Sweet Little Treasures.....

In the mail on Thursday..I received a sweet little box..I was the third person to get it. It all started with this sweet girl whom I adore.. Faerwillow! As it passes from person to person we get to choose two or three sweet little treasures from the box. Then we add as many treats as we took from the trinket box! I love this..looooove it! What fun to open a box full of sweet treats and get to choose some! I don't know about you all..but it has been a tight year and getting a treat in the mail just made my summer!!!
So above are the two I chose..because I could not resist them..the bitsy flower pot said October..my birth month and my very favorite time of year..well I had to have that one. Then I unwrapped the rest of the treats...Oh my how to choose. But the last little treat was the blue fairy and there was no doubt about who would soon be residing on my art table..that sweet fairy!! So I carefully wrapped all the other treats up and added my own and one extra for good measure..cause I wanted to..and it is off to the very next person..Linda it is flying your way!! Thank you Faerwillow... I cannot tell you how very much this meant to me!! Hugs all, Sarah

Wishcast Wednesday...

Our dear Jamie asked us this morning...How do you wish to nourish yourself? Ok it is not good when the second you read this you burst into tears...seriously. Big old message..Sarah you need to consider this..now..this minute.

So here I am...I feel like all I have done was whine each Wednesday....all Summer. Ackkk I hate that..I am not a whiner. There has been one thing after another this season. Every time I think I am on top of it and back on my feet...something or someone else creates issues. I just wanted a calm summer..to relax before my school program began again in the Fall. Here I am at the end of July and I feel as tight and bound up as I did at the end of the school year. Out here in the real world I have come to some painful understandings about folks I have trusted..people I care about have broken trust in huge ways that even my forgiving soul can't ignore. My feelings are bruised and beaten. I have had to regroup my thinking on so many issues. What it comes down to is this..I am hurt and I am sad about what has gone on this summer..but I am dealing with it..I am journaling and finding out how I feel..where my responsibility lies..the lessons here..the good stuff..the treasure. I am trying to move on and figure out where this is leading me and why. Learning what I am suppose to take away from all of this!

What do I need to nourish...my soul..my heart..my confidence...my strength. I need to nourish the joy I feel in small things and time spent with my children. I need to nourish my power...that warrior woman needs some building up. Because I think this year she has been beaten down and pushed in a corner..time for her to come out confident and strong. See I knew I should be here today..cause I feel better already..just knowing where I need to go...I need to reach my hand into that corner and draw out my warrior woman and let her fly!! Thank you Jamie! I so needed this today!!

What do you wish today? Namaste, Sarah

I'm workin'..and workin' then ......

I am working like a mad woman..LOL...well only a little crazy. A few mermaids, a couple of witches and witchie kitties..a couple of turtles, a few bitsy fish and crabs, a few falling Autumn leaves and a new Scottie dog to paint...I am off to do a video and then it is off to the beach. Whoot!!

Happy Tuesday all!! Hugs, Me :)

Happy Monday All!!

This one still makes me giggle...have a non grumpy bear day all!! :)

Summer Stress and Bitsy Breaks.....

Summer is always a bit doodliewonkers around here..with daycare summer kiddos, getting artwork ready for the fall market, the lure of taking pictures of the of everything blooming.

I seem to run out of time for all I really want to do. Like jumping in the lake, sitting in the sun with a good book and an iced coffee. Taking long afternoons up in the woods to wander, wild craft and catch bugs and minnows with my own children.


I really just want to get out and do a whole lot of nothing..how did it get to be almost the end of July??


Why am I already thinking about school clothes and supplies? Ackkkk I am so not ready for that..the new year of school. I need an extra month of summer please. I know as a Fall girl this may come as a shock...I need more summer this year..I really do. Given I know very few genies...and it is unlikely I will meet one...I am going to try to take some time in August to breathe...to do nothing at all but play and feel summer joy. So by the first week of September..I am not crying in my java that the summer has passed too quickly. Cause you all know how much this girl looooves the Fall! I want to feel excitement to see it arrive..not sadness that the summer passed too soon!



On my photo blog I will be joining Susannah of Unravelling...in a month long break for August...just a picture a day..no words...no rules..just pictures. I seriously thought about doing it on this one too..but I would miss you all too much ..so it will be there..nothing but a month of breathing and non stressing..I may even take a little time off here..just a little. Do you need a bitsy break...would you like to join us? Just click here to read all about it!!

Wishcast Wednesday....

Our Dear Jamie has asked us this week....
What do you wish to envision? Wow...wow...so very much! I guess I thought at nearly 50 I would have this all planned out and be living things I had envisioned..but life happens and things change. So the things I am envisioning are so dramatically different than those I thought of years ago...it even startles me! Thrills me too!!

I think first I am envisioning stable...as in financially stable..enough coming to not only pay the bills but enjoy what life has to offer too...a vacation now and again..where we don't do a stay cation. A big savings account..good medical insurance for the adults! Kids are covered! Stable...I am wishing for stable!

I am envisioning that camp again...that beautiful place up in the mountains here in Idaho. With beautiful little cabins and lovely screened in meeting places for art and learning..sharing and growing. Where teachers want to be invited to come do workshops and students want to come back. Where we have a wonderful lodge for eating and staying in the cold months. An amazing chef to offer up things that not only feed the body but the soul. A place where women can come and decompress and then fill up with things that feed their hearts and souls. Where artists & photographers come and learn new and wonderful techniques and leave filled with new excitement for their craft! Where women come to play! Where women come to find themselves again.

There it is that wish I want to put out there..it gets clearer all the time..this is what I wish to envision!! That is what I want! What do you wish today??
Namaste, Sarah

Really I didn't fall off the side of the earth.....

Do you remember this one...my little elven door? Well I decided I wanted to pass it along to someone who will love it as much as I do...so I have listed it on Ebay... here.

I have not disappeared...I took a little break. I had an unexpected four days in a row off...whoo hoo!! We took full advantage of the time. We went here and played in the lake and chased bugs in the woods.

It was wickedly cold..I mean freeze your feet cold. So cold the boys decided after a bit it wasn't healthy. Nonni and I braved the cold and caught bisty fish in a coffee containter..we let them go of course.

We spent the long weekend doing what ever we pleased..whenever..I even took a few naps.

Happy Tuesday all:)

Heeeeeeelllllllpppp please.....

Hi all....I have a question I thought some wonderful blogger might be able to answer for me. I have a domain...I would like to add it on my blog..rather than the name it is now. I am kinda scared to do it..know how..just not sure what will happen when I do..will I loose my followers...is it a good thing..should I leave well enough alone...

So if any of you have done that...added your own domain to your blog...could I please...

Pleaseeeeee...

Oooop sorry got distracted there..ooo that was fun...sorry. Could you maybe share your wisdom with me! Thank you...

Hugs, Me :)

Big..huge art sale on Ebay......

I have posted a bunch of my favorite Originals and Prints at a lower than normal price on Ebay... you can find them all here... I thought it might be fun to do a mass listing while listings were free. So pop on by and see what is up for sale... Thank you all for looking! Hugs, Sarah

A Few that Pleased My Eye.....and something curious!!!

We had some 4th of July fun. Coeur d Alene is a resort town and pops all summer. Each year they do a wonderful fireworks display and a big parade. Above is Fox doing a fun sparkler...kinda looked like a cowboy hat LOL!!

The parade goes down the main street and then the riders and floats head back to the start point by going right down our street. So instead of crowds and craziness..we just sit and watch them go by.

They are just as lovely for us..as they slow down for the kids to see them! So much fun!! Like a private parade!!! I love that!

Ok....so tell me if you might think you know what these are...not pixie cups as I first thought...I will give you a little hint....

The jar was a science experiment..full of vinegar, a nail, a copper penny and electric current...these grew after the current was off. What do ya think...??

Happy Saturday all, Sarah

Would You Like to Join Us...On Me???

Good morning all!! You may think this is odd...but my muse and I agree...I need to offer this up to all of you on me. A wonderfully amazing group of women and I are just finishing up Balance for the Creative Soul this week. What a joy it has been for me. My second course, Let Fly begins next Monday. Several of these amazing women are joining me again...I am happy dancin...I really am. So....my muse and I thought...we might offer it up to folks...this first time around on me..for free. Seriously...the message in this class is so near and dear to my heart... I just wanna share it. So if you might be interested in joining us..on me for this course...I would love to have you join us there. Please email me if you would like to join us... @ cottagegardenstudio@gmail.com . Below is the class description.

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 help you 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!!!

We will be meeting together in a private group with discussion boards just for course members to share and discuss what we are learning together. I will be popping in with a video visit each week. Two weekly assignments will include exercises designed to help you not only see your story but to find a way to use it and appreciate the gifts it offers. I have worked hard to create assignments that are not only effective but not overly burdensome to your week. Some assignments will challenge you, some will be fun and easy. A nicely put together pdf file of the complete course will be available for download at the end of the course so you can refer back to it at any time.

Wishcast Wednesday...

Our dear Jamie has asked us today... What do you wish for your relationships? Ok am already crying....geesh. Tagged me today Jamie....I am struggling with this one ...a lot this last month or so.
I have such amazingly wonderful friends online...I love how we support each other up and check in on each other...I cannot begin to tell you how much these relationships mean to me... they keep me balanced and functioning when things are rough...and cheer me on when I have thing to happy dance about. They are in the truest sense of the word Mile deep friendships.
My relationships out here in the non cyber world ...some are good..folks I love and are there when I need them and is returned...they are loving and wonderful. But it seems this summer..those that I have to deal with all the time are busy taking advantage of my nicer side. I have been deeply hurt in the last couple weeks by a couple of folks that I have to continue to deal with daily...trust breaking stuff. I said the other day that I felt like my feet had been knocked out from under me...I got back up last week and had it happen two more times. By Sunday I just felt used up and gun shy...I wanted to hide...so I am crawling out of my hiding space today...breathing and trying to get back on my path and keep going..breathing deep and getting present.
So I guess my wish for my relationships this week ..is to understand what has been happening and why..to work through it and either form stronger boundaries or mend them. I need to find my way back to my relationship with my strong self and let some of the rain just roll off my back and quack. This week I wish to be a better quacker. Hugs all, Sarah

Oh oh oh one very happy note....I got my results back...all is normal with the pap and thyroid test..for this, huge happy dancing!! Despite the rain!!! QUACK!!

Two New WIPs...Ocean Gardens..Larger...

Click each photo to make them larger...

Here are two new Ocean Gardens...these are larger...4 1/2" x 6 1/2". Makes it easier to fit in more details...I love that. Here are the WIPS..no color yet...hopefully by Sunday...garage sale this weekend!!

Have a wonderful Friday all!! Namaste, Sarah

Musings on Mama Fear...

I was so touched by all of the comments on Wishcasting yesterday..about being brave and being scared about my Dr. visit yesterday. I felt like a million bucks yesterday after I was done...like this huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders. Silly to put off going to the GYN...more silly to worry about it at 2am for months. I know huh...duh! It got me thinking about why I did. I think it was two fold honestly...fear and bigger fear.

The big fear at nearly 50...the big C word...cancer. My Mother was diagnosed with breast cancer when I was 22.. she passed away from it when I was 27. Some of those years she did really well..some not so much. But I was there with her through the whole thing, chemo, radiation, the anger, frustration, loss. I felt blessed that I had that time. It also scared the crap out of me for years. Of course losing Renee this year just intensified this for me.. I miss them both so very much!

I was a brand new mother when my Mom was diagnosed..I was due with my second in two weeks when she passed. My Mom shared with me in a calm moment one very large regret... she had not gone and gotten mammograms..she had ignored them..on purpose out of fear. By the time they found it..it was walnut sized and had metastasized. Had she gone earlier..she might have beaten it. She wanted me to know so I didn't repeat her mistake.

After she passed I had a morbid habit of reading the obits to see how many women had died at a young age of cancer...I was really scared. I had two biopsies during that period for benign fibroid breast tumors...terrified. I became oversensitive to every little change...eventually I had to mellow out and relax..but along with that came a sneaky little thing...stuffed fear... I was afraid to get my checkups...I did..but terrified me! Thus my massive fear this week...silly huh...really seriously...my Mama taught me this lesson...it was time that I embraced it...so I did this week!! Whoot.

Here is the other thing about being older..almost 50... the bigger fear... I have a six year old and an 11 year old still here at home. There is so much talk about older Mama's...women starting later with their families..etc. etc. Here is something they don't mention...that fear that most all mothers have...that they will get killed, become ill and die..whatever...and their children will be left with out them...K need tissues...IS HUGE when you are an older parent! It is like mega intensified...you have this overwhelming need to see your children all get through high school...then you can breathe again..seriously.. breaks me up just writing this..the thought of my babies here without me. Ok...need to breathe for a second...

So what is my point here...that what I learned this week ..finally it seems...was this. We cannot always know what is going to happen...we don't. Our dearest wish is to be old with our children, grandchildren and great grandchildren..I know without a doubt that was my Mother's wish. She was afraid to know..about illness..her Mother had cancer too...her fear stopped her from acting. I don't want to do that..I want to embrace the lesson my Mother shared with me...take care of you..get checkups...the fear is worse than the anything else...certainly not taking care of you. The best way for me to ensure that I am here for my kids young and old..is to get my checkups...take care of my health.. exercises, eat well..meditate and take care of me!!!! Sometimes in our fear...we forget to do that...I certainly did.
Hugs and love, Sarah