all of a sudden....

it all wants to come out

i find little wooden candle lids to paint on

wander up the coast to sew with mary stanley

and then return to paint some more

trying to get my output like it used to be. i so want to begin selling again.

there is always  a sketch or two in the journal

i believe it be great practice

i tried my hand at a frida

in between setting up shelfies in my art studio

i am calmer, without that heavy feeling in my chest. 

the RETURN has really started to fill me up with "me-ness". i feel californian to the bone. we are, after all, creatures of habit. 

the house, the friends, the outings, the creativity seem more in tune with my inners.

i am also learning more about photography

and still preparing an album for tigo with all his funny faces and poses

love that darling snout

i've also been invited to teach at whimsy antiques in carpinteria come april so have been deep in creating templates for a mixed media storybook dress

and i finally finished my melodie stacey inspired embroidery.

all comes from the inspiration i find from other artists. it seems there are more and more popping up every day which is a good sign of battling the symptoms of a world a bit lost at times.

as alduous huxley well said:

"the secret of genius is to carry the spirit of the child into old age"

amen

the artist's way

lots of creativity going on at 846 & 1/2 which is what i call my art studio. 

this embroidery (in progress) was inspired by melodie stacey aka maidolls. i love both her embroidery and her paintings. 

this little darling is a flipped transfer from a teabag just rubbed on while still wet onto a puece if wrapping paper

just a groovy watercolor face in my art journal

more stitching

i've been finding old pieces and adding or subtracting and finally framing a few

as in this applique

mixed media handstitched necklaces

and a gabdstitched cuff

it's been fun re finding my art in boxes that had been in storage during the mexico sojourn. 

every day i stop for a little sketch or something or other. mopping the floor doesn't quite define me. 

there's always some stitching going on. the thing is to finish quite a few works in progress. then there's the what do i do with them? 

tiny

scribbles and dibbles

watercolor 

"WE ARE WHAT WE REPEATEDLY DO"

Aristotle

the number 21, a lucky number=spring

the winter was long this year so i am especially happy with this promising season. I have already planted so plenty of seeds sprouting already and the malva is robust and covered in purple beauty as are the azaleas. 

i've been stitching a lot. A LOT. it is therapy, it calms me down, almost sedates me. 

and all my stitching speaks of life

and hope for Richard

the best thing has been being able to get outdoors, take long hikes with Tatiana and Tigo

nature also being one of the great healers

and in between, tons of reading and Netflix as I nurse R before his big surgery. 

through this difficult time, we somehow seem to make things work and keep it joyous, positive and love-filled with plenty of laughter too.

i guess you can guess that just by the colors we surround ourselves with

and fresh flowers ALWAYS

there is little to complain about other than  this prolonged wait for R's surgery

puppykins sends his love