blessings

i am blessed!

blessings to each of you who have filled
my life with such joy this past year. i hold
i special place for all of you in my heart.
you have all inspired me as an artist,
crafter, mother and as a person. so i say
be happy enjoy the season, hug and
love those dear to you, remember those
who are suffering and pay it forward.

say hello those you pass on the street,
extend your hand when needed and
lets all smile more and pass it on.
i love the dave matthews video
where the guy goes out and hugs
anyone who will let him - priceless.

peace on earth and good will towards all.....

peace and grace
kelly

happy happy happy

happy.....hmmm - oh i AM happy

happy that christmas is almost here
happy that i have my shopping done
happy because i am caught up
i love that i have happy people surrounding me
my studio is a happy place
i am happy because my cuz is bringing me 2 cases
of yingling beer - can't get it in indiana
i love my happy christmas tree
my kids seem happy
El Conquestador makes me happy
and finally it makes me happy that
i have found a spare moment to post
again!

*is that not the happiest smile ever! too precious

happy thursday everyone

studio friday [tah-dah]

tah dah!...it's beginning
to look a lot like christmas

finally - i have finally finished
my decorating for the season.
a huge accomplishment that
was completed last nite

i found the tree i had been
envisionling, white paper
with festive colored ribbon
[that goes with my festive
colored house]...sweet!

my grandma tree that represents
the blue trees i loved when i
was a child. blue means christ
to me

my itty bitty tinsel tree with
drink umbrellas....i bought them
last year with the vision

and my red and green/crate
and barrel ball lites that match
my retro kitchen.

and miraciously i was able to put
away all the clutter as well.

happy friday

thankful

it's thursday and i am thankful...

i am thankful that it will soon be friday
i am thankful that my husband helped me wrap gifts
i am thankful that i get to swim with my aunt weekly
i am thankful for my warm, colorful house
i am thankful for a friend who makes me laugh till it hurts
i am thankful for healthy parents
i am thankful for clancy singing and gabe's humor
i am thankful for daily talks with tom
i am thankful for my dream about my iupui boys
i am thankful my love for the arts
i am oh so thankful to have a world outside of cville
oh....and for casey (El Conquestador) who keeps me on my toes
*(casey is demanding that i address him as El Conquistador...damn diva)

amen....

cheerios

cheerios...i love a bowl with honey. not sugar,
honey. honey, because my mom was and is
a granola girl. we couldn't use sugar, bad....
we had to use honey. i was the kids who's
mother wouldn't let her eat sweets, so i craved
them. just like i craved cigarettes. i could
sit down and eat dozens of sugar cubes.
yeah....not a good thing.

this morning a ate a bowl of cheerios with honey...yum!

studio friday [what was i thinking]

what was i thinking....
we took off to indy yesterday
knowing that there was a snow
storm coming - but we
went anyway. by the time
we got out of the mall at
5:45, there was about 6 inches
of snow on the ground.
what should have been
a one hour drive, turned
into almost 4 hours.

so in celebration of our
safe journey home, i threw
open my studio window and
scooped up a big bowl of
snow and built a mini snowman
for my studio [poor soul is melting
as i type] sorry frosty. i put him
in my new mug from starbucks -
isn't it cute!

ohhhh....happy friday [stay warm]

dear john

i sat on my living room floor,
a freshman in high school.
i remember them interrupting
the show we were watching
such shock and sadness
your vision truly affected my
life....you are missed.

studio friday [wild things]

more than anything the wild
thing in my studio is my alter-ego.
ohhhhh the things i would do - the
places i would go. but i have kids
to get on the bus, dinner to make
dust bunny's to sweep - ads to
build - invoices to send. ughhhhh

a key west christmas - sippin' my
red stripe, laying in the warm sun
listening to buffett....ahhhhhhh

bliss list

i know you may not want to see me on your way down from the clouds
would you hear me if i told you that my heart is with you now

she's only happy in the sun

did you find what you were after the pain and the laughter
brought you to your knees but if the sun sets you free you'll be free indeed

she's only happy in the sun

every time i heard you laughing it makes my cry like the story of life
is hello goodbye

she's only happy in the sun

-ben harper

happy happy bliss list.
whenever i visualize the word bliss is is always pink or fucshia.
i don't know why - it just is. michelle asked where everyones
bliss list...here is mine

:taking an afternoon to go to broadripple or mass ave.
:paddy fries from marvin's [i will dip anything in nacho cheese]
:piddling in my studio for hours [my grandma melba always used
the word piddle]
:my countless creative magazines and books
:art supplies
:20minute hot showers
:working in my pjs and sweats
:losing myself in the arts and crafts area at barnes and noble
:all my new equipment, laserprinter - rebel xt - ikea gear
:reading for hours [this rarely happens]
:crochet
:my crazy colorful warm happy house

amen.....happy tuesday!

happy happy happy

penelope
Originally uploaded by indigochickie.

it's about following your bliss,
losing it and finding it again.
~natalie chapman

happy

happy happy happy...
i had such a great night!
i finally got to go to an
art show in indy. and
i got to meet someone
i really admire...penelope!
i took my mom and dad, they
loved it! fountain square is
such a fun place. we went
to dinner and the whole time
all they talked about was going
back again. so it looks like
i have permanent dates for
the art scene....

sweet dreams

gratitude

it's thursday!

gabe taking the initiative to go jog on his own
in preparation for the jingle bell run [runners
club was cancelled due to weather]

clancy explaining to be that her grounding is over
eventhough i thought there was another week.
guess what...mommy was wrong. she held her
cool with me the whole time - she was grounded
because of her inabililty to speak to her mother
in an appropriate manner - she has figured it
out...at least today

the pretty white snow

my warm, colorful house

dinner with my mom, aunts and cousin

mac in the fishbowl

my baby bro waiting for me to post this....hi ya casey

my new piercing

....amen

reach

[without experience there is
little wisdom] -apocrypha
today i had to go beyond my comfort
zone. i am not a full of stuff kind
of girl. i am no nonsense girl. i
don't like putting on aires to get the
job. today i had sell myself. i am
up against 2 marketing firms...yes
little ole me. the designer girl. the
girl who loves to lose herself in
her studio. she could stay in here for
days - no communication with the
outside world. safely warm in her
environment. today she met/stumbled/
sold/educated. today she went beyond
her comfort zone.

i laughed as i drove to the coffee shop.
giggling to myself that i was putting myself
out there. it has been 8 months since i have
had a face to face business meeting. i didn't
have a lot of info to go on. so in kelly style-
i threw it all together and gave it a big stir.
on the drive home i reminded myself what i
should have said.....but it is done and tomorrow
it starts over...beyond my comfort zone.

right on!

How You Life Your Life

You tend to deprive yourself of things you crave, for your own good. You're laid back and chill, but sometimes you care too much about what others think. You tend to have one best friend you hang with, as opposed to many aquaintences. You tend to dream big, but you worry that your dreams aren't attainable.

How Do You Live Your Life?

give it a try....i found this on the lovely enid's

blog. dig her!

hope everyone is fat and sassy

after todays festivities...i know i am.

big day and an early morn tomorrow.
going shopping and leaving at
4:30am - need sleep by the way. the
above is right on.

happy friday everyone!

grateful

yesterday we had snow in indiana. i am not
a winter person, but it was very pretty.

last nite our basketball team had their opening nite.
bryce really wanted me to go, so i went along
[he is the high school athletic director] one of
our students walked in with a huge megaphone
and in years past, this may have been okay.
but the students today don't seem to have any
boundaries and he of course was taunting the
opposing teams cheerleaders - so bryce had
to go sit with the students and ask him to
put the megaphone down. as we left the game
the student of course was confrontational and
bryce told him again that the megaphone won't
be in his gym. that boy was not going to back
down! so my feathers ruffled i told him i couldn't
believe how he acted and he was very disrespectful.
and then he stared me down and made a face like
you do to you mother when you are small. at the
time it really angered me. sitting here typing, i am
giggling. our admin tend to be very laxed with our
kids. they can't be disciplined. and i know i sound
very old when i say this, but i know what the result
would have been had i pulled that as a teen. needless
to say - i don't like what my husband does for a living.
he works very long hours making sure that things run
smoothly and the kids/coaches/fans are safe and taken
care of. it pains me to see how poorly he is treated.
most of the kids know that when i am around, don't step
out of line, i will call you out. but this kid doesn't know
me and i know had i continued the words, he was along
for the ride. so i did what any supportive wife would
do - i sat silent on the way home till bryce mentioned it
to the other coaches and then - i let her rip. so with all
my venting done - i send many blessing to the young
lad and his family...i really do!

seems it is thursday again and thankgiving.

here is my list...

cheri' is home . good friends . our health
good food today . my in-laws . our home

happy thanksgiving everyone....blessings galore

oranges

oranges
Originally uploaded by indigochickie.

The artist is a receptacle for emotions that come from all over the place; from the sky, from the earth, from a scrap of paper, from a passing shape, from a spider’s web. ~pablo picasso

oranges

i finally was able to hang my
new penelope in my orange
dining room. i looks so good
in there. i love walking through
the family room and seeing it
hanging there. it makes me
happy - it makes me smile.

one more penelope to get.
i just need to call silver
in the city to see if it is
still there.

...happy tuesday, oh and thanks miz penelope

purge

purge -purj- vt. purged, purging -purus,
clean +agere, do- 1 to cleanse of impurities,etc.
2 to cleanse of sin 3 to rid -a nation, party, etc.
- of -individuals held to be disloyal- 4 to empty
-the bowels- -n. 1 a purging 2 that which
purges, eps., a cathartic - purg'er

5 black trash bags full of - well a bunch of trash!
not to mention 2 bags for goodwill. the 2.50 spent
on orange trash stickers is well worth the investment.

one whole weekend spent purging the house. my
throat is sore from the inhaling of all the dust
bunnys forming around every nook and cranny. but
damn the house is clean and tidy. and by ridding
my house of clutter - i feel alive - alive i say!

my family is famous for passing on crap. my parents
come to the door with grocery bags full of it - simply
stating, "we thought the kids might like this" - like
what? the 10 bags of old varsity football practice
gear that is 5x sizes too big. or perhaps the stale
triscuits begging for a slice of moldy cheese. or my
brother-in-laws 4" binders full of old glaxo welcome verbage,
all the glaxo bags full of convention freebies - hey frank.
Just throw the shit out, we don't want your
junk. - wow that felt good.

so one room left - the studio. 3 hours should be
enough to straighten up, put away and maybe
even sit a spell and crochet. amazing how
happy it made me just to move the dogs food
and snacks to a new nook in the kitchen.

a blessed sunday...

studio friday [sweetness]

sweetness...no one likes the sweet
more than me. but at the moment
i have no sweets hidden to munch
on later - however i have finally
purchased a SWEET laser printer.

Yippee! i think i am finally done with
my 2005 list o' big purchases. b is
so thankful. now i get to start on
a new list of 2006 sweetness.

tine and melanie have it right on
sweetness...yum!

check out all the sweets....here

for heather

for heather
Originally uploaded by indigochickie.

so...i have been attempting some self portraits with my new rebel. hilarious!
i was laughing while telling heather [bf] about how stupid i looked in them and that i was going to have to take 60 just to get a decent shot. so of course she begged me [commanded]to post the bad ones. there is no way in hell i would do that [dig the insecurities] so here you bossy butt - sorry when kelly holds the camera she gets to choose. you aren't the boss of me! -bottom left notice i am using the hands to pull back on the dreaded double chin...hee

grateful

thursday again....my blessings

-bryce
-new jobs coming in
-a day trip to alexandria to see my dear friends
-going through pictures and seeing the good
life i have had
-crochet
-diggin the kids report cards
-my blog sistas
-casey emailing me daily
-stephanie's giggles when in told her i was
piercing my nose
-mac daddy
-life

amen

studio friday {all things round}

oh my goodness. i have so many round objects!
even better they house color, color color....my
very favorite thing in life.

the blonde and the scholar

flora...isn't she pretty [emma overman]

here was the conversation in our
kitchen while bryce was changing
a lightbulb....

blonde...hand me that fixture and i will wash
it while you switch out the bulb.

scholar [on chair switching out a bulb]... wow
its pretty clean

blonde...yeah thats amazing, thought it would be
filthy

scholar...which bulb did i take out

blonde...shake them, the one that rattles is the
bad bulb.

scholar...i can't hear anything

blonde...hand me a bulb

blonde...hey dumb ass, this one is still hot - its
the bad bulb.

blonde graduated 73rd in her class
scholar graduated 12th
blondes iupui degree - very reasonable
scholars depauw degree - $23,000 per year
blondes common sense - priceless

grateful

it's thursday and thursday for
me means...wake up sista and
reflect on your blessings!
here they are -

cheri is coming home tomorrow for the weekend - yea!
i made it through this week - not as bad as i thought
my new digital rebel xt
my new $19 piece of wood that extends my art space
violettes email that made me cry....thanks for the shove
my holiday better homes & gardens mag -ohhh so many ideas
healthy children
my morning swim with auntie lynne

happy thurdsday!

need to create

so my best friend whimpered
and whined at lunch today informing
me that i needed to add something
to my blog. and since i needed to
create [and she is in control of the
whole damn world...hee], i got out
my color markers and went to town
in the old moleskine. too much fun.
i think i could doodle all the long day.

i also want to add that tom is a proud
new uncle of miss kasey....i am sure
he will have top notch photos on his
site soon. it is nice to see him so
happy about something, well other
than having lunch with me. i mean
really, i have such an endearing personality,
how could you not be happy when around
me. [quit laughing heather].

happy tuesday!

studio friday [secrets]

ohhhhh those dirty little secrets - this is what
i am keeping secret. and the secrets are two-fold...

1. my husband doesn't know about these purchases
(that's right tom, i have NOT told him about the
penelope yet)
2. i don't really want to share where i got them - i
like being the only one who knows about these
wonderful artists...

okay, i really do tell people about these great gals.
i send them to their websites, to the store on
mass. ave where you can buy a penelope. but
i love the fact that i have a great bunch of
sources where i can find something funky to
hang on my walls. i drool when someone says
where did you get that necklace [tine rocks]
or where did you get that artwork...oh that
came from california or an illustrator in indy.

i am just a simple girl...but oh it feels so good
sometimes to hear the uhs and ahs....thanks
girlys.

happy friday!

morning

morning
Originally uploaded by indigochickie.

{look closely. the beautiful
may be small.}
-emmanuel kant

i love love love the indiana fall
sky. i took this out my bathroom
window this morning. isn't she pretty?

have a beautiful thursday...

if only

{if you could only sense how important you
are to the lives of those you meet; how
important you can be to the people you
may never even dream of. there is
something of yourself that you leave at
every meeting with another person.}
-mister rogers

i am a peanut

i am schroeder....check it out and see
what peanut you are!

big news on the home front....the new baby
has arrived. i just need to charge her and
feed her with a cf card and i will be ready.
hope for no problems.

happy monday!

grateful thursday

"if you ask me what i came
into this world to do, i will
tell you;
i came to live out loud."
{emile zora

grateful....

the shining sun....2 new checks
to deposit...1 found check...my
cosmos still blooming...my new
black coat...miz bloom...new
ideas...my new two-hole punch...
talking to my nephew [mac] this
morning on the phone...finding
a new book to read [a million little
pieces]. the warm and toasty
down comforter...ahhhh and
all the birthday wishes near
and far....amen

forty-first big list

...in katroo every year, on the day you were born
they start the day right in the bright early morn
when the birthday honk-honker hike high up to mt. zorn
and lets loose a big blast on the big birthday horn.
and the voice of the horn calls out loud as it plays:
wake up! for today is your day of all days!
{happy birthday to you - dr. zeuss

today i turned 41, so i am following suit with a few others
who made a list of things to do before their next big day....

1. believe in myself 2.build a larger desktop in my art
area so that i can get a better flow 3. produce at least
3 small pieces a week. 4. teach my kids basic everyday
chores, so that they are more productive 5. take time to read
6. smile more.... 7. be nicer to my family 8. take a trip
9. finish my website 10. be more frugal 11. volunteer
12. invoice in a timely manner. 13. write smaller
14. get new clients 15. exercise 16. send notes to friends
17. run in another 5k 18. eat more sushi 19. learn to crochet
more than just scarves 20. lose 10 more lbs 21. keep it off
22. organize the garage 23. buy more clothes
24. buy 3 more bras and some undies 25. take art classes
26. attend gallery shows 27. make better meals 28. get a passport
29. plant lots of flowers 30. be happy 31. be less judgemental
32. keep my computer station clean 33. buy more art
34. stop procrastinating 35. pray more 36. visit my siblings more
37. have a list notebook - only one! 38. drink water
39. work on concepts 40. submit artwork
41. BE GRATEFUL

studio friday [invented tool]

as you can see i love to use
red stripe beer [don't worry
i am not a daily drinker]containers for
all my artistic needs. these
little six packs are not only handy
for toting ones cool beverage, but hold
my markers, colored pencils, mechanical
pencils, scissors, bone tool, pliers,
knifes....pretty much whatever will
fit.

yes and once again i am way behind
on this project. i can't wait for my
digital camera to arrive...happy!

dear miss rosa

when i get to be a composer
i'm gonna write me some new music about
daybreak in Alabama
and i'm gonna put the purtiest songs in it
rising out of the ground like a swamp mist
and falling out of heaven like soft dew.
i'm gonna put some tall trees in it
and the scent of pine needles
and the smell of red clay after rain
and long red necks
and poppy colored faces
and big brown arms
and field daisy eyes
of black and white black white black people
and i'm gonna put white hands
and black hands and brown and yellow hands
touching each other natural as dew
in that dawn of music when i get to be
a composer and write about
daybreak in alabama
{langston hughes - daybreak in alabama

Rosa Parks 1913-2005
"i am leaving this legacy to all of you...to bring peace
justice, equality, love and fulfillment of what our life
should be. without vision, the people will perish and
without courage and inspiration dreams will die - the
dream of freedom and peace." -r.p.

baby it's cold outside

goodness it is chilly.
yes i know, i know...it is only the end
of october.how am i going to handle
the next 4 months? i really struggle with
the cold. i tend to wear liteweight sweaters
in the summer. i am always wrapped up
in something.

my nailbeds are already showing signs of
winter aches. they have the burning
sensation today and show a tinge of blue.
i can't even imagine dealing with january temps.
i may have to invest in an electric blanket for
the studio.

i am going to have to go to sam's so i can buy
coffee and green tea in bulk!

happy

sabrina ward harrison
visit her newly decorated site...
happy . happy . happy

random things about me

i have been tagged my miz melanie of
navylane. just in case you can't read
the collage above, here they are.

1. i hide my shyness by being sassy
2. i am really not a blonde
3. i am claustrophobic
4. my eyes are very blue
5. i don't like driving over bridges
6. i want to be a roadie on a ben harper tour
7. i am a color freak
8. my dining room is orange
9. i love the word happy
10. my husband is 10 years younger than me
11. i laugh loud
12. my husband is a work-a-holic
13. red stripe is my favorite beer
14. i suck at math [pan down on page]
15. my middle name is colleen
16. i am a scorpio
17. i am always cold
18. i used this collage because i messed it up
19. i create
20. i am done

you're it...swirly, michelle ...oops she was already tagged, raquelle, tine

thankful thursday

wabash collage - crawfordsville indiana

i am sure there is a blog somewhere that
supports a thankful thursday, but today
it is me.

it is fall break at our house. we slept in till
8am, bryce ran for coffee and i made him
eggs. good farm eggs. you know the brown
eggs, the kind we gathered as kids. i made
the kids hot chocolate to go with the impressive
breakfast of cherry poptarts.

as the kids play x-box [yes, i know i am a bad mommy]
and bryce reads the paper, our house is very quiet.
i gaze out my studio window, and the ground is wet,
but the autumn colors are still vibrant under the
dampness.

i am thankful for...

a husband who loves me [even though i am moody]
healthy kids who don't struggle in school
a best friend who makes me laugh till my belly aches
my warm comfy studio
many designer friends who inspire and help me daily
my full time job that is at home
walks with my parents
losing 10 lbs in the last 3 weeks
my swirly collage that should be arriving any day
and my "bloom" soul birdie ordered yesterday

and my new circle of creative woman who remind
me constantly that i can do this....amen

small things

"great things are done by a
series of small things brought
together"
{vincent van gogh

thanks swirly...

studio friday [lost and found]

hmmmmm....i could have posted hundreds of
items on this topic. i mean really, i am always
losing something. terrible a.d.d.! but that
is one of the woes of being creative i think.

i found this train last month while cleaning
out a box in the garage. it must have been
in the box for over 7 years. my grandfather
was a woodworker and made this while
my mom was pregnant with me. [he was
for sure i was going to be a boy]. it is
so dear to me. yes i know, if it is so dear
to me than why did i forget it was in the box!

have a great weekend!

and it begins again

well holy shit...it begins again.
i swear my nickname does fit
[schleprock]. i am so like the
schleprocks on the flintstones.
i walk around with a damn rain
cloud over my head.

bryce and i went to his breakfast
meeting this morning, where i had
to endure athletics talk for more
than an hour, then we went on to
pick up my beloved saab. i hugged
and kissed her when they drove her
out. i know she wanted to get me home
safely. for cripes sakes, $2750.00 should
have been a guarantee that she could have
made it the 45 mile trip. well we made
it about 42 miles. right as i pulled off of
the 74/32 exit. i put her in first, then
second and third and low and behold.....
transmission out once again. so i try to
down shift, but no, i coast into the empty
eye soar to the right and wait for bryce
to pull up beside me. of course i had to
say nothing, the tears in my eyes let him
know that i was on the verge of a break down.

now i realize that life could be worse. at this
moment i could be a katrina survivor. i could
be a military widow. or cancer could be affecting
my life somehow. i always know i could have
it worse. but bryce and i have worked so hard
to downsize and live with a lot less. and still
we are constantly bobbing out in the middle
of life, chins barely above surface, waiting for
that next wave to hit.

sorry for such a blubbering post, but i am
whiped. i want a break. i have no motivation
to design at the moment. i need for things to
balance out, so that i can work on these jobs
that are piling up. i want to see the sun.
maybe by late afternoon we will get some
sun and get rid of this gloomy day

the saaba ends

[if anyone wants to keep creating,
they have to be about change.]
~miles davis

holy crap....the saab is finally
done with its stay in the shop.
after 3 weeks i finally get to
cruise with the sunroof open
to steve miller's band [jungle love].

i can wait to go pick her up!
i've missed her.

studio renovate

new studio photos are posted on flickr. take
a look. i still have alot of photos to hang and
it is a never ending battle to keep it tidy and
organized. but such is life!

studio friday [golden yellow]

well this is as golden yellow as i can get for this
week. i am quickly realizes how badly the
digital camera crisis is....i have got to purchase one!
this is gavin my neurotic yorkie. he drives me nuts
and is very camera shy. he literally hides his face
when i pull out my camera. what does this have to
do with my studio....he has a bed under my art table
and he sunbathes while i work! if i did have a digital
the photo would have featured my new golden
yellow and black tool box. i purchased it at
wal-mart for a whopping 4.95! i love that tool box.
i makes me organized!

studio friday

here are my most unusual items
in my studio. i bought the dish...
how funny, it has legs, at artist own.
it is an artist coop for women in lafayette.
i bought it even though i was broke. it
just makes me smile. it is one of my favorite
pieces in my house. the others are funky
bodies that my dad made in his studio. aren't
they crazy? he made them for me. we have
the same warped sense of humor.
i love them!

studio

new studio photos coming soon....
i swear!

float

i posted this last week, but
it seemed appropriate. so for
those of you who have already
seen this, i apologize....thanks
for looking!

see collage below

high life

high life
Originally uploaded by indigochickie.

mixed media collage

a bit busy, but i was just
trying out a few different
thoughts.