Long ago, when the world was much younger and I too, I did my student teaching with kindergarten and first grade students. I have always loved the artwork of children. Long before they are taught " rules " and conformity ( no, a tree looks like THIS ), freedom reigns on their paper and they create what they see and treasure with any means at their disposal. Paper. Glue. Crayon. Glitter.

This month in town, the elementary schools have artwork exhibited all through the shops and restaurants. The theme is " Spirit of Place " so the kids have created little collages of Port Townsend. They have picked what they see, what is important to them, what has made an impression. This work is by Mrs. Lois Polley's third grade class. It is a collage of buildings from around town. You can see the clock tower, the lighthouse, the courthouse and maybe even the building that houses my shops.

And one other fun footnote? They created this downtown scene during our annual Halloween costume parade and trick or treat event. Now, that is important to these artists, not to mention memorable.

I am going to keep this picture in my journal and my artists' mind to maybe recreate one day with full childlike abandon!

My oldest son and the fish he caught today. So far from me, so near to my heart.

Some days are just more sweet than others. I am sitting here this evening with the sweetest, kindest most complete love in my heart. The people in my life just make me happy. Knowing that I have children and friends and family who love me is so heartbreakingly wonderful. I am love. I feel love. I am overjoyed with love. There is nothing left to say but thank you to the powers that be, the universe, God, Goddess for all the richness of love in my life.

Lavender Daze

You can feel it in the air. For two brief days this holiday weekend, one created of memories, we are having summer. Skies are clear, the air is warm, birds are singing, things are growing. It is amazing how the mood of everyone is lifted when the day is so pretty.

Have a great weekend, my friends. One filled with outdoor activities, if possible, or one in pursuit of satisfying your muse. Whatever your choice, make it memorable for you. xo

The beginning of a weekend rainbow.

The 940 Gallery

The gallery has been coming together and last week, my partner Dale Klein, arranged and hung my paintings and his hand painted photographs. Phil has installed lighting and used energy efficient bulbs: LED's and fluorescents. The carpet has been cleaned, the walls painted, one sign is made and more to come. We are hoping for a grand opening during July's gallery walk.

I had to open this gallery. HAD TO. I needed to reaffirm myself as a painter, an artist who creates because she has to. I am so delighted that Dale is on this journey with me. It is a risk, as always to open any business, anytime but if nothing is risked, there can be no chance for gain. The last few years,when I  did not own or exhibit in a gallery, I felt out of touch with a large portion of my soul. I was wandering. Something was lost. I created new paintings and drawings only to squirrel them away in my portfolios. Never to see the light of day, perhaps, with no exhibits planned, no gallery available to show my work. The financial side is a bit scary but the deepest parts of my soul that longs to simply paint, is finally feeling nurtured.

Here, then are the first pictures from the gallery.

Today, May 18th, is my mother's birthday. I have thought of her all day. Mostly I have thought about how much I miss her. She would be 83 today and if she hadn't been a lifelong smoker, she might still be here with us. I miss hearing her voice, our long telephone talks. I wonder if there is a heaven and if she watches me work, sees me with my family, maybe even marvels at the kind of person I am, the person she helped me to become.

For a long time in my life, I would want to do things and be hesitant. I would say to myself, would my mom be afraid to do this? And off I would go and do the very thing that made ME/her afraid. When it came time to write her obituary, and I looked back on her life, I realized she was not afraid of anything. She was a trailblazer. She did things that women of her generation did not do. She was too young to be a Rosie the riveter in WWII but as a young woman she was a police officer and was working during big riots in the city of Philadelphia. She was a butcher in a market, a trade only men did at that time. Hard, dirty work. When I was in high school, after she had been home taking care of my brother and sisters, she went back to work as a finish carpenter and learned a trade all over again. She reinvented herself right before my eyes and showed by example that you could grow, change and begin again. Make new friends. Yes, I miss her and I wish my youngest child actually knew her but the better parts of me, the strong parts of me, the persevering parts of me are all my gifts from her.

 Happy Birthday, Mom.

Little Dog

Every Saturday night as I lock up the shop and leave the back door around 6:00, there is a reddish brown dog laying on the sidewalk, He has a face the shape of a fox and is timid and shy. His owner must be downstairs having dinner or his work week's ending beer. The dog lays patiently, waiting for his owner to exit the restaurant. For the first couple of weeks, I talked with the dog. He kept his distance and his tail firmly tucked between his back legs. I didn't touch him. The next week or two, I gave him dog treats. He wouldn't take them from me, but I would lay them on the sidewalk and as I said goodnight and walked away, I could hear him eating them. Tonight, I closed the shop late. It was a warm evening and lots of people were out, so I stayed open. Phil worked with me. For a few moments, I was laughing and talking with Frank, from the next door tee shirt shop, when into the open doorway stood the dog! I went to him and said hello. He looked at me, let me pet him ( ! ) and then waited for his treats. He wouldn't take the dog cookies but walked to the back door and waited for me to put them in the usual spot. I went back inside as he ate the cookies and waited in the lobby, once again talking with Frank. The dog came to the door again and looked at me, wanting something. Frank and I went to the dog, where he let both of us pet him, tail firmly stuck in its' usual place. I could read his mind, that little red- fox dog, " I need a drink, " he spoke loudly and clearly. I filled a bead dish with bottled water and he drank it in the doorway to the lobby. After finishing, he went back to his sidewalk space, lay down and waited for his owner.

 So who has grown used to the other? Me to him or him to me? Which is the better trained of us? Saturday night and my little friend has grown comfortable with me and I am delighted that friendship comes in many forms.

Time

How does so much time go by between posts? Honestly, it seems like I am on line all the time between blogs, websites, Facebook, Pinterest, Ravelry and more. I think about writing my blog often but worry that I have nothing constructive to say or that I have done nothing creative and worthy of posting. Better get over that! I am working in the shops more these days and still preparing for the big Bead & Button show. I suspect that a few days before I ship my merchandise, I will have marathon work hours getting the charms and jewelry ready. We all need a break it seems lately, from all the daily hassles of life and the cruelty and politics rampant in the news. I can spend time in the garden, just a wee bit but I think the change of pace at the B&B show is what we all need. Comrades in beads, friendship in beads, a creative burst of energy in beads, that's what I am hoping for from the B&B show. Will I see you there?

Since we will be exhibiting at the Ball Jointed Doll Show in Poulsbo at the end of this month, we decided to take a drive down and see the venue. We were invited to be vendors because I have so many small and wonderful things that are perfect to use on dolls. I will take many treasures and am looking forward to selling and displaying at a different kind of event. I have never done a doll show before. I also love downtown Poulsbo with its' blue park benches and pots of flowers sitting along Main Street. Of course, our favorite shop is there... Sluy's Bakery! Good grief what a fabulous place to let a diet fly out the window!

I will fill you in on more show information as we get closer to the date. I think a weekend " playing " with dolls sounds like fun!