How will you make your 2017?

The hustle of Christmas is gone, and what lies ahead is patiently waiting for us. What will you do? How will you spend your precious time?

My brother died suddenly last month. As I move beyond grief, I know that the relationship I had with him, and the memories I treasure, will inform my artwork in some way. I'm not going to stress about the details of how and when, but instead let it show up and become what it will.

I have great hope for what this year will bring - deeper friendships, new relationships, new work, new paths. I continue to add pieces to my collections, and will let you know when they are ready to go (you can check out my website by clicking the link below). Coming up very soon, my family and I are traveling to the small island of Tobago next month for the trip of a lifetime. I know the lush rain forests and spectacular views there will be inspiring!

What has occurred in your life that will help you make and take the next steps? I hope you know now or are open to finding out soon.

And I hope you live your life fully aware of, and surrounding yourself with what matters most. My brother certainly did.

What are you THANKFUL for?

When you are a Canadian living in the US with a husband and children, you get to celebrate Thanksgiving twice. I love having two turkey dinners, and I love recognizing the things we're thankful for and saying them out loud.

In this season of Thanksgiving, what do you feel blessed to have in your life?

Some of the things that made it onto our big page of gratitude - hung on the wall and written on through the day, not in any order - included: healthy parents, a husband who helps out with everything, beer, the goodness in people, laughter, chocolate, time, love.

I also wrote "creativity" on that paper. I cherish it like I cherish my children and relationships. For many years as I focused on raising a family, I barely did any artwork. I'm so grateful to be using these inherent skills again and to have my life back in balance.

The article above is something that I came across from my past (should I write 1987 out loud?), working as an artist in southern Ontario. I was thankful for the media coverage at the time, and while I don't paint on fabric now and the designs have evolved, seeing this made me realize how far I have come and how far I have yet to go.

Thanks for coming along.

What you are grateful for is what matters most.

with gratitude,