the shape of things...

{updated. decided to add a few more 'afters' of the kitchen/dining room.}

i'll admit, i am not always a patient person. being a mother has helped me to learn more about the all-important fruits of the spirit, but it's still a struggle sometimes.

as i see it, there are two kinds of patience. there's the patience to maintain an even temperament, to not become frustrated when your toddler refuses to wear a diaper or decides to test his screaming octaves in the middle of Target. and there's patience that involves the art of waiting (i.e. delayed gratification). i think being a mom has helped me in both areas, because both kinds of patience have become more and more necessary. i've become accustomed to waiting to take a shower until the afternoon, for instance, or waiting to do housework until after Eli goes to sleep so we have more time to play.

probably the biggest test of both mine and jeremy's patience this past year has involved our house renovation. it has required both kinds of patience in equal measure, and i think we'd agree has strengthened our relationship rather than strained it. for the latter, i am immensely thankful, as i've heard the stories of how remodeling a house can really deconstruct a marriage. along the way, i've tried to remind my husband (who is doing the bulk of the labor) of all the progress we've made and encourage him with a vision for what things will become. there are days when a simple project like trimming a closet will make us so happy, and times when all we can see is what's left in front of us.

i have been putting off posting before and after photos, because we still aren't really in a place of total completion with any room of the house. some rooms only need a few dabs of paint and a doorknob, while others have a long way to go. still, i was hoping to do more of an "unveiling" like on my favorite design blogs. but as i said, i'm not always patient and i'm ready to share some more of the progress. i'm including a few of the before photos (which reflect the house as we first found it with the previous owner's belongings.) eventually i'll post a more parallel before/after comparison of each and every room, but for now, this will have to do...

kitchen before:

...and details of kitchen after:





i realize that a potted basil plant isn't really indicative of renovation progress, but it's a sign that things are brighter now:


i love having open shelving:


schoolhouse fixture:


covering a large fusebox:

living room before:

details of living room after:


jeremy's man-chair that i picked out for him. it's a recliner. he loves it:


light fixture replaced a ceiling fan:



dining room before:

details of dining room after:

sitting room (off master bedroom) before:

sitting room still in progress:

this sofa will move to the sitting room once it's finished:

art studio before:

art studio after:

future inspiration board:

a bed for guests:

i might paint the bed eventually...


supply cabinet (needs to be repainted):

waiting to be hung:

[i have to add this little confession, because i think it's funny. in the photo of the leather chair, there were a few clumps of dust as well as several dried kidney beans (eli likes to sort them), & possibly a bug underneath the chair. i noticed them while taking the photo on my knees. i decided it would be faster (and easier) to photoshop them out rather than to sweep.]

to be continued...

a day with thomas//an evening with jeremy

i've begun to notice autumn's approach and i couldn't be more eager to welcome it. i eased into the past few days on the front porch swing, listening to the sounds of morning. out here beyond the city, those sounds are really calming, especially when my other senses are waking up to the aroma of good strong coffee, the feel of a breeze against my cheeks, and the sight of five large maple trees still with all their green (but not for long).

jeremy and i were talking last night about how we feel like we're always waiting for the transitional phases in our life to end, for the seasons of change to stop or slow down so that we can just exist for awhile. we came to the realization that we'll probably be waiting forever, because change is just a part of life. we will always be experiencing joy over a birth, grief over a death, a new job, an old house [in need of restoration], or some other unseen part of our story we've yet to arrive upon. and whether the changes be good or less than ideal, we decided we need to just rest in the moments while we're in them---to welcome them even.

a recent moment that our family really enjoyed was the day that Thomas the Tank Engine came to town. we bought tickets for september 6th, and headed to the train station for a 25 minute ride along the tracks.





eli loved looking out the window at the passing scenery and sitting in a big seat all by himself. but what he loved more than anything was playing with the little flip-up ashtrays on the arms of the seats; those fascinated him to no end!





he also had fun inside the petting zoo, hugging and feeding the baby goats.


yesterday marked our four-year anniversary. time has flown, and we had much to reflect on and celebrate. we left eli with friends for a sleepover while we went to Margot Cafe for an amazing three-course dinner.

at Margot.

we had planned on a walk downtown, seeing a movie, taking advantage of our lack of responsibility for a night...but at 9:15 we looked at each other and confirmed exhaustion so we headed home. i guess our pre-date afternoon of chasing eli at the park wore us out.




it was still a good day, and this morning we had a quiet (though quick) breakfast at Red Tree Coffee down the hill. then i rushed over to pick up eli who was having a wonderful time in his godparents' kitchen and didn't seem to want to leave. he greeted me with a huge hug and a happy, sticky face. i missed him so much and he was only away from us for 15 hours. and while i realize i'm saying this at a quarter 'til noon after two cups of coffee, i would never trade being awakened at 6 am by my chirping little boy for endless quiet mornings of sleeping undisturbed.

gallery.

finally grabbing a spare moment to post the full views of the three art pieces I created for Nashville's recent Tomato Art Festival. i was so happy when we walked in the gallery that Saturday and found that all three of my pieces were hanging together in the front room.

then, we walked by and noticed a red dot on one of the tags, which meant it had been purchased. i was stunned to have sold my first piece of artwork ever. it inspires me to continue creating as i have the time. there are still several weeks left in the show too...it runs until the end of September.

but the absolute best part of the experience, without a doubt, was the moment we first walked into the crowded gallery. Jeremy was ahead of me while I pushed Eli's stroller, and he spotted my art immediately. when we got closer and saw that one had sold, i looked at Jeremy and saw that he had actual tears of pride in his eyes. for a moment i think he understood how i felt when he completed his last album, Recovery, and so many people responded to it. Of course, that album required many more tireless hours than my three small canvases, but there's something we understand about each other, in part because we're both artists. it's gratifying to find such a mutual passion within your spouse.

so, now here's the art (click images to enlarge):

No. 1 - ledger #4

ledger #4 {closeup}

No. 2 - tomato garden (SOLD!)

tomato garden {closeup}

No. 3 - picnic
(SOLD!)

picnic {closeup}

the end.

little boy blue.

i love this photo that my mom took of Eli when she was in Nashville. he looks like such a little boy, no longer a baby. i am thankful that he's growing and changing and i love watching his personality evolve, though i do wish it would slow down just an ounce.

we've had a lot of quality family time this weekend...

on friday, Eli and i had an outing to Dickson and on the way home stopped at Field of Dreams park in White Bluff where we explored the swings and slides and Eli chased birds around a planted Christmas tree until his cheeks turned flush.


yesterday, the three of us ventured out for the Tomato Festival which was a lot of fun. great to see so many friends and be in our old neighborhood for a few hours.

jeremy & billy pushing eli & emmy along fatherland street

eli & emmy

in front of the art gallery

last night, the Cervenys came over for dinner. i made braised short ribs and they brought pie.

today we are just taking it easy before the new week begins. i'm on to my next work project, writing a biography for andrew peterson for his new album, Resurrection Letters Vol. II. i'll be squeezing that in during eli's naps and after he goes to bed at night. during the day we have plans to swim with friends, visit the splash pad at the park, and hopefully go to story time mid-week. my art studio is beginning to take shape too, so finally i'll have a creative space to work. i hope to launch an online store one day soon.

these days are busy, but they are good.

tomato art fest (updated)

[after an accidental blogging break, i'm going to cram two posts into one day just so i can get up to date.]

i am excited to share that i'll have three one or two [just got notice that there were so many contributors and a lot of large work this year that they've had to edit and can only display 1-2 paintings per artist.] pieces of artwork at the Art & Invention Gallery for this year's annual Tomato Art Fest in east nashville. red tree coffee was the first place that ever agreed to actually display my art, so i was thrilled when Meg at Art & Invention asked me to be a part of this year's show. my tomato-themed work will be there this weekend, so if you're in Nashville, stop by and see the collection. i peeked in today and there's some amazing work hanging in the gallery. mine may end up on a low nail in a back corner of the smallest room, but i still feel honored nonetheless.

the tomato fest is also fun for other reasons, including great people-watching, lots of artisans selling their wares, face-painting for kids, and area restaurants offering tomato-inspired dishes for the day. last time we went i was pregnant with eli, so it will be fun to attend this year with him in tow.

hope to see you there.

and here's the tiniest glimpse at what i made for the show. i'll post the full views after this weekend, along with some other projects around the house.

eli's baptism.

for various reasons, it has taken us eighteen months to schedule eli's baptism. we wanted to do it sooner, but it just finally happened this past weekend. we had a memorable time with family & friends. my mom and stepdad arrived on thursday, so my mom and i had lots of time to shop, cook, and visit. jeremy's brother josh flew in on sunday. to celebrate the day, my mom and i made a big spaghetti lunch with my italian great-grandmother's family recipe sauce. and of course there were cupcakes.

at church that evening, eli was in a...let's say spirited mood from all the sugar and attention of the afternoon, so he was extremely wiggly during the baptism. once the water was put on his head he stopped squirming long enough to say "wa-wa" and pointed at the bowl, desperately hoping to play in it. he looked sweet in his white linen outfit and we felt so proud to be his parents.

at home we took some photos and ate my mom's homemade pizza (it was an italian-themed day) and eli got to stay up extra late feeding uncle josh's pizza to the dog and hiding underneath the dining table.

with uncle josh

with nonnie & opa

standing on the air vent

lunch with family & the browns

at home on the porch