signs..they’re everywhere

Aug 20, 2008 | Life in Progress

i wanted to share some goodness found last week while i was away. all found in portland. all moments there for the taking. all split second smiles in the hustle of the days. the heart above was found in southeast portland just hours after mati and i left the airport. she was already smitten with portland (and it was smitten with her).
u are beautiful. found outside the treasured photobooth at the ace hotel. that’s a blurry hula in the background. and she is one beautiful lady, that one. more photobooth fun here and here and here.
speaking of hula, she had this dearest little hope note taped to her bathroom mirror. you will always look pretty, it says. notice the red heart at the end of the sentence. so dear. so, so dear. hula’s home is insanely full to the brim with creative inspiration – i felt like i had just walked into the best creative family home magazine on the planet.
celebrate. found outside of powell’s bookstore in downtown. it was a moody sky. but the celebrations were all around, in spirit, in heart.
yes! found on a sidewalk in the funky alberta arts district – one of my fav parts of town. i need to get out and post some of my own taped hope notes. it’s such a blessing to run into them out in the world.
true. an old sign, also found in the alberta arts district.

i’ve been coming back down to earth from the retreat. it’s been a rough re-entry back to real world, but i’m trying hard to hold on to all of the morsels that came home with me. i want to talk about brene, and how she opened my eyes to the dynamics of my childhood grief (losing a parent) and how she so simply and matter-of-factly made sense out of something i’ve been struggling with (having to do with feeling a bit disconnected as my creative life shifts a bit more). i want to talk about karen and how she saw the artist in me so clearly that it made me see it, too. i really want to talk about jen lee and how her mystical way of knowing spooked me in the best of ways and how + why she prompted gentle tears from me on the last evening. i want to talk about jen gray and how it feels like we’re just at the beginning. i want to talk about how comforting it was to have my everyday pals andrea and mati there in oregon with me for all of it. i want to talk about jen lemen and how she has completely gifted me with the sight of enormous capacity, both hers and mine. i want to tell you what it’s like to here dear myriam singing to herself in the kitchen while she cooks up most delicious meals for thirteen. and about hula and her energetic dreams that are taking flight as we speak. and about gentle alex whose honesty is quiet but powerful. i really want to tell you about tracey and how she reminds me of myself and how she was the instigator of two separate events that had me wondering why i don’t laugh that hard more often. and of course, there’s ali whose uncomplicated way of living + doing seriously inspires me to do the same.

so yes, just so much to say and to digest and to pour out. but i also came home to my life waiting for me. business emails. bills. phone calls. work. wholesale orders. supplies to order and pick up. huge to-do lists. i’m just now returning to it all after much delay, catching up on sleep, and maybe a little bit of resistance and denial. it’s all good, though. i’m learning that i can integrate all that i’ve taken from last week and bring it into this week and on and on. i just need to give myself a bit of time.

here’s hoping you find some signs out in the universe just for you this week. wouldn’t it be so cool to find something like this?

xo

Sending much love,

Show/Hide Comments (17 comments)
17 Comments
  1. Stephanie Lee

    I’m loving all this stuff!! Your adventures in Portland sound divine!! What better way to enjoy it than with good friends, too, eh?!?! 🙂

    The ACE HOTEL?!?!?! That’s where we’re going to spend this year’s anniversary, Vinnie and me…on Dec 5th. Can you really imagine a more romantic place than rainy Portland in the winter?!?! I can’t! 🙂

    oxox

    Reply
  2. tangobaby

    I’m glad you had such a wonderful time and then shared it with us as well.

    Moments like these are very special and rare, so enjoy every one. And your photos for this post are wonderful. I love the tape especially.

    Reply
  3. paris parfait

    I ove all these signs – really they’re everywhere, if we just take the time to notice…and not necessarily spelled out for us, but there, nevertheless. Thanks for the inspiration today. xo

    Reply
  4. kellyrae

    jill, i didn’t get the pixie! the woman who cut my hair totally talked me out of it, said my hair would fall flat, but she gave me a super cute cut and i love it!

    Reply
  5. Jill

    That is so cool to have such a wonderful loving and bonding experience journaled in your heart. Thanks for sharing bits with us. It has also made me promise myself to be more aware and in the moment so I see the signs around me instead of being in such a hurry always.
    You haven’t said so far if you got your pixie cut. Did you go for it?
    I will wait patiently and be rewarded when your book arrives. It will be sweet inspiration.

    Reply
  6. suze

    Welcome back! I am glad to hear that you are feeling better. I like this “signs” post. I am going to be looking now.
    xo suze

    Reply
  7. liz elayne lamoreux

    love all these delightful signs.

    reentering back into life after something has invited us to shift…it can be really hard. when this happens to me i feel as though i just want to wear a sign explaining that although things seem the same, they just aren’t. like i want the sign to simply say, “be gentle.” thinking about you…

    and i am so very glad we will see each other so soon!! looking forward to laughing until we cry and good, good talks late into the night.

    Reply
  8. One Love Photo

    Kelly Rae,
    I love your work and have enjoyed your features in cloth paper mag. Thanks for visiting and looking over my images. I am adding you to my blog roll, I can’t believe I missed you the first time.Thanks for the beauty and inspiration!

    Reply
  9. Cindy Ericsson

    I’m excited that soon I will have your lovely book in my hands! I’ll say a little prayer for your upcoming tests.

    Reply
  10. Lorie

    Kelly Rae,
    You are my little ray of sunshine. I obsessively check your blog every morning when I get to work. Always inspirational, always a joy. I am so happy for you~ I am glad you were able to enjoy a supportive, artistic, life enhancing retreat. It is a reminder to the rest of us to make IT happen, whatever “it” means to us!

    Thank you for sharing and I am looking forward to hearing more about your love bombers!
    Lorie

    Reply
  11. Steph

    What a great photo journey!

    Reply
  12. Marilyn Miller, the Marmalady

    You walked in my neighborhood of Alberta Street and saw things I had missed. I will watch more closely. Did you see the shop with the neon words hanging in the Neon Ceiling? Thanks for your beautiful words.

    Reply
  13. Eileen W.

    What beautiful signs you’ve found surrounding you and those you love with reassurance and hope. I love the you will always look pretty taped message- I may have to borrow that one. 🙂
    I would love to hear about more of your lovebomb friends and your time with them.
    I am digging up the courage to go to Artfest 09. Have you gone to this before?

    Reply
  14. NANCY LEFKO

    what a glorious retreat and you are blessed to have so many true, wise and loving friends….as they are blessed with you.

    enjoy 🙂

    Reply
  15. Kim Mailhot

    All we have to do is open our eyes to the signs…
    Beautiful post as usual. I am sure your dear friends will be so touched by it.
    Cheers,
    Kim

    Reply
  16. jacki janse van rensburg

    ah! i have never met you, and probably never will. you are on the other side of the world from me. yet, you bless my life in a teeny way a few times a week. go figure…

    thank you for sharing your thoughts on the www, and so touching our hearts.

    Reply
  17. Cheryl in NZ

    Kelly Rae, I am in New Zealand and right now is the time of day I sit down to work on my study towards become a teacher. Of course I procrastinate around beginning, so I potter on the computer and read a bit of this and that – and I always check your blog before I start. Some days there is a new post form you, and it feels like a special treat when I realise that there are ‘0 comments’ – to me this means you must’ve just posted your post, and I feel like I’m the first in the world to read it! Thank you for your morsels of life and blessings and inspiration – they inspire me as I head off into the land of hours of study, then bed, catching enough sleep to face the day with enthusiasm, sort out the children, work, then study all over again… Bless you!

    Reply

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Hello + welcome!

I’m Kelly Rae Roberts

Before I picked up my first paintbrush at the age of 30, I was a medical social worker. I followed my creative whispers, and today I’m an artist & Possibilitarian. I’m passionate about creating meaningful art and experiences that awaken and inspire our spirits.

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