60 Extra Minutes - What Will You Do With Yours?

{This blog post is via Dreama Tolle - it is her words - find it here:

dreamatolleperry.com/extra-moments

I loved her list of 60 things to do with our extra hour today!}

Don’t rush by one single moment

Give everything the divine attention it deserves

In doing so you will unlock the gift held within  

For this is life

We thrive

in the grace of these moments

**

This week-end is the time we fall back—most of us in the US will gain a  whole extra hour in the day.
A few years back I decided to look at all the potential ways a fellow might ‘spend’ this bounty.

Revisiting the list I’m gonna say #56 would probably do all of us the most good in the long run.
And that #59 is something that would be worth doing every day

So here goes…

1. making a fall bouquet of found items in your yard
2. taking a walk or bicycle ride
3. tell a ghost story to your hubby, grandkids or whomever you can corner
4. dance to your favorite music, slow and fast
5. savor a bottle of wine you’ve been saving back for a special occasion
6. pamper your feet with a hot foot soak and a good massage with lotion
7. look through old photos (remember the ones we had before digital came along?)
8. watercolor remembrances of this Fall in your journal— doing your best to match the magical colors of the leaves—which is impossible but the JOY is in having a go at it!
9. draw a single fallen leaf (or trace it) and paint it in your journal
10. unplug…the phone, the computer, the tv
11. begin a book that’s been tugging at your heart to read
12. call someone you love that you haven’t spoken with in awhile
13. write a letter to your _____ that has already passed and tell them what you’re up to these days…I’m pretty sure they’re listening:)
14. skype or facetime a long distance friend and share a cup of tea together
15. watch some old family videos and marvel at how pretty you were then and didn’t even know it:))
16. find a swing and swing in it
17. head out into the countryside far from the city lights and watch for falling stars
18. make some lists of crazy things you’d like to do
19. pick one and set a date to do it
20. watch a classic movie with home made popcorn
21. paint a petite painting
22. make a pumpkin pie, then eat two slices with lots of whipped creme. and have a glass of cold milk while you’re at it
23. create a playlist of your favorite upbeat, positive message music (Spotify app is perfect for this!)
24. hang children’s art in your studio to remind you of the beauty that exists in all art
25. place quotes, letters, photos, and keepsakes in your work area (office and studio) that help you to remember to follow your own North star
26. buy an orchid to spend this winter with
27. take a long bath in scented water with candlelight and spa music
28. work on a vision board
29. bake chocolate chip cookies
30. daydream. like you did when you were a kid
31. watch the sunrise. so simple. so special.
32. write a love letter to yourself. take note of the big things, the small things that define who you are. write it from the outside looking in. you are a marvelous work of god
33. plant spring bulbs. come spring, you’ll have new faces bringing color into your world.
34. call your mother (or if she’s gone, write her a letter)
35. write your significant other a love note.
36. mail 5 postcards from your town to faraway family and friends (my sis Rhonda does this to me and I love it—I discover things about where she lives via her postcards)
37. visit with your neighbor–share the chocolate chip cookies you baked. This is supposing there are some left to share 
38. meditate in a new place
39. get a pedicure with a new color
40. eat some gelato (I suggest salted carmel flavor…yummmmm)
41. watch Under the Tuscan Sun….again
42. do something outside of your comfort zone
43. go to a local antique/junk store. look for things that remind you of your childhood….and smile
44. browse in your local book store…you never know what goodies are out there. (half price books in my area is one of my favorite haunts)
45. go to the zoo or aquarium (if you are lucky enough to have one where you live)
46. go to the flea market…you REALLY never know what you will discover, uncover, that you can’t live without
47. get your hair done and maybe add some wild color. i’m thinking a streak of purple would be fun!
48. go to the dollar movies. cheap thrills. big screen is always better
49. read the cartoons or a joke book (I have several Scott Adams books, author of the Dilbert cartoons. Pointy Hair Boss and Catbert my fav’s)
50. watch a funny movie (share your picks in the comment section)
51. create stations for yourself on Pandora radio. (Spa, Yoga, Pink Martini, John Mayer, Jim Brickman are a few of my fav’s–please share some of yours in the comments below)
52. head for the kids section in the library or bookstore. the images and stories are always so delightful!
53. buy some colored gel pens and have a field day in your journal
54. go to someplace new, a place you have never been before. a park. a cafe. a new (to you) street in an old neighborhood
55. meet a friend at an outdoor cafe for coffee and smiles
56. spend the hour in quietness
57. pick out 10 great digital photos and print them out and post them in places sure to make you smile. your bathroom, refrigerator, taped to your easel, closet—all the unexpected places that you frequent ?
58. take photos of yourself making goofy faces and mail them to others with the caption “wish you were here!!” (not that I know anyone who does this….)
59. write 60 things you are grateful for
60. this one is yours. fill in the blank__________________ ?

***

Let your life lightly dance on the edges of time like dew on the tip of a leaf.~Rabindranath Tagore

“Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time”
~Marthe Troly-Curtin

We didn’t realise we were making memories.
We just knew we were having fun.
~Winnie the Pooh

***

“Time is a game played beautifully by children.”
~Heraclitus

***

Taking time to do nothing often brings everything into perspective.
~Doe Zantamata

***

**

60Magical
Moments
How will you spend yours?

dreamatolleperry.com/extra-moments/

Pass the Peace With the Serenity Prayer

Our social media feeds can be places of encouragement or places of protest, divisiveness, and stress. Several of my friends have "signed off" of their social media accounts as a result of comment wars and fiery posts - yes, mostly over politics!

Then at Bible Study Thursday night, "The Serenity Prayer" was mentioned...and I thought it was a good reminder for all of us right now...please share and fill your social media with a beautiful and positive note...

If you would like a print, you can head over to my shop - here is a direct link. 

Let the simple petition of the “Serenity Prayer” be a gentle encouragement in your home – a reminder to focus on the attributes of serenity, courage, and wisdom no matter what is happening in your life or in the world!

11 x 14 print for $15.00!

"I know it is hard sometimes to know where to start..."

Need a place to start doing your art?  Or just need to get unstuck from something that seems to have blocked your freedom in Christ?

Just start, just do it, let it flow...a quick free writing exercise to get the blocks out on paper is sometimes all you need!  Free writing is done by just jotting down the words/thoughts at the fore front of your mind with no regard as to capitalization, punctuation, or grammar rules (or spelling!)...set a timer for 3-5 minutes, and then be finished. 

I am sharing my spontaneous, free writing  journaling this morning as I was adding to "scrap" paper to make story cards (a UFO from a spring class I was in!):

"I know it is hard sometimes to know where to start with your art ~ color, lines, images, value, shape, inner dreams, like "I want this to be beautiful, a masterpiece. But I must practice for that to happen - where do I start?"

I tell you - just start...there is no wasted time when it comes to putting pen or pencil to paper (or paintbrush!). Even now, the inner critic says I ruined my paper by writing over the top of color and shapes ~ silly inner critic...doesn't she know there are no mistakes in art?"

Saint Gobnait - Musings about an Ancient Irish Holy Woman

A white stage, inspired by St. Gobnait's story....

"Gobnait" (pronounced GAWB-net) is the Irish version of Abigail - In Hebrew Abigail means "my father is joy".  And I cannot help but think about these verses:

"...in your presence there is fullness of joy..."

Psalm 16:11

"...You love righteousness and hate wickedness;

therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions

by anointing you with the oil of joy..."

Psalm 45:7

"... the joy of the LORD is your strength..."

Nehemiah 8:10

St Gobnait is one of few women Irish saints we have and she lived around the 5^th– 6th century. She is known as the saint for bees and beekeepers. She is also the patron of the sick and it is likely that she used honey as a healing medicine (which is considered to be one of the three great Celtic healers - the other two being water and labor).

Gobnait was born in County Clare. She fled from Clare and took refuge in the Aran Islands, where she encountered an angel who instructed her to go on a journey. The angel told her that when she came upon nine white deer, that would be her "resurrection place".   She wandered through Waterford, Cork, and Kerry in search. At first she saw three white deer in Clondrohid and followed them to Ballymakeera where she saw six more.  Finally, when Gobnait arrived in Ballyvourney, where there was a small rise overlooking the River Sullane, she saw nine white deer grazing all together just as the angel had promised, so she settled there and founded her monastic community.

Christine Valters Paintner writes: There is a deep and rich tradition among the Irish monks to seek out the place of one’s resurrection. This was done through the practice of peregrinatio, a setting sail without oar or rudder to let the currents of love carry you. (This happened in metaphoric ways as well.)



In Christian iconography, the stag/buck is a representative of aspiring to be closer to God (consider Psalm 42:1). It is a symbol of thirsting for purity (this plays into the color white, too) and union with the Holy Spirit. The stag is also a symbol of solitude and going within to connect with spiritual wisdom.


St Gobnait shows us to listen to our hearts to find our home and once there do all in your calling to love and protect it.  (Jean Wise)



References:
http://www.matrifocus.com/IMB05/ireland-gobnait.htm 
http://www.patheos.com/blogs/sacredartofliving/2016/02/feast-of-st-gobnait-go-seek-the-place-of-your-resurrection/
http://healthyspirituality.org/celtic-christianity-tending-the-holy-thursdays/

Limited Color Palette - a video about painting a face

I came across this video on you-tube and loved how the artist shaded the face - 

I learned a lot about showing depth and highlights on a face, even tho' that was not the focus of the video - 

I thought you might enjoy it as well...

"Trust" - an angel on reclaimed box...

New art assemblage/mixed media piece!

I truly do not know why this is the "Angel of Trust"...

Perhaps it is her gentle demeanor and expression -

Perhaps it is the fact that she has taken off and is holding her halo
(sweet tweener's idea), making her appear that she isn't "too holy" to be approachable -

Perhaps it is the quiet confidence that she seems to portray.


But we all need to learn to trust.  It is the first task of a baby, to learn, to trust, that his or her physical and love needs will be met, and sometimes even before the baby knows the need has arisen!  And I want to always have that sort of trust with my heavenly Parent!

And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:19 NIV

She is available to purchase here (in the gallery shop).
(plus images of the interior)

Chalkboard Bird Sketches and Photoshop Brushes

Little birds; tender; delicate; lively and loveable - 

singing with abandon and stretching out their wings to let the currents take them soaring...

Seeking their rest at the altar of the Lord...

where my heart longs to be - where I need to be and where we will remain as the journey we are on helps us explore deep heart issues...

Monogram Heart Birds...one of the bird brushes and miscellaneous default brushes.  The Monogram is in a font titled "Rage" - very fancy and floral so I don't understand the name!

I've been wanting to make these bird brushes from drawings I had found for some time...

and with a quiet weekend upon us, I have it done...

a good break from mind maps!

I'll be using these to help with coming artwork...

18 Brushes in all-available in my etsy shop...

He Will Come Like the Rain...

It has been so, so long since I posted any of my stained glass work...I truly love it, but it seems mixed media has taken over more over the past year... 

A verse has just really been on my heart a lot lately:

It contains the words "He will come to us like the rain"...I have seen it in a lot of art as well {like here and one I found via tumblr and pinned here}...the Lord is knocking on the door of my understanding...there is something here he wants me to see...

The square to the left of the bevel has a pattern that looks like raindrops...

The image above and the one below show how beautiful each style of glass is
(each section is a different patterned glass...)
The one in the upper left of the piece is wavy - hard to see in pictures...

The lights in the kitchen have a yellow tint and my countertops are off white, and I always get this warm peachy vanilla effect when I take pictures using the island as a base...

I added 3 crystal beads that dangle somewhat freely - I thought they furthered the idea of raindrops...or since there are three, perhaps the Trinity?

He will Come Like the Rain:
If you are interested in buying this piece, click here...

And what has the Lord been whispering?  Look at the entire verse:

So let us know, let us press on to know the LORD. His going forth is as certain as the dawn; And He will come to us like the rain, Like the spring rain watering the earth.  

Hosea 6:3 NASB

"Let us press on to know the Lord" - an invitation to go deep...and it connects strongly with my word "contemplate" for the year - like this verse is the summation of His desire for our time together.
{I already know my word for the coming year...♥...coming soon}

Joining with Jennifer and other creatives at Sneak Peek Friday over at StudioJRU...

Defining Art Therapy...{Creative Pathways}

As I have moved forward in combining my passion {creating} and my purpose {counseling} I have really had it on my heart to share the definition of art therapy in this place...and to investigate how others have infused their faith into the process.  The "text book" definitions are included in this post - the next will explore the spiritual component in more depth...

One thing I enjoyed as I read the formal definitions of art therapy is how the processes apply to people who  are "seeking personal development" - doesn't that apply to us all?  The beautiful thing is that we can choose to seek guidance as we grow or as creatives and innovators, we pursue the path on our own!  I invite you to read through the definitions, and note {journal?} the benefits that speak to you...

All the artwork here is mine - done with clients (it is encouraging to some to have the counselor do art with them ♥) and some just to express what was in my heart...

wings, freedom, flying - all point to the comfort of feeling at "home in one's own life"

One
The American Art Therapy Association offers this definition:

Art therapy is the therapeutic use of art making, within a professional relationship, by people who experience illness, trauma, or challenges in living, and by people who seek personal development.  Through creating art and reflecting on the art products and processes, people can increase awareness of self and others cope with symptoms, stress, and traumatic experiences; enhance cognitive abilities; and enjoy the life-affirming pleasures of making art.

Art therapy is a mental health profession that uses the creative process of art making to improve and enhance the physical, mental and emotional well-being of individuals of all ages.  

 Research in the field confirms that the creative process involved in artistic self-expression helps people to become more physically, mentally, and emotionally healthy and functional, resolve conflicts and problems, develop interpersonal skills, manage behavior, reduce stress, handle life adjustments, and achieve insight. {my thought - I believe this definition applies to all of us as we live our daily lives!♥}

Two 
(a list compiled from other places with art therapy definitions) 

Art Therapy is a form of therapy that uses art as a means of expressing and working through emotional difficulties.

a) Allows for the expression and processing of emotions that may be difficult to put into words.

b) Gives opportunity for the externalization of emotional issues encouraging clients to see other alternatives.

c)  Makes verbal expression more accessible 

d)  Provides the client with insight into the issues they are dealing with so they can move forward in their healing.

e)  Helps bring change to destructive patterns of behavior

Sometimes the decision to uncover past trauma is an event in and of itself - this was done to help a person with complex DID feel safe in even making the choice to move into facing deep trauma or "standing" still for a while...allowing her current level of healing to further stabilize her life.

  

Three
(love this list!)
According to the Australian and New Zealand Arts Therapy Association, art therapy can help:

a) reduce stress
b) increase self compassion
c)  resolve conflicts
d) develop interpersonal skills
e) achieve insight
f) manage problematic behavior
g) express feelings that may be difficult to verbalise
h) explore their imagination and creativity
i) develop healthy coping skills and focus
j) improve confidence
k) identify and clarify issues and concerns
l) increase communication skills
m)share in a safe nurturing environment
n) improve motor skills and physical coordination
o) identify blocks to emotional expression and personal growth.

I found this little girls face in a magazine and just loved the look on it - and the position of her hands...I made this just as a message - to help clients (even myself!) think about how to release the unhealthy patterns of responding to relationships that were learned in childhood, and to enjoy the childlike quality of spontaneity...

 Children

(this definition is a compilation of many different sources I found)

Children do not possess the same ability to verbalize difficult feelings and experiences that adults do. 

Because of their difficulty with verbal expression and abstract thinking, talk therapy is often very limited with children.  

Art therapy is a psychotherapeutic service and form of expressive therapy that gives kids the chance to participate in creative, nonverbal expression through the use of art materials. In other words, art therapy communicates when words simply cannot.

  

Did you learn anything new? 

Or do you have more understanding now as to why you love, love, love to make art?

I'd love to hear your thoughts...