sperlygirl

happy valentine's day...

may your day be filled with hearts...

here's a little mix of tunes i made for you, enjoy your day!

simply, love from sperlygirl on 8tracks.

 

 

dwelling in the in-between...

i love this quiet time between christmas and new years. for me, it's a time of reflection and renewal. time to take a look back, to dream forward, but also find some simple stillness within the present moment. the rush has settled, yet the bustle of school and schedules has not yet begun and there is this real sense of peace and quiet that these days bring. it is such a gift and i am grateful for it all. 

i have decided on my word to guide 2012, it is, express. inspired deeply by some events this past year that broke my heart wide open a bit more, it feels all the more important, fitting, and precious.

2011, my word was gratitude and i feel she stayed with me, close at hand - close to my heart, all year long, whispering gentle reminders when i became lost in the whirlwind of the everyday. her whispers grounded me back to the present and allowed for space to appreciate - even if it was only momentary. she taught me a lot ... reminded me of a lot this year and for that i am grateful.  i hope to hold on to all that she brought me this year.

a heartfelt thank you to each of you for sharing this space with me, accompanying me on my journey, taking the time to pen comments of support, encouragement, well-wishes or shared stories.

wishing you buon anno and may 2012 be the fullest expression of you! 

a holiday greeting...

embracing light...

may you gain strength from the darkness and find possibility within the light...

winter solstice blessings

(much gratitude to pixie and all those who lit up the sky with their flames)

release from suzanne sperl on Vimeo.

 

 

over here...

i have been...

experiencing cortisone shot in my leg and hoping it will help

watching creations find life from my sewing machine

baking sweet treats in the kitchen

filling up with hot tea in our mugs

taking long walks along side a desolate beach

gathering items for my contribution to the solstice fire/release

cultivating quiet thoughts to line my heart with whispers

listening to little boys giggle with unbridled excitement and anticipation

winding down the evening gazing at a beautiful tree glistening with teeny colored lights

 

a collection of holiday ideas...

thought i would put together a list of gift ideas from some pretty inspiring artists whose work i love.

love her work - especially this beauty, these and these

her work is lovely - especially this and this

i love how they take recycled materials, like kite sails, and turn them into beautiful works - especially this, this, and this (i have one of their messenger bags and they wear so well and look great!)

she is pure inspiration - i love this

this wild woman is pure magic - am crazy about this and this

this lovely one makes such pretty things - so love this and this

she is a poet of nature and create such beautiful treasures

a cultivator of positive energy, her inspiring shop is filled to the brim with it 

i am a fan of her creations - like this and this (i have one of her dress/skirts and wore it all summer, love it!)

and if you want funky and hip, you must check this hand felted lovely - be-au-tiful!

another beautiful artist with the most lovely of lariat necklaces, i am so crazy about mine

and this inspiring one who creates beautiful jewelry with so much soul

love her offering of beautiful bags and a socially responsible business (i have one and it is wonderful!)

and her lovely art - like this and this

and perhaps this holiday, you wish to create more space to give back. here are some resources for you to pass on goodness to others this season:

this beautiful one crafted a whole post full of opportunities to give

bead for life

bringing the gift of music into low-income public schools

 

love in our house ~ l'amore nella nostra casa

watching ryder's eyelids fall heavier and heavier as he surrenders to dreams while gently holding my finger...still

listening to kai create furiously in the other room knowing that markers and pencils are feverishly building new worlds and wild creatures as he animates the voices

hearing kai yell out buona pasqua (happy easter!) and then collapse in giggles and excitement from colored eggs and the promise of chocolate and candies to come

carrying ryder around in the sling and having him snuggle his sweet head down under my chin as we look out at the colors and birds in the garden

having kai tell me, 'mama, you're the best' when i tuck him in (that one, i absolutely savor)

*wishing a colorful, happy spring & a house full of love and laughter to each of you!*

 

the in between space...

today, i sit in a quiet house. we have had various family visiting for the past 5 1/2 weeks and while i enjoyed having them here - unfortunately with each visitor came a virus we all passed around. we are still not 100% here but we are all mending. i am busy today clearing piles that have cluttered up around here, creating space, reflecting and redirecting energies. i am mulling over a new word to guide me into 2011 (more on that later). i am prepping up my new planner pad for the new year and trickin' it out with collage and a little surprises tucked in here and there that will make me smile throughout the year. i am winding down and yet gearing up in this in between space before the new year. there is "stuff" i am purging both mental and physical and that always makes life feel a bit lighter. i am also gathering some inspiration to share too. feels good (even though i am coughing through the whole bit!). so if you haven't checked out karen's new year mix, do yourself a favor and crank it up....

buon natale...

wishing you a holiday that is warmed by the love and laughter of family and friends. may 2011 bring you good health, prosperity, kindness, and much possibility. to those i love who are scattered far and near, i hold you close in my heart and to my kindred spirits that i have met here...thank you for your continued inspiration for you too have touched my world and expanded it so. buon natale e felice anno nuovo

"Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love." ~Lao Tzu

from the darkness, light...

today is the winter solstice, and with that i have been thinking a lot about the transition of darkness into light recently...and all that means. i have been thinking how i wish to shine the light into some specific areas of my life in the upcoming year. how i hope to shift it to put some aspects back into the shadows and bring others out into the sunlight. i think there is such beauty in those subtle beams of light that you pass by as you walk through a room. it always feels as if i am being whispered to when i notice them and i try hard to take note of that. so today, in celebration of the solstice and the transition she carries so tenderly in her arms - i am honoring both the shadows and the sunbeams. with that, i thought i'd share this quote...

"there is a crack...a crack...in everything that's how the light gets in" Leonard Cohen