Doodles

Today I made time to doodle … and to explore more shadows before turning back toward the source of the light. That's what I made today. Peace.

Patterns and Love

Today I made patterns with watercolor. Watercolor and plastic wrap.  This is a technique I've been wanting to play with for some time and now that I have, I'm pretty sure I'll be doing it again.

I blended my colors, applied them to my journal page, laid plastic wrap in a wrinkled, random fashion over the the still-fluid paint and left it there several minutes removing it while the paint was still damp. Then I rinsed the plastic wrap, hung it to dry so I can reuse it. I have a feeling that the plastic will offer more interesting results as it gets more and more use. 

I've also managed to fall in love with colors … the colors of spring that will emerge from the rich, nourishing darkness of my winter-weary landscape. While I wait for Nature's palette to change, I have to make more of these. I simply have to.

That's what I made today. Peace.

It Into Artizen

I've been following Artizen magazine for almost a year. I don't even remember how I discovered that first issue, which was - apparently - their first issue too. In any event, since that initial discovery, I look forward to every new release for a monthly dose of beauty, inspiration and creative connections.

Artizen is a free digital Flash magazine that is dedicated to showcasing artisans from every genre - food, fine art, crafts, clothing, jewelry, film, architecture and so on! If you know me at all, you can no doubt see the appeal it has for me. You can connect with Artizen on facebook and follow Artizen on twitter too, but subscribing is the key to never missing an Artizen beat - and it's free to subscribe.

This month's edition includes a feature of me and my work, and for this I am delighted and grateful. I hope you'll take a peek at it, along with the other fabulous features, and I really do encourage you to subscribe so that you never miss an edition.

Peace.

Ready

The earth awakens. 

Spring edges in. 

The daylight waxes, cajoling the darkness in which we've nurtured our-winter-selves into the brightness of each expanding day. With this seasonal verve the faeries return. Not the (gag) Disney-variety faeries, mind you, but the real faeries - the beings that reside in the shadow of the Underworld. 

Already they are making themselves known to me. And to you too, I hope. They emerge from their winter realm as ours brightens. They return to support and facilitate our return. 

As our natural environment shifts with the season, it offers us the natural capacity to see, acknowledge and face our own shadows which - if we're paying attention - become more visible, hang around longer, and grow more intense as spring edges in and evolves toward summer.

The return of the faeries reminds me that it is a perilous folly to reach for the sun and deny the shadow. After all, shadows are only seen in the presence of light. And light returns now, undeniably so, a bit bolder with each day.

This is the season of communal awakening. It is the time to honor our sprouts, the roots and stems that will support the greenery from which life-sustaining fruits will flourish. A time to honor our roots and stems - our backbone - as we make ready to stand and face our shadows candidly, truthfully and with love.

Today … I make ready.

Peace.

A Rightful Offering

The day is finally breaking into the light of morning. Soon I'll have daylight flooding into my little hut and with it, the natural light I crave for doing highly-focused, left-brained work. The kind of work that inspires me to cringe … until I get into it … and discover a satisfaction and enjoyment that surprises me every time. 

Yet ... while I wait for the light to be just right for this task of paper and numbers, I nourish and pamper my right-brain with a little morning doodle. That should satisfy the ol' wench for a few hours.

Peace.

Nature-Inspired Journals

Today I made some new mini journals. It's such a joy to go through all the dried, pressed leaves and blossoms that I've collected over time. Some are a few years old. Working with very these fragile preserves offers me time and space to consider the strong, flexible greenery of spring that will be returning here to my little acre very soon. And the Nature of Life. Already much of the snow has melted away and while there's still a lot to go, most of my main vegetable garden has reemerged from its winter blanket. This simple act of creation with paint, mediums and Nature is - indeed - Good Medicine for my winter weary spirit.

As I gathered my tools to create, discovered another journal I had set aside to cure. And well-cured it is. 

I listed it today in my ArtFire studio.

That's what I made today. Peace.

A Divergence from Earth Tones

Today I primed and applied the first couple of layers to some new Nature inspired journals. With spring on the way, I figured I'd sprout some creative Blooms of my own. I'm looking forward to the rest of the process and seeing just how true I can stay to these blossoming colors!

That's what I made today. Peace.

Fresh Starts

And some things just speak for themselves.

Peace.

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Affirmations of Truth and Gratitude

… and drumming and art and screwdrivers.

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Meet Gabrielle of Gabs Bags

This week's On Fire for Handmade featured Artisan is Gabrielle, the owner of Gabs Bags.  Her craft sprung from a lifelong love of handbags and an itch to design and decorate her own handbags and now … she shares her unique bags with all of us! You can find Gabs Bags at:

Artfire

Etsy

Twitter

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