Energetic art: Chakra Meditations and Rainbows

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As many of you already know, I tend to put a lot of positive energy into my work.

I don’t create art when I am angry or upset. I create a positive atmosphere by clearing the energy in the space ahead of time. I fill the room with the scent of diffused oils (I use—and sell—Young Living essential oils, so if you need any, hit me up) or incense. I play happy tunes.

Now, since becoming certified in reiki earlier this year, I have started to incorporate reiki into my practice as well. Below you can see two of my Chakra Meditations. These pieces are created on high quality watercolor paper using acrylic inks and hand lettering. The colors correspond to the seven primary chakras. The words correspond to the chakras themselves.

Sometimes I create them using script, sometimes printing. Always they are full of meditative energy and a wish for wellbeing and positivity.

I sold one last week, and did reiki on it before I wrapped it and packaged it.

Here’s what the recipient texted me when she received it:

“omg omg omg! You freakin made my day! I received my art today and I can FEEL it! Thank you! xoxoxoo”

If you would like a Chakra Meditation for your own space, or a smaller Chakra Rainbow (as seen below), please let me know. Framed meditations are $50 (shipping included). The matted, ready to frame Chakra Rainbows are $20 (postage included). Let me know if one is calling to you!

New art this week

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I have reconfigured my studio yet again, and have hung a bunch of new pieces to offer during tomorrow’s live sale.

If you see anything in this post that you like, or if any of the things from earlier this week call to you, let me know before 4 p.m. EDT tomorrow (July 19th), so I can pull it for you! Below are just SOME of the items that will be on offer tomorrow! Click on any to see pricing and further information.

I hope to see you there!!


What's for sale so far!

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Well, if you’ve been following along on Instagram or Facebook or the homepage of my website here, then you already have an idea. But just in case not, here are some pics of last weekend’s studio set up. I still have 5 heart cards (at $3 each, plus postage), both tambourines you see here ($36 each, plus shipping), the four heart collages on canvases in the top left picture ($20 each, plus shipping), the two bright paintings on the wall together (the yellow roses have sold), and the “If You were coming in the Fall” collage ($90, framed, plus shipping).

Over the past week, here are some of the items that have been offered for sale, with prices:

Original heart collages. Smaller ones are 5” square ($20 plus shipping), larger ones are 6” square ($25 each, plus shipping).

Original heart collages. Smaller ones are 5” square ($20 plus shipping), larger ones are 6” square ($25 each, plus shipping).

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Flowerburst

24”x30” mixed media on canvas, $200 plus shipping. (Discounted from $325)

Below, you see my Chakra Heart garlands—each close to 7 feet long, with fourteen rainbow-colored hearts to correspond with the seven chakra colors, all made of hand-painted paper and strung on red & white baker’s twine. Usually $8 each plus postage, they are for sale for $5, plus $2 postage. Two of the hot air balloons that I posted this week remain, priced at $30 each plus shipping ($10). The four original collage hearts this week are different from the ones offered last week. The smaller, 5” squares are $20 plus shipping, the 6” squares are still $25 each, plus shipping. They can sit on a shelf, as seen here, but they are also wired to be hung. The remaining nine pieces are original watercolors, which are matted and ready to frame. (Apologies for any glare from the protective packaging.) The square ones are in 8” square mats, the rectangles are in 8”x10” mats. Your choice, $20 each, plus shipping of $5.

I would love love love to make some more space in my studio, which is why I hauled out all the holiday pieces for tomorrow’s live sale. Here’s a sneaky peak at what the studio looks like today:

“You Only Cross My Mind in Winter” 24” x 36” on canvas. Acrylic ink and paint with charcoal. $250 plus shipping. Cat not for sale.

“You Only Cross My Mind in Winter” 24” x 36” on canvas. Acrylic ink and paint with charcoal. $250 plus shipping. Cat not for sale.

I hope you will stop by tomorrow at 5 pm EDT for the sale. If you miss it, it will remain on Instagram for a bit, and also be posted to my Facebook page.

Wow. This spring was really something, huh?

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I had intentions and dreams. Places to go, things to create and sell.

I was going to see about selling art in more stores, and teaching a class at MADE in Woodbury.

And then came the pandemic and the shutdown, and it somehow shut down my ability to make art. I have legit made only one new thing since February, and it’s the wonky giraffe you see below. And in May, in shut down MADE, which meant that quite a lot of pieces of art came home.

Hello, I am a wonky giraffe.

Hello, I am a wonky giraffe.

I have, however, been able to write. No poetry (alas), but I have been putting out weekly content for my coaching site, as well as two bursts of daily content over several weeks. Both of those bursts turned into ebooks that are available for purchase and immediate download: “12 tips to help you sleep” and “Lower your anxiety”. They are chock full of strategies and practices that actually work to help you get better sleep, and to lower your anxiety.

As you can tell, I’m a fan of clear labelling. There’s even a book bundle if you want to get them both (at a discount).

I have also been busy doing podcast interviews and sending submissions to publications. Which reminds me that I have an article in the newest issue of Mantra Wellness Magazine, which should be hitting stands in another week or so. Needless to say, I am over the moon about having an article in a nationally distributed publication!

With so much art now packed into our house (seriously, so so much art), I have decided to try home studio sales next month. I will be posting a piece of original art per day every day in July on my Facebook and Instagram accounts. First to claim any piece will get it in the mail, along with my undying gratitude for both the purchase and the free space in my home. AND I will be doing one “studio sale” per week, live on Instagram stories, where I give a tour of my studio and show a number of pieces, each for sale.

If you’ve always wanted one of my paintings, you will not do better than these coming sales, as I am ready to release a lot of art into the world in an effort to make as many people happy as possible. Because you know that only good vibes and positivity are involved in ALL of my pieces. And I plan on offering discounted prices on it all, to make things easier.

There will be sailboat collages, hot air balloons, large paintings, art tambourines, and mixed media pieces, literary collages, sweet garlands, greeting cards . . . It’s going to be FUN! Below are just SOME of the pieces likely to come up for sale.

For those of you who have always had an eye on a particular piece

Feel free to get in touch with me NOW, ahead of July, and make me an offer I can’t refuse. I mean, there are some offers that simply might not work out, because I need to cover both shipping costs, materials and at least some of my time . . . but if there is a piece you just KNOW you love, HIT ME UP.

How are you doing, friends?

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With all the coronavirus stuff going around, I find I’m not sad to be home with Morris and our cat, Kismet, largely on “lock down”. It’s decidedly a weird, wild world we are in these days, and I sure hope you are feeling well.

I would very much love to be able to wave a magic wand and make this go away for all of us, but of course I can’t. Please know that I am sending love.

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New for 2020!

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I am STOKED to announce that I’ve got my first ever solo show booked, and YOU ARE INVITED!

It is at the Galleria located at the Grand Theatre in Williamstown, NJ, and is timed to coincide with the theatre’s run of MATILDA: The Musical.

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Needless to say, I am super happy about this turn of events, and super excited to select the works I’m going to hang (which will naturally be for sale)!

Now through Cyber Monday

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Morris and I recently returned from a more than two-week vacation, just in time for Thanksgiving week. Oh. And we both got sick just after our vacation started and three weeks later, we are still sick.

BUT!

It is Shop Small Saturday and I would be remiss in missing out on posting here that I have an offer for you. If you buy three greeting cards, I will send you a FREE “I Saw Three Ships” card. In fact, I’ll send you one for every three cards you purchase.Below you can see just some of the options available over on the greeting cards page

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Reading about creativity

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The other day, I got an email from a woman who has been a friend and customer for years.

“Good morning,
What creativity books have you read and would recommend?
Cheers, J—”

Here’s how I answered her:

I highly recommend BIG MAGIC by Elizabeth Gilbert, and also Twyla Tharp's THE CREATIVE HABIT (it's definitely not just for dancers!). If you can find a copy, Neil Gaiman's MAKE GOOD ART comes in book form (several editions, I believe), but here's the speech on which it is based:

Restocked for Fall

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I’ve been working on some new pieces for fall, and there are now some at both Olde Pear Primitives on Lafayette Street in Cape May, NJ and at MADE. Artisan Marketplace on Broad Street in Woodbury, NJ.

What you see above are hand-painted papers cut into hearts that form Halloween garlands on black & white baker’s twine, which are stocked at both locations, four pieces that I left at Olde Pear, and my shelves at MADE, where I left garlands and one of the little 5”x7” pieces.

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Party on

This 5”x7” collage includes paint and sparkles. $25 plus shipping!

What you see above and below are the three 5”x7” collage pieces that I currently have here in my studio, ready to mail out. If any of them call to you, they are a steal at $25 (USD) plus postage.

I have been having a good time painting inks and paints onto heavy watercolor paper in shades of orange, white, and black. Despite being essentially those solid colors, each paper has at least 6 or 7 colors involved—for example, the “black” is blended from black ink, Payne’s Grey ink, and some indigo and Burnt Umber acrylic paint, and includes some speckles of orange, green, purple, and white.

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Halloween garlands

$8 each or 2/$15.

I will try to update my website this week to add some new pieces to the site, but if any of what you see here is YOURS, by all means, let me know! You can email or fill out the contact form here on the website. Or, y’know, holler at me on social media.

Almost Fall

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And I somehow managed not to post here in about a month. Let’s just say there’s been some stuff going on, and leave it at that. Not bad stuff, just busy stuff.

Like, I created these new mixed media pieces for summer. The pieces include paint and collage, as well as tissue flowers that are hand-sewn to the canvas. They are each 8”x10” in size, and available for sale. If you’d like one, hit me up and I will sell it to you for $50, US shipping included.. (I’ll be adding them to the online shop later this week at $53, plus shipping.)

In addition to celebrating summer, I’ve been adding stock to my shelves at MADE. Artisan Marketplace in Woodbury, New Jersey. Just take a look at this gorgeousness:

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And! MADE is going to have an official grand re-opening on Saturday, September 14th. The shop will be open that day starting at 10 a.m., but the real festivities will be from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., and will include an art auction, live music, refreshments, and hands-on crafts. You should totally swing by there before that if you are in the area, because the entire place is radiant. And the Painted Bridge Coffee shop, which is attached, has amazing La Colombe coffee.

It's a good day to sell some art

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At least, that’s what I’m hoping. Because it sure as heck is too hot to be spending time outside. Currently 94, “feels like 102” without a cloud in the sky. And I know lots of folks have it even worse than that. So I’m staying inside, and was cleaning up the studio and realized that I never even listed six small watercolor pieces, each of which is matted in an 8” square mat and ready for you to frame.

So here are the six pieces I’m talking about, each of which is going into my shop in a couple minutes at $25 each, plus postage.

This price is discounted, in part because I am just looking to share the love with you. And, okay, maybe open up a bit of space in my studio. Happy shopping!

Oh happy day!

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One of my happiest things to do is to create new art. Right now, I have three pieces under way, and they are not done (or necessarily near done), but here they are:

All three of these pieces were once other (finished) works of art that weren’t working for me, so they’ve been splotched and splashed and dabbed and this is where they are now. Which goes to show that in making art, as in life, you can always start over or have another chance.

Of course, one of the reasons I called this post “Oh happy day” has nothing to do with starting over and everything to do with following through: I GOT PAID! Because of course I like making art, but I also really like selling it, and I got paid for pieces that sold at Olde Pear Primitives in Cape May and at MADE. Artisan Marketplace in Woodbury. Yay!

If you are looking for pieces, you can check either of those shops or shop online here.

And don’t forget you can sign up for my newsletter to get updates and offers and such!

Welcome, July!

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Today is July 1st, which means it’s a new year (for some folks, anyway, if they have a fiscal year that ended yesterday). At any rate, it’s the first day of the second half of the current year. And if you’re Canadian, it’s a holiday! HAPPY CANADA DAY, FRIENDS!

All of which is to say WHERE DID THE FIRST HALF OF THE YEAR GO?

I mean, I know where it went. Really and truly. But wowza, it’s the second half of 2019 now and that means six months until we rename the year, and is it just me or is time somewhat flying?

At the same time, given my meditation practice (almost typed “medication” HA!), time doesn’t always fly. Sometimes it expands. And I’m banking on some more of that for the rest of the year as I try to live life and get things done.

Speaking of which, I’ve been working on a new project, which is not yet entirely ready for primetime, but if you’d like to have a peek at it, you can check out this Facebook page for Actually I Can, which is a new sort of business and business venture for me, but it’s something I’ve been called toward for ages now, and with the help of a business mentor, I figured out how to start doing it.

Original mantra piece I made for myself at the start of 2019.

Original mantra piece I made for myself at the start of 2019.

I am also entirely excited to be getting back into my studio this week. I’m feeling called to do some collage and some painting!

Wedding-ready

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I mean, technically, we aren’t ready, but at least we’ve decided (a) when we are leaving to go to my cousin’s daughter’s wedding, (b) where we are staying, (c) what we are wearing, (d) what the gift is, and (e) when we are coming home again.

And we’ve picked a wedding card. For the first time ever, we are using one of MY cards. I know that might sound strange, since I’ve been turning art into greeting cards for almost two years now, but it really is the first time we are using one for ourselves. This is, in part, because I adore greeting cards and often shop for them everywhere I go (especially if I’m in locations with museums or independent stationers and a good card assortment).

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Sonnet 116 by W. Shakespeare

Shall we to the marriage of true minds admit impediments? Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds, or threatens with the remover to remove. Oh no! It is an ever-fixèd mark that looks on tempests and is not shaken. It is the star to every wandering bark . . .

This will be the card that goes with (okay, contains) our guest. This card is available at Olde Pear Primitives in Cape May, NJ, and at MADE. Artisan Marketplace in Woodbury. It, and all of its friends, are also available in my online shop, which you can access using the button below!

And hey! If you are interested in signing up for my mailing list, where you will get information on new products, what is happening, plus more. Just click on over to my “home” page and fill in the form!

June is bustin' out all over!

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Well hello! It’s almost the middle of June (what? how?).

There’s a full moon coming on June 15th, by the way, so if you are a person who is into moon energy, keep an eye on that, and maybe figure out what no longer serves you and what you want to release and do that.

June is known for being wedding season (which means, by the way, that it is also anniversary season), and it turns out that I have three greeting cards that are perfect for that:

If any of these are your jam, they are available in my online shop for $5 each, or 3 for $13.50 (and there are another 20 or so options from which to choose). These cards are also available at Olde Pear Primitives on Lafayette Street in Cape May, New Jersey, and at MADE. Artisan Marketplace in Woodbury, NJ (though I think you only get the discount on multiples at my site). They are all blank inside, and if you’d like ideas for easy copy to add inside, I’ve got you covered here:

  • Wishing you a lifetime of happiness!

  • Celebrating your life together,

  • I/we are so happy for the two of you!

  • You go together like tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches!

Okay, so maybe that last option is a bit too out there, but those first three are solid starters. And here’s a pro tip: if you don’t plan on writing too much more, just start with your phrase in the middle of the middle of the inside of the card, not at the top, so you don’t feel like you have to add a whole lot more.

What else I’ve got going on

I popped into the local library earlier this week to pick up a bag full of books, and was immediately reminded that I still have paintings on display at the Monroe Township Library in Williamstown, NJ. From left to right, the three paintings are “Beyond Fences”, “Muriel’s Garden”, and “Shine”. Here they are, from two angles:

I left my heart in San Francisco

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Morris and I got away for a six-day vacation (which included Memorial Day weekend in there), and we visited San Francisco. We stayed at the Cornell Hotel de France on Bush Street, right near the corner of Powell Street (which is a cable car route). It was a beautiful hotel, and we enjoyed our stay and our breakfasts there. We flew out there suuuuuuuper early on Thursday morning, then spent some time eating a nice lunch in North Beach and shopping in Chinatown.

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We spent Friday afternoon at Alcatraz—I can’t entirely describe it as a pleasant visit, since the place is horrid, but the audio tour was fascinating. And even though I was having some health issues (thanks, rheumatoid arthritis!) and was using a cane, the whole thing was made doable since the ferry staff allowed me to sit rather than standing in line, and there was a tram and an elevator available on Alcatraz Island, all of which made it navigable. And after we returned to Fisherman’s Wharf, we lucked into a free lunch. Don’t tell me there’s no such thing—we both had an appetizer and an entree, plus a (non-alcoholic) beverage, which would have rung up around $75, in exchange for our opinions on the food, service, and pricing. (Okay — it wasn’t 100% free, since we left a nice tip for the server, but still!)

On Saturday, we hopped into a van with 10 other customers for a day tour with Incredible Adventures, during which we visited Muir Woods and two wineries near Sonoma, the town of Sonoma, and Sausalito. Jill, our driver and guide, was phenomenal (and an excellent driver), and we seriously loved Muir Woods and the Robledo Family Winery, and we were thrilled to meet up with my sweet friend Tanita Davis (author extraordinaire) and her husband, David, while we were in the town of Sonoma, but the whole day was really wonderful!

Sunday, we went to Golden Gate Park to visit the Japanese Tea Garden. We caught a tour run by a volunteer from San Francisco City Guides (free tours run by volunteers out of the SF Public Library, donation optional to keep the program running). Our guide was Jay Streets (accompanied by his goldendoodle, Norton), and he knew SO MUCH about the history of the gardens and about the Hagiwara family, Japanese immigrants who did much to improve the gardens and who ran the Japanese Tea House until they were interned in camps during WWII. The stories and details were phenomenal, and put things in historical context, reminding us of the dangers of not studying history.

The first two photos above were taken in the Japanese Tea Garden, and the third was taken outside the De Young Museum.

That night, we went out for a really nice dinner at Café Claude, where we sat at the bar for dinner (we made a late decision and got reservations, but for the bar). We had fabulous cocktails, a good meal, and a really enjoyable time listening to the live jazz trio that was playing in the bistro. Definitely a nice night out.

The next morning, we joined a scheduled tour of Chinatown with Linda Lee of All About Chinatown tours. She came highly recommended by one of Morris’s tai chi students, and she was decidedly entertaining and knowledgeable, though I have to add a caveat that there were parts of the tour that made me feel a bit uncomfortable, since we strolled through a few groceries as if we were peering into an aquarium or something (“look at the ‘weird herbs’ and the live frogs!”). We finished with lunch at a local restaurant, including dim sum and a few other dishes.

Tuesday was our last day in San Francisco, but since we had a red-eye leaving around 11 p.m., we had a full day to spend in town. We kept it super low-key, first at Joy’s Place on Post Street for coffee (excellent lattes, excellent music, no rush at all), and then at the Palace Hotel for cocktails (scotch for Morris, rosé bubbles for me). We visited some other places as well, but it was an easy day and one of favorites.

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CHEERS!

Cocktails at the Palace Hotel

It has taken me just over a week to get around to writing about it because I’ve been pretty wiped out since getting back, but I’m finally getting my feet back under myself.

Whew! That was a busy weekend!

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SATURDAY

Saturday morning, my sweetheart and I drove up to Merchantville to check out the Mystical May Holistic Street Festival, where I was delighted to see vendor friends Dot Pakstis (Dorothy Claire Crystals) and Jody Thorpe (Mystical Blossoms) and to meet Jeannie Francis of Spirit to Sole Connection and do a bit of shopping at Aradia’s Treasure. And then we drove down Route 130 to head to Woodbury, which is where the wonderful creator space MADE Artisan Marketplace is located.

MADE Artisan Marketplace is in the process of moving into a renovated building at 65 N. Broad Street in Woodbury, between the Courthouse and Charlie Brown’s, if you know Woodbury at all. It will contain selling space for local artists, classroom space, gallery space, space for Say It With Clay, and spaces for artists in resident. PLUS there will be coffee—PAINTED BRIDGE Espresso Bar will be located in the space as well!

Below you can see my artwork set up on a couple of shelves. I will also be dropping off greeting cards, which will go elsewhere in the space. You can also see me with MADE’s indefatigable owner, Jamilah Damiani.

BUT WAIT! That isn’t all we did on Saturday. Because once Morris and I left MADE in the early afternoon, we drove down to Cape May, where our first stop was at Olde Pear Primitives. I had a great time catching up with owner Genevieve Lugo, and I dropped off some new stock. Below you can see a photo of Genevieve and I taken by Morris, and some pics of the products I made taken by Genevieve. (I didn’t make the cool metal tree, nor did I do that awesome painted woodturning image of the state of New Jersey, which was created by the talented Ashlesha of Henna by Ash.

I hope you noticed the super cute red, white & blue heart garlands that are on the tree and lined up in a box. I hand-painted those papers and drew every single star myself, then punched out and strung the hearts on baker’s twine. They look so charming on that metal tree!

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After we left Olde Pear, Morris and enjoyed a nice stroll over to Beach Avenue, where we walked along the sidewalk that skirts the dunes and looked out over the ocean. We eventually made our way down to the Rusty Nail, where we had adult beverages (a mojito for me, a bourbon-based drink for Morris) and a tasty dinner. Eventually we wandered back to our car and drove home, where I spent the next several hours packing and working on pricing for my event on Sunday.

SUNDAY

Sunday, Sunday, SUNDAY! (I totally just said that aloud like the announcer for a local speedway, in case you wondered.) If you’ve been keeping up with my blog, then you may remember me mentioning Decompress South Jersey. You can read my last post, which was all about it and included photos of my kids when they were (extremely small and) at Will-Moor Gymnastics old location.

I really loved my setup at Will-Moor, which you can see from two different angles above. And it was great to catch up with other vendor friends, including April of Willow Moon Candles, Rita of Jularee, Aimee of Relics Revisited, Jody of Mystical Blossoms, and Margeaux of Proud Mary Designs. It was inspiring watching Alisha teach Zumba, Stacia doing aerial yoga, Cheryl leading Buti yoga, and oh, it was magical listening to Jody do a sound healing session with her singing bowls.

And that’s, to paraphrase Walter Cronkite (yes, I am old—he was an extraordinarily popular and famous newscaster when I was a kid), the weekend that was.

Decompress South Jersey

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I am so excited about an upcoming event. On Sunday, May 19th, I will be one of the vendors selling inside Will-Moor Gymnastics in Mount Laurel, New Jersey. I will, however, be OUTSIDE the main event, which is a wonderful four-hour wellness event featuring four separate workshops. Attendance at the main event will cost you $35, and gets you all four workshops including Buti yoga with Buti and the Beast, silks with Light as a Feather Yoga, Zumba with Alisha Negron and Sound Bowl Meditation with Mystical Blossoms.

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I will be bringing along greeting cards as well as original artwork, including quite a few chakra-related pieces. It will be super fun for me to be back at Will-Moor. And no, I haven’t been there as a vendor before. In fact, the last time I was there, it was just about 21 years ago, as a proud mama. Both of my girls went to their weekly program as part of their daycare program back in the day.

Seriously, how cute were my little girlies? (They are both equally cute now, just older. And a bit taller.) Below you can see some of the pieces that I intend to bring along. They include two chakra rainbow pieces, as well as four abstract landscapes, all of which are matted and ready to frame.

I hope to see you there!