shine. shine. shineBOLT.

oh. hello. happy+happy day.

some days you get to share some happy+happy news. i am all the feels over here. and really
don’t know what to say, i feel rather upside down (with utter happiness). earlier this year
i sent a note to a girl i adore. just wanting a little advice on getting back into the creative
game. and from there, all things amazing unfolded. a year ago.

two. years ago i could barely see, COVID was just on the cusp of our heels, so in a
big moment, i decided to invest in myself. (hello new ipad) i began to draw again.
and a new plan. that most mornings i would add a bit of cheer and maybe a dash of sass,
creating and sharing my views, over here, where art+life spoon. sweetly.

those little drawings saved me, my youngest sleeping on a blow up mattress,
as we sheltered in. each day heading to my everyday job, fully masked, tending
to all the plants+people. driving home on empty streets, each new drawing
allowed me to use my voice, hoping it made whoever paid attention to feel a
bit better. but at the core of it all, was a girl who felt like she had only a
quirky voice and really not knowing how to save the world. (even though she
knew it would change it, just a bit.)

hello happy news!
some days when you reach out and (re)connect,
the sweetest of announcements can be made.

today. yep t.o,d.a.y i get to share that my little works. all the little stories
can be found (dadadadaaaaaa)—-> shinebolt.


angela smith+jessica esch.
two journalism majors, taking on a girl who only uses lowercase letters+periods,
where commas may or may not belong. my heart is simply exploding.
(how will they survive.)

i am so happy to invite you to hang out, along the edges of my collections.
or, you know, dive right in.

you guys. as all of this has been unfolding, so has the new gardens of my home away
from home. the days are filled with the most gorgeous views, at the gardens new location
and in the eves (and rare, days off) files are being sent, zooms fill the screens and edits
making my head expand. the back and forth of branding revisions. and lets not forget,
dog sitting, at the cottage. but here we all are, doing what we do.
we just keep on trucking. huh.

there are several little chrysalis hammocking, at the cottage. and yesterday, one decided
it was time to dry off her wings and take her wobbly flight. she did it. and later came back
to rest awhile, on my fingers. all the brilliant metaphors, were noted.

be well over there. (and in case you arent feeling it, this day. pssst keep going. you can do it!)
cheers!

side note: a BIG thank you for all your cheers. the two girls at the front office
for the patience, editing, assisting and kindness along the way.

side note (x2) logo+web guru=cheri branding+design.

begin here.

hello. i am kelly.

oh. hello you.

just as it is with life. there is no perfection, only changes. (thank you, robin hallett) the last five years of this girl’s life has simply been all the goodness. a bit of fuckery. (as. if.) and yet, on this blue sky side. i can simply say. life is sweet. and this girl could possibly be wearing a sloppy grin.

a little story. long ago everything got blurry. the metaphor. the real. i stopped creating in my little studio. i allowed for some grief to work thru my bones and about the time i started to feel more like me, i had to have a few (4) eye surgeries, due to this insidious eye disease, formerly known as, fuchs dystrophy. it really makes creating, driving, living+dealing just a titch on the dark side.but since i am surrounded by some amazing souls, cornea specialists, happy medical support and all that goodness, my current vision state is … well, i am no longer looking thru a fog. its funny how this eye thing ran parallel to this personal growth thing. not seeing really is a thing.

here’s the biggie big. life is simply a series of layers. we just have to peel back each stinky layer. some hurt. and then you find the sweet sweet center. and that is what makes us want to do back flips. and today. i am allowing my little head to look up and see that 13 year old, kelly walking on her hands. legs draping over, almost skimming the grass.

here. we go.