The power of saying YES

When you say YES to something you are sending a powerful message to the Universe that you have the intention to bring something forth.

It is an affirmative statement for manifestation. YES to health, love, joy, inspiration, connection, and abundance in my life.

Join me and bring to life your deepest desires. Become a part of YES tribe. Saturday, July 18th, 11:00-4:00 PM

My latest offering, the YES workshop is designed for discovering and exploring our deepest desires and creating a roadmap for bringing those desires to life.

Will you say YES to you? Go here for more information.

Fall fresh start

Now that school’s back in session and we are officially very settled into our house, I have finally gotten back into the studio. Mind you I have spent time there over the past year just not painting… I’m not exactly sure why I took a year long sabbatical, the only thing I can think of is that painting (at least to me) is not the same as crafting, say making jewelry or binding books.

For me painting is a spiritual act, a practice so to speak. I have to be in the right frame of mind. What that frame of mind is exactly is something of a mystery…I just know it when I feel it. What I am sure of is that I have to be one hundred percent committed to putting brush to canvas. That feeling has eluded me for the past twelve months… 

I am an inherently creative person (as all of us truly are) and I absolutely HAVE to have a creative project underway to feel happy and fulfilled. For the past year my creativity has been exhausted on our new house (Is it still new after one year?…), renovating, landscaping, and rediscovering an old passion – gardening. Now that we’re settled in I have been feeling a call to paint.I like to paint multiple canvases at a time, sticking with a color theme; whatever colors move me at the time. Crank up the music and put brush to canvas! At first I just paint the backgrounds, that’s what you see here. And then…well what comes next can be elusive…I’m not sure what will come next with this series. I just have to turn my thinking off and follow my heart, my intuition. Let’s just see what happens next…

Letting go – out with the old, in with the new.

Where did all those canvases come from?
Well let me tell you that I didn’t hit the art store to stock up. My last major show was in December 2011 and since then I have shown a couple more times. Sadly I don’t usually sell out a show so I am left with paintings that end up stacked against a wall in the studio, just taking up valuable space. At a certain point I loose all attachment to the old paintings and wonder to myself why I’m holding on to them? I definitely do not want to hang them in one more show…so what to do?

Let me tell you, I am not above just painting over them. Some of my very best paintings have several less than fabulous incarnations underneath.This is one of my all time favorites, so much so that I couldn’t part with it and it hangs in my livingroom (it’s big 4×4 foot). LOL There are at least four paintings under the final incarnation…

They’re kind of like us, sometimes it takes a while to get the precise outcome we really want… Maybe they (we) are always a work in progress. Or maybe at a certain point we just get it right…or at least right enough?

Thanks for stopping by.

Happy New Year Gorgeous!

Happy New Year Friends!!!

I am so excited about all the beautiful possibilities floating around out there for this fabulous brand spank’n new year!

As 2012 closed I thought to myself if 2013 is as good as 2012 I’ll be over the moon blissful. 2012 did have a few rough patches but all in all I think it was my best year ever! (woohoo!:)

I’m looking forward with serious intention this year and am putting in place protocols that will help me succeed.

Here are a few things in store that I’m looking forward to sharing with you:

2013 Power Word
This is the third year in a row that I’ve chosen a word to keep me inspired throughout the year. In 2011 I chose ABUNDANCE, 2012 FOCUS and this year my word is NOTICE. I want to be more present and slow down enough to really notice what’s around me. I also want to become a better listener so I think being more tuned into noticing will help my listening skills (one can only hope, LOL). I’ll be sharing my discoveries with you right here at The Inspired Life. If you’d like to learn more about choosing a power word go HERE (+ you will also find some Jamie Ridler goodness here for snazzing up 2013)

Rocking in the Kitchen
I’m committing to improving my cooking skills AND eating healthy. In order to do this I’ve decided to choose one new recipe a week to try, I will share them here. This seems like an achievable goal to me…

More Dream Boards!
As I reviewed my dream boards from 2012 I realized just how powerful they were in shaping my year. I had a lovely slide show of all of them prepared to show you but sadly my hard drive crashed and burned last Sunday and nothing can be retrieved (very sad sigh). Alas what is is so there is no use boohooing over it. Get up, move on. If I get inspired I’ll re-photograph them. (And remember to back up my computer EVERY week!)

*I did in fact get inspired to retake the photos and make another slide show for your viewing pleasure (hehe)

Goddess Circle!
Finally, and this is my big gift to myself (hooray!), I signed myself up for Leonie Dawson’s Goddess Circle. It’s a year long membership that includes everything, yes EVERYTHING she offers, eCourses, the 2013 Create Your Incredible Year Life + Business workbooks, meditation kits, access to thousands of other Goddess’ in the Goddess Circle forums to mastermind with. It is so jam packed with goodness that I haven’t even made a dent yet. Right now I’m focusing on the 2013 Create Your Incredible Year Life workbook and let me tell you it is
F. U. N.

Just look how pretty the pages are, all hand painted by Leonie:)

I have always finished off and started up each year with attention and planning but Leonie’s workbook has made it so easy to remember and plan for all that I want to do.

I highly recommend checking out the Circle and at the very least getting yourself the workbook, which she sells for the crazy low price of $9.99 (cracking up… laughing and feeling like Ron Popeil, YES just $9.99, hahaha). Leah Piken Kolidas has a nice post about the workbook here.

I hope you will visit me often throughout this year and share your ideas and opinions by commenting. I have missed you my fabulous creative tribe and always love connecting with you here.

Here’s to making 2013 a year to remember!

Love + Gratitude

Hands-Up How To – Empowerment Pendant

Merry Christmas my beautiful friend,

I just love Jamie Ridler’s project Hands-Up How To. It is a beautiful thing to share what you know with others, it’s something that I do whenever the opportunity arrises.

I have been lucky to have met many generous souls in my life who shared their knowledge and expertise with me freely, making it possible to avoid their mistakes and saving me precious time. These generous people have always loved what they were doing, seemed happy and were usually very successful.

I have also reached out for guidance or help and been turned down. From these people I got the sense that asking for their hard found knowledge was some how threatening to them. Interestingly, the people who were unwilling to share seemed afraid that if they did share it would somehow take away from their own opportunity. And in general I’ve noticed that these people are usually struggling.

I believe that we live in an abundant Universe and that there is enough pie for everyone. That it takes courage to ask for help or guidance and that by helping someone out you are embracing the belief in abundance.

It is with great pleasure that I share this little bit of my knowledge with you.

I hope you try this project and enjoy it. (BTW these make great gifts too)

How to make your own Empowerment Pendant necklace

If you chose a word for 2012 you may want to make yourself a beautiful necklace with your word to wear close to your heart. (If you haven’t chosen your word yet go here for more information on how to select your power word)

Supplies:

• Wooden shape
• Printed background image. I use images of my art for the backgrounds
• Your word. I like to use aged paper to print it on **(see below for how to make your own aged paper)
• Mod Podge, glossy
• Paint brush
• Scissors
• Large paper clip bent open
• Fine sand paper. I use a 320 grit sanding block. You can get this at home depot or online
• Ice Resin
• Round nose pliers
• Chain-nose pliers
• Wire cutters
• 22 gage wire color of your choice
• chain, leather or cord + clasps and jumprings
• Paper piercer
• Plastic. You can use a plastic sandwich back, trash bag or whatever

You should be able to find everything you need at Michael’s Crafts and/or JoAnne’s. (or online)

Instructions:

1. Print out your background and your word.
2. Cut the background paper slightly larger than the wood piece.
3. Brush a thin layer of Mod Podge on one side of your wood pendant.
4. Lay the pendant on the back side of the image so that the image is laid out where you would like it.
5. Use your fingers to smooth out the paper making sure it’s aligned where you want it.
6. Once it’s smoothed out and aligned take your scissors and trim the paper to fit.
7. Use the sanding block and gently go around the edge of the pendant.
8. Do the same thing to the other side.
9. Cut out your word any way that is pleasing to you, lay it out on the pendant until you like how it looks.
10. First remove word then brush a thin layer of Mod Podge on your pendant then place the word back where you want it.
11. Add any other decorations you want, hand painting, glitter (my personal favorite), or whatever.
12. Gently brush another layer of Mod Podge over the entire surface.*
13. Once it’s dry brush Mod Podge on the back side as well.*

*Note: Once you think you’ve completely covered both sides thoroughly with Mod Podge do it again. If you do not completely seel the paper it will bleed or become saturated with the resin and it doesn’t look as good.

Once your pendant is decorated the way you want, carefully coated with Mod Podge and completely dry your ready to mix your resin.

Applying the Resin:

1. Mix your Ice Resin according to the instructions. (instructional video link below)
2. Lay out your pendant on the plastic making sure that it’s level.
3. Pour a small amount of resin onto the pendant.
4. Use the paperclip to carefully guide the resin to the edges. It will naturally form a little bit of a dome.
5. Once you’ve covered the entire surface with resin cover your pendant leaving a crack for air. This is to make sure no dust gets onto the resin before it dries.
6. Wait 24 hours for the resin to dry and then apply it to the back side of your pendant.
7. Wait another 24 hours for the back to dry.

Now you’re ready for the final steps:

1. Place your pendant on a cutting mat
2. Using your Paper Piercer push a hole through where you want the wire or jump ring to go. I prefer wire. 
3. Using your round nose pliers make a U shape in the wire leaving plenty of room to wrap the end.
4. Put your pendant on the wire.
5. Holding the wire, wrap the end around about three times.
6. Add a bead if you like, I do:)
7. Using your round nose pliers again make a circle and wrap the end.

You are now ready to add the chain or leather cord or what ever you decided to use.

I used a leather cord with a bead as a closure. I also added 12 little brass beads to symbolize 2012.

Viola! You have now made yourself a beautiful empowerment pendant. An amulet to remind you all year long what you want to invite into your life.

**How to make your own aged paper: Make a VERY strong cup of black tea, once it’s steeped pour it into a cookie sheet. Add regular printer paper and let soak for about an hour. Then VERY carefully remove the paper one by one and lay it out to dry. I lay wax paper on my patio tables and lay my ‘aged’ paper outside to dry. That’s it, easy as pie:)

Ice Resin video (I do not use a torch as shown it the video and have no problems with bubbles)

I had a lot of fun preparing this information and am inspired to share more with you in the New Year. Hopefully in video format.

Sending you love and light. XO

Making 2012 MAGICAL!!!! a little gift for you

Hello Lovely,

I am thinking about 2012 and I’m excited.  I’ve already begun planning AND taking some excellent action. I was inspired by Jamie Ridler’s post ‘Planning the Year Ahead’. Jamie walks us through her planning session with her sister. Think coffee shop, colored markers, sticky notes, calendars, new ideas, big dreams, etc… FUN.

I never make New Years resolutions anymore, while I am tempted to say YES I will definitely: workout more, eat only healthy food, give up sugar, bla, bla, bla (you fill in the blank). Inevitably I would always fall short at some point feeling like I’m undisciplined, lacking self-control, basically ending the whole exercise beating myself up. So for many years one year just rolled into the next, which is fine I guess. BUT… I really do like to dream, to scheme, to set goals, make plans and dogonit! I like to realize those dreams.

SO last year I heard about the idea of choosing a word. Just one word that would symbolize what I wanted my year to look and feel like. Since 2010 was an especially difficult year on many levels I choose the word ABUNDANCE to represent 2011. Besides choosing the word I didn’t do much more than keep it in the back of my mind, yet always remembering that it was MY word.

As it turns out 2011 was an ABUNDANT year. Not just financially, so many areas of my life felt abundant. My relationships, my creativity, my joy level and so on.

Dream boards from my Year of Dreams dream circle. These added a visual component to my idea of ABUNDANCE

I like to create a little sacred energy around choosing my word so I will invite some of my soul sisters over for our own little planning party. We will share our hopes and dreams, talk about how we can support each other and choose our words.

I wanted to share this idea with you. Maybe you want to give this a try this year?

WHAT WORD TO CHOOSE?

Many people know immediately which word resonates with them. For others, a little contemplation is required.

I’ve compiled a list of possible words below (of course feel free to add to the list). As you read through them, see if one stands out for you. Try to be intuitive about it, feel the word that has the most meaning or relevance for what you’d like the New Year to bring forth. It’s tempting to choose four or five, often more than one word feels very appealing. However I recommend really, really trying to narrow it down to one. It’s been my experience that when I just have one word, one theme for the year that somehow the Universe taps into that focus and aligns energy around the word/idea/desire.

If you can’t choose just one, narrow it down to no more than three.

One is ideal. It gives you focus. If you master that one word, you can choose another one in June.

I am wishing for you the most amazing 2012 you can imagine filled with your big dreams, love, friends, family, creativity and lots of joy.

I would love to hear what you think of this idea, if you’re going to give it a try and if YES what word you’ll choose.

I’ve chosen FOCUS for 2012