From Chaos Comes Happiness

My friends . . . Happy Happy New Year! We made it! And oh, how happy I am that we did! Here we are, the very first day of 2013 . . . and I am feeling wonderful. I was so happy to close the book on 2012 - a year that, while full of so many daily blessings, brought a great deal of challenges, growth and sadness in the world. Personally, 2012 was one full of lots of ups, and lots of down, and a great challenge along the way. Expressing my inner voice, nurturing a relationship in the midst of a heavy travel schedule, raising children who are trying to spread their wings, juggling jobs, worrying about finances, and then throwing a whole bunch of family into the mix . . . I often found myself stopping and taking deep breaths through out year, and then picking myself up (with courage) and moving forward. And here I stand, on the other side, and gladly say, "Good Riddance 2012! I'm glad you were here, because I grew so much. But . . . ADIO...

Where, oh where, do the days go? I missed Christmas here on the ol'blog . . . the busyness of the season took hold, and the time completely got away from me. Before I knew it, I was putting away Christmas presents and thinking of the New Year! Oh, how bad am I? I do hope you and yours had the most loveliest of Christmas holidays!   We certainly had a wonderful one in our happy chaos home. From major family visits, to good food and lots of laughs, I am in a bit of a holiday fog right now. I'm anxious for the new year to begin, feeling like it's time to move on and start anew. Oh, how I love the New Year! I thought it was time to do something creative again, too . . . hence the new header. Back to the basics for me. I haven't had my little "Annalee" on my blog header for quite some time. She was calling me, so I had to add her in today. Not sure how long I'll keep the layout this way, or the font, or the header, but it works for now.  I just needed...

What a beautiful week . . . what a beautiful Fall . . . what a beautiful world . . . especially when looking at it from here. My daily journey. Oh, it's been too long since I've written about my road. But it's still there, of course. I don't travel down it daily, as I use to. But I do get to visit it at least two or three times a week. This past week, it was in it's glory. The trees are absolutely gorgeous this fall. My mom and I were talking about them this morning, and determined we have no idea why people talk of traveling out east to see the colors change. The colors are beautiful right where we are. I'm coming down from the hype and excitement of the craft fair. Feeling alive and regenerated in my creative self. I shared some of my art goodies with some of the people at the hospital where I am still doing work at, and it was . . . awesome! One of the ladies stood reading my " Annalee " greeting cards and said, "Wow! I love your ...

I had a million and one errands to run yesterday . . . post office, Walmart, gas station, Starbucks ;) . .  .you name it, I probably had to stop there. Driving around town on a beautiful summer day sure can bring you happiness. At least for me . . . that's exactly what happened. It was the hair. The bright pink hair. As I was be-bopping around town, I saw a young girl riding her bicycle with a friend of hers. By young, I'd say she was probably 16 or 17 years old. It wasn't the bicycle that caught my eye, or the friend on his bicycle, for that matter. It was, her hair. Bright bright pink. And it made me smile. Never in my life could I have done that. But boy oh boy . . . I wish I did. I actually wish I could do that right about now. Because I feel it, you know? But I could never do it.  Remember when you had courage like that? To be who you wanted to be, and not care or worry about it. To be free. Completely and totally free to exper...

I've been thinking so much about the whole idea of having a vision lately. How I can see, somewhere in my mind, what I want to do or the art that I want to make. I somehow know the steps I need to take to get to the finished product, starting with the basics and working up to the vision. And while many might question the choices I make along the way, they are often surprised if they just sit back and wait to the end. Because at the end . . . it all works out. Visions. I have a lot of them. I remember moving into our house 10 years ago and having a vision for our living room. I knew the color I wanted the walls to be. I knew the art I wanted on the walls. I knew the furniture I wanted to fill it. I actually went and bought the couch without PG, because I was so certain what I wanted. I remember having to talk myself out of the dog house from that one . . . as I had no idea how upset PG would be with me for buying our first home furniture purchase without him. Ah, but he has...

Just a little peek . . . I'm so very excited! And don't forget, Christmas is right around the corner. I'll have lots of goodies for all of those on your list. My ETSY SHOP is COMING SOON!!!! YIPPPIEEEEE!!!

I had a business meeting with myself on Monday. At my local Starbucks Office. I decided it was time to develop my mission statement,  my business plan, my hopes and my dreams. It went really well. “A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.” - Lao Tzu I'm taking steps, my friends, each and every day.

You might be wondering what I am doing here, when I said I wouldn't be back for a week. Well, I've got 15 more minutes until the coloring in my hair is set (seriously), and 1 hour and 30 minutes until I have to leave the house (seriously, again), and 5 hours until my flight (yep . . . for real) . . . so, what else should this girl do with her time? Yep . . . I'm blogging. I know. I'm also nuts. I also wanted to share just a few pics with you . . . you see, this is what it looks like when you put your dream wings on and fly . . .   . . . . when those wings help you accomplish it all . . .  . . . . and what it looks like when there is nothing stopping you  . . . . It's pretty great, huh? Hugs to you all. I'll be back soon with lots of fun pics, I'm sure. Until then, I wish you all much peace and happiness in your days! :)

I know that I promised you Part 3 of our Big Apple trip . . . and don't worry, I will be bringing it to you in a day or two. I just needed a break from the whole New York City visit right now. My head is focused on a million and one things today, and I wanted to share them all with you (well, maybe not all  million and one things . . . I'll share just a few .) I'm planning my future, you see. Cleaning up the blog. Researching and working on my creative biz. Dreaming. Believing. Focusing. All of those things that I've needed so badly in my life. I'm doing them. I feel scared. I feel excited. I feel overwhelmed. I feel hopeful. I feel confident. I feel weak. I feel capable. I feel inadequate. I feel . . . it all. I guess that is what happens when you take a chance on yourself. All your emotions come to the surface. Some of them are positive. Some of them are not. But they are all good . . . in one way or another. And I think it's most important...

So, I'm trying to get my life together ( she says, laughing. ) But, it's true. Does it sound easy? It's not. But, I'm trying. Seems I've neglected a great deal of my life the past eight years . . . when becoming a Mom was my top priority (oh . . .that . . . and working a job, keeping a house functioning, meeting the demands of family members, and doing all the other things that I found myself doing the past eight years.) But now . . . I've got a little time on my hands. So, I'm trying to get my life together. I'm starting with my environment, first. My home. It's a lovely, warm, inviting place . . . full of little unorganized messes from room to room. This week, I am tackling my laundry/craft/catch all room - the one that seems to be the biggest obstacle in my creative life right now. I'll show you some before and after pictures when I'm finished with the whole project (because right now, it still looks a mess). But I am most exci...

I know I've told you that I'm going to The Creative Connection event in September. I'm SO excited about this conference - and can't wait to be surrounded with amazingly creative women from all over this country.  In addition to hearing some amazing keynote presentations from the likes of Cristina Ferrare , Becky Higgins , Karen Walrond , and my personal idol Kelly Rae Roberts , I have signed up for a number of cool creative TCC Handmade Classes that I am so looking forward to. I mean, I am taking a class with THE Stacy Julian and another class with art journal guru Melody Ross . Seriously!!! Pinch me . . . . I must be dreaming! A whole three days of rubbing elbows with women who are making a living with their art, their words, their blogs, and their lives. That's pretty powerful, inspiring stuff. Another class I signed up for during this TCC Event is "Photography to Boost Your Creative Voice."   If you are a long-time reader of my blog,...

A little positive message for the soul today. I love all of those inspirational magnets, don't you? This site (zazzle.com) has a great selection of them, and you can often customize the color backgrounds or the shape of the magnet. Great site for cool, inexpensive reminders. I want one of every quote. Because I can never stop learning from those wise souls who have been here long before me, and who are so much wiser than I. Wishing you a wonderful day of Peace.

Well, it appears I'm spreading my wings and cooking up lots of new creative projects this week . . . all with the help of my dearest friends. On Wednesday, my cellar chum Cindi from "So That's Why" came over with her kids and we played and played all day long (well . . . Cindi and I played, and the kids just hung out.) Cindi is a genius at the whole Art Journal thing, and sitting with her totally inspires me to DO IT . . . (I guess her giving me a journal and the gesso and practically placing the paint brush in my hand is what I needed to get off my bootie and stop saying, "Oh, I really want to do this, but . . . " ) It took me a little while to get started, but here is my very first real live Art Journal.   First, the cover: I have to say, I LOVE how the cover turned out. I think my signature colors right now (in my art, in my journals, in my kitchen and bedroom, and in my wardrobe) are robbins egg blue and brown. I just love the combination . . ...

My friends . . . I think I'm going to do it. No. No. That's not right. I AM going to do it. Yes. That's better. I AM DOING IT. Yes. I am. Because, you see this . . . here . . . I'm right there . . . .at the tip . . . just ready . . . All I needed was an email from a blog friend to hand me the chisel. That's all it took. (Kiki, thanks for the chisel! I'm chippin'!) So, I have a dream. And in a couple of months, . . . to fill my soul - to be inspired - to learn - to dream. It's expensive, but after a few lousy work weeks, I decided that I needed to do something  to nourish this creative soul. I came home and had a long talk with PG about it, and within one hour, he found me outside and told me that he just booked my ticket. Like that. Poof! "Really?" I asked him . . . over and over. I couldn't believe it. Yes, I have a keeper in him. For sure. So, that's it. I'm DOING IT. I'm just at the tip of the iceberg...

I should have been a pianist. Really. I don’t know what happened. Ok, I know what happened. But I think I really could have been an amazing pianist. I had thoughts of playing the piano while at work today. Wondering . . . what if? I started thinking about how similar typing on a computer keyboard is to typing along the keys of a piano. And I am darn good at typing on a computer keyboard, I must say. But piano keys . . . something all together different. I wish I was musically inclined. I can sing like no body’s business (especially in the shower), and follow along with music enough to get pretty close to the notes. But playing the piano . . . it’s like a foreign language to me. And while typing today (which is what my day time job primarily consists of), I found myself in a groove. In a rhythm. Selecting the keys with a pep and jump in my step that had me wonder why I never fell into piano playing. But then I was reminded of my enemy. . . I took piano lessons when I was in ...

Artwork by Katie There are times in my life when I like change . Changing my furniture around, the color of a room, or my hair style. For me, change is good. It’s refreshing, it’s something new, and it’s an opportunity to reinvent. But there are other times in my life when I like consistency . My favorite toilet paper, my coffee, my job. For me, these things bring me great comfort, make me feel safe, and usually are just as they are. But consistency is never a given . Really. And lately, I’ve been thinking about making some changes in the things that are usually constant. What stops me? The fear of the unknown . Darn, that ‘unknown’. Always lurking around, telling me to ‘go back to what is safe.’ I’m in a strange mood this week. Feeling a little out of control. Control . That’s a whole other ball of wax, isn’t it? While talking to my sister earlier today, she hit the nail right on the head with the whole ‘control’ thing. I feel like things are spinning out of control ...

When I was a young child of 7 or 8 years of age, I discovered my inner artist. Not a Saturday afternoon would go by without me drawing something, and rarely would I be found without some paper and a box of crayons in my hands. Drawing and coloring, very early on, became my form of expression. And it clearly is something that I still do (hence - all the headers I draw for my blog.) I can see Katie following in my footsteps, and I must tell you . . . I LOVE IT. Nothing warms my heart more than to see her as she works diligently on a piece of art. At 7 years old, she is turning into quite the artist. Currently, her specialty is the self-portrait. I have been secretly collecting her self-portraits and saving them for months now, so that years and year from now, she'll have them to look back at. Tonight, I spread a number of them out on the kitchen table and showed Katie. She couldn't believe I had saved them. I love to watch how her style is developing from one drawing to the ...

I know that this relationship isn’t normal and I really shouldn’t rely on you so much for my daily happiness. But I just can’t help it. From the moment I see you, my heart skips a beat. I feel a joy come over me . . . like Christmas morning and winning the lotto all at the same time. I know that soon all will be better in my world when I have you in my hands. Oh, this life is good. There are days when I go without you. When I think that I can survive without your very existence. When I wonder what makes you so special. And I’m ok . . . for a short time. But then, something happens that makes me yearn for you. A late night, or an early morning, might send me into a state of panic if I don’t have you near me. I’ve narrowed you down to the most cost effective way, but just can’t give you up for real. Some people may think that our relationship isn’t normal. Some people may worry that I am too dependant on you. Some people just don’t get it. When I am cold, you give me wa...

I've been reading a number of blog posts lately on Dream Boards, and thinking about coming up with my very own board of dreams. Do you have one? I do, now. And I kind of like it. It pretty much sums up what I'm thinking about this gift of life I've been given. Where I am going. What I am hoping for. It was a fun exercise to sit down and put it out there. Here it is . . . for you to see . . . I made it on Oprah's website. Seriously. Click here  to link to where you can make your own. You have to register on her site (it's free), and you can create as many boards as you'd like - saving them on her site and exporting them to your own computer, if you wish (which I did.) You can use your own images (some of the above are mine), or pick from a number of Getty Images on the site to incorporate into your board. You can choose different background patterns or designs . . . the whole thing is kind of fun. It's a good time (over a month int...

The other morning, I took a good long look at my refrigerator. The front of it. In all it's chaos. Most of the time, my eyes just pass over all of the magnets, calendars, clips, papers, invitations, bills and photos plastered on the front of our frig - because, quite frankly, there is usually alot going on there. Except for one little spot . . . where I am inspired daily. The other morning, I caught a glimpse of this motivating spot, and felt the need to take a photo to remember it. And, as with most things, I want to share it with you. Here it is . . . The first thing I saw was the heart shaped leaf that Katie picked up on her return walk from the bus stop one day after school last fall. She held it so delicately in between her fingers and gently handed it to me, telling me that it was her heart and she wanted me to have it. I immediately brought it inside and secured it on my frig with this red clip. It has been there ever since. I think I will...