Independence Day 2014

    Happy Fourth of July! 

 It's been a busy few weeks, school getting out, parties, concerts, kids art fair prep. And my last round of bad chemo now finally behind me.

Yay!

 I've been down and out, this last round,  but still managed to push myself to get some things done, which shows you that cancer does not stop people entirely. 

You can get through it and still live life and have fun.

 I'm happy that the worst is over and now I can start to re-build and move on even tho I still have a few procedures left to go through, like surgery, and radiation but I'm creating, and enjoying summer with my kids.....hope you are having a great Fourth of July and summer too!

Xoxo

Overwhelmed by love and life

 In my world artists are some of the most amazing people.

Typically down to earth, free thinkers, and people who tend to do things outside of the norm. They are usually pretty open minded and very, very generous. They are the kinds of people I choose to surround myself with because they are just plain awesome and inspiring.

 I'm so lucky to be surrounded by a ton of them. They help make my world a more beautiful place.

 When I started blogging years ago 

It was because of a woman named Amy powers www.inspireco.com

She told me I should do it, so I kind of did so in a shy, slow way. I had no clue!

It then kind of blew up after that, and I met so many interesting people and fellow commiserating folks out there that changed my life!

 I met my other beautiful amazing artist friend jenn

From noodle and Lou online as well

Www.noodleandlou.com. We visited each other in Chicago when she lived there and she came to visit me in Michigan. We've been buddies ever since----like long lost sisters. Love her!

 Another friend I met several years ago was Jenny Elkins...www.jennyelkins.blogspot.com An amazing artist that does more stuff in a day then anyone I know! She is a force to be reckoned with and is so super talented.

There are sooo many more people to mention because I've met so many here online that I have a deep connection with.

But for now I have to just say an incredible thanks to my friends that have organiZed an online auction for me that is filled with amazing art.

 You can read more about it on jenn's

Website at noodle and Lou.

  It's been hard to me to accept these kinds of helping things, but people keep telling me that I just need to let go of that because people want to do things to help because it makes them feel good too.

So I am trying to get past my awkwardness about it :)

 I will say that the art on the website in the sneak peeks is nothing short of full on mind blowing and amazing!

 It's killing me not to be able to bid on these items myself!

So I will do the next best thing and tell you about them because you should know these fabulous people too!

 When I'm

Better and back on my feet I will be visiting each and everyone of these talented people's websites!

Love you guys so so much!

On another note,

I have finished my third round of chemo 

yesterday and am half way there!

Yay! I feel good, and am getting used to the ups and downs of it and getting things done when I can.

My beautiful son came home last week for good and I feel so complete having my people with me my heart is just bursting!

 I'm spending a ton of time with them just cooking and driving because shooey teens are busy and can eat like crazy! 

But I'm thrilled and will figure it out :)

My daughter Fiona has been busy with her own work and will again be participating in the kids art fair again this year....she's already started! :)

 I've been working little bits here and there on fairy doors and little paintings.

I'll have more on the website in the next few weeks.

 You can buy this batch next door to my shop

At Lexi's toy box! On Ashley street in downtown Ann Arbor! Cutest toy shop ever :)

So on that note  I'm

Plugging along. I'll have more to share soon....just know I'm 

So thankful and grateful to be surrounded by so much love.

I'm the luckiest gal for sure

Xoxoxo

I wish I could tell you the truth...

 but truth is I can't just yet.....I kind of lost my voice,  and I'm still trying to figure it out.
I'm trying to get my rusty brain wrapped around the concept of getting back to blogging on a regular basis again.
  For awhile there I was kind of burnt out on it.
 It takes time,  sometimes hours, and when you are running around feeling like you are doing nothing but spinning in circles, trying to make a dime,  writing about what you made, or ate,  or what your kids did seems so silly in a world full of more important things.
 I honestly became jaded.  
Seeing people taking pictures of their feet,  or what they ate for breakfast.... endless pictures of cups of coffee with foam hearts in it,  or artwork with wings on it drove me crazy.
  I deleted everything in a fit of irritation,  instagram,  pinterest, etc.
  I just wanted to hide.
 I felt like a dinosaur in a new world.  
I was too tired to figure out links about adding buttons,  or creating new templates to make my tired old blog look good.  I was busy living a hectic life,  and trying to eek out a living on my own making Art in a new and complicated world!
but that was stupid of me.
those places inspire you,  and I need that,  now more than ever.
So here I am trying to re-frame that thinking...  This Video That my friend posted kind of helped me think this way..........because it's these silly little things that add up to the big things in life......it's taking time out to appreciate where you are,  and what you are doing,  and maybe I should share more even though at times I feel so self centered doing so. 
  In the past it was my honesty that made people feel comfortable here.  The fact that we all commiserated about certain things,  creating art,  feeling rushed in a wild world,  dealing with kids, and relationships.
it's good to connect....
 Maybe you feel the same way as me,  who knows.....but this is where I am at.
at the bottom of a mountain looking up......hoping my voice comes back....
so here is peek into my world for now.......i'll reveal more maybe at some point but for now this is what i've been up to...
   TOday I worked on a new website that I will be filling up in the coming weeks......
my domain will change over to the redshoeshomegoods one like it was before,  it will just look differently...
you can take a preliminary look at it here...... and tell me what you think!
links to my pinterest,  instagram,  facebook, tumblr and all that stuff is on there,  so you can follow me if you'd like.....
yup,  I'm figuring it out!  :)
and here's some pictures of things I've been working on as well,  and some things that Fiona has been making too...she's always an inspiration,  one of these days,  she'll have her own blog because that girl will never loose her voice, that's for darn sure!

Paintings, and mixed media pieces that are for sale on my Etsy site,  yes,  I now have one of those too....luminaries that my daughter and I made for festifool's Fool moon event,  and dolls my child is working on for the upcoming kids Art fair in July!  
I may be quiet over here,  but I am working my tail off behind the scenes (i wish it was literally,  but that's a whole other story)
so on that note,  I am off to work on more web related content.
i'm on a roll,  and for now,  i'm gonna go with it.
thanks for visiting, and thank you so much for all of your kind words regarding my beloved Pearl,
it meant alot to me,  please know that.
XOXOXO