I lost a dear friend for almost 17 years, our oldest Papillon recently.  No matter how you try to prepare yourself for the inevitable, it still is difficult when the day arrives.  Over the years, I've had people order the print "Until My Arms Ache" to give to a loved one (or themselves) after the death of a pet.  So many vets have it hanging in their offices to offer solace as well.  I thought it would be fitting to share it on my blog, with a photo of my eldest daughter (who was glued to this beloved dog.)  In memory of Mariposa...

Until My Arms Ache

“My dearest friend, do I appreciate you enough?

When we touch, can I feel your soul?

Life is so brief and often tough

All we have is this moment, we may not grow old

And things change so fast…

Is happiness for us?

Or just for the bold

The strong and the brave

I don’t want to behave

In the way I’ve seen others do

What about you?

They look at each other without seeing

Live in the future, but not being

A part of the now

Will you bask in the glow of my smile…

At least for a while?

And let me hold you

Until my arms ache.”

(c) Launa

To view this print, see WWW.Poetryart.net

POEMA scarves...

getting packed up to debut at the 2011 NACAC Conference

(North American Council on Adoptable Children)

at the Denver Marriott Tech Center, August 4-6, Denver Colorado

Hope to see you there!

Wear the poetry...

This Poema scarf is 100% Cotton and is embellished colored rhinestones,

the poetry is done in a Batik style which gives it a soft hand...

isn't the pom pom trim fun?

#DIAP01 $35.

Another POEMA Creation Sneak Peek:

This scarf is made from Rayon and has a resist process applied,

this keeps the scarf soft and supple...#LOTU1 $30.

Here's another sneak peak of my

newest line, POEMA...

this is a cotton scarf with fringe,

tie dyed with Shibori technique at

the bottom and embellished with

metallic silver butterflies

#DENBU3 $35.00

Well this is a little teaser about what I've been up to lately...

Drum Roll please,

Introducing

POEMA Textiles

These are fashion scarves in silk, rayon and cotton

Each Designed, Hand Dyed & Embellished

by me

They will be available to purchase in August

and will premiere at NACAC in Denver

(Designed to benefit the projects closest to my heart---

Project JOY Bags.)

Stay tuned for more photos!

I had the rare opportunity in June to do an orphanage outreach with my three children and husband in two locations in Romania. We brought JOY BAGS and stylish t-shirts to a private children's home in the village of Arpasu. I was especially taken with a four year old boy who is deaf and mute...I was particularly sad that there are no plans to educate him with sign language.

He is exactly the age of my own son and looked very similar.

I have to wonder what kind of future this little guy has to look forward to? We also brought food supplies and special treats to a government run orphanage in the bigger town of Victoria.

One teenager impressed me very much, his name is Aurel, he taught himself to speak perfect English by viewing American television programs! He was quite the agile Break Dancer too.

A huge thank you goes out to all who donate time to sew JOY BAGS, Fang Fashion who donated the fabric for them and also girl's tops. Thank you also for the monetary donations, so that we were able to fill the bags with quality school supplies and art supplies!

JOY BAGS...we have now brought this special gift to children in crisis situations in Afghanistan, India, Zambia and now to Romania!

WWW.Globalimpactworldrelief.org

I'm back from an amazing month long trip to Europe!

I will do some updates to the blog soon...but first, I need to sleep and catch up.

I am embarking on a brand new chapter for Poetry Art!

After almost twenty years of doing this art on paper and canvas,

I am moving forward with a new line on textiles. Can you guess what "POEMA" is?

Here's a photo of the hang tags.

I will be sharing more on this blog soon and will be premiering

this new product line in August in Denver.

Poetry Art Exhibit and Testimony about Poetry Art

Saturday, April 16 at the Hasayampa Inn

for AGLOW International

122 E. Gurley Street, Prescott, Arizona

Breakfast at 9:00 ($11.00)

Presentation only at 10:00 (free)

Bring a friend!

"See the Art in Me"

New Cards with 3-D butterflies

sold to benefit vulnerable children around the world

through Project Joy Bags and

Art that Heals the Heart Camps

$5.00 each

WWW.Poetryart.net

WWW.Globalimpactworldrelief.org

Dear friends-Char and Lee stopped by to visit me at the San Diego Conference...

I enjoyed meeting new friends

and reuniting with old ones in

San Diego at the

RADY Children's/Chadwick Center Conference

last week!

So many great memories to cherish...when I find my camera cable I'll post the photos.

This bit of poetry is one that I've noticed resonates with many people. I've seen it on a ton of other blogs, so I thought I'd better share it too. It is from my book, "Unbutton My Heart."

It doesn't have an image that goes with it, but that doesn't mean I won't do it in a

Poetry Art painting in the future...it only takes time, right?

Letting Go

My fingers have gripped this thing

Like a child, grasping what will only bring him harm

So my cry to you today, O God is help me

To finally let go

Let go of the pain of rejection

Of words that fractured both bones and spirit

And the heartache that clings to me, like a musty old quilt

That has been locked in mothballs for so many years

Just let it go

Let go of the brokenness that is written all over my face

And the tears that cascade, when I'm all alone

I need to let go

All the dreams that I cannot fulfill in my own strength

And the anger that bubbles up

Sometimes, without warning

Toward those I am desperate to love

Help me to let it go and cast it away

As though it were a rusty anchor from my boat, adrift

Teach me how to let go

Then cut the rope and watch it sink

Let it go

Let it all go...

Will You empty me of myself?

Banish this lifetime of selfish desires

Of clutching for happiness, approval and renown

And my endless search for love

I am letting go

Right this moment

Because I want to make room for hope to dwell

Uncluttered by the tarnished souvenirs of pain

Please, fill me with Yourself!

I know that in losing the things that I think I need

I will gain what I truly desire

You

To overflowing

And soon, the liquid peace that spills from my heart

Will give another the courage

To let go...

I surrender

(c) Launa Stan

Happy 2011!

'Tis the Season...

Just a reminder to those ordering gifts from the website this

Christmas Season-all mail orders

must be placed by Monday, December 13,

to make it on time for the holidays,

if you don't want to incur extra shipping charges!

Merry Christmas

Here's something fun...

A friend of mine, (who I graduated from high school with,) has an

amazing blog for do-it-yourselfers. (Is that an actual word?)

It is loaded with creative and inventive project ideas and

step-by-step instructions on how to do these projects.

Register and have the opportunity to win a copy of

"Unbutton My Heart," (my autobiography)

and the story of how Poetry Art came to be

http://itssoverycheri.com/2010/11/07/give-a-way-time-poetry-art-by-launa/

San Francisco was SUPERB!

I loved getting to see everyone and exhibiting the art at the

ATTACH conference.

What FUN people, great hearts and enthusiasm...old friends and new.

It was just what Marty and I needed to refresh.

Hope to get there next year in Omaha.

It's hard to believe 9/11 was already 9 years ago...

My Australian next door neighbor gave me the news.

I was working in my art studio and I wondered how this was going to effect our country and personal aspects of my life.

We were in the midst of an international adoption from Viet Nam.

Would we be hindered from flying their and picking up our daughter?

(Turns out we were until January of 2002)

I had two sales reps on the road in a southern state and I was concerned whether they would have trouble returning home from their trip.

As I worked on a different painting, with a heavy heart for what was

occurring in New York, I conceived this piece that day.

(I did the poetry and image during the uncertain weeks that followed.)

Finding Strength In the Broken Places

Together

We are finding strength in the broken places

Through lifting up prayers

Clutching faith with both hands

And balming each other's wounds

We will see color in the hopeless spaces

In that morning

When the light comes shining through

That will be when

Instead of shattered dreams

We will see infinite beauty

As though staring at a stained glass window

With all the jagged pieces fitted together

Even now it seems a bit clearer

That you and I are more than just faces

We are fortified souls

Brought in communion through pain

Yet this present sorrows bred within us a new courage

To keep the door of our hearts open

And allow hope and healing

To tiptoe in again

Launa (c)