I’ve been out of it.  As I’ve been looking back over the past many months, there have been a series of unexpected and sometimes difficult things that have come to pass.  While life is generally good, there have been some very tough times, like I suppose we all occasionally experience.  But I’ve not had the right kind of energy to be here lately as I’ve been processing these things.  Sometimes when these experiences come, I need to be quiet…take time to think and be still.

And now I’m starting to feel better, and I can see some glimmer of hope.  I can see the light again…

…and my heart is ready to take it in.

With a light heart I can move forward.  And I can begin to make joyful, little things again as well…such as this shiny tinfoil heart.  To dull down the tinfoil a bit, try pouncing on Staz On ink pad (Timber Brown) with a stencil brush.

Then add some scraps such as a piece of paper torn from an old greeting card, leftover square of cotton batting, some silver silk ribbon, all held together with a vintage post earring (with a dab of glue).

Then if you like, sew a pocket style gift pouch (shown under the heart) out of sheets of tea-dyed recycled dryer sheets.

May the light of hope burn brightly within you…and inspire you.

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Thanks to those who participated in my giveaway.  It’s always good to hear from you…thank you for sharing your thoughts of inspiration.  And I appreciate your generous comments about my blog and artwork too, thank you!

The winner for this giveaway is Donna.  Please contact me with your mailing address and I’ll send things your way after the weekend.

With St. Patrick’s Day in mind I created this green inspired canvas.  And I’m pretty sure you’ve noticed that I like to use bird images…a lot!   This happens naturally when you live in an area that’s popular with birds (I live near the edge of a forest and our home is surrounded by a border of towering trees).  Recently, there’s been a constant chorus of chirping going on outside…I think these little guys are as excited as I am that the harshness of winter is behind us.  And now, as I sit here at my kitchen counter on my computer, I’m being treated to the most beautiful symphonies of Spring…I love this front row seat, no ticket required.  No getting dressed up and no need to get in the car and drive.  And how about you…are the birdie packs back in your yard too?

As usual, I began the making process by digging into my stash of  recycled supplies…using “green” materials for my green canvas makes sense to me.

I used a piece of paper scrap with text, painted in a light wash of green (watercolor paint) to make the bird, which I settled into a cozy nest made from brown paper shreds…

…accented with a fluffy white feather.

A single drop of golden green catches the light just right.  This bead was courtesy of lovely Ann Marie (while reorganizing her jewelry bits she sent some extras my way)…she’s a fan of recycling too!

Thinking green is good…creating green is good.

Happy green day to those who celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.  And happy green creating to everyone who enjoys using recycled materials in your artwork – may this “making the most of” mindset inspire you every day of the year!

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How exciting that March is already here…I love this month!  I welcome this warm and vivacious season with wide and open arms!

This month also brings many colorful things, like the beautiful artwork that’s featured on the cover of the new issue of Somerset Studio.

Inside this issue you’ll see my article and artwork on the Last Page.

Here are some close-ups of the details.

I found this feather at a beach in Maine last Summer and it happened to be the perfect element for enhancing a wing.  Also, like usual, I incorporated many other recycled materials, found objects and such.  I know that many of you like to do this too…it’s wonderful to have this in common.

I plan to do more open exploring going forward…with my art as well as in everyday life.  And you…what things are you looking forward to exploring?

And speaking of exploring, after my marvelous visit to Puerto Rico I created a couple of island-inspired jewelry pieces, which I’m offering as a giveaway.

A bright and bold bracelet echoes the colorful buildings that line the streets of Old San Juan…

…while these earrings whisper a soothing tune.

If you’d like to enter a chance to win (both pieces to one winner) please leave a comment (simply say hi, or share what things have been inspiring you lately) to this post by next Friday, March 16th, and I’ll announce the random winner the next morning.

Thanks very much for stopping by and sharing your thoughts…happy creative week ahead!

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What do you do when you’re in the mood to create something, but you’re not exactly in the mood to go deep?  Sometimes when this urge appears I try to fill the void by making little things using this n’ that.

For instance, a couple of days ago I made these altered bamboo tile necklace charms using clear stamps by 7 gypsies (Conservatory set).  This stamp set is available at Stampington.  It comes with 24 pieces (includes images of bees, butterflies, birds, birdcages, eggs and more) so you’ll have plenty to choose from.  Anyway, I started off using a bee image.

And then I moved on to using a birdcage image.

If you like birdcages, here’s a mini canvas (3″ x 3″) that I created using a slightly different birdcage image (also included in the 24 piece stamp set).  This canvas was previously published in the Jan/Feb 2012 issue of Somerset Studio in the “With One Stamp” section, and the specific how-to instructions are available inside.

I can’t seem to get enough of using clothespins in my artwork.

And I’m naturally inclined to want to tuck a feather into the mix as well.  Luckily, feathers are so readily available…I find them very often during my strolls along the beach.  And sometimes I spot feathers right under foot during my routine runnings around – this always stops me in my tracks, amusing me…with a mild amazement.  I love it when this happens.  What about you…what amusing little things have crossed your path?  And do you see feathers everywhere you go also?

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Last week our family visited Puerto Rico for some sun and fun.  We picked this destination because of its diverse offerings – authentic cultural atmosphere (including exotic food with fragrant spices), cool city vibe, the magnificent natural beauty, and of course for the soul soothing sunshine.

We began our vacation in the friendly city of San Juan.  Here’s a bird’s eye view of historic Old San Juan, taken from Fort San Cristóbal, which dates back to 1634.

Many of the cobblestone streets are lined with vibrantly colored buildings…

…basking under bright blue skies with punctuations of big, billowy clouds…

…and a giant, undulating blanket of blue waters as far as the eye can see.

Here’s a view from our hotel, which is located in a newer part of the city (Condado –  a couple of miles from Old San Juan.)

It’s rare to find a hotel that is right on the ocean yet also in the middle of a bustling city.  This unusual contrast really perked up my senses…I think in a good way.  While I was there I was hypersensitive to all the new surroundings and completely absorbed in the moment…it was delightful taking it all in.  It was a surprise to discover that I liked this frenetic environment (sometimes I get overwhelmed with too much activity happening all around).  At home, I usually spend most of my time within a womb of total silence (for me, the creative process requires many hours of stillness and quiet).  However, I guess it’s good to switch things up every now and then – doing this has an awakening potential which can make you feel really alive.

After a couple days of busy stimulation I needed a dose of tranquility to get things back in balance.  So we headed over to El Yunque Rainforest (the only tropical rain forest in the National Park system – about an hour’s car ride from our hotel).  Getting around the island in these more remote areas by car involved taking many sharp twists and turns in the road, which was both exciting and a bit scary.

Another exciting highlight for me at the rainforest was hiking up the mountain with Bill and Brook to reach this scenic tower jutting straight up and into the clouds.  Venturing so far up by foot, especially when you aren’t sure what the path has in store is another good way to spike the senses.

It took us a while to get to the top.  And in fact, had I known at the start how long it was going to take, there’s a good chance that I might’ve opted to skip the hike (I know I need to work on being less cautious.)  Anyway, I’m so glad that I didn’t miss the opportunity to feel what it’s like to literally have my “head in the clouds.” BTW, we hiked through the last part of the trail in the rain.  So here we are still damp but smiling.  Smiling because we’re surrounded by clouds.  Smiling because we hiked through our comfort zone (I’m afraid of heights and of slipping on rocky terrain, Brook had a terrible headache and we’re both afraid of creepy crawly, slithery things that live in the forest.)  Poor Bill…we’re lucky he’s so patient with us.

Moving on…to something that’s easy and relaxed.  Such as a scenic drive to enjoy a sunset dinner at water’s edge (in the fishing village of Joyunda).

With birds dining right at our side (such a treat to watch them pluck fish from out of the water).  They ate fish, and we ate fish…everybody was happy.

And all the while we listened to the gentle lapping of the water.  I LOVE the water, don’t you?  The sight, the touch, the swirling, rhythmic sounds, the rich nourishment it provides…I am so very grateful for these abundant gifts.

And every inch of me was filled with gratitude as we drove back to our hotel (below is the view from the car).  Somehow the peacefulness from the outside world swept into me, and my heart grabbed onto it all, bringing it in…all the way in, so that it could settle down…deep.  The calm, quiet glow of pure happiness…it lingered as it hummed.

And continued throughout the plane ride home…

…as we flew along the sunset.

Wherever in the world we may be, there is sky. There are clouds and if we’re lucky there is ocean.  There might be sandy shores, and there are probably trees…perhaps on mountains and perhaps with birds…chirping and singing sweet melodies…streaming along with the wind.  Rays of sunshine, beaming through crystal droplets of rain…from above…from the clouds.  A reminder to paint this picture with golden gladness and shower this joy all over…wherever in the world we may be.

Beneath the sky we are one…with nature, with each other.  See good, be good, be grateful, be kind.

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Sweet decadent treats…love them!  Like these itty-bitty chocolatey cupcakes from a local bakery.  Sometimes I have to have the most indulgent treats.

However, sometimes when I want something sweet, but also somewhat healthy, I’ll bake up a batch of oatmeal cranberry cookies with some ground flax seed mixed in.  And I’ll swap some of the butter with applesauce too…no one ever knows the difference.  Making these small, healthy adjustments is good for the heart.

Speaking of hearts, here are a couple that I made using these stamps from Crescendoh.  The very talented Jenny designed these cute and clever stamps.

I couldn’t help sneaking in a little “love”.

You can find the how-to instructions for making the 2″ x 2″ mini-canvases (shown above) at the Crescendoh Gallery.

Below is a heart-inspired package that I made for my sweet daughter, Brook.  I repurposed a toilet paper roll into a pocket (simply machine sew one end together) and added a soft heart made of organic cotton batting.

Wrap some goodies in tulle and tuck inside…so easy and pretty.

Here’s another easy project for you.  Altering Scrabble tiles is so quick that you can whip up a batch of heart love in no time (to make it even quicker, originally I created 5 different designs to fit on top of a tile, and then made color photocopies to make many multiples.)

Just in case anyone’s been admiring the pink buttons in this post…BTW, they’re hand dyed.  These sweet and beautiful buttons are available in the “Button Love” kit over at Crescendoh.

For these next couple of weeks I’ll be taking a blog break.  I’ve been craving some fresh air so I’ll be stepping outside more to take it all in.  I should be back by the start of March.  Until then, Happy sweet-heart-love to you and yours!

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Is it too early for eggs?  I hope not.  I’m guessing many of you are having a good-ole time making hearts for Valentine’s Day.  However, if you’re craving a break from hearts, you’ll find my egg-inspired project (for each of the four seasons) inside the new issue of GreenCraft.

Within the article there are specific instructions on how to create some egg shaped pillows and pockets using random recycled stuff from around the house.

Just in case you’re still in the mood for making hearts, I’ll be back within the week with some more heart-inspired creations.  Also, if you like, you can adapt this egg project to make something for Valentine’s Day by simply making heart shaped pillows and pockets (perfect for stashing sweet treats like my favorite, mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups) instead of eggs.

I think both hearts and eggs are good year-round, don’t you?  To me they say goodness and all things positive…something that can be applied to every day of the year.  Every little bright bit counts.

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Yesterday I was treated to the most beautiful blue sky.  Its beauty was captivating, causing me to pause in awe of all the wonders that nature so abundantly provides.

With deep appreciation, I was inspired to create this bracelet…

…choosing elements that say “sky” along with a bit of “branch” (suede lace) to represent the amazing trees that are essential to maintaining the balance of life on earth.

And of course I included a spot of blue too.  I like how one small element, such as this single bead, can have a big impact.  This is very reassuring – it makes me feel like we can each make a positive mark in this world.  Hopefully, the impression that we make will exude grace, beauty, kindness, generosity, etc…all good things that are connected to love.

Later in the day I found time to make a couple more similar bracelets…I guess the beauty of the sky really got under my skin.  Luckily, there was space in the day to allow this flow of creativity and thought to run its course.

The bracelet shown above is up for grabs to the first person who expresses interest (simply leave a comment to this post.)

Happy blue skies ahead to all you creative lovelies.

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Many months ago a very thoughtful and generous Melody sent me this lovely nugget from nature.  The heart in the middle is SO amazing.

After months of admiring this little gem as is (it sat on my studio shelf where I would see it regularly and inevitably smile each time.)   Yesterday, while going through my items of potential, like this precious nugget from nature, I felt an urge to do something special with it.  So I did some slight altering and created this sparkle-centered necklace.

From within there is a light…

…let it shine.

May the glittery goodness inside you be the light that inspires others to shine.

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I have a weakness for Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.  And over this past Christmas season I allowed myself to indulge…I ate these little cups of joy, with joy.  And I didn’t feel a lick of regret or guilt afterwards.  It’s essential to give in to our cravings every now and then.

After I satisfied my sweet tooth I had  plenty of red and gold foil wrappers leftover, which I later used to make these tiny hearts.

And with Valentines Day coming up, I decided to use the twinkling golden one to make the canvas below.

Then I used the ruby-red one to make this necklace.

I tucked the heart into a cozy pocket made of tulle.

The foil heart rests on (and is tied to) a cardboard paper base.  These elements are so feather-light that this charm can be worn suspended from a chain with just a couple of metal jump rings.

The heart seems to hang there in space, creating a magical ethereal effect.

Here’s a look at the two pieces together.

I really enjoyed making these heart-inspired pieces…about as much as I enjoyed eating the Reese’s cups.  And I suspect that soon, there will be more red foil wrappers in my future since Valentine’s Day is coming up.  I wonder if this means that there will also be pink colored wrappers to play with?

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