Kelly Rae Roberts's Blog, page 82

signing this weekend!

hey guys, for those of you in the oregon area, i'll be at Dragonfly Greetings + Gifts this saturday (april 9th) from 1-3. i'll be signing product, mingling, and sampling delicious chocolates! i'd LOVE it if you came by!



they've got a GREAT selection of products, including the girlie sculptures, the large wall canvases, and so much more. i'm looking forward to it!!! and i'd love to meet you!

here and there...

my parents just left to go back home to florida. john is snowboarding today. true is napping. bella doggie is asleep on our green couch. it's so quiet, i can almost reach out and touch the stillness.

(mati rose, mom, true)

it's been a busy body week of visitors, friends stopping by, and projects. plus baby true is all of the sudden ACTIVE and wants to bounce 24/7. mr. chill seems to have left the building :)

it's hard to believe how quickly he is growing, how opinionated he's becoming, how preferences are already clear (no to bananas, yes to sweet potatoes!). it's the sweetest thing ever to sing all day long, make him smile, and spoil him rotten. but man, i. am. tired!


(mati gifted john + true with matching tshirts = adorable)

true LOVES grandpa greggie. grandma says he's a baby whisperer and it's true. baby true was smitten. of course he was also smitten with grandma:



during their visit, mom got crafty and fashioned a bit of garden art with a broken wicker chair (inspired by the latest Cottage Living issue):



this lovely vignette is right at home on our porch. by the way, can you see the sunshine? we had a glorious glimpse of sunshine for several hours one day. heaven. word on the street is that portland has had over 30 days straight of rain so the sunbreak was a welcomed gift. i'm getting sooooo tired of the dreary winter. i've upped my vit D intake and i'm ready for spring!

(elyse came down from seattle for a quick visit and snapped this self portrait with her iphone. this photo cracks me up.)

mom insisted on sewing up a new bedspread as our old one was torn to bits from bella abuse. we headed to the best fabric store in the entire world and found this lovely spring poppy fabric that is much more durable than our last spread. LOVE!



it was a good week. i pretty much played hookie from work + emails and hung out with my family for seven entire days. true is worn out from all the loving and attention. so am i. can't think of a better reason to be worn out.

i have some pretty exciting news that i'll be sharing in my next post. i can hardly wait to finally share with you a secret i've been holding onto for nearly 8 whole months....stay tuned!

ps: for those of you who have your domain names or are hosted by godaddy.com, please reconsider. this is why. i am outraged and really glad my site is no longer hosted by them. i have a deep afinity for elephants and my heart broke over this story.

NEW Sponsor Spotlights: Tree Castle Apron, Jenny Shih, Conscious Cool Chic, Honey & Ollie! + manusmade

Today, I'd like to offer a warm welcome to my newest sponsors. There is so much goodness in their offerings. Please enjoy their spotlights! PS: If you are interested in becoming a sponsor (includes your ad on the sidebar + ongoing spotlights), please send me an email for further information!
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Do you love painting faces? I'm obsessed. Join me in my newest e-course, Tree Castle Apron, a mixed media face painting and fabric collage project. Adding fabric to the mix, this course comes from both my art studio and sewing studio. Lesson videos are packed full of technique and close up face painting demonstrations using Inktense pencils on fabric. Fun easy to follow patterns are presented in PDF format. You will want to wear your one-of-a-kind apron full of inspiration every time you are in a creative mood.
Other face painting e-courses available: Faces: All Norah'S and Faces in Technicolor. Learn more, Sign up and Register for these classes at my class site, All Norah'S Art. Learn more about me at my blog, All Norah'S Art. Sharon Tomlinson has enjoyed a lifetime creating. She loves using her hands to do anything and frequently gets lost creating. Mixed media with an emphasis on face painting is her passion. However, digging in the dirt has always fed her soul and she believes flowers are one of God's greatest creations.

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You're changing the world. I'm here to help.

Hi, I'm Jenny Shih. I work with right-brained entrepreneurs who have something to get out into the world. Sometimes they know what it is. Sometimes they can just feel it or sense it. Either way, it's important, it's big, and it MUST be shared. I help them dream, plan, create, and execute. Then, incredible things happen. I am a side-kick, a midwife, and a sous chef. I have a magic wand, and I've got my clients' backs. I cheer them on, wipe their brows, and do the dishes.

Whether you're the type who usually jumps in too quickly and gets caught with your pants down, or you prefer to wait and wait and wait until you have the perfect plan in place, we can find a way that works for you and your style to get your thing out into the world. And it will be fun, I promise.

Nothing should stop you if you want to change the world.

Visit me at jennyshih.com.

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If you're at a place where courage and vulnerability, knowingness and questions, big joys, growing trust and small whispers all reside, then join us on our journey at Conscious|Cool|Chic. We are a blog with regular posts focused on increasing consciousness through daily inspirations - and we have a lot to serve up! The daily posts include everything from quotes and insightful thoughts about everyday life, to travel anecdotes, astrology, books, organizations, and pretty things that make a girl smile.
The backstory is … I started blogging in 2006 when I lived in Paris for a few years attending graduate school. Over the past 5 years, everything in my life changed greatly and big (outgrown) dreams had to be surrendered (ugh, the tears & questions!). Now in 2011, Conscious|Cool|Chic is an introspective outlet for this *new* moment & place in time where everything is possible...again. Hope to share this new chapter of conscious living, creative sharing and personal exploration with you! It's an on-going and amazing ride. See you there, Molly

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honey&ollie. Whimsical, wearable inspiration made of art, soul and shiny. Tiny works of art created by me, Rain Hannah: writer, knitter, mama, cat lady, and maker. Imbued with all the colors of nature, my shinies are little dreams made manifest, created in the hope that they will inspire you on your journey and encourage you to play, to laugh, to dig deep and say YES to your bliss.
Kelly Rae readers, take 10% off in the shop by using the coupon code KELLYRAE10. And thanks for supporting handmade dreams!
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Tania Wojciechowski loves making modern goods for you and your home out of natural materials. As 'manus' is the Latin word for hand, her new shop manusmade is a celebration of all things handmade. The tradition of making things by hand continues in the linen, wool, and felt used, and the modern designs are perfect for today's homes. Tania plays with both texture and text in her work – the feel of the products is as important as the emotions they evoke. Some are designed simply to be beautiful, others are meant to bring some cheekiness into your life (caution: puns and innuendos are plentiful!). Check out all the goodies here.
Like you, Tania has a lot of ideas, and is always working on ways to get out of her head and, literally, into her hands. Join in the conversation at her blog, on Facebook, or on Twitter and talk about the creative process with her!

the grands are here.

my parents are here which, you know, means a ton of baby snuggles, play time, reading.....



chilling on the couch, baking, home cooked meals, walks...........



yard work, adventures to the fabric store, collaging with mom, and all things grandparents...

i'm on my way to pick up mati rose from the airport - so excited!
ps: shop is being completely rebuilt on a new platform with a lovely and awesome new programmer. after so many glitches, we are starting completely over. we'll have it back up and running super soon!

shop is down

hey friends,
just a quick note to say that the online shop is completely down. stay tuned....it might be awhile on this front. i am working on BREATHING! there are worse things that could happen :)

in the meantime, i am smiling over here with my parents who just arrived from florida!
xo,
kelly rae

Weekly Sponsor Spotlight: Liz Lamoreux, Tamar Schechner, Amelia Critchlow, Kate Johnson, Lisa Ferrante + Flora Bowley

Big thanks to my sponsors...I'm really enjoying these weekly sponsor spotlights where their creative talents and businesses are featured. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor (includes your ad on the sidebar + ongoing spotlights), please send me an email for further information!
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When we tell our stories, we shine a light on the beauty of what is real. We heal. We dance inside joy. We find our way to laughter. We fill in the cracks that life creates in our hearts. We sit inside love and truth. We find ourselves standing tall and we give ourselves the much needed permission to rest. I believe we must sift through all that has been to find our way to all that is to come. Come and find a piece of your story in The Little Room, designs by Liz Lamoreux.
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Checkout the new specialty Textile collection line from Nest Pretty Things, the line is made with fabric covered buttons using vintage and modern cotton fabrics from the Tamar's vast textile collection. The necklaces and soon to come earrings and bracelets are light weight and very comfortable to wear and will make a fun, funky and colorful addition to any wardrobe. This new line is also available for children in the Nest Pretty Things Kids shop with teeny tiny buttons and lovely sweet calico flower cotton fabrics.
The collection consists of the "Modern Necklaces" made with fabrics from the 60's, 70's and new contemporary designs, The "Vintage Necklaces" made with fabric from the 30's-70's , "The Liberty Necklaces" made with Liberty Of London fabrics, and the "Little Flower" collection with three little flower buttons for a sweet summery look. Nest Pretty Things Also has a newFacebook Fan Page, make sure you sign up for news, sales, tutorials and updates!
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Experimental art e-course: Take 6 weeks to delve into the process of creating art in its many forms. Together we will paint, collage, take photos, sculpt with paper and much more! Take your first steps into creating art or get re-inspired with what you already do. Discover your passion, share ideas, and benefit from individual feedback on your creations from me (Amelia Critchlow); I'm a practicing artist and trained tutor working in the UK. The world is your oyster, so lets start creating the ideas you have. The course has many pdf and web resources, links to a wide range of artists, art books (with a give-away), a private online group space, and I share tips and strategies from years of making and teaching art.
As a special offer - exclusive to Kelly Rae readers – I'm offering 10% discount on places for the Spring 2011 course, until 1st March 2011. To take this offer up, see here. Visit my art website here and blog here, and read what others have said about the course here.
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My name is Kate Johnson, and I began Heartwork to encourage the creativity inherent in all of us. I started by wondering, what are the obstacles we create that keep us from feeling able to fully express ourselves? How do we gently and compassionately set aside self-doubts and feelings of insufficiency to just get to it? So many of us are trying to find some sort of balance between the pragmatic (must make money to eat and be clothed) and the creative sides of ourselves. I want so much to fuse the two into a more holistic life.
I think and write a lot about identity and the creative process, and would love it if you'd stop by. Also, artwork is welcome! Please let me know if you have an image that I could use with full attribution, and I would be delighted to do so. I recently took a bit of my own advice and now I have a new Etsy site with a few paintings. Soon there will be cards and prints too.I also blog at i-cant-whistle.blogspot.com, and intuitiveleadership.blogspot.com.
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My name is Lisa Ferrante and I am a self taught mixed media artist. All my pieces are about love, maternal love, romantic love, self love and self empowerment. They are me exposed; each purges a powerful emotion, a profound realization, another step in my evolution as a woman. A customer recently wrote: "Lisa, your package brought me, my sister and my daughter to tears. Your generosity of spirit and kindness on top of the sheer beauty of the pieces filled us to overflowing with gratitude, love for art, artists and life! We all felt so aware that what we were celebrating was the supportive relationships between women and the amazing effects we can have on our worlds".
Kelly Rae readers receive a free gift with purchase just write in "message to seller" Kelly Rae sent me! Browse my shop at chloeandsofiasmom.etsy.com for beautiful and inspirational prints and reproductions pieces for you and every woman you love. Or check out my blog atLisaFerrante.com

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Flora's fresh approach to art making comes from a space of freedom, non-judgment and experimentation. Her vibrant paintings are rich with color, soul and imagination and her love for life and spontaneous nature are clearly visible in her work. Flora generously shares her philosophies about loosening up, letting go of expectations, having fun and allowing art to unfold naturally, in her popular "Bloom True!" workshops. To see a list of Flora's upcoming workshops, please visit her website here. There are still a few spots open in her Australian workshops next month!

When not traveling around the world. Flora's home base is Portland, Oregon, where she is inspired by magical forests, abundant gardens, a vibrant community of fellow artists, and her love affair with the present moment. Her work can be found in numerous galleries and homes across the US and internationally, and also on a variety of unique products made in collaboration with Papaya! Find out more about Flora on her website and read about her current travels in Bali on her blog.

what i've been up to around here

* working on getting true's nursery totally together. it's taken a few transformations but i think we're almost there. we just bought the above nursery chair from target. we love it! it glides and reclines and swivels and it's got that old time vintage feel. true immediately responded with smiles and rolls.

* spent a whole day with leigh (aka curly girl) while she was in town for a product signing. totally adore her. we ate and chatted and roamed all day long and it was total bliss. wish she lived closer.

* been working a lot over here on all sorts of new artwork, product stuff, website stuff. sometimes i step outside of my vision for a moment and realize that i am running a full on small business over here. it's a busy busy life and i absolutely love it. feeling really thankful for Dani (lovely studio asst) and for all the supports that help me do what i do.

* did i tell you that i'm going to hong kong next month? i am going to hong kong next month! i can't wait to tell you why and how i can't to meet some very special people. while there, i'll be attending a traditional chinese wedding!



* john and i were talking the other day about how having a baby makes your heart feel like it's completely exposed and stripped down. i've said this many times here before but it's still so present in my life - the feeling like my heart is wide open, vulnerable 24/7. i'm still adjusting to all the elements that rush in when there are such cracks. i'm learning that this is what being a parent really feels like - a heart stretching/widening/opening experience. someone told me today that having a baby was everything that they didn't think they needed. amen to that. baby true is everything, including that. what a gift.

* had dinner last nite with my new friend, alicia. we had southern comfort food at the screen door and closed the place down with our forever chatting. i really like alicia. i have a new friend crush on her, still.

* my parents arrive from florida today. i can barely wait for them to see how much he's grown. i imagine lots and lots of grandparent snuggles this week for baby true.

* front yard restoration has begun! trees have been planted. bushes have been pulled. and off we go!



* i wanted to say a deep thanks to all of you who have been placing orders this week. many of you have had trouble ordering as the shop is still experiencing some minor glitches. we are working on this issue constantly at the moment, upgrading our server needs, etc. for those of you who are having trouble, feel free to shoot us an email at kellyrae.orders@gmail.com with all the items you'd like and we'll get you all squared away via paypal. for those of you not having trouble, fantastic! we'll have the entire thing sorted out super soon!

FINALLY - shop is open, new products are here, and joy all around

Hi friends!
I'm so delighted to share the news that the online shop is back open! It reopened (after a long winter break) a couple of weeks ago but there were a few technical difficulties that closed it up again. I'm happy to report it's REALLY REALLY open now! I should say that we are still working out a few glitches but it should work. If for some reason it's not working for you, please shoot us an email at kellyrae.orders@gmail.com with the items you'd like and we'll paypal you and get your order shipped - no problem at all.

We've got a few new goodies, but today I'd like to give you a tour of the new wall canvases. In the past, we've run out of stock very quickly on the canvases but we got smart this time and ordered a lot - these should stay in stock for awhile (I hope!).

BRAND NEW WALL CANVASES:



I'm doing a bit of a happy dance over here because I really love the new wall canvases that have been added to the collection this year. We've introduced large canvases (size 18x24) and we've also added several new canvases that range in size from 16x16 to 6x6. Although we aren't able to carry the three large 18x24 canvases in our online shop, they are available online here (these canvases are AWESOME). You can also search boutiques in your zip code that carry the line right here.


(Believe, Love Always Wins, + Open Heart. I especially love the canvases when they are paired together - these are all 6x6's and are $16 each. Here's (and here) another decor example of the small 6x6's paired together.)

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the wall canvases, they are reproductions of original paintings. They are seriously affordable, arrive ready to hang, and look stunningly close to the original painting! Each canvas also arrives with a special certificate of authenticity signed by me.


Above is one of my favorites. It reads "hopeful spirit" on her chest. Love the colors, the wings, the crown, the sentiment.


This is another one of my faves. It reads "together, it was a journey of hearts." I made this piece while gathered with some dear friends over a weekend. It was also the cover of Somerset Studio last March! I'm so, so glad to be able to offer it now as a canvas.


I think this one, called Deeply Loved, would be darling for either mama (mother's day is coming up!) or daughter. The words were inspired my my motherhood journey. It reads:
May we always be connected in our traveling journeys and may you always know how deeply you are loved, how your life shines brightly and how your heart is never alone.

Here are a few others that I love that are new to the online shop:


Hello, courage. I have this one hanging in my dining room underneath a larger painting.


Create. Yes, yes indeed. I've been creating a lot in the studio lately. Feels great.


Likely one of my all time sentiments because it reaches me in just about every single scenario: What does your heart say?


It reads, "She knew the answers would come with time and love." Available here.


Because we have to have it. Faith.


Yes, yes it does. Love Always Wins.


I created this one when I was pregnant with baby True. Little did I know then how much our hearts really do open and widen with every breath of motherhood. It's a practice to keep our hearts open but I can't think of any better practice to have.



This is a larger 16x16 canvas. It reads: Hope. We are all meant for these journeys of hope, of tenderness, of love, of doing the things we never thought we could do. This is where our courage lives. It's where we find ourselves standing strong and hopeful, ready to claim what is ours. Available here.


The one on the left is another large 16x16. Her chest reads Brave Girl.
And this sweet little 6x6 is for all of you mama and daughters out there, sisters, and bffs.

Thank you so much. I can't tell you how fun it is to introduce new goodies to you guys. There is still so much more to show you, including new sketchbooks and winged hearts but I'll share those in another posts. In the meantime, feel free to roam.
XO
Kelly Rae

thoughts on feeling lost as a new mama

(available as an 8x8 matted print)

it happens when i least expect it, usually late at night: an unsettling and sharp feeling of being lost. it comes out of nowhere and it feels like i'm in the middle of some wildly unfamiliar world, wondering if i'll ever find my way back to safe waters, if i'll ever feel like myself again, if i'll ever feel back in my body. because it happens in an instant, it feels like a shock to my emotional system. the only accurate word i can use to describe the feeling is lost. suddenly lost. i remember being lost in the mall once when i was a kid. my mom and i got separated and i was panicked until security scooped me up and found her. that same feeling of being lost and panicked is what i'm experiencing in those sudden moments - like i don't belong to anyone or anything, like i'm out there on my own in a strange world trying to survive. it doesn't happen every day, not even every week, but enough to leave me frightened and hoping it doesn't happen again. the only thing that helps are tears and words. a lot of those two things.

i am a brand new mom.

sometimes, most of the time, we are getting along beautifully - especially since month three. we're getting sleep, baby true is happy, healthy. we're blissed out, taking photos, taking walks, working on our milestones, singing songs, learning to let go and simplify, balancing work and life. but then that lost feeling rushes in every once in awhile and i'm all out of sorts. i remember that same acute unfamiliar feeling being present quite a bit in the early days just after true was born but over time the grounding of all of this has begun to build its support and it's all become much, much easier. a couple of months ago i began to recognize myself again, to see myself coming through the fog. and most days, that's how it is. but every now and again, i'm right back to the scary place where i don't recognize any of this, and it's all as unfamiliar as it was in the beginning.


(fearless, now available as a wall canvas)

these are the sort of moments that you can't prepare for, the ones that shock you in and out of reality, the ones that can make you feel utterly undone. in these really hard moments, i go back to the beginning. i rely on my mantras (brave in sadness, brave in love. nothing is wasted.). i sing to true. i soothe myself. i cry. i write. i talk. i look for the beauty in tiny places. i look for myself in tiny places. i surrender the day, the work, the to-do lists, the schedule. i sit with my words for the year: gentle and simple, and try to go easy on myself. most importantly, i try really really hard to keep my heart open despite the inclination to close it up with fear.

everyday, this is a practice. of surrendering. of staying open. of being free.

i keep thinking about something i wrote the week true was born:
surrendering is surrendering, even if if you are surrendering to love. it's powerful, hard, life changing, vulnerable, yet it feels like it sets you free. like truth. like how truth sets you free. but in this case, it's a baby boy named True.

Weekly Sponsor Spotlight: Beth Quinn, Unravelling, The Rusted Chain, Amy Peters Studios, The Build Zone + Louise Gale

Big thanks to my sponsors...I'm really enjoying these weekly sponsor spotlights where their creative talents and businesses are featured. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor (includes your ad on the sidebar + ongoing spotlights), please send me an email for further information!
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Jewelry artist Beth Quinn is "a mom of two wonderful little boys, married to my best friend, and an artist who loves to create anything from paper, fabric, wood, paint and metal." Influenced by her late father's metal working and her grandmother's creativity, her jewelry is "full of her love for the old , worn and shiny ... she loves to combine texture to create jewelry that can be loved and cherished for years to come." Please head over to Beth's website where you can find hershop and her blog! Her new spring line is now available and includes a new line of children's jewelry.
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The Unravelling e-course is an 8-week online class designed to help you heal the way you see your self and your world, using photography and journalling to access hidden thoughts & dreams and encourage personal realisations, all in the safe space of a like-minded community. Photographer & writer Susannah Conway is your guide through this process, sharing her insights and wisdom gleaned from a four-year voyage through grief and healing. You don't need any previous photography experience to do this course - all you need is a camera (iPhones are perfect for unravelling!), a journal & pen and an open heart.
Registration for the Summer Unravelling: Ways of Seeing My Self class will open in April! You can check out what past participants have said about their Unravelling journeys over here (there are videos too :)

Happy spring, everybody!
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The Rusted Chain specializes in unique handstamped jewelry.A bit organic.A bit glamorous.Completely meaningful.Our designs are loved by "real" women like you and me, and celebrities like Deanna Daughtry (wife of artist Chris Daughtry) and Bachelorette Trista Sutter, and actress Candace Cameron Bure. Come say hi on our blogPlease enjoy 15% off your purchase with code KELLY15.
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Jewelry inscribed with hopes, dreams and absolute truths. Amy Peters' Studio creates jewelry that speaks to your creative and caring soul. Each unique design is lovingly created in our sunny coastal California studio and holds meaning deeper than even words can express.

1. Pocket Thoughts 2. Identity Bracelets 3. Rings

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Looking to grow your basic jewelry making skills? Want to ensure that your jewelry has that finished look that's essential to truly beautiful jewelry? Interested in learning about what makes good jewelry design? Welcome to The Build Zone. Deryn Mentock is a jewelry designer and instructor who believes the best way to attain the level of perfection and professionalism you desire in your mixed media jewelry creations is to build a solid foundation of basic skills. In her brand new online class, she shares her years of experience in found object jewelry making to help you master those essential skills. Class begins Feb. 14 and registration is now open. Check out her e-course offerings on her Jewelry Works site then strap on your tool belt and prepare to create something sublime!
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Do you wish you had a roadmap to show you the way to your dream life? Louise from "Dream-Inspire-Create" will take you on a journey to accelerate yourself to success.
You will vision the future, energize your soul and create a personalized roadmap to get closer to your dream life. This 6 week program gives you the tools, techniques, inspiration, community and celebration to empower you to go from where you are now, to where you want to be. The greatest freedom is the freedom of choice, so choose to take action and become your dream.

Register Now. The Spring session of Big Dreams, Small Wonders starts on Monday April 11th.