I love summer!

Dear Summer,

  Why do you have to leave me so soon? Damn, we had fun! We went barefoot, we swam, sat by the fire and made s'mores, fished until it got dark! You gave me so many beautiful sunsets!
 
Forth of July weekend was perfect. Your sunshine as provided lots of raspberries and tomatoes, my two favorites... Thank you! The flowers were beautiful. I bared the heat of July... wow it was hot this year! Parties, happy hours on the patio, grilling and evenings with friends. So, so, so many walks with Buddy. It was so fun to see the park and neighborhood come into full bloom. 

Boat rides, and the beach, collecting rocks
and wishing on stars! 

I'll miss my water shoes...

Early mornings painting on the dock at the cabin were my favorite. Labor day is always the last hurrah! The un-official last weekend of summer. I'm looking forward to the long weekend. 
What should I do?  
How should I celebrate you?
I went through the park yesterday and noticed a few yellow leaves on the path. You came and left too quickly this year! I fully embraced you... breathing in all you have gifted me with.

Photo edited by Goddess Leonie!!

Thank you for everything! The eagles, the sunshine, and green, the blue skies and smiles... THANK YOU!
I love you,
Nat

On life and losing

Yesterday I got news of on old high school friend who died. 

It's heartbreaking. 

I feel just so numb. 

In shock. 

My friend's name was Lisa. We were so young, we worried about boyfriends and how we looked. We wanted to be in the high school talent show. Neither one of us had ever been to formal dance classes but we danced in our living rooms and bedrooms. We loved Christina Aguilera, and her moves. We had moves (or so we thought!) We would go to her house after school and blare the boom box and practice our song and dance.... over and over. We had so much fun. Lisa was also a talented artist. We spent many hours together in the art room at our high school, painting, drawing and talking. Lisa was really passionate about art, I remember how detailed she would paint. She had a lot more precision then I did, my style was little more loose. We were both madly in love with our high school boyfriends... we went on a double date to the "The Taste of Minnesota" watched fireworks, laughed and had so much fun. It's like a snapshot in my mind I will never forget. She was a girl who knew what she wanted. I remember when she got a tattoo in high school... I thought that was pretty cool. She had blonde hair and beautiful blue eyes, a heart of gold and killer smile to go with it.

I was so happy to reconnect with her on facebook when I hadn't seen her in years. She was married to a marine... living in Hawaii but going to come back to Minnesota! I couldn't believe it! We exchanged a couple of messages. Not to long ago I had messaged her saying it would be fun to get together with her and our other girlfriend to do art, like we did back in the day. We never worked out a time to make it happen. 

I wonder why it never worked out, or why we didn't make it happen. I wanted to connect with her.

I'm sending love, light and prayers for her husband, baby son Wesley and family as they go through this difficult time. 

I am reminded today that life is fragile.

And so very special.

We need to hold tight to those we love.

Tell them we love them.

Don't sweat the small stuff.

Be thankful.

Loosing things can crack you open. 

Losing a friend, loosing a job, loosing a game when your are a kid. We learn lessons... from loss... we find and grow. 

I was thinking "Why did we have to loose her..."

Really maybe now she "Is found!"

I don't even know if that makes sense, but it sorta does to me.

I hope she is in the light, home, and at peace.

She was loved.

She will be missed.

This morning while taking my walk with bud... we came across a beautiful red and orange leaf. I looked around... only green grass and a willow tree about 20 feet away. None of the leaves have really changed yet. It was laying there perfectly in the dew... like it had been planted there for me to see today.

I was thinking about Lisa... praying she was at peace and happy now, with God. I saw that leaf as symbol from angels from great spirit, from her, from God. It's okay. The leaf had lived and thrived, now it's thriving green days had come to an end. The great circle of life. I don't understand why but I'm not focusing on that. Sending my love up to heaven today.
Love you Lisa!

I'm Back!

The north woods was calling me... yep-yep it was!

And when nature calls... I always take it's call and answer! I may hate to answer my cell phone but nature... I'll answer that call any day, anytime.

I spent a week in the woods! In Ely, Minnesota!
Saw so much wildlife and beauty. We went canoeing, cooked, laughed, made campfires, went fishing, relaxed, played in the sun, walked the dog, hiked...did a little sketching, read Heaven is for Real (LOVED IT!) It was very inspiring trip. I feel like I'm still kind of playing catch up from the trip. I felt nervous to blog... like I couldn't do it. Kinda weird.
I started reading Juicy Pens, Thirsty Paper and it's been really encouraging. I've never considered myself a writer so I didn't really think I was "worthy" of having a blog and have others read my writing. But I was so inspired by other blogs that I felt I did have something to share maybe!? This blog has been so rewarding, reading comments, finding new artists and friends, the camaraderie from other artists is so fun! I've been really encouraged with my illustration and painting so THANK YOU SO SO MUCH! I appreciate your comments and feedback! Thank you for joining me on this journey!
I missed checking my friends' blogs, so I'm kind of playing catch up on those too!

Summer has gone by so quickly this year. Tomorrow it's gonna get pretty hot I hear but it's been a little on the cooler side, which is nice because July was pretty much unbearable! I can feel the fall in the air already. A week and half and it's already September. WOW. Where does the time go? I'm excited to get back on a schedule... the summer has been crazy busy with lots of fun stuff! I'm back from summer vacation, writing, blogging, reading, laundry, grocery shopping, cleaning oh yea and exercising I am so sore right now from running and yoga! I'm ready to plan the next vacation! I can look at these pics and feel the simple peace and forget for just a minute about my "To Do" list.

Hope you can do the same! Escape the list for just a minute today and take some time to do something for you!

Do you believe in 'signs?'

The universe seems to be responding to the questions I ask!
Growing up (high school) I remember saying to friends... "Maybe it's a sign!"
Like when a guy called back or when the perfect opportunity arrived to go out. Well it was sort of me being silly and sort of my belief.
You know...
"It was meant to be" 
"A God-sequence"
"The stars lining up"
And this morning while walking the dog... I sort of put a question out the to universe...
Should I take that leap of faith and follow my dreams?
Pretty deep thoughts at 7:15 a.m. I had just thrown some sweats on and was still waking up. It was so refreshing out, almost chilly. Crisp.
I'm only about a block away from home and I look up at the bright blue skies in suburbia...
and I see an 
Eagle! 
s o a r i n g  over  head...
coming towards me! 
All is still.
The eagle looks down at me as if answering the question I was asking myself...
SOAR! 
Go.
Do It!
I believe in you!
Look for your sign! 
They're always there! Open your heart to it and ask. 

This was a sketch I did awhile ago... It's was pretty fitting for today! I love eagles so much!

My heart skipped a beat when I saw the eagle!
Do you believe in 'signs?'




Hope your week is going awesome!
Nat

Painting on Friday Night!

It's Paint Party Friday! 

Buddy and I are over here painting tonight! I hadn't painted all week. It was killing me... and at the end of the day today my heart was just aching to create. I did a quick little meditation and the flood gates opened and my heart is singing over here! Yep! 

So often I hear friends or people I meet say... 

I wish I was creative...

I wish I knew how to paint or draw...

To you... the one who thinks they don't know how to draw... and wishes they could....

PLEASE! DO IT! PAINT! DRAW! Throw paint! You can dooooooooooooooooo it!! 

I promise! 

I do it all the time, and it's scary for me!

Don't worry about what anyone else will think! 

(You don't have to show anyone if you're not ready) Sometimes I'm afraid my skills aren't good enough but really it's not about how bad you think you are. 

It's about the process!

Art is so healing... for everyone, we are all artists!

Don't be afraid! 

My heart is just lit up like a Christmas Tree on December 24th!

I painted a flying heart and shining sun tonight.

These are my 2 wishes for you for this weekend...

Love and Shining light!

Hugs to all the brave PPF artists sharing their work! You are all amazing!

xoxoxox

Nat

On worrying and loving

Sometimes I worry.

About things I can't control.

Things I shouldn't worry about.

And yesterday I did this...

I worried, and worried, and worried about the people in my life that I love.

I let it consume until I felt physically ill.

I want to control everything (WHY?!), make it all right, not let them fall. I want everything bright, and beautiful and sparkly.

I want people in my life to be happy, fulfilled, at peace, full.

I couldn't sleep because the worry was consuming me. So I picked up the book that was sitting on my nightstand "The Power."

The words started to transform my negative thoughts and feelings into light and love.

The worry would try to sneak in. 

But I let love be my dominant thought.

I pushed the worry away.

I gave the worry love, and more love. 

Love replaced the worry.

I thought of all the positive things I wanted, I saw the peace and happiness for those in my life that I wanted it for. I imagined them chasing their dreams, laughing and living life to the fullest.

They had LOVE, lots of it. I imagined buckets of love pouring into their hearts.

It's so super easy to let worry suck you down. 

Today, don't let it.

Let the power of love fill your life with everything you could ever want.

Only you have the power to change how we feel....

So do it!

This video brought me to tears and is a reminder to use love to change your life.

Today is yours! Please listen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qib-n4VdsI

(I'm doing the 30 days of Goddess over here - that's how I got the video!)

Hope your day is amazing! I LOVE YOU! 

So, so much! 

And so does Buddy Bear!

Nat

Enger Park and Tower, Duluth

A friend at work told me about the Enger Park and Tower in Duluth Minnesota... have you ever been?  Since we already had a trip planned do Duluth for my b-day with no plans... we added that to the 'no plans' plan. It was beautiful, and very peaceful. If I lived in Duluth I would go to this beautiful spot... A LOT! Great place for a picnic, inspiration, sketching, meditating, or relaxing! I love finding new places to explore!  It's right off Skyline Parkway if you ever make it to Duluth I definitely recommend going. The view from the top of the tower is dreamy! 

Thought I'd share the beauty...

 

Bud even jumped up to catch a breeze... he's so dang cute!

 

 They even have a giant zen gong you can gong! I loved it =)

 

What new places are you discovering this summer?

I find I am most inspired and happy when I am changing it up all the time, exploring and taking mini trips to discover new things and places!

Much Love,

Nat

Michelle Allen - Awesome Artist!

In February I got a google account and discovered BLOGS! My friend Jen was the only blog I was reading... then I discovered there were tons of artists out there in blog world! I started commenting on blogs... I found Michelle Allen and she responded to my comment with an email and asked if I had a blog?  I thought... me? I don't want people to know about my personal life. But then I started to think maybe I could find camaraderie amongst other artists that would encourage me. And so I started a blog about my art and dreams of 'being an artist.'
(and by that I mean making a living at it =)

Michelle Allen... is one of the blogs I always look forward to reading/seeing. Her paintings are amazingly layered! She's super funky and colorful! 

 I love everything of she does!!! Seriously... when I found her website I bought this clock for my mom and this clock for my brother in law. 

Michelle's website is FULL of great gifts for ANY Occasion! It was my birthday yesterday in case you didn't have a chance to buy me anything (wink wink!) Every time I see this clock it makes me smile!

Michelle is giving away $50 towards any of her gorgeous products on her website!

Oooooooo and who wouldn't want one of her cool soap spitters!

Go leave a comment or share her sale on
Facebook,Twitter, Blog to get entered to win!
Have a great Monday!
Nat