La la...It's Wednesday!!!

Wednesday are my days at Stampadoodle and I LOVE seeing all the customers and the people I work with. I got my monthly medication on Tuesday and often I can't get going on the following day but today I was doing the demo....(a little class we do at noon for a hour) so I had to go. In the end it was good for me. Showing people one of my new favorite art techniques and getting to see everyone can make these "icky" days a little easier. Sometimes it doesn't work...but today was fun, fun, fun.

Here are some samples of what I did today for my demo:

All these techniques were done with magazine images that I cut into tiles. Some I scrunched up and some I just cut and "quilted" on the page. Then with a dry brush I put a little gesso over the collage. The top photo I colored with oil pastels and then collaged the flowers and doodled. The bottom two photos were the scrunched images. After the gesson I brushed ink over the surface. The first one I used versamark with platinum embossing powder and then a bordeaux and a green ink pad. The second one I just used the bordeaux ink pad. I got this technique from an on-line yahoo group....Art Techniques. I've played around with both techniques quite a bit and it is amazing the way the final products differ accoring to the magazine colors, the amount of gesso and then the inks that you use. Fun, fun, fun background techniques!!!

It feels awesome to be creating again!!! Moving has really seemed to make doing art difficult. My studio is all set up (thanks to my awesome friend Julie who is an organization guru) and everything is at my fingertips. Everyday, I think I feel stronger and more settled which I'm sure will lead me back to my usual rituals. Moving has been an amazing journey!

My goal for tomorrow is to take some photos of our new home. I want to share them with you! Our little house is truly becoming a home.

Time...Is it on my side?

Recently I've been continually reminded about how fast time can get away from you. Moving is such a huge life shift....add to that the added stress of selling our previous home and our rental property....and well....before I know it weeks have gone by and I am totally overwhelmed. Life provides so many opportunities for us to constantly practice the things that we are here to learn. For me...that is to remember to slow down and rejoice in the moments, be aware of how powerful my own thoughts are in creating my reality and to focus on gratitude, compassion and love. Of course there is much more I have to learn...but during this moving experience these seem to be the most important.

Since our move it's been challenging to get back to my daily rituals. I miss these routines and I'm trying to get settled enough so that I can resume them a.s.a.p!!! In Twyla Tharp's book, The Creative Habit (one that I highly recommend!!!), she talks alot about the importance of "ritual" especially at the beginning of your day. When I am disciplined about this idea I find that my entire day flows a little easier. Phew.....it is a huge challenge not to let distractions get in the way of the things that are so good for us!!!!

Everyday Richard and I are feeling more comfy in our new home. I'm excited about how it is all coming together. I'm really trying to make this a "home" and to remember that creating a home is a huge part of my own creative pallette. Our old house was way too huge and fancy for me to add my own personal "funk" to the decorating. The house that I owned before Richard and I got married was truly totally mine in terms or color and my own signature (lime green kitchen with shiny jewels around the window, fucsia, orange and purple art studio with paint splattered floors and a wonderful garden with special little things tucked everywhere!). I really missed that....the house we're selling was absolutely beautiful but it required a somewhat grown-up style. It was fun to pretend I was a grown up...especially when the kids were home...I think my eccentric decorating style sometimes embarrassed them....but I am sosososo ready to get back to "me". Poor Richard promised that he would let me "go wild". He's more of a earth tone guy....but so far he's hanging on and I think secretly loving it! My camera isn't working (horrors of all horrors) but I promise to include pictures as soon as it is up and running!!!

Well...these are my thoughts for a Monday morning. Blessings to all and thank you for being there!!!