Filed under: other
You can now see the feature scrapstreet.com magazine did on creative therapy. Here it is. Thank you again, Stacey, we’re so honored.
Filed under: catalyst
I know it’s been a while but since we have a new RAK coming up this week, we can now pick a recipient for our previous RAK. The little boy picked your name Barbara Congratulations!! Thanks, once again, to our generous sponsor: Sakura of America. I will email you with directions on how to receive your RAK.
As always, I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone for your ongoing support, generosity of spirit, and for sharing your own journeys with us. It is so inspiring and therapeutic to me.
Thank you.
Filed under: catalyst
As always, thank you to all of our visitors and all the encouraging comments you left for us. For those of you who did, thank you for playing along with us.
Ok! Here’s catalyst number sixty-eight:
Did your life turn out how you imagined?
We are thrilled to announce that this week’s art will be a part of a feature scrapstreet.com magazine will be doing on creative therapy. You can see the feature and more information about these pieces of art and some of our team members on their site on July 1. Make sure to visit them and a big thank you to scrapstreet.com magazine for the honor.
We’re so excited to have Iris Babao Uy as this week’s Guest Artist.
I have been a fan of Iris’s art for a long long time. Her layouts are absolutely stunning. The attention to detail and the elegance in each piece always takes my breath away. Here is some information from Iris’s own words:
I’m am a scrapbooker residing in the Philippines . I have been blessed with a wonderful husband and two precious girls. Nicole is 4 and Cheska is 5 months old. I am privileged to be designing for Prima Marketing, Webster’s Pages, and October Afternoon. I am also part of the Memory Makers Masters of 2008. You can find more about me and my craft at www.irisbabaouy.blogspot.com I am so honored to be a guest at this wonderful site and I will be among your frequent visitors. The art I found here is amazing and I am just so thrilled to be part of this all.
We are so honored to have Iris here and if you haven’t seen her amazing art, make sure to check out her blog.
Here is Iris’s art with this week’s catalyst. You can click on it to see a larger version and more detail.
Iris Says:
When I was a teenager, I would spend so much time reading books on romance and happy ever after endings. I read and read and daydreamed of that kind of life. The dream was sugar coated, but my life was far from sweet. I been through tough times but I have also been given a second chance. Through God’s grace, I met my husband and we began our own adventure. Now that I am married with two children – my life is just as I would have wanted it to be. We are not rich but we are comfortable. We are blessed and we are thankful. Life will always have its ups and downs but I now have a family who has made the journey worth taking, and the trip more interesting
Technique Highlight:
I distressed the fabric and created a hole in one corner as a pocket for embellishments. I first covered the canvass with gesso then I painted and stamped over it. I hid a library card for my journaling in the upper pocket.
Thank you so much Iris; we’re so very very honored.
Here are some interpretations of the catalyst from members of our team. We have quite a few pieces for you this week. And, as you’ll notice, we have a new team member: Rachel. Welcome Rachel!
Rachel:
Rachel Says:
Archaeologist. History teacher. Writer. Lifelong student. Single. These are a few of the things that I thought that I would be, what I would do with my life. Never once did the words wife, mother, stay at home, homebody or scrapbooker enter my thoughts or plans. I thought that what I wanted was a life that I thought was calling ‘my own’… I always joked that my plan was to just live in sin and see the world.
But you know that saying… life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans? Yeah… that happened.
Married at 17. Mama at 24. A stay at home Mama, in fact. Scrapbooker. Still living in Prescott and actually loving it?
That’s my life now. It’s delightfully ordinary in a way that is so extraordinary to me that I find myself often times wondering when I will wake up and learn that this has just been a magical dream.
Being a wife, a mother, and living for my family is a dream that I never knew I had and I am so glad that it happened while I was busy making other plans. There’s still time to travel, further my education, find my career and write… now I just get to include something greater in that picture, my ordinary life and greatest treasure, my family.
Wendela:
Wendela Says:
Oh yes…life is good! I’m so happy with my husband, my 4 lovely kids…my house….my friends..I’m a very blessed girl! No matter how my life turns out, my life is in His hands, Thank You Lord!
Karen:
Karen Says:
Even in my wildest dreams and biggest hopes, I could never have predicted such an amazing life. Such incredible children. Such a loving husband. So much success. So much luck. I am so so so thankful and so blessed.
Amy:
Amy Says:
When I thought about this catalyst, I thought about plans and blueprints made throughout the years. I thought about the milestones and markers that might fall in line on a map of living. Has my life turned out as I expected? Maybe not. But from this vantage, it’s sometimes hard to look back and see clearly what I expected. Day by day life has unfolded and shifted and changed. Focusing on the moment by moment of living, the changes just get folded in, smoothed out, absorbed. Directions change. Detours are taken and made. We adjust. There is no yellow brick road. There is no pre-determined palette with which my life is to be painted. Instead, it’s ongoing. It’s a canvas started and yet not completed. It’s a cycle, a spiral, and a constant exercise in flow.
Kimmi:
Journaling Reads::
Although there have been many ups and downs in my life, it turned out to be more than I ever could have hoped and wished for.
Lia:
Lia Says::
Is my life right now how I imagined it to be 10 years ago? Of course not! I had the best of dreams and hopes for my future back then, from the simplest dream of being a world traveler to a hope that I would find the love of my life. Through the years, many dreams were lost, hopes dashed and compromises made. But there were many dreams (both mine and those my loved ones had for me) were fulfilled – most significant ones were my late mom’s last wish to have me graduate from University, and yes, me finding the love of my life. There were even some surprises in my life, from working in Finance in a Shipping company and opportunities to share my love of creative handiwork with the scrapbooking community. So would I trade my life right now for the one I imagined 10 years ago? Well we are all allowed to dream, but I so love my life right now. And that is good for me.
Larissa:
Larissa Says:
Recently, I traveled to Tuscany, in Italy.
All I wanted from this trip was seeing the flower fields, specially, the sunflower fields which are the main postcard from the region. However, after some days traveling through artless roads permeated with olive trees and grapevines, there was no way to see one single sunflower!
Since the first day in that country, I tasted delicious, sweet and juicy cherries that I’ve never had in my own country before. They were present in any dessert, snack or picnic during the trip. Oh, how delicious the Italian berries are!
0ne beautiful day I realized what those cherries meant, because I’ve had the opportunity to see this beautiful musical which tells the story of Saint Clare’s life.
In one of the first scenes, close to her death, she asks for a single cherry as her last wish. At the end of the show, the one who gives her the cherry is God. Anyway, in that tragic moment, I understood that there was no sense in continue looking for sunflowers if I already had such fabulous cherries! That same idea got me to the movie “Under the Tuscan sun” on which there is a message related to search for happiness: “Stop looking desperately for ladybugs. They will, out of the blue, appear in your life, or better, you’ll notice they are already present there”.
When I think about what I have transformed my life into, there are many times I question myself if I chose the right path to happiness, because, even though I live today exactly the life I planed for myself years ago when I wished for financial stability and having enough time to dedicate myself to a creative hobby or something which would bring me personal fulfillment, I don’t find it easy living with no passion or dedicating myself daily to an activity whose objectives I no longer believe in.
Anyway, the ladybugs, the sunflowers and the cherries are actually what make me understand that, in order to be happy, I just have to discover the formula to content myself with my conquests.
In this context I feel completely satisfied with the ladybugs and the cherries around me and, living without searching for what I cannot find, I hope my life turns into a beautiful flower field!
Severine:
Severine Says:
My life is as I had imagined: small, with a family that I love, a house, a cat and lot of happiness and the time to appreciate the little pleasures of everyday.
In French:
Ma vie est comme je l’avais imaginée petite, avec une famille que j’aime, une maison, un chat et surtout beaucoup de bonheur et le temps d’apprécier les petits bonheurs de tous les jours.
Fran:
Fran Says:
I don’t even remember what I thought my life would turn out like. I think I focused so much on getting out of where I was that I never really thought about it. I never had a good role model to show me what the possibilities are.
I suppose I thought I’d be a scientist, a business person, a professional. I never pictured myself anything but struggling and working hard. I didn’t ever think that I would be a person who could relax and enjoy life and enjoy just being with someone. As a kid, I don’t think I ever really believed I’d be in love and that there was a true soulmate out there for me. But that was so long ago and such a hard time. I have come so far from that scared child running away into something else – safety, I suppose – but not knowing what it was or how it would look.
For the past 20 years – nearly half of my life – I’ve been with Dave and we’ve been together and happy and in love. And everything else has become secondary. I worked for a while and I pushed myself hard. But when I developed chronic illness problems, I had to slow down. And, when I really slowed down and agreed to just find out who I am and where I am, I think I finally started to dream about what my life could be.
Now, I take time to relax. To explore. To just be. I take photos; I draw; I paint. I take care of myself and my husband. I don’t run any longer. I have made peace with who I am today and I don’t wonder who I would be. I am who I am and I am constantly growing.
Katie:
Katie Says:
I grew up a Navy brat and moved around the country as a kid a lot. It was hard, very hard. When I dreamed about how my life would be, it always revolved around a “forever house”. The house symbolized security, comfort, success and family. I grew up and married a Navy man. The moving continued and it was still just as hard. It’s even harder in a way because now I have to see my kids try to deal with the loss of friends and the nervousness of new schools. I have so much pinned on my “forever house”. I have most everything I want, kids, great husband, being a stay at home mom, dependable cars etc….but have been waiting for the stability of our “forever house”. Well, my husband retires from the military in 4 years, so we are finally in a window where we can buy our last house. And…we are in escrow…and are supposed to close TODAY! Finally after a lifetime of moving (15 moves to be exact) we will hopefully be moving into our “forever house” very soon. The house is a symbol to me of everything that is right in my life.
Lori:
Lori Says:
When I was twenty I decided I would be a career woman. I would easily be a Vice President by thirty and I would never choose to stay home when I was ready to have children. I just knew I would marry a man who was career driven, wanted four children and a huge home filled with stuff. In fact, I had a laundry list of wants for that male partner. After much heart break, I threw that list out. I decided not to date and to allow myself to just focus on my own self growth. That’s when he walked in. He, who changed my ultimate want list. He, who showed me what love truly is. He, who understood that life was meant to be lived/experienced and not purchased. If I had not learned early on that change and open–mindedness were worthwhile, I would have missed finding my true love. I would have missed having all I have now; love, romance, laughter, tears, joy, passion. I have a fabulous and real life that is driven by the things that cannot be purchased. I am so grateful that my youthful self was able to see the error of my intended plans.
Journaling Reads:
My twenty-year-old self never imagined my forty-year-old self a stay-at-home Mom with two kids. I am grateful to God, my Parents and my twenty-year-old self for allowing me to embrace change and arrive exactly where I want to be. For I love my life now, so full of laughter and joy.
Dedra:
Journaling Reads:
Life has had many twis ts and turns for me. There have been many defining moments that have shaped the woman I am today. When I was growing up if you would have asked me I would have said: “Yes, I want to marry raise a family. Be a great Wife, Mother, Daughter, Sister and Friend”. As far as a career: “Doing something I was passionate about.” Having a family was always a big part of my plan. I have always wanted to travel, especially with someone I love to share the experiences with.
Reflecting on my life thus far: I married my first husband and I received the best part of him and that was you, Shelby. I had a Corporate Career. I met you Jon and you are the love of my life. I truly believe you are my angel! If it was not for your persistence the doctors would not have found my Cancer and you did it just in the nick of time. Stage III, you saved me and helped with me through it all. This was a BIG wake up call for me. I see life in a completely different way. You, Shelby were five and I was constantly thinking about you. How would you ever know how much I love you. What a wonderful person you are. I wanted to witness the beautiful young lady you would grow up to become. The funny things we do together, our life. Documenting these things was still not something I did quite yet.
The day we married Jon, was one of the best days of my life. My heart is full. I was starting the next chapter of my life with my best friend. You have always treated Shelby like your own. I could not have asked for a better man to enter her life as a father figure. Ellie, you were born and our is family complete. You make the silliest faces. Your personality is so bright and fun. Both of you make me laugh, you sing with me in the car. We take walks, play basketball, swing, everything. Both of you girls and Jon complete me.
So, I did marry the love of my life. Have a family. I’m a Wife, Mother, Daughter, Sister and enjoy Friendships. I have found a passion for documenting our lives.
On my journey through life I will continue to learn what I can from the twists and turns that are in the future. Growing and evolving into the best women I can be.
Now it’s your turn: show us your therapeutic art around “Did your life turn out how you imagined?” I urge you to give it a try. It can be any form of art as long as it speaks to you.
Leave us comments with your work and you will qualify for the RAK we offer to a random participant. If you don’t have a community or blog where you upload photos, you can upload them on our flickr group.
Remember, this is not a competition. If your art makes you feel even a bit better at the end, you’ve won.
Until next week, enjoy each and every moment.
Filed under: catalyst
As always, thank you to all of our visitors and all the encouraging comments you left for us. For those of you who did, thank you for playing along with us.
Ok! Here’s catalyst number sixty-seven:
What’s your favorite part about being a woman or a man?
We’re so excited to have Melissa Phillips as this week’s Guest Artist.
There’s something delicate and elegant about Melissa’s art that made me fall in love the minute I saw it. It’s so dreamy, so stunning…
So, of course, it’s no surprise that she designs for well known manufacturers like Tattered Angels and Melissa Frances. She also designs for the Scrappy Gourmet, Papertrey ink, Heartwarming Vintage Crafty Secrets, and Emma’s Paperie.
If you haven’t seen Melissa’s beautiful art, make sure to checkout her blog.
Here is Melissa’s art with this week’s catalyst. You can click on it to see a larger version and more detail.
Melissa Says:
There are so many things I love about being a woman….so I chose to start a journal for myself that celebrates all of things I love in my life…things that we as women get to enjoy, and for me things that center around the home. The journal is titled, “Homespun with Love”. Sections included in this journal are: Motherhood (first and foremost), sewing, baking, and crafting. Each section has a pocket included where I can stuff sweet pictures of my little one, favorite fabric scraps, beloved recipes, etc. I hope that one day my little one will keep this close to her heart and open it up when she wants to learn all about someone who loved her very much. I hope she’ll feel of the joy and happiness I felt throughout my life with her and the things I enjoyed surrounding myself with.
Technique Highlight:
One of my most favorite things to do with chipboard is create a weathered, worn, and loved look. Cream acrylic paint is wonderful as a base….so for my chipboard journal, inside dividers, and wing, I coated each with acrylic paint. I lightly sanded the edges to remove the paint and expose the chipboard underneath. It’s an easy and quick way to bring in character and depth to any project.
Thank you so much Melissa; we’re so very very honored.
Here are some interpretations of the catalyst from members of our team.
Wendela:
Wendela Says:
One of my favorite parts about being a woman is…….. breastfeeding. Nursing my kids, how I treasure these moments, sharing time together! I love the warmth I feel when my little daughter was cradled in my arms, and I love the knowledge to gave her the best start in life….I love her special smile she saves only for me… breastfeeding, the special bond we share will never fade…
Karen:
Karen Says:
I am a firm believer that women are the better and stronger gender. Maybe because I’ve been lucky enough never to suffer any kind of discrimination as a woman so I only see the advantages. The ability to carry babies. The ability to multitask and to love unconditionally. To care. To feel. To cry. To communicate. To be soft and tender when needed and tough when needed. To be gentle. To be intelligent and emotional at the same time. To get things done.
I am not sure why but I’ve always felt that women are, in general, more capable and more intelligent then men. I hold women in the highest regard and feel like I’m honored and delighted to be one. Wouldn’t have it any other way.
Note: This digital layout uses: kenner road swallow field, VINTAGE FLORALS by Shabby Princess, foto blend by Anna Aspnes, Katie Pertiet color challenge 4/25, meredith fenwick – all u need.
Opal:
Opal Says:
Wearing sweet, sexy lingerie under my jeans and tee shirt makes me smile…. it is one of my favorite parts of being a woman.
Kimmi:
Journaling Reads::
hair: there is nothing that is more relaxing than getting my hair done. i may sit in the same chair for hours, but to me it is as relaxing as it gets. sometimes i think that i go to the salon every six weeks, not because i need to, but just because i want to and because i enjoy it.
purses: i have an obsession with nine west hand bags. i’ve had many other brands of purses, but nine west is my all time fave. i usually get three to four each year. my favorites have been my bright red one and the yellow one that i currently carry.
make-up: nothing makes me feel more girly than getting up, fixing my hair and putting on makeup. i always feel so bare and plain unless i have “made” my self up. or as my son calls it “make-uping.”
jewelry: i dont often wear too much jewelry, other than my engagement and wedding rings, but on occasion i throw on some bangles, hoop earrings, and a necklace. definitely adds that feminine touch to any outfit.
shoes: shoes. can a girl ever have enough shoes? I have another obsession with buying shoes. from flip flops, to heels, to boots and even cute sneakers. if the shoe fits-BUY it!
Technique Highlight::
For this layout, I created pockets behind a piece of patterned paper, then used a punch to reveal the hidden journaling.
Lia:
Lia Says::
My favorite part about being a woman is the power in our eyes. They can convey so much meaning and emotions, without use of words. It’s an art that’s exclusively a woman’s and I’m proud to call it my own.
Larissa:
Larissa Says:
I love being a woman! I love how we can express our emotions without guilt, I love being feminine: wearing earrings, perfumes, make up, high heels, dresses… I love to dress myself and get pretty, but, of course, the best part of being a woman is the ability to generate another human being! My girl is the best part of me, and she is so girly that I couldn´t resist doing something about her!
Severine:
Severine Says:
I love being a woman can do girly things … stuff that only girls can do or like : to go shopping, to make her husband stop on the roadside to pee … and above all to give life is an immense happiness that we experience as women and even if it is explained to men they can not imagine.
In French:
J’aime être une femme pour pouvoir faire des trucs de filles … des trucs que seules les filles peuvent faire ou aime faire comme le shopping, faire arrêter son mari sur le bord de la route pour faire pipi … et puis surtout de pouvoir donner la vie, c’est un immense bonheur que nous ressentons et que les hommes même si on explique aux hommes il ne peuvent pas imaginer.
Now it’s your turn: show us your therapeutic art around “What’s your favorite part about being a woman or a man?” I urge you to give it a try. It can be any form of art as long as it speaks to you.
Leave us comments with your work and you will qualify for the RAK we offer to a random participant. If you don’t have a community or blog where you upload photos, you can upload them on our flickr group.
Remember, this is not a competition. If your art makes you feel even a bit better at the end, you’ve won.
Until next week, enjoy each and every moment.
Filed under: catalyst
As always, thank you to all of our visitors and all the encouraging comments you left for us. For those of you who did, thank you for playing along with us.
Ok! Here’s catalyst number sixty-six:
Create art around someone or something that you still have unfinished business with (something that’s been bothering you for a while.).
We’re so excited to have Wendy Vecchi as this week’s Guest Artist.
My friend Katie recommended Wendy to me and her art is so stunning, so breathtaking that I am delighted to have her here.
Wendy has the enviable position of being on both Maya Road Design Team and Tim Holtz idea-ology. I honestly cannot think of two manufacturers I’d rather work for. As if that’s not wonderful enough, she’s also Exclusive Ranger Demo Artist and a Certified Ranger Educator. She will also be a guest instructor for the Artful Voyage in Mexico with Tim Holtz, in October of 2009.
But, wait, that’s not it! Wendy also has her own signature line of stamps from Stampers Anonymous titled “studio 490″ which capture her passion for art with a touch of whimsy. Her style is unique and eclectic with an exceptional attention to detail and a fresh approach to the creative spirit. You will notice that almost every piece of her art includes a flower.
She shares her love of techniques on her beautiful blog and you can see more of her art on studio 490 stamp pages on the Stampers Anonymous website and on the Maya Road Design Team blog.
Here is Wendy’s art with this week’s catalyst. You can click on it to see a larger version and more detail.
Wendy Says:
Mom…
I’d love to talk to you just one more time.
It’s been 20 years since your passing…but it seems like forever. So many things have happened since then. My life took an unexpected turn, in September of 2007, when fate stepped in. I wish that you were here to enjoy my new career.
After 30 years, I’m no longer a surgery nurse manager…now I’m an ARTIST! Imagine that…If you remember my kindergarten report card, one of the comments that Mrs. Yazbeck wrote was.. “Wendy is very creative”.
I had no clue until recently, but I’m sure this creativity came from you.
So now instead of working in a sterile controlled surgery environment, I do my best to get my fingers inky every day! I’m not as shy as I used to be. I bet you’d be surprised to know I travel around the country (all by myself!) helping others to enjoy this art of stamping. I’m working hard & having a blast!
I have some awesome art & business friends who you would just LOVE! I’m so sad that I’ll never get to introduce you to them. They are all very kind and so supportive. I really lucked out here…they are THE BEST!
I wish you could see how totally happy I am with my life. I think you’d enjoy seeing my art and what has become of me. I’m sure you would be proud of my success.
There’s lots more to say…lots more I want to tell you.
I just need to talk to you..
one more time.
Love, wendy
Technique Highlight:
My favorite technique these days is to stamp (studio 490 stamps of course!) flowers onto grungeboard and grungepaper and to create dimensional flowers. I guess my style would be called vintage, but with a feminine look. I strive to make things look old, worn and well loved…which explains the distress color palette I prefer. For me, it’s all about paying attention to the smallest detail.
Thank you so much Wendy; we’re so very very honored.
Here are some interpretations of the catalyst from members of our team.
Wendela:
Wendela Says:
I’m anxious about my daughter….she doesn’t eat much, sometimes she eats nothing!!! She said I don’t like it Mommy, I don’t like sprouts, beans, chicken…etc..
On the layout you can see her dreamy face….what’s she dreaming about…?
I know she’s dreaming about when she’s grown up, and she asks me sometimes, “mom when I’m eating a lot, can I become a mother then?”
I said yes my girl, you have to eat more, and more healthy food like vegetables and fruits…and than she made a silly face and said..ooooowwhhh now….I don’t like eating…
…Sigh….
Karen:
Karen Says:
Four years ago, when my son was born I had a falling out with a good friend. We haven’t spoken since. Over the years I’ve often wondered if it was worth it. The fight we had. Whether it was worth losing the friendship. I am not sure. Sometimes I think maybe it wasn’t…
This digital page uses the beautiful papers and elements from Kerry Lynn Yeary of Kenner Road.
Lori:
Lori Says:
I have unfinished business with myself. I have struggled with my weight since I was a teenager. When I was younger, I just wanted to look skinny and model-like, but as I’ve grown into an adult/mother/wife, I’ve learned that what I truly want is to feel light. It’s no longer about wanting to be a number on the scale, but about wanting to feel healthy and energetic and to look radiant. My son’s milk and egg allergy has forced me to learn about nutrition and to completely change they way we eat. It’s helped to start the process, and I intend to finish this business. I want nothing more than to stop the mind war over my health and body image. The only way to do that is to make good choices, day by day, decision by decision.
Christine:
Journaling in the Envelope Reads::
Because of God’s grace and mercy, there are not many regrets that I have in my life. However, I have to confess with much sadness that one of the greatest regrets I have is the loss of my friendship with you. You were like a sister to me, and we shared a bond that we hoped would not be broken during some of the most challenging seasons in our lives. Our friendship began in the seventh grade when we met in homeroom. Both of our mothers were friends, and they happened to be the only moms who were there with us to take us to our homeroom that very first day of junior high. I don’t know about you, but I wasn’t embarrassed then because I was so grateful that they did that for us, and that God brought us together then to strengthen and encourage one another! We shared so many good times those three years of junior high…sharing secrets, laughing, and spending every afternoon together walking home and talking about our hopes and dreams. I remember us talking about when we would be older…we both hoped that we would be one another’s maid of honor, and when we had children, we hoped that they would also be good friends with each other. We sincerely hoped that we would still be a part of each other’s lives even in our visions for our future.
But something changed…I changed…we were in high school and, at the end of our sophomore year, I left our friendship behind for a new relationship with my boyfriend. I truly regret doing that! There were times when I wished I could go back and let him know that you, my friend, were still an important part of my life. I wish that I had shown you how valuable you still were to me, and how much I truly appreciated you and your friendship. There were many times when I missed you so very much, and wanted to be able to talk to you about life and to laugh with you again…but you changed, too. You had a boyfriend, new friends, and our different interests separated us even more. I was focused on studying for college and being on the dance team, and we no longer shared the same classes as we did before. However, every time I passed you at school, I was reminded of the closest friend I had ever had…and a part of my heart filled with sadness, regret, and a longing for the friendship we had shared. No one in those high school years would ever be as good a friend as you had been to me.
After seeing you at your sister’s wedding a few years ago, my heart ached to be able to speak with you again and to know whether you’ve been well. I had so many questions for you that went unanswered…How are you? Are you doing well living so very far away from your family? Have you finally found “the one”? But most important question I hoped to ask you was, “Would you forgive me for hurting you and for not being a better friend to you?” I don’t know whether I will ever have the chance to tell you in person how very sorry I am for having abandoned our friendship. That’s why I’m doing it in this way…perhaps you’ll find it in your heart to forgive me. If so, I would be so very grateful to know that you would no longer be a long lost friend. Whether you choose to forgive me or not, you will always have a special place in my heart that’s filled with many wonderful memories because you were one of the best friends I have ever had.
KL:
KL Says::
i’m usually pretty good at surrounding myself with friends who i can trust, but sometimes, even when you think you know someone really well you end up getting hurt. a while ago a friend of mine betrayed me in a way that i had never considered possible and even now it hurts to think that i put so much trust and value in someone who was willing to throw our friendship aside in an instant without a second thought.
so this is my little personal letter to myself. a little letter telling myself that sometimes, even when someone apologizes, it’s ok for it to *not* be ok. you don’t have to always forgive simply so that someone else can feel better about hurting you.
Technique Highlight::
my little book was created by sewing some ribbon strips and vintage ledger pages to the binding of a mini drawstring pouch. i then added some clear buttons to the cover and some rubons to the inside. add some journaling and tie it all up to keep the thoughts safe.
Larissa:
Larissa Says:
Recently, I had a disappointment with someone I considered my friend. This person yelled at me for no reason (for being 5 minutes late) and I got deeply hurt because I just don´t think friends can get to this point where they have a lack of respect towards other people. Even though this person has apologized, I don’t think our friendship will ever be the same again. For this catalyst, I decided to make a box full of thoughts/cards
Katie:
Katie Says:
Ok, so looks like a cute little 4th of July house, right? Well, it is but……it was created with a story behind it. Unfinished business, I suppose.
Sometimes things are better left unspoken and other times even speaking out would do you no good. I’m in one of those type of situations right now. I feel compromised and I’m not sure how to deal with it.
So, back to the house. This is a family story. Many years back, my sister and her husband wanted to get a big house, with property, a pool . Well, a big house in Southern California is a lot to spend and they really didn’t have that, so they asked my Mom if she wanted to go in on it with them. She would pay 1/3 of the mortgage, 1/3 of the utilities and 1/3 of any repairs.
Well, Mom was an empty nester, my Dad had left and was now remarried, my brother had passes on and the years of business were long past, but I think she felt lonely in her house. So, she thought it would be a great idea. She could have a family around, have her grand kids down the hall etc…. So, they both sold their houses and bought the big house. The plan was to build a granny flat eventually. Well, eventually never came. There were some size constraints that came up and the price was so much higher then they thought…so she continued to live in the 2nd master bedroom upstairs by the kids.
Tension built over the years and eventually it came to a head and I feel my Mom was punished for it. No longer was Mom allowed to eat dinner with them instead she used the little microwave in her room to heat up frozen meals, no longer was Mom allowed in their living space, no longer was Mom invited to the birthday parties although recently my nephew begged that his grandma be able to come down and eat a piece of cake with him, my sister gave him her permission, but only because it was important to him…. lucky Grandma. Her 1/3 became the 4 walls of her bedroom.
My sister tried to cut the kids off from my Mom but they still snuck into her room and kissed her goodnight and they still slipped notes under her door. It gets worse, much worse…the things that I have heard my sister say and do, make me sick to my stomach. I feel so angry.
I am smack dab in the middle. I don’t like it. I keep my mouth shut, it’s not my battle to fight. I don’t want problems with my girls and their cousins. But I am to the breaking point.
My husband and I helped my Mom move to an apartment. My mom was a broken woman and needed out, plus my sister told her she had until the end of the month to get out, oh but of course to make sure that her check (her 1/3) is there by the time the mortgage is due every month.
So we moved her to an apartment, a far cry from the beautiful home she had lived in prior to her move with my sister. Texts came in to her all day, and I quote” Don’t you dare, ever come back to this house” and much, much worse ones then that. I did step in at this point and made the texts stop.
Mom is much happier now but she misses her grandkids horribly and peace is not here yet. I hear my sister rip my Mom to shreds to her husband, her kids and her friends. I can’t stand it…not one more second. I’m so beyond mad. I am sick of being silent. You see, I learned early on with my sister that fighting with her is a waste of energy. You will never win, you will never get an apology and you will never be right. Waste of time.
But this time, I am at my breaking point and at this point I feel that it is time for me to step up. It is my unfinished business.
So, that is how my little house became my piece of art for this week. It’s symbolic and when I look at it, I know exactly what it is telling me to do. I need to step up and take care of it.
Now it’s your turn: show us your therapeutic art around “Create art around someone or something that you still have unfinished business with (something that’s been bothering you for a while.)” I urge you to give it a try. It can be any form of art as long as it speaks to you.
Leave us comments with your work and you will qualify for the RAK we offer to a random participant. If you don’t have a community or blog where you upload photos, you can upload them on our flickr group.
Remember, this is not a competition. If your art makes you feel even a bit better at the end, you’ve won.
Until next week, enjoy each and every moment.
Filed under: catalyst
As always, thank you to all of our visitors and all the encouraging comments you left for us. For those of you who did, thank you for playing along with us.
Ok! Here’s catalyst number sixty-five:
Tell us about one thing you’d change about yourself (physical or otherwise).
We’re so excited to have Caroline Lau as this week’s Guest Artist.
I had the privilege of meeting Caroline and her sister, Deb, in person over a year ago when they were teaching a class in San Jose. They are some of the nicest, brightest, and highest quality people I have met in the scrapbooking industry. Together, they own Maya Road, one of my favorite manufacturers. Caroline does the design work, she teaches, and regularly has inspiring work on her blog, so make sure to visit it.
I was delighted when Caroline agreed to guest for us. She consistently makes projects that I find inspiring, especially since she has a little boy, like I do. Her work is always creative and showcases the beautiful Maya Road products and gives me millions of ideas on how to use them. If you like Maya Road as much as I do and own their products, you must make sure to look at her art.
I also know that Caroline is expecting a little baby in a few months, so I wanted to congratulate her in public. I can’t wait to see all the baby layouts and minibooks!
Here is Caroline’s art with this week’s catalyst. You can click on it to see a larger version and more detail.
Caroline Says:
I don’t usually do a lot of layouts about myself that I share in public. My thoughts and ramblings typically stay stored in my journal. As I was cleaning out my closet the other day, I came across some photos of me from high school and college that seem so different from where I am now. The camera back then reflected who I was – someone unsure of herself and where she was going. But all that has changed now. So I wanted to do a layout that shows my need for change and what I want to change now has changed. The changes I wanted them no longer matter to me. I want to look internally to find growth from within.
Journaling Reads:
I no longer want to see any physical changes in myself. It has taken 15 years but I am happy with the way I look now and it was when i stopped caring. 15 years ago I would have hated this photo of me – every single thing was wrong with me (in my eyes), my big nose, my big chin, my big feet. Change that I want now reflect a growth – how I am on the inside – (i want have) more patience and be less critical – all the time.
Technique Highlight:
Though I dug out my sewing machine to sew on my layouts in a while, I decided to create a yo-yo flower with some thread and needle as a accent. The last time I seriously made yo-yos was back in high school so it was kind of nice to work on this craft with another from my past!
Thank you so much Caroline; we’re so very very honored.
Here are some interpretations of the catalyst from members of our team.
Wendela:
Wendela Says:
What I would change about myself???? Give myself more time for housecleaning!!! I don’t like that!!! Every day a lot of laundry, vacuum cleaning, cleaning the toilets etc…So I made something for myself as a reminder…more time for cleaning up my house 
The background is a piece of wood from an orange box, found with tidy up my barn hahahaha!!
Karen:
Journaling Reads:
When I was younger, I used to travel in a crowd of beautiful women. I don’t know how it happened but all my female “friends” were drop dead gorgeous and within a few weeks, my self-image managed to wither away to nothing. At the time, I started playing a game where each time I caught myself wishing I had someone else’s something (like hair or eyes or nose or legs) I would force the issue.
I told myself that the rules were such that I wasn’t allowed to take body parts or personality traits and plug them into the rest of me. If I liked someone’s something, I had to completely change places with that person. Not only did I get their whole body, but I got all their personal issues, emotions, family, psychological state of mind, past, living status, job and anything else you can think of. I basically forced myself to choose between me and this random (or in some cases not so random) person. Yeah, I got to have their small nose or blue eyes, but was I ready to also have their eating disorder? How about the disinterested mom? Was I willing to give up all of who I am to look like this person? It was my way of forcing myself to face the fact that people don’t come in pieces. You want a part, you get the whole thing. How do you like them apples?
In fifteen years, I’ve never met one person I was willing to change places with. I don’t know if it was the fact that I wasn’t willing to give up certain aspects of who I am of my life or the fact that I tend to favor the known over the unknown. Looking at a woman walking down the street, I can see she has pretty hair or a size-2 figure, but I can’t see what goes on in her head or how much she suffers daily. With me, at least I know the hand I am dealt and I know how to live within its limits, when to push it, when to enjoy it. The game’s done a lot to improve my self-esteem.
Opal:
Opal Says:
My feet! I have always had big feet…and was teased at home, by my grandma, and at school. For years I tried to convince myself that I really wore a size smaller…and I wince remembering the pain I endured. Recently a friend said…”You are the only person I know who wears a size 11 shoe!”…and I smiled. But still, I would like to have smaller feet.
Lia:
Lia Says::
For this catalyst, I initially had a difficult time deciding which physical trait I would change about myself – I just had too many (lol)! I finally decided that physicals are superficial anyway. What I would really want to change about myself is deeper, and that’s my emotional well-being. It’s been said before of me, and I know it’s true – I’m too emotional. I feel in extremes – I love too much, I get too indignant, I go through extreme sadness, I feel too betrayed. The positives have given me such highs in my life, but the negatives have brought me much tears and heart-aches. In recent months, I decided that it’s time for a change. I need to be strong, calm and ultimately happy. I need to stop being so emotional, and stop letting what others do affect me. My happiness and well-being are my responsibility, nobody else’. Moderation is key.
Fran:
Fran Says::
The one thing I would like to change about myself, if I could, would be my food allergies. I’d like to be able to stop by and grab a sandwich from anywhere or just quickly order at a restaurant without having to think about what the dish might have in it that I’m allergic to. I’d like to just be able to have a bagel with cream cheese. In the meantime, I’ll just draw my dream bagel with cream cheese and lox sandwich..
Larissa:
Larissa Says:
This time I decided to have a secret and very intimate talk with my mirror and deal with those subjects which I, very shy, talk about before my doctor…After pondering about this catalyst, I chose that, if I could change only one thing on my physical appearance would be getting rid of all the cellulite! But I’m not a person who gets satisfied with only one wish…
Journaling Reads:
“Talking to the mirror”
“- Mirror, mirror on the wall, it’s time to openly speak with you!
- You have mistreated me a lot lately! It was so nice spending hours talking to you, admiring every perfect piece of my perfect body…remember how my skin was shinny and all fit with no effort…and what about my boobs? And my butt…oh my God…I was one 15 year old hot girl! And now, what is going on?
- What are those fatty things that are accumulating in my flanks? The worst thing is that one is bigger than the other…have you noticed it?
- And those “bumps”…and this belly, and this zipper that only closes with a lot of effort???
- Jesus, I wonder if the style of wearing clothes down to the knee to go to the beach will ever come back..
- Mirror, did you know Bebel sang that song “London Bridge is falling down, falling down” when she saw my breasts in the shower, and actually asked me why her friend’s mommy’s were such hard, round perfect little balls!
- They were silicone, ok hunny?
- Mine are breasts which fed you, ok? Would you have some respect please!
- But no, mirror, things are really bad…you knew I was very happy with that expensive and painful botox injection which I had it some months ago, right? That’s right…the effect is already over and I am still here, spending all the possible money in scrapbooking when actually I should have used it even more with my dermatologist and take off those expression lines that ruin my looks!
- That’s right; I’m investing on my artistic enrichment, my spiritual greatness, which counts, doesn’t it?
- Therefore, I wanted to suggest you to show me my personal growth, my inner qualities and everything else, OK, ‘cause either you treat me better or I’m gonna start ignoring you every time more, got it?”
Severine:
Severine Says:
If I had to change something in myself, it would be my perception of me, I wish I could accept me as I am and stop trying to lose weight then to puck back on the weight I lost.
In French:
Si je devais changer quelque chose chez moi, se serais ma perception de moi, j’aimerais pouvoir m’accepter comme je suis et arrêter d’essayer de maigrir pour reprendre ensuite tout le poids que j’ai perdu.
Technique Highlight:
Can altered with paper, beewax and welding.
Now it’s your turn: show us your therapeutic art around “Tell us about one thing you’d change about yourself (physical or otherwise).” I urge you to give it a try. It can be any form of art as long as it speaks to you.
Leave us comments with your work and you will qualify for the RAK we offer to a random participant. If you don’t have a community or blog where you upload photos, you can upload them on our flickr group.
Remember, this is not a competition. If your art makes you feel even a bit better at the end, you’ve won.
Until next week, enjoy each and every moment.
Filed under: catalyst
As always, thank you to all of our visitors and all the encouraging comments you left for us. For those of you who did, thank you for playing along with us.
Ok! Here’s catalyst number sixty-four:
Create art about a time when something that then seemed small happened but then it ended up changing your life.
We’re so excited to have Seth Apter as this week’s Guest Artist.
Seth was recommended to me by our very own Vivian Bonder. When I visited his site, I was immediately fascinated by his art. All the layers in his work
A true artist, Seth creates in so many mediums, including bookmaking and bookbinding, textures, layers, text, altered images, artistic collaborations, visual journaling, abstract art, ephemera, and more. His work and words can be seen in many sites online and in print, in such publications as Artful Blogging, Pasticcio Quartz, and Varietist Muse.
If you’ve never seen his amazing art make sure to visit his blog and make sure to check out his etsy store.
Here is Seth’s art with this week’s catalyst. You can click on it to see a larger version and more detail.
Seth Says:
In life, I believe in the power of synchronicity. That things happen for a reason and are meant to be. And that there is meaning to be found in even the smallest experience. You just have to be open to the possibility. One instance of this for me, and the inspiration behind “Leave Full”, occurred in 2000. I was emerging from a challenging period in my life but had become open to and ready for the possibility of good things happening. I was travelling on my own in the North West United States and in British Columbia Canada. One day I entered an art gallery and was immediately mesmerized by the artwork there. It affected me in a way and on a personal level that I had never experienced before. I should say that before this time, while I had admired art, I hadn’t created art since I was a teenager. I struck up a conversation with the gallery owner, Patricia Larsen, and felt that same energy from her as I did from the artwork. Turns out, no surprise, that she was the artist of the work I had admired so much.
After quite a long conversation, I purchased a piece of her art. Soon after, I returned home to New York City. Although I had wonderful memories of the visit, I assumed that it ended there. But, quite surprisingly, I soon received a handmade postcard from Patricia. I felt that I couldn’t just send back a store bought card and made a meager attempt to create my own postcard, which I mailed back to her. This, in turn, developed into a full blown mail art relationship, with the creative stakes rising with each mailing. Ultimately, Patricia and I have developed a deep and continuing friendship. And this connection was 100% the catalyst for me in opening myself up to art and becoming the artist I am today. And in my mind, this was meant to be. Such a small event, walking through a gallery door, led to such a life changing experience…art!(here’s Patricia Larsen’s beautiful site: http://www.patricialarsen.com/.)
Technique Highlight:
I try to achieve a highly layered and textured background in all my work. The background in this piece has been created using acrylic paint. Different colors of paint were added one layer at a time. After each layer, the still-wet paint was either distressed with sandpaper, wiped away with a rag, texturized with various materials, or dug into with a straight edge. I feel that building up the layers, perhaps to the point where the earliest layers may not even be visible, is the best way to achieve depth and richness in a piece.
Thank you so much Seth; we’re so very very honored.
Here are some interpretations of the catalyst from members of our team.
Wendela:
Wendela Says:
You change my World….I used a picture of the first ultrasound from my eldest son. He’s 8 weeks here, and so small….almost one inch….so sweet….. On that moment I couldn’t imagine how my life was going to change…Now he’s 12 and this summer he goes to Highschool, so excited…my life changes again…a new chapter from the book of my life
Technique Highlight:
I transferred a copy from the ultrasound image with golden gel medium, and after that I sprayed with glimmermist pearl, and some alcohol ink. Transferring is really nice to do.
Karen:
Karen Says:
Years ago, I was sitting at school with a friend who told me that a friend of hers (someone I only knew as an acquaintance) had had a really bad day. I am not sure what prompted me, but I emailed her friend that day and asked him if he was ok. Next thing I know, we were hanging out, becoming friends. And then dating. And then we got married. And now we have two kids. It all started with one single email. Amazing what can change in a moment.
Amy:
Amy Says:
Last year, I asked someone to make a quilt with me. Although I had done a bit of quilting in the past, at the time, I wasn’t quilting. Most of my art was channeled through writing and sketching or painting, but I was working with fiber, making pillows and small bags for art tools. I was already working with her on a book project, a shared daily recording of moments, but when I suggested we make a quilt to frame an assortment of my daily bird sketches, it felt pretty presumptuous of me. The quilt came into being over the summer. It was a small thing, the reaching out and asking if she might be interested in working on it jointly. I had no idea when I asked that a year later we’d have made dozens and dozens of quilts together and that the balance of my art would have shifted, the scales tipping to fabric. I had no idea that in asking, in doing that first project, I’d have found new direction and new vision and that in the space of a few months, I’d have learned so much.
That first quilt was sold this year. The pieced block here with the heron in the corner mimics the palette and style of the blocks we created for that quilt. Since then, working many miles apart, we’ve built upon one another, quilt by quilt, row by row, and border by border, incorporating scraps, selvage, and sketches.
Lori:
Lori Says::
I think the biggest change that happened in my life because of a small decision, was when I met my husband. I had finally made the decision to move in to an apartment alone. This was something I really needed to do to grow as a person. The day I moved in, my future husband came bounding down the stairs and told me to feel free to crash any of their (he and his roommate’s) future parties. I was so bummed to hear that my upstairs neighbors threw big parties. I am not anti-social. I just prefer small gatherings to big parties. One night, several months later, I decided to just go up and talk with them. I didn’t put a ton of thought into it, I was just bored. That small non-though-out decision, which meant little to me at the time, turned out to be the reason my future husband and I started dating.
Journaling Reads::
I was about to move into my first apartment and was thrilled to be on my own. The day I was to move in, I came down with the flu. Fortunately, I had several friends offer to help me. We were nearly done when a guy came bouncing down the stairs. He introduced himself to me and suggested I visit them upstairs when they have one of their parties. My heart sunk. My first place and the guys upstairs throw parties. Well, one night a few months later, I did go to visit them. They were not having a party, so I was able to talk to both guys and get to know them a little. A few weeks later, Jeremy, the guy I originally met on the day I moved in, knocked on my door and asked me out. I couldn’t go, but asked him to ask me another time. A week later he knocked on my door, again, and asked me if I wanted to go out with a big group for his birthday. I did and we’ve been together ever since.
Larissa:
Larissa Says:
It all started in a cloudy day where my husband and I decided to go to the beach. As the weather was covered, we didn’t even worried about putting on sunscreen and we spent the whole day sitting on the beach feeling the breeze and the warmth sheltering us.
To our surprise, the warmth resulted in sunburns, redness and discomfort for days.
Those sunburns ended up causing a spot over my forehead, which started to bother me so much that I decided to look for a dermatologist. After some exams, it was found out a problem in my ovaries related to this spot and I was oriented to interrupt the use of birth control pills.
My husband and I had already decided to get pregnant only in two years time, which was the estimated time for me to finish my Master on science of Law degree studies, however, we took the risk and we found out destiny was reserving us the greatest gift of our lives!
I was very afraid of not being able to take my pregnancy to the end, but, hey, everything went on relatively smooth and my little one was born to illuminate our lives with all her joy and energy!
The skin? I still put on many creams with acid even today, have peelings and suffer a lot in various treatments when I am willing enough to worry about my appearance…
KL:
KL Says:
i’ve experienced a few unexpected turns in my life but i always believe that you get exactly what you need, when you need it most. today, this day, is a very hard one for me and my family as it is the 10 year anniversary of my grandfathers death.
it was a painful and difficult time for me when my grandfather passed away 10 years ago as he was the true father figure in my life. the man who was always there to help guide me. he was the father that i didn’t have, for most of my life, and he was unconditionally giving and loving and supportive.
when we lost my grandfather my heart broke in two. i had never experienced overwhelming grief before and instead of dealing with my emotions and letting my pain surface and process i hid from it. I hid the pain with a few crazy summer months of partying and doing everything i could to not be alone with my pain and memories. i was young. i was sad. i was so very lost.
but my grandfather sent me a gift just 6 weeks after he left us, he sent me someone who would love me more than he did. he sent me my soulmate, my future husband, the father of my children. someone who would help me get through the pain and see that living and loving and building a future is the best medicine to heal a broken heart.
it still hurts, even now, that my grandfather isn’t here to see the life i have built and the family i have created. but i know that he sees all of it.
Now it’s your turn: show us your therapeutic art around “Create art about a time when something that then seemed small happened but then it ended up changing your life.” I urge you to give it a try. It can be any form of art as long as it speaks to you.
Leave us comments with your work and you will qualify for the RAK we offer to a random participant. If you don’t have a community or blog where you upload photos, you can upload them on our flickr group.
Remember, this is not a competition. If your art makes you feel even a bit better at the end, you’ve won.
Until next week, enjoy each and every moment.
Filed under: catalyst
As always, thank you to all of our visitors and all the encouraging comments you left for us. For those of you who did, thank you for playing along with us.
Ok! Here’s catalyst number sixty-three:
Tell us about your perfect day (either one you’ve had or one you imagine.)
We’re so excited to have Belinda Schneider as this week’s Guest Artist.
Belinda’s art is absolutely fascinating. Vibrant and intriguing in a way where you cannot stop looking for more and more. She is a true mixed media artist working with all kinds of media from painting to fabric and creates amazing art with each.
She has some amazing tutorials and great freebies that you must check out.
If you’ve never seen her beautiful art make sure to visit her blog.
Here is Belinda’s art with this week’s catalyst. You can click on it to see a larger version and more detail.
Belinda Says:
I always have flowers at home and in my office at work. This week lilies and peonies have been filling my office with natural beauty and a sensational scent. As a momentum I am sending you two pictures I just took with flowers from the bouquet. Although I wear black most of the time, I just love to have color around me.
I picked the perfect day catalyst because I LOVE having perfect days! I’ve had so many already and each and every one has been so different. I don’t have a recipe for just one perfect day but my key ingredients are CREATIVITY – MUSIC – LAUGHTER. A perfect day tomorrow could start with sleeping in, reading a few pages in a book, having brunch with friends, going shopping, doing a nice workout at the gym, cooking a light dinner for friends, going to a rock concert, making art – this sounds like 24 hrs non-stop fun!
This collage/painting was created on such a perfect day. I slept in on a Sunday morning and when waking up I had the idea of a colorful collaged background in my head. I went into my art room, pulled out my easel, a large canvas, silk paper, glue, turned on some music and and off I went.
Technique Highlight:
First I gathered scraps from various colored silky papers (from flower bouquets and store bought). I randomly glued them onto the large canvas using modge podge, allowing pieces to overlap. (Note: some silk papers bleed, so be careful and use it to your advantage.) Then I had fun turning my canvas around and around trying to discover a pattern or an image. What does the background say? Next I used charcoal to outline my image. One I was happy I used chalks to paint in some areas and to add details and highlights. The buddha curls were very fun to add! I fixed the canvas with a light layer of varnish (important for fixing chalks). Creativity is my therapy, always accompanied with music.
Thank you so much Belinda; we’re so very very honored.
Here are some interpretations of the catalyst from members of our team.
Kimmi:
Kimmi Says:
The perfect day for me would be simple as possible. I’d like to sleep in late, have breakfast at Cracker Barrel with BB and T, then head home to play outside with BB and Cassie. Jump on the trampoline, play in the water, all the usual stuff while T bbq’s. Eat lunch outside, picnic style. Go in for the day when BB takes his nap, and scrap for a while. Cook a good dinner, with a good glass of wine and enjoy a movie before BB’s bedtime. Hearing him say his prayers after reading him a book, and getting lots of “hugs and shugs” while tucking him in, then finishing the night off with some alone time with T, and then a hot bath and a good book. A simple, yet perfect day. May 13, 2009.
Technique Highlight:
I included snippets of my journaling on the front side of my layout and added full journaling to the backside of my layout with a few small embellishments.
Karen:
Karen Says:
There are some days that are meant to be perfect. Like a wedding day, a graduation, a birth, a honeymoon. But then there are those other days that start out absolutely ordinary. Never promising more. On rare occasions, one of these days turn out magnificent. Unexpected. Perfect. Those are the extraordinary moments life is made out of. Joshua Tree was one of those days for me. I will never, ever forget it.
Severine:
Severine Says:
My perfect day is a day like THIS day … A day with my daughter, to walk on a park with flowers, to take photos, to have kiss and calins, a day without anger and crisis … A PERFECT DAY.
Christine:
Christine Says::
As I considered what would make a perfect day, I realized that it wasn’t so much the events that I expected to happen on that day that would make it perfect, but the state of my heart. I have had days when things didn’t turn out as I expected, and yet at the end of the day I could joyfully say that it was what I considered perfect. It was so because I had spent each moment walking with the Lord. Those types of days were filled with a constant abiding in Christ…the continual trusting in Him to provide His grace at each and every moment. By trusting and resting in Him, I had the peace in knowing that all that I did in each situation would be governed by His grace rather than by my flesh. Each relationship in which I was engaged overflowed with the graciousness and love of Christ, reflecting and glorifying Him because in Him and through Him my days, and my life, are made complete. Nothing could be as close to perfect as that to me, and I am so very grateful to the Lord for those types of days!
Larissa:
Larissa Says:
I chose to portray in this Catalyst a beautiful day where my husband, our daughter and I took a walk through tropical woodland with the purpose of walking and having a picnic on the river shore and waterfalls. At the beginning of the walk, my daughter, who loves butterflies, was such in a bad mood that she got to the point where butterflies were ugly, something that she adores. This was the starting point for me to prepare a “star shaped book” with my watercolors and some of my daughter’s own drawings telling this family story. And the story:
In a beautiful sunny Sunday morning, daddy decided to invite the little Bebel to a nice walk through Sao Luis do Paraitinga’s river rapids, thinking that the little girl could enjoy a different day beside nature.
Bebel, delighted with the proposal, put on an all pink flowered dress and happily followed her parents.
When they got there, she got all marveled with the smell of the woods, the noise from the river rapids, the green tones of the tropical woods and, playfully, followed her parents on the walk to the stream.
But Bebel was only a 5 year old girl, still with very short legs and the walk path, although all green and pervaded with flowers, was too long and tiring which was causing her a great irritation.
Isabela was getting a really bad temper.
Her father, wanting to guarantee the success of the program, tried to distract the little girl, telling her:
- Look Bebel, what a beautiful flower!
However, the girl quickly and roughly replied:
- The flower is ugly!
The father, then, very creative, decided to call her attention to a beautiful shinny yellow butterfly which was flying by because he knew that butterflies were his daughter’s favorite insects:
- Look Bebel, what a beautiful butterfly!
The girl, however, quickly and roughly answered:
- The butterfly is ugly!
Realizing that it wouldn’t be easy to please his daughter with that situation, the wise and thoughtful father decided to continue the path in silence, occasionally holding her, soothing her struggle.
=Soon, the “trio” got to a glare in the woods which took them to some stones and a beautiful silver river…
The little girl couldn’t resist soaking her tiny feet on the cold water and, after a picnic on the river shore, she was happy again and full of joy!
The three of them swam on the cold river and laughed out loud of that wonderful touch with nature.
When they decided to retake the path home, however, Bebel got surprised when she realized that the flowers through the path were wilt.
A little ahead, the girl found the same butterfly which saluted them with its presence on the trip, but, the butterfly wasn’t flying anymore, no, she was sullen and downcast.
Bebel, sensitized, asked the butterfly:
- Hey butterfly, what happened to you?
- Well, you made me so sad when you said I was ugly, that I couldn’t even fly whatsoever! And look the flowers around me, they too are resentful!
- Me? But it wasn’t on purpose! I love flowers and I find you so beautiful…I…I wanted to be a butterfly myself! I even told mom that I wanted to be called “Bebel butterfly!”
- But why then did you say I was ugly, the flower was ugly, don’t you know the power of the words? From the moment you said I was ugly, I started to consider myself so dull that my wings simply didn’t have the strength to flap and fly! And the flower, poor little thing, lost her colors and life…she was here only to embellish your path!
- Oh, butterfly, oh flower, I am so sorry! You are beautiful! Please, flourish! Fly! And pour your enchantment over and through the woods again!
- The butterfly and the flower, after some minutes, started understanding the little girl’s words and regaining their strength.
They forgave her and ended up becoming the girl’s friends, cheering with their colorful presences through the remaining path and, when saying goodbye to the girl, they remembered:
- Bebel, don’t forget to always take great care of your words ‘cause words are magic and have the power of changing someone’s life! Never say something in which you don’t believe of!
And the girl, from that day on, understood the power of the words and the importance of being loyal to her thoughts.
That sunny Sunday morning got registered in her memory as the happiest day of her life, ‘cause this day took place in a very enjoyable spot, along with her loving parents and, above all, it was the day where she discovered the power of the words and friendship, starting to appreciate, with a lot more intensity, the beauty of every little pitiful piece of her life path!
In Portuguese:
Numa bela manhã ensolarada de domingo, papai resolveu convidar a pequena Bebel para um delicioso passeio às corredeiras de São Luis de Paraitinga, imaginando que a menininha poderia aproveitar um dia diferente junto à natureza.
Bebel, encantada com a proposta, colocou uma roupinha toda florida e rosa e acompanhou seus pais, muito contente.
Lá chegando, ela ficou maravilhada com o cheiro do mato, o barulho das corredeiras, os tons de verde da mata tropical e, alegremente, acompanhou seus pais na caminhada até o riacho.
Mas Bebel era só uma menininha de cinco anos, de perninhas ainda pequeninas e a trilha da mata, embora toda verdinha e permeada de flores, era muito longa e cansativa e foi lhe causando uma grande irritação.
E Bebel foi ficando muito mal humorada.
O pai, querendo garantir o sucesso da empreitada, tentou distrair a menininha, dizendo-lhe:
- Olhe, Bebel, que flor mais bonita!
A menina, porém, respondeu:
- A flor é feia!
O pai, então, muito criativo, resolveu chamar-lhe a atenção para uma linda borboleta amarela e brilhante que ali passeava, pois sabia que as borboletas eram os insetos preferidos da filha:
- Olhe, Bebel, que borboleta mais linda!
A menina, todavia, respondeu rápida e rispidamente:
- A borboleta é feia!
Percebendo que não seria fácil agradar à filha naquela situação, o sábio e atencioso pai resolveu seguir silencioso pela trilha, garantindo algum colinho para amainar-lhe os esforços.
Logo o trio atingiu um clarão na mata, que os levou a algumas pedras e a um imenso e belíssimo rio prateado…
A menina não resistiu a molhar os pezinhos na água gelada e, após um piquenique à beira da corredeira, estava novamente feliz e radiante de alegria!
Os três nadaram no rio gelado e riram à beça daquele contato maravilhoso com a natureza.
Quando decidiram retomar a trilha para voltar para casa, todavia, qual não foi a surpresa de Bebel ao perceber que as flores do caminho estavam murchas.
Mais à frente, a menina encontrou a mesma borboleta que os brindara com sua presença na ida, só que a borboleta não estava voando, não, ela estava tristonha e cabisbaixa.
Bebel, sensibilizada, perguntou à borboleta:
- Ei, borboleta, o que foi que te aconteceu?
- Ora, bolas, você me deixou tão triste ao dizer que eu sou feia, que eu não mais consigo sequer voar! E olhe as flores ao meu redor, elas também estão tão ressentidas!
- Eu? Mas eu não tive a intenção! Eu adoro as flores e acho você tão bonita… eu…eu mesma queria ser uma borboleta! Eu até já disse à mamãe que eu queria me chamar “Bebel Butterfly”!
- Ué, então por que disse que eu sou feia, por que disse que a flor é feia, você não conhece o poder das palavras? A partir do momento em que você disse que eu sou feia, eu passei a me considerar tão sem graça que minhas asas simplesmente não mais tiveram forças para bater e voar! E a flor, coitada, ela perdeu suas cores e seu viço… ela que estava aqui só para embelezar seu caminho!
- Ó, borboleta, ó flor, me desculpem! Vocês são lindas! Por favor, desabrochem, voem e despejem seu encanto por esta floresta novamente!
A borboleta e a flor, após alguns minutos, foram compreendendo as palavras da menininha e recuperando suas forças.
Desculparam-na e acabaram tornando-se amigas da menina, brindando-a com suas presenças coloridas por todo o resto da trilha e, ao se despedirem da menina, lembraram:
- Bebel, não se esqueça de, sempre, tomar muito cuidado com suas palavras, pois as palavras são mágicas e têm o poder de mudar a vida de alguém! Nunca diga algo em que não acredita!
E a menina, a partir daquele dia, compreendeu o poder das palavras e a importância de ser fiel a seus pensamentos.
Aquele dia ensolarado de domingo ficou registrado em sua memória como o dia mais feliz de sua vida, pois esse dia foi passado num lugar agradável, junto a seus amáveis pais e, acima de tudo, foi o dia em que ela descobriu o poder das palavras e da amizade, passando a apreciar com muito mais ardor a beleza de cada pedacinho ínfimo do caminho de sua vida!
Wendela:
Wendela Says:
My perfect day was a few days ago in Paris!!! I love Paris because we went to Paris on our Honeymoon, how romantic is that…!!! And for now, 1 day we were back with 4 little kids..and of course we went to the Eifel Tower! The background is a little wooden plate from French cheese, the papers I used are from K&Company. And did you see the vintage pin? I bought it on a flea market.
Now it’s your turn: show us your therapeutic art around “Tell us about your perfect day (either one you’ve had or one you imagine.)” I urge you to give it a try. It can be any form of art as long as it speaks to you.
Leave us comments with your work and you will qualify for the RAK we offer to a random participant. If you don’t have a community or blog where you upload photos, you can upload them on our flickr group.
Remember, this is not a competition. If your art makes you feel even a bit better at the end, you’ve won.
Until next week, enjoy each and every moment.
Filed under: catalyst
As always, thank you to all of our visitors and all the encouraging comments you left for us. For those of you who did, thank you for playing along with us.
Ok! Here’s catalyst number sixty-two:
What’s a personality trait you admire/seek in others? Why?
We’re so excited to have Richard Salley as this week’s Guest Artist.
I found Richard Salley when I was looking for artists from varied mediums of art. When I saw his jewelry, I fell in love immediately and emailed him, confident that he’d never agree. So I was incredibly thrilled and honored when he agreed to guest for us. It’s such a delight having him here.
Richard regularly teaches at Art & Soul and other art retreats and he’s also contributed to several books. His jewelry is what first caught my eye but I also love his mixed media work and photography as well. Each of his pieces of art is so unique and so multi-layered that it’s impossible not to be fascinated with them.
If you’ve never seen his amazing art make sure to visit his blog.
Here is Richard’s art with this week’s catalyst. You can click on it to see a larger version and more detail.
Richard Says:
I admire people who are assertive…in a postive way. People who know what they want and go after it. People that are not timid about standing up for themselves and are not afraid of what others might think or say. Of course, like all traits, they can be carried to extremes and become rather unattractive, but when kept under control and used positively, assertiveness can be quite admirable. I have a tendency to be passive and compliant which is often viewed as weak and I am often taken advantage of. I am reluctant to put myself ‘out there’, especially when it comes to putting my artwork on display for others to see…self-promotion is not something that I like to do.
The title of the piece shown here is ‘Killer Instinct’…something that the assertive person often has in abundance. I do not mean to suggest that the assertive person is mean or necessarily aggressive, only that they are driven to get the job done…to close the deal. While these folks sometimes annoy me, I still find myself wishing I had just a bit more of this trait.
Technique Highlight:
With respect to technique, this piece of wearable art relies heavily on cold connections. There are rivets, micro fasteners and friction prongs that hold it all together. The banner that flies beneath the piece was acid etched after transferring the text from laser printed paper using acetone and touched up with Sharpie Marker. The barbed wire was fabricated by hand using 20 and 24 gauge annealed iron wire…and, yes, the barbs are a bit sharp. You will definitely not get many hugs when you wear this piece and you may not want to wear it with your best cashmere sweater.
Thank you so much Richard; we’re so very very honored.
Here are some interpretations of the catalyst from members of our team.
Kimmi:
Kimmi Says:
The most important trait that I seek out in others is honesty. I can’t stand people who lie, people that I can’t trust. I like it when people tell me the truth, even when it hurts. I’d rather they be honest in what they have to say, rather than put on a show. The truth always comes out in the end anyways and it saves a whole lot of trouble and pain if they would have just been honest to begin with.
Karen:
Karen Says:
The trait I admire most in others is what I call “being comfortable in your skin.” I have a few friends who are just like that. They know who they are and they are comfortable with themselves. It’s not confidence as much as just a level of self-comfort. When I hang out with them, I always find myself wishing I were like that too. It’s something I am working on: loving myself the way I am.
Lia:
Lia Says:
I have always admired kindness in people, and Siew is one of the kindest, most compassionate persons I know! I was very lucky to have her as a boss in my first ‘real job’, and she totally threw the idea that ‘working for lady bosses can be hell’ out the window! She’s nurturing and taught me so much to be better in my job, she cares about my well-being and always asks after my family, she never ever involved me in the office politics and took it upon herself to bear the brunt from upper management, and never once forgot my birthday. We cried so much on her last day working at the company, and though I still see her often now, I will always miss working with her. She inspired me to be calm, to be confident of my capabilities, and to always be kind.
Lori:
Lori Says::
I admire confidence in people. It’s the rare person I meet who possesses a core confident self. Many times confident people are mistaken for arrogant, but that is not the case. Arrogant people have no confidence. They put others down to feel better about themselves. Confident people don’t do that. They have their own opinions, they listen and make up their own minds. They don’t apologize easily. They exude a clam inner sense of self and self ability. They are deeply loyal and very loving to those they allow in. It’s these traits that I admire most.
Larissa:
Larissa Says:
As I got hurt so many times by friends and other people, it´s very hard for me to trust a person. That way, I became a very reserved person, searching for an emotional security feeling to open my inner emotions. I’m seeking for confidence.
Lucy:
Lucy Says:
My mom has a very sweet personality and is very kindhearted so, to celebrate her and mother’s day I made this art quilt for her. Kindness is a trait that I admire in others and try to emulate myself.
Technique Highlight:
I layered batting and printed satin onto a base of wood patterned wall-paper and then stitched a hand cut heart from chenille onto gesso painted muslin. Added some stitching and trim and finished my sweet shabby chic quilt.
Now it’s your turn: show us your therapeutic art around “What’s a personality trait you admire/seek in others? Why?” I urge you to give it a try. It can be any form of art as long as it speaks to you.
Leave us comments with your work and you will qualify for the RAK we offer to a random participant. If you don’t have a community or blog where you upload photos, you can upload them on our flickr group.
Remember, this is not a competition. If your art makes you feel even a bit better at the end, you’ve won.
Until next week, enjoy each and every moment.
Filed under: catalyst
As always, thank you to all of our visitors and all the encouraging comments you left for us. For those of you who did, thank you for playing along with us.
Ok! Here’s catalyst number sixty-one:
Tell us about something that you always put off doing. Why?
We’re so excited to have Carla Sonheim as this week’s Guest Artist.
When I envisioned creative therapy my goal had always been to bring together many different forms of art. I believe in the healing power of art and I think this can be transfered to all forms whether it be photography, jewelry, scrapbooking, drawing, or anything else you can imagine. So I always seek to find artists from all fields and this is how I ran into Carla’s beautiful work. Her art is so stunning, so interesting that it pulled me in immediately. I absolutely adore her art.
Carla teaches at many of the well-known art workshops like Art & Soul and Art Unraveled. She also tells me she has just contracted with Quarry Publishing to write a book tentatively titled “Drawing Lab.” She says that it will feature 52 drawing “assignments,” many of which she teaches at workshops and are designed to speak to the child within all of us. I cannot wait to get my hands on that book!!
If you’ve never seen her beautiful art make sure to visit her blog or etsy shop.
Here is Carla’s art with this week’s catalyst. You can click on it to see a larger version and more detail.
Carla Says:
I laughed when I first saw this catalyst, because I put off EVERYTHING: dishes, housecleaning, breakfast, exercising… but the biggest thing I put off is painting. Since I do this for a living it’s kind of a problem!
And I LOVE to make art (once I get started)! But each day I have a little mini-war with myself and will sometimes do anything to put off starting a painting—even breakfast dishes. Why?
I guess it’s just the “normal and healthy” fear that goes along with all artmaking… I’m learning to be gentle with myself about it, but also to just get over myself, sit down and WORK. The above painting is a result of overcoming the resistance on that particular day. Yay!
Technique Highlight:
I use mostly gesso and watercolor on wood. I build up the textures with the white gesso, let it dry completely, then add a layer or two of watercolors.. Then I take a slightly damp rag and rub the pigment around in a circular motion until I am satisfied with the texture and color. I finish the piece off with pencil, charcoal and spray fixative.
Thank you so much Carla; we’re so very very honored.
Here are some interpretations of the catalyst from members of our team.
Kimmi:
Kimmi Says:
Laundry. It’s the one thing I despise doing more than anything.
Karen:
Karen Says:
Despite the fact that I like clean and tidy houses, it’s the one thing I always and always put off. I wish I were tidier. I wish I had one of those perfect houses that look so organized and tidy. I don’t think it’s in the cards for me.
Opal:
Opal Says:
Thinking about this week’s catalyst, “What Do You Put Off Doing,” I had no trouble coming up with several things. I am basically a procrastinator and will put off doing something for as long as I can. I had a plethora of possibilities to choose from. Where I live, we are just beginning to see signs that the long, hard, wet and cold winter is at last over. When the temperature is above 58 degrees, the neighbors are out in shorts and short sleeves, bringing their gardens to life. Every year I watch. And every year my non-existent garden, my bluff yard, stays the same. I put off any kind of work in the yard. I can grow nothing. The hardy survive! That is my gardening motto.
Last week I was visiting a friend’s quilting studio, and as I watched her trim off the corners of blocks, each one fluttering to the floor, the idea for my response took shape. I picked up all those triangles, each one with a flower or leaves or stems…and laid them out on the table. I saw the garden I wished I had. My piece shows the flowers and blooms that I long to nurture and grow. These reclaimed pieces and bits of growing things surround the reality of my yard. It makes me smile.
Amy:
Amy Says::
I spent a long time thinking about what I “put off doing” for this catalyst. In the end, a friend said to me, “You put off throwing out flowers.” And she was right. Rarely are there fresh flowers in my house. But several times this year, roses have found a home on my table, gracing the space in which I work or finding a niche on the windowsill in the kitchen. Each time, I’ve watched the roses fade and dry, the colors changing as the flowers stiffened, began to droop, and found their final resting shape, an angle of repose. I’ve found watching this process and transformation a source of much joy and beauty. The dried flowers become a piece of the composite space in which I move and work – a part of what I keep around me and from which I draw inspiration. Though bent and downward looking, the faded roses are often achingly beautiful, symbolic often of a specific time, and quietly content to lend color and a touch of softness to my space.
When my tendency to resist or prolong throwing them out was noted, there were three separate cups of roses in and around my space, three dozen, each dozen a different color, each having dried differently, each showing different angles, different levels of softness and hue and tone and shape. I sketched a few of the roses from one cup and then began free-form cutting and layering fabric to create the shapes and to build the roses. My desire was to capture their softness, the beauty in them despite the fact that they were past their prime, the lushness in the “after.” Medium: fabric collage. Size: 16″ x 17 1/2″
Larissa:
Larissa Says:
I wonder… will I ever turn my goal of taking a photography course true?
It’s a very old project and it’s often left aside.
The truth is that, although I need it a lot, I’m not willing to disburse the necessary strength to become a photographer.
Actually, what makes me postpone this project is the fact that scrapbook for me has always been a hobby related to my husband’s hobby, which is photography. My intent was always making scrapbook from his beautiful pictures. I love working with his vision of our lives and all the moments; transforming the images he captured in reports and magic memories.
He is the person behind the cameras reporting our lives. I don’t think I could take this role so well and I wouldn’t like to be separated from our perfect integration. I’m also afraid of the critics and competition.
Besides, every time I put my clumsy hands on his expensive photography material he gets tense, to say the least, foreseeing that I won’t be as careful as he is with it. Anyway, there are some obstacles to get over but, the truth is that, considering the frequency from which I make scrapbook and the little availability he has for photography nowadays, I will have to leave this practice aside soon.
Katie:
Journaling Reads:
My weight has been a huge issue in my life. I hate the way I feel about myself. It hinders me so much…I am in pain, I have high blood pressure, none of my clothes fit me, I won’t wear a swimsuit anymore…I feel ugly and gross and like I am in somebody else’s body. Why can’t I seem to get it under control? What is stopping me? Is it lack of will power? Am I just lazy? My weight is going to be my next project in my life. I have to take care of this now and stop wasting my life. I want to feel good and pretty and thing again.
Katie Says:
The one thing that I have put off doing is losing weight. I was never a skinny mini as it was, I was always curvy. As the years have gone by I have just slowly gotten heavier and heavier. After my hysterectomy my weight really started climbing. It’s at the point where I know that I need to do something about it. I’m uncomfortable, I have a bulged disc in my back, my blood pressure is high and I feel so uncomfortable in my own skin. I feel bulky and wide. I’m tired of feeling this way, I’m tired of not having cute clothes, I’m tired of being embarrassed by my weight….I know that I’m ready to lose it, I just can’t seem to start. I’m overwhelmed by it. The worst thing is losing weight and feeling better and then gaining it all back. That is the worst failure feeling ever. So this time, I want it to work…I want it to stay, so I keep putting it off because I can’t come up with a plan. Sometimes when I look into just my eyes in the mirror, I can see the old Katie..the healthy and curvy one…until I look down and see my body. But soon though, I think.
KL:
KL Says:
i love to decorate, always have. there were times in my life that the rooms i lived in were rearranged almost every other month. things moved from this room to that room. items that were rotated in and out of storage just so my home felt fresh and new all of the time.
unfortunately i’ve noticed over the past year that with the crazy schedule of having a child in school i have neglected our sweet home. there aren’t flowers put out each week. i haven’t moved the furniture in over two years. no new photos up {and i’m a scrap booker!!}.
So this little collage is going to be my constant reminder to begin decorating again. to get all of the wonderful vintage elements i love and collect back out of their boxes. to create a home that i am proud of and inspired by.
i wrote a little personal mantra to myself and stored it underneath the house. just a few words that i know are there, in the heart of our home.
Now it’s your turn: show us your therapeutic art around “Tell us about something that you always put off doing. Why?” I urge you to give it a try. It can be any form of art as long as it speaks to you.
Leave us comments with your work and you will qualify for the RAK we offer to a random participant. If you don’t have a community or blog where you upload photos, you can upload them on our flickr group.
Remember, this is not a competition. If your art makes you feel even a bit better at the end, you’ve won.
Until next week, enjoy each and every moment.
