and poof it's september...

wow! where did the month go?

-I am now a year older, but I feel like I am getting younger everyday

-I created a whack of purses/bags for ponytails and horseshoes. I am so honored that they have given me the opportunity to sell my art in their salon.

-I reconnected with my old boyfriend from italy.

- I took off to toronto for a reunion with my tribe...

we shared our time creating...

eating good food and making mushroom mustaches...

talking till the wee hours of the morning and promising each other that this will be an annual event. four and half out of seven of us made it this year.

-I took the leap and signed up for this a while ago and made the deadline! woo!

-busy packing and sorting and even had a garage sale.

-picking colors and textures, cabinets and floors, appliances and furniture for the new place.

-dan has returned from his adventures in montreal. so happy he is back safe and sound. he turned twenty yesterday which is blowing my mind!

-I felt like this month I have had a good rhythm between taking care of mom and dad and feeding my soul. more time in the studio makes for a happy girl!

life is good!

read more...

one of my goals for the summer was to read more. I had picked out some books to read "fo sure" and I cannot recall what they even were cause I have been reading up a storm. here are some of my top inspiring reads:

kathryn stockett - the help

I actually listened to this audio book. the characters had different voices and I could picture exactly where they were and what they looked like. I love that these women came together and took risks to tell their story. beautifully written and I so thought it should be a movie and IT IS GOING TO BE!

sark - inspirational sandwich, transformation soup, eat mangoes naked, the bodacious book of succulence

I have loved sark forever and while packing up the studio I came across her books and began reading them over again. full of color and inspiration and marvelous stories. most recently these words have stuck with me "I believe that we need to go to where we want to be, and the resources will follow us. impossible means I'm possible!" taken from inspiration sandwich.

anne lamott - bird by bird, grace (eventually),

I started with the dvd about her and loved it. one of her lines "it's good to consider where you are going to be at eighty. I believe at eighty we are not going to wish we spent more time cleaning our houses. I believe at eighty we are not going to wish we stayed out of warm tropical water because our thighs were not firm." I think she is beautiful and I love her voice. her words are so true and her struggles and her strength have me looking at myself and believing that "I am ok".

cheryl richardson - the unmistakable touch of grace

again another audio book. love these for the studio! the recording was of an actual weekend retreat and I loved hearing the participants stories of grace. I love cheryl's voice and her statement of "every person we meet has been put in our path for a reason". she has me thinking more about my "touches of grace" and how if I just surrender to it rather than fight it I end up with more peace. recently I have had oodles of moments that stop me to wonder "why has this come to me now?" and I am just going with the flow.

linda woods & karen dinino - visual chronicles, journal revolution & meeting in the ladies room

beginning with visual chronicles and journal revolution they were early inspiration for me in my visual journaling. "have no fear" and "rise up and create" they encouraged me to look at the everyday things like receipts, tea bags and recycle items as pieces of my life. examples of how to include them in your journals and your art and how to celebrate the truths and the trials of life.

most recently their "meeting in the ladies room" which sits on my side table for anyone who comes over to pick up because I think everyone should read this book male and female. it is a gathering of different women from all over with their stories, thoughts and reflections. it made me laugh. it made me cry. mostly it made me realize that when I look in the mirror of any bathroom it can totally determine my mood for the day. I also realized that I have a serious problem with public washrooms. ick! it will have you remembering many moments in bathrooms - alone, with girlfriends, kids, strangers and for me most recently my mom. I love these ladies and you will too!

enjoy reading, listening and soaking up inspiration from all these fabulous authors!