Room Decor

I really enjoy creating art that I know will go in kids' rooms. The idea of one of my creations making a child smile as they grow up seeing it on their walls makes me really happy. So, having a baby, I got a chance to decorate a room for a child that would be in my house!

We didn't need to paint when we were expecting our baby. We planned ahead when we moved in and painted the room a bright neutral green. I believe the actual color is Valley Poplar, picked out by my husband, who did a great job. Green is hard to pick, just ask my former roommate about the cheery citron green I thought I picked for our kitchen that turned out to be highlighter yellow-green (gross!). We had sort of a purple and green theme in what was the guest room but when the guest room became a baby room it needed a change.

I'm big on color schemes and themes. Usually I start with colors that I like together and build from there. The room was green and I loved green and blue for baby boy rooms and green and pink for girls. I contemplated the idea of not finding out the gender of the baby but wanted something to look forward to. We found out our baby was a boy but I really liked the idea of keeping a lot of the baby things neutral so that when baby number 2 came along we could still use everything if baby was a she and not a he! So I picked a lot of yellow and green baby things and then put blue around the room too.
I obsessed for a few weeks over the paintings I was making to go with the pond theme (we like right next to a lake/pond), knowing that someday we could tell him that I made the paintings just for him. I love doing sets of 3 because it just feels complete to me. It was also important to have 3 pond friends because I felt that I could honor the two other babies that we'd lost.
The room is bright and cheery and light-filled...one of the happiest rooms in the house. Makes sense because our baby boy is a gift and a joy and the greatest work of art we've ever been a part of!

Back again...but not the same

Gosh it's been a long time....April according to Blogger. So sad that I haven't kept up with my blogging. I miss it. So here I am again.

To try to sum up what the last several months of my life have been like would be impossible. So many thoughts and feelings....so many aches and pains (and that was just pregnancy). Permit me to gush a little bit about the new man in my life. I am normally a very rational and emotionally-controlled person. I have my weepy moments but in general I have a practical view of life. Not too many things make me school-girl ditzy, emotionally gushy and annoyingly proud. But I've had a hard time reigning myself in these days. "How are you, Elena?" "I'm great thanks!" "How's that baby of yours doing?" "Oh. My. Gosh! Well, he weighs (insert enormous weight increments here) and he's doing (insert cooing, smiling, giggling, shrieking) now, and I can't believe how beautiful he is and".....blah, blah, blah, blah. Yes, I am one of those people.

I'm here to say...it's all true. Every saccharine sweet thing you've ever heard a crazy, hormone laden new mother say....it's true. Absolutely true. I adore my baby boy. I don't think it's just hormones. I am convinced that my child is the most beautiful boy ever created. Seriously. Suddenly the five years of longing, loss and waiting have turned into overflowing joy. The smile I see on my husband's face when he makes our son smile... The feeling I have when I'm holding the little chubber... It all just feels wonderfully....right.

That's the benefit of the waiting I was talking about. We had so long to prepare our lives. We opened our hearts to whatever God's plan was and we waited. And the payoff was....peace. In the waiting I discovered my heart for adoption and foster care, changed careers, became an artist and learned how to grieve and let go.

I have nowhere near the same amount of time to do anything these days. (Especially not blogging!) Drawing, reading, sleeping, showering....all luxuries! It bugs me a little bit because I'm a "doer." But it has helped me realize what is most important. Time is a gift. Nothing else has inspired me to just sit and enjoy the gift of time like my boy. Every week, every day even, he changes. I am mesmerized by the miracle of his life and paralyzed by the beauty shining from my own home every day. I let my world slow down, even stop sometimes...so I can just watch him. Be with him. This is what God must desire from us. "Stop trying to impress me with your smarts, your work, your charitable accomplishments...just be with me" he might be telling us. And maybe if we could slow down and just be....we would have joy.

I'm getting a lot less done these days....and I'm fine with that.

Did I ever show you....

the little Chef Turtle I made to go with the little Baker Turtle. It was a special request for another fun couple. I'm so privileged to meet creative, original, art-loving people from Etsy. Thanks to all those who've ever taken an interest in my art. Look for these two sold as a set in my Etsy shop soon!

IF: Duet

I've been working on this commission for what seems like eons! I was just scanning and cleaning it up when I noticed the IF topic for this week...and it fits! Wow!

A big thank you to Heather and her husband for their creativity and patience on this custom order. They requested this "duet" of ballroom dancing turtles to be framed in their formal dining room. Heather and her husband have a flair for dance and a love for turtles...so there you have it! Hope they were worth the wait, Heather!

Dear Neglected Blog....

how I have missed you. I haven't written, I haven't called. I haven't even told you about what's new in my life. I'm so sorry for leaving you out. It's been hard, you see, after that Christmas rush....all those ornaments....all that snow....all that nausea.

It really shouldn't matter that I'm pregnant (surprise!) or that I'm trying hard to do my 40 hour a week job. No, that's no excuse for neglecting you like this. I do have so many things to share. I need to show you the little Chef Turtle I drew for Briana and the nautical nursery painting I made for Heather's soon-to-be-born baby Cayden. Not to mention the ballroom dancing turtles I've been working on since before Christmas. I'm a little slow these days my bloggy friend. Please forgive me.

I'll be back real soon with some pictures and things you'll love. Until then...