Happy December!

As if this season isn't hectic enough, I've decided to add a few extra tasks to my list! I think this past weekends turkey overload has made me a little crazy...

 First- My friend Michelle and I are going to participate in  ‘Tis the Season: December’s Photo-a-Day Challenge... I love to see the way everyone interprets the same word or challenge a different way. The list is pretty awesome! Let me know if you decide to join in so I can follow you! 
Here’s the list to get you started:

1.  green

2.  deal

3.  gift

4.  garland

5.  candle

6.  bargain

7.  decorate

8.  poinsettia

9.  feast

10.  red

11.  Santa

12.  hearth

13.  tradition

14.  elf

15.  tree

16.  present

17.  holiday

18.  star

19.  festive

20.  frosty

21.  winter

22.  candy

23.  celebrate

24.  bells

25.  wreath

26.  fruitcake

27.  retrospective

28.  light

29.  party

30.  parade

31.  new

So besides doing the pic a day, I'm also knitting a few gifts and making jewelry for my shop so that I can purchase my hubby a few new albums for his record collection! Whew! Also...

Today is the New Moon, a time for New Moon Magic: Make a fresh start, begin a project, initiate a new relationship, start a new routine. Create a ritual:set an intention, light a white/silver candle, imagine the new moving toward you in joyful, powerful ways; spend a few moments breathing in the energy of this new reality each day, making it more and more tangible. Work this for one moon cycle and re-access and energize on the next new moon if needed. Blessings of the Maiden Moon to you!

I'll be starting this tonight. I've been really trying to hone my moon skills, and it takes LOTS of practice!

Are you planning on starting anything new this month? Anything interesting going on? Let me know in the comments so I can check it out and follow you! I love to see how creative others can be!!!

Birthday Giveaway!

I'm 38!!!

Today's my birthday and I'm having a Giveaway on my FaceBook page. Go to the page and like it, and then leave a comment under the giveaway link telling me 'What you Love About today" and one lucky reader will receive a -special made just for you One of a Kind piece of art, doo dads, glitzy stuffs, and other fun thingys to create a beautiful journal spread! All in a cutey patootey arty package sent straight to your door!

Love is my Fuel-Art is My Vehicle

Scrap paper, china pencil, acrylic and stencils on 98lb Mixed media paper

DOMA is Done!

 DOMA, signed by President Bill Clinton in 1996, prevented same-sex couples whose marriages were recognized by their home state from receiving the hundreds of benefits available to other married couples under federal law. During the Obama administration, the Justice Department initially defended DOMA in court despite the administration’s desire to repeal it. But the Justice Department changed course in early 2011, finding that the law was unconstitutional and declining to defend it any longer. (The majority opinion slightly criticized that decision on Wednesday, writing that the "failure to defend the constitutionality of an Act of Congress based on a constitutional theory not yet established in judicial decisions" had "created a procedural dilemma.") House Republicans have since spent hundreds of thousands of dollars taking over that defense. (borrowed from here)

 Why on earth wold one person be affected by another persons happiness? It's unbelievable that in the year 2013 we are still having Civil Rights arguments- We're all human, we all deserve love, safety, happiness, and comfort. Quit trying to taking our basic rights from a select few!

Freebie!!

Welcome!
To all my readers new and old I'd like to gift you with a little print to keep you on your own true path!

Please feel free to share it, love it, like it, print it out and hang it where you can see it everyday!!! 

Rainy day faces

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!!

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!

Love, Sweet Love

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

Oldie but Goodie

 I love to create from home, but sometimes I'm missing the space of a 'real' studio. I now have a HUGE studio, and it feels a bit lonely there. When I teach classes it's awesome, women, laughter, music, food and wine. But when I'm alone I'm super aware of how silent and alone it is. So I have a home studio for smaller projects,sewing, journaling and blogging, and my away from home studio is for teaching, yoga classes, meetings and big paintings. I do think i tend to work better when others are present, but leave me to my own devices. Weird huh?

 I'm STILL rearranging my home studio for more space and just because, you know, I'm a hoarder, and something has to go! I've been so preoccupied with making art, I'm avoiding making a space for art. Someone stole my phone, which was my camera too, but as soon as I get a new one I'll post new pics. For now enjoy my oldies but goodies...

Visual Journaling with the girls.

My Intuitive painting created with a live band...awesome!

My Ladies of Blue

Acrylic and pencil on 98lb paper


This is one of my journal pages. I've been working in the journal more than on canvas, but I want to make Prints of this for my Etsy Shop. I have really been on an artistic roll, I think it's because of the early darkness of winter a'comin'.

 My Husbands birthday was to day and he took the kids to participate in a parade and LET ME stay home and paint...YAHOO! I got a lot done, and I always do, thanks to one of the most amazing and beautiful men that has ever existed.

My hubby of 10 years!

He's a super talented musician and artist- you should check him out!
The Menders are his latest band- that is their Facebook page, really cool bluegrass/blues/soul music...you'll want to dance your booty off!
I'm off to paint and love up the moon- enjoy yourselves, and make something!

Tutorial- Dream Catcher

Scraped Paint and Old Hoops!

Acrylic Painted Hoops!

Painty Feathers

EASY PEASY!!!

(This was totally just a whim-)

I was feeling so puny today I decided to make something uplifting.

First, I took the inside of an embroidery hoop and painted it. 

I then scraped paint on watercolor paper and cut feathers out of it and decorated them with little designs in sharpie.

After the hoop dried, I wrapped hemp around the outer edge of the hoop and made loops...tightening the string as I got closer and closer to the center. I really kind of winged it- but i'm sure there are plenty of tutorials online!

I then took all the ribbon I could and knotted it around the bottom of the hoop.

Added feathers and- Wah Lah!! 

A Dream Catcher!!!

Let Your Soul Ring True

 It's so easy to...

get caught up in competition

care too much what others think

scan online and 'wish' you could do that

spend more time on the computer than creating

Spend all of your time thinking up ideas not making

be terrified of rejection

think you are not good enough

second guess yourself

Here is what I've decided.

No one in this whole ding dang world is you. NO ONE thinks like you or shares your soul. If you have the same idea as someone and you put it out there it will still radiate of you, in the best way possible. Your artistic thumbprint will be all over it- your energy vibrating off of it. It's a piece of you! Sometimes I see someone else's work that kinda resembles mine, we were obviously working off the same creative universal wave length- no biggie, it happens.

( I am in no way saying it's cool to rip people off, in fact- ewww you lazy jerkface if you can't come up with your own ideas- the universe is huge and creative energy is everywhere- don't be a thief- or an ass)


Dang-i'm rambling...what I'm trying to say is you need to create. No matter what you think others will think or say about your piece. You need to create for YOU. Not for money, or status or peer accolades. FOR YOU.  The reason the Universe gave us creative ability is so we can express ourselves in a way that is visual and beautiful to us. The thing is, what's beautiful to us may not be beautiful to someone else, it may be crap. But who cares??? Did you feel good making it? Do you love it? Then everyone else can bugger off!

The more love and soul you put into each piece you create, it will show. Someone will notice that a certain piece you are creating speaks to them for some reason, and they will want it. Your job as an artist, is not to worry about that. Don't worry where the money will come from. CREATE from the heart and the Universe will take care of the rest...I promise. Quit worrying and wasting all of your precious energy on anything worrisome- CREATE from your heart and all will be okay.

Let your soul ring true.

Happy Thanksgiving

Manipura

(I've been working on my Chakras for a while now, and I feel like it's an ongoing process, but that I'm really starting to understand the process and myself a lot more...here is just a bit of what I've learned for you to start your own practice and healing...)

What are Chakras?
 Chakra's (pronounced Cha-kra, like chocolate chip...thanks Sam and Kaoverii!) are mental and emotional energy centers placed along your spine. Asana's (yoga poses) were invented to help heal and release blockages within your chakra system. ANYONE can work on their Chakra's- without going against their religious beliefs.  Learning about your chakra's gives you access to your bodies physical responses so you can minimize the negative effects and maximize the positive ones!
 There are currents of energy that course throughout your body - like a road map they are plentiful, but there are 4 main highways...the first two are-
 The upward current-Mukti or the freedom path runs from the earth and rises through the body toward ever more awareness.
The downward current Bukti or manifestation  starts at the crown of your head and goes down towards the earth growing more and more specific until it manifests on a physical plane.

Peoples issues are almost never physical but always tied to mental or chakra energy. Heal that and heal yourself.

Manipura is the Solar Plexus or Naval Chakra. This chakra is involved with self-esteem, a “warrior” energy.”  It gives the power of transformation, governs digestion, metabolism, can take risks, assert our will, take responsibility for our life. It controls actions such as ambition, possession and conquest.As the seat of digestive fire, this Chakra regulates the function of the Pancreas and digestive organs. Blockages in this center can cause many health problems such as digestive disorders, circulatory disease, diabetes and fluctuations in blood pressure.This is where you also hold your guilt, shame, and annoying behaviors. 

Many people hide behind substance abuse when this chakra is out of whack...spinning in place and never getting anywhere...

 I recommend journaling everyday, and also meditating and doing asana's. While working on your Manipura Chakra ask yourself a few questions while sitting grounded comfortably and concentrating on the chakra such as...

* How do you control yourself? What issues do you have with control?
*How can you channel you energy into something more productive?
*What can you start doing TODAY, to move forward?

When you meditate, focus on your tummy(naval) picture a bright shining light feeling you up, warming you up, and ridding you of darkness. Picture upward flow, un blocking the angst and weight that sits there.

If you feel as if this is a journey you can't handle on your own, you're welcome to email me ( happysappytrees@gmail.com) with questions and comments. I would be happy to help in any way I can. I'm no expert, but,  I have been working on myself since I realized I was alive. It's a never-ending journey and I'm constantly being taught by others around me as well as my subconscious. You can never have enough knowledge or growth! I'd love to hear about your journey!

 I will be offering an on-line workshop based on healing, art,  chakras and intuition starting in January. I hope that you will join me for that as well!

Pretty on the Cheap-

 I love making concoctions out of 'everyday' items. So I've been making my own beauty supplies for a while, especially my spa night goodies! Most of the specialty ingredients I get I order online from Down To Earth, it's an amazing little shop located in Wilmington NC- They have everything you could think of, they're inexpensive, and you can order wholesale if you'd like! So the first recipe I'm going to tell y'all about,  is awesome, easy and totally works...

-Banish The Cigarette Kinks-

(You know those little crinkly lines you get around your mouth from smoking or drinking out of a a straw? They make you look a lot older than you really are, this will help while you quit your shitty habits...)

Ingredients

1/4 very ripe papaya

To Make:

Mash the papaya into a mush.

To Use:

Apply the mush to your lips and the surrounding area. Leave it on for at least 10 minutes then rinse with cool water. Follow up with an exfoliation and mid weight moisturizer( I use pure Argan oil- Josie Maran, it's awesome!)

I know first hand about these stinking old wrinkles- I started smoking when I was 13 years old, and didn't start trying to quit until this year...I think I'm completely finished with them now, but you never know after two glasses of wine whats going to happen. I know they are disgusting and gross, a habit-a bad one- but a habit none the less. So lets quit being gross together! I want to live to be 120!! And it's really hard to do a lot of yoga or deep breaths if I smoke...I really do feel great on the inside, and i'm starting to look better on the outside!

Yoga, Giving, and Dreadlocks...

I created this poster with the Calm-o-matic

I LOVE yoga. LOVE. But when most people think of yoga, they think of pretty ladies, super bendy in spandexy stuff, with no sweat, all serene like...

What's really happening, to me at least, is work. I'm practicing to make my body stronger, my mind smoother, and my soul more open. Yoga isn't just asanas and chanting, it's getting into you, being quiet and centered. And listening. To you. Deep down inside where you forget there is a voice. I am constantly practicing and trying to hear my rhythm to sync up with the universe...that's my goal. Meditation is more yoga than poses. It's posing your mind and stilling your heart. I do love a physical challenge. And i feel exhilarated when I conquer a pose that I thought was impossible for someone like me. But the true yogic feeling comes after my practice. When I sit and be still, and just BE. That connection I make with myself is like no other...and I find true bliss.

There's another way that I find bliss. Giving. I did this last year, and I feel like it's time to start again! Starting December 1, I will begin to go through my belongings, and give all of the things away that are no longer useful or productive in my life. It makes me feel wonderful knowing that the things that I once loved will now be loved by another. I also want to use this time to give of myself in service. I like to help out at women's shelters and donate my time to animal shelters as well. Giving of your items, time and love are all equally important, and i feel like this season need more love and more self sacrifice, than more buying and stress. If you'd like to join me in 31 Days of Giving, leave a comment below and I'll add a link to your blog...we'll follow each other in service and love!

Two years ago at this time, this is what I looked like...and so many different people commented on my appearance, spitting the word 'hippie' like an insult constantly, that I cut my hair off...and now, of course, I regret it. I think what I am going to do is wait until my hair has a bit more length(it's only about 4 inches right now) maybe chin length, I'm going to re-dread it, and add extensions to the ends for length.

I did this before and you can see a tiny tutorial here. Never again will I let others dictate my appearance! I'm a lot stronger and way more sure of myself now, thank goodness! When I start to redread, i'll post plenty of tutorials and lessons here on the blog.

My weekend coffee fueled babble-thon should probably come to a close...I hope y'all know how much I appreciate being listened too, and i love community! Please feel free to email me with any comments or questions... happysappytrees@gmail.com

~Namaskar~

Anastasia

Svadhisthana

this is the second in the Chakra series- 

self worth- the seat of life

(I've been working on my Chakras for a while now, and I feel like it's an ongoing process, but that I'm really starting to understand the process and myself a lot more...here is just a bit of what I've learned for you to start your own practice and healing...)

What are Chakras?
 Chakra's (pronounced Cha-kra, like chocolate chip...thanks Sam and Kaoverii!) are mental and emotional energy centers placed along your spine. Asana's (yoga poses) were invented to help heal and release blockages within your chakra system. ANYONE can work on their Chakra's- without going against their religious beliefs.  Learning about your chakra's gives you access to your bodies physical responses so you can minimize the negative effects and maximize the positive ones!
 There are currents of energy that course throughout your body - like a road map they are plentiful, but there are 4 main highways...the first two are-
 The upward current-Mukti or the freedom path runs from the earth and rises through the body toward ever more awareness.
The downward current Bukti or manifestation  starts at the crown of your head and goes down towards the earth growing more and more specific until it manifests on a physical plane.

Peoples issues are almost never physical but always tied to mental or chakra energy. Heal that and heal yourself.

Svadhisthana is your second Chakra also called your Sacral Chakra. It represents how you handle your own emotions and sexuality. Imagine it as an invisible wheel of energy located a few inches below the navel in the center of the pelvis right in front of the sacrum. Blocked Svadhisthana energy can result in feelings of 
having done something wrong and guilt can ensue. It is difficult to taste life’s sweetness and nothing seems good enough. There also may follow a feeling of helplessness, as if you have no choice and no initiative to change. In some cases denial of pleasure may result along with self-imposed boundaries about food intake or exercise.The Sacral Chakra is associated with passion and creativity – and the soul desire to feel.

So, I recommend journaling everyday, and also meditate and do asana's. While working on your Sacral Chakra ask yourself a few questions while sitting grounded comfortably and concentrating on the chakra such as...

Am I well in my body- where are my insecurities and how can I fix them?
What can I let go of that was traumatic to me?
What can I forgive or grow away from?

As you journal, really listen to your truth. Envision your self; safe and sound, and open your self to the energy around you. This may bring up issues you never realized you had, with yourself, environment or your spirit. That's okay! Getting to know the real you is scary. Admitting your different than what you thought you knew is weird to most people. But, the better you understand yourself, you give yourself the gift of growth and truth and change. Open up and experience all that life is offering, it's an amazing trip!

Following journaling try to meditate – focus on the region of the chakra, envision the color orange and repeat a mantra (I am well in body, mind and spirit or something that resonates within you)

If you feel as if this is a journey you can't handle on your own, you're welcome to email me ( happysappytrees@gmail.com) with questions and comments. I would be happy to help in any way I can. I'm no expert, but,  I have been working on myself since I realized I was alive. It's a never-ending journey and I'm constantly being taught by others around me as well as my subconscious. You can never have enough knowledge or growth! I'd love to hear about your journey!

 I will be offering an on-line workshop based on healing, art,  chakras and intuition starting in January. I hope that you will join me for that as well!

Fight Fear in the Face

Fear

Fear is an emotion induced by a perceived threat that causes animals to move quickly away from the location of the perceived threat, and sometimes hide.

                                                 Take a  chance!        Try Something new!!

                                                                  Spoil Yourself!

Fear is not REAL! It's just an idea, a WHAT IF. If you don't try you'll never grow or achieve anything! I've found, the easiest way to conquer your fears is to FIGHT IT IN THE FACE. What I mean by this is... you scared of public speaking??? Sing Karaoke! The applause will give you strength and open your eyes to your real power. Don't ever let fear keep you from trying anything...

I have a client who was facing trouble if they didn't put themselves out there and do a few things out of their comfort zone. It took me calling them and harassing them (and finally realizing that they were mortified of being seen as 'not cool'.) every day to finally get them to do their work and stay out of trouble. The fear was literally paralyzing them! And that fear was another's perception...how silly! Others opinions of you make no difference on your real and true life. To think otherwise is unrealistic. 

Whats really going to happen if you face your fear? Will you be turned away? Will you get emotionally hurt? Embarrassed? Those are IDEAS, not realities. You can grow and get over anything. I would rather be told no, than to resent the fact that I never attempted to TRY.

Try these badass fear fighting cures-

Speak your truth

Follow your heart

Skinny Dip

Go on a solo date

Cut your hair

Sing out loud

Dance like no ones watching

Admit your mistakes

Risk takers always seem to be having fun...guess why? They are! YOU control your destiny, The Universe gives you what you need, but also, what you ASK for. Start by reaching just beyond your comfort zone. Then inch your way into full on bliss!