In Love With July

I love the month of July!

My little sister has a birthday in July, 

the kids get out of school for summer break (in Canada), 

Our country celebrates its birthday at the beginning of the month - so there are always fireworks!!

AND

July is the month my husband and I celebrate our wedding anniversary!!!

I love it! 

A whole month of celebrations!!

And this year it's EXTRA SPECIAL!!

This year we are celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary!!

Woo-hooo!!!!

So needless to say, I've had my favourite guy on my mind 

whenever I have sat down for some down-time doodling!

My first doodle began on an envelope - as you can see toward the middle of the design:

The next was more intentional, I used some art quality paper 

and again snatched up my favourite Staedtler Fineliner pens...

"Happy Thoughts"

(pen on cold-pressed paper, 7" x 9.5")

I loved how it turned out, and that inspired me toward beginning another one the next day...

I wanted to created something of a companion piece or a series to celebrate our anniversary

so I thought I would start with a word that describes us...

I thought about words like "LOVE", "HAPPY", and "JOY"

but when I really thought about it the word that describes us best is "TOGETHER"

We decided to spend our lives TOGETHER.

We have been TOGETHER for twenty years 

(22 years if you count the years we dated!)

TOGETHER we built our marriage on God and His principles.

TOGETHER we endured the heartache of losing a baby mid-pregnancy.

TOGETHER, four years later we welcomed another baby.

We prayed TOGETHER and clung to God TOGETHER when our new baby 

had to undergo open-heart surgery 14 days after she was born.

We praised God TOGETHER when we were blessed with taking our darling girl home!

Three years later we welcomed another little girl into our family!

 TOGETHER we are raising our children to love God and pray to Him and read His Word.

We mourned TOGETHER when we each in turn, lost a beloved parent.

TOGETHER we have been through A LOT! 

But we are determined to be TOGETHER come what may

Because being TOGETHER is the BEST WAY!!

  "Together"

(pen on cold-pressed paper, 9.5" x 7")

Well, I had no idea how many design ideas were still waiting to be doodled onto paper!

The next day I had to begin another!

 "Heart of Hearts"

(pen on cold-pressed paper, 9.5" x 7")

I really like the 'swirling'  effect in the centre of this design - this one was very calming to work on...

The end result just makes me smile!

Today, yet another idea popped into my head and I grabbed up my art paper and pens

 and started working it out... some hours later (I get into an art zone and I lose track of time!)

I completed this design:

"Sweet Dreams"

(pen on cold-pressed paper, 7" x 9.5")

July is a month all our own to celebrate special occasions and watch fireworks...

It's a month filled to the brim with fun and activity and especially LOVE!

"Is there any felicity in the world superior to this?"

Nope, I don't think so!

♥ Cath-