SNAPSHOTS

Last night was Senior Parents night at the High School.  Deep breath...yes...our oldest son is a senior.  I am still not sure how we got to this point in life where our first born is soon to leave the nest.  I will admit...I'm excited, proud, terrified, and not quite ready to let go.

There is nothing more beautiful than seeing your child grow and mature into their own unique person.  I am amazed at what he has accomplished and look so forward to seeing all that is in store for him. 

So I'm taking a lot of pictures these days...so I will remember...because those snapshots...the ones when he was napping in his crib and his ten perfect toes were peeking out from under him, and the one when he got his first tricycle and bloodied his knee in the first five minutes, and the one of him cutting a trail down the mountain on his snowboard...yes, those snapshots...will never be forgotten and always be treasured.

This is why those photo albums where we store our snapshots are so wonderful...they help us to see what a gift life has given us.  They help us to remember how good life has been even though there are days on the news when things don't seem too hopeful...we still have the snapshots of the stages in life that have passed but  are captured and fill us full.  Full of joy and comfort.  

So I let out that kite string a little bit more...and smile as I watch him fly!  Capturing this moment with another snapshot.

Blessings,

Meagan

TULIPS, TULIPS, TULIPS!

If you have never been to the Skagit Valley in spring time you must go!!!  It's when the WORLD FAMOUS Skagit ValleyTulip Festival is.  Your camera will thank you for making the effort to go.  We went a few weeks ago and it was magnificent.  The colors were beyond beautiful.

When I was a little girl my father was a writer for the Skagit Valley Herald and they had me model in the Tulip fields for pictures for the paper.  I was on the front of the paper for the event.  Such sweet memories.  I have a special place in my heart for this event.

Hope that you put it on your list of places to see!

YO YO'S & FELTED WOOL

A couple of years ago my friend Cherie came to visit and while she was here we had a really fun day shopping.  I was watching my pennies and we kept finding free stuff...all the more fun!!!  We went to this really great Fabric Store called Esther's Fabrics and noticed that outside the store there was a bench piled high with these great books of fabric samples.  Next to them was a sign that said "Free...Please Take".   We went in the store and I asked the owner if it was true...were the fabric sample books free for the taking.  She said "yes" to which I said "you're kidding!" and with a VERY serious face she bent over and looked me straight in the eye and said..."I never kid about free fabric".  So there you go!  She wasn't kidding and we didn't mess around, we loaded up our arms and came home with loads of free fabric samples that were amazing! 

I found that these swatches of fabrics were the perfect size for making YO-YO's.  When my friend Cherie went back home she found these cool gadgets for making YO-YO's and sent them to me.  So I have been makin YO-YO's for a few years now.  One of my first blog posts I showed this cute curtain that I made from YO-YO's and now I came up with this:

I think it's going to be a pillow...definitely just a decorative one.  I had some Felted Wool and combined them and then sewed the patches together.  I love the way the top came out and am excited to finish it up. 

Have a great weekend!

Meagan

I'LL MISS YOU DAD

This Blog was intended to be an art blog but the last year it seems to have become a blog about deep thoughts and things I'm going through.  At the beginning of the month my Dad passed away.  It's been hard, especially on my Mom.  64 years of marriage.  They were a wonderful example of making it through good and bad times.  I spent a lot of time thinking about the things I will remember my Dad for and here is what I shared at his memorial service:

Memories of my Father

I know that each of us hold special memories of Dad.  I was the youngest and probably didn’t have nearly the same experience my siblings had growing up.  Dad was possibly a little tired of parenting when I came along.  After all parenting is exhausting and he had already been doing it for 16 years. 

Dad summed up his parenting with this phrase… “Do as I say, not as I do”.  Yep, that was his trump card when I would ask “why”.  I couldn’t argue with that.  I do remember some episodes of him laying down the law to my poor choices.  I thank him for that, but I mostly thank him for the other memories I’ll share with you today.  Maybe you will find out a little more about our Dad…

Dad was a newspaper man and he had deadlines for articles… 

Dad, I love the memory of falling asleep to the sound of your typewriter.  Thank you for the wonderful stories you wrote for us to remember you by.

Dad was a tender heart and he loved animals…

Dad, I love the memory of when you took us to see “Where the Red Fern Grows”, and I saw you cry for the first time.  You taught me that it’s ok to cry.

Dad was a wood worker and made so many beautiful things… 

Dad, I love my memory of working in your wood shop with you.  And I will always remember to measure twice and cut once.  Thank you for showing me how to be creative.

Dad loved to beach comb… 

Dad, I love the memory of walking on the beach with you and finding the perfect piece of driftwood or rock for you to paint on.  Just so you know…I love to beach comb with my boys now.  Thank you for teaching me to find beauty in the things we overlook each day.

Dad loved to paint… 

Dad I thank you for the memory of watching you paint the beauty that you saw around you and for passing that along to me.  I will paint with those memories now.

Dad loved my Mom… 

Dad, thank you for the memory of going birthday shopping for Mom with you. We found the most beautiful dress in the world that day on display in the store window and you bought it for her.  I will always remember that dress and the smile it brought to Mom’s face.  I learned from you that sometimes it’s perfect to be extravagant for the ones you love.

Dad hated the way he sounded when he sang at church…but he did it anyway and reminded me that even if you have a bad singing voice it still sounds beautiful to God.

Dad, thank you for teaching me that God hears us and thinks it’s beautiful when we worship Him.

I think about the beauty that my Dad saw living on this Earth and I can only imagine the beauty he is seeing today…

My last visit with my Dad was wonderful.  He was nearing the end and at a point where he was hallucinating.  He was seeing beautiful images, one of which was several rainbow trout swimming on the living room floor.  I was honored with trying to help him catch the fish.  My Nephew was there and he brought up the point that maybe death wasn't a black and white thing...maybe it's a process.  Maybe Dad had allowed me to see a vision of what he was seeing in Heaven that night.  I think that is what I am going to choose to believe.  It fills my heart knowing that my Dad is in Heaven fishing. 

I'll miss you so much Dad...and look forward to fishing in Heaven with you.

Meagan

A TWO YEAR JOURNEY

(you may want to get a cup of something to drink and sit down for awhile!)

Sometimes the waters are rough.  It can make it hard to see the rainbows.  Rainbows...Gods' covenant with you me and every living creature for all generations to come. 

"Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind.  Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life.  Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth." Genesis 9:14-16

The last 2 years have been a particularly trying time for my family.  I have not shared about this before on my blog.  But now I have to share with you what has transpired and the deep thankfulness my family and I are feeling at this time.  

In 2007 my family moved to the Seattle area for a new job that my Husband had been given with a large company here.  It was so great for us because he had just been laid off from a company he had been employed with for 17 years in the Chicago area. A great company that Hubby was sad to leave.  They were very good to him when it came time to part ways.  We were originally from the Seattle area and all of our family is here so even though we were going to miss our "Illinois Family" we felt that this was the best possible thing that could have happened.  Shortly after our move here we could tell that we were in store for a rough ride...rough waters you might say.  It was a year and a half ride on a roller coaster.   I'm not a big roller coaster fan, just so you know.  

On February 13th, 2009, my Husband came home from work early.  The bad economy had struck home and Hubby wasn't going to be going back to work the next day.  Little did we know what we were in store for.  Two years of unemployment.  If someone had told me that it would be that long of a journey I don't think I could have handled it.  In that two years we have grown in ways you just can't believe.  We scratch our heads in disbelief when we think about how God sustained our family during this journey.  Quite honestly...it just doesn't make any sense.  

God grew us and our hearts.  It gave us a new sense of appreciation for the struggles that so many people are facing.  It humbled us beyond belief.  We witnessed miracles during this time.  One time we went as a family to serve at a homeless shelter.  Hubby's mens' group actually arranged for all the families to go and serve there.  One of the families provided chicken.  72 pieces which was plenty.  At least we thought it would be...120 people showed up that night.  One of our boys was serving the chicken and without realizing that we didn't have enough, out of his generous heart, he gave each person 2 pieces.  They were small pieces after all!  Do you know that every person there that night got chicken.  I am not making this up and I don't have any explanation for it.  I do know that after that night I went away not questioning that God could provide.  It helped so much to remember that night during our journey.  We would remind each other of the chicken.

Remember that company that my Husband worked for in Illinois.  I am thrilled to tell you that Hubby is now employed with them again!  Last week they offered Hubby a job...a job here in Seattle!  We don't have to move!!!  Lots of tears...lots of praising and praying to God...lots of humbleness.  We are speechless and grateful beyond belief.

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers they will not sweep over you.  When you walk through the fire you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.  For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior..." Isaiah 43:2-3

To those of you that may have known about our journey we want to thank you for your prayers and support.  It has meant more to our family than you will ever know.  To those of you that know someone that is going through a journey similar to ours...please feel free to share our story.  Most of all, be sure to not feel awkward about calling them and asking them how they are doing.  It's a very lonely time and you can feel very isolated.  Those calls and small gestures speak volumes to the person on the journey.

Blessings,

Meagan 

Museum of Glass

(Chihuly Bridge of Glass)

 Today was a very fun day.  We drove to Tacoma to visit the Tacoma Art Museum.  There is a wonderful campus of 3 museums within walking distance from each other.  The Tacoma Art Museum, The Museum of Glass and the Washington State History Museum, which unfortunately is looking like it may no longer be open due to state budget cuts. 

 I have been very inspired by Dale Chihulys' work and enjoyed walking through The Chihuly Bridge of Glass which is a public art installation owned by the City of Tacoma. This overpass is 500-feet-long and features the art of Tacoma native Dale Chihuly.  The overpass links the Museum with downtown Tacoma giving easy access to the other 2 Museums.

As you enter the Bridge of Glass you first see a large wall made of separate compartments, each holding an individual piece of Chihulys' work.

These images are stacked probably 5 high and 20 or more long.  It is really amazing to see the use of color and form in each of the pieces.  Once you pass this portion you enter a covered area with a glass enclosed ceiling where the glass pieces are set on top of...seemingly floating above your head.  The colors are so pure and magnificent.  It's kind of like looking at a page of an "I Spy" book.  The images are each so unique and worth your attention.  You just have to stop and look up...and stay...and stay... and stay.

(Please click on the images to get a closer look.)

I have a group of artists that I meet with once a month and during our last visit we were discussing the importance of shape and color studies.  The colors in the works of Chihuly I think are what are inspiring me so much.  I feel the need to paint just color and see what happens.  It's quite a stretch from the work I usually do but I think it would be a great exercise.  Hope you enjoy the photos from my day at the Museum!
More to come soon.
Meagan

 

ORCHID

My  Sister brought me a beautiful Orchid last weekend.  It's still Alive!!!  It is so beautiful I just had to share some photos of it.

Enjoy!

A POT OF GOLD

We spent Christmas with my Parents in Eastern Washington.  It was good and I am so glad we did.  My Father will be 88 on New Years Day.  He is very old and frail now...he has very little memory.  He has dementia and has gone way down hill the last month or so.  There are many times he will look at me, with my Husband sitting by my side, and ask me if I have a boyfriend.  I tell him "Yes!"  "In fact I married him and here he is...and we have two children who are your Grandsons!".  He gets a big smile on his face and says "oh...that's good."  

My Father was a beautiful writer.  He was a newspaper man.  Worked for a small town newspaper and wrote wonderful stories...mostly about his life during a simpler time.  I had been given the copies of the articles he had written and had intentions of putting them together for my siblings some day.  We moved and I had put extra special care into packing them.  The problem was I couldn't remember where.  The other day I told my Sister that I couldn't find them.  It took a lot of guts to tell her that.  She wasn't very happy with me and neither was I.  I went to bed that night feeling so restless about it.  But here's the crazy part...I had a dream about where I put them that night.  I looked where my dream told me to look and there they were!  Talk about an answer to prayer!!!  

My Sister had talked to a woman who works with the council on aging.  She had told my Sister how good it would be for Dad to see the articles he wrote again.  So, with articles in hand I brought them to him for Christmas.  He didn't remember that he had ever written for a news paper.  But after he started reading the articles he started remembering the things he wrote about.

  Finding those articles was like finding a pot of gold.  I can't tell you what it meant to me to see my Dad have a little glimmer of the times he had written about come back to him.  I was so thankful.  On our way home we took the ferry back to the island and were greeted with a rainbow shining on the tip of the island.  I was reminded of the pot of gold...I will cherish this Christmas...most likely the last I will have with my Dad but one I will always treasure.

Glimpses of Christmas

The tree is up and very sparkly it is...some glimpses into my favorite images from the tree.

 This is the ornament I picked out when I was five.  It's ANCIENT!!! and full of memories.  My Mom...sweet dear woman...would give us a new ornament every year.  Sometimes we would get to pick out our own.  I still remember going to Valbourgs gift shop with Mom and getting to pick out an ornament for my collection.  I thought this red plastic star was the most BEAUTIFUL of all.  The way it glows and reflects the light had me mesmerized.  I have treasured it every year since.  More the memory than the ornament...but it's the ornament that holds the memory for me...it reminds me of a sweet time I shared with my Mom.  Now we carry on the tradition and buy or make our boys ornaments every year that they will some day have for their own Christmas tree.

this one... and

this one...

and this one too.

I just love everything that sparkles at Christmas time.  The other night I was looking at a pillow my sweet Sister Larinda made for us last year...it sparkles too!

Isn't it beautiful!!!  Thank you sweet Sister!  I just love your amazing handiwork!

To top off my sparkly post, here is a picture of something we did the other night. Our family went to a really fun, free event on the island...the Christmas Ships.  I have always wanted to see them but haven't until now...they are very sparkly too!

The boat has professional singers on it and when the come into the Harbor they just stop for about 20 minutes and sing to the crowd on the shore.  I cried...I always cry at things like this.  You should see me at the 4th of July parade.  There's just something about nostalgia that gets me every time.

I hope you're having a sparkly Christmas...full of wonderful, memory making times.

Much love,

Meagan

p.s.  I also cried when Frosty the Snowman melted...Karen and I had a good cry together! :)

HOPPY HOLIDAYS!

( Newest painting for Christmas - "Hoppy Holidays")

In honor of the quirkiness of Frog Rock on Bainbridge Island I painted this new piece and titled it "Hoppy Holidays".  I know...loud groans.  Anyway, it turned out fun and I made it into cards that say "Hoppy Holidays" on them which will be available at the Studio Tour.  So this Friday - Sunday (Dec. 3-5) I will be showing my work at the Fenwick Photography Studio on Ericksen Avenue. 

Hoppy Holidays Everyone!

Seattle Half Marathon

It was an early morning at our house. Today was the Seattle Marathon which Hubby has been in training for this 13.1 mile run.  He has been training really hard for this...ooober hard.  Makes me tired just hearing about how far he has been running!  So today was the day...which meant getting up by 4:00am to get ready to be on the 5:20am ferry in order to get into Seattle in time for a 7:30am start.  What was really impressive is that our teenage boys joined us and family drove 2 hours to be here in time for the start of the race.

(obviously early...still dark.  Our two boys and Hubby)

It ended up being a great weather day for the race...cold but no wind or rain which we were very happy for.

The start of the race was an amazing sea of people...never could see Hubby at the start.

We made posters to cheer him on...they said things like:

"Stretchy pants never looked so good"

"Rain or Shine you look real fine"

"Watch where you spit...there are people next to you!"

We rang cowbells and shook our pom poms too...It was a very fun event, especially with family and friends there to help cheer him on.  Here he is as he is approaching the finish line...he's so fast he's just a blur!

He had a goal of 1 hour and 50 minutes.  Look at what he ended up with!

( Way to go!!! Beating your goal!!!)

I was so proud of him I just kept kissing and kissing him.  My Hero!

Congratulation Sweetie...I couldn't be more proud of you!

Bainbridge Island Rowing Auction Piece - Titled "AS ONE"

I am working on a new painting for an organization near and dear to my heart.  Bainbridge Island Rowing Club is an organization on Bainbridge Island teaching young adults to row.  My oldest son has been involved in this and it has been a very important part of his life.  This sport teaches so much more than just the technique of rowing...it teaches how important it is to work in a team as one.  A boat or "shell" as they are called, of eight rowers will not do well if even one of the participants is in it for themselves.  It absolutely has to be a team effort.  The character building and life lessons learned in this sport are like nothing I have seen in a sports setting.  The coaches with this organization are amazing and have given so much of themselves.  So to thank them for all they have done I hope that in doing a painting for their auction called " Dream Big" will help further their efforts financially. 

This is a sneak peak at the unfinished painting called "As One".

I have really enjoyed painting the water in this piece.  It has a lot of depth and movement...it reminds me of a beautiful piece of music.  The painting was inspired from a photo taken by a fantastic local photographer named Gary Matoso.  His work is amazing!  

It was a little unlike me to share an unfinished painting but the week ahead is so busy I probably won't get a chance to share again before the auction.  Best of luck to the Dream Big dinner and auction!

FIRST FRIDAY ART WALK AND OPEN HOUSE - TONIGHT!

I will be showing my art work tonight at this fun and FREE event that is in conjunction with the Bainbridge Island First Friday Art Walk. I have some great new fall cards if you need a special card for the Thanksgiving season.

I have been helping to plan this Open House for the Winslow Building at 400 Winslow Way East for the last month and it will be so much fun.  There are 2 bands, 8 local artists, free wine and Hors D’oeuvres.  A few of the artists are showing their work for the first time here on Bainbridge Island and I have to tell you…it looks GREAT!!!  Be sure to come to the back of the buildings’ beautiful courtyard to find the artists and goodies.

The Weather may be a little tiny bit wet but don’t let that stop you from having a great time!

Hope you see you tonight!

Meagan

Talking Brush Studio

CROSS COUNTRY

Thursday we went to "Lower Woodland"... near Green Lake to watch our youngest run in the District Cross Country meet.  It was a rainy, muddy and very slippery day.  The kind of weather I would never run in...that is if I were a runner.

Hubby is a runner...he is training for his first half marathon.  Today he is running 10 miles...his longest run to date.  I am going to meet him on the other side to bring him home.  

Here's to runners! 

BREATHE

Sometimes...many times...I find myself full of anxiety and grabbing for the air my chest needs to settle down...I catch myself looking too far in the future and not focusing on the day.  Today is a gift.  A day to enjoy.  Remembering that helps me to calm myself and keep from fearing the future.  We never know what the future will bring and I realize...and it takes a long time to get to that point...that all the worry and anxiety my mind has to offer me will not change a thing other than the way I choose to enjoy the gift that I have been given today.

Turning on the morning news does not help...it seems to feed the uncertainty I feel.  I think they want us to feel that way and I am not sure what the benefit of that might be.  There are so many good things to focus on.  Slowing down...looking at the little things...captions and not headlines.  There is so much beauty in the day to day...

sometimes going away...away from technology...from phones...from noise...helps me to remember the beauty in the everyday... I remember where the water I brush my teeth with comes from...

and just who created the life that we live...there is a bigger picture...to big to see...but definitely worth trusting in...

 

I hope you are all enjoying the gift you have been given today.

FLANNEL, FLEECE AND WOOL BLANKETS

 ("Pumpkin Patch")

OOOHHHH...I can feel it in the air...  Fall has hit hard.  The leaves are just about peaked with their brilliant color and the air is so cold in the morning and night.  Flannel, fleece and wool blankets.  I love my wool blanket...it's so old and soft and cozy.  It's a really old one that I found in an antique store (but I don't think it's an antique...it's just older than me!).  It's kind of a mint green color with a beautiful floral design in the middle and in the corners.

  (my blankie)

It's different from other wool blankets that I've seen.  My wool blanket is part of a morning routine that I have become quite fond of...Hubby usually gets up first and goes into the kitchen where he then pours he and I a cup of coffee and then brings it back to bed where we sit under the favorite wool blanket and drink our coffee and wake up slowly.  It's nice...I actually love it and love him for catering to me and treating me like a princess.  I'm really not a princess but like to pretend that I'm one when waking up!  Maybe it's this morning routine that makes me so excited to go to sleep at night!  Or maybe I am just entering the hibernation mode that I go into every year when it gets dark so early.

Aside from talking about blankets, I hope you enjoy the painting above...it's one of the new fall images that I painted for my line of cards I did this fall.  Enjoy the cool weather and the wool blankets!

Meagan

CRACK UP!

This is what ended up in the bowl when I cracked some eggs for breakfast!  I couldn't resist grabbing the camera...there they were just staring at me like a face that was going to start talking or something. 

Have a great weekend...and be sure to crack yourself up!