Cherry Pie Butterfly

New Sketchbook

2012-01-11T16:29:00.000-08:00

For Christmas, my 13 year old daughter gave me a sketchbook which she decorated.

I love it!!

I got to see a side to her creativity I hadn't quite seen before...which makes it all the more special.

Front cover

Back Inside Cover

Front Inside Cover

Back Cover

I've been keeping this sketchbook near my bed

so that I can start a ritual of playing in it

before I catch my zzzs for the night.

Here are my first few entries...practicing face sketching.

I do try to keep a sense of humor while I experiment!

With that being said, after drawing the first sketch on the left I thought,

"Hmmm....that looks like a cross between Carly Simon and Steven Tyler"...maybe?

The one on the right reminds me of a female Double Agent that you might see in a Spy movie.

Not exactly what I had in mind but it's always fun to see what comes out!

I sketched both of those with my right hand.

Then I switched to my left (non-dominant) hand.

I like that a softer more child-like face emerged.

I tried a couple of sketches using both left and right hand.

I've discovered that I like to start off using my left hand and sketch the general lines.

My filter seems to turn off and my hand glides around the paper

without me really knowing what it's up to!

It's almost like my mind is just an observer.

(This process actually fascinates me and I want to dive into it more!)

At some point I switch to my right hand and work on the smaller details.

My next try was to not draw from my mind's eye but to sketch a self-portrait by looking in the mirror.

Well...it really doesn't look like me.

But the proportions of the facial features feel better to me.

I think I'll try my kids or hubby next time and see what happens!

Hope you all are having a wonderful start to the new year!!

Happy 2012!!!

Adding Layers

2011-11-16T16:14:00.001-08:00

Here's my painting from a couple of days ago...

the mustard and ketchup roses.

I have this thing where after just a few layers, I get stuck and don't quite know how to go forward.

When I'm at this point I feel it needs something more but not sure what.

So I thought I'd experiment today.

I started with sloshing on more paint,

carving out some flowers,

and painting around them.

But then I got stuck again.

So I squirted on some orange paint

and painted over the whole thing!

Somewhere along the line

I ended up with another vase of flowers...

which continued to transform.

Here's the latest bloom.

I think I'll let it sit overnight and decide tomorrow if I should keep going.

Hmm..thoughts?

Hope you all are having a wonderful week!!

Circles and Roses

2011-11-14T14:19:00.001-08:00

One of the today's exercises in the Intuitive Mixed Media class I'm taking

was to draw three small circles anywhere on the page.

From there you were to draw a bigger circle around each of the three circles.

Repeat until the circles overlap.

Then randomly select a color using watercolor, pastels, pencils, etc. and fill in one section at a time.

It was actually very interesting to see how different everyone's were from each other.

(I wish I had pictures!)

Mine reminds me of a retro 70's style

kinda like a spirograph!

One of the things I liked about doing this exercise -

(because I was selecting colors from a pile)

I used colors I don't normally use.

I think I have some new favorite colors!

Our next exercise was to hold a branch over our paper

and randomly draw/paint lines of the branch's shadows.

Mine strayed far from that!

I ended up slathering, smearing, scrubbing and scraping watercolors, inks, acrylics and pastels.

About five minutes before class ended, I felt I needed another layer.

I squirted red and yellow and swirled my fingers in the paint to make the roses.

If I were to do it over again, I would use different colors for the roses.

Because frankly, these colors remind me of mustard and ketchup

which makes me think of hot dogs!

Perhaps another layer is calling!

Weekend Art

2011-11-13T15:10:00.001-08:00

More experimenting with inks, watercolor and liquid acrylics....

This one was all about pooling colors to see how they mingle...

I really liked the way the blues, greens and yellows mixed together.

I may try using just those three colors next time.

Today I played with a portrait and some ink smearing.

I really love not knowing what's going to happen

and watching the colors blend.

I find experimenting so much fun!

I hope you all had a fabulous weekend!!

More Messy Art

2011-11-11T16:47:00.001-08:00

I had so much fun with the watercolor and ink yesterday,

I couldn't resist going and getting just a few more goodies...

Today's bliss was all about playing with color

and mixing watercolor, ink and liquid acrylics!

And just being messy!

Yesterday I used an eyedropper for the ink.

Today I tried the tip of a peacock feather

and I liked it much better.

I may be experimenting with this all month long!

Watercolor and Ink

2011-11-10T16:58:00.001-08:00

Experimenting with watercolor and ink.

So much fun - I really want to do more!

I'm curious...what are your favorite ways to apply ink?

Poppy Garden

2011-11-09T18:42:00.000-08:00

Last month I had the pleasure of participating in Studio Margot's Poppy Spree! All month long the lovely Ms. Margot shared painting videos, poppy tidbits and her beautiful watercolors. Her love for poppies is contagious! I so enjoyed swishing watercolors around, experimenting with poppy blooms and checking out other fabulous artists' poppy paintings (at the Poppy Spree Flickr Pool).

It's never too late to join in the Poppy Fun - although the Spree is officially over, the videos and material will remain posted - it's guaranteed to put a smile on your face!

For today's art project, a compilation of my poppies...

(not quite sure how to improve the quality of the "full screen" display but working on it)

Playing Hooky!

2011-11-08T12:28:00.000-08:00

Today my six year old son wasn't feeling his best.

So we stayed home.

He made a treasure map.

Which led me to this treasure box

Then I suggested we make collage trees.

But he had a different idea in mind.

Check out the electricity he drew!

Onto painting...

I love the way a palette can look like a work of art in itself:

And lately I love playing with paint

creating something abstract

and taking a closer look at the details...

While we were creating our masterpieces

my son asked me,

"Mom, are you glad you stayed home to do this instead of going to work?

Come on - say it!"

Okay, twist my arm!

"Yes, yes I am!"

Art Every Day Month

2011-11-07T13:30:00.000-08:00

I'm getting back into the blogging swing of things

by joining Art Every Day Month!

Have you heard of it? If not, check it out here...

Here is a painting I did this morning in an Intuitive Mixed Media Painting Class.

It actually took two hours.

It began with lightly adding tone to the blank paper with colored pencils.

Next step was to lightly sketch a boat with a pen.

From there we changed the sketch from a boat to a hat.

And then back to a boat.

(Making a boat out of a knit hat with a tie and fuzzy poms wasn't easy!)

Then my favorite part - the watercolors.

I don't think it's finished.

Or maybe it is.

I learned a lesson in patience though

and giving myself room to explore the small spaces.

Later at a Peacock Park

I spotted this feather

floating serenely in the pond

while the pond serenely reflected

the clouds floating in the sky.

Happy Arting!

Owls and Faces

2011-08-11T17:21:00.000-07:00

My owls now have faces although they are still works in progress!

(I've been taking Juliette Crane's fabulous How to Paint an Owl E-course.)

They need some more tweaking and then I'll move on to finishing up the background scenes.

After I painted my purple owl, I decided it looks like she has curlers in her hair and pearls around her neck. So I'm thinking I need to gussy her up a little more so that she can go have a night out on the town! What do you think?

This week I've also been participating in Carla Sonheim's 101 Faces!

She provides us fun little assignments based on different techniques and media.

Here are a couple of quick non-dominant pen sketches of live people! Don't I have a handsome husband? Heehee....

And here are some watercolor "shapes" outlined in pencil and embellished with pencil and more watercolor. Mine come complete with buckteeth, spiked hair and ample noses!

Here are a few that my 12 year old daughter painted... I am in love with her expressiveness! Check out the peace sign glasses!

I haven't finished 101 faces yet so there will be more to come!

Hope you all have a wonderful week! I look forward to seeing all of your goodies!

Happy PPF!!

PPF - First layer of Owls

2011-07-29T08:43:00.000-07:00

Have I mentioned how much FUN Juliette Crane's How to Paint an Owl workshop is?

This week we started on the first layer of our owls.

Next week we'll add more details like the eyes!

Here are two that I started.

Actually I didn't get as much painting done as I wanted

because we've been playing with our new puppy Jetson

- who we fell in love with at the shelter

and just had to bring him back with us to his forever home!!

I think he is adorable and the sweetest thing ever!

Psst....one last thing....do you know about Fearless Painting?

I was introduced to it almost a year ago.

It is amazing and is sooo much more than about painting.

It will stir up something inside of you that is truly profound!

Check out the Fearless Painting Crash Course video with Connie Hozvicka at Dirty Footprints Studio

AND

her new Total Alignment series that starts next week. <--- It's free - a gift of love from Connie!

Happy PPF!

Paint Party Friday - Week One of How to Paint an Owl

2011-07-21T19:41:00.000-07:00

Happy PPF!

This week was my first week in Juliette Crane's "How to Paint An Owl" workshop.

What fun!

Our assignment was to prepare our backgrounds.

Here is a glimpse of what inspired my first background:

I played with acrylics, magazine cutouts and stencils...

(my kids even played wih me!)

For Background 2, I actually started off with blue and brown.

But somehow I ended up with a lot of the same colors as Background 1.

Funny how that happens!

This time I added chalk pastels.

I love the pop of color that pastels can add.

Here is a detail:

We start adding our owls next week.

Can't wait to see what happens!

Until then, I'll be doing a little owl doodling!

Hope you all had a lovely week!

If you haven't already, come join the paint party at

"Owl" be there -- heehee!

AND

There's also more fun to be had at Inspiration Avenue

where there's a themed challenge every week!

This week's theme is "Wings".

Paint Party Friday - Gilot, Picasso and Modigiliani

2011-07-14T19:05:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, our family visited California for the first time. (Wow - California is beautiful!) One day while in Oceanside we decided to check out its Museum of Art - a small and quaint museum. I discovered Francoise Gilot's work there (and also learned that she was one of Picasso's lovers and mother of two of his children).

Her art totally drew me in and the words Bold and Unapologetic kept running through my mind while I took my time going through her exhibit. I felt this stirring inside and was so inspired to paint something on a BIG canvas and in a BOLD way when I got home.

But when I got home and googled her art, what mostly showed up instead were images that Picasso sketched and painted of the beautiful Gilot. I immediately became enamoured with this one...

...which led me to try my hand at it.

I used a large newsprint pad, charcoal, chalk pastels and my left/non-dominant hand (something I discovered I can do a couple of months ago that has opened up a new world for me!). It's a little smudgy because I haven't worked much with charcoal but I really enjoyed playing with this piece! (I have another one in the works using the same materials that is less of a copy-cat.)

Although I got a little side-tracked, I am still inspired by Gilot to paint that BIG canvas with bold colors!

Yesterday I was inspired by Modigiliani when I found a wallet I bought a year ago featuring this lovely:

I've noticed that I have a tendency to draw/paint long necks and noses

which may partially be why I'm drawn to Modigiliani's work.

Here's my take.

She's in my art journal and is still a work in progress.

There are a few more things I want to try.

I was inspired to try India Ink for the first time and LOVE it!

Next week, I'll start working on OWL portraits! I signed up for Juliette Crane's How to Paint an Owl e-course and am really looking forward to it!

Happy PPF!

Paint Party Friday

2011-07-07T18:22:00.001-07:00

It's my first time to participate in Paint Party Friday!!

Woohoo!

I think she may be my Goddess of Wisdom

(I like the symbolism of both

light and shadow cast on her face...

total accident by the way)

52 Photos Project :Heart

2011-06-10T06:18:00.000-07:00

Room to Bloom and Village Love

2011-05-25T13:23:00.000-07:00

I am happy to say that a peek into my little painting corner is being featured today over at lovely Tracie Hanson's My Blooming Life blog. In her Room to Bloom Series, she is sharing all kind of juicy, cozy, gorgeous, inspiring studio spaces where you can find Creative Goddesses from all over the world getting their art on! It's pure blissful eye candy I tell ya! And while you're there, check out her amazing art journals and paintings. I'm in love with her portrait sketches and beautiful color palettes.

Also, I've been hanging out The Storyteller's Village created by the fabulous cartwheeling fun-loving Natasha Reilly at Creative Nachos. It's a wonderful community with lots of sharing of stories, writing, art, dreams and love. It's a place where you'll not only meet amazing women and learn about their creative dreams and processes but you'll also learn more about yourself! I'm having the best time! I even made my piano debut there! Come EXPLORE and PLAY!

52 Photos Project: Ray of Light

2011-05-22T08:53:00.000-07:00

Morning glory is the best name,

it always refreshes me to see it.

- Henry David Thoreau

A glorious morning = greeting the sun as it illuminates the beauty all around us

(Estes Park, Colorado)

And the Day Came

2011-04-30T20:40:00.000-07:00

And the day came

when the risk to remain tight in a bud

was more painful

than the risk it took to blossom.

Anais Nin

Are you feeling it too?

A Little More Experimenting with Watercolor Dresses

2011-04-23T18:07:00.001-07:00

Last Evening's Walk

2011-04-19T15:18:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited that I'm taking part in Darrah Parker's Slice of Life Photography workshop. I'm learning how to look at things from a different perspective and to think about what "special to me" aspect it is that I'm really trying to capture in my photos. So last night before I went on a walk, I grabbed my camera to see what I could find along the way. Kudos to my hubby who didn't seem to mind that we did more stopping than walking (especially since he had his calorie burning counter running...hehe)!

Here are some of the pictures that I snapped...

I loved the curves of these tendrils.

I bent down to take pictures of some flowers

and found myself eye to eye

with this giant grasshopper (?).

I'm thinking he can play a pretty good tune!

Walking through a work site, I saw some shards of mirrored glass

and discovered they were fun to take photos with.

Although I was trying to capture the reflection

of the tree branches and skies above,

I ended up liking this one with my camera the best.

I almost deleted this picture of street and traffic lights

but realized there was something about

the floating orbs of colors that I really liked.

I liked the curves of these bars and the light behind it.

I loved the way the sun was starting to peek

behind the silhouette of the treetops

and still showing off its beautiful orange light.

Can you tell I enjoyed my walk? :)

Dressed in Watercolors

2011-04-18T12:06:00.000-07:00

A little watercolor swishin's been calling my name....

Heart #6

2011-02-06T21:53:00.000-08:00

Lonely Hearts Cafe

looking for love in all the wrong places

her heart remained hopeful

that today

would be

the day

A fearless painting exercise from my journey in DEEP

I'm participating in February, a Month of Hearts

Want to join in?

Check out Michelle's blog at TheCreativeHealingStudio.com

Heart #5

2011-02-06T21:47:00.001-08:00

A Heart Amidst the Mud and Muck

I'm participating in February, a Month of Hearts

Want to join in?

Check out Michelle's blog at TheCreativeHealingStudio.com

Heart #4

2011-02-04T20:25:00.001-08:00

We woke up to a rare treat this morning - SNOW!

We enjoyed playing in it for the few hours that it lasted.

Heart art and photo creds go to my oldest daughter.

I'm participating in February, a Month of Hearts

Want to join in?

Check out Michelle's blog at TheCreativeHealingStudio.com

Heart #3

2011-02-04T19:00:00.001-08:00

I HEART N'awlins Blues!

I'm participating in February, a Month of Hearts

Want to join in?

Check out Michelle's blog at TheCreativeHealingStudio.com

Heart #2

2011-02-02T18:15:00.000-08:00

I'm participating in February, a Month of Hearts

Want to join in?

Check out Michelle's blog at TheCreativeHealingStudio.com

February, A Month of Hearts

2011-02-01T15:53:00.000-08:00

Heart Shaped Rock in a Cool Stream

(photo taken on a hike 2 days and 50 degrees ago!)

I'm participating in February, a Month of Hearts

Want to join in?

Check out Michelle's blog at TheCreativeHealingStudio.com

Christmas Tree Jewels

2010-12-14T13:15:00.000-08:00

Backyard Sunset

2010-12-11T08:42:00.000-08:00

Happy Party Colors

2010-12-06T14:07:00.001-08:00

Clown Trousers

and

Speckled Feathers

Majestic Iron Gate

2010-12-04T20:44:00.001-08:00

Swirls of light

2010-12-03T18:42:00.000-08:00

December Views

2010-12-02T12:29:00.001-08:00

I love how the autumn leaves seem to be sparkling in the sunlight today.

Full Sturgeon Moon Dreamboard

2010-08-25T06:30:00.000-07:00

This full moon's dreamboard for me seems to be about passionate energy and igniting it to express myself in new ways...really stepping outside of my comfort zones in a courageous way. It includes fire, red and orange colors and words like "uncovered", "unleash your signal" and "find your magic". And do you see the word "fearless"? After making this dreamboard, I found myself signing up for Connie's (@ Dirty Footprints Studio) BIG and FEARLESS painting adventure which officially starts next week! I am so excited to begin this journey!!! That is the magic that I find with making dreamboards - it really helps manifest my dreams!!!

To join in creating and sharing your own full moon dreamboard, visit Jamie Ridler's blog - there are so many goodies there! Also, check out info on Connie's BIG And FEARLESS painting adventure and find out how you can join a fearless tribe of painters!

August Break 0818 Seagulls

2010-08-19T09:37:00.000-07:00

0806 - Lush

2010-08-06T18:37:00.001-07:00

0805 - Neon

2010-08-06T18:34:00.000-07:00

0804 - Pondering

2010-08-05T13:22:00.001-07:00

August Break 0803 Happy Caterpillar

2010-08-03T12:13:00.001-07:00

August Break 0802

2010-08-02T16:39:00.000-07:00

August Break 0801

2010-08-01T13:54:00.000-07:00

Would you like to join in the fun of the August Break project where you share a photo every day this month? Visit Susannah Conway's lovely blog for the scoop and browse through the August Break 2010 Flickr group to see what everyone is up to!

I love visiting sunflowers on morning walks!

Theme Thursday - Light

2010-07-29T13:16:00.000-07:00

Light as it cheerfully greets us in the morning

and warmly bids us adieu at night

Full Buck Moon Dreamboard

2010-07-25T16:32:00.000-07:00

My first Full Moon Dreamboard...

As I was looking through images for my dream journal, I came across the one of the great big awesome tree with the woman and her bedroom placed peacefully in front of it. It really struck a chord with me... how grounded the tree is and how strong it is to have endured and grown for so many years... and the bed where you begin and end your day and which looks like a sanctuary. Then when I looked at the words I had cut out, I noticed how they were all connected:

nourishing

fresh

rejuvenate

revitalize

discover your best self

let yourself go

feel the love

and my favorite

Quiet your mind - enlighten your soul

I think for me it all means finding my grounding, my center, the part of me that is connected and rooted with the peaceful and joyful spirit of the universe. And I think it's also about tapping into positive nourishing energy for rejuvenation and strength and being able to give back and share this energy with others.

Beauty in the Sky

2010-07-22T12:29:00.001-07:00

The most deliciously beautiful full rainbow I have ever seen in my life!

Fear

2010-06-11T13:40:00.000-07:00

Day 4 of 21.5.800

FEAR is knowing you are alone in what you have to face

No protection, nowhere to hide

You look for a place to hide but you know you can’t really escape it

Even if you find a place

And if you do find a place

There’s always the fear that the fear will find you

So you know you have to find the strength

The strength to face it

Fear is about finding that place inside of you

That place that knows everything will be okay

That place that will take charge

That place that will require you to summon every part of yourself

(Even parts of you that you didn’t know existed)

to cross that treacherous bridge,

to take that impossible leap,

to confront what is trying to grab and consume you

That place that believes an undeniable belief….

That you Alone are stronger than the fear

And by emerging into the wide open

with the armor of that belief

the fear that you feared will become a coward and retreat.

Stepping Out of My Comfort Zone

2010-05-16T18:47:00.000-07:00

Every artist was first an amateur - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Several years ago, my mother told me, "When you were little, I thought you were going to grow up to be an artist." I was surprised! Me?... I thought....I don't have a creative bone in my body. At least that's what I've told myself the majority of my life.

Thinking back, I did love to draw, color and paint - houses with chimneys and curtains, flowers in vases, daisies and tulips in gardens, ponds with ducks, fruit bowls, apple trees, fluffy clouds and smiling suns.

I can still remember the smell of crayons, the feel of manila paper and the delight of a blank canvas in front of me.

I remember going to my grandparents' house and racing for the butcher paper which was left over from their days of owning a meat market. The best thing about that butcher paper was that I could tear off as long of a sheet as I wanted!

I remember feeling so accomplished in second grade after painting a floral arrangement and quite frankly thinking mine was the best out of the whole class.

But something changed in third grade. We had weekly contests where we all colored the same coloring page. The teacher would select a few for display. She never selected mine. Every week I was hopeful and every week I was disappointed.

Since then, I've been intrigued with people who have a natural artistic talent. Since then, I've had a longing to be artistic. That longing finally led me to taking my first art classes last year.

Taking these classes brought up different emotions for me. On the one hand, it was exciting to be doing something I had always wanted to do. On the other hand, it was frustrating at times that what I put on paper wasn't conveying what was I saw in my mind. Also, as hard as I tried not to compare myself to other students, I did and I felt like my work had almost an immature or child-like quality to it. That would make sense, I told myself, because I am picking up where I left off more than thirty years ago. And that is what I try to celebrate.

But since taking the art classes, I haven't really painted. I'm not sure why - I feel like there is a subconscious block of some sort...a discomfort. As I was reading Andrea's Creative Dreamers blog posting today "Step out of your comfort zone and into your dreams", the first thing that came to my mind was this block that I have. There's that voice inside of me that says perhaps to get past the block I need to release a little something - to free a part of me that I've been holding back. By doing so, maybe I can move forward and gain a little momentum.

It is with this spirit that I am going to step out of my comfort zone and post a few pieces that I painted.... in hopes that it will nurture the 3rd grader in me...that it will free me and move me forward...and that it will inspire someone else struggling with this block to do the same. So here goes....

My very first watercolor....

Painting from 3D was very challenging for me... I painted the two below while looking at silk flowers:

The following three are from images in my mind....

The toucan was inspired by a photo....

There - I did it! :)

Theme Thursday - Mystery

2010-05-13T08:12:00.001-07:00

My first entry for Theme Thursday....

Beauty in Galveston

2010-03-22T12:34:00.000-07:00

On a recent trip to Galveston,

I found myself up close and personal with a brown pelican.

I stood at least a beak's length away

in case he chose to greet me with a snap.

But he didn't seem to mind the photo shoot.

Such a beautiful and interesting looking bird.

I love the soft yellow on his crown.

And speaking of birds,

we admired this statue of what looks to me

to be a bird whisperer of sorts

set against a gorgeous sunset

which we enjoyed while

we dined al fresco by the bay...

Letting Go....Making Room for New Growth

2010-03-16T14:55:00.000-07:00

"Letting go" has been speaking to me lately

I know it does so because it's time

I'm ready

I've been feeling stuck

I've been feeling stuck for a very long time

But what to let go of?

Some things are clear to me

Some are not ... yet

But I know I'm ready to shed it...

to shed it all

Like a tree sheds its leaves to make room for new growth

I must do so too

The sadness, anger, resentment

Heavy, old, buried but still within reach

I have no ro0m for anymore

I have no need for anymore

It doesn't define me anymore

It's time to empty the darkness

and fill those spaces

with warmth

with light

It's time to make room for better things

for the things I want

for the things I need

for the things that fill my spirit

with truth, with beauty

with love and joy

So as a gift to myself

I'm letting go

I'm letting go and making room

for new growth

for a new Spring

Change....a beautiful disaster

2010-02-01T14:49:00.000-08:00

One of our recent Creative Dreamer's assignments was to make a change and see what happens and how it feels.

I chose to change my usual thoughts and utterances of, "Wow, this house is a disaster!" to "My house is beautiful!".

It's amazing how much "stuff" our family of five has accumulated. I often feel overwhelmed by the mere thought of organizing and cleaning it all. So I thought maybe if I can change my general attitude, it won't seem so frustrating. I am happy to report that now that I am in my third week of making this mental shift I can finally feel a difference. Some of the clutter is gone (I have my kitchen counter back!) and instead of feeling like I'm doing dreaded chores it feels more like I'm nurturing my environment. I'm hoping in a couple of months I'll really see a transformation!

Another new thing I did was try Thai food. The coconut shrimp soup I had was sooo tasty! My mouth waters every time I think of that soup! I'm now inspired to find some recipes I can try at home! Hmmm...maybe that's the new thing I'll try this week especially now that I have the counter space to do it!!

Tonight's Sunset

2010-01-25T19:26:00.001-08:00

The skies were painted with gorgeous colors tonight!

101 Butterflies Project

2010-01-22T19:44:00.000-08:00

I've taken photos of 10 different butterflies so far!

Dream making - Success tracking

2010-01-18T18:51:00.000-08:00

Our next assignment for Creative Dreaming was to come up with a way to track our successes. I am very grateful for this exercise! During week two, our assignment was to make a list of our successes and at that time I realized that I tend to take my successes for granted instead of celebrating them. I practiced noting and celebrating my successes this past week and it felt good! It really was uplifting!

Here is the success tracking plan I came up with: My list of dreams is divided into 7 categories. Every week, I will select a dream from each category to focus on. (Assignments and accountability seem to spur me into action.) I've created a dream journal to track my dreams and successes. My hope is to visit my dream journal at least a few minutes everyday to help me focus on my intentions and celebrate my successes. At the end of the week, I will check in on the blog with my insights and experiences.

Some of my successes last week include making origami parrots with my daughter, playing legos with my son, learning a New Orleans jazz piano piece, creating an illustration and breaking out my watercolors, uploading photos for my 101 Butterflies project, reconnecting with friends and making new online friends!

As for a little insight...One of the dreams that I chose to focus on was go on a biking tour trip with my husband. Honestly, one of the reasons I put this dream on my list was that my husband loves biking and I thought it would be a fun thing for us to do together. While I enjoy biking, it's not something I do very often. So...I thought that this week I would at least check into the possibilities. WOW - I found a website bicycletour.com that has an endless list of tours in so many places in this world! I immediately zoned in on a tour that explores the countryside and vineyards of France!! I think that would be such an awesome trip! I am sooo excited about this dream now! I'm ready to get a new bike and start conditioning myself for the long bike rides! I'm amazed at how much a little baby step ignited such excitement for me!!

This is my life

2010-01-18T09:23:00.000-08:00

Our next Creative Dreamers assignment was to identify how we want to feel in the areas of health, abundance, relationships, creativity/purpose, self-love, and happiness. Focusing on how I want to feel rather than thinking about what I want to do was very centering for me.

A couple of things came up for me...

(1) I realize I don't really think in terms of abundance. It think it's because I feel like I've had many blessings in my life and feel almost selfish (?) for asking for more than my "fair share". I am now trying to view abundance as limitless for everyone.

(2) I am 41 years old and still don't feel that I know what my purpose is. It's like I'm waiting for it to show up in bright neon lights. And I believe that's making me feel stuck. I want to move away from waiting for my purpose to be magically revealed. I want to move toward believing that my purpose is to make purposeful moments. It is with this in mind that I changed my initial intention I feel that I know my purpose to I feel that my purpose is to honor my inspirations.

So here is how I envision my life for now...

This is my health:

I feel graceful, energetic, and young. I feel good in my own skin.

I exercise 3-5 times a week.

I continue to go to acupuncture

I eat healthy meals/snacks

I focus on less gluten and dairy in my diet

These are my relationships:

I feel loving, loved, giving, connected and grateful.

I nurture my relationships by making quality time a priority

I reconnect face to face with a friend on at least a monthly basis

I am a better listener and "step into the worlds" of my friend/family members

I acknowledge gifts from others (friendly hellos, invitations, kind words, etc) as they happen and stop to feel gratitude with my whole being

I openly express gratitude

I allow myself to be vulnerable

This is my abundance:

I feel that those things that I need and ask for easily come to me provided that they help me serve my purpose.

I believe that abundance is limitless

I ask God / the universe for what I want and need; I express gratitude when I receive this things

I give to others what I want and need

I am receptive to opportunities and say "yes" even when I'm unsure

I acknowledge and celebrate at least three new successes everyday

This is my creativity/purpose:

I feel that my purpose is to honor my inspirations. I feel that I am taking action to fulfill my purpose.

I explore my creativity with passion

I put my thoughts and inspirations into actions every single day

I have faith that small steps even if on different paths will all lead to the right journey for me

I celebrate being a beginner at a new skill

I share what I do and create with others

This is how I practice self-love/self-care:

I feel balanced and nurtured. I feel beautiful and positive.

I focus on all of the above

I treat myself as a friend

I look forward to something everyday and make it happen

This is how I experience happiness and adventure:

I feel that each moment is a special experience. I feel vibrant and joyful.

I am present in each moment

I am open to joy

I try new things

I schedule play time

Peacocks in the Park

2010-01-13T13:28:00.000-08:00

I took these photos at a local park where the peacocks are free to roam and strut their stuff - their magnificent colors of nature!

Success

2010-01-12T09:17:00.000-08:00

Our next assignment is to list our successes. As I thought about doing this exercise, I realized that I take many of my successes for granted instead of celebrating them! Hmmm...that gives me a new perspective! Okay, here goes...I have a feeling it may not be easy.

family/home/friends
been married to a wonderful husband for 17 years
raising three awesome children
had the experience of birthing one child without meds
birthed a 10 pound baby (no C section)
still caring for a dog who has been with us for 16 years.
own a house
know all of my neighbors on our block
have many long and treasured friendships (20-30+ years)
organized several high school mini reunions and girls' weekends

education
learned to play the flute (first chair), piccolo, and a little sax in high school
president of the foreign language club
high school valedictorian
gave a speech to a civic center full of people
earned a scholarship to University of Texas
moved by myself to Austin where I knew less than a handful of people
made Dean's list
graduated with honors degree in psychology
began a master's degree program in Instructional Technology while working full-time
became pregnant with my first child the first semester and chose to focus on a family instead

work
statisician, program administrator, project manager
rehired by three different bosses for various positions
taught myself C programming and other languages and wrote programs
wrote articles for publication
public speaking
created my own part-time schedule with benefits so I could spend more time with my kids
chose to be a stay at home mom when my youngest was born

random
learned to make a mean gumbo (Thanks Mama Meaux!)
somehow earned good parking spot karma
went parasailing
had the best time in New York City with friends
ice skated to Christmas music at Central Park
had New York style pizza
went to a broadway play ("Grease")
been to the Grand Canyon
visited all of the southern states
hiked in Sedona and Colorado
been to Washingto DC
enjoyed honeymoon in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
landscaped my front yard and inspired a neighbor to do something similar
took Salsa dancing lessons
learned how to play tennis
received a yellow belt in tae kwon doe
took my first art classes (drawing, watercolor) last year
took a screen printing class
began taking piano lessons two years ago after wanting to play my entire life
won 2nd place in a chili cook off
sailed in the Gulf
rode a horse last year even though I was afraid to
made and sold jewelry
tried sushi
learning to play the harmonica

Dream List

2010-01-11T13:21:00.000-08:00

Our first assignment is to make a list of 100 dreams - big and small.... I've left a little room to add those that I think of in the next couple of days!

Family/Home
1. Raise healthy, happy, well-adjusted and loving kids
2. Nurture my relationship with my husband
3. Create warm, cozy, nurturing and happy home spaces
4. Decorate our walls with art incorporating pieces from everyone in my family
5. Create at least five pieces of art this year to display on the walls
6. Create a fun and relaxing oasis out of our backyard that friends and family can enjoy
7. Create a better studio space for creative projects
8. Make the music area larger so we can add more musical instruments and have more space to play together
9. Have a clutter free and clean (self-cleaning haha) house
10. Have someone else clean my house
11. Finish painting my living room
12. Get a new rug for my living room

Health
13. Be physically fit and flexible
14. Exercise more often (3-5x/week) through jazzercise, pilates, biking, etc.
15. Become a jazzercise or pilates instructor
16. Get a new bike
17. Learn to cook and eat more healthy fresh vegetarian meals
18. Find and create delicious gluten-free recipes including a scrumptious cherry pie
19. Get my kids happily involved in planning and cooking healthy meals together
20. Learn how to make an awesome salsa
21. Grow my own vegetables and have enough to share

Express myself through music
22. Develop into an inspiring and confident piano player (I've only been playing for two years)
23. Start playing my flute again
24. Learn how to play the steel drums and bongos
25, Learn how to play the harmonica
26. Learn how to play the saxophone
27. Expand my music library
28. Go listen to live music at least once a month
29. Compose a blues song that a local musician picks up
30. Play in a band
31. Be involved in creating a big musical presentation

Express myself through other creative endeavors
32. Take more art classes
33. Learn to draw/illustrate
34. Find my own unique expression through art; become confident enough to sell artwork
35. Write and illustrate a children's book
36. Write articles for children's publications
37. Be involved in creating a PBS show for kids
38. Take a macro photography class
34. Take pictures of at least 101 different butterfly species which will serve some sort of purpose
39. Publish a coffee table book
40. Learn how to sew a red dress and a summer dress for myself
41. Design a line of Little Red Dresses
42. Learn how to make a purse
43. Take more salsa dancing lessons; feel confident enough to be able to dance with my husband in public
44. Do something creative everyday for at least 15 minutes
45. Make yearly photo books for each of my children to document their lives
46. Begin making jewelry pieces again and sell them
47. Learn to incorporate more metal and glass into the jewelry pieces

Experiences
48. Go on a biking tour trip with my husband
49. Go to France - visit the countryside, take in the sights, eat at a quaint sidewalk cafe in Paris
50. Go to Italy - Eat delicious food, visit the different regions, meet Italian people, and learn about murano glass,
51. Go to Spain - Guadi, tapas, flamenco music, and ambiance
52. Go to Greece - stay in a beautiful villa, visit the beautiful architecture, dance with the Greeks and smash plates
53. Go to Vegas - have a "what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas" kind of time
54. Enjoy the beautiful islands of Hawaii
55. Travel the East Coast during the Fall
56. Hike at least once a month
57. Take a hiking trip somewhere new and beautiful once a year; take interesting nature pictures
58. Explore the different regions in California; drive a convertible along the coast
59. Visit Chicago - go to museums and listen to some live blues
60. Go on a shopping spree somewhere fabulous
61. Swim with the dolphins
62. Spend a memorable summer somewhere beautiful and tropical - be a guest musician in a reggae band
63. Try something new at least once a month

Random
64. Spend a White Christmas in a cozy cabin somewhere
65. Name a line of nail polishes for OPI
66. Collaborate with others to create a jazz/blues dinner lounge
67. Come up with an ice cream flavor for Ben and Jerry's
68. Design and own a bed and breakfast complete with an artist's studio in the Texas Hill Country
69. Have a purple velvet sofa or chair
70. Own a convertible by the time I'm 45
71. Have an abundant stream of income while working part-time
72. Recognize and celebrate my successes
73. Learn more about neuroscience and how the brain relates to behavior and learning

Spiritual / Relationships
74. Become a morning person; go to bed by 10:30 on most nights
75. Try Yoga
76. Learn reflexology
77. Learn about reiki
78. Feel a deeper spiritual connection with God and others
79. Recognize that my inspirations come from God
80. Put my thoughts into actions
81. Be open to joy
82. Be more aware of my triggers and learn how to keep myself centered and at peace
83. Always have a group of women that I deeply connect with
84. Get away for girls' weekends at least twice a year
85. Plan a fun outing with a group of couples every other month
86. Nurture my lifelong friendships
87. Reconnect with at least one friend a month face to face
88. Find an organization that I feel passionate about and volunteer for
89. Make a positive difference in other people's lives who I do not know and are less fortunate
90. Make a positive difference in other people's lives who I do know
91. Inspire others through my actions; be an inspiration coach
92. Help guide my children to achieve their dreams

Inspiration for this Blog

2010-01-10T18:25:00.000-08:00

I have created this blog specifically to participate in Creative Dreamer which I happened to stumble on by accident or perhaps not! For most of my life I never considered myself as creative. However, the past couple of years, I have consciously pursued a creative journey and have been amazed at the paths that I've been led to. For instance, today I was looking through the book Illustrated Life and Everyday Matters was mentioned in one of the artist's bio. I went to that web site, clicked on a link and was led to "Creative Dreams Come True". I've been looking for an online forum like this since participating in a twelve week Artists Way workshop a year ago. The workshop was a magical experience for me and I greatly enjoyed sharing it with a group of amazing women. Some of the most important things I learned are (1) baby steps make a big difference and (2) a little bit of vulnerability and uncertainty and a lot of faith are good for the soul. It is with this sentiment that I venture onto this next journey with creative souls that I look forward to knowing.