New Beginnings- Sunday Selections

As a new year begins I begin my usual mental list of changes I want to make in my life. The 2 biggest changes this year will be that I will blog more often and create more art. I know I have said that many times before that I will blog more but this year I really do mean it. Now it is written for all to see I can't go back on my word. I have also decided to take part in Sunday Selections from Frogpondsrock another fellow Tasmanian blogger. This is another something I have been meaning to do for a while. I am going to start the year with some photos taken at my Spiritual home - a rainforest. This particular rainforest is Liffey Falls, a beautiful enchanting piece of nature in the North of Tasmania. I have been to Liffey many times and it never ceases to energise me with the wonderful array of rocks, ferns and plant life. The area was covered by sea millions of years ago then a glacier carved out the valley and river. If you look very close to the rocks in the river you can see fossilised paw imprints of animals. In this photo you can just see a huge paw bigger than my hand. To run my fingers through the grooves in the fossil trying to feel the energy and imagine what type of animal made the imprints was mind blowing. One day I will revisit the falls and sit on a rock on the edge of the river and spend time meditating.

Catching up

I am sorry to say that I am not a regular blogger. I have tried to post more often but my arch enemy, good old Procrastination always seems to win the race. However, I hope to turn over a new leaf in 2012!!
This is a painting I finished a few months back from a tutorial on Cheryl Iwin's site . Again, I procrastinated about trying the tutorial I was so happy with the result. The painting now hangs on my wall as a reminder to not let procrastination rule my life.

Poppy love

I have discovered a love of poppies, well actually I have rediscovered my love of poppies. I love the fragility and the stength of the poppy. The way the petals are so soft and delicate but hold on tight to the seed case and flutter and bend in the breeze.
I have joined the Poppy Spree class over at Studio Margot blog. Margot is a beautiful soul who shares her love of Poppies by teaching a free class on how to paint her favourite flower.
This is my poppy from the class.

Prayer Flag swap

Yesterday I made 4 sets of Prayer Flags for a swap on Goddess Guide Book , 2 will be flying off to USA and 1 will be staying in Australia and the 4th set will be a give away on this blog and Dotty Jeans Journal FB page.

Making these flags was such a calming & serene way to spend my afternoon, it was definately an act of active meditation. Each flag is 5 x 6 inches, hand died, embroidered in the centre with a spiraal of seed beads then hand sewn onto natural jute for hanging.
All you have to do to be in the draw for the Prayer Flags is to leave a comment on my blog and suggest my FB page to your friends. Make sure you ask your friends to mention your name when they like the page. This competition will be open until the end of October so there will be plenty of time to enter.

WATCH THE VIDEO

Supplies Me homework

I have just finished my first weeks assignment for Supplies Me with Jane Davenport. I made my journal from a tutorial by Teesha Moore, I have a short attention span so made the journal instead of having a large one to fill I will have several smaller ones. That way I won't have an anxiety attack thinking I have so many pages to fill!! Mind over matter works every time.
I have really enjoyed the process of making this first journal spread, I didn't know what my firs page would be until I woke this morning. It all came to me in my sleep, I would create a page depicting me as a butterfly emerging from the cocoon of self doubt into the world of creativity. I love metaphors, this one is perfect for me. Now I'm inspired I am off to paint the background of some more pages.

I'm excited

I have just joined Jane Davenport's Supplies Me online workshop, this is the first time I have participated on such a workshop. I have made myself an art journal using Teesha Moore's tutorial, I am so looking forward to filling the pages with beautiful art. This is going to be such a fun filled class full of great students who are so inspiring and Jane is such a great teacher.
I hope to have some pages to post in a few days of the start of my journal, because I have a short attention span I have decided to make smaller journals instead of one large one.

New art work

I found a you tube video from Tim Coffey a couple of weekends ago on howw to create a piece of art using a glue gun and paints.  I have to say that I love this style of art, I intend to make many more to hang on the walls of my home.  I have some ideas floating around in my head that I hope to use on various pieces, the time to make these pieces is my arch enemy though. 

Art Journal

I have just stumbled across a wonderful site called Wild Precious . I have spent many hours looking over this great site and have come tot he conclusion that I want to try my hand at Art Journalling.  I have avoided journalling all my life because I didn't think that i had anything worth writing down. I still don't think I have much to say that is worthy of putting in a journal but Art Journalling is not about prolific writing, instead it is about feelings, art, creativity and having fun.  So, I searched my bookshelf looking for a suitable book that I could use, all the while feeling guilty because I was about to deface a book.  Then I thought about it for a moment and realised that if there wa a book sitting on my shlef that was fit to be transformed then it was never gong to be read.  So, I chose a gardening book with a hard cover that the silver fish had started to devour and that was the begining of my 'next creative passion'. 

Art pieces

I created this piece  of art a few months ago after a wonderfully uplifting meditation session.  I used chalk pastels on this picture, I LOVE using pastels, the way they blend together is a magical process. I have called this picture Eyes of Buddha.

This second piece is a Zentangle I did this evening.  Zentangles have a way of making me feel relaxed, the active meditation felt through creating Zentangles can be a bit addictive.

Creative Meditation

Two days ago I listened to Goddess Leonie's week three meditation from her Creative Goddess e-course. I still feel relaxed and uplifted from sitting and working through the meditation. I haven't meditated for a couple of months but as soon as the meditation started I was taken into a beautiful visulization to meet my creative Guide. I do love to meditate, I must continue to make an effort to keep meditation as a big part of my life. I am half way through this e-course and can't wait to make my piece of art for this week.