Category Archives: somethin’

SIMPLE WAYS

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It’s okay.
Just relax and take a deep breath.
It’s all about doing things with a very special kind Love.
The kind of Love that is not of us, but comes through us.
It is not something that we buy.
It comes through simple ways. 
It is Love.
Dear, children of God.
Look into someone’s eyes.
Shake a hand.
Give a hug.
Speak in a loving tone.
Give a pat on the back.
Kiss a cheek.
Listen to someone.
Hold a hand.
Tie a shoe.
Allow Love to flow to others.
It is the best gift-giving in the world.

WORDS

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All that glisters is not gold
Often have you heard that told.
Many a man his life hath sold
But my outside to behold.
Gilded tombs do worms enfold.
Had you been as wise as bold,
Young in limbs, in judgement old,
Your answer had not been inscrolled.
Fare you well. Your suit is cold

William Shakespeare

All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.
.John Ronald Reuel Tolkien
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WORDS

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Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes.
Art is knowing which ones to keep.
Scott Adams

Quotes are weird.  A line of words, probably taken out of context, something that someone else [usually a famous someone] thought up, and who is usually considered an instant authority. We hang on every word.  We use the words almost as our own.
I happen to like this quote. It’s funny and, in some ways, true. There was a time that i just had too many blocks keeping me from doing art. The thing i ended up doing was to see every art project as an experiment. The word “experiment” helped me to let go of many of the things that held me back from starting and enjoying the process. 
In this quote, the word “mistake” is used. I think that we are all afraid of mistakes. Someone might call something that we make…wrong! Ahhhhh! But, the last part of the quote refers to art as knowing which mistakes to keep…not keeping things that turn out exactly as expected. How many wonderful things are here to enjoy because someone allowed their self to make mistakes. What else do we make most of the time anyway? Who does anything perfectly? What is so wrong with making something that we didn’t expect? Not all mistakes are wrong…and not all of them are called mistakes. Some of them might even be called “art.”
the printer’s ornament
was found online
and is free to use

PHASE

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I am going through a phase. With Picasso, it was a blue phase. With me…well, it’s an ornament phase. Actually, they are known as printer’s characters or printer’s ornaments. I suppose that some people are into their Christmas ornaments right now. For me? It’s those wonderful little black on white images.
They are not my artwork. I have been finding them online. Perhaps they will lend some ideas toward my label designing.  I like the ones with the bold designs that look similar to wood block prints. Yet some of these designs can be fine-lined and i like them as well.
Feel free to copy and use any of them for a project. Some of them would make nice bookmarks. Or maybe a book plate-sticker…or even a calling card. All of them that i collect appear to be free to use.
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TIME

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It is time.  A year.  An idea that i have been growing into.
Well, L. L. Barkat did it. She made time to be in her yard every day, for a year, and to write, as a spiritual practice. Lyla Lindquist is in the process of a once-a-week journey to be in day prayers at a Benedictine monastery, and doing some writing about it.
Yes, a year has been inviting me, and i have been accepting the invitation.
A couple of months ago, i had decided to start doing art. Not just a little here and there. I was ready to do more. To step out into my yard… to go to my monastery… to be a child at heart. To do art like a child, with God. To let go and just do it. 
Some on-line friends gather once a year at a place in Texas. I have, in the back of my mind, wanted to go there and meet some of these people. The years pass, and i wondered if i would ever make that trip. Then i started to think about what i do that could help me to make money and perhaps make the trip next year. That is where it started, and it is now growing into something more than just making money. It is becoming about the growing and doing and sharing…right here…where i live.
I started a painting a few weeks ago. However, today, after reading Lyla’s post, i thought perhaps that i could do daily writing in addition to doing the art. It seems right, since writing is another way for me to comprehend some of the things that God is saying to me. Writing can be a conversation with God, just as painting can. I find that writing words really lends itself to conversation and thought processing.
So i grabbed a journal that i had already made some art notes in, wrote “a year of art” on the front of it…and started writing. Today is “officially” the first day toward what “God willing” will become a year of art, and my art journaling conversation with God.  
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