29 faces in 2013, #10 & #11

I promise that I haven't forgotten about the challenge. I am just terribly slow at taking pictures and blogging them.

My littles wanted balloons and wanted something drawn on them.  I decided that faces were the way to go. They thought it was the coolest thing that the balloons had eyes! I didn't have more than like, 10 seconds with each balloon because my 3 and almost-two year olds were yanking the balloons out of my hands, but at least it's creative ;)

#10 #11

blessings! and joy!

nicole mArie

share love. adventures in loving.

How pretty is all of that art!  That's the collection of Valentines that I received the week of Valentine's day.  I've joined a fb art group and some of the women and I exchanged homemade Valentines!  It was so lovely to receive such beautiful mail!

Those ------>

are the cards that I made for everyone.  I personalized each card on the front, and on the back wrote each person a short note! Also tucked in was an "I am loved" pin -- I try to give these away often :D

The kids and I went to a Valentine's Day play date/party at my friend's house which was fun. I walked in with valentines for the grownups but not for the kids ;)  hehe. The kids weren't exchanging, so at least I didn't forget anything!

On Valentine's Day in the afternoon my husband left work early so we could take our littles to the Children's Museum.  We has so much fun! They were well behaved, it wasn't very crowded because we went during nap time, and the kids had a blast. We went specifically to go and play in the rainbow tunnel before it left.

 All of my valentine's playing with the bird seed and having a blast :)

YaY for my little painters!

blessings! and Joy!

nicole mArie

Surprise Package :D

On Friday afternoon, I ran a few errands with my littles and when we arrived home I noticed a box on my front stoop.  I assumed that my husband probably had ordered [insert random computer part here], and that it wouldn't be for me.  Well, it was definitely not a computer part.  The return address was from the Pittsburgh Marathon which totally piqued my curiosity as I was not expecting to receive anything from the organization at all.

These are my goodies! (pretend like you don't see the papers on the floor under the table)

It's called the "Ultimate Race Package" that I somehow won or something?  I am still not sure how it came to me that I was a "winner"... Maybe I got in on a FB or Twitter contest... idk but dude, that asics backpack is totally awesome and legit.  The Steel City Road Runners Club winter hat is great, too. Best part?  VIP status on race day.  That's right!  As a VIP I get private bathrooms (woo!), pre and post race food, VIP seating for race-watching (which, I think, will mean nothing for me as I'll be one of the last people to cross the finish line, but the thought of it is cool) and other stuff that you can read in the letter below.  

I am super excited.  It was a great moment for me on Friday because I wasn't having the most wondrous day, and to come home to such an awesome box of goodness was terrific.  

Hmm... Did I post that I ran 12 miles last week and 8 this week?  Yeah, I did. :)  

hehehehe, for those of you who didn't get my fundraising email, this is what I wrote about my 12 miles:

I ran it slowly, but it was 12.(03) miles just the same. Yes!!! When I reached 10 miles, I shouted and jumped and shouted again (and continued to sing out loud). When I reached 11 miles, I was louder and jumped higher (still singing), and when I hit 12(.03) I smiled, shrieked, and practically collapsed on the spot and began to stretch.  The picture attached is me immediately after I sat down to stretch.  I So earned a beer (and ibuprofen) that night ;)

<----picture mentioned in email.  I can't believe I sent out an email with "pic" in it.  *shudder* whoops.






My 8 miles were uneventful  (by the by, it is SO nice that my training program builds in short.long runs here and there). I got my miles in at the gym while watching Ironman 2 :) in our cinema room. Yeah, it was an awesome morning.

Hmm... that's all that's "new" on the running front.  I've got 60 minutes of running to get in this evening that I am looking forward to doing.  I am this close (you know, just a pinch) away from raising half of my overall goal. That is so darn awesome. The joy I feel about this makes me want to run and run and run more and more!

blessings! and joy!
nicole mArie

#4, #7, #8, #9 of my 29 faces in 2013

# 4 is four faces.four feelings.

#7 is hombRAY created by my husband, worn (and picture taken) by me

 #8 happened after I took a painting one of my kids made and drew/wrote on it.  I was pleased with how she turned out.  I like this one a lot.

#9  this is  me.  This is a self-portrait that I took today immediately after my 12 mile run.  I am hot and sweaty and gross and in a whole lot of pain, but gosh, I was (and still am) elated that I managed to run 12 today!  Woo!!!! 

Okay, now I'm only behind 2 days... I'll catch up this week.  

blessings! and joy!

nicole mArie

29 faces in 2013 #6

*smiles* I like these faces. I like this picture (of a picture).


blessings! and joy!
nicole mArie

29 faces in 2013 #5

 

I'm posing #5 before #4 because I forgot to take a picture of #4, but I will probably take it today.  This is the result of watercolor painting with my kids.  Simple. Fun.  I was looking at some of the other faces that the other artists are making and I was laughing at my silly attempts because I am not those sorts of people. With that sort of talent.  I am just me trying to find my way back to creativity.  Somehow.  I'll get #4 posted today, and maybe make my way to #8.  We'll see what today brings ;) 

blessings! and joy! 

nicole mArie

bebo norman :) and these words.

so yes, I heart bebo norman. listen to these words.




blessings! and Joy!
nicole mArie

29 faces challenge #3

It is fitting that this face is #3 in the challenge as she is my #3 child...

Yes, I had a hand in creating the face ;-), but she is completely responsible for the art on her face (and arms and hands).

blessings, and Joy!
nicole mArie

#2 lemon face

While my husband and I were out to lunch this afternoon (yay for lunch dates), I grabbed the lemon out of my water because I don't like lemon in my water, and I saw a lemon smile :-)

Lemon face is not terribly elaborate, or elaborate at all, really, but it's a reflection of an IRL moment and I. like. that. :-)

blessings! and Joy!
nicole mArie

29 faces in 2013, #1

face on marker board.

29 faces in 2013

I've been neglecting the "arts" part of my name -- nicolemariearts -- for far too long now. I get crafty from time to time and tell you about that, I post stories about my darling family, and I write about running. While, yes, my life is art, and raising my kids is my most beautiful art, I suppose, I need to do art differently. Paints, chalk, markers, glue and perhaps even sparkles. I need this sort of art, too. I was recently invited to join an artist community on facebook and I am super excited about it.

These beautiful women make such beautiful honest art. I am inspired again. to create again. To art again. I found a link to this today, in the group. It's called the 29 faces challenge.  I need to draw/create 29 faces during the month of Feburary. I am going to see if I can rock it. A face a day, created in any way, is something that I might be able to work into my life, right? we'll see :D

I'll post two face later today :) YaY



Blessing! and Joy!
nicole mArie