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Well here we are - new year, new home!

It has been quite a journey getting here, involving 

*airport all-nighters *10 large suitcases 

*Christmas in a small hotel room *jet-lag 

*crying *laughing 

*great ramen noodles *moving in 

*meeting new people *stomach bugs

*an earthquake *my first try at Japanese cooking(it turned out terribly) 

*cupcakes from neighbors *a broken dryer 

*learning to ride the train *a free couch

...and so many more things packed into the last 3 weeks.

  

But we've been in our townhome for a week now - the downstairs is beginning to look like humans reside here.  Since I've had no time for craftiness (although my crafting space is nearly set up!), I thought I would share this sweet piece of art my sister made me for my birthday. 

I really love everything about it - the sentiment and the design.  There's no tutorial, but it's great inspiration if you've been thinking about doing something similar. 

She appliqued the fabric pieces on to the background using a zig-zag stitch, then embroidered the words and curly-swirly chimney smoke.  I hope your homes are cozy, happy places this January day - it's not always easy to make them that way.

But when you've got the people you love, you've got a home.

(sheesh my pregnant hormones make me tear up at my own words... )

Happy Homemaking!

xoxo

jessica

 

*CTSB* Blow the Blues Away. . . with Blow Painting

 Hasn't this series been refreshing? I have been so inspired by all these crafty ladies. My crafty To-Do List has gotten larger but I am so excited. Here is my little contribution;

If you are like our family, this summer has been full of swimming, parties, fireworks, beach, vacations, road trips, crafts, and anything else fun we can squeeze into our Summer Holiday before school starts. Now, however we are winding down and the exciting adventures of summer are becoming dull and repetitive. We have been needing some new creative activities to occupy our time. Well, this twist on painting has occupied my girls for hours (literally, I had to beg them to come in for lunch) and perhaps this can blow some creative juices your way as well.

Blow Painting! This is so much fun! The girls and I wandered across this painting activity at the Lavender Festival. Seriously, that festival was so much fun and so motivating and inspiring. All you will need to do this activity is probably already in your home or easily acquired. It is for all ages, young and old, and is quite a forgiving art project. So here is what you will need:

water color paints (or acrylic paints well watered down)
paint brushes
straws of all diameters
water (a lot)
bowl for the water
mat board (tag board, card stock, or heavy paper)

We went outside to paint, but you can paint anywhere that is comfortable to you as long as it is protected from colored water.

Really wet your water color paint so that it drips well from your brush (the paint needs to be thin, so if you are using acrylic craft paint, just add a bit of paint in a bowl and add water to it). Drip some paint on to your mat board, then take a straw and closely blow the paint.

 See how the paint moves with the pressure of the air? You can change the direction of the paint but blowing beside the drop or on top of the drop. You could also use a dropper to drop thicker paint, but it is MUCH harder to blow the paint around.

Make sure you change your water often as the water will get muddy, and then in turn, muddy the paint colors.

 I like this activity because it allows the artist to enjoy the randomness of the paint and still control it to make a pretty picture. Just be careful not to get to wrapped up in the painting and blowing as you could become a bit lightheaded (ha ha, don't judge me, I had fun).

And of course when you are finished, you wash off with water. And if that turns into a run in the sprinkler, well, it just makes the summer day more enjoyable, right?

I hope this helps to blow some of your Summer Time Blues away. Enjoy the rest of your Summer Holiday,

Heaps of Love,

Shannon

I hate to see you go, but I love to watch you leaf...

The leaves are really lovely right now here in eastern TN.  Yesterday Charlotte and I took a  leaf-rainbow walk.  We tried to find a leaf of every color of the rainbow. It was amazing what we found just in our yard!

I was fascinated by the Japanese Maple which had green, purple, red, orange, and yellow leaves on it all at once!  Here is my collection of them, although I couldn't reach any of the yellow ones (and almost busted it trying to...)

After we had collected the leaves, we used double-sided tape to stick them to a piece of paper - trying to follow the order of colors in the rainbow.  Charlotte thought it was fun (I did too) and it is now hanging proudly on our refrigerator.

If you live where the leaves are changing - give it a try!  Then upload the pic of your art onto the Sew Homegrown Flickr Pool so we can all see how it turned out!  Happy Friday!  jessica

This weekend I bought...

this lovely art work by Kelly Rae Roberts.  You can read more about her here.

I also bought this Gorgeous Cookbook that is organized by..............wait for it............................

COLOR!!!  Each chapter is devoted to a color of food.  So cool - and very yummy recipes!

My mother-in-law and I went shopping at the store where she works and we bought these lovely items as well as some other little trinkets.  If you are ever in Ocala, FL check it out!