Gratitude and Peace...

Thank you for your wonderful heartfelt comments on the loss of my Sasha BooBoo kitty.  I am filled with gratitude for such caring and compassionate friends and family.  Mr. C is also comforted with the love of people who understand such a huge loss. 

 So today we are surrounding ourselves with peace and the little things.  Nature is amazing in all its wonder.  I have set out some of my favorite things from nature...moss, bark, rocks, twigs, sea glass.  Each gathered on a simple walk or from our property.  Moments of silence enjoyed with a smile. 

Here I set out some candles just to feel the cozy warmth of the flickering flame.
I am getting back to my daily routines...slowly.   My heart is still shattered and the void will not be filled.  Mr. C and I are closer than ever as we share in our traumotional state of being.
I am continuing to make my lists and check them twice.  I'll be in the studio today and hopefully make something with beads just because I can.   I will try to remember to take some photos to share with you as it may be a creative gift idea for this busy season.
Once again, thank you each for your loving comments and huge hugs of caring.  I am so very grateful. 

Beautiful Nature...

This is my favorite flower. A simple Johnny Jump Up is the name I like for these. I believe there more mature name is Viola. As you probably already know my favorite color is always blue. I like all colors but blue is my hearthrob. So in my blue planter I had yellow daffodils that are long since done blooming and now to my pleasant surprise I have some volunteer Johnny Jump Ups. They just make me smile. You would have thought I had won the lottery when I saw these few flowers.
Mr. Createology wanted to surprise me for Mother's Day however he couldn't find any of these at the nursery. He thinks he didn't know what flowers to look for. LOL So cute he is.
Instead he bought me all of these:

So yesterday I was up to my elbows in planting soil while I was repotting them. I was so happy! I have these two little pots sitting on the step that is at the french doors of the kitchen. What a wonderful way to greet myself as I come and go. We usually don't ever use our front door unless company is arriving.

This plant stand is now sitting near the kitchen bay window. The top planter is one my sister tole painted for me decades ago. Yes it is faded and chipped but I know how beautiful her painting is and I love to see it with beautiful flowers planted. The middle pot was given to me by one of my friends I have known forever. We used to work together and still stay in touch. Thank you Barbara. :o) The bottom planter is one that I painted in ceramics class. I love the shape of it and have had it for decades. On the deck floor is a small metal "birdbath" planter my friend Margaret gave me and I thought it would be super cute with Lobelia planted in it.

This is an old crock pot liner that I turned into a planter. I have daffodils in it along with some scruffy grassy thing. So for some color I added Lobelia and Alyssum. It sits in the corner which overlooks the back yard.

This plant stand and terra cotta tray sit in another corner which overlooks the driveway and the forrest. I am so tickled with how the flowers all look after I planted them. Once I had cleaned up my dirt mess and watered everything it was time for the big reveal to Mr. Createology.

Bless his heart. He really loves how they look. More importantly he understands how happy they make me. He actually said, "the flowers didn't go very far did they? I should have bought you more." Wow! For someone who never cared before when I whined about wanting flowers he sure has come around.

Did you ask why I don't plant them in the ground around the yard? Well, it is because after many years of doing so and always getting the same result I know better now. We have deer, racoons, huge wild rabbits (jackalopes), chipmunks, squirrels, coyotes, bear and lots of critters who literally eat my flowers overnight. It is heartbreaking so now I enjoy them only on my highest upstairs deck.

Flowers really do make me so happy. I love how beautiful nature makes them.

What are your favorite flowers?

P.S. I still have to stop and let the snapdragons sing and talk with their blossoms. You know what I mean. LOL

My wall...

This is a small wall in my studio that I just enjoy. I have shared some of the things on it however I thought I would show it as I get to see it each day. I get inspiration from the things I have here.
The top right gold framed painting is one that my mother hand painted. It is very special because she tried painting and this is her art. She is no longer with us but I at least have one of her creative endeavors to gaze at and remember what a wonderfully creative person she always was.
I previously posted the Nature inspiration my sister made for me which I love. It is a very calming and serene piece. The fairy poster was also a gift from my sister and I love it too.
Some of the things are gifts from friends and just feminine or fou-fou or whimsy. I have a tiny bag of fairy dust. A fairy wand to grant all those magical wishes. A tiny angel to watch over me. A handmade origami bird I adore. A top to spin and watch as it turns with abandon. A blue butterfly to remind me of all the happiness and new beginnings we experience every day.
This wall is for me. No one else has to look at it or understand it or enjoy it. This is my space and it makes me happy.
I know how fortunate I am to have this wall of my very own things that make me happy.
What makes you happy and inspires you to be creative?
Keep creating...

Serenity...

This is the very creative hanging plaque that my sister Marie made me as one of my Christmas presents. It is so serene and I love it. The calming presence just looking at this hanging on my studio wall is amazing.

"Nature does nothing uselessly", Aristotle

That is the quote she selected to combine with this wonderful nature inspired photo. Of course she used blue ribbon as the accents because Marie knows blue is my favorite color.

I had previously shared the "Garage Rules" she made for my husband and it got wonderful comments and praise. I just had to share this one too.

I look at it each day and see serenity and purpose in it. It helps me to focus and accomplish what I need to get done.

Thank you Marie for being so very thoughtful and making this for me. I love it. I love you.

As January continues to rush along may you each be creative and accomplish all that you wish.

Happy Labor Day...

Happy Labor Day to everyone. I do hope you are taking time to relax and enjoy the

cooler mornings and evenings.

My wonderful hubby took me for a surprise drive the other day. We headed east and took a very beautiful scenic drive to Donner Lake over Donner Summit. The weather was perfect, the sky was blue and the trees were green and full. We drove to Truckee www.truckee.com which is a very old quaint town from the gold rush days. One of our favorite restaurants is there and I enjoyed a yummy tossed curry chicken cobb salad while overlooking the old town, the hillsides and the trains coming and going ( I love the sound of a good train whistle!).

Then dear hubby had a bigger surprise for me. We visited one of my favorite bead stores, Gioelli www.specialtybeads.com which happens to be in Truckee located in a little house on the main street of the old town. Well, upon entering this haven of beads and findings hubby spots my newest favorite...Bead Trends magazine on a table. It is opened to show the necklace pictured above. We talk with the shop hostess and find out Janelle,owner of Gioelli's, is the proud creator of this necklace and has been published in the magazine. This is her second publishing. The store has all of the components to make this beautiful necklace ready for purchase. How clever of them. I am in search of just the right special look for me. A couple of years ago hubby brought me here and I made a beautiful necklace that I happened to be wearing this very day. What inspiration I was surrounded with. How could I select just one focal bead for my special new necklace? Then it happened. Lampwork beads that are each unique and special caught my attention. Some shaped like hearts and some long and rectangular. Oh the colors and the designs and the colors and oh my... How could I pick just one to be my special gift this year? Then I touched the beads and yes one bead was special just for me. It felt good in my hand and when I took it to the window to see it in real light it was beautiful yet serene. Now I paired it with Italian mesh ribbons and that was the right look. Dear hubby bought me the special bead and findings and ribbons and I shall complete the necklace at home in my studio.

We drove along the lake and enjoyed the beauty of the surroundings. If you ever get to the area you will see why people come from all over the world just to experience the hiking, boating, biking and rock climbing and yes in winter the snow skiing.

What a beautiful and special day it was. Thank you hubby and Mother Nature.

When I have completed my necklace I shall share pictures with you.