As most of you know, our dog Valkyrie is like a small toddler. We love her! Don't know what we would do without her. But.....I do believe she is preparing us for a baby. lol!
Valkyrie has a couple of things that are hers- a Kong (her favorite), a blanket, and a pillow. She will play with these things, chew on these things, and destroy these things. However, she doesn't chew on anything else in our house except for her toys. Thank you Lord!
Lately, she has had a field day with her pillow. If she is left unattended (if I am downstairs and my husband is asleep), this is what we find on the floor.

If there is anything in this world I wish I could do....it would be to SEW. My grandmother was blessed with this talent, my mother was blessed with this talent, even my husband can sew a button on (and patches...i think it's a requirement in the military). Somehow, the ability to sew completely skipped over me.WHY?!?!?!
One day when I was suppose to be shopping for paint supplies, I found this cute little bib cross stitch kit at Michaels. lol! I couldn't pass it up.... I say that, but I don't even know how to sew. I think I told myself I just need to dive in and try. If it turns out horribly wrong, no one will have to know. How sad is that?!?! My grandmother gave me one quick lesson in cross stitching before she passed away. I wish I would have had several more lessons, but at least I had one. From that one lesson, I am by no means an expert. Actually, the farthest thing from it. Without pictures and directions, you can forget about it.
I attempted cross stitching on this bib for my nephew on the way (His estimated arrival is about 6 days after Baby Lee). Oliver, if you don't like it, know that LeeLee tried! lol! It was made with love...not so much talent!

P.S.- Don't look at the back!

My mother's favorite cake is carrot cake. Not carrot cake out of a box, but homemade carrot cake. The kind that has the freshly grated carrots and lots of LOVE in it. Before my Nana passed away, she made carrot cake just for my mom. Nana was an excellent baker (just one of the many things she was good at). For several years, Nana's recipe for carrot cake had been lost.  Her sister (my great aunt) was digging through some boxes recently, and guess what she found?!?! The recipe for carrot cake... in Nana's handwriting. She sent it to me, and I thought I would try to make one.  The result wasn't the prettiest, but it sure did taste good. :) I'll have to practice a little more before my mom comes to help with Baby Lee (only 8 more weeks!). I promised a fresh carrot cake when she gets here.

This past weekend, my friend and I, along with her children attended a local event where Golden Spoon Yogurt had a booth. If you know me, you know I LOVE Golden Spoon! I could eat it everyday....but I would be as big as a house if I did. However, I purchased my $5 ticket and only had one mini size yogurt. I was proud of myself.... but just the thought that I could eat it all day if I wanted, made me very happy!

I have the best mother-in-law on the face of the planet! She knows how much a LOVE animal crackers....not just any animal crackers though...Barnum's Animal Crackers. When I was a kid, if my mom gave me a choice to get a snack at the grocery store, I would get a little box of animal crackers. You know, the ones that look like a circus car with a handle on it. I never told my mother-in-law this, but she sent them to me one day in a care package. When I opened the box, it was like I was 6 years old again. She sends them more often now... 1. because I love them! 2. for Baby Lee 3. to share with Valkyrie. Needless to say, they don't last very long at my house.
Thanks Mrs. Vickie! You have made 3 Lee's very happy!

Yep.... Valkyrie and I have a morning routine. Part of that routine is getting a treat in her Kong. She is so dramatic leading up to getting her Kong. But the deal is, if she doesn't bring it to me, she doesn't get a treat. Sometimes (ok, most of the time), I give it to her anyways.

P.S.- I never realized how country I sound until I watched this video.

If you have seen these in the store, get them! They are selling like hot cakes and really hard to find. And did I mention, they are DELICIOUS! They really do taste like birthday cake.

That's how I told some friends of ours.... that we are having a baby. Their little girl will be arriving in May (around that time) so I had fun shopping for little girl things. I put little girl clothes as well as a little Tech onesie in the gift bag (Made by Thirty1Twenty4).
Take a look at their reaction. I love it!

 My precious friends' reaction caused a scene in the restaurant where we were eating.... but I didn't care. Everyone was looking at us like we were crazy! I guess we are a little bit.

Yep, that's exactly what Mrs. Kelly said when she opened her "baby gift".
I posed it as her birthday present. My husband and I made a visit to their house about a week before her birthday. Cha Ching! Perfect! I put her "Tea-ny Tiny Lee" present at the very bottom of the bag.  Tee hee hee! And when she opened it.... well, I'll let the pictures do the talking. :)




 I think Mr. Andy was a little shocked too. lol!

Our child (dog-Valkyrie) has found a new thing to do in our home. She sneaks on the couch in the loft upstairs. We're not sure where she got this from or why she started doing this. She's not allowed on any other furniture in the house. I guess she thinks because we hardly ever use the couch upstairs that it needs some attention and love. lol! Child, PLEASE! We have caught her doing this a couple of times.. hints why we have a sheet on the couch. Normally, if she sees us while she's laying on the couch, she jumps down immediately (GUILTY!) But this time, she didn't budge! And to top that off she stuck her tongue out at me. What am I going to do with her?! LOL! I took her picture, let her enjoy rebelling for a split second, and then made her get down. I'm a terrible mother, I know! Enjoy seeing my dog "backtalking" to me!

I can think straight now!!! My office is finally organized (somewhat!). At least it's 10 times better than it was before!

I don't know how to put it any other way.... things are CRAZY around here. I have just finished up my weddings from last year, getting prints and books mailed out, and not cleaning my office. However, cleaning and organizing is my to do list for next week. I will be having a sale coming up (Valentine's Day!) so look out for some announcements for that. I have a couple of paintings to finish before I add more to my plate.


A look inside my little world right now! Unorganized Chaos is driving me crazy!

I don't have the words to express how happy my heart is when I walk into someone's home and my artwork is hanging up. I LOVE it! 

I have to brag on my clients a little bit! They are the BEST and they spoil me... just a little bit (ok, a lotta bit!).
My last wedding was such a treat for me! My clients put me in a very very nice hotel... you know the ones that serve freshly baked cookies at 3:00 in the afternoon and hot tea and coffee is freely available to you all day long. Yeah, one of those! They made it an extra special weekend get-away for me and my husband. Such a treat! My clients even had a sweet goodie bag waiting for us in our room. The bag was filled with our favorite snacks. They even put hand sanitizer in there (I can't go anywhere without that!). Their hospitality made me feel so special. What a blessing!

Angela and Ross, thank you for being wonderful clients! Thank for you giving my husband and I a much needed weekend retreat. It was an honor to be part of  your special day!

At the beginning of the month, I traveled to Alabama for Ross and Angela's wedding. I was so excited to see them, take their wedding pictures, and give them their wedding presents. I packed everything (camera equipment and all) in two suitcases. When I zipped up my suitcase, everything seemed to be well packed....seemed to be. After arriving in Alabama, I realized that was not the case. Their wedding present broke in half. :(
I was so sad and disappointed. I worked hard on their gift and I had to give it to them broken. However, there was a Hobby Lobby half a mile from my hotel (Praise the Lord!). Gorilla Glue to the rescue!
This stuff works! I glued it back together Mr. & Mrs. Williams were pleased with their gift. I'm so thankful I had another gift for them -custom handmade stationery. I think it's probably my favorite stationery I've made.

I got this idea from Pinterest (I'm addicted!). [I can't find the exact link for this idea, but I didn't come up with it.... but I still LOVE it!] I gave this as a birthday gift to my husband, but I think it would be great for Christmas too.
The idea is that each month, a date night is planned. Items such as gift cards or money is placed in each envelope for each month. I know it has helped us budget better with date nights. I buy a gift card at the beginning of the month to wherever we would like go or do. Then I place it in the envelope and forget about it until my husband says, "Let's go on a date." Ideas: Movies, Dinner, Go Karts (we're doing that soon), Ice Cream. Free Things: Picnic at the park, Movie Night at home, etc.

My Dad celebrated a birthday last weekend. And in honor of his love for old cars, especially VW Beetles (He restored one when I was younger), I hand made his birthday card. I will probably never make another one like it. His comment, "Hey, that was a pretty good little drawing you did!" LOL! Thanks Dad!

I love our home. It's spacious, nice, and I can paint walls any color I would like (something I didn't have in our last home). However, there is one little space that drives me crazy!!! The wall dividing our dining room from our living room and kitchen has a thermostat on it. The thermostat is off-centered, boxy, and an eye sore. I'm sure I would feel differently if it wasn't seen by everyone who comes into our home.

I thought of a plan to "fix" this. No, didn't move the thermostat. I just covered it up....with MAIL. I LOVE getting mail, and I keep cards and letters that are sent to me. There is something special about words written on paper... I just can't explain it.

I bought an ugly canvas with a beautiful frame at a thrift store a couple of months ago (I'll have to post the before picture later). It has been patiently sitting in our garage until I figured out what I wanted to do with it.

Here it is!!!!
Old frame, picture wire, and clothes pins. Love it! And that's a wedding invitation covering up the ugly thermostat.

"Happy Birthday Rhia!"- Sang to the tune of  "Happy Birthday Jesus!".... don't ask why?!

Today is one of my very dear friend's birthdays. She is so special to me. We made it all the way through undergrad and grad school together. Without her, I don't think I would have graduated- seriously! We live way too far apart now. Maybe one day we will live in the same state! How wonderful would that be?!?!?!?

Her and her husband just bought a new house, so I thought I would make some things for her office (she has a fabulous business called rhiDESIGN). She is so creative and I love to receive hand made things from her, so I decided to make her something. What was I thinking? I found an inspiration picture on Pinterest.

My turned out nothing like this. What went wrong? lol! Maybe next time, I should just send her a 30X40 canvas. SIKE!

But, there is a tradition that Rhia and I have... for every holiday, we give crosses. I'm really not sure how that started either. LOL! Anyways, I made her one.
I wouldn't be who I am today without my sweet friend Rhia! Rhia, thanks for being such an inspiration to me. You are blessing to the Lee family (as well as Zak and Juneau). Thank you for being an example of a godly woman in my life. Continue to be obedient to His calling!
I love you and I miss you sooooooo much!

Total, I have a few pics to post that are from a variety of things.... no special theme today.

I have been selling some items on Etsy! I sell a lot of Distressed Wooden Letters. I sent this one off last week.

I'm so thankful for the postal service. I LOVE to send mail, but I also LOVE to receive mail! Thanks to my wonderful mother-in-law for this fun care package. There was a little something for everyone (including Valkyrie, our child... a 3 year old toddler trapped in a dog's body).  Her nickname is Doggie America by the way. lol!

I also received this picture from one of my Etsy clients. I did a custom order for her. I'm so pleased with how it turned out. She is too!