12.12.12

"According to Chinese numerology, the number one is a yang number which is ruled by the sun and represents independence and individualism. Two is a yin number which is ruled by the moon and represents symmetry and balance. When placed together, the number 12 brings harmony to the yin and yang, balancing the feminine energy of the moon with the masculine energy of the sun. So, what we can gather is that 12/12/12 equals lots of harmony." more here. 

I like that!  yin and yang in harmony?  good stuff!  I woke up thinking about today "the super special not for another 88 years will this kind of date happen."  pretty kewl and kind of whoa!  like I probably won't be here in 88 years.  ok, for sure I won't be here in 88 years.  I also thought that I would really want to make sure I remembered to be grateful while I was still here.  somedays I think I am grateful and then other days my thoughts suck like a big old hoover vac.

so in honor of this unique day I bring you: 

12 things I am grateful for today

 1.  grateful that I woke up and am still alive.

 2.  grateful for morning puppy kisses.

 3.  grateful for my new coat keeping me warm in the freezing cold while joey takes forever to     do his deed.

 4. grateful to my hubby for wide open days and hidden clocks.  aka "I work from home"

 5.  grateful to my friends and family near and far for their endless love and support.

 6.  grateful for stories that remind me that I am not alone.

 7.  grateful for surprises in the mail.

 8.  grateful that my dad has more good days than bad.

 9.  grateful for the most amazing son ever who gives the best hugs.

10. grateful that I took a second chance on love and found the most beautiful soul.

11.grateful for friends who call me up and will listen to me while I cry and love me for who I am.

12. grateful for the strength to carry on and faith in what the future holds.

what are you grateful for today?

and we are back!

art studio by the pool

did ya think I was still at the beach?  yeah, I wish I was!  this is not a fun season for me.  some people say "oh you must suffer from seasonal affective disorder".  uh, no!  I suffer from "I hate the frickin' cold, snow, sleet and all the clothes that you have to wear to cover yourself up and keep warm so that your nose won't all of the sudden fall off".  is there a name for that?  our home at the beach will be purchased soon and all of this white stuff will be a memory!  thank YOU santa!

writing

derwent ink sticks and water brush a la lounge chair

art studio in the room, on the floor

SO the beach was a hit and half.  the travelling art supplies were used and not used.  some did not travel well.  like the new tube watercolours that I bought that apparently contain honey.  WTH?  so they leaked but thankfully I packed them in a ziploc bag.  I discovered some new techniques while playing around in the travel journal.  LOVE those kind of accidents!  I did not spend a lot of time creating page after page of stuff.  I spent a lot of time listening to the audio books, writing and working on my travel journal.  I had a lot of fun with that this time around.  did some sketching, lettering, doodling and added bits and baubles from our travels.

I have a huge basket filled with travel journals from all over.  anytime I feel like I need a get away I go and dig some out and sit down and read all the goodness and it takes me back to that time.  at times I giggle at some of the stuff I wrote or pasted onto the pages.  some of the travel journals had pages for my son and husband to write their memories on.  we had a daily top five and those are incredible memories there for me to read again and again.

I had the thrill of trying out glass blowing with some of my new friends.  little did I know when I started to blow that I was being punked.  after putting my lips right where a mexican stranger previously had his (this hit me when it was too late!) I began to blow and kept blowing till it burst.  awesome!

glass blowing heaven

I drank a lot and too much.  everywhere you went there were people offering tequila shots.  I love tequila.  I love the little shot glasses they come in.  I love margaritas and the combination of the smooth tequila, lime and salt is well - heaven in a glass. una mas! 

notice one is almost empty, don't judge!

on our way back to where all the magic began in 2009 we stopped at a blanket making factory.  hello!  I was thrilled to have the chance to operate the loom and try my hand at making a blanket.  awesome X 2!  they also had an outdoor oven where they baked us some fresh sweet rolls.  mama happy!

just another day making blankets

reality is back with a boom and I can't believe it is december and we are days away from christmas.  it boggles my mind and hurts my heart.  it will be a difficult year.  our family said good bye to two amazing women this year and you know how important women are!  mothers, daughters, sisters, cousins, friends and all their beauty will be deeply missed.  I am being pulled in all different directions and all I want to do is cash in my west jet credits and fly away.

beautiful pacifica sunset

so santa all I want for christmas is some comfy bamboo pj's, a warm blanket, a cup of hot cocoa with those really good marshmallows and a candy cane by the fire.  and maybe a tequila or two...

not together cause that would be gross!  thanks santa!

my future home