Out with the old, in with the new . . .

Well, not really in with the new, but I am trying to get rid of some of the old. Stuff that is. Isn't it amazing how much "stuff" we amass in our lives? I know when I was younger I thought alot of stuff meant I was being successful. But my gosh, I now realize that my stuff has nothing to do with my success. In fact, I think having to deal with all these possessions actual detracts from my quality of life. I don't care how many bags of "things" I take to the Goodwill, I still find myself filling more bags to let go of. In an effort to cut down on the clutter I am finding myself trying to not be such an eager consumer. I do have a couple of weaknesses, though. Paper is one, I have plenty, but I am a sucker for a cool piece of art paper. I also seem to always find a book with my name written on it and I know my Barnes and Noble membership has more than paid for itself many times over! I am happy to be actually looking through some of the cool art books I have purchased in the past, and I think now is the time to actually do some of the projects. Lord knows, I most likely have all the supplies I could possibly need to complete them! So somewhere in there is the idea of being content with what you have, and finding the balance between letting go and bringing in the new. Wish me luck!

Truth or dare

This week has found me teaching, working in Carla's studio on my altar box piece, and taking a trip with the girls to visit the Bower's Museum exhibit of the Chinese Clay Soldiers. It has been a good week and I have found myself doing some reflecting on past behaviors, past actions and past attitudes. I am coming to some truths about myself that I don't necessarily like, but am glad to be getting some awareness so maybe I can do some things differently in the future. Although, I would like to think I am just about the here and now! I have been secretly harboring a victim's attitude in my life, and I didn't really think I was. I kept thinking that other people were holding me back, but I know now, it has been me. I wish I could tell you I have come to a totally enlightened place with my new awareness, but I am still working it out and hoping for the best. Life is a funny thing, at times I don't want to think about it at all, and other times all I want to do is figure it out, put it neatly in a pretty box and tie it up with a beautiful bow. So today, I have shared a truth about myself and who knows, maybe tomorrow it will be a dare for you!

Another Clay Play Day

I am sitting here at the end of a very good day. It was a clay play day with Carla and I started working on my altar box project. Carla has an awesome piece at her house that really spoke to my heart and I am now working on making one of my own. I will post a picture when it's completed. The plan after calss was to go up to Stampington and pick up published pieces and drop of new pieces, but it was scrapped for a stop at Bistro West for a glass of wine, lunch and wonderful conversation with Linda. What a great change of plans!
Tomorrow is a teaching morning at Studio Maureen and then the weekend is devoted to J.T. before he starts his much anticipated vacation to Williamsburg! You can imagine I am planning to spend some quality time in the little art room in the back!
I have posted a picture I made for my little sister for her birthday. It was fun to do this for her. I am feeling a bit tired tonight, so I will keep this short, but a closing thought, "Your miracles are an inside job. Go there to create the magic you seek in your life."

Back in the nest . . .

Greetings! I have returned to the nest after visiting with the mother bird up north for the Mother's Day weekend. When I drive to my mom's I love to take the back road between Los Alamos and Gaudalupe, it's called State Highway 135. It is mostly a 2 lane road which runs through the fields at the foot of the hills and there is something special in that valley that always connects to my soul. I drive with the fantasy that if I were independently wealthy, had no obligations to anyone or anything, I would buy one of the places in this magical place and live happily everafter. In the spring the hills are green, the skys blue and the wild flowers bloom along the side of the road and hills. In the winter I always imagine perfect family Christmases in the homes on the ranches with the fullest of real Christmas trees center stage in the lvingrooms, the smell of turkeys roasting in the oven coming from the kitchens and the sound of family laughter sprinkling it all with a special glitter effect. I take this low road every chance I get.
A good time was had at my mom's. We watched movies, my favorite was P.S. I Love You, with Hillary Swank. We played many Scrabble games, ate at our favorite Chinese restrauant, bought new shoes, did a little shopping at Ron's Nursery, knitted, sat on the back porch and watched the birds and the trees swaying in the breeze. Life was good.
I am thinking today is a good day to work in the yard, and tomorrow is time for lunch with Garnet and Kathy and maybe an art project in the afternoon. Speaking of art projects, I have another couple of things in the newest edition of Sommerset Studio Gallery, Summer 2008. I have two mixed media canvases on page 164. I didn't even know I was going to be in here until they sent me a copy of the magazine and I stumbled upon my own art! That was a fun surprise.
I have been thinking about eternity lately, and more specifically, about how long that really is. Sometimes thoughts like that can freak me out. They make a coldness settle into my heart that is hard to shake and makes me understand how some people can just go totally mentally insane. Then I get distracted by the current moment again and life settles back into it's normal routine (at least for now!). It's part of that group of thoughts, like imagining the world with no people, or worse yet, the thought of no planet earth becasue the sun has burned it up. I know, weirdness does run through my veins and I don't let many people know about it very often (lucky are the ones I chose to share with the most, right Tams?!).
I will close for now, but it's good to be back in the land of the blog and share my little piece of the world with you guys. I offer you this thought in closing, "We all come from no where to now here to no where. It's all the same. It's all one."

Grrrr!!!!!!

Okay, so I am not a techie and when I went to put on the TV to watch the evening news, no TV! I don't know why, it worked yesterday! Does the fact that Gwen gets behind the TV have anything to do with it?! I don't know! So after pushing buttons that I have no idea what they do, and at a lost as to where the documentation is on the TV, I just ate a cookie and decided to make a blog entry!!! Sometimes my life just doesn't make enlightened sense to me!!
I had a good day up until the TV thing. I met Ms. Garnet for lunch in Encinitas, and we all know what that means - after lunch meant a trip to the Black Sheep just a few doors down. I have had a gift certificate for the Black Sheep that has been burning a hole in my pocket and today I used it to get some linen yarn for a sweater I am eager to make. This will make the 3rd sweater I have in process on needles, all in varying stages of completion. I am starting to sense a pattern in my life of liking to start things, but not being so keen on the finishing:( Is this surprising anyone who knows me?!
I am taking off for my mom's in a few days so I won't post again until next week, but my thought to leave you with today is this: "The more you try to force something for your own benefit, the less you'll enjoy what you are seeking so desperately."
P.S. John just called and knew immediately what to do to fix the TV problem - love that guy!

Rainy Day Mondays

Just kidding, it's not raining, but it is Monday and the sky is very gray and it is cold and it feels like it could rain if it even thought about it for half a second. This was a good past week and weekend. I taught a glass slide soldering class on Sunday and had fun ladies in my class. It always makes me feel good when I hear students say, "This is fun!" and they leave with big smiles on their faces cradling their newly made treasures in their hands. I also was able to schedule a new class teaching Artgirlz pins for a couple of days in the upcoming months. We watched a very good movie this weekend, a Jim Carey movie called something like, The Immaculate Mind of the Sunshine Band or something like that :). It had a profound affect on my psyche, causing some pretty weird dreams that night! Speaking of dreams, I had a dream last night and my dad was in it (he as been gone for 18 years now), but it left me with a happiness in my heart to have seen him again. I dream alot, with very vivid details and I truly feel I work alot of things out in my dreams that I don't want to deal with in my waking life. It's a whole other world out there. Isn't it interesting how some of the feelings from our dreams can linger so strongly into our waking time the next day?
Wow, didn't think I was going to be going into that place with you guys! So anyway, the picture I have posted today are some pin cushions I just had to create after seeing an article in the Cloth Paper Scissors Studio edition. I just love these! They look like yummy cloth cupcakes to me!!
I have been thinking about needing to live within my means lately (not a fun topic for me as many of you know!!) I don't like to get serious about money at all! I am consciously working on using what I have and creating with the wealth of art supplies I have already amassed. That is not a far stretch because I have alot to play with! Fortunately, learning new techniques doesn't take alot of new stuff, it just takes thinking about your stuff in a new way. I am up for the challenge!
Today I leave you with this thought: "Attachment to being right creates suffering. When you have a choice to be right or to be kind, choose kindness and watch your suffering disappear."