Squam by the Sea . . .

My thoughts on Squam . . .

Magical 

Inspiring

Getting my hands filled with paints

Creative

Renewal

Beautiful Cottage

Loving

Finding my Inner Mermaid

Creative McCabe

    New friendships

                                                                        Painting
                                                                   Writing

                                                                        Hugging
                                                                    I was a Beach Diva
                                                                      Tears
                                                             Blissfulness
                                                                  Delicious Food
                                                          Unblocked and Untangled

Mix it up! 

Sweet Sarah

New Ideas

Incredible Elizabeth!

Yogini Michelle

Finding Creative Self

Bonfire and Hooping

Full Moon Beauty

Caring and Keeping of Creative Souls

An experience I will never forget!

I am grateful for the opportunity

Relaxing and Peaceful

Special Friendships made

Beautiful Outer Banks

Awesome new necklace to wear by Kelly!

Circle of Friends

Quiet Rest

No fear....just create

Artistic

Delicious

Awesome Squash Soup and Mushroom Lasagna

Soul searching Jen Lee

Loving

Happy

Sharing

Giving

Thank you Squam by the Sea for teaching me to let go and play!

I will remember this experience for a long time and I can't wait

to return again someday.

I was gifted this past week in so many ways.  Truly I returned

home changed and in awe of the experience!!!!

Thank you Elizabeth for having the vision and

 then sharing it with the rest of us creative spirits!

Healing through Collage

Birthday Collage for Angel

Good Morning Friends!!

I have just completed this collage for my sister's birthday and wanted to share it.  I am very pleased with the result and everytime I finish something I have never tried before and like it, I am still amazed! I used all kinds of different techniques on this piece.  I have been reading a wonderful book I picked up at Borders a few weeks ago . . .  The Artistic Mother by Shona Cole.  It is a practical guide about fitting creativity into your life.  I picked it up and loved her written word and was drawn to her many projects.  Although my two boys are now 30 and 27, married and on their own, I could still relate to what she was talking about . . . fitting creativity into your life (I just no longer have the little ones running around the house to fit in time for creativity!!!) I surely miss those times and they pass by so quickly!  I do remember raising my babies and never had time to dream about being artistic!!!  Now being all grown up and working full time, I still find it hard to carve out time to be artistic.

That word creativity keeps creeping up into our lives doesn't it?  Making time to do what we love, away from distractions of life, away from jobs, family and life obligations. It is the place we go to where we can carve time out of our busy lives to play, create, paint, knit, weave, design, read, collage, write and blog; to do whatever it is that brings us happiness and fullfilment in seeing something come to life right before our eyes.  

I created this collage piece for my sister; her birthday was fast approaching and I wanted to give her a piece that would matter. I wanted to create a piece that she could look at in her studio and be reminded that she was special and her little sis loved her.  With each color I used to paint the canvas, to the words and pictures I chose for her collage;  all of it was well thought out and applied meaning to the piece.  You see in the center is a picture of myself with my brother and sister, I being the middle child (the little blonde in the picture) always played the peacemaker.  I lost my mother to a long journey of Dementia a year ago this week and I am dealing with natural emotions and remembrances of what was.  My brother and sister are still struggling with each other and I don't know if they will ever come together, but at least for this collage, there is the three of us!  I wanted my sister to remember our childhood and that there was a time in our lives that it was the three of us!

Creating art goes way deeper than the finished product . . . it is about the process it took to get there!  I learned so much in working on this piece, I hope it is received well by my sister, if it is not that is okay too!  The pleasure was in the time it took making it for her.  


Now I am off to the Squam by the Sea art retreat in the Outer Banks.  I get to play and rest and meet new friends and be totally immersed in an artistic environment!!  This is the first time for the Squam retreat to be in the OBX, I can hardly wait to get there.  Lots of photos and stories when I return. 


Until then, be well, be creative and be at peace with all things!
Donna

On Knitting and Yoga...

I promised to post my finished piece!  Here she is!

                                                                                 

www.ravelry.com/people/yogiknitgirl

I have been working on lace knitting for awhile now.  I have been an avid sock knitter for years and at the encouragement of my sister Angel, I have begun knitting lace.  I am a member of an amazing knitting community (much like facebook) call Ravelry.  This is an online site where knitters, spinners, weavers, designers gather to share their amazing work, patterns, yarn sources and make new friends.  Amazingly, knitters are friendly people and we all get joy in sharing our patterns, where we purchased them and the beautiful yarns and needles we used.  It is nothing to see over 1700 members online when you log in!  Seriously, the knitting community is amazingly large!  I have included a link above if you want to check it out  on my Ravelry page...warning...it will lead you to page after page of amazing knitters, visit when you have the time to explore it all.

When I started my blog over seven months ago,  I wanted to create a place where I could write down my thoughts and share my inspirations about living the creative life.  As I look back at my journey so far, I am happy with where it has lead me. I have grown in word and in my confidence that others want to hear what I have to say.  So when I find a good place to take you like Ravelry, I want to share it with you.  Perhaps some of you don't know that a place like that exists!

So the title of my entry today was knitting and yoga!  Hmmm, how can I blog about wonderful things that have touched my life without mentioning my yoga practice!  I am in love with yoga and have been practicing  yoga for many years.  I thought about this post after I had returned home from a workout at my local Hot Yoga studio and I was feeling relaxed and energized.  I picked up my knitting to finish my shawl.  As the time was flying by, and the needles were clicking away with a quiet rhythm, I began to think about what these two "arts" did for me that day.  They both created a place of healing, contentment and calmness.  I have always heard the term that "Knitting is the new Yoga",  I do believe they are connected, at least for me they are.

Yoga gives me a sense of health and well being in order to complete whatever I have to do for the day. It gives me a sense of quietness of the mind.   My yoga practice carries me into my day, I do not leave it at the studio or on my yoga mat!  Knitting gives me a sense of accomplishment, calmness, meditativeness and pure and simple joy...the two are connected for my life.  The two correlate to my wellness and quiet mind.  I am lucky to be able to recognize what these two arts do for me, but I always feel that my yoga practice adds to any creative avenue that I pursue.  It is hard to put into words... I am a spiritually healthy person and my faith in God carries me through at all times. When we live in balance, we live more freely.  My yoga practice helps me to balance out the rest of my comings and goings in this adventure we call life.

So if you have never tried a yoga class before, get out there and try.  There is strength in trying something new and if you walk away from a yoga class not feeling euphoric, come let me know!  I know it works for me and my lifestyle, it will work for you.

So I will not choose between yoga and knitting...it is a combination that works for me!  I promise to post a picture of my completed and soon to be  blocked Ishbel shawl soon....I had to finish it in time for fall to wear with my new black leather coat my hubby bought for me!  See...sometimes having a creative deadline is a good thing!

Namaste my friends

Fall Harvest

God's Beauty!

Delicious!

I love the fall...it is my favorite season and my favorite time of the year!

I have just gotten my first pick from my pomegranate tree and I am constantly amazed at God's beauty!

Not only is the fruit beautiful to look at but delicious to eat as well!

As I photographed the tree with the different fruits growing, I began knowing that this would be the perfect watercolor picture!

Isn't it interesting how the mind of an artist works?  We view something we think is beautiful and take it a step further!  I am already trying to decide what colors to use, what paper to paint it on and how to capture this beautiful piece of fruit's beauty.

Fall is a time to slow down, rest and contemplate.  It is a time for pots of soup, homemade breads and nesting in our homes.  Our gardens slowly begin to fade away and the freshness of summer has passed.  We have vacationed, been lazy and had lots of time to play.

With fall comes schedules and settling in.  Settling in to whatever we need to do.  I am in a new season of life; my children are both married and have homes of their own and my husband and I are settling in to a life with just the two of us!  It does take some getting used to!

I do have more time now to paint and pursue new creative avenues!  I have enjoyed exploring collage, something I haven't done in years.  You will always find with something to knit in my hands.

So I say hello to fall and I welcome it here.

My pomegranate tree always reminds me in October that fall is here and it is time to settle in to my home, my arts and my blessing called life.  I never set New Year goals, my goals are always set in the fall;  for that is my new beginning.  I love it!

I urge you to think about areas of your life that you can slow down and settle in.  Welcome fall in with all of its fresh new potential. 

 Explore all of the wonderful creative possibilites it brings along with it!

For me....I need to finish this watercolor sketch!

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!

Inspiration from Monet

Ode to Monet

My last class from Creative Thursday with Marisa was this past week.  Our assignment was to create something or anything we wanted to.  It was called a wild card project.  We could try any medium and do anything we wanted to.  I wasn't sure what I was going to create, until I stumbled across a picture of me standing in front of Monet's Water Lilies painting in my journal.  My heart stopped and I remembered when I actually stood next to a Monet Water Lily in the Metroplitan Museum of Art two years ago on a wonderful Sunday morning.   It was many years before that when I had the privilege to see the triptych of  "Clouds on the Water Lily Pond" paintings in the MoMA (Museum of Modern Art), also in New York City.

For my last project with Creative Thursday I chose to finger paint a Monet Waterlillies painting.  I had actually taken a finger painting workshop at my local Jerry's Artarama a while back with Allen Montague, a finger painting maestro. (You can find him demonstrating on YouTube).  It was fun to learn a new technique on a Friday afternoon. I took lots of notes, I bought the paints and canvas but I never did anything with it after the workshop.  Does this sound familiar?  How many art projects are we going to get to someday!  We collect art stuff and more art stuff!

Monet has truly been my painting inspiration my whole watercolor artistic life (that sounds silly doesn't it?)  I love his choice of colors, his style of impressionistic painting.  I have read as much about Monet as I possibly can and have truly fallen in love with his Waterlilly series of paintings.  In fact, Monet truly was the leader of the impressionistic movement in France.  No one else compared! When I was attending a Vision conference in New York City I had the opportunity to visit the Museum of Modern Art.   I saw lots of paintings and unusual photographs that I didn't understand and did not find impressive.  I know that all art is interpreted to individual tastes; so I know someone appreciated the exhibits I saw, I truly did not!

I then stumbled into one room that was filled with Monet's Waterlilies.  In this large room was a series of three large panels of oil paintings depicting Japanese style ponds covered in water lilies.  I truly felt an overwhelming flood of emotions.  I stood in awe! The three canvases were displayed on three separate walls.  Monet had always specified that they be displayed on curved walls so that it would feel like water.   Please believe me when I say I that I sat there for hours in peaceful meditation just feeling the presence of Monet; my favorite artist of all time.  I sketched with my journal, wrote my observations of his techniques and color choices.  If only I could speak to him, watch him with paintbrush in hand, meet him face to face; heck how about study with him...a girl can dream can't she???

Photos courtesy of MoMA website

As I listened to the audio commenting on these wonderful paintings, I learned that Monet completed these paintings in 1920.  He painted these paintings with failing eyesight in the last years of his life. Being an Optician, my heart felt for him with his failing eyesight and his desire to continue painting.  He truly wasn't finished with all he wanted to accomplish.   In fact, his color choices were greatly criticized by others.  That is exactly what I love and am drawn to the most in these paintings; his choice of muted and gentle colors.  I also learned that these three large canvases were stored for over twenty years after his death before they were exhibited in any museum. I can just envision a stuffy room full of Monet's paintings all over and no one tending to these precious treasures. The MoMA acquired all three canvases in 1959 and have remained there ever since.  I urge you to see them if you find yourself in New York City.  I came home with a large poster of that exhibit and it is a reminder for me of that wonderful Sunday morning experience.

So my little finger painting was completed in just a few hours.  I played classical music by Debussy and began the creative process.  It was fun to try something new and it is amazing what your fingers can do with some acrylic paint.  I am used to painting with watercolors, but acrylic was fun and different for me.  So another lesson learned:  Don't be afraid to step out of your creative box! Thank you for the challenge Marisa.  What a wonderful course that was for six weeks.  If she offers it again, please consider taking it, you will not be disappointed.  It is important to be with a community of creatives.

My creative thursday!

So I now have a new addition to my art studio and as I look at it I am reminded of many things:  trying something new is good for you . . . I am still in awe of Monet the man and his work . . . Museums on a Sunday morning are awesome . . . fill your eyes with good art . . . be inspired by others . . .   study your mentors  and learn about them . . . and most of all enjoy your wonderful artistic life.

My new journal came today

Where magic thoughts begin!

I just happened to have the day off today and I had decided that this would be a day of self care for me.  A quiet morning at home, reading and knitting, then special tea time with a friend, a hot yoga class and of course a nap would be in there somewhere in my afternoon.   I work full time as an Optician in a very demanding Eyecare practice.   I have to choose my days off carefully;  today happened to be a Jewish Holiday and we were closed, the time off was a gift and I took it gladly!  When I arrived home after running my errands, I saw sticking in my front door was a package.   I was really excited because I thought it might just be a journal I had ordered on Etsy a few short days ago with my birthday money.  I could think of no better gift than this journal.   There it was, beautifully handcrafted and ready for me to begin writing.  My day had just become even more special.

My thoughts began to flood me today and I wanted to share them with you.  I think that we forget sometimes the joy of writing and journaling. How wonderful it feels to have pen in hand and actually handwrite onto a page.   I know that beginning this blog has been a way for me to express what is inside of me, a way to express in a totally different way than writing in my journals.  I have learned to write deeply, share freely those thoughts, work on my computer, how to design a blog and all that goes with that.  I have mentioned before, adding widgets and gadgets, was not a part of my vocabulary.  I didn't even know how to link anyone or anything!  This was a whole new world for me and I am enjoying the entire process.  I have learned though that it is taking an enormous amount of time and energy to keep a blog and be able to do it successfully.  When one thing takes time, something else is always sacrificed.  I realize for me my written word and journals were being slighted.  Life truly is a balance of give and take isn't it???

I do not want to get so involved with the writing of my blog that I forget my love of journaling, my love for drawing and doodling on the page.  When I look back at my older journals and read through them I am amazed to see the messages that come through loud and clear.  Thoughts from my heart and mind from many years ago.  I have journals about weaving, knitting projects, poetry, short stories, a diary of inner thoughts, sketches etc.  This is truly the magic that happens within a paper journal.

A variety of magical pages!

So as my new journal arrived today at just the perfect time I was reminded that I can't wait to begin writing an entry in it today during my self care and self nurturing time.  What better way to take care of myself than writing my inner thoughts and dreams on a brand new page of my beautiful new journal!!  I also decided that this was a good thing to share on my blog with my friends.

Inside the cover!

I encourage you to check out the journals and artwork from Harmony Lenasbunt at www.feedyoursoulart.etsy.com, you will not be disappointed.  I also have a tab at the left side of my blog page and it will take you right to her gorgeous blog.  I want everyone to know about Harmony!  She is so talented and her journals and artwork are to inspire others.  I will treasure my new journal and as soon as it is filled, I will treat myself to another!!

I want to push you a little today ... try journaling.  Or if it has been a long time since you have written down your inner thoughts, revisit it again.  Grab a small notebook, journal, piece of paper, napkin  or whatever you can find to being writing your inner thoughts.  Begin with this...Today I am feeling....

It is that easy.  See where your thoughts take you.  Don't forget to let me know how it turns out.

Thank you for following my small baby blog and I thank you for your comments and words of encouragement to me.  I am having a wonderful time with it, it is growing and I am growing in ways I never dreamed that I would.  Blessings to you and more blessings my friend!

My Creative Space

Do you have a creative space?  I recently was given this wonderful canvas picture for my birthday.  I immediately knew that it would hang somewhere special is my art studio.  I took a look at all the beautiful things in my studio and realized how blessed I am to have a room to call my own! 


As I look through my studio space I see my weaving loom, my yarns, special gifts, paintings, trinkets, treasures, pictures of friends and experiences, beads, my watercolor palette, paintbrushes and so much more.  I realize that this is a room all of my own, no one but me!  That is a pretty awesome feeling.  As we raise our children and go through life doing all the things we must do, we try to fit in our creative time when and if we can.  Our "creative tools" are stuck in boxes, drawers, closets, on our dining room tables, the utility room, anywhere we can stuff our stuff! Does this sound at all familiar to you?  Rooms in the house were for raising our precious children; bedrooms, toy rooms etc.  I will cherish those years forever and I am reminded of how quickly that time in my life passed by,  but now my children are both raised and married with homes of their own. 

All my stuff!

View from my loom

Some of my art book collection

I took over my son's bedroom, probably the day he moved out!  He never seems to forget to remind me of that.  I couldn't wait to get the walls painted and move into my studio. I will always cherish the day when my daddy and I painted the walls together and we were singing Frank Sinatra tunes all day. I began to envision how I wanted it laid out, where all of my art supplies would go and how it would feel to me when it was completed!  I was not disappointed, how awesome it is to have all of my supplies in one special place.  I still get tickled about having a studio and it has been years now. 

Another view!

Entering my studio

As I enter my studio there is always a sense of calm, peace and familiarity.  I know that my creative senses begin to emerge and I am totally lost in the moment.  Those moments can turn into hours very quickly.  I enjoy just spending time glancing through my books for inspiration and ideas.  I listen to my music, light my candles and incense and time gets quickly away from me.


I realize now that having a creative space all of my own has enhanced my artwork immensely.  When I had to pull out my art supplies to create something, the effort was more than the time I had to create.  Now that I have my studio, everything is there for me.  My watercolors are ready, the loom is sitting there for me, the books are waiting for me to reach for them.  Most important of all, are the objects hung on the walls, the yarns full of color and texture,  the gifts I have been given by friends, all of the little things I have collected over the past years.  These are the things where my inspiration lies.  I cannot begin to tell you what seeing my special things do for me.  


I am blessed, yes I know it and in so many ways.  I could go on and on in sharing with you the blessings in my life, but this post is about creative space.  I have read many blogs, and magazines about where women are doing their work, I am truly not alone in this quest for privacy and creativity.   I highly recommend the magazine "Where Women Create" published by Stampington  & Company's Somerset Studio.  This was created by a brilliant lady Jo Packham, there is also a website www.wherewomencreate.com.  I encourage you to check it out, it is filled with inspiration and beautiful photos and stories of women who are doing far greater things than I!

Letting the creative light in!

A space for everything creative!

I wanted to share with you my little spot of creative heaven.  If you cannot have a room of your own right now, how about a corner of your own.  There are many ways to turn a small room, closet or corner of your home into a working space.  I used my utility room for years when my guys were little.  There was my loom and yarns right along next to my washer and dryer.  It can be done if you want it badly enough.


I hope you have been inspired by my creative space and that you find a special place to call your very own.  I would love to hear from you and share with me your thoughts and ideas.  Find delight in every day and in all that you see.
Donna

Time for Retreat

405 Queen Elizabeth Avenue

This past weekend was my 53rd birthday getaway.  My husband took me away to Manteo, North Carolina in the Outer Banks.  We stayed in the beautiful Tranquil House Inn, my favorite place to rest and retreat. It sits beautifully on the waterfront surrounded by wooded boardwalks, iron benches and amazing sailboats that sat docked.  The town is quaint, quiet and oh so charming.  Each little shop carries a charm of their own.  My eyes were filled with beautiful colors from plants on the street to the beauty of pottery, paintings, jewelry and art galleries.  I could feel my creative senses in their full awareness!!

Ready for my Birthday weekend!

So many times we let our lives get so filled with what we must do; then when we are home we fill it with the sounds of television and play on our computers, we forget to see the beauty in stillness and quiet. That hurts my heart and I include myself in that statement.  I know I have touched on this subject before, but it keeps returning to my thought process.

This past weekend was truly a gift for me in so many ways.  Of course as I turn another year older, my mind had to settle in to the new year mark and we must sort out any feelings of "getting older" that I needed to.  This year I truly had no problem with the number 53, imagine that!  I am grateful that God has blessed me with a wonderful life.  My children are strong, healthy and self sufficient.  Each one of my boys are now married to wonderful mates, and I have the blessing of being a mom to my wonderful daughter-n-laws.  My husband and I celebrated 33 years of marriage this year and we are both healthy and truly still in love with each other.  That my friends is an accomplishment in this day and time.

So I spent time in retreat this weekend.  Being quiet, sketching, reading, knitting and spending quality time with my husband.  Praying and thinking about my past and how far I had come in this wonderful gift called life.  I took the time with my thoughts about all the things I want to accomplish in the future and thought of the wonderful artwork I wanted to explore!  The list is long but attainable!

A future watercolor!

It is so wonderful to have the opportunity to get away.  What a beautiful place this was and just a few minutes away was the ocean, another retreat place for me.  Walking the beach, hearing the waves roll in, watching the sea gulls....God's world is pretty amazing.  We all have to just take the time to slow down and see it.  My birthday was a beautiful day, my weekend was inspiring and time with my thoughts was immeasurable!  I am ready to return to real life, full of hope and promise for creating some beautiful artwork.  Whether it be with a paintbrush in hand, time in my journal or knitting a lace scarf.  Fall is fast approaching and this is my favorite time of year.  Time to stay home and nest.  Letting your creative spirit retreat and rest is an opportunity to hear what is inside. Try . . . it's amazing!

Sheer Blissfulness!