discovering what makes me tick = again.

mixed giddy = inks, acrylics, pens, tapes, coffee stained papers illustration

pen and ink, acrylic inks, torn papers, illustration

a section of larger piece = inks, acrylics, pen and ink, oil pastels = illustration

torn pages, acrylics, pen and ink, inner most thoughts = illustration

Sometimes you get really lucky when you dream big. For me it was to move across the country and create, create, create. Well we celebrate one year of moving and boy have i learned SO MUCH. Grateful for these lessons = some very hard.

I have found my place of creating that is real, all me, no holding back, putting it all out there.
It feels great.

Now i can create the cards, the books, get the publishers (good news on this note), find the licensed folks that are a perfect fit for me, and so it goes. I am creating more packages of my art and sending to the dream folks = loving the process.

My dream is BIG and i am marching fearless (okay, still fears at times) Staying true to me.
Supported by my hubby who believes in me big time. I love that in my life.

Color, embracing all of life, giving more, taking less, opening up to feel everything. Its all good. Thanks for following my life here on my simple little blog.

Blessed beyond and knowing.

Pearl Button our tiny JRT turns 4 today = love sweet love

Pearl Button laying in her birthday hat, tired of photo shoot.

just starting out the photo shoot. not digging the hat and ear combo.

Pearl Button does not often get people food. So the cupcake was planted with puppy treats on top.

i just love how blown out the colors are on this one.

Today our little dog Pearl Button turns 4. Oh how very grateful I am to be loved by her. She is just the sweetest most precious silly little dog. My husband and I are goofy nuts about her. We have both always had big dogs. She is our first little dog who thinks she is a lab or Siberian Husky. Her two older sisters who are now at the meatloaf buffet in heaven trained her. I love that she has habits and skills of her older sisters. Thank you Clover and Nattie for all the love and training.

I have never had children so I am nutso about my little dogs. I have mad passion for dogs always have always will. I feel that if more people could be like a dog the better life might be. I love the honesty, the silly good happy always, no judgements, just love = pure sweet love.

Today we are celebrating Pearl Button. Actually, we celebrate her daily. Today she just wears the silly hat.

Love you sweet little girl. Happy Birthday.

A traveling blog post of sorts = starts with me

this picture of me reminds me to always have hope

knowing i can be surprised and grateful always

knowing i am so blessed and lucky = everyday

one mountain moved to live by the ocean = grateful daily me

i have crazy goofy love for dogs. they are my kiddos. Pearl Button. Oh my.

So I was asked by my dear talented friend Deb Taylor to answer these four questions and pass on
the blogging to other friends - all of us answering the same four questions.
She has inspired me in little and big ways she does not even know. Thank you Deb. http://diddebdoit.blogspot.com

So here is my list of questions to answer and pass on.
Then I will have some friends of mine do the same. Answer 4 questions and pass it on the blog wave.

I have thought a lot about what having a blog means to me. I would tell you this = it feels like a way to put good energy into the world. I am not always sure what to write or show and tell. I do know that when I sit down to create a new post something always spills out of me. I know that I am on a good path, for now that is plenty good.

Question 1. What are you currently working on? I am currently working on a line of greeting cards inspired by my love for dogs, living a grateful life, being silly, spreading kindness and joy. I am also passionate about getting published in a list of magazines I have listed on my vision board. I also want to be licensed this year with a line of products (paper, totes, wall decor) that I create. These are big dreams and I am going for them all at once. Knocking down fears one by one. Easy absolutely not but, worth it. Loving the energy I am putting into all of this mad crazy creating.

Question 2. How does your work differ from others in its genre? My work has always been full of layers that are just around. I am not a big fan of going to purchase extra special supplies to make my art happen. I use what is around me. I find that the less I worry about purchasing perfect supplies the better I do. I also almost always use vintage stuff. I love knowing papers have had a past and using them to create with. I also always start with good energy and intentions. I only want to make happy, creating from a place of love.

Question 3. Why do you write/create what you do? This is the easiest one of all. Creating for me is like breathing. It keeps me alive. Creating fills me up. Creating makes me whole. Creating is really very selfish for me = I honestly know no other way to live. I love it!!!

Question 4. How does your creating/process work? I make an outline of what my desire is to end with. If I work for a client I go through the list of needs and fill them as creatively pushed as possible. When creating for myself, I tend to feel moments in time and just paint, ink, draw, stitch, tear paper, stitch more. I have so many styles to my work - the one common piece would be layers. Much like life I am layered, my work is layered.

Now is when I post about another blog.
I am introducing a childhood friend of mine Monica Powell Pugh. I have know Monica since I was a very little girl. We grew up playing together - dolls, hide and seek, birthday parties in my pool every summer, listening to music on her parents houseboat. We attended grade school through high school together. Then we both attended Iowa State University. We both went our own ways. One thing remained a friendship. A history and love. Here is her blog - she is super talented and you will be inspired by her life and her talents. enjoy. 
http://www.veggiegirlandbakeryboy.blogspot.com/

sacred mother = a love like no other

mom and me on the right with my little cousin (one of my best friends) Tracy I think we liked our shoes.

me at three with my stylish mom and grandpa

love you to the moon and back mom - oh how i loved skipper

thank you mom for letting me find and follow my wings

Happy Mothers Day mom. Today is just one day out of 365 that I give thanks for the life you continue to give me. I became all that I am with your spirit, love and lessons. I continue daily to know more, give more and be grateful for all of the creativity you allowed in my world.

I grew up an only child. I can honestly say (you do not miss what you do not have) I was always surrounded by 4 friends who felt like my sisters. I was blessed growing up surrounded by creativity.
Mom was always decorating, playing music (records) nurturing plants, hanging laundry to dry on the clothes line by the lilac trees, splashing around with me in the pool (oh how i love water) and allowed to find my own style (even if it was vintage) ha.

I have always been given the freedom to walk my path. Always walked the life of an artist. No judgement (even when my mom and dad might not have know exactly what being a professional graphic designer met) I was given the support to go to college and to thrive in my art.

Thank you for continuing to fine awe in what I create. Thank you for following my life passions with me. This is my year to shine so bright, to get the noticing for my art to change my world. Thank you for being my mom. Easy not always but, forever worth the lessons. Oh, how I cherish you Mom.

Happy Mothers Day = Sacred love like no other.

shaken and grateful = strength

layered, painted. stitched, vintage. designed = me grateful as can be.

This past week I have been shaken to my core. I have had faith and hope to search for and know it would fill me. I have been blessed beyond by the love of friends and soul connections. Prayers were answered (they always are) in ways that I could not have guessed.

I am so incredibly happy to know that creating and living my life as a designer and artist keeps me alive = mind, body and soul.

Sometimes it is good to be shaken. Sometimes it is okay to be raw and ask for help. We learn so much about ourselves, if we listen and really pay attention.

I am here paying listening, creating and pouring more of me into all I do.

Grateful for strength and love sweet love. Knowing. Noticing. Doing the best everyday that I can.

the knowing i have = stronger then ever

collage and painting with pen and ink and gold leaf vintage book pages 

tiny tags tea stained stitches with vintage laces also stained hand written love

vintage fabric, illustration, pen and ink illustration, quotes, collage

vintage paper collage, painting, illustration, stitching, words that have meaning, nature

embellished box by me = adore giving gifts

illustration, pen and ink, words that change focus, threads

today a dream came true for me. loving the journey my past and present are giving me. it is so very easy to get caught up in the now. i do it. everyone does. knowing in my heart that the more love and goodness and following what is given to me (thank God) is a lesson i continue to examine and learn.

i am grateful for my life. in ways some of you will never know. i have walked dark stuff with a tiny light beaming. i have shared, given, loved and will continue to move these mountains. i know i can help others move mountains too. i know it with my heart and soul.

feeling grateful for the goodness that is in my soul.

create. create. create. and then create more. it is all waiting. i know it.