zentangles

I have this cool little flip book to store zentangle patterns. I picked it up at University Bookstore in Mill Creek.

If you've ever tried zentangling, you'll know how helpful it is to have patterns handy. I take mine off of the ring and spread them out on my table as I draw.

This week I'm drawing on stones.

It's a very peaceful process 

- that's the "zen" in zentangle - 

before I know it an hour or two have passed 

 I'm always amazed and humbled when something beautiful comes of it

 Making my mark.

from the porch

I took these pictures 2 days ago from my porch

... beginning with the Moon ...

this was about 6:45 a.m.

later in the day I tidied up my porch

... all of these things "spark joy" ...

(have you read that book by Marie Kondo?)

 these are the many sticks collected on morning walks

and driftwood from Camano Island

(they are now settled into an old coffee can gifted by a friend)

 my token pumpkin 

(which is really a squash I'll be cooking this later week)

my prized, dried sunflower head

- and finally -

The Sunrise 

it had us all stopped

and

Standing Still

thank you for your lovely comments and kind words

I really do try to get back to everyone

- sometimes it just takes a little while -

a still life

sitting still

working girls

A lot has been going on since my last blog post a month ago

I've taken a day job in a small boutique in my home town

... so I'm a "shop girl" most days ...

At times I feel like an "Original" and  "I Am The Queen" of juggling my responsibilities 

*

At other times I feel like I am "In Full Bloom" and full of all loveliness

But mostly, it's a struggle.

It says: 

"Today's Struggles Create Strength For Tomorrow "

*

I often have all of these feeling all jumbled up together in one day, or one hour, or one minute

... just like this jumble here ...

In my spare time (ha!) I created these 3 metal shrines with "shop girls" this month.

Working in metal helps me when I'm processing things - perhaps it's the bending of the metal to my will - the hammering and piercing and shaping of something outside of myself.

Here's a quote that really spoke to me about this recent change:

"When we make a change, 

it's so easy to interpret our unsettledness as unhappiness,  

and our unhappiness as a result of having made the wrong decision. 

Our mental and emotional states fluctuate madly when we make big changes in our lives, 

and sometimes we could tightrope across Manhattan,  

and other days we are too weary to clean our teeth. 

This is normal. 

This is natural. 

This is change." 

-Jeanette Winterson