29 Faces #2

Some days feel intense. They fly by. Like Today. I'm not really sure what I made, other than this face for 29 Faces in May.

I better go retrace my steps. Peace.

29 Faces #1

Merry May Day! This is a month of challenges for me, make no mistake. The way I see it, if I don't push myself to expand, no one else will. Today starts the 29 Faces in May, and while I first chose to forgo it, I knew I would still choose to focus on faces, so I said, "What the hell?"

This morning, with eyes closed, I pondered the differences between fears and challenges. I'm a pretty fearless person, yet a couple of fears have recently surfaced for me, and I'm grappling with them. As I sat with these musings, I realized that, for me, the fear is born of potential consequences that may come from accepting a challenge. While the two fear-born challenges I currently face are very different, I saw that the fears are both rooted in injury. Potential injury.

Nobody likes to be hurt. Well, most folks don't. I don't. In any event, I was reminded of my longstanding relationship with risk … if we never take a risk, we never allow ourselves the opportunity to stretch, expand, grow. And if injury is only a possibility, why let it freeze us?

Drawing and painting faces is new to me (in my adult life), and it's a joyous challenge to take on this month, for there is no risk of injury in it … so this challenge will serve to temper the other challenges I face.

That's what I made today. Peace.

A Quasi Commitment

Today I made a commitment. Well, a quasi commitment to "29 Faces in May." I was lovingly consumed with artful creating this past winter and I sense no end in sight. Artful expression has been a longstanding Medicine for me … ever since childhood. When my college years came along, I wanted to go to an art school, but that wasn't an option (or so I accepted at the time), but that's another story altogether.

One of my artful goals is to create more goddess imagery, so the feminine face is something I want to get better at. The above image, from my "Elements" journal, was my first attempt (in recent history) at a simple, stylized feminine face, totally inspired by Effy Wild. I've done a few more, and some I like, others were recycled, but a challenge of "29 Faces in May" will surely offer me some disciplined practice that is sure to enhance my current abilities.

May will be busy for me, and I'll be extremely happy if I actually execute 29 Faces. But I'm up for the challenge and look forward to the act of creating alongside an inspired group of fab folks!

So, yeah, that's what I made today. A quasi commitment.

Peace.

Space for Courage

I know I'm overdue in posting some garden entries, but I've been immersed in arting. And in taking up Effy Wild's amusing penchant for verbing nouns. 


I've been tending to the garden and greenhouse babies, make no mistake, but my daily ritual of journaling in art form is my personal therapy, and it's been expanding. Anyhoo … 


Today I made space for courage. In my life and in my Book of Days.


It seems a "small" thing, but today I faced a fear. A stealthy fear that has been hiding these past several years behind otherwise "good" and noble intentions.


This past week I purchased a vehicle. It's my first car in almost six years. Oh, I've been driving. My spouse and I have been sharing a vehicle and I've been renting for my journeys. Yet, today I chuckle at the fact that this "new" car of mine has served as a catalyst for realizing this clandestine fear … and I take pleasure in noticing the connections, and for acknowledging the wisdom and healing that is born of such awareness.


I have courage. I am brave. I am grateful. 


But I knew that. I just know it better now.


Peace.

Craziness

Today I'm manifesting a bit of welcome craziness. I got this page in my Book of Days done early and made phone calls, completed some application forms for upcoming fairs, prepped packages and mail for the post so now I'm free to enjoy the sunshine in my gardens.

That's what I made today. Peace.

Preparations

I've been busy … 

… but what else is new? To me, that's life. If you're never willing to play the fool (the beautiful fool), you're missing out on a lot of life.

Right now, my life is laced with challenges. Challenges from within as well as those that come from that external world we seem to share. I embrace them ~ all of them ~ and weave them into the delicate strength that is me. My life is laced with beautiful challenges, most of which I create and welcome, learn from and grow. I wouldn't have it any other way.

I'm delighted to play the fool.

And if you're wondering, these images are snippets of recent entries in my "Book of Days" art journal. A journal I fool with daily. That's what I made today.

Peace.

A Colorful Purr

Today I revised old lists and made new lists, reviewed some of my herbal teaching materials, worked on a few mini journals, and on some pages in my own art journals … like this one … where I continued on a page started yesterday.

Sometimes doodling is the best Medicine, especially when it purrs. Today was one of those times. That's what I made today.

Peace.

A Welcoming to Spring

Today I worked in several art journals, including a new one … a journal which (I'm sensing) will be a visual meditation of my relationship with "The Elements" … a journal tied to a premium Book of Days workshop taught by the sparkling Effy Wild, an inspired guide and teacher with a radiant sense of humor. Anyway …

Since spring returned to my little acre, I've started more seedlings, prepped a garden bed or two, and created my journal cover for "The Elements." My inner cover is in the works and represents a farewell to winter, an expression of gratitude that I feel is essential before rooting too deeply in the airy verve of spring. Even so, with spring thick in the air, I was compelled to finish this page, a simple expression of moving from the earthy to airy energies of the season.

That's what I made today.

Peace.