Monarch Post

primroses and party treats

   I spotted the sign at Joe's greenhouse yesterday. Primroses 4 for $5.00. I thought about making a u-turn right then and there, but I was on my way to pick up my kids from school and didn't want to be late. I made a beeline back to Joe's this morning. Last year they sold out before I got any. But this morning flats and flats of vibrant color awaited. Sheer gorgeousness.

Before the crocus come out in Utah, the primroses are in the nurseries. It's my first sign of spring.

Today was good. I made french vanilla strawberry cupcakes for Sophey's birthday party tomorrow. The house smelled wonderful and felt peaceful, even though it was filled with neighborhood kids. So good, so average, so normal. My universe has been upside down for the past couple of weeks. So much going on, good and bad... And I've been feeling like I did on that sailing ship last weekend- trying and trying to find my balance. 

So I'll take the green and happy primroses for a good sign today: hope, spring, and new life always eventually return. And I know the universe is in balance even if my own universe doesn't seem to be at the moment. I do know this...I just need to keep reminding myself.

Tomorrow we're heading to a bouncy castle place with a carload of eight year old girls :0 I've been putting treat bags together this afternoon. I'm running behind... I wish I could just get caught up and on top of things around here and back to creating, but Sophey was sick this week and I spent my one other free afternoon this week taking care of my Mom. My Mike is in Lithuania. Yes, Lithuania. On a business trip. *sigh* My studio is looking neglected at the moment... but first things first. And I'm not running off for any more weekend trips, so I hope to be back to an even keel soon.

Anyways, if you happen to need cute springy green goodie bags for any reason at all, or no reason at all-- well, here's an idea for you.

   Essential party supplies for eight year old girl birthdays. How cute are those paper plates and napkins? Girls are so much fun.

    Cut top of goodie bags with scalloped-edge scrapbook scissors. Fold bag down. Cut slits in bag. Add about twelve inches of pretty  ribbons.

   Tie a fat bow.

   Slip in a spring bouquet and add a pinwheel for good measure ;-)  Don't forget to fill the sack with pixie sticks, bit o' honeys and anything else that makes you feel eight and spring time happy again ;-)

Well, gotta go finish those pink cupcakes.

Happy weekend to you!

Love,

Kelly

adventurous us in San Diego

    Just got back late last night from our San Diego weekend.  A mom and daughter weekend we'll always remember. We had so much fun. We managed to make our way around town (GPS's are wonderful inventions) and enjoyed the city sights, although we wished we could have stayed a little longer... there is so much to do and see in this beautiful, oceanside town.

   Who knew cyclamen could grow outside? I can't even grow it inside! It was perfect weather for our weekend-- mid 70 degrees.

       We made friends with the local wildlife...

  What a pretty pose.

  We strolled along the beaches and the harbors.

And then we decided to get adventurous. We spent our first evening on a guided ghost tour, visiting San Diego's most famous haunted house and haunted spots. Gotta love a good ghost story.

The house was pretty spooky, but the black cat that ran across our path as we walked up to the haunted house really gave us goosebumps.

    Our tour guides played their parts very well.

Our adventurous spirits didn't stop at haunted houses for the weekend. I really don't know what got into us this weekend-- but the next day we decided to head out to watch the whales. Yes, that's right. Ghost watching, followed by whale watching. Not even on my bucket list of to do items, but what the heck. It was an amazing four hour yacht ride. We sailed so far away from the shore; San Diego was only a tiny speck.

  And boy, did we have a guide who knew how to play the part on our whaling tour. Captain Ahab in all his sea-fareing glory! He entertained us for four hours with his tales and knowledge of the sea.    It was so fun. And we made it through without even getting seasick,   although we were completely exhausted the rest of the day. Barely managed to dial the phone for room service... It seems we are not hardy, sea-fareing women... more like wimpy land-loving, boutique shopping women (ahem), but we DID IT!!!

   The whales decided to pull a no-show, but the dolphins showed up in crowds for us. They swam and leapt through the air right beside our boat. They literally took my breath away. Don't we live on the most amazing planet?

 

At the end of our weekend, Ainsley hugged me and thanked me for everything. She said it was so nice just spending a weekend alone with me, because she hadn't had me to herself since she was five and her brother was born. I hadn't thought of how it might feel to be the oldest child in that way before.

I'm so glad we made time for this trip together.. I know we'll do it again, sooner next time.

Lots of love,

xoxoxo Kelly

weekend sunshine

        Don't you just love that old fire truck! I hope you do, because it happens to be my only photo from our getaway baseball watching weekend in St. George, Utah.

I'd planned on taking lots of photos our last day there, only to discover my camera was blinking a red battery light. And my charger was packed away... Oops.

 I'm running off again tomorrow for the weekend. Ainsley and I are heading to San Diego for a long planned, first time ever mom and daughter trip. There is one benefit to a husband who travels lots- free trips with those frequent flier miles... and it's use it or lose it time for our miles. So wish us luck. We'll have to be big girls and try to find our way around town, without Mike's built in radar.

Two weekends in a row of sunshine. My frozen February heart be thawed... This time I'll make sure my camera is very ready, and I'll bring back some sunny southern Cal. sunshine for show and tell.

P.S. one more thought about roadtrips... be prepared when you leave four teenage boys in a separate hotel suite for a weekend. They said they were bored and decided to dye their hair black! Umm, well at least that's the color they said was on the box... they are now sporting lovely shades of very strange, metallic black blue hair. Boys will be boys, I suppose..  Maybe we should have waiver forms for future trips :o

Be back next week with a dose of sunshine.

xoxox Kelly

heavy hearts, a little art and a happy birthday

   Well it looks like I fell off the old blog train for a week again.

Can I just say, I've had one helluva week here... The decision was made by my Dad to put my Mom into hospice care Monday thru Friday of this week. He's done a remarkable job of caring for my Mom, but it's just more than he can take anymore. One week of extended family high drama has ensued... have you ever wanted to jump off the planet for a few days? I have.

It's all been heartbreakingly sad. My family has lived through six months of a very private, and personal hell. And it's so very sad to see my Mom rapidly declining from a form of dementia that is also rapidly taking the use of her body. She's in a wheelchair now, and is just a wisp of who she once was. Her nickname used to be flit- my Bristish grandmother dubbed her that. My Mom was like a quick little bird always darting around the house, never landing in one place too long. It's almost hard to imagine her that way now....

I spent Monday day and night in the hospice care center. That was a defining experience for me as well. It certainly gives you a renewed sense to make the very most of life, and not to wait too long to tackle wish lists...

Anyway, just thought I'd hurry and write this all out today. We're heading off for my Corbyn's baseball tournaments this weekend. And give you my very small and last  Valentine craft offerings. Most of it kid made- like the heart paperweight and watercolor art above, made by our sweet Sophia.

   Yes, that favorite photo and dog again... but I had to show the charming Valentine heart flowers my kids made a few years ago. Wooden craft store hearts, painted red and glued onto pipe cleaner stems. The bottoms are old string-along wooden beads painted green. The kids added micro beads to the hearts for a finishing touch. So sweet.

   Also made a couple of terrariums from dollar store glass vases. Anything green right now, anything green is good people...

   I only mangaged to spend about an hour this week in my craft studio. I halfway designed a piece of fabric collage. That's supposed to be a sunrise in the middle; my art work may need an explanation this week... Remember that Cat Stevens' song- morning has broken? -it's been rolling around my head.Why, I have no idea, but I want to put the words, "praise for the morning" or "praise the light" into this piece.

    And one more praise the light moment here... our gorgeous young man Corbyn William, celebrated his eighteenth birthday. We are so proud of the wonderful ,bright, caring, witty, person he's become. We love you Bo!

My Mike has been really sick with strep throat this week, and now we need to hustle for our trip.When it rains it pours... Sorry I've been so absent, sometimes life turns into a whirlwind of it's own making, and all you can really do is turn up your collar and live through the storms... We'll get there.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Lots of love to you,

 xoxoxo Kelly

creativity past

"There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action and because there is only one you in all time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and be lost. The world will not have it." Martha Graham 

 I'm still here... working through winter. Looking for inspiration and bright colors. A few blogs I've read lately tell of how inspired they are this time of year to work in soft colors- greys, blues, winter whites, pastels. Not me. Today I'm heading to my favorite fabric/quilting store on the hunt for bright, bold, saturated. I want to make more fabric collage art.

 Lots of ideas running around my head today- just needing the perfect fabrics and the creative boost I'll get looking at all the needlework ideas at Lavender Thyme quilt store. Not that I'm a quilter, mind you. I don't have that much patience!  But I appreciate the art form... and someone else's patience;-)

I found this old handmade purse last year in an antique shop. Completely hand stitched in a quilted pattern.  Faded, old gold fabric with perfectly even, meticulous stitches. I bought it just to display and admire in my studio. Love the mysteries of pieces like this purse. Who made it? When? Why? Where did she wear it to- a wedding, a prom? What inspired her design?

Yes, I do love a good little mystey. Like the dining room table under my purse.    The antique dealer said it came out of a convent in upstate New York. I loved the table, but that info sealed the deal. Another antique mystery... after we bought  the table, I noticed tiny, indented lines all over the top of the table. I knew those lines from sewing as a child. Tracing wheel lines-- someone used this table for cutting out patterns. Nuns cutting out their habit patterns? Who knows. But I like the image... homey and holy work...

it makes me feel warm and cozy in my winter time world.

Lots of love to you,

xoxoxo Kelly