She has a shop on Etsy, here:

http://baymoondesign.etsy.com

Kathy’s favorite quote is:

“If you surrender completely to the moments as they pass, you live more richly those moments.” (Anne Morrow Lindbergh)

Kathy adds, “The older I get, the more this quote helps me to enrich my life by appreciate each day and experience. Time seems to pass so quickly and we need to appreciate what we are given and have.”

I’ll send the jewelry box to her pronto — 0ne can never have too many boxes!

Thanks to all who entered!  That was lots of fun so I’m sure we’ll have more giveaways here at Hand Painted Petals!  Congrats, Kathy!

You may have your own treasure trove of wisdom.

Mine is “Funny Things and Other Stuff. “  That’s the name of my file folder in which I pop the assorted and random odd things that I come across – quotes on teabag labels, fortune cookie slips, cartoons from the 70’s (yes, I really am that old).

Bits from the Funny Things and Other Stuff folder are great mood-lifters for the bad hair days.

Besides, those choice morsels of wisdom are cheaper than therapy and almost as much good!

I read a great quote last night which is already in my Funny Things folder.  It sounds like something my friend Carol would say.

“We’re growing older.  You go first.”

I also read “When Life knocks you down, roll over and look at the stars.”  I’ll send that to Linda in Colorado, whom I’ve known for 30 years.

I think the following is one of the most beautiful and most tender of quotes:

“Every child begins the world again.”

I adore  the loving simplicity of that phrase, so I painted it on a tile with some beautiful yellow roses and lilacs.

The other day, I rediscovered  a poem that makes me both laugh and cringe every time I read it.  I laugh each time because it’s really that funny.  But I also cringe because, well, it’s so true, it’s painful!

I think many of my Etsy colleagues will agree – once we discover our ‘creative side,’ it’s hard to keep Life balanced.  It’s embarrassing when Tim, my Sweetie Pookums, gently asks at 8:30 p.m., “Should I send you an email about what’s for dinner?”  Or, when I’m busily taking photographs for several hours but forget to take the dogs out all day.  Or, when Tim shuffles into my painting room at two in the morning to ask if I forgot about sleep again.

So, in homage to all the Innocent Bystanders (or IB’s; see previous post) of creative types everywhere, I offer this poem by Mollie Perry.  I don’t know Mollie, but I think she has contributed mightily to the human race by writing this poem.  Her contribution is to bring a spark of humor to frustrated IB’s everywhere who feel neglected, dogs with full bladders, and children who have forgotten what their mother looked like when she last went into her Cave of Creation.  To whit:

Ode to My Wife, the Painter

By Mollie Perry

She learned to paint on Monday,

Her strokes were going fine.

She forgot to thaw our dinner,

So we went out to dine. . .

She painted daisies Tuesday,

She says they are a must.

They really were quite lovely,

But, she forgot to dust. . .

On Wednesday it was strawberries,

She says the blending’s fun,

“What highlights!”  “What shadows!”

But the laundry wasn’t done. . .

Her apples were on Thrusday,

So juicy, bright and red.

I guess she really was engrossed,

She never made the bed.

It was violets on Friday,

In colors she adores.

It never bothered her at all,

The crumbs on all the floors.

I found a maid on Saturday,

My week is now complete.

My wife can tole the hours away,

The house will still be neat.

Well, it’s already Sunday.

But don’t call me a saint.

I cursed!  I raved!  I ranted!

The maid has learned to paint!

Come back soon for more posts from Funny Things and Other Stuff.  For now, may we each celebrate the blessings in this day.

To enter the giveaway, here’s what to do:

1.       Comment below and tell me your favorite quote that you would most like to have on a sign, tile or plaque.

2.      Also comment and tell me which two items from my Etsy shop are your favorites (while you’re browsing, feel free to “favorite” your items from my shop!)

3.      Lastly, post your quote on my Facebook page, here:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Hand-Painted-Petals/183903732313?ref=ts

Mini jewelry / ring box

T he winner of the giveaway will get this cute jewelry box (brand new!),

to be drawn at random.

(Please tell me I don’t need to set a maximum number of entries, but if I did, it would be three)

Most of us wear many proverbial hats – we are mothers, wives, friends, daughters, scout leaders, mentors and more.  What happens when, quite suddenly, we stop being those people?  What can we draw on when we look in the mirror and don’t know the person who looks back?  And, how can one come to terms and live in peace with that “new person” who now lives behind one’s eyes?

The past few weeks have seen some wonderful changes at Hand Painted Petals, and, particularly, how I see myself as a painter.   I thought I’d share my thoughts with you since many other artists and artisans change and are changed when she/he creates something new.

After I was hurt in a car accident in 2000 and received brain ‘dents,’ I felt I was in a cocoon, protected somehow from a confusing and noisy outside world.  As I healed, I gradually emerged from my cozy cocoon.  That was good news and bad news!  Good news because it meant I was recovering, and bad news because I became aware of how different Life was post-brain dents.  And, how different I was.

Gone was my “old life” as an insurance broker, active in business women’s groups and the chamber of commerce, and my sons’ volleyball leagues.  I had spent years working to develop the skills to do those things and be those people.  And suddenly, I was a new Me. Trying to explain what I was going through was frustrating and exhausting.  My husband Tim and sons Travis and Brent surely were concerned but showed me only patience and endless love.

It was during this period that I was drawn to painting.  I had taken exactly one art class – in the 8^th grade and hated it.  Nonetheless, I bought some basic supplies and began practicing.  I wasn’t sure what I was practicing toward, or what I wanted to DO with the wobbly results, but it felt soothing, so I kept practicing.

Slowly and over a period of years, I changed from the professional, active Old Me to a “retired” person (disabled), who painted ‘stuff.’  Even more slowly, I grew to accept and understand the New Me.  I kept holding on to the phrase, what matters is how you see yourself.

Now, I’m fortunate to be able to concentrate more on my painting.  I can see the results – my painting has ‘matured’ and improved greatly and I feel more confident in my creativity.  I can even deal with the occasional moments of “Holy cow! How did that happen?!”  As the New Me, I feel like an artist – a person with an identity and sense of self.  I’m very excited about Me now, and looking forward to what comes next.  It’s a great place to be, looking in the mirror and seeing Me!

I think most artists and artisans go through similar growth and new directions.   I’d be honored if you shared your story of how you came to create, paint, sew, knit and become You.  Because, what matters is how you see yourself!

Thanks for your comments, and thank you for being You!

Sheryl

Sometimes, I wonder what life must be like for witnesses to my various ups and downs as an artist.  I mean, do they need crash helmets for the sudden twists and turns created by the inevitable “Oh, I wish SOMEone would buy SOMETHING,” to the ecstatic worry of “Oh, my!  I have way too much to do!!”

Or, perhaps they need hazardous duty pay for the times they dodge assorted packaging materials being tossed out of the closet while I dig for a box to mail something ASAP (of course, not that **I** do that, it’s just something I heard about).

Without doubt, in the Etsy- and art-world, innocent bystanders (“IBs”) need some pretty top-notch skills and expertise.  For example, IBs probably need the skills of the most experienced, battle-scarred diplomat to profer respond with feedback on a ghastly creation.   And, what about the psychology and spiritual  insight of Mother Theresa to aid them in dodging flying packaging materials?

So, I’m curious about what other IBs think of their resident or closest artist.  Now, I don’t need to know ALL the trade secrets, but if you insist…. Nah, just tell me about what your hubby, significant other, children, siblings and assorted support groupies think of “Life With ________ “ [a painter, quilter, etc.].

Tim usually waits until I ask for his opinion.  That’s really nice of him.  He gives me feedback on designs, photos, new products, and everything else involved in Hand Painted Petals.  Sometimes, my feathers get ‘bent.’  Mostly, though, he has helpful ideas.  For example, photos.  Anyone who sells their work online will agree that good photos are paramount. 

I appreciate it when he suggests changes to lighting and props for my photographs, like this one:

Another time, he suggested painting with more contrast for some designs.  I enjoy painting roses – especially white-on-white or red-on-red roses– but getting the contrast to show up in photos with the correct color balance can be tricky.

This was a first-round try:

First-round photo

Better lighting and color balance

Pine Forest Design in Sapphire

Same photo and better on the second try because he helped me see how to improve it.

 So, it’s good to have feedback and challenges from him to tweak it “just one more time.”

The idea for this sapphire-blue box came as a result of a challenge from Tim to do something that reflected our town  and its pine trees and river.  I hope to do more designs like this between now and Christmas.

Maybe in a future post, I’ll write about suggestions from our IBs for cushioning, nay, surviving, the world of artists and artisans — the wild twists and turns, need for crash test dummies, and suppliers for mega-quantities of Advil, bandaids, and earplugs.

In the meantime, I’ll try not to give him too much whiplash or motion-sickness from the ups and downs of “Life with an Etsian.”

Rejoice in this day, and make it count!

Sheryl

One day, I was sitting amongst the earthy smells, bugs and new plants and feeling very frightened about the “new me” — who was I now, for I felt so different from the “old me” I felt my body was inhabited by two different, confused people.  Sitting in the warm dirt, seeing the trees and hearing the birds, I suddenly felt peaceful and realized that my new “mission” was to give away God’s love. It was that simple: God drew me to gardening and to the flowers so that I could use beauty as a vehicle for giving away love and the feeling of serenity I felt when I gardened. It was, however, years before I could understand or articulate all those feelings, even though I clearly remember the feelings.

Siberian iris

When the weather turned cold, I wanted to continue my “flower therapy.” Did you know there is a field of psychology called “horticultural therapy” or some such — it involves being among plants to achieve that feeling of calmness and peace. Anyway, when Brent, my younger son, actually recognized my paint droobles as a rose one evening, I was thrilled –you must understand that, when Travis was little, I labored mightily to draw Santa in a sleigh. My brother-in-law saw it and complimented TRAVIS on the “fine” drawing of Santa. I was miffed and decided not to quit my day job to become an artist. So, when Brent recognized the rose I had painted, I felt the heavens had shifted!

Since the fall of 2000, my painting has evolved in fits and starts, bypassing and sometimes encompassing assorted crises and challenges. Similarly, my gardening evolved and I now grow more things than I kill off. Tim and I recently settled into an apartment in Austin, so my gardening has shifted to containers of herbs, flowers and a Japanese maple that has become like a pet. YAY for a simpler life!

I still get the urge to garden, though, so I painted a series of garden signs that can be displayed separately, or hung with ribbon or (if outdoors) on a light chain. I’m very happy to be able to paint the flowers, leaves and colors that I enjoy so much, and to tend my patio garden under the green sky of the “canopy tree” outside.

Enjoy your day and happy Father’s Day to my daddio from his favorite daughter.
Sheryl

(Right now, my brain dents are letting me remember how to insert a link, so bear with me….)
Visit Donna’s blog here:

http://dzfantasy.blogspot.com

This lil’ cutie would give so much color to a summery outfit!

Here’s an emerald green ribbon necklace by Donna at DZ Fantasy. I think it’s just beautiful and richly colored. See how the ribbon has a satiny sheen? I like how that mirrors the shimmer of the pendant. With all those different colors in the ribbon, you could wear it every day!

Hand knit ribbon necklace in emerald green

And i think this little fairy is just adorable — a wee bit of a fairy ballerina or fairy bride… can you hear the fairy bells twinkling? (fairy bells don’t just ‘ring’ or clang: they TWINKLE because the sound has light mixed in with it…at least, that’s what MY ears hear!)

Anyway, take a look:

Adorable wee fairy bride or ballerina; can you hear the twinkly bells?

I just couldn’t resist adding another photo of Donna’s fiber art. This little fairy is also cute. Aren’t they all! Just like puppies but no house training needed!

Cute fiber sculpture fairy waiting for her new home!

I hope you enjoy looking at these photos as much as I did poking around on Donna’s blog and Etsy site. By the way, here’s her shop on Etsy:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/dzfantasy

I’d love to know what you think, and also please share Hand Painted Petals’ blog with other nice peeps! May you see the miracles all around you today and always!
Sheryl

Click this image to connect to Donna’s Etsy shop!

I once saw a greeting card with the phrase, “Ain’t Life grand?” with a sepia photo of a little boy and little girl sitting on a front stoop, drippy ice cream cones in hand. To me, it evokes the feeling of serendipity, nostalgia and unbridled joy, all in the same image.

My Hunny Bunny, Tim, and I have been enjoying lots of “little moments” lately. We just relocated to Austin and have entertained ourselves with celebrating every emptied box and local coffee shop discovered. We’re having a grand time and thank God for our years together. (I had to wait a long time for Tim to make his appearance in my life; how we met is a great topic for a future post).

Anyway, we’ve learned the wisdom in celebrating Life’s moments and that even in the difficult times, goodness is wrapped within.

To that end, I celebrate my return to painting post-move with one of my all-time favorite quotes. It’s from Saint Theresa, the patron saint of the little things, and of roses. I really latched on to this quote back in 2000 when I first read it. I was rehabbing my brain dents and was really drawn to roses – soft, velvety, sometimes thorny, always beautiful. St. Theresa’s poem spoke volumes to me about the resilience I would need in understanding and accepting the “New Me,” and, I hoped, being able to celebrate what had changed in my life. Here is the poem; I hope you, too, enjoy it:

May today there be peace within.
May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.
May you be content knowing you are a child of God.

Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow
your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise, and love.

It is there for each and every one of us.
— St. Theresa

So, today, go have an ice cream cone, sit on the steps and rejoice in this day God has given us! May peace be with you.

Sheryl

You can see all the submissions and vote, here (I’d sure welcome your vote but choose the one you like best~):

http://etsytx.ning.com/page/march-april-design-challenge

(I’ll try to make it a live link tomorrow!)

There were some really nice pieces submitted, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed!

One of the items I entered was this decorative hat box:

Spring-fresh blue hat box with lots of spring blooms

I also entered this lil’ cutie:

Pretty blooms, pretty bird

The topic for the May design challenge hasn’t been announced yet, but I’ll be ready! This is such fun!

On these days when I think of spring, and the fresh new blossoms tenderly peeking out from their calyxes and foliage, I feel giddy with promise. It reminds me of being a little girl and skipping for what seemed like hours in the backyard (I also galloped because I liked horses, but that probably wasn’t as ‘light’ in effect… perhaps it was more ‘gallumphing’ instead!). Was it Mark Twain who said, “If it’s not a word, it should be?” A very, very wise man was he!

Speaking about promise, what could be more promising than a rainbow after rain? Well, Tim and I are standing under our rainbow! We’ve experienced a lot of ‘rain’ in the past year and are now feeling like we’re standing under the rainbow looking toward the sunshine! We’ll be moving on Saturday to Austin for a more relaxed lifestyle, closer to Tim’s work, and more things to do together. As our Pastor said to us many times, “God is good, but He doesn’t necessarily work in YOUR time-frame!” I think she’s as wise as Mark Twain was.

So, today I leave you with one of my favorite quotes from another wise but unknown person:

“Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass. Life is about learning to dance in the rain.”

So, what are you waiting for?! Go ‘dance in the rain’!

The scent of lilac when I walk past

The chirps, squeaks and calls from the birds in my pine trees

Today’s glorious blue sky

Wearing my flip-flops instead of layers of socks and slippers

The scent of my neighbor’s wisteria

Feeling excited about the tentative buds just emerging and watching the colors change each day

Brushing my doggies monsters’ winter coats out

Eating ice cream without having to have the heater on

Car trips to someplace we’ve never been

Spring cleaning (although the “cleaning” part isn’t one of my favs, the “being done” part is!)

I hope you’ll tell me some of your Springtime favorites!