Give 52 Week 38 - My Heart is with You

Give 52 Week 38
Cheryl Houston 2016

When I think of Misty I think of laughter, smiles and a genuine love. This lady will love you with all her might and her laughter will bring you joy.

She's so in love with her family. Her husband, Robert and three of the most beautiful daughters a momma can be blessed with: Azlynn, Alanah, and Ava. Seriously! Robert's going to have to beat the boys away with those three cuties.

I miss seeing my friend, Misty but my heart is always with her.

Now, the red bird in this drawing symbolizes something else. When Misty sees a red bird she remembers her grandmother and I wanted her to have a piece of that in her home. So now, maybe she'll think of me too and know that she is loved - not just by her family but by all of the people touched by Misty's presence.

This is my gift. I give it to you.

Give 52 Week 33 - Always Brave

Give 52 Week 33
Cheryl Houston 2016

Week 33 - Always Brave.

I mailed out week 33 to my beautiful friend, Karlie.

Here's what I love about Karlie:
She has the best can-do attitude I have ever witnessed.

She's a super supporter of her friends.

She's a breast cancer survivor and she started a foundation for awareness. She's adamant about educating our younger generation of girls.

 When you meet her, she makes you feel like you've been her best friend forever.

She's full of joy.

The love that she has for her daughter, Sophie, and her husband, Dennis, radiates from her.

So you see, Karlie is one special lady and one I'm so happy to call friend and whatever life throws at her, she is always brave!

This is my gift. I give it to you.

Give 52, Week 30 - Chase Joy

Give 52 Week 30
Cheryl Houston 2016

Oh how I love how this piece turned out. The flowers are wild and funky and the splatter is fun. This week's Give 52 was sent to Robin Whitney in Park City, Utah.

When I worked at Jess Reid Real Estate, we hired Whitney Advertising to re-brand the company. Jim and Robin were so great to work with.

I remember sitting around the conference table and Robin having a very pensive, contemplative look on her face and Jess asking her, "What's wrong."

I can't remember her exact words but I think she said, "That's my thinking face."

Since I left Park City in 2006, I friended Robin on Facebook and I love seeing her photos of her, her friends and her family. She radiates joy. Whenever I see her photos,  I think: "She isn't just choosing joy, she's chasing joy!"

I want to be like that. I want to chase joy. No amount of doldrums or boredom can stop me and making this piece for Robin will help remind me to do just that: Chase Joy!
This is my gift. I give it to you.

Give 52 Week 29 - Don't make me hit you with my fun stick.

Give 52 Week 29
Cheryl Houston 2016

I've never met Lynn Whipple but I feel like I know her. I discovered Lynn when I signed up for the Year of Spark with Carla Sonheim and Lynn leading the way.

I love watching Lynn's classes. She has such a wonderful spirit- she has fun when she creates and she encourages her students to do the same.

Paint to music. Talk to your painting. Make a fun stick! Seriously. Make a fun stick.

Lynn taught me how to paint in books in the class Wordplay. Really, paint right on the pages of the book and the cover. What? I love it. And now no book new or old is safe from my creative tools.

I so enjoyed my Year of Spark class I signed up for Y is for Yellow with Carla. And when I saw Lynn was teaching a Big Bloom class, I was in!

The class started today and I logged into my email to get the first class except there was not email. What's going on here? Did the ladies forget me? Well, come to find out I never actually signed up for the class except in my mind. I even told Lynn I couldn't wait except I had signed up for the class yet. I got signed up right away after I discovered my error.

I want to be Lynn when I grow up.

This is my gift. I give it to you.

Give 52 Week 20 - You're Longest Relationship

Give 52 Week 20
Cheryl Houston 2015

Your longest relationship in life is your relationship with your siblings. I am the youngest of three and my sister, Leigh Ann, is six years older than me though everyone thinks I'm the older one. I blame it on my height and try not to get too upset about it. Hey, I'm the worse about gauging peoples age. In fact, I just assume that everyone is around my own age which is great if you're older than me but not so great if you're younger than me.

So, for my whole life, I've known this lady. My sister. My friend.

It's around my sister and my brother that I feel the most carefree to crack jokes and be stupid and opinionated because hey, I'm the little sister and they accept me as I am.

We haven't always got along but I think that's the natural way of siblings. I appreciate what she's done for me through the years and I just wanted to tell her that I'm thankful for her presence in my life and her presence in our parent's life.

I moved away but both my brother and sister have chosen to stay nearby my parents and there is comfort in that for me.

Her birthday is on December 27th and I always felt like it was not as noticed as it should be because of Christmas. So happy birthday, seester! I sincerely hope it is as wonderful as you are.

This is my gift. I give it to you.

Give 52 Week 19 - Siempre

Give 52 Week 19
Cheryl Houston 2015

Week 19 goes to another long time friend of mine, Kristi.

Her childhood home holds so many of my best childhood memories. Her family feels like my family and it all started in Mrs. Strauch's 3rd grade class.

There are so many memories I don't even know which one to tell you about. We invited each other to our family beach vacations, we stayed up late watching scary movies, we regrettably seemed to like the same boy too many times, we played the french horn together, and I could go on and on and on.

Siempre is the Spanish word meaning always. And as I've said before - once you're my friend, you're always my friend.

Kristi has become an avid runner and I love seeing pictures of her with her running buddies and knowing she's finding great success in her passion.

Kristi's birthday is on the 17th and I hope this piece of artwork will let her know she will always be my always friend.

This is my gift. I give it to you.

Give 52, Week 15 - Make Everyday Beautiful

Give 52 Week 15
Cheryl Houston 2015

I woke up at 2:45am on Tuesday thinking it was Wednesday and was kind of panicky feeling. I hadn't written week 15's post! Oh no! I almost got up at 3:00 to write it.

Wait a minute! I remembered it was Tuesday and I still had time. And, really, if I didn't get my weekly post up until mid morning on a Wednesday, the world would not come crumbling down. Not yours. Not mine.

I met Katie when she moved to Dallas for the summer and we both participated in House of Shine shenanigans. We walked in the Susan G Komen together many years ago along with our friend, Heather. You have a friend for life when you share a small pink tent together after walking 20 miles for 3 days. Just saying.

Katie now lives in Florida and works at Florida State University in housing. Katie is pretty young herself but she works with even younger people getting their start out at college. An important job. She trains Resident Assistants on creating community within their halls. Freshman students! Get involved with your school community!

I just love being around Katie when I get the chance because she just has a positive spirit about her and I want to steal it from her! I want it to rub off on me. The students that get to work with Katie are truly blessed people and it just goes to show you that not all your mentors have to be someone who has already done it all. It can be a much younger person living out their authenticity that inspires you to do the same.

I know from following Katie on social media she's already making everyday beautiful.

It's her gift.

This is my gift. I give it to you.

Give 52 - Week 7: S I N G

Sing
Give 52 - Week 7
Cheryl Houston 2015

Is it bragging if I say I completely love the way this piece turned out? And friends, this weeks art piece didn't come easy. I prepared something else and I could hear one of my art teachers saying, "Many are called. Few are chosen."

The original piece was not to be chosen. It was fine but it did not sing! So, I was starting from scratch Sunday evening, wrapping up Monday evening, and mailing yesterday. Just under the wire!

I've sent this 6 x 8 inch piece off to Valley Creek Church's worship leaders, Ben and Rachel Moreno. They lead Valley Creekers in worship most every Sunday and it's so, so good.

I can't tell you how many times that I have been singing along with them and become so overwhelmed by the presence of God that tears just start streaming down my face. It's embarrassing, folks! But, it also feels really wonderful.

I was able to spend a little bit of time with Rachel in a creative group gathering this past spring and she is so encouraging. Genuine love and  fun oozes from them both.

I'm so grateful to go to a church that emphasizes the importance of worship and that part of the service resets my heart to be able to face another week of the world. And, if that isn't enough to be grateful for, the worship team also put out albums for us to listen at home.

The newest album, By Cloud, By Fire is available now on iTunes. I Have Decided is one of my favorites. You should totally check it out. Like, right now. Go!

This is my gift. I give it to you.

How do you live your life?

The Sound of Heaven - from the journal of
Cheryl Houston ©

Do you wake up every morning ready to celebrate your day?

Do you focus on the good things that are evident in your life?

Are you grateful for another day here on this earth?

I know I am because consider the alternative. The alternative of not being alive isn't something I'm ready to experience.

Someday I want to go to heaven and celebrate but not for a very long while still. I have too much to do and too much to experience here in this life that has been so gracefully given to me.

I want to live this life in a spirit of celebration not a stoic, woe is me way. How about you? Let's bring the sounds of heaven down to earth and those are the sounds of celebration! Focus on what is good in your life and be grateful for the everyday small things that we so often take for granted.

Here's what I'm grateful for today:
My sweet husband, our wonderful children, our safe and cute home, our overall good health, the fact that we have jobs to go to that provide financially for our family, for the beautifully hot days of summer, the cool blue water of our pool where we enjoy floating and listening to music, and the songs of the cicadas in our neighbors trees.

What are you celebrating today?

Give 52 - What, Who, Why, When

What is Give 52?
Give 52 is a gratitude challenge that I've created for myself. Once a week for 52 weeks I will give away one piece of my artwork and blog about it here.

Who will I choose?
I have some personal heroes that have inspired me through their work. I have some friends and family members that I want to be sure to spread some love and encouragement just because I love them. To those people that I have witnessed helped my friends and loved ones to whom I want to express gratitude on behalf of my loved ones. I will know some of these people personally and some of them I've never met.

Why am I doing this quest?
In February, I told myself I was going to take the 29 Gifts challenge again where you give one gift everyday for 29 days but I was being all rigid on the start date. I wanted to start at the beginning of the month on day 1 so it was easy to track. March 1 came and went and I didn't give a gift to anyone. I told myself that I would start in April. April 1 came and went. No gift to anyone. I noticed the pattern.

2014 was my Year of Purpose and 2015 is my
Year of Curiosity. While searching for purpose and following curiosity, I have read a lot of different books, taken online classes, began journaling on a regular basis and creating a lot of art. On April 2, 2015, while driving on Oak Lawn Avenue on the way to work I had this idea to give away 52 pieces of artwork in 52 weeks. It gave me breathing room with a longer commitment.

The persnickety side of me said, "Well, you'll have to wait to the beginning of 2016!" But the logical side of me, "Whoa, friend. How about we start on your birthday? That's coming up soon."

So, I started planing. I have been thinking about the people that I want to give a piece of artwork so I can show my appreciation and share my gift. Give 52 is my small way of making a difference and sharing my gift of creativity otherwise, why do I make all this art?

Why do I make it? I know many people view this as "just a hobby" but I wish I could explain to you that it is so much more than just a hobby. I feel as if I have to create. I have to. Drawing, painting, whatever it is and if I'm not creating something, I feel the loss of it. More than any other label that I attach to myself, Artist, is what defines me most. I'm called to make art, good or bad, and then I put it neatly away in my drawers at home and there it sits.

That ends with this project. Now, I'm called to make it and I'm called to share it.

When will Give 52 it begin?
 My first Give 52 recipient is scheduled to be announced on August 12. I hope you will come back on the 12th to see the first piece and to read about why that person moved me to gratitude.

This is my gift. I give it to you.

Because she believed...

...the stars fell to her.

From my daily journal. Ink sketch filtered in Photoshop.
Cheryl Houston Art ©