Appreciate the little things

After having debilitating migraines for three days and all of the stomach side-effects from taking medicines to try to rid myself of the pain, today I finally have some relief. I walked outside to come home for lunch and the weather is just beautiful.....perfect, in my opinion. I came home and just sat on my patio and took it all in. 80 degrees, a light breeze, low humidity, and just a few light wispy clouds to make it complete. What could possibly be better that? Hmmm.... maybe the fact that I can't hang out on the patio all day. But I am happy for the lunch hour therapy. Fellow Topekans, if you are listening. Take ten minutes right now, and go outside. Spend a few minutes appreciating this moment of God's perfection. I am happy to be enjoying this, and so far, a pain free Wednesday. Cheers to all!

Inspiration under pressure

Did you ever have a time when you were asked to make designs that fit a certain criteria. Well recently, I have been making pendant/earring sets that, for this boutique, must stay at or below a certain price point. Typically, the designs I make fall in a higher price point, because to accomplish the design the way it is meant to be, takes longer and requires more materials.I always say, if you are a true artist, the parameters shouldn't make any difference. One should be able to create in all circumstances. Well, I am finding out that I can design at a lower price point and make pretty things......but I don't want to.That is a selfish notion, I know. But my designs come to life when they can run free. No fences, no stop signs. The truth is, to be a successful artist, one must be willing to work in non-ideal circumstances. Once I get used to the boundaries of size and price, I am sure there will be lots of room for creativity. But right now, I am fighting the battle of...I want to make what I want to make.So while I work on these mid price range sets, I am allowing myself to indulge on some of them. I am letting the designs go fully to the place they are heading. Those designs can be sold at a gallery or show. I am finding by allowing myself this freedom, when I know a piece isn't "finished", is actually helping me to have fresher ideas for the other work. It is all about respecting my process, and being able to meld that with a setof requirements. The two pieces here are pendants I allowed to go to their full potential. These will likely go to a gallery.

Screen Sculptor, Vicki Vespestad

I met Vicki a couple years ago when we were both vendors at the Bizarre Bazaar. I was immediately taken by the beauty of these screen botanicals. They are created with industrial window screen and formed by folds and pleats, containing the most natural curves and nuances. They have a skeletal quality to them as if to be X-rays of real plant life. Vicki lives in the Kansas City area and creates her sculpture from her home studio. I purchased this leaf for my mother for Mother's Day. (No worries, she doesn't read my blog.) I enjoyed photographing this for it's architectural qualities that can easily look completely abstract. I have enjoyed seeing Vicki at various art fairs around Kansas. She is delightful in person as she looks in this picture.Orbit Originals By Vicki Vespestad Available at: Kemper Museum Shop 4420 Warwick Boulevard Kansas City, MO 64111 // Phoenix Gallery 919 Massachusetts St. Lawrence, KS 66044 // Gifted Hands Gallery Crown Center 2450 Grand Boulevard Kansas City, MO 64108

Coffee Goodness!!!!!

Oh sweet Jesus! If you haven't tried these yet, you MUST! I bought my first box of six today just to see if they were any good or not. Let me put it this way...on the first bite my eyes rolled back in my head as I took in the total yummy goodness! They nailed the flavor of a cafe mocha perfectly, and the texture and quality of the chocolate on the bottom is superb. The granola bar is soft and just enough salty. This bar can fool you into thinking you have had a real coffee and whole grain muffin. It is a very rewarding breakfast bar experience. YUMMMMMY! Try them! For more information about Caribou Coffee and all of their yummy products, you may visit their website at Caribou Coffee

Eye candy at Gage Park!

Not much more to be said here. This is eye candy! I took these photos between 7pm and 8pm last night at Gage Park, here in Topeka, KS. It was just a carpet of color. Major kudos for all the folks who did the plantings and care for these gardens. This is truly spectacular!

Beautiful spring in Topeka

It seems lately that disaster is happening to people I care about all around me, and those people seem to be experiencing the same thing. Just when I don't think I can take anymore heartbreak, something awful happens to another person I love. I have had a heavy heart today with so many people I am thinking about. I decided that I would take my camera to Gage Park after work and try to capture some peace and beauty. I was not disappointed. The tulips and pansies were beautiful, and there was a light breeze on the pond. There were two Canadian geese gliding along on the water and frolicking about in the grass looking for food. It was good medicine to replenish my spirit. I took 128 photos. They all came out beautiful. Here are a handful of them.

Kansas weather

That's what we say to other Kansas when talking about our weather, "It was 87 on March 1st and we had big white fluffy snowflakes on April second. This crazy weather is going to cause the blossoms to fall off the trees." "That's Kansas weather". We can't really help but be interested in the weather here, because it seems the weather is interested in us. We are smack in the middle of "Tornado Alley", yet I have never seen a twister touch down with my own eyes. I like to take pictures from the back side of sever storms. I hope someday to photograph a twister, but not near a city mind you. No one would wish for that. Here are some pictures from the west side of the big thunderstorm that swept through our area yesterday. I had just come from a trunk show and showing off my jewelry, so I ended up shooting these pictures in a pink dress and heels. Yep, I climbed down and up a muddy ditch and stode through tall field grass to get to a place where th pictures wouldn't be riddled with power lines and cars or buildings. Gotta do what I gotta do! These were all taken between 6:30 and 7:40 PM from the same location, a corner of some rural property on very south Gage Blvd. here in Topeka