Lucky 15 Paper Arts

one proud sis...

best buds already...

ten years in the making...

The Children's Museum of Phoenix (CMOP) had it's official grand opening (only to be closed for a few more days.. lets just say due to a less the visionary fire marshal, I know, I know just doin' his job to keep the public safe)....  but needless to say a big success AND the sum of ten years of really hard work and dedication of many, many people... even with a few exibits open and it is clear the this museum ROCKS and is going to add to the community here in Phoenix.  Anyways.. a bit of a disclosure.. my Mom has been working on this project for a while and designed one of the exibits now open (the infant toddler room)and (if you recall from a few posts ago) has worked and the finishing touches to the opening day... there is our tye die way up there on the railing!!!...

here is where you leave your shoes to play in the infant/toddler room... (shoes donated by Goodwill of Central AZ and look closely for a few added surprises hand crafted by yours truly and mom..)

all in all it is finally time for phoenix to have an educational sophisticated place to take our kids.. so thank you to all those involved that had the vision and the drive to make this happen for all...

(note to the reader.. of course my camera battery was on it's last leg and I did not get pictures of all the coolness so please check it out for yourself!!)

world traveler

gracie HAD to go but she missed the bus...  ok, so my sister gracie wanted to go to rocky point with her friend and they had it all planed only to find out that the group was leaving before gracie got back from a school trip to D.C.... so what do you do??? ROAD TRIP!!!..  my mom, margot and i drove gracie down to rocky point.  WOW!!!!  i haven't been down there in almost ten years and well... it's really different (in a kind of sad way.. no more camping on the beach an eating questionable burritos from the local vendors...now it's all gone luxury resort)... mom, margot and i only stayed a few hours but it was enough to put our feet in the sand, get a little salt water on our clothes and to do a little beach combing... it was kind of weird standing on that beach looking out into nothing thinking that 6 week earlier i was confined to a bed or a wheelchair and could only dream of days like this...  i wish i could have stayed for a bit longer... needless to say we had our adventures... (that's mango dipped in chili...so GOOD!!!) sat in traffic for a few hours due to an "accident", the the crafty nerds that we are mom and i knitted and worked on sock birds for cmop (see next post for details) while margot took a nap on the back seat (the car was not even on... so no brittney comments)    all in all it was a good day...

to dye for..

i haven't been able to be too incredibly creative the past few months...  but my mom asked me to help her with a project this week... i have been "dying" to do anything creative since i got home, i couldn't wait to start...  ok you guessed it we needed to dye some fabric...

well a lot of fabric to help with some aesthetics for the the new Phoenix Family Museum (also know to those involved as the Phoenix Children's Museum.. or vice versa I get confused).  My mom (who is a graphic designer in the process of expanding her career to include master of fiber arts (really she's working towards a master's degree) has been working on this project for.. well a very long time and the museum is set to open in a about a week (june 14th for those in town).  This is a big deal, and many, many people have worked hard to see this happen... so here is my contribution...  these will help some boring old ply wood become hip and happenin'...  it was a lot of work... but mostly just fun... it's been a long time since my mom and me have just gotten to hang out, and it was nice.

A long road...

I know that it has been months (!) since I have last posted...  and many are wondering if I fell off the face of the Earth (?), so here is the scoop.  In December along with the news that we would be having a little baby girl we were also told that I had Placenta Previa.  (fyi - when the placenta attaches over the birth canal)  Although I knew that the potential for complications was there, the doctors were so up beat that I really just put it out of my mind...  Well.. the placenta refused to move and at the end of February it got a little more complicated and I was forced to be on bed rest in the hospital... and that it where I stayed until April 17th, 2008 when we welcomed Margot Marion Olesen into this world by scheduled Cesarean. 
   
She came about 3.5 weeks early and she is tiny, but she is healthy and needed no extra help after birth and came home with me a few days later.  Maryanne is so excited to be a BIG SISTER, and Michael and I are just glad to be a family again...  Thank you to everyone who was there to support not just me but Michael and Maryanne too...  So it's a little crazy here, but I hope to be creating again soon.

It's a...?

GIRL!!!  Today was the day that we had our 20 week ultrasound and along with finding out that our new little wee one is healthy (not to mention super active) but that we are going to be welcoming another girl to our household... 

I should have known, Maryanne has been insisting that her new sibling was a girl since we told her to expect this new addition a few weeks into the pregnancy.  So, now all we have to decide on is a name.. it has to start with an "M".. (that way we all have the same initials..)  and that is the big update!!  Soon I will post all the goodies I have been working on for Christmas gifts.. and hopefully I'll have my etsy shop up soon too!!  In the mean time you can check out my latest creations at Frances...  and don't forget to buy local, buy handmade and keep your local crafter in business..

'tis the season...

Some of you may recognize these flags...  Well sort of.  I was excited to be able to contribute to Frances' holiday window display... So much so that you can look for a smaller form of these and other festive things at the 2nd annual Indie Crafeteria.  I am going to have a booth there so come out and join the fun...  First Friday December 7th from 6-10 pm in the parking lot behind Frances..!!

What I'm Thankful for...

This morning Maryanne and Michael got up and took a bike ride together.  She was so excited to be up high on the back of her daddy's bike, and then off they went.  As they rode away I thought about how thankful I am that they get to have this time, that I get to watch them play together and that even now as I write this, I can hear her outside laughing and playing.

It was six months ago this month that Michael and I almost lost this wonderful light in our life.  And as I tell the story over and over again or think about the what ifs and could have beens,  I am thankful for her kisses and her hugs and her silly little laugh and for the fact that she is still just a regular 2 and a half year old with an extraordinary story.  To me she is more amazing now, because I realize what it would be without her, and that I am thankful for.
I wish everyone a wonderful time today with friends and family.  It is important for us all to find those things that make our spirit smile and give thanks for that everyday.

 

Catching up.

I can't believe that it is already the end of November!!  I hate it when the end of the year is here and you are left wondering what happened...  But to catch everyone up on what has been going on... 
Maryanne was a fairy for Halloween...

I made her costume out of dresses and well, curtains that I found at Goodwill.  I had really wanted to only use recycled stuff but I had to break down in the end and by some tuille to finish the skirt.  So it turned out to be 95% recycled...  Of course that night she refused to wear the jacket with the wings (they were scary), but with a little candy bribe from her daddy she was off to the serious business of candy collecting. 
I finished my projects for the new Making Memories book that is coming out soon.  I can't tell you what it is about but we got to use all new, really fun products.  I will keep you posted on that..  But if you are interested in the latest book A Season of Joy, it is now available in the stores..  GO get yourself a copy and get busy..!
Other than that, I am working on all my products for the annual Indy Craft Fair that is held at Frances.  This year it is the First Friday in December (that is the 7th) from 6-10pm.  Came out and do some holiday shopping and support your local artist.  If you are interested in having a booth (they're free) call Georganne at Frances (follow the links)
I hope that everyone is having a good time (in the 80 degree weather we are having) and stay tuned for more...

Long Time..

No post.. I know it has been FOREVER since I last updated everyone.. So I apologize for the long post but there is a lot to get caught up on.. 

So first off Maryanne started preschool at the beginning of the month.  She totally loves it and I am excited to see her make new friends and learn new things..  Now all I have to do is find room for all the art projects she's bringing home.   

I can finally say that I am a published author... The new Making Memories book, A Season of Joy is out and I am in it!!! Yeah! 


I am really excited to have been included in this book and owe a big thank you to the MM team.  So when you get a chance check it out.. Lots of great ideas for the holidays both for gifts and for you.  And the last bit of news is that we will welcoming a new wee one into our family in May.. (this would be the reason for the gap in posts)  I am excited to be adding one to the nest, however I could do without the first trimester thing. (this is so a boy!!)
So needless to say I have been busy.. The website is still working (however it has been on hold while I get my strength back..) and I am working on more fun retail items for everyone to enjoy..  Thanks to everyone for all your love and support..  and go forth and make art!!!