branding before the horse.

I've branded a new project before it's even a day old!  When I was thinking about my new art journal and looking up new techniques on the youtubes, I felt constrained when I thought of having to mark a date on a page when it was worked on and then "not being able to add to it" on another day if it was already dated, cuz then I'd have to keep track of dating it again.  I know, right?  So I stumbled upon the branding of "Q2".  The sales peeps at the office/"artist-in-residence-work-contribution" job were finishing up their quarter and get to take Monday off for reaching their goal.  (The mention of a day off is what got me to daydreaming.)  I figured, perfect!  A selection of time I can easily house my project in, work across all pages as needed/desired in that 3 month period, quarter two, Q2 was born!

So that's what I painted on the cover of my art journal.  My Quarter Two art journal.

starting my art journal today (again).

Before leaving one of my wellness team member's office today, she told me about some vulnerability journaling she had learned from a certain website.  Having had just gone through an emotional exercise, the thought of exploring vulnerability on purpose made me nauseous.  I wanted to thrown up.  I told her as much and knew at the same time journaling about my vulnerability would be the next step to care for myself.

When home, I searched in many resourceful ways for the exact exercises she may have used, but came up with nothing to match.  I did, however, embark on some spiritually fulfilling side-tracking and have found a couple new inspirations.  And was reminded of an old inspiration from many years ago.  And then I spent the evening prepping my art journal.

My search lead me to a girl and her brush and Wendy Brightbill's latest entry "journal challenge 158/journal entry: embrace vulnerability"  Right?

I looked up flights to see if I could make it to her Becoming art journaling workshop as my birthday adventure.  That's how much I instantly identified with her work.  When talking about her workshop, she mentions Brene Brown.  And that becomes my next stop on the internet side-tracking.  I quickly find Brene's TED talk and my new heroine.  If you'd like to watch something that is highly likely to move you, take a look at her video.

After watching this, I tweet a quote I hear and then *need* to start an art journal to capture additional quotes, practice/discover my art journaling techniques (like Wendy), and think back to 2007 when I first came across Suzi Blu and her quirky art videos.  Here's a perfect sample of her important message - art is most fulfilling as part of everyday life and we all have the capacity to create.

I may share more about my process for getting started with my own art journal tonight.  But for now, here's a picture on my inside cover.  And I've prepped a good starting amount of pages.  The quote is from Brene.

Let me know what you think of this collection of inspiring ladies.  Are you moved to make anything creative or see your situation in a different way?

I'd love to hear how you are courageous and creative!

Van Sessions with Nicki Bluhm and the Gramblers

Nicki's voice is beautiful in this!  The one time I'm appreciating Hall & Oats. 

And loving the harmony banter and key twinkling :)  Thanks for the link Steve!

what i learned at work today.

today.

This was one of my favorite bits from Work of Art, Season 1.  I laughed so hard when this came on.  Ryan translated Miles-making-art to Miles-making-coffee, to a tee!

oh, 30 rock.

3 important things / week no. 2

Taking a cue from the whitehot truth, here let me focus on 3 important things to accomplish this week:

1. Complete the button order for The Africa Project
2. Ask questions and send in that paperwork
3. Pull out the ol' encaustics!!!

That's it.  Focus on those things and the rest is gravy.





(Oh, and let me just get it out and show you all that I have to lay aside, it'd be quite a miracle if I just focused on three things and didn't get overwhelmed by this list.  This 3-things-only is tough!
embroider, knit, sew, purge and shred papers, move supplies around, move two desk tops, fold laundry, wash dishes, put away camping gear, pull everything out of that closet, take photos of all vintage items to sell, paint all found/make items, detail clean the found typewriter, make gluten-free pancakes, paint other half of bedroom walls, find external hard drive, watch hulu, take 30 minute walks, wash linens, compost stuff from fridge, tally 1,001 Squared:  The Abundance Project statuses, take recordings off v/m, get new songs onto iphone, find drum sheets and practice reading, get rid of stuff off that shelf, scrub the bathroom, and the kitchen floor...  See, way too much.  But that felt good to get it all out.  At least there's a record of what I can do over the next several weeks.)

Aaaah.

here's to blogging one more time in 2011!

It's been a great year. A challenging year, but a good year of perseverance and patience that I've made it through. In February I picked up on the Power Year idea and choose a representational animal (the walrus - my own addition, not part of the official Power Year agenda) and set about choosing SMART goals for myself.

I did go from having a short-term part-time job, to having no job, to having a full-time job with benies. That was great in addressing my survival mode outlook. I finally could look at what would be best use of my creative time and talents, my health, and my social needs and no longer do what ever it took to make cash. It was at the end of the year, settling into a regular income, that I made tons of progress and, again, though challenging, got to see a very clear picture of my life and priorities.

I now understand I super-value my time. This is something many people with competing interests, commitments, jobs, families... can understand. Yet, add to it a body that has limitations and isn't always available to meet even my basic needs. I had to get really good at letting things go and living in limbo, in the in-between time. Which is actually an awesome lesson as we are all in limbo and in-between time. Nothing is guaranteed to us, nothing is certain. But what I'm practicing to make certain is that I'll always do the next right thing to take care of my health and well-being.

I can get through *tough* when I have faith and hope. And I'm grateful those didn't falter throughout the year. The thoughts of "this too shall pass" and "when you're going through something tough, keep going!" come to mind. I kept chipping away and making any progress I could. I also had patience when it felt like I was just standing still. With stillness comes insight. (Add more meditation to my list!)


Here are a couple of sites that I've read over in preparing for 2012.  I'll be sharing more of my outcome in the next few days.

Nicole Is Better
She shares how to celebrate this year and prepare for the next year.  There's even a download to plotting out 27 action items per month!

A Beautiful Mess
Elsie shares how to make and keep resolutions.

When I Grow Up Coach
Some links Michelle shares to closing up the year.

I'm excited for 2012 and look forward to sharing the year with creative and courageous people!

Until then... xoxo!

{video love} supakitch & koralie

I've just finished up my online class, Get Your Paint On, and am keyed in to all this inspiration on the interwebs.  Now that I've gone through the slowed down process of making my own big painting, I love seeing the process other artists go through.

This hubby and wife collaboration by Supakitch & Koralie is really facinating to watch as their vision is reavealed across a large wall.

My favorite hubby and wife artists!  Euphorie.