monday quote

"never say goodbye, because saying goodbye means going away, and going away means forgetting."

--peter pan

thursday quote

"This is love, she thought, isn’t it? When you notice someone’s absence and hate that absence more than anything? More, even, than you love his presence?"

--Johnathon Safran Foer "Everything is Illuminated"

monday quote

"For what it’s worth: it’s never too late or, in my case, too early to be whoever you want to be. There’s no time limit, stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. And I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you’re proud of. If you find that you’re not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again."

--F. Scott Fitzgerald "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"

my week of paint, canvas and sewing

Last Thursday I was inspired to stitch up my own large typography canvas reading, "LOVE YOU MORE"...now it's 10 days later and I have made 50 different canvases in all sizes with all different words.  I planned to list them on my Etsy site, but a friend mentioned going to one of the boutiques in town as the owner was interested in carrying work of local artist.  On a whim I drove over in my cowboy boots (for good luck of course) and 7 different samples of my favorites.  I walked in and spoke with the owner and asked if she liked them or would be interesting in working some sort of consignment.with me.  She ended up loving them and bought all 7 off of me right there out right.  I was incredibly thrilled and astonished.  She asked if I could bring in 30-40 more to carry in her shop.  So off I went, with the biggest smile in the world and started getting to work. 

I cannot believe the opportunity I have to sell my work locally, especially in the heart of downtown Geneva in one of my favorite shops.  Third street is my dream land and now I don't have to play the Etsy waiting game...obsessively refreshing my shop homepage to see if it got any more hits.

So if you are local or close by and would like one for yourself visit Circa.
I feel so blessed and happy to be able to create and have my work brighten someone else's day or home.

You can see all the typography canvases I made on my Flickr page.

busy bee

thursday quote

"What did my arms do before they held you?"

--Sylvia Plath

swoon worthy

1. cute coffee mugs
2. boys in jeans and a white tee
3. typography
4. guacamole
5. anthropologie kitchen and house ware
6. urban outfitters dresses
7. walking on the beach
8. lighting candles at night
9. cowboy boots
10. summertime

monday quote

"i can't tell you the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everyone."

--ed sheeran

sally homemaker

I've been cooking, baking and cleaning over here this week.  I made meals each night this past week and actually surprised myself!  I must cook more for myself when I'm at school and get out of the whole eggs, jalapenos, spinach and hot sauce phase.

I was baking up a storm making delicious fruit and oat bars for post workout consumption (let's be real...they were eaten all the time).  First were these blueberry and banana oat bites.  Recipe here.

Second, I made these delightful blueberry and apricot oat bars although this recipe was not as healthy...ahem, 1 whole stick of butter?!  But it did make a yummy, crispy, pie-like crust top and the fruity filling was divine.  Recipe here.  I may try to substitute applesauce next time.

thursday quote

"Holding on to anything is like holding on to your breath. You will suffocate. The only way to get anything in the physical universe is by letting go of it. Let go and it will be yours forever."

Deepak Chopra

coffee cup no. 2

after 

 

before

"teenage angst"

(8 seconds)

monday quote

"I wish I’d done everything on Earth with you."

F. Scott Fitzgerald

thursday quote

“I find the best way to love someone is not to change them, but instead, help them reveal the greatest version of themselves.”

—	Steve Maraboli

coffee cup no. 1

after

before

 "little pieces"

(9 minutes)

gone

Sometimes I wonder where all the feelings go.  The relationships that were once cherished just gone overnight.  Swallowed up by time and space.  You wake up one morning and keep living, but then days pass, then weeks, then months, then it's gone.  And you never quite notice it fading until that person just feels far away and reaching out to them is awkwardly uncomfortable.  They suddenly vanish from your mind and heart.  Instead of being the first person you want to share something with, they become unfamiliar...gone.  Then you stop to think when it all started to slip away.  You can't quite place a finger on a certain time or place cause a lifelong relationship with that person was established and all thoughts of it ending were denied and impossible to imagine.  It's incredibly sad.  I always wonder if it was me who did all the changing.  If I could be held responsible for such distance, but no.  Friendships and relationships are a two way street.  Does that mean when one person begins to slip, the other falters just the same?  It brings out an ugliness, a side that pains me and fills me with guilt.  I wish I could just touch that one moment it all turned dark and ceased to remain the same from that point on.  I wish I could reel them back in, but I can't seem to find the words or the will.  It feels too late, like the damage has been done.  Forgive and forget?  I can't forget and I can't seem to bring myself to forgive when I have grown to feel the emptiness.  Blank stares and awkward encounters.  Distance, drifting, unfamiliarity until one day it's just completely gone.  No second thought.  Like the last night of a childhood summer...gone at sunset and never the same again.

monday quote

“There is nothing wrong with loving the crap out of everything. Negative people find their walls. So Never apologize for your enthusiasm. Never. Ever. Never.”

—	Ryan Adams

hey there, july

july is for healing.  june threw all the curve balls.  i was blindsided by life, near loss and masked intentions.  constant overworking of a weakness has left me at square one both physically and emotionally.  you can only pretend to be strong for so long, but what was that really doing?  keeping me weak.  july is for healing.  july is for laying down fresh, pure, solid foundations built in the love felt towards others, acceptance and understanding that i must take care of myself and listen to my body.  july is for healing.  july is the ever so important step towards regaining strength by flaring the flames of fires that have been left to die.  july is fresh with a direction i can trust.  july is for healing.

xx
kayla