THIS FACE

I don't know how it happened, but it seems that within days of seeing it for the very first time with its eyes open and focused, there was nothing in the world that could make me giddier...

not even boxes of new art supplies on my doorstep or sharing creme brulee macarons and tea with my BFF at our favorite cafe...

than seeing this face break into a into a smile.

 I'm pretty sure Papa John feels the same way too.

MAKING A RAINBOW

It was a hard, hard thing to do, but yesterday I finally cleared the dining room table off and put all of my paper-painting supplies back where they belong. Remember how neat and organized those supplies were when I first set them out? Well, within a day or two it was looking more like this.

So, I'm sure you can just imagine what it looked like after two weeks. But, oh my, the fun that was had! Cuz the thing about paper painting is, the more you do, the better you get. And, the better you get, the more fun you have. And, the more fun you have, the more you want to do! Alas, at some point you finally have to stop making more paper, and actually start using what you've made -- else you just might end up on an episode of Hoarders. Then again, how many people, when asked what they did this week, can honestly say...

"I made a rainbow!"

LIKE MOTHER, LIKE DAUGHTER

Remember my post about taking over the dining room table for artful purposes? Well, guess what my daughter's dining room table looks like?

Midway through her pregnancy she happened across a notice in her neighborhood newsletter, posted by a woman who has an Etsy shop where she makes and sells all sorts of veils and headpieces. The business had grown to the point where she really needed to take on some help, so Lex went to talk to her. When the woman handed Lex her business card, Lex was like "You've got to be kidding!" Remember the amazing hair ornament Lex wore in her speakeasy-themed wedding?

Yep, this is the woman she ordered it from! Only, at the time, I think she was based in California. Now, she lives a few streets over from Lex. Unfortunately, the woman's husband just got transferred again, to Arizona maybe? Luckily, she likes Lexi's work so much she's going to have the supplies shipped directly to Lex so they can continue working together.

What's really funny is that, when I was a brand new mom who had just quit a full-time job to stay home with my baby, but really, really needed a creative outlet, I too was approached by a neighbor who had a home based business that was getting out of hand. So whenever baby Lex was napping, or after I'd put her to bed at night, you could always find me at my sewing machine, making things like machine appliqued sweat shirts and nap pads and bandanna bibs.

That's Lexi's quilted nap pad, complete with a built in pillow with her name appliqued on it, folded up under my head.

A Lanford Christmas celebration, where Chase got one of my bandanna bibs with a sheriff's star on it.

So, as I said, like mother, like daughter!