Bread baking on a cold afternoon

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Little ball of kneaded dough ready to rise

After rising, being divided and rising again ready for the oven

Nicely browned loaves

Ready to cool for butter and jam and tomorrows french toast!

I'd forgotten the pleasure of making home made bread. The smell of the yeast the kneading watching it magically grow and then this unbelievable smell of bread baking in the oven. I've had a bread maker for years and had always used that but nothing beats doing it all yourself. I promised hubby french toast with home made bread for his birthday so tomorrows breakfast will be fabulous! If you've never had home made bread french toast you owe it to yourself to do it at least once, it's the best you'll ever have, a little milk, egg, vanilla and cinnamon! YUMMMM!

I think I may get into baking more of my own bread, whole grains etc. Nice to know exactly what is in it. The only thing is you tend to eat more of it because it's so delicious.

Does anyone else enjoy baking on cold rainy/snowy days? There's something of a connection to the past to do this. Thousands of women use to wake up each morning and make the bread for the day even turn churn? the butter ( I won't go that far) for her family. My son often asks me "Mommy did you make this with love?" Today I can say yes from start to finish.

Heather

Snowy day after school

What does one do after several snowdays and it's back to school?

Why have a tea party of course, along with the March Hare!

Tea, Milk, Sugar, Cinnamon toast and silliness. The perfect welcome home.

Words are Powerful - Especially to ourselves

The Pigs are flying

Because of one Person

All I want to do lately is create all the time, I'm in my own little world. To paint and sew and make, they allow me to express myself so clearly. I can be a little all over the map trying to pick one thing so there are usually several projects going at once. Things pop into my head and I need to figure out a way to create it. Sometimes even having to get out of bed at 3 am when I'm lying awake just to jot it down or sketch it so my mind can rest.


I want the passion, the feeling of letting go that art is bringing lately. Bein g true to myself and especially my inner creative self. Letting the artist take flight (thanks Kelly Rae). So much wants to get out of me like my whole body has woken up and said FINALLY! I AM and Artist, not just my sister and nephew but me too. In my own special way. I don't have to limit myself to one thing. I can paint, do mixed media, embroider, quilt, make stuffed animals and dolls, sculpt figures. All of it. I am and artist and it's like admitting it AND accepting it for the first time. It's not saying i am and artist, in a shy embarassed way. It's claiming it, knowing it, feeling it and trusting, it. In so doing my whold being is screaming YEHA! Let's do it, and it's spewing idea after idea and revealing talent after talent. To the point where I am constantly surprised and amazed. I had no idea, none. It was always a wish, always a dream and you know what? The reality is even better. It feels amazing , wonderful and humbling. I'm not trying to be someone else or copy their work. I am allowing what I feel and need to hit the canvas, be it actual canvas, fabric, clay or thread.



Believe what you say and say what you believe. Feel it deep in your bones, deep to the light of your soul. When it's right you will know. Oh boy will you know. Thank you God for bringing me to it.





Love to all,

Heather

Since it's been snowing about once a week lately I've been putting out bird seed and boy are the kitties enjoying the show. We have a big sliding glass door and the seed has been put on the porch in front of it, often all of them are lined up to watch. I need to keep my camera by my side to capture them.

Big storm heading in tomorrow so that means we won't be going anywhere and that means I get to play most of the day. A quick clean in the morning, and by the way my first thing I will do when I'm working as a full time artist; someone to come in and clean once a week so I don't have to! Hoping to start on a jungle themed wall hanging and finishing a baby afghan.

In other, I'm not sure how I feel news. I have not had my little "visitor" in about 2 months. Now I am 45 and it could be the beginnings of mentalpause, but.....and I'm not sure how I feel about the but. It would be wonderful, but I'm just getting the freedom a school age child affords. So I have an appointment with the Dr. on Thursday to see what's happening. Either way life is changing. But I cannot wait to not have that "visit" each month. (Jeez I feel 12 not being able to say period ) Silly

Have a couple of new things I've been doing these were a gift for my sister but I'll be making more of them. They are sweet, and fun to make.

I have a new mixed media piece too but have to take that photo again because it wont transfer. That will be put up tomorrow. I'll stop in and let you know what's going on with the storm and play.

Heather

Christmas and beyond.....

Newest member of my creations

Merry Christmas to all. This is my newest creation, thought I'd give paperclay a try and see what I could come up with. I haven't gotten a name for her yet I'm waiting for that to come to me at some point. I just felt the need to make an angel. I believe she will be the prototype for more. I'm quite pleased with her actually. I keep surprising myself.

Christmas morning was really fun. Declan is five and Santa is real. One of the toys he got he REALLY wanted and when it was opened he threw back his head and yelled "Thank you Santa" then fell back on the dog. Couldn't have coreographed it any better.

Santa got him some shaving cream so he would have his own when "shaving" with daddy. Don't know what she was thinking! He had it all over his face and chest within 10 minutes. Oh well he smelled great the rest of the day. I'm so grateful to have had such a wonderful Christmas. AFter the year I've (we've) had it was a blessing to all be happy together.

Most of the day was relaxing. I took several naps as I was coming down with a cold that kept me in bed all day Sunday. Coming out for minor visits and a little creativity now and then. I'm feeling pretty good today though I'm ready to remove my nose!

We are a blanket of snow outside with the sun now shinning. Strong winds and lots of snow made yesterday a good day to be snuggled in bed. It was beautiful out this morning too with all the snow and the birds going after the flowers I didn't cut back from summer. Declan said the little angel in the middle looks like a little snowman that the birds built. Love how kids think!

I hope that everyone had a beautiful, sacred, joyful Christmas. I am thankful for so many things that I can't express them all. Family, Friends and Creativity top the list though.

Much love to those of you who stop by. Here's to a joyful prosperous new year.

Heather

Happy Holidays

Hey two times in one month, Go figure!

Things are going well. We'll be decorating the tree tonight, I put the lights on earlier, always my job. Fighting with my new printer. I keep putting in red ink and it keeps telling me it's empty! GRRRRR. I have put it to rest tonight and will try again tomorrow.

I've been working on some new stuff as you can see above. I'll be making more and putting them up on etsy different sizes, messages and papers so they can be used all year round as inspiration. They're fun to make too. Just really happy to be creating a lot lately. Working on finishing projects before I start new ones now. I have too many "UFO's" around. Will post a bunch when they are done.

I'll post again later in the week.

Happy Holidays!

Heather

Angels Among Us

Yes I am here. I didn't realize it had been so long since I posted, I must get into a better routine. So, December 1st, how did that happen? This fall has just gone at warp speed it seems like school for Declan just started and now we're going on to Christmas.

It's been a rough couple of months, but I seem to be getting my footing, I've got two good books to help me through, "A Course in Weight Loss" by Marianne Williamson and "Women Who Run With Wolves" I have been offered that book on and off for years and never read it but this time seems to be the right time to read it and reclaim my "Wild Woman" I'm loving it. And the Course in Weight Loss is fantastic. I'm taking it slowly and processing each lesson to really come to terms with ....well everything. We all have our own stories and trials that we must work through. It has also reaffirmed my faith, something I have always struggled with. I am handing things over to God because I'm just exhausted doing it on my own.

Isn't it funny how things will come to you at just the right time? You'll pick up a book to read it and it won't make sense so you'll put it back and then try again and put it back until one day you start reading it and it's as if they are different words. The "foreign" language becomes clear and you seem to be reading about yourself. "How did she know?" you think. SHE always knew, it was me that didn't and I had to be open to healing.

Open to healing....hmmm. We go around with these burdens, damages, hurts wishing them away, hoping them away, drinking, eating, taking pills to get them away, but we must first be open to examining the why and giving it over and allowing healing. We hang onto the burdens because they are familiar, they are an excuse, they push us down so that nothing is really demanded of us. Our spirits become crushed and we figure nothing will ever change, this is my lot in life. Yet deep inside hiding somewhere if we really look is a little tiny flame, a part that says you deserve better. You keep trying and trying until one day someone says something, you read a book, hear a song whatever, and suddenly you want to heal, you're tired of the excuses, tired of settling and you really want the life that you really want and deserve.

God sends you angels in so many different forms. I best friend whom you are finally willing to listen to. A police officer who speaks from his heart to yours. Books from people who have been there and shine a light for you, illuminating the path that you heretofore didn't see right in front of you. Plus he also sends Angels, the real thing, to hold you up when you can't stand on your own. Several weeks ago I went through the lowest point I've ever had, and looking back I can almost see the angels that surrounded me. There were many of them, keeping me from falling, holding my hand, surrounding me to keep me safe. I have never felt truely alone in all my life. Since I was a little girl it always felt as if someone was watching me. Not in a paranoid way, but that somehow I was being observed and was not alone. I was surprised that not everyone felt this. I thought it was probably God, and I'm sure he checked in, but now I realize it was the angels that surround me. They have always been with me, even now I can feel the familiar sense of the one always with me. He/She because there seems to be a lack of gender, looks out for me. Comforts me in my deepest dispare and brings speaking angels to me when needed.

I hope that somehow some of you will recognize some of the things I've said here. It took 45 years to even acknowledge it all, but now that I have and I KNOW, not just in my brain but also in my heart, it's changed everything and there's no going back.

Blessings to everyone today

Love,

Heather