Hello! I’m busy working on Issue 8 of CraftSanity Magazine, but wanted to take a break to invite you to join me at Schuler Books, 2660 28th St. SE, in Grand Rapids on Monday, Oct. 29. As part of this hip, independent store’s 30 anniversary, I’m teaming up with some very talented staffers to host [...]

I should be working right now, but I’m a bit preoccupied. This weekend my daughters will suit up in their purple soccer jerseys and I will brush their hair and put it up in ponytails and then I will wish them luck at their game. They will head off to the soccer field with my [...]

The first day of school is always bittersweet. When this day arrives it marks the official end of summer as all children know it and simultaneously brings a gust of exciting expectation of everything that might be possible during the new academic year. Today I’m sending my girls off to a new school with some [...]

Hello! I’ve been completely swamped here at the CraftSanity Headquarters as the winds of change swirl around us once again. I’m staring down a monumental professional challenge (more on that later) but I’m going to do my best and I firmly believe that good things are on the horizon. I’m a tad behind in answering [...]

Today was not a good day to run out of Pepsi. It also wasn’t a good day to experience 91-degree heat. I’ve experienced far more distractions and setbacks than normal as I work to complete issue 7 of CraftSanity Magazine and today my stress level creeped a bit high. And when things get stressful, I [...]

Hello. Hello. It’s been a little nuts around here as I let myself get completely carried away by April’s Earth Day inspired weaving extravaganza at my daughters’ elementary school. I finished connecting all the woven fabric to create four pieces of varying sizes on Thursday and installed them in the cozy reading area on the library floor [...]

I rolled out of bed at 6:08 a.m. this morning, quite pleased that I only hit the snooze button once. I ate a bowl of Cheerios and then suited up in my triathlon gear and headed downtown to the Y. I raced in the first heat at 8 a.m. The very nice woman in the [...]

So I spent some time updating my big life list as I ramped up for 2012. Getting rid of stuff and organizing are on the list – again – and I’m still optimistic that this will be my year to literally rock the house. But I’ve been saying I’m going to do this for years [...]

My daughters learned to fly a kite Sunday at the beach. I’m so grateful for these beautiful moments. I dreamed of days like these.

I’m a city girl who has longed to live in a big old house with a wrap-around porch on a patch of farm land all my life. But every now and then the view out my suburban window is absolutely breathtaking and I’m once again reminded to be grateful for my tiny patch of land [...]

This is Willie James Jones, a man who spends his days drawing hot rods, surf boards, bongo drums and palm trees at Heartside Gallery and Studio, a free drop-in art studio located  in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The studio is frequented by people who have struggled with homelessness, addiction, mental illness and other challenges. I wrote [...]

This week has been totally insane and it’s only Thursday. My grandfather is in the hospital several states away. Some jerk stole our credit card number and went on a shopping spree. We picked up and organized 1,300 Girl Scout cookies  for the troop. And that’s in addition to the usual craziness. On the bright [...]

My little Amelia was my special guest at last month’s Craft Club meeting at the Y. She was having a rough day and not feeling like playing with the other children in the kids’ play area. She’s been having some separation issues lately and it rips my heart out every time I have to walk [...]