Wednesday, December 18, 2013
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
One word.
Those of you who have followed my blog for more than a year will be familiar with my annual tradition of choosing a single word, as my annual resolution, rather than making a list.
This will be my seventh year in a row of choosing and declaring a word to guide my year, so I think I can accurately call it a tradition.
The idea came from Christine Kane, whose blog I visited many years ago. Essentially, she believes that long lists of resolutions frequently fail because they are too many and varied, but that a single word could guide our success and our growth in every area of our lives, because of its simplicity, and the ease with which one can return to a single word for inspiration, guidance and power.
My words have chosen me as much as I have chosen them these past six years. I don't know how to describe this, but somehow, a word will seem to appear, almost like a theme for me... in the articles I read, in the art I make, in converations I have, and I just know.
These have been my words for the past six years...
health
wealth
believe
authentic
power
discipline
For 2014, my word is both the most simple and the most complex. The one about which songs and poems and novels are written. The four letter word we all need and want to give and receive.
love ... it is the essence of everything, really. Self respect is love. Caring for the earth is love. Committing fully to one's purpose is a form of love. Babies and children are love, of course -- and dogs, for sure. Our families, our jobs and homes, our communities. The world we live in and the one we create for ourselves will always reflect the love we give to everyone and everything.
So there it is.
I wish you love.
This will be my seventh year in a row of choosing and declaring a word to guide my year, so I think I can accurately call it a tradition.
The idea came from Christine Kane, whose blog I visited many years ago. Essentially, she believes that long lists of resolutions frequently fail because they are too many and varied, but that a single word could guide our success and our growth in every area of our lives, because of its simplicity, and the ease with which one can return to a single word for inspiration, guidance and power.
My words have chosen me as much as I have chosen them these past six years. I don't know how to describe this, but somehow, a word will seem to appear, almost like a theme for me... in the articles I read, in the art I make, in converations I have, and I just know.
These have been my words for the past six years...
health
wealth
believe
authentic
power
discipline
For 2014, my word is both the most simple and the most complex. The one about which songs and poems and novels are written. The four letter word we all need and want to give and receive.
love ... it is the essence of everything, really. Self respect is love. Caring for the earth is love. Committing fully to one's purpose is a form of love. Babies and children are love, of course -- and dogs, for sure. Our families, our jobs and homes, our communities. The world we live in and the one we create for ourselves will always reflect the love we give to everyone and everything.
So there it is.
I wish you love.
Monday, December 16, 2013
Evidence...
...of creativity.
December 4, 6 pm. The night was chilly. The house was warm, with a fire crackling in the living room. (in the fireplace, of course.) Lots of food, lots of fun and lots of camera-shy artists, apparently.
We had a full class, but most of the participants are outside of this frame. Aside from the art we made that night, this is my only piece of evidence. I am not good at stopping mid-creativity to take pictures, so this was it!!
Stay tuned for more classes after the holidays. I am thinking of a class called To Dye For...which would include staining tags and muslin, dying ribbons, etc.
I am also thinking about a mixed media class using wood, cut into simple house shapes. I had to replace my fence this fall, and I love the idea of repurposing some of the old, weathered pieces.
I have borrowed my friend Peggy's scroll saw to cut the pieces. (Thanks again, Peggy, for the saw & the demo!) This is a new power tool for me, and if I like it, I may have to buy my own.
Stay tuned. I will have more class info after the holidays. And to my long-distance blog visitors, I will be back soon with my "word of the year" post, and more!
December 4, 6 pm. The night was chilly. The house was warm, with a fire crackling in the living room. (in the fireplace, of course.) Lots of food, lots of fun and lots of camera-shy artists, apparently.
We had a full class, but most of the participants are outside of this frame. Aside from the art we made that night, this is my only piece of evidence. I am not good at stopping mid-creativity to take pictures, so this was it!!
Stay tuned for more classes after the holidays. I am thinking of a class called To Dye For...which would include staining tags and muslin, dying ribbons, etc.
I am also thinking about a mixed media class using wood, cut into simple house shapes. I had to replace my fence this fall, and I love the idea of repurposing some of the old, weathered pieces.
I have borrowed my friend Peggy's scroll saw to cut the pieces. (Thanks again, Peggy, for the saw & the demo!) This is a new power tool for me, and if I like it, I may have to buy my own.
Stay tuned. I will have more class info after the holidays. And to my long-distance blog visitors, I will be back soon with my "word of the year" post, and more!
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