my love for creating shrines, alters of sorts

Ever since I was a little girl I loved putting sacred special things in my life grouped together and feeling the energy that came from them. I have always done this and wondered if others build these magic spots to find peace in?

As I get older I make more. I find treasures from friends, pieces of my past both found and created that need to be with other like things. Magic is born. I find that if I create these all around our home (which seems totally natural to me) I feel safe, good, strong.

Our home becomes a sacred space where I feel good to live and share with friends. I never care if home is a bit messy or out of sorts as long as pieces of love are gathered together to share with others.

I even create my gifts as traveling shrines. I like this about me. Feels good. I am owning this rare love about me. I am feeling grateful that I find special love for details and celebrating them.

Grateful = me.

steps in creating dream = journal pages

I think it is funny to call something you are working so very very hard for a dream. Not sure why I find this funny exactly but, I do.

I have wanted for so many many years (10 or so) to move from my beautiful home in Deephaven to live near the ocean. With many a roller coaster rides to fly off of and then gently crawl back on = I have done it.

House is sold. Most furniture and items in house sold. My precious 14 year old Clover left and went to the meat loaf buffet in heaven. My projects in the studio are still cranking strong (trying to climb off the design wagon) Going away parties are planned and set in date. Emotions are just in high achievement mode.

Feeling very grateful for my life = a well mindfully lived life. Feeling generous with sharing of my soul. Feeling very brave and strong.

Trusting that all of my (our) hard work is being blessed by all of the sacred heavens I know exist.

Sharing a bit more of my world with my journal pages today.

Shine. 

my heart breaks and i remain so thankful and blessed

Today I said goodbye to my best friend of fourteen years = Clover. Man is this stuff hard. Do the right thing, love unconditionally, know when the time is here. Yes, we knew we walked the path and our girl is in heaven tonight.

I still hear her little (okay big) steps on the wood floors around me. I am still thinking oh should i let Clover out and play in the snow? I could not love dogs more and she was my second "child". Having never been able to have a child of my own, dogs have completed me. More then any relationship in my life, dogs have done it for me.

If I could do nothing but, love dogs every minute of everyday I would choose this.

Clover was this gentle spirit who has been with me through divorce, death, illness, joy, meeting my soul mate and marriage, unwrapping squeaky toys herself - you name it. I have been cared for and so unconditionally loved by this sweet spirit.

I was blessed to care for her. Love her. Know her. Oh how I will long to hear your footsteps and rub your ears Sweet Clover.

Your dad and sister Pearl Button and I remain ever true = in love with you.

being grateful daily = it is easy

 

design by me, quote by me, energy by me = loving life 

 

Grateful.
I write about this often. I have started doing a daily email with a dear friend of mine who lives in another state. We send 3 things daily that we are grateful for. I am always amazed how very easy it is to do this. Really once you start listing it is hard to stop. I find this is a great way to start my day.

I am struggling with getting back into my blog lately. So indeed this post will be short and ever so sweet. Just to jump start me into a new daily habit of sharing goodness and life.

Make one thing that delights you today. It can change everything.

Pouring caring love over ourselves

Surround your heart with love. Created by me.

 

Taking this moment to Shine

daily affirmation = designed by me

lifetime of learning to understand this = getting it

grateful = in my life for finding like souls

find beauty in everything around you = noticing

I am back. Yes, I am doing it. The muses in my life must be working overtime today. My word for this new year is Shine. I am going to do my very best to make sure I shine daily. I am choosing to shine on others, goodness, light, love, inspiration, grace. I am choosing to shine on myself, by being true to my artist self.

Following my heart and busting it in directions that might be fearful. Marching strongly towards being the real artist that I am. Not listening to others, ignoring judgements, caring about me, who I am.

Feeling great about getting my Etsy site ready for new artwork and vintage items. Blog design to link up with Etsy. Wow. I am feeling myself starting to shine. Man am I happy about this. Here we go.

making a difference in the big world.

Photo by me of a piece of art in our home, quote be me. loving life by me.

Shining.

Really each day it is motivating to know we are lucky to wake up and greet a brand new day.
I am so grateful to be alive, to be able to make someone feel better, to smile, to embrace who
I am. Years have granted me some internal peace and I am so very happy to be at this lovely place in my life.

I wish for joy daily. Making a difference. Not sure it is always something we even know we are
doing but, I do know this. It matters to me and that is plenty.

Inspire yourself daily. Have fun!

Grateful Today = Furry Friends

my dear friend Fannie at 13+ (cousin Fannie)

our youngest Pearl Button 2.5

Clover sweet precious 13.5 yr old love

Clover at nap time

Today I am grateful for so very many things I found it hard to pick just one theme. I went with my first passion in life = DOGS. I simply get fueled daily from the raw emotion, the unconditional love, the silly happiness they bring to my life.

Last night I had the pleasure of dining with Fannie (my first love JRT) she is older, sweeter, just as lovely and gracious as ever. She is simply someone who fills me up.

Then of course our girls Clover and Pearl Button. I am thankful for another day with Clover and seeing her happy. She is such a pure soul. Nothing sweeter in the world then Clover.

Pearl Button who continues to amaze me and make me laugh in total joy. She is a love and a very old soul wrapped in her little JRT body.

Thank you for my dog furry friends. They truly are some of my very best friends on earth.

Feeling Grateful = Velvet Button

I am very lucky that I get to create for a living. It has always been my passion and I can think of nothing in the world that I would rather do then be an artist. That is really good to be able to say out loud,  I like being me.

I am blessed with new clients who find me and are rich in spirit and soul. One of my new clients is Velvet Button Boutique. This new boutique is created by two long time girlfriends who have been working towards this dream. The dream is marching into reality and I am the lucky designer to be branding, designing and having a ball.

I have decided that for a bit of time I will blog daily about being grateful. Sure it is most hard to say only one thing that I am grateful for each day but, also fun to explore and write about.

I am always grateful for my friends who follow me here. Merci'

 http://www.facebook.com/730Thursday  -

http://www.facebook.com/velvetbuttonboutique?ref=ts&fref=ts

Pure Pearl Button.

Little Pearl Button resting after a long day of creating in the studio.

Pearl Buttons mom Mary. Yes, she is this beautiful and loves crowns.

Happy November 1st. Time to get the many lines of Pearl Button going strong. Believing in myself is the key to this one folks. Believe all that I know deep inside. The tiny faces of pups make me feel how true this Pearl Button life can be.

I have created over 30 Pearl Button cards and have not marketed. Hum. So starting today Pearl Button is marching forward each new day. Starting today with holiday cards. Okay just a few to start and get them out there to share joy, smiles and hopeful loving sweet messages.

Pure Pearl Button. Believing and marching forward. Thanks Mary and Cobalt for the most beautiful muse and daughter.

Here we go!

http://www.facebook.com/730Thursday

Back to blog land I am.

Well I am back into the world of blogging. Not sure how so much time passes and how it takes me around a few turns to get back to my blogging. I am thinking since tomorrow starts a new month I need to start a new me. So here I go. Not sure who I am reaching but, my intentions are this = to add positive energy out into the world, to be grateful for all of my talents and life, to create and share and hope to inspire.

Happy Halloween!!!

Here's to staying in blog land for a good long while this time.

combining talents = grateful

Photo by Jessica Brogan (see link below) type + design by me

Photo by Jessica Brogan (see link below) type + design by me

I am grateful to have made a few artistic connections while taking my class Hello Soul. Hello Business. There are few things more rewarding then connecting with like souls who inspire us.

Jessica Brogan from Austin Texas is one of those talented artists I have the luck to know and muse creatively with. I have a mad love for design and type. Jessica is a brilliant photographer and artist. She emails me these amazing images and immediately I see what to design in my head. Rare and again grateful I am.

I love both of these very much. I hope they inspire, bring joy, a smile, hope to those of you seeing them.

More of Jessica Brogan found here http://www.insearchofdessert.com

More of me found here http://www.facebook.com/730Thursday

3 thoughts for today

so important to fill yourself up daily

little treats are nice. like driving with the windows down.

Monday is always a great time to start fresh and new. Tidy up in my studio, organize my project list, make a new look board for happy energy. You know get grounded from the week before. I have decided to update the blog header and colors as well.

I am excited lately about the change I am feeling inside. Some of me is scared, hopeful, excited, thoughtful about how all of these changes will come together in my life. I know that most of all I need to be grateful for everything I have right now. While keeping my dreams focused on my heart and filling it up.

I have lots of sprucing, organizing, designing to do ~ off to change my world one step at a time.

More inspiration and happy by me found here http://www.facebook.com/730Thursday

Home Sweet Home For Sale on 11th of August. M

Built in 1915 the house is filled with magic, updates, and love.

New firepit by the cottage studio so pretty at night.

one shot from the porch to the back yard

lovely screened in porch off the back of our house.

front window boxes. i love details.

master bedroom, with bath. lovely light filled and so serene.

cottage 8 houses up the hill from Lake Minnetonka beach. Lovely.

Main level bath. Fresh and new.

living room to dining room to screened back porch. great flow.

living room to dining room again.

One huge factor in this dream coming true for us is selling a home I have loved and designed for the past 17 years. Oh the delight and new sense of wonder I will have to know it is sold to folks who get the lake lifestyle and love. This home has so much magic and good energy. Really just dreamy.

I say these words with a bitter sweetness about leaving. There are times in your life you just "know" it is the thing you must do. This I must do. My hubby and I have worked very hard to prepare the house and our heads to move. Now, it is mostly what I think of. Dreams coming true take lots of hard work and listening to that inner voice.

My inner voice is strong and it tells me to live by the ocean. So I will. Crossing all fingers and praying and working really hard ~ we will move.

For more information on this lovely home you can email me at www. kelli@730thurday.com