..a new roof..

...with the wicked help of a girl named anne and a little bird

in a north west nest. we have a new roof. please stop by
anytime. we promise to have colorful parties - often...
*peace
{ please click above and hop over to the new site. would love to see you there!}

..happy mail..

sprout bobs.

i have looked looked at sprouts bobbie pins for years. literally -
i am sure it has been over 4 years. i have never purchased any
because i have such baby fine hair i was worried that these bobs
would just slide out of my hair. they dont. i love them.

so imagine my happy surprise today when i found two bags in
the post. the biggest one was new packaging supplies from pretty
tape. as i opened the parcel, i giggled. the supplies were wrapped
up in what looked like a package of braunschweiger. i opened it
up to the cutest string and brite japanese masking tape. i can't
wait to use all this stuff! it is so happy and fun.

then i noticed that the other package was from a friend far away.
just appeared in that red post box. of course i was so excited to
see what was in there. when i opened it...out flowed fun paper
confetti and a postcard of the sea. and the cherry on top - sprout
bobs! yep. my very own pair. how on earth did she even know.

the fact that i got a gift today on the surface may seem like i am
only happy for the bob's. but the beauty of getting mail, not email,
not facebook messages - while those are always fun and nice. real
mail is a sign that someone is truly thinking of you. they spent time
to write a note, fill it with love and send it on to each of us.

i have been thinking about this a lot lately. i never send out christmas
cards anymore. i always plan on doing a fun new years card. that never
seems to evolve. so a few weeks ago i made the decision that i would,
each week send 3-4 cards and note to friends. so far i am sticking to it.
and i don't say that to spout off about what i am doing. i am simply
putting it out there, that i am working on something that is important
to me. to send a message to someone who needs a lift, or deserves a
thanks or maybe i just miss a bit and i was thinking about them.

so here is my whole point...yes yes, it takes me a tad bit i know.
snail mail deserves some promps. if you know of someone who
needs a little light send them some. we are living in a crazy busy
stressful world. and i know for a fact that opening the post and pulling
out a little unexpected bit of happy - really makes a day.

go on...i double dog dare ya.

***and thanks for the sprouts. i love them

..sunday soup..

ellie measuring cups.

today's sunday soup is brought to you by - some
happy musing. ones that i love and want to give
a little shout out to.

the curious girl.....i met lisa at squam. the first
year i watched her walking around and i was so
drawn to her. i really didn't get to know her until
this past year at squam by the sea. i adore her.
she makes sense and i like that. she also makes
a mean margarita. i mean, the only thing i remember
is lots of giggling, i mean a lot. please go say hello.
she's pretty cute.

catina jane.....she paints the most colorful paintings,
makes fun little necklaces. her little sailboats makes
me smile. her message is strong, as is her faith. you
gotta love a girl on a mission. i love stopping over
at her blog and today she shows up, tells her truth,
she is true and brave. she makes me smile

kolleen my heart-wingsister
we met at the unearth retreat. i drove up at her
cottage to pick them up and take them all back
to the main house. she said something very funny
and sassy and i knew we would be friends. she has
a way of making you feel at home. and her
i'm better for it series, pushes you to listen
and know that each of us have a story that matters.
she is also an artist who creates fun and sassy chicks.
she is my midwest connect, my sister.

sara of sarab jewelry. her metalsmithing is amazing.
her silver creations make me drool. i had seen her
work several years ago at the broadripple art fair.
the she magically appeared at my booth this year
at the earth house show. she is adorable and being
able to reconnect and share some stuff was the
very best medicine of the day. she is a hometown
girl, go say hello and check out her wares.

tricia....i have much to say about tricia. but will
keep much of it close to my heart. another unearth
sister. she is quite at first as is her sister judy. they
come as a pair and you can't help but get a kick out
of this dynamic duo. tricia makes handmade journals
they are full of paper and good stuff. i can't wait
to get mine in the post, but i have to send her my
old dr. seuss book that she is going to turn to magic
first. yes, i am kinda slow. but my scarf sisters know
this and are so sweet embracing my nutty self.

jennifer....i don't even know where to start with this
chickadee. she is my poet pal. she is kind, sweet
and wants for nothing but a loving world full of
good stuff. i mean really don't we all. i go to her
spot to find balance, to breath deep and to smile.
she sends me little texts to let me know she is
thinking of me and they always seem to arrive
at the perfect moment. or rather when i am having
an imperfect moment and they make me smile.
she is such a nugget, and if it is raining you might
just see her out in the middle of the street with
her rainboots on, giggling.

check back next sunday for some more soup.

....my cup spills over.

your story....join it here.

your morning view

your comfort and community

your story....

...know all those kartwheels i keep talking about. well i have done
so many - celebrating this little nugget - that i am dizzy. how do
i feel aboutbeing a mentor at this june's "Your Story" retreat,
you ask?

excited . happy . blessed .

now for the big stuff....

your story

june 15-19

gearhart, oregon

registration begins - wednesday january, 19th.

for all the low down on the location, info and mentors. hop on over
to the be present page and check it all out. oh how i would love
seeing you there.

*peace

artfoolishness no. 1

Danielle Donaldson and I, are up to it again. oh yes we are
let me explain...we met two years ago at Liz Lamoreux's
Unearth retreat. she mouthed off to me as i was coring what
seemed to be my 100th apple, sweating madly and a mad crap
in my left arm. that was nite one, but the third nite she had
me pinned up against the industrial fridge talking kids, graphic
design and holy moses - i think we may be long lost sisters.
danielle is one of those girls who the walk of her life pretty
much runs parallel to mine. so to follow suit with her description
of our friendship...she is the left to my right (brain), the lug to
my tire, the phthalo to my magenta, the salsa to my chip...i kick
her ass and she smacks me around a bit.

our first challange was a bunch of bitty mermaids last year
and dang that was fun. so in this hectic thing we call life, we
decided we need more creative fire in our life - so we are doing
another one. and with that the next challenge was born...one
quote, a color, and object and a little musical inspiration.

quote: "i have been sustained throughout my life by three saving
graces - my family, my friends, and a faith in the power of
resilience and hope" ~elizabeth edwards

color: pink and include a heart(s)

pandora playlist: gillian welch radio

ready . set . go

what do you get when two creative, silly chicks paint on two
different lands - nothing but pure unadulterated fun! our own
styles shine and we fall in love with the others work. yep - i
say it is - what stephen covey calls - a win win.

and now a word from our sponsors...thats ME! danielle pushes
me hard and i love that. she cheers me from the side line and
i love having her over there with her pom-poms and spirt hands,
but she is one of my favorite artists and creatives. she runs a
land called wishbliss studios. there you will find her digital
scrapbook creations. they are fun, colorful sassy and full of kart
wheels. check them out!

psst....the story of orphan girl, will be told soon. i have to say.
she speaks deeply. her story up next and then she will find a
spot in my shop.

peace.

..workings of an orphan girl..

background prepped, sprayed and sketched


the faceless girl filled


shades . text . tattoo


a little ponder session


workings of an orphan girl..

trying to finish up several paintings. can't wait to finish
her up. this piece is another mini collaboration with my
girl danielle. she inspires me, pushes me and torments
me. but i kinda dig that.

what else am i working on you ask? well i have a new little series
of my girls. itty bittys with a new little twist. hoping to have those
ready for the shop soon.

off to finish her up.

peace.

..preps..

a blue betty.

what am i up to you ask???? oh lots
over here in middle earth. right now, today i am
working on a few display and packing items. there
never really seems to be enough time in any day for
me. so today, when i got home from my p.t. early
morn - oh how i hate to get up that early - job, i swore
i would fight off any signs of a nap and just get some
stuff done in the studio. as many of you know
kelly + focus = good luck. but today i am bound
and determined to get some quality work done
in an high quantity volume. whew. so far so good.

i have ordered new packaging items for my baubles
and prints, repainting a dress form for display and
photography needs and will soon be printing some new
fun labels for packaging and mailing. later i will hopefully
make a dent in a website i need to finish up.

there is so much that i need to work on in january.
things i want to accomplish

1. submit to several arts and craft mags
2. finish up my website, with the help of the little bird
behind the curtain
3. re-photograph most of my baubles [this week]
4. finish up 5-6 paintings
5. continue to renovate the studio.
6. finish sketches for a special order original [this week]
7. work on some class descriptions and bio works
8. taxes [next two weeks]

yikes....no naps here! so if you see that i am slowing, please
send me a nudge. i might just be resting my eyes.

************
on a side note, i want to send out a big thanks to each of you who have
been stopping by recently. comments or no comments, i feel the support
and kindness everyday and lately, it has been such a nice reminder of why
i do what i do.
**************
there will be a special giveaway coming up soon and some shop fun. so
please stay tuned! you know that the month of red is coming soon!

peace.

monday smiles

12.30.10 - me and bryce.

a little about the boy...

he runs marathons, works ridiculously long hours, asks for

very little in return, loves athletics, has legs of steel, loves

to dance to vanilla ice, asks me everyday how my day was,

has the tiniest butt, looks good in blue, rides a fierce roadbike,

looks up at me in the gym with a smile, is a papa to my three

kids and you would think they were his. rode ragbrai this summer,

is qualified for boston, does a wicked job of keeping us out

of debt, cooks and cleans - but sucks up the handyman stuff,

hates to go to movies - but loves summer concerts. rarely is

in a bad mood, yet deals with my mood everyday. lucky me.

we met when i was 32 and he was 22...he lied about his

age. somehow 13 years later we are still laughing at each

other while getting on each others nerves.

i kinda dig him.

..true..

i choose true. (a jenlee tee, moodswing and bellawish pendants)

early september it came to me. as each month passed and i
gathered with girlies on two coast, the words shared with me
continued to remind me that this was what i would hang on to.
a little token for myself.

of course, there will be days darkened by hurt feelings, stress
and feelings of not enough. but this is why i feel so strongly
about this word that plopped into my little lap in the fall.

i couldnt deal with a word last year, my head spun with too much
"stuff". so on that day when true radiated thru my crazy nutty
head. i grabbed it and ran.

..true... i believe its a pretty good one.

good stuff

kellybarton.com coming your way soon.

another bit of goodness going on over here. hopefully
in the next couple of weeks, i - meaning the mad web
programmer behind the curtain - will have the up and
ready. i am doing kartwheels over all the fun things going
on. retreats, new girls, baubles and now my website.

thinking that january is gonna be a good month...a bit
busy, but good none the less. time for me to put the
boots on and get started.

thank you to each of you who have stopped by and
said hello, sent me notes of cheer and held my hand.

my cup continues to spill. kinda dig that.

peace.

good stuff

she wanders...coming to a canvas near you.

there are moments that pop into your day so quickly, without
any notice - that it is hard not to pick you jaw off the floor. today

you did that. you told me to allow you to get your words out with

out interruption. "aw shit" i am thinking as you begin. and then you

say it. you give me the gift that is so poignant and so free that i

just sit and listen. do you know how hard that is to do? to sit there

and own what is being given to you? i have found myself doing this
more. sealing my little red lips so that i can embrace what is being
sent my way.

to you who gave me this today . you who is rarely looked at as giving

out anything good . you who most look upon as not so nice. today, you
had my back. you looked out for me . you felt bad for what had been
directed my way. so i say, thank you for giving me that power, those
words. and most of all for showing me, that you are human, just like

the rest of us and through the crusty layers, you have a soft spot too.

about the girl

instagram 1.6.11

about the girl....how about a few things you may not know. cmon,
you know you wanna know.

.. my husband is 10 years younger than me. thats right, move over
demi moore. i was a cougar before cougar was cool.

.. i walk around in a blanket almost daily. i am cold everyday, yet
i live in middle indiana - where the sun seems to never shine through
the winter. many mornings you will find me out getting the mail, blankie
wrapped tightly and a bad case of bed head.

.. i have several major goals in my personal life, relocate to a warmer
land, buy a vintage camper and ford falcon and camp on the weekends.
bryce is not going along with this one. gee i will miss him.

.. i am an accomplished snacker. i can snack with the best up them. ready
for a throwdown? line me up some swedish fish and a beer, start the chant

.. i love fiercely, but if you hurt me - then i am hurt and tend to carry
that around for too long. but i am really working on this one, don't
worry the voodoo doll pins aren't for you.

..i use the word dang along with religious icons such as
the big guy, jesus or moses. and apparently i type just like i talk.
DANG you poor poor peeps are expected to follow all of it.

.. i have sat before the dalai lama, three times and i am blessed because
of this. he likes a good belly laugh like me. nothing like a silly man with smarts

.. i am sometimes referred to as a "pez" girl. i tend to throw my head back with
my mouth wide open when i laugh. i tend hit my head on walls. doors and chairs
doing so. holy moses...there is nothing like a good belly laugh. ***i have a partner
in crime, in all of this. i swear she laughs louder than me. you will find us many
days at little mexico causing a ruckus.

.. i love color - more the better. my dining room is pantone 021. my mom says
my house doesn't "flow"....sorry karen - it flows the kelly way.

.. i would be quite content traveling around our nation, setting up stakes
every couple of months, working in diners and just chatting with the locals.
if i ended up on a beach somewhere warm - i would buy a beach cottage
and live out the rest of my life.

.. if it is attached to a bobby pin, i will wear it in my hair. you know like
frida. yes, i love frida. i love the girls story as sad and dark as it is and i also
love that people crinkle their nose when i tell them that.

....i have recently discovered that my crazy blooms and faceless
girls are my style and i am just fine with that. i mean how many times does
someone have to tell you that it is true before you yell HELL YEAH and run with it.

yep....just a little about the girl.

born again...

instacolor.

holiday hangover is still lingering, but in my haze i have been
checking out some really fun stuff that can send you on the
merry way of creativity. sometimes we just need to be born
again, at least as an artist. here are some ways to make that
happen

check em out.

.........
color your world. hop on over and check out bonnies colorful course
.........

.........
the vivacious viviennes....she will show you the world.
.........

.........
the beautiful juliette crane has a "how to paint an owl" workshop
heading your way. stay tuned
..........

..........
mccabe - the dancing mermaid has a video course too. i took
her journal class as squam by the sea. she rocks.
..........

..so aren't you ready for some new year fun? go check them out!

*peace