Believe.

This is my word for the year. A one word resolution -- or revolution -- as it may be. In the previous two years, I chose first health, and then wealth, and I worried a little when I chose this word that it was not specific enough, not as action-oriented like the other two.

But after 2009 and all that transpired for my niece (and my family),I knew that this word is probably the most powerful of all.

As a result, things are happening that I have been working and hoping and praying for, for a long time. I cannot share them all yet, but I wanted to encourage you to try it...



Desire
Ask
BELIEVE
receive

The universe wants to deliver your dreams to you. Believe it.

My long-forgotten ta-da list

One of my faithful blog followers and long-distance artist-friends Sherry Ellison, reminded me recently that I used to write a monthly ta da list. Anyone who reads my blog knows by my own frequent admission that I am a compulsive list-maker (and checker-offer). Something about this practice makes me feel like I am getting things done, ironically more than the actual accomplishment does at times.

Unfortunately the things on my list(s) are of the mundane garden variety, from groceries, to house chores, to errands. But my ta da list is special. It's a list of the ways in which I have been creative or achieved a goal in any given month because, as I explained in previous posts, time flies by and I often feel like I've gotten everything done except the best stuff - like my art. But when I make my ta da list, I discover that it's my flawed thinking and not reality. In part, it's because I am always adding to my lists -- both creative and otherwise -- all of the things I want to do. So even though I am accomplishing a lot, my lists always seem to grow longer, and this tricks my mind into thinking I am spinning my wheels.

But I've decided that my long lists are actually the evidence of a creative mind (and a touch of OCD,) so I am planning to reinstate my ta da list at the end of every month again! Stay tuned for the end of March - the only thing going out like a lamb will be my wool sweaters, packed away for next winter!!

Journal workshop...so far

I am trying to live in the present these days, and it is very, very challenging for me. I am a planner, a compulsive list-maker, calendar-keeper, a budget-balancer, etc. etc., and all of these things involve looking into the future - at what's next rather than at what's NOW!!!! I don't think I waste too much time in the past, although I do occasionally indulge in the shoulda, coulda's and of course, by it's nature, this blog typically tells the story of what I'm planning (future!!) or what I've done (past!!), so clearly, I'm screwed.

And speaking of the past, (phewf, so glad to be out of the future), here's a glimpse of my journal cover - from the workshop series I am teaching with my friend, artist Marilyn Rock.

Marilyn and I also recently took a class in carborundum printing at the Troy Arts Center, (in the recent past) and our creative wheels are turning with regard to offering our own less traditional variations of print-making. When? you might ask? Well, in the future, of course!! We'll be offering one more local workshop together this spring, and then I plan to take much of the summer off from teaching to enjoy outdoor activities before we regroup in the fall.

I will be sharing some of my carborundum prints in another blog post.

What's new with Avery...

Although I am still walking around with a broken camera (my fault - I hate techie places and I'll have to go to one in order to find out if it can be saved), my sister's camera is working fine, so I thought I'd share a few recent pics of Avery. She has lost her two front teeth and will be celebrating her 6th birthday at the end of April. These are just a few of her thousands of expressions.

My favorite is the one in the bottom right corner. Love the curlers and coffee. Lerleen, is that you???