From Chaos Comes Happiness

  I love making wishes.   And I love the magic of the moment right when you make one.   As if the wish fairies are flying around high above you, with their fairy nets in their hands, just ready to catch your wish.   You know that moment . . .  when the candles are lit, and the lights are turned off, and the sound of people singing to you is faint in your head, because you are thinking about . . .   y o u r   * w * i * s * h *    and then, when the singing stops . . .  you take that deep breath in and with all your might . . .   . . . blow as hard as you can, so your wish will come true.   *  *  *  *  *  *    I still believe in wishes. Even when I know some of them can't really come true.   Because yesterday,  my wish would have been to stop time . . .   right here...

Ella turns 6 today! My Ella. That little bundle of joy, energy, and happiness. 6. I can't believe my baby  is now six years old. I can close my eyes and imagine holding her in my arms, as a young babe, and rocking her to sleep. I could have looked into her eyes for hours back then. And I still could, right now. She is a singer, a dancer, a comedian, a writer, an artist, a nurse, a computer programer, a mini-chef, a swimmer, a jumper, a doodler, a twirler, an entertainer extraordinare, a Wii playing, DS loving problem solver, an actress, a snuggler, a fruit and veggie fan, puppy loving, great reader and life loving little girl. And I truly thank God each and every day for sending her to me. Sisters Katie and Ella . . . on January 29, 2007. Happy Birthday Ella! I can't wait to see where life takes you!

Oh, cleaning out your art studio is so good for the soul . . . and I have been inspired with lots of creative ideas since organizing my supplies. I also have made a secret pact with myself this year, as best as I can, to ONLY shop for supplies in my own studio. I have rediscovered some AWESOME embellishments, kits, and all kinds of goodies long forgotten, and I intend to use as much of my 'stuff' as I possible can! I also decided that I want to make as many gifts as possible this year. With all the birthdays, anniversaries, and wonderful celebrations that take place in the year . . . why not start MAKING gifts for people? I know it's easy to stop and pick up a gift card some place, but gift cards (not only) seem a little impersonal, they also cost lots of $$. We are a one income house (something I need to remember), so it's time I start putting my talents to use. Gift Giving use, that is! So . . . no time like the present! Some time last yea...

Once upon a time there was a little girl . . . who had a dream. It wasn't to be a princess. It wasn't to be rich. It wasn't even to be beautiful. But it was a dream . . . her dream . . . none the less. She was a raised in a house full of realists, not dreamers, and she quickly realized how hard it was to be a dreamer in a non-dreamer world. As the years went on, her dream fell further and further down the dream ladder as more  realistic  dreams suddenly made way to the top. Those realistic dreams came true . . . every last one of them. And the girl was happy. Very happy. Then one day, someone reminded her of the little dream she had, so many years ago. And they told her . . . she could do it. And they believed. That's all it took. Was for one person, to believe. And while it may not be a big deal to the realists in her life, the dreamer . . . was flying high. Flourish, my friends. Flourish. And flourish, we shall! Are you a dreamer? Or a rea...

Oh, my friends . . . I love creating something new. And now that I have finally finished organizing my studio space in our home, I was eager to get in there and get my hands on a new project. This one . . . is AWESOME (if I do say so myself), and I can't wait to share it with you. Have I told you how much I love Instagram? If you are a Facebook friend of mine, you already have a pretty good idea how much I love it based on the photos I share. If you aren't familiar with it,  Instagram  "is an online photo-sharing and social networking service that enables its users to take a picture, apply a digital filter to it, and share it on a variety of social networking services, including its own and other leading sites such as Facebook or Twitter." (source: Wikipedia) Aside from all of that (and please know I am not affiliated with Instagram) I absolutely love how the program conforms your photo to a square shape, and offers a variety of different camera filters a...

Do you know that here they come! scene in "It's a Wonderful Life"? Right after George and Mary are married, the camera shot is a close up of Cousin Tilly as she shouts, "Here they come! Here they come!", and the new Mr. & Mrs. George Bailey head down the stairs in complete and total joy over their recent union. Oh, there is excitement and joy in the air, and life is oh-so-good at that very moment! I feel like Cousin Tilly, except I am at the top of the stairs leading to our basement . . . announcing that I have completed the moving of furniture and organizing of a room that has become . . . well, quite frankly, a mess. Here They Come!!! friends, Here They Come!! The photos from of my studio space . . . . ah, I'm so glad to be on this side of the project. Finally. The challenge? To take our basement and somehow, someway, turn it into a place that was not only my art studio, but a space where Phil Guy (my dearest husband) could close the ...

Garbage Day. My favorite day of the week. I love it. Seriously. I want to get a t-shirt that reads "I 'heart'  Garbage Day!", but I'm afraid people will think I'm one of those hoarders who drives through the town picking up items left curbside, as they wait for the big green truck to take them away. Not that there is anything wrong with that . . . (OK, there is something SERIOUSLY wrong with that). I promise I am not one of those types. But, I am loving Garbage Day for a whole new reason this year . You see, I am de-cluttering. I'm giving it up. I'm letting go. I'm throwing it away. Nothing of value, I promise. I'm talking about all the mounds of other things that have fogged up my brain (and home) for the past 10 years. The scrap pieces of scrapbook paper that I kept because "you never know when your going to need a 2" x 2" piece of red polka dot paper" , and the thousands of little notebooks that the girls scrib...

The other day, I found myself waiting at a red light behind a "soccer mom". I knew she was a soccer mom, because I saw the soccer team window decal on the back of the large SUV she was driving. It was next to the gymnastics window decal, across from the dance company decal, and above the family decal with the Dad, Mom, three kids, two dogs and one cat. In her drivers side rear view mirror, I could see the reflection of her face . . . the mom . With her head leaning on the window, I watched as she closed her eyes. They stayed closed . . . for a few minutes (a train happened to come by at this particular intersection, so our red light became a little bit longer than usual.) Within seconds, a peaceful look came over her face. "I know what you mean . . . ," I wanted to tell her, "I've been there before. In fact, I'm there now." It's funny, isn't it? How so many of us wait for those quiet moments . . . at a red light . ...

I'm having such a hard time writing these days.       Years ago, the words would flow so much easier for me. But now a days, not so much.                  When I think about how often I used to blog, versus how little I do it now, it makes me sad.                      And I can't understand it. I imagine, if I were a writer, that this is what writers block is like. (Is it possible that I can write a blog post about my writers block?) I have had my blog since July of 2009. In the beginning, the posts flew with such ease from my mind to my fingers tips as I clucked away at the keyboard. It was heaven. 116 posts written in those first 6 months. 260 posts in 2010. I slowed down to 186 in 2011. And 2012? A sad and lonely 110 posts. Sniffle. I think the lack of tim...

    The last day of Winter break.   An early morning.   Four eggs, over easy, and two pieces of wheat toast. And, of course, our Flintstone vitamins.   Two fresh haircuts, and two sisters laughing and playing and getting along. Life is Good   . . . and . . .   I don't want this moment to end.   Ever.    Happy Sunday to you, my friends.   Peace. 

It's funny, when that Universe comes knocking, isn't it? Funny that I think I can sneak something past it, but that ol'universe has a way of reminding me of my intentions. Yep, it was a bit of a bang for me today. Here we are, my friends, day number 4 of the New Year. It's time to take roll call and see how we are all faring with our " Word(s) of the Year ". Have you welcomed yours with open arms and are you living it during each and every part of your day? Or, is it like that crowded junk drawer in your home . . . that one that you know  needs some attention but you are avoiding it at all cost? I have to honestly say that in some ways, I've flourished this week. Yet in other ways, there is a complete and total deficit in the flourish department. On the  home front . . . I flourished. BIG time. From family dinners being planned in advance and ready on the table at the dinner hour, to keeping up with the laundry and dish...

My friends . . . Happy Happy New Year! We made it! And oh, how happy I am that we did! Here we are, the very first day of 2013 . . . and I am feeling wonderful. I was so happy to close the book on 2012 - a year that, while full of so many daily blessings, brought a great deal of challenges, growth and sadness in the world. Personally, 2012 was one full of lots of ups, and lots of down, and a great challenge along the way. Expressing my inner voice, nurturing a relationship in the midst of a heavy travel schedule, raising children who are trying to spread their wings, juggling jobs, worrying about finances, and then throwing a whole bunch of family into the mix . . . I often found myself stopping and taking deep breaths through out year, and then picking myself up (with courage) and moving forward. And here I stand, on the other side, and gladly say, "Good Riddance 2012! I'm glad you were here, because I grew so much. But . . . ADIO...