How interesting. I've had this Mertensia for years and it's never looked this vibrant and healthy. My tulips have moved around in the ghetto garden as if to say-This is where I want to be.     Home....where I want to be lift me up and turn me round....
 Spring is the most beautiful and exciting time in the midwest. I never tire of it.
and WHY oh why do people spray to kill dandelions?? Why do they not like sweet yellow flowers dotting the lawn?? I am so perplexed by it and will never understand.
Happy beauty from the GG.   (GGs.;)

I've been painting randomly. and by randomly I mean there is no thought out plan, I just sort of do what I feel like. Its quite a freedom, this experience.
​ These are older signs that never sold and I don't love them so time for a makeover! Check the photo gallery for more and let me know if you like them.

every once in awhile I like to look through my bookshelves and randomly pick out a book to peruse. It's a fine way to keep myself acquainted with the fine assortment of reading material in my life. Today I looked at Keep Going by Austin Kleon.  It is one of those books that seems to offer a ton of wise advice and a slew of interesting information/artists, regardless of how many times I read it.
so thank you www.austinkleon.com
​today I make gifts.

bookstores. 
I have enjoyed the supreme contentment of being in bookstores since I was a very little girl.
My mother would take us into Krochs & Brentanos or Brainard's Books, while shopping, and I could have spent the day there. I do realize that even writing that sentence, my privilege is obvious. 
Libraries are their own version of magic certainly.... but bookstores.... the beautiful covers all displayed on shelves and tables...comfy chairs...magazines! so many magazines I'd never seen in my life. Even the smell was pleasing.  Oh the joy.
Earlier this week I came across a Barnes & Noble and I guess I was surprised because I thought they were all gone...like the Borders of my younger days.
I went in and was immediately transported to that B&N feeling of my youth. It was so good.
I bought one book (applaud my restraint, people!) and looked at dozens.
​ but the real reward was that feeling.

Challenging things in life include me trying to navigate (successfully) converting my iPhone photos to jpgs after loading onto my little trusty rose gold MacBook Air.
These are certainly the moments I feel stupidest. The internet is handy for answering these questions however....I am prob not the most tech-savvy person you know. 

On Friday (Black Friday) I had the pleasure of working at my old place of employment with my old friends (who still work there in some capacity) and it was a blast!! We laughed a lot.
After a full day, as I was leaving the west field, I saw this.  It spoke to me. 
I thought about editing it to make it more about the sunflower and the sunsetting but left it as it was.... I kinda like the mishmosh
​Beauty is really every where. x

Hello. it's been a long time since I posted... what the heck.
Time keeps on ticking. Another fall is here. Life keeps surprising me and showing me gifts.
​Change is always happening.
Barnwords has been evolving and changing throughout the past year or so.
One new product I have are these beautiful handmade tags. 
These are actually cool little tags packaged up in packs of 11 and can be used as unique gift tags, as price tags (hey, small business owners- check it out),as bookmarks or tiny mail. little love notes... the possibilities are many. 

youtu.be/jNVPalNZD_I

​Every few months... or years...I revisit this video.It is probably my favorite video ever.
It is so beautifully and artfully crafted.  enjoy.
​Im in Fall mode these days. So much gorgeousness along with the tired.

 this is the third morning Ive awoken without The Routine. On Thursday my beloved companion, my at home sidekick, my sweet plopper died. I feel a big figgy shaped hole in my life, but especially in the mornings. Figgy loved waking me up every morning and instinctively knew the time thing. We had a whole routine. 
On Thursday while I was getting ready for work I heard extremely loud cries from downstairs...they were not really normal, although Figgy could get very vocal while 'playing' with his sister. When I came down I found him totally stressed out laying on the floor screaming (in pain...although I didn't realize it was pain at first). His back legs appeared to be NOT working.  I thought Did he break his back?? He tried desperately to pull himself to the next room and I called the vet who naturally wasn't open yet. They have a message about who to call in emergency so I called. She said come now.  It was  THE most uncomfortable 39 minute drive I can remember. Figs screaming the whole way. I didn't even bother with the carrier...just wrapped him in a blanket which he didn't stay in anyway.  
Turns out he had experienced the equivalent of a stroke in humans...'saddle thrombus' is the tech term.  He was 8 years old (kinda guessing...we adopted him as a feral kitten)  A blood clot broke loose and lodged in the base of his spine causing extreme pain and complete paralysis, no blood flow. ( my god, who knew these sorts of things happened? honestly Ive been lucky with my cats I guess).
My choices were dismal...  like none.     Try and 'fix' it? -
Weeklong hospital stay, painful condition, need constant care and monitoring at home,  many cats die during the process, good chance of reoccurrence, AND the clincher- average life span after this saddle thrombus? 77 days.  That's NO life for Figgy. My decision was easy in a tough situation. So the very kind and compassionate vet and her staff helped end his life as I petted him.  It was the easiest part of the whole traumatic morning to be honest.
Now I miss him. all the time but especially in the morning. 

Hi friends.   Hope everyone is feeling good. 
For some reason, I cant upload my photos on to my computer from my new phone. which of course is my camera.  It seems as though my computer is too old. :( kinda feeling THAT).   Anyway I am working on fixing this issue.
Until then... I will just say IF you are looking for anything I make, contact me.
I am making stuff.
​Also SO MUCH SNOW and BEAUTY. Happy February.

  I'll be honest, this xmas cant be over soon enough. But I've been liking some things.
I like the frosty designs on my window.
I like the abundance of houseplants i have this year.
I like these biscuits very much.
​I like the family chat.
​I like noticing the garden daily, in it's winter glory.
I like the new barnwords i've been making. They were born from OLD signs i never can sell, from years ago, and i just sanded them a bit and painted over them. You can see remnants of the old signs underneath.(but i love that)  Is that double recycling??