Guest Post!

I'm so excited to be the guest poster over at Dirty Footprints Studio today! Go check it out here!

Cardinal

Here's a less-than-ideal photo of my latest painting. I forgot to scan it before I whisked it off to the handcrafted arts fair at work this week. I donated this and the little angel painting below to the silent auction. I've never really put my work out there for sale before, so it was exciting to see people bid on my paintings. And also a little weird to see them happily scoop up their winnings and take them home. I'm so used to having my work here in my home for me to enjoy. The person who bought this painting is sending it to his elderly mother in Denver who loves cardinals. Which makes me incredibly happy and a little bit in awe that someone so far away will have my work in her home to enjoy.

Snowed in

These pictures are actually from last week. The snow was prettier then. Also, I am too lazy to go outside to take new pictures.

The sun is shining today, but it's really cold. And my street is an icy rutted mess. I only got in and out of my driveway yesterday because I have really really really nice neighbors who came over and pushed me when I got stuck. People who "love" snow must not have to drive to work in it for months at a time, that's all I can figure.

As for me and my cat, we shall stay inside and watch sports all day. And then maybe do some more painting. Because it was sooooo much fun getting back in my mixed media groove and painting this little angel last weekend!

The Library

I. Love. This. Room.

This is the third and smallest upstairs bedroom. Mom came up with the genius idea to turn it into a library. She was so excited by the idea that she came over and painted the walls a yummy dark green. And then it was fall and I was too busy to do anything more. But now I've painted the ceiling white (it was peach, of course) and polished the floor and moved some stuff in. And suddenly I have this warm cozy space where I could just sit all day, with or without a book. It's just dreamy.

Go read this.

My excellent cousin Nathan has started a blog, Nathan Explains Science. You should go read it. Really.

See, Nathan is a scientist and he's a really great writer. He makes things you've never heard of interesting and understandable and cool. AND he's also a political scientist (in addition to being a former astrophysicist) so he writes a lot of very cool stuff about why people act (and vote!) the way they do.

Have I ever told you how creative scientists are? Nathan and his brother Marcus (a physicist) are two of my favorite people to talk to. And it never ceases to amaze me how many parallels there are between the way they approach their work and the way I approach making art. At some level it's really all about exploration and curiosity.

So go check it out!

P.S. Pistol wanted to say: relvv xzaa
He just typed that.

How To Be Alone

I love this video. Tanya speaks the truth.

The Perfect Protest

Brene Brown is hosting The Perfect Protest this week in honor of her new book: The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You're Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are.

Doesn't the title just say it all?

Really, it's such a relief to just relax into yourself. I've spent years planning how great things will be when I finally get it all together. Problem is, I'd always rather have fun than do all the yucky work that I think I need to do to get it all together. Endless yucky work that can never all be done. So I'm finally learning that if I let go of the idea that I am something less until that mythical day when I get it all together, I can have the fun without the icky anxiety that I should be working harder to get it all together. I am enough. I really don't care if I have messy hair and a messy house. I am enough. Such a powerful message.

I am enough.
And so are you.

And on a very thrilling side note, I have a dishwasher!!
An adorable little miniature dishwasher!
I think I actually jumped up and down when I got home today and walked into my kitchen and saw this. It was the only thing on my "must have" list that my house didn't already have. And now it's here and I'm so happy! Now if only I hadn't washed all the dishes by hand last night to make room for the handyman to work - I don't have any dirty dishes to put in it!

Blessings

I'm counting my blessings today. Here's a few:

Warm, soft cozy bed with a pretty reminder from a dear friend.

Window I can look out of into a big tree while lying in the bed.

Lovely sturdy house with pink and aqua walls that is ALL mine. The whole thing!

Sweet funny cat friend who wakes me up at 5 am because he wants to cuddle.

Family who are fun to hang out with.

Warm, smart, funny, supportive friends.

Garbage service.

Lawn service.

$$ to buy art supplies.

Sunshine!

What blessings are you counting today?