Be Generous

 I woke up and cried today. My heart is so heavy with the loss of all of our children, today and all of the yesterdays. I can't really imagine a loss so big. I have no idea of the pain and sorrow these families and communities are having to endure. But just the idea of losing my family makes me sob- and that's an imaginary loss. The real thing would drive me over the edge. I propose we as an online community send all of our love and goodwill as well as strength to Oklahoma today and in the weeks to come. The rebuilding of this community is going to take some time.  Please find your quiet place today and dedicate your time to these people, our people, our family. For we our ONE FAMILY  We are all made of the same thing-regardless of size, shape, color, country or beliefs...we are ONE. And as soon as our majority realizes that-one thought-one energy-one love can change anything- we will succeed as a planet. Be generous with your love and prayer- no matter how you pray, or how you love. Be generous with it and make sure to offer up some time for those in pain...there's always someone that could use relief from their challenges at any given moment.

Happy MAY!! FREE PRINTABLE!

Copy and save and print and share!!

Keeps a Rollin

My techno disaster is fixed, but now i'm so sick and blurry I can't think...here's some photos of my latest happenings though. Real blog coming soon...

New Job!Pic by Rachael Harper of On Track Yoga

Pic by Rachael Harper of On Track Yoga

Lunch with the lovelies

Making Shanti Wraps

80's party at JackRabbits

80's party, I'm the only one who remembers them

My boy is cool!

Jon was John Hancock

my beautiful children(the oldest is missing as he is too cool for  school)

My husband is a jokster

                                       

                                                      dress rehearsal for the upcoming recital- Ad Rock indeed!

                       

                                          

                    

Techno problems

My pc and my laptop are on the fritz-grrrrrr- as soon as I can figure out how to post from my iPad I'll post an actual interesting post! If anybody can help me figure it out that would be awesome!

Tricky Spinach

I'm really tying to get away completely from processed foods, and I've been cooking everyday now. But i still don't feel as if the kids are getting enough vegetables in their diet. So I sneak...everything! The answer, smoothies. The kids feel like it's a treat, frozen yummies filled with sweetness. They sometimes complain about the color-but the flavor, they like!

I looked at different recipes, but I've finally decided that I like winging it and making up my own recipes.

Some combo's I like are-
spinach(handful)
carrot juice
banana
apple juice
ice
sometimes I add ground flaxseed, chia seeds, or concentrated B complex for a little boost.

spinach
banana
mango
strawberry(theres a bag in the frozen section at the grocer, so less expensive)

spinach
blueberry
grapes
watermelon

The combo's are endless. I always add veggies and 'hide' their flavor with banana or apples. The liquid is fruit or veggie juice(I like Bolthouse farm). I don't  use any added sugars, the fruit is sweet enough. When I buy the fruits, usually I get them from the frozen food section. They're less expensive, and no added preservatives. but apples, bananas, cuties, kiwi stuff that's in season or on sale I get fresh. I make a big batch and store them in mason jars in the fridge. You can add ice later and make it all deserty and it goes further. So yum and HEALTHY! 

My day of Pinterest-

 I've been in a crafty mood of late and Pinterest is always helpful for inspiration. Here are some of the projects I'm making today! (You can find where I repinned all of these and their links here.)

I'm adding pockets to everything!

Alabama has to have this- today!

This is almost the color I want my dreads to be this fall.

If I had this reading nook I'd never get anything done!

I'm making these for dinner!

This is my new e-course, coming in MAY!

Make More Art

Make it! Quit thinking about creating for someone else or to sell or hang or for a show...Make art because it feels good. Make art because you want to, have to. The process is the art...the end result is just another object. Run, now, and get something to make your mark with. NOW. 

Thursday Crafty Thursday

When the kids and I are having 'craft day' we like to dress up. Actually, I like to dress up, and I drag them into it. I decided that in order to feel more 'artistic' i needed a Creative Headdress...thus bands of feathers galore!

Materials:
Feathers( i bought mine at Hobby Lobby)
Leather Scraps (felt would work just fine)
Sharp scissors or razor

Tutorial-
First I cut bands of leather to fit each of our heads. Then I cut slips to insert the feathers in to. I added an assortment of feathers and then just taped them down on the inside. I now wear this when I'm writing and journaling, and I added acrylic craft paint with a round #10 brush dipped in paint and glitter to our faces for 'war/warrior' paint. We are now ready to conquer any art/craft project ever! We dress up for any and all occasions, art should be a celebration! celebrate every day with a costume, get into character- you'll love it as much as the kiddies!

Backgrounds Made Easy!

 I used to be like "stencils are cheating!" pssssh- Stencils are awesome for backgrounds! Go right now to your local arts and crafts store and grab stencils and stamps...fill your pages in your art journal, and then draw, write or paint over it. Leave some of the areas exposed for color and textural differences.  It adds unexpected elements to your page and helps get rid of the 'blank page syndrome'. It's really great on paintings as well...and you don't have to worry about copying, because you are modifying the artwork as well! Get creative- grab your art journal and get creative today!!

Handwriting is art too!

I ordered Jenny Doh's book, Creative Lettering from Amazon a few weeks ago, and it has started an obsession!  I've always had a pretty boring handwriting, so I never really tried to do any lettering...but now! I'm practicing all the time, and working in pencil first and then going over my lines in ink...things that are totally opposite of my ' no plan no thought' process I always use in art. I kinda like planning or sketching a little bit. It doesn't take away from the creativity, it just gives me a bit more...precision. And that's cool! 

My Reality

 Frida Kahlo has always inspired me. She Lived in a body that fought her, loved a man that fought her, and lived a life that fought her. Yet she pushed on. She created beauty out of chaos and light out of dark. She coaxed music from her pain and placed it upon canvas. She was a rock star.
  One of the things  I like about being an artist is that I have a visual account of my life that will be left behind for all who care to see. My great great great great grandson could look through the art that I leave behind and learn more about me than the passed down stories of family members. To me, that is legacy.

 When I went to school for Yoga, the one thing they stressed the most was MEDITATE. You can't teach Yoga if you don't know yourself. This is something that will always stick with me. even if days go by where I don't hit the mat, I make it an obligation to myself to sit, everyday, twice a day, and meditate. Now, to a lot of folks i've spoken with, they equate meditation with something un-christian...this is silly on so many levels. I'm non-denominational, but I encourage my children to pray before each meal, they go to church and I read bible stories with them. I will never spoon feed religion down their throats, but i will encourage them to seek a spirit within and without themselves, and trust something bigger than themselves. I've been told that "OM' is un-christian and should not be included in my practice for the public!?! Here's the real deal(according to me)
 Jesus himself was said to meditate. It's a time of self reflection.
 OM is said to be the vibrational hum/sound that the earth and Universe make when listened to. When you say Om, you are trying to create the 'Universal"sound, to become one with the Universe and all.
 Meditation- You sit, you breathe, you still your mind...You listen to yourself, make peace with your sub concious, and strengthen your brain on so many levels...how the heck is this bad?!?

 When I meditate, I sit in front of my altar, or Puja table. On it are all of the things that are influencing me right now. I add to and take away all of the time. I like to have the elements present, it makes me feel more grounded, more one with Mother Earth. I sit in a comfortable position on the floor on a cushion and have a blanket under the fleshy part of my booty. If this won't work for you, sit in a chair! This is for you. be comfortable! I light candles, and sing a little, then I set my timer close my eyes and breathe. In and out for an even count. When I feel calm and my crazy monkey mind has slowed, I start to chant my Mantra. Eventually you should choose one, but try out as many as you can till one fills right. A great place to find one is Spirit Voyage, they have a huge list with audio so that you know how to say them. If this is to 'woo woo' for you, recite your favorite parable, or hymn, or just repeat a word- truth, love, peace...etc. I started at 10 minutes twice a day, but now I sit for about 20 minutes twice everyday. do what's right for you. but, the more time you take for yourself, the more you will get out of it. I really do have a better understanding of who I am and how my brain works, as well as my heart and soul. And that helps me in all areas of my life, especially my creative life! 

Excuses On Top of Excuses

Ok- I've been gone for most of February, and here's why...

Gaston School of the Arts- the day I was finally set to sign my lease, the day of my new career(!) My partner dropped a bomb...she couldnt do her full time job and art classes too. The contract was for us both, not just me. Which made me feel as if...what am I chopped liver? I can do this alone... Which is pure bunk. 4 weeks of paintings all by myself?!? I have trouble with two new images every month! Coming up with my own art for me is no problem. Coming up with an image I can teach and recreate is a huge deal. My brain doesn't want to work that way! So finally today, the director and I spoke and we are going to hold only ONE class a month, whew! And i'm happy to say my partner is kicking ass and taking names at her job! She's super creative and she'll get back to it, in her own time.

Sick- so dang sick off an on I didnt want to move. yucky everywhere, and as soon as one of us was fine the next would get it and we've rolled it around for about three weeks- yucky ick.

Art Journalling- Every coupla months I become re-obsessed with journal work. Work made for me and my enjoyment...I could totally paint the same page everyday over and over, and I would be just as content...but to have BOOKS with my work is AWESOME! I love to put nonsense on toppa nonsense and it turns into art...sometimes not...but usually yes. So awesome! Glue and paper and paint and marker heck yeah!

Wii U- I'm convinced the government has a movement connected to video games to keep us inactive so that we're easier to herd and overtake when the time comes. (just kidding...sorta) Mario is in my head and dreams!

Wind Through the Keyhole Stephen King- The dark Tower series is my all time favorite works of SK, and this may very well be my favorite book out of the series. When I'm not working, cleaning, cooking, teaching (yoga and art) or playing the Wii...I'm nose deep in this marvelous book. He really transforms me to mid-world, a place i'm not all too sure I'd want to live, but I'd visit...roundtrip.

Other than that, I'm just lazy. But i love to blog...and I'll be more frequent, and hopefully more entertaining!

Love, Sweet Love

Use today's holiday as an excuse to drown others in affection!

Hand in Hand

I teach a Sip and Paint Class every other week at Gaston School of the Arts. Taking a blank canvas and a person who's never painted, and teaching them to trust their creativity is my magic. It's what I live for. For a long time, I only created things I felt were "popular". I would only teach something if I thought it would generate interest. But then I remembered...I quit making art for others a long time ago, why start back up? If someone feels drawn to my work, then they'll join the class, if not then- that's okay too!

 If you'd are in the area and feel 'drawn', then stop by! Or just check me out online...
MadHatters Paint Parties

Create for Woman

I am so doing this!!! I think women everywhere should sign up and create for equality!!

Not my entry, but something like it(I'm still working on the boobies)

~PROSPECTUS: UniteWomen.org is looking for art that speaks to, examines and explores the social, political and economic issues related to women's activism. We are seeking art (all media) that expresses the women's perspective on issues of women's rights, political rights, reproductive rights, the ERA and issues of societal control which can range from literal to poetic, abstract to representational, and psychological, to social and political commentary. Submit work that explores the concepts of being a woman in today's global society and how social constructs define your experience whether internal, external, imagined or imposed, and how it defines and shapes our identities, relationships, ideas and politics. Artists are encouraged to interpret this theme broadly; submit works that have resonance and meaning to you. UniteWomen.org will present these issues in visual form, creating a public forum for action, reaction, and informed discussion.~