There is a funny thing about artists – they don’t always see the beauty in what they create.  Can you believe that my mother thinks her work is average?  Oh, how I beg to differ.

The colors, the media, the words – she has drawn from so many places.  A deep, inner peace and love to take her feelings and capture them graphically.  I was amazed, here I was thinking that she only made cards!  These are much, much more involved and intimate.

I sometimes wonder why I feel so at peace behind the camera.  Where did the creative need stem from?  Why do I feel the need to share my work with others?  I received my answer that very day.  I realized that it’s in my blood.  It’s in all of us – our job is simply to find the creative outlet that shows our true spirit.

As I looked at my mother’s art journals, one piece stood out to me the most, which I will leave you with.  When my mother showed me this, I fell in love.  Maybe it’s her eyes or the curve of her lips.  I simply *love* her.

I have to admit that I was blown away, simply because I had no idea my mother was such an artist.  I hope that seeing these photographs of her work will convince her that she does, indeed, have a gift.

It feels so good to finally sit down and share with you a bit of my life these past couple of weeks.  Oh how I have missed this space!  Thank you all so much for your well wishes for Sydney’s birth announcement – she is truly a joy.  This time around, I am a much more calm, more confident mother.

I truly forgot how hard having a newborn is!  But Sydney is so sweet, she makes the night time feedings worth it.  Gabrielle is a wonderful big sister, falling into her new “big sister” role so effortlessly.  It’s almost as if the baby has been here with us more than 3 weeks now.

It has definitely been a challenge to pick up my camera these past few months, but I am slowly but surely getting there.  One thing I do love is that newborns can’t run away from the camera as toddlers are so prone to do!

My world has once again changed, once more shifted in a new direction.  I am sure that my photography will follow!

How is your summer going?  What have I missed?

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If you have a free moment, please read this wonderful post – Friends. Etsy. Love. –  by my friend Maria, author of Vintage Simple.  She shares really beautiful things that have made their way from etsy to her home (including something special from my little shop).

Write with no one looking over your shoulder.

Don’t try to figure out what other people want to hear from you; figure out what you have to say.

It’s the one and only thing you have to offer.

~Barbara Kingsolver

Give a chance to the sincere at heart,

Give inspiration to those in need;

and when there’s nothing left to give,

give love…

~Musiq Soulchild

Find more images and stories of love at Chookooloonks.

~ living to see my 30th year on this earth.

~ birthday phone calls and prayers, cards, texts, emails, gifts, and visits from family and friends.

~ birthday lunch with my hubby.

~ singing “Happy Birthday” with my daughter and blowing out all of my candles together.

From my home state, Louisiana.

I’ve started my first photography project, and I’d love for you to follow along.  I’ve titled it, the Discovery Project and it will consist of a photo a day of my daily discoveries in 2009.  At the end of this project, I hope to make a fine art book, or something similarly creative.  Please join me!