a calling. i answered. i am home.

blocks from the house we live in. Grants home.

history. yep, it makes my life better.

shadows, trails, sunshine, space wide open fields. yes, please.

When I was in 6th grade my school took a trip to visit the home of Ulysses S. Grant. I remember being smitten with this tiny little home. I remember the fake cherries in a bowl on the table. I remember thinking this is where I want to live (okay, not in the little house) the city of Galena.

Funny how the calling of my soul has been to live here for what seems like forever. We moved mountains and moved here from Siesta Key Florida. I know most think we are crazy. I do not feel crazy at all. I feel nurtured by the history everywhere I walk. I am so excited to see more then strip malls. I am thrilled with Galena. Okay, so the best of both worlds would be to have a little place on the beach in St. Pete too. Dreams still marching strong in my life.

I am drawn to this little house pictured above. It is two blocks from the house we live in. I visited today. It is clearly closed for winter. I peered into the windows and I filled with glee for on the little wooden table was a bowl with fake cherries. YES, I felt home.

There is a knowing in our souls. It matters to follow your heart. No matter how many opinions differ. Do it following your calling. Face every fear. I am still facing mine but, I happily say I am getting better. Grateful living in Galena.

more on grateful living and my art filled life here 

https://www.facebook.com/kelli.maykrenz

creating when it's not easy

layers of paints, tissues, inks, drawings, paper, gold leaf

lately i am marveling at white ink on gold

for me there will always be threads

Today I realized that when big stuff in life happens most of the time my escape is creating. Once in a very great while I freeze. I simply do not want to create or I try and it feels scattered. My life lately has been full of real stuff that is not easy. I practice the daily art of positive thoughtful living. I practice overcoming anxiety that is fresh at times. I follow my own self care habits that bring comfort and then I rest. I sleep. I sleep when it feels too much.

I know that all creatives share in the steps of finding our ways when it's not easy.

Tonight I wanted to share some helpful guides for me in my life. In hopes that I might help just one soul have some new ideas to perhaps practice.

Guide I created for me.
* I journal. I simply write, scribble anything and everything (which is a lot) that is in my head. I feel free to write everything down. No judgements of myself here. This journal is sacred healing life filling stuff.

* I walk. Yes, exercise in any way helps my head. Nature does it for me. I've noticed with the temps being super cold here in Illinois lately that I miss my big long walks. My head missed the space they clear for it. I am sure my little dog Pearl Button misses them too.

* I sleep. I nap. I do not beat myself up for needing more rest. This is a lesson I practice. No telling yourself that you are lesser for needing a rest. GO REST.

* I listen to music. Music that matches my mood. Almost always a song or two can take me out of my head space, if even for a little while.

* I practice not thinking too far into the future. This one is tricky. This one takes a bunch of practice.
I believe we only have this moment for sure. Any given moment can change your life. In big magical soul flipping ways.

I am practicing my life in a thoughtful way. I love then I love more. First of all loving me the very most I know how.

Love Sale in my Etsy Shop 40% off Art

In honor of LOVE. One of my most favorite things to do is LOVE BIG. I am having a LOVE ME sale in my etsy shop. 40% off my original artwork.

I often find amazing art that I cannot afford to buy. I sometimes wish original great art was more affordable. Believe me I live the life of the starving artist so I know that we as artists need to earn a living and that the time, talent and love we gush into our art is worth tons.

I also believe that when we feel something strongly we need to bless that feeling. For me it's having this LOVE ME sale in my etsy shop.

I am grateful that I live my life as an artist. For me creating is like breathing. Naturally I adore giving and loving others. Enjoy my friends. Thank you for enjoying what I do.

Coupon Code is loveme15
to received 40% off of your purchase

link to my etsy shop is right here.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/kellimay

my passion for loving

my love for vintage aged meets hand sewn art

mixed media meets here with layers of paints, illustration and glee

love notes inside of box featured in Stampington Life magazine 2015 Feb

stitched yummy layers wrap everything up

handmade Valentines all in a row 

my passion for loving. just a few treats i had made and sent into possibly being published in Stamping and Company magazine. Lucky for me several of my items have been published this month celebrating love sweet love.

It's easy to surround yourself with the things that make your heart skip a happy beat. It does not have to cost a lot of money. Really it just takes noticing what makes you feel joy. I love all things in nature and I love history. So I tend to collect vintage pieces and I adore making pieces that are new look vintage.

I have always loved Valentines Day. I remember growing up I would decorate a shoe box and slice a little opening in the top. Then I would proudly (ever so shy I was) take it to school and sit it on my desk. Each year (I went to school with the same kids from elementary to high school) I would wish and hope that the two cutest boys would leave me a Valentine. I can honestly say I never received one from either boy. I continued to wish and still adored all of the sweet cut out designs with my friends names on the back. To this day I still have a few of these.

Sometimes I wish I could do this again. Create the box march it proudly to where my friends are all gathered and see the magical wishes that get dropped inside. Perhaps this is why I adore creating note cards, letters, snail mail, packages and wishes for others.

Fond memories of hoping the right boy would give me a Valentine.

Little did I know back then it takes years to find the right Valentine and when you do hold on tight and surround them with love sweet love.

I have handmade Valentines in my etsy shop for sale. The prices are super good. Thank you to those of you who have ordered already.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/kellimay

layers making up my life and my art

building layers of painting, illustrations, clips of my world, vintage flowers

adding gold leaf for added goodness, white illustration work

watercolors, acrylic inks, india ink, illustration joy

paints, illustrations, tissues, stitched together

Today I was noticing my methods to building art. I have always been a lover of details, textiles, fonts, colors colliding together. My background is heavy in graphic design and illustration. I am noticing how I have always found a way in my computer generated designs to introduce elements of hand created artwork. I like this about me. Funny how we do something for so long it is just the way we do it. Not really thinking just doing. I find that when I get completely out of my head and just create it all flows out of me.

I am building a collection to present this year at the National Stationary Show in NYC in May - a new division called Fresh. Juried section and smaller I like this. Starting out designing my cards I thought "however do I do this?" Funny I have been doing this for decades. I paint and draw and layer and sew and layer more and then find the words that spill from me until I have a piece that makes me feel original and good. Something worth leaving behind in the world.

My goals are to show up in NYC with lots of new designs, pride in my booth style and in me. Being mindful of the truth of being me. Staying true to all that I am and all that I want to leave behind.

I am praying that others will be drawn to my style, my gifts and my messaging. Continuing the path of knowing that I am meant to do exactly what I am doing in this very time and space.