Wishing you wonderful times with those you love, bounty at your table, gratitude in your heart, joy for the journey, and a love that is all surpassing in the gift God has given you. Blessings to you this Christmas.

A story to be told

It’s raining. It’s pouring and no I am not snoring. I am actually home – which is rare. Perhaps my errands can wait for a while, my running here and there and seeming always to end up at Walmart. But today is different, perhaps it’s the grayness or the sound of rain that has kept me in or perhaps it’s the need to be where I can look through each room, each pile, each paper, and recall that I am blessed. I have a place to which my children love to be, where my husband comes home to each week after being gone, where I feel safe and loved.

I stopped in the middle of my “cleaning” and thought I would write a bit…it’s been awhile. What really prompted me was Presleigh’s room. Some might see her room as a bit full...full of stuffed animals that have been lovingly chosen, full of trinkets from places we’ve been such as London, Florida, California and of course those wonderful garage sales and treasure stores. They may see an abundance of papers, pictures, notebooks, that they may think to throw away. Believe it or not, I do think that at times but today as I was picking up little bits of paper and such, I read one of the stories that Presleigh had written. A treasure to be kept not a scrap to be tossed.You see, she is a creative soul, always looking, thinking, dreaming, writing, asking, searching, and believing. Believing in her abilities, in her imagination, in the possibilities, the limitless nature of God. Of course, she is only nine. My older children at times, want to shush her or at the very least, just roll their eyes and look at me. My response has and always will be – “You once were like that.” But then I think to myself, “ I once was like that.”

What changes? What happens to us as we leave those wonder years where everything is a wonder, a dream, a possibility. What is it about a child that captures the essence of who we should be?

As I ponder these thoughts and so many others, I can’t help but think that like Presleigh, we have a story that is waiting to be told…A story that encompasses so much more than we realize. Our story is of one who was lost and has been found, a story of limitless possibilities to those that believe in the Mighty One of Jacob, the Lord. “For with God, nothing is impossible." (Luke).A story of pure redemption, where nothing in our past is held against us, for those that have received forgiveness. Our future is bright – for the one who lights our path, lights the day with the sun and the moon and stars by night. Our story can be new each day just as his mercies are new.

Presleigh writes several stories a day. They are inspired by what is happening at school, what she is reading, what she is experiencing, even where she is in her walk with the Lord. Her stories give me a glimpse into her very being. Her writings are so precious to me…she is precious to me. It is almost time to get back to her room but I do have just one question for you, for me........What is your story? Remember, you are precious in his sight....Go ahead dear one and begin writing your story as you live in the daily. Your story is worth reading.

Happy Fall!

Hope this day finds you enjoying your may blessings...I wanted to share with you that I am still here, still grateful, still reflecting, still seeking the direction and purpose that God wants to show me. I am creating, crafting, decorating, cleaning (always because when you create, craft or decorate..cleaning must follow, right?), loving and taking care of my family. We are getting in the spirit of seasons of celebrating. Really shouldn't everyday be a reason to Celebrate?!! Until next time,

Blessings

Taking a break...but first pictures of T&T2

It is time for me to take a little break from the world of blogging (not that I am very faithful at it) but nonetheless, it is always on my to do list and I become anxious over not having posted or forgot to take pictures of certain things....so for now I am going to sign off for awhile - I need a little time of reflection, direction and a dream---But I did want to show you pictures of our wonderful day at my home for Tidbits and Tassels 2. The weather was beautiful, the ladies were wonderful and the weekend was memorable...So here are some pictures of this wonderful time of gathering, creating, laughing and well just having fun!! (these are in no particular order!!)

I'll be back soon....you can find me on facebook--just ask to be my friend and of course I will accept. Until next time....Blessings,

Quick trip to Abilene...

Whirlwind week...Tidbits and Tassels 2 was awesome! I had planned to post earlier this week after I had caught up the daily as I had been creating with some wonderful women during the weekend....but instead of catching up on the daily, I needed to head out west (no problem for me.. I love the wide open spaces, the big Sky, the great people) to ACU to move Morgan from one apartment to another one (back on Campus, YEAH!!) So I returned last night after being gone for several days...So now I need to catch up on the daily.... I promise I will post about our awesome weekend!!! And there will be pictures, Savannah took over 200 (My friend, Jodie, advise --if you take a bunch, you're bound to have a few good ones).

While in Abilene, I met with one of the most awesome women, Roxanne. She is one of the gals putting together a most wonderful weekend in Abilene - High Cotton Art Camp Please go check it out. Registration is ending September 15th!! Hurry and join us as we celebrate all things creative!!

Tidbits and Tassels 2 post and pics coming soon! Until then,....

Blessings

**Here's a glimpse of downtown Abilene

Tidbits and Tassels - just around the corner.

Finishing final touches, gathering goodies, preparing treats, cleaning (better finish this post so I can be ready!!)....I can hardly wait for our Art Retreat this weekend!! It is coming up in just 4 short days. There are such wonderful, talented and most definitely, fun ladies who are coming from as far as Ohio, Pennsylvania and Louisiana and as close as Dallas and all points in between! It will be a great time of creativity, fun, food and friendship. Be sure to check back for the post- T & T pics and stories.!!

**** Don't forget to register for High Cotton Art Camp in Abilene in October. Check out their blog for more details . I am looking forward to teaching and speaking there. It will be an incredible weekend...Hope to see you there!!***

Until next time,

Blessings

High Cotton...

I want to share the exciting news about High Cotton Art Camp (for grown up girls). I will be one of 8 teachers teaching during this fabulous weekend. I am also honored to share this time with 7 incredibly talented women. Our weekend takes place in the fabulous west Texas town of Abilene. It is an awesome place. Just 3 hours west of Dallas, you will see wide open spaces and a sky that goes on forever. There are 3 awesome godly women who are putting this whole art retreat experience together. They give all the glory to God for their creativity and then want to encourage women to pursue their creative talents. There will be workshops, shopping, dining, and just a whole lot of goodness. Check out their blog by clicking on the button on the side bar and then ...Please Join me October 15th and 16th for a Cotton Pickin' good time...(couldn't resist that one)

Blessings,

Chantal

My first blog banner..

A new blog banner! Thanks to Jeff Arnold for a wonderful photo shoot here at home and in the studio..I was able to actually have a few pictures with my eyes open and mouth shut (well, just not talking but still showing a smile). And a thank you to Savannah, (my 16 year old) who walked (actually stood beside me) through photoshop to make a banner....So Fun!!

Recently, I was in need of some pictures of me to send to the places that I will be teaching. So I began to scour iphotos...My family loves candid pictures but those are not always the most flattering(maybe the most funny...). Little does the family know that many pictures (with me) have been deleted or cropped...I believe I have "rapid blinking syndrome"...In fact the best pictures are the ones with my sunglasses....But that was not requested. So my son suggested Jeff Arnold (He was our children's media pastor up until recently) to come and do a photoshoot...He was willing and the timing was perfect! It was a great reason to get a few outfits and have alot of fun! I will be updating profile pics everywhere..did you know that my FB picture is only 5 years old!!!

Jeff and his wife, Sara, were so fun and truly captured what I had always hoped to look like...He also loved my studio and didn't comment on the amount of stuff but thought everything was cool, especially the ribbon wall!! Here are a few pictures from that fun night...Hope you enjoy!

Blessings-

P.S. I will be showing more pictures but want to savor all of them..until next time..

Only 4 more days to....

(Mom and I at TPC Sawgrass in Florida--yes, I am wearing heels)

Register!! There are only a few spots left for our Tidbits and Tassels Art Retreat!! Join us for a great time of friendship, laughter and inspiration!! See you soon!

Blessings--

Tidbits and Tassels 2 - August 27-28, 2010

Only a few more spots left....registration will close on July 30th. We hope to see you here for a fabulous weekend!! See my earlier posts for details....But here it is in short version:

Friday, August 27th - Dinner at my home

Sit, Stitch and Swap - a small embroidery sample with a twist.

Saturday, August 28th - Morning Delights

Le Petit Sac - an altered tote bag taught by Maryse Henry

Lunch

Pocketful of Posies - a lesson in paper flowers and collage

Afternoon delights

All of this for $70.00 - Just click on Paypal for registration/payment. I will be emailing everyone in August for all the details on swaps, hotels, shopping, etc...

Can't wait to see y'all - Until then,

Blessings

Paper Cowgirl revisited...

We returned from our vacation, our skin was kissed by the sun and our spirits renewed by the wonderful time we had. Before I talk about the trip to sunny Florida where there were shells to be picked (Presleigh picked 60 pounds worth), sea turtles to be fed, sharks to be caught and abeach to be walked on, I must tell you of Paper Cowgirl Art Retreat, the wonderful women who took my class and new friends that My girls, my mom and I made...Here are some pictures that show case the class, the good time we had..

beautiful Crepe Paper Cowgirl - by Anne Denise.

We are getting ready for the meet and greet....

Ready , set,.... create

My sweet mom and daughter looking at me....

Goodies.....

Good times and Good friends....

A few friends to mention (I wish I could mention all of you but this post would be a novel)..Landon, a sweet boy who befriended all of us and is now a good friend of Presleigh, Susan and Skye - mother/daughters gotta love em!!, Vicki and Jan - the lobby showed us some fun times. Thank you for being so sweet to my Presleigh, Jodie who I love to see even if only for a moment (can't wait until August), LaVerne, Deb and AnnDenise - new found friends who seem like I have known them all my life, Cindy and Sandra - I am so glad we saw each other again, and to all the ladies (Patty, Jan, Cindy, Renee, Cathy, Terri, Jacie, Andrea, Elizabeth, Judy, Debbe, Linda,Karin, Keely, LaVerne, Cindy and Vicki- hope I got everybody) who were in my class -THANKYOU!!

I am blessed that our paths crossed...I do hope to see all of you again..even if it is only through the blog or FB. Once again, a great weekend in Waxahachie!

Fun in the sun...and a few other things

We are heading to Sunny Florida for a great vacation. No oil where we are going (thankfully) --Ponte Vedra is on the Atlantic just 40 minutes south of Jacksonville. It is a family tradition that started when I was just a little girl. My grandparents lived in Jacksonville Beach and every summer we would travel there- where the ocean breeze blows and the sun shines. Now for the past 10 years or so we have gone and felt the same breeze, basked in the sun, have gone deep sea fishing, shell hunting, sandcastle building, shopping, swimming, resting and renewing. My parents join us and it is a treasured time that we spend.

So I wanted to let everyone know that when I return, I will Cowgirl Up and share pics and memories of a great Art Retreat Weekend!! I met some of the most talented and fun women that kept me laughing, learning and creating!! Thank you to all who took my class - you were truly a blessing! Can't wait to see everyone next time!!

Also, Registration is still going on for Tidbits and Tassel 2 - read more on my blog (older post). Space is limited so I hope you will join my mom and me for a great weekend of art, friendship and fun!!

Have a great 4th and I will see you around the 10th!! Until then,

Blessings

Where I create.....

I am honored to be part of this blog party....About a year ago we began renovations to our backyard. We dug up the grass, my herb garden of 9 years, peach trees, climbing roses...yes I cried. But the vision my husband and I shared was to enrich our lives, the lives of our children, and to use what we have as a blessing for others...So here is the finished backyard with pool, outdoor living/kitchen areas and of course, my husband wanted to build an Art Studio for me....I am forever grateful to him for all he has done for me. I love being in there, I love that my girls and my mom love being in there, I love when friends gather and they love being in there...So enjoy the pictures, some are courtesy of my friend Jodie, some are from last year and some are from today....Don't blog "party" too long - for your creative space is calling....

This is really what my creative space looks like when I am creating...I only tidy up for necessity. So I can find that which is hidden...
No matter the size of your space, create! For some it is the dining room table, part of the bedroom or even in a closet ( I have been in all of those places). I have been blessed to be able to have a supportive husband and family in my creative endeavors. I hope that you have found kindred spirits on this blog party. We all love the creative process more than our space. We love to share in the experience more than the finished product. In our creative pursuit, it isn't always about finishing, it is about discovery. I will always be thankful to God for the gifts he has bestowed to me in my life. I pray that I use them for his glory and not mine. I will always be thankful to my family who encourage me in all that I do. I will always be thankful for you - for our paths crossing. Enjoy the journey!! Come visit sometime and we will create!

Blessings - Chantal

It has been said that children become chatterboxes at night…I prefer to call it the dreamer’s lullaby. I was reminded again of the age of innocence and imagination. All too often when I lay my head on the pillow, my body and mind are so tired from the day’s daily living that I close my eyes without a an imaginative thought. Rather it is the “to do” list that is running through my mind. Last night, I was lying down with my youngest daughter, as is our goodnight ritual. We say prayers, and then usually she says “I love you, goodnight” which is her signal “No talking.”

Earlier that evening, Presleigh had begun to write a story as she often does. It is almost a daily occurrence. She has written stories about girls who become spies, girls who become animal trainers, and girls who settle a town and of course, girls are the heroes of the stories. As our bedtime conversation turned to her stories, she asked me which one was my favorite. It was so hard to pick just one, so I named a few. She asked if it was good to write stories and have imagination. I emphatically said “Absolutely.” Then she asked if I still have imagination but before I could answer she answered her own question. Her answer was a resounding “Yes.”

Where did she see my imagination? Where did I see my imagination? I get caught up in the “to do’s “of the day, of the running here and there, doing this and that.

She then explained “ In your art. Mommy you have to imagination to do what you do. “ I smiled and thought – We can still be children at heart with imagination and creativity. In our homes, in our careers, in our relationships, imagination helps us see beyond today. Creativity helps what we imagine come to be.

Some of us have imagination and never do anything with it. Yes, as children we became superheroes, kings, and queens, we could sore the heights, which gave us the ability to think beyond our limitations. As adults, our imagination can be used to create avenues to help others, to better the world in which we live, to move beyond our limitations. I love that our God, the Creator, has the most awesome imaginative mind but that his creative spirit did not remain only in thought. By his words, he created the heavens and the earth. He created our very being and the beauty that surrounds us. Our God is truly awesome!! For who could imagine that we, though sinners, are saved by grace, redeemed by love and called to be his children.

The next time you lay down on that pillow, instead of the “to do’s”’ running through your head, why not talk to your heavenly Father about his favorite story- The cross, the greatest love story ever told. And then imagine how you could share that story with your children…It will become the all time favorite!!

PaperCowgirl goodies....

Paper Cowgirl goodies are coming together...These are for all the Cowgirls in their "Goody Bag"...It's like going to a party. Everyone receives a goody bag!!! This is my little contribution. Now on to finishing my class kits and little delights for Vendor Night...It's just 2 weeks away. There is still time to register (until Sunday)!! Come on and be a Paper Cowgirl with me!!!

Le petit sac - Workshop at Tidbits and Tassels 2

Tidbits and Tassels 2 presents....

"Le petit sac" taught by Maryse Henry.

After our Friday evening of stitching and swapping, Saturday we will begin with morning delights (coffee, pastries,...) and our first workshop for the day. My incredibly talented mom, Maryse Henry, will be teaching us how to transform a blank mini tote into a work of art. Using bits of this and that and special techniques and fabric, we will learn the art of collage. All you need is your creativity and a basic class kit..the rest is provided.

Here is a little bio on Maryse ( I call her Mom)...She was born and raised near Paris, France. Although she has lived in the states for more than 40 years (12 of those in this great state, Texas), her approach to all things creative is definitely grounded in her French background. Her art work spans many different genres..from Wall Murals to miniatures to her art work gracing the White House during the Reagan administration. She loves all creative arts from needlework, sewing, knitting, crocheting, paper arts, jewelry making, to even some from way back...candle making, tole painting, doll making...get the idea:) As a child, I remember her always making something beautiful and then she with her generous heart, gave so many of her creations to family and friends. She is a delight and a wonderful wife, awesome mother, incredible grandmother and a friend to all.

Registration is on going...leave a comment with your email and then click the paypal button to compete registration. Also the small picture on the right side should be a button that you may post on your blog. See y'all in August....

just a quick thank you card ....

For those of you that need a quick thank you card at the end of the school year...this one is great. I made this in about ten minutes...Here are the supplies you need (by the way, I thought about posting this after I made it...so the supplies are a list, not a cool little picture, maybe next time)...

Gather ---1 supply tag (remove the string)

Colorbox ink pad - color of choice ( I used chestnut roan)

Stazon Ink color of your choice (I used in Timber Brown)

Stamp with sentiment...

Seam binding ( two colors)

3 silk flowers

1 doodad for the center....

Sewing Machine with thread to match color scheme - I chose brown

Begin by...Stamp Sentiment with Stazon

Ink edges with colorbox

Machine stitch with a zig zag stitch on outer edges of tag

Glue flowers in corner with Ultimate glue

Cut long pieces of seam binding...

***I love this technique for the ribbon...thread ribbon through the hole of tag

Make a single knot and one bow...now continue to make bows until you have a little ribbon left for the tails....It looks full and "flowery".

Hope those directions make sense...next time pictures of each step...Here are a few more of the tag... Also don't forget about Tidbits and Tassels 2 - Registration is open. Looking forward to meeting you.

Thanks for visiting....