After spending sometime educating myself on Ebay and Etsy, I have found myself LOVING the etsy community and my store presence there. I am really going to put more effort into making it a revenue-generating experience, which is the only way I will get to stay.

My experience last Nov-Dec with the personalized plates was a good one, just did not carry into much business after the holiday-boom. But there is so much to learn and interact with the other sellers and buyers in the forums and favorites. ♥

I am also investigating other smallers items that I can create to further share my message of gifts and talents and think I have found something fun to  try!

I encourage you to check out etsy for any kind of gifts for friends, family, yourself.  It is an awesome community of craft artisans from all over the world, making some quality things. check out the sellers that are in my favorites list.

www.sophiadare.etsy.com

My wildboys all went tubing today. I asked them to leave me with my paints. Sometimes I just need to be alone and paint. Me and God.

So they bought snorkel masks and had a blast and did boy things on the river all day, and I put on some worship and classical and enjoyed filling a canvas.

These irises grow along the back fence of my yard, maintenance free, and seem to explode every year, just when I need them the most. They are fabulous. Each purple tendril looks like it has his arms up outstretched in worship. I am in awe.

I am creating a new series that is more magnified, more abstract, and hopefully gets all up in your face with breathtaking color and light and beauty. I want to express to others what I am feeling with these blooms and butterflies.  So many people told me I needed to go smaller with my canvases to sell in the gallery. But it doesn’t say what I want to say.

I want to shout. I want to shine.

So I am doing a few pieces now that are really hyooge, and hopefully they will evoke emotions. I want to use them in the Wolfson’s show in August.

I think art is so healing, and when we are dealing with breathtaking pain and loss and grief, and challenges, it is so refreshing to find breath-taking beauty in the simplest of  things.

Like the irises growing unexpectedly, along the backyard fence.

Awesome NEWS! I just spoke with Wolfson’s Childrens Hospital, and the coordinator of the Healing Library, and have scheduled a display in the hospital of my butterfly series, also including a few other floral pieces. “Patrons of the Heart” will be the benefiting organization. They help underprivileged kids from other regions to have the opportunity for  heart surgeries they are desperately needing. It starts on August 5th, lsting for about a month. We will have a scheduled “Meet the artist” reception sometime in the first week. 

I have been envisioning this for 2 years, and am elated. It will be an exceptional opportunity to impact the lives of so many there that are hurting and grieving, and hoping, and believing, and I am so excited to share the art with them!

Please keep this show in your prayers!!

Must go paint.

I have been investigating different avenues to selling my artwork, what will and will not work in this economy. I know there is an audience out there of people who are inspired by florals and butterflies, and are open to investing in them, or even blessing another person with the inspiration. One thing I learned from my 3+ years of speaking, was that we are living in a hurting world and we all need inspiration and HOPE.  If my art could make a difference, even the smallest amount in someone’s life, then it is all worth it.

I find so much inspiration in these images that I have them all around my home. They are like babies to me, and it is hard for me to let them go. Once I give them up to the gallery, then they are in her hands and I am okay with it.

But the Broken butterflies, I have been saving. I have been saving them for a show, which may be in the works this year.

maybe.

I talked to some others in the gallery industry that encouraged me to go ahead and offer them.  I will not be homeschooling this year, freeing up my time to be more prolific with art and business. So why not try to sell them, offfer them out to anyone who may be interested? I can always paint more, and should be, as a prolific artist.

Can you tell that I love the word “prolific“. I think because it is a goal of mine that I have not yet achieved.

I paint at home when I am feeling inspired and focused, which is infrequent as I do laundry, plan meals, drive boys around, workout, and do laundry. Did I already stress the laundry?

I have designed several more butterflies, and a whole series of organic, abstract floral close-ups to come soon!

All this to announce that I now have a store on Etsy (see sidebar).

I also set up an Ebay store, with proceeds to go to the idic-15 charity of my choice. (Also in sidebar with Joshua’s cute picture). I’d love it if you go there and show them some love. When I searched for myself on Ebay, I was still hard to find..had to dig. So that is why we are trying Etsy again. I did have a good experience there over Christmas with the plates, and it was soo user friendly to set up. I am going to have more smaller paintings finished and up there next week, as well as some prints I still have around the house, saving up for some reason.

I love the idea of a new adventure, and like Tom Hanks said in Castaway, “you never know what the tide will bring in”.

Which, of course, for us, means God. The tide is just an ever-changing conduit.

like the wind.

or my emotions.

Thank you God for new opportunities and new seasons.

As you can tell from my title, *sniff, sniff* my husband and I have decided to allow my 13 yr old, Jacob, to try out school. He has been begging for it, and as much as we loved the idea of homeschooling, he really enjoys being able to spend more time with friends. Homeschooling offered plenty of activities when he was younger, and we did them all, but now that he is close to high school, academics are more pressing and he is spending his time at home alone, studying. Well, I am there, but there is only so much I can do while he is working through math problems or reading a chapter in history. As he says, it is “just Mom”.  I think if he were surrounded by siblings, it might make it more fun, but his younger brother  definitely needs a  structured program and has found a good fit at his private school.

Jacob has been on the football team this past year, for this Clay County school, and just completed Spring ball to prepare for the fall team. He has made some friends, knows the coaches, and is even active with the FCA- Fellowship of Christian Athletes club.

I know he will do well, and we still have to go through the testing process, but this is still a hard transition for me. I am the one always trying to teach my boys to be flexible and open to changes that God brings into our life, whether we are comfortable with it or not, and will hopefully be okay with this by the end of the summer *sniff, sniff*. I know it will open doors for me to get back into the work force, or paint, or promote Dare2Shine, but I really did have a dream of homeschooling my boys all the way through. We have just had too many unique dynamics in our family  to make it possible, or even desirable, anymore. The changing tides in the economy are a factor that cannot be ignored anymore as well.

I am still going to leave all of my homeschool references up in the resource page. If we run into any real challenges, or situations that are unacceptable, I have promised all my men that we will be back.

Please say a prayer for us as we start the summer testing process.

In honor of Father’s Day, I wrote this tribute to my Dad. But we all know that behind every great man is a very strong and supportive woman. That would be GrammaBeth. I want to stress with an exclamation that she is just as much of a part of these principles and instrumental in our lives, alongside of PoppaBob.

Thanks Mom and Dad!

1. Family is indisposable.

2. Good memories ride out the storm.

3. Consistent kindness can soften even a wildcat.

4. Make your peace with bees.

5. Be grateful for squash.

6. Don’t walk in a cow pasture.

7. Chop wood while its warm.

8. Learn from a tale.

9. Dreams are great.

10. Joy is only a pie away.

There’s nothing else in the world like coming home. I am not talking about where someone currently sets up residence, but a HOME that goes much deeper. As frustrating as it can sometimes be to get along with family, I still hope everyone has a blessed place like this to return.
Several times a year, we load up the boys, packing the car full of travel foods and pillows, and visit. We see parents, in-laws, cousins, siblings and catch a glimpse of the places in our past. Some good memories, some bad, but it all helped to make us who we are today.
I have lived in Florida for over 20 years. My husband and I have established ourselves in a community, a church, a profession, and a beach-lovin’, sandal-wearin’ lifestyle that would absolutely qualify us as Floridians. But since we both are from NC, we still refer to it as HOME.
These are the people that knew us when we were picking our nose or wetting our bed. Or both. They witnessed all the childhood stages we have gone through- Some we may still be going through.
Back when I whined, having to wear saddle-oxfords with striped athletic socks and a skirt to school (if we get these shoes for cheerleading, you WILL wear them to school). Back when I ran in the wrong direction, coming home at the wrong time. Back when I was so cool and embroidered a Freebird on the butt of my jeans and beads in my hair. (this was before lower-back, tattoos were in vogue) . Back when I was that person I can now barely remember.
They patiently guided us through it all, sometimes frustrated, sometimes just hoping we would live through it, but never ceasing to offer that unconditional love for even a moment.
That is exceptional. That unconditional love means they believe in me. They have hope in me. No matter what the present circumstances looked like, they believed that I was worth loving and holding onto. They loved us by welcoming us into their arms and home, with a home-cooked meal and solace, always offering support and hope.
In a world that is so self-seeking, I see so many people losing that acceptance when it gets hard, when it no longer seems profitable or beneficial for SELF to stay in the fight. We see it in marriages and, surprisingly, even among parents and children. When the relationship gets hard, or someone does not have the best people skills, or parents get older and need more care, their family may even choose to just stop coming around. Just check out. Relationships have become disposable. But PoppaBob and GrammaBeth always showed love and respect to us, to their community and to each other. Their love and acceptance convinced me that even when times were tough or I was not pleasing them, (or even downright embarrassing them) I was not disposable. That acceptance is like a light that will always guide us through the dark and back home again.
Hopefully we can pass that light onto our children. All of our family members in NC are a blessing in our lives. But I am writing this specifically as a tribute to my parents- PoppaBob and GrammaBeth, and the timeless, back-home principles that they have spoken into us without a word, but with the humble example of their lives and all that they cherish.
1. FAMILY IS INDISPOSABLE.

2. GOOD MEMORIES RIDE OUT THE STORM.
When I pull into my parent’s driveway, it does not matter if I have my hair fixed up or if my nail polished is chipped. I may even look like I have been driving since 4 am with tired, whiny boys overloaded on fast food. The car smells like boy’s feet, but none of that matters anymore. I am home. GrammaBeth is there on the porch, smelling like cookies, since she has been baking for a week to prepare for our arrival. PoppaBob is offering hugs, and immediately carrying luggage inside, repeating, “This is GREAT!” all the way.

My parents, PoppaBob and GrammaBeth, live in a white, 2-story farmhouse on a hill. When it is covered in snow it looks like a Hallmark card. Or a Thomas Kinkade painting. It is surrounded by 10 acres of a wild boy’s dream. And I have wild boys. It was built in 1904 and features Victorian cornices and a protective green awning that keeps wrapping around with the wide front porch.
The property contains an old white barn, a 10×15 log cabin, and an open field. The field hosts a bed of blackberries, a massive garden, and several beehives. It is protected by a row of 82 enormous cypress trees that they planted themselves.

The backyard is wrapped with a picket fence that served as a massive playpen to nine grandchildren with tire swings, baby swings, a sand box and dogs.

In the front yard stands a medium sized, blooming, magnolia tree. There is a stone underneath it that says, “In loving memory of our sunshine boy, 1994-2002, Joshua Robert.”

He was my first child and the first grandchild. Now there are eight.

Everything has a season. And that is what it is, merely a season. PoppaBob has always been good with numbers and charts. In studying history, he always taught us that everything is a cycle and will pass. And this fact has helped him develop systems to predicting the stock market. Sometimes his friends would jovially call him the “Town Guru” with his cycle talk. But it is also applicable to life in general. We have some storms, and then we come out of a storm. Eventually we can be certain we will face more storms again. Hopefully we are taking the time to make good memories along the way.

Memories are a powerful thing, and in many cases, can help make the valleys more bearable. It is the one thing that time and age and change cannot steal from us. We hold 15 years of memories with our boys returning home with us here, learning and exploring in every season. Time here on this property slows down to a peaceful, breezy walk. And time with my parents has been a constant silent witness to basic, simple routines for an honest life of kindness and servitude.

It has always been something that I savored but not as much as I do right now. On this particular trip, with the changes in the city zoning, and incredible upkeep required to maintain it, there is now a contemplation of selling the property – letting someone else take care of the tremendous job of a farmhouse from 1904 that needs to be lifted and repaired, (or declared historical),and a yard that requires constant maintenance.

The idea of no longer returning to this place, this yard, this tree, these memories, is almost unbearable at the moment. I am sure as I write more, and remember, I will come to a place of letting go,  realizing the memories and the lessons are still mine to take with me.

2. GOOD MEMORIES RIDE OUT THE STORM.

3. CONSISTENT KINDNESS CAN SOFTEN EVEN A WILDCAT.
As much as I will cherish the memories here, right now they are still tangible, in the clean mountain air, the birds calling in the woods, the garden squash that is growing so fast we can watch it, and the white barn cats that meander around the property, teasing the dogs inside the fence.

The barn is a 3 story, split level, and once housed cows, horses and pigs. It is now used to store all of the equipment necessary for property upkeep. Through the cracks in the planks and underneath the barn, there lives a family of 4 all-white cats, 2 generations. I have been told that it is not possible to have 2 generations of all-white cats, but whoever said this had not explored all of the wildcat possibilities, like in-breeding, mother and son. All-white.

They earn their keep and hold down the population of chipmunks, mice and even bunnies on the property, but not without reward. GrammaBeth goes out every day to feed them. When she is running late, or has other pressing engagements to attend, they all pace along the back fence, even wandering silently onto the back deck, impatiently staring down the house.

It was not always like this. These are WILD cats. Years ago, they kept their distance, and never came out of the barn floor in the daylight. GrammaBeth decided that if they were going to remain, they would have to be fixed. She strategically placed cages from the vet, caught each one individually, had them fixed and vaccinated, then released again.

They were devastated. You could say they were madder than a… well, a wildcat.

They gave her the silent treatment for a few years. The silent and distant treatment. Of course she still patiently fed them every morning, but they would not come out from under the barn and eat until she was gone. After awhile, one of the younger ones that just did not know better, would allow her to be in his presence while he ate. It took several seasons for the cats to allow her back into their trust, to watch them eat, to share their space, and eventually to even give a pat on the head. Now they come out every morning to tease the dogs and play.

3. CONSISTENT KINDNESS CAN SOFTEN EVEN A WILDCAT.

4. MAKE YOUR PEACE WITH BEES

 
So bees and I have never been friendly. But I thought it would be great experience to learn this process. There is a growing concern in the agricultural community that bees are diminishing evermore. They are crucial to our ecosystem and some have declared them the most invaluable species in our ecosystem.  

PoppaBob’s bees help his garden and the surrounding area flourish, and provide plenty of honey for extended family throughout the year.

Throughout the extraction process, which took place in the little cabin, bees were buzzing all around outside, and quickly cleaned off the leftover honeycombs and hives that were set on the porch. No one was stung. Apparently bees around honey are too focused, normally, to bother with people. Jake learned how to shave the outer coating of the honeycomb, turn them in the hand-cranked extractor, and sift through 2 steps of cheesecloth, into jars for everyone to enjoy. A neighbor who is currently taking a beekeeper course, also joined in to help and learn from PoppaBob.

He still leaves a hive full of honey for the bees to enjoy all winter, and continually feeds them sugar water in the birdbath by the field. We have learned to appreciate their importance in nature, and I have made my peace with bees.

PoppaBob has always taken care to respect every creature, whether it be the squirrels that fall from the trees during a storm, or the groundhogs in his garden that he carefully moved to a new home. He has shown respect and honor for every creature’s purpose and place in nature and silently taught us to do the same.

5. BE GRATEFUL FOR SQUASH

PoppaBob has an incredible garden. It has required a lot of work and sacrifice and you can tell they have a passion for nurturing it. Everyone loves PoppaBob’s garden, including the deer, groundhogs, and other varmints. The deer have been known for stealing an entire season of vegetables so now he has creatively designed an intricate webbing around, and over the entire area, to trip up, tangle and confuse any deer, pets or even stray children that enter. It includes some pie pans that clang loudly, vertical twine for the green beans, and enough crosslines to prevent me from coming through again without his lead.
My boys are learning! This is better than boy scouts. They will learn gardening techniques and what specific animals do and do not like.
They are also learning to like squash. We appreciate what the garden gives, and right now, the squash is more than plentiful. He created a 20×30 box with extra fertilized soil, mixed with plenty of flood rains, and the squash is literally exploding in front of us. Everyone who stops by to visit is given an ample amount of squash. All of the extended family that I visit will be gifted squash. We have never been big squash eaters, and my boys had a challenge with it, but we have discovered new ways of cooking it, in casseroles, fried, or in stir fry.
GrammaBeth cans many of the vegetables and they give away the rest. When the potatoes come through, we will celebrate potatoes. When the green beans come through, we will snap and celebrate green beans. The corn is starting to look promising. We will be grateful for what we have when we have it.
But for now, we have learned to be grateful for plentiful squash. And if you stop by, be ready to take some home.