Surfacing!

Has it really been almost ten days since I've popped my head in here?! I'm afraid it has, and all I can do is plead a life of utter insanity at the moment - a good insanity most of the time, but insanity nonetheless....

First, I've been working like mad in the studio, and have several new pieces to show for it. The first two are listed on eBay now - a large, sparkly fairy tale sign or door crown....

And a black cat sign, perfect for anyone with, shall we say, an abundance of feline companionship (I think I need one of these myself, hehe!)

I also painted the most whimsical tea chest ever for the PFATT Marketplace, and it sold just seconds after the update.

I've had several inquiries about more of these, and while I never repeat a design, I do have plans for another tea chest sometime in June, and I'm having great fun painting these little mice, so stay tuned. :)

It's been a week of surprises too, most of them via the US postal service, and truly brightening my day, not to mention reminding me how blessed I am to make my living this way, and know so many amazing and generous people.

First, a very special west coast collector who works for a cosmetics company, gifted me with the most amazing collection of beauty products! We're not talking one or two items here - we're talking body wash, body creme, two different mascaras, four lipsticks, eye cream, makeup remover, several eye shadow colors, blush, a beautiful compact, eye pencils...I could go on and on!! I'd share a photo, but everything is already unwrapped, put away in various makeup cases and already in use (hey ,I need all the help I can get, hehe)...Just overwhelmingly generous. So thank you, E. from the bottom of my heart!!

I also received another gift in the mail last week, by way of inspiration for a project currently in the works. This book here. DROOL. Seriously, I covet every home in this book, and if I ever win the lottery, I will SO have something similar built. Thanks sooooo much, L.!!!

Finally, I received the sweetest thank-you note from a lovely girl named Gabrielle who is the new owner of my Velveteen Rabbit box. Her Mother purchased the piece as a remembrance of her performance in the play, and she sent me a thank you, along with photos of her in costume, holding the box. Made. My. Day!

And how wonderful is it that in this age of texting and tweeting and IMing, a child still takes the time to write a thank you note? (Kudos to Mom here too, I know she's rightfully very proud!)

I swear, I am blessed with the absolute best collectors in the world, and it makes me tear up every time I think of their generosity - not only supporting my work, and making this artful life possible, but completely overwhelming me with all these goodies too...

And while we're on the subject of gifts, I also have to share my amazing Mother's Day gift - is this the coolest coffeepot EVER?

I collect teapots, and while this is technically coffee, it will fit in beautifully with my whimsical collection. Thank you again Courtney - you're the best daughter a Mother could ever hope for and I love you to the moon and back!

This is getting LONG, isn't it?! I can't help it, I just have so much to tell, and I suppose this is what happens when I'm remiss about updating more often, *sigh*...

Not to end with a downer, but on the home front there have been some challenges faced and challenges still to come. As regular readers know, my wonderful husband and partner John has spent a good part of the last two years in and out of hospitals for heart surgery, and has been on the road to recovery the last few months. Well, LIFE decided to throw a couple of wrenches into the works again, by way of surgery for basal cell carcinoma last week (successful, I'm happy to say!), and also by way of a more serious cancer returning - or at least that's the fear.

This is the first time I've posted about this, and I only do so with John's permission, but it's something we've lived with for a very long time. Long story short, John has a very rare form of non-hodgkins lymphoma. It's been in remission twice (and most recently for many years) but they think it's back. We'll find out more this coming Wednesday, when he sees a specialist at U Penn in Philadelphia. So if you're inclined to prayer, please think of him this Wednesday. Thanks. :)

I'll end this by thanking all our friends, both "real life" and cyber - collectors and artist friends, and friends I know through the wonderful art groups and chat groups to which I belong. Your support and encouragement means the world to me, and reminds me every day how much goodness and light there is in the world.

I'm truly blessed.

Back very soon! :)

♥ Carolee