Full Moon Dream Board: Full Pink Moon

I had a lot of fun doing this.  When I first read about it in March, I could not wait to do a dream board.  This is not what I originally imagined.  It just came out of me.  I like the way it looks on paper better - it was hard to erase the backgound one it in PSE.  I do like the pink moon behind her - not on original work.   The words are all the seeds of ideas I would like to come into fruition.

Wish Cast Wednesday - What do I Wish to invest in?

This weeks question did not flummox me like last weeks.  I would like to invest in myself.  I am doing somethings.  I've enrolled in a year long photo class, as well as a 7 week drawing class (which I LOOOOVE!).  But I don't get to practice as much as I'd like.  I'd like to invest in simplifying my life, This is difficult in some respects.  I have an active family.   I want to give them the opportunity to be able to participate in things that interest them.   When they are my age, I want them to be doing something that satisfies their souls.  I want them now to be on the road to discovering their passions, so they can practice it, live it, feel it, invest in it ALL their lives.  But the trade off is a busy, busy schedule.  And I am the taxi driver.   I know, I need to invest in my home - simplifying it, so that I'm not spending so much time organizing, reorganizing, finding a spot for whatever it is that needs a home.    Then I can invest that free time in honing my passions, & hopefully being able to one day create a business from them.

So this leads to other investments:  financial.  I would like to invest more more money into my savings.  I would like to invest in stocks - but I don't know how.  I would like invest money to become financially free.  

I would like to invest in my home, sprucing it up, but making a comfortable, warming, loving & happy environment.

I feel a little selfish, wishing to invest in me.  But, I feel like it's effect will seep out to  the world in such a positive way.  I will be a better mother, woman, wife, friend.  

Sunday Shutterbugs: Horse

Wishcasting Wednesday: What do you wish to dare?

I look forward to WishCast Wednesday.  It has been one of the most powerful things I have been fortunate to be apart of.  This Wednesday's Wishcast is challenging for me.  What do I dare wish for?  The obvious love - I'm so fortunate to be surrounded by it, and I'm not afraid to love.  Happiness?  At this moment I feel happy!

I've really had to contemplate this wish.  I thought about it all day long.  And my wish, that I wish with ALL my heart is I wish to dare to be MYSELF. I was listening to Jamie's podcast with Chris Kay Fraser.  In her opening, Jamie talked about finding the direction of your goals.  She ended by saying that when I head in the right direction, I will feel more like myself.  That my superpowers will glow brighter as I get closer to home, that my heart will be even happier & I will be more confident.  I want this!  I want this!  I wish to dare it into my life!

I have a friend who radiates her superpowers.  Her divinity is a halo that is all about her.  For the longest time, I've desired that radiance for myself.  I followed her footsteps, going to classes &  retreats.  They have been beautiful and powerful and emotional.  But my superpowers were not ignited. No sparks, no smoke, no flame.

I've just completed a Mondo Beyondo coarse.  I looked forward to each days' lesson & exercises.  I went back through my notes while working on this wish.  I found notes on daring to believe.  So not only am I daring to wish to be MYSELF, I'm daring to believe it too.  I'm daring to believe in all my dreams I wrote down.  It is those dreams, and taking steps towards them, small as they maybe, that will put me in the right direction.

And I pause for a moment or two before I publish this, letting out a deep breath, eyes closed, feeling it, imagining it, hands in prayer before I send this wish, this huge wish, into the universe.

Sunday Shutterbugs: Heavenly

Heavenly Vices

coffee in the morning
wine in the eve
chocolate throughout the day!

Wish Cast Wednesday - What do I Wish to be Gentle With

Me!  I'm my biggest critic.  I'm fat, ugly, mediocre, a terrible mom.  The list goes on.

To be honest, when I first read the prompt, my immediate thought was my oldest child.  I KNOW I need to be gentler with her.   A beautiful, persistent, amazing, tenacious, passionate child.  She drives me crazy!  She has been my mirror, many, many, many times.  I want her to be confident, her own person - NO Ethel to someone else's' Lucy.  I want her to follow her dreams, to find her niche & go after it.  I want her to have self love so she does not feel unworthy, & when she does, she'll be able to imagine herself out of it, shake it off, & not let it effect her self worth.

I need to find that middle ground.  To deal with her in a peaceful manner when she riles me up.  To remember that she is a mercurial being.  To remember that I am her safe spot to sound off, get angry at, because I love her so completely.

As I wish to be  gentle with her, I wish to gentle with myself.  Applaud myself when goals are met, dinner is cooked, when fear is pushed aside, & when I have loving & tender moments with my child.  To give three cheers when I pass up the delectable rich and bitter piece of dark chocolate.  To appreciate who I am now, & how I am growing.

At this very moment - this is my wish.  I'm throwing my coin into the well, squeezing eyes tight and concentrating all my mind's power onto this wish.  Crossing fingers, rubbing my rabbits foot - hoping it will come true!


PS:  Thank you so much for those of you have or are wishing for me.  You words are so beautiful & powerful.  Every time I read them, I get teary.  Thank You!  Thank You!

Illustration Friday

Forever Linked

For me, the only things of interest are those linked to the heart. ~Audrey Hepburn

Last Friday the theme "linked" was sent out to subscribers of  Illustration Friday.  I sometimes passover the e-mail.  I sometimes click on it & peruse the art.  I never thought I would submit a piece.  But I got a bee in my bonnet to try something.  First the the obvious "linked" themes: holding hands, linked arms.  And then this came to mind.  Different than what I had actually plotted out.  Four different children would be tugging at the chained heart, linking them to it forever.  I drew the heart, photographed the child, crocheted the chain; screwed up my drawing  - adhering the chain did not go as planned; and then the printer decided it could no longer work properly &; my method of creating what I envisioned changed.  I took a picture of my chained heart and worked in PSE6 for the last few days, putting my other commitments (wash, dinner, market) on the back burner. Perfect?  NO! Definite issues with the text being to dark & difficult to read. 

I'm really proud of myself for creating this.  A completely original thought, no looking to other works for inspiration.  I'm thrilled that I "Focuses Pocused"  and completed & actually uploaded to Illustration Friday. And most importantly, I had a lot of fun experimenting with PSE6.

I did not realize, until went back to verify the theme, how much the quote that was sent along made an impact on me.  Like it's little tentacles rooted themselves into my brain.

How Do I Wish to Blossom

I was waiting for the prompt from Jamie Ridler this morning.  I felt like for last weeks prompt, I hurriedly did it so I could post before the sun set.  When the prompt came this afternoon, I wasn't sure how to answer it.  I'm still a bit blocked by how to go about it.  Why?  Shouldn't it be easy with all the dreaming I've been doing in the Mondo Beyondo class?

I would like to blossom three folds.  I would love for my confidence to soar.  Confidence in my ability as a beginning photographer who will learn how to consistently take great shots that tell stories.  Confidence in myself to start an at home business as a photographer/ digital artist.  Confidence in my ability to wrap my mind around all the technical stuff that is required of a photographer.  Confidence in myself to go out a solicit my work.

Confidence goes hand in hand with becoming more fearless.  Some how I became a coward.  Scared to take chances.  I feel like this transformation came when I became a mother.  But what kind of role model  am I being if I'm always quaking in my boots?

Finally, I'd love my creativity to unfurl.  I feel like most things I do, is a copy, or an add on to someone else's creative ideas.  I can build on things that inspire me, but I want my  creative muse to take root in me.  As each petal unfurls, opening to the sun, I want new ideas burgeoning in my brain.  Amazing, beautiful, lovely ideas that I can craft, photograph, create in anyway that tickles my fancy.

Sundays Shutterbugs - Green

Green Street in Old Pasadena

As part of my quest to stimulate my imagination, I joined Sundays Shutterbugs.  They send out an assignment for subscribers for the week, and if wanting, you participate.  This week it is Green.

Picture Spring

Day 1: Beginning

Day 2: Waking up to endless possibilities

My Cup of Delight

Day 3: 30 Steps

I had to do some catching up, so this was actually taken on Easter -

30 steps out of the office.

Day 4: Looking Up

Day 5:  getting grounded

Day 6:  Self Portrait

Day 7:  Pastel

Day 8 - sprinkle

  Day 9   -Still searching for everyday beauty

Day 10 :  Need to edit

 Day 11:  Hearts

I'm taking a year's worth of photography classes through Paul's. You'd think that would be enough. It's not! Through Big Picture Scrapbooking, I'm taking a class taught by Tracy Clark of Shutter Sisters. When I have visited Shutter Sisters in the past, I've been so impressed with the photography - the story each picture tells. I know most of the pictures have been manipulated in Lightroom or Photoshop - regardless, they are fabulous. I thought I would like to learn to take photos like what I see on Shutter Sisters. A lot of it is getting the prompt and letting it spur my imagination. My imagination is a bit stale, as I seem to follow the example Tracy sends out to the class, but I'm trying. I thought posting my pictures would be a good record of it. Most of my pictures have not been touched by Photoshop, only the clouds have.