Butterfly Frames

One of the things in my life that I am so thankful for is my husband. We truly do make a great team. He "gets" the creative vision and supports and encourages me daily. I am reminded of this as we have been making butterfly shaped frames lately.  The frames are made from scratch - Taylor saws the shape of the butterfly out of wood and sands them down, while I paint and add the details. My hope is that these hand-crafted frames would serve as reminders to girls of all ages to spread their wings as they pursue their special gifts that God has entrusted to them as well as being a reminder that we can all walk in "freedom" in Christ's name.

Frames are 16" x 16" and fit a 5" x 7" photo. 

Larger size frames can be made upon request.

 Frames are now available for purchase on Etsy link below:

Butterfly Frames

Thank you for "spreading" the word! 

Welcome February!!

Whew, what a crazy month of January! Never had a month quite like that one before. Starting New Years Day some medical stuff happened with my husband resulting him to the ER then admitted to the hospital. After a procedure and then gall bladder removal, he ended up having internal bleeding and was rushed back to the OR later that afternoon. We had been praying that God would stop whatever was going on, things were really getting scary at that point. When they went in for the emergency surgery they found 2 liters of blood in his abdomen...and guess what...they never could find the source of the bleeding. It had already stopped. The doctors were perplexed but it was soon very obvious to all who had been praying that God heard and answered us. In this case, He answered very quickly. Once Taylor had been able to return to work, we were starting to feel some normalcy again with our family. However, two weeks ago my 2-1/2 year old daughter got very sick with 104 fever and signs of a virus. After a trip to the ER and then our pediatricians office, everyone thought it was a virus. Two more days went by and still no sign of improvement, so back to the ER we went. It was then we found out she had a UTI that had spread to her kidneys. When they gave her IV of fluids (she was very dehydrated), she then contracted some blood contamination that she got when they administered the needle into her arm. After 2 days in the hospital, on IV's and the strongest antibiotics they could give her she was "out of the woods" and we were able to take her home. The crazy thing is, we are generally a very healthy family. We spent more time in the hospital that one month than in our whole life combined. So very thankful that they both are doing so MUCH better now and able to get back to life as we know it.  Despite being a crazy way to begin the year with all of the medical drama, it was a powerful way to see the power of the Holy Spirit up close in this way as well as being reminded just how very dependent we all are. God, thank you for bringing healing to Taylor and to Kaia the way that you did. You never like to see your children sick. Thank you for answering our specific prayers and for the things that you taught us through all of this.

So on that note, we have very much been welcoming the month of February! A nice, new and fresh month upon us now. I have so much to be thankful for. I wanted to share some things that we made for Christmas gifts this year. They were all new projects we had never done before, so with that said, lots of a learning curve to figure out the best and most efficient ways to go about it.

First up to bat was making decorative frames...

                gets my blood pumping when removing the tape....ahhh, love to see the result!

Can also paint it on instead of spray paint. (I prefer spray paint for cleaner finish/less touch up).

Check out the little stray kitten who found her way to our home (and our hearts)

Meet the newest addition to our family, Charcoal.  She made herself cozy on my back as I worked. 

The next project was for my mother in law - she loves wine as well as products with initials.

What better than a initial wine cork wall art?

This next project was incredibly sweet. Since Taylor had been doing so much sawing for the frames, 

he came up with the idea to make letters that spelled "mom".  

He then printed out pictures of me and the girls to modpodge onto the letters.  

What a precious keep-sake, can't wait to hang them up when we finish my new office!

Now this next and final project I will share today turned out really cool! I've been wanting to get some frames for our girls rooms as they are getting to the age where I'd like to put some pictures of their friends/family up for them to enjoy. Yep, you guessed it...while we were on the frame kick, we decided to get creative and make them each a butterfly chevron frame. These turned out so well, we will be making a few more and will be available for purchase on Etsy very soon. I think it makes such a fun accent to any girl's room! What do you think of the chevron butterfly? What other shapes or design on frames would you like to see?

                    

Welcome 2013!

Well, here we are...another start to a brand new year. Happy New Year, everyone!

I must say, I was a little nostalgic to say good-bye to 2012. It has been such a special year.  Lots of blessings and lots of learning. Sweet times with family and friends, new and old. It brought new adventures and many firsts as well as challenges that forced me to grow in ways to learn more about trusting Him in all things.

On the business home front for Tamagrams, the year brought amazing opportunity. Exhibiting at Surtex (our first time), new partnerships with new clients. As new partnerships began, new art targets also pushed me to widen the doors of my creative process. The year also brought an upbeat fresh look of Tamagrams with new logo/branding and new website. It's been a year that I am deeply thankful for as it has brought and taught me more about true contentment, inspiration, forgiveness, patience, creativity, gratitude, restoration, anticipation, dreaming, answered prayer, loving, loss and death, testing, faith and the power that is given to us when we believe Him at His word.

Lord, thank you for having my back at all times. Help me to trust you in ALL things as you lead and direct my steps. Thank you for being so dependable and so very perfect.  My prayer for 2013 is that You would fill me with more of You. I want to bring You glory as who you have created me to be. May my life and gifts be a blessing to my husband, my children, my family, my friends and everyone that I encounter. Amen.

(A little late, but hope you all had a VERY Merry Christmas) and are having a beautiful start to a brand new year. May 2013 be one that is filled with more growth and gratitude!

Tamagrams Wedding Collections & Kleinfeld Paper

Anyone familiar with the TLC show, "Say Yes to the Dress"? Tamagrams wedding invitation collections will be available through Kleinfeld Paper and supported by national advertising in Brides, The Knot, Martha Stewart and others starting January 2013...continuing to thank God for opening doors for this passion He has given me. 

On the note of passions and dreams...I wanted to end this post with an excerpt to share with you as it encourages me - I love to think about this... "I AM WORKING ON YOUR BEHALF. Bring Me all your concerns, including your dreams. Talk with Me about everything, letting the Light of My Presence shine on your hopes and plans. Spend time allowing My Light to infuse your dreams with life, gradually transforming them into reality. This is a very practical way of collaborating with Me. I, the Creator of the Universe, have deigned to co-create with you. Do not try to hurry this process. If you want to work with Me, you have to accept My time frame. Hurry is not in My nature. Abraham and Sarah had to wait many years for the fulfillment of My promise, a son. How their long wait intensified their enjoyment of this child! Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses." - Jesus Calling 

Interview/Feature on Sorry You're Happy Blog

One of the things I have loved about exhibiting at shows in the past have been the amazing people I meet. No seriously, just awesome.  It is so neat to be around and connect with other creatives who share a similar passion.  I have been lucky enough to also have some beautiful friendships blossom and still talk to on a regular basis, years later. (both were next door booth neighbors)

On the note about booth neighbors...do you remember back in the spring when I shared our experience exhibiting at the Surtex show in NY? Well, while we were there we were blessed once again in meeting a neat couple from Canada named Jen and Kyle. They were our booth neighbors and featured us on their fun company blog called Sorry You're Happy! So nice of them! To read the interview and feature, Click here!

Not saying Good-bye, but see you soon...

Hey y'all! Hope each of you are having a fabulous start to the Christmas season. It feels like a lot has gone on over the past month or so in the Brown household.

Not to be a downer, but I thought I'd share with you something I've been walking through. We got pretty sudden news several weeks ago that my grandfather had only a couple hours to a couple days to live. My grandfather has been my father figure through out my life so it felt as if I was loosing a parent. He would have been 100 years old on December 8th.  He has been married to my sweet grandmother for 72 years. Despite how old someone is, I don't think you can ever fully prepare yourself for the finality of knowing you will never see them again on this Earth. I am so very thankful for the one on one time I had with him the day before he died. He was in his room at home and I was able to hold his hand while talking and reminiscing over my memories with him. I sung him some of my favorite songs and got to pray over him.  He already had one foot in heaven and was unresponsive but the hospice nurse told me he was definitely able to hear, as hearing is the last sense that goes. As I hugged good bye, I was reminded once again just how fleeting our lives are. Jesus said to not get too attached of the things of this world because our lives are vapors, fleeting and a bleep in the scheme of eternity. I am so thankful that I don't have to say good bye forever but know I will see him again when it is my turn to enter the gates. I can't help but rejoice for him in what he is experiencing now. Meeting our Savior face to face, being united with loved one that have entered before him and being in the most beautiful and breathtaking place. No sin. No pain. No brokenness that we experience here on Earth. Thanks for letting me share a tribute and my last hours with him. He was one special man who shaped me in more ways than he will ever know. He loved me and my family so well. I love and miss you Pop.

A picture of him when he was about 30 years old, so handsome...

This sobering reminder of the delicacy of life makes me want to be sure that I am living every SINGLE day to the fullest. Utilizing every gift and ability that God has so kindly entrusted to me. I want to share it with others in hopes that it can in some way bring encouragement and/or inspiration to others. It is a neat thought to think if we all were tapping into these sweet gifts we have received how each and every one of us DOES add more joy and beauty to this world.  Join me as we can ask ourselves, "Am I living each day to the fullest?", "Am I sharing these awesome gifts to touch others lives and make a difference?" If there is any bit of hesitation holding us back, my hope is that we would shine brightly through the light He graciously gives to us! Amen.

Assortment Boxed Cards to be in Costco!

Exciting News! 

Tamagrams will be part of an assortment box of cards that will be distributed by Paper Magic Group to be available in COSTCO USA - due to hit stores in July 2013!