"Putting oil in it" - Avidly Dreaming

Creative Goddess: I am finally into the first week’s project of the Creative Goddess course, and I’m loving it. I actually was scared of the blank canvas, as Leonie said might happen…but once I started playing with the paint, all that went away. I’m painting with my fingers, too; I’ve decided that brushes are too “remote” for the application of life layers to this canvas. For my first real foray into using a canvas, I somehow felt that I just wanted to put my fingers and hands all over it, to touch it, feel it, get a tactile sense of it. Feel the paint, too, and try to get over my urge to keep it all neat and tidy. I am held hostage to the “it has to be just right!” mindset, which I am really trying to get over. I don’t want to waste the canvas…or waste paint…or even waste time making something that isn’t “pretty” or that doesn’t come across as “art.” But I know that’s the point…screw what anyone else things, just let go, be free with the tools and let whatever comes out, come out. So I will keep layering a few more times tomorrow, and I’m even going to add “things” to the canvas. We’ll see what this ends up becoming…

Creative Every Day: I’m still creating every day, and it feels as natural as breathing. I’ve started a crochet project, am doing my Creative Goddess artwork, and have done my first Mantra Monday card (created on a Friday, but who’s counting?), and am doing pixel art and webpages. Tomorrow I will upload some pics to the Flickr pool for CED, and try not to be intimidated by all the gorgeous art already posted.

12 Secrets discussion group: I finally got my book today! Yay! So tonight I’m going to start reading & taking notes, and tomorrow start posting to catch up. I can’t wait to dive into this book after reading what others have had to say about it so far.

Mantra Mondays: My first card is done (as just mentioned), and here it is:

I have a plan to do a “series” of “Yes” cards, each saying “yes” to a particular word. I’m going to keep playing around with colors and textures and embellishments and all sorts of stuff. I love this project…I love affirmation cards, so making these little beauties is really fun.

Pixel art: I just got Jen’s latest set of adorable Valentine’s tubes, so I’m going to whip up some new sigtags with them. I hope to post my Valentine’s page tomorrow as well, showcasing all the tags I’ve collected as well as the ones I’ve made.

Other stuff…

I am trying my first Zena Moon candle, and I love it!! Subtle yet beautiful scent, the candle is burning perfectly, and who can resist gemstones hidden in a candle? :-) I ordered the “Winter” candle, and thanks to their current gift-with-purchase promotion, I got a “Self-Nurture” candle free. The label on it had this quote: “To keep a lamp burning, we have to keep putting oil in it. –Mother Teresa.” Hear, hear. I love it! Here is a pic of it after I first lit it:

The included packet of Zena Moon matches–what a great little touch!–are right there under the candle. You can also see a couple of my Goddess figures, a Maneki Neko, some crystals, a stack of affirmation card decks & tarot decks, and a container holding my brand-new watercolor pencils.

Tonight’s a cold night in Tampa; going down into the 30s. It’s always cold in my room, despite the heat my roommate turned on, and Bast loves to sleep under covers. I found her snuggled under a few blankets and my pillow: