not the same...

 

so much has changed for me over the past year, it is hard to know where to start to explain.  in fact, most who know me irl say i'm not the same person they knew before.  

i know it's true.  i am definitely not the same person i was.  i'm so much happier now and the real change is that i finally like myself.  no, that's not completely accurate.  i love myself.  i can see my own value, now.  it is such a change from how i used to view myself and life in general.

i'm going to share how this happened, but not today.  that post will take some time to really think how to word it and will probably be edited several times.  😉

one thing that has changed is that i'm embracing the fun.  i mean, really, really embracing it.  i've a collection now of funny sunglasses (pink flamingos, anyone?), tiaras and crowns, and bunny ears and all kinds of things.

i spend my time doing the things that light up my heart and soul and make me smile.  things like blowing bubbles in the garden...

making little bouquets for the house from the flowers growing in my garden...

popcicles on a hot summer day...

and remember my "seasons" tree?  i've set it up for spring/summer, and hope to add a few more flowers and maybe some scrap fabric garlands over the summer.

 

actually, looking at it now, this is a bit of an older photo.  it is really loaded down since i took this one, i think.  i'll post another photo soon.

this is just a sampling of the things that are bringing me joy and how i'm finding my fun now.  i've been getting out into the world more, joining in with groups and volunteering for helping out with things in the neighborhood.  (i KNOW, who even AM I? 😁😂)

i'll be back in a few days (if not sooner) with one of the things i've been doing that has brought me a huge amount of fun and joy and satisfaction.

hope you're having a lovely weekend.

see you soon, 

love & kisses & magical wishes...

~*~

family time

 

Today was my first official game day.  It was just my mum and I, but I still had fun.  Growing up our extended family spent most of our time together watching sports, fishing, or playing some kind of game.  We mostly played card games such as Manipulation, Bridge (which I have never gotten the hang of) and Liverpool Rummey.  Nerf darts, tennis and shuffleboard were also big hits. 

During the past months of awakening, I've realized how much I missed doing things like that.  I really don't have a social circle anyone so any socializing is really done with family.  So my mum agreed we could do just that and after much discussion of her busy social schedule today was the day.  My uncle was passing through town so we met up with him for lunch and then spent the afternoon playing cards and watching tennis.  It was just like old times.  Neither of us could remember how to play liverpool, so I went to google and refreshed my memory.  Of course we played it a little differently.  But by the time we'd finished two games, it had all come back to me.  

We laughed about how Granddaddy would fuss if we weren't paying close attention.  He always threatened to turn off the tv so we could concentrate, but he was the one who wanted it on to keep up with the scores.  And how Grandmother would get so mad when I would beat her and say she just wasn't going to play with me anymore.  She always called the second to last hand of the game her "Waterloo", except she (and my mum) pronounce water as warter.  So we laughed about Warterloo.

I came home with a new large basket, a beautiful little shelf and a fleur-de-lie hook rack.  All items gifted to mum from a neighbor or two and items she won't use.  

I think tomorrow will be a trip to the big farmers market and the grocer.  Hopefully a post as well.
Isn't the little fella below just so adorable?  I found him clinging to my scraggly portulaca potted plant when I went out to water this morning.   

Are there any family fun times that you still enjoy?  Are game days with friends?  I'd love to hear.

thanks for visiting, 
love & blessings
~*~ 

ps...all the photos (except mr frog) are from my mum's garden taken today

this and that...

I've really meant to post sooner than this, but life has been taking me for a spin and I'm just now feeling up to sitting down and typing.  Everything has felt so different for me, since I went to the Red Thread Retreat last month.  I am living so much, instead of just existing and I am so enjoying it.  

Since my last post, I've been to a local consignment shop hunt and found a wonderful piece for my studio.  On their FB page I'd seen a hutch that I thought would do nicely for my studio to house supplies and knickknack type things (of which I have many).  It was big, but seemed well made and very inexpensive and I thought I could slap some paint on it and it would be lovely.  When I arrived to the shop, it had already sold, but the lovely lady pointed me to another area in the shop and there it was!  This lovely old secretary was waiting just for me and was so much more "me" than the other piece.

Isn't she wonderful?!?  Behind the desk shelf is nine cubbyholes and three drawers.  I was able to get her home on Saturday and spent all day cleaning her up and letting her air out.  Sunday I put the shelves and drawers back in and started loading her up with things.  

My studio space at dusk.  I'm planning to add shelving in that corner over the workspace for more storage.  But now I have lots of play space on my table and still have my "toys" for inspiration.  :-)

When I went back Saturday to pick up the secretary I decided to treat myself to a new friend.  They were having a sale on all their Halloween items and I just couldn't resist!

Meet my new friend Eloisa!  I don't know what name her creator gave her, but we went through a list of names (old fashioned, as she doesn't seem too much of a modern girl to me) and we both thought Eloisa suited her. 

I met up with a friend from RTR (who lives close by) for lunch early this week.  It is so nice to make new friends.  I've never been very good at it, but maybe I'm just out of practice?  

This morning I met an old friend for coffee and a trip to the Farmer's Market.  I'm hosting Thanksgiving this year (first time ever! eek!) and I want to have as natural/healthy a meal as I can.  I ordered my turkey from a local farm and I won't mention how much this could end up costing.  Let's just say I could eat for maybe two weeks for the cost of this turkey.  Now I've to read up on how to brine the bird and such.  

That arctic cold front that is sweeping the country is headed our way in the next few days.  Today it was up to 73 degrees.  I'm personally looking forward to the cold.  I always prefer to be cool rather than hot.  

Last week we had a nice frosty morning and I was up early enough to get out and snap a few pictures. 

 

This one is my favorite.  A bit of water left in the birdbath overnight had frozen over and well...
I'm not sure if you can click on the picture to make it larger, but it looks even better that way.

We've had some marvelous sunsets lately.  

I've adopted this idea to try to find something beautiful in my life every single day and to take a picture of it.  I'd been posting a lot of my photos on FB.  My sweet friend Rachel from Blue Finch suggested I get on Instagram.  I'd been thinking about it for a while, but just hadn't done it.  But, now I have! I've added a button in the right hand sidebar if you wanna check it out.  I'm doing my #beautyeveryday pictures there as I know I just don't have it in me to blog every day.  Maybe at some point, I will but for now, I'm just getting back into this blogging thing, s l o w l y...

The paints, pens and such have been making an appearance lately.  I'm having so much fun making things and have SO MANY ideas.  I'm hoping to pull out some clay soon or maybe do some more paper-mache.   


I think I've rambled enough for today.  I hope you are having a wonderful week. 

What beauty did you find today?

blessings
~*~

the red thread...

A few weeks ago I dragged myself out of my hermit-y ways and headed to Maryland to the Blue Mountain Retreat Center for the annual Red Thread Retreat.  This was my second time attending the retreat, so I knew I would be in for a weekend of fun, laughter, delicious healthy food and lots of art making.

The first retreat I went to was in October 2012 - when superstorm Sandy put a quick end to our fun.  This year a lot of the attendees were women I had met at the first retreat.  

I mentioned in my last post how over the summer/after my move I had fallen into a rabbit hole of depression and despair.  Well, spending time with these talented, fabulous women was just what I needed to pick me up out of the depths.

There is so much magic in the air when people come together for a common purpose and I think that magic relit the magic in me.

It had everything I needed.  Peace, quiet and open air; to be surrounded by nature.  Woods and fields to walk. A chance to explore not just art, but myself as well.  There was fantastic, healthy, delicious food.  An opportunity for a wonderful massage, which I took advantage of, and so much laughter and sharing with friends.

  Beautiful skies...

Fairie cups on trees...
 
 A chance to learn new techniques and to spend hours creating in a safe, encouraging environment

 We made several books and learning how easy it is to make the different styles was so fabulous.  One project was on found word poetry.  We were given old books to search through and told to cut out the words that spoke to us and make them into poems.  I was a bit intimidated but was pleased with my poems.

 Above, three of the books we made and the box that we painted and TAP'd "Grace Notes" onto.  *Grace Notes was the theme of the course this year at RTR.  If you haven't done TAP (transfer artist paper) before, I highly recommend it.  It is quite fun!

 I crossed the Potomac twice and drove beside the Shenandoah, I think, as well.

 

 I visited with this sweet little girl for a bit as her brothers and sisters headed for the woods and weren't up for saying hello.

 The view from the road was quite lovely.  I spent half my time holding my camera up and just snapping pictures.  If I stopped on the side of the road every time I saw something that I wanted to capture in photos, I'd never get anywhere!  (above is the road coming home - below is the road headed to the retreat)

 

If you are looking for an adventure, one where you can create things, make friends, enjoy gorgeous views and fantastic food...head to the Red Thread Retreat.  

Hope you are having a wonderful start to your week.  I'm heading down the road a ways tomorrow to the farmer's market and an antique shop.  I'll see if I can't find some photos to share.

blessings
~*~

Happiness

Sleet came during the night and packed down the snow.  When I woke it wasn't quite as pretty as when I went to bed.

 Still, it is lovely.  Those of you that live with snow like this all winter are probably shaking your heads at me.  I'm a winter girl living in the south.  Snowfalls like this are pretty rare around here.  I can't help but be excited by it.

We are still getting snow.  It died off for a while late this morning and in the last two hours has picked up pretty heavily.  I did go out and shovel my walk for our mail carrier.  (Although I'd rather they let the mail carriers stay home where it is safe.  The mail can wait a day or two.)

I also took some time to have a little fun.

Fake flower stems for arms, acorns for eyes, a twig for mouth, carrot for nose and little paper glitter heart I'd made for a project that didn't get used.  I didn't have a hat for her.  I almost used my witches hat but I didn't want it to get messed up.  So I wrapped her in a scarf that I never use.

I'm naming her Emmie, in honor of a new friend.  :-)

I took another leap today, submitting a piece of art for a publication.  I hope they like it.  I'm pretty pleased with it.

Remember that soup I mentioned the other day?  Well...it is delicious!

I'm off to cuddle with the kitty and watch the snow fall.

How are you staying happy today?

blessings
~*~

a couple of thank you's

So last week, during my self-imposed hibernation (I'll explain later), I won two giveaways. Yep... TWO! :-)

The first was by the lovely Jennifer at Gypsy Mare Studios. I got to pick a pendant from her Etsy shop. It was a hard decision... so many beautiful pendants! I did manage to pick one and it arrived on Thursday. It came wrapped so cute and she also included three of her wonderful headless horseman cards.



I picked the Blue Moon and Stars Pendant...



It's even more beautiful in person. Thank you so much, Jennifer!

After that lovely surprise, I received an email from the fabulous Melissa at Fantastical World of Holidays (otherwise known as The Holiday Queen).

I won a party favor... one of her adorable treat cups. It is so cute and here it is...filled with my own treats for Halloween.



Thank you so much, Melissa.

I can't tell you both how much your prizes brightened my week.

blessings
~*~

gardens, blooms and mysteries

Today's post is of photos from my weekend. I spent Saturday morning planting my veggies and then the rest of the day piddling around the house. Today has been relaxation day. I've pretty much done nothing but watch movies (Twilight[again], Practical Magic[again] and currently The Skeleton Key...yeah....again!)

First we have a few photos of the mystery plant that I got from my mum, that she got from my her aunt's house when she passed. If anyone knows what this is, please let me know!





here's a closeup of the blossoms:


Next photo is my veggie garden planted...

the bricks are to keep the cardboard down until they settle into the ground. How do you like my make shift trellis for the snap beans I planted?

this is how much room is left that I can plant in...

I'm thinking of planting pumpkins. I know I'm going to do one more tomato plant and possibly another row of beans, but other than that I'm at a loss as to what to do with the space.

I'll leave you with a photo of something I got at the local farmers market yesterday morning...

mmm...delicious!

back to The Skeleton Key and my dinner, red beans and rice with sausage...

blessings
~*~

Something new...

I swam today. I woke at 5am put on my suit and went to the local Y to swim. I haven't really been swimming in years. I played around in the pool in Cancun, but I didn't do laps. Today I did 9 laps in the pool, 1/4 of a mile. (I consider a lap to be from one end to the other and back again).

It was fun. It felt really good. I'm going again in the morning. I hope to make this a regular thing.

Blessings,
~*~