Daydreams

Recipe for success.

Just finished kissing my god son goodbye on his way off to college - bittersweet for sure. His mom died of breast cancer in May 2000--he was just 6 years old at the time and his sister (my god daughter) was 10. His mom was my best friend, a friendship that began in our mid-twenties, a once-in-a-lifetime soul sister who I miss every day. So grateful for having had her in my life. Seeing her kids is like getting her back for an hour or two---their smiles and personalities are so much her it's like she's right there in the room...

It's hard to stay in touch across the miles (they live in NJ and their dad is remarried), but worth the effort. I pray I'm holding up my end of the "god parent" deal, and giving them the love, support, and guidance that  will keep them healthy, happy, and on the path to what ever makes them happy. 

They stayed overnight with us on their way from NJ to the college drop-off, and I tried this recipe last night (back to my summer manifesto). It was a huge success, so give it a try.

Now that the house is quiet, I'm off to the basement studio to create - it's been months (truly) since  I've focused on just making something, anything...a little retreat this fall is inspiring me,  along with participating in The Chickadee studio session --the spree casts alone are worth the price of admission!

Summer Manifesto.

1. Try one new recipe a week

2. Finish my "Desire Map"; post my desire words on the bathroom mirror!

3. Try one new salad combination a week

4. Watch the sunrise and sunset on the beach

5. Knit a scrap yarn shawl

6. Send mail art

7. Have an artist date downtown, just me and my camera

8. Have High Tea with a friend

9. Stay in my pjs all day; watch movies OnDemand

10. Stretch my body every day

Change is in the air

I feel it. I know it.

Something is right around the corner.

Knocking, knocking, trying to get in.

I'm trying to stay open, and balance between letting go and being an active participant in what ever the universe has in store.

And yet I also know that for change to come in, I need to open the door. Face the fear.

 

Knowing that the change will need nurturing, a safe home to rest its wings.

Searching. Breathing. Staying present.

Here I am. Come inside.

 

Food for thought...

. ..how to "find time" for all the goodness. Great reminders. Sometimes difficult to put into play.

Working hard this week to drape myself in all that is Squam through these posts and photos, and digging deep to get inspired even though I wasn't there.

What have you done lately to "find time"?

Squam Magic.

We call it "re-entry". That feeling that overcomes you when you re-enter your life after spending 4 luscious days at Squam. Re-entry sucks. But the magic abounds...

Grateful for

• Warmth and openness of squammies from all over the globe, and those that live around the corner
• New adventures in repurposing fabric and wood
• New friendships started before we boarded the plane (where else could she have been going with a sewing machine in hand??)
• Familiarity of sounds...smells...music...and community
• Refilling my well 

Day 1 back: if i wait to unpack will that make the magic stay with me a bit longer? Then i remember the sweetness when i open the suitcase to find the lavendar sachets  i bought at the artist fair. The smell takes me instantly back to this...

   

and this...

and this

 

and reminds me to just let go, so i can create more of this...

 

**And that she promised a new playlist (soon!)**

I finally let loose and cried this morning--tears of gratitude that all the plans fell into place and I tried spring Squam. Tears of grief for having it end. Tears of sadness that there are too many other tidbits of life that may stop me from going to Squam this fall.

Only the smells, the sounds, the pictures, and the memories of warm new friendships to keep Squam in my heart.

Thank you **Squammies**...for everything.  xo

 

my summer list of (en)joy

inspired by this tradition my summer list includes

- bake snickerdoodles (see left)
- eat ice cream for breakfast
- watch the sunset from a boat
- toast marshmallows over a campfire
- knit on the deck after dinner
- create a multi-media self portrait
- host a crafting night (or even better, weekend!)
- stay on the beach until the sun goes down
- eat crabs
- take a weekend afternoon nap
- drink sun tea and iced coffee
- ride my bike
- dust off the tennis racquet (get it restrung) and play!
- try a new art medium
- make a summer 2010 playlist
- mail anonymous art postcards to friends

How about you? Send me the link to your summer (en)joy list!

Risking it all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Load the ship and set out. No one knows for certain whether the vessel will sink or reach the harbor. Cautious people say, "I'll do nothing until I can be sure". Merchants know better. If you do nothing, you lose. Don't be one of those merchants who wont risk the ocean." - rumi

Artist.

I've been calling myself and "artist" now for a little over a year. It still sounds strange to my ears. My heart still skips a beat every time I say it outloud - even if nobody is around to hear it. It's a dream come true, really. And I can't believe the dream was mine to own from the very beginning. Kinda like Dorothy's red slippers.

I was an artist the whole time. Because I said so.

Visit with another artist who shares my perspective and writes about it much more eloquently.