an artful blogging party

Artsy Mama is hosting a virtual party in honor of the current issue of Artful Blogging and to celebrate artful bloggers. She invited people to share an artsy blog post and maybe a tutorial as a way to participate in the party. There are already some incredible links to posts over on her site.

When I first started blogging, I did not realize how the medium itself and the inspiration I found from others would invite me to dive deeper into a more creative path. Within a few months of beginning my blog, I went from someone who knew which show she watched each hour on the hour during primetime television to someone who spent a lot of free time sewing, sketching, writing, taking pictures, and filling up idea journals.

Being an artful blogger gives me the chance to share what I learn on my journey; my blog is a place to record my observations, my joys, my sorrows, my growth, my not-so-great moments, my truth …It has become a place where I can just sit down comfortably in my favorite pajamas, take a breath, and be me.

So….Welcome to my little corner of the world!

Oh! I am so glad that you are also wearing your pajamas. Meet Millie, just beware, she will try to get in all your photos. Also meet Betty; she is currently wearing a work-in-progress apron. Please, make yourself at home and have a cup of tea. There are pumpkin muffins and chocolate chip cookies. Just help yourself. Please, pretend you don't see...the mess. (Whispering: You see, I am getting ready for my first time at crafty wonderland this weekend and my studio has found a way to move parts of itself to the kitchen table, back porch, and…well, everywhere really. Oh please, just move that over, yes, you can sit right there.)

The music line-up is, of course, The Weepies followed by some Paul Simon, then a little Indigo Girls and some other favorites. When you hear the first few bars of Tina Turner's "Proud Mary" get ready because we are all going to stand up and dance, dance, dance. Yes, that means you over there too.

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Kari invited all the party-goers to share a tutorial. I am going to share a little meditative "get those creative juices flowing" exercise that you can take home and use whenever you need it:

A Walk with the Senses

Block out a certain amount of time just for yourself, from 10 to 45 minutes (or longer if you like). You are going to spend this time outside. You could simply take a walk near your home, spend time in a neighborhood park, walk downtown, along the water, in the woods…anywhere.

You aren't going to take anything extra with you. No sketchbook or journal or camera or cell phone. Just you.

As you walk, simply notice the following:

What do you hear?
What do you smell?
What do you taste?
What do you (want to) touch?
What do you see?

Feel free to touch things and notice that as well.

If you find your mind wandering away from these things to grocery lists and what you "should" be doing and other things that pull on you, pause in your walk. Close your eyes and take a breath. And then another one. Allow yourself to just notice your inhalations and exhalations. After a few moments, begin to notice your senses again and open your eyes when you are ready.
After you have finished your walk, head back to your creative space. When you get there, spend time creating, writing, journaling about your experience. You might want to create an art journal page or a color palette of what you noticed. You could write about each sense and what the experience was like for you. You might want to write a poem. It is all up to you. Simply allow your senses walk to be a springboard into creating.

I recommend that you head back to your creative space at home so that you won't be distracted by new senses experiences while you are creating. Meaning, if you went on a walk near a lake and then decided to sit down and journal about it near the water, it becomes a different exercise. While you are writing, your senses will notice new things and so on. That is a valuable exercise as well, but this one is centered more on observation and then removing yourself from what you observed. If home might be too distracting, you could head to a café to journal/sketch about your experience. Shape this exercise to be whatever you need.

Finally, as you reflect on your observations, sit and think about what I call the sixth sense: know. (If you have visited me before, you might have seen my "senses" posts. I always include this sixth sense.) Reflect on what "you know" from this experience. You might want to journal about this.

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Thank you for stopping by! I can't wait to visit your corner of the world as well today…
To visit other folks participating in Kari's party, check out the ever-growing list of links at the end of her post.

connection found {self-portrait challenge}

feeling tired. a bit overwhelmed. close to weepy. i seek...i pause to notice. what is it that i need? breathing with purpose, slowly, i realize: i seek connection. i go to my altar and take a breath and open my heart to what i am seeking. my rocks. from the shores of puget sound at fort worden. i hold them tightly and remember. i am part of the water. i am tumbling and twisting on my journey. i am slicing open and breaking apart. i am shiny on the sand. i am part of the earth. i am waiting. i am open. i am found.

to see more reactions to the challenge of pattern, visit self-portrait challenge.

inspirations, august 6

this piece/post by miss leonie

debi van zyl's hand-knitted beasts

friends who aren't afraid to share ideas

nina's SPC this week

giving myself permission to begin (and continue)

nancy's wicked cool wardrobe

babette blankets (oh my goodness)

miss kelly "camp indigo soul" barton {an interview}

When I first started reading blogs, I remember noticing that this blogger Kelly left the warmest comments for people. I clicked through to her blog and found out that she lived in Indiana (where I grew up), so I, of course, began to read...I have been enjoying the authentic way she shares pieces of her world on her blog for a while now, and as she agreed to let me interview her, I am happy to be able to share some of her words with you today.

Along with being a blogger, Kelly is an artist and a graphic designer. You can find Kelly's delightful artwork at the happygirl shop (her etsy shop) and in her portfolio on her website.

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Please share a little about you, your creative endeavors, and so on.

i think i might be considered a vagabond of art and design. my style seems to move all over the spectrum. and i am happy with that. that is what makes me — ME.

Describe your studio/creative space or the one you hope to have one day.

my studio rocks! i love it, but don’t all artists love being in their studio. i lose myself when i am in there; hours fly by and i am happy. soft green apple walls and fun stuff from ikea. oh and i can’t forget the sweetest thing of all — artwork from all my girls. i have prints from mati and kelly rae. i have two christine mason miller and penelope dullaghan originals. yes, yes, i know i am one lucky chickadee. and in october, a special someone will be traveling all the way from oakland to grace my walls: my first kelly rae original…yippie!

What is your favorite way to spend time in your studio/creative space? What do you do when you are just creating for you?

oh…i am drooling. how can you not — when you think of what you can do in the studio. i have so many interests, books everywhere, with all kinds of grand creative ideas flowing from the pages. i am happiest when i am creating. doesn’t really matter what i am working on, when i get to lose myself for hours in the studio…i am a happy chick. i love when i am blessed with a few hours to paint, but i also work on jewelry, notecards…oh, and the sound of cutting paper, how can you not love that sound?…sweet!

If you were to create an inspiration board today, what would it be filled with?

hmmmm…..no one will be shocked by this on. my board consists of postcards that came with my prints from the girls and andrea scher….supershero. have you ever seen her necklaces — they rock! i have cotton candy, but my sweet pooch tried to eat it, so at the moment, i need to send it to her for some fixing. i think i would also include images of my flowers and other photos i have snapped of my kids and a couple of very poignant quotes. i dig quotes.

Do you have a daily practice (like yoga, sketching, reading, afternoon naps, and so on)?

what….exercise — are you kidding me. i would rather sit and eat peanut butter m&ms. i love to take a nap, especially when it is raining and you can hear it hitting the windows and roof. that sound always relaxes me. i love to read, but if i read, then i don’t get to paint, and we can’t have that.

I am intrigued by the way that where we live often comes through when we create. As I am originally from "middle" Indiana myself, I am curious if you notice this in your own work?

it has taken me a very LONG time to get to this creative point. i never even considered i would be an artist one day. it makes me sad that i didn’t take art in high school. i know it would have made things easier academically. i found out last year i have a learning disability — similar to dyslexia. [i went to be tested for ADD ]. i am not shocked by this. i knew for years that my brain didn’t function like my friends did. i had to work hard to cover that up. school wasn’t easy for me. but i know that art has to be offered in our schools. kids are lucky to get to art class once a week. i can’t say that INDIANA comes out in my work. but my colorful mind truly does. i have fought myself for years, never allowing myself to truly embrace...ME. but since i have been [letting go], my paintings truly reflect who i am . that is how i came to paint [the girls]. each one is a reflection of my mind, my subconscious. as i have grown artistically, i have allowed myself to become more confident and put myself out there more, which is not an easy task for me.

You seem to bring in a lot of joy and play into your world. For example, your etsy shop is called "the happy girl shop." Can you share a little about what this sense of playfulness means to you?

i love the word happy…i dig it, i do. but this doesn’t mean i am a happy girl all the time. i laughed as i named it that. and i did it for that reason. it is a reminder of how i want to be. a gentle nudge of sorts, for those days when i am not feeling happy. and it does reflect my style of painting.
as you can see, i am a big fan of funky color. the walls of my house are the same. not that my husband comes home everyday and says “honey, i love the green apple and asparagus kitchen walls” [side note: you will never here him call me “honey”, but if he calls me “kell”, my heart melts]. i have an orange dining room too. oh, let me clarify, not tuscan orange or peach, but pantone 021 orange, with a zebra rug and ikea black and white floral print curtains. it is one of my favorite rooms…next to the studio.

As you reflect on where you are in your journey, can you think of a feeling/issue/fear/something else you had to let go of in order to follow your dreams? If yes, can you touch on how letting go of "it" changed you?

…sure, ME. i had to let go of holding myself back. i think it is hard for many girls to let go and believe they can do it. i was one of those, i still am some days. i work hard as a mom to teach my three kids that they are worthy.

Thinking back on your life so far, is there a pivotal or specific moment that led you to this place on your path?

my second pregnancy i began sewing and doing crafts. nothing like i do now, but i was staying at home and honestly bored and unhappy. i needed an outlet. that led to entry into the graphic design world and taking design and art at a local college. Then, when i went through my divorce [yuck, divorce stinks] i went back full time to get my degree and slowly ripened as an artist. i also married a swell guy.

Do you have a favorite quote and/or personal mantra?

i have so many…i will give you an old favorite:
[wake up and live!] — bob marley
i love to listen to bob marley, especially while driving in the summer, windows down, music loud…

and something new:
[freedom is what you do with what has been done to you] — jean-paul sartre
can we get an amen?! this is so true. and something i have had to listen to from deep inside. i found this through miz kelly rae, just to give credit where credit is due.

If you could have one superhero power, what would it be?

duh…x-ray vision!

Thanks for answering all these questions...Is there anything else you would like to add?

well thanks for including me in all the fun. i am a very blessed girl. i have been amazed at how giving everyone is. i couldn’t have done it without the girls i mentioned above and a few others too. if you visit my blog — you can see all of them there. and if anyone is reading this who is thinking, "i want to be an artist," here is what i have to say to that. that used to be me, i said that all the time — i still say it some days, but you are an artist. So go buys some paints and brushes [or whatever you want to use] begin. and don’t be silly thinking it isn’t worthy…of course it is, because it is yours.

oh…please, come and see me at camp indigo soul!

peace!

happiness by mail

Karen Beth hosted a themed swap where she asked participants to send their swap partners things that make them happy. This idea made me...well...ahem...happy, so I joined in on the fun.

I was lucky enough to be partnered with Stephanie. She sent me the most delightful package that included a delicately handmade book of poetry filled with some of her poems (which was a welcome oasis during my week of ups and downs), a much-loved favorite book (to replace mine that has been long loaned out), a little accordian fold book from Littleput Books, and a gorgeous pair of her handmade earrings (go check out her etsy shop! Her jewelry is beautiful).

In her note she said that the earrings were "fit for an earth mermaid." I must admit to tearing up at that. Thank you so much Stephanie!

Items said aloud (or in my head) in the last three hours

Holy crappoly¹, I forgot to post my swap²!

Me: Did they blow it up on purpose?
J: (insert annoyed laughter) Honey, I've never seen this³.

Only a dog would seem like she is going to be sick but still sniff for food. (pause) Though, her nose is…nosier, so I guess I have no idea what it's like to be her.⁴

Even the devil will use the truth if it's convenient.⁵

It takes a special sense of things to be so damn funny. I love Neil.⁶

I have this theory that the more important and intimate the emotion, the fewer words are required to express it. For instance, in dating, "Will you go out with me?" Six words…"You matter to me." Four words. "I love you." Three words. "Marry me." Two words. But, what's left? What's the one most important and intimate word you can ever say to somebody? It's "good-bye."⁷

¹My new favorite phrase
²Earlier this week I received my awesome swap package from Stephanie in Karen Beth's happiness swap. It deserves its own post, so please stay tuned.
³A new Babylon 5 movie came in the mail. And new means it was actually filmed recently and sent straight to video for all the fans (like my sci-fi lovin' husband…and…ahem…me).
⁴Well, I don't know what it is like to be her. Maybe Millie's nosier nose is part of the reason why she is the way she is.
⁵This is my new favorite devil quote. It was said by a character in the Babylon 5 movie. Second favorite is still, of course, Deb Talan with this line "The devil he wore such a fine, fine shirt, and it stayed so clean while he dragged me through the dirt."
⁶See this.
⁷Said by Joe Straczynski (the creator, writer, director) during the extras for Babylon 5: The Lost Tales. (Thank you for these words.)

a backyard break

i took a moment to walk around my backyard today...

i took the time:

to take in the color

and breathe

and really see

and listen

and open my eyes to the unexpected*

and notice the tiny

and drink up the beauty

*does anyone know what this fruit is? we have had this little tree that i thought was a form of forsythia since we moved in. it grows a little out of control so i guess i pruned it a bit too much the first winter and it didn't have any fruit on it until this year. apricots perhaps? sky, i bet you know what it is...and maureen, maybe you know...

morning break {self-portrait challenge}

when i took this picture yesterday, i planned to write about how i am taking a bit of time each morning to drink my tea and walk around the yard to see what is growing, what needs watering, how the hydrangea blooms are doing, and so on. just like my grandmother would do every morning. what she would try to get me to do wtih her when i would visit. it was really nice to do this yesterday. i felt close to her but i also took a minute to just breathe.

but, i didn't do it again today. i didn't walk around the yard with my tea to see what is growing. it didn't even cross my mind to do it.

my current feelings seem to be frazzled, stressed, overwhelmed, annoyed, hurt...the list goes on and on. and it seems that when i most feel this way, i lose sight of the things that would invite me to feel better. i forget i have my own toolbox of how to heal myself.

that is how it goes.
i just keep doing the best i can.
even when the best i can doesn't seem all that great.
i just keep going.
i just keep listening for the little whispers from something greater than me.
i just keep remembering how to love.

and i try again tomorrow.

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updated in 2011: Self-Portrait Challenge (SPC) was a website that encouraged people to take and share self-portraits. I am sad to report that it no longer has an active website, so I have removed links that appeared in the posts connected to my participation in this project.