somethings on monday

life is spinning past - quickly!

i never get around to taking pictures anymore.
and quite honestly, this gray indiana weather
isn't especially inspiring. the new digs are coming
together slowly, as well as fresh jobs. however,
the one thing i love the most has been pushed to
the back....painting. i have to find some time and
schedule that in. but i need to be inspired, i make
excuses and i feel guilty if i take time to paint rather
than put another load of laundry in, have lunch with
a friend or check emails. life.....it can bite you in
the butt.

i have a big bite out of mine. and it hurts!

yesterday....i was surprised again by kim's uplifting
phone call. out of no where - she called. made my
whole nite. she filled me in on artfest and all the
lovely chickadees. one day my friend! i dig you new
banner by the way!

soon i will be the proud momma of a college grad.
it is so hard to believe i am there in life. but in a
good way. she has been a dream of girl. so confident,
and strong. i don't know where the hell she got that.
but i am glad she found it. working on a summer class
reunion too. can't even get the number out of my mouth
without wanting to throw up, but at the same time it
makes me laugh. a group of us sat at the country club
last week and laughed until our cheeks hurt. stories i had
never heard and watching old friends glisten when talking
about old friends, kids and spouses. some days i hate
living here, but on days like that - i am so glad that i do.

i can't believe it has been a month since my last post. like
i said life took a giant nibble out of the tush. so withthat
here a a few goodies that have made me smile......

. penelope and these images - i laughed outloud when i saw these.
. this new artistic soul - drooling
. soul sounds of donovan frankenreiter
. the fun i had creating this banner for
sparkletopia
. the peace i find in my little studio
. the new community of friends that
we have found.

to each of you, may peace gently knock on your
door this week.

movin' on up.

i want! don't you...

studio soon to have new address, third floor, suite one.
gabe and i moved most of my art tables, easel and other
goodies up to the attic. computer station will be the last
to go. once that is up in place - bedroom moves down
a floor. i have the perfect ikea curtains, just screaming
to be put up in the new bedroom.

i have a list of new supplies that will go quite nicely
with all the new space.

and while i am giddy....i just have to say that miss liz, is
such a sweet soul. thanks a bunch for the chat. your
voice is just like i thought it would be. i can't wait to

crochet some rows together. i will bring the bug repellent!

peace out.

pink. happy. good.

summer o7....soon to be summer 08

it is friday and here is my happy, good and giddy pink list.

1. my bitchin' new necklace from miss jane

2. the envy issue of underwired magazine

3. squam packet is mailed and the surprise phone call from
miss elizabeth

4. possibly moving the studio to higher ground and more

square footage. we have an attic bedroom that is huge.
the studio may trade spaces with the bedroom. why do we
need such a big room, the space isn't used. but you can
believe the studio would use it! ah....freedom.

5. a relaxing facial and baby butt soft skin.

what is your happygood wrapped in pink?

my so called mind

old grill, old picture

i would like to say that i am okay.
i want to live the life i am meant to live.
dont we all. today i feel like someone has beat
the crap out of my mind. bryce and i have been
attending a new church. we both feel so at home
there. we go to class each sunday for the new
comers. it is nice to attend the class with him.
but today, just as each sunday, i come home feeling
refreshed and quickly one thing throws my mood to the
wind. and i asked him how he can let so many big things
go, but why can't i. he looked at me and said, " you have
too much conflict in your head. and he is right. when
he said "conflict" it was like i melted. the hair on my
arms stood up. he is right.

some days i think i am living in the wrong era. our world
is so out of control, there are few boundaries, kids are
adults, parents are friends. i continue to allow others
words to bed under my skin like a grain of sand that just
bores deeper and deeper. how do i let this all go. how
do i tell someone that they are out of line with out
coming off judgemental or hateful.

conflict.

i have a new dvd, pema chodron. this week i will try
to listen to it each day. i will work on letting of my
anger go, let words roll off as quickly as they hit me,
i will spend more time with my kids, listening to them
and not worrying about how other parents are doing it.
i will try not to hold b accountable for things that he
wont put an end to. i will handle it myself. [this is a
really hard one. this is very personal and has had
a ill affect on me. after over a year, i have learned
that he isn't going to help on this and i have to let
it go] i can do this!

conflict.

i will find a way to be happy where i am at and stop
focusing on when i can leave here. i may never get
to go to another environment, so i have to find a way
to be happy here, at least for now.

conflict.

i will continue to exercise and watch what i put into
my body. i will be mindful of my food and nourishment.
i will take time to reflect. i will work on not allowing/
others negative energy to affect my everyday, my
people, your people.

conflict.

i will remind myself everyday, that i am worthy,
i can do this, i am blessed. [stewart b. smalley]

conflict.

conflict + kelly = her so called mind.

....and now from my sponsors, five really good
things that i am going to focus on this week.

new books on encaustic and screen printing
unwired cover
happy comments left.
maybe squam
a husband who always talks me off the ledge.

peace.

the envy issue

the envy issue - greener pastures.

greener pastures was picked to grace the cover
of underwired magazine. a big shout of a thank
you goes out to laura, who made this so easy.

to be honest when she called to ask if i was interested
it too approximately 5 painful seconds to pull my
chubby chin off my floor. she sweetly offered to send
me an email with all the info. can you tell this hasn't
ever happened! i am so suave.

they found miss green at illustration fridays, so
another big shout of thanks to penelope!

yippee!

ps....vote for luke.

pretty please!

monday.

sage smudge kit.....cleansing.

"the pity in life is that most of us die before we
are fully born. don't miss yourself."

~erich fromm

happy monday!

five happy, and really good things.

daily inspiration....

oops....forgot to post my weekly really good things,

..an unexpected happy CHEER me on postcard..
..a pkg of nag champa soap, sage bundles and incense..
..purging the studio..
..one week of exercise and eating right..
..this quote, a daily reminder that is is okay to be me..

“To be alive is the biggest fear humans have. Death is
not the biggest fear we have; our biggest fear is taking
the risk to be alive – the risk to be alive and express what
we really are. Just being ourselves is the biggest fear of
humans. We have learned to live our lives trying to satisfy
other people’s demands. We have learned to live by other
people’s points of view because of the fear of not being
accepted and of not being good enough for someone else.
Trying to be good enough for them, we create an image of
perfection, but we do not fit this image. We create this
image, but this image is not real. We are never going to be
perfect from this point of view. Never!”

-The Four Agreements
[thank you miss swirly, for the reminder]

happy. and five good things

necco's - i dig them

another busy week, but a good busy. it is thursday and
i have neglected my 5 REALLY good things, brought to you
by liz, each week. so here goes

. 8:39am, munching on sweetheart necco's
.. g's bald head, swim sectional tonight.
... miss c's midterm card, all a's
.... the other miss c, finding her way in the world of design
..... b and i working on being better at "marriage"

how about you, what are you 5 things?

and as a vd bonus, i will leave you with some happy
eye candy.

..michelle brusegaard -peacock enclosures, mine are pink..

..holly hawk..leather cuffs [can't choose]

..jen lemen's altars..

..mimi doodles encaustic paintings..

..new blogs to drool over,
..swallowtail..
..stephanie lee studios..
..mccabe, the dancing mermaid and her rocks..
..and urban prairie refueled..

and how can i NOT mention our hometown boy
top 24 finalist in american idol...........[insert drumroll]

..LUKE MENARD..
he's pretty sweet to look at too!

hope you feel the love today

[ if ] ..choose..

illustration friday ..choose..

choose to be kind.
and choose to head over to if to see other choices.

new at etsy.

..funk.. print

new prints added at etsy. 5 new girls, full of spunk

and funk. [originals are available at nahcotta.

if you would like to check them out.....walk this way.

..thanks a bunch..

today.

peacock blue

today, a friend called me. today, they just needed
someone to listen. i am warm all over from the feeling
of happyness this person brings to me. knowing that we
used to rip on one another as kids, growing up together,
seeing the other go through bad spells and then seeing
each find their own spot in life....feeling happy for the others
stability. watching this person grow into what i knew they
could be. kind. caring. secure.

today someone trusted me enough to ask me to listen.
and in return they listened.

breath in. i calm my body.
breath out. i smile.
dwelling in this present moment.

i know this is a wonderful moment.

peace.

blank canvas awaits.

what a happy happy weekend. the best since summers
end. most days i feel like i am on a rollercoaster. this
weekend we had our taxes done....check. i finished up
another job on friday.....check. kids were with their
dad.....check. my work-a-holic "b" was game free....check.
we both snuck in two naps and went to dinner, chomped on
some delicious gourmet burgers. i feel so rested and caught
up. why oh why do we think running ourselves into the
ground is the way to live?

i have a sketch ready for my blank canvas, it will be for
a new dear friend who has tirelessy worked to help dawn
and i with our little caroline's fight against juvenile cancer.
she makes purses. oh and little pockets, each full of pattern,
vintage fabrics, ribbon and ties. there is a bit of a handbag
crusade here in this little middle indiana town. if you would like
to check them out....go here. she is part of an amazing, creative,
kind and beautiful family. we have fallen in love with them.

i am off to start my day....peace ya'll

eta iii LIVE tonight

enormous tiny artshow iii opening tonight!
Feb 8- March 9

support all the artists, there is such a great list!
if you are interested in any work, contact deb
or abbie at the gallery.

Nahcotta

there are new pictures up of all the pieces ready
to be hung for the show. quite a nice image. i only
wish i could be there in person.

FIVE really....REALLY good things.

sweet towels

here are my really REALLY good 5 things
so far this week....

some news hopefully coming soon - i will share if i get
a yes.

seeing "g" wearing his varsity jacket, and his constant "kip"
impressions that are straight on!
[Napoleon, don't be jealous that I've been chatting online
with babes all day. Besides, we both know that I'm training
to be a cage fighter.]

nahcotta opening this weekend! if you go to the opening,
email me all the details and i will drool.

phone calls about my artwork, new design job possiblities

taxes being done this weekend.

bonus goodness: the obama video below "yes we can"

what are five really good things in your world

peace....

Yes We Can

are you ready for a change?
hope = vote.....

a bit of sparkle

the rock star christine of sparkletopia, interviewed little
old me. if you haven't visited this inspiring site,
hop on over to get sprinkled with a daily dose of
inspiration.

redhead

"the redhead" - #7 eta iii

8x8 gallery wrapped canvas
original mixed media
number seven of the eta iii show

big box going out today.

last four pieces are now here too....

are you ready?

ready....enormous tiny artshow iii

six pieces sitting waiting to be mailed out for their cross
country journey to portsmouth, nh. hoping to finish the
last three today.

if you would like to see her two sisters and others

you can check them out here.

peace ya'll

five really good things

canvas - january 2008

miz liz elayne is so good about being thankful and reminding
me that i need to take each day and count my blessings.
this week has been filled with many busy hours. i had
become so complacent the end of 2007. but i hit the door
running this month. and even though it has been a frenzy,
it has been a productive, self-fulfilling month....so that is

my number one

1. month of january - self awareness

2. finishing "the accidental buddhist", it was so nice
sitting down each morning and reading for an hour.
breath in, breath out

3. six canvas waiting for a warm coat of varnish, three
blank ones waiting in the wings. each to be sent to the
nahcotta gallery for the enormous tiny artshow iii
[ paintings posted tomorrow - fingers crossed ]

4. finishing up two jobs, with several new ones coming
in - sweet surprises

5. getting rid of the little voice in the back of my head
that was saying.....are you good enough. i love putting
that voice out of its misery.

i bet you have 5 good things too, c'mon tell me.