Life Lists

Photo found here
My mind is all a buzz, so to quiet it I thought I would make a few lists for your viewing pleasure, please leave a list of your own in the comments. Happy Monday! xoxo
What I want to be:
Kind
Loving
Brave
Strong
Giving
Successful Artist
Fun loving
Carefree
A list of what I want to do:
Paint a zillion paintings
Make a zillion bowls
Go to France
Italy
Africa
Berlin
Just to name a few.
Buy a house and paint it all the colors I love, build a fireplace with all my favorite rocks and shells.
Live near the sea
and also have a house in New Mexico
Have a large garden of my own design
Learn to cook more than the hand full of things I cook well.
Learn to knit
Learn to sew
Learn to speak French
Learn something new every year until I die.
What I want to have:
More love
More money
More animals
More time to do what I love.
More hugs
A house of my own
Okay, that about covers it :-).
What I have that I am very grateful for:
My family,
My furbabies
My friends
My blogging buddies
My talent
My sweet Subaru
My little rented house
My clients
My health
My thin body (Yay, for learning to eat healthy foods while still eating foods I love and enjoying life!) Finally! What took me so long?
Taos, New Mexico
Sunshine...
A list of things I wish I could do:
Have enough money to start a no kill animal shelter here in Taos
Save the Dolphins!
Stop hate and cruelty.
Had the power to make everyone I know happy :-).

Hodge Podge

This is another new small, bud, feather or incense holder, 3 in one :-). Porcelain 2 1/4" x 3 1/4".

It will make it's way to my ETSY shop in the next day or two.

I told you I would elaborate more on all my thoughts and projects of late, so here I go elaborating :-).

First, I am working on a project in porcelain, I am making a book/sculpture and I have the first two pages done,I will share with you soon. Yesterday, I started a new painting project and it is really different for me, I am working on a painting of a vase with flowers! I believe it has come to me out of my love for making the porcelain vases, plus it is Spring :-). I have never painted a vase with flowers in my whole life as an artist. If it turns out I will take photos for you. This painting will be for a show I may or may not get into. Every year Taos has a Fall Arts show, very big in town. They have what they call the "Open" and anyone with money can enter, you pay to hang a painting in a big room. They always hung my paintings by the bathroom or too high and I always felt disgusted by the show and 4 years ago decided I would never put another painting there, and I have stuck to that decision. In another big room, they hang what they call the select and the masters, these artists are invited and have to be juried in. One of the board members has invited me to submit a painting. They don't like abstract paintings in Taos as a general rule, and so I thought since this new piece I am working on is actually a painting of something recognizable I might have a shot at getting in the show :-). We will see. I won't know for a few months, but I will keep you posted.

In other very boring news, I am cleaning and purging my house :-). It feels so good. I worked 11 hours on Saturday and I have much to do, it will be an on going project, when done I plan on having a yard sale and to paint the inside of my house, that is if I can find the time and energy!

And then there is all the thinking I do, I have been thinking a lot about death and old age, and sadness and fear and pain, I know, not very happy thoughts. There is a lot of pain and grief around me these days and I have decided that no matter what I have to embrace all of life and be happy. I really do believe that for the most part happiness is a choice, but I also believe that we have to embrace everything in life including sadness. In my life, at this moment I am turning a page and I am embracing life, finding joy everywhere and inspiration in the air. Today, I am off to hike with my very ailing and old dog, Zeus, not sure how much longer he will carry on, but he loves his hikes and today we have time for a long one. Then after work, I get to paint and for that I am more grateful than I can say. Happy Monday! xoxo

What Feeds My Soul

I thought I would write a little post about what makes me joyful, right now. As a way to show deep appreciation. So here is my list:
1.Painting. Art. Making it, reading about it, living it. If you put me on a desert Island with plenty of art supplies I would be happy.
2.My animal boys. My life would be so empty without them in my life. You can't beat unconditional love.
3. Reading. Right now I just finished one of the most beautiful books I have ever read, "Smilla's Sense of Snow". I was sorry to see it end. I am afraid most books will pale in comparison now.
4. "Lost". I know, where have I been? I don't have cable or satellite and in Taos that means no TV reception, which I am happy about as I hate TV, but I love movies, so I have a TV and DVD player. My lovely bloggy friend Nolly gave me the heads up about "Lost", so I have been renting it. I am in the middle of the second season and I love it. I used to hear about the show, but thought it was some boring thing about people stranded on an island, trying to survive. Oh, how silly I was. This show is so much more! I think it is the best show I have ever seen. Bar none. I look forward to watching "Lost" to the conclusion, which I am already sad about :-).
5. Time off. I have today and tomorrow off and instead of cleaning my very dirty house I will be painting, and reading, and loving my boys and of course watching "Lost", being the hermit I am
and loving every minute.
6. Blogging. I love every one of you and I love every minute I spend blogging and visiting your blogs. It is often the highlight of the day. Thank you.
Happy weekend! XOXO

Sunday Randomness

"There are two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle"- Albert Einstein

It actually snowed a couple days ago, but it only stuck on the mountain. Today it is Spring again.

I have this glorious Sunday off. A little yard work, then I am going to play with my new techniques with the Venetian plaster. A little reading and napping too. A PERFECT day.

More and more I am learning to love my life so much, just as it is.

I stayed up late last night researching this hologram theory. You would be surprised how many people believe it and that there is some proof. Many scientists are doing studies to prove it.

FUN stuff, if you have an open mind for that kind of thinking. Which I do :-). I had an experience when I was in my twenties that always left me thinking that the world was a little different then we thought it was: I woke up from a dream in the middle of the night, I had been dreaming that I was in a castle and there was this huge bed and chair, when I sit up in my bed, the bed was the one in the castle and the chair was in the room too, all my "real" furniture was gone, I could see the castle bed and chair start to recede and turn transparent and my furniture came forward and became solid. You may think perhaps I was still dreaming, but I was fully awake and I had turned on the light, so I did not "Imagine" it. True story. Life is such a mystery, isn't it wonderful?! I am off for a yummy breakfast and a little reading in bed before I start this grand day in Earnest. Happy Sunday! XOXO

Being Alive

This week has been one of waiting. Waiting to hear what is happening with our dear friend, Renee. But it has also been a week of living. If Renee, has taught me anything (she has taught me many, many things), it is that today is all we have, this moment, this now. I may be healthy, but a million things can happen in a life, my life could go at any second. It is true for all of us.
I don't know about you, but I want my life to count for something, I want it to be full of friends (it is), joy(most times) and I want my now to be alive. I want to experience all the life and light and nectar of each and every moment. I don't want to waste anymore time on: unhappiness, anger, bitterness, resentment, judgement or pain. My goal (it has been a goal for a long, long time, but Renee has made it seem more urgent than ever) is to love my life, no matter what.
To find the medicine in suffering and to embrace every experience that comes my way. Some good, some bad, happens in each life, what counts is how we deal with it. Some days I am full of self pity, then I think of our wonderful Renee and I am ashamed. No matter what the difficulty's, life is magic, it is a dream and I want to row my boat down stream and nod to every being, and creature and fairy. Love you. XOXO
P.S. When ever I get stressed I sing that wonderful song, Row, row, row your boat gently down the stream, merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily life is but a dream. There is a world of wisdom in those words if you stop to think about it :-).

Recharging

Toady I am giving the fluids a rest, I am giving worry and anger a rest. Today I am looking for things to be thankful for and I am finding many:
My B is eating tiny bits of real cat food, he is acting more like himself, I think we have turned a corner.
Spike is doing great.
I cleaned my yard yesterday and it is now a joy to look upon, well better anyway :-).
I have the day to do research on what to feed my cats and other ways in which I can help them.
My blogger friends and my real time friends who have all been so loving and helpful, you find out who your real friends are when stuff like this happens and you find out who isn't.
I think I can see the end of the tunnel and there is some bright sunshine on the other end :-).
I do believe I am due for some good times-Bring it on!
Love to you this Sunday and everyday. XOXO

LIFE

I have been having a small melt down the last couple days due to the lack of money and the mounting bills, but I read this today on Jan Frazier's site and was uplifted into laughter and light: "Relax yourself into a piece of cooked spaghetti". This is my mantra for today, this is my goal. I finally get to do some art, which today means porcelain, and I get to catch up on some things and lay around and read. By the end of the day I will hopefully be back to normal :-).
Wishing you a wonderful, light filled Sunday. XOXO

I've been thinking...

I have come to a few conclusions and I thought I would share some wisdom that has come to me the last couple days. I have been having some back, neck and shoulder issues. In doing a little soul searching I realized that besides doing hard physical work on my jobs and on my big painting I was also holding stress in these areas because I had started taking life way to seriously :-). The message my body is giving me is to lighten up. So for this weekend that is my goal. No painting (even though it gives me great joy, I sometimes need a break from it), and no work. No house cleaning, no yard work. Nothing but fun. I am not sure what that will be right now, I am winging it. I thought perhaps given the fact that we are all so busy, you (all my lovely blogging friends) could benefit from this message also. Happy weekend! XOXO

I was thinking...

My mind has been spinning for days. I have been waking up in the middle of the night. I think I am doing a good job not worrying, about money, a job, life coaching and how I will come up with the money to do that, my mom, things like that. However, I know how a little worry can trickle in, anyway.
I cut myself a break as it is only human. I am mainly excited about the possibilities. Uncertainty is a funny thing, it stresses us out, but it also makes life very exciting. Think about it, if we had everything sorted out and knew what was going to happen, everyday, no surprises (good or bad), how boring that would be. So, I am making uncertainty my friend. I am attempting to fall in love with uncertainty :-). There is so much to do and so many options that I am a bit overwhelmed, but I take each day and just do what I can with what I have and where I am.
Getting some jobs and finishing the book are my first goals. The book is close, I only have to clean up the format and edit one more time. I have a small job next week, so that is something.
Mom is getting better every day, but it is slow going, so she still needs all your prayers and good thoughts. Life is so beautiful and wonderful, I am happy to be here, today, no matter what.
Okay, I am rambling, I will shut up now :-). What are your thoughts on uncertainty? How do you cope with it? Happy weekend. XOXO

Life

This is a photo of 3 of my boys on their couch. Me, I am

well trained and never go near the couch :-). A lot has

happened for me this week. Many trials and things I would

rather not have occurred, but they did and now that I am on

the other side, I see that just as I suspect, things happen for

a reason. I respect that many of you do not believe that, but

in my life, for me, it is a powerful truth. Through events of

the week I now have a huge fire burning under me to make

my dream of doing art and writing full time a reality. I can't

go into the details because some of the people involved read

my blog, but I will say it was a hurtful thing. The good part is

that I am on the up side of things and I feel better than ever.

I have a question to ask all of you. I have a bunch of older

paintings, in a style I no longer do, that I would love to sell,

for much cheaper than my new work. Would any of you be

interested in seeing this work? If so let me know in comments

and I will post one from time to time. Have a wonderful Tuesday.