Portraits by Aleks Colored Pencil Art

Happy New Year to you all! I hope it is starting well!

Today I share with you the work of my very talented friend, Aleks.  Aleks took our wedding photos a few years ago and most recently she has drawn a beautiful portrait of one of our cats.  She uses a photo that is given to her and then, "ta daaaa!", an amazing drawing.

Here is the photo:

And here is the finished drawing:

Amazing!

You can check out her progress of the drawing here on Facebook.

And her whole Facebook page can be found here.

Definitely check out all of her beautiful talent!

Thankful...not to be pregnant this year!

I am thankful to not be pregnant for the holidays this year.  Thanksgiving is my favorite food holiday and last year I was about 3 weeks away from having my baby, so, it didn't make stuffing myself full of delicious food very much fun! lol  Anyone who's been pregnant knows that there's not much room when you are full of baby.

Bring on the yummy, yummies! Nom Nom Nom Nom Nom!

LAST YEAR, a very pregnant momma-to-be 

(with my brother, but I cut him out of the pic):

Not Thankful - Sippy Cup

I do not recommend this Disney Baby sippy cup. Ugh. The top with the spout clicks onto the top that screws on to the cup part.  The top with the spout twists one way to open the drink flow and twists the other way to stop the flow.  Both my husband and I found it difficult to twist the top and twist the top so it didn't twist off the screw top.  And we found it to be leaky. So, today it went into the recycling bin.

We have a couple of these Playtex sippy cups, I recommend them:

Thankful - Play Group

I am so very thankful for the play group that we have started to attend.  I am also thankful that it is currently held inside so my boy is able to crawl around and play with other babies and I don't have to stop him from putting stones and sticks and who knows what else in his mouth.  By the time spring rolls around and it's back outside, he should be walking (and running) and able to run around with some of the other kids.

At this week's play group, the boy went after all the other kid's snacks! My friend Becky and her daughter Leia were nice enough to share. I warned them that he would eat it all if they let him. It was okay and he did. (apples and oranges, yum!)

The boy is going to be a future heart breaker. I am sure of this.  This week he was playing with a couple of little girls and got really close to them and rested his forehead on their foreheads. So cute!

Thankful - Insulation

I am so very thankful for my handy husband and the insulation he used to insulate the basement. What an amazing difference it has already made! Just walking down the stairs to the laundry room is so much warmer. Thank you, husband! And thank you, insulation!

Thankful - Holidays.....and Coupon Code for Etsy

I am thankful for holidays. They are a helpful push to get my family together.  Sometimes, it is just difficult to get us all together but holidays usually make that possible.  We will actually be getting together twice in one week - a few days before Thanksgiving and Thanksgiving Day. I am looking forward to seeing my brother and my nephews and niece, my dad and step-mom and as a surprise to my family, my aunt from Connecticut is coming to visit! But, ssshhhh, don't tell! lol  I haven't seen my aunt in a very long time. This will be her first visit to my house and to meet my boy and for my boy to meet his great aunt. So, yay for holidays!
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COUPON CODE
If you visit my Etsy shop between now and December 10th, you can save 20%, with a minimum purchase of $40.00 and using the coupon code 20APC. Place your orders soon, the gift giving season is upon us!

Thankful - Washing Machine....and a Pesto Bowl

I am thankful for washing machines. It is amazing the amount of laundry we produce as a only family of three.  The person to invent the washing machine is one of the most amazing people in the world!

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My very good friend, Jenny, a girl that I have known since the first grade, LOVES pesto. She loves it so much she has friend gatherings based around pesto. So, I made engraved this bowl for her as as a gift for hosting my baby shower last year.  She is an awesome friend. We don't see each other as much as we'd like but it's like no time has passed when we get together.

She loves the bowl. I liked how well it came out that I duplicated it and it's available on my Etsy.

Sometimes my best ideas for etching come when I have someone in mind.