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A bounty of possibilities in the studio!

by | Oct 1, 2022 | Ideas

Just as Fall brings a bounty of food during the harvest, I have a bounty of boxes to refine!

Some gifted, some discovered out in the wilds of the city …

There seems to be a clear focus adjustment for me, away from furniture and more toward small useful items like boxes. (Sometimes larger boxes too!) Although the furniture is lovely to do, it is much harder to sell. So, for the moment I have decided to work on small pieces, and if a commission to do a piece of furniture comes along, I will most likely jump at it. 

A friend gifted me 6 small boxes, all with very different personalities. A Yardley soap box … brought back memories of childhood. Yardley was a big name back then. Each one of these little treasures will be so fun to work on. Right now you are seeing them in the base-coat, prepatory stage … where endless possibilities exsist!

The range of boxes is quite fun, from a cigar box/chest that is highly refined, to a couple of pieces that are home made with whatever was around … I secretly covet those! They hold a patina that is amazing. 

Two of the pieces shown are Artist Paint Boxes … one commercially made, one homemade. I love them both for their unique qualities. 

I keep coming across these wonderful little pieces online … and they make me smile. Simple. Delightful. Encouraging.

One my calendar for October, it’s all about Hope. And I don’t think that can ever be a bad thing. 
You can download this image and use it as your desktop wallpaper … a reminder every day to give hope a chance!

~s

Speaking of calendars … yes, there is a 2023 one with even more crazy, wonderful, inspiring days to celebrate life. It goes to print this week!! I am very excited and extremely grateful to my friend Simone for enthusiastically encouraging me to create one for this year. It was fun. It also reflects a deeper theme for the year … BE WHO YOU ARE. The images are on a rich dark background and it feels like a good grounding tool for the year ahead.

This is the cover … I will reveal more next time!

Sarah J Clark

photo by Wendy Morisseau

I think everyone has been feeling it, the momentous shift that is happening. It is in us, in the world around us, in the planet, in the stars. It’s a big change and can feel daunting, to say the least. I am feeling mine in my body … one section at a time. So, I have slowed down to ask what I am to pay attention to. I ask if what I am feeling is a serious physical threat, or something working its way through me. So far, it has been that latter. We are in such a time of shift and change, but I truly feel a hope and coming openness with what is showing up. I think we are dropping a lot of unnecessary crap from our lives, at least I hope so! Be brave in the time. Be gentle to yourself and others because everyone is going through something!

May this be a time of hope for you, as you navigate the ever-changing landscapes, both near and far. 

Be well.
~sarah

I celebrate connection …

by | Sep 2, 2022 | Ideas

I celebrate connection is the calendar page for September … and here, for your desktop is one you can use.

When I put this calendar together, I had no idea that the theme of each month I selected, would be so amazingly accurate!

The connections to what’s next in my world keep opening up, just as my mind and spirit have been opening. I know quite well that these are not separate events, but rather in unison, like a angelic choir.

Even now I find myself surprised to see how things are laid out for me … one thing dovetailing with another and another … the puzzle revealing itself in some fabulous and heart-opening ways. Much of what I am experiencing is the very beginning, the sprouts of new ideas and avenues. I will be cautious not to rush ahead, but rather follow the pace evenly and wisely. I feel in sync with things right now, in a way I haven’t for too long.

This week I have been taking a mini holiday-at-home, sort of. Not focussed on what’s next, but rather just being with what is. I was just coming off a month of diligent preparations for a show/sale I did with a dear friend, in the majestic setting of her garden. Having not done a show in a very long time, it took a good deal of focus on the details to get things to run smoothly, which they did!

The show, and people who came by lifted my spirits in a new way, elevated me to a new place in myself. Plus I was delighted to send some treasures home with people. The work I do is no good if it just stays with me, it is meant to find its way to its intended recipient, whoever that is. It feels like completion when that happens.

So, here I am, starting September with a whole new set of connections to myself and the outer world, and it feels fantastic!

I hope this month offers you some new and beautiful connections too!

Holiday observances in September, according to my calendar: 5th International Turkey Vulture Day (although I am not sure why) • 8th World Literacy Day! • 21st World Day of Gratitude • 22nd World Rhino Day • 23rd International Day of Sign Language, and on the 24th International Rabbit Day! And one I missed putting on my calendar last year … 30th National Truth and Reconciliation Day

Another month with lots to celebrate and connect to!

The story of me piece I wrote for this one, pretty much says it all:

As a presentation box, I was not made out of very good wood, or even the right kind of nails! It’s shocking really … the roughness of my finish. The most refined thing about me was my closure and hinges! (And the wine that I was holding of course!) But Sarah’s friend Dorcas knew that she could make me into something special, in perfect harmony with who I really am. I am not refined, I am rough, and that’s okay. My new persona is: an ancient treaure box ready to be of sturdy and reliable service for decades to come. It feels nice to be me, and not pretend to be something I could never be, no matter what logo they put on me!

This is my current favourite mandala … created as a one-of-a-kind card, I had to keep it for myself. It speaks to some of what is happening in me … a sort of delightful wildness. For now, it is my symbol of my being.

Sarah J Clark

photo by Wendy Morisseau

My mind is open in a new way, and that’s exciting!

I have even started to outline compendium 11 … just a wee bit. I have been inspired by all the stories that have been revealed in and around me, and how they are all interconnected. Now I want to take that idea and see where it leads me!

I hope you will enjoy all the connections you will make, as you stroll the hills and valleys of your world … if you keep a sharp eye, keen ear and open heart … you will undoubtedly be delightfully surprised!

All the best,

~sarah

I trust my own wise self … and other voices

by | Aug 1, 2022 | Ideas

I trust my own wise self is the calendar page for August … and here, for your desktop is one you can use.

And when I say I trust my own wise self and other voices, here’s what I mean:

Currently I am in a time when so much good stuff is coming right to me. Wisdom, from within and serendipidous things from all around me. The messages I am getting are so clear and clean and supportive. They are affirming everything that I have come to understand about this time in life and a great deal of the moving parts.

For the first time in quite awhile, I am feeling much calmer and clearer on how to move forward. I recently uncovered a major reason for the lack of calm, and it is now been expunged from my life. Hey, there’s a word I have never used before, expunged. Great word!

A new world is opening up for me, but it has not come without a lot of restlessness, worry and a good dose of fear. Of course, my natural defense against those gremlins it to hold faith, trust and gratitude firmly in front of me. I think now I really need to add a double dose of patience to the mix, in order to get the balance of needed elements.

Some of the great celebratory days on the calendar this month: International Beer Day (5th) , International Cat Day (8th), World Lion Day and World Calligraphy Day (10th), World Elephant Day (12th), International Left Handed Day (13th), World Honey Bee Day (20th), and International Bacon Day (27th). I trust everyone will find something fun to celebrate!

I hope this month brings you a new level of trust in yourself!

This is how they turned out … 

They both feel as though they have a whole new life ahead of them as treasure boxes … a sweet feeling indeed!

Yes, compendium has made it to proof stage!

After too long a break in the action, compendium 10 is now just about completed. One more proof and it will go to print. 

As I was beginning this one, I sat with the previous nine issues and looked at them closely. What worked, what didn’t work as well, what were the things that wanted to come forward. Compendium 10 is also where I give more space to my partner Mary Ann Moore, since without her, I would never get an issue out the door. She supports my idea, proofs the pages and makes sure I am fed and watered. 

I look forward to see where this project is going to lead me, because for sure, it isn’t done with me yet!

Sarah J Clark

photo by Wendy Morisseau

“So, my recipe for thriving is very simple: find ways to open your imagination and use it …” Jaime Meyer

This came from a much longer article on social media and the pitfalls within it. A very timely thing for me to read, as I navigate my way around it and find new ways to be without it.

May you thrive in all that you do … and celebrate at least one of the less traditional days of the month, as mentioned above.

All the best,

~sarah

My calendar says to celebrate this month! I’m listening.

by | Jul 7, 2022 | Ideas

This is the desktop wallpaper version of my calendar page for July. I hope you will enjoy it on your screen. 

For me, finding things to celebrate isn’t that big a deal … I truly do celebrate it all. Every single day. The July page of my printed calendar is a good reminder to me to up my game a bit I think. 

July started with a very big and important birthday in our household. We decided it was time to dive in and have a big celebration! Of course, this was a major leap after the last two and a half years … a big gathering, but it was so worth it. 

Friends came and filled our home with love, which remains with us now. We noted this morning that this really feels like our home in a even bigger way, since everyone was here. 

What an incredilbe blessing to celebrate every day.

For those of you who would like a little reminder to celebrate this month, you can upload this image and use it as your desktop wallpaper if you like. My gift of celebration to YOU!

 

Something NEW for the Bento Box Letters …

The other day, when I was preparing some Bento Box letters to write and send … it occured to me that other people might appreciate a little embellishment on them, instead of being plain.

I like this idea … sort of a starter phase for people who might not quite feel up to starting from scratch, but would like to have a bit of room to explore.

Here are the two that I started, which will actually be used by me, but I think I will do some packs to sell as well.

Stay Tuneed at: compendiumshop.ca

Two lovely finds … on their way to being reimagined. 

I was out looking for something completely different, when I came across these … two really nice, but banged up boxes. 

The inside of the silverware one needed a complete gut-job …. including the bottom. I tore it apart and created a new bottom piece, much more solid!

The other is a former humidor, for cigars. That front open circle used to house the device that keeps the humidity balanced. It has disappeared. I have covered it in a lovely piece of epony that was in the studio. 

Otherwise, the inside of the humidor is perfect and of course comes with that rich, deep aroma that you either love or hate. I quite enjoy it. Reminds me of my father, who didn’t smoke cigars, but did smoke a pipe sometimes.

This morning, I base coated these new beauties, and now they wait to dry and the next layers to come their way. 

Coming up next month …

My first show in I don’t know how many years. It’s in the garden of my friend Dorcas Larson.

Sarah J Clark

photo by Wendy Morisseau

For those of you who have followed compendium, my periodical …

I am glad that I knew when I started compendium in 2018, that it would be a periodical … because any sort of real schedule has been so hard for me to maintian.

Having said that, compendium 10 is officially in the works and I am enjoying the process. This issue will also have my partner in life, and all things creative, Mary Ann on four pages instead of one. It felt like the right time to give her a bit more exposure and periodical real estate, so to speak.

There are still many pages to fill, and I am working from a list of ideas …. all tied together with the theme of a slow pace and the place we live.

Stay tuned.

Wishing you a delicious month of celebrating all the wonders that are around you!

~sarah

Finally accepting what really works for me

by | Jun 18, 2022 | Ideas

I have a conundrum around social media … 

Although I clearly see how it works for millions of people who run businesses, I have FINALLY come to the conclusion that it does not work for me.

Making random connections to people all over the place, who may or may not share my deeper interests, doesn’t really interest me. Clearly, I am not a person who lives by the numbers. (Or too many other standard rules either!)

I thought I could find a way that didn’t feel weird, a way to put things into the world, and still maintain a connection to the process, but I can’t seem to find that aspect of social media. I cannot tell you how many times I have hooked myself up to Instagram, only to find out that the sense of disconnect was daunting. Okay, that didn’t work. Big time.

So, I sat down with myself, and my board of directors (the other thoughts in my head), and this is what I know to be true: I am drawn to doing this in small ways, with great intention and connection. It’s why I enjoy sitting and folding the Bento Box Letters when I get an order. I am making it for that person. I want to feel that all the moments I spend have a significance well beyond the action itself. I want someone who receives a letter or package from me to feel how much joy it brings me to put it together.

Social media can’t do that, at least not for me. I actually find email more endearing than social media, because it takes a greater amount of time and thought to write a personal email. For me, social media lacks a necessary depth, in many cases.

I know exactly when something is “canned”, or created and then scheduled to go out … the personal presence is missing. I feel it. And that is not to say that anything is wrong with it, it’s just not the way I feel best doing things.

Yes, I realize why I am so attracted to stories of people who have slowed down and are now creating with a different sort of focus and care. They aren’t concerned with the numbers or in mass producing things, or having their works everywhere. I get it. There is a deep satisfaction in being present to all the aspects of creating, from the simple act of base coating something, to the final wrapping and sending something off in the mail.

Just like when I write this blog, or produce compendium (more on that in a minute) … I am actually writing to people I know who read it, and that makes all the difference in the world.

So, as I surrender my internal struggle with the idea of fitting into the world of social media, I have freed myself to create and share an even more present me. One easy step at a time.

Flow, flow, flow …

Even though I am happy to use these funky/refined pen/pencil caddies in my studio, since they have proven quite handy actually,  I know that they are intended to be in the world.

So, I have chosen to drastically reduce the price, in order that they find their forever homes.

See them here: compendiumshop.ca

New pieces … Joy and Delight

I finally made the trip up island this week, to deliver these two tables, and a few other things, to the Salish Sea Market … my other family!

They join in the wonderful variety of curated work by 195+ artists, who all live with insight of the Salish Sea. 

If you have the chance to visit the market in person, you will not be disappointed … it is nothing short of fabulous. 

If you are limited to visiting the market online, then grab a coffee/tea or wine, and sit and bask in the amazing talents, passions, and creativity that is represented there. You will be enthralled!

~s

I was introduced to FOLKLIFE magazine when it first came out, but it didn’t really capture my imagination until now. I wasn’t there yet. This is a beautifully designed and produced magazine about the lives and work of people who live on the Gulf Islands. For those of you who don’t live on the west coast of Canada, the Gulf Islands sit between the mainland and Vancouver Island, and there are lots of them!

Folklife is a slow, deliberate and calming read. The images capture a feeling that is the Gulf Islands. The people who are featured are the heart of what makes life unqiue. It is inspiring and motivating, and gives me a sense of connection to this place. Even though I don’t live on a Gulf Island now, I have in the past and know that life isn’t like other places … in so many lovely ways!

If you live on Vancouver Island, good news … you can check out Folklife from the library, and get a taste of it yourself.

Folklifemag.ca

Me and Squeak

Alas, our Squeak has not returned to our home, but I think about him every single day. We miss our sweet boy.

Lately, I’ve been thinking about compendium, my periodical. 

The last issue of compendium came out around Christmas 2021, number 9. I haven’t felt desire to write, or the energy to create number 10 until recently. So, I have started to think about it again.

I wonder whether people are still interested in it. I wonder what it wants to become, I know there is a shift to happen. So, I putter with ideas and directions and feel I am starting to take it more seriously. 

You see, it is a labour of love really. It takes a lot of time and energy, and its not like I sell enough to really make it financially viable, yet. But in my head, it could be.

And so, I continue to ponder the idea of what will become of this periodical of mine, and how it may shift and change to be of service to its readers.

Hmmmm.

Wishing you a good stretch of joyous pondering.

~sarah