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


 

Life, 10-3-12

 Most days I struggle to even get out of bed,
nothing but silly mayhem around me at all times ;-)

 but I blast myself out of there at 6 am and get busy.  creating messes and works in my studio.
every. single. day.
 it's a cathartic process for me,  and something I obviously need to do.  I love it.  it's what I am meant to do I 'spose.  

 

I've been very prolific and busy these days.  I basically gave up Facebook and most social media to focus on my work.  It wasn't that hard for me to give up those things,  I kind of got burnt out on them,  preferring to spend time with art supplies than reading about political stuff on there anyways.

Plus life with kids has become exponentially busier with my highschooler and little elementary school child.

the summer basically blew by but ended on a lovely note with our yearly end of summer vacation trip up north.

 what a difference in mood huh.....elementary vs. teenage angst ......ha ha  XO

Pink moons,  best friends, lake,  water, sunshine.  it's so good for the soul up there.  and a much needed relief from the everyday stresses of life.

We come back rested, revived and ready to start the school year with a sunny out look.

I switched Fiona to the downtown school that I actually went to when I was a child.  I love it there,  and am thrilled that we can walk to school every morning.  I love this hill,  pretending I live in San francisco for one little block :)

Jackson was lucky to win the lottery and get into one of the most desirable alternative highschools in the city,  so he's downtown too.  I love it.

I managed to also land myself a design client and was busy helping her decorate her house with custom paintings and handmade pillows.

I had a nice little team of creative people with me that made custom slip covers for her chairs and sofa.  along with one of a kind lampshades and lamps for her living room.

it was a ton of fun and something I'd like to do more of!  

 these are the lamp shades before......

 and the sofa before.....

 made little number appliques for her slip covered stools....

 ordered rugs......

 this is the sofa after. with a new linen,  down filled wrapped handmade cushion from my friend Karen Lucas......and custom pillows made by me....

 she also made slipcovers for these chairs out of a simple sketch that I made for her,  turning these old family heirloom chairs into a more functional modern piece of furniture!  Karen is AMAZING!
(the little flower pillow was made by me)  :)

 now this is a picture of the lamps before we had new ones made....

 and the lamps after!  with custom fabrics and colors that really tie the room together.

 new barrel shades for the chandeliers.....  so nice to add texture....drawing all of the elements of the room together.

 Little table arrangements made too with glass jars,  stones and baby tears.......

 I also made a custom painting for her entryway......

it was a super fun project,  and something I LOVE to do.  

however once that wrapped up I was back to the studio and making things for the shop.

 Pillows,  paintings,  and TONS of fairy doors produced....alongside my little sunshine creative who happily churns out her own brand of awesome...... good grief!

 this child kills me,  seriously.

but my son is just as cool,  he creates wonderful graffiti style pieces, and filmwork.  he's 14,  so he's not around me much....preferring his friends to his MOM,  go figure.
.......but that's o.k.

 because every once in awhile he does like to be with me, and actually wanted to hang out with me on a saturday night with his friends.  So I took the teens bowling.
  i'm lucky to have a boy like that.
yes,  I am.  :)

 So when I'm not wrangling kids,  teens,  birds, and dogs,  I am wrapped up in making stuff.

 

making things that make me laugh to myself.....like this one-toothed apple guy.  Does this mean I am completely crazy?   ha ha.  probably so,  but I sure am having a good ole time losing my marbles ;-)

in my saner moments,  you'll find me working on one more painting that will be heading up north  this weekend.

this one will be hanging in Wandawood hall on Elk lake.

escaping for the weekend by myself for some peaceful lake serenity.

or as my friend Angie likes to put it

'escaping to the healing waters of Elk lake'

yup,  that's what I am up to.

creating,  healing,  living.

thanks for taking the time and peeking in on my life.

I'm so happy you stopped by.

truly.

XOXOXO