New year, new studio space!

“May you be filled with loving kindness. May you be well. May you be peaceful and at ease. May you be happy” – Tibetan blessing 

I hope you’ve had a beautiful beginning to 2016.

I hope you feel at ease as the holidays leave us and we enter the new year.

I hope you feel curious about what lies ahead.

And most of all, I hope you don’t have a giant, long-lasting head cold like I do. Ahhh! Here’s to health.

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

As is usual in my family, the holidays were busy for us. Celebrations, LOTS of traditions, trying to catch up on all the to-dos. Then Eric was sick for a week and just before I could begin cheering that I’d been spared, I caught his cold and have been sick since before the new year.

My 2016 guiding word is allow, and honestly it’s been such a great reminder already through this sickness. My tendency is to push through and keep moving, but I’ve spent the past week trying to listen in, heal, and regroup.

Between naps and listening to the Harry Potter books (seriously, audio books when you’re sick are the best), I’ve had a lot of time to think about the year ahead. Mostly, I’m excited to paint again. I had been planning to use this week to paint so I’d have new work to share with you, but instead in came that word – allow.

Allow for the sickness to move through and out. For grace and lots of tissues. For sleep to do its healing work.

And so I have.

I know so many others have been sick as well. Sending lots of healing love and good vibes out to you all!

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

One big project we did get done over the holiday was to rethink how we’re using our apartment. As our space needs grow (and as my supplies take over everything), we needed a more efficiently organized office / studio. Family came over and essentially helped us perform a mini-move inside our apartment (thank you!).

Here’s the new office / studio:

Suddenly my mats / shipping supplies (in the white cabinet) are right next to my project table! Bliss. They used to be on separate ends of the apartment.

Some of my favorite things: my first ever painting Dream Big, a picture of me and Eric from many years back, one of my Explore note cards with a sweet message from my dad. I also have a beautifully etched wood art block from a friend, a small heart token to keep me centered, and then of course, lots of paints, inks, pens, stamps, and more. I haven’t filled up the wall space yet, as I’ve been waiting to see what feels right.

I LOVE the leftover color on the table from past paintings. That blue!

Here I am in the process of one project I can do while sick on the couch: sending out lots and lots of cards!

The printer / computer were also completely separate from most of my supplies for SO LONG. Now it’s super easy to print, package, and ship all from the same room. What a major gift.

Last but not least, we made an honorary office bed for my supervisors, our two cats. Here’s Iris taking a sunny nap on the windowsill and looking completely blissed out.

I love how peaceful and trusting she is here – it makes my heart sing that the past few years have transformed her from the scared, skinny little cat she was when we adopted her to this feisty, happy little cat. Love really does change everything.

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Here’s to 2016, friends!

Here’s to the joy and the sadness and the grace we bring to both.

With love,