Kelly Rae Roberts's Blog, page 19

Celebrating our bird houses + bird feeders!

Each week, I shine a spotlight on a few creations that I'm particularly proud of.  May you be inspired - and perhaps find a little something to nourish your soul.  Click here to see all the posts in this series. 

Hanging Bird Houses: 

These are a part of the NEW Garden Line and my very favorite of all the bird houses. Made of wood with a rustic finish and a sweet tin roof. They make beautiful gifts too! The aqua - sigh.

This one reads, Embrace change, let your heart bloom. It's available for purchase online here.

This one reads, "Embrace the seasons of life (trust)", which I'm thinking is something birdies do so well! You can find it here.
Pedestal Bird Houses:

Metal flower details and a textured metal roof all on a sturdy wooden pedestal. These are perfect for your porch or in the garden! Friends, I love these so much, I want to fill my entire back porch with them. 

Love the patchwork and butterfly on this one! Get yours here. 

The roof on this one reads "Embrace change, let your heart bloom" and the little metal flower reads, "Discover Beauty." Perfect in the garden or porch.This one is available for purchase here. 

Hanging Bird Feeders:


These are so sweet in person - another great gift. I'm loving the wood mixed with art.  Three sentiments to choose from: 
Garden of Dreams, Hope and LoveLove Blooms HereA place to grow dreams and plant wishes
Tin Bird Houses:

A totally different design, these are totally adorbs, too - love how they look like party hats! This one is called Soar + it's available right over here. 

Shine is available online for purchase here.


Thanks, friends. Our mission is to continue to create products that blend creativity with meaning, beauty with function. I so love what I do.
Warmly,
Kelly Rae
PS: The products featured above (and more) are sold online via Garden Gallery (a local shop here in the Portland area), but if you're looking for signed/matted prints and/or originals, you can get these in my online shop.  International customers, Garden Gallery is HAPPY to ship worldwide. Please email them at gardengalleryorders@gmail.com to get started. 

Meet our new tablet + reader covers!

Each week, I shine a spotlight on a few creations that I'm particularly proud of.  May you be inspired - and perhaps find a little something to nourish your soul.  Click here to see all the posts in this series. 

Celebrating our NEW Tablet + Reader Covers!

Friends, I am so excited to introduce our new tablet + reader covers to you! You've been asking for them, and I so love when the collective voice turns into beautiful, functional products!
Let me show them all to you! 


I wanted to create a cover that read "Hello Inspiration" because, well, that's what we're doing (hopefully) when we're soaking in new books, new sites, new visuals - anything to inspire us (because it doesn't always have to be work)! Love how this one turned out.  You can get yours here. 

I love this one for healers, teachers, guides, mentors, and for those of us who KNOW that our journeys are rich with meaning. Available here. 

Now I can actually remember where I left my iPad! I love this cover - again, as a reminder that these devices can help lead to creative inspiration! Creative Soul tablet cover right here.  

This is one is my favorite images from my line. I still adore the pillow and love how it turned out on the tablet cover. Get yours here. And yep, it fits iPads! 
There you go! Hope you guys love these as much as I do!



Thanks, friends. Our mission is to continue to create products that blend creativity with meaning, beauty with function. I so love what I do.
Warmly,
Kelly Rae
PS: The products featured above (and more) are sold online via Garden Gallery (a local shop here in the Portland area), but if you're looking for signed/matted prints and/or originals, you can get these in my online shop.  International customers, Garden Gallery is HAPPY to ship worldwide. Please email them at gardengalleryorders@gmail.com to get started. 

The Wear Your Joy Project Continues!

One day I started to get more intentional about what I was wearing, choosing only to wear clothes that delighted my spirit and lit me up. And then I invited others to join me, using #thewearyourjoyproject as the hashtag over on Instagram. 
This project has reminded how nothing in this life is superficial - but rather when our hearts speak, we gotta listen. We just never know where it will take us. In this case, it's taken me to something bigger - it's not about boots or pairing together perfect outfits. It's about wearing our joy.
Click here to read the full story of how this project came to be. Click here to see/read all the blog posts in this series. Click here if you want to follow along in Instagram (use #thewearyourjoyproject to join in!)





I'm reminded how nothing in this life is superficial - but rather when our hearts speak, we gotta listen. We just never know where it will take us. In this case, it's taken me to something bigger - it's not about boots or pairing together perfect outfits. It's about wearing our joy. - See more at: http://kellyraeroberts.blogspot.com/2...







It's been so long since I posted some photos from #thewearyourjoyproject. I thought I'd post a few and get a little caught up! This project really has become a practice for me and I'm so incredibly grateful for the surprising gifts it's given to me - mainly the remembrance of who I am and the permission to be who I am! My morning routine has a bit more fun, a bit more consciousness, a bit more DARING! 
I'm going to try and make these posts a bit more consistent and include some links to a few of my favorite staples, but for now, I just wanted to get caught up on some photos and invite you to play along! 
Wanna join in? Feel free to join in with me over on Insta (use #thewearyourjoyproject to join in!) or Facebook or your blogs or just in private.

Feel free to join in with me over on Insta or Facebook or your blogs or just in private. I hope you'll learn what I'm relearning: Style isn’t superficial. It’s the call of your heart, made visible — and wearable.- See more at: http://kellyraeroberts.blogspot.com/s... hope you'll learn what I'm relearning: Style isn’t superficial. It’s the call of your heart, made visible — and wearable.

XO,
Kelly Rae

how a conversation with True changed everything

I'm in the midst of a HUGE family photo project. It basically means going through every photo that is on my computer, starting way back to 2006, sorting them, editing many, and having them printed in albums. It's one of those projects that has been on my mind and on my to-do list for approximately seven years. Yikes.

Part of the beauty of doing it now, all this time later, is that I'm choosing to print photos that I'm certain I would not have chosen if I was consistently keeping up with the albums. It's the after glow effect. And as I've been going back and looking, I've found myself totally in awe with who we were in some of these photos, some of them just two years ago.

We have grown up so much in seven years! Not to mention we had a baby who has grown, too.

While we were in Hawaii, looking through photos of True from just a year ago, it occurred to us that our baby isn't an actual baby anymore. No diapers. No bed rails. No everyday strollers. No interrupted sleep, and on and on.


It happened so fast. And now? He's a boy. With a voice. A vision. A personality. Words. Conversations. It's totally crazy. In some ways, I long for the baby days, but in others, I don't. I'm just so glad we captured it all with photos, videos, storytelling, and journaling. And that we were there. Fully present, in awe, in love, in struggle, in all of it as we grew up a family.

It all makes me think of those tender first two, two and half years. My heart was in a constant state of expansion while being incredibly conscious of every move, every feeling, every decision. The letting go. The fiercely holding on. The birth trauma fall out. The intention to try and capture every amazing detail, knowing it would slip by soon. The intention to also try and allow myself to feel the sometimes heaviness of it, knowing it too would slip by soon. All the conversations and choices we were making as we laid the groundwork with how we would talk to True, how we would parent him, how we would teach him, how we would allow him to teach us. They were, perhaps, the most important years of our life. We were building and constructing and learning how to navigate a totally new, crazy kind of love.

And now, here we are with a 3.5 year old boy who blows our minds, daily.

The other day it went down like this:

True: Mama, what is joy?
Me: Hmmm, what do you think it could be?
True, very matter of factly: I don't know.
Me: Hmmm, what does it feel like?
True (after a long thinking pause): Oh I know what joy is! It's loooovvveee.
Me: Yes, it's definitely a part of love, kind of like an expression of it.
True: And love is hugs and kisses.
True (walking over toward me): I'm going to give you some joy out of my heart.

He then gives me lots of hugs and kisses (man, kids are the best). Then, he walks back over to his seat.

True: I gave you all the joy in my heart and now it's empty.


We then had an entire conversation about how giving and receiving works, how we have to be sure to fill our hearts, our joy tanks, with lots of love and joy so that when it comes time to give it to others, we don't deplete our supply.

We talked about how to fill up your joy tank. For him, it was getting lots of hugs and kisses from friends and family, telling stories, playing music, playing with the big kids, and watching Frozen and Doc McStuffins. It was awesome. Who knows if he really got it, but I love that we're having these kinds of conversations. It makes my heart totally explode.


Later, it made me consider all the ways that I do or don't fill up my own joy tank, but more specifically, how I give and receive from it. When is my joy tank empty? How does it get filled? The whole thing led me to a big aha: I'm very good at filling up my joy tank with things that I know will replenish me (alone time, inspiration, art dates, creativity, etc.) but I am not filling up my tank by consciously receiving what others are giving me from their joy tanks.

Ever independent and self-sufficient, I'm too busy creating and maintaining and managing how I must take care of my joy tank, how I must be sure to make time to fill it - all without considering that I alone don't have to fill it. It seems obvious that it can be filled by others but what has been missing is my being conscious of receiving their joy. It doesn't make it into the joy tank unless that happens. Consciousness.  Of course I receive the love extended my way, daily. But my spiritual awakening experience taught me that I wasn't fully allowing myself to receive it on a deeper level, on an intrinsic I am worthy and valuable level. And this is part of my joy work - being conscious of receiving and allowing it all to go directly into my joy tank.

I don't have to be the only one filling my well. There is an endless source. Of love. And joy.

Meet our new Note Card Sets!

Each week, I shine a spotlight on a few creations that I'm particularly proud of.  May you be inspired - and perhaps find a little something to nourish your soul.  Click here to see all the posts in this series. 

Celebrating our NEW Note Card Sets!

Friends, we've added 4 new note cards to my line of stationery, and I adore them! Allow me to introduce them to you:

All the notecards are blank inside you you can use them for anything + everything! Just $10 for 12 cards (and 13 envelopes - don't you love a world that believes in a do over envelope)! Also, can we talk about the boxes? They artful + beautiful, which make these notecard sets perfect for gifts.  

Yes to Growing note cards here.

The It's Going to Be Okay manifesto cards here.

Hello Faith Hello Courage note cards are right over here.

It's a Joy FULL Life manifesto cards here.
See our full line of note cards here.
Thanks everyone!


Our mission is to continue to create products that blend creativity with meaning, beauty with function. I so love what I do.
Warmly,
Kelly Rae
PS: The products featured above (and more) are sold online via Garden Gallery (a local shop here in the Portland area), but if you're looking for signed/matted prints and/or originals, you can get these in my online shop.  International customers, Garden Gallery is HAPPY to ship worldwide. Please email them at gardengalleryorders@gmail.com to get started. 

a joy-filled spiritual awakening

(founds some more heart rocks to add to my collection)
Sometimes it all lines up and I am in awe of how we actually get what we ask for.

Something remarkable, perhaps the most remarkable spiritual awakening I've ever experienced, happened about three hours after hitting publish on my last blog post - the one that ended with this sentence:

I'm getting that the grace that is showing up for me, during this remarkable season of my life, is trying to teach me to receive, to let it rush in. My heart is definitely cracked open to it. And now I want it to break open.


(New art. Signed/matted prints available here)
I have always been a seeker. I consider myself to be open, non-judgmental, accepting of all spiritual perspectives and experiences. I believe in God/Source/Good/Light and I've seen and felt its love and presence all around me as I've moved through my life, especially the last eight years or so. But never have I had an experience as the one I had a couple of weeks ago after writing that blog post. It was a moment in time where my willingness was aligned with a sacred experience. Some would call it totally woo woo and out there while others would simply nod their head in complete knowing like it was par for the seeker's course. Either way, my heart burst open. Surprisingly. Unexpectedly.  And I feel fundamentally changed.  

I felt both the enormity and the specificity of how deeply I am loved, how deeply I am seen, how firmly and tenderly I am held. The enormity of this specific message was unrelenting, unstoppable, and more powerful than me. I had no choice but to let go, break open to to the enormous rush, and receive it all in full feeling, weeping and true with nothing but absolute gratitude and acceptance of the highest of highs. Remarkable experience. All that receiving allowed me to feel the light and the magnificence of my spirit, totally overcome by how precious I am, how we all are. I felt and saw my essence. She is feisty, funny, light, happy, dancy, a joyous seeker. It was as if a veil had been lifted. I was also called to see how, for me, in this very moment of my life, Joy is my most potent teacher, my mother, my father, my guide, my BFF, my muse. The song, "I got the joy joy joy joy down in my heart" came to me, over and over and over again. A message. A gift. 

Friends, I know I *must* sound cray cray right about now. But what I've always known is true. We are exquisite spiritual beings having a remarkable human experience. And we are indeed "all just walking each other home" as Ram Dass says. 

For as long as I live, I am deeply honored, grateful to have had this awakening. Not only did I get to see and feel my intrinsic value, but I also got that I'm meant to live in joy. I was born for it. I'm supposed to go in its direction. I'm supposed to allow myself to have it. I'm supposed to unlearn everything that I've ever been taught that doesn't allow my specific brand of joy to shine. I'm supposed to ignite it. Spread it. Radiate it. Nurture it. Be its student and steward. 


(New art. Signed/matted prints available here)
Like fitting together the puzzle, I can see now how and why I've been drawn to it.

No wonder I started The Wear Your Joy Project. No wonder I seem to attract the most joyous people on the planet. No wonder I am married to someone who is stalked by hummingbirds. No wonder I am a Possibilitarian at heart. No wonder I finally chose to be a mother. No wonder I'm called to its vibration. All of it, my teachers. 

When I take stock of where I'm at and where I want to go, it really does come down to joy. For everything that has been Good and True in my life, it first started with a call to joy. And now I see and feel and know that joy is part of my very essence while at the same time being my most significant guide. 

In this way, I suppose, Joy is leading me home. To my heart. To all that I know to be true. 

Our NEW Art Blocks!

Each week, I shine a spotlight on a few creations that I'm particularly proud of.  May you be inspired - and perhaps find a little something to nourish your soul.  Click here to see all the posts in this series. 

Celebrating our NEW Art Blocks !
When I first saw the samples of these shaped wood art blocks my heart skipped a beat. I've been bursting to share them with you and they are finally here! Come see......

We think these new wooden sculpts make a thoughtful addition to any desk, bookshelf or hang them on the wall! This "Love" one is a nice sized piece at 18 inches wide and 7 inches tall! Get some BIG love here. 

Friends, this little birdie sits on my desk. Swoon, swoon, swoon. The wooden sides on these pieces are what make them so special - super beautiful thick wooden sides that make them great decor pieces or gifts, too. Get yours here. 

You're beautifully messy complicated story matters (tell it)! Get your reminder here (it's one of my favorites). 

This heart shaped one is adorbs. Love how it rests on its side. Available for purchase online here. 

And perhaps my favorite of them all.....winged true love! Get yours here.

A dragonfly with a joyful message. Man, I love these. Get yours here.

This beauty is stunning. Love, love, love. Get yours here.
There you have it! A round up of our new wooden piece. I'm counting these as my top five things we've ever made! Hope you love them! 


Thanks, friends. Our mission is to continue to create products that blend creativity with meaning, beauty with function. I so love what I do.
Warmly,
Kelly Rae
PS: The products featured above (and more) are sold online via Garden Gallery (a local shop here in the Portland area), but if you're looking for signed/matted prints and/or originals, you can get these in my online shop.  International customers, Garden Gallery is HAPPY to ship worldwide. Please email them at gardengalleryorders@gmail.com to get started. 

some thoughts on family, grace, and awakening

Something has definitely shifted the last week or so. After several weeks in the under belly of transition, moving, being overwhelmed, and generally in a rut, the veil seems to have lifted and grace and ease are my companions again. I'm learning the lesson of endurance when it comes to doing hard things, sometimes on top of other hard things. And I'm also learning more about the grace of perspective.


A couple of weeks ago, we had a scary incident where True was sent to the children's hospital via ambulance from his concerned pediatrician's office.  What started out as his first ear infection turned into respiratory distress, and pneumonia. My little family became ever so singular, ever so precious in those ways that things do when they become threatened. In the end, True was amazing through it all and is still talking about the "amazing" ambulance ride. John was amazing through it all, too. Our little family was amazing through. it. all. And I received a few gifts from the entire experience, including not the least of which, is that I just feel closer to them when I didn't think that was even possible.

Like every other family, as the story of our family unfolds, I'm certain we'll have those significant moments in the path when we're given the opportunity to rise up to whatever is meeting us. This was our first scary experience, and we rose. I saw True's emotional capacity in a new way. He was scared, brave, funny, and incredibly trusting. Incredibly. He listened, he asked questions, he asked for what he needed. And the next day, he woke up singing. Literally singing. He is, in so many ways, our biggest teacher.

We took his cue and woke up with a renewed sense of gratitude. We've loosened our grip on all the other insignificant stuff that was taking up way too much space in our hearts. I'm so thankful for it all really. The toughs. The roughs. The choices. The reminders to be present, exhale, and take it all in.


That experience seemed to awaken my overall appreciation for our life, too.  We are so fortunate. And I love, love, love our life.  Although I deeply appreciate and am aware of our good fortune (our health, a passionate work life, a beautiful home, family close by, flexible schedules, financial abundance, fantastic friends, solid marriage, and on and on), I struggle sometimes with impostor syndrome, and the ability to fully embrace All That Is Good in our lives.  I can see now some of the ways that I sabotage enjoying it: working too hard, not taking a moment to breath in all that is good, constantly shifting from one thing to the next, etc. I'm reminded of the post I wrote last year about shining brightly but turning down the volume on enjoying it. Yes, that is it (thank you, Gay Hendricks for the aha!). I see now that not accepting and embracing and celebrating and really receiving this season of our lives to the absolute fullest isn't really honoring all that we are so grateful for. And I can see the direct link to my unconscious beliefs about my own worthiness. Big stuff. And so. I feel more awakened to this part of my own story, another layer peeled back. Awakened and grateful.

Someone recently taught me that grace shows up differently for all of us. For my BFF, her grace may show up in having a deeply fulfilling relationship with her family of origin whereas my grace may show up in a knowing what my passion is, and how to use it. Our paths and our stories are different. What I'm here to learn may not be what she's here to learn. And so our grace shows up accordingly. I'm getting that the grace that is showing up for me, during this remarkable season of my life, is trying to teach me to receive, to let it rush in. My heart is definitely cracked open to it. And now I want it to break open.

ART IN MOTION :: Shine Bright

With Art in Motion, I share the visual journey through the life of one of my paintings — from the blank canvas, to the first splash of inspiration, all the way to the finished piece. Enjoy to the fullest!
Click here to see all the posts in this ongoing project series.



Started with a background that I used as a demo piece for my painting e-course. 



Adhered collage paper where her face was going to go. Then, I outlined her face and hair with my trusty Stabilo Pencil. Then, I filled in her face with a combination of Pitt Pens, and Shiva oil sticks (all product links below).



Painted her hair with Fluid acrylic paints (raw sienna mixed with a bit of raw umber).



Added some fun collaged feathers to her hair. At this stage, I'm getting excited about how she's coming together.


And here's the finished piece after adding the finishing details of black paint with white stars, plus the stamped "shine bright."

She's a new personal favorite!

And I've added her to the print shop right here. All prints arrive signed, matted, and ready to frame! 

I get so many questions about which art supplies I use and love. You can check out my favorite supplies for making art  (with descriptions) over here or if it's easier, I've put some easy links below for you :)

Tabletop Easel Canvas Boards Golden Fluid Acrylics Spray Bottle Liquitex Soft Body Acrylics Brayer Gel Medium (Gloss) Stabilo Pencils (Black) Gesso Shiva Oil Paintstiks Alphabet Stamps Alphabet Stencils Face Color Pitt Pens White Sharpie Paint Pin (fine tip) Black Pitt Pens Ott light Heat Gun Stencils My Book (Taking Flight)InLinkz.com
Thank you guys. I hope you enjoyed a peek into the process!XO,Kelly Rae

Nourish Your Soul with our new Bud Vases!!

Each week, I shine a spotlight on a few creations that I'm particularly proud of.  May you be inspired - and perhaps find a little something to nourish your soul.  Click here to see all the posts in this series. 

Celebrating our NEW bud vases!
Meet our new bud vases! They're inspired by my obsession of having fresh cut flowers in our home. They're so sweet in person. I hope you love them as much as I do. 

This one is my favorite, friends. Four test tubes in a wooden holder. Perfect for single stems. Get yours here. 

This one is so soothing to me. It's a 5x8 wooden art piece with a bud vase attached. I just love, love, love. Wouldn't this one make the sweetest hostess gift (complete with a flower in the vase, of course)?? Scoop it up here! 

Here's another one. Man, I love how these turned out. I see this one next to a kitchen sink where it's visible on the regular. You can scoop up Be Present here.


Thanks, friends. Our mission is to continue to create products that blend creativity with meaning, beauty with function. I so love what I do.
Warmly,
Kelly Rae