Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Winter is for the dogs

Eating Snow.
Walking on the Ice.
 Catching snowballs.

What is it about snow that dogs love so much?

Monday, January 24, 2011

January - the Frozen Month

The view is beautiful.
White. Clean. Bright. Refreshing.
It will take your breathe away like a first love or a baby's smile.

Saturday, January 22, 2011

2011 - I'm coming into the new year kicking and screaming!

So far, I liked last year much better. I remember having goals and ambition and wanting to do something.

2011, so far does not have those attributes. My studio, located in the garage is about 40 degrees, if that. I finally collected all the Xmas decorations and put them away. That helped to clean up the garage a lot. But then our garage door broke and we had to move everything out of the way for the workmen. They are coming back again next Friday with the rest of the parts.

This is really a poor excuse. I don't need a studio to do art - an
artful life
 can be accomplished anywhere.


1.22.2011

Friday, January 7, 2011

Ancestors' Pot - 2011 Wishes

I took my little bedazzled ancestors Pot from Pier One and put some earth in the bottom (I didn't do this last year, but that helps with the communication with your female ancestors). I wrote 10 new wishes for 2011, I started each wish with "I" and wrote them in the present tense. I packed the wishes in the pot, closed the lid tightly, and tucked the box in a safe place where it will not be disturbed for the rest of the year.

The rest is up to my ancestors. And me. This year I'll watch for the signs that my ancestors leave for me. These wishes aren't going to miraculously appear, it that were true, I'd win the lottery every week. I have to work on them and be ready when outside help comes along.

I tried to make my wishes less needy, not the "I want I want I want" kind of wish. In fact my last 3 wishes are all about listening and learning and keeping my mouth closed and my mind open.

WISH # 8 ~
I wish I  will listen to nature, I hear what she has to say
WISH #9 ~
I wish I will listen to my family and friends, I hear what they have to say
WISH #10 ~
I wish I will listen to myself, I hear what the universe has to say

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Resolutions for 2011 - the Ancestors Pot

As I consider my 2011 wishes, I decided to share this story of my latest revelation. Right before Christmas, I was visiting a new found blog. The entry for that day offered the readers - that would be me - the opportunity to voice a complaint, concern, gripe, a regular bitch session. So I commented – blah blah blah, because I'm always ready to bitch. And by the end of the day I was among 25+ other bitchers. As I read through the various complaints about work, co-workers, family, even pets, etc , I was suddenly embarrassed to be in their company. I wished I could have retracted my gripe. I wanted to go back and write something positive, but I didn’t. Later that week, as I was cleaning a bookshelf, I came across my dusty copy of Sarah Ban Breathnach’s Simple Abundance – and I recalled her Gratitude Journal. And finally, today, I was reading an article about resolutions, suggesting that instead of asking for something, make a resolution to be grateful for something.

Most of the time I can be dense, very very dense. But this time I saw it – the signs from the universe, 3 big signs, in flashing LED super size brigth white lights. Gratitude.

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow."                   -Melody Beattie

Monday, January 3, 2011

Resolutions for 2011

We great tredpidation, I retrieved my 2010 wishes that I sent to my ancestors last January. I don't remember what I wished for, except the inevitable losing weight resolution, that even my ancestors won't be able to pull off.

Out of the 10 wishes, 4 did come true. I think 40% is pretty good.

Four other wishes would have required a great deal of work on my part, but in 4 different directions - even though I did work at them, there was no way I could have succeeded with all four. I spread myself too thin in too many different areas, just setting myself up for failure.

Even though the two remaining wishes did not come true, I have to say I thought about them alot during the year. I did not remember making them a New Years wish/resolution, but they did crop up frequently.

So I’ve decided to give the ancestors Pot another go for year 2011. As long as I’m here I might as well play all the games. I will include the wish about weight, it’s so very important to keep that thought in the forefront. Maybe my ancestors could at least help with gentle reminders. I will include 2 wishes along the lines of my art and my writing.  I have to think about the rest of the wishes, I want them to be meaningful.

http://beates-fabric-art.blogspot.com/2011/01/today-during-second-day-of-new-year-i.html

Sunday, January 2, 2011

New Years Resolutions - The Ancestors Pot

What is the Ancestors pot?


It is a vessel used as a connection to the other world, to communicate with your ancestors and your Gods! The Ancestors Pot is a kind of magic mailbox by which your wishes are sent out into the universe to your forefathers asking them to please help with the fulfilment of your wishes.

Last year I wrote 10 wishes (goals for 2010) - I started each wish with "I" and used the present tense. I put the wishes in my bedazzled box from Pier One. Then, I put the box safely out of sight, I didn't think about these wishes for the rest of 2010, I just let my ancestors do their work.

Today I opened the box . . .

2022

   Merry Christmas