If you read this blog with any regularity, i’m sure you’ve seen me post wonderful things, collaborations, observations, etc about my friend, Ashley over at Lil Blue Boo. She is an amazing individual.

In addition to being a talented artist, designer, business owner, she is also a generous humanitarian. Whether it be collecting sewing supplies or hair bows to girls in africa or donating to her local shelters, she has a heart of gold.

Now, if you also follow Ashley’s blog, you know she has been fighting cancer. Not cool.

A bunch of us in the Team Ashley Camp are working on a top notch, highly organized auction of fantastic handmade items to help offset some of Ash’s mounting medical expenses. She’d do it for any one of us, and we happily do it for her. In fact, i can’t think of a more giving, selfless person who deserves the giving be turned in her favor for a change. i’ll be posting auction details here soon. We are shooting for the end of February and the goodies we’ve collected already are PHE-NOM-E-NAL! its a testament to how much she is cherished in this community.

In the meantime, the notecard above is just a teeny way to help. Ashley made up some thank-yous like these at Christmastime for her little girl. They are so fun for your kiddos to use and help reinforce the great habit of saying “thank you”  – in writing – to those we love. Download the card by clicking below and your $1 will be sent to Ashley …to add to her donut fund maybe? we hear donut molecules can kick cancer molecules’ butts!

Your download will include a 4-card page (each card measuring 5.5×4.25 – an A2 envelope) and a 2-card page (each card measuring 5×7 – an A7 envelope). The larger size is helpful for younger writers who tend to have LARGE penmanship : ) Just print the page you like to a standard piece of letter size cardstock and slice it up! Instant thank you notes whenever you need them.

Thanks in advance for your support!!  xo-s

$1 Fill In Thank You Notes for Kids

Since he was teeny tiny, i’ve always told my 5 year old “i love you all the way up to the moon and past the stars.”

Today as he was standing in the light of the windows in my studio striking a sharp silhouette, this image just popped into my head.

i snapped his photo….

and i turn it into this.

i filled his silhouette with one of my scanned watercolors.

Man! i love that kid : )

i took these photos of my son and his cousins so we could give a keepsake photo to my mom, their grammy, on this special day. Three families came together and parents bribed children with lollipops and cajoled them with googly eyed silly faces. We maneuvered a step ladder for the first pic and were basically breaking a sweat by the end. In all, i’ll guess i took about 60 pictures. But when narrowed down to the ones where nobody is crying, mid-sentence, or wandering out of frame…..there were only a few left. These 3 are my favorites. The effort was worth it.

Yes, my child is scowling at the center of one….but it sorta suits him. He’s stubborn as an ox. The 2nd and 3rd photos, in my eyes, show a true representation of the group dynamic in a large family. Someone’s always unhappy, someone’s usually goofing off. Then you’ve got the one or 2 kids behaving nicely, primly, properly. And another who’s looking a little dazed and ready for nap. Such is life.

i’m sharing these with you today because even though most of these children are nieces and nephews, they have all turned me into a mommie. i see the beauty in each face and know the personality behind it. i get a little misty knowing that one day, big strapping teenagers will be reminiscing over these images, barely able to remember being so small. But i cherish their smallness now and am soaking up every second of my mama’s day. As it should be.

And to my mom, with whom i’ve just shared lunch and conversation; i know you will be reading this and getting all misty-eyed yourself. i learned how to be the mom that i am because of you. i am proud of it. You are an excellent mom. You gave us as perfect a childhood as anyone would want. i hope you like the photo of the kids even more now knowing that we parents, your kids!,were all just a few feet out of frame, egging the kids on, and watching out for traffic, and adjusting legs and arms, just because we wanted to give you something perfect too.

We surely draw inspiration from within. Sometimes we just don’t realize it until distance gives us a little clarity. This is me. i’ve broken out.

Anyone seen my tutu?