French la Vie

 

I’m so excited to be a guest here!

I met Corey through blogging when we both

were just starting out blogging back in 2006.

 

 

I, along with several others where invited

to a wonderful BLOGGERS tea party/slumber party

in her hometown in gorgeous Northern California.

My grown children were a little concerned

that I would travel to someone’s home that I had never even met in person.

They called my blogging friends my imaginary friends.

 

 

 

Little did they know that some of my favorite people

are those that I initially met through blogging,

and teaching at my Soulful Painting retreats & workshops

I offer across the country.

I love how women (and, some men) gather to nurture themselves

and others at all kinds of retreats, almost always coming away with lifelong friendships

that may have not otherwise happened.

This is what happened that sweet weekend in California

So, yes, as I mentioned I’m an intuitive artist/painter,

and facilitate others to trust and tap into their creative goodness.

 

 

 

I have a passion for nature, stories, history, layers of a life lived, 

 intrigued with common and out of the ordinary objects 

that translate into a symbolic language

a language that is universal stories layered just beneath the surface.

My simple mission is to express how I see this beautiful world, 

how to learn and grow from my life's lessons, 

and how to take hold of my dreams and make them into real tangible life.

I love the ocean, the color periwinkle, peonies, and blue bell ice cream, 

the laughter of my children and grandchildren, 

a full moon, sunsets, music that makes my soul stir, 

and dancing to that same music. I enjoy teaching workshops 

because it's sharing at its best with like-minded people.  

More than anything is having my family 

being the center of my world they are my greatest inspiration and gifts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My love for vintage lead way to having had a funky antiques store & eatery Mabel Annie’s

where I would also teach at art retreats like Art Unraveled, Art Fest, and Art & Soul.

during five years in our sweet tiny tourist town just north of Kansas City.

Mabel Annie’s was featured in Romantic Homes

that opened up many opportunities to meet people from all over the world.

How thankful I was for the people that would walk through my shop 

it always felt like meant to be encounters.

 

 

 

 

In the first years of married life my husband would ask me,

“So, how did you do today?”

(Meaning sales.)

I would say, ”I’m not sure, but, I met the neatest couple from Topeka,

or maybe something along the lines of

“a fun group of women were in town for a girl's trip and we talked and talked.”

 

 

He’d roll his eyes and think, we’re in trouble.

But, as time went on, he changed his question to,

“So, who did you meet today?”

Perfecto! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’m originally from Texas, but have been here in the Midwest for 26 years.

That’s still hard to believe. We had a beach home on Galveston Island

for several years and that helped a lot during the cold cold Midwest winters.

I’m pretty sure that’s how I’ve survived here for so long.

I worked for Southwest Airlines for ten years

that afforded me to take off on a whim

something I never took for granted.

 

 

 

 

I have five grown children, and we are raising three small grandchildren.

They call themselves my ‘bonus’ kids.

 It's different raising a child on this second time around.

Things that would have not been allowed before, are now, not that big of a deal.

We choose our 'battles' I like that, they like that too, not that they know any different.

I do know my limits, and when I feel like I'm at the end of my rope

Papa comes to the rescue or and vise-versa.

There are many evenings after they fall asleep that my husband and I

just look at one another and say,

"Whew, we did it another day we give ourselves a high five,

hitting the sack much earlier than I would imagine we would if it were just us.

As I write that…it seems such a strange thought. 

Like I said…we are the lucky ones! 

It wasn’t exactly what I had planned for this chapter of my life,

but it’s not a sharp poke in the eye, either.

They bring un-measurable blessings into our lives. 

 

 

 

 

 

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check out her incredible book on Amazon.

And Annie's Etsy account.