Time to Create?

Remember, my sweet sis, Mary Ann and Melba? They gave me a sweet surprise journal called, "Creating in the Midst" and Melba has organized a wonderful group of artists who want to learn more how to creatively grow. It's a 12 week program starting this Sunday, July 6th. According to Melba, each week offers a focus, a list of practices and sharing suggestions. The journal is used to document your journey. Please visit her site if you're interested to join in. I believe there will be a Group II session in the Fall. Go here for more information. I'm going to try it out...I need to find out how to carve out some time to create...

It's pretty late, better get some shut-eye...Sweet dreams! xoxo jo;)

Butterfly Ball

Bonjour Butterflies...today was a very special day for the lil' ones...got the chance to attend the Fancy Nancy's Butterfly Ball at our library! Lil' gals were all dressed up in their fanciest dresses with their magical wings and tiaras. Lil' lads were dressed in their finest lil' outfits. My Ian wore angel wings but quickly took that off when he saw Spiderman, his best friend Zachy crawl into the room. Now he wanted to go home and wear his Batman outfit...oh...it was a beauty. Managed to tell him that he could wear his Bat gear on our next adventure and to enjoy the Fancy gear he was wearing. Don' t know how that happened, just glad he didn't have a fit...Anyway...lil Shioban had a spectacular (as Fancy Nancy would say..."that's a fancy word for great!") time. She looked mystical in her lil' Fariytopia outfit. (Will post some pics soon of our great day...)

They had a truly grand time. They listened to 2 of Fancy Nancy's books, spoke a bit of French, learned how to balance walk (with a bean bag on their heads), paraded around and showed how they could walk utterly straight without dropping their bean bags on their lil' heads, ate pink cupcakes, drank red punch, made butterfly puppets, butterfly masks, practicing how to properly curtsy and listened to great music.

I honestly never really heard of Fancy Nancy until our Library's Butterfly Ball. I didn't even know there was a series on this book. I don't have an opinion as of yet on this particular book. I have to check it out but I found a couple of reviews to figure out if it's a good series or not. I'm already liking her as she loves to speak French and best of all the butterflies speak French too!!! There's also a lesson to be learned in this book...I truly like books with wisdom and you know what...I adore the illustrations too!

At our Library's Butterfly Ball, we all had to say "oh la-la..." several times...It was too funny...Go here or here to read what they have to say about this series. Or go here for party ideas for a Fancy Nancy theme...

I just love children Illustrators and Authors...and I especially like when they provide neat (+ FREE-really LOVE THAT!!!) lil' activity packs on the web for our lil' ones to enjoy. Look at this to have hours of Fancy Nancy Butterfly fun or go here for the more info. Well, I'm off to catch some butterflies (or fireflies which ever comes first) with my lil' bugs. Have a sweet afternoon and as Fancy Nancy would say, "...Enjoy...and always celebrate the Fancy Nancy in YOU!"

Lil' village...

Here is my contribution to Callieflowergirl's Itty Bitty House Swap...I can't wait to get the finished book...a treasure to keep forever!

Hooray...finally sent off Callieflowergirl's Itty Bitty Houses. All 30 of them. I enjoyed this art challenge even if it was a bit tedious...it sure was worth all the hard work. It takes me a bit of time to come up with something. I'm always tweaking and changing the designs about. I have to work on that. I think I spend too much time thinking of a perfect image but in the end, what started as a doodle can result in pure beauty. I like the simple things in life and I think my style of art speaks that too. I am also finding myself creating things that have a bit of a French flair even though I've never ever set foot in that gorgeous country. I think unconsciously, I'm sending my love of France into the universe because I have been picking up French things around town. I guess I'm dreaming of Paris too because most of my creations are French based...I'm also finding so many beautiful blogs out there who live & breathe French. I stumbled onto Paris Breakfast an artist named, Carol Gillott. She has such a gorgeous blog about her watercolour creations and her adventures in Paris...she sells her paintings too so please check out her delicious blog and dream about Paris!!!

Until tomorrow...sweet dreams!

I...She...He...WE DID IT!!!

(Photo by annabelleex3, polly_20189 & superrxx sarah courtesy of Photobucket
Collage by Labour of Love 2008)

What a fantastic day...busy as a beaver. Took pics of Bridget's Itty Bitty House pages, shipped all 30 lil' houses to Bridget's neck of the woods, took lil 'ones to swimming & gymnastic lessons, library fun, rainbow cones, meeting up with sweet pals..Oh what a beautiful day!

Another cause for celebration is that SHIOBAN FINALLY JUMPED into the water. This is Day #12 out of 4 weeks for their swim lessions. Ian and Shioban are still going to have to overcome their fears of the water. But, Ian went under the water 5 times but didn't want to try to jump into the pool. Maybe tomorrow ...

So proud of these lil' munchkins and their achievements-no matter how you want to slice it, these kids have determination written allover their bodies and they DO NOT WANT TO GIVE UP.

I'm taking the lead from my kids today...I really feel accomplished.
Whew...what a day...I, She, He...WE REALLY DID IT today! Wonder what tomorrow will bring...stay tuned...

A lil' bit older...

Well...guess who's a lil' bit older and wiser today...yup...ME!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to meeeeeee...

Just finished Bridget's Itty Bitty House Swap pages...all 30 of them. That is a gift in itself! It was a huge project...so much details but it was worth it. I can't wait to hold the final book in my hand. It's going to be AMAZING!

Received surprise goodies in the mail today...a b-day surprise book/journal from my sweet sis Mary Ann and thoughtful Melba also see her here.

Melba also sent a pretty flower wire & a "41" + seashell magnets...sooooooo SWEET!

THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART...for remembering and sending such a PERFECT GIFT to me!

I LOVE IT!!!!
I'll post pics later as it's sooooo late...
and I wanted to also give myself another present...

This BLOG.

Yes, this is my first entry with Blogspot. This has been one of my goals for 2 years now. I have my beautiful sis, Mary Ann and all of you wonderful and creative soules out there to thank for this new venture. I've been thinking about this for awhile but never felt like it was a good time...or I would have anything worthy to share...but a lot of you Sweet ladies (not discriminating against men but haven't had any male bloggers reach out to me, as of yet...) have reached out to me and have nudged me to take the plunge and discover the beauty of finding new and interesting things in life via the web and also find more creative soules out there.

So, I say this to you and my sis...Thank you so much for helping me find my passion...You are an inspiration to me and hope to learn and grow with this lil' blog of mine. Also,

my sis has been an inspiration to me for so many years...such a creative and wonderful supporter for me. I truly am grateful for her continued positive encouragement for all of my artful attempts. Thank you, my dear Sis...my MENTOR...you are the very BEST!!! and I sure love you...

2 weeks ago, I started a private blog Labour of Love at Wordpress...but something was missing...I do like some of the features in Wordpress...the individual pages, the stats, etc. but it was missing something...widgets...music, flash...that's what I'd like to have on my blog. So, I hope I don't offend anyone out there for switching...

Go here to see my first posts...

Well...I just wanted to share some of the prezzies I've received for my very "old" birthday self and introduce myself to this new world I'm entering.

Thank you so much for visiting and I send my warmest Welcome to you from me and my lil' world...

xoxo jo ;)