Finding your muse

Recently I was re-reading a most insightful book by Jan Phillips called “Marry your Muse.” One of the many gentle suggestions that she makes is finding some object that would personify your muse and dedicating a space in your work area to her.

As often would have it, I went for a walk on the beach later on that day and found this most wonderful piece of driftwood. I knew immediately who she was!

It never creases to amaze me what nature creates as she goes about her day to day business, and how whatever we need simply turns up when we are open and ready for it.



Nhety the netbook

Fondly called “Nhety” my Sony Netbook is, right now, my most prized possession. It’s ridiculously cute, packs more power than both myself and my partner’s computers together, weighs less than my regular purse on any given day, and is by far the best purchase I have made in recent years for my work.

Years ago I was hired for a project that required travelling back and forth doing extensive research. After much deliberation I purchased a laptop which served me beautifully over the next several years as I wrote and published my own, and others, work.

I discovered quickly how much better I wrote on a laptop. I was more focussed. I also wrote better fiction and poetry. Put me in front of a keyboard and the poetry flowed, with very little editing required. Leave me to pen and paper and suddenly I am journalling. My poetry, the rhyming verse of my youth.

What a joy to discover that on this netbook the same thing is happening again. All of a sudden I can’t stop writing and by default, am finding new ideas and concepts to write about.

I have a little notebook where all my writing topics, ideas for blog posts, and class outlines converge and it fits perfectly in the side pocket of my satchel. I have this funky little stick thing that allows me to transfer my files back and forth onto my main computer. And the best thing? I find myself writing sitting up in bed, at cafes, in the line-up for the ferry.

Can’t wait until it’s warm enough to head to the beach…

Knowing how to paint...

"One of the biggest problems in painting, is knowing how to paint"

Gino Hollander

Artist

Chocolate Season

While I don't have the tendancy to do anything art related to commemorate any specific occasion, today I just happened to pull together a few items for the sheer fun of it, and put them together in my latest sketchbook.

It all began with a chocolate wrapper that I got off the chocolates I got for Tony a while ago, and the little label my friend Paul had tied on to the little Easter egg he gave us with teeny tiny bunny gingerbread cookies and tiny chocolate eggs inside. 


GREETINGS from the EASTER RIBBIT

 

The strip off the top of my iced tea bottle came next, and the ribbon that tied the label onto the little egg was then added. Three jigsaw pieces had been loitering on my desk since I found them in the bottom of a box of art supplies a friend gave me recently. In peeling off most of the cardboard which backed the pieces, I discovered a whole new collage potential.

A few weeks ago I experimented with "found" poems, this time using newspaper articles. The poem reads as such:

Chocolate Season

iconic

sensuous luxury

true believers

exquisitely expressed

spiritual reasoning

'food of the Gods.'

As is often the case, what began as something simple became a social commentary on the confusion that is often created when a festival designated for a specific purpose is overtaken by materialism and consumerism.

Whatever the significance of this holiday weekend holds for you, may it have been a good one ~

Building a business or a life

"It doesn't take any longer to build a business [or a life] that fits just-right

than to cobble together one that pinches and pulls at you.

Both take a tremendous amount of time and energy.

That's the way it is.

The only question is whether you'll spend that energy trying

to turn yourself into something you aren't or

figuring out how to use your strengths

to do what needs to be done."

Molly Gordon

Over the last few weeks I have been doing a lot of reconsidering in both my business and my life in general, and within the last few days have made some distinct moves to make some changes. Today I received this quote in my email box and once again, it was as if someone, somewhere was taking notice and sending some encouragement my way. Maybe this will touch you in turn ~

Enchanting "Micmacs"

Sometimes you come across a movie that is, quite simply, superb. "Micmacs" is a wonderfully rich piece of work that will delight and enchant you. The attention to detail is second to none and the subtleties too many to absorb in one sitting.

http://www.imdb.com/video/imdb/vi2588476441/

I am lucky enough to speak French fluently and so was able to follow the movie in its original version and thoroughly enjoy the play on words and the poetic use of what is already a beautifully poetic language. I did notice that the English sub-titles were really good.

The director's interview recounts how at the age of 8 he would create puppet shows, and charge his parents to watch! He would also take the View Master spirals, cut out all the pictures and repaste them in completely different order, writing a script to accompany them.

Find a quiet evening, turn off the phone and settle down to linger for a while watching a true work of art. And let yourself be inspired all over again.

AND THE WINNER IS...

I'm delighted to announce the winner of the set of four "SoulSpeak" greeting cards in my blog giveaway for the One World One Heart 2011 is:

Sandra and Dave of

Thistle Cove Farm

CONGRATULATIONS!

Thank you everyone who participated ~ it was a thoroughly lovely time all round.

One World One Heart 2011

Welcome to my blog ~ I am delighted to participate for the first time in One World One Heart - what a wonderful, inspiring and generous concept on behalf of the organiser!

My name is Shena Meadowcroft and I am an Intuitive, Writer, Artist and Teacher. I live on the wonderful island of Gabriola, off Vancouver Island, on the west coast of British Columbia, Canada.

My days are spent counseling, consulting or creating; either through my writing or my art, which takes on many forms as the ideas unfold. That’s when I’m not meandering along the shore line or in the forest where I find my inspiration and restore my soul ~

My whole focus is to work with people to provide them with a safe place to remember and discover more of who they are. So much of that can be done through journaling, writing, art and sharing our own truth. I love what I do and feel truly blessed to be able to inspire others to do the same.

My prize for the giveaway is a set of four “Soulspeak” greeting cards, and the winning name will be drawn on February 17th. Please leave a comment if you would like to be entered into the draw, and your email address so I can contact you should you win. GOOD LUCK!

Thank you so much for spending some time with me in my world ~
May you have a beautiful day ~

Sowing the "seeds" for a New Year

I started reading, again, the other day, a wonderful book on writing, art… and life called “Soul between the Lines” by Dorothy Randall Gray ~ full of magical ideas and suggestions that you can play with or explore in an organized manner or on a haphazard basis. One of my favorite ideas that she talks about is the concept of collecting “seeds.”

One of Dorothy Randall Gray’s main uses for “seeds” is to read back your work to others, or yourself and collect the “seeds” in your writing ~ those words or phrases that capture your heart and speak to your soul. Another way is to gather “seeds” from random conversations, visual images or personal experience. Then take the "seeds" and let them be the start of a whole new crop of ideas. From these “seeds” a poem, an essay, a painting, a fibre piece, a sculpture can grow forth.

Tonight in a simple, sweet movie that was not necessarily meaningful in any other way I discovered such a “seed” which captured my imagination, and knew that if I choose, a whole new way of thinking could grow  from this. The “seed” was a one liner, a birthday wish to a 21 year old: “Let life come to you.”

That is my wish for myself this year, and I share this wish with those of you who pause, upon hearing these simple words, see their potential, and decide to embrace it too. I'm going to gather "seeds," sow them as far and as wide as I can, and let myself grow...

HAPPY NEW YEAR ~ AND LET LIFE COME TO YOU.

UnOILed ~ UnspOILed! The UnOILed Coast Quilt Project

It has been several months since my last post entitled: "What is the yearning behind the work that you do?" It comes as no surprise that having actually done the exercises (What me? No, I just teach that stuff...) my life has unfolded in yet another wonderful, magical way.

In June of this year I began working exclusively with what I wanted to do, manifesting what I wrote about in my last post. As life will do I was offered (through a series of twists and turns) an opportunity to get involved as the spokesperson for the Positive Energy Quilters UnspOILed Coast Quilt Project.

Today I found myself featured in a national newspaper article on a group determined to fund-raise to fight for the "No Tankers" campaign here in British Columbia. The article link appears below:

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Protest+quilts+contribute+spill+discussion/3405930/story.html

Be careful what you wish for ~ the magic is that it happens!