Mommy Dearest (me lately)

Happy Belated Mother's Day to you!  Sorry it's been a while since I've posted.  I've been busy painting for clients (and me), decorating for clients (and me) and shopping for clients (and me).  It's been fun, but exhausting.  Rewarding but draining. Invigorating but stressful. 

 I've got a stiff neck, sore back and a right eye twitch to prove it, but I still am so thankful to be able to do what I do and have some free time to do what I really love to do...which is to spend time with my peeps.

Yesterday, we celebrated all Mom's - of which I have the very bestest one.
Here's a pic I snapped of her yesterday in the park. Let's just say I don't deserve her, but I am so very thankful that God saw fit to make her mine.

I came across a blog post yesterday that I thought was very true and touching. It's a blog I've been following called "Momastery", written beautifully by a girl named Glennon Melton. She calls her blog readers "Monkees" (you'll get it once you read her back story) and if you click on it, I know you will leave me forever, but I won't even be offended.

 It's raw, real and very inspiring. And it has nothing to do with decorating...but everything to do with living your very best life. Check it out sometime. This partial post (below) speaks to what I was feeling yesterday about Mothering. Here's a blurb from her blog:

"Mother’s day is brutal for many people, and I’m not going to be able to change that here. I’m just hoping that acknowledging it will help a bit.


I do want to try to explain my evolving definition of the word Mother. I am starting to understand that the word works better for me as a verb than a noun. Mothering is a choice we make, like loving is a choice. We do not need to have given birth or to have signed adoption papers to Mother. To Mother, to me, means to nurture. To heal, to help grow, to give. And so anyone and everyone who is involved in the healing of the world is a Mother. Anyone who tends to a child, or friend, or stranger, or animal or garden is a Mother. Anyone who tends to Life is a Mother. Tomorrow is a celebration of all the healers and hopers and lovers and givers and tend-ers. In other words- tomorrow is for every single one of you Monkees".

Howard...THAT WAS AND IS FOR YOU!!

(Tribute blog to my little sister another day soon).

In honor of Mother's Day, I put together some pictures of some of the things I've been working on to fill custom orders for Mother's Day gifts and to bring to my booth at Not So Shabby. Make sure to check out the store this spring. I've got lots of 'smalls' in there right now, but as soon as you buy up some more things, I will be bringing in some bigger pieces. Here's what's kept me busy lately....

Before

And a few before/After pics just for good measure.

After

This cabinet below belongs to a client. The flowered stencils are "Before".  Linen white with a walnut stain "After".

Before

After

Old table legs from an antique dining table

Before

After

That's it for now. My neck is no longer holding my head up and it's way past my bedtime. Nighty-night Monkees!  (We're gonna have to come up with our own nickname here)! :)

I'm open to suggestions.  See you back here soon.