Haiku My Heart Friday–The Lake

Mother Nature’s Child

Returns to the land of lake,

Loon, tree, moss, hawk, air.

Have a great weekend, Beautiful Ones !

A Life Worth Watching…

Monday morning and it feel like my life is a work in progress again.

That is a vast improvement from the stagnant, stale, stuck feelings I was having in February.

Whether it is the longer days, the warmer temps., the end of the longest month of the year for me, or some of the help I have been asking for and receiving from outside,

I am feeling like I have some March-ing orders !

Here is my latest art journal page.

Love the quote. The whole page, not so much.

But that’s okay.

I get to go looking for sweet spots.

Like this eye.

And this one.

A good reminder that not all art is pretty or likeable.

Sometimes , it is about looking for the sweet spots.

And others, it is just about the process.

Taking the time to hang out with your Creative Spirit for awhile.

It always feels good to do that for me, whether I love the end results or not.

Above is a work in progress.

I am lucky enough to be teaching some art journaling techniques to a little bunch of friends tomorrow afternoon.

The focus will be on the process, the letting go of thinking too much, and on having fun with the techniques, and hopefully not so much on the end results.

I am looking forward to it !

Off to get prepared !

Oh, by the way, go and stop by Beth’s blog. She has a super cool  giveaway happening there today !

Happy Monday, Beautiful Ones !

Monday Morning Mixed Bag

FOR TODAY (Monday, May 4, 2009)...

Outside my window...the maple trees are stretching our their new, bright green leaves, separating me from my annoying neighbors yard, finally !


I am thinking...that I need to get outside as soon as possible today !


I am thankful for...my new multi-focal contact lenses ! Bye, bye readers !


From the kitchen...a smoothie with cantaloupe, strawberries, raspberries (frozen), 1/2 c. low fat plain yogurt, splash of orange juice.


I am wearing...black yoga pants, black hoodie and my Mer-Kim apron !!!!


I am creating...pages in my art journal, not pretty pages but "process" pages


I am going...to the post office to mail out some arty stuff to a friend down South.

I am reading... too many self-help books ! I need to focus !


I am hoping... that I come up with a sweet gift idea for my mom for her birthday/mother's day


I am hearing...the quiet in the neighborhood and my house when everyone has gone to work on a Monday am

Around the house...there is dust that needs dusting and dust bunnies I am thinking of naming.

One of my favorite things...the new electric yellow Icelandic Poppy I bought on Sat. to plant in the garden - it is full of furry, crazy buds and blooming in it's pot right now.

A few plans for the rest of the week: meditation tonight, gettting some stuff done in the studio to bring up to Montreal when I go there this Friday, figuring out and purchasing or making a giftie for my mom, wishing my mom Happy Birthday on Wednesday, having dinner and a sleep over with my pal Andrea on Friday night in Montreal.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

A Parrot Tulip from my garden - it gets more and more beautiful as it spreads its bloom.

Next in the mixed bag are some recent art journal pages. Kelly at Soul Humming has joined French Toast Girl in a challenge called "Everyday In May" where you work on creating something everyday for the whole month. I want to commit to things, I really do. But May is not a good month for me to commit to creating something every single day. I have many birthdays, a couple of trips to Montreal involved also and I just can't say I will get the time to do something daily. So I have have committed to "Everyday That I Can In May" challenge. Not as catchy a title, but all I can handle this month !


Here is a page from May 2nd, "You are What You Think" :

and a detail with the saturation and brightness fixed up a bit :

And here is a page from Sunday, May 3rd, "The Last Judgement" (click to enlarge):

And a detail :

In my meeting with my counselor last Thursday, there was a moment when she looked me straight in the eye and said : "Stop judging yourself."

It was one of those moments, you know the kind that stay with you for a long time, maybe forever ? I am the meanest, cruelest, most unjust judge of myself imaginable. I would never, ever judge anyone else with the same set of standards or set of eyes that I use on myself.

The idea that I could learn to not be that type of judge anymore....that I could live without feeling those impossible standards hanging over my head anymore...was such a freeing and hopeful thing. I can't even express the relief I felt when I finally realized that this may be possible !

I have a long way to go to break the cycle I have been in for most of my adult life. But guess what ?

I may just be able to learn to be my own best friend after all ! Now that is hope, my friends !

What is one thing you would like to stop judging yourself for ? Maybe by shining a light on it, the judgement could ease ?

Shine those lights, my Beauties ! Happy Monday !

Get Thee Some LOVE Therapy !

So I just got back from a week away (more on that in a moment !). While I was away, the lovely and brilliant Serena at Dream With The Fishes tagged me to list 5 things I do to keep my mind healthy and my life balanced. This one kind of threw me for a loop. I don't think I am much of an authority on this one ! This is a definite struggle for the Old Libra Queen - I long to be more balanced and more healthy but I know that I have some improving to do on both accounts.

But as I thought about this tag, I remembered the week I had just had in Montreal and Mont Tremblant. This was an entire week of "LOVE Therapy" ! Talk about stuff to make you feel more balanced and more healthy ! And though I can't always keep the momentum going all the time, the time I spent this past week was so good for my being in so many, many ways ! This winter has been hard and long but spending a week in "LOVE Therapy" has done some major healing and filling up of my soul. I highly recommend it !!!

What does "LOVE Therapy" entail, you ask ? Well first off, you have to take the time. Now, a minute or an hour of LOVE therapy is great but if you can afford it, I recommend taking at least a weekend and definitely longer if you can. As my wise woman sister, Kristina says about taking that time "Can you really afford NOT to ???"

So where does the LOVE Therapy take place ? Think of the place that has the most LOVE available to you. It may well be your very own home ! For me, it meant travelling back to my hometown where my LOVE circle is big and has long established roots !

Okay, now for some of the knitty gritty of LOVE Therapy (with a little help from some of my friends !) :

1. LOve Therapy starts with asking for what you need and making that a priority.

(Azzy wants some water - he asks for it !)

2. Be Your Own Musher - In LOVE therapy, sometimes you need to take control a bit and make things happen.

(Thomas mushing the (empty) dogsled !)

3. Change Your Diet - Eat Things that are GOOD for you or things that taste GOOD- especially if they are prepared by someone else !!!

(Katie's Choice ?)

(F-R-U-I-T! FRUIT, Nature's Candy ! Smart Baby, huh ?)

4. Find Your Own Special Cheerleaders and really listen to their Cheers !

(2, 4, 6, 8 - Who Do We Appreciate ? Kimmy, Kimmy, Yaaay, Kimmy !)

5. Graciously accept all forms of PDA's from those who LOVE you !

(Even the kind that SQUISH a little !)

6. Take the time to look at and appreciate the beauties of Nature !

(Evening Grossbeak and Puffed Up Bluejay)

7. Get Lots of Rest - Be it by taking a Seat along the way :

Or as the experts suggest...

Napping Whenever Possible !

8. Keep the Beat and be part of a Circle of Friends :

(Was this as silly and as fun as it looks ? Oooooh Ya !!!)

9. Leave Judgements about Others at the Door !

(My sisters (Natalie and Kristina) a little quirky ? Maybe but I wouldn't have them any other way !)

10. Learn to Create Harmony In All You Do !

(Three sister sing - See our cool mikes ?)

So take the time, go to the place and fill yourself up with these LOVE Therapy techniques and before you know it....

You will be a Happy and Fulfilled Camper once again !!!

(I would like to take this opportunity to tell my wonderful family and friends thank you from the bottom of my heart for all that you do for me each and every day ! You fill me up with Love and make me feel whole. I love you all so very, very much !)