Hi there! I finally have caught up after everything to do with my show last month. Well maybe not fully caught up because who is ever really caught up on their to-do list, like really!? I don’t even know where to start, so I’ll make another list… (you should see my desk- piles of scraps of papers with things to do on them- sigh…)…
– My show, House of Love, at Mission Arts Council gallery went really well. I can’t believe how fast it went by! 4 pieces sold and lots of art cards with select pieces on them. You can see all of the pieces here, the ones that are not marked “Sold” are still available, so if you’re in need of a one-of-a-kind Christmas pressie for a special somebody, or for yourself, send me a note and we can chat! I also take commissions, and will be opening that up shortly if you’d like a special piece created.
You can also read the comments from the show guest book here.
– I got a commission from someone when they saw some of my pieces on Instagram, so I’m working on that. I started it but wasn’t happy with how it has been going, so I decided to start it over- luckily it’s for some patient people who understand! I will share when I have something to show.
– I got a new tattoo!
I had it done at Mission City Electric Tattoo by Jess. She’s amazing and brought my ideas to life in this gorgeous design. I couldn’t have imagined it to be any more perfect! We did it all in one epic sitting (about 5-1/2hrs all together). And yes, it friggin’ hurt! But it was worth it.
The story behind it is to remember to always stay strong and protect my heart. To radiate love and follow my journey. To burn bright with love. To shine and to sparkle and always be who I am, not go back to what other people have been conditioned to think I am or expect me to be (note: I am not that person and never was). To honour the people who support me and who know and love me for who I really am.
This comes from some pretty _I don’t even have words to describe it_ stuff I’ve had to deal with over the past while. It’s been really frustrating, upsetting, unbelievable, and really disappointing, but expected and overdue in many ways. Lots of processing and purging, and I have done the work and finally can see the situation as it is, for what it is. It’s a lifetime of stuff to go through and unlearn and relearn. I’ve been likening it to weeding the garden- digging in there really, really deep and pulling out all the old dead junk and planting new healthy colourful plants. I felt very down and distressed about it, and those who know the score, know it wasn’t very good, and it was a lot to process and work through. Lots of questions and lots of reading, research, and finding help to work it through. Lots of aha moments, breakthroughs, finding words to describe it, finding answers and missing pieces to the puzzle, finding other people who have had similar experiences and insights, and I finally feel on the other side of it. I’m out of the muddy trenches and into the bright sunshine!
I’m so grateful for the people in my life who get it and who get me. Who know the real me and who support me. My best husband in the world who obviously really gets it, friends and extended family who truly understand and support without question, second guessing, or judgement.
And I’m so grateful for this past while because it really made me see things very clearly and very truly and if it hadn’t happened, I’d still be stuck where I was. Now if I think of even going back to where I was I feel physically ill. That’s what happens when it’s shoved in your face once and for all I guess! I’ve finally found some real answers and explanations to things I always wondered about and things I knew were not right (note- they still aren’t right and probably never will be) but didn’t quite realize what to do to understand it and get past it (note- now I know). I know now that what other people think of me and how they treat me, no matter who they are, even when it’s totally wrong, not normal, or is just plain untrue, can’t be changed if they don’t want to or refuse to see. And I know I don’t have to try to defend myself anymore because it’s useless and makes it worse. And I know that I am not what they say I am in any way, and that those who really know me, know that (thank you!) and those who don’t will blindly believe the junk because they don’t know me, and so, their opinions don’t matter to me (bet they would never see that one coming!). And I know that it’s a reflection of other people and their own junk they need to work on, and absolutely nothing to do with me or who I am.
Like my bestie (and quite a few other long time & awesome friends have also said since) said so perfectly, “If I heard somebody talking that way about you, I wouldn’t believe them and I would wonder what was wrong with them!” Sniff…
So this tattoo is my reminder to always protect myself and stay true to what I know is right in my heart. Truth is truth and it eventually finds the light. Shine bright and blind out the rest. Follow my path and even if it makes some crazy twists and turns, stay true and I’ll get where I need to go. And I have and I am.
Heavy enough for you? I feel like a huge pile of you-know-what has finally been lifted off my shoulders, you have no idea…. Next…
– I’ve been working away on new designs for my agent, fabric peeps, and Spoonflower. I discovered digital painting and dayum! It is fuuuuuuun!
The latest are tea towels for their annual tea towel challenges. I did the 2018 calendar challenge, now available for sale on Spoonflower to sew yourself or Roostery all sewn and finished for you! (85th place finish, lol):
Wood block inspired (not for sale yet & voting is still open!):
and Farm to Tea Towel that I just finished today, for next week’s challenge:
Ta-da!
I will have more updates coming, gosh it’s been over a month since I posted anything! I tend to post almost daily on Instagram, and am doing Inktober this year so you can check that out here!
More soon, with gratitude and love always,
