Spring Days, Gotta Love May!

I'm loving these amazing spring days - my lilacs are blooming and my crab apple trees are fat with blossoms and amazing scents.  These trees and bushes are past Mother's Day gifts from Bella so I see them as extra special too.

Taking bike rides and doing the mulch in our yard is almost enjoyable because of the amazing breezes from all the flowers.  I'm actually pretty obsessed with taking photos of all the new beauty around us at this time of year.  I think I don't want to forget how amazing this time of year is before the blooms fall to the ground and the real hot days set in.

When I'm not getting the yard ready for the season I've been painting some new paintings, luckily in my sunroom which makes me feel even closer to nature because of all the windows.  I've got so many dreamy quotes I want to use in new creations as well.  Here's part of a quote from Mary Oliver that I incorporated into one of my paintings recently.  I love the dreamy feeling I get reading many of her words.

Mother's Day was also a special day because I'm so blessed to be the momma of a great girl who is the light of my life.  I know it may sound corny, but she truly is.

May 20 was also our 18th wedding anniversary and it was the most amazing day in terms of weather 18 years ago...it was about 70 degrees and all the crab apple trees were in bloom.  Here is one of my favorite wedding pictures from our professional photographer.  It was taken overlooking a cliff of Lake Michigan on that amazing day.  (I took a picture of the photo with Instagram so you really can't see how beautiful blue the sky is though).

I hope you are enjoying the month of May where you live.  May is my favorite month of the year for so many reasons and I'm wondering what your favorite time of year is and why?  Do you love the new blooms as much as I do?  Or are your seasons a bit different where you live?

Images and Creations of the Past Week

I was excited and inspired while I created this inspirational piece for our choir teacher.  When she asked me to paint something for her classroom, I found four quotes about singing and she chose the one below.  It was so odd because while working on this I was painting and "collaging" almost as if I was crazy...I was so into it--almost like I had a muse over my shoulder encouraging me on.

This is a sketch from an art retreat I did a few days ago in Lake Geneva.  It was so fun sitting with some other artists learning how to draw "angelic faces."

Another session I took part in was a journaling experience with Junelle Jacobsen of Yes and Amen.  She was so fun and free as a teacher and I learned how to put my true self into my creations.  

This is the back of my head looking out into the water and at the night sky, things that really call to me.  Can you sort of tell that my hair blends into the waves?  If not, that's okay.

Here's a profile of me holding things I hold dear:  hearts that represent those I love, a bird that represents flying and trying new adventures, the sun, moon and stars that call to me daily.

A color-block journal page with colors that are "me" right now.  The flowers represent growth and I added the words acceptance, nurture and believe because they show what is prominent in my life right now.

It was a busy week but a creatively productive week too.  I met people in person that I've only talked to online and stretched myself as an artist.  It was fulfilling and uplifting!

Rituals...So Peaceful

A few months ago one of my creative friends explained how someone she knows made an intention candle to light before she creates.  She actually bought one of those really tall, skinny glass candles you can buy at the grocery store by the Mexican food area.  I loved that idea, but I keep forgetting to look for one of those candles to decorate and make it my own. However, I did decide to just buy a pretty candle with a smell I could handle and try to be consistent and consciously light it before each time I sit down to paint.  It's weird how when I just paused to light a candle and said a little something while I did it, it really calmed me.

 I've said things like:  help me create and just enjoy myself; help me create something that may bring joy to someone else; help me create just for fun without worrying if what I make will sell; help me be free and loose when I paint today...

I haven't been 100% consistent with remembering to light it or to set an intention and I plan to work on that especially after reading an article in the magazine Natural Health last night.  It says that rituals work because "they move people into mental states of surrender, gratitude and asking for help."  Rituals are seen as healing as well which I love the thought of that because of having lupus and feeling out of control with it sometimes. They are also powerful because they "rely heavily on establishing bonds" whether with a community or with a higher being someone may believe is out there helping them.  The author says there are four things that help create these meaningful rituals:

•   have a clear intention...maybe even a question you have
•  actually state your intention out loud--literally giving your purpose a voice involves your whole  self when said out loud
• make it tangible for example, lighting a candle, burning a piece of paper with something you want to let go of 
• give thanks and surrender 

I love this last one because it seems to make the ritual soothing and an attitude that things are out of my hands and what's best for me will happen.  Also, I'm learning that surrender is much better than clenching and grabbing.

So I'm going to keep lighting my candle and have an honest intention and hopefully it will help me relax and surrender some of my worries to "someone" else.

Do you have any rituals that you practice regularly?  I'd love to hear them or how they feel in your life.

Accepting what is (or at least trying to...)

I think anyone who knows me, knows that I have a hard time accepting things whether they are things I think shouldn't have happened--like getting lupus for example.  Or accepting when things I WANT to happen DON'T - like not being able to afford a vacation to somewhere warmer.  I tend to obsess about the way I THINK things should go--maybe you know what that's like?

Well a few weeks ago I was at work and one of our subs who used to teach in the district and I got to talking.  He mentioned Byron Katie.  I've heard of her before, but this time I decided to get a few of her books from my library.  I'll be honest--some of her wording is really hard to grasp, almost how I feel when reading Eckhart Tolle, but the underlying meaning is starting to really resonate with me:

When I accept things, even the "bad" things, I will be happier.  Period.  Wow.  Tough work though, really tough work.  I'm so used to thinking "why me?" or "why not me?" so this is definitely going to be a work in progress, but I'm pretty sure work worth doing.

I wonder if you have any tips or mantras that help you accept those things that either go wrong or don't happen the way you'd like them?

February Love...Valentine's Day

I don't want to use the word "love" lightly, because I truly really love mostly people in my life, but since I am a passionate person, I guess I do "love" many things.  This month all my posts have been about people or things I love.  Since it's Valentine's Day, of course, I'm going to share a few more things I LOVE and that really give me joy.

 My sweet daughter and my funny husband...This is our past Christmas card (well one version).  We take a picture every year and I thought we needed to spice it up a bit and be a little funny.  Shane is actually wearing my mom's Christmas sweater--no he doesn't typically wear lady's clothes.  Most recipients loved it except one couple who seemed very offended...oh well...this is us most of the time, so we thought it is more fitting than just sitting there smiling nicely for the camera.

Oh, yes, I guess, that cute little lapdog Mazie I love too...most of the time!  She is high-maintenance to tell you the truth, but she has brought lots of joy to all our lives.

Aside from these two loves of my life, I have the sweetest little niece that I'm completely enamoured with---which brings me to another love--BABIES.  I am drawn to their big, smiling eyes, their chubby cheeks, chunky legs and their pure joy.  I am still sad that I could only have one baby of my own, but my little niece gets lots of love and attention by me.  How could she not?  Look at her!

In addition to these lovable people in my life, I'd like to share one more thing that brings me great joy...

PAINTING of course.  Here are a few of my favorites that I guess I do "love" either because of the intent behind them or just the feeling I get from how they turned out.

 

© Jill's Dream Artwork (this one is still for sale in my shop too!)

© Jill's Dream Artwork

Above, I really loved the process of making it because of the colors, the inspiring and motivational quote AND the leaves and flowers are actual pieces from a journal page I created, so there's a lot of "me" in it.  It is truly one of my favorites--it sold at a boutique I have things in and I wish I could've met the person who bought it because I like to meet the people who buy my creations.

I'm also taking an online painting class called True Free Spirit given by the wonderful Mindy Lacefield.  It's pretty much out of the zone of what I typically paint and I'm loving this class--it's whimsical, funky and teaching me to be free and child-like!  Here's a sample of a few things I've created or am still in the process of creating in this fun class.  No they aren't perfect...but I'm really having fun learning new techniques, using new supplies and expanding my horizons.

I hope you have tons of people, events, hobbies and "things" in your life that bring you joy and love.  Happy Valentine's Day!

February LOVE...Art Books

All my life I've been a reader...I started with the sweet Disney books that had a little record player reading the book to me and "dinging" every time I had to read the page.  My mom still has my big box of all those stories...I love looking at them.  I then worked my way up to bigger books that had no "ding" to signal the turn of the page.  Three of my favorites as a grade-schooler were The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, A Wrinkle in Time and Charlotte's Web.  As I got older I read every one of my mom's Danielle Steele books and yes, even her Jackie Collins--she could NOT have known how inappropriate the Collins' books were.  Yikes.

A few years ago I found another kind to add to my love of "regular" books...ART Books!  They're beautiful, interesting, and inspirational.  I have quite a collection growing and I love re-reading them, looking at their amazing pictures and seeing the parts I've highlighted to encourage me over and over.

Some of my favorites are...

• Daring Adventures in Paint by Mati Rose McDonough...she seems to be drawn to vibrant colors, just like me!  

• The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron...this is probably one of the original books that really made me realize that I NEED to create.  I have reread this book so many times.  It truly is motivating and really affirms how important honoring my creative self is.  

• Art Saves by Jenny Doh...I was instantly intrigued by the title because I truly believe that I have been saved (emotionally and physically) when I starting committing myself to living a more creative life and taking risks by putting myself out in the world artistically like applying to juried art shows, opening an online shop and submitting my work to be licensed with some companies.  The book is great because it features many different artists and what they do to share their art with the world and how it healed them or how they help to heal others through their creations.

Now I know I said I have quite a collection growing, and I do, but I'm just going to share these three with you today.  I'm wondering, what is your favorite art book?  Maybe I already have it, and if not maybe I "need" to add it to my inspirational collection.  Thanks for visiting today.  I'm looking forward to hearing about some of your favorites.

February Love...Giraffes

Not sure what it is about them, but giraffes are my favorite animal and I hope to travel to Africa someday to be close to them in person.  There is a resort called Giraffe Manor where the giraffes roam the property and according to the website, they even poke their heads in the building to say hello.

above photos:  Giraffe Manor website

I'll be honest, I do worry that it will be hard to accomplish financially, but I truly think it will be an amazing experience connecting with these beautiful and peaceful creatures.  Maybe this needs to be a "formal" goal in which I make a serious plan to get there by a certain date instead of assuming it won't happen!

© Jill's Dream Artwork

I've also used giraffes as a few of my painting subjects and one is actually licensed with the company Oopsy Daisy Art for Kids which is a huge honor.  Her name is "Bright Eyes" and the original is hanging in the bedroom of a sweet girl named Haley who also adores giraffes.

Lastly I have to share this goofy-looking little baby giraffe that puts a smile on my face anytime I see her.

photo source:  http://www.omgsocute.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Baby-Giraffeased.jpg

Isn't she sweet?  What would you name her if you could?