Heart Buddies

I am reading Noah St. John and being shaken up with challenge! He wants me to find "Loving Mirrors and Safe Havens". Who does he think he is??

Well, among other things a guy who can tell his story, inspire people and make a living. And all of that is on my bucket list too.

So, being a visual kind of gal I thought that I would make paper dolls to stand resolutely on the shelf above my desk and silently repeat the kind words that my friends say to me: encouragements, smiles, cowabungas and other such.

You are welcome to join in: copy and print the Heart Buddies above onto cardstock. Color them, and cut them out* NOTE to cut straight across the bottom of the feet - it will make the legs sturdier. Follow the directions on the paper to make the stand and fill in the speech bubble with quotes from your friends.

AND IF you leave me a comment telling me the general direction of encouragement you want to hear I will send you one.

I personally, while I am in the midst of writing three books at once - and having a ton of fun until I realize that I am going public here - would love to hear if you think I might just go ahead, have fun, and write two art-how-to books and one personal memoir.

Joyous, Abundant Thanksgiving

I am sitting at the dining room table writing a book which is turning out to be so much more fun than I thought it would be.

I mean I love writing, and I have had all of these books inside of me for, um, decades. I have wanted to be a writer since high school. So, I am here and writing. I had a lovely, colorful, playful idea for a book to celebrate the opening of my new website. I thought that the idea was so great that the writing would be fast and furious, but now that I am past the concept stage and into the writing process I remember how I love being changed myself as the idea morphs into words.

There are always surprises and, um, can I call it 'deepenings'? The magic of connecting symbolism, to passion, to a carefully chosen word. I love this.

So I am sitting in our dining room while my daughter takes on the WHOLE Thanksgiving dinner! (Wonderous Girl.) I am sitting next to my son who is attending to his cyber world while I attend to mine. We three regularly stop what we are doing to feed our bunny a morsel of kale or a bit of carrot and marvel at his adorability. The new pop album is blaring, yesterday's new snow is stunning. And I am writing.

Now how lucky am I? Very. Very.

I wish you all the life of your dreams.