Happy Memorial Day All.

We spent yesterday in the woods playing and taking photos. Jim introduced the kids to panning in the stream.. Nonni loooved it. Fox and I went off to look for bitsy things to photograph. I will post pictures later this week.

But for today...for Memorial Day...I wanted to post these. I am very grateful that this man is not being deployed this summer..as the rest of his unit will be leaving. He was released from the Guard and has completed his duty. I say that I am thrilled..he is safe and at home..but he struggled with this one. Being one of the older and more experienced members of the unit..there are so many very young folks in the unit. He worries for them.

So on this Memorial Day..not only do I honor him and my own Dad who was an Air Force Major...I honor all of those who are serving and each member of their families and for those we have lost and their families..my heart and prayers are with you too..each and every day. May each and every one serving right now come home safe and sound to those who love them.

Oh My Heart Be Still......

On Wednesday evening I went to my Hanna's last high school choir concert. I was awed..blown away and so deeply proud of her! I am having a hard time not bawling like a baby as I write this..seriously my heart if so full! Look at that girl!!

This child who could not approach a checkout counter a few years back with out panic..up there on stage as bold as brass and offering up a performance that made her Mama so proud!! Despite the bias here...as a vocalist for years...I know a good performance when I hear one...it would seem some others think so too.

On June 4th Hanna will be having a CD release party...yup..her first real music CD will be released to the world! She has worked wickedly hard on this one and a local radio station has requested the opportunity to play it...whoot..can you see my Mama happy dance.

So next weekend..this proud Mama will add a link to her blog..and a video or clip of Hanna's first cd..if anyone might like to hear it of maybe even own it. I can hardly wait. I need kleenex I really do.
Happy Friday all, Sarah

For Mature Audiences ...;)

So now and again we just have to be a little wicked...a little off color..forgive me. But..Nonni woke up at 3 am and has been chatting with me ever since..so am a bit of a walking zombi today..I need a java IV! A few good wicked giggles don't hurt any..soo....giggle snort...here you go....




K...I like this one...sweet but well....

Happy Thursday all..hope I didn't offend y'all :-O
Hugs, Sarah

Wishcast Wednesday and an Award....whoot!

Our dear Jamie has asked us this morning..."What do you wish for your space?" Funny my DH and I were just talking about this last night. One of those wonderful things that I put out there in to the universe with full intention..came to me in April..we bought our cottage. We have rented this sweet space for three years and for the last year thought it was lost..but the owners surprised us and now it is ours!!

I have been waiting to do the many things I wanted to with this space inside and out. So this is a simple one...I wish to make it mine. Until now it has not been mine to do with as I wanted..as this sweet cottage was asking for. I want to paint murals of sunflowers in my kitchen and fairies and glow in the dark heavens in my daughter's room. Fox would like a few bugs..no surprise here! The bathroom is screaming for some pop...have not decided what to do in there..maybe framed art..hmmmm.

Outside..yup there too! I purchased about $50.00 worth of perennials and an aspen tree. I was given several buckets of rare iris last spring...I planted them in hopes that I would not have to dig them up again...they are blooming and happy. So..this summer I will be planting not only my perennials, bushes and trees, trimming up the front garden, I will be planting as many perennial herbs as I can get my hands on!!

So I wish to make this sweet cottage a warm and happy place that we will enjoy living in both outside and in..that is my wish today! What do you wish for your space?
Namaste, Sarah

Whoot an award!!

Sweet Debra of She Who Seeks has honored me with a Mind Blowing award...actually it was her words that touched me so..Wow! I totally understand why she got this award...not only do I adore her and her blog..but she never fails to make me think or giggle and snort ... she is an amazing friend..I can always count on her to be there for me!!
So I get to choose five blogs that blow my mind...geesh just five...hmmmm....

For a blogger that never fails to make me blow coffee our my nose she is soooo funny and frankly just a sweetheart.. Claire of Clairedalalune. What a joy this on is!!!

For one of the most uplifting spirits on the blogs.... Tabitha of I Choose Bliss.. This velvet voiced, southern gem just glows with bliss.

To one of the dearest, strongest and most supportive women I know here..Cinner of Things about who what when where and why.... Her indomitable spirit never fails to amaze and inspire me!!

To an amazing wordsmith..beautifully crafted..unusually elegant writer and just a sweetheart...Faerwillow of Serendipity.

To my very favorite foodie...Suzie of Suzie the Foodie..makes my mouth water daily and she is a real sweetheart too!

So there are five...I followed the rules..but seriously I could just go on and on and on...so many mind blowing folks here!! Sigh...

Thank you Debra...I am honored!!
Hugs and love, Sarah

Musings on Blogging

I have been thinking about blogging...what it means to me..why do I blog...etc.etc. I have been told a couple times from a few people that blogging is kind of not real...well at least the friendship part is not real. That online friendships are limited in some way. I have also been told this week that if I took an extended vacation..say three weeks away..told you all I was leaving but returning...I would return to find I was all alone here...abandoned as folks would flit off to the next online thing. As if being online equates to being cyber ADD. That anyone who we care for here is just a passing cloud in the cyber sky and is not somehow substantial.

Hmmmmmm...so I am going to give you my thoughts on this. As a logical female and a Libra...I have weighed this from several sides. Here is what I think...that you get out of blogging what you invest. There are certainly folks that are here and gone and even some that are here for a while and gone. I have had folks that I was really fond of that just left...no real message or reason..just gone. Sometimes life out there effects how much time we have here..I understand that too. Not everyone I meet here will be a dear friend..some I might think I know only to find that they are someone else. Yup that is truth here in cyber space! Some of what you find here is in fact...not real..as some of the folks you meet here are not for real.

But...I without a doubt will tell you that there are a large number of folks here that I dearly wished lived closer to me so I could sit and have coffee and give a real hug to! There are women here that I pray for and deeply care for that I know do the same for me! We email..we chat..we support each other up in our lives and sorrows and joys. We cry with them, we laugh with them and we happy dance with them. How is it possible that that is not a real tangible thing?? Simply because I do not see you in person does not mean that it is not real...I truly feel what I write here..and when I leave a message on someones blog..it is not because I feel I have to..I respond to posts that touch me..what I write I mean...I think most of you do also.

As for folks following the latest thing online...yup they do...some come and go and flit from here to there like little birds. But there are a large number of folks that I have know here and on FB and in Groups for years...we all follow each other around and follow each others lives. Just because I can't see you does not mean I do not find our relationships real. Like in life some start and some end and that is the way of things...but some are amazing, wonderful...I love that!

So I guess what I am saying is this...I find my little spot here in the cyber world a real place. Even though I cannot meet with you for coffee..you all know the real me...the one that comes from my heart...not the clothing I wear or my income or any of that...its me..the real me. Take me or leave me...but to me it is real and I love being here with you all!!

Hugs and Namaste, Sarah

Silent Sunday...well almost...its me..seriously...

"Life brings simple pleasures to us every day. It is up to us to make them wonderful memories." -- Cathy Allen


"You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment." -- Henry David Thoreau



Feeling better today all..thank you for all the sweet words!

I should have read these yesterday! Have a wonderful Sunday all!
Namaste, Sarah

It's Saturday.....Have Crankies!!

It is Saturday.....I wait for it all week..with ideas filling my head..I am gonna do this or that. But when I woke up this morning...I was cranky and tired?!! Hmmmm...grumble..no sooner had the kids and Jim popped out of bed, the PS3 was on with the new Ratchet and Clank game. Sigh. Half of me was annoyed and the other half wanted a turn..shhhhhhh it is really fun. Great for cranky Mamas...whomping bad guys..whoot. So I went back to bed...which I never do.... but I was feeling defiant..so I did. FOR TWO HOURS...


So I wish I could say that I woke feeling my ol' perky self..uhmmm.. nope even crankier...as they were STILLLL playing and Fox had not even gotten a turn yet. Bigger sigh. So I started editing photos....

Said hello to a few of my blogger friends..visit Face Book and well...hmmmmm...still on the PS3. More editing...I love this sweet face!

So I did a couple more pictures...I like this one.

I think I was growling out loud by then. Seriously it is Saturday and there are chores to be done and I have work to do and the dishes..and...ackkkk...wow...I was wound a little too tight....yeah...just a little! Oh dear...


So as I sat at the computer grumbling and the PS3 went off only to be replaced by a soccer game..my smart husband wandered into the kitchen and returned with a great big one of these...

Coffee with a great big helping of Baileys..smart boy...I might even enjoy soccer in Spanish with this. Happy Saturday all!! Hugs, Sarah

To Edit or SOOC...

As an artist..when I draw or paint..I add in the elements that I like and just don't add things I don't want in the creation. In photography it is a whole other ball game. My artist's eye wants my pictures to pop and to offer up what I see in all its beautiful glory. This sometimes means editing. I loved the shot of this beautiful face..but with just a little cropping and light adjustment...it pops..I love that.

I spent last Friday evening downtown at the Artwalk. We have several downtown galleries and they open up and have artists in residence for the evening. It is busy and fun! The performance teams from Nonni and Fox's school were all over downtown doing their thing also.

I was asked to come down and record the event! Jugglers, drummers, actors, singers, chess team...all out doing their thing. OMG I had a blast!!

Sweet feet....

Giggle...one of Fox's favorite teachers...being silly.


I took 1100 shots that evening...to edit or not edit..that is the questions. I added a few SOOC - straight out of the camera shots here.

I narrowed down the bunch to about 700 of the clearest shots...deleted the blurry ones. I was pleased that, that many turned out worth looking at..I will edit a few and share those soon..I have about 100 favorites...whoot! Don't worry won't share that many LOL!

Slowly but surely I am figuring out that bad a** camera...whoo hoo!
Happy Thursday all!

Wishcast Wednesday and 450th post!! Whoot!

Our darling Jamie has asked us this morning... "What do you wish to have?" Well...ya know I have been so blessed the last few years with so many things that my heart dearly desired. From deep poverty to owning a car and a home again. Having my art & photography selling has been huge! I have just started teaching my first E-course which is beyond my wildest dreams wonderful. To say that I feel VERY blessed would be an understatement. So in those terms...I have so very much that my heart has yearned for for the last 12 years. I have wonderful family and friends who love me. Seriously I am a pretty happy girl!

Ok... here is what I want to have...I want to have a calm and pleasant summer. Last year was so busy and I worked so hard managing some of the kids in my summer program..I didn't even get to the beach once. Did I mention that the lake is about 6 blocks away from me! How sad is that? I was so worn out at the end of each day..and the end of the week I just melted into a puddle. By summers end I was a burned out wreck. Not a great way to start the school year!

This year we have a car to go wandering about the countryside in. To drive to the beach if only for a few hours in the evening to swim and have some fun with my own family. I want to sit in the sun and drink homemade lemonade with strawberries floating in it, while I enjoy a few hours escaping into a good summer read (plenty of sunscreen). I want to have the feeling at summers end..for once..that I am sorry to see the summer wane as we had so much fun and I am so relaxed it is sinful!! That is what I would love to have!!
What do you wish to have? Namaste and hugs, Sarah

Hanna's Prom....

So I am not really sure when this little girl of mine turned into the stunning grown up woman...but well...there she is...

going off to the prom with this sweet man...Evan..I like Evan.


I was the lucky one...I got to take photos of this beautiful group..


OMG look at this darling pair...Brittany and Dan!


Giggle...so freaking cute!! Sorry...am being a mom..but they are so cute..


Sigh....sniff...when did they grow up to be such beautiful adults!!

Ok... so still young enough to be goofy...thank goodness.

Hugs all, Sarah

Its About That Time......

Last year I got a very late start..this year I am gearing up early! Here is part two of my new series of Halloween Quilt blocks..three more to come. I will be making the a couple more Summer quilt blocks too. There will be a few more summer pieces to come, maybe another mermaid or two with color? But.....

It is time to start dipping my stripy tights into the Halloween pool.

Maybe a few more witchy shops...or vintage witches...

What do ya think ...should I paint a few more of these??

Or maybe I will offer up this one again.....

Oh I do love the holidays...first Halloween and then Thanksgiving and on to Christmas...whoot...here we go......bwahahahahahahah....

Wishcast Wednesday...

Our dear Jamie has asked us this morning.."What do you wish to experience?" Well right off the top this morning a really good cup of coffee...be right back. Ok...I can think sorta now!

There are so many things that are rolling around in my head. I have had the joy and privilege of experiencing so many new things in the last couple of years. Much of it has brought huge growth to my own heart and soul..I feel really blessed in the experiencing area. So...I am gonna be a bit selfish this morning and do a wish for something my heart desires..that I don't really need but really wants. I know you all have heard this from me before..but I am gonna wish really, really hard this time and hope that it comes to me soon!

I want a vacation! Not just a "lets go to the next resort town and sit in a hotel and see the local sites vacation"..this is fun..but am wishing big here! I want one of those three week vacations..cause it takes a week to decompress..at some delicious resort, with a beach and sun, delicious food and a massage service..ya know what I mean. Where we can wile away our days making sand castles shaped like dragons and eating tropical fruit. Where I can have a Pina Colada in the middle of the day just because I want to and I can sit on the beach and read a wonderful summer novel and watch my kids play on the shore. Where we can walk for hours with our little buckets and collect loads of sea shells and play in tide pools discovering bitsy critters. To sit on our own little deck and watch the sun sizzle into the sea each night. I want to come home three weeks later with a lovely tan, relaxed and smiling..cause the bills were all paid before we left. It has been MANY years since I have experienced anything like this..so this is my wish today, to experience a vacation just like that!!
What do you wish today?
Namaste, Sarah

A WIP..for Halloween!

Click on the picture for a more detailed look.

So, I have a couple of pieces I am working on for dear ones..and I am formulating the next garden quilt block in my head...thank you for all of your wonderful input!! I am also working on finishing touches for my class next week..whoot!! I am going to be brave and do the first video this morning...ackkkk LOL..not my most comfortable medium! But....I am going to do one this morning...I am...really I am!

So in the middle of all of this..I was feeling the need to do a bit of Halloween..here is a Witchy Kitty quilt block...color coming soon!
Happy Tuesday all, Sarah

Lady Bug Quilting Block..all done...

So here is #2 in this new series of Quilting blocks..it is the same size - 8"x8". So here are some sweet Lady Bugs on geraniums..I do love both of these! I would love some suggestions from you all..I would like to create two or three more in the happy garden set. So what kind of bugs and flowers would you like to see next?? Maybe a dragonfly or caterpillars, or maybe some ants and watermelon? I would love your input!!


Hope you all have a wonderful Monday! Hugs, Sarah

Happy Mother's Day and Some Winners.....

Wishing each and every one of you wonderful Mamas a love filled day today. I think that any woman who offers up love to a child should be celebrated today too. So Happy Mama's Day all!!

We also have a couple of winners...

Here are the winners of two spots in my new E-Course "Balance for the Creative Soul" are - chosen by random generator................................................

1. - Jennifer of Mama in the Moon
2. - Linda GJ

Congratulations ladies...please send me your email @ cottagegardenstudio@gmail.com!
So much fun to give things away on Mama's Day!!
Hugs and Love, Sarah