The other day, I spent almost 8 hours in the studio. With some breaks in between, of course. I have been struggling with my creativity for months now. Part of it, I attribute to buying a house and moving in, renovating the space for my studio, and all of that transition. It takes a little while to feel

....sick puppies ....escapes to the Columbia River Gorge to hike with friends ....little forays into the studio ....A wonderful visit from my oldest sister ....lots of cuddles I told myself last month that I would post more frequently. I distinctly remember even sitting down to do so, before getting distracted by one thing or another. October saw a

  As Autumn tightens its grip on the Northwest, I find myself quieting more and more. Summer was fantastic but by the end, it felt so manic and rushed that I found myself desperately looking forward to the cooler weather and more downtime. It is here--rainy days upon rainy days that find me struggling to entertain the puppy

Well, a bit more than a month. To put it mildly, August was crazy. It passed so fast I barely remember it. What I do remember, though, is that one of my little furry beasts was horribly sick (which consequently left us emotionally paralyzed for two weeks). Sammy, our Siamese cat, became horribly ill late in July. The

These days, I cannot help but feel supremely blessed. Life is filled to the brim with puppy hikes, quality time with the hubby, making our home 'ours', friends, family, and creativity. There is laughter and adventure and relaxation. Time speeds past us, which is at once terrifying and exhilarating. 

When the world is so torn, so filled with hatred and hurt that it permeates every thing around us....when I am aching for people I never knew and so angry, so furious at the repetition of it all....when I am so helpless at the same time...I turn to silence. There truly are no words to encompass what much

On top of buying a house. On top of renovating the garage. On top of all this topsy-turvy stuff.... We got a dog. Not just any dog. THE dog. The dog I have been waiting 11 years for. The dog I have been patiently planning for while dog-sitting to get my "fix." I told my husband when we

Life is happening at a breathtaking place. We still wake up and say "Babe. We bought a house." In the past few months, we bought this house, one of my best friends was diagnosed with and has gone through treatment for breast cancer, I turned 34, and we will soon be getting a puppy. If I think about

There is something I have been searching for these last few years. Something I couldn't quite put my finger on...a mixture of happiness, contentment, a sense of belonging, elation, peace and hope. I think I found it. Bliss. I haven't felt this way in months, if not years. Perhaps it is the newness of everything, but I think

If you had told me a year ago that I would own a house now, I would have laughed at you. A year ago, I was working something like 6-7 part-time jobs just to make ends meet. But, I was at the end of my rope. Mentally and emotionally, I was frayed and fractured and I needed a