Different ideas fusing into something I didn’t expect. 

As you might have figured out by now, I am deeply in love with drawing the flower of life mandala. It’s been a thing for about a year. It continues to morph and shift and inform me in ways that I could not have anticipated. 

The photo above is a perfect example. These are four “house” plaques. The idea came to me when I hung a larger version in my studio, right by the door. I could feel the lovely positive, grounding energy it offered, and I thought it would be nice to create more of them. 

These ones pictured are 2.5″ wide by 8″ tall and just about 3/4″ thick. They are created on fir planks. 

Of course each one is created by hand, and in fact, each one will be custom created, to allow you to pick the colour you want from these four choices. (You know I don’t mass-produce things!)

My desire is to create a symbol of calm and connectedness in our homes, so that we have a “touch-stone” to rely on everyday. 

If you are interested in having one for yourself, or as a gift, please reach out and let me know. 

The cost is $30. plus shipping. 

These are the current journals available. 

The journals continue to be quite a popular item, which delights me that people love them, and they want to write!!!

Each journal has 96 white writing/drawing pages, plus decorative divider pages between the three sections. They lay flat, no matter where you open them, which is a very nice feature indeed. 

The mandala on the cover is a one-of-a-kind original that has been protected, so it will last well. 

They are hand-stitched with cotton thread … which is a lot more fun than you might think!

If you are interested, please drop me a line. 

Price: $45.00 each plus shipping. 

There are still 2024 Calendars available … with 79 pretty fun and fabulous days to celebrate!

Another something to bring some joy and a wee bit of laughter into your world.

$20. plus shipping.

May new ideas come together and fuse in a way you never expected!

May delight follow you like the sun!

~sarah

You never know how things are going to unfold, until they do.

Here we are in times of great uncertainty. But when I put this calendar together over a year ago, I didn’t know how true the statement I made for November would be. We are all finding ways to cope with the barrage of what is going on globally and locally, at least I hope we are. I took a wee break from the news cycle to recalibrate my being, and that was a very, very good thing to do. It’s not that I wish to bury my head in the sand, it’s that I wish to keep my grounding as the world around shifts in some extraordinarily troubling ways. 

Sometimes I ask myself, what would a wise mentor tell me to do right now? One of my long-gone, guardian ancestors or loved ones. I lean toward finding strength, courage and stamina from those who have gone before me. Their wisdom, and sometimes even their foibles will give me a good idea of how to weather a tough time. What I know for sure is, we can’t do any of this alone. 

So, here is one method of getting that wisdom from long-gone love-ones … write them a letter asking for their advice. See what comes up … because for sure, something will.

Whatever the days and weeks, months and years ahead bring to us, we all need to find the things that spark joy and connection within us. This is my wish for everyone. 

The image above is designed to use as your desktop wallpaper. Just click to download!

I have fallen in love with The Flower of Life mandala!

And what a perfect thing to fall in love with at this time … the inter-connectedness of all forms of living things!

Yes, it is now appearing on many things … journal covers, boxes, pencil/pen holders … and a new, soon-to-be-announced item that I am working on.

Each of these pieces is the same pattern, but look at how they change! This has become a whole new sort of mandala meditation for me and an endless place of joy and focus.

As my creative world continues to shift and change, and I allow all possibilities to exist, there is a renewed commitment to sharing the good things in life with those who are open to them. 

Wishing you a wonder-filled November!

~sarah

Does the shift between summer and fall seem dramatic or sudden to you?
It often does for me. 

One moment it’s all hot and steamy, the next the rain falls and the temps change and the sounds and smells are
completely different.

I guess we really do FALL into this season!

For those who like to switch up their desktop images, here is the calendar image for October.
It is for you to enjoy. 

The image above is designed to use as your desktop wallpaper. Just click to download!

The 2024 Mandala Calendar is HERE!!

I wasn’t sure I was going to do a calendar this year, and then suddenly I got an idea that made it happen.

And here it is. “the gift of being present”. Inside you will be greeted with images of pieces of furniture and boxes that you likely have not seen. It suddenly occurred to me that most people have not seen the wide variety of furniture that I have painted over the years, so why not share some of my favourite pieces!
(It was very hard to choose; there are many more pieces that I really love.)

While looking through my collection of images, even I was quite surprised to see how many pieces I have actually painted!

Of course the calendar is FULL of great days to celebrate! January kicks off the year with a stunning 11 days of quirky things to acknowledge. I do love that the year starts with World Introvert Day, then immediately goes to Festival of Sleep. Yes, this is a good start to a year, for sure.

Each month offers a few words to inspire you.

Practical. Quirky. Beautiful.

You can purchase this lovely calendar HERE

From earlier this year, a fabulous cloudscape. I am so very grateful to live in a place where we have a vista and can enjoy the wonders of the clouds in the sky!

Last night I folded the interior pages for 10 new journals. Although this seems like a rather mundane task, I enjoy it.
Getting my hands into things is the best feeling for me.

Next comes the layout, cutting, scoring, folding and gluing the covers … and finally, completing the covers. It is a long process with many steps, but I do what I always do, and just take one easy step at a time!

Here’s to enjoying all the steps to the completion of your creative endeavours.

There is so much about the Fall season that I adore.
It’s when a big part of me comes to life.

I’ve always thought this is because I was a late fall baby … but now I realize there is a lot more to it!

In keeping with the rhythm of nature, the fall is when things have come to full growth and are harvested.
It’s the time when we prepare our lives for the winter ahead. 

Now, since I am neither a gardener nor a farmer, I don’t have anything to harvest, in the purest sense of the word – however, as a creative person, I think I really do. 

For the last few months I have had many, many … too many elusive thoughts, ideas and dreams rolling around in my head. I am hoping that they are ready to be harvested and be something to nurture me through winter. 

The image above is designed to use as your desktop wallpaper. Just click to download!

These are the journals that came home from the show.
Most sold, which is such a delightful feeling!

While working on all of the journals, there were a few things I discovered. One was taking old/used tracing paper and making it into backgrounds using the metallic paints that I usually use to paint furniture. 

This has me started on a whole new world of creating background papers for things … and interior pages for the journal sections.

Oh yes, this is a whole new world of FUN about to unfold. Stay tuned. 

With a fresh batch of really wonderful papers, courtesy of my friend Simone, I am going to spend some time playing with new ideas and see where it takes me!

What new ideas are bubbling in your world? I hope there are lots and that they excite you.

It surprises me that each month’s theme for the calendar has proven so completely accurate through the year!

This last little while, I have spent quite a bit of time “not knowing”. 

And yes, it is an uncomfortable place at times, but also can be quite interesting. Surrender to what is, seems to be the only way for me to move through times like this. Also, spending a good deal of time just being quiet and letting things percolate. 

It has felt a lot like being on the edge of a new discovery … just this close …
but not being able to put your finger on it. 

The other imagery that came up recently was, a box of words spilled on the ground, hundreds and hundreds of words. As I stare at them, I know they can be arranged to make a million different messages …
but I remain stuck on how to do that. 

MY ANSWER … go back to working with my hands. Do things like fold paper for journals and figure out how random pieces of cover stock can be turned into beautiful journal covers.

And work on mandalas.
This always seems to be the one that grounds me and makes me feel “put together” again. 

It’s good to know what makes you feel whole … and to spend time not knowing!

The image above is designed to use as your desktop wallpaper. Just click to download!

I am getting ready for a show/sale at the end of the month, and I find myself preparing in a completely different way this time.

Instead of focussing on volume of things and thinking that I have to “mass produce” things, I am taking my time and working in a very calm and lovely way.

I have set down ideas of what is reasonable for me to accomplish and am enjoying the process of creating in this very intentional way. Perhaps this will encourage me to do more shows, I don’t know. 

And … while working on some new small mandala plaques, which I chose to do with coloured pencil, I discovered a whole case of pencils I forgot I had.

YIKES and HOORAY.

The small joys, as it turns out, are really quite big.

And now it’s time for me to return to the hands-on, studio side of my world and commune with some soon-to-be journals!

May your drinks be cold, your pencils sharp and your mind open to what is!