A Birthday Filled With Gratitude

Yesterday was my birthday ........

Isn't it funny how people always seem to ask if you feel any different on that day than you did the day before ... but surprisingly enough I did feel different this year..... I felt more gratitude than I had ever felt on any other birthday...could be age but I like to think of it as simply being totally present and open to whatever the day would bring...

The sun shone that morning which was a gift in itself.

My friend Dyanne came over in the a.m. with a cranberry birthday muffin complete with candle which she lit.   I made coffee and we sat outside with the sun shining on our faces.  Enjoying the day and enjoying our time together....both being present.

John and I took a walk late in the day .....

I heard from friends and family whose love and support I cherish everyday ....

I received a call from my friend Bianca whom I've known since grade four.  She and I just recently connected up via Facebook.  She said she wanted to call me in person to wish me a happy day .... (gulp) big lump in my throat over that.  We shared precious memories together of being young girls, teenagers and then finally adults but unfortunately we lost touch as human beings sometimes tend to do.  The important thing is we have reconnected and have new memories to make...

Say what you want about Facebook but I have met so many incredible people who share the same passion and joy about art that I do.  Some I've met some I haven't. So many of them wrote on my wall yesterday (if you don't know Facebook it  means they left me a message saying Happy Birthday) and I don't think I could ever tell them how much that meant to me.  Simple things such as that make me feel overwhelmed and thankful.  There really is so much kindness and generosity in the world but unfortunately is seems to somehow get overshadowed by all the bad news we constantly hear.

John made me an incredible dinner......he's special like that!

So on my birthday I can truly say "I felt the love" which may sound corny to some but it was the prevailing feeling of the day and I will always carry that with me.....but for now I'm going to go and try and "pass it on"........

"Be intent upon the perfection of the present day" -  William Law

There Were No Balloons or Cake at This Party (ok there was cake)

So yesterday when I was in my studio storing my art away I decided to have a little party for one.........a pity party. You know the "poor me" kind. Where you neglect to look at all the great things you have in your life and just concentrate on the crappy ones. The rain outside didn't help much as it has been a constant the last six days. So I'm organizing my art on shelves and thinking "why aren't I selling more?", why am I not the famous artist I think I am in my own mind?". Well all that pathetic whining does get tiresome after awhile so after getting some great advice and general cheering up from my "amazing" blog friend artists, I went and made some homemade chicken soup(really good) and then ate a big piece of banana cake (that wasn't so good, at least for the waistline).

I'm smart enough to realize the career path I've taken is not an easy one. Maybe I should have been a psychologist. I had seriously thought of that at one time but ruled it out in the middle of my Psych 101 class after I had drawn throughout my entire notebook as well as over some of my notes. Tracy said to me yesterday "Maybe you should just stop making art". I know what she was trying to do and I thank her for it. It made take a good hard, long look at what it would mean to "stop making art" and to realize that would not be a possibility. I'm driven to get into that studio everyday not because I think I'm going to get rich but because it is such an integral part of who I am. So...............I pick myself, dust myself off and get back at it. Then I started feeling really guilty about being so self absorbed when there are so many other tragic things going on in the world. I really am so very blessed. My life is a good one, a really good one and I'm grateful.

I've got this great guy who loves me (ok I know this is a line straight out of Jerry Maguire but it's still one of my fav movies. Long before Tom was jumping on couches and married "Free Me" Kate.) I've got great kids (granted they think I'm a little weird but hey, they are teenagers what do they know...in 20 years they'll think I'm cool but I won't hold my breath). I live in an "arts" supporting community and I do get to work in my studio every day.

Sometimes you just have to venture into the dark side for a short period of time to realize how bright everything truly is. May sound corny but it's true.

Good News

Summer Days
Work in Felted Wools & Thread

Yesterday I heard from Carol Currie at the Carriage House Gallery and she sold two of my pieces on the weekend. Yeah! Sounds like it was just someone who walked in to see the current show and happened in some way or other to see my work. When I did the television interview a few weeks ago they needed some of my artwork for the shoot so I decided to bring it all up and just leave it. I guess in hindsight that was a good decision on my part. Anyway, it is going to feel good going into the show with two pieces sold.........

Paul from the Purple Hills Artist Tour just emailed my artist page which I am quite impressed with. They did a great job. You can see it here

Today is going to be a crazy day in the studio. I am still finishing one piece that must go to the framers tomorrow morning as well as two other small pieces for matting. I have butterflys in my stomach already and the opening isn't until Friday......yikes! Yesterday I attended a baby shower for our friends Andy and Laurie. I spoke with a big group of my friends who are all intending to come out to the opening on Friday night. There is nothing like the feeling of standing in the middle of the gallery and seeing your friends walk through the door. In that moment I truly know the meaning of the word "friends".

Have a great day

You Gotta Love A Daughter Who Can Make Sushi

Tonight my youngest daughter made sushi for dinner. I didn't have to participate in making it or help in cleaning up..........all I can say is "yeah". I'm not an all out sushi nut which means I won't eat eel or any other creepy fish whose name I don't recognize. I like smoked salmon, shrimp and tuna but that's about as far as I will go. She loves sushi, california rolls and sushimi and decided it was was what she wanted to do for dinner so I said "go for it". It was fabulous.........she even lit candles and put on "buddha bar".......I love buddha bar music.

This morning the light in my jeep was flashing "check engine" even I, who knows nothing about the care and maintenance of a vehicle knows that this is not a good sign. John and I both drove to town, I did groceries and he went to the dealership. $200.00 dollars later we returned home. My relationship with my jeep is definitely a love hate relationship. Wish we could get away with only having one car but not possible when you live in a rural village.

My girls are getting ready for their first dance of the year at high school tomorrow night. My oldest daughter is on the Student Activities Council and told me the dance is called "Shut Up and Dance" apparently there is a song by someone named Rhianna called "Shut Up and Drive".........I do not know this song and they have let me know that anyone who is anyone knows this song...........I do not which I am assuming means I am not anyone important. Teenagers are such a weird breed of people.........they roll their eyes a lot at their parents, think their friends have figured life out and eat all the time......my grocery bill is getting crazy. They still hug me everynight and tell me lots of stuff that goes on in their life and let me know they love me........... so as a mom I think I'm doing ok.

The above piece is once again from our trip this past spring to Portugal. Thanks and love to Kelly who left a great comment on the blog. She was on this trip with me and we did spend the day together in Cintra........which was a blast. Kelly is the best.............everyone should be fortunate enough to have a friend like her. Love to you Kel..........but you already know that.

The weather here today is stiffling hot which seems bizarre for September but global warming and all that stuff................

Lots of love to my cousin Leslie also.............your emails about my blog keep me inspired girl

Celebrate Everyday

Yesterday was Kelly's birthday, if you've been following my blog for awhile you'll know that Kelly is my good friend who is always there when I need a shoulder to cry on or an ear to listen. We laugh a lot, like to eat potato chips and have been known to have a couple of beers on a hot Sunday afternoon.

So I put together a gift bag with all of her favourite things and invited her over and yes, we ate potato chips, had a beer and laughed. I told her that her husband had invited me to have dinner with them which was, of course, just a rouse as he had invited a bunch of friends over to celebrate. As we were sitting around in the backyard having something to eat and in the midst of all the laughter and smiles on everyone's face, I took a moment to take in all of these wonderful friends we have made over the years. Each and every one of them has played an important part in my life. Without them and the experiences I've had them with them I probably wouldn't be the person I am today.

So, Happy Birthday Kelly.........celebrate everyday .........one more great year of living surrounded by friends, laughter and potato chips.