Art and Soul Inspirations....

I was lucky to get into Tracy Bautista's class "The Art Book" at Art and Soul" in Portland this past week. I feel so spoiled since I only live ten minutes from the whole event! Tracy's class was a palette of delicious creativity! She was a delight and shared so many fun techniques with a variety of paints and everyday tools. We spent the day getting our hands covered in all the colors of the rainbow and creating our own papers with cool designs and patterns. Then we cut those papers in a variety of sizes, assembled them together and handbound our own unique journals! I have been wanting to create something special to record all of the "Divine Whispers" that have been moving my heart towards each new step in my own journey. This book was exactly what I had been dreaming of! So I look forward to the day when it is overflowing with experiences, treasures, images, stories, dreams and inspirations...and I look back through the pages and see how the story unfolded!

First we painted and played to our hearts content!

Next we cut our designs into shapes, collaged and created our journal covers!

Then we bound our pages and wove beautiful ribbons, fibers and embellishments into the binding and wah-lah! (well it was a teeny bit more involved than that haha)


What a pleasure it was to sit and soak in all of Judy Wise's wealth of experience and wisdom in her class "So You Want to Sell Your Art"! What a generous and insightful soul she is. I so appreciated Judy's advice and perspective on being generous and giving as an artist. She was rich in sharing the wisdom of living in a way that allows us to freely release our gifts into the world without getting caught up in holding too tightly onto "what is ours". Her creative heart and calming spirit truly inspired me! Had fun running into fellow ZNErs Gina Smith and Tina Curtis too!

I was sad to have missed the vendor night at Art and Soul but was so inspired by the moving stories of healing and lives being restored that were shared at the ARMS (Abuse Recovery Ministry and Services) annual fundraiser banquet my husband Dave and I attended that same night. We hosted a table and shared the evening with our Moms and friend's Dave and Meg Wilson . It was a sweet time to be with my dear soul-sister Shelby as we each were honored to participate in a video presentation for ARMS which debuted that evening. It was such a reminder of how God weaves lives, hearts and circumstances together to redeem our pasts and usher in new hope for the days to come!


"Sweet friends you offer gentle hope and renewal to my spirit"

Upcoming Events....

My calender is filling up with some events I thought I would pass along to you if you are in the Portland/Vancouver area during any of these dates and would find these a source of hope and comfort. These are also wonderful opportunities to find out more about these encouraging resources and share them with a friend who might benefit from them!

This weekend are two beautiful Fall Open Houses for two private retreat ministries, one of which I have been blessed to stay at. Florence McDavid at Journeys Rest and Traci Nelson from Still Waters are two of the most beautiful woman inside and out that I have had the honor of meeting and calling friends. They each have gentle hearts that are deeply passionate for providing places for souls to come away, rest for awhile and just nurture their body, mind and spirit. Saturday, Sept 27th, from 10:00 til 3:00 PM, they will be opening their ministries and hearts so you can come and see their retreat offerings located in Battleground Wa. just two miles apart from each other. Enjoy fresh baked treats, the smells of pumpkin spice candles and delicious cups of hot tea. Florence will also be having a sweet boutique open at the event which will include a selection of my framed artwork, greeting cards and inspirational treasures. That evening I will be offering my Healing Expressions Workshop at Journeys Rest as well. I am so looking forward to seeing how God moves and the hearts he connects on this special day!

"I Will Carry You" ARMS Benefit Banquet, October 4, 2008 at the Multnomah Athletic Club in Portland Oregon. ARMS (Abuse Recovery Minsitry and Services) is a faith-based, non-profit agency that provide educational counseling and awareness to individuals faced with domestic abuse. This year my husband and I will be hosting a table at the event where hundreds have come to hear of the healing and hope that is availiable to woman who are living within the heartbreaking world of domestic violence, men who are seeking help with abusive behaviors and teens needing guidance and support on these issues. There is inspiring music and courageous stories shared by both victims and those who have abused and found recovery. This event is a fundraiser to support the agency and it efforts to expand their reach into other communites and states across the nation.


"Betrayal Redeemed: Mastering Your Trauma and Reclaiming Your Life", October 24th, 2008 at Mountain Park Church, Lake Oswego Oregon.Sandy Wilson, founder of Tuff Stuff Ministries in Lake Oswego, Oregon offers this all day event with several break-out sessions and Keynote Speaker Linda McDonald who is Marriage and Family Therapist and author. This conference offers hope and resources for woman who are traveling the difficult healing journey from the betrayal of their partner's sexual addiction or infidelity. This is the second year I will be offering my artwork and therapuetic collage workshops at a resource/vendor table. There were several hundred in attendance last year and many received encouragement for the burdens they carried.

"Inspiring the Soul" Charis Woman's Conference 2009. January 10, 2009 at the Hilton in Downtown Vancouver WA.

I attended a beautiful planning luncheon yesterday for a fabulous event coming up to encourage and inspire woman. This event is a fundraiser for Charis Counseling which is a Non-Profit Christian counseling agency offering discounted services for needy children, adults and families. I was so excited to meet the caring souls at Charis Counseling and hear their heart and vision for this fabulous event. They have a strong and passionate hope to connect people with resources and healing ministries that reach out to our communities and our world. The keynote speaker is best-selling author Karen Kingsbury and there will also four wonderful break-out sessions to attend. There will be many non-profit agencies represented at a resource portion of the conference called "The World at Your Door" as well as vendors offering inspirational treasures and items that offer encouragement. I am honored and so thrilled to be a part of the event this year and will be at a vendor table sharing work that I hope and pray will "inspire the soul"!