Jaime Beitler

Yes, Yes, What She Said!!!

2011-11-30T20:46:00.000-08:00

I came across this amazing post by Melody Ross a few weeks ago and have been wanting to share it since then. Ever since I have been hurt (going on three and a half years now), I have been wanting to write something along the lines of what she has written because I've experienced unnecessary rudeness (I mean, is it ever necessary?) on days when I'm just barely holding it all together. Many times things just aren't what they seem to be on the outside- whether someone is dealing with physical, emotional or spiritual pain, it is often invisible and hidden. I never, ever would have written this so beautifully, and I'm still in the middle of my trial, so the reflection looking back hasn't been able to happen for me. If I could wear a sign (and I've often wanted to!) it would say, "Please be kind. I'm in pain and I'm doing the best I can. Thank you." I'm glad I came across this post that says it all so perfectly. Aren't the pictures in her post so poignant?

One of Those Days

2011-09-29T21:29:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had one of those days....

when you're super excited because you finally found some medicine to relieve the unbearable pain you've had for three years...

and you can actually do things outside of your house that don't include the grocery store or a doctor's office....

and you're super stoked because you finally can work on your art more than 10 minutes at a time...

and you might even get to catch up with old friends... and gasp! Even have coffee or lunch out?

and then just when you're feeling your best... BAM! you get a bad stomach flu and end in the hospital for a week??? Yeah, well... I had a day just like that a couple of weeks ago.

For some reason I don't look nearly as awful as I felt... and thankfully the IV is not in the picture!

I won't go into details because, well, trust me, you don't want me to, but the low down is that I got a bad stomach virus. My body decided to purge every last ounce of fluid I had and within 5 hours, I was so dehydrated that my body went into shock. After 12 hours in the ER (thank you very little Lodi Memorial Hospital), I was admitted (ADMITTED!!!) to the hospital because my body was completed depleted of every essential nutrient possible. Crazy, crazy, crazy. I ended up having to stay for five days! It was super awesome. Wait, no, it was the opposite of super awesome! In addition to feeling like I might possible die at any minute, I was pretty ticked. Seriously, can't a girl catch a break??!?!? I am only now (like just today) able to semi-laugh about it because it has taken me this long (two whole weeks!) to start feeling ok again.

Another reason I can joke about it is because at the end of all of this, we got to see a beautiful, amazing, strong and healthy little heartbeat of our new sweet baby! He or she is due at the end of April and will be born just a week or so from Zeke's second birthday. When I was in the hospital, the doctors told us not to be optimistic that the baby was going to make it. It was a devastating and heartbreaking week because we had to wait about 5 days before the baby would be old enough for it's heartbeat to show up on the ultrasound. We were so sure that we were going to get bad news that we both starting bawling when we saw that heartbeat on the ultrasound. They put us back in the (very full) waiting room in between getting our ultrasound and seeing the doctor and people kept asking us if it was our first baby because we couldn't stop crying and looking at the little ultrasound picture. If they only knew what a miracle this baby is! So, the end of this post starts way better than it started! I am officially eight weeks pregnant, I am recovering from the craziest bout of the stomach flu ever, and my pain level is manageable to this point. I know the Lord works all things for good, and I still don't know all that He's working through all of this... but I feel blessed. Truly. And without further ado... I'd like to introduce you to our second child, one of God's recent miracles...

Meditation of the Day: True Freedom

2011-08-28T08:11:00.000-07:00

From Mother Teresa:

People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway.

What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.

Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.

In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.

Home Sweet Home

2011-08-25T08:39:00.000-07:00

If you've been following along with our crazy journey, you know that we've moved about 301 times in the last four years. If you're in the mood for a rollercoaster, you can read the specifics here :). Well, it's been almost a full year since we've moved to California and life has settled down enough lately for me to realize how "home" I feel here. I'm sure it has something to do with the fact that I grew up here... or that all of my side of the family lives here... or that the sun actually shines here :)... or it's probably just because I've been able to get out of bed and enjoy life lately! That tends to make a big difference :). Right before we moved in, the last owner painted all of the rooms either white or a light, light tan. I have been itching to put some paint on the walls! So far, we've only painted the dining room, but such is life with chronic pain and a sweet little toddler :) (at least the walls are crisp and clean!!). Now that I'm finally feeling at home, I realize what an amazing gift it can be.

Speaking of feeling at home, I wanted to share the link to this beautiful blog. She is a writer who speaks right to my heart with every post she writes. Her honesty about life as a woman, wife and mother really encourages me- just the music alone brings tears to my eyes!!! So if you're looking to be uplifted this morning (I mean, who isn't looking to be encouraged?!?!), check her out!

Wordless Wenesday: Back in Stock

2011-08-24T10:08:00.000-07:00

Now available in my shop!

Rawmazing!

2011-08-22T14:57:00.000-07:00

Although my journey with chronic pain is still continuing (seriously, how do I get off this bus??!?), I have found a bit of pain relief with the addition of a new medicine lately (can I get a whoop-whoop?). But unfortunately, we're not any closer to certain or long-term relief. Since the eight doctors (yes, eight specialists... in three different states as a matter of fact) haven't been able to help all that much, we've decided to make some healthy changes around the Beitler household to help my body help itself :). And when I say changes, I mean chaaaa-aange! To be specific, we've gone raw! Raw? Yes, raw. What does that mean? Well, it means we eat all of our food raw. Haha... just kiddin'. Yes, it does mean we eat our food raw, but if you're picturing veggie trays and sliced fruit, think again, my friends! No one was more shocked than I to find out that eating raw can actually be delicious!

The nitty gritty of a raw food diet is that food cannot be cooked above 118 degrees. That pretty much means food cannot be cooked at all, although dehydrating food at low temperatures for many, many, many hours is considered ok. I was very skeptical of this choice and have actually been hauling around a book called, "Rawsome" for the last years without trying a single recipe. Every time I opened it, I saw the word "dehydrator" and I closed it back up. I mean, who owns a dehydrator anyway?!? Not us, that's for sure. But do you know who does own one? My parents! (time for another whoop-whoop, please). After actually reading through an entire recipe, I was quick to realize that raw food preparation takes less time (and far less dishes) than cooking! And in the land of motherhood, this is not a minor point! The biggest difference is a shift in mindset- instead of being able to think about "what's for dinner" 45 minutes before dinnertime, I have to think about it in the morning in case I need to soak something all day. For me, this shift wasn't that difficult to make and I actually like knowing what I'll be cooking for dinner ahead of time because my mommy brain is preeetttyyy much fried by 4pm :).

There are so many amazing benefits to going raw but the one that attracting me most to the diet was the digestion factor. Raw foods contain living enzymes that help your body digest food quickly and easily. These enzymes are destroyed when food is cooked above 118 degrees. When you eat a big cooked meal, a large amount of energy is required to digest the meal. This explains why you feel tired and sleepy after a big Thanksgiving dinner (or any large cooked-food meal). With raw food, digestion is quick and easy (source). What this also means is that you have more energy because your body isn't spending all of it's energy to digest unhealthy or unnatural food. And the vitamins and minerals are more easily absorbed. I'm definitely not a scientist or nutritionist (shocker?? nah, I'm sure that's not that surprising!), but if your interest is peaked, do a quick Google search and you'll be amazed!

After reading through the benefits, I still needed a slight nudge before jumping off Mt. Cooked Food. For some reason, I read this recipe online and it got me thinking that maybe raw food can be delicious after all! I found it on fellow Christian artist, Paulette Insall's blog along with this picture (by the way, THANK YOU PAULETTE for the raw inspiration!!!).
It's a breakfast dish:

1/2 small ripe avocado
1/2 ripe banana
small handful chopped cashews
small handful chopped walnuts
handful of raisins (unsweetened & no sulfites)
light drizzle of raw agave

How easy is that recipe? And trust me, it tastes as good as it looks. Now, I am not one who can eat the same dish over and over again. That is one reason why I was reluctant to try raw food- I didn't feel I had the time to learn a bunch of new recipes. But it turned out I had a gem on my hands in the way of Rawsome. After "cooking" raw for more than 2 months now, I have only found one or two recipes I wasn't all that fond of- the rest were delicious!

If that recipe doesn't spur you on as much as it did me, here's another amazing breakfast recipe. I'll let the picture speak for itself, but you will NOT be disappointed with this recipe!

Yum, yum, yum! If you check out the recipe, you'll see how few ingredients are actually needed! If you choose to try raw food, you'll definitely become more familiar with your local health food store (unless your favorite grocery store carries a large selection of health food), but the results of eating raw are sooooooo worth it!

For now, I'll leave you to mull over these two recipes- I don't want to overwhelm you with too much rawmazing info all at once :). But there will be more to come!

Wordless Wenesday: On the Studio Table

2011-08-17T08:19:00.000-07:00

"Onward"

in progress...

"41 Years"

It Is Him

2011-08-11T19:15:00.001-07:00

“It is Jesus in fact that you seek when you dream of happiness; he is waiting for you when nothing else you find satisfies you; he is the beauty to which you are so attracted; it is he who provokes you with that thirst for fullness that will not let you settle for compromise; it is he who urges you to shed the masks of a false life; it is he who reads in your hearts your most genuine choices, the choices that others try to stifle. It is Jesus who stirs in you the desire to do something great with your lives, the will to follow an ideal, the refusal to allow yourselves to be ground down by mediocrity, the courage to commit yourselves humbly and patiently to improving yourselves and society, making the world more human and more fraternal”.
-Bl. John Paul II

When it Rains, Make Lemonade

2011-07-03T14:40:00.000-07:00

I am still in search of a doctor who can help me with my pain, but all I can think about lately is how grateful I am to be able to paint still. Since I cannot sit or stand still very long, painting in short bursts works out well- especially with a busy toddler running around! I am embarrassed to tell you how much paint has dripped on the poor unsuspecting sweetheart! I have converted our dining room into my studio and it is the perfect space to work in. It has a humongous window that overlooks our porch and front yard. The light is incredible and the roses and flowers that are blooming are amazing to look at!

My paint and brushes are always waiting for me to come flying in.... paint for ten minutes and then head back to bed. I'm not even going to think about all the extra time it takes to actually finish something painting this way because honestly, I am just ecstatic that I'm able to paint at all!

If you are in our neck of the woods, you can find some of my art prints at Vine and Branches Christian bookstore in Lodi, Ca. And I am praying, praying, praying that I'll have some originals ready to go in a month or so. They've been hanging on all of our walls, each with just some minor finishing touches needed. I can't wait to share them! In the meantime, here is a sneak peek of a few of the things I've been working on:

"Hope On" 30x40


"Seek to Love" 40x60

A corner of my studio

A work in progress

Starting Over

2011-06-15T16:40:00.000-07:00

The funny thing about chronic injuries is that you never know when to jump back into the whole medical world to try and find a cure again. The last time I pursued that was almost two years ago and I saw a whirlwind of doctors in a few months time span. Then I got pregnant and knew there wasn't much that could be done during my pregnancy or nursing afterwards. But now my little sweetheart is no longer nursing and I am getting worse by the day (it seems), so it's back to the doctors I go! Tomorrow morning I have an appointment for a new MRI (those machines are serious torture chambers!) and then in the next few weeks I have appointments at Stanford and UCSF- two of the top spine clinics on the West Coast. For a while, I was settled that this is just going to be my life. Unfortunately, it's a fact that a lot of people do have to live with pain, or horrible diseases and I have been trying to accept this as my lot in life. But I was reading my Streams in the Desert the other morning and it gave me a different perspective on the prospect of healing. Thought I should share it! :)

“Make thy petition deep”
Isa. 7:11

Make thy petition deep, O heart of mine,
Thy God can do much more
Than thou canst ask;
Launch out on the Divine,
Draw from His love-filled store.
Trust Him with everything;
Begin today,
And find the joy that comes
When Jesus has His way!
–Selected

We must keep on praying and waiting upon the Lord, until the sound of a mighty rain is heard. There is no reason why we should not ask for large things; and without doubt we shall get large things if we ask in faith, and have the courage to wait with patient perseverance upon Him, meantime doing those things which lie within our power to do.

We cannot create the wind or set it in motion, but we can set our sails to catch it when it comes; we cannot make the electricity, but we can stretch the wire along upon which it is to run and do its work; we cannot, in a word, control the Spirit, but we can so place ourselves before the Lord, and so do the things He has bidden us do, that we will come under the influence and power of His mighty breath. –Selected

“Cannot the same wonders be done now as of old? Where is the God of Elijah. He is waiting for Elijah to call on Him.”

The greatest saints who ever lived, whether under the Old or New Dispensation, are on a level which is quite within our reach. The same forces of the spiritual world which were at their command, and the exertion of which made them such spiritual heroes, are open to us also. If we had the same faith, the same hope, the same love which they exhibited, we would achieve marvels as great as those which they achieved. A word of prayer in our mouths would be as potent to call down the gracious dews and melting fires of God’s Spirit, as it was in Elijah’s mouth to call down literal rain and fire, if we could only speak the word with that full assurance of faith wherewith he said it. –Dr. Goulburn, Dean of Norwich

8 Things

2011-03-30T11:27:00.000-07:00

I am so excited at the idea of being able to be up and around again (getting close!!!) because I am dying to do these projects:

1. A couple of these will be making their way to our bed soon! I'm thinking mustard yellow petals.

2. Speaking of our bedroom (the current room ~~I am obsessing about~~ we are working on decorating), I'm planning on making a few of these chalkboard tiles for the walls. I'm still deciding whether to use canvas or wood- canvas would be easier to hang, but wood would be easier to write on. I'll let you know how it goes!

3. Figure out the paint color we used in our master bedroom in Washington. We only got to enjoy it for a few months before we moved and I miss it. It was kind of a quick move and the last thing on my mind was checking paint cans for paint colors, but I was in love with that color and am hoping somehow to find it so we can paint our master bedroom here the same color.

4. ~~Copy these curtains~~ Use these curtains for inspiration to make new living room curtains :).

5. Plant our garden! I'm not too sure how this is going to work out with my back issues, but I pre-ordered all the plants before my back went out, so we'll have to figure out a way to get them in the ground! I'm thinking I'll have to get hubby to plant everything and then I'll have to plan lots of short periods of time to maintain everything. I'm hoping this works because I really want to try canning this summer too!

6. Finish this painting>>>. I have the background done and I know exactly what I'm going to do.... just waiting for my body to cooperate! :)

7. Decide on a mural for my sweet pea's room. My creative socks have been knocked off lately by all of the amazing crafty mom blogs out there! How did I not know these existed (ok, technically, the link in this sentence is a crafty "dad" blog)? I never thought I was a mural type person, but I have seen some extremely adorable murals lately. And, lil' guy already loves animals, so I know he would love a whole wall chock full of them! I'm in the process of deciding whether I should go with a vintage feel (kind of more my taste) or a cutesy, bright flavor (probably more suited to what he would like). I'm trying not to obsess too much because I'm sure he would love either one just the same :).

8. Make a quilt for my son's bed. Oh how I love sewing. But I rarely, rarely do it. But oh how I love it! I have been thinking a lot lately about upcycled items and am going to try and use fabrics that I mostly have already. This should be fun!

Phew! Quite a list for someone who is just barely able to get out of bed! But hey, a girl can dream, can't she? :)

Hey Mamas

2011-03-25T11:51:00.000-07:00

Preeettttyyy sure I'm dying over this website I found earlier this week! Not only are there cute decorating projects, but there are also a ton of DIY toys and activities. And I kinda love that her eldest is a two year old boy so a lot of the projects are boy-themed. It can be so hard to find cute boy themed things sometimes! The first project I'm definitely doing is this amazing magnet giraffe.

I have already been planning to paint this little girl (except I'll be painting a boy) being carried away by balloons on one wall, and I think the giraffe is going to be a great addition next to him!

Artwork by British artist Banksy

Suffering Well

2011-03-24T14:32:00.000-07:00

New Work:

"PS 30:5"

30x40 Canvas, Mixed Media

I am going on day 8 of a major flare-up. I've only been able to lay in bed. Literally. I can't pick up my precious baby, can't cook for my sweet husband and of course, any other daily activities have been out the window too. I've definitely been in this place before pain-wise, but being here now that we have a son is a different story. I'm so blessed to be a stay-at-home mommy and I've been with him everyday, almost all day since he was born. So not being able to care for him, or just hang out, snuggle and play with him all day is the most difficult aspect of this injury yet. My in-laws had already scheduled a visit last week and my MIL decided to stay and help me upon seeing my condition- thank you Lord! She is watching the little guy, cooking, cleaning, ironing, grocery shopping.... you name it, she's doing it! I praise God for her!

Many of my painful days have led me straight to the foot of the cross. Sometimes I'm begging for relief from the pain, sometimes I'm begging God to heal me miraculously, and yes, sometimes I ask why I have to be going through this. In the past, the pain has been so great that I'm not able to do much "spiritual work" because pain has a tendency to make it difficult to really think through or focus on deep issues. But, this time around, God has allowed me a clear mind and I am so grateful for it. I know that the Bible says that all things work together for good for those who love Him. All things. All. Even pain. Even suffering. Although it's not a hot topic in many pulpits, I have heard some awesome sermons about suffering on different podcasts. Last night, I listened to one that I'm still mulling through (and want to listen to again). The pastor made the point that suffering is an opportunity for us to learn something if we look to Jesus in our time of trial.

My own pastor spoke about something similar years ago. He used the metaphor that trials are like little wrapped presents from God. Each package comes with a handwritten tag, like "Patience", "Understanding", "Love", etc. If we are willing to accept the gift and open the package, we will gain insight and perhaps grow closer to God through the difficult time. Sounds so simple, right? Sure it does, except for the fact that none of us wants to suffer. And even though the idea of just "opening the package" sounds innocent and even a little sweet, we all know that trials of life are far from sweet or innocent. I think in our American culture we are conditioned to do everything possible to try and avoid suffering. We work out and eat right to avoid illness. We work hard to build careers so we don't experience poverty. We buy self-help books on relationships so we don't have conflict with other people. We have a tendency to feel as if we can control the future by our daily actions. But all of us experience suffering. We all do. Some of us suffer physically, some mentally, some emotionally, but we all do. Uplifting, huh??? Haha... sorry for the "good" news. But here is something good: when we suffer, if we do it well, we can grow more in the likeness of Him who suffered most to save us from eternal damnation. When I think about laying in my comfortable bed, with my comfortable sweats, with my MIL cooking good food and taking such great care of my healthy son... it doesn't even begin to compare to the pain and suffering Jesus endured in those final days of His life. And with every step up that mount to His own crucifixion, I have no doubt He was thinking of you, of me, of all of us He loved enough to die for.

Although it was difficult to do, He willingly made that choice to accept the suffering for the greater good it would do. And in our suffering, in my suffering, I have that same choice. But I do choose to endeavor to "Suffer well" and want more than anything for God's glory to be shown through my utter weakness.

"God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: It is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world." C.S. Lewis

BabyFoodInMyHair

2011-03-18T16:37:00.000-07:00

I am so into mama/baby art lately! This sweet print is by Freya.

I don't know about you, but before I had a baby, I pretty much had most things under control (at least that's how I remember it now- ha!). But I cooked dinner most nights, my house was usually clean, the laundry was regularly folded and actually put away, and my worst surprise in the way of messes came if my dog shed a little more than normal. Well, imagine my surprise how many changes occurred once my sweet little angel was born!!! Having life under control seems like a distant memory (although I must add that the trade-off is more than worth it!). That's why I got such a kick out of the name of this blog: RocksInMyDryer. I think it's a phrase only a mom can relate to, and doesn't it instantly make you think of all the confusing and surprising.... ummmm.... what's the word I'm looking for here- things that can happen once a child is brought into the mix? Since finding that blog, I've often found myself wondering what the name of our family blog would be if I named it in the same fashion. Here are a few of my current thoughts:

MilkOnMyCouch
PaintOnMyBaby
Cheerios...Everywhere
ChocolateOnMyMind
DishesInMySink
MoneyInMySavingsAccount (haha, yeah right!!)
ToysInMyToilet (yes, my ten month old has already figured this one out)
DogInMyShower (I just found her in there today for the first time.... I'm baffled!)

And I have to add one last one because I happened to be the wife of an amazing man and the mother to an amazing baby: LoveInMyLife.

Good Things

2011-03-15T10:24:00.000-07:00

New Work, "Psalm 139:14", 30x40 Canvas

Unfortunately, it's way too easy for me to get discouraged when I'm the midst of dealing with back pain. So, today I thought I'd write about all the good things that are in my life even when I'm in so much pain.

1. My husband loves and supports me in such incredible ways. Today I found his "To-Do" list on the fridge. It said, "Chores: Pick up house, cook dinner, do dishes, do laundry." It seems like a silly thing to get sentimental over, but he tries so hard to pick up the slack when I'm unable to do everything I'd like to.

2. My sweet baby is the most amazing lil' angel. He is so happy and playful. This morning, he laid on my chest for about 20 minutes, just snuggling. He is an extremely active little guy, so this was no less than a miracle and it made my spirits soar.

3. Sitting is the worst possible position for me when I'm having back problems. The best position is laying down, but that's not really possible with my son crawling around. So the next best position is standing... and if I'm able to stand then able to paint!!! Thank you Lord!!!

Arrested

2011-03-11T15:13:00.000-08:00

Although my back is crazily, insanely improved these days, I do still have to cope with pain on a daily basis. Sometimes it's just a teensy bit and sometimes (like this whole week), it can literally take my breath away. And even though I'm going on three years now of dealing with this relapse, it scares me because I never know how long the pain will last or how bad it will get. There still isn't a "cure" to my injury and I decided long ago that I didn't want to take pain medicine, so on days like today, I grit my teeth, pray a lot, and wait for the pain to cease. I also find myself visiting this blog. The author's wife has a chronic illness and I often find posts that echo my thoughts, my laments and my prayers exactly. This post is one of those times.

I thought it might be a comfort to some or illuminating if anyone has a close friend or family member who struggles with a chronic illness or injury.

Back in the Saddle!

2011-03-06T07:41:00.000-08:00

I know that blogs really aren't people, and that they really, really don't need sympathy, but I kinda feel sorry for my little blog here! Especially when I look and see how long it's been since I have posted anything! Well, I suppose having a baby.... and moving (again!) are two of the best excuses for blog neglect :). So we are officially settled in our new home and it feels great to be here! And after what seems like FAAAAARRR too long, I've been able to "brush" off the ol' paints (pun intended- bahaha) and start some new artwork! I just have to tell you how amazing it feels! I feel like I have about two years worth of pent up creative energy just waiting to be splattered all over any surface that comes my way!

And I never thought I'd be able to paint with a sweet little ten month old running around, but it works out great! He even acts as a consultant when I'm stuck :) and doesn't seem to mind the occasional swipe of paint I find on his cheek!

Happy New Year!

2010-01-04T20:56:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone! I hope you all survived your holiday season and even managed to enjoy yourselves :). I know that my enjoyment of the Christmas season begins the minute I finish wrapping the last present. There's nothing like that feeling, right? :)

We had a great time visiting Aaron's family in Southern Oregon. On top of having Christmas off, Aaron had all of last week off of work, which was pure luxury. My mother-in-law is seriously the original Martha Stewart (check that, Martha's got nothing on her!) and we got spoiled all week long. I'm not sure if my doctor is going to be too happy though... oy vey, the food! She is usually the most healthy chef, but holidays are a different story. To give you an idea- the Beitlers have a tradition of making homemade clam chowder and Caesar salad Christmas Eve. Then, Christmas morning, the traditional breakfast is Eggs Benedict. That night, we had prime rib, garlic mashed potatoes and I think there might have been something green on the table too :). And yes, that was just three of the many delicious meals we ate. Yup, I'm definitely going to get an ear-full from my doctor! But, oooooooh, it was worth every bite!

So, we've been home for a few days and I'm feeling great! I guess it's been a bit of a rough pregnancy, but I finally feel like my old self again. And I better get things together quick because we're only three months away from our due date! I can't believe how quickly it has gone. This week, the contractor is drywalling our house and it is oh-so-exciting. Basically, once you get to this point, you are getting very, very close to the end. He is telling us he'll be done by the end of February and believe me, I'm so ready! In fact, this week, we get to start picking out paint colors! Woo-hoo!!!!

Lil' baby Beitler has become very active and it's so fun to see! We just bought a Flip video camera and are hoping to catch some of his acrobatics on video. Last night, I was laying on my back and we were literally able to watch him rolling around and kicking and dancing :). I am using the word, "him", but we still don't know for sure yet. We have another appointment on Wednesday and we're hoping he'll cooperate this time! :) Oh, and we'll be bringing our Flip to that too so hopefully we'll get some good footage :).

Let's see.... what else, what else..... I just finished up a new website (coming soon) and also added some new prints to my Etsy shop. I've also learned how to bind my own journals and have been trying desperately to find time to delve in and have some serious fun. Photos of those to come soon. In the meantime, here are my two latest prints for sale:

A Three-Print Giveaway!

2009-12-13T19:43:00.000-08:00

I don't know why, but lately, I have been WAY, WAY, WAY into free stuff. I love contests and giveaways and parades (oh wait, that's a whole different topic). But I have been wanting to host a giveaway for the absolute longest time on my blog but just haven't had the time to host it. So, when Kelly over at Fabulous K wrote and asked if I wanted her to host one for me, it made my day! All the fun, none of the time consuming stuff- I love it!!! :) In fact, I need more of this in my life :). Anywho, head on over and enter for your chance to win any three prints in my shop. Yup, three. But be warned, her amazingly beautiful blog will suck you in (in an oh-so-good way!). And good luck!

It's a.........

2009-12-07T20:17:00.000-08:00

baby!!! Haha.... we had our 20 week appointment today and were sooooo very excited to find out the sex of the baby- only to have the sweet little cherub all curled up and facing the exact wrong way! Arg! Our doctor said, (and I quote), "I do see what maybe looks like boy parts, but don't go painting the nursery or anything." Yeah, doesn't sound so definite, huh? So, we'll try again Jan 7. I'm convinced the baby was all cuddled up trying to stay warm in our 20 degree weather! Can I please say bbbrrrrrrrrr??!?!?! Other than that, the baby is as healthy as can be and mama is almost feeling 100% again- thank you Lord!!!

Everyone loves a sale.....

2009-11-23T15:42:00.000-08:00

So I'm having a sale!!! 3 prints for $32... that's like a hundred bucks off..... ok maybe $13 off :). But either way, it's a heck of a good deal! If you're looking for more than 3 prints, contact me and we'll work out something even better! It's a great time to check that special person off your Christmas list!

How-to Videos by Teesha Moore

2009-11-19T19:54:00.000-08:00

(This immensely fun artwork is by Teesha Moore)

Ok, I know I mentioned this in my last post, but I am feeling the need to post it again. Teesha Moore is so inspiring in her outlook towards creativity. Her goal is that everyone tap into their creative side. And believe it or not, we all have one... don't you remember loving to color or draw when you were a kid? My personal infatuation was with different types of lettering. I don't know why, but I must have driven my teachers crazy because there was always some doodled writing in the margins of my homework. But, I digress... :), nowadays you don't find too many artists who are willing to share their processes step-by-step. They might give you glimpses, but never divulge everything you need to know. Not so with Teesha Moore! And these videos prove it. I love how open and free she is with her work. And, of course, I just love her work in general :).

JournalFest 2009

2009-11-08T20:48:00.000-08:00

A few weekends ago, I had the AMAZING opportunity to go to JournalFest. It is put on by one of my favorite artists, Teesha Moore and the main reason I went was to take a full day class from my absolutely all-time favorite artist, Anahata Katkin.

The weekend was absolutely amazing (did I already use that word???) and exceeded all my expectations for it! First of all, I signed up for it back in July and was totally thinking (hoping... praying... wishing) that my back would be all healed by now. Well.... that's not exactly true (although I am on my way!), so I couldn't make the five hour drive by myself. So, my wonderful mother-in-law drove me! Can you believe that!?! Yeah, I'm pretty blessed when it comes to the in-laws (and my parents too, by the way :)). Anyhow, we had a great drive up (yes, with me laying down in the car, but anyway...) and when we got there, I felt like a kid at Disneyland. I probably had the biggest smile on my face all weekend because it's been a reeeeeeaaaaally long time since I've really been able to do something so enjoyable.

The first of the three day weekend was with Anahata. Oh.... I was in heaven! I got out all my paints and supplies and was thrilled the entire session (6 hours worth!). Here are a few of the pieces I made that day. The third one is unfinished, but I'm working on it :). In the picture of the classroom, I am in the back row on the right in the corner... putting up my hair so that I can get serious :).

The second day I took a workshop with an oh-so-talented artist named Theo Ellsworth. His work is so fanciful and delightful. I can't get enough of it! So, the main focus was doodling. This piece I did was six full hours of doodling (yeah, kind of a back breaker for me, but I made it :)). Although I loved the process of doodling, I also learned that the reason I don't doodle is that I'm not patient enough for it. I need color.... I need messes.... I need more instant gratification :). The fun thing about this class was that my mother-in-law decided to take it with me at the last minute. So fun.

The third day I took a class that focused on making your own journal and assembling all this fun hardware on it. I'm sad to say I don't have much to show for it :(. By the time this class came around, my back was extremely upset with me and I wasn't feeling too hot. But I enjoyed soaking up the creativity in the room and playing (although slowly) with my little project. The first picture is what I actually accomplished. The other pictures are the work of the artist that gave the class, Ingrid Dikers. I thought I better show what the finished product will look since mine is far from being done :)

These last pictures are some in-progress journal pages I've been working on at home after watching some "How-to" videos that the incredible Teesha Moore put together. You really should take a look at the videos- they are so instructive and break everything down into steps. Even if you don't have any desire to be an artist, they are so fun to work on and I think would be great for kids to do too!

Ok, that's it for now! Oh one more picture.... my little baby bump :). Lil' Baby Beitler is still happy and healthy and we can't wait to find out his/her gender in four weeks!!!

Knock, knock, anyone home?

2009-10-11T14:18:00.000-07:00

Wow, it has been quite a while since I've been able to post something new... but there's a good reason, I promise! We're pregnant again!!! Woo-hoo!!! I have been so nervous through this pregnancy, just praying this little one will make it, and at every appointment, I am not disappointed! We saw a strong heartbeat early on, then got to see our lil' babe wrigglin' around at our 10 week ultrasound. It blew me away! I am about 13 weeks now and just as giddy as can be! Of course, along with the giddiness is the nausea... the exhaustion... the exhaustion... and the nausea :). I am soooooo praying that everything will subside very, very shortly because I'd love to get back to a normal life (well, as normal as my life gets with my back issues and all). Speaking of my back, since most people ask, I'll try to answer the question, "What will happen with the pregnancy and your back?" I definitely don't know the answer to that. What Aaron and I decided before we got pregnant was that a child (and hopefully children, one day!) will be worth whatever kind of problems I have to deal with during pregnancy. The worst that can happen is pain and bed rest and hey, I've survived a lot of that already! :) But, having said all of that, I am still doing private Pilates lessons 3-4 times a week and I feel so much stronger than when I started 8 months ago. There are days (before the nausea, of course), when my instructor would have me in such crazy positions. When I started, I was in so much pain, I could honestly barely move. But (plug for Pilates here), it's amazing how much Pilates alone has helped. I stopped going to doctors (love doctors, but they weren't helping much for my back) and physical therapy and just do Pilates and I've never felt better (at least since I got injured). I still have periodic issues and still can't sit for very long, but the constant pain has finally gone away- praise the Lord! So, my hope is that all the strength training will help me get through the pregnancy with only a few set backs :). Can't promise I'll be blogging lots in the months to come (with the baby preparations and the new addition to the house being built) , but I'll sure try my best!

Without further adieu, here's our sweet one:

Tell a friend...

2009-08-15T00:22:00.001-07:00

or two or three! I'm back in business ladies!!! :)

New Prints for Sale

2009-08-13T20:40:00.000-07:00

Now for sale in my Etsy shop....

Sneak Peek.....

2009-08-10T13:21:00.000-07:00

Here's a quick peek at a few of the sites that will be loaded up to my website on Saturday... can't wait to show you all of them!

Coming Soon..... UPDATED... Now In!

2009-07-31T20:42:00.000-07:00

Just a quick post to let you know that this new print is now listed in my shop....... it's titled, "Find Love."

Don't You Just Wish....

2009-07-30T16:19:00.000-07:00

I seriously wish there were about 30 more hours in every day. There are soooooo many crafty things that I want to get my hands on. Two things I wish I had time to do are sewing and scrapbooking. For some reason, I have been wanting to sew my own sun dresses lately (maybe it's the 100+ heat??? Hmmmm...). But I'm in one of those phases where I see something in a store window and I think, "I could make that!!!" Trouble is I don't have a pattern or the material.... or the time. Ahhhh... big sigh.

The other thing that I wish I did is scrapbooking. Please, oh please look at this gorgeous picture and just tell me it doesn't make you want to run out and scrap something! As I'm writing this, I have to smile because I don't think I've actually ever scrapbooked anything. Oh, don't get me wrong, I buy scrapbook paper like it's going out of style, but I use it in my art, not in scrapbooks. I wish... I wish.... I wish I had more time because I would be one of the crazy addicted scrappers, with a bumper sticker on my car and everything- I just know it! :)

Alas, as my husband tells me, "God knew what He was doing when He decided on 24 hours in a day" (gotta love men, so logical and calm! Must be nice to be in their heads!). And there are definitely worse problems in the world, so please don't think I'm complaining... just sharing! :)

Hope you all are staying cool and are having a great summer!!!

*Photo is a travel album created by Michelle Filo.... talk about eye candy!

What a Difference a Year Makes...

2009-07-22T17:21:00.000-07:00

The other day I stumbled across Keri Smith's website and found a little book she put together called, "Artist's Survival Kit". The idea behind it is to encourage artists on those bad days we all have every now and then. One of the activities caught my eye- it's called the Accomplishments Card and the directions say, "For the days when you feel you are not doing enough. Instructions: Write down a list of things you have done in the last year...". I thought this was a great idea since I am the queen of wishing there were more hours in the day so I can get all my work done- I always wish I could accomplish more :). I put together a little graphic to remind myself of some of the work I've done this past year and I feel much better now, thank you very much :). I would totally suggest that you make a list of all that you've accomplished this past year.... you might just be amazed!

Sweeeeeeeettt!

2009-07-17T19:41:00.000-07:00

I just finished up the Sweet European Dreams website I showed y'all last post. I know I say this every time, but I had so much fun making this site! And it turned out so adorable! I always feel a little weird saying that (like I'm telling you how cute my work is!), but the reason I say that is because the sites turn out 100% cuter than I expect once the business owner gives their input. There are always amazing suggestions and changes that take the site to a whole new level. For example, Diane suggested the cute checkered text in the title of her site and I am lovin' it! I am so set on black and white striped curtains in my new studio.... I seriously have a thing for black and white mixed with punches of color.

Anyhow, I still have some changes to make to the site, but I just couldn't wait to post it :). I am quickly finding out that designing websites is like working in an amazing store.... everything my clients make is so tempting and I want to buy it all!

Where ya been, girl?

2009-07-11T16:37:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! Phew, it seems like it's been a while since I've really written. Things have been going pretty good lately... I had a month or so of pretty bad back pain (hence the lack of writing), but the last week or so, I've had some relief! Yay! :) The hard thing about back injuries is that they are very unpredictable and I never know how long the good (or bad) days will last. So, when the good ones come around, I make the most of them! :) Well, I should clarify, I still can't do a whole bunch when I'm feeling good, but I can get out a bit more. Today Aaron and I hit up a couple of farmer's markets and even went to a Lavender Festival. There wasn't much going on at the festival, except I found my new favorite animal- baby alpacas! These pictures really don't do justice to how adorable these two critters were. And the black one kept making little baby noises- almost like cooing. It was too cute. I was looking at them forever, but I didn't get too close because I didn't know if they spit or not... haha :). Aaron assured me after that they are very nice animals and that one day when we get our farm, that can be the first animal we buy. I don't know about all that, but they were cute none-the-less :).

We also went for a little walk next to Husum Falls and watched some rafters going down a pretty crazy little waterfall. The river was so gorgeous though. Ember was dying to go for a swim! (But don't worry, she went for a long swim in the Columbia River yesterday).Sorry that the pictures are a little blurry. I took them on my iPhone and I seriously cannot get the hang of taking good pictures with it- even after a year and a half! So sad... :).

Anyway, I've been taking a break from web design because I've been trying to decide if I would continue on. There are a lot of factors, but the largest one would be my back injury. Well, I've decided that I will be continuing on with web design and will be re-opening my web design studio in the Fall. I have already been working on a few new designs and am excited to re-open! In the meantime, I've been finishing up some sites that I sold before taking a break. I wrote about Much Ado About You last week. If you didn't go check out her site already, I'm telling ya, you really oughta go!

I also finished up Rabbi Ann White's site. She has a lot of great services to offer and her site is super fun to poke around on!

The other site I just finished is Jan Small's website. She paints these fabulously realistic paintings. They are so beautiful and life like. They're really amazing!

I'm currently working on a new site... Sweet European Dreams. I'm excited to get it done... it's looking cute. Here's a sneak peek....

Run, Do Not Walk....

2009-06-29T20:02:00.000-07:00

and get yourself one of these planners!!! I recently just finished up one of my new websites. It turned out so bright and adorable and fun! It's for Emmy Blakely, the queen of all things fabulous, of Much Ado About You. And while working with her, I got my very own Much Ado About You calendar. Oh my goodness, when I opened the package, I thought I was going to die- it's the cutest thing ever, honestly. If you are looking for a great gift for a friend, this is the place to go. And check out her new site.... I had a blast working on it!

Checkin' In...

2009-05-29T21:38:00.001-07:00

Well, he did it! The contractor, that is. He got us into our new house right on time, but boy was it close! And we LOVE being here! Within two days of moving, almost every neighbor on the block stopped by to say hi and welcome. I had no idea that still happened in this country! And the next door neighbor brought us cookies. I'm soaking it in, it's awesome.

Having said all of that, we still have some work to do. The biggest thing is we are actually adding on- but I prefer to live in denial about that right now :). But we haven't painted yet nor put up curtains (yes, that's right. Scary but true). So, the "curtains" in our bathroom are taped up paper towels. Oh yeah, we're keeping it real classy over here :). We have the curtains and rods but cannot find the drill for the life of us (we've both seen it recently, but with all of our moving around, it's been so hard to keep track of things). If it doesn't show up this weekend, I'm buying a new one. I just can't take it anymore! :)

Anyhow, we are just settling in and basically trying to find everything that's been in storage for eight months. It's been fun opening boxes because it's like we're getting all new stuff! Christmas in May- woo hoo! :)

My blog posts will probably be pretty sparse for a while as things start to settle down around here. For now, my days revolve around Pilates and trying to find a place for my oh-so-longed-for art adventures :).

My Life as a Mover

2009-05-12T17:05:00.000-07:00

Yes ladies and gentlemen (ok, probably all ladies), it's that time again! We're moooooovvvviiinnngggg!!!! And I don 't know what happens to me when I get tired and delirious, but the combination of the two always makes me want to blog. Maybe it's the only time I'm too tired to realize that I don't have time to blog.

But alas, we are moving again. I think I've blogged this before, but it always makes me feel better to remember (and to justify my stress :)). In the past two years, I have moved:

From Hawaii to Boulder, CO
From Boulder, CO to Littleton, CO (condo A)
From Condo A in Littleton to Condo B in Littleton (while we renovated condo A)
From Condo B back to Condo A.
(deep sigh).....
From Condo A to Medford, OR
From Medford, OR to a rental house here
and on Friday......
from this rental to a house across town.

Yup. You counted right... seven times. And in between those times, all the other drama that's happened. Crazy, right??? Yes, crazy. In those moves, I have become seriously less anal about packing things "just so". Now, I am just happy if it (whatever "it" may be) gets in a box and makes it to the next place. The thing that made me think about blogging was this sign I made for a box while talking on the phone to the contractor... or Home Depot.... or the cable company.... or the tile store.... or the wandering gardener (long story).... it's hard to keep track...
The things that fit into "the Random" category will be anything that is not food, clothing or bathroom items. Everything else goes into this tub... to be sorted out at a later date :).

How am I doing, you might be wondering? Oh, just peachy! Haha.... actually delirious is still the best way to explain how I'm feeling. Last week I had a major breakdown (I think it might have been two or three that ran together) and then one day I had a breakTHROUGH instead of a breakDOWN! :) And that is that God truly, truly never gives us more than we can handle. I look back at this year and think about everything that we've gone through and it's amazing that I'm still standing. Because if you would have asked me if I go through all of this in advance... I would have laughed.... and laughed.... and laughed :). So, thank you God!

So, I was wandering around putting random items in their new tub home and I started thinking about the new things I love in my life. One is that I have let go a little bit (still have far to go) of worrying about looking good when I leave the house. Strange? Yes. Sorry. :) Instead, I am have been wearing what God has provided me with and I am happy about every single thing I own. So, I've been mixin' and matchin' all sorts of things! Woo-hoo! Haha.... that's freedom baby!

The second thing I'm really digging these days are when people write (smiles) or (hugs) in their emails. I don't know why, but those two things make me happy. I used to think they were a bit kid-ish.... but it helps take the guess work out of someone's mood or tone. If I would be writing these lately, I would be writing, (sobs).... (uncontrollable laughter).... (snores). :)

The third is that I am loving doodles, especially those ala Pam Garrison. They are fun and carefree and yes, they are what I was practicing when I made that sign.

The fourth thing I love is our small town! Our population is 2,000! Super duper small and I am finally starting to meet people. And they are soooo nice! We have met almost all of our new neighbors and some even invited us over for dinner. Aw... so sweet (smiles).

I am off to throw... err.... uhhh... put some more things in the tub. But, I thought I'd give you another glimpse into my life at the moment..... this is one side of our new kitchen. To be finished by Friday. (yes, this Friday)......

Oh! And one more picture.... a new graphic I just finished for PPP. I am LOVING the new summer line... you GOTTA check it out!!!

Takin' a Break

2009-04-27T16:58:00.000-07:00

Just a quick post to officially announce a break from any new graphic designing. My good ol' faithful and worn down back is needing most of my attention these days and spending a lot of time on the computer just isn't good for it. This has been something I've been contemplating for a while and am a little sad about it, but it's definitely for the best. For those of you who are current or past clients, don't worry! I'm still here for you :)- I'm just not accepting any new work for a few months.

I do have a few current projects that I cannot wait to share! I'll be posting them as they're finished. Hope you're all doing well!!!

This is my sister....

2009-04-18T21:08:00.001-07:00

This is my sister, Jeni (and one of her students). If you've ever met her, you know she is honestly one of the most loving and supportive people around. She selflessly gives and gives to others and never asks for anything in return. On top of that, she's one of the funniest people I know. Her humor and wit are hilarious! And, yes, you can tell in this picture that she has the cutest lil' Pixie cut ever right now! And she cut her hair to donate it to Locks for Love! Anyhow, although she definitely deserves a random post about how amazing she is, this one has a purpose. She has been a missionary in the country of Hungary for the past three years, but right now she is in Nigeria on a missions trip for ten days and I'd appreciate any prayers for her. She is in charge of a VBS and they are expecting 200-300 kids, and there are only 10 or so people in her group to run it. But if you all could pray for her safety and for salvation and the love of God to be brought to those they meet, that would be awesome!

Hope you're all having a great weekend! We finally have sunshine!!! Yiippppeeeee!!!!

UPDATE: She's home safe and had an amazing time! Thank you all for your prayers!!!!

Blog Design Giveaway

2009-04-02T20:37:00.000-07:00

Hey guess what! I'm giving away a Blog Makeover in April's Giveaway over at Roof With a View.
(it will be my last new graphic design project for a few months... I'm taking a little break).

Tell a friend and send them on over to RWAV! :)

Shame on You Dick Blick!

2009-04-01T18:27:00.001-07:00

I have some good news and some bad news (compared to my news lately, it's really not that bad- just felt like I should make that clear right away :)). The good news? Our stuff was finally delivered to us!!! Yay!!! It's only been 4 and a half months... haha. The bad news? Well, it all went directly into a (tightly packed) storage unit! It was a very anti-climatic moment as I realized that my dreams of actually being able to have and use our things is put off for yet another few months. "Wait, a few more months?" you ask. Yes, we will be remodeling our house before moving in.... and yes, I know we are crazy- I think "fools" might be a better description :). But, in the end, it will be wonderful, so I just need to get through the next couple of months.

One way I cope with being overwhelmed is by getting out all of my art stuff and tuning everything else out- it's great therapy. Since we packed up all of my art supplies, that was one of the things I was most looking forward to getting my hands on. But, alas, it wasn't to be. So, instead I ordered a few new things (just to get me through) and I have been seriously OCD about tracking the FedEx from DickBlick.com, an online art supply store (sorry to make you wait so long to find out who Dick Blick is... a little suspense is good for us all every now and then!). The tracking number says the package is due to arrive.... yesterday. So, I kicked butt all day yesterday with a bunch of back-logged graphic design programs so that I would have a whole day today of pure, uninterrupted, glue-y, paint filled fun. Didn't happen and now tomorrow is filled with appointments with contractors, electricians and Virginia, my Pilates sensei (ok, she's not officailly a sensei, but sometimes I like to get in the Karate Kid mindset when I'm working out... helps me stay motivated). So, just wanted to share that.... waxing off now, friends.

Thank You Mr. Postman!

2009-03-24T11:29:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a very good Post Office day for me... very good indeed. I received not just one package, but two packages of absolute delight! I came home, made a fresh cup of tea and upwrapped each one with complete joy :). The first box was from my sister. She is a missionary teacher in Hungary and she teaches two first graders and a kindergartner. They each sent me a card that was so sweet, it brought tears to my eyes- just the pure innocence of children is so beautiful. One said, "Dear Jaime, I am happy. I would like to meet you one day." And then she drew a picture of my sister and I holding hands. It doesn't get much sweeter than that!!! I also got some goodies from my sister that will remain wrapped until.... my birthday (yes, it's coming up and yes, I keep forgetting until others remind me! :)).

The second box was from Kelly of Sweet Addie Vintage. She makes the most beautiful jewelry from bits of vintage ephemera. I cannot even explain how much I love every single piece! Even the packaging was a treat!!! You'll have to check out the pictures to see what I mean... then check her out to get some of your own! :) Right now she is having a "Pay it Forward" (love those!) contest at her blog.

Thank you Kelly and Jeni- you guys made my day!!!

Look how she packaged the box- how fun is this!!!!

Perspective

2009-03-23T10:12:00.000-07:00

Better is one day in Your courts
Than thousands elsewhere.

Cookies and Sunshine

2009-03-15T15:37:00.000-07:00

I will exalt you, Oh Lord,
for you lifted me out of the depths...

Oh Lord my God, I called to you for help
and you healed me.

Oh Lord, you brought me up from the grave;
you spared me from going down into the pit.

Sing to the Lord, you saints of his;
praise his holy name...

Weeping may remain for a night,
but rejoicing comes in the morning.

from Psalm 30

There... I've said it.

2009-03-12T16:23:00.000-07:00

When I started this blog, I was thinking it was going to be a strictly business blog. Well, since my business is so intimately tied to my personal life, the blog has kind of merged over time... a little bit of business here... a little bit of personal stuff there... and so it goes.

I've been hesitating to share the latest stuff in my life for a few reasons, but feel like I should just come out with it... mostly because I haven't been really quick to get back to people lately and I want to let you know that I'm working on it, I promise... just a lot to digest and deal with recently.

So, here's the scoop in very short form because I haven't cried today and I'd like to keep it that way if at all possible :). The day I went in to see the specialist about my back injury way back in January, I took a pregnancy test (I wanted to be 100% sure I wasn't pregnant just in the off chance they were going to do any x-rays or an MRI). To my great surprise and even greater delight, I found out I was pregnant!!! Aaron and I (along with both of our families) were absolutely overjoyed and so incredibly excited. A few weeks after we found out this news, Aaron got his job and we moved and settled in to a new city in another new state.

My pregnancy ran the normal course... lots of nausea... LOTS of it! And just general tiredness, but nothing out of the ordinary. So we were pretty shocked to find out at my first ultrasound that the baby didn't make it. I know miscarriages are so common, but you just never think its going to happen to you- at least I didn't think it would happen to me. But not only did I miscarry, but the process was drawn out over a period of three of the worst weeks of my life. Lots of unnecessary details about it, but in the end, I actually had to go through the physical process of miscarrying two times.

If you've followed my story at all, you know that this past year has been pretty rough for us, and for me in particular. I was so excited about the baby because it seemed like things were turning around and finally, finally looking up. But God had other plans. Though I have no idea what purpose they'll serve, I do trust Him. That's not to say I'm doing great. I have to admit that this most recent trial has been the straw to break the camel's back so to speak and my emotional and spiritual recovery has proven to be a rocky road this far. But God is faithful... and He gives us strength when we have none. I'm counting on these two things more than ever now.

Ok, all done.

Love you all, J

A Poem about Promises

2009-03-10T15:32:00.000-07:00

These Things He Hath Promised

The Lord did not promise all days would be bright,
Or promise we'd never shed tears in the night.
For life is a mixture of sunshine and rain,
Of happy times, laughter, of sorrow and pain.

He did promise always He'd stay by our side
And never forsake us, whatever betide.
He promised His grace for each trial and task,
His strength in our weakness - we have but to ask;
His tender forgiveness, new life from above,
His peace beyond measure, His undying love.

These things He hath promised,
These things He imparts
To all who will trust Him.

Thanks Mel, I needed that.

Though He Slay Me, Yet Will I Trust Him

2009-02-28T10:45:00.000-08:00

Remember my affliction and my wandering, the wormwood and bitterness.
Surely my soul remembers
And is bowed down within me.
This I recall to my mind,
Therefore I have hope.

The Lord's lovingkindnesses indeed never cease,
For His compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.

"The Lord is my portion," says my soul,
"Therefore I have hope in Him."
The LORD is good to those who wait for Him,
To the person who seeks Him.
It is good that he waits silently
For the salvation of the LORD.
It is good for a man that he should bear
The yoke in his youth.
Let him sit alone and be silent
Since He has laid it on him.
Let him put his mouth in the dust,
Perhaps there is hope.
Let him give his cheek to the smiter,
Let him be filled with reproach.
For the Lord will not reject forever,
For if He causes grief,
Then He will have compassion
According to His abundant lovingkindness.
Lamentations 3:19-32

Introducing Robins Egg Blue!

2009-02-11T17:32:00.000-08:00

I am so excited to post my newest completed site- RobinsEggBlue! RobinsEggBlue is the amazing work of Gretchen Ciccotti, you've really got to check out her line! She has such an amazing eye for color and design. Enjoy!

Back Update

2009-02-09T21:09:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I get so used to dealing with my back, that I forget to tell other people how I'm feeling. Sorry about that! I am very, very happy to report that I am feeling a bit better these days. I am still a looooooooooonngggg way from pain-free :), but the days of unbearable pain are few and far between now. Yippee!!!

I found a Pilates studio in town and went to my first session today. The lengthening exercises feel SO good and the strengthening exercises are SO tiring :). Haha.... my poor body is so weak from the last few months of not being able to do anything. It's so funny because when I'm trying to do a new exercise, and my body is so weak, I feel like looking down at my body and asking, "Who are you? Where did you come from???" I guess my mind still thinks I'm 19... how sad is that? :) Haha. But the good news is I'm getting stronger, so YAY! :)

The one real dilemma I still have is not being able to sit longer than 20 minutes. You can imagine how much this hinders a normal life, but I am learning to stop thinking about what is normal and to start thinking about ways to manage real life with my limitations. So I'm looking into a van where I can stand up and drive. Ok, that's a lie (weird mood tonight- sorry!) I was just trying to think of solutions I've come up with to adjust to not being able to sit and and couldn't really think of any- so I made that one up :).

Well, that's it for the update... sorry it got a little goofy! Love you all!!!

Phew....

2009-02-04T09:53:00.000-08:00

Ever had one of those times in your life where you feel like you've been holding your breath for a really, really long time..... and you don't even realize it until you finally exhale? Well, that's definitely how I'm feeling this morning! I thought I'd give a little (maybe not so little??) update on what's been going on in our lives... where we are now and most importantly why we're here :).

To answer the first big questions. We now officially live in Washington. Last week, Aaron and I drove up here for his job interview (it's about a six hour drive) and this past Friday they called at 4:30pm and asked him if he could start Monday morning at 8am!!! During the interview process, they had asked him several times how quickly he could be up here and he always said a couple of days... so now we had a chance to find out if we could actually do that! The job is an awesome opportunity for him and we are so excited about it. So, on Saturday, my mother-in-law came over to help and between her and Aaron (with me cheering them on), they packed us up completely and we were ready to drive up Sunday morning.

Our obvious other issue was finding a place to live. When we left Colorado, we had to hire movers to pack us up because of my back. So the moving company has our whoooooollleee life in storage in Denver, waiting for us to find a permanent home so they can deliver it. What that meant for us moving here was we needed a furnished place until we can have our things delivered. And we needed in two days AND it was the weekend! We could have stayed in a hotel, of course, but with Ember (our dog) and all of our stuff, that prospect just didn't sound appealing at all! Well, never fear, God knew what we needed and we found a place!!! Since this area is a vacation spot, there are a lot of vacation rentals. And... because it's the offseason, some people rent their vacation homes (fully furnished) for longer periods of time! So we found this cute little cottage for rent and were able to move in Sunday night when we got here! Is that God working or is that God working???

The owners were super great, didn't mind Ember and just left us a key under the mat! The house itself is so tiny, but is so sunny and clean and it really does feel like home. Aaron's office is three blocks away, there is a park for Ember across the street and we just love it here! We'll be staying for 2 months to give us some time to find something else to rent.

Aaahhhhhhh..... oh, sorry, that's just me exhaling again :). So, here's what it took for us to get to this place. I know I've written snippets about this before, but here is the story start to finish. The reason I want to tell the whole story again is to bear witness to God's goodness and faithfulness.

Our Year
You probably all know that I seriously injured my back last July. Aaron and I were living in Littleton, CO... Aaron was in graduate school studying Philosophy of Religion at Denver Seminary, and I was selling art, graphic design and teaching part-time at a community college. When my back first went out, we thought it would be a two week flare-up, like I have had every so often. Well, when the first two weeks.... then two months went by with no relief, we realized that we needed to pray about what we needed to do next. It was like one day we realized that although we didn't know exactly what was going to happen, we knew our lives were about to change- completely against our will.

The first thing we decided to do was move back West to be closer to our families. Aaron needed a little help with the daily responsibilities of taking care of me plus the cooking, cleaning, laundry- not to mention driving me to doctor's appointments and physical therapy appointments. All the while he started looking for work, as I couldn't work anymore. Before I got hurt, our budget was extremely set so that we could make it through Aaron's schooling. All of a sudden, I wasn't able to work, and even though we have health insurance, we do have to pay 10% of medical bills, and we very quickly started to eat our way through our savings account. Once we got to Oregon, Aaron's parents invited us to stay in their country home, which was a huge blessing. It was on 40 acres and the peace and quiet was food for our souls. In the meantime, we were still seeing doctors (5 doctors in 3 different states, actually) trying to get some solid answers on my pain.

We thought for sure that we'd be in his parents' house for 2-3 weeks tops before Aaron would be able to find a job and we'd be able to start our life up again. But God had other plans. My dear husband applied for job after job and went to maybe 10-15 interviews, but nothing came through. As each rejection came through, we began to see that God was doing a work. That doesn't mean that we liked the work He was doing, but He at least gave us peace that it was truly Him at work. But, like I said, we didn't like the work we were seeing unfolding before our eyes. We noticed that God was stripping us of every thing we have relied on that distracted us from leaning totally and completely on Him. Like I mentioned, our savings account... yeah, just about gone now. My ability to work outside the home- gone. Aaron (who has 2 degrees and get references) wasn't able to get a job. We were living in a home that wasn't ours, we didn't have any of our "stuff", I was still in a ton of pain... and it seemed like everyday, things got worse, or things got harder and harder. This whole time, our condo back in Littleton hadn't rented either, so we were making mortgage payments, but not living there. I would always panic when I would think, "What if Aaron gets a job somewhere we need to rent a place and we are still paying our mortgage too?" We never could have afforded that.

At one point, I was talking to my sister on the phone and said, "Can I please just list all of the things that are wrong right now in our life?" Sharing the burden did make me feel a wee it better, but nothing was changing. Through the whole ordeal, Aaron and I were searching and searching our hearts, wondering if something in our lives was out-of-whack that we were being disciplined for. But it seemed like God stepped in every time and said, "I'm teaching you something that you can only learn the hard way." And so, every day, we would get up and press on, knowing that we needed to do our part, but trusting that He was working something much bigger through everything.

A few weeks back, God began ministering to me through the story of Job. I hesitate to mention this, because I know he lost so much more than we did, but our situation was so similar. Like I mentioned, everything was taken from us and we were powerless to change things. And it was at that bottom, that we found ourselves TRULY relying on God. We had nothing. And yet, we began to find we were feeling better, more hopeful, less stressed, more joyful. Aaron and I have this saying (it's kind of funny and I don't know where it came from), but when either of us would get stressed, we would say, EGBO! "Everything's going to be ok." But in the midst of the trial we were going through, I realized that God doesn't always want us waiting for the day when everything is ok to relax or rest. He wants us to rest in Him no matter what we're going through. He wants us to know that He knows what we're going through and that He loves us and cares for us.

As Christians, sometimes we feel like we're not allowed to worry. We feel this pressure that says it's sin to worry, but we don't always which spiritual tools to use to help us not worry. In these times, we don't have to take a blind leap of faith... just hoping things will turn out right. Instead, our faith in these situations is based on the character of God: who He says He is, and what He says He'll do for us. He never promised us pain-free lives, but He does promise that good things come from bad things and that He'll never give us more than we can bear. It is this knowledge that our faith, and hearts, can rest upon when the whole world seems to be caving in.

And like He always does, God knew just how much we could take and stepped in right when we absolutely needed Him to! Within a three day period, all of our struggles literally were taken away: Aaron got a job (that he absolutely LOVES!), we are in our own place (small, but full of love :)), and, our condo finally rented in Colorado the day after we moved up here! Just on time! Just like God promised to do!

I know this has been a super long post, but I really wanted to write and encourage anyone who might be facing challenges. Trust me, I know the frustration and confusion that comes from unexpected and unexplained struggles that you have no power to change, but I also know the joy that can come from resting your burdens upon the Lord and trusting that He'll do something glorious from the seeming mess. Don't forget that our earthly eyes cannot always see what God is accomplishing in the heavenly realm. Just get through one day at a time with your eyes focused on Him, friends, remembering all that He has done for you already and promises to do in the future.

Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name; you are Mine!
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they will not overflow you
When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched,
Nor will the flame burn you.
For I am the Lord your God,
The Holy One of Israel, your Savior. Is 43:1-3

Do you not know? Have you not heard?
The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth
Does not become weary or tired
His understanding is inscrutable.
He gives strength to the weary,
And to him who lacks might He increases power.
Though youths grow weary and tired,
And vigorous young men stumble badly,
Yet those who wait for the Lord
Will gain new strength;
They will mount up with wings like eagles,
They will run and not get tired,
They will walk and not become weary. Is 40:28-31

Well hello world....

2009-01-31T21:18:00.000-08:00

Wow, I know I haven't been around much... and I'm sorry to say I can only stay for a minute or two to report the good news! We are moving! You would think that this might not be considered good news, but in this case, it is WONDERFUL news! Aaron was just hired at a computer techie company that makes aerospace-y stuff (I'm sure I'll have a much better understanding of it in a week or so :)). We drove up here last week for his interview and then waited aaaalllll week to hear the verdict. They called at 4:30 on Friday afternoon and asked if he could start Monday morning. Sure, why not???! :) Haha.... actually almost all of our stuff (literally) is still in storage, waiting to get moved to our permanent house. So we spent the whole day packing (well, let's be honest, I can't do much, but Aaron and his mom kicked butt!). I was in charge of keeping up the morale :). Thankfully everything got done since we're not moving big stuff.

So, bright and early tomorrow morning, we'll be making our last move for a while- hopefully!!!! We'll be renting a furnished place because the quickest the movers can come is three weeks.... and then we'll move again.... but you know what! It's ok! I can see the light at the end of the tunnel!!!

Ok, I am pooped and have a big day tomorrow! Thank you for everyone who has been praying about Aaron's job! We are sooooo excited!!!!!

Resource for Chronic Pain and Illness Support

2009-01-16T20:31:00.000-08:00

A really amazing side effect of having this silly back issue is that I've had a chance to connect with a lot of people who also struggle with different chronic illnesses or pain. I never realized so many people were dealing with so much out there- it humbles me. I just wanted to share a blog that has so encouraged me lately. It is written by one of Aaron's professors from his grad school. His wife suffers greatly from Fibromyalgia and he is able to articulate so clearly what families go through who suffer through cure-less health issues. If you are someone who struggles with these types of issues, I hope you are as blessed by it as I am. And if you know someone who has these difficulties, you might want to pass on the link. One of the major things that has helped Aaron and I is that we realize that we are not alone in the emotions and spiritual struggles we encounter. It's always nice to know you're not as crazy as you think sometimes! :)

Chronic Illness and the Christian Faith

Doctors Schmoctors

2009-01-12T10:16:00.000-08:00

[These aren't xrays of my spine (thank goodness), didn't want to scare anyone! :)]

In the end, our trip to San Diego wasn't as productive in the healing category as we had hoped. The specialist I saw down there pretty much confirmed what I have already heard- there isn't anything they can do to ease the pain. Yep. Well, I take that back. There is a surgery they can perform that has a 50% success rate, and if you happen to be one of the lucky people in the wrong 50%, you become a lot worse. Usually, they only do this surgery on older people because it will actually cause other discs in your back to bulge also. There are more details than that, but needless to say, I won't be getting that surgery. In fact, I am going to hold off on it as long as possible (hopefully I'll never have to get it). In this picture, the one in the upper left that is called, "Lumbar Fusion" is the surgery I'd have.... except I'd have to have those screws put in the front and back of my spine at two different levels. Sound fun? Yeah, doesn't to me either :).

The good part about the appointment is that the doctor was incredible. He was so kind and patient and completely listened to me. He is considered the best in California, so although I didn't hear exactly what I wanted to, at least I know that I finally have a complete understanding of everything that is going on.

Soooooo..... anyhow, that's that. I am taking private Pilates lessons and am hoping that strengthening everything will help a bit. As for the pain... well, we all have our cross to bear in this life and I suppose mine will be this broken down back of mine. I know God's grace is sufficient for all my needs and that He's walking with me down this road I'm travelling.

I so completely appreciate everyone's prayers and kind words!!! Everyone has ben incredibly sweet!!! Thank you, thank you!!!

Walking Through the Valley

2009-01-08T09:33:00.000-08:00

Psalm 23

"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures;

He leads me beside quiet waters.

He restores my soul;

He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I fear no evil, for You are with me;

Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;

You have anointed my head with oil;

My cup overflows.

Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life,

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever."

An amazing song that echoes these truths: "If You Want Me To" by Ginny Owens.

Update on our trip: I saw a doctor Monday morning who was able to refer me to a back specialist. Because of the holidays and all, the first available appointment was tomorrow (Friday), so we've been hanging out in San Diego all week waiting for it. I haven't been able to go out of the hotel and do much, but the weather is amazingly gorgeous- and Aaron and my mom have been able to enjoy it a bit. Our schedule for today? Aaron flew back to Oregon because he had to work, and my sister is flying down to take his place. The fun continues! :) More info tomorrow after the appointment. I'm just praying there is something that can be done. But, if not, I will still praise Him. Have a great day everyone! Thank you for all your kind words and prayers!

PS Becca, you're going to love it here!!!! :)

2009.... Gotta Be Our Year, Right???

2009-01-03T09:47:00.000-08:00

Christmas 2007

Happy New Years everyone!!! Phew, we all survived another Christmas season and I'm just now recovering, I think! :) But we actually had a chance to spend Christmas Eve with Aaron's family and Christmas Day with mine. Probably not such a novel concept, but they live 6 hours apart, so we were pretty stoked that we got to be with both families. We are still in California with my family preparing for a trip to San Diego to see a back specialist, and yesterday something happened that made me take a deep breath and reflect back on 2008. My sister and I went to the grocery store and as we were leaving, the checker said, "2009! Gotta be our lucky year, right?" And I just realized how many people are hurting (financially, emotionally, spiritually) and how great the promise of a new year can be initially.

If you've read my blog at all, you've read a little bit about my back injury. I am six months into it and still have crazy-wack-funky pain everyday and haven't found relief through any sort of treatment (which explains the trip to San Dieg0). Because of my injury, our lives (Aaron and mine) have changed dramatically. We were living in Denver while Aaron was in graduate school (which he loved every single minute of)... we had just bought and renovated a condo that we loved... we lived a half of a mile from an 800 acre park... we finally started to look into some fertility treatments (yes, we aren't able to get pregnant on our own it seems)... my art was selling and things were moving forward with it... we had hit our groove and things were going so smoothly. Then BAM! My back went out. Every aspect of our life was suddenly uprooted... Aaron had to leave school... we had to leave Colorado... I can't do any art (except for websites)... and obviously, the baby planning was put on hold since my body is such a wreck. With the job market being what it is, and his having to take me to all my doctor's appointments, Aaron hasn't found a job yet and like I mentioned earlier, I haven't had any relief from the pain. Bleh!!! :)

Back to the grocery store... the reason why the grocer's comment hit me is because I've heard the same type of comment from so many people regarding our situation. "This is going to be your year!" "2009 will be a whole new start for you guys!" "2008 is over and everything will look up now!" Of course, I sincerely hope and pray all of these things are all true, but realistically, a new calendar year doesn't actually change anyone's life. And as I walked away from the grocer, I realized that there are so many hurting people in the world right now (he didn't know my circumstance and obviously is hoping for a better year in 2009 also). People have lost jobs or lost savings or lost homes .. maybe even lost their marriages or had to let go of their dreams. The downturn in the economic market is proving to shake most families up in pretty heavy ways. So what do we do now?

As a country that lives and dies by the amount of money we have, I think we need to take stock of what life is really about. The latest fashions do nothing to soothe the hurting soul... fancy homes and new furniture cannot heal physical, emotional or spiritual wounds... and I would venture that many are bordering on depression, wondering where to turn next. I would like to offer a suggestion that gets me through each day. It's this set of verses:

"Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, The Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable. He gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might, He increases power. Though youths grow weary and tired, and you men stumble badly, those who wait on the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary." Isaiah 40:28-31

We do not have any "solutions" that we can see in our immediate future- there is no "cure" for my pain, and the job market is a tough place to be in right now. But I will tell you what we do have. First of all, we have a God that knows our every need and loves to take care of us. It might not look like He's doing a great job, but don't let our circumstances fool ya. Aaron and I have a marriage that I thank God for all day long, it's a true blessing. And we have families that love us and care for us that we've grown closer to through this time. We have a roof over our heads and food in our mouths. And when it's all said and done, these things are what matter. So, yes, when the clock struck midnight, my first prayer was, "Lord, please let 2009 be a better year than 2008", but if it's not, I will still praise Him, for He loved me, saved Me, gave me a purpose in this life, and gets me through each day, one day at a time. I pray that whatever struggles you are facing today, that you find the true source of encouragement and find the strength to press on!

Free Blog Banner for the New Year

2008-12-28T22:07:00.000-08:00

So, we made it through Christmas and all is well! For the past week, we have been visiting my family in California and have been soaking in the sunshine after our rainy month up in Oregon. Even the pooch Ember is enjoying the sun! I am finally getting some work done and have decided to give away another banner to wish you all a Happy New Year! Hope it's a great one!

Another website for sale.... beware boys, it's pretty girly!

2008-12-19T19:27:00.000-08:00

Yes, Christmas is just days away. And no, I still haven't shopped. What have I been doing instead? Making websites! :) In my defense, my back has been feeling pretty icky lately, so that's usually what keeps me home. But back to the fun stuff! I honestly wanted to keep this website as my own :). While I was making it, the song from Sound of Music, "These are a few of my favorite things..." was stuck in my head. So it's really no surprise that this site turned out so.... happy and pink!

Which reminds me, my friend Kara has a card design called, I'm Dreaming of a Pink Christmas... how adorable is that?! :)

Please tell me there's a trick to this...

2008-12-18T13:36:00.000-08:00

Ok, is it just me or does Blogger randomly decide which picture it will enlarge when you click on them? Does anyone know a way (or some html code or something) to make the pictures enlarge?

Ember the Snoring Cow.... eerrrrr.... Dog

2008-12-18T12:53:00.000-08:00

The events in the following story are almost 100% true. And no names have been changed because really.... our little rascal doesn't mind.

As you all know, Aaron and I are staying out in the country right now and our property is next door to a wonderful field of cows. Apparently, I am not the only one in the family who is fascinated by our beautiful bovine neighbors- I recently realized that Ember (our chocolate lab) sneaks off and plays in their field whenever we're not looking!

So, here's how I discovered her secret desire to be a cow... each morning and night, when she goes out on her 'powder room' trips, she likes to stay outside and run and play for an extra 15 minutes or so. One night, when she didn't come back in that time period, I started calling for her. She didn't come running back until 10 minutes later, and I only caught a quick glimpse of the direction she was coming from... you guessed it, the cow pasture. I suppose it's because I don't have kids (and therefore apparently need to fill some maternal disciplining hole in my life :)) that this type of thing really makes me curious.

The next morning, when she went out the back door, I was prepared to catch her in the act. But, to be honest, I wasn't prepared for what I saw (enter dramatic music). As I said, she went happily out the back door... but within minutes, she was in the front "yard". This is where it gets interesting. She sat in the lane in front of the house and then looked around... when she didn't see anyone (I was cleverly hidden behind the curtains), she took a few steps closer to the cow field and then sat again. She repeated the three steps (walk, sit, look) about four times before she bolted for the cow field!

I was cracking up and went to get Aaron... by the time I came back to the window, she was running across the cow field in pure delight. I think I can best describe it as one of those corny beach scenes where people run towards each other in complete glee... except thankfully there was no cow charging at Ember. I finally had to call her back (I really like cows, but I'm not prepared to have one of mine own, even if its a dog who thinks she's a cow) and have since told this story to everyone who will listen.

I snapped the picture above a few days later when she went all James Bond on me again, and I have been meaning to post it for a while. Lately, she seems to be staying in the cow field longer and longer (she doesn't come now when we call her) and so as therapy for me, I felt the need to share our struggle.

The End

PS Thank you for indulging me with my dog story... until we have children, she gets all that "isn't that cute??!?!?" attention in our lives :). And if you're wondering if I'm really upset... no, I think it's all incredible funny and cute, don't worry :).

PPS Are you wondering why the word snoring is in the title? Ember snores abnormally loud. That's all.

Newest Website Design For Sale: Play

2008-12-16T14:25:00.000-08:00

Dontcha just want to hang out with these adorable little birdie fellas? This scrapbook inspired website design is now officially available!

PS The amazingly adorable (and extremely friendly I'm quite sure) elephant in the sample photo is courtesy of Sweet Grocery Bags... and guess what! He's still for sale!

'Tis the season... for procrastinating!

2008-12-15T09:10:00.001-08:00

Yes, yes, yes... it's true. I haven't done any Christmas shopping yet. There I said it. But admitting it doesn't make me feel better- I thought maybe getting that off my chest would make me feel better, but no...

So what have I been doing, you ask? Well, all sorts of things of course! Hands down the most exciting is a new found love of juicing! It all started with a doctor in Denver...

After going to him for a second opinion, he told me that there's nothing really that the medical community can do to get rid of my pain. People that have what I have just have to figure out a method of pain management. That was the first time a doctor told me there's a pretty good chance they can't help me. As crazy as it sounds, something about that conversation set me free to stop waiting on doctors for a "cure" and start looking into other options.

One thing that I know is that I can't depend on pain medications because A) I don't want to take any medicine every day and B) I would really like to get pregnant and of course don't want to take any medicine with a wee one in me :). So, I started looking into different avenues for getting strong and healthy. One thing Aaron and I really wanted to start doing is juicing. And last week my parents gave us a super dooper little juicer and I am officially in love! I mean, look at this little basket of goodies! We went on a fruit and veggie shopping spree the other night and we are seriously in juice

heaven. So, I would highly, highly recommend juicing to all of you this Christmas season. It honestly doesn't take that long to do or to clean up. Maybe a few extra minutes in your day... but think of the long term benefits! My second recommendation is to get this book, Raw Juicing Can Save Your Life. The title sounds a little corny, I know, but the information in this puppy is amazing. It gives you a run down of the nutritional and medicinal value of a ton of food and it has very user-friendly recipes for juices. It makes the process less overwhelming and very manageable. If

you're just thinking about juicing, this book is the place to start for sure.

In other news, we woke up to a blanket of snow this morning! One of the many things I knew I'd miss about Colorado was the snow. The city we live in now doesn't get snow very often. Usually never. But outside could be mistaken for Colorado! Something about the snow is so peaceful and gentle. It makes me want to bundle up in some comfy sweats, get out my new art

supplies (oh, did I mention I bought some supplies to work with? I was going through withdrawals because all of our stuff is in storage :)), turn on some great music and work away. In fact... I think that's where I'm headed now!

And maybe tomorrow I'll shop :). Have a great day!

Etsy Christmas Banner Freebie

2008-12-04T16:44:00.000-08:00

When Thanksgiving rolled around, I realized that one of the things I've been most thankful for this year is Etsy! I absolutely love the opportunity it provides people to share their beautiful creativity with the world (and make some extra money doing it :)). If I spend any amount of time peaking around at other people's shops, I am inspired within minutes every time! And I love the people I've met on Etsy. Everyone is so amazingly sweet and it really does become a community. In that spirit, I am offering a free Christmas banner, made with love and thanks :). Feel free to tell a friend :). Enjoy!

My Multi-Tasking Flaw

2008-12-02T22:50:00.000-08:00

Please oh please tell me I'm not the only woman who does this! In the midst of keeping track of all the things I have going on... I sometimes (ok, more than sometimes) respond to things in my own head without actually communicating with the other person. Ok, that doesn't make sense. Here's an example... one of my two favorite military wives, the fabulous Genevieve over at Sweet Grocery Bags emailed and asked me a question about a design I'm working on for her. I most likely read the email in the store or in the car (no, not while I'm driving) or some other completely fun place like that :), and I answered her in my head.... and not by email. And three days later, I realized that maybe I actually need to email her if I want her to know my answer :). To be honest, I think that my iPhone is to blame! I mean, I read emails wherever I am, and complete forget about them because I'm the middle of something else. And then, when I get home, I'll open my email, see that there's no new mail and close my computer right back up. But, alas, I can't blame it all on the iPhone... I do the same thing in human conversations too (which is worse, and therefore probably means it's not the iPhones fault at all- darn it!) My poor husband is the victim of this most often. He'll unsuspectingly walk in the room and I'll say, "Oh! Can you believe she did that?" (or something along those lines). My poor husband tries so hard to figure out what I'm talking about. He gets this look of confusion mixed with guilt, and I know he's feeling like he should know what I'm talking about. Poor, poor guy :).

Anywho, a completely random bit of info I thought I'd share. If anyone out there knows a good homeopathic cure for this, I'd be interested! :)

Whiz Bang!

2008-11-26T16:53:00.000-08:00

Ok, so here's a random story for ya... when I was a kid, I would dream about this wallpaper I wanted to create. It had a white background with random patterns of geometric shapes all over it. And in my mind, these were all in primary colors and for quite some time, I really, really wanted this wallpaper. But, alas, it was not to be... ho hum... :). So why this story? Well, I'll tell you! This past year, I came across the designs of the very talented Julia Makotinksy. And her work catipulted me back to a place and time where dreaming of this wallpaper was my favorite hobby. Julia's designs, however, are way more stylish, and fun, and interesting :). I've been working on my newest site for a while now and it has been a blast every step of the way (which inspired the title too). Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and one thing I'm thankful for is color.... weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!! :)

Just Some Words of Encouragement...

2008-11-25T09:42:00.000-08:00

Because you just can't hear this too much, right?

Isaiah 41:9-10 says:
You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth,

And called from its farthest regions,
And said to you,

You are My servant,
I have chosen you and have not cast you away:
Fear not, for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.

Sweet Tooth

2008-11-24T15:00:00.000-08:00

Just a quick little note to announce the new arrival to my shop. It's a site I've named Sweetie, because... well... it's just sweet! :) It will be loaded onto my site soon. Have a sweet day!

*A big thanks to Shauna at PPP for use of her pictures in my sample :)*

I've Gone and Done It

2008-11-19T18:09:00.000-08:00

Well.... I've been talked to by more than friend and most recently by my mother-in-law! And the word on the town is I need to get connected because this is where all the action is! So I've been convinced that I'm just plain ol' missing out by not being on Facebook! I do really worry that I won't have time to update it very often (I know, story of my life! Ha!), but I can say that I'll try! So here's my face (I was going to attach of close-up of my face on this post, but that idea was vetoed by me shortly after :)).

Tra la la...

2008-11-14T09:46:00.001-08:00

Good morning! Can you believe it? Two posts in a row!?! I am trying oh so sincerely to post more. I thought I'd do a little show and tell this morning with all the different projects I've been working on...

I just love going through these because I also get to share with you all some amazingly talented and sweet women too!

I finally just finished up a brand spankin' new site for kara rosenberry, co. Her dainty and simple (simple in a very good way) cards were a joy to work with- not to mention how awesome it is to work with Kara too! :) We met at my art show in Denver. She said, "We're going to be friends- just watch!" :) And she was right! :) Here's a little peek into her shop chock full of goodies... if you're in the market for Christmas cards, check out the holiday section... my personal faves are "I'm Dreaming of a Pink Christmas" and "Fa La La".

www.kararosenberr y.com

Earlier this week, I also finished up Zuzu's Petals for my other new friend, Jesika :). She and I suffer from the same back problems and so our bond was instantaneous! Unfortunately, hers is much worse, though :(. It's been so therapuetic to have someone to swap stories and frustrations with! She is now in the process of loading all her lovelies into her shop (her back is slowing her down), but her site is all up and ready. The second picture here is a matching blog background she also purchased.

Let's see, moving on... I also created new logos. The first is a new shop for Shauna, who just happens to make the cutest clothes ever. Her husband's family has a super duper amazing organic cheesecake recipe from his grandmother, Mary Mellusi. They are in the process of setting up their new shop to sell them. (Cheesecake sounds really, really good right now, by the way :).

Another logo design job was for Vanessa. She is opening a store called "Lola's Fresh Produce" that sells a mixture of vintage items, cool and funky goods, and homemade Etsy items. The vibe of the online store will be a local farmer's market feel.
I almost forgot about the table top poster (for her street market booth) I made for Rebecca, better known in the jewelry world as "That Jewelry Girl".

You see, it hasn't been all doctors and physical therapy appointments for me! :) Or all packing and moving :). But looking at this workload, at least I see why I always feel really busy! :)

Aaaahhhhh......

2008-11-13T15:35:00.000-08:00

That's the sound of me exhaling... and wow, it feels great! :) We have been in Oregon now for over a week. Aaron's parents let us "land" at their second home until we can find someplace just for us, and it has been incredible. Seriously, look at this property!
This is the view from the back porch down the dusty lane. Past the pond and barn there is a beautiful river swooshing along that we can hear all the way up at the house. I've really, really needed this! If you've been following along with my journey (I'm sorry the posts have been so few and far between), you know that I've been having quite a time with my back. I went to another doctor again this week so that I can start up therapy again here in Oregon. It was a horrible experience (including him making a comment that this is all in my head) and I left so frustrated and defeated.

And, I won't lie, it is frustrating! It's been five months with only a few weeks of pain free to show for it (but yes, I DO appreciate those weeks!!!). It's quite obvious from my blog and my art that I am a Christian and I feel that I need to say yes, Christians go through hard times too. Life doesn't become perfect and all peaches after becoming one, and there are no magic cures or lines to rehearse to feel better. What I do have, though, are assurances. Assurances that somehow, some way, this time of bare-bones, deep and sometimes dark struggle will have good purposes. There are examples all around- I just starting reading the biography of the woman who started the Salvation Army. And within the few first pages (I didn't know this before I bought the book), it talks about all the sicknesses and ailments she had- yet, the things she accomplished were incredible! I also just listened to the testimony of Heather Mercer- the missionary to Afghanistan who was held captive a few years ago. There was no way I can begin to tell her amazing story- it really is incredible. But, she originally went there to share the love of Jesus with people who had lived under the Taliban's rule. She had a heart to help that country become physically and spiritually free. She was a prisoner for over 100 days before being rescued. A few years later, she got a phone call from one of the interrogators from the Taliban prison she was in. He told her that he and his family were moving to America! When they came, she went to his house and ate with his family. In return, she had them for dinner too. He even attended her church! Though remaining Muslim, he is now studying at a Christian University and has a dream to one day become the President of Afghanistan. In her reflection upon this, she realized that if he came to know the perfect and freeing love of Christ, and did return to Afghanistan and become president, he help fulfill her heart's desire to spread love to Afghanistan. And that is just part of the good that came from her imprisonment.

Well, this post is probably more for me than anyone else :). What I had intended to do was post pictures of this amazingly beautiful place God has allowed us to be at, not ramble on and on- sorry! That little creature in the pond is Ember- she's a little OCD about playing fetch, but we love her anyway :).

There was a double rainbow in the sky behind him, but I guess my camera phone couldn't quite catch it :)

One last question... do you think it's a sign that you've been in the city too long when you think the sound of a distant cow moo-ing is your phone vibrating???

Alive and Kickin'.... I think

2008-11-08T14:10:00.000-08:00

Stay a While: Now Available at Jaime Beitler Studios

Phew...we have officially moved! Oh my... it was rocky there for a bit. My back threw a little temper tantrum about an hour and a half into a 24 hour drive. We had to go to Plan B... which we didn't really have in place- nor did we even think about it. We were in Cheyenne, Wyoming, of all places and had absolutely no idea what to do. God is good though! We ended up hiring a shipping company to come pick up my car. Then I rode with Aaron (I was laying down the entire way, of course) the rest of the trip. It really couldn't have gone smoother, considering the way the trip started!

So, now we are settling in for a few weeks before we make a more permanent move. And I am already regretting packing up my art supplies. They are in storage and I things just don't seem right without them nearby :). Until I can my hands on them again, I will be focusing on my web design studio. The picture at the top of the page is a new design! The graphics are by Julia Makotinsky of Little Dreamer Designs. Couldn't you just die from all this crazy cuteness???

This what you think it is...

2008-10-22T12:09:00.000-07:00

Need I say more? I am convinced that we are gluttons for punishment... we are moving- again! But, this is a very, very, very (did I say VERY?) exciting move! We are moving closer to our families!!! Woo-hoo!!! October 30... West Coast here we come!

SALE

2008-10-17T08:16:00.000-07:00

To celebrate the Grand Opening of my new web design studio, I'm having a sale! And not just any sale! A crazy, huge, amazing sale! From now until Thanksgiving Day, every single website is 50% off the listed price. If you've been dreaming about a site all for yourself, this is the time to do it... start the search for your new website now.

New design added! "The Beat" was designed for the inner rocker in you!

It's Ready!!!

2008-10-11T16:27:00.000-07:00

Ok, so like I mentioned in an earlier post, while I was hurt, I learned a lot about website design and have decided to start selling them! I have been working hard at getting my own website ready to showcase them and it's finally up and ready for business! Check check check, check it out!

Here's a little preview of one of my favorite sites for sale:

Distinct

I've Been Tagged (but don't worry, I'm ok)

2008-10-08T22:36:00.000-07:00

I've been tagged by Becca at Lovely Yellow Ribbons! I've been seeing this tagging going on... and I finally got some tag love! Woo-hoo!

Ok, here are the rules of the game:

1. Link to the person that tagged you.
2. Mention the rules.
3. Tell six quirky yet boring, unspectacular details about yourself.
4. Tag six other bloggers by linking to them.
5. Go to each person's blog and leave them a comment so they know they've been tagged.

Here are my 6 completely unspectacular quirks:

1. I am obsessed with sleeping under covers that have no wrinkles in them whatsoever. I have no idea where it came from, but if I feel a wrinkle, no matter how tired (or hurt) I am, I will get up and straighten out the sheets and covers.

2. Speaking of sleeping, when I set my alarm, I always have to end it in a 1. Like 6:01 instead of 6:00. I don't believe in superstition, so that not the reason I do it... in fact, I can't explain why I do it! I guess that's what makes it a quirk! :)

3. This year, I have become addicted to peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I can't even begin to explain my PB & J infatuation (although it might have something to do with the fact that my sister stocks us up with a year's worth of homemade jam every summer!).

4. I secretly long to teach our dog every doggie trick in the book. And one night, Aaron told me that she wouldn't be able to learn anything new (she's only 4 for crying out loud!). Never being one to take a dare lightly, I secretly started training her to roll over. And one night (a few months later), I asked him if he still thought she couldn't learn anything new... after he said now, I said the magic words and there she went- rolling over! :) Haha... yes, it's a true story and before you feel sorry for me, yes I do know how dorky it is. But, hey, what's a girl to do?

5. Whenever I'm cooking, I have to clean the kitchen the whole way through. And sometimes I have to clean it before I start. I consider a meal a success if I've been able to clean or wash everything that we don't actually need for the immediate meal. Weird.

6. My last completely unspectacular quirk is that I used to have a million and one more quirks than I do now, but luckily have lost some along the way (too bad that all of the ones I mentioned are new! I just can't get ahead! :)).

Ok, now I get to tag other people! Problem is that I don't blog a lot of follow other people's blogs as closely as I should... so I'm not sure I have six people! Here it goes anyway:

Amy! My sister from another mista (in case that sounds weird to you... she's my sister-in-law), you've been tagged!

Oh Jeeeeeennnniii! My sista from the same mista! I'm tagging you too, sucka!

And Lindsay, if you're out there, I'm tagging ya, lil' mama!

Hmmm... that's all I got! But it will have to do for now :).

Posts are always better with pictures... so here's a picture that has contributed to my jam addiction.
My sister made over 120 jars of homemade jam as favors for our wedding!
And she picked a lot of the fruit herself too!!! Yup, she's pretty amazing.

I'm Pretty Sure It's a Miracle

2008-10-04T18:08:00.000-07:00

Yep... that means what you think it means! I am better!!! Can you believe it? I really still can't. How did it happen you say? Well.... I woke up one morning and I was better!!! Just like that. Honestly.

Ok, so here's the full story (and now that I'm feeling better, you better be prepared for a looooooonnnngggg post!). About 14 days before I felt better, I had my steroid injection procedure (that is what I wrote about in the last post). They say that sometimes people feel worse before they get better, but let me tell you, I was in the worst pain I have ever experience in my life. It seemed like a cruel joke because I had been waiting for four weeks to get these injections, and they made me worse. The doctor's office said that the pain would be worse for 3-4 days and mine lasted 14 (in the end, I'm not so sure it was the injection that helped me, I honestly think it was a miracle). During that time, I was struuuuuuggggling because I had been hanging all my hopes on these injections and not only did they not work, but they made me feel worse. The reason why they were so important (besides alleviating the pain obviously), is that I couldn't start doing physical therapy until the pain had subsided- and doing physical therapy is the only way to really prevent this kind of thing in the future. Talk about low point in my life. During that time, I was reading a book called, The Shack. It is a fictional account of this man's real encounter with God. He had something very tragic happen to him and was mad at God, and this book kind of takes the reader through who God is and how He operates. Saying "how He operates" sounds a bit clinical because God does not do everything the same way every single time. And He is not predictable in His actions, but we do know that His motives are predictable- they always, always stem from love. One afternoon when I was feeling at my worst, I was laying in bed crying and crying. I was asking God for help and wondering why this all is happening. I felt like He asked me, "Would you go through something that hurt or that is hard if it produced a good result that couldn't be accomplished any other way?" Wow, what an interesting question. My answer was, "Yes." And honestly, right then, God reminded me that is what Jesus did on the cross. And I realized that no one who was a friend of Jesus at that time understood why He had to die... and not just die, but be tortured and crucified. They didn't understand it, and I am sure it was a painful experience, but that didn't change the reason why He did what He did or the outcome it produced.

Now, please don't misunderstand.... I am in no way comparing my feebly back problems to Jesus's death, just the fact that good can come from bad. And as I read that book, the author reminded me that if I truly know God, then I would truly understand that He is working good because that is who God is. Sometime we get to see the good right away. Want to know mine? Well, not that I didn't absolutely adore him before, but Aaron was so incredibly. Nine and a half weeks of me laying on the couch, mostly mentally pretty loopy. He cooked and cleaned up after every meal and did all the laundry. Not only that, he had to drive me to every doctor's and physical therapy appointment and pick up all my medicine. And do you think he complained even once? Nope, not my man. Absolutely incredible- he's such an amazing example of what unconditional love is.

Secondly, because I had nothing else to do, I figured out how to start my own website design business!!! I never, ever would have had the time to do that otherwise and I am soooo excited about it! I think it might be ready to launch in a few days! Way exciting!

Thirdly, and this one is just as incredible as the first two. I have mentioned that I originally hurt my back 14 years ago. Since then, I haven't taken the time to really build up my strength specifically in my back. Because of my MRI and my physical therapy appointments, I am getting very specific exercises to help me- and this is awesome because without it, I honestly think I would have been on the couch during any pregnancies in the future (which, by the way, we don't have any kids yet, so hopefully there are at least a few pregnancies in my future, Lord willing!). Anyway, this is something that will help me for the rest of my life because I will know exactly what to do to continue to be strong.

Well, this post shall now end. I want to thank everyone for your kind words and especially for your prayers! Every single email and comment on my blog was perfectly timed to help me get through one more day. I hope that I can be as good of friend as you all are- so if you ever need anything (even a kind word!) you just let me know!!!

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. James 1:2-5

Life Interrupted

2008-09-18T10:48:00.000-07:00

Well gals, I thought I'd pop in and give another update. I wish I could write and say that I'm feeling better, but alas, the back is still winning this battle. Guess it's as stubborn as me! The latest news.... last Friday, I had an outpatient procedure that is supposed to calm down all the inflammation in my back. The inflammation is what causes all the pain and until it goes down, not only will I be in pain, but I can't do much therapy.

Sooooo... I had the procedure on Friday and have since been in worse pain. Isn't that awesome??? Haha... they actually say that the pain will get worse for 3-5 days and then will subside. I am at day 6 and still waiting for the relief. And this is the 8th week of life on the couch. 56 days... oy vey. Frustrating? Yes. Discouraging? Oh yes. But you know what, God has been so gracious. Whenever I feel like I can't deal with another day, He comes in and showers me with love and grace. I can't explain it, but I know that it's Him that is sustaining me.

In the meantime, Fall is coming and the leaves are turning in our neck of the woods! I love Fall! I can't wait until I can go for a walk and enjoy it all. Hope you are all doing well and I thank you so much for all your sweet comments and emails! They are so much appreciated!!!

"But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount
up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk
and not faint." Isaiah 40:31

My Further Still

2008-08-30T21:29:00.001-07:00

Close-up

I thought I better log on and give y'all a quick update. I say quick because I can only sit for ten minutes at a time... otherwise, you know me, I'd write for hours! :) We made it back from our trip and it was sooooo amazing to see our family and friends. It was just what the doctor ordered and we had the best time. Right before we left, I had my MRI. I found out that I have three bulging discs (my original injury was only one so that was a surprise) and one of my discs has a tear in it. No bueno. In addition to that, I have arthritis in six of my joints in my back that is pretty advanced for someone of my age. So, needless to say, it was great news! Ha!

The treatment for it is to have a series of injections that will bring down the inflammation (and pain) so that I can build up my strength through physical therapy. Unfortunately, the shots are schedule for threeeeeee weeks away! These doctors are killin' me! So, I continue my couch vigil still trying to deal with the pain. I have better days than others, but none are pain-free. I think the worst part is that mentally, I am not all here. Hehe... sounds weird but I am such an airhead lately! I guess pain will do that??? It must because I'm not even taking pain medication so its pretty unexplainable. But, in all seriousness, in addition to not being able to do anything physically, I can't do much that requires much thought either and so I haven't been able to do aaannnnyyyttthhiiingggg- not much graphic design, and even talking on the phone and emailing are too much. Blech. That's enough of that for now! :)

So... although I am coping (thanks to the amazing support of my husband and family and friends), it is still a difficult time. There is a story that goes with the title of my post and I so want to explain it but... I don't think I can't finish it now! Ah! I promise I will get to it soon... grrrrrrr.....

The pictures are from a piece I have finished two minutes at a time... she is looking toward the balloon, knowing one day she'll fly too. Wonder what my inspiration was? :)

This is How We Roll

2008-08-19T16:18:00.000-07:00

If I didn't think Aaron and I were a little goofy before (crazy would be a more accurate word), I am convinced of it now! We are in the middle of our 14 day road trip. We planned this trip for a while and were looking forward to doing so many cool things along the way. Well, that was before my back acted up, so we've had to edit a bit. As soon as I get my hands on it, I will post the most ridiculous picture you've ever seen! Here's a little preview... I can't sit for longer than 15 minutes at a time, so the back of our car (thank goodness for SUVs!) has been converted to a bed for me. And since I'm not too fond of sharing my bed with wiggly, rascally labs, our pooch Ember, has been sitting up front with Aaron. Can you picture what we look like when we roll into a parking lot? Aaron pulls in with a dog in the front seat... nothing too strange yet. But then he has to come open the back for me and out pops his wife! I have to admit, its pretty hysterical, but hey, whatta ya gonna do? It was our only option at this point :). And to visit our families and friends, its more than worth it! So, onward! We are stopping over at 6 cities in 14 days! And that doesn't count the really special night we've spent at stopover towns like Provo.... and Gunnison... and other fun places in the middle of nowhere :). But the other 6 places are filled with our closest friends and family and we're having an absolute blast!

Contact Page: All Fixed!

2008-08-10T08:17:00.000-07:00

***Update: Everything is working now! Yay!!!***

Hmmm.... something funny is going on with my website. For some reason, my contact page is not sending me emails like it should- its a good thing a friend sent me an email through there and then called or I never would have known! Yikes! Since we are currently on the greatest road trip of all time... it will be a few days until I can figure out the problemo. Oh, road trip, you ask? Oh yes.... we set off yesterday morning... heading west to visit family and friends... 14 days of open road and no schedule. And trust me, its glorious already! We really need this! :) But, don't worry about my back... I am laying down in the back of our car while poochie sits in the front seat. Its quite a sight, but you gotta do what you gotta do! More on our trip later....

If you do need to contact me before the website is up and running, please feel free to email me anytime! jaimebeitler@gmail.com

Creative Inspiration

2008-08-05T11:33:00.000-07:00

Today is Inspiration Tuesday. Yup. Instead of writing about the inspiration behind one of my pieces, I thought I'd share some artists who have inspired me along my creative way! If you continue reading, just be aware that you'll want to drop everything and create something because of the pages you're about to see! :) The color and interesting subjects just delight my senses every time. I am only including links instead of actual pictures because I am ultra conservative and paranoid about violating anyone's copyright. But if you take the time to click the links, you won't be sorry! :)

The first person I came across was Teesha Moore. As you can see by her amazing journal pages, she loves bright color, kooky pictures and words! Right up my alley!!! It was this page that actually got me to go out and buy my first supplies. What I love about Teesha, besides her work, is her attitude. She is so open about her techniques and seems to create just for the sake of creating. There doesn't seem to be any blind ambition or any "secret technique" to her work. On her website, she explains that she shares because she just wants people to tap into their creative side. I think its an amazing attitude and quite a rare one too. Since I've been couching it lately, I have been wanting to make my first journal page. Even though she got me started down this road, I've yet to actually make a journal! I went straight to the collages. if I can figure out a way to use all the supplies whilst (yes, whilst) laying on my back, then I will soon have a journal page to share! :)

From Teesha's site, I came across another artist named Anahata Katkin. While more muted than Teesha's, Anahata's colors just plain and simply move me. I have a few magazines that featured her work, and I never grow tired of looking at her pieces. Although she journals as well, her large pieces were what inspired me to try my hand at collages. She definitely adds an element of freehand drawing- which I wish I could do, but can't :(- and each piece definitely draws you into it.

From Anahata's site, I came across Pam Garrison. Pam seems to do more in the assemblage area of mixed media, but her girly girliness is so refreshing to me! I love the pinks and greens and funky way she incorporates vintage items. If you head to her blog, be sure to check out her closet that she recently made over- it is incredible! Pam is the newest artist that I've discovered, but somehow, her art has unlocked this girliness in me... and my art of late has been strewn with Victorian style flowers, deep reds and playful pinks.

From the way I'm talking about these ladies, you might think I've actually met any of them- ha! Nope! Not a one! I do dream almost every day of going to one of their workshops. And... yes, I look up workshop offerings almost every other day in the hopes one will be in my town for like $15. Haha... that was a joke.... kinda :). The workshop that I am just salivating over lately is this one. Honestly, if you do nothing else today, PLEASE click on this link and scroll down and look at all the pictures.... oh my. A week long workshop series with Anahata AND Pam??? And a day spent at this amazing Italian market? Be still my beating heart. Alas... it's not meant to be for me (yes, I did ask my husband and yes, I think he thought I was joking)... but maybe one day!

For now, I must retire to my couch... hope you enjoy these artists as much as I do!

I'd Rather Be Grocery Shopping

2008-08-04T22:24:00.001-07:00

Everyone around our house (ok, that's just me, Aaron and the pooch) is well aware that grocery shopping and I do not get along. I don't know what it is, but I almost feel like its an enemy of mine. When I am getting ready to go shopping, I feel like an old wrinkly man with two teeth is staring in the windows... taunting me... mocking me if you will! And its torturous. The reasons why I hate it are completely unknown. To my knowledge, I've never been attacked by a grocery store or run over by a cart. I do enjoy food and having a fully stocked fridge... so that's not it either. But, bottom line, its just no friend of mine. {This might be a really good time to mention that I am bored out of my mind... and it seems like this post might have a few slight exaggerations, so don't take me too seriously :)}.

Anywaaaaayyy, the point of that was to help you understand my mindset right about now. Gosh darn it, I'm bored! There I said it :). I'd rather be grocery shopping than laying on the couch day in and day out! But I wanted to post an update and a thank you. First of all, we got some amazing news today. We have been waiting for the insurance to approve or deny me to get an MRI. At this point, an MRI is important because the last time I had one was when I originally got the injury (14 years ago playing volleyball in college). Because I am worse this time than I've been since that original injury, I really just want to know what in the world is going on in there. And the next thing I want to know is how to fix it. I'm so ready to take on the healing process no matter how difficult it gets and I pray that I will be healed somehow. So we've been waiting since Wednesday with no word and finally heard today that I'm all set. I go in Wednesday night for the MRI and have an appointment with a spine specialist in a few weeks (we are going to visit our family next weeks- whoop whoop!). So, that's AWESOME news. I think I thanked the lady who told me like 58 times :).

The other part of this post is a thank you for all of you who have been praying for me. Since most of you out there are women, you know how hard it is to sit around and not do anything. Bless my husband's heart- he is busy morning til night just trying to keep up with all the things that need to be done. My heart actually hurts not being able to pitch in, and I won't lie and say its been an easy time. But, today, I woke up just feeling God's grace poured all over me. Yup, I still laid on the couch all day, and yes, Aaron was still working so hard to keep everything together, and no, I don't have any answers about being healed, but I felt a sense of spiritual rest today. And I needed it. So, thank you sisters, for all your prayers and kind emails, they are so needed and so appreciated.

On a different note... one thing I have accomplished was a new line of graphics for Etsy sellers. They've been so fun to work on because I miss being able to do something creative so much! Here are just a few...

I Have a Staring Problem

2008-07-27T21:08:00.001-07:00

Ok, here's the deal... I actually have a back problem- which has led to a staring problem, but its not as creepy as it sounds! I have been couch ridden for the past six days. Six days!!! Oh, the injustice of it all! If you've never been around me, I am not a couch person... and I am not one to just sit around and not finish something without going crazy! In my work room right now are two fun, fun, fun pieces that I can only stare and stare and stare at because I can't actually work on them. I can't even take pictures because I am so horribly stuck here. Blah. Soooo.... instead of being able to share some fun stuff with ya, I'll share a photo at the other thing I've been staring at- don't worry, she stares right back at me. In fact, its pretty much how both of us have been spending our time.

Ember, the Bryant Street Staring Contest Champion

In other news, I never officially got around to thanking my wonderfully giving, amazing, talented, and sweet sister for all her help (blogs count as an official thank you, right?). She is a missionary in Hungary and teaches at an American-run school there so she gets to come back to the states during Christmas and summer time. Even though she's the one that has traveled all the way from Europe just to come see us all, she is the one who comes to Colorado (from California, where our parents live), to see ME! It's awesome and I'm so grateful she comes. This time around, I was trying to get together my collection for Rejuvanest and needed lots o' help around the house while I was doing that. And guess what- she jumped right in and did everything- literally! (sounds real fun to be a guest at our house, huh?) She cooked almost every meal for us... made desserts, homemade pizza dough, pancakes from scratch... the list goes on and on. The best part was that she got to stay two and half weeks and we were able to spend sooooo much time together catching up. She was an amazing blessing to Aaron and I, as always, and we thank you sista!!! Below is a picture of an apple she made. She left for California two days after making this, leaving Aaron and I to regretfully eat over half of it ourselves. Shame, shame Jeni! Haha... it was as delicious as it looks!!!

Inside the Nest

2008-07-23T11:37:00.000-07:00

I swung by Rejuvanest yesterday to snap some pictures of my art on the walls. For those of you who are long-distance readers, I thought I'd share a little bit of the girly glory that is Rejuvanest. I couldn't just pick just two or three pictures to share with you, and believe me, I only snapped half of the fun!

I swung by Rejavanest yesterday to snap some pictures of my art on the walls. For those of you who are long-distance readers, I thought I'd share a little bit of the girly glory that is Rejuvanest. I could just pick two or three pictures, and believe me, I only snapped half of the fun!

Inspiration Tuesday: Soar

2008-07-22T20:04:00.000-07:00

Oh, yes.... "Soar." The theme behind it is an issue that is so close to my heart. It's definitely a "soapbox" issue for me, but I will try to stick to the point of this post in fifteen pages or less :). The inspiration behind "Soar" was the fact that many of us women in America tend to be very critical of ourselves. The obvious ways are looks, but it goes far beyond this. A sort of independent, perfectionist attitude has descended upon us and it is a heavy, heavy load to carry. Somehow, in some way, we feel like we need to be perfect and that we don't need anyone's help in getting there. Am I right? It could just be me.... but honestly, I long for the day when women (and men too!) were judged by the character, not the size of their house (and I feel I must add) or rear end (come on now, you know what I mean!). I also wish we lived in a time when we helped each other, or more importantly, accepted each other's help (a very hard thing for me to do). And so, we've each become this army of one, with ourselves as our harshest sergeant! I will save all the reasons why I think we are in this current state for another day (now that would be a long post), but the thinking behind this piece is founded on this line of thought.

I started this piece when one day I realized that the way God, my Creator, views me is very different than the way I view myself. I see only imperfection and ways I need to improve while He sees me as uniquely perfect. Don't get me wrong, He doesn't love the sin in me, but He does love me, madly, completely, fully. Just who I am. He doesn't reserve His love for the day when I am finally the perfect size, or have the latest hairstyle or clothes or when other people admire me... no. There are no, "I'll love you whens......", there is only, "I love you now." I really believe that most of our lives are spent measuring ourselves against some outward thing, whatever it may be. It doesn't even have to be money, it can be fitting into a certain group. And when we approach life considering all these outside things, our inward self is choked out, neglected, covered up... and we can't become who God intended us to become fully.

On the left hand side of "Soar", you can see the white background for the purity of God's love for us. Its the way He views us and the tree symbolizes the life He gives us when we allow ourselves to hear His voice. The right hand side is a colorful mess that symbolizes all the outside influences that keep us from truly hearing from God clearly. In the bottom right hand corner are some vintage portraits of queens, who are demanding, "More, more, more!" They are housed inside a tv. The connection is probably obvious there :). But, in contrast to that, there is a bird sitting in the tree singing God's living giving song, "There is no spot in thee."

These two contrasts are what is being portrayed. And the message to us all is that when we allow God to define us, we really can begin to discover all that we are meant to be- and that is when we will soar!

My Husband Is....

2008-07-21T13:56:00.000-07:00

god-fearing

loving
sweet
brilliant
humble
caring
kind
hard working
funny
incredibly handsome
adventurous
studious
supportive
amazing
athletic
patient
tender
trustworthy
conscientious
my soulmate

sounds too good to be true? it's not... he is all this and more and
that's why i snatched him up and married him one year ago today :).
and i've thanked god for him every day since.

Weeeeeeeeee!!!

2008-07-20T17:16:00.000-07:00

Well, the big night was a success! And no rain!!! I could not believe it! I am posting a picture taken that night as Aaron and I were loading the car. The clouds in the sky were so dark and stretched from one end of the horizon to the other. As we were driving, it started to rain. In fact, the whole way over there, it rained. But, somehow, miraculously, when we got out of the car, it stopped (thank you for the anti-rain dance Becca!). And not only that, but the dark clouds rolled away! The sun came out for a minute, and then some minor clouds returned- giving us much appreciated relief from standing out in the blazing sun. The weather could not have been better!

Aaron was on hand to help me set-up and my friend Sarah came too and within minutes, my art was up. It was soooo fun to meet new people and hang out. Brenda, the owner of Rejuvanest, hired a singer to come and sing (you can see her on the right hand side of the picture) and overall, it was such a fun and relaxing night. Yay! Aaron snapped some pictures after some of my art was sold... and here they are! :)

A picture I took from our porch on the way to Rejuvanest.

There are my shutters with an umbrella to help
protect my work from the occasional sprinkle.

Don't I look like I'm talking about something life altering? I can't remember
having a serious conversation with my customers (and new friends!) Kara
and Amy, but it looks like we're talking about solving world hunger!

Rain, Rain, Go Away...

2008-07-17T12:12:00.001-07:00

Yup, you guessed it! Tonight is the Third Thursday event.... it starts around 5..... and it's supposed to downpour at 5:30..... aaaaarrrrrrggggg. I LOVE Colorado because there are soooo many sunny days in the winter time. But I am learning that summer has pretty regular thunderstorms. This doesn't bother me at all (I moved here from Hawaii after all), but tonight? Of all nights? Oh boy. So what does it all mean? Well, my sister and I found the absolute cutest pair of vintage shutter/doors that I hopefully will use to hang my art on. I'll be set up right in front of Rejuvanest on the sidewalk, where millions of people will be exposed to my art and come flocking over :). Ok, I'm a little delirious from the two weeks of preparation... but of course, if it rains, I can't be outside. And without being outside, there's not a ton of exposure. And, most likely, there won't be a ton of people out either. Bummer. BUT! There's always a chance that it won't rain. And, I honestly do believe that God knows exactly what He's doing, so I'm not sweating it too much. Even though I have 11 pieces to take tonight, my latest creation has got me smiling! :) I made a basket today for my prints I'll be selling at Rejuvanest and LOVE the way it turned out. I don't know when it started to happen, but I am getting more girly by the minute, I think! :)

I'll let y'all know how everything goes tonight!

Inspiration Tuesday: Big Ol' Gigi!

2008-07-15T12:38:00.000-07:00

Almost every single piece of art I create is born from something that is going on in my heart or life- so far I haven't been able to create something from "nothing". It seems like the struggles or pain of life come across most in my art- and the reason is when I am creating, I am alone with God. I usually have no music playing and never any television on because it would be an invasion to my conversations with myself and with God. And what exactly goes on in these conversations? Reflection, prayer, supplication, remembrance, a clinging to promises made by the One who never lets us down. While my hands are busy cutting, gluing, varnishing, and digging through boxes of yummy paper goodness, my heart is being restored. And so much of my art is a very real and very raw look directly into my life.

One of the most amazing things about art is that no matter the original intent of a piece, each person is free to find their own meaning in it. But there are times when you just "gotta know" what was going on in someone's head when that piece was created. I have decided to choose a different piece each week to highlight and explain the impetus behind its creation. I did have to think long and hard about this, because some are very personal. But, in my opinion, sharing art should be personal and not guarded, because if it wasn't for the uniqueness of each of us, there wouldn't be such beautiful diversity in the art world. Holding back only builds barriers and walls and I want to connect with people at the deepest and most real levels.

Having said all of that in my normal long, chatty way, I am kicking off Inspiration Tuesday with one of my favorite pieces, "It Already Is". This is a 30x40 mixed media piece filled with yummy, girly, happy colors! :) I titled this post "Big Ol' Gigi" because this canvas is wonderfully and colorfully HUGE! :)

I've chosen to start with this one because it ties in perfectly with what I've just written. It is based on the theme of sharing my art, and essentially myself, with the world. Putting my artwork out there is very different from working a 9-5 job. Most jobs actually prefer for people to keep their personal life out of the office, while art (at least mine) is only about my personal life. And one day last week, the thought of sharing my heart at the deepest level with others (and mostly strangers) hit me very hard. What if people don't get it? What if they think I'm looney? What if they reject my art- will I feel its a personal rejection of me? The questions and insecurities overwhelmed me and I was 90% sure that I couldn't put myself out there. But I know that at least for right now, this is what I'm supposed to be doing. I feel like sometimes we live in a "shiny, happy people" world where people suffer alone behind closed doors. But this isn't really living life to its fullest. Its almost like living a dual life, and it keeps us separate from each other because we never expose the real person inside. Hmmm... am I making sense? Haha... hopefully! But I'll get to the point of the artwork. I was sharing all of this with my amazingly patient and loving husband. After listening for a really long time (could you imagine that I would talk a lot??), he comforted me and then ended by saying, "Everything will be ok. In fact, it already is."

The next morning, I began this piece- in the upper right hand corner, there is a bird carrying a vintage postcard that reads, "Dearest Gigi, Everything will be ok, dear. In fact, it already is. Your truly and faithfully, Joseph" (my husband's middle name). And the verse, "Do not be afraid. I will never leave you nor forsake you" is written over her heart.

I am taking "Gigi" to Rejuvanest on Thursday, and honestly, I will miss this sassy chick! :)

A Sight That Makes My Heart Go Pitter Patter

2008-07-10T22:50:00.000-07:00

Today, I walked into my work area and guess what I saw! Three little boxes from the Container Store all lined up lookin' all cute! I seriously love this store with as much love as one can muster for a store... honestly. I have to set a budget when I go in because I want (and I'm pretty sure I need) everything they have. It's true. I mean, come on... look at this!

A Collection Emerges

2008-07-09T09:08:00.000-07:00

Being an artist without a dedicated building for a studio does have some perks, believe it or not. One of my favorite perks is using our walls for storage. Finished and unfinished pieces alike go up, finally giving our newly painted walls some life! This picture is of my finished pieces that will be for sale at Rejuvanest on the 17th of July.

Digital vs Originals: The Ultimate Showdown

2008-07-05T21:36:00.000-07:00

Wow, that title is really dramatic, isn't it? Haha... this really isn't an action-filled post, but it might be informative! :) A lot of people have asked what the difference is between my digital collages and my originals. So, here's the lowdown:

My digital collages are made completely on the computer using Photoshop. I have a set collection of them that I sell in my Etsy shop. Sometimes people offer limited runs of their digital prints, but I love being able to offer access to everyone, so I haven't made any limited run prints. I get these printed and have sold them in 8x10 and 16x20 size. For the art stores I sell at, I also offer these prints in canvas form (meaning they are printed onto canvas) for a great, ready to hang look.

My original collages are one-of-a-kind pieces that I create onto a canvas background. I use all sorts of vintage and new paper, paint, lots of mod podge, color, varnish, and old photographs. Did I forget birds? I did... there is something about my work where it just doesn't feel right or done unless there is a bird flying around somewhere! :) So, as I said earlier, these pieces are one-of-a-kind.... and that's why I refer to them as originals. Once they sell, they are hasta-la-bye-bye and making their way to a new wonderful home! ;)

The look of the two different styles is similar, but I think they are very distinct from one another. The digital collages tend to be a little neater- a little tidier, while the originals hold their interest and beauty in all the little interesting messy (a good messy, though :)) details.

Speaking of originals, I'm off to finish one up! :)

Digital Collage, "Colorful Cry"

Original Made onto Canvas, "Smile"

A Corner Full of Fun

2008-07-04T13:10:00.001-07:00

One of my new favorite magazines is Cloth, Paper, Scissors. If you have not taken a stroll through the pages of this colorful magazine, you absolutely must. It's the kind of magazine where it takes at least five trips through it before you feel like you've really seen everything. And the projects they include are so fun! One of the best parts of the magazine is that they feature a "How To" article in each issue. Instead of flimsy, kind-of-tell-you-but-not-really types of articles, artists actually walk you through a certain technique, complete with pictures and important tips. I love this because I find that I can pick up certain techniques I wouldn't have thought of or tried otherwise. In this month's issue, there was an article about time saving tips for busy women... wouldn't ya know this caught my eye! In fact, I honestly was going to write and suggest that they write a full spread about this exact topic (which is very funny because I've never written to a magazine before). Anyway... one thing the author mentioned was finishing a whole bunch of backgrounds in one day so that when you want to complete the top portion, you can just jump into. This might be a well-known trick to most people... but brand new to me :). And, I am pretty sure this might revolutionize my process! Plus, it's so motivating to have so many backgrounds hanging around! So, here they are- my own corner full of color :).

Happy Fourth of July!
Thank you to all military men and their wives for their sacrifice!
And don't forget that our freedom isn't free!

If You're in the Area

2008-07-03T16:27:00.000-07:00

July 17th is the Third Thursday event where I'll be the featured artist for Rejuvanest, the cutest, girly store I've seen in a long time, (if not ever). I will be there in the afternoon to early evening- if you're in the area, stop by and say hi! And bring a girly friend :).

It's Official!

2008-06-30T12:11:00.000-07:00

Soooooo many exciting, official things happened this past week! Just what types of things, you might ask?

Well.....

First of all, and most exciting, I finally officially changed my last name (just in time for our first anniversary! :)). I have been living in this weird world between my maiden name (Elson) and my married name (that's where Beitler comes in) and I am excited to get everything switched over finally.

Secondly, my website is officially up and running! Whoop-whoop!!! Holla at yo website! I've been working on it for a while so it's great to have it all set.

Thirdly, (and I want to say "most exciting again", but I have to admit all three of these things are very exciting for me), I am officially the featured artist for Rejuvanest at Highlands Square Third Thursday. What does that mean, you ask? Well, an amazingly cute and funky and fun neighborhood in Denver has a Third Thursday event once a month where they hire live music and all the shops stay open late. The owner of Rejuvanest, which, by the way is one of the cutest stores I've been to in a long time, features a different local artist each month. And for July, that's me! Whoopee! I've been up to my elbows in paper, glue, varnish trying to get ready... and it's been wonderful! This is "Oh My Soul", one of my recently finished pieces:

So, as you can see, it's been a VERY exciting week! And I haven't mentioned yet that my sister is in town, which, quite honestly just makes everything perfect! I'm going to officially sign off and get back to work! Hope you have a GREAT week!

Don't Mind Me, I'm Just Honing Over Here

2008-06-17T20:01:00.001-07:00

"Colorful Cry"
I made this night when I was so frustrated with myself- if ya really wanna know why, it's alllll below :).
Coming to my shop soon!

There is a reason why I don't golf. And the reason is it takes too long to learn how to be good (or anywhere near it in my case). That's the same reason I also recently dropped out of my pottery class. Ok, that's not really the reason (it was bad timing for both my friend and I), but I admit, I am pretty excited that I don't have to go back. But, I am a completely self-taught artist and learn everything the hard way..... trial and error..... trial and error..... and error and error and error.... ok, you get the idea :).

This cycle can be very exciting when I finally figure something out, but very frustrating along the way. Last night, I had one of the frustrating nights. And whiny. It was a frustrating night and I was so whiny! But God has given me such an amazing husband who just patiently listened and encouraged me to press on. Among the things he reminded of was William Wilberforce. Did you know that he brought the bill to abolish the slave trade in England to parliament seventeen years in a row? Seventeen years and it was never passed! Until, finally, on the eighteenth year, the bill passed. That is persistence. A few weeks ago, our pastor mentioned this and made the comment that most Americans over-estimate what they can accomplish in one year, and underestimate what they can accomplish in five years. That really hit me because, as I mentioned earlier, I tend to drift away from something if I don't see immediately results.

As Aaron so gently reminded me last night, I am honing my craft. I think it might be because I think the word "hone" is funny, but that phrase has stuck with me all day. Today, I covered two classes for one of my friends who is on vacation. I had never taught in the building where her class was, but it houses the program at our community college for adult beginning English classes. At 8:30 in the morning, I heard an exchange between an instructor and a student. It wasn't much of a conversation as the student spoke no English except for "book" and "no". But the instructor lent this woman her book so she could practice her English. And so she sat, saying the sounds of the letters of the alphabet over and over. When I left at 10:30, she was still sitting in the straight back chair, carefully working on each sound. As it always happens, a great amount of respect for her welled up in me and I said a prayer that God would bless her diligence. From her beautiful traditional outfit, I know she is from Africa and she seemed to be middle-aged. Many students at our college from Africa have come to the United States as refugees. And many are just as hard working as her to start building their lives here. There doesn't seem to be an attitude of lamenting for the loss of their homelands and the lives they knew- they just look forward and are willing to work hard to achieve their goals.

Just when you thought the point of this was lost, I am finally arriving at it! :) As I drove away, Aaron's words of, "You're honing your craft" came to mind once again. And I thought, "We're ALL honing our crafts in some way or another!" Some are learning a new culture and the ways of a new country. But some of us are learning how to be married (haha... you know what I mean married girls, it's a learning process for sure!), and some of you beautiful women are learning how to be mothers and your sweet bundles of goodness are learning how to do everything! While we might master one task, another one is just waiting to be learned! And for some reason, this excites me! The process itself can be a lesson as well, but the end results, no matter how long they take, will most likely change us for the better if we're willing to stick it out. So I'm going to! I'm going to keep learning how to be a better wife, a better sister, daughter, and friend. I am going to keep my trial and error process and praise God that I am in the situation that I can spend time doing something I love! And if something looks icky or doesn't work the way I thought it will, I will press on... because after all, I probably will always be honing my craft!

The Secret!

2008-06-16T13:42:00.000-07:00

I think I finally just figured out the secret to consistent blogging. Each day, clean or organize some part of the house. In the middle of such activity, your mind will fill will all sorts of wonderful things you COULD be doing instead of cleaning- like blogging!!! And so, my second successful day of posting! I even got out another piece and snapped some photos, "All Fair". Now that I've had my fun, our bookcases beckon me...

Bad Blogger, Bad, Bad Blogger

2008-06-15T21:48:00.000-07:00

So, I've decided that I am a really bad blogger. And I think part of the problem is that I forget I have a blog! Hmmm... yeah, that's definitely a problem. But, mostly, we have just been so busy the last few months. We had to move out of our place so it could get remodeled and then lived out of boxes for two months because of that. My poor little art supplies were all locked up in ugly cardboard moving boxes and it was soooo hard on us all :). One of the first things I did when we finally moved back in (thank you, Lord!) was unpack all my goodies and hang out with them. Think I'm joking? Haha... ok, maybe a little. But it has been so much fun to actually get my hands messy and create again. I love doing digital design, but my heart is with real, live collage pieces. I love the mix of old and new papers and cutting out teeny tiny bits to fit in just the right spots. I even love the smell of turpentine (yup! I do, because it means something fun is going on!) and don't even mind goopey hands.

I have been working on two pieces lately. I originally was planning on selling at the Sweet William Market in August and September, but I decided not to push it. The minute pressure comes in, creativity goes out. If I can get enough pieces together, I'm gonna do it, if not... well.... we do have an awful lot of blank walls right now that need filling! :)

So these pictures are of my (unfinished) piece called, "No Spot in Thee" (I'm thinking that these pictures don't really show the piece well, but you get the general look). The idea behind it is that the world is constantly telling us that we need to be more, give more, act different, be different, look this way, live here, buy this..... Doesn't it all just seem like it never ends? A few weeks ago, I was thinking about how God views us. He loves us. That's it. Extra ten pounds and all (imagine that!!!). And the contrast is so huge, so vast that it makes wonder why I can't always distinguish His voice from others. So, I set out on a journey to capture that and have created this colorful mix of real life struggles, but with a the ultimate victory belonging to God. And with that victory over the "voices" of the world, comes peace.

So, I am ending this post with hopes and dreams of returning soon! God bless and don't forget- you were created on purpose... you are loved and you have a reason for being here! And, your worth is not measured by the world, but by your Creator. And He knows you by name and loves you.

Work in Progress

2008-05-10T22:30:00.000-07:00

We all know that we will continue to grow and mature our entire lives. It can be an overwhelming thought, and more than once, I have found myself praying that God would teach me everything I need to know right now! :) And many of us would love to be mature and complete, not lacking any wisdom right this minute, but what most of us don't like is the process we have to go through to there. You know what I mean, right? The hard times. The times that are rotten and unfair and seem confusing and crazy and sometimes are just downright annoying! When we are in these times of our lives, we pout, we cry, we might even doubt the love of all loving God just because the pain is so severe. But, it is always these times of trials that teach us lessons we could never learn the easy way.

The symbolism of seasons has always been a strong theme in my life. As I transition into or out of a difficult time in my life, I am always reminded that sometimes it takes a "winter" in our lives to bring about the beauty and splendor of "spring". Yes, in the depths of winter, it seems like nothing is alive. All we feel is the chill, the desolation, the barrenness and seeming unending loss. In these times, it is hard to remember that underneath the surface, God is doing wondrous things- in plants, trees and in our hearts. He is often teaching us lessons and building up our roots, so to speak, so that our spring can blossom that much more. God's plan for our lives can then be celebrated, even if for the time being it is cold and seems lifeless. Because when we trust in Him, we know that winter will soon give way to a fragrant and glorious spring!

In the same spirit of us being a "work in progress", I thought I would post my new design, "Seasons". It too is a work in progress, but I think posting the unfinished work fits well with this post :). Just because we all are works in progress, we can still look to our loving God in joyful expectation that spring is on the way and your time of winter will have produced a strength of character in you that will be sweet and beautiful to those around you!

Freedom Fight

2008-05-03T09:49:00.000-07:00

You probably have noticed that the term "freedom" is a theme throughout my shop and my work. With the creation of my newest piece, I thought I would take the time to explain why it is such a prevalent theme in my life. As I grow as a Christian and learn more about the Truth, I constantly find areas in my life where I have settled for living with contradictions. The more God's Truth penetrates my heart, the more I feel I am set free from those inconsistencies. Sometimes we adapt these lies from the culture around us, from friends or people near to us. Or we build them in our own mind over the years. But when God comes in and starts to peel back the layers, it truly can feel like the chains are dropping off of us. And that is where freedom comes in. When we truly understand that God created each of us to be someone unique, we will stop trying to conform to other's expectations. When you are free of that weight, you only fly higher and higher, building the strength in your wings with each new revelation of God's love.

"Freedom Fight" will be available in my shop soon.

Latest Project

2008-04-30T18:14:00.000-07:00

Sometimes God just brings the wonderful things into our lives and blesses us so completely! A couple of weeks ago, I was approached by a fashion designer to design her lookbook for her Spring '09 catalog. Her clothes are so incredibly adorable, but more importantly, she is such a kind and loving soul. We have never met in person, but working on this project with her has been amazing. She makes all of her clothing from recycled (more properly titled "used") clothes and does an amazing job making beautiful clothing out of thrown away items. Check out her website here or her Etsy shop here. You won't regret it :). Here are just a few of my designs with her clothes.

The Promise of Joy

2008-04-09T14:26:00.000-07:00

my latest collage:

promise of joy

Rainy Day Dreamin'

2008-04-03T09:26:00.001-07:00

Is it just me or do these yummy sewn creations make you want to bust out your machine and create something of your own? Rainy days make me want to put on something comfy, crank up some ballad-type music, and cozy up with some sort of project (or two or three or ten projects!). Yes, if I could have any wish come true today, this would definitely be it.

Pyglet Whispers
Jenny Jen 42

Lola Bee