Muse2Muse

Collaboration, whether or not it was intentional...it was a collaboration. In fact...it always has been.

Let me back up...see, I have this AMAZING friend.  She is my own personal muse and her name is Jen Turley, but I call her muse, soul sista...and I call her my heart.  I have known Gin for over twenty years now, which looks CRAZY when I type it out, but it's true...and we're still kickin' it.

My friendship with Gin has spanned so many events in life...high school, the life and death of Amy Elizabeth German...college years with time spent in Greenville, NC and Charleston, SC...meeting the love of my life and marrying him and Gin doing the same...and now, well, now she is the mother of a feisty little man named Maylon.  Gin and her family are in Colorado and I am here in Florida with John and the cats.  Miles apart but close together, always.

Pics with my muse, Gin

And we have been collaborating for years now...creating and cultivating the women that we have become and are still becoming.  I have piles of cards and letters and handmade items from my dear friend, and so does she. For years we have kept eachother going regardless of where we are in life geographically and personally...and nothing has changed.

So...Gin mailed me a Valentine, and I received it in the mail yesterday.  There is nothing like opening the mailbox with no expectations and finding a letter or package from my muse.  She always does something to make the outside of the package special, whether its stickers or gems or just a fun handwritten note or quote.  This year's Valentine from my friend was a note written in purple ink and a sparkly pink heart surrounded by the word, 'muse'.  To me, this year's Valentine really represented us- our friendship built on inspiration and love. 

And when I opened my note and saw it...I was in fact inspired.  I knew that I needed to incorporate it into my daily piece, so I did.  

And to my friend, this is the best Valentine, because now it is the one we made together.

"2 muses connected on the journey of life."
- Gin, February 11, 2014

(Left) mail lovin' from CO (Middle) getting inspired by this beautiful heart and a funny face I found in my Cosmo (Right) The finished piece, a Muse2Muse collabo!