Finding Joy

Want more sunshine in you life? More joy?

When was the last time you filled up? (not coffee silly)

You are a seed that has been planted on this 
earth for a reason!

Without sunshine, and frequent watering we can’t expect to grow.... So time to FILL UP!

  

What is it that makes your beautiful heart light up?

 Seek that - Do more of that!
Pray. Meditate. Move. Walk. Dance. Smile. Sing. Create.

If you don't know what makes your heart sing... time to find out! Be still. Be outside. Be present. Be thankful.

And you will flourish - I promise!

The sun is shining down on you today!
Love,

Nat

IF & Paint Party Friday - Flying into the light!

HAPPY FRIDAY FRIENDS!
When I'm feeling negative energy or just down I imagine gold light flowing from the top of my head slowly radiating through my entire body. It's a quick 30 second way to clear some space around you.


Tonight I did a meditation and after... this beauty emerged. She flew into my heart, held my heart in her arms and launched me into the light. I used a lot of gold paint... I love it! When I look at the picture... I really think the canvas appears to be glowing! Now I'm sending her to you! Check out the other talent at Illustration Friday and over at Paint Party Friday!

Take flight! Fly! Believe in your gifts! You are sooooooooooooooo worthy! A million angels are lifting you up into the light today! Can you feel the glow?! I hope so! Your happiness starts with you.
Have a beautiful Friday!
xox
Nat

10 Things Rocking My WORLD Right Now!

1. Finding this BEAUTIFUL Fairy Fungi!

 Beautiful orange! I was so excited I almost peed my pants!

 2. Asking the universe for a beautiful sign... and 30 seconds she gives me 2 baby turtles! A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.

 3. This beauty sitting right next to my To DO list at work...

4. Painting that comes from the heart and soul and fills me up!

4. Meditating with Goddess Leonie or at the GoddessGuidebook.com!

6. Finding love where I least expect it.

7. Discovering the Green Heron in a park by my house, never have I ever seen him before! 

IN LOVE! 

8. Sketching

9. Using this sweet book that my grandma got me from a garage sale to look up my findings!

10. Last but not least! This gorgeous Quartz is ROCKING ME! Went to a ROCK Swap! Ha Ha! Never knew there was such a thing! My mom and I happened upon it... It was just my kind of swap! I get to look at while I do the dishes!

"Swept Away By Love" on IF and PPF

"Swept" was the word this week for Illustration Friday, and I wasn't planning on illustrating it. But then tonight I ripped open a new canvas and sat down, I need to paint I told myself. It's been too long since I just let my heart spill out on the canvas. I don't care what it is. Ruin the canvas... scribble on it! Something! What's inside? What's inside your heart? I thought about IF... The word swept makes me instantly think of the love. It captures you, keeps you, holds you up, and carries you away all at the same time. It's so swirly and dreamy. Being swept way by love, is pretty much the best thing in the entire world.

I just went for it... bluuue......and swirls and the brushes and color just swept me away! This came out of me!? I've never painted people... so it's a little different... I'm not used to it. I wanted to judge how I was painting (it looks so kindergardenerish I thought for a second... but I didn't fight what was emerging. I trust the process... but I'm gonna sleep on it. I'll see what it looks like to me in the morning! =)
Check out all the other talent at PPF here and IF here!

Sending you all love, light, and dreamy embraces under the stars!
Nat

RAGOM Photo Contest

We rescued our dog Buddy from the organization RAGOM - Retrieve a Golden of Minnesota. Every year the organization puts together a calendar of RAGOM dogs. To get the photos... they hold a contest and you can submit your images! I just entered in our story and images! Thought I would share since these are my favorite images I have of Bud since we got him, a year and half ago.

Buddy’s story:
  My husband I bought a foreclosure with 4 bedrooms, and we work opposite schedules, the house was so empty and quite. I wanted a dog... Badly. We started searching for what kind of dog would be a good fit. We researched, and visited lots of human societies. I knew the perfect dog would come at the perfect time. My husband wanted a golden retriever, I didn’t know anything about goldens, having grown up with small dogs my entire life. We went to a RAGOM event a Petco and met a foster dad who had just lost his golden of 13+ years. The man started crying and said if your lucky enough to old a golden your pretty lucky. I started balling with the guy, my husband and I were so touched! I held a baby golden there and I wanted one! We fell in love with the breed, and I started stalking the website. I found Buddy and he was just so cute! His foster family happened to live our city, what are the chances?! We went to meet Buddy and I was done for. I believe Buddy rescued me. I needed him. I kept envisioning and dreaming about the beautiful gold paw that would come to the side of the bed and paw, paw, paw. And now we have him! (and he really does that!) Buddy loves going to his grandparents cabin near Itasca State park, where he runs around with his cousin Gunther a German wire-haired Pointer. Buddy also loves squeaky tennis balls, swimming, fishing, hiking, walking, the dog park, road trips, the beach and of course good food, friends and family! He has brought us so much joy! I can’t imagine life without him. He was the ‘best dog’ in our wedding, and even went on our honeymoon! He is living the golden life now, as they all should be!

Keep your fingers crossed Bud makes his big depute in the 2012 Calendar!

Much Love,

Nat

A Dog-gone Good Friendship!

Thought I'd share a ink and watercolor piece I did over the weekend. I was excited to go to the cabin this past weekend but Buddy could hardly stand the 3.5 hour car ride... Don't get me wrong he loves car rides but 3.5 hours? Not so much. He knew we were going to the cabin which meant... swimming and running free with his cousin Gunther! He waits all year in anticipation just like we do! Gunther is Buddy's cousin and (He is a Wire-hair Pointer) and they have so much fun playing and being wild & crazy boys. On the ride up I sketched out a drawing of the dogs at the cabin, Buddy is on the dock fishing and Gunther is floating on an inner-tube! I used ink and watercolors to finish it! Buddy and Gunther have become good friends - I'm so glad Bud has a playmate and companion he gets along with so well! =)

Adopting Bud has brought so much joy to my life, I think so often he rescued me... not the other way around! Animals are my favorite subject matter whether I am doing realistic or cartoon! 
What's your favorite subject matter?
Lots of love,
Nat

Obsessed & In Luv: GREEEEN!

This weekend while my husband and father in law did construction on the cabin I played in the woods, and took in all in. I laid out in the sun, relaxed, cooked for them, painted, went on walks, nature spotted, went fishing and enjoyed life up north in the woods! My spirit feels revived, and I'm just so happy and inspired. I feel so blessed to have a place like this to visit.

This weekend was much needed for me, and much needed for my in-laws. Yea they got a big project completed! Their goal for this summer is to get their cabin 'winter ready' with insulation and walls up so we can all enjoy their place in the winter too! 

I'm quite obsessed with the color green, and this weekend, I was surrounded by everything green! It was so beautiful! The woods had a lush layer of moss covering the ground and the trees were just stunning! I love how in the pic above the pines look like they are dancing!

Hope you all had a beautiful weekend!