Z is for Zach.

This letter may have been the easiest of all, for me. Z is for my creative, intelligent, hilarious and unique son, Zacharius. He is 11, and my only child.

i gave birth to Zach after suffering with a deep depression for 2 years straight. After he came into this world, the fog in my head lifted, and i devoted myself to him completely. He was an observant and very happy baby, though it wasn't long before i saw signs that depression and anxiety seemed to be in his future as well. i guess that's to be expected, considering my own battles.

The road has not always been easy or free of hazards. Being a parent has been the most difficult thing i've ever done. Also the most gratifying, yes, but don't let anyone tell you it's all peaches and cream, because it just isn't. When once my decisions could only harm or benefit me, i must now consider, with every step i take, the impact it will have on him. i wouldn't change any of it, and he has given my life so much joy and laughter and purpose, but there are also dark days when i have no idea what step to take next. It's all worth it, of course, and i am more than grateful to have such an amazing person in my life, and to count that person as my own flesh and blood.

My son: the reader, the comedian, the history buff, the dreamer. i was blessed the day he came into this world, and hope beyond hope i can do right by him. For in the end, being his mom is the most important role i will ever have. i love you beyond all words, Z. You are my heart.

A little snippet from my art journal...

Just a piece of a recent page from my AJ. The photo is of my son when he was very young, maybe about 2. i always loved that picture.

Thanks for looking! Have a great day!

Spell Book

At my son's request, i made a spell book for his birthday this year (back in February). He loves to pretend he's a medieval sorcerer. i struggled over ideas for months, but then a few weeks before his birthday it all came together. He was very happy with it, even said it was the best gift he'd ever received (that was a serious heart-warmer!).

The above photo shows the book with 2 little boxes filled with dried leaves, 2 potion bottles filled with colored water (a name on one bottle comes from the video game "Oblivion") and a handmade pouch containing stones and "crystals". i also added a decorative pen, not shown.


i aged all the pages to give a very weathered and time-worn feel. Thank goodness for Ranger Distress Ink!




You can't tell from the photos, but every page had some kind of embossing or dimensional adhesive for texture.

i managed to make up one pretend spell!


i used clear envelopes to hold these pressed flowers and leaves.



In the pocket is a piece of aged paper for him to write/draw on.

As you can imagine, i used a ton of different supplies putting this together, so i'm going to opt out of listing them all here. If you have any questions, feel free to ask!

And even though i haven't been on here much for months, i still make some kind of art almost daily...almost. i've been working quite a bit in my art journal, so maybe next post will reflect that.

Hope everyone is well! And have a fantastic day!

Back to school and one new card...

Hi, everyone! i have been super busy lately and haven't been able to get on here, plus my computer seems to work when it wants to, so that's posed a problem! Part of my busy schedule recently has included getting Z. ready for the first day of school - he's in second grade now! Today was the big day, and he came home with a smile on his face, so that's good. With him back in school, i'll get a lot more done during the day, and i may actually have time to step in my craft room again!

Today's card was made for my aunt-in-law's wedding. The wedding ceremony was a very casual affair, so i made a card to reflect that. Very simple, but i like it. This is the only new thing i've made in a few weeks! No ingredients this time - i forgot who made the PP and the rest of the stuff is from my stash. i can tell you that the sentiment is from Inkadinkado and the ink is Ranger Archival.
Here's the card with its envelope.
Thanks for stopping by! Hope everyone is doing well!

Independance day.

Hope everyone had a happy holiday! Every year, Paul gets fireworks, and every year Z. aches to light them off, but then gets so scared he sometimes watches from inside! i noticed this year he stayed outside the whole time - he's getting braver! Loud noises have scared him since he was a baby, and he hates when the military jets fly over and do their maneuvers. i sometimes wonder if it stems from an experience we had when he was very little, maybe 2 or 3 months old, if that. Me, mom, and Z. were at a nearby state park, high up on a ridge overlooking the dam. A military plane flew over so low to the ground and so fast that i had to cover Z. with my body and cover his ears to shield him. It was terrifying, and mom and i both screamed. The pressure was intense. Luckily, none of us suffered any damage to our hearing, but it was scary, and i imagine extremely frightening to a baby.
Tuesday night we lit a few fireworks, and i got a few good shots of Paul and Z. with sparklers. The pictures don't look as good here because i had to scale back on size for web posting (blame dial-up). In my files, they're much clearer.



Have a lovely day!