Social Action

I have a few things to share with you today, dear readers & I will start with this inspiring video my friend Colie sent me.  She said it reminded her of me.  That is too kind.  Honestly, I wish I could say I was more like Sara in this video.  WOW. What an inspiration she is!  Lately, I have been seeing & feeling a huge disconnect between what the Bible says & what religious people do to live out their faith (myself included).  I have been feeling convicted about not fully living out the words I so deeply believe.  I am challenged as of late to wonder, who am I "Jesus" to?  Could I be doing more?  Who are my orphans & widows?  Am I sacrificing myself?  It may be the last 2 classes I took for my graduate program, Social Action & Art Therapy & Child Art Therapy with Refugee Children that have sparked this flame.  It may be this inspiring church I was a part of this past summer, a church committed to actively living out their faith.  Or the many conversations I have with my husband where we question community in America & its huge disconnect between those who have and those who have very little.  Whatever it is that's happening in my heart, I like it.  I hope the spark turns into a raging flame.  And I hope this video inspires you as well.

Sara's Story from Trinity Grace Church on Vimeo.

I am also about to graduate with a degree in Art Therapy.  This is exciting.  Very exciting. I hope my degree becomes a bridge to help me be an advocate for social action/social justice & transformation.  Here is an invitation to our show in Milwaukee & also an image of the exhibitors artwork (I am the letter "S").  I will be exhibiting an installation depicting what I learned as a result of researching sacred space/sanctuary & its relationship to a therapeutic milieu. 

Xoxo,

Heather

Welcome, March

A cheery March good morning to you, my friends.  Ironically, towards the end of February, Kansas had just gotten the first real snowfall.  I traipsed around my front porch and backyard barefoot to document this rare event.  Being from Wisconsin, & a lover of winter, I have had a slightly somber winter here in this milder Midwestern land.  It has been a winter where I often found myself longing for landscapes covered in blankets of white, for frigid, gusty winds dancing across my face & for crackling warm fires that warm hearts.  Instead my husband & I got mild temperatures, rain & a brown world that surrounded us.  So, I hung up strings of handmade snowflakes, baked lots of soups from scratch & brought every bit of a Wisconsin winter that was physically possible into our Kansas bungalow.  It was a charming winter.  A perk I recently discovered however is that it is already spring here, even possibly almost summer.  The magnolia trees are blossoming already, a chorus of birds sing me awake each morning & this entire week is going to be blessed with temperatures in the 70's.  With suffering comes joy!

On another note, I stumbled across this hilarious guy on Gardenfork, a website & television (YouTube)/radio broadcast that covers everything from making fresh breads, cheeses & eggnog to making your garden grow better.  Eric is a quirky, entertaining guy who will be sure to make your mouth drop at least once during the home videos broadcast on YouTube, complete with the perfect combination of Labradors, humor & strangeness.  Here is a video to hook you!  I hope this day finds you very well.  Be in awe of something today.

Xoxo,

Heather

Thinking Of Spring

Here are some pictures I found over at this cool site that make me swoon for blossoming flowers, warmer air & the smells that accompany springtime!  I hope this finds you well, dear ones.  Hold on-- we are almost there!

Xoxo, Heather

Inspiration

I am an artist & I find a lot of my inspiration for new ideas (& to keep going as an artist, an often tough road to be sojourning on) from blogs.  Blogging is a great source to put new information into the world, including great products from other great artists.  So, today's blog will be brief, to simply showcase other's work that I find very inviting & lovely.  Please enjoy & pass on the cuteness to friends & family.

This is the work of the very talented textile artist, Lotta Jansdotter.

Have a peak around her website & shop!!!

Then take a web stroll over to see products & the blog of Fine Little Day, another genius idea by Elisabeth Dunker, based out of Gothenburg, Sweden.

I have been enjoying a lot of Swedish products & artists as of late.  It may be I married into a wonderful Swedish (& Scottish) family that is equally inspiring.

A Musik Monday

You might just want to give these lovelies a listen on this rainy, slow sort of a Monday.  The 3 ladies that make up this band have amazing voices.  Sign up for their mailings & get 2 free MP3 downloads! 

They go by the name, The Staves & they are dreamy yummy. 

Or perhaps this gem of a lady who recorded this song, "Steal His Heart' in the girls' bathroom in the lovely Edinburgh, Scotland (Yay Scotland!!!!  Josh's family is Scottish).  This Emily & The Woods is brilliant.

If you want something in a minor key, only instrumental & with some beautiful cello-ings (not to mention a gorgeous painting to look at) try this band, Hungry Ghosts & you will love this song called 'I don't think of you anymore, but I don't think of you anyless'.  Just because there are not words, do not be fooled, this song will move you.



And one more for the road that you are on today, friend, an old favorite of mine by the lovey, talented Brooke Fraiser.  Try this song ' Soon and Very Soon' to bid you farewell. 

xoxo, heather.