Creative Exploration

Hello folks! 

Things have been busy here, but the weather was nice all week so I'm feeling positive and refreshed.

I kept thinking about all the inspiration I see daily on blogs or pinterest 

and all the different types of art I am in love with and want to explore. 

Then I got the idea to try a challenge, well, not a challenge, just a fun idea. 

Because there are SO many types of art I want to try, it usually leaves my mind reeling.

I feel chaotic energy and overwhelmed so that I cant even fully focus on the art I do settle down to create. 

So I came up with the idea to dedicate each month this year to a different type/style/aspect of art that I am interested in! 

I'm actually really excited!

(I will always be art journaling no matter what month because that is my go-to for creative output) 

Here are the months and their focus: 

• January: Embroidery (I've already started and I can tell this is going to be a huge obsession with me!)
• February: Portraits
• March: Cardboard houses 

       Like this one (found here.)

•  
  Or these cities found here
  
  
  
  
  
• April: Wood burning
•  May: Animals
• June: Photography
• July: Nerd themed art (Lots of Ghibli and Doctor Who, I imagine!)
• August: Fabric art

I mean....

with inspiration like this, how could I not be excited?

• September: Mobiles
• October: Watercolor
• November: Mandalas
• December: Collaborations (something I have never really done, so this is a huge one!)

This plan will help me to focus and fully immerse into one craft without distraction.
When I'm trying to work on portraits, I won't have my brain rattling about photography. I can think,  "It's okay, I'm doing that in a few months and will be able to fully immerse in it for a full month so I can fully immerse in this now."

I'm looking forward to the exploration of the months ahead!
I've already found embroidery to be a delight.
It's very meditative and calming for me, actually.

I haven't finished any completely to share here yet but they are coming along.

I hope you are all having a great 2015 so far and are excited for the months to come.
Life is a playground; explore, go on adventures, experiment, laugh!

(Oh yeah, I updated my blog banner. What do ya think?)

Words and Images: Oh

 i only amiate
original thought
oh press me
i sink under your skin like liquid spirit
gift of permanence
tattering illusions like dry paint

uneven tides
wavering on blank space
just give me the weird
the marrow
the dancing
the shaking unknowing
a collective of shallow
holy vessels 

carried across centuries
my true love is history

fear is a loading screen

twenty one pilots
of leafs shuddering
oh let's travel more wide than far
i want the deepness
the recognizable holding

oh come climbing

you know the way from my eyes back to somewhere looking backwards
exact abstracts bend your fingers
to my open will
oh how softly i come calling

Unravelling 2015

Hello folks and welcome to the new year! 

I hope everyone is feeling positive and welcoming a fresh start!

Last year, I did Susannah Conway's Unravelling 2014 and was very excited to do the 2015 workbook this year!

(It can be found here.)

It's a lovely workbook filled with reflection on the past year and dream making for the year ahead. 

Here's a few snippets of mine: 

What did you let go of in 2014?

bitterness, hesitations, reservations, guilt

What were you grateful for in 2014?

reconnecting, help and inspiration from online artist and healers, for meeting my lovely panda Pashford, for taking risky leaps

How has your life changed? What have you learned about yourself?

I've dimmed, I've let life happen to me. I've gotten stuck.

I've learned that I believe in love more than I thought. 

I've learned the importance of rituals, energy, and intention. 

I've learned how much I create myself. 

What gifts did 2014 offer you?

confidence, bravery, enlightenment, vision, comfort, safety, worth, words, awareness

Word for the 2015:

Alight/Happen 

(I chose two this year.)

What can you do this year to bring more of your Word(s) into your world?

get rid of things that drain energy, practice more rituals, be more active/engaging, go on more adventures

List three duties/commitments you feel ready to release in 2015:

putting others before myself, feeling exhausted from work, being timid or modest

List three things you will aim to do each morning to start your day:

stretch, drink water, write flow of thought 

What do you want 2015 to look like, feel like, be filled with?

laughter, dance, ritual, connections, opportunity, brightening, crafting, reveling, guiding, honoring, caring, shining, reaching

I will make more time for:

connections, art, adventure

This year, I will say yes to:

making changes, being brave, being bright, inspiring, feeling deeply

Here is my overview map for the year:

and there was a page for a tarot map for the year: 

Mine has some hardships, but overall ends on a positive note. 

The workbook is very introspective and a helpful guide, I definitely recommend it! 

I'm not huge on New Year's resolutions but here are a few things I aspire to for the new year: weekly tarot readings, writing more, reading more, more adventures, learning new things, going to more shows, new tattoos, cooking more, making more art (obviously), creating an e-course.

New Year's Eve was a magical fun night, surrounded by friends, games and champagne!

I hope you all the best with this new year. 

Check out the Unravelling workbook, it is a lot of fun and great for guiding yourself into the fresh year! 

Around Here: Feeling Blessed

I am feeling incredibly blessed this week. 

I've been given many wonderful early Christmas gifts (scarves, snacks, bath products, art supplies!)

My Christmas bonus was over twice what I thought it was going to be, which provided me with money to sign up for The Dirty Footprints IGNITE online intensive. 

I have had this program bookmarked for two years. 

I have been wanting to grow as an intuitive art facilitator for quite some time. 

The timing and energy was practically yelling at me to take the leap. 

(As I wrote that, the song I was listening to said "The timing's right." I kid you not!)

 

I feel practically radiant. 

Even through the exhaustion of work and Christmas planning, I feely shiny and refreshing. 

I feel like Sprite. Haha. 

 

Here's some visual references of my what's been going on around here: 

I found my New Year's Eve dress in my friend's closet. 

 I did a little something in my art journal for the first time in forever

We are preparing epically for our Christmas party. We got so much amazing Christmas swag super cheap at the thrift store! 

 

 I hope you are all well and feeling blessed this holiday season. 

Take time from the frantic planning, running around and stress to have a warm drink and think about all the magic in your life. 

Happy Holidays!

 

Coming To Love and The Little To Dos

Story Time.

I have had a problem with my smile since I was in highschool. 

It had never occurred to me before then that there was anything weird or off about my smile/teeth. 

But unfortunately, highschool brings out a lot of insecurites about flaws in young people that they otherwise may have never seen in themselves or worried about.

I have sucked my thumb for as long as I can remember, and it has pushed my bottom front teeth slightly inwards. I also have slightly longer canines. This has the effect of a gap appearing between my front top teeth and my front bottom teeth.

I went maybe 10 years only smiling with my mouth closed. 

I was terribly insecure about that gap. 

I thought it made me look at a troll. 

But I've noticed something in the past couple of months, my smile has changed. 

My teeth still have the gap, but the way I smile doesn't show it as much and I can actually smile with my teeth showing without cringing at the results. 

This wasn't an intentional or conscious change or altering on my part. 

But lately, I have felt much more confident in my smile and snapping pictures of it, without my lips being clammed up. 

 

 

 So, there's a little smile story for ya! 

Do you have any physical features that used to bother you that you have come to love or at least accept?

I am still swamped with little time. 

I am shuffling slowly to get little things done. 

Writing a blog here, clearing clutter there. 

Starting a homemade Christmas gift here, purchasing a few online there. 

It's just little tidbits for now. 

Hoping to have time and energy for the big projects soon.

Color Love: Yellow In My Art

I love using yellow as a pop of color in my art. 

Here's some snippets. 

I think I will share more colors of my art in a series! 

Things are well here. Work is stressful but I am managing, plus making lots of extra money. 

Breaking down barriers and reaching new heights within myself and within my relationships. 

Things are feeling lighter.

Taking Care, Joyful Pieces

Oh hello. 

Things are heavy around here. 

Overworked.
Stretched thin.

Sometimes I can't eat because of emotional stress. 

Sometimes I feel dizzy when I'm around people. 

Sometimes I just feel sick and nauseous out of nowhere. It will only last ten minutes or so and then go away. 

I just don't have any time or energy for creating and it makes me feel like a shadow of a person, really. 

I'm just trying to take care of myself when I can, conserving energy and harvesting it. 

I don't really like hot tea but I've been making myself drink at least a cup a day for the antioxidants. 

And I've been drinking lots of water and taking vitamins. 

Practicing self care and love is very important to me right now.

I'm just trying to be quiet and find joy in the little lovely things that are surrounding me daily. 

Like my snail babies, sleeping next to my warm handsome boyfriend, reading blogs, watching youtube, and playing silly app games on my phone. 

Thinking about all I need to do for the holiday season is a tiring bummer so I'm really trying to quiet it and enjoy the moment I'm in. 

I have Unraveling 2015 to look forward to.
Check it out here. I did it last year and it is quite moving and awakening.
I will be posting a 2014 wrap up later this month that will go over last year's Unraveling.

I am torn between keeping my Etsy shop or moving over to Aftcra. Anyone try both and have a better experience on one over the other?
Either way, I'm reposting some prints on Etsy soon and am working on a few new prints as well.

 Here's one I'm working on, not done yet, still plenty of editing to tinker with.

And here is a little piece I did for my friend's band, Speak, Memory.

I am actually really proud of this one. And you can find their music here: https://speakmemoryok.bandcamp.com/

And here's me being angelic (tinkering with photo editing some more.)

I hope you are all finding little pieces of joy lately.