A sailboat watercolor and oil pastel sketch; new podcast dropped this morning; DMSO

I began a sketch yesterday, but didn’t finish it until today (Tuesday’s are our busy day around here, picking up groceries and running errands). I’m fairly pleased with it, but always feel I could do better. I think for me, right now, it’s getting the sizing correct. For instance, I think I got the line between the water and the sky right, and the size of the sailboat. But the white watercolor paint doesn’t do anything on the page, so typically, for anything white I leave it alone and let the paper shine through. This time though, I tried to make the circle of the sun bright yellow. I wish I had left paint off that circle so the white would have shown through. Oh well, at least I’m learning to let go of the need to “get it right.”

Richard Murrey sailboat painting (left); my sailboat watercolor sketch (right). –Sheila Murrey
My sailboat watercolor sketch. –Sheila Murrey

This artwork is one of my husband’s 100+ framed paintings collection–and it’s always been a favorite of mine.

At this point, I’m down to my last 100 old blog posts to update with a new URL link, so that project is going well.

But wait, there’s more! Haha! Early this morning I did a Live YouTube podcast with Julia AnchorHaven that went really well! I am still in pain too, and almost felt I should cancel, but I am so glad I persevered because right from the start Julia did a sound healing on me that I think helped me a LOT! I told her later, this was a priceless conversation! I also got to try reframing a couple of stories too, and so I feel better talking about some otherwise powerful subject matter.

Here’s the link to watch: https://www.youtube.com/live/NkqKRieZUpA?si=Ri5UZWbQ_VKERMRs

That conversation was to promote Gina Virginia Casella’s new Fall conference. And yes, I’ll write about post all about that (probably tomorrow). I think it’s really going to be an amazing conference and I’m looking forward to it! All men this time (as speakers), and I am offering two new songs.

I’m continuing to sleep better each night, though still dealing with the shoulder/arm/back pain. The nerve tonic from Florida is on its way (and the DMSO gel, plus I ordered yet another kind of patch–why not?) and so, all of that feels exciting too! Plus, I ordered a new massage pillow kind of thing too. And this is what happens when I am in pain, I reach for everything and anything to find relief. Ugh.

FYI: Debra asked what DMSO is, so I wanted to answer her and offer the doctor’s information whom I took a few classes with a while back. DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide) is a clear, sulfur-containing liquid chemical made as a byproduct of making paper. It is a strong solvent that mixes well with water and can pass quickly through human skin. It is used in biology labs to freeze and protect cells, tissues, and stem cells from ice damage and in hospitals to treat a painful bladder condition called interstitial cystitis. It is FDA approved as a prescription bladder wash (RIMSO-50). DMSO has been explored and used off-label or in alternative medicine as a topical treatment for muscle and joint pain, though safety and effectiveness for unapproved uses vary, and education and care must be taken when using topically, as DMSO can carry other chemicals or toxins through the skin along with it, and may cause skin irritation, garlic-like breath, or a bad taste in the mouth.

Here’s the link to Dr. Amandha Dawn Vollmer: https://mailchi.mp/yummydoctor/health-sovereignty-is-built-one-principle-at-a-time?e=cd18d25178

Breathing in the miracles today…

I’m breathing and repeating my new mantra: “Art communicates more than words, builds new brain neural pathways, and connects us all!”

Yours in consciousness-expansion as we evolve and revolve during our mystical awakening. Doing-my-egoless-best, to take you on a limitless, spiraling integrating ride to better health, doing with more ease and less effort-ing, to help us find and sustain the JOY in our lives! (Sprinkling Gratitude all around while we’re at it.)

Sheila “Spiral Sister” Murrey

The information provided is for educational purposes only and is not intended to treat, diagnose or prescribe.

About us

My husband and I are creators of life-enhancing spiritual and soulful information, music, and digital designs for wholly vibrant living.

We’re songwriters open to placing any of our 1,500+ original songs in TV, film, games, etc. We’re also seeking bands to play our songs. Video content creators, filmmakers, podcasters, production companies, deejays, Vloggers, YouTubers, and more can use our original music and songs in movies, TV shows, video intros, and such.

My husband of 21 years, Richard Murrey, is an award-winning illustrator, plus he’s a seasoned guitarist, bass player, and songwriter (having penned over 1,500 original songs). You can view his artwork and hear original songs at: https://www.youtube.com/user/richardmurrey

Here’s our Unsolicited Radio music show channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Unsolicited_Radio

And here’s a link to join our public-facing, original music group on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1CF7Q2gbkA/

Find me over on my YouTube channel for JIGGLE WIGGLE, mobility movement videos, video book reviews, plants, art, and more at: https://youtube.com/@spiralsister

And here I am talking about my new 5th book on YouTube –>> https://youtube.com/shorts/RKmIIucsMs4?feature=share Here’s how to get a paperback copy of, We Are All Connected: The How and The Why. https://amzn.to/4s7n3Jg or eBook version: https://amzn.to/3PAvfUK

You can support us by picking up merch at: https://sheilamurrey.net/store/

Richard and I (in 2020) performing one of our cowritten songs: https://vimeo.com/416711742?ref=fb-share

Connect with us socially at:

A watercolor and oil pastel fractal design

I played around with the watercolors yesterday, after working up a fractal type of design from a page out of an old calendar. I couldn’t replicate the fractals, but I loved how the watercolors flowed over the oil pastels on the page! I may make more of this kind of art!

Calendar fractal design (top); My “fractals in blue” oil pastel/watercolor art. –Sheila Murrey

In the coming days, I’ll be sketching more images out of my husband’s 100+ framed paintings collection–so stayed tuned. I’ve picked out several of those paintings to begin sketching after I get a new sketch pad (it’s ordered). In the meantime, hubby had some huge art paper upstairs and he’s given me some of those sheets (I cut them down to make the paper more manageable).

Meanwhile, I’ve been updating over 300 old blog posts because one of the URLs (website links) was defunct. I knew it, but had been procrastinating correcting it. Ugh. BORING and tedious! But I found a way to make it fun by adding in a new sentence to each article. Did you know our old articles still get views? And I mean, some of mine have gotten anywhere from 3 to 55 new views in the last 30 days?!? I was shocked!

As of last night, I’m now sleeping better (the shoulder/arm/back pain I have been experiencing is letting up more and more–though it’s still there). I ordered a new DMSO gel that’s supposed to relieve nerve pain because as of yet, I’ve not found a good inexpensive comfrey cream. It should arrive tomorrow or the next day. I’m also still waiting on my nerve tonic from Florida.

DMSO Cream for Nerve Pain Relief & Sleep | Inner Warrior –Herbal Mana

Breathing in the miracles today…

I’m breathing and repeating my new mantra: “Art communicates more than words, builds new brain neural pathways, and connects us all!”

Yours in consciousness-expansion as we evolve and revolve during our mystical awakening. Doing-my-egoless-best, to take you on a limitless, spiraling integrating ride to better health, doing with more ease and less effort-ing, to help us find and sustain the JOY in our lives! (Sprinkling Gratitude all around while we’re at it.)

Sheila “Spiral Sister” Murrey

The information provided is for educational purposes only and is not intended to treat, diagnose or prescribe.

About us

My husband and I are creators of life-enhancing spiritual and soulful information, music, and digital designs for wholly vibrant living.

We’re songwriters open to placing any of our 1,500+ original songs in TV, film, games, etc. We’re also seeking bands to play our songs. Video content creators, filmmakers, podcasters, production companies, deejays, Vloggers, YouTubers, and more can use our original music and songs in movies, TV shows, video intros, and such.

My husband of 21 years, Richard Murrey, is an award-winning illustrator, plus he’s a seasoned guitarist, bass player, and songwriter (having penned over 1,500 original songs). You can view his artwork and hear original songs at: https://www.youtube.com/user/richardmurrey

Here’s our Unsolicited Radio music show channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Unsolicited_Radio

And here’s a link to join our public-facing, original music group on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1CF7Q2gbkA/

Find me over on my YouTube channel for JIGGLE WIGGLE, mobility movement videos, video book reviews, plants, art, and more at: https://youtube.com/@spiralsister

And here I am talking about my new 5th book on YouTube –>> https://youtube.com/shorts/RKmIIucsMs4?feature=share Here’s how to get a paperback copy of, We Are All Connected: The How and The Why. https://amzn.to/4s7n3Jg or eBook version: https://amzn.to/3PAvfUK

You can support us by picking up merch at: https://sheilamurrey.net/store/

Richard and I (in 2020) performing one of our cowritten songs: https://vimeo.com/416711742?ref=fb-share

Connect with us socially at:

Two new sketches using pencil, marker and oil pastels

I did two new sketches from out of my husband’s 100+ framed paintings collection and thought you’d enjoy them.

This is my butterfly sketch in progress, because I had no idea that I would finish it yesterday due to all the white dots (so much black to color in), and it did take some time:

Butterfly artwork of Richard’s on the left; my version of the butterfly sketch on paper on the right (in progress). Though I did make a little mistake on the top of the rose, and even laid awake last night thinking of actually cutting some paper and gluing it over the mistake, I’ll leave it alone. –Sheila Murrey
Finished butterfly sketch. I am having fun trying to decide where and when to use the watercolor paints. –Sheila Murrey
Indian chief artwork of Richard’s on the left; my version of the chief sketch on paper on the right. I started this one with the watercolor as I guessed where his face would be–and yes, I had to make some adjustments when I drew over the pencil with the brown marker, so not all of the watercolor got included on his face, though I think it worked. I might go back and add a bit of pink watercolor to the feather, not sure yet.I also now see where I could add more black to the lower left of the sketch. Hmm –Sheila Murrey
Native American Indian Chief sketch. Hubby said I did a good job. And that made my day! –Sheila Murrey

Thankfully, I’m now sleeping a bit better (the shoulder/arm/back pain I have been experiencing is letting up more and more). I am continuing to seek out a good inexpensive comfrey cream. Let me know if you know of a good one.

Breathing in the miracles today…

I’m breathing and repeating my new mantra: “Art communicates more than words, builds new brain neural pathways, and connects us all!”

Yours in consciousness-expansion as we evolve and revolve during our mystical awakening. Doing-my-egoless-best, to take you on a limitless, spiraling integrating ride to better health, doing with more ease and less effort-ing, to help us find and sustain the JOY in our lives! (Sprinkling Gratitude all around while we’re at it.)

Sheila “Spiral Sister” Murrey

The information provided is for educational purposes only and is not intended to treat, diagnose or prescribe.

About us

My husband and I are creators of life-enhancing spiritual and soulful information, music, and digital designs for wholly vibrant living.

We’re songwriters open to placing any of our 1,500+ original songs in TV, film, games, etc. We’re also seeking bands to play our songs. Video content creators, filmmakers, podcasters, production companies, deejays, Vloggers, YouTubers, and more can use our original music and songs in movies, TV shows, video intros, and such.

My husband of 21 years, Richard Murrey, is an award-winning illustrator, plus he’s a seasoned guitarist, bass player, and songwriter (having penned over 1,500 original songs). You can view his artwork and hear original songs at: https://www.youtube.com/user/richardmurrey

Here’s our Unsolicited Radio music show channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Unsolicited_Radio

And here’s a link to join our public-facing, original music group on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1CF7Q2gbkA/

Find me over on my YouTube channel for JIGGLE WIGGLE, mobility movement videos, video book reviews, plants, art, and more at: https://youtube.com/@spiralsister

And here I am talking about my new 5th book on YouTube –>> https://youtube.com/shorts/RKmIIucsMs4?feature=share Here’s how to get a paperback copy of, We Are All Connected: The How and The Why. https://amzn.to/4s7n3Jg or eBook version: https://amzn.to/3PAvfUK

You can support us by picking up merch at: https://sheilamurrey.net/store/

Richard and I (in 2020) performing one of our cowritten songs: https://vimeo.com/416711742?ref=fb-share

Connect with us socially at:

Tiger sketch using pencil, marker and oil pastels

I looked through some of my husband’s 100+ framed paintings to see if I thought I might attempt a sketch of a few more, recall the lions:

This is a face on tiger. I love Richard’s artwork. He always creates a mat for his art as well, so we just print and frame. Easy! He used to sell these for $100 each, but has taken his artwork down due to low sales and too many scam-like emails coming in to him.

Tiger artwork of Richard’s on top; my version of the tiger sketch on paper. I got a little likeness but feel I could have done a better job at mapping out where the white needed to be. I used the watercolors only on the nose and add some “hairy” strokes. –Sheila Murrey

The shoulder/arm/back pain I have been experiencing is starting to ease, though today (and it was our busy grocery day), my arm has had a dull ache all day. Ugh! I found an arnica roll on at Walmart and giving it a try. I am continuing to seek out a good inexpensive comfrey cream. Let me know if you know of a good one. Thanks Julie (over at: https://emotionalpeace.wordpress.com) for the prayers! I chatted with Christina at Herbal-Cottage this morning and she’s ending me a bottle of nerve relief tonic (she was only out of stock on her website)! Yay!

Breathing in the miracles today…

I’m breathing and repeating my new mantra: “Art communicates more than words, builds new brain neural pathways, and connects us all!”

Yours in consciousness-expansion as we evolve and revolve during our mystical awakening. Doing-my-egoless-best, to take you on a limitless, spiraling integrating ride to better health, doing with more ease and less effort-ing, to help us find and sustain the JOY in our lives! (Sprinkling Gratitude all around while we’re at it.)

Sheila “Spiral Sister” Murrey

The information provided is for educational purposes only and is not intended to treat, diagnose or prescribe.

About us

My husband and I are creators of life-enhancing spiritual and soulful information, music, and digital designs for wholly vibrant living.

Here’s our Unsolicited Radio music show channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Unsolicited_Radio

And here’s a link to join our public-facing, original music group on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1CF7Q2gbkA/

Find me over on my YouTube channel for JIGGLE WIGGLE, mobility movement videos, video book reviews, plants, art, and more at: https://youtube.com/@spiralsister

And here I am talking about my new 5th book on YouTube –>> https://youtube.com/shorts/RKmIIucsMs4?feature=share Here’s how to get a paperback copy of, We Are All Connected: The How and The Why. https://amzn.to/4s7n3Jg or eBook version: https://amzn.to/3PAvfUK

My husband is an award-winning illustrator, plus he’s a seasoned guitarist, bass player, and songwriter (with over 1,400 original songs). You can view some of his artwork and listen to many of his songs at: https://www.youtube.com/user/richardmurrey

You can support us by picking up merch at: https://sheilamurrey.net/store/

Richard and I (in 2020) performing one of our cowritten songs: https://vimeo.com/416711742?ref=fb-share

Connect with us socially at:

The watercolors I use now

Thanks to Walmart extending me the offer to become a Recognized Reviewer, I have been searching their 1,000 items list for the last few days and thinking about all the things we need, or want, plus what we might give as holiday gifts, especially to the granddaughters. I’m beyond excited to know that because I’ve freely given Walmart hundreds (I think it’s over 1,000 by now actually), mostly on food items we’ve bought from them in the two years we’ve lived in New Hampshire, that NOW, I will save us at least a few hundred dollars a year by getting free products just for reviewing said items. Yippee!!

Plus, I can order some items that have not yet been released on Walmart.com! So, I finally found a great watercolor set (and I had been looking and checking different stores online for a while). What a FUN retirement “job” to have now, right? And currently, I am an elite Yelp reviewer too, but I digress. I’m a writer, right? And a writer writes, as we say. So there’s that.

Screen capture of part of the email Walmart sent me about what it means to be a Recognized Reviewer. –Walmart

I had been wanting to try some watercolor painting for months, since my blogger pal, and artist, Linda, has been painting her sketches with watercolor paints. She suggested I get a children’s set of watercolors to begin with and that’s pretty much what I did.

Screen capture: 24 watercolor palette by ArtBox. –Sheila Murrey
Screen capture: opening the 24 watercolor palette by ArtBox. I still don’t know what the ring on the bottom of the case is for. –Sheila Murrey
Screen capture: the open 24 watercolor palette by ArtBox. Left, what it looked like as soon as I opened it with paint mix tray; on the right, after filling brush pens with water and painting. –Sheila Murrey
Screen capture: Left, back of paint mixing palette; right shows closeup of one of the brush pens. I really like that they give you a color chart too, so you know what color is what. –Sheila Murrey

I’ve already left my review of these watercolors on the Walmart site, so this is simply an extra post to show you all, my readers, the background on how I found these and what they are. And it’s all thanks to Linda’s encouragement. Aren’t I lucky?

You can get to know Linda too, if you’d like. And I’d highly recommend it. Here’s her site: https://creativeartworksblog.com

I’m so thankful for my new mantra: “Art communicates more than words, builds new neural pathways (in the brain), and connects us all!”

Yours in consciousness-expansion as we evolve and revolve during our mystical awakening. Doing-my-egoless-best, to take you on a limitless, spiraling integrating ride to better health, doing with more ease and less effort-ing, to help us find and sustain the JOY in our lives! (Sprinkling Gratitude all around while we’re at it.)

Sheila “Spiral Sister” Murrey

The information provided is for educational purposes only and is not intended to treat, diagnose or prescribe.

About us

My husband and I are creators of life-enhancing spiritual and soulful information, music, and digital designs for wholly vibrant living.

Here’s our Unsolicited Radio music show channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Unsolicited_Radio

And here’s a link to join our public-facing, original music group on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1CF7Q2gbkA/

Find me over on my YouTube channel for JIGGLE WIGGLE, mobility movement videos, video book reviews, plants, art, and more at: https://youtube.com/@spiralsister

And here I am talking about my new 5th book on YouTube –>> https://youtube.com/shorts/RKmIIucsMs4?feature=share Here’s how to get a paperback copy of, We Are All Connected: The How and The Why. https://amzn.to/4s7n3Jg or eBook version: https://amzn.to/3PAvfUK

My husband is an award-winning illustrator, plus he’s a seasoned guitarist, bass player, and songwriter (with over 1,400 original songs). You can view some of his artwork and listen to many of his songs at: https://www.youtube.com/user/richardmurrey

You can support us by picking up merch at: https://sheilamurrey.net/store/

Richard and I (in 2020) performing one of our cowritten songs: https://vimeo.com/416711742?ref=fb-share

Connect with us socially at:

Child on tree swing sketch using pencil, marker and oil pastels

I felt inspired, since receiving my new watercolor kit (Thanks to Walmart! See my next article where I explain the program and show you the kit), that I got to sketching and painting right away yesterday afternoon! I decided to attempt another one of the sketches I’ve held onto for months (from Linda Lewis’ blog). Let me know what you think of it:

Linda Lewis’ child on tree swing sketch on laptop and my version of child on tree swing sketch on paper –Sheila Murrey
My child on tree swing sketch. My critique is that I really need to practice hands (haha! Mine kind of look like claws), and I probably should have used watercolor on the shirt and pants instead of the oil pastels. –Sheila Murrey

Thanks to my artist, blogger and “soul sister” pal, Linda Lewis… this was the post where she presented her sketch of the child on the swing back on April 28th, 2026: https://creativeartworksblog.com/2026/04/28/tuesday-4-28-2026/

The shoulder/arm/back pain I have been experiencing for just over a week is continuing to ease. I checked Walmart for any other kind of pillow or massager, etc. and couldn’t find anything I liked any better than what I have (an ergonomic pillow, TENS machine, and PowerPlate massager in a sort of peanut shape). The herbal tincture from Herbal-Cottage helps, but I believe I need their nerve tonic as well, and they are out of stock on it right now. The Ibuprofen didn’t help at all last night, so I am looking at getting a stronger topical comfrey cream. I found one via a Facebook ad, but it’s about $50 for a 2 ounce jar! Not wanting to spend that, I’m checking elsewhere online. Let me know if you have used a good one.

I’m breathing and repeating my new mantra: “Art communicates more than words, builds new neural pathways (in the brain), and connects us all!”

Yours in consciousness-expansion as we evolve and revolve during our mystical awakening. Doing-my-egoless-best, to take you on a limitless, spiraling integrating ride to better health, doing with more ease and less effort-ing, to help us find and sustain the JOY in our lives! (Sprinkling Gratitude all around while we’re at it.)

Sheila “Spiral Sister” Murrey

The information provided is for educational purposes only and is not intended to treat, diagnose or prescribe.

About us

My husband and I are creators of life-enhancing spiritual and soulful information, music, and digital designs for wholly vibrant living.

Here’s our Unsolicited Radio music show channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Unsolicited_Radio

And here’s a link to join our public-facing, original music group on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1CF7Q2gbkA/

Find me over on my YouTube channel for JIGGLE WIGGLE, mobility movement videos, video book reviews, plants, art, and more at: https://youtube.com/@spiralsister

And here I am talking about my new 5th book on YouTube –>> https://youtube.com/shorts/RKmIIucsMs4?feature=share Here’s how to get a paperback copy of, We Are All Connected: The How and The Why. https://amzn.to/4s7n3Jg or eBook version: https://amzn.to/3PAvfUK

My husband is an award-winning illustrator, plus he’s a seasoned guitarist, bass player, and songwriter (with over 1,400 original songs). You can view some of his artwork and listen to many of his songs at: https://www.youtube.com/user/richardmurrey

You can support us by picking up merch at: https://sheilamurrey.net/store/

Richard and I (in 2020) performing one of our cowritten songs: https://vimeo.com/416711742?ref=fb-share

Connect with us socially at:

An example of our connections: a high school friend (retired nurse now artist) offers watercolor sketches

Fellow bloggers and long distance friends, Gray Summers (retired nurse, songwriter/musician, fan of all things vintage, and Johnny Depp) and Linda Lewis (watercolor sketch artist and weight loss inspiration to me) may LOVE this post! (Click their names to visit their blog sites.)

My high school friend Teresa Damron has retired from her nursing career and been drawing and sketching, with her most recent being watercolor sketches! I’ll share a couple of her exquisite animal sketches (yes, she works on commission too), and these fantastic bookmarks she’s now selling (though I do not believe she has a public facing website, yet):

Bookmarks for sale. –Teresa Damron via Facebook
Closeup. Bookmarks for sale. –Teresa Damron via Facebook
My comment on Teresa’s bookmarks Facebook post.
Artwork by Teresa Damron (Background of her Facebook page)
Pan pastels and colored pencils artwork by Teresa Damron
Teresa is starting to get known. I’ll let you know if she sets up a website.

It’s funny, because as soon as I saw Teresa’s post (about the bookmarks) on Facebook the other day I thought of Linda. When I’d first ordered something from Linda’s former Etsy shop (back a few years ago), she’d included a wood burned bookmark in the package as a gift! I loved it so much that I ordered several more, and eventually a few more pieces of her art. I still love each one and the tote I gave to my daughter with penguins on it. Wink!

Art often communicates more than words on how much we love the same things and connects us in sublime and subtle ways–perhaps more than we are consciously aware!

My book, We Are All Connected: The How and The Why

Here’s the link where you can grab a copy of, We Are All Connected: The How and The Why. An analytical mind searches for answers.

See me talking about my new 5th book on YouTube –>> https://youtube.com/shorts/RKmIIucsMs4?feature=share and here’s how to get a paperback copy of, We Are All Connected: The How and The Why. https://amzn.to/4s7n3Jg or eBook version: https://amzn.to/3PAvfUK

Find me over on my YouTube channel for JIGGLE WIGGLE, mobility movement videos, video book reviews, plants, art, and more at: https://youtube.com/@spiralsister

Yours in consciousness-expansion as we evolve and revolve during our mystical awakening. All while doing-my-egoless-best, to take you on a limitless, spiraling thought ride to better health, through doing more with ease, to help us sustain the JOY in our lives! (With lots of Gratitude throughout.)

Sheila “Spiral Sister” Murrey

The information provided is for educational purposes only and is not intended to treat, diagnose or prescribe.

About us

My husband is an award-winning illustrator, plus he’s a seasoned guitarist, bass player, and songwriter (with over 1,400 original songs). You can view some of his artwork and listen to many of his songs at: https://www.youtube.com/user/richardmurrey

Here’s a video of us performing on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/416711742?ref=fb-share

Connect with us socially at: