BADASS Art Journal Course - The Women they Became

This was a lovely class taught by Sharon Harkness-Dobler, and she showed us how she uses vintage photographs in some of her work.

I found these three images of children that I had and thought that I would use them.

I had applied some color to the page and added the images, then started to think about what the girls would be like all grown up.

They then began to share their story 

If you have time, perhaps one day I will share it with you

As they grew up they blossomed into beautiful women with a tale to tell, inspiring and successful, and they remained sisters and friends.

Remember if you would like to take an online class with me and a group of other artists then sign up in the side bar for some of the sessions.

BADASS Art Journal Course - Bloom

The session that Tiare did as part of the online Course BADASS Art Journal was great fun.  It is so amazing how you can add just a few simple colors, allow your imagination to run away and you can be so surprised by the results.

After adding the color I embellished mine with doodling.  It is such a relaxing pastime you have to try it if you haven't already.

When your involved in creative play there is so much power that comes from the activity.  It is a healing one that can be done at any time, not just with the arts but any other activity that allows you to let your creative sparks fly.

The sentiment used 'Bloom' for me is about not being afraid to shine your light, and grow in your creative pursuits, so go ahead and Bloom!

Stay blessed and be a blessing

One BADASS Art Journal Course - Week 6 - Your BADASS Sisterhood

Sisterhood, Joy, Hope, Grace and Faith

Welcome to today's Art Journal page for the One BADASS Art Journal Course. One of the things that I really like about the course is that despite being one of the teachers I can play along as well like one of the students.  Each teacher is bringing their own style and it is great to try out the techniques they use and see what elements of it that you might incorporate into your own way of creating.  Tiare brought this lesson, and I took elements of the session and added my own spice.

I like the simplicity of creating these characters, and I kept the colors simple as well, playing about with the background before finding the characters that wanted to be represented on the page.

Having a close circle of friends that you can call on is important and the next journal page brought to mind a friend who sadly passed away, and we had known each other from our teenage years.

Friendships in Time

We thought we would grow old seeing each others grandchildren, we were there for each other over the years - Barbara was a dear friend who told it like it is and always had your back.

She became the friend she wanted to have......

In loving my sisters I am reminded to love myself equally.  We can often forget ourselves in the mix of taking care of others, but we have to show ourselves love, understanding and patience.

We have to remember to listen and not break our promises to ourselves. It all starts and ends with love.

 She became the friend she wanted to have in her life and started to love herself.  Come back next week to see what I have done

Gratitude's and Celebration - Week 44 - Listen to the stillness

Gratitude's and Celebrations - the beginning.....

Allow the blank spaces and the silence time to settle....

Sometimes you need to be quite, to stop and listen.  Listen to the silence uncomfortable at times but necessary, listen to your heartbeat, your breath, the ticking of the clock.  Listen to your mind as it tries to make sense of the world, as the wind soars past your window frame and makes a sound as it seeps into the panes of glass, to the tweeting of the birds in your garden.  

Gratitudes and Celebrations - Listen as the page begins to take shape

Listen to your thoughts, as you go about your day, what are you saying to yourself, what words of encouragement or discouragement do you utter in a moment of testing?  Listen to your cries of your heart, what is it you really want? often what is not said speaks volumes.

Listen - sometimes it takes time to make sense....

Listen to your voice, do you support yourself in your endeavors?  Are you spending time in your creativity, do you listen to the little girl inside you shouting to be heard, or do you brush her aside and miss your calling?

Listen - don't be afraid to stand out....

Listen to your heart as you give space to those friendships, the bonds of love, nurtured, supportive, and forgiving, those that are near and sometimes far.  Listen to the word....

I am grateful today for the opportunity to listen, to listen to my heart and celebrate the stillness that will bring peace.
What do you need to listen to this week?

Gratitude's and Celebration Journal

Have a blessed weekend! If you want to see how I made the journal (click here) Blessings!

Gratitudes and Celebration - Week 40 - Triumphs and Trials

Trials will come, but then so will triumphs...

Life has its ups and downs, we have problems they are fixed or sometimes not, we ask for help, we find a way, solutions present themselves and sometimes we experience the grief of loss.

After losing my brother to cancer last year and my best friend to a brain tumor three years ago, while continuing to look after my mother with dementia I sometimes felt numb.   I still do feel numb at times, on automatic pilot, not wanting to believe that they are gone.  With the mother I thought was invincible and who seems to be disappearing before me I find that I busy myself in practical activities that ensures her health and well-being are taken care of.  

I am still going through what seems like a trial I never thought I would have to face, I have to learn to navigate the territory that comes with grief and sadness and at unexpected times my thoughts are consumed with the loss and the continued loss that dementia brings. But laughter exists, mums playful spirit prevails and in the midst of it she can bring joy to the situation.

As I deal with each day at a time I find comfort in being grateful for the small things that can bring a smile, as do reminiscing and sharing childhood antics.  I celebrate the gift of healing of what can seem like a broken heart that will come with time. 

What small thing can you find to be grateful for in the midst of whatever situation you are in right now? 

Gratitude's and Celebration Journal

Have a blessed weekend! If you want to see how I made the journal (click here) Blessings!

52 Weeks of Colour - Gentleness

Reflection 

Amazing blessings will start to unfold into your life.. 

Quote 

The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change. ...Carl Rogers In the going I am there. ...Yevgeny Yevtushenko

Scripture 

...Everything is possible for him who believes....Mark 9:23

A Friend Remembered

It doesn't feel like a year since my friend Barbara passed - 

Sunday 25th March 2011. 

 It's amazing how quickly the time passes.  I remember exactly what I was doing the day I heard, and sometimes not thinking about it makes it seem unreal and you hope will wake up from a dream....

Life is so fragile, we don't know when our time will be up, but we can make the most of today, be an inspiration, a blessing, make the seemingly impossible possible, and make the most of those dreams.  We also have to treasure the relationships we share with those we love!

  

All things are possible. As we step out in faith on a daily basis to make a difference we see how we can be better than we were the day before.  My prayers go out to the family and I know that Barbara would be proud of them, they have all continued to be an inspiration and a blessing.  

Here is Samara, Chanel and Jordan (Good News)
being a blessing with their voices...

Good News Worship Ident 2 from OH TV on Vimeo.

Fruit

He is like a tree planted by streams of water;

which yeilds its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. 

Whatever he does prospers..

Psalm 1:3

Artwork - Barbara Noel

We said our final farewell to my friend and fellow artist Barbara Noel on Monday, as we celebrated her life at her 'Home Going Service' and I wrote a tribute to her in my post Friendship, it was a moving day, and a blessing to be part of it.  I thought about the impact she had made in many peoples lives and this reminded me of the fruit that we are called to produce in our own lives.

The fruit of the spirit is..love, joy, peace, patience,

kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control....

Galatians 5:22

What is it that you are labouring over, what fruit are you producing, what are you doing to impact those around us?....I have a plum tree in my garden and come August, I am expecting that we will get plums, not potatoes, oranges or tomatoes.  For every flower that appears.....

 - once fallen, a fruit should be in place.

Whatever we do there are certain results that are guaranteed, if we encourage our children and speak positive words into their lives we hope that they will grow up with confidence and secure in who they are..  Take stock and look at what you are currently doing in your life.  Can you clearly see what the fruit of your labour will be.  Does it need some extra nourishment, water, etc and are there any areas that need to be cut back in order to bring a bigger crop, this might take the shape of a course to learn a new art techniques or sharing your art techniques with a disadvantaged group, you could get up that extra half hour to be a blessing to someone, or get some exercise to avoid potential illnesses such as high blood pressure or diabetes.....  Would you spend time raising funds for a charity or a homeless shelter on Christmas day?  Make sure that the time you invest enables the results you are looking for to be achieved.....Is your fruit recognisable?

It has definitely been a challenge writing for the A-Z April Blogging challenge and  I am also doing the challenge on my other blog Amanda Trought Art, with a whole different set of words but I have been blessed as I steadily make my way through the alphabet.  I know you will be blessed as you make your way around to the blogs of the other participants on the challenge.

Friendship

I said goodbye to a dear friend on Saturday 26th March, Barbara,  who unexpectedly passed away. She was the one I referred to in the post Balance and taking time out for friends, I’m so glad we spent the whole day together talking about our art, exhibitions, favourite artists, new techniques, faith and generally what was on our heart.

We have known each other for over 30 years having gone to college together studying a secretarial course. We came out after two years ready to face the world as PA's. Whilst this was not our passion we committed to it. Our paths throughout the years ran parallel at so may points.....

We sung together, trying to fulfil our 17 year old heads the dreams of forming a group with college friends Vilma and Juliet, hoping to tour the world. We trod the boards together, joining a group to write and perform our own community opera called Bloodties, and we toured many theatres.

We were at each other’s weddings. I remember when she first introduced us to her now husband, Phil in our 20’s we all hoped that one day we’d meet men like him. Our children were born and played together and she was blessed to have 4 beautiful daughters and a son. They have all been blessed with many wonderful talents waiting to be unleashed into the world

We shared our work environment for around 3 years literally side by side in the same organisation as executive PA’s sharing our experience, knowledge and much laughter. We shared our love and passion for art together. Barbara took the step to leave the organisation to pursue a degree in fine art. We always talked about wanting more time to be creative, having more space and inspiration but we encouraged each other, and she graduated in 2010. I was very proud of her as I attended her graduation show. We talked about collaborating again on an exhibition together later this year.

We shared our faith together. Barbara had an insight to the word of God that would touch your heart in the very place that it was needed. She had so many books within her waiting to be birthed; she had a unique wisdom and understanding. I saw her preach for the first time two weeks ago, and it was definitely a word for the season.

She touched many people’s lives over the years, both young and old and was a friend who I never imagined knowing after 30 years – (that seemed like a lifetime) - but time passed anyway...there were so many other things we were encouraging each other to do. This experience so brings home to me how precious our lives are, we don’t have any guarantee about tomorrow, so what are we going to do with our today? How many plans we make to see friends, catch up, or things we say we want to do, places to visit, but we put it off saying ‘I’ll do it tomorrow or next week’ and allow stuff to get in the way with our promises to ourselves being pushed further and further into the background.

I’m so glad that our day spent together was spent talking about our passions for art and creativity, our goals and dreams, in laughter and love. I value the years we have known each other and it has made me reassess all the other parts of my life that I have no guarantees about, everything I say I want to do, from my art, travel, adventures, to sending that card, making that call and spending more quality time with my family and friends. I will make the time and space for each, not putting it off or being distracted, but being in the moment, living in the moment and appreciating each moment, in balance.

My thoughts and prayers go out to those who have lost friends and loved ones. To Barbara’s family who I adopted many moons ago as my own, that they find the strength and courage to get through what seems like a very dark place, and find the joy and laughter that follow the tears as they ponder on the memories, Barbara’s grace, understanding, kindness, talent, humour, those laugh-out-loud moments, the way she encouraged and the way she loved.......Stay blessed!