Its very early New Year's Eve and I wish I were sound asleep but its not to be so I thought I would put some of those spinning thoughts into this place of sharing. Last night was the Husky victory, which makes me especially happy when I think of Jake sitting right outside this window with Chris on one side and Marin on the other, sweet, sweet, sweet.

Then of course I have to explain that one of the reasons I can't sleep is that during the Husky victory a message came on Facebook asking if we could send a photographer to Children's today for two young teens on the cancer floor. That gets my head spinning at 11 at night. Fast and furious the emails fly and of course within minutes I get a response from Dawn Lucrisia-Johnson that she can volunteer her talents for us today. My guess is that other photographers would also have been willing to go but not so many are up reading their emails at 11:30 at night. By midnight things were wrapped up but it leaves me too wound up to really rest much.

I have been thinking a lot about my daughters because our Christmas time was especially lovely this year. I just have to share that McKenzie cooked an incredible sit down dinner for 32 of us with her Aunt Sally as sous chef and Doug running errands. Lew and Mike and I helped make gnocchi the night before but truly Mac planned and executed one amazing meal with grace and skill. Last night Lew launched the coolest new blog at www.Luslist.blogspot.com, its about great deals she has found on craigslist. She has a passion for reusable items and is going to share things she finds in Spokane that range in price from free to $20. The first items are great and I am encouraging her to do the same for Seattle. Yep, this proud mom is feeling blessed.

Tonight I get some quiet time with Doug who likes to be asleep before midnight each year. No doubt I will be up late. But I am thinking today will dawn with beautiful sunshine and even though the losses of 2010 cut very deep there is so much to be thankful for.

Today I share some photos from the lunch with the twins and the Tarlings that Sarah took with her hipstamatic app on her phone(she is always up on the cool gear). The first shows Andrew and Susan, Brandon's parents, holding the twins and the second is Llewelyn and Megan with the cuddly duo. It was a great time and there are plans in the works for me to visit a new family in Edmonton. I marvel at how the world turns and how the connection thru Brandon has formed a bond of warm friendship with his parents and his extended family that is strong and full of meaning.

On into 2011, below find the list of items we hope you will recycle with us for use in creating items to benefit Soul. In love and peace, Lynette


Wish List 2011, recycle with Soul and Lynette:
Quilting weight cotton fabric, one quarter yard pieces or larger
Wooden thread spools
Old buttons, new buttons, colorful buttons
Beads or baubles especially glass, wood or metal
As always for me: empty and not flattened aluminum drink cans, empty spice tins, tiny mint tins or other tiny tins that are colorful

Yesterday Megan, Diane and I spent time mapping out our plans for 2011 so that at our first board meeting in January we are organized and ready to meet the year with a plan. I am delighted to be working alongside women of such clear vision and open hearts.

Today I am hosting a special little lunch with our Canadian Soul friends, Susan and Andrew Tarling, parents of the stunning angel Brandon pictured here today. The first photo was taken at his first birthday in Edmonton that Lew and I attended and the second was taken shortly before his passing when I took the train up to see him and his loving extended family in Vancouver. Sarah and her twins Rudy and Tanner are also attending the lunch and I am so excited to see them all.

Its been a week of good reunions as I also got to have coffee with Auni, who like Sarah was instrumental in bringing Soulumination to the point that it is today. Auni was with me from almost day one of Soul and was our first TIPS intern and later came in to act as temporary admin while still in high school. She is a gem and is now working for 2 nonprofits in Baltimore. Her boyfriend Tim also works in the nonprofit world so it was great to have time with both of them.

In working out a plan for next year of course we are working on dates for work parties. As soon as they are firm I will let you know as the annual album and trifold making event will be before summer and we always need many hands to create those lovely gifts.

We are working on some new Soul products and will be needing donations of beads, buttons and quilting weight cotton fabric. If you have a stash of fabric we would love to have any that you are not using that is in one-quarter yard pieces or larger, batik prints are especially valued but we can use all types of prints and solids. You can drop off nearly any weekday between 9 and 5, but just in case we are not here you might call ahead at 206-297-0885. I am again on the look out for recycled tins for my projects for the Artist Sale. During the winter months I produce most of what I sell next year and currently I am looking for tiny Altoid tins or other tiny mint tins to use in my bead doll creations. I can use interesting regular size mint tins but especially can use the teeny ones. As always I love getting aluminum drink cans that you are recycling, especially Peace Tea, Arizona Iced Tea, interesting beer cans, Hawaiian drink cans, and truly a variety of any aluminum cans is needed for the lights. I sold out of my new light strands in an hour or so and plan on producing 100 strands for next year.

One of our newest photographers, Kevin Wrenn has completed his first Soul session and we are most grateful to have him with us. We also received the files from Jon Ward's shoot in the Ellensburg area and are thrilled with the results. We are most blessed to have such amazing talent working with us.

I got a call on Christmas Eve about a possible shoot at Seattle Children's and was of course ready to start the search for a possible photographer or go myself when the social worker called back to say that the family had declined her offer of photos. Its easy to understand how this happens but sometimes my heart sinks when it goes that way as I wonder if in the future they will regret this decision. My hope is that they already have many beautiful photos to treasure. In love and peace and gratitude for recent donations to help us move forward, Lynette

The purpose of today's blog is to list names of those who have volunteered in some way in the past few months. I wanted to just show how many hearts and hands come together to make things happen here at Soul, this list includes the artists of our yearly sale and others who helped make the sale a success or helped us move through this year with grace.

Before I type the list I ask you to keep our families in your hearts as many have had recent losses, a number have been in hospital, including Claire and Taryn, and others just need support as they move through their days. Megan recently talked to my friends whose beautiful new daughter has a seizure disorder and we were happy to hear that they are getting Santa photos, but sad to hear that medications are not working and she is having hundreds of seizures a day. The reality for many of our families is just beyond what can be comprehended unless you have been in their shoes. So I thank those who have recently sent funding, each gift melts me this time of year. We move forward feeling like we often work in a state of grace, standing on sacred ground.

A special thank you to Sandra Coan and crew for the wonderful donation from Santa for Soul. We are most grateful and we love you all.

So here is list of recent helpers:
Photographers: Heather Baker, Kailee Blankenship, Sacha Blue, Karen Cater-Schwendler, Kelly Chandler, Tara Clark, Sandra Coan, Carlyn Coffee, Bryce Covey, Shon Crewe, Stephanie Cristalli, Cami Dohrn, Susan Doupe, Scott Eklund, Michael Good, Desiree Hopf, Bryan Kopp, Sofia Krasnovskaya, Leo Lam, Jeremy Leffel, Dawn Lucrisia-Johnson, Christina Mallet, Liz Ophoven, Amanda Paredes, Gabriel Rodriquez, Jodi Rosen, Amy Scherrer, Daniel Sheehan, Kurt Smith, Tonya Todd, Nancy treder, Sarah Mattingly, Randell Walton, Jon Ward, and Teddi Yaeger.

Artists: Lorna, Kari, Betsy, Jody, Trina, Julie, Cindy, Patty, Kristin, Arlene, Katie, Sophia, Molly, Maude, Robin, Zena, Chris Becky, Kari S, Patti, Diane, Sidni, James, Margaret, Lily, Jenni, Jane, Mary Anne, Grant, Joanne, Deb, Susie and Denise.

Volunteers, including wreath makers, greens donors, cashiers and set up help, clean up crew and greeters: Alice, Julie, Brian, Collin, Olivia, Heidi, Betsy, Jane, Patrice, Sally, Sawyer, Dan, Cindy, Steve, Susan, Deb, Sally, Pat, Jana and her neighbor, Ken, Andrew, Mary, Karen, Pam, Suzanne, Deb, Kelly, Jeff, Amy, Doug, Llewelyn, Maddie, Matt, Anna, Julia, Mary, Courtney, Don and Cathy, Barbara, Kelly, Colleen, Nancy, Nick, Taide, Monique, Nina, Joan and Kiel, Patti, Lori, Shirley, Steve, Jane, Stephanie, Scott, Angie, Megan, Lisa, Brenda, Jenny and Kevin, Molly, Amber, Kris, Dunn Gardens, Colette, Emily and Mianna, Cami, Kurt and Leah Smith, Steve DeRoux.

Businesses and other professionals who help us in countless ways throughout the year:
Evergreen Computer Products -Barbara supplies our printer ink, Annie's Art and Frame who frame the prints for each Soul child, James Bratsanos who supplies us with free web and email hosting, Dawnelle DeMarco who checks voicemail on weekends and books shoots as needed, Moonphoto for outstanding service in printing and offering us discounts on their beautiful work, Outcast, supplier of the charm frames for each Soul bracelet and Denise Stuesse for making all the bracelets, Fred Moody for writing the bios, Jennifer Stoeck for beautiful web design work, Susan Tarling for making the beautiful birthday cards, Liz Ruckh for sewing the pouches that hold the laminated wallet photos, Sip and Ship for packaging all the Soul gifts that we mail and making sure they arrive in a timely manner, Ballard Market for telling about the sale on their reader board, Jeff Havens for printing the Artist Sale Posters and hanging them around the city.

Interns and long time volunteers: Mackenzie Gamble, Courtney, Elaine Tran, Hayley Uhm.

Mentors, social workers and others who regularly refer patients: Ross Hayes, Michelle Frost, Mark Power and the entire staff of the PAC Team at Seattle Children's, Julie Greves and Katie Stiver and all the other amazing social workers and Child Life specialists who patiently and calmly guide our work at the hospital, the staff at Ronald McDonald House and the staff of Providence Hospice and all the doctors and nurses at local hospitals who advise their patients to use our services.

The list goes on, hearts and hands coming together to honor our families. I am humbled and in awe of the generosity and the love that surrounds the work of Soulumination. The prayer flags are gently sending the message on the wind and the faces from the Collection are hanging in my studio and office and through it all I am working to treasure each day. I am posting a favorite photo from the past to remind us all that their is always hope as Emily is alive and living her days with joy and abandon. In love and peace, Lynette

We are looking for your help in finding places to apply for a new grant for work with our adult Legacy Project. For two years we have been funded by a grant from the McMillian Foundation and we are so thankful for their help and support but now we need to find new funding and we are hopeful that someone can give us tips as where to apply. We are hopeful that someone we have served through the work of the past few years might direct us to this important funding. In thinking of the Legacy work I can't help but mention one donation that brought me to tears.

Not so long ago I lost a favorite client of mine, mother of twins, she died totally unexpectedly. Her husband was in yesterday to pick up his photos from the yearly photo shoot. As he was writing his check I noticed he was taking a long time and wondered why. He handed me a very nice donation to Soul along with his check for his photos. We did not have the chance to do a specific shoot for them but someday he will bring me all the photos I have taken for them and I will pick out photos with my friend and her sons to create a legacy album for both boys. In the meantime my heart grieves for my friend and I am honored to continue the tradition she started with me recording her precious boys each year.

We are so busy here at Soul putting together the photos from the last 5 new shoots. Megan flies to Hawaii tomorrow to have time with her grandma who is recovering from a broken hip so Soul mama Angie and my new biz assistant, Kelly have graciously volunteered to book shoots and handle calls next week. We have just mailed out a little handmade gift to all the Soul photographers and are sending out the artist's checks and thank you cards today. We have had much help creating the thank you cards and they are built around a photo of the Soul prayer flags that are printing with the faces of Soul and include handpainted paper made by Soul families.

I have been making wreaths each day to thank some of our major in-kind donors, including Annie's Art and Frame, Moonphoto, Sip and Ship, OutCast, Ballard Market, Denise Stuesse, Tully's, Jennifer Stoeck and others. I gathered more greens at the cabin this week and Megan and Betsy secured more holly so they are very festive and lush. I wanted to do this personally since each of these places has made such a difference in the work of Soulumination. I figure that if their door is already festive, they can use them as centerpieces. The wreaths are one of the things that draws so many customers to our Sale so please keep us in mind for greens donations next year and for purchasing. We hope to launch a pre-sale program next year.

Have to get back to writing thank yous on those beautiful cards, about 85 more to go, it takes a village---------in love and peace, Lynette

I am so thankful for the donations that have been coming in from wonderful friends and supporters as Megan is now working to complete gifts for 7 new families. With the financial support comes the security of knowing we are funded to fulfill every request. Heartfelt thanks to the Hawkanson Family Foundation and to our friend in Port Townsend, Jean DeLeo for their recent donations. When I am personally connected to the donors and the checks arrive it brings back such wonderful memories from the past.

Last night I attended Providence Hospice's event--"An Evening of Remembrance, Lighting a Light for our Children." Many Soul families and friends were in attendance
and it was a very powerful experience. I especially wanted to go since my friends in New Jersey were promoting the 7pm candle lighting and I wanted to specifically honor the memory of Elise. As I lit my candle and added it to the others floating there so peacefully, my head was full of so many wonderful friends that I have met and lost during the years of Soul. Today the sorrow lingers but with the touch of sunshine its easy to feel good about what Soul is offering to our families.

Shirley is still hard at work entering all the info into our computers from the Artist Sale and today or tomorrow we will have final totals and then we will move to sending the checks to our amazing artists. This afternoon, Megan and Diane and I will have our first formal debriefing and I am excited as we all have ideas of how to improve and make next years sale even more dynamic. We are already working to make the check out lines move faster and we will work with each artist to be sure we are offering new and fresh items next year.

I had the pleasure of viewing Leo's latest Soul shoot this morning and I am blown away, truly they are stunning images and we are blessed to have such talent walking this path with us.

Now back to work on thank you notes. I am posting a few photos taken by Dawn from the sale. In love and peace, Lynette

My shoot at Children's went very well yesterday and I enjoyed meeting another beautiful family. We have 7 new families since the sale so its really busy here as we try to get things organized and tidy again.

Before I move on please remember to use Goodsearch for your holiday shopping as we receive a kick back for every purchase if you designate Soulumination as your charity of choice. This week is the biggest online shopping time so please shop using Goodsearch, its simple and quick and has most all the stores, Amazon, EBay, Gap, Barnes and Noble, Origins, Banana Republic and on so forth.


Shirley has worked long hours on the books for 4 days and she will be back on Monday to start wrapping it all up. I sold one more wreath that I made from a beautiful windfall branch that I saw when running errands and have one more lovely one available is you still need a wreath. There are a few more bead dolls that friends are picking up soon so a few little sales are still happening and the totals keep climbing.

I want to thank Andrew for his marvelous card tricks at the sale. I met Andrew when he was little and its been my pleasure to photograph his every year since. My pal, Grant who made the pipe cleaner creations last year made three more spectacular critters this you for the raffle baskets. I so hope he will have time to be back with us next year.

I wanted to share the words from Elizabeth Edwards, may that wonderful woman rest in peace: ‎"If you know someone who has lost a child, and you're afraid to mention them because you think you might make them sad by reminding them that they died - you're not reminding them. They didn't forget they died. What you're reminding them of is that you remembered they lived, and that is a great gift." Elizabeth Edwards



As I type this the wind is sending out so many prayers from the flags in our courtyard. I am so happy to have them up again. I am sharing today photos of my new pals Ruby and Tanner, Sarah's new babies taken by Dawn Lucrisia. I got to meet them for the first time at the sale and I think they are spectacular. In love and peace, Lynette

Back to reality. After a few days of pure highs and loads of support from caring family and friends thru the Artist Sale, I am heading to Seattle Children's this afternoon to work with a new baby.

We also received calls about 2 other new families, Leo will work with one and I am not sure yet on the other but we are hoping Randell might have time since the girl is from her home state of Alaska. Both Sandra and Michael will soon work with families at their delivery rooms to try to capture some precious memories of some babies very short lives. We have another possible new child that we were contacted about through caring friends of the family and are now waiting for the green light to give them a call to set up a shoot. And so it goes, in love and peace, Lynette

I am including photos of 2 newly released Soul children, Emilee and Kaylie, watch the website and soon they will be up in the gallery, thanks to our two Amy photographers for their caring work.

Sometimes things happen that really amaze me, in fact almost daily with Soul something happens that is such a gift. Yesterday during the delightful chaos of a successful sale I see my husband bringing a couple to me, they are good looking, they are smiling, they are my high school teacher Walt Kruckeberg and his beautiful wife Carol. They have come all the way from Sequim and they bring with them memories of laughter and growing up and the memories of their daughter Sarah Beth who was born while I was in high school. Sarah Beth's birth delighted all of his students, but this child died in her young years leaving the entire Sequim community reeling and obviously effecting me in many far reaching ways. When I was photographing for Josiah and his parents at Children's decades later I left his room overwhelmed with sorrow and came to sit near the mural that Sarah's parents had dedicated to her. When my best friend Joan lost Janus, 26 years ago, she and I drove to Sequim to have lunch with Carol and talk to her about grief and loss. When I was overcome with emotion before heading to Josiah's memorial service, I called the Kruckeberg's and Walt talked me into a calm state. To say that he was a good or talented teacher is just not close to enough. He now is offering to give Soul some of the amazing books that Carol wrote after the loss of Sarah Beth. It is called, "What was Good About Today" and it is a gem. I know Soul families would benefit from her words. Now Doug is excited about a trip to Sequim as Walt has taken up golf and that will lead to a further renewal of a precious link to my youth. I am also hoping that he might become one of the Soul artists and make birdhouses for a future sale, but more than that it might mean that others in the Soul community would get to know this special couple.

The gifts of yesterday were rich indeed and included an introduction to my new friends Ruby and Tanner. Oh they are a fresh duo, stunning, enchanting and the fulfillment of what I see as Sarah's destiny to be a mom. Sarah is radiant, she is glowing and Steve is right there being her match in this great adventure. He took this photo of our friend and Soul mom and photographer, Jodi who is the proud new mama of twins herself. I didn't get to meet Jodi's duo yesterday but I know I will soon and I know that will mean another special gift.


In the middle of the prep for the sale and the end of one busy season in my business, I took on mentoring a talented high school student, Jared for his senior photo project. He came yesterday to help record the sale and he took the photo of Sarah and Tanner that is shown here. I kind of wonder who will get the most mentoring from this project, Jared or myself as I realize his youthful knowledge of computers and the digital world will be far beyond my level of expertise.

The entire day was great for Soul and our sales were amazingly good. We have worked hard to make this an event that honors local talent and brings the community into the heart of Soul. We are raising funds to serve new families while reaching out to connect more fully with our neighbors, our supporters and the network of Soul.

Special thanks to Soul photographer Dawn, who brought her camera and her beautiful mom to the event. Also hugs to all the wreath makers and greens donors as we have sold all but a handful of the 120 wreaths, we have stashed away a few so that the courtyard will look full again today, but other than that all the rest have sold. To the young ladies who felted soap for us a big thank you as all but a couple of bars have sold in the first day. Diane and Megan are flat out amazing, we are so lucky to have such talented women to follow our dear friends Sarah and Kari. Hugs of course to all the Soul families who attended and volunteered and shopped. This families are our center, our inspiration. To my mentor Michelle, who came to the sale looking like a rock star, congrats on your upcoming grand motherhood, you will be one in a million in that role.

Its way too early to be up, so I hope I can take my book into the guest room and find my way back to sleep as now Lulu is home with tales of our new grand puppy and another day of gifts is dawning and this middle aged woman is running on fumes. In love and peace, Lynette

No sleep again, so I am a little groggy today, but it looks incredible here thanks to many but especially to Diane and Megan. They are doing a bang up job on this event and I am so excited to see many supporters today.

The addition of part of the Soul Collection to the studio is powerful and with the promise of good weather we can hang more in the courtyard. We have a beautiful new donation board thanks to board member Heather Baker and Richard's Artist Framing. You can put up a message along with a donation, I have some up there myself honoring family and friends. Its hard not to feel a little emotional with the power of all the support and love and talent coming together.

I need to make a pasta salad for the artists and volunteers for lunch time so I have to get to that. I hope I will see you today or tomorrow. In love and peace, Lynette

We have a final tally of 120 wreaths! I kept plugging away yesterday and Megan recounted and its a wrap and I am thrilled. Thanks to everyone that made this possible, now for buyers.

I want to thank the husbands/boyfriends who were drug into our work by my friends and supporters, of course my own husband, Doug, but also Steve, Kevin, Nick and Don, they all have helped so much.

Yesterday was the last official day of work for my long time assistant and secretary Diane Thompson. She has been an amazing part of my business and I was thinking back to when I started doing the work of Soul and how she booked all those first families. She will be greatly missed but will always be a part of my life. She has kept me calm, done almost all the booking, billing and handled so many parts of my business for 15 years. She is a gem and I thank her for all that she has done. We are welcoming my new assistant Kelly Hamill and she is already doing a very fine job. I am indeed blessed be knowing the wonderful women who work with my business and the nonprofit.

Diane Shea who is running the Artist Sale this year is doing a bang up job. Like Kari and Tamara before her she is also on of the artists and I feature her work in today's postcard. I just hope that unlike myself that she got a lot of good restful sleep last night.

Of course the call from a new family came yesterday while we were busy getting things ready. It caused everyone to pause in our busy day to reflect and realize why we are working so hard to have a successful sale. The call came from an expectant mother herself who is requesting a photographer for right after the birth as time will be fleeting for this angel baby.

I hope you will come to the sale this weekend to help make it possible for shoots like the new one to happen. I close as always, in love and peace, Lynette

I keep forgetting to remind all of you amazing supporters, please shop via goodshop online and designate Soulumination this holiday season, its easy and fast and sends money our way, just used it this morning at Amazon's site.

Today our niece and Soul cousin Betsy(her eco-friendly snack bags pictured above) arrived early and made a couple of stunning wreaths, then came Cathy and Pam to help me reach our goal of 100 wreaths and exceed it by 7. There is a great selection and they are stunning. My thanks to the men in Megan and Cathy's lives for helping in so many ways today. The prayer flags look stunning in the courtyard thanks to them. My balcony and stairs into the courtyard were garlanded early today by Monique and Nina. There is a beautiful part of the Soulumination Collection of photographs hanging in the studio thanks to our new volunteer Jenni and her very patient husband, they were troopers today. Board member and Soul photographer, Heather brought by the new donation board that she purchased for us with a big discount from Richard's Artist Framing in Wallingford Center. Big thanks to my husband Doug for working to clean out his garage to house the checkout this year. He also bought lunch for Megan and I and it was fun to have my father-in-law come by to watch all the prep work. Thanks to Drugstore.com for their support with another amazing raffle basket. It was a grand day and I am so thankful.

As always with Soul, things seem to work out to let us accomplish things and not neglect our main mission of serving families. We have been fielding so many calls about new families for the last couple of months and starting Monday everything settled down to let us get ready to raise some funds to help us serve more in the future. We are blessed and I am grateful.

In love and peace, Lynette