You say "prawcess", I say "process"...

So one day, way back when, in the 90's I think, I stopped at a large table in the center of the mall in front of the bookstore. They were having a sidewalk sale, though of course there are no real sidewalks in the mall. I started sifting through the piles of discounted books when my eye was caught by a little book with an unusual shape. It was cut on the diagonal. I thought it was done on purpose until I saw the cover . Well, I guess it was kind of done on purpose, because if it hadn't been cut on the diagonal, I don't think I would have picked it up and I know I would never have bought the little book at its full price at the time. But because it was badly cut, the book was for sale at $1.99. That amount fit in my tight budget at the time, and I knew that book was meant to be mine some how.
The book is called "100 Ways to Keep Your Soul Alive."

I don't know how many times I have turned to this little book over the years but it has to be in the hundreds. It is just as the title suggests - there are 100 pages with a quote and a suggested action to take on each page. Sometimes I pick a number between 1 and 100 and choose a page and other times, I just ask the book for a message and open it up where it feels right.

Last night, after a weekend making twenty or so stuffed birds, doing errands, and all kinds of other stuff, I was desperate for some time in my art journal. I shoved all bird making stuff off to one side of the work table, grabbed my journal and then, just sat there. I wanted to get a page done in the journal but for whatever reason, my mind was empty of inspiration in that moment. I looked over onto my bookshelf, filled with books and mags of all kinds - full of inspiration when I need it, and my eye was caught by that same old little book.

I asked it for some help and opened it to this page :

The result was this page in my journal :

I had a lot of fun with the face - trying out different colors and different tools.

There is a little Portfolio water soluble oil pastel in there, some acrylic paints, some

India ink and some white Elmers Paint Pens.

The text came directly from "100 Ways".

I wasn't even sure how the page of the book applied to my life right now as I was
creating the page in my journal. I just knew that the message inspired me to get stuff down, let it out of me and to play.

When the page was done, I re-read the quote by Thich Nhat Hanh. The last line in particular stuck out for me :

"The practice is to keep our "flowerness" alive and present, not just for our own benefit but for the happiness of everyone."

Last night, I had to liven up my flowerness - I had to create a journal page and let part of my blooming soul out on the page.

When I do that, it is for me, but it is also for others. It lets others know that it is good to take time to express yourself though whatever creative outlet drives you. It creates a bit of beauty in the world for some others to admire and appreciate. It keeps Momma happy which means that everyone is happy, if you know what I mean !

It hopefully inspires you to keep your own "flowerness" alive and present as well.

We are all in this together, right ?

So, I hope your week has many chances in it for you to BLOOM !

Here is a gorgeous song call "Your Nature" by Hot House Flowers. I recommend sitting for 5 while listening to it, and looking at the beauty of nature around you, be it outside your window or in your own mirror. ;)

Happy Monday, beautiful Ones.