The Best Times to Think & Write Creatively...

I found this info-graphic and wanted to share it with all my creative friends - 

if you are like me finding the time to create, let alone the "right time",
is always a "work-in-progress" of sorts!
This scientific research should help us all out!

(Click the Quick Sprout link to go to a nice, large version that is easily read...)

Courtesy of: Quick Sprout

 

Till later, Beloved, Cindy

After You Press the “RESET Button” - What Happens Next…

Hello everyone!

Last week I made a video about being in “The Days of Awe” and how to take advantage of these days, (which are part of the New Year in the Jewish Calendar) to reset our own dreams, goals and vision. 

(You can watch it here - or click the photo to go to youtube...be gentle, this is my first ever video) 

In that video I promised I would share my own journaling – and here it is!

A little background:

I have been hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit in my heart, encouraging me to “get serious” about my online presence for a some time now.  The teenager is getting more independent, her schooling day changing and allows for me more time to focus on other things.  One season is transitioning into the next!  The Holy Spirit brought one of Sandi Krakowski’s classes to my inbox – and her business sense has come at the perfect time. 

So, what did my “reset” reveal?

(Not necessarily in order of priority!)

One
Over the spring and summer months, I have seemed to be saying the same things, over and over,  to my clients, and I was getting the idea that I might need to make a teaching available for them, one that could be easily accessed for the online world.  After all, if I am saying the same thing to so many people in my “in person” life, how many more outside of my neighborhood may need the same message?   I believe the Lord wants me to share this – so I will begin working towards an “in a box” class for this issue.  Join me in praying for a name?

Two
When I was full time in counseling, I longed for the churches I was affiliated with to have Bible Studies and groups that I could send my clients into to get the in-depth, targeted spiritual help they needed AT THAT VERY MOMENT, so that we could spend our counseling session more on the issues than simple life and communication skills.  I had even developed an entire 2 year program (at 1 class per week) that would take a potential client through the basics – my goal was to start training people to run the classes/Bible Studies/Groups myself.  That goal got put “on a shelf” (homeschooling makes it really challenging to be available in a professional way for hurting people!)  I am going to resurrect this two year program and put it into an online format.  Excited?  Interested?  What would you want to have in such a program?  Let me know!

  

My journal - Twinkle H20 play -

Three
I have two books cooking in my heart!  This is really scary/vulnerable to step out and say this publicly.  That inner critic that says "who are you to be so presumptuous to think you should write a book that anyone would want to read" guffaws around in my brain at times.  But yet I KNOW I am not a presumptuous sort of person; and if God has placed these things in my heart, then it will please Him to use my gifts.  Time to write!

Four
I need to devote 15 to 25 hours a week on business – a lot of this time online and writing articles.  Art needs to be done as well, but not during this focused time.

  
Five
Don’t neglect the Essential Oils business (He just confirmed this again this afternoon!)  I believe the Lord really wants people to be physically healthy, and using therapeutic grade essential oils is a simple and powerful way to help our bodies natural ability to fight disease, viruses and bacteria, and environmental toxins.
  
Six 
 Create one Christian themed healing art directive a week.  I have some things on the website already, and this goal will insure there is a strong body of online knowledge for His children who need to heal emotionally and spirituall.  Looking forward to this!  Let me know what you want to address first!)

  
Seven
He audibly said “Don’t change the name.” Ok, that is a topic in the class, but I didn’t know it when He said this!
 

With a little more embellishment

Eight
I keep hearing, in my spirit, “Arise!”  Arise, Jerusalem!  Arise, sleeping bride!  May God arise!  Arise, come, my darling; my beautiful one, come with me…!  Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you!  Wake up, wake up, Deborah! Wake up, wake up, break out in song!  When I hear things like this in my heart, I tend to take it for intercession for the church at large, intercession for others.  But He whispered this, “YOU are part of my church; speak this over YOU!” Oh my, what those words did to me!  What receiving those words are doing in my heart!

And look at this!  Eight points to my “reset” time…the number of “new beginnings” – I think He is having fun with this!

I have another step – one that will be our artistic prompt to carry us through the next Feast days of Succot, The Feast of Tabernacles.  I’ll be back with that on Thursday!  In reality, this is the first Healing Art Directive.

Shalom,

Cindy

Getting lost in inspiration...and how to find your way back!

At my machine this morning - I find it interesting how the color of the fabric is reflected in the metal of the machine

Recently I heard a question asked:

How do you strike the balance of finding inspiration every day without getting lost in it?

I can identify with this!  I think every creative can...getting lost in inspiration is probably the opposite of the stuckness of the "blank page".

For me, Pinterest is a wonderful organizational tool, but just how many tutorials on painting a triad tree in watercolor do I really need?  What is needed is to get into the studio and put water and paint on paper and use just one tutorial to get started - any one of us learns more by doing rather than just being a perpetual student.  And actually, the feeling/need/idea to keep learning may just be a stall tactic to keep from risking or avoid failing.  It will keep one from finding his/her "own voice" creatively.  And who we truly are, who we were created to be, and the things God wants to express through us remain inside - unexpressed and ungifted to the world.

Since we also learn by doing, we are still being a student, but in a way that will ultimately allow us to move in the direction God is leading...and that is what we all want anyway!

I like the following ideas.  I know these sorts of helps encourage me be more mindful of time passing (some adapted and expanded from here):

1.  "Create before you consume".
2.  Don't confuse inspiration with getting things done.
3.  Stack your inspiration stash...make a stack of your creativity inspiration, then browse the stack
     for a few minutes before bed, or during a time of rest during the day.  Think about setting the timer
     for 5 minutes, 10 minutes, or 20 minutes to avoid getting "stuck" in the inspiration mode.

     Ideas for "stacks"*:
                            magazines
                            "how to" books
                            recipe books (doesn't everyone read cookbooks to relax?)
                            devotional books/Bible Studies (I get so much inspiration by reading other people's
                                                                                 insights - their words that create a picture)
                             the "stack" can even be integrated into the creative decor of the room in which you
                                                                                 choose to place it.

             *how to "stack" digital products:                           
                           grab a URL of something you want to search out more and put it in a list of "Needs
                           further exploration" on Evernote, on a special Pinterest board, or even in an email
                           that you mail to yourself.  You can also paste the URL in a document on your
                           desktop.

How is your inspirational stack looking?  I know mine is a little more tamed now...
Now, is it back to the stack or the studio? {Smiling}

Sneak Peek Friday - Creativity?

 

The Lord gave me this word one day for those who would come across the website...

Such a full week - and if our creative natures - instilled by the Creator Himself - touches each aspect of our lives, then this week has seen much creativity!  Tho' none has been 

pencil to paper

paint onto canvas

thread in and out of fabric...

and I long for that sort of creative endeavor soon!

but this week I did create:

language worksheets

bread pudding (twice!)

quiet spaces in my heart

and in the heart of another

another page in the book of heaven where the Lord records when His children talk about Him

new techniques in photoshop (to the left)...

learning to take better photos - still with my little shoot and go camera!

and if html code is art, then I did a lot (!) as I was able to integrate my blogger blog into my website! 

(Notice the new heading and navbar?)

I am still getting my blogger links into the new navbar...

And I invite you to come visit on Wednesday, when I reveal what God has been teaching me about counting, and you can see how these images will be altered and how they fit with that theme (and new images will be there as well...)

The whitest place for photo shoots!

    

Joining with Jennifer and other creatives at Studio JRU...

Remember this...a new idea

Another great find on Tumblr...since I like collage, why not try this - same shot, different times of the day, different times of the year, slightly enlarge, slightly decrease, then collage together - I love the artsy feel to this!

By Sadee Schilling of apicturebooklife

Today's Reading from "God Calling"

Shower Love

I always hear your cry. No sound escapes Me.

Many, many in the world cry to Me, but oh! how few wait to hear Me speak to them and yet to the soul, My speaking to it matters so much.

My words are Life. Think then, to hear Me speak is to find Life, and healing and strength. Trust Me in all things. Love showered on all brings truly a quick return.

Just carry out My wishes and leave Me to carry out yours. Treat Me as Savior and King, but also with the tender intimacy of One much beloved.

Keep to the rules I have laid down for you, persistently, perseveringly, lovingly, patiently, hopefully, and in faith, and every mountain of difficulty shall be laid low, the rough places of poverty shall be made smooth, and all who know you shall know that I, your Lord, am the Lord.

Click here to read the rest of this post...