silly as it sounds...

ch-ch-ch-changes....

(just so you know, i'm humming the tune of that song now that i've typed it...i'm cursed like that...)

we're looking at big changes soon, the bennett family.  something is stirring that may be just the most exciting thing ever...we're positively stoked but reservedly mute until things are ironed out.  i've been shying away from posting for now, for fear that i'd let the cat out of the bag!  :)

two hints:

1.  no, i'm NOT pregnant.  (shame on you!)  lol

2.  no, it's NOT related to scrapbooking or designing.

in the meantime,  a quick share of the card i FINALLY managed to pull together!  :)

OH!  and have you seen the new BLOG features over at TWO PEAS?  totally cool!
go start one and link me up to it!  :D

flood relief

a photo album my husband linked me to this morning
re: the flood devastation an hour south in chehalis/centralia area

slideshow

also found another one here:

the chronicle

saturday instead of doing all the family/home related stuff we had
stacked up to do, we dropped everything and went around door to door
in the neighborhood collecting specific donation needs for the area
and took them to a drop-off for immediate delivery to the area,
especially pet food...
the shelters are overrun with cats and dogs displaced and alone.
they're the lucky ones...
the great majority of pets and livestock caught in the mess didn't survive.
it felt so much better to spend the day doing that
rather than putting up christmas lights...
maybe that will get done later this week!  :)

if you'd like to help, go to: 

United Way of Lewis County
coordinating a central drop-off point for all physical donations

Lewis County Flood Help Blog
with great info on specific needs in the area

Pasado's Safe Haven
specifically for animal rescue and relief in the area

sunday + snow

i felt like julie of the wolves
black furry ushanka,
gloves, scarf, coat
and boots

walking through the snow.

earlier that morning
we got ready for church and looked outside
it was snowing
a beautiful, delicate dusting

"lets walk to church!" i cried
and braxton obliged

the snow tickled our cheeks and frosted
the sidewalk

the snowball thumped my earlobe
from the south-east

and braxton chortled in triumph

i replied, rubbing my neck,
"the good thing about snowballs
is,
they bounce"

:)

craft + magazine

i'm so giddy with excitement...
craft magazine's uber cool blog
posted about my wreath today
:D

this is one of the coolest mags ever...

i get their blog updates in my inbox
every day...

total inspiration fest!

hopefully it will help redirect a few bags
that would have been destined for a
landfill...

what do they say with kids' nutrition?
every bite counts?

every bag counts!  :)

xoxo

block print

so, remember that plaster mold i was carving earlier?

got to play with a print from it today--
(red acrylic on vellum)

"g chord"  photo corner by fiskars, 'g' letter by li'l davis designs, rubons and felt by autumn leaves, red glass brads by creative cafe & torn paper behind 'g' is from a die-cut frame by BAMPOP!

i am really loving this block print thing :)
think i'll cast another tonite...
hmm.  maybe it will be an actual tree this time...
:)

next on my self-taught agenda...
silk screening
:)

cafe press

new designs up in my shop...

a whimsical anime-type drawing i made is available on a plethora of goodies in the shop...

right here!

you won't find this design anywhere else!  :)  i have plans for some other little
cuties i've drawn up, too.  later...  :)

and another category for this little la ink inspired bit of fun:

found right here on lots of different item choices.

:)

wreath + wood + pain + light

looking for a fun thing to do with your kids for the holidays?
how about putting the stash of plastic bags to a repurposed use...
as this wintry white holiday wreath?  :D
full instructions and photos are here:  TwoPeas Designer Garden
baylor and i had a good time doing this one...and i am *amazed* at
how soft and pliant it is...and, hey, it'll last forever, eh?  :)

and can you guess what on earth i'm up to here?

here's the skinny. i am horridly addicted to the hambly woodgrain
patterned paper.  it is really sick, how much i love that stuff.  i am
running out. *gasp* the kraft and white color paper. me. running. out.
so what do i do?  gee, lets just whip out the old plaster of paris and
make a plaster block and carve it into my own faux wood grain, wait
48 hours for it to dry, seal it, slap some paint over it with a brayer, and
"print" my own dang wood grain.  HA!  i am nuts, i know. it's okay.
but the result?
i am in love.
several prints have been made already, and so has a second block.
i'll post them later...so cool!

and then, there's this:
(don't be afraid...lol)

self portrait, chalk on canvas

i have been getting a deluge of migraines again....uuuuuugh.....so i used
a little art therapy the other day to refocus the pain.  that's not an empty
eye socket...the eye is closed. see the lashes below? my son looked
at it and said, "you could put an eyeball in there, you know..." lol
maybe i was thinking of light behind the eyes.  the sensitivity of light
and sounds during the pain, hence the light eyelid and ear. and the red
pain at the chakra point.  out, damn spot!  ;)

have you heard about all the torrential rain we've been under around here?
this was taken the morning after it stopped raining...

it was like the skies
just suddenly broke apart and split open...SO surreal.  i caught the strangest
flicker of light out of the corner of my eye at the window...something was
suddenly different.  the light *felt* different. i grabbed my camera, curious.
in a matter of seconds, the ground started to glow and, turning, i caught
this sudden burst of light from the sky...silhouetted against the trees.
i seriously got goosebumps!  it was one of those amazing moments that
leaves you breathless...where you just know you've witnessed the miracle
of the beauty of the earth and are left feeling so grateful...