U Owe it to yourself to Love U

People don't owe you their friendship, their love, their time or their involvement in your life, but you owe it to yourself be authentic and be full of the love, joy and creativity that lights up the world with your unmistakeable izness. No need to impress just express who you are and in doing that you will find (although they were never lost) friendship, joy and quality time with those loving beings who appreciate the izness of U~~~~

Changes

All uz cats (I'm a Tiger Chinese astrological sign) have been inperiencing major shifts dealing with digestion issues. On Thankgiving day my craving for chocolate cookies that I eaten religiously for 2 years every night just dropped away. Itz funny how one habit holds up others habits around it. My metabolism waz overworked with cookies, chips and other overeating tendencies. Yes, I ate my emotions usually late at night. When I stopped eating chocolate cookies my tastes for other snack foods faded away. I ate vegan apple pie for a bit, but something waz different yes it taste good 4 sure but my stomach tossed and turned and tossed and turned. My body waz changing and I couldn't go back to old habits and behaviors. Around the same time my babies Neo and Trinity started hacking and throwing up everywhere. I dewormed them which helped but the high quality kitten food waz been rejected by their little bodies. And then like a chain my older cats started hacking and throwing up I waz beside myself trying to figure out what to do next. Thankfully hairball remedy worked for Peanut, but not the others. So today I asked spirit please guide me what am I to do. Well I stopped at wholefoods to pick up some items before heading over to Pet Center to try another brand of high quality kitten food, but I had a feeling that they needed raw meat instead of another bag of cat food. So today I gave Neo and Trinity fresh raw fish and they ate it up quick. Tiger iz out of sorts but I know all my babies are going to be okay. They say our animals many times mirror our own changes in various ways. I guess we are all detoxifying and changing no more of the same old program. I am welcoming thiz new consciousness that iz bursting through like a caterpillar changing into a Butterfly. I digest the good of life and I fully embrace more love, more joy and more creativity in every area of my life. God iz good : }

Life a To-Do List?

In the past my life seemed like a big to-do list. Their waz always somewhere to go, someone to meet, something to do and somebody to become. Somehow just being alive, awake and aware to injoy life wazn't enough. But thankfully I'm relaxing more into life and surrendering to each and every moment az it shows up. When I do thiz I have boundless energy to Be, Do or Have anything I first welcome in conscious.

Yet sometimes thoughts of thiz other more for filled life plagues me mostly around the issue of discipline. The word discipline I admit haz a negative charge to it like being forced to eat food I don't like for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Thiz iz foreign to my true nature because innately I have boundless energy to be fully engaged in life and whatevers showing up. And being a creative type no day, hour or second is repeatable. So theirs go discipline and sticking to a "self-improvement" plan so I can be more of the more of me. So I make endless promises to myself today is going to be different I'm going to do thiz thing religiously for eternity and beyond so I can become more or the more of me. But I'm a stubborn gal, years of work and being productive have ruined me cuz no amount of pretend guilt can make me do anything that I simply don't want to do. I've become so used to living in alignment with love, joy, creativity and peace its hard to move me to anything that feels less than thiz. Yes, I've tried on various occasions asking myself, don't you want to become more of the more you? Yes, of course I answer but you see each day haz its own rhythm like breathing or like a song that begs to be played in thiz non-repeatable moment. But here's the rub it doesn't haveto be thiz way.

I waz under the false belief that it waz structure vs spontaneity, but now I know different. You see itz not either or itz thiz AND that. And includes all what waz, what iz and what will be. But in the now of thiz moment everything iz fresh, original, new and innovative even if it seems like itz the same old thing. Collaging by myself or with other iz like thiz, art like life iz open for new & ever unfolding possibilities, itz IZNESS blankets my whole inperience. So I guess

whether I'm in the sweet art of being AND the sweet art of doing its ALL good. The more I follow the path of blizz the more discipline morphs into blissipline. And right now I'll live az a drop of water that pops up into the air only to merge back into the deep, deep sea of nothingness only to be continued again and again.

Grateful

Last week we had potluck at Free Arts for Abused Kids to celebrate the Christmas holiday. Az I look forward to the new year and look back on what haz transpired their iz alot to be grateful for.

I'm most grateful that I've had the courage to wait, listen and act when inspired. It's easy to rush through life thinking that time iz my enemy. But time iz not my enemy its just a man made construction that we used to fit infinity in which of course can never be done. Thiz year I'm ending my marriage of 12 years which iz a major shift. I've learned and unlearned many things mostly about self-love and how to nurture, accept and celebrate my inner child. It haz been extremely liberating to slowly but surely come to the realization that my happiness or unhappiness iz my total responsibility and mines alone. No person or thing can do it for me itz a inside job. So now I love myself and him enough to say goodbye its been a incredible journey but itz time for me to move on.

I'm also grateful for all the wonderful new friends collaging at the senior citizens center and with Free Art for Abused kids. At first I collaged to heal myself of my negative thought patterns. Collaging sent me on a hunt for pictures and words that felt good when I artistically glued them on a sheet of paper. Collaging haz been the easiest, quickiest way for me to get into a good feeling tone moving from sadness to joy in mere seconds of working on a project. Through my creative expression I poured out my heart and tapped into the love that waz their all the time. Also sharing what I love with others and seeing the joy in their eyes az they create their one of a kind masterpieces warms my heart and soul. I am so appreciative that I get to assist others on focusing on what brings them joy.

May we all create a masterpiece of a life~

When in doubt........

When in doubt laugh, cry, dance, sing, write, collage, make love or sit in silence. In the pure positive space of joy, peace and love all your doubts will fade away.

Taking time

Today my outter artist didn't want to come out and play outside. I started to feel guilty because thiz waz my third week not going to Free Arts for Abused kids. But I had to be compassionate with myself, going more than 15 minutes anywhere in the rain iz a downer for me, I just want to stay close to home. So then I had a thought, Oh! yes the volunteers that are their are going to shower the kids with love and appreciation. They are going to spread joy vibrations to the kids. In my minds eye I saw happy smiling faces busy at work creating fun things. Az for me I just joyfully finished doing a little collaging realizing that my vibration of love are reaching the kids more so than if I gulited myself in going cuz that's what I would have brought unless I changed my vibration. Joy iz my evidence of God! anything less means I'm off my path.

Talking and Collaging

Had a pleasant conversation with my collage buddies. You can learn so much from peoples collages. I love listening to whatever comes up about their lives az they do mines. I really get tickled by the mothers, fathers,aunts, guardians etc. who assist their child in collage shifting through the various pictures and words. They all turn into big kids having fun forgetting about whatever brought them to court. And the best part iz they get to take their artworks with them and see them when they have doubts on how creative and how much fun they can be and have just being themselves.

Collaging with the kiddies at Free Arts for Abused Children

Glue sticks, colored construction paper, heart stickies, cats, dogs, smiling people, expansive waterfalls and blue colored grass made my morning today. When I collage with the kiddies their are no worries, no to do list, no thoughts of not enoughness becuz I am so full of life, love and creative ju ju juice. A young girl about 13 years old collaged and shared her inner world with me. How although she had 5 brothers and sisters she was alone, how she liked to write poetry, play in a band and just be herself. Life seemed complicated for her in a lot of ways, but she was figuring it out along the way. How in the mist of the chaos she could express her unique gifts and be happy no matter what. As she was leaving she handed me the collage, Here this is for you. On pink construction paper she had written statements like, "Lean on me" Treat others with respect" and "Tender Loving Care after TLC her favorite girl group. Volunteering here is a gift for my soul that I get to open up time and time again and be totally amazed and inspired by.

Focusing on the SEven Wonders of Your Life by Joyce Schwarz

Do you take time to appreciate the wonder of your own life? Are you grateful for this miracle called living? Many people ask me to analyze their vision boards and see what they can add that might be "missing" or that can make their boards serve them better. One of the most frequent items left our is thank for gratitude for being alive!

A great way to inspire yourself is with the "7 Wonders" activity. Add it to your repertoire of weekly and monthly inspirational projects. The definition of "wonder" that applies best here is "to be filled with admiration, amazement, or awe; to marvel." List the seven wonders in your life. I'm not talking about material stuff but the states of being that inspire you, that give you a sense of purpose and meaning and bring joy.

Artist Shana Dressler, who created the "Seven Wonders of the World" vision board affirms my belief that verbs move not only a sentence forward but our lives as well. Dressler's seven life wonders are all verbs. They include: to dream, to dance, to sing, to inspire, to explore, to love, and to serve.

WHAT ARE YOUR 7 WONDERS?

Try to make a verbs-only list for a more Zen-like approach to looking beyond the stuff in your world! Use the phrase: I am grateful for the ability to _________________

Fill in the list below.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Need help? My personal 7 wonders are: write, travel, play, vision, see, hear, discover. If you can't list seven, try starting with two or three. They might be 1) practice the law of attraction 2) be positive 3) have an attitude of gratitude. See, it's getting easier by the minute.

7 WONDERS variations: Try these as well.

* List the 7 wonderful experiences you had last week.

* List 7 people you are grateful to have in your life.

* List 7 ways you are making a difference in the world.

Hey y'all I'm going to take some of these suggestions when I collage with the kiddies today. I'll let you know how it came out. Have a blessed day!

5 Tips for Collage Scrapbooking

I found thiz on the internet and I wanted to share it with you INJOY! "I wanted to give you some tips that you could start following to really help improve your scrapbooking. I know that this sort of thing is really “art” and I can’t really tell you how to do it right because there isn’t a right way. I think the important part of having a collage is to tell a story. You don’t necessarily have to tell a story about an event or something like that, but you can tell a story about who you are or who your family members are. It’s really up to you on what you do. I have some tips that you can follow to really improve that actual scrapbook and make things stand out more." Custom Rubber Stamps You might not be aware of this, but you can usually contact manufacturer of rubber stamps and get your own custom versions of it. Typically you can get your family member put on it or do something interesting. Put a logo of your favorite team or anything really. It’s your choice what you decide to make the stamp look like, but it is something that you don’t often see inside a scrapbook. It can really add some depth to the whole look and adds a unique quality to it. Song Lyrics I don’t know about you, but I often associate feelings with songs I listened too during the time of the event. This can be an important thing to put in your book because it just brings back the feeling. Slap some of the lyrics up on the page and it helps show that you were in a specific mood during that time. Acrylic Paint This is something that most people don’t have around the house, but you can do pretty interesting things with it. You can create metalic, bronze and even earth tone looks to your pages with it. All you have to do is use it as the background and things will really stand out. You can always use the most appropriate one to get the point across. Strong Glue I know that you’re going to feel like using glue that school kids would be using for some sort of arts and crafts, but that stuff really doesn’t last. You’ll notice a month after you put something in the scrapbook, that things will be falling off the pages and you could very easily lose pictures. A strong and long lasting glue can be purchased at any collage scrapbooking store and will insure that things will stick for years without any problems. Age Your Photos This is an odd technique that a lot of people like to use. I think it helps if you want the picture (not the contents, but the physical picture) to seem older. What you do is dip a corner or something in tea and let it sit for a while. As it dries out it will start to look like a really old picture.

Copyright 2009 - Collage Picture Frame Home - 5 Tips for Collage Scrapbooking - An Analysis of Photo Collage Software - Craft Hobbies for Children - Creating a Collage Pictures - Where to Cheap Picture Frames

Collaging with the kiddies at Free Arts for Abused Children

Simon said, as he scanned the cut out pictures of cats, kids smiling, big words he didn't know or understand and a merger selection of dogs, "I don't like cats I wanna dog". Here they are I chimed in, look at the pug with the pushed in nose isn't he cute. He quickly took it from my hand and zealously smeared the back side with glue and slapped it on the blue construction paper. Sometimes its just a small opening that leads to more small openings. Whatever they want to share its okay whether its big or small, my role as a volunteer is to be their with no prescribed agenda to "fix" their problems. We all just surrender to the creative process of collaging and see where it takes us. However, their are many times in the area I collage, where their are side conversations going on between lawyers, child advocates, parents, other family member and guardians. A ten year old Latina girl and her four year old sister said after over hearing their conversation, " They shouldn't neglect their child like that". I said, your right that is very unfortunate and we continued to collage. I could see the mis-trust in her eyes, I knew their was a story but I didn't pry. She said, "I have my other collage I did last time you were here", really I said. I post mines on my wall at home. You do her eyes getting bigger, I'll think I'll do that too at my foster family's house. You see collaging is not an escape from life, but it is a window of opportunity to let the sunlight of creativity shine through the uncertain darkness. Art heals this I know!

My Vulva Birthchart

Last year a Sista from the Temple of Wombn group I'm in did a Vulva Birthchart reading for me. It waz very inspirational because it aligns so much with what Spirit had been downloading through me. In it she states, "Your path is a Sacred Arts Keeper, you are one of the ones who bring alkhemikal change for others through art. I’m sure this is not news to you but an affirmation. Your vulva juices flow abundantly by manifesting from within whatever jewels of creative vision your dip into the cauldron brings forth. Your vulva gift is to bring down into expression healing visions for others and yourself." She also mentioned about possibly working at Sacred Arts type of museum. I've never really thought about it, but then I never thought I'd be facillating collage clazzez either.

She also used the term panssexual to describe me saying I'm here to make love to All NTR's(Gods) creations.This iz definitely me boundless, unlimited Loving not in any way cutting myself off from lovebeauty in a rock, person, animal, picture, flower, star etc.

She also said, " .......If you haven’t learned how to drum or play another percussion instrument, you should and take others into shamanic trance with you!". The funny thing iz I have two drums one that I bought in Sedona and another one I bought last year while on the Ocean of Gratitude Cruise and a third one I just recently bought. When she said I could take others in shamanic trance with me it sparked a memory from that cruise. We were all outside on the top deck, I believe their waz a lunar eclispe going on and a drumming circle had been planned. Everyone waz given drums to play, some small, some medium and some large. I sat down on the outside of the pool with the drum in between my legs. We drummed and drummed, one, two, three drops of water came down and suddenly a rain shower poured down. Everybody ran for cover underneath the bar and other surrounding areas, except me. I don't know what it waz but the rain ignited me even more to drum. Joy and bliss continued to wash over me az I played like I waz in a trace. Well, after several minutes the rain suddenly stopped. I got up dripping wet and walked over to the counter to get my dry shaw to drape myself with. The drum teacher came over to me and thanked me profusely for keeping the drum circle alive and not stopping. She said some other words but in her face and eyes waz such a bright beam of love and appreciation that it kind of startled me . I mean it seemed pretty natural to keep on drumming so it didn't seem like a big deal on my part. Others came over with a similar look in their eyes to thank me, but I couldn't fully receive it because by that time my full ego personality had returned. Her sparked me to remove the dust from my drums because I love playing. Who knows maybe I'll even take a drumming clazz! The best part of having thiz reading done waz the outpouring of love vibrations I received by her from Being/Doing what she loves. When we Be Love while doing what we love it opens up whole new worlds of possibiliites in the giver and the receiver.

Collage site to inplore

...
collageart.org DEDICATED TO THE ART OF COLLAGE

"...the principle of collage is the central principle of all art in the twentieth century." -- Donald Barthelme (1931-1989)
''l'art pour l'art.'' -- Henri-Benjamin Constant de Rebecque (1767–1830) also attributed to Théophile Gautier (1811–1872)

For a list of Links to Collage Artists and other Collage-related Sites Click Here For a list of Books about Collage and Collage Artists Click Here For a list of Links to Assemblage Artists Websites Click Here

For a List of Links to Photomontage Artists Websites Click Here For a list of Links to Presenters of Collage Workshops Click Here For a list of Artists who make Collages and Photomontages from images you provide Click Here For Reviews of Collage Exhibitions Click Here

For a list of Exhibition Opportunities for Collage Artists Click Here For a list of Links to Tools, Supplies & Technical Information for Collage Artists Click Here For collageart.org's Mystery Collage page Click Here

Collaging your affirmations

I love using affirmations on my collages because they inspire, encourage and uplift my spirit. In reality we use them all the time sometimes consciously and sometimes not. One of my favorites iz, "MONEY LOVES ME" and sure enough money haz appeared throughout my life in magical and unexpected ways. One of my least favorite iz, "I'm dis-organized" and sure enough no matter how much I organize my car, closet, desk or house it just rarely stays that way for long. So that's why I consciously prefer to use affirmations to help break through negative thought forms or beliefs that are running on automatic. Abraham-Hicks, one of the teachers in the movie, "The Secret" haz thiz to say about affirmations.

A: Affirmations are wonderful because it is much better to speak positively than to speak negatively. But the universe isn't responding to your words; it responds to your vibration, and your vibration is being indicated to you by the way you feel. If you don't believe what you're saying, your vibration hasn't shifted, so nothing changes for you.

The key to affirmations is to work yourself into a place where you really feel it. We have never talked about this before anywhere, but a very good application of an affirmation would be to affirm your way up the emotional scale. Start with an affirmation of where you are emotionally then keep reaching for a better feeling thought. Here's how that might work:

I don't have enough money. - That's an affirmation.

I'm sick and tired of not having enough money. - A stronger affirmation going in the wrong direction.

I really would like to have more money. - A better affirmation.

I don't know how I'm going to get more money. - Not as good an affirmation.

Maybe something will happen and I will break loose. - A better affirmation.

I've been waiting a long time and nothing has broken loose yet. - A worse affirmation.

Other things in my life work pretty well. - A better affirmation.

I'm going to start watching for the evidence of what I want financially. - A better affirmation.

I bet the evidence is there and I just haven't seen it. - A better affirmation.

I'm looking forward to seeing the evidence of my improved vibration. - A better affirmation.

I think I'm going to figure this out. - A better affirmation.

I can hardly wait until something happens and I can say, I know that I did that. - A better affirmation.

Things are already turning around for me. I can feel it. - A better affirmation.

About then, 99% of your vibration is in place and the universe must show you manifestation.

Joseph Campbell spoke the best words we have ever heard when he said, 'follow your bliss.' For as you follow your bliss, you will be the true extension of who you really are. When you worry about money, you can't get a whiff of bliss - it's too far away on the vibrational scale.

So set an affirmation that says, 'I will reach for the best feeling thought I have access to right now. And I'll be proud of myself when I find even the slightest relief.'

When you try to feel better, you will. When you feel better, you've released resistance. When you've released resistance, you are on the trail to all of those things that you want. All those magnificent things that you desire, some of which were set into motion for you before you even got into this physical body, will be. It is law.

Take care.

Fear Body

Lately I have been inperincing feels of sadness, lose and pain. Actually these feelings aren't new to me, but my awareness of how I'm feelings iz heightened now that I'm more aware. In my meditation yesterday it came to my consciousness awareness that everything haz a body. Water haz a body, fire haz a body, joy haz a body and fear haz a body. Say that again fear haz a body! Yes, thiz body holds various thought forms and inperiences from past lives to my childhood life to my current life now. Thiz idea of thiz separate body that haz a life of its own caught my imagination my brain started buzzing I knew their waz a healing taken place. A chance to clean up and dissolve more of the izms in my life. I drew a stick figure representing thiz fear body and all the thought forms that are attached to thiz body like, "I'm not lovable", "my voice doesn't matter", "others people thoughts/feelings matter more than my own", "I'm not good enough", "something wrong with me" etc. etc. Putting it in my art journal on paper allowed me to see Oh! that's the body that the world sees most times when I'm out and most importantly when I'm in my depressed mood at home. When I'm at home my fear body manifest az cravings for sweets. Chocolate cookies are my temporary feel good remedy for the intense feelings of sadness and loneliness i feel. And no matter how many cookies I eat I'm never satisfied for long. The thing iz thiz fear body iz so familiar to me and when the dark clouds shower me, its so normal many times I get lost in the dream. Thiz fear body izn't bad per say nor iz it my enemy, for it may at one time protected and saved me when I waz younger. But now its time to transform these fears so they will no longer inhibit me from living my best life.

Awareness iz the key that unlocks the door. Because just like I noticed thiz about my fear body, I also noticed the thought forms and subsequent behaviors of my joy body. When I collage my joy body comes out open hearted to play like a child. It only knows of joy, love and peace. It craves nature, flowers, heart felt connections with people, animals, tennis, open and honest inpression and expression and foods that love my body. So like I said, its not about making one good and the other bad, its all about awareness and choosing a life where I get to shine and radiate the magnificence of God just because.

Lessons in Life

I had a fun time collaging with the kids az usual. A hispanic man in hiz late to early thirites waz uncouraging hiz son to color at the next table. He waz in a wheel chair and had some use of hiz arms but hiz energy waz warm and loving. The tone of hiz voice waz comforting, I could tell he loved hiz 3-4 year old son. I marveled at hiz spirit I don't know if he waz in an accident or waz "abled" from birth. But clearly in that moment he waz living from the larger part of himself, the Self that waz connected to the truth of hiz beingness.

Before I just wrote thiz I waz having a pity party and I had wrote a whole paragraph. But then I remembered thiz man and decided to focus on something to appreciate and be grateful for. I am so thankful for the sacred work I get to do. For all the spirit beings I get to interact with. All the love I get to release, share, receive and witness. Its all amazing! And I actually "get" to do thiz! Yes, their are ups and downs, but if I just breathe in between the spaces I'm okay. In the spaces I touch infinity and the beauty of divine love that see's the best that life haz to offer. Thiz man inspired me just be living hiz truth, that he iz more than a body, more than a label, more than a condition he iz God expressing in, az and through him. I'm a lucky woman indeed!

Collaging Your Relationship with SELF

I'm sure you've heard it said, "The first most meaningful relationship you will have is between you and YOU". For a long time I didn't get thiz, I like most people looked for love from my parents, friends, boyfriend/husband, co-workers, animals and/or society at large. I waz like a beggar who didn't know she had a million dollars in the bank. Even though I had it, in my mind I waz poor on receiving and allowing more love to come into my life. You see the problem wazn't that their weren't loving people in my life, but because I didn't really love and appreciate myself I couldn't accept or allow it in except in exceptional cases when I totally forgot my story and breathed in love naturally without trying to chase after it. One of the ways I've tapped into thiz love power inside waz through art. Somehow the creative process moved me to surrender and expand my love compass. One of my first collages I did waz one of various pictures of myself smiling playful while dancing, writing and just feeling good without an agenda or perceived outcome. When I look at my self-love collage it jolts me back to reality-I AM LOVE- I AM LOVED- I AM LOVING! Thiz iz the true nature of my being! Divine Love iz my Soulmate and it all starts in thiz human incarnation with SELF-LOVE. So go ahead find some pictures that you love of yourself, that brings a smile to your face and makes you feel good and post a collage of them on your wall. Add saying, quotes, power words and other images that inspire you az well and let your relationship with life and with love be transformed!

Relationships by Abraham-Hicks

I love Abraham-Hicks cuz she's she funny, real and straight forward. Here iz a little what she haz to say about relationships.

The greatest gift – the ultimate relationship

Do you know the relationship that you are all looking for? Do you know what it really is?

You want the relationship between you and you. And when you meet a person who looks fondly at you, or who is appreciative of you, or someone you look fondly upon, or someone you appreciate, it just hooks you up to your Inner Being, which is what you want all along.

So the relationship you are all looking for is the relationship between you and you. And everything else is just helpful in that, really.

Don’t you find that interesting? That what you really want is a reason to vibrationally connect with who you really are.

And so, you ask so much of people because you say to them, “You need to be the one who causes me to feel good.” And what we want to say to all of you is:

If any of you are without the relationship of your dreams right now, that’s a wonderful thing. Because now you have an opportunity to work on the relationship that really matters first and foremost. And then, in that connection, the relationship of your dreams will come.

But you are going to discover the relationship of your dreams is really your own Inner Being. It’s that infusion of clarity and confidence and wellness, that’s what you are reaching for.

And it is nice to have a human friend who holds you as their object of attention and adores you right into your connection. But we want you to experience greater independence than that. We want you to say to you lovers, “I love you, but I don’t live for you. Because Source Energy flows through me. You are a catalyst to my well-being, but you are not essential to my well-being. Because I’ve got that figured out on my own. I have reached for thoughts that give me relief and I have relieved myself all the way into my full connection of who I really am. And now we can just dance and play together.”

Can you feel how you take them off the hook? In other words, do you know how many men would flock to you…? (ALL OF THEM!) …if they knew that you would allow them to be as they are and you would not hold them responsible for your happiness.

That’s what everyone wants. How much bondage is there in believing that your happiness depends on me, so I’ve got to figure out what you want, and stand on my head in all those different ways, and it’s not even possible!

The greatest gift you can give anyone is to be happy. And we will take that further. The greatest gift you can give to any partner, past, present or future is to be so connected with who you truly are that they are irrelevant to your connection. And when they are irrelevant to your connection, then you are going to have a really good time together.

San Diego 2/7/04B

Amazing!

Love haz many colors, textures, smells, sounds and sights revealing the face of love. I had soOOOOOOOO much fun collaging with the kiddies.When I look at them I feel waves and waves of pure lovejoy flying out of their little spirit bodies.My whole vocabulary consisted of BEAUTIFUL! FANTASTIC! AMAZING! AWESOME! COLORFUL! ORIGINAL! UNIQUE! AND MAGNIFICENT! And I throw in alot of high fives and the Love stew haz been served. It iz so good serving Love and being served by Love : ) A boy named Danny wrote out my name in a wonderful artistic prose. A 4year old showed me her butterfly and laughed when I took flew it over her head making strange noises. Another little girl got hooked on high fives. And another young boy around 9 years old first looked at me with apprehension, but later warmed up, I could tell he waz searching my eyes for approval and acceptance.

It's so easy to love little kids and furry creatures. How I would like to be so free with adults. One of the ladies in charge of the free arts program worked with me today. She's kind of a perfectionist and haz a slightly controlling personaility which isn't good or bad its just the tone of her voice and some of her comments sometimes pierce my open heart. My heart iz so big and open with the kids, but when she speaks I feel a stabbing sensation in my chest area. I'm not blaming her, but its just something I'm noticing. Thiz iz my challenge, how to remain open with love and heal my own wounds so people's lower vibrational energy iz not a match to my own and therefore can't hurt me. Afterwards instead of remembering these beautiful kids, I'm spending time reliving our interaction. I no longer think being senstive iz a curse or iz some how inferior, but how do we navigate without absorbing others vibrations.

Okay I'm going to answer myself because I already know. Love transmutes and transforms all negative vibrations. How do I know? Well, those kids are proably carrying their own bag of stuff, but somehow I'm able to bypass the negativity and jump to the joy. How? because I have no expectations of the children, I have no agenda on how they should or should not be. Because of thiz whether their "good" "bad" or "indifferent" I'm not attached to the outcome. I simply accept them right where they are. That's something I want to be able to do around "adults" too. So I can see everybody of every age group, hue, nationality, race, gender, political affliation, religion etc. az beautiful flowers that God iz playing az no matter what form it comes in.

Aha! but the children they were so sweet today, not because they were"perfectly" behaved or that they all had "pleasing" personalities, but because they authentically showed up az themselves. So my question for thiz moment iz, "How may I become even more accepting and loving of myself and others?"

Our Voice

Yesterday in my first hour of collaging, the kids were making masks with another volunteer at the other table. I invited a woman who waz eyeing my table of pictures and glues to collage. She accepted and before I knew it two other woman joined uz. Seeing them collage and inpress themseleves warmed my heart. I could feel the healing energy surrounding uz! One older African-American woman of about 55 years old az she collaged told me about her daughter on drugs. I saw the tiredness in her eyes taking care of her two grand kids 5 and 8years old. "I'm making thiz for my grand daughter, she like dogs and flowers. She said, "I just hope my daughter gets her act together because I want her to take care of her babies like she suppose to do". The first woman who came to the table, didn't say much. A Latina in her early to late 40's with a big tattoo just above her breast placed words like laugh, love, dream and an array of flowers and smiling people on her collage. She like the grandmother before looked like she had had a rough life full of ups and downs, but she was mapping out what she wanted more of in her life. The third collager, a Mexican woman in her early thirties who didn't speak English, face lit up az she collaged. She selected woman in frilly colorful outfits, pictures of several dogs and flowers az well. I felt a connection between all of us, like we were sharing out true soul in the wordless realm of love through our art work. We all have our false stories of not being good enough, not lovable, not worthy enough, not being supported etc. But the truth of our art spoke volumes about what our real self on a soulular level knew and that iz We are beautiful, We are love, We are enough, Our voice matters and that our life has a divine purpose.

Ruth

Today I had a new collager in clazz at the Senior Citizen center by the name of Ruth. She smiled, laughed, juggled around, spoke about making oneself happy and talked about her husband she loved for 70 plus years. Ruth said, he adored me I was his baby. We made love up until his 90's(he died at 100). She said I knew how to work it, I found hiz soft spot and would use it over and over again. She said our 10 children would say Mom, Dad iz spoiling you. Their waz such affection, respect and joy flowing from her its like she waz a cascading waterfall of love. When she left the room briefly Pearl said in a half whisper, "Do you know she told me she doesn't experience pain anywhere in her body? I said, really? Yes, its true we were doing our excercises and I could barely cross my legs and she crossed her's like it waz nothing! Of course Ruth makes sure I know, she can do nothing without the power of God. What an inspiration she iz at 90 years old. I told her she should write a book cuz the world needs to hear how organsmically she lives her life! Hey if Ruth can have a relationship like that with a man who loves and adores her for 70 years SO CAN I!!!!!

Free Arts for Abused Children

Had a very eventful day collaging at the court. Its wonderful to see their faces brighten up az they color or collage. One little girl wazn't very talkative, but when she saw the cut outs of the dogs especially a funny one (a black pug with a red rose in its mouth) she giggled. What a nice sound. Later I witnessed her crying with her mother shortly before being called to court. That waz beautiful too. It feels good knowing that her two collages that she took with her will hopefully reignite that joy that created it. I also talked with her teenage sister who came to see what she waz creating. I asked her what she waz passionate about and she said reading science fiction books. But then she went on to tell me how bad her memory waz and how she skipped alot of the words she didn't know. I shared with her how I thought its awesome that she haz an interest in reading a 800 page book in the first place. I asked her what it waz the book about and she preceded to explain the intricate plot full of dark demons and human angels with super powers. Her eyes lit up with joy, I could tell she injoyed recounting the story with me. I said that's amazing you can explain such a intricate plot in such a straight foreward manner. We talked and shared on those little kid sized chairs and tables for about 30 minutes. Afterwards my cells were buzzing with enthusiasm, its so amazing to share sacred space with other Spirit beings without attachment to outcome or any expectation that anything "should" or "could" happen any other way than its naturally occuring. They all have various stories attached to them, but all I see iz their wholeness az Spirit Beings. That's one of the reasons I love collaging, my small i let's my big I take over and Love iz the only language it ever speaks.

Just Izing!

Collaging takes me on an inner journey into my Soul. I never know what's going to come out and be revealed in the moment. I start out with the basics cut out pictures, glue, my art journal or a piece of construction paper. After that its anybodies guess where I'll end up. That's why I love collaging so much because in my normal everyday life I think, I plan, I think and I plan and I think some more and plan another useless list. I need a break from all thiz over analyzing, dissecting, picking apart and trying to problem solve life's infinite garden variety of issues. I have to admit though half the time its fun, its only when I get to blogged down in the problem side that I feel weighted down by life. Collaging allows me to surrender so deeply that I forget my small i so my big I can come out and play in the world of infinite possibilities where blue butterflies talk insect language on my heart, space ships of love float on my eyelids, pink bubbles of watery oceans fill and transform my mind and heart. If ever you just wanted to want what you want, have what you have while opening your heart to the dance of life just collage or do whatever makes your heart sing. Cuz that iz your gift to the world!

Six Steps to Take Next: by Jack Canfield

I got thiz from a great book called, "The Vision Board The Secret to An Extraordinary life" by Joyce Schwarz. I will be sharing little tidbits from her book from time to time. However, thiz iz something she got from Jack Canfield Founder and CEO, Chicken Soup for the Soul Enterprises.

1. Every morning: release and visualize.

Every morning take five minutes to focus your mind on your desires, goals, and intentions. You may want to begin by facing your vision board for inspiration. Relax, close your eyes, and visualize your desires and goals as already being fulfilled. Release any negative limiting beliefs. Don't fight or argue with the thought, just release it. Spend thirty seconds to a minute on each of your core desires. Focus on feeling as if you are already manifesting your desires in life; the intensity of that inner feeling is what fuels the attraction to you.

2. Continue to use external images to focus on your desires and goals.

Throughout the day keep focused on what you want to manifest by surrounding yourself with visual images of the things and experiences you want to attract into your life. When you look at any of these pictures, do what Bob Doyle, who is featured in The Secret teaches: Think the thought, This is mine now! This is who I am!

3. Think a Better Feeling Thought.

Throughout your day, pay special attention to when you feel disappointment, resentment, frustration, or anger about your experiences. Remember, it's your feelings (which are created by your thoughts, opinions, and beliefs) that are attracting your current circumstances. Consciously make a vibrational shift by changing your thoughts to ones that make you feel better. Focus on thoughts that bring you joy (your lover, your best friend, your grandchildren, your favorite vacation spot) and take action by doing the things you love (petting your cat, working in your garden listening to your favorite music). Encourage your spouse, your children and your colleagues to join you in this exercise.

4. Practice an attitude of gratitude.

Focus on all of the things in your life (most of which you take for granted) that you are grateful for--your health, your children, you job, nice weather, electricity, running water, a nice sound system, your flower garden, you pets, and your friends. Share this practice with your children and colleagues. Record what you are grateful for in a gratitude journal. You might want to consider keeping two journals, one for business and one for family.

5. Take Action

Here are two different ways to take action: through obvious actions like test-driving the exact model car you yearn for and arranging for automatic withdrawal from your checking account of 10 percent of your weekly income to a special "car savings account. " Be open to inspired action when the universe begins to respond to your obvious actions by sending people, resources, and opportunities to manifest your desired goal. As you begin to have inspired ideas, act on them. Follow the gentle proddings; often your intuitive impulses may lead you to a path of wonderful fulfillment. Are you going in the right direction? If you're feeling joy, you are on the right path. Follow your joy!

6. Acknowledge that it is working

Start to look for signs that your life is changing for the better. Be sure to appreciate these changes. When you find the perfect parking space acknowledge it. When you get the table you want in a restaurant, acknowledge it. When you receive unexpected income, acknowledge it. When you meet someone who can help you achieve your goal, acknowledge that the law of attraction is working. The more you acknowledge, the more it will work. If you want to know what you are thinking about, notice the results you are producing in your life. To change those results, change your vibration by changing your thoughts and feelings.

www.ihaveavision.org/dreambig

How do I get started?

It may seem obvious, but really its not. I am still learning, expanding and incorporating new ways to express more of my souls passionate yearings for creative self expression. But here are the basics to get you started.

1) Home pictures/Magazines/reading materials and even food cartons with words or images that inspire, uncourage and support you

2) Glue and/or glitter sticks

3) Colored/white construction paper

4) An Art Journal

5) Stick ons of every kind and variety

6) Any arts and crafts materials that turn you on

7) Crayons, markers and/or colored pencils

The Art of Collaging

The Art of Collaging in a nutshell iz a process of visualizing and visioning your life through words, pictures, colors and textures. Their iz no right or wrong way, its just your way and that for me iz what makes it magical and transformative. No one to compare yourself to, no right or wrong, no grades, no great or no bad collagist-just your own uniquely creative masterpiece.

Collaging iz a way to play like children without an attachment to ourcome. Many times we start with a beginners mind emptying all of our preceived ideas, concepts and beliefs on how things in our life are or "should" be in favor of a new vision that wants to emerge. But at other times we bring all of our precieved ideas, concepts, beliefs and pain into our work, to heal, transform and dissolve negative imprinting we've picked up from our family dynamics, society, gender roles race consciousness etc. In other words everything iz sacred ground because if we have lived or inperienced it, it haz a purpose and haz brought uz to where we are today.

Some people wonder what can words, pictures and colors do and I say Everything or Nothing. A collage iz not a magical board that will overide one's own consciousness it iz but a reflection of one's consciousness showing you both the light and the shadow aspects of yourself. Through Art you get to release more of your authentic self and discover new terriotries of your own soul. And when a shift happens in your inner world the seemingly external world of time, space, past, present and future all are molded to one's new emerging landscape.

No where to go but UP!

Thiz iz my first post for my new blog Collaging Your Life. It haz been a extremely joyful and sometimes arduous journey in creating thiz blog. Its amazing how the process iz the meat of all my creations both the blizz and the unconsious shadow sides of myself.

I re-discovered Collaging after viewing a the dvd The Secret featuring Abraham-Hicks, Rev Michael B. Beckwith and several others affirmative thinkers. But these two made the deepest and most profound impression on me.

Abraham-Hicks said, "You can Be, Do or Have anything you really want".

Rev Michael many of uz at Agape Spiritual center affectionately call him said, "I believe that you're great. That there's something magnificent about you. Regardless of what has happened to you in your life, Regardless of how young or how old you think you might be, the moment you began to think properly, there's something that is within you, there's power within you that's greater than the world. It will begin to emerge. It will take over your life. It will feed you, it will clothe you, it will guide you, protect you. Direct you. Sustain your very existence, if you let it. Now that is what I know for sure".

My mind bursted with ideas of what kind of life I wanted to creat so I started a vision board and once I started I never looked back. To my surprise I discovered how beautifully healing the whole process waz. From collecting and going through the magazines, to cutting the words and pictures out and to intuitively arranging everything on the board. About 6 months after I started thiz process I left my job of 22 years, it felt like a free fall into thiz wonderous life that I now had gotten a glimpise of through my collages. Over these past few years I've been allowing myself to be moved by spirit, activily listening instead of letting my ego tell me what I "should" be doing. So here I am volunteering teaching a collage clazz at the senior citizens center every Monday and on Wednesdays collaging with kids with the organization Free Arts for Abused Children. I'm still in a free fall not knowing where or what all thiz iz leading to, but that's the beauty of it all. I have finally made the unknown my friend all I haveto do iz follow the trail of blizz cuz the eternal NOW iz the only thing that exists. So I hope you will come and visit and comment here whenever you feel inspired too. I injoy having heart felt conversations with others it iz another thing that feeds my Soul. Take care beautiful ONES!