Artful Journey

well sort of. Some things work and others not so much. As CJ remarked, it is a case of proCraftsination! After speaking with Onz, I am going to make my art goals more specific, because that is where I fell off track.  She gives some awesome suggestions, and I think next week will bring more progress. View on my walk. I live three miles from a nearby lake, making walking a treat..easy to get my daily steps in, as well as a walking meditation. The evening is closing in. Managed to do a little watercolor, inspired by the falling leaves. Onz suggested I find a quote to letter every week, so I thought this one by Emily Bronte worked perfectly for my watercolor leaves. a little water color maybe another greeting card? I have been trying to walk without music.. see more clearly what's all around me, and live in the moment. One of my favorite authors is Claire Cook, and she looks for hearts wherever she is.. heart leaf on my walk... I love all her books, but for tran...

magic can't happen here...or at least, with a little bit of time and effort, a little creativity is always possible. my art space... I really have the room and supplies not to mention the inspiration... CJ thinks I make a difference some favorites, a card from Janet, a picture of my girls, book of lists a gift from Onz stained glass dish from Eoghan from Spain   Supplies All that is missing is the plan...so here it is... mantras, watercolor and plan                                                             close up of my tracker... Thursday's task is tidy the study and family room. The study looks pretty good as does the family room, especially since Eoghan is reclining down there!  Now if I can get  it to look as good as my garden. flowers are still happy Looking f...

Thank goodness for Friday flowers, you can be assured that changes are always happening in the garden. knockout pink! Looking around and seeing that pop of color always lifts my spirit. knock out red! Since starting to blog, I have seen some fantastic photos, and I am inspired. The shape and color are stunning, so I have taken the time to get up close and personal. If only I could do their beauty justice. Onz has suggested I take it to a different level, and practice sketching or painting. I've put that in my planner for next week's to do list. Roses for inspiration. Another part of my transformation Thursday is to do something creative everyday. Also not just to read and admire blogs, but to incorporate some of what I see into my journey. Karen creates some simple, elegant, beautiful cards, so I wanted to incorporate some of that into my card/envelope exchange this month. A group of zebras is called a dazzle, but even in a group of zebras you...

Whew! The heat is on, with a fury....all of a sudden, it's gotten hot, hot, hot. In a week, it has gone from rainy and cold to hot and humid. Vacation and last week's weather have put the planting a little behind schedule but I am on it.  Hopefully, those tender roots will survive this heat and thrive. ...with a little help from the angels. Have a good start on the front garden...and I have hung my summer basket on the door. Summer color! Roses are in bloom... and the portulaca (or moss roses) have been planted. But there is still alot to do.  All this gardening has left little time for mail creation, but some of my favorite magazines came. I will be browsing through them tonight while enjoying iced tea in the back garden. Time to sit sit back and relax. And of course, temptation came through the mail slot... oh no, these must go... As part of my contentment challenge with no unnecessary purchases for 90 days, these had to be ...

It's Friday, and the start of what looks to be a warm weekend.  There's a good chance that we will be heading to Cranes Beach, armed with sunscreen and a wide brimmed hat...that Irish skin really needs protecting.  As part of my garden transformation, I need to get some beauties in the ground today. Last weekend, we hit our local garden center....oh, the color! A feast for the eyes.  What a selection of Hydrangeas...the blooms were just enormous.  I had seen similar sized ones last year when we visited the Columbia Road flower market in London with Onz and David, but had never seen them in the US.  Amazing, they are the size of dinner plates. All I can say is wow! and double wow! And then I am a sucker for roses...take a look at these beauties. I lost  a rose bush last year, and am trying to decide which one to replace it with. A few more trips may be required before I make up my mind. In the meantime, I have some snapdra...

Just back from my vacation in Ireland, and feeling refreshed, energized and ready to take on a challenge, or maybe several.  When Onz was over, she was reading Grace, not Perfection by Emily Ley, which I subsequently read. Fortuitously, I saw a sale on Webster's Pages planners and Carpe Diem inserts online! I have seen alot about planners on instagram, so I was already feeling tempted to dive in.  Fi had mentioned Transformation Thursday, which she had seen on Pinterest. Onz mentioned the 90 day contentment plan, where you don't by anything other than the essentials (food, health, and paper products, aka, toilet paper.) and really value/evaluate what you have. I have already budgeted for my garden flowers, so that gets a pass. yes, I have plans and planners too! I am just happy that these came in before the buying moratorium started.  The challenge should be a little easier, since the summer weather is here. Coming back from Ireland also reminds me of how few materia...