Beach thoughts to ponder . . .

How can you simplify your life?

Think of ten ways!

What new technique can you learn this week?

What have you been working on that you put aside awhile ago?

What is your favorite thing to create?

Where do you like to create?

Who do you love?

How do you love?

What do you love to do?

Where do you love to go?

What does love mean to you?

What makes you laugh?

What do you think is funny?

Are you happy?

How do you find your bliss?

What does bliss mean to you?

Can you find bliss all around you?

Describe a blissful moment.

Friends are a rare gift.

Who are your closest friends?

How do you appreciate your friends?

Can you be yourself with your friends?

What do you need most in a friendship?

What does peace mean to you?

Do you have inner peace?

Are you at peace with yourself and your life?

Are you at peace with God?

Does peace exist within you heart?

How do you find your peace?

How will you live?

What will you do?

Live and take care of others.

Live for love.

Live by your faith and beliefs.

Live unselfishly.

New exploration with collage!

Creative in the Outer Banks!

I have just returned from a long weekend in Corolla, North Carolina.  I had another great weekend of rest and retreat.  I find myself seeking those weekends of rest and retreat more and more these days!  I think it has to be working at a demanding full time job and I realize that my time is not my own unless I grab special times like I did this weekend.  I was able to go with my girlfriend Toni and we were determined to get some creative juices flowing!
I wanted to try something I had never tried before and so I brought everything to begin a collage project.  I had been reading Kelly Rae Roberts book "Taking Flight" as I have mentioned in a previous blog entry and I was anxious to get something started.  So off to the OBX . . . I was loaded with my specialty papers, rubber stamps, gel medium, watercolors, words I had been cutting out and saving for months and so much more!!!
Of course starting to create late at night with some good music playing, friendship and great conversation, the mood was set for a creative experience.  I just started playing with speciality papers.  The creative juices were flowing and I created the collage above.  I used a wonderful new art board called The Artist Panel by Ampersand from Jerry's Artarama to mount my work on.  I just kept playing and adding and arranging.  It really became addictive and I had  very good time.  I also created the three little collages below.  They still need a little tweeking, but I am happy with the results.

Getting away and having the time to create was a gift.  Time with my "sister girlfriend" was priceless.   How wonderful it is to have a friend who loves to spend time creating as much as I do!  The idea now will be to continue as I return home in between life's demands.  Creativity is a lifestyle, not something we should fit in when we can.  

I am just beginning to explore this new media and I love the fact that I can incorporate all of my artistic supplies together.  My mind is already ticking with the possibilities of what I can create in the near future.

Let's see. . . Outer Banks:  time with my precious friend, the mighty ocean to watch, a beautiful beach to walk and embrace, great food and shopping, rest, knitting, bible study, yoga on the beach, girlie movie, getting to see my son and his wife, prayer and contemplation....all the makings of a wonderful time away.

Life truly is a blessing!