Going Vegetarian- a checklist

So, today I had my first workout since Christmas- I went spinning, yay! I love spinning. Then after my shower, I remembered that there is an H-E-B right in the same parking lot. That store has a great produce section, so I went and picked up a few things. Now, it's winter in Texas, so I'm planning to eat a lot of hot food. And Skinny Bitch (the book) recommends having fruit for breakfast.

So here's what I bought and my plans. Also, I already have a steamer, and I bought a crock-pot yesterday so I could prepare hot lunch and dinner a little easier. Going to the store every few days can inspire you- just buy the fresh veggies and fruits that look good, and go home and combine them into edible meals!

Fruits for breakfast: pineapple, banana, blackberries (on sale!) and a Valencia orange (to try, I kinda hate oranges, so I bought just one), cherry tomatoes.

Veggies: zucchini, carrots, a couple of baby portabellos, an onion, brussels sprouts, avocado, fingerling potatoes.

My plan? Fruit for breakfast, smoothie for second-breakfast (I don't know about you, but one piece of fruit and I'm hungry in 30 minutes.) Light soup for lunch, bean-based soup for dinner. I like making thick lentil or black bean soups with a bunch of grains like quinoa, barley and brown rice.

My first lunch soup recipe (I made it up), and it tasted fabulous:

Veggie soup:
3 fingerling potatoes, 1/2 zucchini, one large carrot, cut up
2 tablespoons each: dry lentils, pearl barley, and quinoa (really I just grabbed a small handful!)
Spices: curry, dried onions, red pepper
Enough water to cover.

I let that go on high in the crock pot for 2 hours. Then I added 1/2 cup of frozen chopped spinach after thawing in the microwave, and 1 tablespoon of raw, unfiltered local honey. Honey is good for you, and a nice way to add a tiny bit of sweetness since a lot of times, I think that's what vegetarian food lacks in flavor.

I ate it with a splash of soy-sauce because without it I think it would have needed the salt.

yum!

Has Skinny Bitch ruined my life?

I read Skinny Bitch (it's a book, duh) on the airplane out to Florida for Christmas last week. Ugh. It's about going vegan. It's less about all the wonderful reasons why to go vegan, and more about the disgusting and cruel reasons why NOT to eat meat.

[insert guffaw]

Normally, I give a snort of derision whenever someone brings up the tyranny of the meat industry. I believe that God gave us animals, and once we were in a fallen state, we could eat them. If you read your bible, you can find reference to that actually after the flood, when Noah and his family are given "all living moving things" to eat. But let's step aside from the bible for a few.

The book refers to two types of diets- that of "light" (eating foods that grow on plants, which use photosynthesis to grow), and eating decaying dead flesh. Mmmmm, yummy. But I would argue that once you pick the fruit, vegetable, or leaf, it is dead, or dying. So, um, no, that part doesn't really make sense.

The main issue I have with myself, after reading the book, is how blase my attitude is towards the commercial animal products industry in general. I do feel guilty of supporting a business that abuses animals for the only reason of turning a higher profit. I do feel that since we vote with our money, the way for me to vote against animal cruelty in the animals-for-food industry is to stop buying products it produces. I think the average family really NEEDS one cow, one pig, and a family of chickens to survive. That's the way it used to be- Bessie cut your lawn for free, provided a replacement calf for next year and butter and cream for your table, and in return you brought her to the butcher in the fall so she could stock your icebox. And the hens lay eggs- some you let hatch for fryers, and others you ate with toast.

Now, we go to a mega-market where meat has been lying around for days after a mass slaughter under in-humane conditions. It's in little anonymous packages so you don't have to even think about the animal it came from. There's some kind of "acceptable loss" number in the industry for animals that don't make it to slaughter because they die on the way. There's also an "acceptable" amount of rotten or diseased flesh allowed to make it into the packaging, too, which is pretty gross. And then there's the fact that according to the authors, EVERY person interviewed regarding their jobs at a slaughterhouse admitted to either abusing animals themselves, or watching it happen and doing nothing. The animals are going to die anyway, so why bother being humane to them?

Now let's talk health. When you think about it, you'll realize that it is almost physically impossible to eat enough grains and veggies to make you obese. I mean, a cup of spinach has what, 70 calories? Our nation, including me, is fat and getting fatter (well, not me for that part.) It's probably because of fast food (meat, fat, lard, and stuff fried in fat), and processed foods- which can pack an awful lot of calories in a small package. It's insanely easy to overeat on packaged foods- one box of Girl Scout Cookies Samoas has around 2000 calories- and it's pretty easy to eat them in one sitting. By comparison, to eat 2000 calories of salad, you would be eating about a gallon of salad.

So what does all this lead up to? I'm going vegetarian for a while. I'm going to start with a month, and chronicle the experience. I want to see how I feel physically and emotionally. I like meat, so I don't think I will be a veg-head forever. But when I do start eating meat again, I'm going to see what small farms in my area can offer me as far as ethical meat.

Angel Wings

It's that time of year, when I start missing people. I think a lot of people have a similar experience. It's Christmas, and I miss one family tradition the most. For the first 33 years of my life, my family met at my Grandparents' home in Tarrytown, NY. That's the whole family- my father and his three siblings, and all their kids. There would be 21 of us each holiday season, they picked a weekend near Christmas and infallibly we would all gather. Sometimes my Uncle Dick's family couldn't make it, because he was active duty Air Force stationed all over the place, but for the most part we were all there.

My PaPa died in '98, a year after my wedding...and I have missed him deeply ever since. Not because I knew him well, because I don't think I did. He was 91 when he died, and he was an interesting fellow. But the thing I remember and miss the most was his creative spirit, and the way he encouraged it in others. He would say that he loved his job, and felt very sorry for people who were not able to do something that they loved every single day. He worked at the World Trade Center- thank goodness he was long retired by the time of the terrorist attacks. He made these cute little reindeer....

And I always think of him anytime I start thinking about following my dreams and being an artist rather than taking a "job." I also find myself missing my mothers, my uncles, and my cats and dog that have left this earth.... It's hard, and I empathize with all of you that are missing someone this season.

These angel wings are for my PaPa....

Digital Art Journalling with an iPad and apps

So I got an iPad. It was inevitable, seeing as I've been having a 4 year love affair with a guy named Mac who spends a lot of time warming my lap :)

I immediately downloaded a bunch of drawing apps, and I also investigated the stylus angle since I know I don't want to draw with my finger. I found what I believe is THE BEST stylus available for artists, it's called The Hand, and it was a Kickstarter project. It's awesome and you can find it here.

On to some thoughts on which apps to try. First, I downloaded ArtRage. I have it on my computer, so I figured the natural extension was to get it on the tablet. It's ok, but not my favorite thing to use. The cool thing is it's connected to my Dropbox and I can send the source file to my laptop for more refined paintings. The bad is that it's a little too complicated for doodles.

Next, I got Bamboo notebook- which is my favorite program to write and doodle in, by far.  And Sketchbook lite, which is nice when you want to do a more robust drawing. But there are a LOT of tools, and it takes some time to do a good drawing.

I tried several others, not worth mentioning.

And then I got Paper by 53. I started just sketching with the free pen, which is nice...but then I decided to get the add-ons for the felt-tip pen and the watercolor brush. Voila, my life is complete :)

About that Plan....

So I'm not a planner. Is that a surprise? Or rather, I do have plans, I do like to "plan" but in the end, when I'm working on plans for things I want to have happen in my life, they tend to be nebulous.

Like, "This year I want to make my business successful so I can quit working a day job." Or my favorite, "I'm going to lose 40 lbs." Ummmmm, exactly how am I going to do that? You know what they say about intentions. Mine are always great, but I don't follow them up. I have been traditionally very resistant to doing the things that other people say work, such as setting goals (writing it down,) and keeping a food diary and workout journal.

So, rather than wait for January to make a bunch of "resolutions" about my life, I've decided to take advice from others this year and do some actual, tangible planning.

#1: found a blog I like, actually from a link my sister put on Pinterest, called Blogilates. It's a cute girl doing a hybrid pilates style workout. She has a calendar of workouts to do, and a fitness journal, that you can print out and use each month for $1.99. Seemed worth it to me, so I bought it.

#2. decided to invest in Leonie's Planner. The calendar is pretty cute. It's the Planner, however, that caught my eye. There are lots of pages in it that really make you stop, think, and write it out- what you are thinking, and what you want.

So, I'm going to print them both out and put them in a 3-ring binder together.

My goals, moving into 2013, are to:

1. Finally lose the stubborn 40 lbs or so I've been holding on to for 10 years. I really don't need it anymore, thank you very much.

2. Make real, clear, practical goals for my various businesses and follow through. I'll be planning what I want to accomplish during 2013, and what outcomes I want to see by the end of the year.

3. Find a voice for my blog, and write regularly.

Why so Curious?

curiosity [ˌkjʊərɪˈɒsɪtɪ]

n pl -ties

1. an eager desire to know; inquisitiveness

2.

a.  the quality of being curious; strangeness

b.  (as modifier) the ring had curiosity value only

3. something strange or fascinating

4. a rare or strange object; curio

5. Obsolete fastidiousness

The use of the word "strange" in that definition is interesting, isn't it? I never thought it was strange that I wanted to learn everything about a subject.

I remember times that I would get an idea, go to the library, check out 20 books, read them all in one weekend, and deem myself to have learned enough on the subject to either want to continue with more k knowledge, or be done with it. Most times I did this it was because I had a business idea, or an idea that I wanted to do something for money- not necessarily "start a business," but to make or do something that I could get paid for.

Cake decorating, children's party planning, gardening, all kinds of art, mural painting, paper crafting...most of these explorations were creative in some way. But the thing is, I totally immersed myself in the process of learning all I could about it before deciding if it was a worthy pursuit.

I even followed this process in college- when friends offered me LSD and one offered to "babysit" me while I went on my first trip. So what was my first step? I spent an afternoon in the college library and read 5 books on the effects of LSD. And decided NOT to try it myself.

Luckily for me, I am a very fast reader. I can read quickly, comprehend, internalize, and learn what I have read. That got me through all of my schooling rather well- I was always a straight-A student with very little studying, because reading or hearing something once was enough for me. I don't have to do something to learn it. So sometimes I lack a little bit of compassion for people who need that step...it's been a great expansion of my skills in being a classroom teacher myself!

Passionate Curiosity has led me to many wonderful experiences in life. I consider myself a person who takes calculated risks- I learn about something I think I want to do, and weigh the options, and in most cases, try new things. I will try any food- once. I will also try anything I deem non-life-threatening usually without reservation. I have moved cross-country with no job into a house I rented on the internet...I have lived in 5 states, and in 11 cities. I have changed careers several times, and still don't really know where I'll end up. I don't usually do life-threatening things. Sky Diving is not on my bucket list. But I do love roller-coasters and ride them whenever I get the chance!

Do you have it in you to be passionately curious? Because if you allow yourself to feel curiosity more than you feel fear, you will allow yourself to have some pretty interesting experiences.

Creative Fluency

Here's a concept for you- a very important one. It's called "fluency." You might associate this with language, as in "I speak fluent French," and you would be correct. If you really think about the word, it means that you understand and speak quickly and clearly, without having to muddle through.

And how do we build fluency? By immersion, and practice.

On to the story that inspired me to write about it...

Wendigo died last Saturday. Some people would say "passed away," but the truth is, he died and I helped. I have personally put three pets to sleep now (my husband helped too) and it is terrible every time, because it really does feel like you are killing them. Even though it is the humane thing to do, the end result is- they are dead, and you pulled the "trigger." It's a horrible guilty place to be. Poor little guy had no fight left in him, the cancer had riddled his body. So we came home to a house that felt empty. The danger is- we have two other kitties, and not to ignore them because of our grief.

When our dog, Kasha, died four years ago, I gathered up some mementos with great intentions of creating a memorial piece of artwork. That sits unfinished.

When we came home from the vet on Saturday, I knew I wanted to create something for my husband, for us, to remember him. We decided yellow was a good color for Wendigo (the color of his eyes) and he is white, so I chose an assortment of yellow and white papers and a 12 inch canvas. I used lots of other stuff, but basically created a canvas collage that now hangs in our den above the 5 foot cat tower that he used to sleep on. Now our old girl, Tigerlily, has taken over the top level of the tower.

I have been in a constant state of CREATE since moving to Austin. My supplies are out in the living room, and I do a live show almost every Tuesday morning at 8 am. Plus I've been writing a book, which involves a lot more creating and photography than my usual routine.

The point is this- I had an idea and carried it through to completion within hours, not weeks, months, years...It is because I have been PRACTICING constantly and have developed the creative fluency that helped me state, inside my soul, what kind of art I wanted to make, how I wanted to execute it, and I was able to quickly and easily make what I had pictured in my mind.

This is very different than anything in my past- when I would think about it, maybe sketch it, dig around various boxes of art supplies, take things out...put them back, start, tuck a canvas half-painted back away, and not finish. Heck, I hardly got started.

PLEASE- do yourself the immense favor of doing something creative as often as you can! When you are in a state of creative flow, ideas come more quickly and their execution is easier. You become your idea, and are able to see it through. Creative Fluency is the opposite of Creative Block, and it is a skill just like any language or instrument. Practice, and it will be at your fingertips, or the tip of your tongue.

My kitty cat is dying :(

Wendigo, our snow white cat, our big, robust, 18 pound boy, has cancer. It struck him quickly and spread all over his body. What was a little cut or scratch under his eye (so we thought) was actually a malignant growth.

It's terrible to see this happen. He is only 9 years old. He is really my husband's cat, so when he dies, DH is going to be devastated. And there was nothing we could do, the doctor said with this kind of cancer, if you operate to remove it, leaving just ONE cell would cause it to happen all over again because of the way it grows and spreads. So from the under eye, it is now in his nose, shoulder, belly, and feet. Soon we will have no choice but to say goodbye, because the pain will overwhelm him before the cancer shuts down his system. It is so sad. Please send us some healing energy- we are going to need it :(

"Just Be- who you Be!"

A quote by....me!

I said this to a group of my highschool students- we were in the middle of a discussion and an issue about peer pressure came up. 

I turned to one of the girls, a girl who has no problem with this concept- she is 5’10”, very dark skinned, "thick", and very steampunk. Her hair is purple and black, she almost always wears goggles as a “headband,” she loves big shoes that make her look even taller, and every day her eyebrows are drawn on differently. I said to her- “Just be, who you be!” and winked. Then we had a good laugh together. 

Take this advice- no matter what you feel like wearing, drawing, making; no matter who you are today- be you. Don’t worry if anyone cares- it’s you that needs to feel like, well, you! When you speak, act, look, and feel genuine to yourself, you will infect others with the confidence and light of your being.

The Problem of Mattering

The one thing I had wondered, since I was very little...maybe 7 or so, is why anything matters. My religious upbringing gave me the first signs that something was amiss.

Guess what, people. The only thing that matters- is whatever you think matters. Unfortunately, the Universe, God, whatever you call the divine larger power in your life, didn't impress tattoos regarding the meaning of your life on your forehead at birth.

My (adopted) mother made me feel very bad about life from an early age. She was not there for us in any real sense of the word. She herself was very insecure, an alcoholic, and emotionally abusive. She would yell at me for sitting with the family reading a book or doing homework, and not breaking up fights between my siblings that happened in front of me- saying "The only thing that matters to you is whatever YOU are doing. Why don't you look around you and take care of something besides yourself!" This was usually followed by admonitions regarding my "laziness" or lack of effort. All this yelling at ME for not doing HER job of mothering.

So in my tiny little 8, 10, 12, 14 year old heart...I took her word for it. I withdrew into myself and became very introverted. I started thinking passively about suicide- "What if our car just goes off the road into the river? That would be convenient."And then I started thinking that nothing matters at all. If what I wanted didn't matter to my parents, how could it matter to me? As a child, I had no power to manifest what mattered, except in my daydreams.

As an adult, these thoughts continued. I felt powerless to get what I wanted in life. I started to suppress the questions about what I wanted. It became difficult to ask for things that I wanted- even if it were a simple request, such as what restaurant to go to, what to do on a Saturday afternoon. God bless my husband for putting up with me during my completely wishy-washy phase of development.

So here it is- the problem of mattering. If something matters to you, it means you want it.

If wanting things is difficult for you, because things happened in your past to create blocks against you believing in things, it can be difficult to bust through those blocks.

Here are questions I had about things that mattered to me-

What If I Care?
What if I Try?

Those what if's are all completely fear-based.

If I care about this, it will be taken away from me, die, leave, or betray me.
If I try to do this, it won't be good enough.

My fears about caring had to do with the fact that my birth-mother left me at 8 months old...my adopted mother abused me, both of them died before my 18th birthday, my father betrayed me by not protecting me. My mother would dangle things I wanted in front of me like a carrot, and snatch them away at the last moment as a form of bizarre punishment. For example, if I were invited to a birthday party, I would be dressed and ready, holding a wrapped present, and she would tell me that I didn't clean the bathroom properly the night before and therefore would not be going to the party. When I did things, she would tell me they would have been better if I had tried harder...my 2 hours of piano practice daily would become 4 the next day if I didn't practice "enough..." She told me throughout my piano career of 8 years of weekly lessons, 2 hours of practice a day- you'll never make any money as a musician. Better think of something else.

It sounds like she was "Mommy Dearest," doesn't it? But she had her own problems that made her this way. She grew up in a very abusive household. My two uncles are totally screwed up as well, and now I don't even know them anymore. I relate this to you, dear reader, so we can empathize and feel compassion for each other. I think everyone's parents mess them up, at least a little, because none of us are perfect.

So where to go from there, when your upbringing does not validate your needs and wants, the things that matter to you most? How do you go from thinking about it (rumination) to moving forward, a brightly Illuminated soul? The answer lies in a lot of forgiveness, and making new choices.

For me it was simple, it came all at once, after long hours of study and meditation that allowed me to open up and bring new beliefs into my life. It is very important if you want to change something integral to yourself that you first examine your belief system and figure out which beliefs are yours, and which were taught to you and support negativity. If a belief you hold from childhood only brings negativity into your life, you need to break it apart and rebuild it to support your positive growth as a person. But that's another post :)

Simply this: can you say this, hold it in your heart, and begin to believe it?


If nothing matters, then everything does.

Everything I do...

Everything I say...

Everything I believe...

Everything I experience.

So go forward, and BE what matters to you. Others will see you for what you really are, and you will be able to love yourself fully and share that love outward.

On Religion

I was raised Catholic, and went to Catholic school. I distinctly remember my first official initiation ceremony of First Communion. I took the host into my mouth and sucked on it's chalky texture (you weren't supposed to bite it, only let it dissolve on your tongue...lest you bite Jesus's body and make him bleed...wtf?) and went back to my seat to kneel and pray. I prayed...I listened, I felt....nothing. Where was god? Where was Jesus? Wasn't this supposed to be a holy moment, filling my body and soul with the Holy Spirit of God? There I was, at age 7, feeling disillusionment, heavily, for the first time. It wouldn't be the last. It happened again at 13 when I was confirmed by holy oil, anointed by the Bishop of my diocese. That's kinda where I gave up on organized religion for the first time. It would happen again for the final time in my late 20's. It was telling me things that I knew weren't true.

Now- don't get me wrong. I am a very spiritual person, I believe in God, Jesus's ministry, and the power of Christianity. I just don't believe one iota of what any living person wants to tell, teach, or get me to do about it. I believe that these beliefs are personal, that I am on a walk with God through my daily life, and that walk is between Him and me...and he is the only one who cares what I do about it. It's no one else's business. Nor is it my "divine duty" to force it on anyone else.

I feel a sense of dread and shame whenever someone on TV starts spouting their religious views, when a politician brings up their thoughts on abortion or religious freedom, when friends talk about only listening to "christian" music or reading "christian" books. Whatever. I don't remember reading in the Bible that Jesus only listened to that kind of music or read that literature, oh, wait, Jesus was a JEW, people. I can't stand religious rants on Facebook, whether they be negative OR positive. I just don't want to read or hear about someone else's religious viewpoints unless they are specifically asking me to have a conversation about it- which I love and will do anytime. Please don't publicly embarrass all Christians everywhere by being stupid about it online or on TV. That's where the shame comes in. I don't want to be associated with "those people." I feel like it damages my own reputation to be lumped in with "them."

So how do I celebrate my religion? By feeling JOY in every moment I can. Right now, I am sitting on the balcony outside because it is a beautiful day. I hear late-season cicadas who haven't gone back to sleep yet, a plane overhead, the rustle of leaves, falling acorns hitting the wooden planks of fences with a hollow-sounding "pop," and birds. Lots of them. I feel the breeze, the tickle of my loose hair around my face, the chill of the concrete deck through my socks. I taste the mint I am sucking on.

I sing every Monday night with a group of ladies, I go hiking in the woods, I craft and create art, I read, I write, I make videos to share art instruction with the world, I love my husband, kitties, and extended family. I give what I can, when I can. I adhere to my morals, values, and ethics. They were made and molded by my early religious training, and for the most part they provide a good framework for my value system. When something doesn't fit, I examine it down to the core beliefs and adapt it if necessary so I can stay committed to my ethics.

I am honest, I am compassionate, I am generous, I try to turn moments of envy into moments of abundance and learning (How wonderful for you, them, everyone! Now how can I get some of that, too?)

And this, my friends, is how I turn religion into JOY.

From Rumination to Illumination

Rumination is usually defined as repetitively focusing on the symptoms of distress, and on its possible causes and consequences. Extensive research on the effects of rumination, or the tendency to self-reflect, shows that the negative form of rumination interferes with people’s ability to focus on problem-solving and results in dwelling on negative thoughts about past failures.

I just had the best experience in a long time- I got to Skype chat with Marney Makridakis, the founder of Artellaland.com. I've been following the site for years now. Can I just say that Marney is VERY smart? And a generous soul who gave me an hour of her time, free. In that hour, I was able to realize what my heart has been telling me about my life mission, and therefore I changed the title of my blog and now will change my focus as well. It's always been there, I just haven't been able to listen to the quiet, deep part of my soul that is telling me what my REAL, true wish is as a helping professional.

I am a teacher- through and through. I've taught others my whole life, and dedicated myself to lifelong learning. 

I've read several pieces of literature which suggest that teachers are people who have not had a healthy upbringing- rather they have had struggles to deal with, in some cases, all their lives. This makes this special group of people highly empathetic. Many become psychologists, counselors, or therapists of some kind or another. Many get specialized training to do these things, and I believe that in many cases it's because they want to practice in a medical field that they are forced to get this training. But it doesn't take "letters" after your name or a Master's degree to make someone a teacher or counselor. It's a gift.

Somewhere in my early 30's, I realized that I spent a lot of time in Rumination. That is to say, that I could identify the causes and effects of the negative parts of my rearing and psyche. I could think about them to no end, pick them apart, and wallow in them (which, as the definition above suggests, is what rumination often leads to.) But I was getting no where in this endless cycle of negative thinking. I was still depressed, passively suicidal (wishing your airplane will crash when upon takeoff is a terrible thing to live through) and wondering about the meaning of life. Questions I had since age 8 or so. I realized that I had to let the light in, and let my light out. My focus then became finding the light. I did some reading, meditation, study and therapy. I still have a ways to go, and my teachers assure me that I will probably spend the rest of my life "perfecting" my own approach to happiness, fulfillment, and contentment- three states of mind that sometimes coexist, sometimes not.

My gift is this- I now understand how to shine. I know the path, and I want to share it. I believe that creativity and positive thinking can lead you there. As humans, we all share the power to create, and the power to think- to make new life, to make art and build things, to tell stories, to imagine things that weren't there before. Creativity and Positivity is our gift. I'm not just talking about art making, although that tends to be my primary expression. I do like to write as well :)

Halloween Party Pumpkin

This weekend I went to a pumpkin carving party...of course, I can't go with a plain pumpkin. I used a white craft foam pumpkin because I saw something on Martha Stewart using one with black swirls that looked like lace, so I couldn't help myself.
Here's what I used:
Ranger Distress Black Soot crackle paint over the bats
Michael's Studio G black glitter paint for the swirls
Lumiere gold/fuchsia as an undercoat for the bats
Glossy black transparent glass paint for the dots

So I started by randomly painting Lumiere bats, and let them dry. Then I began working on the swirls which took a LONG time. I started at the stem of the pumpkin with a small swirl and then went down, going around the bats and down to the bottom.

After that was done, I overcoated the bats with crackle paint. Then I added some dots to accent the swirled design. Ta-Da!

Self Portrait Sundays....Mixed-Media art time

I've decided that Sunday afternoons are a perfect time to make a mess, reflect, and be quiet...while making art and expanding my drawing/painting/mixed-media skills.

Art is a language with it's own vocabulary. If you don't practice, just like any other discipline, you lose your skills. So during this quiet time, I am putting my skills to the test while trying out some techniques I've thought about, read about, watched on a youtube video, or just simply haven't tried before. Some are tried and true- it's amazing how many people are teaching "how to draw a face" but really there is just one way. After you learn the "proper way," developing your style is all about drawing how YOU like to draw. My faces tend to be slightly idealized and very soft- often the softest part of my painting is the face, with the other details much more textured and prominent. I think that has to do with the fact that I have freckles, and I seriously envy clear porcelain skin. lol

Here's the full painting. I've been thinking about some things I need to do, want to do...so "She knew she could do it" came from within.

She Knew She Could Do It- Mixed-Media painting by Kira Slye

A Green, White, and Grey day....

It's raining in Austin! I can't believe it. I mean, I know it must happen... just the other day I was wondering how this city could be so lush, green and beautiful when it hasn't rained in weeks. There must be tons of groundwater, is all I can come up with.

Rob and I went to Mozart's coffee on the river early this morning to start the day. Then it began to spritz so we came home. I spent the rest of the day on the porch with my laptop, working on new books for LessonPop, creating some artwork for our launch party for Craftylink.com this week, listening to the rain. Wrapped in a blanket, drinking tea. Brings back memories of when I was younger, and I would wrap up in a blanket and sit on the back porch, reading. I especially love days when it's grey, chilly and a bit windy. Right now, someone is cooking and the smoke and smells of grilling meats are getting caught in a net of branches and leaves. It's very interesting to see and smell...mmmmmmm.

Clay Mosaic Plaque! A New video I did live today

I have decided to use Tuesday Schmoozeday as my very own creative outlet. I have WAY too much going on in my life, lots of businesses and a part time job, plus I'm trying to get certified to teach in Texas and continue my actual career.... So often, my own art is the first thing to go. I'm always trying to make something to sell or market, and never making something just for me. But I have a whole room full of art supplies because I'm a hoarder! So on Tuesdays during my live show, I'm making things just BECAUSE. Things that are in my heart, things I want to try. Today, I made it and gave it away. That makes me feel good- because I'm a lightworker- I want to enrich the world with the talents I have. So a big thanks to Finra, in New Zealand, who wakes up in the middle of the night each Tuesday and has watched my show faithfully since we started a month ago. Today she was the winner.

When someone mean hurts your feelings...

Someone was mean to me and Ilysa today. That someone bought a video product, decided he didn't like it, and told us that we suck. In no uncertain terms- he laid it all out there, called us names, questioned the integrity of our business, and threatened to libel us all over the internet.

We have a 100% graciousness policy (that's what I decided to call it today.) We do not blast anyone- even if they, say, steal $5K from us, abuse us, call us names, tell us to travel 1,000 miles to visit an event and then look us straight in the eye and say "what are YOU doing here?" Yes, those things have actually happened. And those people have gone on their merry way, saying things about us the way they do. We are ALWAYS nice, we always give the benefit of the doubt...we never call names. We allow other people to make fools of themselves, but we never return the favor. Ilysa was so miffed this morning she was going to email The Guy- and then a big storm brewed up, the power went out, and she considered it Divine Intervention and called it a day. Good advice- take a deep breath and get over it.

The guy this morning. He is obviously a jerk, and not the right customer for us. Refunded his money and told him to have a nice day- he said if we gave him his money back, we would never hear from him again...Do you think he'll keep the promise? Please do, sir. We don't want your negativity. Not when at almost precisely the same moment, I got this comment:

Kira thanks so much I've always wanted to know how to antique and the other tips you gave along the way were priceless. I'm learning so much I'm so grateful for you. I was stuck and this lesson has given me the renewal I needed. It's people like you that will continue to prosper and stay blessed because you dont keep your fist closed. You gladly open your heart and give more than you know. 

So, There. Go, be free. Just keep your name-calling to yourself.

A stash from Aves clay!

Today my supplies came from Aves! They graciously agreed to give us some Apoxie sculpt for the book. So of course, I immediately decided to make some earrings for tonight! I'm going to the Big Sing with the Tapestry singers tonight- hoping to join this all-women's chorus starting next Monday. One of my favorite things to do is make new earrings before going out- it's so easy and fun to have something new!

Writing a Book!

Well, our contract is almost negotiated and Ilysa and I have written our first two projects. It's tough work, I'm sure most how-to book authors will tell you that. Especially when you have to take your own photos and be sure to get all the steps written correctly and photographed just-so.

I'm lucky to have the apartment to myself in the mornings while hubby is at work so I can make a Gi-normous mess, including having my photo tent and lights everywhere.

Once the contract is signed and finalized, we will have permission to talk about it more :) 

Austin is HOT!

I thought living in Florida would have prepared me for this, but Austin is very very hot. On Saturday, I was down at http://thenatymarket.com, which I'm helping out with in hopes that it will become a vendor there this fall.

Settled in Texas

Well, for now at least! In 3 weeks, we move to a bigger apartment and a week later the moving truck will arrive from Florida. God, are you listening? I never want to move long distance again. I'm over it.

I'm settled in, making acquaintances, and already got a design gig. Plus Ilysa and I got the first app made- a replacement for PolymerClayTV's current crappy app... and we have 2 more in the works. LessonPop apps are next, I've been working on all the websites, and generally trying not to go blind or get glued into my seat. Who said leaving your job and working for yourself was going to be easy? I think I'm working more hours. But it doesn't really feel like work. I'm getting lots more done- no one to answer to, talk to, get interrupted by, or have lunch with. But Booth and Bones have been keeping me company- I'm netflixing all the Bones I missed.

Getting involved with theNATY market soon- if anyone is in the Austin area, it's a new vendor market opening up shortly. You can find them on FB. More on that soon!

Farewell, A Note to my students.

I really enjoyed looking at your portfolios. You may wonder why we make you package up your work and "re-turn" it in. Well, for some of you, (the quiet ones, the ones who do their work without me standing over you, the ones I never have to remind to stay on-task) this is the only time I get to really spend a few minutes looking at what you are really capable of. And why the goodbye movie? Because I get to know you that way. I'm sorry. My classes were quite large this year, and I had far too many places to try to be at one time. I missed out on getting to know some of you.

There's a saying, "The squeaky wheel gets the oil." That means if you squeak, I come to you. So to my quiet, shy, reserved, introspective, or really really "good" students: try to squeak, once in a while. It's always your names that it takes me longest to learn- because I don't have to stand over you to get you to work, because you try to figure things out on your own, because I'm too busy with other students' "issues" to mess with you when it appears you are ok. So break out and squeak- there's no shame in asking a question or wanting attention from your teacher. That's what we are there for, and it pains me that I didn't get to know you as much as I wish I had.

Have a great summer, kiddos.

Preparing for a big move

This is hard, really hard. It's hopefully the last big move in my life, because I don't want to do this again. Well, maybe to Portland...but that will be much much later in my life, if it happens.
Right now, it's to Austin Texas. Texas, really? Not a place I thought I would ever go. But preparing is crazy. The truck is booked, my storage unit is packed, My Etsy shop is basically closed down, because most of what I make is made to order and my tools and supplies are packed. My motivation to do anything other than finish school and pack my things is completely gone. All I can think about is what I'm going to do when I get there. Of course, I'm a bit excited about that. I will be attending singing practice with the Austin women's choir called Tapestry Singers on my first Monday there. Can't wait for that. And the Jerry's Artarama has Ladies' night every Thursday, so that will be next on the agenda, followed by a gardening club of which there are so many I don't know which one to join! I'm attacking the alone-in-Texas syndrome with gusto. I'll be happy to be back with my much-missed hubby, but a girl needs friends too!

Instagram- the dumber blog?

So I had a comment from a teen that went something like this:
Facebook is for old people. Who wants to write?

We've been worried (I say we loosely, and I mean my teacher friends) that kids are getting disconnected and forgetting how to write because of all the technology, the cell phones, the devices. Instagram has me more worried, because all it is is photos. And today, there was a cyberbullying incident on instagram with one of my colleague's students.

Are kids going to get to the point where they don't write anything at all, except for rude comments about each other's photos?

A whole lotta talk about penises

lol. There's been a whole lot of discussion regarding male body parts at school lately. Just what is the high school teacher to do when it "comes up?" lol. I can't stop today, I'm on a roll.

A student drew a penis on another student's paper today, tiny, in the corner. He complained to me about it. I couldn't help it, I said something like, "I don't know why you are worried about that little thing, everyone in the room has one." I was mostly commenting on the fact that my 7th period is in fact, mostly freshmen boys. About 40 of them. The poor young ladies in the class (all 3 of them) are just so put out every day.

So, I had a laugh at school about it today, still laughing about it tonight. Better than the other (more senior) teacher experienced. She opened a student's journal to find a big, anatomically correct penis and thought maybe she should go to administration about it. Poor thing. She used to teach elementary and she just doesn't understand.... our freshmen. All they have on their minds is that. ah. Part.

Bonsai!

Had a blast with my AP students at the Morikami on Friday. It was the capstone to a unit on Japanese art. They had a calligraphy lesson- and let me tell you, I had never seen a room full of silent children before that day. They did great! The weather was perfect, the moms who came to help were perfect, everything was perfect :)

Inspiration all around

Well, we are back from the CHA show. It was a little disappointing this year, because the economy has hit so hard and a lot of companies just didn't feel like it would be a good use of their money. But what a wonderful treasure trove of information and inspiration! We tried out so many cool things- like one of my favorites- iron-on trims and fibers. I can use my little tack iron to attach them to things and there is no need to sew!!!!
None of the clay companies were there. They must not have anything new to show. Lord knows, the last time we were there so was Polyform- with their Studio product (fail). They had a beautiful booth and a terrible concept. Oh well, they should have asked the accomplished clay artists to weigh in before trying to sell that product.
Die Cuts with a View- their booth was GORGEOUS! It looked like a forest, with big trees and things hanging from them. A bead company went so far as to hang their strands from a faux-tree, it was beautiful. I came home and started making things, how could you not? The BEAE art show hangs in two weeks and I'm hoping to put two pieces into it. I'll post pics later :)
If you are interested, you can check out some of my photos at the sneak-peaks post on ThingsCrafty.

Excited to go to Cali!

Can't wait for my weekend trip to California! Gonna see my 2nd cousin Van, only 9 months old...gonna see my BEST FRIEND Cindy for the first time in 20 years. There's a story there, thank you Facebook. And of course, gonna chill with Ilysa at the CHA convention. Well, more like work our tails off and come back with 50 pound suitcases. I do believe my suitcase is going to have almost nothing in it when I leave. Except maybe another suitcase, debating whether I should bring one to act as a carryon for the trip back.
Right now, we are waiting to hear if we will be chosen for a Reality TV show. I can't believe it, I actually hate most of them. But I love the Cupcake wars, and this show is put on by the same producers. It's kinda like a Crafter war, we don't have a lot of details yet but casting ended yesterday- so keep your fingers crossed. If we get on tv, ThingsCrafty.com will take off like crazy- which is perfect because once again, this year I've already been informed that I'm losing my job in June. Ugh. When will public education get better?

Shut Up and Put Out!

OK, that's a little strongly stated, but that's the point. Ilysa and I were talking business this morning and we decided that is going to be the theme of our new crafting community. We are both action-minded women, and Ilysa has been self employed for almost her whole adult life- and that is my goal too. In the next 2 years, I plan to leave "the Man" behind and work for The Woman- Me! But that requires SMART goals and planning. You need to do small, measurable, attainable, relevant, timely things in order to move forward in life. That's what we will be talking, writing, videoing, and blogging about in the near future over at ThingsCrafty. We've got great things in the works- and we will be explaining how sometimes you need to just Shut Up your mouth or your brain, and Put Out- that means get it done!