Peace is Every Step

Reading Thich Nhat Hanh and loving these bits from him right now:

breathing in, i calm my body

breathing out, i smile

a simple breath mantra that is so effective - try it - you instantly become aware of now and you really notice the relaxation of your face and body - so good

i love this idea:

Look into your Hand

"whenever you miss me, look into your hand, and you will see me"

a mothers words to her son - but he goes on to say that when he looks he sees all the generations, that he exists in the network of interdependent relations, in the tree branches of time - every pebble, leaf and butterfly are present in his hand.

Just a few wonders from this powerful book Peace is Every Step - enjoy your day.

Art!

i've been peeping at these blogs to see what is going on and boy do i like what i see - misty is teaching a class at artfest that i'll be in and  i'm super psyched to see her in action. she has been doing journal pages and themes for everyday this month - way too ambitious for me so i've jumped into the 52Q challenge over here at Em's and now just have to learn how to scan in my tags to share here - it's on my to-do list this weekend.  i'm working on some atc's so i can take part in the swap that she is putting on for artfesters and i'm still dreaming of doing some more work on my mandala which is hanging but needs more love put into it.  so many projects and the weekend coming to work on them - so cool.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Jelly

Remember that song from the old days at camp - Peanut Butter and jelly...and jelly.  that's the only part I can remember.  so i went to youtube and came up with this

which is funny but not the old girl scout camp verison - anyway you can see what is on my mind this morning.  i'm off for coffee and pb&j toast - right now!

Passionate Kisses

Is is too much to ask for it all? True deep passionate love, thriving children, loving and healthy family, successful career, cozy home, plenty of food, close friends, time for spiritual and creative pursuits, the last is my missing link - Oprah would say i don't love myself enough. i need to put me on the priority list. The key is in the balance and i need some more free alone time. it is getting harder to come by so i guess i need to make it happen. Tonight we are going here to see the latest show - it is always entertaining - they do amazing sets on this small stage and the productions are first class.

i leave you with a little lucinda this morning:

Yes we Can

Who else wept? i sure did - watching our 44th President take on the challenges of this nation of ours. What a guy!  and seeing the crowd together in their joy and tears - i was overwhelmed by the magic and hope of it all.  when so many are joyful and looking toward a better future the dynamics will change to optimism and hope for the year ahead.

Practicing....

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order,confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger to a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow." 

-Melody Beattie

Hi Ho Hi Ho

Off to work i go!  i'm wanting to do some artwork but the office comes first - maybe tonight! nic made it back to school after a grueling 25 hours of travel - yuck.  he called to say it is cold there - no kidding - here we are having another 80 degree sunny day!

I've been dreaming a lot about my grandfather - we were very close and i always looked up to him as a mentor.  i think that he comes to me in my dreams to help me answer some of these questions that float around in my brain and heart.  he was the perfect sounding board - he was never judgmental and so intelligent - he contributed and then left you to make your own decision.  i miss him so very much.

look at this wonder i stumbled upon - unfortunately i don't know who took this fabulous photo:

Monday PM (s)

it's monday night after a busy workday but i felt the need to post. i did a bit of art on the weekend and went over to the artbar for some supplies and inspiration. i stumbled across emily's 2009 52Q tag challenge - which i'm going to take part in. i'm having trouble getting going with all of these projects - my mind is in overload and when i have a few moments to do something it all goes BLANK.  does anyone else have this problem.  i feel disheartened tonight - it may just be the hormones so i think that bed might be the best answer right now. 

new day new attitude

so after monday's post i got myself to my office and was only there about 15 minutes when t called to say he was laid off! well that gave me a better attitude - real quick! he has worked for a venture capital funded start up medical device company for the past 5 years - needless to say but the money has dried up. so a shocker and big disappointment - he loved that job and he worked hard at it. so now the counter is filled with contact cards, mocked up resume writings, and t debris. he is doing a good job of staying positive and proactive - he is talented so hopefully something he loves as much will come along quickly. now back to me - i haven't created a thing since last weekend - damn i get cranky when i feel like i have no time. i know i need to go easier on myself and just let things unfold the way they will but i want to be in there - so many things get played out in my head and then are lost - i need to at least journal the ideas - there is something in writing things down!

so t just walked in - my mornings are no longer my own!


postscript - i'm working on finding a new me time - but i'm so much brighter in the morning hour - c'est la vie!

Back to work

you know it is wrong when you try to find an excuse not to go back to work after having about 2 weeks off - not a good sign. it seems like a constant tug of war in my mind between the work and art. and i know others just stop the work but it's not like that for me - i make money and i like that. and there are parts of the work that i like but i must make it my intention to spread more art throughout the day or take a walk or take an art break while i'm in the building. these are a few projects i'm mulling around: (this morning) (yesterday's list has come and gone)

*mandala of grams with black and white photos and music sheets
*mixing fabric and paper for a collage quilt

here is a photo of some magnets i made for gifts and exchanges:

these are actually the misc - see the tin - i made four or five different sets from images i know the folks will like - 5 to 6 magnets fit just perfectly in the tin and it looks great tied with some ribbon or fibers. an easy and addicting project!

Sunday AM

I had a wonderful day yesterday - here - it was a good time creating some journal page backgrounds and meeting a few fab and arty ladies.  i was lame and didn't get names and emails but perhaps we will meet again in the backroom for some more fun at the ArtBar.  if you do go to the village then try out the gypsy den - it is one of my very fave spots in all of the oc. anyway i've been spending time in my studio getting a start on the atc project and also the charms for exchange at artfest.  oh how i long to be more productive.  woke up at 3 am and have worked for hours with only 3 atcs to show for it and i'm second guessing myself and have convinced myself they are crap.  does anyone have a solution for the FEAR?  keep going i guess - journal it and keep going through it to get to the other side.  i'm so addicted to she right now - please please let me be her when i grow up! a bit of music to begin this foggy Sunday morn:

A must...

New Year's Resolutions: The Two Lists
A Message from DailyOM Co-Founder Scott Blum

I was fortunate to spend time with an enigmatic man named Robert during a very special period of my life. Robert taught me many things during our days together, and this time of year reminds me of one particular interaction we had. 

"Now that you are becoming more aware," Robert said, "you need to begin to set goals for yourself so you don't lose the momentum you have built." 

"Like New Year's resolutions?" I asked. 

"That's an interesting idea," he smirked. "Let's do that." 

By then I was used to his cryptic responses, so I knew something was up because of the way his eyes sparkled as he let out an impish laugh. 

"Tonight's assignment is to make two lists," Robert continued. "The first is a list of all the New Year's resolutions you WANT to keep, and the second is a list of all the New Year's resolutions you WILL keep. Write the WANT List first, and when you have exhausted all of your ideas, then write the second list on another sheet of paper." 

That night I went home and spent several hours working on the two lists. The WANT List felt overwhelming at first, but after a while I got into writing all the things I had always wanted to do if the burdens of life hadn't gotten in the way. After nearly an hour, the list swelled to fill the entire page and contained nearly all of my ideas of an ideal life. The second list was much easier, and I was able to quickly commit ten practical resolutions that I felt would be both realistic and helpful. 

The next day, I met Robert in front of the local food Co-op, where we seemed to have most of our enlightening conversations. "Tell me about your two lists," Robert said as the familiar smirk crept onto his face. 

"The first list contains all the things I SHOULD do if I completely changed my life to be the person I always wanted to be. And the second list contains all the things I COULD do by accepting my current life, and taking realistic steps towards the life I want to lead." 

"Let me see the second list," he said. 

I handed him the second list, and without even looking at it, he ripped the paper into tiny pieces and threw it in the nearby garbage can. His disregard for the effort I had put into the list annoyed me at first, but after I calmed down I began to think about the first list in a different light. In my heart, I knew the second list was a cop out, and the first list was the only one that really mattered. 

"And now, the first list." Robert bowed his head and held out both of his hands. 

I purposefully handed him the first list and held his gaze for several seconds, waiting for him to begin reading the page. After an unusually long silence, he began to crumple the paper into a ball and once again tossed it into the can without looking at it. 

"What did you do that for?!" I couldn't hide my anger any longer. 

Robert began to speak in a quiet and assured voice. "What you SHOULD or COULD do with your life no longer matters. The only thing that matters, from this day forward, is what you MUST do." 

He then drew a folded piece of paper from his back pocket and handed it to me. 

I opened it carefully, and found a single word floating in the middle of the white page: 

"Love."