Thursday, July 14, 2016

Red-Haired Dreamer Painting

This was the final fairy in my 4-fairy series.  She is ready to fly right into your arms at my Etsy shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/inara77
She is also available as a print or featured on fun printed items at my online shop: https://society6.com/product/red-haired-dreamer_print#1=45
She could possibly be inspired by Anne of Green Gables.  It is entirely possible...

Saturday, July 9, 2016

Summer Begins 2015

My husband and I went on a date to my 20 year high school reunion!!!!!!!  And we bought a giant pizza!  And William and I cooled off redneck style during the crazy summer heat wave we had this year!

Thursday, June 30, 2016

Walking in the Woods-Throwback

This is a very significant moment, as I had shared with my husband the night before of a situation that I had been struggling with for 8 months and was ready to just give up on and that I desperately needed his help with.  He stepped up and was my knight in shining armor.  This is the walk we took as a family the next morning to start to work on healing and strengthening our family bonds.  My hubby is awesome.  I love him so much!


Friday, June 24, 2016

Magdalena the Mermaid Painting

This lovely shy beauty is ready to swim right into your home!  She is available through my Etsy shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/inara77
Prints or fun printed items featuring her are also available at my online shop: https://society6.com/product/magdalena-the-mermaid_print#1=45


Sunday, June 19, 2016

Happy Father's Day 2016

This was Aurelien's father's day gift last year.
I will repeat what I have said for the past 2 years, as it was perfectly said and I can't say it any better:

"Father's Day is so bittersweet for me as I have many painful feelings associated with my biological father. Story I've been told is that I was madly in love with my daddy when I was tiny, and then he abandoned our family when I was 3.  I remember the fight over custody, and it is one of my earliest, and most terrifying, memories.  I didn't see my dad again until I was 11.  He came back for a grand total of 24 hours, making all kinds of promises to me.  We were super poor, and I wanted a bike more than anything, as my old one had been stolen.  He promised to buy me a bike.  I remember the next day at school how I felt.  So excited and overwhelmed with joy.  I ran out to my mom's car after school and she was all by her self.  I asked, "Where is dad?" She answered, "He left."  I WAS DEVASTATED.  I felt like such a fool, for trusting him so easily.

A year later he came back for a visit and I refused to talk to him.  So he left again, blaming my coldness. When I was 13, he came back again.  I finally caught on that he was trying to get my mom to take him back. I was having none of that!  I went on a week long camping trip with my best friend and I cautioned my mom before I left to not fall for his schemes.  I came home and he had moved into our house.  That was a disaster. I felt so uncomfortable and pretty unsafe having him in our home.  A few months later, he punched me in the face so hard that he knocked me over, dislocating my jaw, which has resulted in lifelong pain, migraines, hearing loss, etc. I fell into a deep depression, and my older brother reached out to me.  He told me if I ever needed a place to stay, I was always welcome to stay at his house, with him, his wife, and their 2 little children.  I took him up on his offer shortly thereafter.  I moved out of my mom's house when I was 14, and went through the courts to get myself emancipated.  My mom fought it, but I won.  My brother became my custodial guardian until I turned 18.

When I was 15 my dad started coming to my work to try and get me to talk to him.  At first I resisted it and wouldn't talk to him, but eventually he wore me down.  We started getting to know each other again, and spending quality time together.  I really grew to love my father during this time.  It was nice to see where some of my personality and other quirks came from.  When I was 16 my dad moved away suddenly without telling me and I couldn't get a hold of him.  He just disappeared.  I WAS DEVASTATED.  About 6 months later, I got a phone call from a woman telling me my father was in the hospital and was going to die.  Would I go and see him?  I did, and I made my peace with him before he died.  I told him that I forgave him for everything.  I read him the love chapter from the Bible, I Corinthians 13.  I sang "Amazing Grace" to him.  I wanted him to be at peace. He died the next day.  April 2, 1994.

Due to all this sordid, convoluted history it has been a lifelong vow of mine that I would have babies with a man who would be a wonderful father to them.  Ever since I first met Aurelien in 1997, when I was a nanny to his cousins, I have observed his soft heart and gentle way with children.  That is one of the biggest reasons why I fell for him back then, and why I continue to fall in love with him more and more every day.  He is the daddy of my dreams for our child.  William is incredibly blessed to have such an amazing human being as his very own father.  I wish I could have had a daddy like that.  But having a daddy like that for my beloved William is a close second!!!"

Monday, June 13, 2016

Joan of Arc Painting

A very inspiration true historical heroine.  This painting went to a lovely home, but you can purchase prints or fun printed items at my online shop: https://society6.com/product/joan-of-arc-nmt_print#1=45


Monday, June 6, 2016

Home and Work


Omg this was a tough 6 weeks.  I took a full time Middle School Language Arts substitute job and it was way too tiring for me to manage.  I couldn't function.  I did an amazing, kick ass job but the rest of my life suffered way too much.  I learned my lesson.  Never again!!!  Part time happy lil sub for life!

Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Mama and William go to Cali!!!

I took my son all by myself to Cali for my niece's 8th grade graduation.  Fear and Trembling!!!  And guess what?  It was fine!  Lil man is so great at traveling and going with the flow!  Such a delight!!!

Monday, May 23, 2016

My Boyz

Oh the cuteness of these guys!  True love forever!!!!  They have my heart!

Wednesday, May 18, 2016

The Little Prince Painting

I painted this for my son, since he is half French after all and this is such a classic French character from the famous book!  Prints and fun printed items available at my online shop: https://society6.com/product/the-little-prince-qjg_print#1=45


Friday, May 13, 2016

My Mama Heart

Fun times!  Mother's Day tea with 2 of my besties-Michelle and Tana, Super gorgeous new cowboy boots, lil man going to church with me, and sewing 10 jewel-tone batik throw pillow slip covers!  These are the things that get me excited!!!

Sunday, May 8, 2016

Angel of Hope Painting

This girl was in the fairy series but turned out to be an angel instead!  I love how she turned out.  Definitely a bit otherworldly and more than a little fierce and untamed looking!  She is available through my Etsy shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/inara77
She is also available as a print or featured on fun printed items at my online shop: https://society6.com/product/angel-of-hope-yp0_print#1=45


Monday, May 2, 2016

April turns to May 2015

More time with my niece, and helping with the neighborhood rummage sale, and my boys wrestling together (LOVE IT SOOOOOO MUCH!!!), hanging out with my own lil love, subbing, and the Gruffalo definitely developing!!!  Bam!!!

Saturday, April 23, 2016

Happy 39th Birthday to my own truest of true loves!

Hey cutie this is how you spent your day last year, making placenta pills for my niece, making bubbles for our son-so I made you a fancy organic cake!  I love you so much!

Friday, April 22, 2016

April 2015 Life

My low carb ice cream sundae splurge, papa and William cuteness, helping my niece with her postpartum issues...

Monday, April 18, 2016

At the beach with Shelly Belly

I had such a wonderful, restorative time with my dear friend Michelle at the beach. We are definitely going to try and make it an annual tradition!

Saturday, April 16, 2016

April 12-16, 2015

Spring Fling Family FunRaiser and Silent Auction!  Movies-"Song of the Sea"!  And Rachelle had her baby, Julian!!!

Sunday, April 10, 2016

Celilo Salmon Festival 2015

We went and stayed with my Aunt Melodie at her Ranch and had a blast!!!  William and I got to ride a horse for the first time, and OMG we both LOVED it!!!!  Then the next day we went to the powwow and got to enjoy all the amazing dancing!  Soooooo fun!

Wednesday, April 6, 2016

Easter 2015

We had so much fun making our son's basket this year and having him hunt for eggs.  The holidays just get more and more fun every year with him!

Saturday, April 2, 2016

Some of my own personal memories from Spring 2015

A dog in a bicyclists backpack, a painting commission and another painting for a gift, Tiff doing my hair, losing and then finding my calendar/planner, a super sweet note from a student, and then going to a Passover dinner with my parents.

Thursday, March 31, 2016

Spring begins 2015

Mama's still catching all the snuggles she can, and this little boy loves to get dirty!

Backwards puzzles, helping papa, and a super cute mini tiger outfit!!!!

Friday, March 25, 2016

March 19-25, 2015

Oh my cuties!  Backwards puzzles, super happy mama snuggles, and the GRUFFALO begins to emerge from the wood with Papa's chainsaw!!!

Friday, March 18, 2016

March 12-18, 2015

Cafe au play fun, playing with Shelly's girls, Gilly gilly avec Papa, a power outage, and your shark towel still barely fits you!!!

Thursday, March 10, 2016

March 1-10, 2015

Neighborhood soup night!  We love our neighbors!  Cuddles, Playtime with Donnie Don, playdate with mama at the park, spying on you sleeping, and you being a jokester with the groucho glasses....cutie patootie, March 2015.


Saturday, March 5, 2016

Jenica's Girl Painting

This was a special commissioned painting for the 4-year old daughter of a friend of mine from high school.  I was really excited to create this painting for her.  Prints and fun printed items are available at my online shop: https://society6.com/product/jenicas-girl_print#1=45


Sunday, February 28, 2016

The End of February 2015

Always with your Papa, but also some playtime with Audrey, meeting your Uncle Ray, and cuddles with Grandpa!  Love!

Sunday, February 21, 2016

Andromeda the Mermaid Painting

This sweet sunshiny girl is offering her heart to you if you will only adopt her and bring her home!
This 8x10 mixed media painting on canvas is availale through my Etsy shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/inara77
or as a print or fun printed item at my online shop: https://society6.com/product/andromeda-the-mermaid_print#1=45


Sunday, February 14, 2016

Happy Valentine's Day 2016!


Lots of Reading, puzzles, toys, skyping Mutti in Paris, and starting Potty Training!

Fun memories with my loves.  A playdate with William's BFF, storytime with mama, and a hot date with Papa!!!
Helping Papa make Crepes, building with legos, dreaming little boy dreams, reading on the toilet, more playdates with your BFF...life is sweet!

Sunday, February 7, 2016

Batik Throw Pillow Slipcovers

This was a fun, easy sewing project to brighten up our dark, ugly couch throw pillows. I love how they turned out.  My French hubby said they look like bonbons!!!

Monday, February 1, 2016

La Reve Painting

This beautiful masked woman was featured on page 12 of the Somerset Studio Gallery Winter 2014 issue, I am very proud to say!  She can be purchased through my Etsy shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/inara77
She is also available as a print or featured on fun printed items at my online shop: https://society6.com/product/aqua-gowned-masquerade-lady_print#1=45


Saturday, January 23, 2016

January 2015

 Our last memories with Mutti...
 I started subbing a lot more, I met my 5th cousin and fellow genealogical addict, Jan.  I also began a fun habit of going to the movies by myself.
Here's our boy just doing his thing, growing bigger all the time!!!

Friday, January 15, 2016

Boudicca, Warrior Queen of the Iceni Painting

I have been fascinated by this true life historical heroine for many years. 
"Boudicca was the Celtic Queen of the Iceni tribe of modern-day East Anglia, Britain, who led a revolt against Rome in 60/61 CE. The Iceni King, Prasutagus, an independent ally of Rome, divided his estate between his daughters and King Nero of Rome. When Prasutagus died, however, his lands were taken by Rome and the Iceni lost their status as allies. When his wife, Boudicca, objected to this action she was flogged and her two daughters raped. She mounted a revolt against Rome which left the ancient Romancities of Camulodunum, Londinium and Verulamium in ruins and over 80,000 Roman citizens of Britain dead. She was defeated at the Battle of Watling Street by the Roman Governor Gaius Suetonius Paulinus chiefly by his judicious choice of battlefield and allowing her army to cut off its own escape route by encircling their rear with their wagons, animals and families. Boudicca is said to have committed suicide by poisoning herself after her defeat."
This regal queen is sold,however, prints and fun printed items featuring her are available at my online shop: https://society6.com/product/boudicca-warrior-queen-of-the-iceni_print#1=45


Sunday, January 10, 2016

Cordelia Fitzgerald the Mermaid Painting

This beautiful lady was inspired by my favorite book of all time, "Anne of Green Gables".  Anne always wished she had black hair, violet eyes, and the name of Cordelia Fitzgerald, so I created this painting in honor of my favorite heroine, Miss Anne Shirley herself!  The original has been sold, however, prints and fun printed items featuring her are available at my online shop, https://society6.com/product/cordelia-fitzgerald-the-mermaid_print#1=45


Tuesday, January 5, 2016

Rhapsody in Blue Moon Painting

This is a painting that I have done many times, copying myself again and again.  I love it.  Available on commission, and as a fun print or printed item at my online shop: https://society6.com/product/rhapsody-in-blue-moon_print#1=45