...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}