Just keep swimming...

Trying to manage creating new designs for Stella Marie Studio, being a parent to a very headstrong 2-year-old, figuring out how to still find time to give my husband attention, studying for my Texas real estate exam, and keeping up with the lives of my friends has proved to be difficult -- but I wouldn't have it any other way.

I feel like January and February have definitely been a challenge in our house. I'm pretty sure my toddler has gotten sick with a stomach bug, allergies, two colds, and asthmatic issues all in just the first six weeks of this year. Since he was sick, that meant that his father and me also intermittently were sick, proving difficult to work and manage the home and somehow have energy to go through the days.

What's great is that somehow, we have been able to manage, although I think we are all pretty exhausted. My husband, who is a Realtor® (check him out at www.DiscoverTexasProperty.com), is busier than ever, and as he works with clients, I make sure to take care of our little one. When he gets home, he takes over and I'm able to create and fulfill orders for clients (who I cherish so!). Here are just a few of the fun orders I've been able to do this year:

A Tale of Two Wreaths: This order came from a wonderful customer who ordered some items from me over the holidays. She and her family were closing on a new home toward the end of January, and she wanted to have some pieces that would add special touches to her new home. We discussed some ideas and I knew she wanted one wreath that had more of a Christian base with floral accents, and another that had pops of color, but still along the Christian line. I decided to do a nice grapevine wreath with ivory and beige hydrangeas, greenery, a light blue chevron-print burlap bow, and a hand-painted cross. This customer had given me a few Biblical quotes that she loved and I was excited to try to incorporate one onto the wooden cross.

With the second wreath, I knew I wanted to have a turquoise pop of color, so I made sure to use tan and turquoise burlap & deco-mesh as the base and just have fun with it. The cross, with its white and turquoise chevron hand-painting, really is a focal point. I was excited to show the two wreaths to the customer, and even more excited when she showed genuine appreciation for my creations.

What's even better is that I had orders for three more of the floral wreath after friends and fans of my business saw the finished product on social media!

Valentine's Tumblers: Next, I had another customer from over the holidays ask for Valentine's Day gifts for teachers. I told her about the stainless steel tumblers that I could personalize and she ordered three! Her children picked out the pattern and the colors, and we even personalized them on the opposite side with the teachers' names. Such a great gift for hardworking teachers!

Pink: This custom order allowed me to be super creative -- I was just supposed to incorporate greenery and pinks. I thought beautiful pink hydrangeas and sprawling greenery really gave this 24" grapevine wreath a pretty look. I liked how the greens draped across the curves of the wreath itself. A great spring piece!

C'mon Spring! A dear friend from high school liked one of the wreaths I had posted on social media, but wanted the color scheme to be a little different. She wanted bright springtime colors, with pinks being the primary color. I'm a huge fan of a good bright pink myself, so I tried to put together what I would like. I really like the yellows and coral and oranges that peek out here and there. This was a 14" wreath, so a little smaller, but I think the flowers really packed a punch to give it a fuller look. Perfect for a front door!

I love making these signs! I start with a wooden base, paint it, and then get a great print on cardstock and adhere it to the wood. I put some sealer coats on it to give a little shine and voila! Then I add whatever saying in high-quality vinyl. I was happy that both of these pieces went to one customer -- they are some of my favorite pieces, so I was happy they went to a good home.

Casita Creation: I was really excited when this client wanted a custom wreath for her guesthouse. She had a sign that she wanted the wreath to complement and she wanted greenery, so I thought adding burgundy and rust to work with the sign, with sprays of greenery and ivory flowers would really give it a rustic, upscale feel.

Magnolia: This one has had such a huge following! Everyone is into the magnolia wreaths, and why not? They are simple and chic. This one was a 14" wreath, but it can be made to order in many sizes, including 18", 24", and 30". This customer was so sweet -- she wanted to get this for her mom. I am so close to my mom that I was immediately happy this piece was going to such a nice family.

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--Holly