fresh picked whimsy

You had me at "barn sale"

Indy area peeps....you have to get out to the Resyled Barn Sale!!!!

My sister Susan surprised me with tickets to the preview night last night and it was AMAZING! It was a beautiful autumn night with white twinkle lights everywhere and we were surrounded by so much creative goodness! 

{junkey monkey's gorgeous booth}

Our mom was originally supposed to go with us, but has just recently had hip replacement surgery and our other sister Kim would have wanted to be with us but she lives in Georgia!  So...because we wanted them to feel like they were with us, we got a little creative...and brought them with us in our own way!

People kept asking us about them and laughed when they saw us taking pictures with them.  We even scored two extra drink tickets just because the lady at the gate loved that we brought them with us...in spirit!  Love!  Thanks, Mom & Kim!

A couple of my friends had booths here and i couldn't wait to see them!  This is Jill Broadhacker of Jilly Jack Designs.  She has a letterpress lab and art studio.  Her work is fabulous!

i bought this print of hers for Susan's birthday...

i was also excited to see my friend, Lindsay Clark of Seven Lemons.  Her paintings and illustrations are so fun!  I bought this one for my own collection...

There was live music at the farm...performing on a haywagon.  Don't you love it!?

and the Flying Cupcake food truck, which is just too damn cute...

There were not one, but two mobile boutiques!  This one, which was made from a vintage school bus...

and this one, Bizzy's Boutique, which was originally a bookmobile!  Oh my gosh, how i loved bookmobile day in elementary school...

Tuns out, this beauty is owned by Amy of Bizzy Buckets...someone who i had been in a holiday pop up shop with a couple of years ago.  Amy saw me in the truck and said "hey, you look really familiar!"  I immediately remembered her. 

 She and her husband completely and adorably renovated this bookmobile and turned it into a mobile artisan market.  It's genius and i wish it were mine!  So so clever!  Amy asked me to get in touch with her about putting some of my art in the Bizzy Mobile Boutique.  I will definitely follow up.  I am so inspired by creative people!

The sale continues today and tomorrow and it's out in Westfield among some really beautiful farmland.  Get out there and support small business owners, friends!  I did buy a pretty fabulous new industrial work table desk for the studio, but let the gal who sold it to me keep it until Saturday because it was a major part of her display.  I'll share it with you when i get it all set up!  I'm so excited about it!!!

Thanks, Susan for such a fun night.  Love you!

Rockstars

My little sister Susan invited me to go with her to see Zac Brown Band on Saturday night...and we partied like rockstars.  Or, at least we felt like rockstars.  Even if we were just two sisters/moms who had a girl's night out and got some unexpected V.I.P. treatment!

We actually got free tickets from her very generous and very well connected friend and that was enough to make us just thrilled to be going...even if it was 105 degrees outside. 

Then, when we got there and called her friend to meet up and get the tix, she invited us into the V.I.P. Jack Daniels tour bus for cocktails. 

There were people swarming the bus all around it...just hoping the door would open and they could catch a glimpse inside.  As soon as we walked up, the door popped open, her friend greeted us and a very large burly man pleaded with her to let him in, too.  Sorry buddy...maybe next time.  It was surreal...and i immediately felt embarassed that i hadn't put more thought into what i was wearing.  Silly me...i was so concerned about the sweltering heat melting my make up down my face that i didn't even put it on!!!!  Reality was...nobody cared. 

Looking out the window of the bus at the gates...

We met and hung out for a little while with the ZBB bus driver and some of the crew.  'Cuz we're cool like that.  Inside we were freaking out, but we played it cool and secretly squeezed each other's hands when they made us incredibly strong cocktails and non-chalantly gave us v.i.p. lounge wristbands.  Susan's friend handed us our tickets and hugged us as we got ready to leave for the show.  She got us amazing seats, too.  Cherry on top!

On our way out of the bus, we snapped this pic of ourselves inside the door of the bus...all the while scratching our heads as to how we got so lucky.

Made a trip to the lounge where i snapped this pic of the toilet because i thought it was cool...

Katie and her friends were at the show, too.  They had lawn seats so we let them swap seats with us a couple times so they could check out the show up close, too.

The real shocker came when we first got into our seats before the show started.  That's when we realized the man sitting next to us was our priest!  This is me trying to snap a picture of him without being too obvious.  I was trying to send it to our other sister Kim in Georgia. 

Then, he recognized us and we all had a good laugh and enjoyed the show with the good father.  He always wears cowboy boots under his robes.  I said to him "i should have known by your cowboy boots that you were a country music fan, father!"  Susan and I were afraid it was going to make the night awkward, but really it was awesome.  So much fun!

Seriously...it was an incredible show.  If you get the chance to see ZBB...GO!

Thank you, Susan, for a super fun sisters night out {Kim, we missed you!} and thank you, V...for making us feel like rockstars!  xo

 

just another day in paradise...

 "The kids screaming, phone ringing
Dog barking at the mailman bringing
That stack of bills - overdue
Good morning baby, how are you?
Got a half hour, quick shower
Take a drink of milk but the milk's gone sour
My funny face makes you laugh
Twist the top on and I put it back
There goes the washing machine
Baby, don't kick it.
I promise I'll fix it
Long about a million other things"

Mark and I call that song by Phil Vassar our own personal theme song.  You can listen to the song and watch the {little bit cheesy} video here.  Seriously, it was as if the guy was in our house, watching our life when he wrote it.  That last part about the washing machine being broken is particularly true to life for us.  Only it's not just the washing machine.  It's the dryer, vacuum cleaner, dishwasher, kitchen sink, ice maker, shower stall, pool cover, pool heater, half painted house, half finished game room...and on and on. 

No, i'm not looking for you to have pity on us.  We live in an awesome, cozy, wonderful house that we wouldn't trade for anything.  Honestly, we adore it.  We are blessed beyond measure.  But, i was having one of those days today.  And, when you live in a 40+ year old house, things give out and things need replacing.  It's stressful and comical at the same time.  We have to laugh about it or we will cry.  There's always something...  And, when you're on the verge of making college tuition payments, you tend to try to repair things yourselves rather than pay someone else to do it. 

Mark has fixed our hand-me-down, duct-taped vacuum cleaner at least a dozen times.  The last time was this past weekend and today I vacuumed for about 2 minutes before this happened....

it literally fell apart.  and i had to laugh.  Made me immediately think of that scene in the movie The Money Pit with Tom Hanks...you know that scene...

  

 ok, just had to share my funny housekeeping woes with you...

and yes, i'm fully aware how fortunate we are and how unfortunate so many other people are around the world.  Like i said, i'm not looking for sympathy...just thought we would giggle together because i was having "one of those days" where everything seems to be breaking around me, the dog pooped on my shoe, the kitchen sink is backed up, i opened the dryer door and a bolt fell out, and the internet went out on me in the middle of typing this post.  And, i know sometimes you have those days, too.  Right? 

Yes indeed, life is very good...and sometimes you just gotta laugh.

can't get enough of this everyday love

Love that Rascal Flatts song.  It so fits the way i feel at this very moment.  Finding love and joy in everyday things.  Like my favorite faces in my kitchen...

 Sunny's fashion sense...

coffee and blog time most mornings...

plants that i have managed to keep alive in the winter!!!  My mom will be so happy!

Still having Legos messes...fully aware that these days are numbered...

this canvas painted by my uber-talented Katie and gifted to me for Christmas.  Makes me cry every time i read it...

in awe that Riley can solve these puzzle cubes in mere minutes...he is crazy smart like his Daddy.

having a lit prayer candle on my kitchen counter.  A way of praying that my mom and her mom taught me.  at home, it's the first thing i do when someone needs to be lifted in prayer.  I buy these inexpensive devotional candles in the mexican food aisle at my grocery store.  Some people think they are cheesy, but i LOVE them. 

trying to read a magazine and having Sunny lay his big head on my arm so i can't turn the pages...

i adore that Griffin has my grandfather's funeral program pinned to his wall over his bed.  We talk about Poppop all the time and miss him so much...

so happy for every extra day that i get with this sweet girl.  She's hanging in there.  Thank you for all of your messages.  Day by day.

Hooray for Friday!  Pizza night tonight with Mark's parents and then tomorrow my boys are all heading downtown Indy for the NFL Experience, which they are so excited about!  Our little big town, Indianapolis is in a Superbowl frenzy right now.  Hope to have pictures for you this week.  Other than that, our weekend looks pretty quiet and i love that!  Hope you have a great one! xo

songs that Grandmas sing

 This one's for you, Mimi...

Listen to the Doris Day audio of the song "a Bushel and a Peck" ...

A Bushel and a Peck

...don't you just LOVE Doris Day?!

Mark's Mom has been singing that song to my kids since they were born.  They call her "Mimi".  Those sweet sentimental memories inspired this new print.

{Katie and her Mimi 1994}

{Mimi and her grandbabies in November}

I posted a copy of this new print on my personal facebook page and couldn't believe how many of my friend's parents or grandparents sang it to them, too.  I loved hearing all of their stories.  Now, i'm all nostalgic and i'm thinking i need to paint the song my grandma {whom we also called "Mimi"} sang to me!  My sisters and Mom will know exactly what song that is.  The rest of you will have to wait....!  Do you have happy memories of songs that your grandmothers sang to you?

Decembering...

I'm soaking up all the happiness of this season.  My kiddos last day of school before break is tomorrow!  Oh, how will i get it all done?  Somehow...i will.  I always do.  I wish i was one of those people who have their Christmas cards mailed and shopping done by Dec. 1st.  Never gonna happen.  I just don't have it in me.  I'm a hustle and bustle kinda girl.  I think i work best under pressure, actually.  That's my story and i'm stickin' to it!  December in our house...

thank goodness for online shopping!  So excited about all of my etsy purchases this year!

that pile of laundry doesn't care that it's messing with the zen of our beautiful tree.  It just keeps on comin'...

my favorite ornaments on the tree...

thank you, Pandora...

Jingle, our family elf has been quite naughty!  First he doodled on our family portrait...

then he got into my jewelry box!...

we printed out the schedule for the 25 days of Christmas on ABC Family.  we love all those Christmas specials.  We always save It's a Wonderful Life for Christmas Eve.  I hope to have a family night this weekend to watch White Christmas, too. 

we enjoyed our very last elementary school holiday choir concert last night. I still can't believe griffin is almost done there.  We got the middle school orientation information in his folder last week.  listening to kids singing christmas carols is always so sweet...

LOVE this holiday flash mob that is making the rounds on pinterest and facebook.  I want to be in a flash mob.  someday.  it's on my bucket list for sure.  even though i can't really sing.  or dance.  it still looks like so much fun.  enjoy!

 

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

 
{your first peek at new holiday art, available now in the shop!}

...at least it is, over at whimsy studios!  I know, i know...the leaves have only just begun to turn and fall and i'm blogging about Christmas?!?  Well, I've been embracing my inner elf and working on Christmassy things!  Pandora has been playing Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole and Harry Connick, Jr. holiday faves, putting me in the mood for all things yuletide! {you should see my kids faces when they get home from school and hear Christmas songs blasting throughout the house in September!} And, did you know that there are only...

88 days until Christmas!

No worries...i've got your holiday shopping woes taken care of!  Very soon i'll be announcing the dates for my Holiday Open Studio and other local holiday shows where you can find me.  And, have no fear, if you are not from the Indy area, i will of course, have special deals in my etsy shop to coincide with my events!  So, start making your lists and check them twice!  I will have art that's very, very nice!  xo

Now, i suppose i better get to changing my blog banner from the dog days of summer to fabulous fall!  Back to the drawing board!

{Christmas countdown website available here}

hot date night

My Dad took our kids for a day trip to Holiday World  and i had a smokin' hot date night with a smokin' hot man...

 
 no, not him!

Him...

 
we went to our very favorite concert of the summer...Kenny Chesney.  We look forward to this every year.  However, in 2010, Kenny took some time off.  So, the last time we had seen him was summer of 2009.  We always go with one of my very best college besties, Sue.  This was us at the concert in 2009.  a self portrait...

 

She scored us tickets again this year, so i made us some fun t-shirts, which we were sure Kenny would see from the stage. 

 
{ok, so it was really packed up in the lawn seats...he didn't see us...maybe next year} 

This year, her cute fireman hubs, Greg went with us too and we had so much fun!

 

We went early and tailgated and ran into our next door neighbors in the ginormous parking lot.  That's the best part of living in a little big town.  Sue made some of her sneaky lemonade {a faboo summer cocktail, which is also called "skip and go naked", which i will be blogging about this week...it's that good}.  We all had fun pre-partying.  Not really sure why we took this picture of our feet, but pretty sure it had something to do with the sneaky lemonade.

 
Kenny doing his thing...

 

Loving every minute of it!...

 

except for the rednecky crowd that seems to be rowdier and rowdier every year.  maybe we're just getting old?  nahhhhhhhhhh.  Do you smell somethin' funny?  What is that guy smoking back there, anyway?

 

Well, we had a blast with our friends on our fun night out , Kenny rocked it as usual...

 
 
 

and our kids had even more fun riding the coasters with PawPaw.  And, the highlight was this souvenir photo that they brought back with them.  That's Riley, my nephew Ben, Katie and my awesome, terrified pop.  Thanks, Dad, for taking one for the team!  You rock!♥

  

snow flurries predicted in the studio today...

I know, i still have my summer blog banner up.  Yet, it's Christmas in the studio!  Pandora is blasting Bing Crosby and Nat King Cole Christmas tunes and I'm painting things like this...

 
Did you know that Christmas is only 66 days away!  Does that freak you out?  Me, too.  I better get back to my elf work!  And you....oh, you better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout...you know the rest!

Lori was here...

 
Our church parish festival...working the BINGO tent with my friends.  There were some hardcore BINGO players, but we had so much fun. 

 
took my daughter to the Justin Bieber concert (well, actually dropped her off with her cousins and then their mom and i went to dinner while the girls suffered caught the Bieber Fever). 

 
The city was a sea of glitter and screaming girls {and their parents} with homemade signs and t-shirts.

 
Visited our new HUGE Hobby Lobby...sweet!

 
Went to the Football Tailgate Auction for R's team.  Donated my 2 pieces and had fun when some moms sweetly "stalked" me to find out how they could get prints if they didn't win them in the silent auction.

 
LOVING that one of my besties from my high school days has a son on R's team, too!  It's such a hoot to be a football mom with her...the person i went to every game with as a student!  I'm trying to find the pics of us from high school...stay tuned.

 
My uber talented friend Erin, of Vale Design celebrated her birthday yesterday. 

She collects bird illustrations and paintings...and has a love for yellow finches.  Her collection is growing and it's fabulous.  This is what i made for her this year. 

 
If you were in Indy last Saturday and a convertible red Corvette went flying by your car, that was ME!!!!!

 
On Saturday, i spent the day at my Dad's corvette club car show, selling and signing the Corvette Lovers Collage and t-shirts that i made for them.  I took tons of pictures to share with you and will have a post all about it in a few days.  One of the highlights of the day for me was getting to drive my Dad's friend's Corvette to the show.  It was awesome!

Stay tuned, friends:  brand new fall/Halloween art coming soon!  Now, back to the drawing board!

♥