Be Brave!

It's hard to try new things. Explore things you've never tried before. To get out of the little (or even big) box that you live in. I need to take my own advice sometimes -- be the butterfly and spread your wings and fly. Hard I tell you. I had a pretty well-known person in the artist community I'm in tell me once that she was surprised that I didn't go out on a limb -- take a chance and try something new. go in a new direction. hmmm, really? Her words have echoed in my brain for over a year now.  What I'm saying, is -- what I said the other day -- it's easy to stick with the status quo. It's easy. Same old, same old. Stay on the shore where it's warm and dry rather than jump in the freezing ocean with the sharks.

It's also easy to admire things that others do and think you can never do them -- or to be afraid to try them because you might fail. I often feel this way! But, I do it anyway -- eventually. Because it percolates so much -- it haunts me so much that I just HAVE to try to find out I CAN do it. ;-) 

So, lately I've been going GAGA over some art that Jenny Doh has been sharing on her Twitter/Instragram account -- like the one on the link. And she's got more. Much more. I look at it -- I go gaga -- and then walk around with my head in the clouds wanting to create art that's loosey goosey and all beautiful like that.  Rich. Carefree. Fun. Invigorating. yes. I dream of making art that makes me feel like that. I dream of making art that's ALL that. You can almost FEEL her joy in that art. Well, maybe I'm weird, ha ha -- but her art moves me.  

Fast forward to the end of the day yesterday -- when I walked the 5 minute walk to my Mother's for dinner -  she had torn the above page out of a Family Circle magazine and put it on the table in the pile of things she had collected for me. love that. (karma or divine intervention??)

I immediately stuck it in my pocket for later, to read in the privacy of my own home later and to THINK about how to do it. hmmmmm, really?? Just think about it? Actually when I got home I found I couldn't stop THINKING about making art that was loose and carefree. How WOULD I do that? Could I do that?

The kid-let went to bed. The husband put on the television, which I didn't see because all I could think about was that dang article and Jenny's art. And I kept going back to look at her art. And kept loving it. And I read that article again. and again. I know now what my problem was. I was afraid to try. Afraid to commit it to my journal -- what if it sucks. I have to blog about it. You'll want to know. 

So, I grabbed a piece of computer paper and a sharpie and started making squiggly lines and connecting them together until the page was full. 

I thought, wow. Geez. i CAN do this. 

It looks kinda cool. I'm just gonna do this in my journal. So while Shameless was on I committed the squiggles and scratches to a brand new WHITE page in my journal. Yeah, the one opposite the butterfly. The one where I mention something about in my own time. Yeah - I decided -- my time has come, ha ha! 

And before it was time to go to bed I had created this sketch, in black and white -- in my journal. I committed. and it.was.awesome. I couldn't sleep because I wanted to add some color. This isn't really a Zen Tangle -- it's MORE AWESOME than that. It follows my rules. my lines. my patterns. my vision. it's all mine. 

and I'm not afraid anymore. 

This morning I couldn't wait to add color. It called to me all night, my art journal. I had a LOT of other things to do today. but they had to wait a little while. 

It's a little messy, I got paint all over my shirt -- my fingers -- my face -- my table. but it felt great. It feels great. I did it! 

and I'm not afraid anymore. oh, wait -- I already said that. 

Yeah, I know. I still have a ways to go to get that loosey goosey. Rich. Carefree. Fun. Invigorating feel going on -- but I made a good start. I took the first step. I leapt into the ocean. And I didn't drown. I didn't even have to come up for air,  it felt great.  I can't wait until tomorrow -- I just might try it again. Thank You Jenny for inspiring me to try something new!

Another well known woman gave me a plaque when I finished writing my first book that said, what would you do if you knew you could not fail. Today my answer is -- make art. (thank you Jo!) So I leave you with that, what would YOU do if you knew you could not fail? 

Thanks for stopping by, have a GREAT TUESDAY. I appreciate your lovely comments! 

Blue Butterfly Day

I love butterflies. We recently went to the Museum of Science in Boston and spent quite a bit of time in the butterfly garden. It didn't have a lot of butterflies -- and there were a LOT of people, but I was still inspired by their beauty. 

They are so delicate, and so unique. And can you believe they started out as an ugly caterpillar? 

There are so many inspirational quotes about butterflies -- my favorite -- the butterfly has moments not months and has time enough -- says so much. But this one, by Deborah Chaskin that I found yesterday speaks to me too. 

Kind of like the song by Train I think, "don't give up me I'm about to come alive". That song brings tears to my eyes every time I hear it and try to sing the words. 

I feel like I'm about to come alive.

Is it through my art? Is it through my faith or in my career -- or as a wife, mother or friend ?? I don't know. But I feel like I am on the cusp. The cusp of something big. It feels exciting. 

What are you on the edge about? What songs, poems, artists inspire you? I'd love to know -- and I'd also love to see your art journals and art that you're working on! Thanks for stopping by -- hope you have a great day. I've got a busy week so I don't know how much Art Journaling I'll get to share. 

Public Service Announcement: Artful Cards

Just a quick reminder that Artful Cards, my newest class at My Creative Classroom is starting this Friday -- March 9th. If you like working with art supplies and mixing pretty papers and artsy techniques together to make pretty stuff  -- you'll love this class. Click on the image above to go to My Creative Classroom and sign up, down load the supply list and see what other classes I've got starting in the coming months. 


And don't forget, March is National Craft Month so when you sign up for a class in March you get a free class. Details about national Craft Month here.

Here's some more information about Artful Cards: 

In this 5-week course Catherine will teach you the art of creating Mixed Media Artful Cards using a mix of artful and creative techniques she has perfected over the years.

Each week for 5 weeks Catherine will teach you a creative technique to use in your card-making and then will demonstrate that technique in several unique and creative ways on your greeting cards. At the end of the course you will have amassed an arsenal of beautiful and creative cards for many basic occasions.

Techniques will include:

• Fun Stamping Techniques
• Hand and Machine Sewing
• Die-Cutting
• Layering
• Mixing Art Supplies with your Cards
• Watercolor Techniques
• Stencils
• Creating Custom Background Papers
• Image Transfers
• Creating Interactive Cards

Hope to see you there! Thanks for stopping by, have a great day. Back to regularly scheduled artsy posts tomorrow!

and then there's Karma

I'm a firm believer in Karma. If you go through your life being mean, grumpy and doing evil things and hurting people, it will come back to you. For some, their bad karma comes back when it's time for them to meet their maker, but for others it happens in their daily life -- I guess it caught up to them faster. 

If you go through life being nice, kind and generous and helpful -- you will be rewarded. 

If you don't know what Karma is -- here's a definition I found: "it is simply the universal law of cause and effect that says every thought, word and act carries energy into the world and affects our present reality" -- basically if you give out bad stuff eventually you'll get bad stuff back. 

This is another one of those lessons I teach my kid-let. Be nice and generally people will be nice back, unless they have bad karma goin' on. Being nice pays off.  

I think nice people are healthier, and they definitely are prettier because nice people usually have a great smile on their face -- which definitely is more attractive than a frown or grumpy face. 

 If you think about your world as one of the circles on my art journal page -- you have your pattern of life -- coloring and filling your circle as you move along through the universe. 

As you move along, your world collides with others -- and they, with their unique color and pattern -- have their own Karma that they put out there into the universe. 

There are so many people roaming around the universe, you ARE BOUND to run into one that's not nice to you. How you treat them and react to them really is your choice, but sometimes they NEED YOU to be as nice as you can back, you know -- you get more with sugar than you do with vinegar. 

You can change your karma -- just change your attitude. Be nice to people, do nice things. Start small. You get what you give. What comes around goes around.

So as I go about my daily grind, I remember that everyone has their own crap that they manage on a daily basis. Having crap doesn't mean you have bad karma, but it can make you make a snarky comment, have little patience, and possibly do something that you might not usually do. Today, try to change your attitude toward the crap on your plate, try putting a smile on your face. Start today. 

Hold the door for someone, take the cart back for the lady that just loaded her groceries in her car, let someone merge into traffic in front of you or even pay for the person behind you to go through the toll-booth. Start small. You'll be glad you did.

Thanks for stopping by, hope you have a WONDERFUL weekend -- I've got a TON of work to do as I'm still catching up from my traveling and being sick. See you next week. 

Service Announcement: National Craft Month at My creative Classroom

My Creative Classroom and I would like to invited you to join us as we celebrate National Craft Month. Every year in March we say thank you to our students during National Craft Month. If you purchase a class in March (it does not need to start in March) you will earn a free seat in an upcoming class. Purchase more than one class and you will be able to earn more free seats. The seats you can earn are in predetermined classes, but we worked hard to choose classes that would have broad appeal, all are valued at $25 or more.

During the next three months we have some wonderful classes for you to choose from. Click here to learn more.

Jump into the Ocean?

Today, as the snow finally starts to bombard New England -- my thoughts are on fire as I think of the impromptu conversation I had yesterday with my dear friend Nat. BTW, the power of the internet is amazing -- as I can have a face to face conversation via Skype and talk about the meaning of the universe, the sharks in the water and everything in between -- and be here in my cozy house in Maine making a cup of coffee and she in her studio. Amazing!

Anyway, as our discussion turned to the sharks in the water, I said to her, Nat -- it's time to make a decision. Is it time to jump into the ocean -- or should I stay on the shore? Of course, we were talking metaphorically -- but you get the gist. 

I promised her that my art journal page and blog post would be about that today. I also promised no flowers, but THAT didn't happen -- ha ha! So, here we go. 

My thinking goes back to recent art journal pages and blog posts I've made about making art, sharing it and supporting each other.  Here's a quick link: The Garden of Good -- I Dare You -- Do It For Art -- The Flower. 

So what I want to say today is....there's room for everyone. In some way -- but you have to remember why you make art or whatever it is that you are passionate about. 

So as you think about jumping into the ocean and swimming with the sharks, don't be afraid to be that pretty flower. Share your art. Lift up and support your friends, give it ALL. Don't hold back. Even though you may empty your well -- it will always be filled up again.  Stay true to your heart, get back to your foundation, your grass roots. Follow your passion and you will be successful. 

Do it for yourself, do it because you love it -- not to be successful -- or to impress someone -- or even to make a buck. The money thing and everything else will fall into place if it's meant to for you. Be true to your heart, your art and the sharks will starve! Karma will get them. hmmm. maybe I'll talk about that tomorrow. 

Anyway, thanks for stopping by, I hope you have a great day. There's no school or work today and the kid-let and very significant other are home and I've got to share my creative space with them. Hmmm, that may be why I haven't gotten a lick of anything done today! ha ha. 

Go out and MAKE art today! 

The Garden of Good

Each day as I work in my art journal I think about the message I want to send out to the universe. Lately I've been surprised, shocked and even a little intimidated with the way that people treat each other. Not only in the artist community that I belong to -- but world-wide. Every where people (I know I'm generalizing -- there are good people out there) have no compassion, empathy or even tolerance for others. 

and it bothers me. A.L.O.T

I'm thinking about this today because my 12 year old came home from an after school program complaining about another kid in the program. The other kid was passing gas uncontrollably during a quiet part of the program -- and laughing out loud and causing a disturbance for the other kids and distracting from the exercise, which was a Unified Movement/Tai Chi/Martial Arts type of program. 

I was really upset with him that he complained and complained about her. 

What I know about the other child is she is challenged in some way, how I'm not sure. But she struggles. And it's my JOB to teach my child to empathize with her. To understand her and to be good and kind to her. Whether or not she struggled in life or not -- it's my JOB to set the example for my child to be good, and kind and understanding. 

In order for me to be a good example, I need to show him exactly HOW I am good and kind and understanding of others. 

I do this by talking with him. And by setting a good example. 

I am showing him the way in the Garden of Good, how to live by the Golden Rule and that there is a reward for goodness, empathy and understanding. I certainly hope it sticks -- and if more parents taught their children this our world would be a better place to live. 

So as you are going about your day -- thinking about how to be successful and working hard at it -- remember to be nice. Thanks for stopping by, have a GREAT day, until next time! 

Be the Flower

Today is the first time I've worked in my Art Journal since the beginning of last week. I've been SO sick. I don't DO sick very well, sleeping during the day goes against my grain -- and while I didn't sleep during the day -- I did spend a lot of time lounging under the covers on the couch.  And Nyquil. Yes, the woman that doesn't take medicine drank down a whole bottle during the course of the week. It was bad. Last night was my first night without it. That wasn't pretty either. But I did fall asleep on the couch at 8 and while I'm not 100% today -- I would say I'm at 79.5% ;-) and getting better.

I've been thinking about my journal. Daily. Longing to create in it. Because I had SO MUCH time to think about it, I thought about my process a LOT. What I use. How I use it. And I decided that I use to many "things" as design crutches. i CAN paint. i CAN draw. i CAN be the flower ;-)

You are probably wondering what that means, be the flower.  

Well let me tell you. My friend Nat told me a story when we were in Los Angeles and rather than bore you with the entire story -- the moral was we as artists should be the flower and not the gardener. We should cultivate our own beauty. 

I've been thinking about this a LOT. 

So today I challenged myself to create art in my art journal that used only acrylic paint, a paint brush (yes -- just one 1/2" flat wash brush), a 2" x 2" block of book paper, india ink and my dip pen - oh and a glue stick to adhere the book paper.

I'm pretty happy with my page today. Now, the challenge is to REMEMBER to be the flower. Thank you for stopping by, hope you had a great week. See you soon ;-)

Do it for Art!

I don't know about you, but I go through spells where I create a piece of art then look at it and say "why do I even bother?". It's not that great. It's not this or that and no one even wants it. I'm not good enough, I can't do this -- so REALLY why do I bother? It's like a little internal tantrum, that inner critic trying to get the best of me. 

I think every artist goes through spells like these. I like to call them the winter doldrums -- ha ha -- but this winter we haven't had much of the weather that causes the doldrums so I'm not sure what to blame it on. But I do know it happens to MOST artists at one time or another.  

 I have to keep reciting the following statement "do it anyway. Just do it, just get your butt into that studio and DO it."

Because the bottom line is really this -- who do we REALLY create art for? 

Is it for our friends?

Or for recognition?

Do you make it to support your family?

Do you make art just because you are good at it?

Or because you can?

Are you trying to impress someone?

Do you really LOVE making art?

Do it for Art. Do it for your heart. Surrender your heart to art -- and see where it takes you! 

Lots of things to think about today, I'd love to know why you make art! 

Thank you so much for stopping by. Have a wonderful day, not sure how many times I will post this week as I'm sicker than sick with the flu AND it's school vacation week. 

Working from home

I've been working from home for the last 9 years, it started slowly - and hand-in-hand with being a stay at home Mom. It was easy to balance creating and being a Mom as the time I had to create was quite limited -- when he was having a nap, at pre-school and later on school -- and when I wasn't running errands, taking him to the doctor (he was sick a LOT) and the other responsibilities of being a wife and Mommy was when I made art. It also helped that my studio was in a little alcove in the living room.  

Because my time was limited -- I learned to channel my creative energy to be available when I had time. I'm not sure how I was/am able to do it -- but it happens. 

Don't get me wrong, I do go through spells where my creative energy goes on hiatus for a while -- but often I don't have the luxury to sit and quietly ponder this and wait for it to return. Deadlines happen. Work needs to get done. 

I think this is why Mixed Media Art, sewing, collage, painting, stamping etc. are so important to me -- like a creative crutch -- when I'm stuck on a painting or scrapbook page or whatever -- I switch gears and work in a different medium. It must have something to do with the neurons in my brain -- and doing something "new" kicks the creative ones into high gear, ha ha.

This diversity of mediums really has saved me. From getting bored. REAL bored. 

It hasn't saved my wallet though. 

Thank you for stopping by - have a GREAT weekend and do something new today -- introduce a new craft, medium or supply to your line- up and see how it invigorates you! Leave me a comment and let me know how it worked! 

Artful Cards at My Creative Classroom

I haven't been very good at sharing my teaching schedule with you, which I'm sorry for. I struggle with a balance between shameless-self promotion and sharing what I'm up to. I've never been good at tooting my own horn about good things that happen to me in my creative career - even when my husband calls me Hollywood for being on a craft show and a few other fun things like that -- I still feel uncomfortable with it. I think it's the way I was raised. That's my story anyway. 

So moving right along and plunging into it -- I thought I would share my schedule of classes for the Spring Semester over at My Creative Classroom. One is BRAND new, a few are repeats of very successful classes -- and one is a complete remake to update with new product and techniques. 

For my newest offering, I've got Artful Cards that starts March 9. I'm really excited about this class, and I've been wanting to bring it to you for a long time -- but with all the other things I've wanted to offer this one was put on the back burner. Until now -- well March 9th that is. In this class I will share with you all of my secrets to creating beautiful, creative Mixed Media Cards. Artful Cards is 5 weeks packed full of great information you won't want to miss! 

This class was SO successful the first time it ran that I am anxious to share it with you again -- and the ATC Swap that we did was so much fun that I hope to do it again for this course! This class is 4 weeks long and starts on March 23rd. 

This is the 4th of my Spellbinders Classes at My Creative Classroom -- and you won't be disappointed! Each of the 4 weeks I've the split the lesson into 3 parts - beginner, intermediate and advanced. I teach you a technique and then instruct you on how to make three cards using that technique -- you'll finish the course with 12 beautiful and creative cards -- it starts on April 27th! 

In case you couldn't tell, Mixed Media art is my passion lately -- and this course is definitely going to plunge you into the heart of creating mixed media art. This is the second in the series -- and only the second time it has been offered. Again, a highly popular course you won't want to miss, it starts on February 24th! 

I was going to retire this class, but it's been so popular among card makers and paper crafters that I've decided to completely revamp it with new projects, demos and a video here and there. Even if you've taken this class before there is more for you to learn -- this re-make starts May 4th. 

I hope to see you in a class sometime soon, thanks for stopping by -- have a WONDERFULLY creative day!