Fiber Arts Open Studio

Yesterday we had a wild, wooly and windy time at Blue  Pelican Gallery and Gifts.  Hatteras Island had up to 50+ mile an hour wind gusts and the rain and noise was deafening.  But, we were cozy and warm knitting and spinning up our own storm at the Fiber Arts Open Studio.  Linda Sue was mastering the art of using the drop spindle and Claudia revealed her beautiful Yarntaster throw.  (The picture does not show the depth of color or the many beautiful yarns she used) Come join us next week.

Fabric Painting and Duck

Yesterday I finally got out my paints and stamps and made a real mess in my cottage.  I've been chafing at the bit to get going on my fabric experimentation.  My intent is to find my voice in fabric, I just haven't found it yet.  I'm continuing to explore all avenues and can't wait until I sing.  But, until then I'm enjoying the process.

When I began painting I felt great, I was in a rhythm.  Then it became work, but I wouldn't stop.  I keep pushing myself.  This is a long process.  It takes a couple of days to see the end result.  I was hand painting on cotton and faux batiking using a resist paste.

Then I decided to take a break.  I had been in the house all week through all of the weather changes.  The sun was shining it was almost 60 degrees so I went to the beach.  The wind surfers were out.  It was extremely winding, but felt good.  Nala and I got out to touch the sand.  There were a lot of washed up seashells.  So I started picking them up and before I knew it I was strolling down the beach.  This had been a visualization of mine a few years ago when I was almost immobile and very sick.  Wow, dreams do come true!  I couldn't believe it I wasn't huffing and puffing. Yay!  When I got back home I was ready to paint, but had a duck to prepare and cook.  My sister had sent me it for New Years and I was ready to cook it.  So, as the duck was cooking I was painting more fabric.

I went to bed tired, yet fulfilled.  I had accomplished a lot and my visions were manifesting before my eyes.  Bright colors on fabric, collecting shells on the beach and beautifully roasted duck ala orange served with baby peas.  Healthy goodness.

Doodling Cards

This week I have been painting, learning new techniques and creating art.  By Friday I was totally spent.  I had enjoyed my burst of creativity, but now I was empty.  I cleaned up the art table and put everything away.  I rested a bit and even took a brief nap.  When I got up I decided to try and find something to make.  Nothing called to me though.  I gathered all of  my neon craft supply stash that I could find and put it all together.  Still nothing.  I started putting everything away again and saved my colored cards.  I then saw I had a new brush tip black marker.  Hum...  This could be something.  I started doodling and look what came up.  I started making these inspiration cards and doodles, found my metallic markers and 'Boom'!  Back in the creativity vortex.   These cards make me so happy.  It's so empowering to be inspired by yourself.

Creativity Vortex

As I have been saying I am riding the wave of a major Creativity Vortex.  The energy is strong, vibrant and all consuming.  I haven't felt this creative in years.  It's a wonderful feeling and full of creative possibilities.  I finally have the physical energy and emotional desire to craft all of my crafting visions into reality.  The past several years had been very challenging for me.  I was in a lot of pain both physically and emotionally.  Ever step I took was painfully.  Sitting up and laying down was painful.  Brushing my teeth was painful.  I was swirling in a whirlpool of pain and discomfort.  The doctors recommendations were none.  Increase your medication and basically gave me no hope.  When you are overweight and have a heart condition they are just waiting for you to die.  Added to that I had several other issues going on.  I refused to cave into the pain and what got me through was my children, my pets, my sister and a couple of friends.  I lived in my head, I had all of these visions of making art, crafting and vivid colors.  I had dreams of a life crafting and sharing the benefits of crafting with others.  I am now taking baby steps toward realizing these visions.  Last year I was able to overcome 80% of the pain and began crafting.  This year I am teaching and coaching on a weekly basis and crafting these bright, vivid, colorful works of art.  I'm loving it and enjoying living in this creative vortex.  It's the answer to my prayers for creating joy and wellness in my life.

Here is the artwork I created the past few days.  I never ever considered myself a painter.  I love painted everything, clothes, furniture, artwork etc.  But, I never felt I had the gift.  These pieces are still childlike and whimsical but, I see some potential here.

Dream Circle Workshop

Yesterday, I had the pleasure to work with two local women business owners.  They were interested in making Dream Boards, a visual collage activity.  This process assists the creator in tapping into their own unique inner eye and bringing those visions or dreams, goals and desires into the physical world.  Once you see your hearts desire on the boards it gives your dreams more clarity and enables you to focus on things and feelings that you want to manifest in your life.  It's also a form of active meditation and can be very soothing and empowering.  The boards reveal a lot about our selves and I thoroughly enjoy facilitating this technique.  We had fun playing with the art materials and of course sprinkling the fairy dust around the table.  I look forward to working further with these women on their creative journey towards personal and professional success.

This was my piece that I worked on after the workshop.  I have not painted something like this before.  It was nice to just make 'art for art's' sake.  Of course, I had to take advantage of the art table.

Painting with fiber

This week I got into a real fiber frenzy which was strange after batiking last week.  I finally made space to make up the needle felting kits I had purchased.  Once I got started I couldn't stop.  It was good to get lost in that crafting zone.  I hadn't been there in years and through the darkest days of my illness I didn't think I would ever get it back.  When I owned my highly stressful business I would dream about just sitting in a little cottage and crafting whenever I wanted.  Yesterday I realized that I finally manifested that dream.  These scarves layered with color texture and flowers came to symbolize the creation of my dreams and confirmation that dreams do come true.  This technique is a form of weaving and collage making.  I find that when I create using a random method I am able to access the deepest parts of my spirit.  It was a very joyful experience for me to have allowed myself  the space to create.

Fiber Arts Open Studio

Yesterday, the ladies revealed their finished projects.  I was so pleased to see the beautiful and artful scarves these beginners created.  As I always say it's all about the yarn.  Choose great yarn and a beginning knitter can create a designer scarf, hat, sweater etc.  Linda Sue an experience knitter joined us again yesterday and completed her yarn taster throw.  She added a little twist at the end and made it a snuggle throw that goes around your head.  Great innovation.  They all braved the blustery cold and snow flurries to gather at Blue Pelican Gallery.  I really enjoyed the day and look forward to more to come.

Fabric painting

I'm ready to take my fabric painting and surface design techniques to a new level.  I've been experimenting on them for years. Dying, stamping, discharging, serti painting, batiking, on silk, cotton and canvas.  I still haven't found my voice in any one method.  This year my intent is to find and explore all the avenues.  Today I'm just playing around.  Can't wait to see what the finish product will be.

Two days later, Finished work.  'Ta Da'!

Art for Art's Sake!

I am feeling over stimulated and over whelmed with creative ideas.  I have this over whelming urge to create, create, create.  But, I'm over stimulated with Social media images and craft supplies shopping.  I'm still struggling to create an income from doing what I love, so when I make something it always has a 'can I sell it?' Energy attached to it.  It's very frustrating and limiting.  I love making and creating just as an expression of my thoughts, feelings and visions.  I just want to make art for art's sake.  So today I'm playing and coloring with images I have created.  They can be used to express a lot of different crafting techniques:   needlepoint, crochet, collage, silk painting, rug hooking, drawing, painting, etc.  The only thing that's getting in my way is ME!  Does this happen to you?  'For Art's Sake'!

Stamping

My hands have been hurting from all of the knitting, crocheting and iPad movements.  I wanted to express my creativity and decided to unpack my stamps and paints.  It's a great way to create your own artisan journal paper to use in scrapbooking or collage or vision journal.  Plus it's very relaxing and fun.

Fiber Arts Open Studio

We had another great day at Blue Pelican Gallery Gifts & Yarn knitting today. Claudia joined our new group. The ladies are knitting up a 'storm.' Love how their scarves and Sue's poncho are coming along. Thanks Jenn for opening up on such a cold and blustery day. See you in two weeks.

Dream Business Coaching

Yesterday was a great day!  I was able to facilitate a Team Building exercise for my friend's small business, Mad Mad World a creative lifestyle company which specializes in art-to-wear clothing.  (www.Arttowearhouse.com)  I had previously coached Suzanne through the process of closing her store a few years ago and pursuing new business avenues.  Which led to expansion and the opening of many opportunities.  This year Suzanne wants to take her team and her business to new levels.  I have been coaching her on different organizational and strategic planning strategies that would take her there.  But, first we wanted to empower her team and allow them as a group to develop a new company mission statement.  I lead them through a process of self-discovery by facilitating my dream board workshop. We also redefined the teams individual roles within the company and then created a new mission statement.  This was a fun, upleveling  and empowering session.  It's so enjoyable to see how using creativity and art-making can enhance the development of left brain structured business processes.  My intent is to continue to facilitate this process with this team as they continue to create their dream business.

As you know most great business decisions are made around the kitchen table.  Here we are creating in my kitchen around my kitchen table.  It's exciting to be able to interject a touch of whimsy to such a heavy subject.

Fiber Arts Open Studio 2015

We had a great gathering yesterday at our first Fiber Arts Open Studio of the year.  Jane and Amy two Hatteras Islanders joined us.  Knitting was new to both of them and it was great to see the process 'click' as they found their own knitting rhythm.  I can't wait to see what they make and create.   Suzanne started working on a poncho knitted out of a bright Noro yarn.   Come join us on our new day Tuesdays from 10:00am - 1:00pm at Blue Pelican Gifts and Gallery.

Dreams do come true

This is the purpose of Dream Boards!

Dream Board 2015

Working on my dreamboard today.  This is the first board I have made in a couple of years.  During those dark days I was mad that my dreams were not coming true.  I had made many dream boards and visual art journals and dream circles.  I loved the collage work and cutting and pasting.  Adding glitter at the end.  I made them all throughout the year not just the new year.  I had long stopped making New Years resolutions.  They didn't work for me.  I taught dream board workshops and helped other create, make and visualize their own dreams, goals and intentions.  I heard back from my students that their dreams were actually manifesting and coming true.  I celebrated for them and with them, but was sad that my dreams weren't manifesting.  Yes, I could manifest short term goals or items.  But, the dreams that were childhood dreams weren't happening.  Why?  I felt like a fake.  Teaching others while all along hurt that mine weren't materializing.  Two year ago I packed up all of my dream boards, dream journals and left them in storage.  I was on the run, survival mode.  Didn't know where I was going and didn't want to stay where I was.  I was forced to focus on one thing.  Getting well.  I tossed my dreams aside and took one step at a time one day at a time.  Then one day my dreams starting manifesting and I was living the life I had always imagined.  Wow!  These boards and ideas really do work.  I realized that I had all of these dreams and was asking for God and the angels to help me create them.  But, I wasn't living in alignment with my dreams.  Once I let go of what wasn't working in my life and focused on what it was I really wanted, things started to happen.

So this year 2015 I am making and creating a new dream board with new intentions.  I learned the key to the success for these boards and that is 'get outta your own way'!  Just make it and release it, then allow it to become.