Photo of the Week

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Obviously, this photo wasn't taken this week.  But I thought that since this little angel has been on my mind so much this week, it was only fitting to have her as my first Photo of the Week post.   (That's a lot of "weeks" in one paragraph!)

Claire just turned one in August and even though I desperately try not to think about her birth and the days after, that seems to be all I can think about lately.  

There are a couple new and, quite frankly, stinking adorable babies around me these days.  Holding these tiny little creatures has given me a bit of baby fever.  But as soon as I think, "Yeah, why not?  We could have another one."  My brain then comes to a screeching halt and I immediately think about her birth.

I don't know if Mr. MCD and I will ever have another baby.  We both want one.  But I think I'm too afraid right now to even try.

As for the picture.  This was the very first picture I took of her to share with everyone.  I took it on August 31st, 2011, 20 days after she was actually born, and I still didn't share it until September 1st.  I remember thinking and asking Mr. MCD if he thought we could...if we should.  I think I kept thinking that the amazing miraculous recovery she had made would all of a sudden disappear and I really wouldn't get to have her after all.

Claire is a miracle and there is no doubt about that.  She has no physical issues...a shock.  She has no brain damage...a COMPLETE shock.  In fact, she's crazy smart.

I am lucky I came out of it alive and, God willing, still able to have future babies if our family wishes and Claire is truly a blessed baby.

We love our family and we love our friends.  It always amazes me the support and comfort people can give in the darkest of situations.  

Happy 1st Birthday to my little miracle.

Until next time...

Linked up to "Photo Friday" at The Hollie Rogue

DIY Inspiration Line

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Hi there!  I've got a fun little tutorial today.  This project cost me ZERO dollars!  However, I had all the ingredients from previous projects.  No fear though!  If you want to make your very own Inspiration Line and need to get the materials, you can make just one stop at your local craft store and spend under $10.  Not bad when you consider how stinking cute these things are.

Materials needed for your very own Inspiration Line include:

Twine - cut to desired length

Miniature Clothespins

Putty Adhesive

Hot Glue (optional)

Embellishments/Buttons (optional)

Just as a side note, the putty I used was your basic sticky-tack variety.  A little goes a long way.  With that said, you want to make sure the majority of the back of the clothespin is covered in order to have a secure hold.

Three small pieces seemed sufficient.  I also chose to use three clothespins to secure to the wall as the length I wanted would have put too much strain on two clothespins alone.  I highly suggest dividing the distance between endpoints if your length is going to be more than 15-20 inches.

Here they are firmly pressed against the wall.  And then I realized...

I needed a bit of color.  After all, this is in the playroom, which is full of color...

Plus, I've had these buttons that were given to me for over a year.  I've tried to use them several times.  However, I couldn't find a high flyin' thing to put these on!

So of course, I cut off the shank with utility scissors (the shank was plastic) and hot glued those cuties to the clothespins.  More than adorable!

This part is completely optional.  In fact I did this same project without embellishments in my kitchen area to rotate artwork made by G.  I love the naked clothespins just as much.

Next clip on your string and attach your beautiful and inspirational pictures and memorabilia to the twine with the extra clothespins.  So easy, it's silly.

On my Inspiration Line I have a recent letter from the oh so beautiful Shannah of Write Before Your Eyes and one of my favorite pictures of Mr. MCD and G during Father's Day back in 2010.  There is also a cool postcard, a bow, a favorite note card, birthday card and some art by my amazing Niece and Nephew.  I'm sure there will be more, but I'm happy to now have those things I love and look to for comfort and inspiration right in front of my creative work space.

  

I hope you have enjoyed this simple tutorial.  I love the whimsy it brings to the room.  I also love the fact that it took me no more than ten minutes to complete.  That's a win-win right there.  If making this from scratch it would be under $10 in 10 minutes...are you kidding me.

This little sewing/crafting desk is actually in the playroom but it's permanent and the sewing machine can stay out at all times. The Inspiration Line makes this little area even more personal  in a sea of toys and I love that. 

Thanks for stopping by!  Until next time...

Big Fat Stuffed Envelope!!!

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I recently participated in a swap called "Big Fat Stuffed Envelope".  Wow!  What a tremendous loot!  My swap partner gave me oodles of cool stationary, a nice hand made bookmark, blank ATC's (Artist Trading Cards), a beautiful blank postcard from Louisiana with a Magnolia flower on it...she didn't know it but that has significant meaning to me.  I went to Magnolia Springs State Park when I was a kid and I just had such a wonderful time...It was the first time that I realized how much I loved the outdoors...and can't go too long without being in some natural setting.

I think I may now have an obsession with these swaps.

It's even better than a letter in a way.  I open it up to find goodies that someone hand picked or even hand made for me.

I always have to send a nice thank you note.  And since Jennifer gave me such wonderful things, I decorated the envelope a little.

Until Next Time...

A Few Clothing Sketches...and one unfinished piece

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I thought I would share with you a few clothing sketches that I made back in 2009...wow!  That seems so long ago now.  I was living in Ohio and was starting to dream of making my own clothing for my little one.  I got a little carried away with these as the home I was visiting had beautiful renderings of Victorian ladies and their exquisite dresses of that era.  So, inspired, I took charcoal to paper and here is what I designed.

I like this.  A little more of a modern approach as back in the Victorian days, there was no such thing as a bare arm.

This one just looks comfy.  I was envisioning something that could be played in while not worrying about if it were to be stained.

Can you tell I'm a fan of ruffles???

Cute!

Looks like a circus tent!

This might be more "flapper" era.

Oh...and I found this unfinished piece.  I completely forgot about it.  I started it back in 2006 and I should really finish it.  It was going to be a collage of sorts...but now I don't remember the direction I was going.  It's sharpie and color pencil.

Until next time....

Mail Art: Shannah with an "H"

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Oh, my dear friend Shannah!  How patient you are!

Look at this great mail art from my pen twin, Shannah over at Write Before Your Eyes!

I really can't get enough of the Chinese New Year dragon, very colorful.

I finally got the chance to respond and I gave her some hand drawn stationary.  I just love drawing.  It is really a comfort to me.  

And yes, those are my hands holding a polka dot pencil.

S...for my name, for her name, for my favorite word...serpentine.

I have a thing with trees.  When I was a child, I couldn't stop drawing trees.  We had a giant sycamore tree in the back yard.  The bark was ghostly white and in the winter when the leaves were all gone it was quite a sight.  But I have drawn and stared at that tree all my life.  I was always fascinated at drawing trees mainly because, you can't go wrong.  A tree, in my opinion, is like a face, it can have many different expressions.

The above tree I drew from a memory of a house that I passed every day driving from school.  It had these teeny-tiny little twig like trees lining the driveway and at the top was a mop of leaves.  They always made me laugh.  They reminded me of Carrot Top!

Again, I've taken these photos with my camera phone...and the contrast is no good.  I did my best with editing but to no avail.  The drawings are much darker in person and I hope Shannah enjoyed them as much as I enjoyed drawing them for her.

Here is the handmade envelope for her.  I was tired of the plain manila envelopes and I have been itching to use this paper.  It's simple but it's cute! 

Until next time...