We're Having A Par-tay!

Yes!  Over at Wild.Precious things are gearing up for Effy's upcoming Elements of Art Journaling class and we're having a par-tay in anticipation.  People flinging glitter, sipping virtual cocktails, beating drums, flinging glitter, tooting horns, making new friends - and flinging some more glitter!

You should come along and join in the fun!  Effy is a totally wonderful Wild Woman; our fantastically creative, big hearted, supportive "den mother" and she's growing a great place for us to be, to gather, to connect and to learn.

I'm excited to be able to be a part of her class - thanks (and a few hugs & kisses too - mwaaah!) to the angel who paid my tuition.  It's going to be full of awesomeness and I'd love for you to join me there! You might even win the pre-party contest and get 50% of your tuition refunded ;)

Effy's also released two videos in advance of the July 1st start - a really wonderful one covering the basics of making backgrounds (which I really, really needed!).  And a newly released video with an example of a cover page for the journal we'll be making during the first week.  The first is only available to those of us who've signed on for the class, but the second can be seen below (yup, I have Effy's permission to share!). 

                                                   
Where do you go to register for the class?  Right here:  The Elements of Art Journaling 

If you do sign up, let me know so that I can fling some glitter your way - and I'll see you at the par-tay!!

The Beauty of Sorrow...and Me

I'm excited, tickled fuschia, so happy - and feeling hugely vulnerable too!  I saw mention of a new blog on willowing.ning.com, called The Beauty of Sorrow, being started by an amazing woman named Regina Hong.  After watching her video and visiting the blog, I took a few deep, deep breaths, gathered my courage and submitted some of my art and a bit of writing.  And, my submission is up on the blog today!!!  Woohoo!

So, I invite you to visit The Beauty of Sorrow.  Read, leave some comment love - and keep on reading!  There are some amazing, inspiring and uplifting stories there that will leave you in awe of the human spirit!  And, if you are someone who lives with the beauty of sorrow; who embraces or is learning to embrace and transform the broken places that shelter within us all, then I invite you to take part and seriously consider adding your own story.  I'd love to read it!!

http://beautyofsorrow.blogspot.com

"My soul has grown deep like the rivers"  ~ Langston Hughes

Wild Thing, You Make My Heart Sing!

Wow!  It's been nearly a month since I last posted.  Been busy dealing with my first fibro flare in over 2 years.  For those of you who aren't familiar with fibro, a flare is when pain and symptom levels intensify to incredible levels...But, things are getting better and I hope to have things back on track!
For now, I'd love to share the Wild thing that's making my heart sing, lol!  Effy Wild, Wild.Precious Studios, and Effy's new e-course, The Elements of Art Journaling. 
I'm so excited and over the moon happy to be taking the course AND to have the opportunity to post here about my progress.  Check out the video below to learn about what promises to be an awesomely amazing, wild and wonderful time.  I really hope that you'll join me there - I think that it'll make your heart sing too!

I Found My Thrill...

We're all pretty tapped out financially after paying all the moving related expenses, but my daughter got creative this past weekend and gave me a gift that I'm thrilled with.  What was it? 
Simply a set of small spray bottles, a package of colored markers and a bottle of rubbing alcohol that she picked up at the dollar store.  You might shake your head and wonder "What's so thrilling about that?", lol!
And the thrill is this:  I'm going to be able to experiment with using alcohol inks!  We used this video as a reference to create our own.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6z5JgUOw3U&feature=related 

I now have six 2 oz bottles of alcohol ink (six different colors) to play with.  Ranger alcohol ink is about $3.50 for .5 oz, so my daughter saved approximately $80.00!
Next, I'm going to try making my own decorative tapes.  Here's a post about that:  http://juliekintaiwan.wordpress.com/2010/06/29/make-your-own-faux-japanese-masking-tape-tutorial/
Then on to paper flower embellishments courtesy of this post: 
http://littlebirdiesecrets.blogspot.com/2009/08/how-to-make-torn-paper-flowers.html
Oh, and maybe some shrink plastic buttons too!
http://scrapbooking.about.com/od/pagestarterideas/ss/shrinkpunches.htm
Do you have any money saving tips for creating art supplies, embellishments, etc.?

New Adventures

I recently moved across state - an eight hour drive - and have been staying with my daughter and grandson while looking for a place of my own.  And hooray!!  I signed a lease yesterday on a modern, well insulated and well maintained two bedroom apartment.  It's upstairs from my daughter's place, but I made sure it would be okay with her.  After all, when most young people move out on their own they really prefer having some distance included in their independence, lol.
I'm not sure how long it will take to actually get moved in and settled but I'm looking forward to having my art supplies available again.  Art supplies are top priority - with kitchen things running a close second.  It's been challenging creating journal pages, etc when the only materials I have are eight pastels and eight water color crayons.  I am so looking forward to experimenting again and delving into new techniques.  All the wonderful videos and classes available online!  My fingers, hands and spirit are just itching to get started on all the new adventures (creative and otherwise) waiting for me.  And I'm so very glad to have you here to share the adventures with!!
Wishing everyone a fantastic weekend and a wonderful Mother's Day.

Feeling Catty Today?

Feeling catty today?  Oh, I am; I definitely am.
It feels like one of those days where my "claws" are just a split second from being unsheathed (though I'm not dangerous, really!)  One of those "don't you dare mess with me!" days.
Not that I'm in a bad mood.  Not at all.  I feel  happy, connected, centered. It's just that my tolerance level for general B.S. is low.  Living with a chronic illness and enjoying my sanity/groundedness translates into not having the energy to spare for things that make life more difficult.  I don't want drama; I don't want judgement - and I don't want negative attitude!  I triumphed over despair, fear and negativity last week and I want and need the space, and grace, to celebrate and enjoy the gifts that I've garnered.
I need those gifts to settle in to my soul and grow deep roots.  If I nurture those gifts, feed those roots, then perhaps in time I won't feel the need for claws - symbolic or real - and protecting the wild, wonderful core of myself will be automatic and easy.
Befriending and healing my own pain, triggers and past is an on-going process that I'm extremely grateful for.  But it IS an ongoing process; a constant learning and reaffirming - a practice.  And I've finally arrived at the point where the practice is easier; where I shift more easily and where the gifts are greater than the grief.   As I've always told my kids, practice makes perfect (or as close to it as we can get).
Having your claws on stand-by, feeling catty, doesn't make you a witch or a bitch.  It means you've developed an awareness of, and willingness to protect, your boundaries.  It means that you're learning to listen to the deepest, grandest part of yourself and to honor that.  So...are you feeling catty today?

Blog Tour & Giveaway

Wow!  I was so impressed with the beginning of this blog hop and giveaway that I just had to post.  It's all celebrating (for 19 days!) the kick-off of the book "Inspired Remnants, Curious Dreams" by Kerin Gale, and the first stop on the tour can be found at http://remnantsofolde.com/2011/04/30/kick-off-inspired-remnants-curious-dreams-online-tour/