Well the grades are in and I got two A's and one A- The A- of course came from my art class. I was expecting that since no one gets an A in art, but I am happy with the end result! This term was tough and I took one less class than I usually do. I am just happy that I was able to do my best. I am looking forward to spending the next 6 months with my little sweet pea and no school :)

Goodbye Smokers!

So just thought I would share the news that we have just signed a lease for a little place! It is a three bedroom one bath house in Albany. Although the third bedroom is barely big enough to be a nursery. That's just fine though cause it is just enough room! The best part is that we will have a backyard of our own and no smoking neighbors!! Yay! That has been the biggest hassle and even after complaining 4 times and having the manager over to smell the smoke herself, nothing has been resolved. So we just decided that they really didn't want our money then.

I wish we were buying a place of our own, but that is for a later day... For now we will do what we always do, and that is to make this little place our home! Pictures will come when we move in, which is April 5th.

One more day...

I have just one more day of studying and then two finals till I am done with this term :) Yay! Then I would just like it if I could get over this last bit of my cold and have my mom come into town before Payton arrives. That would be awesome. With all this attempt at planning, I have a feeling she is going to teach me a lesson and come late... That would be just my luck! But really, I cannot wait to meet her!!!! I just want to see her and hold her! She seems pretty happy right now, although I know she is cramped on space.

Last Art Project for the term :)

The project was to do a self portrait (yay for pregnant fat face! grr....) and then I could use a triad color scheme to color it. That means that I use three different color hues, and equal distance apart from each other on the color wheel. I chose Yellow-orange, blue-green and red-purple. Within those hues I could do various tints, shades and saturations. I dunno if it looks too much like me, but it's done!! It's not a very good picture of it, but I am just so happy to be done with it and this class!!! Yay!!! Now all I have left are two finals on Tuesday and then it is baby time! I really hope she waits until then. She dropped about a week ago and Ben seems to think that she is going to come before the 13th.

The "other" side of Art

In my Art 115 class we were assigned one of the most ridiculous assignments and given only one week to complete it. (this compared to the 2.5 weeks we had for a collage...) We were told to pick a famous work of art that she had printed off. This self portrait by Van Gogh caught my eye so I chose it. Then we were told to cut it in half and paint the missing side ourselves. The purpose of the assignment is to teach us how to color match and mix colors... I have a major problem with this because as I previously stated, this is a 100 level class. This is waayyy to advanced for a level 100 class. I have not taken a single painting class! I spent a total of 19 hours on this piece and to be honest I will most likely get a C on it. This is my major, major problem with art courses. I don't ask that they be easy, but I don't think that grades should reflect talent only. In any other class that I spent 19 hours on a project would earn me an A++. But not in art, nope...

Here is my finished product, which I am sure looks fine, but compare to the original and you will see many differences were I will get marked down on.... Whatever, I am tired and this is all I got.

One month to go...

I really honestly cannot believe that there is only 4 weeks till I am due. I go back and forth between moments of panic and excitement. To be honest I have not had any moments of, "Get here already!!!" So far I have loved being pregnant. My little stint of morning sickness didn't last too long and I've already forgotten about it.
Mostly my moments of panic are due to not feeling I have anything ready, while still a lot of school needs to get done, and then there is the labor part that still gets me nervous. I just want that part to be over...
I have her room no where near ready, but I figure that's ok cause she most likely wont be in there for a little while. These are some ideas that I love and would like to incorporate into the room.

For the bed skirt I have some extra fabric my mom gave me left over from her quilt. I think I would like to make a patchwork bed skirt and maybe bumper. It would be pretty adventurous since I am not the greatest with the sewing machine. Maybe my mom or Johnna can help me with this. This is no where near the colors we have in her room, but I like the idea.

This is our crib. We got it at IKEA! When Ben and I took our first trip to Ikea in Germany we saw a room with this set up and loved it. We thought well maybe one day.... but I really didn't think it would still be around by the time the one day arrived. It is! I just like the natural wood. I think it is simple and classic.

We also got the matching dresser and changing table top

I would like to eventually get some of the matching shelves and have a set up like this. We have the shelf that goes across the top.




As for painting, I like this idea. I think we would do a pale purple and instead of pictures of sheep I have three panels that I am going to paint and put the initials P E A on them. Then there will be a sign above that says "Our little Sweet" I can't wait for that part!

I love this!! I am determined to make it myself though! I got a lamp shade and I just need to get some fabric and time.

Maybe one day her room will be complete! I am kind of hoping we move into a new place soon, so I think that is another major reason that I haven't done anything really with her room.

Art Care

Surviving to Thriving!

I have had an interest in pursuing a career in art therapy eventually. At least incorporating it in my therapy sessions if I become a therapist later on. So when I found out that there is a healing arts program at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Corvallis and Albany and had an employed art therapist, I was all too eager to see if I could get involved. After months of emails I finally wiggled my way in to attend their sessions titled Surviving to Thriving. While this isn't art therapy per se. It is it the closest I have gotten and I was able to sit down with the art therapist and learn a lot.

It has been amazing. The women who are attending are such special people who have gone through things that have made them beautiful, strong women I admire greatly. The sessions start off with a poem reading by one of the women in charge and then a visiting artist explains what we will be doing and what they hope each will think about and get out of the project.

The first week I attended we did these dolls. We were asked to think about the women we were that day and just let inspiration come. This is what my doll ended up looking like.

Her lips are inspired by my mom, who i remember in church drawing doodles for me and their lips took on this heart shape. I also think of myself as a person who offers words of love and comfort as often as I can. Her eyes are purple simply because I have been seeing the color purple a lot in my life lately. It is one of my most favorite colors and has seemed to make its way into important events in my life. Especially my wedding and now my first born's nursery.



The lace and the flower give a vintage feel for me and I LOVE that. I growing up in a house that was older with glass door knobs and hard wood floors I feel I was raised to love all things vintage. The shoes are a special splash that show my love for shoes. I have a pair of red mary jane flats that I love (so much so I continue to wear them even though I know I will end up with blisters when I do).

I love this program and think it is so important. It is easy to get caught up in the science of psychology at school and I feel I am constantly surrounded by the need for proof, but there are somethings that are more important than that and these women will testify of the importance of a program like this. I feel blessed to be able to sit in. Look for more posts to come on this!