Summer Highlights - It's Almost Over

Summer's not quite over yet, but when you work in a school like I do, when I head back to work, summer's pretty much over.  Since it was a different sort of summer for me, having foot surgery, I'm going to recap my "highlights" and things I've realized before I head back to a new school year.

Gosh it's even hard to say highlights because I honestly had a lot of "low" periods.  I couldn't drive for eight weeks, walk on my foot for eight weeks or get my foot wet for eight weeks.  I tried to stay positive during this pretty long time but it got hard.  Really hard especially the first three weeks.

My twelve year old daughter helped when I needed it but very often with scowl on her face.  I tried to be understanding because she's only twelve and wants summer to be fun, but she had to be her momma's helper A LOT.  My hubby works A LOT so loneliness did set in at times I'll be honest.  It was weeks before I felt good enough to paint because I typically only felt good with my foot elevated and that's not so easy to do sitting at a desk painting.  Here are a few pieces I created while I was healing...

I'm also a big reader, but I found myself getting restless doing that for sooooo many hours a day.  I really learned how hard it is to have your freedoms and self-sufficiency taken away.  I realized how much I took for granted like carrying a glass of water to the living room from the kitchen--not so easy to do while using crutches.  I truly feel so much gratitude for the little things like standing in a shower, vacuuming or getting in the car and just running to the store when I need to.

I needed the help of friends, family, neighbors and coworkers to be my drivers every single week. These people were awesome and selfless!  Aside from my neighbors, they all lived 25 - 45 minutes away and came to help around my house, bring me cookies, dinners, iced mochas, magazines and take me to my weekly doctor appointment check-ups.

A few days I was full of self-pity, for the pain my foot was in and for the frustration I felt for all the things I couldn't do.  Well, a few of my friends sort of whipped me back into shape reminding me that I am in charge of my attitude.  This was one of my big lessons during my recovery.  Thank you to those girls who helped me realize I can be happy if I want to...it's up to no one else but ME!

A special highlight that helped keep me smiling was visits with my sweet niece and going to her first birthday party. She brought joy to me even in moments that weren't so joyful.  Even when I was in the pre-op room I thought how great it would be to have sweet babies in there with the patients prior to surgery, to keep our mind off the upcoming procedure.  I think it's a great idea because they are so sweet and joyful.

I'm hoping to start the new school year with a new foot that feels better than it did last year and a new gratitude for things that often seem so basic.  I also hope I can carry that lesson over, that lesson that I am responsible for my outlook and my mood!  Did you learn any new lessons this summer like I did? I hope you have some great summer memories and the new season brings even better things!

Working on Lately...Will I Ever Finish?

Since I had foot surgery two weeks ago I've been mostly "painting" on my ipad, but just recently since I don't need my foot propped so much, I've adding lots of finishing touches to a few different paintings.

Two of them I finally finished yesterday--a sweet giraffe and a chubby elephant.  The elephant painting is titled "She's Happy" but I still need a title for the giraffe--any ideas?

But there are still quite a few I just can't seem to finish or declare that they are finished.  I wonder how many other artists out there just can't feel a piece is "ready for the world."  Is this the perfectionist in me (I don't think I'm a perfectionist) or is it worry that it's just not good enough?  The "just not good enough" is something I'm really trying to work on...as well as finishing some paintings.

Since I love love love the water, a few new pieces are of boats sailing on water.  If I had my way, we'd live on the coast somewhere, or at least on the lake that is two minutes from our house.  One of our dreams that I hope will come true someday.  Maybe painting water will bring me closer to that dream?  Do you believe in creative visualization?  Do you have a vision board with things you hope to bring into your life?  Well, on my old one from last year, there are many pictures of the calm, soothing water.  Hopefully someday these dreams that I paint will manifest and bring us a water view right from our back porch in the form of a lake or the ocean!

Grateful Today

Today is really simple:  I'm really grateful that since my early morning pain meds I've only taken two Tylenol all day! That's a great sign - I feel much better not taking strong pain pills overall...I'm thinking it's a promising healing sign. Yay!

I'm also thankful for sweet photo updates from my niece Cora's first summer up at the cabin. Isn't she sweet? She can cheer me up any day.

I'm typing this on my ipad and have no idea yet how to center pictures or change fonts, but I'm really focused on sharing what I'm thankful for each day as I recovery from my surgery.

Gratitude...I Hear it Helps

I'm sure you've all heard that practicing gratitude helps us feel better about our lives; some even believe it can actually relieve depression. In years past I've started and stopped a daily gratitude journal--not sure why I didn't keep up with it.  Maybe I took things for granted.  Well right now I'm going to give it a try again.  For a few reasons, but mostly to help me be more optimistic during recovery from my foot surgery. It can only help right?  My first week post-op has been a bit depressing to be honest and I think I want to take charge of my outlook during the next 7 weeks of no driving, no swimming....all the things that are bringing me down.

1.  My stylus and iPad I got for Mother's Day that I'm still able to "paint" with

2.  Having my sweet daughter to help feed me and keep me company everyday since it's summer break.  Even though she's not thrilled to be my caretaker, she's still making me smile.  She and her friend played Apples to Apples with me today which mad me feel like a normal person for a little while.

I'm going to try everyday during my recovery to post pics of what I'm grateful for.  Things cold be a lot worse, right? I just need to change my perspective, right? What are you thankful for today?

Spring Days, Gotta Love May!

I'm loving these amazing spring days - my lilacs are blooming and my crab apple trees are fat with blossoms and amazing scents.  These trees and bushes are past Mother's Day gifts from Bella so I see them as extra special too.

Taking bike rides and doing the mulch in our yard is almost enjoyable because of the amazing breezes from all the flowers.  I'm actually pretty obsessed with taking photos of all the new beauty around us at this time of year.  I think I don't want to forget how amazing this time of year is before the blooms fall to the ground and the real hot days set in.

When I'm not getting the yard ready for the season I've been painting some new paintings, luckily in my sunroom which makes me feel even closer to nature because of all the windows.  I've got so many dreamy quotes I want to use in new creations as well.  Here's part of a quote from Mary Oliver that I incorporated into one of my paintings recently.  I love the dreamy feeling I get reading many of her words.

Mother's Day was also a special day because I'm so blessed to be the momma of a great girl who is the light of my life.  I know it may sound corny, but she truly is.

May 20 was also our 18th wedding anniversary and it was the most amazing day in terms of weather 18 years ago...it was about 70 degrees and all the crab apple trees were in bloom.  Here is one of my favorite wedding pictures from our professional photographer.  It was taken overlooking a cliff of Lake Michigan on that amazing day.  (I took a picture of the photo with Instagram so you really can't see how beautiful blue the sky is though).

I hope you are enjoying the month of May where you live.  May is my favorite month of the year for so many reasons and I'm wondering what your favorite time of year is and why?  Do you love the new blooms as much as I do?  Or are your seasons a bit different where you live?

Images and Creations of the Past Week

I was excited and inspired while I created this inspirational piece for our choir teacher.  When she asked me to paint something for her classroom, I found four quotes about singing and she chose the one below.  It was so odd because while working on this I was painting and "collaging" almost as if I was crazy...I was so into it--almost like I had a muse over my shoulder encouraging me on.

This is a sketch from an art retreat I did a few days ago in Lake Geneva.  It was so fun sitting with some other artists learning how to draw "angelic faces."

Another session I took part in was a journaling experience with Junelle Jacobsen of Yes and Amen.  She was so fun and free as a teacher and I learned how to put my true self into my creations.  

This is the back of my head looking out into the water and at the night sky, things that really call to me.  Can you sort of tell that my hair blends into the waves?  If not, that's okay.

Here's a profile of me holding things I hold dear:  hearts that represent those I love, a bird that represents flying and trying new adventures, the sun, moon and stars that call to me daily.

A color-block journal page with colors that are "me" right now.  The flowers represent growth and I added the words acceptance, nurture and believe because they show what is prominent in my life right now.

It was a busy week but a creatively productive week too.  I met people in person that I've only talked to online and stretched myself as an artist.  It was fulfilling and uplifting!

Rituals...So Peaceful

A few months ago one of my creative friends explained how someone she knows made an intention candle to light before she creates.  She actually bought one of those really tall, skinny glass candles you can buy at the grocery store by the Mexican food area.  I loved that idea, but I keep forgetting to look for one of those candles to decorate and make it my own. However, I did decide to just buy a pretty candle with a smell I could handle and try to be consistent and consciously light it before each time I sit down to paint.  It's weird how when I just paused to light a candle and said a little something while I did it, it really calmed me.

 I've said things like:  help me create and just enjoy myself; help me create something that may bring joy to someone else; help me create just for fun without worrying if what I make will sell; help me be free and loose when I paint today...

I haven't been 100% consistent with remembering to light it or to set an intention and I plan to work on that especially after reading an article in the magazine Natural Health last night.  It says that rituals work because "they move people into mental states of surrender, gratitude and asking for help."  Rituals are seen as healing as well which I love the thought of that because of having lupus and feeling out of control with it sometimes. They are also powerful because they "rely heavily on establishing bonds" whether with a community or with a higher being someone may believe is out there helping them.  The author says there are four things that help create these meaningful rituals:

•   have a clear intention...maybe even a question you have
•  actually state your intention out loud--literally giving your purpose a voice involves your whole  self when said out loud
• make it tangible for example, lighting a candle, burning a piece of paper with something you want to let go of 
• give thanks and surrender 

I love this last one because it seems to make the ritual soothing and an attitude that things are out of my hands and what's best for me will happen.  Also, I'm learning that surrender is much better than clenching and grabbing.

So I'm going to keep lighting my candle and have an honest intention and hopefully it will help me relax and surrender some of my worries to "someone" else.

Do you have any rituals that you practice regularly?  I'd love to hear them or how they feel in your life.