Presenting Melanie Rollins...

     Hi You Guys!!! LOL!  Thank-you so much for tuning into my introductory PODCAST.  I'm so happy to hear that you are looking forward to hearing more.  As promised, I have a special interview all ready for you! Please know that I am working on trying to get it up and running on a channel that allows you to download it yourself or listen from your IPAD. Thank-you so much for your patience as I continue to learn and tweak my podcasting skills.  I promise I will get there soon! :)

On another note I wanted to tell you that I am having a 

ONE DAY SALE tomorrow!!!  

Everything in the shop will be 40% OFF!!! 

Be sure to check it out.  Sale ends midnight Eastern Standard Time. 

I'm making some room...

Use this CODE to SAVE:  

SAVE40

Also, I have so many wonderful things cooking right now

that I will be sharing in the days to come!

  I think I have officially kicked the winter blues to the curb!  

Yee HAW!

Melanie Rollins
Photographer, Cinematographer, Artist.

Here are the links to Melanie Rollins. 

She is one of those authentic people you just love to be around.

Her creative journey continues to inspire me.  

  I hope you enjoy the interview... 

You can find her NOVA FILMS website here,   
and her facebook group page here. 
Also, check out her Photography group page here.

  This one is about 20 minutes!

 Happy listening! xo

My First PODCAST!

MY VERY FIRST & SUPER SHORT PODCAST!!!

FINALLY!

Grey on Grey...

I have been deep in nostalgia for the last week. Owen turned 9 on Saturday and I`ve been trying not to let the heart strings bring me down but it has been challenging. I have been looking through photo albums and scrapbooks along with tapes from the time I was pregnant right through to his first birthday. This birthday has hit me HARD.  Maybe it`s because he`s already such a little man.  Maybe it`s because time is going faster and faster...  Maybe it`s because I only have the one...  Whatever it is, it has had me going deep inside my heart.

 

So, with the birthday and the party and the snow days...(OMG, we have our third one today in less then two weeks), along with basketball and him joining a second team (a traveling basketball team)...I have been pulling serious extra Mama duties around here...

However, I did manage to get a few large paintings almost completed last week.  

I wanted to share this one with you that I plan to finish today.  I do like her already. 

 There is still no horizon line in my part of the world...

grey on grey with a touch of grey. 

I`m holding on and counting down until ARTFEST in late March!

Thank-you all for sending me virtual sunshine and blue skies

with a side of kind words and warm hearts.  

It means so much to me.  

With LOVE,

(PS.  The sun better damn well come out tomorrow ;) )

The Winter Blues...

 

Untitled-Painted by me

         How are you all doing?  The weather out here is enough to make me go cookoo... We had 20 cm of snow fall last night and we're expecting another 15-20 cm of snow and I'm already at my limit...  I admit it, I'm struggling with the winter blues...How I long for green trees and blue skies...  The only good part about such terrible weather is that you don't feel like you are missing ANYTHING when you are working during the day (and night).

I wanted to share my latest painting that is almost complete.  She is part of the body of work I am calling Unearthing: a 21st Century Inner Exploration.  The same collection of paintings that is helping me uncover and express my connection to my Metis roots.  Do you like her?

I've been writing... and I think I might have written my best story so far.  It feels AMAZING to have this one in my pocket.  I have so much to tell you about my writing but I will save it for another post.  I just wanted to let you know that I'm finally doing it.  Again. Still. But better.

Also, I wanted to share this kind hearted loving post here.  I was so touched by this.  Thank-you Stefanie Lyn.  And finally... there are two NEW art quilts in the shop and an original painting that was featured in SEW Somerset and Somerset Studio Gallery! Come and check them out!

Thank-you kind people for sharing the happy days and the snowy grey days with me. 

Having this place to consistently share my art, my heart and my words

is saving me form the depths of my winter despair.  I am so grateful.

Overcome With Gratitude

Sometimes kindness can take your breath away!

That's what happened when I opened this box.

I gasped. Aloud.

I started to cry.

I couldn't believe my eyes.

My heart cracked open with so much warmth...

and a hint of..."do I really deserve this?"

I felt LOVED.

I felt OVERwhelmed.

I felt OVERCOME with gratitude.

The AMAZING beautiful soul who gifted this to me

was my roommate at the Be Present Retreat.

Being in her presence is like being with Zen itself. 

She could calm the mightiest of winds.

She walks around this planet with a quiet strength that humbles me.

When I went to this retreat I was the only one with a point and shoot camera,

no big girl camera here...

As some of you have read, I was awakened there...

in those woods holding a camera in my hands.

Valerie saw this.

  She is one of those wise women who observe others with a tender and open heart.  

 Valerie Tookes

Dearest and kindest soul,

you have given me a gift that I will forever treasure.

One that will help me grow.

One that will help me learn.

And one that I will pass on.

(When you upgraded your camera,

you upgraded my heart).

You make me want to be a better human.

I love you and thank-YOU.

xo

And if that wasn't enough... 

She also included this Spectra Polaroid camera

that I was introduced to at the retreat.

My goal this year is to make someone feel 

THIS GOOD.

My goal is to pass on this generous act of kindness... 
and crack someone's heart with love.

My WORD for 2012

  

"Keep your eyes on the stars 

and your feet on the ground."

Theodore Roosevelt

distinct*dedication *discipline*clarity*definite

This is the ONLY word that makes sense for me this year...

 It is a word that has nudged its way into my being.

Those who know me well-know that I couldn't work any harder if I tried... 

I admit it, 

I'm a TYPE A-workaholic-recluse...

However...

I lack...focus.

I want to do everything...all at once.

I'm impatient...most of the time 

ALL THE TIME!

 I like instant gratification...

I lose interest in things that take too long...

I want and need results like yesterday....

SO

This is why I have chosen 

FOCUS

as my word for 2012.

 I want to FOCUS on 

PRIORITIZING 

my time to work on

my projects and dreams... 

Because

I KNOW what I want. 

This year, I'm going to work my butt off

to achieve my goals with a clear direction and  

 FOCUS

and concentrate on my  

OWN RACE...

no matter how many amazing opportunities

and possibilities tempt me...

This year I have actually created a schedule

and I will stick to it because that is

the only way I will be able to

accomplish all of my goals.

(I know it is possible because my Hubby teaches me this everyday).

This year I will be dividing my time as follows:

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
AM      Paint 8:30-12:00	AM    Write 8:30-12:00	AM     Paint 8:30-12:00	AM      Write 8:30-12:00	AM     FREE  8:30-12:00
LUNCH	LUNCH	LUNCH	LUNCH	LUNCH
PM      Paint 12:30-2:30	PM    Admin 12:30-2:30	PM   Paint 12:30-2:30	PM     Paint/Admin/Write (free choice) 12:30-2:30	PM   Write  12:30-2:30
*Exercise 2:30-3:30	Computer Time	*Exercise 2:30-3:30	Computer Time	*Exercise 2:30-3:30
Groceries	READ	Coach Basketball	READ	Chill OUT!

 Weekends are for family, friends and whatever else I want and need to do!!! 

Priorities:  

Three SOLO Art shows

 Three Group Art shows

(maybe a fourth)

    Complete the final draft of my 12 short stories.  

Make them REAL.

 Make them tight.  

Make them shine.

AND

SET THEM FREE!

 

"The main thing is keeping the main thing the main thing."

 German Proverb

(I totally LOVE this quote... so simple and SO true!) 

Here's an AWESOME post by Danielle Laporte where she talks about FOCUS and how it hurts so good.

These were my WORDS 

in 

2010

2011

Stay tuned for my next post as I share the most generous

act of kindness I have EVER received!!! 

(And I received it just yesterday)

For REALS!  It's THAT good! xoxo

What is YOUR WORD for 2012?

I would love if if you shared it here.