The Road to Lifestyle

New piece!  This one came out looking like a vintage toy block. It is almost done... a few more steps and I will post it in my shop!

 I posted new pieces in my shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/CevilleDesigns We have a lovely dancing bear above.  This little princess has a gold crown and a pink cupcake complete with a cherry on top.... little blue stars adorn the sky above her. I really enjoy whimsy and this little bear is just that--a bit of whimsy to brighten your day. For more pics of "Dancing Bear" click HERE . Also, I finished "Polka Dot Polly" today! She is gazing longingly at a chocolate cake and is bundled up in her favorite green polka dot hoodie. The cake also has a cherry on top! For more pics of "Polka Dot Polly" click HERE . I hope these pieces bring a smile to your face and a bit of joy!

I sold a piece of art today to someone that lives in New York!  Staten Island, to be precise... I thought they didn't have any power! :)  Apparently, it's back on! :) http://www.etsy.com/shop/CevilleDesigns

Well, this one is easy for me!  I think coffee (and coffee breath) are unbearable!   I created a new set of ACEOs in honor of the Great Coffee/Tea Debate !   Which side are YOU on?! Check out my Etsy Shop for more Coffee/Tea Bears... or are they Tea/Coffee Bears?! OH MY!! "Coffee is unbearable... I prefer tea!"

This sketch is for my nephew Auggie!  It is his first Halloween!

"Every single thing you do matters. You have been created as one of a kind. You have been created in order to make a difference. You have within you the power to change the world."  - Andy Andrews

"Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." - Psalms 23:6

"The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid.  What can man do to me?  The Lord is with me; he is my helper.  I will look in triumph on my enemies." - Psalm 118: 6-7

“Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of - throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.” ― C.S. Lewis , Mere Christianity

"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever." - 1 Chronicles 16:34

Greetings all!   I have been creating again!  I am also taking a course hosted by one of my favorite artists! Her name is Danita! Check out her work on Etsy:    http://www.etsy.com/shop/DanitaArt Also, Danita is going to be a teacher in a year-long online class called Life Book 2013.  You can check out more info by clicking on the link below! http://tinyurl.com/lifebookdanita Make it a great weekend everyone!

"I do not associate with people who blame the world for their problems. You’re your problem, Annie. You’re also your solution.”     - Megan from the movie Bridesmaids

"Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.  Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." - Ephesians 4:19-20

"...neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." - Romans 8:39

Hey Laura,         Thanks for chatting the other day. As some amazing revelations have come my way I clearly 'see' the reason each of us were created, to indeed passionately serve others!  It has been an amazing personal journey as I can testify to, how, where ever we are, who ever our circle of contacts are, if we strive to put those people first before our selves, and we constantly do what ever our task  is with fervor and zeal as if serving the Lord, before long we indeed 'discover' that God equips, enables and anoints our every action. We truly do become His Image! So many people are searching for meaning in their lives, but yet they fail to connect with that meaning and purpose. It is really so simple, when we give, and I mean completely, in every situation and with all our resources, we soon discover that those resources grow in unimaginable ways. It starts with love, if we love our fellow man, God soon floods our lives with His limitle...

"Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." - Galatians 2:2

"A man finds joy in giving an apt reply -- and how good is a timely word!" - Proverbs 15:23

"Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." - Mark 11:24

Here are some of my favorite parent posts from the past several weeks: Noah: daddy, check out the blood and scab on my knee!! Hey daddy, where does the scab go when it gets better? Me: it just falls off somewhere. Noah: but where? Me: I don't know man, no one knows Noah: well...I'm just going to keep my eye on it forever.... -- Difference between girls and boys: Jaclyn (age 8) what is your favorite word? LOVE. Joshua (at age 8) what is your favorite word? BOMB. --   On the way home from school: Me: Austin, who did you play with at school today? Austin: My four girls. Me: Four girls?? Do you play with any boys in your class? Austin: No, only girls. Me: Why do you only play with girls? Austin: Because they're beautiful.  -- Annie went out in the kitchen and said to her daddy, "daddy I'm starving.....my tummy is full of hungry!!!!" -- My daughter is hilarious, she says to me "dad,...

A fellow Academy grad from the class of 2002 died recently.  I know his face, but I did not know him. I think about having seen him in the past and to now know the date of his death.  He came and he went.  His life was so finite.  He was 32... I am 33. I watched a movie last night called Big Fish .  In it, Edward Bloom looks into the all-seeing eye of the town witch and sees the day of his death.  Knowing how he is to die affects the choices he makes in life and the perspective he has.  "This isn't how I go," he would say time and time again and he would charge forth into another daring adventure.  I feel like I have a lot to give this world... through my art, my writing, and by leading people.  I've said to my husband many a time, if God takes me I will tell him I'm not done yet and ask his permission to continue on this earth a little bit longer.  My perspective may change as I get older.  But as of now, it's time ...

"Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me." - Psalm 51:12

I have been feeling a little lost lately... a friend is going to send me a Bible verse to read everyday. Yesterday's was: "I can do everything through him who gives me strength."  - Philippians 4:13 Today's is: "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  - Jeremiah 29:11 Make it a great day everyone!

"At first people refuse to believe that a strange new thing can be done, then they begin to hope it can be done, then they see it can be done--then it is done and all the world wonders why it was not done centuries ago."  - Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden

"Don't Judge Me By My Past.  I Don't Live There Anymore."

I live in a loving, harmonious, accepting universe.   I choose to release all negative emotions and free myself from ego.   I will seek to understand, not be understood.   If I love the world, the world will love me.   If I choose to live in harmony with the world, the world will BE in harmony with me.   If I choose to be accepting of the world, the world will be accepting of me.   I live in joy and choose to harness the power of now each and everyday.   I live in love, now and always. - Amen :)

It started with a pain in the base of my neck... and then my neck started to tighten.  I felt a tension, like a wrench tightening a bolt and limiting the range of motion.  I lowered my head, hoping to stretch my neck muscles to lessen the pressure.  I then felt heat, and an itchy sensation on my side.  A bite that I received from some unknown critter months before--perhaps a spider or insect--was now reanimated and irritating my side.  The area was red and splotchy.  I was supporting my husband at a racing event and had anticipated being able to continue my work which keeps me on the phone for most of the day.  As we continued on our travels I counted the voice mails... one, two, three, six, ten... I was not concerned.  "I'll be able to call them back when we arrive at our destination," I thought to myself.  But when we arrived, there was no cell phone reception... NONE... ANYWHERE.  I wouldn't be able to return the calls as I had a...

Greetings all! It has been almost a week since Braden and Goodies (his Official "Road Buddy" for 2012) finished Rally West Virginia!   Braden placed 2nd overall! Goodies Can Be Seen Prepping Before the Race Here... :)  It turns out Braden was a real life Superman at this event as he hit a deer right before he finished the last stage, got up without hesitation (as did the deer), and finished the race.  More on that in a bit... Photo by Pete Gedeon  The event was held at Snowshoe Mountain Resort in West Virginia.  It is a beautiful, cell phone reception-less place where I realized that I truly have an unhealthy attachment to technology as my body reacted poorly to the realization that there would be no texting, uploading to Facebook, or incoming/outgoing calls for the duration of our 4-day stay. :) The deer were plentiful in this area and numerous people mentioned the sheer tameness of the deer.  One fellow rider took pho...

 Hold on to Faith; it is the source of believing that all things are possible. It is the fiber and strength of a confident soul. Hold on to Hope; it banishes doubt and enables attitudes to be positive and cheerful. Hold on to Trust; it is at the core of fruitful relationships that are secure and content. Hold on to Love; it is life’s greatest gift of all, for it shares, cares, and gives meaning to life. Hold on to Family and Friends; they are the most important people in your life, and they make the world a better place. They are your roots and the beginnings that you grew from; they are the vine that has grown through time to nourish you, help you on your way, and always remain close by. Hold on to all that you are; and all that you have learned, for these things are what make you unique. Don’t ignore what you feel, and what you believe is right and important; your heart has a way of speaking louder than your mind. Hold on to your dreams; achie...

Greetings all!  I have been creating! :) http://www.etsy.com/shop/CevilleDesigns I have made 12 sales so far... all of my ACEO Alphabet Girls are now gone...  Everything from Agatha's Applies to Farrah's Frog to Zandra's Zebra... Here are some pics from those pieces: Uma's Umbrella Vanessa's Valentines Wynna'a Watermelon Xena's Xylophone Yasmin's Yarn Zandra's Zebra

Today I have decided the meaning of life is to experience joy and to aid others in experiencing joy as well.   We can choose to be happy today, we have only to make the decision...  We have to do a certain amount of allowing... acceptance of who we are, what we want out of life etc. Today, as I thought of all things I had to do, I felt the anxiety that stems from work yet to be done, begin to surge.  But then I thought to myself, "Would I rather have nothing to do?"   Of course not!   That would bring on a whole other area of discussion!  We mustn't live as victims... we must live as victors!

"Prolonged association with negative people makes us think negatively, close contact with petty individuals develops petty habits in us. On the bright side, companionship with people with big ideas raises the level of our thinking; close contact with ambitious people gives us ambition."  - The Magic of Thinking Big by David J. Schwartz, Ph.D.

 

I've been creating!  :) Now, my first one ever was the red ball above.  It took me almost four hours to complete! I called it "The Beast." But, I'm happy to say that the blue and white balls only took me an hour and a half each. And that's because "A" I was getting better and "B" my husband helped cut the strands of paper to the length I needed and he crumpled them for me. The tutorial I read stated you need to make the strips about 24 inches long and you can crumple the paper to soften it.  I DEFINITELY recommend crumpling.  It gives the flowers a nice texture and makes them easier to wrap. The balls were made with 6" styrofoam balls (once the rosettes are applied they become 1 to 2 inches thicker), crepe paper (150 ft x 1.75 in), and glue sticks (hot glue gun). For the red and blue balls above I used one and a half rolls of crepe paper. The rosettes on the white ball were made thicker and tighter ...

"How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak and strong. Because someday in your life you will have been all of these."  - George Washington Carver

Be So Happy That When Others Look At You they Become Happy Too.

This kid ROCKS!  Gave me goosebumps the first time I heard it today! GO NOAH!!

I came across some Lou Holtz quotes today... I am impressed... :) Here are some of my favorites: “When all is said and done, more is said than done.” “You're never as good as everyone tells you when you win, and you're never as bad as they say when you lose.” “Your talent determines what you can do. Your motivation determines how much you are willing to do. Your attitude determines how well you do it.” “The man who complains about the way the ball bounces is likely the one who dropped it.”

"I Believe I'm here for a reason and MY PURPOSE IS GREATER than my challenges!"  - Jon Gordon And they all said, "Amen!"

We survived! The morels went from this: To this: We dipped them in egg... then flour... then fried... and once we put the m on the paper towel we garnished them with pepper and salt. They weren't bad.... hard to tell a distinct flavor since they were so small. But, no ill effects... :)

Okie dokie... so no one told me they were going to look all weird and brainy like! We found some mushrooms!  13 to be exact... and I was concerned that 5 bread bags would not be enough... :) They are Morchella , which according to Wikipedia are "the true morels." We spent about 3 hours and 15 minutes searching to no avail as the locals would not disclose their mushroom honey spots!  Per one local, sharing the location of his mushroom honey spot would "not do his freezer any good."  OK then!  On our way out of the woods, dejected and morel-less, we came across a man who was down on his hands and knees searching.  It just so happened he had come across some of these elusive fungal curiosities! I thought to myself, "He can't be here all night!"  Once he vacated the premises, the magic began as we uncovered our first morels! I sent a picture of the morels to my family in Texas... my mother implored:  "Google them to see...

"When I was two years old and my sister was four, my mom took us to the circus.  I wanted to go again when I was nine.  'You don't need to go,' my mom said.  'You've already been to the circus.'" - Randy Pausch, The Last Lecture

  I am going mushroom hunting today!  I LOVE Ohio!  This will be my first hunt. I was told to bring three old bread bags which is fortunate, because I just so happen to have various old bread bags, stale old bread included!  I will need to find some creatures of the billed and webbed feet variety to eat said stale bread prior to the hunt! When asked, "Are you going by yourself?" I answered, "Heavens no child!  It's dangerous!  Who knows what's lurking about under those fungal curiosities!" :) Always hunt with a buddy! To learn more about mushrooms, click on the "Shroom" below!