gathering spriggs

A Nostalgic Look (back)

Hello once again, friends. How did this weekend treat you? 

Mine, you ask? Still recovering from the Antiques and Artisan Market (some booth images). It took more out of me than I realized. Thusly, my little ducks aren't quite back in a row just yet (i.e laundry piles, unswept floors, boxes to unpack, garage to clean/organize) But a girl could always use a little treat between chores... So here is one mine that I am regifting, wrapping with a satin bow and giving to you today. The masterfully styled nostalgic lookbook from British clothing company, Darling. 

I was instantly transported to my teenage years when the long awaited Laura Ashley catalogue would arrive in the mail and my heart dripped with yearning for walks in the garden on long, fresh, romantic Spring days.... Then I awoke with a start from this daydream, realizing that what once was is made new again! And it hit me... "Search for vintage Laura Ashley on Etsy!" Oh, Yeah! Baby! ...And they're back!

Its true! My dream dresses from the early nineties are alive again! 

So perfect for Easter... now which one...hmmmmm.....

What has awakened your heart today??

images: darling

A Rosy Outlook

 

Is it Friday already? Another week past! Wow. This one has been a whirlwind for me. Some ups and downs but ending on a rosy note. :) 

Thank you for your amazing love and support with me and for me on this road toward physical healing. Your warm embrace this week has buoyed my spirits , uplifted my heart and brought new hope for tomorrow. ... 

(was that a tear?.... i am so moved by our fellowship here) 

So speaking of tomorrow, you will find me in the GS booth at the Antique and Artisan Market here in Nashville where a local antique store has invited artists into their space for a new kind of collaboration. Hopefully I will take plenty of pics of my booth... im mostly excited to be styling my little corner. You can see a sneak peak above.. 

Inspired by a British Country Living spread from my magazine collection. 

How is your weekend looking?? 

Here is to a Rosy Outlook this weekend and the abundance of Spring! 

Hugs,

h

images: heather spriggs thompson 

Handle with Care

If only.... I handled my body with the care I take with my precious vintage items or fragile hair adornments. With a little more respect and nurturing. 

One of my doctor's orders this week was to listen to my body and respect its needs. Seems simple enough, eh? But the challenge has already begun this week with a taxing painting project, an artisan market approaching and more projects lined up waiting for my attention.  Even something as simple as getting at least 8 hours of consecutive sleep starting before midnight has been a stretch. This instruction came with helpful hint that our bodies begin their healing process at midnight and so its important to get into that REM sleep before then. 

It reminds me of a simple poem cross stitched on my grandmother's walls and etched in my brain:

Early to bed,

Early to rise,

Makes a man,

Healthy, Wealthy and Wise

I always blew it off as an old wives tale but with age and learning things the hard way it seems pretty true. 

So I am taking baby steps. Since the illness I am experiencing now (as I learned this week) is stressed induced ... Its called Adrenal Fatigue.. then I am trying my best to take a lesson and begin to handle myself with care. 

Its a challenge believe it or not. (Especially as a people pleaser who doesn't like to use the word " No") I am taking it one day at a time. Baby steps. Towards health.

... and who knows.. maybe wealth and wisdom will follow!

 

Fragile Paper art by Ronald Ceuppens

Pastels that Pop!

 

Hello Lovelies! Its Tuesday and another day for colorful inspiration. This week I have been thinking about pastels, seeing pastels, enjoying pastel flavored treasuries on Etsy.  All the while wondering if there is a way to pack a little more punch with pastels or at least stray from the traditional Easter M&M's palette. I am loving pastels with a pop of florescent yellow or even coral. Thinking back to J Crew Spring 09 ...

Oh how I would love to create a mood board for you on this theme but alas its a busy week here at GS with multiple painting projects, and an Artisan/Antiques Market fast approaching this weekend. (where I will have a booth... hopefully if I can get myself pulled together). Maybe someday soon.

Wishing you a bright and color filled week! 

francoise rachez, feathers: everyday beauty shoes: wedding bells blog, krakvik &d'orazio via  seesaw design , teacup and glitter: debee art

You make me happy when...

Sunshine filled my weekend but now gray skies return. I know Spring is still spreading her wings and learning to fly so in the meantime I have found happiness from the beautiful images in the Gathering Spriggs flickr group.  Thanks to you I can start the week with visual sunbeams. 

How about you? How are you starting your week?

 

 trisha brink, kootut murut, bee vintage redux, zinna salvaged goods, havin fun with photos

My Week In Images

... c r e a t i o n s 

 

... f u n  t i m e s 

 

... r e n e w a l

thanks for hanging with me for another week! i have loved reading all the comments this week and appreciate your kind words and thoughts. just a quick update.. all my cardiology tests came back normal and healthy. yay! so glad to rule out heart disease. i have another appointment next week hopefully to find out more test results. in the meantime i am thankful for each new day full of potential. and thanks to you and our friendship here i am feeling a bit better everyday. you must be the sunshine for my soul. 

may you find renewal in your life this weekend. 

all images: heather spriggs thompson via iphone

Story Telling

Friends, How are you today? This week? 

This morning I awoke early with a little time to ponder... 

and have been thinking about the beloved people in my life who are uplifting me right now in a time of uncertainty.  friends who have been a part of my story for many years. friends whose lives are closely  woven together with mine through the stories we share (past and present) .

this in turn led me to think about you... and your stories. I would love to know more about you. what things have brought you to where you are today.

Just to break the ice, I will start ... with a movie clip of my story. (because who can truly share their story in a tiny box meant for about 100 characters? but its a start) 

Hi, my name is Heather Lee Spriggs Thompson ... 

the daughter of two creative, spontaneous parents looking for a place to call home in central Texas. At the age of 8 we moved from city life to a small country town with Main street and plenty of antique shops. After a nearly two year battle my father passed away from a brain tumor. A moment that forever shaped me. My mother bravely raised my sister and me in this small town with the support of family and friends. She remarried, my youngest sister was born, and I went off to college to find myself. After two years studying art, I moved from West Texas to Nashville, TN (with my family). Unfortunately home life was unstable and unhealthy so my sister and I moved out and started new lives on our own. We spent two Summers in Romania, moved in with two other sisters and lived in a beautiful turn of the century home on a lake in Nashville. (Dubbed The Betty Crocker house.. it was a safe haven for our souls). Then I met my husband and all of that changed. We married in 2003 and stayed in Nashville after my friends and sister moved away. I began my decorative painting business, finished my BFA at a local art school, and then by 2008 was searching for a new creative business to pursue. Thus began Gathering Spriggs. Still a work in process I am getting closer to my dreams everyday. 

In fact, I have a "brand storming" session tonight via Skype with the fabulous Bernadette Jiwa of The Story of Telling. We met last week during a conference call hosted by Tara Gentile of Scoutie Girl. Part of the deal was that if you were on the call you were entered into a drawing to receive one free brand storming session with Bernadette. Yep!! I was one of the winners!! Oh the benefits of not only a fabulous community but of signing up and receiving newsletters. 

So in preparation for our phone call I filled out an in depth questionnaire to help her know more about me and help me better brand my business. 

Whew!! I've been talking alot today. So needless to say, Story Telling is on my mind today. It feels essential to communicating who we are and who we long to be. 

So now I hope you will take a turn to share your story. ( and I hope it will be the start of many more). 

What is your story today? 

image: quote book tumblr and prettyfnmess

Of Sea and Sky

 

Good Morning dears. 

Today I dream of sun, sky and sea. 

Healing waters. Touches of calm. 

Peace, rest. 

To you today. 

images: artful vintage, carolyn quartermaine via brunch at saks, decor8, kitchen via houzz , bed: the cross design, pinterest

A New Dawn (embracing change)

Good Morning Lovelies! Thanks for sharing your Sunday adventures with me yesterday. Sunday seems to be a day where anything can happen in our lives. But this one was tranquil and enlightening. In fact, I began stewing over some notions and acknowledging the stirrings going on within. Mind if I share? There's been some changes in my life that are affecting me daily and transforming who I am ... here with you, at work, in relationships, and in my art. 

Hopefully in the long run for the better. 

I awoke yesterday and began dressing, realizing that I simply had nothing to wear. Really. My eyes scanned over the rows of pretty vintage items, jeans, sweaters, frilly frocks, etc.. All lovely. Some very endearing and special to me but none that fit my current body. Ugh.. Changes. 

Fast changes. Changes outside of my control. Changes continuing despite (a very restrictive) diet, exercise, and supplements.  

You see, over the past year I have been struggling with some perplexing changes in my body. And it wasn't until recently that I found a helpful health practitioner who is now searching to find out exactly what is going on. Last weekend I completed a battery of tests. Today I go to a Cardiologist for more testing. And waiting ... waiting for some sort of answer to these questions. 

So I take one day at a time and try to see the silver lining in this situation. Fortunately through this fabulous community of bloggers I have met some women who are struggling with similar symptoms or have other health problems that create daily challenges. Its actually pretty inspiring and down right hopeful to see how these women not only discover beauty in the everyday but pursue a passionate creativity. Creating breath taking works of art with soul, spirit and hope.. 

Always hope. 

Maybe its that hope which has been driving me back to my own studio lately. My body may be lacking but my creative spirit feels open, fresh, free and unhindered. In fact the visuals and artistry in my imagination are pretty amazing. I wish I could just insert a USB cable and download them for you now. But alas, like any great work, it takes time. 

And maybe I will have more time now as I take steps to slow myself. Rest and reflect. 

I wanted to share with you my story for now so you will understand if I need breaks or if I only post images (since one of my symptoms is cloudy thinking or brain fog which makes it difficult to process information or create coherent sentences). 

Thank you for your love and support and continuing with me on this journey! 

As of now, I have some great posts for this week and continue to be inspired by lovely imagery. 

So.. shall we enter into change together? One step at a time.... 

And how about you? What are the changes in your life now? 

images: great new to me shop, Katya Horner of slight clutter photography ... a fellow Texan!

 

What to do with Sunday?

Some ideas...

I started with a cup of tea and homemade (gluten free) waffles. Will see where I go from there.

What will you do with Sunday? (or what have you done?) .....

all images from Searching for Beauty Tumblr (please refer to them there for original sources)