Sunday Sketches

Sunday is my day for sketching. 

Here are a few of my Sunday Sketches.

Future painting ideas... sometimes just doodles.

Vlog Number 2

Take Note

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Welcome Ira!

A big welcome to my newest sponsor.. Ira is a very sweet and talented lady, and I'm so excited to be doing a little feature on her today! She sells art and clothing in her Etsy shop.

1.Tell us a bit about yourself.

My name is Ira Lee Henson.  I've lived in Arkansas my whole life and I love it!  I have 2 beautiful kiddos that are my everything!  I went to college for radiology and I'm in my 9th year doing MRI's at an orthopaedic clinic.  I've always loved to be creative and unique but this really started blossoming after college, along with regretting not studying art!  So... I create in my spare time!!  I love to be outside in nature, love our church and serving God, & perfecting my southern charm!!

2. Tell us a bit about what your shop?

I sell paintings and clothing online.  My art is all original, acrylic and mixed media.  The clothing is a mix of new and re-fashioned.  Its all very fun and colorful. 

3. What do you hope to accomplish over the next 2 years.

I would really like the etsy shop to take off, its a good creative outlet for me.  I am also focused on my kids, I want them to grow into strong Christians.  They both have beautiful souls and I love to watch the world though their eyes!   

4. What is something not many know about you?

Hmmm, I am always collecting something: taking pictures, song lyrics, quotes, torn pages from magazines, Bible verses, pretty rooms and outfits online.  All these are glued or taped in numerous messy folders or stored on my trusty jump drive.  It makes me crazy but I do it anyway.  I try to find inspiration in everything and inspire my children to do the same. 

5. What is your dream vacation?

Dream vacation?  A free one!!!  lol  I would love to go back to Peru.  I guess anything off the beaten path, not tourist-y.  I would love to go to New York City, New England in the Fall, on an adventure on an isolated beach, back to New Orleans, the kids want to go back to Disneyworld, or a mission trip to help others.  It's all about the experience you have, really!  This world is beautiful and there is so much I would love to see.

 Thanks so much Ira!






Interested in being a featured sponsor? Read about it here! 

Ghosts

Under the full moon,

Where shadows creep,

On the midnight hour,

The lone deer leap,

The river whispers,

Of a lover's dance,

His most chilling tale,

Of a lost romance.

The trees above sway,

As winters gracious hosts,

The branches creek

When we became ghosts.

Vlog Number 1

My first ever "vlog".. Yes, I say introductory wrong, twice. (in·tro·duc·to·ry) I got a new little video camera and felt like playing around with it.
Try not to make fun of me too much.. I might post little videos like this every so often.

Source

Masterpiece

I'm not exactly sure what this post will be about.. I'm not sure what I'm going to type. For some reason my heart feels a little troubled. I'm really not sure why. I guess I'm starting to feel a little trapped. I hate when I feel trapped and dependent on others. I want to live my own life, my way, with my rules. I want to be free. I feel a bit as though I've been knocked off my feet and I'm still trying to stand up.

I often find myself daydreaming about the future when I have my own apartment and my own car. It's not that I don't like living with my family. I just need that feeling of independence again..

I got pretty good at being on my own.

Now someone says, "But Rachael, you were married.. you weren't alone."

And I respond, "You have no idea..."

And sometimes I wish I could fast forward time a bit.. to where I have plenty of money and my own little apartment. Fast forwarding time would cut out a lot of this suffering, worry and stress..

But then I think of all the lessons I'm learning, and how this whole ordeal is actually making me a stronger, better person.. even though I can't see it right now.

So I turn off my bedside lamp and snuggle up with my puppy.. I hide under the covers while looking through my phone at saved texts, and sweet pictures until I drift off to sleep. 

Because tomorrow is another day.

Another sunset,

an X on a calender,

a piece to a puzzle,

and a brushstroke to a painting.

And after everything, every tragedy, heartbreak, tear, and sleepless night... 

I will make my life a masterpiece.

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The After Life

I stayed up late tonight talking about the after life.. what happens to us when we die. I heard something that scared me a little.. The thought that when we die we will no longer be ourselves… we will be different. I didn’t like the thought of no longer being me. I’m not saying that I am my physical self, I’m not my body. But I think part of my soul is my personality.. and I can’t imagine being anybody but myself.

I hope that when I die, I still get to be me.

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Take Note

source

On Love...

Happy Valentines Day to my dear sweet readers.. and to anyone who stumbles upon this page. I hope your day is filled with love, like all days should be.

I was up late last night talking to an old friend about heartbreak, break ups and how this holiday can be a bit hard... we talked about how even though we both went through a break up, we were sure we would find someone new, someone more suited for us someday. Then he said something that honestly blew my mind.

"Love has a way of finding you when you stop seeking it... 

and start being it"

And I felt that this was so true. 

You can't expect someone to love you if you don't love yourself first..

But it doesn't stop there,

Love is an attitude, a verb and a feeling.

Love is happiness, selflessness, and confidence.

Love is a way of life.

You can't start receiving love until you start putting it out into the universe. 

So if you don't have a Valentine to call your own, if you don't have a date tonight.. 

Don't give up on love. 

Love life, it will love you back.

Happy Valentines day from me and Mowgli.
(Mowgli loves to dress nice on special days)

Source

OwlFox

I recently did a custom painting for a very talented lady. The very beautiful and talented Brissette of Owlfox contacted me for a portrait. She wanted a picture of her holding a fox, which was similar to another of my paintings. I absolutely love doing custom work.
Bri was so fun to work with, and so sweet.
Check out Owlfox's website, twitter, facebook, and have a listen!

If you are interested in your own custom painting send me an email at Talk2thetrees@gmail.com

Advertise

Sponsor Talk2thetrees!

Talk2thetrees is currently accepting sponsorship from independent businesses, shops and blogs!

How it works:
Your ad will go up on the first of the month.
Large ads are listed first, then small ads.
All sponsors will be included in a featured/welcome post sometime during the month.
You can make your own button ad or I can make you a custom button for $10. 

If you make your own, please be sure it's the right size!

Monthly Rates:
Currently, large ads are $15, and small ads are $8 per month. I accept PayPal and will email sponsors at the first of the month. You could advertise for one month, or a whole year. It's up to you and there is no contract.

Prices are subject to change based on blog stats.

Extras: 

 I can make you a custom button for an additional $10. I will include HTML for you to use on your own blog. 

I will also do a featured post on each of my sponsors throughout the month that they sign up.

Blog Info:

Talk2thetrees was launched in 2008, (though not updated regularly until November 2009). T2TT has been consistently gaining new visitors and followers ever since. Currently, according to Google Analytics, Talk2thetrees receives over 6000 different visitors a week and over 12,000 page views a week. I am also on twitter with over  3600 followers and use Facebook  with nearly 1000 likes and over 1000 friends. I use these sites daily to promote any new posts, tutorials, or featured sponsors. I post on average 5 times a week.

Ready to advertise? Have any Questions?
Email me at Talk2thetrees@gmail.com

Take Note

“And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.” – Roald Dahl.
via: zero1blog

Delicious

Eating gluten free can be pretty tricky, especially when you crave pizza. I can't just go pick up a pizza when I feel like it. In order to have pizza, I need to make my own from scratch. I'm lucky my mother has plenty of recipe books and lots of "gluten free flour." Gluten free flour is a mixture of tapioca flour, rice flour, and corn starch. It gives a similar taste and texture as wheat flour.. but won't cause migraines.
I followed the recipe in this great book, but added a little extra water to the dough. First you bake the dough for 15 minutes, then add the toppings, and bake it again. This pizza is delicious and you can't even tell it's gluten free.

Adventure

Have you ever been geocaching? It's something that I have wanted to do for years, but finally got around to doing it.
It's kind of like treasure hunting, but instead of buried treasure it's little things where you can sign your name.
I have a Geocaching app on my phone, it shows a compass and a map.

I felt like a real treasure hunter.

Except.. it was extremely cold so we chickened out a lot

and didn't find most of what we were looking for.

Luckily it was beautiful outside and getting pictures was treasure enough for me.

We searched for a few.. but were able to find any, 

so we stopped at starbucks to warm up a bit and gain our sense of adventure back.

We finally found one, signed our names and headed home because it started to look real stormy.

I love little adventures like that.

People That Come Into Your Life

Sometimes people come into your life and you know right away that they were meant to be there, to serve some sort of purpose, teach you a lesson, or to help you figure out who you are or who you want to become. You never know who these people may be (possibly your roommate, neighbour, co-worker, longest friend, lover, or even a complete stranger) but when you lock eyes with them, you know at that very moment that they will affect your life in some profound way.

 

Some people come into our lives and quickly go.
Some people move our souls to dance.
They awaken us to new understanding with the passing whisper of their wisdom.
Some people make the sky more beautiful to gaze upon.
They stay in our lives for awhile, leave footprints in our hearts,
and We are never, ever the same.

 

And sometimes things happen to you that may seem horrible, painful, and unfair at first, but in reflection you find that without overcoming those obstacles you would have never realised your potential, strength, willpower, or heart. Everything happens for a reason, nothing happens by chance or by means of luck. Illness, injury, love, lost moments of true greatness, and sheer stupidity all occur to test the limits of your soul. Without these small tests, whatever they may be, life would be like a smoothly paved, straight flat road to nowhere. It would be safe and comfortable, but dull and utterly pointless. The people you meet who affect your life, and the success and downfalls you experience help to create who you become.

 

Even the bad experiences can be learned from. In fact, they are probably the most poignant and important ones.

 

If someone hurts you, betrays you, or breaks your heart, forgive them, for they have helped you learn about trust and the importance of being cautious when you open your heart. If someone loves you, love them back unconditionally, not only because they love you, but because in a way, they are teaching you to love and how to open your heart and eyes to things.

 

Make every day count!! Appreciate every moment and take from those moments everything that you possibly can for you may never be able to experience it again. Talk to people that you have never talked to before, and actually listen. Let yourself fall in love, break free, and set your sights high. Hold your head up because you have every right to. Tell yourself you are a great individual and believe in yourself, for if you don't believe in yourself; it will be hard for others to believe in you.

 

You can make of your life anything you wish. Create your own life then go out and live it with absolutely no regrets.

Original Article  

 

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I haven't read a truer statement all day.

This was just what I needed to hear.

Choice

I'm going to be happy no matter what you say or do... I control my own life. No one is going to make me sad without my permission. I'm stronger than your words, dirty looks and mind games. This is my life, my picture. I will make it beautiful.

 I love my life.. despite the twists and turns, ups and downs.

This is our only life.. shouldn't we love it?

 

Love this

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