sunshine perspective

summertime arrived this week in seattle. i'm not betting that it will stay, but boy am i enjoying it while it's here. long walks. coke icees from the 7-11. naps. windows open. sidewalk meals and cocktails with john. skirts + flip flops! not to mention the new season of so you think you can dance (love this show).seattle seems to be coming alive with people and activity and i can't wait to explore a bit more these next few months. this is the season we've been waiting for. finally. yes!

in other news, i've been in the studio working on a few projects (including new goodies to debut next year with demdaco that i'm in love with), writing a couple of articles, working with my website designer (can't wait to show you!), and getting ready for a big shop update to include brand new tote bags, adorable necklaces, and more.

the slow summer mood is helping me to take a step back, rearrange my priorities, adjust my attitude, and not fret so much with the i shoulds and i coulds. life feels so short and precious lately. i don't want to miss a thing. 

and it's the start of my birthday month (june 20th). yay for crazy gemini cusp babies!  

store displays

although i've been getting lots of emails regarding product sighting in stores across the country, i've yet to see any of my products (wall canvases or stationery products) in a store. nor has my momma in florida or my sister in michigan. or my bff in georgia. so you can imagine the heart leaping delight when photos like these arrive in my inbox....i can't tell you how fun it is to see these displays (especially because i'm such a decor nerd). love, love, love.....special thanks to pat (demdaco sales rep in TX) for sending these images along. i am so grateful. how cool is that?

Boutique: Abella Home, Fredericksburg, TX

Boutique: Viva Rouge, Boerne, TX

(ps - i just added the large canvas like the one in this photo to my etsy shop!)

Boutique: Wonderful Things, Georgetown, TX

100% whole

(d.r.e.a.m.e.r.  - sold)

i'm all over the place over here....in a really funny, awkward, strange place. things are changing rapidly and the truth is is that i'm having a hard time keeping up. i'm trying to keep my cool by asking for help, reaching out to my friends for support, doubling the hours of my creative assistant (who i adore - i need to share a photo of her soon), and convincing myself that i've got a good plan to make it to the other side of this growth spurt. 

it's so strange for me to consider all that has happened in my life the past few months (book launch, licensing launch, a big move, etc). i am so grateful. but sometimes i also feel totally shell shocked and lost in the momentum of it all. my heart wants to touch down in a way that feels solid and joyful every single day. but every single day i'm behind, losing ground, and simply not able to keep up. and the guilt - what a force that is. 

so yes, that's where i am this week: stumbling my way through, trying to have compassion for my life in progress, and allowing the pressure + anxiety to slip away one permission at a time. i'm working on a plan to make it all manageable but i know it will take time. and maybe i should just throw manageable out the window and consider accepting the haphazard/craziness of it all and lean in - sometimes that's the best solution. it can be so hard to discern what's best sometimes, can't it? 

in the mix of it all, i've been working on a bunch of goodness that has me excited to the bones - it's all in the behind the scenes stage but i gotta say, it feels like i'm birthing something big and good and bright even if at this exact moment if feels more like overwhelm. i know this is all a part of it. that struggle and friction are mixed in with brightness and joy. that we have the capacity to hold all of these parts. and that we can be fragmented, patchworked, and broken to pieces, yet still remain 100% whole. 

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ps - totally thrilled to be an honorary shutter sister today. check it out :)

jen gray inspiration

was feeling a bit crummy about 10 minutes ago - just a bit of overwhelm. but then, i went to andrea's blog and saw jen's video. and now. well, i'm all better. watch the WHOLE thing, peeps. the whole thing.

where i've been...

quick update: i've listed more (a ton) wall canvases in the shop....yay! i've also listed brand spankin new card packs (thank you cards, birthday cards, etc), journals, new magnet (and old), and more. more info on canvases in this older post. and they are available here!

okay...photos!

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here's where i've been:

 the warm breeze was heaven, especially in the evenings or while in the car with the windows down. it's been so long since we've been warm, like flip flop warm, tank top warm, sleep with the windows open warm. the best.

there were scooter rides, boat rides, snorkeling (sea turtles!), and a lot of time relaxing with my man. we celebrated our 10 years together on this trip as well as john's 35th birthday. i love him like mad. 

loved these blue skies. and the wind, the wind!

this is the face of food coma (macadamia nut syrup, omg!) + lots of rest + lots of surfing + bliss.

this is the face of ohyeah,i'mpoolsideandhappy.

our friends took us for an incredible drive along the north shore. totally stunning. we stopped and snorkeled along the way, and snow cones, too.

in the end, it was an awesome vacation. i noticed that i easily slipped into it, savored it, and barely thought about work or what i was missing back home. but then we arrived back in seattle and i was happy to be home....lots on the horizon over here and i'm ready to jump back in.

more soon!

xxo

 

the brightness

the brightness of being alive. it finds me in unexpected moments of calm, when my heart takes refuge from the ever growing to-do list, when my perfectionism gives way to feeling, to release. and when it arrives, the brightness feels deeply spacious and warm, like an intertwining celebration of all things brave in love. sometimes, i’ll admit, my mind cautions my heart not to trust the abundance...young memories of tragedy and loss can be hard to shake, i suppose. it can all be gone in a split second, the memory warns. it’s a warning that challenges me to feel disconnected from the present moment - the one that’s calling me to step in, stay awhile, and celebrate. we all have memories and life filters that haunt us, that creep in and try to steal the show even when we’ve done all the soul work to repair and heal. but i deeply believe that in our best moments, we can understand that our vulnerabilities are what connect us, that we can step into the power that is uniquely ours, play hard, love bravely, offer comfort to our younger, broken selves, and soar, always soar on the brightness of being alive.

thank you, hawaii. i really needed the reminder, the refuge, and the inspiration.

yesterday we were invited to spend the day sailing with a couple of friends who live here. i've never been sailing. minus the one hour or so of sea sickness, i loved it. it's such a heavenly feeling to be inside the wind, warm with sunshine and gratitude. i am feeling so blissed out, i hardly know what to do with myself these days. just extreme, extreme thankfulness. 

kauai, taken in 2005 from our helicopter ride (scary, but gorgeous views)

john and i are heading off for a much needed vacation to hawaii. the last time we were there was 2005 and we are thrilled to be going back. i plan on doing a whole lot of this and this!

the winners from the giveaway are:

emma of treehouse jukebox wins a stationery set of goodies!

melissa of i love the kitchen wins a stationery set of goodies!

ama of silver sands of st augustine wins the necklace! 

please get in touch with me so i can get your goodies out to you! thanks, everyone, for all the love in the comments. i usually ask that the giveaway comments be just one word but this time i kept it open. and boy was that a treat. thank you, thank you. 

more soon from hawaii! 

sometimes...

heart of leaves. found in seattle recently

sometimes a good cry is 100% necessary. for release. for room. for more heart spaces. for something to be born. or maybe for disappointment, or confusion or restlessness or overwhelm. i notice that whenever i'm transitioning into something more or deeper, i have a good cry and it helps me pave the way out. or into. or through. it's just how it goes. lately, in between all the celebrations and movement and deadlines, i worry that i'm not feeling it all fully. so when the tears arrive, i'm a bit relieved: ok, i'm still just a girl finding her way. who sometimes feels homesick for her friends. who still has no idea what she's doing. who is in awe of how it's all unfolding. who can't keep up. who desperately wants to feel every inch of it as it's happening. who worries that she's not being a very good friend, sister, daughter, or wife because we can't do it all. 

so yes, sometimes a good cry is absolutely 100% necessary. it's the only way in. or out. or through. 

sponsor giveaways....

just a couple of things before the giveaways:

thanks to everyone who bought a wall canvas yesterday. i wasn't expecting for them to go so quickly! i will have A LOT more of them very very soon (i'll keep you posted). thank you so, so much!

also, for those of you who were at the inspired event last week and asked me to post my keynote: i posted it on the yahoo group created for the event :)

now for the giveaways...we are so lucky!

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one lucky commenter is going to win this stunning necklace by artist stacy de la rosa of bella wish. created especially for readers of this blog, the silver square has been hand stamped with the words taking flight and features a darling set of sterling silver wings and a lovely glass vintage bead. when stacy sent over this photo, my heart flipped and i ordered one for myself immediately. LOVE it! 

two lucky commenters will win a lovely set of some of my stationery products from brush dance. each winner will win a set that includes: one flex journal, one hard cover illustrated journal, one folio set (which includes two different kinds of cards, envelopes, and stickers), two magnets, and two greeting cards. 

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recap: we've got three winners today! one lucky commenter will receive the gorgeous taking flight necklace. and two commenters will each win a set of stationery goodies. thank you, bella wish and brush dance, for your generosity! 

okay, giveaway rules:
* to enter the giveaway, leave a comment in this post.
* just one comment per person, please.
* i'll announce the winner in just a couple of days.
* go!

*ps - please contact me if you are interested in becoming a sponsor on the sidebar (to the right)! 

the kelly rae roberts collection - now available!

hi friends, i am so EXCITED to finally have these wall canvases in my etsy shop (they've been on back order since february!). i took about 20 of them with me last week to the north carolina and they sold out in minutes - they're that high quality and everyone kept asking if they were originals. it's been awhile since i first introduced them, so please let me give you the scoop again:

the Kelly Rae Roberts Collection debuted in january at the Atlanta gift show and promptly sold out soon after (hence, the long back order). DEMDACO is carrying this extensive line of wall art reproductions and i'm totally thrilled with how they turned out - on stretched canvas with thicker sides, totally looks and feels like an original painting, and insanely affordable.

they range in size from 6x6 to 16x16 and i absolutely love how they look when paired together. i've ordered a few of each size and they're all up in my etsy shop now. i think you'll be surprised at how affordable they are - they'll arrived signed by me and ready to hang.

i've been getting emails from all over the country from dear souls letting me know that they've seen them in their favorite boutiques and even their local hallmark stores. how cool is that?

there are people who come into our lives and change everything. anne (with me above) is one of those women. she works for DEMDACO and convinced me to give it shot, to try licensing, to trust the process, and just see what happens. and what has happened, because of her vision and direction, has been more incredible than either of us expected. after countless emails exchanged and several phone calls over the last several months, it was such a pleasure to meet her last week in NC. she deeply believes that the gift market is ready for art with meaning + hope, and i'm feeling very very lucky to have played a part in her vision.

so there you have it. i love this line. i really do. again, i've listed all that i have of the collection over in my etsy shop....take a peek!

thoughts on inspired.

i don't know what to say. i had the best time. really, i did. i wasn't sure what to expect. i just knew that an event titled inspired was sure to be a good one, and was it ever. donna, thank you so much for inviting me, for allowing me the gift of observing scrapbook world when it's blended with mixed media world. thank you, too, for introducing me to a whole new crowd of dear dear women who are sassy, talented, and so so kind. thank you, also, for challenging me to keynote at your event - it was remarkable, life-changing, and i learned that i really do love speaking about our shared stories. our possibilities. our intertwining connections. it was so so fun. ps - it's true. i'm just like you :)

here are a few photos from my time in north carolina: 

me with donna. she's much funnier in person. and tearful, too (but in the best of ways - tears of joy)

this is a horrible shot, but i wanted to share it. i stood up from my seat and snapped this shot just before i went up to do the keynote. i was nervous, but once i started speaking (and after i took my shoes off), i was totally calm and felt like i was exactly where i needed to be. these dear people (about 300 total) stood up for me at the end. they must have known i needed a good cry. and they must have known i had just done something i never thought i could do, too - what an honor. 

here's another blurry shot (my camera and i had issues on this trip), but i had to share. meet paolo. photographer, dear heart, funny guy. how fun it was to spend time with him and i can't wait to meet his girl and hang out (they live here in seattle - yay me!).

in addition to lounging, cocktails, and new friends, i had the opportunity to get henna'd. it was my first time with henna and i loved it. 

i have arrived home inspired, full of ideas, full of enthusiasm, and ready to keep going. thank you to everyone i met, for all of the encouragement and kind words about Taking Flight and my artwork. i loved hearing your hopeful stories, your triumphs, your determination, and your laughter streaming all over the hallways of that hotel. i will never forget it. 

xxxo

happy mom's day, mom :)

thank you so much for your happiness....it's been the greatest gift.

xxxxoooo

mary anne radmacher

mary anne radmacher poster.

i had a full circle moment last evening here in north carolina. and it was good. so good.

back when john and i were planning our wedding, we looked all over for the perfect wedding favors. after several weeks of thinking, considering, and searching, we walked into a wonderful little boutique owned by mary anne radmacher on broadway street in portland, oregon. i was instantly smitten with mary anne's shop filled to the brim with nothing but her artwork - lovely handwritten messages of courage and hope on journals, small posters, cards, you name it. now this was way before i discovered my art or writing life, but something pulled me into her words and how she so beautifully displayed them on her products. i was e.n.a.m.o.r.e.d. 

i knew within 2 seconds of being in her store that i wanted to somehow have her poetic messages as our wedding favors - it was the perfect energy for a lovefest. and so, we special ordered a hundred or so little cards (business card sized) with her handwriting - all little messages of love. each card was displayed in a sweet little trinket designed to hold a small photo or card. these sweet hope notes were perfect for our guest. perfect for our wedding. and they were a big hit, going straight into the hearts of all who attended. that was almost 9 years ago.

fast forward several years....mary anne closed her shop, but continued to write, create, and license her work. whenever i saw her words on various product, i always smiled wide with an understanding that she was a dear soul out there in the world speaking her truth and encouraging others to do the same. and i was just so happy to have had that chance encounter with her so many years before.

then last year, when i signed on with brush dance, i was tickled that mary anne was one of their artists and thought how funny it was that all of these years later i had found my voice and was working as an artist and writer - just like her.

then today, as i was having a glass of wine with anne + julie (the ladies from demdaco responsible for my wall art line), her name came up, and i told them the story of her old store, meeting her so long ago, how she did the special order for our wedding, our both working with brush dance, and how i always loved her work, her words, and spirit. then anne pulled out her cell phone and called mary anne - just like that. called her. they're friends. who knew! and so, i got on the cell and told mary anne my story of coming into her shop (she remembered our special wedding order) almost nine years ago, how i've always remembered her, and how i've always loved her writing, and her books (especially this one which i gave to many friends for christmas last year). i told her how i too work with brush dance and how i too have a love for words now and how i too work with demdaco. i told her how she's been this big inspiration for me, in the backdrop of my life, a vague mentor encouraging me to use my words and to speak my truth. she said to me, in the most tender of ways, that she was proud of me for following my heart and for doing what i love. just like that. stranger to stranger, but it meant so much. and the best part? she lives really really close to me (a ferry ride away). i have a feeling we'll close the almost ten year gap and meet again one day soon. 

these are the full circle moments that remind me that nothing is by chance. something in her sparked something in me - even before i knew what i could do. i was inspired by what she was doing. something called me. something about her. we really are all intertwining in this life, spirits connected in moments that suspend and transcend. it's the coolest thing ever.

and, oh my.....i have so much other goodness to share. so glad i am here at this event. so glad. 

in charlotte, north carolina

i'm happy to report i'm at donna's inspired event this week in north carolina as one of her guests.  i feel like i'm entering a whole new world: i'm in a place where i've never been before, don't know a soul (except i met donna today and she is lovely), and i'm keynoting for the first time in my life (alone) later this week in front of 300 creative souls. it's a leap, this week. and i'm so glad to be here. i'm settling in tonite with a hot bath, hotel cable (love), room service, and whole lot of hope for the next couple of days. i can't wait to meet new peeps, get a taste of scrapbook world meets mixed media world, hang out, eat, and hopefully not get too nervous before i speak. as i write this i can hear a ton of laughter coming from the hotel lobby. these women know how to have a good time - love that. 

ps - on a funny note. today, at 4:30am i took a cab to the seattle airport. and my taxi driver? well let's just say he was a little scary/crazy looking (and yes, i know i shouldn't judge). but the best part? he sang, and i mean he belted, christmas songs to me the entire 30 minute drive to the airport. it was the funniest thing....and he was so hopeful and sincere about it, too.

pps - loving the thuderstorms in NC today. and the humidity (gives my teeny weeny fine hair a bit of oomph).

more soon.....wish me luck as i venture outside of my comfort zone this week. i've promised myself to be brave. i have an intuition that it's going to be good:)

imagining + allowing

"imagine" - an older painting, reworked.

no matter how qualified or deserving we are, we will never reach a better life until we can imagine it for ourselves and allow ourselves to have it. - richard bach

it's the allowing ourselves to have it that strikes me every time i happen upon this quote. yes, first comes the vision of the life we've always imagined, then comes the permission we give ourselves to have that very life - the life of dreams. and community. and joy. and best of all, love. 

happy monday, friends. may your week be all about imagining and allowing :)

twitter, mothers day, sunshine, inspiration

"i heart your heart" - prints in the shop. ps-this is a crop of this larger painting.

i'm having a bit of blog block this week (like writer's block). maybe it's the twitter that has me distracted (i joined twitter last year, tweeted once, then abandoned ship for 4 months. now i'm back. come on over and find me right here. i'll be offering special offers for tweet followers in the future but mostly tweeting about everyday life as it happens.). 

in other news, i gave myself the last couple of days off - it's been gorgeous here in seattle and a few margaritas were in order as well as a bit of kayaking, exploring, and eating eating eating. seattle seems to be waking up these days...so much activity with the birth of spring. loving it! 

i wanted to let you guys know that i'll be doing one last shipment on tuesday before heading off to NC for the rest of the week. so, if you are looking for a last minute mother's day gift, please get your order in by monday and i'll have it shipped on tuesday via priority mail (fast). my favorite gifts these days are the affirmation prints like this one or this one :)

what else? i am feeling very inspired with my new schedule. lots of new ideas are coming - for art, for writing, for this blog. sometimes i feel so bubbly with energy, i can barely take it. i'm in one of those spaces right now - about to burst. it doesn't happen all of the time, but when it does, i savor it. 

more soon!

xxo

ps - please take a moment to take a peek at our newest sponsors to the right (lots of good stuff over there!)