talking to myself

I need to read this article I wrote for the Wishstudio again and again. Finding the time for art is vital for my sanity. Cutting out my time wasters is hard, so hard at times. I have to remind myself of that and that it is better to do something artistic than nothing at all.

I am pouring my creative energy into my house right now. It is taking shape. Each day it becomes more and more what I envisioned. I can't wait to share photos. I left my camera at my friend's house... just shows you my priorities right now!!!!! I have had some time to process more photos from Ireland. This is my dad with my youngest son Maximus. 


Upcoming:
On Saturday August 7 I will be hosting another follower giveaway. Check in to see if you won.

On August 30, over that the Wishstudio I will be leading an online workshop for parents & kids, a kind of arty playgroup. Details HERE on the wishstudio. The other leaders are Tracey Clark, Pixie Campbell, Mindy Tsonas and Stephanie Lee, what an awesome group!!!!

I am underwater right now. In a sea of remodeling. It will be all OK in the end, but living through it is tough when you have 5 kids and no kitchen, not to mention unfinished concrete floors and a crawling baby! The things we do to improve our lives always take work, thought, creativity and agony. Like college, like exercise. Hard at the time, but worth it in the long run.

The process should be complete next week and I will be able to reassemble my life and get back to blogging.

For now, please excuse the dust of my absence. 

Traveling home!

Our time in Ireland is over. We had a lovely trip, lots of family time. I spent lots of time with old friends and family. Thank you for coming along and enjoying my photos. I appreciate all the kind comments from old and new friends alike.

I will be offline for while as we travel and then get settled back home, well settled is not quite the word as my kitchen is in the middle of being renovated, so I have no sink or stove or floors and all my kitchen stuff is in the living room!!!! Oh my! Paper plates & Chick Fil A for the Coles for a while.

When I get back I do plan to post some more mixed media work. I have a few things lined up, so I hope you check back in!

Sugar loaf

music afternoon

A jazz group called The Q Trio, playing at Mount Usher Gardens.

summer colors

someplace far far away

The West of Ireland

Crawl

The need to rest

I get nervous when I rest. I am afraid that I am falling behind, a feeling I don't like. It is a hard state for me to not feel guilty about - I think 'oh, all this time away and what have I accomplished?' It is so hard to put that pattern of thinking to rest.

I know intellectually that I must lie fallow for a while so that I am ready to return to work when I get home. But I have had to convince myself to believe that I need a rest. A rest from my to do lists. A rest from my busy life.

I think that I have done a slightly better job of resting this year than in the past, even thought it has taken me 4 weeks to wind down. My Mum does the cooking and laundry while we are here in her house (she has a lovely servant's heart and takes such joy in caring for her family), so we have filled up our days with walks and sight seeing and many other fun family things. It is a different kind of busy, family memory making busy, so it has contributed somewhat to my sense of rest.

On this, our last week of our visit to Ireland, I am trying to take sometime for me. Me alone. Some time to reflect on the past year and plan for the coming year; to take stock of the purpose for my life as a mother, an educator, as an author, an artist and friend. What do I want to accomplished by this time next year?

My trusty journal holds some ideas and notes and a few new projects are brewing. I have been reading the fab blog 'Visionary Mom', letting the ideas percolate.

I am finding
space for my mind to grow
time for ideas to flourish,
for creativity to well up and overwhelm me
I need this
I need this

Olde Ireland

castle influences

I can see how my taste in house style has it's roots in my Irish heritage. You can see it in my bedroom here and my living room here! Now if only my floor tile was as rustic as the floors of Bunratty Castle :)

blown away

We took a trip to the other side of Ireland, to the place that many think Ireland should look like with small winding roads, horse carts and green scenery. We joined the ranks of the tourists snapping photos of the sights of the West such as the Cliffs Of Moher. Truly is it lovely and so much fun.

Happy 4th of July to all my American friends :)

Artistic Mother tote bag

A bag that I made for my book, the Artistic Mother, has not only been my poetry tote, it has become my trusty everyday tote too. Yes, I always carry my journal and pen; but it also holds my wallet, keys, phone, sugar free sours and a diaper. It is the perfect size for quick trips. I have quit lugging a diaper bag around, instead I leave it in the car as a back up (with change of outfits, tons of diapers, wipes, toys and so on) and take my tote with essentials. Then if I need my diaper bag I just pop the tote inside.
Apart from the size being perfect for what actually need, I like using something that I made, something a little different, something that announces that I am part of the mixed media world.

I hope that if you have made a poetry journal you consider using it for everyday use too!

up down

exploring