Doodelishious!

Life is not easy right now.  Swedesih candy and hours and hours on the phone with Sweden helps a little.  I do like to have a paper and pen available in front of me at all times.  Not so much because it's work but because drawing and painting relaxes me and gives me an outlet to express myself.  I would be doing everything I'm doing today even if i didn't make a penny on it.  (That being said I love having my business and it's nice to be able to help out with the bills :))
Swedish candy definitely boosts the mood as well :).

Evening walk!

Future artists!

My kids love to paint as well, and it always feels special when we sit down together and work on our different crafts.  It's a great way to spend some quality time with them when their little brother (15 months) is napping.  Izzy and Vera each did a small pot, and I'm working on an 8 inch pot.  I'm making another one with funky flowers on it.  I like how they look when they're done but they sure are a PITA to make.  But whatever, time is all I have riiiiight :). 

Coming along...Gimme another 3 hours or so and it will be finished (and for sale heehee).   

Flurr-dah weather!

This is what we saw after a big electrical storm last night! 

Gathering supplies!

Yesterday I went out to get more pots, I have a few projects in mind!  The downside to clay pots is that they are HEAVY, but still, I love working with them!  I got a really big one that will go by the new playground (as soon as I can figure out the theme for it...ideas?)  My 15 month old son Alex wasn't too happy about this outing, but luckliy I had 3 oreos with me.  (Yes, 3 oreos can make that all that mess :)) 

Picasso!

The top picture is a Picasso, and it recently sold for $140 MILLION dollars (!!!).  The one below made by me, so I thought it would be fair if I got 1% of that? :). 

Flowers & Happiness!

There are many bad things happening in my life right now - all beyond my control.  And in order to cope I try to focus on the positives.  Here are few pictures from my garden. 

More swimming lesson!

Alex loves his swimming lessons!  There is a boy in the class who is only 4 days younger than him and it's great to see them together! 

Alex' swimming lessons!

Today was a bit of a rough day, my sister is in the hospital and this morning we all had a bit of a scare, luckily she recovered well and was able to call me later on and we had a nice long chat!  If anyone wants to send her a card or something let me know!! 

Alex (15 months) just started taking "swimming lessons", and he aboslutely loves it! 
Here are some pictures from his latest lesson! 

The Empty Nest :(.

It is with great saddness that I tell you that the birdnest is empty :(.  We all really enjoyed watching the eggs, then the little birds, but it looks like they were the victims of one prey or another.  I know this happens all the time but it's still a bit sad.  That being said, and the fact that there's a big ol' gator in the canal behind our house reminds me that we do live in the proximity of Real Nature. 

Fair for small business owners!

Last night I attended a fair for small business owners.  My friend Marie graciously let me share her table!  It was a great opportunity to meet new people and (hopefully!) get more business!  I think it's hard when people ask me "so what do you do?" and I have 30 seconds to come up with an answer (and make that an answer that sounds somewhat intelligent :)).  It was a great experience though and most people there were also small business owners and have all been beginners at some point so even if I don't get any business from it I was still able to soak up some good advice for the future! 

Just hatched!!!

Tonight we were excited to discover that the eggs had hatched!!  Mama bird now has 4 little mouths to feed and she has been very busy flying in and out of the nest with little treats (worms and caterpillars :)).  I hope they make it, it seems like there are a few threats to them right now such as other birds and snakes.  Ugh.  I'll keep ya'll posted!

Guest Blogger Ms. Pink!

I am a strong believer that you create your own destiny.  Some are born more privileged than others, but we all are presented with opportunities and choices, and of course also some challenges throughout our lives. It is how you respond to the opportunities, and how you choose to handle the challenges that in the end, will determine where you will end up in life.

As we grow older, and hopefully also grow up, we tend to narrow our visions of our future.  The greatness we saw as children has somehow disappeared from the mirror image, and we see limitations that were never there before.  Why do we stop believing in our own greatness?

I took my kids to the photographer not long ago, and as we were leaving the house, my daughter looked at herself in the mirror and said, “I am just so beautiful!” before she went on to talk about what a great pop-star she will be, and how great she will do in commercials and eventually in a movie.  She is ready for stardom, and so is her brother.  I love to see that confidence!  Because I know, that did not come for free.

Unlike most of today’s parents, I don’t praise them for everything they do, unless I think it is truly worth praise. If they bring home a B on school work, I ask what they need to work on to bring that up to an A. If they’re not getting much play time in soccer, we figure out what they need to work on to better their game.  If they want to enter in a talent show, I tell them to put together an act and audition for me, because I am not signing a permission slip for them to get on stage and make a fool of themselves. I don’t do this to be cruel.  I want them to live up to their potential, and to know that they can excel at anything they want to, but that nothing comes for free.  Any goal can be reached if they just work hard enough and dedicate themselves to it.  On the other hand, if their goals are just mediocre, I push a little to expand those.  The last thing I want to see them do is sell themselves short and settle.  My motto is “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll still be among the stars. “

http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=1041

So if you remember one thing from this, let it be to teach your children to dream big.  But please also remember to never stop dreaming yourself. Only you can set limits for your success! George Bernard Shaw said it best: “You see things and you say “Why?” But I dream of things that never were; and I say “Why not?”

Thank you to Åsa for letting me be a guest blogger.  You can find me at: http://livelovebehappywithmspink.blogspot.com/

Before and After!

This is a picture of our old house (located between Baltimore and Washington DC), where we lived before moving to Sunny Florida!  When Eric and I first met he told me that he had 8 more years to work until he could retire (!!!) and he said that after that time we can move wherever I want (PARIS PARIS PARIS!!!).  But with 2 kids (and one on the way at the time) and a husband who doesn't speak a word French, Paris wasn't our best option anymore.  Insted we started talking about Florida and it didn't take longe beofre we had made the decision that that was where we would spend the next chapter of our lives.  We took a couple of trips down (for research purposes :)) and fell in love with a nice neighborhood in Ft. Myers. 

Now I live here :). Ok it's not all "margaritas by the pool" but I just love the sunshine.  We no longer own any ice scrapers, snow shovels or lawn mower!  In fact we like it so much we might even reitre here :)

Big ol' green scale at the grocery store...

This big ol' scale is what greets you when you frequent one of the local grocery stores here in Florida.  It's either the first thing you see when you enter the store or the last thing you see when you leave.  What is UP with that?!  Who needs to know their weight at the store?  And who on EARTH would get on this MONSTER.  It looks like a scale for cattle...
I don't own a scale and I don't know my weight, nor do I care to.  But if I wanted to know I definitely wouldn't find out at the store?!!!  This is The Dumbest Thing EVER!!! 

Guest post from Marie Grasmeier!

Guest Post from the Asian-American-Swede

How often do you get the question "Where are you from?" Well, since I moved to Florida 16 years ago I have probably answered that question a million times. At first, my answer was simple: "I'm from Sweden". Take a look at a recent picture of me and my daughter and you'll understand why I would get some puzzled looks.

I would receive comments like; "You don't look Swedish", "Oh, that's funny!" or "So do you speak Swiss?” After some time I revised my answer to: "I'm from South Korea". I was adopted as a baby and spent 8 months there. However, that would lead to all kinds of questions about South Korea - which I was unable to answer, or even worse, the other person would start speaking Korean to me!

When I found out that Asa had started a blog I was thrilled! I follow several American and Swedish blogs on a daily basis and look forward to making some guest posts here from time to time. Asa and I share the same Love for Art and Swedish Food. Let me share a recipe for a Swedish “Kladdkaka” version of the American Cupcake which will yield 12 muffins:

You will need:

·         1 stick butter

·         2 eggs

·         1 ½ cup sugar

·         ¾ cup flour (all purpose or self-rising)

·         ½ cup coco powder

·         1 tbs vanilla sugar (or a small splash of vanilla extract)

·         1 tsp baking powder (omit if using self-rising flower)

·         1 roll Marabou Milk Choko and a splash of heavy cream

Directions:

1.       Melt the butter.

2.       Sift flour and coco powder and mix all dry ingredients together.

3.       Lightly whisk the eggs and add dry ingredients and melted butter.

4.       Stir and pour into muffin pan (if you have a 3-year old baking assistant you may only have enough batter for 11)

5.       Bake at 350F for 12-15 minutes.

6.       Melt the chocolate in the microwave and add a splash of cream to desired consistency.

7.       Spread chocolate on warm muffins.

A true Asian-American-Swede would enjoy these yummy treats with some Absolut Vodka and Kimchi on the side!

Thank you Marie for your guest post, I'm looking forward to hearing from you again! 
Åsa

Barbie Mariposa

Ok so art therapy certainly served a purpose at the time, but honestly some art therapists take crazy to the next level by analyzing and reading stuff into people's artwork :-). 

I'm not really one to ponder the meaning behind a painting, I just know that some paintings I enjoy looking at, others I just don't.  And I know I'll moan and groan when I get orders like this one, "Barbie Mariposa (Barbie as a butterfly), lots of sparkles, lots of  pink".  But I also know that it will make a 6 year old girl very happy and that's all that matters.  (This may or may not be the final product, it all depends on what my kids say when they see it :)). 

The Accidental Entrepreneur!

I never dreamt of being an artist.  I never EVER thought I would run & own my own business.  Oh and I HATE selling stuff!  So how did this happen???!!!
To go waaaayy back, I have always loves to draw/paint/write and express myself in all different ways.  But getting married and having babies didn't exactly allow me to pursue those hobbies.  Well, life takes some unexpected turns and 4 years ago I found myself in ART THERAPY (???!!!).  I had no idea how I ended up there (although it would be painfully clear to me after just a little while). 
So I find myself in said "session" together with a number of other (STRANGE) people (THEY were strange, I wasn't, THEY were sick, I wasn't RIGHT!!). 
This picture is from my first session (of many).  As you can see it has very weak colors, no personality, no happiness. 

The text in the corner reads "sad, so very sad". 
It would be a number of weeks still before my artwork would start to have some color and some energy. 

Now, fast forward 3 years.  I have just had my 3rd child and I have a burning desire to create things, I stock up on canvases, brushed and paint, and I start painting my days away, and as I produce paintings I upload them on Facebook, and people start asking if I can make them X-Y-and Z.  Sure, why not!!!  Before I know it, I'm making people all kids of stuff and I'm sending it all over the US and Europe. 
This was never in my wildest dreams when I first started but I'm so grateful that I get to do this and I'm having a blast doing it! 

Now, what does that have to do with strange & sick people and art therapy?  Well, I will explain it all in my future posts!  Stay tuned! 

Åsa

Ps.  I do realize that my blog is going in many different directions, but that is life.  Life is never just one thing.  It's messed up, tupsy turvy, mundane and head over heals crazy. 

Zen Garden!

The latest addition to our garden!! 

The Playground!

My dad bought the kids a playground when he was here visiting, and it finally arrived yesterday!  Eric and his friend Tom spent a good 4 hours sweating (and cursing???!!!) in the sun.  I thought the high amount of IKEA furniture Eric has assembled would have prepared him for this but no...
Operation Playground Assembly continues today...stay tuned! 

The Big Mama Pot! (And Papa?!)

Ahhh looks like I'll have no choice but to keep the two together :).  I mean, how can you pick one?!! 
They are $65 for one or $100 for both.  I recommend you pick them up because they are HEAVY!  They measure 11 inches tall and 12 inches in diameter and will hold a good rose bush or a small palm tree.  Or you could put an assortment of colorful flowers in them!  Let your imagination run wild!! 

Flowers in Florida!

For as long as I can remember I have had a dream or a longing rather, to hav a lemon tree.  I'm not sure why, because I don't even like lemons!  It probably has something to do with me growing up in a cold and dark country, and the thought of grwoing any kind of citrus tree has always seemed very exotic!  So here for the very first time, we have A LEMON!!  Not sure what to do now, I guess I have to sit back and wait for it to get ripe enough so we can harvest it :). 

I just noticed that this cactus is blooming!  Trust me, none in this family can take credit for that, it just kind of happened! 

Some more blooming flowers on the patio, again, if they bloom they bloom (most of the time my plants don't make it :)). 

We are eggspecting!

Over the past few weeks we have been watching a couple of birds build a nest in one of the trees in our yard, and as of last night - voilá 3 or maybe 4 little eggs!  The girls are so excited!!  Kids can certainly learn a lot of stuff in school but I think that the things they can actually see and experience themselves is just as important!  (But NO I could never homeschool my kids :))

Leonid Afremov

Here is an order that i recently completed.  My client sent me an email with 2 paintings that she really likes, and then she gave me free hands to interpret them to the best of my ability.  I know I'm nowhere close to being an "Leonid Afremov" (Russian artist).  But at least my client is happy with the result :).