This is the first artistic wall hanging I made. I didn't even see the elephant in it at first. 

I love having a physical journal with space for writing and sketching; it's my favorite way to bring my two passions together. 

I began sketching in a notebook during downtime, and it became a medium for adding colors to assess its success if I brought it to life. Then it evolved even further and became part of a journal, which led to more sketching... You get the idea. I could feel the energy and emotion rising, so I picked up my pen and began sketching. The ideas began flowing immediately. 

Then this happened.  

I stopped and stared at it. A simple, seemingly meaningless scribble—and I knew it was the one; there was just something about it. Something just... spoke to me.

I knew it was about to get interesting. I followed through; quilted it, finished it, and hung it on the wall. It took me a few days to see the elephant's profile, but once I did, I couldn't unsee it. Everything about how this wall hanging came together was wonderful and fulfilling, one of those great projects where everything falls into place.

I was early in my authenticity journey at this point, and I continued to follow it as I was defining my artistic style. You get projects like this, where everything clicks, once every couple of months or so. Then you follow that lead to the subsequent boundary-breaking discovery. 

I began to observe and think critically about the fabrics I used and how they were assembled. They were all significant to my life experiences and patterns. I didn't plan any of it. I let myself go with the project's vibe. In the end, it became an expression of the trauma in my life, the journey to heal it, and my experience of training to be a therapist. I am fulfilling my desire to pay it forward by helping others thrive beyond abuse and trauma. 

But, honestly, this isn't the first appearance of the elephant in my life.

My son gave me a necklace for my birthday, just days before a massive transition in my relationship with his father, my now ex-husband, a beautifully colorful elephant. I put it on immediately and thanked him with a hug and a kiss, tears of gratitude streaming down my face (and I somehow didn't connect crying over a gift might mean I'm a sensitive person?). Little did I know that in a week's time, everything about my life would be different. 

The necklace was a bonding point for us, and I wore it for years. He would see me wearing it, and be proud that he is the one who got it for me, and I loved that.

I still love it today.

I played with the necklace constantly, sliding it back and forth on the chain and running my fingernail over the enameled colors on the trunk. I couldn't quite understand it then, but it sparked something in me that would grow much larger. Looking back, it was easy to see that the moment he gave me the elephant was when everything started changing. So elephants are deeply integrated into my life, and I've received positive feedback about how special others find them. 

I really like elephants. All things elephants. 

It's expanding. It has evolved to stuffed elephants, embroidery, a changed business name, ornaments, and more. The stuffed elephants are among my favorite things I make. I designed the pattern to have a unique string tail and big, floppy ears. I love everything about the elephants! I make bears, too, but I think I prefer the elephants.

What's significant about the number 33?

You may remember in my authenticity post that I mentioned my past spiritual interest. There are several ways to use numerology to research your path and purpose. Well, one of my numbers is 33, and it just spoke to me, so it stuck. 

Working through our own many layers of trauma is one of the best gifts we can offer ourselves. For me, exploring a traumatic childhood and abusive adult relationships meant a complicated journey of uncovering and processing the pain. It's difficult to understand unless you've experienced an abusive situation yourself, and if you have, you know the pain. 

Trauma therapy lowers the volume on the impact of traumatic events in our lives. Artistic expression helps facilitate this process, and I always keep my drawing supplies nearby to satisfy my creative inspiration and expression.