One Year Ago

I've been thinking a lot about how much life has changed in this past year.  One year ago my baby sister was just home from a long hospital ordeal.  It was not her first and it was not to be her last.  There was nothing the doctors could do to make her well again.

One year ago we were weary and overwhelmed by the mixture of sadness and tender mercy we experienced each day.

As I sit with my coffee on this glorious, breezy morning, one year ago seems a lifetime away.  What I've been thinking about, though, isn't the sadness or the overwhelm.  What is on my mind the most is the amazing way God has of bringing us through hard times and healing our hearts in His own way and His own time.

Many of you know Jill's journey on earth ended in December but she lives on in heaven, in my heart and in the things she loved.  She lives in the songs of the birds and the simple beauty of daisies.  Jill lives in the sound of the ocean and the laughter of children.  In some ways I feel closer to her now than I did when she was here in this world.

I miss my little sister so, so much but I am beginning to heal from the trauma of what happened.  My heart doesn't race quite so much when the phone rings at odd times and I don't feel quite so guilty when I enjoy doing something I know my sister wasn't able to do anymore.  Slowly I feel stillness and even joy creeping into my bones.  It honors her for me to move forward as I am ready and enjoy life.

Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.

Psalm 30:5b

I am joyful that for 45 years I had a baby sister that encouraged me, challenged me, and made me laugh like no one else ever will.  Our relationship was rich and I am so grateful to know what it's like to love and be loved by someone who reads my thoughts and finishes my sentences.  I am grateful, too, to know at an even deeper level that God truly is looking out for each and every one of us...that even though there is pain and sorrow in this world sorrow doesn't win.  Love wins.  Without fail, love always wins.

To love and to be loved is like feeling the sun from both sides.

David Viscott

In recent weeks I've had time to plant a small garden, to tend to my neglected flower beds and watch things grow and flourish.  It brings me such hope to see seeds sprout and buds open up.  They remind me that life is unstoppable.  This new season beckons me to rest and embrace the beauty that is here, now.

Some seasons shake us to our core and others send us soaring in the heights, but every last one is a part of our beautiful, albeit poignant existence.  Every last one has value and purpose if we dare to allow the eyes of our hearts to be opened.

This morning I received a gift.  It was simple and beautiful and I almost missed it.  As I watered my garden a hummingbird lit upon the fence and began to drink droplets of water from a jasmine leaf not 2 feet away from my hand.  

I stood very still as that tiny creature began to flit in and out of the spray of water, soaking his tiny feathers (iridescent green on his head, neon pink at his throat).  I bet Jill's spirit flits around like that now.

Needless to say, I didn't have my camera with me at the time, so you'll just have to imagine that beautiful little bird hovering there in mid-air as if weightless.  He even landed on the fence again and looked me over while he shook some of the water out of his feathers.  What a beautiful sight.  As I said, it was a gift.

I once read that grace begins with a crisis, that we fully experience grace when we are acutely aware of our need.  I pray you're not in a pit of your own, but if you are, choose to believe that there are glorious mornings in your future.  Seeds will sprout.  Buds will open.  They always do.

Hideous Fingernails and Little Time for Painting

Yes, I am alive and, gratefully, there have been no desperate circumstances keeping me from blogging for the past few weeks.  It's just been busy, busy around here with end-of-school activities and a working on a wonderful jewelry project for Mercy Ships International.

Mercy Ships is an amazing organization and I absolutely love working with them.  You may recall I shared a little about my first project with them in this post last fall.  Remember these?

The exciting news is that Taproot Studio Jewelry will soon be available for purchase on the Mercy Ships website!  I want to leave the big reveal to them, so I'll just give you a little peek at a few of the details.

I'm really excited about this project and will definitely let you know when the pieces are available.

Being in full-blown metalsmithing mode results in two things:
a.) hideous fingernails and
b.) little time for painting

The fingernail situation is a little hopeless for the time being but I intend to do something about the painting issue in the next few days.  I'd at least like to do some quick watercolors of the lilies we have blooming here...might be a nice project for Memorial Day.

For my friends in far away places... Memorial Day is the last Monday in May set aside each year in the States to remember men and women who died while serving our country.

For me Memorial Day signals the official beginning of picnics and lazy days at nearby lakes and occasionally the ocean...only a few weeks until I'm slathering myself with sunscreen and digging my toes in the sand!

I've missed linking up with my friends at Paint Party Friday, Creative Every Day, and Sunday Sketches lately, so I'm going to carve out some time in these next few days to visit as many of them as I can.  I can't wait to see what everyone's been up to!

If' you've never visited these sites I hope you'll take a few minutes sometime to check them out.  It's really fun to follow the links and be inspired by the beautiful, diverse works of the artists who participate each week.  It's even more fun to participate and all three of these link-ups are open to everyone.  Yes, that means YOU!

Have a great weekend, everyone.  I'm off to dig out those watercolors!

Creative Tuesdays - Monogram

I so enjoyed meeting and being inspired by the participants in Creative Tuesdays a few weeks ago that I'm having another go at it this week.  The good news is that I got my act together and really tried to follow the guidelines this time :-)  This week's theme is Monogram.

I haven't created a monogram in a very long time.  Come to think of it, I'm not sure I ever created one before so a big "thank you" goes to Michael of Creative Tuesdays for the inspiration!

I really had a great time with the black and white versions of these but I'm sure you won't be surprised to learn that after I got the design worked out I had a bit of fun with some color versions.  (You'll see what I mean.)

This first piece is for my son, Sam.  I included a sword in his monogram because he really loves them.  He and the huz spend many weekend hours creating and dueling with wooden swords.  (My knights in shining armor!)

Sam loves red so I added a little just for fun.

Then I really jazzed it up by trimming the monogram out of a scanned watercolor background.  He'll love this one!

Just to prove I'm not joking about their hobby, check out this photo of Sam's favorite homemade sword.  He and his dad spent an entire weekend on this one a few years ago.

I was on a roll, so I created a monogram for my daughter, too.  Emily is an artsy girl so I came up with these swirly, art nouveau-y E's and S's.  They are actually both created from the same basic swirl shape.  I like the sense of movement created by the repeated "S" in the background.

Of course I had to splash this one with a little color, too!

Here's that scanned watercolor background again.  This one's my fave!  I think it gives the impression of looking through a stained glass window into a beautiful garden full of blooms.

I hope you'll check out the other entries for Creative Tuesdays.   Some amazing artists participate in this bi-weekly co-op and their work this week is sure to inspire! 

Linking up with:

Creative Tuesdays

The Company I Keep

Brace yourself...this post is a bit out of the ordinary for me, but then sometimes we all need to step out and do something a little different! 

Sometimes you just have to kiss old expectations goodbye

and open your eyes to new possibilities.

Sometimes you just have to put on your best tiaras

and have a little fun!

Show the world your true colors!

This is Bea, a silly creature that emerged a few days ago at my friend Penny's house.  Penny and I both needed a play day so we decided to follow Allison Stilwell's tutorial for Recycled Heads found in the January/February 2012 issue of Cloth Paper Scissors.  

Our goal was simply to have fun but the first few steps of the process didn't go as expected and we got a little frustrated.  We just couldn't see how it was all going to work out.  Fortunately, as we kept working we began to enjoy the spontaneity of it all and ended up having a great day full of laughter and creativity.

I can't look at Bea without smiling.  I love that crazed look in her eyes and the fact that she's made of recycled bits.  Under her paper towel skin (the towels were once used to clean up paint on my palette) her "bones" include an empty medicine bottle, some packing paper, lids from various types of containers, and a toilet paper roll.  

Bea is going to hang out in my studio for a while to remind me that no matter how unlikely it seems, the bits and pieces of my life will all become part of my lumpy-bumpy, one-of-a-kind, lovely-in-its-own-crazy-way story.  

Oh, and she's a great listener, too :-)

I'll have to be careful, though.  If it's true what they say, I may just become like the company I keep!

Thanks for stopping by.  I hope this last photo didn't scare you away forever!

Linking up today with:

Creative Every Day

Expressing the Inexpressible

Not long ago I witnessed the power of music in a moment that was so profound, so bittersweet, that it simply took my breath away.

It happened while I was spending time with my father-in-law, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease a few years ago.  I can't imagine what it must be like for him...waking up every day in a world that no longer makes sense, but he and my mother-in-law handle it all with grace and dignity.

This picture of the two of us was taken just after his diagnosis.  Amazingly, Dad is as good-natured today as he always was.  Even in this advanced stage of his disease he can charm your socks off with his smile and make you feel very loved.

The moment I wanted to tell you about occurred on Saturday afternoon when Dad woke from a nap a bit out of sorts.  My sister-in-law and I were in charge of his care that afternoon and she suggested we sit on the patio and listen to music.  Dad sang barbershop music* for years and enjoys listening to it even now.

The music began to play and I watched in awe as it transported him to a familiar, comforting place that seemed full of deep joy and love...a place removed from the confusion and loneliness he must so often feel.  And that's when he said it: the phrase that has repeated over and over in my mind since that day.  Dad turned to me and said,
  

"That makes everything okay."

I will never forget the look of serenity on his face, the composure in his voice.  It was a moment to treasure.

I'm not a great portrait artist, but I took a few photos and sketched out some gestures later, trying to capture the feeling of being lost in the music.

Amazingly Dad is often able to sing along, to participate.  I've said here before that art is my friend.  I believe music is his.

Dad's ears still know how to listen for pitch and dynamics.  His hands still know how to direct the voices of a chorus.

As I watched him get lost in the familiar harmonies, I had the feeling he wasn't lonely or confused in that place.  Getting lost in his music helps him find his peace.

I am so glad to have witnessed such a sweet moment and I believe there's a lesson here for the rest of us:

Take time to honor and develop your passions, for they may just carry you through challenging times ahead.  
The things we commit not just to our minds but to our hearts will never be lost.

Have a great Sunday, friends.  I hope you find a little time to pursue something you truly love.

Linking up today with:

Sunday Sketches

*Barbershop harmony is fascinating style of a cappella singing developed in late nineteenth century America.  Read more about it in this great article by Deke Sharon.