I was down and dark in January- been down and dark before- but this time I was dipping down a little too low. I am blessed that I was able to communicate that to my nearest and dearest and have the difficult conversations and be met with love and support. I want to be here. To…
Category: Journal
Journal/Image Idea File of the month from private collection.
Mom’s laugh- visual sound.
I originally posted this six years ago. I just came across it again and my heart aches. This year (on November 8) it will be 8 years since my mom passed away. It can’t be possible. I feel her with me always. And I love that I feel safe to process our loving, deep, difficult…
The heart of it.
Practicing being heart-fully present and health-fully detached. And checking in regularly with my own heart journey. Getting up a bit earlier. Gentle time before facing each day. Then practicing stepping into the day with OPEN boundless bountiful boundary-full HEART. And always reminding myself to nurture the heart of my passions and gifts. “I’m filled with burning passion to experience life…
Can we look at sad rants in our journals in a new way?
No doubt my collection of 300 + journals, sketchbooks and image-idea files are filled with more sad rants than with positive day-to-day activities. For many of us, our journals are a safe harbour in which to deposit racing thoughts- a place of privacy in which to address the darkness that we all struggle with from…
What makes me feel rich is…
A bowl of eggs in the fridge A bowl of fruit on the table A jar of random trinkets: Small details Watching approximately 40 herons playing in the wind outside my window. Herons represent an ability to progress and evolve. The long thin legs of the heron reflect that an individual doesn’t need great…
The healing power of journaling and “making sense.”
To me, the journal is an essential vomitorium, a depository, a giant worry doll that contains it, holds it- allows for LETTING GO. It allows me to make sense. I find that journaling is different from keeping a diary. The difference between diary keeping and journaling (to me): A diary is a record of events, happenings,…
Ponderings on the “idea.”
As a creative, I find it as important to make time for input as well as make time for creative output. And allow myself some stupor time- doing nothing— doesn’t happen often. Tried today. To just stop for a bit, but instead I was distracted by my thoughts- thoughts that have been swirling in my head…
Sunday morning coffee shop musings.
Journal entry January 24, 2016 Write out goals –> no, write out PLANS. What is the difference between goals and plans and by writing goals as opposed to plans, am I not being BADASS enough? (Thank you, Cat Webb, for defining me as a badass and being a constant source of empowerment. Check out Cat’s extraordinary…
Now her ghost wheels her barrow…
In Dublin’s fair city, where the girls are so pretty I first laid my eyes on sweet Molly Malone As she wheeled her wheelbarrow through the streets broad and narrow Crying cockles and mussels alive a-live O! A-live a-live O! A-live a-live O! Crying cockles and mussels alive a-live O! She was a fishmonger and…
Ok, Molly, I’ll eat a shit sandwich for you.
I had a very anxious week last week. It was a crawl to the finish line. It was a mix of grief, self-doubt, money stuff, fearing I don’t have what it takes to succeed in this life, blah blah blah. It’s familiar, having suffered from anxiety all my life. But last week was particularly hard….
Soul work… my 2016 Toolkit
You may recall, I set my intention for 2016- to simply meet it all with love. Yet I knew it was important to take the time to do soul work. But it’s been hard, so very hard to get “started” on it. Yet- that’s not really correct… Actually, I have started. I have been collecting soul…
2015 reflections and 2016 intentions.
It’s that time of year to reflect and lay out intentions. What a journey 2015 was. It was the year… [DELETE.] I had written several lengthy paragraphs reflecting on 2015 and laying out a detailed list of intentions for 2016. I almost posted it last week. Then again yesterday. But this morning I delete it….
I thought my achy body was grief but perhaps it is birth.
Journal entry December 26, 2015 The surprise Christmas release by LCD Soundsystem epitomizes my achy-boned, sentimental, full of love and nostalgia, time to transition Christmas. I both celebrate and honor and am in awe that this was the first Christmas without both my kids in the same room or even the same town. I want to…
What can I learn from the little mouse in the house…
T’was the night before Christmas, when all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. – Clement Clarke Moore Well, maybe a few mice were. Since my beautiful cat, Violet, passed away, the mice have been showing up here and there. It makes sense in this 1929 building, a block from…
To live until we say good-bye. Tobey: Jan. 14, 2000-Dec. 23, 2015
December 23, 2015 3:52 PM As I write this, I await my brother to pick me up to take Tobey to the vet. I awoke yesterday with a painful heart, knowing it was time to help Tobey let go. 6:36 PM I said goodbye to my sweet Tobey at 5:45 PM. So much love and…
Magical thinking and Christmas knickknacks.
Christmas is here- magical time of year. One of my favorite and one of the hardest. So true for many of us. It’s a time of joy and connection, of reminders of loss and longing, of financial hardship and worry, a time of creating and sharing and giving… I love surrounding myself with old Christmas…
“Here, at the age of 39, I began to be old…”
I revisited Brideshead Revisited last night and was struck, more deeply than usual, by Waugh’s opening line: “Here, at the age of 39, I began to be old…” Why did this opening line stand out? I’ve been trying to find the right quote, the right words to help me reflect on my current dip into…
And so, the vulnerability shakes set in…
Hi. As you may know, I’ve been fully immersed in process in the last month or so- working on my book presentation for my agent to shop around, and I have LOVED the process, trying to cross all the t’s and dot all the i’s. Exciting to be at the next stage. Ready to share. So ready….
Reminder: the purpose of the design is to unsettle the bee…
— ANXIETY is part of life. It can be beneficial but it can hinder. When I am overwhelmed by it, to the point of distracting me from enjoying my life and making it hard to move forward, I pull out my old copy of “A Slender Thread- rediscovering hope at the heart of…
A letter to my father, 3 years later, at our favorite table.
Dear Pappa, Sitting at our table at Lions Gate Hospital Cafeteria. — Three years later now… you died on October 25. How can this be real? You and Mamma seemingly immortal. Yet- — I would love to break down- my heart feels too big for my chest cavity. I want to curl inward. There was…
A certain preface this way comes.
Writing for me often happens in stolen moments. It is easy for me to plan time for and execute illustrations. It is easy for me to plan for and to execute mind-maps as well as write down structural and technical details. It is TOO easy for me to plan and execute and get lost in RESEARCH….
When grief is like a wave crashing on shore…
I attended an event last night at the Vancouver Public Library. I am so glad I went alone, for not only could I soak in the event itself (as I am passionate about this case), but I could really sit in my personal grief. This was the room I sat in with my Mom as…
Turning point: reflections on triggers. Part 2- (re)discovery
This week I have been exploring triggers in my life– their roles as fodder for creative work, their potential to help in self-development and their ability to create turning points. Recall: Part 1- archives Part 2 (RE)DISCOVERY As I mentioned in Part 1, a random journal entry may bring me to my knees. I was organizing my studio the other…
Turning point- reflections on triggers. Part 1: archives
Last New Year, my brother and I brought home all my journals and artwork from storage. We recently brought home all the family photo albums and objects. I love being the family archivist. I love seeing the heirlooms showcased in my kids’ collections and in the extended family’s homes. I love that the next generation…
Art journaling e-workshop 12-part course
I have created an in-depths arts journaling program and am offering it to you as an email course! I have been developing a little project for awhile now, inspired by my desires to combine my learned lessons from years of facilitating art sessions. You will receive instructions and imagery to print out and color. Fun, easy, in-depths! The…
Owl wisdom
Taking a somewhat silent retreat today to regroup and prepare for transitions. Picked up an old sweater (80% merino wool, 20% cashmere) and created these little one inch plus tall baby owls. Perfect for holding in the palm while figuring stuff out. I have always found that sewing and drawing owls is a powerful experience. Stay…
Mindmap Tutorial Week Part 7 of 7: Reviewing
I have been diving into a much-needed new mindmap this week, so I thought I’d create a tutorial during my process! Tutorial so far: Introductory blog post- mindmap tutorial week Part 1: What is a mindmap? Part 2: the Big Vision Part 3: Stream of consciousness mapping Part 4: Prioritizing/consolidating/connecting Part 5: Enhancing Part 6: Addressing…
Mindmap tutorial week Part 5 of 7: Enhancing
I am diving into a much-needed new mindmap this week, so I thought I’d create a tutorial during my process! Tutorial so far: Introductory blog post- mindmap tutorial week Part 1: What is a mindmap? Part 2: the Big Vision Part 3: Stream of consciousness mapping Part 4: Prioritizing/consolidating/connecting TODAY: PART 5 OF 7: Enhancing Last…
Mindmap Tutorial Week Part 4: Prioritizing, consolidating, connecting
I am diving into a much-needed new mindmap this week, so I thought I’d create a tutorial during my process! Tutorial so far: Introductory blog post- mindmap tutorial week Part 1: What is a mindmap? Part 2: the Big Vision Part 3: Stream of consciousness mapping TODAY: PART 4 OF 7: Prioritizing/consolidating/connecting So once you have…
Mindmap Tutorial Week Part 3: Stream of consciousness mapping
I am diving into a much-needed new mindmap this week, so I thought I’d create a tutorial during my process! Tutorial so far: Introductory blog post- mindmap tutorial week Part 1: What is a mindmap? Part 2: the Big Vision TODAY: PART 3 OF 7: Stream of consciousness mapping In your journal start writing out…