Visions, adventure and magic

This week I finally got round to vison boarding and creating my picture of 2013.

I love this process, opening up and seeing what the Universe has in store for me!

I always go for colour, but I love this mix of brights and naturals, the magenta alongside the seaside blues and ochres.  I also adore the hippy chic patterns and fringes.  There is a lot of art going on here, but fun too and some mayhem and mischief (For those Harry Potter fans out there, one of my favourite quotes is 'Mischief managed'!)  

But what I'm mostly loving is that the process of creating this board has unearthed my word for the year.

I have been thinking about my word all of January and not deciding on one.  I had in my mind the words 'brave' and 'courageous' and various others but nothing really felt right.  But when I was flipping through the magazines sourcing images and words for my vision board one kept coming up: ADVENTURE. 

This is what I love about the vision board process.  My conscious mind had been looking at my being 'brave' and 'courageous' etc but my soul wants Adventure!!

It's a little scary and I will still need to be brave and courageous as I step onto my path for the year ahead, but how exciting!!

And here's the other word that came up more than once:

Vision boards truly are MAGICAL!  

Have you made your vision board for 2013?  It's our first creative exercise in my 'Goddess Inspirations' yearbook and a tool I use throughout the year for exploring and manifesting.

It is such a great way to start the year and is marvellous for manifesting what you really, really want to come into your life.  And if you don't know what you want, it doesn't matter because the Universe does know and will point it out to you!!

What do you wish for 2013? What does the Universe have in store for you? What are you visioning for this year? I'd love to hear!

From my adventurous heart to yours

Love and light

Rachel xox

Baby steps count...

It's been a slow start to 2013 here.  The rush and self imposed pressure to get my Goddess Inspirations Yearbook finished before Christmas and then the holidays themselves left me feeling very low in energy.  

So, how to get back in the creative flow?  I reminded myself of the oh so useful mantra 'Baby steps count...'

The Universe just needs you to show up.  It doesn't matter how small a step you take.  Maybe, it's tidying your workspace or studio, prepping some pages for art journalling, collecting some inspirational quotes or even doodling on the back of an envelope.

I'm not preaching, I'm reminding myself (!) that this is what I need to do when I'm feeling stuck or (sometimes) so anxious that nothing seems possible, even while I truly believe that EVERYTHING  is possible and that we create our own reality.

With this in mind, not having picked up a paintbrush, glue stick or even a Sharpie since mid November, because I had been writing instead of painting, I ventured back into my little conservatory which serves as my studio.  I tidied up.  I gave myself a space to work in.  I did a little journalling and doodled some mandalas.  And I found some small canvases I prepped a while ago.  I decided I would try some 'tribe' work on canvas instead of paper.  

To keep myself on track ie being creative every day, I'm taking part in the Creative Every Day Challenge run by the lovely Leah Piken Kolidas.  It's an easy going, low pressure challenge.  Being a part of this is encouraging me to be creative every day but if I miss a day or two or do something other than painting/journaling such as baking a cake or going on an art date then that's absolutely fine.  If you want to join in just visit Leah's website at the link above and see how it could work for you.

I also joined a group on Facebook called 'A Piece a Week 2013' - a place to inspire and be inspired - to encourage and be encouraged.  A piece a week is a comfortable target for me to encourage my own creative process.  You can still join if you want to, just click the link and ask to join.

How is the new year finding you?  What baby steps are you taking in your creativity?  Or gigantic, magical, scary type steps!!? I would love to know what you are up to these cold winter days so please share in the comments...

Counting those baby steps, from my creative heart to yours

Rachel xox 

TRIBAL QUEST

It's been a strange couple of weeks with some family drama sent to test us.  It is all sorted out now (favourably thank goodness) and we can all breath again.

Art has got me through the questions going through my head in the last few days.  It gave me something else to concentrate on during this worrying time and my journal pages gave me a place to spill my thoughts.  If you look at a page, you won't be able to read the words and I don't know what they say either, it was a process and a healing process.  The words were never meant to be re-read, just got out of my head and onto the page.

So the creative process, as I have found now and before, is very healing.  And I have realised that other people are finding my work healing too!! Result!! I get healing doing it and you feel healed looking at it - who knew?

The comments I have had include:

I love your tribe pictures--they make me feel a certain "part of-ness"

I really like your people

I find them healing to look at

I've been using my 'tribal questing' process that I blogged about a few weeks ago in my post Hidden Treasure It is a personal quest for me, unearthing these little people who just seem to step onto the page or float up out of the colour.  

For me, the little figures are parts of me, soul fragments, ancestors or angels looking down and looking after me. They are all these aspects but all parts of me and all parts of all of us, for in reality we are all one.  We are all linked; we are all part of the whole, part of the great Creator.  Perhaps this is why people feel that they resonate with my tribes...

We all need a tribe or tribes to belong to - family, friends, online, offline... My family has had its drama this week, but my online tribe and friends in real life gave me real support.  

One of my favourite tribes is the TAJ Community (Inspirations) group on Facebook.  It's a private group run by Teresa Robinson and Mandy Steward otherwise known as the Art Journallers.  It's a wonderful supportive group whether you are a newbie or a seasoned journaller.  There is real support here for sharing journal pages and inspiration for art journaling.

My other favourite tribe at the moment is Instagram - I've met some wonderful creative people there - another source of real support and inspiration and an amazing willingness to share techniques and ideas.  If you want to meet up I'm Rachellen333 - hope to see you there.

My tribes are also for celebrating!!!  And I'm celebrating taking my first steps towards offering my artwork for sale - to get the updates on this in your mail box (and other news), sign up for my newsletter at the top of the page.  I'd love to hear from you and let you know when I have my prints and paintings for sale.

How are you relating to your tribes this week? Hanging out, having fun, sharing artwork and ideas...

From my questing heart to yours...

Rachel xox