Wolf Moon

Whew! The holidays flew by in a rush. Almost so fast it was hard to enjoy them! I have been making and planning and procrastinating quite a bit lately, but I think I figured out what's going to happen. I'm going to be HAPPY! I know without a doubt what I want out of life, and I almost have a plan figured out how to financially support my dream and keep my family loved and fulfilled.
 Since forever, I've known that I love to help others. Listening, offering guidance, being there for them. My hands sometimes feel as if they are on fire with energy and I just have to touch. I have repaired my own soul through help from others and a lot of hard work on my part. And I know that's what I want to do. I want to help others find themselves. I want to help them heal and mend the broken pieces. I want to offer guidance in growth, both spiritually and physically. Through art, meditation, writing, yoga, and a lot of personal soul searching I feel as if I can help others heal. I'm combining all that i do into a package/service to offer. I've only been offering things locally, but with Skype and via phone, I will now offer to help others anywhere. In the next few weeks I'll be able to cement all of the boring stuff so that I can get down to business.

 I've also been reading cards for others at home. You can go to my facebook page and get a card pulled by commenting on the daily post. Stop by!

Tonight is the first full moon of 2014 and I'll be making smudge sticks for my Etsy shop and sitting with the spirits. There are so many things that you can do during a Full Moon to help your energy. At the full moon the energy builds and builds....there's an explosive outgoing aspect to it. All of nature grows and is more vital at the full Moon. This surge allows you to take action on behalf of any new Moon intentions you set, as well as set new intentions and beginnings. 

• You could use this evenings moon to release any old internal baggage you've been letting weigh you down. Write everything you want to rid yourself of; be it bad habits, or bad relationships, anything that does not lift you up. Find a container ( I use a cast iron pot) and using a candles flame burn all of those slips of paper and watch the smoke disappear, taking with it your anxiety and frustrations that surround the subject.
• Sit in a quiet place and allow yourself to become centered. If you are able, try to get somewhere where the light of the moon can be seen. Imagine that light as a healing light and let it bathe you with it's beauty and power. Strengthening your soul as well as your will. As it washes over you allow your mind to quiet down and accept the purity and cleanliness of it. Feel your soul becoming rooted in love and trust; of yourself, your power, your love. Believe in yourself and allow your body to be healed in the strength of the moon.
• Set an intention, something that you want to accomplish or create in your life. Write it down, or paint it...create something that you can come to and be reminded of what you wanted. Intentions set under a full moon create a powerful wave through the universe, letting all who will listen know that you are ready to accept change. 

I hope this finds you well and helps you through all that you are experiencing. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you ever have questions or comments. You can reach me through facebook, twitter, pinterest, etsy, or through my email-happysappytrees@gmail.com. Namaskar!

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! 

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!

Lost in Loss

I'm a superstitious person. I always have been, but I've always been intuitive and a bit of an empath as well. My mom and grandmother are the same way and my mom has had many encounters with energy in a way that I envy and am a little afraid of too.

 that being said- 

A bird flew into my house 2 week-ish ago. As soon as it did, I told my husband- three deaths to come. He of course laughed it off, he always does. That evening, I found out a young friend of mine had passed in his sleep. In his thirties, healthy and strong-dead. This past Tuesday, the same dang thing...My friend and boss was found in his sleep- passed at 42. I know negativity breeds negativity- but facts are facts. Every time a bird comes into my home, 3 people I know pass.And the scariest part of this is the final waiting period- the last shoe to drop. 

I don't grieve in a 'normal' way.  Every since my best friend and first husband passed suddenly in 2001 I've kinda put up an emotional wall to the passing of a soul. I don't feel as if i'm hardened, but i do feel as if I'm not as touched by sadness.  I feel as if spirit is formed into a new being and given a second chance- maybe that's why i'm not so saddened...but I don't like to be around the sadness of the living- the grieving. That much emotion in one place really affects me in a negative way- and I try to avoid it at all costs. So I generally bow out of funerals  Does that make me weak? no one likes funerals  I realize that, but I honestly get physically and mentally ill at death gatherings. I don't know that I can participate in another procession. 

And now the looming fear of Whats next-who's next is over my head and heavy in my heart.

I'm lost.

I'm lost in loss.

I'll find myself, soon, I know this- but this is a journey I never like to take.

Sacred Souls Gathering

I've started a monthly gathering of women- a place where we can re-calibrate our intentions and as a community flourish with love and creativity...I'm excited about all of the strong and independent women that will gather at one time and the amount of power that will be present! If you are in the area please join us...

~A gathering of women remembering their innate power~ Please come and enjoy the power and affirming energy of the Sacred Souls Women Circle. We will open with cleansing the environment, breathing, meditating, journaling, and a bit of music, food- and then closing with a silent circle and three rolling om's... (we would appreciate if everyone would provide some sort of covered dish, dessert, or beverage. I'll provide plates cups cutlery etc) Please bring your journals and an open heart! ~Namaskar~ Anastasia

Friday Sept. 28 7-10pm

212 W. Main St.

Gastonia NC

28052

Workshop Coming SOON!

My next adventure...an online class! 

Starting in July I'll be offering Journaling Inward- Adventures in Art to help you harness your creative energy and put it on paper! We'll create a journal, practice writing techniques and paint with wild abandon! FIVE weeks of fun for only $60.00...I'll provide PDFs and plenty of photo's as well as a few videos of me in the studio!  I'll have more info for you and a page to sign up next week soon as well as a Flickr and Facebook pages so that we can all chat about our process...

I hope you'll go on this adventure with me!


Edit: I'm crazy busy and battling procrastination like the flu right now! The workshop will most likely start in August...sorry for being so slack human.

WishBIG Instructor- Jenna McGuiggan

Jenna McGuiggan

Jenna  has worked as a professional freelance writer, editor, and coach since 2005. She received her Master of Fine Arts in Writing (creative nonfiction focus) from Vermont College of Fine Arts. I need this ladies help! She can take words and display them like a fine tapestry to keep the reader enthralled and aching for more. If you are having any trouble verbalizing what you need to say, this is the lady to contact. In WishBIG she is teaching us how to take our stories and put them in bite sized morsels so that they are easier to mentally digest and deliver. It gets very overwhelming trying to deliver all of a story at one time. Please be sure to visit her blog and enjoy her writing, Ahhhh-mazzzing!