Shine like the whole universe is yours (plus: painting progress!)

“Shine like the whole universe is yours” Rumi 

Hello, magnificent world.

Thank you for showing me as always that there’s beauty everywhere and that fresh air and sunshine are healing for the soul.

Thank you for inviting us in to give a child one of his first tastes of the forest. We stood in silence in the woods and took in the trees and the muffled sounds and the rays of light and when we left, Isaac made happy chirping sounds all the way home.

Thank you for the reminder that self-care is necessary (though how we define self-care might differ).

Today my definition is sun and air and trees (and paint, of course).

What’s yours?

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

I’ve still been working on my newest painting that I shared the beginning stages of last time. Here’s where we left off:

I continued experimenting, setting the scene with a mountain range against a night sky:

A view of my art table… the painting in progress, paints, inks, and a rough sketch to follow. The mountains are taking shape and the sky has changed color once again:

Sometimes when I’m working on a painting I’ll add a few words on scraps of paper to test them out before stamping them on. I might stay with these words and I might not, but the process of sitting with them and feeling their meaning first is a powerful practice.

Here’s the current version with the phrase follow the stars:

I’ll be adding in a pair of animal adventurers, as well as lots more detail and color all over. There’s nothing quite like creating a new little world inside each painting and seeing each piece come to life. Taking these in-progress photos also reminds me just how many layers make up a final painting – I often lose track!

I can’t wait to see where this painting ends up. Stay tuned.

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

And somehow, our kiddo will be 9 months old this weekend.

Whenever I see sweet moments like this I try to capture them (they were smiling at each other in the mirror).

This year is moving so fast that looking back at pictures and sharing stories helps me to slow down and shine a little brighter. More self care for the win!

How are you taking care of yourself today?

Have a beautiful week, friends!

With love,