Happy notes...

When Sara and I started painting signs for The Happy Soul Project it became obvious to me that aside from the painting, Sara's absolutely favourite part of the entire process was the wrapping and addressing of each sign.

"Where is it going?"

"Who is it for?"

"Do they have Down Syndrome too?"

The only thing that she loves more is when people post pictures to Instagram or Facebook of their child with the signs we make.  I think for Sara she enjoys the creative process, but the real joy lies in the giving.  And who can fault her for that?  Giving is a good thing.  So the opportunity to use some thank you notes by Tiny Prints was the perfect addition to an already perfect "job".  Sara loves to sit and write out a small thank you to each person who purchases one of our Happy Soul Project signs...

My main focus at this point is to ensure that Sara is doing something worthwhile, and that we are spreading the message that people with Down Syndrome are productive members of society.   Ocotober is Down Syndrome Awareness month, and while I think people are pretty aware of Down Syndrome, I think the emphasis needs to be more on acceptance.

Sara wants what any other adult wants- she wants purpose, a job, something to call her own and take pride in.  Painting signs does just that, and the thank you notes we send out mean so much more than the few sentences Sara writes on each one.

So thank you to each of you who have purchased a sign and given Sara a chance to spread a little happy...

Moving on...

Sorry for the absence of posting.  It's been a whirlwind week over here at the cottage.  The house sold in record time, which threw us into packing mode.  We don't play.  Our entire home is packed up except for the kids rooms and what we absolutely need to cook for the next four weeks.

We ordered one large pod to hold all of our furniture and boxes, and we rented a local storage room to hold our garage tools.  That way, when we do find a town house, we can jump in and begin the renovations.

Which leads me to the fact that there is NOTHING for sale in the town home category in the area we want.  We went ahead and did our pre-approval process where they tried to tell us that we qualified for DOUBLE the amount of our current home.  That was met with some explaining as to the fact that we are trying to cut our living expenses in half so that we can do more- travel more- LIVE more.  What is up with these mortgage companies trying to get you into the very top of your budget?  And then when you go to a price point that is under half of what you qualify for they look at you like you are nuts.  Maybe we are, but we are going to be traveling nuts!

I do have other things on my plate...

• This week is my last class at the university with my writing kiddos. We are having our celebration and then I am going to begin planning my next year of teaching in a new position.  I will be teaching Digital Literacy with a homeschool group grades 2-9.  Very excited about the possibilities this class will present and how quickly the "school" is growing.  

• Sara has prom coming up- the theme?  The Red Carpet.  We shopped yesterday and found the perfect "pink princess dress". She is going to look like Disney threw up on her, but that is exactly what she wants and I am happy to oblige since this is her very last prom.  

• I am also finishing up a large piece I transformed for Country Chic Paint- I am hoping to have that one wrapped up by the weekend.  Throw in some sign orders for The Happy Soul Project, as well as a few custom signs- and yes, I stay busy. 

• Hunter is half way through his 5th grade math program.  This year has been about getting him caught up on math and getting him to fall in love with learning again.  So far I'd say the year has been a success.  So much damage done to him by public schooling and lots of healing took place this year.  

• Sara and I spoke to a group of college students yesterday morning about putting an end to using the "r" word.  Words matter, and yesterday I believe our words resonated with those young adults and made them think.  I love that Sara and I are embarking on this adventure together and doing something to change people's perceptions of Down Syndrome and people with intellectual disabilities.  

The cold blew back into Texas last night.  We awoke at 2:30 this morning to temps in the 40's and a blood red moon.  So cool to see and Hunter was excited that we woke him up to witness it.  Needless to say we all slept in and are still in our warm pjs for the duration...

I will keep y'all posted if anything new pops up in the next few weeks.  Until then it is going to be more packing and getting settled into my parent's house until a property opens up.  I am incredibly lucky that my parents are letting us stay with them, but time with my parents is a gift, and I am looking forward to all the things we can do together without being tethered to a house!

Photo shoot monday...

Yesterday was our big cottage photo shoot.  I was over the moon excited when I was contacted by Gridley & Graves a few months back asking if I would be interested in having our home shot for a publication.  We were supposed to shoot in January, but Anne's sweet mother suddenly passed away- so we rescheduled for March.  Family comes first and I am so glad she took the time she needed to be with her dad and siblings.

The morning started out cold.  Somewhere in the 40's and us Texans freeze at anything under 60, so I started up a fire.  By started up I mean that I turned on the switch.

Some of y'all have asked about what I did to prepare for them coming to shoot.  Let's see....I had our youngest turn 13, left for a day to shop antiques in Round Top, and hosted our Sunday night Dead and Dinner party.  I pretty much dusted and then lived my life.  Seriously, other than a few things that needed cleaning, we just straightened up and called it good.  I've read about bloggers going overboard and fixing up/cleaning/driving their husbands mad- and I just wasn't going to do it.  So I didn't.  The end.

I did make sure that I had some fresh fruit and raspberry tea on hand.  Because really, what is more important than tea for a photo shoot?  Nothing, that's what.  I also let the dogs have a day of doggy day care to play and romp about with other dogs.  Jack was thrilled.  Apparently he curled up on a blanket in the corner and slept all day.  For $25 dollars he did the same damn thing he does here.  Swell.  Violet, however, was quite the social butterfly and ran amuck and played.  Good dog.

That is not a frog in my tea.  It is also not a turtle.  It really is a lime...

Anne and Gary were so sweet and personable.  I tend to be a very chatty and a "hello, here is the whole story of my life in one sitting" kind of person.  Sometimes that is off putting, but Anne was just so sweet and listened to me, and also shared so much about their interesting adventures they have had across the country.

They shot tethered, which I've read about, but was very interesting to see how it's done in person.  The way the shots are determined, angles, props, etc.  So detailed and just so darn cool!

They were also so sweet to our kids and the dogs when they came home.  I love dog people.

The staging was very interesting.  They moved things, rearranged, scootched furniture over, changed out pieces, added, took away... this is what my living room looks like on a daily basis.  I can tell you when the issue comes out that it looked so much better than this.  They added things I never thought to do- and the angles they shot at were just so unique.

I loved these roses they showed up with...

and that they used one of my vintage medicine bottles to display one of the roses.

I really didn't do much all day other than take pictures and post on FB and Instagram.  Occasionally I would move something for them or look for a prop, but really it was just fun to sit and watch the whole thing.  By the time they left I was exhausted, and I can only imagine how tired Anne and Gary were!

While we were chatting, Anne pulled up a shoot from their home.  AH-mazing!  If I lived there I would probably never leave the farmhouse.  Jump over to the link to see the rest of their beautiful home.

Image From Country Living

In other news, I mailed off a bunch of signs for The Happy Soul Project this morning and new signs are almost ready for the shop.

Thank you to so many of you who have bought or inquired about signs.  We are a two gal operation, so it takes us a bit longer- but our signs are made by hand with love.

Have a happy day!

The Happy Soul Project Shop is OPEN...

It's official, The Happy Soul Project shop is open for business!  Painting Outside the Lines signs sold out in less than a day, but that is okay- each sign is custom made and can be customized to your colour specifics.   The apparel shop is open as well, and the t's are beyond cute with a very important message about how we are all different and there is genuine beauty in those differences.

If you haven't met the blogger and founder behind The Happy Soul Project, Tara, go here to read her story.

But the best part, the heart of Happy Soul Project is here, in Awesome Eh?  It's so much more than selling some signs or t-shirts...

 "And so a portion of proceeds from every sale at the Happy Soul Project Store will be going towards our new Awesome Eh? Project, which is random acts of awesomeness proving to others that there is hope and happiness out there...It could mean buying a teenage girl with Down syndrome a prom dress or sending a new momma who is struggling with her baby's diagnosis something special...It could be anything yet to me it is everything. To me thinking of someone feeling so special and having nothing to say except, "Awesome Eh?" is pretty damn special."

Nominate people who need a bit of awesomeness in their life - Doesn't matter who they are, where they live or what they need...If there is something we can do to bring them kindess then lets do it. To nominate someone, contact us HERE.

Just click here to shop and support.  

It is happy with my soul...

It's official!  Tara of The Happy Soul Project has released the details of the collaboration between Sara and I and The Happy Soul Project.  We are officially known as Painting Outside the Lines, and I couldn't be happier about working with such an amazing momma and team!

It truly is one of those things where fate meets kismet meets karma and all is right with the world.  I spent many hours praying and hoping that something would fall into place for Sara upon aging out of our public school system, because for most kids there is just nothing.  Where their eight hour days of teachers, routine, and friends leaves off there is a void of limited choices that most times do not fit the young adult they are intended for.  But all that has changed for Sara.  Instead of me sending her off to a "day hab" situation, or a workplace where she would be minimally supervised and gullible to who knows what, she will be working for a purpose- doing something she loves- painting.  Spreading the word that it is our differences that make us beautiful- that we should choose happy and embrace our unique abilities.  That my philosophy matches up perfectly with Tara's over at The Happy Soul project just shows me again, that we are on to something, and that the world has so much to learn from our kids.   We will be painting signs with the lovely messages that speak truth and give hope to other families with kids who are told "they will never" or "don't expect..."  Words that I now know mean nothing, because honestly, your perfectly abled kids don't come with a guarantee either, but all children do come with the capability to love, to give back and to teach.

Happiness is a choice, and doing something about other's perceptions of beauty, worth, ability and love is also a choice.  I choose happy- I hope you will too!

Visit our site over at The Happy Soul Project- Painting Outside the Lines to order your own custom sign!