clarity

these windows are in my living room and look out into my front yard. i do alot of reflecting and thinking while sitting on the couch. in this room. looking out those windows...which leads me up to this post...

"the deepest secret is that life is not a process of discovery, but a process of creation. you are not discovering yourself but creating yourself anew. seek, therefore, not to find out who you are, seek to determine what you want to be."

-neale donald walsch

"seek to determine what you want to be"....i want to be an artist. i AM an artist!! i want to bring glory to god through my art, encouraging others, and making money while doing it(as kelly said, we do need to eat, afterall).

there.

i said it out loud.

i wrote the previous words this morning, after digesting the first post from kelly rae's e-course, which i read yesterday.

then i read today's post, probably about 90 minutes ago. it spoke of facing our fears. i then visited brene brown's blog to watch a video which was part of kelly's post reference. i am sitting here...totally and completely blown away, lump in my throat over all i have read and watched.

all i can say is god is doing great things in me and through me. for me and for his purpose. i can feel it. i can sense it. and i welcome it...

the weekend

memorial day....remember those who sacrificed for us...

and take some time to be good to yourself...i do love the 3-day weekend when you take friday off and make it 4 in a row, which is what i have done...and this weekend we have no plans. no schedule. no company.

what are your plans this weekend??

this made me giggle

we have been in southern california since thursday of last week, got home yesterday afternoon. we spent some time driving through our hometown, and as we did, we came upon this...not bumps, not undulations, but humps...hadn't seen that before...it definitely got our attention, which was the point, i'm sure!!

these geraniums are in my father-in-law's back yard. they are orange...not orange and yellow...the sun was coming up, the morning light hit them just right, they were so beautiful! jumped right up and grabbed my camera.

the reason we were in so. calif. was for a "celebration of life" service. the mother of one of our oldest and dearest high school friends passed away. it was kind of a bittersweet weekend....grieving the loss of such a wonderful, wonderful woman, and seeing and re-connecting with old friends at the same time....i was thinking alot about how times such as this bring people so close together(yes, it can go the other way). the sense of family and community are so great when there is tragedy.....out of sadness and grief comes such connection. we are at our best when things are at their worst...

is this how god has to get our attention?

it's the heart that really matters in the end

excerpt from "little wonders" by rob thomas:

our lives are made

in these small hours

these little wonders,

these twists & turns of fate

time falls away,

but these small hours,

these small hours still remain

most of you are probably familiar with this song...i was listening to it this morning while i was painting(swoon), and was thinking about how so very true the lyrics are. our lives are made in these small hours...sitting with your mom while she takes her last breath, tucking your babies in bed, helping the little lady who can't get the door open, laying under the stars with your husband as you talk about your uncertain future, being present for the birth of your grandchild, bringing resolve to an argument with a loved one....

we will only just remember how it feels

powerful stuff....

if you haven't visited this website, you must! it is full of goodness...

i hope your day is full of little wonders!

examining my motives

"I have one non-negotiable prerequisite and that is the ongoing examination of my own motives in the creative process yielding art that is both original and personal."

this is a quote by julie prichard...mixed media artist. if you are not familiar with her, travel here. i visited her blog today, and her post from monday asks the question "how do you feel today?"....
today i am feeling frustrated...i then read the quote by her in the bio and it jumped out at me, i needed to read this today as i have been struggling with some things. i realize that i often do not let myself really communicate myself in my art, it causes me great distress at times, and i am trying to figure it all out, something i am really examining....
i signed up for an online course of hers called "layer love"...i really like her techniques of layering and collaging, the course is quite good, what i have been able to view so far(if i could just quit my day job...!!).

today, i wish you freedom in your heart and soul, and time to create...
xo

remember our troops

please pray for the men and women of my husband's army reserve unit...they are on their way to afghanistan as i write this. my husband is staying back, he was taken off of the deployment after his illness and subsequent surgery in february. regardless of your politics or opinions about war, lift up the men and women who serve our country, and preserve our freedom. they are out there, every day, putting their life on the line...for you...for all of us...there is no greater sacrifice...

putting things in perspective

this morning i was lamenting about myself and my art to my sweet husband(who loves golf). he looked at me and said, so wisely...."well honey, i'm no tiger woods, and you're no rembrandt...so just have fun with it."

slam. dunk.

not much more to say, other than enjoy your weekend, my friends...

a little of this and a little of that

is this supposed to happen in may? almost the middle of may? i think not. this was on my deck this morning. we are an hour west of lake tahoe. they got snow yesterday and last night, on top of what they already have. crazy!!! i watched the first video for carmen's "spill it" e-course. i spilled paint and made a mess. it was fun. fun. fun! i will use these backgrounds for a collage at some point, they aren't finished. the monitor does not do the colors justice...they are vivid and rich.

i spent the last two mornings working on these, before i leave for work...i get up very early so i can create, because that's about the only time during the week that i can. it's really hard to pull myself away from making art. the creative process doesn't like to be interrupted or on a schedule. i could seriously do this all day. since i started on this art journey less than a year ago, it is interesting to see where i go with all this. i have tried many new techniques and will continue to do so, i'm sure. there is so much i want to put down on canvas and paper my brain gets jumbled up...

tell me about your art....photography, scrapbooking, painting, whatever it is...tell me what gets your juices flowing....

monday, monday...

i took these photos on a walk during my lunch. this is the field behind the college campus where i work. we live in a small, rural foothill community. i am very blessed to work in this environment...this is where i go, every day! i have a 3-mile...yes, 3-mile commute to work. i keep all of this in perspective when i am feeling whiny about life...you know, the day to day work grind....all in all, i have it pretty darn good.

mothers day was wonderful. we met our kids and grandsons at a great cafe for brunch...had good family time, then went our separate ways. shelby and i went home...he watched golf, and i did art. i put a new canvas in my etsy shop, and started working on a background for collage. i am taking an e-course with julie pritchard...she is such an amazing artist, love her layering techniques. check this out. another e-course i am taking is one with carmen torbus. she does awesome mixed media art as well. go here to see her beautiful work.

blessings to you...

mothers day love

what a privilege it is to be a mother...a mom...a caregiver...a nurturer...whether you are called mom because you gave birth, adopted, by way of marriage, just taking under your wing...it is indeed a privilege, and one that i thank god for. every. day.

to all of you......have an absolutely beautiful day...

love...love...love

random stuff

today is cinco de mayo....we plan on patronizing our favorite mexican restaurant after work. it's possible margaritas could be consumed.

i love old buildings. especially when they are brick. this building had been painted at one time, and the peeling paint looks....well...old. and crackly! heavy metal doors. love it....we were in the little town of plymouth, meeting dear friends at a deli, for lunch. we had a glass of wine, ordered some great sandwiches...it was a good day, a very good day.

it's half-way to the weekend...and i have friday off! love a 3-day weekend.

friday i am planning on heading downtown to our little main street and hit some of the antique stores. i am looking for old books, ephemera....need to build up my supplies for my canvases. lots of art will be done.

* friday evening we are having dinner with friends...

* sat. is a brunch at my dad's clubhouse, where he lives...he and his cronies fix brunch for the ladies in their lives...my mom, aunt, cousin, myself and my daughter-in-law (lynn) will be there. the men prepare everything, set beautiful tables, serve mimosa's when we first arrive, it's so lovely....mind you, my dad is 82, and some of his friends are older! it is such a loving gesture, something that was started about 5 years ago...it is always the sat. of mothers day weekend...afterward i will take lynn and mom to a salon, we are getting pedi's and mani's... oooooohh lala....lovin' it!!

* sunday.....mothers day! sweet hubby and sons are making plans....i know nothing.

share your mother's day plans, i would love to hear what you are doing.....

being still

be still and know that i am god...
psalm 46:10
text on lower right says:
*connect with life
*the love of god surpasses knowledge
*go with him

*on it's way to my etsy shop after varnishing!

being still...god is teaching me to listen...really listen to him. and the best way to do that is in the stillness. hearing his gentle voice...listening to his creation. the breezes... bird songs...the quiet in the early morning as i drink my coffee...really being "present" in the moment. being present allowed the opportunity to photograph this butterfly. i was standing at the kitchen sink, just looking out in to the yard, watching the breeze through the trees, and this butterfly fluttered across my view...i watched it as it landed on the lilac bush. grabbed my camera and took 5 shots...then it flew away...so beautiful. this was the best picture...
i hope your day is so very lovely...