"Live where you fear you cannot dwell. Destroy your reputation. Be notorious." -Rumi

Write What You Know

The advice to writers has always been to "write what you know." I couldn't agree more. That's probably why I'm so drawn to those who write about their daily happenings-diarists really. Writers like Elizabeth Gilbert, May Sarton, Anais Nin and Anne Morrow Lindbergh.

In the past couple of years, I've taken lots of classes. There's been several art and writing workshops. There were life coach and creativity coach training courses. I've learned ALOT. I'm not likely to ever stop with the learning, considering how much I value it.

But it's interesting that while you're soaking up all the wisdom, you can sometimes forget what you know all by yourself. I'm not talking about some sage wisdom you want to teach or pass on to others....but the little stuff you realize about your own self. The stuff that when known and acknowledged, helps you to feel content and centered. And when ignored or stuffed down, has you hiding under covers until you crawl out only to down a half gallon of Haagen Daz with extra whipped cream.

So I've started a little list of self knowledge. Considering the length of it so far, it seems I've forgotten much. I've put it over on the side bar to the right, just to jar the old noggin into recalling more. Funny how I only become aware of these little things when I get real quiet and pay attention! Kind of like being an observer of your own life. Oh! I've just remembered something else....off to add to the list....

What little things do you know about yourself? Do share a few!

Because this is what I do...

Which is sharing and linking to the good stuff.....Teesha Moore (art journaling Goddess extraordinairre) has posted video after video on her art journaling process! She's an amazing teacher and SO generous to share the goods! Visit her site.....it's a must! Do go...do make...do journal! Click on her name and do it now!

Teesha says (and I believe), "be confident in your weird notions"....

Painting my Halloween Costume

Every Halloween, tons of kids come out for candy near the sea shore. Parents stroll the island, plastic red cups (uh huh) and kids in tow.

It's pretty fun to dress in costume and hand out the goods to the goblins . . .

I've done the Cowgirl thang . . . and I've done the Gypsy thang (both TOO easy to come up with considering the state of my funky wardrobe!)

On the lookout for something different, I came across Alisa Burke's tutorial for painting a canvas apron in the Autumn 2009 Somerset Workshop magazine.



I already had a paint spattered apron in the studio . . . so why not?



It was easy to layer more paint on the old spattered rag!





Adding imperfect doodles was a kick (and good to quiet the "inner critic")!





But I LOVED doing graffiti inspired scribbles and journaling all over it!

(It's actually kind of weird how much I'm loving graffiti lately - considering how much I see of it here in L.A.!)





How easy was that .....just add jeans, a denim shirt, a few paint brushes in the pockets and ta da!

An artsy costume, for sure.

Maybe I'll use my painter's palette as a candy tray??

What else? A beret . . . a-la-Picasso?

It's Too Cold To Get Up Mom!

"General Wolf Rules for Life"

". . . I would suggest you begin right now with anything on this list. For those who are struggling, it may help greatly to begin with number ten.

General Wolf Rules for Life:

1. Eat
2. Rest
3. Rove in between
4. Render loyalty
5. Love the children
6. Cavil in the moonlight
7. Tune your ears
8. Attend to the bones
9. Make love
10. Howl often"

-Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Ph.D. from "Women Who Run With the Wolves"

Dreams Don't Sleep

My husband says "Dreams don't sleep". That's how he convinced me to get up at 5:00 A.M. on a Sunday morning to tote him to the airport. (He knows I'm a staunch believer in dream chasing!)

So he's off to Napa moving towards his dream of becoming a wine maker. He'll be spending time with dream digging vintner extraordinaire, Jason Moore, leaving me to share a little about my own dream catching.




It all started here yesterday, at my semi-annual trek to the open art studios of L.A. Brewery.



(Yeah....that's a hot tub atop one of the amazing artist's lofts. Ahhhh, swoon!)



Here's some of the amazing structures . . .





It's all wacky and fun and inspiring, but I digress.





The dream catching part is about more than taking in views of incredible art and diverse creative expression in these lofts.





(I mean after a little drinkie poo in a 3rd story stunner, we were more than ready to dance!)



No, the real dream unfolded when we strolled into yet another inspiring space and came upon Andre Miripolsky . . . THE Andre Miripolsky!!



Okay this guy is super famous and successful and all. But I've been a fan of his for 20-something years! I wear his "Fear No Art" button proudly on my little art apron. I was clueless that he was a local. I sure had no idea he lives in a loft that's open to the general public twice a year.



What a sweetheart he is. He spent tons of time with us talking about his next project (a monumental installation at the L.A. Convention Center). He signed a poster for us, let us take a dozen pictures or so (all of which I look like the goofus art groupie that I am).








If I could've danced like the girls practicing in their studio here, I would have!



I think I did become a bit of a "Wild Thing" . . . it's so embarrassing. I can't help myself - I'm awed in the presence of greatness. I'm such a lucky girl to have access to the amazing L.A. art community and someone so special to share it with.



I do believe it's true . . . "dreams don't sleep" . . . and they shouldn't - ever.

***************************************

LATE UPDATE:

Hubbie's jazzed (and apparently thirsty) after a day of wine making.
Had to pull in the iconic Taylor's Automatic Refresher for a tall cool one.
It's a well known fact in wine country that "it takes a lot of beer to make good wine"! (His will likely be great!)

Everywhere We Go . . .

People are wearing white after Labor Day . . .



Blinding stark white clothes!



I mean, it's really kinda scary!



Spooky to be so close to Halloween,
yet feel so free to break long standing fashion rules . . .



It does feel



and look a lot like Spring.



The whole world's in bloom!



So I guess white is right,



orange and black just feels more appropriate.

The Return of the Sun

Cloudy Days, Creative Chaos & Cocker Spaniels

I'm lucky to have a couple of days off to play . . .





But I had to drag the stuff from my little studio outside to my comfy warm kitchen cause . . .



Lately it's just too cold for a weather-spoiled California girl and her cocker spaniel pup! Do you see him napping on his bed above?






OK it's probably really only in the balmy mid-60's, but that's cold to us "beachy" types.....



Uh oh....do you spy something that's gone missing from the pic just above? If so, email me the answer along with your address, and I'll send the first 15 responders a little "collage pack" for your rainy journaling days!



I relish the change in temps and OH we have some puffy clouds in the sky......wheeeeeeeeee! A transplanted Southern gal rarely sees these kind of clouds!



It takes paint and glue and gesso and glaze so long to dry in the damp....it slows me way down! Way!




It's good to slow down, don't you think?





I'm dreaming of cool California evenings spent by the fire with my love. . . or if he's away, maybe gathering a group of crafty or pen wielding chicks like Lisa and Trudi and Katja and McCabe and Mary Ann or Shiloh would be amazing! If I could lure Vanessa from her luscious abode....OMG!



I've been so inspired by recent magazine spreads about bloggers getting together to meet in real life.....I'm longing to host an event like that in "typically" sunny SoCal! We'd make art, each tutor a little class for the others, have lots of walks and sugar-laced treats and belly dancing classes and yoga and lattes....sounds like fun, huh? Do I dare?

What Gloomy Days Are For...

They're for hibernating in cushy sweats and ugly Ugg boots . . . and art journaling of course!



Needed a little yellow sunshine to go with the gloom. Hence the "Bloom" spread was born.



And yes, I do continue with a layer of journaling over the painted and collaged page - but always too shy to show you my inner thoughts! Show me yours!

Secret Little Retreats

are wonderful, but it's always so good to come home.



Time away can give you a new perspective, slow you down and make you happier and healthier.



I'm hoping to hold on to that feeling for a very long time.



“The purpose of life, after all, is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.”
--Eleanor Roosevelt

Another Thought (While I'm Away on a Secret Retreat)

"This much is true: You will have to rearrange your life to accommodate your artist self. She needs space..."

-Shiloh Sophia McCloud, A Woman's Workbook for Personal Transformation

"A musician must make music, an artist must paint, a poet must write, if he is to be ultimately at peace with himself.
What one can be, one must be."

-Abraham Maslow

So worth the eight minutes!

You won't believe this girl's talent to "paint" ever changing pictures with sand! It's beautiful and incredible.

Better viewed after pausing my playlist, down the page and to the right.