FEARLESS FRIDAY...yes, I know it's Saturday

I have the idea to start something called Fearless Friday. I don't know if it already exists...if anyone knows, please let me know, and I can hop over and join up. My word for the year is BRAVE. And in working with this word and in living in this word, I'm really coming to realize just how much fear I have. And especially how often, I let fears stop me. It's actually the only thing that stops me. To put it in a nutshell, the fear of not being good enough.

This year is about not letting my life be guided by the fear of not being good enough. So I am going to Brave instead. I am going to look at where I don't want to go and figure out why. I am going to look at why I don't want to do things, why I procrastinate in certain areas, and figure out why. I am going to take those things and shine the light on them and I am going to create the life I want to live.

So, every week I'm going to post the Brave things I have done during the week on Fearless Fridays. It'll help me keep track of my progress, and it'll help me notice where I am walking my talk, and it'll help me practice being Brave. No matter how small a thing might seem to be, I am going to

FEAR LESS.

Please, feel free to share any Brave things that you do during this week. I'd love to hear them!  

So, here's what I did yesterday...

I made the calls to schedule my annual mammogram and physical therapy for my shoulder. I have been putting this off because of fear of the procedure/outcome and fear of the costs involved. I don't want to stick my head in the sand anymore. I want to take care of this and move on. And the funny thing about fears, when you face them, they have a way of shrinking.

Lovebeams, lovebeams!

Look what I made....

For quite some time, I have been wanting to delve into the world of jewelry making and attempt to make some of those cool resin artwork pendants that have been showing up everywhere. I have made jewelry in the past, mostly random beading with off-the-rack pendants added, but I was very excited about the possibility of having my artwork as the pendant. I was not so excited about working with resin though. I have had some experience with it while patching dings in surfboards in the bygone days and from what I remember it is smelly and sticky....very sticky.  

So when I heard about this stuff called Dimensional Magic made by our friends at Mod Podge, I thought I'd give it a try. After a successful gathering trip to Hobby Lobby, I set about the process of making my first pendant.
First, I re-sized one of my images and cut it to fit this neat heart bezel that I purchased at the Lobby. Then I clipped a few words from The Bedford Reader, ...Create Happiness. I used Liquitex gel medium to glue it all in and then I let that dry. Next, I added the Dimensional Magic. This was totally new to me and I had watched a couple of tutorials. You just slowly ooze it in. After you fill the bezel with the DM, then you let it sit on a flat surface undisturbed. I found that this is very difficult for me, and I can't tell you how many times I eagerly went back to check on it. "Is it done yet? Is it done now?" It says it only takes about 3 hours to dry, but I do believe the weather that we had here affected that and I had to wait longer. Ugh!! And you do want to be patient here, because if it is not dry and you put your finger on it, you will end up with a fingerprint on the surface of your pendant.

 

Anyway, here's my finished piece! I LOVE IT. So happy! Next time, I'll know to eliminate bubbles as they crop up by either blowing on them through a straw (something with the CO2 in your breath) or by poking them with a toothpick. On the whole, I'm very happy with the Dimensional Magic because it is so EASY to work with. One drawback is that if you are trying to achieve the "domed" affect that you get with resin, you won't with this product. This product actually results in a shallow well, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, just different. Next week, I'm going to try resin and see what results I can get from it. Let me know if any of you have tried and Dimensional Magic and what you think, or if you have worked with resin. Any tips I can get before I start would be awesome.

Until then, happy creating!

I'm a New Creation!

Last Friday night, a big beautiful full moon illuminated the night sky. My dear friend Lillian sent around some astrological info related to the Full Snow Moon. This was the last of 5 releasing moons. Release, release, release! A moon that would be the most aligned with the Earth and the Sun. The tidal pull would be strong and the energy undeniable.

This passage below was included in the moon info...

"Unexpected changes happen out of the air today. Go along for the ride. It is the twist. The sudden surprise. Say yes if you can. Take actions to adjust things so you can continue to work with or partner with the offer before you. You may need to STOP working with someone to be able to do what you want to do with another. All to the good. We are each getting into position for the next major chapter of our lives. Venus squares Saturn asking you to make a choice and go for your dream."

Friday turned out to be quite eventful for me with unexpected changes out of the air indeed. I recieved notice that my job was being eliminated and I was being laid off. As I talked with the VP of the company, I was a little in shock but I can't necessarily say that I was upset. It kinda felt like everything was happening exactly as it should be. I didn't go into panic mode, I took a few minutes to send some emails and digest the news. Then I found my Soup Dragons CD and danced around the living room while listening to the song, "I'm Free." The dogs were quite bewildered! (What the heckentater is Mommy up to now?)


I also created this painting to commemorate the occasion. I think the Universe has something in store for me. All I can do is do what I do, the best that I can do it. And stay open and BRAVe.



"Time to Take Off" by Shari Sherman ©2011, 8" x 10", mixed media on canvas

Also, after all of this, I went to the computer for some inspiration and consolation...wherein I entered Choosing Beauty's Happy HeART giveaway to win one of Rachel Awe's uplifting prints. There is a print titled, It's this simple... it really spoke to me and related perfectly to what I had written in my previous blog post about fitting in and standing out.

I was thrilled to find out a day later, that I had WON!

So, that's how I'm choosing to look at things...not so much at what I have lost, but what I have won!

Lovebeams, baby, lovebeams!

Wishcasting Thursday?

Yesterday, Jamie over at Jamie Ridler Studios asked the question...What aspect of your personality do you wish to express more of?

I know it's Thursday, but we're on the verge of a full moon tomorrow, so I figure I've got plenty of wishing time left in this week. I wish to express more of my quirky, whimsical side! It definitely comes out in my art and I feel it in my heart, but very often I censor that side of me, especially when it comes to my appearance and sometimes regretfully, when it comes to my creative ideas.

You see I'm the type of person who wants to jump around in black and white knee socks wearing a ruffly, chiffon, swirly skirt! I like chunky, clunky Dr. Martens and the cutest flip-flops you've ever seen. I like girly spring dresses and leather jackets with heavy-metal studs. I have a very creative fashion sense, but somewhere along the way I began to hold back. Somewhere along the way I began to ask what would be acceptable. Somewhere along the way, I started to ask what will THEY think?  Was it when I got married?  Was it when I became a mom?  Was it when I turned 40? When did I begin to choose my appearance based on fitting in rather than standing out? 

I'll have to think on that, but not too long, because I don't care. I'm over that, and I want to express more of my quirky, creative side that has been wanting to get out and dance on the beach in a lime-green tutu! (hot pink or orange would do nicely as well!)

Get ready world, you haven't seen anything yet!

Lovebeams All Around!

Go Out and Be Kind...

What Do You Wish to Dare?

It's Wishcasting Wednesday, and I have been missing this process for the last couple of weeks. I let the To-Do list take over in a big push to get a lot done, which I did. But I can definitely feel myself out of balance for it. Was it worth it?  No. But, I guess, sometimes it's necessary.

The question this week is "What Do You Wish to Dare?"  I wish to dare to fly high. To let the wind catch my wings and just soar and float and kiss the sun! I've been noticing a lot of flying birds lately. I notice you, birds. I get it. I feel it. I'm cleaning out my soul house for a big takeoff party!

What Do You Wish to Dare? 

Let Your Voice Be Heard

I realize that it has been a couple of weeks since I have blogged and I want to give you an update. Rest assured that I have not dropped off the deep end, nor have I been suffering from artist block, and I definitely haven't grown tired of the blogosphere. I've just been taking care of business. Business business. Family business. House business. Personal business.

Busy, busy, bee, that's me!

I know there was a time when I said to myself that January is a great time to schedule all of the physicals and dental appts. To start fresh, to start anew. That's all well and good, but it's a lot to take care of in one little old month, especially after getting a slow start. The good news is we're all almost up to date. The bad news is that I'll need some physical therapy to rehab my shoulder from my skateboarding "incident" last year. But as far as bad news goes, that's really not that bad. I'm hoping for some heat wraps and deep massage.

I've also been restoring my Soul, and cleaning out my Soul House with The Brave Girls, and that takes a lot of energy and time. And I feel drawn to devote my time to it, to myself. If I could do this course all day, I would. It has been amazing so far and I highly recommend it to anyone considering this e-course. It's like a big hug that I've really needed, especially during this busy season. When, like a lot of other wife-mother-artists, we have a tendency to lose ourselves in the day-to-day needs of EVERYONE.

Also, my creativity group, the VOGs, have been feeling feisty, and hopeful, and ready to take on this new year...ready for whatever comes next! We've been reading Brene Brown's, I Thought It Was Just Me, which is deep and I can already tell it's going to be life changing. I'm in the process of planting my seeds and tending my garden, so when I figure things out a little more, I'll let you know. Right now, I'm just happy going in the direction I'm going. Slow and steady like a turtle.

 

On the other hand, some of us are breaking out, such as our beautiful, inspiring, courageous Elle Dowdy.  

Elle is a writer and a poet in the richest, fullest sense. And she has the type of reading voice that actually makes me love listening to poetry. This woman could make a grocery list sound luscious and velvety and....you get the picture.

So our group recently enjoyed a very special event in her life...her first public reading! Her word for the year is ACTION, and this was some serious Brave Action.

There is a wonderful little place in downtown Orlando called The Dandelion Communitea Cafe. A bright green building specializing in homegrown, organic goodness with a big emphasis on community!

They have a wonderful spoken word night on the 1st Tuesday of the month, called Di-verse Word, hosted by Shawn Welcome, an amazing poet, who was "welcoming" and quite funny.

Elle was called early in the evening and she got up there in front of us and a full house of perfect strangers. Her words flowed easily like she'd been doing this forever. She was just fabulous, and I am still in awe of her talent and her fearlessness. Simply magical. I am just so honored to have been there for her debut. Our little group is blooming...

The rest of the night was just plain inspirational. Most of the poets are quite a bit younger, in their 20s, and they are just so genuine, raw, real, AUTHENTIC. The power that they put behind their words, behind their voices is AWESOME. Mr. McKinnon, Kate Mariner, Curtis Meyer...just a few of the amazing young souls that are letting their voices be heard and spreading some powerful inspiration. If you have a chance to catch this night, do it. You will walk away with a changed perspective, inspired, and energized.

 

Diverse Word's host, Shawn Welcome, is a nominee for Best Poet at Orlando's Hip Hop Awards being held this weekend. I hope he does well. His whole heart is definitely in it and I always like to see that type of inspired creativity get recognized. Good Luck, Shawn!

So that is just a bit of what has been going on in my part of the world. I'm happy that I found some time today to blog about it. I've missed this.