hope. change. light. yes.

America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves -- if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?

This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment.

This is our time, to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth, that, out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope. And where we are met with cynicism and doubts and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes, we can.

-President-elect Barack Obama

caught my eye (at the farm chicks show)

i had a class with tammy gilley at art fiber fest, so it was fantastic to see a familiar smiling face from the booth diagonal from me throughout the farm chicks show. i am in love with the gorgeous belts she makes (see them here) and can't wait to see her quilt patterns when she unveils them later this summer. tammy and i seem to really get each other, and i look forward to cooking up some fun things with her as our friendship grows. that girl just makes me smile.

heather bullard of the present past collection was directly across from me. have you been to her gorgeous online shop? i was drooling over her booth whenever i looked up at it. it was filled to the brim with vintage and vintage-inspired goodness. i have seen heather in quite a few magazines lately, and it was wonderful to find out that she is as delightful in person as she seems on her blog and in those articles. i must admit that i regret that i didn't buy two of these, as they seem the perfect size for just the right amount of gumdrops or other candies i find myself drawn to lately or the perfect place to put keep the buttons i am using for certain projects.

bari j was also in the same row as these women, so i was able to see her incredible handbags and other delights in person. her booth was an explosion of fabric goodness. this bag is my favorite. the crafts(wo)manship of her bags is truly beautiful. go visit her shop to see what i mean. i have a feeling that bari is on one incredible adventure with her creations and i can't wait to see what she thinks of next...

i had fun helping the super cute adrienne during the last few minutes before the show opened. somehow i was just in this zen place when my booth was ready, so i asked her if she needed some help (as it looked like she did). as a result, i was able to peek at some of her very cool treasures and later bought a charm bracelet for myself and a little gift for a friend. her booth was very french inspired...i loved it! visit her at her website.

i did get to visit with teresa briefly, but didn't have a chance to see her booth. however, i have spotted some pretty incredible treasures on her blog here. teresa was one of the first artist's i bought anything online from a few years ago, and it has been so cool to see the direction her business has taken. she is adorable and i hope to spend more time with her at some point in the future. and i hope to buy one of her pillows when they are next available...i really love the ruffle chandelier pillow...but the pink chandelier makes me smile too. such gorgeous designs.

then there is the beautiful miss rebecca of peace within. this girl made my whole day when i stumbled upon her booth during the last hour or so of the show saturday. we bonded right away. she has one of those personalities that just brings a smile to your face and invites you to feel like you have always wanted to know her. simply put: she rocks. as does her business. i bought a very cool hat from her and proceeded to wear it the rest of the day. it was my birthday girl crown that day in the form of an army green board hat with a wicked cool orange peace sign. as soon as i got back to the booth, anne wanted to know where i got it and quickly went to buy a hat and t-shirt (though i bet her son has stolen the hat by now and she needs a new one). i hope you will take a few minutes to visit rebecca's (under construction but still working) website and shop and consider buying a hat or t-shirt to spread the good news that is peace within. (the shirts are really, really soft.)

and of course there is stephanie lee. how i adore this woman. we had the best time next to one another...though i think next year it would be more fun being across from each other so that we could actually see one another from time to time. with a wall between us it was difficult to chat. stephanie's work is just incredible...from her plaster work to her paintings to her gorgeous jewelry. anne and i could have easily spent all our money in stephanie's booth alone. (i will share photos in a future post of the treasures i did come home with.) if you haven't visited stephanie's blog, you simply must. she has a way of talking right to your heart. (and, hopefully she will put a few treats into her etsy shop...looks like she might have added some today!)

catching my eye. april 24.

backyard tulips, april 2008

this delightul, beautiful, inspiring blog

this post about finding grace

this post full of beautiful truth

alicia's tulip photos (i want to go to see these tulips next year; i am marking it on my calendar)

this post full of a mother's love

jen's important reminder

sandi's gorgeous line of fabric

what is catching your eye this week?

catching my eye. april 18.

michelle's seattle photos (and recent posts full of truth and beauty)

brianna lamar's poetry and art

nina's book of trees

the daily april poems at geek ink and darlene's blog

ali's inspiring weekend creative post

the incredible happenings over at jen lemen's blog

amanda's (deeply beautiful) remembering

tammy's "inspired friend" pillow

catching my eye. march 23.

the shared moments of jen and dar

kelly and mati making their dreams come true

krystyn's hope revolution

stephanie's buds

andrea's media cleanse

amy's bias tape tutorial

kim's views of spring

inspirations. february 20.

the jewel-toned costumes of the tudors

the vintage linen pool

christine's wise words

anna maria's drawing room


frankie's truth shared here

the colors of the world of cath kidston

soaking up the inspiration of creating vintage style

possibility

inspirations. january 30.

this song (via maddie)

sally jean's blog and (newly-designed) website

people who tell the truth from a place of love

vintage embroidery

blue and green ink that flows freely in my "notes from the little room" moleskine

the library of congress' flickr page (via openbook)

floral prints and polka dots

thank you.

a few delightful, kind, creative, spirited souls have awarded me with the "you make my day" award that has been floating around blog world for a few weeks now.

thank you.

today, i invite you over for tea and lemon cupcakes.

i invite you, yes, you sitting there still in your pajamas
and you wearing your long dark hair in two braids
and you taking a break from painting and taking photos and creating
and you warming up from fun in the snow with your children
and you curled up with your puppy beside you
and you drinking mint tea
and you laughing out loud
and you awake after everyone else is asleep
and you singing softly with bill withers
and you pursing your lips
and you rolling your eyes
and you fingering the hem of your favorite yellow t-shirt
and you looking out the window at the mountains before you
and you living to the south enjoying the smell of fresh flowers
and you living north underneath three quilts in your flannel nightgown
and you on the other coast making this year the year
and you across the ocean sitting quietly and hoping
and you across the other sea changing the world
and you sitting in the sunshine of summer
and you wearing your grey fingerless mitts trying to stay warm
and you doing the best you can
and you wishing for change
and you feeling lonely
and you filled with regret
and you sitting in the quiet
and you tuning out the loudness of joy around you
and you full of peace
and you, yes, you reading these words…
please join me for tea…
because you, yes, you…
you make my day
full
of
all
that
is
good
(thank you)

love,
me

inspirations. january 9.

"start close in" by david whyte.


this brian andreas story (and this one too).


this carla sonheim girl.


singing loudly while listening to my ipod.


listening to steve martin.


an enchanted life.


sparkletopia.

inspirations, november 13

reading into the archives of a blogger (or two or three) to discover and uncover more

sewing rows and rows of fabric together

the words and images of this incredible woman

jen and swirly shakin' their groove things

finding calm in the midst of the opposite

long phone conversations that invite an opening of the mind, heart, and soul

when millie sighs as she snuggles into her new bed

inspiration. october 29.

this video post by rosie. (go check it out.)

inspirations, october 3

nancy pelosi

this post and this post by the brave and wicked smart jen lemen

the delightful first episode of "pushing daisies"

daydreaming about a vacation

fall days spent in my "office clothes"


the textures, colors, and names of jen's jewelry

the burst of energy that follows days of procrastination

inspirations, september 23

the photos irene shares on her blog

time spent with a "blog world now dear real world friend" at the tacoma art museum (check out deb's post about day together)

spending sunday mornings with charles osgood (especially today's flashback about marcel marceau)

kindness

mugs of J. Garcia magic herb tea

the quirky world that is Season 3 of "Northern Exposure"

sketching ideas and making lists in my moleskine

inspirations, september 12

elizabeth edwards

the artwork of annie lockhart, especially this necklace

the newest issue of romantic homes

this honest post by futuregirl alice

This print and other artwork by Nathaniel Eckstrom

the hint of fall in the air

the songs of the dixie chicks (again and again)

remember

One of my favorite artists is Brian Andreas (if you do not know his work, stop reading and head over to www.storypeople.com and explore; right now). His words, his poetry, his stories, are a gift to me in their simple, deep truths. We have several of his prints and a few sculptures in our art collection. Pausing to read his stories that adorn our walls is part of my sacred life.

Early on when we were dating, Jon and I visited a shop that had Andreas' work and I was able to introduce Jon to a favorite past time: looking through all the prints to discover which one resonates deeply on that day. The story that day was "Real Reason," and days later Jon drove 90 minutes back to that shop in Valparaiso, Indiana to buy it for me as a "two-month dating" anniversary present.

A few months later, weeks before we became engaged, we had the opportunity to meet Brian Andreas at a signing and we bought the sculpture of "Real Reason." As we handed it to him to sign, he said, "who do I make it out to" and without asking each other, together Jon and I said, "Liz and Jon." He looked at us and said something like, "that's a big commitment;" in a way, it kind of felt like we got engaged in that moment.

Of course, the truth is that my Storypeople collection began years before I met Jon. I wrote about my first introduction to them here. I remember reading the stories aloud in the car with my mom and coming to "Fog People" and pausing and reading it again and again. I love that story and my mom gave the sculpture to me as a college graduation present. I wouldn't say that I think of it as a test when I show people the sculpture, but I always giggle a bit when people say, "but I don't get it." Another favorite print that hangs alone in our hallway so that you pause to read it is "Crayon Pirate." The simple wise truth of a child's world – that is what that story says to me.

Last week, I spent some time clicking around the stories at the website and the two stories that speak so deeply to me in this moment of my life are "Whales" and "More Fair." I hope to one day add those stories to my collection.

When the events of September 11, 2001 happened, I found myself, like so many others, trying to find something to help me wrap my brain around what had happened and the grief and helplessness. Sitting in my office one evening a week or so after the eleventh, I turned to the Storypeople website, seeking the wise words of Brian Andreas, and found that he had written a story to commemorate 9/11. The story is "Awakening." At the time, Storypeople was selling the story as a poster with the proceeds going to raise money for the people affected on that day. I bought ten planning to share them with others. And after framing one for myself and giving a few away, I did what I do best, I put them someplace and forgot.

As we have been organizing and cleaning and all that stuff over the last few weeks, I came across my carefully rolled up posters of "Awakening."

I am wondering if any of you reading this might want one. I have five and would be happy to mail one to you. Please just send me an email at waywardtulip at gmail dot com and let me know. UPDATED: The posters have all been claimed. Thank you...

Many blessings to all on this day,
Liz

inspiration palette, color (and a little organization)

1. button jars, 2. Rainbow 2-Ply Handspun Yarn, 3. my favorite ribbon~, 4. fabric rainbow, 5. 12色のクレヨン, 6. Rainbow of Thread, 7. over the rainbow, 8. reaching out ........., 9. Rainbow 3233, 10. Felt stash (Crafting 365, Day 5), 11. rainbow, 12. paint2, 13. Buttons Rainbow, 14. Button, button, who's got the button?, 15. New Markers, 16. Kauni yarn, 17. painter 01 v2, 18. Wow wow wow, 19. colored pencil DOF, 20. Rainbowness

inspirations, august 27

this bill moyer's interview with jon stewart (i heart jon stewart)

fresh flowers on the kitchen table

dusting (yes, dusting)

letting go of stuff (in all forms)

the poetry thursday archives

the in my hand flickr group

the quiet truth in this post by alicia

inspiration palette, august 18 (doorways to ______)

1. Orange as any orange on a tree, 2. handle - handle, 3. 2 door to freedom, 4. St Patrick's Cathedral main doors, 5. Untitled, 6. Lovely 13, 7. une porte rouge, 8. pink is the color, 9. door_1, 10. orange door, Oslo, Norway, 11. 17/AUG/2007 - Fil-Bitha - Key, Door and Green Paint, 12. Porta, 13. Doors in Kabukicho, 14. Enter, 15. Door to Οία, 16. Mission San Juan Door San Antonio, 17. There's Only One Bicycle in Shanghai, 18. La Puerta del castillo, 19. The spelunkers secret garden, 20. Stave church

inspirations, august 17

the song "fly away" by the indigo girls

cloudy skies providing afghan-wrapped mornings

the poem "a noiseless patient spider" by walt whitman

stardust (go see this movie)

practical magic (an old favorite)

the way a root beer float bubbles

remembering that it is sometimes better to breathe instead of do

portland bound and inspiration palette, august 11

if you are in the portland area, i hope you will come to crafty wonderland tomorrow! there will be about 40 artists + crafters there and you are certain to find something you look at and think "this was made for me." (or "this is perfect for [insert name here]" of course.) along with the vendors, there will be a DIY table where you can learn something new and help raise money for race for the cure.

the details:
crafty wonderland
doug fir lounge
830 e. burnside
11-4

if you do come, please be sure to stop by and say "hi." i will be the one in the apron with all the flags and bags...

*****

i wanted to share the color palette that has been catching my eye on flickr. if you haven't already spent time just typing in search words and browsing through flickr, i highly recommend it as an at-home artist date.

1. dahlia cream, 2. lace and roses, 3. Linen, 4. Work in Progress July 21, 5. Untitled, 6. kartiot, 7. puntina per fazzoletto ecrù, 8. Jar of White Vintage Buttons, 9. Latch, 10. my apron-style dress, 11. lace bookmark, 12. Elegant Victorian Inspired Antique Lace Choker with Rhinestone Trim and Brooch, 13. GSW_2x3Neg_Book2_086m, 14. Wedding gift, 15. spool, 16. Lace handkerchief, 17. cotton bois, 18. closed, 19. old lace, 20. P1010139


*****

one more note: if you have emailed me in the last two (okay, really three...maybe even four) weeks and haven't heard from me...well...i am sorry about that. i am buried in my emails and other things (not to mention the part that my sewing machine broke this week amidst some other personal stuff). i hope to get back to you next week (and yes, this means you kim, and kim, and leonie, and lindsey, and lisa, and how the list goes on...). thank you for your patience with me and your friendships...