Saying Good-Bye to "Imagine"

as the year winds down and i start thinking about a new word for 2012, it also means it’s the end of my “imagine” year.  i find i’m reluctant to let it go….  partly because i don’t think i’ve arrived at my imagine-destination and also because i just really like the word and want to continue to incorporate it into my life.  after all, i named my studio after it – which of course means that it will continue to be very present for me!

 

the way i'm trying to look at this is that each word adds some new dimensions and practices to my life, therefore altering it permanently.  so it’s not that at the end of the year that’s it and there’s no more imagine.  no, no,no, it should now be ingrained,  just as the practices from my “justbe” year have become.  i think they build on each other, helping us to evolve in new and interesting ways. they take an idea that resonates with us on a deep level and prompt it to become intentional.

 

so although i have not necessarily transformed myself into a wildly imaginative person…. imagine has led me into some new practices that have become important to my everyday routines.  i still take my notepad, pen and camera (usually phone) on every hike.  sometimes nothing results, but i can’t tell you the wealth of fabulous shots i have encountered and ideas that i never would have remembered.  a really small thing that has had some amazing results!

i also spend  a little time most days with my “brain-storming” journal.  quite often i end up looking over old ideas (and sometimes being a little overwhelmed) as opposed to writing down new ones, but it’s good way not to forget them.  it keeps me focused and organized.  i have my journal categorized into different topics, so there is a lot of good stuff in there!

all in all, i do think it helps having that word as a reminder.  there is soooooo much information and stimulation out there.  i find it really easy to get distracted, so having the word to come back to is a good thing.  have you chosen one??

i'm scheduling this to post one minute before midnight on new year's eve so......

HAPPY NEW YEAR - the best is yet to come - believe it!!!!

Combining

i’ve been doing some work with textures lately.  i’ve known about this technique for a while but haven’t really taken the time to explore it much until recently.  it’s super easy and fun!  it’s really just a way to combine 2 photos and end up with some very different looks. 

and apparently it is a bit more eye-catching than straight photos since i hung a few of these in my local gallery this month and sold 2 of them!

i’m noticing that i’m drawn to a lot of different art forms that involve combining.  like collage.  and mixed media.  and even music that combines different styles in the same song.  and dance pieces that alternate segments with various styles. hmmmm.

in other news, we have decided to take a little road trip.  by time you read this we should be tooling along the interstate.  it was hard to get motivated for our first dog-less trip in a very long time….. but work is slow right now and it seemed a good idea to get away.  more later…..

Traditions

in general i’m not much for tradition.  i mean i do believe it’s a wonderful thing, but it’s just not something i practice much.  since we don’t have kids or family in the area, many holidays have been an excuse to travel or perhaps a chance to see friends or, in some cases, pretty much of a “non-event.”

 the same does not apply to christmas eve however!  it wasn’t exactly intentional, but we have established some traditions that have taken hold and prompted us to turn down many enticing invitations over the years in favor of our own little celebration.  it’s something we both look forward to with great anticipation.

Movies

White Russians

Lotto tickets

Great food

Piles of poorly-wrapped fun presents (quantity, not quality!)

and while i’m not going to give away all of our secrets, i am giving you a few hints here with my pictures.  every year we enjoy this so much that i think we should establish some other traditions, but alas, for whatever reason, it doesn’t seem to happen.  hope you are establishing some of your own traditions!!

Traveling Thoughts.....

thoughts are powerful

(that’s been proven)

my thoughts right now

are about you

yes you, dear reader

i’m thinking of you by name

right this very minute

(unless i don’t know your name –

but i’m still sending my thoughts)

bubbling up from my heart

and wafting out

into the atmosphere

 in my mind they are traveling

on a sparkly sleigh

pulled by fresh-faced reindeer

they are wrapped

bowed, bedazzled and bejeweled

emblazoned with your name

and destined to touch your heart

 the content of these festive parcels??

(while i hate to give away the surprise….

in this case it may just be wise)

there’s a big box of amazement

a bottle of calm in the chaos

a healthy dose of energy

some sprigs of optimism

a couple of vials of awareness

and a whole bunch of inspiration

all sprinkled with L.O.V.E.

can you hear the bells??

i think your package has arrived…

now go open it and feast on the goodies!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS, my friends!!

Holiday Journal

 

i dont think i have mentioned that i'm taking dawn de vries sokol's doodle 1231 class.  i'm still kind of a newbie to art journaling and i thought it would be fun to add some holiday flare and be able to share my pages with others.  we made a special journal for the class.  i just used a simple composition book.  i glued double pages together, then gessoed each one and applied some holiday colored paint. 

 she gives us a prompt every day along with some doodling ideas and sometimes videos to explain different techniques.  i'm always a little shy about sharing stuff like this - it's not my area of "expertise".  i look at other journal pages and then at mine and i cringe.  but i'm all about letting go of comparisons and i need to practice what i preach!

some of the other participants started posting their pages in the class flickr group and i did too.  i hadn't planned on sharing them here..... but here goes!  it's out of my comfort zone but i want to say that by doing this i have been able to actually watch my pages improve.

 

 

and.... i had no idea how absolutely fun this was going to be.  just doing the pages and then flipping through the resulting book.  i love it!!!

Au Revoir

Some sweet gifts from my friend

i first titled this post “another good-bye” and then changed my mind.  yes, i did have to say good-bye to my sweet friend soraya last night because she is moving away, but it is not a final good-bye!  we first connected here in cyberspace and we will keep right on doing so, through our blogs and email.  

Last night

the way i see it, we were just incredibly lucky to be able to live close to each other for almost a year and spend some time hanging out and sharing our hearts.  soraya is really someone special – someone that does not come into your life every day, and certainly does not come into your life by accident!

this girl is going places (in more ways than one!)  her art is incredible and is starting to be noticed by the likes of somerset gallery and somerset studio.  her blog is also like an evolving piece of art, in which she eloquently pours out her heart regarding art, creativity, mama-hood and all the journeys of life.

On my studio wall

so i’m so, so sorry to see her go, but colorado is not exactly on the other side of the world.  there is a pretty good chance we will see each other again soon.  so au revoir, my friend!!

Another momento

p.s.  thank you ever so much for your sweet comments and emails following my last sad post.  we are navigating each day and trying to concentrate on the celebration and giving spirit of the season to fill the void we are feeling.  your thoughtfulness means the world!!

Letting Go

Muffin 2000 - 2011

we rescued her over 8 years ago, when she was 3.  she had already made a round of homes and had experiences which left permanent scars.  her defensive demeanor wouldn’t be endearing to many potential owners, but we just loved her more for it and viewed her low growling as “purring”. 

  i was gone a lot, still working full-time and then some, and she and stu bonded like crazy glue.  she worshipped the ground he walked on, lived and breathed to be in his presence and he ate it right up, taking her everywhere in his truck.  when he got caught once by one of those annoying red-light cameras, there was no mistaking him – there was muffin in her usual spot, propped on his lap.

never having had kids, we have freely allowed our dogs to fill that void, completely inhabiting that place in our hearts that needs to nurture.  our conversations at home involve and revolve around our furry friends to probably a ridiculous degree in most folks’ opinions.  oh well.

we have had 4 dogs, all cocker spaniels, because, well, we like them and they are the perfect size and temperament for our traveling and hiking life-style.  each one has been unique, but of the 4, muffin exhibited the most pronounced zest for life.  she had a lot of voices and we didn’t mind triggering those, all in good fun.

so now comes the down-side of all that bonding.  the time to let go.  the time to say good-bye.  the time to realize that our friends are only with us for a limited time – just long enough to teach us the lessons they are bringing.  of course they live on in our hearts, but it is oh, so hard to say that final good-bye.