...countdown to summer

in about 6 hours

my backyard will be filled with these 5 stinkers.

and at least 30 or more of their friends.

from 7 to 17.

it.s the annual 

"last day of school and kick off to summer swashbuckle"
pizza
pop
junk food
splashing
diving
jumping
sunning
water balloons
squirt guns
volleyball
trampoline tricks
bubbles
basketball
and
lots
and
lots
of
laughter.

summer...i love you!

...at a loss for words!

have you ever tried to describe a wonderful experience to someone

right after it happened and the right words just won.t come?

that.s how i am feeling about my little weekend 

in carpinteria, california with kolleen.

so

i think i.ll just sit with it for now.

let it settle.

and share when i.ve had time to digest the wonder of our time together.

in the meantime...

i.ll share the story through my lens!

{love you k!}

...focus chrissy!

i.ve been in a bit of a fog lately.

 having a hard time focusing.

not finishing projects before i start on yet another.

feeling pulled in many different directions.

words don.t come as easily to my mind right now.

they hide and make me dig for them.

i can.t concentrate.

{from a little shirt i bring out whenever i.m feeling this way,

 just to warn those around me!}

i know it will pass.

it always does.

but i have to say that i am so excited to be flying out to california today.

to meet this beautiful soul.

to breath.

to talk.

to share.

to walk.

to paint.

to not.

to be.

i.m hoping to find some space inside me.

some vacancy.

in the meantime sweet dear friends that i love...

sweet dreams!

how does a heart not burst?

 i remember my first ever issue of "artful blogging".

i read over and over of the "surprising" friendships born amongst artists.

(and isn.t every woman an artist of something?)

friendships which emerged and sprang forth from all over the world.

friendships between women who had never met {in person}

and some who likely never will.

i thought to myself.

"self...isn.t it wonderful that these women have been blessed 

with kindred, like.minded souls who "get" them?"

"their own tribes.  communities.  soul sisters.

who lift and inspire and encourage and love 

without any strings attached..."

it seemed to me, that these friendships were a rare treasure,

the holders of whom only graced the pages of magazines 

and popular blog stops dotted along the way.

then...

i started a blog.

and i realized that 

my friends.

my tribe.

my community.

my sisterhood.

was out there just waiting for me to reach out and grasp it.

dear sweet friends that were hand delivered right to little ol' me.

friends with heartwings that follow me through life.

sending love in thoughts and prayers and phone calls and surprise packages!

{and invites to her beach house this weekend...whooo hooo!}

i. ve made the dearest friend i.ve never met 

who knows that sometimes the best letters...

are the ones that are never written.

 

but folded and tucked and pinched and smoothed and kissed...

then sent off to show up at the most preciously perfect time!
{thanks mbfinm!}

i.ve opened a plain manila envelope from a dear blog friend, ellen.
(what in heavens name is a manila anyway?)
to find a gold mine of peaceful treasures...my favorite?
a handmade pouch with a hummingbird on it.
upon closer inspection i squeeled in delight as i realized
it was my hummingbird!!!
ellen had taken the photo from this post and made me a precious purse
 (look closely) and filled it will all sorts of love.
ellen...you are so sweet to me!   thank you!
{and just a few days ago i received another "surprise" in the mail 
that i will share with you soon...stay tuned.}

my heart is overflowing with the kind hearts that settle around the world.
around me.
how does one not burst with so much....

i feel extremely blessed to call many of you
 my dear dear friends.

...i need to open my eyes wider.

i have something to admit.

one day as i was thumbing through this...

and skipping and singing a happy song for my sweet art sister mindy

{here on this post...}

i came upon the sweetest of collaborations between two friends.

tell me a little girl who didn.t have one, if not several tiny coin purses

or didn.t completely envy their girlfriend around the corner who did.

i was smitten with the idea of these perfectly precious portable prayers 

and wanted to eat up every word of how to make them.

i admiringly basked in the union of two amazingly talented friends 

who brought their special gifts together to create...

"personal reminders to live life to it.s fullest"

"these portable prayers are meant to be shared - 

passing along encouragement to others."

sweet huh!  i thought so too.  i love this idea!  

then i was visiting a blog i love...

the blog of becky shander...

and realized that becky was the author of this article!!!

not only the author, but the artist.

along with her friend cheryl perreault.

becky is so talented it will knock your socks off.  

she also is one of the most humble artists i have come across.  period.

she is real.  she is down.to.earth.  she is approachable.

and she pays it forward.  she once shared with me that she had learned a great deal from other artists who've shared their how-to's 

within the pages of publications such as Somerset Studio, 

so paying it forward feels good to her.

that, my friends, is the beauty of becky.

and the type of artist and woman i admire 

and will return to again and again and again.

i realized that becky.s talent is everywhere

 if i will just "open" my eyes every now and then to notice.

(she.s so quiet and humble about it i didn.t even realize it!)

 her jewelry in this issue of jewelry affaire (above) 
made from "mica" is drool worthy...love it becky.

and now my daughter..."micah" thinks her neck should absolutely 
be adorned with something so wonderful that bares her name.
{luckily her birthday isn.t until november...}


this story helped me realize that i need to 
cul*ti*vate 
the art of more fully appreciating the artists 
behind the inspiration that moves me.


please treat yourself and visit becky
you will thank me, i promise.
{or just send chocolate}

happy mothers day!

mom & me 1970

carolyn ann wallace spurrier

1933-2004

"few of us will reach our potential without the nurturing of 

both the mother who bore us and the mothers who bear with us."

-sheri dew-

happy mothers day!

i am of the belief 

that as long as you are a woman...

you are a mother.

you are a creator.

we all have the ability

 to create something.

and

to tend 

and 

care 

and 

love 

one 

another.

mom & dillon 1995

i always told people i was just waiting for my mom to sprout wings and fly away.

she was that good!  

an angel!

in october of 2004, she finally did just that.

mom & tess 1998

so mother.s day is always a bitter sweet day for me.

mom & jack 2003

mom...

thanks for teaching me unconditional love.

to love God and His Son.

to be a good homemaker.

to get on the floor and play with my children.

patience.

to love God.s nature.

to treasure my heritage.

to value and always continue to gain knowledge.

the importance of a good celebration.

to be silly.

the love of old things.

the importance of charity and serving.

to be a good friend.

faith.

service.

hope.

i miss you so very much mom.

...here is hoping that you all have a mother or a mother.figure 

in your lives that was, or is, an irreplaceable essence.

"a living presence!" like mine...

xo

a reminding lighthouse...

do you ever feel like in the midst of the tribulation

 that naturally comes with life.

a shining beacon..{or your 10 year old daughter}...

 breaks through the clouds.

reminding you of what is really important in your world.

and

that there is always hope to light your way.

(what could be that beacon in your own life today?)