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Proof of Life | Journal Entry No. 14

Welcome to the Proof of Life journal entry series. Writing more in general, and specifically with you, is something I hope to continue. Like many of you, life has become clearer over the past few years and there are many things I have dropped along the way that I deeply desire to pick back up. In turn, there are things I never want to pick up again. From the very beginning, I have always felt like we are on this …

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The Jeanne Oliver Podcast Episode Forty Seven | Authenticity with Deanne Fitzpatrick

    In this episode, Jeanne is talking with artist, author, and teacher Deanne Fitzpatrick. For 6 podcasts we are doing something really special and different. Deanne and I have each chosen three topics that are relevant to us right now. These talks are between two friends that cherish the heart of the other and we hope you will join in the conversation too. In this episode we are talking about authenticity in art and life.     “Each time …

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The Jeanne Oliver Podcast Episode Forty Five | Beauty Chasers with Deanne Fitzpatrick

    In this episode, Jeanne is talking with artist, author, and teacher Deanne Fitzpatrick. For 6 podcasts we are doing something really special and different. Deanne and I have each chosen three topics that are relevant to us right now. These talks are between two friends that cherish the heart of the other and we hope you will join in the conversation too. In this episode we are talking about being beauty chasers.         “Each time …

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The Jeanne Oliver Podcast Episode Twenty Two | Q+A with Alexis Garrett and Jeanne Oliver

    On this episode I am talking with one of my long time friends, Alexis Garrett. Alexis is a lifestyle and home designer in San Diego. We met in France over 10 years ago on an art retreat and were instant friends. Over the years we have continued to travel and make art in Mexico, Scotland, England, Africa and in each other’s homes. It took many edits to take out all of the laughing but we hope you love …

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Don’t Be Afraid To Let People Around You Go Past The Dreaming

Somehow around 8 years ago my love of paper, creating and paints had turned into me listing a few things to sell on Etsy. Just to make things more interesting I asked my mom to work with me to sew children’s clothing that I was designing. Everything was so small but so fun. I remember that Kelly and I set up a space for me in our unfinished basement where I would work once the children went to sleep. There …

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Positive Gossip

This past January I went to Alt with Kimberly, Mel and Estelle. I wrote about the weekend HERE. The last night of the conference we were all relaxing, talking and having a few drinks before we all went our separate ways the next morning. Around the table with me was Kim, Mel, Estelle, Beefy, Melissa, Courtney and Melissa (I wonder what the popular name was 30 something years ago..hmmmm). Towards the end of the night Kim suggested that we play …

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Summer Soiree Party Pics {wish you could have been there}

{Beware…HIGH photo content} I have been wanting to have a summer party with some of my local friends for years. I knew the only way I would actually follow through was to invite some of my out of town friends to join us. You can’t bail on a party when people get on a plane to come. I threw out the invitation to some of my favorite gals that lived all over the US and hoped that someone would be …

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End of Summer Nights Soiree {In Celebration of Friendship}

{source} A few months ago I kept on thinking about doing something that would get many of my friends together to celebrate how much they mean to me. I feel so blessed to have incredible women in my life. I have wanted to do this over the past few summers but I just never seemed to pull it together. {source unknown} I also thought it would be fun to invite a handful of women from out of town to join …

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NaDa Farm {Part III French Larkspur}

First of all I would like to thank everyone that contributed their thoughts to the post on authenticity. I definitely think this is a subject for more discussion and I hope to add another post this week. ************************************** The best part of heading back to Illinois is the pure joy of seeing friends and family. I have become good friends with Tracey, of French Larkspur, over the past few years. I love that we talk weekly on the phone and …

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Impromptu Photo Shoot {and the witness protection program}

I told you that my friend, Christy, got her closest girlfriends together for a little girl time in the mountains of Utah. She calls her closest friends “trues”…and I think that is one of the sweetest words to describe a real friendship. I count it among my many blessings that Christy and I are close friends. Most of the women I knew (and truly cared about) before the trip but I also had the opportunity to meet a new girl …