Self-Portrait Challenge: Resting in Black & White

I enjoy the calm of black and white. Well, when it includes the greyscale in between. Like somehow things are gentler. Like there aren't 1000 things vying for your attention. Only light and shadow and texture. Ahhh....

For more black & white self-portraits, go here.

For more Starshyne Productions, go here.

Exploring Expressive Arts Therapy

I am a bowl
on the upturned earth
I am a flame.
I am on fire.
I am a wound
on the upturned earth.
And the wind sweeps me

away.

For a couple of years now I've felt a call to explore Expressive Arts Therapy. Yesterday I took my first workshop and LOVED it! We spent the day playing instruments, making sounds, moving, writing, painting, drawing. It was fun. It was beautiful. It was sacred. I learned about myself, and I was reminded how beautiful people are and how powerful the arts are. This work is extraordinary.

I had been quite nervous about going. When I read the poster, I would cry. I thought that I would have a tough day with wildly flowing tears and huge emotional release. And I was ready for that. Instead I realized that the tears were because I'm not doing this stuff. When I was in it, there was no reason to cry, except for being touched by the beauty and intimacy and sacredness.

It was a fully creative day yesterday. I felt so alive and so in touch with my self and my inner artist. I was full of ideas. I didn't hesitate to share. I was accepting of my needs and didn't judge when I wanted to engage or when I wanted to have a moment of silence in the sun. And there was room for all of it. This is a space I can live in.

The only question is "Now what?"

Note: Wow, I didn't even realize that this completes #100 of my 101 Things in 1001 Days list! That brings me to 32/101 complete! Bonus :)

Getting to Know You a la the Actor's Studo

The wonderful Swampgrrl is hosting this months' Getting to Know You at Create a Connection. And this week she's prompting us to answer these awesome questions originally from Bernard Pivot that I know from the Actor's Studio.

1. What is your favorite word?

Luminescent

2. What is your least favorite word?

Can't

3. What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally?

Dancing - all of the above

4. What turns you off?

Violence. Cruelty

5. What is your favorite curse word?

Fuzzy bunnies!

6. What sound or noise do you love?

Thunder. Purring. Rain on the roof when I'm cozy in bed.

7. What sound or noise do you hate?

Yelling in anger (though not in protest)

8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

Expressive Arts Therapist (I'm taking a class on Saturday - wish me luck!)

9. What profession would you not like to do?

Anything working with numbers

10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear the God & the Goddess say when you arrive?

Okay, kid, what do you want to do next?

Transformation

Have you been noticing how many people are going through a rough patch right now? I'm seeing it in the lives of those around me, on blogs and in my own life. The funny thing is that it doesn't seem to be meaningless chaotic struggling or random emotional scribbling. It seems like a shift, the uncomfortableness that comes as you realize that things are changing, that you are changing.


Maybe I'm projecting because so much is transforming in my own life. I feel like I'm becoming a new phase of me, if that makes any sense. And my commitment to this transformation is taking shape in my choices and my investments.


One of the things I am choosing to invest in is myself. Check out the new haircut above! This feels like a pretty dramatic change to me. And this spunky new style is bringing out my inner rock star! And I am thrilled to say that I had that amazing experience of going to a stylist with an idea and her adding to it, suggesting things, seeing something about me. I am so thankful for that.

Another thing that I'm investing in is my work. And I say that instead of "my business" because my work encompasses all that I want to accomplish in the world, the way that I want to express myself creatively, the way that I want to encourage others to do the same, the way that I want to remind people that the are born to dance with their bodies and their spirits. And my latest investment is this sweet baby:

Ooooh, aaaah....I just got this laptop yesterday. And today I am writing this post, sitting in my bedroom. Isn't that glorious? I am loving being able to work everywhere (though for someone who finds it hard to remember to take a break, I see this is an area I have to pay attention to) and the look and feel fo this machine. I put my hands on so many laptops in the past while it's a little obcene! But I absolutely had to have a sensory and visceral connection, and with this one I do. The only thing is that it does have a bit of a whine to it, and so I have to decide how I want to deal with that. Maybe she just needs some love!

Anyway, enough of my gushing. What I'm trying to say is that during this rocky patches, the time when you're on your path and suddenly the waters get really, really rough, it`s useful to really put your energy into those things that you know are in the direction you`re headed, even if those things are few and far between. So if all of life feels confusing, but you know you're partner is right for you, ground yourself in spending time with them, loving them up. Or if you know that you are an artist but haven't a clue what you're going to do about that, ground yourself in the process of creation. Sink your feet into what you know belongs to you. The storm will pass. You will move forward. And you will be supported by what you love.

Where will you be October 12-14?

Doing your laundry? Dishes?


Or...


Hanging out with other creative bloggers? Creating? Sharing? Connecting? Learning? Growing? Dancing? Playing? Maybe even taking a workshop avec moi!

I hope we'll all be leaving the dishes at home and playing together at justBe... Connected. Register here.

Photo Thursday: Family

The wonderful Tammy is hosting this month's Photo Thursday at Create a Connection. This week's theme is Family. This is a collage of my immediate family, though I have lots of wonderful relatives in my life, including my Auntie Laima, who's probably reading this. (Hi, Auntie Laima!)

By now, you probably recognize my husband, Justin, in the top left corner and with me in the middle, and my sisters, Suzie and Shannon, top centre and with me bottom left. Middle left is my dad, and middle right is my mom (special effects created by her). Bottom centre is my wonderful brother Jason. And the two cats are my beautiful girls, Bascha (the grey) and Jinx (the orange tabby).

I love having this collage. I feel so full of love when I look at it.

Wishcasting

Wishcasting is Officially Launched
Let the Wishing Begin!

Last month when I hosted Try Day at Create a Connection and saw the response to the "Making Magic Together" prompt, I knew I had to do something to keep that magic going. Sharing and supporting wishes is a deeply powerful act. And so I have created Wishcasting. Each Wednesday there will be a prompt for inspiration but you can always wish for anything your heart desires and send your wishes in any time for posting.

Let's all wish together and see what magic we can create.

And a special thank you to everyone who participated in the the original exercise. You were all an inspiration!

Self Portrait Challenge: Dreaming in Black & White

I've always thought of black and white photos as dreamy and romantic. Maybe that's because my strongest impressions come from my mom and dad's graduation photos where they both looked so young, so beautiful and so glamorous.

See more black & white self-portraits here.

See more Starshyne Productions here.

And note: Tomorrow I will be launching a brand new project that I'm wildly excited about. I do hope you'll join me.

Creative Challenge Day: Yellow

This week's Creative Challenge on Create a Connection is to explore the colour yellow: a straightforward colour, a warm colour, a happy colour, a generous colour.

It's a colour of memories. My favourite colour, as a girl. The colour of my aura back then, I believed. It's the colour of forsythias, a word I had so much trouble pronouncing when I was small. The colour of my own bedroom when we moved to Toronto. The colour of my Dad's Volkswagen Rabbit. The colour of my very first dining room.

A colour that offers the promise of spring.

Photo Thursday ~ Imagination

February's Photo Thursday at Create a Connection is being hosted by Tammy. And the topic she's set us for this week is "Imagination."

When I was doing my coaching training, one of the assignments we had was to bring in something that represented us. I went home and made this. In the centre I placed a candle in a white holder inscribed with the word "magic." Thinking about this for "Imagination" I reaalized that I turned instinctively to creativity to answer the question "who are you?" Perhaps that said more than the piece itself.

Poetry Thursday

A dear friend recently shared these song lyrics by Paul Westerberg with me.
And on this Poetry Thursday, I'd like to share them with you.

Runaway Wind
P. Westerberg

You don't blow like the breeze you were born to be
You die down in the trees and try to hide
Will you witness the dark
All you need is a spark
A cathedral of torches to light the night

On your mark here I am
I'm your spark
Runaway wind
Run runaway wind

You trade your telescope for a keyhole
Make way for the gray that's in your brown
As dreams make way for plans
See ya watch life from the stands
Come on I'll help you burn 'em to the ground

On your mark here I am
I'm your spark
Runaway wind

He sees ya like a river
Deep and silent
And he runs to you like
A shallow noisy stream
I see what you've become and try to hide it
You need someone who sees
What you were born to be

Here I am

You don't blow like the breeze
You were born to be
You don't know what to do with your life
As day returns to dark
Flame returns to spark
Come on I feel I'm blowing out tonight

I'm your spark here I am
I'm your spark here I am
I'm your spark here I am
On your mark runaway wind
Watch you run
Watch you run
Watch you run

PS. I'm also thinking about my Imagination photo for Photo Thursday.

Getting to Know You in a Blink

The wonderful Swampgrrl is hosting Create a Connection's Getting to Know You Day. Her assignment? "Answer the following questions by intuition ... whatever comes to you immediately. If you spend more than 2 seconds on the answer, leave it blank and move to the next question."

1. You run into a friend who has just chopped off all her long hair (or suddenly has an Afro). What do you say?

I would definitely say, "You are beautiful!" because he or she is. And "Wow, what a big change! What inspired you?" And if I love it, I would say "I say I love it!"

2. You walk by a well dressed man with manicured hands who smells like a gin martini. He asks you for money. What do you do?

Snub him like only a downtown Torontonian girl can do.

3. Your brother or sister or best friend falls madly in love with someone you think is a jerk. What do you do?

Be as supportive as I can be at every turn. Be gentle and honest about my concerns if asked.

4. You get a terrible present from your husband, wife, girlfriend or boyfriend. Do you let it show?

In one instance when that happened, the giver wasn't present. I got angry and then I cried. So it showed, but they didn't see.

5. Who's your favorite Beatle?

blank

6. You walk by a disheveled man wearing soiled & tattered clothes. He politely asks you for money. What do you do?

Usually say "sorry."

7. Skinny Elvis or Fat Elvis?

The Elvis of Change of Habit.

Next, go find an outrageous picture of your Elvis on the net and post it at the bottom of your answers. Be sure to give credit to the photographer.

This is the Elvis of #7. Have you seen him in sweats before?

Picture found here.

Note: The picture of my eye was taken by my husband. He's got a thing for crazy closeups.

Self-Portrait Challenge ~ Black & White ~ & Grey

February's theme for Self-Portrait Challenge is Black and White. I surround myself with black and white, the black of my hair, my clothes, my eyeliner and the cool, clean white of my walls and my kitchen cupboards. I enjoy black and white so much, that perhaps it reflects in my thinking. And then my darling Bascha reminds me of the beauty of grey.

See more black & white self-portraits here.
Explore more of Starshyne Productions here.

Knitting Project II - Cat Blanket #1

Yay, my second newb-knitter project is done: the cat blanket. I see some progress and some areas to keep on learning. But the best part is Jinx likes it:

Ice Candles

When I posted my candlight picture for Photo Thursday, Michelle asked me how I made the ice candles. As best I can, I'll share the instructions. They are so pretty and a great way to decorate outside for a winter occasion.

You need 2 sets of disposable cups (not plastic though) of different size. The smallest size must have a base that will fit a tealight candle. Add a small amount of water to the larger cup and then put the smaller cup inside. The tops of the 2 cups need to be level. So you will need to either put some kind of a weight in the small one(coins, little stones) or tape the tops of the smaller and larger together where they are level (this is what we did). And then put them in the freezer.

Once frozen, simply remove the disposable cups from the ice and voila.

If you'd like, you can also place small items in the water like pine needles or sparkles. We didn't do that. I imagine you might want to let them freeze a bit first so that everything doesn't all sink to the bottom, unless of course that's what you're going for.

Enjoy!