New Treasures

As anyone pursuing a creative path knows, there are many twists and turns in the journey. With nothing more than a gut hunch and a heap of faith as our guide, the heart pulls us in directions unknown, unfamiliar, and often unexpected. There are times along the way when not knowing is scary, when not knowing makes us yearn for the safety of specifics and guarantees. At those times we want to know what the end results look like BEFORE we leap. We want assurances that our choices are right. But the creative process doesn't always work that way. It requires faith in the unknown and, most importantly, faith in ourselves. It demands a willingness to let go of our expectations of how things "should" be and to trust in what lies ahead, despite our inability to see around the very next corner.

And why all this talk of faith and crazy twists and turns? Because my heart has been tugging and nudging, again, or for a while, and it's time I share with all of you the "what" of my creative pull. I'm not one for grand entrances, bright lights, or massive billboards. By nature I prefer quiet introductions, soft lights, and background stuff. However, what I've been doing over the last few months IS visual and does require an unveiling of sorts. Plus, I'm excited. Pure and simple. My "stuff", my leap of faith, roll up my sleeves, get in the studio and create stuff is also my business. The end result of all this heart tugging is my very own vintage-inspired gift line. So, it is with great pride that I offer to you a sampling of Mixing Whimsy's gift line. I hope you enjoy my creations as much as I have enjoyed making them. There are a few more pieces of the "collection" still in the works but this is a good representation to start. And let's be honest, if I waited until everything was finished before I officially launched the line, I'd be in a perpetual state of waiting. At some point, I just have to take the leap! I invite you to drop by the store and take a peak at Tinsel and Treasures to see what little gems await. Enjoy!

Embellished vintage glass bottles

Jewel encrusted starfish

Matchbox covered in vintage sheet music and buttons

Clothespin magnets covered in nautical charts and shells

Coasters covered in nautical charts

Beach Girl at Heart

I'm back from vacation but not quite back in my body - certainly not after sorting through these photos. I'm a beach girl at heart and at my happiest when I can throw on a pair of flip flops and head on out to the beach. I love these annual trips to the coast. It's a tradition that's been in my family since my Mother was a young girl and now I get to pass it on to my own children. The only negative? Ten days feels more like ten minutes and all too soon flip flops will be replaced by boots. As I sit on the beach watching the sunrise for the last time before heading home, I am accutely aware of the discrepancy between where I am and where I want to be. It's not that I don't appreciate the place I call home. Northern California wine country is world famous for good reason. It is absolutely stunning here. But, and for me this is a big but, it is not warm and balmy beach. It is not year-round flip flop weather and, like I said, that is when I am at my happiest. In a week or two I'll be back in my body and back in the groove of my life (a really, really good life) In the meantime, while I wait for reality and fantasy to land somewhere in the middle, I share with you the place and people that make my life a really, really good one!