out with the old...

in with the new! I trust you all had a great holiday and are spending some time reflecting on 2010 as the last day of the year is here. I had a fantastic Christmas, quiet, filled with love and relaxation. I needed it after a whirlwind of rough times at work and projects that left me feeling tired a slightly bitter.

after some time to relax and refresh I feel great and ready to face 2011 with an open heart. there have been so many changes taking place in my life and many more on the horizon. I am hoping to attend graduate school next fall for art therapy and my life is certainly taking a new direction going from art assistant to mental health. in the meantime work will also have some changes, as some relationships will have to end and new ones will begin. It's a bitter sweet time for me. I grew fond of my life the way it was, but as with everything, the only constant is change.

with all of these changes I have been inspired to make even more change at home, both in my environment and in terms of health. part of that decision process is to let this blog go in favor of a personal journal, handwritten, for me. so, dear blog, you have done me well these past 2 years, but I need to be more private with my thoughts and become more introspective so that I can cope with the massive amount of change ahead of me.

since I gather that many of you readers are those I see or speak to regularly, thanks for checking in and I'll see you on the non-virtual side of the world. for the others out there, you can still visit jillringler.com to get updates on my art and such.

good bye 2010, farewell blog....happy new year! xo

Tidings of Comfort and Joy

I am trying to make time for the sweeter things in life this Holiday, like time with friends and long phone calls to those that are far, tea, warm sweaters and cuddling up with the cats and my love. In other words, I am trying to make time for simple pleasures during a time that can be rather chaotic and stressful. I am rather sick of life being such a ball of stress! It can be challenging to make time or have money for it all, but living creatively I've turned things around a bit this year.

Decorating: A smaller tree with handmade snowflakes on the windows and stockings.

Baking: I will make one treat instead of baking for a small army.

Cards: Making it simpler, but still personal. A small personal list will receive hand written, mailed cards and the larger mass will receive an e-card, but still artful and personal. The artwork for each are photographs by Philip:

Gifts: Bought and Handmade. Rather than making everything this year, I've caved into buying some things and it feels pretty good! Less stress to make the 'finish line'.

With all this, I am able to meet my budget and even take a short break off of work to enjoy it all. That my friends is priceless!

I hope you find warmth and joy throughout your days this Christmas and I wish you the happiest of New Year's! xo

Twas a successful event!

The Richmond Art Center was a success! We had a great time, sold some stuff, and supported a good cause.

More pictures here.

Richmond Art Center Holiday Arts Festival

Friday, 3 – 7 pm & Saturday, 11 – 5 pm

Hope to see you there!!

busy as a bee....what else is new!

It's that time of year and oh-so-many changes are happening, hence the lack of posts, although I am certain no one is missing me. (just being honest, i've been considering letting the blog go bye-bye and sticking to a private journal-guess we'll see!)

The big event on the horizon is keeping me the most busy and I am very excited for this year's annual Richmond Art Center Holiday Arts Festival - Next weekend to be precise, December 3 and 4. Two whole days! It's going to be great! Last year certainly was and they've made some great improvements to the schedule and overall event.

Please come and support me, along with the fabulous Chase Clark and Sylvia Min. We have a great assortment of handmade accessories for you, your home, your friends and family! Last year Chase's ornaments were such a hit, we thought it would be nice for all of us to create our own for the table.

Pardon the poor images, but here is a sneak preview of what I've been working on:

Hope to see you there! x

where to find a living tree for christmas

Any ideas on where to find a live Christmas tree in the Bay Area??
I found this awesome 'Adopt a Christmas Tree' service that delivers a tree AND picks it up to plant it somewhere when Christmas is through (they even come dressed as elves!). Sadly this is only in the San Diego area. I found another version in the LA area, but nothing up here the Bay Area yet.

I've been using a cheap-o, made in China, fake tree, and probably will continue to do so just out of sheer guilt of what happens when the time comes to get rid of it (landfill). Lately I've been thinking about ways to have a live tree because I've been inspired on my hikes form inhaling the most fragrant, delicious, refreshing air.

Creatively speaking, what about alternative ways of decorating with ornaments?
It's so difficult to be eco-conscious and creative sometimes. In some ways you never win on the eco because everything has an impact especially in the art materials section. But seriously, if we are supposed to make strides toward it, we have to use our creativity to find solutions.

Perhaps the answer is to use what I have and keep pondering.

If you have some links to share, brilliant ideas, or just some thoughts on the matter, I'd love to hear them!

Hope autumn is being kind to you!

happy halloweeeeeen!

http://flickr.com/gp/thecuriousbee/Z8YX4N

check out some photos for our second annual pumpkin carving party / silent movie at the sf symphony. sooooo super fun:)