Keeping It Real--Studio Table

I took this week off for vacation. The plan was to work on my business ALL. WEEK. LONG.--make art, write some blog posts, get some stuff that's been lying around listed in my Etsy.  I probably should have cleaned my space before I got started.

But if I had done that, I wouldn't be able to give you a glimpse into what my space (and often my mind too) really looks like most of the time when I'm working.  This is exactly how it looked when I quit for the night.  I tried to get the whole scene for you--the pile of paper and stuff on the table along with my brushes that I just washed for the first time in a couple of months this morning, paint tubes on the floor so I can find them, piles of paper from all the snipping I've been doing.

I lost my scissors today...again. I have a running list of other stuff that's lost in the heaps right now. I'm sure it's all there somewhere.  So here goes.

Now I'll be forced to do an "after".  But don't hold your breath. I have three more days of my #LeissnerArtWeek.  If I can still see the floor by then, I'll consider it success.

To see more messy studio spaces, check out Seth Apter's blog post at The Altered Page.

And The Winner Is.....

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Thanks again, everyone!  I'm so grateful to everyone who took the time to read my blog and enter this giveaway (this wasn't *my* giveaway...God told me to buy the Bible...it's His giveaway).  

I was so blessed to be a part of it.  I hope you'll enjoy and support the links from the post. Those ladies are just beautiful people and generous souls.  You'll like them.

<3 Lori

#Klatchapalooza

There's something special about people with a common passion getting together to support or practice the subject of their enthusiasm.  It could be an uplifting worship service where the singing seems as if straight from Heaven and the fellowship warms your heart.  It might a really great sports game where all the fans are engaged, and the players seem to absorb the energy in the gym.  Or it could be when a group of creative souls get together to share the thing that lights their cre8ive fire.

That's why I wanted to be part of the Cre8ive Klatch. You can be a part of it, too.  Follow the blog and join the Facebook group!

We're first introducing the contributors, so head on over and meet the crew. Today is my day.  Y'all may think you already know more than you need to know about me...and....um...that's probably true.  But there are some other really awesome ladies on deck. You'll want to meet them. :)

A New Art Form--Bible Journaling

My Instagram friend Celia Bradshaw sent me a link the other day to a new group on Facebook she'd found called Journaling Bible Community.  The group was started by Shanna Noel whose blog you can find here.  It's grown to a huge community of women reading, sharing, creating and fellowshipping in barely a month's time. God is really speaking into the hearts of creative women there.  It's been really awesome to watch, and the art is inspiring!  I asked permission to share a few of the pages some ladies have shared there.

Lynn Richards shared this and it literally took my breath away. Just beautiful.  Lynn makes art in California and shares on her blog A Little Blue Sky.

I have had an ESV Journaling Bible since 2009.  A friend gave it to me for my birthday, and I love it. I've given them as gifts because it's just a great size and the translation is easy to read.  It's so nice to have a generous space in the margins for taking notes and leaving messages to myself.  I never thought of putting art in it, though!  What a great idea!

Andrea Chebeleu is sharing her amazing lettering art.  Love it!  She  owns an art studio in California and shares her art on her blog A Work of Heart.


The ladies in the group are making such inspiring artwork in their Bibles.  I have to be honest and admit that I haven't made any art in my Bible yet.  I'm just enjoying watching what others are creating and feeling really accomplished that I've made it past day three of the Blogging Through the Bible study I started at the end of August. 

Celia Bradshaw kindly shared the group with me.  She's making inspiring pages, too!  She doesn't have a blog, but you can follow her on Instagram here.

I shared the Amazon link to the Bible I use with someone who asked and noticed there were only two left in stock.  I love mine so much and on a complete whim (God whisper), I bought one of them knowing.......IT'S A GIVEAWAY!!!!!!

 I'm so thrilled about this giveaway. I hope you are too.  It includes:

• Brand new Crossway ESV Journaling Bible (just like mine!)
• Set of 12 Prang Colored Pencils
• My favorite kind of Sharpie Pen
• A handpainted LeissnerArt upcycled bookmark 
• Cute little washi tapes because they match the color scheme and that's important
• A yummy looking candy bar I got at the health food store. I'm not eating sugar, so I don't know how it tastes but I smelled it. A lot.  (Just kidding. I really didn't.) But it's dark chocolate and has protein and fruit in it...that's HEALTHY!
• A pot of handmade (by moi) calming cream to help focus your mind when you sit down to ready/study/journal your new Bible.  It's made from Young Living Essential Oils' Peace and Calming blend.  It smells yummy and is all natural.  I'll be sharing how to make it on the Cre8ive Klatch blog.  Follow so you don't miss it!

This is a joint giveaway on my blog and my Instagram.  All you have to do to enter is leave a comment here (domestic shipping only, please). 

If you'd like an additional entry, you can also find this image on Instagram and follow the instructions there.


I'll draw a winner next Saturday, September 13!

Thanks for being here!

<3 Lori

Special thanks to Celia Bradshaw, Lynn Richards, and Andrea Chebelue!!! Thank you all so much for allowing me to share your artwork.

FALL!!!!!!!!

Y'all...I'm not even kidding. I love fall more than cake and sleep and Chic Fil A ice cream. I love it.  I love the smell of fall. I love the cool mornings and bugless evenings.  I love the leaves changing colors.  I love the frost on the windows. I love bringing the firewood up to the porch.  I love the idea of loving football even though I don't love football at all.  I love boots and sweaters and not even having to think about wearing a swimsuit.

After such a great summer, I'm looking forward to an equally stellar fall. Since I love bullet points and numbered lists. Here are four things I'm working on and really stoked about for Fall!

1.  Eating right.

Starting September 1st, I am embarking on a whole foods/paleo eating plan. I actually started a few days ago. Haven't had any sugar or sugary treat since....hmmmm....can't really remember.  I have had some cream and a half teaspoon of truvia in my coffee, so according to the sticklers, I'm not doing the real Whole30, but it's close.  Also not on the menu is bread, alcohol, any kind of grain, white potatoes, processed food (like bacon! ::commence sobbing::), dairy (except for that tiny splash of cream) (that means no CHEESE!!  ::commence gnashing of teeth::)  I bought Well Fed two weeks ago and have been studying it obsessively (as someone who doesn't cook would).  I'm really excited about this way of eating. I bought a thousand dollars worth of spices (not really that much), some of which I've never even heard of. I even tried out one of the recipes. I'll report more on that later. Even though I'm not going 100% perfect Whole30, I am going to follow their guidance regarding staying away from the scale for the duration.   I'll report back on the 30th about that..unless it's not good and then I'll hope y'all forgot. And y'all should pretend to have forgotten, m'kay?

2.  Bible reading.

I have tried a number of Bible study plans over the years.  For various reasons, it just never worked very well for me.  I see the pictures on IG of the #shereadstruth community with the coffee and their notebooks and their Bibles, and I get kind of depressed because I'm in the elevator almost to my floor where I'll sit at my desk not doing Bible studies for 7 hours.  Or I wake up early enough to do it but get sidetracked by laundry or dishes or I can't get connected to the internet to read the devotional first.  Something is not clicking in my brain or with my time to do those kinds of studies. But I found one that I think even I can do.  Blogging Through the Bible.  It's one chapter per day.  No emails.  No IG.  No fancy notebooks if I don't want to have one.  Just one chapter. I think I can do that.  Will you join me?

3.  Healthy living.

I'm terrible about taking my vitamins, even though I really, really need to take my vitamins.  I need a vitamin that reminds me to take my vitamins.  I'm hoping vitamins will help my failing memory, so I bought these Garden of Life-Raw vitamins that are reported by some healthy-eating friends to be the best. They don't make me sick if I need to take them without eating first, which is why I have sometimes failed to take vitamins.  So far so good!   I'm looking forward to stockpiling some nutrients.

I'm also working on getting better sleep.  I don't really know how long I've been sleep-deprived.  My oldest child is 19, so....um...yeah...nineteen years seems about right.  It has to stop, though. I NEED SLEEP!   This is helping me with my sleep.  A drop rubbed on the feet and a little on the pillow and it is sweet dreams. 

In fact, I'm slowly integrating Young Living Essential Oils into my life and ditching the over-the-counter chemicals I've been consuming.  There's an oil for that!

4.  Creating.

I'm making time for creating too!!  I joined a fun band of cre8ives for a whole Fall season and beyond of creative goodness.  We'll be introducing ourselves and then we'll be sharing our favorite fun and fast cre8ive projects to carry you right to the holidays and beyond.  You can join us by following the blog and joining the Facebook group.

I'm so looking forward to sharing the progress on all these things and hearing your stories if you have them....especially anyone who doesn't cook starting to cook.  I might need some help!

Summertime

Summer 2014 was one of the better ones, I'd say.  Here's a quick review. 

My son came home from a successful first year of college and got a great job. 

A few days after school let out my girl headed off to her Great European Adventure.

The same day, the man and I left for a second honeymoon in Maine. 

I set up for my first Artwalk and got caught in an epic hailstorm.

We had our annual front yard July 4th fireworks display. 

We had a fun time on our family vacation to Red River. 

We completed The Great Backyard Makeover. 

We got an early start and got the boy all moved in to his new school.  

Then, the night before school started, we joined 100,000 squealing girls at Cowboy Stadium for a One Direction concert. 

I look back and I'm so very grateful for this memorable summer of being together and working together, big adventures, reaching new goals, and watching some dreams come true.  So very thankful.

The days are getting shorter.  It's getting a little cooler.  School has started, and I'm looking forward to fall, my most favorite time of the year!  Fire pits, boots, sweaters, stew and soup, the color, the cool--so many things to LOVE about fall.  I love to hear what you are most looking forward to this fall.

Coming soon to the blog....my big plans for fall.

<3 Lori