Soul, my 2016 Word of the Year

As HR and I embrace our retirement years, we realize we are entering the finale. We are determined to make the most of our golden years. With that in mind, I chose soul as my 2016 word of the year. This year I want to do more of the things that feed my soul and less of the should do's, always have done, things others expect me to do, etc.

What feeds my soul?

Traveling around this great country of ours with my best friend and soul mate, definitely. It does take me out of The Underground for extended periods of time, but I do have a spot on The Wanderer to keep art and craft supplies, a drawing kit and my sweet little Featherweight sewing machine.

Spending time with our daughter-in-law and granddaughters, especially when we are crafting. If all goes as planned, we will spend the month of March in a RV park near their home. I believe they have begun a list of things we can make.

Time spent with friends, sipping wine on the porch, riding bikes, caravanning in the R V or doing whatever comes our way. Now that the upgrade is completed, I hope to spend more time is in my studio with my crafty friends.

We have reached the stage in our lives where we have more time than money, some of our financial contributions will need to be replaced with our sweat and talents. We are in discussion about how we can give back while feeding our souls. Not yet a plan, we do have a couple of exciting ideas.

I have hung this sign with my previous word of the year signs in the entrance to the studio as a reminder to do those things that feed my soul.

If you have a word for 2016, please share in the comments.

To see how I make my signs, click here. 

La Villita

New Years found us in San Antonio where I had the pleasure of poking around in the Historic La Villita Art Village. Located on the River Walk, it was one of the first neighborhoods in San Antonio dating back to the 18th century. Now it is home to around 30 art and craft studios, galleries and shops. Since my visit was on New Year's Eve, some of the shops were closed. Still there were enough open to keep me entertained for a couple of hours.

 

I especially enjoyed visiting with Marisol Deluna, a New York designer working with artisans in Texas. In addition to designing fashion, the Texas native has a foundation that supports "the education and mentoring of students and professionals in the fashion and design arts in Texas."

You can see her fashion designs at www.marisoldeluna.com, be 

sure to click on "Meet Marisol" tab to learn more about this fascinating young lady. To learn more about the Marisol Deluna Foundation, visit www.marisoldelunafoundation.org.

Oh, by the way, I came away with this pretty little bracelet! 

Another great find was The Copper Galley; understandably they do not allow photographs. You will just have to take my word for it, the craftsmanship is outstanding.

I had a lovely visit with Ann and Gilbert at Besarte. With a focus on mixed media, the boutique carries an array of art and crafts created by Texans. Having recently played with resin and registered to take a class with Susan Lenart Kazmer next month, I was particularly drawn to the resin jewelry. Besarte is a wonderful place to pick up gifts to carry home.

While I stopped at several other shops and galleries, these are the ones that especially spoke to my interests. Certainly artists and crafters visiting San Antonio will want to explore LaVillita Art Village.