Perhaps...

I was going to pop in here today to share a yummalicious herby homemade tomato soup recipe, 

discuss a recent realization I had while teaching art to 4th graders, 

ponder on how many fun handmade christmas projects are in the making, 

share how often I feel overwhelmed these days in various facets of daily life...

however, that all just seemed to fade to the sidelines, 

as this morning it occurred to me that all this thought of Christmas 

and what to get and how much there is to do, 

the places to go, people to see...

well, it is just downright overwhelming indeed...

and then I thought about gifts I would like to give and receive, 

truly give and receive...

gifts like...

Peace

Faith

Trust

 Forgiveness

Joy

Compassion

 Acceptance

Second Chances

 Courage

...aren't these really the gifts that fill us up (with happiness)?  

And so, as much as I know my 7 & 9 year olds will not understand that I am giving them a gift of Patience...

I plan to quietly, continuously work on this gift and a few more to give throughout this Season & New Year.  

With that said, I will probably have to find that Lego set and those special earrings along with my other gifts of Comfort & Joy.

Tis' the Season fine folks...Tis' the Season

starting to feel...

a lot like Christmas...had some time today to sew up a wee holiday tree made from an old felted sweater, up cycled and relived into a sweet little diddy, 

adorned with  sweater scraps and vintage embroidered pieces...just to make any coat, shirt, blouse or sweater yell 'Hey, tis the season!!'

Here is spreading a little holiday spirit your way!

small, little wonders...

i was gifted my first Rilke book of poems by my beloved and most awesome sister in 1985...that seems so long ago now..but I have held this book and his writings (countless to number), 

 close to my heart for as long as I can remember..

when times get tough (recently a bit more frequently) 

I open up and dive in, nourished and enlightened 

and brought back to a focal point within...

so, in case you are not particularly familiar with Rilke, 

I thought I would share...because oh, my how I love him so...enough so that we put his words into our wedding vows...(not these below), 

'If only we arrange our life

 according to that principle which counsels us 

that we must always hold to the difficult, 

then that which now still seems to us the most alien 

will become what we most trust 

and find most faithful.'

good night and be kind to yourself...

new dreams...

Dreams are illustrations...from the book your soul is writing about you.  

~Marsha Norman

It would seem that recently new doorways are opening & not just the dream type...to very clear places...

Here's hoping that life is being most kind to you fine folks.

quiet the busy...

It would seem I have become a sporadic blogger, I am afraid...life gets so busy at times it just isn't easy to come to my little space here in the webular world...but suffice to say that it's getting colder here in sunny California..finally! and with shorter days and fires burning at night (sounds romantic and dreamy, but really occurs more often due to lack of heat in this old home)...thoughts are running to what to create for holiday gifts...I love this time of year, but somehow this year it seemed I had not even shoved the last Halloween box in the attic, and there were Christmas trees everywhere...not even a gobble gobble in sight...I want to slowwww down and enjoy each season, do I have to start hearing 'Jingle Bells' two weeks into November at Michaels?  And the business of traffic and crowds is loud and all around out there.

So, to quiet the busy I sat down to finish some reclaimed tiles & other unfinished items this past weekend and plan to list in the shop here soon.  

What I found was the soothing, slowness of mixing colors and ripping vintage papers and doodling, journaling, knitting, exploring new creative endeavors...these things are comforting and quieting and are preparing me for gift giving and the season approaching...

How about you? How do you keep calm with the onset of these holidays?

on cutting hair...and lightening loads...

so due to the fact that I have been a bit home grounded and unable to venture past my wee post box...secluded in the house with two children who are sadly enough suffering from double bouts of ickiness...

..i have found out that

 a.) I do in fact, clean a good closet and am not tied to possessions in any way, 

b.) crafts become craftier when you only have so much to work with 

c.) one needs to stay clear from the internet when one has time to loligag about 

d.) the whole home schooling thing is a tough one now that we have had to juggle and catch up and stay on top of things...i give these mum's some serious credit 

e.) i like to cook
and lastly (well, really I could go to Z)...getting my hair cut today
 was a gem of time secluded just for moi...
and man oh man do i love short hair...
somehow it feels to lighten the load,
feels so easy,
young and free...
that's all i got...
ta ta  you fine feathered folks...

beautiful bones...

so you say the heart has no bones...

                                                                                      stop right therei tell you,

 i have felt it breakdown 

 grow and soar to new heights

it has spoken to me in the still of the night

with a mind all its own

it has 

loved, 

inspired,

 feared, 

elated, 

dreaded 

and pleaded...

to the bone.

so, i ask you now...

does your heart have bones?