Chains of the past......

"There is freedom for the soul
bound in the chains of the past"

New original art card found here on ebay!

Tender scars and secret hurts......

"You can trust me kindred soul... to hold your tender scars...and cradle your secret hurts...together we will walk this journey towards healing"

Where would we be without trusted and sacred cummunity...kindred hearts who walk along side some of our most difficult experiences? While I made this card today I was reminded of how much growth is encouraged when a friend is able to move into our seasons of pain and struggle with us...without judgement or offering simple solutions...without questioning the validity of our hurts...without need to control or try to shorten grief's duration...but simply joining hearts on the journey with us...for the long haul..for the length and depth of the season. My prayer this day is that you have such a friend...and that we can all be such a friend to another. This new art card can be found on Ebay!

Refreshing Time Away.....

Thanks so much for all your well wishes for a wonderful time away! I had the most relaxing time visiting my dear friends in Tennessee and Atlanta! I headed to Tennessee first to celebrate my friend Brenda's reaching her long time goal of getting her Masters in Counseling. I was so honored to share this milestone with her. She and her family have the most gorgeous place out in the country that took my breath away! It was like being at a retreat! Lots of time to just take country walks, enjoy teatime and take the horses on a ride! I must admit when I got on my horse "Belle" and she started galloping like the wind (OK she was probably only trotting) I thought I would pee my pants! I just think horses are the most amazing animals whose eyes are just full of such soft emotion. We headed to Nashville one night and took in the wild country music experience. I never saw so many Harleys in one place! What fun it was to see the expression on Brenda's face when her hubby and girls presented her with a new puppy for graduation! What a handful "Maliaka" (which means sweet sugar in Swahili) is going to be!


We headed to Chattanooga to meet up with my long time pal Christina. We have made so many memories over tea the last 20 years. We always have to find a tea house whenever we meet to share whats been stirring in our hearts about life, faith, family and our hopes and dreams. I traveled on to Atlanta with Christina to spend time with she and her precious family. It was so fun to just hang and do life with them for a few days. Years ago it was running around with our toddlers and now we are getting ready for the graduation ceremonies of our kids! We had some excitement when the tornado sirens went off one night as we were out on a walk. It was wild to watch the sky darken and clouds begin to swirl, the winds picked up, lightning and thunder started up a chorus and the finale was a huge downpour...all in the course of about 20 minutes...then calm was restored. We headed to Marietta Square in the morning for some starbucks and shopping and found the most stunning pieces of artwork! Theres nothing like hanging with friends that are like family and who encourage the next steps in your journey! So I am home trying to settle back in. It always takes me a while to get back in the swing of things and creating again but I hope to be back in the studio next week!

Taking flight.....

"Risk revealing who you are so you can live
in the revelation of all you were meant to be"

I will be taking flight early in the morning tomorrow to head to the east coast and meet up with two special friends of mine. I am really looking forward to some serious "chick" time and just getting to hang with two of my favorite "peeps"! So I will be MIA for the week but hope you'll open yourself up to a new adventure while I am away...take some chances...paint with a daring color...walk through that half open door...embrace risk...get your hands messy...stretch and grow...start a new day...and create a new dream! I'll tell you about my adventure when I get back!

Happy Mother's Day!

I had a quiet and relaxing Mother's day. One of my favorite things to do is sit and chat with my boys at Starbucks! Hand me a "double tall non-fat Mocha Extra Hot With Whip" and we are good to go (even my sons have got that order down for me!).I pray this day brought you comfort in remembering and honoring those you love!

Thanks so much to all of you who joined in on the art blessing giveaway! I was moved and inspired by the stories many of you shared about causes that were close to your hearts! I am happy to announce that the three winners of the art dangles are Mere (Victorian Lady), Becky (Heart in my Hand) and Cheryl (Signs of the times)! Congrats and I will be contacting you for info to send the dangles out to each of you!

The Healing Journey.....

"The healing journey begins with the
first courageous step...Trust your heart"
New original mixed media collage on canvas which can be found here on ebay! Also listed a new set of inspirational art blocks! Thanks so much for peeking in on me today! There are a couple more days left to sign up for my art blessing giveaway a couple posts below! The drawing will be held on Mother's Day! May life offer you a new door to open...a first step to take today! Creative Blessings!

New art cards to share....

"In her brokenness she became real"




I am often asked where the phrases or sentiments I put on my art cards come from....or how they come to me. I found myself really aware of that process as I created today. Many times the musings emerge as I reflect on the tender words a friend who came along side my own journey might have shared with me, or thoughts and feelings that have stirred deep within my own heart....wrestlings, longings, fears, hopes, dreams. There are times when I am thinking of a friend who is in a heartbreaking situation and what she might need to hear. Then there are the moments when God is whispering something I need to hear or gently inviting me to learn through a difficult lesson. They seem to arrive at unexpected moments and always in a way that feels like serendipity! I hope these speak to you and stir their own unique meanings for your journey. These new art cards can be found here on ebay. Be sure to take a peek at my giveaway below and join in!

Art Blessing Giveaway!

Well its that time again!!! I love the opportunity to give away blessings of art and have three art dangles I thought I would offer this time for the Art Blessing Giveaway! I have been thinking so much about the wonderful ways that we can reach out and help others in need and all of the worthy causes there are to support. I wondered if you might add a note with your comment if you are participating in the drawing and share briefly about a cause that is close to your heart, or one maybe you have supported now or in the past, maybe its a hope or dream that you have to help a particular group of individuals, an animal shelter, reading to needy kids, a big sister program....the possibilities are really unlimited! I just thought it would be encouraging and uplifting to read about all the ways our hearts have reached out in the past or hope to reach out in the future....a chance to pause and maybe even consider new ways that we could support those in our communities and our world! Sometimes its the smallest of gestures that can usher in the deepest of changes! So if you would like to join in the giveaway just be sure to leave your contact info in the comment as well and on Sunday, May 11, I will draw three names for the art dangles pictured in this post! May you find hope as you awake to each new day this week!