Emma

Back in March, I got to do a session of this gorgeous little girl along with my sister-in-law Kimie, who was really the one in charge of the shoot. We've been playing around with the idea of going into business together, but I think I was really just there for emotional support for her more than anything else! =) Haha, anywho, this little doll's name is Emma, and she is one gorgeous little girl! If I ever do decide to brave getting pregnant again, and IF we actually had a girl the next time, I would most definitely dress her just like this. I love, love, LOVE all the ruffles!

I had such a fun time trying this out with Kimie, and got to see just how nice it is having someone to work with! No driving by yourself, no worrying that you didn't get any shots, and most of all, MUCH less stress and a lot more fun! The only hard parts were trying not to get in each others way and making sure that each of us got the shots we wanted. Oh, and trying not to compare yourself with one another. I'm so bad at that!

All in all, we both had a blast together and just absolutely loved taking Emma's pictures. We only wished we had more time with her - she's just so stinkin' cute! And I definitely look forward to working with Kimie again, that's for sure! After all, we've been joking about creating "The Adams Family Art Gallery" for years now, with Kimie's photography, Kelsey's paintings and ceramic wonders and my art as well. What do ya think? It's good to dream, right? Okay, well I've talked enough for one post, so I'll let you go, but after you're done here, why not hop on over to Kimie's new blog to see her take on Emma. Hope you enjoy! Oh, and of course... Happy First Birthday Miss Emma!!!

Oh Wow! God, You Amaze Me!!!

So about a week or so ago I lost my mouthguard (yes, I'm so hot I get to wear a mouthguard at night!). And by lost, I mean LOST! It was nowhere. We pulled out the dressers, checked up and downstairs, rummaged through the trash. Nada. I mean, I even checked my bible, as random as that is, just in case it got closed in it or something. But nope, no matter how hard we looked, it was nowhere to be found. So I made an appointment for last Friday to get another one made, because I just can't live without it (it keeps me from getting blinding migraines because I clench my teeth at night). Well, Friday morning came around and as my alarm went off, I turned to Tyler and asked him what I should do, because I just didn't have peace about going to the appointment without trying one last good look. After all, the silly thing cost $300 - yikes! We decided to reschedule and look some more, but after looking that day, we still couldn't find it. Then Saturday night rolls around, and after looking a bit more just to make myself feel better, I give up and pray out to God, "Please Lord, I don't care if it was me that lost it or if it was Levi who threw it away or hid it, but God, please just work a little miracle here and bring it back to me. I really don't want to buy a new one." And with that, I grabbed my bible as I slipped into bed. Upon grabbing it, I felt something funny underneath the cover, so I open it up, and lo and behold, there is my nightguard, just sitting in there, as if it were a little gift from God! I was floored! I mean, FLOORED! How cool is that?! This isn't the first time this has happened, after all. Remember back when we couldn't find Levi's medical card anywhere, and it fell out of my bible randomly the week I needed it? And remember the fact that I had already thoroughly checked my bible earlier in the week? God is so cool!!! Thank you Lord, for all the amazing little miracles that just make me love and trust you even more! I love the fact that You are a God who can move mountains and set the stars into motion, and yet You also love me so much that You do wonderful little things like this that just mean the world to me! You are such an Awesome God!!!

Meet My Nephew, Nolan

Oh man, this little guy sure is a cutie-pie! He actually reminds me a lot of my own little babies, aside from the fact that he got his daddy's nose... And maybe his chin too... Okay, so maybe he doesn't look as much like them as I thought, but I definitely see both his parents in him, that's for sure! He's so sweet and little, and it was a pleasure to get to meet and hold him! I sure wish they didn't live so far away, because it's going to be hard seeing him look so different every time. But I will treasure the times we do have with him, because he is, well, a treasure! I love you so much already, little Nolan! And congratulations Kelsey and Jeremy! You guys did an amazing job bringing this little man into the world and I know you will raise him to be a man after God's own heart! =)

Montana 2009

These are from our trip to Montana a few years ago, just a few months before we got pregnant with Levi. And I'm just now sitting down to edit them today... Can you tell I'm a little behind on my edits? Anyways, these were taken during our long drive home, the first of which was captured right before a beautiful lightning storm hit. I wish I could have set up a tripod and shot out in it, but we were on a schedule and I am just not THAT daring - such a wimp. Lol! 

That trip, by the way, was amazing! It was my first really long road trip, I mean, the first that went further than Mexico. We had such a blast and were so blessed by some friends of the family to be able to stay in their gorgeous house up by Flathead Lake. Oh, and one of my favorite parts of that trip was discovering the Winchester Steak House. By far the best steak I've ever had in my life. EVER. I would almost make the drive just for one of those steaks, it's THAT good. Oh man, now my mouth is watering... But I digress. I hope you enjoy these - I had a ton of fun taking and editing them, and can't wait, Lord willing, to go back again some day. That house is, after all, my favorite place to paint plein air! =)

"The Meeting Place"

Yay! I just finished my sweet baby Owen's little froggy painting, and I couldn't be happier with how it turned out! It's so exciting to be working in series and I seriously can't wait to see where it takes me next!

For this painting in particular I went along with the theme that I started when I made the painting for Levi titled "Do I Dare...?" which was made specially for him to put in his room/nursery (or rather now, their room/nursery), which is themed with something along the lines of woodland creatures. Okay, okay, so it's very much ALL about woodland creatures. Haha, why try to deny it? Silly me. Anyways, I still have one or two (or three) more paintings up my sleeve for this series, but I'm not exactly sure when I'll be able to start on them and I can hardly bear the wait.

I sure hope you like how this turned out little Owie! Mommy loves you, okay?! Someday I hope you'll appreciate this for what it is, a simple expression of love from me to you. But as for now, I just have to figure out some place to hang it where it's not going to get destroyed by you, kiddo! Lol! I love you my son! =)

"The Meeting Place"     16 x 20     Acrylic on Canvas

Detail from "The Meeting Place"

Detail from "The Meeting Place"

Starfish Cake and Henna Cake for the Royal Family Tea

Here are the cakes I did for the auction this weekend. I stayed up all night finishing them and then spent the whole day trekking around the Oakland Zoo with my favorite little guys, and boy am I tired now. I'm thinking I'm going to bed a little early tonight... =)

So I made my first cake with the theme of a starfish on the beach. The starfish and the shells are made of modeling chocolate, the sand is ground up Nilla Wafers, and the water is fondant and buttercream, with a glaze of green and blue food coloring thinned with water and applied like paint. I also used chocolate rocks, because, well, they're just fabulous!

My second cake was both more simple and more complex, if that even makes any sense. It's made with white fondant and a deep purple buttercream, applied in a unique henna pattern that I made up as I went along. I put the frosting in a homemade henna cone in order to get the fine detailing and found that it was WAY easier to use than an icing tip. After all, since that's already how I do actual henna, I figured it was worth a shot. And it worked quite well! So well in fact that I am definitely going to use henna cones for all my cake lettering and detailing.

Well, it was a lot of fun putting these together (that is, aside from the fact that fondant absolutely hates me and refuses to obey any of my commands - silly fondant!) and I am so happy with how they turned out. But now it's time for me to go to bed. Goodnight!

"Hope on the Horizon"

I feel very privileged to be able to show my latest painting to you all. I was recently asked to do a cake for an upcoming dessert auction that will be held in honor of Royal Family Kids Camps, in the hope of raising funds for their annual foster kids camp this year. I've been looking for ways to use my art for God lately, and when I found out they were doing a silent auction as well, I thought that this would be a great way to help. So here's my painting called "Hope on the Horizon," and it's honestly one of my favorites I've ever done.

I had the hardest time deciding what to paint for the auction, but after realizing how symbolic the starfish is for their program, I knew this would be the perfect painting. Tyler helped me with it a lot, seeing as how it's based off of one of the pictures he took in Tahoe on our honeymoon. We spent half our honeymoon in Monterey and the second half in Tahoe, because I simply couldn't make up my mind between the two. And even though that hotel wasn't the greatest, our room opened up to the beach and this was the view we had every night. It was so very beautiful. Good memories!

"Hope on the Horizon"    8 x 10    Acrylic on Canvas