Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Megan Finds...Van Gogh Letters


On the website for the Van Gogh Museum of Amsterdam you can find all the letters written by the famed artist to friends and family archived here...you can read them translated in English or in their native tongue. You can also view the actual documents that were scanned. So cool! You can view the sketches he did in those letters and catch a personal glimpse into his world. It's a great site to poke around and explore. So much to see! I hope you enjoy it as I have. Click HERE to see the site and search through the letters for yourself.

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Positive thought

the universe
This is the quote that got me through the hard times when we had all of our miscarriages, fertility issues and wishing so much for a baby of our own. I spent a lot of time in a dark place. A sad place. A place filled with fear and doubt. I started to believe that nothing was going to work out for me. The pit I was in felt deeper and wider with each day. It was hellish. Then, I discovered the power of positive thinking. Not as a magic pill, but as a way to make myself feel better while waiting for the great things to come my way. They say that sending out positive thoughts and energy will bring positive things back to you tenfold. I'd tried everything else, so I figured this was worth a shot. It took a lot of practice, but I forced myself to try and turn every negative thought into a positive one. Over time, I began to find myself thinking in positive ways from the start. I felt so much better! Life felt full of possibility! And having this quote to stare at every day really helped. In our darkest hours we cannot see it, but there is a lot going on behind the scenes in our favor. We have to have faith that our dreams are coming to fruition and they are simmering there. That the stars are aligning just right to bring us our dreams. We have to believe that there is a host of wonderful treasures just waiting for us around the corner. Assume it is so and let the powers that be do their work. It takes time to create your miracle. This quote continues to help me and I wanted to share it with everyone else. So, I designed this piece of art so that it could be hung up proudly. It's 8 x 10, but I could also make it in 5 x 7 if you'd like. Would you like a print of your own? You can get one here.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

color love




I just love the colors here. Endless inspiration for lots of projects that live in my mind.

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Tuscany in October

October in Tuscany
I spent some time and accomplished a small oil painting...a landscape of scenery in Tuscany I saw during a trip in October 2007. It's the first painting I've done in such a loose and painterly style and I really enjoyed it! I used brushes to start, and then used mostly a palette knife...a first for me as well. The final painting size is 7 x 9 inches and I'm considering selling it. What do you think?

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Sewing

Hi friends!
I finished my recent sewing lessons and made a little skirt. I learned a lot and decided to make something on my own to build my confidence. I made 2 zippered pillow cases to cover the bland and boring pillows on our couch. I'm thrilled with out they turned out and they were very easy (albeit a little time consuming). I used this tutorial which made it so simple and easy. Once I did one, I was able to do the other from memory 2 weeks later. Easy, right? It's been nice finding another creative outlet and my next project will be a tote bag. More ambitious!
BEFORE:
Pillow Before

AFTER:
Pillow After

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Currier Museum of Art

On Monday, I got to take the day off while Chris took care of Paige. So, I took a drive up to Manchester, NH to the Currier Museum of Art to see this exhibition. It was so great! I really took my time to read every single write-up description card and I studied each painting closely. I got so much inspiration and really enjoyed myself. I even got to see some of Andrew Wyeth's early watercolors in person...a rarity! These were the ones. I wish I had gotten to meet Andrew Wyeth. He'd probably be the one celebrity I'd want to meet if I got the chance. I'm still sad about his passing last year. But, we've been left with his amazing work so that's something to be glad for.
The exhibit is going on until June 7th, so if you are within driving distance I suggest you take the chance to go and have some quiet time to yourself and enjoy. (I even stopped in the cafe to have a yummy peanut butter cookie and a soda.) :)