Thankful, Grateful, Blessed

"Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance."

-Eckhart Tolle

Happy Thanksgiving, friends.  Enjoy all you are blessed with.

New Goodies in the Etsy Shop! Check it out!

Painted house with hooks  $45

Click HERE to get to the Etsy shop!!

Monster Party this Saturday!

Join us this Saturday for a

MONSTER PARTY and TRUNK SHOW!!!!

Saturday, October 27th, 10-4

Our friends, Todd and Andrea, from Bearmojo will be spending the day with us, showing off and selling their one of a kind plush monster creations! 

We know you already love the pillows and wallets we've been selling in our store, but they are bringing so much more with them on Saturday!  It's time to start tackling that holiday wish list.  Hats, tote bags, blankets, creatures, Christmas decor, and more!  Refreshments and door prizes every hour!

JOIN US!!!

Hello, I'm back!

Howdy friends!  Whew!  It's been a long, long while since I've updated here.  A big thank you to those of you who have been inquiring and encouraging me to continue with the blog!  It's good to be back.  I really have been at a crossroads with the blog, undecided about whether to move forward with it or not.  But I'm going to carry on a little longer and see where this takes me. 

We've been going through a few life changes since I wrote last.  Lovin' Man got a new job, which he is enjoying immensely.  It is out of town, so there is more commute time, and it requires adjustments to schedules/plans/mealtimes/etc.  Here at the Dreaming Bear home, we like our routines  Yes we do.  Right down to the puppies....they count on us to be timely and organized.  

Speaking of the puppies, they are both doing great.....living the life, as puppies should.  As you may recall, Bosco, our chocolate lab was recently added to the family in February, and he easily became one of the gang.  He and Elsie make a fun pair.  He has brought out a confidence in Elsie we hadn't seen before, and she is even more affectionate.  They tease and romp and nibble on each other, bringing us lots of laughs.

My kids are doing awesome too.  They don't like me to blab too much about them here, but one is a senior and one is a freshman this year.  WHERE does the time go?  Eeek.  I am certain I do not know.

As for me, I'm still busy working in my business....painting away in my studio...which I'm on the verge of moving to a smaller space.  Just waiting for the workers to fit us in to their busy schedule.  Feeling quite unsettled in my studio at the moment, with piles of things waiting for their forever home.  It's hard to feel cozy when you know you're going to up and move.  Having a hard time concentrating lately.  Still above my store....just a smaller, more manageable space.  Looking forward to that! 

I'm not doing the number of shows that I used to.  I guess I had reached my limit last fall.  The stress of it all just wasn't worth it to me.  I'm staying focused on my own store front, and design work, and it feels like a most excellent choice for now.

My biggest news on the personal front, is that I have joined a roller derby team!  That's right, I'm a Cedar Rapids Rollergirl!  Tryouts were a few weeks ago, and this past Sunday was our first on skate practice.  This is unlike anything I've ever experienced before, and it's pushing my boundaries on ALL LEVELS.  I love it and hate it....does that make sense?  Actually I love it more.....but you know what I mean?  When you're pushing through something that is really painful, physically...it's damn hard.  But when you make it to the other side, oh so satisfying!!!  It's transforming my body and my spirit daily.....literally.

 I've always been blessed with pretty good health, and a fairly strong body....but boy oh boy....this is something different entirely.  There are times when it's just pure WILL that is getting you through to the other side....that, and the wonderful support of my new family of derby sisters.  When they told me that I would be adopted into a family of sisters, they were right.  During those really hard moments when you think you can't get back up, or you can't do one more sit  up....they are right there, cheering you on, willing you to carry on.  It's amazing.  We new girls are referred to as "Fresh Meat."  Nuff said.

Looking forward to seeing  you again soon in this space.  Thanks for hanging with me as we settle into this new chapter. 

Updating Bedroom to Cloudless

Good Saturday morning to you!  I should be getting ready to start my day, yet here I sit, in my jammies with a cup of tea. I've got a mild headache and a crick in my neck today. Last night, Lovin' Man and I each slept on a couch downstairs, with the doggies at our feet, because we are finally getting around to working on our bedroom!  We pulled up the carpet last night to expose the impefect, yet still very charming hardwood floors underneath.  (I LOVE hardwood floors)  Today, Lovin' Man will be putting some trim down and prepping the walls for this:

Cloudless is its name.  You likey?  Someone asked me once what color I thought the word "bliss" was, and by golly, this is my answer.  So, I'm going to be slapping it on the walls this weekend!  I can't wait!  Wishing I hadn't put it off so long....but you know....we tend to fix up the rooms that everyone else sees first, and save our own personal spaces for last, darn it. 

Well, I should get going.  Uptown Marion Farmer's Market this morning, and we are having a sidewalk sale at the Bear today too!  Here are some links to things I think are great:

Teeny tiny travel trailers!  They make my head spin!
Feathers in quilting.  I want that skirt!
These beach ball cake balls are too cute!
Mimi's tattooed men make me swoon!  Wish I could attend Renegade Craft Fair!
Met this author earlier this week.  Delightful!

Have a great weekend everyone!!!

Jenny's New Mirror

Here is my sweet, glowing friend Jenny with her newly painted Dreaming Bear mirror!  Isn't she cute?

My Painted Stairs

Hello there, and happy July to you!  We are reaching the end of what seems like a very long hot spell here in the heartland....and we are thrilled to see it go!  Cool breezes are blowing in this evening, and tomorrow's temp is only supposed to get into the mid eighties.  Yippee!

Here's a little peek at my finished staircase at the house. 

They kind of give me an itty bitty thrill.  Hope you are having a good weekend so far!



The Pot That Saved Me (well, maybe not quite that dramatic, but close)

Do you ever have those days?  One of those really bad days?  One where you wonder, "what's the point of it all?"  Like.....seriously.....is there even a point to what I am doing right here, right now, sloshing this paint around, rearranging and wiping down shelves.....etc.  I was in a bad mood the other day....nothing seemed to be going right, and it felt like a rather pointless day.  Yes, even the "happy dreaming bear lady" feels like that sometimes! 

Then, enters a painted pot that changed my outlook in the blink of an eye!!!!
Mackenzie, from the Prairiewoods Transition Center, and her baby boy, Vinnie (is that a kick ass name for a baby or what?!) delivered this pot last week.

This magnificent, fabulous, miraculous pot!!!

It was painted by my Art Rocks kids as a thank you for the art making time we had together in the studio!

Each student painted a little Dreaming Bear on the pot. 

Amazing!  And they are thanking me?  It really is the other way around.....and this fine piece of art was a good reminder for me that day.  These kids bring so much joy to my life and my heart.  They have no idea what a positive impact they have been in my life.  And what GREAT ENERGY they bring to my studio!  Woweee!  The place just vibrates when they are in there!  I'm so happy to have the opportunity to work with them again in the fall.  These guys/gals can do BIG things people!!!!

THANK YOU to them for reminding me that no matter the size of the gesture, what you do really counts.  There is a point.....one heart can touch many hearts....and so on and so forth.  Every thought, movement, and expression has a purpose...and can be part of something really big and good.

Thankful, grateful me.

Time with Katie!

What a fun afternoon!  I had the pleasure of spending it with my sweet niece, Katie, in the studio! 

We had some lunch, cupcakes for dessert, and then some valuable, irreplaceable creative time.

She is such a good egg.  So happy to know this sweet soul.

Happy Friday, everyone!!!

A List of Things to Give Up

The universe always sends us what we need.  This list of things to give up is so very wise.  Enjoy.

Quote on Awakening

Found this quote the other day....and loved it.  Enjoy!

"Once the soul awakens, the search begins and you can never go back. From then on, you are inflamed with a special longing that will never again let you linger in the lowlands of complacency and partial fulfillment. The eternal makes you urgent. You are loath to let compromise or the threat of danger hold you back from striving toward the summit of fulfillment.”

                                   ― John O'Donohue, Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom



Recently Reading....

Hi again!  I forgot to mention in my last post that while on vacation, I indulged in a little reading as well.  Three out of the four places we stayed in did NOT have TVs in them, and that was perfectly fine with us.  It made me shamefully aware of how often I absentmindedly turn the TV on for no good reason, clicking through all of the channels.....just for the noise.  And let's face it, there is very little GOOD TV out there.  Lack of TV on our trip really helped me to "settle."  It's good stuff, settling.

First I read "Little Bee" by Chris Cleave.  Absolutely wonderful!!  I found myself going back to certain passages and reading them again, because it was so beautifully done. 

Lovin' Man and I both read this one.....it's fascinating!  I believe Jon Ronson, the author, is also the author of "Men Who Stare at Goats."  Smart, witty, sometimes scary....but very interesting.

I've been finding myself in a bit of a creative "lull" lately, so I'm trying to stretch myself by looking into different concepts/exercises/etc to get the juices flowing again.  This is a fun, encouraging book....I have seem some grumbling here and there online about it, that it's sending the wrong message, but so far, I don't agree....it's about finding things...anything...that inspires you, and turning into something that is authentically you. 

Well, I've got some bookmarks that need inspiring messages, and some little fabric owls are calling my name to be stitched up....so I'm off!  Hope you are having a sunny day!



Getting Back Into the Routine....Maybe....

Oh this poor, neglected bloggity blog!  Hello friends!  I'm finally getting the "oomph" to get back on track with everything....sort of.  My hubby and I returned a couple of weeks ago from an amazing belated honeymoon, and right before we left, was the marion arts festival, the busiest day of the year for our store!  We had such a great time!  I was very good about taking photos with my phone, here are some of them.....

We flew into Portland, and headed north into Washington state, and stayed on Lake Quinault for a couple of days.  We hiked the Olympic National Rain Forest, and it was the most amazing place I've been! 

Very lush, and green, with moss growing everywhere.  And we were cursing Columbia, makers of our so-called "waterproof" jackets.  Whatevs.

This is the gorgeous Lake Quinault Lodge.

This is Lake Quinault.  LOVELY.

We drove south to Cannon Beach, OR and stayed a night...right on the ocean!

A dream come true for this flatlander!  I put my toes in the Pacific for the first time, officially.

(not bare toes....no, no....too cold for that!)

Then we drove back to Portland, where we stayed a few days.....our landing spot was the Kennedy School....an old school that has been renovated into THE coolest hotel EVER.  Stay there if you ever get a chance.  Above, is a picture of us enjoying artisan ice cream at Salt and Straw.  To die for...can you see we are happy??? 

Portland is a city you can feel comfortable wearing stripey knee socks!!  And I did!

The Japanese Gardens were heavenly....like a different world.

Our final evening was spent on the Columbia River Gorge with this breathtaking view.

This waterfall was right outside our hotel.

We absolutely, thoroughly enjoyed everything on this trip. 

Perhaps subconciously,  perhaps not, we intended to devour every morsel of this experience.

We ate lots of good food, met many kind people, saw nature's wonders all around us,

heard the ocean as we slept, and we laughed a lot.  A lot.  We napped when we wanted to, and we read a couple of books.  I feel so lucky to share it with my guy.

Things have been kind of funky since I've been back....I've really struggled to get back into the groove again.  It's true when they say that travelling changes you....it really does.  Looking back over the photos makes me relive all those memories/feelings/experiences all over again.  You are not the same person as you were before the trip....you are richer after them.  Grateful and happy.

Friday Ramblings

Wow!  Here we are, around the corner from Mother's Day, already!  The time does fly!  I'm working from home today, as my Little Man sprained his wrist rather badly.  He has been resting on the couch with an ice pack and some pain meds.  Not fun....but at least it's not broken!  Thank goodness!

 It's a GORGEOUS day out there.  Perfectly gorgeous.  It has me wishing I owned a large easel so I could paint outside on the patio!  We might take the doggies to the park later on, and let them run some of their energy off.  Until then, I'm working away on multiple projects....lots of canvases and furniture pieces, as the Marion Arts Festival is next weekend!  The biggest day of the year for us in downtown Marion....we will be busy, and I want to be ready for it!  Wish me luck!

Collage Faces!

I'm getting more and more confident with faces....painting them, drawing them, piecing them together with collage papers.  Ever since the postcard swap, I've been addicted to making these funny faces.  The girls at the store helped me build my stash of painted papers.  In between projects, they painted up some random prints for me, and I've really got quite the collection now.

The first one is my favorite so far............

Thanks for taking a peek!  Have a great weekend!!!

More Creations from Art Rocks!

Hey there!  I wish I had met these joyful souls much earlier in the year!  Unfortunately, their school year will be wrapping up, so I won't see them again for a while.....but boy, did we have fun this time!  We painted on oblong canvases. 

I think they liked it!
Check out the textures!

And the sunshine......

Brandon painted an elephant......

a smiling elephant.....

and a volcano spouting fire and lava.......

Kendra did some lettering.......awesome!

Happy, happy canvases all around!

A big thanks to my Art Rocks peeps for a fabulous time, hope to see you again soon!!!