The first Crafty Diva Cottage

Today for throwback Thursday I'd like to present the first Crafty Diva Cottage which was located in Prescott, Az.  I had always dreamed of having a little 'shotgun shack' to create in.  A grownup 'dollhouse'.  When I found this little cottage it was the beginning of me really understanding how your dreams can manifest.  I had placed in my journal years before the concept of a little cottage to have my business in.  I traveled high and low looking in five different states trying to find the perfect place.  I went to Arizona to study Art Therapy at the college there and lo and behold I found my little cottage.  It didn't last long, life events took over and my stay in Arizona was cut short, but the Dream had manifested.  I knew that if it manifested once there would be another one more suited to me and my business goals and dreams. P.S. There was!

Working at Home

This week has been an emotionally challenging week for me.  I have been setting up my home office and attempting to provide structure to developing my new business model.  I have been out of the small business circuit for the past couple of years due to my on going health challenges.  I decided to get some support and not try to do everything myself and participate in a business coaching program. I've already owned and operated a very successful business in the past.  So I know the basics.  This week I have found it very difficult to adapt to setting up a business model while being physically challenged.

I stopped taking pain medicine over a year ago in order to rebuild and restructure my life.  I had developed a routine to manage the day to day activities of my life after my relocation.  I had just gotten in a grove and was feeling very upbeat and positive.  Almost pain free.  Feeling like I was ready to move to the next level and get more focused in my business.  I was ready to go on Monday, new laptop and printer, new office chair designed for comfort, trash bags to get rid of the clutter, music playlist ready.  I watched the training videos, cleaned, wrote organized from morning til late at night.  My office assistant 'Nala' observed this new routine.  I was feeling good and giddy from my new work day.  The kids commented on my clean office.  I gathered my things and began to walk up the stairs and boom.  Pain! Lots of it.  I crawled to bed.  Reluctantly took Tylenol and tossed and turned all night.  The next day I woke up lots of pain.  I said that I would rest today, I sat up in that chair too long yesterday.

 I started feeling low, low energy mentally and physically.  That's what happens when you are in pain.  I started to question my ability to accomplish my goals.  I let myself get confused.  After a day of rest and knitting I went to sleep.  The next morning I woke up feeling better no longer low energy, positive outlook.  I realized how much pain affected my mood and my outlook.  I realized that I'm not a sad and depressed person.  Being in pain lowers your energy and causes you to be melancholy.  Now it's Friday the week is coming to an end.  I didn't accomplish everything that I wanted to this week, but I did realize that it is very important to find my own rhythm and design and develop my own work style.

Crafts Heal...

Mom and Me Time

There are many roles that I have taken on in this lifetime, daughter, sister, student, entrepreneur, artist, wife and mother.  The one role that I feel is truly my life purpose is that of a mother.  I have been a single mother for the past fifteen years.  There are a lot of challenges involved, lack of sleep, lack of help, lack of energy, lack of time, lack of support you can go on and on and on with the lack song.  There is one thing that you have an abundance of and that is Love!  Love from your children and Love for your children.  There are many times that I wanted peace and quiet to be left alone.  But, the kids continue to push the boundaries and insist that their presence be known. Finally,  I stop whatever I thought was important and cave into the hugs and kisses and the 'I love you mommy's'.  They make the 'lack song' go away and my heart sings a new song of 'Love and Joy.'

For most of my life I have been using journaling and intuitive collage to express myself.  Here is a collage that I made that represents 'motherhood' to me.

For throwback Thursday here is a picture taken during my first year of single motherhood about 15 years ago.  P.S.  my two youngest children were born around valentines day.  How about that for Love!

Be Bold, Tell Your Story!

The southwest pueblo native american's make what they call clay storytellers.  A women that is surrounded by lots of children listening to the story that she is telling.  I made my own version of storyteller's these pots that you see below. I am naturally a shy person.  I have had to work hard to overcome my shyness.  My grandmother and my mother where appalled at it.  Being the Bold Sassy extroverted women that they were.  They wanted me to be proud, bold and stand up and be noticed.  I wanted to hide in a corner and have no one look at me.  I noticed along the years when I spoke people wanted to hear what I had to say.  I then pushed myself to be bolder and stronger all the time.  Around the age of thirty I had conquered the fear and shyness.  I began to speak with authority and lead others.  I was a business owner and a CEO my employees looked to me for guidance.  As life has passed on and I have more experience I realize that I now have a story.  I again became that shy six year old.  Who would want to hear my story?  Everyone had one.  Yes, they do.  Just not my story.  Mine is unique and pertains to me and my life experiences.  I have put myself out there in social media now and am ready to be bold and tell my story.   Are you ready to tell your story?

Snow day

Snow day in the south.  Or, rather ice...

Doodling and Painting

It's been a challenging few days here. When the unpleasant past bleeds into your hopeful future what is a girl supposed to do. Stop, breathe, pray, express gratitude, collect yourself and create. So that's what I'm doing. Working on some new creations. 

Winter Comfort Knitting

This past weekend was another 'polar vortex' weekend.  I am now further south so I'm not getting all of the snow that they are getting back in the DC area.  I love winter and cocooning, hibernating and all of that.  Down here in the south it's different.  The sun shines a lot and is bright, which I love, but I do miss my snow storms.  So, this weekend I cocooned and knitted a 'stashbusting' throw.  It's easy peasy, big needles, many yarns and fast.  Perfect for an ADD person like me.  I finished it in 2 days.  It's easier than knitting a scarf or hat.  I love picking the different colors and textures for the rows.  There is a method to making this light and airy yet very warm and comfy.  You have to mix wool, novelty, fuzzy, and mohair yarns together.  It's not scratchy at all.  This is my third color way.  I'm kinda over my pink phase, but I had been planning this one for a year. I had to make a fancy fringe, I am a fringe kinda gal.

New Edition

I began designing and developing this Journaling workshop in 2005.  This was the second edition of my "Weave Your Dreams Workshop".  I launched it in 2008 and have facilitated workshops and have personally used this journal since then.  It is now torn and tattered from traveling and lots of use.  My life circumstances have drastically changed since 2005.  I think it's time this year to began work on a new edition with a 2015 launch.  Wow, ten years have flown by!  I'll revise, revamp, renew and rejoice with this new 'Dream Journal.'  I can't wait to see where my past experiences (the good, the bad and the ugly) will take me in this new phase of journaling.

Mama's Chair

No family room is complete without a space for Mama to relax, regroup, read and create.  This is my new space.  I finally have a comfy, cozy chair all to myself.  For the past 27 years I've shared all of my sitting spaces with wiggly arms, legs, hugs and kisses.  But now that my kids are almost 'growed up' I have my chair all to myself.  It feels strange, spacious and scary all at the same time.  This is my new space of the future where I'll sit, dream, nap, knit, read, chat and contemplate new beginnings.

Today

A corner of my office this morning.  Letting the sun shine on new ideas.

Creating a Visual Collage

I use intuitive visual collage journaling to assist me in manifesting what I want to create in my life.  For this month I am focusing on wellness.  This has been a lifelong challenge for me since I have been hospitalized many times since the age of 3.  During my art therapy training I learned that creating collage art helps to take your ideas and visions out of your head and your body.  This then creates a visual picture for your brain to focus on, which then allows your subconscious to participate in the manifestation of your ideas and desires.

The early days of January

The early days of January are always slow. The energy rush to create a new life in a new year has died down. The weather is cold, snowy or icy. People are moving on autopilot speed. What I try to do is relax, release and rest. Just be in this stagnant, grey and solemn period. The animals hibernate, we humans don't. This normally ends up being one of my most prolific creative times. What do I do you might ask? Knit, crochet, play with color, search out new creative outlets on the computer. Here's just a few of my winter projects. I love the mix of these color tones.

Planning new workshops.

Today, I've been preparing and planning new workshops for this year using mandala art and zen tangle.

Rebuilding a Life with Grace and Ease.