December 13th, 2021

Greetings Friends,
Wishing you all the warmth of the season!
I hope that whatever you are doing, you are able to take time to be with those whom you cherish and to honor the holidays! 
In light of this most unusual year, I hope your creative path brings good cheer, perhaps some tasty treats, memorable sounds and colorful treasures.

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For 2022 I have two new calendars! My France Sketchbook Calendar 2022 is filled with travelsketches  reflecting my experiences in France, and I have created a Joshua Tree Calendar for 2022. Our unique terrain has provided solace during the past 18 months. Both calendars and stationery are available at my Etsy Shop, French Press and Mojave Inspiration.

I wish you and yours a safe, healthy and meditative holiday. As we approach the solstice and the darkest, shortest day of the year for those in the northern hemisphere, may we be reminded that warmth and sunshine await on the other side! I truly believe creative endeavors have healing power. So, I urge you to  sort through those art supplies, clear out workspaces, search for inspiration, and dare to dream of creative moments that will bear fruit during the long-shadowed, beautiful winter light!

My holiday gift to you is a list of inspirational podcasts and sites that have kept me going this year!
 

Each week,  Krystal Kenny’s La Vie Creative introduces English speaking creatives living in Paris, and she has teamed up with Claudine Hemingway each week for a history lesson on famous and lesser known women in France’s history.  I have learned so much and look forward to their podcast. You can also find
Krystal Kenney, at Miss Paris.  She has introduced many authors and books  including her own  adventurous memoir, Paris: A Life Less Ordinary. Below you can see part of my collection!

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Claudine Heminway can be found on Instagram at ClaudineBleuBlondRouge and at her fascinating website ClaudineHemingway.com which has a mini history lesson with each post! You WILL want to subscribe to her newsletter and learn more about the culture and  history of France and Claudine’s beloved LOURVE!

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L’Arrosoir flower shop insta https://www.instagram.com/larrosoirparis/?hl=enLooking forward to a trip to Paris? or armchair travel? Take a French cooking class with Véronique Dagneau-Bawol  of Cuisine Elegante.

Or step into a historic florist shop with a new American owner! L’Arrosoir
 
Did you know there is an American Library in Paris, founded in 1920?  A slice of its fascinating story during WWII is told in Janet Skeslien Charles' The Paris Library, a gripping and personal novel.
You may want a personalized wedding experience. Be sure to find wedding officiant, Naïm Terrache at The French Wedding podcast.
 Let the links lead you!

Joshua Tree Afternoon, now available at Cactus Mart; me enjoying  winter walk near Joshua Tree; Black Rock Shadows, juried into the Joshua Tree National Park Council for the Arts Expo and now in its new LA home.

Meanwhile, back in the Mojave
You will want to tune into Dawn Davis’ Desert Lady Diaries,  profiling inspiring women who have made the desert their home, visit her Soul Connection Shoppe in Joshua Tree.
 
Books?  be sure to catch Jean-Paul Garnier of Space Cowboy Books in Joshua Tree.
 
Or learn more about a collaborative creative experience at Two Women Talk curated by @projectmojavelight Diana Shay Diehl.

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Holiday gifting? A few of my favorite local shops --featuring my art.
CACTUS MART in Morongo Valley, CA
RAINBOW STEW in Yucca Valley, CA
SOUL CONNECTION in Joshua Tree, CA
29 PALMS ART GALLERY GIFT SHOP in 29 Palms, CA
 Remember, your creative endeavors will leave  a legacy!

Christmas legacies!  Santa designed and created by my mother in the 1950's, me enchanted by my mother's candy house and in a dress created by her; coconuntballs baked by my daughter using Grandma Commentz' recipe!

Wishing you a blessed holiday and a new year full of joy and hope!