Slurping Life

Mapping My Heart

Today you will find me mapping my heart at Wrapped Emotions.

Wednesday and Thursday you will find me at the spa hospital undergoing rejuvenation angioplasty and a stent. 

See you soon.

Facing Myself

You know, I come up with these ideas over at my other blog, Wrapped Emotions, and then realize "Oh, I have to do this, too".  There was a bit of second guessing myself this week, but when my project was underway things didn't seem so bad.  As a matter of fact, Melody likes Melody.  (visit the blog for full project details)

Some days in my view everything is wrong with me.  Some days I view myself as a good person who has it all pretty well together.  Some days I like the way I look.  Some days I don't.  Some days I cannot even hold a thought long enough to know what I think.  But the bottom line is I am a happy person who has a family that loves her.  Thanks to good genes the old face ain't too shabby, and I've earned every charming characteristic it displays.

This project did not challenge me to the point of tears as I originally felt it might.  I don't have any deep insights or revelations about myself.  I suppose that surmises to say despite the trials of my day to day life and the accompanying stress, Melody is happy with who she is and where she is.  Aging has it's perks.

Non-edited except to convert to black and white, here I am...

Printed, traced and scanned back into the computer...

   

"I want to express my age and be authentic. Why do so many people follow somebody else's idea of what is attractive?" --Diane Keaton

I  *heart* Diane Keaton.

Visit the links at Wrapped Emotions and meet a group of fabulous women bloggers.   

Got A Crayon?

Got a crayon?  Then pop over to my other blog, Wrapped Emotions, and play.

Then come back to Slurping Life a little later today and enter my contest.  I cannot believe what this contest is about...Is She Or Isn't She?  Contest is now posted here.

Beauty Of Now and Graffiti

Sunday at Slurping Life is a day of sharing beauty.  Beauty is found in that which is created from the heart.

It's almost the deadline for posting my completed Wrapped Emotions project for this week, and  honestly, I almost forgot to do it.  Spending a lot of time observing, enjoying the world around me and saying "wow" has taken my mind to a new level of contentment...it's a refreshing vantage point.  Much like climbing to the mountain peak, looking out and photographing the entire world with one click.  I like it.

From my present vantage point came the realization that there is no reason to continue to procrastinate with want-to-dos, projects...dreams.  Last week I realized it was time to overcome the stressful fear found in not trusting myself, and as a result, this week has been much brighter for myself and my family. 

Life entrances me.  I want to learn, soak up knowledge...even more than knowledge, I want to deeply inhale every moment of life equally...the moments spent plunging a toilet...feeling an autumn breeze against my skin.  I want to use my word countless times before this brief earthly life passes.

So this week's graffiti project was done very quickly this morning in the true spirit of a graffiti artist.  I had a message and my art was created quickly without a thought process.  As I worked it, the piece looked rather blah to me.  It was only after completing it that the depth of the multi-layers became apparent.  There are words buried in there that you cannot see, but still they bring forth the message..much like emotions that are hidden deep within myself, yet they make me the whole.  Those deep emotions subliminally create who I am.  The end result of the colors are jeweled, deep and rich even though they appeared extremely drab, uninspiring during the process. 

It truly is after completing a piece of art that the beauty is revealed...the message is spoken.   Perhaps if we step back and look at our lives through the view of "whole" rather than harping on the little drab spots, the hard times would not be so overwhelming...the jewel tones of the rich, beauty of our lives would be revealed to ourselves now...rather than only to others after the piece of art which is our lives is complete.

Step back...take a long, loving look at the whole image of your life.  Do you see the jewel tones...the rich beauty?  It's there...keep looking...

~~~

What I did...
First on the journal page I painted two layers of gesso.  Then using a metal skewer I scratched textures and lines, squiggles over the page.  Next I took a black marker and wrote words...wow, joy, love...and ink stamped the word smile a few times.  With black ink I placed several of my thumb prints.  Then I squirted acrylic paints and a gel medium in lines and squiggles and scraped them across the page using an old credit card.  The gel keeps the paint workable longer and I dabbed the colors with a paper towel.  When dry I wrote the words "do it now" and using a white oil pastel crayon, I colored over the entire page.  Then using the same paper towel from above, I smudged, rubbed and softened the effect.  Using several colors of oil pastels, I quickly traced some of the textured lines that had been etched into the beginning gesso layer.  None of this was a thought out process.  I just had fun.  It was a joy to create.

~~~

Take a moment and inhale the beauty created by several introspective, creative women.

The Beauty of Finishing

Sunday at Slurping Life is a day of sharing beauty.  Beauty is found in that which is created from the heart.

I discovered the beauty of finishing my art journal cover last night.

(If you click the photo you get a larger image and can read the stickers)

I also discovered that I am a procrastinator at beginning any project in my life.  My problem lies in that I make the assumption that something or someone will interrupt, therefore, it is necessary to find a huge chunk of time alone to begin in order to complete. Life is what we think it is...have you noticed that?  We truly have much power over making our reality.  I will be working on my mindset.

However, I also realized that I work best under pressure...being forced to get it done NOW.  It is the nature of life around here because the personalities and needs of this family are extreme and  often acute...I am constantly forced to function under the pressure of dealing with issues of bipolar disorder, autism, cerebral palsy, PMS (whatever).  I now understand that's the way it is, and you know what, I'm good at working under pressure.  Although a quiet lulling day now and then is soooooo nice.

Look, I even mounted my second Wrapped Emotions project in my art journal.  My first project was originally done in the journal.  Rolling right along...

Visit Wrapped Emotions for links to the beauty participants are creating...with their hands, minds and hearts.  We hope you'll join us in our journey...to create, connect, express yourself.

Pixie Stix Or Fairy Dust?

We're expressing ourselves at Wrapped Emotions, and the fun is open to everyone.  I hope you'll join us to express yourself and have the opportunity to win a gift each week.

Here's my contribution for "Let Them Eat Candy". 

"Melody, hurry or you'll miss the bus."

In elementary school I never wanted to miss the school bus.  Actually, I never wanted to miss waiting for the school bus.  Upon hearing the warning, I would pull on my cowboy boots...yes, cowboy boots, I was a tomboy...grab my school gear and run out the door.  Trusty dime always in my pocket.  I would run the two blocks up the hill to Conley's Store which served as the bus stop.  Old Mrs. Conley was a widow and her store, a two-story weathered wooden building, had a huge covered porch.  It was the perfect place for a bunch of school kids to be protected from the elements of nature as they waited for the bus to come.

When I arrived my friends were often already in line waiting to enter the double screened doors that fronted the store.  Fear would creep into my heart.  What if they were all gone when it was at last my turn?  Up the cement steps, finally, and into the store where I would pull out my shiny dime and say with anticipation "Pixie Stix, please".  Then Old Mrs. Conley would place a rainbow of paper sticks into my hand.  Those skinny little wrappers held what surely must be fairy dust.  How else could you explain the magic they worked as I tore open each one and sprinkled it into my mouth?  My squeals of delight, my happy yet puckered lips, my rainbow tongue.  Friends giggled beside me, each enjoying their morning magic of choice as we waited for the yellow school bus.

Pixie Stix...I still believe fairies make them.