Dirt & Beauty & Rain

I lost my mom a few months ago after a long battle with Alzheimer's. I only got glimpses of her during the last few years, but her optimism and positive spirit continued to reveal itself until the very end.  She liked to encourage everyone she met and you couldn't help but feel better after you spoke with her. 

Losing her left a space in my heart that no one else can fill. She was my biggest cheerleader—always believing in me, even when I couldn’t see my own potential. Her words of encouragement echo in my mind during the toughest days, reminding me to keep going, to trust myself, and to be kind. She had this way of making me feel like I could do anything, and even now, I find strength in her unwavering faith in me.

She always loved that I created my art to help encourage others. And though it's been very tough these past months, I know she's up in heaven now, completely cured and spreading joy to everyone she meets.  

I finally felt inspired again and have been in the studio painting like crazy. I miss her deeply, but I carry her love and support with me always. Thanks mom for continuing to encourage me.

Put a Little Sunshine in your life with Sunflowers

True friends are like bright sunflowers that never fade away, even over distance and time. 
Marie Williams Johnstone

   

Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow. It's what sunflowers do.

Helen Keller

Collect Moments (not things), Gratitude is my Attitude and more - Sunflower Art

Sunflower Art with some of my favorite quotes and sayings -
 all to inspire a sweeter, more positive, joy-filled life.

 

 Hope your week is sweet!

Love, Steph

Excellent Adventures: London: Kew Botanical Gardens

So jet lag has been the boss of me since we got back from our trip to London and Paris (read about the sweet back story here). Am only now getting back to a regular sleep schedule and being able to put two coherent sentences together.

First of all.... BEST. TRIP. EVER.

It's all a whirlwind, but the amount of beautiful, amazing and spectacular things we saw truly "wowed" us.

One day, we took the "tube" (look at me all British-like) out to Kew Royal Botanical Gardens. At over 326 acres, it's the worlds largest collection of living plants. We walked and walked, and walked some more, and kept discovering some truly remarkable gardens. It was created in 1631 and used to be someone's King George II backyard (for his daughters) before it was later combined with another neighbor's backyard to create the Royal Botanical Gardens.

 Kew Palace - just a little weekend getaway.

Princess of Wales Conservatory - they have rooms set up with different climates to grow rare breeds of plants. Such as....

Palm House with it's spectacular gardens and lake.

This was just one morning of our Excellent Adventures. I love, love, love all the gardens - my head was spinning with all the ideas I could implement in my own (slightly smaller) yard.

Hope you have a colorful week!

Love, Steph

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Excellent Adventures: Woodburn Tulip Festival

Acres and Acres and Acres of Tulips - what a sight!

Isn't it funny how you can live some place, but often never see many of the fun things the area has to offer? Life and schedules so often get in the way. When people come to visit, that's when we see what's around us - when we're showing it to others.

I've decided to try and stay a "perpetual tourist" and always be on the look 

out for new things to do and see and try.

Plus, this way I feel like I'm always on vacation (ha).

 My mom has lived here for 40 years and never made it to the Tulip Festival in Woodburn, so I decided to take her on an Excellent Adventure to the Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm.

Forty acres of stunning beauty backed by Mt Hood. The fields are striped in color with so many types of tulips. I took one picture after another (me and everyone else). Nothing like trying to balance in the middle of a field trying to get the perfect shot. #graceful

 In addition to all the beauty surrounding us, they were lots of vendors, food, games and rides for the kids, as well as their darling gift shop. You can buy fresh flowers or order bulbs to be delivered.  #somanytochoosefrom

Makes me want to plant my whole yard in Tulips.

Hope you can be a "tourist" this week and enjoy your little corner of the world!

Love, Steph

Today is the BEST Day Ever - A Life (and Art Piece) full of Joy

Last year a sweet friend of mine commissioned a piece of art for a friend who was going through some pretty horrible health issues and the future was perilous and unknown.  YET, this man, and his family, had the most wonderful attitude.

Whenever someone asked them, "how are you doing", their reply was always....

Today is the Best Day Ever.

It's easy to be happy when things are going well. Imagine having such a positive attitude, such hope, such a beautiful spirit, that you viewed each day as so special (even when things weren't going well)?

Creating this piece helped remind me of all the joy that is waiting for us, even in the midst of not-so-great circumstances. We get to choose to have that perspective of looking for the good instead of the bad. We get to choose to see the wonder each day, each person, each.....

We all know people who lift us up and are wonderful to be around. 

And we all know people who are the opposite.

What type do we want to be?

Hope today is the Best Day Ever for you!

Love, Steph