From Chaos Comes Happiness

I love when you first meet someone and in a short amount of time, they say something so touching that you feel it deep in your soul. I love that this new person in your life, who for all intent and purposes is a stranger, can open your eyes to something that you may have never noticed before. Something that you may have sometimes wondered about. And I love that this person can make you stop and say a silent prayer to the 'Big Man Upstairs" for all he has given you in life . . . and in love. I spent a couple days this past weekend at a lovely Scrapbook event at a nearby Double Tree Inn. My friend Kim, a Creative Memories Consultant, participates in it with a number of her consultant friends, and I have watched her talk about it on Facebook for years. When she posted about the March weekend coming up, it sounded like a good time for me to take advantage of it and attend. I have never done a long weekend of scrapbooking like that before. And while I did get a lot done, the w...

What!?!?! I haven't written since February 14th? Shame on me!! SHAME!! I have written about 100 times in my head . . . but my deepest apologies for not getting it here - to the blog! I have so much to share . . . stories and photos and little updates on life. So let's not waste any more time, shall we? Today, I'm starting with one that I've been meaning to write for weeks. I want to share a little story with you about a recent piece of art I was commissioned to make for someone, and a few photos of my journey along the way. It's a little story about love , really. Love & Art. And what a wonderful combination it can be. It started with an email and turned into one of the best experiences I had in making art for someone. Truly. The email came from Meghan, the dearest girl friend to my life-long friend Scott. Scott and I met some (eh-hem) 25 years ago, in high school. We were theater nerds together (yes, most of us in theater were nerds). Our love for th...

                                   I'm here! I'm here! I haven't gone far away, I promise.  I've been working on some commissioned art works this week . . . one particular piece that I can't wait to tell you about. Until then, I just wanted to wish you all the happiest of valentine's days! A day of love . . . Sigh. Love. It is a wonderful thing.  A few years ago, my in-laws went through a pretty big clean-up of their home and attic and decided to have a huge garage sale with all the things they no longer wanted. If you knew my in-laws, you would understand that a garage sale at their home would be full of the most exciting and interesting finds!! Their house is the funniest place ever - full of the coolest goodies, and I knew I would find lots of things at the sale that I would want to take home with me. Yes . . . I sure did. For it was there that these vintage framed valentines found my...

                                        I wanted the sun. I needed it, bad. So yesterday, in between carrying loads of groceries into the house, I stood on my front walkway and faced it. For a long long time. With eyes closed, I stood there letting those rays fill me up. I felt . . . healed . . . in a wierd sort of way.  I stood in the quiet of my little neighborhood, and listened to the faint sounds of cars running in the distance, gentle wind blowing, tree limbs swaying, and I swear (even in the 7 degree temperatures) I heard birds.  Then I would return to the groceries.  Another load. Then another break with me and my sun.  I wanted to reach up, and put it in my pocket. Take it with me so I could bring it out when I need it again.  I tried.  And, of course . . . You can't really do that.  So, I did the next best thing and took the above photo.  I...

         I'm feeling a bit off this past week or so. Scattered. Unfocused. Anxious. Uninspired. Worried. Unmotivated. Full of doubt. With all of those feelings, there comes a major lack of creativity. major.  This is so NOT in the plan.  I think it's the weather. The cold. The piles and piles of snow. I am blessed that I don't have to go out of the house to a job each and everyday to fight through the temperatures and the mounds of white stuff all over. But with that comes a bit of that "stuck at home" feeling, and somedays I hate it.  I have these pieces of paper all over, sketchbooks and doodles, inspiring thoughts and quotes that someday should be on a canvas . . . I look at them scattered on my table and try to muster up the courage to put them into some art . . . but just can't.  I'm not there.  And it's frustrating.  Call it a creative block. Call it winter blues. Whatever you call it . . . just send some happy thoughts my way...

         " Treat others as you would like to be treated ." I tell this to my kids . . . . over and over, like a broken record. I am sure they are tired of listening to it. But I will never tire saying those words.  I think they are one of the most important lessons I can teach them.  " Do unto others "  It's pretty powerful stuff, you know? And words that I truly believe can change the world.  Last week, while on Facebook - half reading and just skimming through posts of silly weather updates and inspiring art friends pictures - I learned that a neighbor friend of mine was in the hospital. Nothing too serious, but enough of an annoyance to take this mom of three kids from her home and admit her for a few days to try and heal her. After reading comments on her post and learning a little bit more of what was happening, " Dinner " immediately popped into my head. " I'll make them dinner, " I thought. " As soon as she is home, I'll m...

My girls love to play those sort of "Q&A" games, where we ask each other questions and wait patiently for our answer.  "What's your favorite Ice Cream? What do you want to be when you grow up? What's the one favorite 'thing' of yours you would grab if we had a fire in the house? What makes you really really happy?   Which One Direction guy is your favorite? " sort of questions. I love when we play those games, too. It is a great way to really  learn about my girls. I like to think I know everything about them . . . but when we start playing our Q&A game, I realize just how much I don't know. It makes me happy to learn their likes and dislikes, their thoughts and ideas.   I like when the questions really get me thinking for my own answers. Things I don't often stop long enough to think about have to be answered when there are little ears waiting for a reply. For example . . . our favorite possessions. I know that Katie...