a month in pictures...and a few words :)

August 2012

Hard to believe that there could be so much happening in just one month

a wonderful trip to Melbourne...my first!

 a day to see the sights

 my first ever "alone sightseeing" experience!

 and then on to teach Paint Mojo!

 with a bunch of wonderful women

 who filled my spirit

with such gratitude and joy to be able to share what I know and learn along the way

Thank you to Wini and Liza for being such wonderful hosts and for your lovely recounts of the weekend here and here. 

Thanks also to the talented Kylie Fowler, one of my fellow Life Book teachers for her great post here!

 coming home from Melbourne and having Santana come stay for a couple of weeks as her apartment was not yet ready to move into.......watching this moment and appreciating it so much in the knowledge that within the week Santana would be leaving home for Sydney and Sienna and I would be flying to America......an ordinary moment to warm the heart

 

 saying goodbye to Gingy boy

 and the beach across the road

 and beautiful Bella.......for a whole 6 months!

 taking a last walk with Santana and Rosie

 watching my big girl sleep and wondering how my baby became a woman so fast and still seeing her baby face there in front of me

 

working on fun things for my Life Book lesson in October

and finishing my video lesson for Angels in My Studio

making two happy paintings for the lovely Samantha

 who inspires me with her beautiful nature

 driving to Sydney to see Santana in her new apartment

 and stopping to take pics of the amazing skies!

 how could I just drive on and not pause to take in such splendour?

 arriving to the sunshine of Santana's new bedroom

 and loving the way she has placed her creative beauty there...

 spending the day with my beautiful girls and visiting the Coogee pool where i spent many days in my childhood :)

 on the plane and a blurry pic of Sienna's friends tucked into the back of the seat in front. She may be 15 but she still takes her "guys" on holidays with her...i love that :)

arriving in California and making the transition from Winter to Summer in one day

catching up on some favourite American treats 

 and doing a little creating..

satisfying my cravings for all things Mexican....food

 and other beautiful things

 seeing a guy in Old Town San Diego who looked remarkably like Santa Claus on Summer vacation!

 and trying to persuade Sienna to let me take her photo

 finally succeeding :)))

 and succeeding again!

 on a shopping day with our beautiful niece Mikela

 where i discovered the joys of Anthologie and Paper Source~ my new favourite stores!

 meeting online friends in the flesh like the awesome Lura Brown!

and this wonderful group of Soul Sisters, all of us students in Kelly Rae Roberts and Beth Nicholls Soul Sessions

 enjoying watching cousins hang out together after four years of not seeing each other

 and loving the smile it brings to the cutest nearly 5 and 3/4 year old face :)

experiencing a life changing weekend with my dear friend Orly Avineri

 who was all and more than I imagined her to be...

thank you Orly for your lessons of letting go on order for new wonder to enter...

 enjoying the diversity of life in Southern California...puppies in pink

 and guys with tails :)

and discovering things like this to put on top of my Christmas wish list!

Lets see what fun September brings!

Phew!!!! If you got through all of that you deserve a prize and I'm giving one away!

I am having a painting giveaway over at my Magically Mixed Art Community on Facebook. Click on the link to come join us!

Last but certainly not least.......

Happy , happy birthday to my beautiful first born Santana, the most wonderful 19 year old in the world. I miss you and wish I was there to celebrate with you my sweet xoxoxoxox

 AND........HAPPY FATHERS DAY TO THE BEST DADDY EVER.......WE MISS YOU MORE THAN WORDS CAN SAY

you seem to be having a very...um...diverse time in your new job in Thailand........te amo Pancho Villa! xox