "My husband and I are a couple of tight wads!" Some people will find that irritating, but many will have a bit of respect for us. We've managed for the past several years to survive on a tight budget and the only way we've been able to do that is through frugal living.

With that being said I want to share my thoughts on online coupons, where to look for them and how we've fared with them in the past.

Best Online Coupons has a huge variety of online coupons shared on their site and I'm confident you'll find some of your favorite stores listed there. I see Macy's, Old Navy, QVC, Dell, 6pm, Target, Best Buy and Dicks Sporting Goods just to rattle off a few. They offer newly released online coupons, expiring online coupons and a variety of hot online coupons. And what makes it so easy is you can see the online coupon code right there along with the expiration date. I added that site to my Favorites right after I discovered it!

And how about travel coupons? Over the past few years my husband and I saddened our children by announcing that we weren't able to take a family vacation because money was too tight. However, by mid summer we seemed to have a change of heart only because we were able to find some pretty good travel deals. If you are like us in that manner of thinking then check out this link--Expedia coupon code 2012. You find a large number of discounts offered on airfare, hotels, car rentals and more. In a brief scan of the page I see lots of 'last minute' deals which are right up my husbands alley! I saw one for Las Vegas and got a bit excited. We went there two times many years ago before our kids were born and we always talk about going back. Now that the kids are growing up and becoming more independent I would definitely feel more at ease leaving them at home with my sister or mother-in-law.

Over at Deals2.com it's unreal the online coupons and coupon codes you'll find to help save a few bucks. Regarding travel they also have a large variety of links and I saw quite a few listed that we've used in the past. Their Expedia coupons range from Disneyland Resorts and Maui Hotels to car rentals. Right from your computer you could check out a vacation package and book it, Then click back and book your car rental! Or if you like to take cruises they have cruise packages as well.

Another list of Expedia coupons includes offers for destinations such as Galveston Island, Los Angeles and a few more deals for Las Vegas! Woo! I'm really going to have to take a look at these offers. My sister just got back from Vegas last week and hearing her talk about her trip and share her stories really has me ready to get back there.

I'll be sure to share my decision with you soon. Although I'm drooling over the thought of a trip to Vegas for just my husband and I, I have a feeling we'll be doing our regular family vacation this summer. I've shared with you that my oldest son is heading to college in the fall and the thought of taking a vacation with out my kids at this major life turning point doesn't seem likely. But who knows? Maybe we'll take two vacations! With all the deals I'm finding we might be able to swing it!

Okay, more sharing on the way soon...until then,