me on thursday

lush green green wall - how i love you

it's thursday my little cherubs and it is so nice out! can
i get an amen?! oh how i have waited for a blue blue sky.

so lets celebrate with a top 5 list....some really sweet stuff.

one.. be present art retreats. oh it's gonna be sweet! only
a couple of spots left! get in while you can!

two.. we all need our daily dose of abundance...right?! so
go check out what the most talented jess gonacha has been
up too. she is sweet enough to share pecannoot with each of us.
psst....she also has new necklaces in her shop!

three.. have you heard ingrid michaelson???? just found her on
pandora! this song is my song. far away....watch it now!

four.. polaroid girls on etsy. their imagery there is drool worthy
and i am in awe of darlene and kristen's talents. kristen has also
opened a shop, abishag, full of her gorgeous images. please go see her!

five..two weeks to finish up your submissions for the squam art show.
now get off your duffs and produce!!!!!

[ well i know i say 5, but i have one more. liz elayne is having a sale! and
she has some really sweet new pieces. so go check it out, go on...scoot!]

pure.

eat



drink



oh so merry.

------

weekend filled with so many giggles, good food, just enough
beers and one sweet waiter. right girls, you were drooling
too!

my life was blessed the day i strolled into hamilton 71, on
squam lake. two kindred souls who i love and adore. i will
see you on the lake soon.

5 days

tracey, kelly and sarah...the roomies
in 5 short days i get to see my girls

on this sunday....

...blessings to you and yours.

indigo-als

polaroid no.4

1. Paint for the month of april, keeping design jobs at a minimum
so that i can use this time for painting. [no more taking jobs that
suck just to say i made a little money this month.]

2. submit work for group shows, publications and summer festivals

3. commit time for photographing etsy shop items, once a week and
add more to the store
4. keep the studio cleaned up and organized....including my desk.

5. find new outlets for my work and pursue them

6. say no to jobs or other things that don't fall in line with my vision.
7. look for new ways to network and market myself
8. focus on no more self loathing and self- sabotage
9. contact regional gallerys, coops and stores about hanging my art.
10. rather than being afraid - begin contact others about process, ideas
and collaborations [check - one down and many to go.]

**learn to make mojitos...oh c'mon - summer is on her way,
and all work and no play makes kelly a very dull girl.
------------------------

i was inspired today by miss kalloch of athena dreams. she is
a source of inspiration. and she found her's - here

so - you got any goals?

goodness

goodness :: mixed media :: paint by numbers refurbished

i found this paint by number at a local antigue store and knew
i had to put my touch to it. An artist friend of mine has several
paint by numbers on her casa walls. everytime i have been there
i can't stop looking at them. she has refurbished each of them
with her own style and touch. i have been wanting to give it a whirl
ever since. so much fun.

if you would like to check out kendra, you can find her here. she
not only paints, but she makes the best purses and pockets ever.

peace.out.

where did i go

spt . march 09 . canon rebel

some days i feel like i am flittering
up above the world, looking down
seeing each of you busily working
away, while i just float. i feel like
the last 6 months i have struggled
to keep the creative flow moving
and have missed out on prime
opportunity. never quite knowing where to
begin, what to put my time into or where
my talents will fall.

too many days, my home life interupts
my studio life, each holds a deep spot
in my heart. i can feel the beaches calling
my name, the brushes yearn for more
action and the cherubs continue to grow
so fast before my eyes.

i have finally gotten the studio in a good
flow pattern. things are put away, odds
and ends have been sent to the trash,
old magazine have been pitched. does
anyone one else hoard magazines? do you
buy them because of the colors or artwork
on the cover? holy crap - i have a true
disorder.

i guess what i am trying to say is that
since squam, i don't quite know where i
went. i feel like i am finding myself again.
but it has taken a bit of time. it is confusing
because i came home so full of energy, ideas
and goals.

the gypsy in me yearns to find a new space,
but right now, it is not to be. so i will walk
to my fridge door each day and look at my
little photo of the airstream i dream of, the
one with the little prayer flags draped across
the awning, parked somewhere near the water
with two rickety chairs in front, an ice cold
beer nestled in the grass....listening to a little
marley.

peace.

5 things i am grateful for....

happy 53rd mr. nelson

each day, i remember why i am so blessed and for that i am

grateful.....

1. my most beloved friendships, many of which began over

20 years ago and we still get to celebrate birthdays. mr.

jeff nelson is one of those friends. he is one of the last great

card warriors. each year on all of our birthdays, we get a card

from jeff in the mail. he sends them to our group of friends and

our children. we love him for it.

2. my little tribe of chickadees, who continually push me, cheer

me on, and tell me to suck it up when i am whining. you know

who are and i love you for it.

3. my studio. it brings me lots of warmth and now that i have

it flowing.....i love it even more.

4. my kids who many days drive me crazy, but through that fog

they also have me laughing hysterically

5. my hands.....that glide across the canvas and page allowing

me to create.

what more could a girl ask for.

what are you grateful for?

peace out.

self portrait excavation....it's a retreat!

..the be present retreats..

"The Be Present Retreats were born from the belief that creating
is a meditation of the soul. Each retreat will be an invitation to
pause in your life and gather in a supportive environment filled
with like-minded individuals in a creative, playful, and meditative
atmosphere.The first retreat is this June and registration has already begun.

The June retreat is called Self-Portrait Excavation and is a retreat
centered around the journey that is the self-portrait. Gathering at
The Lodge at Gearhart's Little Beach on the Oregon coast
(about 10 minutes from Cannon Beach), we will immerse ourselves
in paint and mixed media, words, photography, and the beauty of
our surroundings under the guidance of Judy Wise , Jen Goff and

me" {me is the incredible and multi-talented who is alright in my

book - liz elayne.
-------------------------------------------

note....liz is one of the kindest chicks i know. i am very
attached to this girl and i know, she is working so hard to put together
a very creative gathering. so if you are looking for something to do
and you want to find something new, deep within - then do this!

and just to remind you - registration is now open and the deadline
to sign up is april 17th! you can go directly to this page for more
info

cmon.....double dog dare ya!

sneak peek

"bad fog of loneliness."

squamettes.....please please please - do this

for anyone out there, who attended

the fall 2008 squam session then all i can

say is -submit! [2009 attendees, will be

included next year!]

yes, yes - i know it is scary. true it

is. but if you don't - it is even worse,

because here is what will happen...

regret shall set in.

do you feel scared, inadequate?

do you have clammy palms just

thinking about, are you suddenly

biting your nails? just flick that

little man of doubt off your broad

shoulders and simply send in your

submissions.

this is what squam art workshops

are all about and this is the perfect

opportunity to have your work shown

in a gallery and not only a gallery - this

gallery is special. it is owned and operated

by our very own squammie....the lovely

miss schwake. you can check her out here

and here. not only that, but my dear

liz kalloch has had the vision to dream up

this show and share it with each of us. so

lets show her our thanks and send in our

artwork.

i am sure many of us feel like we aren't ready,

we aren't yet an artist, that maybe only a specific

group is submitting - oh contrar. we are all in

this together, so jump in with me....really the

water is fine!

speaking of water, the water on squam lake

is absolutely sparkling clear. i plan of taking

a dip this fall! so if you haven't heard of any

of this and you are looking for a special gift

to give to yourself.....skip this way. there

is literally something for everyone.

[if for some crazy reason, you can't talk yourself

into this, i am available for pep talks via email,

phone or facebook.]

gladys and peach

dream vespa on ebay

the other day we spotted a vespa and almost in unison, said we

wanted one with a side car so we could be the old eccentric chicks

of the ville and toodle around town together. then like the gods

dropped this from the sky, miss katie sent us this ebay link.

of course the economy sucks, we are each married to mr. practical,
but the girls can dream.

peace ya'll

little miss c

my little miss c is a sick girl.....mono!

in hindsight, i would say that it has been
lingering since around jan 7th when she
came home from her first day back and
had a terrible headache and fell asleep
at 3:30 and slept through the the nite.

in the last couple of weeks she has fallen asleep

after school and had headaches. by this monday
she had a swollen gland that is a huge mass on
the side of her neck. she also has a little
honey and i am hoping he doesnt get it! how
embarrassing. i don't like this teenage dating
stuff.

at 14, she is growing up. but going in to

check on her and seeing her laying in her
bed full of fever and pain, i just want to lay
with her - my arms around her to make her
feel better. but i know she is burning up and
doesn't want the added heat. so i fill her glass
up with ice and 7up and offer popsicles.

she is quite a peanut. now about 5'6" and a
perfect build, but i worry how much weight she
is losing. i don't want her to find the new loss
attractive and try to maintain that.

at the moment she is in a fitfull sleep. i need
to check on her, but don't want to wake her. the
drs. said to only wake her to have her eat. and
at the present, she has no desire to lift her head
off her pillow.

my kids are generally strong and healthy, and for that

i know i am blessed. but this poor thing is like her mama

and when she gets sick, her glands swell, her joints ache

and her body fights it with big fevers that come and go.

now go hug someone you love! and while i am thinking of
it after listening to our president yesterday, lets all find
something important in our little neck of the world to throw

our energy into and make a difference. maybe something
we aren't especially comfortable with, but needs to be done.

i am thinking about what i can do.

peace....

this land is your land....oh yes it is.

peace be to each each of us

in the windy.

weekend views from chicago.

dinner at ping pong
breakfast at the bongo room
trudging through the snow throughout wicker park
tapas for the first time
authentic mojitos...two!
new found friends and mike who i adore.

dip no. 6

collaboration with miss kiki.

if you would like to see more....skate over this way

*it's wednesday

commission..

diamond dust snow falling on our
middle indiana streets this am. it
was breathtaking seeing the twinkling
of the white against the dark sky, on
my early morning drive. if i am going
to have to deal with winter, this is what
i yearn for. pure snow, no mix of rain
or ice....perfect for a day of sledding.

happy wednesday to you.

dippy no.5

reflections on squam....dippy no. 5 with miss kiki

just two girls, in two different lands reflecting on
a grand old time with many other fine chicks and a

few roosters. if you would like to see some more

than follow me...

*may i be i

oh i am having fun today.

oh today is a DAY! here is what has gone on.

..photo session with myself

..emails from this chick and this one too
..a call from this sweet girlie
..naming a new painting
..hot tomato soup with a cheese toastwich

..feeling good about the new year

..new energy
..wearing true love + mati art

may i be i

pink

i carry your heart with me

i carry it in my heart

i am never without it
anywhere i go you go,my dear;
and whatever is done by only me is
your doing, my darling i fear no fate
for you are my fate, my sweet
i want no world for beautiful
you are my world, my true and it's
you are whatever a moon has always
meant and whatever a sun will always
sing is you here is the deepest secret
nobody knows

here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which
grows higher than the soul can hope or mind
can hide and this is the wonder that's keeping
the stars apart i carry your heart
i carry it in my heart

ee cummings