Wishcast Wednesday....

Our dear Jamie asked a question I could not resist today..What do you wish for your well-being? K..I was going to skip this one today...I have to head off to the Dr. for normal check up stuff. But at nearly 50 these visits scare me to death...as I have always been really healthy...as I get older and closer to the age my Mother was when she got cancer...I get a little twitchy about it all...ok am scared witless. I can't wait to see what my blood pressure is...ackkkk. Silly...but there is is...So my wish this morning is two fold...I wish first to feel at ease with these visits...that whatever the outcome, I will deal...to be calm and present about these things. I wish to be brave!


I gained a few pounds over this winter and have gone back to something that works well for me...mainly vegetarian diet and walking..lots of walking. Ok I am only getting in a little walking..but it is growing...whoot. A few years back I was hired to teach program at a GS camp in NH... I had an amazing summer. It was fun..they paid me to play...well for me anyway..teaching 200 girls a week art, critical thinking and science...heaven! I also walked about 3 miles every day..and the chef..offered a vegan choice for every meal...I stuck to it...with an egg or piece of chicken daily. I lost 30 pounds...felt better than I ever have...ever. I cut out lots of sugar and caffeine...slept in a tent on the lake..OMG heaven. So this summer I am recreating this in a way here. I am walking as much as I can get the time to..house full of kids daily...and I have changed my diet. I hope that by October..and my 50th birthday I will have dropped some weight and will be feeling more energetic and healthy. So my second wish is to stick to this and feel better!

What do you wish for your well being today?? Namaste, Sarah

New Work...something different...

Sometimes as creators...we need to shake things up a bit...try something new and get out of our creative rut. So this weekend..I whipped our my watercolors..it has been many years since I used watercolors...why did I wait??!!

It was so much fun....

so refreshing..

So much fun creating these little ACEO sea gardens..with little fishes and crabs.

And this large piece...for the Magical Holiday Artists Lady Gaga Challenge....click to make it bigger..

You can find them here for sale.....
Happy Monday all, Sarah

Wicked Wool Gathering WIP...

I do so love a challenge...it has been far to long since I really threw myself into one. So when Brenda offered this sweet challenge...free sheep's wool..do what you may with it....OMG..I was really excited. I was one of the lucky ones to get a treat in the mail. Some delicious green sheep's wool!! Now I have had this package of paper clay for oh about a year now..sitting on my art table..waiting. Waiting for inspiration and courage to rip it open and make something with it. When the wool arrived....it finally hit me. So here is what happened...

I made this black faced sheep...can you see the look on his face...that "OMG I thought I was gonna be white" look?? You see the farmer had just been out on a bender at the local pub on St. Patties day..and he seemed to thing a green sheep would be appropriate...uhmmmm am thinking the sheep was not so sure...

As he ended up quite green. So today...the farmer is going to give him a nice brushing and at least smooth out his wool...so the other sheep do not laugh too hard. The farmer also promised another picture when he is done. And.... a very large extra bucket of grain...just for Patty the Sheep.
Happy Saturday all...off to see all the Mad Hatter Tea Parties.....
Hugs, Sarah

Hurt and a Bitsy Cookie....

Well... a bitsy cookie and a note. I have had a rough couple of weeks..I have just kept pushing through..waiting to feel summery..and all I have felt is hurt. I have been a teary mess. Not to say there wasn't plenty to be teary or bent about...ex husband in town causing pain for everyone, children moving on, graduations...lots of emotional stuff. Then there is the kind of thing..where you cultivate relationships all year..to find in the end you are still on the outside. They will be friendly with you if they see you..but that is about it. Sigh. A huge project I worked on this year went unacknowledged...or at least there was no credit given for it. It was used and to the delight of all..but no one bothered to say it was my work. It was acknowledged in private. I was a bit hurt by that...I really was. There have been a couple of other major zingers in the last two week online and in the real world that I won't put out there..but they hurt me deeply. It has been an empaths emotional nightmare..the more I tried to ignore it..the more oversensitive I became...ackkkkkkk!!


But two things happened this week... two things that not only made me cry like a child...but touched me so deeply I snapped out of my hurt...at least back to dealing with it. The first thing....a thank you note from a parent. It was so wonderful to get this...that thank you for what you do. That it meant the world to hear that she could leave her son with me and know he was safe and well cared for..that she did not worry. You see he has some issues..he can melt down easily among other things. He can be a challenge..but he is amazing and wonderful too! We do well together! So..I was deeply touched by her words. As care providers...we don't always hear this..that we are valued. This week..I so needed to hear that I was valued by someone out here in the real world.


The second thing came from this sweet empathic child...Nonni. By the end of the day yesterday...I was up to my eyeballs in hurt again...or at least..as I tried to muscle through it all and ignore it....it was seeping out of my pores..so I went to bed early. I was cranky, fed up and burned out..I was not fit to be around frankly..so I put myself to bed and closed the door. About an hour later as I sat there lost in a book...my Nonni came in to hug me. She asked me what was wrong..why I was teary and grumpy...I love it when kids are straight up. I told her I was sad about some things and needed a good night sleep and that I didn't want to be grumpy to everyone. She crawled over and gave me huge hug and said, "I love ya Mama..feel better!!" About a half an hour later she came back..gave me another snuggle and handed me that bitsy cookie. This is what she said,
"I love you so much, you are the best Mama in the world and this cookie will make you feel better!!"
Yup...one bitsy cookie was exactly what it took to snap me out of it. One sweet child who knew just what I needed ...a little bit of tenderness, a couple big hugs and a bitsy cookie. Your Mama loves you too!!!
Namaste, Sarah

A New Course ...

I know...shameless self promotion...but I am really excited to tell you all about this new e-course. The amazing group of wonderful women taking "Balance for the Creative Soul"..are finishing up our first course..I have so loved it! They have blessed me!! Amazing!!!

I am offereing a new course...one near and dear to my heart... "Let FLY the E Course". I have been working on this for a long time..living it now for many years and would like to share it with all of you who might want to join us!! Here is what it is all about..

"Sometimes life gets in the way of our living a full life. Our story defines us instead of us defining our story. This course will offer you ways to step out of your story and back into your life. To the life you want to be living!

Let Fly is designed to help you find the magic in your story and let you step away from what is keeping you stuck. Fear, pain and trauma often shut us down and make it hard to step out of the story and into what we really want for ourselves. Our perspective and experience often keeps us from living to our full potential, finding our bliss and taking advantage of our gifts.

Please join me for this eight week course and we will take a journey together as we use writing, art and photography to help you find you’re a way back to your life. As we learn to LET FLY with beautiful you!!!"

I would love to have you join this already wonderful group of women as we continue this journey to find our True North paths!

OK can ya see me happy dancing??? Whoot!!!
Namaste, Sarah

If you are interested in registration for the late summer session of "Balance for the Creative Soul" please click here.

WishCast Wednesday....

Our wishcasting wonder, Jamie has asked us today... "What fun do you wish to have?" As always...right on the money...I posted something like this yesterday.
I get so tied up in all I do..especially in the summer..as an adult...as the breadwinner..the herder of children...the planner..the cleaner..etc etc...I forget that I am ME! That I deserve a bit of fun and childlike silliness...we all do. You would think as I teach young children that this would not be a stretch for me...but seriously sometimes it is..especially in the summer. There is the child in me that just wants to play away the day at the beach..reading..making sand castles and looking for garnets with my kids!! Just nothing much of anything and lots of whatever.


Don't get me wrong...I am blessed to own my own businesses where I can be at home with my kids and have the chance to regroup my schedule for them..I adore that! The freedom to chart my own course..amazing!! But...running your own business means a lot more time and effort. I work on average an easy 60-80+ hours a week. Now granted it is not all one thing and it varies depending on which of three businesses I am talking about..but still..I am focused and not playing. So I guess for this summer...as my own kiddos are here and my daycare kiddos are here all day with me...I want them to see a lighter, silly, fun side of me. I want to relax into a whole lot of whatever and breathe and let work go for a little bit each day...a whole lot on some days. I wish to have summer fun..that is it..I wish to have summer fun!!! Whoot..Let Fly with the lemonade and water fun, art and tie dying!! What fun do you wish to have?
Namaste all, Sarah

Summer Finally......

So why am I feeling thrown off balance? The sun came out today...it was warm on my face ..we grilled hamburgers for the crew..it is good. But...as the bubbles float around the yard..I love bubbles..and we start our summer piano lessons..I am feeling not on top of it all.

We have done some butterfly viewing..do you see them in the hearts..the kids loved that! Pretty little purple ones!

We went hiking in the woods...I loved that..so good for the soul..mmmmmmm...or maybe a bit more like ommmmmm. I even sat down and put my feet up and the kids hiked up a hill with Jim.

I lost myself in a little corner of woods and found this stump and couldn't help but think..there must have been fairies there before I came tromping along with those big ol' boots. Think I may have to draw this one...can't you just see them peaking out around it...well I can in my minds eye...can you??

So why am I feeling so unbalanced? Well...as much as I love the summer...everything changes in dramatic fashion for me. I go from kiddos here half days to allllll day long. There is so much more to do with them and my own kiddos...fun delightful things..like blowing bubbles and looking for fairy homes. I am distracted and well...I wanna play. So... I have to sit down and rework my schedule a bit..so I can fit in a bit of joyful silliness and fanciful fun into my days. So this evening when things are quiet and children are tucked into their beds..and the crickets are singing their evening song for me ...I will pull out my notebook and rework my days...at least for the summer.
Does you life change in the summer...would you like to share with me what you enjoy most about it? I would love to hear!!!
Namaste, Sarah

Musings and the Summer Solstice

Good morning all!! Happy Summer Solstice..whoot summer is officially here. Although if you were here in North Idaho...you might wonder. Fifty degrees and pouring again..still. But very very green! I will have to say this is the first summer for a very long time that I am actually looking forward to the season. Being without a car for so many years made summer difficult. Frankly going to the beach..by foot with all the stuff is not so bad..about 10 blocks or so..but dragging everyone home, tired, wet, sand in shoes and cranky...not so much. So I greatly look forward to filling the car with sand and lake pebbles from the lake and treasures from the woods this summer!!! Whoot.I have even lined up a trip to a rock place to go digging for minerals and treasures this summer!!! Whoot!!!! So I for one am happy to see the Summer this year!!

I have been musing about this sign...

I don't know about you all...but I seem to have been getting several unwelcome visitors on my blogs...selling shoes, drugs...and now and again sex...geesh!! Of course they are anonymous..so I can't block them. I often receive emails from folks hoping to advertise on my main blog...but honestly I am clueless if they are legit. I did do one company for a while..who paid me a nice little sum each quarter and them disappeared off the face of the earth..no notice.

I am often getting emails from one group that has "featured" my blog on their site for tons of folks to see..would I now feel blackmailed into posting their link on my blog. Uhmmmm not so much...when I email them and ask them how my blog feature is in any way linked to the site I am advertising...they disappear..cause it is not..there is no way..short of their email to me to get to that site..where I am featured..which annoys me. I hate scammers.

Of course there is also my front door...that lovely red/orange door and porch that just screams..come on over and say hello! I love that it does...I really don't mind folks coming by to sell vacuums and magazines. I honestly do not even mind the religious folks that seem to have targeted my door for bi-weekly smiling hellos. I will be honest...I am generally kind and wish them a good day..but for some reason they seem to think I am in need of saving....despite my protests that I am not in need of their loving attention. It is becoming an issue.

Generally folks are nice and polite and take my pleasant but swift refusal to buy their products in stride and wander off to the next house. But now and again ...of late... I have had to be a bit firm and even unpleasant. This weekend a girl came by selling magazines from that group that brings foreign students here to sell for them..came to my door. I was in the middle of a project and did not have any interest in the books she had..which I have been shown a dozen times at least...I was nice..told her no thank you..she would not leave...I was even a hard butt about my no...still..she stood there getting angry and arguing with me. Seriously... you want me to buy something and you are going to be rude and get angry with me. I had to tell her to leave my property...now and close the door in her face as she wandered away cussing. Wow...really??

So I have to wonder...is it necessary to put up one of those ugly signs...that tells all I am closed for contact if I don't know you? So I guess I was wondering if you all had experienced that here on the blogs...or at your door? Do you put up a sign saying No soliciting?? Just wondering!

Namaste, Sarah

A Few That Pleased My Eye..

Here is Bun...he is a very old fellow...but feeling his Spring oats!








And my heart....whoot she graduated.....there it is ....proof!

and Nonni right before her Kindergarten Graduation!

Happy Sunday and Happy Father's Day to all you Papa's out there!!!

We Have a Wiiiiiiiiiinner!!!

Drum roll please...................................................................
Our winner of the Sweet Summer Giveaway by random generator is.... Cinner. Hope you enjoy the treats hon!!
Hugs, Sarah

New WIPs and Giveaway Reminder.....:)

Here are two new pieces I am working on..neither is complete pen work wise...nor have I added color yet...getting there. The top one.. "Roots and Wings" was created for a Father's Day project for Nonni's Kindergarten class. The kiddos colored it and then added a handprints. I thought I would go on and do a bit more work on it. Not quite sure what I will add to it yet....hmmmmmmm.

This teen fairy is a bit well...gothy and petulant..LOL! I am thinking she needs a wing piercing or two. I have not decided what color to create her in...fall colors or maybe purple and blues, blacks?? What do ya think? I would love your opinions here!!

Last but not least....on Saturday I will be drawing for my Sweet Summer Giveaway...several treats up to win! So pop on by and add you name to the hat!!

Happy Thursday all!!! Namaste, Sarah

Whoot I Finished it.....

Here is the finished Halloween Quilt block...the first of four. I had a hard time
adding the background colors to this one.... but in the end I was happy with it!


This piece is 8"x8" and will be for sale on Etsy and maybe on my selling blog. I will be offering prints also!! Hope ya like this one..I do love doing my witchy kitties!!

Hope your evening is going well..see ya tomorrow!!
Hugs, Sarah

Wishcast Wednesday....

Our sweet Jamie has asked us this morning...What do wish to nourish? I could go several ways with this one...it was a rough week dealing with the ex here causing pain for all...but he has gone home to the other coast and we spent yesterday in the woods renewing our spirit..so I think I took care of that one.

You all may laugh at the one I chose... I need to nourish my holiday spirit. I know it is June but...as an artist and one who generally focuses on holiday and seasonal artwork..it is time to gear up for the season and start creating big time.


But..there has been so much going on...I am feeling a bit malnourished. My summer program has started with my daycare kiddos. Last year I overextended myself in a huge way and was unable to find the time or energy to create all summer..by Fall..I was behind the whole season and promised myself I would not do that to myself again. I have chosen children this year that I am familiar with and know they will all function well together. That I will not we worn our physically and emotionally at the end of every day. That we will have fun and a more balanced summer this year for all.


So I am starting to create holiday art as we speak...and feeling the need for an infusion of Halloween to get my juices flowing. So my holiday spirit is what I choose to nourish today.. What do you wish today?
Hugs, Sarah

Don't forget to pop by my Sweet Summer Giveaway and add your name to the Hat!!

Did I Mention I Love Where I Live???

I think I have now and again. But...oh to have a car this year and go out into the woods and play....be still my heart..I am in heaven. It was a really rough couple of days...and after monster stress...we headed to the hills for a bit of natural respite.



Did I say I loved it here? We headed about 20 minutes from our little cottage...to this deliciously wooded area...with no one in sight..just us walking and laughing and checking out the bugs and bitsy things.

I will say that I came home feeling 100lbs lighter and relaxed again..my shoulders have detached from my ears...sigh! Delicious! Look at these little flowers...don't they look like bitsy pumpkins?

Happy Tuesday all!! Namaste, Sarah

PS..don't forget to enter my giveaway!!!

A Sweet Summer Giveaway....

Well...tomorrow is the last day of school for my kiddos. One graduating from Kindergarten and one from High school...WOW! So in celebration of summer I thought it was about time I did a giveaway..it has been a while. So I will be offering two prints, one each of my new Quilting Block illustrations above..both full size.8"x8".

I will also offer up this bitsy dragon. He is original and will come in a sweet little frame. He is small but sweet!


Last but not least...four blank greeting cards with four of my summer favorite shots.


So what do ya have to do to win these sweet treats...all to one person? Here is the info...
1. Leave a comment here and tell me what you love about summer!!
2. Become a follower here and get one chance to win..if you already are..you get one too.
3. Become a follower on my E-course Blog.. Let Fly and get another chance to win.
4. Post a link on your blog for another chance to win!

I will be choosing a winner via random generator at 9am on June 19th, 2010. I will not take any entries after 9am that morning. I will leave a message on the winners blog and the winner will have 24 hours to email me and claim your prize. If I don't hear from the winner within that time..it will go to the 2nd name chosen!
This is open to all..please leave an email if you do not have a blog.
Good luck all...Let Fly with the summer love!!
Namaste, Sarah