Oxygen Girl

      I am trying to define Oxygen Girl for some collages I am doing.  I first met Oxygen Girl on my trip to Missouri last year.  I think it was the first time I ever flew alone, rented a car, made my hotel reservations for just me.  I arrived in the rain, had lost my driving glasses, it was night and I desperately needed them.  I had a 4 hour drive from St. Louis to the middle of nowhere, to see my son for the first time in 3 months!  I was being BRAVE and over the previous year had found STRENGTH from God alone.
      So as I drove, incredibly stressed because I couldn't see and it was pouring, the idea of Oxygen Girl started mulling it's way through my  mind.  I finally pulled over to hunt again, get gas ( I couldn't believe the rental car hadn't been filled) and take a breath.  I kept trying to put gas in the car, in the rain, while talking to the gas pump with exaggerated hand motions, it kept clicking so I finally went in to drag someone else out into the rain to help me.  Turns out I had been looking at the temperature of the engine gauge, not the gas tank one!  I left and went across the street and when I spotted a Starbucks, it was like seeing an old friend!  Literally.  I got out, got some coffee and looked again for my glasses.  There in the curved under part of my computer bag, they were hiding. 
      So as I got back on the road and began again to think about Oxygen Girl, the idea began to take root.  I was leaning on the Lord so INCREDIBLY much.  In the past year, I'd gone through an intense divorce, moved, closed my really cute store, been unemployed, lost my father to cancer, and nearly lost a son to drug and alcohol abuse.  I realized that, just like on an airplane when the oxygen masks come down and we are told you have to put it on yourself first, or you're no good to anyone else, JESUS was my Oxygen Mask!  I have 4 kids and desperately needed to be strong for them, but without Oxygen I just couldn't make it.
      Over and over the Lord has been so good to me.  He holds me in his hand.  He tells me he DELIGHTS in me.  He gives strength to this weary girl.  Over and over.  Faithful always.  It is a JOURNEY that I have learned to CELEBRATE, even in the pain.  Oh, and have I mentioned JOY?  and PEACE?  I am so amazingly BLESSED to have the privilege

on being brave

There was a time I was scared to do special orders......hard to take some one else's picture and make it be what they wanted.  Kim at Magic Fairy Candle shop encouraged me in this and had a sign making event where people could come and order and I made their signs right there.  She helped me be brave and now I am not afraid to try.  It is easier now because people can just generally say the color theme and message and set me free with that.  I was so excited to make some business signs for Kim's shop in Longmont and Bloom's in Estes Park, Colorado....and I love how they turned out! 

brave girl......yep that's me!
live happy,
deedee

He Restores My Soul

I just want to say how therapeutic sign making is for me.  It is such a creative balm in my life.  Sometimes there is just so much I have to handle, my courage grows faint.  God has given me a gift for 'making cute' and it is healing, through the many layers of paint and writing I am restored.  Creative therapy perhaps, God using what He made in me to help restore.  I realized yesterday as I was pricing and listing and creating that much of the wording on my signs is my JOURNEY.  brave girl, dream......troublemakers......live like crazy......be.......hope......you are fearfully and wonderfully made, never forget that (daddy).......dwell in possibility.......giggle, laugh, wet your pants.......yep, they all seem to describe  my journey over the last couple of years.  It's a little funny that I just realized this........perhaps the best fitting sign is "she began each day believing she was normal!"   One can always hope!
live happy,
deedee

signs, signs, signs!

I have been in a sign making frenzy, got that garage cleaned and now all I want to do is make amazingly cute signs!  I sell at the Magic Fairy Candle Shop in Longmont, CO and Details in Littleton, CO.  If you want signs and you aren't in Colorado, I can ship them. 
I love making cute!
live happy,
deedee

She believed she could, so she did!

I love this affirmation.

Don't wait,

for someday,

someone,

before you

do.

Whatever 'it' may be.

God has made you,

fearfully

and 

wonderfully.

Never 

forget that.

You can

do it

you are braver

and stronger

than you think.

Yeah, you.

Have courage,

deedee

yippee, skippy!

Yippee!  Skippy!  Spring Break is here, woot, woot!  I actually get the week off with my kids because I work for the school district.  I am so happy to just have some time to putter and work on signs.  I am ready to crank out some awesome signs...garden season is coming!  Last weekend I found an amazing lot of old peely wood.  Perfect.
The Summer market I wanted to get in was full already, God knows me well!  ....I'd probably hate doing markets on a regular basis.  I mean, you have to leave your house by 4:30 am!  I am not a morning person to say the least.  So I will create, which is my passion.  This week I hope to take my wares to some garden shops in the area.  Pray with me. I am trying to see if I can actually make a living at creating and arting or if it should just be something fun on the side.
God bless,
deedee

art therapy

Today, for some reason I was inspired to start a blog.  I usually journal in my books with no lines (my favorites).  That way I can draw and make boxes around words that inspire me.  This is way different for me.  Where is my skinny black marker and my colored pencils?  Maybe I'll copy some pages and add them as photos.