Finding My Way to a Poem

Inside the Atrium at Moca

Last night I participated in an Open Mic Night

at the amazing Museum of Contemporary Art

here in Virginia Beach

It was a summer celebration of the Arts

with Poetry, Interpretive Dance, Comedy, Guitar Music and Art!

It was a perfect Tuesday Evening.

The tables were covered in

brown wrapping paper

and a bowl full of crayons was provided

(always nurturing the artist within us)

So to calm myself before my poem reading

Yes

I created a small Zendala!

They are truly a part of me now.

My precious friends Jack and Judith

 (taking in all the poetry they heard)

they have been my writing mentors,

my poetry cheerleaders,

my friends in the written world.

How I value their encouragement in my life.

Even their gentle nudges and pushes

to step out there with my writing even more!

Writing is a huge part of my life.

Poetry is an even stronger force.

It is who I am,

It is where I want to express

my truest self,

I am in love with the writing life!

So I decided to share my poem with you today!

I have many Poetry moments here on my blog,

today is even more special

sharing what I read out loud last night.

Finding My Way to a Poem

Life moments come

I choose not to forget

Experiences of where I have been

My pen finds it way to the page

For here ... here on the page

they seek refuge and meaning

They don't often rhyme

my sentences you know

but they have their own

kinda rhythm and flow

I write for myself

and sometimes I share

to kindred hearts like mine

who are willing to hear me

just finding my way to a poem

(this poem was written on Summer Solstice 2013)

I encourage you to step out of your

comfort zone

try something new,

meet new people,

expand your horizons,

for there is a beautiful and artistic world 

out there 

just waiting for YOU to explore!

Donna Lee

Summer Sketch Class with Alisa Burke

A new creative summer adventure for me . . . 

My favorite Canson mixed media journal!
Purchased just for this experience.

This summer I have had the pleasure of relaxing

and creating with Alisa Burke

with her 

Summer Sketch Online Class.

Each day for thirty days

there is a new post on a private class blog 

with something creative to learn

She is truly Amazing!!!!
I have been working on each lesson daily
and I am thrilled with what I have learned so far!

I have taken so many of Alisa's online classes.

She makes you feel so comfortable,

she teaches so much of her own style

and shares such inspirations with you!

I do love spending time learning with her.
I encourage you to visit her blog,
it is truly amazing.

This summer has been slower for me and I am

enjoying each day receiving a new post,

learning something new and trying it out,

 filling a page in my journal
and playing with my art supplies!
It just makes me a happy girl.

Here are just a few of the lessons

I have learned so far:

Masking it off

Doodle Collaboration (with my hubby)

 Exploring lines with things from nature

Embellishing a line

 Starting with a splat of paint

Working in small scale

White on Dark

 Free Write

 Collaged background

Repeated patterns

 Color Study

Blind contour drawing

I have many lessons more to go
and the learning is fun and easy,
just what I needed for the summertime!
I wanted to keep creating during
the summer months,
but in a simple and non-complicated way,
this course is perfect for me!

I just finished this piece from the
mask it off lesson,
I love it,
how about you?

I hope you are doing something creative 

during your summertime.

I know it is harder with kids at home,

vacations and family all around you.

Please don't push your creativity aside

and think you will get to it later.

Creativity needs to be nurtured

all of the time!

I know for me it is a part of who I am now.

Make time to be a creative soul,

you won't regret it!

Sending you creative blessings along the way

Donna Lee

A Poetic Moment

Choosing Beauty . . .

Beauty is all around us

if only you will see

Look for the tiny moments

in every part of your day

Love is all around us

if only you will reach out

Seek out moments to make a difference

in someone else's life

Gratitude is a thing of beauty

if only your heart will change

practice being grateful

for all you have been given 

Choosing Beauty can become a lifestyle

just a certain way of living

seeking out the times to notice

every little thing around you

Life is truly a gift to all of us

appreciate each moment in your day

Choose a sense of wonder

Choose to see the beauty

(poem inspired from Choosing Beauty e-course by Liv Lane)

An Artful Spirit filled day

Suzan and I ready for the day

Our second Artful Spirit Workshop

was incredible once again!

What a great day we had at the 

Virginia Beach Resort Hotel

this past Saturday.

Eight of us in attendance

ready for a fun filled

creative experience!

The Room was filled with bright light,

large work tables, dark chocolate almonds

and inspiration everywhere!

We started with our first journal exercise...

setting our intention for the day,

along with some meditative breathing,

 we then began with a Zen Circle exercise,

set the pace for the entire day together!

We read quotes about the importance

of journaling,

read children's story books,

and played with paint

(which is why we all came right???)

So much time spent on playing,

letting go, creating and enjoying the process.

Next workshop was to learn collage,

working with papers and gel medium,

the table was filled with whatever they wanted to choose,

each participant created a collage cover

for their journals

(when asked... it seemed to be one of the favorite sessions!)

(Oops ... my toes are missing!)

Time for a break ... after hours of creating

We all had lunch together

in a "circular" table

at the restaurant over looking 

the Chesapeake Bay.

Good conversation, brainstorming,

laughter and friendships being established.

As we gathered back for the second half of the day

we shifted gears ...

watercolor and doodling, 

we truly just got to play with

all kinds of watercolor sets and paints,

create fun things,

all the while incorporating these techniques

into our art journals.

I think they had fun, what do you think?

We then shifted our watercolor techniques

to creating a Zendala for their journal

(now you know I would have to get that in there!!!!)

We started in the center of a full journal page,

and began to work from the center out

they could finish their work at home

and watercolor later.

I had pre-painted 5 x 7 watercolor cards

for each participant

and let them choose which one spoke to them

to take home and play with.

We then chose another,

started the center design and

we did a round robin,

where each participant drew

part of the Zendala design

for their classmate,

what a treasure we all had when we were finished!

A small piece of new friendships formed that day.

(when asked again ... this was the favorite session)

We ended the last session with

creating an art board collage

using 6 x 6 aqua board

yet another keepsake of the day

We ended with photos, hugs and more laughter!

Sending out peace and love and light to our classmate

that had to leave early ...

When I think of what living an Artful Spirited life means ...

I think of living with a creative heart, mindfulness, 

soul searching every moment,

letting go of expectations and perfections, 

living with curiosity,

finding happiness in all things,

 seeking out moments to be artful and creative,

but most of all living with a 

sense of wonder and amazement,

it is an awesome way to see the world around you!

What a wonderful workshop we had,

one I won't forget for a long time.

We are already forming ideas

for Artful Spirit #3,

it just keeps getting better and better.

The Little Girl in Me

The Little Girl in Me . . .

Still wants to play each day

taking the time to just be

Wants to create magic with paints and crayons

they are just more expensive these days

Is in love with each and every day

cherishing all the happy moments around me

Just wants life to be simple again

pushing away all of life's complications

Loves to play outside with her friends

for girlfriend times are the best

Wants to play dress up and be pretty

finding it harder now to find her own style

Will write with her pencil and pen

now creating stories and poems from her life

Still bites her bottom lip when stressed

for she finds comfort still there

Is seeking new ways to discover life

for she never wants to stop growing inside

Always needs her afternoon naps

 recharging for the next get up and go

Is always seeking out beauty in the world

so happy to discover there is still so much out there

The little girl in me

soon to be a first time grand mommy

to a precious granddaughter

OH the things we will discover together . . .

Donna Lee

A dozen thoughts on a Thursday

Glacier Mountain Park takes your breath away

Being on vacation restores the soul

Time alone with my hubby is wonderful

Seeing a mommy grizzly bear and her three cubs is exciting

Writing poetry out in nature is a good thing

God has created an awesome universe

Air Traveling can be very stressful

Twelve days with no social networking is refreshing

Traveling along the "Road to the Sun" is unbelievable

With vacations there are NO regular schedules to keep

Re-entry into normal life after vacation is a very hard thing to do

Wearing red cowgirl boots at the rodeo is just plain sassy

My cabin number Twelve!

Creating a Blessing Bowl

I recently watched a video

from the amazing and inspiring

Jamie Ridler

on "Creating a Blessing Bowl."

I loved everything she spoke about!
She demonstrated how to create a small bowl 
filled with offerings, little prayers
and requests for blessings.

I decided to create my own 

and wanted to share her

wonderful idea with YOU!

I first was on the hunt for a bowl,

not just any bowl,

but one that truly spoke to me.

Here is mine:

Is this not beautiful???
The bowl is as important
as the ingredients inside.

I began to fill my bowl with

 precious things of meaning to me

white sage, beads, charms, 
small cut out words and significant things
that mattered to me.

In Jamie's video she demonstrates

how to create blessing cards

I cut my cards 2 x 4

then found images that I loved for the

front of the card

from different magazines.
All I needed was a glue stick!

On the back I took the time to contemplate

on the blessings I wanted to list.

Several came up for me

family, my unborn granddaughter, my art, 
health, writing, thoughts, faith and so much more.

I mindfully chose all the items I wanted

to place in my blessing bowl.
These would become my
personal requests for blessings.

I slowly began to fill my bowl with

my treasures first.

I could feel it was becoming something

special already!

As the bowl filled,

I placed my blessing cards into the bowl.

What a treasure it quickly became.

Now I take the time to choose 

a blessing

and practice gratefulness.

I keep my blessing bowl in my studio,

where all my other treasures are

and I look at it at all times.

This was an awesome project

and I am grateful to Jamie

for sharing such a wonderful idea.

I am encouraging you to create one as well!

Summer Solstice Today

Summer Solstice

The passing of spring

in all of it's freshness

The first day of summer is here

A time for reflection,

renewal and strength.

I welcome you here

my personal

Solstice

Being present in this moment

I am setting new intentions

for my life,

opening the doors

of possibility.

Lighting the sage

being quiet this morning,

thinking and dreaming 

of what will truly be.

I don't just want this

to be an ordinary day!

I want to set it apart 

from all of the rest.

Knowing and trusting

it's significance to me.

I am open ...

I am here ...

 Willing to accept

all that lies ahead of me

with excitement and anticipation.

Summer Solstice

a day unlike any other day!

I will celebrate

in my very own way

this moment.

I am present

with my arms open wide

~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~ . ~

Collaboration . . .

My finished Zendala

Heather's finished Zendala

I discovered Heather Cox

through this wonderful internet world of ours.

We participate in a lot of the same projects

and then I discovered her

beautiful Zendala artwork,

I was drawn to her beautiful style

and her presence as an artist.

I then visited her beautiful blog

"Joyfulwise"

and her amazing artwork

can be found here

in her own Etsy shop.

I realized that her style and mine

were quite similar

for creating our Zendalas.
We are always encouraging
each other's work.

I was struck with the thought

of how wonderful it would be

if we collaborated together

on a Zendala.

I reached out to Heather

and she immediately responded

with a lovely

"Yes, let's do this!" 

We decided on a size of 5 x 7

We would each paint 
a background of our own choice
(I chose the new Twinkling H2O's)

and then begin drawing

the Zendala,

then we would mail to each other

and finish the work!
It would then be ours to keep.

Here is my journey . . . 

I was excited when my package arrived from Heather
I was couldn't wait to begin

 Just beginning the process

 So hard to decide where to take it

 It slowly began to evolve for me

how I love the creative process!

I enjoyed the creation of this piece so much

and now I have a keepsake to always remember.

Thank you Heather for saying YES!
Her blog post about this experience
can be found right over here

There have been so many wonderful 

friendships that have come my way in life.

I must say the friends of mine who share 
a love of art

are simply the best!

Try collaborating a piece of your own artwork,
(whatever that might be)

with someone else.

You will gain a new perspective

and have something to treasure for a long time!
I know I sure will.