August 29th

So, i haven't blogged about these yet...

In the quilting world, there are these little things called
Mug Rugs.
They are supposed to be like cloth coasters for your coffee/tea mug (or whatever drink you prefer), but just a little bit bigger so you have a place to put your cookie (or biscotti or whatever).
Well, i had these squares i put together one day with some extra fabric i had around the house... and i was trying to just "wing it" to make "something" for a possible new quilt... but then when i saw the fabrics together, i was really disappointed 'cause nothing "went together"!
I almost threw the squares in the trash, but then!  In wandering around on the web, i came across the Mug Rugs and decided i could just embroider something cute in the center of these, put a backing on them, and
Voila!  

...only... Honestly?  They're really too big to be Mug Rugs...
And they're a little too small to be pot holders (and not thick enough, either, really)...
But i keep them on my dining room table, and Boyfriend and i use them occasionally as "something" between a hot dinner plate & our hands.  =-)

Besides, they're cute and they make me smile.   =-)

Elephant

I got this embroidery pattern from

soseptember.blogspot.com

(with permission, for personal use only)

(click on the picture to "biggify")

I think it's SO adorable!

Close up

The elephant is embroidereded on first, 

and then i put the backing fabric on & quilted it

This sun is from Kelly King of

colorfuldayz.com

{though i can't find her online now...   Anyone?)

(with permission, for personal use)

(Sorry it's a fuzzy picture... i didn't have my reading glasses on)

close up

 Back of the Sun

Again, i embroidered first,

then put on the backing fabric & quilted it

Snowman

Can't remember where i got this embroidery pattern from...

Anyone?!?

The back of the Snowman

(Sorry, but it's sideways... not sure why; 

my original pic i downloaded isn't sideways!)

Again, first embroidered

then quilted the backing on

Close up of the Snowman

(Again not sure why it came out sideways!

Sometimes Blogger mystifies me...)

So now i've FINALLY blogged about these!  Yay!  =-)
I made them about SIX MONTHS AGO!!!
(sometimes i am just sooo NOT in the mood to blog...)


Hope you're having a Grand Day!
=-)

August 21st

So, i *shocked* myself last night!
(Suzanne, if you're reading this, you'd better be sitting down!)  =-)

I sent out an e-mail to FIFTEEN of my female friends (including my daughters), inviting them to come to a Full Moon/Blue Moon Gathering!

I know, right?  Crazy-Bold!
But i've been thinking about holding Rites/Rituals/Ceremonies in my backyard, and the more i thought about that, the more it occurred to me:

"How am i ever gonna start if i don't START!?!"

So i wrote up an email, had Boyfriend read it, and then i sat there reading and re-reading it...
And Boyfriend said, "It's done.  Hit send already."

Boy, does he ever know me.  I would have sat there re-reading until i talked myself out of it, and just deleted it...


So i have people coming over on Friday the 31st!

Not sure what we're gonna do, but i'm gonna work up the nerve to tell them about my ideas about ceremonies/rites/rituals, and how i'm wanting to offer them to people in my backyard.  Who knows what may come of this?

Maybe lots of stuff, and maybe nothing, but that's okay too.  

Or maybe we'll just all wake up with headaches the next day wondering, "What happened last night...?"

Yes, there's gonna be drinking.  But not "forced"!  (I'm thinking i should probably *not* drink so i can keep a level head & be a "good hostess".)

And i even told them that the "Dress Code" is strictly "That Which Makes You Feel Wonderful!"  I'm thinking about borrowing some wings from Kitty and wearing them with a long skirt or something...  Not sure yet.

But, anyway, IT'S A START!!!  =-)
And i'm proud of myself for "breaking out of my shell",
and facing my Fear,
and taking a chance,
and actually making a plan!!!  (That's the big shocker right there.)

Who knows what'll happen next?!

But i'm feeling good about it all.

AND
I almost immediately got a response from my best friend, Joy, who declined.
AND I'M OKAY WITH IT!
Yes, i'm disappointed that she can't make it.
But it didn't send me into a tailspin of worry and sorrow and negative-stuff.
And i've already gotten a couple of yes-es.  Yay!  =-)

So, that's my Big News for the day.  =-)

I hope your day is going Swimmingly!
Try turning your face up to the sky,
closing your eyes,
and LAUGHING OUT LOUD!
With a Big, Fake "HA, HA, HA!" if that's what it takes.

I think you'll be surprised that it will actually perk you up.  =-)

Love & Light!
-W
(photo by Bunny)

August 20th, 2012 - He's Always Watching (Over) Me

Back again!  And so soon!

Shocking, i know.

But i wanted to write a post about my latest Painting...

This one is about how i've always felt like i'm being watched...

Or "watched over"...

I'm not gonna argue the point.  What i'm wanting to "document" is the Painting.

It's approximately  4' x 3'

acrylics on paper

finished August 14th, 2012

titled "He's Always Watching (Over) Me"

Here it is (in outdoors light):

{click on the picture to see the whole thing}

Bottom Left of the Painting:

That's "Him"

(I kinda wish his wings were bigger, but i painted it as i "felt" it)

{click on picture to "biggify"}

 Top Left of the Painting:
His "Spiral" & my "Spiral" match (mostly), signifying that we "go together"
That's supposed to be the Sun behind my head...
{click on picture to see the whole thing}

My blog isn't cooperating today, and my pictures are out of order...
But here it is in the full sun (except for that small section on the right, which is in shadow...)
{click on picture to see the whole thing}

Bottom Left Corner:

Those "dots" on me are Worry, Fear, Self-Doubt, etc

but it's okay because the white around them are Hope & other good stuff, which usually keeps them at bay...

The flower-looking-things started out as Bubbles (again? What's with the Bubbles?!), but i changed them and made them to look like Flowers.

I know.  Not very "intuitive painting" of me, but...  Oh well.

I like them, anyway.  =-)

{click pic to see it's entire self}

Top Right corner:
The Sun, my Spiral-link to "Him", the Flowers/vine continuing up into the sky
{click pic to see the whole photo}

So that's my post for today!

I'm really tickled that i had time to do it today.  Wasn't sure when i'd get to come back.  =-)

And i'm working on another Painting now.  NO idea when it'll be done, but...

And this new one is about Women!

Women Dancing!

The phrase that keeps running through my head while i'm painting is

"Wise Women Dance!"

I think it's about me & other women in my backyard...  Dancing under the Moon...

or something similar.

Wish me luck!!

I'll post about it when i can.

I hope you're having a Marvelous week!  It's the ONLY third full week of August 2012 you'll EVER HAVE!!!

Love & Light -

Wendy

=-)

August 19th, 2012

I'm really behind in blogging about my painting (the verb).

Back in April, i finished this one, which is *still* unnamed...

Sorry, but you'll have to click on the picture to see the entire thing

It's 3' x 4', acrylics on canvas.

"Canvas?!"  I know, right?  But it's what i had, and i wanted to give it a try.

Discovered i don't really *like* painting on canvas, though.

It started out as 3 black birds in flight...  

but as i looked and pondered... 

it switched 

and became those red/orange/yellow "wing"-type things (but envision them upside down, 'cause that's the way i painted them.

The canvas was turned the other way.

*Much* of this painting was done "upside down", actually.  

It wasn't until the girl came through that i actually turned it the other way around  and discovered that i'd been painting upside-down previously.  =-)

Don't ask me what this painting is or what it means.  I don't know.  I just painted what it "told" me to.

My daughter Kitty said the girl's an alien.

The top left corner is the sunlight; Hope. Love.  

Shining through. 

Reaching, and waiting for me to reach *for* it.

I do know those things at the right are eyes.

I think this Painting was teaching me that there is no "true" right-side-up; that "intuitive painting" is just as change-able and shifting as Real Life is.

My lesson in it all is to just "Go With It!" and "Let It Become".  

Painting *and* Life;  

"Go with it and Let it Become."

Here it is with my Lovely Assistant for perspective of scale  =-)

I think she loves having her picture taken...

Here's a close up of the bottom right corner.

I have this "thing" for bubbles in my paintings, apparently.  =-)

Not really sure what they represent, but i think it's Hope.

They come up frequently it seems.

And the eyes in this painting are because i always feel like i'm being watched

and/or being watched over.

I've *Always* felt this way.

There is *always* someone or something watching...  

All my life i've felt it.

The eyes in this painting are judging, however.

And this is the bottom left corner.

I also have a "Thing" for spirals.

I think they're Magical 

and Primal

and Beautiful

and full of Meaning and Life.

I've finished another Painting that i'll blog about soon.  I like it, even though it's "simple" (meaning it doesn't have a lot of Detail).

I'm not really sure if i "like" this unnamed Painting.

But that isn't important; it is, after all, about the *Verb*, painting, not about the Noun.  That's what Intuitive Painting is about.

And for me, it's about how i FEEL as i'm painting it!

And I LOVE painting!!!

Why don't you give it a try sometime?

Connie at Dirty Footprints Studio has a FREE course you can try for yourself.

You just might surprise yourself!

(I know *I* did!)   =-)

{Before you go to bed, look at yourself in the mirror and give yourself an Authentic Smile.  Maybe dare to tell yourself "You are Worthy!"}

August 2nd, 2012

Hmmm...
I've pondered whether to broach this topic here or not, but, ya know what?
It's *my* blog, right?
So, why not...


I've been having ideas swirling around in my head lately about 
Ceremony
Ritual
Rite of Passage
and the notion that lots of people don't "do" church, so...  Where do they get their "Rituals" now?


For years, I've loved the book series "Clan of the Cave Bear" by Jean M Auel, and in that series, there's one "scene" where a girl was raped, and she "fell into" a deep depression.  The main character, Ayla, and a "Medicine Man"/"Elder" did a "Cleansing Ceremony" for her.
That really stuck with me.
Especially when my daughter confessed to me that she'd been raped...
I offered a "Cleansing Ceremony" to her, but she's never said if she wants one or not...  So i take that as a No.   (no judgement)


But i've still been pondering ceremonies/rituals and such.
I have a friend whose husband recently left her.  That's a whole 'nother story, but in listening to her going through her "trials", it's occurred to me that maybe she would like a "Divorce Ceremony".  
You know, when you get married, all your friends and family are there behind you, showing you support and wishing you well.  But when you get divorced, you're usually all by yourself, and you feel unloved and unlovable, and alone... and maybe ashamed.  
I think a "Divorce Ceremony" would be an uplifting thing, with family and/or friends there if you want.  But with someone "officiating", telling you that you ARE lovable, and you ARE loved, and you ARE worthy, and


You Will Be Alright.
You are still YOU, and you always HAVE you, and you are Someone you can count on.
That what you are feeling is Normal.
That, this too shall pass.
That you're not "a Loser".


Sometimes... LOTS of times, we NEED to hear things from someone ELSE in order for us to really HEAR those things.
Sometimes we're just "too much in our own heads" to really listen to the Wisdom that's inside ourselves, and *that's* when we need someone else to help us through.  *That's* when we need "someone official" to let us know that

Everything Is As It Should Be.


I think i have the "perfect" back yard to hold these "Ceremonies".
And I'm beginning to think i have the Heart to hold these "Rituals".


I don't know any more than the next person, but i DO know that i would love to bring Comfort to others.


Here's what i'm thinking when i say "Ritual" and "Ceremony":
- Coming of Age Ceremony for Girls (and perhaps Boys, if i can "enlist" my husband or another adult male)
- Divorce Ceremony
- Menopause Ceremony
- Cleansing Ritual (in cases of molestation/rape) (And i KNOW this is a realllllly heavy one, and the person also NEEDS counseling, but this may help)
- Breaking Up Ceremony
- Death of a Loved One/Letting Go Ritual (again, counselling is needed here also)


These ceremonies are to mark the passages of certain "times" in our lives.
Something where others will add their Wisdom and Love to help ease you into a transition.




Anyway, that's what's been swirling through my head a lot lately.


What do you think about it?

...

June 6th, 2012

I am such a BAD Blogger!!!
Seriously!
Here, let me explain.


A little OVER A MONTH AGO(!), Pat (A View from the Edge) had a contest.
Well, i entered my guesstimate, and...
I WON!  I was totally shocked!


The prize for winning was a gift certificate to Amazon.  Well, let me tell you, i am ALL ABOUT books!  I've bought more books in the past few years than i've bought in my entire life!  Growing up, we didn't buy books.  Too much money for a household of 4 kids with a teacher & a secretary for parents.  We always went to the Library.  Thank goodness for public libraries!!  
But in the past few years, if i want a book, I GET IT!  =-)


When i won Pat's contest, i eagerly went to Amazon and bought a couple of books on Ayurveda.
What. You haven't heard of Ayurveda?!  It's *only* the world's oldest medicine/science/health-lifestyle.


Here are a few links if you're curious:
Deepak Chopra's site 
An excellent book on Ayurveda (including recipes)  
Another good book on Ayurveda  by the leading Ayurvedic doctor, Vasant Lad
Wikipedia's explanation on Ayurveda  
The University of Maryland's site about Ayurveda  




That should give you something to do for awhile.  {evil grin}


Anyway...
Thank you so much, Pat, for the contest, and for the gift certificate!!!
I've REALLY enjoyed my books!




I hope you're having a Wonderful Day!!!
Love and Light -
Wendy

June 5th, 2012

So... Yesterday.


I am now OFFICIALLY a Registered Yoga Teacher!!!  =-)


I took the 200-hour course at Gotta Yoga in Charlotte.  It was Quite a Ride, too.  =-)  Lots of Yoga; lots of emotions; lots of "stuff".  


And i learned some very valuable lessons.
I think the most valuable lesson i learned is that "Girls are Okay!"
I've never had a "group of girlfriends" that i hung out with.  I've never had a special "best friend", other than Boyfriend, but i'm talking about Girls!
Oh, don't get me totally wrong; my daughters are my Best Friends,
and my Sister has ALWAYS been my Best Friend.
But they kinda "hafta" love me.  =-)


I'm talking about someone who started out as a stranger, but ended up as a "Girlfriend" or a "Bestie".
So imagine my delight and surprise when i discovered this group of ladies of all ages who didn't whine about everything,  didn't bitch about little things, didn't talk about each other behind each others' backs, and didn't get moody!  I LOVED IT!!  =-)  It gave me a renewed faith in "Female-kind".  =-)


Anyway...
I had the privilege of auditioning for my Yoga Studio this past Thursday.  =-)
And i did just fine.  =-)
I've been offered a position there!!!
Right now, i'm "merely" on the Sub list, 
but come the Fall, they'll probably offer me a Regular class!  And i'm SO tickled!  =-)




On the HomeFront:
The Landscape Dude is in the back yard right now, hammering and making all kinds of noises as he and his lone helper bust up all the concrete back there.  It's an area of about 14'x26'!  And they're just using one sledge hammer!  I offered them mine so they could each bust the concrete, but he told me it's okay...  Whatever, Dude!  It's gonna be slooow going for ya, but whatever.  =-)




I hope you're having a WONDERFUL Day today!  
(You'd better be; this is the only June 5th, 2012 that you're gonna get!) 

Here's a little "Relaxation Inspiration" for ya!

photo by Boyfriend @ Long Key, FL

June 2011

=-)

June 4th, 2012

Whooh!  What a weekend.
Boyfriend and i went to Beaufort (SC) to see my Mom.
It's been awhile since i was there last...
And once again, i was rudely reminded why that is.


We don't really like her husband.
He is so opinionated!  And he's never wrong.  And even when you try to agree with him, YOU'RE STILL WRONG!
It's a bit like the Harley saying, "If i have to explain it, you won't understand!"
If you haven't been with this man, there really isn't a way for me to explain and describe how and why he is SO difficult to try to get along with!!!


I try to bring my Yoga "off the mat", as they say.
I TRY to overlook his habits...
I try to remind myself that, inside he's just a hurt little boy...
I try to ignore the "bad", and only look at the "good"...


But DAMN!!!  
When i went there at X'mas and New Year's to take care of them from their hospital stays, it was so rough.  And when i finally came back home, i told Boyfriend that i felt as if i'd been physically and mentally abused! 
This time isn't quite that bad (and i assume that's because i didn't stay as long), but it's still... such an ORDEAL!  
And it makes me not want to go back.


I know that's awful of me!
So many people simply WISH they could visit their Moms for just ONE HOUR, but they can't because their Moms have already passed away.
And if you are one of those people, and my incessant *whining* is bugging the hell out of you?
I sincerely apologize!




Okay!
My day today was good!  =-)
I think I'll wait 'til tomorrow to tell you about it.






I hope you're having a Lovely Day!!!
=-)

May 30th, '12

Boyfriend and i are busy with plans for the backyard.
He's decided he really wants to do some "re-work" back there.


So i've been moving dirt and plants from that area, 'cause it's gonna be totally changed!


Also
Last Tuesday (the day after Memorial Day) was a kinda busy day for me.
First, i transplanted a bunch of my irises; some into the front yard, not far from the front door; some to the back left corner, by the fence.  [Weekend before  last, Boyfriend and i moved 3 Clematis plants, and about 15 Asiatic Lilies.  We put them in the "new" area up against the fence.  They already look great!  =-)  (I was so afraid that moving the Lilies would kill them, but they actually survived!)]


I also did some sewing.  My little sister, Z, brought a friend, Nikki, over on Sunday evening (May 27th) and asked me if i could fix a couple of Nikki's dresses.
Huh?  I haven't seen Z since the day before Daddy left, and all of a sudden she zips in and wants me to do something for her friend...
Okay.  Whatever.  (At least she knows i'm here for her.)


Anyway, i did a repair on one dress (sewed elastic back in around the top), and "tightened up" the straps on another dress.  It was kinda funny because, with Monday being a holiday, i kept thinking that Monday was actually Sunday, so Tuesday kept feeling like Monday to me!  Nikki "needed" one of those dresses on Tuesday 'cause she was going on a date, so when it suddenly struck me that morning that, "Oh Crap! It's TUESDAY!!!", i had to jump-on-it!
Whatever.  It got me goin', anyway.  =-)
While i was at my sewing machine, i also repaired Bunny's purse that's been sitting there for a few MONTHS waiting for me to fix it.
And i "darned" the hole in my jeans that's been slowly getting bigger.


So THAT felt good!  To get all that stuff accomplished, and to be in front of my  sewing machine again.  It made me feel like "the Old Me".  =-)


I also made supper!  Boyfriend & i went on the Atkins diet in March of 2011, and have been on it since then, and something about it...  I dunno.  I just have been on a downward spiral about getting in the kitchen and actually cooking.


And now?  Now we're switching from Atkins to Ayurveda.
What?  You've never heard of Ayurveda?  It's merely the oldest medicine there is. It's a holistic way of living that's over 5,000 years old, and it's from India.  Deepak Chopra has a site about it.  And this is an AWESOME book about it, including recipes!
Anyway, i diverge...  I've been reading about Ayurveda, and trying to memorize my "Allowed" and "Not Allowed" foods, AND Boyfriend's "Allowed" & "Not Allowed" foods, and so i'm having a difficult time with trying to figure out WHAT to cook!
But Tuesday, i cooked!  And it felt GOOD.  
Again, feeling more like "the Old Me".  =-)


It was a good day!
I hope you're having a good day, too!


=-)

What A Journey!

I apologize for not posting in such a long time, but...
Well?  Honestly?

I've discovered that FaceBook is a Vortex-Black Hole!

I'll get on my computer to write a post, 

or to look at some blogs,

or to write something on Word,

or whatever...

And next thing i know,

it's TWO HOURS LATER!

And i've accomplished NOTHING!

Except i've been "entertained" on FaceBook!

I haven't done the laundry;

i haven't done the ironing;

i haven't done the dishes;

i haven't even made the bed yet!

But i've "caught up" with all my friends on FB, buddy!

So i may try to do an "Intervention" on myself.  

I'm gonna try a little "rehab" for awhile.  =-)

Ha ha.

...

Anyway!

I came on here today to give you an update!

I'm SO EXCITED!!!

On Sunday, May 20th, 2012, 

I GRADUATED FROM 

YOGA TEACHER TRAINING!!!

I graduated with a certificate for 200-hour Vinyasa Flow Yoga.

Now i've sent in my certificate (a copy) and money to Register with Yoga Alliance, so soon (2 - 3 weeks?) i'll be a

Registered Yoga Teacher!

and i can put the initials RYT behind my name (for at least 3 years).  =-)

Not really sure if i should post this picture, but...

It's mine, and i'm in it, and i'm SO PROUD of it!!!  

My Graduating Class (& my 2 Teachers!)

(I'm the 3rd from the left in the back)

It was *quite* a Journey!

I learned so much about Myself.

I learned so much about People.

I learned so much about Yoga.

I learned SO MUCH!

It was an AWESOME Experience!  =-)

...and now i'd best go make the bed.

AND fix supper!

Namaste, ya'll!!!   =-)