little redhead

Belonging

"Belonging"

The past few months I have thought a lot about what the word "belonging" means.  And the word continues to show itself in new ways.  One way has been through our new chicken. Yes, a fluffy yellow chicken we named, Goldie.

This is Goldie's story:  She was raised with love from the time she was a wee chick by friends of ours.  Then our friends gave her to our other friends who had chickens. But there were raccoons getting into their coop and one by one, their sweet chickens were taken at night.  They decided it was better for their chickens to have other homes, so Goldie came to live with us.  Sadly, our friends ended up with all their chickens killed by raccoons, except for one, Goldie.

Goldie didn't' realize the trauma she left behind. All she knew was this:  she was not welcomed with open arms ( open wings) from the our chickens in her new home.  She was the one left out on the "chicken playground". The other chickens did not let her roost on the poles in the chicken coop at night so she had to sit in one of the nesting boxes.  Whenever special scraps were thrown to the chickens, all the other chickens grabbed the food from her.  She quietly walked around the little chicken playground while the other chickens snapped at her and then just ignored her.  

Goldie's story is about love and it's about belonging.
She is loved more than she realizes. She is part of our family now. The kids love to hold and cuddle her.
She belongs. But she doesn't know it... yet.

We are cheering for Goldie/ "underdog" chicken because why?  Because we have all felt left out at times and have felt like we don't belong.

There are times I feel like I don't belong.  Sometimes I feel like I don't fit into the "southern culture" or certain circles of people.  My family roots are from farmers and homesteaders of the midwest and before that, my family came from Denmark, England and Scotland. And maybe that is why I think I would feel more "at home" on a farm in Scotland. :)

My children are adopted from  Russia and China.  At times, they may feel like they don't belong.  People and classmates may say hurtful words. We have had many talks about belonging, about family. But I want so much for my kids to know they are loved, they are cherished,they belong.  

And when my youngest came home from school last week, I asked her how her day went. Her eyes filled up with tears and she told me she was "just sad" because she had no one to play with at recess and she just "wanders around". This made my mommy heart hurt.  There is no miracle salve to put on her heart and say, "Oh, here is some "happy salve", now you will feel better."   To feel like you don't belong, it hurts. To feel alone, it hurts. There is no gentle way around it.
And then there is middle school where my 13 year old walks those hallways of early teen land.  And I wonder throughout the day how he is doing. Does he feel like he belongs?

 So this word of belonging goes deep and carries weight.  Sometimes, we all feel like our chicken "Goldie".

I paint crowns on girls and write about belonging to our God, our King. Because that is where our hope is from.
God created us.  He created us to be in HIS family.  He created us to know him.
He created us to BELONG to him.
And that is where the gold is found.
We are created to belong to HIM.  To be his daughters and his sons and be in HIS family.

When we feel alone, when we feel like "Goldie" or when we feel like we don't belong in the city we live in,  or the neighborhood or the group or the job or on the playground, may we remember this:
"But we do belong, the Holy One has anointed us." I John 2
There is much power in those few words. I have it written on a sheet of paper and taped to my refrigerator and those words remind me daily of belonging.

May we see ourselves as daughters and sons of the King, fully awake and aware of God's power work in our lives.  
We are loved.
We do have hope.
We belong.
When our hearts and lives are given to Jesus, we are part of the real deal Holy family and there is a lot of power in that family and a lot of love, so let's embrace it.
May we walk on and shine on knowing we are not alone.
We truly belong.

How God Made Our Family

"How God Made Our Family"

 "I'm thanking you God from a full heart. I'm writing the book on your wonders. I'm whistling, laughing, and jumping for joy.  I'm singing your song, High God." Psalm 9:1

"Father of orphans, champion of widows, is God in his holy house."  Psalm 68,

 "Once again, I'll go over what God has done, lay out on the table the ancient wonders; I'll ponder all the things you've accomplished, and give a long loving looks at your acts."

 "I'll never quit telling the story of your LOVE." Psalm 89

 "He heals your diseases--- every one."  Psalm 103   August 2011

 I've been wanting to write this for such a long time and share how God works in big, love-filled, mysterious ways, even through sorrow. Sometimes we are able to see on earth how our sorrows are multiplied into many joys. And then other times we will not understand the "whys" of them until we get to heaven. I think it is healing to live in the mystery and beautiful to watch mystery reveal itself. But I want to share about the way God has allowed me to see Him work in my own life—the mystery unfolding bit by bit through tears, pain, and joy—weaving together to reveal how God made my family… my precious family.

 

The story starts. Mike and I were married in 1998, living the happy lives of newlyweds and discovering bit by bit how sweet God is in giving us each other. Then in 2000, under the sparkling lights of the Eiffel Tower on the streets of Paris, we agreed it was time to start a family.   

 

Once we arrived back from our trip, we began the journey. Month after month, there were no signs of pregnancy. Then the months turned into 2 years It was during that time of seeing a specialist and doing blood work for a procedure that I was told, "You have problems with your blood platelets." The problem was I had 20 times the amount of platelets than the average person! We went immediately to see a hematologist. I had a bone marrow biopsy and waited 3 long weeks for the doctor to tell me I have Essential Thrombocytosis, a rare blood disorder. The doctor immediately put me on meds. The meds took a huge hit on my body as I had no energy, my body ached constantly, and basically I felt like a very sick old person. But this is where God's deep love is revealed in a way I couldn't see before. You see the doctor told us, had I been pregnant, "It could have been catastrophic to you and your baby."   

 I was thankful because I was…alive! Only 31 years old, feeling like a 90 year old, but I was alive.  

 Four weeks after my diagnosis, my dad had a traumatic brain injury, and the dad I had known the past 31 years—my precious dad—was now a changed man in a devastating way. He could not walk or feed himself. He could barely talk. He had been without oxygen for over 10 minutes and there was much damage to his brain. It was heartbreaking. And the landscape of my life was filled with more sorrow and more cries to Jesus. Meanwhile, I saw my friends having babies and living the "normal, fun, 30-something-year-old life."And I had a blood disease, felt bad most days, could not get pregnant, and my dad had a severe brain injury where my mom had to care for him 24/7. The months went by, and with the medicine I was taking, I was told to not get pregnant, because it would be harmful to the baby. After grieving the loss of not bearing my own children, Mike and I realized adoption was the way to make our family happen. Night after night, we talked about it. Where to adopt? International or domestic? China, Guatemala, Russia? There were so many orphans in the world and where would we go? After much prayer and talking with friends, God led us to RUSSIA.

 

SAM!

Mike and I embarked on a long magical journey to bring home our son, Sam. I will never forget the day we met him, Valentine's day, February 14, 2003.  He was a bundle of smiles and laughter, and from the moment I held him, his big chestnut brown sparkle eyes gleamed up at me. Oh my, I was in absolute love. God was so good in giving us Sam, this beautiful child, and had him picked out specifically for us. God made us into a little family that Valentine's Day, and my heart was overflowing. I had a son. I started seeing this new love I had never known—a mommy love. My dreams were made into reality right before my eyes! 31 years old and now a mother!

 

ROSIE!

God grew our family again by taking us to Russia in 2008 to bring home sweet Anastasia Rose. Again, it was a day I will never forget. Our little Rosie had on a pink dress that was 2 sizes too small for her. Little Rosie blossomed in our family. It was so sweet to watch Sam welcome his sister into our family—it wasn't just Mike and I adopting now, it was Sam too! We were now a family of four, and I had a precious girl I had always dreamed about! 37 years old, and God had given me a daughter!

 

Through these years of raising Sam and Rosie, the undercurrent was my health. I was tired so much of the time and had to rest a lot. My energy level was lacking in major ways. Some days I could only plan one thing to do because I didn't have the energy. I was on a new med because the old med, after more studies and research, was awful. The new med was a low dose chemotherapy drug—really just a "not nice" drug. I was sad to feel bad all the time and not have the spark and energy that I longed for. My body ached… my joints hurt. I felt like I had the flu constantly. I had sinus infections, strep throat, and colds more than normal. And I just longed to be NORMAL. I remember watching moms flitter around with tons of spunk and just thinking to myself, "Wow, I wish I could have that energy."    

 

But you know what God did? He gave me something special through these years of having a blood disease. He gave me art.

Yes, God inspired me to start painting. And painting was and still is a pure delight! Even though there were days that my body ached so much, and I felt exhausted, I would go to my studio, get out paint and brush, fill my pitcher with water, and I would start painting. When I painted, I could lose myself in the colors and canvas by just creating something. I forgot about the pain for those minutes and hours and it was a gift. Yes, creating and painting has been a dear sweet gift from my Heavenly Father. His love is SO BIG.  

 

Also, through these years, I started reading Psalms. The Psalms have been my refuge and my home since 31 years old. Twelve years of Psalm reading. It has changed my life. I love Psalms because it is beautiful and honest and raw at times, but poetic too. And then really it's all about worship, even through the sorrow and the anger. One morning, I was reading Psalms and one verse stood out like a sunbeam. It was Psalm 103, "And he heals your diseases, every one." Right then and there, I whispered to God, "Please heal me of my blood condition." And that week something happened.

 

The very same week I had prayed for God to heal me, I was talking to my sweet babysitter who had celiac disease, something I knew nothing about. I was asking her some of the symptoms and as she shared, a light bulb went off! My babysitter said she had "flu like" symptoms, felt very tired, and had achy joints when she ate gluten. I started thinking, "That's what I feel like so much of the time." I decided to cut out gluten. That week, I cut out gluten and within a week or two my skin felt like it could breath for the first time in a long time. I felt like I had more energy and more zip. Could this be my answer? How could I give up bread? I was like a walking breadstick. I loved bread! I loved cake and cookies and all things GLUTEN! Going gluten-free was a big change, but I was feeling so much better. It was seriously like magic, but I was being healed through what I ate (or did not eat)! During this time of gluten enlightenment, Mike and I were in process of adopting our 3rd child from China!  

 

PIPPA!

April  2012 we brought dear Pippa Anyi home to our family. Our little China girl! She is such a gift and oh, she makes us laugh! She has a great sense of humor and fits right into our family. God knew what he was doing! ANYI means peace and joy, and she brought more joy and laughter into our family. We were now a family of five, and I had a deep peace that our family was complete. I was 41 years old and a mother of three amazing children.  

 

Moving right along, September 2012, I went off all my blood platelet meds, the meds that made me feel like a 90 year old for many years. Ten years to be exact! I was freeeee! I was off gluten and off meds and felt like a new person! I actually had more energy than ever before. It really was a miracle.

 

In the spring of 2013, my precious dad went home to Jesus. It was a bittersweet. I was so thankful he didn't have to suffer any more. But oh, I miss him. I don't have the answer to why God allowed that brain injury and the following 11 years of caring for him. I let it rest in the mystery, and I know that some things I will not understand until Heaven.

 

But the mystery of why I had my blood disease is steadily unfolding. From 2012 to now, I am off all my blood medication, and my platelets are in normal range. Just this past year, I stopped taking my allergy meds too! I am gluten and mostly dairy free. I do agree with Hippocrates when he said, "Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food." I am a big believer in eating GOOD food. But I still love gluten-free cupcakes!

 

God has made Psalm 103 true in my life. He has healed me. And this is what makes me even more in AWE—I was on the medicine where I could not get pregnant during the key childbearing years—the KEY years! I am now off all medicine but our family is complete! Timing is perfect. Our family was meant to be made through adoption! No doubt about it!

 

I tell my kids that I am so thankful for the hard of this blood condition because without it, I would not have THEM. God chose HIS beautiful perfect plan to make our family. He made our family through adoption in a very loving way! The mystery of sorrow that I saw at 31 years old has now unfolded into joy and my life changed for the better. 

 

Now in 2015 I am 43 years old, and I stand amazed at God. My heart filled up with thanksgiving. I'm thanking God for three gifts that are straight from His hand and His love. Three gifts from across the oceans: Sam, Rosie, Pippa

 

So this February 14, our family will celebrate Sam, make his favorite dinner, look through his baby book, and remember how good God was to start our family on the day of LOVE, Valentine's Day. 

 

"Grown-Up Girls Art Camp!"

 Such a FUN Grown Up Girls Art Camp!!!

 

 

 

Art Camp HAPPY

The Sparkle Fairies ( about to bring some sparkle to the girls and some glitter.. in a fun skit!)

Line dance to "Frozen". :)))

Cupcake snack time!

A sweet camper note:)

My dear helpers,  Terri, Abby, Reagan, Annabella and my mom. ( Liliana is not pictured.. where are you Liliana?)

Fun!

Design before the paint!

Whimsy Girl booklets  and verse cards to take home.

Happy Happy Art Camp in Birmingham, Alabama this week!   Each year I always wonder how art camp will go and look forward to meeting the sweet girls.  I love watching  their artsy minds fill up canvases with great color combinations and whimsy.  Girls in elementary school, middle school and high school are still FREE from following the "correct color scheme" that somehow our society places on the adult population.  The girls just go with their heart in color and design and that is what I LOVE! 

This year was extra special because I had extra ordinary helpers! They came from 4 states! ..Georgia, Florida, Texas and Alabama.:)

My dear mom, who is an artist too.... art minor in college and also an art teacher for a few years is also an amazing list maker, encourager and organizational helper! She was wonderful to have again for the 2nd year in a row!  For being 71 years old, she has so much energy and still buzzes around with the girls in encouraging and helping them, sharing in devotion time and then washing out all the paint brushes and tidying up the room. Thank you mom for bringing sparkle to camp!   I will always cherish our time together!

And I had friends fly in from Texas to help with the camp as well!  Terri Hinojosa ( the creator of Whimsygirlclub.com) and her daughter were great helpers.  Abby and Terri both brought such sparkle as they led devotions and helped with the girls by encouraging them, helping them with their paintings, dancing with them and creating a fun whimsy snack table too!  Terri and Abby shared about sparkling out for Jesus and using our gifts to shine out for God and to also help others as well.

It was also so fun to have my best friend from high school's daughter come out and help with camp.  Reagan came with sunshine form the 30-A  and was such a gift! Loved getting to know her better and also see how she connected with the girls.  She brought  her sparkle to camp in helping out, cleaning up afterwards, being in the skit as a sparkle fairy and just shining out exactly how God made her...which is wonderful!

And last but not least, my sweet neighbor girls helped out as well! Liliana and Annabella were so great with helping the girls paint and bringing encouragement.  Liliana made macarons for the last day  and the sisters were wonderful in helping in washing out brushes, filling up paint plates and bringing their sweet sparkle.

I couldn't do this camp without my sweet friends and my mom so thank you thank you!  You added so much God filled light to camp! 

And the campers were amazing with what they created.  I am always inspired with what they draw, design, dream up in their hearts and then place on canvas.  It is truly a gift for me to see the creations! Camp is one of those weeks that require so much energy but it's all worth it in the long run because I want the girls to see how creating is something they can do for a lifetime.  They can draw, paint, bake, dance for the rest of their life.  It doesn't have to be a full time career, but just something that makes them happy.  Some girls emailed me after and told me how they are already planning out what they want to paint next and how they are turning a little space of their home into their little art studio. I love inspiring girls to paint and create and also see that God is the one who has given them talent and gifts on this earth and to use for His glory:)

I definitely felt God's smile on this camp and will cherish these past few days.  The smiles on the girl's faces are priceless as they walk away from camp,  arms filled with happy paintings and minds filled with what they will create next!

 

Thank you campers and volunteers for being a part of art camp! Blessings over all the art and God filled girls out there in the world.  May you keep creating, keep dreaming and stay close to the most amazing CREATOR of all..... our God who loves us so much!

 

 

 

Art Camp that Makes you SMILE!

If one stopped in to see the studio this week... it was buzzing with colorful paint and happy girl chatter and singing .... And one would smile just seeing the very sight of happy paintings and happy girls! Art camp was so special! Loved being with these girls and seeing their super creative minds work and their art talent shining out like sparkling stars! 



Happy Eiffel tower paintings!

 

"The Lord your God is with you. He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you. He will quiet you with His love. He will rejoice over you with singing."  Zephaniah 3:17

With each camp, we have a verse for the day and I always use Zephaniah 3:17 for one of the days because my hope and prayer is that each girl will feel God's song and feel God's delight as they create their beautiful pieces of art work.  I love to see the girl's minds and hearts in motion as they sit before their canvas... paint and brush ready to start their work.  They are so eager and excited and have eyes full of sparkle.  They are truly reflecting God because they are creating and being like their Creator God!  It's so fun to be a part of.  These girls inspire me.. they show me more about being free and using imagination and new ways of mixing color.  Love how they are uninhibited and have that freedom to create straight from their heart and imagination.  I call it pure happy art!  It's a blessing to be a part of these art camp days!  Each piece of art that was made was beautiful... and the girls' hearts are even more beautiful because I loved listening to their stories behind the paintings. I heard so many sweet stories!   I felt God's warmth and smile these days. It was full and rich and happy. Loved having Rosie be a part of camp for the first time.  ( Even though she had to share her mommy). Loved having my mom come and help.  Loved making new friends and seeing old friends.  Thankful friends could come from different states.... Tennessee and Texas!   Wish I could have a video to share more about camp..... maybe some day!

Wow! Pictures capture the creativity, fun and beauty!  Thank you all for a FUN art camp week!

Hugs to you sweet campers!! Keep painting.. ..Keep creating!!  God's smile is over you!

Art Camp Day two:))

What a fun fun day at camp! Love what the girls create and all the colors and creativity and beauty they are putting into their paintings! It'ss a true joy to be with them!



















Sherri and my mom :))) They have been wonderful helpers!

Sherri and her daughter Kate flew over from the great state of Texas for camp!  So wonderful to have them here in Birmingham for a few days!








Hope you were inspired looking at all the happy art from these talented girls! 

Camp has been like Sunshine in the studio with a steady buzz of colorful creative girls whirling about with ideas and imagination, talent and hearts that are so sweet!   We have one more day so I can't wait to see what the girls create tomorrow:))) yipee!!!

Art Camp 2013!

ART CAMP!  So fun today!! This year my mom is helping me and it's such a joy to have her!   Thank you mom! Since she was a fine arts minor in college and artist too and a teacher for many years, it's very special to have her be a part of camp and help with all the details:)  Such joy today in my studio...and love love seeing what the girls create... it's amazing! Can't wait to share pictures of their paintings tomorrow!


Getting ready for camp! yea!!


Session one camp!  Love the younger groups excitement and imagination!  You could almost see the BUZZ in the air of creativity!


My wonderul helper and neighbor Annabella! She has been helping with my art camps for several years now:)



We have some Matisse artists in the camp! I'll show you their creations soon!








2nd session camp today was so fun too!  Amazing how focused they were on their art and what amazing flower bouquets  they created!

The cousins painting..... yea!!

A day filled with smiles and whimsy, bright colors and happiness and beauty!   When I sit back and think of God's gift in giving us the ability to create... it makes me smile.  Our verse for today was Matthew 5:14... " You are here to be light, bringing out the God colors in this world."

And that is exactly what these girls did... they brought out the God colors in this world... and it was....

beautiful!  More God -colors to come tomorrow!  See you then!

My dad

( my dad at his childhood farm in Nebraska and playing around on a John Deere.)

( Just painted this John Deere in memory of my dad) 2013

(1974 and pop up camping.  Good times)

(Christmas time in Washington, NC. My dad always played around with us and gave us "rides" on his back:))





Tomorrow will be one month since  my dad went home to be with Jesus, March 12, 2013.  It's hard to put into words of what it means in losing my father.  But I want to write and remember my dad.... remember how I'm feeling now, remember the times with my dad, his smile, his laughter.  I haven't been able to write until this day.  Think I needed some time just to remember and look at old photos and shed some tears in remembering times with him... and laugh in remembering the stories with him.  His joy was real and true.  His friendship was real and true. And he taught me so much.  How I loved my dad.... loved him so much.  And now knowing he is in heaven with our Maker gives me a comfort beyond all comfort and a peace that I have never felt in my entire life. It's a God peace... the kind of peace that I know my dad is fully restored and in full joy.  I know he is with His Savior and Redeeemer.  And with those thoughts, I can have a deep thanksgiving. 

Heaven is closer now.  I don't have this far away feeling about it that I used to have.  I have friends and relatives in heaven. But it wasn't until my dad died, that I felt a serious closeness with this sweet place. And it changes me and it changes my perspective more on life.  I feel older.  Turning 40 created a shifting my life.  But now in losing my dad, there is a deeper shifting. Realizing more ( on a serious level) of what matters and what doesn't in life.  What to give time to and what to just let go of.  

I miss my dad.  I miss him on many  different levels.  And I want to write about him.  I want to knit together pieces of his life and the joy he brought.  I want to tell parts of his story because it's sweet and good.  I want to share him because his life needs to be shared.  And I want to honor him..... because he was an amazing father.  So here goes:

Ten and half years ago, my dad had a traumatic brain injury.  He went into the hospital as a fun loving man who had a sparkle in his eye and a joke ready to tell the nurses.  I took for granted his way about him where he could talk to anyone and get them to smile.  I loved the way he was with children.  He always had such a carefree spirit with little kids and would play games with them and make them laugh.  That was my dad.  He made people feel at ease. He cared about others.... really cared.  So when he went in to the hospital to have surgery, we all thought that it would be a simple thing and he would be home in a few days.  But things changed.  And I learned in the hardest way that absolutely no surgery is routine or simple.

July 2002 changed his life... changed our entire family.  To put into a nutshell, he was without oxygen for too long and it caused a traumatic brain injury.  He was in a coma for several days and we prayed and prayed he would come out of it. Finally, he opened his eyes and started moving his feet.  "My dad is coming back!" I thought. But it was going to be a different dad and little did we know what journey we would be on in the upcoming months and years.  My dad left the hospital a completely different person. Months followed with rehab and more rehab. It helped him to walk a little, to learn how to hold a spoon and move his arms. Most of the day he was in his wheelchair except for his "walking time" which meant  several people on both sides of him helping him walk.  My mom has been my hero through all this.  She has cared for my dad in the most loving and devoted way. She is what real LOVE truly means.  She cared for him well. She loved him well. I am so thankful for my mom and words will never adequately express how amazing she truly is.  I love her so much.

It took several months for the reality to hit all of us as a family that my dad would never be the same old dad. His brain was like a 2 year old and he could barely speak.   He was confused some of the time and would cry sometimes and he started looking like a different person. We started referring to dad as the "old dad" and the "new dad".  We had to learn more about what it meant to love the "new dad" and care for him.  And it was hard because we had lost our "old fun loving dad". 

The pain in losing someone to a brain injury or to alzheimers is intense because one has lost the person they knew. When my mom called and told me that dad died, I was shocked and almost couldn't breath. But then this amazing peace overcame me and I immediately thought to myself, "It's time... God has called my precious dad home."

And in walking through the sadness of watching dad struggle daily for 10 1/2 years, there is a sweet relief that he is now fully restored and probably driving his heaven built John Deere in the sunshine fields of heaven.  Cannot even begin to imagine what that must be like!  To be in God's presence... to be in HEAVEN..... to sing.. to laugh... my dad is HOME!  And since my dad loved to sing, tell jokes and stories and make people smile... I know he is doing that in heaven.

The past month I have thought about this verse so much and want to paint it because it reminds me of dad and his life now. 

The title in the Message Bible says, " The Voiceless Break Into Song" 

( my dad, the voicelss one.... for 10 1/2 years is now breaking into song!)

"Wilderness and desert will sing joyously.... the badlands will celebrate and flower

like the crocus in spring, bursting into blossom, a symphony of song and color......

Energize the limp hands,

strengthen the rubbery knees,

tell fearful souls, "Courage, Take heart!".....

lame men and women will leap like deer....... the VOICELESS BREAK INTO SONG.......

There will be a highway called the Holy Road...

The people God has ransomed will come back on this road. They'll sing as they make their way home to Zion.

Unfading halos of joy encircling their heads, welcomed home with gifts of joy and gladness as all sorrows and sighs scurry into the night."

So my dad, with a halo of joy encircling his head, is now HOME... he has been welcomed home with joy and gladness... his sorrows and sighs have scurried aways... He is with HIS CREATOR. He has a voice... he can sing and laugh and ride tractors and run around and make others laugh.  And I know that his twinkle is back in his eye.  And I look forward to the day to give him a big hug!

  Think that memories are some of the most precious gifts God gives to us on earth.  So thankful for the sweetness of remembering.  It makes life so much richer.  I want to share more stories of my childhood and my dad so we will see how the spring unfolds and how the stories unfold as well. 

Sending love and hugs to all of you who have lost a dear one in your life. 

 

 

Valentine Whimsy Girl Club!

Oh it feels great with the sun shining again and the sun decided to pop out on Valentine's day which made it extra wonderful!

  And another extra wonderful on Valentine's day was having Whimsy Girl Club! It was our first official meeting for 2013 and we will have one every month now.... ( already excited about the March one and what the theme will be! )  For this Valentine Girl's Club, we had a devotion on being God's little Valentine and then read a beautiful story written by Abby who is in Jr. High and lives in Texas.  For our craft time together, we made Valentine cards for our neighbor who has been sick and the girls had so much fun designing, drawing  and making their own unique card! We decorated cupcakes and then walked across the street with girls carrying their cards and flowers and cupcakes to give to our sweet neighbor. It was a full and happy day!  Always adds more sunshine when giving to others and that is one of the main parts of Whimsy Girl Club... seeing the beauty in giving.  Also, if you want to see more fun pics of Whimsy Girl clubs in Texas... go to Glittered Nest.   Terri started Whimsy Girl Club in Austin, Texas and now there are more clubs expanding!  It's a beautiful ministry that involves crafts, arts, baking and learning more about the sparkle in being God's daughter. 

Hope you had a sweet Valentine's Day.... Pippa found her little Valentine ( pic above):)

Happy Friday!

 

 

Friday Night Studio

More fun studio time with the kids this past weekend.  We spent Friday evening painting a bit and it's amazing how quiet and focused they become when they have paint, canvas and a brush.  I loved watching them create and paint and you could almost hear the "buzz" of creativity going on in their little big imaginative minds!

Love these sunshine days amid the gray days...and now it is officially Valentine week!  Am posting a painting a day on facebook ( Tricia Robinson Art  and each painting will have a Love theme for the week!  Excited about sharing what I've been working on the studio. And also, lent starts this Wednesday which begins the "create and make 40 days of Lent"... already have some fun crafty things I'm thinking about for lent and for creating.  Oh, I do feel spring is around the corner!