Sidney Fine Art Show Art Pieces

Well folks I did promise I would show you what pieces made it into the Sidney Fine Art Show.  As I have mentioned in other posts, these are bookshelf boxes!  What's that you ask?  Bookshelf boxes look like little room vignettes but are meant to sit in a bookshelf among your books... rather like a surprise when you discover them.

The boxes are filled with detail and the more you look at them, the more you discover. Like the fact that Albert has his fingers crossed (well he was hoping he was right about that theory of relativity) and that the "floor" in the Scholar & Gentleman box is a vintage copy of the Book of Knowledge Index that I have had for years and years.  It was just waiting for the right art piece to come along . They are whimsical for sure but also have a serious side to them when you stop and think about what is REALLY going on within this little space.  As those who know me can attest, I like little intrigues in my art...

This first box is "A Scholar and a Gentleman"... Dr. McPherson is a world traveler lecturer who loves to share his knowledge with others...and like most professors I have known, he is not entirely neat!

This box is "It's All Relative" with Albert Einstein and is artfully modeled after his office at Princeton University.  I am a big Einstein fan and this box was done to celebrate the centennial year of the publication of Einstein's theory on relativity (1915-2015).

Now anybody who has studied ANYTHING about him will know that he had a wicked sense of humour. He was also well known for his ability to explain complex "stuff" in simple but often humorous ways. Take his theory of relativity for instance:  He once told a group of his students that understanding relativity was quite easy:  "If you sit with a beautiful girl for 2 hours, it feels like a minute BUT if you sit on a hot stove for 2 minutes, it feels like an hour.  That's relativity."

Have a great weekend,

See you soon.  Keep on arting...

Sharon

Posts from the Past..Chapter 1

Today. with close to 200 blog posts already under my belt,  I thought I would go back into the blog "archives" and pull up a couple older posts you may not have seen when they were first published OR if you are a more recent/new visitor to myStoryART you may not have discovered yet.

First up is a blog post from July 2010 "Feeling Stuck, Bogged Down, Need Some Inspiration?"  That's kinda how I felt this morning when I started this post!!  Once again I had put my thinking cap somewhere and darn it, I couldn't find it. So I took my own advice... and I am back in the groove!

As many of you know, I love stories.  So here's a short, ah... romantic tale...from 2009 that, guaranteed,  will bring a smile to your face ... one you may have missed along the way... The Storm

Hope you have a wonderful week... and I will do this one again... it was fun taking a look back at older posts!!

Cheers,
Sharon

If the Shoe Fits...

 Fantasy Art Shoes that will bring a smile to your face and a chuckle to your heart...

Oh naughty me for not having posted since the beginning of last month!  My big excuse... I have been very busy with art *stuff*, doing some spring cleaning and supervising (tee hee) hubby's planting of our garden for this year. 

It is about to get even busier in our household as my hip replacement surgery date was set this week for the middle of next month.  Of course this would happen after I bought my super duper backpack beach chair for this beach this summer!  The sun had better shine a lot in the next few weeks so I can at least get to use it LOL

I did promise awhile back to post photos of the shoes I created for entry into the Coast Collective Shoe Show in mid May.  Of course I meant to post them earlier... before the show began... and alas the show has come and gone BUT I did take photos of my entries. 

The show was delightful to wander through and discover paintings, sculpture, and drawings you could purchase of  vintage shoes, boots, running shoes, fantasy shoes, RCMP riding boots, sandals, high heels as well as real shoes all "gussied" up... you name it, it was there.

I had a real blast making my shoes for the show.  It was a lot of fun and I laughed a lot as they came together.  It's delightful to experience that kind of joy when creating "art"!

The first shoe is called "Meal on Wheels" and the wheels on the shoe actually do turn!  Made from polymer clay, that cheeseburger, topped with a dill pickle and the crispy fries look so real you could almost pluck them off the shoes for a little snack and the strawberry for dessert is mouth watering luscious. 

I was surprised that this shoe "art piece" didn't sell at the show... it is just adorable sitting on a windowsill or shelf in a kitchen.  It certainly brings a smile and chuckle to the faces of people who see it!  Guess it is just waiting for the right person to come along, see it and want to give it a home in their kitchen. In the meantime, it will sit on the top of my pie safe in my kitchen along with Chef Pierre (remember him from a few posts ago?) and look cute!

The second shoe "Which is Witch?" is something to behold when you see it with light shining on it.  The sparkles are glorious... and something that photos just can't seem to capture and do justice to!

This shoe is a combination of many different mediums... a real shoe, paper mache, bookboard, clay, ribbon, acrylic paint, and more glitter than you can shake a stick at LOL. 

Anxious to see what it would look like and being somewhat impatient to get it finished,  I started applying the glitter at my art table.  I just happened to look down to see my little white dog, hovering around my feet,  starting to glisten and sparkle in orange, purple and glow in the dark glitter!  Well outside we went, pretty darn quick I can tell you, to finish the job.  Hubby remarked that we had the only glittering grass in our little village for at least a week. 

Once it was done, I just smiled every time I looked at it.  What a perfect Halloween shoe... I just loved the way it turned out.  Well I wasn't the only one it seems... "Which is Witch?" sold at the show and is now in a new home... no doubt bringing smiles to the face of its new owner.

So there you have it!  There is a third shoe that I did... I was definitely into this... that is just as delightful as these two... actually I think even more so,  but I am saving it for now.  I may enter it into an upcoming show and see if it makes the cut.

Have an "arty" week and see you soon...

Sharon

Chameleon... a Juried Polymer Clay Art Show

This past weekend, I attended the Vancouver Polymer Clay guild's bi-annual Horizons "clayfest" retreat.  What a fun, interesting and delightful weekend of "artful" play with polymer clay.

My head is still spinning with all the new techniques and ideas I gleaned from the "mini" workshops and demos put on by such expert polymer clay artists as Joan Tayler, Carolyn Good, Ellen Kocher, Olga Osnach and Jem Redlich.

It was a delight for my friend Donna and I to share our table with the highly talented and generous Korean artist, Veronica Jeong.  She brought many a smile to our faces and helped us out with suggestions and ideas for our pieces when our heads were so full we couldn’t think straight!  LOL

By far, the highlight of our weekend (before we got down to some "serious" claying on Saturday and Sunday) was the noisy, laughter filled start early Friday evening as we scrambled onto an antique trolley car to be transported to the retreat's opening reception at the Seymour Gallery in the tiny village of Deep Cove, B.C.


This photo of Deep Cove is courtesy of TripAdvisor

Tucked away in a naturally beautiful corner of North Vancouver, the gallery is currently hosting "Chameleon", a juried art show of British Columbia polymer clay artists that is a celebration of polymer clay as a medium for artistic expression.  Although polymer clay has been available to artists for over seventy years, it has often been thought of as a craft medium for children.  Over the past twenty years, there has been a dramatic shift in the art world as more and more artists and serious craft people have turned to polymer clay as a medium for their artisitc endeavours..

I was thrilled to bits that my piece "AllSorts of Claying Around" piece was chosen to be displayed in the show.  As many of you know, I made a dish of clay allsort candy for my father in law for Christmas.  It was definitely a winner and the source of more than a few chuckles with him and my mother in law when he opened it up.  It took some convincing to get them both to believe that they weren't real.

One of my "arty" friends who saw the dish of "candy" before it was wrapped up for Christmas giving, suggested that I make another one and enter it in the Chameleon show.  I must admit, I rather procrastinated getting it done and had to scramble to get it entered for jurying, pretty much at the last moment and just before the deadline. I'm glad I did.  It never ceases to give me a little case of "goosebumps" when I see my "stuff" displayed in a gallery show.

The show was put together by well known polymer clay artist Joan Tayler and features western Canadian polymer clay artists Carolyn Joy Good, Rachel Gourley, Tina Holden, Gera Scott Chandler, Wanda Shum and Joan Tayler, as well as a selection of work by other fellow claying members of the Vancouver and Vancouver Island Polymer Clay Guilds.

The diversity of pieces displayed in the show will take your breath away.  For a quick peek at a tiny fraction of the many faces of clay and some of the pieces in the show, you can visit the Chameleon blog. 

If you live in the Vancouver area or are visiting Vancouver from other parts of the country, this is a must see show that runs every day from 10am to 5 pm until March 2.  Just drop by the Seymour Gallery website for some quick directions on how to get there!

Thanks for stopping by,

Sharon

Fun Projects to Make in Just a Few Hours

Where does the time go?  Here it is Black Friday already and I don't even have my shopping list together!!

I had planned and made a promise to myself after my last blog post that I would pull up my "socks" and post more regularly.  The spirit was definitely willing... the body however, not so much!  I've spent the good part of the last three weeks down with a wicked cold, sore throat, laryngitis and ear infection that plunked me firmly on the sidelines covered in Vicks, slurping hot toddies and sleeping round the clock.

Honestly, I can't remember when I felt so miserable and had a "bug" that wandered on its own "merry" (ugh) way through my body in slow motion!! The pain in my ears (and the fact that I could hardly breathe) got so bad one night, I ended up in the Emergency dept. at our local hospital.  All they could do, after a good "look see" was tell me it was going around, give me antibiotics, told me to steam, stay in bed, keep warm and sent me home.  I was back at midnight again... this time with blood seeping from one of my ears as in "ruptured ear drum"!  I will spare you the nitty gritty's but it hasn't been the most pleasant couple of weeks in my life. However, today is the first day that I have felt like myself again (by gosh, I am actually going to live LOL) so I decided to pull a few fun things things I've made out of my art/sewing room to share with you.

First up are some pillow with neat French graphics on them.  Kinda the "in thing" this past year.  I purchased some good pillow inserts at the local fabric store (I was surprised at how expensive they are... even on sale) along with some Osnabruck fabric.  I messed with the graphics to change them slightly to make them larger and darken them up to ready them for fabric transfer with HP T-Shirt Transfer paper. I dug around in my lace stash to find some antique lace (had just enough for two pillows) and decided to make the large, two and a half inch buttons from polymer clay.  And here they are, all finished, gracing the antique chairs and couch in my living room...

You can find some neat French graphics at The Graphics Fairy if you are so inclined to make some for yourself or as a "different" Christmas gift for a friend or family member.

Remember all those Reader's Digest books I inherited?  Well, I found another use for them.  I was visiting an antique store this past summer and saw a book that was all bashed up but decorated with fabric roses.  It looked interesting just randomly sitting on an old side table in the store.  At $25.00 a pop, I decided I could make it myself!!  It sits "nonchalantly" on a table in my living room that is covered with my great grandmother's beautiful lace tablecloth (and was on my wedding table when hubby and I got married).

A couple of years ago I inherited a whole box of fabric flowers and ribbon from my sister in law who was clearing out some of her "stash".  She thought I'd be able to use them so gifted me with the lot.  I sorted out what I wanted and stashed it away in one of my translucent shoe boxes that I keep on the shelves in my sewing room.  I knew that some day a project would come along!  Don't they always???? LOL

So here's how to make one of these books yourself.  You can't be squeamish about bashing a book up to do this. Use a book that has no meaning for you or is so bashed up all ready that you are "recycling" it into art and giving it a second life.

Tear off the cover and the spine.  Take some brown ink (Tim Holtz has some great ink pad colours) and splatter it all over the book... spray it with a fine mist of water to spread the ink around.  I took a page from an old German book, crumpled and inked it,  tore it to size to fit the front page of the book and glued it down.  Once everything was dry, I simply took a wide piece of wired ribbon to tie around the book and hot glued some roses to the top of the book.  That's it!!  A quick and very easy little project.

Now I must get my list ready and get out to those sales today... Hope all my American friends had a lovely Thanksgiving and happy hunting in the Black Friday sales...

Cheers,
Sharon

The Art in Colour Mixing...

One thing I have been wanting to do for awhile now is to mix up some clay colours for reference when doing clay work.

After completing this project myself and seeing how useful it is for learning about colour, I'd like to encourage non-clayers to try this simple system of mixing colours in clay and creating some "clay" bracelets to give you a reference aid when mixing  colours in other mediums.  It is an easy project... although time consuming!  The cost of a couple of packages of clay will be worth it for you in the end!

Even though many fellow clayers swear by the "mixing process" of Maggie Maggio in her book "Polymer Clay Colour Inspirations", I just couldn't seem to get the hang of it!  Even though it is probably pretty simple, I was frustrated in my efforts to make heads nor tails of it.  After a couple of tries at it over the last couple of months, I would just give up.  The problem with doing that is that I STILL did not have any reference beads I could use that gave me an easy "starting" formula!  URGHHH!!!!

As I was cruising the web one day, I came across Elaine Robitaille's blog  where she mixed hundreds of colours to figure out the colour formulas for Premo clay.  Well I wasn't about to recreate the wheel, so I thought it might be worth a shot to try doing a simplified version of what Elaine had come up with.

Here is a photo of a two colour layout about to be mixed down into 9 beads.  Using a small cutter, all you need to do is cut out 8 circles each of the two colours you want to mix for a total of 16.  Leaving some room between them, lay them out on your tile from top to bottom, one row of eight on the right, one row of eight on the left.  Working from left to right,  all you need to do now is fill in the space you left between the two rows with more circles of cut out clay. (72 clay cutouts in total.. 36 in each colour)

Here are the three "sets" of mixes I created using Premo clay

Set 1
Cobalt Blue to Cadmium Red.
Cadmium Red to Cadmium Yellow
Cadmium Yellow to Cobalt Blue
Set 2
Ultramarine Blue to Alizarin Crimson
Alizarin Crimson to Cadmium Yellow
Cadmium Yellow to Ultramarine Blue
Set 3
Turquoise  to Fuschia
Fuschia to Zinc Yellow
Zinc Yellow to Turquoise

Once I had all the mixes for each set rolled into balls and laid out on my tile, I went back and rolled out each ball on a medium setting, cut out one square of the blend and mixed it with two, same sized squares of white to get a hue.  I added this "hue" ball to the top of the bead (and made it a two tone ball :).

When I finally got going on this "project" I decided I would finish it in one shot.... otherwise it would likely get put aside and well you know what good intentions lead to LOL. 

It took me most of the day to complete this exercise in colour and in spite of a very sore middle finger and thumb from mixing all the little "hue" samples, it was definitely worth it.  In the end I created three "bracelets", each with 24 beads of the mixed colour plus the hue for a total of 48 colours per bracelet and 144 colours to play with in the future. And those little bracelets are so pretty!  Had I made the "beads" smaller, I could have simply made a funky, colourful necklace out of them.  I may just take the bracelets apart and do that even though they are rather large!!

A couple of caveats...  Cobalt Blue and Zinc Yellow are currently only available from the sources listed below.

Polymerclay Express
Munrocrafts
Creative Wholesale

To find out more about why these colours are not longer being stocked by places like Dick Blick, Hobby Lobby and Michaels, read what Carol Simmons  has to say about this "sad state" of affairs for clayers!

Was this exercise worth it?  YES.  I learnt a lot along the way and some colours surprised me when they were mixed down into a hue!  I am going to continue doing this with more colours just to see what I get and create some more colour chip "bracelets" to refer to using the colours in the fabric samples I have.


Have a great week,

Sharon

The Timeless Tales of myStoryART

Today,  I am excited and thrilled to announce that my spoken stories CD album, “Timeless Tales – Vintage Stories from Around the World, Vol. 1” has just been released at cdBaby.

 

“But aren’t stories and tales “just for kids”?” you ask. Well, yes and no. Lots of adults enjoy tales and stories too! Kids will laugh, smile and maybe even want to tell YOU one of the stories on this CD. 

As a mom, dad, aunt, uncle, or grandparent, have you ever noticed how, when kids listen to a story, their eyes sparkle and you know just looking at them that they are off in a world of their own, hanging excitedly on every word,  just waiting to hear what happens next? 

Kids love listening to stories.  Stories magically transport them to the creative playground of their imaginations.

Sadly, as adults, we end up missing out on this fun...  a lot.  It seems we all have our own ways of allowing our lives to get pulled down into the quicksand of SERIOUS!

• Deadlines to meet both on and off the job
• Family obligations with our kids and extended family.
• Worry about the economy, the environment, our jobs
• Concern around our kids, aging parents, paying our bills and much more...
  
  Ever notice how, as time goes by, one day begins to feel like a repetition of many of your yesterdays?

You are not alone.  Shut ins, aging parents, and older seniors, regardless of how active they remain, experience this tedium and boredom too.

Stress is frequently referred to as "the Silent Killer".  Often left unchecked, it begins to affect your health in a negative way.  Headaches, insomnia, sniffles and colds are often some of the first stress signs we need to pay attention to but often ignore. Emotionally you may feel cranky, impatient and out of balance. Your senses dull, diminishing your vitality and zest for living. As W.H. Auden once said:  “Home to supper and to bed.  Shall we be like this when we are dead?” 

Here are some undeniable facts... 

When you ignore your inherent need for fun and pleasure, the more out of balance, listless and just plain miserable you will become! 

When your life is so busy and full taking care of daily living needs, your job, being the full or part-time chauffeur, shopper, cook, housekeeper for your family, caring for your children (from the little ones to the grown up kind that have moved back home), it's easy to lose touch with the creative and playful side of your nature. Life becomes a series of “have to’s”, musts and all of us (me included) end up “should-ing” all over ourselves.  A sense of amnesia settles in. You forget how wonderful, how mentally freeing, how energizing it feels to go for a romp in the wonder playground of your imagination. 

I claim these as facts...from a place of personal and professional knowledge as well as experience over the past 25 years both as an artist and as a trained and certified Reality Therapist and Master Coach.   My subsequent doctoral studies and training in the methods of the greatest therapeutic storyteller of them all, Milton Erickson, confirmed for me what I have instinctively known most of my life. 

Needs really matter!  

Story really matters! 

This is precisely why I chose to record these memorable stories for YOU.  Plucked from my vast collection of stories gathered over the years, listening to these stories will make a difference in your life, whether you are 8, 98 or somewhere in between :) 

As you listen to these stories,

I want YOU to remember …  

• the experience of laughter and delight to be found on the playground of story
• how it feels to be lifted up on the gentle wings of story to the movie theater of your mind.
• the delight you’ll experience when you access the childlike curiosity within you that perhaps hasn’t been out to play in a very, very long time. 
• the pure “essence” of relaxation to be found in watching the story come alive on the “big screen” of your imagination.  
• stimulate your creativity and memory. 
• connect with the playful side of your nature and  
• spark the creative part of you where your authentic self lives 

What I want most for you is... a time in the space of daily living where you can leave your troubles, worries and the stress behind, if only for a short time to “dance lightly on the edges of Time like dew on the tip of a leaf.” (Rabindranath Tagere, Bengali poet, novelist, musician, playright)

Listening to a charming, time tested tale that brings a smile to your face or a chuckle to your heart can make a difference…at home, at school and at work.

You see, a good tale, well told, can help YOU   

• relieve everyday stress  
• lighten mental pressure & anxiety before important events such as  exams, speeches, presentations, calm public speaking, wedding or graduation day “jitters” 
• improve performance – at work, at school, at home  
• help relax you before bedtime so you can have a restful night's sleep 
• stimulate your creativity and memory  
• lower your blood pressure, ease pain & discomfort, aid healing, 
• tickle your funny bone when you least expect it

“Timeless Tales -  Vintage Stories from Around the World, Vol. 1” is a “spoken word” album, punctuated with music, with delightful tales from 9 countries around the world. 

On this album you will hear…  

• Tales that paint pictures on the landscape of your inner mind to help you smooth out the ups and downs of daily living.
• Stories to make you smile, pull at the strings of your heart and even provide a chuckle or two along the way. 
• Enjoy an instant listening preview of all the stories in the album.Read reviews and album notes.
• Stories range from less than 3 minutes to no more than 13! Perfect for listening during your ride to work, on your coffee break or anytime you need a change of pace! 
• Download your purchase to your computer in a matter of minutes 
• mp3 format for easy listening on your computer and/or transfer to your mp3 player, iPod, or phone.  
• You can burn your stories to a CD for convenient listening at home or in your car 
• Re-live the experience of listening to “old time” radio 
• Kid friendly – a wonderful way to keep YOU & the kids entertained "on the road" 
• Download for $12.99 from cdBaby, a reputable, safe, customer friendly, internet source 

And… on this album, you will even get to hear the humourous story that inspired “the artist within me” to create a likeness of the whimsical and fun “cat” in the story, “The Fat Cat of the Empress Hotel”.

This clay/ceramic cat sculpture will be enjoying some wonderful attention all of its own soon.  Sir Felix will make his “debut” next month… in an upcoming art show! 

You know, even though I know I will never be a cat or any of the other whimsical animal clay/ceramic “sculptures” I have created, sometimes it’s just nice to go hang out in a world that isn’t grounded in our own.  A place where our doubts and fears, worries and stresses can be relieved, if only for a few hours. 

With the cool days of autumn fast approaching, snuggle up with your favourite afghan in your special, comfy spot.  Put your ear-buds in and get ready to be magically transported on the soft, gentle wings of story to the "movie theater" of your imagination. Let the stories that hail from many parts of the world begin... 

Hop on over to cdbaby NOW!

The End (for now)

Sharon

Listening to an inner song

When I realized that well over a month had passed since I last updated my blog, I was rather shocked!

"Where did the time go?" I mused to my SELF.

The answer came back swiftly.  "Listening to the song in your heart." said that voice of SELF.  I smiled.

Allow me to explain.  Around the beginning of June, I was doing some clean up on my computer.  A necessary evil every now and again and not one that I particularly enjoy.  However, I like things relatively tidy and a good "purge" of my inbox, bookmarks, graphics, digitals and files definitely cleans things up... at least for awhile.  Sometimes I am more "ruthless" in my housekeeping than at other times and this time was no exception.  My recycle bin was filling up at a furious pace.  But then.... I came across the digital ATC above that I created at some point last year and had forgotten about.  It stopped me in my tracks... then and there!

I had to admit: "Nope, I haven't been listening."  In my rush to get caught up with all the "stuff" that had languished around for months before and after my foot operation/recuperation, I was going flat out trying to do six months of backlog AND "new stuff" all at once! 

I wish now that I had kept all the sticky notes emblazoned with task after task scattered all over my desk and pasted to my monitor.  It would have made a grand photo to show you!  One thing became clear as I looked at them... I wasn't doing what was most important to me.  It went a long way to explaining why I was feeling so out of sorts, why I was somewhat "grumpy" (not something I am prone to being), headachy and to top it all off, I was "bone" tired!!  I gathered them all up and threw them in the trash.  Boy did that feel "freeing"!

I had come to the sudden realization that I was so intent on crossing off those tasks (and ridding myself of a yellow sticky note) that I had completely forgotten what has worked for me for more years than I can remember:  Every morning, before I start my day, I ask myself this question:  "What are the 3 most important things you have to do today?"  I write them down and get to it.  After those tasks are completed, I get to do whatever I want AND I get to toss that sticky note in the trash!  It has always been amazing to me that once I identify the "must do's", I relax.  Many times I have discovered that once the "must do's" have been completed, I tackle something else that most likely would have ended up on the "must do" list a few days later and because it's not a "must" it miraculously transforms into a "want to".  Strange... but true.  LOL

Having broken the "spell" I was under, I began listening again.  I soon discovered where my headaches were coming from. 

Working on the computer was giving me eye strain even though I was wearing my "regular" glasses.  My eyes blurred up and my head pounded within a short period of time.  I was scheduled for an eye appointment with the opthamologist in a few days so I'd ask her what was going on. 

As it turned out... nothing... my eyesight was perfect BUT my eyes were drying out sitting in front of the computer.  According to the doctor, we tend not to blink as often sitting in front of the screen and should use eye drops regularly.  She also suggested getting a pair of "office" glasses.  These are glasses that are specially made for working on the computer.  Off to the "glasses" store I went to pick out a pair of the funkiest frames I could find!  Well ... what a difference putting in eyedrops regularly throughout the day and my "funky glasses" have made.  Headaches have disappeared and I'm back in business (chuckle).  If you wear glasses and work for more than an hour in front of a computer,  I highly recommend them.

So what have I been up to?  The biggest chunk of my time has been spent on recording stories for a CD I will be releasing soon and hope to get on iTunes.  What fun it has been!  This is a project that I have been wanting to do for close to 12 years now and it feels great "getting on" with it.  Yep, listening to my inner song is definitely working!

During my "sitting around" time earlier this year, I decided to go through my file (upon file, upon file) of stories and choose my absolute favourites.  With over 150 stories that I have gathered over the years, it wasn't an easy task deciding which ones I loved the most.  But... I did manage to boil it down to 50... way more than I will ever need for a couple of CD's.

The next order of business was figuring out how and where to put a proper "recording" area in our house..  When we lived in North Carolina, I had a recording studio built in our home but "lost" it when we moved back to Canada.  But where could I put it in our current house?  Over the past five years, I have filled up any available spot in my creative space with art supplies, paint, clay, fabric, beads, wire... need I continue? LOL.  Add to that rolling carts, cupboards, fridge, oven (for baking clay) and a giantic art table!  I wasn't about to give that up... no way!!

It took some brainstorming, moving stuff around and a couple of "this won't work" tryouts but my new  recording area finally found a home in a tiny corner of my creative space.  Because I stand when I record, I don't need a lot of room to move around (other than for my "flying hands"). 

Hubby put together a tower to hold my microphone, snuggled it and the surrounding area in noise dampening audio foam, added a light, a spot for my laptop, a music stand and a high bar stool that I can straddle (I still have problems standing on my foot for any length of time).  It's perfect!  Very little ambient noise because I am in an enclosed space... a necessity as my microphone is very sensitive and picks up the drop of a pin!  It's like being in a small "British style" telephone booth!.  The only thing I need to do is turn off the fridge (which lives in a distant part of the room, as far away from the mike as we could get it).  I forgot to turn it back on one day last week after I finished recording and had a tiny disaster... it defrosted and the water drained out all over hardwood floor!  Now I have a sticky note on my laptop every time I record:  "Remember to turn the &%"@* fridge back on." Nonetheless, I am a happy camper.  Recording is just plain fun especially so when you can breathe life into a story you love.  Stories just ain't for kids ya know!

Over this past month, I have managed to get a number of stories recorded. Now begins the "grunt work"... editing and getting a "master" done.  This is the part that is so time intensive to do it right but with new "computer" glasses, a tenacious spirit and a bunch of enthusiasm, I am raring to go.... but first...

some beach time this weekend and then back to playing with story.  Yep, life is good!

See you soon...next time I'll show you the CD cover I have designed for these wonderful "vintage" tales.

Sharon

Goal Setting in 2011: Step 5 - Create a Year of Magnificient Choices

Well... here we are the final step in this process.  Are you ready to play and have fun?  This step is all about creating a year of magnificient choices and it is simply de-licious! LOL 

Some Thoughts to Ponder before you begin

"Each day that passes, your choices will come and go. They are like diamonds in a chest of jewels, each waiting to be discovered." --Shad Helmstetter

"When you have to make a choice and don't make it, that is in itself a choice." --William James



"It's not hard to make decisions when you know what your values are." --Roy Disney

"The doors we open and close each day decide the lives we live." --Flora Whittemore


No matter what happens in our daily lives, we always have a choice.  Even if we think there is no other option, there is always something else that can be done.  A lifetime of experience has taught me that in any life circumstance I have two choices:  to accept things as they are or accept the  responsibility for changing them.

Over the past four days, you may have discovered some choices you have made in the past that you would now like to eliminate, change or add to your life.  Here is your opportunity to make those changes happen.  Take some time to go back and read what you have written over the past four days.  Reflect on the wisdom you have brought to the surface about who you are and what is truly important for you. 

What four or five things stand out for you? 
What is capturing your attention and beckoning to you? 
If you could be, do and have anything you want this year, what would you choose?  Make a list. 
What changes or actions will you have to take this year to bring these wants and wishes into reality?

A few words about setting our sight on what we want...

When we set our sights on something we want,  it is important to make it specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time bound (SMART). 

If you have chosen something BIG, it is useful to have some smaller "benchmarks" along the way that will get you to your ultimate "goal".  Weight loss is a popular goal in the new year and often falls into this category so I'll use it as an example. 

It may be much easier for you to focus on the first five pounds, then the next five and so on.  It's more realistic and easier to achieve letting go of 5 pounds than focusing on the total weight loss number of say 40 or 50 pounds. 

You could walk for an hour a day which reminds me of another way to tackle weight loss.  Focus on something else other than *pounds*.  Pick out some activities such as walking or swimming. 

You can focus on time or distance goals when you walk longer distances or swim 4 or 5 times a week for an hour.  The weight will come off over time with more exercise and although weight loss is the primary goal it ends up being a fringe benefit of more physical activity.

Now that you have a good idea of what you want to have in your life in 2011, it's time to create a "treasure map" of the four or five things you discovered are truly important to you and you want to attract and bring into your life in 2011. 

Treasure maps are also known under different names:  Vision boards, Manifestation Maps, Dream Boards and if you are into Feng Shui, there is even a Feng Shui Treasure Map that is set up in accordance with feng shui bagua areas.

We have all had fun doing this activity at one time or the other so I am going to trust that no instructions are necessary.  All you need is a large sheet of paper or bristol board (or some pages in your journal that you set aside specifically for this exercise).   At this top of the page, write: "This is what I want to be, do and have in 2011. "

Spend as much time as you want creating your treasure map using photos, magazine cutouts, paint, glitter, buttons, crayons, drawings, balloon thoughts, words, embossed paper cutouts, trinkets, ribbon ... whatever you like! The idea is to dream and have fun.  And... you don't have to finish it all in one session.  You might even want to invite some friends over and each do a map!


Other possibilities:

Make an altered book and include pockets to stash your "dreams" in.  You can find out more about how to make an altered book by joining the Altered Books yahoo group

Create ATC sized cards for each of your "wants, do's or wishes" and stash them in a decorated altoid tin or ATC box

Make a paper bag or pocket book and stuff them with individual tag collages. 

BTW  If you are interested in learning how to make a pocket book and would enjoy participating in a monthly swap in 2011 to fill up those pockets, you can join The Latest Trends in Mixed Media yahoo group and sign up for the swap.

Any other suggestions?  Please leave a comment... it would be helpful for others!

When you are satisifed that your treasure map is complete, sprinkle it liberally with love and fairy dust! 

Decorate a large envelope big enough to hold all your papers from this process and your treasure map.  You could also decorate a box or create some "wrapping paper" and use some ribbon to wrap your papers in.

On the outside of the envelope or box write "To be opened on December 31, 2011." and stash it in a favourite "hiding spot", a drawer or even under your mattress so that you can dream on it the whole through year.  Come New Year's Eve 2011, open it and have a fun time discovering all that you have manifested this year!

Thank you so much for joining me on this journey.  I hope you had a wonderful time discovering more of who you are, what is important to you and creating some hopes, dreams and wishes for 2011.

All my very best wishes for a wonderful and magical 2011...

Sharon

Goal Setting in 2011: Step 4 - Listen to the Songs in your Heart

Hello again... Step 4 ... already!  How are you doing?  I'd love to hear from you...

Today's step is all about creating balance and enhancing your relationships... with yourself , with others, your work, your art and other activities you participate in that you enjoy.

 

Some Thoughts Before You Begin...

"Far away in the sunshine are my highest aspirations.  I may not reach them but I can look up and see the beauty, believe in them and try to follow where they lead."  Louisa May Alcott

"Be aware of wonder. Live a balanced life --learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work some every day." --Robert L. Fulghum

It takes courage for many women to stop and take a look inside at those things that nourish, delight, energize, inspire and soothe us.  A vast majority of us have spent our lives taking care of others, living our lives by someone else's timetables and priorities.  When was the last time that you took time out of your busy life to reflect, rediscover, realign, regroup and renew your relationship with yourself? 

Achieving a balanced, high quality life comes from within you.  There is no paint by the numbers kit, a quickie tutorial or "how to" package for creating a balanced life that nurtures, sustains and fulfills us.  It comes from within us and when we pause to listen attentively to the music playing in our hearts, we can hear the words to the heartsong of our authentic self.

*CREATE BALANCE IN MY LIFE AND RELATIONSHIPS*


What changes do I need to make to better balance my life this year?

What will I do this year to make my relationships with my family, spouse, children and friends even better?

What 5 things could I do to take care of myself extremely well this year?

What 3 things can I do differently this year to enjoy my art, my life and my work even more?

What types of people do I want to connect with this year?

My deepest wish is....

What I am most grateful for is....

My greatest aspiration for this year is...


"The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate." --Oprah Winfrey

"Just as your car runs more smoothly and requires less energy to go faster and farther when the wheels are in perfect alignment, you perform better when your thoughts, feelings, emotions, goals, and values are in balance." --Brian Tracy

"If you don't design your own life plan, chances are you'll fall into someone else's plan. And guess what they have planned for you? Not much." --Jim Rohn

"A #2 pencil and a dream can take you anywhere." --Joyce A. Myers

"Doing what you love is the cornerstone of having abundance in your life." Wayne Dyer

See you tomorrow...
Sharon

Goal Setting in 2011: Step 2 - Make Room for Magic

Step 2 - MAKE ROOM FOR MAGIC

"Freedom is... clearing the clutter to make room for magic, rainbows and stardust to show up in my life." -- Sharon House

Welcome back!  Well guess what?  I finally figured out just how easy it is for me to reply to comments left  here on the blog. DUH... it is so simple, it's almost embarrassing to admit I didn't know how to do it. LOL. So check out the comment section for additional thoughts I may have in response to your comments or those left by others.

Ready to dig in to the next step?  Set yesterday's pages aside and begin with a fresh page or piece of paper.


A few thoughts to ponder before you begin...

Let's face it.  We all have *stuff* just gathering dust, taking up space in our homes and "clogging" our lives that we either no longer want, need or use.  But each time we think of tossing it out, the evil clutter fairy
shows up!

Visit the Clangnuts Blog for More Cartoons

Artists are notorious for holding onto "stuff", just in case they may want it *someday*!!  Do you really need those 30 dominoes in your stash or would 10 do for now?  Do you really need all those blank canvases you bought on sale a number of years ago that are turning yellow and taking up space in your "stash" closet?  Do you really need to hold on to those acrylic paint bottles with only a few drops of (drying) paint left in them?  What about all those unfinished projects?  Yep, those ones that you keep telling yourself you will finish one day -- that elusive "Some day I'll..." that just never seems to come.

Hmm and while we are talking about *stuff*, take a look in your clothes closet.  What's too small?  too big? out of style? the wrong colour? worn out?  Shoes, dresses, pants, blouses, sweaters, scarves... the list can go on and on.   What about the garage?  Your kitchen cupboards?  Storage locker?  Your car?

When our lives are stuffed and cluttered, there is precious little room left for *magic* to appear.  The weight of all that "clutter" that hasn't seen the light of day since who knows when can often hide from us the awareness of what we really want in our lives.

Could it be that all that *stuff* you no longer use or even want is taking up space in your home, weighing you down (even if you aren't aware of it) and perhaps leaving you with that sickening feeling of being firmly STUCK?  Only you have the answer.

Now my experience has been that when you start eliminating clutter, you begin to free yourself from clutter's clutches and oh my, it feels good.  You feel lighter.  More in control.  Powerful... knowing that you are in charge of breathing new life into your work, your art and your daily life.  Creating space for new inspiration, fresh ideas and positive energy to come in.  Energy to assist you in discovering and accomplishing what is truly most important to you in all facets of your life. 

Noticing some resistance to the thought of attacking clutter?  That's pretty normal.  I'm doing this process along with you and this is the step I find myself most in resistance to every darn time.  But I will set my resistance aside for now.  I'll do it anyway because I know from previous experience that addressing it works.  I encourage you to do the same. 

Being *energy efficient* is "IN" these days LOL...however, only you can decide if one of the things you want for yourself this year is to accomplish more with less effort by becoming more *energy efficient*!

The bottom line: to move to a new level, you need to create some space to accommodate it so get ready to... 
*DUMP THE CLUTTER*

What 50 things are cluttering up my home, my art space/supplies and my life?

What activities do I engage in that are really a waste of my time and energy?

What physical surroundings,environments and (oh BOY!) people dampen my enthusiasm?

Tip: Clean it up. Box it up. Let it go. Sell it. Give it away. Get rid of it. Simplify.

P.S.  How did the tortoise win the race?  That's right... slow and steady.  He just kept at it, day after day until he reached the finish line.  Take a cue from the tortoise in clearing up the clutter.

Quotes to Ponder

"I've been getting rid of some clutter — anything that doesn't serve a positive purpose in my life — and making room for things that feel happy to me. Because I get to make my life whatever I want it to be. I get to make the room feel however I want it to feel. I get to make the closet as full or as spacious as I want it. And, if I have more clutter to get rid of after Christmas, I'm not going to wait a year, or two or three to do it. " --Jan Denise

"Simplicity is making the journey of this life with just enough baggage."  -- Author Unknown

"Clutter is a physical manifestation of fear that cripples our ability to grow." -- H.G. Chissell

"If you have debt, I'm willing to bet that general clutter is a problem for you too." -- Suze Orman

"Affirm for yourself that you are a success. Affirm that you are successful in getting rid of your clutter. If you are having a hard time getting started, be grateful that you are such a successful clutterer. Who else could have amassed such a collection of stuff?" --Norman Vincent Peale

Further Reading  about Clutter from Amazon...

Clutter Busting: Letting Go of What's Holding You Back

Clear Your Clutter With Feng Shui

One Thing At a Time: 100 Simple Ways to Live Clutter-Free Every Day

101 Ways to Clean Out the Clutter

The 15-Minute Organizer

Tomorrow:  Step 3 - Listen to the Music of Your Soul

Goal Setting in 2011: Step 1 Take an Inventory

"If one advances confidentally in the direction of his dreans and endeavours to live a life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours."

*KNOWLEDGE IS POWER*

Here are today's questions to answer:

1. What did I appreciate most about 2010, personally, artistically and professionally?
2. What did I achieve last year that I am proud of?  Look at all areas of your life:  family, relationships, community, your art, your job, your children, your home, etc..
3.  What did I discover in 2010 that will improve my quality of my art, my family, my life?

Write your answers in your journal (devoted exclusively to this process) or on sheets of pretty paper. 

Add any embellishments, photos, drawings, doodles, cut outs, or ideas that are sparked as you complete your pages.  You can draw a treasure map, make balloon thoughts, use crayons, paint... let your imagination lead you...

A Quote to Ponder:

"The greatest achievement of the human spirit is to live up to one's opportunities, and to make the most of one's resources"

Tomorrow:  Step 2 - Make Room for Magic

Goal Setting in 2011: Make Room for Magic

Typically the beginning of a new year prompts many of us to pause and reflect on the year just passed.  As the new year dawns, many people traditionally turn their attention to the year ahead by sharpening their pencils and writing resolutions or lofty goals.

You won't catch me doing that. I find setting New Year's resolutions or creating a lofty goal plan a complete waste of time. 

I heard that *GASP* you just took (LOL)

Consider this for a moment.  Have you ever noticed how traditional goal setting tends to focus on what is missing, lacking or needs changing?  Yep, it can actually reinforce and remind us of what is not working or what we don't have.

OUCH!  That's a recipe for setting ourselves up for a "downer" experience that doesn't feel very good.  Who wants to start off the year feeling like *that*?  It's no wonder so many people lose their motivation and enthusiasm for their resolutions and goals so quickly.  Statistics prove that most people have abandoned them long before the month of January is over.

Would you like to test drive a new, inspiring and positively creative way to reach for your special stars this coming year?  Yes.  Then you need not look any further.  You're in the right spot today.  Read on..

A number of years ago, I came up with an uplifting five step process for my creative coaching clients (and me) that inspired many magical moments for them and for me.  I'd like to share this process with you over the next week.  Encourage you to try it out.  See how it works for you.  I'm betting that if you dive head first into this process and work through it, you're going to feel excited about what the coming year has in store for you.

Why Traditional Goal Setting Often Doesn't Work

Setting goals from a place of lack actually increases lack. It focuses on present pain for future, illusive gain. We artistic, creative types can become so impatient to get to where we want to go that our impatience stops any forward movement dead in its track.  The longer our *want* is stalled, the more we focus on not having *IT* and the more we feel the lack.  Some people call this ride on the merry go round the experience of being "circle jerked" LOL

Traditional goal setting asks us to be specific.  Being specific is great in itself but it's not always easy for highly creative people to get a handle on.  We can be pretty slippery and vague.  If you say " I want to be successful artist" what does successful really mean to you?  How will I know when I am successful?  What will be happening?  What will I be doing? are questions you need to ask and answer to get to the bottom of what "I want to be a successful artist" really means.  I have also found that danger lurks in focusing too narrowly on creating a specific outcome.  It rarely leaves any room for something to come to you wrapped in a slightly different package. 

You see, sometimes, we are just too smart for our own britches.  We think we know exactly how it will be and what it will look like.  And often, we are wrong.  We don't recognize *IT* when *IT* shows up because it is different than what we expected or thought it would be.  We can miss out on a lot of magic.

Dare to Do Something Different

If traditional goal setting doesn't work for you, I have a simple solution.  Stop doing it.  Do something that will make you feel good. 

Now any of you who have been coming to my blog for any length of time know that I am definitely someone who is addicted to feeling good.  For me, there is nothing like a healthy shot of feeling good to get my inspirational and motivational molecules all lined up and headed in the right direction. 

Wouldn't you like this too?  If the answer is yes, then you are in for a treat over the next five days.  Come along with me as I show you how to weave together your own special yarns and create a unique tapestry for your year ahead.

Let's Get Started

Between now and tomorrow, find a quiet, comfortable spot to just kick back, relax, close your eyes and randomly think and dream about your life, your art, your wants and wishes.  Let it be a pleasant experience without the need to take notes or telling yourself you have to remember it all.  Enjoy these moments of introspection and solitude with your "self".  That's all you need to do to get ready.

About this process

This process has five steps:

1. Take an Inventory
2.  Make Room for Magic
3. Listen to the Music of Your Soul
4. Listen to the Songs in Your Heart
5. Create a Year of Magnificent Choices

There are only a few important points to keep in mind as you embark on this process. 

1. Choose some pretty, loose paper to write on with your favourite pen.  Each step will require a new sheet of paper so depending on how much you write in response to the questions posed in any of the steps, you may need a couple of sheets for each step.  You can use a *NEW* journal as long as you are prepared to use it for this process only.  Not to give anything away, you'll understand why later on.
2. Finish each step you are working on in one session if you can. 
3. Do the steps in order
4. Finish the entire document (all 5 steps) within seven days.

Effort = Magic 

You have to put in the effort of completing ALL the steps to reap the magic.  It doesn't have to be a lot of writing with every i dotted and every t crossed.  You can draw or doodle to your heart's content if that's what you like to do.  Draw "thought balloons" to record your musings.  Use crayons or paint.  Paste in pictures or photos. There is no right or wrong way to complete each step just as long as it feels good, you are having fun and it is a reflection of you and who you are.

Your Next Step

I hope you will join me and come back for a visit tomorrow (Monday) to discover Step One, Taking an Inventory in this "Wisdom Weaving for a New Year" process.

BTW... If you have a My Yahoo! or Goggle account or another news reader such as Bloglines,  now might be a great time to sign up as a myStoryART Subscriber.  The sign up box is at the top of this page, on the right. It's free and as a blog subscriber, you will automatically be notified as soon as new posts are added to myStoryART.  This way you don't have to keep on coming back to the blog to check when a new post has been published.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Sharon

Feeling Stuck? Bogged Down? Need some Inspiration? Read on...

The last couple of days I have been thinking about what I would post this week! Personally, it's been a rather stressful week with one thing and another and nothing was coming to me... it was as if I had put my thinking cap somewhere and I'd be darned if I could find it.

I think most of us experience this from time to time and it can be very frustrating to say the least. It doesn't seem to matter whether it's finding a subject for a blog post, solving a problem, writing a story or inspiration for a new art piece. The more I try to get unstuck, the more stuck I get!

Our Oh So Serious Lives

Ever notice how bogged down you can get in work, worry, home chores,routine, paperwork, and/or "other people's agendas"? Personal, family, employment and community stressors can influence our lives so much that our "SELVES" seem to get lost in the "card shuffle" of everyday life.

Life becomes "serious" and we "should" all over ourselves... "I should but...(fill in the blank)" becomes our mantra. One day feels like the next as we start going through the motions. Our senses dull. We start snapping at the dog or uttering uncharitable words at the drivers on the freeway!

So what can we do when we find ourselves stuck in this quagmire? How can we pull ourselves out of the "muck" and recapture the excitement, surprise, wonder and serendipity that brightens our days and feeds our soul?

One word: PLAY

Excuses, Excuses

Now I am sure, like me, you could find a gazillion tried, true, familiar reasons why you might scoff at that idea. I don't need to write them down here for you. You know what they are! You might even be saying my favourite one to yourself right now "I don't have time. I've gotta get this (or that) done!"

Enough is enough!

When I sat down to write today (and nothing was coming to me), I knew that I was buying my own B.S. (basic storyline). No way I had time to play. Are you kidding? I had to get this done. No time for fooling around. BLAH! BLAH! BLAH! As I listened to myself conjure up every excuse in the book, I started to laugh. I was "wasting" time thinking up excuses. Now how silly is that? I heard my little self say to my big SELF: "Enough is enough." It was time to play.


I fired up my Internet browser. Scrolled down to the "Toybox" bookmark. A list of "web toys" appeared.

Blog Post Idea Generator - I just recently found this lovely little app by chance. I clicked on it and chuckled when I read: "Suggest ten free resources that your readers would benefit from". “Okay... that’s easy! “ I said to my SELF, “I’ll share my list of “break out” toys.” Try this one the next time you can't think of what to write about on your blog. It works!!!
Update:  This site is no longer there.  Try this site, Content Idea Generator instead.

One Word – One word writing prompts. This definitely can get you past writer’s block. One word with sixty seconds to write about it without thinking. A “just do it” app with a timer! You can even email what you wrote to yourself in those 60 seconds.

Imagination Prompt – Similar to the Blog Post Idea Generator, I really like this little app with it’s interesting prompts. “If your tears could speak to you, what would they say?” WHEW! I think I'll leave that one for some other time....

ShapeCollage - This is a fun toy! It takes photos or images on your computer and makes them into all sorts of different shapes. You will need to download it and install it on your computer. Only takes a few minutes to start having fun with your photos. 

Picture Prompt – This one can get me going when I need some “art” inspiration. Great for those of us who need visual stimulation to break through our “stuckness”. There’s a new one every day for you to have some fun with.

Scribbler Tool – Go doodle with this one or just mess around and see what comes up. You can use your mouse or a drawing tablet… and even upload something you are currently working on.

Colour Lovers – I love messing around on this site. I could spend hours here just playing with colour and patterns. It’s pretty simple. All you have to do is choose a colour, create a palette and design a new pattern. Try it! A word from the wise: Make sure you have a timer handy or an hour spent on this site might feel like it was only 10 minutes.

Kuler – from Adobe. If you like creating colour palettes, this is the site for you. Immerse yourself in colour and come up with some nifty combinations here to use in your next art drawing or digital collage.

Oblique Strategies – This is the web version of a deck of cards meant to inspire. The idea behind Oblique Strategies is that when we’re working hard or under stress, the pressure tends to push us away from the type of creative, productive thinking that we’re capable of when the pressure’s off.

Ideally you choose a card from the deck and as you read it, it breaks the deadlock to help your creative juices to start flowing again. Many of the strategies were designed with music in mind (it was developed by Brian Eno, a musician and his friend Peter Schmidt, a painter) so if the card prompt you draw doesn’t work for you, just choose another one.

I laughed to myself when I drew "Plug in your earphones!"

What a good idea... I picked up my IPod and listened to some of my favourite music for about 10 minutes. It picked my spirits up in no time!

Rum & Monkey – Lots of silly, fun “timewasters” (their words) to bring a smile to your face and get you unstuck and moving in a different direction. Little Tests to find out who you and some fun little toys to play with.
Update:  Unfortunately this site is no longer there but here's another one that you might enjoy: Brain Teasers

Well that’s ten but here’s another one, ‘cause I’m on a roll …LOL

Bomomo – A fun art generator. Hold down your left mouse button and try out all the different drawing buttons! Fun and colourful....

So there you have it! The next time you are feeling bogged down, need a break from monotony, want some inspiration or just want to play, you can reference this list. You'll be back on top of your game again in no time at all.

Have a fun and inspiring week…and remember to play!

Sharon

P.S. WOW I am feeling energized and ready to roar now. I found my thinking cap again. WHEW! That's a relief (smile).