Commission Complete

I've posted in the past about recently starting up my little art business. I 've drawn a number of commissioned portraits over the  years, but I just finished up my first business commission! I wanted to share it with you.

The original photo

The commissioned portrait: 11x14 chalk pastel



close up

This was the first time I got to use my new chalk pastel pencils :) I LOVE THEM! I love trying new textures and such--things I've never drawn before. I really challenged myself this time with a lace umbrella! What a pain! But the picture was so beautiful I just had to include it, as well as the gorgeous pink flower that adds a little splash of color to the composition.

I'll be posting this to my St. Catherine's Apprentice Facebook page and web site, you can check out more there!



The Love Dare

I've been in the same monogamous relationship since I was 16 years old--close to 14 years now! 10 of those years we've been married. Marriage is a difficult relationship to keep up over the years, especially when you begin your relationship so young--both of you do a lot of growing over the years, some of it growing apart. So marriage is a thing to be maintained over the years, worked on to keep it alive.


 Today I begin the first day of The Love Dare. The Love Dare is a book, based upon the movie Fireproof, starring Kirk Cameron.



From the back cover:

 "Unconditional Love is eagerly promised at weddings, but rarely practiced in real life. As a result, romantic hopes are often replaced with disappointment in the home. But it doesn't have to be that way.

The Love Dare is a 40-day challenge for husbands and wives to understand and practice unconditional love. Whether your marriage is hanging on a thread or healthy and strong., the love Love Dare, is a journey you need take. It's time to learn the keys to finding true intimacy and developing a dynamic marriage. Take the dare!"


To assist in the challenge there is an accompanying website www.40DayLoveDare.com where you can register your own personal Love Dare. It offers you a place to keep a journal, a message board, a blog, and resources.

You can also visit www.LoveDareBook.com which also has a wealth of resources and information about the book, the authors, the movie, and the dare.

Homeschool: Montessori Math Activity

Now that my 3 1/2 year old is getting older she likes to do "school work" too. I put together this activity yesterday after getting the idea from a blog I follow, Chasing Cheerios. This blog gives great ideas for Montessori inspired activities. If you're unfamiliar with Montessori education, you can get a little info by reading here. The materials do the "teaching" in this method.

Chasing Cheerios used some nice materials to make her kit. Sometimes I put together neat activities for the girls, but then they never get used. So instead of spending money to buy materials for an activity that may never be used again, I used what I had on hand at my house. Also since O is just beginning to learn her numbers and count, I only made the activity for numbers 1-6. I figured that was a good start for this "test-drive" activity. I can always add to it later as she increases her knowledge.

Supplies:

• beads (exact number needed)
• 3 pipe cleaners (cut in half for a total of six)
• I typed up my numbers in a Word Document and printed them on the back of a used piece of cardstock (green factor : reuse!)
• scrap piece of cloth for the "workspace"
• little plastic container (anything with a lid works, mine was an old powder makeup container)
• an old crayon box
• I took a "control picture" of the activity and printed it on the other half of the reused cardstock

After you collect all your supplies, you assemble the kit:

• glue numbers to pipe cleaners
• put beads in little lidded container
• place control picture, numbered pipe cleaners, container of beads, folded piece of cloth in the crayon box and the kit is complete!

For the first session I demonstrated how to set up the activity and use it. I showed O how to match everything up to the control picture.

Afterwards, I showed her how to pack the materials back up into the crayon box when she's finished.

She loves this activity!!!

She loves it so much I had to share. The first thing she did this morning when she woke up was to get her math kit out (as you can see by the pajamas!) and do her "work".

It cost me nothing to create this fun learning activity and it repurposed/reused some old items I had laying around :)

Homebirth Supplies

I thought I'd share what all is required, equipment/supplies wise, for a home birth. It may vary from midwife to midwife, but this is the list my midwives at Ten Moons Midwifery supplied me and recommend.

Hombirth Supplies:

• Birth Kit, order at 30 weeks, so that it will be sure to arrive by 36 weeks
• 1 package maxi pads
• 1 plastic or metal bowl for the placenta (you may want to set aside another bowl in case you get nauseated)
• 1 large outdoor disposable picnic table cloth with flannel backing, 1 tarp, or 1 plastic shower curtain liner to protect your floor or carpet. You will need one extra tablecloth, tarp or liner for waterbirth
• 2 fitted sheets and extra pillows and cases. Make up the bed for the birth as soon as you are sure that you are in labor
• 2 large plastic garbage bags
• laundry basket
• 1 roll each of toilet paper and paper towels
• 1 crockpot for hot compresses, if desired
• 12 cloths for compresses (these can be made by cutting up an old towel or you can buy a cheap package of wash cloths. Please wash them an put in a bag labeled compresses)
• 2 bottles electrolyte drink (Third Wind, Recharge, etc.), coconut water, or homemade "laborade." Leave bottled drinks at room temperature
• 4 bath towels, minimum. You will need at least 4 more for waterbirth
• 4 receiving blankets, minimum
• electric heating pad and an old pillowcase
• 1 flashlight with working batteries
• 1 set of baby clothes and 2 cotton newborn hats
• variety of food in the house. You may not want to eat in labor, but you will definitely be hungry afterward. We [being the midwives] sometimes get hungry too. We especially love a good cup of coffee!
• 1 bottle hydrogen peroxide, to remove blood from carpet, etc.
• 1 bottle ammonia, if desired, to add to laundry with meconium soiled clothes, diapers or linens
• 1-3 perineal cold compresses, if desired, can be added to the birth kit,or might like to use bags of frozen peas instead
• 4 gallon size Ziploc bags
• cookie sheet. It is our tray for your labor and birth
• space heater, if needed, to keep the birth room at 70-75 degrees for several hours after the birth
• small bottle of olive oil for baby's bottom, to keep the meconium from sticking to baby's delicate skin
• newborn diapers
• thermometer
• infant car seat, with straps adjusted to smallest position. If a base is included with your car seat, please go ahead and install it in your car.

Birth Kit:
Purchased through Everything Birth; this is a pre-determined package my midwives put together through the company, called the Ten Moons Midwifery Birth Kit, that costs $39.

• 10 disposable underpads, 23x24 light
• 5 disposable underpads, 30x30 heavy
• 2 plastic backed sheets
• 1 OB pads, nonsterile, 12 pack
• 1 peri bottle
• 1 mesh pant
• 1 tenderfoot lancet
• 2 flex straws
• 2 alcohol prep pads
• 1 super sani-cloth
• 5 lubricating jelly, 5g
• 1 bulb syringe, sterile 3 oz.
• 8 gauze, 4x4, sterile, 2 pack
• 6 gloves, sterile vinyl singles, medium
• 4 gloves, sterile pairs, medium
• shipping included

I also ordered the Vitamin K with my kit. This little bottle was a pricey $39.95. I opted to have it administered orally to my newborn, as opposed to an injection or going without. I am also supplementing my diet and taking Alfalfa supplements to increase my vitamin K serum levels so that my baby has more at birth.

To keep things simple, I ordered my "birth" pool through the same company. It is actually a kiddy pool that works really well for home births. It was $39.95, much cheaper than a rented alternative. It came recommended by both my doula and midwife. Referred to as the "Fishy Pool" or "Aquarium Pool," they are sold on Amazon and through birth supply companies. They sell for $37 on Amazon but shipping is $12.40. It was cheaper to buy it for my price through Everything Birth and pay their $5 shipping rate. But what's great is that after my homebirth it can be cleaned out and my younger girls will have a play pool this summer!

Everything Birth: Sponser

I am 30 weeks pregnant and into my third trimester. I went to my midwife checkup yesterday, which are now every 2 weeks in frequency. Everything went well, thank God--baby is doing great :) She reminded me it's that time already to put in my order for a home birth kit.

I ordered the kit, as well as my birth pool (yes, I'm shooting for a water birth--or if not the warm water is supposed to work wonders on labor pains) through Everything Birth. It's a great little site that offers home birth materials, midwife materials, cloth diapers, etc. Check them out.

I'm planning to talk more in depth about the goodies packed in my Birth Kit, the items on my birth supplies list, and the birth pool I chose on Monday. With only 10 weeks to go, now is the time to get all my ducks in a row--baby will be here before I know it. Exciting!

Crocheting: Belly-Covering Scarf

I mentioned earlier this week that I had enough yarn left over from my baby hat and booties to make myself a belly-covering scarf. I finished my scarf yesterday! What's a belly-covering scarf, you ask? I am 7 1/2 months pregnant and my winter jacket no longer zips up. The one button that I can manage to snap closed pops open at my slightest move. So my poor pregnant belly is left exposed to the chill on the days that actually feel like winter. Here in Virginia, we've had some really strange weather. It feels like late fall rather than winter more days than not. There were some days I was working on my scarf when I was wondering if I was actually going to need it. The temperatures have been fluctuating so much from one day to the next. One day is freezing and the next it's 50-60 degrees and the kids are running around outside with no coats!? At this point I don't see any reason to buy myself a new fitting coat. I only have 10 more weeks left in my pregnancy and I'm hoping by next winter my coat will fit again. And living simple means making do with what you have. My solution then is crocheting myself up a belly-covering scarf!

It's a simple double crochet stitch scarf. It's wider at the ends (to cover my belly) then I narrowed it a bit towards the middle of the scarf so there wouldn't be as much "bulk" around my neck, which I don't like.

The sweetest part about this project was that I had to make my own crochet hook too! Oh yeah. You heard me right--I MADE my own crochet hook. I got the directions for it from the MaryJane's Sewing Room book. My thick yarn required a size L hook-which I didn't have and if I can make something as opposed to buying it, I'll do it. I used, per MaryJane's suggestion, an old broken chair back rail. With 5 kids in the house you bet we had an old broken chair in the basement in which to get this from. And being an artist I had an old exact-o knife I was able to use to widdle the rail into the shape I needed. My grandfather used to work with wood as a hobby. One time in high school I had to work with wood for a project and I then first discovered I really enjoyed wood crafting too. It brought back the memories of both. There's a sense of accomplishment I find working with a natural material--forming it, working with it, sanding it and making it smooth. Then I got a whole new sense of accomplishment crocheting with a hook that I made. Of course, my husband looked at me like I was crazy, my kids a little too, but I enjoyed myself-- Mama went homestead style!

I added a little scarf bling (a Miraculous Medal). My own little personal touch! It hits right at my belly level for some Blessed Mother protection for my little one.

P.S. I added another merit badge to my collection. I earned my Stitching & Crafting Beginner Crocheting Badge.

Requirements:

• If you don't know how to crochet, learn. MaryJane has excellent instructions in her "Stitching Room" book.
• If you are just learning how to crochet, pick a simple project like a rag rug or dishcloth. Finish your crochet project. There is a three-hour minimum time investment required.
• Teach someone else how to crochet a simple project.

Blogging Badge

How awesome is it when you can make a little difference in the world?! Okay, so I'm not creating world peace or feeding starving orphans in Somalia, but I helped initiate a Blogging Badge for the group I belong to, MaryJanesFarm' Farmgirl Sisterhood. In fact, this VERY blog you are reading sparked it!

See my eyes were opened to the world of blogging only about a year ago. Yes, before that I was oblivious to blogs believe it or not. But once I discovered them I had a blast subscribing to and reading some of my favorites. Secretly I wished I could start one of my own. They seemed fun and it would be a way for me to share and connect with others (which as a homeschooling homemaker is something I desperately felt I needed).

The Farmgirl Sisterhood has a badge for just about everything. On the Farmgirl Connection chat room I posed the question, "Is there a badge for blogging?" For my upcoming 30th birthday, I was going to treat myself to a blog--and if I was going to start one and I could earn a badge for it--even better!! There was not but it sparked some conversation. And it was picked up by the committee in charge of creating the new badges that come out each year to keep things fresh. My one little question and desire to start this blog became one of the 2012 new merit badges! Let me not toot my horn too much :) I only I posed the question in the chat room. I received an email from the lady in charge of badges saying they were going to use my blogging idea and asked me to review the badge requirements and offer any suggestions. That was the extent of the role I played. But it's still neat to think I had a little something to do with adding to the Sisterhood, however small it was.

While I didn't earn a badge for it, I have the Sisterhood to thank for their support and suggestions in helping me to get a blog up and running. I discovered there was a lot more involved than I expected to beginning a blog. I spent many hours designing (actually the time was spent mostly trying to figure out  how to design the blog page than actually designing the page itself ;)  Putting in buttons and pictures . . . . much more complicated than it seems! But persistence paid off. Through trial and error, and a labor of love,  I figured out the ropes for the most part. I'm still a novice and always learning. I certainly gained a whole new appreciation for the art of blogging.



So here's the badge requirements for the Blogging badge I helped initiate:

Each Other

19. Blogging

Beginner Level

• Read Blogging for Bliss: Crafting Your Own Online Journal: A Guide for Crafters, Artists & Creatives of all Kinds by Tara Frey.
• Choose your topic. Pick something you are passionate about.

Intermediate Level

• Start your blog. Find a blogging host that works for you, or host your own.
• Pick out a name, and publish your first post.
• Don’t forget to add your blog to MaryJanesFarm’s GirlGab.com .

Expert Level

• Learn how to add pictures and customize your blog.
• Publish at least 10 posts along with photos.
• Network! Create a blogging circle by visiting other blogs, writing comments, and leaving your blog’s address so they can visit you, also. Remember, building a blog and finding readers takes time. Be patient and have fun.

January, 2012 Edition