June. Could this possibly be the last day of June? Already? The month has flown by in days laden with work both in the shops and around the house. I have been spending some time this month weeding my gardens and flower beds and although my back screams at me each time a bit of work is done, I like the accomplishment I feel pulling weeds. Honestly though, I have given over much of our acre to weeds, some quite pretty in their own right, so why can't they stay out of my designated flower areas?

A thistle type flower in the glowing color of tanzanites.

My new sewing area is all set up in the classroom above the bead shop now. I have a new comfy, rolling, swivel chair, floor mat and lighting. I am ready to begin sewing banners for craft booths of fellow vendors and all this wonderfully strange quilt fiber-y pieces dancing around in my head.

I've also managed to finish several small paintings inspired in part by more hidden under the dock graffiti in the construction areas of Port Townsend.

Look quick, this artwork will soon be under cover again.

Next up on the new month of July's to do list? Gallery Walk and a grand opening of The 940 Gallery. Just a few more pictures to hang and we will be ready! Until next time on this blog when I will have more pictures to post, happy end of June - beginning of July!

My friend, Lita visited for a short bit on her way back from a book making class in Bellevue. I can not tell you how much a friend can recharge your batteries and inspire you to create. I am in my summer rut of making things for the shop and that often means making the same series of jewelry again and again. I am not complaining but there simply isn't time to come up with new work in the rush of summer visitors. Anyhow, with Lita's visit came the fresh air that allowed me an afternoon of respite and I finally finished a small painting I had been working on and managed to do a doodle in my sketchbook. Her visit was a vacation for me!

Jake and Lita at breakfast.

Lita and just rolled out of bed, me!

A friend's visit is so good for the soul. Lita came over from her mid eastern Washington town for a visit today and we ran around doing all the things we seldom have time for. We strolled the streets of Port Townsend, popping in and out of the shops, had lunch at the LightHouse Cafe, where Tom makes the best tuna sandwiches, played in the studio, went to the beach, had dinner, danced around my shops after closing, had an ice cream and ended the day back at the beach watching the sky turn towards night over Whidbey Island. What a blast to laugh and laugh! Friendship is timeless, accepting, comforting and loving. No judgements, no stress, just laughter, fun and embracing.

Pictures from today - missing from above

Port Townsend Bay

Lita in the Adams Street Park. The roses were so heavenly scented!

Newly uncovered graffiti under the Admiralty apartment building sidewalk.

I find that I actually miss it when the blogs I follow don't post anything for awhile or worse yet, a long while. So I am going to try and post more regularly especially when I have the afternoon off to be in the studio and I am still awake and not at all falling asleep at the keyboard, which I manage to do most evenings.

Nothing much exciting here in and about the studio today. I am doing a bunch of pricing of all the new things that  I bought or traded for at the Bead & Button show plus pricing new inventory that has arrived from overseas. Phil has been crazybusy, and yes, I meant to say that as one word, reorganizing the warehouse. I thought it looked pretty good but evidentially, I was wrong. I haven't even ventured a look out there today because I know, just absolutely know, that I will not be able to find a thing. Sigh.

Anyhow, I thought I'd post a few pictures of what I have been doing around here today besides writing tons of price tags. I keep telling myself as soon as the pricing is done, I will reward myself with something fun to do like bead embroidery or sewing on my latest banner or drawing or almost anything but pricing! I even tried to do some laundry, that's how desperate I am to get away from pricing.

This is the red tail hawk that was hunting in our yard this
afternoon. He caught and lost a rabbit. 

These are two of the three crows that pestered and pestered him.

Then after sitting on the fence post for ages he hopped down and casually
strolled to the wild blackberry cluster to look for the rabbit.

I think I must have taken a gazillion and twelve pictures of him ( or her ) as she tried to ignore the crows, keep an eye on me and look for the rabbit. I could walk within three feet of this hawk and he just watched me. I have not been that close to one before except at the raptor center. I was certainly able to waste time for about 45 minutes!

 Earlier this morning I walked around pulling a few weeds here and there, and decided that my yellow lavender looked particularly pretty standing alongside the purple, so I took pictures for awhile there, too. 

Spud came to visit and had me all to himself, which he usually does not,  having to share me with Daisy and Jesse but he did manage to scarf down four large milk bones and then told me he needed, truly needed, more! 

And now nearly an hour has elapsed and I have managed to update my blog but make no further progress on pricing. So off I go to the studio! 

Do you ever have days where so much stuff is going round and round in your head that nothing makes sense? There is a scattered energy about and as a friend said on Saturday, you have the the solar flares and sunspots to blame for weird energies. As soon as things settle in my busy little head and a few work surfaces are cleared, I will get back to some hopefully serious, yet oddly light hearted blog posts!

I am totally exhausted tonight. I have been up since 3:15 this morning, thinking and planning and designing in my near sleepy state.Anyhow, I wanted to post a few Bead 7 Button pictures so tonight I begin with a few pictures of our booth and setup. Watch for more pictures in the coming posts!

All day long I have had tachycardia. I hate it! I do not like the irregular, annoying thumping that goes on in my chest. It makes me tired and short of breath. Causing me anxiety. I have had it! Enough, I say. Time to move on to other things, other activities. Stress can cause tachycardia and I am loaded with it now as I struggle with the decision of whether I want to continue to be an exhibitor at the Bead & Button show. I have done the show since it began over a decade ago in Portland. I loved it. All the excitement and beads and people and beads and exhibits and beads but now, after so many years of packing and shipping, setting up and displaying; I am beginning to think I am tired and ready to move on. Other things are calling to me. I want to take classes in jewelry making, writing and more. I like being in my shops and now with the new gallery opening doors for me to feel inspired to paint, I want to stay home and have studio time. When I go on the road next, I want to visit family and friends. I want to sit on a beach and read, sit on a picnic table in the woods and paint, sit on a lawn swing and knit. It is time for this phoenix to create a new reality and rise from the ashes. Stay tuned as changes are a foot and my soul is leaping at opportunity and maybe even creating opportunity.